Saint Mary’s joins universities nationwide to take action on anti-Black racism

Saint Mary’s University is joining universities and colleges across Canada to take action on anti-Black racism in the post-secondary sector. Saint Mary’s will join the University of Toronto and numerous others in a national dialogue taking place on October 1st and 2nd. This dialogue will be the first of a series of sessions called National Dialogues and Action for Inclusive Higher Education and Communities. 

“This conversation is an important early step to a broader national discussion about the impacts of racism, and the actions we can take to address anti-Black racism,” says Deborah Brothers-Scott, Chair of Saint Mary’s University President’s Standing Committee on the Prevention of Racism. “I am confident that this series of dialogues will serve as a strong foundation for self-reflection as a sector and inform the systemic changes needed on the path towards equity.”

The sessions will discuss various topics and make recommendations on subjects such as access to post-secondary and ensuring success, supporting faculty and staff, inclusive learning, representation, and the best practices around race-based data.

A national coordinating committee will carefully review the conversations and recommendations and provide a charter of principles and actions for participating institutions. Saint Mary’s President Dr. Robert Summerby-Murray is a member of this committee and is actively supporting this work.

“Since I first came to Saint Mary’s University, I have embraced the diversity of our community as our strength,” says President Summerby-Murray. “This comes with the responsibility to do everything within my power to ensure we are supporting equitable opportunities and treatment for everyone in our community.”

“We are not without challenges in this regard, but these are challenges that we must work to address and overcome,” adds President Summerby-Murray. “This is why I have dedicated myself to this national initiative, in addition to my involvement with the education committee for BlackNorth, and our university’s standing committee on the prevention of racism.”

While Saint Mary’s has often engaged in discussions and dialogues on racism and discrimination against First Nations and persons of African descent, these efforts have been placed into sharp relief by the events of recent months, notably Black Lives Matter and the Anti-Black Racism movement. Saint Mary’s is fortunate to have significant faculty research expertise and community engagement, including through the Department of Social Justice and Community Studies. With support from their colleagues across the university and now recognized across the country, faculty members are leading meaningful and frank discussions of the challenges facing Canada, Nova Scotia, Halifax, and Saint Mary’s when it comes to racism, discrimination, and equity and the actions needed to address it. A prime example of this work is the rising prominence of these discussions at university events such as Homecoming and the event Back to the Classroom: Anti-Racism led by Dr. Rachel Zellars.

While faculty members are working to create change, the university also recognizes the importance of anti-racism action. Earlier this year, the university convened the President’s Standing Committee on the Prevention of Racism, a key recommendation of an earlier 2019 ad hoc committee. Among other recommendations from the ad hoc committee, the current committee has a key mandate to raise awareness and oversee the implementation of other recommendations, including:

• the recent successful hiring of a full-time African Nova Scotian/Black Student & Community Liaison staff position, a role that will help better support Black students on campus;

• education and training to ensure we can identify, report, investigate and respond to incidents of racialized discrimination on campus;

• holding more workshops to help educate and combat racism;

• a revision of the SMU Code of Conduct to ensure it clearly addresses issues of racism;

• developing a retention strategy focused on Indigenous and racialized students; and

• recruiting more racialized faculty and staff members.

Efforts have already begun with a series of listening sessions that have taken place and will continue through the Fall term to give the committee insight into the first-hand experiences of members of the SMU community. Similar to the national dialogues, these sessions form an essential part of the process to inform change.

Listening is only the first step; the university knows more action is needed.

To learn more about the upcoming sessions or share your feedback, comments, or questions, email The President’s Standing Committee on the Prevention of Racism at anti-racism@smu.ca. All emails are treated with the utmost confidentiality. 

Homecoming celebrates 25 years of Women and Gender Studies at SMU

It’s a virtual Homecoming 2020 for Saint Mary’s alumni next week, with online events ranging from poetry readings to panel talks on accessibility and the Black Lives Matter movement. Starting things off is a Back to the Classroom webinar highlighting milestones and new developments in the Women and Gender Studies Program, with Dr. Michele Byers and Dr.Tatjana Takševa.

Taking place September 30 at 1 pm, the talk will mark the program’s 25th anniversary with a brief history and timeline. It will also consider the question “who is Women and Gender Studies for?” using examples from recent news, media and culture. The event will also introduce the new Minor in Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies (WGSS) at Saint Mary’s, the only one of its kind in Atlantic Canada. For this Q&A we spoke with Dr. Takševa, acting coordinator for WGST during Dr. Byers’ sabbatical. She is also a professor in the English Language and Literature department, and current Chairperson of the Saint Mary’s University Academic Senate.

How did this Homecoming talk come about?

“It’s intended to provoke reflection on the growing relevance of this field of study for the complex world we live in, and the often erroneous assumptions that its scope and topics are of interest only to women/girls. The program at Saint Mary’s has been growing steadily over the last two decades … the talk is meant to show the breadth and depth of the field of study and its importance for anyone who is interested in how we inhabit the world around us as richly diverse human beings, and in the nature of identity and its enmeshment with larger social, cultural and political structures.”

Who do you hope will tune in for this virtual presentation?

We are delighted to be able to address the SMU Alumni group with this topic. We hope they will spread the word more widely and that we may be able to address parents of prospective and current students, as well as students themselves.

Can you tell us about the new undergraduate minor launching soon?

The program faculty has worked hard on putting together the minor for Fall 2021. We are thrilled that students will be able to take the minor to complement and strengthen their major areas of study. In addition to gender studies, the minor provides the opportunity to study sexuality, which makes it the first of its kind in this region. Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies offers theoretical and methodological advantages in understanding complex social worlds and addressing pressing global problems, such as the dynamics of migration, uneven global power geometries and climate change. The new minor is uniquely positioned to engage students in investigating how the big issues in the contemporary world are underpinned by social divisions including those based on sex and gender, as well as how issues addressed by sexual politics are often a key catalyst for activism and change.

Can you address the growing need for Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies in the 21st century?

The history of the program is extremely important to remember, just as it is important to remember the social, political and cultural conditions that precipitated the birth of the field in the first place. Many of these unfavourable conditions we haven't yet fully overcome. At the same time, this program and area of study has shown willingness to reflect on its own boundaries and to debate them while actively negotiating change and the possibility of improvement. This is its main strength, and what makes it a vibrant, living, evolving field of study of continued and growing relevance to the 21st century.

Even a cursory glance at the headlines over the last five years will reveal topics that have grown in global importance such as the #MeToo movement and its implications for social policy and legal frameworks; continued gender and wage inequalities; persistent inequalities in division of labour within the home; migration and refugeeism and their intersections with gendered identities and access to services and supports; racism and discrimination in all their guises as they intersect and interact with gender and sexuality; discourses of equity, diversity and inclusion and their implications for gender and sexuality, and more. As a global community, these are the challenges that we have been grappling with increasingly, and this is precisely what we study in WGSS, how to understand them and how to provide some of the solutions.

Homecoming 2020 takes place from September 30 to October 4. Two more Back to the Classroom events include #BLM and Steps to Become Anti-Racist with Dr. Rachel Zellars (Oct. 1), and Putting the "Science" into "Forensic Science" with Dr. Timothy Frasier (Oct. 2). For the complete schedule and to register for Homecoming events, see smu.ca/alumni/alumni-events.html.

Major Canadian Forensic Psychology Conference held virtually at Saint Mary’s

On Friday, September 25, a conference organized and hosted by the Forensic Psychology department at Saint Mary’s was attended by approximately 400 registrants from five continents.

The virtual conference featured keynote speakers Judge Halfpenny-MacQuarrie, provincial court judge and judge of the Donald Marshall Centre for Reconciliation and Justice presenting “Decolonizing the Court: Wagmatcook First Nation”; Dr. Amy-May Leach, Professor of Forensic Psychology at Ontario Tech University presenting “Detecting Deception During a Pandemic”; and Dr. Michael Seto, Forensic Research Director at the Royal Ottawa Health Care Group, on “What Do We Know About Online Sexual Offending?”

“Canada is a world leader in forensic psychology research, and Saint Mary’s prominence in this field has increased considerably,” said Dr. Veronica Stinson, who organized the event along with Saint Mary’s Psychology colleague Dr. Meg Ternes.

“The idea of organizing this conference is the product of typical friendly, collegial conversations between colleagues. Organic conversations among colleagues—faculty and students—are often found in the hallways and open offices of our floor; this environment provided fertile ground for research and related ideas to flourish.”

Along with the keynote speakers, this conference was 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.

Gena Dufour, a second-year Master’s student, will present her innovative research that explores how Canadian sentencing rulings are affected by victim impact statements, and whether victim impact statements at sentencing trigger expressions of remorse from offenders. At a time when we are on the journey of healing from Canada’s worst mass murder, the hundreds of victims—including those who survived the massacre— may be looking to have their voices heard in court in the civil case. The research looks at sentencings, and there may also be bigger lessons to be learned from this study.

Kailey Roche, an alumna of our Master’s program (“An Exploration of Sexual Health in those with Sexual Interest in Children”), and Martina Faitakis (“A Screening Scale for Hebephilic Interests: A Preliminary Analysis”) and Brandon Burgess (“Criminal Trajectories of Adult-Onset Sex Offenders”), current second-year Master’s students, are also presenting their research at this conference, as are Kamelle LePage (“Canadian Victim Impact Statements”), Jennifer McArthur (Silence in the interrogation room”) and Samantha Perry (“Give me a Number:

Evaluating the Effect of Disclosing the Number of Photos in Sequential Line-up Instructions on Eyewitness Identification Decisions.”

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.

Saint Mary’s University announces mix of online and in-person classes for Winter 2021

See more information for students

See more information for faculty and staff

Saint Mary’s University will deliver a mix of online and in-person classes for the winter term beginning in January 2021.

The university’s plans were communicated to students, faculty, and staff today in messages from Saint Mary’s University President Dr. Robert Summerby-Murray.

“The combination of what we have learned over the summer, the successful start of the Fall Term and the health and safety protocols and resources we continue to put in place on our campus enables us to evolve and engage in greater access to campus and more in-person activities starting in January,” says President Summerby-Murray.

Undergraduate lectures will be delivered online primarily for first, second, and third-year courses and the goal is for every discipline to have opportunities for on-campus experiences, including small class discussion groups, experiential courses, labs, seminars and tutorials. There will also be opportunities for graduate students to meet on campus and in-person in small groups. Other in-person activities will be designed to allow students to experience more peer-to-peer learning, build community, and increase overall engagement. 

For any students unable or not comfortable moving forward with in-person experiences during the Winter 2021 term, online options will remain available.

“I want to give credit, where credit is due. This step forward is only possible due the efforts of members of our local and campus community and your dedication to public health and safety,” says President Summerby-Murray. “Thank you for your commitment to your fellow Santamarians and Nova Scotians. It is your work that is allowing the university to gradually introduce more access to campus.”  

A recent example of this gradual access to campus is the opening of the Homburg Centre for Health and Wellness for both gym members and students by appointment.  Varsity athletes are also resuming training and practicing at the Homburg Centre and on the field, following strict health and safety protocols.

“Our success depends on everyone continuing to do their part,” says President Summerby-Murray. “Let us continue to tackle this pandemic the way we handle everything at Saint Mary’s —together.”

Saint Mary's Clean Catch Baits wins the Atlantic Canada 2020 AquaHacking Challenge

Left: Robel Berhane, Chief Financial Officer: Top right: Katherine vanZutphen, Operations Manager; Bottom right: Guillermo Villarreal De Lara, President & CEO

Clean Catch Baits, a company that creates biodegradable fishing lures, is the winner of the inaugural Atlantic Canada 2020 AquaHacking Challenge. 

Based out of Saint Mary’s University, Clean Catch Baits decided to address the challenge of microplastics in fishing gear. Their winning solution to this problem is a 100% biodegradable, PVC-free soft-bait fishing lure for recreational fishing, developed through a unique organic biopolymer solution. The people behind the idea and the company are Robel Berhane, Chief Financial Officer and a 4th year undergraduate student in Commerce; Guillermo Villarreal De Lara BComm’20, President & CEO; and Katherine vanZutphen BComm’20, Operations Manager.

“We are very happy to be the inaugural AquaHacking Challenge winners here in the Atlantic region,” says Guillermo Villarreal, CEO, Clean Catch Baits. “With this prize, we can expand the scope of our business and bring this solution into the hands of anglers across Atlantic Canada.”

The Atlantic Canada AquaHacking Challenge is a start-up competition designed to support technology and business development addressing environmental problems related to water. Through the Challenge, they then develop their solution into commercially viable products or services and establish start-up companies.

The following is a list of the five finalists, their rewards, and placements:

• 1st = Clean Catch Baits - $20,000

• 2nd = Well Warriors - $15,000

• 3rd = WIDE - $10,000

• 4th = ExTech MIP - $2,500

• 5th = What the Well $2,500

The teams can also match funds through the Mitacs Accelerate Entrepreneur program thanks to a national partnership between Mitacs Canada and Aqua Forum.

“Congratulations to all the organizers, sponsors and above all the finalists in the 2020 Atlantic Canada AquaHacking Challenge!” says Désirée McGraw, President & CEO of Aqua Forum. “I salute your ingenuity and for your commitment to a better future by solving wicked water problems. I am particularly pleased that, for the first time in the history of AquaHacking Challenges, a solution addressing the critical issue of microplastics wins. I cannot wait to see what the future holds for you and all the finalist teams. Thank you again for your dedication and for your participation.”

The AquaHacking Challenge is an initiative of Aqua Forum founded by the de Gaspé Beaubien Foundation in 2015 to support technology and business development addressing environmental problems related to freshwater. After five successful years in the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Basin, AquaHacking went national for 2020 with regional competitions across Canada.

The Atlantic Canada 2020 AquaHacking Challenge is powered by the RBC Foundation, with support from the de Gaspé Beaubien Foundation along with other national and local sponsors.

For more information on the competition, the companies and their solutions, visit:  https://aquahacking.com/en/2020-atlanticcanada/.

Saint Mary’s Scientists Awarded $1.6 Million in NSERC Research Funding

With an ongoing focus on research excellence at Saint Mary’s, we are proud to announce significant funding from Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) again this year in recognition of the talent and hard work of our dedicated research faculty. 

It was recently announced that nine Faculty of Science researchers at Saint Mary’s will receive funding worth more than $1.6-million over five years from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) for their Discovery Grants.

Their work wide-ranging topics, from collagen fibril structures 1000 times thinner than a human hair to supermassive black holes, and disparate ways we can improve our natural world, from remediating historic contamination of earth to discovering more environmentally-responsible farming practices. The common bond between these vastly different scientific fields is the pursuit of knowledge that will change the way we understand our world and the Universe.

"It is exciting to celebrate the success of our SMU Science researchers,” said Dr. Lori Francis, acting Dean of Science. “These NSERC awards reflect the high quality and impactful research taking place at Saint Mary’s. This new funding will support our researchers'  innovative, ground-breaking research as well as support remarkable research opportunities for our undergraduate and graduate students.”

The Discovery Grants Program, NSERC’s largest program, supports ongoing natural sciences and engineering research projects with long-term goals. In addition to promoting and maintaining a diversified base of high-quality research at Canadian universities, Discovery Grants help provide a stimulating environment for student research training.

“The ongoing success of these science professors in securing federal funding support for their research at Saint Mary’s continues to be a reflection of the truly world-class contributions being made to both fundamental and applied science knowledge,” said Dr. Adam Sarty, Associate Vice-President, Research and Dean, Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research. 

“The professors who’ve received these research grants range from senior research professors, including one of our Canada Research Chairs, to early career researchers – with three of them having only joined SMU within the last two years – so we can see these research contributions, and the associated involvement of students in research, continuing solidly forward. And we highlight that four of these nine new awards are to researchers hailing from one Department, engaged in the most fundamental of science research topics: astrophysical processes governing the formation and evolution of stars, black holes, and galaxies!” 

Selection for the Discovery Grants Program is based on peer review recommendations. These grants are designed to support ongoing research programs with long-term goals. Thanks to their long term, typically five years, they give researchers the flexibility to explore the most promising avenues of research as they emerge.

Congratulations to all, this research work in the Faulty of Science, and across the entire university, is exciting and inspiring. Details about the exciting work our faculty members are doing is found below.Dr. Linda Campbell, Environmental Science

Abandoned legacy gold mine sites from the 1800s to early 1900s still present severe environmental contamination issues in 64 Nova Scotia gold districts, with arsenic and mercury levels frequently exceeding environmental guidelines in soil, sediment, surface water and groundwater in all districts. Since the historical gold ore extraction process required vast amounts of fresh water, most, if not all, legacy gold mine ore processing and tailing sites are situated close to (or are within) wetlands. Risks as contaminants transfer up food webs include decreased functionality, negative economic impacts, and potential ecosystem and human health hazards.

Recently Dr. Campbell and her team completed major surveys of freshwater areas impacted legacy gold mine tailing sites, with promising results for improved survivability of invertebrates and lower concentrations of arsenic and mercury in the overlying water. The next step is to test and refine application formulations to better mimic environmental conditions found in legacy gold tailing wetlands, with a long-term objective to finalize the reactive capping formulation and confirm the feasibility for use in contaminated wetlands.

Dr. David Chiasson, Biology

Improving symbiotic performance for enhanced plant nutrition

A central goal of sustainable agricultural practice is to provide nutritious food and plant products while minimizing the impact on the environment. Legume plants are a key component of sustainable agriculture since they form a symbiosis with nitrogen-fixing soil bacteria (rhizobia), reducing our reliance upon applied nitrogen fertilizers. 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 water contamination. 

The long-term goal of my program is to understand the molecular, biochemical, and genetic mechanisms that underlie the legume-rhizobial symbiosis, providing the knowledge base for strategies aimed at improving the value of legume plants in agriculture. Collectively, the multi-disciplinary research program will address key unresolved questions in the field of legume research and provide advanced training opportunities for the next generation of scientists. As the demand for plant protein is steadily increasing, legumes are positioned to fulfill the need due to their protein-rich seeds and environmental advantages. This pivotal research is both timely and essential as we move towards a future of more environmentally-responsible farming practices in Canada.

Dr. Greg Christian, Astronomy and Physics

Direct and Indirect Measurements of Astrophysical Capture Reactions

The vast majority of the elements making up the world around us were formed through sequences of nuclear reactions and decays occurring in stars. These nuclear processes are responsible for energy generation in quiescent stellar burning, as well as stellar explosions such as novae, supernovae, and X-ray bursts. At the same time, these reaction/decay chains transmutate the initial “seed” elements (hydrogen and helium, formed in the Big Bang) into heavier species - eventually filling nearly the entire periodic table. 

The overarching goal of this research project is to better understand the rates of key reactions which have a significant impact on nucleosynthesis and/or energy generation in stellar burning and stellar explosions. The rates of key reactions - which have been identified in sensitivity studies involving computer simulations of stellar processes - will be studied through direct and indirect measurements using stable and rare-isotope beams from the TRIUMF/ISAC accelerator facility. 

Dr. Luigi Gallo, Astronomy and Physics

The Ins and Outs of Black Hole Accretion

A supermassive black hole that is millions or even billions of times more massive than the Sun resides at the centres of most galaxies. Some of these monsters are so active that they can make the surrounding material shine brighter than all the stars in its host galaxy. The material closest to the black hole, just as it is about to plunge beyond the point of no return, is so hot it radiates X-rays and it is subjected to the most violent conditions in the Universe. The extreme gravity of the black hole can tear stars apart and fling matter around at velocities close to the speed of light before it is finally ingested. Sometimes this material can be hurled so violently that it is completely ejected from the black hole region and deposited into the galactic neighbourhood where it may have a resounding effect on the conditions in the host galaxy.   

Observing these active galaxies with space-based X-ray observatories may be the only way to study the exotic physics at work in the black hole environment. What does the environment look like? How is material falling into the black hole and what is it made of? How does material near a black hole get ejected from the system? How does this ejecta influence the host galaxy that the black hole resides in? These are only a few questions that my team will be tackling over the course of this work to try understanding how black holes grow and galaxies evolve.  

Dr. Vincent Hénault-Brunet, Astronomy and Physics

Dynamically probing the dark side of globular clusters: from central black holes to the Milky Way halo

Dr. Hénault-Brunet’s research examines the dynamics of globular clusters, extremely compact and old collections of up to a million stars found in the outer parts of galaxies. By combining dynamical models, statistical techniques, and detailed observations of the motions of stars in these systems, he will investigate how they are affected (through gravity) by the presence of otherwise invisible mass, such as black holes and other stellar remnants in cluster cores or dark matter in our Milky Way galaxy. Shining light on the dark side of globular clusters will not only lead to a better understanding of their composition, origin and evolution, but it will also provide much needed information on the formation of black holes in dense stellar environments.

Dr. Stavros Konstantinidis

Representational, Algorithmic and Applied Aspects of Word Relations

In many areas of Computing Science, entities of interest are represented in the form of strings of characters or digits, and a relation among n entities is represented as a set of n-string tuples. Such a relation is called an n-ary relation. Computation theory  provides (i) methods to represent a possibly infinite word relation as a finite object (ii) algorithms that operate on these finite objects (iii) methods to establish whether algorithmic questions on these objects are hard or even undecidable. Motivated by applications of n-ary relations in program security, graph databases and bioinformatics, the proposed research will investgate representation of rational relations as n-ary regular expressions as well as the intersection problem of rational relations (intersecting two rational relations does not always result into a rational relation). Moreover, approximation and randomized algorithms for hard questions on rational relations will be investigated. Unlike ordinary regular expressions, the area of n-ary regular expressions has not been invesigated thoroughly in the past. The proposed research will establish new technical tools on n-ary relations that will enrich our body of knowledge on the topic and will provide opportunities for high quality training of HQP.

Dr. Jason Masuda, Chemistry

Stabilization of Unique Chemical Bonding Environments and Exploration of Small Molecule Reactivity

Work in the research group lead by Dr. Masuda is focussed on the preparation of new functional groups specific groups. Functional groups are arrangements of atoms within molecules that have characteristic properties, such as aldehydes, ketones, and alcohols. Chemists have a general understanding of how normal functional groups react. In the Masuda group, new arrangements of atoms are targeted and once isolated, the physical properties are studied as well as how they react with other molecules.  Most importantly, student researchers in the Masuda Group learn transferrable skills, such as critical thinking and organizational skills, that will assist them as they move on in their careers.

Dr. Marcin Sawicki, Astronomy and Physics

Exploring Cosmic Noon and Cosmic Dawn with JWST Guaranteed Time Observations

The launch of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) in 2021 will transform the understanding of the distant Universe. Since 2003, Dr. Sawicki, a core and founding member of the JWST Near-IR Imager and Slitless Spectrograph team, has been anticipating this launch, and plans to use 200 hours of his team’s allocation to carry out a dedicated program to study the evolution of low-mass galaxies across cosmic time. At nearly half of Canada’s Guaranteed Time Observer time, these data will represent a once-in-a-career opportunity for the group. This work will focus on the evolution and role of low-mass galaxies, which are the most numerous galaxies in the Universe. The primary goal of this program is to understand their properties, impact, and evolution over cosmic time.

During the term of the grant, the team will also finish a ongoing key projects that use the massive CLAUDS+HSC imaging dataset that probe the distant universe to an unprecedented combination of depth and area, and will then publicly release this fantastic dataset to the community.

Dr. Sam Veres, Engineering

Development, control, and functional significance of variations in collagen fibril nanostructure, with application to the creation of novel biomaterials

Arguably the most important structural protein to both humans and animals, collagen fibrils fulfill the tensile load-bearing requirements of tissues such as bone, tendon, ligament, and cartilage. Due to their critical role in our normal function, collagen fibrils have been the subject of ongoing research for the past six decades. Fibrils typically have diameters ranging from 50 to 250 nm, about 1000 times thinner than a human hair. Being of similar scale to the wavelength of visible light, the structural details of collagen fibrils can’t be visualized with normal light microscopy, requiring techniques like electron or atomic force microscopy.

Using a wide array of nanoscale structural characterization techniques, and mechanical, thermal, and enzymatic degradability testing of individual collagen fibrils, questions regarding when, how, and why the collagen fibril structures of functionally distinct tendons diverge during development will be explored. The research program could offer significant improvements to those materials currently used for bone tissue repair in orthopaedic surgery and the technologies created will ideally lead to commercial product developments here in Canada.

The Homburg Centre for Health and Wellness to reopen Monday, September 21, 2020

The Homburg Centre for Health and Wellness and SMUfit is reopening for students, community members, faculty, and staff.

On Monday, September 21st, the Homburg Centre will open for SMUfit gym operations. The Department of Athletics and Recreation is excited to welcome the community back to the Homburg Centre and to reassure the community that there will be strong systems and protocols in place to support a positive and safe experience required during the COVID-19 pandemic.

There are a number of modifications and enhancements outlined here.

As part of this reopening, varsity student-athletes and their teams will begin training and practicing on campus following strict guidelines that align with the directives of public health.

Homburg Centre staff have been hard at work throughout the pandemic, and all modifications are being done with the health and safety of the entire community in mind.

SMU researcher to look at impact of COVID-19 pandemic on student-athletes

Dr. Cheryl MacDonald

Atlantic University Sport (AUS) student-athletes have found themselves in an unusual predicament since the cancellation of national championships last season and the current sporting season being on hold as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many classes have moved online and there are no current decisions regarding the status of AUS schedules in 2021.

After having conducted previous research with this demographic, Dr. Cheryl MacDonald of the Centre for the Study of Sport & Health at Saint Mary’s University has shifted her focus to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the everyday lives of AUS student-athletes. Participants between their second and fifth year of sport eligibility will be asked to complete an online survey and photo sharing exercise aimed at examining how their activities, relationships, and mental health may have been affected since March of this year.

“From both an academic and administrative perspective, it’s important to hear from the student-athletes themselves about how they are doing with the changes they have experienced,” said Dr. MacDonald. “We have an opportunity here to document their experiences and perhaps use that information to determine how to better support them right now, in the transition back to sport participation, and maybe beyond that.”

Dr. MacDonald is a sport sociologist who is best known for her research on masculinity and ice hockey, but university-level athletes have been participants in her studies since 2009. Her work has been published in the Sociology of Sport Journal, she has a forthcoming anthology on social issues in ice hockey, and she has twice been a media panellist for the Hockey is for Everyone initiative on behalf of the National Hockey League’s Edmonton Oilers. When the COVID-19 pandemic halted her most recent study on gender and sexuality education in ice hockey, she used the pause as an opportunity to change directions and find a way to serve the athletes with whom she was already working.

This survey and photo sharing project on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on AUS student-athletes’ lives will require between 30 and 90 minutes to complete because it involves some short answer questions and will thus depend on how participants respond. We have removed the collection of IP addresses in an attempt to anonymize responses and participants are cautioned to not include any names of people or places, to block out any university or team logos using emojis or other digital shapes, and to avoid sharing any criminal content (obscenity, illegal substances, etc.).

Click here to take the survey in either English or French.

SMU joins Atlantic universities offering region-wide virtual events for student entrepreneurs

Seven universities in Atlantic Canada are co-ordinating efforts to engage and support student entrepreneurs by hosting virtual workshops this fall.

Five virtual workshops and an additional three virtual fireside chats for female-identifying students will be hosted by different participating institutions. Students across all campuses are eligible to attend for free.

The fireside chats, titled Women Leading Startups, are in partnership with the Canadian Ecosystem Gathering and aim to provide additional support and inspiration for female-identifying students, who are traditionally under-represented in entrepreneurship. The chats will introduce students to women who have founded high-growth startups in Canada and allow them to network in a safe and dedicated virtual space.

Two of the workshops, How do I entrepreneur? and Stayin’ lean, are supported by Propel, an online accelerator for technology startups in Atlantic Canada.

The post-secondary institutions participating in these workshops include:

·       Cape Breton University

·       Dalhousie University

·       Memorial University of Newfoundland

·       Mount St. Vincent University

·       Saint Mary’s University

·       University of New Brunswick

·       University of Prince Edward Island

Florian Villaumé, director of the Memorial Centre for Entrepreneurship at Memorial University in St. John’s, N.L., says the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has provided an opportunity to reach more students through virtual events and by co-ordinating efforts between all the universities.

“Having most students studying online has opened new opportunities to inspire and enable aspiring student entrepreneurs,” said Mr. Villaumé. “With the support of Propel and Canadian Ecosystem Gathering, we are collectively investing in the future of student-led startups. This collaboration will create a strong connection between entrepreneurial students across the region, thus making the foundation of the Atlantic Canada startup ecosystem stronger.”

The workshops include topics such as: How do I entrepreneur?, Uncover the right idea; Stayin’ lean and Take on tech.

“Creating a culture of innovation and increasing awareness of available programming across the Atlantic region is amplified by this effort,” said Jeff Larsen, executive director of innovation and entrepreneurship at Dalhousie University. “By working collaboratively, we are able to expand our networks and reach to allow students, academics and community members exposure to the markets, opportunities and experiences that exist outside their home institution.”

The first workshop, How do I entrepreneur?, will be held on Sept. 24.

MA graduate Grace McNutt finds the perfect hobby for a funny historian

Grace McNutt

Finishing a graduate degree is a monumental task, one that requires dedication, perseverance, and the internal motivation to complete a self-directed thesis.

While working on her Master of Arts thesis, recent graduate Grace McNutt also found time for a side project, a history podcast which allows her to share her passion for Canadian history.

The arrangement happened by chance, when Grace’s friend and co-host Linnea Swinimer, who she met at the Halifax Curling Club, recommended her as “a funny person who likes history” to Halifax podcast producer Marc Boudreau at BNV Media. Grace took that offhand mention and ran with it, writing a successful proposal for a funny Canadian podcast— with a twist.

“This is my moment, this is my opportunity to do a hobby I’d love,” Grace said with a laugh. “I love podcasts and I love history podcasts.”

Grace’s take on Canadian history is unique; she uses iconic Canadian Heritage Minute ads as a launching point to dig deeper into interesting historical figures and topics.

“The most transcendental piece of Canadian history, that everyone from history buffs to history newbs knows about, are Canadian Heritage Minutes,” said Grace.

 “When you only have a minute to talk about a topic, what crazy stories do you have to leave out of Canadian history? We expand that minute to an hour-long story – what else is there about this person?”

The weekly podcast, with 30 episodes and counting, is called MinuteWomen. It uncovers the “funny, weird, and terrifying stories left out of Canada’s national history. Recent episodes on Nova Scotian activist Viola Desmond, basketball inventor James Naismith, Laura Secord (the hero, not the chocolate shop!), and the dark underworld of maple syrup are illuminating, clever, and funny.

Grace, co-host and resident historian, says “Linnea is my guinea pig audience, who I force to listen to things I find interesting. It’s such a fun hobby, it has kept me so engaged during the pandemic.”

 Her thesis, which she completed under the supervision of advisor Dr. Peter Twohig, explores the development of the Indian Affairs Department in Nova Scotia, the treatment of the Mi’kmaq and indigenous people of Nova Scotia, and compares their experience with the experience of indigenous peoples in the rest of Canada.   

After completing her Bachelor of Arts Honours in History at Cape Breton University, Grace followed in her parents’ footsteps to pursue a Master of Arts in Atlantic Canadian Studies at Saint Mary’s; her parents graduated with the same degrees in the 1990s. She’s now investigating PhD programs in Nova Scotia and Ontario where she can further pursue her Master’s thesis topic, after taking a well-deserved gap year.

Patrick Power Library gets bookable

Starting next week, the Library is open for bookings for individual study space- including computer terminals, tables, carrels and study rooms- from 2-5pm, Monday-Friday. Local students can book space at https://outlook.office365.com/owa/calendar/PatrickPowerLibrary1@smuhalifax.onmicrosoft.com/bookings/

The Paging Service continues, in which members of the Saint Mary’s community (students, faculty and staff) can put a hold on a book through the online catalogue, and make an appointment for curbside pick-up. Pick-up appointments are available between 12-5 pm, Monday to Friday.

The University Archives is also open for appointments only. Appointments are limited to 2 hours and are available between 10 am and 4 pm, Monday to Friday, based on staff availability. Material to be viewed must be requested in advance, so library staff can retrieve the items. A minimum of 24 hours of notice is required for appointments.

At this time, appointments are limited to faculty, staff, and students of Saint Mary’s University.

On-site Archives staff may be able to provide remote research/reference services and limited scanning of certain materials; contact hansel.cook@smu.ca for details.

Virtual Homecoming: an opportunity to reconnect alumni across the world

Homecoming provides our alumni with the opportunity to reconnect with former classmates and faculty, bringing the Santamarian community together to celebrate their time at Saint Mary’s. This year carries a few important milestones, including the 35th anniversary of the Fred Smithers Centre, the 25th anniversary of the Women and Gender Studies program and the 20th anniversary of the Forensic Science program.

 “Although we can’t be in person this year, we are excited for what a virtual homecoming can provide,” says Chantal Caissie, BA’13 Alumni Officer. “The virtual events will give us the unique ability to reconnect with alumni who live in other parts of Canada or around the world that would not normally attend Homecoming events.”

 The two main events presented over the Homecoming weekend, Back to the Classroom and SMU After Hours, will be hosted online this year. This means that the university has the unique opportunity to invite speakers who may not have participated in the past due to their location. These events consist of professor lectures and panels to celebrate the important milestones of the Fred Smithers Centre, Women and Gender Studies and Forensic Science programs.

 To celebrate the golden grads this year, the university has contacted members of the class of 1970 to gather photos and messages to create a nostalgic video. With the help of a playlist compiled of hit music from that year, the hope is to inspire fond memories for the grads.

Virtual Homecoming means bringing Saint Mary’s home, not matter where that might be.

To register and find out about this year’s Homecoming events visit: https://news.smu.ca/homecoming