What we discovered in 2014
Faculty members at MacEwan University are researching topics that impact everyone—from studying how to educate and care for society’s youngest members, to looking at ways to ensure happiness in the oldest. And our researchers are reaching out to generate new knowledge in Canada and around the world—from Egypt to Brazil to Ukraine—but they don’t go on their search for knowledge alone. Students are a critical part of research, scholarship and creative activity.
Here are some of the many things we discovered this year:
Fish are smarter than we thought
Dr. Trevor Hamilton’s research into the brain power of African cichlids received a lot of attention this summer. Popular knowledge had us believing that fish have a memory span of a mere seconds, but Trevor discovered that – at least when it comes to food and a type of fish called African cichlids – their memory is much longer term.
You can study social action while it happens
When Edmonton researchers saw the spontaneous peaceful demonstration that drew more than a million people to the Maidan in Kyiv, Ukraine, they saw an opportunity for rapid response research. Within weeks, researchers were studying the social protests from political science, sociology, communications and health perspectives immediately as events were unfolding.
The answer to one of psychology's greatest mysteries: Who was Little Albert?
Faculty members uncovered the possible identity of psychology’s most famous infant research subject and their research findings could have a ripple effect in the field.
How to help society's oldest members find happiness
Five MacEwan University researchers collaborated with Covenant Health to study eudemonia, or happiness, in people over the age of 80 who live in continuing care centres
Tablets could help faculty become even better teachers
Psychiatric nursing faculty members are designing a full qualitative study to look at the impact of using iPads in their teaching.
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More year-end story compilations:
- Amazing things our students did in 2014
- They made us proud in 2014
- 5 quirky in-class assignments (to follow)
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