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Hayley Kirk, originally from Vancouver Island, is a first-year Master's student in History at ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥, under the supervision of Dr. Scott Berthelette. Her master's research investigates the cultural exchanges between British female settlers and Mi’kmaw communities in Atlantic Canada from 1750 to 1850, with a focus on domestic interactions mediated through traded goods. Her study employs archival analysis, material culture studies, and geographical mapping to explore how these exchanges influenced household dynamics and fostered cross-cultural understanding in the region.

During her undergraduate studies at Dalhousie University, Hayley specialized in Canadian History and Indigenous studies with a minor in Classics and certificate in Art History. Her honours thesis titled "Phoebe Judson: A Pioneer's Journey on the Western Frontier" garnered significant attention, resulting in various interviews at the Lynden Tribune, the town central to her thesis. In addition, she also presented her research in 2023 at the Pacific Northwest Historians Guild conference in Seattle. 

Lastly, following the completion of her undergraduate degree, Hayley studied abroad in Paris, France for four and a half months in the 9th arrondissement at the EF Campus Internationaux de Langues, where she reached a B1 level in French. This experience allowed her to utilize French in everyday situations and enabled travel to various countries including Italy, Greece, Ireland, Scotland, and England.