PrescienCE [pre • science] – noun – having foresight or foreknowledge
Faculty of Science Newsletter
Memorial professor receives Canada’s highest scholarly accolade 10 RESEARCH 3 STUDENTS 7 FACULTY 10 INVESTMENT 13 ALUMNI 16 LECTURES 18
VOL. 4
FROM THE DEAN Within universities, science is
for trilateration that is the heart of GPS
a core academic discipline — most
navigation. Likewise, the widespread
undergraduate degrees require some
use of DNA in medicine and forensic
science component. The question is:
science is based upon Watson & Crick’s
“Why?” There are really two reasons.
work in the late 1950s. More recently,
The first is that the areas of knowledge
the Internet was developed in 1989, by
that make up a faculty of science are
Tim Berners-Lee of CERN (the European
also areas of fundamental knowledge.
Organization for Nuclear Research)
A well educated citizen, and certainly
as a mechanism to provide automatic
one who has received a degree from a
information sharing between universities
major Canadian university, should know
and world institutes. Almost 25 years
something about at least one of these
later its impact upon many aspects of life
core areas, especially if this is not their
are profound.
chosen discipline. However, and more
My point is that scientific research
importantly, it teaches you how to think
and the knowledge it produces funda-
in a way that allows you to realize your
mentally changes the world in which we
dreams. It requires that you abandon
live. It is my hope, and certainly that of
your preconceptions and biases and look
most people, that these changes will
objectively at the information you have. Ideally, it will identify areas in which we have limited information and make clear what questions must now be asked. Science allows us to build upon existing knowledge while constantly challenging
“Science is important because the research and knowledge that we generate today will be the raw material that will solve these problems in the future.”
our state of knowledge.
be universally beneficial for generations. However, we all recognize that the future will continue to present many challenges. Science is important because the research and knowledge that we generate today will be the raw material that will solve these problems in the
Now more than ever, these traits
is surprisingly long. For example, the
future. In combination with creative criti-
are increasingly important. Society has
ubiquitous GPS technology that is in
cal thought, science will provide us with
become increasingly technological —
cars, phones and many other devices, is
a future of boundless possibilities.
a technology that is built upon scientific
a manifestation of Einstein’s Theory of
knowledge. While this is no surprise,
Relativity. Developed in 1915, his insights
the time lag between a scientific
into relativity, limitations on the speed of
discovery and the derived technology
light and its impact on time are the basis
PrescienCE Editor: Kelly Foss, communications co-ordinator
709 864 2019, kfoss@mun.ca
Prescience is a publication of Memorial University’s Faculty of Science. We welcome all comments, submissions, story ideas and letters. GRAPHIC DESIGN: Molly Baker Cover Photo: Dave Howells
contributors: Mandy Cook, Janet Harron, Sharon Gray, Jackey Locke, Naomi Osborne, Michelle Osmond, Deena Riggs, Dave Sorensen, Meaghan Whelan and Heidi Wicks Faculty of Science, St. John’s, NL A2B 3X7 | Tel: 709 864 8153 or 8154 | Fax: 709 864 3316
facebook.com/MUNScience
twitter.com/MUN_Science
Webpage: www.mun.ca/science Email: science@mun.ca
RESEARCH
New program brings international students to chemistry
Researcher hopes to make health impact in India with omega-3 A biochemistry researcher at Memorial is hoping to make a long-term impact on the health and economic wellbeing of India. For the past 25 years Sukhinder
Shunsuke Kumashiro, University of Hiroshima, recently participated in a short-term research program in the Department of Chemistry. Chris Hammond photo
Kaur Cheema has been looking into the
The Department of Chemistry is
arrived from the United States, Nick
and obesity with a focus on omega-3
going international. A new program
Settje and David Cascione, both of
fatty acids. In recent years, Dr. Cheema
sponsored by Memorial’s Strategic
Cornell University, and in the fall two
has been researching the impacts of
Internationalization Fund has been
additional students came from Japan,
maternal nutrition and has shown how
allowing the department to bring in a
Natsumi Kubota, University of Nagoya,
a mother’s diet during pregnancy and
number of foreign students for short-term
and Shunsuke Kumashiro, University
lactation can affect the health of the child
research opportunities.
of Hiroshima. A fifth student, Vaclav
in later years.
The International Student Research Experience Program in Chemistry, or ISREP-Chem, was developed in response
Houska, from the Czech Academy of Sciences, visited in January. The department has also identified
impact of diet on heart disease, diabetes
Dr. Cheema took that research to a conference hosted by the Indian Hypertension Society. That country is also
to the most recent call for applications
Landon Hiscock and Tiffany Tozer-
having issues with obesity, heart disease
from the fund.
MacMillan as the Memorial students
and diabetes and she believes an aware-
who will be going abroad as a result of
ness of the benefits of omega-3 fatty
tional face of the department by bring-
this funding. Mr. Hiscock will work in
acids could help, particularly vegetarian
ing students in and by sending Memorial
the Academy of Sciences of the Czech
sources of omega-3 such as flax seed oil.
students abroad to foster international
Republic and Ms. Tozer-MacMillan
collaborations between researchers in
will travel to the National Centre for
benefits of flax could help the agriculture
the department with researchers in other
Scientific Research (CNRS) in Toulouse,
and food industries in India, by having
countries.
France. They will also receive a travel
them grow flax, incorporating it into foods
allowance and a monthly stipend.
and bringing those foods to market.
The idea is to increase the interna-
In summer 2012, two students
Physics outreach fires student imagination
The hope is that an awareness of the
From participating in summer enrichment programs like Shad Valley to working with the Eastern School District to offer mini courses to junior high school students in the spring of the year,
The word is getting out — physics is
Dr. de Young says the point is to show
cool.
people what physics really is and how
Department of Physics and Physical
we can use the approaches of physics to
Oceanography head Brad de Young says
understand the world around us.
that’s the message they’ve been hearing from students at all levels and from the general public as the department continues to work on expanding their public outreach programs in the province.
Outreach activities like those done by Physics lab instructor Kelly Shorelin uses a Van de Graaff generator in her outreach sessions with youth. Chris Hammond photo
the department go a long way towards firing the imagination of students and show that physics is about more than just formulas in a book.
3
RESEARCH
Psychology research unit goes to the dogs Why do dogs behave as they do? Almost no other species has shared as much of our lives with us as they do, but how much do we really know about them? Carolyn Walsh, an assistant professor of psychology, is a member of the Canine Research Unit (CRU) at Memorial University. She says studies, such as the ones being
The Culex pipiens, one of three species of mosquito responsible for the transmission of West Nile virus, has been found in St. John’s. Submitted photo
done by her colleagues and students, are changing the way scientists view dogs. The group’s main work is focused on canine social behaviour, specifically how dogs communicate and interact with each other. They are also interested in factors such as the dog’s temperament, and whether measuring
Potential carrier of West Nile virus found in St. John’s
stress-related hormones, such as cortisol, could give insight into how these
For the first time, a mosquito that
factors interact with each other.
can potentially carry the West Nile virus
While some of their research involves testing dogs in their
has been found in St. John’s. While the West Nile virus itself has not
homes and yards, much of what
been detected here, Culex pipiens, one
the CRU does happens in local dog
of three species of mosquito responsible
parks, recording hours of footage of
for the transmission of West Nile virus,
dogs interacting with each other.
and the primary culprit in Eastern North
The CRU has a number of new
America, has been found. The species
and ongoing projects and is
has been collected in the past on the
regularly looking for participa-
west coast of the island, but for the first
tion from pet owners and their
time was found on the Avalon peninsula
dogs. Dog owners inter-
and within the City of St. John’s by a
ested in finding out more
Memorial researcher.
about the research, or how
Biology student Kate Bassett made
to participate, can visit at
the collection and confirmed her iden-
http://dogsbody.psych.
tification using DNA fingerprinting. The
mun.ca/cru.
M.Sc. student researches mosquito-borne viruses in Newfoundland, specifically the Snowshoe Hare virus and the Jamestown Canyon virus. Both infect wildlife but have also been known to infect humans. Part of her research includes collecting mosquitos, identifying them and sending them to the National Microbiology Lab in Winnipeg, Man., to test them for the presence of viruses. That’s how she found the region’s first potential carrier of West Nile.
4
RESEARCH
Fullerene breakthrough a result of a multi-year multidisciplinary effort Science researchers at Memorial have developed the first X-ray structural evidence that C60-fullerene can co-crystallize with corannulene. This finding could prove to be significant to those studying the assembly of fullerene into other arrays for energy applications, such as photovoltaic cells for solar energy, or into fullerene-based vehicles for drug delivery.
Shining a light on atoms
Dr. Paris Georghiou of Memorial’s Department of Chemistry has been working with C60-fullerene or “buckyballs,” a spherical molecule composed of 60 carbon atoms. The molecules are the namesake of the late Buckminster Fuller, who has been recog-
Dr. Kris Poduska and PhD student Ben Xu at the Canadian Light Source (CLS) in Saskatoon, Sask. Submitted photo
nized for his architectural designs involving
Visualizing tiny features in a material
the behaviour of calcium-containing
fragment of a buckyball. It is bent into a
is no small task. Atoms are much smaller
materials in archaeological and geologi-
bowl shape and is sometimes called a
than what can be seen directly, yet their
cal settings using laboratory-synthesized
buckybowl. This particular component has
arrangements often have a critical impact
comparisons.
held a lot of interest for theoretical and
geodesic domes. Corannulene is an important structural
on how a material functions. Memorial University professor Dr.
CLS is Canada’s national synchrotron research facility, and has world-class
synthetic chemists with many working on different aspects and uses for it.
Kris Poduska and PhD student Ben Xu
tools to study the structure and chem-
Researchers had been unable to
travelled to the Canadian Light Source
istry of materials at the scale of atoms.
find proof that corannulene could form
(CLS) in Saskatoon, Sask., where they
In a building the size of two football
complexes with fullerene through supramo-
used some amazing tools for “seeing”
fields, CLS accelerates electrons to travel
lecular bonds. But reaction mixtures created
atom arrangements.
very close to the speed of light. These
to test the hypothesis formed red crystals
The pair used bright beams of
speedy electrons produce beams of light
that were studied by Dr. Louise Dawe, a
infrared light as well as X-rays at CLS to
that are one trillion times brighter than a
crystallographer with the department, and
determine how crystallinity can affect
medical X-ray.
she was successful in determining the first X-ray model of the structure.
Research shows police warnings not easily understood
interview continues — that usually involves reading the right to legal council and the right to legal silence. He says across the country there are a
possible are no better understood. Instead, the research team sought out ways officers could improve retention and understanding of the information by using
lot of variations on how these warnings are
certain techniques when presenting it.
You’ve seen it on countless television
delivered and even in the wording used.
Those techniques raised comprehension
programs: a suspect is arrested and read
Through seven separate studies over a
as much as 70 per cent.
their rights. But just how well understood
period of five years, Dr. Snook’s research
are those rights? Dr. Brent Snook, profes-
group has made some interesting findings.
sor of psychology, Faculty of Science, says the answer may be surprising. Individuals suspected of committing an offence must be read their rights before an
Future studies will test if these findings will continue to work in more realistic or
Tests show that only 30 per cent
stressful situations. Dr. Snook is also seek-
of the rights as read are actually being
ing funding to study the cautions provided
understood. Dr. Snook says even cautions
to youth, which are even more complex.
worded as simply and with as few words as
5
RESEARCH
Protecting the ocean, one polymer at a time When an oil spill occurs in the marine environment, the impact is huge, not to mention the devastation for marine life. And whether or not a major marine disaster is inevitable with so much activity taking place on our oceans, Memorial University researchers are doing their part to protect our oceans. The chief investigators of the
From left are Drs. Christina Bottaro, Kelly Hawboldt and Erika Merschrod. Chris Hammond photo
Microfluidic Sensor Technology Project are Drs. Christina Bottaro and Erika
The core technology involved
The primary advantage of the small
Merschrod of the Faculty of Science’s
is molecularly imprinted polymers
MIP-based devices is their sensitivity and
Department of Chemistry, and Dr. Kelly
(MIPs) and accompanying sensing
selectivity. When deployed into a marine
Hawboldt of the Faculty of Engineering
systems which can be deployed for oil
environment, the MIPs will only detect
and Applied Science. This project
spill monitoring and fate analysis, or
targeted compounds, such as phenols,
aims to develop microfluidic sensor
incorporated into the online analysis of
heavier polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
technology to measure contaminants in
produced water and tracking of oil spills
and other compounds that are toxic to
harsh marine environments, especially
in the marine environment.
the marine environment, while avoiding
oil-in-water.
irrelevant compounds, ensuring accuracy. See related story on page 13: Memorial research projects receive $8 million from ACOA
Discovery could lead to protection for
deep-sea corals A PhD student affiliated with the
Upon checking other samples she
Departments of Biology and Ocean
found more and more larvae, sometimes
Sciences has discovered that deep-sea
as many as 200 on a small coral. The
cold-water corals are being used as nurs-
corals had been collected as by-catch
eries for certain types of fish.
during trawling excursions undertaken
The discovery is making big waves
by Fisheries and Oceans Canada in the
in the ecology community and may lend
months of April and May.
strength to the argument that these corals should be protected. Sandrine Baillon was using a microscope to study sea pens, soft corals that
6
Using the molecular signature of Sandrine Baillon and Dr. Annie Mercier study sea pens under a microscope. Chris Hammond photo
the larvae, researchers were able to identify them as redfish, a species that is commercially fished worldwide. Some
can exhibit a feather-like appearance,
of the corals on which the larvae were
much like a quill pen, when she found
found are also cosmopolitan species, so
the first larvae trapped amongst the sea
the finding may have significance around
pen’s polyps.
the world.
STUDENTS his article accepted, it also won him an Editor’s Choice Award. Mr. Krumsick works with the Marine Institute’s Centre for Fisheries Ecosystems Research alongside the centre’s director, Dr. George Rose, and its team of research scientists. His master’s thesis focused on describing feeding behaviour of cod in a changing climate and assessing how that relates to recovery of populations. His paper is grounded on a prevailing assumption that has been largely Dr. George Rose, at left, and Kyle Krumsick analyze the stomach contents of a spawning cod. Angie Bishop, Marine Institute photo
based on studies conducted on captive fish, which concludes that Northwest Atlantic cod, in particular, the stocks off
Master’s student claims Editor’s Choice Award
Newfoundland and Labrador, do not feed during the protracted spawning period. His research was based on data collected from 10,473 cod over nine years
Master of science student, Kyle
his first step when he submitted his
from four Northwest Atlantic Fisheries
Krumsick, is no stranger to ecosystems
first master’s paper, Atlantic Cod Feed
Organization regions. Through data
research. In fact, his life mission is to help
During Spawning off Newfoundland and
analysis, Mr. Krumsick determined that
sustain the world’s fisheries — one step at
Labrador, to the International Council
cod around Eastern Newfoundland and
a time.
for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES)
Labrador do continue to feed during
Journal of Marine Science. Not only was
spawning.
The student of biology accomplished
Student and varsity volleyball captain celebrated In memory of Erin Bursey, a Memorial
A statement issued on the Sea-
psychology student and an accom-
Hawks’ official website defined Ms.
plished athlete, her fellow students,
Bursey as “an athlete that competed
family and friends have created the Erin
fearlessly and always left it all out on the
Bursey Memorial Leadership Award in
floor” and that she was “a leader and a
her honour.
friend among her teammates and varsity
Ms. Bursey, who was captain of
athletes across all sports.”
Memorial University’s varsity volleyball
Donations to the memorial award can
team and a recent bachelor of science
be made by calling 1877 700 4081 or
graduate, passed away after a pedes-
709 864 4354 or by visiting the Alumni
trian-vehicle accident in 2012. A two-time Canadian Interuniversity
Affairs and Development website at Erin Bursey. Chris Hammond photo
Sport Academic All Canadian, multiple
www3.mun.ca/alumni/giving.p001. Should you wish to donate online,
scholarship award winner and the
please ensure that in the “Area of
winner of the Frank T. Butler Memorial
and contribution as an ambassador in
Designation” you select the “Other” box
Scholarship, an award presented to a
the community, Ms. Bursey also gave her
and then type “Erin Bursey Memorial
student-athlete who best combines
own time as a volunteer with multiple
Leadership Fund” in the “Designation
athletic commitment, academic success
community groups.
Information” box.
7
STUDENTS
Cultural preservation from a
scientist?
From left are Jordan Chafe, Student Volunteer Bureau; Sahand Seifi, Wayne Rose, Student Affairs and Services; and LuAnne Kelly, University Bookstore. Chris Hammond photo
be an activist for Mi’kmaq culture. The disciplines may seem to
Computer science student donates prize money
come from different worlds, but Mr. Jeddore is seeking a way to
When graduate student Sahand Seifi learned he’d won
interweave the two after completing his B.Sc. in biochemistry.
first place in a university and college store association contest,
John Wejitu Jeddore is a scientist, but he also happens to
Mr. Jeddore, who produces a Mi’kmaq word of the day video series on his YouTube channel, believes that although it seems unlikely, cultural awareness is something he’d like to implement
he promptly handed the $3,000 grand prize over to others he thought could use it more. Mr. Seifi, a master’s student from Tehran, Iran, entered a
in his career. He’s hoping to pursue medicine, where he would
contest hosted by the National Association of College Stores
focus on cultural sensitivity.
(NACS) called National Student Day. The University Bookstore is
Mr. Jeddore is the first post-secondary graduate from the Miawpukek First Nation people of Conne River on
a member of the Oberlin, Ohio-based organization. The contest encourages university and college students
Newfoundland’s south coast, making him an inspiration for
across Canada and the United States to celebrate student
future generations of Aboriginal students attending university.
volunteerism and social responsibility. Mr. Seifi contributed an article about how the support he received from members of the student-run organization, MUNIranians, helped him adjust to university life in a foreign
Mi’kmaq
country. He now volunteers his time with the group in order to
on YouTube
he thinks his volunteer work is “not even close to the wonderful
word of the day
give back to the cause. When asked why he decided to donate the money, he says and unimaginable things” other students are doing at Memorial and other universities and colleges.
Chemistry conference profiles student research The ninth annual Summer Organic
feature of the conference is the keynote
other research that is occurring in the
Chemistry Conference on Everybody’s
speaker that he brings in annually.
department.
Research, or SOCCER, was another great
The 2012 guest speaker was Michel
Student prize winners at the confer-
success for the Department of Chemistry.
Gravel of the University of Saskatchewan.
ence included graduate students Tayel
The local conference is for undergradu-
In addition to the value the visiting
Al-hujran, Shuai Liang, Penchal Reddy
ate and graduate students involved in
speaker brings, Dr. Bodwell says the
Nandaluru, Rakesh Throat, Kiran Sagar
organic chemistry research at Memorial
conference allows students to become
Unikela and undergraduate student
University.
better aware of the
Jill Nash.
Graham Bodwell, a professor in the Department of Chemistry, organizes the conference. He says one 8
important
Graham Bodwell and Michel Gravel with conference participants.
Submitted photo
STUDENTS
Math/physics student awarded Killam Fellowship As a recipient of the prestigious Killam Fellowship, Brendan Cooke will spend a semester at the University of Miami. While working on a joint honours in physics and applied math, Mr. Cooke received numerous awards and prizes for academic excellence, including the Williams Science Scholarship for
MUCEP:
Celebrating 20 years of success and impact
2011–12. The scholarship was established by the late Dr. Hank Williams of the Department of Earth Sciences and is awarded to the most promising secondyear student entering the Faculty of Science. Mr. Cooke enjoys working with youth and has volunteered with Let’s Talk Science, the Elaine Dobbin Centre for Autism and was a lifeguard at the Aquarena for a number of years. The Killam Fellowship Program allows undergraduate students from Canada and the United States to participate in a program of bi-national residential exchange. The program, administered by Fulbright Canada, is an integral part
Dr. Bill Montevecchi and MUCEP student Seth Bennett working with gannets on the cliffs of Cape St. Mary’s. Submitted photo
of the foundation’s multidimensional
In 1992, Memorial’s Employment
strategy to foster understanding
Services Centre was directed to create
has employed more than 30,000 stu-
between Canada and the U.S. and is
a student employment program that
dents in a variety of positions. It even
designed to encourage exceptional
would provide work experience and
reaches beyond offices and onto the
undergraduate
financial support.
cliffs of Newfoundland and Labrador.
students in the
The result was the launch of the
In the last 20 years, the program
Dr. Bill Montevecchi, a renowned
two countries
groundbreaking Memorial University
seabird researcher and University
by providing
Career Experience Program (MUCEP),
Research Professor of psychology,
a unique
one of the first of its kind in Canadian
biology and ocean sciences, says
opportunity
universities.
the program has been a boon to
for academic exchange.
From the employers on campus who gain excellent part-time employees to the students who gain valuable
Brendan Cooke Chris Hammond photo
seabird research in Newfoundland and Labrador. Besides offering real-world,
work experience in their areas of study
state-of-the-art research experiences
or interest, the program is a benefit to
for students, he says they have made
all. Participating students recognize the
very important contributions to
opportunity is more than just money
research and have at times earned co-
in their pocket. MUCEP positions also
authorships on peer-reviewed scientific
provide the kind of experiences that
publications.
build resumés, strengthen interviews and confidence.
9
FACULTY
Inaugural presentation of Lien Memorial Scholarship The inaugural presentation of the Dr. Jon Lien Memorial Scholarship took place on the St. John’s campus. The award was established to commemorate the lives of Dr. Jon Lien and his student Dr. Deane Renouf, both formerly with the Department of Psychology at Memorial. The award is for a full-time graduate student who is entering a program in marine biology or animal behaviour, marine conservation, coastal community revitalization or current fisheries challenges. Chelsey Lawrence, a master’s student with the Department of Biology, is the first recipient of Dr. Carole Peterson has been named a fellow of the Royal Society of Canada. Chris Hammond photo
the award and “is the first of a legacy of talented new students eligible for this scholarship that will embrace the problems and love the
Memorial professor receives Canada’s highest scholarly accolade
questions,” according to Judy Lien, widow of Dr. Lien. Ms. Lawrence has been a student at Memorial since 2007 and completed her undergraduate studies with honours in biology.
Dr. Carole Peterson has been honoured by the Royal Society of Canada (RSC) for her outstanding contributions to research and education. A professor in the Faculty of Science’s Department of Psychology, she has been named a fellow of the society in the Division of Social Sciences. Election to the society is considered the highest academic honour in Canada. Dr. Peterson has pioneered three new areas of child psychology — narrative ability, eyewitness memory and early childhood amnesia. According to the RSC, “Her impact has been profound: Illiterate parents are being trained to help their children communicate in ways that lay the foundation for reading; children now have a legitimate voice in court; and powerful public response to her newest work is raising awareness of the importance of social science research.” The RSC elects members from all branches of learning who have achieved national and international recognition by publishing learned works or original research in the arts, humanities and sciences. Founded in 1882, the country’s oldest scholarly organiza10
tion currently has about 1,800 fellows.
From left are Chelsey Lawrence Dr. Mary Courage, sister of Dr. Deane Renouf, and Judy Lien, widow of Dr. Jon Lien. Chris Hammond photo
FACULTY
New associate dean of science appointed Dr. Mark Abrahams dean, Faculty of Science,
Science retiree wins Royal Astronomical Society award
has announced Dr. Len Zedel as the new associate dean of science (research and graduate). Dr. Zedel, an associate professor in the Department of Physics and Physical Oceanography, was appointed to the position in 2012. Dr. Zedel received his B.Sc. and M.Sc. from the University of Victoria and holds a PhD from the University of British Columbia. He joined
Fred Smith, retired from the Office
Memorial University in 1991 as a research
of the Dean, has received the Royal
associate and accepted a position of
Astronomical Society of Canada Service
assistant professor in 1996.
Award (RASC). The award is given to a member
Dr. Zedel’s research activities involve exploring oceanographic
in recognition of outstanding service
processes through the use of
rendered over an extended period of
acoustic systems. His current
time, where such service has had a
interests include the
major impact on the work of the society
processes responsible
and/or of a centre of the society. The award is given only by resolu-
for ambient sound in the ocean, the use of
tion of the national council, on recom-
coherent Doppler sonar
mendation of the awards committee.
for high resolution
Only 136 awards have been granted
water velocity profiling,
since 1959. The award was announced at the RASC general assembly in
the suspension of sediment in the nearshore zone and the application of acoustic systems to fisheries acoustics.
Dr. Len Zedel, an associate professor in the Department of Physics and Physical Oceanography, is the new associate dean of science (research and graduate). Chris Hammond photo
Edmonton, Alta., and presented in St. John’s at a dinner hosted by the St. John’s centre of the RASC.
A co-worker to remember When longtime chemistry employee Viola Martin passed away last November at the age of 47, her friends and colleagues at the university immediately began discussing ways to memorialize her on campus. They decided upon a memory bench and flowerbed in front of the Chemistry-Physics building. To bring it all together, the women worked with a number of units across the university including Technical Services, which built the bench and made the plaque, and Facilities Management, which installed
Viola Martin
the bench and created the flowerbed. Department of Chemistry faculty and staff have also Ebony Penney, Bonita Smith, Gina Jackson, Mary Flinn and Geraldine Kennedy with the bench in memory of Viola Martin. Chris Hammond photo
participated in the CIBC Run for the Cure in Ms. Martin’s memory. Last year their two teams, Viola’s ChemiGals and Equilibri-men, raised almost $7,500, with the ChemiGals taking home the post-secondary challenge top individual fundraiser award for St. John’s.
11
faculty
Physics professor renewed as Canada Research Chair Dr. Lev Tarasov, an associate professor in the Department of Physics and Physical Oceanography, has been renewed as the Canada Research Chair in Glacial Dynamics Modelling. As a tier two junior chair, Dr. Tarasov receives $100,000 annually for five years for a total of $500,000. Tier two chairs, tenable for five years and renewable once, are for exceptional emerging researchers, acknowledged by their peers as having the potential to lead in their field. Dr. Tarasov’s research involves inferring and understanding changes in the glacial system in which ice, climate and earth interact. This work spans the last million years of ice age cycles, including questions about the stability of present-day ice sheets over the next 500 years. He is particularly preoccupied with quantifying uncertainty. This involves the integration of observational data and large ensemble modelling to generate probability distributions for the past and future evolution of ice sheets and their impacts on climate and earth.
Dr. Lev Tarasov at the Belcher Glacier, Devon Island, Nunavut.
Memorial is home to 26 Canada research chairs, 10 of those
Submitted photo
within the Faculty of Science, studying areas such as marine bioscience, human nutrition, photonics and environmental science.
Memorial honours exceptional faculty and staff at special ceremony Dr. Gary Kachanoski, Memorial’s president, has announced the university’s outstanding educators, researchers and staff members for 2012. The recipients of the president’s awards for teaching, research, exemplary service and exceptional community service were honoured at an event at Innovation Hall, Bruneau Centre, on Memorial’s St. John’s campus. The 2012 recipients from science included Dr. David Schneider, Department of Ocean Sciences, who received the President’s Award for Outstanding Graduate and Postgraduate Student Supervision, and Dr. Raymond Poirier, Department of Chemistry, who was named University Research Professor. University Research Professor is a designation above the rank of professor and is the most prestigious award the university gives for research. It goes to a faculty member who has demonstrated a consistently high level of scholarship and whose research is of a truly international stature.
12
President Gary Kachanoski honoured Dr. Ray Poirier (pictured) and Dr. David Schneider at his annual awards ceremony Chris Hammond photo
INVESTMENT
Student researchers awarded more than $865,000 for ocean-related projects
Memorial research projects receive $8 million from ACOA
Twenty-one Memorial students received a significant
Science.
Three projects at Memorial University have received a combined investment of $8 million from the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA). The projects are funded under ACOA’s Atlantic Innovation Fund, a program that encourages partnerships among private sector firms, universities, colleges and other research institutions to develop and commercialize new or improved products and services. The awarded projects are based in the Fisheries and Marine Institute, the Faculty of Medicine and the Faculty of
boost to their ocean-related research projects, thanks to the
In the Faculty of Science, Dr. Christina Bottaro, with co-
Research & Development Corporation’s (RDC) 2012 Ocean
investigators Drs. Erika Merschrod and Kelly Hawboldt (Faculty
Industries Student Research Awards. Six doctoral, 12 master’s
of Engineering and Applied Science), aim to develop technol-
and three undergraduate students — as well as their research
ogy to measure contaminants (e.g. components of oil) in harsh
supervisors — received a total of $866,333 towards their
marine environments.
research projects. RDC’s investment supports student researchers focusing
The technology under development is intended for use at remote sites, and will be able to function in cold temperatures
on strategic areas such as offshore petroleum engineering,
and under ice cover. The long-term goal is to commercialize the
geoscience, ocean engineering, ocean technology including
sensing technology and potentially extend it to applications in
marine transport, fisheries, aquaculture and other areas such
medicine, biotechnology and civil defense. This project, with a
as marine science that support research and development
total estimated cost of $3 million, received approximately $2.1
(R&D), innovation and the commercialization of ocean tech-
million from the Atlantic Innovation Fund, with additional finan-
nologies or natural resource development. The awards range
cial support from Petroleum Research Atlantic Canada (PRNL).
in value from $7,500 per year for undergraduate research to $20,000–$30,000 per year at the graduate level. The 2012 recipients in science include Kathleen Woolridge, Department of Chemistry; Truong Nguyen, Environmental
Chevron Canada Limited and RDC announce new research chair
Science; Xi Xue, Aquaculture; Andrew Murphy, Department
Memorial University’s research capacity in offshore
of Biology; Marina Joury, Department of Earth Sciences and
petroleum development continues to expand, with a $1-million
Lucia (Lucy) Newton, Department of Earth Sciences.
investment by Chevron Canada Limited and the Research & Development Corporation of Newfoundland and Labrador (RDC). The funding will support the creation of the Chevron
Recipients of the 2012 Ocean Industries Student Research Awards. Paul Daly for RDC.
Industrial Research Chair in Petroleum Reservoir Characterization in the Department of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Science. Chevron Canada Limited and RDC will each invest $500,000 over the next five years in partnership with Memorial University. The new chair will maintain a vigorous research program, sustain a strong record of peer-reviewed publications and external funding, advise and mentor undergraduate and graduate students and contribute to the teaching mission of the Department of Earth Sciences, including courses in petroleum geology. Potential research focus areas include the determination of reservoir architecture, establishing geological flow units, using seismic data in the construction of reservoir models and identifying petroleum growth reserve potential. The chair would focus on some of the geologic uncertainties faced by industry operations in offshore Newfoundland and Labrador. 13
INVESTMENT
Research & Development Corporation investment supports Memorial researchers The Research & Development Corporation (RDC) has invested more
ways to extract precious metals. More than 30 researchers from across
RDC announces more than $1.6 million in R&D funding to companies
than $5.3 million into research and
the university’s faculties, including Science,
development (R&D) projects at Memorial
are receiving funding that will leverage
University of Newfoundland in areas
more than $16.9 million from other
relevant to offshore petroleum, ocean
research sponsors. These include the
Business-led projects received
technology, healthcare, aquaculture and
Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency,
more than $1.6 million in funding
other natural resource industries.
the Natural Sciences and Engineering
from the Research & Development
The funding will focus on solving
Research Council of Canada, Husky
Corporation of Newfoundland and
technical challenges and identifying
Energy and Rolls Royce Marine. The
Labrador (RDC).
new opportunities such as ice-structure
investment is provided through RDC’s aca-
interaction in polar regions, effective
demic programs, which focus on building
support that will assist several
oil spill cleanup methods that minimize
the R&D capacity required for innovation
provincial companies with research
environmental impact and more efficient
and commercialization within the province.
and development (R&D) projects in
RDC announced investment
Newfoundland and Labrador’s priority sectors such as natural resources,
Science researchers receiving funding include:
ocean technology, aquaculture, advanced manufacturing and information communications technology.
IgniteR&D
LeverageR&D attracts public funding
IgniteR&D attracts highly-qualified
ects led by companies throughout
for academic-led research and develop-
academic researchers and builds new
Newfoundland and Labrador, includ-
ment (R&D) in areas relevant to both
research and development (R&D)
ing the Newfoundland Broodstock
industry and the Newfoundland and
capacity in areas relevant to both
Company Inc., which is attempting to
Labrador economy.
industry and the Newfoundland and
position itself to be a leading supplier
Labrador economy.
of selected cod genetic material
Dr. William Driedzic Department of Ocean Sciences Dr. Matthew Rise Department of Ocean Sciences Dr. Valerie Booth Department of Biochemistry Dr. Duncan McIlroy Department of Earth Sciences
Dr. Tao Cheng Department of Earth Sciences Dr. James Munroe Department of Physics and Physical Oceanography Dr. Antonina Kolokolova Department of Computer Science
(eggs and larvae) for domestic, national and international markets. The company, which is based in St. John’s, is developing and optimizing best protocols for the shipment of live cod eggs to markets around the world. The research will be conducted at the Joe Brown Aquatic Research Building of Memorial
Dr. Susan Ziegler Department of Earth Sciences (2)
Dr. Lourdes Pena-Castillo Departments of Computer Science and Biology
Dr. Kurt Gamperl and Danny Boyce Department of Ocean Sciences
Dr. Dawn Bignell Department of Biology
lead to increased survival, hatch rates
Dr. Kapil Tahlan Department of Biology
mance of cod larvae from selective
Dr. Chris Parrish Department of Ocean Sciences
Dr. Oscar Meruvia-Pastor Department of Computer Science 14
The investment is advancing proj-
LeverageR&D
University of Newfoundland, and will allow for the evaluation of numerous optimization processes which can and eventual growth and perforcod broodstock. RDC’s investment is $15,000 of a total project cost of $21,060.
INVESTMENT
Drs. Penny Morrill, left, and Vaughan Grimes received funding from the Canada Foundation for Innovation to purchase state-of-the-art research tools. Chris Hammond photo
Memorial receives more than $825,000 to attract and retain top researchers
Funded projects with Faculty of Science involvement include: Dr. Kelly Hawboldt Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science co-applicants Dr. Robert Helleur Department of Chemistry and Dr. Lesley James, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science Dr. Ronald Haynes Department of Mathematics and Statistics
Nine researchers at Memorial University have received a combined investment of $827,954 from the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) to support their innovative research programs. The overall value of these research projects is more than $2 million. The funding was awarded through the CFI’s Leaders Opportunity Fund, a program designed to help universi-
Dr. Iain McGaw Department of Ocean Sciences Dr. Penny Morrill Department of Earth Sciences and Dr. Vaughan Grimes Faculty of Arts
ties attract and retain the very best researchers at a time of intense international competition. Awards are made to researchers who are recognized leaders in their field, or those with a clear promise of becoming future leaders and who require specialized infrastructure. Researchers from the faculties of arts, engineering and applied science, science, medicine and Grenfell Campus received funding under this program. The funding is also creating valuable opportunities for cross-disciplinary collaboration.
Dr. Kapil Tahlan Department of Biology, co-applicant Dr. Dawn Bignell Department of Biology Dr. Lev Tarasov Canada Research Chair in Glacial Dynamics Modelling, Department of Physics and Physical Oceanography 15
ALUMNI
Breaking science
Becki Pecham, Bold Creative photo
To watch Tony Ingram dance is
in the 80s, doing handstands in his
like watching a moving work of art. The
basement without knowing what he was
School of Human Kinetics and Recreation
doing. He also admits that growing up in
ing to start a Concrete Roots Productions
graduate student looks like his body is
Port aux Basques wasn’t the best place
in St. John’s, something he and other
moving involuntarily, in one fluid motion.
to learn.
b-boys started in Halifax as a dance
Mr. Ingram, who holds a B.Sc. in
The first time Mr. Ingram tried real
principles of motor learning. Mr. Ingram and some others are try-
program that is now in more than 20
behavioural neuroscience, is part of
breaking was in the MUN dance studio,
schools. The group has partnered with
a growing trend called breaking or
which is now the kinesiology lab in the
School Sports NL in St. John’s to start a
b-boying/b-girling. It might look like what
basement of the Physical Education
dance program called Street Movement,
was called break dancing from the 1980s
building. He says his kinesiology
as getting youth involved is very impor-
but it’s much more sophisticated than
courses have helped shape him as a
tant to him.
that.
dancer — understanding the mechan-
He admits to being a “closet b-boy”
Founder of Memorial’s medical school earns place of honour 16
Human kinetics and recreation graduate student Tony Ingram “breaking.”
To see Mr. Ingram in action, visit
ics of the body, how to train and the
www.bboyscience.com.
heroes inducted into the Canadian
accomplishment so remarkable is the
Medical Hall of Fame. He is the first
vision and perseverance it took to
native Newfoundlander to receive this
establish a medical school in a poor,
distinction — Sir Wilfred Grenfell was
underserved province at a time when
inducted in 1997.
all of Canada’s medical schools were
Dr. Rusted was recognized for establishing Newfoundland and
located in large, resource-rich cities. Dr. Rusted, an alumnus of the Faculty
Labrador’s only medical school, which
of Science, was born in Upper Island
The late Dr. Ian Rusted has joined the
to this day is a world leader in medical
Cove, Newfoundland, on July 12, 1921,
ranks of Canada’s distinguished medical
education. What makes this singular
and died in St. John’s on July 14, 2007.
Award-winning documentary has roots at Memorial
ALUMNI PROFILE
ALUMNI
Zachery Hynes finished a joint major in chemistry and
computer science in 2010. Since then he
enrolled in medical school at Memorial and is currently in his second year.
Originally from St. John’s, Mr. Hynes said
majoring in chemistry was an obvious choice
due to his desire to become a doctor. But he
says his decision to add computer science as When Joel Heath moved to
located on one of the Belcher Islands
Sanikiluaq, Nunavut, to study the
in Hudson Bay. The film also outlines
effects of climate change on Arctic
how the region’s hydroelectric projects
solving,” he said. “You have a problem
sea ice ecology for his PhD, he had
threaten not only the eider duck, but
and nobody knows the answer to it. That’s
no idea that his work would ultimately
also the Inuit way of life.
just the most exciting thing to a computer
lead him to create an award-winning
Dr. Heath has helped start a
his second major may have served him best. “Computer science is all about problem
scientist.”
documentary, or that it would have
registered charity, the Arctic Eider
Mr. Hynes says that mindset translates
anything to do with hydroelectric
Society (www.arcticeider.com) to
very well into medicine, where patients come
projects.
promote community-based research,
in with symptoms and lab results and he has
monitoring and education programs.
to make sense of them.
Dr. Heath holds a joint honours degree in biology and psychology and
The charity works directly with Inuit
a master’s in cognitive and behavioural
using knowledge of sea ice to study
information and put them together to
ecology from Memorial University.
environmental change in Arctic
develop a diagnosis and treatment plan. It’s
ecosystems.
very much the same cognitive process.”
As co-writer, cinematographer, director and producer of People of a Feather, he used time-lapse photog-
The educational version of the film,
“You have to take all these pieces of
He believes his computer studies helped
including lesson plans and a licence
“grow” that part of his brain. He also found
raphy and an underwater camera to
for screenings, is currently available at
his studies opened up an area of new
follow the movements of birds and ice
www.peopleofafeather.com/educational/.
opportunities he believes wouldn’t otherwise
over a period of 11 years, and compiled a stunning story of the vital
have been available.
“Researchers put out calls to medical
role of the eider duck
students to see who might be interested in
to the 800 residents
being involved in a project. But it turns out
of Sanikiluaq, a
what they really need is a computer scientist
community
who can work with large amounts of data, using computers and databases and who
is also able to speak the medical language, interacting with clinicians, immunologists, geneticists and pathologists.
He says that with computers being such a prevalent part of society, having knowledge that can let you insert yourself in a useful
manner into many different kinds of organizations and research groups is invaluable. “The opportunities that computer
science has opened up to me have not all been related to what’s been taught in the curriculum, but through the kinds of work
you get to do when you come out of degree program like that, the kinds of people you
get to work with, and the types of organizaCo-writer, director, producer and cinematographer Joel Heath. Johnny Kudluarok photo
tions you get to be a part of, that’s been exciting too.”
17
LECTURES
Geological community hosts national conference The St. John’s geological community
using new techniques to look at sedimen-
played host to the Geological Association
tary rocks, which is of great interest to oil
of Canada (GAC) and the Mineralogical
companies. Other topics included talks on
by Amanda McCallum, an outreach
Association of Canada (MAC) during their
mineral deposits, petroleum, the origins
geologist with the Department of Natural
joint annual meetings.
of life, forensic geology, uranium deposits
Resources, was facilitated by a team of
and a special session on Appalachian
experienced geoscience professionals
chaired by Memorial earth science profes-
geology in honour of the late Dr. Hank
and educators from across Canada, and
sors Steve Piercey and Alana Hinchey and
Williams.
provided elementary, intermediate and
Geoscience at the Edge was co-
offered something for everyone, with more
There was also a special workshop
curriculum-linked thematic sessions. The program, which was organized
senior teachers with instruction, lesson
than 40 symposia, special and general
and field trip that brought teachers
plans, hands-on activities and classroom
sessions, short courses and field trips.
from across the province together to
resources designed to explore earth sci-
participate in various instructional and
ence in and out of the classroom.
On the schedule was a short course on
Inside story of cells and complex life topic of public lecture Dr. Martin Brasier, an adjunct
and cells became hooked together to
Stratigraphy (overseeing the formal
professor in the Department of Earth
form symbiotic teams. This was evolution
definition of the Precambrian-Cambrian
Sciences, presented a public lecture on
by networking, and it played a crucial role
boundary on the Burin Peninsula in
the inside story of cells and complex life.
in the evolution of the biosphere.
Newfoundland), voting member-
Currently a professor of palaeobiology
“Without it, no complex life could
at Oxford University, Dr. Brasier talked
have evolved. So why did this extreme
about a remarkable episode in the history
networking happen? And why only
of life that took place between two and
then?”
one billion years ago.
Dr. Brasier, well known for
“Until that time, life on Earth had
his work on early life, explored
been bacterial,” he explained. “But
these questions, stemming
something then enabled the evolution
from the theme of his latest
of complex eukaryote cells, including algae, animals and ourselves. Bacteria
book, Secret Chambers. Dr. Brasier’s duties have included chair of the Faculty of Earth Sciences at Oxford, chair of the Subcomission on Cambrian
18
Dr. Martin Brasier researches some of the earliest amber fossils in the lowest Cretaceous of Hastings, Sussex, U.K. Submitted photo
ship of the Neoproterozoic Subcommission and membership on the National Science Foundation and NASA panels.
LECTURES
Twenty-first century dinosaurs from hell
The lighter side of black holes The Lighter Side of Black Holes was hosted by the Department of Mathematics and Statistics as part of the 14th Canadian Conference on General Relativity and Relativistic Astrophysics. This biennial meeting
A public lec-
alternates in location between Eastern
ture on the St. John’s
and Western Canada and this was the
campus of Memorial University,
first time it was held in Newfoundland
discussed 21st-century dinosaurs from Hell; that is, Hell Creek,
The hadrosaur dinosaur Dakota. Submitted photo
South Dakota.
and Labrador. About 40 participants from across Canada and around the world gathered
Dr. Phil Manning heads
on the St. John’s campus to discuss a
the Palaeontology Research Group in
mammal, fish, crocodilian and turtle; and
wide range of topics, including math-
the School of Earth, Atmospheric and
invertebrate material, such as arthropod
ematical and numerical relativity, quan-
Environmental Sciences at the University
cuticle, feeding traces, etc., as well as a
tum gravity, string-theoretic approaches
of Manchester. He visited Memorial
diverse flora including seeds, leaves and
to gravity, relativistic astrophysics and
University for Ichnia 2012, the third
amber, and is knee-deep in dinosaurs.”
cosmology.
International Congress on Ichnology,
Dr. Manning says the traditional
As part of the conference, Dr.
which was hosted by the Department of
approach to excavating such sites often
Robert Mann, University of Waterloo’s
Earth Sciences.
overlooks key chemical information that is
Perimeter Institute, presented a public
present in both enclosing sediments and
lecture intended for non-specialists.
“The Hell Creek Formation (late Cretaceous) consists of a productive succession of sediments that contain
fossil remains. “The easily comprehended physical
Black holes are perhaps the most unusual objects in the universe. They
the fossil remains of dinosaurs and their
fossil often takes precedence over the
bend light, stop time and appear to
contemporary fauna/flora,” explained
less visible ‘chemical’ fossil,” he said.
destroy the laws of physics at their
Dr. Manning. “A recently discovered
“However, it is the latter that might hold
core. His talk introduced the general
multi-taxa site in South Dakota is yielding
the key to the reason behind the organ-
public to black holes, providing an
vertebrate, such as dinosaur, bird,
ism being fossilized in the first instance.”
overview of what is known about them and of the puzzles they present for
Conway’s rational tangles Dr. Alberto Elduque presented a
assign a common fraction like 3/4 (or infin-
public lecture as part of the 11th annual
ity) in a unique way to each rational tangle.
summer school of the Atlantic Association
During the lecture, Dr. Elduque played with
for Research in Mathematical Sciences
rational tangles and devised an algorithm
(AARMS).
to unknot any given tangle, or to get the
The summer school is intended for graduate students and promising undergraduate students from Canada and around
rational tangle corresponding to any given common fraction. Dr. Elduque’s research focuses on
the world and takes place each summer in
nonassociative algebras, with a stress on
an Atlantic Canadian university.
composition algebras and their interactions
Alberto Elduque discussed Conway’s
physics in the 21st century.
with Lie algebras and superalgebras. He has
rational tangles, which applies basic math-
authored and co-authored more than 100
ematic principles to tangling and untangling
papers and is an editor of Communications
ropes. John Conway noticed that one could
in Algebra and of Journal of Algebra.
19
NEWS
Science holds annual awards ceremony The Faculty of Science had much
achievements of students graduating
to celebrate as it recognized the accom-
with a B.Sc. or B.Sc. (hons.) degree and
plishments of faculty, staff and students
named to the dean’s list for four con-
at the unit’s annual awards ceremony.
secutive years. It is the highest award for
Dr. Mark Abrahams, dean of science,
undergraduate academic achievement in
presented the Dean’s List Awards, which
the Faculty of Science.
recognize the top 10 per cent of students
In addition to recognizing student
in the Faculty of Science.
academic achievement, the ceremony
Dr. Gary Kachanoski, president and
also honoured faculty and staff. Dr.
vice-chancellor of Memorial University,
Abrahams celebrated the outstanding
attended the ceremony and presented
and sustained contributions, particularly
the Dean of Science Book Prize, which is
in the areas of teaching and research,
awarded on the basis of academic excel-
of Dr. Jeremy Hall, Department of
lence to a student in each department
Earth Sciences. He also presented the
offering a bachelor of science program.
Distinguished Service Award to Linda
Dr. David Wardlaw, provost and vicepresident (academic), was also present and handed out the Lou Visentin Award. This award recognizes the outstanding
Gaborko (left) of the Department of Dr. Mark Abrahams recognized service, teaching and research, along with academic achievement, at the annual Dean’s List Awards ceremony.
Psychology. The award recognizes service superior to that normally expected of staff members.
Chris Hammond photo
Aquarium proposal supported by Memorial A proposal by the tiny town of Champney’s West to develop
facility small enough that local people can operate it. The
a public marine aquarium and touch tank is receiving substantial
marketing and business plan for the Champney’s West Marine
support from Memorial University.
Aquarium says the objective of the facility is to strengthen the
Dr. Bill Driedzic, a professor in the Department of Ocean Sciences and the Canada Research Chair in Marine Bioscience, has had a summer home in the community for nearly a decade. Town members approached him to help put together the initial proposal. The proposal is for a small aquarium for the community — a
20
community infrastructure, and in doing so, improve the economic development capacity while enhancing visitor experience. The aquarium, which will include four large viewing tanks and a touch tank, will be open to the public from June until October annually, engaging four seasonal employees.
An artist’s rendering of the proposed aquarium for Champney’s West. Cathy Driedzic
NEWS
All-ages festival
brings science to the public Families were given the opportunity to discover glow-in-the-dark crystals, explore microscopic pond life and make slime during Science Rendezvous. This all-ages event, hosted annually by the Faculty of Science at Memorial University, allows participants to do fun and safe handson science activities on the St. John’s campus. While construction continued on the Logy Bay facility, OSC summer students visited local schools, summer camps and tourist destinations with a travelling touch tank. Chris Hammond photo
During the event, representatives from the departments of chemistry, Earth sciences, biology, mathematics and statistics and ocean sciences set
Department of Ocean Sciences takes public education program on the road An average of 15,000 visitors take
The facility has been delivering this
up activities in the lobbies and various rooms in the Chemistry-Physics and Science buildings. Science Rendezvous is a grassroots non-profit organization that partners with Canada’s top research institutions to present an annual science festival that is aimed at developing collaborative partnerships between educational institutions, libraries, science-based associations
part in the public education program
program since 1988 and rather than
and outreach programs and promot-
at Memorial’s Ocean Sciences Centre
cancel the program entirely they have
ing science awareness as well as
(OSC) between June 1 and Labour Day
been putting the show on the road,
science culture and literacy.
weekend in any given year. So when
using a portable touch tank and seal
construction at the Logy Bay facility
video presentation to visit local schools,
shut down public access to the site, the
kids’ summer camps and tourist destina-
fear of losing one of the region’s most
tions throughout the summer.
popular tourist attractions was a valid concern. Features of the program at the OSC
Students also set up temporary displays in and around the city of St. John’s in places such as Signal Hill and Cape
include an outdoor touch tank where
Spear National Historic Sites, Memorial
visitors can experience a variety of
University’s Botanical Garden, the
marine life, an outdoor observation plat-
MUN Childcare Centre and the Easter
form for viewing their captive population
Seals house. With construction nearing
of harp seals, and marine interpreters,
completion, the Logy Bay site is once
primarily Memorial summer student staff,
again open to the public, although the
to answer questions and explain current
travelling roadshow will likely continue in
research initiatives at the facility.
a smaller capacity.
21
NEWS
New Department of Ocean Sciences approved For the first time since 1979, the Faculty of
The plan is for the department to be interdisci-
Science has added a new department. Memorial’s
plinary, allowing students to take courses from the
Board of Regents approved a recommendation of
other science departments. The new department is
Senate to change the status of the Ocean Sciences
hoping to begin by offering two minors, in oceans
Centre (OSC) from a research unit to an academic
and in aquaculture, and are in the process of trans-
unit.
ferring the marine biology graduate program from
In the short term, faculty will retain their teaching obligations to other academic units within the Faculty of Science. However, graduate and
the Department of Biology to the Department of Ocean Sciences. The Ocean Sciences Centre, then named the
undergraduate academic programming is already
Marine Science Research Laboratory, was con-
being developed for the new Department of Ocean
structed in the 1960s to serve as a marine science
Sciences.
research facility for all university faculty interested in marine organisms. It became operational in 1968.
Government investment big news for computer science
Science hosts second annual student orientation
Government’s announcement of a $3.5-million invest-
For the second year in a row, science student Ryan
ment into Desire2Learn (D2L) Incorporated is great news for
Murphy has coordinated a successful Faculty of Science
Memorial University’s Department of Computer Science. That’s
student orientation.
according to acting department head, Dr. Wolfgang Banzhaf. With this funding, the provider of cloud-based learning
Mr. Murphy, a psychology and computer science student, says Everything Science 2012 provided new students who
solutions for education, health care, government and the
are interested in science with an introduction to what the
corporate sector is now expanding operations from its head-
faculty and its departments offer, as well as gave them an
quarters in Waterloo, Ont., into Newfoundland and Labrador.
opportunity to meet other like-minded students and get
Dr. Banzhaf hopes the company will think of Memorial when they begin hiring new employees in the areas of computing and information processing. “I think it’s a wonderful opportunity because many people
them used to campus. Student societies from all of the Faculty of Science departments were highly engaged in planning the orientation event. They came together to form a new science stu-
in science, when they graduate, feel they have to move to the
dents’ society which aims to bring all departmental societies
mainland or somewhere else, whereas opportunities like this in
together to share ideas and collaborate on big projects.
our local community are very attractive.” A big strength for these kinds of companies is that their
Mr. Murphy chaired several meetings of the new society, which made recommendations as to how Everything Science
employees can be remote from headquarters according to Dr.
2012 should be run and what information new students
Banzhaf. While the company headquarters aren’t located in
needed. Most of the more than 30 student volunteers who
Newfoundland and Labrador, he feels the department can still
took part in the orientation event were made up of depart-
provide creative people to these businesses, while providing
mental society members.
employees with a great quality of life and a high-paying job.
The faculty’s goal is to one day to have the societies run the orientation event on their own, with support from the
22
Dean of Science office, rather than the other way around.
NEWS NEWS
Early recommendations suggested two sites for the new core science facilities.However, the university has since decided to move forward with a single location, Lot 16 near the Smallwood Centre. Submitted photo
Memorial welcomes province’s support for new core sciences facilities The provincial government has
The institution’s president and
announced significant funding support
vice-chancellor, Dr. Gary Kachanoski,
construction of the new core sciences
for the development of new core sciences
indicated that funding in a previous
facilities at Memorial will create nearly
infrastructure at Memorial University.
provincial budget enabled planning
1,440 direct and indirect person years
One key rationale for the overall
Government is estimating that the
to begin on the development of core
of employment, and approximately $94
initiative is to create purpose-built modern
sciences facilities, but he described the
million in labour income.
facilities that will enable the university to
announcement as a “game-changer.”
recruit and retain faculty, students (under-
In addition to high-end facilities for
Planning work for the building is ongoing, however the university is mov-
graduate and graduate) and staff, and to
the Faculty of Science, the core sciences
ing forward on a building site located on
increase Memorial’s success in national and
infrastructure plan includes additional
parking area 16 west of the Smallwood
international grant competitions. The facili-
growth for the Faculty of Engineering
Centre.
ties will also provide contemporary and
and Applied Science.
flexible space for teaching and research.
Moved? Have you changed cities? Changed email address? Would like to get back in touch with Memorial? By updating
Department of Chemistry unveils computational chemistry degree programs
your info we’ll be able to reach you from time to time and
The Department of Chemistry now offers B.Sc. and
share with you our exciting news and have the opportunity
B.Sc. (hons.) computational chemistry degree programs.
to say thank you for being an alum of Memorial. But we can’t do it without you.
Being green matters. If you are web savvy, simply go to www.munalum.ca and
Joining a relatively short list of similar programs across the country, Memorial’s computational chemistry degree programs stand apart from the other available programs in the approach of training students in computational chemistry. By ensuring a robust mix of chemistry, mathematics
click on the link for Update Your Information. If you have any
and computer science courses, graduates of these degree
questions about the collection and use of your info, please
programs will be prepared to enter industrial or academic
contact the Office of Alumni Affairs and Development at
positions in a wide variety of fields where computational
709 864 4354 or munalum@mun.ca.
chemistry has been emerging as a powerful tool of study. 23
www.mun.ca/science
033-026-06-13-500