大象传媒

Biochemist Dustin King is weaving an Indigenous worldview into western science through his role in leading a new laboratory at 大象传媒. His father instilled in him a deep respect for nature from an early age, growing up in a remote northern community near Burns Lake, BC. King, who is half Ojibwe, combines this respect for nature with a passion for biochemistry, embodying Indigenous teachings of interconnectedness and sustainability in his work.

鈥淚n our culture, we鈥檙e taught to think about the planet seven generations into the future. This means trying to live in a sustainable way that preserves the planet for our children,鈥� he says. 鈥淭his perspective influences what we study and how we apply our science 鈥� to try and live on this planet in a more sustainable way.鈥�

King joined 大象传媒 in July 2022 as an assistant professor of molecular biology & biochemistry. Research conducted by the will focus on how organisms sense and respond to carbon dioxide (CO₂), work that can have a critical impact in this era of climate change.

One of his lab鈥檚 goals is to find ways to reduce CO₂ emissions by studying how organisms capture and trap CO₂ from the atmosphere. His lab is particularly interested in photosynthetic bacteria called cyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae, which engage in a natural form of carbon capture and storage.

鈥淲e鈥檙e trying to pick apart the detailed biochemical mechanisms through which this process occurs so that perhaps we can engineer organisms to be more efficient at capturing CO₂ and help reduce our emissions,鈥� he explains. 

Journey from student to professor

A curiosity about nature operating at the microscopic level, beyond what we can see and interact with directly, motivated him to study biochemical sciences.

The turning point in his career journey occurred during his second-year as an undergraduate student at the University of Northern British Columbia in Prince George. He was inspired by a guest lecture from professor Chow Lee, which ended with an open call for interested students to work in his lab. Under Lee鈥檚 guidance, any doubts King had about whether he would become a successful scientist faded.

He is currently recruiting students and research assistants to work in the King Laboratory, recognizing that in many ways, things have come full circle from where he began.

鈥淚t鈥檚 quite a unique feeling because I can put myself back in that position of being a student interested in the science and never would have imagined I鈥檇 get to this stage where now I鈥檓 a professor,鈥� he says 鈥淚t鈥檚 really been my career goal for the longest time because I鈥檓 just fascinated by this research.鈥�

Reconciliation and science

King believes STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) fields can be made more accommodating and respectful to Indigenous students and their perspectives to encourage more Indigenous youth to pursue careers in these areas.

Another important step is to form partnerships with Indigenous communities and demonstrate how STEM disciplines are a worthwhile pursuit to advance their communities and culture.

On the second annual National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (Sept. 30th), King says it鈥檚 important to acknowledge the history of Indigenous peoples in Canada.

鈥淚t鈥檚 also really important to think about Indigenous worldview and come to actually know the Indigenous communities that we have in Canada,鈥� he adds. 鈥淯nderstanding these perspectives and applying them is important in addressing the challenges we face today, in terms of developing sustainable practices, preserving the planet鈥檚 biodiversity and ultimately, creating a healthy and sustainable future.鈥�