Research at Keewaytinook Okimakanak gaining national and international attention
Philipp Budka, a doctoral candidate at the University of Vienna, is in Sioux Lookout this week. He is interviewing people, meeting with organizations and First Nation community members to discuss how they are using MyKnet.org. This visit is Philipp's third visit to northwestern Ontario. He is traveling north to Fort Severn and Sandy Lake First Nation over the next two weeks. He is hoping to complete his doctoral thesis this year.
Dr. Susan O'Donnell, a researcher at the National Research Council in New Brunswick, spent two weeks in northwestern Ontario exploring how First Nations are utilizing videoconferencing as a way to support local social and economic development. Two graduate students working with Susan, Sonja Perley from the University of New Brunswick and Fenwick Mckelvey from Ryerson University in Toronto also made the journey into the north. During this visit, Susan and Sonja travelled to Keewaywin First Nation. Then Susan and Fenwick travelled to Muskrat Dam First Nation. During each of these visits, region videoconferences were hosted and participants were interviewed by the researchers.
Dr. Michael Gurstein, researcher with the University of Quebec and Executive Director of the Centre for Community Informatics Research, Development and Training in Vancouver, is working with the Northern Indigenous Community Satellite Network (NICSN) team to develop a long-term strategy and the required partnerships to support the research of completing an impact assessment of the use of IT infrastructure and tools in remote communities. Michael visited Sioux Lookout in early January to meet with the NICSN partners. He then travelled to Ottawa and Montreal to meet with federal government departments and different organizations to discuss this research opportunity.
The Keewaytinook Okimakanak Research Institute (KORI - http://research.knet.ca) is working with the K-Net team to support these research initiatives that are intended to support further work and development in the remote First Nations across northwestern Ontario.