UNews - Jenna Bailey

“Brainstorm” documentary wins Rosie Award

caroline.zentner — Mon, 03 Nov 2025 16:40:55 +0000

Brainstorm, the documentary film created and directed by Dr. Jenna Bailey, an adjunct professor of history and senior researcher with the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge’s Centre for Oral History and Tradition, won a Rosie at the Alberta Film & Television Awards ceremony on Oct. 25.

“I’m deeply honoured that Brainstorm has received the Rosie Award for Best Educational Production,” says Bailey. “This film was created to celebrate the remarkable contributions of Dr. Bryan Kolb and Dr. Ian Whishaw, whose groundbreaking research in neuroscience has shaped how we understand the human brain.”

The team behind the production includes co-producer Dr. Edgar Bermudez Contreras, adjunct professor at the Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience (CCBN), and editor Bryn Hewko (MFA - New Media '16), assistant professor of new media.

The 42-minute film delves into the history behind the establishment of the CCBN and its growth through the efforts of Kolb, Wishaw, Dr. Robert Sutherland and Dr. Robbin Gibb. The research results produced by CCBN scientists have provided insight into Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, strokes and early brain development, to name a few. As a result, prevention strategies for brain disorders and programs to improve brain health have been developed. Community programs have sprouted from their findings and have been key to launching such programs as Building Brains Together and the Early Years program through the Martin Family Initiative.

“It’s been a privilege to share their story with audiences and to highlight the incredible work happening right here in Lethbridge,” says Bailey. “This recognition is a tribute to our entire team and to the power of film as a way to inspire curiosity, learning and pride in our scientific and local heritage.”

The film had its Lethbridge premiere nearly a year ago to a sold-out crowd at the Yates Theatre. Since then, Brainstorm has been picked up by Amazon Prime in the United States and the United Kingdom and by Roku in the US.

The film has also been selected for several film festivals. The documentary was an Official Selection at the SCINEMA International Science Film Festival (Australia) and aired as a part of National Science Week in Australia, a semifinalist at the Raw Science Film Festival (USA), the Iris Global Health Film Festival (USA) and the USA Film Festival. In addition, Brainstorm was a nominee for the Best Science/Nature/Technology Doc at the Yorkton Film Festival (Saskatchewan).

Brainstorm was produced with the support of TELUS STORYHIVE and has been released on Telus Optik TV Channel 9. Additional funding was generously provided by the Alberta Medical Association, Government of Alberta, Alberta Media Fund, CCBN, Centre for Oral History and Tradition (COHT) and the Historical Society of Alberta.

Bailey’s next project focuses on the Lethbridge Symphony Orchestra and the history of classical music making in southern Alberta. Learn more at www.baileyandsoda.com.

Trailblazing ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge neuroscientists shaped global brain health and education

caroline.zentner — Fri, 01 Nov 2024 22:28:29 +0000

Brainstorm, a documentary that chronicles how ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge professors Drs. Bryan Kolb and Ian Whishaw revolutionized the understanding of the brain, will premiere at the Yates Theatre on Saturday, Nov. 16 at 7 p.m. After selling out the Yates theatre, organizers decided to show the film concurrently at the Sterndale Bennett Theatre. For more information and to sign up for seats to view the event from the Sterndale theatre, visit Brainstorm. Those not attending the premiere will be able to watch the film on TELUS TV in early 2025.

Brainstorm was directed by Dr. Jenna Bailey, adjunct assistant professor with the Department of History and Religion, co-produced by Bailey and Dr. Edgar Bermudez Contreras, an adjunct professor at the Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience (CCBN), and edited by Bryn Hewko, assistant professor of new media.

“I made this film to showcase the groundbreaking work of two bold neuroscientists whose discoveries have transformed our understanding of the brain and advanced treatments for brain disorders and diseases,” says Bailey. “Their innovative research, fearless exploration of the unknown, and dedication to mentoring generations of scientists are captivating stories that highlight the power of science in making a real impact.”

The 42-minute film delves into the history behind the establishment of the CCBN and its growth through the efforts of Drs. Bryan Kolb, Ian Wishaw, Robert Sutherland and Robbin Gibb. The research results produced by CCBN scientists have provided insight into Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, strokes and early brain development, to name a few. As a result, prevention strategies for brain disorders and programs to improve brain health have been developed. Community programs have sprouted from their findings and have been key to launching such programs as Building Brains Together and the Early Years program through the Martin Family Initiative.

Brainstorm was produced with the support of TELUS STORYHIVE. Additional funding was generously provided by the Alberta Medical Association, Government of Alberta, Alberta Media Fund, CCBN, Centre for Oral History and Tradition (COHT) and the Historical Society of Alberta.

Watch the trailer.

About TELUS STORYHIVE

Since 2013, TELUS STORYHIVE has been able to support a community of thousands of local content creators across British Columbia and Alberta, providing over $66.9 million in funding and creating a safe space for storytellers to hone their skills and bring the projects they care about to life. Visit TELUS STORYHIVE for more information.

History professor Bailey to be honoured with national award

trevor.kenney — Fri, 18 Jan 2019 18:13:04 +0000

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge adjunct history professor Dr. Jenna Bailey will receive the Governor General’s History Award for Excellence in Community Programming for her work with Edmonton’s Shiloh Centre for Multicultural Roots (SCMR).

Dr. Jenna Bailey

Bailey, who is also a filmmaker and senior research fellow at the U of L’s Centre for Oral History and Tradition (COHT), collaborated with SCMR president Deborah Dobbins and Dr. David Este, a ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary professor and expert on immigrant and refugee experiences in Canada, to produce the award-winning, hour-long video “We Are the Roots: Black Settlers and their Experiences of Discrimination on the Canadian Prairies”.

The group used voices of today to preserve the history of African American settlers who immigrated to Canada in the early 1900s. The award, which recognizes innovative projects that encourage communities to explore and share unique aspects of the past, will be presented by Her Excellency the Right Honourable Julie Payette, Governor General of Canada on January 28, 2019, at Rideau Hall, in Ottawa.

"Working on this project was an incredible learning experience for me,” says Bailey. “It was a privilege to have the opportunity to collaborate with wonderful colleagues and interviewees in order to record and preserve this important part of Canadian history. Having our efforts recognized by the Governor General's History awards is both a thrill and an honour and speaks to the significance of the stories shared by the descendants of Western Canada's black settlers."

The documentary shines a light on the struggles and successes of African American settlers – from the demanding land they fought to farm and the discrimination they faced, to forming the foundations of their communities: the churches, schools, and businesses, and the relationships that connected them. The video shares century-old memories of marginalization, reflections on resilience, and explores the question, “What can be done to end discrimination?”

Funded by the Alberta Human Rights Education and Multicultural Fund, the video has been shown at community churches, libraries, and universities, and is available online at baileyandsoda.com. The film was first shown in Edmonton in February during Black History Month and has gone on to win several high-profile awards, including the Elizabeth B. Mason Project Award and the Oral History in Nonprint Format awards from the Oral History Association, as well as the Heritage Awareness Award from the Alberta Historical Resources Foundation.

“It is with deep appreciation and gratitude that we receive this award,” says Dobbins. “The Shiloh Centre for Multicultural Roots is humbled by this honour that acknowledges our human-rights struggle is an important part of history that needs to be brought to light.”

“With this documentary video, the Shiloh Centre for Multicultural Roots has connected past and present, giving a voice to stories that enrich our understanding of Canada,” says Janet Walker, President and CEO of Canada’s History Society.

The Governor General’s History Award for Excellence in Community Programming is administered by Canada’s History Society and comes with a $2,500 prize.

ULFA presents Respect and Diversity Week, Mar. 10-14

trevor.kenney — Fri, 07 Mar 2014 18:20:10 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Faculty Association's Gender, Equity and Diversity Caucus is presenting its 4th Annual Respect & Diversity Week, Mar. 10-14.

Initiated in 2011, the week has worked to initiate and stimulate conversations about respect and diversity on campus, with the ultimate goal to promote respect and diversity to enhance the U of L workplace.

The Changing Face of Inclusion is the theme for this year's event. The week's activities will explore how ideas and practices about inclusion have changed through time, and how people from different generations and backgrounds understand and experience inclusivity.

Throughout the week, the goal is to raise awareness about the shifting nature of inclusion, and the various ways people can come to terms with changes in what respect and diversity has meant in the past, means today, and might mean in the future.

Check out the following lineup of events.

Monday, Mar, 10 ~ 12 to 1 p.m., L1170A

Open Doors and Silent Voices: Conducting Oral History Interviews with the Ivy Benson Band

Using material from over 80 oral history interviews, Dr. Jenna Bailey will discuss the lives and careers of musicians in the Ivy Benson Band, the first nationally known and longest running all girl band in British history (1940-1985). Dr. Bailey will address the historical dismissal of female popular musicians based on gender and sexuality and explore how this impacted the process of oral history interviewing. Presented in partnership with the Centre for Oral History and Tradition.

Tuesday, Mar. 11 ~ 12:15- to 1:30 p.m., AH118

Spoken Word: Changing Face/s of Inclusion

Building on last year’s success, we would like to invite faculty, staff, and students to participate in a Spoken Word event again this year. We’re looking for people interested in speaking, performing, acting, reciting, reading, improvising, or ranting a short (3 minutes maximum) piece that is in some way related to any aspect of diversity and inclusion. If you are interested in participating, please contact Sandra Cowan at sandra.cowan@uleth.ca or 403-332-4465.

We welcome submissions by YouTube or mp4 from Calgary and Edmonton campuses. All performers will receive a certificate of participation.

Wednesday, Mar. 12 ~ 7 p.m., Lethbridge Public Library

Movie Night: Amreeka

Presented in partnership with the Lethbridge Public Library, the award-winning Amreeka chronicles the adventures of Muna, a single mother who leaves the West Bank with Fadi, her teenage son, with dreams of an exciting future in the promised land of small-town Illinois. Told with heartfelt humor by writer/director Cherien Dabis, Amreeka is a universal journey into the lives of a family of immigrants and first-‐generation teenagers caught between their heritage, the new world in which they now live and the bittersweet search for a place to call home.

Thursday, Mar. 13 ~ 3:05 to 4:20 p.m., AH116

Workshop: Managing Inclusion in the Classroom: Sexism, Homophobia and Discrimination

This event is intended to help instructors build inclusive classrooms in which all students feel welcome and empowered to learn. The workshop will be discussion based, and focus on prejudicial behaviour generally, with specific attention to dealing with racism, sexism and homophobia. A representative of the Alberta Teachers' Association will facilitate the conversation.

Faculty and graduate students are invited to participate. Please feel free to spread the word to anyone you think might be interested in attending.

If you are interested in participating, please contact John Sheriff at john.sheriff@uleth.ca or 403-329-2086.

Friday, Mar. 14, 2:30 to 4:30 p.m., L1168

Two Decades of Change in Higher Education

Join three ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge professors at differing stages in their careers in a discussion of the changing face of education and the challenges faced by faculty in this changing environment. This workshop is being hosted with the Teaching Centre.

Monday through Friday, Edmonton Campus

Diversity and Culture Breaks: Enjoy food, music and micro-theatre during evening class breaks all week on the Edmonton campus. Brought to you by Jerry Potter and Dr. Robin Derry.

UNews - Jenna Bailey

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