The final edition for this academic year! We hope you have a wonderful summer.
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CSSH Newsletter
June 2025
College Dean's Message
Phew! We made it to the end of another year.
If you have been reading these newsletters, you know how much I enjoy convocation season. This year, I was able to attend three different convocations (thanks to the registrar's office for combining the MBAs with the JDs). I saw firsthand the excitement on the faces of the graduates, the hugs with faculty members waiting for students on stage, and the celebrations with family and friends. This year, I also heard from three amazing speakers who talked about love, loss, purpose and hope in a way that challenged graduates to become changemakers and make a difference in the world.
One of the exciting parts of this convocation season for me was to see the number of Certificate in Interdisciplinary Leadership Studies students who came from the Faculty of Arts. Congratulations to Richard Field and his team for undertaking efforts to revamp the Peter Lougheed Leadership College leadership certificate. This year, about half of the students came from outside the Alberta School of Business, and many of those have come from outside CSSH. This truly represents the vision of an interdisciplinary certificate that appeals to students from a variety of disciplines.
Every quarter, the college deans, VPRI, provost and president meet to discuss all things research at the university. It was with great pride that I was able to discuss the amazing research that is happening in the individual faculties, as well as the growing partnership between the college office of research and the VPRI’s research partnership.
As mentioned in my last newsletter, I will be stepping away from my role as college dean and vice-provost. I encourage you to keep an eye out for upcoming town halls and public presentations related to the search for the next dean. These are important opportunities to lend your voice to the selection process, and I hope you'll take time out of your busy summer to attend. I'm also grateful to those who have volunteered their time to serve on the selection committee. Your dedication is appreciated.
Our monthly newsletter will take its usual break, so the next time you’ll hear from me will be at the end of August.
As I close this message, I want to wish you all a wonderful summer. I hope it's filled with rest and a chance to recharge.
Best regards,
Marvin
Office of Access, Community and Belonging
Honouring National Indigenous History Month
June is National Indigenous History Month, a time to honour the histories, knowledge systems, and leadership of First Nations, Métis and Inuit Peoples. In the College of Social Sciences and Humanities, it’s also a chance to reflect on insights shared during interim reporting for Braiding Past, Present and Future, the university’s Indigenous Strategic Plan, including those from faculty leadership and Indigenous colleagues working within and beyond formal roles. Here is some of what emerged:
In the Faculty of Arts, Indigenous leadership, land-based learning, language revitalization through CILLDI and interdisciplinary partnerships continue to shape strong foundations for community-engaged scholarship.
In the Alberta School of Business, Indigenous history and worldviews are being integrated into the core curriculum through cross-faculty collaboration, alongside expanded industry partnerships and growing support for Indigenous student spaces and programming.
In the Faculty of Education, sustained work through ATEP, deepening Indigenous-led research, and the integration of Indigenous pedagogy in teacher preparation are supported by interdisciplinary approaches and long-standing community relationships.
In the Faculty of Law, Indigenous law is woven throughout the curriculum, supported by strong mentorship, culturally grounded student supports and teaching approaches that draw on Indigenous legal traditions and knowledge holders.
As the college prepares to share its interim report in the fall, we welcome stories, questions, or reflections from across the community. We’d love to hear from you if there’s work in your area that should be recognized or supported. This snapshot is by no means the full picture. What’s clear, though, is that the strength of this work often lies in the quiet alignment and relationships across faculties: a reminder of how connection makes us stronger. We’ll continue highlighting more faculty wins in the months ahead, so stay tuned!
CSSH Shout Outs!
This month, we’d like to recognize the Institute of Prairie and Indigenous Archaeology for their excellent Guide to Good Relations. This resource directly supports the university’s Changing the Story plan by promoting values-based practices, ultimately enhancing safety and excellence in research and teaching spaces.
Office of Research
College bids farewell to senior research partner
We extend gratitude and best wishes to our colleague Heather Young-Leslie, who has moved to the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies as part of a phased retirement plan. Heather leaves a legacy of research initiatives and successes.
We would also like to welcome Kelsey Wrightson as interim senior research partner for the college. Kelsey has significant experience with our college and will be a valuable addition to our team during her time in this role.
Recap of 2024 UNESCO AI4IA Conference and report now available
CSSH played a key role in the 2024 UNESCO AI4IA Conference, held annually to mark the International Day for Universal Access to Information. Learn more about the college’s contributions and the key individuals who shared their expertise at the link below.
Office of Education
Recap: Office of Education Query Workshop
On June 18, the Office of Education hosted a workshop for student administrators in the college about Campus Solutions queries. Over 40 staff members attended from all areas of the college, indicating a strong interest and engagement in the subject.
Led by Christiaan Conradie and Kim Olson (CSSH functional analysts), the workshop was the first meeting of the group. It was an opportunity for advisors and administrators to provide feedback on existing reports and queries, to identify new queries that would reduce inefficiencies and to create a collaborative space for staff members across the college to share knowledge, challenges and best practices.
Many thanks to all attendees for your enthusiasm and engagement. We look forward to more sessions in the coming year!
There's Still Time to Learn About Teaching Squares
Looking to connect with other instructors from our college to exchange ideas, refine teaching skills and explore pedagogical approaches? Consider joining Teaching Squares, an initiative aimed at enhancing teaching development, strengthening collegiality and building interdisciplinary connections through structured peer engagement.
For those interested in learning more, reach out to us using this form by July 15.
College News
Fabric of the Future
CSSH researchers are integral to a new, federally-funded smartwear research project currently underway at the U of A.
Episodes 13 and 14 now available
In episode 13, we chat with Sarah Nickel, an associate professor in the Department of History, Classics and Religion in the Faculty of Arts, about the stories of Indigenous women’s activism and achievement, and the value of bringing historical training into community.
In episode 14, tune into a discussion with Joshua St Pierre, an associate professor of political science in the Faculty of Arts, about disfluency studies, the Stuttering Commons project, and his work to provide accessible public resources about speech disabilities.
College of Social Sciences + Humanities
Expanding the boundaries of knowledge and understanding to foster a creative, equitable, inclusive, just and democratic society, with opportunity and well-being for all.
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