Travis Jones

Like a lot of kids, Travis Jones grew up wanting to be just like his dad, a forestry technician who loved his job. Travis would tag along with his dad on trips into the wilderness to learn about the trees and animals and how to listen to the stories being told by Mother Earth. When he got older, Travis went to Sault College to learn how to combine science with what he already knew about the life of a forest. Today, he combines these lessons in his job as a Forest Ecology Research Technician at the Canadian Forest Service's Northern Forestry Center in Edmonton, Alberta.

Travis is part of a team of people who are trying to gain a better understanding of how forest ecosystems work. He spends part of his time outside in the woods counting new tree growth, documenting the results harvesting and disturbances on the ecosystem and collecting samples of leaves and soil. The rest of the time he works in the lab testing collected samples, pulling together data, and analysing results.

Travis says that science gave him "the skills to better understand the many complex systems and relationships of Mother Nature," and that, "Understanding these complexities have made the outdoors even more interesting." As his father told him, "Mother Nature is always telling a story," and so Travis still enjoys going to school because it helps him to better understand the stories she is telling.

Even though he enjoys learning, Travis knows school can be tough. For him, one of the biggest challenges to overcome was the lack of other First Nations students in his program. He got through it by focusing on the result, "I knew that if I wanted a job that involved seeing the forest in a much deeper sense, than being successful in school was the only option." He says the rewards of education "far exceed the costs" and encourages other Aboriginal students to stay in school so that they too can find a job they really enjoy. He adds that for Native students there is an even greater goal to education, to gain knowledge and experience that can benefit their communities, "Today, we don't fight with bows and arrows, but with diplomas and grad gowns."

Outside of work, Travis loves to hike, hunt, fish and camp. He is also proud to be on the board of directors for the Canadian Aboriginal Science and Technology Society (CASTS), which encourages young Aboriginal students to choose studies in science and technology.