Sharing and learning: StFX’s annual Student Research Day provides opportunity to delve into incredible student research projects

The corridors and spaces inside Mulroney Hall hummed with ideas, conversation, and energy March 23 as StFX students presented over 100 research posters and oral presentations, showcasing the impressive breadth and depth of their work, during the 20th annual Student Research Day at StFX.

Research work spanned a wide variety of topics, from the impact of ocean temperature on snow crab catch along the Scotian Shelf to putting dementia on the Nova Scotia map; from the impacts of COVID-19 on tax evasion done through foreign portfolio investment to creating a database about motherhood in Canadian literature.

“It was wonderful to have such an amazing level of participation in Student Research Day this year,” says Dr. Richard Isnor, Associate Vice President, Research and Graduate Studies, whose office organizes the event. “This was the first year since 2019 that we have been able to hold the event in person and it was a big success. 

“I continue to be impressed by the many high quality and diverse research projects taken on by StFX students, as well as their level of skill in discussing their work. For me, it continues to be the highlight of the academic year and I would like to thank everyone who helped it to be a success again this year.”

For fourth year honours health student Hannah James it was a great event.

“The opportunity to share my research with my peers, but to also learn from them is what I think makes Student Research Day so amazing,” says Ms. James, who presented her research, Examining the Conceptions of Fertility and Infertility During the High Middle Ages: A Critical Textual Analysis.

Ms. James says there are so many incredible research projects being conducted by StFX students across all disciplines and this event ensures that their knowledge is being shared with the broader community. 

“I am so grateful that I was able to conduct research as an undergraduate student, as I believe that it has provided me so many skills that I will be able to use as I continue my education and career.” 

LONG HISTORY 

Now in its 20th year, StFX’s annual Student Research Day debuted at StFX in March 2003, the idea of Dr. Angie Kolen, a human kinetics professor who wanted to start something similar to her own graduate student research experiences but adapted to suit undergraduate students. 

The event 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. Presenting students are available to provide other students, faculty, staff, and interested community members with the opportunity to discuss the research presented.

During this year’s event, organizers presented five draw prizes of $25 to the Tall and Small café, donated by ACENET, Atlantic Canada’s organization for digital research infrastructure and support; and three draw prizes of $50 for the StFX Store, donated by the Research Services Group. Service Learning provided an award for the best “community-engaged” scholar project to Kealeigh Halliday in the Bachelor of Arts and Science in Health Program, for the research poster Client Experiences with VON Home Nursing Care in Antigonish, Nova Scotia. The prize was $100, a book, and a certificate.