Dr. Todd Duhamel Appointed Indigenous Lead Role in the Faculty of Graduate Studies

Dr. Todd Duhamel, current associate dean in the faculty of graduate studies was recently appointed Indigenous lead role within the faculty. 

We sat down recently with him to ask him about this new opportunity:

 
Can you tell us about your background?

The lands that we live on have a history that is of personal significance to each of us. However, many of us do not fully know the true history of the people who have lived here, nor the hurtful actions that colonialism inflicted and the resulting impacts that are still being felt today by Indigenous peoples. At some point in the past, my paternal grandmother, who is from Ste. Anne Manitoba, made a choice to hide that our family is Red River Métis. I do not understand the conditions that must have occurred to cause my family to hide who we are. I imagine that they felt fear. I have since committed to learning more about the true history of Indigenous peoples and have reclaimed my Métis identity and citizenship. It is quite interesting to learn about Métis history that includes names that I recognize as my relatives. I am also taking steps with my children so we can reconnect with Métis culture. I am naïve and vulnerable in this journey, but I am committed to moving forward in a good way.

I was born and raised in Atikokan, Ontario. As a child, I often visited my father’s extended family in Winnipeg and Ste. Anne, Manitoba and my mother’s Swedish settler family in Sioux Narrows, Ontario. I then completed academic (B.Sc. M.Sc. and PhD) training in Kinesiology at the University of Waterloo and postdoctoral training in the Max Rady College of Medicine, University of Manitoba. I am now a Professor in the Faculty of Kinesiology and Recreation Management and a Principal Investigator in the Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, St. Boniface General Hospital Albrechtsen Research Centre. My research examines the role of physical activity for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease.

How did you become the Indigenous Lead for FGS?

The University of Manitoba is committed to advancing reconciliation and has been working to improve resources and support for Indigenous achievement, including graduate education. I was invited to serve as the Indigenous Lead for the Faculty of Graduate Studies to further strengthen graduate student services or supports for Indigenous graduate students. The establishment of this role emerged from a recommendation made in the University of Manitoba Indigenous Senior Leadership Report.

What are the primary responsibilities and objectives of your role as Indigenous Lead for FGS?

This new role has two primary goals:

1. To build connections with other units, such as Migizii Agamik or the Office of the Vice-President (Indigenous), to provide supports for Indigenous graduate students;

2. To support Indigenous graduate students directly by meeting with them or by developing workshops, services, or policies to better meet their needs.

How does this role support Indigenous graduate students and the broader university community?

As the role begins, I will be working to establish stronger connections between FGS and the offices across campus that directly support Indigenous graduate students, such as local graduate program offices, Migizii Agamik and the Office of the Vice President (Indigenous). The starting point will be for FGS to find out what supports are already available on campus, and to seek advice about how FGS can contribute to further enhance Indigenous graduate student experiences.

Does this role allow for collaboration with other departments or faculties within the university to promote Indigenous perspectives and knowledge?

FGS has the capacity to impact graduate education across the entire institution by developing a reconciliation action plan that promotes Indigenous perspectives and knowledge in graduate education. FGS can also better partner with other offices across campus to enhance Indigenous graduate student experiences. To achieve such outcomes, it will be essential for us to exchange ideas, reflect upon what stakeholders express, and work together to co-create a new way forward.

What motivated you to take on this role, and what drives your passion for supporting Indigenous students?

Graduate studies can be rewarding, but it can also be a time of uncertainty. I was fortunate enough to have strong mentors in place who were able to support me as I moved through an undergraduate and two graduate programs. But when I look back upon my experiences, I recognize that graduate student circumstances are challenging. I also recognize that there are barriers to completing a graduate degree. One of those barriers is representation. It is essential that graduate students see successful Indigenous Scholars in academia and other fields, so they recognize that their aspirations are achievable. Connecting with Indigenous mentors and administrators nurtures relationships grounded in mutual respect and understanding. Such relationships can help close the divide between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities, promoting increased collaboration and reconciliation and enhance graduate student experiences.

How do you see the role of Indigenous knowledge and perspectives evolving in higher education?

Although there remains work to do, I am proud to know that the University of Manitoba values and is leading the way to embrace and implement indigenous knowledge and perspectives in higher education. I often read external reviews of our various graduate programs and appreciate when the reviewers’ comment about the positive actions that our institution has already implemented to value indigenous knowledge. I am also encouraged by the actions our institution is making to invest in the development of future indigenous student leaders through programs like the Indigenous Circle of Empowerment (ICE) or the Bison Spirit Indigenous Leadership Program. Those investments will strengthen our community. Finally, the inclusion of Indigenous knowledges and ways of knowing as a priority within the core value of “Curiosity” within the MOMENTUM: LEADING CHANGE TOGETHER, University of Manitoba Strategic Plan 2024-2029 document emphasizes that our institution values Indigenous knowledges and ways of knowing differently now that is has in the past. That recognition is an indication the University of Manitoba is changing for the better.

Kelley Main, Dean for the Faculty of Graduate Studies, expresses her gratitude to Todd for taking on this role, “This role that Todd has taken on will contribute to the next steps that we need to take as a faculty towards reconciliation and support the next generations of Indigenous graduate students.”

Story submitted by FGS