Who We Are
The Wild Berry Research Cluster (WBRC) is an emerging research initiative that is committed to addressing UBC’s ongoing commitment to reconciliation with Indigenous communities as stated in its 2020 Indigenous Strategic Plan (ISP). WBRC is unique in that its members come with diverse expertise including Ethnobiology, Plant and Food Sciences, Analytical Chemistry, and Clinical Nutrition/Dietetics, and includes people who self-identify as Indigenous.
Our team has been working with UBC’s Indigenous Research Support Initiative to ensure the proposed activities are inclusive, equitable and respectful, and that the project remains aligned with the interests of the Indigenous communities and the ISP’s performance measurement framework.
Our Goal
Our overarching goal is to connect with the xwməθkwəy̓əm Community and other local communities to start meaningful conversations about wild berries and explore how our members can support the interests of the xwməθkwəy̓əm Community as it relates to wild berries and small fruits.
Berries and fruits are topics covered in different courses and are often investigated in research laboratories for their health and nutritional values. Our team is committed to decolonizing research and curriculum. We aim to provide Indigenous-focused material in our classrooms and to undertake research deemed valuable by the xwməθkwəy̓əm and other Indigenous communities.