Dr. Rowland Marshall Prize in the Science of New Energy awarded to Taylor Lynk

Dr. Rowland Marshall and Taylor Lynk

Saint Mary’s University is pleased to announce that Taylor Lynk, a fourth year Bachelor of Science student, is the winner of the inaugural Dr. Rowland Marshall Prize in the Science of New Energy.

Lynk, from Marion Bridge in Cape Breton, will complete her B.Sc. with Honours in Chemistry degree with a Diploma in Forensic Science this year. She is working on her honours project with the supervision of Dr. Christa Brosseau.

The prize will be presented annually to a full-time student enrolled in the Faculty of Science at Saint Mary’s University, for a paper on something new and innovative related to the study of new energy – with particular interest in renewable resources and energy. The award is given for a completed paper or it can be used as seed funding for a thesis. The concept must be explained in fewer than 500 words, supported by images or diagrams as appropriate. When selecting a recipient, the judges consider three variables:

• Recognition of the student’s existing work on new energy sources
• Incubation opportunity for research in new energy
• Incentive for an innovative approach to new energy sources

“Congratulations to Taylor Lynk on receiving the 2017 Prize in the Science of New Energy for her research and paper. Taylor's attainment is specially significant in that this is the first award of this particular new prize in the Science Faculty here at Saint Mary's. Well done, Taylor,” said Dr. Marshall.

The winning paper explores a way to use green materials to synthesize nanomaterials in an environmentally benign way to allow for continued growth of the nanotechnology field.

Working with fellow students in Dr. Brosseau’s lab, she tested using avocado pit extract as an alternative to harsh chemical reducing and capping agents commonly used in noble metal nanoparticle synthesis.

Lynk explained that using avocado pits was an idea conceived by herself and fellow researcher, Osai Clarke, when they were inspired to make use of the waste from a fellow student's lunch. “The avocado pit is a byproduct of avocado processing, so this project could potentially be a good solution for diverting some of the waste generated from avocado consumption,” she said.

She found that this renewable waste product demonstrated superior performance over traditional counterparts, which is a key step in implementing the replacement of chemical feedstocks with sustainable options. This method could be valuable for future large-scale plasmonic applications such as in plasmon-enhanced solar cell technology.

Along with the Dr. Rowland Marshall prize, Lynk has maintained a renewable entrance scholarship with academic achievement increases over two years. She won “Best Undergraduate Oral Presentation in Analytical Chemistry” at the 2017 Science Atlantic Chemistry Conference (ChemCon), two Department awards for “Scholarly Achievements and Academic Excellence in Chemistry,” and has been on the Dean’s List since her first year at Saint Mary’s.

Dr. Rowland Marshall’s connection to Saint Mary’s University spans 55 years. Along with his late wife Margó Takacs Marshall, the former philosophy professor has established a variety of student awards. In 2017, on Canada’s 150th anniversary, he is happy to be still involved in the university’s evolution and success.

Saint Mary's team presents Hackathon concept to five Federal ministers in Ottawa

(L-R)Mandy Hoyt, Senior Policy Analyst with Data Strategies & Development at ESDC; Chelsea-Leigh Robinson-Sharman, Junior Policy Analyst with Strategic and Service Policy/Open Data & Open Government at ESDC; Sandy Kyriaki, Chief Data Officer for Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC); Doug Woodworth, Senior Director of Data Strategies & Development at Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC); Sunil Udhayakumar, CDA student; Keith Bain, Graduate Program Manager; Raj Sonani, CDA student; Matt Triff, CDA student; Patrick Charette, Manager of Strategic and Service Policy/Open Data & Open Government at ESDC

Saint Mary’s Master of Science in Computing and Data Analytics (CDA) students Matt Triff, Sunil Udhayakumar, and Raj Sonani, along with Graduate Program Manager Keith Bain, were invited by Employment and Social Development Canada to participate in a National Poverty Conference in Ottawa recently.

As guest speakers at the “Working Towards a Canadian Poverty Reduction Strategy” event, the CDA students shared their experiences developing, organizing, and participating in Hackathon events.

Using real-life examples, the team discussed how data from multiple sources could be used to find innovative solutions to social challenges we face in Canada, and shared their experiences in using advanced computing and data analytics techniques and tools to lead to creative solutions for the government and private sector.

Federal ministers attending the event included: 

• The Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development;
• Louise Levonian, Deputy Minister, Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC);
• The Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Agriculture;
• The Honourable Jody Wilson-Raybould, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada; and
• Adam Vaughan, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development.

“The longer-term goal is to organize a hackathon focused on poverty issues through the MSc CDA program, analysing huge data sets to generate new ideas and innovations that could potentially help improve service delivery in key areas,” said Mr. Bain.

“At Saint Mary’s we are always fostering a creative environment where our students can use Data science in every day to day situations to improve the way we live,” wrote the team after their presentation.

Retail innovation focus of new Saint Mary’s University partnership

Vince Kennedy and Ryan Jackson, co-founders of BluShll

Innovation and the future of the retail sector were the focus of an event at the Halifax Seaport Farmers’ Market. 

“Encouraging innovation is fundamental to the change our province needs,” said Labi Kousoulis, Minister of Labour and Advanced Education. “It is important for our entrepreneurs to have the supports in place to help take their ideas to the next level, and that we celebrate these successes.”

The event, held during National Retail Week, celebrates some of the early results of a Memorandum of Understanding signed between Saint Mary’s University and the Halifax Seaport Farmers’ Market. The agreement established a retail space at the market called The Shelf, representing the first outpost of the David Sobey Centre for Innovation in Retailing and Services’ Retail Imagination Lab.

“We established The Shelf to support our local producers and artisans,” said Julie Chaisson, executive director of the Halifax Seaport Farmers’ Market. “This partnership will allow us to extend our support into new areas of innovation and technology that may not otherwise have been possible.”

Retail innovations range widely, from data-informed store layouts to video shelf talkers and robot sales associates, to virtual reality online and interactive digital environments. The Shelf will provide a setting to carry out pilot projects in a controlled space, with researchers there to observe, record and analyze the results.

“Studying consumer behavior in a real retail setting is a daunting task, but our professors and students embrace this challenge,” said Saint Mary’s University president Robert Summerby-Murray. “Through our partnership with the Halifax Seaport Farmers’ Market, we combine exceptional researchers with experts on local businesses in the retail sector to create an environment where innovation can take shape.”

BluShll, a student-led business from Saint Mary’s that helps shoppers quickly and easily learn more about the products they buy, recently tested their product at The Shelf.  BluShll helps to satisfy the desire of the socially-conscious consumer for more information about where products are sourced and to learn more about the company that sells them.

“The Shelf was an amazing venue for us to test our product and hear directly from consumers,” said Ryan Jackson, co-founder of BluShll. “We received some great feedback from people visiting the market that will be instrumental in taking our product to the next level as we prepare to develop it to enter the market.”

Enactus Saint Mary’s expand Square Roots Token Program before departure to Enactus World Cup

(Left to Right) King of Donair co-owner Nicholas Nahas; Basha Lebanese co-owner Chico Rashaydeh and his father, Khalas Rashaydeh; the Honourable Lena Metlege Diab; Saint Mary's University President Dr. Robert Summerby-Murray; Ray's Lebanese Cuisine owner Hady Bahliss; and Enactus Saint Mary's co-presidents Meredith Drost and Valerie Caswell. 

Enactus Saint Mary’s students are proving that business and social good can be one in the same. Enactus Saint Mary’s students created the Square Roots Token Program, which aims to help address food insecurity and reduce food waste in the province.

On Tuesday, September 19th, the newest restaurant to take part in their Square Roots Token Program was announced. King of Donair’s four locations on Quinpool Road, Lacewood Drive, Windmill Road and Sackville Drive, join pioneer restaurants Basha Lebanese on Inglis Street, Rys Mediterranean on Spring Garden Road, and Ray’s Lebanese Cuisine in Bayer’s Lake.

“I hate waste, especially when it comes to food which is why I was more than excited to join the Square Roots Token Program,” says Nicholas Nahas, co-owner of King of Donair. “I would love to see greater accessibility for the tokens and more businesses join so that food waste is not even a concern in the city. I believe in this the program and hope it succeeds not only as a business owner but as a graduate of Saint Mary's University.”

Two students holding the Square Roots tokens.

The program works by offering tokens for $5 which can be purchased and given to someone who is known or seen to be in need. The tokens are then redeemable by the recipient for a meal made from surplus food ingredients from partnering restaurants.

The announcement comes just ahead of the team’s departure for London, England, where they will pitch the Square Roots Token Program at the Enactus World Cup. The Enactus World Cup takes place from September 26-28, and will mark Enactus Saint Mary’s first time on the international stage.

“This is what we mean when we say Saint Mary’s students are citizens of the world,” says Saint Mary’s University President, Dr. Robert Summerby-Murray. “It’s thinking how your day-to-day work and activities, even while you’re a student, can have a beneficial impact on others outside the university, community and indeed around the world.”

Enactus is the largest student leadership organization in the world, striving to solve environmental, social and economic issues through entrepreneurial action. With over 150 students involved on campus, Enactus Saint Mary’s is one of the chapters leading the charge on the national, and soon to be, international scale.

“Our Square Roots Token Program began in April 2017 and we are so excited about the amazing response and support that we have received from our partnering restaurants in Nova Scotia,” says Meredith Drost, Co-President of Enactus. “It is truly inspiring to see the passion to reduce food waste in our own community from our customers and partners. Our team is also thrilled to have the opportunity share our program with the world when we travel to the Enactus World Exposition next week in London, England. We would not be here today without the amazing support of Saint Mary's University, the Sobey School of Business and the Business Development Centre.”

The Honourable Lena Metlege Diab attended the event today on behalf of Labour and Advanced Education Minister Labi Kousoulis to celebrate the program’s latest achievements.

"We all know that government alone does not have all the answers to the challenges we face. We have to look to the community and the private sector to find solutions. When this happens, we witness a powerful force for change,” says Ms. Metlege Diab.  "This new formula for success combines business acumen with social consciousness. It teaches us how human capital can be directed and best used. This will benefit our economy as a whole - and help us build a stronger Nova Scotia.”

As a show of support for the program, President Summerby-Murray said the University purchased 100 tokens to be delivered by the students to those in need. 

Saint Mary's Astrophysics student publishes star-gazing book for kids

John Read, a Saint Mary's Astrophysics student and author. 

John Read, a full-time Astrophysics student at Saint Mary’s, knows how to manage his time wisely. This summer he has published three (yes three) new books and republished another book. Along with his second novel (Callisto Deception) and 50 Targets for the Mid-Sized Telescope, he has written a children’s book: 50 Things to See with a Telescope – Kids.

Read, a self-described nerd, has long been interested in astronomy. He loved reading astronomy articles in National Geographic magazines as a child but it wasn’t until he got his first $14 telescope at Walgreens drugstore in his early 20s that it became a passion. He started photographing the sky, buying increasingly better sky-gazing equipment. He also joined a local astronomy club in California, and was awarded the Joe Disch award for volunteering at almost 50 star parties in a single year. 

He wrote his first book, 50 Things to See with a Small Telescope, upon discovering that many students who owned telescopes didn’t know how to use them. Self-published in 2013, it quickly became successful, often leading Amazon’s stargazing and astronomy best-seller lists. It has been translated into 10 languages.

“For me, it’s not enough to see the wonders of the universe with my own eyes: I have this unquenchable desire to share my experience with the world,” he wrote in a piece published this year in Popular Astronomy. 

About the book

Read says that his book was created in response to other astronomy books that either have too much detail for beginners, or too few pictures.

In 50 Things to See with a Telescope – Kids, each colourful page contains a telescope view feature, showing young stargazers how to view galaxies, nebulae and star clusters with a small telescope or binoculars.

Read says it would be appropriate for ages eight and up, and is a great way for kids and parents to understand the night sky and foster a love of astronomy.

 Quitting Your Day Job

Now in the second year of his BSc in Astrophysics at Saint Mary’s, Read, 34, has more life experience than most of his fellow students. He first graduated from Saint Mary’s in 2005 with a Bachelor of Commerce and started climbing the corporate ladder, taking on roles with increasing responsibility at a Fortune 500 company in California before retiring to pursue his passion.

He returned home to Nova Scotia with his wife and two toddlers, and he has some big post-graduation plans. He can envision working in academia, as well as working on large scale projects as a research scientist.

Saint Mary’s is home to one of the world’s few Twitter-controlled observatories, the Burke-Gaffney Observatory. Read envisions that similar technology could someday be leveraged, so that he can study from Halifax using shared equipment in the U.S. and around the world.

Hobbyists

For anyone interested in astronomy, Read recommends joining the Halifax chapter of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada. The group of over 200 amateur and professional astronomers hosts events such as Keji Dark Sky Weekends and the Nova East Star Party.

M.Sc. student Shelby Scott describes meaningful work in Forensic Sciences

Shelby Scott

M.Sc.-student Shelby Scott, a Forensic Anthropology student at Saint Mary’s University, has been putting her education to use in a meaningful way. She has recently returned to Halifax from Cyprus, where she was working with a group that identifies missing persons for the Committee on Missing Persons (CMP) in Cyprus. The CMP’s objective is to recover, identify and return to families the remains of 2000 people who went missing during conflict in the 1960s and 70s.

Shelby has also done forensic work in Thailand and South Africa and recently presented at the American Association of Physical Anthropologists (AAPA) conference in New Orleans, LA. She is supervised by Dr. Tanya Peckmann, Anthropology professor at Saint Mary’s and an experience forensic anthropologist.

She answered a few questions about her studies and her work in Cyprus.

Q. How did you get involved in this program in Cyprus?
I have always been interested in forensic anthropology in humanitarian contexts, and knew that I would need to investigate international opportunities in order to gain this kind of experience.

I got the two-month student contract after hearing about it from Dr. Claudia Garrido Varas, a member of my supervisory committee and a forensic adviser with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

Q. With whom did you work?

The Committee on Missing Persons (CMP) in Cyprus is a bi-communal body established in 1981 by the leaders of the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities with the participation of the United Nations.

The objective of the CMP is to recover, identify, and return to their families the remains of 2000 persons (501 Turkish Cypriots and 1,493 Greek Cypriots) who went missing during the inter-communal fighting of 1963 to 1964 and the events of 1974.

The CMP has three Members, two appointed respectively by the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities and a third Member selected by the International Committee of the Red Cross and appointed by the United Nations Secretary-General. 

The CMP also employs a bi-communal forensic team of more than 60 Greek and Turkish Cypriot archeologists, anthropologists, geneticists, and psychologists. I worked with a team of Greek and Turkish Cypriot forensic anthropologists at the CMP Anthropological Laboratory. 

What did you learn in this role, and was there anything you didn’t expect?

As a qualified graduate student, I have had the unique experience of working alongside CMP forensic anthropologists to clean, photograph, and analyze exhumed skeletal remains.

I was responsible for associating individual or fragmented bones with larger skeletal elements, and generating biological profiles to estimate the age, sex, and stature of the skeletal remains, as well as identifying particular pathologies, traumas, or dental characteristics. I also examined all clothing and personal effects found among the remains.

Many of the remains analyzed by the CMP are commingled and often severely fragmented, which makes skeletal reconstruction and identification difficult. As a result of these circumstances and the experience I have therefore gained, I have greatly enhanced my forensic anthropological skills, especially with regard to commingled and fragmented skeletal remains.

Another skill that I improved upon through this position is the analysis of juvenile skeletal remains (i.e. the remains of children). There are many Cypriot children that went missing as a result of the inter-communal fighting of 1963 to 1964 and the events of 1974; I was shocked by the number of juvenile remains that have been exhumed. Regardless of how long you have worked in this field, or how much experience you have as a forensic anthropologist, identifying the remains of juvenile victims of war will always be shocking and emotionally difficult.

That sounds like it was very meaningful work. Did you meet any of the families of victims?

Once the CMP formally identifies the remains of a missing person, the families concerned are informed without delay by the respective Cypriot Member of the Committee. Families notified of the identification of their missing relative(s) are offered the possibility to meet with scientists involved in the identification process and to view the remains in a facility located next to the CMP Anthropological Laboratory. 

While I was completing my contract in Cyprus, I did not have the opportunity to meet with the families of victims or participate in the return of remains. I likely would not have been able to do so had the opportunity arisen, as I do not speak Turkish or Greek.

However, in past positions I have been involved in through my degree at Saint Mary's University (the Nova Scotia Medical Examiner Service, for example), I have had the opportunity to meet the families of deceased individuals, and I find that it is always tragic yet rewarding. The raw grief of families and the confirmation that their loved ones are gone is overwhelmingly sad. But by identifying the remains of a family’s loved one they are able to arrange for a proper burial and end a long period of anguish and gain closure. I always try to think of that as a positive.

What are your plans for the future?

Having just completed my position with the CMP, I aim to finish my Masters thesis, tie up my various other research initiatives, and graduate with a Master of Science in Applied Science degree from Saint Mary's University. I aim to begin my PhD (Forensic Anthropology) in September 2018. Ideally, I will remain within the realm of academia throughout my career, while also engaging in consultation work internationally and within Canada.

Chemistry grad awarded prestigious postgraduate scholarship

Kyle Awalt

This fall, recent Saint Mary’s graduate Kyle Awalt is headed down under to pursue a Ph.D. in Medicinal Chemistry at the University of Monash in Melbourne, Australia. Kyle, who graduated this spring with a Bachelor of Science in Honours Chemistry, received a Monash Graduate Scholarship and Monash International Postgraduate Research Scholarship, two highly competitive awards worth roughly $70,000 a year. At Monash, Kyle will study under the supervision of Dr. Peter J. Scammells, Medicinal Chemistry Theme Leader and Associate Dean (Research) at Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University. Monash’s prestigious pharmacy program routinely ranks among the best in the world.

Since his second year of study, Kyle has worked as a research assistant to Dr. Robert Singer, current Chair of Saint Mary’s Department of Chemistry. Dr. Singer is a leader in green chemistry and a long-time collaborator of Dr. Scammells.

Kyle credits his experience at Saint Mary’s with his scholarly achievement. “My success has been driven by the paper I published and my work in Dr. Singer’s lab,” says Kyle. “I don’t think I would have had the same level of opportunity as an undergraduate at a larger school.”

Kyle’s undergraduate honours thesis led him to co-author a paper, Utility of iron nanoparticles and a solution-phase iron species for the N-demethylation of alkaloids, published in the peer-reviewed journal RSC (Royal Society of Chemistry) Green Chemistry. It describes a key step in the preparation of naloxone, a drug used to treat opiate overdoses, including fentanyl. Using green solvents and iron as a catalyst, Kyle and his co-authors optimized one of the chemical reactions necessary in the production of the potentially life-saving drug.

Given the current global opioid crisis, this work is particularly timely. “A relatively straight line can be drawn between what we’re doing in the lab and what happens in the real world,” says Kyle. “It’s very rewarding.”

In addition to Dr. Robert Singer, Saint Mary’s University, Kyle’s collaborators include Dr. Peter Scammells and others from the Universities of Monash and Nottingham.

After completing his Ph.D. at Monash University, Kyle plans to pursue postdoctoral studies in Europe. Ultimately, he would like to return as a faculty member at a Canadian institution.

"Small universities like Saint Mary's encourage collaboration and allow undergraduate students the opportunity to take ownership of their research,” says Kyle. “Ultimately, I hope to return to that as a professor.”

SMU Alumnus becomes Canadian citizen on Canada 150

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

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

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

— Stephen Robinson-Enebeli

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

13 Inuit leaders graduate with Sobey School Advanced Management Diploma

PhD candidate wins prestigious Vanier Scholarship

Amy Heim

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

About Vanier Scholarships

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

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

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

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

Saint Mary’s students embark on extraordinary archaeological expedition to Cuba

At Wednesday's media event, Dr. Jonathan Fowler showed students some of the equipment they'll be using in Cuba

Twelve Atlantic Canadian university students are about to embark on an extraordinary archaeological expedition to Cuba, spearheaded by Saint Mary’s University’s Department of Anthropology.

Aaron Taylor

From June 1 to 17, students from Saint Mary’s University, the University of New Brunswick, Memorial University, and Dalhousie University will be excavating artifacts at Cuba’s historic Angerona Coffee Plantation. The excavation is in partnership with Havana’s Cabinet of Archeology and the College of San Geronimo. The dig is the first collaboration of its kind between Cuban and North American students and archaeologists.

“I don’t believe anyone in the world is doing anything like this right now,” said Aaron Taylor, an alumnus of Saint Mary’s Anthropology and Atlantic Canada Studies programs who will serve as the program’s instructor. 

“One reason we’re being permitted to dig is because we’re from Canada, and Cuba and Canada have a good relationship,” said Taylor. “But the other reason is that Saint Mary’s wants to collaborate and make it a true joint Cuban-Canadian project.”

 

Angerona is a Cuban national historic site and former slave plantation, 80 kilometres east of Havana. During the 19th century it was one of the largest slave plantations in the Americas—yet little is known about the day-to-day lives of the people who lived there. The Canadian students, as well as a student from Cuba, will work to uncover artifacts and other evidence to create a more complete picture of those lives and how they fit into our knowledge of the Atlantic slave trade.

The trip is the first of what will be at least a five-year partnership between Saint Mary’s, Havana’s Cabinet of Archeology and the College of San Geronimo.

“As the world seems to be dividing into us-vs-them, it’s essential that young people get to experience another culture, one very different from theirs,” said Taylor. “Many Canadians know Cuba by its beaches, but not as much the people and the history. Cuba has been isolated for a long time in so many ways, so this is an exciting time, and an exciting project to be a part of.”