UNews - Devon Smither

More than $1 million in SSHRC grants to support vital social sciences and humanities research projects

caroline.zentner — Mon, 16 Sep 2024 15:23:51 +0000

Several ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge researchers have received Insight and Insight Development grants worth more than $1 million through the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council. Their projects will delve into varied topics including immigration, artist-run centres, charitable giving, Depression-era Canadian poetry, and medical assistance in dying (MAiD).

“Research in the social sciences and humanities plays an essential role in understanding and improving the human condition,” says Dr. Dena McMartin, vice-president of research at ULethbridge. “These grants enable our researchers to enrich cultural understanding, foster a deeper appreciation of human experiences and make an impact on the lives of everyday citizens.”

The following researchers have been awarded Insight Grants:

Dr. Debra Basil, a Dhillon School of Business professor of marketing, will look at the immigrant settlement experience in small to mid-sized cities in Western Canada and develop a community-based social marketing program to improve newcomer settlement experiences.

Dr. Devon Smither, associate dean in the Faculty of Fine Arts, plans to examine and document the history and impact of artist-run centres, which were created in the 1960s and 1970s as alternatives to commercial galleries.

Dr. Julia Brassolotto’s project focuses on the complexities of MAiD in Canada by examining the ethical issues surrounding MAiD through official government statements and lived experiences.

The following researchers have been awarded Insight Development Grants:

Dr. Hamid Akbary, a sociology professor, will examine potential biases in Canadian immigration policies and the public perception of refugees from Afghanistan and Ukraine.

Dr. David Hobbs, an English professor, looks to recover vital portions of Western Canadian literary culture from the Great Depression by examining the work of poet Dorothy Livesay.

Anthropology professor Dr. Jodie Asselin’s project centres on the transformation of culturally significant landscapes due to climate change and climate change mitigation measures. While such landscape change is occurring around the world, Asselin will focus on sites in rural Ireland to both record and acknowledge site loss and the implications for rural futures, providing a lesson applicable to communities across the global north.

Dr. Jessica Jacobson-Konefall, a Faculty of Fine Arts professor, plans to examine longstanding ancestral cultural forms as they appear in contemporary art in Winnipeg. The project brings attention to Anishinaabe, Eastern European and Caribbean diasporic arts.

Charities in Canada face increasing demand but many lack the resources to serve everyone. Dr. Rhiannon Mesler, a Dhillon School of Business professor at ULethbridge’s Calgary Campus, will look at consumer backlash to charities that accept donations from firms that generate their money by legal but morally questionable means, such as alcohol, tobacco, gambling or non-renewable energy, and how they might navigate the challenge.

The Research Support Fund supports a portion of the costs associated with managing the research funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council and Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, such as salaries for staff who provide administration support, training costs for workplace health and safety, maintenance of libraries and laboratories, and administrative costs associated with obtaining patents for inventions.

Graduates ready to walk the stage at Spring 2023 Convocation

trevor.kenney — Wed, 31 May 2023 16:38:40 +0000

This week, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge will celebrate the achievements of 1,358 students as they cross the stage at Spring 2023 Convocation. In addition, members of the 2020 and 2021 graduating classes who did not have the opportunity to participate at an in-person event due to pandemic restrictions, are welcomed back to campus to cross the stage.

This spring’s graduating class is exceptional, representing a new generation of talented, critical thinkers prepared to contribute to communities near and far. The class showcases more and more students who have participated in work-integrated-learning opportunities throughout their educational journey, while students continue to utilize applied study, co-op and research opportunities and take advantage of career coaching to get a head start on their post-academic careers.

“Our talented alumni, which will soon number more than 55,000, makes its mark throughout the world every day,” says Dr. Mike Mahon, ULethbridge president and vice-chancellor. “Our graduates, many of whom have already significantly contributed to society through their academic pursuits, are ready to showcase their talents and we are eager to see what the future holds for them.”

This week’s convocation marks the final ceremonies of Mahon’s 13-year tenure at ULethbridge. As well, alumnus Terry Whitehead (BA ’94) will officially be installed as the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s 15th chancellor during Thursday’s first ceremony.

Ceremonies take place Thursday, June 1 and Friday, June 2 at the 1st Choice Savings Centre for Sport and Wellness, beginning at 9:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. each day.

All four ceremonies are free of charge and open to the public and media. Following is the convocation schedule for the week.

Thursday, June 1

Ceremony I – 9:30 a.m. – School of Graduate Studies (PhD and MSc); Faculty of Arts & Science (BASC, BSc); Installation of Chancellor Terry Whitehead; Speaker Research Award: Dr. Trushar Patel; Honorary Degree: Timothy Caulfield

Ceremony II – 2:30 p.m. – School of Graduate Studies (MA and MN); Faculty of Arts & Science (BA); Faculty of Health Sciences (BHSc, BN and BTR); ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Volunteer Award: Dr. Marta Gerasymchuk (PhD ’22); Honorary Degree: Dr. Esther Tailfeathers

Chancellor’s Dinner – 6 p.m., Science Commons Atrium – A dinner to honour all award recipients

Friday, June 2

Ceremony III – 9:30 a.m. – School of Graduate Studies (MC, MEd, MFA, MMus); Faculty of Education (BEd); Combined Degrees with Education; Faculty of Fine Arts (all programs); Board of Governors Teaching Chair: Dr. Christopher Mattatall; Excellence in Teaching Award: Dr. Devon Smither

Ceremony IV – 2:30 p.m. – School of Graduate Studies (MHSM and MSc (Mgt)); Dhillon School of Business (all programs); Combined Degrees with Management; Honorary Degree: Fred Bradley

Graduands and platform guests will be assembling in ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Hall, Level 6, prior to each procession. Processions begin at 9:20 a.m. and 2:20 p.m.

For complete Spring 2023 Convocation information, as well as profile stories on a number of shining graduates, please visit: www.uleth.ca/convocation.

Art history and museum studies professor Dr. Devon Smither earns 2023 Excellence in Teaching Award

trevor.kenney — Fri, 19 May 2023 16:08:31 +0000

Known for being a risk-taker in the classroom, Dr. Devon Smither encourages her students to do the same. It has garnered her a reputation as an innovative and empowering educator as well as the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge’s 2023 Excellence in Teaching Award.

Smither is deeply committed to developing her teaching craft and creating learning environments that spark curiosity and enable critical confidence in her students, making her a leading figure on best practices in teaching at ULethbridge and beyond. Smither will be presented with the Excellence in Teaching Award at Spring 2023 Convocation Ceremony III, Friday, June 2, 2023, at 9:30 a.m. in the 1st Choice Savings Centre for Sport and Wellness.

Dr. Devon Smither is deeply committed to developing her teaching craft and creating learning environments that spark curiosity.

Dr. Devon Smither

Associate dean and an associate professor of art history and museum studies in the Faculty of Fine Arts, Smither has made a point of developing her craft of teaching, integrating diverse and critical perspectives in her courses and encouraging students to grow and excel in their studies.

Completing her undergraduate degree at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Alberta, Smither pursued her passion for art history during her master’s work at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of British Columbia and while earning her doctorate at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Toronto.

At the heart of her teaching philosophy is a deep-seated desire to make complex curriculum material accessible, interesting and relevant to students’ everyday lives and future professional practices. With a drive to create innovative and engaging content in her courses, she strives to empower students with the tools they need to find success.

A nationally significant voice on best practices in teaching, Smither and a group of art historians created Open Art Histories (OAH) in 2019, a platform to support teaching excellence in the arts in Canada. Smither co-wrote the first Open Education Resource (OER) on Canadian and Indigenous art, CanadARThistories: Reimagining the Canadian Art Survey, broadening the history of art in Canada in relation to emerging conversations on decolonization, equity and inclusion and internationalization.

Always open to new concepts, Smither consistently seeks new ways to better her pedagogy. This past year, she implemented contract grading in her courses. A labour-based practice grounded in social justice, it emphasises a compassionate approach to equitable and fair grading and assesses students purely on the work they put into the class. Evaluations on the quality of assignments are separated from the calculation of the course grade, allowing students to be creative, try new concepts, make mistakes and learn from the process, rather than worry about grades in relation to the quality of their work. Smither has seen real success with this model, prompting many students to feel less anxiety in their studies and inspiring them to focus on learning in the classroom.

Smither works to provide opportunities for students to extend their learning outside of the classroom and develop relationships within their communities and beyond. Her mentorship and engagement with students are directly related to her passion for understanding art history and museum studies through a contemporary lens, one that is focused on the social, cultural and political impacts of art and curatorial practices.

Early career researchers at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge secure SSHRC awards

caroline.zentner — Wed, 20 Mar 2019 17:06:39 +0000

A dozen ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge researchers have been awarded more than $600,000 in new funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) for diverse projects, including agricultural supply chain management and repatriating Métis music.

These Insight Development Grants, announced earlier this year, are designed to support emerging scholars and research in its early stages, with up to $75,000 available over one or two years.

From the Dhillon School of Business, Drs. Duckjung Shin, Adriane MacDonald, Jocelyn Wiltshire (Calgary campus) and Alireza Tajbakhsh have secured more than $187,000 in funding for their projects.

Shin’s research looks at human resource management as a social system within an organization. He examines the interference between work and life domains, the diminishing power of unions under modern human resource practices, widening status differences within an organization and its societal consequences.

MacDonald’s research will examine the potential of sense-making tools to improve communication and problem-solving in multi-stakeholder partnerships, an approach espoused in the United Nations’ global sustainable development agenda. Engaging multiple stakeholder perspectives in complex problem solving can create new problems and ultimately prevent groups from reaching their goals. MacDonald’s study will focus on how sense-making tools, such as boundary objects, metaphor and storytelling, can help individuals in these partnerships overcome the inherent difficulties of collaborating at knowledge boundaries.

Wiltshire’s research looks at the dark side of leaders’ influence behaviour in the workplace, known as dark political skill. To what extent do manipulative and deceptive leaders contribute to a political workplace climate and impact employee behaviours and well-being? Along with Drs. Kelly Williams-Whitt and Mahfooz Ansari, Wiltshire will conduct a series of surveys and interviews. Their findings will speak to effective managerial and organizational practices that may mitigate or neutralize these harmful consequences.

Tajbakhsh will examine the existing literature on agricultural supply chain management in both crop and livestock sectors in Canada. The agriculture sector is at the nexus of world hunger and climate change. Tajbakhsh’s research will look at successful sustainable practices adopted in Canada and what corporate and government sustainability regulations have influenced agricultural networks in Canada.

Five researchers in the Faculty of Fine Arts — Dr. Dana Cooley (New Media), Dr. Bryn Hughes (Music), Jackson Two Bears (Art), Dr. Amandine Pras (Music) and Dr. Devon Smither (Art) — have secured awards worth nearly $280,000.

Cooley’s project, To Hear a Shadow, is an interactive installation that translates a participant’s EEG (brain activity) data through a Rube Goldbergesque chain of digital and early scientific measuring devices that spin and flutter, turning the signals into light, sound, and movement. Behind a partial wall, a second participant tunes in to the audio transmissions through a specially equipped headset. Proximity sensors respond to the second participant’s movements which affect the colour and intensity of light in the room. The perceptual feedback loop constructed by Shadow draws our attention to the interconnectedness we have with each other and our environment.

Hughes plans to delve into the factors that allow people to activate different musical languages. He wants to determine what musical features contribute most to syntactic violations and why some musical gestures sound wrong in one kind of music but not in another.

Two Bears’ research will explore the ways in which the creative use of digital technologies can support the innovation, transmission and transformation of Indigenous creative and cultural practices, while providing a site for critical dialogue and reflection. Two Bears plans to create an immersive 360-degree video and audio art installation and a multimedia app that will feature mobile media artworks.

Pras' research focuses on the democratization of the 21st century recording studio and the production techniques and creative processes that define it. Her multidisciplinary project includes three complementary case studies — an ethnography on street recording studios in Bamako, Mali, a longitudinal survey in the international Audio Recording Engineer Practicum of the Banff Centre and an experiment that will examine the learning process of a young Malian studio practitioner when attending the Banff Practicum for one semester.

Smither is conducting a study that looks at the marginalization of women artists and artistic realism during the first three decades of the 20th century. Specifically, she will focus on Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney and the women artists she collected and supported from 1905 to 1930. The works formed part of the founding collection of the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York, which opened in 1931.

The other recipients include Drs. Monique Giroux, Canada Research Chair and a professor in Indigenous Studies; Kara Granzow, a professor of sociology; and Julie Young, a professor of geography and Canada Research Chair.

Giroux’s research centres on the repatriation of Métis music. It includes three key elements: understanding what constitutes musical repatriation, creating an inventory of Métis musical belongings housed in archives and private collections, and determining the priorities of Métis communities for the repatriation of these musical belongings. Through consultations with Métis advisory boards, she will create a strategy for musical repatriation, including the possibility of establishing programs to support musical revival and resurgence.

Granzow and Dr. Amber Dean, co-investigator and professor at McMaster ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, seek to understand and contribute to preventing sexualized colonial violence through exploring the enduring relationships between an economy based on resource extraction and the ongoing high rates of sexualized violence against Indigenous women in Alberta.

Young’s research examines the impacts of Canadian refugee deterrence policies. Phase one analyzes how the Canadian government conceptualizes and operationalizes deterrence via the Canada-United States Safe Third Country Agreement, the Mexican visa policy, the Anti-Crime Capacity Building Program and the recent information campaign in U.S. cities. Phase two involves fieldwork in Windsor-Detroit and Leamington to assess the local consequences of these policies.

Department of Art Exhibition Celebrates U of L 50th Anniversary

trevor.kenney — Thu, 07 Sep 2017 20:32:01 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge’s Homecoming celebrations are now behind us, but the Faculty of Fine Arts continues to celebrate the U of L’s 50th anniversary. Coming up next is the first of two 50th anniversary art exhibitions hosted by the Department of Art. Opening with a reception at 7 p.m. on Friday, September 15 at the Dr. Foster James Penny Building (324 – 5 Street S) is Aperture: Roloff Beny Photography Award Retrospective highlighting the digital art of past Roloff Beny award recipients.

The Roloff Beny Foundation Photographic Awards, established in 2005, recognizes academic and artistic achievement of students with a focused interest in photo-arts by providing travel opportunities to complement the creative activity of outstanding students. Since its inception, the foundation has provided over $105,000 in bursaries to eligible photography students at the U of L. The funds are used to offset costs incurred by travel, photography equipment or supplies, and/or tuition or fees. For the first time the results of the bursaries will be put on display in one location.

From September 15 until September 29, 17 past recipients will display the works they created through these once-in-a-lifetime bursaries. Curated by art faculty member Devon Smither and past recipient Angeline Simon, the exhibition includes a selection of works in a variety of styles and approaches as the artists explore themes connected to travel and exploration, both physical and psychological.

The exhibition includes photographs and multi-media work by award recipients William Austin (2015/2016), Morgan Bath (2014/2015), Katie Bruce (2010/2011), Lana Gabor (2005/2006), Jamie Girodat (2014/2015), Amornthep Jaidee (2008/2009), Nicole Lalonde (2011/2012), Chip McCleary (Dylan Dobbie; 2016/2017), Chris Myhr (2006/2007), Jaime Vedres (2006/2007), Meghan MacWhirter (2016/2017), Evan Peacock (2013/2014), Elena Petzold (2014/2015), Arianna Richardson (2011/2012), Daniel Schrempf (2015/2016), Angeline Simon (2015/2016), Kasia Sosnowski (2012/2013) and Corrine Thiessen (2007/2008).

The Penny Gallery in the Dr. Foster James Penny Building is open to the public Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The opening reception, 7 to 9 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 15, is free and everyone is welcome.

Media are invited to a sneak peek of Aperture on Wednesday, September 13 from 10 to 11 a.m. at the Penny Gallery. Curators Devon Smither and Angeline Simon will be on hand to discuss the work during the installation process.

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