From hosting international conferences, publishing papers and getting shirt designs in a major fashion outlet, the MacEwan community has had a busy few months. Celebrate some of the recent accomplishments of our faculty, staff, students and alumni.

Awards and accolades

In addition to hosting nearly 350 students from around the world at a successful National Model United Nations conference in Banff, the students in MacEwan’s Model UN club received several prestigious awards for their participation: Outstanding Delegation, Outstanding Position Papers (Human Rights Council) and Outstanding Delegates in Committee (Human Rights Council).

MacEwan President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Annette Trimbee received the James Carter Indigenous Leader Award from CAREERS: The Next Generation for her significant impact on Indigenous youth and their communities.

The Canadian Institutes of Health Research recognized Associate Vice-President, Research, Dr. Craig Kuziemsky for his outstanding peer review contributions.

Dr. Lucio Gelmini, associate professor of chemistry, is the recipient of the 2026 SCI Canada Outreach Award for his leadership and his work engaging community in promoting the importance and awareness of chemistry in society.

Student Kaelyn Smith received a Youth Inspiration Bursary Award from Tidbits of Change for her work with organizations like The Mustard Seed and Hope Mission in supporting people experiencing houselessness.

At the regional CyberSci competition in Calgary this fall, teams from MacEwan’s cybersecurity club earned first and third place. The first-place team, consisting of students Edzna Castillo, Akmal Jeelani, Charles Christianson and Zoubere Yusuf, will go on to compete in the Canadian National Finals.

Shamsa Ali, sessional instructor in the School of Continuing Education, was selected as a 2025 Fellow of the Society of Internationally Educated Nurses through the Professional Recognition Pathway for her dedication to leadership, advocacy and education.

In recognition of his work in AI-driven project management innovation, Kristian Bainey, a sessional instructor of Accounting and Finance received the 2025 ASTech Award for Social Innovation & Educational Technologies.

In the arts

Sessional instructor of Musical Theatre Performance Jennifer Spencer wrote and directed a family-friendly holiday production called Enchanted Antlers: Furget Me Knot, which was staged at the Varscona Theatre in December.

Building off of a successful 2023 Fringe production, playwright and actress Mhairi Berg, Theatre Arts ’11, expanded Morningside Road into a stage play that ran in the fall at the Varscona Theatre.

Former student and Cree artist Lance Cardinal showcased his creativity in a powerful way with his miniature model of a residential school, which was displayed at the Royal Alberta Museum for the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

Bearing the artistic identity BirdBelly, musician Cynthia Hamar, Bachelor of Music ’23, released a new album called The Wind The Wood. The LP was produced by Associate Professor Paul Johnston.

Sessional instructor Olivia Street, who teaches in both the Department of Music and the Department of Arts and Cultural Management, is helping aspiring musicians across the city as Edmonton Public Library’s latest Musician in Residence.

Publications

Dr. Ozlem Cankaya, Dr. Natalia Rohatyn-Martin and Dr. Karen Buro – along with researchers from the University of Alberta and the University of Calgary – co-authored a paper on loose-parts play and its relationship with STEM-focused behaviour, which was published in Nature.

Sharing his expertise in kefir fermentation, assistant professor of Biological Sciences Dr. Benjamin Bourrie co-authored a paper that was published in Frontiers in Microbiology this fall.

The Canadian Journal of Information and Library Science published associate professor of Management and Organizations Dr. Norene Erickson’s article, “Leadership Perspectives on Emotional Labour in Large Urban Public Libraries.”

Dr. Leanne Hedberg, associate professor of Management and Organizations, co-authored a chapter in Volume 93 of the Research on the Sociology of Organizations series, “Decolonizing Management and Organization Studies: Why, How, and What.” 

The Future of Banking: Innovation, Risk and Inclusion features assistant professor of Accounting and Finance Dr. Dominic Roberts’ chapter “The Audacity of Risk – Contemporary Failures.”

Dr. Albena Pergelova, professor of International Business, Marketing, Strategy and Law, co-authored an article in the International Journal of Hospitality Management titled “A balancing act: Smart technology for SMEs in the hospitality industry.”

Even more accomplishments

Former Griffins women’s soccer player Emily Burns, Bachelor of Arts ’21, achieved a personal dream, earning a spot on Team Canada.

Honorary doctorate recipient Jackie Rae Greening was the guest of honour at a concert and auction celebrating her retirement this fall. Proceeds from the event went to the Little Miracles Trust Fund and Country at MacEwan.

Shoppers at UNIQLO might have spotted some Edmonton designs in the West Ed store. Nick Ross, Bachelor of Communication Studies ’15, collaborated with the fashion giant to feature his locally inspired illustrations in their UTme line of tees and totes.

Kyra Droog, Bachelor of Communication Studies ’19 and Alumni Advisory Council member, presented a virtual talk titled “A Clue in the Blue-Bound Books: An Exploration into the Censorship and Gatekeeping of Historic Children’s Literature” at the GW Ethics in Publishing Conference, organized by George Washington University.

The Tenure and Promotion Recognition Collection in the John L. Haar Library has been updated with the 2025 submissions, along with personal anecdotes from the accomplished faculty members who chose them.