UB's Canadian-American Studies Committee coordinates, promotes, sponsors, and carries out research, instructional and service activities that are related to Canada. Our mission is to foster a broad and diverse menu of courses, experiences and opportunities that stimulate scholarly inquiry and develop awareness of Canada among faculty and students across the entire university. We gratefully acknowledge support from The Canadian Embassy and the University at Buffalo's College of Arts and Sciences.
Founded in 1984, the Canadian-American Studies Committee encourages academic research and activities that foster greater understanding of Canada, and of the Canadian-American bilateral relationship. Its members are drawn from a variety of disciplines.
at UB is the Canadian Studies
Advanced Graduate Certificate Program. The program mobilizes
and draws upon a wide range of faculty expertise and interest in Canada.
The University at Buffalo is a major public research and educational institution located on the Canadian-American border. As such, UB is a natural site for the concentration of individuals with interests in our "neighbor to the north." For over a decade, the Canadian-American Studies Committee has fostered, coordinated and supported research involving Canada and Canadian-American relations. A great variety and diversity of Canada-related activities, research, and public service exists at UB.
Annually, the Committee submits a grant proposal to the Canadian Embassy in Washington, DC, to request support for Canadian American activities at UB. We have been fortunate in receiving generous financial support from the Embassy's program, funds that have been matched dollar for dollar by the College of Arts and Sciences. Using this support, the Committee has undertaken a variety of activities and programs that increase awareness and knowledge of Canada at UB.
In recent years, one of the Committee's primary activities has been to make small research grants (see grants page) available to faculty and graduate students for work that advances Canadian studies, or makes a contribution to cross-border understanding. As the listing of recent successful grant proposals shows, these small grants have facilitated a diverse array of activities, including research by faculty and students from many disciplines, travel expenses to Canadian conferences, travel to special archival collections, visits by prominent Canadian artists and academics, symposia and public talks and performances. The Committee administers these grants through fall and spring semester competitions.
In addition, the Committee has taken an active role in recent years in promoting public speaking events of interest to the cross-border community. Every year we either sponsor or co-sponsor speakers on campus or in the Buffalo area who address issues relating to Canada. For example, in recent years talks and public events supported by the Committee have included lectures on Toronto's experience with reformed regional and city governance, the development of Nunuvut in Canada's north, and the annual Crossing Borders conference.
If you are interested in learning more about the Committee, in obtaining information about research grants, or would simply like to be added to our listserv, please contact Dr. H. Lorraine Oak (Chair of the Committee) at loak@buffalo.edu, or at (716) 645-2711.