Well, we’ve almost made it through the first submissions of grant applications!  For everyone submitting to SSHRC, congratulations to each of you on your hard work. Things are never really quiet here in St. Pat’s even during the Fall Break.  There were many changes to Plans of Study and to some research proposals as a whole then we added in another Comprehensive Exam defence!  We seem to be on a roll. For those writing grants, just remember that this is a process that will help to get you to where you want to be.

We have a new ICSLAC students association – The Cultural Mediations and Digital Humanities Association aka CMDH – the name seems to fit somehow! Thank you to everyone involved for your work on this important new initiative. On top of that is the new Dissertation Writing Group which will be taking place on pre-scheduled Friday afternoons in the seminar room.  It’s so wonderful to see the support that you have for each other. We always were a fabulous place to work, teach and study but it just seems to get better and better!

Culture Hub has been busy too!  The year started off with the Inaugural Sotheby’s Residency in Curatorial Studies with Dr. Terry Smith’s visit in September for two very well-attended seminars and a public lecture at the National Gallery of Canada.  This was quickly followed by the FASS Distinguished Visiting Professors visit by Dr. Françoise Lionnet and Shu-mei Shih from the University of California, Los Angeles for another series of workshops and a keynote in collaboration with the French Department and the Centre for Transnational Cultural Analysis called Two Views on the Postcolonial was a wonderful programme well enjoyed by everyone who was able to attend!  Culture Hub is also working with James Deaville (ICSLAC/SSAC) to host a panel discussion entitled Working with Cinematic “Paratexts” on Wednesday, November 12th in our seminar room.

Mark Phillips (ICSLAC/History), winner of the Wallace K. Ferguson Award will be presenting a talk at the Festival Boardroom, Ottawa City Hall this Saturday, November 1st from 1-3 pm.  As we speak, our Paris connection, Pauline Goutain  and Jill Carrick (ICSLAC/SSAC) have just wrapped up the Colloque international Art Brut et Matérialité: des imaginaires à l’œuvre at Université Paris Ouest Nanterre.

So, as you can see, the work and the fun continue in ICSLAC! And now, it’s time to start thinking about OGS applications and Fall Convocation.