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.

Researcher sparks new conversations about machine learning and robotics

Teresa Heffernan

Saint Mary’s University professor Teresa Heffernan is shining a new light on robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) by exploring how the field looks to – and is shaped by – fiction.

As part of her recent work through the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, Heffernan’s research investigates popular ideas about the future of AI and the relationship between machine learning and language-based humanities. Although interested in the world of science from an early age, Heffernan became intrigued with AI in 2010 when she began reading about the promises of AI and noticed a common theme.

“I was looking around at different scientific journals and articles, and people kept referencing fiction like it was prophetic – as if the fiction was going to come true,” says Heffernan, a professor in the department of English Language and Literature at SMU. “And if you know anything about fiction, that’s the whole point: it doesn’t come true; fiction has lots to say about the world, but it needs to be interpreted.”

Her curiosity led her to visit some of the top robotics labs in Japan and the United States. Through her discussions with leaders and specialists in the field, she began to question some of the assumptions about AI and to consider its impact on culture and humanity.

“When you’re working in the field, you hear people talk about technology becoming more ‘human’ or more intelligent,” she says. “What they’re talking about are increases in storage, data, computing speed, and more sophisticated algorithms. It actually has little to do with human intelligence.’’

Despite the increasing hype about machine learning, Heffernan is trying to reframe the conversation about AI and robotics, looking instead at its social and environmental impacts.

For instance, she points to research from the Water Resources Center at Texas Tech University that asserts a typical data centre uses about 3 to 5 million gallons of water a day – the same amount of water as a city of around 50,000 people. Heffernan says this industry also produces e-waste and carbon emissions.

“Data often is called the new oil because it’s so lucrative, but it really mimics the resource-intensive and climate-altering infrastructure of older technology like automobiles,” she says. “These complications are easily glossed over in the hype about human-like machines.”

This fall, Heffernan will travel to Germany where she’ll be furthering her research at the Käte Hamburger Centre for Apocalyptic and Post-Apocalyptic Studies at Heidelberg University.

While there, she says she will continue her work sparking new conversations about the future of AI – and how it can be used responsibly and sustainably.

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• For more information on Dr. Teresa Heffernan’s research, visit socialrobotfutures.com.

• Learn more about the department of English Language and Literature.

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.

Identifying immigration trends is integral to the growth of Atlantic Canada

Dr. Ather Akbari

Understanding and identifying trends in immigration is something that Dr. Ather Akbari, Professor of Economics and Researcher at Saint Mary’s University (SMU), is passionate about. Particularly, his research identifies the importance of regionalization of immigration in Canada to help increase populations in rural regions and smaller provinces.

“Each province has its own demographic challenges which arise because of the declining population growth,” says Dr. Akbari.

He explains that uneven distribution of population growth by region, and the concentration of immigration in urban areas, have called for regionalization in Canada. Immigrants tend to settle in larger provinces and larger urban centres, where there is more economic opportunity, an established immigrant community, access to ethnic goods, and places of worship.

The Atlantic provinces have the lowest population growth, their natural population growth has become negative, meaning that the number of births has fallen below the number of deaths.

“A declining demographic trend can create longer-term economic challenges for the country,” says Dr. Akbari. “In order to reverse that trend, Canada opened up its immigration policy. People are not chosen on the basis of their country of origin, as was the case before 1970s, but on how they can contribute to the economic and social mosaic of Canada.”

Saint Mary’s University researcher Dr. Ather Akbari (middle) with students from the Sobey School of Business on the Halifax waterfront, near the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21.

Immigration is not just important for population growth but also for the economy. The economy is impacted by a declining population in at least two different ways: a shortage of skilled labour in the work force, and fewer consumers of goods and services. The aging population further adds to skill shortages, with people retiring as they get older.

“All population growth that has taken place between the recent census years has been due to immigration,” says Dr. Akbari.

Dr. Akbari chairs the Atlantic Research Group on Economics of Immigration, Aging and Diversity (ARGEIAD). The group is comprised of university faculty from across Atlantic Canada with the mandate of researching the economic importance of immigration, diversity, and aging. The research findings have been useful to help guide decisions in a regional, national, and international context.

Low retention of immigrants has been a problem in Atlantic Provinces and has concerned policy makers. This places great importance on Dr. Akbari’s and ARGEIAD’s recently finished research study, commissioned by the Province of Nova Scotia, titled: ‘Immigration In Nova Scotia: Who Comes, Who Stays, Who Leaves And Why?’ Through an online survey of close to 3,000 immigrants, the study helped understand the factors that determine why immigrants choose Nova Scotia as their destination in Canada, why some decide to stay, and why others leave.

ARGEIAD recently finished another research project, in collaboration with Group ATN Consulting Inc., for the government of New Brunswick which currently hosts the Forum of Ministers Responsible for Immigration in Canada. Through that project, they analyzed the impacts of provincially and territorially-administered immigration programs.

The project’s main finding is that immigrants have a positive effect on the economic growth and government revenues of smaller provinces, more so than in larger provinces, and that the Provincial Nominee Program has been successful in attracting immigrants to smaller provinces of Canada.

Currently, ARGEIAD is doing a research project that assesses the satisfaction and well-being of international students in Atlantic Canada. This research will provide valuable information that will assist with encouraging future immigrants to stay in the Atlantic provinces.

For more information on ARGEIAD’s work and Dr. Akbari’s research at Saint Mary’s University, visit https://www.smu.ca/centres-and-institutes/atlantic-research-group.html and https://www.worldwithoutlimits.ca/index/establishing-nova-scotia-as-the-world-of-possibility-for-newcomers.

Saint Mary’s University researcher Dr. Ather Akbari (middle) with students from the Sobey School of Business on the Halifax waterfront, near the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21.

Young researchers to benefit from new partnership with German accelerator facility

Saint Mary’s University and GSI recently signed a new mobility program agreement to promote research collaborations.

Promoting exchanges and training opportunities for students and early-stage researchers is at the heart of a new mobility program agreement recently signed by the university. The agreement promotes academic and research collaborations between the two signees, Saint Mary's University (SMU) and GSI/FAIR, an accelerator facility in Darmstadt, Germany.

Researchers working at FAIR/GSI use radioactive ion beams for exploring fundamentals of nuclei to understand nature's strong force, creation of elements and conditions in exotic cosmic environments such as neutron stars and supernovae. Some of the methods also give information for nuclear medicine applications.

Their work is on experiments using the accelerator facility, which involves working on a variety of state-of-the-art radiation detectors and electronics. They also will be developing and working on software for data analysis and simulations. The GET_INvolved Programme at GSI provides international students and early stage researchers with opportunities to perform internships, traineeships and early-stage research experience in order to get involved in the international FAIR accelerator project while receiving scientific and technical training.

This agreement between the Canadian university and the German accelerator facility is exciting news to researchers and undergraduate and graduate students who will have the opportunity to further their education and research by collaborating at this world-class facility.

“This new partnership between Saint Mary’s University and our colleagues at GSI/FAIR represents our shared commitment to international research and collaboration,” says Saint Mary’s University President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Robert Summerby-Murray. “As scholars, we are linked by our desire to create knowledge, to explore frontiers and to demonstrate the significance of discovery and innovation to civil society.”

“Our partnership is built around these shared values and our acknowledgement of the importance of providing opportunities for early-career researchers,” adds President Summerby-Murray. “Together, we are investing not only in advancing scientific inquiry but in the success of future scholars. I offer my congratulations to everyone involved in the launch of this important collaboration.”

About GSI/FAIR

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The Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research in Europe (FAIR) project is under development. (Image copyright ion42/FAIR)

The GSI Helmholtz Centre in Darmstadt, Germany is a research centre operating a world-leading accelerator facility for research purposes. About 1,600 employees work at GSI and in addition approximately 1,000 researchers from universities and other research institutes around the world come to GSI every year to use the facility for experiments. The centre provides unique opportunities in the fields of hadronic and nuclear physics, nuclear astrophysics, atomic, laser and plasma physics, as well as material science, biophysics and nuclear medicine.

At GSI, FAIR (Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research in Europe) is currently being built. An international accelerator research facility with antiprotons and ions, it is being developed and constructed in cooperation with international partners. It is one of the world’s largest construction projects for international cutting-edge research. The FAIR project was initiated by the scientific community and researchers of GSI. The GSI accelerators will become part of the future FAIR facility and serve as the first acceleration stage.

For more information on the the GET_INvolved-Programme, contact:

Professor Rituparna Kanungo, Saint Mary’s Astronomy and Physics Department:
Rituparna.Kanungo@smu.ca

Dr. Pradeep Ghosh, GSI/FAIR:
Pradeep.Ghosh@fair-center.eu

Will electric bills ever go down? It’s likely, if this SMU researcher has it his way using renewable energy

Dr. Adel Merabet

Lowering electricity costs and decreasing CO2 emissions is something Dr. Adel Merabet aims to achieve through his work in renewable energy integration at Saint Mary’s University.

Merabet leads the Laboratory of Control Systems and Mechatronics, a research laboratory centred on engineering and technology.

“My lab works on developing control and management systems for renewable energy integration and efficient usage of battery storage to increase their operational capacity and productivity,” says Merabet.

For an industry project in Yarmouth, Merabet has developed machinery software and hardware to increase efficiency; he has also worked on automated machinery that regulates temperature systems in large-scale manufacturing equipment for Halifax-based Reused Plastic.

“These projects provide technology transfer to local industries and provides hands-on experience to my students, something that will be helpful for their future careers,” says Merabet.

In February 2021, the province of Nova Scotia set a goal of using 80% clean energy by 2030 as part of its Environmental Goals and Climate Change Reduction Act. Merabet’s research focuses on finding alternatives to traditional energy sources, including renewable sources and battery storage tech.

As Nova Scotia’s population grows, so too does its electricity demand. This is why he says building a big, pricey power plant is not the solution. “We need to look at small microgrids and develop technology to exchange between them, to generate power in city centres like Halifax.”

Microgrids are self-sufficient, harnessing solar and wind energy to produce electricity to create and localize energy that can be used by nearby buildings. Many use batteries for energy storage, allowing electricity to be used during power outages.

And while renewable sources like solar and wind depend on variable amounts of sunlight or wind, the way they are stored, and how that battery storage works, is vital. Part of Merabet’s research includes finding more efficient battery solutions for the transfer of renewable energy.

Merabet says that by using more efficient methods of battery storage in combination with renewable energy, diesel fuel consumption can be reduced, electricity costs will be lower, and CO2 emissions will decrease, benefiting our pocketbooks and the environment.

“With better battery storage combined with microgrids, we can use that source of energy over a long period of time,” says Merabet. “This will especially benefit remote and rural communities, so they don’t have to rely on diesel generators.”

For more information on the great research taking place at Saint Mary’s University, visit news.smu.ca/research.

Dr. Catherine Loughlin Recognized for Research Excellence

Dr. Catherine Loughlin

Dr. Catherine Loughlin, Associate Dean and Professor in the Sobey School of Business, will be recognized for her contributions to research with the President’s Award for Excellence in Research at Spring Convocation. In her role as Associate Dean, Research & Knowledge Mobilization, she is responsible for supporting and advancing the role of research in the Sobey School. As a Professor in the Department of Management, she works with students conducting research and supervises PhD candidates in Management.

Since joining the Sobey School of Business in 2005 as Canada Research Chair (Tier 2), Dr. Loughlin has been a leader for both students and colleagues through research dissemination, accessibility and mentorship. Colleagues in the Sobey School cite her ability to make research accessible in the classroom as key to helping students see how research can inform their practice.

“Catherine Loughlin has shown tremendous leadership in the Sobey School's PhD program,” says Dr. Harjeet Bhabra, Dean of the Sobey School of Business. “Not only by teaching and supervising doctoral students, but also diligently working to expand the program to two new streams. She has contributed in significant measure to elevating the profile and reputation of the Sobey School and Saint Mary's University through her scholarly work and many other initiatives.”

Loughlin’s work in the areas of leadership, gender diversity and occupational health and safety has been highly published and cited in the some of the world’s leading academic journals, and she plays an active role in the professional community through service to boards, institutes and government policy-authoring. Her work has received awards from external bodies such as the Canadian Society for Civil Engineering and the Academy of Management, and been profiled for Parliament, with high levels of research funding throughout her career from numerous agencies.

Loughlin will receive the President’s Award for Excellence in Research at the Faculty of Graduate Studies & Research Spring Convocation ceremony on May 19, 2022. The award, adjudicated by the Research Committee of the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research, honours outstanding research conducted by a full time faculty member at Saint Mary's University. Nominations are supported by the nominee’s Dean, colleagues at Saint Mary’s and beyond.

Spring Convocation ceremonies will be streamed live on smu.ca/graduation.

Exploring How an Office Dedicated to Innovation and Community Engagement Supports Research at Saint Mary’s University

Kevin Buchan

Conducting research is integral to Saint Mary’s University, with untold amounts of time, effort, talent and resources dedicated to its pursuit by faculty and students. The creation and dissemination of knowledge are vitally important parts of the university’s mission and help to connect the university with the broader community. When it comes to partnership-based research,  the Office of Innovation and Community Engagement (OICE) plays a key role.

“We facilitate relationships,” says Kevin Buchan, OICE’s Director.

The role of OICE is to liaise with groups outside of the University such as community groups, companies, and non-for-profits who are looking for targeted expertise for their organizations; OICE then puts these external partners in contact with faculty at the University who can help.

OICE is part of the larger Office of the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research (FGSR), and works in close cooperation with the SMU-hosted Change Lab Action Research Initiative (CLARI) to foster community-engaged research

The benefits of these connections are multifaceted. External partners gain the expertise they need, researchers use their expertise to solve real-world problems, and students learn from this knowledge in the classroom, later applying these tangible examples in their own careers.

Along with facilitating these relationships between external partners and researchers, OICE also holds events that invite the wider community for a firsthand look at what goes on at the University.

“We have a big footprint in Halifax,” says Buchan. “People know we exist and that there’s research happening, but they don’t always know exactly what’s being done. That’s why the Research Expo is such an important event.”

The annual Research Expo is a showcase of the research happening at Saint Mary’s and the event features equal involvement from all faculties.

“Everybody is welcome at Research Expo,” Buchan explains. “This is an event for anybody and everybody who’s interested in the research that’s happening here at Saint Mary’s.”

Along with sharing their work with visitors and colleagues, select faculty present three-minute research pitches. This is a highlight of the event, giving a fascinating glimpse of the exciting new work happening across campus.

The intermingling of internal and external communities facilitates connections and collaborations. Community members attending Research Expo learn about research being done at the University, but also are able to mingle with and talk with researchers themselves.

For Buchan, the impromptu conversations and connections are what Research Expo is all about. “There’s a buzz about the room,” says Buchan. “People want to be there, learning together and collaborating. That’s what research communication is all about.”

For more information and a list of the presenters from this year’s Expo, click here.

What’s in a name? For the Ta’n Weji-sqalia’tiek Mi’kmaw Place Names Project, a Lot

Student researchers Matt Meuse-Dallien, Kachina Sack, and Peter Christmas holding Mi’kmaw place names project poster.

For many people, names give a sense of belonging and community. Beginning fourteen years ago, the Ta'n Weji-sqalia'tiek Mi'kmaw Place Names Digital Atlas and Website Project has expanded into a unique resource with over 800 place names and has featured 30 research positions for Mi'kmaw youth and student researchers over that time.  The project marks another way of bringing to life the profound relationship Mi’kmaq have with the ancient landscape of Mi’kma’ki.  

“The naming of places in Mi'kma'ki was always very logical and descriptive, so our people would know where they were at all times,” recounts the late Elder Gregory Johnson in the short film ‘The Nature of Place Names’ which is featured on the homepage of the Ta’n Weji-sqalia’tiek website.

The project now has a new look and feel, making it easier for users to engage with this unique history and ancient landscape. With help from Membertou Geomatics, the web-based map includes new enhanced sound bites and video clips of Elders sharing their lived experiences on the land. Users can explore numerous Mi’kmaw place names, learn place-name etymology and engage with the rich language of the Mi’kmaq. The new logo design and colour scheme reflect the importance of history and the land, and artworks by Mi’kmaw artists Alan Sylliboy and Gerald Gloade, are featured throughout the site and Elder's videos.

“Our instructions were to build a high-end website that would deliver the data through audio, video and a mapping infrastructure, which was completed in 2015,” states the committees Mi’kmaw Co-chair and Project Director, Tim Bernard of Mi’kmawey Debert Cultural Centre. With this new refresh, the project has expanded and covers more areas than ever before.  

Project Lead, Dr. Trudy Sable of Saint Mary’s University, began to supervise the project when she was approached by Mr. Bernard and Rob Ferguson of Parks Canada. Through community-based focus groups, interviews, surveys, and discussions with numerous experts, the project has been driven by the vision of the Mi’kmaw communities, and the expressed needs of numerous institutional representatives for an inclusive and scholarly resource. 

Student researchers join archaeologist and project mentor Roger Lewis, archaeologist Rob Ferguson, and Project Lead, Trudy Sable on canoe trip to explore the Sɨkɨpne'katik (Shubenacadie) River, a pre-contact, Mi’kmaw traditional travel route.

“I have been deeply privileged to work with the many Elders, Mi’kmaw scholars, leaders, and community members who have contributed their time and knowledge to making the Ta’n Weji-sqalia’tiek website and digital atlas happen,” says Dr. Sable. “Hearing the voices of Mi’kmaq who lived throughout Mi’kma’ki wakes me up to the deeply rooted and powerful reality of their relationship to this landscape.”

“I am grateful for their generosity in sharing their personal histories and knowledge, much of which has been invisible in the rendering of history,” recounts Dr. Sable. “The student researchers inspired me as they learned to research the place names and hear the Elders' stories and then carry this knowledge forward in the new roles they take on in their lives. I feel confident that the website will continue to expand and educate many people in new perspectives and ways of knowing the landscapes we all inhabit.”

A core component of the project has been to ensure the capacity building of Mi'kmaw youth. Since 2010, the project has offered numerous research positions for Mi'kmaw youth and student researchers to learn from Elders, and Mi’kmaw scholars and leaders. In these positions, the students have been trained in map interviewing and protocol, video editing, database set-up and entry, language training, and conducting archival research.  

“During my Atlantic Canadian Studies MA degree at Saint Mary’s University, I was hired to work as a research assistant for the Ta’n Weji-sqalia’tiek: Mi’kmaw Place Names Project. It was an experience I thoroughly enjoyed,” says Raymond Sewell, previously a student researcher for the project, now an assistant professor at Saint Mary’s.  

“Dr. Trudy Sable, Dr. Bernie Francis, and Roger Lewis taught me valuable research skills. I worked with other students on this project that I now count as friends, each of us working in different fields. We all shared a fulfilling work experience. We were able to meet and interview L’nu Elders, travel to various sites, have canoe excursions, and work with various organizations like the Nova Scotia Museum,” recounts Mr. Sewell. “I had a great time learning place-name etymology. I was responsible for entering different orthographies into the database, and that engagement with my language was an excellent experience. I am now an English professor, and I use the website in my class to teach students the importance of land and language.” 

Both the website and digital atlas have become integral to developing educational programming, enhancing Mi'kmaw tourism, and promoting cultural awareness about the Mi'kmaq.

“The Ta’n Weji-sqalia’tiek digital atlas and website is an essential resource for our work in archaeological and cultural landscape studies,” says Dr. Jonathon Fowler, archaeologist and professor in the Anthropology department at Saint Mary’s. “I use it regularly in my research and teaching, and, truth be told, it is so interesting I often explore it just for fun. It contains incredible insights and not a few surprises.” 

Since 2015, the Mi’kmawey Debert Cultural Centre has taken on the responsibility of stewarding and caring for the data, which is safely stored at the Membertou Datacentre, and overseeing the transfer of the project from SMU to the Nation. With help from Membertou Geomatics, the web-based map has undergone a functionality refresh making it easier for users to explore the significant history of the Mi’kmaq and the unique landscape of Mi’kma’ki.  

“Our engagement within our Mi’kmaw communities in 2007-08 was extensive and at that time we were told, very clearly, to go deep and dig down and collect this vast but quickly disappearing knowledge from this generation of Elders that still carry the language and still hold the knowledge,” says Mr. Bernard. “We’re very fortunate to have built this relationship with SMU and Dr. Sable. They understood that the information and data needed to be protected and retained by the Nation, for the Nation.”  

Initiated in 2008 by the Mi'kmaq - Nova Scotia - Canada Tripartite Forum, Culture and Heritage Committee, the project grew to include numerous other partners and funders. There has been close to $1M invested to protect and share this data through the creation of the Ta’n Weji-sqalia’tiek website and digital atlas.  

To learn more about this ongoing project and explore the new look and feel of the map and site, visit Ta’n Weji-sqalia’tiek Mi’kmaw Place Names Digital Atlas.

SMU to host second annual Canadian Forensic Psychology Virtual Conference

Following the success of the first virtual Canadian Forensic Psychology virtual conference in 2020, the Psychology department is thrilled to host this national conference again for students and academic and industry colleagues. The conference will be held on Friday, February 4 from noon to 5:00 p.m. AT.

Dr. Sandy Jung

The keynote speaker is Dr. Sandy Jung, Forensic Psychologist and professor at MacEwan University. Dr. Jung will present on the topic “Why is intimate partner violence so complicated?”

Her address will be followed by presentations by forensic psychology researchers from across Canada and all over the world. Their research is on a variety of topics in forensic psychology, such as violence risk assessment, jury decision making, suspect interviews, and criminal behaviour.

A panel discussion on “The Role of Crime victims in Canadian Courts” will feature experts Heidi Illingworth, Executive Director of Ottawa Victim Services & former federal ombudsperson for victims of crime; Dr. Kristine Peace, associate professor at MacEwan University; Jennifer Schmidt, Saskatchewan senior crown prosecutor; and Krystal Lowe sexual violence prevention & education coordinator at Saint Mary’s University.

Canada is a leader in forensic psychology and Saint Mary’s is proud to provide a strong program in this field for our undergraduate and graduate students,” said Dr. Meg Ternes, who organized the event along with fellow Saint Mary’s Psychology Dr. Veronica Stinson and conference coordinator, Claire Keenan, a second year student in SMU’s MSc Applied Psychology (forensic psychology) stream.

“This idea behind this virtual conference was to replicate the friendly, collegial conversations between colleagues, something we found we missed when COVID forced us to work remotely,” said Dr. Ternes. “We found the first event so successful that we’re happy to host it again.”

Along with hearing from the keynote speaker and expert panelists, this conference is an opportunity for undergraduate and graduate students in the Saint Mary’s Forensic Psychology program to gain valuable experience attending, and in some cases, participating in this event. Students have played an integral role in organizing and delivering the conference.

Forensic Psychology at Saint Mary’s University

Forensic psychology focuses on researching aspects of human behaviour directly related to the legal process and applying this knowledge to the legal process.

Master of Science in Applied Psychology (Forensic Psychology) graduates at Saint Mary’s will leave equipped with skills for either applied work in the justice system or for further PhD-level studies in Forensic Psychology. Faculty offer a variety of courses, including Forensic Tests and Measurement, Correctional Psychology, and the latest developments in research methods. Our students will apply their learning during a practicum in the field, and through teaching and research assistantships. Students will also conduct and defend their own original research through their Master’s thesis.

Conference date: February 4, noon – 5 p.m.

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

After two decades of work preparing for the launch of the James Webb Space Telescope (Webb), Saint Mary’s University professor and researcher Dr. Marcin Sawicki is looking forward to using the Hubble successor—and most powerful space telescope ever built—for research along with his students.

Webb’s advanced technology will study every epoch of cosmic history, from the most distant observable galaxies in the early universe to stars around other planets and objects within our solar system.

The rocket launch from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana, South America on December 25, 2021, saw the telescope begin the complicated process of transforming into its final form, which will orbit 1.5 million kilometres from earth. After this six-month long commissioning procedure, the first images are expected to be delivered this summer.

Dr. Sawicki has been a member of the science team responsible for the Canadian contribution to Webb from early in the telescope’s development. The team’s made-in-Canada Near Infrared Imager and Slitless Spectrograph (NIRISS) instrument is a key part of the telescope.

"Where the Hubble telescope was a NASA project, the James Webb Space Telescope is a collaboration that includes the European and Canadian space agencies,” says Dr. Sawicki, “and there is also a very significant Saint Mary’s University element to this story.”

Because of Dr. Sawicki’s involvement in Webb’s key NIRISS instrument, Saint Mary’s University researchers will have unprecedented access to Webb for research. Led by Dr. Sawicki, Saint Mary’s has the largest Canadian team of Webb scientists outside of Montreal; this team of faculty, post-doctoral fellows and students is getting ready to parse data from the telescope.

“At Saint Mary’s our postdocs and students will be using JWST to observe the birth of the first galaxies soon after the Big Bang, and to study how these baby galaxies then grew over cosmic time to become beautiful giant structures like our home, the Milky Way Galaxy,” says Dr. Sawicki. “With Webb, the potential for extremely impactful science is enormous, and we are ecstatic that the launch and telescope deployments have gone so perfectly and are eager to begin using Webb for world-leading research here in Nova Scotia.”

The James Webb Space Telescope is the most powerful space telescope ever built. Webb’s advanced technology will study every epoch of cosmic history—from the most distant observable galaxies in the early universe to stars around other planets and objects within our solar system. Webb is an international program led by NASA with its partners, ESA (European Space Agency) and the Canadian Space Agency.

Saint Mary’s is a leader in astronomy and physics research and the only place you can study astrophysics east of Montreal. Our students learn from experienced faculty who are internationally recognized for their work, yet classes are small enough that professors will know your name. Saint Mary’s is home to a Canada Research Chair in Astronomy and the Institute for Computational Astrophysics.

The Faculty of Science at Saint Mary’s offers a wide range of undergraduate, Masters and PhD level programs.

More information on the Webb telescope and Dr. Sawicki.