SMU Astronomer Wins Qilak Award for Astronomy

Dr. Robert Thacker sharing his love of science with an engaged crowd.

Dr. Robert Thacker, Director of the Science Outreach Centre and Professor in the Department of Astronomy & Physics at Saint Mary’s University, is the 2018 recipient of the Canadian Astronomical Society’s (CASCA) Qilak Award for Astronomy Communications, Public Education, and Outreach.

The Qilak Award honours Canadian residents who have made an outstanding contribution either to the public understanding and appreciation of astronomy or informal astronomy education in Canada. 

“Dr. Thacker is a passionate science communicator and a tireless advocate for astronomy research, and science in general,” says Dr. Steven Smith, Dean of the Faculty of Science. “Saint Mary’s is very proud of his outreach efforts.”

Thanks to everyone for all the lovely congratulation messages today! I'm greatly honoured to have been awarded the Qilak Award by CASCA. I should also acknowledge Paul Heath who was awarded @RASC Qilak last year! Sharing a celebratory🍾 glass with the amazing @LM_Campbell pic.twitter.com/2qraitqXYc

— Rob Thacker (@DrRob_Thacker) March 26, 2018

In addition to maintaining an internationally recognized research portfolio, Dr. Thacker dedicates his time to science outreach. Since 2009, he has given 68 public lectures and has participated in over 350 media interviews and sciences programs, including a weekly segment on CBC Radio’s Mainstreet NS and 1310 News’s Ottawa Today. In recognition of his commitment to science outreach in Atlantic Canada, he was named Science Champion at the 13th Annual Discovery Award in 2015.

The Science Outreach Centre at Saint Mary’s University was created in 2017 to coordinate and expand the university’s science outreach efforts. As Director, Dr. Thacker chairs the Outreach/Community Engagement Advisory Council, oversees the Marine Mammal and Forensic Science youth summer camps, and supports recruitment initiatives and on-campus events like the Nova Scotia Youth Experience Showcase

“I simply love talking with people about science,” says Dr. Rob Thacker. “But I want to make clear science is vastly more than a body of facts, it's a process and a way of discovering. It tells us as much about ourselves as it does the world and universe around us.”

Dr. Thacker also maintains an active online presence; find him on Twitter @DrRob_Thacker or visit the Sounds of Science podcast page.

Slideshow: Feb. 28 Town Hall with Treasury Board President, MP Scott Brison

The Honourable Scott Brison came to campus Feb. 28, for a town hall with students, faculty and staff about the federal budget. 

Saint Mary’s researcher appointed to Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada

Dr. Kevin Vessey

Dr. Kevin Vessey is among the latest appointments to the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), the nation’s focal point for discovery and innovation in natural sciences and engineering.

The appointment was announced recently by the Honourable Kirsty Duncan, Minister of Science and Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities.

Dr. Vessey joins 18 distinguished Canadian’s on NSERC’s governing council. NSERC is a federal research agency that plays an important role in Canada’s research and scientific landscape. It invests over $1.2 billion a year in natural sciences and engineering research in Canada

“It is an honour to have been appointed to NSERC,” said Dr. Vessey. “I look forward to working with President Mario Pinto and the other Council Members to help oversee the extremely important work of NSERC in its mandate to support research and innovation across Canada.”

While on Council, Dr. Vessey plans to stress the importance of supporting excellent research at universities of all sizes across Canada, and to promote their vital role in innovation and development in their communities.

Dr. Kevin Vessey has extensive experience effectively administering research activities. During his twelve-year tenure as Associate Vice President Research and Dean of Graduate Studies at Saint Mary’s University, externally sponsored research at the university doubled from approximately $4 million to $8 million annually.

“Dr. Vessey has established a strong national reputation as a leader in research and research administration,” said Dr. Malcolm Butler, Vice President, Academic and Research, at Saint Mary’s University. “His skills in this area will be a strong addition to the NSERC Council, and the Saint Mary’s community is very proud of him and this appointment.”

Dr. Vessey has served on boards, advisory committees, and grant selection committees for numerous national and international research organizations, including NSERC, the Nova Scotia Health Research Foundation, the Nova Scotia Research and Innovation Trust, the Offshore Energy Research Association, and TRIUMF.

An award-winning biologist, Dr. Vessey maintains an active research program in applied plant biology. He is a professor with the Department of Biology, in the Faculty of Science at Saint Mary’s University.

Student entrepreneurs from across Canada at Saint Mary’s for business development conference

Pictured here are (l-r): event organizer Kaitlyn Touesnard; Dr. Patricia Bradshaw, Dean, Sobey School of Business; Andy Fillmore, Member of Parliament for Halifax; Michael Sanderson and Sarah Meany, both of the Sobey School Business Development Centre.

Andy Filllmore, Member of Parliament for Halifax, helped welcome more than 180 budding business owners to the Starting Point Entrepreneurship Conference running at Saint Mary’s from Feb 20-22. Student entrepreneurs have come from across Canada to develop their business ideas, learn from experts and vie for business funding.

The conference brings student entrepreneurs from post-secondary institutions and high schools from across the country together to work with entrepreneurs, CEOs and start-up experts. The students have the chance to work directly with the entrepreneurs to help bring their business ideas to fruition or grow an existing business. At the end of the conference, students have a chance to win cash investments for their businesses.

“Young entrepreneurs play a crucial role in growing the Canadian economy and, as such, help ensure our country’s long-term prosperity,” said Andy Fillmore, MP for Halifax, on behalf of the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA). “Giving this latest generation of innovators the tools they need to succeed is critical to building a strong and vibrant future for all Canadians. The Government of Canada remains committed to supporting business start-ups and creating jobs for the middle class and those looking to join it.”

This conference wouldn’t be possible without the support of the local business community, key partnerships and financial support. This includes an investment of more than $150,000 over two years from the Government of Canada through ACOA’s Business Development Program.

The conference is organized by the Saint Mary’s University Sobey School Business Development Centre (SSBDC). Over the past five years, SSBDC programs have provided opportunities to more than 4,500 students, allowing them to be engaged in curricular and extra-curricular activities.

To learn more about the Starting Point Conference visit www.startingpointconference.com.

Saint Mary’s Anthropology department expands its technological toolkit

Dr. Jonathan Fowler (l); Greg Baker (behind), Instrument Technician with the Maritime Provinces Spatial Analysis Research Centre, part of the Saint Mary's Geography department; Sara Beanlands (senior archaeologist at Boreas Heritage Consulting and an adjunct professor in the Anthropology department).

This past semester, the Department of Anthropology at Saint Mary’s added a new device to its archaeological arsenal: the Noggin 500, a ground-penetrating radar (GPR) that will help students and faculty literally see beneath the soil as they explore some of Nova Scotia’s most important historic sites. The instrument is designed and built by Sensors & Software of Mississauga, Ontario.

“GPRs are used commonly in research and archaeological consulting internationally,” says Anthropology Professor Dr. Jonathan Fowler, “but less often in our region. We hope to change that.”

The purchase was a joint partnership between Boreas Heritage Consulting and Northeast Archaeological Research, two Halifax-based archaeological consulting companies. Sara Beanlands is an archaeologist with Boreas, a graduate of Saint Mary’s History program, and an adjunct professor in the Anthropology Department. She says it’s critical for students to have access to this kind of technology: “It’s already a standard part of archaeological practice in many parts of the world, and will become so here as well.”

Saint Mary’s students already have access to the Geonics EM38B, a device which measures soil magnetism and can put together a limited picture of what lies underneath. It’s especially good at seeing places where buildings have been burned and no visible traces remain—after burning, the soil’s magnetism is enhanced. This is especially helpful at sites such as the burned Acadian village at Grand-Pré.

The addition of the Noggin—with a different set of strengths—complements the EM38’s abilities and puts a whole other underground world within reach. Whereas the EM38 sees best in the top 50 centimetres of soil, the Noggin can see as much as two metres down, and can map the subterranean environment in three dimensions. The Noggin GPR is especially good at spotting “discontinuities” in soil texture and type, such as those caused by unmarked graves.

The result of this expanding technological toolkit is a more accurate sense of what lies where, especially valuable when making the most of time in the field.

“It’s important for students to learn the traditional approaches to mapping and examining sites,” says Beanlands, “but these absolutely help us focus where to dig and figure out where there’s better potential to find a site of interest.”

So far, Dr. Fowler has run a series of test surveys at archaeological sites in Nova Scotia. In collaboration with Parks Canada, the GPR is also being used at national historic sites, including Grand-Pré in the Annapolis Valley and Citadel Hill in Halifax. To call the early results promising would be an understatement.

“We’re seeing archaeological features we’ve never seen before,” says Dr. Fowler, “and it’s honestly totally changing my interpretation of certain things. The complementary principle is really playing out…and it’s giving students access to skills and training that are very rare, maybe unique, in Canada right now. This will be extremely important to their future careers.”

Saint Mary’s researcher receives Human Rights Award for contributions to Accessibility Act

Dr. Linda Campbell

Environmental Science professor Dr. Linda Campbell and fellow members of the Bill 59 Community Alliance recently received a 2017 Nova Scotia Human Rights Award in recognition of their contributions to Bill 59, otherwise known as the Accessibility Act.

“I was and still am honoured to be a part of this process, working with a truly impressive group of advocates and lawyers,” said Dr. Campbell. “I am really glad that the Alliance's work is getting recognized publicly.  I also want to thank Saint Mary’s Faculty of Science for their support as I worked on this important legislation.”

Presented annually by the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission, Human Rights Awards acknowledge the work of Nova Scotians who advance human rights at the community level. The Bill 49 Community Alliance helped ensure Bill 59 adequately addressed the needs of Nova Scotians with disabilities through collaboration with the Province.

Earlier this year, their work was recognized with a Mel Hebb Hourglass Action Award from the Partnership for Access Awareness.

SMU Chemist Wins 2017 Professional of Distinction Award

 Dr. Jason Clyburne

Dr. Jason Clyburne, Professor in the Departments of Chemistry and Environmental Science at Saint Mary’s University, was named the winner of the 2017 Professional of Distinction Award at the Discovery Centre’s 15th Annual Discovery Awards for Science and Technology on November 23.

The Professional of Distinction Award honours world-class scientists who demonstrate ingenious thinking in the creation of unique ideas, concepts, and perspectives within their field. Previous recipients of this award have gone on to receive the highest science recognitions in both Canada and the world, including the Nobel Prize.

Dr. Clyburne is the first recipient in this category from Saint Mary’s University.

“Dr. Clyburne is internationally recognized as a leader in the study of green chemistry,” says Dr. Steven Smith, Dean of the Faculty of Science. “He has established a tremendous reputation for creative, elegant chemistry in pursuit of environmental solutions.”

A second Saint Mary’s faculty member was honoured at this year’s Discovery Awards Gala. Dr. Sam Veres, Associate Professor in Engineering, was one of three finalists in the Emerging Professional category. Less than five years into his professorship, Dr. Veres’ research has shown great promise to help reduce chronic pain related to soft-tissue damage.

Dr. Jason Clyburne – 2016 Professional of Distinction Winner

Dr. Jason Clyburne is widely recognized as a leader in the study of green chemistry, particularly in the field of ionic liquids and nucleophilic carbenes. His pioneering research, which involves the application of designer chemicals and materials to the removal of environmentally hazardous substances from industrial processes, is widely recognized for its potential to mitigate a wide range of environmental issues. In his young but robust career, Dr. Clyburne has built a reputation for excellence and creative innovation, and his colleagues repeatedly describe his work as “novel,” “creative,” and “original.” Most recently, Dr. Clyburne’s discovery of the elusive CO2 compound cyanoformate (published in Science) received significant scientific and media attention, particularly due to its promising implications for the future and direction of carbon capture technology.

Watch Dr. Jason Clyburne’s Discovery Award Finalist video

Read more about Dr. Jason Clyburne’s cyanoformate discovery

Dr. Samuel Veres – Emerging Professional Award Finalist

Dr. Samuel Veres

In fewer than ten years, biomedical engineer Dr. Sam Veres has made rapid progress through the scientific/engineering education cycle, and his work has provided fundamental insights into the structural changes that occur in mechanically overloaded soft tissues. By exploring mechanical damage to connective tissues in a novel way—with focus on the basic biomechanics of failure rather than the inflammation/healing responses that have occupied clinical medicine—Dr. Veres is working to develop new therapies for the treatment of tendons, ligaments, and the intervertebral discs of the lower back.  

Greg Campbell, BSc '76, shares lessons with Science Dean’s List students

2016-2017 Dean’s List students

The Faculty of Science and the Alumni Office recently celebrated the outstanding academic achievements of 2016-2017 Dean’s List students at a reception in McNally Theatre Auditorium.

This year’s guest speaker was Saint Mary’s University alumnus Greg Campbell, who completed his Bachelor of Science in Biology in 1976. Greg shared lessons he learned as a science student and through his career in corporate finance. He stressed the importance of building strong written communication skills, noting that “mastery of the written word is what will separate a good technical specialist from a great one.” 

To qualify for the Dean’s List, science students must have achieved a grade point average of at least 3.67 in the previous academic year. 

Greg Campbell, BSc in Biology ’76

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Dr. Elizabeth McLeod: Dedication in pursuit of a goal

“Balance is key,” says Elizabeth McLeod, about managing her life while earning her Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration (Management) after 10 years of study and research.

Pursuing her latest degree and holding a full-time job kept Dr. McLeod juggling school, work, and home life, and “keeping all the balls in the air at once” was a challenge. A PhD typically takes four to five years to complete, and even longer on a part-time basis. The first two years consist of classes, followed by comprehensive exams, and then an extensive research project. During those years, vacations from her job were spent studying for exams, conducting research, and writing.

The epitome of a committed Santamarian, Dr. McLeod not only completed her Bachelor of Science in Chemistry and Master of Business Administration at Saint Mary’s, she has worked in the Faculty of Science for 27 years. Recent students will know her as a Lab Technician in Chemistry, but Dr. McLeod has also been a Neutron Activation Technician, a WHMIS Instructor, and has held roles in the Dean of Science Office and Co-operative Education.

Her PhD dissertation, which she successfully defended in June, is titled “The Role of Privacy Management in Brand Protection and Brand Value.” Her work focused on researching privacy issues and concerns with the use of a growing number of invasive technologies, and how these concerns can affect a brand’s value. Her research confirms that privacy management plays a significant role in brand protection and brand value.

Dr. McLeod is excited about completing her doctorate and she is grateful for the support she received throughout her degree from her supervisor Dr. Dawn Jutla, her PhD Director Dr. Albert Mills, and from her family, friends, and colleagues.

“Dr. McLeod’s dissertation provides a seminal publication empirically connecting organizational privacy behaviors, brand protection, and brand value,” says her supervisor Dr. Dawn Jutla.

For her research Dr. McLeod used a preliminary survey of privacy and security experts to discover what their top concerns are about privacy. The findings informed a formal survey instrument, which included both new and existing scales for the constructs that were later validated. This work contributes a new model that connects privacy practices, experienced harms, privacy concerns, brand protection, and brand value to management, management information systems, marketing and risk literatures. “Empirical testing of the hypotheses has confirmed that privacy management plays a significant role in brand protection and brand value,” writes Dr. McLeod in her abstract.

Saint Mary’s is a family affair for the McLeods. Elizabeth’s husband Ron is a Saint Mary’s part-time professor, and their two children have spent time on campus as well. Their son Connor received the Gold Medal when graduating with his Diploma of Engineering at Saint Mary’s, and their daughter Kaleigh started a Bachelor of Science this fall.

“Elizabeth has been on life’s journey, holding down a full-time job, raising teenage children, surviving car accidents, burying loved ones, supporting a creative entrepreneur-husband, and celebrating 10 birthdays while doing her dissertation,” said Dr. Jutla.

“Her story is one of perseverance producing great work with support from her village—the good people at Saint Mary’s University, especially Albert Mills, PhD Director, who believed in her too, and fellow PhD graduates like Anthony Yue. We are all so very proud of her!”

Ray MacNeil joins Saint Mary's as new CLARI Network Manager

Ray MacNeil

Saint Mary’s University is pleased to announce that Ray MacNeil has joined the university as our new CLARI Network Manager.  Ray is now finishing his second-week on campus and is a welcome addition to Saint Mary’s and the CLARI network.   

“The CLARI facility here at Saint Mary’s is the heart of the province-wide network,” Dr. Adam J. Sarty, Associate Vice-President, Research and Dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research.  “Ray brings decades of experience working in highly productive and collaborative environments to CLARI, and is the right person at the helm as we expand the reach of our change lab.”

A twenty-six-year veteran of the Nova Scotia public service, Ray has spent the last ten years of his career exploring advances in the complexity sciences and their application to improved public services. His work in this area has resulted in consulting requests with a number of other governments and institutions.

In 2016, Ray was honored with the Nova Scotia Public Servant of the Year Award by the Springtide Collective.  In that same year, he retired from the public service and created Organizational Dynamics, a consulting firm dedicated to complexity informed management practices. Ray has remained a regular presenter on issues related to the management and measurement of public services.

CLARI is a cross-province, multi-post-secondary education partnership offering academic and research expertise, designated spaces and communications technology to support Nova Scotia communities in applying stakeholder collaboration techniques and action research toward addressing social and economic challenges.

CLARI’s hub-and-spoke style network spans the province, combining the talents and resources of its six founding partner universities and the Nova Scotia Community College’s 13 campuses. Through CLARI, partners can assist communities in all parts of the province in developing social and economic improvement projects while providing enhanced learning opportunities for students.

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.