Series documents academic research undertaken by Dr. Marika Ainley throughout her academic career. It contains research material from projects in Ainley's main areas of research, the history of ornithology and the history of early and contemporary women scientists, as well as research on the relationship between early women scientists and Aboriginal peoples. The series is arranged into thirteen subseries: ornithology research, Louise de Kiriline Lawrence and Doris Huestis Speirs correspondence monograph; "Scientists vs. government experts: The wood buffalo controversy, 1920-1991," "Restless energy: A biography of William Rowan, 1891-1957," women in science and engineering research, Catharine Parr Traill, "Critical turning points: Women engineers within and outside the profession," funding applications, North American and Australian indigenous knowledge and science, oral histories, "Creating complicated lives," publications, and Mabel F. Timlin. Series consists of photocopies of articles; correspondence; bibliographies; draft and published versions of articles, conference proceedings, and monographs; interviews and transcripts; recordings of conferences; statistical data; questionnaires; consent, submission, and other forms; pamphlets and other material from conferences; applications for grants and funding; overhead transparencies; photographs; and notes.
Series contains two diplomas awarded to Dr. Ainley by the University of Northern British Columbia, news clippings, and photographs. Series also includes some of her activities during her retirement including her art exhibits, a cruise, and membership in Federation of BC Writers.
Series largely consists of Ainley's administrative activities as professor and chair of the Women's Studies Program at the University of Northern British Columbia. Material is arranged, predominately, according to the activities with which Ainley was involved, including overseeing program restructuring, coverage of the Women's Studies Program in the media, presentations to prospective students, planning for research presentations and conferences, curriculum development and retirement preparation. Series also documents Ainley's appointment as an adjunct professor in the Environmental Studies department at the University of Victoria. The series also includes records concerning Ainley's graduate student research assistants and their work with her. The series consists of memoranda, meeting minutes, reports, posters, speaking notes, correspondence, brochures, pamphlets, articles, course descriptions and syllabi, notes, printed emails, and employment contracts.
Series contains material relating to Ainley's personal projects and research and professional projects. The material consists of transcribed copies of Ainley's early articles; drafts of sections, notes, research material and correspondence relating to "Creating Complicated Lives: Women and Science at English-Canadian Universities, 1880-1980"; conference proceedings, research material, notes and correspondence relating to her research project, "Re-explorations: new perspectives on gender, environment and the transfer of knowledge in 19th and 20th century Canada and Australia"; material, predominately course descriptions and syllabi, relating to administering the Women's Studies Program at the University of Northern British Columbia; and photographs and slides relating to both her research and her personal life and hobbies. Series also contains conference proceedings, research notes, bibliographies, curricula vitae and other material.