Science Atlantic Environment Conference (SAEC) 2025

IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS

We acknowledge that Mount Allison University is located within the territory of Mi’kma’ki, the unceded, ancestral territory of the Mi’kmaq. Our relationship and our privilege to live on this territory was agreed upon in the Peace and Friendship Treaties of 1752. Because of this treaty relationship it is to be acknowledged that we are all Treaty people and have a responsibility to respect this territory.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

The 2025 Science Atlantic Environment Conference (SAEC) is a great venue to showcase your environmental-themed research (e.g. social science/policy, environmental science/ecology, or other knowledge systems) gain insights into other's work, and engage with experts in the Atlantic provinces. All students (BA, BSc, BASc, and graduate) and faculty interested in environmental research are welcome. Students are encouraged to present their research and share their work with peers in a friendly, supportive atmosphere. SAEC offers a unique opportunity to interact, network, and contribute to the vibrant environmental research community in Atlantic Canada.

Mount Allison University's Department of Geography and Environment (https://mta.ca/current-students/department-geography-and-environment) is excited to host SAEC 2025. The last time we hosted was 2018!

WHEN AND WHERE?
SAEC 2025 will occur between Fri March 21 (evening) and Sun March 23 (afternoon) at Mount Allison University in Sackville, NB.

Check-in, lite snacks, and an informal meet and greet will occur Fri 6-9 PM at The Pond in the Wallace McCain Student Centre (https://mta.ca/current-students/student-life/eating-campus/pond).

Oral presentations (15 min + 5 min for questions) will be held in the Sir James Dunn Building (Wu Centre). Poster presentations will be held in the mezzanine at the Jennings Dinning Hall during Saturday's lunch period. The Saturday night banquet is in the Wallace McCain Student Centre (Tweedie Hall).

A campus map (https://mountallison.university-tour.com/#) and schedule can both be found in the Important Documents section below. The schedule can also be viewed on the schedule page. Campus parking is free and there are several lots to choose from (e.g. Dunn lot, Hillcrest lot, and King St. lot).

REGISTRATION (NOW CLOSED)
Registration is $120 for students (undergraduate and graduate) and $150 for faculty members. Registration is open until March 3 for presenters and March 12 for non-presenters.

ACCOMMODATIONS
We recommend the following venues:

Coastal Inn Sackville (https://coastalinns.com/sackville/) at $114/night (online only discount code is "gp192392" or phone only discount code is "Science Atlantic Mt A"). Contact at 506-536-0000 or toll free at 1-888-704-7444. Limited rooms available.

Marshlands Inn Sackville (https://marshlandsinn.com/) at $109/night for 1 queen bed (phone only discount code is "Mt A rate"). Contact at 506-536-0170 or toll free at 1-800-561-1266. Limited rooms available.

Travelodge in Amherst* (https://wandlyn.ca/) at $159 or $169/night (single/double queen beds). Please call 902-667-3331, select option #2 to speak with front desk, and then reference the block of rooms for "Mount Allison University". *Amherst is ~15 min drive from campus. Limited rooms available.

ABSTRACT SUBMISSION (NOW CLOSED)
Submission is open until March 3, 2025. Please register when you submit your abstract. Submission requirements are listed on the Submission Page. Abstracts, posters, and presentations (15 min + 5 min for questions) will be accepted in French or English.

Keynote Speaker

Dr. Zoe Panchen

Assistant Professor of Biology at Acadia University

I am a plant ecologist interested in how plants respond to environmental change. My main focus is understanding how climate change impacts plant phenology, reproductive success and community composition. Our lab conducts research in the Canadian High-Arctic which is experiencing some of the most dramatic changes in climate. With the increase in frequency and severity of climate extremes, we are particularly interested in studying the effects of climate extremes on plants.
The focus of my SAEC keynote is: The environment of the Canadian Arctic and the impacts of climate change

Panel Event (Sunday 11:15-12:15): entering the workforce

Panelists will share their experiences and advice on transitioning from university to a career (or further education) in the environmental sector. There will be a series of structured questions asked by the host followed by questions from the audience. Panelists were chosen to represent a youth perspective on employment opportunities/experiences from various sectors (e.g. NGO, government, university, and industry).

Sarah Neima

Wildlife Technician, Canadian Wildlife Service

Sarah claims the whole Maritimes as home; born in Halifax, NS, raised in Charlottetown, PE, and living for the last 15 years in Sackville, NB. She grew up loving the outdoors, camping and hiking every summer. Her general love for nature was focused into a career path when she attended Mount Allison University and joined Diana Hamilton’s Mud Lab studying migratory ecology of Semipalmated Sandpipers in the magnificent Bay of Fundy. She carried that passion with her into many field work contracts with universities and government from the Canadian Arctic to Delaware Bay, NJ. She joined the Canadian Wildlife Service as a Wildlife Technician on a full-time basis in 2023, supporting a variety of programs monitoring and conserving seabirds and shorebirds. She lives in Sackville, NB with her husband and two happily indoor cats, Oscar and Nora.
Iain Crowell

Botanist/Lichenologist, Atlantic Canada Conservation Data Centre

I am a Mount Allison graduate (BSc - Environmental Science, 2019) and am currently employed as a botanist/lichenologist with the AC CDC, based out of Sackville, NB. I conduct rare species fieldwork to help further our knowledge on the distribution and status of the plants and lichens of the Maritimes. I have also spent time working as a field technician in PEI and NS.
Gianco Angelozzi

MSc student, Mount Allison University

I am a marine biologist from Venezuela, where I studied prey availability, diet, and migration phenology of small Calidrid sandpipers during my undergraduate degree. Currently, I am pursuing my MSc under Dr. Diana Hamilton's supervision, researching the effects of environmental stressors on shorebirds and their prey at staging and non-breeding sites. This project aims to increase our understanding on how two stressors linked to climate change, namely storms at staging sites, and temperatures in the tropics, modulate shorebirds physiological condition, diet and behaviour. My research interests are focused on studying ecology and natural histories of birds and intertidal communities.