Diving into critical, sometimes overlooked, areas of research this summer was a remarkable opportunity, say three Gerald Schwartz School of Business students Emily Head, Landyn Pitts and Abby Steen each recipient of the Schwartz Business School Research Internship Award.
The $8,500 award, which provides up to 14 weeks of research work under the mentorship of a StFX faculty member, offers business students an opportunity to enhance their learning by engaging in research on topics that matter to industry and to society.
The three students focused their work on topics that included the gaps in corporate social responsibility reporting relevant to Indigenous communities and the extraction industry; tax evasion through roundtripping and how it changed during COVID-19; and how female soccer players are valued to determine their salaries.
INCREDIBLY MEANINGFUL
"This research opportunity has been incredibly meaningful to me as it allowed me to dive deep into a critical and often overlooked area, how the extraction industry impacts Indigenous communities and how corporate social responsibility (CSR) reporting can sometimes obscure the real issues," says Emily Head, a fourth year honours management and leadership student from Eastern Passage, NS, who worked under the supervision of Dr. Brad Long.
Ms. Head conducted research titled "The Story Not Told: Gaps in Corporate Social Responsibility Reporting Relevant to Indigenous Communities and the Extraction Industry."
"My research specifically focused on the extraction of minerals and ores essential for the energy transition, such as lithium, cobalt, and nickel. These resources are critical for renewable energy technologies but are often extracted from lands near Indigenous communities, leading to significant environmental and social conflicts," she says.
"By utilizing the Global Atlas of Environmental Justice (EJAtlas), I aimed to build a comprehensive database that highlighted these conflicts and exposed the gaps in CSR reporting related to the extraction industry's impact on Indigenous communities.
"It was a chance to contribute to the ongoing discourse on CSR and to highlight the stories that are often pushed under the rug."
Ms. Head says the experience will benefit her significantly as she plans to pursue a master's in environmental studies in sustainability management and or public administration.
"The skills and knowledge I gained through this research will serve as a strong foundation for my future academic endeavours, especially in understanding the intersections between corporate behavior, environmental conflicts, and Indigenous rights.
"What stands out to me most is the profound gap between what is reported in CSR documents and the actual impacts felt by Indigenous communities. A significant aspect of this research was uncovering the lack of genuine Indigenous governance in the decision-making processes of the extraction industry. Despite the presence of agreements and CSR initiatives, Indigenous voices and governance structures are often sidelined or insufficiently recognized. This marginalization leads to conflicts and a disconnect between corporate actions and the needs and rights of Indigenous communities. The absence of robust Indigenous governance in these processes underscores the need for more inclusive and equitable approaches that truly empower Indigenous communities to govern their own lands and resources," she says.
ENHANCED KNOWLEDGE, CONFIDENCE
Landyn Pitts of Antigonish, NS, a fourth year honours finance student who is also taking a minor in math, says the experience enhanced her knowledge, confidence, and discipline, which she will carry forward in her academic and career pursuits.
She researched tax evasion through roundtripping and how it changed with the COVID-19 pandemic. Working under the supervision of Dr. Bhavik Parikh, they considered factors such as relationships between countries, government styles, tax policies, and pandemic regulations/restrictions.
"Dr. Parikh's mentorship and the connections that I have been fortunate to make have broadened my perspectives on potential career paths and future opportunities," she says.
Ms. Pitts says as a student-athlete, dedicating this summer to research allowed her to immerse herself in her thesis work, and that Dr. Parikh's support, along with this opportunity, has made completing her honours achievable.
"For me, a highlight of this experience was finding a balance between working independently and collaborating with others. I was encouraged to problem-solve and use critical thinking while also being able to discuss and work as a team with Dr. Parikh."
EXPANDED UNIVERSITY EXPERIENCE
"This opportunity has meant a lot to me by allowing me to really focus on my research over the summer and expand my knowledge on a topic that I am interested in. I am very grateful to have gotten this opportunity, and it has helped me a lot by having further motivated me to get ahead on my thesis. I also had knee surgery over the summer and this research award allowed me to feel like I had a job while working on my thesis throughout recovery," says Abby Steen of Ottawa, ON.
The fourth year honours accounting student, who is also taking a minor in sport management, began data collection for her research. She expanded the literature reviews she had been working on throughout the final semester of her third year and created frequency tables on how female soccer players were valued (based on their performance, social media status, physical attractiveness, etc.) to ultimately determine their salaries.
She also looked at news articles, online posts, and other sources relating to pay and equity in women's professional soccer as well as stayed current on news regarding the new Canadian women's professional soccer league, the Northern Super League. Towards the end of the summer, she worked on a proposal to submit to a conference for feedback on her research thus far.
Ms. Steen, who is co-supervised by Drs. Mark MacIsaac and Rhonda McIver, says the experience impacted her by giving her an opportunity to learn more outside of the classroom and in a different manner through research. "It has helped me to develop more time management, self-discipline, and organizational skills, as well as to encourage me to balance being an independent learner while also collaborating with my supervisors. These are all skills that will benefit me both currently and in the future.
"I'd like to highlight that this is such a good opportunity for students and gives you the chance to expand your academic university experience in a personalized way."
