Hailing from Toronto, Joy completed her BA in Social Anthropology and Canadian Studies with a minor in Psychology at the University of King’s College. Joy’s research interests centre on "Canada" as a site of diverse experiences of belonging for immigrants, and on the role multiculturalism plays in justifying the state's ongoing occupation of Indigenous territories. Following her interest in Canadian immigration history, Joy’s MA thesis investigated how multiple modes of temporariness have developed in the Nova Scotia labour market for workers in the mining sector, as Nova Scotians leave home seeking employment in Alberta's oil patch and temporary foreign workers arrive to assist with coal extraction. Outside of academia, Joy is involved with politics and serves as Co-Chair of the Nova Scotia Young New Democrats, work which enables her to delve into her passion for enhancing youth civic engagement. When not studying or politicking, she loves to sing with her choir, bake, and spend time exploring Nova Scotia.

Chioma was born and raised in Nigeria. She completed her BA (Honours) and MA degrees in History and International Studies at the University of Nigeria. Chioma is continuing her career in African History at Dalhousie University under the supervision of Dr. Philip Zachernuk. Her research focuses on “ethnic” identities, regional conflicts, and nation-building in post-colonial Africa. Chioma loves reading, writing, table tennis and travelling.

Brennan is a life-long resident of Nova Scotia who grew up in Herring Cove, just outside of Halifax. After completing an MA, Brennan returned to Dalhousie to undertake a PhD under the supervision of Dr. Justin Roberts. His work focuses on the British Atlantic world, early America, and slavery. Brennan enjoys reading, games of all kinds, and making people laugh.

Mahira was born in Singapore but spent most of her life in Vancouver, British Columbia, where she completed her undergraduate degree in history at UBC. Mahira is currently studying under the supervision of Dr. Colin Mitchell and is interested in looking at non-Iranian perspectives of Safavid Iran in the sixteenth century with a focus on legitimacy and the practice of kingship. In her free time she likes to hike and read.

Born in rural Hants County, Nova Scotia, Holly has been drawn to the history of the province as far back as she can remember. While beginning at Dalhousie in a science field, she quickly found her passion for history again, completing her undergraduate degree in history in 2018. Despite her love for railway history in the province, Holly is currently researching the Moir’s Chocolate factory and its advertising methods for her MA project, under the supervision of Dr. Jerry Bannister. Holly has completed several public presentations on various Nova Scotia topics throughout her MA, stemming from her time spent employed in various historical establishments. When not working on her thesis she can likely be found coaching volleyball, at a hockey game, or spending time with family and friends.

Born in Port Hawkesbury, Nova Scotia, Dana has loved and been drawn to the rich Scottish Gaelic culture of Cape Breton for as long as she can remember. Her love for Atlantic Canadian history was reaffirmed when she started her B.A. at St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, Nova Scotia, where she spent the first two years of her undergraduate degree before transferring to Saint Mary's University in Halifax, where she completed her program. While her undergraduate thesis looked at immigrant correspondence relating to nineteenth-century Scottish immigrant communities in Cape Breton, the masters program here at Dalhousie drew her studies two hundred years in the future and to Cape Breton's neighbour to the north, Newfoundland. Her studies focused on Newfoundland's confederation with Canada, the Term 29 debate, the representation of the new province in mainland Canadian newspapers and the role of Joseph "Joey" Smallwood throughout the period.  Dana enjoys reading, spending time with friends and spending as much time as she can along the shores in Cape Breton.

Mercedes Peters is a Mi’kmaq student from Saint John, NB, in Wolastoqiyik Territory and Glooscap First Nation. She studies the impacts of Canadian assimilation policy on Indigenous people, in particular on Indigenous women, and how colonial legacies continue to shape Indigenous lives today. She is passionate about decolonizing education, and teaching others about what reconciliation truly means in Canada today. Mercedes is currently completing a PhD in History at the University of British Columbia.

Nick was born and raised in the Annapolis Valley and completed a degree in history at Acadia University before completing a Masters Degree at Dalhousie University under the supervision of Dr. Jerry Bannister. In both his honours and masters work, Nick focused on the culture of the British Royal Navy during the Napoleonic era, a subject of interest for over a decade. His masters particularly focused on the impact of the surprising single ship action defeats in the War of 1812 on the culture of the Royal Navy, by then accustomed to victory. Nick enjoys hiking and golf, and is a long time reader of the Aubrey-Maturin series and other historical novels.

Born and raised in Germany, Christine moved to Canada in 2009 and completed her high school education in Cape Breton, before she started her B.A Honours in History with a Subsidiary in Religious Studies at Saint Francis Xavier University. In her Honours Thesis she focused on the migration of Black Loyalists and Black Refugees and how these settler societies altered Nova Scotia. For her M.A. thesis Christine focused on Black Loyalists and their settlements in Nova Scotia. Christine was supervised by Dr. Jerry Bannister.  When she is not researching documents at the archives, Christine enjoys reading Harry Potter and the outdoors, especially going for hikes in Cape Breton, which has become her second home.

Rachael received her Bachelor of Arts in history at the University of Windsor. Her interest in Canadian and women's history brought her to Dalhousie where she received her Master's degree. Rachael's research focused on women on the Canadian home front during World War Two. She is particularly interested in how the war affected what kind of food was being prepared by these women in their homes, as well as what kind of food stuffs were being sent overseas to soldiers. Rachael was supervised by Dr. Shirley Tillotson. In her spare time she likes to cook and practice yoga.

Nick Baker grew up in Halifax and received his BA hons. in History and Early Modern Studies from Dalhousie and the University of King’s College. After initially entering the master’s program at Dalhousie in 2012, Nick changed his area of focus to what he loves most: the modern history of Southern Africa. He is particularly interested in Zimbabwe’s Liberation War in the region of Matabeleland and the process by which liberation politics altered identities both before and after the official cessation of hostilities between the Rhodesian government and various militant nationalist groups, most especially the Zimbabwe African People’s Union (ZAPU). Outside of academic interests, Nick enjoys badminton and watching Tottenham Hotspur defeat other English Premier League teams (Arsenal most of all).

Barb is originally from Nova Scotia, but she spent 8 years in Alberta.  After a couple years of university in Edmonton, she decided to return to Nova Scotia.  She completed a BA with Combined Honours in International Development Studies and History from Dalhousie in 2007.  She was the recipient of a SSHRC grant for her MA in African History at Dalhousie, which she finished in 2008.  After three years in the business world, Barb was  excited to begin her PhD in African History at Dalhousie in 2011.  Dr. Gary Kynoch has been her supervisor throughout her graduate work. Barb has also been fortunate to work closely with Dr. Philip Zachernuk and Dr. Theresa Ulicki. She couldn't imagine a better team of professors!  With their help, she has received SSHRC and Killam grants to fund her doctorate.  

Barb's research focuses on the history that informs contemporary violence on white-owned commercial farms in the Midlands region of KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa.  Since the end of apartheid in 1994, approximately 3,000 white farmers have been murdered in what have become known as "farm attacks."  The South African government commissioned the Committee of Inquiry into Farm Attacks, which concluded in 2003 that the motive in the majority of these cases is simply robbery, as something is usually stolen during these attacks.  However, in 2002, South African reporter Jonny Steinberg published the only investigation into a farm murder that considered the long history of land dispossession and labour exploitation on South Africa's farmland.  He identified strong land and labour related grievances that could have motivated that specific attack.  Barb is attempting to determine the extent to which farm attacks are motivated by historical grievances by coupling archival work on the history of settler land accumulation and labour relationships between white farm owners and black farm workers in the Midlands with approximately 250 interviews with farm owners, farm workers, police officers, government officials, and NGOs.  She plans to defend her dissertation in 2016.

A Canadian, Katie has lived abroad, mainly in Kenya, for much of her life. Her undergraduate history experience first sparked her interest in British imperial and religious history. Strong academic reputation, funding opportunities, and her love for the east coast led Katie to Dalhousie, where she pursued her MA, focusing on the religious and political complexities of British missionary endeavour in nineteenth-century southern Africa. Katie was supervised by Dr. Phil Zachernuk.

Janet Mills returned to university to study history and religion after a 30-year absence and a 20-year career as a fitness professional. As an undergraduate, she was the recipient of prizes for academic accomplishment and recognition for her contribution to student experience through mentoring. She was class valedictorian and received the prestigious Joseph-Armand Bombardier Canada Graduate Scholarship. Her MA focused on race and slavery within the Caribbean under the supervision of Dr. Justin Roberts.  She plans to continue to study the Atlantic World of the 18^th and 19^th centuries as she sees endlessly fascinating areas to investigate.  Outside of academic life, Janet is devoted to wildlife, her garden, her cats, budgies and greyhounds.

Born in Richmond Hill, Ontario, Maddie completed an honours degree in History at Dalhousie University in 2017. For her MA, Maddie continued her work with her honours supervisor, Dr. Justin Roberts. Focusing on nineteenth-century Jamaica, she studied Amity Hall plantation, illuminating how the transition from slavery to freedom was experienced by its workers and management. Maddie enjoys hiking, drinking copious amounts of coffee, and catching all of the live music Halifax has to offer!

Originally from Rockwood, Ontario, Kylie completed a BA in History at Dalhousie University in 2013. After taking a year off to work, she applied to do her MA in History at Dalhousie. For her MA, Kylie worked with Dr. Justin Roberts on slave resistance in nineteenth-century Jamaica. Kylie enjoys spending time with friends, baking cupcakes, and running.

Graduated from the University of King’s College and Dalhousie with an honours degree in history, Michael continued his research with Dr. Justin Roberts. His work mainly focused on eighteenth-century America, particularly concentrating on economics, gender, and labour surrounding the revolutionary period. He has also done work in twentieth-century American history, especially on the United States’ role in the Cuban Missile Crisis. Jean-Luc Picard and the Sherlock Holmes of Jeremy Brett are his daily inspirations, but so too is the comedy of Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David.  He would dispute liking a good argument, and enjoys reading Iain M. Banks, biking, and Volvo Cars.

Hillary is originally from Truro, Nova Scotia. She completed her B.A. History (Honours) at King’s/Dalhousie University in 2014 with a concentration in the Atlantic World.  She continued her work on 19^th century Pacific whaling voyages under the supervision of Dr. Jerry Bannister. Her non-academic interests include rowing on the Northwest Arm, watching Stargate SG-1, and playing crib.

Mitchell is from Hants County Nova Scotia and has lived in Halifax/Antigonish for the last 6 years. Having completed his BA at Dalhousie in 2013, Mitchell took a year off before returning to do an MA in the Fall of 2014. He was delighted to have the opportunity to research a topic that sparked his fascination with the past in his childhood: the Mongol empire. Mitchell studied under the supervision of Dr. Colin Mitchell, and worked with medieval travelogues to study Mongol-Turkic confessional identity during the Chinggisid era. Mitchell enjoys spending time outside whether it involves fishing, hiking, or simply exercising.

Ghazi was born and raised in Amman, Jordan. In 2009, he moved to Victoria, British Columbia, where he attended Lester B. Pearson College, Canada’s United World College. In 2011, he moved to Halifax for a bachelor’s degree in history and economics at Dalhousie University. Upon completing his degree, Ghazi’s growing passion for history compelled him to (at least temporarily) put economics aside, and pursue a master’s degree in history. For his MA research project he worked with Dr. Amal Ghazal and explored the Levant’s transformation from the late Ottoman period into the post-war era. Specifically, he wanted to understand how Arab intellectuals made sense of (and were part of shaping) the different landscape that came about with the collapse of the Ottoman order. Ghazi is an avid sea and whitewater kayaker. He completed a 1,200 km sea-kayak expedition in 2011, and is now a certified guide and instructor.