A century after the invention of the two-piece hockey stick by Zachariah Adam Hall, St. Francis Xavier University (StFX) honors his legacy through the Z.A. Hall Student Research Awards. Four undergraduates—Emillie Murdock, Brenna Alford, Jaylene Nauss, and Ariana Rosero—are the first recipients, each receiving $1,500 for research in biology and related life sciences.
Established by Dr. Bill Marshall, Hall’s grandson and a senior research professor at StFX, the awards commemorate the 100th anniversary of Hall’s 1926 patent. They aim to support undergraduate research initiatives and inspire new generations in the life sciences.
Hall, an inventor and industrialist with 22 patents, made significant contributions to hockey equipment, including designs ahead of their time, like the composite goalie stick. Dr. Marshall emphasizes that the awards reflect Hall’s qualities of inventiveness and perseverance.
The awards encourage academic excellence, innovation, and scientific inquiry, continuing Hall’s legacy by empowering today’s researchers at StFX, where undergraduate participation in research is a strong focus.
