Our SE Chapter at the University of Calgary held an all day conference in collaboration with the Calgary Indigenous STEAM Students Association (CISSA) student club on campus, titled “Bridging Perspectives: The Road to Net-Zero”. The event highlighted youth’s role in reaching net-zero, introduced new technologies helping the industry aid net zero, and the importance of Indigenous contribution and inclusive perspectives in reaching net zero. The conference was delivered through various speaker panel discussions, student-led sessions, and closed with an interview with an elder from the Siksika Nation discussing the significance of the buffalo and the sustainable practices the Siksika people have followed for hundreds of years. The event’s final claim to action was to encourage the integration of ancestral practices into current day sustainability methods to continue on our path to reach net-zero. The event generally contributed to steps towards reconciliation through increased representation from Indigenous students and community members with 45% of speakers and 46% of the organizing committee being Indigenous. The SE Chapter team is extremely happy with how this event has contributed to net zero conversations on campus and grateful for their collaboration with CISSA.
