SMU Alumnus becomes Canadian citizen on Canada 150

Stephen Robinson-Enebeli (centre right) stands with (from left to right) Dr. Mary Ann White, a recipient of the Order of Canada who presided over the citizenship ceremony; the Honourable Lena Diab, Minister of Immigration and Minister of Acadian Affairs and Francophonie; and a member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

Saint Mary’s engineering alumnus Stephen Robinson-Enebeli will always remember where he was on Canada’s 150th birthday: surrounded by friends and family, in the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21, becoming a Canadian citizen.

“Saint Mary’s was a very welcome start to my life in Canada.”

— Stephen Robinson-Enebeli

“The room was overflowing,” he recalls. “I was so moved by the number of people who came in solidarity to welcome new Canadians, and to welcome me.”

Stephen immigrated to Halifax from Nigeria in June 2012, and he started Saint Mary’s Diploma of Engineering program that fall. He credits the university’s academic and non-academic support services, coupled with professors eager to help students succeed, with helping him integrate quickly and achieve his goals.

“Saint Mary’s was a very welcome start to my life in Canada,” says Stephen. “Everyone was so warm and friendly. With their support, I quickly became familiar with the culture of a new country and was able to thrive in university.”

After completing a Bachelor of Science and Diploma of Engineering at Saint Mary’s in 2015, Stephen pursued a Bachelor of Engineering degree at Dalhousie University, with a focus on mechanical engineering. This summer, he’s completing an internship at Welaptega Marine Limited, a Halifax-based subsea mooring inspection company, where he is modelling offshore underwater assets. He plans to graduate this Fall and is thinking about graduate school.

For Stephen, becoming a citizen on Canada’s sesquicentennial was an honour he won’t soon forget.

“Every dignitary who spoke at the ceremony reflected the sentiment in the room,” he recalls. “That of loving appreciation for Canada and the diversity of its citizens.”

Stephen Robinson-Enebeli (centre right) stands with family members and citizenship ceremony officiants.

PhD candidate wins prestigious Vanier Scholarship

Amy Heim

Saint Mary’s University is proud to announce that Amy Heim, a PhD candidate in the Faculty of Science, is the recipient of a three-year Vanier scholarship worth $50,000 per year.

Heim’s work is in the area of Evolution and Ecology, and she was honoured for her research proposal titled “Using traits to enhance plant co-existence and maximize ecosystem services in the green roof environment.”

“I am very excited that Amy won this scholarship. It’s a great endorsement of her innovative research,” said supervisor Jeremy Lundholm.

A plant community ecologist who specializes in understanding the co-existence mechanisms between plant species in harsh environments, she is currently working in two distinct environments: the coastal barrens of Nova Scotia and on extensive green roofs.

Heim explains that both habitats are exposed to drought, high wind, and extreme temperatures, making them useful habitats to compare co-existence patterns in a natural and artificial environment.

“For my green roof research I am looking at how specific combinations of species with specific plant traits can improve the ecosystem services provided by green roofs,” says Heim.

Her work also focuses on better understanding how urbanism impacts humans and the environment as more people move to cities. “Our research will develop a practical approach for selecting high-performance plant combinations that will make green roofs more efficient, reducing several issues related to urbanism,” she explained.

When asked what this scholarship means to her, Heim said that it will let her fully concentrate on her research, and also make it easier for her to create collaborations with researchers across the globe. She has plans to complete an internship with a green roof researcher in Japan during the fall of 2018.

“As an international student, Amy is not eligible for regular NSERC scholarships, so we are grateful for this level of support for her PhD studies. This frees up grant funding and as a consequence I can now fund Amy’s travel to a conference in Italy in the fall,” said Lundholm.

“Research is a collaborative effort so I believe these opportunities will enhance my own studies,” says Heim.

About Vanier Scholarships

Vanier Scholarships are awarded to students in the areas of health research, natural sciences and/or engineering, and social sciences and/or humanities research.

The Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships program aims to attract and retain world-class doctoral students by supporting students who demonstrate both leadership skills and a high standard of scholarly achievement in graduate studies in the social sciences and humanities, natural sciences and engineering, and health sciences.

Three equally weighted evaluation criteria are considered: academic excellence, research potential, and leadership.

Canadian and international students are eligible to be nominated for a Vanier CGS. Vanier CGSs are valued at $50,000 per year, for up to three years. For more info, visit the Government of Canada site.

Ceremony celebrates BNUZ relationship

Saint Mary's University has a long-standing relationship with Beijing Normal University – Zhuhai (BNUZ). For the past two years Saint Mary’s students have spent six weeks at Zhuhai during the summer months studying business, Chinese language and other programs.

Saint Mary’s is hosting a conference from July 16h - July 31st welcoming a delegation from BNUZ comprised of faculty and administrators for a 14-day summer institute focused on the intercultural exploration of strategies and best practices in university teaching and administration. This is the second year BNUZ has visited Saint Mary’s for this informative institute.
 
On Friday, Saint Mary’s held a tree ceremony to celebrate the university’s partnership with BNUZ.

Left to right: The Hon. Lena Diab, NS Minister of Immigration, Dr. Robert Summerby-Murrary, President of St. Mary’s University, MLA Joachim Stroink, Dr. Ailan Fu, Vice President & Provost, Beijing Normal University Zhuhai

Seven Sons Flower Tree

A member ofHoneysuckle family, this rare tree is endemic to China. It was discovered in 1907. Only nine populations are remain in the wild in Anhui and Zhejiang provinces and threatened by habitat loss but is now nationally protected. The tree grows up to 7m high and has white flowers with the fragrance of Jasmine. The nectar is appreciated by butterflies and moths. Purple-red fruits form in the autumn that have showy sepals.

SMU community bids farewell to BNUZ guests

On Friday, July 29 the Saint Mary's community bade a fond farewell to a group of delegates from Beijing Normal University – Zhuhai (BNUZ).

The closing ceremony featured heartfelt speeches, songs, gift exchanges and many personal reflections between new friends.

The group came to Saint Mary’s from China for a 14-day summer institute focused on intercultural exploration of strategies and best practices in university teaching and administration.

In addition to discussing perspectives on teaching and administration, the delegates enjoyed tours and events featuring Nova Scotian culture.

This is the second year for the event.

Learn more about the visit.

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Saint Mary’s holds tree ceremony to celebrate partnership with BNUZ