With new funding, a new book, and recently speaking at the 2026 Big Thinking Summit in June, Dr. Laura Forsythe is adding to her growing list of contributions toward centering Métis ways of knowing in academic spaces.
Dr. Forsythe is a Citizen of the Manitoba Métis Federation and Associate Professor in UWinnipeg’s Faculty of Education. She has recently been awarded two grants from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC).
SSHRC’s Aid to Scholarly Journal award will support the continued growth of Pawaatamihk: Journal of Métis Thinkers, an open-access journal published twice annually that showcases Métis voices across disciplines.
This grant will help the Journal expand outreach and promotion, while increasing visibility and accessibility for contributors and readers.
“Through this work, Pawaatamihk continues to foster a vibrant and inclusive space for Métis knowledge, priorities, histories, and futures,” said Dr. Forsythe.
The second grant, the Indigenous Innovation and Leadership in Research Network Grants – Stage 1, will fund the Métis Thinkers Network.
The Métis Thinkers Network will serve as a member-based platform, offering digital space where “Métis individuals across disciplines, institutions, and regions can find one another, share their work, and build meaningful connections.”
“These spaces will bring together community members, students, emerging scholars, and established academics to share knowledge, amplify existing contributions, and build the relationships necessary for Métis scholarship to flourish,” Dr. Forsythe said.
A public-facing section of the website will help promote the work of Métis scholars to the public and help non-Indigenous people to engage with the Métis community in more meaningful ways.
“Ultimately, this digital space will function as both a knowledge hub and a connective network,” said Dr. Forsythe, “supporting the development of Métis Studies as a distinct discipline by enabling scholars to see themselves reflected in the institution, locate each other’s work, and engage in reciprocal, community-rooted scholarship.”
Institutional support for Dr. Forsythe’s work with Pawaatamihk: Journal of Métis Thinkers and the Métis Thinkers Network connects to larger institutional goals for the University of Winnipeg to create strong, sustainable futures for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis learners.
Dr. Forsythe’s work expands upon the efforts of generations of Métis scholars and aims to “build collective momentum, share resources, and engage in reciprocal mentorship and collaboration.”
Dr. Forsythe was part of the creation of the Mawachihitotaak Metis Studies Conference, she developed and implemented a post-baccalaureate course at UWinnipeg to “equip educators with the knowledge and tools needed to effectively teach Métis history and culture,” and she recently spoke at the 2026 Big Thinking Summit on the panel “Towards a Renewed Research Ecosystem: Cross-Sectoral Alliances and Indigenous Knowledge in Action”.
Dr. Forsythe also hopes her new book, Métis Methodologies, will help model research practices that center a community’s own unique methodologies and perspectives and deepen our understanding of the differences between Nations.
“I hope this work creates a new reality for Métis students, staff and faculty, while raising awareness of Métis realties for those navigating the academy alongside of us,” she said.
