This past summer, two members of the Faculty of Nursing brought to life an idea to create a clothing company — one they hope will help fund the hiring of more research assistants within the faculty.

Threads of Inquiry is a self-funded project established by Nursing Professor Katie Goldie and Nursing Science Society President Alex Palmeri, NSc ’18. Goldie and Palmeri spoke to The Journal about the project and explained how the company aims to “support on-campus student research opportunities.” 

With an official launch date of Oct. 13, Goldie and Palmeri — who came up with the idea during their summer as professor and researcher — saw a successful first two days of sales. 

Alongside a group of dedicated volunteers, Palmeri and Goldie set up a pop-up stand by Clark Hall Pub. Here, they focused their efforts on engaging with the many Engineering alumni and students. 

On Oct. 14, they “took to the streets” of the surrounding University District and spoke to many heading to Richardson Stadium for the annual Homecoming football game. Threads of Inquiry finished their weekend by having a table at the ReUnion Street Festival. 

With clothing featuring an aesthetic they describe as unique to the Queen’s community, Goldie and Palmeri sell each item at $16.99 apiece, no matter the size or style. The shirts are embellished with slogans like “Tricolour runs in the family,” names of various University District streets and one child’s onesie reads “Class of 2039.” 

“We fill a void. There are other apparel outlets on campus but this one I think has a different look and vibe,” Goldie said. “We also feature a few children-inspired items — we’re targeting students, faculty and alumni, both in Kingston and outside.” 

Palmeri’s time spent as a research assistant this past summer helped to inspire the initiative.

“Working in research, I’ve been able to really connect the dots and understand how nursing research translates to improved patient outcomes, quality of care, improved policy surrounding topics like mental health and patient safety,” Palmeri said. “When I originally thought about research before this [research assistant] position, I envisioned perhaps something more traditional.”

Once established, the fund will be available to students via an application process, whereby students will request funds to engage in research that interests them. Since it really depends on the student, Threads of Inquiry will support any area of research and isn’t limited to one particular subject. 

Goldie and Palmeri both iterated that experience in research is invaluable to students and faculty alike. 

“Research is way more than just that traditional view that you see on television or in movies,” Palmeri said. “It’s people going out with a question and the desire to solve a problem and improve care and figure out a way to do that.”