New data challenge early JWST claims about the age of the universe

A year ago, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) sent shockwaves through the astronomical community with reports of unexpectedly massive and ancient galaxies in the distant universe. The existence of such massive galaxies so soon after the Big Bang suggested that the universe could be much older than the 13.8 billion years the astronomers had come to accept.

Dr. Guillaume Desprez

Now, a new study led by Saint Mary’s researcher Dr. Guillaume Desprez and his team offers a groundbreaking reassessment. “The early results from JWST were a shock,” says Dr. Desprez. “Some astronomers suggested that textbooks would have to be rewritten. So, we decided to take a closer look.”

Early JWST observations of the early universe pointed to galaxies so ancient and massive they seemed implausible within the universe's established 13.8 billion-year timeline. These claims, initially presented in a preprint and later in a Nature publication in February 2023, prompted a reevaluation of our cosmic history.

Desprez's team, harnessing recent, detailed JWST data from the CANUCS (Canadian NIRISS Unbiased Cluster Survey) project, embarked on a meticulous analysis of these claims.

Using their new CANUCS data, the researchers searched for galaxies similar to those in the initial study and located at a similar distance, about 13 billion light years away. “We selected galaxies akin to the five in the original study and analyzed them in very similar ways. Our 20 candidates, however, proved neither massive nor old,” explains Dr. Desprez.

Dr. Marcin Sawicki

The research revealed these galaxies as young, not ancient relics. “The light from these galaxies took 13 billion years to reach us, offering a glimpse when the universe was just 5 percent of its current age,” explains Dr. Marcin Sawicki, also of Saint Mary’s University and key co-author of the study.

“They give us a view of what the cosmos was like in its early stages, but, contrary to the early claims, we found no massive, old galaxies there. If such galaxies did exist in the distant past, they must have been much less common than the early JWST results suggested,” elaborates Desprez. 

The team used new JWST data from the CANUCS program, which has observed many more areas of the sky than was used in the original study published in Nature in 2023. “This is important because by observing multiple areas in the sky, we get a much better, more accurate idea of what is typical and what is not in the early universe,” says team member Dr. Adam Muzzin of York University in Toronto, Canada, and a key co-author of the study.

This discovery solidifies the current understanding of the universe's age. “The universe's age stands firm at 13.8 billion years old. No need to rewrite our astronomy textbooks yet,” comments Desprez. The team’s findings, though not outright disproving the initial study, suggest that even if a few ancient galaxies existed in the distant universe, such old monsters must be exceptionally rare. “Even if one or two of the original study's galaxies in the end turn out to be massive or old, such extreme objects appear extremely rare—far less common than was first concluded with early JWST data,” elaborates Dr. Nick Martis, a lead co-author of the study, now at the University of Ljubljana in Slovenia.

These findings, recently accepted for publication in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society (MNRAS), significantly advance our understanding of the early universe's composition and evolution. CANUCS is one of the two main programs through which the Canadian Webb science team is using 450 hours of guaranteed observing time and is made possible thanks to the financial support of the Canadian Space Agency.

Read more: ΛCDM not dead yet: massive high-z Balmer break galaxies are less common than previously reported

Thousands gather on SMU Huskies field for solar eclipse event

The Department of Astronomy and Physics hosted one of Halifax’s most popular solar eclipse viewing events on Monday, April 8, bringing an estimated 2,500-3,000 people to campus to experience the highly-anticipated event.

Science enthusiasts of all ages filled the SMU Huskies football field for a chance to view the partial eclipse through one of the university’s solar telescopes or with a free pair of SMU Science eclipse glasses. Others brought homemade pinhole projectors and observed the changes in shadows as a way to view the eclipse safely.

It was a great way to celebrate the final day of winter term classes, with event-goers cheering together for the maximum eclipse mark at 4:38 p.m.Check out more photos of the event on the SMU Science Facebook page.

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Do you have a pair of eclipse glasses? Keep them! Partial solar eclipses are visible roughly every year or two from here in Halifax. There will be another partial solar eclipse in March 2025 and more partial eclipses coming up. You can always use eclipse glasses to safely look at the sun whenever it’s in the sky. If you’re finished with your glasses, feel free to return them to the Dean of Science Office, S221 in the Science building.

For more information about the eclipse and other events, visit the Burke-Gaffney Observatory website.

New home for Saint Mary’s Engineering to open in September 2024

Engineering students work hands-on with robotics

Students walk through the new engineering building space

The building offers space for students to connect and work together

Saint Mary’s University is excited to announce a significant expansion to its engineering facilities that will have an immediate positive impact on enrolment and allow the university to grow the engineering program from 240 to 320 students over the next two academic years.

President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Robert Summerby-Murray notes, “Saint Mary’s University has seen an increased demand for our STEM programming in recent years, particularly in our engineering diploma. Our excellent faculty, facilities and ability to provide focused, hands-on learning are very attractive to incoming students looking to build the foundation for their careers. We are delighted to be offering this experience to more students and researchers.”

960 Tower Road

Following a re-design over the spring and summer, SMU Engineering will move into its new home in the existing building on campus at 960 Tower Road. The new facilities will take up all three floors of the 28,000-square-foot building. This significant expansion of engineering space on campus will enhance teaching and learning capacity by providing state-of-the-art labs, classrooms and project rooms.

The first floor will house workspaces where student teams will design engineering projects. The second floor will include three large classrooms and the mechanics of materials lab, an electric circuits lab and thermofluids lab. The third floor will be home to an engineering design classroom and faculty research labs.

““This contemporary building will provide a dynamic environment for the training of future engineers and allow more students to experience the distinct advantages of SMU Engineering: small class sizes, state-of-the-art facilities and more hands-on learning””

— Interim Dean of Science Sam Veres

Built to LEED Silver standards and opened in 2013, 960 Tower Road has housed various academic programs over the past decade. The university's administration took an innovative approach to re-purpose an existing building for a popular program that is experiencing growing demand. The new home of SMU Engineering will be ready to welcome students in September 2024.

Saint Mary’s Engineering offers a two-year Diploma of Engineering that provides students with an introduction to scientific principles and a strong foundation in engineering mathematics, design and technical communication before choosing an engineering path to complete their degree. Saint Mary’s has offered engineering for more than 100 years, with classes located in the McNally building since 1951.

President’s Award for Excellence in Research: Dr. Luigi Gallo

Dr. Luigi Gallo with Dr. Robert Summerby-Murray at Winter Convocation

Dr. Luigi Gallo was honoured at Winter Convocation with the President’s Award for Excellence in Research for his contributions to astrophysics.

As an astrophysicist in high-profile international research projects, Dr. Luigi Gallo has been involved in major missions with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), NASA, and the Canadian Space Agency, and has received more than $10-million in funding for projects such as the Astro-H Metrology System.

Dr. Luigi Gallo

Dr. Gallo’s research interests include supermassive black holes, or active galactic nuclei, and X-rays emitted from the innermost regions of black hole environments; accretion-powered systems of all scales (e.g. cataclysmic variables, X-ray binaries, AGN); and the definition and realization of future X-ray missions. His work has led to discoveries that have altered scientists’ understanding of black holes, their formation, growth, behaviour and their influence on the evolution of galaxies.

After a stint in industry, Dr. Gallo returned to academia and completed his PhD at the prestigious Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics in Germany, and then joined JAXA before becoming a faculty member at Saint Mary’s University in 2007.

A prolific publisher, Dr. Gallo is credited with more than 80 successful observing proposals and more than 150 refereed publications written as part of his research on black holes and instrumentation, work with peers, and as a supervisor to many of his students and postdocs. He has also published work with large collaborations, including papers by the Hitomi Collaboration, which he made significant contributions to, as well as other publications on future missions.

As a professor, Dr. Gallo is focused on supporting the next generation of researchers, co-writing papers with undergraduate and graduate students who have gone on to higher-level studies and research of their own. He contributes significant time and knowledge to the advancement of his field through committee work and outreach initiatives and as a member of the Canadian Astronomical Society.

The President's Award for Excellence in Research honours continued exceptional contributions to research and scholarship conducted by a full-time Saint Mary's University faculty member. More information can be found at smu.ca/fgsr/presidents-award.

Congratulations Dr. Luigi Gallo!

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Recordings of the convocation ceremonies and a PDF of the convocation program are available at smu.ca/graduation. See the photo album on the SMU Halifax Facebook page.

Educators and collaborators celebrated with honorary degrees

Saint Mary’s University will bestow honorary doctorates on three educators with connections to the university community—Mingyuan Zhang, Ailan Fu and David Lane—at the 2024 Winter Convocation.

Mingyuan Zhang

Dr. Mingyuan Zhang

Dr. Zhang has an exceptional record as a scholar of Chinese language culture and folklore. Holding a Doctorate in Chinese folklore from Beijing Normal University, Beijing, Dr. Zhang has had a distinguished academic career as a Professor of Chinese Language and Literature at Renmin University, as Dean of Arts at Hong Kong Shue Yan University and most recently, and since 2004, as Dean of the School of Chinese at BNUZ.

Particularly in his role as Dean of the School of Chinese, Dr. Zhang has established the study of Chinese language and culture, including in partnership with Saint Mary’s University. His quiet, behind-the-scenes leadership has provided a supportive environment for many Saint Mary’s students, staff and faculty participating in the partnership between SMU and BNUZ. His service to the values of Saint Mary’s, and particularly to intercultural learning, makes him worthy of an honorary degree.

Dr. Zhang will receive a Doctor of Letters, honoris causa, on January 27, 2024.

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Ailan Fu

Dr. Ailan Fu

Dr. Fu is a notable academic leader and administrator. In addition to her academic appointments as Professor of Linguistics at Central University for Nationalities, and then at BNUZ, Dr. Fu has led global engagement for BNUZ and the partnership with Saint Mary’s University. This has resulted in the exchange of students, faculty and staff between our universities over the past two decades. Dr. Fu is a well-recognized scholar in linguistics and has held visiting appointments at SMU, Hong Kong Baptist University, and the University of Texas.

Dr. Fu’s service to the community includes her work as a scholar and academic administrator at BNUZ but extends also locally to her work as counsellor on the city of Zhuhai Municipal Council. Her work for the city of Zhuhai led to the creation of the sister-city relationship between Zhuhai and the Halifax Regional Municipality. Her focus on international education and connection demonstrates Dr. Fu’s commitment to intercultural learning, a key value for Saint Mary’s University. 

Dr. Fu will receive a Doctor of Letters, honoris causa, on January 27, 2024.

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David Lane

David Lane

Tens of thousands of Saint Mary’s University students and members of the public have experienced the wonders of the night sky at the Burke-Gaffney Observatory due to the efforts of one man, David Lane, who, for nearly thirty years, has been quietly inspiring generations of children, parents, students, and teachers.

From 1992 until his retirement, Mr. Lane was employed as the Astronomy Technician and System Administrator in the Astronomy and Physics Department. Later, as Director of the Burke-Gaffney Observatory, David single-handedly automated the Observatory and made it available to the world through Twitter and Facebook. He has made significant contributions to teaching and learning at Saint Mary’s and created The Earth Centered Universe (ECU), an easy-to-use planetarium and telescope-control program, allowing institutes the ability to operate their own educational astronomy platforms for teaching astronomy.

He has also made many impressive contributions to professional astronomy, with more than 100 professional publications in the field of variable stars and telescope operations. He has been a member of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada (RASC) since the 1980s and served as president of the National Chapter and the Halifax Chapter. He was recognized by the International Astronomy Union for the co-discovery of three supernovae and has an asteroid named after him!

David Lane will receive a Doctor of Science, honoris causa, on January 27, 2024.

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Convocation ceremonies will be live-streamed on smu.ca on January 26 and 27. Check our website for ceremony details.

Psychology professor studies the silent epidemic of burnout in healthcare

Healthcare workers are stressed and overworked—the pandemic only made it worse. Dr. Debra Gilin and her team study the effects of burnout in healthcare.

Dr. Debra Gilin works with Dr. Dayna Lee-Baggley and a team of psychology graduate students to research burnout in healthcare workers.

Within the sanitized halls of hospitals and clinics, a silent epidemic is wreaking havoc among the very caregivers we depend on.

Burnout within the medical field has become an alarming concern across the globe, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, where uncertainty and growing hospitalization numbers impacted the well-being of healthcare professionals who worked tirelessly to slow the spread of the virus.

According to Dr. Debra Gilin, professor of psychology and graduate program coordinator for the Department of Psychology at Saint Mary's University, burnout among healthcare workers has been going on long before the pandemic.

“Doctors and nurses were already burnt out from the normal structure of the healthcare system, and then you added COVID, where people were dying,” she explained. “So, the stakes were really high, and they experienced what they described as a ‘moral distress,’ because they couldn’t help the person the way they should be able to under medical oath.”

Dr. Dayna Lee-Baggley

Together with her colleague, Dr. Dayna Lee-Baggley, and a team of graduate students specializing in Industrial/Organizational Psychology, Dr. Gilin and her team decided to study the effects of burnout in healthcare workers. The 2020 study—funded through a collaboration with the Nova Scotia Health Research Coalition/ Research Nova Scotia— focused specifically on burnout during COVID and how the pandemic compounded the existing crisis that healthcare workers are experiencing. 

“We wanted to use the knowledge we gained [through the study] to create some intervention courses that could actually help leaders and the people that they lead in healthcare, not get as burned out during the pandemic,” she said.

How do you measure burnout?

Burnout is more than just being tired. It’s a complex and multifaceted condition that includes emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and a diminished sense of personal accomplishment.

But how does one measure these emotions?

Using homecare nurses, nursing leaders, and medical faculty leaders as participants, Dr. Gilin and her team embarked on a seemingly Sisyphean mission.

“We couldn't change that people were being re-deployed to other health units, we couldn't change that they weren't always getting good communication or didn't always have PPE,” she said. “But we could help leaders realize that sometimes what they need to do is just be honestly validating and supportive, and that's materially useful, not only to themselves but to the people that they lead.”

The study groups had to take a six-week course over Zoom, where they learned about supportive leadership skills, the science of a brain under stress, how to recover from burnout, and leadership skills around conflict and empathy. Funds from the Research Coalition/Research Nova Scotia, and partner organizations, helped further refine their study.

“With the funding, we were able to give them a Fitbit, and we tracked their self-reported burnout, their health behaviors and their stress response, as measured by their resting heart rate during sleep,” Dr. Gilin explained.

The participants were broken into two groups: those who started the course earlier and those who took it later and served as a control group. The team saw that those waiting for the course had escalated resting heart rates as they tried to navigate the stress of the pandemic and avoid catching the disease. Once they started the course, their resting heart rates would level off and then start to come down.

“This is being recorded during sleep, so there’s nothing you can do to fake that,” said Dr. Gilin. “And the self-report surveys they were answering gave the same story… we had biological data and survey data that corroborated one another, so we felt like we were onto something.”

Systemic challenges and the way forward

While burnout is a personal experience, its root causes are deeply intertwined with systemic challenges within the healthcare industry.

Excessive workload, long on-call shifts, inadequate staffing levels, unfair policies and unpredictability in the workplace, are a few of the factors that healthcare workers have to deal with daily.

“We’re not so naïve as to assume that we’re able to change the healthcare system,” Dr. Gilin explained. “There are things about how funding happens and how people are trained that can lead to an unhealthy culture and unhealthy workload, but I think there’s been a shift in recognizing that working people so hard is counter-productive.”

The team is also working with web developers to create apps and offer the six-week course to health practitioners outside of Nova Scotia who are looking to manage their burnout as well.

“We plan to cut up the course into little videos and activities that people can complete every day,” said Dr. Gilin. “We have a mock-up ready and have the funding to continue moving these courses to a more accessible format for workplaces across Canada.” The team is currently conducting a research study on the effectiveness of the app-based course. Leaders who are interested in participating in the research will get access to the app for free. For more information contact phs@smu.ca, debra.gilin@smu.ca, or DrDayna@impactme.app.

For those experiencing burnout— regardless of profession— Dr. Gilin advises to actively take the time to rest and find joy through hobbies, activities and other social interactions.

“Take some time to reflect on what are the more energizing and fulfilling aspects of the work that you do,” she said. “Try to find a creative way to shift the balance, so that what makes you show up every day becomes a reasonable part of your day.”

New agreement allows Holland College diploma graduates to complete science degree at Saint Mary’s

Saint Mary’s University has recently signed three cooperation agreements with Holland College, enabling graduates from the college’s Bioscience Technology, Wildlife Conservation, and Environmental Applied Science Technology diploma programs to complete a Bachelor of Science degree at the university.

Graduates of the two-year diploma programs can apply to join the Faculty of Science and School of the Environment. The agreement provides Holland College graduates a streamlined pathway into one of Saint Mary’s ten undergraduate science programs taught by top Canadian researchers and award-winning faculty.

“We are delighted to have a new partnership with Holland College, opening doors to more students pursuing their academic goals,” says Dan Seneker, Saint Mary’s AVP Enrolment Management and Registrar. “This agreement will create opportunities for research, internships and exceptional mentorship for students who wish to obtain a Bachelor of Science at Saint Mary’s.” 

Doug Currie, Holland College’s Vice President of Corporate Services, said the college is proud to be able to add Saint Mary’s University to the list of partner universities. “Saint Mary’s University has an excellent reputation and a tradition of academic excellence,” he said. “Our graduates are sure to thrive in this top-tier university.” 

Saint Mary's science and engineering students have access to a range of academic student supports to help them succeed. Thanks to our close-knit, community atmosphere, many of our undergraduates participate in their professor's research projects—a valuable experience that can be hard to come by at larger institutions.

“In the Faculty of Science at Saint Mary’s we are committed to student success, with a mission to create the next generation of creative thinkers through exceptional Science programming with experiential and interdisciplinary learning opportunities,” says Dr. Sam Veres, Interim Dean of Science. “Through these new agreements, we look forward to welcoming more Holland College graduates to Saint Mary’s for the next step in their education and advancement toward their higher education and career goals.”

Visit smu.ca/futurestudents for more information.

Student researcher has found 100—and counting—invasive crayfish in Three Mile Lake

Invasive species has potential to move well beyond one Halifax-area lake

Dr. Linda Campbell, graduate student researcher Madison Bond, and DFO Officer Sarah Kingsbury MSc’20 show evidence of crayfish at Three Mile Lake

As a master’s student at Saint Mary’s University, Madison Bond has a unique and exciting opportunity to conduct research that could play a pivotal role in the protection of Nova Scotia’s ecosystem.

For her thesis project, she has been studying the presence of Red Swamp Crayfish, an invasive species found in Three Mile Lake, in Waverley, N.S. This species has the potential to wreak havoc on this lake—with the potential to create damage on a much larger scale.

Red Swamp Crayfish, which look like tiny lobsters, are native to the southern United States. It’s not known yet how they arrived in the Maritimes, but Madison, along with supervising professor Dr. Linda Campbell and partners at the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), have been investigating the impact that they have already had on the lake.

Madison Bond speaks with media about her research

Under a student contract with DFO, Madison caught the first live crayfish at the lake in 2022; approximately 100 have now been captured in traps. Her research work this academic year and next summer is to collect more crayfish and study how their lifecycle and habits differ compared to the crayfish living in their native habitats.

Because Nova Scotia temperatures are colder than their native freshwater habitats, crayfish may burrow deeper into shorelines. The temperature could also affect the number of offspring and the length of their lifecycle. Using frozen crayfish in the lab, Madison will also determine what they eat—leading to more answers about their impact on the local ecosystem.

As an invasive species in a lake, crayfish cause a variety of issues. Crayfish are known for burrowing into the shoreline, which can cause significant damage by changing the shoreline which leads to erosion. Along with the loss of habitat for native species, the aggressive crayfish also compete for food, space and calcium in the water.

Crayfish go through a wandering phase in their lifecycle, which means that they can travel significant distances on land, and potentially move to new bodies of water. The Shubenacadie Canal is within walking distance for a crayfish, meaning this invasive species problem has the potential to become exponentially larger. “Shubie” Canal is a 114-kilometre waterway that stretches from the Halifax Harbour to the Bay of Fundy, and is a well-used and loved recreation destination in Nova Scotia.

Crayfish aren’t the first invasive species in Nova Scotia. Dr. Linda Campbell’s Dynamic Environment and Ecosystem Health Research (DEEHR) lab at Saint Mary’s has also investigated the impact of two other invasive species, Chinese mystery snails and chain pickerel.

To protect the province’s native species, habitats and waterways, never introduce a plant, pet or other animal into the wild.

If you find a crayfish, please put it in a bag and note details such as location coordinates, time and date, and contact Madison Bond and the team at Saint Mary’s who will collect it from you. Please do not disturb the traps.

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Public Lecture

Dr. Linda Campbell will present a lecture titled “Overlooked no more: non-indigenous, invasive species in Nova Scotia lakes & rivers”

The unanticipated and unplanned appearance of non-indigenous species in freshwater ecosystems is a global issue. In regions lacking biosurveillance and awareness programs, the potential for unwanted species to establish in lakes is very high. Dr. Linda Campbell will present case studies for both fish and invertebrates in Nova Scotia, highlight progress made over the past decade, and discuss ongoing needs in order to limit the impact of unwanted species on Nova Scotia’s freshwater ecosystems.

Date: Monday, December 4, 2023
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Location: In person at Saint Mary’s University – Atrium 101 or via Zoom
Details: https://nsis1862.ca/public-lectures/

Researcher leads team in discovering galaxies with James Webb Space Telescope

This image shows the Webb Deep Field of Galaxies, the very first unveiled science image by JWST. Credits: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI. Post-stamps: Shannon MacFarland (SMU).

Dr. Gaël Noirot, a postdoctoral researcher at Saint Mary’s University, is playing a leading role in studying an image called “Webb’s Deep Field of Galaxies,” the extraordinary first image produced by the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) which contains at least 7,000 galaxies.

Along with Saint Mary’s professor and CRC Chair Dr. Marcin Sawicki, a team of Canadian astronomers have used the Canadian NIRISS instrument on board JWST to collect spectra from galaxies in the image. These spectra are a type of scientific data created by breaking down the light of an object to reveal additional information such as the object’s age or distance. 

The team has now measured the redshifts—a precise measurement of a galaxy’s distance based on the unique chemical signatures seen in its spectra—of nearly 200 galaxies whose distances from Earth were previously unknown.

“NIRISS is perfect for doing this because it can measure the redshifts of hundreds of galaxies at once,” said Dr. Noirot who is Principal Investigator of this observing program and lead author of the study published this month in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 

Read the full press release.

Saint Mary's biomedical lab is on the frontiers of collagen exploration

Dr. Veres and his students study in great depth the structural makeup of collagen within the body to identify the unknown

Dr. Sam Veres (left) works in a research lab with Master of Science in Applied Science student Amanda Lee

What comes to mind when people think of exploration is typically outer space, or the deep ocean. But within the human body, there are many structural and functional questions that remain unanswered. 

The structural makeup of collagen within the body, and how it develops and is comprised in injury and disease, is one area still under exploration. Dr. Sam Veres and his graduate students explore this topic with great depth in Biomedical Structure-Function labs. 

Sam Veres

“We think hard about identifying things that are unknown, problems that persist and how we might solve them,” says Dr. Veres, interim Dean of Science and Professor in the Division of Engineering at Saint Mary’s University. “A more complete understanding of the collagen in our bodies, how it develops and how it can become structurally compromised, could lead to development of new treatments to help reduce disabling soft tissue injuries like sprains, strains, and overuse tendinopathies.”

Research and collaboration

Collagen provides structural integrity to tissues in human and animal bodies, including the skin, bones, tendons and ligaments, articular cartilage, even discs in our backs. 

Dr. Veres and his lab specifically study collagen fibrils, which are tiny in size—roughly 1,000 times smaller than a human hair. The size of these fibrils is why many aspects of their development remain unknown, and why the multidisciplinary lab uses knowledge and techniques from engineering, physics, chemistry, biology and medicine to study them.

“These sorts of problems are inherently multidisciplinary, and you need to have collaborative teams that come together and work on these problems together,” says Dr. Veres.

Identifying unknowns

It’s a very exciting time in the lab, with four of its graduate students publishing results within the next year. 

Kelsey Gsell is a PhD student who Dr. Veres co-supervises with Dr. Laurent Kreplak through Dalhousie University’s School of Biomedical Engineering. Her research looks at how collagen in the body respond to enzymes that help control tissue repair and renewal.

Dr. Veres is also working with master’s student Ted Lownie, whose research has shown that the specialized collagen structure of highly loaded tendons like the Achilles extends back to the earliest stages of fetal development rather than being driven by mechanical loading after birth, as previously thought.

Dr. Veres is excited to see his students take part in this innovative, multidisciplinary research and continue asking questions, and exploring in the hopes of finding answers. 

“It’s really satisfying to see students go on to do other great things and take this background with them,” he says. “Seeing my students gain an appreciation for what is unknown and still to be discovered is really so wonderful.”

To learn more about Dr. Sam Veres and his graduate students’ research, visit their lab’s website at vereslab.com.  

Innovative retail store will revolutionize how we shop

Saint Mary’s University, recognized as a top Canadian university, is teaming up with some of Canada’s most influential retail companies to create one of the foremost retail laboratories on the continent. It’s all part of the ground-breaking research at SMU’s David Sobey Centre for Innovation in Retailing and Services.

Visitors will soon become part of a living experiment designed to transform the future of shopping and reshape the retail landscape. Students and visitors to the south end of campus will walk into a deceptively simple convenience store that is actually a cutting-edge laboratory.

The retail robot is programmed to glide through stores tracking price tags, missing items and other information, which it relays to employees.

Inside, a retail robot glides through the aisles, logging items that have run low and sending messages to the stockroom. The robot is designed for large stores where it tracks inventory on shelves and assesses planogram and price compliance, explains Ramesh Venkat, Director of the David Sobey Centre. “The robot, equipped with cameras, matches price tags to the computerized lists, checks price tags for compliance for the latest discounts, spots misplaced or missing items, generates a report and sends a real-time alert to an employee.”

And if a shopper wants to take an item home? No need to look for a cashier; there isn’t one. Instead, when you exit the store your credit or debit card is charged automatically. But wait, maybe you want to try on something before purchasing? Step in front of 3D digital screen to model clothing using virtual fitting technology.

SMU researchers are building a futuristic “frictionless customer experience” without inconveniences such as line-ups and check-outs, where customer privacy and protection of information are priorities. “We don't collect any video footage or store any credit card or debit card information. We will provide best-in-class privacy and security, which will set us apart from companies that are doing computer vision in retail environments,” adds Venkat.

The David Sobey Centre for Innovation in Retailing and Services brings together university researchers and Canadian retailers to test new technologies such as artificial intelligence, augmented reality, and robotics. Vivek Sood MBA’98, Executive Vice President, Related Businesses, Empire Company Limited and Sobeys Inc., and Chair of the David Sobey Centre notes, “The retail sector is one of the main drivers of Canada’s economy and an incredibly exciting place of major innovation right now. Each time I visit campus I am eager to see the advances being made by the professors and their top research students.”

Students gain hands-on experience building tech solutions for retail

The retail store and its related labs offer SMU students unparalleled opportunities for hands-on learning and collaboration. Saint Mary’s University professors and students are building leading-edge tech from scratch: computer vision systems, augmented reality and robots.

The digital lab and mock store will allow researchers to track shoppers as they interact with digital platforms, including websites and advertisements. In the biometrics lab, graduate students will use advanced tools such as EEG (Electroencephalography), eye-tracker glasses and GSR (Galvanic Skin Response) sensors to understand customer behaviour and decision-making. Faculty and student researchers from several disciplines–marketing, psychology, information systems, engineering, and computer science all benefit.

Jason Rhinelander

Engineering Professor Jason Rhinelander, Head of Technology and Innovation for the David Sobey Centre, understands that the David Sobey Centre presents him and SMU students with a huge opportunity. “Retail has so many challenges and that is key for engineers and computer scientists. We don’t invent algorithms for the sake of it. We need problems to solve.”

“We can benefit small and medium-sized Atlantic Canadian companies recovering from the pandemic and battling stressors like inflation. By placing their products in our store which acts as a ‘living lab,’ we can provide data about how customers feel about their packaging, service and overall quality. We can also test the retail environment for accessibility: lighting levels, noise levels, and colour schemes.”

Watch: Jason Rhinelander loves solving problems with technology

Vinod Bachhao

Vinod Bachhao came to SMU as a Master’s student in 2015, graduated to PhD studies and is now the university’s first AI engineer. “I could have gone to Toronto, but I love Halifax and the environment here. I grabbed the opportunity to work on the SMU robot and state-of-the-art AI and computer vision. There is nothing better than this.”

The labs, mock store and the cashier-less store all provide the infrastructure for exploring new ideas and innovations that can shape the future of Canadian retail. “The purpose of the David Sobey Centre is to develop and share innovations, expertise and skills that help build a vibrant retail sector–domestically and globally. This new infrastructure and the collaboration between researchers, retailers and technology companies vitally enable us to achieve that vision. It's really exciting,” says Venkat.

Fall Valedictorian: Stephanie Kansiime, Bachelor of Science

Stephanie Kansiime, Valedictorian for the Faculty of Science

Quoting my mother’s wisdom, “Everything you do, do it well. Your work is the only thing that speaks of and for you when you're not in the room.”

These words have guided my journey from my birthplace in Uganda to my pursuit of a brighter future in Canada, which eventually led me to Saint Mary's University.

My lifelong aspiration, both personally and professionally, is to make a positive impact on people’s lives. To pursue this goal, I actively engaged with the international community throughout my academic career. These interactions have transformed me into a more open-minded and versatile individual, preparing me for a future where I intend to work on a global scale. The invaluable skills I have acquired, such as leadership and effective communication, have been nurtured here at Saint Mary’s, which I consider a cultural melting pot.

My defining traits include an insatiable curiosity and a deep commitment to serving my community. These qualities guided me toward a career in biology, with a specific focus on immunology research. Since high school, I have volunteered at hospitals in my home country and secured an internship studying biopolymers. Armed with the knowledge and skills gathered throughout my degree and work experiences, I am poised to innovate and collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to develop efficient solutions, benefiting both my Canadian and Ugandan communities, with a long-term vision of global impact.

I owe my success not only to my dedication but also to the unwavering support of those around me. My mother’s sacrifices, my father’s steadfastness during challenging times, and the constant encouragement from my siblings Kristen and Andrew have been my pillars of strength. Additionally, the support of my parents’ friends and extended family has played a crucial role in my journey. Last, but not least, the faculty and friends I’ve encountered during my time at Saint Mary’s have been instrumental in my growth and success. To all of them, I express my deepest gratitude.

In the wise words of my mother, “It is not always the smartest people who achieve success, but the people who are organized and willing to put in the effort.” These words continue to motivate and inspire me on my path to greatness.

Q&A with Stephanie

Hometown: I grew up in Kampala Uganda, but my native village is in Hoima, Uganda.

Degree: Bachelor of Science majoring in Biology

Favourite class: Cell Biology. It still fascinates me today that cells as multiple single units work together in massive numbers to make me a functional human today typing this out and for you to read and comprehend it. The human body is remarkable!

Why did you choose Saint Mary’s?: Saint Mary’s offered me cultural diversity. So much as I was coming to Canada, I would experience a host of different cultures and nationalities while I pursued my education. I was also interested in the professor-student ratio, the professors would easily be accessible for help.

What are your future plans?: I intend to pursue a Masters in Immunology or Biomedical Engineering. Following that, I will pursue research in academia, focusing on immunology because of my interest in communicable diseases that still plague my home country. 

Favourite spot at Saint Mary’s: My first room at the Rice residence! I was a little timid when I first arrived in Halifax, but my room on the 17th floor gave me a great view of campus ongoings and games and I loved people-watching!

Advice for new students that you wish you knew when you started university: When choosing electives, be explorative. My second favorite class is Astronomy, which I have always been passionate about but did not necessarily want to pursue as a degree. There is a whole host of very interesting classes far from your main focus. Make room to have fun with your degree 🙂. Always ask for help—even when you think you know, there might be a different perspective that will enhance your work.

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Fall Convocation takes place on September 22 and 23, 2023. Watch the ceremonies live at smu.ca/graduation or on our Facebook page.