Mun gazette april 8 2015

April 8, 2015 Volume 47 | Number 12

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 an d p u b l i c a t i o n

Registration Mail No. 4006252

Provost and vice-president (academic) appointed

CHRIS HAMMOND PHOTO

By Jennifer Batten

Dr. Noreen Golfman has been appointed Memorial’s provost and vice-president (academic).

A name and face familiar to many Newfoundlanders and Labradorians, Dr. Noreen Golfman, is Memorial University’s new provost and vicepresident (academic). Dr. Golfman’s appointment was approved by the Board of Regents on March 26 and is effective immediately.

“Memorial will certainly benefit from Dr. Golfman’s passion, experience and engaging leadership style,” said Dr. Gary Kachanoski, president and vice-chancellor. “Her commitment to fundamentals − teaching and learning, research and public engagement – impressed the search committee, and I look forward to working with her in the months and years to come.”

Memorial first implemented its current provost structure in 2010. Dr. Golfman replaced the outgoing provost and vice–president (academic), Dr. David Wardlaw, in an acting capacity in September 2014. Prior to that, from 2008-14 she served as dean of Memorial’s School of Graduate Studies.

See PROVOST on page 3

Leadership and excellence Spring convocation will honour 10 distinguished individuals Memorial is preparing for convocation season, a highlight of which will be the awarding of honorary degrees to outstanding individuals who exemplify leadership and excellence in their fields and in their communities.

Over the course of 12 ceremonies, 10 accomplished people will be presented with degrees honoris causa – two in Corner Brook and eight in St. John’s.

In Corner Brook honorary degrees will be awarded to Inuk elder Sarah Anala and film pioneer Barbara Doran.

In St. John’s the honorees are the “father of the modern Canadian air force” William Carr; child advocate and Roots of Empathy founder Mary Gordon; social entrepreneur Zita Cobb; chemistry role model Dr. Margaret-Ann Armour; hockey legend Howie Meeker; architect Dr. Robert Mellin; educator and entrepreneur Dr. Georgina Hedges; and community advocate Penelope Rowe.

Biographies of the honorary degree recipients follow on pages 6-9.

The honorary doctorate degree recognizes extraordinary contribution to society or exceptional intellectual or artistic achievement. Honorary degree recipients are chosen by the Senate, the university’s academic governing body, after a careful examination of the grounds for their nomination. The awarding of honorary doctorates, an important feature of Memorial’s convocation, serves to celebrate both the individual and the university, as well as to inspire

graduates, their families and guests.

Memorial’s spring convocation ceremonies will take place on Friday, May 8, at the Arts and Culture Centre in Corner Brook, and from Tuesday, May 26, to Friday, May 29, at the Arts and Culture Centre in St. John’s.

3 A b o r igin a l a dva n c e m e n t

5 R e s e a r c h r e t r e at

12 O N TAR G ET

See CONVOCATION on page 6

features

3 H ARLOW D I AR I E S

A student reports on her winter semester abroad at Harlow Campus.

The role of special advisor to the president on Aboriginal affairs has been filled.

Memorial is partnering with the Shorefast Foundation to create a Fogo Island residence opportunity.

Two Memorial students are among the best in the world in the sport of target shooting.

Alumni spotlight recent fundraising concert and are also counting on a few corporate sponsors to come on board either through our crowdfunding initiative or through separate conversations. We’d love to hear from anyone interested in helping us finance the film.

JG: What do you enjoy most about the local arts community?

JJ: Through my work as a professional artist over the years, and the last three years I have spent working at the Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Council as their communications officer, I have had the absolute pleasure of meeting and working with the many talented people in the arts and cultural sector. I think that’s probably what I love most, the variety of quality projects being developed throughout all of Newfoundland and Labrador in so many disciplines.

JG: Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

JJ: Who knows, that would put me at 40. I love helping people achieve their goals and connecting them to opportunities – it’s a big part of what I do in my main job. I champion artists and their projects through social media even outside of work, and I’m working hard to popularize the #nlarts hashtag on Twitter so people are connected. By doing this, we can share, discuss and see what everyone is creating – as well as inspire each other.

money online — to help kick-start the production.

Gazette contributor Jeff Green caught up with Mr. Jamieson to talk about the project.

SUBMITTED PHOTO

JG: Tell me more about Waiting

Joshua Jamieson Joshua Jamieson (BA’06) hopes to be back behind the camera shooting his latest project by September. Waiting Outside … is a short film he is co-producing, writing and directing and was inspired by a poem written by Carmelita McGrath, BA’80, B.Ed.’81. No stranger to

the provincial arts scene, he helmed a 2011 documentary about his grandfather — federal politician and broadcast icon Don Jamieson — and wrote a book of poetry. His latest project marks his first-ever original dramatic script. Mr. Jamieson has turned to crowdfunding — raising

Outside.

JJ: The poem focuses on one scene where a woman observes a man across a waiting room. Both are strangers to one another and the woman watches what the man does before he’s called in for his appointment. It made me think a lot about how much we observe other people who we don’t know and how we draw conclusions about them despite not having any of our observations ever confirmed. In my conversations with Carm, I learned she had written the poem while waiting for someone in the waiting room of a cancer care facility.

When I heard that I got goose bumps because it created an even deeper story to the man being observed in the poem.

I want to create the backstory and show the life of that man before getting to the waiting room.

JG: Why turn to crowdfunding?

JJ: Crowdfunding is just one component of a multi-pronged approach we’re taking to get this film produced locally. We will ultimately create about 15 professional arts jobs for the duration of the project and need to raise about $35,000 to make it happen.

We have applied to a few public arts grant funding opportunities, held a

EDITOR Mandy Cook GRAPHICS Shane Mills REGULAR CONTRIBUTORS

your next project James Royal-Lawson PHOTO

By Amy Jones Special to the gazette 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...

Th e o pp o r t u ni t y

Data can be intimidating and unwieldy for people who don’t work with it day-today. But organizations are increasingly required to provide detailed data on their operations to access funding, including many of those in the cultural sector.

In addition, data can be tremendously valuable to culture, heritage and arts organizations to help determine programming and better explain the benefits of the organization to the community.

“For the cultural sector, data can include quantitative facts and figures such as number of visitors, the amount they spend, how long they stay, where they live, and the number of jobs created,” said Jane Severs, executive director, Association of Heritage Industries. “However, data can also include qualitative indicators, such as the intangible

value individuals place on cultural experiences and the sector as a whole.”

Collecting all of this information, however, can be a daunting task, especially for small organizations with limited resources and limited expertise on data collection and analysis methods. In addition, when all organizations collect and report on data separately, it can create a winner-takes-all environment where larger groups with more resources to manage data and report on tangible benefits receive the most funding.

Th e p r o j e c T

Ms. Severs suggests a more collaborative approach to data aggregation, in which organizations co-operatively pool defined data sets.

“This approach can be quite beneficial, as it would help set benchmarks and define best

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practices,” she said. “This could help organizations communicate their successes in relation to local standards, as well as make decisions about needed improvements. Perhaps most importantly, data sharing has the potential to demonstrate the bigger impact of the industry as a whole.”

Ms. Severs is looking to Memorial for help determining how best to establish a shared data collection and analysis system in the cultural sector at the community, regional or provincial level. This could be a transferable model for shared data systems for other sectors and areas in the province as well.

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 Jones at 709-864-6115 or email at amy.tucker@mun.ca.

Courtenay Alcock Laura Barron Jennifer Batten Melanie Callahan Nora Daly Krista Davidson Kelly Foss Elizabeth Furey Leslie Earle Pamela Gill Jeff Green Janet Harron Jill Hunt

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 April 22 for April 29 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.

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Catharyn Andersen has been appointed special advisor to the president on Aboriginal affairs. The appointment is effective for a five-year term as of March 18.

Ms. Andersen comes to the position with significant experience working with the Nunatsiavut Government. She previously served in the roles of director and Inuktitut Language Program co-ordinator with the Torngâsok Cultural Centre in Nain, Labrador.

In these roles, Ms. Andersen managed and developed the cultural arm of the Nunatsiavut Government, built support for and delivered cultural and heritage initiatives, advised the Nunatsiavut executive council on language, cultural and heritage issues, led the development and implementation of the Labrador Inuttitut Language Strategy and managed language programming for Northern Labrador.

The Torngâsok Cultural Centre is a hub of cultural activity in Nunatsiavut, bringing communities and generations together. It exists to protect and present the rich culture of the Labrador Inuit, and to develop programs to engage

Harlow diaries Student Morgan Chafe is completing the winter 2015 semester at Memorial’s Harlow Campus in Harlow, England, and has provided regular updates on her experience. This is the last installment of Ms. Chafe’s column in the Gazette.

With just two weeks left to my semester abroad in Old Harlow, I am feeling bittersweet. As much as this semester has been the experience of a lifetime, there is no place like home. I will miss the short and cheap trips to beautiful destinations, but I am more than ready to head back to Newfoundland and Labrador and start my final work term, and so is my bank account!

I have learned so much about the culture and history of so many destinations, including London, Bath,

Inuit, Kablunângajuit and non-Inuit in the history of Labrador Inuit culture, language, values and traditions.

“The special advisor on Aboriginal affairs role is vital to the continued advancement of Aboriginal initiatives at Memorial University,” said President Kachanoski. “Ms. Andersen’s extensive relevant experience and commitment to the development and preservation of language, culture and heritage in Aboriginal communities make her an important asset to the university community and I’m pleased to welcome her on board.”

The position was previously held

by Dr. Maura Hanrahan, who is currently assistant professor and chair of the humanities program at Grenfell Campus. Prior to Ms. Andersen’s arrival Dr. Evan Simpson served in the role in the interim.

“On behalf of the Memorial community I thank Dr. Simpson for his contributions to the development of Aboriginal initiatives at Memorial University and for serving in this important role during the transition between permanent advisors,” Dr. Kachanoski said.

Catharyn Andersen Ms. Andersen has been involved with a variety of committees and groups relevant to Aboriginal issues.

She is a member of the Labrador Inuttitut Training Program Committee and former chair of the Nunainguk Historical Society. Ms. Andersen has also been harbour operations officer with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada.

She holds a bachelor of arts in linguistics, a master of arts in linguistics and a master of business administration from Memorial University, as well as an international baccalaureate diploma from Lester B. Pearson United World College of the Pacific in Victoria, B.C.

In her role, Ms. Andersen will work to advance all Aboriginal initiatives at Memorial University, leading and co-ordinating internal multi-campus activities related to Aboriginal research and education; managing the Aboriginal Affairs Office and developing its strategic plan; taking an interest in the recruitment and success of Aboriginal students; developing and strengthening partnerships with Aboriginal communities; and representing Memorial University with Aboriginal communities and stakeholders, as well as with the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador.

and professionally. Gaining a first-hand insight of education and business abroad has forced me to look further than Newfoundland and Labrador, and Canada, for my future, and I believe it has done the same for my classmates. Possibly the most valuable lesson the Harlow semester provides is a new perspective.

As great as the past four months has been, and as much as I am eager to see the rest of the world, I am more than happy to head back to St. John’s and spend some time in the comfort of my own home. The support of family and friends is irreplaceable, and being distanced from it for so long has been my biggest struggle, aside from budgeting!

However, I will miss this opportunity that I was so lucky to receive and sharing my experiences abroad with fellow students, faculty and staff has been so rewarding.

Cambridge, Edinburgh, Barcelona, Amsterdam, Berlin, Lisbon, Dublin, Paris, Kraków, and of course my temporary home, Old Harlow. Once my finals are complete I will be able to add three more destinations to the list: Venice, Rome and Athens. Each destination has left me with a feeling and a lesson. Walking down St. John’s Walk in Old Harlow after a weekend away definitely gives me a feeling of going home, and has taught me that there is nothing comparable to the comforts of a small town.

My educational experience, much like my travelling experience, is irreplaceable. My professor, Dr. Sudhir Saha, incorporated his work history and personal experiences into each lecture, making the lessons more valuable than just words in a textbook. He ensured we made the most of this opportunity by providing us with the most interesting guest lecturers and field trips possible.

This opportunity has helped me broaden my horizons, both personally

Morgan Chafe is a fourth-year commerce student at Memorial. She can be reached at mec850@mun.ca.

Morgan Chafe in Paris, France.

(academic) is the chief academic officer of Memorial University with overall responsibility for all academic matters, including the development and delivery of programs to more than 18,000 undergraduate and graduate students across a wide range of disciplines.

Dr. Golfman was selected following an intensive national search by a committee that represented the university and the community.

Dr. Golfman served as dean of graduate studies at Memorial from June 2008 to September 2014, when she was appointed provost and vicepresident (academic) pro tempore.

Under Dr. Golfman’s leadership, the School of Graduate Studies experienced tremendous growth. In the last decade, the number of graduate students 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. She recently served two terms as president of the Canadian Federation of Social Sciences and Humanities, a national education advocacy group. She has just completed her terms as president of both the Canadian Association of Graduate Studies and the Northeastern Association of Graduate Schools. She is currently a member of the advisory committee to the Canadian studies program at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

Active in Canadian cultural issues and experienced with the media, Dr.

Golfman is the founding director and chair of the St. John’s International Women’s Film Festival, vice-chair of the Newfoundland and Labrador Film Development Corporation and chair of the board of the Friends of Canadian Broadcasting. Since 2011 she has co-chaired the board of directors of Business and the Arts NL, an organization that brokers relationships and funding between the arts and the corporate/private sectors.

In addition to publications in scholarly journals, Dr. Golfman writes on the arts and culture in popular venues, and she has worked as a commentator, reviewer/performer for CBC radio and television.

In 2011 she received the President’s Award for Exceptional Community Service from Memorial University.

SUBMITTED photo

By Jennifer Batten

CHRIS HAMMOND photo

Aboriginal affairs advisor appointed

cont’d from PROVOST on page 1

A professor of English, Dr. Golfman holds a PhD from the University of Western Ontario, and began teaching at Memorial in 1984. She is also actively engaged in national boards and foundations aimed at enhancing higher education, research and the arts.

Dr. Golfman says she is excited by the challenges and opportunities that the role presents.

“I am proud to have been associated with Memorial for the past three decades in a variety of roles and I am ready to tackle this dynamic senior leadership post. The next five years will be a time of both challenge and opportunity for the province’s university and I am keen to be part of the leadership team that will help Memorial address the issues head on.”

The provost and vice-president

Memorial working with Aramark to ensure food safety and food quality on campus Late last month, students raised concerns regarding food service issues in the Main Dining Hall on the St. John’s campus.

Memorial University is working with its contracted food service provider, Aramark, to address these concerns and to ensure food safety and food quality on campus. We take student concerns seriously, and are committed to rectifying these issues.

Health and Safety A thorough food safety assessment has taken place, including daily food quality tests, and we requested an additional food safety inspection from the province’s Services NL. This requested inspection took place at the Main Dining Hall on Wednesday, March 25, and the results are satisfactory. The dining areas on the St. John’s campus are subject to regular food safety inspections from the province’s health inspectors, and this will continue on a regular basis.

To provide an additional layer of inspection, we are planning a health and safety audit which will be

conducted by an independent thirdparty company in the coming weeks.

Aramark has also brought in some of their senior leadership, including the company’s head chef, to do a thorough review of the menu and food service procedures.

Residence Dining Committee We are also taking significant steps to improve mechanisms for student input and feedback, so concerns can be responded to in a more timely and constructive way.

We are working with student representatives and Aramark to form a Residence Dining Committee, which will create a direct avenue for student engagement, a forum for constructive and healthy feedback around residential dining services, a focus on continuous improvements and help to maximize student satisfaction.

We are also planning student focus groups and a survey to request input from students regarding food services.

We continue to have meetings with the undergraduate student union, MUNSU, and look forward to the

recommendations that will come from their March 25 town hall meeting.

Requests for Feedback It is imperative that Aramark and the university be made aware of students’ concerns regarding food services in a timely manner. In an effort to encourage timely feedback from students, which will allow us to respond to concerns promptly, we are developing improved communication channels, and making sure Aramark management are visible and approachable at food service areas.

Aramark is working on improving a mobile app which allows students to provide feedback in real time, and they have included a feedback form on their www.mun.campusdish.com.

To provide feedback: • Brian Slemming is Aramark’s new interim general manager for food services at Memorial University. Mr. Slemming can be reached at slemmingbrian@aramark.ca, or at the Dining Office (864-2104). You will see him around the dining hall and other food

service locations on campus. He’s here to answer any questions you may have.

• Rex Coffin, Memorial’s director of Ancillary Operations, is also available to speak with students who wish to discuss their concerns directly with someone at Memorial. Mr. Coffin can be reached at rex.coffin@mun.ca.

• Fill out the feedback form on Aramark’s website (lower left corner of the homepage) at www.mun. campusdish.com.

“Students in residence at Memorial have made it clear that changes are required in terms of food service on campus,” said Rex Coffin, director, Ancillary Operations. “I want to assure students that their voices are being heard, and that we are taking their concerns very seriously. Student safety and wellness are top priorities for our team at Memorial. We are committed to using these recent events as an opportunity to make significant improvements to the food operation moving forward. Changes will be made, and we invite student input and feedback throughout this process.”

C&C changes name; new director

By Mandy Cook

Information Technology Services, formerly the Department of Computing & Communications, has a new director at its helm.

Steve Greene is a native of Placentia and joins Memorial with over 18 years progressive experience in the field of information technology. He says the opportunity to join a team dedicated to improving technology services in support of Memorial’s mission attracted him to the role.

In the director’s chair since March 2, Mr. Greene has set his sights on several priorities – one of which is minimizing users’ password requirements.

“Identity and Access Management (IAM) is a major project involving key stakeholders and campuses throughout Memorial,” he said.

“IAM is a great example of what we can achieve when everyone works together towards a common goal.

When completed, it will be easier to implement innovative solutions that benefit the entire university. In addition, the number of passwords required on campus will be reduced.”

A graduate of Memorial University, Mr. Greene holds a bachelor of science (computer science and

statistics) and a master of education (information technology).

He comes to Memorial from Eastern Health, where he was regional manager of enterprise solutions, innovation, data centre and application operations.

In that role Mr. Greene managed Eastern Health’s complex enterprise applications portfolio and was responsible for managing solution delivery, application operations, integration, data repositories, enterprise reporting and business intelligence. In addition, he managed Eastern Health’s core data centres, enterprise storage, contract management, enterprise backup and disaster recovery.

In prior roles, Mr. Greene worked as a project manager and was responsible for network operations, corporate email, adverse event investigations and enterprise licensing. He holds the project management professional designation and has helped implement more than 200 applications during his career. Mr. Greene authored and helped implement detailed change management and communication plans for key consolidation projects, including the merger of core enterprise applications.

In 2014 Mr. Greene received the CEO

Steve Greene Award of Excellence in Innovation for his leadership in guiding Eastern Health through the design and implementation of a new secondary data centre in St. John’s. His teams introduced innovative technologies that enhanced business continuity and disaster recovery, while minimizing the need for lengthy application downtime during critical events.

He holds the project management professional (PMP) designation and has helped implement more than 200 projects during his career.

In concert with the appointment of a new director, approval was

granted to change the name of Computing & Communications to Information Technology Services.

“The new name is descriptive of the core mandate of the department and signals the renewed commitment by the department to providing top notch services to the Memorial University community,” said Shelley Smith, chief information officer at Memorial.

The position of C&C director was previously held by Graham Mowbray.

obituaries DR. RICHARD GEORGE HUNTSMAN Dr. Richard George Huntsman, a retired faculty member with the Faculty of Medicine, passed away March 7, 2015. He was 88.

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Paddy Barry photo

Hockey on the ice in Joe Batt’s Arm, Fogo Island.

Frameworks at work Memorial’s frameworks in action

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.

RESEARCH STRATEGY Fogo Island research fellowship program launched

By Krista Davidson

One of the oldest named features on the coast of Newfoundland, Fogo

Island is vibrant and brimming with colours and contours. It’s no surprise that with its rich history and lively arts community, Fogo Island has been selected as the location for Memorial’s research fellowship program.

Memorial will partner with Fogo Island’s Shorefast Foundation to provide up to 10 faculty members with the opportunity to spend four weeks in residence there for the purpose of completing the writing of a significant manuscript on the results of a major research project, or to complete a work of artistic creation.

The Fogo Island Research

Fellowship Program grows out of the recommendations outlined in Memorial’s Strategic Research Intensity Plan 2014-20, which aims to “strengthen all aspects of research at Memorial, including scholarship and creative activity, as well as the translation of knowledge into products, practices, policies, and other forms of community engagement.” The plan both recognizes and supports the achievements of Memorial’s research-intensive faculty members.

In 2013 Memorial University and the Shorefast Foundation entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to lay the foundation for a sustained, responsive and mutually beneficial partnership. The research fellowship program reflects the intentions of this MOU through collaboration to support research at Memorial. The Shorefast Foundation is a registered Canadian charity committed to promoting the island’s cultural, economic and social resiliency.

“Memorial values collaborations with community partners such as the Shorefast Foundation, that share our goals of encouraging and promoting excellence through innovation and creativity,” said President Kachanoski.

“I offer my sincere thanks to the members of the Shorefast Foundation, without whom this unique opportunity would not be possible.”

“Memorial is Newfoundland

and Labrador’s great fountain of knowledge and expertise,” said Gordon Slade, chair, Shorefast Foundation.

“Shorefast is currently involved in an array of groundbreaking ventures, so being able to avail of this wealth of expertise and experience through interaction with many disciplines will be of tremendous benefit to our foundation and community.”

“This initiative is yet another example of how Memorial is committed to fostering and supporting excellence in knowledge and artistic creation, while also engaging the community,” said Dr. Richard Marceau, vice-president (research). “The research fellowship program provides a significant opportunity for faculty, while also building on the university’s goals for growing research.”

Successful applicants will take up residence on the island for four weeks in a home provided by the Shorefast Foundation, during the period of Sept. 1 to the following Aug. 31. In addition to enjoying dedicated time for writing or artistic creation, fellows will engage with the local community through activities like public lectures on their area of expertise in research or artistic creation.

The deadline for the first competition is Friday, May 15, at 5 p.m. Interested applicants can read the terms of reference at www.mun.ca/research.

Faculty of Education writing group creates community of support

By Lisa Pendergast

A group of writers that began meeting back in 2009 to share and review writing processes has since grown into a successful publishing community.

The group was started by Dr. Cecile Badenhorst, an assistant professor with the Faculty of Education. The group meets regularly and each member takes a turn hosting the meeting.

There are no strict deadlines and action items for the meetings; instead, each member takes a turn to ask for feedback or advice on their writing.

It is a relaxed and open setting where networking and socializing are as welcome as producing results.

Dr. Gabrielle Young joined the group as a new faculty member

and has found the collaborative experience to be invaluable.

“The group deliberately created an environment of non-criticism, we can give feedback but not criticism and we agree to promote support rather than competition,” she said.

“The writing group has served to foster a sense of belonging.”

In an academic setting, and especially for those on the tenure track, research and writing tends to be competitive and performed individually. The members of the group specifically wanted to overcome that individual experience and turn academic writing into a positive practice.

The process is working as the group has successfully published several papers.

“As we have worked together we have mentored each other, learned how others write and incorporated that learning into our own writing,” said Dr. Young. “We have developed a growing confidence in ourselves as researchers.”

The writing group also offers support to each other when it comes to common concerns such as negotiating contracts, navigating the tenure process or asking questions about benefits. Some members have also found it useful to discuss half-formed research ideas and ask other members for practical advice on the logistics of grants and research designs.

It is rare to have a writing group that lasts as long as this one has. So why has this group been so successful?

Dr. Young says that members value productivity, but more so

than their outcomes, the group is a safe space where they can make connections and support each other.

“In the process of developing and maintaining our faculty writing group, our colleagues have become supportive peers and friends who we can continually count on to help navigate the ebbs and flow of our academic careers.”

Although the group consists of all female faculty members at present, male faculty members have participated in the past. All members come from diverse areas of teaching and research, such as post-secondary education, science, special education, human kinetics, counselling psychology and social studies.

SPRING CONVOCATION 2015 cont’d from CONVOCATION on page 1

Sarah Anala

Sarah Anala was born in Nain and lived her childhood on the land and on the

water. At the age of 12, she attended the residential school in North West River, Labrador. She eventually moved to St. John’s to study nursing at the Grace Hospital and graduated in 1968 as an honours student, the first Inuk to do so.

She moved to New Brunswick in 1971.

For the past 45 years, Ms. Anala has been a holistic healer, healing the mind, body, spirit, emotions and behaviour using her own tools which she developed using the Inuit culture, traditions, language and ethos.

With these tools, she has devoted her life to working with Aboriginal men and women who are involved in the justice system. She currently works for Correctional Service Canada at its regional headquarters in Moncton, N.B., and at the national headquarters

in Ottawa, Ont. As Inuk elder and liaison, she develops and pilots Inuitspecific programs and services and trains other Inuit to deliver those programs to Inuit offenders in the Atlantic region, Ontario and Quebec.

Ms. Anala was also part of the development of the National Aboriginal Substance Abuse Program within Correctional Service Canada and subsequently delivered this program to incarcerated Inuit offenders. Her knowledge and experience continue to be sought across Correctional Service Canada to assist in the development and understanding of the cultural needs of the Inuit offender population to meet reintegration and public safety objectives.

Ms. Anala’s contributions to

promoting Inuit culture and Inuktitut, Nunatsiavut dialect in particular, have been key for many years in the spread of social justice awareness in areas where it is most often at risk.

For example, she was instrumental in introducing the institution of circles of support and accountability to Labrador.

In 1997 Ms. Anala was made a member of the Order of Canada and in 2009 she was named Labrador Inuit Role Model.

For her contributions to Inuit life and culture, in particular to the lives of those at risk, Sarah Anala will receive the degree of doctor of laws at the 10 a.m. session of convocation on Friday, May 8, in Corner Brook.

recent success, The Grand Seduction, which opened the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival and was a Best Picture finalist, Barbara Doran has made a remarkable impact upon Newfoundland and Labrador over the past three decades.

A pioneer in the development of film and the film industry in the province, Ms. Doran began her career by participating in the National Film Board’s innovative Studio D program, an iconic women’s documentary studio that encouraged the participation and training of women in the film industry. Though film production has traditionally favoured male artists, Ms. Doran has written, directed and produced more than 30 documentary and dramatic films in many different countries.

The founder of the film production company Morag Loves Company, Ms. Doran’s diverse film subjects

reflect the breadth of her interests and her social commitment: the sweatshops of Guatemala, women prisoners in Pakistan, AIDS workers in South Africa, serial killers on death row, the French presence in Newfoundland, and the music and poetry of Newfoundland and Ireland.

Ms. Doran is also a mentor who has fostered talent in many young and emerging artists, whether she is working in the role of a producer of new scripts by new writers or as a director of a production.

The Grand Seduction, Ms. Doran’s latest feature, is an award-winning international box office hit starring high-profile actors Brendan Gleeson and Taylor Kitsch. The film won Best Direction, Best Art Direction and Best Supporting Actor at the 2014 Canadian Screen Awards as well as being one of North America’s top 10 films of 2014.

Ms. Doran won a Silver Award

at the New York Film Festival in 1994, was honoured with two Gemini Awards in 2001 and was recognized with the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012.

Some other career highlights include her film Harbour Symphony being a finalist at the 1992 Cannes Film Festival in Nice, France, and bringing Bernice Morgan’s novel, Random Passage, to CBC Television in 2001 to a record 1.25 million viewers. The period film set has been preserved on the shores of Trinity Bay and offers visitors the experience of what life was like in an 1880s-era fishing outpost.

For her long commitment to and achievement in film, Barbara Doran will receive the degree of doctor of laws at the 7:30 p.m. session of convocation on Friday, May 8, in Corner Brook.

at age 15, he enrolled in Mount Allison University in Sackville, N.B., graduating with a bachelor of commerce degree in 1941. He later attended the Rochester Institute of Technology, where he earned a master of science degree in 1949.

Upon graduation from Mount Allison, Mr. Carr joined the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) and flew unarmed photo reconnaissance Spitfire airplanes on 142 operational missions out of England, Malta, Sicily and Italy. For this he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. He returned to Canada in 1945 and for the next 33 years served in the Canadian Forces at home and abroad.

Mr. Carr was a member of the team of RCAF airmen involved in the mapping of Canada’s North and the Arctic on float- and ski-equipped aircraft; it was during this period that a newly discovered 145-square-mile lake in the Northwest Territories was

named Carr Lake in his honour.

In 1960 Mr. Carr, at the invitation of the United Nations, established the Opération des Nations Unies au Congo Air Transport Force, the first multinational air unit of its kind, and was appointed its first commander when it was deployed to the Congo.

Rising steadily through the ranks, in 1974 he was made deputy chief of the Defence staff. He was also raised to the rank of lieutenant-general in that year. During that same period, he was successful in convincing the Defence Council and the government of the day that all Canadian military air force resources should be consolidated as the Armed Forces Branch for Air. For this achievement, he was named commander of the branch and held the position until retirement in 1978.

Upon leaving the Canadian Forces, Mr. Carr became a marketing executive and consultant with Canadair/Bombardier and was

credited as being the spur that stimulated much of the future successes of Bombardier Aerospace.

In 1944 Mr. Carr was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. In 1976 he was named the recipient of the C.D. Howe award by the Canadian Aeronautics and Space Institute and in 1977 he was made commander of the Order of Military Merit. In 2001 he was inducted into Canada’s Aviation Hall of Fame and in 2004 he was inducted into the Veterans Hall of Honour.

For his achievements in both military and civil aviation, along with his proven leadership and organizational abilities and their outstanding benefit to Canada, William Carr will be awarded an honorary doctor of laws degree during the 10 a.m. session of convocation on Tuesday, May 26, in St. John’s.

Barbara Doran

Starting with Finding Mary March in 1987 through to the quirky nationalist rant A Secret Nation, from a series of biographical portraits of Elliott Leyton, Joseph Smallwood, Cathy Jones and Gordon Pinsent to her most

William Carr

Regarded today as the “father of the modern Canadian air force,” William Carr was born in 1923 and into a successful fish import and export family in Grand Bank on the Burin Peninsula.

After completing his early education at the United Church Academy

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Mary Gordon

From her early beginnings as a kindergarten teacher, Mary Gordon has been driven by her empathy for children and parents coping in

a world of rapid social change and communities of linguistic, cultural and ethnic diversity.

Recognized internationally as an award-winning social entrepreneur, educator, author, child advocate and parenting expert, Ms. Gordon was born and raised in St. John’s, where she attended Memorial University, before moving to Toronto, Ont. There she earned her Ontario Elementary Teacher’s Certificate in 1969 and, subsequently, a bachelor of arts degree from York University in 1983.

Ms. Gordon is the founder of Canada’s first and largest school-based Parenting and Family Literacy Centre, which she initiated in 1981. The centres have become public policy in Ontario and have been used as a best practice model internationally.

In 1996 she first introduced the

Roots of Empathy program and in 2000 established the national and international organization Roots of Empathy, which now offers programs in every province of Canada and in 10 countries in multiple languages.

The program has been shown to develop empathy and reduce aggressive behaviour in the classroom. It harnesses the vulnerable and unthreatening nature of babies as school children work together to observe and nurture a baby brought into the classroom throughout the school year.

Seeds of Empathy, for 3-5 year olds in child care, was created by Ms. Gordon in 2008 and is in place in Canada and the United Kingdom. Both programs help to break destructive and often intergenerational behavioural patterns as the children of today become the

citizens and parents of tomorrow.

Ms. Gordon has had several dialogues with the Dalai Lama, been featured in several documentary films and her book, Roots of Empathy: Changing the World Child by Child, is a Canadian bestseller. She was honoured with the Ontario Teachers Federation Lifetime Fellowship Award in 2004, made a member of the Order of Canada in 2005 and was invested in the Order of Newfoundland and Labrador in 2012. She is the 2011 recipient of the Manning Innovation Award for the top social entrepreneur in Canada.

For her imaginative and entrepreneurial approach to education, Mary Gordon will receive the degree of doctor of laws at the 3 p.m. session of convocation on Tuesday, May 26, in St. John’s.

Ms. Cobb is the second youngest child and only daughter in a family of seven children. In 1975 at the age of 17, she left home to study business at Carleton University in Ottawa, Ont. In the years since she left her hometown, she entered – and left – the technology boom at just the right time, made sound investments and worked with some of Canada’s top leaders.

Thanks to her financial freedom, Ms. Cobb travelled the world, wandering the coastlines and villages in Europe and Africa, all the while comparing the new, exotic locales to her birthplace of Fogo Island. Over the years, she frequently returned to her birthplace to spend holidays there, and rebuilt her family home and fishing stage with her brothers’ help. By doing so, she rediscovered her childhood home and that Fogo Island is a place that connects people deeply.

Already the patron of the Frangipani

Foundation, which provided windup radios to African children who, because of the toll of AIDS and war, had been forced to become heads of households, Ms. Cobb next turned her philanthropic focus to Fogo.

More than a decade on, Ms. Cobb’s Shorefast Foundation has brought hope to Fogo Island and other communities in Newfoundland and Labrador that have suffered from steep outmigration since the Canadian government imposed a commercial cod fishing moratorium in 1992.

With her brother Tony, who cofounded Shorefast with her, Ms. Cobb envisioned the transformation of Fogo Island and Change Islands into a world model of community innovation and cultural resilience. The foundation built a 29-room inn and several artist studios on Fogo Island, designed to the highest sustainability standards, with the goal of creating jobs and

drawing international attention to the decline of rural areas. The inn has since generated more than 100 jobs in a community numbering approximately 2,000 residents.

Ms. Cobb’s vision for the inn, and for all of Shorefast’s activities, is to change the way people think about building a sustainable world that respects diverse cultures and the natural environment while embracing business innovation to serve society. The inn has garnered substantial worldwide attention for its commitment to sustainability and respect for cultural traditions.

For her philanthropy and social entrepreneurship and for her commitment to and belief in place, Zita Cobb will be awarded the degree of doctor of laws at the 10 a.m. session of convocation on Wednesday, May 27, in St. John’s.

Coalition of Women in Engineering, Science, Trades and Technology, an organization of about 20 groups across the country with similar mandates.

Her vision and leadership has had a profound impact on young and adult women in Newfoundland and Labrador and specifically at Memorial University. In 1989 Women in Science and Engineering NL (WISE NL) welcomed Dr. Armour as a special guest speaker at its provincial conference. She spoke of the unique summer research program taking place at the University of Alberta; the following year, the WISE N.L. Student Summer Employment Program was launched as a pilot at Memorial and continues to this day.

Attempting to improve the position of women in the field and to ensure they rose to leadership roles, Dr. Armour began work on a centre to achieve such goals. In 2010 the Canadian Centre for Women in Science, Engineering, Trades and Technology was established with Dr.

Armour as president of the board.

In 1996 she was honoured with a 3M Teaching Fellowship, Canada’s premier award for undergraduate teaching, and in 2002 with the Governor General’s Award in Commemoration of the Persons Case. In 2005 she was awarded the Montreal Medal, Chemical Institute of Canada, and in 2006 she was named a member of the Order of Canada. She was twice named one of the top 100 most powerful women in Canada by the Women’s Executive Network and was honoured with the Innovator Award at the 2011 APEC Summit on Women in the Economy.

For her leadership in the fields of science, engineering, trades and technology and for her positive impact on girls and young women accessing those fields, Dr. Armour will receive the degree of doctor of science during the 3 p.m. session of convocation on Wednesday, May 27, in St. John’s.

Zita Cobb

Since retiring from a senior executive position with JDS Uniphase in 2001, Zita Cobb has devoted her life to being a philanthropist and social entrepreneur.

Raised in Joe Batt’s Arm, Fogo Island,

Dr. Margaret-Ann Armour

Dr. Margaret-Ann Armour’s contributions to science in the area of handling, recycling and disposing of small quantities of hazardous waste are well known around the world. She is also a role model and mentor for students, educators and other leaders in her profession and community.

Born in Scotland, Dr. Armour was educated at Edinburgh University, where she obtained a bachelor of science degree and a master of science degree, and at the University of Alberta, where she completed her doctoral studies in 1970. She joined that institution’s chemistry department in 1979 and has been associate dean of science (diversity) since 2005.

As one of the few women in her discipline at the time, Dr. Armour was struck by the need to encourage more women to become involved, not just to change the discipline but also to open the range of opportunities available to them.

In 1981 she founded Women in Scholarship, Engineering, Science and Technology (WISEST) at the University of Alberta, which provided high school students with the opportunity to complete paid summer research programs in the university’s research laboratories. In 1989 WISEST was a founding member of the Canadian

SPRING CONVOCATION 2015

Howie Meeker

Howie Meeker has been a hockey player, coach, general manager, announcer, broadcaster, colour commentator, storyteller and studio analyst during the last 50 years, and has instructed and influenced those

involved in hockey at all levels, from school hockey at Prince of Wales College in St. John’s to the National Hockey League and at international levels.

Mr. Meeker served his country as a member of the Canadian Armed Forces in the 1940s, sustaining an injury when a live grenade exploded beneath his legs during a training exercise in England. In 1951 he won a byelection as the Progressive Conservative candidate for Waterloo-South and, at age 27, became the youngest member of Parliament to be elected at that time.

The 1947 Calder Memorial Trophy National Hockey League Rookie of the Year, a three-time player in the National Hockey League All-Star Game and a four-time Stanley Cup winner, Mr. Meeker’s contribution to Canada’s national sport has been felt from coast to coast in Canada – and immortalized

with his induction into the Toronto, Newfoundland and Labrador and British Columbia halls of fame, as well as the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame.

In the late-1950s Mr. Meeker moved to St. John’s and coached the Guards and the Prince of Wales College hockey teams and led the Guards team to four Boyle Trophy wins. He also became an educator and instructional leader. Howie Meeker’s Hockey School, which was a Canadian television production, saw 107 15-minute episodes broadcast on CBC Television from 1973-77. On the show, the former hockey star could be seen putting a class of young skaters through their paces, teaching them how to skate, stickhandle and play the game. He also used a video instant-replay tool, a telestrator, to enhance his hockey analysis during game intermissions.

He wrote two books on the subject,

one of which, Howie Meeker’s Hockey Basics, named by the Literary Review of Canada as the 63rd most important book written in Canada, was hugely influential in that it decried the goonery prevalent in the game and the lack of basic playing skills. It also helped effect a major reappraisal of the country’s hockey performance after the 1972 CanadaSoviet hockey summit series.

In 2000 Mr. Meeker was inducted as an honorary member of the now 115-year-old Guards Athletic Association and in 2010 he was made a member of the Order of Canada.

For his contribution to the development of hockey in Newfoundland and Labrador and in Canada, Howie Meeker will receive the degree of doctor of laws at the 7:30 p.m. session of convocation on Wednesday, May 27, in St. John’s.

University’s School of Architecture.

He studied architecture at the Pennsylvania State University (B. Arch., M.Sc.), at McGill University (M.Arch.) and at the University of Pennsylvania (M.Sc., PhD).

Born in Pittsburgh, Pa., Dr. Mellin adopted Newfoundland and Labrador 40 years ago. He has been a registered architect in Newfoundland and Labrador since 1978, and he has received numerous awards for his heritage conservation research, advocacy and practice in the province.

In 1987 Dr. Mellin embarked on fieldwork and research in Tilting, Fogo Island, which would form the base of his 1990 doctoral degree. He continued his research and volunteer heritage conservation work in Tilting for the next 25 years; the community was subsequently designated The Tilting Cultural Landscape District

by the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada and provincially as a Registered Heritage District.

His book Tilting: House Launching, Slide Hauling, Potato Trenching and Other Tales from a Newfoundland Fishing Village was published by Princeton Architectural Press and won the 2003 Winterset Literary Award. Through his close relationship with the people of Tilting and its vernacular architecture of houses and outbuildings, Dr. Mellin helped to generate a unique community spirit and put the community on the world map.

Dr. Mellin’s 2011 book, Newfoundland Modern: Architecture in the Smallwood Years, 1949-72, was said by McGillQueen’s University Press to be “the first comprehensive work on an important period of architectural development in urban and rural Newfoundland.”

In 2013 and 2014 he co-authored

Syndetic Modernism Volumes I and II, a book series published by Piloto University in Bogota, Colombia. In March 2015 Pedlar Press in St. John’s published Winter in Tilting: Slide Hauling in a Newfoundland Outport, his second book on the Fogo Island community.

In 2002 Dr. Mellin was elected to the Royal Canadian Academy and in 2009 he was elected as a Fellow in the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada. He was named a member of the Order of Canada in 2014.

For his contribution to a greater awareness of important aspects of Newfoundland and Labrador architecture and for his work on the land and on the page, Dr. Robert Mellin will receive the degree of doctor of letters at the 3 p.m. session of convocation on Thursday, May 28, in St. John’s.

bachelor of arts in English in 1978.

In 1982 she earned a master of education degree from Mount Saint Vincent University and in 1984 she completed her doctor of education degree at the University of Toronto.

Her career began as a Grade 4 teacher in Bishops Falls in Central Newfoundland. Whether it was acting as a vanguard for the role of computers in education as early as 1984, tirelessly championing for teachers’ professional development and school improvement or serving on the boards of numerous educational organizations, Dr. Hedges is recognized as an innovative, compassionate and dedicated teacher and administrator.

Her passion for improving the quality of education is evident in her many reports, papers and presentations.

She co-authored an elementary writing program called Writing and How for Grades 4-6 and Focussing on the Future: An Educational Review of

Sent Anneway Kegnamogwom, a review of schooling on the Miawpukek First Nation (Conne River).

Dr. Hedges’s contributions to education have not been limited to the primary/elementary school system. She served as a member of Memorial University’s Board of Regents for nine years, including a term as vice-chair in 2001 and twice as acting chair (2003-04 and 2006).

Dr. Hedges’s work has not been solely focused on educational issues.

She is a founding member of the annual Winterset in Summer Literary Festival, which attracts national and international stars as well as numerous tourists to the community of Eastport, Bonavista Bay. She is also an entrepreneur: Dr. Hedges and her husband Robert Hedges opened two successful small businesses in Eastport, demonstrating her commitment to the economic and cultural future of rural Newfoundland and Labrador.

Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador honoured Dr. Hedges and her husband with the Norman Parsons Memorial Award in 2005.

In recognition of their ongoing commitment to the Eastport area, they also received lifetime memberships in the Eastport Peninsula Heritage Society.

Dr. Hedges was awarded the Developer Award of the National Staff Development Council in 1992 and the Newfoundland and Labrador Teachers’ Association’s Barnes Award in 1994. In 2006 she was honoured with Memorial University’s J.D. Eaton Award for outstanding contribution to the university by an alumna.

For her contributions to education, the arts and rural communities in Newfoundland and Labrador and to Memorial University, Dr. Georgina Hedges will receive the degree of doctor of laws during the 10 a.m. session of convocation on Friday, May 29, in St. John’s.

Dr. Robert Mellin

Dr. Robert Mellin is a scholar, award-winning author, architect, accomplished painter, musician, chronicler, historian of architecture and an outstanding educator.

He is an associate professor at McGill

Dr. Georgina Hedges

Throughout her lifetime, Dr. Georgina Hedges has dedicated herself to education, the arts, tourism and rural development in Newfoundland and Labrador.

She completed two degrees at Memorial University: a bachelor of arts in education in 1974 and a

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Penelope Rowe

Driven by a passion for public policy and an appreciation of the interrelatedness of economic and social development, Penelope Rowe has brought considerable foresight and innovation to conceptualizing solutions to effect social change.

Born in St. John’s, she graduated from Emerson College in Boston with

a bachelor of arts degree in speech pathology. The beneficiary of a Career Development Award for academic studies in offshore development from the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, she attended the London School of Economics and Political Sciences and received a master of science degree. She also completed a certificate in business administration at Memorial University.

During her early career with CBC television and the Daily News (now defunct), she developed an interest in tackling unfairness and discrimination and became steadily more involved in advocacy. In 1973 she was appointed executive secretary of the Early Childhood Development Association and elected vice-president of the Liberal Party of Canada.

In 1976, with her interests in politics, public policy and community action, she was hired to establish the Community Services Council (now the Community Sector Council of N.L.), at whose helm she remains

to this day. Confronting issues including poverty, child sexual abuse, building accessibility, affordable housing and the needs of people with physical disabilities, Ms. Rowe was challenged by the magnitude and complexity of the many issues and how they could be addressed.

Undaunted, she took up the charge.

Her views of the social sector as inextricably associated with a healthy economy were not commonly accepted in the mid-1980s when she was lobbying the provincial government for the development of a social policy framework. Her vision, perseverance and leadership were instrumental in encouraging the Government of Newfoundland and Labradorto embark upon more focused social policy planning. In 1995 she was appointed by then-Premier Clyde Wells to lead the Social Policy Advisory Committee which issued the report Investing in People and Communities: A Framework for Social Development. This report was the foundation for the province’s

groundbreaking Strategic Social Plan.

Ms. Rowe’s experience has been called upon by numerous federal and provincial governments and national bodies. She was the first non-academic to serve as vice-president of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council and for 11 years chaired the N.L. Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Commission.

In 1998 Chatelaine magazine featured Ms. Rowe as one of Canada’s 50 Most Influential Women. She is the recipient of the Canadian Council on Social Development President’s award for outstanding contribution to social policy in Canada and the Canada 125 medal. She was appointed to the Order of Canada in 2002.

For her distinguished and long service to the community, Penelope Rowe will receive the degree of doctor of laws during the 3 p.m. session of convocation on Friday, May 29, in St. John’s.

Focus on Teaching: Part III The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Focus on Teaching is a three-part series about a new thematic format of professional development opportunities provided by DELTS for Memorial’s educators. Each month, educator development sessions are being offered on a selected theme; discipline-specific teaching consultations on each theme will also be available for individuals or groups. This is the final installment.

The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) is a growing movement in post-secondary education that examines the relationship between teaching and learning. Its primary purpose is to improve student learning and enhance educational quality.

During the month of April, DELTS’ educator development team

is focusing its activities on SoTL. “The landscape of university education is changing. Universities, including Memorial, are declaring their commitment to this new paradigm in strategic plans, teaching and learning frameworks, or through funding programs that encourage fresh approaches to university teaching,” said Albert Johnson, associate director, educator development, DELTS. Within higher education, SoTL engages teachers in looking closely and critically at student learning in order to improve their own courses and programs, and to share insights with other educators who can evaluate and build on their efforts. Classroom

teaching practices such as active learning, problem-based learning, collaborative learning and blended learning are some of the aspects of classroom instruction that educators would explore.

But what types of practices actually promote learning within higher education?

“Research is integral to SoTL and is used to continuously build on the knowledge base that teachers draw upon to enhance learning environments,” explained Mr. Johnson. “The aim is not to prescribe a single model of teaching, but to enhance educational choice and to build on the strengths of individual educators.”

By making teaching a more reflective and scholarly activity, SoTL aims to give teacher-scholars a wider range of practical and academic knowledge that can be used to improve teaching practice and enhance disciplinary expertise. As educators reflect and share their individual insights, communities of practitioners can create richer and more dynamic learning environments that reflect the academic values of their institution, field, faculty or department.

Memorial University is engaged in various activities to become aligned

with SoTL movement. Beginning with the approved Teaching and Learning Framework in 2011, an approved Teaching and Learning Strategic Plan is currently guiding activities that include establishing teaching chairs and teaching committees in faculties and schools; providing appropriate support and professional development opportunities for educators; and launching a TLF funding competition to address priorities on the St. John’s campus.

“By encouraging all university partners to think about the quality of learning experiences, SoTL encourages a broader educational dialogue that has the potential to transform contemporary higher education,” Mr. Johnson added.

“In this way, good teaching becomes the responsibility of the institution as well as the individual teacher.”

To learn more about SoTL and related sessions visit www.delts. mun.ca/faculty/workshopseminar/ FocusOfMonth.php. Or book an individual or group consultation on SoTL by contacting DELTS at 709-864-3028.

John Hoben, teaching consultant, DELTS, discusses teaching techniques with educators in the Teaching Skills Enhancement Program.

Generous gift

By Jeff Green

Although he never met Dr. Hugh Anderson, second-year science student Brandon Eastman says he is grateful for the legacy the late professor emeritus has left at Memorial.

Mr. Eastman is one of 13 recipients of a new endowed scholarship for chemistry students set up in Dr. Anderson’s name. Each student received $1,000. The awards are the latest in a string of scholarships made possible by a bequest Dr. Anderson left to Memorial totalling more than $1 million.

“This scholarship helps a lot because I don’t come from a wealthy family,” said Mr. Eastman, a native of Corner Brook. “I think these scholarships are a testament to Dr. Anderson’s commitment to chemistry.”

A longtime professor and former department head, Dr. Anderson passed away in 2012 at the age of 86 after a life dedicated to teaching.

Many members of the university community still fondly remember the quiet, unassuming man, who strongly believed in the power of education.

Scholarships in chemistry and physics

have been established because of his gift. Alumnus Dr. Darryl Fry, who is also an honorary degree recipient from Memorial and a former student of Dr. Anderson’s, has also established a chemistry scholarship in his honour.

“Dr. Anderson had a formative influence on teaching and research, particularly in the teaching of organic chemistry and the development of graduate studies,” said Dr. Peter Pickup, head of chemistry. “All of these scholarships provide students with recognition of their success and it will enhance their university experience.”

Born in Winnipeg, Man., on March 17, 1926, Dr. Anderson was educated at the University of Manitoba, Northwestern University in Illinois and overseas at Oxford.

He joined the chemistry department in September 1953 and stayed for 38 years. After his retirement in 1991, he remained active at Memorial and continued to support students.

Dr. Anderson would have been proud to see this year’s students honoured with their awards, says his close friend Helen Whiteway, a 102-year-old Memorial alumna.

CHRIS HAMMOND photo

Creating a legacy for science students

The first cohort of recipients of Dr. Hugh Anderson’s scholarships in chemistry and Dr. Peter Pickup, at left, back row.

She says Memorial was extremely important to Dr. Anderson and that his favourite place was in the classroom.

“Teaching was at the heart of what he did. He was offered jobs elsewhere in Canada and the United States but he loved Memorial and he loved Newfoundland. He once said to me ‘I am lucky. Here I am getting paid for what I love to do and living where I want to be!’”

Mrs. Whiteway and her late husband, Evan, spent much of their leisure time with Dr. Anderson, including weekly lunch dates at the former Battery Hotel in St. John’s.

“He was a very generous man,” she noted. “He often gave anonymously to a lot of things near and dear to his heart. I think he would be delighted to see students benefit from his gifts – but he never sought praise.”

Mini-health fairs grab attention

By Marcia Porter

It’s hard to ignore a headline on a bright pink background that reads “Between the Sheets” even when you’re just passing through Memorial’s University Centre (UC) en route to the food court.

That’s exactly what some bachelor of nursing (BN) students were counting on when they held their first mini-health fair at the UC. Students in fast-track and four-year options organized and ran two mini-health fairs this year as part of a second-year course in Community Health Nursing Practice.

“Our age gives us an advantage, it makes us more approachable,” said Leah Aiken, a second-year fast-track student, who worked on the sexual health poster display. “It’s useful information and at this young age of lot of people are in relationships.”

The booths on cancer prevention

and early detection also posed a couple of traffic-stopping questions, such as, “Can you feel the lump in our bumps?” or, “Can you feel the nut in our nuts?”

These weren’t just questions – there were also interactive displays. Small, partially inflated balloons with a bean or a dried pea inside were used to draw attention to the importance of detecting prostate and breast cancers in their early stages.

“Health promotion is an important component for overall health,” said Prof. Judy Moody, course leader.

“Health education has been identified as a significant factor empowering people to make lifestyle choices that increase their level of health.”

The first fair at the UC on the St. John’s campus was aimed at a young adult audience; the second fair focused on an older demographic. The students consulted with members of Memorial’s

Wellness Program, the Salvation Army’s New Hope Community Centre and the Seniors’ Resource Centre to ensure a diverse and inclusive approach.

Over at George Street United Church, the information provided was practical, relevant and interesting – and experiential.

“We even went to a tai chi class so that we could recommend tai chi for cardiovascular health,” said Amber Higgins, a second-year BN student.

“Students learned how to work together as a team for the purpose of designing, developing and presenting a poster to the public,” said Prof. Moody. “They learned about community partners, collaboration and resources in our community.”

Nursing students plan to organize mini-health fairs for the 2015-16 academic year.

Nursing student Alice Dickinson helped pilot mini-health fairs.

National aging study receives further funding

By Elizabeth Furey

A major national study on aging has just received a booster shot.

The Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA) has received a $41.6-million grant through the Government of Canada to continue its work for the next five years.

Dr. Gerry Mugford, lead investigator of the CLSA in Newfoundland and Labrador and an associate professor with Memorial’s Faculty of Medicine in the discipline of medicine and psychiatry, says that Newfoundland and Labrador has been essential in contributing to the study.

“As the province with the highest

proportion of seniors in Canada and as one of the data collection sites in the country, Newfoundlanders and Labradorians are taking part in one of the largest comprehensive studies on aging ever undertaken,” he said.

The study began in 2010 and will follow a total of 50,000 Canadians over 20 years to provide information which can be used to improve understanding on subjects ranging from disease development to how social habits may affect how someone ages, and ultimately to promote healthy aging.

The funding is from the Canadian Institutes for Health Research (CIHR).

More than 160 researchers from 26 Canadian universities are involved

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in the study, including experts in genetics, clinical research, social sciences, biology, population health, epidemiology and economics. There are 11 collection sites spread across the country, with 21,000 individuals across the country having completed hour-long telephone interviews and an additional 26,000 having taken part in extensive home interviews and data collection site visits.

“We’re very pleased with how well received the study has been, and Newfoundlanders and Labradorians have been so generous with their time, either by participating via telephone or visiting a data collection site at the Health Sciences Centre

in St. John’s,” said Dr. Mugford.

The CLSA was launched through $50 million in grants from CIHR, the Canadian Foundation for Innovation and several provinces and universities, as well as other partners to set up the research platform, recruit participants and collect data from participants.

The data will be used by researchers from many disciplines across the country, with requests already being made for data to further research topics such as hearing loss, neurological conditions and the health of older veterans. To learn more about the study, please visit www.clsa-elcv.ca.

CHRIS HAMMOND photo

out and about

Award-winning destination Memorial’s Botanical Garden was named Botanical Garden of the Year and its Pink Days in Bloom event was named Flower Event of the Year by the Canadian Garden Council recently. Pictured above is garden director Liz Klose. The garden opens for the season May 1.

out & about For more on these events and other news at Memorial, please visit www.today.mun.ca.

Wednesday, APRIL 8 Growing Old With Grace, 8-9:30 p.m., Hampton Hall, Marine Institute, Sponsor: Wessex Society

THURsday, APRIL 9 The Best of Both Worlds: Part-Time Study at Memorial University, 1-2 p.m., online webinar, Sponsor: School of Graduate Studies Academic Writing for Graduate Students, 12-1:30 p.m., Health Sciences Centre, H2767, Sponsor: Division of BioMedical Sciences Sodium Chloride Drives Autoimmune Disease by the Induction of Pathogenic TH17 Cells, 12-1:30 p.m., Health Sciences Centre, Lecture Theatre D, Sponsor: Division of BioMedical Sciences Adapting to Change: Managing the Transition, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m., BN-4019, Sponsor: Gardiner Centre Development of Velocity Dependent Ice Flexural Failure Model and Application to Safe Speed Methodology for Polar Ships, 10 a.m.-12 p.m., IIC-2014, Bruneau Centre for Research and Innovation, Sponsor: School of

Graduate Studies

Friday, APRIL 10 Bringing Image Acceleration and Automation into the Clinic: Opportunities and Challenges, 3:30-4:30 p.m., C-2045, Sponsor: Anand Yethira (Physics) and Ed Kendall (Eastern Health and Medicine)

Sunday, APRIL 12 Holocaust Memorial Service, 7:30-10 p.m., IIC-2001, Bruneau Centre for Research and Innovation, Sponsor: Department of History

Tuesday, APRIL 14 TWork and Employment Speaker Series: For Better or Worse? The Effects of Maternity Leave Across Developing Countries, 7-9 p.m., A-1045, Sponsor: Master of Employment Relations (MER) Program Systems Biology of Obesity -- Induced Hepatic Insulin Resistance, 12-1 p.m., M1M101, Medical Education Centre, Sponsor: Genetics Search Committee -- Dr. Michael Woods

Wednesday, April 15 CFUW Used Book Sale, 6-9 p.m., St. John’s Arts and Culture Centre, Sponsor: Canadian Federation of University Women St. John’s Club Citizens Dialogue About CETA, 12-1 p.m., A-1045, Sponsor: ARTS on Oceans

Thursday, APRIL 16 Work and Health: Why Are Gender and Sex Important?, 12:30-1:30 p.m., N.L. Centre for Applied Health Research, Ste 300, 95

ENGAGE MEMORIAL mun.ca/publicengagement/engagememorial

Bonaventure Ave, Sponsor: SafetyNet -Centre for Occupational Health and Safety Research An Introduction to Graduate Studies at Memorial, 3-4 p.m., online webinar, Sponsor: School of Graduate Studies CFUW Used Book Sale, 10 a.m.-9 p.m., St. John’s Arts and Culture Centre, Sponsor: Canadian Federation of University Women St. John’s Club Associates Roundtable: Digital and Social Media -- Organizational Imperatives, 12-2 p.m., BN-4000, Sponsor: Faculty of Business Administration Presentation Skills: Speaking with Confidence, 9-10 a.m., Gardiner Centre, Sponsor: Gardiner Centre

Friday, APRIL 17 CFUW Used Book Sale, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., St. John’s Arts and Culture Centre, Sponsor: Canadian Federation of University Women (CFUW) St. John’s Club

Monday, April 20 Digital and Social Media Strategy and Tactics, 9-10 a.m., Gardiner Centre, Sponsor: Gardiner Centre

Wednesday, April 22 Excellence and Relevance in Community Engaged Research, 3-4:30 p.m., AS2011, Grenfell Campus, Sponsor: Office of Public Engagement Building Community Relationships Through Youth Volunteerism, 7-9 p.m., UC-3018, The Landing, Sponsor: Office of Public

March 26: Talking to the Public about your Research April 22: Excellence and Relevance in Community Engaged Research

Thursday, April 23 Application to Graduate School: Tips and Strategies, 3-4 p.m., online webinar, Sponsor: School of Graduate Studies A Study of Unit Graphs and Unitary Cayley Graphs Associated with Rings, 10 a.m.-12 p.m., IIC-2014, Bruneau Centre for Research and Innovation, Sponsor: School of Graduate Studies Employment Law for Managers, 9-10 a.m., Gardiner Centre, Sponsor: Gardiner Centre

Friday, April 24 Age-Friendly Community Capacity Building in Newfoundland and Labrador, 10 a.m.-12 p.m., IIC-2014, Bruneau Centre for Research and Innovation, Sponsor: School of Graduate Studies

Monday, April 27 Cornell Club of St. John’s Meet and Greet, 4:30-6:30 p.m., Bitters Pub, Memorial University, Sponsor: Cornell Club of St. John’s Developing a Business Case: Validating Your Recommendations, 9-10 a.m., Gardiner Centre, Sponsor: Gardiner Centre

Tuesday, April 28 Special Screening of Last Days of Vietnam, 7-9 p.m., A-1043, Sponsor: Department of Sociology Engaging the Public: A Town Hall Event to Talk About Health Research, 7-9 p.m., St. Teresa’s Parish Hall, 120 Mundy Pond Rd., St. John’s, Sponsor: Office of Public Engagement

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Share, learn & connect with Engage Memorial: a series of events to help build capacity for public engagement.

February-June 2015

Luxury oceanside house for rent in Flatrock, 20 minutes from St. John’s/ MUN. Three bedrooms, furnished, picture windows, deck, Jacuzzi, open-concept kitchen, stainless steel appliances, hiking trails seconds away. Large writer’s studio with breathtaking ocean views. No pets, no smoking. Professionally managed. $1395/ month+Utilities. Available May 1. Email agocsmusic@gmail.com

For sale house located at 83 Goodridge St., St. John’s, NL. Conveniently located on the doorsteps of MUN. Spacious (3168 sq ft approximate) and fully developed raised bungalow. From the front of the house there is a lovely view of the University and surrounding area. Call for an appointment to view.- Nancy Hodder,Sales Person. RE/MAX United Inc. at 7283848.

Coming up: March 24: The Impact of Experiential Learning

Engagement

April 22: Building Community Relationships through Youth Volunteerism April 28: Engaging the Public: A Town Hall Event to Talk About Health Research April 29: Community Engaged Learning: Curricular Learning Beyond the Classroom

Hitting their marks Memorial students Ben Taylor and Samantha Marsh are among the best in the country when it comes to target shooting.

Mr. Taylor, a 22-year-old earth sciences student from St. John’s, has been the national men’s air rifle champion for the past two years. Ms. Marsh, a 20-year-old international business student living in Mount Pearl, recently brought home two gold medals from the 2015 Canada Winter Games in Prince George, B.C. Dave Woolridge, co-ordinator of training for Memorial’s Frank Zahn Marksmanship and Canadian Sport Centre Atlantic (CSCA) Training Facility in the School of Human Kinetics and Recreation (HKR), coaches the pair.

But the accomplished target shooters got involved with the sport long before they came to Memorial.

Ms. Marsh has been competing for the last eight years, while Mr. Taylor has been competing for six.

They both prefer the 10-metre air rifle competition, which involves shooting a 45-millimetre diameter target at a distance of 10 metres. The goal is to get points for getting as close to the centre as possible over a set number of shots.

Finals are stressful activities with round-by-round eliminations that can be won or lost by just a 10th of a millimetre.

“We’re talking a very small margin

of error,” said Mr. Taylor. “The 10-ring (at the centre) is only half a millimetre across. So if you’re reading this article, it’s roughly the same size as the period at the end of this sentence. Tape that to a wall and walk 10 meters away and try to hit it.”

Ms. Marsh also competes in three-position shooting with a .22-smallbore rifle.

“In this competition I’m outdoors shooting at a target that’s 50 metres away,” she explained. “I shoot in three different positions − 20 shots standing, 20 shots kneeling and 20 shots in the prone position. It’s trickier because there are a lot of different things to keep in mind, including the wind, sun and clouds. I’m still considered a novice, even though I’ve been doing it for a few years.”

They both feel that what they’ve gotten out of the sport has been even more valuable than what they’ve put into it.

“Travelling internationally for competition makes you very independent,” she said. “It’s also a very individual sport. You have to take the initiative to make yourself better.”

Mr. Taylor agrees.

“In terms of immediate benefits, you can look at the list of competitions that we’ve gone to, the countries we’ve visited and the people we’ve met,” he added. “I would say it’s all gone a long way in shaping who I am.”

CHRIS HAMMOND PHOTO

By Kelly Foss

Student Samantha Marsh at the Frank Zahn shooting facility in the basement of the Phys. Ed. building.

In a heartbeat

By Michelle Osmond

Every year, more than 45,000 Canadians suffer from a sudden cardiac arrest (SCA), according to the Heart and Stroke Foundation. The person’s heart stops beating or stops beating effectively, they lose consciousness and blood flow to the brain, and vital organs are cut off. If their heart is not restarted within a few minutes, brain damage and death occur. Less than 5 per cent of SCAs outside a hospital survive because of delays in recognizing the cardiac emergency and access to appropriate care.

However, Memorial is one step closer to being able to save lives after a SCA. Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) will be installing 60 additional automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in buildings around campus over the next few months. That means one in every building of the St. John’s campus, Grenfell Campus and the Marine Institute.

AEDs analyze the heart’s rhythm and deliver an electrical shock to restore the heart to normal rhythm.

Research has shown that early defibrillation can reduce premature death from a SCA and using an AED with cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) within the first three minutes of a cardiac arrest can increase the chance of survival by up to 75 per cent.

You don’t have to convince EHS

advisor Pat St. Croix that AEDs save lives. While working as a firefighter in Greenwood, N.S., about 15 years ago, he and his crew got a call for medical assistance.

“We arrived on scene to an unresponsive female with no pulse. We started CPR and installed the AED. The AED delivered three shocks and her pulse came back. This was all completed before the ambulance arrived on scene. She was sent to the hospital and later recovered from the heart attack. The doctor at the emergency department said it was the AED being used so quickly that saved her life.”

Currently there are 11 AEDs in five buildings on the St. John’s campus, 11 throughout Marine Institute facilities/vessels and three at Grenfell for a total of 25 units.

Placing AEDs in the workplace within 1-2 minutes of a potential victim, along with proper management and training for employees on how to use the devices, can mean the difference between life and death.

“In terms of first aid equipment the AED would be the most valuable piece of equipment to have. AEDs do save lives,” said Mr. St. Croix. AED training is included in the standard first aid training course and anyone at Memorial can complete standard first aid training if it’s approved by their supervisor.

Each AED will have an owner, or department, assigned to it. It will be the

12 gazette | Wednesday, April 8, 2015 | www.mun.ca/gazette

CHRIS HAMMOND PHOTO

Memorial set to install life-saving devices in every building

Amy Butt, co-chair of the University Centre Occupational Health and Safety Committee, stands beside the AED located in the Student Health Centre. owner’s responsibly to maintain the AED program through its Occupational Health and Safety Committee. The program would include visually

inspecting AEDs on a regular basis as well as software updates or upgrades.