NOVEMBER 2008
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VOLUME 8
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ISSUE THREE
Science superstar sets up shop in CCBN
the
get T H E FA C T S • The Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research (AHFMR) Polaris Award was established as a means to help Alberta universities recruit outstanding midcareer health researchers of exceptional international calibre to the province.
UNIVERSITY OF LETHBRIDGE
• McNaughton’s grandfather, General Andrew McNaughton, was named president of the National Research Council of Canada in 1935.
Bursary created in son’s memory
• McNaughton’s interest in flying may be traced to his aeronautical engineer father (who was also a test pilot and instructor in the Royal Canadian Air Force).
A new way of life for Horns’ Lawrence
Grier counsels living the good way
• A Carleton University undergrad and masters graduate, McNaughton completed his PhD in psychology at Dalhousie University.
Dr. Bruce McNaughton brings his world-class research to the University of Lethbridge, further enhancing the reputation of the Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience.
By TREVOR KENNEY
Health Centre benefits from Oishi’s care
The U of L Legend is published monthly during the academic year by the communications unit within University Advancement. Submissions, comments and story ideas are always welcome. The Legend reserves the right to refuse any submitted advertisement. The Legend can be found online at www.uleth.ca/legend. Next content deadline is November 25, 2008.
H
is scientific background tells him he should shy away from the spotlight but Dr. Bruce McNaughton is a smart man – a very smart man – and he can recognize an opportunity to further his field. Dubbed the “$20-million man” and a science superstar, McNaughton says it’s not easy accepting the accolades and profile that come with the largest award ever granted by the Alberta Heritage Foundation
for Medical Research. He, however, is willing to embrace the limelight and make the most of what promises to be an incredible collaboration within the walls of the Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience (CCBN). “I thought about it a little bit and actually I’m delighted to be called a superstar,” says McNaughton, recipient of the AHFMR Polaris Award, a $10-million grant (matched by the University and the Informatics Circle of Research Excellence over the course of its 10-year duration).
“We have superstars in athletics, in the arts; we have celebrities in many different walks of life that inspire young people. It’s increasingly important for young people to get attracted to science as something where they have a future and that will intellectually stimulate them their whole lives.” A neurophysiologist by trade, McNaughton is an Ottawa-born researcher who is thrilled with the opportunity to bring his work back to Canada after spending the past 17 years at the University of Arizona. The reputation of the CCBN, the AHFMR Polaris Award and the University’s burgeoning reputation as a comprehensive research institution all weighed on his decision to return. STORY CONTINUED ON PAGE 6
The future of water research
A DV E R T I S I N G For ad rates or other information, contact: legend@uleth.ca CREDITS Editor: Trevor Kenney Designer: Stephenie Chester Contributors: Diane Britton, Bob Cooney, Jane Edmundson, Jana McFarland, Glenda Moulton, Darcy Novakowski, Brianne Rohovie, Stacy Seguin, Judy Vogt, Katherine Wasiak, Richard Westlund and Bernie Wirzba
University of Lethbridge 4401 University Drive Lethbridge, AB T1K 3M4 www.ulethbridge.ca
November20081-3.indd 1
The University of Lethbridge is excited to open officially the Alberta Water and Environmental Science Building, a 5,300-square-metre facility that houses a variety of laboratories and classrooms. This state-of-the-art building will bring together researchers, graduate students and technicians from a range of fields, and it will increase the University’s applied research capacity in areas such as watersheds, water ecology, water quality and public health, environmental monitoring, hydrologic forecasting and water resource management.
11/7/08 11:32:10 AM
the Legend
NOVEMBER 2008
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UNIVERSITY OF LETHBRIDGE
the billboard
University of Lethbridge President Dr. Bill Cade chats about what’s happening in the University community
October was a very exciting month for the University of Lethbridge as we celebrated great leaps forward in a number of areas. After sitting on our $20-million secret for what seemed like an eternity, we were finally able to announce the arrival of Dr. Bruce McNaughton to campus as the newest member of the Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience research team. The unparalleled reputation of the CCBN is further enhanced by McNaughton’s appointment and likewise the status of the University as a whole. An engaging, enthusiastic pioneer in the field of neurophysiology, Bruce chose to bring his research back to Canada, and the University of Lethbridge in
particular, because he recognized the CCBN’s unequaled reputation of innovative research. Luring McNaughton away from the University of Arizona was no small feat and speaks to the collaboration of many parties. An Alberta government investment of $10 million, through the Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research (AHFMR), was matched by the University of Lethbridge and the Informatics Circle of Research Excellence (iCORE) for a total investment of $20 million into McNaughton’s research and the CCBN. The Alberta government played a big role in another major campus event this past month. The University was proud to open officially the doors to Turcotte Hall, home of the Faculty of
Education, Counselling Services and Physical Plant. The Alberta Water and Environmental Science Building is opening this month and Markin Hall, the future home of the Faculty of Management and the School of Health Sciences, continues to take shape. All three facilities received significant support from the Alberta government. To that end, a number of U of L officials took part in the recent Team Lethbridge diplomatic tour to Edmonton. Representatives from a cross-section of local organizations spent three days in our capital city selling the virtues of the southern Alberta area to Premier Ed Stelmach, governmental ministers, deputy ministers and senior staff from 20 different departments. Thank you to Eco-
McDonald keen to face new challenge of fitness centre You may notice a new face in amongst the free weights, ellipticals and stationary bikes at the University of Lethbridge’s Vita Sana Fitness Centre. It’s new Fitness Centre Supervisor Paula McDonald and she’s enthused with the prospect of taking the centre to a new level, all the while broadening her own base of experience. McDonald took over her role in October after three years as the health and wellness manager at YWCA Lethbridge & District.
“One of the things that drew me here was the experience I’ll get as an individual. The clientele is very different.” paula mcdonald
“One of the things that drew me here was the experience I’ll get as an individual. The clientele is very different,” McDonald says. “The chance to work with this staff and individuals like (high-performance coach) Shawn Stead was exciting and gives me a lot of opportunity to learn.” A Sparwood, B.C. native, McDonald moved to Lethbridge
in 1997 when she enrolled at the U of L. Completing her kinesiology degree in the spring of 2002 she began her professional career in a chiropractic office. While working there, McDonald took fitness training through correspondence from Calgary’s Mount Royal College. She comes to a facility that is relatively new and thriving but is cognizant of the ever-changing fitness landscape, recognizing the need to be pro-active with change in order to keep up with the demands of the centre’s clientele. McDonald says she’ll work closely with Fitquest’s Kathy Maier in continuing to provide a variety of programming options for facility users and is excited about expanding some of the current offerings. “Myself, I’d like to see us expand the mom and baby programming,” McDonald says. Married to husband Chris, they have a two-year-old son, Ethan, and McDonald aspires to continue finding ways to bring the greater Lethbridge community into the fitness centre to supplement the campus users. “I’d also like to see some more senior-focused programming. It brings the community into the facility and also reaches our faculty and staff,” she says. For all the programming options available to fitness centre users, check out the Fall 08/ Winter 09 Sport and Recreation Services Programming Guide, or go online at www.ulethbridge. ca/sportrec
nomic Development Lethbridge for organizing this initiative. By maintaining these valuable lines of communication, we can continue to work in partnership with the government to achieve our goals. The winning streak for the University continued to the sporting field as our Pronghorns women’s rugby team successfully defended its Canadian Interuniversity Sport national title. What a great weekend it was at the Lethbridge Sports Park as our Horns swept their way to another national victory. There’s no doubt the enthusiasm of the home crowd played a part in helping the Horns come from behind in the championship game. Congratulations to head coach Neil Langevin and his team; they showed what Pronghorn pride is all about.
CAMPUS Dr. Cynthia Chambers (Education) was instrumental in leading a collaboration between the University of Lethbridge, the NWT Literacy Council, the Inuvialuit Cultural Resource Centre and the people of Ulukhaktok that created the exhibit, Pihuaqtiuyugut: We are the long distance walkers, which debuted at the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre in Yellowknife in September. Sarah Hovind (Management) will have her article, From Finding an Advisor to Creating Hypotheses: The Dos and Dont’s of Beginning a Thesis, published in the Association of Psychological Science Observer. Ashley MacDonald, Brandi Van Eeuwen, Amanda Richardson, Jenna Murray and Kendra Reeves, all of the Pronghorns women’s rugby team, were named Canada West all-stars after the team won its third straight Canada West title. Dr. Howard E. Tennant, a University of Lethbridge president and professor emeritus, has been recognized for his long-term contributions to the Alberta science and technology community by being honoured with the Alberta Science and Technology (ASTech) Leadership Foundation 2008 ASTech Outstanding Contribution to the Alberta Science and Technology Community award. Dr. Janet Youngdahl (Music) and her Baroque ensemble,
It was also a pleasure to participate in a reception for our alumni in Hong Kong last week. This was part of a trip organized by Doug Horner, Minister of Advanced Education and Technology, and also involved senior administration from the U of A and U of C. Minister Horner was the special guest at our reception. We have more than 400 alumni in Hong Kong, the largest number of alumni in one place outside of Canada. Alumni Relations is working with our graduates to form a chapter of the Alumni Association in Hong Kong. And finally and on a personal note, Elsa and I drank a toast to our fellow American and soon to be President, Barack Obama, as we flew over the Pacific and back home to Canada. GoBama!
kudos
Cecilia’s Circle, performed in Nashville on Nov. 8 at the National Conference for the American Musicological Society and Society for Music Theory. Cecilia’s Circle consists of baroque violin, viola da gamba, harpsichord and Janet, as soprano. The program highlights
Poster division for the Chinook Symposium, which took place at the U of L on Oct. 3. Faculty of Education Communications Officer Darcy Novakowski, writing under her family name, Tamayose, has received a literary award from the Canada Council for the Arts
Faculty of Education Communications Officer Darcy Novakowski and her award winning novel, Odori.
some virtuosic music by women composers and their male contemporaries. Gail Hanrahan (Theatre & Dramatic Arts) was recently in Calgary directing a public reading of My Name Is by Michele Vance Hehir for Playworks Ink: Rules of Engagement presented by Theatre Alberta and Alberta Playwrights’ Network (APN). Vance Hehir won the Discovery Prize in the 2008 Alberta Playwriting Competition. Hanrahan is also on the Dramaturgical Committee for APN. Tim Janzen (Biochemistry) won second place in the Graduate Student Biochemistry
for her first novel, Odori. Novakowski (Tamayose) is the third Albertan — and the first since 1995 — to win the award, which she will formally receive (along with $10,000) in late November during a ceremony at the Japanese Embassy in Ottawa. Dr. Leslie Dawn’s (Art) book, National Visions, National Blindness: Canadian Art and Identities in the 1920s, was awarded the Raymond Klibansky Prize for best English work in the humanities by the Canadian Federation for Humanities and Social Sciences.
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NOVEMBER 2008
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the Legend
UNIVERSITY OF LETHBRIDGE
Pronghorns roll to second straight CIS crown
By TREVOR KENNEY They might try and hide from the ‘D’ word but there’s no denying, the University of Lethbridge Pronghorns women’s rugby team has established itself as a dynasty. “I don’t think so, we’ve scraped and scrapped to get here,” says head coach Neil Langevin after the Pronghorns clinched the program’s second consecutive Canadian Interuniversity Sport national title. When reminded his crew has made four appearances at nationals and won four medals (two gold, one silver, one bronze); the Pronghorns have captured three successive Canada West titles; and that only University of Alberta has ever won three straight CIS crowns and his group graduates just one player off the current roster, Langevin is again asked whether the Horns are a lock as the country’s premier rugby program? “Right now it does, that’s for sure,” he relents. “The other thing I’m really proud of is people now know where Lethbridge is.” They know — and that point was driven home throughout the championship weekend at the Lethbridge Sports Park (Oct. 31 to Nov. 2). Pronghorns entered the tournament with a mountain of expectations. They were the defending champs playing on
their home turf and they were once again carrying a Canada West title into the fray. Everyone expected them to win and not only did they come through, they absolutely dominated.
“The legacy of the girls who started the program, it stays, that heart and determination.” neil langevin
“The legacy of the girls who started the program, it stays, that heart and determination,” Langevin says of a winning tradition that is now firmly rooted. “We’ve been lucky enough to get a lot of talented players over the last three or four years and you put heart with talent, and these good things happen.” The Horns steamrolled through the preliminary rounds of the event with three straight wins by an aggregate score of 92-6 (including a 20-3 pasting of University of Western Ontario, the team they beat in last year’s CIS title game). Then, after spotting St. Francis Xavier (the 2006 CIS champs) a 15-5 lead early in the
Top, Pronghorn captains show off their prizes. Above, the Horns celebrate another national crown.
second half of the title game, the Pronghorns reeled off 24 unanswered points, punctuating the 29-15 win with a bullish Brandi Van Eeuwen try as the final whistle blew. “We played really, really well and I’m not that surprised. I knew we’d been building for this tournament so we were ready,” says Horns captain and CIS championship most valuable player Ashley Patzer after the win. “We all came together and clicked and played our best at this tournament. All the girls had family coming in and were really excited about playing for the home crowd and their families.” Patzer wasn’t around for last year’s win as she was overseas plying her trade for the Canadi-
an national program. Given the chance, she strutted her stuff this time around. “She just wants it, you can just see that determination,” Langevin says. “She really does epitomize what a Pronghorn is, lots of heart and super-talented. She’s obviously the best player in the country.” Patzer had two tries, while rookie Kenzie Ralph also added a pair as the Horns shook off the formidable St. FX challenge and simply dominated like a champion the rest of the way. There’s no reason why it can’t continue. “I think we have one player who might be graduating so why not next year,” asks centre Katelyn Jonsson. “Watch out.”
horns Rugby awards CIS Rookie of the Year • Brandi Van Eeuwen CIS All Canadian • Ashley MacDonald CIS Tournament MVP • Ashley Patzer R.W. Pugh Fair Play Award • University of Lethbridge CIS Tournament All-stars • Brandi Van Eeuwen • Amanda Richardson • Ashley MacDonald • Alex Hendricks • Brittany Orr • Ashley Patzer
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the Legend
NOVEMBER 2008
connections
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UNIVERSITY OF LETHBRIDGE
Global
Bursary keeps memory alive
ICS opens doors to travel opportunities By TREVOR KENNEY Traveling and working abroad has always held a certain allure for students, only to be tempered by the logistical challenges of actually achieving that goal. The International Centre for Students (ICS) strips those obstacles away. As Canadian International Education Week (Nov. 17-21) approaches, the ICS is intent on bringing the great big world to students’ doorsteps, opening their eyes to all the international travel opportunities that are available. “I think all students, at one time or another, think it would be a great idea to travel or that it would be very exciting to do something abroad, but they often don’t know where to start or how to go about finding the opportunities,” says Laura Ferguson, coordinator of International Programs and Exchange for the ICS. A series of seminars and information sessions, along with access to a new global website, are a sampling of the services the ICS makes g e t T H E FA C T S available to students. The theme for this year’s International Education Week is • Some 60 students attended Promoting Global Citizenthe first Japan Study Tour ship, a topic that becomes information session and a more prevalent every day. second one is planned for “Anyone who has had Nov. 19, 12 p.m. in TH141. any kind of international experience, whether it be • The Alberta Smithsonian volunteering, education, an Internship Program seminar exchange program or workis Nov. 18, 3 p.m. in TH277. ing abroad, just has a better idea of what it means to be • The International Exchange a global citizen,” Ferguson Opportunities for U of L says. Students seminar goes Traveling abroad literNov. 20, 3 p.m. in TH 201. ally opens the world to students. That could translate • The very popular Internainto an international career tional Dinner and Taste of the opportunity or enhance World events are still scheda resumé for all sorts of uled for February 2009. domestic applications. “The skills that you learn while you are traveling are really transferable to any job,” says Ferguson. “I think you learn a lot of independence, tolerance for other people, you learn how to express yourself and become more self sufficient and responsible. Those are all skills that are appealing to any kind of employer.” Providing access to these opportunities is being enhanced thanks to collaboration between ICS and Career and Employment Services (CES). They have partnered to purchase access for students to the BIG Guide Online website. Based on the resource book of the same name, which was previously available through CES, the web-based product offers unlimited access to its databases. “When it’s online it is something they can log onto and search at their own leisure,” says Ferguson. “They can do it from home or school, anywhere, and we think it’s a great resource for students to find out about all sorts of opportunities. As well, it offers information about how to prepare themselves for a career abroad or how to prepare for studying abroad.” Author of the book and website, Jean-Marc Hachey, offered a pair of seminars Nov. 12 that further discussed how to crack the international market. The International Job Search highlighted selling your skills and writing international resumes, while Global Career Skills offered advice for anyone looking at international travel in all its forms, whether it be as an intern, volunteer, member of a study group or teacher. With all this information in tow, students can make informed choices about whether or not they want to travel abroad and then how to prepare for such an experience. That’s where ICS really takes over. “We do all the coordination for exchange programs and we also offer study tours and information about internships,” Ferguson says. “We really walk the student through the application process and if they are selected, we help them to prepare as well.” Look for schedules of International Education Week events on the Notice Board, the digital signage network or at the ICS website at www.ulethbridge.ca/ics
Lynn Arnold is proud to watch the growth of the student award created in her son’s honour.
By JANA McFARLAND
I
n 1992, there was a tragic car accident that claimed the lives of three young people. In that accident, Lynn Arnold, a University of Lethbridge employee of almost 30 years, lost her 18-year-old son, Christopher Neuman. “He was a very caring individual. His buddies often went to him as a sounding board — kids were constantly at our house. Christopher had a gentle soul, and he always, always had a smile on his face,” Arnold remembers. While nothing can prepare you for the tragedy of losing a child, Arnold says the University community was a haven of support. “I didn’t have any family that lived here, so if it hadn’t been for the University family, I don’t know how I would have survived,” she says. It was during those first difficult days that a suggestion was made to set up a student award in honour of Christopher. “It was a wonderful idea,”
Arnold’s son, Christopher Neuman
says Arnold. “Establishing the award was a way to acknowledge Christopher’s life in a positive way.” Arnold explains that after making the decision to create the award, she was able to set it up in a personal way to reflect Christopher. As a single parent herself, Arnold chose to establish a bursary that would be given out based on need rather than academic merit. “Christopher wasn’t an ‘A’ student by any stretch of the imagination. He had the capabilities, but at the time he was busy being a teenager. I felt
it was important to give those students who weren’t in the ‘A’ categories, or even in the ‘B’ categories, a little bit of help to pursue their dreams,” Arnold says. Since Christopher was a graduate of Lethbridge Collegiate Institute (LCI), Arnold also directed the bursary towards LCI graduates. As a result, for the first few years when Arnold received thank-you cards from recipients, she recognized many of the names. The award has grown exponentially, and today is an endowment as a result of more than 80 individuals who have contributed a total of 434 gifts in memory of Christopher’s life. “It’s an honour to Christopher that the value of the award has increased,” Arnold says. “It feels good to know that the award is something that will live on that is Christopher.” For more information about contributing to student awards, please visit: www.uleth.ca/giving
It’s not too late... It’s hard to believe, but the end of the year is just around the corner. Don’t miss the opportunity to play a part in the success of Supporting Our Students 2008 – the U of L’s annual campaign to raise money for student awards. Not only will you receive a tax receipt that can result in significant savings at tax time, but 100 per cent of your donation will go directly towards the area you designate. To make your gift, visit:
www.uleth.ca/giving/SupportingOurStudents
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NOVEMBER 2008
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athletics AT T H E U
the Legend
UNIVERSITY OF LETHBRIDGE
Lawrence embracing opportunity
new banners reflect pride in education By DARCY NOVAKOWSKI
By TREVOR KENNEY
As the Faculty of Education celebrates a new home in Turcotte Hall and looks toward an ever-changing competitive global future, it’s imperative the cornerstone of theory and practice methodology remains unshakeable. Programs need to address the education landscape more directly than ever before, and decision-makers are taking a harder look at expressing their core values. The question is then; how do you profile the essence of a timehonoured program without altering its integrity and slipping into corporate-speak? You can start by revealing teaching foundations that have remained solid to the core, yet fluid enough to address state-ofthe-art technology and progressive teaching methods. The Faculty of Education has approached that with a series of banners that decorate Turcotte Hall, each detailing the core values of its philosophy.
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anhue Lawrence is up front with the fact he’s not afraid to die. Maybe it’s why he’s so intent on making the most of his new life. The 22-year-old Lawrence, a point guard for the University of Lethbridge Pronghorns men’s basketball team, isn’t shy about discussing a childhood cloaked in violence, and he doesn’t blanche when he talks about living in shelters and using food banks to survive. Instead, he draws inspiration from his single-parent mother, intent on becoming the first in his family to earn a post-secondary degree and then give back to a community from which he had to escape in order to achieve success. “There were times when I’d think this is the end for us, I don’t know what (my mom) can do now,” Lawrence says of growing up in the Malvern neighbourhood of Scarborough, Ont. “We lived in shelters, we went to food banks and I’m not embarrassed to say that. That’s what made me what I am today, and the strength comes from my mother because she’s a fighter, a warrior.” Jamaican born, Lawrence moved to Canada at age 10 with his mother, two brothers (one younger, one older) and an older sister. His eldest sister stayed behind, while he has never met his father. His introduction to Canada and assimilation into Canadian life was anything but easy. Malvern is no paradise. “I’ve seen people get shot right in front of me, I’ve seen people get stabbed, I’ve seen girls slashing each other’s faces with X-Acto knives,” Lawrence says. “I’ve been in drive-bys where I’ve been shot at, where you have to run for your life. It’s a hard life. “Everybody asks me if I’m scared of death, and I tell them “No”. That’s my honest opinion, I’m not going to sugar coat it.” The violence that enveloped the neighbourhood, however, was not a death sentence for Lawrence. Always able to look beyond his circumstance to a better life, he’s using a self-confidence inspired by his mother and the game of basketball as a means of escape. “I think the thing that separated me from everybody else was that I had a mind of my own, and I wanted to accomplish something for my family and for myself,” Lawrence says of avoiding a gang lifestyle.
Pronghorns basketball player Danhue Lawrence is intent on making a difference in society.
“Basketball gave me an escape. It kept me off the streets. It took me away from most of the dumb stuff I saw my friends do.”
“Basketball gave me an escape. It took me away from most of the dumb stuff I saw my friends do.” Danhue Lawrence
An athletic, highly skilled ball handler, Lawrence is a natural point guard and he was recognized early as a major talent. He’d eventually try out for the National Youth Development Team (he failed to make the roster in 2005) before making his way to the United States, playing briefly at Kansas’ Barton Community
College. Now, in his second year at the U of L, Lawrence is once again assimilating, although the transition to southern Alberta has been relatively smooth. “I like it for the simple fact that you get a new beginning, a new start on life, a new outlook on life,” he says. The distractions of his former home have been removed, and the threat of violence all but eliminated. It has allowed Lawrence to look further ahead than he has ever been able to before. His focus now is completing a bachelor of social work (offered by the University of Calgary on the U of L campus). He plans to put the degree to good use. “It’s not for my benefit, to be honest with you. I know where I came from, and I know what’s still going on there,” he says of Malvern. “I stepped out of it, and I know what else is out there. I want to give other kids the opportunity to do that, to be able to look at life from another angle.” Pronghorns head coach
Mike Connolly sees Lawrence as an agent of change. “He’s a good kid, he’s a kid who wants to make a difference, and I think that’s important,” Connolly says. “He’s definitely growing as a person since he came here. He’s becoming more responsible; he works very hard on his schooling. He struggles so he has to work hard, but he’s going in for extra help, he’s getting tutors, he’s doing things on his own.” Lawrence embraces the opportunity to be a role model, knowing full well the mistakes he made will only help him relate to kids of a similar background. “Just because you’re caught up in doing something bad, that doesn’t mean you’re not a good person,” he says. Connolly adds it’s exciting to be witness to the start of what he expects will be a very influential future. “It’s nice to see that he’s making the effort, that he wants to grow and wants to become a better person, I think that’s all we can ask.”
The new banners decorating Turcotte Hall celebrate the foundation principles of the Faculty of Education.
“In creating the banners we wanted to come up with designs that would reveal the story, character and values of the Faculty,” says Jane O’Dea, Dean of the Faculty of Education. “The banners became much more, they became visual representations of what we are all about — a reminder of who we are, and a kind of an inspiration. The banners are a visual exploration for the faculty, students and staff.” The 12 banners, installed in Turcotte Hall and Turcotte East, include the words: Excellence, Quality, Balance, Community, Inspiration, Confidence, and Nurturing the Life of the Mind – each offers a Faculty story. O’Dea talks about the creation of the Excellence banner. “The words supporting the Excellence banner are “commitment to learning”. In those three words is the notion to excel, to stand out from the rest,” says O’Dea. STORY CONTINUED ON PAGE 8
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the Legend
NOVEMBER 2008
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UNIVERSITY OF LETHBRIDGE
Meet Dr. Bruce McNaughton, Alberta’s $20 million man — the inaugural recipient of Alberta’s AHFMR Polaris Award.
But in reality, the Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research (AHFMR) Polaris Award is about much more than one person. It’s about building a comprehensive research effort in Alberta, the outcomes of which will benefit people all over the world. That’s where Dr. McNaughton comes in.
will draw more top scientists to join him in Lethbridge, and attract others to the province’s community of researchers and innovators. His work will complement the ongoing research of an international calibre at the Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience at the University of Lethbridge, as well as the work of other neuroscientists throughout the province.
The AHFMR Polaris Award was designed to bring a “superstar” researcher to Alberta. Dr. McNaughton, an internationally renowned scientist in the field of computational neuroscience, is our inaugural recipient.
Dr. McNaughton’s work involves the study of learning and memory, and how the brain stores, processes, and transmits information. He has developed some of the most advanced technology in the world for studying groups of brain cells and how they interact. This interaction is called computational neuroscience: how the brain extracts knowledge from experience.
His research is the necessary groundwork for developing treatments for people with age-related and developmental brain disorders and brain injuries. His work could help make a better world for all of us.
The inaugural AHFMR Polaris Award has been made possible through the partnership of the University of Lethbridge and the Informatics Circle of Research Excellence (iCORE).
As an effective and globally recognized scientific leader, Dr. McNaughton’s choice to live and advance his research in Alberta
university continues to forge ahead with research CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
“This award presents a unique opportunity for universities to choose an area of focus and really build a program that goes into depth and thereby become a world centre in a particular area,” McNaughton says, giving credit to Drs. Bryan Kolb, Ian Whishaw, Robert Sutherland and the many others who have already established the CCBN as a world leader in
neuroscience research. Their studies have been at the forefront of linking brain regions to specific behavioural functions, something that ties directly into McNaughton’s expertise. In his research he has created the most advanced technology in the world for studying groups of brain cells, their activity during behaviour and how they interact with one another, helping to gain an understanding of the basis of knowledge. Practically speaking, his findings are applied to the treatment of memory disorders, such as Alzheimer’s, and brain injuries, like those suffered during stroke. It’s heady stuff, so to speak, but it’s just a small part of the
whole of Dr. Bruce McNaughton. Describing himself as an avid cross-country and downhill skier, he excites about leaving the deserts of Arizona for Alberta’s mountains. “That’s one of the things I’m looking forward to,” he says. He also flies sailplanes and expects to bring his own glider to Cowley where Alberta’s soaring clubs gather. It was no accident McNaughton found a career path into the biological sciences. As a teen he was influenced by the writings of Wilder Penfield and Donald Hebb, from books given to him by his father. “Those two books (Penfield’s Epilepsy and the Func-
tional Anatomy of the Human Brain and Hebb’s The Organization of Behavior: A Neuropsychological Theory) generated an interest in the brain in me,” says McNaughton. “When I was in high school it was either poetry or biology or neurobiology and I guess neurobiology won out.” In true superstar fashion, McNaughton has been all over the world both studying and then employing his craft. He trained in Norway and England and has taught at both the University of Colorado and University of Arizona. Over the years, he has been awarded more than $29 million in research grants. Now he has the AHFMR Polaris Award through which he can assemble a starstudded research team.
“This is the most far-thinking award that has been developed in North America,” says McNaughton. “It will enable me to put together a team of experts focusing on how the brain computes, how the brain generates knowledge.” So with $20 million and his superstar status intact, McNaughton is more than willing to pitch for the scientific cause. “I’m delighted to be a superstar and you should go out and look around you because there are lots of superstars and those people need the public recognition for no other reason than young people need to see that this is an exciting thing to do in life.”
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NOVEMBER 2008
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government AT T H E U
the Legend
UNIVERSITY OF LETHBRIDGE
Lobbyists must understand new regulations By RICHARD WESTLUND
T
he federal government’s recent changes to its Lobbyist’s Act have had, and will continue to have, implications on the way the University of Lethbridge approaches government relations at the federal level. New requirements for disclosing monthly reporting, as well as the requirement to disclose those who speak to the federal government on behalf of the U of L, need to be taken seriously. Breaching the legislation can bring consequences ranging from fines and loss of grant money to jail time, not to mention the damage that would be done to a university’s reputation. University employees and faculty members, who are dealing with the federal government at any level, need to take the time to understand how this piece of legislation affects the way they do business. The easiest way to comprehend the current Lobbyist’s Act structure is to think about
it as two separate registries. The first is an underlying registry. On this registry, the University catalogs people who will be lobbying at any level within the federal government. This underlying
What is lobbying? Lobbying is communicating with a public office holder, for payment in respect of: • The development of any legislative proposal • Introduction, defeat or amendment of any bill or resolution • Making or amendment of any policy or program • Awarding of any grant, contribution or other financial benefit
U of L’s Director of Government Relations, Richard Westlund
registry also contains general information about the University, discloses the government grants it has received in the past year and includes the general subject matters with which the University is plan-
Alberta Ingenuity Graduate Scholarship recipient – Evan Mercier, Chemistry and Biochemistry Alberta Ingenuity is proud to announce University of Lethbridge graduate student Evan Mercier as a recipient of a graduate student scholarship.
ning to approach the federal government. The second registry is updated monthly. This registry contains information about meetings the University has had with designated public office holders (DPOH). A DPOH is a department person
who is employed at an assistant deputy minister (ADM) level or higher, as well as cabinet ministers and their office staff. A meeting with a member of Parliament would not have to be disclosed in this registry. It is also important to point out that only arranged, oral communication needs to be reported. Therefore there is no need to report e-mails or letters in this registry. The Lobbyist’s Act recognizes academic freedom. Faculty members speaking to a DPOH about their area of specialty do not have to register that interaction. Faculty members should be careful, however, about lobbying for a financial benefit or changes to policy and legislation that could be perceived as a general benefit for the institution. The Commissioner’s Office would expect this interaction to be captured in both registries. Also exempt from the Act is any interaction with government with the intent of receiving peer-reviewed funding. The Government Rela-
Evan represents the departments of Chemistry and Biochemistry with work focusing on the dynamics of the Elongation Factor-Tu. These proteins are complex nanomachines, which move over time to perform specific functions in the cell. Evan’s project is aimed at understanding how different parts of the protein move together. Understanding this movement is fundamental to learning how molecules like antibiotics affect protein function in the cell. Evan’s work is novel because its focus is two-fold: he not only studies the behaviour of these proteins in the lab, he also creates three-dimensional simulations of the proteins’ behaviour under varying conditions. These simulations are important because they enable Evan and his team to see how the proteins work and move over time. Evan’s work in the lab is the basis of the 3D simulations that provide proof of the protein behaviours and validate the simulations. The computer simulations on the other hand, enable researchers to predict protein behaviour and how it may change in different situations.
tions Office is charged with ensuring the University remains in compliance with the Lobbyist’s Act. If you feel that you might be lobbying the federal government at any level as part of your required duties at the university, or if you have any questions regarding the Act, please contact me at 403-332-5251 or by e-mail at richard.westlund@uleth.ca. If you take part in a meeting that you think may need to be reported, please come and see me. I have made presentations regarding the Act to Dean’s Council, Director’s Council and the ULFA executive. I would be happy to make the same presentation to interested groups or individuals in the future. This information will also be available online in the near future, along with forms that will allow individuals to report to the Government Relations Office their applicable interactions with government, as well as a form to be added to the registry if need be.
Evan chose the University of Lethbridge for the opportunity to work with Dr. Hans-Joachim Wieden, (HJ) who was recruited to Lethbridge from Germany and has support through Ingenuity’s New Faculty program. Evan is part of a team that HJ is relying on to take protein knowledge further. They hope the outcomes from their research will bridge the gap between experimental and theoretical biochemistry. The Alberta Ingenuity Graduate Student Scholarship will help Evan invest in both lab materials and computer hardware and software. He will also be able to attend conferences that will enable him to network with others researching similar subjects and share perspectives.
Congratulations Evan!
albertaingenuity.ca
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the Legend
NOVEMBER 2008
OUR
alumni
Living the good way
F
or Angela Grier, academic assistant in the Addictions Counselling program at the University of Lethbridge’s School of Health Sciences, teaching and helping others is more than a career; it is a way of life that has been handed down to her by the wisdom of her ancestors. Raised in Brocket, Alta., Grier was taught the importance of helping others through the examples of her mother and extended family. “My mother has been working in the helping field since I was a little girl. I remember her graduating from the University of Calgary when I was six or seven and working as a helper and contributor in the community,” says Grier. “This was very inspirational to me.” As a child, Grier had an innate interest in dinosaurs and later thought of pursuing journalism. It was when she began taking classes at the University of Lethbridge, however, that Grier found her true passion. “I took a few psychology courses and loved them. I really enjoyed studying people and behaviours, and trying to understand why people do certain things,” says Grier. “I also had the opportunity at the University to see Native American writers and professors, and participate in research, discussion and dialogue about Native American issues. This opened up a whole new area in my life.” Working on her undergraduate degree as a young mother with many responsibilities, Grier found a great network of support at the U of L. “There was an intimate relationship between students and Native American Studies (NAS) professors in particular.
We would go for coffee or go into their homes to work on projects. This helped us make a lot of ties and do a lot of networking,” says Grier. Grier graduated in 2003 with a bachelor of arts in psychology and began working in Brocket as a suicide and family violence prevention coordinator. In her work she saw the need to really examine addictions and the ties to domestic violence, family and social issues.
g e t T H E FA C T S • Grier was born in Wenatchee, Washington with Blackfoot and Piikani heritage • She is married and has four children • Currently enrolled in the Faculty of Education Master’s of Counselling Program • Has been a presenter at the Aboriginal Sovereignty Series at the Banff Centre since 2002 • Is studying both the Blackfoot and Sioux languages Presenting as a guest lecturer on Aboriginal issues at the University, Grier was asked to apply for the position of academic assistant in Addictions Counselling. Her work and educational experience, combined with a passion for helping people, made Grier the perfect fit and she began working in her current role in July, 2007. “I am in my second year of a three-year contract, and I love it. Addictions are difficult issues to deal with because nobody wants
UNIVERSITY OF LETHBRIDGE
library working to meet graduate student needs
Addictions Counselling academic assistant Angela Grier carries on a family tradition of teaching and helping others in need.
By STACY SEGUIN
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to talk about them. The University has a nice way of articulating those issues so we can work on them,” explains Grier. “The Addictions Counselling program pushes us, as a staff, to be well and aware of our own behaviour.”
“As indigenous people we have a lot to offer medicinally, environmentally, psychologically and spiritually.” angela grier
“It also gives us the opportunity to challenge our students and take them out of their comfort zones. As counsellors, you hear things that are disturbing and you are often placed in difficult situations, so it is important for the students to learn how to deal with that.” This fall, Grier expanded her role at the University to include teaching a course in the Department of Native American Studies. The course, on First Nations family and community development, focuses on traditional values. Grier is on a mission to remove stereotypes and open minds to the beauty of her culture. “We are all here as helpers to do what our ancestors wanted us to do and live a clean and ethical life. As indigenous people we have a lot to offer medicinally, environmentally, psychologically and spiritually. Ours is an ancient wisdom. Our stories are still alive and our people are still living the good way.”
As the number of graduate students on the University of Lethbridge campus increases, the Library is working to keep pace with both programs and collections. “Undergraduates can get most of their assistance at the Library’s Information and Research Assistance Desk. Grad students might benefit more from consulting with their subject librarian,” librarian Judy Vogt says. “The research they do is much more in-depth. It really is much more like faculty research as opposed to undergraduate research.” To that end, the library is continuing to expand its selection of graduate studies programming. “We’ve been offering these sessions for a number of years but they were offered mostly to science grad students,” Vogt says. “Now we’re finding the numbers have grown across the disciplines.” Workshops geared towards graduate students include database tutorials, sessions on evidence-based resources for Health Sciences research, and workshops on preparing their manuscripts for publication. Next semester’s programming includes: workshops for research in the Arts & Humanities; Finding and Using Government Documents and Data; and Cochrane Literature Reviews in the Health Sciences. Graduate students need to delve much deeper into their area of study and perform more exhaustive literature reviews. Librarians can help in the process by
enhancing search techniques, highlighting new products, and introducing citation management tools. “It’s important that grad students know that we exist,” says Vogt. “It’s also important for them to know that they can come to us at any time in their research process.” She encourages graduate students to consult with a librarian early in their research and then periodically as needed. Each librarian specializes in one or more subjects and students can profit from that experience. “As subject specialist librarians, we understand the process of scholarly communication through which scholars share and publish their research findings, as well as how this information is disseminated and indexed through journal article databases and library catalogues,” Vogt says. “The information that grad students need is readily available, it’s just a matter of learning how to best access the resources.” Vogt adds that they can even help those students whose area of study is somewhat obscure. “Even if I don’t know anything about the topic they are researching, as a librarian, I do know how the information is indexed and I can steer them to where they can find it,” she says. For information on upcoming graduate studies programming and workshops offered by the library, see www.uleth.ca/lib
new banners
and of pride,” University of Lethbridge Students’ Union President Adam Vossepoel says. “They show students that the U of L is more than classrooms. It is a place where they can feel comfortable, where they can feel a sense of belonging.” The procession of banners in Turcotte Hall visually parallel the ethos and culture of the Faculty. The banner stories are a reminder that woven into the technologically-enhanced, progressive building is wisdom in the form of teaching values that have served the Faculty and its students for over 40 years. “Our founding members created a fabulous teacher education preparation model. Our job is to honour that excellence,” says O’Dea. Darcy Novakowski is the Faculty of Education Communications Officer
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5
“In order to stand out you must be open to the possibility of learning and doing more. The words on this banner are integral to the notion of excellence. In order to be excellent you must go beyond the norm and exceed the expected. You must always be open to possibilities of learning more, of being different. “So the words, “commitment to learning”, imply that you’re never satisfied with the status quo. This is what the Excellence banner is about.” First impressions are that the banners have been wellreceived. “The banners really add something majestic to the building. They add a sense of warmth, of familiarity
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NOVEMBER 2008
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UNIVERSITY OF LETHBRIDGE
H E A LT H
& wellness
the Legend
Health Centre benefits from Oishi’s commitment By TREVOR KENNEY
I
t seems Dr. Arlene Oishi has a tough time saying “No” to people. That suits the University of Lethbridge just fine. Oishi, the Medical Director for the campus Health Centre, began her association with the U of L well over 15 years ago, when she just couldn’t turn down a friend’s request to help out in her home community. The campus has prospered ever since. “After I graduated from Memorial (University) I had wanted to start a practice in Newfoundland but I had a friend who was going to have a baby who really needed me to fill in for her at the Lacidem Clinic,” Oishi says. It turns out the friend wanted a career change and a 16-year family practice was spawned. All the while, Oishi became a regular at the U of L as one of the Health Centre’s rotating doctors. So, after a brief stint in Edmonton (where her husband Jeff got a job) the Medical Director role came up at the U of L and Oishi knew she would be a natural fit. “I really wanted to work here because it’s a great facility, it’s really set up well,” Oishi, who took over her current role in September, 2007, says. “I like the people here so I knew this was where I wanted to be.” Thrown into the fire almost immediately, Oishi and the Health Centre were forced to
AN
g e t T H E FA C T S • Oishi is a third-generation Japanese immigrant whose mother was evacuated to the Lethbridge area from Vancouver during World War II. • She graduated from Lethbridge Collegiate Institute before taking one year of undergraduate studies at the U of L. • Oishi earned her BSc at University of British Columbia, completed medical school at University of Alberta and finished family medicine at Memorial University. • Still working part-time at the Namao military base near Edmonton, she commutes there every other week. • Married to husband Jeff (who is pursuing a master’s degree in Political Science at the University), they have a girl, Kiyomi (7), and a boy, Taiga (3). deal with a mumps outbreak that tested the entire organization. “We learned that we could do it if we had to,” Oishi says of the lessons they took away from the crisis. “We pulled together, all the facilities and staff, and all of it just seemed to come together and work really well.
apple
The students were great, they wanted to be educated.” The student relationship is one that Oishi treasures. It’s a major influence on her desire to work in a campus setting, and it challenges her daily as a professional health care provider. “Students have a lot of different stressors, many different dynamics because they’re at a unique stage in their lives,” Oishi says. “They, however, still have all the medical problems that anybody else would so I get to deal with the whole gamut, but in a very specific age group.” Health education is a big part of working on campus and Oishi appreciates how open students are to learning. “Students are just fun. They are very interesting, very lively people and are at the age where they want to experience life and explore, and they need medical information,” Oishi says. “The top two student concerns we deal with are sexual health and mental health. We love to educate them and get them on a good stead for the future.” The Health Centre has undergone numerous changes and expansions since Oishi first set foot on campus (she did one year of undergraduate studies here after high school) and she’s comfortable with the many services now offered. “This clinic is set up so well for students,” she says. “You’ve got massage, dietitians, chiropractors, it’s well fit together and
A D AY |
Health Centre Medical Director Dr. Arlene Oishi administers a flu shot.
everybody works together.” The fact the centre has also been able to open its doors to staff and faculty makes it a full-service facility. The goal for Oishi is to continue getting the message out to the campus community that they are available to all. “I think staff and faculty know there is an opportunity to see a family physician here and still get a good quality of care.
Hopefully we’re attracting them and they understand they can come and see us whether it’s an acute situation or just a followup for a chronic medical condition,” Oishi says. “For students, we want to make sure that we get out there, make sure they know we exist and they can get health care here rather than trying to flounder out there in the bigger city.”
MONTHLY FOOD FOR THOUGHT TO KEEP YOU HEALTHY ALL YEAR LONG.
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By DIANE BRITTON
top tips for snacking • Choose a variety of healthy snacks to improve the nutrition quality of your diet. • Lower your risk of cavities by eating sweet or sticky snacks with meals rather than by themselves. • Limit the number of snacks; two to three healthy snacks per day between meals.
Snack ideas to keep your smile healthy All foods can fit into a healthy diet, but choosing healthier snacks can help protect your teeth from decay. Here’s a line-up of snacks less likely to cause cavities: • Vegetables and fruit: fresh fruit and raw vegetables, unsweetened canned or frozen fruit, 100 per cent vegetable or fruit juices (no added sugar).
• Grains: plain cereals, popcorn, whole grain breads, bagels, muffins, buns and crackers. • Milk and alternatives: milk, soy beverage, dairy or soy yogurt and cheese. • Meat and alternatives: meat, fish, eggs, nuts, seeds, peanut butter or other nut butters, golden pea butter.
no time to brush?
dental health tips
Rinse your mouth with water, chew a piece of SUGARLESS gum or eat a piece of cheese.
The Canadian Dental Association recommends brushing your teeth and tongue at least twice per day and flossing daily.
smile and say “cheese!” Did you know that cheese does not cause cavities? Research shows that eating a piece of cheese at the end of a snack or meal can actually prevent cavities! The phosphorous and calcium in the cheese protect teeth from decay.
See your dentist regularly for check-ups. Your dentist and dental hygienist can tell you ways to keep your teeth and gums healthy.
Diane Britton is the University of Lethbridge’s on-campus registered dietitian
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the Legend
events C A L E N D A R
SEPTEMBER 2008
Nov. 17 | Architecture & Design Now: Marc Mayer Listen to the Director/Curator of the Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal. 6 p.m., C610
Pronghorn Sports Lineup Men’s Hockey Nov. 15 | University of Calgary vs. Pronghorns 7 p.m., Nicholas Sheran Arena Nov. 21-22 | University of Manitoba vs. Pronghorns Nightly, 7 p.m., Nicholas Sheran Arena Nov. 28 | University of Calgary vs. Pronghorns 7 p.m., Nicholas Sheran Arena
Basketball Nov. 21-22 | University of Alberta vs. Pronghorns Nightly, Women, 6 p.m.; Men, 8:15 p.m., 1st Choice Savings Centre gym
Nov. 18 | Women Scholars Speaker Series Lorri Millan and Shawna Dempsey present Piercing the Thin Skin of Normal: Art and Activism Free admission, 3 p.m., Ballroom A, Students’ Union Building
Nov. 14 | Changing Conceptions of the ‘Secular’ in Canada Today Iain Benson, Executive Director of the Centre for Cultural Renewal, presents. 1 p.m., UHall, D630
Nov. 24 | Architecture & Design Now: David Battersby The co-founder of BattersbyHowat speaks about his collaborative studio endeavour. 6 p.m., C610
Nov. 14 | Art Now: Allyson Clay 12 p.m., University Recital Hall, W570
Nov. 26 | Art Now: Ray Cronin The director and CEO of the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia. 12 p.m., University Recital Hall, W570
By BRIANNE ROHOVIE Few workplaces have the luxury of an on-site restaurant, pub and sports bar for employees to take advantage of during breaks and after work. The University of Lethbridge is an exception. The Zoo, which has been in operation as the U of L pub for more than 18 years, offers its patrons a relaxing atmosphere, daily food and drink specials and televised sports matches on six big-screen TVs. “I like coming here because it’s a great place to get lunch, or to come for a beer after work once in a while,” says Kris Fischer, a chemistry instructor who spends his lunch hour at the Zoo at least twice per week. The Zoo’s décor was updated this past summer with several framed jerseys added to the walls, along with posters from bands that have played at the venue over the years. “We wanted to fill the space with something related to the Zoo; I think we did a really great job of that, and patrons seem to enjoy the new addi-
Nov. 14-15 & Nov. 18-22 Much Ado About Nothing A bright, buoyant William Shakespeare comedy. Nightly, 8 p.m., University Theatre Nov. 21 | U of L Wind Orchestra Concert Conducted by Dr. Glenn Klassen. 8 p.m., Southminster Church Nov. 22 | Classical Percussion with Adam Mason & Friends 8 p.m., University Recital Hall, W570
Nov. 21 | Art Now: Jillian and Mariko Tamaki 12 p.m., University Recital Hall, W570
Lectures
Nov. 28 | Chamber Percussion Concert 8 p.m., University Recital Hall, W570
Nov. 14-15 | The World of Operetta Join the Opera Workshop on a trip to London, Paris, Vienna and New York. Nightly, 8 p.m., University Recital Hall, W570
Nov. 19 | Art Now: Marc Mayer Listen to the Director/Curator of the Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal. 12 p.m., Recital Hall
UNIVERSITY OF LETHBRIDGE
Nov. 27 | Season of Joy The U of L Singers under new director Dr. Janet Youngdahl. 8 p.m., Southminster Church
Performances
Nov. 18 | New Strategies for the Synthesis of Unusual Peptides and Alkaloids Dr. Steven L. Castle of Brigham Young University presents. Sponsored by the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. 12 p.m., L1170A
Nov. 24 | Art Now: David Hoffos A film, video and installation artist, Hoffos (BFA ’94) graduated with Great Distinction from the U of L. 12 p.m., University Recital Hall, W570
Zoo a big part of campus lifestyle
Nov. 28 | Women Scholars Speaker Series Lesley Brown presents Following Their Footsteps: When Anxiety or Pathology Paves the Way Free admission, 3 p.m., AH100
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Nov. 25 | Music at Noon Tisha Murvihill (harp) performs. 12:15 p.m., University Recital Hall, W570 Nov. 26 | U of L Jazz Ensemble Concert Directed by Dr. David Renter. 8 p.m., University Theatre
Dec. 1-2 | Handel’s Messiah Lethbridge Symphony Orchestra, with special guests Vox Musica, presents this perennial favourite. Nightly, 8 p.m., Southminster Church Dec. 2 | Music at Noon Studio Showcase 12:15 p.m., University Recital Hall, W570
Miscellaneous Nov. 17-19 | Art Show and Sale Presented by the U of L Art Society and Trapdoor Arc. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, U of L Atrium Nov. 27 | Grant Application Information Session Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research Summer or graduate students, 12 p.m. to 1p.m. Investigator (Faculty) Award Information, 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., L1170A
ALB E RTA I N G E N U I T Y F U N D
New Faculty Awards New Faculty are early career researchers considered to be rising stars. The Alberta Ingenuity New Faculty Award provides these newly independent scientists $300,000 over three years to build their labs and research teams in Alberta, giving them a meaningful head start and ensuring early results.
tions,” says Ben Giesbrecht, the Zoo’s food and beverage manager for the past four years. “People like the relaxed atmosphere, and the food is good. The steak sells the best, but the beef dip is a close second. People love beef, that’s southern Alberta for you.” U of L student Jason Stoltenberg, a religious studies major, would agree. He gets to the Zoo at least twice per week, trying not to miss Monday, when the daily special is a steak sandwich. “The Zoo is like the places I hang out at outside of school hours, so it’s great to have somewhere like that right on campus to go to between classes,” says Stoltenberg. Approaching its 20th anniversary, the pub continues to try and meet the changing needs of the University community. “I see the future of the Zoo as continuing to be, more than anything else, a service to the students, faculty and staff,” says Giesbrecht. “We want to accommodate them as much as possible by keeping prices reasonable, the atmosphere comfortable and by bringing in live entertainment that appeals to a wide audience.” Brianne Rohovie is the ULSU Communications Coordinator
Leonid Belostotski
Hai Jiang
U N I V E R S I T Y O F C A LG A R Y
U N I V E R S I T Y O F A L B E R TA
High-performance wideband integrated receiver design for the world's largest radio telescope
Exploitation of spectrum agility in broadband wireless communications
Theresa Burg
Hans Osthoff
U N IV E R SI T Y O F LET H B R I D G E
U N I V E R S I T Y O F C A LG A R Y
Evolution of resident forest birds
Laboratory for the study of chemical transformations of trace gases and particles in the atmosphere
Jeremy Caplan U N I V E R S I T Y O F A L B E R TA
Interference in human memory: its cognitive and neural origin and mechanisms of resolution
Salvatore Federico U N I V E R S I T Y O F C A LG A R Y
Theoretical modelling of the physico-mechanical behaviour of soft biological tissues
Dragan Gasevic AT H A B A S C A U N I V E R S I T Y
Model-driven development of families of semanticallyenabled service-oriented architectures
Jocelyn Hall U N I V E R S I T Y O F A L B E R TA
Elucidating the basis of fruit diversity in the plant family Brassicaceae
Paul Hayes
Alexander Penin U N I V E R S I T Y O F A L B E R TA
High precision calculations in quantum field theory
Mark Petovello U N I V E R S I T Y O F C A LG A R Y
Collaborative signal tracking for improved satellite navigation
Martin Srayko U N I V E R S I T Y O F A L B E R TA
Tracking the activity of nano-motor machines in living cells
Philippe Teillet U N IV E R SI T Y O F LET H B R I D G E
Terrestrial hyperspectral imaging with radiometric scale traceabilty
U N IV E R SI T Y O F LET H B R I D G E
Catalytic functionalization of hydrocarbons and other small molecules: toward the development of new materials, pharmaceuticals and agricultural compounds from petrochemical byproducts
albertaingenuity.ca
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the Legend in focus Much Ado About Nothing a timeless comedic romp SEPTEMBER 2008
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UNIVERSITY OF LETHBRIDGE
By KATHERINE WASIAK
W
ith two pairs of lovers, spies in the bush, sinister plots, mistaken intentions and a merry war of wits, Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing appears in the University Theatre, Nov. 14, 15, and 18 through 22 at 8 p.m. nightly. Much Ado About Nothing is one of Shakespeare’s most enduring and exhilarating plays, according to director Richard Epp. “The play’s action is built substantially on characters taking note of others: spying, eavesdropping, gossiping and baiting. Misinformation sets off the action; manipulation and confusion keep it bubbling along.”
FINE ARTS
profess they will never marry, are thrown together by good friends contriving to see them together at the altar. Their comic denial of any romantic interest in each other keeps their relationship at a delightful and tethered distance Benedick (Jarrett Viczko) and Beatrice (Robyn until the inevitable Jabusch) have sworn off love . . . or have they? ending. The comedy features two “Much Ado contrasting sets of lovers. Hero About Nothing is one of Shakeand Claudio, who fall in love speare’s most accessible plays at first sight, must conquer and a delight to perform,” says impediments to their happiness Epp. brought on by the unmotivated The 20 students on stage treachery of Don John, the and the 15 to 20 students conplay’s villain. The other pair, tributing behind the scenes are Beatrice and Benedick, who working with the skillful staff
and faculty artists to bring this play to life. “Students in the cast and crew come from Alberta, British Columbia and Saskatchewan, and bring all measure of talent and enthusiasm to this effort,” adds Epp. “There is no better way to learn about and appreciate the works of the Bard than to work through a play scene by scene, line by line and prepare to serve it well to an audience. “Our production is set in a contemporary summer landscape of wineries, beaches and evenings that linger. Bright costumes, latticed walkways, cool stone patios and summer songs support the passion of this popular play, its comic intrigue transported with care from Shakespeare’s time to our own.” Alumna Brenda Matkin
MUSIC GALORE!
news gallery
With performances featuring jazz, chamber music, global drums, seasonal songs and more, November is ending on a high note. World of Operetta Join the Opera Workshop and director Dr. Blaine Hendsbee on a trip around the World of Operetta on Nov. 14 and 15 at 8 p.m. in the University Recital Hall. Savour some of the most heart-rending melodies ever written for the human voice and then relish a variety of rollicking favourites. Excerpts on the program include highlights from The Merry Widow, The Student Prince, The Pirates of Penzance, The Phantom of the Opera and an Offenbach Can-Can. From Bach to Gershwin Variety is the mainstay of the U of L Wind Orchestra’s concert on Nov. 21, 8 p.m. at Southminster Church. “We’re performing a varied collection of shorter works that range from Bach to Gershwin,” says conductor Dr. Glenn Klassen. The program includes works by German composers J.S. Bach and Felix Mendelssohn, Russian composers Rimsky-Korsakov and Modest Moussorgsky, British composers Vaughan Williams and Gustav Holst, and, of course, American George Gershwin. Music major Barrett Swendsen takes the podium to conduct one of the pieces. Adam Mason & Friends Usually stuck at the back of the orchestra, timpanist Adam Mason is front and centre on Nov. 22 at 8 p.m. in the University Recital Hall for Classical Percussion with Adam Mason & Friends.
(BFA’98) is designing the costumes. “I wanted to create a relaxed, fun, summer feeling and outfits that would enhance the cheerful and bright personalities in the play,” she says. Matkin, who has her own fashion line, Once, is also using pieces from her spring collection in the production. Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing is in the University Theatre with nightly, 8 p.m. shows Nov. 14, 15, 18-22. Tickets are priced at $15 regular and $10 student/senior. On Nov. 13, the final dress rehearsal will double as a preview performance for a limited number of university students. Contact the box office for details or for tickets, 403329-2616.
Join the Opera Workshop on its musical trip around The World of Operetta on Nov. 14 and 15.
Mason is joined by colleagues Dr. Deanna Oye and Glen Montgomery, Calgary percussionist Rob Maciak and selected percussion students for this unique performance. A highlight of the concert is the Timpani Concerto by William Kraft. Hats off to Count Basie Big band jazz fills the University Theatre on Nov. 26 starting at 8 p.m., when the U of L Jazz Ensemble led by U of L alumni Dr. David Renter takes to the stage. The repertoire includes work by Bob Mintzer, Quincy Jones and Oliver Nelson with a special emphasis on the work of Count Basie and his arranger Sammy Nestico, include basically Blue, Told
You So and Splanky. This concert is also the premiere for Renter’s big band arrangement of John Coltrane’s Impressions. Season of Joy! Enjoy a festive and entertaining evening of choral music on Nov. 27 at 8 p.m. in Southminster Church with the U of L Singers conducted by Dr. Janet Youngdahl and special guest the LCI Chamber Choir under Frank Gnandt, the Brain on Brass Quintet and Trudi Mason on trumpet. Chamber Percussion and Beyond The percussion concert on Nov. 28 at 8 p.m. in the University Recital Hall has something for everyone. There
is Bartok’s Sonata for two pianos and percussion, an acrobatic piece for two 5-octive marimba, Brazilian Samba, Steel Drums, African drums and Taiko drums. Messiah The 100 voices in Vox Musica and the Lethbridge Symphony, both under the direction of Dr. Glenn Klassen, join forces on Dec. 1 and 2, 8 p.m. in Southminster Church to present Handel’s Messiah.
Shawna Dempsey and Lorri Millan have a tour-of-duty in Lethbridge, Nov. 17 to 21 as part of the exhibition Land Matters: Reference. Two of Canada’s best known performance artists, Dempsey and Millan’s Lesbian Rangers patrol parklands, challenging the general public’s ideas of tourism, recreation and the “natural” environment. Land Matters: Reference shows in the Helen Christou Gallery through Jan. 9, 2009. The Land Matters: Ground exhibition, in the Main Gallery through Jan. 16, 2009, focuses on artworks in which identity is part of the basis for the work and is enmeshed with other artistic concerns such as pattern, scale and colour and includes selections from Patricia Deadman’s ‘blanket’ series.
Culture Vulture Saturday Fun
The whole family is invited to the U of L Main Gallery on Saturday, Nov. 15 between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. to make simple block prints.
Tickets Tickets for all concerts are available at the U of L Box Office by calling 403-329-2616 and at the door for off-campus events. Get tickets for Handel’s Messiah from the Ticket Centre, 403-329-7328.
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images L asting
(RIGHT)
Allyson Clay, The Traveller, 1990 Mixed media on board From the University of Lethbridge Art Collection; Gift of the artist, 1991
(LEFT)
Allyson Clay, O Orlando: Each Wild Idea (Fountain Series), 2005 Photograph transmounted to Plexiglas From the University of Lethbridge Art Collection; Purchased with matching funds from the Canada Council for the Arts Acquisition Assistance Program, 2008
Allyson Clay was born in 1953 in Vancouver, where she continues to live and work. She completed a Master of Fine Arts degree at the University of British Columbia in 1985 and received additional training in Rome and at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design. Clay has exhibited in various solo and group exhibitions across Canada, and her
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work is held in numerous private and public collections, including the Canada Council Art Bank, Vancouver Art Gallery and the University of Lethbridge Art Gallery. Clay began her artistic career as a painter, often juxtaposing abstraction with landscape or figurative elements. In the 1990s she began incorporating mixed media,
text and faux-veneered surfaces into her painted works, while exploring the urban female as her subject. The Traveller, held in the University of Lethbridge Art Collection, is indicative of her practice at this time. Clay has moved toward photographic techniques in the last decade, and her most recent work
once again incorporates text as it depicts books placed in various man-made and natural environments. Clay’s O Orlando is the most recent acquisition to the University of Lethbridge Art Collection and will be shown in the upcoming exhibition Ground (Main Gallery, Nov. 7 through Jan. 9, 2009).
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