Geodesy & Geomatics Engineering

Roberta Holtner (centre) with two students she helped supervise over the summer of 2019. Located in the Métis community of Fort Vermilion, AB, both are law students in the joint degree program in Canadian Common Law and Indigenous Legal Orders at the University of Victoria.

Introducing our next Spotlight, Roberta Holtner!

Alumna, Roberta Holtner graduated in 2009 and was recently involved with a project at Natural Resources Canada that brought post-secondary females together to work on projects with a public Indigenous interest. The pairs consisted of one Indigenous student and one non-Indigenous student. The purpose was to allow the students to work on a research project over the summer that allowed for the intertwining of western science and Indigenous knowledge.

Holtner's “inspiration” for being involved with this program was from two professors she had during her time within our department. Holtner says “Dr. Sue Nichols and Dr. James Secord both encouraged students to always do better and created opportunities for all students to excel. Both encouraged us to learn more than just the science and engineering side of our program. They pushed their students to get involved and do more to help our communities and other people who could benefit from our knowledge.”

Holtner was able to share those skills with a group of young females in the summer of 2019. The summer program she worked on benefited 16 female undergrads. At the end of the summer, the students presented their research.

The program created “lasting friendships and connections that will guide them through their future career,” Holtner said. She also adds that “some of the students had never been to an Indigenous community and ended up living there for the entire summer. The relationships that were created will have long-lasting impacts towards a better future for all Canadians and will help us all move forward on the path to reconciliation,” explains Holtner.