The Public Library Speaker Series features monthly talks by Brandon University (BU) faculty, staff, students, and community partners. All talks and presentations are designed to take the exciting research and work that is happening at BU and to share it with the Westman community.
BU has partnered with the Western Manitoba Regional Library (WMRL), which is hosting and co-organizing all the talks at the Downtown Brandon branch. The series is co-organized by Heather Tornblom and Deanna Smid at BU, and by Alex Rogowsky at WMRL.
“We’re excited to partner with the public library on this initiative,” said Tornblom. “Holding presentations off campus emphasizes BU’s engagement with our local community. Besides, the talks scheduled for this year look amazing!”
First held in 2018, the series went on a hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This year, many Brandon University faculty researchers will be joined by their student or community partners, highlighting the collaboration that is so important at the university.
The first presentation is on Wednesday, Jan. 25, and will introduce a topic that is literally close to home. Christy Henry (University Archivist) and Morganna Malyon (Student Accessibility Services Associate) will be joined by research assistant Paul Refvik to present their research into the lives of unmarried, childless women in Westman, 1880-1985.
“We’re very proud of the research that our students and faculty do at Brandon University,” said BU Provost and Vice-President (Academic) Kofi Campbell. “This research is important and very relevant to our region. Community engagement is a crucial part of our mission, and so it’s very rewarding to be able to share this work, and I’m excited to have it presented in such a great venue.”
All presentations will be held on the last Wednesday of the month, from January to June, from 7 to 8:30 p.m., in the Program Room of the Downtown Brandon public library. The library doors will be open at 6:30, and visitors can enter through the Town Centre Parkade or the Rosser Ave. entrance. Parking at that time of the evening is free.
Each presentation will also be catered by a downtown eatery, so expect delicious food as well as stimulating conversations. The presentations will also include door prizes, so these are events not to be missed!
Schedule of Presentations:
January 25
Presenters: Christy Henry, Morganna Malyon and Paul Refvik
Title: Unearthing the Memory of Single Women in Southwestern Manitoba, 1880-1985
February 22
Presenter: Jack Lindsay
Title: ‘What can disaster movies teach us about disasters?
March 29
Presenters: Christopher D. Malcolm and Daniela Paz Campama Gonzalez
Title: Visitor perception of black bears, bear management and compliance with the “Bare Campsite” program at Riding Mountain National Park
April 26
Presenter: Mostafa Torabi
Title: Applications of social media monitoring for businesses to improve customer satisfaction
May 31
Presenter: Emily Holland
Title: Called to the Stand: Forensic Anthropologists in Training and in Practice
June 28
Presenters: Centre for Critical Studies of Rural Mental Health
Title: A Warrior’s Red Path: Connecting to Culture through Drum Making
