Project Team

This project has only been possible through University of Calgary’s partnerships with Indigenous nations, and the hard work of many individuals such as those featured here. Thank you to many others who have also contributed to this work.

Old Sun Community College Advisory Group

Kent Ayoungman

Kent is a Ceremonial Knowledge Keeper and former Band Councilor on the Siksika Nation. Kent has worked closely with the University of Calgary's Anthropology and Archaeology Department, providing guidance for this project, as well as the Siksika Archaeology Field School.

Herman Yellow Old Woman

Herman is a Ceremonial Knowledge Keeper and Elder in Residence at Old Sun Community College. Herman is well-respected in his community for his work promoting Blackfoot language and culture. In 2020 he was the recipient of the Lieutenant Governor's Award from the Alberta Government.

Gwendora Bear Chief

Gwen is a Cultural Advisor for the Siksika Studies Program at Old Sun Community College. Gwen's contributions to this archive are immeasurable and involve the interviewing and transcribing of countless survivors testimonies.

Angeline Ayoungman

Angie is a Cultural Advisor for the Siksika Studies Program at Old Sun Community College. Angie has made a significant contribution to the archive by interviewing survivors and and transcribing their experiences for inclusion in this archive.

Vivian Ayoungman

Research and Curriculum Development of indigenous courses is Vivian's passion. With over 40 years of teaching experience, Vivian has worked closely with ceremonial knowledge keepers to develop the Siksika Studies Program at Old Sun Community College. The program promotes the Blackfoot Language and Traditional Ways of Knowing.

Poundmaker’s Lodge Advisory Group

Siobhan Dreelan

Community Engagement Officer, Poundmaker’s Lodge Treatment Centre. Siobhan has organized the Edmonton IRS survivor gatherings over the last several years, where many survivors have shared and recorded their memories. Siobhan is also an organizing member of the Poundmaker's Lodge Historic Preservation Society.

Brad Cardinal

Executive Director, Poundmaker's Lodge Treatment Centre

UnBQ Blue Quills Advisory Group

Terri Cardinal

Terri is a graduate of UnBQ and Director of Indigenous Initiatives, MacEwan University. Terri is currently working towards her PhD with a focus on healing through ceremony. Terri has been interviewing survivors and setting up community meetings to help guide ground penetrating radar work recently undertaken on the grounds of UnBQ.

Sherri Chisan

President, University nuhelot’įne thaiyots’į nistameyimâkanak Blue Quills. Sherri is an Indigenous scholar who has conducted research in women’s economic security and well-being and was the director of “Our Ancestors Stood Here” – a Dialogue on Indigenous Research. Dr. Chisan developed Blue Quills Research Ethics Policy and has been a leading figure in building effective teacher-learner relationships guided by natural law.

Jamie Bourque

Jamie Bourque is an international award-winning social impact producer and the owner of the media production company Multipel Inc. Jamie’s work engages global audiences with his indigenous perspective of colonial structures and history by sharing the experiences of his family and their connection to "Truth" and "Reconciliation" through media and memory work.

University of Calgary Group

Peter Dawson

Pete is a Professor in the Department of Anthropology and Archaeology at the University of Calgary. He is an archaeologist specializing in the digital preservation of heritage at risk. Pete has over 20 years of experience using reality capture technologies such as terrestrial laser scanning to document a wide range of heritage site types in Western Canada and the Canadian Arctic.

Madisen Hvidberg

PhD Canidate, Department of Anthropology and Archaeology. Madisen is a PhD Candiate in Archaeology at the University Calgary specializing in digital heritage preservation, documenting heritage buildings and structures using 3D technologies. Her research focuses on how these technologies can be used at sites with difficult or dissonant histories to support community directed research initiatives.

Kate Pexman

Kate Pexman, MSc is a PhD Student in Geomatics Engineering at University College London. Kate worked on the digital capture of all three schools. Her MSc thesis focused on extracting three dimensional plans from point clouds which can then be used to create "as built" architectural plans.

Katayoon Etemad

Katy is a Data Engineer & Analytics Specialist, and a computer scientist specializing in information visualization and human computer interactions. Katy also works as a research associate in Graphics Lab and ESD Lab at the University of Calgary. Her main research interest is designing, engaging and appealing visualizations for complex data-sets.

Fatemeh Yazdanbakhsh

Fatemeh Yazdanbakhs is a PhD candidate specializing in the physical visualization of geo-spatial data. A significant aspect of her research is focused on heritage site preservation, where she augments 3D physical models with associated digital archived information to create more interactive and engaging information retrieval methods.

Faramarz Samavati

Faramarz is a Professor in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Calgary. Dr. Samavati’s expertise and background in Computer Graphics and Visualization. Specifically, he has made significant contributions to the area of modeling methods for 3D objects with a notable contribution on multiresolution and subdivision surfaces. Faramarz is currently working with Peter on several projects which explore how 3D printed versions (physicalizations) of heritage buildings can be integrated with stories, historic photographs, and archival documents to convey historic events in an engaging manner.

Erica Van Vugt

Research Assistant, Department fo Anthropology and Archaeology. Erica is an undergraduate student at the University of Calgary, with interests in Indigenous archaeology, digital heritage, and bioanthropology. Erica has supported this project in media organization and interview transcription.

Elizabeth Cook

Elizabeth is an architect and graduate of the School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape at the University of Calgary. Elizabeth created the "as built" architectural plans for each school using the point clouds created by the laser scanners.

Derek Lichti

Professor, Schulich School of Engineering, Department of Geomatics Engineering. Derek is a Professor in the Department of Geomatics Engineering at the University of Calgary. He is an experienced researcher who leads an interdisciplinary research program in terrestrial imaging systems for precision measurement using three-dimensional (3D) range cameras, terrestrial laser scanners (TLSs) and X-ray imaging modalities.

Denis Gadbois

Professor, Faculty of Arts , Department of Art and Art History. Denis has taught product design, multimedia studio, 3D scanning technique. Denis’ primary artistic focus is in 360 photography, and he has won numerous international awards for this work.

Christina Robinson

PhD Canidate, Department of Anthropology and Archaeology. Christina is a PhD Candiate in archaeology at the University of Calgary. Chris specializes in digital heritage preservation, with research focusing on their application at industrial heritage sites. Chris is also the metadata technician for the digital heritage research projects.