UNIVERSITY OF REGINA RESEARCH MAGAZINE SPRING / SUMMER 2017 Survival of the kula trade | 07 Indigenous Research Day | 16 Discourse Riding through walls | 24 Discover the impact of University of Regina health research Photos by Haley Holtslander, a visual arts major in the Faculty of Media, Art, and Performance (MAP). This body of work represents a portion of a larger photo entitled A Closer Look, 2016, and is part of a group exhibition called In Plain Sight. The show emerged from ART 325, Prairie Landscape Photography, taught by MAP professor Risa Horowitz. In Plain Sight aims to bring attention to the often unseen attributes found in the Saskatchewan landscape through digital photography. SPRING / SUMMER 2017 | VOLUME 2 | NO. 1 Discourse Editor Krista Baliko Manager, Strategic Communications Inside Erin Limacher DISCOURSE: THE RESEARCH MAGAZINE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF REGINA. Vice-President (Research) David Malloy Contributors: Everett Dorma FEATURE PROFILES Rae Graham Trevor Hopkin Dale Johnson Costa Maragos Colette Schlamp Deborah Sproat Kathryn Warden All photos by the University of Regina Photography Department unless otherwise noted. Copy editing by Dave Oswald Mitchell. Original design by 08 07 16 24 Bravo Tango Advertising Firm Inc. Health research Survival of the Indigenous Riding through walls Discourse is published twice a year with impact kula trade Research Day Using Google by the office of the Vice-President Health research Susanne Kuehling, The inaugural technology, Megan (Research) and External Relations at focused on older who studies the way Indigenous Research Smith is riding, the University of Regina. adults, mental health humans construct, Day shines a spotlight virtually, from coast The magazine is emailed or mailed to and active living negotiate and create on Indigenous-centred to coast to explore internal and external stakeholders of the has the potential value, is working research. society’s relationship University. Ideas and opinions published in Discourse do not necessarily reflect for long-lasting and with island elders in with data. those of the editor, the office of the widespread social and a remote region of Vice-President (Research), or the economic impact. Papua New Guinea University of Regina. Letters and to reinvigorate the editorial contributions are welcome. ancient practice of To reach us: kula trading. Editorial/Letters Discourse, External Relations 210 Paskwaˉw Tower, University of Regina 3737 Wascana Parkway DISCOURSE SUBMISSIONS DEPARTMENTS Regina, SK S4S 0A2 Ph: (306) 585-4024 Fax: (306) 585-4997 Discourse is a bi-annual publication. Call for 02 Vice-President (Research) Message E-mail: [email protected] submissions are sent out through the University 03 Editor’s Message research listserv. The call for submissions is www.uregina.ca 04 Student Focus open from September 5, 2017, to September 14 By the Book Return undeliverable magazines to: 19, 2017, for the Fall/Winter 2017 publication 17 Accolades External Relations and from February 1, 2018, until February 15, 18 Funding 210 Paskwaˉw Tower, University of Regina 2018, for a Spring/Sumer 2018 publication. 3737 Wascana Parkway 22 Collaborate Discourse is intended to profile new and Regina, SK S4S 0A2 ongoing research projects by faculty, staff and students, and showcase the breadth and depth of research being conducted at our University. If you have a research project, recent achievement, award, funding update or publication that you would like to see included in Discourse, or if you are working with or supervising students conducting interesting research, please send submissions to: [email protected]. Vice-President(Research)Message To STEM or not to STEM, that is the question. A most recent example of a STEM-SSH I recently had a conversation with an integration was the launch in March of the academic turned federal bureaucrat who Centre for the Study of Science and Innovation made the implicit assumption that STEM Policy (CSIP), led by JSGS. The express purpose – or science, technology, engineering and math of this Centre is to place science and policy – is the future for Canadian research. arm-in-arm; to put research and theory into As the conversation progressed, I had to action. This is the mind-set at the University. We interject and suggest, much to my companion’s have an interdisciplinary culture and truly value surprise, that the key to a bright future for the contributions of and interactions among our Saskatchewan and the globe is not an exclusive colleagues in diverse realms. reliance on STEM, but rather its close, intimate, Joining forces across disciplinary lines helps and blended interaction with the social sciences generate ideas and advancements that alone and humanities (SSH). I brought up the classic might not be possible — a great advantage example of Robert Oppenheimer, who stated: from a research perspective. Such collaboration “When you see something that is technically also finds its way through to our students, who sweet, you go ahead and do it and you argue see us work seamlessly with colleagues from a about what to do about it only after you have variety of disciplines and bring the same fluidity had your technical success. That is the way it to their own work. was with the atomic bomb.” I am convinced that this is the way research In other words, Oppenheimer cautioned, can and should be done, now and in the future, the pursuit of pure science divorced from and I see the University of Regina as a prime “Research touches society and ethics can lead us in very dangerous example of this important synthesis of directions indeed. SSH-STEM. upon our human Our research impacts people – immediately bodies, relationships, or eventually – regardless of the discipline. DAVID MALLOY Research touches upon our human bodies, Vice-President (Research) intellect and emotions. relationships, intellect and emotions. To underplay or misrepresent the importance of To underplay or this relationship between science and society is as dangerous as it is naïve. misrepresent the As I waxed lyrical about the need to blur the lines and foster collaboration among disciplines, importance of this I felt very proud of the work the University of relationship between Regina has done to make these connections. Specifically, I think of the areas where our science and society is as research is particularly strong: our Digital Futures cluster and the interaction that it dangerous as it is naïve.” facilitates among our faculty and students in the Faculty of Media, Art, and Performance (MAP) and the Department of Computer Science; the collaborations between the Johnson-Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy (JSGS) and our Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science and their work on carbon capture, utilization and storage in the Water, Environment & Clean Energy cluster; as well as multidisciplinary strategies for the treatment of PTSD being explored in the Anxiety, Stress & Pain cluster – to name but a few. 2 DISCOURSE | SPRING / SUMMER 2017 Editor’sMessage Picture four metal balls hanging from wires, side system: the healthier people are, the less stress by side like swings in a park. Pull one ball back they put on that system. from the rest, let it go, and watch as the two Because of this dynamic relationship between middle balls remain still while those at the end our scholars and the community, people are alternate in swinging out and back. living better, healthier lives. This translates into This pendulum, pictured on the front cover significant health-care savings. and commonly known as Newton’s Cradle, In this way, once in motion, University health works on the principle of conservation research releases energy into the health care of momentum and energy, while the apple system, as our researchers work with our wider symbolizes both health and education – fitting community to turn research into action that metaphors for the impact of the University of positively impacts society. Regina’s health research. Many of our researchers work directly with KRISTA BALIKO various communities – including older adults, Editor youth, caregivers, people struggling with mental health, sports teams and health regions. These research projects, many of which you will read about in our feature article, “Health research with impact,” often directly impact the health of those with whom they work. Much like the spheres that swing back “And while University and forth in Newton’s Cradle, those same community members impact our researchers of Regina research by contributing feedback and data that lead to recommendations, better programming and impacts people within information, and therefore to better physical communities and people and mental health. And while University of Regina research within communities impacts people within communities and people within communities impact research, the impact impact research, the doesn’t stop there; both also affect the health impact doesn’t stop there; both also affect the health system: the healthier people are, the less stress they put on that system.” DISCOURSE | SPRING / SUMMER 2017 3 StudentFocus Cheyanne Desnomie with a copy of “The government was trying to the journal Histories of Anthropology Annual, where her paper “The File create an agrarian First Nation Hills Colony Legacy” appears. utopia, and most Canadians When Cheyanne Desnomie was know nothing about this.” searching for a research topic for her anthropology honours paper, - Cheyanne Desnomie she didn’t need to look far. She returned