Academic X’cellence: Sharing stories from our inspiring StFX community
It should come as no surprise to anyone familiar with StFX that our campus is filled with highly engaged students, educators, researchers, and leaders. Academic X’cellence shines a spotlight on members of our educational community to find out more about their unique experiences—both inside and outside of the classroom.
Here we meet Dr. Rebecca Wallace, a political science professor and Mila Mulroney Research Chair in Women and Politics in StFX’s Brian Mulroney Institute of Government. Dr. Wallace has founded the Gender and Politics Research Lab at StFX. The lab is dedicated to researching critical questions related to gender and political representation, media, and policy in Canada. Her teaching is highlighted by sharing her expertise and passion for political science. Says Dr. Wallace, “I genuinely want to see my students excel and develop transferable skills that they can carry with them.”
A passion for political science: Dr. Rebecca Wallace is empowering students to make a positive difference
Tell us about yourself.
I started at StFX in 2021 and was thrilled to join the Department of Political Science. I teach in Canadian politics, with a specialization in gender and politics, and run a broad range of courses spanning from PSCI 101 to our upper-year offerings. While some of my favourites are our traditional courses in Canadian politics, like Canadian Structures and Institutions (PSCI 221) and Federalism (PSCI 321), I have also designed new courses on the Politics of Resentment in Canada (PSCI 326), as well as Political Communications and Media (PSCI 319) and the Gendered Campaign (PSCI 327). These new courses are exciting and focus centrally on questions of diversity, so I hope students will enjoy the content as much as I do!
Could you describe your teaching philosophy?
There’s lots that I could say about my approach to teaching and learning but, in short, I’ll say that I care deeply about student success. I want students to share in my passion for political science, so I try to bring a positive energy and enthusiasm to all my classes. I think there are a lot of folks who feel that politics can be boring or cynical, but politics is at the heart of everything that we do. Learning about power, government, institutions, parties, and policy are integral to being a good citizen, and I want to empower the students in my classes who are keen to make a positive impact in their communities. My goal when it comes to all my courses is for students to see themselves in the discipline, feel welcome and included, and be energized by what they learn.
What impact do you hope your teaching will have?
I genuinely want to see my students excel and develop transferable skills that they can carry with them throughout their degree and along their future career path. Whether students are majoring in PSCI or taking a couple courses out of interest, I think everyone can benefit from learning about how governments and policy work.
Tell us about any innovations in your classroom or in research?
My biggest innovation at StFX has been founding the Gender and Politics Research Lab (also known as GAP Lab). The lab is dedicated to conducting high-quality research, looking at critical questions related to gender and political representation, media, and policy in Canada. Launched in March 2024, we are a tight-knit research team composed of students and scholars with a keen interest in addressing issues of gender inequality in the political realm. In addition to research, we also offer training and professional development opportunities to students who are interested in the field of gender and politics. We have some awesome workshops planned this year, so any folks who are interested in learning more are encouraged to reach out!
Could you speak about any awards or accomplishments.
I currently hold a SSHRC Insight Development Grant (with my co-applicant from Queen’s University, Elizabeth Goodyear-Grant) for my research exploring women’s exits from political officeholding in Canada. With this grant, we’ve been able to employ a huge team of undergraduate research assistants in the lab who are currently collecting data on women legislators’ departures from federal, provincial, and municipal politics in Canada. The preliminary data indicate that there is a distinct gender gap in terms of women’s retention when it comes to holding office at all levels of government – women are leaving office much earlier than their male colleagues – and our plan is to learn more about why this is the case.
What drew you to teaching, and at the post-secondary level?
I was primarily driven by my passion for research in this field – the fact that I get to share my knowledge of research in Canadian politics and discuss this with bright, motivated students everyday is incredibly fulfilling!
What excites you about teaching at StFX?
I have been blown away since I started at StFX by the quality of students that we have in our classrooms. We have so many talented folks who are keen to share their ideas and learn from their peers. Whether it’s students who enter straight out of high school, or mature students returning to education, I have found that I’ve learned so much from my students, and their enthusiasm fuels my desire to become a better educator. Likewise, the faculty at StFX are incredible – I feel so lucky to work with such incredible scholars across a wide array of fields. I have found many wonderful mentors when it comes to my research and my teaching, and the collegiality among faculty – especially in my department – has made it a joy to work here!
What’s something surprising about yourself?
I’m a mom of one, and soon to be two! On average, I read over 100 books a year for fun, and my reading list is a terribly eclectic mix of rom-coms, parenting guides, biographies, and the occasional thriller. Although I can’t say I’m an athlete, I love playing hockey and golf, and have found that women’s rec sports in Antigonish are amazing! And in what little spare time I have these days, my husband and I love to work on woodworking projects together!
