Nathan Sletten: UBC Okanagan student wins Aboriginal Student Award for master's studies

The 2015 school year was made a little more manageable for health sciences student Nathan Sletten who was awarded a $5,000 renewable Irving K. Barber Aboriginal Student Award. Undertaking a master's degree in Interdisciplinary Studies at University of British Columbia Okanagan in the fall, Sletten's focus will be exercise physiology and health-related conditions in children and youth.

After graduating high school, Sletten started his post-secondary studies in business
management. But he soon switched gears after an elective course in exercise physiology hit home for him. He saw an opportunity to bring knowledge and awareness to Aboriginal communities about the connection between physical activity and lowering instances of disease.

"Maintaining health is so important in Aboriginal communities," says Sletten, "Metabolic diseases, like Type 2 Diabetes, are much more common in the Aboriginal individual and there is a lot we can do to reduce these negative impacts."

After receiving his degree in human kinetics in 2015 from UBC Okanagan, Sletten continued to work in the area of metabolism and metabolic disease including research work in the Exercise Metabolism and Inflammatory Laboratory at UBC.

His research helped him to develop an acute understanding of the impact that exercise has on cardiorespiratory function, health, and body composition. His research and concern for the growing health issues in many Aboriginal communities led Sletten to focus specifically on children and youth; he sees his work in that area having the greatest impact.

"If we can find strategies to improve the health of children and youth before they develop sedentary habits and health issues, we can increase the number of healthy years of living and the overall health of our communities," says Sletten.

Sletten works at UBC, has a personal training business, volunteers his time to local
community organizations, visits his family regularly in Richmond, and manages to keep healthy and active himself.

As someone who studies efficiency in processes of the body, it's no surprise that he leads his life efficiently as well. In order to accomplish everything he wants to in a week, Sletten sets up a 6am - 6pm calendar at the beginning of each week and allocates time for everything important to him. Over the years, time management became a very important skill and he uses it to help him live his life as fully as possible.

"I work hard so I can enjoy life in Kelowna," says Sletten, "I plan to do a lot of
camping and adventuring this summer before starting my studies again in the fall."

Education and research continue to be central in Sletten's approach. After he finishes his Master's Degree, Sletten wants to continue working to improve the health and lives of as many people as possible and, eventually, pursue work as a university professor and a strength and conditioning coach for collegiate sports.

"I am not exactly sure what the future holds-I have so many different possibilities in my head for a future career," he says. "But uncertainty is okay, because if I stay on my path I know I will end up being successful at a career that I enjoy that enriches my life and the lives of others."

The Aboriginal Student Award supports Aboriginal students pursuing post-secondary education in British Columbia.

For more information on the Irving K. Barber Aboriginal Scholarships visit www.ikbbc.ca/web/aboriginal.