UCalgary Breaking Barriers Day
Registration is now open!
We are delighted to host the University of Calgary Breaking Barriers Day on Wednesday, June 10, 2026.
In-Person and Virtual registration now CLOSED.
Join us to learn more about how ableism might present in our classrooms, labs, campus, application processes, conversations, and more.
Together, we’ll introduce key concepts around disability justice, reflect on how these concepts can be meaningfully integrated into our educational, research, administrative, leadership, and clinical practices, and identify one concrete change we can make in our daily academic lives to "break barriers".
Come ready to learn, reflect, and leave with actionable steps towards a more just and inclusive university environment!
In-Person Registration Deadline: Friday, June 5, 2026
Virtual Registration Deadline: Monday, June 8, 2026
Event Information
PLEASE NOTE, MASK REQUIREMENT: Please note that one of the guest speakers has significant disabilities that impact their capacity to fight off respiratory viruses. They request that all attendees mask, and that those who are not masked attend virtually. Masks will be provided at the event.
Keynote Speakers
Dr. Bonita Sawatzky, PhD (she/her)
Department of Orthopaedics, University of British Columbia
"Is it anti-ableism or pro-ability?"
Dr. Victoria Fast, PhD (she/her)
Department of Geography, University of Calgary
"Beyond Ramps: Making Hidden Barriers Visible in the Built Environment"
Dr. Danielle Peers, MA, PhD (they/them)
Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport and Recreation, University of Alberta, and Tier II Canada Research Chair in Disability and Movement Cultures
"Disability Justice: Methodological Offerings for Transforming Research Processes, Impacts and Imaginations"
Dr. Matthew Christison, EdD, MEd, BEd (Dist) (he/him)
Former Principal in the Calgary Board of Education
"Insights to Lessen Ableism: Individuality, Independence, Inquiry and Innovation"
Dr. Stephanie Chipeur, DCL (she/her)
Faculty of Law, and Azrieli Accelerator Professorship in Law & Disability Policy, University of Calgary
"How to Respond to Ableism with a Human Rights Complaint"
Dr. Ranita Manocha, MD, MSc (she/her)
Division of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation and Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Calgary
Event Moderator and Organizer
Event Details
Agenda
Click here to view the event schedule.
Speaker Biographies
Learn more about our amazing keynote speakers.
Present Your Research
Want to share your research at the event? Click here.
Exhibitors
Learn more about the event exhibitors
View Abstracts
View abstracts of research posters presented at the event
Dis-Ability Resources
Recommended resources related to dis-ability
A very big thank you to our event sponsors:
Special Thanks
to the Institutes for Transdisciplinary Scholarship for co-sponsoring the event. Thank you to event organizers Dr. Ranita Manocha, Gaby Nunez Noguez, Dr. Karin Lienhard, Yvonne Durnin, Stephanie Symington, and Kathleen Thibault. Thank you to event advisors Dr. Cheryl Barnabe, Dr. Sarah Dobrowolski, Mairi Babey, and Sarah Jevnikar.
Image Attributions
Fence shadow photo: Shadow fence [Explored]. Franck Michel. Creative Commons BY 2.0. February 2018.
Agenda photo: Agenda avec crayon intégré. Philippe Alès. Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0. December 3, 2019.
Microphone photo: Table microphone (7002400529). Daniel Novta. Creative Commons Attribution BY 2.0. March 21, 2012.
Prosthetic hand photo: 3D printed prosthetic device. Cdwelly. Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0. April 9, 2016.
Goalball photo: Goalball-2015 IBSA World KOR-TUR M defend. Q8682. Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0. May 11, 2015.
Video sign language interpretation photo: Deaf or HoH person at his workplace using a Video Relay Service to communicate with a hearing person via a Video Interpreter and sign language. SignVideo. CC BY-SA 4.0. 2007.
Para ice hockey player photo: Toronto: sledge hockey at Nathan Phillips Square. The City of Toronto. CC BY 2.0. January 2014.