UNB Research

A message from Dr. David MaGee, vice president research:

UNB's  University Research Scholar award honours active UNB faculty members who have demonstrated a consistently high level of scholarship, and whose research is, or has the potential to be, of international stature. Normally, a maximum of two such awards are given each year, and awards are presented at a special event held in the spring.

This year, we celebrate Dr. Gabriel Hrynick (Anthropology) and Dr. Martha Paynter (Nursing) for their continued, important, and impactful work:

Dr. Gabriel Hrynick:

Dr. M. Gabriel Hrynick is an Associate Professor in the Department of Anthropology at UNB’s Fredericton campus, where he began in 2016. He is also a Research Associate Faculty member at the School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, University of New England, Biddeford, and an External Associate at the Climate Change Institute, University of Maine, Orono.

Dr. Hrynick’s research regarding the dwellings and pre-contact architecture, and the lifeways of ancestral Peskotomuhkatiyik or Passamaquoddy Peoples in particular, and ancient coastal foragers in general, is at the leading edge of research in Eastern North America. He has authored numerous scholarly publications, including the Bibliography of New Brunswick Archaeology, which earned him the Canadian Archaeological Association Public Communication Award, and The Archaeology of the Atlantic Northeast, which was shortlisted for the Atlantic Book Award for Scholarly Writing.

Dr. Hrynick also engages with traditional and social media to communicate his findings to the public and particularly to those directly concerned; namely, the Passamaquoddy and Wabanaki people. His research is vital for understanding the lives of the first people on the east coast of North America, especially as climate change threatens to erase crucial archaeological sites. Known for his collaborative, ethical and committed approach, Dr. Hrynick’s work is at the forefront of addressing the urgent need to document and preserve this important history.

Dr. Martha Paynter:

Dr. Martha Paynter has spent over 20 years advancing sexual and reproductive health and justice. A writer, nurse and public scholar, she is internationally recognized for her expertise in abortion services and prisoner health. Dr. Paynter is an Assistant Professor at the University of New Brunswick Faculty of Nursing and Director of Nursing Research for the Contraception and Abortion Research Team at the University of British Columbia. She is also an Affiliate Scientist for the ROSE Abortion Clinic at Nova Scotia Health and a faculty member at Dalhousie University’s Health Law and Justice Institute.

In 2012, Dr. Paynter founded Wellness Within, Canada’s only non-profit focused on reproductive justice for incarcerated individuals, where she continues to serve as Director of Research. Her first book, Abortion to Abolition: Reproductive Health and Justice in Canada, was released in 2022, and her second book, Lawless: Abortion under Complete Decriminalization, will be published in 2025.

Dr. Paynter has published over 50 peer-reviewed articles, and presented hundreds of times, including workshops inside prisons and international academic keynotes. She is committed to public engagement, participating in over 250 media interviews to advocate for abortion access and prisoner rights. Her work often involves collaborating with community groups and lived experience experts. In 2017, she received the Senate of Canada’s sesquicentennial 150th anniversary medal for her volunteer service. Dr. Paynter continues to be a leader in advancing reproductive justice in Canada.

https://www.unb.ca/leadership/president/presidents-awards.html

Related Pages: Research Celebration Week