UNB is home to many centres that impact the community, the province and beyond. Several have reached milestone anniversaries, including the Centre for Criminal Justice Studies, the Canadian Rivers Institute (CRI) and the UNB Art Centre; providing opportunities to reflect on our history, and to celebrate the success of our centres.
Founded in 1941, the UNB Art Centre was conceived as a link between the university and the wider community, and strongly endures 75 years later. An integral part of the cultural, artistic and educational communities at UNB, and across the city of Fredericton, the centre delivers innovative learning opportunities to people of all ages and hosts an impressive permanent collection.
Hosting 10 to 12 exhibitions each year, the centre features the work of emerging and established Maritime artists, and engages the community in a dialogue about the art and with the artist through film, lectures and walking tours. Students from across Fredericton and Saint John are welcome to take part in ArtZone where they can participate in workshops, exhibit their own work and become increasingly engaged in the cultural community.
Additional courses and workshops provide accessible and flexible learning opportunities to both students and community members on the Fredericton and Saint John campuses, contributing to the experience of lifelong learning through UNB.
The Centre for Criminal Justice Studies, recently celebrating 20 years, engages in the theoretical, critical and empirical analysis of criminal justice-related issues. It offers professional workshops and lectures designed to add to the educational development of individuals working within related fields and professions.
“It is our goal to pursue and facilitate the development of knowledge to inform the practice, the policies and the evaluation of the criminal justice-related issues at local, national and international levels,” explains Dr. Mary Ann Campbell, centre director and a professor of psychology at UNB Saint John.
The centre has developed important research and consulting partnerships with police, community and government agencies. Through these partnerships, eligible undergraduate and graduate students have the opportunity for experiential learning through applied field research and through field placements with provincial and federal correctional service agencies.
The Canadian Rivers Institute is an internationally recognized network of aquatic scientists who work in collaboration with regulators, industry, communities and non-government agencies in making smart, evidence-based decisions on society’s priority water issues, through high-impact research. Founded in 2001, with just four researchers at UNB Fredericton and Saint John, the Institute now boasts 21 science directors, 89 research associates, 94 students, more than 30 research staff, and more than 450 alumni across Canada and internationally.
“The partnership between UNB and the Canadian Rivers Institute has been critical and ensures the Institute’s capacity has ensured important national and international research, scientific and educational projects and collaborations for the past 15 years,” says Dr. Michael van den Heuvel, the Institute’s director.
The Canadian Rivers Institute’s science directors, located across Canada and internationally, lead or assist projects in more than a dozen countries. A major draw for students and professionals alike is the institute’s focus on employing the best available science directors and insuring science is put into action.
