Saint Mary’s contribution to the James Webb Telescope

“The Sparkler” galaxy—seen here in JWST’s first deep image—was found by Saint Mary’s astronomers and colleagues and hosts some of the universe’s first stars. Credit: NASA

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), the most powerful space telescope ever built, has a Saint Mary’s connection. Dr. Marcin Sawicki, Canada Research Chair in Astronomy, is part of the team that developed a key part of the telescope, namely the Near Infrared Imager and Slitless Spectrograph (NIRISS), which records data at near-infrared wavelengths invisible to the human eye. 

“Stars, galaxies and objects all have an infrared pattern, similar to a barcode” says Dr. Sawicki. “With the NIRISS, we can read the object’s bar code and figure out all sorts of properties like how old it is, how far away it is and whether it’s a galaxy or other space object.” 

Dr. Sawicki and his students have unprecedented access to the Webb telescope. “Our postdocs and students will be using JWST to observe the birth of the first galaxies soon after the Big Bang.” he says. “The potential for extremely impactful science is enormous. We’re eager to use Webb for world-leading research here in Nova Scotia.”

Did you know? “The Sparkler” galaxy—seen in JWST’s first deep image—was found by Saint Mary’s astronomers and colleagues and hosts some of the universe’s first stars. 

Related stories:

• Researchers identify what could be clusters that contain the first and oldest stars in the universe

• SMU astronomers ready to probe the Universe using most powerful space telescope ever built

50 years of research, education and outreach

A quick 22-storey elevator ride is all it takes to be transported from the heart of a bustling campus into another galaxy at the Burke-Gaffney Observatory. Currently celebrating 50 years in operation, the observatory recently welcomed a new management team in Dr. Vincent Hénault-Brunet and Tiffany Fields BSc’17 MSc’19. Operating one of two professional-grade telescopes in Atlantic Canada, this duo is steadfast in fulfilling their mission to provide astronomy and astrophysics education, research and outreach to communities locally and worldwide. 

“We are incredibly lucky to have the Burke-Gaffney Observatory here on campus,” says Fields. “It allows students to participate in science outreach and it also allows our community to experience the universe here at Saint Mary’s.”  

Fields has always felt the gravitational pull of the observatory. During her time as a student at Saint Mary’s, she worked at the observatory before becoming its technician. Similar to her own experience, she wants to give students the opportunity to learn how to use the state-of-the-art observational astronomy equipment with the hopes of preparing them for careers in astronomy and data science. Dr. Hénault-Brunet agrees.

"For generations, Nova Scotians have been enlightened by the universe after a visit to the Burke-Gaffney Observatory," he says. "We also know students come to study astronomy and astrophysics at Saint Mary's because of our observatory." 

Sitting atop the Loyola building for half a century, the Burke-Gaffney Observatory has celebrated many milestones and continues to look to the future. The observatory is the location where the first supernova was discovered and continues to sit high in the sky as a beacon of generosity and the pursuit of a better understanding of our universe. 

Did you know? The Burke-Gaffney Observatory has allowed many to explore the universe thanks to the generosity of our supporters, including Dr. Ralph Medjuck LLD’13, whose philanthropic gift in 2014 helped upgrade the telescope.

Related stories:

• Researchers identify what could be clusters that contain the first and oldest stars in the universe

Researchers identify what could be clusters that contain the first and oldest stars in the universe

Webb’s First Deep Field. Thousandsof galaxies flood this near-infrared, high-resolution image of galaxy cluster SMACS 0723. Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI

Researchers at Saint Mary’s University and the University of Toronto have identified what could be clusters that contain the first and oldest stars in the universe.  

The researchers used the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) to identify the most distant globular clusters ever discovered. These dense groups of millions of stars may be relics that contain the first and oldest stars in the universe. The early analysis of Webb’s First Deep Field image, which depicts some of the universe’s earliest galaxies, is published today in The Astrophysical Journal Letters. 

In the finely detailed Webb’s First Deep Field image, the researchers zeroed in on what they’ve dubbed “the Sparkler galaxy,” which is nine billion light years away. This galaxy got its name for the compact objects appearing as small yellow-red dots surrounding it, referred to by the researchers as “sparkles.” The team posited that these sparkles could either be young clusters actively forming stars—born three billion years after the Big Bang at the peak of star formation—or old globular clusters. Globular clusters are ancient collections of stars from a galaxy’s infancy and contain clues about its earliest phases of formation and growth.  

From their initial analysis of 12 of these compact objects, the researchers determined that five of them are not only globular clusters but among the oldest ones known. 

“JWST’s made-in-Canada NIRISS instrument was vital in helping us understand how the three images of the Sparkler and its globular clusters are connected,” says co-author Dr. Marcin Sawicki, Canada Research Chair in Astronomy and professor in the Astronomy and Physics Department at Saint Mary’s. “Seeing several of the Sparkler’s globular clusters imaged three times made it clear that they are orbiting around the Sparkler galaxy rather than being simply in front of it by chance.”  

Dr. Marcin Sawicki

Dr. Sawicki worked with a team of researchers from the Canadian NIRISS Unbiased Cluster Survey (CANUCS) team, including colleagues from at the University of Toronto and a group of six postdocs and students at Saint Mary’s.  

“The oldest clusters we found formed when the universe was just a few percent of its current age.  The stars they contain must be almost as old as the universe itself!” says SMU postdoctoral fellow Dr. Vicente Estrada-Carpenter who worked on the NIRISS data as part of the team.  “Our results show the amazing power of Webb when combined with that of gravitational lensing to study the distant universe in unprecedented detail” adds SMU team member Dr. Guillaume Desprez.  “We are excited about the discoveries that will come when Webb observes five more galaxy clusters as part of the CANUCS program.” 

The Milky Way galaxy has about 150 globular clusters, and how and when exactly these dense clumps of stars formed is not well understood. Astronomers know that globular clusters can be extremely old, but it is incredibly challenging to measure their ages. Using very distant globular clusters to age-date the first stars in distant galaxies has not been done before and is only possible with JWST.  

Until now, astronomers could not see the surrounding compact objects of the Sparkler galaxy with the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). This changed with JWST's increased resolution and sensitivity, unveiling the tiny dots surrounding the galaxy for the first time in Webb’s First Deep Field image. The Sparkler galaxy is special because it is magnified by a factor of 100 due to an effect called gravitational lensing — where the SMACS 0723 galaxy cluster in the foreground distorts what is behind it, much like a giant magnifying glass. Moreover, gravitational lensing produces three separate images of the Sparkler, allowing astronomers to study the galaxy in greater detail. 

JWST will observe the CANUCS fields starting in October 2022, leveraging JWST data to examine five massive clusters of galaxies, around which the researchers expect to find more such systems. Future studies will also model the galaxy cluster to understand the lensing effect and execute more robust analyses to explain the star formation histories.  

Collaborating institutions include Canada’s National Research Council, York University and institutions in the United States and Europe. The research was supported by the Canadian Space Agency and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.

Saint Mary’s research into sustainable agriculture and more efficient 3D modeling receives federal funding

The Science Building at Saint Mary’s University.

Research into sustainable agriculture and more data-efficient 3D modeling will benefit from newly announced federal funding through the Canada Foundation for Innovation’s (CFI) John R. Evans Leaders Fund (JELF).

Funding for biology researcher Dr. David Chiasson will allow him to explore sustainable agriculture practices in a project titled “Symbiotic nitrogen fixation in legume plants.”  

Dr. David Chiasson

“A central goal of sustainable agricultural practice is to provide nutritious food and plant products while minimizing the impact on the environment,” says Dr. Chiasson. “Legume plants such as beans, alfalfa, and clover are a key component of sustainable agriculture since they do not require nitrogen fertilizer for growth. This unique group of plants forms a symbiotic relationship with soil bacteria called rhizobia. Rhizobia can convert nitrogen gas from the atmosphere into nitrogen fertilizer for the plant in a process termed nitrogen fixation. This association therefore reduces the need for applied nitrogen fertilizers in agriculture.”

The production of synthetic nitrogen fertilizers consumes vast quantities of fossil fuels, and their application leads to negative environmental outcomes such as greenhouse gas emissions and contaminated water resources. Coupled with the rising price of fertilizers, farmers are increasingly turning to legumes as a sustainable means of adding nitrogen to the soil.  

“The long-term goal of this project is to increase the productivity of legume plants,” explains Dr. Chiasson. “This research will provide the knowledge base for strategies aimed to reduce the environmental impact of the agricultural sector while increasing the productivity of our crops. An improved understanding of the nitrogen-fixation symbiosis is both timely and essential as we move towards a future of more environmentally responsible farming practices in Canada.”

Dr. Jiju Poovvancheri, a researcher in the mathematics and computing science department, received funding for a project titled “Research Infrastructure for Large-scale 3D Geometry Acquisition and Modeling.”  

“The CFI fund will be used to set up the lab and purchase research equipment including an AI server, Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) scanner and high-performance workstations capable of acquiring and processing large-scale three-dimensional data,” says Dr. Poovvancheri.

Dr. Jiju Poovvancheri

Current practices in city modeling include acquiring raw measurements of the physical world using LiDAR sensors and turning the sensor data into three dimensional meshes. Large-scale meshes created in this manner normally contain trillions of triangles, putting a huge burden on rendering, data transfer and storage of applications. Furthermore, most of the reconstructed meshes lack geometric details and therefore do not represent a good choice for 3D navigation, and AR/VR.  

“High fidelity digital representations of cities are essential for modern-day applications such as urban planning, 3D navigation, and augmented/virtual reality (AR/VR),” explains Dr. Poovvancheri. “This project aims at bridging existing gaps in urban modeling pipeline by developing an AI (Artificial Intelligence) driven urban modeling software ecosystem consisting of algorithms, tools, and data for creating lightweight and highly detailed 3D urban models.”

The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, announced more than $64 million to support 251 research infrastructure projects at 40 universities across Canada.

A summer of starlings: students benefit from summer research opportunity

Summer student researcher Gabi Armstrong says her starling research focuses on the nests they use to raise their young. She is examining the materials they incorporate into their nests, including natural (e.g., feathers, greenery, sticks, etc.) and anthropogenic materials (e.g., human-made materials) like garbage. 

Alyssa Wells (shown here steadying the ladder for Armstrong) credits a fourth-year biology course with Dr. Barber as the reason she fell in love with the field of behavioural ecology. She was fascinated with how researchers create observational studies to find out information based on the choices that organisms make to survive and find mating success.

Over the years the research has progressed really well according to Armstrong. It has answered many questions involving paternal investment and mate choice among the starlings along with other research questions involving ectoparasites, urbanization and much more.

Wells (left) is focusing her research on how brood condition and parental investment influence mate fidelity within the starling population.

Both students credited the opportunity to do hands-on fieldwork as an important part of why they were excited to participate in this research project.

The beautiful birdcalls of starlings are a fixture of the Saint Mary’s University campus. The more than 40 starling nest boxes across campus are part of a research project led by Dr. Colleen Barber. The boxes were erected almost two decades ago and have provided research opportunities for numerous students and field assistants. This photo gallery shows Saint Mary’s students Gabi Armstrong and Alyssa Wells checking on the starling boxes and shares some insight into their roles as student researchers.

Additional reading

• The sounds of starlings: SMU team gets to the heart of how they mate

Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Tim Halman, tours Belcher Street Marsh Site

Saint Mary’s University professor Dr. Danika van Proosdij and her TransCoastal Adaptations team members had the opportunity to present their work to the Honorable Tim Halman, Nova Scotia Minister of Environment and Climate Change. The presentation included an interactive tour to showcase the design, implementation and monitoring of the Belcher Street Marsh Dyke Realignment and Tidal Wetland Restoration Project.

The project includes 75 hectares of tidal wetlands along Nova Scotia’s Bay of Fundy that van Proosdij’s team is working to restore habitat and protect against flooding and coastal erosion. Using nature-based strategies and restructuring old dyke infrastructure, the team creates new tidal wetlands to absorb rising sea levels, protect nearby communities and create new ecosystems for marine life.

The newly realigned dyke at the Belcher Street Marsh protects the active agricultural land behind it. The restored tidal wetland will increase the natural absorption of wave energy during storms, thereby protecting the dyke. The expanded floodplain provides more room for floodwaters. The new marsh is now a productive natural habitat supporting species diversity. The dykes overlooking the new marsh provide a recreational opportunity for enjoying nature and connecting to the restored natural condition of the site. The site is a living laboratory and training site to develop dykeland realignment and marshland restoration skills.

Want to learn more? Join TransCoastal Adaptations for a workshop on Climate-Resilient Coastal Nature-Based Infrastructure, June 29–30.

TransCoastal Adaptations is a Centre for Nature-Based Solutions at Saint Mary’s University that engages in research and partnerships that promote and undertake projects related to climate change adaptation.

Enactus Saint Mary’s secures spot in national finals

The Saint Mary’s Enactus Team

For the ninth time in 11 years, Enactus Saint Mary’s is off to the final round of competition at the Enactus Canada National Exposition in Toronto this September. At this in-person competition, Saint Mary’s University will compete against Toronto Metropolitan University, Wilfred Laurier University, University of Ottawa and Okanagan College for the title of national champion. 

These students have already gone through two rounds of competition, and those who succeed at the national final will compete at the Enactus World Cup, representing their country. Enactus, an international non-profit social enterprise, supports different student groups and small businesses aiming to tackle social, economic and environmental problems. With more than 2,000 schools from 33 countries taking part in Enactus each year, Saint Mary’s has an incredible opportunity to represent Canada this year. 

With three months until the highly anticipated competition, Enactus Saint Mary's is looking forward to the final round ahead. 

“[We’re] thrilled to be in the top five Enactus teams in Canada,” says Susan MacInnis, a co-president of the team. “Our amazing and supportive team are more motivated than ever to work together, expand our projects, and personal and professional development.” 

Highlighting their food insecurity program, Square Roots, and their digital education program, Options Online, Enactus Saint Mary’s members are ecstatic to have a chance to win a $10,000 grand prize, along with the national champion title to further impact their community. 

Enactus Saint Mary’s are moving forward proudly, with support from various local and global partners and sponsors. One of these partners, Saint Mary’s University Entrepreneurship Centre (SMUEC), is especially supportive of Enactus Saint Mary’s. 

“I’m proud to support these amazing Saint Mary’s students and excited for them to share their innovative, problem-tackling ideas in the final round,” says SMUEC Director Michael Sanderson, one of the faculty advisors for the team. “This year Enactus Saint Mary’s has a great chance to become the national champions.” 

Reflecting on the past rounds and looking forward to the next, Co-President Maddie Bristol says, “We are putting our best foot forward on the National stage in September in Toronto. The coming months will show our commitment to positive community and environmental impact and our dedication to representing Saint Mary’s on stage.” 

Learn more about Enactus Saint Mary’s.

Studying the ‘Right’ Genes

Research project examines the genes of endangered North Atlantic right whales to understand low reproductive rates.

By Jessica Long

Dr. Tim Frasier, Carla Crossman, and Kate Chadwick

North Atlantic right whales have been listed as an endangered species in Canada and the United States since 2005. There are an estimated 350 North Atlantic right whales left in the world, and fewer than 100 of those are breeding females. In addition to having a high mortality rate from entanglement in fishing gear and vessel strikes, the low reproductive rate of right whales has perplexed scientists. The right whale’s reproductive rate is three times lower than their known potential. Additionally, a relatively high percentage of females have either never given birth or have had only one calf. The females with multiple calves reproduce on average every six to ten years, as opposed to the expected three-year cycle.

In collaboration with the New England Aquarium and Genome Atlantic, Saint Mary‘s University Biology professor Dr. Timothy Frasier, a specialist in genetic analyses and marine mammal behaviour, is studying the genetic makeup of right whales to understand what factors might be impacting their ability to breed.

“I am excited to continue and deepen our long-standing collaboration with Dr. Frasier,” says Phillip Hamilton, Senior Scientist at the New England Aquarium. “We have been working together for over two decades to better understand the genetic aspects of this beleaguered species. This new work opens the ability to answer long-standing questions and we are curious to see what we will discover.“

Frasier’s research aims to make right whale conservation more effective and efficient while influencing policy change and development to better manage right whale conservation in North America.

The Office of Innovation and Community Engagement facilitates research relationships between Saint Mary’s University and companies, government departments and community organizations.

Read about more innovative partnerships between Saint Mary’s University faculty and industry partners in their 2022 report.

Ropeless Fishing Reduces Harm to Whales

Dr. Jason Rhinelander and Ross Arsenault

By Jessica Long

As an Engineering professor and an expert in Artificial Intelligence, Dr. Jason Rhinelander’s research focuses on applying machine learning and optimization to embedded, real-time systems. Dr. Rhinelander was Ashored Inc.‘s academic supervisor for a project entitled, “Environmental testing of existing and proposed ropeless fishing system line management methods,” which was funded in part by Mitacs through the Accelerate Entrepreneurship program. Ashored Inc. has been developing a “rope-on-command” fishing system which reduces lost gear, automates the collection and dissemination of gear data, and allows fishing to continue sustainably in zones closed for animal protection.

Under Dr. Rhinelander’s supervision, Ross Arsenault, Co-Founder and Chief Operations Officer of Ashored Innovations, and Saint Mary’s Alumni (BComm’18 MTEI’20), explored respooling and resetting buoy lines from trap fishing applications into caged ropeless fishing systems. The results of this research allowed Ashored to design a modular rope and release cage that can be used seamlessly in real world commercial trap fishing. This lidded cage design streamlines the time required to reload the system with the buoy line for deployment to merely a few seconds.

“When we started Ashored, there were a number of unknowns and variables that we needed to solve before we could develop a rope containment unit for our rope-on-command fishing systems,” says Arsenault. “By engaging with the Office of Innovation and Community Engagement and Mitacs, we were able to put together a project that allowed us to learn essential information and test our hypotheses in a scientifically vetted process and in a resource-rich environment. We received both the freedom and framework to succeed in our project and had expert mentorship to fall back on if issues or surprises arose in our research.”

Photo (L-R): Dr. Jason Rhinelander and Ross Arsenault

The Office of Innovation and Community Engagement facilitates research relationships between Saint Mary’s University and companies, government departments and community organizations.

Read about more innovative partnerships between Saint Mary’s University faculty and industry partners in their 2022 report.

Q&A with Science Valedictorian Dané Van Tonder

Dané Van Tonder

Dané Van Tonder has been committed to being involved in the community at Saint Mary’s and in Halifax since she moved to Nova Scotia in 2019.

 An engaged, active student, she joined Halifax Helpers, an organization that provides extra school support for students aged 6 to 18. This experience built on her experience with a similar program she participated in while in Ontario. Dané also tutored Korean students in Science and English, enjoyed playing intramural volleyball and ultimate frisbee, and worked as an Environmental Technician at the Atlantic Gold mine full time while studying part time.

 A native of South Africa, Dané has been in Canada with her family for 10 years. She transferred to Saint Mary’s after a year at the University of Windsor and is now graduating with a Bachelor of Science, majoring in Biology with minor in Psychology. She will write the Dental Aptitude Test (DAT) this summer and plans to pursue dentistry school in 2023.

Preferred name: Dané 

Hometown: Born and raised in South Africa, Cape Town, and now lives in Fall River, NS

Degree: Bachelor of Science in Biology with a minor in Psychology 

Graduation date: May 19, 2022

Favourite class: Surprisingly, a Psychology course I took; “Human and Sexual Behaviour”

Awards: Science Valedictorian, Spring 2022

Future plans (education): Going back to school for another four years of dentistry (not sure where yet)

Future plans (career): Dentistry

Favourite spot at SMU: I spend most of my time in the library so probably the library on the third floor with a view to the plant wall

Advice for new students: Do your best and if you don’t do as good as what you’d like or hoped for, don’t be discouraged because if it was easy then everyone would be doing it and there’d be no challenge. As long as you do your part, the rest will come easy. Take breaks and don’t burn yourself out. Your mental health is more important. 

What leadership means to student behind this year’s Student Leadership Conference

Third-year science student Muiz Demilade Adebayo

As we look ahead to this year’s Student Leadership Conference, we checked in with computer science and psychology student Muiz Demilade Adebayo, one of the student leaders behind this year’s conference. We asked Demilade, who has spent his last three years at Saint Mary’s getting deeply involved in our community, what leadership means to him.

“It can mean having the ability to inspire others around you to be their best selves and achieve their full potential,” he says.

And the Student Leadership Conference, now taking place on Saturday, March 19, hopes to do just that—inspire students with a full day of discussions, panels, and workshops. At the conference, students will explore what leadership means to them, and gain tangible takeaways to strengthen their own leadership skills.

“Everyone will use leadership skills at some point,” says Demilade. “It’s best to learn about leadership skills and explore the leadership styles that fit you best now. That way, you’re ready for when you can put your leadership skills into practice.”

At the conference, students will kickoff the leadership conversation with speakers including Tom Brophy, Associate Vice-President (Student Affairs and Services). Then students will join keynote speaker Dr. Rohini Bannerjee, Associate Vice-President (Diversity Excellence), to explore what leadership looks like in practice. Next, students will take part in one of three concurrent sessions to sharpen their own leadership skills.

Leadership starts, says Demilade with listening to and learning from others. From being a Pack Leader and a Student Life Coordinator in Student Affairs and Services, to volunteering across campus, Demilade has always sought new opportunities to learn.

“I want to build my experience,” says Demilade of his volunteer work on and off campus. “I also want to socialize with people from different backgrounds, while learning from them.”

And what is the most important skill a leader can have?

“Empathy,” Demilade shares. “Leadership is broad and different, and there are lots of things a person can do to exhibit the signs of a leader. But leadership works best when we pay attention to the needs of people around us and support what works for them.”

Saint Mary’s students can sign up now for the Student Leadership Conference. To find out what happens at the conference, stay up-to-date with Saint Mary’s Student Life on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Preventing Falls and Balance Issues in Nova Scotians

Understanding and combating the debilitating health impacts of balance disorders is the focus of newly funded research by Saint Mary’s University’s Dr. Danielle Tokarz. Her research will help patients by limiting the dosage of certain medications, reducing the future number of Nova Scotians who will have balance issues.

Dr. Danielle Tokarz

The idea for the project came years earlier during Dr. Tokarz’s graduate studies when she was involved in a pilot study on otoconia crystals, showing that they have a very interesting interaction with a high peak power laser. While investigating this opportunity, she realized otoconia degeneration affected someone she knew personally; her good friend had chronic vertigo and became bedridden after a car accident two years earlier.

“She would tell me about the dizzy spells that prevented her from being able to leave her house—sometimes she had to just stay in bed to avoid falling and it really impacted her life,” explains Dr. Tokarz. The possibility that a research avenue can have a real impact motivated Dr. Tokarz to participate in that pilot study and continue its study at Saint Mary’s University.

Dr. Tokarz’s approach to this field of study has earned her an impressive New Investigator Grant from Research Nova Scotia with funding worth $100,000 over two years. Titled “Investigating Otoconia Ultrastructure during Degeneration,” the project focuses on otoconia and the role they play in balance disorders. A major health issue, especially for seniors, the loss of balance can lead to falls, bone fractures and dizziness that can leave patients bedridden for extended periods.

Otoconia are micron-sized crystals in the inner ear. They are a key part of the vestibular system, which provides our brain with information on motion, head position and spatial orientation. Otoconia are critical for being able to walk without falling.

“Otoconia can degrade due to aging and as a result of some prescribed pharmaceuticals,” explains Dr. Tokarz. “Since otoconia don’t regenerate themselves, the medical therapies we have available today have limited effect since they can only treat the symptoms.”

Because otoconia are so close to the brain, it is important to perform ex vivo studies—studies that take place outside of a living organism such as a person. This research will focus on how and why the otoconia crystals degrade. Furthermore, since otoconia tend to degrade from the inside out, a specialized technique is needed to visualize the damage. Dr. Tokarz and her team will use an ultrafast laser microscope to visualize the interior of the crystals and determine their degradation level. The research is expected to result in very early detection of otoconia degeneration, allowing the team to develop methods to both prevent degeneration of otoconia, and induce and promote repair and regeneration.

“The goal of this project is to establish both the onset of otoconia degeneration and to understand its dominant mechanisms, including the internal and external structural changes that occur,” said Dr. Tokarz. “To achieve this goal, we will use a mouse model to classify the crystalline structure of otoconia, and to characterize the structural changes that occur to mice otoconia during aging, as well as due to acute use of certain pharmaceuticals.”

There are several antibiotics amongst aminoglycosides that are toxic to the vestibular system in very high amounts; low-level damage is difficult to detect, meaning safe dosage levels have not been established. This research will also provide a platform for testing therapies for similar vestibular disorders.

Dr. Tokarz has already mapped out future research plans based on this work that will continue to enhance health care for Nova Scotians.

Learn more about the programs, opportunities and research within our Chemistry Department.

About the Grants

Research Nova Scotia awarded a total of $1.48 million in funding to 15 research projects at six Nova Scotia universities and healthcare centers through its New Health Investigator Grant for the 2021-22 year.

The New Health Investigator Grant supports early-career health researchers who are engaged in work that aligns with the province’s health research priorities. The grant aims to provide two years of support of up to $100,000 for researchers who are within the first five years of their academic appointment in Nova Scotia or who are new to the field of health research. Funding provided will support the establishment of independent programs of research, support and expand the research productivity necessary for obtaining long term funding from national and external agencies and expand the potential for early-career investigators to make significant contributions in their field. For the 2021-22 academic year, funding for this grant is provided by the Nova Scotia Department of Health and Wellness.