Sociology Professors Mining Text Data to Cover Wider Ground in Immigration Research

Dr. Evie Tastsoglou

Dr. Eugena Kwon

Two Saint Mary's sociology professors are on a Halifax research team that has received a grant from the national Exploration competition of the New Frontiers in Research Fund (NFRF). The federal funding has an objective of supporting “high-risk, high-reward and interdisciplinary research” to strengthen Canadian innovation. 

Dr. Evie Tastsoglou and Dr. Eugena Kwon will investigate the changing public perceptions and social constructions of immigrants and refugees in Canada, starting from the time of Confederation to the current COVID-19 era. The research will also examine how these perceptions are systematically connected to specific economic, demographic, and political developments in the ongoing making of the Canadian state.

Titled “Visual analytics for text-intensive social science research on immigration,” the project will also introduce and evaluate a new artificial intelligence methodology for text-intensive social science research.

“The game changer in this research will be the consolidation of a new interdisciplinary way of working with disciplines that are far removed from social science,” explains Tastsoglou, who received the 2020 President’s Award for Excellence in Research at Saint Mary’s in February.

She and Kwon are collaborating with Dr. Evangelos Milios, a researcher from Dalhousie’s Faculty of Computer Science, who is the project’s co-principal investigator along with Tastsoglou. They will be pioneering new applications for natural language processing (NLP) and visual analytics (VA) systems, in hopes of enabling social scientists to retrieve and analyze much larger document sets than ever before.

This research will focus on news content going back to the mid-1800s in two national newspapers, The Globe and Mail and Toronto Star (and their antecedents). It will also use the technology tools and a number of keywords to sift through court decisions, parliamentary debates and 21st century social media data.  

“In the social sciences in general, it’s hard to cover mass amounts of information,” explains Kwon, co-applicant in the funding competition. “One of the main strengths of our project is, by collaborating with computer scientists and using visual analytics, it will help make it feasible for us to cover massive amounts of information.”

Without the visual analytics tools, it would be nearly impossible to manually collect and analyze historical texts spanning nearly two centuries. Input from the sociologists will be key to helping the computer scientists design and refine a text-retrieval system that will collect data that is most relevant to their immigration research.

“As social scientists, there’s no limit to what we can do if this is successful,” adds Kwon.

According to the team’s funding proposal, “Canada’s humanitarian tradition has been a pole of attraction to new immigrants and refugees and a source of pride for all Canadians. Understanding the changing, and often contradictory, perceptions/constructions of immigrants/refugees in Canadian history … will be of great benefit to scholars, policy-makers and the broader public. It may debunk certain taken-for-granted ‘truths’ about Canada but it can also help shape more informed policy to cope with economic and social challenges of the 21st century.” 

The project will receive $250,000 over two years. This year’s NFRF awards, announced May 31, are supporting 117 research projects across Canada with “the potential to yield game-changing results in social, cultural, economic, health-related or technological areas”.

The New Frontiers in Research Fund is administered by the Tri-agency Institutional Programs Secretariat on behalf of Canada’s three research granting agencies: the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC).

Congratulations to the fourth cohort of graduates from the BNUZ-SMU Joint Bachelor of Commerce Program

Graduating Cohort

Li Honglin is awarded his degree by Prof. Zheng Guomin, Assistant to the President and Vice Provost, Beijing Normal University, and Deputy Director of the Administrative Committee and Provost, Beijing Normal University at Zhuhai.

Prof. Zhong Xin, Dean of the International Business Faculty at BNUZ presents Lu Jingyi with her degree during the IBF degree awarding ceremony. In total, 63 students graduated from the BNUZ-SMU Joint BComm Program on June 26th.

Zou Tiantian (left) plans to continue her postgraduate studies at Johns Hopkins University in September. Han Qi (right) will travel to Italy to begin a master’s program at Bocconi University this fall. 47 of the 63 graduates will pursue postgraduate studies this year.

A group of friends celebrate their successful completion of the BNUZ-SMU Joint BComm Program at Beijing Normal University. Clockwise from top-left: Hu Tianyi, Liu Zhiyong, Li Honglin, Wang Xiaoshuai, Wang Pengyu, Chen Haitian, Zhang Runpeng, Wang Junkun, Zhang Jiajun, Zhang Mingqi, Na Meng, Wang Yanjie, Wang Yutian and Cheng Chengyi

Clockwise from top-left: Zeng Siqi, Liu Yingqi, Rong Wenyue, Jin Yanjun, Tao Mengjie, Sun Ming, Xie Hetiao, Tan Jinquan, and Li Aofeng

Clockwise from left: Shi Yilin, He Zhuran, Xiao Jing and Feng Xiao

Huang ZhenXi plans to attend University College London in the fall.

Graduates from the Joint BComm Program complete 2 degrees: a Bachelor of Commerce (major in finance) from SMU and a Bachelor of Economics from BNUZ. Zhao Xinyi (left), Lu Jingyi (centre) and Tang Ziluo (right) pose for a photo wearing the Sobey BComm hoods and gowns.

Since launching in 2014, the partnership between Saint Mary’s University and Beijing Normal University Zhuhai (BNUZ) has graduated nearly 300 outstanding students through the BNUZ-SMU Joint Bachelor of Commerce Program.

This past weekend, 63 students graduated from the program with a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the Sobey School of Business and a Bachelor of Economics degree from BNUZ. Of the graduates, 58 were awarded a major in Finance. This is the fourth cohort to graduate from the Joint BComm Program, which is based entirely in Zhuhai, China. Students in this program receive a truly international education, with half of their courses delivered by visiting SMU faculty and the other half taught by faculty members of BNUZ.

Dr. Harjeet Bhabra, Dean of the Sobey School of Business, highlighted the impact of this international learning experience in his congratulatory message to this year’s graduating cohort: “Your educational experience has provided you with a uniquely international perspective that will allow you to become business leaders as you embark on your careers. While we wish we could celebrate your achievements with you in Zhuhai, we are proud to welcome you to the global alumni community and we send our best wishes for your continued success.”

Special congratulations go to the 16 students who graduated with distinction (5 cum laude, 8 magna cum laude and 3 summa cum laude) and to the 17 students who have earned a place on the Dean’s List for their final academic year. Of the 63 graduates, 47 will go on to pursue postgraduate studies. Forty students have already accepted offers from respected universities in the US, UK, Australia, Canada and China. Some well-known schools include the University of Glasgow, Johns Hopkins University, the University of Sydney and University College London.

Prof. Zhong Xin, Dean of the International Business Faculty at BNUZ, says the graduates have all benefitted from the program’s international focus and congratulates them on their outstanding work: “You have demonstrated your growth with actions, studied hard, overcome difficulties and forged ahead together. I wish you a happy graduation. Ride the wind and the waves – the future is bright and promising.”

The BNUZ-SMU Joint Bachelor of Commerce Program was born out of a longstanding partnership between Saint Mary’s University and Beijing Normal University, Zhuhai. This partnership dates back to 2002 and has included a range of 2+2 programs in Arts, Business and Science, as well as a number of other exchange programs and summer institutes for students, faculty and members of the community. 

Since 2016, over 40 faculty members from the Sobey School of Business and SMU Faculty of Arts have travelled to Zhuhai to teach in the Joint BComm Program, further strengthening the friendships and academic initiatives between members of both institutions. Sonya Rice, Part-Time Lecturer in the Department of Finance, Information Systems and Management Science (FISMS), who first visited BNUZ in 2012 as a student in the International Chinese Studies program, says “I am so proud of each student graduating this year – they have not only succeeded in an intensive and rigorous program but also overcame the additional challenges of online learning.” Dr. Rahman Khokhar, Associate Professor of Finance in the Department of Finance, Information Systems and Management Science, says he was “honoured to be part of the learning journey of the dedicated and hardworking 2017 Cohort,” and is “positive that this group is ready to make a meaningful difference to the world.”  

Unfortunately, due to the ongoing global pandemic, faculty and administrators from Saint Mary’s University were unable to celebrate this year’s graduates in person in Zhuhai. We honour the achievements of the graduates and extend our warmest welcome to the newest members of our alumni community.

Saint Mary’s University Anthropologist Investigates Former Shubenacadie Residential School Site

Dr. Jonathan Fowler.

An investigation of the former Shubenacadie Residential school site grounds has begun as the result of a partnership between Sipekne'katik First Nation and Saint Mary's University. 

"This has been top of mind for Sipekne'katik for many years and the tragic discovery in Kamloops brings a renewed sense of urgency to our work," says Sipekne'katik First Nation Chief Mike Sack.

The Sipekne'katik Council and management and Sipekne'katik Grand Council have been working directly in recent years with Dr. Jonathan Fowler, an Associate Professor with Saint Mary's University’s Anthropology Department. Dr. Fowler is one of the country's leading researchers in archaeological geophysics and remote sensing. His investigation on the former Shubenacadie Residential school grounds is to determine if there is any burial evidence on site. Using several techniques, including ground-penetrating radar (GPR) Dr. Fowler is working directly with community member and Mi'kmaq cultural heritage curator for the Nova Scotia Museum, Roger Lewis as a co-investigator. 

"This urgent and essential work must be undertaken thoroughly and to the highest standard," says Dr. Fowler. "We will examine the site carefully and with the most powerful technologies available." 

Dr. Fowler's GPR research has successfully mapped burials associated with the 1873 sinking of the SS Atlantic and identified nearly 300 unmarked graves in the pre-Deportation Acadian cemetery at Grand-Pré National Historic Site of Canada.    

New Partnership Supporting BIPOC Youth in Computer Science, Technology, Leadership and Sustainable Development

Alfred Burgesson, Founder at Tribe Network and Dr. Robert Summerby-Murray, President of Saint Mary’s University.
Photo Credit: Ian Selig

A new province-wide program available to youth ages 15 to 18 in Nova Scotia who identify as Black, Indigenous and People of Colour and are interested in developing skills in computer science and technology, leadership, and sustainable development has launched.   

"The Brilliant Creators Fellowship offers a unique opportunity for BIPOC youth to develop new skills while practicing creativity, innovation, leadership, and learning with technology. We are committed to working with youth and empowering them to be creators of the world they want to live in," said Alfred Burgesson, Founder at Tribe Network.  

The 15 participants in the Brilliant Creators Fellowship are engaged in regular workshops, events, team-focused projects, and hands-on, experiential learning opportunities. Participants will develop their interpersonal skills and competencies in digital literacy, communication, sustainable development while also developing peer-to-peer networks. In addition to skill development, participants will also gain access to community leaders and industry mentors. The Saint Mary's University Entrepreneurship Centre will support youth entrepreneurship skill development throughout the initiative.   

"Saint Mary's University is committed to a world without limits. The Brilliant Creators Fellowship helps us to support and reduce barriers facing BIPOC youth, which is an important part of achieving that goal," says Saint Mary's University President Dr. Robert Summerby-Murray. "We are proud to partner with Tribe Network and Brilliant Labs on this project."   

"We recognize the importance of championing diversity across all fields of research, work and study," says President Summerby-Murray. "That is why we are offering every student who finishes this program a $12,000 scholarship over four years to study computer science or business at Saint Mary's University."    

In the first year of the program, participants include youth from Halifax, Dartmouth, Lower Sackville, Fall River and Membertou First Nation. 

Saint Mary’s University is pleased to partner with Tribe Network, to support the participants, and to further the impact of the Brilliant Creators Fellowship for years to come.    

SMU Film Professor’s Research Associated with Venice ‘Impostor Cities’ Exhibition

The Screening Room. Credit: Imposter Cities

Canadian cities seldom play themselves in movies and television, more often doubling for other places in the world. A new exhibition in Venice celebrates this duality while raising questions about identity, authenticity, and how we experience architecture and urban geography in the digital age.  

Impostor Cities is Canada’s official entry in the 17th International Architecture Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia. It opened to the public on May 22 online and at the Canada Pavilion, which was built in 1958 in the Giardini di Castello where the Venice Biennale is based.

“There is something about Canadian architecture that allows it to stand in,” says Dr. Jennifer VanderBurgh, associate professor of film and media studies at Saint Mary’s. “The exhibition is not saying that’s good or bad, just something to think about.”

Dr. VanderBurgh’s work is associated with the prestigious international exhibition through her essay, “Screens Stop Here! Tax Credit Thinking and the Contemporary Meaning of 'Local' Filmmaking”. In it, she examines the role of tax incentive programs in how Canada appears onscreen, and the economic and cultural impacts of this over time. Originally published in the Canadian Journal of Film Studies, the 15-page essay was invited to be included in the exhibition’s academic resources. It’s also available online to SMU students and faculty via the Patrick Power Library. 

Dr. Jennifer VanderBurgh, associate professor of film and media studies

VanderBurgh describes ‘tax credit thinking’ in the essay as “a way of thinking that tends to focus on economic benefits when justifying why films and film industries are important to places and people,” with job creation prioritized over cultural content or artistic integrity. Fear of cultural encroachment “has been replaced with a legacy of federal and provincial incentives that have been designed with the express purpose of enticing American, international and out-of-province projects."

Impostor Cities considers many factors in Canada’s success as a film stand-in, from tax credits and lower production costs to skilled crews, high-quality facilities, and diverse landscapes. Our cities and buildings also tend to look more generic than those in many countries, argues the exhibition’s designer, Montreal architect Thomas Balaban.

Due to the pandemic, the Canadian team couldn’t travel to Italy to install the exhibition, including Balaban and curator David Theodore, Canada Research Chair in Architecture, Health, and Computation at McGill University. They instructed local workers via Zoom and FaceTime, and the Canadian Pavilion is now wrapped almost entirely in green fabric. Visitors can scan a QR code on their phones, taking them to an app that uses green screen technology to turn the Pavilion into iconic Canadian cityscapes on Instagram.

“It’s a really cool idea,” says VanderBurgh. “Inside the pavilion, one of the central pieces is a video that’s a compilation of 3,000 clips of films and TV shows where Canadian cities have stood in for other places.”

The website shares views of the exhibition, interspersed with film and TV clips and interviews with Canadian architects, film directors, set designers, and scholars. VanderBurgh attended the digital launch, where participants used avatars to mingle virtually and explore the Pavilion from afar. She also plans to take part in conferences and other scholarly events ahead for Impostor Cities. It’s a fascinating exercise in “the democratization of arts access through the digital world,” she says. “A way to make these things and gather in ways that we couldn’t before.” 

VanderBurgh teaches in the Department of English Language and Literature. She is nearing the finish line on her forthcoming book, What Television Remembers: Artefacts and Footprints of TV in Toronto. She’s also working on a book about Nova Scotia filmmaker Margaret Perry, and working with other researchers and the Nova Scotia Archives to digitize Perry’s films through an Archive / Counterarchive case study project.

Students in all three faculties at Saint Mary’s can take a Minor in Film Studies as part of their undergraduate degrees. VanderBurgh is the undergraduate coordinator for the minor, and will also soon be undergraduate coordinator for the Atlantic Canada Studies program. 

Impostor Cities is on view until November 21 at the Canadian Pavilion and www.impostorcities.com, in the Venice Biennale Architettura 2021. Read more from the Canada Council and follow @impostorcities on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube, and via the hashtag #ImpostorCities2021.

Study shows long-lasting impacts to lake health from old gold mines

Water on the tailing fields of the historical Montague Gold District transports contaminated materials towards Mitchell Brook, which flows into Barry's Run, and then into Lake Charles. Wind is also a mechanism of tailings transport. Credit: Linda Campbell

New findings of a multi-university team of researchers show that pollution from historical gold mining in Nova Scotia, Canada, persists at levels that impact the health of aquatic ecosystems, despite mine operations closing nearly a century ago.

“Mining activities from 100 years ago can still impact freshwater ecosystems today. Our work reveals that lakes may show signs of recovery from those impacts,” notes Saint Mary’s University Professor and co-author Dr. Linda Campbell. “Even so, we must remain vigilant about understanding and monitoring the legacy of those contaminated tailings in our modern ecosystems to support recovery processes.”

Over 350 gold mines operated throughout Nova Scotia between the mid-1800s and 1950. Urbanization and land development has taken place nearby some historical mining areas and people sometimes use these areas for recreational activities. Waste tailing materials with elevated and potentially toxic levels of arsenic and mercury often are associated with historical gold mining sites in Nova Scotia. The tailings can contaminate soil and aquatic sediments through water and wind movement.

This study used dated sediments from the bottom of two urban lakes located near one of the region’s largest historical mining operations. Lake sediments are a well-recognized and information-rich natural archive of past environments which allow the assessment of geochemical and biological conditions of lakes and their watersheds before, during, and after pollution has occurred.  

The study was recently published in the peer-reviewed international journal Science of the Total Environment and highlights how pollution from past gold mining combined with contemporary stressors such as climate change and urbanization may contribute to prevent complete lake recovery from century-old mining pollution.

“Past mining activities that occurred throughout Nova Scotia introduced considerable amounts of arsenic and mercury into the environment,” says lead author Allison Clark, from Mount Allison University. “Although the Montague Gold District closed to mining 80 years ago, lakes nearby still remain severely impacted.”

Currently, arsenic levels are still very high in the lake sediments—300 times above levels that are known to harm aquatic organisms. Mercury has returned to levels observed before gold mining began. This suggests that arsenic is behaving differently than mercury within the sediments at the bottom of tailing-impacted lakes.

“Mining is both a blessing and a curse,” notes Mount Allison University Associate Professor and co-author Dr. Joshua Kurek. “Society benefits but past mining activities practiced throughout Nova Scotia continue to harm ecosystems and citizens are now left with the clean-up costs.”

Additionally, invertebrates that live on and interact with the lake’s sediment have become less diverse compared with a similar reference lake, likely due to the mining pollution as well as other recent watershed stressors. Loss of key organisms may affect lake food webs, leading to issues with water quality.

Funding for this research was provided by Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and Genome Atlantic.

SMU Research Partnership Rewriting History of Pre-Contact North American Copper Trade

Cape d’Or and the surrounding areas are where much of the copper examined for this research originated. (Photo - Communications Nova Scotia)

A Saint Mary's University research partnership with the Nova Scotia Museum has uncovered evidence that may rewrite North American understanding of the pre-contact trade of copper across the continent.

The lead Saint Mary's researcher on this project, Dr. Jacob Hanley, is a geologist who studies ore deposits and is a member of Algonquins of Greater Golden Lake First Nation in Ontario, Canada. After an exciting discussion with a colleague regarding prehistory in Atlantic Canada, Dr. Hanley began to take an interest in where the Indigenous people of Atlantic Canada sourced their pre-contact metals.

"One of the most important metals to the Indigenous population of North America was copper. It was an essential material for toolmaking and working that also held a spiritual significance," says Hanley. "The prevailing understanding of copper in North America during the Late Archaic Period to Early Woodland Period, that is to say, is 4,500 years ago to 500 A.D, is that the copper originated from deposits from Lake Superior, the Lake Superior Basin, and Keweenaw Peninsula in Michigan. Our findings strongly suggest this is not the case and that a site in the Bay of Fundy played a much bigger role in history."

The lead Nova Scotia Museum researcher is Dr. Katie Cottreau-Robins, Curator of Archaeology. Additional project collaborators include Roger Lewis, Curator of Mi'kmaq Cultural Heritage, Nova Scotia Museum, and the New Brunswick Archaeological Services Branch. The project itself would not have been possible without the permission and participation of the Metepenagiag First Nation and Mainland Mi’kmaq Grand Council members who allowed the team to examine significant cultural artifacts.

"This copper comes from Cape d'Or, located in the Bay of Fundy, a place of extreme significance in terms of the history of Mi'kma'ki," says Lewis. "To get to these outcrops, you can only approach from the water or climb down the cliffs. We hope to support more research to examine whether the act of gathering the copper itself may have had an additional cultural significance due to the danger and the level of skill required to gather it successfully."

Unlike traditional methods of analyzing artifacts, the team uses a new method usually reserved for finding ore deposits for mining purposes. This new to archeology method is non-invasive and more accurately reads the chemical make-up of the copper while leaving the artifacts completely intact.

"Our data suggests that Cape d'Or and the Bay of Fundy was the main source of copper for the Mi'kmaq people and beyond," says Cottreau-Robins. "All the artifacts we have examined, and initially described as having come from the Lake Superior region, actually originated in the Bay of Fundy. This suggests that much of the copper artifact collection in the northeastern region, believed to have come from the Lake Superior area, may have an Atlantic origin. The implications of this are huge, as it means reshaping our understanding of pre-contact trade across Atlantic Canada, Eastern Canada and the Eastern United States and re-examining the role copper played cultural in the history of Atlantic Canada's Indigenous peoples."

This project recognizes the importance of the artifacts they are working with to the Metepenagiag First Nation and have ensured that they are analyzed in New Brunswick, so they remain in their province of origin and can be returned swiftly.

"Saint Mary's University takes pride in doing world-class research that creates new knowledge and disseminates it to the world," says Dr. Malcolm Butler, Vice-President, Academic and Research. "The work of Dr. Jacob Hanley and his team is an exemplar of this commitment and takes community-based research collaboration to a new level. We are proud to be a part of this collaboration across provinces and with the Metepenagiag First Nation."

Hanley and Cottreau-Robins have written about their research findings in a chapter of the upcoming anthology Far Northeast 3000BP to Contact, which can be found here.

Saint Mary’s University Researchers Take Part in CBC Earth Day Special

On Earth Day, Saint Mary’s University researcher Dr. Danika van Proosdij and honours student Makadunyiswe Ngulube took part in a special event hosted by CBC. They discussed climate change and, more specifically, the multi-million-dollar salt marsh restoration research project underway in the Chignecto area.

The project, Making Room for Wetlands: Implementation of Managed Realignment for Salt Marsh Restoration and Climate Change Adaptation in Nova Scotia, seeks to restore over 75 hectares of tidal wetland (i.e., salt marsh) habitat through the realignment and decommissioning of dyke infrastructure at multiple sites in the Bay of Fundy in Nova Scotia.

This project includes a well-established partnership between Saint Mary’s University and CB Wetlands & Environmental Specialists (CBWES) Inc. using innovative and proven techniques with a comprehensive monitoring program.

Click here to read more on Saint Mary’s participation in CBC’s special Earth Day coverage. Or listen to the researchers on CBC’s Information Morning here (~32 minutes into the segment).

Additional reading

• Government of Canada partners with Saint Mary’s to create new coastal habitat and combat climate change

• National recognition for Saint Mary’s geographer

• SMU faculty participate as scientific experts at G7 Oceans Inspiration Expo

Saint Mary's Hosts: Black Business Initiatives - 25 Years & Beyond

A screen capture from the event.

On April 20, the Sobey School of Business Community Revitalization & Prosperity Network launched a conversation series with the Nova Scotia-based Black Business Initiative (BBI), the longest serving Black business development initiative in Canada.

The first conversation, called Black Business Initiatives: 25 Years & Beyond, featured BBI CEO Dr. Rustum Southwell, Cynthia Dorrington, President of Vale & Associates Human Resource Management and Consulting Inc. and Dr. Harvi Millar, Professor of Operations Management at the Sobey School of Business.

The panellists spoke to Dr. Harjeet Bhabra, Dean of the Sobey School, about the history of Black-owned businesses in Nova Scotia and the work that remains to be done to remove barriers to success, particularly in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In his remarks, Dr. Southwell noted that Black-owned businesses have contributed over a billion dollars to the Nova Scotia economy in the 25 years since BBI was founded. Innovations by Black entrepreneurs in Nova Scotia include the world-class medical company BioMedica Diagnostics of Windsor (founded by Abdullah Kirumira) and SureShot Solutions of Lower Sackville, which provides highly specialized equipment for many of the world’s most successful coffee chains (founded by CEO Michael Duck).

Despite a long history of business success and over 200 years of African Nova Scotians in the province, Ms. Dorrington noted that due to systemic barriers, it can be difficult for Black entrepreneurs and small business owners to access necessary financing, coaching, advisory services and many of the other keys to business success. As a result, these businesses are often prevented from achieving their full potential. “To grow beyond a certain level, you must work on your business, not just in your business,” she said.

Black entrepreneurs are also often shut out of certain sectors, like aerospace and information technology, due to systemic barriers. Dorrington said we need to “think big… and provide mentorship and coaching to help business owners see the next big opportunities.”       

Dr. Harvi Millar presented recent research into how Black-owned businesses have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, noting that surveyed businesses are facing challenges including cash flow, reductions in operating capacity, declining customer bases and temporary or permanent business closures.

The research shows that in addition to the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, Black business owners face barriers including racial bias, lack of scale, insufficient access to wealth and collateral, lack of peer-to-peer support networks and limited market access.

Dorrington noted that these barriers are often built into unfair and outdated systems that we must now work to redesign. “These systems didn't have all voices at the table when they were designed,” she said. “This is the time. If you're going to address it, you have to look at the system and really assess what is working and what is not. We must take the initiative and get rid of what isn't working.”

Dr. Southwell noted that “no Black person – no matter how wealthy or successful in business – hasn’t felt marginalized at some point in their life.”

To lift up Black businesses, Dorrington said we must acknowledge systemic racism as a first step. “We must come together to navigate. Until you face those barriers you don't see them. People who have navigated them in the past, we can put our heads together but speak with one voice.”

The next conversation, to be scheduled shortly, will explore Barriers to Doing Business for Black Entrepreneurs: Access to Capital Market. Visit the Community Revitalization & Prosperity Network to learn more.

SMU receives federal funding for major new chemistry centre collaboration

This week a major $518-million funding initiative from the Canadian Foundation for Innovation (CFI) was announced by the federal government, giving support to 102 projects at 35 post-secondary institutions across Canada.

Saint Mary’s is proud to be a collaborating partner on a project at Memorial University in Newfoundland. The new ACESCentre: Atlantic Canada Environmental and Sustainable Chemistry Centre was granted $6.7 million in federal CFI funding; Saint Mary’s will see approximately $485,000 of the total. The total value of the project with funding from other organizations will be $16.9 million.

This new world-class research centre will address challenges related to the environment. Many faculty members across campus, including those in Chemistry, Geology, Biology and Environmental Science will benefit from this investment.

At Saint Mary’s the funding will provide the installation of three new instruments for the Centre for Environmental Analysis and Remediation (CEAR) lab, which will serve the university and the greater community for the next two decades.

These significant investments in science and technology will provide our team with the ability to build on a history of collaborative research excellence, with a focus on sustainable chemistry and materials,” says Dr. Christa Brosseau, Chemistry researcher at Saint Mary’s and co-applicant on the project.

“We are grateful to be able to share this knowledge with the next generation of scientists, and with this strengthening of our Centre for Environmental Analysis and Remediation, we look forward to highlighting Atlantic Canada's abilities and goals on an international stage,” says Dr. Brosseau.

“Researchers at Memorial University and Saint Mary’s will collaborate to “address, study and solve problems related to several key, interrelated areas of environmental and economic importance pertaining to sustainable resource development and environmental knowledge in Atlantic Canada,” reads the project proposal.

“The tools requested will provide chemists, ocean scientists, biochemists, and engineers access to world-class instrumentation for characterization of molecules and materials for both sustainable resource processing and product development, and environmental understanding and monitoring.” 

About the Canada Foundation for Innovation

For more than 20 years, the CFI has been giving researchers the tools they need to think big and innovate. Fostering a robust innovation system in Canada translates into jobs and new enterprises, better health, cleaner environments and, ultimately, vibrant communities. By investing in state-of-the-art facilities and equipment in Canada’s universities, colleges, research hospitals and non-profit research institutions, the CFI also helps to attract and retain the world’s top talent, to train the next generation of researchers and to support world-class research that strengthens the economy and improves the quality of life for all Canadians.

Saint Mary's University hosts March madness pitch competition

It is pitch season. The Saint Mary’s University Entrepreneurship Centre (SMUEC) is hosting a new pitch competition styled after the famous NCAA March Madness basketball competition. Sixty-four student entrepreneurs from 25 post-secondary institutions across Canada have been selected to compete head-to-head as they strive to be declared the best in the country.  

“When we began planning for our latest pitch competition, we asked ourselves, how do you engage students in an online world? How do you make things exciting and interesting? This competition is our answer,” says Michael Sanderson, Director, SMUEC. “Students will share their business ideas before panels of expert judges made up of successful entrepreneurs from across the country. The event will have a big match feel, with prizes to match.”

Student participants will receive the date and time of their pitch session, a pre-existing pitch rubric, and a list of questions that will be randomly posed at presentation time. Participants will have development sessions to prepare them for their month-long battle to victory. After the final events, the student entrepreneur with the best idea or business will win the grand prize.

The Government of Canada, through the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), provided SMUEC with a $132,111 non-repayable contribution to carry out this competition along with other student entrepreneurship and business skills training activities.  

“Students and young entrepreneurs breathe new life into the start-up community,” says Andy Fillmore, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities and Member of Parliament for Halifax. “Our support for projects like this one helps new ideas take shape, builds a diverse economy and sets our business leaders of tomorrow up for success.” PS Fillmore made the announcement on behalf of the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages and Minister responsible for ACOA.

“Metronome United is honoured to be presenting the March Madness Pitch Competition in partnership with Saint Mary’s University Entrepreneurship Centre,” says Shannon Susko BComm’89 BSc’92, SMUEC Entrepreneur-in-Residence, and the Founder & CEO of Metronome United. “I love having the opportunity to help young entrepreneurs get focused on their business. I remember being a young entrepreneur in my early 20’s and I want to ensure that no one goes through the struggles I went through growing my companies. This is a wonderful opportunity for entrepreneurs to take the next step in becoming the leaders of tomorrow. I look forward to seeing all applications come through and work with the winning recipients.”  

The brackets, along with times for the Facebook Live event for each head-to-head battle, will be posted in the competition bracket located on the competition page of the SMUEC website. All times are set at the competition’s outset allowing students who make it through each round to encourage friends, family, and other supporters to log on to view their next pitch. This also allows the pitch competition to become a spectator sport, with anyone from the community can watch any head-to-head matchup.

To participate, or learn more, visit https://smuec.ca/march_madness/.

Saint Mary’s scientists enter into five-year partnership with Atlantic Gold to research remediation of historic gold mine tailings in wetlands

Dr. Linda Campbell and Dr. Emily Chapman in their research lab at Saint Mary’s University.

Saint Mary’s University’s research into environmentally sustainable and cost-effective remediation of historic gold mine sites across Nova Scotia is receiving a boost in the form of a five-year partnership with Atlantic Gold, a wholly owned subsidiary of St Barbara Ltd, based in Australia.

 “St Barbara is a global gold company and is proud to own and operate the Atlantic Gold Operations in Nova Scotia,” says St Barbara Managing Director and CEO, Craig Jetson. “As we operate our business and care for our people, we are guided by our company commitments – including respecting the environment and stronger communities.

“At St Barbara doing the right thing is important to all of us. Saint Mary’s University’s research into environmentally sustainable and cost-effective remediation of historic gold mines across Nova Scotia is aligned with our commitments, including growing sustainably,” says Jetson.  “We believe in learning from the past to secure our future and look forward to seeing this philosophy applied in the important work being done by Saint Mary’s University.”

“This is a significant investment by St Barbara, reflecting the importance we place on finding solutions to actively manage and neutralise the impact of our mining operations, because we care about the environment and the planet,” says Jetson. “We have recently committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 and are pleased to see our Atlantic Gold operations leading to deliver on this promise by 2025.We look forward to updates on the important work being done by the Saint Mary’s University team and thank them for their commitment to this project.”

The funding is part of a new five-year partnership between Saint Mary’s University and Atlantic Gold with the first payment of $200,000 being delivered late in 2020.

Tailings runoff in Montague.

There is a long history of gold mining in Nova Scotia, and methods used 100 years ago are now known to be damaging to the environment. The goal of the Saint Mary’s University research team, led by Dr. Linda Campbell, is to use its proven expertise from previous studies of former mine sites to develop a low-cost remediation strategy. This new strategy is designed to support the natural recovery of wetlands and shallow water environments impacted by 100-year-old contaminated tailings.

“I want to thank Atlantic Gold for their strategic partnership and financial investment in advancing world-leading research that benefits both our local and global communities,” says Saint Mary’s University President Dr. Robert Summerby-Murray. “This partnership is an exemplar of innovation with a community-centred approach. It addresses a challenge with an immediate local connection but with far-reaching national and international implications.”

The scope of the damage to the environment from abandoned gold mines is wide, encompassing 300 abandoned mines across the province in both remote areas and backyards. Contamination from the arsenic and mercury used in historic gold mining can adversely affect human health and present severe environmental contamination risks.

Dr. Linda Campbell

“Saint Mary’s University is proud to be a part of the solution when it comes to remediating the damage done by historic gold mining practices across the province,” says Saint Mary’s University Vice-President, Academic and Research, Dr. Malcolm Butler. “Dr. Linda Campbell and her team are employing innovative research to create remediation techniques that minimize the impact on the environment, wildlife and humans. This research has the potential for significant applications in Nova Scotia, the rest of Canada and the world.”

Mining in Nova Scotia began well before most environmental legislation, and untreated tailings were placed in wetlands and shallow-water areas. Over the subsequent decades, abandoned tailings were left in place, with limited natural recovery taking place. Research at Saint Mary’s completed in 2015-2019 shows that sediment samples from legacy gold-mine tailings in N.S. wetlands remain contaminated and are still severely toxic to aquatic invertebrates.

“We are currently wrangling with the consequences of decisions and actions made a long time ago,” says Dr. Linda Campbell. “Our goal is to ensure legacy arsenic and mercury contaminants will not continue to be a problem for Nova Scotians for another hundred years. We are looking forward to working with Atlantic Gold and our other collaborators to undertake the necessary research and development to help restore ecological vitality of impacted wetlands.”

Dr. Campbell is joined by Senior Project Research Manager Dr. Emily Chapman and a team of researchers that will look at new ways to remediate sites using more effective and less invasive techniques than traditional remediation methods. Those traditional methods can be destructive to the areas that need to be protected. A proof-of-concept study of a new method, which will use a thin layer of a reactive material, is promising in its ability to limit risks of legacy gold mine tailings without compromising wetland function. It is this approach that is being investigated by the research team.

Dr. Emily Chapman

“Wetlands are incredibly important ecosystems, and these sites need help to recover. It is about finding the right blend of ingredients that will reduce the mobility and toxicity of contaminants in the sediment, without adding so much material that wetlands are infilled and destroyed,” says Dr. Chapman. “Having worked on the development of innovative approaches for dealing with these risks for several years, I am pleased to see that this issue is getting some recognition.”

Remediation is a very expensive undertaking, with a 2019 estimate of $48 million to clean up the Crown land portion of two Nova Scotia legacy tailing sites. If proven effective, the new method proposed by Dr. Campbell and her team will have an immediate economic benefit as a more cost-effective, non-intrusive ecological and human health option for impacted wetlands across Nova Scotia and similar sites around the world.

Dr. Campbell is a professor in the School of the Environment at Saint Mary’s. In her research, she uses multi-disciplinary approaches to improve our understanding of anthropogenic and natural impacts in the environment, with a focus on aquatic ecosystems.

Atlantic Gold, a wholly owned subsidiary of St Barbara Ltd, operates the Moose River Gold Mine near Middle Musquodoboit, Nova Scotia, and is permitting three more mines along Nova Scotia’s Eastern Shore. The Company is investing in a research partnership with Saint Mary’s University to explore the remediation of historic gold mine tailings in freshwater ecosystems.