Panelists
Bryden Bukich
Kinesiology Student at the University of Manitoba
My name is Bryden Bukich and I am a 5th year Kinesiology student at the University of Manitoba. I have been steadily involved around health sciences over the last several years and hope to continue along that path after graduation. From working different placements such as Pan Am Clinic, St. Boniface Hospital and now the First Nations Health and Social Secretariat of Manitoba (FNHSSM), in addition to University placements in motor control and neuromusculoskeletal research and Indigenous land-based education research, I have had exposure to clinical and research-related sectors of health sciences that have intrigued me to pursue a career in medicine. I hope to apply to medical school in the fall of 2021, and in doing so, build upon the knowledge and experiences from these placements and opportunities.
I have also been involved with Indigenous populations, particularly through placements at Indigenous Health (WRHA), my current position (FNHSSM), and volunteer positions such as coaching the NAIG U14 Mens Basketball team, mentoring Indigenous students at our University, and as student senator within our faculty. I love to balance these commitments by playing a variety of sports and athletic activities, travelling, spending time with my two dogs, and my friends.
Sydney Puhach
Honours Thesis Student - Specializing in Indigenous Child & Family Wellness at the University of Manitoba
Sydney is pursuing an undergraduate honours degree in Psychology at the University of Manitoba and hopes to go forward in her studies as a graduate student in psychology. She is also working at the university doing research focusing on intergenerational wellness, child development and parental mental health programming. She has been a member of the Hearts and Minds lab since May 2019 where she is supported in her research endeavors. Sydney hopes to pursue a career in mental health care and maintain a connection to her traditional Anishinaabe roots.
Sydney is a proud member of Sandy Bay First Nation. She recently completed her first year of Sundance at Sprucewoods and is committed to journeying through the process of cultural reclamation with support from friends, family and community. Sydney has also been a Council Member at Ka Ni Kanichihk for the past three years and has recently become Co-chair of the organization. She hopes to continue to support her community as she carries on through her academic, professional and extra-curricular engagements.
Malcolm Reimer
Biology Student at the Canadian Mennonite University
Malcolm Reimer is a third-year Biology student at Canadian Mennonite University, where he also coordinates Peer-Assisted Learning, a volunteer-based tutoring program. Although he initially entered CMU’s School of Music to study the piano, he rediscovered a fascination with science after taking biology electives and later volunteering in a molecular cardiology lab at St Boniface Hospital’s Albrechtsen Research Centre. He’s currently working on a research project studying how cells in the legs of developing fruit fly pupae can be used to model tumor growth in humans, and plans to pursue a career in science communication. When he’s not painstakingly tracing the outlines of cells in time lapse videos, he enjoys camping, choral singing, and tabletop role-playing games.