SMU Studio for Teaching and Learning lands Universities Canada Innovation Fund Grant

Saint Mary’s mandate to foster intercultural education got an important boost this month with news that a grant application submitted through the Office of Global Learning and Intercultural Support was successful, paving the way for the University to hire ten student Global Learning Ambassadors.

As part of Canada’s International Education Strategy 2019-2024, Universities Canada launched the Innovation Fund as part of Canada’s new Outbound Student Mobility Pilot Program, which includes provisions to fund innovative outbound student mobility projects across the country.

“Our successful application included a proposal to launch Intercultural Learning for Students by Students, a peer-support project designed to help students develop intercultural competencies while they research access to international opportunities,” says Miyuki Arai, the Director of Global Learning and Intercultural Support. “The $25,000 award attached to the Innovation Fund will be used to hire ten students as part-time Global Learning Ambassadors, so we see this as an exciting investment in interculturalism and student mobility for our whole university community,” she adds.

Saint Mary’s new Global Learning Ambassadors will participate in knowledge creation and sharing, community outreach, and intercultural relationship-building initiatives guided by the principles of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, with a particular focus on enhancing the accessibility of international opportunities for students from historically marginalized groups. Stakeholders include students, faculty, staff, alumni, and local organizations that tackle a range of systemic social and environmental issues.

A second Universities Canada funding application, submitted by a consortium of universities in Atlantic Canada, including Saint Mary’s, was also successful. The $40,000 project “Increasing International Student Mobility in Atlantic Canada: Reducing Barriers and Enhancing Capacity to Deliver Programs” will be led by UNB.

“While the pandemic has interrupted study abroad opportunities all over the world this year, it feels like the news of this award is a harbinger of the wonderful intercultural learning opportunities that lie ahead for our students,” says Ms. Arai.

Engineering student Emily Veinot wins the 2020 Montreal Women’s Memorial Scholarship

Emily Veinot

Congratulations to Emily Veinot, the winner of the 2020 Montreal Women’s Memorial Scholarship at Saint Mary’s University. Typically this award is presented at a ceremony on campus to observe the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence against Women.

Awarded each year to a female Engineering student, the scholarship honours the memory of the 14 women who were killed on December 6, 1989 at the École Polytechnique, the engineering school at the Université de Montréal. At the time it was the deadliest shooting in Canada, and gunman killed only women in the anti-feminist attack.

“As a woman in engineering but also as a Francophone,
I believe it is extremely important that we remember and honor the lives and goals of the women who were lost on that day,” said Emily.

“This award is an important reminder of the vital role that women play in scientific fields, and that there is still work to be done to reach the goal of gender equality in all disciplines,” said Dr. Lori Francis, Dean of Science at Saint Mary’s.

“Congratulations Emily on achieving this honour, your enthusiasm for engineering is inspirational, and I’m so proud that your hard work has paid off.”

Emily grew up in the Acadian community of Clare on the south-western tip of Nova Scotia and attended École Secondaire de Clare. She was athletic, playing soccer and track and field, and was very interested in environmental work, doing a volunteer study with a teacher and professor from the University of Saskatchewan, looking at human infrastructure influences on wildlife.

With a diesel mechanic father who taught her how to how to change tires and the oil in her car, Emily grew up around cars, and says she has always found mechanical and technological systems complicated and exciting.

“I’ve been around machinery my whole life. That sparked my passion for problem-solving and led me to pursue a career in mechanical engineering,” she said.

“My parents are proud,” she said. “If I was ready to do it, they were ready to support me.”

Now in her second year of study, Emily has an impressive 4.04 GPA. She has won a number of academic awards and bursaries, including a renewable entrance scholarship to Saint Mary’s, the Dr. Robert and Suzanne Van Den Hoogen Bursary, and a Nova Scotia Future Engineers Award.

“I always loved math and physics and design…calculus is a good time for me,” she laughed. My first year I really loved it, and during Design I we built boats and I thought that was so cool… I thought “I’m doing mechanical, that’s so fun.’”

Along with her studies, Emily is a Teaching Assistant for the Design I class. She is a member of the Canadian Federation of Engineering Students and the Atlantic Council of Engineering Students. As the bilingualism commissioner for the Atlantic Council of Engineering students, she provides French representation so it’s more linguistically diverse, and appreciates learning from her colleagues, most of whom are in their fourth year of study.

Next year she plans to attend Dalhousie University to complete her degree in Mechanical Engineering, and has applied to the co-op program to further develop her professional skills.

Emily says that while she’s happy to have been born at a time with a lot more gender equality, “it’s still an uphill battle, and there’s still a lot of underrepresentation of women in sciences and engineering. I think a lot of women are intimidated and talked out of it, and I think that’s so unfortunate. It’s never going to change if we don’t make the change.”

SMU community raises $30K on Giving Tuesday

On Giving Tuesday, 138 members of the Saint Mary’s community came together in support of students with gifts totaling $32,580!

These gifts were matched through the generosity of the J & W Murphy Foundation and the Saint Mary’s Alumni Association, with all funds going directly to the Saint Mary’s Student Wellness Fund.

Gifts and the matching funds will help students through initiatives such as the on-campus Community Food Room, the Enactus Saint Mary’s Square Roots vegetable bundle program and provide some holiday cheer in the form of care packages for those students not able to travel home over the holidays due to COVID-19.

A special thanks is extended to faculty and staff members who made this Giving Tuesday one of the most successful ever. Thank you for uniting together to offer immediate support to students.

Dr. Linda Campbell wins Professional of Distinction at the 2020 Discovery Awards

Dr. Linda Campbell

Saint Mary’s University is pleased to announce that Dr. Linda Campbell has won the Professional of Distinction award at the 18th annual Discovery Awards, held virtually on November 26, 2020.

Dr. Campbell, a Professor and senior research fellow in Environmental Science at Saint Mary’s University, has risen to the top of her field in environmental research, conducting and coordinating research groups across four continents. Her research and teaching at SMU focus on contaminants in the environment, as well as on sustainability and resilience issues with emphasis on aquatic ecosystems and water resources.

“Dr. Campbell is most certainly a professional, and person, of distinction. Dr. Campbell is recognized as a leader in environmental science research and is known as a scientist whose work increases our understanding of the impact of humans on the natural world,” said Dr. Lori Francis, Dean of Science at Saint Mary’s. “Her remediation work illustrates her drive to use new approaches to remedy historic contamination problems.”

“We here at SMU are proud of the work that she does and so very impressed by her desire to share her knowledge with the many students she has mentored.”

Her leadership was recognized early in her career; she received the W.B. Pearson medal for her PhD research, and building on this, her early career accomplishments were rewarded with a Canada Research Chair and a Canada’s Top 40 under 40 award in 2009. She is the recipient of over $10 million in funding for research, and despite working in environmental remediation, which often involves non-peer reviewed work, she has authored over 75 papers, given 150+ presentations around the world, and has supervised more than 20 graduate theses, and 30 undergraduate theses/projects. 

Within the university community she has served on Senate and is currently on the Board of Governors at Saint Mary’s University while also serving as a Trustee of Gallaudet University in Washington DC. This experience builds on her three terms as a Board member of the Canada Hearing Society from 2006-17. These accomplishments clearly demonstrate her leadership is sought at all levels, from local to international.

Dr. Campbell and her team at the Dynamic Ecology and Environmental Health Research (DEEHR) Group provide expertise and technological infrastructure to the study of contaminants in the aquatic environment. Her research extends to aquatic food webs, invasive species, terrestrial wildlife and human consumers of aquatic food.

As a researcher, she is shaping a new path for the study of environmental contamination in Nova Scotia. Her more recent work has uncovered new vectors for human-aquatic ecosystem interrelationships.

Along with her significant contributions to the scientific world, Dr. Campbell, who has been Deaf since birth and communicates in American Sign Language (ASL), has spent hours building awareness of accessibility in society. She has received a Nova Scotia Human Rights Award, as well as the Mel Hebb Hourglass Action Award as part of the Bill-59 Community Alliance. She has also worked closely with ASL-English interpreters to develop collaborative scientific and academic interpreting.

Successful in breaking ground in media accessibility, Dr. Campbell has worked with arts communities to introduce environmental issues to new audiences. In 2016 she led the development of an ASL movie detailing the impact of the Halifax Explosion on the children and staff at the Halifax School for the Deaf.  

Dr. Campbell has demonstrated time and again, that situations many would consider obstacles, can in fact be moments of opportunity. She is a role model whose passion, values, commitment to community, selflessness, and ability to overcome obstacles make her an invaluable asset to Saint Mary’s community, and Nova Scotia.

The Discovery Awards celebrate the outstanding achievement of scientists and innovators in Nova Scotia. Along with the Professional of Distinction category, awards were presented for Emerging Professional, Innovation, Science Champion, a Youth award, and Hall of Fame.

On Giving Tuesday, Nova Scotia universities encourage support for student-led food security programs

In an unprecedented move, nine Nova Scotia universities, in partnership with their student unions, are combining their efforts to improve food security for students on Giving Tuesday, Dec. 1. The J & W Murphy Foundation inspired this collaboration, providing a minimum donation of $3,500 to each university with the potential for additional matching funds if the campaigns exceed this threshold.

Today is #GivingTuesdayCA. Thank you for considering your gift to the @smuhalifax Student Wellness Fund. The J & W Murphy Foundation will match your gift, doubling the impact on increasing food security for our students. https://t.co/91Br4Z84iJ #Food4thoughtNS #SMUCommunity pic.twitter.com/Am46ZrgvH5

— Rob Summerby-Murray (@smuprez) December 1, 2020

 "As COVID-19 shut down our schools and universities, libraries and restaurants, drop-in centres and meal support services, we knew we had to step up to help prevent vulnerable Nova Scotians from falling through the cracks,” says Lisa Murphy, on behalf of the family foundation she and her sister, Karen Spaulding, co-direct. “That includes students, many of whom have lost jobs and access to on-campus food services," says Murphy.

Food insecurity is the uncertainty that an individual is and will be able to eat well. It means they  struggle to afford, access and store healthy food, or to have the time and skills to shop for and prepare nutritious meals. According to Statistics Canada, food insecurity affects between 10 and 14% of Canadians and is more prevalent in families with children. Other studies show that these rates approximately triple amongst post-secondary students, suggesting that two out of five (39%) of Canadian university students have experienced some degree of food insecurity.

The nine universities participating are Saint Mary’s University, Dalhousie University, Mount Saint Vincent University, St. Francis Xavier University, Acadia University, Cape Breton University, Atlantic School of Theology, NSCAD University and the University of King’s College.

The excellence of SMU's Master of Technology Entrepreneurship and Innovation recognized by major gift

The excellence of Saint Mary's University's Master of Technology Entrepreneurship and Innovation (MTEI) program is being recognized by a major gift from a leading figure in Canada's business and entrepreneurship community.

Rishbah Arora, MTEI student; Dr. Robert Steele, DComm’18; and Laura Russell, MTEI student.

"I have always been impressed by Saint Mary's University and the Sobey School of Business. From my time as a student and in every interaction I have with a Saint Mary's student going back decades," says Dr. Robert Steele DComm'18. "I have seen the impact that a strong business foundation from Saint Mary's provides students. I know that through this gift, Saint Mary's will be able to continue to attract amazing students from Atlantic Canada, Canada and around the world to the MTEI program and the Sobey School. Students will learn from great professors and receive the support they need to successfully develop their business ideas and start-ups into thriving businesses that will give back to the economic vitality of our region."

Dr. Steele is investing a $2 million philanthropic gift in the Sobey School of Business' Master of Technology Entrepreneurship and Innovation program which will enable it to double the size of the program, create new resources for research in the area of entrepreneurship, and support students by providing scholarships and awards to student entrepreneurs.

Over ten years, three major initiatives will be supported by this gift. They are:

• The Steele MTEI Scholarships: These scholarships will support bright, creative and motivated students who have chosen the MTEI program to help them achieve their dreams of being an entrepreneur.
  

• The Steele Entrepreneurship Awards: These entrepreneurship awards will be awarded to MTEI student entrepreneurs who are in the earliest stages of starting new businesses.
  

• The Steele Professorship in Entrepreneurship in the Sobey School of Business: This new professorship will provide additional capacity and support to expand and broaden entrepreneurship research intensity at the Sobey School. 

“This gift reflects the outstanding success of our MTEI program over the past six years and recognizes the tremendous impact of the program on entrepreneurship and innovation in Atlantic Canada,” says Saint Mary’s University President Dr. Robert Summerby-Murray. “Saint Mary’s and the Sobey School of Business are the entrepreneurship leaders in our region, and programs like MTEI show why we are part of a rising entrepreneurship tide both nationally and internationally.” 

“On behalf of Saint Mary’s University, the Sobey School of Business, and the MTEI program, I want to thank Dr. Steele for his commitment to the continued success of our institution and entrepreneurship in Atlantic Canada and beyond,” says President Summerby-Murray.  

The Master of Technology Entrepreneurship and Innovation at Saint Mary’s University is a comprehensive, cross-sector program that combines the knowledge and skills of a management program with marketing, leadership, finance, accounting, communications, economics and information technology. Alumni from the program have started their own companies ranging from rope-less lobster traps to companies specializing in customized lighting, water quality measurement, and training for recreation gaming to e-sports. Alumni have also added value to companies by bringing their MTEI expertise to management at different businesses. Those business areas include companies that deal with cybersecurity, virtual conferencing solutions, and transitioning traditionally retail-based services to at-home delivery.   

“The Sobey School of Business is preparing the next generation of Canadian entrepreneurs and researchers in business and entrepreneurship,” says Dr. Harjeet Bhabra, Dean of the Sobey School of Business. “With the rapid change this year in how businesses operate, programs focused on the integration of technology and innovation like MTEI are more important now than ever before. With this gift, we can continue to expand the scope of the program, engage more entrepreneurs and researchers in growing knowledge creation and expanding the entrepreneurship and start-up sector.”

Statement: Informing the SMU Community of a positive test for COVID-19

The following statement was shared with the Saint Mary’s University community on November 24, 2020.

Informing the SMU community of a positive test for COVID-19

Dear SMU community,

The university has been notified by Nova Scotia Public Health of a SMU community member who has tested positive for COVID-19. Public health is conducting contact tracing. Anyone asked to self-isolate by public health is doing so. Others have been asked to monitor for symptoms due to low-risk interaction.

If you are not contacted by public health, you are not being asked to do anything other than the general protocols and symptom monitoring expected of all Nova Scotians. Public health has not issued any exposure warnings related to the SMU campus at this time.

Out of respect for their privacy and in-keeping with privacy legislation, no other details will be shared at this time. We pass along our best wishes to them on their recovery and thank them for following the proper procedures to self-isolate, minimizing the risk of exposure to others and helping to protect our community.

During this challenging time, all of us need to work together. The health and safety of our community rely on the co-operation of everyone. Saint Mary’s has increased cleaning procedures, instituted campus access protocols, and in-person room limits to keep our community safe. The university website has more information regarding the protocols in place on campus. For more information on the evolving public health protocols in place for Nova Scotia for COVID-19, click here.

Saint Mary’s will continue to work with public health to keep all members of our community safe.

Sincerely,

Michelle Benoit
Vice-President, Finance & Administration

Saint Mary's Faculty Collaborate to Make New Pet Wellness Products

Dr. Christa Brosseau

When Baie Run Pet Products, a health and wellness pet company focused on dogs and cats' wellbeing, wanted to improve their pet supplements, they turned to Saint Mary's experts for advice.

The Nova Scotia-based company, a branch of United Pet Supplements, makes anti-bacterial and wound healing products. Those products contain Colloidal Silver, a popular and top-selling product in the pet industry that helps heal wounds, hot spots and other dermatological issues for pets.

The company worked with Dr. Christa Brosseau and Dr. Clarissa Sit to develop a manufacturing process for colloidal silver that the manufacturer could follow.

Brosseau, a Canada Research Chair (Tier 2) in Sustainable Chemistry and Materials and full professor at Saint Mary's, developed a silver colloidal manufacturing process that improved the quality of the products that included colloidal silver while working within Health Canada's Guidelines. Her entire team has extensive knowledge of colloidal silver preparation and characterization, working in this field for over a decade.

"As a chemist, it is certainly a great feeling to know that you helped develop a safe and effective product which people can actively use," says Brosseau.

Sit and her research team tested the antimicrobial efficiency of the products. The company has implemented the combination of results from both Brosseau and Sit's teams into their operations. Safe, stable and effective products that contain silver colloidal are available to purchase.

"Working with Dr. Brosseau and her team was an incredibly rewarding experience," says Farah Socran, President United Pet Supplements. "Her commitment to the success of the project was unwavering. We are so proud of the results and hope to be able to work together in the future."

The collaboration resulted in a comprehensive literature review, peer-reviewed scientific report, and plans for the optimal preparation for Baie Run's purposes. It was possible thanks to funding from the National Research Council (NRC) – Industrial Research Assistance Program and Nova Scotia Business Inc. Productivity and Innovation Voucher Program.

Thanks to this collaboration's success, Baie Run's new formula for pet products has been implemented, and the company's commercialized silver colloidal pet products are now commercially available online.

2020 Alumni Awards

On Thursday, November 19th, Saint Mary’s University hosted the Alumni Awards. The Alumni Association honoured alumni who have made remarkable contributions to the university and in their communities.

Although this year’s event was held online due to COVID-19, the gala brought alumni, faculty, staff and friends together to honour their accomplishments and celebrate the Santamarian spirit of community engagement and volunteerism.

Congratulations to the 2020 Alumni Award Recipients:

Distinguished Community Service Award

The Honourable Wilfred P. Moore, QC BComm’64 LLD’07 is the recipient of the Distinguished Community Service Award. After a 21-year career as a Senator representing South Shore Nova Scotia, he continues to give back to his community as a volunteer and arts supporter.

Paul Lynch Volunteer of the Year Award

John Bishop BComm’74 BEd’76 is one of this year’s recipients of the Paul Lynch Volunteer of the Year Award. John is a familiar face and voice to many at Saint Mary’s. He currently serves as the “Voice of the Huskies” in his role as stadium and arena announcer at the home football and hockey games. He served two terms as Alumni President and represented the Alumni on the Board of Governors for two terms. John also volunteers for St. Agnes Church Parish Council and the IWK.

Sarah Ferguson BComm’09 is one of the recipients of the Paul Lynch Alumni Volunteer of the Year Award. She served 10 years on Alumni Council in various roles, including President and Board of Governors representative, and was recognized with the Halifax Volunteer Award in 2014.

Young Alumni of the Year Award

Ying (Wendy) Wang BComm’16 is one of the recipients of our Young Alumni of the Year Award. Wendy came to SMU as an International student and was an active volunteer with the Sobey School of Business Commerce, Enactus, and SAGA. She has served as a Co-Chair of the Young Alumni Committee since 2018, and is an active volunteer for many organizations in Halifax.

Dave Culligan BComm'16 is one of the recipients of the Young Alumni of the Year Award. He founded his own creative agency, “threesixfive”, which has allowed him to support a number of different organizations through pro bono services & consulting.

Associate Alumni of the Year Award

Rakesh Jain, FCPA is the recipient of the Associate Alumni Award. He has dedicated much of his time and support to Saint Mary’s University over the years. In addition to teaching at SMU, Rakesh has also served on the Board of Governors and was part of several Committees over the years. Rakesh continues to be involved with Saint Mary’s as a strategic advisor.

Father Stewart Medal for Excellence in Teaching

Dr. Ethan Pancer of the Sobey School of Business is the recipient of the Father William A. Stewart, SJ Medal for Excellence in Teaching.  He’s an active member in university committees and has been recognized with multiple teaching awards from his students in the past. Dr. Pancer is deeply committed to giving students the chance to make real impact on our community. 

“Congratulations to each of our award recipients on being recognized for the impact you are making in the community and the world,” said Saint Mary’s University President Dr. Robert Summerby-Murray. “You all exemplify the Santamarian spirit. Thank you for your continued dedication to our university.”

Learn more about these exceptional alumni by visiting the alumni awards page  

Stayers and leavers: new SMU research looks closely at immigration in Nova Scotia

Dr. Ather Akbari

Who immigrates to Nova Scotia, who stays, leaves, and why is the focus of a recently released report from Dr. Ather Akbari, a professor with Saint Mary’s University’s Sobey School of Business. 

The report, Immigration in Nova Scotia: Who Comes, Who Stays, Who Leaves and Why?, was prepared for the Nova Scotia Office of Immigration. Its main purpose was to investigate why immigrants choose Nova Scotia as their destination in Canada and why some stay in the province while others leave.   

“Evidence-based research is important for policymakers to make the best decisions for Nova Scotians. They need to have a clear picture of what attracts immigrants to this province and what is their experience,” says Dr. Akbari. “My research helps to form a picture of the Nova Scotian immigrant experience, the successes and the areas that may need some changes.”  

This report marks the third report in a series of research reports. The first project report used 2016 Canadian Census data to study general mobility patterns of Nova Scotia immigrants. The second report presented a literature review on mobility motivations of individuals and their location choice. This third and final report analyzed the results of an online survey of 2,815 immigrants, representing a total of about 28,600 who arrived in Canada during 2011-2018 with either the intention to go to Nova Scotia or who lived in Nova Scotia at some point during the eight-year period. Focus group interviews were also held in Nova Scotia, Alberta and Ontario. 

When it comes to stayers and leavers, approximately 74 percent of immigrants who had arrived during 2011-2018 were still living in the province or 21,210 in total.  

“I think the most validating find for many Nova Scotians from this report is the positive comments from both immigrants who stayed and those who left, on the quality of life in our province and community safety,” says Dr. Akbari. “Both of these areas received the top satisfaction ratings from both those who stayed and those who left. When comparing Nova Scotia with other provinces, the top two features that received better ratings for Nova Scotia were community safety and cost of accommodation. If we can leverage these with increased employment opportunities and employer involvement in the immigration process, there is a real opportunity to continue to increase the immigration retention rate.”  

The main reason respondents gave for having left the province or for their intention to leave were to seek better employment opportunities.

The survey data indicates that economic opportunity is the most pervasive factor that encourages immigrants to remain in Nova Scotia. Many immigrants who leave Nova Scotia mention economic opportunities as the main reason they left. Many also note they reluctantly decided to go as they miss the positive social interactions and other aspects of living in the province. Opportunities are mainly related to finding a job and extending to finding the right position, or one that fits their level of education, skills and experience. 

The report recommends that immigrant attraction should focus on economic immigrants who come with their families. For their settlement and integration, employer involvement such as in the Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program, is an important step taken at federal and provincial levels. Initiatives to strengthen immigrants’ social connectedness by encouraging volunteering, sports and recreation activities can also help raise their and their family’s satisfaction with living in Nova Scotia. 

Dr. Akbari is the Chair of Atlantic Research Group on Economics of Immigration, Aging and Diversity (ARGEIAD). To read this report, or learn more about ARGEIAD, visit https://smu.ca/centres-and-institutes/atlantic-research-group.html.

SMU students lauded for Remembrance Day research

A Canadian diplomat has expressed appreciation for the work of a Saint Mary’s Geography class, following his participation in Remembrance Day ceremonies in West Africa.  

Sébastien Beaulieu, Ambassador-Designate to The Gambia, travelled this week to pay special tribute to 10 Royal Canadian Air Force servicemen who are buried at the Fajara Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetery. The airmen died in 1942 while serving with the 200 RAF Squadron and one had a Nova Scotia connection: Warrant Officer Basil Ralph Yorke was from Cumberland County.

It’s the first time an official Canadian delegation has honoured the fallen airmen. “Attending the ceremonies in person this week was important to me,” Ambassador Beaulieu said in an email exchange with Saint Mary’s.

“I find it very moving, as Canada's representative to The Gambia, that the many personal bonds between our two countries includes the fate of these brave Canadians from B.C. to Nova Scotia who died so far away from home, in WWII,” he said. “The research and field work of the students from Saint Mary's, led by Dr. Cathy Conrad, which was conducted in 2018, has helped connect the dots and contributed to ensure that these Canadians continue to be properly honoured and remembered.”

In the fall of 2018, Dr. Conrad’s Geography International Field School class did a lot of prep work in advance of their trip to The Gambia. They planned to honour Gambian veterans in a local Remembrance Day ceremony during their stay in Banjul, not realizing at first that Canadians were also buried in the cemetery. A flurry of research here on campus and during their trip helped them piece together a largely forgotten chapter of history that took place nearly 80 years ago.

The fallen airmen had served as part of an effort to supply troops in Northern Africa, and to combat German U-boats in the Atlantic Ocean. When Conrad and her students visited the gravesite, they generated quite a lot of media attention in Banjul and Halifax. They also met Sharon Wardle, then British High Commissioner to The Gambia, who shared photos of the students that day on her Twitter site.

“This is how the Canadian Ambassador learned of us,” recalls Conrad. “He emailed me to learn more and we have remained in contact ever since. I can only hope that we will be able to meet with him in the future on West African soil.”

Beaulieu, who grew up in Moncton, shared his own Remembrance Day highlights this week on his Twitter site at @Beaulieu_CAN. “As a fellow Maritimer, I'm so pleased to witness the rich connections between The Gambia and Canada, and the ties with Nova Scotia in particular,” he said.

Conrad plans to offer the next Gambia field school next fall, if COVID-19 travel restrictions allow by then. She’s hoping to forge new connections between Saint Mary’s and the University of the Gambia, and also to assist with plans for a commemorative plaque at the site where a Canadian warplane went down.

“I’m very grateful for my students who were so vigilant in connecting the pieces of our WWII history in The Gambia, and for participating in a wreath laying ceremony two years ago,” says Dr. Conrad. “They should feel enormous pride in the fact that a Canadian Ambassador went this year, acknowledging their work. Although we wish we could have been there to attend with him this year (as was the pre-COVID plan), the fact that he reached out to us to recognize our efforts is greatly appreciated.” 

New installation viewable from outside coming to the Saint Mary's University Art Gallery

Mitchell Wiebe beginning his installation...painting the walls in the window studio space at the gallery pic.twitter.com/PwGhP1E7SH

— SMUgallery (@SMUgallery) November 16, 2020

The gallery’s current activity is a hybrid of a virtual and physical exhibition called the Window Studio Project. It provides an artist the opportunity to explore ideas in a new space and create something unique for that environment. It also gives those who are on campus something different to see each day, since the entire space is viewable from the front window. The gallery will be posting video and images on its social media for those not on campus.

The featured artist this month is Mitchell Wiebe. Mitchell holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Emily Carr College of Art and Design in Vancouver and a Master of Fine Arts degree from  NSCAD University in Halifax. His art practice involves painting, music, performance and installation, and sometimes a convergence where all mediums coexist. Mitchell currently has a nationally touring solo exhibition titled VampSites, curated by Pan Wendt and organized and circulated by the Confederation Centre of the Arts in Charlottetown, PEI.

In his installation at the gallery, Mitchell is considering the view through abstract Adirondack sculptures. He is embracing the challenge of having his work viewable only through a window. He says, “The idea of looking into an installation through a window offers many possibilities. I am enjoying building a space for paintings and objects to mingle, and hopefully offer a glimpse where the imagination can take shape. Humour might not be readily apparent, but I'm going with the notion that the grass is always greener through the slats of wood!”

Mitchell is also exploring a number of lighting techniques with blacklight, multi-coloured lights and mirrors. He will be working in the space through next week, so for those who have permission to be on campus go check it out. If not, visit the gallery’s Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts for images and video.

For more information on Mitchell, visit his website at www.mitchellwiebesart.com.