Master of Science student Corwin Trottier recognized by Mineralogical Association
CorwinTrottier
Congratulations to Master of Science in Applied Science candidate Corwin Trottier, recipient of a prestigious $5000 Mineralogical Association of Canada (MAC) Foundation Scholarship.
Corwin Trottier is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Applied Science under the supervision of geology professor Dr. Jacob Hanley. He holds not one, but two undergraduate degrees from Saint Mary’s University: a Bachelor of Science in Physics and a BSc in Geology.
Trottier’s MSc thesis builds on his summer research with Dr. Hanley and Dr. Georgia Pe-Piper, where he studied samples from the Great Bear magmatic zone (GBMZ) in the Northwest Territories. These samples contain polymetallic “five-element” (Ni-Co-As-Ag-Bi) mineralization, which occur as structurally controlled veins within lightly metamorphosed volcanic and sedimentary host rocks.
“Noteworthy recent research on five-element veins have focused on several European deposits, but GBMZ deposits remain untouched by modern analytical techniques,” writes Trottier in his thesis rationale.
Trottier’s research examines 60 rock samples that had been collected in the 1960s from the Eldorado Mine, which operated from 1933 to 1982, and stored at the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) division of the Geological Survey of Canada (GSC) in Ottawa. His objective is to advance the understanding of the ores at Eldorado Mine and similar five-element veins using modern analytical tools.
“Mr. Trottier is laying new ground in our understanding of uranium-silver deposits in Canada and abroad,” said Dr. Hanley. “I have been greatly impressed by his worth ethic and care in conducting this important research.”
Previous studies in the GBMZ have not quantified the metals in ore fluids, nor have they captured trace element and stable isotope chemistry at the scale of individual vein stages. As a result, current models have not been able to explain the source of uranium and other metals at Eldorado from a geochemical perspective.
“Final results will be compared to those of previous studies in the GBMZ and other five-element occurrences around the East Arm of Great Slave Lake, NWT,” writes Trottier. “This comparison will provide insight into the potential genetic relationship between similar deposit styles of variable ore grade at local and regional scales. The expected outcome will bring a better understanding of how ore metals are distributed in similarly complex vein deposits.”
About the Scholarship
The Mineralogical Association of Canada awards two $5000 scholarships yearly, one to a student enrolled in an MSc program and one to a student in a Ph.D. program. The applicable fields of study are: Mineralogy, Crystallography, Geochemistry, Mineral deposits and Petrology.
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.
Back-to-back national football champions inducted into the Saint Mary's Sport Hall of Fame
Back-to-back national championships were honoured this year as two Saint Mary's University football teams were inducted into the Saint Mary's University Sport Hall of Fame, October 15.
In 2001, the Saint Mary's Huskies knew they had a special football team. The team went on a blistering 11-0 run that season, outscoring their regular league opposition 480-35 and post- season opponents 128-31. During this dominant season, the team did not give up a single rushing touchdown.
Blake Nill, head coach of the Huskies 1998 - 2005 commented, "What makes this time of my career so special was not just the on-field accomplishments by an outstanding group of athletes and coaches but how we were viewed off field. There was a Huskies presence throughout campus, the city of Halifax and the province. The 2001 and 2002 editions of Huskies Football were teams that truly represented the Maritimes, their pride, and the long standing traditions of this community".
Then assistant coach Steve Sumarah said that he considered the 2001 Huskies "the most dominant team in the history of Canadian university football." The team went on to defeat the Laval Rouge et Or 48-8 in the Atlantic Bowl and then the Manitoba Bisons 42-16 in the Vanier Cup game where they became national champions.
The 2002 season proved more challenging for the defending Vanier Cup Champions. Losing to both Acadia Axemen and St. Francis Xavier X-Men, the team went on to post a 6-2 regular season record, tying St. Francis Xavier for top spot in the conference but claiming the conference's top spot due to a greater point spread. The Huskies went on to defeat St. Francis Xavier 63-14 for the Atlantic Championship.
Led by quarterback Steve Panella, who would be named the Vanier Cup's Most Valuable Player, Saint Mary's would go to defeat their dogged rivals the Saskatchewan Huskies 33-21 in the national championships to become the first repeat winner of the Vanier Cup in 25 years.
The 2001 and 2002 Saint Mary's Huskies championship football teams were inducted into the Saint Mary's University Sport Hall of Fame during Homecoming Weekend, October 15th.
Historic all-black line discusses past and future of black athletes in hockey
Damon Kwame Mason, Darrell Maxwell, Bob Dawson, Percy Paris, Willie O'Ree
In 1970, Bob Dawson, Percy Paris, and Darrell Maxwell formed the first all-black line on a Canadian university hockey team. On October 12, the historic linemates revisited their alma mater for an exciting and moving evening looking at the history—and future—of black athletes in hockey, in Nova Scotia and internationally.
The evening included a screening of Soul on Ice: Past, Present, Future, a feature-length documentary about the history, current state of play, and prospects of black hockey players. Filmmaker Damon Kwame Mason was in attendance, along with Willie O’Ree, the first black player in the NHL and currently the league’s Diversity Ambassador.
Following the screening, the former players engaged in a panel discussion, moderated by former CBC sports broadcaster Bruce Rainnie, and shared stories of their youth and early athletic careers, and engaged with contemporary questions around politics, race, and sport.
The event received generous support from the Province of Nova Scotia 150 Forward Fund and, at Saint Mary’s University, the Office of the President, Alumni Affairs, the Department of History, the Centre for the Study of Sport and Health, the Centre for the Interdisciplinary Study of Culture, and the Atlantic Canada Studies Program.
Saint Mary’s celebrates the accomplishments of outstanding alumni
Seven outstanding Saint Mary’s University alumni were honoured last night, Oct. 12, as part of the 2017 One World Alumni Awards Gala.
“Saint Mary’s alumni are leaders in our communities and the One World Gala is when we celebrate their accomplishments,” said Erin Sargeant Greenwood, vice-president of Advancement. “I want to congratulate all of our award winners this year, and thank them for their continued dedication to our university.”
The alumni gala is when the annual alumni awards are presented for: Alumni Volunteer of the Year, Young Alumnus of the Year, Associate Alumni of the Year, and Distinguished Community Service.
This year’s winners include:
- Dr. Michael Durland, BComm’87, DComm’10, and Catherine Durland, BComm’87, winners of the Distinguished Community Service Award;
- John Sime, BComm’08, winner of the Paul Lynch Volunteer of the Year Award;
- Harry Ezenibe, BA’14, winner of the Young Alumnus of the Year Award; and
- Dr. Pat Bradshaw, dean of the Sobey School of Business, Larry Freeman, Q.C., and Shirley Boudreau, winners of the Associate Alumni of the Year Award.
In addition to the individual awards are the One World Awards, given to an external charity and a Saint Mary’s student society that is working on a charitable project.
This year’s One World Award winners are: Ronald McDonald House Atlantic and Saint Mary’s Conflict Resolution Society. Both winners received a $7,500 prize.
The two runner-ups, Phoenix Youth and Saint Mary’s Model UN, received an unexpected but pleasant surprise. Their generous $1,000 prize sponsored by Manulife was matched by the Saint Mary’s University Students’ Association (SMUSA), ensuring both organizations went home with $2,000.
The One World Alumni Awards are presented by TD Insurance and Saint Mary’s University. The awards emphasize Saint Mary’s Santamarian values of student leadership, social responsibility, and cultural diversity.
Sobey School Business Development Centre offers coaching to help Atlantic companies grow and succeed
See the orginal story at http://www.smu.ca/academics/sobey/growth-coaching-program-announced.html
Saint Mary’s astronomer part of Canadian collaboration exploring how galaxies form and evolve
Canadian astronomers will soon build the Gemini InfraRed Multi-Object Spectrograph (GIRMOS), a sensitive infrared spectrograph capable of producing images of the sky in unprecedented detail, thanks to a $13 million Canada Foundation for Innovation grant announced today, Oct. 12.
GIRMOS will help shed light on how galaxies form and evolve over cosmic time and is designed for use on the 8-metre telescopes of the Gemini Observatory, which are among the largest telescopes currently in existence. With it, researchers will be able to study some of the faintest, oldest, and most distant objects in the universe; probe the formation of stellar and planetary systems; and investigate galaxies in the early universe.
Dr. Marcin Sawicki
Saint Mary’s University’s contribution to the GIRMOS project is to develop the data-processing pipeline and instrument simulator. The instrument simulator will allow astronomers to plan their observations, while the pipeline is essential for taking the raw observations from the instrument and turning them into data suitable for scientific analysis.
“Developing these elements of GIRMOS taps directly into the expertise in observational astronomy and computational astrophysics that are research strengths at Saint Mary’s,” said Dr. Marcin Sawicki, Canada Research Chair in Astronomy at Saint Mary’s. “Our researchers and students will get a chance to participate in the construction of GIRMOS and then use it to study distant galaxies.”
Dr. Sawicki and researchers from other Canadian institutions are developing the ground-breaking technology under the direction of project lead Dr. Suresh Sivanadam from the University of Toronto’s Dunlap Institute for Astronomy & Physics. GIRMOS will also serve as a precursor to a spectrograph for the $1.5 billion Thirty Meter Telescope, which is now under construction in Hawaii.
Other GIRMOS partners include the National Research Council, University of British Columbia, University of Victoria, Laval University, Dalhousie University, York University, and the University of Manitoba.
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.”
Saint Mary's flies the Mi'kmaq Grand Council Flag for the month of October
Saint Mary's is flying the Mi'kmaq Grand Council Flag on the flag pole outside of the McNally Building throughout October in recognition of Mi’kmaq History Month.
Tom Brophy, Senior Director of Student Services; Raymond Sewell, Indigenous Student Advisor; Robert Summerby-Murray, President of Saint Mary's University; Dr. Donald Julien, Executive Director, The Confederacy of Mainland Mi’kmaq
Dr. Karly Kehoe named to Royal Society of Canada’s College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists
Dr. Karly Kehoe
The Royal Society of Canada (RSC) recently announced the incoming 70 members of The College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists for 2017, and among those honoured with admission to the cohort was Saint Mary’s Professor of History Dr. Karly Kehoe.
“I’m absolutely delighted with the news, and I look forward to working with colleagues to expand the College’s activities in Atlantic Canada,” says Dr. Kehoe.
Dr. Kehoe is the Canada Research Chair in Atlantic Canada Communities, and her areas of expertise include migration, religion, and slavery in the British Atlantic world. She is also a member of both the Global Young Academy and the Young Academy of Scotland, and is a fellow of the Royal Historical Society.
“An important research focus for me right now is an exploration of how community development in eastern Nova Scotia and Cape Breton was connected to plantation slavery in the Caribbean,” she says. “The work I’d done in Scotland before returning to Canada revealed that the Highlander Scots were hugely invested in slavery. Those who came to the Maritimes built equally strong links, but in different ways. Being named to the College will provide me with an important platform for sharing this important work and for exploring its interdisciplinarity.”
Those named to the College “represent the emerging generation of scholarly, scientific and artistic leadership in Canada,” according to the RSC, and this year’s cohort includes members from Canadian universities coast-to-coast, nominated by Canadian universities and the National Research Council.
“Dr. Kehoe is an innovative researcher with a deep commitment to community engagement,” says Saint Mary’s Dean of Arts Dr. Margaret MacDonald. “I am delighted that she has been named to the College and will be representing Saint Mary’s in this group of emerging scholarly leaders.”
The RSC: The Academies of Arts, Humanities and Sciences of Canada was established in 1882 as the senior Canadian collegium of distinguished scholars, artists, and scientists. It is Canada’s National Academy. The primary objective of the Society is to promote learning and research in the arts, the humanities, and the natural and social sciences.