Celebrating excellence: Saint Mary’s faculty recognized for external research funding

Dr. Gavin Fridell, Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in International Development Studies and Dr. Adam Sarty, Associate Vice-President, Research.

Dr. Kevin Kelloway, Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Occupational Health Psychology and Dr. Adam Sarty, Associate Vice-President, Research.

Researchers at Saint Mary’s University continue to be recognized for their important work in their fields, securing over $11 million dollars in external funding in the form of research contracts, Canada Research Chair positions and tri-council grants, over the last 12 months.

A celebration to honour 90 researchers from faculties of Science, Arts, and the Sobey School of Business took place in the McNally Theatre Auditorium on November 10th. A few examples of how their research contributions will impact our communities include investigating healthcare resource planning for older adults, exploring how to retain international students in Atlantic Canada, and enhancing Canadian vaccination strategies using machine learning and business analytics.

Special recognition was given to Dr. Gavin Fridell, Tier 2 Canada Research Chair (CRC) in International Development Studies (2012 to 2022) and Dr. Kevin Kelloway, Tier 1 CRC in Occupational Health Psychology (2008 to 2022) for completing their CRC terms during their academic careers at Saint Mary’s University.

Our ecosystems will benefit from Saint Mary’s researchers that are implementing small-scale fisheries guidelines, conducting salt marsh restoration and community-based watershed monitoring. Other research is determining the future impacts of freezing and storing sperm to assist the endangered Inner Bay of Fundy Salmon population.

The quality of research happening here at Saint Mary’s University is something that we should all be proud of, congratulations again to the CRCs who recently completed their terms, and all of those that have been recognized.

Researching microbial-terroir and its impacts on wine flavour

A collaboration between Dr. Clarissa Sit’s chemistry lab and L’Acadie Vineyards is marrying Nova Scotia’s history of winemaking with modern chemistry. The research is exploring the effects micro-organisms have on the flavours of grapes in Nova Scotia’s vineyards. L’Acadie Vineyards owner Bruce Ewert was excited to partner with Dr. Sit to determine what unique fungi and bacteria contribute to the flavour profiles of wines produced at his award-winning, Annapolis Valley vineyard.  

“This project came about because of one of the students in my research lab,” says Sit. “After attending a research seminar, we started looking at the micro-organisms in the soil and on the surface of grapes in Nova Scotia vineyards.”   

Sit’s research presented an opportunity for L’Acadie Vineyards. The first certified organic vineyard in the province and the first biocyclic vegan winery in North America, the family-owned business specializes in an array of organic natural wines. 

While conventional wines are frequently treated with sulfites to kill microbes, natural wines rely on native yeast from the fermentation process to do so. Microbes in the soil are splashed onto the grapes during irrigation and rain events. 

“The mixture of micro-organisms on the surface of the grapes adds flavour to the wine,” says Sit. “That’s what we’re curious about, and vineyard owners are equally curious. We want to see if there are differences in the year-to-year vintages depending on how microbes affect their flavour profiles.”  

"Dr. Sit has been so supportive and encouraging. I never thought I would study wine yeasts and the complexities of natural winemaking. I love telling people I am getting a PhD in wine," says graduate student Lauren Grant, pictured above (far right).

In her research, Sit has compared soil samples from L’Acadie Vineyards with those from conventional vineyards to determine the difference between micro-organisms in the soil. These samples were brought back to the lab to isolate some of the strains for in-lab fermentation. 

“We’re adding some of those strains into sterile grape juice to see what chemical profiles they’re producing. We can analyze the strains we’ve been able to isolate to see what flavours each of the microbes are producing and create interesting new combinations.” 

While research is expected to continue for another three years, the project has the potential to grow depending on its findings, says Sit. 

“The focus will now be on the profiling and figuring out what aromatic compounds these microbes are producing and how vineyards can use them to create flavour while benefitting the environment.”

Related stories:

• Saint Mary’s chemistry professor receives federal funding for her antibiotic research

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

Helping the North Atlantic Right Whale rebound

At nearly 70 tonnes, the subjects of Dr. Timothy Frasier's research are massive examples of how quickly a species can progress to the brink of extinction. North Atlantic right whales are one of the most endangered large whales globally, with fewer than 400 in existence. While protection initiatives are in place, Dr. Frasier is concerned with the whale's low reproduction rate.   

Using genomic data, Dr. Frasier works to better understand what genetic factors limit the species' recovery. Early hypotheses suggest that low genetic variation and inbreeding could be possible factors. By determining the factors that limit reproductive success, conservation efforts can be more effective and efficient in saving the species from extinction.

Photo credit: New England Aquarium IUCN/PA

"By working with colleagues and governments in Canada and the United States, we can move fairly quickly from research results to impacts on policy and procedures," says Dr. Timothy Frasier of the Faculty of Science. "Right whales are in a very precarious situation, and we need to identify how conservation actions can be changed to improve the chances for the species to recover." 

With $6 million in new funding, Dr. Frasier and his colleagues from Genome Atlantic and the New England Aquarium can continue their research into what factors limit the reproductive success of right whales. This work will help focus conservation efforts to save these beautiful mammals.

Did you know? Each year, our Faculty of Science and the Canadian Whale Institute host a 10-day Marine Mammal Summer Camp, where teens conduct hands-on marine research in the laboratory and off the coast of New Brunswick (pictured above). 

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• Canada-U.S. scientists to hunt for genetic clues to help struggling North Atlantic right whales rebound

Saint Mary’s contribution to the James Webb Telescope

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

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

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

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

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

Related stories:

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

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

50 years of research, education and outreach

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

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

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

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

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

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

Related stories:

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

Building more inclusive workspaces

To see the change, you need to be the change. This is the mentality that Dr. Vurain Tabvuma, Sobey Professor in Management, and his PhD student Katelynn Carter-Rogers BA’11 CertHON’12 MSc’15 bring to their teaching and research practices. Their research, focused on understanding how inclusion within organizations can increase well-being and performance, has been built into the Sobey School of Business Management 1281 curriculum —a foundational course for all Bachelor of Commerce students.  

“My research with Dr. Tabvuma has taught me a lot about current practices in organizations and the changes that need to be made to make them inclusive," says Carter-Rogers. "It’s one thing to be included, it’s another thing to feel like you truly belong.”

This addition to the course curriculum reinforces the importance of equity, diversity and inclusion in the minds of tomorrow’s business leaders. This is a big step forward in fostering more inclusive workplaces.  

“It’s important that organizations are able and ready to support people who come from very different perspectives, and include people who understand the world in very different ways,” says Dr. Tabvuma.

Did you know? The Sobey School of Business is a proud signatory of the United Nations Principles of Responsible Management Education (PRME) initiative. The school is also one of just two in Canada to be selected as a PRME Champion (2020-23), a leadership group committed to advancing corporate social responsibility in education and research.

Related stories:

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

• Saint Mary’s University Signs Charter on Black Inclusion and Fighting Anti-Black Racism

• School of Business Impact Speaker Series launches with ‘Elevating Indigenous Businesses’ event

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dr. Marcin Sawicki

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nova Scotia launches new Atlantic Media Preservation Laboratory, Margaret Perry exhibit

Dr. Jennifer VanderBurgh

Artists, researchers and film lovers will have better access to Atlantic Canada’s remarkable film heritage through a new lab at the Nova Scotia Archives, partially inspired by the work of Saint Mary’s University led research team.

The Atlantic Media Preservation Laboratory, a partnership between the archives and the Atlantic Filmmakers Co-operative, will help ensure film from earlier eras is protected and preserved. The lab will preserve the work of artists like film pioneer Margaret Perry, the subject of the new online exhibit Margaret Perry: A Life in Film.

“Margaret Perry is one of the most influential, yet unknown, people in Nova Scotia in the 20th century,” says Saint Mary’s University Associate Professor Dr. Jennifer VanderBurgh, and lead of the research team examining Margaret Perry and her work. “Her promotional films about the province offer us a glimpse into how Nova Scotia saw itself in the ’40s, ’50s and ’60s, or at least how the government wanted others to see the province. Perry was very interested in highlighting women's labour, co-operative labour, and how things were done or made. The films reflect her interests and understanding of Nova Scotia.”

To support the new lab, the Province of Nova Scotia provided $35,000 to the filmmakers co-operative toward a $70,000 archivist Lasergraphics motion picture film scanning systems scanner. The federal government also provided additional funding.

“Archival films have the power to change the world by helping us understand and bring awareness to important issues, events and people of the past,” says Pat Dunn, Minister of Communities, Culture, Tourism and Heritage. “This new specialized film lab is the first of its kind in Atlantic Canada and will help ensure our stories continue to be told.”

The exhibit on Perry’s work officially launched on in September, as part of FIN Atlantic International Film Festival and can be found here.   

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

The Science Building at Saint Mary’s University.

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

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

Dr. David Chiasson

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

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

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

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

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

Dr. Jiju Poovvancheri

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

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

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

Celebrating excellence: Dr. Danika van Proosdij elected as a new Fellow of The Royal Society of Canada

Dr. Danika van Proosdij

Saint Mary’s University is proud to share that Dr. Danika van Proosdij has been elected as one of the new Fellows by The Royal Society of Canada (RSC) and its members.  

“Being elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada is an incredible honour. It should come as no surprise to anyone who has had the pleasure of working with Danika that her outstanding contributions to her field of research are being recognized,” says Dr. Adam Sarty, Associate Vice-President, Research, and Dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research at Saint Mary’s University. 

Dr. van Proosdij is the Director of TransCoastal Adaptations: Centre for Nature-Based Solutions and a professor with the Department of Geography and Environmental Studies at Saint Mary’s. Dr. van Proosdij is a Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society and is studying how coastal systems respond to natural and human drivers of change and is leveraging this understanding to integrate nature-based adaptation options in the protection of coastal communities. She has over 25 years of applied ecosystem-based coastal adaptation projects and vulnerability assessments in Canada and abroad.  

One hundred and two new Fellows have been elected by their peers for their outstanding scholarly, scientific and artistic achievements. Recognition by the RSC for career achievement is the highest honour an individual can achieve in the Arts, Social Sciences and Sciences. 

On Friday, November 25, 2022, the RSC will welcome the 2022 class of new Fellows and new Members of the RSC College and present awards for outstanding research and scholarly achievement. The ceremonies will be held in person in Calgary, Alberta.  

Founded in 1882, the Royal Society of Canada (RSC) comprises the Academies of Arts, Humanities and Sciences and The College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists. The RSC recognizes excellence, advises the government and the larger society, and promotes a culture of knowledge and innovation in Canada and with other national academies around the world. 

Pioneering N.S. filmmaker Margaret Perry focus of three-night event series with FIN, N.S. Archive

Margaret Perry

The career work of pioneering Nova Scotia filmmaker Margaret Perry is being showcased with a digital release, artist interventions, and three nights of events from the Atlantic International Film Festival, the Nova Scotia Archives and a team led by a Saint Mary's University researcher.

"Margaret Perry is one of the most influential yet unknown people in Nova Scotia in the 20th century. Her promotional films about the province offer us a glimpse into how Nova Scotia saw itself in the 40s, 50s and 60s, or at least how the government wanted others to see the province," says Saint Mary's University Associate Professor Dr. Jennifer VanderBurgh, and the lead organizer behind the events. "Although these are technically government films, they are also documentaries and artist-made works. Perry's influence can be felt in all her films. She was very interested in highlighting women's labour, cooperative labour, and how things were done or made. The films reflect her interests and understanding of Nova Scotia."

The event series, Activating an Archive: Margaret Perry and the Nova Scotia Film Bureau, mark the digital release of the career work of Margaret Perry, one of Canada's most important and least-known woman filmmakers and early film bureaucrats.

The events are:

• Monday, Sept. 19, 2022, from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

  • A reception at the Public Archives of Nova Scotia.

• Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2022, at 6:10 p.m.

  • A sample screening of Perry’s work in film and a Q&A at FIN, the Atlantic International Film Festival.

• Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2022, at 7 p.m.

  • A talk by Dr. Jennifer VanderBurgh at the Halifax Central Library, discussing the collection, the process of digitizing/activating it (and some related ethical complexities), and the discovery of materials that shed new light on Perry’s artistic development and filmmaking practice. 

Dr. Jennifer VanderBurgh

Starting out in New Brunswick as a wartime projectionist where she taught herself to make short films about everyday life, Perry went to Ottawa to work with John Grierson at the National Film Board of Canada. In 1945, Perry moved to Halifax to become Director of the Nova Scotia Film Bureau, where between 1945-1969 she made and oversaw the production of over fifty promotional films that depicted Nova Scotia as a tourist destination, an industrial and agricultural centre, and a complex site of cultural heritage.

"For a long time, this collection has been ignored, often without being seen, on charges of being boring government film,” says Dr. VanderBurgh. “In reframing and animating this collection as artist-made works, we're reconsidering the significance of these films, what they remember, and some of the ethical considerations and responsibilities of activating the collection in Nova Scotia today."

More information about Margaret Perry and the Nova Scotia Film Bureau Films and the research of Dr. Vanderburgh and her research team.

Unearthing the story of Italy's Indigenous communities

Photo credit: Roberto Lalinga

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Students at Saint Mary’s University are helping to shed new light on previously overlooked perspectives from the ancient past, thanks to new research partnerships that have taken root in Italy.

The Metaponto Archaeology Project field school was “a life-changing experience” for students who took part in it this spring, says Dr. Sveva Savelli, assistant professor in Ancient Studies and Intercultural Studies. She taught the new field course in May at the Incoronata “greca” excavation site near the town of Pisticci (Matera), along with Dr. Spencer Pope of McMaster University, under the auspices of the Soprintendenza Archeologia Belle Arti e Paesaggio della Basilicata.

Dr. Sveva Savelli
Photo: Simone Foresta

Fourth-year philosophy major Ken Finlay agrees. “I would highly encourage anybody with even the slightest interest in archaeology to sign up for the field school. It’s truly a once-in-a-lifetime kind of experience and is sure to deepen your interest in classics even further,” says Finlay, who aims to pursue a law degree after graduating with his Bachelor of Arts.

Located in the “instep of the boot” on the map of southern Italy, the site was home to thriving Indigenous communities (the Oenotrians) between the 9th and 7th centuries BCE when Greek settlers began arriving. Past archaeology efforts in the region, now known as Basilicata, have focused mainly on the Greek settler histories. This research goes farther back, investigating the colonial dynamics during a period when the Oenotrians and Greeks first interacted in the area, prior to the founding of the Greek colony of Metaponto.

“It’s very interesting because it seemed to be a very peaceful relationship, mostly traders and potters who arrived. Incoronata “greca” was a place where the relationship was fruitful for both communities,” says Savelli, co-director of the research project along with Pope.

The research has been underway for a number of years but reached a key milestone this spring with the discovery of a structure believed to be an Oenotrian hut, plus a motherlode of artifacts, she says.

“It has been an amazing season. We were not expecting quite so many archaeological finds. Our students were incredibly lucky in this sense. We basically pulled out thousands of shards of pottery!”

Available again next spring, the field course builds on Saint Mary’s existing strengths in archaeology research and education. Another offering in Italy through the ancient studies program is Dr. Myles McCallum’s annual field course at the Villa of Titus Archaeology Research Project near Castel Sant’Angelo, which resumed in May and June after a two-year hiatus during the pandemic. In both field courses, students learn many aspects of what it means to be an archaeologist, from excavation skills to lab tasks such as sorting and cataloguing artifacts—and most importantly, teamwork.

“Students were not aware of the collegial aspect of this profession,” says Savelli. “So working together as a team, especially coming out of this period of COVID isolation, really created an excitement in the group.” Visiting scholars at the field school shared expertise in everything from topography to how to use a microscope in archaeometry. Finlay said another big highlight for students was their own research presentations—each student researched a nearby temple or monument, then gave their presentations at those actual sites.

“It was a cultural experience for them,” says Savelli, who is from Rome and worked at Queen’s University before joining Saint Mary’s in July 2020. There was a lot of interest from the local community as well. Media outlets reported on a visit from Pisticci Mayor Domenico Albano, who also held a special dinner for the students and researchers.

“There is a Canadian connection already,” says Savelli. “In the town it’s like a parade, everybody stops us. Many people have a cousin or brother who moved to Canada.”

Partnership with the National Archaeological Museum of Naples

National Archaeological Museum of Naples

Museum Director Paolo Giulierini

The Piana Campana: A Land Without Borders
Photo credit: Livia Pacera MANN/Electa

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Here on campus this fall, students have another unique opportunity for hands-on research experience in Savelli’s new course, ANCS/ICST 3506: Cultural Property Protection in a Global World. Through a partnership between Saint Mary’s and the Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Napoli (MANN), led by Museum Director Paolo Giulierini, the class will collaborate with the museum on a project involving the “Spinelli Archaeological Collection” led by Senior Curator Dr. Emanuela Santaniello.

“Students will be involved in the tracking of archaeological finds from the necropolis of Suessula, in the interland of Naples, that are now dispersed in museums all over Europe and North America,” says Savelli.

Mapping these objects will help the museum lay the groundwork for future exhibitions, narrating the story of how cultural heritage has scattered to different parts of the world. With some creativity, other museums housing artifacts could take part in presenting this international picture, even in a digital format.

“I hope the class becomes a workshop and a think tank on cultural property and the international issues related to its restitution and repatriation,” says Savelli.

She worked closely with the museum last year as a member of its research team behind an exhibition, “The Piana Campana. A Land without Borders.” Still ongoing, the exhibition focuses on Iron Age interactions among Greek settlers, Etruscans and Indigenous communities in the Piana Campana region north of Naples.

It’s all part of a bigger project that will enable more field schools, student exchanges and internships in the future. The opportunities for students stem from a memorandum of agreement between the museum and Saint Mary’s, signed in 2020 to foster scientific and academic cooperation.

“Through this partnership, ancient studies in Italy take a prime position in our international academic offerings,” says Dr. Robert Summerby-Murray, President and Vice-Chancellor of Saint Mary’s. “It’s a tremendous opportunity for us to collaborate with one of the most important archaeological museums in the world, whose holdings include the Farnese and Pompeian Collections and thousands of other artifacts from Etruscan, Greek, and Egyptian civilizations.”

Dr. Giulierini adds: “The MANN is pleased to offer educational opportunities for Canadian students and faculty, and to provide first-hand knowledge of ancient material culture.”

The partnership complements the field projects at Villa di Tito and Incoronata “greca”, says Savelli, enhancing opportunities for students to learn about the conservation and management of archaeological collections. As a researcher, the most intriguing aspect for her is taking a fresh look at colonial times in the ancient world, and seeing what it can teach us about the present.

“This is really about how each country defines its own identity through its past. And it’s not just about the past—for us in Canada, it’s also about our reality.”

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Learn more about the Ancient Studies program and field schools available through the Faculty of Arts. Follow the Metaponto Archaeology Project on Instagram at @metaponto_arch_proj and the Villa of Titus Archaeology Project on Facebook at @villaditito.

Related stories:

• SMU archaeologist brings history into focus with LiDAR and 3D tech

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

• Honouring the Landscape of Grand Pré: Students reflect on research connections