The ROM’s collections are a springboard for discovery, inspiring wonder and promoting learning for our diverse communities. And for outstanding up-andcoming scholars advancing bold research ideas at the Museum, they are the focus of innovative lines of inquiry across art, culture, and nature.
Thanks to a generous gift from Wendy and Leslie Rebanks in 2007, the ROM continues to advance its position as a leading intellectual enterprise. The Wendy & Leslie Rebanks Fellowship nurtures scholarly leadership by providing two young, dynamic thinkers the opportunity to work alongside the Museum’s world-renowned experts and collections for a two-year period.
To date, seven Rebanks post-doctoral fellows have been able to pursue their boldest ideas in research and programming at the Museum, including incumbents Dr. Sushma Jossey and Dr. Heather Read. We recently invited these emerging thought leaders to highlight their respective programs.
Sushma Jossey, Rebanks Fellow in Natural History, together with ROM technician Oliver Haddrath, is working on assembling and analyzing the complete genome of a Northwest Atlantic blue whale salvaged by the Museum in 2014. Once completed, this genome will serve as a reference for studying the genetic diversity and historic population dynamics within North Atlantic blue whale populations. Not only will this research provide critical insight into blue whale biology, physiology, and evolution, it may also inform ongoing conservation efforts by expanding our understanding of the effects of whaling.
Heather Read, Rebanks Fellow in Canadian Decorative Arts, focuses on diverse craft histories in Canada. In collaboration with Arlene Gehmacher, ROM Curator of Canadian Paintings, Prints & Drawings, Read is assisting with gallery refreshments and acquisitions for the Canadian decorative arts collection. She is also working on a manuscript about uncommon craft histories, including a glass steam engine in the ROM’s permanent collection.
Another significant project at the ROM builds on Read’s previous post-doctoral work with the Landscapes of Injustice Project, a national initiative examining the forced sale of Japanese-Canadian property during the 1940s. This effort culminates in the exhibition Being Japanese Canadian, which is based on this era and its ongoing effects.
To learn how you can support transformative research opportunities at the ROM, please contact Katie McMillan at katiem@rom.on.ca or 416.586.5582.