Image: UFV / Provided / (L-R): Dr. Jelena Brcic, Kelsi Paul, Krista Minar, and Sandra Riches

By Alyssa Conti

SCIENCE CAFE

UFV speaker event to showcase local women on the frontlines

Nov 16, 2025 | 11:56 AM

CHILLIWACK — Four women on the frontlines of research and emergency response are heading down to the University of the Fraser Valley (UFV) to share their experiences of working life under extreme conditions.

Dr. Jelena Brcic, Kelsi Paul from Central Fraser Valley Search & Rescue Society, Sandra Riches from BC AdventureSmart and Krista Minar, Chilliwack assistant fire chief, will be discussing their journeys at UFV’s Science Cafe at the Chilliwack campus library on November 26, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Brcic researches work experiences in remote or extreme environments, ranging from astronauts on the International Space Station to Arctic researchers and search-and-rescue volunteers, of which Paul is a part.

“People often ask why I joined search and rescue, and honestly, it’s a mix of things,” she said. “At first, I wanted to challenge myself by learning new skills and pushing my limits in ways I hadn’t imagined. SAR constantly forces you out of your comfort zone, and I’ve always embraced that because it’s where real growth happens.”

SAR is also a key component of Riches’s work with BC AdventureSmart, a program that targets outreach to reduce the number and severity of search-and-rescue incidents through online and onsite education, while Minar’s experience on the frontlines is more head-on.

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She began her firefighting journey as a volunteer in Jasper, Alberta, before finding herself on the front lines of the 2021 Coldwater floods when her family relocated to Merritt– experiences she now carries into her work in the Chilliwack Fire Department.

The Science Cafe is open to all, with attendees invited to engage with the speakers in a casual space. The library is on the main floor of the UFV Chilliwack campus, located at 45190 Caen Avenue.