Growing populations, aging infrastructure and prolonged drought conditions are putting strain on water resources. Conservation and preparation are key to maintaining its life-giving supply.
Feed your mind with a continuing education course! Alumni save $50 on courses $250+ with code ALWAYS2025
YASMIN AHMED
BACHELOR OF SOCIAL WORK, 2025
ROSELLA BJORNSON, PHD
HONORARY DOCTOR OF LAWS, 2025
DEL COBURN
BACHELOR OF ARTS — SOCIOLOGY, 2025
MEGAN DROUIN
BACHELOR OF HEALTH AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION — ATHLETIC THERAPY, 2022
TRICIA FEHR
GENERAL STUDIES ARTS AND SCIENCES CERTIFICATE, 2003
EMMA GILCHRIST
BACHELOR OF APPLIED COMMUNICATION — JOURNALISM, 2006
ALI HAMOUDI
AVIATION DIPLOMA, 2025
DAVID JACKSON
BACHELOR OF ARTS — HISTORY, 2025
ASHLEY KING
BACHELOR OF COMMUNICATION — JOURNALISM, 2018
CAROLYN LY
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE — GENERAL SCIENCE, 2018
KELAENA MAUDE
BACHELOR OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION — GENERAL MANAGEMENT (HONOURS), 2025
RODNEY OMOKU
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE — BIOLOGY, 2025
COURTNEY OWEN
BACHELOR OF HEALTH AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION — ATHLETIC THERAPY, 2018
BRIELLE PEDERSEN-SKENE
BACHELOR OF MIDWIFERY, 2025
PATTI PON, PHD
HONORARY DOCTOR OF LAWS, 2025
CYNTHIA PROVOST, PHD HONORARY DOCTOR OF LAWS, 2025
ZOË SAY
BACHELOR OF ARTS — PSYCHOLOGY (HONOURS), 2025
BOB STEADWARD, PHD HONORARY DOCTOR OF LAWS, 2025
KAILIE STOBBART
BACHELOR OF COMMUNICATION — BROADCAST MEDIA STUDIES, 2025
THOMAS TRI
SOCIAL WORK DIPLOMA, 2022
TOM WOOD, PHD
HONORARY DOCTOR OF LAWS, 2025
In the Fall 2024 issue of Summit, I was pleased to share a refreshed look for the magazine. As Mount Royal continues to grow and evolve, it’s important that our brand continues to grow with us and who we aspire to be.
In this edition, you will find an introduction to our new brand campaign: Grow Beyond. These two words speak to our commitment to going further, thinking bigger and building a university experience rooted in community, purpose and impact.
Through Summit and our newly refreshed website, we celebrate the stories of our people and ideas that make a difference on campus and in our communities.
We take a deep dive (pun intended) into the topic of water and how we must protect this precious resource, which became top of mind last summer after Calgary’s major water main break. We also take a look at the body’s most fascinating organ — the brain. Find out about how brain research is helping to treat substance abuse and the amazing ways a child’s brain changes during their first years of life.
In addition to many interesting stories, keep an eye out for a blast from the past as we revisit some of the musical acts that have come to our campus.
Please stay close to MRU and remember you are always part of our community.
Tim Rahilly, PhD, president and vice-chancellor Mount Royal University
This issue of Summit is dedicated to the memory of Gloria Visser-Niven, former director of communications at Mount Royal University, friend and colleague. A consummate storyteller always brimming with ideas and energy, Gloria encouraged us all to reach further and dive deeper in sharing with readers the enormous positive impact of the Mount Royal community.
We are thankful for Gloria’s many contributions to Summit during her time at MRU. Her keen ability to highlight the achievements and innovative possibilities of a university she loved and respected is deeply missed.
Gloria passed away in November 2024, but we know that her spirit lives on through the magazine and the continued work of Marketing and Communications at MRU.
VICE-PRESIDENT, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Melanie Rogers
ASSOCIATE VICE-PRESIDENT, MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS
Dave McLean
DIRECTOR, COMMUNICATIONS
Peter Glenn
DIRECTOR, MARKETING
Katie Cabaret
DIRECTOR, ALUMNI RELATIONS
Jonathan Anderson
Summit is published in the fall and spring of each year. With a circulation of approximately 64,000, each issue features the exceptional alumni, students, faculty and supporters who make up the Mount Royal community. Summit tells the University’s ongoing story of the provision of an outstanding undergraduate education through personalized learning opportunities, a commitment to quality teaching, a focus on practical outcomes and a true dedication to communities. Celebrate yourself through Summit
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Melanie Rogers
EDITOR
Michelle Bodnar
BCMM(APPLIED)’05
DEPUTY EDITOR
Rachel von Hahn
ART DIRECTOR
Michal Waissmann
BCMM(APPLIED)’07
PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT
Deb Abramson
JOURNALISM DIPLOMA ’77
MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS
COORDINATOR
Chase Goods
BCMM ’24
COPY EDITOR
Matthew Fox
DESIGN
Leslie Blondahl
BCMM ’14
Astri Do Rego
Mike Poon
Chao Zhang
ISSN 1929-8757 Summit Publications Mail Agreement #40064310
Return undeliverables to: Mount Royal University 4825 Mount Royal Gate SW Calgary, AB, Canada T3E 6K6
Enjoy Summit online by visiting mru.ca/Summit.
If you would like a print copy delivered to your home or office, simply email summit@mtroyal.ca.
PHOTOGRAPHY
Cary Schatz
Chao Zhang
ILLUSTRATIONS
Astri Do Rego
Mike Poon
Chidera Uzoka
BCMM ’26
CONTRIBUTORS
Keith Bradford
Dawne Clark, PhD
Sade Dunn
Peter Glenn
Erin Guiltenane
Ashley King
BCMM ’18
Haley Jarmain
Alain Morin, PhD
Nadia Moharib
Bryan Weismiller
BCMM ’13
Rachel von Hahn
With gratitude and reciprocity, Mount Royal University acknowledges the relationships to the land and all beings, and the songs, stories and teachings of the Siksika Nation, the Piikani Nation, the Kainai Nation, the Îethka Stoney Nakoda Nation (consisting of the Chiniki, Bearspaw and Goodstoney Nations), the people of the Tsuut’ina Nation and the Métis.
MRU research is about breaking boundaries and testing the limits of knowledge.
In a time of much uncertainty, what can we expect over the next five years?
How an alumna overcame a life-changing event to discover a newfound purpose.
The human brain is endlessly fascinating. The control centres for all living beings, brains are able to process vast amounts of information in milliseconds. But we still don’t fully understand how they work.
Last summer’s water-main collapse in Calgary, which led to a summer of short showers, combined with ongoing drought conditions, has highlighted the need to preserve the world’s most precious resource.
Utilizing VR, AI and lifelike mannequins, MRU’s simulation centre is the ultimate training ground for shaping students into capable, confident professionals.
Page 4 Who is MRU’s new chancellor?
Page 12 Where to find the campus’ newest art exhibit.
Page 14 The names of some big music acts who have played for students and fans.
Page 18 The amount of seafood mislabelled in Calgary’s grocery stores.
Page 27 How water is used in Canadian residences.
Page 35 Just what is that little voice in our heads?
EYES TOWARDS THE FUTURE
Mount Royal University and the University of Waterloo have signed an agreement to explore creating Alberta’s first school of optometry — and the only one in Western Canada.
With limited seats in Canada, many aspiring optometrists study abroad, creating barriers for those from rural and Indigenous communities. This partnership aims to expand access to optometric education and address the growing demand for vision care.
“Mount Royal University is pleased to undertake this exploration,” said Dr. Chad London, PhD, MRU’s provost and vice-president, academic. “We are especially excited about the opportunity this could present in reducing barriers for Indigenous students.”
Backed by Alberta’s optometry leaders, this collaboration could bring the future of eye care in Western Canada into clearer focus.
Award-winning playwright and Mount Royal professor Dr. Natalie Meisner, PhD, premiered her play Boom Baby! in February through a collaboration between MRU and Sage Theatre. Students in Meisner’s directed readings course played a significant role in the rehearsal process, gaining hands-on experience while working alongside stage crew and actors. In Boom Baby!, a Nova Scotian oil-patch worker unexpectedly finds herself pregnant and has to navigate the complex world of adoption and class culture in the energy industry. Meisner’s personal connection to the story, combined with her creative and academic expertise, brought a unique depth to this world premiere.
Arlene Strom has stepped into the role of Mount Royal University’s chancellor, bringing a wealth of leadership experience and a deep commitment to community, sustainability and reconciliation.
A longtime advocate for relationship-building, Strom is eager to connect with students, faculty and staff to help further MRU’s mission. “I look forward to hearing from everyone and supporting them in the ways they need,” she said.
Strom retired from Suncor in 2023, where she most recently served as chief sustainability officer, general counsel and corporate secretary. Throughout her career, she has championed mentorship and collaboration, particularly in her work with Indigenous youth. “The energy, optimism and potential of young people is what drives me,” she said. “That’s why I’m so excited about this role and the chance to engage with students who are starting their careers.”
Dr. Tim Rahilly, PhD, MRU’s president and vicechancellor, said Strom’s leadership will strengthen the University’s connections beyond campus.
“Arlene will deepen our community engagement and act as a sage advisor. She is a dedicated changemaker who values building relationships.”
Sustainability remains at the core of Strom’s approach, serving as a lens to balance social, economic and environmental priorities.
“Sustainability brings together economics, entrepreneurship and social well-being, and I’m excited to engage in these discussions at MRU.”
Strom’s formal installation as chancellor took place in June during convocation. She succeeds MRU’s inaugural chancellor, Dawn Farrell, who completed her term in February 2025. With her leadership and passion, Strom is set to make a lasting impact.
MRU has signed the Recovery Friendly Campus Pledge as part of Recovery on Campus Alberta (ROC), a provincial initiative supporting students, staff and faculty in recovery from substance use. Launched with the Government of Alberta’s support, ROC aims to reduce stigma and foster understanding within post-secondary institutions.
In January, MRU reaffirmed its commitment to addiction recovery, with new initiatives like recovery meetings and programs. “At the heart of campus wellness is meeting our community members where they are,” said Phil Warsaba, MRU’s vice-president, students.
Dr. Jody Arndt, PhD, MRU’s director of Wellness Services, noted that the initiative helps foster a supportive environment for students in recovery, while also providing resources for employees. Student ambassador Laura Simbirski and social work student Ian Lyon shared their personal experiences, emphasizing the power of community support in recovery.
“On the Canadian border with a Mexican cartel smuggler”
60 Minutes
Dr. Kelly Sundberg, PhD — Criminal Justice
“How Canadian small businesses can expand into Asian markets and reduce their dependence on the U.S.”
The Conversation
Dr. Michael Roberts, PhD — International Business
“Mount Royal University study looks at the kidneys’ role in acclimatizing to higher altitudes”
LiveWire Calgary
Dr. Trevor Day, PhD — Biology
“Your highway heroes: Why people help strangers”
CBC Radio: Alberta at Noon
Dr. Naomi Grant, PhD — Psychology
“Alberta has a host of new policies restricting LGBTQ youth. These researchers are tracking the effects”
CBC Radio: Day 6
Dr. Corinne Mason, PhD — Women’s and Gender Studies
Dr. Leah Hamilton, PhD — Organizational Behaviour
“Trudeau resigns, so what’s next for Canada?”
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
TIP OF THE HAT
The cover story from our Winter 2023/24 issue, “Tipping Point,” was recognized with a 2024 CASE Best of District VIII Award for Best News Feature (1,000+ words). The article examined the rise of tipping in today’s increasingly digitized world, sparking a conversation about when a gratuity has crossed the line from voluntary to expected. The story was inspired by former communications director Gloria Visser-Niven.
Lori Williams — Policy Studies
“Fostering Indigenous joy in Calgary schools essential for Indigenous well-being: researchers”
LiveWire Calgary and The Canadian Press
Audra Foggin — Social Work
“The marketing behind Taylor Swift”
CBC Radio: The Homestretch
Dr. AnneMarie Dorland, PhD — Marketing
See more at mru.ca/MRUMedia
June convocation marked 10 years of graduates from Mount Royal’s Bachelor of Midwifery program, the only one of its kind in Alberta. The first graduates of the program, a class of eight, walked the stage in 2015, having started their studies in 2011. Since then, dozens of graduates have followed in their footsteps. Upon reflecting on the last decade of the program, Dr. Joseph Osiji, PhD, director of the School of Nursing and Midwifery, notes how it has shifted the landscape of maternal and neonatal care.
“Our graduates are profoundly impacting at provincial, national and international levels. They have made substantial contributions to communities across Alberta and beyond, including Indigenous communities, particularly in underserved areas,” he says.
In a historic achievement for Canadian geoscience, Calgary is set to host the 2028 International Geological Congress, often hailed as the “Olympics of geology.” The event will draw up to 10,000 geoscientists from around the globe, marking one of the largest gatherings in the field. Mount Royal’s Dr. Katherine Boggs, PhD, co-chaired Calgary’s successful bid committee, showcasing the city’s geological heritage, energy innovation and ties with Indigenous communities. MRU’s Iniskim Centre and Office of Indigenization and Decolonization provided key guidance throughout the bid process.
Wyatt Smuszko, a Transitional Vocational Program student at MRU, has been named one of Avenue Magazine’s Top 20 Under 20 for 2025. At 16, he launched Wild Wild Wyatt, a pop-up shop for second-hand Stampede gear. Two years later, he donated $5,000 to The PREP Society, the organization that helped him develop the skills to run a business. He then passed his business to a friend, ensuring its success continued. A passionate athlete, Smuszko coaches with Dark Horse Athletic, captains his intramural basketball team and hypes up crowds with the Calgary Surge Street Team.
Two Mount Royal professors, Dr. Victoria Bucholtz, PhD, and Jocelyn Rempel, have been named to the Calgary Herald’s annual “Compelling Calgarians” list. Bucholtz, a sessional instructor of history and a drag artist, is recognized for her work in transgender rights activism and her contributions to the arts and education. Rempel, a nursing professor and MRU’s chair in older adult health, leads the Centre for Health and Innovation in Aging, which focuses on research and solutions for the aging population. Both are celebrated for their impactful work within the classroom and beyond.
Breanna Correia, an MRU public relations student, has been named the 2025 Calgary Stampede Princess. A lifelong Calgarian with deep agricultural roots, Correia stood out in a competitive selection process. “She shone in her horsemanship, public speaking and interpersonal skills,” said Janelle Fortmuller, chair of the Calgary Stampede Royalty Committee. As Stampede Princess, Correia will represent the Stampede alongside the First Nations Princess, attending events throughout the year.
The MRU Cougars men’s hockey team made history this season, earning their first-ever trip to the U SPORTS National Championship. Their playoff run became even more legendary when they battled through the longest game in U SPORTS men’s hockey history — 143 minutes and five overtimes of pure determination. Leading the charge was Cougars defenceman Clay Hanus, who was named U SPORTS Player of the Year after a stellar 43-point season. While their journey ended in a heart-breaking 5-4 quarter-final loss (after six hours and 33 minutes of action from the puck drop), the Cougars proved they belong on the national stage.
Mount Royal alumni Del Coburn and Thomas Tri have been awarded McCall MacBain Regional Awards for their leadership, academic excellence and community service. Selected from nearly 700 applicants, they are among 93 recipients across Canada and each received $5,000 toward their graduate studies. Coburn, a sociology graduate, was recognized for their work in health care, non-profits and the arts. Tri, a Social Work Diploma graduate, was honoured for his advocacy in education and equity. The prestigious awards support future leaders dedicated to making a difference.
MRU’s new brand campaign, Grow Beyond, is a fresh new look that reflects limitless student potential. Rooted in personal growth and community connection, the campaign encourages students to explore, challenge and expand their horizons. More than just a tagline, the updated logo and bold visuals create a modern, dynamic feel that highlights individual journeys. Grow Beyond is an invitation to embrace change, pursue new ideas and become part of a university that values curiosity, collaboration and transformation. Keep an eye out for new merch at the Cougars Campus Store, showcasing MRU’s evolution.
A new three-year partnership focused on mentorship has been formed between Mount Royal and the Calgary Black Chambers (CBC). MRU Career Services will invest $7,000 in the first year, while CBC professionals will mentor students through MRU’s Black Mentorship Program. The collaboration enhances career opportunities, expands mentorship and fosters leadership development. Students will also be encouraged to mentor high-school youth, creating a full-circle experience. This initiative reinforces the power of mentorship in driving meaningful change.
Mount Royal University and Royal Roads University have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to expand collaboration in teaching, research and student opportunities. Signed by MRU President and Vice-Chancellor Tim Rahilly, PhD, and RRU President Philip Steenkamp, PhD, the agreement paves the way for joint research, academic programs and faculty exchanges. Both institutions are recognized as Ashoka Changemaker campuses and share a commitment to innovation and community involvement. This partnership will serve as a foundation for future initiatives, including academic pathways and new learning opportunities for students and faculty alike.
Alumna Megan Drouin is being hailed a hero after saving a linesman’s life during a medical emergency at the Maritime Junior Hockey League Summit in Fredericton last August. When the official collapsed, Drouin, the athletic therapist for the Summerside (P.E.I.) Western Capitals, jumped into action, performing CPR with a firefighter until paramedics arrived. The linesman, who had gone into cardiac arrest, survived with no lasting effects. Drouin credits the hands-on training from MRU’s athletic therapy program for preparing her for the high-pressure moment. Her life-saving efforts earned her recognition from the Canadian Athletic Therapists Association.
For 65 years, Mount Royal has been preparing social workers to support and advocate for vulnerable communities. What began in 1959 as a response to the growing need for skilled professionals has evolved into a comprehensive program offering both a diploma and a bachelor’s in social work. The program’s true legacy lies in its people — students, alumni and faculty dedicated to advocacy and building stronger communities. As MRU marks this milestone, it continues to shape changemakers committed to justice and equity.
Words by KeithBradford
MRU Camps began in 1990 as a continuing education initiative, giving kids an opportunity to leap — and a soft place to land.
“We take pride in creating a space where learning, exploration and fun come together to shape the next generation of leaders and innovators,” says Jason Unsworth, director of MRU’s Department of Business and Retail Services.
MRU Camps introduce kids to new activities, sparking interests in fields like STEM. “The programs act as a launching pad, helping campers develop passions and confidence,” says program supervisor Laura Mclellan, who attended MRU Camps as a child. With access to cutting-edge labs, the Conservatory, aviation training and recreation facilities like climbing walls and swimming pools, campers experience hands-on learning in an immersive university environment.
“The most rewarding part is watching children become more comfortable and engaged throughout the camp,” Mclellan says. Brent Mann, former program leader and now director of Event, Theatre & Hospitality Services, agrees. “It’s fulfilling to see kids go from feeling apprehensive to eagerly forming friendships.”
MRU Camps continually evolves with advancements in education and industry trends, incorporating science, art, theatre and technology into its programming. “We’ve introduced several groundbreaking programs that give kids unique experiences beyond the classroom,” Mann says.
One standout is Young Aviators, a partnership with MRU’s aviation department featuring flight simulator training and a Springbank Airport tour.
“While focusing on education in a fun and engaging environment is key, we also emphasize mental wellbeing, confidence-building and social connections,” Unsworth explains.
The grass is greener where you water it MRU Camps doesn’t just support kids. It also strengthens the community, like offering discounted camp enrolment for children of MRU students, alumni and employees. “These initiatives help parents while directly benefiting the children who gain valuable experiences,” Unsworth says.
Thanks to sponsors, donors and community programs like Rogers Birdies for Kids presented by AltaLink, MRU Camps is also able to offer bursaries. This funding helps alleviate financial barriers that might be standing in the way of a family sending their child to camp.
Through the Rogers Birdies for Kids program, nearly $30,000 in matching contributions have been provided to amplify donations from the Burns Memorial Fund, Totem Charitable Foundation, Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities and generous individuals — helping local charities raise more and bringing the community together so every child has the chance to experience the joy and growth of camp.
In 2024, 69 bursaries were awarded, benefitting 46 children.
MRU Camps also gives back through food and toy drives, plus volunteer, practicum and employment opportunities for students. “Our focus remains on the future — preparing today’s children for tomorrow’s world while making camp a fun, transformative experience,” Unsworth says.
Receive 10% off MRU Camps. Email mrucamps@mtroyal.ca with your student, employee or alumni ID number after completing registration. mrucamps.ca
David Jackson crossed the Convocation stage this June with a degree in history — 50 years after completing his first. At 76, he’s Mount Royal’s oldest graduate since 2014, when an 85-year-old earned their parchment. Jackson is set to return this fall to begin a four-year anthropology degree, proving it’s never too late to keep learning.
Emma Gilchrist, MRU journalism grad and cofounder of The Narwhal, has received the 2025 Digital Publishing Leadership Award — the highest accolade from the Digital Publishing Awards. Celebrated for bold, independent storytelling and a commitment to public -interest journalism, Gilchrist is helping reshape Canada’s media landscape through visionary leadership in non-profit news.
Every year, Mount Royal University awards Honorary Doctors of Laws to individuals whose achievements reflect the highest ideals of leadership, service and vision. This year’s recipients come from distinct paths: public service, the arts, health care and social justice, but they are united by a shared commitment to growth that goes beyond personal success.
The Governor General’s Medal, established in 1873, is one of the most prestigious awards that can be earned by a student for exceptional academic achievement in a Canadian educational institution.
Kailie Stobbart was awarded the Silver Medal for achieving the highest academic standing of all graduates in a degree program. Stobbart graduated with a Bachelor of Communication — Broadcast Media Studies and a cumulative GPA of 4.00.
Ali Hamoudi was awarded the Bronze Medal for achieving the highest academic standing of all graduates in a diploma program. Hamoudi graduated with an Aviation Diploma with a cumulative GPA of 4.00.
MRU’s Centennial Gold Medal award is patterned after the Henry Birks and Sons Gold Medal, which was Mount Royal’s highest award for student academic achievement from 1935 to 1985. The medal commemorates the University’s tradition of academic achievement and leadership.
Brielle Pedersen-Skene Bachelor of Midwifery
Kelaena Maude Bachelor of Business Administration — General Management (Honours)
Zoë Say
Bachelor of Arts — Psychology (Honours)
Rodney Omoku
Bachelor of Science — Biology
A new art exhibition featuring works from Mount Royal University students Alaskan Manywounds and Avery Follett, and the Jellybean Collective (Mount Royal educators Jaime Waucaush-Warn, Karen Pheasant-Neganigwane, Gloria Pérez-Rivera and Celeste Pang) is celebrating the powerful and multifaceted role of the “aunty” across cultures and identities.
“Aunties are truth-tellers: telling it like it is and being witnesses, accomplices and examples,” Pang says.
Through a range of artistic expressions — including beadwork, painting and multimedia — Aunties/Anti celebrates the influence of aunties in Indigenous, Latin American and 2SLGBTQIA+ communities. Whether by passing down traditions, offering guidance or fostering resilience, the exhibition honours their importance.
More than just an art show, Aunties/Anti, located on MRU’s Mainstreet near the East Gate Entrance, is an invitation.
From student pubs to outdoor festivals, Mount Royal has played host to a surprising number of big-name music acts over the years. Whether it was the intimate energy of the Liberty Lounge or the festival vibes of UFest, alumni may remember these standout performances.
Compiled by Sade Dunn, Archives and Special Collections
The Liberty Lounge (or, more affectionately, the “Lib”) was open from September 1999 until 2011. It was known for booking both up-and-coming and established names in the music biz.
Before being named the Liberty Lounge, the students’ association space was called the Rathskellar from 1972 until 1987 and then Thirsty’s Pub from 1987 until 1999. In 2011 it was renamed The Hub and is now known as West Gate Social.
Some acts that rocked the stage of the Lib and Wyckham house include:
• Nickelback
• Skydiggers
• Matt Mays
• Feist
• Gogol Bordello
• Sloan
• Murder City Sparrows
• Xavier Rudd
• Bedouin Soundclash
• That 1 Guy
• Grand Theft Bus
• Jimmy Swift Band
UFest was an annual welcomeback outdoor festival organized by the students’ association and Mount Royal University up until 2017. Lucky students were able to kick off their school year with the help of these high-energy acts, many of which are still around today.
Past UFest performers include:
• Tegan and Sara
• Broken Social Scene
• The Weakerthans
• Lights
• Tokyo Police Club
• Down with Webster
• Said the Whale
• The Arkells
• Mother Mother
• Dear Rouge
Wyckham House, the home of the Students’ Association of Mount Royal University (SAMRU), is named after Robert Wyckham, an educator at Mount Royal College who was invited by the Student Council on a retreat to Banff in 1963. During the trip, Council members expressed concerns about their dependence on the College’s administration for certain supports and services, with no space or funding of their own.
Wyckham suggested that the Council collect an annual fee from students, which would allow them to operate in a more independent manner. This idea was then approved by the College’s principal, registrar and board. In 1964, a portion of the fee was set aside for a building that students could call their own, which was then supported by a government grant in 1965.
The first Wyckham House was a two-storey home located just up the street from the downtown campus at 7 Avenue and 10 Street SW (see photo above). It was purchased for $21,000.
Construction of a new Wyckham House at the Lincoln Park campus began in 1986 and the building opened in 1988, just in time for the Calgary 1988 Winter Olympic Games, when athletes were housed in the brand-new East Residence buildings.
In 2008, Wyckham House underwent a $14-million expansion and is where SAMRU remains housed.
THE FUTURE IN PRACTICE
Words by Rachel von Hahn
The patient’s breathing is laboured, blood pressure dropping, eyes wide with panic. He’s going into anaphylactic shock.
A group of MRU nursing students jump into action — one draws up epinephrine, another checks for allergies while a third calls for help.
It’s intense, urgent and ... simulated.
From the control room, a simulation technician gives doctor’s orders, calls a Code 66 and guides the students through the unfolding scenario. A second tech adjusts vital signs and voices the patient — a high-fidelity mannequin — in real time. Meanwhile, an instructor monitors multiple video feeds, tracking everything from hand-washing to medication prep.
This is a typical day inside Mount Royal University’s Health Simulation Learning Centre (HSLC), where high-stakes moments play out in a low-risk space. Here, students are challenged to think on their feet, build clinical skills and learn from their mistakes, all before they ever step foot in the field.
Spanning more than 1,000 square metres, the HSLC is a highimpact learning environment that serves students across the Faculty of Health, Community and Education. It features four fully equipped simulation suites — including acute care, birthing and home environments — each with its own control and debriefing rooms, plus six teaching labs outfitted with hospital beds and medical equipment.
But the real engine behind the scenes is the people: instructors, simulation technicians, student facilitators and professional actors all working in sync to deliver immersive, interdisciplinary learning.
“To make simulations run, it’s a deeply collaborative effort,” explains Dr. Cathy Carter-Snell, PhD, interim HSLC coordinator and professor in the School of Nursing and Midwifery.
Whether it’s a midwifery student managing a complex labour or a social work student navigating a domestic violence case, scenarios are replicated with striking realism. The goal: prepare students to stay calm, capable and compassionate, even under pressure.
“It’s about creating a safe environment where it’s okay to make mistakes, because that’s the whole point,” says Jennifer Latter, a simulation technician with the HSLC. “You can spot learning gaps in the moment, then use the debrief to unpack what happened. That’s where students reflect on their decisions, talk about what they’d do differently next time and start connecting all the pieces.”
And it’s paying off. “Our students are known in the field for being ready,” Carter-Snell adds. “One thing we hear consistently, from our advisory boards and out in the community, is how well prepared our students are.”
The HSLC is always evolving. Its two newest additions — a state-of-the-art neonatal simulator and a fleet of virtual reality (VR) headsets — are expanding what’s possible in experiential learning.
Super TORY® is a lifelike, AI-enabled newborn that can cry, blink, breathe, seize and respond to medical interventions like ventilator support. With this mannequin, students can learn to recognize subtle signs of distress and react just as they would with a real infant. Scenarios include respiratory distress, sepsis and COVID-19 complications.
“AI assistance is going to be a game changer for us,” Carter-Snell says. “It’s interactive with students in a way that enhances learning and makes it easier for faculty to use. Sometimes students come up with things you wouldn’t even think to script, because they’re seeing it with fresh eyes. AI can adapt and respond in real time, which opens up so many new possibilities for teaching.”
Meanwhile, new VR headsets are helping students visualize anatomy, walk through emergency protocols and practise soft skills in immersive environments. Whether it’s athletic therapy students managing an avalanche rescue or education students preparing for parent-teacher interviews, simulation is bridging the gap between theory and real-world practice. If it happens in real life, chances are it can happen here first.
With demand for clinical placements on the rise, simulation fills a critical gap. In nursing, it’s been shown that simulation can replace up to 50 per cent of clinical hours, with students performing as well — or better — on licensing exams such as the National Council Licensure Examination.
What simulation offers that even the best placements can’t, though, is consistency. Not every student will encounter a medical emergency or complex counselling scenario during placement. But at the HSLC, they all can — and they can repeat it until they are confident in their ability and skill.
As a registered nurse and MRU simulation technician, Nicole Quigley-Guy has been on both sides of the simulation experience.
“In nursing and midwifery, there’s a lot of pressure when you’re working with patients — especially in high-stakes situations,” she says. “Simulations let you practise those scenarios in a much less stressful environment. You can make mistakes, get feedback and learn in a safe space.”
She adds that the debrief after each simulation is a key part of the learning process. “Being able to go back, talk about how you felt during a scenario and look at what went well — and what didn’t — really helps cement the experience. And when you do make a mistake, once it’s discussed and understood, you’re a lot less likely to make the same one again.”
Yasmin Ahmed, a recent social work graduate, says her simulation experience helped her land valuable work experience.
“My background was mostly in policy development and research, so I didn’t have much frontline experience. But because of simulation, I secured a really competitive placement in my fourth year. I was able to say, ‘I haven’t done this in real life yet, but I know I can handle it.’ And now in that role, I feel confident doing the work.”
The future of health care depends on how well today’s learners are prepared, and that means continuing to evolve what is simulated and how. High-fidelity mannequins with responsive features, AIenabled tools and more diverse simulation models help ensure students are ready for the full spectrum of situations they’ll encounter in the field.
“Our students need to experience the realities of modern health care,” Carter-Snell says. “That includes caring for patients of different ages, races, body types and gender expressions. It also means handling rare or unpredictable events like a birth complication, a heart attack or a language barrier, with tools that react like a real person would.”
High-fidelity simulation also helps bridge equity gaps. By offering consistent, adaptable experiences, students can build competence and confidence at their own pace, no matter their placement or background.
“It’s not just about keeping up with technology,” Carter-Snell adds. “It’s about preparing students to walk into any setting — a hospital room, a home-care visit, a school — and feel equipped to provide excellent care. The more real we can make it here, the more prepared they’ll be out there.”
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Research and scholarship at Mount Royal is focused on fostering a culture of scholarly inquiry on campus for the betterment of the broader community. MRU research is about breaking boundaries, testing the limits of knowledge, applying expertise for a greater good and changing the world for the better.
Words by Bryan Weismiller
Jon Mee, PhD Department of Biology
A newly published study, co-authored by Associate Professor Jon Mee, PhD, of MRU’s Department of Biology, along with colleagues from two other Calgary institutions, reveals the extent of seafood mislabelling in the city. Supported by teams of research assistants, the group analyzed over 450 seafood samples from vendors across Calgary.
The findings, published in PeerJ Life and Environment in September 2024, are striking.
About one in five seafood products sold in Calgary was mislabelled, with vague or incorrect market names concealing the true identity of the products. Even more concerning, some of the mislabelled species were endangered, raising serious conservation issues.
“People should be concerned about what’s going in their mouths,” Mee says. “The only way to manage that is by knowing exactly what we’re buying and what we’re allowing to be caught.”
Mee also warns that certain species, depending on their place in the food chain, may carry higher concentrations of contaminants like mercury, posing health risks for humans, particularly for certain at-risk groups like pregnant women and young children.
Mee, who proudly calls himself a “gene hunter,” had never planned on diving into the murky waters of seafood mislabelling. His background is in evolutionary biology, studying the genetics of fish populations. But, the chance to involve his students in a project with real-world stakes was too good to pass up.
The project got its roots in the lab of Dr. Sean Rogers, PhD, at the University of Calgary, where Mee and his co-authors Dr. Matthew Morris, PhD, and Dr. Mindi Summers, PhD, first crossed paths. Morris, the lead author from Ambrose University, had conducted similar research. Summers, a marine biologist at the UCalgary, brought her deep knowledge of invertebrates like shrimp and squid to the table.
While similar research has been conducted elsewhere in Canada, this is the first large-scale investigation into seafood mislabelling in Alberta. What sets it apart even further is its scope — unlike most previous studies that focus solely on finfish, this one casts a wider net by including both invertebrates like shrimp and squid, alongside traditional fish species.
Students at MRU also played a large role in the study. Armed with DNA barcoding kits, they collected seafood from grocery stores, restaurants and markets across Calgary. After taking tissue samples and photographing packaging, the samples were sent for DNA analysis.
“MRU has always been a place that not only encourages undergraduate research, but also gives students opportunities to share their findings with the community in a meaningful way,” alumna and study participant Carolyn Ly (Bachelor of Science — General Science, 2018) says.
Words by Peter Glenn
A study from an MRU physiologist and his team demonstrates the key role the kidneys play in acclimatization to high altitudes and illustrates another way that Sherpa are better adapted to highaltitude ascent.
Trevor Day, PhD Department of Biology
Results from the study were published in late 2024 in the prestigious international journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
The paper, “Comparing integrative ventilatory and renal acid-base acclimatization in lowlanders and Tibetan highlanders during ascent to 4,300 metres (14,100 feet),” describes findings from an international high-altitude research expedition to the Nepal Himalaya, funded by the National Science Foundation (U.S.A.) and Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, where the team led by Dr. Trevor Day, PhD, a professor in Mount Royal’s Department of Biology, studied the blood acid-base acclimatization responses to incremental ascent in lowlanders and Tibetan highlanders (Sherpa).
The team found that Sherpa participants had more rapid and larger magnitude blood acid-base acclimatization than lowlanders with incremental ascent to 4,300 metres. This study underscores the kidneys’ vital role in adapting to high altitude and offers further insight into how Sherpa are uniquely equipped for life at elevation.
“With so many people now living and travelling to high altitudes, understanding integrated acclimatization and adaptation to high altitude in human populations is of increasing importance, particularly comparing lowlander to highlander populations,” Day explains.
High-altitude exposure creates a blood oxygenation and acid–base challenge, compensated by changes to breathing and kidney function (renal acclimatization). The team assessed respiratory and renal acclimatization between unacclimatized ageand sex-matched groups of lowlanders and Tibetan highlanders (Sherpa) during incremental ascent to 4,300 metres in the Nepal Himalaya. Sherpa adapted faster and more effectively, resulting in balanced blood pH levels at 4,300 metres, whereas lowlanders were still alkalemic, or lower in hydrogen ions in their blood plasma.
“This study provides insight into the interplay of ancestry and physiological mechanisms contributing to acclimatization to high altitude, which may indicate selective pressure on ancestral Tibetan highlander populations related to renal function with acclimatization,” Day says. Insights from the research benefit physiology as a whole, and add new understanding about how different populations acclimatize to highaltitude ascent.
The study’s co-first authors were two MRU undergraduate trainees, with contributions from two other MRU undergraduate trainees and fellow MRU faculty member Dr. Nick Strzalkowski, PhD. With support from a European medical resident and post-doctoral fellow, and rounded out by collaborators in Nepal and organizational help from U.S. and Sweden-based partners, this project represents a huge international effort, resulting from the team’s high-altitude research expedition to Nepal in 2023.
In a time of much uncertainty, what can we expect over the next five years?
Portrait illustrations by Chidera Uzoka
Anupam Das, PhD
Professor, Department of Economics, Justice, and Policy Studies
Anticipating macroeconomic outcomes is challenging because many variables (such as geopolitical wars, trade wars, natural disasters, pandemic) interact independently, which causes a level of unpredictability.
In the presence of the trade war, due to steep tariffs enacted by the United States, there is a strong possibility of a significant slowdown of Canada’s GDP growth. Canada’s trade balance will suffer, costs of production are likely to increase and the unemployment rate will go up. Economists are predicting the possibility of a recession. This will have a strong negative impact on workers particularly in the automotive, energy, manufacturing and agricultural sectors. This in turn will cause a fall in overall demand in the economy. Thus, fiscal stimulus will be necessary to support impacted workers and families.
The Canadian economy just started to recover from the post-COVID inflation; however, due to Canada’s response to United States’ tariffs, the cost of living will increase. In the near term, the Bank of Canada will likely cut interest rates to support economic activities. However, a lot of these impacts will be mitigated if non-tariffed substitute products are easily found. In this regard, it is important to negotiate trade deals with other countries.
Yasaman Amannejad, PhD
Associate
Professor, Department of Mathematics and Computing
Technological advancement will be rapid and transformative, driven by breakthroughs in data and computer science. Automation will reshape industries, however, the real shift isn’t in what machines will do — it’s in how we, as humans, will adapt and the skills we will choose to value. We must keep pace and avoid relying solely on machines. Anxiety can grow if we aren’t prepared for change. Human education must deepen to ensure we understand and rigorously test these systems, maintaining control and accountability. Artificial intelligence and computing knowledge will be essential across fields. Transferable skills and interdisciplinary training will be key to navigating this landscape.
The world faces many complex problems. Solving them will demand close collaboration among professionals from diverse disciplines. We will learn to harness machines collaboratively and intelligently — not as replacements, but as tools that amplify human potential. The future will belong to those who think critically, adapt quickly and collaborate effectively with technology.
Computer and data scientists will play pivotal roles in solving complex problems and further advancing the technology. As highlighted in the recent Future of Jobs Report from the World Economic Forum, the demand for data and computer professionals will continue to grow, with roles in data analytics, cybersecurity and software engineering among the fastest growing.
Shelley Boulianne, PhD
Professor and Ralph Klein Chair, School of Communication Studies
Boulianne is currently writing a book titled Digital Trends in Western Democracies , in which trends in social media adoption in Canada, France, the U.S. and the U.K. are discussed using survey data collected in 2019, 2021, 2023 and 2025.
Over the next five years, people will likely move away from “mega” platforms like Facebook that serve various needs (such as social interaction and entertainment), and instead adopt a portfolio of platforms. The key question will be how people compile their list. Will they use different platforms for different purposes (LinkedIn for work, TikTok for entertainment)? Or, will they use different platforms for different audiences (WhatsApp for family, Snapchat for friends, etc.)? From 2019 to 2023, there was a dramatic increase in Instagram and WhatsApp use in Canada.
Forecasts for the next five years are difficult because changes in government regulations (such as the European Union) or social media companies cannot be predicted. Social media companies are constantly updating their technical features, making them more or sometimes less attractive to users. Meta banning news sources on Facebook and Instagram in Canada reduced the percentage of people reporting news consumption on those platforms, however the change did not lead to a large-scale exodus. Finally, users are increasingly aware of who owns their favourite platforms. Their views about the owners may shape their decision to use (or not use) a platform. Many are reporting a Twitter (now X) exodus, which will be tracked in 2025 surveys.
Lori Williams Associate professor, Department of Economics, Justice, and Policy Studies
Political polarization, intensified by populist influencers and hostile online rhetoric, has distorted our perceptions and practices. This tends to focus on what divides us, on how we are different, driving us into filter bubbles that reinforce, and warp, our understanding. It erodes trust in potentially stabilizing institutions and processes. It also affects behaviour, fueling antipathy and deterring attempts to reach across perceived divisions. Add the disinformation campaigns aimed at influencing elections and the implications for democracy are profound.
Amidst such uncertainty, even volatility, the future may look bleak. However, within challenges lie potential opportunities. Recent attacks against Canada have generated an unprecedented surge in national unity and what many view as opportunities to forge new alliances and paths, be they political, economic or social.
Numerous studies show that we have more in common than we think (e.g. Common Ground research by University of Alberta professor Jared Wesley, PhD), suggesting possibilities for better understanding and responding to differences. Whatever potential may exist for reaching across ideological, regional and national boundaries hinges on hearing and addressing those differences. And after Canada’s election, together we will face the difficult work of wrestling with the challenges, and the democratic perils and possibilities within them.
As Calgary spent the summer of 2024 under water use restrictions after a major water-main collapse interrupted the usually reliable flow from our taps, residents of the city at the confluence of the Bow and Elbow Rivers were confronted with a growing concern over our water supply, how it is delivered and what we use it for.
It is well known that Canada is rich in the world’s most precious resource, but Environment Canada says that while 20 per cent of the world’s freshwater resides within our borders, the reality is a lot more complex. Many assume there is almost a limitless supply of clean freshwater, however only about seven per cent of Canada’s supply is considered renewable, meaning it is replenished through precipitation and natural cycles. The rest is stored in lakes, underground aquifers and glaciers, and is classified as fossil water that is not easily replenished.
For Canada’s 40 million people — roughly 0.5 per cent of the world’s population — this still represents a significant water supply. However, more than half of our renewable freshwater drains north into the Arctic Ocean and Hudson Bay, making it largely inaccessible to the 85 per cent of Canadians who live in the southern regions. This geographical distribution means that while Canada’s water resources are abundant, they are unevenly distributed and often subject to high demand and environmental stress.
All of this highlights the need to conserve water. There is important work being done by MRU researchers and some of our amazing alumni as we continue to face infrastructure challenges and ongoing drought conditions. Simultaneously and contrarily, the floods of 2013 remain strong in our collective memories as municipal and provincial governments work to prevent future flood damage, and another set of MRU researchers look into the sociology of disasters and how people work together to overcome them.
Calgarians endured a long summer of short showers and varying degrees of water restrictions after the city’s Bearspaw South Feeder Main burst spectacularly at the beginning of June, sending thousands of litres of water flooding out onto 16 Avenue N.W., leaving the communities of Bowness, Montgomery and Point McKay with empty taps, prompting a state of local emergency as the city’s potable water resources were placed at risk.
The Bearspaw South Feeder Main delivers about 60 per cent of the city’s treated water from the Bearspaw Water Treatment Plant.
A planned inspection of the water main had started in the spring and was planned to be complete by fall 2024, but it unfortunately broke before work was finished, explains Dr. Jay Huang, PhD, an assistant professor with MRU’s Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences.
“In my opinion, this water main break was an unexpected scenario, but the protections are there and the city is trying its best to maintain their pipe conditions,” says Huang, who conducts research in the field of water resources and hydrology focusing on statistical hydrology, hydrologic cycle under urbanization and climate change, regional/local hydrologic analysis and hydrologic/hydraulic modelling.
It is not the first time that Calgary has grappled with a major water challenge.
In 2004, a water main along McKnight Boulevard broke, flooding streets and disrupting water service to more than 100,000 people. Degradation of the pipeline’s coating and weakening steel wires that fortify the system were partially to blame.
Huang says that incident prompted the City to introduce a year-round, proactive inspection program to identify leaks before they become catastrophic.
And it worked until that unlucky break last June.
Unlike many other Canadian cities, Huang says, Calgary has a robust program to inspect, maintain and repair its aging pipes. In part, it relies on robotic devices to search for leaks via ultrasound, which provides an acoustic signal increasing in crescendo as it approaches an area of concern.
Huang says the system to thwart failures is thorough and impressive, albeit not infallible.
“We have to accept the truth — that there are many pipes buried in the ground that are more than 50 or 60 years old,” he says.
Under Calgary’s surface lies a complex water infrastructure system. The water lines bring the precious resource to homes and businesses, sanitary lines collect and deliver toilet and kitchen water to waste treatment plants and storm lines collect rainwater.
The water lines sit on top of the sanitary and storm lines and are buried at least 1.2 metres below ground. They serve a purpose pretty much unnoticed by many. Of course, that dramatically changed last June when the streets of Bowness became a rushing river. The Bearspaw South Feeder Main break cracked open pipes and Calgarians’ eyes to a system that provides everything from showers to drinking water to more than 1.5 million people.
The ongoing inconvenience of water restrictions and a relentless push by city officials to cut back on use on the homefront highlighted our constant reliance on that system.
And when city-wide restrictions were lifted, ending the crisis that stretched over much of the summer, few remained unaware of the system that delivers water on demand.
Water travels from water treatment plants all the way to taps. The Bearspaw Water Treatment Plant, for instance, sends water as far as Airdrie and Chestermere.
The rapid pace of developments in the city adds more demand to original infrastructure, which is why the city is trying to add more pipes to the system.
It’s a lot of energy, and it’s a lot of pressure.
The more water used, the more pressure on the system, which begs for an ongoing need for conservation. Huang explains more conservative water use means less wearand-tear on the pipes, adding longevity to an already aged system.
“Water is so precious,” he says. “There is a lot of cost associated with construction, operation and maintenance and a lot of money is invested into water distribution and water treatment.”
You might not think that is top of mind for many when looking at daily demand.
“Our daily water use in Calgary is about 350 litres per day, per person. That’s a lot compared to other places in the world,” Huang says. “We are rich in water resources and have a lot of water available to use, but we need to take a step back a little bit and we should be aligned with the daily average use (globally), which is about 150 litres.”
The University of Toronto’s Infrastructure Institute estimates about 30 per cent of the water infrastructure nationwide is in fair, poor or very poor condition, and director Matti Siemiatycki, PhD, says not investing in maintenance leaves municipalities “ripe” for catastrophic, costly failures.
Huang says in Calgary investments are being made to bolster the system.
The North Calgary Water Servicing Project, currently in the design phase, involves the construction of a new 22-kilometre long water feeder main and multiple support facilities that will deliver 100 million litres of water per day to support current and future population growth in the northwest area of the city. Construction is scheduled to begin this year, with a projected completion date of late 2029. The new line will run north from the Bearspaw Water Treatment Plant near Stoney Trail and Nose Hill Drive, then cross under Crowchild Trail and continue up to 144 Avenue N.W., then connect to the Northridge Feeder Main at 144 Avenue and 14 Street N.W.
In February, City of Calgary officials announced they are exploring a microtunnelling approach that would minimize the disruptions and service outages to water use. A second pipe would parallel the Bearspaw South Feeder Main to ensure redundancy and enable necessary repairs on the existing feeder main without interruptions in service.
“Taking a look at water-main break disasters, compared to other cities, we are still doing a decent job and still investing and trying to install new water feeder mains to serve the increasing population in Calgary,” Huang says.
Dr. Mathew Swallow, PhD, an associate professor in MRU’s Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, remembers his grandfather recounting the time night hijacked day.
“He was telling me about the dust bowl in the ’30s and how daytime turned into night in Saskatchewan,” Swallow says. “All of a sudden, a storm would go through and it would be pretty much pitch-black out.”
The dust bowl era, which blew away 75 per cent of the topsoil in some areas, created severe economic upheaval and hardship over the Great Plains of North America, leaving many desperately trying to protect exposed soil from being stripped from the landscape. It is estimated that conventional farming practices have caused nearly half of the world’s most productive soil to disappear over the last 150 years, threatening crop yields and contributing to nutrient pollution, dead zones and erosion.
These days, many who work the land are just as reliant on Mother Nature, who can give as easily as she takes. Amid ongoing drought conditions in Alberta, there’s an urgent focus on keeping water in the soil. In Calgary, perhaps, more than ever.
“I’m happy people are becoming more water conscious about soil,” Swallow says. “It’s too bad it took a water main break for it to happen. It would be nice if people changed their practices to be a little more water smart.”
MRU alumna, geologist and farmer Tricia Fehr (General Studies Arts and Sciences Certificate, 2003) is already hyper-conscious of safeguarding the water supply on her family’s mixed-use farm near Crossfield, AB, against daily threats to their livelihood. The summer of 2024 marked the first drought she has been involved in while farming as her main career.
Fehr explains how less moisture meant harvesting her wheat early, pulling in a slightly below-average crop.
“Dad talks a lot about what it was like in the ’80s. I remember going with him to pump water out to the cows,” the fifth-generation farmer says.
When a pasture creek on their land stopped flowing and began drying up, she hauled water to cows, careful not to put too much pressure on the aquifer she shares with her parents, who farm nearby.
At Fehr’s farm, they collect rainwater as it runs off the barns and house in several 1,000-litre tanks. Fehr’s husband also stopped cutting the legumes growing around the bottom of the trees so they can grow tall in the fall to trap snow over the winter.
“The more snow we can get the better,” she says. “It starts everything off right in the spring.”
With no irrigation in her area for crops, water is a constant worry. To alleviate some of the stress, many farmers like Fehr have become very creative.
On Fehr’s farm, they don’t till the soil other than when they seed it. After straw comes out of the combine, it’s chopped up and sprayed out as a blanket, which then slowly disintegrates to add nutrients and provide a protective armour for the soil.
“We’ve mulched every tree on our property so we don’t have to water,” she says.
“Last year, I’m sure neighbours thought I was crazy. In the hay field I put up huge snow fences to trap more snow because the year before it was really dry,” she says. “I think you just adapt, that’s part of being a farmer, go with the flow. You wouldn’t last very long as a farmer if not. It’s all out of your control. ”
They are just as diligent on the homefront.
Water taken from their aquifer is pumped over to their house, then to septic tanks as grey water and sewage. Solids go to one side while liquids go to a second tank, which is eventually pumped out into grassy areas.
“We think about it all the time,” Fehr says. In April, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada noted conditions for 2025 are mainly in the normal range, however the months of May through July are pivotal.
For MRU soil expert Swallow, it all comes down to protecting soil, which stores water by acting as a sponge. Tiny air spaces between the soil granules allow it to hold moisture.
For his research, Swallow has several small sites on farmers’ fields where he has placed rocks to create protection and stop moisture from evaporating.
Farmers on Easter Island, well off the coast of Chile in the south Pacific, rely on this lithic mulching approach to help regulate temperatures and release mineral nutrients as the stones weather. Swallow is comparing the effectiveness of stone mulch to straw mulch and bare soil, researching whether it can be an effective water-conservation tool in Canada.
Less academic albeit real-life research last summer saw many Calgarians bewildered that some plants did not suffer without their usual daily watering during the water restrictions. Many lawns refused to yellow and hardy petunias persisted.
Swallow isn’t surprised.
“The rule of thumb is that gardens require about an inch of water a week. If you are watering every day, you are probably watering more than what the plant needs,” he says. “When we have lots of water, we usually don’t think it’s a big deal. When, in fact, water conservation is always a big deal.”
He suggests boosting water available to plants by adding organic matter like compost, which holds two to three times its weight in water.
Underscoring it all is the need to protect the topsoil. In Alberta’s grassland system, topsoil replenishes itself to the equivalent of the thinness of a sheet of paper per year. In the U.S. alone, soil on cropland is eroding 10 times faster than it can be replenished.
“And that can disappear in one rain or wind storm,” Swallow says. “You want to keep the moisture in the ground. You have to protect it.”
Litres of water per person, per day in canada. calgarians use 350 litres per day. Source: McGill
Severe events provide the necessary training tools to prepare for the next inevitable disaster. Dr. Caroline McDonald-Harker, PhD, director of MRU’s Centre for Community Disaster Research (CCDR), began research in the field after the 2013 southern Alberta floods.
“Canada had not experienced, up until that point, a significant number of disasters,” says the associate professor of sociology. “It was still quite new from the Canadian context.”
The CCDR was created to fill that need for evidence-based research from which organizations can understand, prepare for, recover from and develop policy around disasters.
“I don’t think any of us thought, 12 years ago, there would be this many disasters,” she says.
As anyone living in Alberta knows, they just keep happening.
Alberta is a hotbed on the Canadian landscape and is home to five of the top 10 most costly natural disasters in the country’s history.
In 2016, wildfire ripped through Fort McMurray, forcing nearly 90,000 to flee the community. Of course, the smaller mountain community of Jasper was hit with similar circumstances in July 2024, leading to $1.1 billion in insured losses. The next month, Calgary was hit by a huge hailstorm, racking up a massive $3-billion insurance bill.
An underlying theme?
“We’ve seen that time and time again with disasters people do come together in moments of crisis,“ McDonald-Harker says. “I personally think, despite living in a very hedonistic world that focuses on individuals, people deep down are good.”
That is backed by research.
MRU disaster expert Dr. Timothy Haney, PhD, says disaster research dates back to the ’50s when the U.S. government wanted to predict what survivors might do if the Soviets dropped a nuke on the States.
“They figured it probably was not very ethical to drop a test nuke,” the professor says.
Instead, scientists relied on research gleaned after hurricanes and tornadoes to debunk “the perception disasters fuel the worst in us — shooting, rioting and every person for themselves,” with the enduring finding “that panic and disorder typically doesn’t happen.”
Real life illustrates that rather than rampant greed, resource-hoarding and violence unfolding — disasters unite people.
“The flood, Jasper, COVID, people do things for one another,” he says. “The optimist in me thinks that it is human nature, that we care about one another. The social scientist thinks it’s about reciprocity. We take care of our neighbours because we think we may need them one day.”
Haney benefitted from that kind of prosocial behaviour first hand after Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, where he was studying at the time. He saw the best of people at the worst of times. Although it was two decades ago, living through it still affects him.
“I find myself far less attached to things or possessions,” he says.
It likely left anxiety, as disasters do, but it also taught him to be better prepared.
McDonald-Harker says a by-product of disasters is often a change in behaviours to lower impact on the environment we all share.
After the 2013 floods, for instance, her research found some families “became more aware of their susceptibility to disasters and the need to consider and mitigate such risks by focusing more on the environment.”
Other, well-intentioned parents assured their children the flood was an extremely rare event that was unlikely to repeat in their lifetime. It could be comforting in the short term, perhaps, but didn’t allow them to prepare for the eventuality of another disaster unfolding.
“Guess what just happened three years later? The Fort McMurray wildfire happened,” she says.
In many cases, McDonald-Harker says resilience is often a post-disaster take-away.
“Resilience is elastic, like a muscle that can be strengthened. It’s not either you have it or you don’t. It can be learned and something individuals can practice,” she says. “The more we go through disasters the more we can learn and can be better prepared. It’s not all doom and gloom.
“Lots of research shows the opportunity to grow from very difficult circumstances.”
The openness employed by city officials during the water crisis forged trust with Calgarians who, for the most part, relied on them for the facts.
Its messaging, along with restrictions and encouraging Calgarians to reduce their water usage as “a contribution to the collective good,” promoted greater uptake, she adds.
Because disasters increase risk perception for some, Haney says it is directly related to some taking steps to mitigate potential perils.
Sadly, it can also heighten anxiety.
“In Calgary, after the flood, people told us they were going to bed fully dressed with shoes on because if they wake up in the middle of night they want to be ready to run. Like so many things in life, it’s a double-edged sword,” he says.
Far from being inevitable and immune to human efforts, Haney says disasters do not happen randomly.
“For centuries, people have said they are acts of God, but the reality is that there are many human decisions that place people at risk. It’s a human decision to build houses in a floodplain and to build communities at the wildlandurban interface, which puts them at risk for wildfires,” he says.
He says substantial research shows climate change is the new global reality, with Alberta predicted to warm by four degrees Celsius by 2050, double the world’s rate.
A collective decision to emit carbon into the atmosphere will continue to have consequences and set humans up for an uncertain future, he says.
“The more warming, the more extreme events we get. Some of our big risks here are drought, wildfire and water scarcity. And climate change makes pandemics more likely to occur in the first place,” he says.
High — more than 40% water HAS BEEN withdrawn
Data not available
Source: Environment Canada, 2009
A dedicated sports medicine clinic has opened at Mount Royal University, offering state-of-the-art technology and expert care to students, staff, alumni and the local community.
Dr. Alin Cristurean, a well-respected sports medicine physician, has moved his entire practice to MRU’s Health Services Medical Clinic, consolidating multiple locations into one. “It’s all about making things more convenient for the athletes here,” Cristurean says, who has been a sports medicine physician with the MRU varsity teams for the past 10 years.
“The opportunity came along to centralize my entire practice here, which I was very excited about. It’s all in one location, five days a week.”
The clinic treats acute and chronic injuries, with a focus on sports-related musculoskeletal conditions.
“When people come here they can expect to be listened to. We are interested in what their problem is, what their personal goals are and what they want to get out of the visit.”
If an issue cannot be addressed in the clinic they will be pointed in the right direction, Cristurean notes.
The clinic offers a range of advanced treatments, including ultrasound-guided injections for joints, tendons and ligaments, cortisone and Toradol injections, prolotherapy, trigger-point injections, hyaluronic acid injections and PRP (platelet-rich plasma), which uses a patient’s blood to promote tissue healing. Orthopedic surgery referrals are available when necessary.
Patients can be referred by family doctors, physiotherapists and chiropractors, including those working at the MRU Injury & Prevention Clinic.
Working alongside Cristurean is Courtney Owen, an athletic therapist and MRU graduate. “It’s nice to be back in the university environment as staff,” Owen says.
“It has been a privilege to work here and there has been a lot of learning. My focus is any prep or setup I can do, pre-exams and then exercise prescription — that’s where athletic therapists excel,” Owen says, who also sees patients as an athletic therapist at the MRU Injury & Prevention Clinic.
“We take our time to explain treatment options. That’s why so many patients continue to come back. We really care about the entire patient experience.”
The human brain is endlessly fascinating. The control centres of all living beings, brains are able to process vast amounts of information in milliseconds. But we still don’t fully understand how they work.
Brains conjure thoughts, generate emotions, unearth memories and enable creativity, with the human brain unlike any other on Earth. Humans are capable of abstract reasoning, language and self-awareness, all due to a complex network of neurons and synapses that, despite huge advances, scientists and researchers are still diligently working to unravel all the mysteries of.
Brains constantly adapt and rewire themselves, a trait known as neuroplasticity that allows people to recover from serious brain injuries. Even while we sleep, brains remain active, consolidating the day’s happenings to be stored away (and found again), and often dreaming up incomprehensibly complex subject matter. The brain is intriguing, powerful and remarkably resilient.
Words by Haley Jarmain
Nestled in an unassuming hallway on the second floor of Mount Royal’s arts building, the Centre for Psychological Innovation sits, busily occupied by students and faculty conducting research of all kinds. Among them is Dr. Dan Devoe, PhD, an assistant professor with the Department of Psychology. When he’s not teaching or supervising honours students, he can often be found in the lab using EEG (electroencephalogram) machines to research addiction and other substance-use disorders.
“Not a lot of people have investigated opioid use disorders in this way,” Devoe says. “The use of EEG machines in psychological research isn’t new, they were used to look into anxiety disorders starting in the ’70s. More recently, they have been used to conduct research into ADHD.”
Similar to the way the heart produces a pulse, the brain emits electrical activity that can be tracked. An EEG works by attaching small sensors (electrodes) to the scalp, which then pick up the brain’s electrical activity and records it on a graph. The EEG measures brain waves at five widely recognized frequencies, each corresponding to a different brain state. Delta waves (0.5–4.0 Hz) occur during deep sleep or unconsciousness, while Theta waves (4.0–8.0 Hz) are associated with deep
meditation and inward focus. Alpha waves (8.0–13.0 Hz) indicate a relaxed state with some passive attention and Beta waves (13.0–30 Hz) emerge when we are alert, attentive and concentrating. At the highest frequency, Gamma waves (30–100 Hz) represent a state of concentration, problem-solving and information processing.
Devoe’s research primarily looks at Delta, Theta and Alpha waves, with Alpha waves being of particular interest. He says with addictions disorders, researchers can use an EEG to track the brain activity of an affected individual. Once they see someone is in an agitated state, often when a craving may be occuring, they can apply various techniques and therapies to bring someone back to the relaxed state associated with Alpha and Theta frequencies.
“We are training people to put themselves into a more relaxed state. You can actually see your brain waves and train yourself to relax over time,” Devoe says. “People are usually going to addictive substances to find relaxation, but now we can train them to find relaxation in other ways through various therapies and coping mechanisms.”
There are additional insights that can be taken from the use of the EEG machine. It can be used to show what happens in a person’s brain when they look at pictures of substances such as fentanyl, allowing researchers a deeper understanding of how addictions work.
WE ARE TRAINING PEOPLE TO PUT
THEMSELVES INTO A MORE RELAXED STATE. YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE YOUR BRAIN WAVES AND TRAIN YOURSELF TO RELAX OVER TIME.
Dan DeVoe, PhD psychology assistant professor
In Devoe’s lab specifically, the EEG machine is used in conjunction with eye-tracking software so researchers can see where someone is looking at precisely the same time as reading their brain waves.
Devoe believes that the combination of these technologies and the right therapies, addictions treatment can shift to that of a recovery-focused model. “Meaning that we can actually help people get back on their feet. We can get them back into employment, school and meaningful social situations.”
Devoe stresses the importance of a blend of therapies, using the EEG’s readings combined with traditional therapeutic treatments.
While leading the charge with this research, Devoe is not alone, as he involves his students in his work in the lab. “They are learning how to work with participants or patients and looking at lots of complicated data.” Students also get hands-on experience with some of the technology they will use in their careers.
Devoe’s high-tech machines are mobile, meaning they can go anywhere they need to. Traditionally, the EEG and eye-monitoring software had to be used in a medically-appropriate setting, but the newer, more transportable version allows researchers to travel to gather data.
By helping individuals recognize and regulate their brain activity, this work isn’t just advancing research. It’s giving people the tools to retrain their brains, reclaim their focus and rebuild their lives.
Do we all have a ‘little voice’ in our head?
HOW
WE QUIETLY GAIN INSIGHTS INTO OURSELVES AND THE WORLD AROUND US
Words by Alain Morin, PhD
Inner speech is the “little voice” in our head — although some rightly argue that it can get loud indeed. Inner speech constitutes the covert behaviour of talking to ourselves in silence. We can also talk to ourselves out loud when alone, known as “self-talk.” Inner speech is always verbal, can be condensed (abbreviated, like isolated words) or expanded (like full sentences) and can be spontaneous or voluntary. Seeing mental images in one’s head or experiencing emotions or sensations, such as happiness and hunger, do not represent inner speech instances.
We talk to ourselves for many reasons, including planning, problem-solving, decisionmaking, remembering, replaying past conversations or mentally anticipating future ones, calculating and reading. A significant portion of inner speech is about us (our emotions, appearance, goals, health, career, etc.), suggesting that it serves an important self-reflective function aimed at understanding ourselves. Although talking to ourselves is largely healthy, it becomes detrimental when we engage in rumination — that is, a repetitive, self-critical and uncontrollable internal dialogue. Rumination increases the likelihood of experiencing depression and social anxiety. Debates playing out on social media such as YouTube and Facebook have sparked a controversy regarding whether one can have no inner speech at all. Some people have claimed that they do not have an inner voice — a condition called
ONE
RELIABLY ACTIVATED
Alain Morin, PhD psychology professor
anendophasia. A recent study titled, “Not everybody has an inner voice: Behavioral consequences of anendophasia,” published in Psychological Science in 2024, examined possible consequences of rarely engaging in inner speech and found lower working memory performance — for instance, having difficulties verbally recalling a list of grocery items. Critics have pointed out that participants had reduced inner speech as opposed to a genuine lack of inner speech. In Descriptive Experience Sampling studies, volunteers get randomly interrupted in their natural environment by the sound of a beeper and are asked to report whatever they were internally experiencing when beeped. Typically, inner speech is present about a
quarter of the time when participants are beeped; those reporting experiencing no inner speech at all are very rare.
One important possibility is that people who report having no inner speech do experience it but either are unaware of their inner verbal experiences or are misinterpreting them as being something else, such as sensations or mental images. After all, we would expect anendophasia to result in a host of debilitating deficits, including poor judgment and planning, memory problems and self-control issues. We would also predict self-awareness difficulties, such as being unable to label one’s current emotions or remember one’s past. Indeed, patients who lose their inner voice following a stroke report experiencing such impairments.
Perhaps anendophasia really exists and people with no inner speech have found ways to compensate in non-verbal ways. One strategy to settle the controversy could be to record spontaneous brain activity occurring in anendophasia participants. One brain area gets reliably activated when people engage in inner speech: the left inferior frontal gyrus (LIFG). The expectation would be to observe an absence of LIFG activity in such participants. Observing LIFG activity would challenge the existence of anendophasia.
Dr. Alain Morin, PhD, is a professor in Mount Royal’s Department of Psychology.
Words by Haley Jarmain
Many of us feel happier after eating a delicious meal or a sweet treat, and emerging research is highlighting just how connected the gut and brain are.
Can food truly make us happy?
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle overall with a balanced diet and proper activity levels contributes to good brain health. Dr. Lynne Lafave, PhD, a professor with the Department of Health and Physical Education and a member of the Dietitians of Canada says there are a few key ingredients to incorporate into your diet for optimal brain function.
The brain depends on glucose as its main source of energy and the gut-brain axis is important for maintaining energy and glucose homeostasis.
”About half of the brain’s dry weight is made up of lipids, so in order to maintain good brain structure and function we should make sure our diet includes healthy fats,” Lafave says. “Micronutrients such as B vitamins, vitamin D, iron, zinc and iodine play essential roles in early brain development and ongoing brain health.
“Amino acids like tryptophan and tyrosine serve as precursors for important neurotransmitters in the brain,” Lafave adds. Both are found in the same sorts of foods including cheese, chicken and fish.
While diet is an individual choice, certain approaches have been studied and associated with better cognitive function. Lafave points to the Mediterranean diet, which has been associated with improved brain function and a lower risk of depression. The Mediterranean diet consists mainly of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, beans, healthy fats from olive oil, nuts, seeds and fish.
Comparable findings have been linked to the DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension), which is similar to the Mediterranean diet in that it emphasizes fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins and healthy fats, but goes further to also suggest lowfat or fat-free dairy.
For those looking to optimize brain health with their diet, Lafave suggests referencing the reconceptualized food guide for brain health, which was developed by Dr. Matthew Parrott, PhD, of the Baycrest Rotman Research Institute in partnership with members of the Canadian Consortium on Neurodegeneration in Aging.
In the last few years more research has emerged about the role diet plays when it comes to our mental health. According to Lafave, there are a few different ways in which food can impact how we feel, one being neurotransmitter levels that are crucial for signalling the brain. Another developing area of research is how certain nutrients influence and affect neuroplasticity, neurogenesis and synaptic function. Research is also being done on the gut microbiome and what links might exist to such mental illnesses as anxiety and depression. So in a way, food can truly make us happy, although unfortunately there is no recipe for happiness soup just yet. In the meantime, following a diet that is best suited to your individual needs that makes your body and brain feel best is a good start.
Puzzles are now much more than simply a jumble of small interlocking pieces we would painstakingly spend hours trying to match up to ultimately create an image of some kind. Now, with a quick App Store search, hundreds of puzzles and so-called “brain games” can be yours, with many promising amazing benefits from playing just 10 minutes a day. But are these games and puzzles really making us smarter? In short, no, according to Dr. Dan Devoe, PhD, an assistant professor of psychology at MRU.
Devoe says we should think of the brain as a muscle. When we do puzzles, we are increasing our neural activity. So whether it is Wordle, Scrabble, crosswords or some other brain teaser, you are activating your brain and honing in on executive functions that require attention and focus.
“Every time we are using those executive functions, we might be able to increase the functioning of those particular areas,” Devoe says, while placing heavy emphasis on the word “might,” adding that some say it is specific to the task.
That’s not to say that your daily Wordle has no benefit. Devoe says engaging with these games is better for us than doomscrolling on our phones, but he hesitates to agree with the claim that they can make you smarter. “You can do your daily word game but it really will only translate to you maybe being better at word games.”
Going back to the muscle analogy, would you go to the gym and just do one exercise and only that one? Likely not, so Devoe encourages a well-rounded approach to brain health that incorporates a number of activities along with proper nutrition and sleep.
Words by Haley Jarmain
When we go through a traumatic event, whether it be something like a life-altering injury or illness, or the death of a loved one, it is often said that we are not the same after. That is becoming better understood because of the impact trauma has on the brain.
The American Psychological Association defines trauma as “an emotional response to a terrible event like an accident, crime, natural disaster, physical or emotional abuse, neglect, experiencing or witnessing violence, death of a loved one, war and more.” However, its definition is more complex and individual than that, says MRU social work professor Dr. Peter Choate, PhD, especially when referencing psychological trauma.
“Sometimes what matters is what the individual defines it as and why they define it that way,” Choate says, adding that some people will self-identify trauma because that is how they rationalize or make sense of what has happened.
“You can have people who have had very similar experiences and one might define it as traumatic and struggle with it whereas the other will classify it as a poor experience and move on.”
Choate points out that people who have access to more support systems might be less likely to identify something as traumatic than those who don’t. Similarly, trauma also has framing in cultural contexts.
“Some things that one culture may define as a trauma, another may not.”
When a person goes through a traumatic experience, Choate explains, it is then incorporated into their life and understanding of the world. This then becomes a part of the emotional structure of the brain.
“In other words, the brain says that what you previously understood to be safe is not safe anymore, which then changes how you react going forward. Pathways in the brain associated with the trauma are becoming stronger and you are therefore now more receptive to stimuli that reminds you of it. So, you go into fight, flight or freeze.”
Even after the threat is no longer present, when we are reminded of the trauma the brain responds the same way as if something traumatic is happening. “Even though the threat may not be currently real, it is reminiscent of the real.”
Choate shares a story of a woman who had been sexually assaulted by a man. Some time after the assault she was on public transit and went into a panicked state, feeling the need to immediately get off the bus. After reflecting upon the incident, she realized someone on the bus had been wearing the same aftershave as her assailant.
“She later realized she was not under threat, but her brain responded to the smell, causing her to believe she was under threat,” he says.
The traumatic experience isn’t going away, nor are the triggers, but we can learn to respond differently, Choate says.
There are a number of different pathways to healing, most notably various forms of therapy. But there are other options, such as meditation and different spiritual paths.
Choate notes that many people find healing using a combination of approaches, too.
“There’s a misnomer that there’s a single answer on how to heal trauma. The trauma response and the recovery isn’t a single thing or moment, it’s a series of things that we do to become more aware of the trauma and the responses, and to become more connected to things that help us to calm that down and respond differently.”
Assistance for those who have experienced trauma and are looking for help can be found through Alberta Health Services’ Alberta Trauma Services.
Words by Dawne Clark, PhD
A child’s brain is the most amazing organ. A composition of mainly water and fat, it allows a child to walk and talk, to laugh and cry, to love and play. Everything a child does, thinks and feels, every wish, dream, regret and hope, is mediated by the brain. A child’s brain defines who they are.
Infants are born with brains that are very much under construction. Serving for a lifetime and eventually weighing about three pounds (1.4 kilograms), the brain will continue to learn, become more efficient and heal itself from many injuries and insults. Yet 90 per cent of brain growth occurs by the age of five. How does this incredible growth happen and how can we support it?
Brain architecture
At birth, a baby’s brain is packed with neurons, but only those most necessary to support basic life are connected and functioning (such as breathing, sucking and swallowing). During the next five years, the brain is primed to make an astounding
one million neural connections per second. Try to imagine that explosive growth, every second of every day for several years.
A baby’s brain is built from the bottom up, with simple neural connections paving the way for more complex connections throughout life. Just as a house needs a sturdy foundation to hold up walls and a roof and withstand the elements, a baby’s brain needs a sturdy foundation to thrive for a lifetime. During the first five years, a child’s brain sequentially builds sensory and physical co-ordination and language (often more than one); identifies emotions and stores memories; and begins to develop planning, problem-solving, decision-making and self-regulation (executive function skills) crucial to success in school, work and relationships. This final development is so complex, it isn’t complete until age 25 or later.
A baby’s developing brain is shaped by the interaction between genetic inheritance and an environment of relationships, “serve-and-return” interactions and experiences. Just as a house is built by a construction crew with different skills (framers, electricians and roofers), babies benefit from having many people in their relationship crew, each bringing their own roles and skills (family, friends and educators).
Serve-and-return relationships can be thought of like a tennis game, where a ball is hit back and forth. This serve-and-return game begins right after birth when an adult holds a newborn, gazes into their eyes, and creates the first connection. While a baby’s vision is quite blurry at birth, they are able to focus at a distance of about 25 centimetres, coincidentally about the distance between the infant’s and adult’s eyes. The game continues as the baby coos and dad responds with a snuggle, or when grandma tickles and the baby giggles.
Sometimes recognizing and responding to an infant’s serve is difficult. Until infants develop language, they need to communicate using crying or fussing. They aren’t trying to manipulate adults; they are communicating that they are wet, cold,
hungry or frightened. As they learn language, young children continue to seek serve-and-return interactions in many different ways and when adults respond consistently, the game continues. We can’t always be completely available to our children; the occasional dropping of the ball can’t be helped. But when children constantly feel that their serves are not recognized or returned, or when they are being artificially stimulated by technology rather than a human voice or touch, the experiences may form weak connections that threaten the shaping of a sturdy foundation.
Stress is a feature of modern life, even for young children, but not all stress is harmful. Positive stress, such as starting child care or making new friends with the support of adults, can help to develop necessary coping strategies, a key element of resilience. Some stress is more extreme, such as a parent becoming ill or losing a job. Even very young children can feel the atmosphere of stress in a home and become fearful and stressed themselves. Through these difficult times, when adults acknowledge the children’s fears and continue to provide love, most children can cope. However, a third type of stress, known as toxic stress, is very harmful to children. Toxic stress may be a serious one-time experience such as a natural disaster or a chronic experience such as child abuse or neglect. When there are no adults available to provide support and comfort to the child, toxic stress can literally derail healthy brain development.
In the early years, when synapses form very rapidly, the young child’s brain becomes extremely crowded and inefficient. Think of urgently calling a toddler to “STOP!” and watching them continue to run while the call is heard, interpreted and sent to the motor control area of the brain before they can stop. An inefficient brain can be dangerous, especially if the toddler is heading towards the road. At about the age of three, the brain begins a lifelong process called pruning, when neurons that have never been connected or connections that are no longer used are snipped away. Pruning continues throughout our lifetime; the adage “use it or lose it” is true. The remaining connections are coated with a substance called myelin, which not only protects but also allows the connections to “fire” more frequently and recover more quickly. The brain becomes more efficient.
Between building new and pruning old connections, the brain is constantly refitting itself, adapting to new environments, learning new skills and repairing damage caused by injury (such as concussion) or insults (such as substance abuse). While our brains adapt and heal throughout our lives, it is much easier and more effective to shape a healthy brain architecture when we are younger. The early years are key to establishing a strong foundation for a healthy life, but the healing power of the brain tells us that a child’s future is not set in stone at the age of five. A difficult first five years is not a life sentence. Our responsibility when caring for young children is quite simple: love them, engage in serve-and-return interactions, provide nurturing environments and be there when things are difficult.
The Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University is an excellent site for further exploration of early brain development. developingchild.harvard.edu
Dr. Dawne Clark, PhD, is a professor emerita of Mount Royal’s Department of Child Studies and Social Work.
by Chao Zhang
For as long as I can remember, storytelling has been a significant part of my life. From animated tales shared at the dinner table to performing as an aspiring young actor, I’ve always used storytelling to connect and engage with others.
However, in 2011, during a gap year abroad, my life took a dramatic turn. On a night out at a bar in Bali, I was unknowingly served a tainted drink that was mixed with methanol, a poisonous substance that is commonly found in items like windshield wiper fluid and gasoline. The poisoning, which was nearly fatal, left me blind in both eyes and completely upended my world.
At 19, instead of returning home to pursue a university degree, I found myself learning how to live a completely new life. I struggled with thoughts of whether I would ever find purpose again. Acting, once a dream, seemed impossible, and I had no clear idea how to move forward with my future.
Over time, my story began to attract the attention of local and national media. Although I was terrified of sharing such a personal experience, I realized there was potential for my story to do some good. I began to see the importance of journalism and media, recognizing how vital it was to inform and warn others. The media’s role in disseminating vital information became
clear to me — something I wish had been available before my travels to Bali, where knowledge about methanol poisoning could have saved my eyesight.
When acting didn’t seem like an option anymore, I decided to pursue storytelling in a different way. I enrolled in the Mount Royal journalism program in 2013, hoping to use my experiences to share stories that deserved to be told. In 2018, I graduated with a degree in communications, majoring in journalism, and a certificate in international communications. During my time at MRU and despite my disability, I sought out opportunities that would benefit my growth, including an exchange in England and a field school in India that focused on community development and intercultural communication. Without invested and supportive professors, I never would have believed these accomplishments would be within reach for me.
Near the end of my degree while interning at Avenue magazine, I was assigned to write about a local disability theatre company that was making live theatre more accessible to people with disabilities. This simple assignment reignited my passion for the arts, and for the first time since losing my eyesight, I considered the possibility of a career in the arts once more.
Seven years later, my life has taken an unexpected yet fulfilling turn. I transitioned from journalism into arts administration and eventually followed my dreams to pursue a professional acting career. In 2024, I premiered my autobiographical play, Static: A Party Girl’s Memoir, which I wrote and performed in. The play’s success led me to collaborate with my former MRU journalism professor, Meg Wilcox, to adapt the play into a chart-topping podcast. Blending audio drama and interviews with special guests, the podcast shares the story of how I lost my eyesight, while also advocating for methanol poisoning awareness.
Today, I continue to embrace storytelling, combining my journalism background with my passion for acting. What I once thought impossible has become my reality, proving that with resilience, new paths can be discovered even in the face of life’s unexpected challenges.
Static: A Party Girl’s Memoir is climbing to first place in Canada’s Apple Podcasts’ “Personal Journals” category.
Last year, 254 alumni stepped up and contributed to MRU in 292 different ways — mentoring students, sharing expertise and shaping the future. From classroom takeovers to social media features and advisory roles, MRU alumni impact is everywhere. Whether inspiring the next generation, elevating MRU’s story or strengthening community ties, our alumni prove that once a Cougar, always a Cougar. Thank you for making a difference!
MRU alumni can now enjoy 20 per cent off at the Cougars Campus Store! All you need is an Alumni ONECard and a Cougars Campus Store account to unlock your discount. Don’t miss out on this exciting opportunity to save on MRU-branded apparel, gifts and more.
mru.ca/AlumniPerks
Every month, MRU alumni can enter for a chance to win two tickets to an event at the Bella Concert Hall. Whether you like the concerts, comedy shows or other live performances, there’s something for you at the Taylor Centre. mru.ca/AlumniTickets
This season of Big Ideas tackles everything from wellness in the digital age to the intersection of Western and Indigenous health practices. Join experts and MRU alumni who dive into topics such as aging, financial wellness and community. Each episode sparks conversation and offers new perspectives on the topics that matter most. Tune in now!
mru.ca/BigIdeas
Unlock your potential with Mount Royal’s Alumni Coaching Network. As an alum, you get exclusive access to skilled career and leadership coaches — plus a special alumni discount. Whether you’re seeking clarity in your current role or navigating a big career move, expert guidance is just a click away. Complete a quick intake form, choose a coach and invest in your future today!
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» On Dec. 3, 2024, MRU’s Giving Day saw 500 donors contributing more than $375,000 to scholarships, bursaries and programs across campus.
» Northpine Foundation has committed $1.2 million to the Institute for Community Prosperity for StartWork, a partnership between MRU and the Government of Alberta providing employment training and access to work-experience opportunities for refugees in Calgary as an alternative to Alberta Income Support. The program helps participants start building a career and a stable future in Canada.
» MRU’s Spatial Data Science Certificate (post-baccalaureate) received an amazing $550,000 gift from Tecterra Inc. This generosity will help provide student bursaries and support program operations through the purchase of technology, the launch of field schools and more.
