About
Welcome to the 30th Annual Graduate Research Conference (GRC), to be held on March 27-28, 2025. As a multi-disciplinary conference, there is something for everybody at the 2024 GRC. The conference is open for all students and the public to attend and there is no registration required or fee. Hope to see you there!
The Graduate Research Conference (GRC) is a conference designed for graduate students, by the Graduate Students Association (GSA). It provides an opportunity for students from different faculties and departments to come together and share their ideas. The mandate of the GRC is to provide a forum for graduate students to present their research in a supportive environment, gain presentation skills, and develop links with the greater graduate community.
This year 2024, GRC theme revolves around social change and innovation, featuring engaging discussions and presentations in the following key areas:
- Science and Engineering: Social Innovation, Health Care, Clean Tech, Waste Management, Digital Democracy, Social impact of Artificial Intelligence, etc.
- Social Sciences and Humanities: Human Rights and Advocacy, Education and Social Change, Democracy, Community Engagement, Cultural Inclusion, Reconciliation, etc.
History
History of GRC
The Graduate Research Conference has been an annual tradition for the past 30 years. The GRC has welcomed prominent keynote speakers over the years and is a popular event among all UNB students.
Below you will find some information about previous conferences.
Special Guests
Opening and Welcome Remarks
Cheyenne Joseph
Cheyenne Joseph is a member of Bear River First Nation in Mi’kmaki, Wabanaki territory. She has over 20 years of experience as a Registered Nurse, specialized in Community Health Nursing, and has worked almost exclusively with Indigenous communities in Atlantic Canada. She is a graduate of Dalhousie and Lakehead Universities, and is currently pursuing her doctorate in public health from the University of Toronto. She has been a faculty member at UNB’s Faculty of Nursing, helping to strengthen the nursing curriculum by embedding Indigenous wisdom and knowledge. Cheyenne was recently appointed as UNB’s newest Piluwitahasuwin or Associate Vice-President, Indigenous Engagement with a mandate to guide the university in its commitment to Indigenous reconciliation and engagement.
Keynote Address
Constantine Passaris
Dr. Constantine Passaris is a Professor of Economics at the UNB, an Onassis Foundation Fellow (Greece), a Dobbin Scholar (Ireland), a Research Affiliate of the Prentice Institute for Global Population & Economy at the University of Lethbridge, an Affiliate Member of the Canadian Institute of Cybersecurity, and a member of the Academic Scientific Board of the International Institute of Advanced Economic and Social Studies (Italy). His scholarly publications have been published in monographs, books, encyclopedias, and academic journals. He has written extensively on economic issues dealing with public policy, globalization, internalization, economic governance, regional development, human rights, demography, immigration, and multiculturalism. Professor Passaris has served as an advisor to the Canadian Commission for UNESCO, a member of the Economic Council of Canada, president of the NB Multicultural Council, chair of the NB Human Rights Commission, president of the Canadian Association of Statutory Human Rights Agencies, chair of the NB Advisory Board on Population Growth, a member of the NB Electoral Reform Commission, chair of the Board of Directors of the Atlantic Human Rights Center at STU, and a member of the NB Immigration Advisory Committee for the Atlantic Immigration Pilot Project. He is the recipient of numerous academic and civilian honours and awards, including the UNB Allan P. Stuart Award for Excellence in Teaching, the Government of Canada Citation for Citizenship Award, the NB Multicultural Council’s inaugural Legacy Award, the 125th Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada Medal, the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal, the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal, and the Order of New Brunswick.
Panel Discussion
Matthew Stewart MacLean
Matthew excels in converting research and empirical data into actionable, innovative approaches that nurture mental health and development, both within communities and for individuals. Boasting a robust background in counselling, mental health, and accessibility, Matthew has dedicated fifteen years to the realm of Higher Education. His career journey spans across various institutions and provinces. Matthew currently holds the position of Mental Health Strategist at the UNB. In this role, he is instrumental in shaping and guiding the university’s mental health policies and practices.
Panel Discussion
Nadia Richards
Nadia Richards is the Associate Vice-President of Human Rights and Equity at the UNB. She has worked in community services, social justice and post-secondary education for a combined 23 years. Nadia’s primary focus has been to serve equity deserving populations. Her research focuses on African Women’s Empowerment, with a specific look at rural women in Rwanda post-genocide. This work explores the ways in which rural women conceptualize empowerment from both national and personal perspective. Nadia has worked on various publications and is currently in the process of publishing “The Race Journals”, a book that explores the experiences of Black women in Toronto and the GTA, as it relates to racism. This book focuses on the ways Black women have engaged in resistance, self-restoration and community building. More importantly the authors in this book describe the ways they have used their agency to thrive within Canadian society.
Panel Discussion
Jesse Simon
Jesse J. Simon (B.A, B.Ed, M.Ed) is a fluent speaker of the Mi’kmaq language from Elsipogtog First Nation. He has always been involved in First Nation education in some capacity over his professional career. He started as a Guidance Counsellor in his community from 2006-2008 before he was elected Chief of Elsipogtog from 2008-2012. He returned to the classroom in 2012 and was Principal for the Elsipogtog School as well. He was then approached to work for the former National Chief, Phil Fontain, as a consultant on issues dealing with various Indigenous communities in the Atlantic Provinces regarding resource extracting companies. He was the Executive Director for the Tribal Council of the 3 largest First Nations in New Brunswick, as well as the Executive Director for the Treaty Rights organization representing 8 Mi’kmaq communities in NB from 2016-2019. Jesse returned to the classroom in 2019 and then became the Director of Education in 2021 with Kingslcear First Nation on an interim basis. Currently, he is the Assistant Director/Assisting Teaching professor at the Mi’kmaq-Wolastoqey Centre (MWC) at the UNB in Fredericton teaching Mi’kmaq language courses and providing administrative support to the Director of the MWC.Opening Remarks
Closing Remarks and Awards
Call for Abstracts
Eligibility
Students who submit an abstract must be registered in a postsecondary program, be in good standing, and have made substantial progress on their research and analysis. Visiting students, exchange students, and students on leave are also eligible.
Students must present in-person or virtually, agree to be photographed and video-taped, and allow the recordings to be made public.
30th GRC Theme
The theme for the 30th Graduate Research Conference 2024 is Social Economic & Cultural Affairs, which is divided into 2 streams that applicants can choose from:
- Science and Engineering: Social Innovation, Health Care, Clean Tech, Waste Management, Digital Democracy, Social impact of Artificial Intelligence, etc.
- Social Sciences and Humanities: Human Rights and Advocacy, Education and Social Change, Democracy, Community Engagement, Cultural Inclusion, Reconciliation, etc.
Guidelines
- The submission file is in PDF format.
- All URL addresses in the text (e.g., https://pkp.sfu.ca) are activated and ready to click.
- The text is single-spaced; uses a 14-point font; employs italics, rather than underlining (except with URL addresses); and all illustrations, figures, and tables are placed within the text at the appropriate points, rather than at the end.
- Abstract (Maximum of 250-300 Words):
- Include primary author and co-authors (format: Williams TG and Rowes JK).
- Abstract should include a brief introduction, description of research methodology, and results to be discussed.
- Please use Single Column format for Abstract
- For more guidelines for writing the abstract, please visit the following site.
- Include references, if any.
- All abstracts are peer-reviewed. The authors’ names are removed from submission, with “Author” and year used in the bibliography and footnotes, instead of authors’ name, paper title, etc. before being sent to the reviewers.
- If submitting to peer review, all Microsoft Office documents (including Supplementary Files) have been saved by going to File and selecting Save As; clicking Tools (or Options in a Mac); clicking Security; selecting “Remove personal information from file properties on save”; clicking Save.
- *Please note: You are applying for a conference that is meant for various departments and academic areas, the general public needs to be able to attend and understand.
- *Please note: when applying for “Both” in the presentation preference on the submission form, you are committing your time to do an oral presentation and a poster presentation.
- *Please note: Your abstract can be of a project completed or a project in progress. If you have any questions please contact grc@unbgsa.ca
- General presentation notes:
- Standard oral presentation slot will be approximately 15 mins including time for questions.
- Poster dimensions are 48” x 36” (standard conference poster size).
- Talks that cannot fit into the oral presentation program will automatically be considered for poster presentations.
Resources
More resources would be available starting April 2024.
Committee
GSA is looking for committee members for organizing GRC 2024. If you are interested in becoming a committee member, please contact grc@unbgsa.ca.
Contact
UNB Graduate Student Association 676 Windsor Street, Fredericton, New Brunswick E3B 5A3
grc@unbgsa.ca
+1 506-453-4700