Please enjoy this short video that reflects all that Saint Mary’s has accomplished this year. If so inspired, please share with your networks by using the Share function above.
Best wishes for a happy and safe holiday!
National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women at Saint Mary’s
Saint Mary’s University students, faculty and staff gathered on December 6 to honour and acknowledge the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women.
The reflective event was led by Deborah Brothers-Scott, Director, Diversity and Inclusion. Raymond Sewell, Assistant Professor, opened the event with two captivating Indigenous songs, and Miriam H. Schroedor MA’71 2017 read a poem titled “I am a woman.”
Saint Mary’s faculty members Dr. Erin Adlakha, Dr. Aldona Wiacek, and Dean of Science Dr. Lori Francis reflected on their own experiences, facing and overcoming opposition in their careers.
Every year, a scholarship is awarded to a young woman studying Engineering at Saint Mary’s. Dr. Robert Summerby-Murray and SMUSA President Isobel Tyler presented the scholarship to this year’s recipient, Jade Cameron.
Students, SMUSA representatives, and faculty carefully placed 14 roses in a large vase to commemorate the 14 women who were killed at the l’École Polytechnique in Montreal on December 6, 1989. Those women are:
Geneviève Bergeron
Hélène Colgan
Nathalie Croteau
Barbara Daigneault
Anne-Marie Edward
Maud Haviernick
Maryse Laganière
Maryse Leclair
Anne-Marie Lemay
Sonia Pelletier
Michèle Richard
Annie St-Arneault
Annie Turcotte
Barbara Klucznik-Widajewicz
“It is necessary that we continue to mark the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women on December 6 each year,” says Dee Dooley, Sexual Violence Advisor. “We remember and honour the lives of the 14 women engineers who were taking up space that was and is theirs to take. It is necessary that we reflect on the meaning of this day, and the impact of violence on the lives of those who experience it.”
Saint Mary’s students research Sable Island horse skulls
Sable Island is a place of mystery and history, a remote island in the North Atlantic fabled for its sand dunes and shipwrecks, and almost impossible for the average person to access. But for naturalists and biologists, there is much to learn, especially from studying the wild horses who thrive there.
On a November evening, dozens of Haligonians gathered in the McNally Theatre Auditorium to hear the latest Sable Island research and get up close to the skulls of these unique horses collected over 30 years by Zoe Lucas, President of the Sable Island Institute. Katharyn Chadwick and Richard Orton, doctoral students at Saint Mary’s University, collaborated on the project with the Sable Island Institute, Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History and was possible due to funding from SMU Works. The project involved 716 skulls and more than 13,000 measurements and over 6000 photographs. Members of the public were invited to view the skulls on display, ask questions, and even carefully touch the specimens. Two skulls stood out, one for a large growth protruding from the upper jaw and the other for an odd deterioration and pitting of the lower jaw. The researchers want to know if anyone can suggest what caused these malformations; suggestions include a bone abscess or tumour, and a root canal abscess.
More importantly, why study this group of horses and their skulls for clues about their development, variation in skull morphology and age? Richard and Katharyn explain that since the horses first arrived on Sable Island there have been numerous introductions of other horse breeds, to improve breeding stock, provide additional labour and produce foals for resale back on the mainland. This has likely led to a complex mixing of the population, with genetic work revealing traces of Morgan, Clydesdale, and Thoroughbred. Sable Island horses have been isolated for at least 50 years and it is common that island populations exhibit unique traits.
“However, we do not always understand the biological mechanisms underpinning such unique adaptations,” says Katharyn Chadwick. “ Therefore, a deeper understanding of the skull morphology might further our understanding of the evolution of the Sable Island horses and highlight any unusual morphologies unique to this population.”
One of the main aims of the project was to catalogue this unique collection, photographing each skull, estimating age, and noting gender unusual features, post-mortem/storage damage and injuries. Finally, thousands of bagged teeth were paired with the correct skulls.
From the teeth, several well-described aging metrics commonly used in equine studies were recorded for each horse. Using data collected by Zoe Lucas on known age horses, the researchers hope to confirm the suitable use of these metrics for the Sable Island horses.
“Kate and Richard’s study of the horse skulls is an important contribution to the Sable Island Institute’s long-term research program. There is still much to be learned from the collection, and now we have a detailed inventory and preliminary data that will assist in planning follow-up work,” says Zoe Lucas. “This unique and extensive reference collection will enable the Institute to study variations within the Sable population. It will also provide a basis for comparisons with other groups and breeds of horses, as well as with Sable Island horses living on the Island decades from now. This project has been a very productive and encouraging collaboration, and the Sable Island Institute looks forward to further work with Saint Mary’s University and the Nova Scotia Museum.”
Both PhD candidates have travelled from other countries to pursue their studies at the Frasier Lab at Saint Mary’s University. In addition to their research project on the Sable Island horses, they will be addressing conservation concerns of the North Atlantic Right Whale using different genetic approaches. Specifically, Katharyn Chadwick’s thesis is centered on understanding how ship strikes and non-lethal entanglements lead to changes in gene expression via epigenetic modifications, while Richard Orton is assessing the impact of genetic mutation on reproductive success in North Atlantic Right Whales.
Celebrating 45 years of shared learning
A unique partnership between Saint Mary’s University and Halifax Public Libraries reached a milestone anniversary this fall, with 45 years of shared learning through the ‘University Classes for Everyone’ program. A birthday celebration took place November 23 at Halifax Central Library to mark the occasion.
“It is remarkable, as we understand it, that there is no other partnership quite like this between a university and a library or library system in Canada,” Dr. Robert Summerby-Murray, Saint Mary’s President and Vice-Chancellor, said in his remarks at the event
The program has delivered 158 courses since 1977, mostly in the past and present Spring Garden Road library locations. Saint Mary’s students take the courses for credits toward their degrees, while sharing the experience alongside members of the public who are able to attend the classes for free.
People of all ages enjoy the courses for “pure curiosity, and that is a beautiful thing,” said Åsa Kachan, Chief Librarian and CEO for Halifax Public Libraries, adding that the downtown library location has also given many university students from around the world a sense of connection to where they live.
“As you know at Saint Mary’s, we very much place a premium on the value of engaging with the community,” said Summerby-Murray. “It’s part of what we mean when we talk about creating a world without limits. It includes ways in which we bring the sense of research, discovery, innovation and problem solving into the wider community, into the world around us.”
For both students and members of the public, lifelong learning in the arts and humanities is central to being an active citizen in a democracy, said Kachan.
“It helps us understand the world around us, it offers up new perspectives, it challenges us to think critically. It helps us understand the past, and imagine a different future. As we in our society are faced with so many challenges, it is the social sciences and humanities that will help us respond to those, and provide the context for thinking about how we respond to big issues like climate change and health care and disinformation,” she said.
A history of shared learning
The program has come a long way since its early days. Some library patrons weren’t quite sure what to make of it at first—some even shushed the professors in the first year or two!
“Luckily, the early champions of this program stayed firm and here we are 45 years later,” said Kachan.
Those champions included John Battye, director of Continuing Education at Saint Mary’s in the 1970s, and Joan Brown Hicks, then coordinator of community services for Halifax Public Libraries, who forged the initial partnership.
The breadth of subject matter has been vast through the years, with courses covering everything from “Media Psychology” and “Historic Dynamics of Clothing and Fashion” to “Literatures and Cultures of the African Diaspora” and “Anthropology of the COVID-19 Pandemic”.
The celebration was well attended by library staff, professors, former students and members of the public who attend classes. They were all treated to a mini-lecture, “Exotic for Whom? Decolonizing the Grocery Aisle," presented by Dr. Rohini Bannerjee, Associate Vice-President, Diversity Excellence.
“I love teaching at the library … long may it continue!” Dr. Tim Stretton, a history professor, said during the reception afterward. The diversity of community voices adds a whole other level of adrenaline, enthusiasm and expert knowledge to the class discussions, he said. “They ask really good questions, and their enthusiasm is worth its weight in gold.”
What’s up next?
Coming up at Halifax Central Library in the Winter 2023 term, ENGL 1230: Literature and the Environment will be taught with two different approaches. Prof. Raymond Sewell will bring an Indigenous perspective to the subject, focusing on symbolic literature and culture, while Dr. Renée Hulan will bring a climate change focus to the course.
Video: Sobeys Inspiration Hub Update
The newest addition to campus—the Sobeys Inspiration Hub—opens in Fall ’23. Watch for a behind-the-scenes tour of this inspiring building in progress.
A place for possibility: the new Saint Mary’s University Entrepreneurship Centre
Saint Mary’s University Entrepreneurship Centre team members review and discuss the building plans. From right to left: Jada Joseph, Project Manager; Natasha Fernandes, Student Project Assistant; Michael Sanderson, Director and Chirag Narang, Project Manager.
Saint Mary's University has a rich history of fostering economic growth in Atlantic Canada and the people who are the driving force behind it, and its Sobey School of Business is synonymous with entrepreneurial success. More than 75 start-ups have been created by Saint Mary’s students, faculty members, alumni and partners in the past five years alone.
Building on this strong track record of helping launch new businesses, and with the generous support of the university’s donors and supporters, the Saint Mary’s University Entrepreneurship Centre (SMUEC) is preparing to move into its new home in the Sobeys Inspiration Hub. Set to open in fall 2023, this 43,000-square-foot four-storey building is the cornerstone of a 62,000-square-foot capital project that extends from the Sobey School of Business to the Loyola Academic Building.
"We envision a space that provides a full suite of services that enable students to take a start-up or business idea from concept to actualization—all in one place on campus," says Michael Sanderson, the Director of SMUEC. " We are a place for people to come together and develop entrepreneurial skills that can help further their studies and career.
With a focus on growth, innovation and cultivating the entrepreneurial mindset, the Saint Mary's University Entrepreneurship Centre is committed to helping the Atlantic Canadian economy grow and prosper. A university-wide and interdisciplinary support centre, SMUEC's physical expansion will support the vast array of programming, such as training, mentorship and coaching, offered by the centre and provide the foundation to expand and fill the growing demand for their services.
“I am so honoured to have been supporting students through their entrepreneurial experiences over the past two years,” says Shannon Byrne Susko BCom’89 BSc’92, a former Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Saint Mary’s and the Founder and CEO of Metronomics. “The new space for the Saint Mary’s University Entrepreneurship Centre will allow for further collaboration between faculties, and also bring in an additional level of innovation that we’ve been working towards with initiatives such as the March Madness Pitch Competition.”
As the Sobeys Inspiration Hub takes shape, so does the entrepreneurship centre’s new home. What remains constant is that a variety of opportunities that will be made available to entrepreneurial-minded students and faculty from across all faculties.
The services envisioned include:
digital prototyping lab
This area will be dedicated to digital product design, enabling students to ideate and create prototypes in a virtual environment using state-of-the-art prototyping software.
podcasting studio
From weekly podcasts to influencer videos, this space is open for booking to support students creating original content for online audiences.
collider spaces
Open collaboration spaces that are modular and feature additional smaller areas to focus on different styles of collaboration and projects.
incubator space
A start-up area dedicated to supporting local community businesses and emerging entrepreneurs as they move on from the idea phase.
dedicated interdisciplinary space.
"While the exact nature and dedicated areas may change, we are focused on providing opportunities for our students, faculty, staff, alumni and local community to come together and exchange ideas," shares Sanderson.
Alumni and the local community play a critical role in the support and services provided by the SMUEC. From the entrepreneurs and alumni-in-residence programs supported through the philanthropic investment of the RBC Talent Hub to guest speakers and mentorship, SMUEC connects students with the larger community. Through co-operative education and internship placements, training, Entrepreneurial Mindset Success Certificate, and experts, the RBC Talent Hub provides students more hands-on learning opportunities. The skills developed through this program give students a leg up in the job hunt and help them to excel in the workplace post-graduation.
"From my time as a student to now working at the entrepreneurship centre, our alumni and connection with the local entrepreneurship community have been so important to supporting students," says Leslie Arsenault Bcomm’19, Project Manager with SMUEC. "I've seen student-led businesses receive key advice from community mentors at vital times in their growth. I've heard from students and alumni whose careers and businesses wouldn't exist without what they learned at Saint Mary's University and the support they received from SMUEC."
"We are excited to create new memories and opportunities for collaboration and innovation," says Monique Boudreau, the Manager of Operations and Community Engagement with SMUEC. "We've received great feedback and insights from different university areas to get to this stage, and we are incredibly grateful for that support. We can't wait to celebrate the opening of the Sobeys Inspiration Hub, the Exchange and the new entrepreneurship centre."
Telling unheard stories: unlocking museum collections
The soul of a community is embodied by culture and the telling of stories, but what happens when the stories told are not aligned with lived experiences? Partnering with the Association of Nova Scotia Museums and communities across Nova Scotia, Dr. Kirrily Freeman is working to help museums unlock their collections and ensure that history is told accurately. Her students gain experience ensuring that the history and heritage of African Nova Scotian, Acadian, Gaelic and Mi’kmaq communities are better represented in Nova Scotian museums.
“Community engagement is integral to the whole process,” says Dr. Freeman. “Communities are telling us what is needed, what is missing and what needs to be done to move forward. This knowledge will influence not just how we proceed but hopefully will shape the future of museum work in the province.”
Maggie MacIntyre, Executive Director of the Association of Nova Scotia Museums, is excited about the short and long-term benefits of this partnership with Saint Mary's.
“Working with students is giving us the capacity to move community-centered work forward,” she says. “In the long run, we see it playing a big role in creating the next generation of museum professionals.”
Dr. Freeman says their priority is to ensure marginalized groups have access to their communities’ histories and material culture. “We all benefit from having a more inclusive, more nuanced, more comprehensive representation of the past.”
Did you know? Dr. Kirrily Freeman is piloting two new courses, ‘Museum Fundamentals: Unlocking Community Collections’ and ‘Heritage Field Placement’, as part of a newly proposed Public Humanities and Heritage major in the Faculty of Arts.
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President Robert Summerby-Murray awarded Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Medal
Lieutenant Governor Arthur J. LeBlanc and Saint Mary’s University President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Robert Summerby-Murray.
Saint Mary’s University is pleased to share the news that President, Dr. Robert Summerby-Murray, has been awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal for ‘exceptional qualities and outstanding service to our Province in the field of Education.’
The award was presented by the Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia, Arthur J. LeBlanc, ONS, KC, at a ceremony held at Government House on October 18, 2022. The commemorative medal is presented in honour of the 70th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s succession to the throne and is awarded to residents of Nova Scotia who have made significant contributions to Canada, Nova Scotia, their community, or to their fellow citizens.
Throughout his decades-long career and since joining Saint Mary’s University as President in 2015, Dr. Summerby-Murray has been a noted champion of higher education in Canada and abroad. He is active on the boards of Universities Canada, the Association of Atlantic Universities, the Council of Nova Scotia University Presidents, Atlantic University Sports, and the J.W. McConnell Family Foundation Presidents’ Cohort Group on ‘Universities and Social Infrastructure’. Recently, he has focused on initiatives to support veteran-friendly campuses and to prevent racism on campus through participation in national initiatives such as the BlackNorth Initiative education committee and the Scarborough National Charter on Anti-Black Racism and Inclusion. He has just completed a two-year term as board chair of the Canadian Bureau of International Education and remains committed to international education and the global nature of the academy.
The entire Saint Mary’s University community joins with Dr. Summerby-Murray and his family in celebrating his contributions to education and community and this well-deserved recognition.
Saint Mary’s University welcomes the new Chair & Vice-Chair of the Board of Governors
Alan R. Abraham, Jr. BComm'80, Chair of the Saint Mary's University Board of Governors.
Saint Mary's University is pleased to share that Alan R. Abraham, Jr. BComm'80 is the new Chair of the Saint Mary's University Board of Governors. Abraham is joined by newly elected Vice-Chair, Mark Gosine BA'95.
The Vice-President at ReGroup, Alan Abraham has over 25 years of management and operational experience in the waste and recycling industry and a background in long-distance and public warehousing. He established Green Waste Systems in 1989 and grew it into a full-service company with over 20 trucks operating in Halifax until its acquisition by Royal Environmental Group, where he continues to lead the environmental services division. Abraham is a proud Saint Mary's University alum whose commitment to community service has involved him on various boards and associations.
"I am grateful for the opportunity to serve the Saint Mary's University community," says Abraham. "I intend to continue advancing Saint Mary's role as an exemplar in social and community leadership, which has always been core to who we are. Thank you to my fellow Board Members for your votes of confidence in me and my commitment to this great institution. It is an honour."
Mark Gosine BA’95, K.C., ICD.D, Vice-Chair of the Saint Mary's University Board of Governors.
Mark Gosine, K.C., ICD.D is an internationally experienced strategic executive and lawyer with a proven track record for facilitating growth through the execution of complex global transactions. Mark has extensive legal experience both in private practice and in-house, and works closely with boards and management teams on strategic planning, exploring growth opportunities, and risk management. Mark serves as strategic legal advisor to Mint Road Ltd., IoM Media and Meta Material Inc. Previously, Mark played a key role in the international growth of WildBrain (formerly DHX Media) where he was Executive Vice President, Legal Affairs, General Counsel, and Corporate Secretary.
"I am proud to welcome Alan Abraham as our new Board Chair," says Saint Mary's University President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Robert Summerby-Murray. “Alan and our new Vice-Chair Mark Gosine have long been supporters of our university and bring extensive experience across a variety of sectors to the table. They have shown incredible passion and dedication to our university and its mission. Thank you both for your commitment to Saint Mary's University."
SMU Wikewiku's Kick Off Mawio'mi
Saint Mary’s kicked off Mi’kmaq History Month with a Mawio’mi on Sunday, October 2nd.
Mawio'mi is a Mi’kmaw word that refers to a gathering of people. The term is used to describe what is sometimes referred to as a powwow; a gathering that celebrates life and includes ceremony, storytelling, dance, drumming, and gathering with the community. Since 2018 Saint Mary's has hosted a Mawio'mi on-campus but given COVID-19 health and safety protocols, recent celebrations took place digitally until last year.
"We were excited to invite people to campus and participate in an important celebration of Mi'kmaw culture and heritage," says Rachel Creaser, the Indigenous Student Initiatives Coordinator and President of the Saint Mary's Indigenous Student Society.
The event was a success with over 200 attendees including students, faculty, staff and members of the community.
Nova Scotia launches new Atlantic Media Preservation Laboratory, Margaret Perry exhibit
Dr. Jennifer VanderBurgh
Artists, researchers and film lovers will have better access to Atlantic Canada’s remarkable film heritage through a new lab at the Nova Scotia Archives, partially inspired by the work of Saint Mary’s University led research team.
The Atlantic Media Preservation Laboratory, a partnership between the archives and the Atlantic Filmmakers Co-operative, will help ensure film from earlier eras is protected and preserved. The lab will preserve the work of artists like film pioneer Margaret Perry, the subject of the new online exhibit Margaret Perry: A Life in Film.
“Margaret Perry is one of the most influential, yet unknown, people in Nova Scotia in the 20th century,” says Saint Mary’s University Associate Professor Dr. Jennifer VanderBurgh, and lead of the research team examining Margaret Perry and her work. “Her promotional films about the province offer us a glimpse into how Nova Scotia saw itself in the ’40s, ’50s and ’60s, or at least how the government wanted others to see the province. Perry was very interested in highlighting women's labour, co-operative labour, and how things were done or made. The films reflect her interests and understanding of Nova Scotia.”
To support the new lab, the Province of Nova Scotia provided $35,000 to the filmmakers co-operative toward a $70,000 archivist Lasergraphics motion picture film scanning systems scanner. The federal government also provided additional funding.
“Archival films have the power to change the world by helping us understand and bring awareness to important issues, events and people of the past,” says Pat Dunn, Minister of Communities, Culture, Tourism and Heritage. “This new specialized film lab is the first of its kind in Atlantic Canada and will help ensure our stories continue to be told.”
The exhibit on Perry’s work officially launched on in September, as part of FIN Atlantic International Film Festival and can be found here.
Santamarian Ceremony 2022
Saint Mary’s University students kicked off Welcome Weeks with the annual Santamarian Ceremony on September 6. University members hosted the event for new students, an opportunity to share the core values of Saint Mary’s and those of a Santamarian: academic integrity, the pursuit of knowledge, responsiveness to community needs, openness to change, and concerns for a just and civil society.
“This word, ‘Santamarian’, holds a much deeper significance than simply describing someone who attends Saint Mary’s,” says President Rob Summerby-Murray. “Instead, ‘Santamarian’ stands for a distinct way of being, acting and striving to embody a set of collective values.”
The ceremony involves signing the register of students, which officially begins their journey of intellectual and personal growth at Saint Mary’s. The ceremony represents the university’s bold vision and commitment to the SMUcommunity, Halifax, Nova Scotia and the world.
“We are known as student leaders. We are known as people who care about others and put it into action,” says SMUSA president Isobel Tyler. “We are known as global citizens. But you don’t have to wait to graduate to be known as a Santamarian. That starts today.”