Trent University’s School for the Study of Canada and the Canada-US Fulbright Foundation have appointed Dr. Elizabeth Elliot-Meisel, a scholar whose research spans international borders and interdisciplinary boundaries with a focus on U.S.- Canada Relations in the Arctic, as the University’s inaugural Fulbright research chair in Comparative Canada-US Studies.  

“Prof. Elliot-Meisel is the perfect fit to launch this new visiting scholar and research program at Trent,” said Dr. Heather Nicol, director of the School for the Study of Canada. “As a highly-regarded American scholar with a deep understanding of Canada-U.S. relations, she will be an incredibly rich resource for students seeking a better understanding of our historical relationship with our southern neighbours.” 

As Fulbright chair, Prof. Elliot-Meisel, an associate professor of History from Creighton University (Omaha, Nebraska), will contribute to the development of far-reaching and interdisciplinary research, talks and curriculum at Trent with the goal of promoting the exchange of knowledge and scholarship between Canada and the United States. 

“It is an honour to be selected as the first Fulbright Research Chair at Trent,” said Prof. Elliot-Meisel, whose research focuses on Arctic issues between the US and Canada, specifically looking at the Northwest Passage. “Trent’s long-standing reputation as a leader in Canadian Studies stands, in part, on its encouragement of students to ask challenging questions about Canada’s past. I’m looking forward to engaging in this discourse and helping to deepen students’ understanding of Canada and its relationship with the United States.” 

Broadening classroom perspectives on public history

During her time at Trent, Prof. Elliot-Meisel will be teaching a fourth-year course on Comparative Public Memory and Public History where students will explore the origins and development of public memory in the United States and Canada, and its relationship to professional history. She will share her approach and understanding of history as a process of asking new questions of the past and challenging people of today to seek a deeper and broader understanding of those who came before them. 

Building on Trent’s leadership in Canadian Studies

The Fulbright chair research program, established with support from The Wilson Foundation, was announced as part of a public lecture by Fulbright Canada’s Dr. Michael Hawes titled Canada - US Relations in a Complex and Uncertain World, held at Trent’s Catharine Parr Traill College on September 27.  The lecture and announcement of the Fulbright research chair are part of the 50th anniversary celebrations for Trent’s Canadian Studies program. 

Trent was the first university to establish a Canadian Studies program in Canada back in 1972. As part of its 50th anniversary celebrations, the School for the Study of Canada is planning a series of events to mark this significant milestone, including hosting renowned scholars from Trent and around the world in leading critical discussions on the topic of Canada. Visit the Canadian Studies 50th Anniversary website for details and events.