Jody Bauche is a community activist and researcher. She’s recognized for her work in Indigenous cultural preservation, social change initiatives, and research on the ethical development of social media. Jody is a member of the Métis Nation of BC, with maternal ancestry from Swift Current, Saskatchewan. Jody has worked with Indigenous communities in BC for more than 20 years. The focus of her work has always been centred around community engagement, collaboration and facilitation. Jody is an Associate Professor at Royal Roads University in the School of Communication and Culture. She is an avid believer in applied research, which has led her to begin planning an ethical/responsible AI lab. This would focus on educating younger generations in STEM, communication theories, and integrating Indigenous values with technology. Jody believes that AI research must be considered through a lens of communication theory. It was through her post-graduate work that Jody realized AI research lacking communication theory may not inform more principled considerations of its use and therefore replicate some of the challenges around its unethical use. Jody feels fortunate to have discovered the Aula Fellowship, where like-minded researchers can connect around an emerging field of study that has significant implications for society and humanity.
