SMU Professor examines virus spread in Nova Scotia

Article by SMU Professor Dr. Yigit Aydede, published in Scientific Reports, examines virus spread in Nova Scotia

Dr. Yigit Aydede

Understanding how influenza and other viruses such as COVID-19 migrate from one community to the next is key to predicting where disease will spread and determining how to curtail its progress. A new article by Saint Mary’s University’s Dr. Yigit Aydede, and Jan Ditzen, Free University of Bolzano, Italy, published in Scientific Reports unveils a new methodology, one that may assist health officials to both predict where viruses will spread and target interventions to halt them.

“The COVID-19 pandemic put mapping at the forefront of both the general public’s and public health experts’ tracking of the outbreak. Dr. Aydede’s research demonstrates the essential role of spatial and temporal analysis when tracking and predicting outbreaks between and within communities.”

— Dr. Mathew Novak, Director, Wicked Problems Lab, Saint Mary’s University and Associate Professor, Department of Geography & Environmental Studies

The study, Identifying the regional drivers of influenza-like illness in Nova Scotia, Canada, with dominance analysis - Scientific Reports, is hailed by the journal’s editors as the first epidemiological study of its kind because it combines data concerning geographical or spatial spread with temporal spread (incidents over time), as opposed to more common epidemiological studies which examine temporal spread alone. 

The research was only possible due to a unique set of circumstances: unparalleled access to unique provincial healthcare data, new methodology, and the use of machine learning.

“Research Nova Scotia was proud to support Dr. Aydede’s work through the Nova Scotia COVID-19 Health Research Coalition,” says Stefan Leslie, CEO of Research Nova Scotia. “Better understanding relationships between viral transmission rates, air quality, and social mobility will help inform public health decision making, optimize allocation of healthcare resources, and ultimately benefit Nova Scotians.”

The ideal circumstances for data collection arose in Nova Scotia during the first four months of the COVID-19 pandemic. From March to July 2020, health officials asked Nova Scotians to report their symptoms to the province’s 811 telehealth system, where nurses painstakingly recorded and referred citizens reporting a minimum of four influenza-like symptoms. When the data was made available to researchers at Saint Mary’s University, they realized it was exceptional. Far more detailed than COVID-19 PCR tests which only confirm the presence or absence of disease, the symptom data from the 811 records reveals how viruses, in real-time, spread across Nova Scotia’s neighbourhoods and communities.

“This type of data that records symptoms as they arose, early in the pandemic, simply does not exist anywhere else in the world and is due to decisions taken by provincial health authorities that turned the Province of Nova Scotia, in effect, into a living laboratory,” says Dr. Aydede, Sobey Professorship in Economics and the study’s principal investigator. 

Dr. Mat Novak, Dr. Yigit Aydede and student, Kyle Morton BComm’23

The inability of scientists and health officials to predict where COVID-19 would strike was a key feature of the disease, one that remained a constant source of frustration throughout the pandemic. “We could watch the overall trajectory of the disease as the number of incidents rose and fell, and we understood the R factor (degree of virulence) but there was no ability to predict the spread of the disease on the ground,” says Dr. Aydede. “Thanks to the Nova Scotia COVID-19 Research Coalition and a grant from Research Nova Scotia we had an unbelievable data set that allowed us to look back at what occurred and identify the communities or locations that were driving the spread in Nova Scotia and further identify key socio-economic factors as well.” 

Dr. Aydede adapted algorithms recently developed for the finance industry to analyse economic ‘shock waves.’ “It is not always clear which features or factors are essential and which ones can be dropped without compromising predictive or statistical power,” says Dr. Aydede.  “Machine learning, particularly Tree-based methods such as the Random Forests algorithm used here, helps identify relevant predictors in large complex data sets with complex variables and factors.” 

The study analysed 112 Nova Scotian communities identified by postal codes and found that 18 communities were drivers of viral spread and then analysed 1,400 socio and economic factors, such home mortgage ownership, employment status and use of public transit that all coincided with the spread. 

“This important health-related study led by Dr. Aydede is a terrific example of many elements that allow our Saint Mary’s professors to establish research leadership in areas that may seem unexpected for our university,” says Dr. Adam Sarty, Dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research. “By applying methods used in economics to health-related problems and drawing on the expertise of both his international colleagues and the technical data-visualization talents of our multi-disciplinary research lab at Saint Mary’s, Dr. Aydede was able to partner with Research Nova Scotia and the provincial health authority to illustrate the power of such interdisciplinary networking.” 

Want to learn more about Machine Learning? 

Professor Aydede has just published his book for students of business and social science. Machine Learning Toolbox for Social Scientists | Applied Predictive An (taylorfrancis.com) 

About Scientific Reports 

Scientific Reports are open-access journals publishing original research from all areas of the natural sciences, psychology, medicine and engineering. It is the fifth most cited journal in the world and its editorial team, in partnership with an extensive network of peer reviewers, provides expert and constructive peer review. Scientific Reports is part of the Nature Portfolio.  

Community Food Room full after record-setting contributions

Thanks to the faculty, staff and alumni who participated in the annual Food Drive Competition hosted by the Alumni Office. As a community, we exceeded last year's record and raised more than 2,100 lbs of food and $1,475 in monetary donations—the shelves in the campus Food Room are full! 

Congratulations to the Sobey School of Business ‘Accounting Matters’ team who won the competition by contributing 455 lbs of food with just eight members! They received a trophy and pizza party. Special shout-out to the Arthur L. Irving Entrepreneurship Centre for the most creative team name—’The IncrEDIBLES’.

Thank you to faculty, staff and alumni who made financial contributions during the competition allowing the Food Room to have some flexibility in making purchases of much-needed items. Members of the SMU community can donate to the Food Room anytime and receive a tax receipt for your donation.  

““I am thankful to every department that enthusiastically participated in the Annual Alumni Food Drive. Each participant’s passion and excitement in supporting this important cause was extremely motivating. I would want to express my heartfelt gratitude to the volunteers from the SMU Community Food Room, whose outstanding assistance was critical to the food drive’s exceptional success. Their commitment to collecting, weighing, and stacking the amazing 2,100 pounds of food was remarkable. Despite the huge workload, the persistent dedication and hard effort paid off magnificently.” ”

— Tarim Faress Alsaquaf, the Community Food Room Coordinator

Stats: 

• 13 teams (141 people including alumni) participated. 

• Food donations raised: 2,138 lbs 

• Monetary donation from faculty, staff and alumni: $1,215 

See more photos published in an Alumni Facebook album 

EDBA Excellence: Dr. Gary Ernest

Gary Ernest, medical doctor and student in the Executive Doctorate of Business Administration (EDBA) program

Throughout his 41-year medical career, Dr. Gary Ernest EMBA’97 has welcomed babies into the world and watched patients draw their last breaths. The family doctor who practices medicine in Liverpool, NS, knows all too well the importance of having access to a primary care physician.

Currently, the provincial waiting list for a family doctor has hit record highs in Nova Scotia, with over 140,000 names and more added every day—a burden also being felt in other provinces across the country.

“The provision of primary healthcare is one of the arch stones of our healthcare system,” says Dr. Ernest. “When you look at the number of people waiting for a primary care provider, it’s huge, and the implications and consequences are not hard to imagine.”

During the early stages of the pandemic, in addition to his medical practice, Dr. Ernest served as the President of Doctors Nova Scotia. It was a chaotic time to work in the medical field, and one of his primary jobs was keeping physicians engaged and supported in any way possible.

At the time, there was a lot of upheaval for doctors in the province. The pandemic prevented many of them from seeing patients in their offices and major shifts needed to be made to help doctors provide care. Other physicians lost their practices or had them greatly reduced, meaning they faced the financial consequences of a decreased practice. Some doctors were also being employed to do things outside of what they would normally do to help patients.

In June 2023, Dr. Ernest was recognized with a Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal for his service to the public as the President of Doctors Nova Scotia. The awards were given by provincial governments across Canada to individuals who devoted themselves to the service of others during the pandemic through their job, volunteer work or contributions to their community.

“I came home one day and my wife told me a special delivery had come from the Nova Scotia Health Authority. She pulled out the medal and letter—I was shocked—it wasn’t anything I had thought about receiving.”

Helping people is at the heart of what Dr. Ernest does. So, it was natural that he further his education and help facilitate out-of-the-box solutions and address challenges facing the medical care system. In addition to being a doctor, he holds an extensive education from the Sobey School of Business—an Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA) degree from 1997, a Certificate in the Directors Education Program, and he's currently in the first cohort of the Executive Doctorate in Business Administration (EDBA) program.

After he graduates from the EDBA program in 2025, Dr. Ernest wants to use his education to drive innovative solutions to tackle the challenges facing the strained medical system across the country.

“I’d like to do consulting work in healthcare transformation,” he says. “It’s an issue that is front and center on everyone’s agenda because it has become increasingly clear over time that although our healthcare system has many excellent qualities, there are aspects of it that need to change in order to cope with current and future demands.”

Dr. Ernest is enjoying his time in the EDBA program, which provides him with a new challenge while preparing him for the next chapter. He appreciates the evidence-based management aspect of the program, which uses critical thinking and the best available evidence to make decisions. It’s a familiar concept to him as a respected physician helping Nova Scotians each day.

Fulbright Canada Community Leadership Program

Settling in a new country is full of unknowns. Immigrants navigate the uncharted waters of adjusting to a new culture, new surroundings, and a new life. During a time of great transition, understanding financial practices and rules in their new country can be daunting.

Fulbright Canada, in partnership with the United States Embassy in Ottawa and Sobey School of Business of Saint Mary’s University, recently hosted a Community Leadership program. This one-of-a-kind event connected 50 new immigrants from 23 different countries and five continents: Asia, Africa, Europe, North America and South America. The speakers, session chairs and facilitators included finance professors from Dalhousie, Saint Mary's and Mount Saint Vincent University as well as practitioners from Royal Bank of Canada, Bank of Montreal, Health Canada, Investment Group and McInnes Cooper. The two-day event also received support from the Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia to connect immigrants to the informative material.

Participants engaged in discussions, breakout sessions and had opportunities to network. Presentations covered personal financial management, consumer credit, real estate management, safeguarding from scammers, career choices and taxation.

The program was developed by Fulbright Canada Research Alumni Chair and former Dalhousie University professor and current professor of economics at the University of New Brunswick, Dr. Fazley Siddiq. The program’s creation also involved a Strategic Committee including two Sobey School of Business faculty members, Dr. Mohammad Rahaman and Dr. Ashraf Zaman.

“First and foremost, our goal is to help immigrants integrate within the greater Canadian society,” says Dr. Siddiq. “This program is focused on giving them more than basic financial skills. We’re giving them financial management skills which includes everything from making good investment decisions to informed choices with respect to mortgage loans, car loans, saving for retirement and more.”

Dr. Fazley Siddiq

Zahra Bazzi and Shiella Macion attended the Fulbright Community Leadership program. They both felt it was beneficial.

“This is the first time I’ve had the opportunity to learn about personal financial management in Canada,” says Bazzi. “The sessions were very informative.”

“I appreciate the networking opportunity and to get to know people who don’t necessarily have the same background as me but have immigrated to Canada,” says Macion. “I have a background in the finance industry, but there are things that I have learned that are enhancing my understanding.”  

Zahra Bazzi and Shiella Macion

The event also included special guests: U.S. Consul General for Atlantic Canada Lyra Carr, Halifax Mayor Mike Savage, the Honourable Steve Craig, Nova Scotia’s Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture, the Honourable Brian Wong, Minister of Advanced Education, Andy Fillmore, Member of Parliament for Halifax, and Jennifer Watts, CEO of ISANS.

The Honourable Steve Craig, Saint Mary’s University President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Rob Summerby-Murray, U.S. Consul General for Atlantic Canada Lyra Carr, Sobey School of Business Dean Dr. Harjeet Bhabra, Fulbright Canada Research Alumni Chair Dr. Fazley Siddiq and Halifax Mayor Mike Savage.

Saint Mary’s University’s Sobey School of Business hosted the program. The school is the oldest and largest business school in the Atlantic region, and it was more than happy to welcome the participants, subject matter experts and special guests.

“Partnering with Saint Mary’s helped us reach a lot of people. There are many immigrants living in Halifax, and the city has numerous experts from academia and the banking sector who volunteered their time to be here,” says Dr. Siddiq. “When I spoke to the Sobey School of Business’ Associate Dean, Dr. Mohammad Rahaman, he was quick to suggest that the university host the event.”  

Dr. Siddiq hopes participants walked away from the session with a good knowledge of financial management and that they feel inspired to continue to learn and ask questions.

Meet your Valedictorian: Oratile Mogae BComm'23

Oratile Mogae BComm’23
photo: Ashley Brown

As Oratile Mogae prepares to walk across the stage on convocation day to receive her Bachelor of Commerce degree and deliver her valedictorian address, she’s humbled by the honour of representing her graduating class. 

“It’s a surreal feeling,” she says with a smile. “We’ve all had our own journeys to get here, and I recognize graduating will mean something different to everyone—it’s going to be a special day.”     

Looking back at her own journey, growing up in Bedford, Nova Scotia, the decision to attend Saint Mary’s was easy.  

“The Sobey School of Business is one of the top business schools in Canada,” she says. “The university also has a reputation for smaller class sizes and having a close sense of community on campus—much like a family.”

Family is important to Mogae, and she’s quick to share that her parents have always been her biggest cheerleaders every step of the way. As an African Nova Scotian woman, creating an inclusive family-like atmosphere for Black students is something she is passionate about.

A journey of inclusion

Saint Mary’s strives to create an academic environment that is inclusive, equitable and dedicated to embracing global perspectives, something she values deeply about the university. Her passion for inclusion sparked her to create the university’s first Black Student Society.

Previously, there had been African and Caribbean Student Societies, but Mogae wanted to create a hub where all Black students on campus could come together and have a safe space to connect. “Some Black people don’t identify with a specific background,” she says. “For example, they don’t only identify as African or Caribbean—they identify as Black.”

To get the ball rolling, Mogae and her friend Aba Owusu-Biney applied to create the society with the Saint Mary’s University Students’ Association (SMUSA). Once approved, she became the society’s president and they set up a governance structure. The Black Student Society officially began in the fall of 2022 and the team hit the ground running, planning activities and events.  

“We hosted a paint and sip, open mic, a skate night and a workshop for Black professionals in the workplace,” she says. “Black History Month/African Heritage Month was our biggest month, and that went really well.” 

Members of the Black Student Society at an event

She’s proud of the inclusive environment she helped create for current and future Black students, and she’s honoured by the lasting impact the society will have for the university. 

“For Black students, especially international students, to have a source of family on campus is so important,” says Mogae. “To be able to create a home environment is quite special.” 

She encourages everyone to continue to ask questions, learn about and support Black culture. She says the struggles Black students face are different, and not everyone might understand, but allowing people to feel heard and supported goes a long way.

As she writes the next chapter of her own post-university journey, Mogae hopes to start her own business, continue to learn in a World without limits and keep creating safe spaces for Black students to thrive.

Spring Convocation takes place May 17-19, 2023. Watch the ceremonies live at smu.ca/graduation or on our Facebook page.

$25 million landmark investment in Saint Mary’s University

The Honourable Brian Wong, Minster of Minister of Advanced Education, at the podium.

Brian Wong talking to students and others at the funding announcement event.

The crowd at the funding announcement.

The Honourable Brian Wong, Minster of Minister of Advanced Education, and the Honourable Barbara Adams, Minister of Seniors and Long-Term Care, with Associate Professor Michael Zhang and a group of Master of Business Analytics students.

Loyola Conference Hall was overflowing with excitement on March 8 with students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends celebrating the news of a $25 million investment in the university.  

Announced by the Honorable Brian Wong, Minister of Advanced Education, Saint Mary's University is the recipient of a $25 million investment from the Province of Nova Scotia to expand its programs, research and capacity in healthcare data analytics, management, and leadership, with a focus on creating solutions to improve the province’s healthcare system.   

"I want to thank Premier Tim Houston, Minister Wong, and the provincial government for putting their faith in Saint Mary's University and our ability to improve the health and well-being of Nova Scotians through our excellence in data analytics, health research and professional development expertise," says Alan R. Abraham, Jr. BComm'80, Chair of the Saint Mary's University Board of Governors.  

The $25 million investment marks the most significant single government investment in the history of Saint Mary's University. 

"Thank you to all the faculty, students, and staff who joined us on Wednesday for this landmark announcement," says Erin Sargeant Greenwood, Vice-President of Advancement and External Affairs. "Your support and excitement made this event a resounding success."  

This investment will support the university’s capacity to expand and grow and will include, but not be limited to:   

• expanding health data analytics programming and research at Saint Mary's. This will support hiring additional faculty members and researchers and creating the right spaces to support growth in our student population and research activity. This includes investments in technology to support teaching, learning and research; 

• developing management and leadership programming for healthcare professionals. This programming would target healthcare administrators, family doctors, and office directors. Delivery could take several forms, including micro-credentials, diplomas, certificates, and executive professional development; and 

• expanding the articulation agreements with the Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC). This will create and promote new pathways between the healthcare programs at NSCC and undergraduate degree programs at Saint Mary’s University.  

“Community is at the heart of all that we do at Saint Mary’s University,” says Saint Mary’s University President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Robert Summerby-Murray. “Expanding our focus to support a vital component of any great community, its health and well-being is an excellent part of the solution to improving healthcare in Nova Scotia.”   

This tremendous investment recognizes Saint Mary’s strength in interdisciplinary collaboration and engagement with community. Saint Mary’s students have world-class opportunities while benefiting from exceptional student-faculty relationships. Here, ideas and possibilities from diverse and varying perspectives are nurtured and explored. New pathways, breakthroughs and careers emerge.  

Watch for more news and ways to get involved in maximizing the impact of this opportunity for Saint Mary’s, for our students and faculty and for all Nova Scotians. 

Watch clips from the announcement on March 8, 2023

The Province of Nova Scotia makes a historic investment in healthcare data analytics and management at Saint Mary’s University

The Honourable Brian Wong, Minster of Minister of Advanced Education, at the podium.

Brian Wong talking to students and others at the funding announcement event.

The crowd at the funding announcement.

The Honourable Brian Wong, Minster of Minister of Advanced Education, and the Honourable Barbara Adams, Minister of Seniors and Long-Term Care, with Associate Professor Michael Zhang and a group of Master of Business Analytics students.

Brian Wong, Minister of Advanced Education, announced today, March 8, 2023, a historic investment in Saint Mary's University for healthcare data analytics and management programs.   

“The future of patient care is increasingly dependent on new technology and innovation -- our students need to be ready so they can help provide better, faster, and more options for care across the province,” said Brian Wong, Minister of Advanced Education. “We’re fortunate to have post-secondary institutions, like Saint Mary’s, that are ready to help us train the workforce we need to take advantage of these modern tools.”   

The $25 million investment represents a significant step forward to support the future of healthcare in Nova Scotia. The investment also recognizes the success of Saint Mary’s unique programs and strengths in data analytics, management and leadership. 

“I want to thank Premier Tim Houston, Minister Wong, and the provincial government for putting their faith in Saint Mary’s University and our ability to improve the health and well-being of Nova Scotians through our excellence in data analytics, health research and professional development expertise,” says Alan R. Abraham, Jr. BComm'80, Chair of the Saint Mary's University Board of Governors. “Nova Scotia will become a magnet for healthcare provider management and leadership training, led by Saint Mary’s, as a result of this historic investment from the Province of Nova Scotia.”  

A diploma in healthcare data analytics, micro-credentials targeted to support healthcare administrators, office directors and family doctors, and an articulation agreement with the Nova Scotia Community College’s (NSCC) healthcare programs to provide a Bachelor of Science are amongst the new initiatives that form this transformational healthcare investment.  

“Community is at the heart of all that we do at Saint Mary’s University,” says Saint Mary’s University President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Robert Summerby-Murray. “Expanding our focus to support a vital component of any great community, its health and well-being, is an excellent part of the solution to improving healthcare in Nova Scotia.”  

“Our faculty and researchers have the expertise needed to be solutionists and help build a better Nova Scotia, and I am incredibly proud to share the news of this historic investment in our institution,” adds President Summerby-Murray. “I want to extend my gratitude to the provincial government for their support as we cultivate excellence together.”  

Empathy, Love and Compassion: Sobey Innovator Speaker Series with Peace by Chocolate Founder and CEO, Mr. Tareq Hadhad

Organizers and special guests

Left to right: Jacqueline McPherson, Mr. Dave Sobey EMBA’21, Dr. Mohammad Rahaman, Dr. Saja Al Zoubi, Hallie Wedge, Mr. Tareq Hadhad

Tareq Hadhad

Mr. Dave Sobey EMBA’21

Dr. Saja Al Zoubi

Mr. Hadhad speaking with an attendee after his talk.

On the evening of Tuesday, January 31, the Sobey School of Business held its inaugural Sobey Innovator Speaker Series event, featuring Founder and CEO of Peace by Chocolate, Mr. Taraq Hadhad. Mr. Hadhad and his family immigrated to Canada from Syria during the Syrian War, and founded Peace by Chocolate in Antigonish, Nova Scotia. Mr. Hadhad spoke to the audience about his story, instilling a message of tenacity, compassion and championing the skills of immigrants coming to Canada.

“Breaking barriers requires you to dream big,” Mr. Hadhad shared with the room full of staff, faculty, students and guests of Saint Mary’s University. “If you don’t see a light at the end of the tunnel, you need to turn it on yourself.”

The Sobey Innovator Speaker Series was developed with the help of a transformational gift, the largest in the history of Saint Mary’s University, to the School by the Sobey Family, Sobey Foundation, and Sobeys Inc. to support innovative research, experiential learning, and

meaningful connection with practice. The Speaker Series is intended to connect rising stars, disruptors, and innovators in the world of Canadian business to Sobey students, faculty and alumni.

The event comprised of Mr. Hadhad’s talk, a Q&A, and an opportunity to network. Emceeing the night was Hallie Wedge, a current Sobey School student and recipient of a Sobey National Innovator Scholarship. Mr. Hadhad was introduced by the President & Vice-Chancellor of the University, Dr. Robert Summerby-Murray, Mr. Dave Sobey EMBA’21 of the Sobey family, and Dr. Saja Al Zoubi, a lecturer in Global Development Studies at Saint Mary’s University. Dr. Al Zoubi spoke about how refugees can contribute to the economy of their host country, if the country provides them with support.

Mr. Hadhad and his business, Peace by Chocolate, are the perfect example of what happens when refugees are given the support and incubation that they need to thrive. Mr. Hadhad spoke candidly to the room, his warmth and charisma taking attendees through his family’s story, from his father starting his chocolate business in Damascus, Syria, to losing everything during the war, to being refused entry by fifteen countries before being accepted by Canada and moving to Antigonish, Nova Scotia. Attendees were moved by Mr. Hadhad’s family’s story of hardship and unending perseverance. However, Mr. Hadhad’s talk wasn’t just his story, or advice for entrepreneurs – although he had many thoughtful pieces of advice.

“Kindness begets kindness, love begets love. Supporting immigrants and refugees is the right thing to do,” Mr. Hadhad shared with the room. The overwhelming message of his talk was of love, compassion and above all else, empathy, and we are so thankful to Mr. Hadhad for sharing both his story and his wisdom.

Thank you to all attendees of the inaugural Sobey Innovator Speaker Series!

Shae Demale receives Top 8 Academic All-Canadian award

Shae Demale and Governor General Mary May Simon

Saint Mary’s Huskies women’s hockey forward Shae Demale was honoured recently as a Top 8 Academic All-Canadian for the 2021-22 season by U SPORTS.

 In the 2021-22 academic year, more than 4,900 student-athletes achieved U SPORTS Academic All-Canadian status by maintaining an average of 80 percent or higher while competing for one or more of varsity teams and volunteering in their communities.

 From this pool of top athletes, an elite group is chosen from across Canada to make up the Top 8, making this one of the most prestigious recognitions in U SPORTS.

 Shae, now 22 years old, received the award at a ceremony at Rideau Hall in Ottawa from Her Excellency the Right Honourable Mary Simon, Governor General of Canada.

 “It was a surprise and honour to be recognized,” said Shae. “I couldn’t have imagined this when I was starting to play, but I knew that there was a lot of opportunity and I worked hard at everything I did. When you do that, it can take you a long way.”

 Shae started her athletic career at a young age in Red Deer, AB, first in ringette before switching to hockey in grade six. She is now a volunteer coach with young players in the Metro West Force Female Hockey Club in Halifax.

 “It’s rewarding to work with young female players,” said Shae. “It’s an important part of sports and especially female sports, to get role models for them—and I love doing it.”

 Shae was the most valuable player in AUS women’s hockey last season, leading the conference with 25 points (13 goals, 12 assists). She has just returned from Lake Placid, New York, where she won a gold medal as a member of Team Canada at the 2023 World University Games.

 As a science student majoring in biology with a minor in psychology, Shae has maintained a perfect 4.30 GPA in the past two years and has earned a spot on the Dean’s List for four academic years.

 In 2020, she received the Saint Mary’s President’s Award for top academic and athletic performance. She is also a four-time U SPORTS Academic All-Canadian, and has won the Dr. John C. O’C. Young Award for having the highest grade in chemistry, along with several other awards from Saint Mary’s for her academic standing and community involvement. She also volunteers in the emergency department at the IWK Health Centre.

 After graduation this spring, she hopes to play in a professional hockey league either in North America or Europe before returning to school to pursue graduate studies in a medical field.

The Governor General's Academic All-Canadian Commendation was founded in 2013 by the Right Honourable David Johnston, former Governor General of Canada, who first honoured Canada's Top 8 student-athletes.

Along with Shae, the other winners were: Alex Carson of Dalhousie, Jade Downie-Landry of McGill University, Jean-Simon Desgagnés of Laval, Raphaël Garcia of Carleton, Kate Current of Western, and Eric Lutz and Rebecca Smith of Calgary were all nominated for their excellence both on and off the field of play. The awards were presented on January 26, 2023.

Meet your Valedictorians: Bernadine Inah Baual BComm’23 and Kapil Sahni MTEI’23, Sobey School of Business

Graduates from the Sobey School of Business leave with not only a degree, but with untold memories, skills and dreams for the future. Our winter valedictorians, Bernadine Inah Baual and Kapil Sahni, both exemplify the spirit of the Sobey School. Before they both cross the stage and accept their degrees, we sat down with them to ask a few questions.

Bernadine Inah Baual

Bernadine Inah Baual

Bernadine, originally from the Philippines, moved to Canada in 2017 and calls New Glasgow home. She is graduating with a Bachelor of Commerce, majoring in Accounting.

During her time as a student, Bernadine was a Teaching Assistant for Spirituality and Work, supporting the professor in the overall teaching and learning experience of the students in the course. She was also the student representative and a member of the Service-Learning Advisory Committee (SLAC), which discusses Service Learning and its approaches in the university, student engagement and community partnerships to encourage students and support them in attaining additional learning outside of the classroom.

Preferred name: Bernadine
Graduation date: January 28, 2023
Program: Bachelor of Commerce, Major in Accounting

What has been your favourite class?

I’ve loved my Financial Accounting courses, specifically Introductory Financial Accounting and Intermediate Financial Accounting. Introductory Financial Accounting was the course that made me confirm that I really want to take Accounting as a major, and I loved the challenge of Intermediate Financial Accounting – it was hard, but fulfilling!

Are there any awards you’ve won or achievements you’d like to share?
I’ve been a consistent Dean’s Lister through my entire degree.

What are your future educational plans?
I plan to get my CPA designation. After that, I’m not sure yet!

What is your favourite spot at SMU?

The second floor of the library. I love how quiet it is there, it is the place where I really finished a lot of schoolwork and studies!

Do you have any advice for students starting at SMU?

Do not be afraid to explore new things. Unforeseen circumstances contain the lessons that we need in life. Going into university and getting your degree will be a hard and challenging journey, but I want you to know that it will all be worth it in the end just trust yourself and never give up on those dreams.

---

 Kapil Sahni

 Kapil Sahni

 Kapil Sahni moved to Canada from New Delhi, India, and is confident, curious, self-driven and kind-hearted. During his two years at Saint Mary’s pursuing his Master of Technology Entrepreneurship & Innovation, Kapil was actively involved in campus life, volunteered for the International Student Career & Employability program, as well as co-founding the Working Women Network to enhance the employability of women professionals across Canada, aiming to bridge the gender diversity gaps in the corporate world. He has also held the roles of a teaching assistant and research technician at SMU.

Preferred Name: Kapil
Graduation Date: January 27, 2023
Program: Master of Technology Entrepreneurship & Innovation (MTEI)
Previous Degrees: MBA, BBS

 Why did the MTEI program appeal to you?

MTEI helps individuals become independent and channel their creativity into creating something of their own in this competitive world. My long-term career goal of establishing myself as an entrepreneur in today’s digital world could only be fulfilled by a comprehensive program curriculum of MTEI.

What, in your mind, are the most valuable skills/experiences that the MTEI program provided you with?

The program’s curriculum of entrepreneurship, technology, and innovation enhanced my analytical and problem-solving skills, which has enabled me to solve daily life problems. Diving deep into technology and modern-age digital practices helped create a robust foundation for my entrepreneurial journey.

Do you have successes you’d like to share or difficulties you were able to overcome?

Prior to joining the MTEI program, I did not have the entrepreneurial tools and techniques I needed, which was a bottleneck to my long-term career growth. With the right amalgamation of technology, entrepreneurship, and innovation-oriented curriculum along with industry-led training, I feel I can now make headway into the start-up arena. In fact, the support provided by the MTEI professors and the SMUEC officials helped me to scale my start-up quicker than expected in a short time span.

What are your future plans?

My future plan is to establish my entrepreneurial venture in the North American market commercially. As I seeded Canada’s first women-focused, AI-powered talent management platform – Working Women Network – during the MTEI program, getting early recognition with the prestigious VOLTA and Mitacs scholarship now propels me to take it to the market in the coming years.

Do you have any advice for incoming students?

The MTEI program instructs students about the multifarious business models one can pick from and customize them to suit their business idea most appropriately. The program’s holistic learning approach ranges from learning the theoretical concepts about the fundamentals of business to growing as an individual from all perspectives. It teaches real-world skills and prepares its undertakers to use their imagination to ward off any challenge that the future might throw at them as aspiring entrepreneurs.

Graduate Profile: Souvik Sinha MFin’22, Sobey School of Business

Souvik Sinha

This past September was supposed to be a time of celebration for Souvik Sinha. He had completed the Master of Finance (MFin) program at the Sobey School of Business and was set to convocate. However, Hurricane Fiona’s province-wide destruction cancelled those plans – until now. Before he walks across the stage in this special-edition Fall convocation, Souvik sat down with us and reflected on his journey through the MFin program.

Preferred Name: Souvik

Home Country: India

Graduation Date: Fall 2022 (Convocation January 2023)

Previous Degrees: Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA), specialized in Finance, from International School of Business and Media, Pune, India

Why did the MFin program appeal to you?

The MFin program of Sobey School of Business is an accelerated, one-year program which comprises of multiple in-depth Finance courses, a corporate tour to Toronto and assistance for the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) examination. The school is in the prime location of Halifax, which is one of the fastest growing cities in Canada while being easier to live in than other major centers, such as Toronto and Vancouver. The school ranking in Canada is impressive and the class cohort is small, which enables us to interact with Professor seamlessly. For these reasons, I chose to study at the Sobey School.

What, in your mind, are the most valuable skills/experiences that the MFin program provided you with?

The MFIN program at Saint Mary’s University provided a unique opportunity to navigate the financial markets of Canada. It created a platform to interact with employers, associates and alumni, and attend career fairs. The intense coursework helped us to enrich our finance knowledge, and graduate career services and the writing center provided professional development.

Do you have successes you’d like to share, or difficulties you were able to overcome, during your time in the program?

The program was fast-paced and I experienced significant successes which would not have been possible if I had not enrolled in the program. Some highlights for me were:

• Participation in Ethics Challenge conducted by CFA Society Atlantic Canada

• Participation in Halifax Innovation Challenge conducted by RBC and IBM

• Executives roles in different student societies:

  • President of the Saint Mary’s Investment Society

  • Vice President Public Relations, Toastmaster’s Club at SMU

  • Co-chair, Graduate Advisory Committee by SMUSA

In regards to difficulties, I experienced a few health setbacks including being sick with covid and breaking my elbow in an accident. These were tough times, however SMU supported me taking a short time off for recovery.

What have you been doing since graduating back in September?

After graduating, I started working as a Business Analyst at RBC Capital Markets, Halifax.

I am working on Portfolio and Change Management team of RBC Capital Markets.

What are your future plans?

I would like to continue working with RBC Capital Markets, learning and growing within the organisation. In addition, I would also continue my CFA education.

I also love to travel, and I would like to visit most of the Canadian provinces in coming years.

Do you have any advice for incoming students?

Saint Mary’s University has lot of resources, utilizing those will be highly rewarding for future.

Interact, learn, and share with all your professors and classmates. Communicate with other students in your program. Join a student society and participate. Attend employers-driven online or offline programs. Be curious! Enjoy the lovely people and beautiful city of Halifax.

Thank you Souvik for your time, and we hope you have an incredible convocation!

Graduate Profile: Shubhra Singh MTEI’23, Sobey School of Business

Shubhra Singh

Shubhra Singh came to the Master of Technology Entrepreneurship & Innovation (MTEI) program with a business idea: a network that addresses the challenges of women in the workforce. With the guidance and support of MTEI professors and SMUEC, Shubhra’s start-up idea became a prestigiously-funded reality called WWN Technologies. Before she walks across the stage during convocation, Shubhra sat down and answered some questions about both her journey through MTEI and her business.

Preferred Name: Shubhra

Hometown: New Delhi, India

Graduation Date: 27 of January, 2023

Why did the MTEI program appeal to you?

As a woman in tech with lots of experience in building start-ups from the ground up, I always wanted to start my own tech business. I was accepted into various entrepreneurship programs across Canada, however the MTEI program from Saint Mary’s university had a very practical approach. I decided that the tools and resourceful ecosystem of the program would be very helpful to me as a budding entrepreneur.

What, in your mind, are the most valuable skills/experiences that the MTEI program provided you with?

MTEI provided me with resources and an ecosystem that kept the fire burning in my belly to embark my entrepreneurial journey. The entire program curriculum is well structured, which helps you to learn practical applicability of everything that a start-up needs. The best part is all the professors and even the dean, Dr. Harjeet Bhabra, are more than willing to help you. The SMU Entrepreneurship center also has wonderful mentors that keep pushing you to achieve.

Do you have successes you’d like to share, or difficulties you were able to overcome?

During my stint at MTEI I founded my company WWN Technologies, which is Canada’s first AI based SAAS platform for women job seekers that will help companies to achieve their diversity targets. With the ecosystem MTEI provided me and mentors like Dr. Ellen Farrel, Dr. Claudia de Fuentes, Michael and Jason, the company is a VOLTA resident company, which is the biggest accelerator in Atlantic Canada. The company is able to get decent pre-seed funding.

What are your future plans?

As a woman entrepreneur, I want to grow my company and make it the biggest SAAS platform for diversity hiring in North America. I want to give back to society.

Do you have any advice for incoming students?

As a student myself, I understand we deviate from our goals and the journey of an entrepreneur is tough. However, you are at the right place – all you need to do is ask for help from your professors and SMUEC, and keep your network intact. Be proactive and believe in your idea!

Thank you Shubhra, we wish you and WWN Technologies all the success – happy convocation!