UNews - Carly Adams

Nikkei Memory Capture Project and Nikka Yuko Japanese Garden collaboration earns international honour

trevor.kenney — Mon, 03 Mar 2025 18:11:54 +0000

An important historical installation and the collaborative team that brought it to the public have been recognized with an international history award.

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge researcher Dr. Carly Adams, along with ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Plymouth (UK) associate professor Dr. Darren Aoki (BA ’90) and Michelle Day Miles of Nikka Yuko Japanese Garden have been recognized by the National Council on Public History (NCPH) with the Outstanding Public History Project Award – Small Institution.

A partial view of the timeline in the Bunka Centre.

The award recognizes a collaborative effort detailing the journeys of Japanese Canadians in southern Alberta, allowing visitors to Nikka Yuko’s Bunka Centre the opportunity to view a Time Map feature wall, listen to an audio journey, and then step inside a unique Memory Capture Project Memory Booth to listen to stories from Japanese Canadians.

In October 2024, a new interactive installation was added in the Dr. Robert Hironaka room at the Bunka Centre, the Mel Murakami Exhibit. Exploring the anti-Japanese racism and discrimination that were so formative in the pasts of individuals and communities, the Mel Murakami exhibit presents a story of hardship, overcoming and inspiration.

Aoki says the award is gratifying and respects the process that went into the making of the project.

“Initially, there was this sense of stunned disbelief: to have acknowledged in this way all those hours and days over years of effort that have gone into discovering and amplifying the histories of our Japanese Canadian community, and in the process, being part of an amazing team with Michelle to make it happen — this is so exciting and very special indeed,” he says. “More importantly, it is the generosity of all those individuals who shared their stories with us, many of whom are now sadly no longer with us, this award is really a recognition of their histories which so profoundly shape our community: we’re just the translators of this experience, and it is humbling and wonderful being able to celebrate their contributions in this way.”

Following is the award citation.

Outstanding Public History Project Award – Small Institution

Co-Creating Southern Alberta Japanese Canadian Histories: The Bunka Centre and Nikkei Memory Capture Project Heritage Collaboration Carly Adams, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge; Darren Aoki, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Plymouth (United Kingdom); and Michelle Day Miles, Nikka Yuko Japanese Garden

Through oral histories and deep engagement with community, this unique and meaningful collaboration between the Bunka Centre at the Nikka Yuko Japanese Garden and the Nikkei Memory Capture Project returned the rich stories of southern Alberta’s Japanese Canadians to the community and made them publicly accessible in an evocative and transformative storytelling approach. This project with its marriage of place, memory and story is an exemplary model of what is possible when organizations engage with communities and individuals to tell stories that enrich our understanding of the historical, social and cultural contributions of its people. The collaboration reflects the community that nurtures the garden and southern Alberta.

“This collaboration serves as a tangible testament to the enduring legacy of Japanese Canadians in southern Alberta, providing a space where visitors can engage with and contribute to the rich tapestry of local history,” says Eric Granson, marketing and events manager at Nikka Yuko. “By housing the Nikkei Memory Capture Booth within the Bunka Centre, the garden not only preserves the stories of the Japanese community but also fosters a deeper understanding and appreciation among visitors. This initiative enriches the cultural landscape of Lethbridge and reinforces the garden’s role as a central hub for cultural exchange and education.

Award winners will be celebrated at the 2025 NCPH Annual Meeting awards breakfast and keynote, Mar. 29 in Montreal.

“The installation has been seen by thousands of visitors and the response has been overwhelmingly positive,” says Adams, director of the Centre for Oral History and Tradition (COHT). “The main objective of the project was to ‘return the stories’ to the community by making these histories publicly accessible. Feedback on the exhibits and the stories shared have led to many new research directions and we hope to continue collaborating with the garden to develop future exhibits about different aspects of Japanese Canadian histories in southern Alberta.”

About the NCPH

The National Council on Public History, headquartered on the campus of Indiana ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Indianapolis, is a membership association dedicated to making the past useful in the present and to encouraging collaboration between historians and their publics. Its work begins in the belief that historical understanding is of essential value in society. NCPH members include museum professionals, historical consultants, historians employed in government, archivists, historical administrators, corporate and business historians, cultural resource managers, curators, film and media producers, oral historians, policy advisers, professors and students with public history interests, teachers, and many others. Increasingly, the council has been working to advance public history on an international scale.

Collaborative historical project shortlisted for Governor General’s Award

trevor.kenney — Wed, 04 Oct 2023 20:10:32 +0000

Initiative between Nikka Yuko Japanese Gardens and ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge and ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Plymouth Nikkei Memory Capture Project earns national attention

An innovative project that shares the histories of Japanese Canadians in the post-war era has been shortlisted for a Governor General’s History Award for Excellence in Community Programming.

Japanese Canadian Histories in Southern Alberta: Time Map, Audio Journey, Memory Booth is a collaborative project between Nikka Yuko Japanese Garden and the Nikkei Memory Capture Project (NMCP), itself a joint initiative between the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge and the United Kingdom’s ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Plymouth.

“This project centres the histories of Japanese Canadians in southern Alberta and was only possible because of the community members who have shared their stories and memories with us,” says Dr. Carly Adams, co-director of the Centre for Oral History and Tradition (COHT) and one of the project leaders. “We are very excited that our collaboration with Nikka Yuko has been recognized as part of this outstanding shortlist of projects.”

Launched in 2017, the NCMP is a transnational oral history collaboration exploring the stories of Japanese Canadians after the Second World War. The study sought to analyze the cultural and social history of Canadian Nikkei (people of Japanese descent) in the second half of the 20th century.

Dr. Darren Aoki (BA '90), a southern Alberta-born Nikkei and associate professor in World History and Oral History at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Plymouth, says, “This was a very challenging but also potentially innovative period for Canadians of Japanese descent. It saw them rebuild their lives, families and communities, whilst creating opportunities for future generations as well as wider southern Alberta society.”

A view of the Time Map at the Nikka Yuko Bunka Centre.

With this background in mind, Aoki initiated a pilot project that laid the foundation for the Nikkei Memory Capture Project, which he co-leads. Since then, the project has met with over 100 people and accrued hundreds of hours of interviews.

“Their stories and memories have painted a vivid picture of their sense of identity and place,” says Aoki. “It is this critical focus that continues to define the project to this day.”

Adams came on board in 2017, and the project took off. In early April 2022, the results of the project were unveiled at the new Nikka Yuko Japanese Garden Bunka Centre. The exhibit includes a time map exhibit that features the stories of the waves of migration of Japanese Canadians into Alberta; digital audio journeys that weave in oral histories; and an immersive memory booth, where visitors can opt to leave their own memories and experiences and contribute to the collection of stories.

"Collaborating with the Nikkei Memory Capture Project (NMCP) and hosting the Memory Capture Booth, Time Map, and Audio Journey in our brand new Bunka Centre has greatly expanded the ability of our visitors to connect and engage with the history of Japanese Canadians in southern Alberta,” says Rhys Winder, education and program manager for Nikka Yuko Japanese Garden. “We are proud to support these initiatives and the ongoing research projects and workshops that are shining a light on the history that has shaped not only our garden, but the southern Alberta Nikkei community as a whole. We look forward to many more years of fruitful collaboration with the NMCP. Congratulations to all members of the NMCP past and present, and especially co-project leads Drs. Carly Adams and Darren Aoki.”

The Governor’s General award recognizes community organizations from across Canada for their exceptional work in the field of Canadian community programming. Sponsored by the National History Society, the award will honour two recipients, one French and one English, for innovation in community programming. The winners will be revealed later this fall with each winning organization receiving a cash prize of $2,500 and a trip to Ottawa to receive the award.

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge researchers secure SSHRC funding

trevor.kenney — Mon, 04 Jul 2022 15:14:53 +0000

Four ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge researchers were successful as principal applicants in earning funding support from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC). The projects were part of 809 research initiatives from across Canada that received more than $175 million in funding.

This investment, through SSHRC’s Partnership Grants, Partnership Development Grants, Insight Grants and Aid to Scholarly Journals grants, supports research, research partnerships, and knowledge mobilization across a multitude of issues of critical relevance to Canadian society. Funding is provided to researchers, research teams and publications for projects of up to seven years.

“Now, more than ever, social sciences and humanities research plays an integral role as we navigate through the post-COVID-19 reality and continue to build a healthier, stronger and more prosperous Canada,” says the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry. “These grants enable scholars to address complex issues about communities and societies, and further our collective understanding so we can build a better future for all Canadians.”

Social sciences and humanities research such as this is essential to help Canadians understand and address some of the biggest challenges of our times.

ULethbridge projects include an examination of postpartum depression and maternal mental illness from Dr. Heather Stanley (history); a look at cancel culture from a marketing perspective by Dr. Rhiannon Mesler of the Dhillon School of Business; a study on successfully managing physical activity, from Dr. Scott Rathwell (kinesiology & physical education); and historian Dr. Kristine Alexander’s study, Children of the State: Age, Race, and Settler Colonialism in Canada.

“There’s a great breadth of expertise reflected in these successful projects and the culmination of their teams’ work will enhance our understanding of some very important issues,” says Dr. Dena McMartin, ULethbridge vice-president (research). “Research work like this in the humanities and social sciences creates insight and perspectives on key societal interests and sets the stage for the development of policies and practice.”

As well, ULethbridge researchers such as Dr. Carly Adams (kinesiology & physical education), secured funding as co-applicants on other projects. Adams is part of a Partnership Grant led by the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Victoria, Past Wrongs, Future Choices, that examines the mid-20th century internment, dispossession and displacement of people of Japanese descent (Nikkei) in allied countries. She also partnered with the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Manitoba on an Insight Grant, The People’s History of Sport in Canada.

Following is a list of SSHRC grant recipients as principal applicants for the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge:

Insight Grant

Dr. Heather Stanley, History, Maternal Darkness: Postpartum Depression and Maternal Mental Illness in Western Canada — $91,319 (5 years)

Insight Development Grant

Dr. Rhiannon Mesler, Dhillon School of Business, Marketing, Cancel Culture: An Examination of Individual and Situational Drivers — $74,636 (2 years)

Dr. Scott Rathwell, Kinesiology & Physical Education, Getting Back on Track: A Mixed Methods Study of Successful Management in Physical Activity — $74,170 (2 years)

Dr. Kristine Alexander, History, “Children of the State”: Age, Race, and Settler Colonialism in Canada — $25,459 (2 years)

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.

Nikkei Memory Capture Project a key feature of new Bunka Centre

trevor.kenney — Mon, 25 Apr 2022 16:38:17 +0000

The stories of Japanese Canadians and the challenges they faced as they settled in southern Alberta is the focus of a new collaborative effort between ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge researcher Dr. Carly Adams and ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Plymouth (UK) associate professor Dr. Darren Aoiki’s Nikkei Memory Capture Project and Nikka Yuko Japanese Garden.

Part of the Time Map feature in the Bunka Centre.

Unveiled at the new Bunka Centre on Thursday, Apr. 14, the project allows visitors to hear these important stories through an interactive sound booth installation and a Time Map feature wall that details the journeys of Japanese Canadians in southern Alberta.

“It is very exciting to be unveiling the Time Map collaboration, and Nikkei Memory Capture Project’s Memory Booth,” says Adams, who is also the co-director of the Centre for Oral History & Tradition at ULethbridge. “These two installations highlight what I most appreciate about this collaborative work – connections with community organizations and members, publicly accessible histories, and adding nuance and complexity to little known histories. It has been a pleasure and privilege being involved in these installations and involving undergraduate and graduate students in this vital work.”

A look at the Memory Booth where people can listen to oral histories and record their own.

“The unveiling of the Time Map and Memory Booth is such an exciting development for us,” says Aoki. “It’s so exciting to be able to share the wonderfully distinctive histories of Japanese Canadians in southern Alberta that the Nikkei Memory Capture Project has been privileged to explore.”

Adams and Aoki (via zoom) gave a presentation to attendees of the unveiling and addressed the partnerships that were utilized in creating the memorable project.

“This is a celebration of so many innovative collaborations, exciting partnerships, and close friendships: with the Nikka Yuko Japanese Garden, the Centre for Oral History and Tradition; between the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Plymouth and ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, and most importantly, with the many individuals who have so generously shared their memories, stories, and wisdom with us,” adds Aoki.

The installations are now open to the public at the Bunka Centre. Guests who attend are also able to record their own memories to be shared with future generations.

Gift provides tuition awards for oral history summer institute

caroline.zentner — Fri, 25 Jun 2021 20:03:43 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge recently held its first ever Oral History Summer Institute (OHSI), an opportunity open to anyone interested in oral history, from family historians and genealogists to community organizers and students. As part of the Faculty of Arts & Science rollout of courses geared toward continuing education and professional development, participants learned about oral history methods and theories, heard from practising oral historians and got hands-on experience in workshop and feedback sessions.

The COHT logo was produced by Itasoyaik'anasoyakii (Shining in the Water Woman) Kalli Eagle Speaker (BASc '21).

Through the Centre for Oral History and Tradition (COHT), five Indigenous students received tuition awards to the summer institute thanks to donations from Drs. Carol Williams and Carly Adams and matching funds from the Mastercard Foundation.

“Our intention for this tuition scholarship initiative was to provide support for U of L students and community participants who were interested but might not otherwise have the opportunity to attend the inaugural Oral History Summer Institute,” says Williams. “Both Dr. Adams and I, and the COHT executive, were extremely grateful for the matching funds from the Mastercard Foundation.”

Oral histories play an important role in Indigenous cultures and provide a way to share stories and teachings about their own cultures to new generations. Interviews from these projects give insight into how people and communities experienced the forces of history. During the summer institute, participants were introduced to topics such as oral history project design, interview techniques, recording technology, ethics requirements, consent forms and interview transcription.

Blaise Bastien

“The most valuable thing I took away from the Oral History Summer Institute was the experiences from the guest speakers,” says Blaise Bastien, a Dhillon School of Business student and one of the tuition award winners. “Hearing them share their stories and how they began doing oral history was eye-opening, as they all came from different backgrounds and introductions to oral history. They shared what difficulties they encountered, as well as what to expect when progressing in this profession and the importance of oral history not only for themselves, but the general community in which they conduct oral histories.”

Bastien says the summer institute has given him a clear direction for his personal project. He now knows how to start and complete a project and what to expect in between. He is also keenly aware of the power of oral history from interviewing his grandfather about his entrepreneurial history.

“The information I obtained from him in that one session was priceless, as it gave me real insight to my family’s history and the community’s history as well,” he says. “Doing this research would be helpful for the elders and members sharing their stories, knowing that their grandchildren and great grandchildren will hear what they learned as children themselves from their parents and grandparents.”

Going forward, the plan is to offer the summer institute every year.

“The Oral History Summer Institute is an exciting opportunity for students and community members to gain hands-on experience with oral history, whether they are just starting their first project or seeking to enhance their skills,” says Adams.

“Anyone who is interested in oral history or cultural history would benefit greatly from the lessons in the summer institute,” Bastien adds. “The program is professionally run with efficiency and structured to increase your knowledge and skill.”

Other recipients of the awards include Denim First Rider (a community participant), Ruth McDonald, Jacqueline Roth and Skylar Eli.

Board of Governors appoints Tier I Board of Governors Research Chairs

trevor.kenney — Fri, 07 May 2021 22:23:11 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Board of Governors appointed four new Tier I Board of Governors Research Chairs recently.

“It is my great pleasure to announce these appointments,” says Dr. Robert Wood, interim vice-president research. “Without exception, each of these colleagues is recognized as an exemplary and innovative researcher in their respective field. The programs of research and student training that they have each proposed for their term as a Board of Governors Research Chair will further elevate our reputation and impact as a comprehensive academic and research university.”

Tier I Board of Governors Research Chairs

Dr. Carly Adams is a founding member of the Centre for Oral History and Tradition and Professor in the Department of Kinesiology. As a social historian and advocate for oral history, her research explores community, resiliency and gender with a focus on sport, recreation and leisure experiences. Adams, in collaboration with Dr. Darren Aoki at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Plymouth, UK and several community partners including the Galt Museum, Nikka Yuko Japanese Canadian Garden, and Nikkei Cultural Society of Lethbridge and Area launched the Nikkei Memory Capture Project in 2017. In 2019, they were awarded a SSHRC Insight Grant in support of this research.

Dr. Theresa Burg is a leader in avian molecular ecology. She received her BSc and MSc from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of British Columbia, her PhD from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Cambridge, and was a NSERC postdoctoral fellow at Queen’s ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and Chateaubriand Fellow at the Centre national de la recherche scientifique in France. In 2006, she started at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge and is currently a professor in the Department of Biological Sciences. She has served on the editorial board for four international journals, numerous scientific committees and results from her research have been used in developing conservation and management policies.

Dr. Elizabeth Galway is co-director of the Institute for Child and Youth Studies and a faculty member in the Department of English, where she teaches courses in children’s literature, nineteenth-century literature, and Canadian literature. She is the author of From Nursery Rhymes to Nationhood: Children’s Literature and the Construction of Canadian Identity (Routledge 2008), which examines literature for young readers from 1867-1911. Her most recent work focuses on children’s literature from the First World War, and she has published widely on this topic.

Dr. Claudia Gonzalez, a professor in the Department of Kinesiology, investigates the mechanisms and origins of sex differences in cognitive function. Born and raised in Mexico City, Gonzalez obtained a bachelor’s in psychology from the National Autonomous ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Mexico (UNAM) and completed a MSc and a PhD in Neuroscience at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge. She continued with four years of postdoctoral training at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Western Ontario. In 2009, she returned to the U of L as a Canada Research Chair in Sensorimotor Control (renewed in 2014). Her research is aimed at understanding sensorimotor and cognitive functions throughout the lifespan with particular interest in sex differences. The ultimate goal of her research is to develop programs to enhance cognitive and motor abilities that improve quality of life for everyone.

All terms begin on July 1, 2022 for a five-year period.

PUBlic Professor Series talk to highlight the value of oral histories as we examine the Nikkei experience

trevor.kenney — Mon, 20 Jan 2020 21:16:06 +0000

On Thursday, January 23, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge kinesiology professor, Dr. Carly Adams, will present, “Hey, why don't we have a bonspiel?” Oral Histories, Sport, and (re)Imaging Community. This is the fourth talk of the 2019/20 season for the Faculty of Arts & Science’s PUBlic Professor Series. The free event runs from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Sandman Signature Lethbridge Lodge and is open to the public.

This talk will address two projects, separated by time and space, to consider the place of oral history in contemporary scholarship and communities. On the one hand, Adams considers the case of the Preston Rivulettes, arguably the greatest women’s hockey team ever to lace up their skates. On the other, she considers a current project she's working on with Dr. Darren Aoki (Plymouth ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, UK), in which they consider community (re)building in the Nikkei community in southern Alberta in the post-WWII period. Individually and together, these projects highlight the value of oral histories, both in terms of drawing attention to histories too often left in the margins of scholarly work, and in reminding ourselves and each other about critical moments, peoples and communities in histories of the places and spaces we inhabit.

Adams is a Board of Governors Research Chair (Tier II), acting associate dean in the School of Graduate Studies and associate professor in the Department of Kinesiology & Physical Education. She is also a founding and active member of the Centre for Oral History and Tradition. She is in her third year of a five-year appointment to the Canada Sports Hall of Fame Honoured Members Selection Committee.

As a social historian and an advocate for oral history, Adams explores community, resiliency and gender in her research, with a focus on sport, recreation and leisure experiences. She is author of Queens of the Ice, a book about the Preston Rivulettes women's hockey team from the 1930s, the editor of a textbook, Sport and Recreation in Canadian History and co-editor of Routledge Handbook of Sport History, both forthcoming in 2020.

In 2017, she teamed with Aoki and several community partners (Galt Museum, Nikka Yuko Japanese Canadian Garden and Nikkei Cultural Society of Lethbridge and Area) to launch the Nikkei Memory Capture Project, a long-term community-based oral history project to spur the narration of the history of Japanese Canadians in the second half of the twentieth century.

U of L oral history workshops expand to Milk River

caroline.zentner — Tue, 01 Oct 2019 21:13:21 +0000

The Centre for Oral History and Tradition (COHT) at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge is taking its oral history workshops farther afield thanks to the efforts of alumnus Dale Leffingwell (BASc ’71).

As president of the Milk River Historical Society, Leffingwell partnered with the U of L to bring an oral history workshop to the community on Saturday, Oct. 5. The workshop will focus on the basics of doing an oral history project, including interviewing and transcription.

“I attended an oral history session at the U of L a couple of years ago and I was fascinated because it seemed like a way to fill in the pieces of history in our area,” says Leffingwell. “Much of our history is just not written down. Oral history fills in the gaps and gives us a truer picture of what happened.”

Thanks to a grant from the Community Foundation of Lethbridge and Southwestern Alberta, Leffingwell approached Dr. Carol Williams, director of COHT and U of L professor, and plans for the workshop proceeded. Speakers lined up for the event include Williams; Dr. Carly Adams, a U of L professor and principal researcher with the Nikkei Memory Capture Project; Aimee Benoit, Galt Museum curator; Kimberley Lyall, motivational speaker and consultant; and Diane McKenzie, a U of L graduate student. Madison Allen, a history graduate student, is serving as workshop assistant.

“Dale is one of the most energetic and enthusiastic community historians I’ve ever met,” says Williams. “We are pleased to be running this workshop to train Milk River residents, both young and old, and U of L students who are involved with COHT about oral history methods.”

“What I’m excited about is that the U of L has engaged so many students,” says Leffingwell. “It’s so important to get young people engaged in our history. There are so many stories that can be saved through oral history interviews.”

The Milk River Historical Society has been a going concern since it was formed in 2016 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Milk River with a mini-museum. The society succeeded in getting a small but permanent location. This summer, they secured a 334 square-metre (3,600 square-foot) building for their museum collection.

Society members are also working on preserving an 1889 Northwest Mounted Police barracks that once sat on the Milk River Ridge observing the Fort Benton-Whoop-Up Trail.

“It was built with square nails,” says Leffingwell. “When completed, it will be a tribute to first responders, including the 1st Special Service Force, which became known as the Devils Brigade.”

The Devils Brigade was a joint Canadian-American Second World War commando unit. Members were extensively trained in stealth tactics and became the model for units like the Green Berets, Delta Force, Navy SEALs and JTF2. Highway 4 between Lethbridge and Helena, Montana, was renamed the First Special Service Force Memorial Highway in 1999 to mark the route Canadian volunteers took to join American volunteers for training in Fort Harrison, Montana.

U of L social scientists net SSHRC awards worth nearly $440,000

caroline.zentner — Tue, 23 Jul 2019 19:58:03 +0000

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge graduate students and faculty members will tackle a variety of research projects thanks to funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC).

“The U of L’s success rate with Insight Development Grants was very positive, higher than the national average and continues our momentum,” says Dr. Erasmus Okine, vice-president (research). “Our social scientists and humanities researchers are conducting leading-edge research and I heartily commend them for their efforts.”

U of L researchers received six Insight Development Grants. Dr. Robert LeBlanc (education) will examine how immigrant teens in a rural Alberta meatpacking town learn the forms and meanings of stylized speech. Dr. Glenda Bonifacio (women & gender studies) will study how the election of Rodrigo Duterte in the Philippines has affected foreign disaster aid and gender equality following Haiyan, the 2013 super typhoon. Dr. Rhiannon MacDonnell Mesler (Dhillon School of Business, Calgary campus) will look at how consumer identities can divide and unite in an increasingly polarized world. Dr. Paige Pope (kinesiology & physical education) will compare the effectiveness of various messages designed to reduce sedentary behaviour in older adults.

Other researchers receiving Insight Development Grants include Drs. Fangfang Li (psychology) and Noëlle Gunst-Leca (psychology). As well, Dr. Inge Genee (modern languages), co-applicant on a ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Alberta-based project called 21st century tools for Indigenous languages, received a Partnership Grant.

Dr. Carly Adams, a Board of Governors Research Chair (Tier II) and a kinesiology & physical education professor, and Dr. Darren Aoki (BA ’90), a professor in world history at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Plymouth and adjunct professor in history at the U of L, received an Insight Grant for their Transforming Canadian Nikkei oral history project. This grant allows them to continue exploring the cultural and social history of Canadian Nikkei (people of Japanese descent) in southern Alberta from 1950 to the 21st century in partnership with the Galt Museum & Archives, Nikka Yuko Japanese Garden and the Nikkei Cultural Society of Lethbridge and Area.

Along with the faculty members who received awards, several U of L graduate students received SSHRC funding, including master’s students Jennifer Chernishenko, Margaret Ingram, Quinn Johnsson, Mary Siever, Michelle Sylvestre and Jaisie Walker and doctoral student Serena Visser.

Chernishenko will delve into how girls’ mindsets—whether growth oriented or fixed— affects their sense of belonging and participation in sports. Siever is studying the reasons why parenting and mothering, in particular, receive minimal support in post-secondary study. Sylvestre will examine how social issues and context get transferred into the medical world and how that’s connected to today’s consumption of pharmaceuticals. Visser will explore the impact institutional norms and practices within the mental health system have for trans and gender-diverse people.

Adams named to Canada Sports Hall of Fame Member Selection Committee

trevor.kenney — Wed, 25 Apr 2018 16:31:24 +0000

When Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame releases its 2018 inductees list on Thursday, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Department of Kinesiology & Physical Education professor Dr. Carly Adams will have played a key part in the process.

Adams was chosen recently to serve a five-year term on the Hall of Fames’ Member Selection Committee, an appointment she was enthused about receiving.

Dr. Carly Adams is a sports historian who has done significant work in the area of women in sport.

“It came as a lovely surprise. Professor Bruce Kidd has been Chair of the committee for a number of years and has been very cognizant of making sure the selection committee is representative of people with very different perspectives,” says Adams, a sports historian who has done significant work in the area of women in sport.

The selection committee now features four media members, four past athletes, four community members and four ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ/sport historians. Adams says there has been an important shift in philosophy throughout the country and the Hall, led by Kidd, has been very responsive. The representation of historians on the committee is important as they are able to offer context to the contributions of Canada’s sport heroes.

“There has been an effort to ensure that the athletes and builders celebrated in the Hall represent the entire spectrum of the best of sport played across the country, with representation from all groups and all levels,” says Adams.

Some of the well-known members of the current selection committee include the CBC’s Scott Russell and TSN’s Gord Miller, as well as Olympic athletes such as Kerrin-Lee Gartner, Chantal Petitclerc and Mark Tewksbury.

“It’s an amazing committee,” says Adams. “We meet in Toronto every February to go over the hundreds of files that are submitted each year and for me, it was the chance to meet some incredible sport people, whom I hold in very high esteem, for the first time. It’s a very dynamic group of individuals who bring a lot of expertise to the table.”

Based out of Calgary since 2011, Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame undertakes a number of outreach initiatives, including rotating exhibitions and workshops. Currently, it is featuring the Girls in Sport campaign. Following tomorrow’s inductee announcement, the 2018 #InspireCanada Gala will take place on June 14, 2018, at which all funds raised will support the production of videos designed to inspire girls across the country to pursue sport.

“In terms of my own research agenda, the Girls in Sport campaign is a nice fit,” says Adams.

As for any hints as to who will be announced as the latest inductees, Adams is diplomatic but sworn to secrecy.

“I’m very excited about the group we are inducting. I was hopeful that a couple of people would be on there and they are, so I’m very much looking forward to unveiling the list.”

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