I am currently in my third year of my Baccalauréat ès arts with a major in French Language and a minor in Native Studies at the University of Alberta in the Faculté St. Jean. I am from South Eastern Alberta, my family came from a Métis community in Western Manitoba where a large majority of my family still resides. I enjoy spending time outdoors with an interest in plants and the environment, such as the way plants grow, the regions, the seasons and the changes. Through this I have become more aware of the medicinal qualities of plants and their value to health and wellness. Last summer I was fortunate enough to receive the AIM- Hi Summer Student Stipend where I was able to document the harvesting process and knowledge and for this summer, I hope to create a continuation of that.

I am a fourth year Metis student graduating with an Honours BSc In Neuroscience. This year, I completed my honours thesis on the effects of THC on stress with the Hill laboratory. Over the course of my four years, I have enjoyed playing defence for the UofC Dinos Women’s Hockey Team. When I am not at the rink or in the lab, I spend my time hiking, paddle boarding and playing tennis and golf.

My name is Raela Thiemann, and I am a member of the Métis Nation of Alberta (Region 3). I am currently working toward a Bachelor of Science in Psychology, and next year I will be entering the Honours program. Afterwards, I plan to pursue a Doctoral degree in clinical psychology. My research this summer will focus on the relationship between thought patterns and mental health in young adults, which is of extreme importance during the COVID-19 pandemic. In my free time, I enjoy photography and getting out to the mountains. Since obtaining my citizenship in 2019, I have made it a priority to learn and understand the Indigenous Ways of Knowing and to explore my Métis identity. I am grateful for this opportunity and look forward to learning more about Indigenous health research this summer.

I am a third year dental hygiene student at the University of Alberta and a proud Metis citizen. I love to volunteer my time in different leadership positions within my program. My favorite leadership activity is being a co-executive for the SMILE program, where dental hygiene students deliver oral health presentations to children in schools, daycares, and hospitals! My goal for the future is to obtain my Master’s degree in dental hygiene and spread my time between teaching clinically and working in a private practice. In my spare time, I love to cook, garden my succulent collection, play with my dogs (I have a pug and a labradoodle), and travel!