One Health Summer Institute 2023

Registration for this program is now closed!

Course Outline

One Health Summer Institute (OHSI) 2023 is an in-person one week program in Kananaskis Country focusing on a One Health approach to climate change in montane ecosystems. Using class and field-based learning, you will learn about the impacts of climate change on the health of interconnected and interdependent ecosystems. You will learn that scientific inquiry from different disciplinary perspectives and engaging people on all sides of the challenge, can lead to more constructive, sustainable, and socially just solutions.

Date: June 10-17, 2023

Time: Everyday, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm (Mountain Time)

Format: In-person classroom sessions and field trips

Location: Classroom sessions will be held at UCalgary campus in Barrier Lake Field Station in Kananaskis. Field trips will be held in different locations in Kananaskis country.

Cost: $500 CAD + tax: Program fee includes instruction, learning materials, accommodation at Kananaskis campus, food, and transportation for field trips.

Eligibility: There are no prerequisites to participate. This program is open to students, adult learners and professionals from all over the world (domestic and international) who are interested in One Health. Ability to understand and communicate in English is required.

Certificate: A certificate of completion will be given to students who participate in 80% of the sessions.

* In support and recognition of the University of Calgary's Indigenous Strategy, ii’ taa’poh’to’p, two spots are available for Indigenous students/ adult learners in Canada free of charge. Please contact us at onehealth@ucalgary.ca for more information.

Deadline to register: June 1, 2023

Background

Every aspect of the environment that we depend on and value is experiencing the effects of climate change. Through transdisciplinary and cross sectoral collaboration, a One Health approach addresses the social, economic, and ecological contexts of complex problems such
as climate change to find sustainable and acceptable solutions for improved wellness of people, animals, and the environment.

Vision

After this course, students will see there are solutions to complex problems and that they can be part of the solution. With a greater understanding of how to approach a difficult challenge, the students will be empowered to find the necessary resources and see opportunities for a role for themselves.

Goals

In this program students will learn that change is possible and that they have a role in that change. Using climate change in montane ecosystems as a case study, participants will learn how scientific inquiry from different disciplinary perspectives and engaging people on all sides of the challenge can lead to more constructive, sustainable, and socially just solutions. Students will work to develop the necessary skills that will enable them to contribute meaningfully to transdisciplinary
teams.

Experiential Learning

The One Health Summer Institute will be an engaged learning experience whereby the students will ‘learn by doing’. Through Indigenous ceremony and meeting with Indigenous Elders, students will gain insight into different cultural perspectives and Indigenous ways of knowing. Field work will highlight the interdependencies of the Kananaskis montane ecosystems and provide
insights on how to assess the impacts of climate change.

Learning Outcomes

At the end of this program, participants will:

Gain a scientific understanding of climate change and its implications for people, animals, and the environment
Practice seeing the ecological relationships between human, animal, and environmental health
Identify appropriate indicators to measure and / or describe the heath of an ecosystem or species
Think critically about mitigation and adaptation responses to climate change
Discover the value of Indigenous ways of knowing and its parallels with the One Health approach
Practice working collectively and discover the value that diverse perspectives bring to the problem

Electrofishing at ACWA

I attended One Health Summer Institute 2022 which was an incredible experience! We learnt about the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration to help address the complex problems we face today. The wide variety of expert speakers combined with the systems thinking approach opened my mind to the opportunities available when we work together. The experience enlightened me about the beautiful lifestyle of the Indigenous Peoples of Canada and the knowledge the Elders and community have to offer.

Heleen de Wit, International Student from the Netherlands