The breadth and depth of StFX student research was showcased March 25 as StFX once again hosted its annual Student Research Day, with close to 75 students presenting research in 10 different streams running the gamut from public health to computational analysis to business and leadership.
Research topics presented ranged from recommendations for coral reef conservation to wrongful convictions in Canada to quality of care and COVID-19: understanding contributors and impacts on long term care.
The 2021 Student Research Day—the 18th edition at StFX—was held via an online virtual format.
“Student Research Day is always an exciting event on our annual academic calendar,” says Dr. Richard Isnor, Associate Vice President, Research and Graduate Studies.
“We have adjusted to an online approach for this year, which does allow us to do a few different things, such as organize our student presentations into themes and open the Student Research Day up to anyone who wants to take part (including friends and family that live far from Antigonish). We do look forward to being able to return to an in-person event in 2022, as this event is clearly a social celebration of student research efforts at StFX.”
StFX President Dr. Andy Hakin delivered opening remarks before the first group of sessions. He thanked everyone for participating, from the students to their excellent mentors to all who made the event possible.
What an incredible job to prepare for this day, he said, especially in the time of COVID.
Dr. Hakin also thanked the students for all their work. “We have students who are receiving information in their courses, and they are part of active knowledge creation.”
Dr. Kevin Wamsley, Academic Vice President and Provost, gave the closing remarks and drew for prizes. The draw prize winners were Benjamin Fisher, Sara Luck and Kristen Booth. The winners of the Community-Based Research prize (Service Learning) were Sara Luck and Mairi McKinnon, and the winner of the Library Prize was Shyanne Hedges. Dr. Wamsley also announced that the university is donating $10 in the name of each student for a total of over $700 presented to Kevin’s Corner, a student food resource at StFX, which provides healthy snacks for students.
Student Research Day gives students the opportunity to showcase their research or advanced studies undertaken as part of their upper-year classes, advanced majors, honours, or graduate programs. The evening is dedicated to students’ work in either an oral presentation or poster format with the presenting students available to provide other students, faculty, staff, and interested community members with the opportunity to discuss the research presented.
“Thanks are due to Charlene Weaving (Human Kinetics), and Dr. Erin Austen (Psychology), who were key members of our organizing committee. A special thanks, however, is due to our Research Administration Coordinator, Jacqueline MacDonald, who did much of the actual event organizing, as well as Bill Hannah and Matt Cameron, who provided support with the technology for the event,” Dr. Isnor says.
This research is, in part, made possible by the Government of Canada Research Support Fund.
