Putting the "U" in JUSTICE

This panel brings together scholars across fields and disciplines at UBC to discuss how we think about justice in our research and how we do our work in a good way. The moderator will ask the panelists a series of questions about their perspectives on justice as it relates to their work and fields, and the discussion will be opened up to members of the audience. The goal for the panel is to consider how we as researchers in academia can be more critical in our work, more reflexive in the influence of our positionalities, and more cognizant of the ways our work can contribute to the improvement of society in equitable and just ways.

Panelist Layla Hadad (she/they), a graduate student in Public Policy and Global Affairs, focuses on the intersection of human rights, health equity, and social development. They are dedicated to supporting vulnerable communities through public efforts, aiming to integrate justice into all aspects of her work, including gender, sustainable development, and global affairs.

Panelist Karyna Howell is a graduate student in Soil Science, focused on studying the flow of nutrients from soil to plant. She is committed to recognizing how unjust social and economic systems impact soils and knows movement towards greater justice means movement towards healthier, more stable food systems and ecosystems.

Panelist Lindsey Nkem is a PhD candidate in Gender, Race, Sexualty, and Social Justice, focused on studying the nuances of identity and being important to Black womanhood. They are looking to further explore the possibilities for decoloniality and the importance of envisioning to achieving liberation.

Moderator Sofie McComb (she/her), is a PhD candidate in Forest and Conservation Sciences. She is focused on assessing cumulative impacts to Cultural Keystone Places in the Salish Sea—particularly impacts to Indigenous stewardship and relational caregiving—and using this information to inform effective, just, and values-based conservation decision-making in the region.