Dear John,

I am writing to ask that I be considered for the Research Associate position, Reconciliation Through Engineering Initiative (RTEI). I learned about this opportunity through Eli Enns, whom I am actively working with to build capacity for Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas (IPCAs). There are incredible opportunities within the IPCAs movement to develop pathways for participatory engineering research with indigenous communities across Canada, and I would be delighted to offer my skills and experience to lead the RTEI in establishing new collaborative research projects and financial sustainability.

As specified in the enclosed CV, I bring 10+ years of experience and training in developing opportunities for collaborative applied research, including projects with Indigenous communities in Canada and Indonesia. In and through those experiences, I have demonstrated a capacity to work in complex and bureaucratic environments, be collegial, and work with a variety of people with different approaches and personal and professional backgrounds to generate meaningful economic and social impact. As the lead for the RTEI, I am poised to leverage my relationship building skills and the two-eye seeing framework to bring together academic and research institutions, government agencies, large and small businesses, Indigenous-led organizations, and First Nations, among others, to co-develop solutions to infrastructure-related challenges faced by Indigenous communities across Canada. I envision the formation of an innovation supercluster grounded in an ethical space framework – a first and timely endeavour for Canada and the world.

My proficiency with participatory methods and approaches – including but not limited to ethnography, community-led participatory inquiries, and participatory action research, has been developed through a Masters degree in Sport and Social Development, and a PhD exploring the intersections between diversity management policies and minority entrepreneurship. These broader applications of entrepreneurship, including as a medium and vehicle for inclusive social and economic development, may be particularly relevant to the mandate of the RTEI and to the various stakeholders it seeks to engage and support.

With an unquenchable curiosity for new experiences and fresh challenges, I am excited at the prospect of working with engineering researchers to address complex challenges through participatory research. Thank you for considering my application. I very much hope to hear from you in the near future and to discuss this opportunity further.

Sincerely,

Vito Espinoza