Connect with UNB
March 22, 12:30 - 1:30 p.m. | Chair: Betina Agas
Positive Impacts of Social Media on Young People's Mental Health
My internship is with UNB’s Positive Mental Health Team (PMHT) as their social media representative. I make the posts that advertise our events and once a week I make a post about strategies to improve students’ mental health. This internship has been beneficial for me as I plan to be a high school teacher. I struggled with my mental health in high school and would not have gotten through without compassionate teachers and I hope to provide the same for my students.
Through this internship I have noticed that our platform as a place of positivity for students is making a big difference. We do amazing events that give people a sense of community and a place of encouragement. In our day and age, the best way to get information out about our events is social media.
My whole life I have heard about the negative effects of social media on young people, and I have experienced some of these side effects myself. However, with the work I am doing at the PMHT, I am seeing a whole different side of social media. It will be impossible for us to eradicate social media for young people, and I believe we should not even if we could, as instead we should be looking into how to use social media beneficially.
After experiencing my struggles with mental health, I am passionate about this generation’s state of mind. Social media is an integral part of our culture and I believe we can use this to our advantage. It is a way to connect friends and colleagues and support one another. I think I can make a real difference in the way people consider social media through this presentation.
The Parent's Role in Children's Emotion Regulation
Emotion regulation is the skill to control and manage one’s emotional state in accordance with the social context in which an individual encounters an emotional stimulus (Ersan, 2020).
Children may use different emotion regulation strategies like situation selection, situation modification, attention deployment, cognitive change, and response modulation at different ages (López-Pérez et al., 2017).
Emotion regulation has been consistently linked to psychological and subjective well-being (Aneesh et al., 2024; Lin, 2022). Past research has shown that emotion regulation is one of the most compromised individual mechanisms following experiences of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), such as childhood maltreatment and neglect, which may lead to low levels of relational well-being in young adulthood (Di Paola & Nocentini, 2023).
Fortunately, emotional regulation can be learned through socialization (Sosa-Hernandez et al., 2020). Parents play an important role in their children’s emotional development as many studies have shown that parents may influence their children’s emotion regulation through daily socialization and parenting (Domínguez-Álvarez et al., 2020; Sosa-Hernandez et al., 2020).
Hence, it is beneficial to educate parents about emotional development and the different emotion regulation strategies, so that they can apply this knowledge in their daily socialization with their children, to support and promote their children’s emotion regulation.
Keywords: emotion regulation, children, adolescents, well-being, parents, parental socialization, parenting, emotion regulation strategies
Naturalistic Reading Performance in Children with ADHD: An Eye-Tracking Investigation
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most prevalent neurodevelopmental disorder in childhood, affecting roughly 5-9% of all school-aged children (Centre for ADHD Awareness Canada, 2024).
Although deficits in executive functioning (e.g., attention, inhibition, working memory), eye movement control (e.g., inhibiting unwanted eye movements, guiding eyes towards relevant information), and oral language processing are prominent features of ADHD (all of which subserve reading), surprisingly little experimental research has investigated reading performance in children with the disorder.
To address this gap in the literature, we investigated eye movement reading behaviour in children (8-10 years, native English speakers) with ADHD compared to matched typically developing controls. Using a naturalistic eye-tracking story reading task, we hypothesized that children with ADHD would exhibit strong oculomotor markers of reading difficulty, including more/longer fixations and more regressive (re-reading) saccades, as well as reduced reading comprehension.
We also hypothesized that their symptom severity (assessed with the SNAP-IV-26 Parent Rating Scale and Weiss Symptom Record) would relate to the magnitude of their reading deficits. Ultimately, our study will elucidate how reading, a fundamental academic and neurocognitive skill, is impacted in childhood ADHD, and may inform remediation strategies designed to improve neurocognitive disturbances in this population.
Are There Executive Functioning Differences in Young Adults With and Without a Family History of Alzheimer's Disease?
Alzheimer’s disease (AD; a neurodegenerative condition that impairs memory, thinking, and daily living) is the most common form of dementia, currently affecting nearly 55 million people worldwide (World Health Organization, 2023).
Individuals with AD experience impaired executive functioning (a wide range of higher-order cognitive processes including working memory, planning, and attention); these impairments are often seen as early indicators of AD progression and predict developing the condition.
Although the underlying cause is currently unknown, AD is believed to have genetic components that contribute to its development, as individuals with a family history of the condition are at an increased risk of developing it themselves (e.g., Ramos et al., 2022).
Additionally, older adults who have a confirmed family history of AD have been found to exhibit executive functioning deficits relative to those who do not (e.g., Ramos et al., 2022). It is unclear, however, whether a similar relationship would be found in younger adults with a family history of the condition - an open area of investigation.
This study will examine if these differences do exist, by comparing executive functioning task performance on the backwards digit span and Wisconsin Card Sorting Task (measures of attention/working memory and cognitive flexibility/problem solving, respectively) in typically developing younger adults (18-35 years) with and without a family history of AD.
We predict that individuals with a confirmed family history of AD will exhibit reduced executive functioning relative to those without. Furthermore, the closer related the relative with the condition is genetically to the individual (e.g., a parent as opposed to an uncle), the greater the differences there will be.
Finally, we expect that having multiple relatives diagnosed with AD will also result in greater executive functioning impairments than those with fewer or no family members diagnosed with the disease.
March 22, 1:45 - 2:45 p.m. | Chair: Lily Keech
The Prevalence of Food Insecurity Among Kinesiology Students at the University of Guelph-Humber
Food insecurity is defined as not having regular access to enough and nourishing food.
The purpose of this study is to measure the prevalence of food insecurity among University of Guelph-Humber Kinesiology students as well as to explore potential risk factors. We hypothesize that students who are living apart from their parents or other primary caregivers will be more food insecure.
Moreover, we predict that many factors will contribute to students who experience higher levels of food insecurity such as student status and employment status.
Participants completed a survey consisting of socio-demographic questions and the validated 2021 Student Food Experience Survey to assess food insecurity. Students were classified into one of three categories: secure, moderately insecure, and severely insecure. Their responses were analyzed to determine the relationship between socio-demographic indicators and food insecurity.
A total of 44 students were included in the analysis. In 2022-2023 six were categorized as moderately food insecure and three were categorized as severely food insecure. In the Fall 2023 Semester, eight were categorized as moderately food insecure and one student was categorized as severely food insecure.
Our data demonstrates that being a non-first-generation student, having to borrow money for food, and perceiving that their academics were impacted by lack of access to food, were predictors of food insecurity.
This study demonstrates the prevalence of food insecurity and identifies several contributing factors for predicting food insecurity among the University of Guelph-Humber Kinesiology students. Efforts should be made at UofGH to help reduce food insecurity by implementing programs aimed at addressing the identified risk factors.
References
University Women's Centre - Making Inclusive Spaces Safer
Feminists such as Audre Lorde and Judy Rebick are two powerful women who show just how important Women’s Centres are as they create a safe space for women to access resources to support them. Women’s Centre provides a comforting place free of judgement and hate.
Women are unsafe throughout Canadian universities and this presentation will exemplify how. Through research we can see that history has shown that the Women’s Centre at the University of New Brunswick was created to eliminate sexual assault across campus and provide resources for victims who have experienced sexual assault. While working with the archives to find information about the University Women’s Centre there was a lack of information and that is going to change.
In addition to this, the presentation will look at data collected through an outreach activity called “Questioning the Community” (QTC) where we ask engaging gender-related questions to the university community. We have focused on one question in particular “Is there a place on campus you feel unsafe?”, the data shown from this is very interesting to see how students feel in different places throughout campus.
Another part of the outreach is the podcast for the University Women’s Centre where gender-related topics are discussed with special guest stars. The presentation will then look toward how society can move forward into the future and how the University of New Brunswick and surrounding school communities are better for everyone.
Promise of Home: Envisioning a more inclusive community
In this presentation, we will be discussing our involvement in the Promise of Home project as research team members.
Promise of Home is a community-based narrative project on experiences of belonging in Fredericton for immigrant youth, families, and individuals. We are currently completing Phase Three: Community-enrichment narrative visioning, where we are including Frederictonians from all backgrounds to engage with the narratives expressed in the previous phases and ask: “What are the shared hopes and aspirations for a more inclusive community?”
To address this question, we contributed to the planning and implementation of community outreach initiatives during the summer, a two-day community conference, and a panel discussion on making campus home with international student leaders from St. Thomas University and the University of New Brunswick.
Findings from these events and previous phases will inform the fourth and final phase, in which we will formulate grassroots policy proposals to share with policymakers and community partners at town hall meetings in Fredericton.
Defining Home: Community Insights in Fredericton
The growth of Fredericton relies on attracting immigrants and newcomers, according to the New Brunswick Multicultural Council and government communications. However, retaining them proves challenging, as existing programs primarily focus on employment, not on helping newcomers feel at home.
Promise of Home is a community-based narrative research project that explores newcomer experiences of belonging in Fredericton. This presentation will examine diverse community members' responses to the question "what does home mean to you."
This data was collected by researchers at various community outreach events in the city in 2023. Through thematic analysis, this study aims to identify patterns and themes present in the public’s responses - like "security" and "family" - to understand how different demographics in Fredericton define home.
This analysis will contribute to the broader project by highlighting what people of diverse backgrounds need in order to feel like they belong.
March 22, 3 - 4:15 p.m. | Chair: Betina Agas
Paracelsian Mumia in Oswald Crollius’ Bazilica Chymica
This paper offers an in-depth analysis of two recipes found within Oswald Crollius’ renowned work, Bazilica Chymica: the "Arcanum of Theophrastus" and the "Treacle of Mumy." Crollius (ca. 1560-1609) was a German alchemist and professor of medicine, and his Bazilica Chymica, published shortly before his death, was a deeply influential text in the seventeenth century.
This paper delves into Crollius’ utilization of mumia, a substance derived from dried mummy that was widely employed for medicinal purposes in early modern Europe.
Through the lens of Paracelsian philosophy, this analysis seeks to shed light on the design of Crollius’ medicinal concoctions and the broader historical context surrounding their utilization in seventeenth-century Germany.
While Paracelsus expounded upon the theological and alchemical foundations of mumia in his writings, practical instructions for its preparation are conspicuously scarce. Consequently, Crollius’ work emerges as a crucial resource for understanding Paracelsian mumia practices.
This paper therefore examines Paracelsus’ theoretical framework through the practical application of mumia as elucidated by Crollius, while also providing insights into Crollius’ mumia application through the lens of Paracelsus’ theory.
While there are many examinations of Crollius’ larger alchemical and medicinal work, there is a gap in the examination of his use of mumia through a Paracelsian lens - his work with mumia, however, illustrates fundamental aspects of Crollius’ medicinal approach and his engagement with alchemy.
Cultural Significance of the Crucifix
The physical characteristic of the crucifix is studied and described. The historical context of the crucifix is investigated before getting into the cultural significance of the cross.
To historically investigate the significance of the crucifix, the crucifix initially symbolized the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.
Christ had influenced his niche followers which ultimately led to his death. His death was symbolized by a cross, and through popular culture many figurines of the cross can represent any concept relating to Christianity as it can be found in many households.
Therefore, the cross can represent the mass culture of the Christian religion.
Lead Belly's "Bourgeois Blues": An Analysis on the Dichotomy and Exploitation of Lead Belly
Lead Belly was born Huddie Ledbetter in Mooringsport, Louisiana in 1888 or 1889.
This paper will examine Lead Belly’s song “Bourgeois Blues” and how it reflected Lead Belly’s frustration with the factors written above.
The main focus of this paper is the exploitation of Lead Belly by the white dominated music industry, mainly by John and Allan Lomax.
300 Years (film)
300 Years is a poignant portrayal of the Haitian Revolution, meticulously crafted through the medium of brick animation. Drawing its name from the pivotal span of time between Christopher Columbus's arrival and the catalytic eruption of the Haitian Revolution, this film serves as a testament to resilience, liberation, and the indomitable spirit of the Haitian people.
During intricately animated scenes and compelling storytelling, "300 Years" offers a vivid narrative that invites viewers to immerse themselves in the rich tapestry of historical events that shaped the course of human history. Through the lens of brick animation, I aim to illuminate the struggles, triumphs, and sacrifices of those who fought for freedom during this transformative period.
I believe that "300 Years" holds significant relevance for the themes and discussions central to the UNBF Arts Matters Conference. By showcasing this film, I aspire to spark dialogue, inspire reflection, and celebrate the enduring power of art as a conduit for historical understanding and social consciousness.
I am excited about the opportunity to share "300 Years" with UNBF and to contribute to the vibrant tapestry of artistic expression that defines the conference.
The Politics of Belonging
Public spaces, done well can become vital organs for city culture. A well-done public space is a space that is accessible and useable by all citizens. Quasi-public spaces such as cafes, bookstores, and restaurants thus perform as an accessory to the city while catering to city residents who can afford to enter the space.
Although the emergence of semi-public spaces has been normalized through decades of investment restructuring in cities. The emergence of privatized spaces in public universities remains relatively new.
Using the theoretical lens of William Whyte and Jane Jacobs, this paper uses a recently privatized dining hall at the University of New Brunswick, Saint John for a case study. The paper furthermore argues that the emergence of privatized dining to campus culture is detrimental to campus cohesion.
Due to the subsequent policing of students that follows privatization. The critical appraisal of the Baird Dining Hall in this paper is conducted through participant observation, and student journalism alongside personal anecdotes.
March 23, 10:15 - 11:15 a.m. | Chair: Katelyn Roger
Émile Zola et La curée : la convergence du naturalisme et du décadentisme
This is a presentation focused on an exploration of literary movements in late 19th century France, specifically the Naturalist and Decadent movements.
This presentation is entirely in French.
Through an examination of Émile Zola’s La curée, I explore the composition style of the novel, as well as how decadence comes into play.
The presentation begins by exploring the particular nuances between both of the aforementioned literary movements, to then delve more specifically into the decadent motifs and themes that Zola explores.
These themes include the complete disregard for family values and morals, profiteering and manipulation, androgyny and the inversion of the male and female roles, and finally, the greenhouse as a symbol of artifice and of the perversion of nature.
At the end, I look further into what this all means for the “father of naturalism” and how decadence becomes so critical to his work.
La clé (reading)
« La clé » est un poème que j'ai écrit au sujet de mon expérience personel pendant ma première année ici à l'université de Nouveau-Brunswick.
Il parle aux thèmes d'agrandissement litéral et intellectuel, et il met de l'emphase sur les questions de « Est-ce que je mérite d'être ici ? » et « Comment décide-on ce mérite ? »
Mon horaire hebdomadaire / My weekly schedule
A poem about my uncertainty for my future, the future of the working culture, and for the world.
Collective Submission Prose Poems in French inspired by Francis Ponge's The Nature of Things / Le Parti Pris des Choses
These poems are part of the coursework for our FRENCH 4154 Création Littéraire course. They are inspired by Francis Ponge’s 1942 collection Le Parti pris des choses (The Nature of Things).
Ponge’s collection is grounded in materialistic ethics and in aesthetics challenging idealism and lyrism to let objects and the mineral, vegetal, and animal world speak their own poetry and truth.
March 23, 11:30 a.m. - 12:45 p.m. | Chair: Abigail Conrad
TRC #24: Indigenous Education in Atlantic Canadian Healthcare Programs
The healthcare system has been a significant topic in the news for years, especially after the Covid-19 pandemic began. Healthcare should be prioritized, as should the education of future healthcare workers who are caring, competent, and prepared to enter the workforce and face any challenges that may arise.
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Call to Action #24 asks healthcare programs, specifically nursing and medical schools, to include a mandatory course on issues related to Indigenous health, residential schools, treaties, and Indigenous teachings:
“We call upon medical and nursing schools in Canada to require all students to take a course dealing with Aboriginal health issues, including the history and legacy of residential schools, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Treaties and Aboriginal rights, and Indigenous teachings and practices.
This will require skills-based training in intercultural competency, conflict resolution, human rights, and anti-racism”. Eight years after the calls to action were released, I wondered how Canadian healthcare programs were progressing towards the goals. I examined Bachelor of Nursing programs in Atlantic Canada, to assess whether they had courses that related to this call to action; specifically whether courses were optional or mandatory, and general or designed for healthcare/nursing specifically.
In analyzing each program, a few takeaways I can convey are: many programs are not currently meeting the TRC’s calls to action, courses should be taken before patient encounters on clinical rotations or preceptorships, and that reconciliation needs to be an active process and involve Indigenous voices.
Decolonization through Two-eyed Seeing? A Thematic Analysis of Digital Counter-maps in the Upper Amazon
Decolonization is the undoing of colonial relations that subjugate the lands, lives, and cultures of the colonized. Indigenous communities are engaging in decolonization efforts by reclaiming rights to their ancestral lands through maps.
They engage in “counter-mapping,” a process in which they appropriate state mapping techniques to create alternative maps. These counter-maps weave Indigenous and non-Indigenous knowledge systems and technologies, which can be analyzed through the Mi’kmaw concept of Two-Eyed Seeing, used to bridge the use of Western methods and theories with Indigenous knowledge.
In this research, I explore whether two-eyed seeing can reflect the decolonizing potential of digital counter-mapping projects. Using thematic analysis, I look at three digital counter-mapping projects by three Indigenous communities in the Upper Amazon - the Waorani, Siekopai, and A’i Kofan of Sinangoe - in collaboration with NGOs Alianza Ceibo, Amazon Frontlines, and Digital Democracy.
I examine the legacies of colonial cartography through Annibal Quijano’s notion of ‘coloniality of power,’ an expression referring to Eurocentric structures of domination. I also analyze the mapping process and counter-maps through the concept of two-eyed seeing to study their decolonizing potential in reclaiming ancestral lands.
Indigenous Deadly Relations within the Canadian Healthcare System
This research has as its ultimate goal to explain why Indigenous Peoples within the Canadian settler colonial state have an extremely hostile relationship with Canada’s universal public healthcare system. The paper explains this by going over the construction of the Canadian healthcare system as a colonial tool created to commit cultural and ethnic genocide.
It does so by going over the dehumanization of Indigenous peoples and how it contributed to the reaction Canada had over the “Tuberculosis crisis” in the 1920s and 1930s, which resulted in the creation of “Indian-only hospitals.” Those hospitals were then used by the Canadian government as oppressive genocidal institutions to conduct inhumane biological experiments on Indigenous Peoples without their consent and to erase Indigenous culture and identity.
The research then goes over the downfall of the “Indian only-hospitals” and investigates how, refusing to deconstruct and reformulate the healthcare system, Canada’s healthcare system remained with the colonial mindset attached to the institution.
The refusal to deconstruct the healthcare system and its anti-indigenous sentiment happened due to the unwillingness of the government of Canada to invest financially and truly reform its healthcare system. To show that the current system still acts as the old one from the 1930s, the research provides the reader with various negative interactions of Indigenous peoples within the Canadian healthcare system and negative government responses.
Ultimately, the study finds that the Canadian healthcare system needs to be deconstructed to honour indigenous peoples and then be reconstructed with an anti-colonial mindset. This can only be possible with Indigenous sovereignty, educational reform, and significant governmental reform.
Treaty Peoples Guide to Land Acknowledgment
In an age of uncertainty, acknowledging the Indigenous peoples on whose land we reside is an essential step towards fostering understanding, respect, and empowerment. However, writing a respectful and personalized land acknowledgment can be difficult for some folks.
This Land Acknowledgment writing toolkit offers a comprehensive guide to crafting personalized and authentic land acknowledgments. It starts with thinking about why you want to acknowledge the land and what you hope to achieve.
Then, it helps you learn about the Indigenous history of the area, how to say Indigenous names correctly, and how to use respectful language. It offers different ways to make acknowledgments and gives tips on personalizing them, understanding history, and supporting Indigenous communities.
It also suggests practical actions like helping Indigenous groups, supporting local movements, and promoting efforts to restore land.
The toolkit reminds us that acknowledgment is just the beginning and that real change comes from ongoing actions and efforts towards reconciliation. This toolkit hopes to be a valuable resource and contribute to a more equitable future.
Building Bridges
We worked with a group of neurodivergent students at Port Elgin Regional School to create a social support group. We designed and implemented an outdoor education program with the goal of creating a sense of community and building self-esteem for eight students aged 7-12.
This project was initially meant to be an eight-session program. However, due to the positive outcomes of the project, we extended the program over the last two years.
The neurodivergent children in our group were able to form strong, long-term connections with each other and the group facilitators. Over the course of our first eight sessions together, our group was able to build a strong community and provide students with a sense of belonging.
Our project provided the children with a community of like-minded peers that they could rely on for support and peer interaction. During this project, we raised questions about the unintended consequences of isolating children who are neurodivergent from the rest of their peers and how this would impact the way they view themselves.
After setting up a workshop to hear community voices and various perspectives, we decided to shift our project by first establishing a group for neurodivergent students and asking them to bring a friend from the classroom to join the group each week.
This approach combined the benefits of inclusive and exclusive practices for neurodivergent students by providing them with a space to develop a community with other neurodivergent students without excluding them from the general classroom.
March 23, 3:10 - 4:10 p.m. | Chair: Lily Keech
From Strax to STRAX: Activism and Student Government at UNB from 1969 to 2009
This presentation surveys the research completed thus far on my History Honours thesis about activism and student government at the University of New Brunswick.
The presentation will briefly survey three distinct “high points” in UNB students’ engagement with activism and student government (i.e. the UNBSU/SRC): the Strax Affair (1967-69), the Bosnitch Era (1982-87) and STRAX (2009-10).
The bulk of the presentation will draw a line of continuity between these three points in UNB’s history by highlighting the correlation between student government participation in activist action and the UNB administrations increasingly punitive grip on student politicians.
Essentially, the Strax Affair is the first notable instance of a collective student activists working in collaboration with the Student Union, after which the UNB administration took steps to prevent similar actions in the future.
John Bosnitch, as President of the UNBSU, then challenged the UNB administration’s authority in the 1980s and was severely punished (being deposed as SU president, expelled from UNB, and banned from campus for life), setting a dangerous precedent for future UNBSU presidents.
Finally, STRAX was an anti-war group that purposely evoked the spirit of previous student protests but found no support in the UNBSU.
In short, my research - while incomplete - is attempting to determine if the UNBSU’s modern apathy towards collective action and student activism is a result of UNB’s reactions to previous generations of student activists. While my research is incomplete, my presentation is intended to provide a starting point for understanding the student’s place at UNB and to inspire questions from the UNB student body that will inform my continued research.
In the Defence of the Senate: A Examination of the Institutional Nature of Canada's Upper Chamber's Past, Present and Future
The Senate has been a hot topic throughout Canadian Political discourse since its creation with scrutiny of its regional representation, unelected status, and fierce partisanship. But what was Canada’s Upper Chamber created for and has it been effective in its institutional role?
This paper examines the origins of bicameralism in Canada, proposed amendments to the Senate, and the unique role of the Senate in the legislative context of Canadian Parliament. By studying early legislative provincial Hansards, I find the implementation of the Canadian Senate was rooted in the seeking of accountability and guaranteed representation through the appointment of Senators.
As Canada evolved since the implementation of Federal Parliamentary institutions, the Senate did as well. I find that the definition of accountability and representation evolved greatly since 1867, and the newly independently appointed Senate has reflected this.
This paper concludes with an examination of the future of Canada’s Upper Chamber following the institutional shift it undertook beginning in 2014.
Pornography, Profitability, and Payment-Processing: A Critical Discourse Analysis of OnlyFans' Proposed Content Ban
In August 2021, the website ‘OnlyFans’ announced that they would no longer be allowing sexually explicit content to be posted to their platform, citing issues with banks and payment processing companies as the reason behind the decision.
This decision came as a shock to many users, as during the 2020 COVID-19 lockdowns the website rose to prominence specifically for hosting sexually explicit content, with the phrase “starting an OnlyFans” becoming synonymous with “selling explicit content online.”
Other companies and websites have been negotiating their relationship with sexually explicit content as early as 2003, when PayPal announced that they would not be supporting transactions associated with sexually explicit content, but the way in which OnlyFans had become socially coded as a porn website led to surprise at this news. Only a few days after the initial announcement, representatives from the company announced that they would be ‘suspending’ the decision and continuing to allow the posting of sexually explicit content on their site, stating that they were able to reach some agreement with the problem payment processing companies.
Through a critical discourse analysis of news coverage surrounding both the initial decision and its reversal, this case study of OnlyFans’ decision-making relates this situation to larger issues surrounding governance in online spaces and how the stigma surrounding the sex work industry leads to the dismissal and discrimination of worker’s rights.
Navigating Heritage Preservation: The Use of Historic Houses as Museums in Rural Nova Scotia
This discussion reflects on the use and transformation of historic, residential infrastructure as not-for-profit museums in the Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia. Its ethnographic focus is the Sinclair Inn Museum (circa 1710 and 1712) and the O’Dell House Museum (circa 1869).
Whereas questions of navigating change and uncertainty are often expressed in terms of declining natural resources and ecosystems, I argue there is a need for more reflection on the enduring challenges of preserving and maintaining culturally significant infrastructure and resources.
This is especially so for contexts where such resources and material culture are subject to the severities of natural environments, which are in some cases becoming more challenging with ongoing climate change in Atlantic Canada.
The repurposing of historic structures - containing more than half of their original features, including floorboards, single pane glass windows, frames, art, floorplan, electrical, and plumbing - as museums and archives present unique challenges in the care, maintenance, and preservation of artifacts and other materials.
Through the challenges that arise with the use and adaptations of older infrastructure, there is an importance that lies beneath its preservation in this time of uncertainty. The storage facilities for artifacts within these historical buildings and adjacent structures increase the likelihood of damage to artifacts due to the constraints of minimal space, the potential for water damage, mould, pests, and compromised structural integrity.
Drawing on two main non-for-profit museums, familiar from my work as an interpreter and curatorial assistant, I reflect on these challenges, using ideas from museum studies and the anthropology of infrastructure.
March 23, 4:20 - 5:20 p.m. | Chair: Muhammad Mubeen
The Art of Stock Photography
Stock photography is an often overlooked yet crucial tool for building websites, graphics, presentations, and visual media. This form of photography is rarely spoken about, yet we see it daily. Stock imagery is often used to add personality to graphics without the hassle of creating the image yourself.
This portfolio which was designed for my ARTS 4000 placement at the UNB Centre for Musical Arts with Musical Ventures Inc. aims to curate a dynamic gallery of stock photos used for promotional materials without worrying about the images becoming irrelevant.
Considering previous photos used for the company's marketing, as well as other music-based companies, I built a reference sheet for my productions that highlights examples of previous works and a list of items to consider for brand identity. This reference document considers both the UNB branding book considerations as well as the prior stock images my placement has employed to retain consistency and relevance to the organization's visual identity.
While the project is currently ongoing, this presentation provides a snapshot of the multiple photoshoots revolving around musical instruments and performers that I have overseen and has been divided into photos of concerts, band rehearsals, instrument headshots, and instrument collections.
This presentation offers insights into the strategic integration of stock photography within organizations, emphasizing the creative process of retaining a visual identity aligning with the musical arts and will review best practices such as camera settings, composition, and post-production.
The Beauty of Works and Humanity through a Commonplace Book
For my presentation, I will talk about my commonplace book. A commonplace book is ideally a collection of excerpts in order to further one’s humanist education, eloquence of expression, and moral life in the Renaissance era.
In reality, it became much messier and became more similar to a scrapbook of excerpts, yes, but also recipes, finances, one’s own writings, diary entries, family history, and prayers. My own commonplace book is a collage of Renaissance era readings, modern poems, and TikToks. They all deal with the main theme of language and how we use it.
First, I will explain how language and gender both come into play in the concept of sprezzatura, as outlined by Castiglione in “The Courtier”. Then, I dive into the beauty and importance of art and the formation of beautiful language as poetry and prose.
Next, I look at the differences of speech and writing as Plato and Derrida argue them and whether meaning is inherent or deferred depending on the context and the form. I also compare and contrast the differences in meaning between languages, including French, Spanish, English, English slang, and even animals.
In total, a commonplace is a direct view into the mind of Renaissance people because it showed how they lived and what was important to them. My commonplace book does the same, in that it shows my love and appreciation for the nuances of how words connect to each other and how they connect us to each other, through time and space.
Ornithology of Care (artwork – virtual presentation)
Growing up, springtime meant flowers and orphaned baby birds who had fallen from their nest or were separated from their mothers by a river’s strong current. I would care for them. Some would die, some would live.
Ever since, I’ve seen birds as a metaphor for vulnerability. My art is devoid of color to emphasize how frightful reality can become when alone; without a network of support.
My work examines our roles and responsibilities in the suffering of our most vulnerable populations using disembodied hands and arms to represent caretakers.
Coffee For Two
Coffee For Two is a personal essay on how I believe we should navigate change in an age of uncertainty. It explores the human experience through examinations of seemingly everyday things and shines a light on beautiful human interactions that often go unnoticed.
Coffee For Two highlights intimacies experienced between people that often go unappreciated but deserve so much more attention. After all, what do we have if not each other?