Leadership Series

IN PERSON | May 6, 2024 | 9 to 10:30 a.m. | ECHA 2-190

Register on campusBRIDGE

Description

In this session, we will discuss why EDI work is important, and should be rooted in lived experiences and positionality. Using personal and professional stories, Dr. Lisa Tink will discuss how she came to work in the area of EDI and share thoughts and insights about what EDI is, what EDI isn’t, and what it could/should be. Throughout the session, participants will have the opportunity to reflect on their own lived experiences and discuss the ways these experiences have shaped, and continue to shape, their own understandings and practices.

Facilitators

Lisa Tink, PhD

Lisa is a postdoctoral associate working in both the Vice Provost’s Office (Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion) and the Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport, and Recreation. She is one of two curriculum designers working on the University of Alberta’s EDI modules. She is also a member of a national research collective that offers intersectional and justice-oriented solutions intended to disrupt and transform harmful systems, structures, policies, and norms in the areas of sport, recreation, physical activity, and other movement cultures. Her doctoral dissertation was recently published as a book titled Fit to be Canadian? The Recreation Industrial Complex in Canada. Prior to returning to academics, Lisa worked as a director in the Government of Alberta’s Recreation and Physical Activity Division and a manager at the Alberta Recreation and Parks Association. Lisa is also the director of In Situ Change Strategies – a participatory consulting firm that provides research and evaluation services to inform meaningful action.

Jay Friesen, PhD

Jay is an Educational Curriculum Developer at the Faculty of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies and an Assistant Lecturer in Community Engagement at Community Service-Learning at the University of Alberta. He received his PhD in Cultural Studies (MLCS) from the same institution in 2019, where his research focused on the relationship between comedy and multiculturalism in Canadian communities. Jay has taught diverse courses on a wide variety of topics, including community engagement, cultural studies, and pedagogy, and is particularly interested in making post-secondary learning accessible and equitable, especially through university and community collaborations. He is a two-time recipient of the CSL Instructor of the Year award, once as a graduate student and once as an ATS lecturer.

IN PERSON | May 6, 2024 | 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. | ECHA 2-190

Register on campusBRIDGE

Description

Leadership begins with self. What kind of leader are you? Does this matter? What makes a good leader? How can you build your leadership acumen? Join us in a conversation about leadership styles, determine what are your tendencies, and gain a better sense of what matters when it comes to leadership of self.

Facilitator

Dr. Renee Polziehn is the Professional Development Director for the Faculty of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies. Following 20+ years of leading professional development programming for the Faculty of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies and the Postdoctoral Fellows Office, she has heard many of the challenges faced by graduate students and postdoctoral fellows as they transition from their graduate degrees to the workplace. Renee is part of the executive leadership in the Faculty of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies and has been recognized nationally for the programming offered to graduate students and postdoctoral fellows.

IN PERSON | May 6, 2024 | 1 to 2 p.m. | ECHA 2-190

Register on campusBRIDGE

Description

Once you have a good handle on how you respond and interact with others and to events, you will want to add the next dimension of learning about others. How are people similar and different from you? What dynamics can come into play so that you can be successful in leading? We will examine how people learn as a tool for understanding how leadership is received by others and how this can impact team dynamics.

Facilitator

Dr. Renee Polziehn is the Professional Development Director for the Faculty of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies. Following 20+ years of leading professional development programming for the Faculty of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies and the Postdoctoral Fellows Office, she has heard many of the challenges faced by graduate students and postdoctoral fellows as they transition from their graduate degrees to the workplace. Renee is part of the executive leadership in the Faculty of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies and has been recognized nationally for the programming offered to graduate students and postdoctoral fellows.

IN PERSON | May 6, 2024 | 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. | ECHA 2-190

Register on campusBRIDGE

Description

You may spend a part - even a good part - of your career working in positions outside of formal leadership. But that doesn't prevent you from leading projects that are innovative and inspiring. Indeed, working on the front lines often gives you special insight into the kinds of initiatives that will benefit those you serve.

Facilitator

Robert B. (Rob) Desjardins, PhD is a professional development instructional designer in the Faculty of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies. A U of A alumnus and seasoned communicator (MJ Carleton 1994; PhD Alberta 2010), Rob has spent nearly 14 years supporting and advocating for graduate students, including a decade as graduate writing advisor in the Academic Success Centre. He is also an active researcher in the field of late medieval cultural history, and is co-editor of The Arras Witch Treatises (Penn State, 2016) and the Lab Award-winning exhibition "Tinctor's Foul Treatise" (Bruce Peel Special Collections).

Description

Leadership within teams has many nuances. During this fun, interactive workshop we will use LEGO to explore the facets of what makes a good team. We will explore the questions of how to create a productive team environment and how your sense-of-self contributes to this dynamic.

Facilitator

Dr. Renee Polziehn is the Professional Development Director for the Faculty of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies. Following 20+ years of leading professional development programming for the Faculty of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies and the Postdoctoral Fellows Office, she has heard many of the challenges faced by graduate students and postdoctoral fellows as they transition from their graduate degrees to the workplace. Renee is part of the executive leadership in the Faculty of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies and has been recognized nationally for the programming offered to graduate students and postdoctoral fellows.

Jay Friesen, PhD, is an Educational Curriculum Developer at the Faculty of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies and an Assistant Lecturer in Community Engagement at Community Service-Learning at the University of Alberta. He received his PhD in Cultural Studies (MLCS) from the same institution in 2019, where his research focused on the relationship between comedy and multiculturalism in Canadian communities. Jay has taught diverse courses on a wide variety of topics, including community engagement, cultural studies, and pedagogy, and is particularly interested in making post-secondary learning accessible and equitable, especially through university and community collaborations. He is a two-time recipient of the CSL Instructor of the Year award, once as a graduate student and once as an ATS lecturer.

Robert B. (Rob) Desjardins, PhD, is a professional development instructional designer in the Faculty of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies. A U of A alumnus and seasoned communicator (MJ Carleton 1994; PhD Alberta 2010), Rob has spent nearly 14 years supporting and advocating for graduate students, including a decade as graduate writing advisor in the Academic Success Centre. He is also an active researcher in the field of late medieval cultural history, and is co-editor of The Arras Witch Treatises (Penn State, 2016) and the Lab Award-winning exhibition "Tinctor's Foul Treatise" (Bruce Peel Special Collections).