Celebrating excellence: Dr. Danika van Proosdij elected as a new Fellow of The Royal Society of Canada

Dr. Danika van Proosdij

Saint Mary’s University is proud to share that Dr. Danika van Proosdij has been elected as one of the new Fellows by The Royal Society of Canada (RSC) and its members.  

“Being elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada is an incredible honour. It should come as no surprise to anyone who has had the pleasure of working with Danika that her outstanding contributions to her field of research are being recognized,” says Dr. Adam Sarty, Associate Vice-President, Research, and Dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research at Saint Mary’s University. 

Dr. van Proosdij is the Director of TransCoastal Adaptations: Centre for Nature-Based Solutions and a professor with the Department of Geography and Environmental Studies at Saint Mary’s. Dr. van Proosdij is a Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society and is studying how coastal systems respond to natural and human drivers of change and is leveraging this understanding to integrate nature-based adaptation options in the protection of coastal communities. She has over 25 years of applied ecosystem-based coastal adaptation projects and vulnerability assessments in Canada and abroad.  

One hundred and two new Fellows have been elected by their peers for their outstanding scholarly, scientific and artistic achievements. Recognition by the RSC for career achievement is the highest honour an individual can achieve in the Arts, Social Sciences and Sciences. 

On Friday, November 25, 2022, the RSC will welcome the 2022 class of new Fellows and new Members of the RSC College and present awards for outstanding research and scholarly achievement. The ceremonies will be held in person in Calgary, Alberta.  

Founded in 1882, the Royal Society of Canada (RSC) comprises the Academies of Arts, Humanities and Sciences and The College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists. The RSC recognizes excellence, advises the government and the larger society, and promotes a culture of knowledge and innovation in Canada and with other national academies around the world. 

Pioneering N.S. filmmaker Margaret Perry focus of three-night event series with FIN, N.S. Archive

Margaret Perry

The career work of pioneering Nova Scotia filmmaker Margaret Perry is being showcased with a digital release, artist interventions, and three nights of events from the Atlantic International Film Festival, the Nova Scotia Archives and a team led by a Saint Mary's University researcher.

"Margaret Perry is one of the most influential yet unknown people in Nova Scotia in the 20th century. Her promotional films about the province offer us a glimpse into how Nova Scotia saw itself in the 40s, 50s and 60s, or at least how the government wanted others to see the province," says Saint Mary's University Associate Professor Dr. Jennifer VanderBurgh, and the lead organizer behind the events. "Although these are technically government films, they are also documentaries and artist-made works. Perry's influence can be felt in all her films. She was very interested in highlighting women's labour, cooperative labour, and how things were done or made. The films reflect her interests and understanding of Nova Scotia."

The event series, Activating an Archive: Margaret Perry and the Nova Scotia Film Bureau, mark the digital release of the career work of Margaret Perry, one of Canada's most important and least-known woman filmmakers and early film bureaucrats.

The events are:

• Monday, Sept. 19, 2022, from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

  • A reception at the Public Archives of Nova Scotia.

• Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2022, at 6:10 p.m.

  • A sample screening of Perry’s work in film and a Q&A at FIN, the Atlantic International Film Festival.

• Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2022, at 7 p.m.

  • A talk by Dr. Jennifer VanderBurgh at the Halifax Central Library, discussing the collection, the process of digitizing/activating it (and some related ethical complexities), and the discovery of materials that shed new light on Perry’s artistic development and filmmaking practice. 

Dr. Jennifer VanderBurgh

Starting out in New Brunswick as a wartime projectionist where she taught herself to make short films about everyday life, Perry went to Ottawa to work with John Grierson at the National Film Board of Canada. In 1945, Perry moved to Halifax to become Director of the Nova Scotia Film Bureau, where between 1945-1969 she made and oversaw the production of over fifty promotional films that depicted Nova Scotia as a tourist destination, an industrial and agricultural centre, and a complex site of cultural heritage.

"For a long time, this collection has been ignored, often without being seen, on charges of being boring government film,” says Dr. VanderBurgh. “In reframing and animating this collection as artist-made works, we're reconsidering the significance of these films, what they remember, and some of the ethical considerations and responsibilities of activating the collection in Nova Scotia today."

More information about Margaret Perry and the Nova Scotia Film Bureau Films and the research of Dr. Vanderburgh and her research team.

Unearthing the story of Italy's Indigenous communities

Photo credit: Roberto Lalinga

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Students at Saint Mary’s University are helping to shed new light on previously overlooked perspectives from the ancient past, thanks to new research partnerships that have taken root in Italy.

The Metaponto Archaeology Project field school was “a life-changing experience” for students who took part in it this spring, says Dr. Sveva Savelli, assistant professor in Ancient Studies and Intercultural Studies. She taught the new field course in May at the Incoronata “greca” excavation site near the town of Pisticci (Matera), along with Dr. Spencer Pope of McMaster University, under the auspices of the Soprintendenza Archeologia Belle Arti e Paesaggio della Basilicata.

Dr. Sveva Savelli
Photo: Simone Foresta

Fourth-year philosophy major Ken Finlay agrees. “I would highly encourage anybody with even the slightest interest in archaeology to sign up for the field school. It’s truly a once-in-a-lifetime kind of experience and is sure to deepen your interest in classics even further,” says Finlay, who aims to pursue a law degree after graduating with his Bachelor of Arts.

Located in the “instep of the boot” on the map of southern Italy, the site was home to thriving Indigenous communities (the Oenotrians) between the 9th and 7th centuries BCE when Greek settlers began arriving. Past archaeology efforts in the region, now known as Basilicata, have focused mainly on the Greek settler histories. This research goes farther back, investigating the colonial dynamics during a period when the Oenotrians and Greeks first interacted in the area, prior to the founding of the Greek colony of Metaponto.

“It’s very interesting because it seemed to be a very peaceful relationship, mostly traders and potters who arrived. Incoronata “greca” was a place where the relationship was fruitful for both communities,” says Savelli, co-director of the research project along with Pope.

The research has been underway for a number of years but reached a key milestone this spring with the discovery of a structure believed to be an Oenotrian hut, plus a motherlode of artifacts, she says.

“It has been an amazing season. We were not expecting quite so many archaeological finds. Our students were incredibly lucky in this sense. We basically pulled out thousands of shards of pottery!”

Available again next spring, the field course builds on Saint Mary’s existing strengths in archaeology research and education. Another offering in Italy through the ancient studies program is Dr. Myles McCallum’s annual field course at the Villa of Titus Archaeology Research Project near Castel Sant’Angelo, which resumed in May and June after a two-year hiatus during the pandemic. In both field courses, students learn many aspects of what it means to be an archaeologist, from excavation skills to lab tasks such as sorting and cataloguing artifacts—and most importantly, teamwork.

“Students were not aware of the collegial aspect of this profession,” says Savelli. “So working together as a team, especially coming out of this period of COVID isolation, really created an excitement in the group.” Visiting scholars at the field school shared expertise in everything from topography to how to use a microscope in archaeometry. Finlay said another big highlight for students was their own research presentations—each student researched a nearby temple or monument, then gave their presentations at those actual sites.

“It was a cultural experience for them,” says Savelli, who is from Rome and worked at Queen’s University before joining Saint Mary’s in July 2020. There was a lot of interest from the local community as well. Media outlets reported on a visit from Pisticci Mayor Domenico Albano, who also held a special dinner for the students and researchers.

“There is a Canadian connection already,” says Savelli. “In the town it’s like a parade, everybody stops us. Many people have a cousin or brother who moved to Canada.”

Partnership with the National Archaeological Museum of Naples

National Archaeological Museum of Naples

Museum Director Paolo Giulierini

The Piana Campana: A Land Without Borders
Photo credit: Livia Pacera MANN/Electa

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Here on campus this fall, students have another unique opportunity for hands-on research experience in Savelli’s new course, ANCS/ICST 3506: Cultural Property Protection in a Global World. Through a partnership between Saint Mary’s and the Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Napoli (MANN), led by Museum Director Paolo Giulierini, the class will collaborate with the museum on a project involving the “Spinelli Archaeological Collection” led by Senior Curator Dr. Emanuela Santaniello.

“Students will be involved in the tracking of archaeological finds from the necropolis of Suessula, in the interland of Naples, that are now dispersed in museums all over Europe and North America,” says Savelli.

Mapping these objects will help the museum lay the groundwork for future exhibitions, narrating the story of how cultural heritage has scattered to different parts of the world. With some creativity, other museums housing artifacts could take part in presenting this international picture, even in a digital format.

“I hope the class becomes a workshop and a think tank on cultural property and the international issues related to its restitution and repatriation,” says Savelli.

She worked closely with the museum last year as a member of its research team behind an exhibition, “The Piana Campana. A Land without Borders.” Still ongoing, the exhibition focuses on Iron Age interactions among Greek settlers, Etruscans and Indigenous communities in the Piana Campana region north of Naples.

It’s all part of a bigger project that will enable more field schools, student exchanges and internships in the future. The opportunities for students stem from a memorandum of agreement between the museum and Saint Mary’s, signed in 2020 to foster scientific and academic cooperation.

“Through this partnership, ancient studies in Italy take a prime position in our international academic offerings,” says Dr. Robert Summerby-Murray, President and Vice-Chancellor of Saint Mary’s. “It’s a tremendous opportunity for us to collaborate with one of the most important archaeological museums in the world, whose holdings include the Farnese and Pompeian Collections and thousands of other artifacts from Etruscan, Greek, and Egyptian civilizations.”

Dr. Giulierini adds: “The MANN is pleased to offer educational opportunities for Canadian students and faculty, and to provide first-hand knowledge of ancient material culture.”

The partnership complements the field projects at Villa di Tito and Incoronata “greca”, says Savelli, enhancing opportunities for students to learn about the conservation and management of archaeological collections. As a researcher, the most intriguing aspect for her is taking a fresh look at colonial times in the ancient world, and seeing what it can teach us about the present.

“This is really about how each country defines its own identity through its past. And it’s not just about the past—for us in Canada, it’s also about our reality.”

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Learn more about the Ancient Studies program and field schools available through the Faculty of Arts. Follow the Metaponto Archaeology Project on Instagram at @metaponto_arch_proj and the Villa of Titus Archaeology Project on Facebook at @villaditito.

Related stories:

• SMU archaeologist brings history into focus with LiDAR and 3D tech

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

• Honouring the Landscape of Grand Pré: Students reflect on research connections

The Sobey School of Business releases its third annual Research Bulletin

The Sobey School of Business has released its third annual Research Bulletin, which highlights the fascinating and diverse business research done by Sobey faculty, graduate students and research centres throughout the 2021 academic year.

“Our researchers impress with their ability to be focussed, community-oriented and representative of our five-year strategic plan, Elevating Impact, which embodies the vision and aspirations of the Sobey School of Business,” said Dr. Harjeet S. Bhabra, Dean of the Sobey School of Business. “The research undertaken at the Sobey School of Business from January to December 2021 demonstrates the Sobey School’s leadership in making an impact with purpose.”

Even through the unprecedented times of the COVID-19 pandemic, Sobey researchers made strides.

“The global health crisis has accelerated changes in how we work and do business…our researchers have continued to actively train highly qualified personnel, create and disseminate knowledge, and engage with our partners in the community. The work they do matters to so many!” said Dr. Catherine Loughlin, Associate Dean of Research and Knowledge Mobilization.

Download the full 2021 Sobey School of Business Research Bulletin publication now.

SMU researcher says learning about and living the ideals of fair trade starts with a conversation

Dr. Gavin Fridell (centre), with Joey Pitoello and Vicki Matthews of Just Us! Coffee Roasters Co-op in Grand Pré, Nova Scotia. Just Us! serves as a community partner and case study for Fridell’s fair trade classes at Saint Mary’s University. CREDIT: Ian Selig.

Creating local to global connections in a meaningful way to foster equitable, ethical and sustainable trade relationships is what the fair trade movement is all about.

And according to Saint Mary’s University (SMU) researcher Dr. Gavin Fridell, the challenge is to achieve these objectives by combining certification and advocacy into a united movement.

Fridell says that while there’s no one road to fair trade, people who are interested can, “use that fair trade cup of coffee or banana as a moment of reflection on what you think the world needs.” PHOTO CREDIT: Ian Selig.

A Canada Research Chair in International Development Studies at SMU, Fridell studies issues around trade from both social and social justice lenses, including perspectives of politics and history.

As a long-time advocate for price regulations, and after years of collaboration with groups including the Canadian Fair Trade Network, Fridell also delves into more abstract mechanisms of fair-trade advocacy, rules and politics in the global trading world.

“There’s a need for real government support and government policies for small farmers to thrive,” Fridell says. “If you remove government support, you open up the market to the largest players, who very often crush the small ones.”

Locally, the Just Us! Coffee Roaster Co-Op in Grand Pré models many of the objectives that Fridell advocates for. Run as a democratic co-operative with an awareness of social, environmental and economic impact, partnered with small-producer farm co-ops in the global south, Just Us! serves as a community leader and case study for his students, including a class field trip to the roaster.

In his classes and on the broader university campus, Fridell says he’s observed interest in fair trade from others, but that the challenge is translating these interests into impact, and lessening barriers to doing so.

“I don’t think there’s one simple road, but you can use that fair trade cup of coffee or banana as a moment of reflection on what you think the world needs,” says Fridell. He says this awareness can be the beginning for thinking politically about what it means to live in a world with so much unfair and unsustainable trade.

For those interested in advancing the goals of Fair Trade, Fridell recommends The Fair Trade Handbook: Building a Better World, Together. Published in October 2021, the handbook features contributions from fair-trade organizations and researchers, including Fridell as author and co-editor.

“The book is designed to motivate ideas and energize people to get involved in fair trade, but the discussion also acknowledges the limits of fair trade,” says Fridell. “The book can be read as a continual dialogue which is, I think, what fair trade should be, ultimately.”

For more information on Dr. Gavin Fridell’s research, visit smu.ca/researchers/arts/gavinfridell/.

A summer of starlings: students benefit from summer research opportunity

Summer student researcher Gabi Armstrong says her starling research focuses on the nests they use to raise their young. She is examining the materials they incorporate into their nests, including natural (e.g., feathers, greenery, sticks, etc.) and anthropogenic materials (e.g., human-made materials) like garbage. 

Alyssa Wells (shown here steadying the ladder for Armstrong) credits a fourth-year biology course with Dr. Barber as the reason she fell in love with the field of behavioural ecology. She was fascinated with how researchers create observational studies to find out information based on the choices that organisms make to survive and find mating success.

Over the years the research has progressed really well according to Armstrong. It has answered many questions involving paternal investment and mate choice among the starlings along with other research questions involving ectoparasites, urbanization and much more.

Wells (left) is focusing her research on how brood condition and parental investment influence mate fidelity within the starling population.

Both students credited the opportunity to do hands-on fieldwork as an important part of why they were excited to participate in this research project.

The beautiful birdcalls of starlings are a fixture of the Saint Mary’s University campus. The more than 40 starling nest boxes across campus are part of a research project led by Dr. Colleen Barber. The boxes were erected almost two decades ago and have provided research opportunities for numerous students and field assistants. This photo gallery shows Saint Mary’s students Gabi Armstrong and Alyssa Wells checking on the starling boxes and shares some insight into their roles as student researchers.

Additional reading

• The sounds of starlings: SMU team gets to the heart of how they mate

Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Tim Halman, tours Belcher Street Marsh Site

Saint Mary’s University professor Dr. Danika van Proosdij and her TransCoastal Adaptations team members had the opportunity to present their work to the Honorable Tim Halman, Nova Scotia Minister of Environment and Climate Change. The presentation included an interactive tour to showcase the design, implementation and monitoring of the Belcher Street Marsh Dyke Realignment and Tidal Wetland Restoration Project.

The project includes 75 hectares of tidal wetlands along Nova Scotia’s Bay of Fundy that van Proosdij’s team is working to restore habitat and protect against flooding and coastal erosion. Using nature-based strategies and restructuring old dyke infrastructure, the team creates new tidal wetlands to absorb rising sea levels, protect nearby communities and create new ecosystems for marine life.

The newly realigned dyke at the Belcher Street Marsh protects the active agricultural land behind it. The restored tidal wetland will increase the natural absorption of wave energy during storms, thereby protecting the dyke. The expanded floodplain provides more room for floodwaters. The new marsh is now a productive natural habitat supporting species diversity. The dykes overlooking the new marsh provide a recreational opportunity for enjoying nature and connecting to the restored natural condition of the site. The site is a living laboratory and training site to develop dykeland realignment and marshland restoration skills.

Want to learn more? Join TransCoastal Adaptations for a workshop on Climate-Resilient Coastal Nature-Based Infrastructure, June 29–30.

TransCoastal Adaptations is a Centre for Nature-Based Solutions at Saint Mary’s University that engages in research and partnerships that promote and undertake projects related to climate change adaptation.

Researcher sparks new conversations about machine learning and robotics

Teresa Heffernan

Saint Mary’s University professor Teresa Heffernan is shining a new light on robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) by exploring how the field looks to – and is shaped by – fiction.

As part of her recent work through the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, Heffernan’s research investigates popular ideas about the future of AI and the relationship between machine learning and language-based humanities. Although interested in the world of science from an early age, Heffernan became intrigued with AI in 2010 when she began reading about the promises of AI and noticed a common theme.

“I was looking around at different scientific journals and articles, and people kept referencing fiction like it was prophetic – as if the fiction was going to come true,” says Heffernan, a professor in the department of English Language and Literature at SMU. “And if you know anything about fiction, that’s the whole point: it doesn’t come true; fiction has lots to say about the world, but it needs to be interpreted.”

Her curiosity led her to visit some of the top robotics labs in Japan and the United States. Through her discussions with leaders and specialists in the field, she began to question some of the assumptions about AI and to consider its impact on culture and humanity.

“When you’re working in the field, you hear people talk about technology becoming more ‘human’ or more intelligent,” she says. “What they’re talking about are increases in storage, data, computing speed, and more sophisticated algorithms. It actually has little to do with human intelligence.’’

Despite the increasing hype about machine learning, Heffernan is trying to reframe the conversation about AI and robotics, looking instead at its social and environmental impacts.

For instance, she points to research from the Water Resources Center at Texas Tech University that asserts a typical data centre uses about 3 to 5 million gallons of water a day – the same amount of water as a city of around 50,000 people. Heffernan says this industry also produces e-waste and carbon emissions.

“Data often is called the new oil because it’s so lucrative, but it really mimics the resource-intensive and climate-altering infrastructure of older technology like automobiles,” she says. “These complications are easily glossed over in the hype about human-like machines.”

This fall, Heffernan will travel to Germany where she’ll be furthering her research at the Käte Hamburger Centre for Apocalyptic and Post-Apocalyptic Studies at Heidelberg University.

While there, she says she will continue her work sparking new conversations about the future of AI – and how it can be used responsibly and sustainably.

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• For more information on Dr. Teresa Heffernan’s research, visit socialrobotfutures.com.

• Learn more about the department of English Language and Literature.

Studying the ‘Right’ Genes

Research project examines the genes of endangered North Atlantic right whales to understand low reproductive rates.

By Jessica Long

Dr. Tim Frasier, Carla Crossman, and Kate Chadwick

North Atlantic right whales have been listed as an endangered species in Canada and the United States since 2005. There are an estimated 350 North Atlantic right whales left in the world, and fewer than 100 of those are breeding females. In addition to having a high mortality rate from entanglement in fishing gear and vessel strikes, the low reproductive rate of right whales has perplexed scientists. The right whale’s reproductive rate is three times lower than their known potential. Additionally, a relatively high percentage of females have either never given birth or have had only one calf. The females with multiple calves reproduce on average every six to ten years, as opposed to the expected three-year cycle.

In collaboration with the New England Aquarium and Genome Atlantic, Saint Mary‘s University Biology professor Dr. Timothy Frasier, a specialist in genetic analyses and marine mammal behaviour, is studying the genetic makeup of right whales to understand what factors might be impacting their ability to breed.

“I am excited to continue and deepen our long-standing collaboration with Dr. Frasier,” says Phillip Hamilton, Senior Scientist at the New England Aquarium. “We have been working together for over two decades to better understand the genetic aspects of this beleaguered species. This new work opens the ability to answer long-standing questions and we are curious to see what we will discover.“

Frasier’s research aims to make right whale conservation more effective and efficient while influencing policy change and development to better manage right whale conservation in North America.

The Office of Innovation and Community Engagement facilitates research relationships between Saint Mary’s University and companies, government departments and community organizations.

Read about more innovative partnerships between Saint Mary’s University faculty and industry partners in their 2022 report.

Ropeless Fishing Reduces Harm to Whales

Dr. Jason Rhinelander and Ross Arsenault

By Jessica Long

As an Engineering professor and an expert in Artificial Intelligence, Dr. Jason Rhinelander’s research focuses on applying machine learning and optimization to embedded, real-time systems. Dr. Rhinelander was Ashored Inc.‘s academic supervisor for a project entitled, “Environmental testing of existing and proposed ropeless fishing system line management methods,” which was funded in part by Mitacs through the Accelerate Entrepreneurship program. Ashored Inc. has been developing a “rope-on-command” fishing system which reduces lost gear, automates the collection and dissemination of gear data, and allows fishing to continue sustainably in zones closed for animal protection.

Under Dr. Rhinelander’s supervision, Ross Arsenault, Co-Founder and Chief Operations Officer of Ashored Innovations, and Saint Mary’s Alumni (BComm’18 MTEI’20), explored respooling and resetting buoy lines from trap fishing applications into caged ropeless fishing systems. The results of this research allowed Ashored to design a modular rope and release cage that can be used seamlessly in real world commercial trap fishing. This lidded cage design streamlines the time required to reload the system with the buoy line for deployment to merely a few seconds.

“When we started Ashored, there were a number of unknowns and variables that we needed to solve before we could develop a rope containment unit for our rope-on-command fishing systems,” says Arsenault. “By engaging with the Office of Innovation and Community Engagement and Mitacs, we were able to put together a project that allowed us to learn essential information and test our hypotheses in a scientifically vetted process and in a resource-rich environment. We received both the freedom and framework to succeed in our project and had expert mentorship to fall back on if issues or surprises arose in our research.”

Photo (L-R): Dr. Jason Rhinelander and Ross Arsenault

The Office of Innovation and Community Engagement facilitates research relationships between Saint Mary’s University and companies, government departments and community organizations.

Read about more innovative partnerships between Saint Mary’s University faculty and industry partners in their 2022 report.

Identifying immigration trends is integral to the growth of Atlantic Canada

Dr. Ather Akbari

Understanding and identifying trends in immigration is something that Dr. Ather Akbari, Professor of Economics and Researcher at Saint Mary’s University (SMU), is passionate about. Particularly, his research identifies the importance of regionalization of immigration in Canada to help increase populations in rural regions and smaller provinces.

“Each province has its own demographic challenges which arise because of the declining population growth,” says Dr. Akbari.

He explains that uneven distribution of population growth by region, and the concentration of immigration in urban areas, have called for regionalization in Canada. Immigrants tend to settle in larger provinces and larger urban centres, where there is more economic opportunity, an established immigrant community, access to ethnic goods, and places of worship.

The Atlantic provinces have the lowest population growth, their natural population growth has become negative, meaning that the number of births has fallen below the number of deaths.

“A declining demographic trend can create longer-term economic challenges for the country,” says Dr. Akbari. “In order to reverse that trend, Canada opened up its immigration policy. People are not chosen on the basis of their country of origin, as was the case before 1970s, but on how they can contribute to the economic and social mosaic of Canada.”

Saint Mary’s University researcher Dr. Ather Akbari (middle) with students from the Sobey School of Business on the Halifax waterfront, near the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21.

Immigration is not just important for population growth but also for the economy. The economy is impacted by a declining population in at least two different ways: a shortage of skilled labour in the work force, and fewer consumers of goods and services. The aging population further adds to skill shortages, with people retiring as they get older.

“All population growth that has taken place between the recent census years has been due to immigration,” says Dr. Akbari.

Dr. Akbari chairs the Atlantic Research Group on Economics of Immigration, Aging and Diversity (ARGEIAD). The group is comprised of university faculty from across Atlantic Canada with the mandate of researching the economic importance of immigration, diversity, and aging. The research findings have been useful to help guide decisions in a regional, national, and international context.

Low retention of immigrants has been a problem in Atlantic Provinces and has concerned policy makers. This places great importance on Dr. Akbari’s and ARGEIAD’s recently finished research study, commissioned by the Province of Nova Scotia, titled: ‘Immigration In Nova Scotia: Who Comes, Who Stays, Who Leaves And Why?’ Through an online survey of close to 3,000 immigrants, the study helped understand the factors that determine why immigrants choose Nova Scotia as their destination in Canada, why some decide to stay, and why others leave.

ARGEIAD recently finished another research project, in collaboration with Group ATN Consulting Inc., for the government of New Brunswick which currently hosts the Forum of Ministers Responsible for Immigration in Canada. Through that project, they analyzed the impacts of provincially and territorially-administered immigration programs.

The project’s main finding is that immigrants have a positive effect on the economic growth and government revenues of smaller provinces, more so than in larger provinces, and that the Provincial Nominee Program has been successful in attracting immigrants to smaller provinces of Canada.

Currently, ARGEIAD is doing a research project that assesses the satisfaction and well-being of international students in Atlantic Canada. This research will provide valuable information that will assist with encouraging future immigrants to stay in the Atlantic provinces.

For more information on ARGEIAD’s work and Dr. Akbari’s research at Saint Mary’s University, visit https://www.smu.ca/centres-and-institutes/atlantic-research-group.html and https://www.worldwithoutlimits.ca/index/establishing-nova-scotia-as-the-world-of-possibility-for-newcomers.

Saint Mary’s University researcher Dr. Ather Akbari (middle) with students from the Sobey School of Business on the Halifax waterfront, near the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21.

Young researchers to benefit from new partnership with German accelerator facility

Saint Mary’s University and GSI recently signed a new mobility program agreement to promote research collaborations.

Promoting exchanges and training opportunities for students and early-stage researchers is at the heart of a new mobility program agreement recently signed by the university. The agreement promotes academic and research collaborations between the two signees, Saint Mary's University (SMU) and GSI/FAIR, an accelerator facility in Darmstadt, Germany.

Researchers working at FAIR/GSI use radioactive ion beams for exploring fundamentals of nuclei to understand nature's strong force, creation of elements and conditions in exotic cosmic environments such as neutron stars and supernovae. Some of the methods also give information for nuclear medicine applications.

Their work is on experiments using the accelerator facility, which involves working on a variety of state-of-the-art radiation detectors and electronics. They also will be developing and working on software for data analysis and simulations. The GET_INvolved Programme at GSI provides international students and early stage researchers with opportunities to perform internships, traineeships and early-stage research experience in order to get involved in the international FAIR accelerator project while receiving scientific and technical training.

This agreement between the Canadian university and the German accelerator facility is exciting news to researchers and undergraduate and graduate students who will have the opportunity to further their education and research by collaborating at this world-class facility.

“This new partnership between Saint Mary’s University and our colleagues at GSI/FAIR represents our shared commitment to international research and collaboration,” says Saint Mary’s University President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Robert Summerby-Murray. “As scholars, we are linked by our desire to create knowledge, to explore frontiers and to demonstrate the significance of discovery and innovation to civil society.”

“Our partnership is built around these shared values and our acknowledgement of the importance of providing opportunities for early-career researchers,” adds President Summerby-Murray. “Together, we are investing not only in advancing scientific inquiry but in the success of future scholars. I offer my congratulations to everyone involved in the launch of this important collaboration.”

About GSI/FAIR

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The Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research in Europe (FAIR) project is under development. (Image copyright ion42/FAIR)

The GSI Helmholtz Centre in Darmstadt, Germany is a research centre operating a world-leading accelerator facility for research purposes. About 1,600 employees work at GSI and in addition approximately 1,000 researchers from universities and other research institutes around the world come to GSI every year to use the facility for experiments. The centre provides unique opportunities in the fields of hadronic and nuclear physics, nuclear astrophysics, atomic, laser and plasma physics, as well as material science, biophysics and nuclear medicine.

At GSI, FAIR (Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research in Europe) is currently being built. An international accelerator research facility with antiprotons and ions, it is being developed and constructed in cooperation with international partners. It is one of the world’s largest construction projects for international cutting-edge research. The FAIR project was initiated by the scientific community and researchers of GSI. The GSI accelerators will become part of the future FAIR facility and serve as the first acceleration stage.

For more information on the the GET_INvolved-Programme, contact:

Professor Rituparna Kanungo, Saint Mary’s Astronomy and Physics Department:
Rituparna.Kanungo@smu.ca

Dr. Pradeep Ghosh, GSI/FAIR:
Pradeep.Ghosh@fair-center.eu