Nov. 26, 2014 Volume 47 | Number 6
A M E M O R I A L U N I V E R S I T Y O F N E W F O U N D L A N D P U B L I C AT I O N
Registration Mail No. 4006252
We are research
Memorial releases 2014 research report By Krista Davidson
MEMORIAL UNIVERSITY has
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launched its 2014 research report, which features the extraordinary and impactful work of its students and researchers. The report’s theme, We Are Research, is prevalent in each of the stories as a celebration of and testament to the impact that research will have on society. It also reflects the collaborative effort and teamwork that is required to make extraordinary research happen. “Research at Memorial touches the lives of all Newfoundlanders and Labradorians, and beyond,” said Dr. Ray Gosine, vice-president (research), pro tempore.
DR. JOINAL ABEDIN’S research on soil fertility and safety in Labrador is featured in the 2014 research report.
See RESEARCH on page 4
On top of the world Down Under Alumni team wins global business competition By Jeff Green
A GROUP OF Memorial graduates have been crowned the best in the world, taking the top prize of $100,000 at the 2014 G20 Global Business Challenge (GBC), a prestigious international graduate business competition that wrapped up in Australia Nov. 6. Team Memorial – Dave Winsor (B.Eng.’09, MBA’14), Daan Goossens (MBA’14), Janine Brophy (B.Comm. (Hons.)(Co-op)’08, MBA’14) and Lica Christensen (M.Env.Sc.’14) − along with faculty advisor, Dr. Peggy Coady, an associate dean in the Faculty of Business Administration – beat out five other teams to win.
“We are a little shell shocked,” Mr. Winsor said in an interview from Australia earlier this month. “This is something nobody else in the world has done this year. It’s really exciting.” The team faced stiff competition from teams that included members from institutions such as University of California, Berkeley; Warsaw School of Economics; and the University of Nottingham, among others.
“This is something nobody else in the world has done this year. It’s really exciting.”
“They all had really unique ideas and they were tough to compete against,” said Mr. Winsor. “They all brought something to the table that we didn’t consider. From our point of view, we were very humble to accept the award. It is really great to showcase what we can do and how great a team from Canada and Memorial University can compete.” The G20 GBC is a unique competition that attracts top graduate students from leading business schools and universities. Teams were challenged to develop an innovative solution to use, recycle and/or manage water to achieve large-scale impact. Team Memorial focused its business case solution on the difficulties faced
by the agricultural industry as the largest consumers of freshwater. The team proposed to develop a four-stage solution to monitor, pump, treat, and recycle salt water to achieve the same irrigation results as with freshwater. Dr. Coady said winning the competition is a testament to Memorial’s high-calibre students, graduates and programming. “This accomplishment is further validation of the quality of academic programs at Memorial,” she said in an interview from Australia. “We have excellent graduate programs that produce outstanding graduates.”
12 DATA M I N E
3 STUDENT VIEW
See AUSTRALIA on page 4
features
3 LEADERSHIP POTENTIAL
The first Banting Post-doctoral Fellowship at Memorial has been awarded to an environmental chemist.
7 I N D -S P I R I N G
One of the Marine Institute’s own has been named an outstanding Indigenous Canadian.
Memorial is partnering with Fogo Island fishers on a data-based citizen science project.
Debating up for a debate.
Alumni spotlight JG: How does it feel to receive this
JG: Tell me about your relationship with Memorial. GC: Memorial is my home. It has been for the past seven years. I plan on doing my residency here, too. Memorial is far more than an educational institution. I have had so many wonderful experiences with student groups, leadership programs and spirit building activities. Somewhere, someone is always looking out for you and helping you succeed. That is a beautiful thing.
award? GC: I’m still a little shocked. When I got the phone call saying I was this year’s recipient, the Red Cross representative said: ‘I assume you probably know why we are calling.’ My response was: ‘I really don’t!’ I have done lots of little projects and volunteer acts in my lifetime, but nothing I would consider to be an extreme grand gesture. As a volunteer, I certainly don’t seek recognition, but when it happens it’s a great feeling!
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JG: In your mind, why do you feel you were chosen? GC: I was nominated by my classmates and friends. I’m really not sure why they chose me to nominate. I guess they have seen, first hand, the dedication I put into my projects. I pour my heart and soul into each bake sale, trivia night and recycling drive. I like to see things succeed!
editor’s note As you may have noticed, the Gazette has undergone a dynamic design revamp. We here at Marketing & Communications think the new look is fresh and modern, clean and bold. It’s also aligned with Memorial’s brand, incorporating the university’s colour palette and font. Let us know what you think. Feedback − good or bad – is welcome. Email mandyc@mun.ca.
JG: Why do you volunteer? GC: It’s about the small differences Gina Colbourne Gina Colbourne (BN’12) learned the real impact of volunteering at an early age. Growing up in Carbonear, N.L., she saw the sheer joy on kid’s faces while handing out loot bags at breakfast with Santa events. Since then, the thirdyear medical student has tirelessly led volunteer campaigns for groups like Oxfam Canada and Children’s Wish Foundation. She routinely reads
for young children at the Janeway Children’s Hospital and organizes charity bake sales for her medical school class. For her dedication, Ms. Colbourne will be presented with the 2014 Red Cross Young Humanitarian of the Year on Nov. 26. Gazette contributor Jeff Green spoke with Ms. Colbourne about the honour and why volunteering matters to her.
you can make. You might not see it right away, but you’ll feel it. It feels incredible. The benefits are immeasurable! In smaller communities, events and groups do not function without volunteers. The advances in research and awareness for many health-related organizations would never happen either if volunteers didn’t participate in fundraising campaigns.
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EDITOR Mandy Cook
YOUR NEXT PROJECT By Amy Tucker Special to the gazette
The port of Edward’s Cove, Anaktalak Bay, from where Voisey’s Bay nickel is shipped.
Yaffle.ca is Memorial’s online connecting tool. One of its most significant jobs is to provide a way for people from outside Memorial to ask for research help. With hundreds of communitysuggested opportunities to choose from, your next project is just a click away. Here’s one...
who are hired to complete additional construction and maintenance,” said Theresa Hollett, IBA co-ordinator, Nunatsiavut Government. “Although our IBA includes an adjacency clause to employ local people, this may not be happening as much as possible, which may be due to union issues.” Typically, potential employees of contractors must be a member with the respective trade unions to be considered for work. Although there are Nunatsiavut beneficiaries who may be qualified for the work, they may not be a union member. This can be for various reasons, such as lack of union recruitment efforts in Labrador or high initiation or maintenance fees. Another major obstacle is that some people join the union to gain employment to stay in Labrador; however, union requirements mean individuals may have to take the first available job, which is not necessarily in Labrador. If that person rejects the position, they may be placed on the bottom of the union’s call list.
THE OPPORTUNIT Y
The Voisey’s Bay nickel mine in Northern Labrador is currently providing business, employment and training opportunities for Aboriginal Peoples in Labrador, including the Inuit (represented by the Nunatsiavut Government) and the Innu (represented by the Innu Nation). With the mining development on the traditional lands of these two groups, impacts and benefits agreements (IBAs) have been created regarding its construction and operations. “Although many Nunatsiavut beneficiaries have been hired permanently with capital works, there are roadblocks for beneficiaries to obtain employment from contractors
THE PROJECT
“It would be beneficial if someone from Memorial could examine union policies, to ensure that they are productive for the unions, Aboriginal groups and contractors in Labrador,” said Ms. Hollett. “This can be studied not only for Voisey’s Bay, but for other major projects in Labrador such as Muskrat Falls. “These projects are always looking for more skilled tradespeople, and there is likely untapped potential in their own back yard, so to speak, with the Inuit and Innu. There is currently a changing political landscape with respect to land claims within the province, and there is much greater capacity for unions to work together with our groups to come to mutually beneficial arrangements,” Ms. Hollett added. Interested in learning more about this project? The Harris Centre’s co-ordinator of knowledge mobilization would be happy to tell you more. Call Amy Tucker at 709-864-6115 or email amy. tucker@mun.ca .
GRAPHICS Jacqui Baggs REGULAR CONTRIBUTORS Courtenay Alcock Laura Barron Jennifer Batten Melanie Callahan Nora Daly Krista Davidson Paula Dyke Kelly Foss Pamela Gill Sharon Gray Jeff Green Janet Harron Jill Hunt Diane Keough
Jackey Locke Virginia Middleton Cathy Newhook Michelle Osmond David Penney Marcia Porter Kristine Power Dave Sorensen Melissa Watton Meaghan Whelan Susan White Heidi Wicks Laura Woodford
CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING Kelly Hickey PHOTOGRAPHY Chris Hammond ADVERTISING Mandy Cook T. 709 864 2142 mandyc@mun.ca Next gazette deadline Dec. 10 for Dec. 17 publication. The gazette is published 17 times annually by the Division of Marketing and Communications at Memorial University. Material in the gazette may be reprinted or broadcast without permission, excepting materials for which the gazette does not hold exclusive copyright. gazette, Room A-1024 Memorial University of Newfoundland St. John’s, NL A1C 5S7 T. 709 864 2142 F. 709 864 8699 mandyc@mun.ca ISSN 0228-88 77 With the exception of advertisements from Memorial University, ads carried in the gazette do not imply recommendation by the university for the service or product.
www.mun.ca/gazette 2 gazette | Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2014 | www.mun.ca/gazette
Environmental problem-solving By Kelly Foss
DR. TREVOR VANDENBOER is the recipient of Memorial’s first Banting Post-doctoral Fellowship. The Banting Post-doctoral Fellowships program provides funding to “the very best post-doctoral applicants, both nationally and internationally, who will positively contribute to the country’s economic, social and research-based growth.” The objective of the Banting program is to attract and retain top-tier post-doctoral talent, develop their leadership potential and position them for success as research leaders of tomorrow. Only 70 of these are awarded annually at a value of $70,000 a year for two years. Originally from Ontario, Dr. VandenBoer holds an undergraduate degree in forensic science and analytical chemistry from Laurentian University. He completed a M.Sc. and PhD in environmental chemistry, specializing in atmospheric chemistry, at the University of Toronto before beginning a post-doctoral fellowship at Memorial University in 2012 with Dr. Christina Bottaro, Department of Chemistry, and Dr. Sue Ziegler, Department of Earth Sciences. “The Banting Fellowship will provide me with the opportunity to expand my currently funded research projects into a larger program that I hope will continue at Memorial into the future,” said Dr. VandenBoer. “The research
student view
By Samantha Fitzpatrick
Debating ‘Up for Debate’
environment in St. John’s has already provided me with collaborators on campus and in the community and I look forward to continuing my engagement with people spanning academia, industry and government.” “The research environment in St. John’s has already provided me with collaborators on campus and in the community and I look forward to continuing my engagement with people spanning academia, industry and government.” For the next two years, the funding will allow Dr. VandenBoer to work with Dr. Ziegler and her partners from the Canadian Forest Service and the provincial Centre for Forest Science and Innovation to build upon their studies of how boreal ecosystems are impacted by climate change. In particular, they will collect information from the Newfoundland and Labrador Boreal Ecosystem Latitudinal Transect (NL-BELT), an instrumented platform of four study regions in Western Newfoundland and Southern Labrador consisting of stream and terrestrial sites that are similar in terms of forest type, age of trees and soil type, but differ significantly in latitude, and therefore climate. Measurements of the conditions and state of the southern sites are providing indicators that will help predict how climate change will affect those areas further north. “We need to get a handle on
YOU MAY HAVE already heard about the Up for Debate campaign, but in case you haven’t: Up for Debate is an alliance of more than 100 organizations targeting Canadian political parties (not just elected governments), asking them to commit to specific plans of action regarding women’s rights, foregrounding women in the discussion leading up to the 2015 federal election. Participating local groups include the St. John’s Status of Women Council, Oxfam Canada and CUPE, which are represented both federally and locally. MUN Oxfam will be contributing to the debate in the upcoming months with hopes of engaging everyone on campus (at the very least). I got the inside scoop about the campaign at one of MUN Oxfam’s signature events, an Oxtalk. During the Oxtalk, presenter Beth Peddle gave a general overview of the state of women’s rights on a national and global scale. Amidst the stories and statistics, our discussions revealed an overall feeling of dissatisfaction; we were (and still are) discontented by how little is being done to address gender inequality and to effect actual change. This may seem like an odd or perhaps unfair statement. Certainly all of the groups participating in the Up for Debate campaign are
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Post-doctoral fellow receives Memorial’s first Banting fellowship
Dr. Trevor VandenBoer nitrogen’s movement into and out of biological systems, these terrestrial and aquatic environments, and into the atmosphere,” said Dr. VandenBoer. “It will let us better understand the carbon storage in the boreal forest landscape on a longer time scale, whether these ecosystems will respond to climate change by releasing more carbon, which will exacerbate the problem, or whether it will help the forest grow and store more carbon for us.” Without that information, Dr. VandenBoer says scientists won’t be able to predict the impact of climate change on these important ecosystems, which in turn may contribute to a runaway effect when it comes to climate change. Dr. Ziegler says Dr. VandenBoer’s
environmental chemistry background has done a lot to span the divide between disciplines at Memorial. He lends his expertise to a vast array of environmental questions being studied in earth sciences, ecology, chemistry, physics and archaeology during regular meetings of a group of researchers from these disciplines who are focused on environmental research. “Over the past couple of years, Trevor has been developing collaborations with a number of people across the university,” she said. “That’s creating a fun intersection which has fostered interdisciplinary thinking and has provided significant opportunity for important problem-solving in environmental sciences here at Memorial.”
doing just that – fighting for change, often specifically in reference to gender inequality, or women’s issues more generally − but has enough been done by our politicians? CUPE is proudly committed to “empowering young workers, women’s rights, racial equality, dignity for the disabled, as well as justice for First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples.”
Canada has offered support and encouragement to groups already working towards social justice. Their slogan, Ending Global Poverty Begins with Women’s Rights, speaks to the values of a community of people dedicated to helping end gender inequality together. Yet women are still not a priority when politicians begin their own election campaigning. Surprisingly, though women outnumber men in voting percentage, women’s issues are rarely ever the focus of our candidates’ platforms. Furthermore, none of this even begins to address those who identify outside of the gender binary. Ms. Peddle made a point of bringing this up; she truly believes in and advocates for gender justice for all, and therefore could not let the issue go unmentioned. Though I support Up for Debate, I wonder if it goes far enough. Does addressing women’s issues first make it easier to address the issues of those outside of the gender binary after? Clearly we have a lot of work to do, but I believe Up for Debate is on the right track at least.
“Surprisingly, though women outnumber men in voting percentage, women’s issues are rarely ever the focus of our candidates’ platforms.” Their website also challenges gendered language norms by choosing not to give preference to male pronouns and allowing women to come first in a “men and women/women and men” type of sentence (this may seem trivial, but is surprisingly powerful). The St. John’s Status of Women Council really needs no words. They have fostered safe spaces for women and continue to challenge sexist ideology daily. Since its beginnings in 1963, Oxfam
Samantha Fitzpatrick is a fourth-year English major at Memorial. She can be reached at samantha_fitzpatrick@hotmail.com.
Thoughts, ideas and perspectives By Jennifer Batten
DR. NOREEN GOLFMAN, Memorial’s provost and vice-president (academic) pro tempore, is sharing her thoughts, ideas and perspectives on topics relevant to the Memorial community in a weekly blog. Dr. Golfman has been in her current role for almost three months and is keen to engage faculty, students and staff in conversation about issues of importance to higher education. In a recent post, Dr. Golfman discussed course evaluations and the importance of student feedback
– a timely topic as Memorial students and faculty approach the end of the fall semester. “We all know how vulnerable evaluations are to charges of ineffectiveness,” she wrote. “Far from an exact science, the process relies to a large degree on quantitative measures, but teaching is such a personal, dynamic activity for which no single perfect evaluation form could reasonably exist.” To read the full post and to follow the weekly blog, visit www. mun.ca/vpacademic/blog/.
Dr. Golfman was previously dean of Memorial’s School of Graduate Studies. She has served in that role since June 1, 2008. Under her leadership,
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tremendous growth. Enrolment was up by 5.3 cent in 2013, and 14.3 per cent over the past two years. In the last decade, the number of graduate students at Memorial has doubled to a total of 3,565 graduate students. A number of new programs were created during her term as dean, including five new doctoral programs and eight new master’s programs. A professor of English, Dr. Golfman holds a PhD from the University of Western Ontario.
Dr. Noreen Golfman
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Dr. Coady said the team has had the support of a number of Memorial stakeholders, including the Office of the President, the Faculty of Business Administration, Distance Education, Learning and Teaching Support and the School of Graduate Studies. The team accepted their top award from the Paul de Jersey, governor of Queensland.
New appointments to the board of the Research & Development Corporation were announced July 17. Dr. Terry-Lynn Young, professor, Faculty of Medicine, has been re-appointed chair of the board; Fred Cahill, Genesis Centre, has been appointed director of the board (effective Oct. 31, 2014); and Dr. Brian Veitch, professor, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, will return as a board member.
obituaries
From left are Team Memorial members Daan Goossens, Lica Christensen, Janine Brophy and Dave Winsor in Australia.
GERALD PATRICK SHORT Gerald Patrick Short, a retired staff member in the Office of the Dean of Science, passed away Nov. 1, 2014. He was 74.
Cont’d from RESEARCH on page 1
“Memorial’s faculty are engaged in dynamic, inventive and often multidisciplinary research that will improve our everyday lives and the future of our province and the world. This level of commitment to research and bettering the world we live in often involves the helping hands of many disciplines, student researchers, funding bodies and other research partners, organizations and community members.” Collaboration figures greatly in the report, as evidenced in the story, Connects Generation, which highlights how researchers from Memorial’s School of Music and the Department of Computer Science worked together to develop an iPad application to allow audio exchange with musicians and artists around the
notable
world. The theme is also illustrated in Mine Over Matter, a story about a collaborative research project involving the Department of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Science, with 16 other universities and 24 leading mining companies to develop innovation in Canada’s mining industry. The report also highlights the importance of teamwork in developing impactful research. Many of the stories celebrate the involvement of student researchers, such as Smoke on the Water, which tells the story of Marine Institute faculty members and senior marine engineering students working together to design and build a series of exhaust gas scrubbers that will benefit the environment. Whether it’s showcasing the province’s rich history, delivering
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research that will improve health care in Newfoundland and Labrador or developing worldclass technology and equipment that will increase efficiencies in offshore industries, the stories featured in the 2014 research report demonstrate Memorial University’s mandate of enriching the lives of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians. Research award funding is also represented in the report; the total external research awards received at Memorial for the 2013-14 fiscal year is $91,612,000. The report features interactive charts that allow users to examine trends in research funding over the last decade. The report can be viewed online, www.mun.ca/weareresearch.
SARA CHRISTINE MARCH Sara Christine March, a third-year biochemistry student at Memorial, passed away Nov. 2, 2014.
JAMES JOSEPH LOUIS GREENE James Joseph Louis Greene, a former member of Memorial’s Board of Regents, passed away Nov. 4, 2014. He was 86.
AUGUSTUS RALPH GREENING Augustus Ralph Greening, a retired staff member in the Department of University Works (Facilities Management), passed away Nov. 14. He was 90.
Frameworks at work
The three overarching frameworks guiding Memorial’s future direction — the Research Framework, the Teaching and Learning Framework and the Public Engagement Framework — are the result of several years of consultations with the university community and the people and organizations of Newfoundland and Labrador. This regular feature will help showcase the frameworks in action by sharing projects and highlighting the successes that are bringing them to life.
PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT
Harris Centre celebrates 10th anniversary By Diane Keough
A RECENT PUBLIC engagement
Artist Elayne Greeley reports were released in preparation for NL Forum 2014 and formed the basis for discussion at the conference. One of the unique elements of the conference was the graphical recordings by artist Elayne Greeley. During each session, while the presenters, panelists and audience members discussed and debated the topics, Ms. Greeley sketched and painted on large canvases to create a visual overview of the session. Thanks to these illustrations, there are now one-of-a-kind, visual records of each NL Forum 2014 session, something most participants had not previously witnessed at group sessions. “Elayne’s work was simply riveting,” said Ms. Downer. “To watch the discussions appear before your eyes on canvas was indeed a unique way to record the proceedings of the conference. It also helped to engage participants as they could essentially
see that they are actively part of the event and the important discussions.” The Harris Centre plans to use the findings from NL Forum 2014 to help shape its work for the next 10 years. Conference rapporteur Dr. David Freshwater, University of Kentucky, and adjunct professor, Memorial University, will synthesize the reports and the discussions. His report is expected in early 2015. “During the conference we spent a lot of time discussing timely and relevant topics for our province,” said Dr. Rob Greenwood, executive director, Harris Centre. “There were a lot of great insights from the researchers, the panelists and folks in the crowd, and we want to ensure we incorporate that into what we do at the Harris Centre. We’re really looking forward to Dr. Freshwater’s report, and planning the work for the centre for the next decade ahead.”
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initiative brought together thoughtleaders and decision-makers to discuss the significant issues Newfoundland and Labrador has faced during the past decade and what is on the horizon for the next. From Nov. 4-5, more than 200 people from across the province, throughout Canada and from the United States and representing a diverse range of sectors, including government, academia, non-profit and industry, came together at NL Forum 2014. The two-day conference
was hosted by the Harris Centre in recognition of its 10th anniversary. “The diverse representation at the conference stimulated thoughtprovoking and useful discussions,” said Sheila Downer, chair, Harris Centre advisory board. “Our goal for the conference was to take what we have learned from the hundreds of presentations, workshops, forums and reports the Harris Centre has supported over the past 10 years— which have covered a full range of issues across the entire province—and use those lessons to set ourselves up for an even better next 10 years.” In the leadup to the conference, the Harris Centre asked a team of researchers to review a decade’s worth of centre programming and projects to assess their contributions to regional development and public policy knowledge in Newfoundland and Labrador. The series of five themed
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MEMORIAL’S FRAMEWORKS IN ACTION
Visual representations of the NL Forum’s group discussions.
The future is social RECODE grant helping Memorial become social innovation leader By Susan White
MEMORIAL University has been awarded a $250,000 grant aimed at developing social innovation and social entrepreneurship initiatives across the university. The RECODE Catalyst Fund, a $10-million initiative announced by the J.W. McConnell Family Foundation in November, aims to encourage post-secondary students to become social entrepreneurs and contribute to Canada’s capacity for social innovation. Memorial is one of two post-secondary institutions in Atlantic Canada to receive the grant and one of 14 across Canada. “There are many initiatives currently
underway at Memorial that are focused on social innovation and social entrepreneurship,” said Dr. Wilfred Zerbe, dean of the Faculty of Business Administration, which applied for the RECODE fund in collaboration with the Leslie Harris Centre of Regional Policy and Development at Memorial. “This grant will help us to bring these efforts together,” he continued. “It will accelerate, broaden and improve the work that we have already undertaken and allow us to develop new initiatives that will help Memorial to play a central role in the development of social innovation in Newfoundland and Labrador and beyond.” Using the RECODE grant as well as
funding from other sources, Memorial plans to develop a university-level Centre for Social Innovation and Social Entrepreneurship that will connect and accelerate ongoing and proposed activities such as developing a social innovation incubator, expanding undergraduate co-operative education placements in social enterprises, creating a master of business administration in social enterprise and entrepreneurship and enhancing partnerships with community organizations, private firms, governments and non-profit groups. “With this grant, we now have the opportunity to build upon the capabilities within Memorial and continue to connect faculty, staff
and students with community leaders and groups to address pressing local challenges through social innovation,” said Mike Clair, associate director of the Harris Centre and grant co-applicant. “Memorial’s efforts to become a leader in social innovation and social entrepreneurship come at a time when we need to find new and innovative ways to address these economic, social and environmental challenges,” said Dr. Natalie Slawinski, grant co-applicant and assistant professor in the business faculty. “Social innovation has the power and potential to help us navigate these challenges.”
Report estimates economic impact of Memorial University A NEW REPORT that quantifies the significant, substantial and sustainable economic impacts of Memorial University within Newfoundland and Labrador was released Nov. 14 by Memorial’s Collaborative Applied Research in Economics (CARE) initiative. According to Dr. Wade Locke and Prof. Scott Lynch of Memorial University’s Department of Economics, and two of the principal investigators with CARE, the current prosperity of the province has been enabled, enhanced and facilitated by the activities of Memorial University, which in turn benefits from the strong economy. The report, which was commissioned by Memorial’s Office of Public Engagement, includes an assessment of Memorial’s impact on employment levels, provincial gross domestic product (GDP), inter-firm sales
and on municipal, provincial and federal government revenues. The report also quantifies the impact of a more educated populace on the provincial economy. “Determining the economic impact of Memorial on the province of Newfoundland and Labrador is a complex and multi-faceted exercise,” said Dr. Locke. “Aside from considering employment, GDP and tax revenue impacts, we also looked at the various components of the study by geographic region to illustrate the impact of the campuses independently.” According to the report, more than $1 billion of the province’s annual GDP, or 3.1 per cent of the total provincial GDP in 2012, can be attributed to the university. One of the biggest GDP impacts for the province is derived from university graduates who generally
have significantly higher earnings over the course of their careers. These earnings are further enhanced if a student achieves a master’s degree or PhD. The report estimates a $366.1 million annual impact on the province due to the increased earnings of Memorial degree recipients who remain in the province. Based on a 10-year average of employment levels at Memorial, the report estimates that the university has a direct and induced employment impact of 11,160 person years annually, or 5.6 per cent of all fulltime jobs reported for the province in 2013. The salaries and benefits associated with this employment impact is $566.4 million, which is 4.2 per cent of the total provincial labour income reported in 2013. Another area of study was the impact of the university on municipal, provincial and federal government tax
revenues. The overall benefit to the three levels of government is estimated at nearly $256 million, of which $24 million is municipal, $138.8 million is provincial and $92.9 million is federal. “While generating economic impact isn’t at the heart of a university’s mandate, it is a clear indication that investments in post-secondary education are investments yielding benefits that extend well beyond the students who sit in classrooms today,” said Dr. Rob Greenwood, executive director of public engagement for Memorial. “From field-placements, research projects and sharing expertise provincewide, to the impact on the future of this province, those benefits are immeasurable.” To read the full report, please visit www.mun.ca/care.
rotating between them. With seven minutes allotted per station, each researcher gave a five-minute crash course in a research project they were currently involved in. Two minutes at the end of each presentation was allotted for questions. The speed dating idea came to two fourth-year students who attended the School of Pharmacy’s strategic planning retreat this past summer. “It kept getting raised that there isn’t a huge interest from the
undergrad students to get involved with research,” said Janice Coleman, who co-initiated the event with her classmate Nicole MacDonald. “We thought this would be a fun way to promote research and show that there is a lot more to it than we think!” Dr. Laurie Twells worked with the students to plan and execute the event. She noted that the method is mutually beneficial to both students and faculty, as it allows them to discuss research in a fun, pressure-free environment.
The above infographic demonstrates some of the findings of the CARE report.
On your marks Speed dating in the name of research By Heidi Wicks
FROM PHARMACEUTICAL sciences to health outcomes to teaching and
learning, and whether it is conducted in a laboratory or in a clinic, research conducted in the School of Pharmacy is diverse. And those who are working towards a career in the field of pharmacy are eager to learn all about it. That much was apparent during an event Nov. 20 when 47 students attended the school’s first Research Speed Dating Forum. The setup featured faculty members perched at seven different stations, with eight small groups of students
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Marine Institute director receives Indspire Award
Gerald Anderson By Kim Thornhill
“I have the privilege of working with so many people throughout the Marine Institute and Memorial University who share their knowledge and time to develop and teach our educational and training programs in Canada’s Northern communities,” said Mr. Anderson. The Indspire Awards, the highest honour bestowed by Indigenous people on their own achievers, have celebrated the significant contributions of Indigenous people in Canada for 22 years. The Indspire Awards recognize the success of individuals who have the discipline, drive and determination to set high standards and accomplish their goals. They promote self-esteem
ONE OF THE Marine Institute’s own has been announced as one of 14 outstanding Indigenous Canadians to be selected as recipients of the 2015 Indspire Awards. Indspire, the largest nongovernmental funder of Indigenous education, awarded Gerald Anderson, director, Development and Engagement, with its environment and natural resources award for his work establishing fisheries and marine education in Nunavik, Nunavut and Labrador. Mr. Anderson, originally from L’anse aux Meadows, N.L., is of Inuit descent.
and pride for the Indigenous community and provide outstanding role models for Indigenous youth. The jury for the Indspire Awards is composed of previous award recipients, representing a range of sectors and regions across the country. From hundreds of nominations, the jury selects 10 career achievement award recipients, three youth award recipients (First Nation, Inuit and Métis) and one lifetime achievement recipient. Indspire is an Indigenous-led registered charity that invests in the education of Indigenous people for the long-term benefit of these individuals, their families and communities, and Canada. With the support of its
funding partners, Indspire disburses financial awards, delivers programs and shares resources with the goal of closing the gap in Indigenous education. Since its inception in 1985, Indspire has disbursed almost $65 million through close to 20,000 scholarships and bursaries to Indigenous students, making it the largest funder of Indigenous education outside the federal government. The 2015 Indspire Awards gala will be held on Feb. 27 at the Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium in Calgary, Alta. The gala ceremony will air at a later date on Global Television and the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network.
Phon call Software allows for more efficient diagnosis and treatment of speech disorders
IT MIGHT NOT cause quite as big a splash as a new version of the iPhone, but a second iteration of the Phon software system is a major deal for researchers studying phonetics and phonology, especially in the areas of language acquisition and speech disorders. A project managed over the last decade by Memorial University linguist Dr. Yvan Rose, with long-term collaborator programmer Gregory Hedlund, Phon is a publicly funded, open-source software program for the analysis of speech sounds and language development. According to Dr. Rose, Phon 2 vastly improves on the functions offered in previous versions of the application and now brings different research methods together within a unified framework, therefore opening up new areas of investigation. It currently provides support for formant (resonance), pitch and intensity analyses. Phon 2 is designed
CHRIS HAMMOND PHOTO
By Janet Harron
From left are Gregory Hedlund and Dr. Yvan Rose with the Phon 2 software. to work with an existing PhonBank database to integrate speech analyses based on phonetic transcriptions with acoustic measurements of speech. “What used to require weeks or months of data preparation and
analysis can now be done much faster and much more consistently,” said Dr. Rose. “This fills an important methodological gap.” Dr. Rose says that Phon 2 will assist in determining whether
phenomena observed in child language development, such as typical child pronunciation of words like “rain” as “wain,” are driven by languagespecific factors or by factors that affect learners of all languages the same. These new methods will thus serve to address important research questions in more efficient ways, yielding faster results at a significantly lower cost. This is particularly true in the context of the PhonBank database, which already supplies research data to hundreds of students and scholars alike. As well, the software will eventually allow for more efficient methods for the diagnosis and treatment of speech disorders. More people can thus be helped without any added costs to our public health care system. In addition to Dr. Rose and Mr. Hedlund and their collaborators, key participants have been Jason Gedge, Philip O’Brien, and Keith Maddocks − all Memorial computer science alumni and Phon programmers − and computer science professors Dr. Rod Byrne and Dr. Todd Wareham.
National honours
Memorial receives innovation award for physician leadership program and Surgeons of Canada has recognized Memorial University for innovation in physician leadership and management. The Professional Development and Conferencing Services (PDCS) office in the Faculty of Medicine was awarded a 2014 Royal College Accredited Continuing Professional Development Provider Innovation Award for a program it developed in partnership with the Gardiner Centre at the Faculty of Business Administration. The award was presented during the Health Care Leadership Forum in St. John’s on Nov. 1. The national award is for the Physician Management and Leadership Program developed by PDCS, an accredited provider of university continuing professional development (CPD) for health-care professionals, and the Gardiner Centre, which offers management and professional development training to business professionals, employees, executives and entrepreneurs in Newfoundland and Labrador. The Physician Management and Leadership Program is a 10-module accredited certificate program
Small space, big goals United Way support helps foster nontraditional learning By Michelle Osmond
FOR THE LOVE OF LEARNING is located on the top floor of what used to be a house. It’s small but cozy. Young people go there for studio space, art supplies, Internet access and friendly, supportive faces. The official mission of For the Love of Learning is that it is an “arts-based organization that provides support and guidance to local youth by nurturing their creativity and resilience through projects that facilitate lifelong learning and skills development.” For the Love of Learning organizes art exhibitions, stages plays, produces anthologies and short films, and organizes mentorships – some of which have resulted in a cd release and a poetry book – that highlight young people’s creativity and talent. The organization also helps them with their employment skills, offering help with things like resumé writing and how to prepare for job interviews. Danielle Devereaux is the
designed to equip physicians and other health-care professionals in the Atlantic health-care systems with the skills and expertise required to excel as effective leaders.
“Leadership skills are not just required in business.” Drawing from the findings of a comprehensive needs assessment process and incorporating the latest research and educational practices, it explores emerging leadership strategies and applies them to the specific requirements of a region’s health-care system. “This is a great partnership between PDCS and the Gardiner Centre in collaboration with the regional health authorities and the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador,” said Fran Kirby, director, PDCS. “This allows us to enhance the skills and competencies of physician leaders and health-care professionals in the Atlantic Canadian health-care systems.” “Our collaboration with PDCS is one example of the kind of partnerships
From left are Brian Hurley, Dr. George Fox and Fran Kirby at the Health Care Leadership Forum. we undertake in order to offer customized, quality training to a variety of organizations,” said Brian Hurley, director, Gardiner Centre. “Leadership skills are not
just required in business; the type of training we offer can benefit professionals in many different sectors.”
communications and outreach co-ordinator with the On the Move Partnership, a Memorial SafetyNet project. She’s also a For the Love of Learning board member. Ms. Devereaux became involved with the organization because she believes in what it does. She also knows how challenging it is to acquire board members for small, not-for-profit organizations.
“Not everyone’s learning fits into an institutional or school setting.” Ms. Devereaux says For the Love of Learning helps young people learn skills and develop their creativity outside of an institutional setting, which is important for a lot of reasons. “There are many reasons why someone might not be able to sign up for a class or a degree program, but that doesn’t mean they won’t benefit from the opportunity to learn,” she said. “Not everyone’s learning fits into an institutional or school setting, nor should it have to. That mandate struck a chord with me as I think it’s important to recognize that getting an education can take many different forms and there’s not always a diploma at the end of it. Actually, in the best case scenarios there is no end to getting an education, we just keep learning.” For the Love of Learning is one of the many community organizations supported by the United Way of Newfoundland and Labrador. Memorial employees have the chance to give to the United Way through the payroll deduction campaign
8 gazette | Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2014 | www.mun.ca/gazette
SUBMITTED PHOTO
THE ROYAL COLLEGE of Physicians
HSIMS PHOTO
By Virginia Middleton
A young artist carves soapstone in space provided by For the Love of Learning in St. John’s. until the end of this month. It’s the third year for the campaign; last year, Memorial employees
committed more than $28,000.
Meeting the need School of Pharmacy offers first in-province injection training THANKS TO new regulations under the Pharmacy Act, 2012, pharmacists in Newfoundland and Labrador are now authorized to administer flu vaccinations. To support this expanded scope of pharmacists’ practice in the province, Memorial’s School of Pharmacy has initiated an injection training program for pharmacy students and practising pharmacists. To date, the school has trained 53 students and pharmacists to perform flu injections. “The program is designed so that pharmacy students and pharmacists will feel confident in their knowledge and skills regarding immunization, and intramuscular and subcutaneous injection of medications and vaccines,” said Dr. Carla Dillon, associate dean, undergraduate studies, and program lead. The hands-on training session lasts a full work day to allow ample opportunity to practise and ask questions in small groups with facilitators. Prior to this program, pharmacists either had to leave the province to become certified to perform injections, or have an outof-province program brought in. “Being the most accessible healthcare providers, pharmacists will play a crucial role in meeting the needs of the population in administering the vaccine,” Dr. Dillon added. “We are encouraging pharmacists to take an active role in preventing
the spread of influenza by learning who qualifies as a high priority recipient, asking patients if they have already received their flu shot this year, organizing a flu shot clinic and distributing information with each prescription,” she continued. “We want to encourage and help pharmacists to promote their ability to administer this service in their practice.” Dr. Carlo Marra, dean, School of Pharmacy, stated that the training is part of the school’s dedication to offering teaching and learning experiences that will produce practiceready pharmacists upon graduation. “In a few years we plan to offer a doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) program as our entry-to-practice degree, which is in response to a nationwide recognition that graduating pharmacists must be equipped to offer an expanded scope of practice. Obviously, part of this role will be to administer vaccinations and medications by injection, and as such, the development and offering of this training program is a natural fit with our goals as a school.” Another goal of the School of Pharmacy is to maintain and strengthen relationships with other pharmacy and health-care organizations. The school has received support from the Pharmacists Association of Newfoundland and Labrador (PANL) to expand the certification sessions to other parts of the province, both on the island and in Labrador.
SUBMITTED PHOTO
By Heidi Wicks
From left, Dr. Carla Dillon receives her flu vaccination from pharmacist and School of Pharmacy alumnus Michael Butler. Stephen Reid, executive director, PANL, echoed the importance of forming partnerships. “PANL is working with the School of Pharmacy to ensure patients and those that are the most vulnerable have access to services equally throughout the province,” he said. “All of my counterpoints across the country are very collaborative with their Schools of Pharmacy in relation to rolling out an expanded scope of practice,
and as a result, it has improved health-care delivery and outcomes.” Before registering, pharmacists must complete the Immunization Competencies Education Program from Advancing Practice – an online certificate accreditation body. Pharmacists must also become trained in CPR and first aid, and then register with the Newfoundland and Labrador Pharmacy Board.
FIND US ONLINE
www.mun.ca/gazette
MEMORIAL UNIVERSITY HEAD, DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY CALL FOR APPLICATIONS MEMORIAL UNIVERSITY invites applications from within the University for the position of Head, Department of Psychology. The appointment is expected to begin 1 July 2015 (or upon the filling of the position), is initially for a term of three years, and is renewable. Applicants should ideally have a strong record of research, teaching, and administration in the field of
Psychology or related disciplines and possess good interpersonal, organizational, and leadership skills. Letters of application will be treated in confidence. Letters of application should include a statement of how the Department might evolve under the candidate’s leadership and a description of the candidate’s research and teaching interests. The letter, a curriculum vitae, representative publications,
and the names and addresses of three referees should be submitted by 5:00 pm on December 12, 2014, to:
DR. BRENT SNOOK, CHAIR Search Committee for the Head of Psychology c/o Mary Wall, Dean of Science Office Chemistry/Physics Building Memorial University Email: maryw@mun.ca
Memorial University is committed to employment equity and encourages applications from qualified women and men, visible minorities, Aboriginal Peoples, and persons with disabilities. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply.
Communicating pain Pioneering research gives voice to deaf community By Marcia Porter
DR. SANDY LEFORT has spent more than 25 years studying how people experience pain, and how to better assess and manage it. A faculty member and researcher at Memorial University’s School of Nursing since 1995, she has presented at world-wide conferences on the subject, written articles, papers, even developed a patient education program. As such, she is considered an expert in the field. But just a few months ago, Dr. LeFort was asked to collaborate on an area of pain research that was completely new for her: How do you assess pain in people who are deaf, and use sign language to communicate? Surprisingly, there is very little research available on the subject. “This is a whole new world we haven’t really explored,” said Dr. LeFort, who was invited to research the subject by Dr. Victor Maddalena, of the Faculty of Medicine’s Division of Community Health, and Myles Murphy, executive director of the Newfoundland and Labrador Association for the Deaf (NLAD). The two had been studying palliative care in the deaf community, and pain assessment was identified as a key issue.
“Nurses are asking people about pain all the time,” said Dr. LeFort. “But we’ll have a hard time assessing pain and providing treatment if there is a communication barrier.”
A literature review confirmed the lack of research in this area; Drs. LeFort and Maddalena discovered only one article about an Italian research project on pain assessment of people who are deaf. Working with Mr. Murphy, who has been a voice and an advocate for the deaf community for many years, they created focus groups among the NLAD membership. “Hearing people rely on voice, intonation − the doctor can hear the anger and frustration,” said Mr. Murphy, speaking through American Sign Language interpreter Sheila Keats. “Always the hardest question to respond to is, ‘How bad is your pain? Describe your pain.’ A deaf person can’t hear so they have to use their eye; the visual cues are the ones you are trying to pick up.” The team made several key findings. The importance of the presence of both American Sign Language and deaf interpreters at health care visits was confirmed, and that pain visual analogue scales with 1-10 rankings can be useful but must be easy to read and understand. Photos or drawings depicting facial expressions were also deemed potentially useful as a pain assessment tool. The research team plans a second phase of the project to delve further into their findings, and develop tools that will be useful for the deaf community and for health care practitioners. “It’s the beginning of an important area of research,” said Dr. LeFort, “and a wonderful partnership with the deaf community.”
From left are Myles Murphy, executive director of the N.L. Association for the Deaf, Dr. Victor Maddalena, Faculty of Medicine, Dr. Sandy LeFort, School of Nursing, and Sheila Keats, American Sign Language interpreter.
Technical writing Engineering dean appointed editor-in-chief of international journal By Jackey Locke
THE DEAN OF the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science at Memorial has been appointed editorin-chief of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics’ (AIAA) Journal of Thermophysics and Heat Transfer (JTHT). “I’m delighted to receive this honour and to have been selected by an international committee,” said Dr. Greg Naterer. “JTHT is the top tier technical journal in the field of heat transfer and thermophysics.” JTHT is the premier technical journal that deals with thermal energy conversion, storage and heat transfer including conductive, convective and radiative modes and the effects of the environment. This is the first time an editorship of one of AIAA’s prestigious series of technical journals has been held outside the United States. AIAA is the largest aerospace professional society in the world, serving a
diverse range of more than 35,000 individual members from 80 countries and 100 corporate members. Dr. Naterer’s research interests include energy systems, fluid mechanics, and convective and multiphase heat transfer. He has contributed numerous technical papers, three books and several patents in the fields of thermal/ fluid systems. He recently received the 2014 Engineering Institute of Canada’s Julian C. Smith Medal for achievements in the development of Canada. “The process to select a new editor-in-chief was a time-consuming and rigorous one,” said Vigor Yang, AIAA vice-president, publications. “We believe we have selected an outstanding future editor-in-chief with the full and enthusiastic support of a distinguished search committee comprised of Dr. Naterer’s peers. We all look forward to working with him to elevate the journal to the next level of success.”
10 gazette | Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2014 | www.mun.ca/gazette
COMPELLING EVENING Keynote speaker and arts alumnus Alan Doyle kept a full house entertained at the Ottawa Affinity celebration at the Fairmont Chateau Laurier Nov. 20.
CHRIS HAMMOND PHOTO
out and about
LIVING LEGACY Members of the Branch No. 56 Colour Party march into the D.F. Cook Recital Hall at the School of Music on the St. John’s campus during the Ceremony of Remembrance on Nov. 6. Memorial University College was established in 1925 as a living memorial to those who had lost their lives on active service during the First World War. Through the WW100 commemoration program, the university is undertaking commemorative activities that recognize its origin as a living legacy.
out & about
For more on these events and other news at Memorial, please visit www.today.mun.ca.
Science Career Panel and Speed Networking Social Event, 5-7 p.m., The Landing, UC3018, Sponsor: Career Development and Experiential Learning, Faculty of Science
THURSDAY, NOV. 27 Critical Race and Anti-Colonial Theory Discussion Group, 12:30-2 p.m., ER-4002, Sponsor: School of Social Work
Crafting a Research Agenda to Fight Homelessness, 1:30-4:30 p.m., IIC-3000, Sponsor: Harris Centre
FRIDAY, NOV. 28 Brown Bag Research Series, 9:30-11 a.m., BN-3010, Sponsor: Faculty of Business Administration
WEDNESDAY, NOV. 26 School of Nursing Retirement Celebration, 2:30-4:30 p.m., Health Sciences Centre student lounge, Sponsor: School of Nursing, Memorial University
FRIDAY, DEC. 5
Tandem Mass Spectrometry of Biomolecules, 1-2 p.m., SN-4015, Sponsor: Department of Biochemistry The Impact of Conceptual Modeling on Dataset Completeness: A Field Experiment, 1:30-2:30 p.m., BN-3010, Sponsor: Faculty of Education, Department of Physics and Physical Oceanography, DELTS
MUN Chamber Orchestra, 8-9:30 p.m., D.F. Cook Recital Hall, Sponsor: School of Music Defending the Indefensible? The Use of Argumentation, Legitimation, and Othering in Debates on Refugees in the Canadian House of Commons, 2010-12, 2-4 p.m., IIC-2014, Bruneau Centre for Research and Innovation, Sponsor: School of Graduate Studies
SATURDAY, DEC. 6 MUN Chamber Music Showcase, 8-9:30 p.m., D.F. Cook Recital Hall, School of Music, Sponsor: School of Music
RDC OISRA Research Funding Opportunity for Graduate Students, 12-2 p.m., IIC-2014, Bruneau Centre for Research and Innovation, Sponsor: Research & Development Corporation (RDC)
SUNDAY, NOV. 30 Advent Service: A Preparation for Christmas, 7-8:30 p.m., St. Augustine’s Church (next to the Aquarena), Sponsor: University Chaplaincy
TUESDAY, DEC. 9
English 4401: Producing the Play presents Unity (1918), 7-9 p.m., Barbara Barrett Theatre, Sponsor: Department of English
Christmas in the Trenches, 3-4 p.m., The Kirk, Sponsor: School of Music
WEDNESDAY, DEC. 10
TUESDAY, DEC. 2 DeReEs: Real-Time Registration of RGBD Images Using Image-Based Feature Detection and Robust 3-D Correspondence Estimation and Refinement, 1-2 p.m., EN2022, Sponsor: Department of Computer Science Materials Issues in Biomedical Science, 12-1 p.m., Health Sciences Centre, Lecture Theatre D, Sponsor: Division of BioMedical Sciences Phenolic Compounds of Selected Lentil Cultivars and Their Contribution to Antioxidant Activity, 1-2 p.m., SN-4015, Sponsor: Division of BioMedical Sciences
Re-Mapping the Body: Feminine Experience in Music Performance, 1-2 p.m., SN-4087, Sponsor: Department of Gender Studies Gut Microbiota and Colon Cancer: The Carbohydrate Link, 10-11 a.m., Lecture Theatre B, Health Sciences Centre, Sponsor: Division of BioMedical Sciences Writing a Proposal, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., B-4019, Sponsor: Gardiner Centre Google Analytics Fundamentals, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., B-4019, Sponsor: Gardiner Centre
WEDNESDAY, DEC. 3 Customer Appreciation Day at the Bookstore, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., UC-2006, Memorial University Bookstore, Sponsor: Memorial University Bookstore MUN Jazz Ensemble, 8-9:30 p.m., D.F. Cook Recital Hall, School of Music, Sponsor: School of Music MUN Cinema Series: Altman, 7-9 p.m., Cineplex Theatre, Avalon Mall, Sponsor: MUN Cinema
BEAST!, 8-9:30 p.m., D.F. Cook Recital Hall, School of Music, Sponsor: School of Music
The Recruitment and Selection Process, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., B-4019, Sponsor: Gardiner Centre
Printmaking on the Edge: 40 Years at St. Michael’s, 7-9 p.m., Christina Parker Gallery, St. John’s, Sponsor: Memorial University An Introduction to Graduate Studies at Memorial University, 3-4 p.m., online webinar, Sponsor: School of Graduate Studies
THURSDAY, DEC. 11 Assisted Suicide: Should Canada Support Medically Assisted Dying?, 7-9 p.m., Health Sciences Centre, main auditorium, Sponsor: SARIS (Roderick J. White Foundation for Science and Reason in Science)
SATURDAY, DEC. 13 Christmas Family Movie: The Polar Express, 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Cineplex Theatres, Avalon Mall, Sponsor: Alumni Affairs and Development
MONDAY, DEC. 15 Metrics, Measurement and Analytics, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., B-4019, Sponsor: Gardiner Centre
THURSDAY, DEC. 4
Probing and Observing Cortical Circuits in Mice During Stroke Recovery, 10-11 a.m., Health Sciences Centre, 1M102, Sponsor: Division of BioMedical Sciences
MUN Cinema Series: Maps to the Stars, 7-9 p.m., Cineplex Theatre, Avalon Mall, Sponsor: MUN Cinema
Compensation Design and Planning, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., B-4019, Sponsor: Gardiner Centre
classified CONDO FOR LEASE: 386 Elizabeth Ave. Two bedrooms, 1.5 baths, hardwood floors. Elevator, use of social room, exercise room, library, parking. Quiet adult building. Furnished or unfurnished. $1,550 monthly. 753-0433 Responsible Twillingate couple wishing to spend some time in St. John’s this winter seeking someone requiring house sitting. Contact info at www.captdave.ca. MOVING TO OTTAWA? Looking to rent a room in the home of a Newfoundlander January 1st? $475.00 includes utilities and high-speed internet. 10 min bus ride to Ottawa U and downtown. 15 min walk to General Hospital Campus. Please contact nancy_barbour@hotmail.com. FOR SALE: Turn of the century classic home in Georgetown. Walking distance to MUN, Bannerman Park, the Rooms, Churchill Square, and downtown St. John’s. Old world charm includes a beautiful staircase, woodburning fireplace, hardwood floors, high ceilings, and plaster moldings. $345,000.00. Contact mmaidmen@uoguelph.ca for your private showing. FOR RENT: January – April. Lovely spacious furnished home on quiet cul de sac off King’s Bridge Road. Lg master bdm, study, 2 bathrooms, separate dining room, fireplace, garden, parking for two cars. Suitable for a couple. Pet-free, smoke-free. $1,350 (includes some utilities). Contact mmdoyle@nfld.com. FOR SALE: 4 Snow Tires, Winterforce Rotation DOT VNE 4 W61 3207 F08L 225 / 60 R 18 1005 M + S PHONE (709) 739-5937 FOR RENT, Winter Semester 2015: Furnished house in east end, four bedrooms, study, available Dec. 22 through April. Conveniently located, with easy access to schools, bus routes and the university: Suitable for family or 2-3 people. No smoking. Up to $2000 per month, including utilities. For information, call (709) 753 6417 or e-mail Steve Wolinetz at swolin@mun.ca. FOR RENT: Beautiful 2-BR, 2-bath home with den near Georgestown Bakery. Ideal for professional couple. No smoking; no pets. Available immediately. $1600 POU. Call 726-4216.
Fishing for data By Kelly Foss
THERE ARE FEW who know the waters around Fogo Island better than the men and women who turn to it every day for their livelihood. A project just getting underway at Memorial University is hoping to draw on that knowledge. It aims to help the fishing community develop research questions and data collection protocols that are meaningful to their community. The hope is, over time, this can aid in testing and developing strategies that can help them effectively manage their resources. For hundreds of years, fishers have combined their long-term knowledge of local fishing grounds with data collected daily, such as ocean temperature, depth and bottom substrate to determine where they will go for that day’s catch. Many use sophisticated onboard instruments to help make that decision. But this information is not usually stored or used further once the day’s fishing is complete; in effect the data is just “cast overboard.” A team at Memorial, including representatives from the Marine Institute, in partnership with the Shorefast Foundation, has received funding from the Harris Centre at Memorial to work with Fogo fishers to create a system that will store this data. A Canadian charity, Shorefast uses a new model for economic and cultural resilience based on social engagement, strategic investment in community capital and inclusive local economies. The foundation is currently focused on Fogo Island, specifically working to revitalize the local arts scene, the development of a geotourism industry and a microlending program for entrepreneurs. Dr. Yolanda Wiersma, a landscape ecologist with the Department of Biology, is one of the researchers involved with the project. “I have been working for a number of years on a citizen science website, NLNature.com, that caught the eye of some folks at the Harris Centre who matched us up with the Shorefast Foundation,” Dr. Wiersma said. “Shorefast has developed a new ocean ethic for Fogo Island and one of the pillars of it is citizen science. But they didn’t really know how to go about starting a citizen science project.” Citizen science, or crowd-sourced science, is scientific work undertaken by members of the general public, usually in collaboration with scientists. The goal of this particular project is to figure out how to conduct citizen science with the resource users of Fogo Island in a way that’s meaningful and useful to them and effects meaningful change. “Lots of research projects in the past have used fishermen and women to collect data by filling out a log sheet or counting the number of a particular bird they see. The
fishermen send in the data, but they never know what happens to it,” said Dr. Wiersma. “What we’d like to do is to come up with a project that is driven by the fishermen and women, that answers questions that they need to help them in their work.” The collected data will stay with the fishers, but be shared with Memorial. The university will then help to communicate the findings to the wider community. “We envision a website to store the data in, but we’ll also help them with ways to make appropriate maps, figures and charts,” Dr. Wiersma said. “Since getting the funding we also discovered a stack of logbooks from region covering the late ’70s right up to the moratorium. They are paper logbooks so one of our first projects is to digitize these and use the data to infer patterns around population and spatial trends by putting it all in a geographic information system to visualize the information in a way that’s never been done.” The data could then be used in comparison with new data collected to identify past and current trends, which could inform hypotheses, which could then be tested. And by communicating the information to a wider local audience, the partnership could also increase ocean literacy. “Because the Shorefast Foundation also has involvement with tourism and public outreach, we can probably link some of those aspects. It would be a nice spinoff to encourage people to learn about their own ocean backyard. So that’s something else we can explore as well.”
GORDON SLADE/SHOREFAST PHOTO
Memorial to partner with Fogo fishers on citizen science project
From left, Rennie Sullivan, Marine Institute, and Rodney Budden from Seldom, Fogo Island, remove cod from a cod pot.
@ ACCESS. ENGAGEMENT. LEARNING.
“I USE TECHNOLOGY AND CREATIVITY TO WORK WITH FACULTY IN
REDEVELOPING AND MAINTAINING COURSES.” Once development of an online course is completed, DELTS continues to provide technological and creative support, so the latest enhancements and redevelopments happen. Visit us at delts.mun.ca
12 gazette | Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2014 | www.mun.ca/gazette
Denise Vincent Instructional Design Specialist