Indigenous students in Engineering at UBC
For Indigenous students, studying engineering at UBC can be a pathway to bring together traditional knowledge, problem-solving skills and community values in a profession that values diverse perspectives and voices.
If you’re interested in a meaningful, well-paid career where you can truly make a difference for yourself and others, engineering could be a great choice. And UBC is one of the best places in Canada to study it: we are home to a welcoming Indigenous-focused community, offer programs to help you thrive, and emphasize an inclusive approach to engineering design.
Why engineering is a great choice for Indigenous students
Pursuing a career in engineering is a powerful way to stay true to your values and build a stable future for yourself as you work to make the world better.
Engineering is one of the only undergraduate degrees that offers a clear pathway to a job in your profession right after you graduate.
There’s no need for additional education or training! And you’re paid well – study after study shows that graduates with engineering degrees earn more than students from any other undergraduate program. Indigenous engineers are also in high demand across Canada in all industry sectors.
But engineering is far more than a dependable career choice. It’s a profession that empowers you to make a real difference in people’s lives. Engineers make our world better – whether that’s by improving access to clean water, helping remote communities transition to renewable energy rather than diesel power, or developing natural resource projects in ways that incorporate Indigenous knowledge and worldviews
Build community and explore your identity at UBC
Community is at the heart of many Indigenous students’ journeys – and that doesn’t stop when you step foot on campus. UBC has many dedicated gathering spaces, resources and student groups where you can express your Indigenous identity in a way that is true to you and that enable you to build a circle of support as you embark on your studies.
Both UBC campuses have designated Indigenous-specific spaces and programs. At UBC Vancouver you’ll find the First Nations Longhouse, which includes the Indigenous Student Collegium where students are welcome to hang out between classes, socialize and study. At UBC Okanagan, students can connect at the Indigenous Centre, which offers events and programming.
Indigenous student services at UBC Vancouver
Indigenous student services at UBC Okanagan
It all starts even before you accept your admissions offer. Indigenous students are encouraged to sign up for Destination BC for an opportunity to travel to campus, meet other students considering UBC and get a sense of what university life is all about.
“I was still waiting for my final acceptance from UBC and was invited to participate in the Destinations program,” says Emi Callele. “My dad and I flew out over a weekend, did a tour of campus, participated in activities, met with an upper-year student, and learned what UBC has to offer for Indigenous students. It was for students from all faculties, and it was great because I connected with them through social media and then had a sit down dinner to get to know them.”
You can also participate in the Jump Start Vancouver or Jump Start Okanagan program that take place in the final week before first semester. These are great opportunities to start forming bonds of connection with other students – and these connections will only deepen once you start classes and begin working in teams on engineering design projects.
Jump Start Vancouver Jump Start Okanagan
Indigenous student orientation at UBC Okanagan
If you’re looking to connect with other Indigenous students studying STEM subjects, including engineering, definitely join one of the UBC AISES chapters. The AISES mission is to increase Indigenous representation in STEM fields and both UBC Vancouver and UBC Okanagan have chapters.
In addition to regular get-togethers throughout the year, AISES holds national conferences that bring together Indigenous students in STEM with industry and community partners.
It’s a great opportunity to see what’s being done in the field and connect with peers and potential mentors.
Danilo Caron is a PhD student in civil engineering who fondly remembers attending his first AISES conference in 2018 – a powerful experience that led him to chair the UBC Vancouver chapter and encourage other students to attend.
“It’s incredible to have a conference agenda that includes culturally inclusive STEM pursuits and recognizes the importance of community,” he says. “I love seeing students attend these conferences for the first time. It’s an eye-opening experience as many will have assumed that there’s no role for their culture within academia or practice.”
Student-run design teams are another popular way for students to connect with others while working on large, complex and ambitious projects. Design teams cover a range of topics – from biomedicine to sustainability. At UBC Vancouver, there’s even the Indigenous-led Thunderbird Aerospace team that is designing and building rockets.
Design teams and clubs at UBC Okanagan
Culturally informed engineering education
Engineering is a purpose-driven profession that is rooted in service to the public good, which comes with the responsibility to understand the history of Indigenous Peoples in Canada. This is of particular importance given that engineers are working in the traditional territories of First Nations and legislation requires that First Nations be consulted before major projects can advance.
UBC weaves Indigenous-focused content throughout the engineering curriculum. A course on technical communication, for example, includes a module on consultation with Indigenous communities and how to respectfully incorporate Indigenous knowledge.
Engineering at UBC also has a strong sustainability lens, which means understanding different worldviews and ways of knowing and ensuring that all engineering designs take this broader perspective into consideration.
For alum Emily Flaschner, this integration is both personal and professional. “Being an Indigenous woman in engineering has involved learning about how the values that come from the Indigenous cultural part of my life can intermix with engineering as well as how to balance them,” she says.
“For instance, when we talk about inclusive design, we need to ensure that space is created to listen to all voices and proper consultation occurs with all implicated parties. This means including Indigenous people within these conversations and throughout the design process.
Indigenous engineers have the background knowledge and can offer insight, but it’s crucial that everyone takes the initiative to learn.
Overall, it’s important for space to be created to improve representation.”
Welcoming more Indigenous students into engineering
There are many reasons for the underrepresentation of Indigenous students in engineering compared to their share of the general population. One barrier is that students are not aware of engineering as a potential path – or the many different career pathways that are possible with a degree in engineering.
Many organizations are aiming to address this barrier. UBC Vancouver’s AISES chapter, for example, runs programs in partnership with local First Nations to help younger students demystify what’s involved in pursuing engineering or other STEM subjects after high school
There are many other programs aimed at Indigenous high school students. These include Geering Up’s InSTEM programming, which includes summer camps offered in communities as well as workshops delivered through the year.
Geering Up also offers an internship program for Indigenous high school students who want to deliver the curriculum and be role models for the next generation of students.
The summer research program seed2STEM offers high school students a six-week paid research internship opportunity.
Students who go on to pursue a STEM subject in university are invited back to complete a four-month paid research assistantship after first year.
Similarly, the Verna J. Kirkness Education Foundation enables students to spend a week at a university working with researchers and gaining hands-on experience.
Verna J. Kirkness Education Foundation
UBC Okanagan offers overnight summer camps to provide opportunities for students in grades 7 to 9 and from grades 10 to 12 to experience
UBC Okanagan summer scholars and leadership camps
As Danilo Caron explains, these programs build confidence and encourage younger students to start imagining themselves studying and working in engineering.
“They enable you to dip your toes into the post-secondary experience,” he says. “Different camps and outreach activities are great opportunities to spend meaningful time on campus or in a lab and meet other students like yourself. It’s an empowering way to break down the barriers.”
These and other outreach programs can help you better understand the pathways to engineering and the courses you’ll need to be eligible to apply. For example, since students need to have Physics 12 (or its equivalent) to meet the prerequisites, it’s important that young people continue taking higher-level physics to keep all their options open.
