Dr. Gary Wilson, a political science professor at the University of Northern BC, can knock one more item off his to-do list.
As of October, the professor has been named President of the Association of Canadian Universities for Northern Studies.
The association represents universities across Canada that deal with northern and arctic research and awards over $1.4 million to research and travel funding every year for undergraduate and graduate students.
“I’ve been involved with the organization now for a number of years as a representative and a board member performing various executive roles,” explains Dr. Wilson.
“So this is a culmination of a number of years of work so I’m very happy.”
UNBC students are a direct beneficiary of ACUNS’ work.
“A number of our students, over the years, have received funding from some of the scholarships that are part of ACUNS scholarship program,” Dr. Wilson says.
“So they’ve actually been funded and traveled and done research in the north as a result of that funding.”
Dr. Wilson adds this to an already long list of duties.
He is currently the acting chair of UNBC’s Department of First Nations Studies and the Coordinator of the Northern Studies Program.
The term for ACUNS President lasts for two years.