Publications

Silver, D. A., Ahsan, T. Mandrak, N. E., & Livingstone, S. (2023). Uncovering antagonisms in recovery planning for species at risk: A diagnostic approach. Conservation Science and Practice, 5(11), e13023. https://doi.org/10.1111/csp2.13023

Professional Development Plan (Part 1): 10 Activities

Here are 10 things I plan to do for my personal development:

1. BCScTA Catalyst Conference (October 22-24, 2026)

Catalyst is a conference put on by the BC Science Teacher’s Association, and often features many fantastic science-specific workshops to help science teachers get together and share ideas. I attended last year as a TC and found it very valuable to chat with other TCs and teachers, and intend to attend again this year to continue networking and gathering resources that will help me as I begin my career.

2. BCTF New Teacher’s Conference (February 27, 2026)

This conference is designed for TCs and new teachers (within the first 5 years of teaching) to attend workshops and network with other new teachers. I am really interested in attending because I would like to get some teaching resources and ideas from non-science teachers to help broaden my toolkit of teaching strategies and resources.

3. EDUC 5041 – Diversity: Constructing Social Realities

This course deals heavily in the intersection of society and education, and I am interested in learning further how these intersect so that I can better support my students. In particular, I would like to take the course when it is run by Dr. Tanya Manning-Lewis, as she focuses on anti-racism in education, which is a field of study I am greatly interested in.

4. Indigenous Canada Course (University of Alberta)

This course can be taken for free through the University of Alberta and covers the history and perspectives of Indigenous Peoples on Turtle Island. I am interested in taking this course to help my understanding of Indigenous perspectives that I may not have gotten in my colonially-influenced public school education.

5. Master of Education (Thompson Rivers University)

The Master of Education program at TRU helps teachers move beyond their teaching skills to explore specific teaching areas of interest. While I already have a Masters, I am considering taking the M.Ed. to further explore my interest of anti-racism in education.

6. Surrey Teachers Association Professional Development Conference (dates TBD)

This conference is an opportunity to connect with teachers across all grades and disciplines in the Surrey School District (SD36). I attended it this past year and plan on attending it again (once hired into the district) to continue to explore different teaching strategies and resources as I found it to be a very valuable experience.

7. FNESC Education Conference (December 3-5, 2026)

FNESC has a lot of resources for Indigenous and land-based education, and I am interested in attending this conference so as to better equip myself to actively engage Indigenous perspectives in the classroom.

8. Episode 39: Wayfinding Through the Human Genome (Podcast)

This podcast details a Indigenous genome scientist (Dr. Keolu Fox) who is seeking to study the human genome in an effort to improve outcomes for Indigenous Peoples. I am interested in listening to this because as a biologist and someone interested in anti-racist education, I am interested in learning more about Dr. Fox’s work.

9. Indigenous Data Sovereignty in Salmon Systems (Webinar)

This webinar discusses the importance of Indigenous Data Sovereignty within Salmon Systems, and how Indigenous Peoples are being pressured to make their data open source by Western scientists. I have heard about Indigenous Data Sovereignty, and am interested in learning more about it so that I can make sure that any Indigenous Knowledge or perspectives I share in the classroom are done respectfully and with permission.

10. BCTF Women’s Institute (January 21, 2027)

The BCTF Women’s Institute is a conference that centres the experiences of women and gender non-conforming individuals in education. I am interested in attending to learn more about the challenges individuals in this space face, and how we can work together to address them.

Professional Development Plan (Part 2): Design Your ProD Day

Topic: Anti-racist education and promoting diverse perspectives

Duration: 1 day

Outline: Conference (1 keynote, 2 workshops, 1 lunch break)

1. Keynote: Dr. Tanya Manning-Lewis on Promoting Inclusive Education
   1. Example of one of Dr. Manning-Lewis’ talks
   2. I would like her to share her research on promoting inclusive education and incorporating diverse perspectives.
2. Morning Workshop: Out in Schools
   1. Out in Schools is an initiative by the Vancouver Foundation that helps support and champion LGBTQS2+ voices in the education system
   2. I would like them to discuss challenges they have observed in the school system and facilitate discussion on how educators can promote inclusion
3. Lunch & Resource Exhibit
   1. Vendors providing educational resources that intersect with diverse perspectives in education (e.g., Ocean Networks Canada has resources co-developed with Indigenous communities) can showcase their resources at this time.
4. Afternoon Workshop: Bernice Jensen (Knowledge Keeper)
   1. Bernice Jensen is a local Knowledge Keeper in Kamloops who has facilitated workshops on Indigenous and LGBTQ2+ education.