WHITEHORSE—Over 400 geologists, academics and graduate students will be in Yukon next week for the annual joint conference of the Geological Association of Canada (GAC) and the Mineralogical Association of Canada (MAC).

The Margins Through Time conference runs June 1-3 at Yukon College’s Ayamdigut campus. Six field trips before and after the conference will allow delegates to experience Yukon history, geology and mine reclamation at the Klondike and Keno mine districts, Whitehorse Copper Belt, Chatham Strait in Southeast Alaska, Kluane region and the Faro mine complex.

Hosted by Yukon College and Yukon Geological Survey, this will be the first time the 59-year-old annual conference has ventured to Yukon.

WHITEHORSE—Grade 7 Christ the King Elementary student Rémie Cherepak was awarded a bronze medal and the Nutrients for Life Foundation Award at the annual Canada-Wide Science Fair in Montreal, Quebec, last week.

Cherepak won for her original research project “Would you eat these peas?” an experiment to see if commonly used vehicle fluids—antifreeze, gasoline, synthetic and petroleum oil—have a negative impact on plant growth. Across three levels of soil contamination, Cherepak’s results show that of the four fluids, antifreeze had the most severely negative impact on plant growth, gasoline also had a negative impact and synthetic and petroleum oil had no noticeable impact.

WHITEHORSE—The Student Financial Assistance Act was granted assent yesterday after being passed in the Yukon Legislative Assembly. The new act replaces the former Students Financial Assistance Act and concludes a review process that began in March of 2015.

“We have consulted extensively with students, parents, Yukon First Nations governments, Yukon College and other partners and stakeholders,” Minister of Education Doug Graham said. “The new act balances the issues and concerns of diverse groups and ensures that funding is administered in a fiscally responsible way.”

WHITEHORSE—When Yukon College students cross the Yukon Arts Centre stage on Friday, 156 will be the first to graduate with the new Yukon First Nations core competency requirement that is now mandatory for students who began their studies after September 2015.

The core competency aims to build greater awareness and understanding of the 14 Yukon First Nations and includes northern and aboriginal knowledge and perspectives, relevant information on the history and legacy of residential schools, land claims and self-government agreements, languages, and the history and culture of Yukon First Nations peoples.

“The core competency information is useful, especially being presented directly and in a single session. I think a person would be limiting themselves to live in Yukon and not take this course,” said Scott Holliday, Business Administration diploma graduate.

Three Yukon students arrived Sunday at the annual Canada-Wide Science Fair in Montreal, Quebec, joining 500 young scientists from across Canada to showcase their scientific knowledge.

Representing Yukon with their original research projects are, Rémie Cherepak (Christ the King - Grade 7) with “Would you eat these peas?”, James Storey (FH Collins - Grade 8), presenting “Camping stove efficiency for summertime alpine hiking”, and Seth Bennett (Golden Horn – Grade 7) with “Video games before bed: Does it affect my sleepwalking?”. 

WHITEHORSE—The Government of Yukon, Yukon College and the University of Alberta have signed a memorandum of understanding that outlines the framework for a coordinated approach to identifying and facilitating upcoming projects and initiatives. 

“This memorandum of understanding is a positive step in diversifying programming and educational options available to students in Yukon and Alberta,” Premier Darrell Pasloski said. “Focussing on building science capacity and relationships was a priority identified in Yukon’s 2016 Science Strategy, and this agreement helps us move towards achieving this goal.”

The memorandum of understanding identifies several objectives, including establishing joint research projects, introducing new degree programs and professional certifications, student mobility and staff exchanges and increased programming to encourage public awareness of topics relevant to science in the North. 

WHITEHORSE—Staff at Yukon College are receiving training this month on how to best respond to disclosure from a student or colleague of sexualized assault or harrassment. Front line staff across a number of College departments and all Safety and Security officers will receive this training; it will be expanded to additional staff over the next year.

The two-hour training session will focus on how to lead a supportive conversation with the person disclosing, and informing them of resources available at Yukon College and in the wider community. The session will be led by two College staff with extensive experience in counselling and survivor support and is intended to be phase one of a larger sexualized violence education plan for staff and students.

This training coincides with May being Sexualized Assault Prevention Month and a new sexualized harrassment and assault policy being developed by staff and students.

Scientists at the Yukon Research Centre (YRC) are doing more than just publishing their results – they are sharing their knowledge with students at Eliza Van Bibber School in Pelly Crossing. Researchers have arranged a diverse team of experts to expose high school students to different characteristics of constructed wetlands and their valuable role in water purification, a recently proven technique that could be used at mine sites in their traditional territory.

In partnership with Selkirk First Nation (SFN) and Casino Mining Corporation, Dr. Amelie Janin, Yukon College’s NSERC Industrial Research Chair (IRC) in Mine Life Cycle, is sharing her research with youth so they can benefit from the results.

WHITEHORSE—Yukon College is now accepting applications for a new Aviation Management diploma to be offered in partnership with Alkan Air’s Flight Training Unit. The two-year program is designed for students who wish to obtain a commercial pilot license while simultaneously learning practical business skills relevant to today’s aviation industry.

Students in the 60 credit program will graduate with both a private and a commercial pilot’s licence (30 credits). The remaining 30 credits will consist of 10 courses at Yukon College which must include Wilderness First Aid, Outdoor Pursuits and Leadership and the Yukon First Nations core competency, as well as business courses options, including communications, management, marketing, human resources, and commercial law.

University of Saskatchewan and Yukon College have been awarded a Social Science and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) grant to make climate change research more relevant to northern indigenous communities. This research will combine the disciplines of both science and art to support community adaptation to climate change.

“This project brings together the Yukon School of Visual Arts, the Yukon Research Centre, and University of Saskatchewan’s Social Science Research Laboratory with northern communities to transform local knowledge and science into artistic interpretations of changing northern landscapes”, said Dr. Graham Strickert, Adjunct Faculty with Yukon College and Research Associate with the Global Institute for Water Security. “It is our hope that by combining science and art we will not only better engage with the community but we can creatively explore solutions to our changing climate.”