Saskatchewan Métis scholar hired as Gabriel Dumont Research Chair in Métis Studies at USask

Gabriel Dumont Institute; Saskatoon; On-site; CAD 30,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job description

A Joint Press Release Prepared by GDI/U of S

Dr. Allyson Stevenson (PhD) has been appointed the new Gabriel Dumont Research Chair in Métis Studies at the University of Saskatchewan (USask) College of Arts and Science.

Stevenson, a Métis scholar and lifelong Saskatchewan resident from Kinistino, Sask., expressed her enthusiasm about the appointment, stating she is “absolutely thrilled” and committed to strengthening relations with Métis researchers at USask.

The Gabriel Dumont Research Chair in Métis Studies was established in 2018 through a five-year partnership between USask and the Gabriel Dumont Institute of Native Studies and Applied Research (GDI). GDI will contribute a total of $200,000 to support the chair’s research initiatives.

Supported by GDI, Stevenson will focus on building research and teaching capacity in Métis studies at USask. She will join the Department of Indigenous Studies on July 1, 2020.

GDI Executive Director Geordy McCaffrey highlighted Stevenson’s scholarly productivity and her previous support from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council for her research on Indigenous child welfare and women’s reproductive justice. Her work on the Métis Advisory Committee of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls has garnered respect and admiration.

Stevenson joins USask from the University of Regina, where she holds the position of Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Peoples and Global Social Justice. She earned her Bachelor of Arts (Honours), Master of Arts, and PhD from USask’s Department of History.

Her academic journey was supervised by Killam Prize-winning historian Dr. Jim Miller during her master’s studies and by Dr. Valerie Korinek during her PhD. Korinek, vice-dean of faculty relations and a history professor, expressed her pride in recruiting Stevenson back to USask and anticipates her leadership in raising the profile of Métis histories and strengthening university-community relations.

At USask, Stevenson aims to develop a comprehensive history of 20th-century Métis communities in Western Canada, emphasizing their cultural, political, and social resurgence during a pivotal period.

She values GDI as a vital community-based organization dedicated to preserving Métis culture and history in Saskatchewan, and looks forward to collaborating closely with them.

Korinek acknowledged GDI’s generosity and vision in prioritizing Métis histories and partnering with the university to educate future generations.

GDI is a Métis-owned educational, employment, and cultural organization founded in 1980, serving Métis communities across Saskatchewan. It encompasses subsidiaries such as the Gabriel Dumont Scholarship Foundation, Dumont Technical Institute, Gabriel Dumont College, and others.

The College of Arts and Science, established in 1908 and the largest college at USask, enrolls over 10,000 students and is research-intensive.