New Trail Winter 2012 by University of Alberta Alumni

w i n t e r 2012

UNIVERSIT Y OF ALBERTA

ALUMNI MAGA ZINE

The New Face of Health Care Edmonton Clinic Health Academy Makes its Debut

PRACTICAL MAGIC Searching for Innovative Inventions With Tangible Applications

collaborative caring new trail.ualberta.ca

A Paradigm Shift in Health Research and Education at the U of A

Volunteers and sponsors once again made Alumni Weekend 2011 a great success.

TED? ONNEC e a C U O Y u. B ARE needs yo nteer or s s la c r u Yo Volu ganizer, Class Or nsor for 2012. Spo 66 -492-08 0 8 7 ll a C

mark your calendar for next yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s party: september 20-23, 2012 BY THE NUMBERS:

6906 Attendees

389

1206

3184

Tuck Shop Cinnamon Buns Served

Golf Cart Rides

Stargazer Rockets Launched

Photo & Video Recap: www.ualberta.ca/alumni/recap

What a Weekend!

Photo Booth Photos

233 Volunteers

Thank you! Volunteers and sponsors once again ma de alumni weekend 2011 a great success

Thank you!

mark your calendar for next yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s party: september 20-23, 2012

W I N T E R 2 012 VOLUME 67 NUMBER 3

On the cover:

ne w tr ail .ualberta .c a

A detail from the new Edmonton Clinic Health Academy.

features 8 President’s Society Engaging and Involving Donors

10 Health Class Initiatives and Innovations in Health Research and Education

19 New Home of Health Sciences Edmonton Clinic Health Academy Takes Flight

22 Inventing the Solution Beginning With the End Result in Mind

24 On the Map The U of A’s Multi-Faceted Affiliations With India

29 It’s Been a Great Run Brian Heidecker—outgoing Chair of the Board of Governors

Executive Director Sean Price, ’95 BCom, MBA Supervising Editor Cynthia Strawson-Fawcett, ’05 BA Editor Kim Green Associate Editors Christie Moncrief, Sarah Ligon Contributing Editors Janice Annett, ’11 BCom, Jodeen Litwin, ’90 BSc(HEc), Kelly Neal Art Directors Marcey Andrews, Ray Au, ’88 BFA Associate Art Director Lisa Hall, ’89 BA Advisory Board Anne Bailey, ’84 BA; Susan Colberg, ’83 BFA, ’91 MVA; Deb Hammacher; Lawrence Kwok, ’04 BSc(Eng); John Mahon, ’76 BMus, ’83 MBA; Julie Naylor; David Newman; Jane Potentier CONTACT US E-mail (Comments/Class Notes) alumni@ualberta.ca Address Updates 780-492-3471; toll free 1-866-492-7516 or alumrec@ualberta.ca Call 780-492-3224; toll free 1-800-661-2593 Mail

Office of Alumni Affairs, University of Alberta, Main Floor, Enterprise Square, 10230 Jasper Avenue, Edmonton, AB T5J 4P6

Facebook U of A Alumni Association Twitter @UofA_Alumni TO ADVERTISE CALL 780-417-3464 or bI5@ualberta.ca

departments 3

Your Letters Our Readers Write

Bear Country The U of A Community

Whatsoever Things Are True Column by Aritha van Herk

In the Books Stories From Future Alumni

Question Period Student Interview With Angeline Letendre

33 Trails Art From an Alumnus 36

Class Notes Keeping Classmates Up-to-Date

In Memoriam Bidding Farewell to Friends

Photo Finish The Picture-Perfect Finale

This University of Alberta Alumni Association magazine is published three times a year and mailed free to over 135,000 alumni. The views and opinions expressed in the magazine are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the University or the Alumni Association. All material copyright ©. New Trail cannot be held responsible for unsolicited manuscripts or photographs. ISSN: 0824-8125 Copyright 2011 Publications Mail Agreement No. 40112326 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: Office of Alumni Affairs University of Alberta, Main Floor, Enterprise Square 10230 Jasper Avenue Edmonton, AB T5J 4P6

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new trail winter10/1/08 2012 10:44:38 1 AM

Sean Price, ’95 BCom, MBA Associate Vice-President Cynthia Strawson-Fawcett, ’05 BA Director, Marketing, Communications & Affinity Relationships Gina Wheatcroft, ’94 BEd Director, Alumni Programs Kyla Amrhein, ’09 BA Assistant, Alumni Branches Janice Annett, ’11 BCom Assistant, Alumni Recognition Chloe Chalmers, ’00 BA Coordinator, Students & Young Alumni Colleen Elliott, ’94 BEd Coordinator, Alumni Special Events Coleen Graham, ’88 BSc(HEc), ’93 MEd Executive Project Manager Kim Green Editor, New Trail Lisa Hall, ’89 BA Coordinator, Graphic Communications Jennifer Jenkins, ’95 BEd Class Giving Coordinator Jodeen Litwin, ’90 BSc(HEc) Coordinator, Alumni Recognition Ann Miles Assistant, Marketing and Communications Christie Moncrief Sarah Ligon Communications Coordinator Cristine Myhre Coordinator, Alumni Chapters John Perrino, ’93 BA(RecAdmin) Coordinator, Alumni Branches Andrea Porter, ’03 BCom Finance and HR Administrator Tracy Salmon, ’91 BA, ’96 MSc Manager, Marketing & Special Events Daven Seeberran Class Giving Coordinator Angela Tom, ’03 BA Assistant, Alumni Education Diane Tougas Assistant to the Associate Vice-President Vi Warkentin Assistant, Alumni Chapters Katy Yachimec, ’04 BA Assistant, Edmonton Events Debbie Yee, ’92 BA Coordinator, Electronic Communication

Alumni Council President Jane Halford, ’94 BCom Vice-President: Reputation & Messaging Mary Pat Barry, ’04 MA Vice-President: Educational Engagement Rob Parks, ’87 BEd, ’99 MBA Past-President, Vice-President: Nominating & Bylaws Jim Hole, ’79 BSc(Ag)

2 newtrail.ualberta.ca

Vice-President: Alumni Giving Glenn Stowkowy, ’76 BSc(ElecE) Board of Governors Representatives: Jim Hole ’79 BSc(Ag) Don Fleming, ’76 BEd Vice-President: Recruitment & Mentorship Kirstin Kotelko, ’06 BSc Senate Representatives Stephen Leppard, ’86 BEd, ’92 MEd, ’03 EdD Anne Lopushinsky, ’79 BSc Vice-President: Traditions & Spaces Cindie LeBlanc, ’01 BA Faculty Representatives Academic Representative Randy Wimmer, ’87 BEd, ’96 MEd, ’03 EdD Agriculture, Life & Environmental Science Kirstin Kotelko, ’06 BSc Arts Michael Janz, ’08 BA Augustana Jason Collins, ’97 BA Business Rob Parks ’87 BEd, ’99 MBA Campus Saint-Jean Cindie LeBlanc, ’01 BA Dentistry Matthew Woynorowski, ’05 BSc, ’10 DDS Education Lorne Parker, ’08 BEd Engineering Glenn Stowkowy, ’76 BSc Extension Mary Pat Barry, ’04 MA Graduate Studies Mark Ramsankar, ’87 BEd, ’04 MEd Law William Ostapek, ’79 BSc, ’83 LLB Medicine Richard Fedorak, ’78 MD Native Studies Darlene Bouvier, ’91 BA, ’09 BA(NS) Nursing Janis Sasaki, ’83 BScN, ’87 LLB Pharmacy Adam Gordon, ’08 BSc (Pharm) Physical Education & Recreation Wanda Wetterberg, ’74 BA Public Health Ximena Ramos Salas, ’87 BSc Rehabilitation Medicine Linda Miller, ’89 BSc Science Luca Vanzella, ’81 BSc, ’88 MSc Ex Officio Honorary President Indira Samarasekera Vice-President (University Relations) Debra Pozega Osburn Chief Advancement Officer O’Neil Outar Executive Director Alumni Association Sean Price, ’95 BCom, MBA Dean of Students Frank Robinson Graduate Students’ Association Hillary Sparkes Students’ Union Rory Tighe

up front This issue’s theme is something we can all relate to, alumni or not—health. Taking care of our health in the modern world is much more complicated than it ever was. Every day we hear about a new invention, technique, procedure or intervention that may have applications for this or that condition. And every day we hear about the rising costs of health care. A good deal of the $536 million spent on research at the University last year was health-related. Increasingly, this research is being undertaken in an interdisciplinary environment where different faculties work together to solve problems. It’s also worth noting that not all of the collaborators are from the traditional health science fields. For instance, design studies professor Robert Ledere is working with 3D modelling to build better prosthetics; law professor Timothy Caulfield is looking at the legal and societal implications of stem cell tourism; and library studies professor Tami Oliphant is looking at how people suffering from depression access information online. In fact, research in cooperative environments is fast becoming the norm at universities around the world. The University of Alberta has taken vast strides in this area in recent years. It perhaps started with the National Institute for Nanotechnology (2007) that brought together researchers and scientists from different disciplines to work on common problems. That was followed up by the Mazankowski Alberta Health Institute (2008), the Li Ka Shing Centre for Health Research Innovation (2010), the Centennial Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies (2011) and now the Edmonton Clinic Health Academy (2012). All of these facilities are modern wonders that raise the bar in providing students, faculty and researchers access to the most up-to-date educational tools. But above all, they stress the interconnectedness of research and discovery, the absolute need for a diversity of disciplines to come together and communally seek solutions for the good of all. In a sense, the growing interdisciplinary nature of education and research takes us back to the real meaning of a university, a word derived from the Latin phrase universitas magistrorum et scholarium, which roughly translates to a “community of teachers and scholars.” A university was always meant to be a community, much like our alumni are a community who can accomplish great things by working together.

Jane Halford, ‘94 BCom, President, Alumni Association

Sean Price, ‘95 BCom, MBA, Associate Vice-President, Alumni Affairs; Executive Director, Alumni Association

photos by Richard Siemens

OFFICE OF ALUMNI AFFAIRS

We would like to hear your comments about the magazine. Send us your letters via postal mail or e-mail to the addresses on page 1. Letters may be edited for length or clarity.

School’s In

Can Do

Not Amused

As a retired high school teacher, I still like to teach. Here are two comments about the New Trail Autumn 2011 edition. On page eight, Harry Ainlay should be spelled just as Mr. Harry Ainlay spelled his name: with an a. A more serious error is found on page 31: See column two above the picture of the car—“about a generation who may have sang...” Ouch! I have sung. You have sung. We have sung. The past participle of sing is sung. I sang a song yesterday. You sang several songs. There is your grammar lesson for the day. Please consider it a gift from me to you. It is important to learn something new every day.

Having been on the U of A campus in the early seventies, I was interested by the report on those years in the Autumn 2011 edition of New Trail. Unfortunately there is a mistake at the end of page 31 about the first CANDU reactor in operation. It must have been in Ontario and certainly not in Gentilly where I was working during commissioning in 1983.

I am appalled that New Trail would carry an article as flawed as the one Aritha van Herk contributed to your Autumn 2011 issue [pg. 9]. “The adamant egocentrism of this age, manifested by disregard for and the discourtesy to others, is a deplorable symptom of the 21st century.” Was the example from the 20th century quoted from Robert Kroetch’s “brilliantly evocative essay” not exactly that? How could workmen “dying of thirst” be faulted and made fun of for trusting the boy? This is a horrendous distortion of what is fair and right in our world. To then blame the current modern age is ridiculous in the extreme. I am thankful that “no mere words will deter us from what we believe.” I believe that thirsty workmen deserve to be treated with respect and that they should receive the cleanest, freshest water that could be carried to them.

Alberta Boytzun, ’50 Dip(Ed), ’51 BEd, Edmonton, AB

Luce Gauthier, ’73 PhD, Saint-Irénée, QC Editor’s note: In 1971, the 250 MW Gentilly-1, a prototype CANDU reactor, came into operation in Quebec. It was taken out of service in 1979 due to design and operational problems that made it uneconomical. Gentilly-2— equipped with a 675 MW CANDU 6 reactor— was constructed on the same site as Gentilly-1 and came into commercial operation in 1983.

Another Perspective I served as the Minister of Advanced Education of Alberta from 1979 to 1982. Having read the 100th anniversary publication of the book All True Things—A History of the University of Alberta, 1908-2008, [by Rod Macleod, ’62 BA], I take issue with the characterization of the relationship between the Government of Alberta and the University, particularly as they are portrayed in chapters 14 and 15. Especially troubling are the allegations that premiers Lougheed and Getty were “anti-intellectual.” I hope you will see fit to allow me to present my argument that quite the opposite was true.

Ellis Bartkiewicz (Devine), ’58 Dip(Nu), Calgary, AB

James D. Horsman, A.O.E., LL.D, Medicine Hat, AB To read Mr. Horsman’s complete letter go to www.newtrail.ualberta.ca.

Corrections: On page 28 (Autumn 2011) we incorrectly identified the Van Vliet Centre as being named after Maury Van Vliet, 61 BSc, ’64 LLD. The Centre is actually named after his father, Maury Van Vliet Sr., ’79 LLD (Honorary). Over a 33-year career at the U of A, beginning in 1945, Maury Sr. was a teacher, scholar, coach, administrator and dean of the Faculty of Physical Education and Recreation, building it into one of the strongest physical education facility’s in Canada with the first PhD program in the Commonwealth. We apologize for any confusion that may have resulted from our error.

Cindie LeBlanc @cleblanc24 @UofA_Alumni just read recent New Trail..*love* the new look!!! And great features!!! See you at Week of Welcome events and Alumni Weekend Diane Lee @Argenplath Read @riskindan’s interview in the @ UofA_Alumni mag and it just reminded me about the importance of being passionate about (my?) research...

new trail winter 2012 3

Dodge Ball redux bested by The United States Air Force Academy, with almost 4,000 players participating. The Academy was then outdone once again by current recordholder UC Irvine, who had 4,488 people show up to play. Now it’s the U of A’s time to answer the bell for the next round. “This is really going to be a huge challenge,” says Colten Yamagishi, Students’ Union vice-president (Student Life). “We need as many alumni and staff as possible to come out and play because we won’t break the record with students

Cell Mates

While working on the genome of a harmless soil amoeba, U of A researcher Joel Dacks, ’95 BSc, had a eureka moment that could rewrite cell biology textbooks and give new hope to people suffering from such diseases as Alzheimer’s, Huntington’s and Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. What Dacks and his research team discovered is a fifth adaptin, the protein complexes involved in moving things in, out and around cells. Previously there were thought to be only four adaptins involved in this process. Dacks noticed that this fifth adaptin was present in plants and humans and although this protein had been identified in humans, it had been, says Dacks, “dismissed as essentially irrelevant or not a major player. But the fact that this protein was found in plants, humans and amoebas suggested that maybe it was more than just some extra little piece of unknown function in human cells.” Dacks enlisted the aid of the Robinson Lab in Cambridge, England, which has done extensive work on adaptin proteins. 4 newtrail.ualberta.ca

alone. And it’s extremely important that we bring the record home because it means a lot for U of A pride.” Over 5,000 people can fit in the Butterdome, where the attempt to reclaim the World Record will take place at noon on February 3, 2012. Arrive early and get to know some kindred students, alumni and staff... hopefully more than 4,488 of them. To see the 2011 record-breaking game visit www.newtrail.ualberta.ca. – Kim Green

With University of Cambridge colleagues Jennifer Hirst and Margaret Robinson the fifth adaptin was ultimately discovered. Dacks was Joel Dacks: cell biology breakthrough. also assisted by U of A undergraduate students Gabriel Casey Francisco, ’11 BSc, and Lael Barlow, who helped complete the paper describing the discovery published October 11, 2011 in Public Library of Science Biology. “What this does for cell biology is open up a whole new avenue of research,” says Dacks. “You need to understand the basic map of the cell to be able to identify how it has gone wrong. We have discovered a previously unrecognized major feature on that map.” With files from Quinn Phillips (Express News) and Rachel Singer (The Gateway).

photo by Richard Siemens

The gauntlet has been thrown down— and what a big gauntlet it is. For a brief time on two occasions the U of A held the Guinness World Record for the largest dodge ball game. Last year, over 1,745 people at UC Irvine wrested the record away from the University. Not to be oudone, the U of A quickly took back the title with 2,012 players. But that didn’t hold it for long as several institutions upped the ante. Rochester Institute of Technology hosted a game involving 2,136 players before being

A Mighty Heart “The type of research Mark When he was 26 years old, is doing could have so much Dwight Kroening, ’84 BEd, benefit to the transplant world found himself clinging to life in and people who’ve had heart a Phoenix hospital, waiting for a transplants,” says Kroening. new heart. Kroening got that new “With training, with exercise, heart and, 25 years later, is still with time, your heart is putting it to good use. In 2008 potentially going to function in Arizona—where he received like a normal heart. We don’t his new heart—he became the Kroening (left) competing in Stage 4 (32-km) of the Sinister 7 Ultra have an excuse not to exercise first person with someone else’s Marathon (148-km) Cross Mountain Race in Crowsnest Pass, July 2011. and stay fit.” heart in his chest to complete an When asked whether or not he 100,000 heart transplant procedures Ironman triathlon (3.8-km swim, 180-km was nervous about competing in one have been done and only around 100 bicycle ride and 49-km run). In 2011, he of the world’s most gruelling races have lived for 25 years.” returned to do another one. for the second time, Kroening nods Kroening met Haykowsky seven “Doing this race the second time was without any hesitation. “It was quite years ago when he was asked to unbelievable,” says Mark Haykowsky, emotional, knowing that the donor participate in a study looking at hearta physical therapy professor at the came from Phoenix. It was a significant transplant recipients’ responses to U of A’s Faculty of Rehabilitation thing for me as it was 25 years after the exercise. The pair have worked together Medicine who works with Kroening. It’s transplant and I was racing right where ever since. In fact, it was Haykowsky equally incredible that Kroening’s even it all happened.” who convinced Kroening he could go around to compete as according to the the distance after he completed a halfInternational Society of Heart and Lung – Laurie Wang, ’05 BA Ironman triathlon in 2006. Transplantation’s registry, more than

Water Bearers The Alberta Rural Development Network (ARDN) is investing $100,000 in two rural water research projects aimed at improving the quantity, quality and long-term sustainability of water in rural areas. One of the beneficiaries of that largesse is Lars Hallström, director of the Alberta Centre for Sustainable Rural Communities (ACSRC) who holds a joint appointment with two U of A faculties—one in the Department of Resource Economics and Environmental Sociology and the other in the Department of Social Science (Political Studies) at Augustana. Hallström’s research will examine what successful rural communities have done to balance water use with commercial and population growth. With financial support of up to $50,000 from ARDN, Hallström says his year-long research project will seek to identify, synthesize and categorize the multiple strategies and initiatives that have been undertaken within Alberta to reconcile the pressures of economic and population growth with issues of water supply and policy. Water was identified as a priority for rural Alberta at a workshop held in conjunction with ARDN’s Creating Rural Connections conference in April 2011. Participants

included representatives from community-based organizations, municipal government, Aboriginal communities and post-secondary institutions that were asked to identify major issues related to rural Lars Hallström: rural communities development in Alberta. water researcher. The other project to receive ARDN funding is a partnership of 10 organizations led by the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology that focuses on the Sturgeon River Watershed and how people living in its proximity perceive this resource and what research on it they deem most pressing. ACSRC is a joint initiative of the U of A’s Augustana Campus and the Faculty of Agricultural, Life and Environmental Sciences. To read about other U of A water research go to www.newtrail.ualberta.ca.

With files from Devin Keay (Augustana Campus). new trail winter 2012 5

side effects May iNclude: winning a new iPad2 or oilersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; luxury suite tickets for you and 3 friends*.

More stories. exclusive content. New events.

e-trail the monthly electronic magazine of the U of A Alumni Association

*oilersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; luxury suite tickets spoNsored by the uNiversity of alberta Mastercard partNer

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Launched in April 2011, The President’s Society recognizes donors to the University of Alberta who play a leadership role in supporting the University and donate $1,000 or more annually.

he inaugural group of members comprises nearly 2,000 donors who, through their annual gifts, collectively contributed over $12 million to the University of Alberta during the past year. According to O’Neil Outar, chief advancement officer for the University, the impact of these gifts is tremendous: “Our donors support programs and projects that have a direct impact on our community. Scholarships and bursaries, athletics, library acquisitions, undergraduate research, global education initiatives and learning opportunities–all of these enhance the overall experience for our students.” Scholarships and bursaries established through the generosity of the President’s Society donors can, in particular, facilitate students doing extraordinary things by allowing them to have experiences beyond the classroom, such as undergraduate research, international experiences and community service.

Enjoying the President’s Society dinner at the Calgary Golf and Country Club were Dennis Kadatz, ’60 BPE, ’65 MA, and Denise Kadatz.

In September and October 2011, President Indira Samarasekera and Jim Edwards, ’62 BA, ’06 LLD (Honorary), chair of the President’s Society, hosted dinners in Edmonton, Calgary, Toronto and Vancouver to honour the members of the new President’s Society. Speeches by faculty members Anne Naeth, President Indira Samarasekera. ’76 BSc, ’85 MSc, ’88 PhD, Robert Burrell, Lorne Tyrrell, ’64 BSc, ’68 MD, and Wenran Jiang highlighted the dinners and gave President’s Society members an opportunity to hear about recent scholarship in areas of high priority for the University. Over 700 donors attending these special events heard President Samarasekera share the story of Kayla Stan, a third-year scholarship student. Kayla had written a letter

Close to 500 guests enjoyed the Edmonton President’s Society dinner at the aptly-named Enjoy Centre.

new trail winter 2012 7

The Royal Ontario Museum was the location for the Toronto dinner. Pictured are guests Sherree Drummond, Suneeta Monga, ’84 BSc, ’89 MD, Amit Monga, ’96 PhD(Eng), Andrew Drummond, ’93 BA, ’96 MA.

Wenran Jiang, guest speaker at the Vancouver TPS dinner, with Garth Warnock, ’74 BSc, ’76 MD, ’83 MSc and Paul Seto, ’91 BSc(Eng).

of thanks to the donor who had established the scholarship that enabled herto excel in school while volunteering on campus and in the community.

“I am so grateful for my scholarships and the donors who made them possible. Receiving a scholarship makes a huge difference,” wrote Kayla. “A lot of my friends at university have to work and will still have a lot of debt when they graduate. Scholarships relieve so much stress and alleviate the financial burden.” In addition, she notes, the scholarships have “allowed me the time to give back. I’ve been able to help more people. Without scholarships, I wouldn’t have had that time.” Among other activities, Kayla supports literacy initiatives by helping to raise funds for books for inner-city children and libraries in the Canadian North; she also reads to children at an on-campus daycare centre.

Calgary TPS members Haithem Al-Salam, ’89 BSc(Eng) and Judith Athaide, ’83 BCom, ’85 MBA, ’89 BSc(Eng).

“I thoroughly enjoyed these dinners and the opportunity to personally thank our donors,” said President Samarasekera. “Many indicated their interest in giving more, telling me that engaging in these events made them feel closer to the University.” Edwards describes the President’s Society dinners as a celebration of philanthropy and philanthropists: “We see these as an opportunity for our leading donors to come together and understand that we appreciate and celebrate their commitment to the University.” For information on how to become a member of the President’s Society, visit www.presidentssociety.ualberta.ca or call 1-888-799-9899.

The Office of Advancement is dedicated to supporting the mission of the University of Alberta by

have you thought about a career in advancement? Exciting career opportunities are available in the Office of Advancement.

fostering relationships that result in continuing goodwill and financial support from alumni, parents, friends, and organizations.

Please check the University of Alberta Careers website often. www.advancement.ualberta.ca

www.careers.ualberta.ca 8 newtrail.ualberta.ca

780.492.7400

www.giving.ualberta.ca www.alumni.ualberta.ca

Telling Hard Truths Aritha van Herk

“T

he Hard Truth” is one of those phrases decorating the front of nasty news like a shield. Hard truths accompany tough times, disappointment, economic recession, belt-tightening and pain. The notion that being candid necessarily inflicts pain is an old one. We do not always relish the truths that we encounter. We don’t want to be told that our body’s emanations are offensive. We don’t want to hear that the investment broker we trusted so much has lost our money. We don’t want to get the news that we have a fatal disease. Being the bearer of such truths can be as uncomfortable as being the person confronted with them. Those who dispense “hard truths” face the challenge of communicating information deeply upsetting or personally insulting. Can the truth be merciful or must it be brutal? There lies the challenge: how “hard truths” are conveyed has much to do with how they are received. Stating the truth requires courage; candor cannot subsist on deference. But bleak truths revealed gracefully fare better than unvarnished dispensations. Some hard truths speak a reality terrible but unavoidable: a cancer diagnosis, or news of the unexpected death of a loved one. More subtle relations are required when elderly parents must be told that they can no longer adequately care for themselves,

or when it becomes necessary to take their car keys away because they should no longer drive. Another kind of hard truth is one that we persuade ourselves needs to be said, but that will not necessarily meet a receptive ear—a trickier proposition. Is it useful to inform a person that you don’t want to have anything to do with her? Is it important to declare one’s antipathy to a colleague’s perfume? Is it productive to tell your hated brotherin-law that he is an unwanted guest? Or are these cases where a soupçon of finesse, good manners and discretion can work better than rank honesty? Against all evidence, we believe in the much-touted notion that nobody wants to injure others; but this meek commonplace is no longer true. In a world of instant opinion, knee-jerk reaction and anonymous snark (with apologies to Lewis Carroll’s innocent fictional animal), hurting other people is now accepted, even applauded behavior. Snarkenfreude, that combination of snide remark and Schadenfreude (enjoyment of other people’s ill-fortune) thrives on anonymity, the deposit of unspeakable droppings in the comments sections that append the blogosphere. As David Denby said in his 2009 book Snark, snark is a bullying tactic, and as such doesn’t fence for truth so much as front cruelty and cleverness of the vicious kind. It arises from contempt, never a good companion to veracity.

While facing disagreeable truth is painful, it can also lead to an enlightenment that lifts rather than burdens those affected. This clarity is most likely to result if the speaker approaches the truth with the sensitivity and courtesy that its affliction demands. The biggest challenge is getting others to recognize the truth in their own time and context. The key is invariably respect. Words can pack more wallop than a fist. So instead of coldly announcing a “hard truth,” it is markedly better to address an issue first, listen for feedback second, and then focus on obdurate factuality. Emily Dickinson said, most memorably: Tell all the Truth but tell it slant— Success in Circuit lies Too bright for our infirm Delight The Truth’s superb surprise As Lightning to the Children eased With explanation kind The Truth must dazzle gradually Or every man be blind— Lest we blind those whose vision we wish to correct, we must be careful with the truth, for it is, indeed, both bright and dangerous.

Writer and professor Aritha van Herk, ’76 BA, ’78 MA, lives in Calgary and has a habit of direct and imaginative speech. She was recently inducted as a member of the Alberta Order of Excellence, the province’s highest honour. new trail winter 2012 9

by Kate Eccles

health class When it comes to innovations in health care and cross-disciplinary collaboration, the U of A is at the head of its class 10 newtrail.ualberta.ca

HEALTH CARE SPENDING

2003

2008

IN CANADIANS SPENT

“Essential to great practice is not only the science, but the ability to have insight into the human condition.”

IN THAT FIGURE HAD

RISEN TO

A TOTAL OF

$121 BILLION

$171.9 BILLION

ON HEALTH CARE OR ABOUT

OR ABOUT

$4,000 PER

Photo by Ben King, Industrial Designer

o one would dispute that the decades ahead represent an era of extreme change and uncertainty in almost every aspect of world affairs, perhaps nowhere more so than in the field of human health. The world will confront environmental, social, political and economic challenges so complex they stand to radically change the way we live, work, play ... and die. At the forefront of this change is the role of health and health care systems in people’s lives. The new world of health care will be confronted with an aging population, rising pollution levels and exponential population growth—eight billion worldwide by 2020. In Canada alone, the proportion of seniors is going to double within the next 20 years, with the over 80 demographic expanding the fastest. More and more children with chronic problems such as cerebral palsy, cystic fibrosis or acquired injuries are surviving long into adulthood and leading productive, vibrant lives. And once-terrifying conditions such as AIDS, tuberculosis, diabetes, heart disease and cancer continue to evolve from once-terminal conditions to ones patients can often learn to manage throughout their lives.

$5,170 PER

% OF GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCTION SPENT ON HEALTH CARE

Gone are the days in which health care was about waiting until you are sick, going to the doctor when you have new symptoms, or using the emergency room to meet your ongoing needs. The challenges we are facing will quickly overwhelm a system like this, if they haven’t already. In fact, it is anticipated that unless we fundamentally shift the paradigm from a disease treatment model to one of keeping people well, unless we help people to become empowered managers of their own health, within a quarter century the majority of Canada’s provincial health care budgets will be consumed by the growing chronic disease population, and the health care system Canadians so treasure could be brought to its financial knees. The notion of health needs to be brought out beyond the purview of a few narrow disciplines, and evolve into an ongoing national conversation in which everyone—not just those in the traditional medical disciplines— participates. More and more, the roles of technology, education, community health, spirituality, law, industrial design and public policy are being recognized as fundamental to addressing the problems facing us.

CANADA 9.6% FRANCE 9.7% GERMANY 10.9% DENMARK 8.8% SWEDEN 9.2% UNITED STATES 14.6%

HEALTH CARE COSTS PER CAPITA VARY ACROSS CANADA $4,891

$5,254

$5,970

QUEBEC

BRITISH COLUMBIA

NEWFOUNDLAND

$6,072

ALBERTA

LOWEST

HIGHEST

HEALTH CARE COSTS PER CAPITA IS ALSO THE GREATEST AT THE EXTREMES OF AGE

$8,239

$3,809

$17,469

LESS THAN 1 YR OLD

BETWEEN 1 AND 64 YRS OLD

MORE THAN 80 YRS OLD

The skull at left is a digital visualization for a type of custom implant. The process for designing these begins with data capture from medical CT or surface laser scanning. This data is imported into computer-aided design software, which offers clinicians the luxury of designing the custom implant directly on the patient’s anatomy without needing the patient to be physically present. new trail winter 2012 11

Peter Gill,’09 BMS (right), the U of A’s 67th Rhodes Scholar, and Dr. Verna Yiu: “We must tap all the resources we have as innovators and researchers if we are going to get the breakthrough results we need.”

The University of Alberta is at the forefront of the health care debate and is recognized as a global innovator for the shifting health care paradigm. A key symbol of this commitment to excellence is the construction of the Edmonton Clinic Health Academy (for more on the

Sources: Statistics Canada,

ECHA see page 19). This new building sets the tone for an ongoing integration of Alberta’s health sciences providers and its health educators, researchers and innovators across numerous disciplines. “It’s the start of great things to come,” says acting dean of medicine and

CANADIAN POPULATION FIGURES

Canadian Institute for Health

POPULATION

Information, Public Health Agency

YUKON

34,700

of Canada, OECD Health Data, World Health Organization.

NORTHWEST TERRITORIES NUNAVUT

ALBERTA BRITISH COLUMBIA

34,482,800

33,300 NEWFOUNDLAND & LABRADOR

4,573,300

QUEBEC

SASKATCHEWAN

1,250,600

510,600

7,979,700

PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND NEW BRUNSWICK

755,500

1,057,900 ONTARIO

12 newtrail.ualberta.ca

43,700

3,779,400

MANITOBA

CANADA-WIDE

13,373,000

NOVA SCOTIA

945,400

145,900

photo by Richard Siemens

dentistry Dr. Verna Yiu, ’84 BMS, ’86 MD, about the building. “But in itself it’s just one aspect of a thrust at the U of A that will bring in more great minds from across the University and around the world to continue to tackle modern challenges in new and exciting ways. Many are realizing, especially with the rise of technology and the Internet, that disciplines in all parts of the University have so much to offer to health care’s evolution, and we must tap all the resources we have as innovators and researchers if we are going to get to the breakthrough results we need.” In every corner of the University, important questions are being asked, not only about how we can cure disease, educate a new generation of health professionals, or make medical breakthroughs, but how we can design environments to facilitate chronically ill people staying at home? How can we reform health care to promote wellbeing and justice? How can hospitals and clinical spaces be re-imagined and designed to provide better and more humane health care? And how can communities help patients and families use medical and community resources to understand treatment options and better access care? “The direction is increasingly to get out of our silos and focus on the problem

at hand, not the discipline we are in,” explains Martin Ferguson-Pell, dean of rehabilitation medicine and chair of the U of A Health Sciences Council. “The big challenges of our time—aging, chronic disease, obesity, depression—are just too big and too complex for any one discipline. Our aim is to bring together the most creative thinkers and to give them freedom to cross conventional research lines in search of solutions no one else has ever thought of before. This requires a whole new language—a language of immersion—in which people with very different perspectives come together as they never have before to find a common discourse.” Here are just a handful of examples of people from widely divergent disciplines coming together to collaborate on a new health care paradigm and create, as Ferguson-Pell says, “a language of immersion.”

Health Care by Design Who would have thought an industrial designer would have a pivotal role to play in shaping the future of health care? But the work of Robert Lederer, ’98 MDes, associate professor of design studies, stands to do just that. Lederer is working with an interdisciplinary team of colleagues in the area of 3D modelling, both through building digital models

with computers and in sculpting actual 3D prosthetics and models for patients. If a patient is missing an ear because of an infection, accident or birth defect, for example, Lederer works with medical practitioners and medical sculptors to digitally scan the “good” ear, and then build a prosthetic one that can be implanted to simulate bones, cartilage and flesh that is almost perfectly lifelike. Not only is the University becoming a leader in this area, the collaboration with surgeons is leading to new advances that can actually cut down the number of surgeries necessary for facial reconstruction. The U of A’s 3D modelling lab was the first of its kind at any university in Canada and is now playing a lead role at the heart of a fast-growing Institute for Reconstructive Sciences in Medicine. Based at Edmonton’s Misericordia Hospital, this fully integrated environment merges clinical care, research, education and training in reconstructive medicine and technology, combining advances in disciplines such as surgery, medicine, dentistry, rehabilitation medicine, industrial design, engineering and computing science. “One of the most exciting things happening here,” says Lederer, “is that we are learning to leave the language of our own disciplines at the door, and

TEN MOST POPULATED COUNTRIES

that helps break down barriers. I walk into rooms full of some of the greatest minds in medicine and a host of other disciplines, and I can say—‘so you need us to help you design one of those flappy bits to implant where she’s lost that bit there,’ and whether or not we all know the correct medical term, we’re committed to getting past that, to finding a common language so we can create something truly magnificent together on behalf of these patients.”

Laying Down the Law What is the responsibility of Canadian health care providers when patients go overseas to seek treatment through what has become known as medical tourism? How are patients misinformed when they search online for information about critical health care decisions? How is the way food is represented and talked about in advertising and the popular media contributing to the obesity epidemic? These are just a few of the kinds of questions being looked at by researchers in two unlikely departments: U of A’s Health Law Institute, and the School of Library and Information Studies. In one example, Timothy Caulfield, ’87 BSc, ’90 LLB, a U of A Canada Research Chair in health law and policy, is looking at some of the important legal and societal implications of the

= 1O MILLION

CHINA 1.4 BILLION

INDIA 1.2 BILLION UNITED STATES 313 MILLION INDONESIA 238 MILLION BRAZIL 191 MILLION PAKISTAN 178 MILLION NIGERIA 163 MILLION RUSSIA 143 MILLION BANGLADESH 142 MILLION JAPAN 128 MILLION

new trail winter 2012 13

In today’s media-rich world, more and more people are going online seeking information about personal health decisions.

fast-growing, complex and contentious phenomenon of stem cell tourism. While there is much excitement surrounding the potential that stem cell research can lead to significant developments in regenerative medicine— including treatments for conditions like Alzheimer’s, cancer, diabetes and brainstem injuries—this research is still largely in its infancy, and there is insufficient evidence as yet regarding safety and efficacy. Nonetheless, desperate patients and parents are already travelling around the world to pursue unproven stem cell treatments unavailable at home. “When competent adults elect to pursue these treatments, a whole range of concerns arise, including issues of public policy,” explains Caulfield. “But when desperate parents elect to make medical decisions on behalf of their children, the legal and ethical implications are very complex indeed.” The work of Caulfield and his colleagues is forcing new discussions about the public’s right to reliable and 14 newtrail.ualberta.ca

emotional support they find there. “The emotional part of giving and receiving information and how people assess what is credible is an important aspect of how individuals make decisions and manage their own care,” she explains. “The Internet is an effective, powerful mechanism for sharing important health care information, but we need to better understand how we can help citizens engage with it in the best way possible.”

Working Out a New Model U of A researchers in physiology, rehab medicine, kinesiology and the Faculty of Physical Education and Recreation are engaged in exciting and novel inquiries at the intersection of exercise and medicine. “We are fundamentally broadening our conception of what physical education is and what role it plays in health and well-being,” explains Kerry Courneya, a Canada Research Chair in exercise, physiology and cancer. “It’s not just about sport any more—it’s about public health, well-being and the management of both illness and wellness. In a host of chronic problems such as obesity, cardiac disease, depression, and disability, exercise is a critical driver in enhancing quality of life, elevating mood and social interaction, controlling symptoms, and— in some cases—reversing the effects of certain conditions.” Courneya’s research focuses on the areas of kinesiology and oncology, two areas that have not traditionally been brought together in the field of cancer research. Courneya is co-

photo by Michael Holly

Timothy Caulfield: “The legal and ethical implications are very complex indeed.”

accurate information, how resources and information should be tailored for physicians and parents, and how Canadian regulators should respond in the face of questions that span the work of economists, philosophers, sociologists, psychologists and linguists and that straddle the intersections of media, public policy, law and communications. In another example, professor Tami Oliphant, ’94 BA, ’01 MLS, of the School of Library and Information Studies, is looking at how people suffering from depression access information online and via other informal networks, and subsequently make decisions to alter their treatment or engage in complementary or alternative therapies. Many people would wonder why this critical health issue would be of concern to library and information science researchers, but in today’s media-rich world, more and more people are going online seeking information about personal health decisions. Seeing how these various online threads come together to construct convincing arguments on why individuals should take natural herbs or oils instead of the drugs they were prescribed, or whether an alternative therapy is proven to be effective, is at the heart of Oliphant’s work. Whether or not alternative therapies are actually an effective option is less her focus than how people receive information online and come to conclusions about the credibility of health advice. Oliphant’s research suggests that a key benefit to going online for people suffering from depression is the

leading a study aiming to prove that exercise can reduce the risk of a cancer’s recurrence. The aptly named CHALLENGE trial is tracking 1,000 colon cancer survivors in Canada and Australia over 10 years—as well as supporting half of them in increasing their activity levels through a stateof-the-art program of supervised exercise and behavioural support sessions designed by Courneya. The trial is attempting to determine if colon cancer recurs less often in people who increase and maintain an exercise regime. “The ultimate goal’” says Courneya, “is to find out as best we can what is the exact right exercise prescription to help prevent cancer, manage the effects of treatment when it’s diagnosed, and help prevent recurrence in the future.” Donna Goodwin, ’78 BPE, ’80 MA, ’00 PhD, director of the U of A’s Steadward Centre for Personal and Physical Achievement, is also exploring ways more people with disabilities can participate in physical activity.

“They need ways to participate in the community, to exercise, and to be seen as the healthy—but disabled— people they are,” says Goodwin. Her work exploring disability as a social construction, the impact of societal attitudes on the participation of the disabled in physical activity, and in capturing the experiences of persons with disabilities in physical activity settings is beginning to have meaningful impacts in a wide range of community settings. “The reasons people with impairments are not exercising have to do with a wide range of variables. It’s part social psychology, part epidemiology, part about the built environments, part about public perceptions and media, and part about emotions. Sometimes what we find is as simple as the fact that a person with a severe physical disability doesn’t want to undress in a locker room in front of a bunch of people that are ‘ripped.’ “We’re helping to shape a whole new generation,” continues Goodwin.

AN AGING POPULATION

IN2010

AN ESTIMATED

4.8MILLION CANADIANS WERE 65 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER

BY2036

THAT NUMBER IS

EXPECTED TO DOUBLE TO

10.4MILLION BY2051

ABOUT ONE IN FOUR CANADIANS

IS EXPECTED TO BE 65 OR OVER ALL PROVINCES IN CANADA HAVE SEEN AN INCREASE IN THE PROPORTION OF SENIORS IN THEIR POPULATIONS. NOVA SCOTIA HAS THE HIGHEST PERCENTAGE OF SENIORS (16% IN 2010). DUE TO VARYING GROWTH RATES OF THE SENIOR POPULATION AMONG PROVINCES, BY 2036 IT IS EXPECTED THAT THE ATLANTIC

photo by Richard Siemens

PROVINCES WILL HAVE THE HIGHEST PROPORTION OF SENIORS.

NOVA SCOTIA

Donna Goodwin (right) with a student: “We’re helping to shape a whole new generation.”

16% new trail winter 2012 15

A pharmacy professor (right) discusses some clinical information with an attending physician (centre) and a pharmacy student.

OF THE THREE BIGGEST HEALTH CARE EXPENSES, THE AMOUNT SPENT ON PHARMACEUTICALS HAS INCREASED THE MOST.

IN1975

THE THREE BIGGEST

HEALTH COSTS WERE

1997

THE TOTAL PRICE OF DRUGS

SURPASSED THAT OF DOCTORS

IN2007

THE THREE BIGGEST

HEALTH COSTS WERE

HOSPITALS

PHYSICIANS

5.5 BILLION / 44.7%

1.8 BILLION / 15.1%

1.1 BILLION / 8.8%

21.5 BILLION / 13.4%

26.5 BILLION / 16.5%

45.4 BILLION / 28.2%

16 newtrail.ualberta.ca

MEDICATIONS

The Art of the Matter: Putting Humanity Back in Medicine Can reading great literature, visiting an art gallery, or writing memoirs help doctors and other health care practitioners be better at what they do? U of A’s Pamela Brett-MacLean—and a growing cohort of scholars from around the world—think the answer is yes. Brett-MacLean is co-director (with clinical advisor Dr. Verna Yiu) of U of A’s groundbreaking Arts and Humanities in Health and Medicine program.

photo by Richard Siemens

WHERE THE MONEY GOES

“Our students are learning to be catalysts for change in the community. The disabled people who work with us are becoming role models and teachers for others, and the facilities that are stepping forward to work with us are taking the bold step of opening hearts and minds about an important health care issue in our communities.”

The program, one of the most comprehensive of its kind in Canada, recognizes that with increasing specialization and the overwhelming patient loads most practitioners manage day to day, medicine is at risk of becoming depersonalized. Medical Humanities is a groundbreaking and relatively new interdisciplinary field combining humanities, social science, and the arts as they apply to the whole field of medical education and practice. “Essential to great practice is not only the science, but the ability to have insight into the human condition,” explains Brett-MacLean. “Attention to literature and the arts helps to develop and nurture skills of observation, analysis, empathy and self-reflection— skills that are essential for humane medical care and its grounding in questions of suffering, personhood and our responsibility to each other.” The program, which often includes offerings open to the broader community and the general public, uses arts and artists to

support medical students in learning to better relate to patients, understand patient stories, and translate science in relation to human experience. Brett-MacLean explains that the intersections of the arts, humanities and medicine are many and continue to be explored in a wide range of contexts. Students may watch movies about illness and discuss how they reflect the way illness is perceived in the culture. They may attend gallery tours and speaker series looking at how these forms of art and discourse reflect the culture and stories physicians and their patients live by. They may role-play or write about an emotional story they’ve experienced as it relates to the care they are involved with. “This program explicitly recognizes that clinical practice is both an art and a science, requiring an appreciation of both the objective and the subjective aspects of medicine. It’s a big part of what we are trying to do here at U of A—creating practitioners who are

Edmonton is known for its vibrant cultural offerings. Join us to explore some of the performances happening this spring and gain a deeper appreciation of the arts. For details or to register visit www.ualberta.ca/alumni/ critic or call 780-492-3224 March 1 Music - Behind the Silver Screen ($30) Enjoy a performance by the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra that demonstrates that great composers wrote great movie scores – and so much more. From Fiddler on the Roof to music from West Side Story enjoy some familiar classics. A pre-performance cocktail reception will feature a U of A professor who will offer insight into the evening’s program. March 29 Theatre – Studio Theatre Presents ($15) Join us on opening night to see the exciting results of what happens when two of our most innovative U of A Drama alumni return to create a special production for their alma mater. Jonathan Christenson (MFA ‘96) and Bretta Gerecke (MFA ‘96) will dazzle the audience with their as yet untitled production. A pre-show reception featuring Dr Kathleen Weiss will allow you to learn more about the show’s creation. May 12 Dance – Love Lies Bleeding ($30) Inspired by and featuring the music of Sir Elton John and Bernie Taupin, this wild and poetic contemporary ballet explores the trials, victories and sacrifices of achieving super stardom with an unforgettable story of rock ‘n’ roll, drama, passion, defeat — and above all — love. A pre-performance reception with a peek inside the world of ballet will help bring this art form to life.

reflective, thoughtful and humane, as well as technically and scientifically excellent. It’s a testament to how forward-thinking our students and faculty are that so many are embracing this vitally important part of our work as caregivers, health providers, and forward-thinking innovators.” As the University of Alberta takes its place as a global health leader, researchers across the University continue to recognize that the complex questions they face will demand input from all parts of the community and new kinds of research partnerships. Building a culture in which individuals have the means, mechanisms and willingness to have new kinds of conversations means the U of A is poised to seek out creative solutions to complex issues. That can only occur when people look outside what they already know and imagine the new worlds that can be created outside of their current boundaries, at the creative intersections of all the disciplines.

Family Fun Alumni (and future alumni) are invited to join us for these programs designed to be fun for the whole family. For details or to register visit www. ualberta.ca/alumni/family or call 780-492-3224 March 4 – Cabane à Sucre (free) Join us at Hawrelak Park to enjoy some traditional Francophone wintertime fun including la tire (maple syrup on snow), sleigh rides, skating, snowshoeing and more. April 7 – Easter Egg Hunt (free) Young candy-lovers (12 & under) are invited to come to campus and join the hunt for tasty Easter eggs – you might even spot a real bunny! With face-painting, hot chocolate and goodies, it promises to be an egg-cellent time for the whole family.

new trail winter 2012 17

Dental Implants and Human Relationships Dentistry student Nada Merza learns that providing the right treatment begins with the right patient perspective

aving lived, studied and worked in more than one culture, I feel cultural diversity has greatly enriched my life and experience both as a woman and as a dental student. I was born and raised in Iraq, and earned my first degree in dentistry from the University of Jordan in Amman. I come from a tolerant family of professionals, both males and females. It’s common in the part of the world I come from to find women in the professions, including dentistry. As quality of life matters most to me, my aspirations have always been to live and work in a free society and Canada seemed a good choice. After being here for 10 years now, I feel my choice has been validated. Canada offers me the opportunity to realize my potential in an advanced, egalitarian and equal opportunity society, a society that advances human rights and needs. I have also come to realize in my time here that dentistry is intertwined with culture. A beautiful smile is universally valued as it represents health, success and a friendly attitude. In some cultures, a diastema (space between teeth) is considered a sign of beauty. Crooked teeth embody an attractive smile in some, but in most cultures a Hollywood-type smile is the norm. In each, dentistry conforms to the specifics of that culture. Before coming to the University of 18 newtrail.ualberta.ca

Alberta, I was planning to study dental implant placing through continuing education courses following my undergrad program. Much to my delight, I discovered that the U of A offers implant courses as part of the Doctor of Dental Surgery program, which includes planning, restoration and surgery. After going through the majority of the course, I’ve discovered that it’s a great way to interact and relate to patients in need of dental rehabilitation. Implant placing is becoming the key solution to a significant ailment— edentulism, or teeth loss, which greatly impacts people physically, socially and psychologically. Although there are many options to replace missing teeth— including bridges and dentures—dental implant is considered the best alternative as it preserves bone and doesn’t require preparation of the adjacent teeth. An implant clinic is different from other dental clinics in its requirement for a holistic approach to patient care. After diagnosis and treatment planning, restoring a patient with implants requires the combined efforts of many specialties, such as surgery, prosthodontics, orthodontics and endodontics. It’s fascinating how one specialty requires the application of so many others. My clinical experience started with screening a new patient. My instructor, Cheryl Cable, [’92 BSc, ’97 DDS, ’04 MBA], showed me how to listen to that

patient, how to make her feel involved in the process, and how to look at her as a whole person instead of as a missing tooth. It was unbelievable the amount of information I needed to know about the patient that could affect the treatment and the outcome of placing an implant. I watched my instructor listening to the patient intently, observing every single move and documenting her habits, expectations, fears and wishes. I remember thinking at the time: what difference does it make to know that she has been trying for about 10 years to have a baby? Then I understood: building trust with the patient required empathy and understanding. Only after going through this elaborate process was a decision made—with the consent and approval of the patient—that she was medically and psychologically suited for an implant to replace her mandibular 1st molar (lower 1st molar). From that date on, I realized the wisdom of what my instructor went through to arrive at a sound decision that medically and psychologically suits the patient. Living and studying within more than one culture has broadened my horizons and sharpened my understanding of culture-specific considerations. To provide patients with the best outcome, we need to understand their culture, background and individuality. We need to know them as people first and patients second. — Nada Merza

Ne w Home of He alth Sciences by Christie Moncrief

photo by Michael Holly

Edmonton Clinic Health Academy’s interdisciplinary approach to teaching and research is at the leading edge of health education and research

o the kids on the west side of the Stollery Children’s Hospital it’s the Lego building. To the University of Alberta, Edmonton Clinic Health Academy (ECHA) is the realization of an extraordinary vision seven years in the making. With Canada’s health care system facing an array of complex issues—including an aging population, chronic illness and accessibility—it’s clear that significant change is needed. And the most logical place to start sustainable

transformation is from the ground up—by addressing how health science professionals are taught and how research is conducted. ECHA is a purpose-built structure designed to encourage the sharing of ideas and the creation of a community amongst health care professionals at an academic level. “There was no intuitive ‘front door’ into the health sciences academic side,” notes Jane Drummond, ’81 MSc, vice-provost for the Health Sciences Council. “I wanted this building to be that front door.” new trail winter 2012 19

Beginning in 2004—with major financial contribution from the provincial government—Drummond and the University Architect set about designing a space that would allow the University to consolidate health science faculties under one roof with convenient proximity to the Edmonton Clinic South, an outpatient centre scheduled to open in late 2012. Although it’s only five storeys high, the ECHA structure itself is colossal—623 feet from end to end— the length of over two football fields. And it should be big. Its 500,000 square feet of space can accommodate 3,400 students in 71 classrooms and theatres, and will be home to 12 health science research and education groups who will work together to improve health outcomes for all Canadians.

Student-focused “I really want students to be primary,” asserts Drummond, “so I wanted to give them quality space in this building.” In ECHA, they have just that as student spaces occupy the first three floors of the building. The Student Commons is home to 12 health science student groups and associations including the

High-tech lecture theatres can seat more than 250 students per class.

20 newtrail.ualberta.ca

Health Science Student’s Association and the SHINE Program. “It’s a great place to build a sense of camaraderie amongst the faculties,” says Cindy Luc, a secondyear pharmacy student involved with SHINE, a student-run health clinic providing a variety of free services to Edmonton’s underserved youth. “We put all of the student governance and leadership associations together. Here, they have an opportunity to learn to work together when they’re young, so that they might also work together when they’re older,” Drummond says. “We’re developing interdisciplinary leadership from the bottom up.” Situated in the southeast corner of the ground level right off the Health Sciences LRT platform—a prime traffic location—a foyer provides opportunities for student groups to promote activities and events to people entering the building. Inside the Commons, each student group has office space with access to a shared meeting area and outdoor patio. Student executives and governance were consulted in planning meaningful spaces relevant to the modern student, whose priorities were not only for study places, but social zones, too. ECHA, therefore, includes an abundance of quiet study spaces as well as separate areas where groups can gather. On the lower level, designers included, at

students’ request, an expansive Reading Room. A long, narrow, airy space lit by light-wells from the floors above, the Reading Room’s modern design incorporates intimate two-seater wooden booths along one wall and a modern concrete wall displaying art from the University’s extensive art collection. Classrooms are impressively responsive to student needs. Four 250+ -seat lecture theatres are some of the most high-tech on the U of A’s campus, offering individual hubs for students to connect personal laptops, video and audio lecture capture technology (which will provide opportunities for inter-campus learning), and eventually, Drummond says, simultaneous translation equipment valuable to the University for international events. Simulation labs will offer students practical experience to bridge their transition to caring for end-users in a real-life setting. “Nursing has the most amazing labs in here,” Drummond says of the Faculty’s large, multi-room simulation lab—a setting so clinical and state-ofthe-art you’d think you were entering a real hospital ward. Here, students tend to low- and high-fidelity mannequin “patients” in simulated clinical scenarios. Professors and instructors in adjacent rooms are able to give the mannequins a voice via microphone, communicating symptoms and responding to “treatment.”

High-fidelity mannequins in simulation labs offer students hands-on experience in a variety of medical scenarios.

left photo by Ken Mathewson; right photo by Michael Holly

Interdisciplinary Design

Health Sciences Council The Health Sciences Council (HSC) is the University of Alberta’s support mechanism for interdisciplinary health sciences education and research. The Council includes leadership from all health sciences faculties, including over 43 programs, and is chaired by Martin Ferguson-Pell, dean of Rehabilitation Medicine. The Council has academic and administrative responsibility for ECHA, and the HSC mandate is reflected in every aspect of the building’s design and governance.

In the Dentistry and Nutrition lab, 61 pull-out patient simulators—40 more units than are available at any other teaching institution in Canada—provide future dentists and dental hygienists with eerily lifelike simulation models. On the second floor, in the Health Sciences Education and Research Commons (HSERC), simulation tools like the U of A’s Standardized Patient Program offer students a chance to study various clinical scenarios in specialized rooms with patient-actors, who are trained to present with a range of conditions. Any number of medical scenarios can be recreated in 24 specialized rooms—emergency, ICU, epidemic and communicable isolation, or treatment for bariatric patients. Video recordings of simulations are taken and played back to students in debriefing rooms to further enhance practical training. “The Health Sciences Council has been delivering the interprofessional team-based curriculum for 20 years, and, here, we’re enriching it by adding a simulation lab. Nowhere else do they do this,” explains Drummond about the relationship between team learning and simulation learning spaces.

photo by Michael Holly

Research-ready ECHA’s third, fourth and fifth floors are home to the University’s health science faculties’ administration and researchers. The Interdisciplinary Health Research Academy—or “Discovery Mall”—is 25,000

square feet of space assigned to faculty research teams and the Health Sciences Council incubator program. The research spaces within the Discovery Mall are highly flexible. Researchers will have the ability to arrange spaces as their research projects evolve—moving furniture and even walls to create workspaces appropriate to their needs. Located within HSERC is the Smart Condo, a one-bedroom, fully functional, apartment-style condo developed jointly by the departments of Occupational Therapy and Industrial Design to teach and test tools for dignified aging. “The idea is to teach students what it’s like to be in a wheelchair,” says Drummond. “To test technologies to help people with various health issues live more comfortably, and research appropriate technologies to transfer into the community.”

Leading the way With state-of-the-art technologies throughout, encouragement of interdisciplinary interaction, and a sustainable design that promotes a culture of wellness, ECHA raises the bar for health science education and research on a provincial, national and international level. “I have no doubt that this facility will support scholarship that can have a lasting, positive impact,” Drummond says. “Hopefully our successes will be part of a global shift towards better health care delivery for all. I can’t imagine a more positive outcome.”

Who calls ECHA home? Medicine & Dentistry - Department of Dentistry - Department of Pediatrics - Community Engagement - Continuous Professional Learning - Medical Laboratory Science Nursing School of Public Health Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Rehabilitation Medicine - Rehab Robotics Lab Agricultural, Life & Environmental Sciences - Nutrition Health Sciences Council - Health Sciences Education and Research Commons (HSERC) - Interdisciplinary Health Research Academy (IHRA) 12 student associations and groups

Colour Code ECHA’s striking design makes it, by far, the most colourful building on campus, but might leave passersby wondering if the colours mean anything. The architects who designed the building were initially inspired by the changing colours of the prairie landscape. “I think it shows the inter-digitization of the various health disciplines,” Drummond explains of the interlocking colours, which are also carried through to interior finishes, where they are used as a method of way-finding. At the north end of the building you’ll find red lockers (just as you’ll find red glass on the outside of the building). As you walk south down the length of the building’s “main street,” locker nooks change colour to correspond with the exterior colours. Visit New Trail online for more photos and Quick Facts on ECHA.

new trail winter 2012 21

By Eliza Barlow

Inventing the Solution A group at the U of A wants to pick up the pace when it comes to inventions with practical applications

Robert Burrell: “Only one in 1,000 ideas actually becomes a commercial product.”

22 newtrail.ualberta.ca

photos by Richard Siemens

he University of Alberta has had some success in the past with good ideas hatched from University research taken to the marketplace through campus spin-off companies. Such initiatives include Onware, founded in 2002 to provide project management software; Micralyne, a company that produces Micro-Electronic-MechanicalSystems to make miniscule three-dimensional devices; and CV Technologies, whose most well-known product is ColdFX. All of these companies started at the U of A, although perhaps not in the way AiiMiT—the Alberta Initiative for Integration of Medicine and Innovative Technology—hopes they may take shape in the future. AiiMiT launched a three-prong initiative in the spring of 2010 that will look for technological developments that address health burden challenges; build careers in the health technology sector; and support researcher-industry engagement in the medical technology industry for Alberta. “Quite a bit of the research that occurs at the University is curiosity-driven,” says Robert Burrell, chair of biomedical engineering in the faculties of engineering, medicine and dentistry, and Canada Research Chair in nanostructural biomaterials. “But AiiMiT is not about curiosity-driven research. AiiMiT is about solving problems. You have a problem and you try to find a solution to that problem.” Part of the initiative behind AiiMiT—whose two sponsoring faculties are the Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine and the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry—is instigating a shift away from low-risk research to the higher-risk research crucial to breaking into the corporate world. “Only about one in 1,000 ideas actually becomes a commercial product,” notes Burrell. “So, in a sense, the research is high-risk because you’re looking for that one in 1,000 idea.”

TRLabs, TEC Edmonton and Innovates Calgary. It’s also Burrell himself is the inventor of Acticoat antimicrobial facilitating access to resources to assist with such things as wound dressings, the world’s first commercial therapeutic regulatory approvals, contract negotiation, business planning application of nanotechnology now used in over 40 countries and prototype development. around the world to prevent life-threatening infections and For now, AiiMiT has secured some initial funding to iron out promote wound healing. Burrell developed the nanostructured details and build consensus, thanks to Martin Ferguson-Pell, silver bandage—in the pre-AiiMiT era—with privately owned dean of the Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine and one of the Westaim Biomedical of Fort Saskatchewan, AB, and the U of A initiative’s main players (along with Drefs and Cy Frank,’70 Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry. BSc,’73 Dip(Ed), from the University of Calgary). By early 2012 But if Acticoat were to be invented today, it probably would it hopes to confirm funding for its next phase, which would have found its way through AiiMiT’s door. “AiiMiT will provide recruit multidisciplinary teams of what Ferguson-Pell terms balance in supporting the health technology commercialization “clinical prospectors” to visit hospitals and come up with lists of pipeline by ensuring that technology push from more basic unmet needs that could turn into possible products to develop. research is balanced by clinical or market pull identified by Clinical prospectors are tasked with spending at least clinicians, patients and family members,” says Shawn Drefs, five percent of their time actively engaged with identifying ’01 BSc, ’07 MSc, certificate program coordinator in the Faculty clinical problems that require an interdisciplinary approach of Rehabilitation Medicine and AiiMiT coordinator. and provide for the opportunity to connect universities and “By facilitating access to funding and systems, AiiMiT will industry within the province. In leverage support for technology-based other words, find real-world problems innovation with real commercial that need solutions and put the right potential,” continues Drefs. “We people together to come up with also want to facilitate industry viable and marketable solutions involvement in the earliest stages of to those problems. “Call it clinical development.” prospecting for unmet needs,” says “It can be valuable for students to Drefs. work in an industrial environment,” Convening and sponsorship of says Ernst Bergmann, director of forums are also in AiiMiT’s bailiwick. health technology development in the To that end AiiMiT held its first forum faculties of engineering and medicine in August 2010 and its second in & dentistry. “We are not benefitting as April of 2011. The forums are meant much as we could be from the input to bring people together to address that industry can provide.” AiiMiT’s primary concern—finding Jim Rikley, president of Associated technological solutions for real Health Systems, agrees. “We [in health burden challenges. The first industry] are actually out there in the forum presented on Narcotic Induced trenches. We see what’s happening Respiratory Arrest: A problem and we can translate that back to Martin Ferguson-Pell: mining for “clinical prospectors.” looking for an innovative solution organizations like the University,” he and Rehabilitation Challenges of the says. He adds that university research Bariatric Patient. The second forum done without consultation with focused on specifying clinical problems that require real-time industry “may not match with what the market actually needs.” spatial modeling and measurement of location. And that’s where inventions get stalled or even shelved. Drefs encourages alumni to attend these forums where they “Inventing something and assuming it will somehow get might be inspired to volunteer as mentors or they could bring developed is naive,” says Bergmann, noting that it typically forward potential clinical problems that might be met by a takes 20 years for a new invention to reach the hands of technological solution. patients. “We need to get our system more aligned with the For now, no one knows where the next big thing is going to reality of what it takes to put technology into the hands of come from and anyone’s idea is as good as anyone else’s—as patients and on the market.” long as it has a practical application. “It could be anything,” Drefs notes that AiiMiT is already working with notes Burrell, “from ‘we need a new heart-lung machine’ to ‘if organizations in the innovation pathway to vet and screen you change the position of this button it would make things projects, identifying those with the highest probability of easier for the nurses.’ ” success. These organizations include Biovantage, Clinexus,

new trail winter 2012 23

India Staggering economic growth and an abundance of talented young minds (half of the country’s 1.21 billion population are under the age of 25) have positioned India as a priority nation for many Canadian universities, including the University of Alberta. There are around 500 Indian students studying at the U of A, about 75 academic staff with ties to India, and 11 research agreements and memorandums of understanding with Indian institutions and organizations. There are also various scholarships available specifically for new undergraduate students coming from India. Here, we take a look at some of the University’s many connections to this rapidly growing nation.

partnerships

research

The University of Alberta Research Internship Program was launched in February 2011 with Indian institutions IIT Bombay, IIT Kharagpur and the University of Hyderabad. In 2011, 22 students from partner institutions were accepted to the program, with the majority hosted by the Faculty of Engineering. There were also 29 Indian interns accepted to the U of A under the MITACS Globalink program, and 30 interns from Gujarat Technical University funded by Geoglobal—a Calgary company helmed by CEO Paul Miller, ’98 BSc. Ties are being strengthened with the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)—Bombay through a $200,000 International Research Partnership signed in 2009. Activities include faculty workshops, internships at U of A for IIT Bombay students, and visits by IIT Bombay professors. For four summers, the Petrotech Society, comprised of the top oil and gas companies in India, has sent a group of executives and R&D division leaders to Canada for a one-week training program organized by the U of A’s School of Business. These “Industry Education Tours” offer up a series of on-site mini-forums where participants visit advanced, industry-focused, unconventional energy research or production sites to discuss current and potential developments in energy sources.

Professors Kamaljit Kaur and Mavanur Suresh from the Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences are two of five researchers who joined Thomas Thundat, an engineering professor and a Canada Excellence Research Chair, to find a way to develop low-cost medical devices for health monitoring. A joint workshop at the Indian Institute of Technology—Bombay (organized with support from the Canadian and Indian governments as well as the U of A) proved successful with researchers collaborating for future projects. An ambitious $4.9 million project managed in partnership by the Faculty of Agricultural, Life & Environmental Sciences and India’s MS Swaminathan Research Foundation will aim to alleviate poverty and malnutrition in three rural communities in India. An ALES research team—composed of professors Nat Kav, Brent Swallow, Ellen Goddard and Miles Dyck, ’08 PhD, as well as three ALES graduate students and their counterparts from the MS Swaminathan Foundation—are introducing intercropping, the practice of planting multiple crops in the same area. Plants that require different nutrients or different sunlight conditions can share farmland, increase diversity and be more resilient against pests.

events In 2010, Chelsea Halvorson, ’10 BA(Aug), and former student Lindsey Lindballe took part in the biennial Augustana Tour of India, which included visits to New Delhi, Amritsar, Agra, Jaipur, Vadodara, Hyderabad, and Kochi—a train journey covering more than 5,300 km in 28 days. Every other year Augustana offers the three-week summer study tour, which focuses on the intersection of religion and development. Some of the students’ experience is showcased in a YouTube music video called “Poker Train” written by and featuring Lindballe and Halvorson. Augustana’s next summer study tour of India departs in July 2012.

24 newtrail.ualberta.ca

alumni Tania Spilchen, ’01 BSc, founded One! International Poverty Relief, a volunteer organization working toward the betterment of life in Mumbai, specifically through education programs for children. Following a university internship in India, Spilchen began by teaching eight children from a small slum area in Khar Danda, a suburb of Mumbai. Today, One! has grown to 10 full-time and part-time teacher/social worker staff in India, along with additional staff and volunteers from all over the world, including Edmonton songstress Erica Viegas, ’06 BCom. Viegas’ experience teaching street children inspired her song “Thank You.” The song is downloadable online and a portion of the proceeds from the album are donated to One! International.

students The Indian Students’ Association has grown to over 300 members since its inception in 1991. Led by current president Vishal Vaidya—himself hailing from Pune—ISA provides a network of support for Indian students, including airport pickup for students new to Edmonton.

facult y Sushanta Mitra, is an associate professor in the U of A’s Department of Mechanical Engineering and is the director of the Micro and Nano-scale Transport Laboratory (MNT) located at the National Institute for Nanotechnology. MNT conducts studies related to transport processes, which are occurring at micro and nano-scale levels for various engineering applications. Mitra is the lead faculty member on the India Regional Council, and, together with Thomas Thundat, is the lead on the new Indian Faculty Association. He was also recently named a Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers—a distinction reserved for those whose work provides “solutions that benefit mankind.” Regula Burckhardt Qureshi, director of the U of A Centre for Ethnomusicology, is a specialist in South Asian, Islamic and Canadian musical practices. Qureshi—who first discovered Hindustani music in Lucknow—is currently the U of A’s representative for the Shastri IndoCanadian Institute.

Tajikistan

Afganistan China

JAMMU & KASHMIR AMRITSAR

HIMACHAL PRADESH

Pakistan

PUNJAB

UTTARAKHAND

NEW DELHI

ARUNACHAL PRADESH

HARYANA AGRA LUCKNOW

JAIPUR

Nepal

SIKKIM

ASSAM

Bhutan

ASSAM

RAJASTHAN

UTTAR PRADESH

MEGHALAYA

BIHAR

Bangladesh KOLKATA

JHARKHAND

VADODARA

GUJARAT

TRIPURA

MANIPUR MIZORAM

KHARAGPUR WEST

MADHYA PRADESH

BENGAL

Myanmar (Burma)

CHHATTISGARH

MUMBAI

NAGALAND

ORISSA

MAHARASHTRA

KORAPUT

PUNE

HYDERABAD

GOA

ANDHRA PRADESH

B a y

o f

B e n g a l

KARNATAKA

WAYANAD

ANDAMAN AND NICOBAR ISLANDS

KOLLI HILLS

KOCHI

PUDUCHERRY TAMIL NADU

LAKSHADWEEP

Andaman Sea

Sea ive cad Lac

Maldives

KERALA

Sri Lanka

I n d i a n

O c e a n

Visit New Trail online for more web exclusive U of A connections with India.

Indonesia

new trail winter 2012 25

Angeline Letendre,

’91 Dip(Nu), ’99 BSc(Nu), ’08 PhD,

health researcher, nurse and U of A adjunct professor, talks with grad student Lucila Triador about the health challenges facing Aboriginal communities across Canada and how we might address them. You were the first Aboriginal person to graduate from the PhD nursing program at the University of Alberta. What role did your culture play in your decision to enter health care? When I was a kid I spent a lot of time with my grandparents who are from a Métis community west of Edmonton [Lac St. Anne], and I always knew there were things about my community, my culture and my family that were really important. The majority of Aboriginal people—whether you are First Nations, Métis, Inuit or Dené—think about things from a perspective of being an important part of a collective, and the well-being of that collective. From my perspective, the more educated people you have [in your community], the more people you have in decision-making roles, the more say you are going to have.

All of my graduate work, undergraduate work and nursing were largely focused on improving the health of Aboriginal people. We are all humans, we all need love, we all need acceptance, we all need to be safe, we all need to have good health; but there has to be acknowledgment and awareness that Aboriginal people have a different world view. Working with Aboriginal populations requires engagement, relationship building and trust. 26 newtrail.ualberta.ca

photo by Richard Siemens

Previously, you were associate director of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research’s Institute of Aboriginal Peoples’ Health [IAPH]— what did you learn from your work there?

When I first went to work with Dr. [Malcolm] King, the scientific director of IAPH, he wanted to go back to the Aboriginal community to learn what directions the Institute should be going in and focusing on in relation to health and health research. We carried out a national dialogue process with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis elders, youth, health practitioners and Aboriginal researchers. In carrying out this process, we came to understand on a much deeper level the diversity and uniqueness of Aboriginal people across the country. I’m very proud of that.

What are some of the major health issues affecting Aboriginal communities today? Access to culturally appropriate care is a big one. Another is the environment that many contemporary Aboriginal people are growing up in. There is more poverty, lower levels of education, higher levels of smoking. If you have a young mother of five who is a newly diagnosed diabetic and she’s never had a home-cooked meal in her life, as a nurse or health care practitioner, where do you begin?

Is lack of access to clean drinking water in Aboriginal communities having a detrimental effect on Aboriginal health? I’m not an expert on the subject, but how could it not? Clean water is a basic need—it’s the main element of which our bodies are made. The implications on your health and wellness are massive. It’s not only a physical need, there’s also a mental, emotional and spiritual need and purpose for water. If you don’t have clean water, you don’t have the wildlife, the plants—those things that are part of your sustenance.

How do you think health care providers and governments should begin to address health issues affecting Aboriginals? There are unique needs in every Aboriginal community. You can’t take one formula and plant it on top of everyone and expect it to work. Aboriginal people look at health through a ‘holistic lens.’ They have their own healers, their own philosophies on health and wellness. The teachings from elders and healers—the idea of the community as a living, breathing, moving, changing organism—influence how you approach their health care. We are starting to gain capacity in Aboriginal health research by communities themselves, who are developing their own research protocols and ethics. It’s about empowerment. The potential resources within the Aboriginal community are phenomenal and if they are recognized, supported and nurtured, then all Canadians will benefit, not just Aboriginal people.

What advice would you give to current students in health sciences who want to pursue a career in Aboriginal health care? One of the things that I try to teach students is when we make assumptions of each other it will affect the choices we give those people in any area of life. The main thing is for people to respect each other. Health care is a rich and challenging field to work in, and we need to think and act on a human level before we can see any real improvement. To learn more about the Canadian Institute of Aboriginal Health Research, visit www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca.

Aboriginal Nursing Initiative Through the Faculty of Nursing’s Global Nursing Office, the Aboriginal Nursing Initiative engages students and faculty in local and national community projects and partnerships that promote the health of First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples. Six seats in the nursing program are designated to Aboriginal students pursuing careers in health care. The Aboriginal Health Careers Strategy Committee recently recognized three U of A Faculty of Nursing students for promoting nursing careers in Aboriginal communities: Ashley Deschambeault Heritage: Métis Hometown: Fort Vermillion, AB “My bond with the Aboriginal culture guided me in my pursuit to a career in the health care profession” Jackie Mitchell Heritage: First Nations Status Indian Hometown: Edmonton, AB “One decision to pursue a career in nursing has evolved into infinite opportunities” Ingrid Ekomiak Heritage: Inuk Hometown: Chisasibi, QC “I hope to make many positive differences in people’s lives, especially with the Aboriginal population and I believe that nursing provides the perfect opportunity.”

Interviewer Lucila Triador is an international student from Argentina working towards her master’s degree in Human Nutrition in the Department of Agricultural, Food & Nutritional Science. Her research aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a garden-based nutrition education intervention by measuring changes in attitudes and preferences toward fruits and vegetables in Cree schoolchildren from Alexander First Nation community.

To learn more about the Faculty of Nursing’s Aboriginal Nursing Initiative, visit www.nursing. ualberta.ca/GlobalNursingOffice. new trail winter 2012 27

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It’s Been a Great Run

New Trail sits down to talk with Brian Heidecker, outgoing Chairman of the U of A Board of Governors

photo by richard siemens

s you might be detecting,” says Brian Heidecker, as he rubs his hands together and cracks a mischievous grin, “I’m a tad competitive.” The two-term outgoing Chair of the Board of Governors’ competitive nature was satisfied in 2010 when four Canada Excellence Research Chairs were awarded to the University of Alberta, more than any other university in the country. The Chairs were created by

the federal government in 2008 to allow Canadian universities to attract the world’s most accomplished academics to their respective institutions. For a non-alumnus, Heidecker’s devotion to the U of A runs deep. And, as he points out, as a former Alberta school board trustee and school board chairman, he’s shown his passion for education over “many, many years.” As for the Board of Governors, he spent six years as a board member and five-and-a-

half as chair. “But we’re not just talking about the last 11-and-a-half years,” he says. “I started volunteering at the University in 1983, so I’m now in my 28th year—and I haven’t got tenure yet,” he grins. The post that Heidecker is leaving is, like the president’s and the chancellor’s, time limited. The president is hired for a five-year term and can only renew once. The chancellor, board members and board chair are appointed for three new trail winter 2012 29

U of A President Indira Samarasekera with Heidecker.

during Heidecker’s time on the Board. “There’s an enormous business operation there that’s very important to keep the academic and research programs going,” he says. “It’s that operation the Board spends most of its time at.” In Heidecker’s case, that time involved working upwards of 20-hours per week. “My back-story is this,” he says, “I spend a third of my time at the University, a third of my time travelling, and a third of my time gardening—and that’s not likely to

A “competitive” Heidecker during last year’s record-breaking Campus Cup Dodgeball game.

30 newtrail.ualberta.ca

change. I’m looking forward to the next step in my very failed retirement plans.” Heidecker “retired” after a successful career as a rancher in Coronation, AB. “My late wife and I set up an operation there in 1966 and I sold the first 8,000 acres in 2000 and the other 8,500 acres in 2006. We had about 6,500 head of cattle.” By any standards, that’s a very impressive spread covering an area of over 66 square kilometres (25.7 square miles)—bigger than Manhattan.

Heidecker poses in his award-winning garden.

top photo by richard siemens; bottom left photo by michael holly

years and can also only renew once. The chair and the chancellor are unpaid, voluntary postings. The chair is the senior spokesperson for the Board and one of three senior spokespeople for the University—the president and the chancellor being the other two. About 90 percent of the activities of the University are delegated to the Board who, in turn, are the ones that hire the president, evaluate her performance and set the budgets. “So as the chair,” says Heidecker, “it’s my responsibility to make sure that all of those processes are carried out in a very efficient manner and that the administration is putting a great plan forward. We monitor, we check, we balance. Anybody who knows me knows that I always ask: What’s the game plan? Where are we going and why are we going there? Who’s doing what when? What’s it going to cost?” There’s understandably a lot of checking and balancing when you’re dealing with a consolidated budget of $1.6 billion, 14,000 employees, 40,000 students, in excess of $536 million in research last year and $2.5 billion worth of capital construction and major renovations

It takes a lot of business savvy to successfully run an operation of that size and that knowledge is something Heidecker brought to the table as Board Chair. “Individuals such as myself,” says Heidecker, “bring the best management practices out of the private sector and adapt them for the University culture.” As for what he feels are the major accomplishments of the Board of Governors during his tenure as member and chair, Heidecker lists four: One: “We received a perfectly clean audit from the Auditor General of Alberta this year. It’s most unusual for any large organization to get a clean audit, but for a university to get one is quite remarkable—that’s the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval.” Two: “The cranes. Construction has added an enormous amount of capacity to the University. It represents an unprecedented investment in post-secondary education and in society.” Three: “The whole senior administrative team that we’ve been able to assemble. High quality, high-performing senior administrators come from an extremely limited talent pool and we have what I consider to be the dream team in Canada, if not North America.” Four: “Telling the University’s story. I’ll use the centenary as an example. I think we did an outstanding job of telling that story in 2008. We moved the University up a notch.” Moving the University up is something Heidecker’s been passionate about for nearly three decades, and he’s not about to just ride off into the sunset as might befit a former rancher. Edmonton is his home and he’s staying put, pointing out that he lived in the country for most of his early life and now it’s time for city life. As for what his role might be in relation to the University, he says he’s open to suggestions but doesn’t have anything lined up at the moment. “I know an awful lot of people at the University and they know my skill sets, so if there’s something I can do or help with they can ask and I’ll consider.” The biggest thing he’ll miss about the job is “the fabulous people you meet and work with on a daily basis. That’s why there doesn’t need to be any cash compensation, the psychic pay is astronomical.” He’ll also miss his advocacy work with the various levels of government from civic to provincial to federal. “I really enjoyed selling the University’s business cases to the various ministers of advanced education and getting the funding,” he says. “That’s the part I’ll probably miss most. “It’s been a great run and I’ve enjoyed every minute of it. It’s an opportunity very few people get and hopefully I’ve added some value. But,” he adds, “the best before date applies to more than milk. When you’re at the top of your game it’s a good time to move on to other things.”

Centennial Lectures January 16, 2012 A public presentation Why is it so difficult to keep weight off—and why do so many people put on excess weight in the first place? The answers may be more complex than you think. Come hear what researchers in the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry are doing to address the obesity epidemic.

Dr. Arya Sharma

Dr. Bill Colmers

Lectures 5:00 p.m. Allard Family Lecture Theatre Katz Group Centre for Pharmacy & Health Research 87 Avenue & 114 Street

med.ualberta.ca

new trail winter 2012 31

Here comes

Santa Claus Stuff Your Stocking with Alumni Pride From key chains and leather satchels to windbreakers and T-shirts, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s something for every green and gold grad in your life. Visit the Bookstores downtown, at Augustana and at North Campus for full selection.

Put a Dream Under The Tree There are exotic destinations around the world throughout the calendar year offered through the Educated Traveller program, beginning from $2,500. An Alumni Travel experience is the gift of a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Visit www.ualberta.ca/alumni/travel.

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Give Back

Dig out that old green folder and treat the parchment right. Honour your loved oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s scholarly efforts by framing their degree. Starting at $69.95, frames can be ordered directly from www.ualberta.ca/alumni/frames or in person at any U of A Bookstore or the Alumni Affairs Office.

Scholarships, global education and groundbreaking research at the U of A all benefit from the generosity of our alumni. Please consider making a gift to your alma mater in your name or in honour of someone else. For more information on the difference you can make, visit www.giving.ualberta.ca

1-800-661-2593 | 780-492-3224

FOLLOWING THE FOOTS TEPS OF U N I V E R S I T Y O F A L B E R TA A LU M N I

ive years ago a new program was introduced at the U of A’s Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry. Initiated by Verna Yiu, ’84 BMS, ’86 MD, and Pamela Brett-MacLean, the

Arts & Humanities in Health & Medicine (AHHM) program recognizes the many relationships that exist between the arts, humanities, social sciences and medicine, while also acknowledging that clinical

practice is both an art and a science. In fact, as part of their Hippocratic oath, medical students pledge to remember that there is “an art to medicine as well as science.” Jonathan White, a surgeon at Edmonton’s Royal Alexandra Hospital, says, “It’s hard to put your finger on what the art of medicine is, but you know it when you see it. The great mistake we make in medical school is to talk about “them” and “us”—patient and physician. The secret is there’s no them and us, there’s just us, and if you’ve forgotten that, you’ve forgotten the art of medicine.” While the art of medicine may be hard to pin down, the art on this page (titled “Yawner”) was created by Kaisu Koski, a visiting post-doctoral fellow with the AHHM program from the University of Leiden—the oldest university in the Netherlands. “It is a self-portrait, and an image of an image,” she says. “I photographed my video image that was projected on a pile of medicine tablets. “It is inspired by the yawner tradition, vivid in the Netherlands. The yawner is an ancient symbol of the pharmaceutical branch, stemming from an era when most people were illiterate. To me, the image also illustrates the fragmented body image that medicine and pharmaceutical sciences sometimes maintain.” To see a video production from AHHM that asks the question, what does the phrase “the art of medicine mean to you?,” or to learn more about the yawner tradition, go to www.newtrail.ualberta.ca.

Yawner: Photograph, 20” x 30”

new trail winter 2012 33

alumni events ONGOING EVENTS IN EDMONTON TED Talks Spend an inspiring lunch hour with TED Talks, the last Wednesday of every month. Listen to some of the world’s most fascinating thinkers and doers as they present the talk of their lives in 18 minutes. Series runs through April 2012. Educated Luncheon Lunch and learn at a new downtown lecture series featuring a variety of U of A faculty members. Held the second Wednesday of each month and running until April 2012, the series includes a catered lunch. Educated Reel Calling all movie fans: Join fellow alumni each month at the Metro Cinema for a screening of an independent film and mainstream movie followed by a thought-provoking discussion from the filmmakers and U of A experts. Educated Critic Foray into the arts this spring by attending performances by the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, Alberta Ballet and Studio Theatre. Each performance will be accompanied by expert discussion to inform and enhance your theatre-going experience. Educated Gardener Go green—learn about sustainable approaches to gardening from masters in the field. Walk away with know-how to further enhance your own garden —be it on the balcony or on the farm.

AROUND THE WORLD February 7, 2012 – Edmonton Dental hygiene alumni are invited to join the Dental Hygiene Alumni Chapter at a Continuing Education Seminar. Go to www.ualberta.ca/alumni/dhcecourse for more information and to register. February 25, 2012 – Phoenix Alumni in Arizona are invited to the annual Alumni Brunch at the Paradise Valley Country Club. March 4, 2012 – Edmonton Bundle up the family and head down to Hawrelak Park for Cabane à Sucre. Traditional Francophone activities will include la tire (maple syrup on snow), sleigh rides, skating, snowshoeing and more. For more information on this free event, visit www.ualberta.ca/alumni/family. March 9, 2012 – Vancouver All DDS alumni are invited to join colleagues at the Dental Alumni Association Reception held at the Pan Pacific Hotel in Vancouver during the Pacific Dental Conference. March 17, 2012 – Edmonton Pharmacy graduates, students and families can cheer on their teams at the second annual Alumni vs. Students Hockey Game at Clare Drake Arena. Can the 2012 students redeem themselves? April 7, 2012 – Edmonton Bring the whole family back to campus this spring for the annual Easter Egg Hunt Eggstravaganza. Children can hunt for eggs and participate in many other fun family activities. April 16 & 17, 2012 – Victoria/Vancouver Catch up with fellow alumni in the area over breakfast and coffee at one of these Annual Brunches. May 8, 2012 – New York Alumni in the Big Apple will enjoy a performance by the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra when they perform at the legendary Carnegie Hall. For more information about events outside of Edmonton visit us online, or e-mail john.perrino@ualberta.ca. Calgary RED DEER

Fort McMurray Lethbridge Toronto

SEATTLE

New York

San Francisco

CHICAGO

Los Angeles Houston

DALLAS

Hong Kong

THE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION IN YOUR CITY The Alumni Association has more than 50 active branches that extend the boundaries of the University community to the far reaches of the province, the country and the world. We’re planning networking parties, family activities, receptions and celebrations worldwide this winter and spring. Look for us in:

For more events and up-to-date information, subscribe to e-trail, the Alumni Association’s monthly electronic magazine, at www.ualberta.ca/alumni/e-trail. 34 newtrail.ualberta.ca

JAPAN

For more details and to register for these and other Alumni Association events and programs, visit us online at www.ualberta.ca/alumni/events.

1. The Civil Engineering Class of 1961 was one of many classes to celebrate a milestone reunion at Alumni Weekend 2011. Photo by: David Bloom 2. Young alumni enjoyed Supernova signature cocktails, music, observatory tours and rocket launches at the Stargazer party, new to Alumni Weekend this year. Photo by: Ken Mathewson 3. Msgr. Felix Otterson was one of 16 recipients of an Alumni Honour Award at the 2011 Alumni Recognition Awards held during Alumni Weekend. Pictured here are: (L – R) back row: Gil Mather, ’67 BPE, ’69 Dip(Ed); Archbishop Joseph MacNeil, ’82 LLD(Honorary); second row: Marjorie Mather, ’67 BSc(Pharm), ’77 BEd; Lorraine Hiebert; Mildred Weber, ’80 BEd; Jeanne Barlage, Al Barlage, David Weber, ’65 BEd, ’66 BA; third row: Evelyn Chyzowski; Reverend Felix Otterson, ’44 BA, ’49 Dip(Ed), ’53 BEd; JoAnne Snihurowich; front row: Ed Levasseur, ’67 BEd; and Alice Lafleur-Levasseur, ’69 BA, ’71 BEd. Missing from photo is Horace Chyzowski, ’67 BA. Photo by: Akemi Matsubuchi 4. Ryan Parker, ’08 BFA, and his band The Be Arthurs provided musical entertainment in the Big Top Tuck Shop tent during Alumni Weekend. Photo by: Sam Brooks 5. Ron and Elaine Rojotte, ’59 BA, ’61 BEd, ’82 Dip(Ed), cut a rug at the Alumni Dinner & Dance. Photo by: Sam Brooks 6. Dental Hygiene Class of ’66 Reunion (L-R): Sharon Compton, ’80 Dip(DentHyg), ’02 PhD; Paulette Schulte (Bietz), ’66 Dip(DentHyg); Caroline Cook, ’66 Dip(DentHyg); Betty Holthe, ’66 Dip(DentHyg); Betty Anne Ross, ’66 Dip(DentHyg); Myrna Graham (Swanson), ’66 Dip(DentHyg); Julie Morin, ’09 Dip(DentHyg), ’10 BSc(DentHyg). Photo by: Helen Massini, ’99 BSc, ’03 Dip(DentHyg) 7. Claire Martin, ’95 BSc, receives her Distinguished Alumni Award from President Indira Samarasekera. Photo by: Akemi Matsubuchi

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1940s

’44 Blanch Howard (Machon), BSc, writes: “As Gordon McLure [’40 BSc(Eng)] wrote in the Autumn edition of New Trail, a few of us from the distant ’40s are still active alumni. My seventh book, Dreaming in a Digital World, has just been published as an e-book and I am currently working on a new novel. New Trail does a great service in prodding our memories about those productive early days at the U of A.”

1960s

’62 Larry Peterson, BEd, ’64 MSc, has been appointed professor emeritus at the University of Guelph. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and is the recipient of two Lawson Medals from the Canadian Botanical Association, one for Research Excellence and a second for the book Teaching Plant Anatomy Through Creative Laboratory Exercises, authored with Carol Peterson, ’62 BSc, ’64 MSc, and L.H. Melville. Larry recently completed a 12-year term as editor of Botany (formerly the Canadian Journal of Botany), and a three-year term as the first president of the International Mycorrhiza Society. ’63 Juliet McMaster, MA, ’65 PhD, ’09 DLitt (Honorary), has published Crossing Canada

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’47 Mickey Hajash, BSc(Eng), was awarded the prestigious United Way of Canada André Mailhot Award in April 2011. The award recognizes exemplary commitment of a United Way volunteer to community, philanthropy and the United Way Movement. An active board member and volunteer to the United Way for 24 years, Mickey and his family have given over $500,000 to the organization’s Greater Victoria Chapter, and Mickey’s personal fundraising efforts have generated over $3 million for the community. Mickey received a Volunteer of the Year Award in 1993, and was made an Honorary Life Member of the Victoria United Way in 1997.

’49 Helen Liss Smart, Dip(Ed), recently reported that she has published a book called Lord Save Me From Taft, a true account of her struggles as she moved from a remote homestead in Northern Alberta to the desert town of Taft, CA. For further information visit www.shorelinepress.ca.

1907: The Diary of Hope Hook, the story of a 15-year-old English girl who voyaged with her parents across the Atlantic to seek out land in Western Canada. The entire transcription and compilation of the document was completed with the help of four graduate students—three studying English, one studying History. ’64 James Anderson, BEd, and his wife, Diane, ’65, BEd, just returned from an extended tour of Australia and Vietnam. James is also pleased to announce his publication of BC’s Magnificent Parks: A Centennial History, to celebrate the anniversary of the establishment of British Columbia’s first provincial park in 1911. Now retired to Victoria, BC, James was a senior public servant with the BC Government in Parks, Agriculture and Fisheries.

’64 Mac D. Campbell, BA, reports that after graduation he went on to complete graduate work in Economics, an MBA and a corporate finance executive program at Harvard. Mac also notes that he sang with the Richard Eaton Choir for three years. ’66 Tom Radford, BA—iconic Alberta filmmaker and 2011 Distinguished Alumni Award-winner— took home a Gemini award in August for Code Breakers, in the category of Best Science, Technology, Nature, Environment or Adventure Documentary Program. The film, which investigates a new theory that the first people to arrive in the Americas came by boat rather than over the Bering Bridge, first aired last January on CBC’s The Nature of Things. The film is partly based on the research of U of A

anthropologist Andrzej Weber. Radford produced and directed the film with his partner, Niobe Thompson, a former Killam Post-doctoral Fellow in Anthropology at the U of A. ’67 Rudi Unterthiner, MD, published a book called Faces, Souls, and Painted Crows. The fictional autobiography chronicles the story of Dr. Paul Reiter, torn between his work as a cosmetic surgeon in Hollywood and his true calling as a healer to the natives of Mexico’s Baja region until his wife teaches him about the power of forgiveness and the true connection between faces and souls. ’68 M. Ann Hall, MA, a U of A professor emeritus, writes from Edmonton to say she is writing a biography of Geneva Misener (pictured here) who was the first female professor hired at the University of Alberta in 1913—she retired in 1944. “A biography of this remarkable woman is long overdue,” Ann says. Misener was a classicist who taught primarily Greek and Latin and also gave courses in the social and economic history of Greece and Rome, Ancient History, Greek and Roman political thought, and Ancient Art. As the Advisor to Women Students, she took a lively interest in their well-being on campus and encouraged their activities through sports and the now-defunct Wauneita Society. A strong advocate of women’s higher education, she was a founding member of the Canadian Federation of University Women and an active member of many other women’s organizations. If you have any memories of Professor Misener or anecdotes you would like to share, e-mail ahall@ualberta.ca or call 780-439-1574.

’69 Betty Jane Hegerat (Harke), BA, published her fourth book in spring 2011. The Boy (Oolichan Books) is a blend of fiction, investigative journalism, memoir and metafiction woven around the murders of the Raymond Cook family in Stettler, AB, in 1959. Betty completed a master’s of Social Work at the U of C in 1973, and after leaving a career in social work to pursue a lifelong interest in writing, completed an MFA in Creative Writing at UBC in 2008. She writes and teaches creative writing in Calgary.

1970s

’71 Dan Vandermeulen, BA, ’76 Dip(Ed), ’87 MEd, former Northern Lakes College president, accepted a new position with the Government of Nunavut as deputy minister of the Department of the Executive. ’72 Craig Roskin, BCom, was awarded the 2010 Fellowship Award by the Advertising Club of Edmonton. Craig was selected by a committee of past presidents of the club. ’75 Kenna Mary McKinnon (aka MacDonald, Wild), BA, writes: “I’m a freelance writer and amateur photographer living in Edmonton. I’ve also owned a home-based medical transcription business since 1999. Memories of the U of A are rewarding, as I received a lot of inspiration and help from profs, staff

’75 Pauline Le Bel, BMus, has released her fifth CD, Deep Fun, her first collection of amusing songs. After a lively career as a torch and blues singer, Pauline decided it was time to burst out laughing. For more information visit www.paulinelebel.com.

and students there. I’ve lived successfully with schizophrenia since my graduation year. Life is good. You might be interested in checking out my blogs at kenna-thescribe.blogspot.com or kenna-differentfolks.blogspot.com.” ’75 Ging Wei Wong, BSc, recently concluded a career of over 35 years in Air Traffic Services, serving in Inuvik, Tuktoyaktuk, High Level and finally the Edmonton International Airport. He is now an associate producer of a two-part documentary film called Lost Years with fellow alumni Tom Radford, ’66 BA, and Kenda Gee, ’82 BA.

‘78 Colleen Stewart Haynes, Dip(Nu), ‘88 BSc(Nu), writes: “It’s never too late to go back to school. I recently earned an MA in Professional Communication through Royal Roads University and found it to be an incredibly rich and valuable experience. I currently work for Grant MacEwan University as a nurse educator, specializing in psych/ mental health. Over the past 10 years, I have had a number of feature articles published, including two stories in a nursing anthology. My goal is to retire into writing full-time and I have a book in the works. If anyone would like to get in touch, please e-mail me at cls03@shaw.ca.”

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1980s

’80 Jay Corder, BSc, writes: “I am enjoying retirement in Oakville, ON, and fill my time as program director for The Oakville Strokers, a community charity offering an aquatic, social and recreational program for stroke victims.” Visit New Trail online to view an informational video on the group. ’80 Lorna Crozier, MA, a celebrated poet and esteemed mentor, was appointed as an Officer of the Order of Canada in June 2011. The title of Officer recognizes a lifetime of achievement, especially in service to Canada or to humanity at large. ’80 Cheryl Olinyk-Semeniuk, BSc(Pharm), writes in to say that her daughter—Danica Semeniuk, ’11 BEd—is the most recent U of A grad in her family that also includes her father, Nickol Olinyk, ’51 Dip(Ed), ’52 BSc, ’55 BEd. ’82 Kenda Gee, BA, is the producer/director of Lost Years, an epic documentary mini-series which premiered this past summer on CBC. The series, exploring the history of the Chinese in Canada and abroad, is based on 12 years of research that Kenda undertook with co-producer/director Tom Radford, ’66 BA. The documentary will be distributed internationally to China, New Zealand and the U.S. For more information visit www.lostyears.ca. ’82 Amanda Le Rougetel, BA, writes: “In April 2011, I became a fulltime instructor of communication at Red River College in Winnipeg. I enjoy teaching students in a variety of programs ranging from engineering to animal health technology and from technical writing to early childhood education. I hope that I might inspire one or two students in the ways that some of my U of A professors inspired me—

’83 Marv Machura, BA, ’90 MEd, recently released his fourth CD titled I Want You. An Alberta-based singersongwriter, Marv’s music is a roots-based mix of rock, blues, country and folk. For more information visit www.marvmachura.com.

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Philip Knight (French literature), Jo Ann Creore (linguistics) and Anita Holden (translation), to name just a few.” ’83 Stephen Kerr, BCom, ’96 MBA, ’00 PhD, reports he was recently tenured and promoted to associate professor of accounting at Bradley University in Peoria, IL. ’83 Pauline Quaghebeur, BA, recently returned from a posting to Canadian Defense Liaison Staff in London, UK, and is now the Wing Administration Officer at 12 Wing in Shearwater, NS. ’84 Shirley Goutbeck, BEd, ’00 MEd, writes that she has retired after 27 of years teaching. She looks forward to spending time gardening, reading, travelling and expanding her horizons by learning new things. ’85 Patricia Bowne, PhD, has sold a fantasy trilogy about academic life in the demonology department of a modern university. The first volume, Advice From Pigeons, was published online in February. Visit www.raosyth.com for more information. ’86 Hemi Thaker, BSc, president and chief executive officer of Anue Systems Inc., was recognized in June as Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year 2011 for the Central Texas region. ’87 Daryl Venance, BEd, writes: “For the past 24 years I have taught secondary science and mathematics. I have been a part-time assessment specialist for Buffalo Trail Public Schools for the past five years, and assistant principal at Kitscoty High School for two years.” ’87 Roderick Facey, BSc, ’92 MSc, ’99 PhD, has recently assumed the position of vice-president of engineered solutions with Gemini Corporation. Roderick has been employed with Gemini since 2004 and has been actively involved in the development of Gemini’s client base and the delivery of engineering services. ’88 Joaquin Madrenas, MSc, ’92 PhD, reports that he has moved to Montreal to become professor and chairman of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at McGill University. Joaquin notes: “My family and I are loving every minute of this exciting move!” Previously, Joaquin spent 16 years as professor and Canada Research Chair in Immunobiology at the University of Western Ontario and head of Immunology at the Robarts Research Institute in London, ON. ’89 Joe Norris, PhD, won the American Educational Research Association’s Qualitative Research Special Interest Group’s 2011 Outstanding Book Award for his book Playbuilding as Qualitative Research: A Participatory Arts-Based Approach.

1990s

’90 Robert N. Friedland, LLB, reports that his novel, The Second Wedding of Doctor Geneva Song, was published in October. For more information visit www.libroslibertad.ca. ’92 Suzette Mayr, MA, had her book, Monoceros, longlisted for the $50,000 Scotiabank Giller Prize, Canada’s most distinguished literary prize for Canadian novels or short story collections published in English. Monoceros follows a number of characters after the suicide of a gay teen at a Catholic high school. The Globe and Mail refers to it as an “imaginative, quirky and emotionally devastating” novel.

’92 Vern Thiessen, MFA, former U of A playwriting instructor, was nominated for a 2011 Governor General’s Literary Award for Lenin’s Embalmers, a black comedy recounting the true story of the two men directed by Soviet leader Joseph Stalin to embalm Vladimir Lenin, leader of the Russian Revolution, upon his death in 1924. This was Vern’s second nomination for the award, which he won in 2003 for Einstein’s Gift. One of Canada’s most-produced playwrights, Vern’s plays—also including Shakespeare’s Will, Apple and an adaptation of Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights—have been produced in major Canadian and American centres, and even in Europe and Asia. ’96 Peter Pachal, BSc, was appointed news director for PCMag.com in New York City.

’98 E. Paul Zehr, PhD, writes from Victoria, BC, to say that he’s recently published Inventing Iron Man, a follow-up to his book Becoming Batman: The Possibility of a Superhero. Inventing Iron Man combines comic book science fiction with contemporary science to answer the question of whether one could use modernday technology to create a suit of armour similar to the one Tony Stark constructed to create Iron Man. “My main physical activity is training in the martial arts of karate and Okinawan weapons, in which I hold advanced black belt ranks,” says Zehr, whose U of A doctorate is in neuroscience. “So a lot of my time is spent studying about and actually doing movement as well as thinking about how movements can be rehabilitated or amplified. Actually, I’ve been thinking about these kinds of things since my childhood reading superhero comic books and watching The Six Million Dollar Man on TV.” For more, visit www.inventingironman.com. Peter is the former editor of DVICE, an online technology news and review site, and has also served as associate managing editor of Sound & Vision magazine. Peter is a former managing editor of The Gateway at the U of A and broadcaster with CJSR.

industry and government in India.” Aaron encourages his classmates to come to New Delhi to visit anytime.

’96 Michael Sikorsky, BSc, has been named as one of Alberta’s 50 most influential people by Alberta Venture magazine. Michael, the CEO and co-founder of Robots and Pencils, is making his mark developing smartphone applications. In 2010, his company created the fourthhighest-grossing application in North America, Minecraft World Explorer, and saw an iPad application hit second-place in the UK. Michael is the Faculty of Engineering’s Entrepreneur in Residence and mentors young entrepreneurs.

’97 Jennifer Tarver, MFA, was recently back at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival for a fourth season, directing Tony-winner Brian Dennehy in Harold Pinter’s The Homecoming. The play received four-star reviews from The Globe & Mail and Toronto Star, both singling out Jennifer’s direction for praise. Another one of her big credits is reviving her smash 2008 Stratford production of Samuel Beckett’s Krapp’s Last Tape, also starring Brian Dennehy, at Chicago’s famed Goodman Theatre last year, after which it went to Broadway. Last year the Toronto Star named her one of their “people to watch.”

’97 Aaron Rosland, BA, ’00 MBA, has been appointed to a diplomatic role as the Ontario representative to India in New Delhi. Aaron notes: “In this role I raise Ontario’s profile in India, and represent Ontario interests,

’98 Michael Halliwell, BSc, ’99 MEng, writes that this summer he took part in the Enbridge Alberta Ride to Conquer Cancer for the third year in a row. Since the passing of a co-worker due to cancer in late 2008, Michael has been

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new trail winter 2012 39

90s cl a ss notes

’99 Frances Bitney, MA, ’08 PhD, reports she has a research scholar position in the Department of Drama at the University of Winnipeg. Frances is working on creating a new database of production reviews of Manitoba-written plays. She notes: “When I was doing my dissertation I found that in current existent databases there is no differentiation from literary reviews and production reviews. This makes finding information about productions much harder for the drama researcher, so I decided to create one.”

2000s

’01 Shannon Doram, MSc, previously an employee of Alberta Health Services, writes that she has “stepped into an exciting new role with the Calgary YMCA.” Shannon notes the new position is an important and developmental one that will help to support and promote the health of YMCA members in Calgary.

’01 Natasha Freeman, BA(Aug), was nominated for the Ashton Wylie Charitable Trust Book Award for The Story of Q. This New Zealand book award recognizes writers whose

’05 Kenya Kondo, BSc, recently released his debut CD entitled Wait. Kondo’s impassioned pop song craftings are the product of the journey that brought the singer-songwriter from Kenya to Canada. For more information visit www.keynakondo.com.

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’99 Ian Sheldon, MSc, has published Storm Chaser: Canadian Prairie Skyscapes (Argenta Press), a 168-page book featuring 83 of his paintings, which capture the dynamic and dramatic storm skyscapes that form over the prairie landscape. Ian literally is a storm chaser who jumps in his car when he hears there’s a storm near Edmonton that he can track down and photograph as reference for his paintings. “They’re not all storms,” he says of the book’s paintings, “because I didn’t want the whole thing to be dark and brooding. I’ve interspersed some calmer paintings of grassland and prairie rolling hills to bring some calm between the more energetic pieces.” To see more of Ian’s paintings visit www.iansheldon.com.

work embodies the mind, body and spirit genre. For more information on Natasha’s win, visit New Trail online.

well as chasing her five-year-old daughter around and plotting backyard renovations with her husband, Tom Barber, ’03 BA.

’04 Aimee Morrison, PhD, writes: “In July I received tenure at the University of Waterloo in the Department of English Language and Literature, and was promoted to the rank of associate professor.” Aimee also notes that she is currently working on a research project entitled “Deciphering Digital Life Writing,” as

’06 Philip Peters, LLB, of Edmonton, was awarded the Merit Award from the Chartered Accountants of Alberta at a gala reception in June. ’08 Leslie Hunter (Taillefer), BFA, has opened Central House Art Consulting. The company

’06 Beatrice King (Ilg), BA, is one of Canada’s rising bigscreen actors. This year you can find the Beaumont, AB, native in two films: 50/50 with Seth Rogen and Sisters & Brothers with Glee star Corey Monteith, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival. Since 2006, Beatrice has gone on to complete a full-time film and television program at the Vancouver Academy of Dramatic Arts and train with world-renowned acting coaches Larry Moss and Andrew McIlroy. Her role as Queen Sindel in Mortal Kombat has gained her international recognition. Her select projects include X-Men Origins: Wolverine with Hugh Jackman, Magic Beyond Words: the J.K. Rowling Story on Lifetime, and Supernatural on the CW Network. This year, Beatrice has ventured into writing and producing her first short film alongside her co-writer and producing partner. Beatrice continues to teach and work on her craft at the Vancouver Acting School. For updates on Beatrice’s work, visit www.beatriceking.com.

Bottom right photo courtesy Toranj Kayvon

actively involved in this charity ride. Michael also uses his 10 years of experience with St. John’s Ambulance to be part of the ride’s medical crew. He is already planning his participation in the 2012 ride. For more information visit www.ab11.conquercancer.ca.

aims to reduce employee stress, enhance morale, and increase creativity and productivity through the development of customized corporate art programs.

Journal.” The article is drawn from her dissertation that she submitted to the U of A’s Department of English & Film Studies.

’09 Nithya Ramachandran, BCom, writes that she is on an internship through International Association of Students in Economics and Business Management. She is working as a communications associate for PricewaterhouseCoopers in London, UK.

’10 Derya Yinanc, MEng, chief executive and chairman of Quantum Ingenuity Inc., reports the company is in negotiations with major energy firms on breakthrough technologies to cut the energy industries’ environmental impact. Visit New Trail online for more information.

‘09 Brenda Beckman-Long, PhD, recently received a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada post-doctoral fellowship for her research project, “Testimonial Narratives and the Witness in Contemporary Canadian Fiction.” She also published an article on Carol Shields’ awardwinning novel in Studies in Canadian Literature called “The Stone Diaries as an Apocryphal

’10 Nicholas Howells, BMus(Aug), Métis composer, was recently featured at the Augustana Campus Chapel in the premiere performance of his composition entitled Crowfoot. This work was written specifically for Nicholas’ former piano instructor, Milton Schlosser, and celebrates the Great Chief after whom the federal constituency of Crowfoot is named.

’08 Michael Peng, MFA, was honoured in August with a Best Actor nomination at the Stage Awards for Acting Excellence for his performance in Bashir Lazhar at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland. The play—once a holdover at the Edmonton Fringe Festival—was directed by Piet Defraeye, associate professor in the U of A Drama Department, and also featured the work of Kim McLeod, ’09 MA, and Cory Sincennes, ’10 MFA.

top photo courtesy Ed Ellis

’07 Ximena Ramos Salas, MSc, recently joined the U of A Alumni Association’s Alumni Council as the faculty representative for the School of Public Health. Ximena has worked extensively in the fields of health care technology and health research funding and has a strong passion for health promotion and public health. She is currently the managing director of the Canadian Obesity Network (CON). With 62 percent of Canadians overweight or obese, CON aims to reduce the mental, physical, economic and social burden of obesity in Canada, and change the way professionals think about obesity and interact with obese individuals. Ximena started her career in Sweden as a nurse assistant before making her way to Canada to study English as a second language at the U of A’s Faculty of Extension. While living in Edmonton she met her husband, Nelson Loyola, ’90 BSc(Eng), and eventually moved to Ottawa to study human kinetics. While in Ottawa she worked at the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and had the opportunity to work for the Institute of Nutrition, Metabolism and Diabetes. She was eventually connected with U of A researcher Kim Raine, who inspired her to pursue a graduate degree in health promotion at the U of A. Ximena also brings her education and over 18 years of health care experience to the newly formed Public Health Alumni Chapter as a director on the executive committee. She says this new chapter will “support multidisciplinary public health practice in our communities and will create further links between the various programs in the School of Public Health.”

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Keys to Success

Dental Hygiene Celebrates 50 Years

Bacteria-riddled keyboards are often neglected when it comes to clean-up time. The many tiny spaces between and under the keys make it almost impossible to disinfect without pulling apart every piece. Randy Marsden, ’89 BSc(Eng), a 2009 Alumni Honour Award recipient, has solved this contamination problem. An entrepreneur and engineer recognized in the field of assistive technology with a specialization in adaptive computer input for people with disabilities, Randy created Cleankeys, a touch-sensitive keyboard that can be wiped completely clean. Hospitals and clinics around the world can use this wipeable technology to fight bacteria and infections that may linger on the typical office keyboard. For his efforts, Randy was recently awarded a $10,000 Ernest C. Manning Innovation Award, one of Canada’s most prestigious awards for innovation.

In 1961, when there were only two practicing dental hygienists in Alberta, the Dental Hygiene Program at the University of Alberta began. The program was founded to fulfill a need in the community and it grew to include clinical practice. Margaret Berry MacLean, an inspiring trailblazer, is the founding director of the Dental Hygiene Program. “The University undoubtedly owes a great deal of credit and gratitude to Margaret MacLean for the success, development and future of this program,” says Wendy MacKinnon, ’73 Dip(DentHyg), ’80 BEd, a clinical assistant professor in the Dental Hygiene Program.

Compton also notes that the U of A has one of the top dental hygiene programs in Canada. Dental hygiene diploma graduates scored above the national average, by a significant margin, in every category of the National Dental Hygiene Certification Examination during the most recent round of final exams. A reunion reception for the Dental Hygiene Alumni Chapter was held during Alumni Weekend on September 24, 2011, to celebrate its 50th anniversary and provide an opportunity for alumni to reconnect. MacLean and friends joined together in the Courtyard at the Marriott Hotel for a special day of celebration.

ConferenCe Centre | Alumni House | ConferenCe mAnAgement

www.conference.ualberta.ca

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ME ET IN GS

Twenty-two years ago, when he was studying engineering at the U of A, Randy designed a hands-free communication device for a friend who was paralyzed in a gymnastics accident. After graduation he brought this product to market and founded Madentec Ltd. Today, Madentec has helped more than 20,000 people suffering from paralysis, ALS, Multiple Sclerosis and head injuries communicate by using adapted computers and communications devices. “The success of Madentec has always been measured by what our products allow people to do,” says Marsden. “Our products are all about making the computer accessible. Once we’ve done that, an amazing world of opportunities becomes available.” To find out more about Randy’s inventions, go to www.madentec.com or www.cleankeysinc.com.

Today, the Program is celebrating 50 years of growth and accomplishment. Paulette Schulte, ’66 Dip(DentHyg), a clinical professor of dental hygiene, says this anniversary “symbolizes the pride of this profession.” The scope of practice and need for hygienists keeps growing and its current program director Sharon Compton, ’80 Dip(DentHyg), ’02 PhD, is excited to see people earn master’s degrees and PhD’s in the field of dental hygiene in the future. New to this year’s program are two advanced practicum modules for fourth-year students—one in research and the other in hospital-based and long-term care facilities.

New Public Health Alumni Chapter Early this year the University of Alberta Alumni Association approved the School of Public Health Alumni Chapter. This new, unified chapter draws on the wisdom of past chapters, the Public Health Sciences Alumni Association, and the Health Promotion Alumni Association to guide itself into the future. When two student groups fused together into the School of Public Health Students’ Association, the combination of the alumni associations was a natural progression. Penny Lightfoot, ’77 Dip(RehabMed), ’78 BSc(PT), ’83 MHSA, is the current chair of the chapter with Richard Currie, ’89 MHSA, Ximena Ramos Salas, ’07 MSc, and Emma Wilkins, ’10 MPH, serving director roles on the executive committee. Lightfoot is ready to lead the chapter, bringing years of experience in the Edmonton public health community and a passion for the U of A to this position. “This University has been my backyard since I was a

child,” says Lightfoot. “I’ve always maintained a connection to this great institution.” Lightfoot is looking forward to working together with alumni, students and the School of Public Health to cultivate this chapter. Currie says this move “reflects the current organizational structure of the School and it also provides us a new foundation from which to incorporate alumni. I am very excited to be on the executive moving this chapter forward.” The purpose of the Chapter is to support and promote the goals of the School of Public Health, the U of A Alumni Association and the U of A. Lory Laing, ’72 BA, ’75 MA, ’89 PhD, the acting dean of the School of Public Health says, “this is an exciting time for the chapter and for the School as we strengthen our connections with alumni.” Laing believes alumni are ambassadors for the School and their ability to cultivate a community of

The School of Public Health Alumni Chapter executive committee (L-R): Ximena Ramos Salas, ‘07 MSc; Donna Richardson, ‘85 BSc, ‘89 MEd; Andrea Lauder; Richard Currie, ‘89 MHSA; Penny Lightfoot, ‘77 Dip(RehabMed), ‘78 BSc(PT), ‘83 MHSA; Katie Chapman, Emma Wilkins, ‘10 MPH. Missing from photo: Melissa Visconti.

practitioners and decision-makers is valuable. For more information about this chapter please e-mail donna.richardson@ualberta.ca or andrea.lauder@ualberta.ca.

ALUMNI AMBASSADORS

Volunteers giving their time and talent in support of the University of Alberta

Alumni can get involved and give back in many ways: • giving career advice • recruiting students • helping with Alumni Association events • giving back to the community through special projects To learn becoming an Alumni Ambassador contact Jennifer at To learn moremore aboutabout becoming an Alumni Ambassador contact the Office of Alumni Affairs at 780-492-3224 (1-800-661-2593) visit www.ualberta.ca/alumni/ambassador. 780-492-6530 or visitor www.ualberta.ca/alumni/ambassador.

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Prix d rded a bronze for Bes ’Excellen t Alum ni In ce by t

itiativ he Ca for the nadian Coun e Advan cil Educat cement of ion in 2 011!

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cl a ss notes

Alumni Named as Alberta’s Most Influential

Award-Winning Artists The 24th annual Sterling Awards for excellence in Edmonton theatre were handed out in late June, and three U of A Department of Drama alumni were among the winners.

Fifteen University of Alberta alumni were included in Alberta Venture’s 15th annual list of Alberta’s 50 Most Influential People, including: Ken Bautista, ’99 BEd Ezra Levant, ’96 LLB Jonathan Christenson, ’89 BA, ’92 BA(Cert), ’96 MFA Gordon Maron, ’69 BSc Patrick Daniel, ’68 BSc(Eng), ’10 LLD(Honorary) Gwyn Morgan, ’67 BSc(Eng), ’06 LLD(Honorary) Simon Farbrother, ’85 MSc Raj Sherman, ’88 BSc(Med), ’90 MD Louis Francescutti, ’85 PhD, ’87 MD Michael Sikorsky, ’96 BSc(Eng) Cy Frank, ’70 BSc, ’73 Dip(Ed) Don Thompson, ’74 BSc Todd Hirsch, ’89 BA Paul Verhesen, ’88 BSc(Eng) John Karvellas, ’68 BA, ’71 LLB

Chris Bullough, ’98 BFA, Outstanding Fringe Director Jesse Gervais, ’01 BFA, Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role Kristi Hansen, ’04 BFA, Outstanding Fringe Performance by an Actress Several alumni were also recently recognized at the 2011 Alberta Film & Television Awards (the Rosies): Francis Damberger, ’81 BFA, Best Director, Drama Over 30 Minutes Shaun Johnston, ’90 BFA, Best Alberta Actor Robert Kelly, ’98 BMus, ’01 MA, Best Corporate Video Josh Miller, ’77 BA, Best Children’s Program or Series. Neil Grahn, ’88 BFA, one of four producers who won in the Best Light Info or Lifestyle Series category Tom Radford, ’66 BA, won in both the Best Screenwriter, Non-Fiction Over 30 Minutes, and Best Director, Non-Fiction Over 30 Minutes, categories

Mixed Chorus Alumni Is there still a song in your heart? Have you continued in the choral tradition? Let the Mixed Chorus Alumni Association know if choir has continued to be a part of your life and where music has taken you. Share your stories by e-mailing Cristine at cmyhre@ualberta.ca.

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in memoriam

The Alumni Association notes with sorrow the passing of the following graduates (passings occurred in 2011 unless otherwise noted) ’31 Bertha Hobkirk, BSc(HEc), of Calgary, AB, in June

’48 Gordon Weisser, BSc(MiningEng), of Houston, TX, in August

’53 Bernadene Latta, BA, of Kingston, ON, in February

’58 Jack Ratzlaff, DDS, of Summerland, BC, in April

’63 Ken McCready, BSc(ElecEng), of Edmonton, AB, in July

’41 Elizabeth Stubbs, BCom, of Lethbridge, AB, in August

’49 Colin Gordon, BSc(Ag), of Calgary, AB, in August

’53 Albert Porkka, BA, ’54 LLB, of Red Deer, AB, in August

’59 Lucien Fetaz, BSc(Pharm), of Calgary, AB, in August

’63 Harry Norenberg, BCom, ’65 BEd, of Edmonton, AB, in July

’42 Melvin Edwardh, Dip(Ed), ’43 BEd, ’48 MEd, of Toronto, ON

’49 Patrick Holt, BEd, ’62 MEd, of Victoria, BC, in August

’53 Rae Shwetz, BEd, of Edmonton, AB, in October

’59 Kenneth Reeder, BEd, ’64 BA, of Red Deer, AB, in August

’63 David Simmonds, BA, of Victoria, BC, in July

’43 A. Ralph Hargrave, BSc(CivEng), of Calgary, AB, in April

’49 Bernard Vanhees, BSc(CivEng), of Lethbridge, AB, in July

’54 Walter Hladun, BSc(Pharm), of Edmonton, AB, in September

’59 Ronald Sawyer, BSc, of Westminster, BC, in July

’64 Fred Jajczay, BSc(MLS), ’70 PhD, of Edmonton, AB, in June

’43 Edythe Markstad-Buchanan, Dip(Nu), ’44 BSc(Nu), of Edmonton, AB, in July

’50 Merton Atkin, BEd, ’69 Dip(Ed), of Red Deer, AB, in February

’54 Isaac Mac, BSc(Pharm), of Edmonton, AB, in September

’60 Myrna Getty, BSc(Pharm), of Calgary, AB, in July

’64 Peter McLean, BSc(ElecEng), of Edmonton, AB, in August

’43 James McCracken, BSc, ’50 MD, of Oyen, AB, in August

’50 James Davies, BEd, of Edmonton, AB, in September

’54 George Nicholson, BA, ’59 BEd, ’67 Dip(Ed), of Edmonton, AB, in July

’60 Boris Sakowsky, BSc(ElecEng), of Sherwood Park, AB, in August

’64 Alexander Simons, DDS, of Edmonton, AB, in June

’44 Henri Bonnet, BSc(MiningEng), of Calgary, AB, in May 2010

’50 Richard Davies, BEd, of Mayerthorpe, AB, in August

’54 Harry Ostapiw, Dip(Ed), ’56 Dip(Ed), ’59 BEd, of St. Paul, AB, in August

’60 Lyman Sortland, BSc(ChemEng), ’62 MSc, of Tucson, AZ, in August

’65 Judith Gordon, Dip(Nu), of Aurora, ON, in July

’44 Yvonne McGrane, BSc(HEc), of Vancouver, BC, in June

’50 Henry Powers, BSc(Ag), of St. Albert, AB, in August

’55 Donald Blair, BSc, ’56 MSc, of Saskatoon, SK, in March

’60 Donald Vickerson, BSc(Pharm), of Spruce Grove, AB, in July

’66 Gilbert Gibb, BSc, of Calgary, AB, in July

’44 Velma Wallace, Dip(Nu), of Prince Albert, SK, in February

’51 William Lesick, BSc(Pharm), of Edmonton, AB, in September

’55 Norman Budgen, BSc(ElecEng), of Bobcaygeon, ON, in August

’61 Henry Happy, BSc(MechEng), of Jacksonville, FL

’66 Hughie Twa, BPE, of Elkford, BC, in August

’45 Michael Bevan, BSc(Ag), of North Vancouver, BC, in August

’51 Ladonna Thompson (Evans), Dip(Ed), of Calgary, AB, in July

’55 Daunavan Buyer, BSc(Ag), of Calgary, AB, in August

’61 Donald James, BSc, ’65 MD, ’68 MSc, of Nanoose Bay, BC, in March

’67 Leonard Denton, PhD, of Truro, NS, in June

’45 Ronald Burwash, BSc, ’47 BEd, ’51 MSc, of Edmonton, AB, in July

’52 Ronald Briggeman, BSc, of Calgary, AB, in July

’55 Richard Disturnal, BSc, of Calgary, AB, in August

’61 Allan Lovlin, BSc(MechEng), of Sherwood Park, AB, in October

‘66 Rick Hyndman, BA, of Edmonton, AB, in October

’45 Alexander Snowdon, BA, ’46 BEd, of Vancouver, BC, in July

’52 Adelaide Callahan, BSc(HEc), of Thornbury, ON, in July

’55 Thomas Willey, MD, of Bellingham, WA, in April

’61 Howard Mahon, BA, of Calgary, AB, in July

’67 Scott Robson, MD, of Toronto, ON, in September

’48 Alice Bailey (Carter), BA, of Edmonton, AB, in July

’52 Nick Huculak, BSc(CivEng), of Edmonton, AB, in September 2010

’56 Michael Sawka, BEd, of Edmonton, AB, in September

’61 Orest Wasiuta, BSc(Ag), of Edmonton, AB, in August

’67 Dorothy Slager, BEd, of Edmonton, AB, in October

’48 Harold Bronson, BA, ’52 BEd, ’58 MA, of Saskatoon, SK, in July

’52 Everett Hunt, Dip(Ed), of Edmonton, AB, in August

’57 Timothy Hayhurst France, BSc(Ag), of Guelph, ON, in August

’62 Norman Deckert, BEd, ’67 BA, of Stoney Creek, ON, in July

’68 Loys Fairbairn, BEd, of Kamloops, BC, in September

’48 George Fong, BSc, of Calgary, AB, in August

’52 Peter Stewart, BEd, ’74 MEd, of Edmonton, AB, in July

’57 Barbara Klymchuk, Dip(Ed), ’65 BEd, of Andrew, AB, in August

’62 Gordon Hunter, BEd, of Hanna, AB, in September

’69 Marion Bellows (Byron), Dip(Nu), of Edmonton, AB, in July

’48 Thomas Hanson, Dip(Ed), of Drumheller, AB, in July

’53 Donald Giles, BSc(Ag), of High River, AB, in July

’57 Joan Ramsay, BSc(Nu), of Turtleford, SK, in July

’62 Joseph Nelson, MSc, of Edmonton, AB, in August

’69 Dale Christensen, BSc(Ag), of Belleair, FL

’48 Mavis Munday (Strong), BA, of Victoria, BC, in July

’53 Stanley Kucey, BSc, ’55 DDS, of Edmonton, AB, in July

’58 Robert Albrecht, BEd, of Red Deer, AB, in February

’63 William Casanova, BEd, of Calgary, AB, in August

’69 Pieter Grobler, BEd, of Canmore, AB, in February

46 newtrail.ualberta.ca

’69 Alexander Tod, MEd, of Berowra Heights, AU, in August

’72 David Bertsch, BA, ’75 Dip(Ed), ’77 BEd, ’95 MA, of St. Albert, AB, in September

’75 Stanley Kopach, BEd(VocEd), of Camrose, AB, in July

’81 Douglas Hertz, BA, of Edmonton, AB, in July

’88 Timothy Chipman, BFA, of Edmonton, AB, in July

’70 David Lozinski, BSc(ElecEng), of Hylo, AB, in September

’72 Glenda Dabisza, BSc(Pharm), of Calgary, AB, in July

’75 Darryl Phillips, BSc(Forest), of Camrose, AB, in August

’81 Phyllis MacMillan, BSc(MLS), of Halifax, NS, in July

’88 Roy Everest, BA, ’91 LLB, of Jasper, AB, in September

’70 Winnifred Mills, BSc(Nu), ’79 MEd, of Vancouver, BC, in September

’72 Patricia McHonick (Dahlgren), BEd(VocEd), of Edmonton, AB, in September

’75 Louise Ralston, Dip(RehabMed), ’76 BSc(OT), of Ottawa, ON, in July

’81 Catharina Zon, BEd, of Waskatenau, AB, in July

’88 Wayne Fedynak, BA, of Edmonton, AB, in September

’70 Raymond Smith, BCom, of Camrose, AB, in September

’72 Terry Parr, BCom, of Surrey, BC, in May

’75 Allan Usher, BCom, of Scarborough, ON, in February

’82 Irmgard Konrad, BA, of West Vancouver, BC, in May

’93 Edgar Jones, LLD (Honorary), of Edmonton, AB, in September

’70 Lillian Wight, BEd, ’76 Dip(Ed), of Edmonton, AB, in September

’72 Gordon Pickup, BEd, of Edmonton, AB, in August

’76 Real Gaboriault, MSc, ’77 PhD, of Vaudreuil-Dorion, QC, in March

’82 Laura Letts, BEd, of Westlock, AB, in August 2010

’94 June Hole, BPE, of Edmonton, AB, in August

’71 Tiziana Cristini, BA, ’72 Dip(Ed), of North York, ON

’73 Gay Edmonds-Lang, Dip(RehabMed), of Edmonton, AB, in July

’76 Robert Miller, BEd, of Edmonton, AB, in July

’82 Carl Mark, BCom, of Cranbrook, BC

’96 Kim McLain, BFA, of Cold Lake, AB, in July

’71 Marjorie Ferguson, BEd, of Edmonton, AB, in July

’73 Julian Tymkow, BEd, of Fort Saskatchewan, AB, in August

’77 Robert Newnes, BEd, of Orange, CA, in February

’82 David Warawa, BSc, of Edmonton, AB, in September

’97 Monique Lamoureux, BSc, of Vancouver, BC, in June

’71 Julia Gaudette, Dip(Nu), of Ottawa, ON, in January

’74 Gordon Boutillier, BA, of Edmonton, AB, in July

’77 Gaelynd Pilling, BEd, of Magrath, AB, in July

’83 Antti Halinen, BSc(ElecEng), of Surrey, BC, in March

’97 Jason Turner, BEd, of Edmonton, AB, in August

’71 Elaine Levy, Dip(Nu), of Edmonton, AB

’74 Wilma Laing, PhD, of Calgary, AB, in August

’78 Richard Schulli, BCom, of Calgary, AB, in August

’84 Eileen Chauvet, BSc(Ag), of Morinville, AB, in October

’98 Wendy Filewich, BA, ’00 BEd, of Edmonton, AB, in September

’71 Harvey Mills, BA, ’72 LLB, of Fort McMurray, AB, in September

’74 Robert Rowand, BA, of Toronto, ON, in July

’79 Sylvia Shykora, BEd, of Edmonton, AB, in September

’85 Denise Guzak, BSc, ’87 BEd, of Edmonton, AB, in August

’98 Susan Rundans, BA, of Victoria, BC, in September

’71 Henry Rosychuk, BEd, of Edmonton, AB, in September

’75 Aganeta Enns, BA, of Calgary, AB, in September

’80 Andrew Lapa, BA, of Pitt Meadows, BC, in January

’86 Roderick Kirkpatrick, BMus, ’05 BEd, of Edmonton, AB, in December 2010

’00 Robert Kamarei, DDS, of Calgary, AB, in July

’71 Gloria Shaw, Dip(Nu), of Edmonton, AB

’75 Maureen Glen, BEd, of Morinville, AB, in July

’80 Cheryl Matheson, LLB, of Edmonton, AB, in July

’87 Gregory Reimer, BA, ’89 BCom, of Kelowna, BC, in August

’03 Andrew Jackson, BA(NativeSt), of Edmonton, AB, in December 2010

’71 Diane Spillett, BSc(Nu), of Edmonton, AB, in June

’75 Thomas Heintz, BCom, of Winnipeg, MB, in June

’80 Friday Otuomagie, BSc, of Edmonton, AB, in September

’87 Niall Shanks, PhD, of Wichita, KS, in July

’06 Suzanne Abele, BSc, ’10 MSc, of Edmonton, AB, in August

’71 Bryson Wilson, PhD, of Kyogle, AU, in May

’75 Linda Kehler (Wilson), Dip(Ed), of Winnipeg, MB, in July

’80 Sid Tarrabain, BSc, of Edmonton, AB, in August

’87 Debra Snow, BA, of Edmonton, AB, in August

’06 Dan Fajayan, BSc(MechEng), of Edmonton, AB, in July

Submit remembrances about U of A graduates by sending a text file to alumni@ualberta.ca. Tributes are posted to the “In Memoriam” webpage at www.ualberta.ca/alumni.

new trail winter 2012 47

(If anyone has any idea exactly who made this sculpture or the one that appears to be the Alberta Coat of Arms in the background, please let us know.)

Call Me

It’s all about the telephone. It seems each generation looks back at the previous one and laughs about their method of communicating over distances. First, there’s the precursor to the telephone, the telegraph, whose line might be cut so train robbers could build a bigger lead on a pursuing posse. Then comes the cranking phone—like the one lovingly fashioned here out of snow in Quad. These phones depended on switchboard operators to connect callers through such exotic alphanumeric appellations as fairfax 5-8297 or mutual 9-0647 (picture Humphrey Bogart turning Mary Astor over to the police in The Maltese Falcon). 48 newtrail.ualberta.ca

Then come dial phones that still connected through a central system of operators, whose time is numbered as the operators’ role diminishes when everyone can direct dial. These early dialup calls are often on party lines that have different rings to let listeners know which party is being summoned. You might also pick up the phone to make a call only to hear a conversation already in progress. Next up is the exotic push button phones that soon become indispensable as callers are forced to do more of the heavy lifting when it comes to actually connecting with a person by prompting the phone to direct their call appropriately. Then there’s

the cordless phone, followed by the mobile phone, followed by the cell phone, followed by the smartphone followed by the... who knows? Phone implants? One thing is certain, actually talking on phones has given way to texting as evidenced by the students walking through Quad today, heads down as they thumb messages at a furious rate. Phones are now also about games, and Google, and apps and pics. Looking at this picture makes one wonder if those two students in the background had any idea that one day they’d have a phone so small it could fit in their back pocket and, well, take this picture.

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Introducing our new

Traditional & Indigenous Healing Collection A cross cultural collection of materials from around the world

health class

Come Visit…

You can help…

At the University of Alberta, there is a growing appreciation for the importance Innovations in healthcare of tradition and culture in aboriginal health and healing. To support our We are actively seeking to grow this students, faculty, and community, the University of Alberta Librariesand have cross-disciplinary collection. We need your support to established the Traditional and Indigenous Healing Collection, containing collaboration help us both financially and through materials related to Chinese Traditional and North American Indigenous the donation of resources. If you are healing, as well as other healing traditions from around the world. interested in helping to expand this community resource, please contact: We welcome anyone interested in researching and learning about indigenous healing to visit this valuable community resource. John W. Scott Health Sciences Library 2K3.28 Walter C. Mackenzie Health Sciences Centre University of Alberta Hospital Complex Edmonton, Alberta Phone: (780) 492-7947 or (780) 492-5154 Email: jwsinfo@library.ualberta.ca

Hours: Monday to Thursday: 8:00am to 10:00pm Friday: 8:00am to 6:00pm Saturday: 11:00am to 6:00pm Sunday: 11:00am to 10:00pm Holidays: 11:00 to 6:00pm

Thank You… To the Centre for the Cross Cultural Study of Health and Healing in the Department of Family Medicine, under the direction of Dr. Earle Waugh. Their donation of materials forms the core of our collection. And to Dr. Joel Wilbush whose generous donation has allowed us to purchase new materials, particularly in Chinese traditional medicine.

Mr Josh Bilyk Director of Development (Learning Services) 5-07 Cameron Library Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2J8 josh.bilyk@ualberta.ca Tel: (780) 492-8001 Cell: (780) 719-7415