Political science Professor Gabrielle Slowey has announced that two of York’s fourth-year undergraduate political science honours students, Samantha Craig-Curnow and Veronica Guido, have been selected to travel to the University of Fairbanks in Alaska to participate in the Model Arctic Council.

The event takes place March 9 to 15, and is an experiential learning exercise where graduate and undergraduate students from around the world convene to represent and simulate the work of member states, permanent participants and observers of the Arctic Council.

“This is an exciting opportunity and we are pleased to have had two students accepted, given the highly competitive nature of this program,” says Slowey, who is also director of York’s Robarts Centre for Canadian Studies.

Participants of the Model Arctic Council use their academic abilities and experiences to expand awareness of the Arctic Council and its issues; to expand knowledge of international politics; to prepare participants to assume leadership roles in the Arctic; and to develop public speaking skills, diplomacy and negotiation skills.

Craig-Curnow and Guido are well prepared for the event. As students in Slowey’s course, POLS4101 Canada and the Arctic, students are required participate in a model Arctic Council simulation.

Slowey is an Arctic researcher who has worked and travelled extensively across the region, focusing on indigenous politics and resource extraction.

Craig-Curnow is a fourth-year political science honours student from the Chippewas of Rama First Nation. She is treasurer of the Aboriginal Students’ Association at York and is interested in indigenous politics, constitutional reform and cultural revival.

Guido is a fourth-year political science honours student with a focus on indigenous politics. She is Anishnawbe from Northern Ontario, interested in indigenous rights, self-government and identity.

For more on the Model Arctic Council, visit uaf.edu/mac.