Shannon Seneca

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Shannon Seneca

Shannon Seneca is an engineer from Brantford, Canada, who is best known for being the first Native American woman to receive a doctorate in engineering from the University of Buffalo.

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Education

In 2001, Seneca earned her Bachelors of Science in physics from the Buffalo State University.

From the University of Buffalo she earned her Masters of Science in environmental engineering in 2006, and her doctorate in engineering.

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Career

While studying, Seneca focused on geochemistry and groundwater remediation.

Through research, training and coursework she developed a formidable understanding of hydrologic processes and watershed dynamics.

Additionally, she taught two courses in hydrology while completing her dissertation.

She is very interested in continuing her research on remediation and restoration during an age of increasing global climate change.

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Seneca gained training and experience in ecosystem restoration through the University of Buffalo’s National Science Foundation IGERT Ecosystem Restoration through Interdisciplinary Exchange (ERIE) Program.

Within this program she worked on a multi-disciplinary team to create a management program for wetlands for the Buffalo Niagara River Keeper, which is a not-for-profit organization.

Through this program, she completed more work for the wetland management in the deduction of water quality and hydrology analysis.

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From 2004 to 2012, Seneca was an environmental engineer at the University of Buffalo.

There she was part of a team that designed and constructed a permeable treatment wall at a nuclear facility, provided support for laboratory modelling work with AMEC Geomatrix and DOE for remediation of the West Valley Demonstration Project, and managed laboratory and research work for Masters students.

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Additionally, Seneca has started a company to provide environmental services to federal and tribal governments and the private industry.

She focuses on site characterization by using remediation technologies.

Her current projects include radionuclide assessment and erosion studies.

You can visit the website www.senecarrr.com for more information.

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Influences

Shannon Seneca a Mohawk who is part of the Six Nations Community.

She is heavily influenced by the Great Law of Haudenosaunee, which states that people should consider how their decisions will affect the future.

While studying at the University of Buffalo, she was one of the people who founded a local chapter of the American Indian Science and Engineering Society and worked with associated Native American Magnet Schools.

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Haudenosaunee Beliefs

The Haudenosaunee Confederacy means 'People of the Long House', but is also known as the 'Iroquois Confederacy' by the French, and the 'League of Five Nations' by the English.

It was founded by the prophet who is known as the Peacemaker, along with the help of Aionwatha, who is more commonly known as Hiawatha.

This confederacy is made up of the Mohawks, Oneidas, Onondagas, Cayugas and Senecas and was formed as a way of uniting the nations to foster peaceful decision making and sharing a common goal of living in harmony.

The long house symbol was given to them by the Peacemaker and is recognized in traditional Haudenosaunee locations.

When confederation took place, each nation took on a responsibility in the metaphorical house.

The Onondaga are the Keepers of the Fire.

The Mohawk, Seneca and Onondaga are the Elder Brothers and the Cayuga and Oneida are the Younger Brothers within the Grand Council.

This meeting place still exists on the territory of the Onondaga.

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The core value of the Haudenosaunee is called the Seventh Generation.

The Confederation encompasses traditional values like labour and maintaining a responsibility to their family, clan and nation, as well as being grateful to nature and the Creator for their sustenance, however the value of the Seventh Generation considers those who are not yet born but will inherit the world after we are gone.

When making decisions, Chiefs consider how present day decisions will impact their descendants.

Furthermore, nations are taught to respect the world which they live in because they are loaning it from future generations.

This core value is very important for culture.

Keeping cultural practices, languages and ceremonies active is crucial if the people of the future are going to practice the culture of the Haudenosaunee.

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