Research Annual Report 2024-2025

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Mount Saint Vincent University (MSVU) acknowledges our location in Mi’kma’ki, the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq People. This territory is covered by the “Treaties of Peace and Friendship” which Mi’kmaq and Wolastoqiyik (Maliseet) People first signed with the British Crown in 1725. The treaties did not deal with the surrender of lands and resources but in fact recognized Mi’kmaq and Wolastoqiyik (Maliseet) titles and established the rules for what was to be an ongoing relationship between nations.

Mount Saint Vincent University (MSVU) acknowledges, with deep respect, the long history of cultural traditions of the Mi’kmaq. We are committed to maintaining and building relationships based on the principles of mutual trust, respect, and reciprocity and collaboration in the spirit of reconciliation.

A LETTER FROM THE ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT OF RESEARCH, DR. JACQUELINE GAHAGAN

It is our pleasure to present this 2024-2025 Annual Report which is aimed at offering an overview of some of the key research-related successes over the past year.

At Mount Saint Vincent University (MSVU), research is an essential part of who we are and what we contribute to the communities around us and the world. Rooted in a commitment to social responsibility, community engagement, and academic excellence, our research culture continues to grow in impact, reach, and relevance.

This annual report reflects the remarkable work being carried out by our faculty, students, and research staff across a wide range of disciplines. From advancing health equity and gender justice to exploring innovative teaching practices and addressing pressing environmental issues, the research conducted at MSVU is both diverse and transformative. Our scholars are tackling local and global challenges with integrity and curiosity, driven by the shared goal of creating a more equitable, informed, and inclusive society.

The 2024–2025 academic year was marked by renewed momentum and collaboration. Researchers at MSVU secured significant Tri-Agency and partner funding, engaged in meaningful partnerships with community organizations, and continued to prioritize Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (EDIA) in research-related inquiry. Our student researchers both undergraduate and graduate—played a vital role in these achievements, contributing innovative perspectives and energy to projects that span our earch strategic pillars.

Continued on the next page

As we reflect on the successes highlighted in this report, we also look ahead with a deep sense of purpose. Research at MSVU is not only about discovery; it is about impact. We are proud to support research that makes a difference on our campus, in our communities, and beyond. Through our research, we continue to advance our university mission and our collective commitment to Truth and Reconciliation, and EDIA

On behalf of the Research Office and the entire MSVU research community, I extend my sincere thanks to all those who have contributed to this important work. Your dedication, innovation, and collaborative spirit continue to strengthen MSVU’s reputation as a hub of engaged and impactful research in the Atlantic region and beyond.

With gratitude,

Dr. Jacqueline (Jacquie) Gahagan Associate Vice-President, Research Mount Saint Vincent University

THE RESEARCH OFFICE AT MSVU

Led by the Associate Vice-President Research, the Research Office (RESO) oversees institutional strategic research objectives internally and in relation to the research ecosystem locally, nationally, and internationally. Our role is to enhance and expand research at MSVU through the facilitation of research initiatives, including applying for internal and external grants, responsible conduct of research, ethics and compliance, and the development of research relationships and collaborations and contracts, for the transfer of technology and knowledge via the Industry Liaison Officer. We also provide support for faculty members via the organization of training events, access to resources, and communication of funding opportunities and other relevant information.

Our team is delighted to launch this first RESO Annual Report, aimed at summarizing the research activities, funding, and impact over the past year at MSVU. This report is also a way to assess our progress towards research strategic priorities and commitments to EDIA and Truth and Reconciliation. Let’s celebrate the great work of the MSVU research community!

The RESO Team

Dr. Jacquie Gahagan, Associate Vice President, Research

Brenda Gagné, Research Ethics and Compliance Officer

Dr. Cecilia Carrea, Research Grants Officer

Sonja Smith, Administrative Assistant

Danielle Goodfellow, Industry Liaison Officer

Megan Henderson, Summer 2025 Intern

The RESO is funded in part by the Research Support Fund.

Read our 20232028 Research Strategic Plan

STRATEGIC RESEARCH PILLARS

In alignment with MSVU’s Strategic Plan, “Strength Through Community” (2021-2028), our 5-year research strategic plan focuses on the advancement of five strategic pillars:

Pillar 1: Gender, Sexuality, & The Advancement of Women & Girls & Other Historically Underrepresented Populations

Pillar 2: Intersectional Ways of Knowing & Knowledge Mobilization

Pillar 3: Health, Wellness, & Social Justice Across the Life Course

Pillar 4: Life, Computational, & Physical Sciences

Pillar 5: Supporting the Research Lifecycle

MSVU RESEARCH ALIGNMENT WITH OUR STRATEGIC RESEARCH PILLARS

To understand how research activities are contributing to our core priorities, we asked researchers to align their programs with each strategic pillar. The results are presented below in Figures 1 and 2:

FIGURE 1: PERCENTAGE OF RESEARCHER PROGRAMS ALIGNED WITH EACH STRATEGIC PILLAR

FIGURE 2: PERCENTAGE OF INTERNALLY-FUNDED PROJECTS ALIGNED WITH EACH PILLAR

*Alignment with research pillars is based on responses to the strategic pillar ent section of the RESO faculty cher questionnaire, distributed in 025 (51% response rate). Note: aculty research program can be d with more than one pillar

*Alignment with research pillars is based on responses to EDIA section of grant applications (82% response rate). Note: Each project can be aligned with more than one pillar.

EDIA IN RESEARCH

To foster inclusive research that helps MSVU fulfill its commitments to EDIA and Truth and Reconciliation (TRC), the RESO launched a special call for two internal funding opportunities: (1) the EDIA in Research Grant, and (2) the Ownership, Control, Access, and Possession (OCAP) Training Grant The aim is to support capacity building to integrate EDIA into research practice Two projects were funded with RESO discretionary funds, and 2 were funded with the SSHRC Institutional Grant (SIG) 2022-2025. This capacity-building initiative is included in the recently funded SIG (2026-2029) and will continue to be adjudicated by the Committee on Research Publications (CRP) while funds are available.

EDIA IN RESEARCH GRANT RECIPIENTS

Dr. Susie Brigham, Education

Visions of Mi’kma’ki

“Indigenous and refugee youth in Bear River and Halifax will participate in Indigenous Métissage and participatory photography. They will explore displacement, colonialism, relationships with land, home, and other concepts. This project will culminate with an exhibition showcasing the youth’s work. This work will facilitate dialogue, promote respectful relationships between Indigenous and newcomer communities, and enable youth to engage in creative research practices.”

Strategic Research Pillars 2, 3

Dr. Chrissy Lackner, Psychology

EDIA in EEG Research

“This project will involve creating a protocol manuscript and lab manual to facilitate the use of an electroencephalogram (EEG) data collection tool for high quality results among racially diverse individuals, and to promote the inclusion of racial and ethnic groups that have been systematically excluded from neuroscience research ” Strategic Research Pillars 1, 3, 5

Dr. Johan Woodworth, Education

Bridging Policy and Practice: Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Accessibility in Canadian Higher Institutes

“This project will involve analyzing EDIA initiatives and f eworks at Canadian universities to develop a comprehensive research assessment framework for researchers at MSVU ther institutions to evaluate their own practices, identify for enhancement, and document their EDIA integration ts.” Strategic Research Pillars 1, 3, 5

EDIA IN RESEARCH GRANT RECIPIENTS

Dr. Conor Barker, Psychology

Engaging ADHD Students in Research: Overcoming Barriers of Imposter Phenomenon

“This project will involve partnering with the Accessibility Services Office to explore imposter phenomenon as a barrier to research participation among university students with ADHD at MSVU. The results will inform the creation of a resource guide for faculty and staff to use in creating more inclusive research spaces.”

Strategic Research Pillars 1, 2, 3, 5

BLACK AND INDIGENOUS SPEAKER SERIES

Organized by the MSVU Research Office, the MSVU Black and Indigenous Speaker Series highlights the work of Black and Indigenous scholars from across Turtle Island. The purpose of this series is to initiate important conversations by inviting Black and Indigenous scholars to share their knowledge, worldviews, and their contributions to their respective academic field.

Our 2024-2025 Black and Indigenous Speaker Series featured the following scholars:

Theresa Meuse, Student Advisor on Indigenous Affairs at MSVU

“Culture 101" (May, 2025)

Dr. Afua Cooper, Professor of History & Women’s and Gender Studies at the University of Toronto

“Black Women and Cultural Production: the Case of Concert Singer Portia White” (February, 2025)

Randy Headley

MSVU Black Student Support Advisor, Founder of MSVU Afrocentric Support Group

“Unpacking the Underrepresentation of Black Students in Research at MSVU” (November, 2024)

rdings of these presentations and a list of ming speakers are available on the RESO & Indigenous Speaker Series webpage

ADVANCING TRUTH AND RECONCILIATON THROUGH

RESEARCH

OCAP TRAINING GRANT

The OCAP Training Grant available to MSVU faculty members covers the cost ($500) of The Fundamentals of Ownership, Control, Access, and Possession (OCAP) online course exploring First Nations self-determination, self-governance, and collective rights to data sovereignty There are two annual calls: May 1 and September 1.

TWO-EYED SEEING (TES) PROGRAM

Two-Eyed Seeing (Etuapmumk in Mi’kmaq) is a guiding principle for relationship building, co-learning, and integrative science Funded by the NSERC PromoScience Program since 2017, the TES Program aims to uplift diverse learners interested in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math), while reflecting on Etuaptmumk’s key teachings and using Indigenous values.

This year, the TES Program led 8 projects, including events such as “New Moon, New You” in collaboration with the Native Council of Nova Scotia where participants gathered to explore the significance of each of the 13 Mi’kmaw moons, and a Luskinikn workshop at Pier 21 where participants made traditional Mi’kmaq bread while learning about Mi’kmaq culture, language, and history

KINU TOURISM PROJECT

Supported by an Indigenous advisory committee from across Mi'kma'ki, the Kinu Tourism Project aims to provide an Indigenous-informed education for all MSVU Tourism & Hospitality Management students. Kinu, meaning “us/together”, is underpinned by the principles of Etuapmumk (Two-Eyed Seeing). The first group of ents started their education in September, 2024! s currently funded by MSVU, which also supports PS, a cohort-based first-year program for Indigenous ents that is run in collaboration with the Mi’kmaq e Friendship Centre.

Learn More About the TES Program

Learn More About the Kinu Tourism Project

INTERNAL FUNDING

Internal funding opportunities are adjudicated by the Committee on Research and Publications (CRP), a standing committee of Senate with the purpose of fostering research among MSVU faculty. In the 20242025 fiscal year, 49 internal funding applications were approved. Overall, $256,160 in internal funding was awarded to MSVU faculty The amount awarded by internal grant type for 2024-2025 is presented in Figure 3:

FIGURE 3: AMOUNT AWARDED BY INTERNAL GRANT TYPE, 2024-2025

Amount($)

AidtoScholarlyPublications

INTERNALLY FUNDED STUDENT RESEARCH

CN STUDENT RESEARCH INTERNSHIP

Student: Morgan Hussey

Supervisor: Dr. El Jones (Political & Canadian Studies)

Project: “The impact of prison education programs on effective social reintegration and employment for criminalized women”

Student: Michelle Nguyen

Supervisor: Dr. Jennifer Khoury (Psychology)

Project: “Understanding the impact of maternal childhood maltreatment on perinatal biological, psychosocial, and health risk: implications for maternal and infant health”

NSERC UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT RESEARCH AWARD

Student: Michael Hatt

Supervisor: Dr. Danielle Cox (Mathematics & Statistics)

Project: An investigation of polynomials and sequences

Student: Ruthann Burke

Supervisor: Gavin Kernaghan (Biology)

Project: Influence of mycorrhizal fungi on cranberry antioxidant potential

Student: Samantha Brewer

Supervisor: Dr. Christine Lackner (Psychology)

Project: “From adversity to altered cognition: the prefrontal cortex and adverse childhood experiences”

Student: Natalie Baker

Supervisor: Dr. Jennifer Khoury (Psychology)

Project: Uncovering the interconnections between cortisol and perceived stress across the perinatal period

Student: Emma Daigle Supervisor: Mirwais Qaderi (Biology)

Project: Does salicylic acid regulate the effects of blue light on plantderived methane?

Student: Meaghan Cahill

Supervisor: Dr. Bohdan Luhovyy (Applied Human Nutrition)

Project: Does the food packaging information change the perception and hedonic evaluation of foods?

EXTERNAL FUNDING

The RESO supports faculty at MSVU working hard to secure research funds through consultation, review of applications, and liaising with Funding Agencies. Over the years, MSVU faculty have successfully obtained external funding from national (e.g., Tri-Council, CFI, Mitacs) and provincial (Research Nova Scotia, CLARI, Government Departments) agencies, foundations, and philanthropic donations.

SOURCE

In Figure 4, we report on the amounts awarded up to July 2025 for applications submitted during the 2024-2025 fiscal year (April 1, 2024 to March 21, 2025), nothing that not all results are available yet for this period. The amounts correspond to applications submitted via the RESO with MSVU researchers as principal applicants only. The amounts do not include annual installments from grants awarded in other years and therefore do not represent the total amount of external funds received by MSVU over the reporting period.

TRENDS IN TRI-COUNCIL FUNDING

FIGURE 5: TRI-AGENCY FUNDING OVER THE YEARS

FIGURE 6: PERCENTAGE OF FUNDS AWARDED BY AGENCY (2021-2024)

The Tri-Agency funds in Figures 5 and 6 include grants with MSVU faculty as applicants (MSVU led) and co-applicants (led by other institutions) for Tri-Agency funding programs included in the Research Support Fund initiative.

$24 MILLION TO LEAD NATIONAL NETWORK INCREASING ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND RESEARCH COMMERCIALIZATION

MSVU is a Co-Applicant in a successful Lab to Market grant led by the Red River Polytechnic College-University titled: “Lab to Market Network for Entrepreneurship & Research Commercialization”. Lab to Market grants are administered by NSERC in collaboration with CIHR and SSHRC Stay tuned for opportunities related to this network!

SHANNEX DONATES $500,000 TO MSVU FOR HEALTHY AGING RESEARCH & INNOVATION

In May 2024, Shannex announced a $500,000 donation to MSVU to support the establishment of a new Shannex Centre for Workforce Wellbeing which will include a new research chair, new learning opportunities for students and emerging scholars, and new research on innovative care practices and nutrition for residents.

MSVU CHILD STUDY CENTRE RECEIVES $5 MILLION IN GOVERNMENT FUNDING

With funding from the government ($2 million provincial, $3 million federal) and the university ($5 million), MSVU is expanding the Child Study Centre. The new 15,000 square foot research centre will have triple the capacity of the current centre to enhance policy-shaping research and evidence-informed early childhood experiences for kids in the Atlantic region and beyond

MSVU RECEIVES $7.9 MILLION IN GOVERNMENT FUNDING FOR A NEW DOCTOR OF PSYCHOLOGY PROGRAM

The Government of Nova Scotia announced $7.9 million in funding for a new Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) program in School and Clinical Psychology at MSVU, an associated youth mental health clinic, and 4 new residency programs The anticipated start date for the inaugural class is September 2026.

TRI-COUNCIL FUNDING HIGHLIGHTS

DR. PHILLIP JOY (APPLIED HUMAN NUTRITION) AND TEAM SECURE A CIHR PROJECT GRANT

Dr. Joy and his team were awarded $581,400 for their work titled “Exploring LGBTQ+ Disparities in Eating Disorder Care Through Qualitative Research: Development of an Arts-Informed Toolkit for Healthcare Professionals” This multi-phased, community-informed study aims to identify factors that either facilitate or hinder treatment and recovery processes, as well as ways to explore current understandings and practices of healthcare providers in delivering LGBTQ+-centered eating disorder care. The outputs of this research will be a community-informed, evidence-based toolkit for healthcare professionals that enhances the quality and inclusivity of eating disorder care

DR. JENNIFER KHOURY (PSYCHOLOGY, TIER 2 CRC IN INTERDISCIPLINARY NEUROSCIENCE) AND TEAM SECURE A CIHR OPERATING GRANT (ECR’S IN HUMAN DEVELOPMENT, CHILD AND YOUTH HEALTH)

Dr Khoury and team were awarded $148,725 for a project titled “Pregnant during the COVID-19 pandemic: Continuing a longitudinal study examining the impact of chronic prenatal stress on child biopsychosocial outcomes at ages 5 and 6", which seeks to understand how chronic prenatal stress during the pandemic alters child biopsychosocial development for children aged 5 and 6 years.

DR. MAYA EICHLER (POLITICS, ECONOMICS AND CANADIAN STUDIES) AND TEAM SECURE SSHRC FUNDING FOR CANADIAN WOMEN’S VETERAN PROJECT

For the next 5 years, Dr Maya Eichler will lead a participatory-action research project, “Invisible No More: Canadian Women Veterans Moving the ACVA Report Recommendations to Full Implementation”, supported by $399,906 in funding from SSHRC (Insight Grant) and Veterans Affairs Canada (Veteran and Family Wellbeing Fund) as well as $60,000 supplement from the Department of National Defence Research Initiative (DNDRI). This project will contribute to the advancement of gender progressive change across military and civilian spheres.

FIVE MSVU RESEARCHERS SECURED NSERC DISCOVERY GRANTS: DR. DAVID AWDE (BIOLOGY), DR. LORI BORGAL (BIOLOGY), DR. DEREK FISHER (PSYCHOLOGY), DR. STEFON VAN NOORDT (PSYCHOLOGY), AND DR. KARYN MCLELLAN (MATHEMATICS). CONGRATULATIONS!

PROVINCIAL FUNDING THROUGH RESEARCH NOVA SCOTIA

UNCOVERING THE BEST SOLUTIONS TO NOVA SCOTIA’S BIGGEST PROBLEMS

Dr. Tamara Odendaal (Biology)

Project: Understanding the impacts of whole body vibration exposure on bone health

RNS Funding Contribution: $150,000

EQUIPMENT & INFRASTRUCTURE FUNDING

Dr. David Awde (Biology)

Project: Temperature effects on physiology and behaviour of economically important native and invasive insects

RNS Funding Contribution: $313,886

Funding Partner: Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI)

SCOTIA SCHOLARS STUDENT AWARDS

Student: Dan Shanahan

Supervisor: Dr Melissa McGonnell (Education)

Project: Implementing a multi-tiered system of supports: A systematic review of evidence-based interventions for ADHD in schools

Student: Katelyn Ford

Supervisor: Dr. Krista Ritchie (Education)

Project: Provincial education data for an integrated health system in Nova Scotia: A focus on psychological predictors of chronic absenteeism

Student: Robyn Ashley

Supervisor: Dr. Jessie-Lee McIsaac (Education, Child & Youth Study)

Project: Exploring Nova Scotia early childhood educators’ perspectives of child-nature relationships across outdoor play settings

Student: Yara Yazbek

Supervisor: Dr. Sara King (Education)

Project: A qualitative examination of school psychologists’ knowledge of and experiences with supporting newcomer students in Nova Scotia schools

RESEARCH CHAIRS

CANADA RESEARCH CHAIRS (CRC)

MSVU is home to 3 CRCs: Dr. Zachary Zimmer (Family Studies & GerontologyTier 1 CRC in Global Aging & Community), Dr. Jessie-Lee McIsaac (Education, Child & Youth Study- Tier 2 CRC in Early Childhood: Diversity & Transitions), and Dr. Jennifer Khoury (Psychology- Tier 2 CRC in Interdisciplinary Studies & Neuroscience).

Currently, the search process for a Tier 2 CRC in the area of Health Communication is underway. The home department is to be determined in alignment with the candidate’s academic and scholarly background. The candidate is expected to start in fall, 2026.

ENDOWED CHAIRS

MSVU is home to 2 Endowed Chairs: Dr. Jamie Metsala (Education- Jarislowsky Chair in Learning Disabilities) and Dr. Janice Keefe (Family Studies & Gerontology- Lena Isabel Jodrey Chair in Gerontology)

KNOWLEDGE MOBILIZATION AND IMPACT

Moving research knowledge into action to create positive change on local and global levels

RESEARCH CENTRES AND INSTITUTES

EARLY CHILDHOOD COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH CENTRE (ECCRC)

The ECCRC is committed to knowledge mobilization in their mission to ensure practices and policies are in place to support families across different early learning environments. In 2024-2025, the Centre published 6 peer-reviewed articles, 3 community reports, and 1 community-based event They also held 2 professional development workshops, were invited to deliver 2 government presentations, and 3 academic conference presentations. Additionally, the EECRC held a 2-part storytelling series highlighting the lived experiences of newcomer early childhood educators.

DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOBIOLOGY RESEARCH CENTRE (DPRC)

NOVA SCOTIA CENTRE ON AGING (NSCA)

The NSCA shared findings from its Atlantic Research Collaboration on Long Term Care through 160+ reports to care homes and government, 20+ webinars and presentations, infographics for study participants, and peerreviewed publications. Staff and trainees also published articles and gave presentations on home and community care and caregiving. The NSCA hosted the Our Future is Aging conference with 70+ peer-reviewed presentations and a public event on the realities of living longer. These efforts have advanced aging-related issues locally, nationally, and globally. It’s been a productive year at DPRC! The team completed data collection for their COVID-19 and Family Wellbeing Study, which aims to understand how pandemicrelated stress affects perinatal mental health and child development, and Lauren Giles, PhD student at DPRC, co-authored the first publication from their Nova Scotian Maternal Childhood Experiences Study.

Learn More About our Research Centres & Institutes

ALEXA MCDONOUGH INSTITUTE FOR WOMEN, GENDER, & SOCIAL JUSTICE (AMI)

Osegboun, 2024 AMI Fellowship Recipient

EDIA-FOCUSED CREATIVE KNOWLEDGE MOBILIZATION HIGHLGIHTS

ECCRC’S STORYTELLING SERIES

Named in honour of Alexa McDonough (1944-2022), a Canadian social worker, reporter, teacher, and politician and cherished member of the MSVU family, the AMI aims to achieve equity and improve lives through feminist initiatives that expand knowledge and understandings of issues related to women, girls, gender, and social justice for the MSVU community and beyond. Among AMI’s initiatives is the AMI Research Group, comprising of several MSVU researchers including the 2024 AMI Fellow, Adebola Osegboun. AMI also supports Atlantis, a journal devoted to critical work in a variety of formats that reflects current scholarship and approaches to the discipline of Women’s and Gender Studies (learn more about Atlantis on page 20). 2024-2025 marked another impactful year for the AMI. Events and initiatives including the annual Girls Conference and the Winter Women Writers Series advanced knowledge and understandings of issues related to women, girls, gender, and social justice. Visit the Project Webpage

In 2024-2025, the Early Childhood Collaborative Research Centre (ECCRC) held a 2-part storytelling series highlighting the lived experiences of newcomer early childhood educators, as well programs and organizations that support newcomer early childhood educators, families, and children. This series was part of a larger Atlantic-wide initiative aiming to build connections and showcase research and practice focused on EDIA in early learning and child care. This work was supported by a SSHRC Connection Grant and the Margaret Wallace McCain Family Foundation.

INFLUENCING MILITARY CULTURE IN CANADA

Knowledge mobilization work led by Dr. Maya Eichler that is making an impact with respect to Canadian military, defence, and veteran issues in 2024-2025 includes an infographic on lessons learned from the Canadian Sexual Misconduct Class Action (2019), numerous media engagements related to Canada’s recent 2024 parliamentary study on women Veterans, as well as blog posts, events, presentations, publications, and a symposium!

Dr. Eddia Solas (Education)

Book: Building Dreams: The Inspiring Story of Shalyn Williams

Grant: New Scholars Grant

“In this inspiring biography, follow Shalyn’s journey to becoming one of the first female engineers of African Nova Scotian heritage. With vibrant illustrations and an engaging story, this book celebrates resilience, community, and the power of chasing your dreams.”

Strategic Research Pillar 1

Dr. Amy Thurlow (Communication Studies)

Book: Rethinking the Table: Women Leaders in Public Relations in Canada

Grant: Aid to Scholarly Publications

“This exciting book investigates the experiences and representation of women in Canadian public relations (PR). Rethinking the table aims to add to the conversation by collecting and giving voice to women working in Canada’s PR/communications management profession ” Strategic Research Pillars 1, 2,3

Dr. Phillip Joy (Applied Human Nutrition)

Book: Queer Compassion in 15 Comics

Grant: Book Launch Research Grant

“This unique comic anthology takes its readers on a journey through different art styles and queer perspectives to explore the meanings of compassion, from first Prides to multigenerational friendships to finding community among chosen families.” Strategic Research Pillars 1, 2, 3

CHERIF MATTA’S YOUTUBE

CHANNEL

Dr. Cherif Matta (Chemistry)

YouTube Channel: A Conversation with a Scientist

Grant: Aid to Scholarly Publications

“This YouTube channel aims to disseminate science information to the general public, with a special emphasis on the role of women, minorities, and MSVU undergraduate students in STEM research.” This year, Dr Matta hosted 7 episodes with over 5,000 views combined, on topics such as gravitation, evolutionary biology, and galaxies.” Strategic Research Pillars 4, 5

Watch ‘A Conversation with a Scientist’

SCHOLARLY WORKS

In 2024-2025, MSVU researchers published 265 scholarly works, including 212 articles, 19 reviews, and 18 book chapters. 49.8% of these works are open access, made freely available to readers around the world. *Note: Results are from OpenAlex for the period of January 1, 2024 to June 19, 2025.

FIGURE 7: NUMBER OF SCHOLARLY PUBLICATIONS OVER THE YEARS

ATLANTIS: CRITICAL STUDIES IN GENDER, CULTURE, & SOCIAL JUSTICE

Atlantis, an open-access publication of MSVU, is a peer-reviewed research journal devoted to critical work that reflects current scholarship and approaches to the discipline of Women’s and Gender Studies 2 issues of the journal were published in 2024, and the team expects to publish 3 to 4 more issues in 2025. In the past 12 months, there were 51,400 visitors to the Atlantis website, with an average of 2,500 to 2,800 monthly visitors.

Read the latest issues of Atlantis

Since January 2024, faculty at MSVU have published 12 articles in “The Conversation”, a nonprofit, independent source for news from the academic and research community delivered e public In total, articles by U faculty received 585,925 s from readers across the d, with the highest ership from the U.S. and da

Dr. Meredith Ralston, Professor in the departments of Women’s Studies and Political and Canadian Studies, had MSVU’s mostinteracted-with story of 2025, titled “Kamala Harris’s run for president: Republican misogyny may backfire this time”. The story had 42,249 reads as of June 2025.

DR.

MICHAEL PIN-CHUAN LIN: HOT TOPIC PUBLICATION

Artificial intelligence (AI) is changing the landscape of teaching and learning across various disciplines. Dr. Michael Pin-Chuan Lin, Assistant Professor in the department of Education, dove into this hot topic in his work titled, “An Exploratory Study on the Efficacy and Inclusivity of AI Technologies in Diverse Learning Environments”, published in October 2024.

NEW INDUSTRY ENGAGEMENT

As part of RESO, the Industry Liaison Office (ILO) facilitates research relationships between faculty members and government departments, private companies, industrial associations, and international agencies.

PROJECTS FUNDED BY NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL- INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

Dr. Bohdan Luhovyy (Applied Human Nutrition)

Project: Enhancing School Meal Nutrition

Dr. David Awde (Biology)

Project: A review of the current understanding of macronutrient accumulation in holometabolous insects reared at different temperatures, primarily focusing on Black Soldier Fly

Dr. Gavin Kernaghan (Biology)

Project: Diseases of cultivated cranberry in Nova Scotia: current issues, emerging threats, and opportunities for biological control

Read Dr. Lin’s Article

PROJECTS FUNDED BY MITACS

Dr. Phillip Joy (Applied Human Nutrition)

Student: Joanie Theriault (PostDoc)

Partner: Feed Nova Scotia

Project: Re-thinking food security and accessibility with and for 2SLGBTQI+ communities across Canada: A co-design approach to a customizable model of service

Dr. Jessie-Lee McIsaac (Child & Youth Study, Education)

Trainees: Nahal Fakhari (PhD Student), Janice Osei-Essah (MA Communications), Abigail Patey (BA Child and Youth Study)

Partner: Margaret and Wallace McCain Family Foundation

Project: Equity and the concept of school readiness: A Nova Scotia study

Learn More about ILO

RESEARCH ETHICS

The University Research Ethics Board (UREB) reviews research studies conducted under the auspices of MSVU that involve human participants and/or their data to ensure the ethical acceptability of the research and that it complies with the Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans, and the Tri-Agency Framework: Responsible Conduct of Research.

NewApplications Modification/Renewal

Note: UREB

is based on July 1 - June 30 st th

FIGURE 10: FUNDED VS. UNFUNDED RESEARCH ETHICS APPLICATIONS (2024-2025)

Learn More About Research Ethics at MSVU

TRAINING AND EVENTS

NEW FACULTY ORIENTATION

In August 2024, the Research Office partnered up with MSVU’s Teaching and Learning Centre to deliver the annual New Faculty Orientation for 13 new faculty hires

RESEARCH REFRESH AND SPRING TRAINING

The Research Office offered two training events this year: Research Refresh and Research Spring Training This year’s events involved discussions about Mi’kmaq ethics, research data management (RDM), knowledge mobilization and grant capture, GenAI in qualitative research, managing research employees, research ethics, data security, and intellectual property. At the Spring Training event, Dr. Cecilia Carrea moderated a panel which featured four outstanding researchers: Dr. Catherine Baillie Abidi (Child & Youth Study), Dr. Jessie-Lee McIsaac (Child & Youth Study, Education), Dr. Phillip Joy (Applied Human Nutrition), and Dr. Jaymi Cormier (external collaborator)

RESEARCH CELEBRATION

The Research Office’s annual Research Celebration is a wonderful time for researchers at MSVU to showcase their inspiring, innovative, and important research. Last December, 40 MSVU faculty members came together to eat, mingle, and celebrate each other’s accomplishments. Presenters at the event included Dr. Janice Keefe (Family Studies & Gerontology), Dr. Karen Macfarlane (English), and Dr. Jennifer Khoury (Psychology)

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

Dr. Tamara Franz-Odendaal (Biology) named AAAS fellow for groundbreaking research and advocacy (April 2024)

The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) is an international non-for-profit, multidisciplinary organization dedicated to advancing science and innovation throughout the world

Dr. Karen Macfarlane (English) received MSVU’s President’s Award for Research Excellence (October 2024) MSVU’s President’s Award for Research Excellence is awarded annually to a faculty member with outstanding contributions to the research community and the university’s research climate

Dr. Jennifer Khoury (Psychology) and Dr. Svenja Huntemann (Mathematics) received MSVU’s Early Career Research Award (October 2024, May 2025)

The Early Career Research Award, given to an early-career full-time faculty member, recognizes the individual’s commitment and achievement as a contributor to the research community and to the research climate at MSVU

Dr. Amy Thurlow (Communication Studies) received the CPRS Thought Leader of the Year award (May, 2025)

Annually, the Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS) grants the Thought Leader Award to Canadian PR practitioners who have elevated the profession through significant national and international contributions to the discourse on PR practices and trends

Dr. Susie Brigham (Education) received the 2025 Lifetime Achievement Award from CASAE (June, 2025)

The Canadian Association for the Study of Adult Education (CASAE) honours exceptional contributions given by an individual or program/agency to the field of adult education in Canada