Youth on Board the Sustainable Blue Economy: Shawna Dicker

Shawna Dicker recently completed her Bachelor of Business Administration degree at Memorial University of Newfoundland. She’s currently working with the social enterprise SmartICE in St. John’s as Project Support Lead. 

Through engagement and collaboration with communities, SmartICE incorporates and augments local Indigenous knowledge of sea-ice with their remote sensing data. This can contribute to more informed decisions regarding safe land, water, and sea ice use. 

Shawna says she wanted to work with SmartICE because ice-related dangers hit close to home. A 2012 study by the Nunatsiavut Government in Shawna’s home community found that 1 in 12 people had fallen through the ice.

Additionally, the ice plays such an important role for the culture, health and well-being of Indigenous communities. 

“The ice sector is not only an important part of mine and the rest of Inuit’s life, but everyone else’s too. The ice is the Earth’s air conditioner. It helps cool and balance the temperature of the earth.”

At SmartICE, Shawna is able to work closely with youth and elders in Nunatsiavut, and Indigenous community members across the North. She’s also an active speaker on climate change. 

“I am proud to be a part of SmartICE and to work closely with people who share the love of the Arctic and the people who live there,” Shawna said.

She knows there’s much she can do to help with a business degree under her belt.

“Don’t think that you need to have a science or a technical degree to start getting involved in the blue economy. Your passion and love for the ocean and ice is enough to get you started,” she said.

“There is business, involvement of youth, and teaching one another. I found the love to share with others and to bring awareness to communities in projects that affect their hometown.”