Jon Boron completed his master’s in resource and environmental management in June. His research entailed working with the Skeetchestn Indian Band near Kamloops to discover how resource development royalties flow back into Indigenous and rural communities. He found this experiential learning invaluable, noting that he “just wasn’t learning stuff in a book." Boron acknowledges that when he first met with the Skeetchestn leadership, they weren’t very interested in his project. He reflects that was his first error – not engaging with them early on to discover what they wanted. Now enrolled in REM’s PhD program, he won’t make the same mistake. He plans to work with First Nations in northern B.C. who are interested in self-governance, self-determination, and community consent in Indigenous and rural communities. Boron notes, “I like the idea that the research I’m doing will result in positive change. It’s work the community wants done… It’s a really interesting correlation between research and community – the research is not just sitting on a bookshelf. You can see it in action.”