UNBC student to join BC Natural Resources Forum panel

Carly Walters, a master's student at the University of Northern British Columbia, will join a post‑secondary leadership panel at the BC Natural Resources Forum on Jan. 22 to discuss building future talent in natural resources industries.

Carly Walters, a master's of science student at the University of Northern British Columbia, will speak on a post‑secondary leadership panel at the BC Natural Resources Forum on Thursday, Jan. 22 at the Civic Centre. The forum runs Jan. 20–22 and brings together senior academic and industry leaders. Walters was invited to the panel titled Building Talent and Innovation for BC's Resource Future: Post‑Secondary Leadership in Action. She says the student perspective is important for shaping the skills and support needed in the sector. Key details: - The panel is scheduled for Jan. 22 at the Civic Centre and is part of the final day of the BC Natural Resources Forum. - Panel participants named in news coverage include UNBC provost Michel Beaulieu; University of British Columbia president Benoit‑Antoine Bacon; Northern Lights College president and UNBC graduate Todd Bondaroff; and Andrew Czoenohalan, Rio Tinto director, energy and watershed partnerships. - Walters earned a bachelor of science in Wildlife and Fisheries from UNBC in 2022, worked as an environmental technician, and returned to UNBC's Natural Resources and Environmental Studies graduate program in 2024. - Her master's research examines the effects of increased stream temperatures on the biology, distribution and movement of rainbow trout, and she has completed her first field season. - The project is funded or managed by Artemis Gold, Trinity Consultants Canada, NSERC and the Rio Tinto Canada Fund. - Walters has worked with First Nations during her studies and emphasizes that Indigenous collaboration is essential to research and industry partnerships. Summary: Walters' participation brings a student and early‑career researcher perspective to discussions about training, skills and collaboration between academia and industry. She hopes to highlight the skills students feel they need, the role of partnerships and the importance of Indigenous collaboration. The panel discussion is scheduled for Jan. 22 at the Civic Centre.