Felix Nwaishi - Changemaker Profile
Felix Nwaishi (he/him) is an Associate Professor of Ecosystem Ecology and Environmental Change in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences. In this profile, he discusses the importance of traditional Indigenous ecological knowledge and the practice of interdisciplinary collaboration to achieve change-making.
Could you tell me about yourself?
I'm an associate professor here at MRU in the Department of Earth and Environmental Science. My research is in ecosystem science and Environmental Change. I’m interested in understanding how natural and anthropogenic disturbances impact ecosystem processes and ecosystem services that people rely on. Specifically, Indigenous communities that live in direct contact with the natural environment. I was born and raised in Nigeria; then, I moved to Canada for my PhD after my Master's in the UK. I did my PhD work in Waterloo, and my research focused on developing wetland ecological reclamation programs for landscapes impacted by oil sands mining in Fort McMurray. I did my postdoctoral program at the University of Waterloo, which prepared me for a faculty and research position I currently hold. Then, I moved from Waterloo to Calgary to join MRU in 2018.
What does it mean to be a changemaker?
Being a changemaker for me means being able to impact life positively. For instance, when developing a research project, I always reflect on how the outcomes would impact the life of the common person on the street. I don't design my research for my science fantasy or to study something that sounds cool to me. It has to be very applied and solution-oriented. So, my strategy for research is applying scientific principles to address real-world problems. When research outcomes proffer solutions to those real-world problems, change happens, and those changes often have a positive impact on people's lives. [As an example] wetlands provide a lot of services that people rely on - helping to filter water, regulate hydrologic flow, and protect us against floods, which can be a life-changing disaster for communities. Similarly, In situations like the water main break we had in Calgary this last summer, everyone who lives in the city felt the impact of living under water restrictions. Now, if you think about Indigenous people who rely on streams and rivers as the primary source of water, then you gain a better appreciation of how environmental contamination of these main water sources impacts their livelihood. For these communities, environmental disturbances are very common due to adjacent human activities. As a result, Indigenous communities near human disturbance footprints are constantly experiencing water main breaks, which has a significant impact on their livelihood. I am working to create a research program that can help address these complex issues. I think about change-making as the delivery of innovative solutions that make people hopeful about the prospects of addressing the impact of environmental disturbances on the natural resources they rely. That’s how I define change-making in my field.
What big, beautiful question drives your work?
So, the big questions driving my work are about the ecosystem, the environment, and human health. Especially related to water, which is the driving force, the fuel for life. Everything that we need to live and survive is supported by water. I think that one of the big questions in my research is around - water quantity, water quality, and water security. My research explores the soil-plant-water continuum water as it relates to food and energy flow in an ecosystem. My work seeks to develop a more holistic understanding of how these interacting components of our ecosystem work together and how human or natural disturbances, like fire or drought, impact this ecological nexus.
How do you embody changemaking in your work?
I try to think outside the box and actively engage in interdisciplinary collaboration. I believe that innovation actually happens when disciplines that do not regularly work together start talking. Most of the problems we face are multifaceted, and you need to have a multiple transdisciplinary approach to find the solutions to these problems. Big changes and innovations happen at the interception of these different disciplines. One of the most eco-friendly buildings on our planet was designed out of a conversation between an architect and an entomologist (someone who studies insects). They talked about the sustainability of an anthill, and based on that, the architect designed the home to model an anthill. That's one of the reasons I believe strongly in interdisciplinary collaboration. I also value different knowledge systems, especially Indigenous Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK). Because that is knowledge that is older than modern science. This knowledge has been passed down through generations and integrates environmental history and science. The major challenge is that most of the time, TEK is qualitative, not quantitative. So, one of the goals of my current research program is to explore the prospects of using technological innovations such as AI-Machine learning to bridge the gap between TEK and ecosystem science.
How do you see changemaking happening at MRU?
I think the most important thing is that MRU has the strategic goal of being a change-making institution. With that awareness, most faculty members are doing work that contributes to significant positive change in the community without identifying themselves as change-makers. So, I think showcasing people through programs [like Changemaker Profiles] is important as it highlights the value of the work being done here at MRU.
MRU creates a space for people to come together and to celebrate teaching, scholarship and community engagement. And I think that is something we need to do more. One of the biggest projects I am working on, which I think is a big innovative and change-making project, evolved from attending an MRU event. Faculty members from Science and Tech were invited to give a talk to the university Board of Governors about their research. At that event, I learned that another member of my faculty was working on research that could complement what I do. I connected with her and another colleague in the Humanities, and together, we developed a project. I led the proposal for a New Frontier's Research Fund (NFRF) – a tri-agency grant that supports innovative research, high risk and high reward. It’s an interdisciplinary research project, and we are trying to understand the impact of climate change and landscape transformation on environmental health and Arctic food sovereignty.