Alberta Chapter of The Wildlife Society Launches BIPOC Student Awards to Encourage Diversity in Wildlife Profession
The Alberta Chapter of The Wildlife Society (ACTWS) is pleased to announce two new student awards for Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour (BIPOC) students. The EDI Post-Secondary Student Award is designed to help BIPOC students in their first year of a post-secondary education program in Alberta centered around wildlife. The EDI Professional Development Student Award will support students or early-career professionals in furthering their career through professional development, such as course fees, conference travel, or certifications relating to wildlife studies.
“The ACTWS has always been an organization that welcomes all people with an interest in participating in wildlife and habitat research and conservation,” said Sarah Elmeligi, ACTWS Executive Director. “These student awards add to our existing student awards suite and further our commitment to supporting students in the wildlife profession across Alberta.”
The Wildlife Society (TWS) is committed to the identification and removal of barriers to recruitment, effective mentoring, retention of a diverse workforce, and to communicating with a diverse array of stakeholders. TWS recognizes the value of including the richness of human diversity in our efforts to discover, educate, inform policy, and involve the public in wildlife science and management.
The awards are part of the ACTWS Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee’s (EDIC) work to address equity, diversity, and inclusion in the Alberta wildlife profession. One of the goals of the EDIC is to reduce financial barriers experienced by members of marginalized communities in entering or staying in the wildlife profession. These student awards are one part of the EDIC’s work.
“Encouraging diversity in the wildlife profession starts with encouraging diversity in wildlife programs at our post-secondary institutions and supporting students as they establish themselves early in their career,” says Nicole Heim, ACTWS President.
Information about the student awards is on our awards page. Deadline to apply for the fall awards is November 30, 2021.