Dr. Laura  Oland

Education: 

Bachelor of Arts (Honours) History - Acadia University
Masters of Letters Art History Dress & Textiles - University of Glasgow
PhD History - University of New Brunswick 

Research Topics: Art History, Atlantic Canadian History, Canadian History, Costume Studies, Decorative Arts, Dress History, European History, Medieval History, Museum Studies, Tudor History, and Women and Gender History.

Research and Creative Activity: 
Laura Oland is a historian based in Saint John, New Brunswick. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in History from Acadia University and a Master of Letters in Art History Dress and Textiles from the University of Glasgow. She is currently a PhD Candidate in History at the University of New Brunswick and has also completed PhD-level coursework in Art History at Concordia University.

Laura’s master’s dissertation examined the dress of Henry VIII and Francis I, exploring how clothing was used to assert power and legitimacy as monarchs. Her doctoral research focuses on the development of the Art Department at the New Brunswick Museum and the pivotal role played by Alice Lusk Webster in its creation.

Laura has worked with several museums and heritage sites, including the New Brunswick Museum, the Victoria & Albert Museum, The Hunterian, the Van Horne Estate on Ministers Island, and the Randall House Museum.

In addition to her academic work, Laura is an active member of the arts and culture community. She currently serves as Chair of the Saint John Arts Board and sits on the boards of Goose Lane Editions and the Saint John Regional Hospital Foundation’s Future Forward Council. Her previous roles include Chair of Fusion Saint John, Secretary of Just Us (Mental Health), and board positions with Third Space Gallery and Interaction Children's Theatre. In 2024, she was honoured with the Red Triangle Leader to Watch Award for Southwestern New Brunswick.