Faces of WISEST: Nicole Baker

nicolebaker.png
Nicole Baker

SRP 2009

Nicole Baker is a proud Indigenous woman from Red Pheasant Cree Nation in Treaty 6 territory. She grew up in Edmonton, AB. Nicole is a Senior Advisor of Community and Indigenous Engagement with Enbridge, one of North America’s largest energy infrastructure companies. She is working on a proposed Carbon Sequestration project located near Wabamun, AB.

Nicole has helped in developing engagement strategies with Indigenous communities, governments, and industry. She previously worked at the University of Alberta, a Tribal Council, the Government of Alberta, and a construction company. She has also co-facilitated Indigenous Awareness training with community Elders for the Alberta Public Service Commission. Her first experience with WISEST was at the CHOICES conference where she experienced hands-on activities and saw how science can be fun and interactive. She then participated in the WISEST Summer Research Program in 2009, where she worked in an Environmental Engineering lab focused on tailings pond projects in Alberta’s Oil Sands.

“Working in an environmental field during the WISEST SRP matched my personal values of protecting the land and caring for mother earth which is rooted in Indigenous culture and teachings. I was able to see the connections among western science and then traditional teachings of my ancestors. This was an amazing experience that has had a long-lasting impact on my career. I never thought I would be pursuing a post-secondary education, but the WISEST SRP offers an opportunity for students to realize their full potential and begin building a successful future for themselves.”

Want to learn more about Nicole’s story? Listen to this episode on the WISEST STEM Podcast, where she talks about finding her place in STEM as an Indigenous woman.