Congratulations to the fourth cohort of graduates from the BNUZ-SMU Joint Bachelor of Commerce Program

Graduating Cohort

Li Honglin is awarded his degree by Prof. Zheng Guomin, Assistant to the President and Vice Provost, Beijing Normal University, and Deputy Director of the Administrative Committee and Provost, Beijing Normal University at Zhuhai.

Prof. Zhong Xin, Dean of the International Business Faculty at BNUZ presents Lu Jingyi with her degree during the IBF degree awarding ceremony. In total, 63 students graduated from the BNUZ-SMU Joint BComm Program on June 26th.

Zou Tiantian (left) plans to continue her postgraduate studies at Johns Hopkins University in September. Han Qi (right) will travel to Italy to begin a master’s program at Bocconi University this fall. 47 of the 63 graduates will pursue postgraduate studies this year.

A group of friends celebrate their successful completion of the BNUZ-SMU Joint BComm Program at Beijing Normal University. Clockwise from top-left: Hu Tianyi, Liu Zhiyong, Li Honglin, Wang Xiaoshuai, Wang Pengyu, Chen Haitian, Zhang Runpeng, Wang Junkun, Zhang Jiajun, Zhang Mingqi, Na Meng, Wang Yanjie, Wang Yutian and Cheng Chengyi

Clockwise from top-left: Zeng Siqi, Liu Yingqi, Rong Wenyue, Jin Yanjun, Tao Mengjie, Sun Ming, Xie Hetiao, Tan Jinquan, and Li Aofeng

Clockwise from left: Shi Yilin, He Zhuran, Xiao Jing and Feng Xiao

Huang ZhenXi plans to attend University College London in the fall.

Graduates from the Joint BComm Program complete 2 degrees: a Bachelor of Commerce (major in finance) from SMU and a Bachelor of Economics from BNUZ. Zhao Xinyi (left), Lu Jingyi (centre) and Tang Ziluo (right) pose for a photo wearing the Sobey BComm hoods and gowns.

Since launching in 2014, the partnership between Saint Mary’s University and Beijing Normal University Zhuhai (BNUZ) has graduated nearly 300 outstanding students through the BNUZ-SMU Joint Bachelor of Commerce Program.

This past weekend, 63 students graduated from the program with a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the Sobey School of Business and a Bachelor of Economics degree from BNUZ. Of the graduates, 58 were awarded a major in Finance. This is the fourth cohort to graduate from the Joint BComm Program, which is based entirely in Zhuhai, China. Students in this program receive a truly international education, with half of their courses delivered by visiting SMU faculty and the other half taught by faculty members of BNUZ.

Dr. Harjeet Bhabra, Dean of the Sobey School of Business, highlighted the impact of this international learning experience in his congratulatory message to this year’s graduating cohort: “Your educational experience has provided you with a uniquely international perspective that will allow you to become business leaders as you embark on your careers. While we wish we could celebrate your achievements with you in Zhuhai, we are proud to welcome you to the global alumni community and we send our best wishes for your continued success.”

Special congratulations go to the 16 students who graduated with distinction (5 cum laude, 8 magna cum laude and 3 summa cum laude) and to the 17 students who have earned a place on the Dean’s List for their final academic year. Of the 63 graduates, 47 will go on to pursue postgraduate studies. Forty students have already accepted offers from respected universities in the US, UK, Australia, Canada and China. Some well-known schools include the University of Glasgow, Johns Hopkins University, the University of Sydney and University College London.

Prof. Zhong Xin, Dean of the International Business Faculty at BNUZ, says the graduates have all benefitted from the program’s international focus and congratulates them on their outstanding work: “You have demonstrated your growth with actions, studied hard, overcome difficulties and forged ahead together. I wish you a happy graduation. Ride the wind and the waves – the future is bright and promising.”

The BNUZ-SMU Joint Bachelor of Commerce Program was born out of a longstanding partnership between Saint Mary’s University and Beijing Normal University, Zhuhai. This partnership dates back to 2002 and has included a range of 2+2 programs in Arts, Business and Science, as well as a number of other exchange programs and summer institutes for students, faculty and members of the community. 

Since 2016, over 40 faculty members from the Sobey School of Business and SMU Faculty of Arts have travelled to Zhuhai to teach in the Joint BComm Program, further strengthening the friendships and academic initiatives between members of both institutions. Sonya Rice, Part-Time Lecturer in the Department of Finance, Information Systems and Management Science (FISMS), who first visited BNUZ in 2012 as a student in the International Chinese Studies program, says “I am so proud of each student graduating this year – they have not only succeeded in an intensive and rigorous program but also overcame the additional challenges of online learning.” Dr. Rahman Khokhar, Associate Professor of Finance in the Department of Finance, Information Systems and Management Science, says he was “honoured to be part of the learning journey of the dedicated and hardworking 2017 Cohort,” and is “positive that this group is ready to make a meaningful difference to the world.”  

Unfortunately, due to the ongoing global pandemic, faculty and administrators from Saint Mary’s University were unable to celebrate this year’s graduates in person in Zhuhai. We honour the achievements of the graduates and extend our warmest welcome to the newest members of our alumni community.

Saint Mary’s University Anthropologist Investigates Former Shubenacadie Residential School Site

Dr. Jonathan Fowler.

An investigation of the former Shubenacadie Residential school site grounds has begun as the result of a partnership between Sipekne'katik First Nation and Saint Mary's University. 

"This has been top of mind for Sipekne'katik for many years and the tragic discovery in Kamloops brings a renewed sense of urgency to our work," says Sipekne'katik First Nation Chief Mike Sack.

The Sipekne'katik Council and management and Sipekne'katik Grand Council have been working directly in recent years with Dr. Jonathan Fowler, an Associate Professor with Saint Mary's University’s Anthropology Department. Dr. Fowler is one of the country's leading researchers in archaeological geophysics and remote sensing. His investigation on the former Shubenacadie Residential school grounds is to determine if there is any burial evidence on site. Using several techniques, including ground-penetrating radar (GPR) Dr. Fowler is working directly with community member and Mi'kmaq cultural heritage curator for the Nova Scotia Museum, Roger Lewis as a co-investigator. 

"This urgent and essential work must be undertaken thoroughly and to the highest standard," says Dr. Fowler. "We will examine the site carefully and with the most powerful technologies available." 

Dr. Fowler's GPR research has successfully mapped burials associated with the 1873 sinking of the SS Atlantic and identified nearly 300 unmarked graves in the pre-Deportation Acadian cemetery at Grand-Pré National Historic Site of Canada.    

New Partnership Supporting BIPOC Youth in Computer Science, Technology, Leadership and Sustainable Development

Alfred Burgesson, Founder at Tribe Network and Dr. Robert Summerby-Murray, President of Saint Mary’s University.
Photo Credit: Ian Selig

A new province-wide program available to youth ages 15 to 18 in Nova Scotia who identify as Black, Indigenous and People of Colour and are interested in developing skills in computer science and technology, leadership, and sustainable development has launched.   

"The Brilliant Creators Fellowship offers a unique opportunity for BIPOC youth to develop new skills while practicing creativity, innovation, leadership, and learning with technology. We are committed to working with youth and empowering them to be creators of the world they want to live in," said Alfred Burgesson, Founder at Tribe Network.  

The 15 participants in the Brilliant Creators Fellowship are engaged in regular workshops, events, team-focused projects, and hands-on, experiential learning opportunities. Participants will develop their interpersonal skills and competencies in digital literacy, communication, sustainable development while also developing peer-to-peer networks. In addition to skill development, participants will also gain access to community leaders and industry mentors. The Saint Mary's University Entrepreneurship Centre will support youth entrepreneurship skill development throughout the initiative.   

"Saint Mary's University is committed to a world without limits. The Brilliant Creators Fellowship helps us to support and reduce barriers facing BIPOC youth, which is an important part of achieving that goal," says Saint Mary's University President Dr. Robert Summerby-Murray. "We are proud to partner with Tribe Network and Brilliant Labs on this project."   

"We recognize the importance of championing diversity across all fields of research, work and study," says President Summerby-Murray. "That is why we are offering every student who finishes this program a $12,000 scholarship over four years to study computer science or business at Saint Mary's University."    

In the first year of the program, participants include youth from Halifax, Dartmouth, Lower Sackville, Fall River and Membertou First Nation. 

Saint Mary’s University is pleased to partner with Tribe Network, to support the participants, and to further the impact of the Brilliant Creators Fellowship for years to come.    

Dr. John L. Plews wins Father Stewart Medal for Excellence in Teaching

Dr. John L. Plews

The 2021 recipient of the Father Stewart Medal of Excellence in Teaching is Dr. John L. Plews, Professor of German and Director of the Canadian Summer School in Germany (CSSG).

“I’m really pleased to get this award, also on behalf of the students who make the choice to study German,” says Dr. Plews. “It’s not a common choice, it’s a brave choice. It’s difficult to put in something as time consuming as learning a new language.”

The effort is well worth it, no matter what direction students may take in life. Learning a new language helps to develop fundamental communication skills, listening abilities, and cross-cultural understanding, he says.

“There is so much available through learning; your choices when you learn open up so much. That’s one of the privileges of teaching German. You work in a field where you’re naturally opening up avenues and horizons to students.” 

It’s meaningful to receive the top teaching award at Saint Mary’s during this challenging year of the pandemic, but he’s especially gratified the nomination came from current and former students. They wanted to honour him for his engaging teaching methods, his positive impact on their lives, and his enthusiasm and dedication to the scholarship of teaching and learning of the German language.

“That’s what is really so absolutely special about this, is the recognition of students and former students. It’s really quite fantastic,” says Plews.

Many of his former students are also now language teachers themselves. Nour Al-Salous BA’11 teaches English and French in an international elementary school in Lisbon, Portugal. She fell into German Studies at Saint Mary’s by accident because the class happened to fit into her course schedule, she admits.

Nour Al-Salous BA’11, former student and nominator of Dr. Plews.

“John’s teaching made me fall in love with the German language, and now it’s my favourite language,” says Al-Salous, who was one of his award nominators. “He was extremely intelligent in the way he taught us because he fostered our independence in the language, in the sense that we did our own learning and he guided us along the way. He’s also such a caring and empathetic professor.”

Al-Salous works hard to create a fun, energetic and trusting environment for her students too: “I’m passionate about what I teach, and I try to encourage my students to be independent in their learning and to think critically about their tasks, exactly as John did with us.” 

Plews joined the Department of Modern Languages and Classics in 2005. Last fall, he felt like a new teacher again while adapting his very face-to-face curriculum for the virtual classroom. The hardest part has been learning to read visual cues from students onscreen – their facial expressions, body language, reactions and gestures.

“Working online this year, I’ve been trying many things,” he says. “Certainly the best things still work. Technology itself I don’t think is giving us the way to teach. The technology is mainly a platform, and pedagogy still rules. That’s what really counts, it’s central to everything.”

For the annual Canadian Summer School in Germany this year, technology is making it all possible for 19 students enrolled from across Canada. Immersed in German language and culture from May 5 through June 23, they are getting to know their host families in Kassel and going on virtual excursions to see plays, cultural sites and concerts. With a Diversity and Inclusion grant from the Waterloo Centre for German Studies, Plews and his team have been working with German organizations to create high-quality video tours with social justice content for students.

Plews is also currently compiling an edited volume on critical approaches to study abroad research methods and data (2022, Palgrave Macmillan, with J. McGregor). He has served as the President of the Canadian Association of University Teachers of German (CAUTG) (2016-2018) and President of the Halifax Languages Consortium (2015-2018).

Established in 1983, Father William A. Stewart, S.J. Medal for Excellence in Teaching honours the legacy of Father Stewart, a Professor of Philosophy and an Administrator at Saint Mary’s from 1950-1982. The award is given annually by the Saint Mary’s University Alumni Association and Faculty Union to highlight full-time faculty members who have made significant contributions to the education of Saint Mary’s students through excellence in teaching and service.

Saint Mary's study suggests a future for medical-grade pulp production in Nova Scotia

Dr. Christa Brosseau

Last spring, a team of chemists at Saint Mary’s University collaborated with Port Hawkesbury Paper in hopes of developing a home-grown solution to the global shortage of N95 respirators masks caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Results from the study suggest the Nova Scotia pulp and paper industry may have a future in the production of medical-grade pulp for use in personal protective equipment (PPE). 

“Our motivation for the project was two-fold,” explains Dr. Christa Brosseau. “We wanted to see if we could help support the needs of frontline healthcare workers while also exploring potential new opportunities for the Nova Scotian pulp and paper industry.”

Dr. Brosseau is a professor in Saint Mary’s University’s Faculty of Science and Canada Research Chair in Sustainable Chemistry & Materials. In 2020, she received a grant from Research Nova Scotia to explore innovative chemical strategies to help determine if Nova Scotian pulp mills can produce medical-grade pulp for use in PPE such as N95 respirator masks. At the time, the sole Canadian mill producing medical-grade pulp, located in British Columbia (B.C.), was struggling to keep up with demand.   

The medical-grade pulp produced in B.C. is derived from western red cedar and is created using a kraft pulping process. Using their combined expertise in the areas of chemical synthesis, materials characterization and process development, Dr. Brosseau and her research team committed to developing an innovative “made-in-Nova Scotia” approach to create a similar product using local species, fir and spruce, and a completely different pulping process known as thermomechanical pulping. 

Working collaboratively with Port Hawkesbury Paper Mill, who provided the pulp for experimentation, the team analyzed 13 different pulp samples and determined thermomechanical pulp to be the correct fiber diameter and morphology for potential end use in non-woven textiles, such as those used in surgical masks, garments and drapes.  

“These results are exciting because thermomechanical pulp has not been used in this application before,” says Dr. Brosseau. “It’s our recommendation that this opportunity be further explored in collaboration with an industry partner.” 

The project also explored the use of thermomechanical pulp as a material to produce an all-wood pulp N95 respirator mask. Typically made primarily from synthetic polymer materials such polypropylene and polyester, an all-wood N95 mask would be an environmentally friendly alternative. According to Dr. Brosseau, the final paper products from Port Hawkesbury Paper show promise for future N95 filtration layer development but require further investigation. 

“We chose this project as part of our COVID work specifically because it held the promise of supporting both a sustainable forestry industry and responding to the pandemic”, says Stefan Leslie, CEO of Research Nova Scotia. “The research community continues to demonstrate its creativity and initiative.”

To Dr. Malcolm Butler, Vice-President, Academic and Research at Saint Mary’s University, Dr. Brosseau’s work is a great example of the world-class research taking place at Saint Mary’s. 

“Faced with a global pandemic, Dr. Christa Brosseau and her team quickly used their expertise to solve a problem,” he says. “Their research has the potential for significant applications in Nova Scotia, the rest of Canada and the world, and we are proud to be part of the solution.”

This story first appeared on the Research Nova Scotia website.

To further contribute to the Government of Canada and the Province of Nova Scotia’s efforts to address the COVID-19 outbreak, Research Nova Scotia (RNS) continues to provide rapid response funding from its Research Opportunities Fund. This fund was created by the Province of Nova Scotia to enable RNS to provide financial support to research projects that have the potential to benefit Nova Scotians.

SMU Film Professor’s Research Associated with Venice ‘Impostor Cities’ Exhibition

The Screening Room. Credit: Imposter Cities

Canadian cities seldom play themselves in movies and television, more often doubling for other places in the world. A new exhibition in Venice celebrates this duality while raising questions about identity, authenticity, and how we experience architecture and urban geography in the digital age.  

Impostor Cities is Canada’s official entry in the 17th International Architecture Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia. It opened to the public on May 22 online and at the Canada Pavilion, which was built in 1958 in the Giardini di Castello where the Venice Biennale is based.

“There is something about Canadian architecture that allows it to stand in,” says Dr. Jennifer VanderBurgh, associate professor of film and media studies at Saint Mary’s. “The exhibition is not saying that’s good or bad, just something to think about.”

Dr. VanderBurgh’s work is associated with the prestigious international exhibition through her essay, “Screens Stop Here! Tax Credit Thinking and the Contemporary Meaning of 'Local' Filmmaking”. In it, she examines the role of tax incentive programs in how Canada appears onscreen, and the economic and cultural impacts of this over time. Originally published in the Canadian Journal of Film Studies, the 15-page essay was invited to be included in the exhibition’s academic resources. It’s also available online to SMU students and faculty via the Patrick Power Library. 

Dr. Jennifer VanderBurgh, associate professor of film and media studies

VanderBurgh describes ‘tax credit thinking’ in the essay as “a way of thinking that tends to focus on economic benefits when justifying why films and film industries are important to places and people,” with job creation prioritized over cultural content or artistic integrity. Fear of cultural encroachment “has been replaced with a legacy of federal and provincial incentives that have been designed with the express purpose of enticing American, international and out-of-province projects."

Impostor Cities considers many factors in Canada’s success as a film stand-in, from tax credits and lower production costs to skilled crews, high-quality facilities, and diverse landscapes. Our cities and buildings also tend to look more generic than those in many countries, argues the exhibition’s designer, Montreal architect Thomas Balaban.

Due to the pandemic, the Canadian team couldn’t travel to Italy to install the exhibition, including Balaban and curator David Theodore, Canada Research Chair in Architecture, Health, and Computation at McGill University. They instructed local workers via Zoom and FaceTime, and the Canadian Pavilion is now wrapped almost entirely in green fabric. Visitors can scan a QR code on their phones, taking them to an app that uses green screen technology to turn the Pavilion into iconic Canadian cityscapes on Instagram.

“It’s a really cool idea,” says VanderBurgh. “Inside the pavilion, one of the central pieces is a video that’s a compilation of 3,000 clips of films and TV shows where Canadian cities have stood in for other places.”

The website shares views of the exhibition, interspersed with film and TV clips and interviews with Canadian architects, film directors, set designers, and scholars. VanderBurgh attended the digital launch, where participants used avatars to mingle virtually and explore the Pavilion from afar. She also plans to take part in conferences and other scholarly events ahead for Impostor Cities. It’s a fascinating exercise in “the democratization of arts access through the digital world,” she says. “A way to make these things and gather in ways that we couldn’t before.” 

VanderBurgh teaches in the Department of English Language and Literature. She is nearing the finish line on her forthcoming book, What Television Remembers: Artefacts and Footprints of TV in Toronto. She’s also working on a book about Nova Scotia filmmaker Margaret Perry, and working with other researchers and the Nova Scotia Archives to digitize Perry’s films through an Archive / Counterarchive case study project.

Students in all three faculties at Saint Mary’s can take a Minor in Film Studies as part of their undergraduate degrees. VanderBurgh is the undergraduate coordinator for the minor, and will also soon be undergraduate coordinator for the Atlantic Canada Studies program. 

Impostor Cities is on view until November 21 at the Canadian Pavilion and www.impostorcities.com, in the Venice Biennale Architettura 2021. Read more from the Canada Council and follow @impostorcities on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube, and via the hashtag #ImpostorCities2021.

Undergraduate Students Earn Paid Summer Research Positions

 With hard work and dedication to their studies, top undergraduate students at Saint Mary’s have won the opportunity to do paid research with their professors this summer. Some will be in labs, others in the field or working remotely.  

Research at Saint Mary’s University has an impact on our community and globally. These students are placed across the campus in Science, Arts and Business faculties. Research topics include applying human resource concepts to sports teams, analyzing data and images from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope, the shift in approach to feminist policy in Canada, and analysing case studies on the collapse of fish stocks and fisheries worldwide.  

Canadian and International students are eligible for four award programs:

• Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada’s Undergraduate Student
  Research Awards (NSERC USRA);

• Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Explore Summer Research Awards; and,

• Dean of Science Undergraduate Summer Research Awards

• First Year Undergraduate Awards

Working with professors whose research is making positive changes in the world guides students on their educational path to become the next generation of researchers.  

“Saint Mary’s University faculty members excel at engaging undergraduate students in their research efforts, and these experiences are a transformational positive experience for every student that has the opportunity,” said Dr. Adam Sarty, Associate Vice-President, Research and Dean, Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research.  

“The one-on-one attention from our faculty members and teamwork with peers is a perfect complement to an undergraduate degree, and provides an exceptionally strong foundation for career entry, or future professional/graduate studies,” said Dr. Sarty.  

The Awards

USRA awards, open to Canadian students who have completed at least a year of a bachelor’s degree, are meant to help students develop their potential for a research career in the natural sciences and engineering.

SSHRC Explore awards are open to students studying social sciences and humanities. With these two award programs that are supported by our federal funding councils, combined with the Dean of Science and First Year awards, all Saint Mary’s University students, Canadian and international, have an opportunity to apply for summer research award positions, even after their first year of study. 

This year are students are working on these exciting and inspiring research projects:

Humaid Muhammad Agowun (Mathematics & Computing Science; Supervisor: Paul Muir) 

Tanisha Ballard (Chemistry; Supervisor: Clarissa Sit)

Continuing certain projects already initiated, my lab partners and I will be looking at improving plant growth, and potentially, pest control in crop production. This summer, hopefully we will be able to conduct field trials on various crops, as well as additional greenhouse and green roof trials this summer to investigate this.

Abigail Battson (Astrophysics; Supervisor: Vincent Hénault-Brunet)

I will be working on high-velocity stars in globular clusters. These stars are far too fast to have been produced by the typical cluster dynamics, and are likely produced by interactions between a binary star system and a black hole. My work involves finding these stars using the GAIA proper motion data and confirming that they are likely members of the cluster, with plans to apply this process to all the globular clusters I can. Eventually, I hope to analyze the three-body interactions that cause the star's high speed to discover what kind of black holes would produce the results observed.

Samantha Bennett (Environmental Science; Supervisor: Erin Cameron)

This summer I am going to be studying soil biodiversity and the effects of global change, climate change and invasive species on species distribution. I will spend part of the summer researching earthworms, looking into their distribution and dispersal. I am hoping to get the opportunity to go to Western Canada later in the summer to study the distribution of earthworms in Saskatchewan.

Hannah Birru (Economics; Supervisor: Joniada Milla)

Labour economics in Chile.

Abby Brouwer (Biology; Supervisor: Anne Dalziel)

Testing how freshwater tolerance evolves in stickleback or study the factors influencing hybridization rate and direction in killifishes. This work will involve collecting fish from the field, caring for fish brought back to the aquarium facilities, and conducting molecular and biochemical analyses in the lab.

Chloe Champion (Biology; Supervisor: Anne Dalziel)

Continuing field and molecular work in the Dalziel Lab on “Mechanisms affecting rates and directions of hybridization in killifish species producing asexual hybrids.”

Jakob Conrad (Mathematics; Supervisor: Mitja Mastnak)

The study and classfication of hopf algebras, using computational methods and tools, and studying the simultaneous triangularization of linear transformations and their corresponding chains of invariant subspaces.

Katrina Cruickshanks (Biology; Supervisor: Sean Haughian)

Analyzing lichen species of old growth forests of Nova Scotia to assist land managers with prioritizing conservation decisions. 

Myles Davidson (Psychology; Supervisor: Skye Stephens)

I am working with Dr. Skye Stephens on a prevention project for adults at risk of sexually offending against children. We are working on identifying what is considered best practice for preventing offending amongst this demographic.

Bryn de Chastelain (Political Science; Supervisor: Alexandra Dobrowolsky)

My research is supporting the development of an article by Dr. Dobrowolsky on the topic of feminist policy and gender equality in Canada. Specifically, I will be analyzing speeches and policy approaches under Pierre Elliott Trudeau and his son Justin Trudeau, demonstrating the shift (or lack thereof) in approach to feminist policy in Canada. This will inform a comparative analysis of the different political eras to showcase the realities of feminism and gender equality in Canada. 

Matthew Fancy (Marketing; Supervisor Tiffany Vu)

Helping to develop and test various theories in marketing pertaining to charitable giving and sustainability.

Mark Funnell (Geography & Environmental Studies; Supervisors: Matthew Novak & Khan Rahaman)

I am a first-year Geography undergrad working with the Wicked Problems Lab to assess the pandemic’s effect on local governance. This looks to answer how municipal government has been affected in Halifax and elsewhere in Canada through using qualitative data analysis software and other research methods.

Justin Gray (Mathematics and Computing Science; Supervisor: Stavros Konstantinidis)

A regular expression is a pattern that is used to match desirable word(s) in a text. Given a regular expression and a word, there are algorithms to determine if the regular expression matches the word; this is called the membership problem. This is often solved by converting the regular expression into an automaton, but can also be solved using other direct algorithms. My research will focus on algorithms and implementation of the membership problem for multi-dimensional word/regular expression tuples, which are studied in the area of what is formally known as rational word relations. This type of regular expressions is of current interest both in the theory of rational relations and their applications in areas like databases and computer security.

Samantha Henneberry (Chemistry; Supervisor: Rob Singer)

This summer I will be working with Dr. Singer and his team on a green chemistry project involving ionic organocatalysis. These ionic organocatalysts can potentially provide more green alternatives to traditional organic liquids. Another project involves the N-demethylation of opioids, using sonochemical / ultrasound methods. This project falls under the medicinal side of organic chemistry, and may even be published by the end of the summer.”

Jacob Hoare (Chemistry; Supervisor: Rob Singer)

Sam Julien (Chemistry; Supervisor: Christa Brosseau)

I am a 4th year chemistry honours student. I will be developing a novel biosensor for rapid detection of cardiac biomarkers. This technology may be useful for the early evaluation of heart attacks before the onset of physical symptoms.

Amy Kehoe (Engineering; Supervisor: Adel Merabet)

Maggie Kelly (Biology; Supervisor: Laura Weir)

I will be working with Dr. Weir and her study of the mating behaviour of Japanese Medaka fish.

Madison Kieffer (Modern Languages and Classics; Supervisor: Sveva Svavelli)

Processing artifacts and organizing documentation from the archaeological excavation at the Oenotrian-Greek site of Incoronata “greca” (Pisticci-Basilicata-Italy) (8th- 6th c. BCE). Current investigation of the site focuses on the relationships formed between Indigenous populations in southern Italy and incoming Greeks in the wider context of Greek colonialism and imperialism in the ancient Mediterranean.

Mayara Mejri (Biology; Supervisor: David Chiasson)

Nam Nguyen (Accounting; Supervisor: Vasiliki Athanasakou)

I am super passionate about working in the accounting and taxation field. I am currently participating in the research project of Professor Athanasakou to perform analysis on corporate reporting, and I am working full-time as an Excise Tax Examiner at the Canada Revenue Agency.  I am interested in this topic as I have the opportunity to review and evaluate annual reports and information forms from many different companies. Working with Professor Athanasakou and learning from her stories and experience will allow me to learn and gain more handy skills and knowledge, and this would help in pursuing my CPA designation.

Narmeen Oozer (Mathematics & Computing Science; Supervisor Mitja Mastnak)

Bibek Parajuli (Psychology; Supervisor: Arla Day)

Gwen Pearson (Women & Gender Studies/Criminology; Supervisors: Byers/Collins)

Collecting existing data and research on the subject in the media, including television shows and documentaries. I will examine the content relating to many different aspects like story arc, genre, and how characters are portrayed. I also expect to learn skills relating to criminology, media studies, and research, that will likely benefit me as I complete my degree. 

Bernice Perry (History; Supervisor: Heather Green)

Working alongside Professor Green and her collaborators on the Northern Borders Project, researching first and secondary sources for developing an open access online teaching module, surrounding aspects of borders and boundaries in the North. This project entails looking at physical borders and cultural and racial boundaries using scholarly and local perspectives. There is also an opportunity for independent research surrounding the project themes, which may be featured in the teaching module.

Grace Robertson (Environmental Science; Supervisor: Tony Charles)

I will be compiling and analysing case studies and other information from around the world on the collapse of fish stocks and fisheries, leading to a published report. I will also be working with simulation modelling of the impacts of marine protected areas on fisheries and marine biodiversity. Lastly, I will be engaging in the work of the Community Conservation Research Network through research and outreach activities.

Jacqueline Shaw (Psychology; Supervisor: Kevin Kelloway)

Working with Dr. Kelloway and his research group to study organizational response to the Covid-19 outbreak, as well as psychological injuries at work, stress interventions, and the relationship between personality and organizational outcomes.

Jaylynn Skeete (Psychology; Supervisor: Nicole Conrad)

I will be assisting Dr. Conrad with her research on the relationship between spelling and reading comprehension, and with statistical input and analysis as well as creating my own research study and design. 

Ashley Ta (Management; Supervisor: Terry Wagar)

Applying human resource concepts to sports teams, coaches, and athletes. I will also be assisting in writing literary reviews, assembling data, and conducting interviews. 

Devin Williams (Astrophysics; Supervisor: Marcin Sawicki)

Analyzing data and images from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope and other giant ground-based telescopes to study galaxy morphology, and learn how galaxies form, grow, and evolve in the early Universe.

Saint Mary’s Looks to Future with New Brand Story

Saint Mary’s University is looking to the future with the launch of a new brand.      

“It is time for Saint Mary’s University to assert our place boldly among the top Canadian universities and proclaim our advantages at home and around the globe,” says Saint Mary’s University President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Robert Summerby-Murray. “This is the brand for our university and for our times. Saint Mary’s University offers a bright, ambitious vision for the future.”  

The new brand platform results from months of qualitative and quantitative research and extensive consultation with a diverse group of more than 3,000 faculty, staff, students, alumni and other stakeholders.   

The new treatment includes a logo, wordmark and tagline, ‘World Without Limits.’    

“‘World Without Limits’ is a wonderful distillation of who we are and what Saint Mary’s strives for every day. It is about investment in people, about economies, international relations and social prosperity, changes in science, technology, environment and business. It is also about acknowledging and tackling the very real limitations placed on diverse and marginalized cultures and peoples, and addressing the mental health issues that many grapple with every day. It is about Saint Mary’s bold vision and our commitment to our university community, for Halifax and for Nova Scotia,” says President Summerby-Murray.    

“More than an updated look and feel, our new brand platform is a powerful way of telling the Saint Mary’s story,” says Erin Sargeant Greenwood, Vice-President, Advancement. “Saint Mary’s offers a unique experience. We are a caring community, more typically associated with smaller universities, combined with the research and student engagement opportunities of the largest institutions. We are moving the university forward in a way that reflects our traditions and values and embraces our bright future.”   

Related links

• Learn more about our new brand platform

• Learn about the Sobey School brand

• Learn about the Husky logo

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News release: Saint Mary’s Looks to Future with New Brand Story

Saint Mary’s University, one of Canada’s top primarily undergraduate universities, is launching a new brand platform that embodies the institution, known for its connected campus, international collaborations, leadership in entrepreneurship, and research that benefits local and global communities.   

“It is time for Saint Mary’s University to assert our place boldly among the top Canadian universities and proclaim our advantages at home and around the globe,” says Saint Mary’s University President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Robert Summerby-Murray. “This is the brand for our university and for our times. Saint Mary’s University offers a bright, ambitious vision for the future.”  

President Summerby-Murray shared the new brand with the university community today in a virtual launch celebration. More virtual events and a social media campaign are planned to reach the university’s 53,000 alumni worldwide. The new brand platform results from months of qualitative and quantitative research and extensive consultation with a diverse group of more than 3,000 faculty, staff, students, alumni and other stakeholders.   

The new treatment includes a logo, wordmark and tagline, ‘World Without Limits.’  
 
“‘World Without Limits’ is a wonderful distillation of who we are and what Saint Mary’s strives for every day. It is about investment in people, about economies, international relations and social prosperity, changes in science, technology, environment and business. It is also about acknowledging and tackling the very real limitations placed on diverse and marginalized cultures and peoples and addressing the mental health issues that many grapple with every day. It is about Saint Mary’s bold vision and our commitment to our university community, for Halifax and for Nova Scotia,” says President Summerby-Murray. 

 “More than an updated look and feel, our new brand platform is a powerful way of telling the Saint Mary’s story,” says Erin Sargeant Greenwood, Vice-President, Advancement. “Saint Mary’s offers a unique experience. We are a caring community, more typically associated with smaller universities, combined with the research and student engagement opportunities of the largest institutions. We are moving the university forward in a way that reflects our traditions and values and embraces our bright future.”   

The impact of Saint Mary’s University has grown significantly over the past decade. The university has seen an expansion in research depth and breadth in addition to increases in externally funded research. The university embraces global partnerships and celebrates its growing number of academic all-Canadian varsity athletes. The university boasts unique professional and graduate programs and has gained new accreditation for the Sobey School of Business. Saint Mary’s is a university on the rise, as marked by the climb to fourth in Maclean’s Primarily Undergraduate University national rankings. 

More information about the Saint Mary’s University branding initiative and the new brand video may be found at smu.ca.  

About Saint Mary’s University  

Saint Mary’s University is one of Canada’s top primarily undergraduate universities—known for its international collaborations, engaging student experience, leadership in entrepreneurship, and research that benefits local and global communities. Our programs in Arts, Science, Graduate Studies and the Sobey School of Business are among Canada’s best and feature professors who are committed to the success of their students. Saint Mary’s provides our 7,000 students with a place that fosters possibility, excellent research opportunities, and distinguished graduate and professional programs combined with a caring community. Nestled in the heart of Halifax, Nova Scotia, on Canada’s east coast, Saint Mary’s University is marked by iconic buildings, green spaces and fresh ocean air. The Saint Mary’s University community is committed to a prosperous future for the world—a world without limits. 

Flags Lowered by Saint Mary's University

To honour the memory of the 215 children whose bodies have been found at the former Kamloops residential school in Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc territory, Saint Mary’s has lowered flags to half staff. Flags will remain lowered as a mark of respect for 215 hours as a reminder not only of these lives lost but to honour all those whose lives were lost or changed forever by the tragedies of the residential schools, including here in Nova Scotia. We must all continue to educate ourselves about this shameful aspect of our past and acknowledge the impact on Indigenous peoples. The last residential school in Canada closed as recently as 1996.

Study shows long-lasting impacts to lake health from old gold mines

Water on the tailing fields of the historical Montague Gold District transports contaminated materials towards Mitchell Brook, which flows into Barry's Run, and then into Lake Charles. Wind is also a mechanism of tailings transport. Credit: Linda Campbell

New findings of a multi-university team of researchers show that pollution from historical gold mining in Nova Scotia, Canada, persists at levels that impact the health of aquatic ecosystems, despite mine operations closing nearly a century ago.

“Mining activities from 100 years ago can still impact freshwater ecosystems today. Our work reveals that lakes may show signs of recovery from those impacts,” notes Saint Mary’s University Professor and co-author Dr. Linda Campbell. “Even so, we must remain vigilant about understanding and monitoring the legacy of those contaminated tailings in our modern ecosystems to support recovery processes.”

Over 350 gold mines operated throughout Nova Scotia between the mid-1800s and 1950. Urbanization and land development has taken place nearby some historical mining areas and people sometimes use these areas for recreational activities. Waste tailing materials with elevated and potentially toxic levels of arsenic and mercury often are associated with historical gold mining sites in Nova Scotia. The tailings can contaminate soil and aquatic sediments through water and wind movement.

This study used dated sediments from the bottom of two urban lakes located near one of the region’s largest historical mining operations. Lake sediments are a well-recognized and information-rich natural archive of past environments which allow the assessment of geochemical and biological conditions of lakes and their watersheds before, during, and after pollution has occurred.  

The study was recently published in the peer-reviewed international journal Science of the Total Environment and highlights how pollution from past gold mining combined with contemporary stressors such as climate change and urbanization may contribute to prevent complete lake recovery from century-old mining pollution.

“Past mining activities that occurred throughout Nova Scotia introduced considerable amounts of arsenic and mercury into the environment,” says lead author Allison Clark, from Mount Allison University. “Although the Montague Gold District closed to mining 80 years ago, lakes nearby still remain severely impacted.”

Currently, arsenic levels are still very high in the lake sediments—300 times above levels that are known to harm aquatic organisms. Mercury has returned to levels observed before gold mining began. This suggests that arsenic is behaving differently than mercury within the sediments at the bottom of tailing-impacted lakes.

“Mining is both a blessing and a curse,” notes Mount Allison University Associate Professor and co-author Dr. Joshua Kurek. “Society benefits but past mining activities practiced throughout Nova Scotia continue to harm ecosystems and citizens are now left with the clean-up costs.”

Additionally, invertebrates that live on and interact with the lake’s sediment have become less diverse compared with a similar reference lake, likely due to the mining pollution as well as other recent watershed stressors. Loss of key organisms may affect lake food webs, leading to issues with water quality.

Funding for this research was provided by Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and Genome Atlantic.