Will electric bills ever go down? It’s likely, if this SMU researcher has it his way using renewable energy

Dr. Adel Merabet

Lowering electricity costs and decreasing CO2 emissions is something Dr. Adel Merabet aims to achieve through his work in renewable energy integration at Saint Mary’s University.

Merabet leads the Laboratory of Control Systems and Mechatronics, a research laboratory centred on engineering and technology.

“My lab works on developing control and management systems for renewable energy integration and efficient usage of battery storage to increase their operational capacity and productivity,” says Merabet.

For an industry project in Yarmouth, Merabet has developed machinery software and hardware to increase efficiency; he has also worked on automated machinery that regulates temperature systems in large-scale manufacturing equipment for Halifax-based Reused Plastic.

“These projects provide technology transfer to local industries and provides hands-on experience to my students, something that will be helpful for their future careers,” says Merabet.

In February 2021, the province of Nova Scotia set a goal of using 80% clean energy by 2030 as part of its Environmental Goals and Climate Change Reduction Act. Merabet’s research focuses on finding alternatives to traditional energy sources, including renewable sources and battery storage tech.

As Nova Scotia’s population grows, so too does its electricity demand. This is why he says building a big, pricey power plant is not the solution. “We need to look at small microgrids and develop technology to exchange between them, to generate power in city centres like Halifax.”

Microgrids are self-sufficient, harnessing solar and wind energy to produce electricity to create and localize energy that can be used by nearby buildings. Many use batteries for energy storage, allowing electricity to be used during power outages.

And while renewable sources like solar and wind depend on variable amounts of sunlight or wind, the way they are stored, and how that battery storage works, is vital. Part of Merabet’s research includes finding more efficient battery solutions for the transfer of renewable energy.

Merabet says that by using more efficient methods of battery storage in combination with renewable energy, diesel fuel consumption can be reduced, electricity costs will be lower, and CO2 emissions will decrease, benefiting our pocketbooks and the environment.

“With better battery storage combined with microgrids, we can use that source of energy over a long period of time,” says Merabet. “This will especially benefit remote and rural communities, so they don’t have to rely on diesel generators.”

For more information on the great research taking place at Saint Mary’s University, visit news.smu.ca/research.

Dr. Catherine Loughlin Recognized for Research Excellence

Dr. Catherine Loughlin

Dr. Catherine Loughlin, Associate Dean and Professor in the Sobey School of Business, will be recognized for her contributions to research with the President’s Award for Excellence in Research at Spring Convocation. In her role as Associate Dean, Research & Knowledge Mobilization, she is responsible for supporting and advancing the role of research in the Sobey School. As a Professor in the Department of Management, she works with students conducting research and supervises PhD candidates in Management.

Since joining the Sobey School of Business in 2005 as Canada Research Chair (Tier 2), Dr. Loughlin has been a leader for both students and colleagues through research dissemination, accessibility and mentorship. Colleagues in the Sobey School cite her ability to make research accessible in the classroom as key to helping students see how research can inform their practice.

“Catherine Loughlin has shown tremendous leadership in the Sobey School's PhD program,” says Dr. Harjeet Bhabra, Dean of the Sobey School of Business. “Not only by teaching and supervising doctoral students, but also diligently working to expand the program to two new streams. She has contributed in significant measure to elevating the profile and reputation of the Sobey School and Saint Mary's University through her scholarly work and many other initiatives.”

Loughlin’s work in the areas of leadership, gender diversity and occupational health and safety has been highly published and cited in the some of the world’s leading academic journals, and she plays an active role in the professional community through service to boards, institutes and government policy-authoring. Her work has received awards from external bodies such as the Canadian Society for Civil Engineering and the Academy of Management, and been profiled for Parliament, with high levels of research funding throughout her career from numerous agencies.

Loughlin will receive the President’s Award for Excellence in Research at the Faculty of Graduate Studies & Research Spring Convocation ceremony on May 19, 2022. The award, adjudicated by the Research Committee of the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research, honours outstanding research conducted by a full time faculty member at Saint Mary's University. Nominations are supported by the nominee’s Dean, colleagues at Saint Mary’s and beyond.

Spring Convocation ceremonies will be streamed live on smu.ca/graduation.

Exploring How an Office Dedicated to Innovation and Community Engagement Supports Research at Saint Mary’s University

Kevin Buchan

Conducting research is integral to Saint Mary’s University, with untold amounts of time, effort, talent and resources dedicated to its pursuit by faculty and students. The creation and dissemination of knowledge are vitally important parts of the university’s mission and help to connect the university with the broader community. When it comes to partnership-based research,  the Office of Innovation and Community Engagement (OICE) plays a key role.

“We facilitate relationships,” says Kevin Buchan, OICE’s Director.

The role of OICE is to liaise with groups outside of the University such as community groups, companies, and non-for-profits who are looking for targeted expertise for their organizations; OICE then puts these external partners in contact with faculty at the University who can help.

OICE is part of the larger Office of the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research (FGSR), and works in close cooperation with the SMU-hosted Change Lab Action Research Initiative (CLARI) to foster community-engaged research

The benefits of these connections are multifaceted. External partners gain the expertise they need, researchers use their expertise to solve real-world problems, and students learn from this knowledge in the classroom, later applying these tangible examples in their own careers.

Along with facilitating these relationships between external partners and researchers, OICE also holds events that invite the wider community for a firsthand look at what goes on at the University.

“We have a big footprint in Halifax,” says Buchan. “People know we exist and that there’s research happening, but they don’t always know exactly what’s being done. That’s why the Research Expo is such an important event.”

The annual Research Expo is a showcase of the research happening at Saint Mary’s and the event features equal involvement from all faculties.

“Everybody is welcome at Research Expo,” Buchan explains. “This is an event for anybody and everybody who’s interested in the research that’s happening here at Saint Mary’s.”

Along with sharing their work with visitors and colleagues, select faculty present three-minute research pitches. This is a highlight of the event, giving a fascinating glimpse of the exciting new work happening across campus.

The intermingling of internal and external communities facilitates connections and collaborations. Community members attending Research Expo learn about research being done at the University, but also are able to mingle with and talk with researchers themselves.

For Buchan, the impromptu conversations and connections are what Research Expo is all about. “There’s a buzz about the room,” says Buchan. “People want to be there, learning together and collaborating. That’s what research communication is all about.”

For more information and a list of the presenters from this year’s Expo, click here.

What’s in a name? For the Ta’n Weji-sqalia’tiek Mi’kmaw Place Names Project, a Lot

Student researchers Matt Meuse-Dallien, Kachina Sack, and Peter Christmas holding Mi’kmaw place names project poster.

For many people, names give a sense of belonging and community. Beginning fourteen years ago, the Ta'n Weji-sqalia'tiek Mi'kmaw Place Names Digital Atlas and Website Project has expanded into a unique resource with over 800 place names and has featured 30 research positions for Mi'kmaw youth and student researchers over that time.  The project marks another way of bringing to life the profound relationship Mi’kmaq have with the ancient landscape of Mi’kma’ki.  

“The naming of places in Mi'kma'ki was always very logical and descriptive, so our people would know where they were at all times,” recounts the late Elder Gregory Johnson in the short film ‘The Nature of Place Names’ which is featured on the homepage of the Ta’n Weji-sqalia’tiek website.

The project now has a new look and feel, making it easier for users to engage with this unique history and ancient landscape. With help from Membertou Geomatics, the web-based map includes new enhanced sound bites and video clips of Elders sharing their lived experiences on the land. Users can explore numerous Mi’kmaw place names, learn place-name etymology and engage with the rich language of the Mi’kmaq. The new logo design and colour scheme reflect the importance of history and the land, and artworks by Mi’kmaw artists Alan Sylliboy and Gerald Gloade, are featured throughout the site and Elder's videos.

“Our instructions were to build a high-end website that would deliver the data through audio, video and a mapping infrastructure, which was completed in 2015,” states the committees Mi’kmaw Co-chair and Project Director, Tim Bernard of Mi’kmawey Debert Cultural Centre. With this new refresh, the project has expanded and covers more areas than ever before.  

Project Lead, Dr. Trudy Sable of Saint Mary’s University, began to supervise the project when she was approached by Mr. Bernard and Rob Ferguson of Parks Canada. Through community-based focus groups, interviews, surveys, and discussions with numerous experts, the project has been driven by the vision of the Mi’kmaw communities, and the expressed needs of numerous institutional representatives for an inclusive and scholarly resource. 

Student researchers join archaeologist and project mentor Roger Lewis, archaeologist Rob Ferguson, and Project Lead, Trudy Sable on canoe trip to explore the Sɨkɨpne'katik (Shubenacadie) River, a pre-contact, Mi’kmaw traditional travel route.

“I have been deeply privileged to work with the many Elders, Mi’kmaw scholars, leaders, and community members who have contributed their time and knowledge to making the Ta’n Weji-sqalia’tiek website and digital atlas happen,” says Dr. Sable. “Hearing the voices of Mi’kmaq who lived throughout Mi’kma’ki wakes me up to the deeply rooted and powerful reality of their relationship to this landscape.”

“I am grateful for their generosity in sharing their personal histories and knowledge, much of which has been invisible in the rendering of history,” recounts Dr. Sable. “The student researchers inspired me as they learned to research the place names and hear the Elders' stories and then carry this knowledge forward in the new roles they take on in their lives. I feel confident that the website will continue to expand and educate many people in new perspectives and ways of knowing the landscapes we all inhabit.”

A core component of the project has been to ensure the capacity building of Mi'kmaw youth. Since 2010, the project has offered numerous research positions for Mi'kmaw youth and student researchers to learn from Elders, and Mi’kmaw scholars and leaders. In these positions, the students have been trained in map interviewing and protocol, video editing, database set-up and entry, language training, and conducting archival research.  

“During my Atlantic Canadian Studies MA degree at Saint Mary’s University, I was hired to work as a research assistant for the Ta’n Weji-sqalia’tiek: Mi’kmaw Place Names Project. It was an experience I thoroughly enjoyed,” says Raymond Sewell, previously a student researcher for the project, now an assistant professor at Saint Mary’s.  

“Dr. Trudy Sable, Dr. Bernie Francis, and Roger Lewis taught me valuable research skills. I worked with other students on this project that I now count as friends, each of us working in different fields. We all shared a fulfilling work experience. We were able to meet and interview L’nu Elders, travel to various sites, have canoe excursions, and work with various organizations like the Nova Scotia Museum,” recounts Mr. Sewell. “I had a great time learning place-name etymology. I was responsible for entering different orthographies into the database, and that engagement with my language was an excellent experience. I am now an English professor, and I use the website in my class to teach students the importance of land and language.” 

Both the website and digital atlas have become integral to developing educational programming, enhancing Mi'kmaw tourism, and promoting cultural awareness about the Mi'kmaq.

“The Ta’n Weji-sqalia’tiek digital atlas and website is an essential resource for our work in archaeological and cultural landscape studies,” says Dr. Jonathon Fowler, archaeologist and professor in the Anthropology department at Saint Mary’s. “I use it regularly in my research and teaching, and, truth be told, it is so interesting I often explore it just for fun. It contains incredible insights and not a few surprises.” 

Since 2015, the Mi’kmawey Debert Cultural Centre has taken on the responsibility of stewarding and caring for the data, which is safely stored at the Membertou Datacentre, and overseeing the transfer of the project from SMU to the Nation. With help from Membertou Geomatics, the web-based map has undergone a functionality refresh making it easier for users to explore the significant history of the Mi’kmaq and the unique landscape of Mi’kma’ki.  

“Our engagement within our Mi’kmaw communities in 2007-08 was extensive and at that time we were told, very clearly, to go deep and dig down and collect this vast but quickly disappearing knowledge from this generation of Elders that still carry the language and still hold the knowledge,” says Mr. Bernard. “We’re very fortunate to have built this relationship with SMU and Dr. Sable. They understood that the information and data needed to be protected and retained by the Nation, for the Nation.”  

Initiated in 2008 by the Mi'kmaq - Nova Scotia - Canada Tripartite Forum, Culture and Heritage Committee, the project grew to include numerous other partners and funders. There has been close to $1M invested to protect and share this data through the creation of the Ta’n Weji-sqalia’tiek website and digital atlas.  

To learn more about this ongoing project and explore the new look and feel of the map and site, visit Ta’n Weji-sqalia’tiek Mi’kmaw Place Names Digital Atlas.

SMU to host second annual Canadian Forensic Psychology Virtual Conference

Following the success of the first virtual Canadian Forensic Psychology virtual conference in 2020, the Psychology department is thrilled to host this national conference again for students and academic and industry colleagues. The conference will be held on Friday, February 4 from noon to 5:00 p.m. AT.

Dr. Sandy Jung

The keynote speaker is Dr. Sandy Jung, Forensic Psychologist and professor at MacEwan University. Dr. Jung will present on the topic “Why is intimate partner violence so complicated?”

Her address will be followed by presentations by forensic psychology researchers from across Canada and all over the world. Their research is on a variety of topics in forensic psychology, such as violence risk assessment, jury decision making, suspect interviews, and criminal behaviour.

A panel discussion on “The Role of Crime victims in Canadian Courts” will feature experts Heidi Illingworth, Executive Director of Ottawa Victim Services & former federal ombudsperson for victims of crime; Dr. Kristine Peace, associate professor at MacEwan University; Jennifer Schmidt, Saskatchewan senior crown prosecutor; and Krystal Lowe sexual violence prevention & education coordinator at Saint Mary’s University.

Canada is a leader in forensic psychology and Saint Mary’s is proud to provide a strong program in this field for our undergraduate and graduate students,” said Dr. Meg Ternes, who organized the event along with fellow Saint Mary’s Psychology Dr. Veronica Stinson and conference coordinator, Claire Keenan, a second year student in SMU’s MSc Applied Psychology (forensic psychology) stream.

“This idea behind this virtual conference was to replicate the friendly, collegial conversations between colleagues, something we found we missed when COVID forced us to work remotely,” said Dr. Ternes. “We found the first event so successful that we’re happy to host it again.”

Along with hearing from the keynote speaker and expert panelists, this conference is an opportunity for undergraduate and graduate students in the Saint Mary’s Forensic Psychology program to gain valuable experience attending, and in some cases, participating in this event. Students have played an integral role in organizing and delivering the conference.

Forensic Psychology at Saint Mary’s University

Forensic psychology focuses on researching aspects of human behaviour directly related to the legal process and applying this knowledge to the legal process.

Master of Science in Applied Psychology (Forensic Psychology) graduates at Saint Mary’s will leave equipped with skills for either applied work in the justice system or for further PhD-level studies in Forensic Psychology. Faculty offer a variety of courses, including Forensic Tests and Measurement, Correctional Psychology, and the latest developments in research methods. Our students will apply their learning during a practicum in the field, and through teaching and research assistantships. Students will also conduct and defend their own original research through their Master’s thesis.

Conference date: February 4, noon – 5 p.m.

SMU astronomers ready to probe the Universe using most powerful space telescope ever built

After two decades of work preparing for the launch of the James Webb Space Telescope (Webb), Saint Mary’s University professor and researcher Dr. Marcin Sawicki is looking forward to using the Hubble successor—and most powerful space telescope ever built—for research along with his students.

Webb’s advanced technology will study every epoch of cosmic history, from the most distant observable galaxies in the early universe to stars around other planets and objects within our solar system.

The rocket launch from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana, South America on December 25, 2021, saw the telescope begin the complicated process of transforming into its final form, which will orbit 1.5 million kilometres from earth. After this six-month long commissioning procedure, the first images are expected to be delivered this summer.

Dr. Sawicki has been a member of the science team responsible for the Canadian contribution to Webb from early in the telescope’s development. The team’s made-in-Canada Near Infrared Imager and Slitless Spectrograph (NIRISS) instrument is a key part of the telescope.

"Where the Hubble telescope was a NASA project, the James Webb Space Telescope is a collaboration that includes the European and Canadian space agencies,” says Dr. Sawicki, “and there is also a very significant Saint Mary’s University element to this story.”

Because of Dr. Sawicki’s involvement in Webb’s key NIRISS instrument, Saint Mary’s University researchers will have unprecedented access to Webb for research. Led by Dr. Sawicki, Saint Mary’s has the largest Canadian team of Webb scientists outside of Montreal; this team of faculty, post-doctoral fellows and students is getting ready to parse data from the telescope.

“At Saint Mary’s our postdocs and students will be using JWST to observe the birth of the first galaxies soon after the Big Bang, and to study how these baby galaxies then grew over cosmic time to become beautiful giant structures like our home, the Milky Way Galaxy,” says Dr. Sawicki. “With Webb, the potential for extremely impactful science is enormous, and we are ecstatic that the launch and telescope deployments have gone so perfectly and are eager to begin using Webb for world-leading research here in Nova Scotia.”

The James Webb Space Telescope is the most powerful space telescope ever built. Webb’s advanced technology will study every epoch of cosmic history—from the most distant observable galaxies in the early universe to stars around other planets and objects within our solar system. Webb is an international program led by NASA with its partners, ESA (European Space Agency) and the Canadian Space Agency.

Saint Mary’s is a leader in astronomy and physics research and the only place you can study astrophysics east of Montreal. Our students learn from experienced faculty who are internationally recognized for their work, yet classes are small enough that professors will know your name. Saint Mary’s is home to a Canada Research Chair in Astronomy and the Institute for Computational Astrophysics.

The Faculty of Science at Saint Mary’s offers a wide range of undergraduate, Masters and PhD level programs.

More information on the Webb telescope and Dr. Sawicki.

SMU Researcher Part of New Federally Funded Global Indigenous Health and Biodiversity Project

Biodiversity decline. Reconciliation and the empowerment of Indigenous peoples. Both are prominent themes in Canada and around the world. These two important themes come together in Ărramăt, a newly launched Canadian-based project, and led by Indigenous peoples, in response to the global biodiversity and health crisis.

 Funded for 2021-2027 by Canada’s New Frontiers Research Fund Transformations Program, Ărramăt involves over 150 Indigenous organizations, universities, and other partners – including Saint Mary’s University’s Dr. Tony Charles – who will work together to highlight ways to counter biodiversity loss and address its implications for health and well-being.  

The project will be inclusive of many worldviews and methods for research in its activities across 70 different kinds of ecosystems that are spiritually, culturally, and economically important to Indigenous Peoples. 

As one of the project leaders, Mariam Wallet Aboubakrine, notes: “The Ărramăt Project is about respecting the inherent dignity and interconnectedness of peoples and Mother Earth, life and livelihood, identity and expression, biodiversity and sustainability, and stewardship and well-being.” 

The participants, knowledges, and interdisciplinary expertise in the project will address 150 different activities, with over half of the $24 million research budget going directly to Indigenous governments and organizations. They will lead their own work in ways that respect, protect, and elevate Indigenous knowledge and ways of life. Key topics include how food security can be secured for Indigenous Peoples, how Indigenous-led approaches to conservation can support wild species and agrobiodiversity, and how to engage in best practices for decolonizing education and science.   

Dr. Tony Charles emphasizes that having the project led by Indigenous scholars and communities is a crucial element.

“Biodiversity conservation is a key issue around the world, and one we’ve seen can be tackled effectively through Indigenous approaches,” says Dr. Charles. “That’s a message of the Community Conservation Research Network, based at Saint Mary’s, and one that is bound to be fundamental to the new Ărramăt Project.”

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SMU-TRIUMF Research on Rare Isotope of Helium Challenges Traditional Rule of Nuclear Structure

L-R: Sebastien Roy-Garand (SMU Undergrad student), Preetinder Jassal (SMU Ph.D. student), Greg Hackman (TRIUMF Scientist), Dr. Rituparna Kanungo (IRIS project leader & SMU Professor), Matthias Holl (SMU-TRIUMF IRIS PDF), Conor Waterfield (SMU student). Photo credit: TRIUMF.

From the wood in your desk to the stars in the sky, atoms and their inner core – the nuclei – are building blocks of the matter we see around us. Yet the traditional knowledge of the structure inside an atomic nucleus might need rethinking, according to new findings from Saint Mary's University researchers.

“This new finding challenges our traditional knowledge of nuclear shells, the onion-like structure inside a nucleus that organizes the building blocks of visible matter in our universe,” says Dr. Rituparna Kanungo, principal investigator of the research, IRIS project leader and Professor at Saint Mary’s University.

A recent paper by Dr. Kanungo, IRIS post-doctoral research fellow Matthias Holl, and the IRIS collaboration team of national and international scientists combines high-precision and high-statistics experimental data gathered with the Saint Mary’s University-led IRIS facility, and theoretical calculations by TRIUMF’s Theory Department and international teams, to unveil an unexpected shape deformation in the heaviest helium isotope, Helium-8 (He8).  

"These results were only possible to obtain due to the unique capabilities of the IRIS station,” said Matthias Holl, IRIS post-doctoral research fellow. “They show that unexpected phenomena can occur even in the lightest neutron-rich nuclei."

Our understanding of the stability of the elements is founded in a model of how protons and neutrons in their nuclei combine to stay bound, the so-called “shell model” of nuclear structure.  As the elements in the universe are largely formed in the nuclear furnaces of stars, the modern shell model theory has extremely important predictions both for the relative abundance of elements in the universe, and for the stability of stars to evolve, collapse or even explode.  

This shell model properly predicts that the most abundant and strongly bound elements are those containing certain particular “magic” numbers of protons and/or neutrons. The current understanding of the shell model implies that nuclei with magic numbers of protons or neutrons have spherically shaped distributions of those neutrons or protons.  

This assumption underlies much modelling of how elements are created in stars. Isotopes made with a very high numbers of neutrons relative to protons are unstable, and must eventually decay down to become less neutron-rich, and thus more stable.   

But it remains unclear whether this traditional, relatively simple, shell model description can be applied for nuclei of all elements. For example, what if we consider elements that contain lots more neutrons than protons? The new investigation led by Holl and Kanungo considered Helium-8 which has three times as many neutrons as protons, nature's most neutron-rich nucleus known till date. A new magic number seemingly appears for this, with the lowest two conventional magic numbers being 2 and 8, and He8 having 2 protons and 6 neutrons. The result: the distribution of neutrons was not spherical as expected! Instead, the neutrons were distributed more like a rugby-ball.  This calls into question parts of the current theory of how elements might be created and destroyed in stars, since this theory relies on the shell model and its spherical magic-number nuclei. We don’t fully understand how we’ve come to see the distribution in abundance of all elements in the Universe, and so we know there’s more to be discovered – this new shape measurement of He8 may be giving a clue towards some of our missing understanding.

Matthias Holl, IRIS post doc. in Dr. Kanungo’s team and lead author said ,“These results were only possible to obtain due to the unique capabilities of the IRIS station. They show that unexpected phenomena can occur even in the lightest neutron-rich nuclei.”

"This intriguing result about the shape of such a light, yet extremely neutron-rich, isotope is providing a new and important contribution to our understanding of how all of the elements in the universe were created in just the relative amounts we observe” said Dr. Adam Sarty, Associate Vice-President Research at Saint Mary’s University. “Coming to a clearer understanding of why the universe contains just exactly the relative abundances that we observe will rest on improving our understanding of whether the simple shell model can be used when nuclei have extreme compositions – and, if not, understanding how to adjust that model.”

“The finding begs further questions on the nature of the new sub-shell closures in neutron-rich nuclei,” said Dr. Kanungo. “This has the potential to influence and inform new understanding on the properties of heavy neutron-rich nuclei that create nature's heavy elements.”

“Nuclear shells are imprinted in nature in the abundance pattern of elements. They govern how nature creates matter through nuclear reactions and decays. The nuclear burning of the heavy neutron-rich nuclei creates the majority of the heavy elements such as gold, silver, platinum, and uranium, that we find on Earth.”

“Our work with Helium-8 is at the international forefront of research in nuclear structure, with Saint Mary’s University as the lead institution,” says Dr. Kanungo. “TRIUMF and the IRIS facility gives a huge opportunity to Saint Mary’s students at all levels, from undergraduate to graduate, to be a part of world-leading research. I look forward with excitement in anticipation of what the future holds with the confluence of ARIEL, CANREB and IRIS at TRIUMF together with our international team.”

The research paper, titled Proton inelastic scattering reveals deformation in helium-8, was published in November 2021 in Physics Letters B. The team’s next steps will be further investigation on the Helium-8 with different reaction probes, as well as exploring the heavy neutron-rich terra incognita.

Looking for more on the Helium-8 findings of the IRIS group? Click here to read more from TRIUMF.

Ryan Francis Returns for Two-Year Indigenous Research Fellowship at Saint Mary’s

Ryan Francis

A familiar face to the Saint Mary's University community is back to continue working on projects that foster the potential of sport and recreation to bring people together for intercultural understanding.

Ryan Francis, the university’s first Indigenous Visiting Fellow, recently returned for a two-year fellowship with the Faculty of Arts and the Centre for the Study of Sport and Health (CSSH). His first fellowship was  a four-month term from January to April 2020, coinciding with the onset of the global pandemic.

“A lot of our plans and programs involved people gathering and coming together, so it was very challenging to do that,” says Francis. “We highlighted in the previous fellowship that there is a lot of work that can be done. With a longer runway, we’ll be able to implement a lot more of those meaningful opportunities for the university community.” 

Part of the fellowship includes working with Saint Mary’s and organizers of the North American Indigenous Games, postponed in 2020 but now scheduled to take place July 15-23, 2023 in several locations in Kjipuktuk (Halifax) and Millbrook First Nation. NAIG 2023 will include competitions in 16 sports, bringing together 3,000 local volunteers with more than 5,000 athletes, coaches and team staff from 756 Indigenous Nations.

“SMU’s commitment to being a part of the Games, through facility use and accommodations, is really significant,” says Francis. “It will be really neat to think about how we can play a role, and factor in how to support the participants coming to campus, and make this environment feel especially welcoming to them.”

One idea already in development is the creation of “Brave Spaces” – spaces on campus where athletes and attendees can gather to share and learn more about each other’s cultures, since the Indigenous athletes will be attending from across Turtle Island.

During his first fellowship in 2020, Ryan was also a key player in the university’s inaugural Red Tape Game, working with Athletics and Recreation and the men’s Huskies hockey team. The growing movement across Canada and the U.S. aims to promote inclusion in ice hockey. The initiative was started and inspired by Logan Prosper of Whycocomagh First Nation – now an Arts student at Saint Mary’s – and his father Phillip, to create awareness of racism in hockey and encourage players to take responsibility for combatting racism. SMU’s second Red Tape Game is in the planning stages for this winter. Francis and Dr. Cheryl MacDonald, Associate Director of Outreach for the CSSH, hope to build on the idea and expand it to other teams.

“Ryan has been such a wonderful contributor to the Centre,” says Dr. MacDonald, noting he has provided guest lectures in the Health, Wellness and Sport in Society program, and participated in the international Hockey Conference hosted by the Centre.

“The Centre’s mandate is very much to facilitate and disseminate research on sport and health,” she adds. “We’re also committed to community outreach and interdisciplinary approaches. I think what we are creating here is meaningful opportunities to combine research and education with community.”

The fellowship builds on Saint Mary’s ongoing initiatives to engage with Indigenous communities, strengthen intercultural research and curriculum, and respond to the Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action.

Francis grew up in Cole Harbour and is a member of Acadia First Nation. He is currently the Manager of Provincial Outreach & Coordination for the Nova Scotia Department of Communities, Culture, Tourism and Heritage, in its Communities, Sport, and Recreation Division. He has a Master of Physical Education degree from Memorial University, and majored in sport management for his Bachelor of Science degree at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia. Follow him on Twitter at @RyanFrancis58.     

Pet Photos: A Key to Successful Online Dating for Men According to New Study

Dr. Maryanne Fisher

They say a picture is worth a thousand words and in the case of a new research study from Saint Mary’s University, the right picture may be worth a lifetime of love.  The research shows that women see men who care for pets and children as good potential long-term partners, says evolutionary psychologist Dr. Maryanne Fisher.  

The recent study, published in the journal Evolutionary Psychological Science by Saint Mary’s University's Mackenzie Zinck, Dr. Laura Weir, and Dr. Fisher, shows that men who care for dependents are perceived as high-quality mates, displaying the ability to invest in a long-term mate. This investment may be exhibited through financial and social status, and the ability to care for a mate and any resulting children. 

Online dating profiles were used to test the prediction, and as expected, men seeking long-term mates displayed dependents — primarily dogs and children— more than men seeking short-term mates, but both men and women seeking long-term mates displayed dependents similarly. Men, though, showed more dogs while women showed more children.  

“The inclusion of dependents represents a way for daters to advertise that they can, and are willing to, invest in a living being,” said Dr. Fisher.  “Men’s photos are really telling. Those interested in short-term relationships showed their body, their fancy trucks, the big fish they caught in the summer. Meanwhile, those seeking a relationship posted photos with their dogs and children. Whether or not women show the same difference remains to be seen. There weren’t many women dating online in the summer of 2020 openly advertising that they were seeking short-term relationships only.” 

Dr. Maryanne Fisher, a researcher and professor of Psychology at Saint Mary’s, is an expert on the evolutionary foundations of human interpersonal relationships. Her primary research areas include the evolutionary foundations of human interpersonal relationships and women's mating strategies and indicators of female physical attractiveness. 

Dr. Fisher recently discussed the study in an article she wrote for the Conversation.

First observation of light from behind a black hole

Researchers observed bright flares of X-ray emissions, produced as gas falls into a supermassive black hole. The flares echoed off of the gas falling into the black hole, and as the flares were subsiding, short flashes of X-rays were seen – corresponding to the reflection of the flares from the far side of the disk, bent around the black hole by its strong gravitational field. (Image credit: Dan Wilkins)

Fulfilling a prediction of Einstein’s Theory of General Relativity, researchers report the first-ever recordings of X-ray emissions from the far side of a black hole. 

Saint Mary’s University researcher Dr. Luigi Gallo contributed to the analysis and interpretation of this collaborative research project, which was recently published in Nature. 

“While we have seen X-ray flares before and we have seen them “reflect” off the accretion disc around the black hole, this is really the first time we have been able to isolate individual events (flares) as originating from behind the black hole,” said Dr. Gallo, who has been working on this type of research for 20 years.  

“This is really important because these regions are so small in size and dynamic on such rapid time scales that it is impossible to take an image.  Events like this allow us to determine what the region closest to the black hole looks like,” he said.

Watching X-rays flung out into the universe by the supermassive black hole at the center of a galaxy 800 million light-years away, Stanford University astrophysicist Dan Wilkins noticed an intriguing pattern. He observed a series of bright flares of X-rays – exciting, but not unprecedented – and then, the telescopes recorded something unexpected: additional flashes of X-rays that were smaller, later and of different “colors” than the bright flares.

According to theory, these luminous echoes were consistent with X-rays reflected from behind the black hole – but even a basic understanding of black holes tells us that is a strange place for light to come from.

“Any light that goes into that black hole doesn't come out, so we shouldn’t be able to see anything that's behind the black hole,” said Wilkins, who is a research scientist at the Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology at Stanford and SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory. It is another strange characteristic of the black hole, however, that makes this observation possible. “The reason we can see that is because that black hole is warping space, bending light and twisting magnetic fields around itself,” Wilkins explained. 

The strange discovery, detailed in a paper published in Nature, is the first direct observation of light from behind a black hole – a scenario that was predicted by Einstein’s Theory of General Relativity but never confirmed, until now.

“Fifty years ago, when astrophysicists starting speculating about how the magnetic field might behave close to a black hole, they had no idea that one day we might have the techniques to observe this directly and see Einstein’s general theory of relativity in action,” said Roger Blandford, a co-author of the paper who is the Luke Blossom Professor in the School of Humanities and Sciences and Stanford and SLAC professor of physics and particle physics.

 How to see a black hole

The original motivation behind this research was to learn more about a mysterious feature of certain black holes, called a corona. When material is falling into a supermassive black hole, it powers the brightest continuous sources of light in the Universe, and as it does so, forms a corona around the black hole. This light – which is X-ray light – can be analyzed to map and characterize a black hole.

The leading theory for what a corona is starts with gas sliding into the center of the black hole where it superheats to millions of degrees. At that temperature, electrons separate from atoms, creating a magnetized plasma. Caught up in the powerful spin of the black hole, the magnetic field arcs so high above the black hole, and twirls about itself so much, that it eventually breaks altogether – a situation so reminiscent of what happens around our own Sun that it borrowed the name “corona.”

“This magnetic field getting tied up and then snapping close to the black hole heats everything around it and produces these high energy electrons that then go on to produce the X-rays,” said Wilkins.

For this project, the researchers trained two space-based X-ray telescopes, NASA’s NuSTAR and the European Space Agency’s XMM-Newton, on the galaxy known as I Zwicky 1. The two bright flares that they observed are only the second example of flares that can be associated with a corona being launched away from a black hole.

They processed the observations with a new technique, which takes advantage of the fact that the immense gravity around the black hole shifts the wavelength of light. By accounting for that shift and the time delay between the initial flash and when it bounces off the spinning disc of superhot gas encircling the black hole – known as an accretion disk – the researchers were able to translate the X-rays into a map of the environment just outside the event horizon of the black hole.

As Wilkins took a closer look to investigate the origin of the flares, he saw the series of smaller flashes. These, the researchers determined, are the same X-ray flares but reflected from the back of the disk – a first glimpse at the far side of a black hole.

“I've been building theoretical predictions of how these echoes appear to us for a few years,” said Wilkins. “I'd already seen them in the theory I’ve been developing, so once I saw them, I could figure out the connection.” 

Future observations

The mission to characterize and understand coronas continues and will require more observation. Part of that future will be the European Space Agency’s X-ray observatory, Athena (Advanced Telescope for High-ENergy Astrophysics). As a member of the lab of Steve Allen, professor of physics at Stanford and of particle physics and astrophysics at SLAC, Wilkins is helping to developing part of the Wide Field Imager detector for Athena.

“It's got a much bigger mirror than we've ever had on an X-ray telescope and it's going to let us get higher resolution looks in much shorter observation times,” said Wilkins. “So, the picture we are starting to get from the data at the moment is going to become much clearer with these new observatories.”

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Co-authors of this research are from Saint Mary’s University (Canada), Netherlands Institute for Space Research (SRON), University of Amsterdam and The Pennsylvania State University. 

This work was supported by the NASA NuSTAR and XMM-Newton Guest Observer programs, a Kavli Fellowship at Stanford University, and the V.M. Willaman Endowment.

Note: This story originally appeared on Stanford University’s website.

Canada-U.S. scientists to hunt for genetic clues to help struggling North Atlantic right whales rebound

Project co-lead Dr. Timothy Frasier (centre) with students.

Are clues to improved conservation of the critically endangered North Atlantic right whales lurking in their genes? 

Genome Atlantic and Saint Mary’s University, Halifax, together with the New England Aquarium’s Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life, Boston, are teaming up on a $6 million, four-year study to find out. The Large-Scale Applied Research Project, funded by Genome Canada and managed by Genome Atlantic, is expected to get under way between July and September this year. 

It is hoped the project’s findings will help conservation efforts become “more effective and efficient,” said Dr. Tim Frasier, one of the project’s two co-leads.  A specialist in genetic analyses and marine mammal behaviour, he is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biology, Saint Mary’s University.  

 “Our work is focused on using genomic data to quantify the impact of inbreeding on reproductive success and species recovery, and to identify if there are long-term negative consequences of non-lethal entanglements in fishing gear,” he said. Genetic implications of non-deadly vessel strikes will also be investigated.

Given current failures to stop or reverse the right whale’s continuing decline, it is anticipated insights from the project could prove critical. 

The North Atlantic right whale has been on endangered species’ lists in Canada and the United States for years. Yet today there are estimated to be less than 400 left, of which fewer than 100 are breeding females. In addition to having a high mortality rate from entanglement in fishing gear and vessel strikes, the species’ reproductive rate is also compromised. It is about three times lower than their known potential. A relatively high percentage of females have either never given birth or have had only one calf. Those females with multiple calves reproduce on average every six-to-10 years, as opposed to the expected three-year cycle.  

With this low reproductive rate comes greater risk of the species’ extinction. Dr. Frasier’s project counterpart, Philip Hamilton, a leading expert on right whale biology and Senior Scientist at the Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life, New England Aquarium, wouldn’t hazard a guess at how long that scenario might take to play out on the current trajectory. However, he said, the North Atlantic right whale, though long-lived, could become “functionally extinct” sooner than later, “because reproductive females are killed at a faster rate.”  

Project co-lead Philip Hamilton and his team of scientists from the New England Aquarium photograph a social group of North Atlantic right whales. (Photo: New England Aquarium, Brian Skerry)

“The important point, is that this species can survive and potentially thrive again, if we stop wounding and killing them with ropes and vessels,” he said. Encounters with fishing gear and vessels, coupled with declining reproduction rates, constitute a triple threat to North Atlantic right whale survival. 

The genomic probe into these phenomena will benefit from complementary databases. Dr. Frasier’s lab maintains the archival tissue and DNA bank for the species, while Mr. Hamilton curates a photo database that contains all data on right whale health and reproduction. 

Dr. Moira Brown, Senior Scientist at the Canadian Whale Institute, Welshpool, N.B., and a member of the project team, has noted big strides in molecular analysis of these mammals over her 40-year career. For her PhD thesis in 1988, she said, “I started the skin biopsy sampling program in the Bay of Fundy. Using a small stainless tip attached to a bolt launched from a crossbow, I sampled 25 whales that first year. The initial goal was to be able to identify males from females and to determine the sex ratio of the population using DNA analyses. Fast-forward three decades. Scientists have since learned a great deal about right whales from molecular analyses.” 

Today, she said, 80 per cent of the whale population has been sampled, equipping researchers to address “the burning question: what, if any, is the impact of inbreeding on reproduction and how does that affect species recovery?” It is a question shipping and fishing industry representatives repeatedly ask her, and she hopes soon to have the answer. 

The North Atlantic right whale research community is “extremely collaborative,” and has been so for decades, said Dr. Frasier. That factor made it easy, he said, to recruit researchers to this international project. He pointed out that the North Atlantic Right Whale Consortium – a data- and research-sharing group dedicated to the recovery of the species – has been active, since 1986, bringing together Canadian and American researchers, policy makers, fishing and shipping industry representatives and educators in an effort to conserve the species. 

On another level, though, Mr. Hamilton pointed out right whales’ international movements between American and Canadian waters have complicated their plight. “Ideally,” he said, “right whales would be equally protected in both countries–a goal that is complicated by the two countries’ very different regulatory frameworks.” 

Consequently, the research team is hoping to produce persuasive, actionable, scientific data for the Department of Fisheries and Oceans in Canada and the National Marine Fisheries Service in the U.S. to better manage North Atlantic right whale conservation in their respective jurisdictions. Researchers also hope their study’s findings can promote changes in fishing and shipping industry perceptions and behaviours to help the struggling right whale population rebound.

 To ensure the project’s conclusions resonate in those circles, Dr. Randle Hart, a specialist in the sociology of science and, more particularly, in the way scientific information is chosen for incorporation in policy development, has been recruited to the research team from Saint Mary’s University. 

Dr. Frasier described Dr. Hart’s role as “key to the success of this project.” He explained, “understanding how best to use the data available to result in the most effective and efficient conservation actions is a social science, and this is the work that Randy will be conducting.” 

At the data-gathering end, the scientific team will measure the impact of inbreeding on reproduction and species recovery and attempt to fill a major knowledge gap on the role of genetic factors in wildlife conservation. Also, on the agenda are assessment of the long-term genetic impacts on whales that have had non-lethal encounters with vessels and fishing gear, and an evaluation of the team’s findings for North Atlantic right whale conservation.  

Apart from the multi-million-dollar whale watching industry that has grown around them, whales play a vital role in stabilizing marine ecosystems by helping to regulate a wide spectrum of marine organisms with their presence. Their nitrogen-laden fecal matter, released when they rise to the ocean’s surface to defecate, for instance, is known to stimulate plankton growth and other microorganisms that form the foundation of the oceanic food chain, critical to the existence of marine life and for the maintenance of the fishing industry.  

For seasoned right whale researchers, such as Mr. Hamilton, with more than 30 years in the field, these gigantic creatures remain endlessly fascinating. 

Having studied these animals so long, he says he knows “almost every individual” and he has followed some of them “consistently year-to-year and habitat-to-habitat,” and yet, he said, so many questions are unanswered: “How do they locate their patches of prey? What do the loud, percussive ‘gunshot’ sounds they make signify? And how do they produce the sounds? Why do some whales make such long-range explorations, like Mogul, and how do they decide where to go?” 

He added, “this species has been the underdog for most of my career. For the first two decades, the general public didn’t even know the species existed. People thought I was saying ‘white whale’ not ‘right whale.’ They had heard of belugas. Fighting for the underdog feels instinctive to me.  

“Finally, every birth, every death, every injury has a face and a story behind it. Many of the whales alive today, I saw as calves. To watch them weather the many hardships of living in an urban ocean is heartbreaking. They can’t advocate for themselves. It’s up to those of us who know and care about them to speak for them.” 

Others on the Frasier-Hamilton team besides Dr. Brown, all keenly committed to right whale welfare, include Dr. Angelia Vanderlaan, Research Scientist, Bedford Institute of Oceanography, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Dartmouth, N.S.; Dr. Linda Rutledge, a bioinformatics expert and Assistant Professor in the Biology Department, Trent University, Peterborough, Ont.; Dr. Michael Asaro, Economist, NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) Northeast Fisheries Science Center, Woods Hole, Mass; Dr. Robert Schick, Independent Research Scientist, Marine Geospatial Ecology Lab, Nicolas School of Environment, Duke University, Durham, S.C.; and R. Clay George, Senior Wildlife Biologist, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Nongame Conservation Section, Brunswick, Ga. 

Besides Genome Canada funding, the project is being supported by Fisheries and Oceans Canada and Research Nova Scotia in Canada, and by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, the US National Marine Fisheries Service, and the New England Aquarium in the United States.

This article first appeared in on the Genome Atlantic website and has been republished with permission.