Interviews
Eric and Christina bring complementary skills and sensibilities to Tula. Both are trained in biology, but whereas Eric favors the analytic and engineering side of things—genomics, instrumentation, mathematical modeling, infrastructure—Christina is more the natural historian. If you were to dissect Tula’s tagline, Eric is more “Innovation & Solutions” and Christina is more “in the Public Interest”, particularly as regards maintaining relationships with Tula’s partners and local communities.
Eric Says
The Mitra pedigree gave Tula the know-how to build and operate public-interest enterprises, rather than merely make donations to other organizations. Our capacity to finance our own operations lets us and our partners move quickly and decisively, driving innovation and accepting the risks that go with it.
The ingenuity and diverse skills of our staff and affiliates have enabled us to tackle some very challenging applications in settings that would deter other organizations. We are patient and persistent, determined to succeed at the tasks we set for ourselves. And when we achieve success, we usually want to do more in the same vein, building great programs for the long term.
One of Mitra’s secrets was its ability to catalyze massive collaboration among diverse partners around a shared mission—to bring standards and interoperability to diagnostic imaging systems in hospitals. That tradition of collaboration has carried over into Tula, where it is most evident at the Hakai Institute. There, our own efforts are multiplied many times by our network of hundreds of collaborators from universities, government agencies, and First Nations.
Above all, when we commit to an initiative, we commit for the long term. As experienced builders and operators, we know that nothing is easy and that everything takes time to do well.
Christina Says
I’m always inspired by the people we work with, including our support staff, our in-house scientists and postdocs, our affiliates, First Nation neighbors and partners, and students from around the world.
We can’t forget the people we work with on TulaSalud in Guatemala—our very first program. Over almost two decades, it has grown from a local initiative educating nurses for a few rural Indigenous communities to a national rural healthcare program focused on maternal and infant health, malaria and other endemic diseases, and programs for teenage girls. It’s been great to see experienced local women take on strong leadership roles in the program.
The work of the Hakai Institute aligns with my lifelong interests in coastal ecosystems and geography. I grew up near the ocean and chose biology as a career. These days, I enjoy being close to the science, inspired by the energy, ingenuity, and collaborative spirit I see in our science teams and visitors, and I am always interested in sharing in their successes.
I’ve also had a lifelong interest in science teaching in schools. The Central Coast, home to our Calvert Coastal Observatory, is a vast region with a few isolated (mostly Indigenous) communities. Teachers at the community schools have few resources, particularly for science, and few opportunities for collaboration or professional development. We’ve developed two linked programs. First, we convene spring workshops for teachers; then individual teachers return to their classes at the beginning of summer. We focus on science, but in First Nations schools, there is typically also a cultural component delivered by elders and other experts. It’s a great experience for everyone, including our support staff, techs, and visitors, who are always thrilled to pitch in. It’s great to get to know the kids and their families and to keep track of them as they grow up.
We’re also interested in post-secondary scientific and technical education and in creating opportunities for employment and leadership in these fields for First Nations communities. From the outset at Calvert Island, we linked up with Coastal Guardian Watchmen, who play a critical role in all aspects of stewardship for Coastal First Nations – ensuring resources are sustainably managed, rules and regulations are followed, and land and marine use agreements are implemented effectively. We’ve subsequently extended our partnership to other First Nations consortia from Vancouver Island to Haida Gwaii. Through workshops and other activities, we provide training and knowledge sharing and participate in collaborative regional programs with them.
I am an enthusiastic consumer of scientific media, so I love following our own efforts in this regard. Yes, we need to publish formal peer-reviewed papers, but it is equally important to bring our science to our community partners and the general public. Making complex or abstract concepts accessible and interesting is a challenge. Our media team, including the Hakai Magazine staff in the past, does an amazing job through text, images, videos, and graphics—whatever it takes to tell stories that engage and educate.
