The Legend, April 2013

Page 1

A PR I L 2013

|

V O L U M E 12

|

ISSUE EIGHT

Research teams unite

the

BY BOB COONEY

T

UNIVERSITY OF LETHBRIDGE

Beaudin sees value in SOS program

Gallagher caps rookie season with CIS gold

wo University of Lethbridge researchers are teaming up to better understand unintended side effects associated with radiation treatment of cancer cells and the difference between female and male patients. Dr. Bryan Kolb, a neuroscience researcher at the U of L’s Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience (CCBN) and Dr. Olga Kovalchuk, a biological sciences researcher who specializes in researching the affects of radiation on cancer cells and nearby cells, are collectively putting their lab teams on the project, which is being funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). Over the next five years, the research team will receive more than $930,000.

Dr. Bryan Kolb, above, and Dr. Olga Kovalchuk, left, are uniting their research teams in an effort to better understand the unintended side effects associated with radiation treatment of cancer cells.

Awosoga applying statistics to social sciences

First U of L registrant proud of his university

The U of L Legend is published monthly during the academic year by the communications unit within University Advancement. Submissions, comments and story ideas are always welcome. The Legend reserves the right to refuse any submitted advertisement. The Legend can be found online at issuu.com/ulethbridge. A DV E R T I S I N G For ad rates or other information, contact: legend@uleth.ca CREDITS Editor: Trevor Kenney Designer: Stephenie Karsten CO N T R I B U TO R S: Amanda Berg, Bob Cooney, Jane Edmundson, Suzanne McIntosh, Kali McKay, Leslie Ohene-Adjei, Stacy Seguin, Marika Stevenson, Zyna Taylor, Emma Thompson and Katherine Wasiak

University of Lethbridge 4401 University Drive Lethbridge, AB T1K 3M4 www.ulethbridge.ca

The studies, which may lead to the development of male or femalespecific treatments that improve the quality of life for all cancer patients, is attempting to solve problems yet to be fully explored – why does radiation delivered in one part of your body to help eliminate cancer cells affect your memory, balance and other behaviours normally managed by your brain, and are those effects different in men and women? “There’s a phenomenon we’ve heard about called ‘radio brain,’ where people who receive radiation therapy treatment talk about having memory loss or other side effects, including balance issues, concentration issues and other deficits,” says Kolb. “Chemotherapy side effects are more well known, and occur in about 50 per cent of the population receiving chemotherapy treatments. However, virtually nothing is known about radiation effects, and even less is known about the gender differences.” Cancer patients have been receiving radiation therapy for more than a century but this is the first time that a gender-specific approach has been taken to see how radiation therapies affect the male and female brain. Kolb adds that it is commonly thought that shielding the area not intended to be affected by radiation

was enough to prevent it from affecting non-cancerous areas. “Because we have heard about the reported changes to the brain and behaviour following radiation therapy, we know that something is changing to affect the brain, even with steps taken to prevent radiation ‘spillover’, but we don’t know exactly how it becomes affected.” Kovalchuk has been studying the effects of radiation on plants, animals and people for decades, and has developed a number of recommendations based on her work in Ukraine near Chernobyl, the largest nuclear disaster in history. “We know that in radiationinduced cancers, there are proven differences between how men and women are affected,” says Kovalchuk. “With Dr. Kolb’s expertise in how the brain responds to various illnesses and treatments, and how gender specific behavior is determined by the brain, I’m excited about what we might uncover working together on this unique project.” Kolb and Kovalchuk have also enlisted two Alberta Health Services nuclear physicists working at the Jack Ady Cancer Centre (JACC) at the Chinook Regional Hospital in Lethbridge – Dr. Charles Kirkby and Dr. Esmaeel Ghasroddashti. Kirkby and Ghasroddashti are responsible for making sure the radiation doses are proportionately

“I’m excited about what we might uncover working together on this unique project.”

DR. OLGA KOVALCHUK

measured and that the results are comparable to a human dosage of cancer treatment. “Their co-operation has been central to our ability to make this project work,” says Kovalchuk. “We would not be able to do this without them, and to have them in the community and as research partners is a huge benefit.” Kovalchuk also acknowledges the novel nature of the work, but stresses that it will be very relevant in the future. “This will be the first largescale animal model study, with a gender specific focus,” she says. “While this project involves rats, we are always thinking about how our research can be moved forward to help people. The data we get here could be used in future studies. This is just the beginning of this process, and because so little is known about it, we have to start somewhere.”


the Legend

A PR I L 2013

|

UNIVERSITY OF LETHBRIDGE

OPENMike

University of Lethbridge President Dr. Mike Mahon chats about what’s happening in the University community

H

aving had the opportunity to speak with many of you in our campus community over the last few weeks, I understand the concern you have in respect to the Alberta Provincial Budget, the Letter of Expectation from the Ministry of Enterprise and Advanced Education (EAE) and how it will affect the University of Lethbridge’s budget. We in senior administration share your concern and fully realize that this is a challenge for our institution, and something we will have to work together to move through. From the outset we decided that it was very important to develop a process to guide us through the budget reduction consideration in a thoughtful and

transparent manner, in keeping with the fundamental values of the University of Lethbridge. One of the key ideals of the U of L has always been to engage our community, especially when we are facing difficult times. This situation is no different than previous challenges that have been met and overcome with the views of the collective community guiding the way. This is just the starting point for us, and we will continue to be active in seeking out conversations with our various communities as we go through the process of identifying how best to approach budget reductions within the context of the values of our institution. Ultimately, the values that shape our deliberations will be

CAMPUS Gianna Isabella Magliocco (BFA ’10), in collaboration with new media and drama students, has created a film entitled Rosalind Revenge, which has been entered into the nationwide CineCoup contest for a chance to win $1 million in production funding and a distribution deal. The trailer is available at www. cinecoup.com/RosalindRevenge. New media students involved in the production include: Scott Sikma (producer), Daniel Howard (producer), Tiara Adams (2nd assistant director), Steven Hayes (director of photography), Brendan Matkin (director of photography), Nigel Goodwin (music), Daniel Limb (music), Marcel Jepson (social media) and Blake Evernden (art director). Jolane Houle (BFA ’12) was the costume designer, Josh Hellawell (BFA ’12) was the sound designer, Nicholas Hanson (Drama) acted and Mathew Hellawell (Music major) composed the incidental sound for An Almost Perfect Thing, recently presented by New West Theatre. Former Pronghorns rugby star Ashley Steacy (neé Patzer) played a major role for Canada’s Women’s Sevens team as it captured the gold medal at the Hong Kong Sevens Tournament. A twotime CIS player of the year, Steacy scored the first try for Canada in

based on the contexts of our existing plans, including the Strategic Plan, Academic Plan and Research Plan. In moving forward, the University of Lethbridge will not alter the strategic directions that have brought so much success to the institution and positioned us as one of Canada’s emerging comprehensive universities and Alberta’s Destination University. It will be a difficult budget process but it will also be a thoughtful, strategic process that will be in keeping with the University’s established vision. There has been much talk in the media about the budget numbers and how they may or may not affect certain institutions in the province. We have been very careful not to speculate on what

our budget reduction process may yield because speculation can be a very damaging thing when you do not fully understand the entire context of the process. We are not in a position to speculate at this point because we have yet to go through the process that will put us in the best place to make the necessary budget reduction decisions. I hope the community appreciates why we have taken the time to move through this in a systematic manner. By now, many of you have read the Letter of Expectation as administered by EAE. We have encouraged your input to help us craft a response to that letter, and I look forward to taking your thoughts with me on April 11 when I meet with all of the presi-

dents of Alberta’s post-secondary institutions, the minister and deputy minister of Advanced Education. A consistent theme throughout the Letter of Expectation is the continued support of the Campus Alberta model and its ideals. As a longstanding partner in Campus Alberta and in many ways a driving force of the Campus Alberta initiative, I have the utmost confidence that we will be able to effectively communicate to the province the priorities of the University of Lethbridge. We have a challenge in front of us, but it is one we will approach with great resolve and with the knowledge that the decisions to be made will be done in a thorough, open and thoughtful manner.

kudos

the 29-0 gold medal-clinching victory over Australia. Glen Baker (Management) was named the 2012 Chartered Accountants Educational Foundation Teaching Prize winner for the University of Lethbridge. The prize honours his years of dedication and commitment to excellence in accounting education. The Integrated Management Experience (IME) 2013 project, Cuisine 4 a Cause, in support of the local Multiple Sclerosis Society, was a huge success, bringing in $7,100. Three participating restaurants – Streatside downtown, Spring Rolls Restaurant and Two Guys and a Pizza Place – donated their food sales from one evening to support the local MS Society chapter. D. Andrew Stewart (Music) recently performed on a New Works Calgary concert entitled From Up There and Down on his unique instrument call the T-Stick. Ron Chambers’ (BASc ’85, Drama) play Marg Szkaluba (Pissy’s Wife) will be produced in a French translation this May by Montreal’s Theatre Agile. A team of University of Lethbridge Faculty of Management students took first place

at the Certified Management Accountants (CMA) and Certified General Accountants (CGA) Alberta’s Board Governance Case Competition in mid-March. The first place team was comprised of students Britney Anderson, Sahib Chhatwal, Jaden Evanson, Tasneem Kapacee and Sean Maddocks. The students analyzed a governance case, based on a fictitious not-for-profit company, and with only six hours to prepare from start to finish, they researched and delivered their recommendations to a judging panel of Alberta business leaders. Terry Kerkhoff (Education) was recognized with a Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Medal. The current mayor of Picture Butte is also a master teacher in the Faculty of Education. Sean Guist (BFA ’07, MFA ’12) directed and Joey Bulman (BMus ’09) performed in Side by Side by Sondheim in Victoria B.C. in February. Geneviève Paré (BFA ’11) and Justin Michael Carriere (BFA ’06) acted, and Sara Turner (BFA ’04) directed the Canadian Play Polygraph at Sage Theatre in Calgary. www.calgarysun. com/2013/03/19/secrets-andlies-permeate-sage-theatrespolygraph

2

The annual KPMG Case Competition series wrapped up in March, with students Megan Kwok, Spencer Bonetti and Janelle Dobing taking the top team award. Dobing was also honoured as the best overall presenter.

Ken Allan’s (Art) article Barnett Newman’s The Wild: Painting as Spatial Intervention was published in a special issue on abstraction in the journal October. Taras Polataiko’s (Art) work is featured in the book Architectural Inventions: Visionary Drawings. He also has work in the 2013 Alberta Biennial of Contemporary Art, entitled The News From Here, at the Art Gallery of Alberta until May 5. Guest curator Richard Hill, a curator, critic and associate professor of art history at York University, spent a week on campus visiting students in their studios and reviewing their work. These students had work selected for the exhibition entitled Formed and Formless: Kala Walton, Kasia Sosnowski, Meghan Verkerk, Lisa Spinelli, Kara Henry, Claire Reid, Jamie McKeague, Derrick

Hoekstra, Richard William Hill and Neysa Hale. Jay Whitehead (Drama) earned a Research Dissemination grant from the Office of Research and Innovation Services to support the costs of producing his play Usex’d, which he co-wrote with Daniel Judes, at the International Dublin Gay Theatre Festival. Whitehead’s play was chosen from over 80 submissions as one of 20 works to be produced. The play also won first place in Third Street Theatre’s New Queer Playwriting Competition in Calgary. The 5 Days for the Homeless crew toughed out the week of Mar. 11-16 in their cardboard condos and raised an impressive amount of money for Wood’s Homes. Fundraising continued until the end of March, and at press time their total was creeping ever so close to their $10,000 goal.


A PR I L 2013

|

the Legend

UNIVERSITY OF LETHBRIDGE

South Venture winners await patent approval BY BOB COONEY

Pictured left to right are: Mackenzie Coatham; Dr. HJ Wieden, team advisor; Erin Kelly, Harland Brandon; and Isaac Ward.

N

ot every third-year neuroscience student at the University of Lethbridge has a patent lawyer on speed dial – but Isaac Ward does. As the CEO of Synbiologica, Inc., Ward and his team (chemistry and biochemistry masters students Mackenzie Coatham (BSc ’12) and Harland Brandon, and first-year biochemistry student Erin Kelly) have developed a new method of detecting hormones, and are in the process of patenting their idea. Their proposed biomedical device technology is expected to bring next-generation hormone detection to the research, agriculture and medical markets. Their idea and business plan recently landed them $10,000 as the first-place winners in the 2013 South Venture Business Plan Competition, and they are now looking to the next phase of the challenge – a trip to Edmonton in April to face off in the provincial arena, with even more money and networking opportunities on the table. While he has to be a bit cautious about revealing details because of the patent process (an expected six to eight-month timeline), Ward says their idea will significantly improve the way in which hormones are detected. “Hormones, and hormone

GROUP TACKLES HOW TO DEAL WITH HUNGER PANGS BY BOB COONEY The phrase …there’s an app for that! now applies to ordering takeout food in Lethbridge. The team behind the iTakeout app – Caleb Dowdy, twin brothers Clayton and Joel Varjassy and Luke Mayerle – cooked up their idea while not actually wanting to cook anything. They wanted to order takeout food, but could find only one place in town with a functioning smartphone application. So they ‘app-ordered’ pizza, which wasn’t really their first choice, then thought there must be a way to get more restaurants on board to showcase the wide variety of takeout opportunities in the community. Their idea garnered a second-place tie for the group in the 2013 South Venture Business Plan Competition, including a $5,000 prize. Could they have used the

imbalances, play very important roles in understanding behaviour and mental health, pregnancy, as well as development and aging of all populations,” says Ward. “We are pursuing new technology for the detection of hormones that provides rapid results that are 93 per cent more cost effective than traditional antibody technology.” The team’s market analysis shows diverse applications and projections for growth, with a

phone book? Probably, but Dowdy says that the move forward in smartphone applications is such that people expect quick solutions at the tap of a touchscreen – so whether it’s banking or burritos, gaining access to a product or service should be convenient and fast. “Not only do we want to give users the ability to order the food, we want them to do so in a rich environment filled with photos and community-populated reviews and other information,” says Dowdy. Dowdy acknowledges there are other takeout apps in the international marketplace, but none that focus on local or regional restaurants, and none that have the initial face-to-face interaction with the developers. “We plan to put a heavier emphasis on the local marketplace and establish rich connections with our participating restaurants. As well, we want to give users access to as many restaurants as we can within the app, and this is why we plan on actually putting in the face-time with restaurants and not having them simply sign up online,” he says. Dowdy adds that restaurants

two to three-year timeline to produce a marketable device. The first test runs of this device will occur this summer at the Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience in collaboration with neuroscience researcher Dr. Gerlinde Metz. Ward says the team came up with the idea to develop the company and the new biomedical device by using the skills they learned through the iGEM (International Genetically Engi-

neered Machine) program. “The internationally competitive program allows undergraduate students to gain hands-on experience in science,” says Ward. “iGEM is run out of a student-operated lab provided by the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry here at the University of Lethbridge and co-ordinated by Dr. HJ Wieden. We have been encouraged at every turn by our professors and others to move this idea

forward, especially by the people at Alberta Innovates Technology Futures (AITF) who promote entrepreneurial engagement from scientific innovation.” Ward says the group will not just run off into the biomedical business world once the ink is dry on their patent documents – they need to finish school first. “Education is one of the team’s top values and we will be working on this business while we complete our degrees. This is a learning process that will, we hope, carry us far beyond the classroom, and we are very pleased to have received the South Venture prize, because otherwise it would not be possible for our company to pursue funding opportunities and further develop our project.” Ward cites advisors Dr. Gerlinde Metz (Department of Neuroscience), Dr. HJ Wieden (Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry), Dr. Roy Golsteyn (Department of Biological Sciences) and Michael Kelly (Erin Kelly’s father and manager of Real Estate and Land Development, City of Lethbridge) as being particularly helpful as they refined their idea.

App developers pictured left to right include: Joel Varjassy, Caleb Dowdy, Luke Mayerle and Clayton Varjassy.

will have access to a database in which they can add/change menu items on the fly. “They will be able to add new items, update prices, create daily specials, set takeout hours, and much more.” The initial target demographic will be people between the ages of 18 and 30, especially students. “Given the recent increased popularity in apps and smartphones among all age groups, we see no reason as to why this app can’t be a popular tool for any-

3

one in the Lethbridge area with access to a smart device looking to order takeout,” says Dowdy. Working around school and other part-time jobs, Dowdy says the app development will be done by colleague Shayan Masood, who is currently working a co-operative education job placement at Veeva Systems while the rest of the team works on securing restaurants for a pilot rollout scheduled for the summer.

The full application is expected to launch in September 2013, just in time for the start of a new school year, and as thousands of hungry students return to Lethbridge. For now, signing on will be free and subscribing as a restaurant is free, but Dowdy says they would review that as the app gains market share and popularity.

FOR A LOOK AT THE OTHER 2ND PLACE FINISHER, SEE PG. 9 >


the Legend

A PR I L 2013

Team support goes a long way

Dr. Lorraine Beaudin recognizes that not everyone has the opportunity to pursue a university education.

M

aybe it’s her background as a Pronghorns women’s basketball player, but Dr. Lorraine Beaudin (BEd ’89, MEd’ 98) likes to think of the University of Lethbridge community as a team. “We all have a responsibility to the people around us,” she explains, drawing experience from her time on the hardcourt. “We need to work together in order to be successful and that means giving of ourselves for the betterment of the group.” Currently the assistant dean of field experience in the U of L’s Faculty of Education,

Beaudin first started giving back to her university as an undergraduate student. “I played basketball as a student and in my final year, I took on the role of assistant coach,” says Beaudin, who was part of the team that won bronze at nationals one season. “Coaching was harder than playing in lots of ways but it allowed me to give back in a concrete way to something that was important to me.” The lesson stuck with her long after the basketball season ended and Beaudin has been a strong supporter of Pronghorns women’s basketball ever since.

“My time as a studentathlete at the U of L had a huge impact on my life,” says Beaudin, who still keeps in touch with many of her former teammates and stays connected to the program by volunteering at Pronghorns alumni events. “It created opportunities that I simply wouldn’t have had otherwise.” She recognizes that not every student is given the same breaks she was. “We sometimes assume that everyone in Alberta has the chance to earn a university education, but unfortunately that’s not the case. My kids have friends who can’t afford to go to university,” she says, pointing out that many students who are fortunate enough to attend university depend on student loans and part-time jobs to make ends meet. For Beaudin, these difficulties emphasize the importance of Supporting Our Students (SOS), an annual campaign that brings faculty, staff and retirees together to support student awards. “It’s fantastic that the University community comes together to support this cause,” says Beaudin, who is a longtime SOS donor and an enthusiastic volunteer. While Beaudin shows her support for Pronghorn Athletics, she emphasizes the importance of helping students from all walks of life and encourages all faculty and staff to give to an area that is important to them. “Together, we are providing support for students who might not be here otherwise. As an educator, I can’t think of a better gift than education,” says Beaudin, who remains committed to creating opportunities for students both on and off the court. For more information on SOS or to make your gift today, please visit www.uleth.ca/giving.

Help students succeed today As the semester wraps up, students are working hard to prepare for exams. Encourage them in their endeavours by making a gift to the Supporting Our Students campaign. Please visit www. uleth.ca/giving to make your gift today.

|

UNIVERSITY OF LETHBRIDGE

RESEARCH TIES ESTABLISHED THROUGH JAPANESE MACAQUES BY TREVOR KENNEY When Dr. Jean-Baptiste Leca was studying for his undergraduate degree in his hometown of Bordeaux, France, it’s likely he never expected that one day he’d be doing postdoctoral work at the University of Lethbridge, and that the Japanese macaques would be the conduits for that link. And yet here he is, with his wife Dr. Noëlle Gunst, studying these monkeys alongside Dr. Paul Vasey of the University’s Department of Psychology. “We met for the first time 10 years ago because we happened to be studying the same monkeys at the same place, Arashiyama, near Kyoto city, central Japan,” says Leca, who recently co-edited a book with Vasey and Dr. Michael Huffman from Kyoto University, specifically dedicated to these monkeys. “The Japanese macaques of Arashiyama are probably one of the best known and longest studied primate groups in the world and yet we continue to find new and interesting aspects to their behaviour.”

“Our findings may provide insights into the possible origins of human homosexuality.” DR. JEAN-BAPTISTE LECA

Leca and Gunst have worked with Vasey for the past two years, continuing his research focus on female homosexual behaviour of Japanese macaques at Arashiyama. Last year, they explored a new field site – Minoo, near Osaka city – where free-ranging Japanese macaques also occur. By chance, the trio came across a little studied demographic setting in primates and were fortunate enough to observe male homosexual behaviour. After analyzing these new data, Leca co-authored a manuscript with Gunst and Vasey for publication in the journal Archives of Sexual Behavior. “Japanese macaques live in societies that are typically multimale, multi-female. Males, when they reach sexual maturity, leave their natal group, with some transferring directly into a new multi-male, multi-female group, while others wander around solitarily for a period of time, and even others join what we call an all-male group. Being elusive, these all-male groups are difficult to track and observe, which is why we know little about them,” says Leca. “As far as we know, young males stick together, travel inde-

Dr. Jean-Baptiste Leca has been working with the U of L’s Dr. Paul Vasey for the past two years.

pendently, have social interactions and form a sub-group by themselves. When the mating season comes (October through January) some of these males will walk around a multi-male, multi-female group, hopefully to mate with females. What we observed in this particular allmale group however was male homosexual behaviour. While it’s not the first time that this behaviour has been reported in Japanese macaques, it is the first time it has been reported in an all-male group.” The significance of this discovery is that it may speak to the evolution of male homosexuality in humans. “We observe sexual behaviour – not sexual orientation – in monkeys. So the link will never be direct,” cautions Leca. “But our findings may provide insights into the possible origins of human homosexuality.” He describes a possible evolutionary scenario proposed by Dr. Bernard Chapais from the Université de Montréal, where ancestral humans may have transitioned from multi-male, multi-female groups to polygynous groups, or harems. After reducing the number of females associated with each male of these harem societies, early humans then may have transitioned to monogamous units, which are widespread today. “What we suspect, is that among polygynous ancestral humans, not all the males had access to females to form their harem, so maybe some of these males ended up in all-male groups, like Japanese macaques,” says Leca. “One possibility is that the earliest forms of male homosexual behaviour occurred in these all-male groups. That’s why we can make a kind of parallel between monkeys and humans.” Leca and his wife have been studying monkeys for 15 years and have travelled to Japan to study the macaques each of the past 10 years, calling the area their second home. CONTINUED ON PG. 5


A PR I L 2013

|

athletics AT T H E U

UNIVERSITY OF LETHBRIDGE

the Legend

Gallagher caps rookie season with CIS gold G E T T H E FA C T S • Gallagher is currently training with Steinke and a group of elite throwers in Phoenix, AZ through Apr. 8 • Millman was named Canada West Rookie of the Year • Gallagher has set her sights on breaking Kate Forbes’ CIS weight throw record of 19.66 metres (2005 CIS Championships), then wants to take aim at Heather Steacy’s Canada West and school records (20.28 metres) • Gallagher will compete for Nova Scotia at the Canada Summer Games in August, and hopes to turn a strong performance at the Canadian national meet in Quebec into an invitation to the Pan American Junior Track and Field Championships in Peru, also in August

First-year Pronghorn thrower Kayla Gallagher continues the long tradition of excellence in the Horns’ throws program.

BY TREVOR KENNEY

T

he torch has officially been passed and it continues to burn as bright as ever for the University of Lethbridge Pronghorns throws team. With the brother/sister combination of Jim and Heather Steacy no longer competing, and winning medals, for the Horns, a new group of throwers debuted at the U of L this track season. In terms of medal counts, the team hardly missed a beat.

MACAQUES CONTINUED FROM PG. 4 This fall, when mating season arrives, Leca says the group may not venture to Japan and instead invest their time writing papers before returning in 2014. The lure of what is possible with this new line of study is invigorating.

Rookies Kayla Gallagher and Peter Millman posted double medalist performances at the Canada West championship meet, each winning gold in their respective weight throw events and silver in the shot put. Gallagher then set the track community on its ear with a dominant performance at the Canadian Interuniversity Sport national championships, claiming gold in the shot put for yet another throws national title for the program. “I just wanted to place

higher than what I was ranked going into the meet,” says Gallagher, who was ranked fifth nationally. “A fourth-place finish would have been fine with me and getting on the podium would have been awesome – that was my thinking.” She exceeded awesome by throwing 18.24 metres in the CIS final, a personal best by nearly two metres and almost a metre better than the rest of the field. At just 19, Gallagher is already on the fast track to a stellar career, and serves as

“This time we got very lucky and our observations are really preliminary on this male homosexual behavior,” he says. “So we want to return and continue our study on these all-male groups because they are not typically researched. We’d like to know more about the social interactions between these males and by understanding some of their social bonds, see how these par-

ticular relationships may impact their sexual behaviour.” It is groundbreaking work uniting three researchers from two very distant countries in a foreign land – with science the link that brought them together. Here, a Japanese macaque juvenile male and a young adult male embrace each other. PHOTO by Dr. Noëlle Gunst

5

another example of the talented athletes that head coach Larry Steinke continues to bring into the program. Of course, Steinke had the inside track on Gallagher all along. A Truro, Nova Scotia product, Gallagher comes from a throwing hot spot, training with the Truro Lions club that spawned former Pronghorns Kate Forbes (the CIS Championship Meet record holder in weight throw) and Jonathan Doucette. Her Truro coach, Paul Millman, is the father of fellow rookie Peter Millman, and is a close friend of Steinke’s, so much so that Gallagher had twice visited the U of L for training camps as a high school athlete. “I was never going to stay home for track,” says Gallagher. “The biggest decision for me was whether I would go to the United States or stay in Canada but I honestly never really looked at any schools in the U.S., it just made sense to stay in Canada.” And to work with Steinke, the national team coach who has

consistently produced the country’s best young throwers. Of course, it wasn’t all record-setting throws and medals for Gallagher this season. She actually opened the Canada West season well off form. “It was a rough start to the season, I was throwing worse than I had been two years ago,” she says. “I had to reevaluate what I thought I could accomplish.”

“A fourth-place finish would have been fine with me.”

KAYLA GALLAGHER

Devoting more time to weight throw (she also throws discus and shot put), Gallagher started to see results. She threw a personal best at the Canada West championship meet and established the longest throw ever for a CIS rookie in winning gold. “When I threw 18-plus metres at CIS, it didn’t surprise me because that’s what I’d been throwing in the two weeks of practice leading in. The fact that I did it in a competition as opposed to just in practice was the big thing,” she says. She credits Steinke’s coaching technique for much of her success, as well as the opportunity to train alongside Olympians such as Jim and Heather Steacy. “I really enjoy Larry as a coach, he explains things really well and can show you how to correct things,” she says. “He uses a lot of visual techniques, either with a video camera or by physically just showing you what to do, and that works for me because I’m a very visual learner.” Her transition to university life is an ongoing learning cycle. She admits that the time constraints of training for track and working a job take their toll on studying. Interested in psychology, Gallagher says she is working hard on improving her time management skills. Considering the strides she made in the throwing circle in just one season, it’s safe to say that when Gallagher puts her mind to something, she’s likely to reap the rewards very soon.


the Legend

A PR I L 2013

|

UNIVERSITY OF LETHBRIDGE

U of L Library helps Cardston tell its temple stories BY EMMA THOMPSON

I

t stands today as an iconic symbol and regional landmark, and early last month, a group of citizens gathered at the Cardston library to recognize its significance in shaping the history of this southern Alberta community. It has been 100 years since ground was broken in Cardston, Alta. for the first Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints temple built in Canada. Now, with the help of the University of Lethbridge Library, The Cardston Temple: An Historical Record, a digitized collection of photographs and documents about the temple, has been created. The digital collection represents the work and resources of many individuals and institutions, not the least of which was the U of L library and its specified software and digitization team. The project began in 2004, when Beth Rosenvall, then Matron of the Cardston Alberta Temple, found a number of photographs under a couch at the temple. Her husband, Lynn Rosenvall, president of the temple from 2003-2006, described the pictures as “temple story photos” and a project was born. Beth Rosenvall was inspired to tap the community for more photographs, newspaper clippings, obituaries, biographies

and other documents related to the temple. Perhaps most importantly, the community supplemented these documents with their knowledge and memories, connecting names to faces, dating photographs and documents, and allowing a story of the temple to emerge.

“It’s valuable that we are able to honour the past and prepare for the future.”

DONNA BEAZER

The narrative is one of a community coming together, facing obstacles brought on by war and a vast Canadian landscape, to construct an iconic building. Its exterior was made of hand-hewn white granite, quarried near the Kootenay Lakes in BC. The construction and furnishing of the building took 10 years and involved the volunteer labour of many. Since its construction, the building has played an important role in spiritual lives and family histories of many Cardston residents of southern Alberta and beyond. The relationship between the Cardston Public Library and University Library developed

The Cardston Alberta Temple is the oldest Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints temple located outside the United States.

after Rosenvall and her team of volunteers identified and recorded the names of the people in the many photographs that were collected. With painstaking effort, 1,300 pages of pictures and documents were compiled into 11 archival quality volumes by category and with captions. Of the photos gathered, a remarkable 98 per cent of the people pictured were identified. In an effort to widely share these now developed temple stories, the Cardston Public Library used the Alberta Youth Initiative Program to send Nicole Walton to the U of L Library where she had access to the University’s infrastructure and library team

to help with the digitization of the collection. Born and raised in Cardston, Walton’s expertise and local knowledge proved invaluable as she entered the documents with their metadata, allowing for users to search the collection. She was also able to give insight into how the collection would be used moving forward. “It is important that younger generations understand the hard work and sweat that went into the construction of the temple,” says Cardston Public Library board chairman Vern Quinton. “It’s valuable that we are able to honour the past and prepare for the future,” adds library

manager Donna Beazer. A lot has changed over the past 100 years and, certainly, technology is part of our lives in ways that those who toiled over the temple’s construction could never imagine. But one thing remains true: it takes the passion and dedication of community members to build something worthwhile. Explore this fascinating digital collection from the library’s website. Go to digitallibrary. uleth.ca/cdm/collist/ and click on Cardston Alberta Temple: An Historical Record.

REMOVING FEAR ONE OF THE KEY GOALS OF THE NEW FUN WITH MATH INITIATIVE BY TREVOR KENNEY There is no denying that for many high school students, there is a fear factor associated with mathematics. The University of Lethbridge’s Department of Mathematics and Computer Science is looking to ease those fears, and in the end, maybe inspire more students to pursue, rather than retreat, from studies in math. “We need to bridge that gap from fear to fun,” says longtime professor Dr. Hadi Kharaghani. “This is a very big issue, to try and show students that there is a fun side to math, and if we can do that it can lead to better understanding.” Kharaghani, along with Drs. Abbas Momeni and Soroosh Yazdani (both former silver medalists at the World Mathematics Olympiad), has partnered with the Recruitment and Retention Project (RRP) to leverage seed funding from the Strategic Enrolment Management Committee (SEMC) to secure support from the Pacific Institute for the Mathematical Sciences (PIMS)

and the Canadian Mathematical Society (CMS) to create a free Fun With Math program at the U of L. Since November 2012, the department has invited middle school and high school students to campus, every Friday from 3 to 5 p.m., to take part in fun and informal math problem solving. Students of varying levels of ability are welcome to attend, with the emphasis on presenting math in a fun atmosphere that helps eliminate fear.

“We need to bridge that gap from fear to fun.”

DR. HADI KHARAGHANI

“When we get the students here, they quickly see the fun side of math and it really helps them feel more comfortable with it,” says Momeni. “The biggest struggle is to get them here in the first place.”

To that end, the department is trying to work with middle school and high school teachers to get the word to their students that the program exists. Done right, it can be a major influence on a young student’s attitudes, not only toward math, but the University itself. “I went through a program very much like this when I was a high school student in Ontario and it had a great influence on me,” says Yazdani of programs developed by the University of Waterloo and University of Toronto. “I was fortunate to go to a very strong high school but even then, the enrichment program they provided was at a whole new level. They introduced me to so many new concepts and in the end, it worked for Waterloo because I ended up going there over other institutions.” That the initiative started as an RRP project is only natural as it speaks to both the recruitment of potential students and their subsequent retention once on campus. “It’s first about building a

6

relationship with potential students and showing off what we have to offer here on campus,” says Heather Mirau, director, Integrated Planning. “We then want to see students succeed once they come here. If they are comfortable with the University and are better prepared when they walk in the door, there’s a much greater opportunity for them to find that success.” While just a pilot project now, Mirau sees great potential for the Fun With Math initiative and likens it to the start of the extremely successful youth science programs proudly offered by the U of L. Yazdani and Momeni currently work with 10-15 students every Friday, and while producing top scholars isn’t the goal of the sessions, they have identified a handful of students strong enough to participate in Math Olympiad events. The group is now putting together a one-day math competition, Apr. 13, where Grade 9-12 students from across southern Alberta are invited to participate. Once again, the day will be

unique, offering both group and individual problem solving with having fun the major theme of the day. “At the end of the day, math is not always individualistic,” says Yazdani. “We’re trying to make it different than your standard math competition where you lock students in a room with a bunch of problems and see which one of them comes out on top. In this one, we’ll have questions where students will get together to solve them, or problems where each person solves one part of the question.” Cash prizes of $300 for the winning team and $225 for the second-place team are also up for grabs. “We want our department to be known as a good place for students, and this gives us an opportunity to show off what we have here,” adds Yazdani. “We also have the idealistic goal of wanting to make math more accessible to young students.” Visit www.uleth.ca/artsci/ math-computer-science for more information on the Fun With Math program.


A PR I L 2013

|

the Legend

UNIVERSITY OF LETHBRIDGE

Dr. Olu Awosoga

Dr. Olu Awosoga completed his dissertation on Meta-Analysis of Multiple Baseline Time-Series Design Intervention Models for Dependent and Independent Series. This study developed a traditional meta-type analysis and corresponding robust methodology for multiple baseline series. This is a statistical approach used in applied statistical research to investigate the validity of procedures and power comparisons between parametric and robust methods. Awosoga joined the Faculty of Health Sciences in July 2009, the same year he completed his doctoral program at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, MI. He teaches applied statistics courses to undergraduate and graduate students and works with various faculty members as a statistical consultant. He is a co-investigator in the following projects: Moral Distress in the Care of Persons with Alzheimer Disease in Residential Care Facilities; Slave Lake Fire project to investigate the response of families and children – com-

UNIVERSITY CONTRIBUTES TO 1960S FESTIVAL Each year since 2006, the Historic Lethbridge Festival has celebrated a decade in the life of the city. This year it’s the 1960s, one of the most eventful decades of the 20th century. From Friday, May 3 to Sunday, May 11, the Festival presents a whole array of events including an exhibition of iconic 60s images at the University of Lethbridge’s Penny Building; a show-andshine of classic 60s cars in the City Hall parking lot and several films at the Lethbridge Public Library Theatre. These

munity resiliency; CAETL (now known as Teaching Centre) project to assess teaching effectiveness in undergraduate applied statistics course. Awosoga is passionate about using his knowledge in applied statistics to provide simple interpretation of results obtained from data analysis to make sense to the average man – a fundamental basis for his research interests. Most recently, as a principal investigator, he has applied for several grants through the Alberta Centre for Child, Family and Community Research and Workers Compensation Board to investigate the health status of childcare workers in southern Alberta.

What first piqued your interest in your research discipline? My interest base was first stirred up by a combination of statistical courses I took during my graduate program, in particular, applied statistics in social sciences. I had questions about a data analysis approach used in a journal article where I first discovered the word ‘meta

films include a family showing of Yellow Submarine, an afternoon of 60s TV shows including Get Smart and The Twilight Zone, and the Rolling Stones documentary Gimme Shelter. A 60s Fashion Show, narrated by U of L drama professor Leslie Robison-Greene and featuring clothes from the U of L Costume Shop, is also on tap. The fashion show is followed by a free concert of 60s pop and classical music, including hits by Barbara Streisand and Johnny Cash. Check out the schedule, find an event or two to your liking and take a trip back to Lethbridge in the 1960s.

Historic Lethbridge Festival Celebrates the 1960s Friday, May 3 | The Beatles’

analysis.’ So, I decided to learn more about it and of course, the result was my dissertation topic.

How is your research applicable in “the real world”?

In the real world, meta analysis of multiple baseline time-series design intervention models is of great interest to researchers in the fields of behavioural sciences, environmental sciences, economics, education and medicine. They often employ interrupted timeseries designs to determine the effectiveness and efficiency of several interventions in both clinical and natural settings. This model also provides a strong basis for causal conclusions.

What is the greatest honour you have received in your career?

As a graduate student, I received the best graduate research poster during the third annual Western Michigan University research and creative activities poster day in 2009.

Personally, I feel honoured every time I meet with a former student who shares how their statistical learning is enhancing their work, and feel the same when I can offer a meaningful statistical analysis in collaborative projects. In my career, it warms my heart to have an article accepted for publication or to obtain approval for a research grant.

How important are students to your research endeavours?

I find that working with students is a two way learning dynamic. Data analysis is core in interpreting research findings; hence it is rewarding being able to engage students in quantitative research. Students who work with me are trained in data collection procedures, recruiting research participants, conducting and transcribing qualitative interviews, data coding and literature reviews. This process provides students with learning opportunities and prepares them for future research works.

Yellow Submarine | 2 p.m., Lethbridge Public Library Theatre | For the whole family

sented by the U of L Music and Theatre & Dramatic Departments

Friday, May 3 | Reception & Plaque Unveiling | 5 p.m., City Hall | Hosted by the Lethbridge Historical Society

Tuesday, May 7 | Jazz from the 1960s | 8 p.m., Sterndale Bennett Auditorium | Concert of music by Stan Getz, Dave Brubeck and more, hosted by the Lethbridge Jazz Society

Saturday, May 4 | TV Shows from the 1960s | 12 to 4 p.m., Lethbridge Public Library Theatre | Watch Get Smart, Star Trek and more hosted by U of L new media professor Bob Cousins Monday, May 6 | 1960s Fashion Show & Concert | 7 p.m., Lethbridge Public Library Theatre | Fashion show hosted by Leslie Robison-Greene, and concert including hits by Barbara Streisand, and Julie Andrews as well as Classical music by Philip Glass pre-

7

Wednesday, May 8 | Gimme Shelter | 7 p.m., Lethbridge Public Library Theatre | Movie hosted by U of L new media professor Aaron Taylor Friday, May 10 | What’s got into those kids: Rockin’ in the 60s | 8 p.m., Southminster Church | Rock concert featuring Iliad, U of L Conservatory choirs directed by Kathy Matkin-Clapton and the Ventures Band headed by Dale Ketcheson

If you had unlimited funds, which areas of research would you invest?

If money was not an object, I would invest in any research which requires application of statistical theory and concepts, and would also participate in continuous professional development across the globe. In particular, I would invest in research focusing on health related issues to provide reasonable explanations to understanding existing variable relationships, interactions, cause and effects, amongst other things. In addition, I desire to participate in innovative teaching research to build stronger teaching and learning strategies at all levels of education. Each month, the Legend will present 5 Questions With . . . one of our researchers. For a look at the entire catalog of 5 Questions With . . . features, check out the Office of Research and Innovation Services website at www. uleth.ca/research_profiles. If you’d like to be profiled, contact Penny Pickles at pickpj@ uleth.ca.

NEW ENSEMBLE SET TO DEBUT The University of Lethbridge’s newest ensemble, the ElectroAcoustic Ensemble takes music to another level on Saturday, Apr. 20 at 8 p.m. in the Drama Studio (W420). Featuring original student compositions and improvisations as well as captivating selections by contemporary composers, the evening’s program encourages audiences to expand their musical appetites and experience sound as they may never have before. Comprised of music and digital audio arts majors, the Electro Acoustic ensemble integrates new instrumentalities with acoustic instruments, leading to a wide range of diverse and often unexpected sound combinations. Admission is free.


OUR

alumni

Alumnus Anderson takes pride in being No. 1 BY STACY SEGUIN

I

t is one of those things that really shouldn’t be a big deal. After all, a University ID number is just a simple sequence of digits and every student has one. Why is it then that years after graduation, when we have occasion to remember that long forgotten string of integers, do so many of us wax nostalgic? Perhaps the answer lays not so much in the numbers themselves but in the memories they have come to symbolize, memories of friends and professors, great marks, not so great marks and the ultimate realization of an incredible accomplishment. At the University of Lethbridge, the first two numbers on a student’s ID represent the year that a student begins studying there. If you know a bit about the history of the University, you might guess that the first student ID started with the number 67. Wayne Anderson (BASc ’73), the first student registered at the U of L, however, tells a little different story of ID number 00057001. “When I graduated from high school in Picture Butte in 1957, Kate Andrews was the chairman of the board that was starting up a college in Lethbridge. Because our school district contributed funds to the building of the college, the college gave us the opportunity to go in and start as first year university students,” remembers Anderson. “I started out in education. There was a big need then for teachers, so for incentive to get us enrolled, our tuition was only 100 dollars for a semester. Although we were within the college, we were actually the first University of Lethbridge students.” The first building built with those funds still stands as part of a local high school. “They built onto the west end of Lethbridge Collegiate Institute. There were rooms there for us to use and as soon as we finished the year we moved

VAN RAAY TO BE HONOURED AT MANAGEMENT DINNER The Faculty of Management is gearing up for one of its most significant events of the year – the annual Scholarship Fundraising Dinner. This year marks the 26th anniversary of the event and will honour pioneering agribusiness

G E T T H E FA C T S • Anderson has been married for 47 years and has two daughters and one son, with one daughter a U of L alumna • He has been a curler for 50 years and still coaches wheelchair curling in Lethbridge • An old car buff, Anderson has driven his 1966 Chevy hardtop in the annual Street Wheelers weekend • He calls the ’57 Chevy his favourite vehicle, and briefly owned one after his first year of university

out and the Collegiate took over. William Cousins was the dean of the University students there, and that is how we started out in the fall of 1957,” explains Anderson. After his first year, Anderson took a break from school to work at the research station in Vauxhall. He married his sweetheart in 1966 and later moved back to Lethbridge to accept a job at the Lethbridge Research Centre. “My Mother had gone to grade 11 and in the 1920s that was quite a feat. I did not have a very good showing my first year at the college and my mother was so disappointed that I didn’t carry on. I wanted to rectify it and make her proud of me, so I started back at University,” recalls Anderson. Balancing a full-time job with a young family and parttime studies, Anderson once again pursued a degree, this time in physical sciences. He eventually graduated with a BASc in geography in 1973. “I aimed toward that degree because I was working in that field and I really loved my job. The courses I took, geomorphology, soils, agricultural

Wayne Anderson, here at the Aperture sculpture, will be on campus in May to receive his Fiat Lux Alumni Ring.

geography, research techniques, Russian and Canadian geography, were all somehow related to the research station and its work worldwide. The professors would post our marks on the door. In all those years taking courses I never had a hard time finding mine because the students’ IDs started in the 60s and 70s and my ID stood out like a sore thumb because it started with 57,” chuckles Anderson. Anderson continued to work at the research station until he retired in 1991. Not one to sit still long, he began working

as a driver for the armoured car division of Loomis before retiring again in 2003. Deciding that retirement was not for him, Anderson began yet another career working for the Commissionaires as Security personnel for the Alberta/Montana transmission line. Now 75 years young, Anderson loves visiting the University campus on a regular basis as part of the Walk for Wellness group. On May 29, 2013 he will be on campus to participate in a special ceremony to receive the Fiat Lux Alumni Ring.

“One of my proudest accomplishments is graduating after spending all those years in University. The ring is something to always remind me of the years I put in and of being a part of the University. I feel pretty impressed to see how far the University has come from when I first started until now. When I see all these students I think, gee it has been a long time since I have been a student here,” laughs Anderson. “It is great to be an alumnus!”

entrepreneur and philanthropist, Cor Van Raay. Van Raay emigrated from the Netherlands to Canada in 1959 and, after working in a variety of jobs, landed in Alberta where he embarked on a lifelong career in agriculture. Together with his Belgianborn wife, Christine, Van Raay purchased a tract of cropland in the mid-1960s and established a small farming and cattle business. By the 1970s, the Van Raays were growing grain and vegeta-

bles and, as their cattle numbers grew, began to establish what would become one of the country’s most successful cattle operations. Van Raay co-founded Butte Grain Merchants in the early 1980s, and later became a partner in the John Deere farm implement dealership, Western Tractor (formerly McKay Bros). In addition to his agricultural ventures, Van Raay has become known for his many philanthropic and charitable activities, including gener-

ous donations to the Chinook Regional Hospital Foundation, Helen Schuler Nature Centre and the YMCA, among others. He also received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Alberta Cattle Feeders in 2011 and was recently granted the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal for significant contributions to the beef industry and the community. Van Raay is also an avid cyclist, and participated in the 2012 Enbridge Ride to Conquer Cancer.

Limited tickets are still available for the Scholarship Dinner but will likely sell out soon. To purchase tickets, or for more information about the event, please call 403-329-5181 or go to www.uleth.ca/management/events/3327.

8


A PR I L 2013

|

UNIVERSITY OF LETHBRIDGE

L I V I N G W E L L AT T H E

U of L

Bee Amazing BY SUZANNE MCINTOSH It’s almost time for the Bee Amazing Race (new name and theme for the previously named Bee Heart Smart Challenge). If you’re looking for a great getaway to inject a dose of fun and adventure into your life, while we can’t promise paradise, we can guarantee some excitement with our new and improved Bee Amazing Race! The Bee Amazing Race is designed to take you on an exciting journey to some notso-well-known cities, including Aerobiquerque, New Mexico; Strong Falls, South Dakota; Stretch Louis, Missouri; Heartford, Connecticut; Hahalulu, Hawaii; and New Balancewick, Canada. When in each city, travelers earn Trip Tix (points) by logging aerobic activity like biking, walking, running, playing badminton, etc. These coveted points can be redeemed for exciting prizes and souvenirs including pedometers, water bottles, bike bells, fitness passes and Bookstore bucks. Additionally, each city, province or state you visit will have a unique health challenge that will help you earn bonus badges. This is going to be the kind of trip you don’t want to

PUTTING A NEW SPIN ON OUTDOOR LIVING SPACES BY BOB COONEY Cody Nielsen is looking to redefine the notion of outdoor living space, and his ideas and planning abilities found him $5,000 richer as a second-place tie finisher in the 2013 South Venture Business Plan Competition. “We define an outdoor living space as the area you enjoy your time with family and

miss. Our Bee Amazing Race departure date is May 1 and will end June 9. Make your reservation today by following the directions on heartsmart. ulethbridge.ca/welcome. Early Bird bookings can be taken prior to Apr. 28. If you manage to travel to all these cities/provinces, you can earn bonus badges for also visiting Sweetattle, Washington, and Las Veggies, Nevada. Oh and you can still travel to your destination with a team. But this year, for extra Trip Tix points, the theme for the team name should be “travel”. Week 1 (May 1-6) Aerobiquerque – get your passport stamp by logging 50,000 Trip Tix. This week’s bonus challenges include completing two different aerobic activities and walking or running outdoors. You will earn a badge for either of these challenges. Week 2 (May 6-12) Hahalula – get your passport stamp by logging 50,000 Trip Tix. Bonus badges are available for those who tell or send a joke to a friend, or who submit a cartoon to be posted on the Wellness website. Week 3 (May 13-19) Heartford – get your passport stamp by logging 50,000 Trip Tix. Bonus challenges

friends outside on your property,” says Nielsen. “This would include your lawn, patio, garden spaces, decks and so on. We refer to it as a living space because it should be a place you like to live when you’re not indoors; your favourite plants and trees, deck with barbecue, water feature, a lawn for the kids to play on, etc….” Nielsen, in his third year of studies in management (finance), has been operating his business, Green Leaf Lawnscapes, while in school. The SouthVenture opportunity allowed him to refine his business skills and research the possibilities of expansion to larger markets in Lethbridge and beyond. With his wife and

include eating two pieces of fruit per day at least five times through the week and eating breakfast at least three times in the week. Week 4 (May 20-26) New Balancewick – get your passport stamp by logging 50,000 Trip Tix. Bonus challenges include trying at least 10 minutes of a desktop yoga routine (see the Wellness website for tips) and keeping a personal journal on your own stressors for one week. The journal details how you felt and how to rate your stress, as well as what you can do to address these stressors. Week 5 (May 27-June 2) Strong Falls – get your passport stamp by logging 50,000 Trip Tix. Bonus challenges include a bonus badge for doing strength exercises at least twice this week or for taking the stairs instead of the elevator. Week 6 (June 3-9) Stretch Louis – get your passport stamp by logging 50,000 Trip Tix. Bonus challenges include using the U of L Stretch and Strengthen program at least three times this week and, for one day, taking a break for at least one minute every 60 minutes (stand up to take phone calls, walk to speak to a coworker, perform a stretch).

business partner Stephanie (BA ’11), a recent U of L grad, the pair are balancing jobs, school, a six-month-old baby as well as up to six employees. “We are entering our third year of operations and have seen steady growth so far,” says Nielsen. “We hope to increase our share of the Lethbridge market and potentially look to Calgary to expand. With our growth thus far, the clients we are continuing to work with, and the range of services we offer, we have a sustainable business model to continue to generate profits, provide jobs and contribute to our own community and economy.” Nielsen says his approach is a bit different from other compa-

9

So you’ve earned all your passport stamps and have a minimum of 50,000 Trip Tix per week. Now, for those who want to go that extra mile, 500,000 Trip Tix will get you a passport stamp from Sweetattle, Washington. Hit that 1,000,000-point mark and you get the Las Veggies passport stamp as well. You can also earn bonus badges for eliminating one source of added sugar for a week and by making half your plate fruits and veggies for one week. If you like what you discover while visiting any site on our travel itinerary, you can bring back a souvenir – a new health habit that will last as long as those vacation memories. Happy travels! To ensure you get your Trip Tix points, make sure you join the Luxy Loafers at the 2013 May 4, Steps for Life Walk. Please e-mail wellness@uleth. ca or phone 403-332-5217 for more information (stepsforlife2013.kintera.org/faf/home/ default.asp?ievent=1060706) As always, I look forward to any comments, suggestions or questions. Be well! Suzanne McIntosh is the wellness co-ordinator for the University of Lethbridge

nies, not just in philosophy, but in services. “What makes us different from other companies in Lethbridge is that we offer many landscaping services (sod, irrigation, patios, fences, etc.), fertilizer and certified weed control service, as well as your conventional maintenance services (mowing, aerating, sprinkler blowouts etc.). This is different because other companies don’t offer all three services, including landscaping, fertilizer and weed control, and maintenance. As well, I want people who I work with as clients to see how enlivening your landscape makes it a healthy environment that contributes to the environment as a whole.”

the Legend

KILT PLEDGE TO RAISE FUNDS FOR CANCER RESEARCH Steve Firth, a native of Scotland and fourth-year philosophy major, has pledged to wear a kilt every day over the next 12 months and will organize a number of kilt-themed events in order to promote awareness of male cancers and to raise funds for cancerfocused organisations. With a team of supportive bagpipers, Firth kicked off his campaign, and his pants, in late March. “I have seen a lot of friends and family cut down with cancer recently, and all of them men,” says Firth. According to the Canadian Cancer Society, there are nearly 200,000 new cases of cancer and over 75,000 cancer deaths overall in Canada each year. More men than women are diagnosed and will die from cancer each year (52 per cent of all new cases and deaths), and there is a greater incidence of prostate cancer in men, than breast cancer in women (26,500 cases of prostate cancer vs. 22,700 of breast cancer in 2012). The top three male cancers – colorectal, prostate, and lung cancer – comprise around 40 per cent of all cancers. For more information and ways to donate, go to www. kiltup-4Cancer.com, or, as Firth says, “just look for the crazy Scotsman!”

Nielsen says that a healthy lawn, well watered and taken care of, provides enough oxygen for a family of four, and fertilizer and weed control programs, properly administered, deliver long term benefits to a lawnscape. “A lawn absorbs pollution, cools the air outside your home, prevents erosion, and highlights your home. Healthy gardens and trees provide beautiful scenery and again more oxygen, homes for birds and other organisms, while trees also can help block wind (a nice bonus here in Lethbridge). We want to be green by bringing your yard to life.”


the Legend

A PR I L 2013

|

events C A L E N D A R

Lectures Apr. 4 | Canadian Association of Physicists Lecture Tour | Dr. Jack Sankey of McGill University presents Controlling the Motion of Solid Objects with Light | 1:40 p.m., C640 Apr. 5 | Art Now Speaker – Kay Burns Noon, University Recital Hall (W570) Apr. 5 | Prentice Brown Bag Lecture Series | Drs. Ivan Townshend, Olu Awosoga and Judith Kulig discuss Family Resilience and PTSD in Children in Slave Lake | 12 p.m., L1102 Apr. 8 | Art Now Speaker – Shauna McCabe | Noon, University Recital Hall (W570) Apr. 8 | Architecture & Design Now Speaker – Shauna McCabe | 6 p.m., M1040 Apr. 8 | Holy Homophobia! with Dr. Tonya Callaghan | A presentation emphasizing the findings and implications of a qualitative study that examines the causes and effects of the long-standing disconnect between Canadian Catholic schools and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms | 6 p.m., PE261 Apr. 10 | Visiting Lecture: Dr. Chad Gaffield | 75-minute presentation to Social Sciences, Humanities and Fine Arts faculty and graduate students on Understanding People: How new insights are transforming campuses, companies and communities in the Digital Age 9:45 a.m., Andy’s Place (AH100) Apr. 10 | Language Development, Identity and Assessment Group Lecture | Dr. Susan Graham, Canada Research Chair, Lan-

guage and Development presents It’s not what you said but how you said it: Pre-schoolers’ recognition of communicative intent | 12 p.m., PE250

dedicated to Iranian classical music and reflect that music in its contemporary compositions 3 p.m., University Recital Hall (W570) Apr. 9 | Music at Noon: Stan Climie (bass clarinet) | 12:15 p.m., University Recital Hall (W570)

Apr. 11 | Physics & Astronomy Speaker Series: Dr. Hester Jiskoot | Geophysical Examples from Glacier Research: From Seismic Waves to Energy Balance through Strain Rates and Terrain Irradiance | 1:40 p.m., C640

Apr. 12 | U of L Jazz Ensemble | 8 p.m., University Theatre

Apr. 12 | The Heart of Teaching: Harold Jansen and John Sheriff | Stop by Heart of Teaching for casual, confidential, drop-in peer mentoring. | 9 a.m., D635

Apr. 13 | U of L Wind Orchestra | 8 p.m., Southminster United Church Apr. 14 | Northern Lights | The U of L Singers and U of L Women’s Chorus perform works by Canadian and Northern European composers | 3 p.m., Southminster United Church

Apr. 12 | Art Now Speaker – Eric Metcalfe | Noon, University Recital Hall (W570) Apr. 17 | Women Scholars Speaker Series – Dr. Louise Barrett | To much monkey business? What non-human primates can and can’t tell us about the evolution of human sociality | 12 p.m., Andy’s Place (AH100)

Apr. 16 | Music at Noon: Studio Showcase | 12:15 p.m., University Recital Hall (W570) Apr. 20 | Electro-Acoustic Ensemble | Gesture-based, computer-intensive, student ensemble builds on traditional performance and compositional practices 8 p.m., Black Box Studio (W420)

Apr. 18 | Prairie Universities Physics Seminar Series – Dr. Chary Rangacharyulu | Laser Compton Scatter MeV Photons at Light Sources for Nuclear and Allied Sciences 1:40 p.m., C640

Apr. 21 | Vox Musica with Chinook Chamber Singers | 3 p.m., Southminster United Church

Performances Apr. 5-6 | Global Drums | An explosive evening of percussive entertainment with a theme that revolves around fire | 8 p.m. nightly, University Theatre

Apr. 21 | Mnozil Brass | Called the Monty Pythons of Music, this seven-piece brass ensemble presents Blofeld, a stage show created to celebrate their 20th anniversary of performing together | 7 p.m., University Theatre

Apr. 7 | Faculty Artists & Friends Series – A New Look at Persia: Saba Musical Group | Saba:Persian Classical Ensemble is

UNIVERSITY OF LETHBRIDGE

Miscellaneous Apr. 3 | New Media Film Series: Cosmopolis | Free screening of David Cronenberg’s 2012 film Cosmopolis | 7 p.m., Lethbridge Public Library Apr. 10-11 | Lethbridge Alberta Motion Picture Showcase (LAMPS) | LAMPS short film festival organized by new media students | 6 p.m. nightly, Movie Mill Apr. 12-24 | New Media BFA Graduation Exhibition | Daily, U of L Penny Building Apr. 13 | Culture Vulture Saturday: Button Making with trap/door | 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., University Hall Atrium Apr. 15 | Wellness Lunch and Learn: Rebound Health Centre | Listen to presenters from the new on-campus service, Rebound Health Centre, as they discuss their services and how to access the clinic | Noon, L1170A Apr. 22-23 | Art Studio Open House Exhibition | The Department of Art presents this student exhibition, with an award reception Apr. 23 at 4:30 p.m. | Daily, 8th Floor Centre for the Arts May 1 | New Media Film Series: The Brothers Bloom | Free screening of Rian Johnson’s 2008 film The Brothers Bloom | 7 p.m., Lethbridge Public Library May 2 – June 27 | Recent Acquisitions Gallery show featuring the most recent acquisitions by the University of Lethbridge Art Gallery daily

LAST LECTURE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PROFESSORS TO TRULY ACT AS STUDENT MENTORS BY MARIKA STEVENSON People from all walks of life have had a teacher or mentor whose words of wisdom have made a profound difference in the way they view and respond to life’s challenges. Unfortunately, more often than not, those who inspire and encourage us aren’t always recognized. That’s part of the reason the University of Lethbridge Students’ Union (ULSU) developed the annual Teaching Excellence Award (TEA). For the last three years, students at the U of L have had the opportunity to nominate a professor, sessional staff or lab instructor, who has shown outstanding efforts to improve the learning experience of students, for this award. “There are plenty of ways that teachers are recognized, but

until the ULSU Teaching Excellence Award began, they were all driven by University employees such as professors and staff,” says former student council member and TEA organizer, Andrew Williams. “The ULSU’s award is unique in that it is the only student-driven award at the U of L that recognizes true teaching excellence from the student perspective. I think that makes it even more special for its recipients.” Up to three professors can receive the Teaching Excellence Award and will be recognized at the University’s Last Lecture event. The Last Lecture started at the U of L in April 2008 and is based on the world-renowned speech given in 2007 by computer science professor, Randy

Pausch, at Carnegie Mellon University.

“The ULSU’s award is unique in that it is the only studentdriven award that recognizes true teaching excellence from a student perspective.”

ANDREW WILLIAMS

Pausch had been diagnosed with terminal cancer

10

that would claim his life in a matter of months, however, upon delivering his last lecture Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams, he provided his audience with thoughtful insight about living, not dying. He spoke about overcoming obstacles and seizing every moment because, “time is all you have . . . and you may find one day that you have less than you think”. Pausch’s speech became a phenomenon and shortly thereafter universities around the world began delivering their own last lectures, not necessarily given by dying professors but by teachers looking to impart their last words of wisdom. “The Last Lecture is the chance to leave a message – a legacy – for those who are here and those who have yet to come,” says ULSU VP Academic, Julia

Adolf. “It will give students the advice that professors wished they had taken; it will let them learn from their mistakes and from their accomplishments. The students here at the University of Lethbridge look to their professors for assistance and advice. The Last Lecture is no different, but instead of finding it in textbooks and published journals, they find guidance and wisdom that only personal experience can offer.” This year’s Last Lecture speakers are Dr. Peter Dibble (chemistry and biochemistry), Nicholas Hanson (theatre and drama) and Dr. Sheila McManus (history). The event takes place on Wednesday, Apr. 17, at 7 p.m. in the University›s main theatre. Marika Stevenson is the SU communications co-ordinator


A PR I L 2013

|

UNIVERSITY OF LETHBRIDGE

FINE ARTS

in focus

the Legend

Roloff Beny winners reflect excellence

Kasia Sosnowski, left, and Neysa Hale, above, will use their Roloff Beny scholarships for unique photo-arts projects.

N

eysa Hale and Kasia Sosnowski, both BFA art majors, emerged from a highly competitive group of applications to earn the two Roloff Beny Awards. Each will receive a $5,000 scholarship to develop their art projects after the Roloff Beny Awards Committee established their proposals to be the best of an outstanding collection of applications. Hale, in her fourth year of study, plans to explore both a physical place and the social issues in Williams Lake, B.C. In her proposal Hale says, “My art practice focuses on social issues prevalent in society today revolving around social interactions and deviance labeling (negatively labeling those seen as deviant according to social norms). In exploring such issues, I aim to create an environment

of contemplation and reflection that encourages one to stop and think about the implications. To do so, I use mixed media including textiles, video and photography, paying close attention to the overall composition and colour. I’m interested in Aboriginal and Caucasian relations in Williams Lake, B.C. There is a clear divide between the two groups where social barriers and skewed perspectives inhibit positive interaction. It is my desire to explore this divide through photography, research and observation to understand the situation and present it in a creative fashion. By travelling and documenting the Cariboo Wagon Road, I wish to open a discussion around the connection between the Cariboo Wagon Road and the Williams Lake Indian Bands to create a dialogue of the social by-pass that is occurring.”

Sosnowski, in her sixth year of study, has a personal proposal involving exploring her heritage with a beloved family member’s camera as her guide. According to her proposal, “I want to use my Dziadek’s [grandfather’s] Leica to explore the relationship between photography, memory and eternal return. By travelling to Poland, I hope to capture and celebrate the relationship that I had with my Dziadek and his relationship with Poland. I’ve been to Poland only once before and the connection I felt to the people and the place was immense. If we consider eternal return, I will be led by the intuition of my past selves to revisit sites and spaces I’ve seen infinite amounts of time. Perhaps by using my Dziadek’s camera, I will be led to the places he explored and loved. I will only use his film camera to document the trip. Thus, the entire experience will be filtered through his camera.” In 2005, the Roloff Beny Foundation endowed $860,000

to the Department of Art, Faculty of Fine Arts, to generate ongoing funding for student scholarships and infrastructure costs in traditional and digital photoarts. In recognition of excellence in art instruction and research, the University of Lethbridge was one of five institutions across Canada selected for such an endowment. Since then, more than $70,000 in scholarships have been awarded to students in fine arts, providing research based travel opportunities in conjunction with their studies in photo-arts. The Roloff Beny Foundation Photographic Awards in the Fine Arts is intended to provide outstanding Fine Arts students who have a concentrated interest in photo-arts with a travel opportunity in relation to their photographic activity. Any new or continuing students enrolled full-time in any BFA degree program who have a focused interest in photo-arts are eligible to apply for this competitive award.

MNOZIL BRASS FEATURES ENGAGING PERFORMANCE

The talented, theatrical and hilarious stylings of Mnozil Brass will be on display Apr. 21 in the University Theatre.

Talented, theatrical and hilarious, Mnozil Brass stops at the University Theatre, Sunday, Apr. 21 at 7 p.m. for a performance you won’t soon forget! Described as the “Monty Python of Brass,” this ensemble of seven Austrian musicians has astounded audiences with their virtuosic performances around the world for more than 20 years. “This is their only stop in Alberta on their North American tour,” says Dr. Josh Davies, music faculty and Jazz Ensemble director. “Rarely will you see audiences crying with laughter and in complete awe at the same time! They

11

combine flawless brass performance with physical comedy and absurdist theatre.” Their program is stuffed with music for every taste. From folk to jazz to classical and popular, Mnozil Brass promises to get toes tapping. It’s an evening of musical magic, slapstick humour and entertainment to delight every age. This is a performance not to be missed. Tickets, priced at $25 regular, $15 students/ children are available at the University Box Office (403-329-2616) or online at uleth.ca/tickets. Tickets are subject to a $1.25 service fee.

JAZZ GROUP READY TO ENTERTAIN Listening to swing, fusion, funk, Latin, samba, ballad, hard bop and much more is sure to get the audience’s toes tapping for the U of L Jazz Ensemble Concert, Friday, Apr. 12 at 8 p.m. in the University Theatre. The program features a potpourri of Jazz’s greatest composers appealing to every musical taste. “We are performing music by jazz greats including Chick Corea, Duke Ellington, Charles Mingus, Thad Jones, Gordon Goodwin and a tribute to the late Dave Brubeck. This concert has virtually every style of jazz imaginable, performed by one of the strongest jazz groups in the community,” says conductor, Dr. Josh Davies. Reserve your tickets at the U of L Box Office (Monday to Friday, 12:30 to 3:30 p.m., or by calling 403-329-2616). Regular tickets are also available online at uleth.ca/tickets. Tickets are priced at $15 regular, $10 student/senior.

ORCHESTRA EAGER TO SHARE STAGE Experience a night of exciting music with the U of L Wind Orchestra and some special guests. Southminster United Church will be filled with music on Saturday, Apr. 13 at 8 p.m. as members of the U of L Wind Orchestra, U of L Brass Choir and U of L Woodwind Quintet share the stage for another memorable concert. The program offers many interesting selections, including Autumn Soliloquy by James Barns, Festive Overture by Dmitri Shostakovich, Third Suite by Robert E. Jager and the second movement of Claude T. Smith’s Symphony No. 1. “This program truly presents the talents of the students in the Wind Orchestra,” boasts conductor Brian Thorlacius. “From the soloists featured in each of the pieces, to the members of both the U of L Brass Choir and Woodwind Quintet, our program showcases the hard work and dedication of each of our members.” Audiences also experience a world premiere performance of Kai Stensgaard’s Concierto Mexicano, arranged for wind orchestra, and featuring percussionist and MMus candidate, Joe Porter.


Dianne Bos was born in Hamilton, Ont., and received her BFA from Mount Allison University in Sackville, NB. Her photographic practice revolves around the creation and utilization of pinhole cameras to challenge the notion of photography as instantaneous.

Pinhole photography employs an enclosed structure without a lens to reproduce an image, and requires extended light exposure through a single, small opening. Bos’s Petit Larousse as a Pinhole Camera demonstrates her practice of cutting into books to transform them into rudimentary cameras, and her photographs Milky Way by Candlelight and Self-portrait as a Globular Cluster were created by exposing luminescent images through sheets of metal perforated in the patterns of constellations. Bos’s work has been exhibited extensively across Canada and internationally, and she was prominently featured in the University of Lethbridge Art Gallery’s touring exhibition Time & Space in 2006. Bos currently divides her time and art practice between Calgary and the south of France. (TOP LEFT) Dianne Bos, Milky Way by Candlelight, 1999. From the University of Lethbridge Art Collection; Gift of the artist, 2006. (TOP RIGHT) Dianne Bos, Petit Larousse as a Pinhole Camera, 2003. From the University of Lethbridge Art Collection; Gift of the artist, 2006. (RIGHT) Dianne Bos, Self-portrait as a Globular Cluster, 2000. From the University of Lethbridge Art Collection; Gift of the artist, 2006.

images L ASTING


Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.