The Athenaeum

Tag: Acadia

  • Axeman Improve to 4-0 as they Head into the Second Half of the Season

    Axeman Improve to 4-0 as they Head into the Second Half of the Season

    Wolfville, NS – On Saturday afternoon the Axeman beat the Mount Allison Mounties 22 to 15 as they improved to 4 and 0. The Axeman have looked really good this season as second year starter Hunter Guenard has shown that he is ready to lead the team. Guenard leads the AUS in yards per game, total yards, and completions. The Axeman also have the top running back in the league as Dale Wright has dominated defenses posting a yards per game total of 113, along with 5 touchdowns. Not to mention that Acadia’s wide receiving core has shined as Glodin Mulali leads the league in receiving, with Cordell Hastings and Matthew Gledhill both in the top 10 in the AUS. 

    Their defense has been impressive also as linebacker Bailey Feltmate leads the league in total tackles. As a defensive unit, the team is first in points allowed with just under 20 per game. The team was ranked 5th in the National U Sports Football Rankings last week, and they have the potential to be ranked even higher going forward. 

    There were some question marks coming into the season after having a less than successful 2018 campaign, but the Axeman have shown they are ready to win this season. Even with the departures of key players like Brandon Jennings, Matthew Nettle, Garvin Cius, and others, the team has managed to assemble a team capable of winning an AUS Loney Bowl Championship. 

    One of the most impressive parts of the team this year has to be the play of the offensive line. The Axeman lost veteran players Nathan Heide, Drew Seldon, and Jacob Creedon, but have been able to put together a five-man unit capable of making holes for Dale Wright, while also giving time to Guenard in the pocket. Veteran lineman Shelton Williams has looked impressive as he has dominated the line of scrimmage all year long. 

    The Axeman have 4 games left this season and will look to continue their winning ways as they travel to Lennoxville, Quebec to take on the Bishops Gaiters who are 2-2 this season. The Axeman dominated the Gaiters in their last game as they won convincingly. 

    If the Axeman can remain healthy, and quarterback Hunter Guenard can continue slinging the ball like he has, the Axeman could find themselves with some hardware this season. Much of the success the team has had to date has to be attributed to the efficiency they have had in the red zone as the Axeman rank first at an 81% conversion rate; and when they do find the red zone, 69% of the time they score a touchdown. With a red zone conversion rate like that, and the limited turnovers the team has had, the Axeman have found a formula for winning this season. 

    A winning formula they hope to continue as they enter the second half of the season, and prepare themselves for a push to the Loney Bowl, and maybe even, a journey to the Vanier Cup. 

    Sebastian Farkas is a Fourth Year Politics Student and Sports and Wellness Editor of the Athenaeum.

  • Rally for Climate Action

    Rally for Climate Action

    With the start of the school year comes the usual stress of showing up on time for classes, keeping up with assignments, and getting used to a busy schedule. Meanwhile, many students are plagued with another stress, one that seems bigger than the rest: the idea of climate change, and what it means for our future. Youth around the world are demanding government action against this crisis, because the science is clear and the predictions are alarming. In fact, the impacts of climate change are already being felt, and we do not want to see additional drought, spread of disease, collapse of ecosystems, catastrophic storms, or displacement of communities.

    Students at Acadia are not ignorant of what is happening in the world right now, and many of us have decided to join the movement for climate justice. The Acadia Climate Action Club is a new group for students to gather and work together to make sure climate change is no longer set aside as an inconsequential issue. We are organizing a rally this Friday September 20th, on the front lawn of University Hall at 1pm. A poster-making session will be held on Wednesday the 18th at 1:30pm in the SUB.  Join us this Friday and add your voice to the millions around the world demanding action against climate change.

    Besides organizing demonstrations, the club will host critical discussions, and campaign for strong climate policies in the upcoming federal election, among other projects. If you are eager to join the movement, please join the Acadia Climate Action Club Facebook group  at https://www.facebook.com/groups/403970280175104/, or email Natalie at [email protected]. The time to act is now.

  • Opinion: Wake up, Acadia

    Opinion: Wake up, Acadia

    Words cannot describe how exactly I’m feeling but I’ll try. It’s taken me long to write this because I’m disappointed. Disappointed in a school that preaches diversity but nothing about the school is diverse. Before coming to Acadia, the recruiting officers promised me that Acadia would be a home away from home, a place where I could comfortably be myself and a diverse school that is rich in culture, but I got here and nothing.

    At first, I thought that it was just because it was the first week of school, but those weeks turned to months, turned to semesters and now I’m about to graduate and Acadia is finally giving us black students some sort of voice. No matter how loud we voice our concerns, often it falls on deaf ears. Every year during elections for ASU president, most candidates promise to promote diversity and inclusivity but every year nothing changes. Honestly, I’m over it.

    You want to know why you rarely see a black student run for any executive positions? It’s because we don’t see anyone that represents us on that committee or organization. One would ask, “how do you expect to see representation if you don’t run?”. Well the answer is simple. It’s because no one will vote for us. Everyone knows that these elections are a popularity contest, argue with ya frying pan. Excuse my blackness but it’s the truth, whether you want to admit it or not and this past election just confirmed it for me.

    For the first time we had two black presidential candidates. Two! My melanin was shook. This was a big deal because again, you never see this happen here. For once I was excited for this year’s election.  Was this a dream? Was this real? To make things even better, we had a lot of black students vying for positions on various committees across campus but guess what? None of them got elected. Call me salty all you want but something didn’t sit right with me so yes, I am saltier than a bag of Lays. I mean everyone is all for inclusion and diversity until it’s actually time to implement it- then everyone’s silent.

    Angry black woman aside, Acadia, thanks for making the effort #BlackStudentAdvisor but honestly, it’s 2019. You need to catch up with the rest of the world. You have to realize that black students make up a huge percentage of the population on campus. Not to mention every year the black student population will continue to grow so you must be able to accommodate us, not merely say you’ll accommodate us, but actually accommodate us. Open your eyes, look around, y’all are sleeping on this black excellence.

    Sincerely,

    Your friendly neighbourhood black girl,

    Wam

    Wambaire Gichuki is an Environmental and Sustainability Studies student  

  • A Wake-up Call for Sexually Violent Language in Sports

    A Wake-up Call for Sexually Violent Language in Sports

    In light of the recent hockey brawl that took place on Saturday, February 2nd between St. Francis Xavier University and Acadia University, several individuals have reached out to me disappointed with the way Acadia handled the situation. Armed with the facts, I interviewed multiple people with the hopes of accurately representing the feelings of students about the brawl. Some individuals within this article remain anonymous due to positions they currently hold on campus and within the Acadia community.

    In case you haven’t been keeping up with the news, during the third period of the hockey game, both the Acadia and St.FX players were engaging in typical hockey banter. Acadia player Rodney Southam was pushed into the opposing team’s box during the banter and it was in that moment Southam, as identified in his official statement, told St.FX captain Sam Studnicka “You look like a little ******* rapist”. Studnicka, who has a relationship to a sexual assault survivor, was deeply affected by this comment and as Studnicka faced off against Southam minutes later the brawl ensued.

    Since the second week in February, the conversation around the brawl died down following the official statements from Southam and Acadia University. But this conversation is one that should be talked about and not pushed under the rug.

    A distraught student wanted to highlight that “Acadia is bending over backwards to protect a player with poor sportsmanship and who may not be innocent of sexual misconduct himself, meanwhile [the university] has no strong nor functional Sexual Violence Policy (SV Policy) in place”. This student acknowledges many sexual assault survivors on campus do not feel nearly the same kind of support that Southam has received for his role in the continual appropriation of sexually violent language.

    Jenna Purkis, Head of Acadia’s Mental Health Initiative, informed me while “Acadia currently does have some infrastructure in place to respond to incidents of sexualized violence but all Nova Scotian Universities, per the 2015-2019 Memorandum of Understanding, are required to have a ‘stand-alone sexual violence policy’, which is still in development at Acadia.”

    While Purkis assures there have been serious developments towards the creation of a functional SV policy in this past year such as a consultation with students in November and faculty regarding the current presentation of the policy in December, these proposed changes, as of late-February, have not been adopted into the current draft. This news means Acadia is not as close to having formed a working SV policy as students and faculty would have liked. The distraught student points out that due to the lack of progress since 2015, “Acadia’s commitment [to creating a functional SV policy] seems as strong as a toothpick”.

    Purkis, along with this anonymous student both expressed sexual violence is an issue affecting individuals on campus and the best way for Acadia to show their support to victims is to finalize a working SV Policy.

    Purkis supports her beliefs by noting that “Acadia can and should verbalize their support for victim-survivors, but Acadia’s good intentions mean very little if we do not have an adequate policy in place to follow through.”

    Through the individuals that have reached out to me, it has become apparent that while Acadia can do their part in supporting victim-survivors by creating an SV policy, there is a larger problem at hand. Students have expressed that sexually violent language in sports has become appropriated and is now unfortunately embedded in ‘sport culture’

    Samantha Teichman, a leader in Commit Sociology, held a community discussion following news of the brawl. The aim was to discuss in a diplomatic manner Southam’s response statement and the problems with using sexually violent language in sports and how, if possible, to fix this appropriation. In a comment from the Commit Sociology community discussion, students said that “the response must come from more than the individual players but a change from the institutions themselves.”

    Currently, Acadia uses a system called Bystander Intervention Training (BIT) with their Varsity Athletes. The goal of BIT is to prepare athletes to become active bystanders who are ready to intervene in similar situations such as the brawl. Teichman noted the community touched on how Acadia’s hockey players currently undergo BIT but agree that “when events like this arise and our repercussions are not sufficient, these preventative measures (BIT) ring hollow. It was agreed [by Commit Sociology] that this event should be a time for reflection and furthermore, a learning opportunity”.

    “I’ve heard “sensitivity training” for athletes suggested as a means to address incidents like these”, Purkis noted regarding the brawl. “While I do think training and programs such as BIT (in which many athletes receive mandatory training) can be useful, they absolutely are not “the” solution. They are superficial remedies for a structural and cultural problem; we can employ trainings like these to convey a message about the seriousness of sexual violence, but that message means very little without serious follow-through and consequences”.

    In a conversation with another student who asked to remain anonymous, they believe that Acadia must be strict when it comes to sexually violent language and they must punish instead of protecting any student who does so.

    If students are able to use this kind of language and get away with it, or worse be protected by their institutions, change will never come. This is a critical problem affecting universities across the country. At this point, the only way to rid ‘sport culture’ of sexually violent language is for these institutions to hold students responsible for their words.

    Sexual Violence is a critical issue on university campuses. It is my understanding, through the various conversations I’ve had regarding the topic, that this hockey brawl is a chance for the university to take a step back and address how they can learn from this incident and improve the stature of things on campus. Instead of worrying about their own or their player’s reputations, Acadia should be using this opportunity to show support to victim-survivors on campus and make the changes necessary to improve our institution.

    Commit Sociology “hope[s] to see a more constructive response of how to prevent the use of sexually violent language in sport moving forward”.

    “The ASU denounces all forms of violence on campus. The ASU has been an advocate for enhancing all forms of student wellness on campus” stated George Philp, ASU President in response to this article.

    “This year our Executive and Council have been active in ensuring better access to medical professionals at the Dennis Clinic, which is better staffed this semester than it has been in years. The ASU has been a strong leader in our work with the Acadia Student Resource Centre to role out the Nova Scotia Bystander Intervention Training to more students including many of Acadia’s varsity athletes. This year’s Executive has spearheaded the modernizing of Acadia’s Non-Academic Judicial Process to better support survivors of sexual violence and we look forward to the implementation of Acadia’s Sexual Violence Policy in the coming weeks. Again, the ASU is proud of the funding, services, and advocacy that we provide for all students and violence within our campus community is never justifiable.”

    Rylie Moscato is a first year English student and Columnist for The Athenaeum

  • Black History and Diversity at Acadia

    Black History and Diversity at Acadia

    Now that Black History Month is officially upon us, it’s time that we hear conversations on the importance of diversity. It makes sense considering Black voices are at its loudest during this time of year. We take a lot of pride in our people, our history, and our communities all while engaging in conversations about how we still have lots of work to do.

    It’s a lot of Black people’s favourite time of year because it calls for action on diversity and inclusiveness. On top of that, people have no choice but to hear all our accomplishments we’ve done for the country because according to the public education system there is no room to fit them into the curriculum. This month makes many of us feel special, heard, and appreciated.

    These feelings are something that society only puts aside for this month. For the rest of the 337 days of the year (336 during leap year) we have to actively fight and justify our existence, why we deserve the same opportunities as our White peers, and overcome barriers that have been placed by institutions for generations. With all that said, Black History Month is the perfect opportunity to call for action on being more diverse. This begs the question: what does it mean to be diverse?

    Often times, when people hear the word “diversity” they often do not go beyond the surface. For them it’s the colour they see, the gender in front of them, the way people express themselves. For me, it goes beyond the surface. It’s the struggles people go through, the things they’ve overcome, the barriers that are in place, and the mindset that many have.

    For example, the “Black experience” is not the same for every single Black person. Some of us had opportunities to excel and were able to receive the supports needed to get us where we are today and others weren’t that fortunate. Unfortunately, this often prevents them from reaching their full potential. The same could be said for any ethnic group and minority group.

    What I am getting at that here is that diversity goes beyond the surface and it is important to recognize that. It means nothing to have a “Black face” on a poster to show diversity if we don’t acknowledge the experiences that comes with it. The issue with Acadia isn’t the lack of diversity on campus. We all knew what we were getting ourselves into after we decided to stay after our first year here. The issue with Acadia is not only to say we’re something we’re not (meaning diverse) but also, the lack of supports and understanding of people’s experiences based on the lack of diversity. This campus has so much potential to be an inclusive place regardless of the lack of visible diversity that’s on campus, but right now it’s lacking.

    I bet you’re wondering what can we do to make it more diverse. Well, we can start by acknowledging that we all experience things differently. To understand to go beyond the melanin (whatever physical feature that makes us different) and think to ourselves “what can we do to make everyone feel at home?” Each person has different needs based on their personal experiences. We can become better supports to one another and stop asking people to speak on behalf of their race or what they physically represent. White people never speak on behalf of their entire group so there is no reason why everyone else needs to speak on behalf of theirs.

    It is good and healthy to ask people their opinions on different matters and world events but remember that it is their opinion and their interpretation. So although their thoughts and opinions may be similar to others they still do not speak on behalf of everyone in said group. Lastly, remember that it is okay and healthy to disagree and debate with others but what is not okay is to dismiss others people’s experiences. For example, it is completely fine if you don’t believe that Acadia has a race issue on campus based on what YOU saw within campus but what is not okay is to dismiss people when they share their stories of race related issues they experienced on campus.

    In short, what I’m trying to say is that next time you look at an Acadia poster, or see something within the community that seems “diverse”, look beyond the photo. What do you see? What is this photo trying to represent? Remember that we represent something beyond our physical features. I am more than a biracial woman. I represent my Christian faith, my control I have over my depression, the obstacles of being from a low income family, and many more things all while being a biracial woman. If people were to see me in a poster I would hope they see more than the colour of my skin and my gender. I would hope they would see me and think “she has a story” because reality is that we all have a story and that we all represent so much more than our physical features because reality is that we are all diverse. So while representation truly does matter remember that it simply goes beyond what we can see with the naked eye.

  • Recognizing African Heritage Month

    Recognizing African Heritage Month

    Dear Members of the Acadia Community,

    Today we mark the first day of African Heritage Month in Nova Scotia. Acadia University has a long tradition of educating people from all backgrounds, including those of African descent. The Rev. Dr. Edwin Howard Borden from Truro, NS who was the first person of African descent to graduate from Acadia with his Bachelor of Arts in 1892 and then his Master of Arts in 1896, is believed to be one of the earliest persons of African descent to graduate from any college or university in Canada. Since then, Acadia’s alumni of African descent have turned exceptional student careers into successful careers in every aspect of business, politics, public service, and spiritual leadership in almost every country on the planet for more than 125 years. The role Acadia played in educating some of Nova Scotia’s most influential civil rights leaders of the 20th Century is described in the large outdoor exhibit near University Hall that is dedicated to W.P. Oliver (’34) and forms part of the Mathieu DaCosta African Heritage Trail located in Southwestern Nova Scotia. Despite this proud Acadia tradition that is rooted in the Baptist heritage of our university, we know that for the majority of Nova Scotians of African descent, the opportunity to attend university simply did not exist. Today, we are seeking ways to remove those barriers but we have much more to do.

    The 2019 provincial theme for African Heritage Month is “Our History is Your History” and, to quote from the provincial website, “.…… recognizes the unique story of African Nova Scotians and how this story is interwoven throughout the past, present and future of all Nova Scotians. The theme reminds us that when we all acknowledge and understand the truths of our shared history through awareness, cooperation, dialogue and learning, we will be able to facilitate positive change in Nova Scotia”. In order to ensure that Acadia steps up and does its part, I will be issuing an announcement later today that will outline some new initiatives to increase support for all students of African descent at Acadia.

    These initiatives include the establishment of a Black Students Advisor and a Black Students Working Group, both of which have long been recommendations of the Black Students Association at Acadia. Recognizing the needs of students of African descent as distinct from the needs of other students is a well-established practice in post-secondary education and we are, frankly, behind the curve at Acadia when it comes to supporting our students of African descent. Acadia’s history in attracting students of African descent from here in Nova Scotia as well as from nations around the world provides us with the imperative to do a better job of not only supporting students of African heritage, but promoting and celebrating their achievements internally and externally. We also need to find the means to make our campus more diverse and to attract faculty and staff who reflect our community at large. It is a big task, but it won’t be completed if we don’t take concrete action right now.

    Acadia’s Black Students’ Association has a number of events planned throughout African Heritage Month and I encourage all members of the Acadia community to take in one or more of those events. I want to thank our students of African descent for being so active and persuasive in making their arguments, and for making such amazing contributions to the life and voices of Acadia. Also, on February 9th in War Memorial Gymnasium between the men’s and women’s basketball games, Acadia and the Valley African Nova Scotian Development Association will hold their 10th annual event honouring Acadia’s past and present student-athletes of African descent.

    During African Heritage Month the African Heritage flag will fly above University Hall, as we join together to celebrate our students and colleagues of African descent, and pledge to make Acadia a more inclusive and supportive community.

    Thank you for taking the time to read this message, and I look forward to the great work that will be done by the Black Student Advisor and the new Working Group.

    With very best wishes,

    Peter

  • Acadia Ranks 14th Nationally in Academic All-Canadians

    Acadia Ranks 14th Nationally in Academic All-Canadians

    Being a varsity athlete means sacrificing a lot of time to training. It means waking up at 5:30 am on a regular basis to lift weights. It means being away multiple weekends for competition. And it means dragging yourself out of bed to go train, after staying up to midnight finishing a project. It is always impressive to hear of those athletes who are able to maintain as high of a standard for their academics as with their sport. Acadia has many of these such athletes.

    U SPORTS (the national governing body of university sports) recognizes Academic All-Canadians: varsity athletes with an average of 80% or higher while competing in their varsity sport. This year, Acadia ranked 14th in Canada for the most number of Academic All-Canadians, ahead of St. Francis Xavier, University of British Columbia and Carleton. Acadia has 116 Academic All-Canadians for the 2016/17 school year, outnumbering last year’s record of 110. Acadia’s Academic All-Canadian banquet was held last week to recognize these athletes, with representatives from Men’s Basketball, Football, Men’s Hockey, Men’s Soccer, Men’s Swimming, Women’s Basketball, Women’s Cross-Country, Women’s Rugby, Women’s Soccer, Women’s Swimming, Women’s Track and Field, and Women’s Volleyball.

    Even more impressive, Acadia is ranked first in the country per capita of Academic All-Canadians– a feat that Acadia has accomplished for the past three years.

    “We’re extremely proud of the academic success in general at Acadia with our Academic All-Canadians leading the way. We’ve had the ability to dispel some of the myths that athletic and academic success are mutually exclusive,” said Kevin Dickie, Executive Director of Athletics and Community Events.

    “We are equally as proud of student-athletes who may not hit the 80% benchmark but are doing all they can in the classroom to improve their grades through their dedication and commitment,” noted Dickie.

    With 285 student-athletes, Acadia is one of the top university in the country with 38.5% of it’s student-athletes deemed Academic All-Canadians. With a graduation rate of 96%, the academic average of Acadia student-athletes is 75%.

    Sarah Lavallée is a first year Environmental Science student and a member of the Varsity Cross Country team

  • Iconic Raymond Field Smokestack Dismantled

    Iconic Raymond Field Smokestack Dismantled

    The iconic chimney behind Raymond Field has finally been dismantled.

    It was commissioned for the Central Heating Plant in 1949 and was ultimately decommissioned in 2014 when the boilers were converted to No. 6 Fuel Oil. With the virtual elimination of particulate, NOx and SOx emissions, in addition to a 30% reduction in GHG emissions the smokestack was no longer required.

    In a statement to The Athenaeum, Executive Director of Facilities and the K.C. Irving Environmental Science Centre Marcel Falkenham noted that “It was considered surplus since then and slated to be demolished. There are no current plans to relocate the central heating plant and there is no intended impact to the Athletics program as a result of this demolition.”

    The smokestack was made famous in Alex Colville’s iconic 1973 painting Professor of Romance Languages, depicting Dr. Charles Bentley who taught French at Acadia and passed away in the winter of 1986.

  • ESST Clothing Swap

    ESST Clothing Swap

    For our fourth-year project, the Environmental and Sustainability Studies department is hosting a clothing swap. In a recent study, it was found that a family in the western world throws away an average of 30 kg of clothing each year. Of this, only 15% is recycled or donated, and the rest goes directly to landfills or is incinerated. The production of clothing results in a significant depletion of resources due to the continuous consumption of water, minerals, and fossil fuels. Furthermore, clothes are something we all need and want, but sustainable purchasing can be expensive. Our goal is to offer a low-cost alternative to this dilemma while keeping clothes out of landfills and giving them at least one more life. So, to take a step in the right direction, we invite Acadia students and faculty to join us in a clothing swap. We will be collecting clothes Monday, November 5th, 2018 from 11:30am-12:30pm outside of the Vaughan Memorial Library in the BAC. For every one item donated you get a token to “purchase” an item at the clothing swap in the Michener Lounge on November 6th from 3pm to 6pm. We hope to see you all there!  

    Caroline O’Connor is a fourth-year Environmental and Sustainability Studies student at Acadia University

  • Biology Teaching Gong Show: A Recap

    Biology Teaching Gong Show: A Recap

    Acadia’s Biology Research Gong Show recently took place on October 23rd, where professors gave short PowerPoint presentations outlining their current research projects. Research gong shows are a great way for students to learn about the research being conducted within their department, and opportunities to get involved in. If the presenter goes over the 3-minute time limit, they are interrupted with the ring of a gong (or the hammering of wooden spoons against a frying pan). Biology and non-biology students alike may be interested in the wide variety of research projects underway at Acadia:

    1. Dr. Todd Smith started off the show by introducing his research on parasites. His work is currently focused on studying the relationship between malaria parasites and their hosts. His lab investigates the co-evolution of parasites that target mosquitoes, frogs, and snakes, with a specific interest in host immune responses. Dr. Smith is currently teaching BIOL 2053 (Microbial Biodiversity), BIOL 3123 (Parasitology) and BIOL 3583 (Eukaryotic Microbiology).
    2. Next up was Dr. Glenys Gibson, whose research revolves around evolutionary development. Her lab is focused on marine invertebrates and the influence of environmental factors on their development. Her work includes analyzing the effects of microplastics on tissue growth – research that is undeniably pertinent, as we observe an increase in the amount of plastic present in the natural environment. Dr. Gibson is currently teaching BIOL 3153 (Principles of Development), BIOL 3163 (Comparative Embryology), and BIOL 3423 (Histology 1).
    3.  If you’re a biology student at Acadia, you’re likely already familiar with Dr. Allison Walker’s passion for fungi. She and Acadia’s Fungal Dream Team are currently looking at marine fungi, with many projects on the go, including the restoration of native species in salt marshes, the role of endophytes (organisms that live between plant cells) in algae and seagrass, and the potential uses of fungi, such as the suppression of pathogens. Dr. Walker is currently teaching BIOL 1123 (Organisms & Their Environment II),
      BIOL 3663 (Introductory Mycology) and BIOL 2043 (Biodiversity of Plants and Algae).
    4. We’re all too familiar with stress, but Dr. Russell Easy’s research delves deeper into stress and how it affects animals. His lab uses technology like Polymerase Chain Reaction to investigate DNA and proteins, with the goal of identifying biomarkers of stress. The Easy lab looks at a variety of animals, including fish, deer, frogs, and sea stars. Dr. Easy is also the coordinator of the Biology Honours program, and teaches BIOL 2013 (Cell & Molecular Biology), BIOL 3613 (Principles of Genetics), BIOL 3623 (Molecular Genetics & Genomics) and well as the Natural History Field Course on Bon Portage Island, which is an immersive field course offered during the summer.
    5. If beetles and moths fascinate you, Dr. Kirk Hiller’s research will too! Dr. Hillier’s lab investigates olfactory neuroscience in insects, such as the evolution of pheromone communication between moths. Other projects revolve around conservation and agriculture, including the development of sustainable chemicals for pest management. Dr. Hillier currently teaches BIOL 3883 (Chemical Ecology) and BIOL 4443 (Comparative Animal Physiology)
    6. Those interested in a career in immunology or medicine will want to know about Dr. Melanie Coombs’ research. Dr. Coombs is currently working to demonstrate that some natural products may actually kill metastatic cancer cells. Her lab is currently investigating PZ-DHA, a compound that has been shown to kill breast cancer cells, and looking whether it also has the ability to kill other cancers, such as colon cancer. Dr. Coombs currently teaches BIOL 2053 (Microbial Biodiversity), BIOL 3553 (Immunology), BIOL 3573 (Applied and Environmental Microbiology), and BIOL 4353 (Pathogenic Microbiology).
    7. Marine biology is the domain of Dr. Trevor Avery’s lab, with focus on animal residency and biodiversity. Research in his lab involves finding and tagging fish, frogs, and squid; then examining their population dynamics and demographics. The human dimension is also explored in his lab, as his team often conducts social surveys and collaborates with the community. Dr. Avery teaches BIOL 2563 (Marine Biology),
      BIOL 4113 (Fish Biology & Fisheries Science), and BIOL 4253 (Applied Statistical Modeling). Dr. Avery is also a fan of statistics and teaches a course for the Math department: MATH 2223/2243 (Statistics for Life Sciences).

    Several professors are on sabbatical and were unable to attend the show, but their Honours students stepped up and gave the 3-minute presentations in their place:

    1. Evolutionary biologist Dr. Don Stewart uses DNA sequencing to explore the molecular evolution of organisms. His team studies the genetics and habitats of animals such as black bears, while also investigating the interesting phenomenon of doubly uniparental inheritance: most animals inherit their mitochondrial genes only from their mother, but some bivalves (like mussels) can get them from their father too.
    2. Dr. Dave Shutler’s team studies the birds and the bees (and the coyotes). A lot of field work is involved, as his lab observes the parental investment and predation of birds, the diseases of bees, and the ecology of coyotes.
    3. Dr. Brian Wilson researches neuroendocrinology, and supervises projects on physiological properties of strokes, while studying the hormone relaxin and its ability to reduce resulting tissue damage. Another project looks at the endocannibinoid system, through which THC affects the brain, a research area that is certain to grow with the recent legalization marijuana.
    4. Plant biologist Dr. Rodger Evans studies floral evolutionary characteristics, as well as plant relationships. One of his current lab projects involves examining the influence of moths on plant development.

    As demonstrated by the gong show, Acadia’s biology department is home to many significant research projects. The research outlined here is only a portion of all that is being conducted at the school, so students are likely to find a topic they’ll want to get involved with.

  • St FX wins inaugural Great Debate against Acadia

    St FX wins inaugural Great Debate against Acadia

    X Debate, the official debate club of St Francis Xavier University, has won the inaugural Great Debate against Acadia’s Paul Tom Debate Society.

    The motion, “This House supports the use of civil disobedience as a means to achieve political change”, passed with a score of 118-94.

    Acadia hosted the inaugural Great Debate this year. Even years the competition will be hosted in Wolfville, while odd years it will be hosted in Antigonish.

    Acadia, represented by Mackenzie Braden and Ruvimbo Chipazi, argued against the motion citing numerous instances of where civil disobedience led to open revolt, such as in Libya in 2011.

    St FX, represented by Will Fraser and Erin Kinzie, pointed to the success of several civil disobedience movements and cited them as precedent for the ability of collective power to achieve political change.

    “X-Debate was so happy to participate in this event,” Fraser said. “Our entire team enjoyed the opportunity to engage with our historic rivals at Acadia. We look forward to continuing this new tradition!”

    The next Great Debate will be hosted at St FX University in Fall 2019.

  • Reds edge past Axemen in 2-1 win

    Reds edge past Axemen in 2-1 win

    WOLFVILLE, N.S. – The Acadia Axemen (2-3-0) were unable to mount a comeback against the undefeated UNB Reds (5-0-0) on Friday night, as they lost 2-1. Although the teams were evenly matched for most the game, UNB dominated the third period to take the win.  

    Despite chances on both sides, the first period was a scoreless affair. UNB dominated the play early in the period, but Acadia eventually found their footing before the midway point of the first.

    By the end of the first period, the shots were 12-9 for the Axemen.

    UNB broke the scoreless tie with a shorthanded marker in the second period from Reds forward Samuel Dove-McFalls.

    Dove-McFalls buried the puck into the empty net after the Axemen goalie fell over and let go of the loose puck, making it 1-0 for UNB.

    The Axemen responded just under six minutes later when they tied the game off a goal from Acadia forward, Rodney Southam.

    Southam scored off a weird bounce like McFalls’ goal, as the puck ricocheted off the glass behind the net and bounced in front where Southam potted it to make it 1-1.  

    By the end of the second period, the shots were 22-19 for the Axemen.

    UNB came out firing on all cylinders in the third, with a power-play goal 17 seconds into the final frame.

    Reds forward Kris Bennett broke into the offensive zone, cut to the left and ripped a shot into the bottom right corner of the net, past the Axemen goalie to make it 2-1.

    The Axemen were mere inches away from tying the game when forward Kyle Farrell flew in on a breakaway. Farrell slid the puck under the goalie’s pads, but the UNB defense were able to clear the puck off the line before it went in.

    That was the closest the Axemen would come to tying the game in the third, despite pulling their goalie late in regulation time.

    “A lot of flow to the game, especially playing against UNB, a top team in the nation for many years. I think we actually did a very good job considering we have 12 new guys who are seeing them for the first time. We did a good job keeping them to the outside and skating with them,” noted Axeman Rodney Southam following the game.

    Axemen goaltender Logan Flodell turned aside 25 of 27 shots, while his UNB counterpart – and Subway First Star of the Night – Rylan Parenteau stopped 29 of 30 shots.

    Southam pointed out he’s not surprised by Parenteau’s performance.

    “I have been playing against him all my life and he is a pretty acrobatic goalie. Seeing him in there, I said to ‘good job’ to him, but definitely not the way I wanted it to end,” said Southam.

    The second and third stars of the night were Axemen forward Rodney Southam and UNB forward Kris Bennett, respectively

    The Axemen take to the ice again at home tomorrow night against the UPEI Panthers. Puck drop is at 7:00pm.

    Joshua Foote works at the Acadia Athletics Communications Office

  • A New Era for Men’s Rugby: ARFC Dominates at X

    A New Era for Men’s Rugby: ARFC Dominates at X

    Acadia Men’s Rugby was on the road to Antigonish for another double header against rivals Saint Francis Xavier in both the first and second division this past weekend. With a bitter taste still in the club’s mouth after losing last year’s Nova Scotia final to the X-Men, the sense of commitment was evident from the moment the bus left Wolfville, and this commitment carried the club to victory at Memorial Field this past Sunday.

    The first division kicked off first and kept their foot on the gas for the entire match. In a dominant performance by the forwards, in both the set piece and open play, Acadia’s seemingly endless offensive threats proved too much for the ever-strong defending team. Of particular note were Captain Mark O’Riley’s leadership and four try contributions to the ultimate 66-7 result.

    The second division game was a battle for the full 80 minutes. St. FX worked well through their phases and consistently made it over the gain line. However, individual efforts from first-year Acadia players in the backfield would lead to big points, which kept Acadia in the win column for a second time that day.

    With obvious new energy within the club, it is quickly becoming clear that this will be quite a season for Men’s Rugby at Acadia. Both the first and second divisions are at home for their next games, with the second division hosting King’s College this Sunday, and the first division battling Dal on homecoming Saturday. We hope to see you there to support the lads on the road to the Maritime Championship.

    Eamonn Sullivan is a fifth-year Psychology major at Acadia University and a scrum-half for ARFC

  • Erik Nissen Signs First Professional Contract in Spain

    Erik Nissen Signs First Professional Contract in Spain

    Slan Sports Management is pleased to announce that Erik Nissen has signed a one-year contract (with a second-year option), with CB Clavijo Logrono in the Spanish LEB Silver League for the 2018-2019 season. 

    Nissen, a 6’9” power forward/center, recently completed an all-star senior season with Acadia University in the Atlantic University Sports Conference (AUS) of USports. Nissen averaged 18.3 points, while leading the AUS in both rebounding and blocks, averaging 10.4 rebounds and 3.0 blocks per game. Nissen ranked second nationally in blocks per game and third in rebounds per game. He was named the AUS Defensive Player of the Year and earned a spot on the All-AUS First Team. Nissen led Acadia to the 2018 USports National Championship Tournament and was selected to represent Canada at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Australia.

    A Quispamsis, New Brunswick native, Nissen attended Kennebecasis Valley High School, where he was a three-sport star, also competing in volleyball and rowing. Nissen then began his collegiate career in 2013 with the University of Maine in the NCAA. In his two seasons at Maine, Nissen provided scoring and rebounding off the bench in a depth role, averaging 3.0 points and 1.8 rebounds per game in his freshman year. Nissen then made the move closer to home and joined Acadia University for his final three seasons of eligibility. In 2015-2016, Nissen had a strong debut campaign for Acadia, averaging 14.8 points, and 8.4 rebounds per game. He continued to elevate his play the following year, averaging 18.1 points, 9.7 rebounds, and a league leading 2.0 blocks per game. His play earned him a spot on the All-AUS Second Team along with a selection to Team Canada for the 2017 FISU Games.

    Nissen is eager to begin his professional career and believes he will have an immediate opportunity to contribute with Clavijo.

    “I couldn’t be more excited to start my pro career with Clavijo,” said Nissen. “I’m looking forward to working with world class talent and coaching, while getting to know Logroño.”

    For more information and individual box scores for Erik throughout the season, visit http://slansportsmanagement.com/erik-nissen.

    About Slan Sports Management

    Slan Sports Management Limited (SSM) is a dynamic NBPA, FIBA and WNBA licensed firm dedicated to building and managing the careers of elite basketball players. SSM has negotiated contracts for its clients in over twenty countries around the world and continues to be a leader in the basketball representation business. To learn more, visit: http://slansportsmanagement.com.

    Please contact:  

    Matt Slan

    President, Slan Sports Management

    Phone: 416.219.4946

    Email: [email protected]

  • As Philip DeFranco would say, “Don’t be stupid, stupid.”

    As Philip DeFranco would say, “Don’t be stupid, stupid.”

    Welcome to Acadia University. Whether you’re here for the first time, or have been here for way too long, I think I speak for most students when I say it’s pretty awesome being back. I’ll be this year’s opinions editor, which basically means I’d like you to send me all the rants that keep you up at night, or debating for hours on end (note: this is me making fun of our former Editor-in-Chief; he knows who he is and I hope he is reading this).

    Instead of sullying my name outright at the beginning of the semester, I’ll save the hard-hitting stuff for later on. However, I figure I’ll throw out some common-sense stuff every student should do when getting back to school.

    1. Call your damn parents. Seriously, you’re lucky to be here. They’re pumped that you’re here and they’ll be happy to know you’ve settled in. And let’s be honest, most of us will be in need of something after a few weeks anyway…
    2. Get organized right away. This is sick because it’s not like you have anything else to do besides buying books that actually prepares you for school.
    3. Food: go nuts, student loans only last so long. Trust me, it doesn’t matter how much money you think you have, it always runs out.
    4. Download Grammarly. Seriously, anyone who does academic writing needs this (ie, all my BA students/future barista brothers and sisters). It’s not flawless, but it’s a decent last line of defense before you hand in an assignment.
    5. Record all your due dates somewhere you’ll see them all the time. Any Mac users out there can put reminders in your calendar and have them sent to your phone. If you’re old fashioned, you can always use an Android…
    6. Frosh, get out of your room, keep your door open and go to rez events. I still live with the guys who were my best buds in Chip.
    7. Don’t be stupid, stupid. We all drink from time to time, but a $450 fine from the RCMP is no fun, and neither is the additional $450 you’ll get if you’re caught drinking underage. If you’re going to a party, go with someone who’s taking a bookbag.
    8. Get involved in anything. Write for The Ath, join Axe Radio, attend Model United Nations, stay up ludicrously late to play intramural sports. Hell, go to the party your rez or buds are throwing. School hits pretty hard near the end of September so enjoy your time while you can.

    Well, there you go. A totally generic opinion piece on how not to be stupid when you get back to school. But seriously, write for the Athenaeum, If you have an opinion and want it heard, hit me up at [email protected].

    Kyle Thompson-Clement is a 5th year Politics student and Opinions Editor of The Athenaeum

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