Ethical Learning – Wednesday, October 29

Psychological Safety: Unlocking Team Performance and Innovation 

10:30 AM – 11:30 AM

Psychological safety is essential for surfacing ideas, addressing challenges early, and maximizing the strengths of diverse technical minds, which is particularly important in fast-paced and high-stakes environments. This practical session explores how to foster team environments where teams feel safe to take risks, speak up, and contribute fully. Grounded in research and real-world experience, it highlights how small, intentional leadership behaviours can improve collaboration, build trust, and unlock innovation. 

Speakers

Polina Kouzmina

Reconciliation at Work: Practical Lessons from the Field

12:30 PM – 1:30 PM

This is a space for professionals to gain clarity, hear from peers, and discuss approaches to working with Indigenous Peoples and Communities – helping to support your Reconciliation Journey.

Speakers

Kear Porttris, EIT 

Kear is a Métis-Chinese professional who has been walking in multiple worlds since he was born. His Father is Métis and his mother is a Chinese immigrant from Hong Kong. He grew up in Treaty Four Territory in Regina, Saskatchewan. With a civil engineering background, holding an undergraduate and Master of Applied Science Degrees in Civil Engineering. He merges education, personal, and professional experience with a solutions-based lens. He has extensive experience developing partnerships between industry and Indigenous Communities. He focuses on using a collaborative approach to bolster and support Indigenization and engagement across disciplines and find unique and effective solutions for his clients. He is able to combine his professional training with his unique perspectives and network to support clients. He is involved with a number of interesting and innovative projects that are pushing the limits of Indigenization in industry. Kear sits on the board of Métis Nation of Greater Victoria, helping to represent Métis People throughout lək̓ʷəŋən and W̱SÁNEĆ Territories. 

Sk’ing lúudas Natasha Parrish 

Sk’ing lúudas (her English name is Natasha) is Kyaanuuslii Haida through her mother and maternal grandmothers and English through her father. She was born and raised in Teechamitsa Lekwungen Territory in a large, loving family. She graduated from the University of Victoria with a Bachelors of History, a Postgraduate Degree in Secondary Teaching, and later a Master of Arts in Indigenous Nationhood. Her interests lie in Indigenous education, policy development, and Indigenizing professional development for non-Indigenous people. She is interested in the intersections between our shared history, social and ethical responsibilities, and the realities of our modern world. She brings experience as an Indigenous educator working within larger institutions to her work creating a safe and brave space for clients. 

Climate Action for Engineers and Geoscientists: Ethical Considerations Ahead

2:00 PM – 3:00 PM 

Join us for a practical, thought-provoking session on the intersection of engineering, ethics, and climate action. We'll explore the tension between our duty to protect public well-being and society’s continued reliance on fossil fuels—particularly how this burden falls on vulnerable communities. The session will examine the justice challenges posed by climate change and the role engineers and geoscientists play in addressing them. We'll highlight how renewable energy and storage technologies can enhance both resilience and equity and how professionals can lead the shift toward smart, sustainable solutions that help create a just future for all.  

Speakers

Nelson Lee, P.Eng.