Career included serving as Canada s chief of defence staff BY REBECCA KENDALL R etired Canadian general and chief of defence staff Rick Hillier has received the 2008 Lincoln Alexander Outstanding Leader Award from the College of Manage- ment and Economics (CME). Hillier was honoured for his ex- ceptional abilities as a communica- tor with soldiers, the public and the media at a time of increased activity in the Canadian Forces and for im- proving the image and sustainability of the Forces both domestically and internationally. He was also recognized for his ef- forts to lobby the federal govern- ment for increased military funding, says CME dean Chris McKenna. “Rick Hillier has never been afraid to speak up for what he be- lieves in, which is always a signature of an exceptional leader,” says McKenna. “Throughout his career, he has made some of the toughest decisions imaginable and worked tirelessly to advocate for the men and women who defend our nation. He is an exceptional leader who con- tinues to share his expertise, even af- ter retirement from the military.” Hillier’s 36-year military career included serving as commander of the Stabilization Force multina- tional division (southwest) and the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force in Kabul, Afghani- stan. He was named chief of land staff in 2003 and two years later be- came Canada’s chief of defence staff, the highest-ranking position in the Canadian Forces. He retired from the Forces in 2008. Hillier has since brought his lead- ership skills to the world of business and post-secondary education. He now works for the TD Bank Finan- cial Group supporting the enhance- ment of client and customer relations and assisting with the bank’s leadership development and training initiatives. He also serves as chancellor of Memorial University, his alma mater. The annual Lincoln Alexander Outstanding Leader Award, estab- lished in 2006, is given to someone who has embodied and demon- strated exceptional leadership in the areas of service, advocacy, collabora- tion, learning and scholarship. Former Ontario lieutenant-gov- ernor Lincoln Alexander, who served as U of G’s chancellor for an unprecedented 15 years and is now University chancellor emeritus, was the first recipient of the award. Last year, it was presented to Frank McKenna, deputy chair of the TD Bank Financial Group and former premier of New Brunswick and for- mer Canadian ambassador to the United States. One of the main reasons BA student Karen Tamminga returned to school was to serve as a role model for her children, from left, Jasper, Jobina, Dean and Desiree. photo by martin schwalbe School Is All in the Family Single mom juggles studies , family , even if it means bringing all four kids to class BY ANDREW VOWLES T he school day starts early for second-year BA student Karen Tamminga. By 7 a.m., the single mom rousts her four preteens in their Elora apartment. She drives the kids to two schools in Fergus — middle school for 12-year-old Jasper Leading Activist to Talk During Citizenship Awareness Week War Child Canada founder will discuss social responsibility T he Canadian medical doctor and political activist who founded War Child Canada will speak at U of G Jan. 15 as part of Citizenship Awareness Week and the Positive Social Action Conference. Dr. Samantha Nutt will discuss "Social Responsibility — Acting Upon Our Responsibilities as Citi- zens” at 7 p.m. in War Memorial Hall. The talk is free and open to the University community, but people must register in advance online. Fifty tickets will also be available for the general public at the door, which opens at 6:30 p.m. Nutt founded the Canadian chapter of War Child in 1999 and currently serves as its executive di- rector. Operating in 10 war- tom countries, War Child Canada part- ners with local organizations to do innovative humanitarian work sup- porting women and children. Nutt has more than 10 years’ ex- perience working in war zones and has helped children around the world. She was recognized by Maclean’s magazine as one of “12 Canadians Making a Difference” and was named one of “Ten Outstanding Canadian Women” by Hello! Can- ada. Time magazine declared her “One of Canada’s Five Leading Ac- tivists,” and she was honoured with the Globe and Mail’s “Top 40 Under 40” award. A specialist in child and family medicine and public health, refugee health and women’s health, Nutt is on staff at Sunnybrook and Women’s Health Sciences Centre and is an assistant professor at the University of Toronto in the Depart - Continued on page 10 and primary school for Jobina, 11, Dean, 10, and Desiree, 9. Then she heads to Guelph for her own first class of the day. By mid-aftemoon she retraces her steps. Back home, she prepares dinner, oversees the kids’ homework and looks after errands and chores. Lights out for the kids is at 9:30. That’s when Mom can finally turn to I her own studying, although some- | times it’s closer to 1 1 p.m. before she I gets to the books. She’s routinely up past midnight. A few hours later, it’s time to do it all I over again — and Tamminga loves it. “There are so many positive things about going to school,” she says. Now 34, she began full-time studies at Guelph in 2006 for two main reasons. She hopes ultimately to land a decent job to support her- self and her young family, perhaps in law or police work or teaching. And she wants to serve as a role model for diose youngsters. “This is where I’m going to learn the tools to make a difference.” For now, she considers her stud- ies as her full-time job. This is Tamminga 's third try at post-secondary education. She spent a year in criminology at the Univer- sity of Regina in 1993. Switching to Brock University a year later, she started a biology degree. She gave up her studies after be- coming pregnant and getting mar- ried. The babies came one after another for the next three years. Time ticked by. Several years ago, Tamminga be- came a volunteer with the Canadian Red Cross, visiting schools to talk to Grade 7 students about violence and abuse prevention under the agency’s RespectED program. Then she be- came a provincial trainer for the program, basically teaching other volunteers how to work with kids. That work saw her travel across the province, often northward to First Nations communities. It also connected her with her own native heritage — her father, who died when she was five, had come from the Timiskaming First Nation in Quebec — and with the legacy of her own childhood trauma. Tamminga was raped at age 14. Although she continued high school, that experience led to numerous problems, including an eating disor- der. Along the way, she joined a reli- gious cult and left home at 16. In 2006, she and her husband di- vorced. Living with their four chil- dren, she decided to pursue that Continued on page 10 CME Presents Alexander Award to Rick Hillier at GUELPH University ^G UELPH Changing Lives Improving Life JANUARY 14, 2009 VOL. 53 NO. 1 • WWW.UOGUELPH.CA/ATGUELPH • UNIVERSITY OF GUELPH INSIDE: TOUGH TIMES, TOUGH DECISIONS • NEVER AN IDLE MOMENT • IT'S NOT ME, IT’S YOU At Guelph 1 January 14 , 2009 SCI-PHI. THE BORDERLANDS BETWEEt SCIENCE & PHILOSOPHY Massimo Pigliucci THURSDAY JAN 29 2009 7:30PM Science Complex Atrium, University of Guelph - FREE ADMISSION - ASTRA Low Student Teacher Ratio Toddler Program 18-30 Months 1/2 Day tSi Full Day Preschool Full Day Jr. & Sr. Kindergarten Elementary' Grades 1-6 Extended Hours Available DOWNTOWN GUELPH 151 Waterloo Avc Guelph Ont ^ 836*3810 wTvw.guelphniontessori.com NEUMANN '"I Finandt Michael H.C. McMurray Partner corn inandal Services 210 Kortright Road West, Unit #5 Guelph, Ontario NIG 4X4 Telephone: (519) 826-4774 Email: michaelmcmurray@on.aibn.cc “Within the Child Lies the Fate of the Future” Dr. Maria Montessori ■ Enriched Academic Curriculum ■ Athletic Program including: Martial Arts, Swimming, Skating, Yoga and Gym ■ Musikgarten ■ Core French ■ Monthly Field Trips ■ Certified Montessori Teachers Angela Crawford Sale* Representative < 519 ) 821-3600 angela-crawford@coldwelIbanker.ca 824 CORDON ar. U201 GUELPH. CM . MT61Y7 • Do you have questions or do you have concerns about recent market instability? • Talk to Michael today about investments that will give you positive returns however the markets are performing • Feel comfortable with your investments • Call Michael today 519-826-4774 from th e president ‘Tough Times Call for Tough Measures, Smart Decisions and Creative Ideas’ Editor’s note: President Alastair Summerlee welcomes comments on his column at president@uoguelph.ca. F ew THINGS HAVE brought me as much pleasure recently as unwrapping my new 2009 calendar and throwing the 2008 one into the recycling bin. The past year has been a difficult one for many rea- sons, not the least of which is that 2008 was one of the most turbulent economic periods in recent history. Like most sectors in Canada and around the world, uni- versities were severely affected by the global financial challenges, and we continue to feel the ripple effects. Opening a new calender and turning to a fresh page was an important symbolic gesture for me — a blank slate and a new beginning of sorts. It’s a pity we can’t contain the problems of 2008 within the pages of a cal- endar. It would make closing it and muttering “good riddance” while aiming for the recycling can a sufficient solution to our woes. But we have to have a more concrete and complex plan to tackle the troubles left over from 2008. For the problems are many, and some of them are extreme. So extreme, in fact, that the remedies will require changing the way we approach our core business of teaching, re- search and learning. Indeed, 2009 will be a year of significant transforma- tion at Guelph. Virtually no department, program, unit or activity on campus will be unaffected. This is an oft- repeated line for me these days, but I cannot overem- phasize the seriousness and imminence of the situation. We’ve faced financial challenges before, but the complexity and size of our projected shortfall are un- precedented. We all must recognize and accept it. Tough times call for tough measures, smart decisions and creative ideas. Before I outline for you some of the changes that students, staff and faculty can expect in this new year, I want to recap how we ended up at this point. To begin with, the global economic downturn adversely affected our pension and endowment funds. On the pension side, unless there is a major sus- tained recovery in financial markets or we get relief from provincial funding rules, the annual contribution U of G has to make to our pension plans could rise from $20 million to between $70 million and $100 million. This money has to come from the operating budget. There is a proposal to introduce pension legislation in the spring that would give the University some relief. To be eligible for this, Guelph must obtain agreement from employee groups and retirees for this change. Although such relief would be welcome, it wouldn’t really address some of the structural issues associated with our pensions. In terms of our endowment funds, it will not be pos- sible to maintain current spending levels. Although we don’t rely on the funds for operating budget support, the interest they earn is a major contributor to financial assistance for students. We will be working closely with Board of Governors and major donors in making deci- sions about what actions will have to be taken. At the same time, we are facing a government fund- ing freeze for at least the next three years because of the worsening economic climate, as well as a $ 16-million structural deficit that resulted from funding lagging be- hind operating costs for several years. We also continue to encounter rising costs for salaries and benefits, post- employment benefits such as pensions, and deferred maintenance and utilities. The University has an obligation to ensure ongoing fiscal sustainability, so we will take the necessary steps to set the institution on a course for recovery. Already the multi-year budget plan has been ad- justed to recognize the additional $10 million we will have to find over the next three years because of the government funding freeze. The cuts have been differ- entially applied across the University, and the inte- grated plan for 2009/10 is being revised to accommodate these cuts and to prioritize areas for change. A number of changes have been proposed with the overarching goal of preserving quality and programs that are strengths of the institution and differentiate Guelph from other universities. We’ve already talked about some of them, including a six-month hiring freeze while we align our strategies with the fiscal realities; postponing or suspending ma- jor building projects that are not already in progress; re- ducing departmental discretionary expenditures; and considering ways to restructure practices to accommo- date the personnel losses due to the voluntary early retirements/resignations. Over the next couple of months, we will also be eliminating courses, majors and programs with lower enrolments; closing or amalgamating some units, activ- ities and functions; and moving to focus on a reduced number of activities. Members of the senior executive team have agreed that they will freeze their salaries for 2009/10, and I will be meeting with employee groups to review the ways we will have to contain negotiated settlements on salaries and benefits in the foreseeable future. It’s too early to say what the final impact on people might be, but we must reduce the scope and scale of op- erations in these uncertain times. Keep in mind that many other Ontario universities are in the same situa- tion, and many economic sectors are even worse off fol- lowing the turmoil of 2008. We can expect 2009 to be a time of change, of reinvention and of priority shifting for many sectors as we all strive to ensure a sustainable future. It will be difficult and challenging, but I know that, by working together, we will continue to find creative solutions for the problems we face. I believe that Guelph, despite all these fiscal challenges, remains poised to take on even more significant roles in educa- tion and research. I am confident that we will emerge from this process a leaner, more efficient, more effec- tive and, ultimately, stronger university. Budget Information on Web Members of the U of G community can access up-to-date information about budget issues and developments at www.uoguelph.ca/president/budget. The site includes a link to a short video in which presi- dent Alastair Summerlee addresses some of the Uni- versity’s budget challenges. The site also invites all members of the U of G com- munity to make suggestions on ways to help Guelph cut costs or find additional revenues. Send suggestions to savemoney@uoguelph.ca. Watch for a story on the ideas being generated by the community in a future is- sue of At Guelph. a y e Editor Barbara Chance b.chance@exec.uoguelph.ca Design Peter Enneson Production Linda Graham l.graham@exec.uoguelph.ca Advertising Scott Anderson theandersondifference@rogers.com Director Chuck Cunningham c.cunningham@exec.uoguelph.ca At Guelph is published every two weeks by Communications and Public Affairs, Level 4, University Centre, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario NIG 2WI. Inquiries: 519-824-4120 Editorial: Ext. 56580 Distribution: Ext. 56581 Advertising: Ext. 56580 www. uoguelph.ca/adguide Classifieds: Ext. 56581 Fax: 519-824-7962 Website : www.uoguelph.ca/alguelph Articles maybe reprinted with credit to Af Guelph. Subscriptions $25 (includes GST); $30 outside Canada ISSN 08364478 At Guelph 2 January 14 , 2009 news in brief WALLIN NAMED TO SENATE U of G chancellor Pamela Wallin has been appointed to the Senate by Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Her appointment was one of 18 announced Dec. 22. “We are delighted and proud that Pamela Wallin has been named to this pres- tigious position,” says president Alastair Summerlee. “Her leader- ship is recognized locally, nation- ally and internationally, and she has all of the qualities required to be an outstanding senator.” LIBRARY GOES GREEN The McLaughlin Library and OVC Learning Commons will no longer issue due date slips for standard library loans of two weeks and term loans. This is expected to eliminate upwards of 175,000 slips of paper each year. The change is in keeping with other green initiatives under- taken by the library, including the large-scale lighting retrofit com- pleted in December. The retrofit will reduce CO. emissions by more than 600 tonnes a year, the equiva- lent of removing some 12,000 cars from the road. UGAA SEEKS NOMINEES The U of G Alumni Association seeks nominations for five awards — Alumnus of Honour, Alumni Medal of Achievement, Alumni Volunteer Award, Employee Vol- unteer Award and Student Volun- teer Award. Nomination deadline is Jan. 30. For a nomination form, visit www.alumni.uoguelph.ca/ association_awards.htm. W HAT'S THE BUZZ? The Buzz, a biweekly electronic newsletter dedicated to the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural AfFairs/U of G partnership, contains information about research, research stations, upcom- ing events and other topics related to the partnership. To subscribe or to submit ideas for future issues, contact Liz Snyder at lsnyder@ uoguelph.ca or Robyn Meerveld at robyn.meerveld@ontario.ca. AWARD DEADLINE NEARS The nomination deadline for the YMCA- YWCA’s 2009 Women of Distinction Awards is Jan. 31. For more information, call 519-824- 5150 or visit www.guelphy.org. ORGANIC CONFERENCE SET The 28th annual Guelph Organic Conference runs Jan. 22 to 25 on campus. It features a variety of workshops, talks and special events, including a public forum. The Trade and Organic Food Expo runs Saturday and Sunday in the Univer- sity Centre. For complete details, visit www.guelphorganicconf.ca. In Memoriam Marlene Neal, a retired staff mem- ber in the Office of Registrarial Ser- vices, died Jan. 2 at the age of 68. She joined U of G in 1 980, retired in 1995 and has worked part time since then. She is survived by her husband, Douglas; two daughters, Brenda and Beverly, and three grandchildren. * HIV Supporting the Masai *M/ CJ p ro/e £ people ENGINEER HONOURED Prof. Ed McBean, Engineering, has been awarded the Camille A. Dagenais Award of the Canadian Society for Civil Engineering in rec- ognition of his outstanding contri- butions to the development and practice of hydrotechnical engi- neering in Canada. On Top of the World! U of G students Normand Doan, Lauren Wallace, Richard Gilbert and Taryn Guldborg, along with Wallace’s aunt Cathy Wallace, reached the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania Dec. 23, an effort aimed at raising money to fight HIV/AIDS and boosting awareness of the disease. The team raised more than $14,000 that will go to the Masai Project for an AIDS clinic in Lesotho. From left are Doan, Cathy and Lauren Wallace, Gilbert and Guldborg. photo courtesy of lauren Wallace On the Road to Davos Biochemistry student to join international gathering of young activists in England BY LORI BONA HUNT A University of Guelph stu- dent is one of three young Canadians selected to represent the country at an international gathering of young leaders and activists in England. David Lawless, a first-year bio- chemistry student, will join 60 stu- dents from more than 40 countries Jan. 18 to 24 for the annual Road to Davos Conference sponsored by the British Council. The youths, aged 16 to 19, will discuss challenges facing the world and their communities and brain- storm about potential solutions. They will participate in workshops, exercises, discussions and debates, with topics ranging from climate change to intercultural conflict and world poverty. “I hope to discuss and raise awareness of major environmental concerns that threaten our planet’s welfare,” says Lawless. “It will be fab- ulous to speak with dignitaries such as Prime Minister Gordon Brown and discuss the possible solutions to many environmental and social challenges that humanity faces.” The Road to Davos program was created in 2006 in co-operation with the World Economic Forum to fos- ter youth activism on global issues. Students are selected based on their involvement in their schools and communities. Lawless has worked with the Ministry of Natural Resources on environmental projects involving more than 20 regional conservation groups. Recently, he and two friends won the National Boreal Achieve- ment Award for a music video they made about conserving Canada’s boreal forest. It earned them recog- nition in the House of Commons and written acclaim from environ- mentalist David Suzuki. Lawless has also produced films encouraging environmental and social activism. In 2006, he won the John Muir Environmental Conserver Award in recognition of his efforts and dedica- tion to Envirothon, an international program exploring environmental science issues. “I hope I can instil a sense of envi- ronmental responsibility in each youth delegate and a sense that pur- suing environmental sustainability is a worthy ideal,” says Lawless. He adds that he hopes the Road to Davos Conference will help provide additional strategies for engaging other youth in activist issues. During the forum, participants will share their experiences and ideas with a wider audience via the website www.global-changemakers.net. ARTIST RECEIVES AWARD Prof. Diane Borsato, Fine Art and Music, is one of seven people to receive 2008 Victor Martyn Lynch- Staunton Awards from the Canada Council for the Arts. Worth $15,000, the prizes recognize mid- career artists in dance, integrated arts, media arts, music, theatre, visual arts, and writing and publish- ing. PROF A SEMIFINALIST IN TVO BEST LECTURER COMPETITION Prof. Patrick Pamaby, Sociology and Anthropology, has been named one of 20 semifinalists in TVO's 2009 Big Ideas Best Lecturer Com- petition. He was one of four U of G nominees in the competition; the others were Prof. Jamie Gruman, Hospitality and Tourism Manage- ment; Prof. Stephen Powell, English and Theatre Studies; and instructor Martin Williams of the Department of Physics. A three-member jury will view video submissions of the semifinalists and compile a “Top 10” list of finalists who will deliver complete televised lectures on TVO’s Big Ideas starting Feb. 28. SOCIOLOGIST GIVES KEYNOTE ADDRESS IN AUSTRALIA Prof. Myrna Dawso n, Sot ssjgs: J of five Student to Attend Inauguration BY BARRY GUNN A Guelph student has been invited to witness first-hand what millions around the world will only read about or watch on TV: the inauguration of U.S. president-elect Barack Obama. Daniele Magditsch, a third-year environmental biology student from Brampton, is headed to Washington, D.C., with a group of outstanding university students from around the world to observe history in the mak- ing. Obama will be sworn in as the first African American president of the United States Jan. 20. “It will be a life-changing experi- ence and a great honour to witness this incredible milestone in history,” says Magditsch, who will be attend- ing the University Presidential Inau- guration Conference Jan. 17 to 21. The conference gives students an opportunity to take part in the events surrounding the inaugura- tion. Besides witnessing the ceremo- nies and the parade, they will attend a black-tie gala, visit historical sites and meet with U.S. political leaders, including former vice-president Al Gore and former secretary of state Colin Powell. Magditsch was chosen to partici- pate based on her leadership skills and community involvement, as well as her attendance at the 2004 Global Young Leaders Conference run by the same organization. She received the invitation last summer when Obama and Hillary Clinton were battling for the Democratic nomina- tion. Besides learning more about the American political system, Mag- ditsch is looking forward to meeting other international students to dis- cuss how changes in the United States might affect their countries. As for the possibility that she might actually meet the new president, she’s already been told what to say by at least one family member. “My cousin told me to tell him to name his new dog after her — Juliana. She’s really excited. She’s only seven.” and Anthropology, ivas one 01 international speakers invited to give a keynote address at the first International Conference on Homicide, held in Surfer’s Paradise, Queensland, Australia. Her talk was titled “Over Three Decades of Change: What Has Been the Impact for Victims of Intimate Partner Violence?” The talk received wide coverage in the Australian media. She also presented two papers at the conference. RUBIO BOOK SHORT-LISTED FOR NATIONAL AWARD A book by University professor emerita Mary Rubio, English and Theatre Studies, has been short- listed for the 2009 British Columbia National Award for Canadian Non- Fiction, Canada’s largest literary non-fiction award. Rubio’s Lucy Maud Montgomery: The Gift of Wings was one of four books to make the short list, selected from a field of 163 nominated titles. The winner receives $40,000, and each of the finalists receives $2,500. Results will be announced Feb. 2 in Vancouver. HENRY REAPPOINTED TO ICSU Prof. Bryan Henry, Chemistry, has been elected to a second three-year term as a member of the executive of the International Council for Sci- ence (ICSU). He has also been ap- pointed chair of the ICSU Commit- tee on Finance. Founded in 1935, ICSU aims to strengthen interna- tional science for the benefit of soci- ety. At Guelph 3 January 14, 2009 There’s More to Green Than Money New sustainability initiative in CME aims to help students examine business issues through green lens BY TERESA PITMAN T hese DAYS, everyone’s con- cerned about the environment. We recycle, turn off lights when we leave a room and donate to protect endangered species. But those are individual acts. What does sustain- ability mean in an organizational or business context? The answer to that question isn't simple, but it’s the kind of question the College of Management and Eco- nomics (CME) is looking to answer with a new initiative to anchor or embed issues of corporate social re- sponsibility and sustainability throughout its undergraduate and graduate programs. “To date, we have made great strides in embedding these concepts in our organizational behaviour, hu- man resources management and leadership courses," says Prof. Julia Christensen Hughes, chair of the De- partment of Business. “And we are in the process of developing a stand-alone course that we hope to be able to offer within a year.” Profs. Elizabeth Kurucz and Rumina Dhalla, both new arrivals in the department, bring expertise in these concepts to U of G and say they’re excited about being in on the ground floor of this building process. One of the people Kurucz inter- viewed during her doctoral research described the challenge of figuring out how to apply sustainability ideas in his workplace this way: “I’m really struggling with this stuff. 1 can’t get it all in my head at once — 1 can think of the implications for an organiza- tion . . . but we haven’t been success- ful yet in developing an integrated sustainability strategy, one that . . . drives our behaviour and decision- making differently.” That’s what makes it difficult, says Kurucz. The idea of sus- tainability is appealing to people, and many business leaders want to incorporate it into their strategies, but it’s often far from simple to translate that into practical everyday behaviour. Fortunately, digging down through the abstract ideas to under- stand human behaviour fits perfectly with her interests and background. She first studied anthropology at McMaster University, where she was drawn to applied anthropology. “As 1 was thinking about what di- rection to take next, I realized that, in our society, people spend a lot of time at work, in organizations, and that can be either a very positive ex- perience or a really miserable experi- ence. So 1 decided to go to the University of Toronto and study New faculty members Elizabeth Kurucz, left, and Rumina Dhalla bring expertise in sustainability issues to the College of Management and Economics. photo by martin schwalbe industrial relations.” Kurucz’s focus there, as she earned her master’s degree, was on social justice in organizations. But she was also concerned about the en- vironment and wanted to factor that into her research as well. Her environmental concerns led her to York University’s Schulich School of Business, where she com- pleted a doctorate in a program that was then called “Business and Envi- ronment” but has since been re- named “Business and Sustain- ability.” “It’s about what we call the triple bottom line,” she says. “We want to make businesses effective and pro- ductive but also support people and the environment.” Dhalla also attended the Schulich School of Business, earning an MBA and PhD. She did her MBA part time while continuing to work full time — as she had for almost 20 years — in the banking industry. What she loves most about the academic environment, she says, is “being able to ask questions. In the banking industry, I often had ques- tions about why things were done the way they were, but I didn’t feel I could ask them. Now I can ask why and engage in research to find out. It’s such a privilege to be in this environment.” Kurucz says she’s equally de- lighted to be teaching at U of G, where “we aspire to be trailblazers. Our department is really trying to understand the organizational as- pects of sustainability. We’re looking at ways to shake up people’s mindsets and develop leaders who can think about multiple stake- holders and create value in multiple ways.” She says these concepts are being embedded in many of the business courses and are also the main focus in some classes. “For example. I’m teaching ‘Organizational Behaviour’ next term, but the examples we use in class will deal with sustainability issues.” Dhalla notes that when this infor- mation is embedded in courses, “it just becomes part of how you do business. We hope students will see that this adds value for them. When they look for work, they are bringing something different to the table. They are asking different questions and offering different solutions.” The research done by Kurucz and Dhalla also reveals the importance of this different way of thinking in both the business and non-profit worlds. To complete her doctoral research, which focused on leadership and sustainability, Kurucz and her co-re- searcher (who is also her husband) interviewed managers in five organi- zations recognized for their sustainability efforts. “We wanted to know how man- agers made sense of the ideas and if the meanings they created inhibited or enabled change,” she says. Many of the managers were aware of the goals they wanted to achieve but said the mindsets of oth- ers in the organization created a sig- nificant barrier. Kurucz made a somewhat surprising discovery through her interviews: when man- agers tried to have a single definition of sustainability, it actually inhibited change. When the organization’s leaders offered a broader range of definitions, employees were more likely to connect to at least one ver- sion, and the change was more robust. “We tend to think that if we drill down and have a single definition to aim for, that will be better,” she says, “but it doesn’t work that way. People need context. When there’s just one definition and employees don’t get it or they have a different definition in their mind, they feel alienated. The dialogue and process of building def- initions are what engage the employ- ees. I like to focus on a process perspective. If we can design healthy processes, we can support change and sustainability and engage more of the stakeholders.” Dhalla’s research explores an- other aspect of this issue. “I looked at the identity and rep- utation of organizations and how these things influence the company* s choices and strategies,” she says. “Who we are determines how we re- spond to pressures. If a company’s identity is about being responsible, it will respond to a crisis in a way that supports that identity.” If, however, a company* s identity is not actually built on a sense of re- sponsibility, its good deeds will be seen as “image management,” and people will perceive that they* re not authentic, she says. “Your reputation is built on who you are and how your stakeholders perceive you. It’s about integrity and who you really are. My point is that responsibility and sustainability have to be the core. They have to be part of every decision that’s made.” With concerns about the envi- ronment and the economy both at high levels, Dhalla believes this is the ideal time for the CME program. “There is an inexorable shift to- wards environmental and social re- sponsibility, and we are excited about this change and the opportu- nities it creates for our students.” Kurucz also sees that organiza- tions can be agents of social change — and that’s regular for-profit busi- ness organizations as well as govern- ments and non-profits. It’s a different way of thinking about what a business is, one that is focused on identifying synergies, rather than be- ing stuck in a trade-offs mindset. “We’re trying to help leaders ap- proach this in a more integrated way instead of thinking: ‘OK, we do bad things here and good things to make up for it over there,’ or that they can do good things only in good eco- nomic times.” She says this new approach is a perfect fit for U of G. “The University’s tag line — ‘Changing Lives, Improving Life’ — is practically a definition of sustainability. It’s inherently what sustainability is all about. This is a powerful place to be doing this re- search because the ideas are so con- sistent with everything U of G does and stands for. It’s an organizational community that cares about society and the environment.” The lessons Kurucz learned in her research are being applied in the classroom as well. “I take these ideas into my teach- ing. I try to engage my students with dialogue, have them come to their own understanding of the issues and concepts and then apply them.” Dhalla, too, plans to bring her re- search findings into the classroom. “I want to give my students a dif- ferent perspective, so that when they read newspaper articles or are look- ing at research, they do it through the lens of responsibility and sustainability. I would like our stu- dents to challenge current assump- tions and seek out innovative solutions that create not only eco- nomic value but environmental and social benefits as well.” Both also hope to tap into Guelph’s interdisciplinarity by building connections with research- ers across campus. “Bringing in expertise from other fields gives us new ways to advance our research,” says Kurucz. “Sustainability is an issue that touches everyone, no matter what you’re working on.” • Renovating • Allergies Fresh Start • Moving • New Baby CARPET & STEAMATW. AIR DUCT CLEANING FURNITURE CLEANING Breathe cleaner air Nobody Cleans Better Than Steamatic Call Us 519-836-7340 Valerie Poulton At Guelph 4 January 14, 2009 Prof. Shauna Blois shares a moment with her dogs, Brie, left, and Kohl. PHOTO BY MARTIN SCHWALBE The Good, the Bad and the Puzzling: A Day in a Vet’s Life Internal medicine specialist sees wide range of cases at OVC teaching hospital BY ANDREW VOWLES T he cat was rapidly using up the last of its lives. When the 10 -year-old calico arrived at the On tar io i Veterinary College, its owners weren’t sure whether it could be saved. The animal had lost weight and become lethargic and with- drawn. “She was not a happy cat," says Prof. Shauna Blois, Clinical Studies, who saw the patient that day at the OVC Teaching Hospital. Blois discovered that the cat not only had diabetes but was also pro- ducing too much growth hormone because of a tumour in its pituitary gland. Once the cat had been diag- nosed and treated, it took a while to nurse the animal back to health, but “she became like a kitten again, back to her normal friendly self.” It’s that kind of happy outcome that makes the late nights and early mornings in the small-animal clinic worthwhile for this recent D.V.Sc. graduate. Since joining the faculty as an internal medicine specialist in the fall, Blois has slipped into regular ro- tations for periods of up to six weeks at a time. She spends about half of her time in the clinic, with teaching and research taking up the other half. Pausing between appointments, she ticks off the day’s cases referred to OVC by other veterinarians. After she’d scoped a dog with severe diar- rhea, there was a cat with pneumonia that required X-rays, then another dog with urinary incontinence. In the afternoon, there was a dog with a blood disorder, followed by a look at whether a tumour might have spread in another dog. Many of her cases in- volve endocrine disorders, cancer and gastroenterology. In one memorable recent case, she worked with her colleague Prof. Brigitte Brisson on a 12-year-old golden retriever. A large tumour was blocking a blood vessel, causing fluid to collect. They inserted a stent, a small mesh tube intended to restore blood flow, but the treatment failed. The dog had to be euthanized. Those cases are frustrating, says Blois, adding that the treatment team routinely reviews every case to see what they might have done dif- ferently. With the retriever, “we tried everything we could, but it wasn’t good enough.” She’s learned to keep a clinical distance from patients and owners. “It’s important to be objective and not offer options based on emo- tion,” she says. “It’s also important to not get attached to families and patients. We’re not here to force our own beliefs or desires on owners but to give information.” Not every case resolves itself, good or bad. Some provide a bit of mystery. Take that dachshund late in the fall whose abdomen was dis- tended with fluid. They 1 d worked up tests of the heart, liver and other or- gans and looked for signs of infec- tion, but everything looked normal. “Any case without a resolution is frustrating,” says Blois. “They’re hiding their diagnosis somehow." Her research interest is endocri- nology. That often means rooting out a lurking problem, as with that calico cat’s diabetes and the underly- ing growth hormone. She’s also looking at new drug therapies and why they work or pro- duce certain side effects. When and how to prescribe, say, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for a dog with arthritis? Sometimes there’s a link to hu- man medicine. One anti-inflamma- tory drug, for instance, has been shown to cause heart problems in people. Blois found no evidence that any similar clotting problem occurs in dogs prescribed this particular class of drugs. A DVM graduate of the Atlantic Veterinary College, she came to Guelph to do a residency, then went on to complete her D.V.Sc. with Prof. Dana Allen. A lifelong animal lover, she grew up in dairy farming country around Truro, N.S. She started volunteering at vet clinics as a young teenager. Currently Blois is teaching in the fourth-year medicine and surgery course that helps students learn to diagnose ailments in dogs and cats. “It’s easy to relate to that excite- ment and nervousness of being in the clinic for the first time,” she says. “You’re out of your comfort zone. It’s nice to be able to help them make that transition to being a vet." Inevitably, some of her work fol- lows her to her downtown home. She and her husband — Prof. Tom Gibson, Clinical Studies — have two dogs and two cats. Three of the animals came from the teaching hos- pital with various ailments: a border collie with shoulder problems, a French bulldog that had epilepsy as a pup and a cat with pancreatitis. Blois and Gibson met during her internship here at Guelph; he’s been on faculty for two years as a small- animal surgeon. “We can take care of most patients between us,” she says. At home, Blois trains for full-dis- tance triathlons (1,500-metre swim, 40-kilometre cycle and 10-km run) with the Guelph Triathlon Club. She’s been active for about a decade and normally trains three or four times a week in winter and about six days in the summer. “I enjoy the training more than the competing,” she says, describing herself as a middle-of-the-pack ath- lete. “It’s a good way after a long day to clear your head." CFI Invests Nearly $1.4 Million in U of G Research Ten projects in four colleges receive federal support Cellular Biology, $123,911 to cre- ate a lab for the integrated study of vascular cell biology. Prof. David Ma, Human Health and Nutritional Sciences, $126,318 to support his research on dietary fatty acids as potential therapeutic agents, with the long- ( term goal of developing new 1 strategies to prevent and treat | cancer. Prof. Andrew MacDougall, Inte- grative Biology, $98,091 for infra- structure to study grasslands, species loss and global environ- mental change. Prof. Ryan Norris, Integrative Bi- ology, $120,464 to create a lab for remote tracking of migratory ani- mals. Prof. Beth Parker, Engineering, $188,200 for lab and field equip- ment to study organic chemical contamination in fractured rock beneath industrial sites. Prof. Alexander Valverde, Clinical Studies, $72,356 to explore novel approaches to anesthesia aware- ness and efficacy in animals. Prof. Robert Wickham, Physics, $120,376 for a high-performance computing facility for computa- tional polymer physics research. Trade Analyst, Author to Give Winegard Lecture Carleton prof to discuss Canadian development policy T he FOURTH annual Winegard free trade negotiations and various Lecture in International Devel- other textile, commodity and air opment will be given by Michael transport talks. Hart, a professor, author and trade He is the author, editor or co-edi- analyst, Ian. 22 at 5:30 p.m. in Room tor of more than a dozen books and 103 of Rozanski Hall. numerous articles and book chapters The talk, titled “Rhetoric and Re- on international trade issues. His ality in Canadian Development Pol- book A Trading Nation was short- icy," is free and open to the public. listed for the Donner, f.W. Dafoe, Hart holds the Simon Reisman Donald V. Smiley and Purvis prizes Chair in Trade Policy at the Norman in 2003. Paterson School of International He also co-wrote Decision atMid- Affairs at Carleton University, where night on the negotiations leading to he teaches courses on international the Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agree- trade and Canadian foreign policy. ment, which was short-listed for the He has been a Fulbright- Gelber Prize and the Canadian Busi- Woodrow Wilson Center Visiting ness Book Award in 1995. Research Chair in Canada-U.S. Rela- His latest book is From Pride to tions, a scholar-in-residence in the Influence: Towards a New Canadian School of International Service and a Foreign Policy. senior fellow in the Center for North The Winegard Visiting Lecture- American Studies at American Uni- ship in International Development versity in Washington. was created in 2005 with an endow- Hart is a former official in Can- ment by former U of G president Bill ada’s Department of Foreign Affairs Winegard and his family to stimulate and International Trade, where he interaction among faculty, students specialized in trade policy and trade and international leaders on the negotiations. He provided strategic need for official development advice in the Canada-U.S. free trade assistance and Canada's role in this negotiations, the North American important issue. T en U OF G research projects received nearly $1.4 million from the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) in December. It was part of $45.4 million awarded through CFI’s Leaders Opportunity Fund to projects involving 251 researchers at 44 universities across Canada. Prof. Boyer Winters of the De- partment of Psychology received $315,922 and plans to use the fund- ing for laboratory renovations and equipment to support his research on the neurobiology of learning and memory. “The funds will be instrumental in enabling me to set up my research lab,” says Winters, who is working to understand memory at the anatomi- cal, cellular and molecular levels to learn how and why these mecha- nisms break down. CFI support was also awarded to: * Prof. Mieso Denko, Computing and Information Science, $101,804 for a pervasive and wire- less networking research lab. • Prof. Andreas Heyland, Integra- tive Biology, $125,000 to study hormonal signalling in marine ecosystems. • Prof. Nina Jones, MolecvJar and At Guelph 5 January 14, 2009 focus What Will You Learn Today? BY TERESA PITMAN tt At ONE TIME, I thought I’d ^■^be a lifelong student, but then I realized that what I really am is a lifelong learner,” says Louise Kearney. What better qualification for taking on the role of learning and development facilitator in Human Resources? A graduate of Wilfrid Laurier University with a master’s degree in history, Kearney joined U of G in the fall after working with the Tamarack Institute for Community Engage- ment in Waterloo. One of the attrac- tions of the Guelph job was the opportunity to work in a more fo- cused way on facilitating learning, she says, although she admits it’s not without its challenges. “I think the biggest issue I’ve en- countered is helping people under- stand what learning is and how it’s different from training. Training is about learning specific skills to solve a particular problem. Learning is broader. It can involve skills, but it also involves knowledge and relationships.” She emphasizes that, as a facilita- tor, she doesn’t make people learn. “You’re really in charge of your own learning; it has to be personally motivated. But once you have that motivation, we’ll help you in any way we can, and we’ll provide tons of opportunities for people.” Since arriving at Guelph, Kear- ney has been part of a team redesign- ing the University’s learning and development program and revamp- ing its website, which was officially relaunched Jan. 12. On Jan. 21, the program will host an open house from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Room 103 of the University Centre. People will be able to meet the team mem- bers and learn more about upcom- ing events that might interest them. Registration for winter programs opens Jan. 29. “Our new logo includes the words ‘Igniting Possibility, Facilitat- ing Success’ to describe what we do,” says Kearney. A new calendar-based registration program will make it simpler for people to sign up for the events they 1 d like to attend. Building on past offerings, the programming will feature work- shops, seminars, presentations and other events to facilitate continual learning. That will include topics such as career planning, leadership and personal development. Kearney and her colleagues will also support organizational effec- tiveness. “We’ll make available con- sulting around planning, change and coaching and provide help with en- hancing team effectiveness.” In addition, they plan to high- light and leverage innovation and knowledge across the University through projects such as profiles of excellence and events such as con- versation cafes, which would bring members of the campus community together to discuss a range of ques- tions that have no easy answers. “Conversation cafes are a great way to get people talking to each other,” says Kearney. “They* ve been used in many communities as a way to tackle difficult issues.” Also planned are “lunch and learn” events on personal develop- ment and learning topics. A key part of the learning and de- velopment program is the new website, she says. “The website reflects the energy we have for learning. With a click of a mouse, you can find descriptions of programs, then click again to find the calendar and register for what you want. We’re also adding articles, learning tools and podcasts. We’re hoping to make web-based training available to people in the future as well.” Early responses have been very positive, says Kearney. In the com- ing months, she will be seeking feed- back and input about the program’s offerings because constant assess- ment and reassessment are an essen- tial part of the plan, she adds. Last year, Kearney attended a program at Stanford University for non-profit leaders that she found both inspirational and practical. “It was about understanding and building on your organizational ca- pacity and applying business princi- ples to non-profit groups. For these groups, it’s not about maximizing profits; it’s about maximizing your impact and capacity. Being part of this program really made me think about what we ask people to do and how we can help them use their best talents and strengths to meet their goals and the organization’s goals. I look forward to applying some of those ideas here.” Popularity Fuels Disclosure on Facebook, Study Finds University students worry about privacy but still post lots of personal information online, say Guelph researchers BY LORI BONA HUNT T he need for popularity is driving young adults to disclose more personal information on Facebook than they normally would reveal, according to a new study by PhD psychology students Emily Christofides and Amy Muise. Their research, which was overseen by Prof. Serge Desmerais, associate vice-president (academic), will appear in an upcoming issue of the journal CyberPsychology and Behavior. “There’s something different about how people interact in online environments," says Christofides. “They share and show more about themselves than they might in other social settings. We wanted to find out if different psychological factors are involved in that behaviour.” The researchers surveyed 343 Facebook users, all university stu- dents between the ages of 17 and 24. Participants were asked what they disclose on Facebook and how they control access to that information. They were also questioned about personality factors such as self-es- teem, need for popularity, levels of trust and overall tendency to disclose personal information. The study found that the major- ity of those surveyed (76 per cent) are concerned about privacy and in- formation control, yet they still dis- close a great deal of personal information on Facebook. This in- cludes details such as their birthday, e-mail address, hometown, school and degree major, as well as intimate photographs. “People reported being signifi- cantly more likely to disclose infor- mation on Facebook than they are in general,” says Christofides. The nature of the social network- ing website could be a contributing factor, she says. Facebook includes a template where users fill in informa- tion about themselves, such as their relationship status and their political and religious views. “This creates ‘norms’ regarding what specific information to disclose based on what others have dis- closed,” says Christofides. People may choose to leave out revealing information, but few do. The reason? “The need for popularity was found to be a significant predictor of information disclosure,” says Muise. And information disclosure is the key factor in assessing one’s popular- ity on Facebook, the researchers say. Having a presence on Facebook re- quires posting pictures and informa- tion and engaging in discussions. “But it goes beyond that,” says Muise. “What others share and say about you is also a part of Facebook The people who are the most popu- lar are those whose online identity is actively participated in by others. So the more you share, the more others respond.” In this way, popularity and dis- closure become inextricably linked, say the researchers. “People with a high need for pop- ularity may indeed care about their privacy, but they may not be willing to sacrifice their popularity by im- plementing privacy controls,” says Christofides. The study did find a link between self-esteem and the disclosure of personal information. People with higher self-esteem scores were more likely to use Facebook’s privacy settings. “They may have less need for the input of others,” she says. Facebook was selected for the study because it’s the most popular social network website in Canada. Launched in 2004, it has more than 120 million active users worldwide. University students were chosen be- cause 90 per cent report using Facebook daily. “Online social network sites like Facebook are changing the nature of social relationships — it’s become a phenomenon,” says Desmarais. “Concerns about the amount of in- formation that young adults share on online networking sites make this an important area of research.” Campus Hardware Limited 1027 Gordon Street Guelph, Ontario NIG 4X1 Tel. (519) 836-3721 Fax (519) 836-5664 Helen Maciag Eye Exams Satety Glasses Contact Lenses Designer Frames Sunglasses Jai Jassai inlcxSipxjitxrvision 1388 Gordon St., Unit 1 Guelph. Ontario NIL 1C8 Canada Tel. 519-823-9400 WWW.PURBAViaiON.COM Fox. 519-823-2273 At Guelph 6 January 14, 2009 - - Profile Never an Idle Moment Animal scientist brings new meaning to being a ‘ good sport and a team player by Andrew Vowles P rof. Rich Moccia has little trouble saying no. The problem, he readily admits, comes in sticking to his resolutions. That’s more or less how he ended up serving in a high- level interim posting that now places him at the centre of U of G’s multi- million-dollar partnership with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA). And it’s how he became pop star Paula Abdul for the University Idol competition held in the fall. If you attended that United Way fundraiser hosted by the Office of Re- search and Hospitality Services, you’ll remember Moccia’s star turn as one of the costumed judges. The 54-year-old professor and interim as- sociate vice-president (research) agri-food and partnerships vamped it up on stage — dress, pumps, tights, wig and all. He insists it wasn’t his fault. Blame event co-organizer Natalie Carter, research programs assistant in his office, who had one-upped his initial suggestion of a more conserva- tive role. “Natalie said it would be way fun- nier if I played Paula,” says Moccia, a strong United Way supporter. “I re- fused. But she pestered me over a couple of weeks, and I finally gave in and agreed. So dressing in drag in front of 400 people to humiliate myself was definitely not my idea.” Maybe not, but there’s no denying he enjoyed it. Call it an- other instance of throwing himself into varied roles and experi- ences — both on and off campus — ever since he arrived to study marine biology in 1972. At least playing Paula was a lower-impact prospect than some of his after-hours pursuits over the past four decades, in- cluding motorcycle racing, scuba diving, boating, hockey, wres- tling and trekking. His wife, Sandra — who completed a zoology degree here in 1976, the same year Moccia completed his B.Sc. — has her own line about those pastimes. He grins as he paraphrases her words: “She says if it’s dangerous, fast and expensive, I like it.” Well, maybe not too dangerous. Moccia is just as quick to add that he knows his limits and has always paid strict attention to training and safety. He figures that’s what kept him in one piece — more or less — during two decades spent racing high-performance motorcycles. An expert licence-holder, he raced both off-road and on tracks around Ontario and the Great Lakes states before retiring about 10 years ago. His best event was winning silver with three Guelph-based teammates in a 24-hour marathon event in Ohio. In a 1994 article in U of G’s alumni magazine, Moccia mused on the mental crossovers between racing bikes and meeting challenges as co-ordinator of the then new M.Sc. program in aquaculture and as director of the Alma Aquaculture Station. Sounds a bit Zen-like. But the sport had its earthy side, too. His worst moment was what he calls a “good tumble” when he lost control on a rain-slick track late at night during one of those marathon races. He walked away from that one with bruises and a broken collarbone. Over the years, he suffered cracked ribs, broken fingers and tom knee ligaments. “I never achieved any serious injuries,” he says, smiling in his Stone Road office. “I retired before I got too banged up.” That was around the time he had surgery on both knees. Today, the Ducati SuperBike and KTM Supermoto in his garage are strictly for street riding. Hurling himself around a track on a two-wheeled demon at speeds of up to 150 miles an hour posed plenty of risks, but Moccia knew his limits. He trained hard, but never as hard as the big boys. “I always knew I had to get up in the morning and go to work. I probably lacked that one per cent of visceral competi- tiveness that all the top riders have.” Prudence has also kept him out of trouble during umpteen scuba dives — and even helped him save a buddy who’d suf- fered an anxiety attack and breathing problems during one out- ing in Penetang. Growing up in Thorold near the Welland Canal, Moccia learned to dive as a teenager. “My parents said they could never get me out of the water.” His favourite TV programs were Jacques Cousteau documentaries and Sea Hunt He’s dived around all the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River — including ice diving in Lake Erie — as well as in Florida, in the Bahamas and off Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. (He’s now taking advanced training to become a diving coach himself.) Last year, he racked up about 50 dives, many of them at Tobermory on Georgian Bay. That’s his favourite berth for a boat he bought two years ago, a 24-foot Seaswirl named Mocc 1. “I’ve spent my whole life working around boats. I’m pretty decent with a wrench.” Moccia draws a line from his early jobs at a marina to a sum- mer research posting during his studies, trolling the Great Lakes to catch fish to check for cancer as markers of environmental quality. That led to a master’s degree at Guelph in aquatic pathology and a four-year stint in diagnostic consulting at the Ontario Veterinary College. After running a technology transfer com- pany for seven years, he landed a faculty post in the Department of Animal and Poultry Science. As a student, he was a varsity wrestler until an injury sidelined him. He’d actually started managing his high school team — “my first taste of sports organization” — before hitting the mats himself. Growing up, he spent his summers at the baseball diamond. He doesn’t play now, but until he took on his current interim post two years ago, he spent much of his free time coaching mi- nor baseball. Highlights included coaching a team at the On- tario Summer Games and, in 2003, leading a Guelph squad that included his son, Scott, to a provincial championship. For eight years, Moccia has been a vice-president of the InterCounty Baseball Association, which represents travelling teams around Guelph and Kitchener-Waterloo. If motorcycle racing served 15 years ago as a metaphor for work, he says there are plenty of baseball analogies to bring to University teaching, research and administration. “It’s interesting to step back and see the similarities between teaching in a university classroom and coaching a bunch of 17-year- olds on a baseball diamond.” Referring to a senior undergradu- ate course he’s taught in aquatic pro- duction, he says: "Students laugh at me because I link everything to baseball.” But it’s a serious matter, he insists — and it goes beyond the classroom. Teamwork, communication, goal setting, strategic planning: they’re all skills that translate from the ballpark to the research lab, to the OMAFRA offices on Stone Road or to the ad- ministrative offices he frequents these days in the University Centre. “The team functions only if you bring the group together.” Prof. Cate Dewey, chair of the De- partment of Population Medicine and “Miss Piggy” on the University Idol judging panel, says Moccia is “a good sport and a team player. I think so many of the reasons Rich was will- ing to be Paula are the same reasons he’s an ideal interim AVPR. Rich be- lieves in the University of Guelph and what it can accomplish. He is well-known and well-respected on campus, a real leader, someone who leads by example and expects excellence of himself." Moccia hadn’t foreseen being asked to fill his current posting, part of a decade-long partner- ship between the University and the Ontario government that delivers research and education in agri-food, environmental sustainability, and animal and human health. Appointed in 2007, he helped renew that partnership last spring under an agreement in which the province will invest $300 million over the next five years (the first half of a new 10-year contract). President Alastair Summerlee says Moccia’s “boundless en- thusiasm and his ability to get things done were vital in the ne- gotiations over the renewal of the OMAFRA partnership. Rich has an ability to bring people together.” When he was first asked to consider the interim post, Moccia turned it down. Why put on hold much of his research on aquaculture’s environmental effects and his work in bridg- ing science and fish-farming policy? But today he’s glad he reconsidered. Ask him about the sig- nificance of the enhanced partnership and he counters with an- other question: What did you eat today? Food supply, food and water safety, food quality, economic benefits: “This job is about all forms of agriculture." Moccia has had to curtail some of his extracurricular activi- ties recendy, but there’s still time for another after-hours pas- sion that developed during his teens. Between a beer-league hockey team and the Grey Gryphons — a squad of University and OMAFRA staffers — he laces up his skates about four times a week. He hopes to pull together enough players to travel to Moscow this year for a repeat mini-tournament with a Russian team that visited Guelph in the fall. He also plans to do more trekking. Last year he teamed up with three strangers to hike the Grand Canyon from rim to rim. Highlights included swimming in the Colorado River and a night hike in what he calls one of the darkest places on the planet Where does he find time for it all? “I don’t waste a lot of time,” he says. He’s always enjoyed physical activity and immersing himself in hands-on learning. That’s how he ended up playing a long-standing role that’s arguably closer to his University Idol gig than to any of his sports activities. He was still a recent grad working in OVC’s pathology labs when someone jokingly sug- gested he play Santa Claus for that year’s staff party. When he moved over to OAC, he took the red suit with him. Last year he donned it for the 31st time. At Guelph 7 January 14, 2009 leue rs \ UNITED WAY CO-CHAIRS OFFER THANKS When the last 2008 issue of At Guelph was published Dec. 3, we predicted the United Way campaign would exceed $480,000. That’s the good news we gave United Way area co-ordinators and canvassers at our annual lun- cheon held to recognize their valuable efforts. Better still, when the books were finally closed Dec. 12, the 2008 U of G campaign stood at the amazing total of $490,300, more than $50,000 above the goal of $440,000 that was announced at the kickoff in Septem- ber. In a year when the downturn in the local economy had the Guelph and Wellington campaign struggling to reach its target of $2.6 million, this tremendous response by the University community went a long way to- wards helping to reach that overall campaign goal. As a result of your un- precedented generosity, the United Way is able to continue to support a diverse range of programs that will help make life better in 2009 for those in need in our community. Our heartfelt thanks are due to each and every one of you whose contributions helped make this possible. Jim Atkinson, Jennifer Bechler and Suba Naganathan Co-chairs, 2008 University of Guelph United Way Campaign ELECTRONIC VERSION OF NEWSPAPER WOULD BENEFIT ENVIRONMENT AND CUT COSTS While I was reading "Living Green at U of G,” an article distributed by the Sustainability Office, I glanced over and noticed the most recent issue of At Guelph on my desk. I enjoy reading about the research and accomplishments of the Uni- versity and am aware that the electronic version of At Guelph is available online. Is it possible for the University community to receive an e-mail notification with a link to the most recent edition? This would greatly re- duce the number of papers printed. We would not only benefit the environment, but this could also be considered a cost-saving measure that would help the University reduce its expenses. Brenda Chomiak, CCS Networking Services Response From the Director: Thank you for this suggestion. Finding ways to benefit the environment, cut costs and continue to provide our community with important and interesting information will be a priority for Communi- cations and Public Affairs in the months ahead. Watch fora totally "green" edition of At Guelph in April to mark Earth Day and for other significant changes in the future. Awards Recognize Contributions to U of G Student Life Deadline to submit nominations is Feb. 13 N ominations are now open for U of G’s six annual student life awards — the Accessibility Award, the Andre Auger Citizenship Award, the Brian D. Sullivan Student Leadership Award, the Emilie Hayes Award for Community Partnerships, the Roberta Mason Award and the R.P. Gilmor Student Life Award. The Accessibility Award recog- nizes the contributions of U of G community members who remove barriers and create an inclusive envi- ronment. Recipients can be stu- dents, staff or faculty. The Andre Auger Citizenship Award goes to an undergraduate or graduate student who has con- sistently demonstrated a sense of re- sponsibility and commitment to the community. The Brian D. Sullivan Student Leadership Award is presented to a graduating student who has made significant contributions to student leadership on campus through his or her involvement as an elected or ap- pointed student representative. The Emilie Hayes Award for Community Partnerships is given to a Guelph-Wellington community member and/or non-profit organi- zation that has partnered with cam- pus staff or faculty to provide an outstanding community service- learning opportunity for U of G students. The Roberta Mason Award is presented to a student in any semes- ter who, for the first time, has be- come actively involved in campus life and has made outstanding con- tributions to a club or organization at the University. The R.P. Gilmor Award recog- nizes individuals or groups who have contributed to the betterment of student life at U of G. Students, staff and faculty are invited to nomi- nate students, staff, faculty, alumni, community members or organiza- tions associated with the University. Nominations must be submitted by Feb. 13 at 4 p.m. to the Student Life reception desk on Level 3 of the University Centre. For more information and nomi- nation forms, visit the website www.studentlife.uoguelph.ca/ AwardsandRecognition.shml. Anyone requiring more informa- tion can send e-mail to involve@ uoguelph.ca or call Student Life’s special projects co-ordinator, Shan- non Thibodeau, at Ext. 56815. after hours USESMEDMOR Research communications and marketing manager in the Office of Research, joined U of G in 2005 Before her children arrived — they’re now six and eight — Lise Smedmor spent a lot of time on weekends visiting antique shows, hoping to dis- cover new items to add to her cornflower glass collection. Although her children keep her busy these days, her inter- est in the Canadian-made col- lectible dishes hasn’t faded. “I inherited more than 100 pieces from my husband’s grandmother,” she says, "and I’ve probably doubled the collection over the past 10 years.” The etched-glass dishes with a cornflower pattern were originally made in Toronto beginning around 1912 and were popular wedding gifts at the time. Although Smedmor primarily keeps hers for display and occa- sional special events, they were designed for everyday use. Every year she attends a festival hosted by the Dufferin County Museum, which has more than 750 pieces of cornflower glass. Although she works at U of G in a different capacity, Smedmor is a registered dietitian and puts in many hours volunteering for her professional association, Di- etitians of Canada. “I’ve just finished a term on the board of directors,” she says. “And for the past 12 years I’ve also been the edi- tor of the books and resources review section in the asso- ciation ’s journal.” A few years ago, she added another activity to her busy schedule: participating in triathlons. “It keeps me moving and helps me keep up with my kids,” she says. SRIRAM PUVA Second-year student in applied human nutrition Although he claims to do so much studying that it’s almost a hobby for him, Sriram Puva actually fills up much of his out-of-school time with sports. He likes to work out at the gym on campus and play street hockey, but soccer is the sport that has the biggest claim on his free time. Soccer takes the top spot on Sriram Puva Puva’s list because it’s not only great exercise but also a game where strategy is impor- tant, he says. “There are a lot of tricks to it, and you need a lot of different skills to play well. Soccer has a bit of ev- erything.” He started playing soccer as a high school student in Toronto. “In Grade 9, it’s hard because you’re smaller than everyone else and less experienced. But you get better the more you play, and by the end of high school, I was playing well.” To help get through the adjustment phase of starting university, he cut back on sports at first, but he joined an intramural soccer team this past fall. Although his team made it to only the first round of playoffs, he enjoyed the chance to hone his running and kicking skills again. When he’s not playing sports for real, Puva likes to play sports video games — a chance to work on the strat- egy aspect. At home in Toronto, he has volunteered at hospitals such as Mount Sinai, Scarborough Grace Hospital and Humber River Regional Hospital, and here at Guelph, he is helping out with a faculty member’s research on old age and nutrition. He is also interested in humanitarian causes and has been working to raise awareness of hu- man rights violations in his parents’ home country of Sri Lanka by writing to the United Nations, the European Union and Canada’s prime minister and defence minister. DAVID KRIBS Faadty member in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics since 2003 It’s not always easy being a hockey fanatic. When Prof. David Kribs did a post-doc at the University of Iowa, “there was a hockey rink but nobody who could really play.” When he did a second post-doc at Purdue University in Indiana, “I had to drive more than an hour to the next town to find a place to play.” And when he David Kribs did a third post-doc at Lancas- ter University in England, “there was no ice rink at all. So when I moved back to Canada, I was like a kid in a candy store — it was so exciting to be able to really play hockey again.” Here at Guelph, Kribs plays some pickup hockey and is part of an old-timers’ league. He says it’s not just the exercise and. competition he enjoys but the social aspect of hockey as well. Meanwhile, his eight-year-old son is following in Dad’s skates, playing rep hockey with a Junior Storm team. Kribs helps out at practices. When not on the ice, he likes spending time with his wife, an elementary school teacher, and his son and watching his five-year-old daughter perpetually practise her ballet and dance moves. He also enjoys reading and has recently been ab- sorbed by books on natural selection, evolution and the concept of God. “I’ve just read Richard Dawkins’s The God Delusion and Christopher Hitchens’s God Is Not Great. They’re two books with similar themes, but one is more diplomatic than the other.” Lise Smedmor The following appointments were announced at U of G in the fall: • Nick Anbeek, assistant manager, Hospitality Services • Luis Arroyo, assistant professor, Clinical Studies • Mary Ashby, clerk, Kemptville Campus • Matthew Baker, digital and PC technician, Fine Art and Music • Paula Burnley, livestock agricul- tural assistant, Research Station Operations • Sarah Croteau, receptionist. Co-operative Education and Career Services • Lisa Duizer, assistant professor, Food Science • Deirdre Healey, news service offi- cer, Communications and Public Affairs • Jeff Dafoe, facilities safety special- ist, Environmental Health and Safety • Harrison Ford, special constable. Campus Community Police • Jakub Hyzyk, e-leaming technol- ogy assistant, Office of Open Learn- ing • Sharon Mayne Devine, B.A.Sc. practicum co-ordinator, Family Relations and Applied Nutrition • James McMurrich, lab assistant, Laboratory Services • Mary-Anne Moroz, alumni man- ager, student and young alumni programs. Alumni Affairs and Development • David Mutch, assistant professor. Human Health and Nutritional Sci- ences • Tanya Qureshi, web page support. Physics • Kim Robinson, alumni manager, OVC relations, Alumni Affairs and Development • Elke Rodeboldt, secretary to the associate dean. College of Social and Applied Human Sciences • Robert Routledge, co-ordinator, orientation and transition pro- grams, Centre for New Students • Mandy Schnurr, order entry clerk, Hospitality Services • Denis Simard, agricultural assistant, Alfred Campus • Jason Smith, greenhouse/ grounds/facilities assistant, Research Station Operations • Mladen Stojanovic, manager, CCS financials, U of G Library and Com- puting and Communications Ser- vices • Parmjot Swatch, lab technician, Laboratory Services • Alicia Viloria-Petit, assistant pro- fessor, Biomedical Sciences • Kyle Walters, head football coach, Athletics • Vernon Wideman, lead hand agri- cultural assistant, Research Station Operations • Nicole Williston, career services employment assistant, Co-operative Education and Career Services. At Guelph 8 January 14, 2009 appointments Earth, Air, Fire and Water U of G ecologist studies Earth's past in peatlands to help predict trends, including climate change impacts BY ANDREW VOWLES T here’s a time bomb ticking under our feet, one that Prof. Merritt Turetsky, Integrative Biology, hopes to help defuse. About one-third of the world’s carbon has been locked into north- ern soils, including the vast peatlands that sprawl over much of northern Canada’s boreal region, says Turetsky. Release all that pent-up carbon dioxide and meth- ane into the atmosphere — perhaps by warming those soils through cli- mate change beyond an unknown threshold — and who knows what ecological consequences you’d | unleash. Learning more about that “car- j bon bomb” and how to prevent it from exploding is the primary focus of this ecosystem ecologist. Her re- search uses the classical “elements” of earth, air, fire and water to tackle the modern-day challenge of global warming, including defusing some myths about that “time bomb" itself. A new arrival at Guelph last year, T uretsky is continuing her work with a larger, decades-old research project in Alaska and Canada’s North. A clue to that interest hangs in her office in the science complex. From behind her desk, she glances repeatedly at a wall enlivened by three colourful ecosystem illustrations of Arctic tun- dra, boreal forest and freshwater marshes. Sale’s already spent plenty of time in Alaska and in the northern reaches of the Prairie provinces. Much of that landmass is home to boreal for- ests, including peatlands. That peat consists of partly decayed vegetation whose decomposition has been in- hibited by wet conditions and by the underlying permafrost. Drill down and lift out a core of peat several metres thick and you’re looking at a climatic record in its lay- ers of material, including alternating warm and cool periods. “If you look down at your feet in one of these ecosystems, it’s incredi- ble to think that you’re standing on 14,000 years of data,” says Turetsky. Referring to the chemistry of the up- per layers in a soil profile, she says she can also detect the fingerprint of human activities from mining to ur- banization. “I can tell you when un- , -leaded ‘gasoline came in.” Reading the past in peat is one thing. More challenging is predicting what’s to come. She says change is occurring in the North, including slumping of permafrost in Canada and Siberia. Apart from ecological concerns, it’s the frozen soil that supports infra- structure, including roads, pipelines and buildings. re all built on permafrost. Once that goes, every- thing goes down.” Melting will speed up decompo- sition of material and release of those trapped greenhouse gases. But there are other complications, including fire and water. Peat formation and maintenance rely partly on the depth of the under- lying water table. Apart from in- creasing decomposition, will warming temperatures dry the soil and increase the risk of fires? . .T uretsky ^has studied peatland fires, both naturally occurring and on field test sites and in managed burns. She’s still “fire-chasing,” try- ing to leam more about whether warmer, drier conditions will release more carbon. Besides the climate change impli- cations, her work may help resource managers better tackle peadand fires. Peat fires often smoulder un- derground, making them a stubborn foe for firefighting teams. “We knew nothing about boreal peatland fires except that when peat starts to burn, it’s nearly impossible to put out,” says Turetsky. Other factors complicate the pic- ture. Change the amount of forest cover in the North and you alter the area’s albedo, or how much of the sun's energy is absorbed or reflected by vegetation. Plants play another role in a good news/bad news scenario. Turetsky has found that thawing permafrost causes more peat decomposition and release of methane (a more powerful greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide) than occurs in still-frozen areas. But that additional meltwater boosts production of plants, particularly Sphagnum mosses, which lock more of that carbon into their tissues and prevent it from accumulating in the atmosphere. Turetsky works with a long-term ecological research (LTER) project at Bonanza Creek, based near Fair- banks in the Alaska Interior. The Bo- nanza Creek Experimental Forest | was established in 1963; the research j project in the 5,000-hectare site has been running for two decades, sup- j ported by the U.S. National Science : Foundation and the U.S. Depart- j ment of Agriculture Forest Service, j Scientists use the site to study the | long-term consequences of climate i change in the boreal region. Work- ing with graduate students and post-docs — all affiliated with the LTER — Turetsky began the first ecosystem-scale manipulation of water tables and soil temperatures in Alaskan peadands to study how veg- etation and decomposition rates re- spond to climate change. She will 1 continue her affiliation with that project here at Guelph. Growing up in Connecticut and New Jersey, she found herself drawn | to the outdoors. In high school, she j became a local environmental advo- j cate. She was still considering envi- | ronmental law or business when she encountered research as an under- graduate at Pennsylvania’s Villanova University. “I fell in love with the ability to pose novel questions about topics that I and hopefully the public deem important.” After completing her PhD in Al- berta and a post-doc with the U.S. Geological Survey, Turetsky joined' ) the faculty of Michigan State Univer- l sity. Her research there on how | wildfires pump mercury into the at- mosphere garnered coverage by Time magazine, Science News and the ; Christian Science Monitor. She arrived in Guelph last spring with her husband, Prof. Andrew McAdam, Integrative Biology. They met at the University of Alberta and were on faculty together at Michigan State. Turns Out It’s Not Me — It’s You No need to feel guilty about your friend's hijinks at the office party, says U of G study BY BARRY GUNN S TILL FRETTING ABOUT how embarrassed you were by your friend’s behaviour at the office Christmas party? Relax, it’s not about you. Or at least not in the way you might think, according to a new study by U of G researchers. “The fact that you think you’re being judged negatively because of the behaviour of others probably says more about you than it does about what actually happened,” says Prof. Ian Newby-Clark, Psychology. “We all tend to give ourselves star- ring roles in our own epic dramas, when the reality is that people are fo- cused on what your friend has done, not on you.” In a paper published last month in the Journal of Personality and So- cial Psychology, Newby-Clark and Jennifer Fortune, a former U of G graduate student, say people appear to be overly sensitive to how the ac- tions of others might affect their own status. They erroneously believe their social standing suffers when people they’re associated with behave badly. “We’ve all been in that kind of sit- uation where the person beside us has done something inappropriate and we worry it will reflect badly on us,” says Newby-Clark. “It doesn’t seem to be true.” This research on the “guilty-by- association effect” builds on several years of work inspired by real events when he was pondering an uncom- fortable situation brought on by a friend’s alcohol-fuelled hijinks at a party. The topic is related to another phenomenon known in social psy- chology circles as “the spotlight ef- fect” — the tendency for people to overestimate the importance of then- own social gaffes — which Newby- Clark studied as a post-doc with Tom Gilovich at Cornell University. For the current study, the re- searchers recruited volunteers to serve as “associates,” “offenders” and “observers.” The offenders’ hy- pothetical transgressions ranged from nose-picking and vomiting on a party hostess to admissions of aca- demic misconduct. Associates were asked to antici- pate how others would react to them based on their relationship with the offender. The researchers found that people erroneously anticipated a stronger negative reaction when they were introduced as a “friend” of an offender, and the effect was more keenly observed when they not only genuinely felt close to the offender but were also seen to be close (sitting next to the person, for example). Newby-Clark and Fortune found that associates’ feelings of embar- rassment were reduced if they could be induced to view their situation from the perspective of an impartial observer. “To some extent, it doesn’t mat- ter how close you’re feeling to the other person, and it doesn’t matter what you think of what your friend has done,” says Newby-Clark. “It’s what you think other people will think of it” So the next time you’re afraid of being blacklisted when a friend runs afoul of social convention, heed Newby-Clark’s tried-but-true advice backed up by scientific data: try looking at your situation from a dif- ferent point of view. “Remember that you are not the disgraced hero of a grand tragedy but merely bystander No. 3 in someone else’s temporary farce.” At Guelph 9 January 14, 2009 It’s in the Genes New online course explores horse genetics BY ANDREW VOWLES S he’s ridden horses, written about horses and learned about horse genes. Now Alicia Skelding, a U of G graduate student and Equine Guelph employee, is helping to teach a new online equine genetics course this semester that she assembled last fall more or less from scratch. “Equine Genetics” is a new on- line course being offered through the Office of Open Learning. It’s an elective for U of G’s equine science certificate and a required course for the equine studies diploma, both distance education programs devel- oped by Equine Guelph. The 12-week course — intended for horse breeders and owners, equine enthusiasts and riders — covers aspects of horse genetics, in- cluding coat colours, parentage test- ing, medical genetics, performance traits, pedigrees and breeding. The course was announced in the fall and quickly reached its enrol- ment target of 60 students, with an- other 20 on the waiting list by mid- December. Skelding says interest in horse ge- netics is growing, especially since re- searchers completed sequencing of the equine genome in 2007. “It’s an emerging field,” says Skelding, who researched and wrote much of the course curriculum around part-time jobs as a recep- ) tionist at Equine Guelph andT an as- sistant at a veterinary clinic in Rockwood. “I’ve always had a keen interest in genetics, and it’s exciting to follow the application of genetic knowledge in the equine industry.” She completed a B.Sc. in animal science in 2007 and will defend her master’s thesis in the Department of Animal and Poultry Science this month. She’s teaching the new course with Gayle Ecker, senior manager of Equine Guelph. “Alicia has done a great job of taking a complex course and devel- oping the material for the horse owner,” says Ecker. Knowing more about the horse genome is important for tracking down genes involved in disease and performance traits, says Skelding. She says researchers know far less about horse genetics than about the genetics of other farm animals such as cattle and swine. For her master’s degree, she looked for variants within three cat- tle genes involved in resistance or susceptibility to mastitis and Johne’s disease, both serious afflictions in ruminants. She found no genetic correlation for mastitis, but she did connect one gene variant with host response to the bacterium that causes Johne’s disease, a chronic gut inflammation in dairy cattle. Both studies will likely be pub- lished sometime this year, says her supervisor, Prof. Niel Karrow, who adds that the work might provide targets for drug therapy. Skelding is thinking about pursu- ing a doctorate in the genetics of equine laminitis, an acute inflam- mation that can cause lameness in horses. She encountered the disease during summer volunteer work with equine veterinarians as an under- graduate. She has ridden hunter/jumpers on and off since childhood and has been involved with the U of G Equestrian Club. Zoo Vets, Patients Focus of Reading Z OO VETERINARIANS and their patients — ranging from an anorexic moray eel to a motherless bear cub — are the focus of a book to be featured Jan. 22 when the Ontario Veterinary College’s “Community Readers” program kicks off for the winter semester. Ted Mashima, co-editor of The Rhino With the Glue-On Shoes and Other Surprising True Stories of Zoo Vets and Their Patients, will read from the book at 7 p.m. in Room 1714 of the OVC Learning Centre. Held in partnership with the Bookshelf and the Guelph Public Li- brary, the “Community Readers” program explores veterinary medi- cine and the human condition through literature. Now in its sec- ond year, the program was launched by OVC dean Elizabeth Stone, who teaches a course on veterinary medi- cine and literature and co-founded the Society for Veterinary Medicine and Literature. The goal is to explore the ways that reading and writing can help veterinarians connect with clienjs^ understand the human-animal bond and reflect on what it means to be a veterinarian. The Jan. 22 event is free and open to everyone. Copies of the book can be purchased at the Bookshelf or at the reading. The next issue of At Guelph appears Jan. 28. Copy deadline is Jan. 20. Where Are You Now? If you can identify where this photo was taken, you will have your name entered in a draw to be held In |une for a $50 gift certificate provided by the U of G Bookstore, Anyone who submits the right answer by |an. 16 at 4:45 p.m. is eligible for the draw. Send your response to r.kendall@exec.uoguelph.ca or call Ext. 5*039- PHOTO BY REBECCA KENDALL ‘How Does She Do It?’ Continued from page 1 long-dormant goal of a post-second- ary degree. “I had always wanted to go back to university.” She used up retirement funds to enrol at Guelph that fall. By the fol- lowing semester, she’d been ap- proved for financial aid as a native Canadian. Tamminga is taking a full course load, mostly in social sciences. She’s also taken computing and about six math courses. The logic of the sub- ject appeals to her. “I need that in my life.” Although she normally picks only day classes, she had to attend an evening math class last winter. That was with Prof. Jack Weiner, Mathe- matics and Statistics. After checking with him, she brought all four chil- dren to several evening classes, where they did their homework, amused themselves with colouring or even listened to the lecture. Weiner has had other students bring their kids to class over the years, but he says Tamminga was ex- ceptional — and humbling. “She really impressed me,” says the award-winning professor. “When I get home at the end of the day, I’m grateful for two hours to read, relax. Here’s somebody who’s doing a full-time undergraduate program and working part time and who’s a single mom, and when she gets home, she has four kids to at- tend to. How does she do it?” Tamminga says all four children do well at school — she thinks it helps them to see Mom studying. She’s especially proud of Jasper, who was diagnosed with an anxiety disor- der but who received an award at primary school graduation last spring. She chose U of G because of its proximity to her home, but it’s her teachers who’ve kept her here. “Every professor has been so ac- commodating,” says Tamminga, who approaches her instructors early each semester to discuss her mature-student status and schedule. Last semester posed a particular challenge because she had to take al- most three weeks off to deal with a family crisis. By the time she re- turned to campus in October, she more or less had to start the semester over. By early December, she’d caught up, with only one paper left to complete. Tamminga is carrying a 75-per- cent average. “When I meet dead- lines, that’s a huge success for me,” she says. Mention exams and she smiles and says she enjoys the chal- lenge. “I can share everything I know.” Her schedule doesn’t allow for much social time on campus, apart from frequent visits to the Aborigi- nal Resource Centre. But she’s al- ways made friends with students in her classes, despite the differences in age and circumstances. “Students come up to me think- ing I’m the TA and ask questions,” she says. “I often sit in class with the 18-year-olds and say I don’t know what I want to be when I grow up.” Conference to Discuss Student Involvement Continued from page 1 ment of Family and Community Medicine. Citizenship Awareness Week runs until Jan. 18 and is sponsored by the Office of Student Affairs in collaboration with a number of other University organizations. “We’ve organized events that look at different aspects of citizen- ship and civic engagement, from volunteering to chatting with your members of provincial and federal Parliament to developing a deeper appreciation and understanding of what it’s like for new immigrants in our country,” says Janet Doner, co-ordinator of citizenship and community engagement in Student Life. The week’s activities include a mock citizenship exam and a coffee hour with Guelph’s MP and MPP. For more information and to regis- ter for Nutt’s talk, visit www. studentlife.uoguelph.ca/lce/CCE_ caw.shtml. Related to Citizenship Awareness Week is the third annual Positive So- cial Action Conference running Jan. 17 and 18 at the Macdonald Stewart Art Centre. Presented by Student Volunteer Connections and the Central Student Association, it aims to engage students around issues of becoming involved locally and inter- nationally. This year’s theme is “Creative Resistance, Social Resilience.” The conference will feature panel discus- sions, hands-on activities and semi- nars Saturday, and participants will volunteer in the community Sunday. The event is free and open to the public, with advance registra- tion required. More information is available at www.uoguelph.ca/~svc. At Guelph 10 January 14, 2009 CLASSIFIEDS FOR SALE Garage shelter, 12 by 20 feet, includes eight 15-inch-long auger stakes, used only four months, best offer, 519-821-8812. FOR RENT Furnished three-bedroom heritage home, two baths, two studies, walk- ing distance to campus, available February to mid-May, $1,100 a month plus utilities, 519-824-9203 or ncarson@uoguelph.ca. Furnished basement apartment near Victoria Road and Woodlawn, sepa- rate entrance, large yard, laundry, parking for one vehicle, on bus route and close to park, mature student or professional preferred, available now, $700 a month inclusive, 519-824-7028. Large main room with gas fireplace in lower level of condo, separate bath and kitchenette/laundry room, shared front entrance, parking for one vehicle, Internet, quiet woman preferred, non-smokers, no pets, short- or long-term rental, $600 a month inclusive, elayne.starr@ gmail.com. Bright, clean basement apartment suitable for mature student or young professional, separate entrance, gas fireplace, parking, close to grocery stores, mall and athletic facilities, no pets, non-smokers, $700 a month inclusive, 519-767-5155. Furnished one-bedroom apartment in southwest Paris, France, short- term rental; two-bedroom holiday home in Antibes on French Riviera, weekly or monthly, 519-836-6745 or fhmoll@rogers.com. WANTED Homestay families or individuals to host international ESL students, homestay@uoguelph.ca. Adults with high blood cholesterol but not on cholesterol-lowering medication needed for oat cereal study, financial compensation, Ext. 58081 or oatstudy@uoguelph.ca. Enthusiastic, hard-working role models to teach youth at Creative Encounters summer day camp from May to August, application form at www.creativeencounters.info or in Thombrough 1132, deadline Feb. 25. Subjects needed for study by Depart- ment of Family Relations and Applied Nutrition and Health Can- ada on levels of zinc in six- to eight-year-old boys, compensation provided, 519-820-2633 or zip@ uoguelph.ca. AVAILABLE Qualified French teacher to provide private/semi-private French lessons or tutoring, help with ESL, 519-824- 0536 or dbuchner@uoguelph.ca. Care for your dog in my home while you travel, 519-836-8086 or cdemmers@uoguelph.ca. Personal trainer, 519-341-0782 or ekapetanios@hotmail.com. U of G Dance Club classes and socials start Jan. 22, salsa, swing and Argentine tango, guelphdance@ gmail.com or www.uoguelph.ca/- dance. Creative writing course with pub- lished author in February and March, meets weekly for a month, melody. wren@sympatico.ca. Teen babysitter in University area, Red Cross-certified, great with chil- dren, French and/or English spoken, references, 519-835-6048 or 519- 546-2988. Classifieds is a free service available to staff, faculty, students, alumni and retirees of the University. Sub- mit items to Linda Graham on Level 4 of the University Centre, fax to 519-824-7962 or send e-mail to l.graham@exec.uoguelph.ca. FOR SALE Large Four- Bedroom Townhouse Great location near University, shopping. Off College Ave., on bus route. Perfect for students and/or investors. To view, call 519-763-9118. Pianos, books, lessons & more! 51 9.836.8492 218-A Victoria Rd. S. Guelph, Ont. 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Full- & half-day programs for 2 1/2 to 5 years • After-school program to 6 p.m. • Large gym & outdoor play area • Enhanced reading, writing & math • French, music, art & physical education • Social skill development In family setting PREPARE YOUR CHILD FOR SOCIAL AND ACADEMIC SUCCESS 519 - 821-5876 (located in Dublin Street United Church) 68 Suffolk Street West, Guelph N1H 2J2 www.montessori-school.ca Have you checked out our complete restaurant makeover Restaurant: & Pizza Bar HOURS TuetoThurll -9 Frill -11 Sat 3 -VI Sun 3-8 519-836-4691 Need a place to meet? Zesty's Italian restaurant should be your first choice. Licensed for up to 130 people in our restaurant and 1 60 in DaVinci hall, we can Accommodate all your needs.Choose to dine in our classy casual dining room or relax in the pizza bar area and catch the game on one of our HDTV's. Let us help plan your next event. Parking for up to 90 vehicles. At Guelph U January 14 , 2009 EVENTS ARBORETUM Naturalist Jenn Bock leads owl prowls Jan. 30, Jan. 3 1 , Feb. 6 or Feb. 7 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Cost is $12 for adults or $30 for a family of four. Deadline for registration and pay- ment is Jan. 16. Call Ext. 52358. CONCERTS The School of Fine Art and Music’s Thursday at Noon concert series kicks off the winter semester with the Trillium Brass Quintet Jan. 22. On Jan. 29, clarinetist Goran Goyevich and pianist Jasmina Vucurovic perform. Concerts start at 12:10 p.m. in MacKinnon 107. CONFERENCES The Bio-medical Science Students Association hosts the Bio-Med Leadership Conference Jan. 17 from 9:15 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. in OVC 1713. Speakers will discuss the importance of public speaking in leadership and daily roles, ethical leadership and emotional intelligence. Cost is $5. For more details, contact Julie Stoneman at bmssa@uoguelph.ca. U of G and OAC host the FarmSmart Agricultural Conference Jan. 1 7 at 8:30 a.m. in Rozanski Hall. For more information, visit www. uoguelph.ca/farmsmart. FILM "Docurama,” a film series sponsored by the U of G Library and the Central Student Association, presents For- gotten Women Jan. 20, Man on Wire Jan. 27 and The Unforeseen Feb. 3. The free screenings begin at 7 p.m. in Thornbrough 1307. An additional screening of Man on Wire runs Jan. 28 at 4:30 p.m. in Thornbrough 1200 . LECTURES Dr. Samantha Nutt, executive direc- tor of War Child Canada, gives a free public talk on “Social Responsibility — Acting Upon Our Responsibili- ties as Citizens” Jan. 15 at 7 p.m. in War Memorial Hall. Register at www.studentlife.uoguelph.ca/lce/ CCE_caw.shtml. ASTRA (Arts, Science and Technol- ogy Research Alliance) hosts Massimo Figliucci of the State Uni- versity of New York, Stony Brook, discussing "Sci-Phi: The Border- lands Between Science and Philoso- phy” Jan. 29 at 7:30 p.m. in the sci- ence complex atrium. The GWPI Distinguished Lecturer Series presents physicist David Goodstein of the California Institute of Technology Feb. 5 at 4 p.m. at the Perimeter Institute in Waterloo. His topic is "Out of Gas.” NOTICES An information session on the 17th annual Gordon Nixon Leadership Awards will be held Jan. 22 from 2 to 4 p.m. in UC 390. Up to $10,000 is available for new initiatives that pro- mote student involvement, service and leadership. Registration is required at www.studentaffairs. uoguelph.ca/reg. For more details, visit www.studentlife.uoguelph.ca/ GNLA.shtml. Prof. Kevin Hall, vice-president (research), is guest speaker at the next Guelph Partnership for Innova- tion breakfast Jan. 22 at 7 a.m. at the Holiday Inn. His topic is “Creating Wealth While Delivering Public Good — It’s a Win-Win.” To regis- ter for the event, visit www. guelphinnovation.com. The Health and Performance Centre is offering a free fitness and nutrition seminar on “Eating and Activity for Weight Loss” Jan. 29 at 6:30 p.m. For more information or to register, call Ext. 53460 or send e-mail to hpc@uoguelph.ca. OUTline is seeking LGBTIQ2 volun- teers to staff support services. OUT- line specializes in support and resources related to sexual orienta- tion and gender identity. Compre- hensive training starts Jan. 17. For more information and a volunteer application, visit www.uoguelph. ca/~outline. Human Resources’ learning and development program will host an open house Jan. 21 from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. in UC 103. The day will include presentations at 10 a.m. and 12:15 and 2:30 p.m., tours of the program’s new website and a draw for a door prize. For more informa- tion, visit the website www. uoguelph.ca/leamingmatters. The Student Support Network pres- ents musician Shannon Cutts, a sur- vivor of anorexia, bulimia, depres- sion and anxiety disorder, discussing "Beauty Undressed: Exploring Self- Esteem and Body Image” Jan. 29 at 5:30 p.m. in Peter Clark Hall. Tickets are $5 at the door or in advance from the Student Support Network in McNally House or Counselling Ser- vices on UC Level 3. The Stress Management and High Performance Clinic is offering a five-session “Better Sleep” program Fridays at 12:30 p.m. in UC 335, beginning Jan. 16. The clinic is also running 12-session programs on relaxation and stress management skills starting Jan. 20. Three times are available: noon in UC 334, 5:30 p.m. in OVC 1691 and 8 p.m. in UC 335. A four-session relaxation “booster” class for former partici- pants begins Jan. 23 at 7:30 p.m. in UC 335. For more information, pick up a pamphlet at the Information Desk on UC Level 1, visit www. uoguelph.ca/~ksomers or leave a message at Ext. 52662. READINGS Poet and novelist Lola Lemire Tostevin reads from her latest novel, The Other Sister , as part of the TransCanada Institute’s reading series Jan. 16 at 4 p.m. at 9 University Ave. E. OVC’s “Community Readers” pro- gram presents Ted Mashima, co-edi- tor of The Rhino With the Glue-On Shoes and Other Surprising True Sto- ries of Zoo Vets and Their Patients , Jan. 22 at 7 p.m. in OVC 1714. SEMINARS The Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology seminar series hosts Zongchao Jia of Queen's University Jan. 14 and Janet Rossant of the Hos- pital for Sick Children and the Uni- versity of Toronto Jan. 28. The talks begin at 12:30 p.m. in Animal Sci- ence and Nutrition 156. University of Western Ontario biol- ogist Norman Hiiner discusses “Energy Sensing/Signalling: From Photosystems to Phenotype” in the Department of Environmental Biol- ogy seminar series Jan. 15. On Jan. 29, Prof. Robert Hanner, Integrative Biology, considers “DNA Bar-Cod- ing in Practice and Theory.” The seminars are at 1:30 p.m. in Graham 2307. “Peanut Allergy: Why You? Why Not You?” is the topic of Kent HayGlass, the Canada Research Chair in Immunoregulation at the University of Manitoba and director of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research national training program in allergy and asthma, Jan. 16 in the Department of Pathobiology semi- nar series. On Jan. 23, PhD candi- date Joseph Ogedengbe explains the “Use of Nuclear, Plastid and Mito- chondrial Genes for Rapid Identifi- cation and Phylogenetics of Apicomplexan Parasites ( Alveolata, Myxozoa, Apicomplexa)." The semi- nars are at 1 1 a.m. in Pathobiology 2106. Sociologists James Cdfe and Anton Allahar of the University of Western Ontario discuss “Ivory Tower Blues: Confronting the Critics” in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology seminar series Jan. 16 at 1:30 p.m. in MacKinnon 031. The Faculty of Environmental Sci- ences hosts Campus Cafe, a noon- hour environmental seminar series to be held monthly in the science complex atrium. Bob McDonald of CBC Radio’s Quirks and Quarks dis- cusses “Earth: Profile of a Planet” Jan. 20 at noon. The Department of Integrative Biol- ogy presents McGill University biol- ogist Andrew Gonzalez discussing “Persistence, Adaptation and Stabil- ity in Ecological Landscapes” Jan. 20. On Jan. 27, the topic is “The Community Consequences of Changes in Phylogenetic Diversity” with Marc Cadotte of the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis at the University of Cali- fornia at Santa Barbara. The semi- nars begin at 3:30 p.m. in science complex 2315. Cafe Scientifique, a series of science and technology discussions hosted by the Faculty of Environmental Sci- ences in partnership with the Book- shelf, continues Feb. 3 with Prof. Stefan Linquist, Philosophy, explor- ing “Environment and the Evolution of Human Behaviour” at 7 p.m. in the Bookshelf Green Room. TEACHING SUPPORT Full details and a registration link for Teaching Support Services pro- grams can be found at www. tss.uoguelph.ca. If you have ques- tions, call Mary Nairn at Ext. 53571 . TSS’s “Learning Circle” discussion groups continue throughout the semester, beginning with "Teaching on the Edge” Jan. 21 and “High Tech vs. No Tech in the Classroom” Jan. 28. New members are welcome. On Jan. 20, the professional devel- opment series for teaching assistants focuses on “Facilitating Effective Discussions.” Faculty and instructional staff inter- ested in using BlackBoard can con- tact Kyle Mackie at Ext. 52936 to schedule time for training. TSS con- tinues to offer one-on-one Black- Board assistance Wednesdays from 1 to 2:30 p.m. and Thursdays from 2:30 to 4 p.m. in McLaughlin 200-A. The first new-faculty luncheon of the winter semester will focus on effective discussions Jan. 23. THESIS DEFENCES The final examination of M.Sc. can- didate Kara Scott, Chemistry, is Jan. 15 at 10:30 a.m. in science complex 1511. The thesis is “Heterocyclic Aromatic Amines in Human Breast Milk.” The adviser is Prof. David Josephy. The final examination of An “Alex” Wang, a PhD candidate in the Department of Chemistry, is Jan. 28 at 2 p.m. in MacNaughton 222. The thesis is “Syntheses of Fragments of the Tumour- Associated Carbohy- drate Antigen Lewis A Lewis X and One-Step Deprotections by Birch Reductions.” The adviser is Prof. France-Isabelle Auzanneau. COMMUNITY EVENTS The Waterloo Wellington Wild- flower Society meets Jan. 21 at 7:30 p.m. at the Evergreen Seniors Cen- tre. Larry Lamb will lead a virtual tour of rare, an ecological reserve in Cambridge. Guelph-Wellington Women in Cri- sis presents free workshops on building friendships Jan. 22 and emotional bullying Jan. 27 and 29 from 1 to 3 p.m. To register, call 519-823-5806. A Chinese Lunar New Year Festival runs Jan. 24 from 1 to 5 p.m. at Our Lady of Lourdes High School. The afternoon will include lion dancing, a kung fu demonstration, a fashion show, crafts and a tea ceremony. For more details, visit www.gccca.ca. The Rainbow Chorus of Waterloo- Wellington performs Jan. 24 at 8 p.m. at Harcourt United Church. Visit www.rainbowchorus.ca for more information. Dublin Street United Church is hosting a free public lecture series titled “Building Abundance From a Broken Economy: Toward Justice and Sustainability” Jan. 21 and 28 at 7:30 p.m. Speakers are U of G eco- nomics professor Anastasia Lintner Jan. 21 and Mike Nickerson of the Sustainability Project Jan. 28. Multi-Faith Resource Team Hosts Faith Week Jan. 18 to 23 T he Multi-Faith Resource Team is hosting a number of events to mark Faith Week Jan. 18 to 23, beginning with a tour of local places of worship Jan. 18 and a Faith Fair Jan. 19 from 10 a.m to 2 p.m. in the MacNaughton Building lobby. On Jan. 20, the Jewish Student Organization hosts a free bagel lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in Room 004 of the University Centre, and the documentaries Hiding and Seeking: Forgiveness and Tolerance After the Holocaust, Islam: Empire of Faith and What Is True: An Introduc- tion to Secular Humanism run from 1:30 to 4 p.m. in UC 442. A panel dis- cussion on “Faith and Social Justice” begins at 5:30 p.m. in UC 103. On Jan. 22 from 7 to 9 p.m. in War Memorial Hall, four religious scholars representing Hinduism (Chris Chappie), Christianity (Jim Pankratz), Judaism (Rabbi Ed Elkin) and Islam (Timothy Gianotti) will present their views of those who fall outside the faith. All events are free and open to the public. For more information, visit www.uoguelph.ca/~faith. At Guelph 12 January 14, 2009 at GUELPH JANUARY 28, 2009 • VOL. 53 NO. 2 . WWW.UOGUELPH.CA/ATGUELPH « UNIVERSITY OF GUELPH INSIDE: APPLICATIONS UP AT U OF G, GUELPH-HUMBER • THE LAW OF THE LAND • SOUNDS GOOD Th e pi La y’st h el hi in S Canadian theatre is entering new stage of confidence, says award-winning playwright BY TERESA PITMAN a n EING A WRITER is a way of looking at the world,” says playwright Daniel Maclvor, the University’s writer-in-residence for the winter semester. “Whether you’re writing a play or a novel, the challenges are similar.” You may know him as a per- former, as a director of theatre and film or as one of Canada’s most- honoured playwrights, but Maclvor considers himself a writer first. “I’m a writer even before I’m a Cape Bretoner,” he says. That’s say- ing something because he still feels a strong connection to the Nova Sco- tia island community where he grew up, even though Toronto is now his home. According to family lore, his love of writing surfaced early on. “Apparently, even before I could walk, I would crawl around with a pen in my hand. We weren’t a very bookish house — the only two books out on display were the Bible and a dictionary, and the dictionary was used mostly to settle arguments. But in a bottom drawer in the kitchen were some old textbooks that had belonged to my sister, and I would crawl over and take the books out and scribble in the blank areas. Never where there was any text — only in the blank areas." Whether that’s proof positive of an early passion for writing or not, by the time Maclvor was a teenager, he was writing poetry and short sto- ries. He soon felt the pull of the thea- tre, however, and studied acting and voice. “I have plenty of training as a per- former but none at all as a writer,” he says. “When it came to writing, I learned by failing.” What drew him to theatre as the place to tell his stories? “Theatre is a strange thing. We construct these ar- tificial invented stories, then have people dress up and get on a raised platform and act out the stories for another group of people. If aliens were watching this, they’d think it was very strange. That’s one of the things I love about it.” As an actor, Maclvor found he was best doing his own work. “When I’m performing other people’s plays, I’m not particularly special.” It was only natural, then, that he would start writing plays. And he’s been very successful at it, earning numerous honours for his work. Most recently, he received the 2008 Siminovitch Prize in Theatre. Can- ada’s richest theatre award, it pro- vides $75,000 to the winning playwright and $25,000 to a prot6g£ selected by the recipient. Maclvor also received a Gover- nor General’s Literary Award for Drama for a collection of five plays called I Still Love You, a GLAAD Award and Village Voice Obie Award for the play In on /rand a New York International Fringe Festival award for Never Swim Alone. For his films, he has won Genie awards, a Citytv Best First Feature Award and Atlantic Film Festival awards. Awards are important, but play- wrights still need to live while they produce their work, says Maclvor, who praises the Canadian govern- ment for its support of the national theatrical community. That has al- lowed this country’s playwrights to develop plays with longevity and depth, he says. “In the United States, the goal is always to have theatre be commer- cial, but in Canada, we can take our time and develop. I think Canadian theatre is entering a new stage of confidence where we don’t have to justify ourselves. We’re looking back and seeing what we’ve accom- plished.” If Maclvor's plays are what we’re looking back at, the accomplish- ments are significant. His stories touch on the universal themes of love, death, family and relationships. Often his plays are written to be per- formed on nearly empty stages or minimalist sets, and they rely on the gradual revelation of character and incident for their unpact. He has been lauded for his realistic and sym- pathetic female characters, some- thing he attributes to growing up in “a world of women.” See LIVE on page 10 Four to Receive Honorary Degrees University to award more than 1,200 degrees, diplomas U of G will award more than 1,200 degrees and diplomas during five winter convocation ceremonies Feb. 17 and 18 in War Memorial Hall. Honorary doctorate of law de- grees will be presented to U of G chancellor emeritus Lincoln Alexan- der, hydrogeologist Frank Rovers, Arctic Council founder and aborigi- nal advocate Mary Simon, and agri- cultural advocate Jack Wilkinson. In addition, Guelph lawyer and former Board of Governors member Robin- Lee Norris will be named an Honor- ary Fellow of the University. Winter convocation begins Tuesday at 10 a.m. with a ceremony for the College of Arts, where Simon will address the graduands. She was the first Canadian ambassador for circumpolar affairs at the Depart- ment of Foreign Affairs and Interna- tional Trade, establishing the eight- country council now known as the Arctic Council. A former chancellor of Trent University, she has received many honours for her leadership, including the Order of Canada, the Gold Order of Greenland and the National Aboriginal Achievement Award. A ceremony for the College of Bi- ological Science will be held at 2:30 p.m., with Rovers delivering the convocation address. An interna- tionally respected hydrogeologist, he founded the Waterloo-based engi- neering firm Conestoga-Rovers and Associates in 1976. The company is known as a leader in identifying so- lutions for waste-related environ- mental issues. It employs more than 2,300 people in 65 offices around the world and provides a broad base of environmental services to many Fortune 500 companies. At the 7 p.m. ceremony for the College of Social and Applied Hu- man Sciences, Norris will address the graduands. A 1980 graduate of See CHANCELLOR on page 10 U of G Engineering Students to Host Ontario Comp etition 15 university teams to focus on sustainable innovation BY ANDREW VOWLES U OF G WILL SHOWCASE its engineering programs and expertise early next month when almost 250 Ontario university students, including 14 from Guelph, face off in the Ontario Engineering Competition (OEC) to be held on campus. Student organizers hope to at- tract other university students as well as high school students and the general public to observe the com- petition, which runs Feb. 6 to 8. For the first time this year, a high school design day will take place on campus during the event. For this year’s competition, teams from 1 5 universities will com- pete in sue categories under the theme “sustainable innovation.” Pointing to Guelph’s mix of engi- neering programs — environmen- tal, biological, water resources, and engineering systems and computing OEC chair Dan Roth, a fourth- year co-op student in the engineer- ing systems and computing pro- gram, says the theme is a way of “making other schools aware of the increasing importance of designing sustainably." For the OEC’s junior and senior design projects, teams will receive a problem to solve, build a prototype and present their solutions. Other categories include consulting, com- munications, debates and innova- tive design. Students might be challenged to build a water distribution system, for example, or design a device. Roth says this year’s projects might in- clude water, solid and hazardous waste management and energy. Top-three cash prizes will be awarded, along with awards for so- cial awareness and technical excel- lence. Winning teams in each category may compete in the Cana- dian Engineering Competition to be held in March in New Brunswick. See ENGINEERS on page 10 At Guelph l January 28, 2009 I Eye Exams Safety Glasses Contact Lenses Designer Frames Sunglasses Jai Jassai InftXgJpurtxJvWon 1388 Gordon St., Unit 1 Guelph, Ontario NIL 1C8 Canada T©l. 51 9-823-9400 www.purbavibion.cdm Fax. 519-823-2273 mil ^portable and jmmamssisr Order new or we can print new graphics for your existing banner stand — i Roland Banner-Up Retractable l o fMxce Oence . JLngeCa Cranford v Sale* Representative (5i 821-3600 angela*crawford@cotdwellbanker.ca ka Gordon st. uaii guelph. 1 Considering a move? Please call for your free market analysis NEUMANN REAL ESTATE BROKERAGE Guelph's Laminate and Hardwood Flooring Headquarters Come in and see our large in-stock selection of laminate and hardwood flooring, plus area rugs 55 Dawson Road, Guelph 519-821-5744 Guelph Ont »'» 836-3810 wwAv.guelphmontessori.com “Within the Child Lies the Fate of the Future” Dr. Maria Montessori m Enriched Academic Curriculum ■ Athletic Program including: Martial Arts, Swimming, Skating, Yoga and Gym ■ Musikgarten ■ Core French ■ Monthly Field Trips ■ Certified Montessori Teachers Low Student Teacher Ratio Toddler Program 18-30 Months 1/2 Day &. Full Day Preschool Full Day Jr. & Sr. Kindergarten Elementary Grades 1-6 Extended Hours Available DOWNTOWN GUELPH 151 Waterloo Ave board of governors It Won’t Be Business as Usual, Says President A T ITS JAN. 14 meeting. Board of Governors was updated on the University’s multi-year plan to address the structural deficit. President AJastair Summerlee told the board that the current economic situation has prompted serious discussions about changes to the University, and that it will not be "business as usual.” Because of the provincial government flatlining funding for at least the next two years, U of G must in- crease the planned reductions from five per cent to 7.5 per cent in 2009/10 and 2010/1 1 to eliminate the struc- tural deficit as planned, said Summerlee. Governors were informed of the various measures being taken to implement the multi-year plan, includ- ing a hiring freeze, changes in delivery of programs and course offerings, and reductions in operating expenses. Some capital projects originally scheduled for 2009/10 have been deferred to future years in light of the need for constraints required by the University’s cur- rent financial challenges. Project priorities had been established using various factors, including unforeseen events (e.g., breakdowns), risk assessment and restrictions on available govern- ment funding. Board members were updated on the status of ongo- ing major capital projects, including the five-year stu- dent housing plan, the 2009/ 10 capital projects as part of the 10-year deferred maintenance and utilities capacity plan, and the proposed design for the OVC primary health-care centre. The current economic situation has also affected the University’s major-gift fundraising results. Governors were told that fundraising discussions with current and prospective donors continue, and the University is poised to secure gifts once the financial climate im- proves. In addition, Alumni Affairs and Development is increasing its attention on the development of legacy gift opportunities. Summerlee said U of G is in a better position than many other Ontario universities because of its strategic planning activities such as integrated planning, institu- tional branding and campaign preparation. This has enabled the University to set differentiated rather than across-the-board targets for budget reductions reflect- ing our institutional priorities. B of G was also informed that the University ad- ministration and the U of G Faculty Association (UGFA) have discussed revisions to the treatment of intellectual property to be included in the UGFA col- lective agreement. These changes have been ratified by the UGFA and will now go forward for board approval. Governors were also briefed on government advo- cacy at the federal and provincial levels, particularly initiatives related to provincial funding requirements for pension plans. They were told that government representatives seemed very attentive to the serious fi- nancial implications for universities of their current challenges arising from funding defined-benefit pen- sion plans. But the board was told the relief from any provincial changes would be gradual and limited. Nec- essary long-term changes would require amendment to current negotiated employee agreements and can therefore be pursued only through discussion at the bargaining table. UGFA Calls for Nominations for Inaugural Newman Award Academic integrity focus of award open to scholars around the world L ate philosophy professor Jay Newman, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada who taught at U of G for 36 years, was widely known as a staunch defender of academic freedom and the rights of faculty members. A year and a half after his death in June 2007, his ideals live on in a new award that is open to scholars around the world. The Jay Newman Award for Academic Integrity is to be presented for the first time this fall. Endowed by Newman in his will, the award is designed to recognize a university scholar and teacher who “has demonstrated combined meri- torious academic achievement with noteworthy courage or compassion in the defence of academic ideals.” The U of G Faculty Association (UGFA), which is administering the award, is calling for nominations by May 1. “For Jay, an academic post was not simply a job but a calling, which came with a responsibility to defend the dignity, independence and integ- rity of intellectual life,” says history professor Keith Cassidy, chair of the UGFA’s Academic Freedom Com- mittee. “Although he had a good sense of humor and could laugh at his own foibles, he would never compromise in his demand that aca- demics be treated with the respect due to professional scholars, and that they in turn discharge their du- ties conscientiously. Academic free- dom, rigorous scholarship and the compassionate treatment of others were core values for him.” All past and present faculty mem- bers at any institution of higher learning in the world are eligible for the biennial award, which carries a prize of $ 1 ,500. It will be given in Oc- tober during the presentation of the UGFA’s annual teaching and librari- anship awards. Nominations and supporting materials should be sent to: Chair, Academic Freedom Committee, University of Guelph Faculty Associ- ation, Room 535, University Centre, 50 Stone Rd. E., Guelph, ON NIG 2W1. For more information, call Ext. 52126 or send e-mail to shubers@uoguelph.ca. Newman also endowed three stu- dent awards: the Jay Newman Me- morial Scholarship in Philosophy, the Kitty Newman Memorial En- trance Scholarship and the Kitty and Lou Newman Memorial Ontario Graduate Student Scholarship. The next issue of At Guelph appears Feb. ii. Copy deadline is Feb. 3. X Editor Barbara Chance At Guelph is published every two weeks Articles may be reprinted b.chancc@excc.uoguelph.ca by Communications and Public Affairs, p- Design Peter Enncson Ln’el 4, University Centre, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario N1G2WI. with credit to At Guelph. Production Linda Graham Inquiries: 519-824-4120 Subscriptions U- l.graham@exec.uoguclph.ca Editorial: Ext. 5 6580 $25 (includes GST); Advertising Scott Anderson Distribution: Ext. 56581 Advertising: Ext. 56580 $30 outside Canada ISSN 08364478 C theandersondifference@rogers.com iwv’iv. uoguelph. ca/adguidc Director Chuck Cunningham c.cunningham@cxcc.uoguelph.ca Classifieds: Ext. 56581 Fax 519-824-7962 Website: www. uoguelph. ca/atguelph At Guelph 2 January 28 , 2009 news in brief CREATIVE MUSIC FESTIVAL, SYMPOSIUM FEB. 5 AND 6 The third annual “Structured Improvisations/Improvising Struc- tures" creative music festival and symposium hosted by NUMUS, the Macdonald Student Art Centre, the Guelph Jazz Festival and the School of Fine Art and Music runs Feb. 5 and 6 at the art centre. On Feb. 5 at 8 p.m., guitarist Kevin Breit and percussionist Jesse Stewart will give a concert of improvised music to celebrate the release of their new recording, Collisions. A concert Feb. 6 at 8 p.m. will showcase the work of Canadian composer, improviser and educator David Mott. Tickets for each concert are $20 general, $12 for students. TRAINING SESSIONS AIM TO PREVENT INJURY IN THE WORKPLACE Occupational Health and Wellness is offering training sessions on pre- venting musculoskeletal disorders and recommends that all employees attend to learn about soft-tissue injury risks in the workplace and strategies to minimize the risks. The first session is being offered Feb. 9 in two sections — from 9 to 10:15 a.m. for employees doing primarily office work and from 10:15 to 11:30 a.m. for non-office employees, such as those doing agricultural, labora- tory, custodial, grounds and main- tenance work. Future sessions are slated for May 6 and Oct. 21. All ses- sions are in Room 168 of the Axelrod Building. For more infor- mation or to register, contact Heather Harris at Ext. 52647 or harrish@uoguelph.ca. GORDON NIXON AWARD CALLS FOR APPLICATIONS Applications are being accepted for the 2009 Gordon Nixon Leadership Award. Established by the Annual Fund in honour of 1937 OAC grad- uate Gordon Nixon, the award makes available up to $10,000 to campus-based student groups to support new student initiatives. Application deadline is Feb. 13 at 4 p.m. For an application form or information, visit www.studentlife. uoguelph.ca/GNLA.shtml. HHNS SYMPOSIUM SET The 39th annual Human Health and Nutritional Sciences Sympo- sium is Jan. 3 1 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the OVC Lifetime Learning Cen- tre. The symposium will focus on advancements in technology, including nanotechnology/targeted drug delivery, advanced imaging techniques/instrumentation and therapeutic robots. For more infor- mation, contact Kevin Lee at klee03@uoguelph.ca. ASTRA LECTURE FEATURES SCIENTIST-PHILOSOPHER ASTRA ( the Arts, Science and Tech- nology Research Alliance) hosts a lecture by Massimo Pigliucci, a pro- fessor of evolution and philosophy at the State University of New York, Stony Brook, Jan. 29 at 7:30 p.m. in the science complex atrium. Pigliucci, who holds PhDs in genet- ics, botany and philosophy, will dis- cuss “Sci-Phi: The Borderlands Between Science and Philosophy." Total Applications up 6.4% at U of G, Guelph-Humber Increase is almost six times system average, largest overall in province BY LORI BONA HUNT T otal applications to U of G and the University of Guelph- Humber are up 6.4 per cent — almost six times the system average and the highest overall increase in the province — according to recent figures from the Ontario Univer- sities’ Application Centre (OUAC). In addition, the number of stu- dents who named Guelph-Humber their “first choice” rose by 22 per cent, the biggest jump in the system. OUAC’s annual January “snap- shot” of applications is intended to help universities with their enrol- ment planning for fall. It includes data showing how many students applied to Ontario universities; the number of applications those stu- dents generated; and which schools were their first, second, third or lower choices. These figures show that U of G re- ceived a total of 22,010 applications, which amounts to an overall increase of 4.6 per cent. “As always, we’re very pleased that so many qualified secondary students are interested in pursuing the excellent scholarly opportunities we have at Guelph,” says Prof. Maureen Mancuso, vice-president (academic). “It’s a testament to the strength of our reputation and our incredible faculty and staff.” The University of Guelph- Humber received 4,034 total appli- cations, an overall increase of 1 7 per cent. “We continue to be heartened by the increased interest in Guelph- Humber, particularly the high num- ber of students who make it their first choice every year," says Prof. John Walsh, Guelph-Humber’s vice- provost (chief academic officer). OUAC also released details about the number of applications from non-secondary students, which in- cludes mature, transfer, out-of- province and former high school students. System-wide, applications from this group are up 9.9 per cent thus far. At U of G and Guelph- Humber, the overall increase is 16.7 per cent. During times of economic slowdown, increases in the propor- tion of people wishing to attend uni- versity are common, according to the Council of Ontario Universities (COU). Although robust enrolment is a good-news story, it also puts pres- sure on universities that are strug- gling to maintain programs, says Paul Genest, COU’s president and CEO. “Despite dramatic cost-cutting and efficiency measures, university operating budgets are under severe strain. Financial markets have dealt a sharp blow to pensions and endow- ments that support bursaries for stu- dents and research chairs.” COU will be working closely with the provincial government as it con- siders stimulus measures that will help Ontario’s economy and univer- sities, he says. People EXHIBITION IS FIRST MAJOR SURVEY OF WORKS BY FINE ART PROFESSOR The first major survey of works by Prof. James Carl, Fine Art and Music, is currently on display in the Macdonald Stewart Art Centre exhibition “James Carl: do you know what.” Curated by art centre director Judith Nasby, it is running concurrently with an exhibition at : Cambridge Galleries (a third cxhi- 1 bition wrapped up last week at the University of Toronto). Each venue focuses on particular aspects of I Carl’s sculptural and graphic pro- duction from 1990 to the present. ■ On Feb. 23 at 7 p.m., Carl will give an artist’s talk at the art centre. LANDSCAPE ONTARIO AWARD HONOURS INNOVATION Donald Ziraldo, a 1971 OAC gradu- ate who chairs the Vineland Research and Innovation Centre, has received the Trillium Award from Landscape Ontario. The award is given only in exceptional circumstances to an individual who, through innovation, has introduced a product, service, program or activity that has made a consider- able impact and provided substan- tial benefits to the horticulture industry and society as a whole. 1 t’s Ti me to ‘Ski pa M ea 1 ’ Meal Exchange seeks donations of meal points or cash to support people in need A fter breaking a national record in the fall, Meal Exchange’s “Skip a Meal" program returns for the winter semester, running until Feb. 6. Members of the University com- munity are encouraged to donate meal points or cash to the program. Donations go toward supporting 19 local organizations, including food banks, men’s and women’s shelters and drop-in centres. “Skip a Meal” is concentrated in student residences this week, then will go campus-wide. Donations can be made at the marked tills in Centre Six, Prairie Cafeteria, Creelman Hall and — new this year — the OVC Ca 16. Meal Exchange volunteers will also be soliciting donations in se- lected classes. For students not on a meal plan, the Bullring and Meal Ex- change are working together to col- lect cash donations. “This will give some of the much- needed support to the one in five people currently going hungry in Guelph,” says Jordan Thompson, the campus Meal Exchange educa- tion and promotions co-ordinator. “This will give some of the much-needed support to the one in five people currently going hungry in Guelph. ” Guelph has taken part in “Skip a Meal" since 1997, contributing more than $260,000 worth of food. Last fall, U of G raised more than $26,000, the highest amount of any Canadian university or college in the 16 years the program has existed. Meal Exchange is a national stu- dent-run organization that aims to engage students from 45 Canadian campuses in solving the problem of hunger in their communities. The Guelph chapter is managed by the Central Student Association. In the fall 2008 semester. Meal Exchange Guelph collected more than $ 1 20,000 worth of food from its various programs and efforts. Meal Exchange’s other programs include “Trick or Eat," which in- volves students going door-to-door on Halloween collecting food for the Guelph Food Bank. The newest initiative, Twenty- Four for Hunger, was held Jan. 9. About 80 U of G students went with- out food for 24 hours, contributing the money they would have spent on food to the Onward Willow breakfast program. They also collected donations, raising more than $2,300, the biggest lump-sum donation the breakfast program has ever received. In addi- tion, the students participated in workshops and engaged with guest speakers. In Memoriam Kenneth Eccles Kenneth Eccles, a retired staff mem- ber in the small-animal clinic at the Ontario Veterinary College, died Jan. 14 at the age of 89. He was ' employed at U of G from 1968 to 1989. He is survived by his wife, Mary; three children, Morris, Betty and Karen; seven grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren. A tree will be planted in his memory in the Wall-Custance Memorial Forest. Leon Martin Retiree Leon Martin, a technician in the former Department of Crop Sci- ence from 1959 to 1989, died Jan. 23 at the age of 80. He is survived by seven children — Brian, Caroline, Sharon, Craig, Dean, Linda and Neil — and three grandchildren. A funeral will be held Jan. 31 at 11 a.m. at the Gospel HalJ in Cam- bridge. Carl Miller Retired economics professor Carl Miller died Dec. 1 7 at the age of 8 1 . A PhD graduate of Clark University, he taught at U of G from 1966 to 1992. He is survived by his wife, : Eileen. William Reiding Strong Employer Turnout Expected at Annual Job Fair U OF G, the University of Waterloo, Wilfrid Laurier University and Conestoga College will hold their 16th annual Job Fair Feb. 4 from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at RIM Park in Waterloo. Despite the slowing economy, employers are coming out in full force, says Carrie Steele, employer relations co-ordinator in Co-opera- tive Education and Career Services. Almost 200 of them have registered for the event. This strong employer turnout is good news for students who are just about to graduate as well as those seeking summer or co-op positions, she says. “All employers attending this fair have several job opportunities avail- able and are very interested in taking resumes on the spot.” The fair is open to all students and alumni with ID from any of the participating institutions. Free shut- tles will leave the main entrance of the University Centre starting at 9:30 a.m. A list of participating orga- nizations and the bus schedule are at www.partners4employment.ca. William Reiding, a retired con- struction co-ordinator in Physical Resources, died Dec. 3 1 at the age of ! 69. He was employed at U of G from 1969 to 1995 and is survived by his wife, Gerda; two sons, Richard and 1 Mark; and a brother. Elizabeth Williams Elizabeth (“Betty”) Williams, a retired secretary in the School of ; Engineering, died Jan. 13 at the age of 68. She was employed at U of G from 1971 to 1995 and is survived by her husband, Russ, her mother j and a sister. At Guelph 3 January 28, 2009 The Law of the Land Environmental lawyer now preaching what she practises at her alma mater BY TERESA PITMAN 441 N THE BACK OF MY MIND, I I always wanted to be a lawyer,” says Prof. Anastasia Lintner, Economics. “In high school, I’d always talk about it.” She took quite a detour along the way to earning a law degree, but it was a detour that ultimately allowed her to combine her interests and val- ues. Today, Lintner is a lawyer prac- tising public-interest environmental law with Ecojustice and an adjunct professor at U of G. The road to this destination be- gan in 1985 when she first enrolled at Guelph. After earning a BA and MA in economics, she went on to be- come the first graduate of the Uni- versity’s PhD program in natural resource and environmental eco- nomics. Not quite the route you’d expect a lawyer-to-be to follow, but Lintner has always had a deep inter- est in economics and environmental issues as well. With her brand-new degree in hand, she headed out into the job market. “I completed my PhD in 1995, after 10 wonderful years here at the University, blit I had gradu- ated at about the worst possible time. The Mike Harris government was in power in Ontario, and there were no tenure-track university jobs in the environmental field. So I went to \ Newfoundland and became an eco- nomics professor at Memorial University." Three years later, that nagging desire to become a lawyer started tugging at her again, so Lintner moved back to Ontario to study law at Osgoode Hall. And she had no doubts about where that degree would lead. “I knew 1 wanted to do environmental law and policy. I wanted to practise law in a way that i resonates with my values." With that goal in mind, she set i her sights on a charitable organiza- tion called Ecojustice (formerly the Sierra Legal Defence Fund). "Ecojustice hires lawyers and sci- entists to defend the environment and further the public interest. I knew I wanted to work there, so I hounded them. I worked there dur- ing the summer holidays, I interned there for law school credit, I articled there, and in the end, they gave in to the constant hounding and hired me full time.” She’s now a staff lawyer with the organization. When she was articling at Ecojustice, her very first case took her to the Supreme Court of Canada. The case involved a B.C. forestry company that had accidentally burned down part of a government- owned forest that had been set aside as a protected area. The court that first heard the case said that because there’d been no intention of logging the trees that were destroyed, the trees had no value, so the company owed no compensation to the province. Ecojustice disagreed, and when the case came to the Supreme Court, lawyers for the organization inter- vened on behalf of the Sierra Club of Canada and the David Suzuki Foun- dation to present another point of view. “I didn’t actually get to make oral submissions, but 1 did a lot of work on the legal strategy and the written arguments, and I was sitting with the other lawyers in court,” says Lintner. “I was also eight months’ pregnant, so I had to borrow robes. On the whole, it was a pretty exciting time for me.” The results of that case demon- strate some of the challenges of the legal system, she says. “Our argument was that because this forest had been set aside and protected, it did have value, probably more value than trees that were be- ing logged. The Supreme Court agreed with that principle and said it was a valid way of looking at the situ- ation. This will set a precedent for fu- ture cases across Canada.” Ecojustice and its clients achieved their goal, and legal groundwork was established that may help protect the environment. But because the B.C. government didn’t bring appropri- ate evidence to court to show the value of the set-aside forested area, the logging company didn’t pay ap- propriate compensation for the de- struction of the protected area. “Yes, using the court system to resolve things is extraordinarily un- satisfactory,” Lintner acknowledges. “It can all move very slowly.” Her practice is currently focused on water protection and getting the Ontario government to address some of the issues surrounding the provincial water supply. She’s also looking at the need for greater public education and involvement. “We have an Environmental Bill of Rights in Ontario that guarantees public participation when it comes to environmental issues,” she says, but most people don’t know this right to participate even exists. In addition, she is looking at how the obligation to be transparent around environmental policies af- fects the government’s work. Lintner says she’s impressed that the City of Guelph has taken a strong stance and refused to build long pipelines to bring in water from dis- tant sources, choosing instead to manage with the water available lo- cally. “As an organization, Ecojustice is trying to push the laws as far as it can to protect the environment. It’s work that’s never boring — it’s al- ways very exiting and motivating to me.” She’s also excited about teaching at U of G, which she first did as a PhD student and resumed doing after she returned to Ontario. She has taught courses on microeconomics and macroeconomics, economic statis- tics, economic growth and environ- mental quality, natural resource economics and environmental eco- nomics. This semester, she is super- vising an independent study. “Working closely with students on research that is relevant to both academia and the real world is very fulfilling,” she says. “And the Guelph students who have asked to study with me or to volunteer with Ecojustice have all been extremely dedicated and competent. It’s very humbling.” With three children (her son, now five, who arrived not,long™jphellncu‘a At Guelph 5 January 28, 2009 Sounds Good Snap, crackle, pop — how your food sounds helps determine whether you enjoy it, says prof Make technology work for you. Apply now and be well on your way to a successful career in technology. humber.ca/appliedtechnology/graduate i j)’ HUMBER School of Applied Technology BY TERESA PITMAN C HOMP down on a potato chip. Would you say it’s crisp? Crunchy? (Or perhaps soggy, if the bag was left open too long.) Prof. Lisa Duizer, Food Science, is hoping you'll say crisp because that’s the hallmark of a good chip, but she acknowledges that you may not be able to tell her why you think it’s crispy. “Crispness is very hard to define,” she says. But if anyone can come up with a definition, she can. After all, she did her doctoral thesis on crispness. “I made bags and bags of cheezies and fed them to people,” she says, describing her research for that the- sis. "Then I recorded the sounds they made as they bit down on the snacks and measured the force it took to bite through them. We also asked questions to try to determine what makes people think something is crisp.” Studying food texture topics such as crispness and tenderness is a pas- sion for Duizer, who joined the De- partment of Food Science faculty this month. A two-time Guelph graduate, she earned a B.A.Sc. in ap- plied human nutrition and an M.Sc. in food science here, then worked lo- cally for a few years before moving across the globe to New Zealand. She spent the next 10 years there, teach- ing at New Zealand’s Massey Uni- versity and completing a PhD in food technology. Just over three years ago, Duizer and her husband (a New Zealander) decided to return to Canada. They moved first to Nova Scotia, where Duizer taught nutrition at Acadia University. “My family is from Ontario, and I wanted to be closer to them,” she drank diet pop with those who drank regular pop to see which group had the greater desire to consume more sweet-flavoured foods. That study emerged from a devel- opment in her local community. “The schools in Nova Scotia had de- veloped a policy to remove all artifi- cially sweetened pop from school vending machines and cafeterias be- cause they believed consuming them increased your craving for sweet foods.” Duizer and the students she worked with couldn’t find research to support or refute the school pol- icy, so they crafted their own study. “What we found was that it’s the amount of sweetener you consume in total that makes you like more sweet foods,” she says. “It doesn’t matter whether it’s real or artificial.” She’s also working on other pro- jects that focus on both taste and nu- trition or health. One will take her back to New Zealand next month to do some research there, and she’s still involved with a study at Acadia on links between body fat and the desire for sweet foods. “We know there are huge indi- vidual variations in tastes,” says Duizer. “We have research about the genetic variations in taste receptors, and the whole role of genetics is get- ting a lot of interest lately. I’m look- ing at taste and texture interactions and how this can affect health — de- veloping foods that are appealing from a sensory perspective but also promote health.” In or out of the classroom and lab, Duizer’s favourite thing to talk about is food. “I have a passion for food. My husband is quite a foodie, too, and he also works in this field. While we were living in New Zealand, he helped develop the Pacific Rose ap- ple and the gold kiwifruit. An article in the newspaper called him ‘Dr. Taste Bud.’” Although she appreciates being back in Ontario, Duizer does miss some of the “foodie” aspects of her days “down under.” “We used to help with the food awards at New Zealand’s national food show. It’s brilliant. We got to see all the best new products — olive oil, wine, you name it and it’s there. I’m getting hungry thinking about it.” Global Vets Hold Silent Auction G lobal Vets 2009 is holding a silent auction Feb. 3 to 6 to raise money to help send veterinary students to Africa, Central America and Southeast Asia this summer to work on international veterinary projects that promote animal health and welfare. Items up for bid include CN Tower tickets, ski passes. Coach Canada vouchers, rock climbing les- sons, Ontario Science Centre tickets, art, jewelry, pottery and gift certifi- cates for local businesses. The items will be on display out- side the Ontario Veterinary College cafeteria Feb. 3 to 5 from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. and Feb. 6 from 12:30 p.m. until bidding closes at 4:30 p.m. Global Vets 2009 calendars will also be for sale at the auction. Cost is $15. For more information on Global Vets, visit www.uoguelph.ca/~gvets or send e-mail to gvets@uoguelph .ca. In just two semesters at Humber, you could upgrade your degree with a postgraduate certificate in Wireless Telecommunications, Supply Chain Management or Project Management. Prof. Lisa Duizer sits at one of the food-testing booths in her lab, where panellists sample a variety of unlabelled foods, then answer a series of questions designed to assess flavour and texture. PHOTO BY MARTIN SCHWALBE says. “They were just happy to have us on the same continent.” Her family’s even happier now that she’s back at Guelph, a senti- ment Duizer shares. “When I was at Acadia, I was teaching and doing research focused more on nutrition, and I really missed working with food scientists. I’m enjoying being among people who share my enthusiasm for under- standing food at that level.” Much of her research is done in a newly built lab filled with plain- looking booths, each with a small hatch. Duizer explains how her stud- ies are done: “You sit in the booth, the hatch opens up, and there’s a tray of food samples in front of you. You eat the samples, then answer a series of questions about them. This gives us a way of assessing flavour and tex- ture without interference from the effects of price and packaging.” Her studies have revealed that the determining factor in crispness is the frequency of the sound made when a person is biting down on a food. A crisp food has a higher-frequency sound when being eaten. Crunchy foods such as apples, on the other hand, produce a lower-frequency sound when bitten. “Some apples do have an element of crispness as well,” she adds. Food textures are more complex than you might think. Duizer also found, as she ad- justed the formulation, that there’s a point when a food isn’t crispy or crunchy — it’s just hard. “Then the sound when you bite into it is more of a thud.” In fact, crispness seems to be on a continuum, depending on various characteristics of the food. Why does this matter? Duizer says people like crispy and crunchy foods and tend to believe these tex- tures are linked with high quality. Crisp foods that don’t display the characteristic snap, not so much. “At the end of the day, people need to like their food and they need to enjoy eating,” she says. Her re- search helps food manufacturers create more appealing food items. While she was in Nova Scotia, Duizer also did some research on food tastes and health. One study, for example, compared people who At Guelph 6 January 28, 2009 profile ‘I Just Wanted to Be the Best I Could Be’ Award-winning athlete jumps from playing field to research on childhood injuries by Rebecca Kendall A S SHE SAT at the Gryphon awards banquet in 2003, first-year student-athlete Brae Anne McArthur watched in admiration as U of G’s then pentathlon record holder, Heather Loree, walked across the stage to receive a number of awards. “I remember thinking she was the ideal athlete,” says McArthur. Little did the rookie Gryphon know that one day she’d be on the receiving end of some of the nation’s top athletic and aca- demic awards and would become a role model for younger athletes. McArthur, a talented hurdler and jumper in high school, came to U of G to study psychology. A dedicated athlete, she knew Guelph’s track-and-field program had a strong reputation, so she tried out for and earned a position on the team. Aware of her skills, coach David Scott-Thomas encour- aged her to try the pentathlon, a five-sport event that combines a 60-metre hurdle with high jumping, long jumping, shot put and an 800-metre sprint. She instantly fell in love with the sport. "It’s obviously hard on your body, and it’s a lot of training,” says McArthur, who earned a BA in 2006 and is now working on the master’s portion of a PhD in clinical psy- chology. “Most people train for one or two events, but I trained for five events each week. Sometimes I’d work out twice a day in addition to being in the weight room, so it was pretty much like having a full-time job.” She estimates that during the pentathlon season, which runs from December to March, she spent about 30 hours a week training on top of her full course load. McArthur ended her track-and-field career last year with a r6sum£ that would make any athlete envious. Besides earning the University’s Shirley Peterson Award for most improved fe- male athlete and twice being named Gryphon track-and-field MVP, she is U of G’s reigning pentathlon champ, a President’s Award recipient and Guelph’s all-time third-ranked high and long jumper. In the fall, the three-time Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) Academic All-Canadian was honoured as one of CIS’s Desjardins Top Eight Academic All-Canadians. This final recognition capped off an outstanding season that saw the 25-year-old earn her fourth CIS medal — a bronze — in the pentathlon at last winter’s track-and-field championships in Montreal. Her time shattered the record previously held by Loree, the athlete McArthur so admired as a rookie. And at the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) championships, she cap- tured a silver medal for pentathlon, won bronze for high jump and was named an OUA All-Star. “It wasn’t like I had those intentions,” says McArthur of her accomplishments. “I just wanted to be the best I could be. I wanted to do well, and I’ve almost shocked myself. I can’t say my success was entirely planned.” Planned or not, her success has been shared by her family, whom she calls her "biggest supporters.” “They’ve flown to watch me compete in a number of prov- inces and shared in the many hurdles I’ve encountered, as well as the victories I’ve attained.” They were on hand for last year’s Montreal championships, which McArthur considers to be her most memorable meet. "I remember waiting to hear the verdict and not knowing if we had won and think- ing how amazing it would be because we re- ally weren’t expected to win. When we heard the news, I was so excited. We had fi- nally achieved the greatest accomplishment we could. I had just run in the relay trying to get one last point to seal the deal, and little did I know that we had already captured gold. I ran my heart out trying to make sure it was going to happen, but needless to say, the team had already done its job.” This season as her friends and former teammates head to the Athletics Centre and the Gryphon Dome to train, McArthur has hung up her track gear and is wading through research to complete her master’s thesis. Working with Prof. Barbara Morrongiello, she is examining uninten- tional childhood injury. Specifically, she’s studying the strategies parents use to teach their children about household hazards and how the personal characteristics of the par- ent and child affect those strategies. Admittedly, being away from competi- tion is an adjustment for McArthur. “It’s hard not having that group there to moti- vate you. They do become your family. I still drop by to see them, and we still hang out. Although I'm not training or competing, I've still maintained my team mentality." Today, her athletic prowess is being put to good use as an Ul- timate Frisbee player. It's the ideal sport for a jumper and a sprinter, she says, adding that she’s enjoying the change. "Being able to jog continually, do quick bursts and jump high makes me a strong competitor. When everyone else is get- ting tired, I just want to stay on and keep going.” McArthur credits much of her athletic success to U of G jumps coach Zoltan Tenke, who helped mould her into a cham- pion. Tenke, who competed for Hungary in three Olympic Games, died in December at age 81. “I owe a lot to him,” she says. “Zoltan was a man of few words. At times, what he said wasn’t what you wanted to hear, but it’s what you needed to hear. In his later years, he got a little softer and told me that I’d done well and that I deserved all the success I’d achieved. He provided an excellent support, and I’ll miss him.” Zoo Life Erodes Elephant Health, Study Finds International research team's findings spark media interest around the world BY LORI BONA HUNT F emale elephants living in protected populations in Africa and Asia live longer than those in captivity in European zoos, according to new research by an international team of scientists that includes a U of G faculty member. The study led by Prof. Georgia Mason, Animal and Poultry Science, was published last month in Science, the world’s leading journal of scien- tific research. Mason conducted the research with Ros Clubb, her former graduate student, and four other re- searchers from the United Kingdom and Kenya. Following the paper’s publica- tion, news stories about the research appeared in more than 1,000 news- papers, magazines and broadcast news reports around the world, in- cluding the New York Times, Time magazine, the Globe and Mail, Na- tional Geographic, New Scientist, the Los Angeles Times, National Public Radio, CBC Radio, ABC News, Dis- cover magazine, Nature magazine, the Guardian, the Independent, the Telegraph, Scientific American, Times of India and China Daily. The findings could mark the end of a long-standing debate about the physical and mental well-being of zoo elephants, and may also bring about improvements in how these animals are kept. “This is the first animal welfare paper to get into Science, ” says Ma- son, who holds the Canada Research Chair in Animal Welfare and is an associated faculty member in Guelph’s Campbell Centre for the Study of Animal Welfare. “These kinds of questions often generate more heat than light, and our research shows what can be found out by analysing objective data. We hope it provides a model for tackling similar issues with other species." Using data on more than 4,500 elephants, the researchers found em- pirical evidence that zoos cause shortened adult life spans in both Af- rican and Asian elephants. In the most endangered species of ele- phant, the Asian, calf death rates were also elevated. For this species, the researchers found that being bom at a zoo (rather than being imported from the wild), being moved between zoos and the possible loss of their mother all put animals at particular risk. The authors reached these con- clusions by comparing data on ele- phants in European zoos with data on elephants at Amboseli National Park in Kenya and the Myanma Timber Enterprise. Combined with the widespread health and reproduc- tive problems documented in zoo el- ephants, these findings suggest that they suffer from both mental and physical ailments. The authors recommend screen- ing all zoo elephants for signs of stress and obesity to identify individ- uals that might be in trouble. Until these animals’ problems can be solved, the researchers call for an end to the importation of elephants from their native countries and for the minimization of inter-zoo transfers. They also suggest that breeding ele- phants be restricted to those zoos that exhibit no harmful effects in their captive-bom animals. At Guelph 7 January 28, 2009 Letters after hours MUSLIM COMMUNITY IN SOLIDARITY WITH JEWISH COMMUNITY IN OPPOSING HATRED Recently, it was with great disgust that the Muslim community learned of the hateful and offensive graffiti in the University Centre, specifically tar- geting the Jewish community. This was clearly intended to incite hatred between both our communities — two communities that, together on this campus, have had a long and durable relationship in opposing all forms of intolerance and bigotry. Vandalism, particularly when imposing hateful opinions on others, must be unequivocally condemned in the harshest of terms. As Muslims, we are very much aware of the pain that silence can cause, especially in re- gard to the living memory of genocidal acts committed against one’s peo- ple. There is no doubt that the hateful graffiti found on campus were created with the same hatred and evil intent that have caused the suffering and death of so many people. Although the target of such bigotry is the Jewish community, such acts of hatred are offensive and degrading to ev- eryone at this university. The Muslim community stands in solidarity with the Jewish commu- nity and all those who oppose racism, hatred and bigotry on this campus and elsewhere. The Muslim Students’ Association THANK YOU ALL FOR ENRICHING MY CAREER I recently received from Senate the great honour of being named an Hon- orary Fellow of the University. This is an honour I treasure and share with/owe to many in our University community, namely the Office of Open Learning team, faculty, senior administrators, students and all the colleagues I have worked with over the years. I have always considered myself so fortunate that I was able to do the work 1 loved and was able to work with creative and innovative people from whom 1 learned so much. This fellowship allows me to remain connected in a formal way with the University, a prospect that I look forward to with great pleasure. Thank you all for enriching my career and helping make all my years with the University such good ones. Virginia Gray TSS Provides ‘Winter Warm-up’ to Desire2Learn T eaching Support Services (TSS) is offering campus instructors a way to “warm up” to the University’s new learning management system, Desire2Leam (D2L), this winter. During 2009, all courses using the BlackBoard program will be mi- grated to D2L. In preparation for the transition, a pilot project is under way this semester. With instruc- tional and technical guidance from TSS staff, 23 instructors are moving their courses (both small and large) to the new D2L platform, develop- ing techniques and fine-tuning methods that will help simplify and streamline the transitions still to come. To support instructors who will be migrating their courses to D2L in the months ahead, TSS is offering two special programs in February. On Feb. 5, a Design Cafe will fea- ture three instructors involved in the pilot project. They will share their experiences and offer tips and tech- niques for making a smooth transi- tion to D2L. The event runs from 1 1:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Room 384 of the McLaughlin Library. During Reading Week Feb. 16 to 20, TSS presents “D2L Winter Warm-up," a series of stand-alone workshops designed for all levels of experience and instructional needs. Sessions will cover basic course setup, assessment tools and collabo- rative components, as well as some of the more customized features D2L has to offer. In addition, open lab time has been scheduled throughout the week to provide time for questions and hands-on work. For more information about these programs and to register, visit www.tss.uoguelph.ca. If you have questions, call Mary Naim at Ext. 53571. News about the D2L migra- tion itself can be found at www. uoguelph.ca/tss/D2Lmigration. Evie Adomait EVIE ADOMAIT Faculty member in the Department of Economics, joined the University in 1988 Although Prof. Evie Adomait makes a determined effort to separate her work life from her home life, some elements of her work have seeped into her after-hours activities. “I belong to a book club, and I found that many of my female friends felt lost when- ever the conversation turned to something related to econom- ics,” she says. “1 ended up do- ing a lot of mini-lessons on economics and eventually decided I should write a book. It’s a non-mathematical, intuitive, fun book about economics for the general public.” She already has a publisher interested and is working with a writing partner, an English major, who reviews each chapter for clarity and style. “Sometimes I find I’m still too ‘teachy’ and have to rewrite parts. I want it to be as intuitive as possible.” She believes understanding economics is especially important today because of the global financial situa- tion. “People want to know how this works, how that works, how it all fits together.” When she’s not writing, Adomait spends a lot of her after-hours time chauffeuring her teenage children to various activities. She’s also a member of a worship band at her church. "When you’re in a small church, everyone has to do something. I love to sing, so I sing background vocals with our group. I’ve been doing it for 23 years, and I still love it. Sometimes people will tell me I’m brave to stand up in front of our congregation and sing, but I tell them this is an intimate gathering compared with the classes of 600 or so I teach at the University.” JESSICA STONE Fourth-year arts and science student Although she’d played lacrosse since age 15 in her hometown of Orangeville, Jessica S tone thought she’d skip sports dur- ing her first year of university so she could focus on her stud- ies. But that plan changed when U of G’s lacrosse coach, who knew her from a summer lacrosse program, persuaded her to join the Guelph team. “I’m so glad I did,” says Stone. “It does mean a big time commitment, but I’ve learned that I work better under pressure.” Team captain for the past two years, she describes herself as a “late starter” in lacrosse. “Most people begin playing when they’re five or six,” Jessica Stone she says. “I was playing soccer at that age, and it wasn’t until I was 15 that my best friend got me into lacrosse. I found I liked it better — it’s more intense and more fun to play.” During the lacrosse season, which runs from early September to late October, the team practises from 6:30 to 8 a.m. every morning, with no days off, and plays ev- ery weekend, usually both days. This fall, Wilfrid Laurier University came out on top, but Stone says the referee told her Guelph was the fa- vourite team to watch because the players were so dedi- cated. “We fought to the very last second.” In December, she helped organize a recruiting camp that brought eight local high school lacrosse teams to campus. She saw this as an opportunity to encourage more young players to come to Guelph and be part of the lacrosse program. Stone plans to spend one more semester at U of G in the fall, so she’ll be back to play with the lacrosse team again. “I hate not doing sports,” she says. “With lacrosse, there’s always a thrill to it. You’re never not moving on the field, there’s always something going on and it’s all happening fast. That’s the thrill factor.” MIKE CALVERT Manager of operations, Brass Taps Bar and Grill, joined the University in 2003 Away from the noise and bus- tle of the Brass Taps, Mike Calvert finds a peaceful oasis on his farm just outside of Ayr, which he shares with his fiancee, Lina, and their baby daughter, Savannah. The farm is home to three horses: a Ten- nessee walking horse named Ralph, a quarter horse and an American paint. Now 25 years old, Ralph is semi-retired but enjoys hanging out with his equine buddies, says Calvert, who also has a chocolate Lab named Moose. Every spring, he makes a small batch of maple syrup from trees on the farm. He also cultivates a large garden and grows hay to feed the horses through the winter. Calvert has “a huge passion” for food. “I like to take day trips to various country pubs and restaurants to check out what they’re cooking." Although he grew up in Tweed, where roast beef and potatoes were standard fare, his tastes have definitely broadened. “I’m into fusion food and international foods,” he says. Some of his favourite eating spots are in Fergus and Elora, and he hopes to move closer to those towns in the next few years. When he does, he’ll be looking for an- other farm. “I love the outdoors and just watching the horses in the field. Savannah is going to be a cowgirl when she grows up. She already loves the horses and reaches out to them when she sees them.” Mike Calvert Curriculum Development Resource Network hosts series focusing on student writing skills BY REBECCA KENDALL C urriculum enhancement is on the minds of U of G educators as the University works to promote teaching and learning. In response to the growing dialogue around this topic, the Curriculum Development Resource Network (CDRN) was launched as a way to generate ideas and spark discussion. "We thought it would be great to start a network that looked at what was working in order to share infor- mation and support faculty and aca- demic staff in developing course content and curriculum,” says Peter Wolf, associate director of Teaching Support Services (TSS), who chairs the CDRN. In conversation with educators from across campus over the past two years, network members learned that faculty and academic staff are concerned with three main areas of curriculum, says Wolf. “The common issues seem to be gathered around the development of capstone courses, credit weighting and student writing skills, so that has really set our agenda.” This semester, the CDRN has or- ganized a series of workshops and demonstrations aimed squarely at developing student writing skills. All sessions will be held in Room 384 of the McLaughlin Library. “Some tremendous things are go- ing on at U of G in individual pock- ets,” he says. “There’s tremendous rigour, enthusiasm and expertise when it comes to teaching.” The first showcase runs Feb. 3 from 12:30 to 2 p.m. Prof. Linda Hunter, Sociology and Anthropol- ogy, will discuss rubric development and use, and Prof. John Dawson, Molecular and Cellular Biology, will focus on peer evaluation, assessment and review. In addition, Nancy Schmidt, director of the Learning Commons, and Mary Wilson, an ed- ucational development associate in TSS, will give a presentation titled “Giving Students Feedback That Feeds Forward: the 15-Minute Review of Student Writing.” A March 6 showcase from 1:30 to 3 p.m. will look at improving analyt- ical skills through writing. In this session, Prof. Dan Thomas, associate dean of the B.Sc. program, and aca- demic librarian Peggy Pritchard will share their experiences from a first-year nanoscience course that gives students the real-world experi- ence of writing for a scholarly jour- nal. In addition, Prof. Carol Dauda, Political Science, will discuss staging independent research assignments, and geography professor Alice Hovorka and business professor Erna Van Duren will give short pre- sentations on incorporating infor- mal in-class writing into courses. On June 4 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Barbara Christian, co-ordina- tor of writing services in the Learn- ing Commons, will lead a three-hour workshop on designing effective writing assignments. To register for any of these events, go to www.tss.uoguelph.ca/ registration/ index.cfrn. At Guelph 8 January 28 , 2009 For Healthier People, Animals and Their World Guelph to bring together scholars and professionals to build new ecohealth course BY BARRY GUNN I N THE FINAL DAYS leading up to U.S. President Barack Obama’s inauguration, the sense of euphoria had spread even to the scientists gathered in Washington for a conference on climate change and health, says Prof. David Waltner- Toews, Population Medicine. Waltner-Toews travelled to the U.S. capital for the Jan. 15 and 16 meeting organized by the Roundta- ble on Environmental Health Sci- ences, Research and Medicine. The topic: a research agenda for manag- ing the health risks of climate change. “Washington was a real buzz, as was the climate change and health round table,” says Waltner-Toews, a guest panellist at one of the sessions. “There were academics and govern- ment scientists from agencies like the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency), and they were absolutely giddy. That’s not usually the case at these conferences.” The meeting focused on the chal- lenges of creating networks of scien- tific research and training that cross disciplines and national boundaries to tackle the myriad health conse- quences of climate change. Waltner-Toews and his col- leagues hope some of that giddy at- mosphere carries over to Feb. 18, when U of G brings together Cana- dian scholars and professionals tack- ling similar challenges in developing a national program of education and research that links ecological think- ing with social change, justice and health. “New global problems require new ways of thinking and doing,” he says, “but how can such new ap- proaches find homes in academic and public institutions built to re- spond to very different challenges?” The Feb. 18 event will try to ad- dress that very question, with input from a variety of perspectives, in- cluding human health, veterinary medicine, the social sciences and hu- manities. The dialogue will kick off two days of national team meetings to lay the groundwork for a recog- nized graduate-level course in ecohealth that takes a holistic ap- proach to complex problems of envi- ronmental, human and animal health. In 2007, Canada began taking steps in that direction when the In- ternational Development Research Centre provided nearly $1 million to help launch a Community of Prac- tice in Ecosystem Approaches to Health-Canada (CoPEH-Can). With partners at U of G, the University of British Columbia and the University of Quebec at Montreal, CoPEH-Can launched an 1 1-day course that ro- tates each summer among the three universities. The course will be held in Guelph this summer. The next step is to upgrade the course to a graduate level and make it part of the universities’ health curricula. U of G members of the CoPEH- Can team are Waltner-Toews and Profs. Bruce Hunter, Pathobiology, and Karen Houle, Philosophy. The concept of ecohealth was de- veloped out of the recognition that human health and well-being de- pend on the health of non-human creatures and the ecosystem as a whole. “When you’re looking at a hu- man health problem, you have to consider how humans interact with their environment and the animals they share it with, as well as the im- pact of social, economic and cultural practices," says Waltner-Toews. “But where does that sort of multidisciplinary course fit in the curriculum? It needs a home in a de- partment. And that’s a challenge, es- pecially at a time when belts are tightening and departments are try- ing to protect their core courses.” Energy Tip of the Month Photocopiers are usually the most energy-intensive office equipment. Make sure photocopiers are switched off overnight, and keep them in energy-saver mode during the day. Because many of these machines are left on or in idle mode 24/7, implementing this rule will stop wasting 208 kWh for the printer and 506 kWh for the photocopier. Together, that’s 200 kilograms of carbon dioxide reduced per year. For Information about sustainability efforts on campus, visit www.pr.uoguelph.ca/sustain. Kemptville Lab to Support Breeding, Feeding Studies New facility will provide equipment, space for research BY ANDREW VOWLES H orse breeding and cattle feeding will come together in a new animal science lab planned for U of G’s Kemptville Campus. Due to open this year in renovated quarters, the lab will provide new equipment and space for research by Profs. Katrina Merkies and Prof. Trevor DeVries of the Department of Animal and Poultry Science. The new lab is the first such facil- ity on the eastern Ontario campus. “We couldn’t do our research without this,” says Merkies. “It’s a great step forward for Kemptville.” The researchers learned last spring that the Canada Foundation for Innovation would provide $248,000 toward the total $620,000 project. They have since received matching support from the Ontario Research Fqnd. Funding has also come from U of G and the Kemptville College Foundation. The lab will occupy the former bookstore, which has been relocated on campus. The space will be re- vamped with new lab benches and a walk-in cooler and freezer, and a darkroom will be added for flow cytometry. The researchers will buy cytometry equipment that uses light to count, sort and study cells. Merkies, an equine scientist and lifelong horse lover who studied re- productive physiology at Guelph, came to Kemptville from Ohio two years ago. She will look at proteins and lipids on stallion sperm mem- branes that affect survival of frozen semen. She hopes to help breeders and owners find better ways to store and transport semen of sport horses. About 80 per cent of all horse breeding is done using artificial in- semination, she says. And almost two-thirds of sport horse semen is shipped internationally. Current freezing techniques use chicken egg yolk to help horse sperm survive longer, but biosafety con- cerns related to avian flu have led the industry to look for chemical alter- natives. Other researchers are study- ing yolk-free extenders for cattle semen, “but no one else in Canada is doing this in horses,” says Merkies. “If we could find an extender with- out yolk, it would be of great use to the industry. When you’re shipping across national borders, avian flu is not something you want to be importing.” DeVries, who joined Kemptville in 2007 after a post-doc at Agricul- ture and Agri-Food Canada, plans to acquire a digital video recording sys- tem to study cattle behaviour in the campus dairy bams. “My research program is largely focused on understanding the links between cattle behaviour and nutri- tion,” he says. “What’s the most effi- cient and healthy way to feed dairy cows?” Dairy producers carefully formu- late rations for their cattle, but the animals don’t always eat what’s pro- vided, often picking only their pre- ferred components. By watching what and how cows eat, DeVries ex- pects to learn about appropriate feeding management practices. At Guelph 9 January 28, 2009 Live and in Person Continued from page 1 “I was raised by my mother and my sister, and my grandmother was very involved. My father was absent. So what I understand of men, I un- derstand from myself, and what I understand of women comes from the world I grew up in.” Although his plays are widely popular in Canada, Maclvor’s work is earning recognition in other countries, too. In 2007, his play You Are Here was translated into Japa- nese and produced in Tokyo. His ex- perience in Tokyo has inspired one of his current projects, a play called Deshita. "1 love Japanese culture," he says, “and they have a great love for Cana- dians and our culture. Part of my creative process with this play is to discover what that attraction is all about.” The Japanese word that provides the play’s title comes from a phrase that means “thank you for working hard with me and now goodbye.” The story is a tale of tragic love be- tween a Canadian ESL teacher work- ing in Japan and a Japanese woman j who works as a translator. Maclvor believes he needs a deeper understanding of the Japa- nese way of life for the play to suc- ceed, so he’s doing research with a i Japanese translator. He notes that when You Are Here was performed I in Japan, it had to be revised. “I had a woman talking about her life at length, and a Japanese woman in that situation simply wouldn’t do i that. They made the character Cana- ; dian so it would be believable.” Another project he’s working on is Communion , a play for four j women that will be produced in To- ronto next season. Maclvor also does “perform- ance-based writing,” which evolves as a play is acted out. “Plays based in acting don’t follow the same rules as other writing,” he says. And there are rules to writing — and to leading a writer’s life, says Maclvor, who warns that writers need to be careful that objectivity doesn’t become isolation. “We tend to observe our experi- ences rather than live them. I strug- gle with this myself. We have to find ways to discipline ourselves to do the work, and we have to be willing to write the bad stuff out. You have to write a lot of crap to get to the good stuff.” Maclvor will give a reading from his work Feb. 5 at 4 p.m. in lower Massey Hall. He is available Mon- days and Thursdays to meet with students and other members of the University and local communities to discuss their writing. Although he acknowledges that theatre is the lan- guage he understands best, writers should feel free to submit other kinds of work. “1 can certainly offer my opinion on poetry and fiction.” He has his reasons for loving theatre, though. “1 like that theatre is time-based. When you’re at a play, you are actu- ally having the experience in the time that it happens. A novel you can pick up and read and put down and read later. A movie is nostalgic — it’s something that was filmed at some earlier point and edited and shaped into what you see now. But live theatre is happening now, and you’re living in the experience.” To book an appointment with Maclvor, call Michael Boterman at Ext. 53147. Engineers Compete Continued from page 1 ' Last year, a Guelph junior design team won a social awareness award ' at the national contest for a bridge i that was designed from sustainable materials. This year’s provincial event will be held in the science complex atrium, the MacKinnon Building and the Thornbrough Building. Six U of G faculty will be among the al- ' most 40 judges, and Prof. Bill Van : Heyst is the faculty adviser. This year’s dinner guest speaker ! Feb. 7 is Thomas Homer-Dixon, who holds the Centre for Intema- I tional Governance Innovation Chair of Global Systems at the Balsillie School of International Affairs in Waterloo and is a professor at the I University of Waterloo. He is the au- 1 thor of several books, including The ! Upside of Down: Catastrophe, Cre- i ativity and the Reward of Civilization and The Ingenuity Gap. New this year, up to 30 high school students from around Guelph will compete in a design competition Feb. 7 in the j Thornbrough Building. They will design a sustainable product and ob- i serve the OEC events and design projects. “It’s a great chance for them to see what’s going on at the university level and take part in a challenge of their own," says Bethany Deyell, youth outreach co-ordinator under the NSERC/RIM Chair for Women in Science and Engineering held by Prof. Valerie Davidson, Engineer- ing. This is the 30th year for the an- nual OEC competition, which was last held in Guelph in 2001. Says Roth: “We’re getting engineering at Guelph out to Ontario and the rest of the world." He competed with a U of G team three years ago. “It's an opportunity to take what you’ve learned in the classroom and apply it to real prob- lems,” he says. This year’s event will feature a ca- reer fair involving the competition’s sponsors, including various private companies, universities and engi- neering associations. The competi- tion has also received support from U of G, the president’s office, the College of Physical and Engineering Science, the School of Engineering and the City of Guelph. Where Are You Now? If you can identify where this photo was taken, you will have your name entered in a draw to be held in June for a $50 gift certificate provided by the U of G Bookstore. Anyone who submits the right answer by Jan. 30 at 4=45 p.m. is eligible for the draw. Send your response to r.kendall@exec.uoguelph.ca or call Ext. 56039 . The following people correctly reported that the Jan. 14 photo was of a window in Mills Hall: Nicole Visschedyk, John Van Manen, Danny Martin, Bill Clair and Ray Hutchison. photo by rebecca kendall Chancellor Emeritus to Speak Continued from page 1 Guelph, she served as vice-president of the U of G Alumni Association, was on B of G for seven years and is a member of the Board of Trustees. Among other things, she provided leadership for the 2002 capital fund- raising campaign and chaired the Arboretum Master Plan Steering Committee. On Wednesday, Wilkinson will give the convocation address at the 10 a.m. ceremony for the College of Management and Economics. A practising farmer, he has served as president of the International Feder- ation of Agricultural Producers, the Canadian Federation of Agriculture and the Ontario Federation of Agri- culture. He has also served on nu- merous international, national and provincial committees. Alexander will speak at the 2:30 p.m. ceremony for the College of Physical and Engineering Science, the Ontario Agricultural College, the Faculty of Environmental Sciences and the Ontario Veterinary College. His life is often described as one of exemplary firsts. Among them, he was the first person in his family to attend university, Canada’s first black member of Parliament, the first black chair of the Workers’ Compensation Board, the first visi- ble minority to hold the post of On- tario lieutenant-governor, and the first person to serve five terms as Guelph’s chancellor. Three U of G awards carry his name. Hi YOUR PREFERRED Group Auto & Home INSURANCE PROGRAM Call today for a no-obllgatlon quote Toll Free 1-800-482-0822 519-836-5700 Or visit our w&bslta at www.staebler.com Save Up To 50% In Insurance Product Discounts p Cud* Your Group Discount! Waterloo Insurance veconomlcailnsu rance.com At Guelph 10 January 28, 2009 FOR SALE Solid wood quilting hoop, about 40 cm wide, never used; White brand serger; Singer sewing machine in cabinet with chair; 70-gallon aquar- ium with equipment for saltwater fish, 519-822-0170. Frigidaire stove, refrigerator and dishwasher, seven years old, work well, lslater@uoguelph.ca. Black 2006 Chevy Cobalt LS, 2.2-litre, four-door, snow tires, 51,000 km, 9,000 km left on war- ranty, 519-821-6105 before 9 p.m. or littled@uoguelph.ca. Kenmore table-top room humidi- fier, used only once, Ext. 56580. Bungalow with self-contained income apartment that has separate entrance on lower level, centrally located, close to downtown, walking trails and campus, hardwood floors on main level, new kitchen with built-in laundry, new windows and doors, new kitchen and bathroom in downstairs walkout, wood-burning fireplace, 519-265-3374 or visit www.privateforsaleclub.com. Three-bedroom townhouse, three baths, neutral decor, central air, fin- ished basement, kitchen appliances included, close to campus, 519-829- 4123 or visit www.propertyguys. com, ID 116051. Three-stall horse barn on 10.5-acre property, no indoor riding area but adjacent to miles of riding trails through Agreement Forest, 20 min- utes from campus, $500 a month for whole barn or $200 per stall, 519- 400-5351. Bright, clean basement apartment for mature student or young profes- sional, separate entrance, gas fire- place, parking, close to mall and ath- letic facilities, no pets, non-smokers, $700 a month inclusive, 519-767- 5155. Large main room with gas fireplace in lower level of condo, separate bath and kitchenette/laundry room, shared front entrance, parking for one vehicle, Internet, quiet woman preferred, non-smokers, no pets, short- or long-term rental, $600 a month inclusive, elayne.starr@ gmail.com. Furnished one-bedroom apartment in southwest Paris, France, short- term rental; two-bedroom holiday home in Antibes on French Riviera, weekly or monthly, 519-836-6745 or fhmoll@rogers.com. Ride from campus to Toronto or to TTC, Tuesdays and Thursdays leav- ing at approximately 5:20 p.m., will pay or share cost of gas, echang@uoguelph.ca. Subjects for study on levels of zinc in six- to eight-year-old boys, compen- sation provided, 519-820-2633 or zip@uoguelph.ca. Adults with high blood cholesterol but not on cholesterol-lowering medication for oat cereal study, financial compensation, Ext. 58081 or oatstudy@uoguelph.ca. AVAILABLE Experienced housecleaner, receipts provided, references on request, Lisa, 763-4506. Qualified French teacher to provide private/semi-private French lessons or tutoring, help with ESL, 519- 824-0536 or dbuchner@uoguelph. Creative writing course in February and March, meets weekly for a month, melody.wren@sympatico. WANTED Homestay families or individuals to host international ESL students, homestay@uoguelph.ca. Personal trainer in your home, 519-341-0782 or ekapetanios@ hotmail.com. EYE EXAMS NOW ARRANGED FOR RENT Furnished three-bedroom heritage home, two baths, two studies, walk- ing distance to campus, available February to mid-May, $1,100 a month plus utilities, 519-824-9203 or ncarson@uoguelph.ca. • Eye Doctor Prescriptions Filled • Two Opticians with over 57 Years Combined Experience • Senior's Discount Available • Family has served Guelph and Wellington County since 1940 Scott Coburn Optical "A Name You Can Trust In Eyewear " Mon.-Thurs. 9:30 a.m.-O p.m. Fii. 9:30 a.m.-S p.m.| Sat. 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Telephone 519-821-2020 123 WYNDHAM ST. 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ART CENTRE The Macdonald Stewart Art Centre hosts an opening reception for the exhibition “Maria Pezzano: Repeat- ing Imprints" Feb. 11 at 7 p.m. Pezzano will give an artist’s talk Feb. 24 at noon. The exhibition “Chinese Drawings From Hrnrian, Jinshan and Qijang” opens Feb. 1 1 and runs until July 19. On Family Day Feb. 16, the art cen- tre will host a daylong program of events for children and their parents. Activities include snow sculpture, painting, printmaking, acting and a behind-the-scenes tour of the art centre. For more details, visit www. msac.uoguelph.ca/events.htm. CONCERTS The School of Fine Art and Music’s Thursday at Noon concert series continues Jan. 29 with clarinetist Goran Goyevich and pianist Jasmina Vucurovic and Feb. 5 with an inter- active electronic music concert fea- turing Marc Couroux and Prof. James Harley. On Feb. 12, guitarist John Oliver and violinist Lynn Kuo perform. Concerts start at 12:10 p.m. in MacKinnon 107. Admission is free, but donations are welcome. The U of G Jazz Society presents Beyond Category performing the works of Neal Hefti, Jimmi Guiffre and Freddie Hubbard Jan. 31 at 8 p.m. in UC 103. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for students. FILM The Spanish studies program in the School of Languages and Literatures is hosting a series of Spanish films and visiting speakers. It locks off Feb. 10 in MacKinnon 229 with Elena Rosauro, consulate of Spain, discussing “Visual Arts During the 1980s in Post Franco Spain" at 5 p.m., followed by the film El otro lado de la cama at 6 p.m. “Docurama," a film series sponsored by the U of G Library and the Central Student Association, presents The Unforeseen Feb. 3 and Encounters at the End of the World Feb. 10, both at 7 p.m. in Thornbrough 1307. Also scheduled are a screening of Forgot- ten Women Feb. 4 and a second screening of Encounters at the End of the World Feb. 1 1, both at 4:30 p.m. in Thornbrough 1200. LECTURES The Improvisation, Community and Social Practice Research Project hosts a talk by its 2008/09 post-doc- toral fellow, Rob Wallace, Jan. 28 at 12:30 p.m. in MacKinnon 203. His topic is ‘“In a Troubled Key’: Langston Hughes in Performance.” The TransCanada Institute lecture series presents Richard Van Camp, a Dogrib Nation author, Jan. 29 at 12:30 p.m. at 9 University Ave. The School of Languages and Litera- tures lecture series presents John Yardley of the University of Ottawa considering "The Lies My Roman Historians Have Told Me: Truth(?) in Livy, Tacitus and Curtius Rufus” Jan. 30 at 12:30 p.m. in Landscape Architecture 204. OAC’s public lecture series contin- ues with the Stewart Lane Com- memorative Lectureship Jan. 30 at 3 p.m. in OVC 1715. Michael Boehlje of Purdue University will discuss "Innovation in the Agricultural Industries: A Complex Adaptive Sys- tem.” On Feb. 1 1, the Superintend- ent-in-Residence Lecture features Blake McMaster of the Royal Mon- treal Golf Club considering “Bring- ing Theory Into the Real World” at 5:30 p.m. in OVC 1714. News@Noon, an information event hosted by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs/U of G partnership, presents Prof. Istvan Rajcan, Plant Agricul- ture, discussing “How Public Plant Breeding Benefits Canadians” Feb. 2 at noon in the OMAFRA conference centre at 1 Stone Rd. The Guelph-Waterloo Physics Insti- tute’s Distinguished Lecture Series presents David Goodstein of the California Institute of Technology Feb. 5 at 4 p.m. at the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics in Waterloo. His topic is “Out of Gas.” A wine-and-cheese reception will follow. Prof. Catharine Wilson, History, discusses “Images of Rural Mascu- linity: Plowing and Plowing Matches in Ontario” Feb. 1 1 at the Rural His- tory Round Table. It begins at 3:30 p.m. in MacKinnon 229. NOTICES The Central Student Association human rights office and Students Taking Action Now-Darfur present “Darfur Now” Jan. 28 at 5:30 p.m. in MacNaughton 1 13. Speakers Angela Wallace and Caustan De Riggs will show clips from the film Darfur Now and discuss the tragedy in Sudan. Registration for Human Resources’ learning and development programs opens Jan. 29 at 8:30 a.m. for all full- time faculty and staff. Register online at www.uoguelph.ca/learning matters. If you have any questions or feedback, call Ext. 56800 or send e-mail to landd@uoguelph.ca. The College of Management and Economics is holding information sessions on its executive online mas- ter’s programs this week. The ses- sions will focus on the MA (Leader- ship) program Jan. 28 and the MBA program Jan. 29. Both begin at 7 p.m. in Macdonald Stewart 129. OPIRG-Guelph holds its annual general meeting Jan. 29 at 5:30 p.m. in MacKinnon 306. Shailagh Keaney will give a multimedia presentation titled “A(nother) Year of Native Struggles for Lands and Life.” “Guelph Academic Matters,” a blog dedicated to U of G teaching and learning news, can now be found on Facebook and Twitter. Facebook users can reach the blog’s fan page by keying “Guelph Academic Matters” into the search box. Readers can also find a link to the blog and “follow” it on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ UofGAcadMatters. The Guelph Chamber of Commerce is hosting a Branding Boot Camp for young professionals Feb. 21 in Rozanski Hall. Guest speaker is Gerry Visca, president of Redchair Branding. Participants are eligible to win a $2,000 entrepreneurial bur- sary. For more information, go to www.guelphchamber.com or call 519-822-8081. READING Award-winning playwright, director and actor Daniel Maclvor. who is writer-in-residence at U of G this semester, will read from his work Feb. 5 at 4 p.m. in lower Massey Hall. SEMINARS Prof. Robert Hanner, Integrative Biology, discusses “DNA Bar-Cod- ing in Practice and Theory” in the Department of Environmental Biol- ogy seminar series Jan. 29 at 1:30 p.m. in Graham 2307. Next up in the Department of Pathobiology seminar series is PhD candidate Niroshan Thanthrige- Don discussing “Characterization of Host Responses to Marek’s Disease Virus Infection Using a Proteomics Approach” Jan. 30 at 11 a.m. in Pathobiology 2106. "Nature of the Genetic Variation in an Elite Maize Breeding Cross” is the topic of Prof. Liz Lee, Plant Agricul- ture, Feb. 2 in the seminar series hosted by the plant biology group in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology. An open discus- sion on recent discoveries in plant biology is planned for Feb. 9. The seminars begin at 3:30 p.m. in sci- ence complex 2315. Cafe Scientifique, hosted by the Fac- ulty of Environmental Sciences in partnership with the Bookshelf, con- tinues Feb. 3 with Prof. Stefan Linquist, Philosophy, exploring “Environment and the Evolution of Human Behaviour” at 7 p.m. in the Bookshelf Green Room. Next up in the Department of Inte- grative Biology seminar series Feb. 3 is Carleton University biologist Steve Cooke explaining “Fitness Physiology of Pacific Salmon and Sunfish.” On Feb. 10, the topic is “Harnessing Genomics for Evolu- tionary Insights” with Antonis Rokas of Vanderbilt University. The seminars are at 3:30 p.m. in science complex 2315. Joel Goodman of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Centre is guest speaker in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology seminar series Feb. 11 at 12:30 p.m. in Animal Science and Nutrition 156. The Faculty of Environmental Sci- ences’ monthly Campus Cafe fea- tures David Phillips of Environment Canada discussing “Tomorrow’s Weather Forecast: Warm, Wet and Wild?” Feb. 12 at noon in the science complex atrium. TEACHING SUPPORT Full details and a registration link for Teaching Support Services pro- grams can be found on the TSS website at www.tss.uoguelph.ca. If you have questions, call Mary Naim at Ext 53571. On Feb. 3, the Curriculum Develop- ment Resource Network hosts a ses- sion on “Providing Feedback to Improve Writing.” A TSS Design Cafe Feb. 5 will feature a panel of instructors involved in this semester’s Desire2Leam (D2L) pilot project. During Reading Week Feb. 17 to 20, TSS presents “D2L Warm-up,” a series of hands-on training sessions focusing on specific tools and features in the D2L pro- gram. Upcoming “Learning Circle” discus- sions include “Community-Based Teaching and Learning” Feb. 2, “Teaching on the Edge” Feb. 6 and 20 and “Transformative Learning” Feb. 9. At the Feb. 3 session of “Engaging in Education Research,” Prof. Steve Newmaster, Integrative Biology, will discuss “Authentic Learning as a Mechanism for Leamer-Centredness.” On Feb. 10, the “Women in Aca- deme” discussion group will focus on “Work and Family Balance in Public and Private Sectors.” The facilitator is former graduate studies dean Prof. Isobel Heathcote. TSS’s monthly luncheon discussion series for new faculty and sessional instructors will focus on mid-semes- ter feedback Feb. 1 1 . Upcoming events for teaching assist- ants include “TA Food for Thought” Jan. 30 and a workshop on “Docu- menting Your Teaching in a Dos- sier” Feb. 3. The TA professional development series focuses on “Grading Written Work" Feb. 5 and “Evaluating Your Teaching Effec- tiveness” Feb. 10. BlackBoard drop-in clinics run Wednesdays from 1 to 2:30 p.m. and Thursdays from 2:30 to 4 p.m. in McLaughlin 200-A. THESIS DEFENCE The final examination of PhD candi- date Shuhuan Li, Chemistry, is Feb. 9 at 10 a.m. in MacNaughton 222. The thesis is “Electrochemical Oxi- dation of Pharmaceuticals in Aque- ous Solutions.” The adviser is Prof. Nigel Bunce. COMMUNITY EVENTS The Guelph Civic Museum presents “Egypt: The Gift of the Nile,” a trav- elling exhibit from the Royal Ontario Museum, Jan. 30 to March 29. The Edward Johnson Music Foun- dation hosts its annual fundraising wine gala and auction Jan. 31 at 6 p.m. at the River Run Centre. For ticket information, call 519-763- 3000 or visit www.riverrun.ca. The Exhibition Park Neighbour- hood Group’s annual Winterfest is Feb. 1 from 1 to 4 p.m. The after- noon will feature skating, crafts, music and refreshments. The Guelph Youth Music Centre presents the Funky Mamas in con- cert Feb. 1 at 1:30 p.m. For tickets, call 519-837-11 19. The Sexual Assault Centre of Guelph-Wellington Women in Cri- sis presents a free workshop titled “Be Your Own Valentine” Feb. 12 at 1 p.m. Register at 519-823-5806. The Guelph Little Theatre produc- tion of The Curious Savage by John Patrick continues weekends until Feb. 7. Call 519-821-0270 for ticket information. The Guelph Field Naturalists meet Feb. 12 at 7:30 p.m. at the Arbore- tum Centre. Guest speaker is Tony Zammit, an ecologist with the Grand River Conservation Authority. The Theatre Guelph production of The Diaries of Adam and Eve by Dan Kelley runs Feb. 13 to 15 at the River Run Centre. For tickets, call 519- 763-3000 or visit www.rivernm.ca. McCrae House hosts a Valentine’s Day tea Feb. 13 at 2 p.m. Reserva- tions are required at 519-836-1221. The Elora Music Festival is seeking donations of books, CDs, tapes, puz- zles, games and paper ephemera for its annual book sale, to be held May 2 and 3 from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Elora Curling Club. For pickup or delivery information, call 519- 846-8095. At Guelph 12 January 28, 2009 at GUELPH FEBRUARY 11, 2009 » VOL. 53 NO. 3 . WWW.UOGUELPH.CA/ATGUELPH . UNIVERSITY OF GUELPH INSIDE: IT’S GUELPH’S TIME • A NEW TWIST ON PHARMACY • FACEBOOK HINDERS ROMANCE Students Lend a Helping Hand Four teams ofUofG students to spend Reading Week with Project Serve Canada making positive change By learning more about how people control balance and posture in walking. Prof. John Zettel hopes to help prevent falls among older adults. photo by martin schwalbe It’s All About Balance Falling is often the start of the end for seniors, says U of G kinesiologist BY BARRY GUNN M ost students take time during Reading Week to recharge and regroup for the final half of the semester, but more than 80 U of G students and staff plan to use the week to make positive change happen in communities across North America. Teams of volunteers will fan out Feb. 1 5 to 2 1 to Guelph high schools, a First Nations community on Ontario’s Bruce Peninsula, Vancou- ver’s Downtown Eastside and Mis- sissippi. They’ll be participating in Project Serve Canada, an alternative Reading Week program co-ordina- ted by the Citizenship and Commu- nity Engagement unit in Student Life. “Community service learning gives students the opportunity to ex- tend their education beyond the classroom and learn first-hand about social issues in environments and situations they might not have experienced before,” says Janet Doner, co-ordinator of citizenship and community engagement. As the departure date nears, par- ticipants are busy preparing with planning meetings, readings and training sessions. Once the volun- teer program begins, they’ll be keep- ing journals and reflecting to develop insights into the issues af- fecting marginalized communities. They also cover their own expenses. A carefree getaway it’s not. T he McLaughlin Library, the C.J. Munford Centre and the University Bookstore will celebrate Black History Month by hosting an evening with award-winning author Lawrence Hill Feb. 24 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the library. Hill will read from his novel The Book of Negroes, which received the 2008 Commonwealth Writers’ Prize for best book and the 2007 Rogers Writers’ Trust Fiction Prize and was long-listed for the Giller Prize. It was also selected as one of five Canadian “It’s a unique opportunity for transformational learning that hap- pens in a short period of time,” says Doner. “The key to the program is the critical reflection and applying what is learned.” Locally, a team will work with the AIDS Committee of Guelph and Wellington County, developing classroom workshops to teach local high school students about HIV/ AIDS. Another group will travel to the Nawash Unceded First Nation in the Georgian Bay region, exploring the economic development challenges and opportunities facing the com- munity in areas such as education, child care, women’s rights, fisheries and band administration. Out west, volunteers will work with the University of British Co- lumbia’s learning exchange pro- gram, help out with an elementary school literacy program and learn about the various non-profit initia- tives in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. The fourth team will head for Hattiesburg, Miss. There they’ll learn about the civil rights move- ment, conducting interviews and transcribing recordings for a Uni- versity of Southern Mississippi oral history project. They will also help with various hurricane relief pro- jects in a region that is still rebuild- ing more than three years after the devastation of Katrina. “must-reads” by CBC’s Canada Reads program. Hill himself was named author of the year at the Ca- nadian Booksellers Association’s Libris Awards. After the reading, Hill will an- swer questions and sign copies of his book, which will be available for sale at the event. The reading is free and open to the general public, but advance reg- istration is required. Reserve a space at www.academictownsquare.lib. uoguelph.ca/reservations.cfm. BY ANDREW VOWLES B oth of his toddlers began walking early. But Prof. John Zettel saw both boys — Alex, now three, and Lucas, 19 months — tumble as often as any children finding their feet. For Zettel, who joined the Department of Human Health and Nutritional Sciences (HHNS) last year, watching them walk — and often fall down — was a mixture of parental angst and academic interest. The kinesiologist studies control of balance and posture in walking, particularly in older adults. By learn- ing more about how these systems keep us upright, Zettel hopes to help prevent falls among seniors that may lead to injury, confinement and even death. Falls are the second leading cause (after car accidents) of injury-related hospitalizations for all ages, ac- counting for 29 per cent of injury ad- missions, according to a 2004 report by the Canadian Institute for Health Information. Four out of 10 of all in- jury hospitalizations involve seniors aged 65 and over, the largest proportion of all such cases. Besides those problems, falling can cause seniors to lose confidence and restrict their activities. That can lead in turn to declining health and function, increasing the possibility of more serious falls. “It’s a big deal for older adults," says Zettel. “That’s often the start of the end.” Studying this phenomenon in- volves a bit of a paradox. He’ll delib- erately perturb people, not enough to make them fall over or hurt them- selves but enough to prompt a bal- ance reaction that he can measure and analyze. To do that, he hopes to acquire a special moving platform for his lab in the Animal Science and Nutrition Building. About the size of his office and equipped with motors under computer control, the walled plat- form will move in unexpected ways, like a bus or subway car jolting underfoot. “The idea is to simulate what you might encounter in daily life,” says Zettel. “The key is to make it as un- predictable as possible.” Subjects wearing a safety harness hooked to the ceiling won’t fall over, but they’ll have to catch themselves to keep their balance or to avoid ob- stacles set up on the platform. Zettel will use cameras and other monitors to capture their move- ments. Unlike setups elsewhere, his system will include eye trackers to see where people look as they navi- gate this uncertain experimental world. Fed into the computer, that information will show him how the body responds to gende perturba- tions. That’s a step toward helping to devise ways to prevent falls and inju- ries. He’s also planning to look at what happens when adults — older and younger — are preoccupied with another task and then forced to maintain their balance. In the past, researchers believed that maintaining balance happened automatically. Now, many think that keeping the body upright and moving properly requires concen- trated brainpower even if we’re not aware of what’s going on in our head. That would explain poorer performance on secondary tasks when subjects are forced to keep their balance. “We never really think about standing up and keeping our bal- ance," says Zettel. “It runs in the background.” The problem is probably more acute in older adults, who often have to dedicate more cognitive resources to certain tasks, he says. He also hopes to work with stroke patients with balance prob- lems. He figures they may help Continued on page 10 | Award-Winning Author to Give Reading Feb. 24 Event to celebrate Black History Month At Guelph 1 February 11, 2009 jTsiamCam'cf, ‘Excellence. _ k ”*■*'' ' jsigauuim u Considering a move? Please call for your free market analysis Angela Craxvford Sale* Representative f 5 i§) 821-3600 •ngel*-crawfonJ@coldwellbankef.ca <24 GORDON ST. U201 GUELPH OW ■ rtlGIW Ac * — 'tin/wwT/ „ worn financial Services 210 Kortright Road West, Unit #5 Guelph, Ontario NIG 4X4 Telephone: (519) 826-4774 Email: michaelmcmurray@on.aibn.com Partner • RRSP and Investment Accounts and Deposits • RRSP Loans at Prime + 0 • Michael can answer your questions on tax free savings accounts • Call today for a free consultation 7¥ Interested in working fori HUMAN RIGHTS?! A pply today to be a fact- finder or human rights resource I person and assist in the resolution of human rights related matters. Open to students, faculty and staff. | .Applications available at the HREO or nognelph.ca/lirc/ Submit application cover lettei and resume to Fernanoe Allen Secretary to the Director Human Rights & Equity Office University of Guelph Guelph. Ont N1G2W1 E-MAIL hreinlo" hte uoguelph ca FAX 519 022-1131 human rights & equity training/ | familiarity with human rights principles and | policy/receive a certificate foi community service/leam I about mediation I and fact-finding procedures/offei peer support/ flexible scheduling APPLICATION DEADLINE: Wednesday March 4 2009, 12 Noon “Within the Child Lies the Fate of the Future" Dr. Maria Montessori ■ Enriched Academic Curriculum ■ Athletic Program including: Martial Arts, Swimming, Skating, Yoga and Gym ■ Musikgarten ■ Core French ■ Monthly Field Trips ■ Certified Montessori Teachers Low Student Teacher Ratio Toddler Program 18-30 Months 1/2 Day & Full Day Preschool Full Day Jr. & Sr. Kindergarten Elementary Grades 1-6 Extended Hours Available DOWNTOWN GUELPH 151 Waterloo Ave Guelph Ont 51 j> 836*3810 www.guelphmontessori.com from the president It’s Guelph’s Time Editor’s note: President Alastair Summerlee welcomes comments on his column at president@uoguelph.ca. I T’S A MONTH into THE new year, and a common theme for 2009 is emerging around the world: “Getting Back to Basics.” This message has been repeated by everyone from politicians to financial advisers to university presidents, including myself. We will, in a sense, be going back to the basics at Guelph this year. We’ll be sifting through hundreds of options and offerings to focus on what really matters most, what makes Guelph unique and what will help our students make a difference in the future, both for themselves and others. It’s a daunting task but an essential one for many reasons, the most obvious one being financial. As you all know by now, U of G, like other Ontario universities, is facing significant challenges that are the result of a va- riety of factors stemming from the global economic downturn. With our resources dwindling, we must apply the money we do have more efficiently, effectively and wisely. This means reducing the scope and scale of op- erations, preserving quality and programs that are strengths of the institution and that differentiate Guelph from other universities. But I want to focus on some of the other reasons this scrupulous review and strategic decision-making are so important to the University at this juncture. Needless to say, in these turbulent times, there are many uncertainties for many sectors and individuals around the world; few will be unaffected by the finan- cial crisis and changes to the global economy. But one thing is absolute: the world will emerge a changed place. There will be different priorities, new fo- cuses for industries such as manufacturing, engineering and agriculture, and a need for new ideas, innovations and ways of thinking. So in the midst of the chaos and tentativeness, it’s more important than ever for U of G to re-examine its pursuits, practices and visions, and concentrate its ef- forts on tiie programs and ideas that can truly make a difference in the budding new reality. Indeed, if you look beyond the immediate financial mess, you will see that so many of the problems facing communities in Canada and around the world have to do with the safety of our food supply, the quality of our air, water and soil; and our health and well-being. These are all research areas in which Guelph excels. For more than 150 years, we have developed innovative ways to change lives and improve life all around the world. But we can do more. We must do more. And we must do it differently. The kind of change needed today doesn’t have to be elaborate or expensive, but it has to be creative, insight- ful and, above all, sustainable in a world recovering from decades of abuse of its resources — environmen- tal and otherwise. We need to ensure that our students leave Guelph with the knowledge, skills and experiences that allow them to contribute. We are on our way. For example, our new mechani- cal engineering program that starts in the fall has re- ceived more than 400 new-student applications. Of course, mechanical engineering is not a new field; what is attracting people to Guelph is the uniqueness of our program. Students can specialize in areas such as wind and solar energy, food and beverage engineering, and biomechanics. Not only do these offerings set U of G apart, but they’re also what the world needs now during these trying times and to face challenges of the future. We also have our new Bioproducts Discovery and Development Centre, where researchers will revolu- tionize the use of agricultural products, turning soy, wheat, com and other crops into everything from car parts and furniture to fuel. These are exactly the kinds of innovations needed in an industry where layoffs and closures are becoming commonplace. For there is little value in innovations that cannot be put into practice. I recently heard a media interview with Prof. Manish Raizada of the Department of Plant Agriculture, and something he said resonated with me. He was discussing how he and his research team are helping farmers in developing countries create new plants and inexpensive, more intensive practices so they can produce food with fewer resources. He pointed out that the problem isn’t a lack of inno- vation. It’s a lack of practicality. In so many parts of the world, people exist on less than a dollar a day. Innova- tions that cost more than $5 to $10 are simply out of their reach. Manish went on to talk about how formers in devel- oping countries can lose half or more of their yearly harvest to pests and disease. A group in Boston has de- veloped something that can help these formers increase their crop yields by nearly 50 per cent. What is this mir- acle product? A special plastic bag for storing grain that kills insects by raising the carbon dioxide level. The cost? Eighty cents a bag. (Manish is now supporting this company through his non-profit Raizada Foundation, which gives grants to people and companies that find tools to help developing countries.) Sometimes we need a reality check, new definitions of innovation, new approaches and new ways of think- ing. I hope these are the things we keep in mind during these next several months of review and change. Yes, these are times of difficulty and uncertainty, but I believe they’re also times of opportunity. It’s Guelph’s time — to act, to solve, to make positive changes, to make a difference. Now. More than ever. DECA Competition Includes CME Task T he College of Management and Economics (CME) played a bigger role than usual at this year’s DECA provincial business compe- titions, which drew more than 5,000 high school students to Toronto on the weekend to tackle a number of business-related tasks. A marketing case written by asso- ciate CME dean David Prescott asked the students to design a re- cruitment poster for Guelph’s B.Comm. program. “We were thrilled by the quality of the students’ work and congratu- late them all, particularly the win- ning team from the University of Toronto Schools,” says Prescott. The U of G case was judged by 1 1 senior undergraduate student vol- unteers and alumni, most of whom have experience in business compe- titions. “It was a fabulous opportunity for our students and alumni to work together with our prospective stu- dents,” says Melanie Lang, director of CME’s Centre for Business and Social Entrepreneurship, who co- ordinated Guelph’s participation in the two-day event. Thanks to DECA Ontario, the top five teams in Guelph’s case com- petition receive an all-expenses-paid trip to the DECA Internationals to be held in Anaheim, Calif. Editor Barbara Chance b.chance@exec.uoguelph.ca At Guelph is published every two weeks by Communications and Public Affairs, Articles may be reprinted with credit to At Guelph. a Design Peter Enneson Level 4, University Centre, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario NIG 2WI. Production Linda Graham Inquiries: 519-824-4120 Subscriptions PL l.graham@exec.uoguelph.ca Editorial: Ext. 5 6580 $25 (includes GST); Distribution: Ext. 56581 L Advertising Scott Anderson Advertising: Ext. 56580 ISSN 08364478 a theandersondifference@rogers.com wtvw . uoguelph.ca/adguide Director Chuck Cunningham c.cunningham@exec.uoguelph.ca Classifieds: Ext. 56581 Fax: 519-824-7962 Website: www.uoguelph.ca/atguelph At Guelph 2 February n, 2009 news in brief FOUR TO RECEIVE HONORARY DEGREES AT CONVOCATION U of G will award more than 1,200 degrees and diplomas during five winter convocation ceremonies Feb. 17 and 18 in War Memorial Hall. Honorary doctorate of law degrees will be presented to U of G chancellor emeritus Lincoln Alex- ander, hydrogeologist Frank Rov- ers, Arctic Council founder and aboriginal advocate Mary Simon, and agricultural advocate Jack Wilkinson. Guelph lawyer and for- mer Board of Governors member Robin-Lee Norris will be named an Honorary Fellow of the University. VIETNAM'S AMBASSADOR TO CANADA VISITS CAMPUS U of G hosted Vietnam’s ambassa- dor to Canada for three days of meetings exploring mutual inter- ests last week. Ambassador Nguyen Due Hung and his wife, Tran Thi Vinh, a historian currently working on a book on the history of South- east Asia, met with U of G faculty, administration and students. The visit was organized by Prof. Gard Otis, Environmental Biology, who oversees a project aimed at helping Vietnamese farmers use beekeeping as a key component of sustainable agricultural development. STAFF NOMINATIONS SOUGHT The University Secretariat is calling for nominations for regular full- time non-academic staff for elec- tions to Senate and Board of Gover- nors for three-year terms (2009 to 2012). Two staff seats are open on Senate. One staff/alumnus seat is open on B of G. Nominations are open until Feb. 27; see details at www.uoguelph.ca/secretariat/elec- tions.php. Voting will run from March 9 to 20 and will be done online as part of efforts to stream- line processes and reduce waste. Paper ballots will be issued to any- one without an e-mail account and to anyone else who requests them. For more information, contact Genevieve Gundy at g.gundy@exec. uoguelph.ca or Ext. 53438. BREAKFAST TO SUPPORT WOMEN IN AFGHANISTAN In celebration of International Women’s Day, a breakfast fund- raiser for women in Afghanistan will be held March 5 at 7 a.m. at the Arboretum Centre. Sponsored by Miller Thomson LLP, the event fea- tures a talk by journalist Sally Armstrong, author of the book Bit- ter Roots, Tender Shoots: The Uncer- tain Fate of Afghanistan’s Women. Tickets are $100 (student rates available), and a tax receipt will be issued for the entire amount. For more information or to buy tickets, call Ext. 54344 or send e-mail to a fghaned@uoguelph.ca . MSAC HOSTS FAMILY DAY On Family Day Feb. 16, the Mac- donald Stewart Art Centre will host a full day of free family-friendly activities. Running from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., the program features snow sculpture, painting, performance art, printmaking, dressing the bear and a tour of the art centre. For information, visit www.msac. uoguelph.ca/events.htm. There’s Got to Be a Catch Juggling Club shows that interest in tossing and catching is, well, catching Above: Pascale Rabideau, co-president of the U of G Juggling Club, practises with past club member Andrew Giordano. Below: Shane Pratt throws a unicycle into the mix. photos by martin schwalbe BY TERESA PITMAN N IC WlONZEK DENIES IT, but the U of G student is definitely more co-ordinated than most of us. If you have trouble catching a ball when someone gently lobs it to you, you’ll be skeptical about his insistence that "anyone can leant to juggle. You just need determination and a good teacher.” But he swears it’s true. Easy for Wionzek to say — he’s been juggling “ever since I can re- member. I was juggling when I was just a little kid. Of course, that was simple stuff with just three balls.” Yes, he thinks keeping three balls up in the air is simple. Since the fall of 2008, Wionzek has been co-president of the U of G Juggling Club with student Pascale Rabideau. The two met three years ago at the University and began jug- gling together, sometimes outdoors and sometimes under the high ceil- ings of Rozanski Hall, where the club currently holds its weekly practices. Although Wionzek and Rabideau and a few others have been meeting informally for a few years, in the fall of 2008 they were able to gather the 25 required students to form an offi- cial club. A core group of about 10 enthusiasts participate in most meetings/practices. The appeal of juggling is hard to define. For Wionzek, it’s about con- stantly trying to improve and learn new things. “When I came here and saw that some of the people were much better than I was, I wanted to learn to do what they could do. But as I improve, they are improving, too, so I always have something to strive for. It’s ad- dictive once you start.” Rabideau also began juggling be- fore she came to university, after learning the skills from her sister. “My older sister founded the York University juggling club,” she says, adding that another sister who just graduated from high school started a juggling club there, too. Ap- parently juggling is not only addic- . rive but contagious as well. Even before they became an offi- cial U of G club, the informal group of jugglers led by Rabideau and Wionzek were asked to perform at half-time shows. Recently the group attended a weekend juggling con- vention in Quebec City. “They had workshops, games and competitions for us,” says Wionzek. “On the Saturday night, there was a big show with top jug- glers from around the world.” But you certainly don’t have to be a top juggler to join the club. Wionzek says many members have no juggling experience when they start, but they soon find themselves tossing things in the air along with everyone else. The participants use a variety of objects for juggling, including the classic balls, clubs and rings, and also do some other types of jug- gling-related tricks. One routine, for example, involves three cigar boxes that are thrown, manipulated and caught. Another uses an hourglass- shaped object called a diabolo, which can be moved and spun on a string attached to two sticks. At least one past member of this juggling troupe has taken the skills he learned here and built a career from them. Andrew Giordano went to England last year to join the Acad- emy of Circus Arts and is now teach- ing circus arts in U.S. schools. In March, the University of Waterloo will host a juggling con- vention, which the U of G club members are planning to attend. “If our club continues to grow, we‘d love to have a juggling conven- tion here in Guelph next year,” says Wionzek. people SETS PHD CANDIDATE WINS PRIZE FOR BEST NEW PLAY Tony Berto, a PhD student in the School of English and Theatre Stud- ies, has won the Toronto Best New Play Prize sponsored by Toronto Fringe, the Exclamation Founda- tion and macIDeas. He won for his play A Singularity of Being, which will be mounted in Toronto in early July. More than 50 plays were entered in the competition. STUDENT RECOGNIZED FOR FAIR-TRADE SOLIDARITY WORK U of G graduate student Randalin Ellery was one of two Canadians recognized for their commitment to international development by the Ontario Council for International Co-operation, as part of Interna- tional Development Week. Ellery, who is doing a master’s degree in sociology and collaborative interna- tional development studies, spent last summer in Peru meeting with Andean indigenous women from a unique coffee project called “Cafe Femenino." It is just one of many fair-trade initiatives she has cham- pioned both on campus and in the Guelph community. TRIATHLETES ASSOCIATION HONOURS GRYPHON The Ontario Association of Triathletes (OAT) has named sec- ond-year human kinetics student DorTell Hinton the 2008 OAT Award winner in the junior sprint distance category. Hinton is a mem- ber of the Gryphon women’s swim- ming team and last year was a mem- ber of the Canadian Interuniversity Sport championship cross-country 7 ' team. The following appointments were announced recently at U of G: • Norman Catchpole, agricultural assistant, Ridgetown Campus • Paul Childerhose, gardener. Grounds Department • Becky Clark, educational resource clerk, Ridgetown Campus • Sonny Finoro, residence porter, Student Housing Services • Beth Fisher, supervisor of aquat- ics, safety certification and recre- ation, Department of Athletics • Elizabeth King, assistant quality manager, quality assurance, Labo- ratory Services • Jennifer Mohammed, supervisor, student accounts. Student Financial Services • Scott McWhinnie, electrician, Electrical Shop • Connie Reynolds, administrative services clerk, Ridgetown Campus • Pam Speers, secretary to the chair, Department of Geography • Janet Thackray, graduate secre- tary, Department of Philosophy • Mark Torcoletti, general accoun- tant, Controller’s Office • Keith VanDyk, livestock agricul- tural assistant. Research Station Operations • Jill Vigers, manager, architectural services. Design, Engineering and Construction • Nicole Visschedyk, communica- tions officer, Admission Services. At Guelph 3 February 11, 2009 app ointments ‘Our Goal Must Be Quality, Not Quantity’ Editor’s note: Provost and vice-president (academic) Maureen Mancuso recently posted the following memorandum on the University’s budget development web page. To stay up to date on budget developments throughout the semester, visit www. uoguelph.ca/president/budget. A FEW WEEKS AGO, president Alastair Summerlee explained in a message to the University community that financial chal- lenges will make 2009 a year of significant transformation from which no department, program, unit or activity on campus will remain unaffected. This statement summarizes an ongoing process of deliberations, consultations, meet- ings and strategic planning sessions intended to address the effects of the economic down- turn and the University’s structural deficit. Some of these efforts have been formally pre- sented to the community, some have as yet fil- tered out only through rumour and speculation. Nevertheless, the ominous words “significant transformation” have engendered some concern, and I'd like to take this opportu- nity to describe some of those transformations in a bit more detail, and set in context some of the ways the University is planning to respond to the severe fiscal challenges it faces. To quote from another scene-setting speech delivered last month by another president: “That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood.” One piece of context everyone must be fa- miliar with is the economic situation of the University and the Ontario university system. As with the broader economy, it continues to deteriorate. Unlike the broader economy, this deterioration has not been punctuated recently by a series of spectacular failures but has been brewing for quite some time. The ongoing re- cession and worsening provincial funding ca- pacity will only exacerbate fiscal pressures under which the University was already strug- gling. It is now more important than ever for the University to apply its dwindling resources wisely, efficiently and effectively. That means renewing a commitment to our core academic mission and re-examining pursuits and prac- tices that divert us from that mission, that blunt our effectiveness and ability to compete, and that dissipate energy and effort we need to conserve and employ elsewhere. We have enjoyed the fruits of growth and the luxury of expanding our programs and course offerings, but we can no longer afford to be so expansive. The great flexibility and diver- sity of our programs have a significant cost: ironically, this reduces our operational flexibil- ity by adding requirements and constraints and overhead. An overabundance of choice hinders our ability to ensure that all the choices we offer are viable ones. The imperative for us now is to focus our ef- forts more carefully: to do less — fewer but better activities — with the less we have. This is not really a new imperative. The integrated planning process has a key goal of shifting ef- fort toward priorities and away from distrac- tions, and it continues to guide us in ever-more troubled times. It’s only the urgency and scope of the problem that have increased, and we must all be part of the solution. Courses and majors with consistently low enrolment consume resources out of propor- tion to the value they add to the curriculum. Programs that cannot achieve critical mass are unsustainable and cannot continue to be a drag on our many successful programs. Similarly, although minors contribute some richness to the curriculum, they overcom- plicate scheduling, delivery, co-ordination, planning and the organization of departments and colleges. (We currently feature as many as 2,500 combinations or possible paths to gradu- ation.) These are costs we can no longer sus- tain. Our goal as an educational institution must be quality, not quantity. Fewer, more-intensive courses with more, smaller individual sections allow us to safeguard and enhance that quality. We plan to concentrate this intensification initially at the first year and the upper levels, where, as identified in the Senate-approved 21st-century curriculum report, fragmenta- tion causes the most trouble for students try- ing to plot out their program requirements and for departments trying to mount a con- sistent slate of offerings. In the longer term, this approach will be needed throughout the curriculum. The kinds of changes we are discussing here will not be easy, nor will they be immedi- ate, even though we must begin working to- ward them immediately. The strength of this university is its people and our ability to adapt and to control our own evolution through Senate and its various committees. The Vice-President Academic Council will continue to provide an overall direction; the final result will be achieved through transpar- ent, accountable, procedural^ sound deci- sion-making. We have reached a point where the status quo is a dead end. The University of Guelph will inevitably be a different place in 2015. Simply waiting for change to happen will guarantee that those differences are disap- pointing, whereas seizing the opportunity to remake ourselves according to our own goals and values will help us look back with pride on what we have continued to accomplish. Wimba Offers New Voice for Educators Prof takes teaching to new level by bringing his lessons out of the lecture hall and into cyberspace BY REBECCA KENDALL I T’S 2009, and, like their peers around the world, U of G students are taking their lessons to go. Recognizing the changing face of education and the opportunities that exist, Prof. Patrick Pamaby, Soci- ology and Anthropology, has taken his teaching to a new level by bringing his lessons out of the lecture hall and into cyberspace. allowing them to echo long after his lectures have ended. In the fall, he began recording, editing, uploading and sharing weekly podcasts for his class of some 150 students using Wimba, software that is currently being piloted at the University. He’s one of several fac- ulty who have jumped on board. Parnaby says his podcasts, which are no longer than 15 minutes and often recorded from the comfort of his own home, allow him to share additional information, clarify lec- ture content, give advice on essay writing and quickly answer ques- tions that are commonly being asked over e-mail. “I never record my lectures,” he says. “The content is all supplemen- tary. There is no way the students could use this podcast in lieu of at- tending class.” To his delight, about half of the students in his class last semester ac- cessed his podcasts through Apple iTunes and the class website on a regular basis. Those who subscribed to the podcast received regular up- date notices and could listen without having to first access a website. “1 like new tools and new forms of communication, so it’s part per- sonal interest,” says Pamaby, adding that the creators of iTunes Univer- sity are always looking to add to their repertoire of educational podcasts. “The other motivator is that most students have an iPod or something similar, and these things are becom- ing part of their lives in many differ- ent ways. Their lives are so multi-mediated. They’re now on the border of expecting content to be de- livered in new and innovative ways, and we can’t assume the lecture for- mat is going to hold its own for an- other hundred years. If we can accommodate that in a reasonable way, then I think we should.” Using a new technology can be intimidating, but Parnaby says Wimba is remarkably easy to use. “You might get the impression that’s it’s really complicated and that there’s a lot to do, but there really isn’t. It’s very intuitive. All you need is a microphone hooked up to your computer. You simply speak your mind, and in two clicks of a mouse, it’s ready for uploading.” Podcasting is one of many ways to use Wimba, says Richard Gorrie, manager of courseware support ser- vices in Teaching Support Services (TSS). In addition to podcasts, the software can be used for such things as adding audio to PowerPoint pre- sentations and creating a vocal intro- duction for a course or class exercise. “It’s taking that audio, processing it and turning it into a suitable form for whatever application you de- cide,” says Gorrie. “It’s simply an- other format for information.” Spanish professor Denise Mohan helped bring Wimba to the School of Languages and Literatures in 2004 and was one of the first to use it for evaluation of language courses by asking students to upload files that help her assess their pronunciation and word use. She also uses Wimba as part of her end-of-semester stu- dent meetings and says it’s a multi-use technology that has en- hanced the way her students learn. “There are many creative ways to use it. For example, faculty in any discipline can upload picture files to BlackBoard and ask their students to describe the image using Wimba. It could be a photo of a dissection, a bi- ological process, a cultural cere- mony, a geographical phenomenon or a work of art.” Wimba can also be used as a way for students to participate in group meetings without everyone having to be in the same place or a way for educators to communicate with stu- dents without having to be in their office, she says. To listen to Mohan talk about her experiences with Wimba, go to www.uoguelph.ca/academicmatters. For more information about the sofware, contact Gorrie at Ext. 5373 1 or rgorrie@uoguelph.ca. On Feb. 23, TSS’s discussion se- ries “High Tech Versus No Tech in the Classroom” will feature a dem- onstration of Wimba voice tools. The session begins at 10 a.m. in Room 125 of Day Hall. Register at www.uoguelph.ca/tss. S 1 •• h BlfiMflJW t i 1 1 1 * n 1 1 1 a 1 1 1 1 tt i i an Gerald Neufeld Artistic Director ac - m a a m* ■ ■ t.t „ a « a:, 14 • 1 * ’ r 11 I 1 a GUEST COMMUNITY CHOIRS : Afro- centric S ong GUEST CLINI Brainerd (Artistic Director, Na Fule and Adwoa Badoe African Drummers and Dance N& CONDUCTOR den-Tayk aniel Dett ( Dublin Street United Church Choir Harcourt Memorial United Church Choir Rainbow Chorus University of Guelph Choirs 8:00 pm • MARCH 7, 2009 s Harcourt Memorial U ited Church 87 Dean Avenue ALL TICKETS $10 (General admission) • $5 3 Order by phone 51 9-763-3006 dytoll-free 1-877-520-2408 or on-line at www.riverrun.ca * Rill HUB HUM IHIHiiBHHfllfllHillHHIIMHflMilRHHMNIIIIIIBtiS At Guelph 4 February u, 2009 A New Twist on Pharmacy “One minute you’re concerned about a half-kilo bird, and the next minute you’re calculating dosages for a 500-kilogram horse,” says OVC pharmacy manager John Lebold. photo by martin schwalbe BY TERESA PITMAN I T WAS AN EMERGENCY, and the timing couldn’t have been much worse. It was late in the day on Dec. 23, and almost everyone was heading off for the holidays. A horse had been brought in to the Ontario Veterinary College’s large-animal clinic in urgent need of treatment and parenteral nutrition — a way of supplying nutrients intravenously when an animal (or person) is unable to eat. OVC pharmacy manager John Lebold got the call to provide the nu- trient solution but didn’t have enough supplies on hand. Horses, he explains, may need an enormous amount of the specially formulated solution to keep them alive — per- haps several litres at a time. Fortu- nately, the manufacturer he con- tacted came through. “The company, Baxter, sent out a driver to deliver it to us. It was the only call the driver had on Christmas Eve day, but he came out and brought us the necessary medication by mid-afternoon.” Since arriving at OVC last sum- mer, Lebold has found himself re- sponding to a wide range of pharmaceutical needs. “One minute you’re concerned about a half-kilo bird, and the next minute you’re calculating dosages for a 500-kilogram horse,” he says. It’s a new twist on pharmacy for Lebold, who spent the earlier part of his career on the human side of med- icine. After graduating from the University of Toronto, he worked in retail pharmacy for seven years, then joined the pharmacy at Mississauga’s then brand-new Credit Valley Hospital. From there, he worked for both Pharmacia and Novartis before joining Synapse, an agency that produces advertising and training materials for pharmaceutical companies. “In a sense, I’ve come full circle now that I’m at OVC,” he says. “There’s some of the hospital envi- ronment and also some dispensing for patients, which is what I was do- ing earlier in my career. And many of the medicines are the same ones used for humans. But it’s also very interesting and different for me be- cause I haven’t worked in the veteri- nary field before.” What’s different? “The magni- tude of the dosages for the large ani- mals is somewhat staggering at first,” he says. Where he might have dis- pensed one tablet of a particular drug to a human patient, the pre- scription might call for 15 or more tablets to treat a cow. Another big difference is in the way medications are administered. As pet owners know, you can’t just offer a pill to an animal and expect it to co-operate and swallow it. "We use some unique devices, es- pecially for horses,” says Lebold. “For example, we have large syringes that are filled with the appropriate amount of medicine, then the vet ad- ministers the medicine down the horse’s throat.” Giving eye drops to horses re- quires a special technique known as a subpalpebral lavage catheter. A thin tube called a cannula, or cathe- ter, is placed through and under the horse’s eyelid (with the animal un- der anesthesia), and the medicine is injected into the tube. As pharmacy manager, Lebold oversees a staff of five. “Some of them have been here a long time, and they know more about veteri- nary pharmacy than I ever will,” he says. “I’m on a learning curve now, and the efficiency and helpfulness of the staff make it much easier.” Next to his office is the dispens- ing area of the pharmacy. Pharmacy staff also stock medication storage units in other locations around OVC’s Teaching Hospital, including the ICU and the small- and large-an- imal clinics, and also provide drugs needed for research. “In the ICU, things can happen in a big hurry, so it’s essential that med- ications are always available when the veterinarians need them, “ he says. Much of the work done by Lebold and his technicians isn’t visi- ble to the person standing at the counter with a prescription in hand. Behind the main pharmacy room is a sterile room with two sections — one for chemotherapy medications and one for other drugs that need to be kept sterile. Each has a flow hood that pulls air away from the work area, preventing contamination. An- other preparation room allows the technicians to measure out and compound drugs that don’t require as many precautions. “We do a lot of compounding medications, which means mixing together components to make a medication that isn’t otherwise available,” Lebold explains. “We also often have to make up medications in a suspension or a liquid so they can be given more easily to an animal” Keeping up with paperwork is also critical. When medications ar- rive at the pharmacy, the drug lot numbers and expiry dates are re- corded and then noted again when the drugs are dispensed. That’s a lot of data to track because the phar- macy processes between 80 and 100 prescriptions daily. Lebold checks each one after it’s prepared to ensure that everything is accurate. The OmniCell machines dis- pensing medications in other parts of the hospital are connected to a computer located in the pharmacy and provide continual electronic updates. “We know when some of a par- ticular medicine has been used and what amount should be delivered to replace it,” he says. “The computer also notifies us when medications in those machines expire, so we can re- place them with fresh ones.” Within the pharmacy itself, how- ever, tracking of prescriptions and medication supplies is not yet man- aged by computer. Lebold is looking forward to a new system expected to be installed by September that should simplify billing and record keeping. Perhaps the new computer sys- tem will help with another of his challenges: keeping the right amount of each medication in stock. “One sick horse or cow can wipe out your entire stock of a certain medication in a day. Yet you can’t keep enough medication on hand just in case a couple of horses need it, because most of it would expire be- fore it was used. So you have to try to manage it.” He adds that large-animal vets are aware of this problem and try to give him as much warning as possi- ble when an animal might be coming in for a particular treatment. “Emergencies happen, though, and you can’t anticipate every sce- nario.” No Sheep May Safely Graze Tackling poverty is goal of prof s study of laws that trigger ‘ tragedy of the anti-commons BY ANDREW VOWLES M ore than 40 years ago, U.S ecologist Garrett Hardin described a dilemma he called “the tragedy of the commons," in which multiple individuals acting inde- pendently in their own self-interest ultimately destroy a common resource. He used the metaphor of herders sharing a parcel of land and allowing their cows to overgraze until the land is destroyed and everyone suffers. A recent study by a U of G agri- cultural economist explores the "tragedy of the anti-commons,” or how everyone loses out when, figu- ratively speaking, nobody’s cows are allowed to graze. Uncovering the roots of this phe- nomenon and ways to fix it — and perhaps help lift landowners out of poverty at the same time — is the goal of research by Prof. Brady Deaton, Department of Food, Agri- cultural and Resource Economics. Deaton says the tragedy of the anti-commons explains how re- sources may be underused when multiple owners are each able to ex- clude certain uses of a property. At worst, no one may use the property at all — the opposite of the tragedy of die commons, where no one can exclude anyone else. In a paper published in late 2007 in the Journal of Economic Issues, he discussed his studies of the phenom- enon in Kentucky’s Appalachian re- gion. There, people often die without a valid will, so their property is distributed through state laws of intestate succession. Those laws can trigger tenancy in common. That’s a form of joint ownership in which co-tenants have an undivided partial interest in property. (Subject to the rights of other co-tenants, heirs can use the entire property as their own, no matter how large their partial interest.) Over time, many heirs may come to own property as tenants in com- mon — a situation Brady suspected would lead to an anti-commons problem. He argues that this prob- lem may partially explain why pov- erty persists in some areas. He’s still working to understand the phenomenon, a first step to rec- ommending policy options. He’s now writing another paper with a new master’s student from Sri Lanka, where a similar problem has stymied efforts to improve land fol- lowing the South Asian tsunami. Brady’s long-standing interest in land use and economic performance led him to examine the problem. Since arriving at Guelph in 2004, he has also studied the effects of greenbelt legislation on farmland prices around Toronto. He worked closely on that topic with his former graduate student Richard Vyn, who earned the Outstanding PhD Award from the Canadian Agricultural Eco- nomics Society and is now a faculty member at Ridgetown Campus. At Guelph 5 February 11, 2009 ‘We Go Where the Molecules Take US’ Guelph grad follows path back toUofG to study inner workings of cells in kidney disease, cancer BY ANDREW VOWLES T he thrill of asking questions and finding answers is what drives Prof. Nina Jones, Molecular and Cellular Biology. It’s what propels her into her science complex research lab every day to study the underpinnings of kidney disease, cancer and other afflictions. It’s also what keeps her looking for promising students — especially undergraduates — to share that thrill with another generation of scientists. Jones studies the molecular mechanisms that develop and maintain the heart and blood vessels. Her work may also help in understand- ing what goes wrong with those processes to cause such ailments as heart defects, kidney disease and cancer. Why blood vessels? Why not, she counters. They’re responsible for supplying nutrients and oxygen to the entire body and helping to remove wastes. The cardiovascular system is the first to form in the embryo, she says, point- ing under a microscope to the minuscule heart of a 10 -day-old mouse embryo no bigger than a thumbtack. Since returning to her alma mater in 2006, Jones has looked at proteins that serve as chemical messengers to help build and main- tain blood vessels. Early this month, she learned she will re- ceive $520,000 over the next five years from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. Last fall, she was awarded more than $300,000 in in- frastructure funding from the Canada Founda- tion for Innovation, including provincial and University contributions. In 2007, she received an Early Researcher Award from the Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation, as well as funding from the Kidney Foundation of Canada (KFC) and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC). About two million Canadians have kidney disease or are at risk, according to KFC statis- tics. And that number is increasing as obesity rates rise, says Jones. Diabetes causes about one-third of kidney failure cases in new patients. She is the first and only Guelph researcher funded by the KFC, says Wim Wolfs, director of national research programs with the foun- dation in Montreal. In the kidney, special cells called podocytes develop around blood vessels. Their long fin- ger-like projections enable the kidney to filter 180 litres of blood a day. Jones is interested in how blood vessels grow in the developing embryo and how they work to help the kidney filter wastes. Else- where, how do blood vessels find themselves co-opted to grow toward a cancer tumour, nourishing it and enabling it to enlarge? Knowing more about chemical signalling involving various proteins might ultimately help in developing new drugs and novel thera- pies to counter diseases, although the Guelph professor cautions that any treatments based on her work are a long way off. She uses knockout mice, rodents manipu- lated genetically to help pinpoint the precise effects of single gene mutations. Disabling genes — and the proteins they make — may af- fect the growth of blood vessels in the develop- ing embryo, allowing Jones to look at the molecular roots of various diseases. She works closely with the Toronto Centre for Phenogenomics (TCP), a repository of mice strains specially bred to develop particu- lar afflictions. Observing mice with precisely mutated genes allows scientists to make infer- ences about the causes and treatment of disease involving the comparable bit of DNA in humans. “That’s a huge resource,” she says, adding that U of G lacks a transgenic facility of its own. “We send them DNA, and they send us mice.” Jones worked with several TCP scientists as a post-doc at the Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute in Toronto. She had studied angiogenesis, or blood vessel formation, dur- ing her PhD at the University of Toronto. Originally from Kincardine, she earned her B.Sc. in molecular biology and genetics here at Guelph. She remembers being fascinated by a course in genetics taught by former professor Alan Wildeman. “That was a turning point,” she says, recall- ing the excitement in the early ’90s about tak- ing advantage of a revolution in ideas and information about genetics. That fascination still drives her to learn more about how the body is put together and how its elements interact, particularly how protein signals cause things to change, grow and move. She hadn’t set out to cure disease. Her path began, as with many basic researchers, under the microscope. “We go where the molecules take us,” she says, referring to five graduate students and three undergraduates in her lab. "So much of science is where you land. You don’t always have a defined path.” That’s a lesson she imparts to those stu- dents. PhD candidate Laura New studies what happens when signalling pathways break down between those kidney podocytes. “By studying how these pathways are regu- lated, we will be better equipped to understand the mechanisms behind the early stages of kid- ney disease and perhaps lead to a better method of diagnosis,” says New, who com- pleted a B.Sc. in biological chemistry at Guelph and who received an NSERC Alexander Gra- ham Bell Canada Graduate Scholarship last year. Melanie Wills, a President’s Scholar and Canada Millennium Scholar, is completing her B.Sc. in molecular biology and genetics and plans to begin graduate work with Jones in the spring. Using funding from an Ontario Genomics Institute Fellowship, she has already worked in her professor’s lab on a signalling molecule in the brain that Jones found during her post-doc. “Cancer can occur when various communi- cation pathways in the cell operate at the wrong time or place,” says Wills. “Understand- ing the molecular signalling components of these pathways and how they behave under normal and cancerous conditions gives us a better picture of how cells communicate mes- sages and how the normal process can go awry in disease.” That work is complemented by research on mouse models by M.Sc. student Steve Hawley. He says his work may help in learning about cancer and developmental heart defects. A co- op work term in Jones’s lab last year as an undergraduate earned him U of G’s 2008 Co-op Student of the Year award in science and engineering. New Grad Diplomas Show Off Strengths in Water Issues BY ANDREW VOWLES C ALL IT CATCHING A WAVE. U of G will launch two new graduate diploma programs next fall designed to help immigrant engineers upgrade their skills and find work, and to help Canadian-trained engineers move into the growing field of water resources engineering. Prof. Doug Joy, Engineering, says the new graduate diplomas will be the first such offerings in water re- sources engineering in Canada and among only a handful of such di- ploma programs at Canadian engi- neering schools. Approved by Senate late last year, the programs will accept 20 students each year beginning in fall 2009. Joy says the eight-month pro- grams will provide a “just right” op- tion for students who might otherwise have to choose between beginning a new undergraduate de- gree or pursuing graduate training that might leave them overqualified. “The objective is to give students further education in water resources without completing a full graduate degree.” He notes that many engineers im- migrating to Canada from abroad need to upgrade their credentials for the Canadian job market. The new programs — endorsed by provincial and national professional engineer- ing associations — are intended to fill that gap. The other audience is Cana- dian-trained engineers looking to work in water resources engineering. “This diploma would have been appropriate for me,” says Joy, who studied structural civil engineering at the University of Toronto before pursuing a graduate degree in water resources engineering in Ottawa. In the program “Modelling Ap- plications in Water Resources Engi- neering,” students will learn to use Canadian tools for modelling sur- face-water and groundwater sys- tems, as well as urban water systems. The second program is called “Engi- neering Design of Sustainable Water Resource Systems.” Six of the school’s faculty mem- bers already teaching in water re- sources engineering will instruct in the new programs using existing courses. Depending on the success of the venture, the school may introduce graduate diplomas in its other pro- grams. Donald Wallace, executive direc- tor of the Ontario Centre for Engi- neering and Public Policy in Toronto, says engineers bring needed skills and expertise to policy issues from safe drinking water to watershed management. “These diploma programs are a very good initiative in terms of inte- grating internationally educated en- gineers into the Canadian workplace and into issues that are peculiar to our Canadian environment,” says Wallace. Adding that he hopes to enlist Guelph engineers for a water issues panel this spring, he says the new programs speak to U of G’s strength in water resource issues. At Guelph 6 February u, 2009 profile I Am a Camera Fine art profs photography inspired by personal events , reflection by Lori Bona Hunt F ine art professor Susan Dobson sees the world a bit differently than most people do. To her, a big-box store resembles the Taj Mahal, an unfinished basement crammed with children’s toys is a commentary on a woman giving up her life’s work, and portraits of people with their eyes closed are reunions between the past and present. Lucky for us, she captures her views with a camera and then creates photo- graphic interpretations of what she sees, allowing us to share in her experi- ences. “I don't take an overly prescriptive stance in my art practice,” says Dobson. “I choose instead to ask ques- tions that will generate discussion and debate.” Indeed, there were lots of questions and lots of questioning when Dobson’s latest work, “Rememory,” had its inau- gural showing at the Macdonald Stew- art Art Centre in the fall. The collection featured 68 larger-than-life black and white portraits of people with their eyes shut. “It’s about looking back to the past while being very much aware of the present,” she says. “The past frequently interferes and intersects with the present. There’s an interesting dichot- omy between the two, and I wanted to show that photographi- cally.” Dobson had asked each of her subjects to think of a memory. She had them shut their eyes because she wanted to capture the relationship between past and present, rather than between subject and photographer. But more important, she wanted to block the traditional pathway people take to see the soul of a portrait. “You read a face through the eyes. I wanted to close that off, to see what else you can actively portray without that access. I wanted the attention on the rest of the face." Like most of Dobson’s works, “Rememory” was inspired by personal events and reflection. In this case, there were several things, including a photo she had taken of her then nine-year-old daughter, Emma, before she embarked on a multi-year journey in orthodontia. Dobson wanted a keepsake of her daughter’s childhood smile, which featured an endearing jutting front tooth. Emma blinked just as the photo was snapped, so her eyes were closed. Dobson was charmed and in- trigued by the resulting image and by her own longing to embrace her child both as who she was and as who she would become. That got her thinking about books she had read that tackled similar themes, including In Rethinking France: Les Lieux de memoire by French historian Pierre Nora and Beloved by Toni Morrison. In Beloved, the protagonist’s memories, which she calls “rememories,” are actively present in her life. “All of these things — these scraps of paper and scraps of ideas — just seemed to come together all of a sudden and form a body of work. That was very exciting to me.” It wasn’t the first time Dobson’s life experiences had under- pinned her creations. For example, she was driving home one night around 1997 with her then two-year-old son, Christian, who was asleep in the back seat. She thought she caught a glimpse of a wounded animal by the side of the road but was afraid to stop because of the isolated location and darkness. She remembers being inexplicably overcome by a feeling of separa- tion anxiety, and the sight of her sleeping child in the rearview mirror provided reassurance. Worried about the animal all night, Dobson drove back to the spot the next morning. When all she found was a garbage bag by the side of the road, she realized the “animal” she had seen was really the bag fluttering in the wind. That experience got her thinking about how unrelated and even bizarre events can trigger strong memories and feelings, and about the power of emotional displacement onto inani- mate objects. It also reminded her of the fear and helplessness she had felt when she and her family were the victims of a home invasion in Florida and were held at gunpoint. “The anxiety, the vulnerability — it was very intense,” she says. “I remember how my mother tried to protect me and I tried to protect my small son, and I felt that keen sense of the bond we have with our children and the love and loss that can accompany it.” Dobson explored the plethora of feelings these events evoked in a collection called “Vanishing Point.” The series of black and white landscape photographs included shadows, sub- tle disturbances and images that were out of focus, overlapped or partly obscured, provoking confusion and anxiety. The photos were printed on oversized transparent film and suspended from the gallery ceiling so that they moved and flut- tered as people passed. “They responded to the subtlest of dis- turbances, like emotions do,” she says. Some of Dobson’s other works seem to be polar opposites to “Rememory” and “Vanishing Point,” but they, too, were in- spired by her own experiences and interests. For example, she has done several collections that focus on suburban housing de- velopments. “It’s all about sameness, the lack of autonomy in consumer culture and the quest for difference.” Her interest in the subject stems from her experiences living in a range of different kinds of homes. Her earliest days were spent in a subdivision in New Brunswick where construction sites were commonplace. Both her father and grandfather were developers. When she was sue, the family moved to Germany after her dad made a career switch to opera singing. “In Germany, our family lived in a rented apartment in a historical home full of character.” She has also lived in student housing on Vancouver Island, in a Toronto high-rise apartment and in a townhouse in Oakville, complete with red shag carpet and velvet drapes. “The townhouse was at the end of a long dirt road in the middle of nowhere. Subdivision housing sprouted up around me over a span of six years.” The sudden influx of assembly-line homes and her own var- ied housing experiences led Dobson to create a series called “Home Invasion.” It features panoramic shots of mass-pro- duced homes at various stages of construction and questions the implications of assimilative living. Although the stark, haunting images are simple in content, capturing them was anything but, says Dobson, who was eight months pregnant at the time. “I think people referred to me as the crazy lady,” she says, ex- plaining that she would traipse around construction sites in all kinds of weather, “setting up my tripod in the rain with mud in my hair.” On one occasion, she hid in the bucket of a steam shovel to avoid a security guard on patrol. While shooting her collection “No Fixed Address,” which depicted the front doors of 30 virtually identical subdivision homes, Dobson purposely dressed in business attire. That collec- tion highlighted the painstaking lengths some homeowners go to in decorating their front door to make their house stand out from the crowd. “When I first started shooting the o series, many homeowners would come ; 2 out to talk to me about what I was do- s ing. It would take a long time to fully g explain my purpose, and invariably the £ good light would have faded by the % time 1 could move on to the next ™ house. Once I started dressing in busi- ness attire, people assumed I was a real estate agent and let me do my thing.” Another collection called “Open House” had a similar theme. Dobson photographed individual rooms inside suburban homes to illustrate what people do to set their home — and themselves — apart. These included rooms filled with Elvis paraphernalia, a bathroom with gigantic hand-painted nude images, a room that was a tribute to the Toronto Maple Leafs, and a huge unfinished basement full of children’s toys. Dobson’s recent collection “Retail" examines the phenome- non and implications of big-box stores. She photographed store buildings and their parking lots, then digitally mastered the im- ages so that only the buildings ' outlines are visible, appearing as big grey masses against bright blue sky. They depict what might ^ be left centuries from now: massive structures, empty as- \ phalt-covered spaces, no people and no trees. “It speaks of the future,” she says. Dobson’s interest in photography started at a young age when her family would visit Canada from Germany. “I spent a great deal of time each summer in Nova Scotia with my grandfather, who was an amateur painter in his spare time. We would spend many long hours in a field of clover or beside a brook, and he would paint and I would take pictures. My grandfather painted from many of my photographs, and I still have some of those paintings.” Her first camera was an old Brownie, but she later bought herself a 35mm SLR with money she earned from singing at the opera in Germany (she was part of the choir cast in Puccini s La Bohime, Wagner’s Die Meistersinger and Engelbert Humperdinck’s Hansel and GreteL) Determined to make photography her career, Dobson wrote to renowned Canadian photographer Freeman Patterson ask- ing for advice. He suggested she enrol at Ryerson, which she did after earning an international baccalaureate from Pearson Col- lege in British Columbia. Dobson received a bachelor of applied arts from Ryerson in 1988. She spent the next eight years doing editorial photogra- phy for magazines such as Toronto Life, Saturday Night and Re- port on Business. She also worked for Tourism Ontario, doing a wide range of projects that included photographing the McMichael Canadian Art Collection gallery and the Stratford Festival Theatre by helicopter and documenting dog sled racing and ice fishing in North Bay. In the mid-1990s, she came to Guelph to do a master of fine art with now-retired professor Suzy Lake, known as one of the foremost feminist photogra- phers of our time. Lake became both a friend and mentor to Dobson, even posing for “Rememory.” After earning her MFA in 1998, Dobson taught at Ryerson, U of G and the University of Guelph-Humber before joining the School of Fine Art and Music full time in 2002. She lives in downtown Guelph with her husband, Marcel Chiera, and chil- dren, both of whom she also photographed for “Rememory." “I like to involve them in what I do," she says. “Our personal experiences change our relationship with our medium. How we morph and change affects our interests, what we do and what we see.” At Guelph 7 February 11, 2009 The Evolution of a Darwin Party Biologist's party table will be groaning — and so will his guests — over themed dishes to mark Charles Darwin s 200th birthday BY ANDREW VOWLES T hey’ve had the Voyage of the Bagel, Jurassic pork and Galapagos- fried finches. But for this year’s special-anniversary edition of his annual Darwin potluck dinner, Prof. Beren Robinson, Integrative Biology, says guests have been as reluctant to reveal their planned menu creations as Charles Darwin was about publishing his long- delayed On the Origin of Species. It wasn’t until 1859 — a full 22 years after Darwin returned to Eng- land from his five-year voyage aboard the Beagle — that he finally published that volume. Never mind. His delay means that not only will members of the Department of Inte- grative Biology mark Darwin’s 200th birthday this week, but they’ll also toast the 150th anniversary of the publication of his landmark work. They’ll hold that dual celebration at Robinson’s home, where they’ve gathered every year, on or about Feb. 12, for the past decade. Robinson and his wife, Arlene Margosian, brought the tradition of marking Darwin’s birthday to Guelph from the University of Brit- ish Columbia, where Robinson did a post-doc. Earlier he’d been intro- duced to the custom by his PhD su- pervisor at New York’s Binghamton University. The notion has even spread from U of G. Several years ago, former Guelph zoologist and party stalwart David Noakes took the tradition with him to his new post at Oregon State University. “It’s the evolution of an idea,” says Robinson. To mark the dual anniversary more officially, he’s helping to plan several campus events for later this year. Those events will include schol- arly activities involving scientists and artists, beginning with an evolu- tion-themed version of Guelph’s bi- ennial Peter Yodzis Colloquium in Fundamental Ecology to be held in late May. But this weekend, it’s all about fun. Past years have seen as many as 50 faculty, staff, students and their fam- ilies show up for the annual potluck event. Robinson isn’t sure how many people to expect this year. He’s hold- ing the event on Valentine’s Day, a convergence that has already prompted plenty of double en- tendres related to Darwin’s theory of sexual selection. As in past years, there’ll be plenty of Darwin table talk. That will in- clude discussion of natural selection, light-hearted and otherwise. “Darwin offered an explanation for the origins of diversity counter to the standard religious explanation,” says Robinson. “That’s an enormous conceptual shift.” He adds that others had been working along similar lines during the 1800s, including Darwin’s con- temporary Alfred Russell Wallace. Robinson says today’s scientists, particularly lab-bound researchers whose view of the world may some- times shrink to what he calls “a gene’s-eye view” of things, may have walk in with your taxes, walk out with your money and you could win S5.000 towards a road trip, visit refundroadtrip.ca come in today or call 1-800-HRBLOCK (472-5625) H&R BLOCK money back -- . something to learn from those Vic- torian naturalists. “They had their eyes open. They were superb observers. Darwin saw the breadth of diversity that got him thinking across large spatial and temporal scales. Some of the very best science in the world starts with having your eyes open.” The Darwin conversation will at- tract many guests to the birthday cel- ebration this weekend, but so will the evening’s pi£ce de resistance — the potluck table. “We’re in it for the food more than anything else,” says Robinson, who awards prizes for Darwin dishes — food from a country the naturalist visited, something he might have eaten, a food containing something he studied or just a Darwin-themed dish. Hence the Jurassic pork, the primordial soup, even a creation cake. “We’re very ecumenical,” Robinson quips. There’s even a kids’ competition. Last year his son, Calder, now 14, concocted “Darwin’s gene pool,” a blue Jell-0 pudding containing Al- pha-Bit cereal letters A, G, T and C to denote the four nucleic acid “letters” of the DNA molecule. Integrative biology professor Liz Boulding has attended nearly every party with her family. “Two of our favourite foods to contribute are Galapagos finch stew and turtle bread rolls,” she says. She remembers another Jell-0 specialty made by Calder that con- tained candy worms and “dirt” made of Oreo cookie crumbs. “It was such a great dish that Calder ended up winning one of the prizes despite his questionable eligibility as the host’s son.” Nothing like a bit of friendly competition among Darwinists, it seems. But Robinson says the party’s namesake would point out that the entire group benefits from co-oper- ating on the potluck. “Darwin was not just about the struggle resulting from the competi- tion but was also deeply interested in — and laid the foundations of subse- quent studies in — the origins of co-operation, too.” February is Heart Month To find out about activities you can participate in to raise money for research, advocacy and health promotion, visit www. heartandstroke.ca. At Guelph 8 February h, 2009 after hours TAYLOR MARIAN I First-year student in animal biology After Taylor Mariani had been riding horses for a couple of years, her riding teacher took her to her first horse show competition. It took only one, and Mariani was hooked. “I like the competition," she says. "My dad’s very competitive, and I take after him." For her first year in the show ring, she rode one of her riding teacher’s horses, but she soon moved on to more advanced coaching, and her parents bought her a horse called Mr. Jack Fox. Two years after that, her trainer, Jess Cofell, “decided I needed more horsepower.” That’s when Mariani’s cur- rent horse, a purebred quarter house called Shake Your Dually, came into her life. With Dually, she has racked up an impressive list of horse show awards. These include top honours in both Ontario and Canada for limited non-professional rein- ing horse competitions. For the American Quarter Horse Association, they won youth working cow horse and youth reining, and were reserve champions in open reining. Mariani proudly wears her “Top 10” jacket won when she placed fifth in freestyle reining at the All- American Quarter Horse Congress in Ohio, the largest horse show for a single breed of horse anywhere in the world. What’s this “reining” she does with Dually? It’s a western riding event that features dramatic sliding stops and spins as the horse plants its hind feet in one spot and rapidly turns in a complete circle. “You have certain ma- noeuvres you have to do, and you’re marked on how well you complete each one, then the overall score is added up,” says Mariani. Right now, with the arena at her family’s farm near Erin filled with snow, she’s taking a little vacation from riding. As the weather warms up, she’ll begin working with Dually three or four days a week. By the time sum- mer’s here, she’ll be riding every day and showing every weekend. Remember Mr. Jack Fox? Her mother began showing him after Dually came on the scene and has also won a couple of national awards. “For the first few years, she was the typical horse show mom,” says Mariani, “but now she’s riding, too, and it’s great.” JACQUELINE WATTY Alumni manager for CBS, CPES and Athletics in Alumni Affairs and Development, joined U of G in 2006 “I’m known as the cookie girl,” says Jacqueline Watty. “I love to bake cookies — shortbread, chocolate, caramel, all kinds.” Although cookie baking goes on year-round for Watty, it reaches its peak in December, when she and her cousin have an annual “bake-a-thon," pro- ducing some 12 dozen cookies to be shared among friends and family members. Watty confesses to a lifelong love of sweets but says Taylor Mariani she didn’t develop her cookie-baking skills (as opposed to her well-honed cookie-eating skills) until her late teens. “I used to dream about brownies,” she says. “I think they are my favourite food.” Are there any cookies she doesn’t like? Although she enjoys eating them all, she admits she finds layered bar cookies trickier to make. Facebook Hurts Romance: Study To justify her indulgence in these sweet treats — or at least to minimize the consequences — Watty works out regularly and loves to hike outdoors with her dog, a Lab-husky mix named Koby. “Winter is actually my favourite time of year to go hiking. Because Koby is part husky, he loves the snow. As long as it’s not so cold that I can't feel my face, I love be- ing out, too." She also enjoys travelling, and her favourite destina- tions reflect her love of the outdoors: the Bahamas, Cali- fornia and Dominica Island (where some of her husband’s family members still live). These locations may conjure up fantasies of relaxing on the sand while the ocean waves roll in, but that’s not the appeal for Watty. “I don’t like lying on the beach — I get bored doing that. What I do enjoy is going exploring.” PETER PHYSICK-SHEARD Faculty member in the Department of Population Medi- cine, joined U ofG in 1972 “It really has to do with sanity,” says Prof. Peter Physick- Sheard about the art photogra- phy that he creates. “One of the characteristics of faculty work is that it’s very open-ended and never really finished. I need the satisfaction of doing some- thing from start to finish, something I can complete.” Physick-Sheard has “mountains of photographs” taken over several decades that serve as starting points for his creative work Although some of the photos he works with were taken specifically to be transformed into art, that wasn’t the original pur- pose for most of them. In each one he selects, however, ' he finds something that attracts his creative side. “There’s something about the image that has caught me — the content, the light, some emotive element. I work with the photograph to bring out what I find pleas- ing and appealing. I might want to play with the light balance, use overlays, change the framing, adjust the col- our balance or bring out contrast and detail.” When he’s satisfied that the image conveys what he intends, he enlarges it and prints it out on a large-format printer. “I use archival inks and heavy-gauge archival pa- per so the photograph will last as long as possible,” he says. A professional framer takes over from there. A few of these compelling photographs hang on the walls of Physick-Sheard’s office. Some of his work has been sold, and he also does commissioned pieces. “I take images that are significant to people and tum them into artwork.” But selling the photos is secondary. His real pleasure comes from working with material that he finds appeal- ing and exercising his creative talents to produce some- thing tangible and complete. “It’s very satisfying,” he says. “For me, it’s almost the ideal activity.” Peter Physick- Sheard Social networking site creates jealousy, say researchers BY LORI BONA HUNT H oping for a little romance this Valentine’s Day? Then avoid logging onto Facebook A new study by U of G researchers finds that Facebook creates jealousy and suspicion in romantic and sexual relationships. Slated to appear in the journal CyberPsychology and Behaviour, the study is the first to provide evidence of a link between Facebook use and jealousy. “Facebook gives people access to information about their partner that may otherwise not be accessible,” says Amy Muise, a PhD candidate in the Department of Psychology who conducted the study with PhD stu- dent Emily Christofides. The re- search was overseen by Prof. Serge Desmarais, associate vice-president (academic). “This may include details about their partner’s friendships and social exchanges, especially interactions with previous romantic or sexual partners,” says Muise. She and Christofides surveyed 308 Facebook users, all university students between 17 and 24. At the time of the survey, about half were in a serious relationship. Nearly 75 per cent of those sur- veyed said they had previous roman- tic or sexual partners as "friends" on Facebook, and close to 80 per cent reported that their partner also had previous partners as “friends.” Participants answered questions designed to assess jealousy in the specific context of Facebook They were also asked about their personal relationships, demographics and the amount of time they spent on Facebook The researchers con- trolled for individual personality, re- lationship and social factors that would indicate a propensity for jealousy. In addition to verifying an ex- plicit link between jealousy and Facebook use, the study found that the more time people spend online, the more suspicious they become. “It becomes a feedback loop," says Christofides. "Jealousy leads to increased surveillance of a partner’s Facebook page, which results in fur- ther exposure to jealousy-provoking information." Most study participants reported being aware that reading personal information on Facebook increased feelings of jealousy. But they said the social networking website is simply too hard to resist, especially the temptation to monitor their partner’s page. People also reported that they continue to disclose a lot of personal information on their Facebook pages, even though such details may incite jealousy. “It fosters a vicious cycle,” says Christofides. “If one partner in a re- lationship discloses personal infor- mation, it increases the likelihood that the other person will do the same, which increases the likelihood of jealousy.” Facebook was selected for the study because it’s the most popular social network website in Canada. Desmarais says it’s important to ' study online network sites such as Facebook because they are changing the nature of social relationships. “In the past, people in romantic or sexual relationships were not, for the most part, subjected to daily scrutiny of their social exchanges by their partner,” he says. “But this is the new reality for some. Aspects of their lives that were once private are now open for all to see.” Chocolate, Flowers Not Best Valentine Gifts for Your Pet AT GUELPH PUBLICATION SCHEDULE Publication Date Deadline Feb. 25 Feb. 17 March 1 1 March 3 March 25 March 17 April 8 March 31 April 22 April 14 S hare your love with your pet on Valentine’s Day, but don’t risk sharing common gifts such as chocolates and flowers. The dangers of doing so are detailed in a video featuring Profs. Paul Woods, Clinical Studies, and Andrew Peregrine, Pathobiology. The video — posted online at www.ovc.uoguelph.ca and www. youtube.com/ontariovetcollege — demonstrates the pitfaUs of the up- coming holiday for your pet. It’s the second in a series of videos for the pet owner who wants to share life fully with a companion animal — whether it’s traveUing to the cottage, celebrating holidays or successfufly surviving the seasons. “If you want to have your pet with you for celebrations, a couple of cautionary rules are necessary,” says Woods. “Supervision, for example, is a simple way to ensure that your dog or cat doesn’t get into some- thing like chocolate, which can cause neurological damage.” He and Peregrine take a light- hearted look at life with your pet during times of celebration or high stress. They point out common ele- ments that can cause distress or even death to pets and offer tips on how to reduce the risks for humans and companion animals. “We want to ensure that people and companion animals get the most out of the relationships they share," says Peregrine. In future videos, the duo wiU cover topics such as travelling with your pet, how to handle hot weather and what to do if fireworks upset your pet. At Guelph 9 February 11 , 2009 Students Organize First-Ever Human Resources Job Fair BY REBECCA KENDALL A fter discovering that human resources students didn’t have a job fair of their own, Prof. Sara Mann, Business, saw an opportunity for her fourth-year applied business class to get some first-rate experiential learning. On Feb. 25, the class will host the first human resources job fair, which is geared to all business students. The event will run from 7 to 9 p.m. in the science complex atrium and will give students a jump-start on landing a summer job or a first full-time job after graduation. For Mann’s class, organizing the job fair isn’t simply about planning an event, she says. It’s also about in- tegrating theories they’ve learned and applying their experience through a journal. “They may have analyzed the leadership that took place in the team, any conflict that occurred, if people were motivated and why, the dynamics between different individ- uals and people’s personalities and how that affected all those behav- iours,” she says. “Recognizing the reasons behind those behaviours and finding strategies to overcome these types of challenges are all part of learning.” In preparation for the job fair, Mann's students are hosting a r£sum£-writing workshop Feb. 23 at 5:30 p.m. in Room 441 of the Uni- versity Centre. “The creation of this job fair is re- warding not just for the students who’ve brought it to fruition,” says Meghan Burton, a fifth-year human resources student who has led the team of about a dozen students who put the event together. "It’s also re- warding for the employers searching for new hires, for students looking to make great first contacts with orga- nizations and for our professor, who is watching us apply our knowledge in a real-world way.” Planning for the event began in September with Mann’s students di- viding themselves up into three groups to handle contacts, budget- ing, and logistics and marketing. "I didn’t have a hand in any of this,” she says. “1 simply came up with an idea they embraced and let them run with it. These students have done all the work themselves.” That work included securing funding to run the event, booking a venue, sending out invitations, or- dering refreshments, promoting the event and recruiting employers such as Xerox, Recruit Logic, Guelph Po- lice Services and London Health Ser- vices to participate. The recruitment effort was par- ticularly important in light of all the downsizing many organizations are going through right now, says Bur- ton. The reality of hiring freezes and downsizing was a great concern to the group as they worked to book employers, she says. In the end, they succeeded in attracting 17. These are the types of challenges they could never have tackled sitting in a classroom, she adds. “This type of learning is great. When you see your work going to- ward an actual tangible event and not simply a case study, it’s amazing. At university, we’re more apt to learn theory than application. By having this opportunity to plan and execute this event, we get a sense of satisfaction that can’t be matched by any case study.” Where Are You Now? If vou can identify where this photo was taken, you will have your name entered in a draw to be held in |une for a $50 gift certificate provided by the U of G Bookstore. Anyone who submits the right answer by Feb. 13 at 4 05 p.m. is eligible forthe draw. Send your response to r.kendall@exec.uoguelph.ca or call Ext. 56039. The following people correctly reported that the Jan. 28 photo was taken at the back of Massey Hall: Ray Hutchison, Fran Kitchen, Bill Clair, Danny Martin and John Van Manen. photo by sebecca kendall Biomechanics Group Growing Continued from page 1 researchers zero in on affected areas of the brain responsible for vision, the vestibular system and locomo- tion — and especially where infor- mation from those different systems comes together. Consider the near-infinite num- ber of movements you make every day, never mind the contortions some people put their bodies through on the sports field, the dance floor or anywhere else. “A lot of times, we have no idea how we’re pulling that off,” says Zettel, who regularly flings his body around playing basketball and Ulti- mate Frisbee. “It’s an enormously complex system.” He became interested in biomechanics — and particularly in the complexities of human move- ment — while studying kinesiology at the University of Waterloo. He completed graduate degrees at the University of Toronto before doing a post-doc at York University’s Centre for Vision Research, where he added vision tracking to his research toolkit. In Toronto, he also worked at the Centre for Studies in Aging at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre. Zettel came to U of G to join a growing biomechanics group in HHNS. In his department, Prof. Leah Bent studies individual neu- rons involved in posture and bal- ance. Prof. Lori Vallis works with gait analysis and studies how seniors avoid obstacles while walking. Two days a week, he heads for the University of Guelph-Humber, where he teaches math/biophysics and biomechanics in a new program that leads to a B.A.Sc. in kinesiology and a diploma in fitness and health promotion. Zettel lives in Guelph with his wife, Paulina — a naturopath and also an Ultimate competitor — as well as those two precocious walkers. 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(51 Fax (51 Helen pus Hardware Limited irdon Street , Ontario N IG 4X1 9) 836-3721 )) 836-5664 Maciag At Guelph 10 February ii, 2009 CLASSIFIEDS FOR SALE Antique pine harvest table, rare eight-foot length; framed, num- bered and signed Norval Morrisseau print titled Bear Spirit , ; Mennonite double-size quilt, sunny and earth colours, photos available, aholling@ registrar.uoguelph.ca. Pine kitchen table with four match- ing chairs; pine living room set: sofa, loveseat and chair with dark green cushions, good condition, rtavasci@ uoguelph.ca. Coffee table and two end tables, solid wood, white distressed, shabby chic, good condition, 519-822-1116, bpatteso03@rogers.com or bpatteso @uoguelph.ca. Kenmore table-top room humidi- fier, used only once, Ext. 56580. Black 2006 Chevy Cobalt LS, 2.2-litre, four doors, snow tires, 51,000 km, 9,000 km left on war- ranty, 519-821-6105 before 9 p.m. or littled@uoguelph.ca. Bungalow with self-contained income apartment that has separate entrance on lower level, close to downtown, walking trails and cam- pus, hardwood floors on main level, new kitchen with built-in laundry, new windows and doors, new kitchen and bathroom in downstairs walkout, wood-burning fireplace, 519-265-3374 or visit www.private forsaleclub.com, ID 1042. FOR RENT Large main room with gas fireplace in lower level of condo, separate bath and kitchenette/laundry room, shared front entrance, parking for one vehicle, Internet, quiet woman preferred, non-smokers, no pets, short- or long-term rental, $600 a month inclusive, elayne.starr@ gmail.com. Furnished one-bedroom apartment in southwest Paris, France, short- term rental; two-bedroom holiday home in Antibes on French Riviera, weekly or monthly, 519-836-6745 or fnmoll@rogers.com. WANTED Ride from campus to Toronto or TTC Tuesdays and Thursdays, leav- ing at about 5:20 p.m., will pay or share cost of gas, echang@ uoguelph.ca. 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WE HAVE HOT MEALS & OVEN-READY fc’V TREES READY FOR PICK-UP Gift Certificates Also Available GUELPH POULTRY MARKET Kortright just off the Hanlon Mon -Wed 9-7 Thurs.-Fri. 9-8 570 Kortright Plaza 519 - 763-2284 Guelph's Laminate and Hardwood Flooring Headquarters Come in and see our large in-stock selection of laminate and hardwood flooring, plus area rugs RONA 55 Dawson Road, Guelph 519-821-5744 MONTESSORI SCHOOL OF WELLINGTON established 1996 • Full- & half-day programs for 2 1/2 to 5 years • After-school program to 6 p.m. . Large gym & outdoor play area • Enhanced reading, writing & math • French, music, art & physical education • Social skill development in family setting PREPARE YOUR CHILD FOR SOCIAL AND ACADEMIC SUCCESS 519 - 821-5876 (located in Dublin Street United Church) 68 Suffolk Street West. Guelph N1H 2J2 www. montessori-school . ca At Guelph 11 February 11 , 2009 EVENTS ARBORETUM The Dufflebag Theatre presents Beauty and the Beast Feb. 17 at 6:30 p.m. at the Arboretum Centre. Tick- ets are $5. For information, call Ext. 52358. ART CENTRE The Macdonald Stewart Art Centre j hosts a daylong program of events for children and their parents Feb. 16. Visit www.msac.uoguelph.ca/ events.htm for details. Prof. James Carl, Fine Art and Music, whose exhibit “James Carl: do you know what” continues until March 22 at the art centre, will speak Feb. 23 at 7 p.m. Painter Maria Pezzano will give an artist’s talk on the exhibit “Maria Pezzano: Repeating Imprints” Feb. 24 at noon. CONCERTS The School of Fine Art and Music’s Thursdays at Noon concert series continues Feb. 12 with guitarist John Oliver and violinist Lynn Kuo. On Feb. 26, a Chinese musical troupe performs traditional and contempo- rary Chinese music. Concerts start at 12:10 p.m. in MacKinnon 107. FILM “Docurama,” a film series sponsored by the U of G Library and the Central Student Association, continues with a screening of Order of the Myths Feb. 24 at 7 p.m. in Thornbrough 1307. Admission is free. The Spanish studies program in the School of Languages and Literatures presents the film Cosas que unca te dije Feb. 26 at 7 p.m. in MacKinnon 309. LECTURE OAC’s public lecture series contin- ues with the Jack and Gerry Vandergrift Lecture Feb. 24 at 5:30 p.m. in OVC 1714. Douglas Tallamy of the University of Delaware will discuss “How Native Plants Sustain Wildlife in Our Gardens.” NOTICES The Stress Management and High Performance Clinic offers a practical skills-oriented session on how to curb worry and decrease the stress and anxiety it generates Feb. 25 from 7 to 9 p.m. in UC 335. For registra- tion information, pick up a pam- phlet at the Info Desk on UC Level 1 , visit www.uoguelph.ca/~ksomers or leave a message at Ext. 52662. V-Day Guelph, a global non-profit movement working to generate broader attention and dialogue to end violence against women and girls, presents A Memory, a Mono- logue, a Rant and a Prayer Feb. 27 at 8 p.m. and Feb. 28 at 2 and 8 p.m. in War Memorial Hall. Tickets are $10 and are available at the Central Stu- dent Association office in UC 274 or by sending e-mail to vdayguelph@ gmail.com. Proceeds will go to Guelph-Wellington Women in Cri- sis and Campus SafeWalk. OVC is holding a pancake breakfast Feb. 12 from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. in the sunken lounge. Cost is $5. The Bibliographical Society of Can- ada is holding its first national book- collecting contest for residents under 30. Participants must write an essay describing their book collec- tion. Entry deadline is March 2. For details, visit www.library.utoronto. Ca/bsc/collect ingeng.html. The College of Biological Science is calling for nominations for its 2009 Award for Excellence in Teaching. All members of the University com- munity are invited to nominate a faculty member or a teaching team or group in the college for this award. Nomination forms are avail- able in the offices of department chairs and should be submitted to the CBS dean’s office by the first week of March. READING The School of Languages and Litera- tures hosts a reading by Governor General’s Literary Award-winning poet H&£ne Dorion Feb. 12 at 10:30 a.m. in UC 103. SEMINARS David Phillips of Environment Can- ada is guest speaker in the Faculty of Environmental Sciences’ Campus Caft Feb. 12 at noon in the science complex atrium. His topic is "Tomorrow’ s Weather Forecast: Warm, Wet and Wild?” The Department of Pathobiology seminar series presents post-doc Amirul Islam Mallick discussing “Development of Liposome-Based Vaccines Against Intracellular Pathogens” Feb 20. On Feb. 27, Prof. Shayan Sharif considers “Probiotics and the Immune System: Myths and Facts.” The seminars are at 1 1 a.m. in Pathobiology 2106. The plant biology group in the Department of Molecular and Cellu- lar Biology presents Susanne Kohalmi of the University of West- ern Ontario explaining “Character- ization of the Arogenate Dehy- dratase Family in Arabidopsis ” Feb. 23 at 3:30 p.m. in science complex 2315. “Considering the Community: Spe- cies Interactions and the Evolution of Floral Traits” is the topic of Uni- versity of Ottawa biologist Risa Sargent in the Department of Inte- grative Biology seminar series Feb. 24 at 3:30 p.m. in science complex 2315. The Department of Physics presents University of Saskatchewan bio- chemist Jeremy Lee discussing “One Molecule at a Time” Feb. 24 at 4 p.m. in science complex 1511. Robert Ford of the University of Manchester is guest speaker in the Department of Molecular and Cellu- lar Biology seminar series Feb. 25 at 12:30 p.m. in Animal Science and Nutrition 156. Next up in the Department of Envi- ronmental Biology seminar series is Prof. Clarence Swanton, Plant Agri- culture, presenting “An Alternative View of Plant Competition” Feb. 26 at 1:30 p.m. in Graham 2307. TEACHING SUPPORT Full details and a registration link for Teaching Support Services pro- grams can be found on the TSS website at www.tss.uoguelph.ca. If you have questions, call Mary Naim at Ext. 53571. During Reading Week Feb. 17 to 20, TSS presents “D2L Warm-up,” a series of hands-on training sessions focusing on specific tools and fea- tures in the Desire2Leam program. BlackBoard drop-in clinics run Wednesdays from 1 to 2:30 p.m. and Thursdays from 2:30 to 4 p.m. in McLaughlin 200-A. TSS’s “Learning Circle” discussions continue with “Teaching on the Edge” Feb. 20 and “High Tech Ver- sus No Tech in the Classroom” Feb. 23. The latter will feature a demon- stration and discussion of Wimba voice tools. For teaching assistants, TSS presents “TA Food for Thought” Feb. 27. THESIS DEFENCES The final examination of M.Sc. can- didate Peter Unger, Environmental Biology, is Feb. 11 at 2:30 p.m. in Bovey 2111. The thesis is “Variabil- ity and Correlations for Hygienic, Grooming, Foraging and Defensive Behaviour in Honeybees ( Apis mellifera L.) and Inheritance of Three of These Behaviours.” The adviser is Prof. Ernesto Guzman. The final examination of Maged Gomaa, a PhD candidate in the Department of Pathobiology, is Feb. 17 at 9 a.m. in Pathobiology 101 . The thesis is “Molecular and Biological Characterization of Turkey Coronavirus.” The adviser is Prof. John Barta. The final examination of Christo- pher Tidey, an MA candidate in the Department of Political Science, is Feb. 26 at 8 a.m. in MacKinnon 525. The thesis is “Coca in Bolivia: Participatory Development and Aid Conditionality in the Chapare.” The adviser is Prof. Jordi Diez. The final examination of PhD candi- date Ali Sajid, Engineering, is March 3 at 1 p.m. in Thornbrough 1360. The thesis is “Investigation of Rain- fall-Runoff Process in Relation to Soil Physical and Hydraulic Proper- ties.” The adviser is Prof. Ramesh Rudra. COMMUNITY EVENTS As part of “Heart Month,” the Guelph Athletic Club is hosting its first Squash for Heart Tournament Feb. 19 to 21. On Feb. 28, the Heart and Stroke Foundation holds its first Curling for Heart event from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Guelph Curling Club. For more information about either of these events, contact Audra Thompson at 519-837-4858 or athompson@hsf.on.ca. The Eden Mills Writers’ Festival holds a fundraiser called “Unlucky in Love” Feb. 13 at 7 p.m. at the Bookshelf ebar. It features readings by Leon Rooke, Prof. Stephen Henighan, Sandra Sabatini and Paul Quarrington. The Guelph Youth Music Centre presents pianist Li Wang in concert Feb. 15 at 2 p.m. A wine reception will follow. For tickets, call 519-837- 1119. Guelph and Wellington County Master Gardeners hold their 14th annual garden conference, “A Day in the Garden,” March 1 at 9 a.m. at the Turfgrass Institute on Victoria Road. For information or to reserve tickets, call Ext. 56714 or send e-mail to mgguelph@hotmail.com. The Guelph-Wellington branch of the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario hosts a public lecture Feb. 18 at 7 p.m. at 10 Carden St. The topic is “The Residence Known as Idylwyld.” For more information, call 519-837-8082. The Guelph Civic Museum hosts a Family Heritage Day Feb. 16 from 1 to 5 p.m. The next meeting of the Wellington branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society is Feb. 24 at 7:30 p.m. at the Zehrs Community Room on Paisley Road. The Guelph Symphony Orchestra presents “Popera” Feb. 22 at 3 p.m. at the River Run Centre. Call 519-763-3000 for ticket informa- tion. Guelph Country Dances will hold a contra dance Feb. 13 from 8 to 11 p.m. at Norfolk Street United Church. Doors open at the Cork Street entrance at 7:30 p.m. The eve- ning features live music by Relative Harmony. For more information, call 519-767-9933 or visit the website www.relativeharmony.com/ guelphcountrydance.htm. Touchmark Theatre presents Tom Stoppard’s Rosencrantz and Guildenstem Are Dead Feb. 19 to 22 at the River Run Centre. For tickets, call 519-763-3000. The annual K9 Helpers Valentine’s tea runs Feb. 15 from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Cutten Club. Tickets are avail- able at the Bookshelf. The Elora Festival Singers hold their annual benefit concert Feb. 22 at 3 p.m. at St. John’s Church in Elora. Call 519-846-0331 for ticket infor- mation. The Guelph Horticultural Society meets Feb. 24 at 6:30 p.m. at Dublin Street United Church. Richard Tofflemire will discuss “Wild Birds in Your Garden.” • Renovating • Allergies Fresh Start • Moving • New Baby CARPET & AIR DUCT CLEANING FURNITURE CLEANING Breathe cleaner air Nobody Cleans Better Than Steamatic Call Us 519-836-7340 Valerie Paul ton At Guelph 12 February n, 2009 at GUELPH FEBRUARY 25, 2009 « VOL. 53 NO. A « WWW.UOGUELPH.CA/ATGUELPH • UNIVERSITY OF GUELPH INSIDE: U.S. ARTIST TO GIVE SHENKMAN LECTURE • CELEBRATING ASTRONOMY • A HAPPY SOUL Guelph Awarded Two New CRCs Chairs renewed in Department of Integrative Biology Veterinary technician Stephanie Roberts checks out Lennox, who is happy and healthy today thanks to OVC’s canine blood donor program. photo by martin schwalbe It’s a Dog’s Life Canine blood donors give the gift of life at Ontario Veterinary College BY CATHERINE BIANCO L ennox was obviously in pain when he arrived at the Ontario Veterinary College Teaching Hospi- tal in August 2008. Diagnosed with a twisted bowel, the five-year-old boxer needed immediate surgery and many units of blood for severe gastrointestinal bleeding that had started the night before. After a two-week stay in the in- tensive-care unit, Lennox went home with a clean bill of health. The blood he needed during his stay in ICU was available because of the dogs that participate in OVC’s blood donor program. “This was one of the most trau- old that weigh at least 25 kilograms (55 pounds) and are friendly and good-natured.” Like humans, dogs have several unique blood types, but a dog with blood type A-negative is considered a universal donor. German shep- herds, hounds, boxers, Great Danes, Dobermans and greyhounds often have this blood type, says Fowler. Donors usually provide five or six donations a year. In return, they re- ceive dog food, treats and some complimentary veterinary services. Today Lennox is happy and healthy, but Wright still remembers her drive from Kitchener to Guelph that August morning. “I wasn’t sure Lennox was going to make it. Thank you so much to all those dogs — and their owners — whose generosity saved his life.” For more information about the canine blood donor program, call Ext. 56476 or visit www.ovc uoguelph.ca/hospital/blooddonor. BY LORI BONA HUNT U OF G WILL receive $2 million over the next five years through two new prestigious Canada Research Chairs (CRCs) and the renewal of two others. Profs. Myma Dawson, Sociology and Anthropology, and Kathryn Preuss, Chemistry, have both been named new Tier 2 research chairs. As such, they are considered to have the potential to become world lead- ers in their fields and will receive $100,000 a year for five years. In ad- dition, Tier 2 chairs currently held by Profs. John Klironomos and Kevin McCann, Integrative Biology, were renewed for another five years. “We are delighted to welcome Profs. Dawson and Preuss to our outstanding cohort of distinguished CRCs, which now stands at 32,” says Prof. Kevin Hall, vice-president (re- search). “Their diverse ground- breaking research is illustrative of the depth and scope of Guelph’s ex- pertise. And their research programs are well-aligned with our core focus of changing lives and improving life.” Dawson will hold the Canada Re- search Chair in Public Policy in Criminal Justice. She will examine the effectiveness of violence preven- tion initiatives, specifically those tar- geting domestic violence. In recent decades, there has been a growth in resources and initiatives aimed at helping victims, increased support for community-based sys- tems and changes made to the crimi- nal justice system to make it more responsive, says Dawson, but the overall impact of these initiatives has not been systematically examined. She plans to determine whether the increase in violence prevention re- sources targeting domestic violence has contributed to the overall decline in this type of violence in Canada. “Being awarded a CRC is an hon- our, particularly in this field, and an exciting opportunity to make an im- pact on violence prevention, which affects us all either directly or indi- rectly,” she says. Given that the CRC is linked to two departments — Sociology and Anthropology and Political Science — where there is strong scholarship in justice policy issues, “it will enable me to build on an already estab- lished and growing strength in our [ college as well as to move forward j more intensely with some exciting initiatives that I have already begun with colleagues at other universities in Canada, the United States and overseas.” Preuss was named the Canada Research Chair in the Chemistry of Molecular Materials, Natural Sci- ences and Engineering. She is work- ing on the development of novel molecule-based “spintronics” mate- rials, which take advantage of the quantum mechanical spin of charge carriers (electrons) in conducting and semi-conducting materials. Such materials are deemed to be particularly promising candidates for the development of devices that Continued on page 8 Living Library to Offer Novel ‘Books’ Event will give people an opportunity to experience the old adage: ‘Don't judge a book by its cover ’ matic things I’ve been through,” says Patty Wright of Kitchener, Lennox’s owner. “I’m so grateful for the do- nated blood from the dogs in the ca- nine blood donor program. Thanks to them, Lennox is alive and well.” Each year, OVC’s small-animal clinic gives more than 500 blood transfusions to dogs undergoing surgery or chemotherapy as well as to some patients in the ICU. One blood donation from a dog can help up to four different patients. “We’re always looking for new canine blood donors,” says OVC registered veterinary technician Ramona Fowler. “We’re looking for healthy dogs from one to five years BY LORI BONA HUNT E ver wondered what kind of challenges people with physical disabilities face every day? Or what it’s like to survive a disease like cancer? Or how it feels to be dis- criminated against because of your skin colour or sexual orientation? People will be able to get first- hand answers to questions like these and more by taking part in Ontario’s first living library March 5 and 6 at the McLaughlin Library. The novel event involves readers checking out books and learning about lifestyles, experiences and challenges that are different from their own. But in this library, the “books” are human beings. “It gives people the opportunity to actually experience the old adage: ‘Don’t judge a book by its cover,’” says Michael Ridley, chief informa- tion officer and chief librarian. “It’s about people risking to be them- selves and other people risking to learn about different people, ideas and cultures and to bridge possible gaps.” This will be the first time a living library has been held at a Canadian university and only the second time such an event has been held in Can- ada. The concept started in Den- mark in 2000 and is designed to break down barriers between differ- ent groups of people. That’s why the “books” in a living library tend to be members of groups that frequently face prejudice, stereotyping or social exclusion. “It creates a forum for construc- tive conversations on contentious is- sues,” says Julia Chapman, editor of the Ontarion, who spearheaded bringing the event to Guelph. “It rec- ognizes that, as individuals, we need to step up and realize that, globally, different opinions exist, different be- liefs exist and we should be respectful of this." U of G’s living library will involve more than 20 “books” on topics such as living with a physical disability or a terminal illness, being a gay man or an adopted child and surviving can- cer or a violent crime. All of the “books” are U of G staff, faculty and Continued on page 10 At Guelph l February 25, 2009 CALL FOR NOMINATIONS The Membership and Governance Committee of the University of Guelph's Board of Governors is calling for suggestions of individuals external to the University who might be considered for appointment to the Board. The committee is particularly interested in recruiting external members from equity groups, including Abonginal Canadians, persons with disabilities, members of visible minorities and women. Recommendations are welcome at any time and will be kept on file for three years from the date of submission. They can be forwarded in confidence to: Board of Governors Membership and Governance Committee do University Secretariat, Level 4, University Centre University of Guelph, Guelph ON, NIG 2W1 They can also be submitted by email to univsec@uoguelph.ca Interested in working for HUMAN RIGHTS? A pply today to be a fact- finder or human rights resource person and assist in the resolution of human rights related matters. Open to students, faculty and staff. Applications m’ailablc at the HREO or uoguelph. ca/hre/ Submit application, cover letter and resume to. Fernande Allen. Secretary :o the Director Human Rights & Equity Office University of Guelph Guelph, Ont , NIG 2W1 E-MAIL, hreinfotahre uoguelph ca FAX 5 19-822- 1131 human rights & equity training/ familiarity with human rights principles and policy/receive a certificate for community service/learn about mediation and fact-finding procedures/offer peer support/ flexible scheduling APPLICATION DEADLINE: Wednesday March 4 2009. 12 Noon A Message From the Campus Accessibility Committee (CAC) The CAC meets every six weeks to discuss physical access needs on campus. If you have any proposals, concerns, questions, ideas, comments or complaints regarding any physical access needs on campus, we would like to hear from you. Send inquiries via e-mail or fax to: bwheeler@uoguelph.ca Fax: 519-824-9689 Attn: Barry Wheeler or drop them off at the Centre for Studies With Disabilities, Level 3, University Centre COLDWeU. BANKGR □ Considering a move? Please call for your free market analysis NEUMANN REAL ESTATE BROKERAGE Angela Crawford s Saloo Representative ( 519 ) 821-3600 angelivcrawford@coldwellbanker.ca Mj^GOHDC^ American Artist to Speak School of Fine Art and Music hosts third annual Shenkman Lecture R ONI Horn, an internationally recognized American artist, will give the third annual Shenkman Lecture in Contemporary Art March 1 1 at 5 p.m. in War Memorial Hall. Hosted by the School of Fine Art and Music, the event is free and open to the public. In conjunction with the lecture, master of fine arts students and spe- cialized studio undergraduates will open their studios to visitors from 3 to 5:15 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. in Black- wood Hall, the Fire Hall and the Tex- tiles Building. Regarded as a minimalist, Horn is best known for work that mixes the personal and the abstract in unique ways. Her artistic practice has included sculpture, drawing, li- thography, installation and book- works. A major retrospective of her work, “Roni Horn aka Roni Horn,” opens Feb. 25 at London’s Tate Modem and continues until May 25. It will then head to the Whitney Mu- seum of American Art in New York. During her career, Horn has completed a number of major pho- tographic projects, including “Index Cixous,” a portrait of 79 photos of famous feminist theorist H&£ne Cixous; “You are the weather,” an exhibition (and book) of 100 almost identical portraits of a young woman bathing in Iceland; and “Earth Grows Thick,” a meditation on the poetry of Emily Dickinson that takes the form of sculpture and text. In 1990, she began an ongoing series of artist’s books called “To Place.” Horn has had a number of sig- nificant one-person shows since she began exhibiting her work in the 1980s. Sites have included the Mus 6 e d’Art Modeme and the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris, the Dia Center for the Arts in New York City, the Art Institute of Chicago and the Chinati Foundation in Texas. The Shenkman Lecture series was established in 2007 through an en- dowment provided by Dasha Shenkman, a Canadian art collector who now lives in the United Kingdom. Breakfast to Raise Money for Women in Afghanistan Award-winning journalist, human rights activist to give talk I T MAKES ME SO ANGRY when | I read about little girls and young women in Afghanistan being terrorized and mutilated and killed just for wanting to learn to read and write,” says Prof. Jacqueline Murray, History. “I have such a visceral reaction that I’m almost beside myself. I have to do something, even if it’s just a little thing.” Murray’s “little thing” has the potential to make a big difference. She’s organizing her second fund- raising breakfast to help support the education of girls and women in Afghanistan. The International Women’s Day event runs March 5 at the Arboretum Centre and features a talk by Sally Armstrong, a Canadian journalist, documentary filmmaker and UNICEF representative who was among the first to bring to fight the plight of Afghan women under the Taliban. In November 2008, eight girls walking to school in Kandahar were attacked by men on motorcycles, who threw acid in their faces. The teenage girls were left injured and disfigured, but nearly all of them are continuing their studies. Reading about that attack motivated Murray to organize this year’s fundraiser. “Education is something we con- sider fundamental,” she says. “We take it for granted, so much so that kids will even skip school. I think in- cidents such as this show how dan- gerous education is to the people who want to oppress women. They obviously recognize that it is through education that women will overcome their oppression.” As someone who spends her days educating others, Murray says this cause speaks to her heart. The cour- age and determination of women in Afghanistan have made a deep im- pression on her, she adds. Ninety per cent of women in Af- ghanistan are illiterate, and a whole generation of girls was not permitted to go to school under the Taliban re- gime, says Murray. Since the fall of the Taliban, schools for girls have opened, but they receive no funding from the Afghan government. “The schools often include young women sitting side-by-side with six- to eight- year-old girls, all at the same stage of learning to read.” She believes education for girls and women is a cause everyone can get involved in. “It’s got nothing to do with politics or religious beliefs. It’s simply about giving these women this basic right.” Proceeds from the breakfast will go to support the charitable organi- zation Canadian Women for Women in Afghanistan, which be- gan in 1996 as a small volunteer net- work committed to supporting the empowerment of Afghan women and girls. There are now 10 volun- teer chapters across Canada. Tickets for the breakfast are $100, and participants will receive a chari- table tax receipt for the entire amount because Miller Thompson LLP is fully sponsoring the event. Special student tickets are available. Murray’s goal is to raise $10,000. “My hope is that people will take this opportunity to support some of the world’s most disadvantaged people,” she says, adding that anyone who can’t attend is encouraged to buy and donate a ticket for someone else. A full hot breakfast will be served at the event starting at 7 a.m., and Armstrong will speak at 7:30 a.m. The author, teacher and human rights activist travels the world, be- friends women and children in need, and works to change the deplorable conditions under which some of them live by making their situations public. She has covered stories about conflict all over the globe, including in Israel, Bosnia, Somalia, Rwanda and Afghanistan. She is the author of Bitter Roots, Tender Shoots: The Un- certain Fate of Afghanistan’s Women and Veiled Threat: The Hidden Power of the Women of Afghanistan. A member of the Order of Can- ada, Armstrong is currently editor- at-large for Chatelaine magazine and a contributing editor at Maclean ’s. In 2002 , she was named a special UNICEF representative in Afghani- stan. U of G awarded her an honor- ary degree in 2008. “Without Sally Armstrong, we wouldn’t know nearly as much about what’s going on in Afghani- stan,” says Murray. “She is tremen- dously inspiring.” For tickets or more information about the breakfast, call Ext. 54344 or send an e-mail to afghaned@ uoguelph.ca. X a Editor Barbara Chance At Guelph is published every two weeks Articles may be reprinted with credit to At Guelph. b.chance@exec.uoguelph.ca Design Peter Enneson by Communications and Public Affairs, Level 4, University Centre, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario N1G2W1. Production Linda Graham Inquiries: 519-824-4120 Subscriptions LL l.graham@exec.uoguelph.ca Editorial: Ext. 56580 $25 (includes GST); Advertising Scott Anderson Distribution: Ext. 56581 Advertising: Ext. 56580 ISSN 08364478 C theandersondifference@rogers.com haw. uoguelph. ca/adguidc Director Chuck Cunningham Classifieds: Ext. 56581 c.cunningham@exec.uoguelph.ca Website: www.uoguelph.ca/atguelph At Guelph 2 February 25 , 2009 news in brief HUMAM RIGHTS AND EQUITY OFFICE SEEKS VOLUNTEERS The Human Rights and Equity Office is seeking applications from U of G faculty, staff and students to serve as volunteer fact finders and human rights resource persons for a one-year renewable term that begins this fall. These positions help resolve human rights con- cerns, disputes and complaints under U of G’s human rights pol- icy. Application deadline is March 4 at noon. Complete job postings and an application can be found online at www.uoguelph.ca/hre/call_for_ hr_vols.shtml. CAMPBELL CENTRE CALLS FOR RESEARCH ABSTRACTS The Campbell Centre for the Study of Animal Welfare is calling for abstracts for the second annual Animal Welfare Research Sympo- sium, to be held May 5 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in OVC’s Lifetime Learn- ing Centre. The symposium, which will cover a range of topics related to animal welfare, animal ethics and the role of animals in society, will feature short research talks and poster presentations. U of G faculty, students and staff are invited to sub- mit abstracts by March 23 at 5 p.m. to Kimberly Sheppard at ksheppar @uoguelph.ca. For more informa- tion, visit www.uoguelph.ca/ccsaw. U OF GHOSTS BRAIN BEE The Department of Psychology and faculty in the neurosciences and applied cognitive sciences program hosted the first Guelph Brain Bee Feb. 17, bringing 19 area high school students to campus to answer questions about brain and neuroscience research. Topics in- cluded memory, sleep, intelligence, emotion, stress, aging and brain imaging. Winner Liwei Li of Cen- tennial Collegiate will represent the city at the National Brain Bee this spring at McMaster University, CBS CALLS FOR NOMINATIONS The College of Biological Science is calling for nominations for its 2009 Award for Excellence in Teaching. All members of the University com- munity are invited to nominate a faculty member or a teaching team or group in the college for this award. Nomination forms are avail- able in the offices of department chairs and should be submitted to the CBS dean’s office by the first week of March. In Memoriam Dennis Chappel Dennis Chappel, a retired staff member in the building mechanics shop, died Feb. 12. He was employed at U of G from 1970 to 1995 and is survived by three brothers. A tree will be planted in his memory in the Wall-Custance Memorial Forest. Traian Hideg Retiree Traian Hideg, a staff mem- ber in Physical Resources from 1967 to 1985, died Feb. 1 at the age of 88. He is survived by his chil- dren, Annamaria and Gabriel, and a granddaughter. Lectures, Sky Viewings to Mark International Year of Astronomy Physicist/ singer to release ‘ star-studded 9 EP at March concert on campus BY ANDREW VOWLES U OF G WILL MARK the Interna- tional Year of Astronomy (IYA) 2009 with public lectures and sky viewings as well as the release of a new “star-studded” digital EP by Prof. Diane Nalini de Kerckhove, Physics, at a concert next month. This year was chosen by the United Nations Educational, Scien- tific and Cultural Organization to mark the 400th anniversary of Gali- leo’s first use of a telescope. On March 4, professor emeritus Jim Hunt will give a public lecture ti- tled “A Random Walk Through An- cient Astronomy,” exploring the importance of astronomy to early societies. On April 1, Debra Fischer, an astronomy professor at San Fran- cisco State University, will discuss “The Hunt for Extrasolar Planets.” Both lectures begin at 7 p.m. in Room 101 of Rozanski Hall. “The first discovery of extrasolar planets in the 1990s was a landmark event,” says de Kerckhove, co-orga- nizer of the campus events. "It cap- tured people’s imagination and really opened the public’s mind to the possibility of life elsewhere in the universe.” Under her stage name, Diane Nalini, the singer-songwriter will perform at a concert sponsored by the Office of the President March 27 at 8 p.m. at War Memorial Hall. There she will launch a digital EP of astronomy-themed songs, recorded early this year in Toronto. Other Guelph IYA events will in- clude observatory viewings at the MacNaughton Building telescope. A talk and observatory viewing will take place on Alumni Weekend in June. Other organizers are physics professor Bob Brooks, research asso- ciate Ed Thommes and Gilian MacPherson, senior executive offi- cer, special projects, agri-food strat- egies, in the Office of Research. The organizers plan to promote the events to local high schools and throughout Guelph. De Kerckhove says she hopes par- ticipants will learn not just about the night sky but also how science works and about the personal side of early astronomers, including Galileo, Tycho Brahe and Johannes Kepler. She adds that visitors might learn something about themselves, too. “Astronomy to me has a beautiful purity. It’s about understanding how we fit into the world.” The idea for the EP about star- and sky-gazing came out of de Kerckhove’s appearance on CBC Ra- dio’s Sunday Edition late last year. Besides discussing astronomy, she sang one of her own composi- tions, Kiss Me Like That. The title comes from a memory aid (“Oh, be a fine girl, kiss me like that”) for names of star classes, from O-type hot stars to more recently discovered brown-dwarf types. She’d written that piece shortly after arriving at Guelph, while teach- ing first-year astronomy in 2006. “So many people wrote in asking where they could get the song. So I decided to record it and ended up doing a whole project of astron- omy-themed songs.” Called Kiss Me Like That, the EP features sue songs written by de Kerckhove. For clips and a discus- sion of the physics behind the songs, visit www.kissmelikethat.com. During the concert, she will also perform other star-themed songs, including Blue Moon, Sting’s Valparaiso, Hoagy Carmichael’s Stardust and even Sweet Baby James by James Taylor (“Good night, you moonlight ladies”). Every song offers an entry point into discussing an aspect of astron- omy, says de Kerckhove. Take the blue moon. Does the phrase refer to disagreement between the lunar and solar calendars? Selective absorption of light waves by emissions from vol- canic eruptions? Illustrations of moons in the Farmer's Almanac* Other songs de Kerckhove wrote for the CD include Winter Eclipse, inspired by last year’s lunar eclipse, and Love in Outer Space. She de- scribes the latter as a nod to her In- dian roots — “It’s like raga meets reggae” — and as an homage to the SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial In- telligence) project made popular by the late Carl Sagan. “Are we alone? Searching for sig- nals is like looking for a needle in a haystack, but it’s one of the most fundamental questions we can ask.” Thinking about astronomy helps us understand something of our place in nature, says de Kerckhove. Referring to Stardust, she says: “We’re all made of stardust. Nearly every atom in our body was manu- factured inside a star that exploded in a supernova.” The IYA organizers are also plan- ning fall lectures and hope to hold a Cafe Astronomique modelled after the University’s current Cafe Scientifique lecture series. For more information, check out the website www.physics.uoguelph. ca/outreach. Concert tickets are available at the University Bookstore and Ground Floor Music. People OVC CANCER SPECIALISTS TO SPEAK AS PART OF SERIES Profs. Brenda Coomber, Biomedi- cal Sciences, and Paul Woods, Clin- ical Studies, co-directors of U of G’s Institute for Comparative Cancer Investigation, are being featured in a public lecture series sponsored by the Royal Canadian Institute for the Advancement of Science. They will discuss “Comparative Cancer Re- search: Of Mice and Men (and Cats and Dogs . . .)’’ March 5 at 7:30 p.m. at the Mississauga Central Library. GRYPHONS CAPTURE GOLD Last week, U of G’s figure skating team won the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) championship for only the second time in Gryphon history. A total of seven individual and partner gold medals went to Ariel Porty, Laura Barbison, Caitlyn McCann, Charlotte Drewett and Sandra McCubbin. Two other team members won silver and bronze. In addition, the synchronized skating team captured gold. At the OUA wrestling championships held ear- lier this month, two Gryphons brought home gold medals — Allison Leslie in the 72-kilogram event and Kyle Grant in the 130-kg event. Seven other wrestlers won silver and bronze medals, earning the men’s team a bronze medal overall and the women’s team a fourth-place standing. Accessibility Awareness Day March 3 U OF G WILL MARK Accessibility Awareness Day March 3 with a variety of activities aimed at educating the community and drawing attention to issues of access on campus. All events will take place in the University Centre. The day kicks off in the court- yard with a community resource fair running from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. At 11:30 a.m., musician Mark Wilson, who uses a wheelchair and is a strong advocate for accessibility awareness, will perform. A Twoonie Wellness Lunch will be available from 1 1 a.m. to 1 p.m. A learning and development ses- sion for staff and faculty on U of G procedures for accommodating people with disabilities begins at noon in UC 103. Register online at www.uoguelph.ca/learningmatters. The day wraps up with a discus- sion panel at 6 p.m. in UC 103, an interpretive dance performance at 6:45 p.m. and a keynote address by Adam Orfanakos, a U of G graduate who works for the Office of the On- tario Ombudsman, at 7 p.m. Three student awards will be presented at the evening event. The Tara Lynn Giuliani Award, which recognizes a student who is visually impaired and has achieved aca- demic success, will be presented to Courtney Felton. Bronwyn Griffin will receive the Gonder Family Scholarship, awarded annually to a student with a diagnosed learning disability. The Gonder Volunteer Award will go to Kelsey Corbett. At Guelph 3 February 25, 2009 All Creatures and Other Tales OVC students trade scalpels and stethoscopes for stories and poems about being, and becoming, veterinarians BY ANDREW VOWLES J ames Herriot is here. So are Margaret Atwood, Farley Mowat, Rudyard Kipling, Giller Prize winner Vincent Lam and Prof. David Waltner-Toews, Population Medi- cine. The/re among numerous authors whose works are helping DVM students use the written word to explore some of the most deeply felt parts of being, and becoming, a veterinarian. Offered at Guelph this winter for the third time by Ontario Veterinary College dean Elizabeth Stone, the second-year elective “Veterinary Medicine and Literature” allows up to 15 students to view veterinary practice through poems, plays, sto- ries, essays and novels. The five-week course is one of several recent initiatives at Guelph, including a “Community Readers” program and an upcoming confer- ence, that use literature and other media to examine such topics as cli- ent communication and the human- animal bond. Other topics include becoming a medical professional; the dictum to “do no harm”; dying, death and grief; and retaining pur- pose and joy in the profession. Stone, a veterinary surgeon, based the course on an offering she devised and taught along with poet and writing coach Hilde Weisert at the College of V eterinary Medicine at North Carolina State University. They also founded the Society for Veterinary Medicine and Literature, which promotes the topic through conferences, articles and a blog (www.vetmedandlit.org). Here at Guelph, Stone hopes stu- dents will take away a few key lessons from their reading and writing. For instance, what does it mean to be a good veterinarian? How to treat cli- ents and other practitioners with understanding and empathy? How does the human-animal bond work for both client and vet? And — given the science-heavy course load that is the DVM student’s lot — just why did they decide to become veterinar- ians anyway? That last one often hit home for the six students who met once a week this semester around the dean’s cor- ner office table. Stone thinks the chance to trade textbooks for poetry and prose collections makes a wel- come breather and refresher for many of those students. “It’s almost like an oasis,” says the dean, who did her own share of com- parative literature studies during a humanities undergraduate degree in California. “Literature works as a great equalizer.” The extensive reading list in- cludes works by and about veterinar- ians. Perhaps the best-known example is James Herriot’s All Crea- tures series of books about life as an English country vet. Chapters from the series cover various topics, in- cluding client relations, the hu- man-animal bond, finding purpose in work and dealing with death. “His descriptions of people and their interactions with animals are superb,” says Stone, who often reads excerpts aloud to the class with mixed results. “I try to do the dialect, and it usually comes out as a south- ern accent instead of a Yorkshire accent.” Another veterinarian on the fist is Guelph epidemiologist Waltner- Toews, a prolific poet, short-story writer and novelist. Students en- counter a piece from One Foot in Heaven, a collection of linked short stories he published in 2006. Although he hasn’t been involved with the course, Waltner-Toews says Childish Ways (Written by a second-year DVM student) I remember clearly Evenings spent under the hot lamp at my bedroom desk X-acto knife in hand Building, creating My father gave me a love of delicate model airplanes Too fragile for my inexperienced fingers But I loved them so With half-made wheels Or propellers glued in place Windows stuck up with fingerprints so I can’t see The tiny captain inside Guiding his craft on journeys of imagination Into the unknown Now I am under that hot lamp again A mask shields my face to keep out Not model cement but The thick smell that would cling in my throat Tempting my stomach to empty With warm waves; a ferrous flood Blood oozes from my patient There is no instruction booklet to follow No decals to put on when I am finished Yet how a ligament Which, slipping against my finger, Reminds me of elastics taut to the plane’s fuselage Too strained for metaphors Not here and now Once again I am the small boy Unsure of all he knows How awkward to learn again and again as a man So far removed from my childish inquiry Now will my propeller turn? Will my wheels hold up this body? Now 1 am the captain who cannot see And my imagination still races through the unknown Yet I must guide this craft to a safe landing And back to a guardian’s loving embrace Are my fingers ready for the weight of this knife? its goals resonate with him. “Good literature pushes one to be more self-reflective and to think about the complex contradictions of life within which our daily work is done.” 0 HUMBER School of Applied Technology In just two semesters at Humber, you could upgrade your degree with a postgraduate certificate in Wireless Telecommunications, Supply Chain Management or Project Management. Make technology work for you. Apply now and be well on your way to a successful career in technology. humber.ca/appliedtechnology/graduate Beyond vets, there’s a whole me- nagerie of animal-themed literature. The course includes poems by Atwood ( Elegy for a Giant Tortoise), Emily Dickinson ( Surgeons Must Be Very Careful) and Toronto writer Molly Peacock ( Fellini the Cat). Prose pieces include Hugh Lofting’s Dr. Doolittle and Rudyard Kipling’s Just So Stories. But it doesn’t end with animals. Many of the same issues touch both veterinarians and medical doctors. There’s Lam, a Toronto emer- gency physician whose short-story collection, Bloodletting and Miracu- lous Cures, won the 2006 Giller Prize. Or Atul Gawande, an American sur- geon whose essays have appeared in The New Yorker and Slate and have been collected in his books Compli- cations and Better. Many other works are collected in On Doctoring, an American an- thology of stories, poems and essays. American medical schools have taught medicine and literature courses since the early 1970s. Besides reading, students are re- quired to write their own poems, es- says or stories. “Almost anyone connected with veterinary medicine has a story,” says Stone. “They bring their thoughts and emotions to the forefront.” When DVM student Colleen Best took the course two years ago, she wrote a short piece about her bond with a racehorse she had nursed for a month after colic surgery. Talking over stories with colleagues is one thing, she says, but writing the story — and reading it during class — forced her to look at the experience differently. She says the course readings opened up discussion of morals and ethics in a non-confrontational way. “It was like the Aesop’s Fables of vet medicine. You could take something away from each one, and it made you better.” In a 2004 journal article, Stone and Weisert discussed the results of a survey that found many students thought the course had improved their understanding of the key top- ics. Stone says she thinks literature helps drive home lessons in a differ- ent way — and perhaps more effec- tively — than addressing the same topics in a more conventional lecture-based format. For instance, the essay Language Barriers by Elspeth Cameron Ritchie forces readers to ponder how vet lingo might differ from a client’s words and ideas, reinforcing the need to look at an issue from differ- ent perspectives. Similarly, Peacock’s Fellini the Cat contrasts the clinician’s and the client’s view of death. “It’s a spiritual time for owners,” says Stone. “Reading this kind of poem helps vet students reconnect with what this might mean for the average person. That’s the beauty of literature — people being able to ex- press their opinions and the oppor- tunity for dialogue.” Vet literature and the profession are connected at Guelph through other initiatives, including the “Community Readers” program launched last year. Under that pro- gram, all first-year students receive a copy of a selected book (last year it was The Chickens Fight Back by Waltner-Toews; this year it was The Rhino With the Glue-On Shoes and Other Surprising True Stories of Zoo Vets and Their Patients, edited by Lucy Spelman and Ted Mashima). The students are invited to discuss the book with graduate students, staff and faculty. Each year, the pro- gram culminates in a reading from the book. In another initiative, OVC will co-sponsor a March 30 reading by Toronto writer and broadcaster Erika Ritter from her new book. The Dog by the Cradle, the Serpent Be- neath: Some Paradoxes of Human- Animal Relationships. In May, how veterinarians are de- picted in literature and film will be the subject of a talk by OVC post-doc Marie-France Boissonneault during a Guelph conference on the chang- ing role of women in the profession. Boissonneault studied psychol- ogy and film, as well as marine sci- ence and communications, before meeting up with Stone. Now divid- ing her time between Guelph and her native Quebec, she has dug into memoirs, movies and animal litera- ture to learn how culture shapes ideas, particularly among new DVM students. At Guelph 4 February 25 , 2009 f n r ii <; She Knows Where Your Next Paycheque Is Coming From BY TERESA PITMAN P EK Lee knows what it’s like to be an uncertain student trying to figure out a new educational system and a new country. She came to Canada from her home in Malaysia to attend Grade 13 in Toronto, then enrolled at U of G. “When I first got here, foreign students couldn’t work on campus, and there were a lot of rules and regulations,” she says. Although much has changed since those days, work at the Univer- sity still follows many policies and guidelines. In her position as a hu- man resources service assistant, Lee knows them all. “I’m solving com- plicated problems every day,” she says. When she graduated from Guelph with a BA in economics in 1984, she joined the University’s ac- counting department and has worked on campus in one capacity or another ever since, initially in sec- retarial positions and for the last 1 7 years as an HR service assistant. Human Resources has seven ser- vice assistants, each responsible for specific areas of campus. Lee is re- sponsible for parts of OVC, Labora- tory Services and the Office of Research. She and her colleagues are the go-to people for departments and individuals needing help or in- formation related to compensation and benefits. “Part of what we do is help de- partments work through the process after an employee is hired,” says Lee. “Once we receive the paperwork, we make sure the person is paid accord- ing to University and any collective agreement guidelines.” That sounds reasonably straight- forward, until Lee mentions there are 32 different job classifications at UofG. “We have department-funded positions, trust-funded positions, part-time employees, all kinds of contract employees, undergraduate and graduate students in various roles, parental leaves — you can see how it gets complicated.” And if someone from another country is being hired, “we ensure that appropriate documentation such as work permits and all other information and pieces are in place so the person can begin working." Lee notes that this is a job where the only constant seems to be change. There are always new legis- lation, policies, procedures and pro- cesses to put in place and new software programs to learn. She adds that people often don’t realize how long it can take to com- plete some of the HR work she and her colleagues perform, even the most routine tasks. The University pays 7,400 employees every pay cy- cle, and about one-third of them don’t require any intervention on a pay-to-pay basis unless there’s a ne- gotiated increase. But the remaining employees may need time cards, a change in benefits or beneficiary, a record of employment or a new de- duction set up. And new employees need to be entered into the HR sys- tems, and any necessary adjustments must be made to ensure a correct first payment. “It’s not a process that can be eas- ily interrupted, but it’s the nature of the job,” says Lee. “Most employees take it for granted that their pay will show up on schedule, but few people realize the work that goes into mak- ing that happen." The hardest part of her job? When there’s a mistake in a pay- ment. “We have to reissue the cheque and then comes the hard part — figuring out what went wrong.” Lee says the most satisfying part of her work is the time she spends helping employees and students who come to her with questions. As an immigrant to Canada, she has plenty of empathy for foreign students working through the piles of paper- work and government require- ments. Although employees typically consult directly with Sun Life about benefit claims, they may occasion- ally require further clarification. For example, if a benefit claim has been rejected, employees will call Human Resources for assistance. Often the reason isn’t obvious, so Lee must discuss the circumstances with the insurance carrier before getting back to the concerned employee. Her co-workers are one more facet of the job that makes working at the University a pleasure for Lee. “My co-workers are great. We pick each other's brains about how to solve some of the problems we have to sort out at work, and we’re there for each other when we need some support.” Away from the office, Lee loves to travel. She spent this Christmas in Malaysia visiting family, then went fo Thailand, Singapore and Hong Kong. “I’m trying to cover as much territory as I can now that my son is grown,” she says. When she’s not travelling the world, Lee sees her most important task as “making sure everyone gets paid when they’re supposed to, even if it’s just for one day’s work." Master of Public Health Program Gets OCGS Nod New two-year degree will train experts in public health policy, system integration BY ANDREW VOWLES A new Guelph-flavoured mas- ter of public health (MPH) program will draw on U of G research strengths, including exper- tise in epidemiology and infectious diseases, to help keep people healthy in Ontario, Canada and abroad. The new two-year degree program was approved by Senate in 2008 and received approval early this year from the Ontario Council on Graduate Studies. The MPH program will train stu- dents for positions in health agen- cies, government ministries, non- I profit organizations, advocacy soci- eties and international organiza- tions, says Prof. Andrew Papa- dopoulos. Population Medicine, the program’s co-ordinator. Courses will be taught by about 10 faculty j members from across the Ontario i Veterinary College. Guelph students will learn about I epidemiology, environmental public health; infectious diseases; and zoonotic, food-borne and water- borne diseases. Papadopoulos says it’s important to connect animal and human health to ensure food and water safety and to help prevent and control diseases such as bird flu and SARS. He says the 2002/03 outbreak of SARS “showed us that the health sys- tem had good trained people on the ground, but we needed to step back to look at the system. The public health system needs people to think at a global level.” Training experts in public health policy and system integration is the purpose of the new Guelph program. As one of many new graduate programs in public health being es- tablished at institutions across Can- ada, U of G’s new offering is the only one in Ontario available through a veterinary school. The three-year- old program at the University of Waterloo focuses on health promo- tion and social aspects of disease. Other new programs at the Univer- sity of Toronto and Queen’s Univer- sity will emphasize human medicine. More than 20 new MPH pro- grams will eventually be offered in the country, says Papadopolous. A former public health professional with the City of Toronto, he came to Guelph last year and now belongs to the University’s Centre for Public Health and Zoonoses. U of G will admit about a dozen students to the new MPH program each year. Eleven current full-time and part-time M.Sc. students are of- ficially switching to the program now that it has been approved. Besides coursework, the program includes a 16- week practicum for students at various public health agencies. This summer, for instance, students will work with the Public Health Agency of Canada, the Na- tional Collaborating Centre for En- vironmental Health in Vancouver, the Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Health Unit and the Waterloo Wellington Infection Control Net- work. Papadopoulos is planning to hold a forum on campus in the fall for stu- dents to talk about their practicum projects. Underlining the “made-in- Guelph" aspects of the new program, Prof. Scott Weese, Pathobiology, notes that OVC “has unique strengths in zoonotic diseases that are not present elsewhere in Can- ada.” Referring to links between animal and human health, he adds: “The MPH program integrates with the increasing awareness of the need for a ‘one-medicine’ approach. The public health field needs people well-versed in infectious diseases, in- cluding zoonotic diseases.” Papadopoulos expects that about 60 per cent of the program’s students will be Guelph grads. It will also at- tract practitioners, including doctors and veterinarians, looking to up- grade their skills, he says. He plans to hire an MPH student this year to help study policy instru- ments in food safety. EYE EXAMS NOW ARRANGED • Eye Doctor Prescriptions Filled • Two Opticians with over 57 Years Combined Experience • Senior's Discount Available • Family has served Guelph and Wellington County since 1940 Scott Coburn Optical "A Name You Can Trust in Eyewear " Mon.-Thur*. 9:30 «.m.-8 p.m. aril Fri. 9:30 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sat 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Telephone 519-821-2020 Scon Coburn 123 WYNDHAM ST. N. 2 Hour Free Metered Parking Downtown | At Guelph 5 February 25, 2009 Babies Have 11 Times More Bisphenol A in Their Bodies Than Adults Do, Study Finds U of G toxicologist advises pregnant women to reduce or eliminate exposure to banned substance BY ANDREW VOWLES A S A MOM, Andrea Edginton recalls it was an easy choice. Her son was about 12 months old when she pitched his feeding bottles last year and bought new ones, following Health Canada’s an- nouncement of plans to ban plastic bottles containing the chemical bisphenol A (BPA). Edginton ’s son is now almost two years old and still BPA-free. Recall- ing her decision, she says: “The alter- natives are there, so why not use them?” But as a scientist who studies how the body gets rid of substances, she had lingering questions. What exactly was the problem with BPA in newborns and youngsters? “I researched a bit and thought: Let’s figure out why I did switch the bottles,” says Edginton, a two-time Guelph graduate who last year joined the faculty at the University of Waterloo’s pharmacy school. Figuring it out led her back to Guelph’s Department of Environ- mental Biology, where she had stud- ied environmental toxicology. There she found Prof. Len Ritter, who studies human health aspects of toxicology. Their result? “Mom’s” instincts had been cor- rect. They found that, compared with adults, newborns and infants may have up to 11 times as much BPA — reported to be linked to can- cer and reproductive and behavioural problems — in their bodies. Their study appeared late last year in Environmental Health Per- spectives, published by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences in the United States. The paper, listing Edginton as senior au- thor, supports Ottawa’s move to ban the substance in plastic baby bottles and suggests the industry look for replacement products. “I would advise a pregnant woman to try to reduce or entirely eliminate her exposure to bisphenol A,” says Ritter, who is executive di- rector of the Canadian Network of Toxicology Centres based at U of G. BPA is found in many everyday products, including baby bottles, liq- uid formula containers and food cans, as well as reusable water bot- tles. The substance can leach from containers and be ingested. Reports have suggested that ex- posure to BPA can interfere with the normal working of hormones in people and animals. Earlier studies have linked low BPA exposure to cancer, early onset of female sexual maturity, male fertility problems, impaired learning and behavioural problems such as aggressiveness. Exposure to current levels of the substance does not appear to pose a health risk for most Canadians, but money back walk in with your taxes, walk out with your money and you could win 55,000 towards a road trip, visit refundroadtrip.ca come in today or call 1-800-HRBl.OCK (472-5625) H&R BLOCK children and infants are considered to be more vulnerable than adults. Ritter and Edginton used data from adult human and animal stud- ies to estimate how long BPA stays in a baby’s body. Their mathematical model includes information about key enzymes that break down the chemical in the body. Those enzymes are found in much lower amounts at birth than in grownups. Assuming that BPA ex- posure is identical between babies and adults, the amount in a baby’s blood is about 1 1 times higher than in an adult, says Ritter. Confirming their results, another Environmental Health Perspectives study published last year using hu- man subjects found that BPA levels in children were 10 times higher than in adults. “It was exactly what we had pre- dicted,” says Ritter. “Governments need to move quickly to reduce or eliminate exposure as much as possi- ble, especially in sensitive popula- tions. And industry needs to develop alternatives. The target, especially in sensitive populations, is zero.” Health Canada is currently writ- ing regulations to ban polycarbonate baby bottles containing BPA. Can- ada is the first country to move to ban the substance in these contain- ers. Edginton says regulators need to account for physical differences be- tween adults and youngsters in set- ting standards for substances in blood plasma. She will speak in March at a panel in Germany, where regulators are proposing to follow Canada’s lead on banning BPA. For her PhD at Guelph, she stud- ied the effects of herbicides on frogs. SHOULD IT BE CALLED SLEEPING WEEK INSTEAD? Surely I was not the only library patron who was disappointed that the already limited weekend ser- vice hours for the U of G Library were further reduced during Reading Week. If reading is considered to be an important activity that the University wishes to encourage, then expansion of the service hours would be a more appropri- ate objective. Instead, the library opened at noon Feb. 14 and 15 and closed early in the evening all week. Perhaps the University should consider changing the name of its semester break to Sleeping Week. Mary Cyr, Professor Emerita School of Fine Art and Music * * * At Guelph welcomes letters to the editor. They should be limited to 500 words and submitted elec- tronically to editor Barbara Chance at b.chance@exec. uoguelph.ca. At Guelph 6 February 25, 2009 Profile A Happy Soul Singing secretary helps United Way campaign end on a high note By Mary Dickieson J ENNIFER BEEHLER SINGS IN THE SHOWER, sings in the car and sings to her Great Dane, Sophie. “I just love to sing,” she says. “It’s one of those things you do just because it makes your soul really happy.” Sometimes she even sings in public. According to Beehler, that’s anywhere anytime that anyone will give her a microphone. “I’m shameless. I really do love to sing and perform for an audience.” The campus community may remember Beehler’s performance in the University Idol com- petition held as a fundraiser for the 2008 United Way campaign. She represented OVC, where she is secretary to the chair of the Department of Clinical Studies. Besides singing for charity, she spoke on behalf of the United Way to hundreds of people on campus while serving as co-chair of the University’s 2008 fundraising drive. Working with Prof. Jim Atkinson, Animal and Poultry Science, business student Suba Naganathan and more than a thou- sand other volunteers, she cheered the campus community on to an all-time high of $490,300. That was more than $50,000 above the goal. “It was an amazing experience," says Beehler, who’s still awed by how successful the University ef- fort was. “People on campus are so incredibly gen- erous. It blows your mind. How can you not be astonished by the volunteers and donors who were so committed to supporting the United Way agen- cies? You can’t help but be affected by that kind of generosity and feel inspired to do more.” She will do more by completing her term as a co-chair during the University’s 2009 United Way campaign. In the meantime, she’s volunteering once a month at Norfolk Street United Church, cooking supper for the 10 to 20 homeless youth who come there every evening for a hot meal. “It’s a great program and a good thing to do,” she says. “I like being part of a community that cares.” Guelph is Beehler’s first community. She moved here with her mother and two sisters when she was six. This is where she learned to ride a horse and play hockey and where she got her first chance to sing in front of an audience. Describing herself as the biggest ham in the family, she says she and her sisters would record themselves singing and playing music and send the tapes to their father, who lived in California. Riding lessons led to another “happy soul” hobby that Beehler indulges as often as she can. She says she’s always look- ing for someone who needs help training quarter horses. And she still plays hockey on a U of G intramural team with other OVC staff and faculty. The veterinary college is Beehler’s second community. She’s been in her current job for eight years and says she’s “proud of the work we do here.” Prior to that, she spent 12 years at the Central Animal Facil- ity, “where I first got involved with the United Way. They run a great campaign there every year." Eventually, she became an area canvasser for the Depart- ment of Clinical Studies and was area co-ordinator for all of OVC in 2007. That year, the college earned the annual United Way Spirit Award. Next came a call from president Alastair Summerlee asking her to co-chair the campus-wide campaign in 2008 and 2009. “1 was incredibly flattered," she says, “and you just can’t say no to Alastair.” Beehler says plans are already under way for the 2009 cam- paign, although the new faculty and student co-chairs have not yet been announced. She is filled with praise for the faculty, staff, students and retirees who volunteer every year to raise money for the United Way. "Running the campus-wide campaign is a really busy, big job, but the volunteers are such a great group of people, it’s im- possible to find anything negative about the experience. They’re inspiring.” Being a U of G co-chair has also given her a seat on the Guelph and Wellington United Way committee, where she says she’s gained a different perspective on the lay of the land in Guelph. “I am fortunate, I’m healthy. I’ve got a great job, family and friends, but I can see how much other people in our community rely on the organizations that are funded by the United Way. Our colleagues in the Guelph-Wellington campaign were incredi- bly grateful for the fundraising success we had on campus last fall.” Beehler’s third community is immersed in Guelph’s thriving music scene. She doesn’t play an | instrument or read music, but after singing to her f dad and a dog born deaf, she finally got the chance j to perform with a group of “real” musicians about | six years ago. The band was called Sack of Yams, and they performed at local events and a few bars I during their time together. 5 Beehler sang pop, contemporary, blues and rock with the Yams and found some songwriting part- ners among its members. For the U of G Idol com- petition, she chose an original song — Soul Mate 11 — that she wrote with band member Phil Langlotz. In November, she sang at one of her fa vourite musical events: an annual charity concert orga- nized by Pastor Chris Claus at James Street Baptist Church in Hamilton. She and some of her Yams partners were invited to perform a few years ago, and she’s been going back ever since to help raise money for the church’s Out-of-the-Cold program by celebrating the music of the Beatles. This winter, she and co-writer Andrew Taylor entered the Guelph Singer-Songwriter Competi- tion. They performed three original songs Feb. 17 at Wally's Tavern, which is hosting the competi- tion . Local songwriters are performing every Tues- day night until March 10, when a finalist from each evening will vie for top honours. Beehler and Taylor sang The Story of You and Me, A Different Kind of Misery and Stop Thinking. The first is a love song, the second is about getting over loss, and the third is about getting out of your own way. She explains: “Have you ever been trying to make a decision when you sud- denly realize that your heart has already made the decision for you? That’s when you need to stop thinking.” The duo has also taken advantage of the open-mic songwriters’ cafc hosted by Keith Thompson and Manhattans Pizza on Monday nights. Their recent performance there re- sulted in an invitation to appear as a featured act during the first hour of the club’s March 9 cafr. “It’s a huge compliment to us to be asked to do this,” says Beehler. Although she admits she’d like to have even more opportu- nities to sing on stage, she isn’t hoping that a talent scout will be sitting in the audience. “I’m not looking for another career. I sing for fun and good health. Music is joyful. It makes my soul happy.” Hammond Lecturer to Focus on Fuelling the Future Author to discuss political, environmental implications of energy revolution u NERGY and die Environ- L_ ment” is the theme of this year’s Kenneth Hammond Lectures on Environment, Energy and Resources March 6 and 7. The annual series is hosted by the Faculty of Environmental Sciences (FES). Journalist, author and commen- tator Paul Roberts will give the key- note address March 6 at 7 p.m. in War Memorial Hall. His free talk will focus on “Fuelling the Future: The Political and Environmental Impli- cations of the Energy Revolution.” Last year, Roberts published The End of Food, a book about the mod- em food economy. That volume fol- lowed 2004’s The End of Oil , which will form the basis of his U of G lec- ture. “Until last November, the single most important thing people talked about was energy prices,” says Prof. Joe Ackerman, FES associate dean. Although oil prices have fallen from last year’s highs, he predicts they will rise again. “This problem hasn’t gone away. This year, next year, en- ergy prices will go back up.” A free symposium will take place March 7 beginning at 10 a.m. at the Ramada Hotel and Conference Cen- tre. Speakers include Marc Imhoffof NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Cen- ter discussing “Human Appropria- tion of Net Primary Production: Can the Earth Keep Up?” and Mark Jaccard of Simon Fraser University presenting “Actions and Policies for GHG Reductions.” Also on the ros- ter are Peter Shulman of Case West- ern Reserve University (“The Prophet, the Pessimist and the Pe- troleum Geologist/How We Used to Think About the Future of Energy”) and Peter Garforth of Garforth In- ternational (“Urban Megatrends and Energy Impacts”). A panel dis- cussion will follow. Space is limited for the symposium, so registration is required at hls@uoguelph.ca. The lecture series is named after the late Kenneth Hammond, a for- mer member of Board of Governors and an advocate of environmental and resource issues and environ- mental education. For more details about this year’s program, visit www. envsci.uoguelph.ca/news/hammond -Iecture/Hammonds20089.cfm. At Guelph j February 25, 2009 Keeping a Clean Veterinary Clinic New online manual from OVC will help small-animal veterinarians stem disease spread among pets, people BY ANDREW VOWLES M ore than two out of three medical doctors fail to wash their hands between patients, according to an Ontario study released last year. Ask veterinarians about their hygiene and infection control practices, and you might get an even worse response, says Prof. Scott Weese, Pathobiology. Helping small-animal veterinari- ans improve their practices and pre- vent infectious diseases from spreading among pets and people is the purpose of a new online manual developed at OVC. Published in December, Infection Prevention and Control: Best Prac- tices for Small Animal Veterinary Clinics shows how to design an in- fection control program and sug- gests basic practices to keep clinics clean. The 70-page manual — believed to be the first of its kind for veteri- nary medicine — was written by Weese, pathobiology professor John Prescott, post-doc Maureen Ander- son and second-year DVM student Jenny Montgomery. "These are the first nationally available guidelines for all veterinar- ians,” says Prescott. The new guidelines aren’t man- datory, but the manual suggests how to improve procedures such as rou- tine hygiene and cleaning of cloth- ing and equipment, surgical practices, patient care and handling, and personal safety. Aimed at clinic vets and staff members, it includes tables with precautions to follow until a disease is confirmed, as well as worksheets that help vets audit their practices from clinic design to dress-code policies. “It’s intended to be simple and helpful,” says Prescott. And it’s a needed resource, adds Weese. As concern rises over the spread of MRSA (methicillin-resist- ant Staphylococcus aureus) and other disease pathogens, more veterinari- ans need to pay attention to infec- tion control basics, he says. Few studies have looked at infec- tion control practices in veterinary medicine, but Prescott says he'd give most vet clinics a seven or eight out of 10. “We can always do better, and this manual will help in the process.” Weese lectures on infection con- trol in DVM courses. Along with graduate students, he plans to study practitioners’ compliance with in- fection control and ideas for im- proving hygiene. He has written about hand- washing practices on the “Worms and Germs” blog on safe pet owner- ship that he maintains with Ander- son. (They also write about infectious diseases in horses at www.equID blog.com.) Anderson, a DVM graduate and former large-animal resident, co- ordinated a study published last year that found horse vets who routinely washed their hands between farm visits were less likely to transmit MRSA. "People are expecting better health care for their animals,” says Prescott, pointing to growing wor- ries over such threats as anti-micro- bial resistance and vulnerability to diseases among immuno-compro- mised animals. “The manual helps people recog- nize that the University of Guelph is at the forefront of veterinary infec- tious disease control.” The Guelph group received a grant from the Canadian Committee on Antibiotic Resistance, which published a similar document in 2007 on infection prevention and control in human health-care facilities. The manual is endorsed by the Canadian Veterinary Medical Asso- ciation and U of G’s Centre for Pub- lic Health and Zoonoses. For an online copy, visit www.wormsand germsblog.com and click on “Resources.” Two CRCs Renewed Continued from page 1 can outstrip existing devices in terms of size and can perform logic func- tions not possible with current ma- terials. For example, spintronics are expected to provide the first means of developing quantum computing devices capable of human-like artificial intelligence. Preuss is part of Guelph’s Mole- cules and Materials Synthesis Group, where 10 faculty members are collaborating to create new ma- terials and investigate properties of those substances. Klironomos and McCann were I originally awarded CRCs in 2003. I Klironomos used his chair to estab- lish a lab and training centre where scientists are exploring the biology and ecology of soil organisms, as well as the interactions and feed- backs between below-ground and above-ground communities and ecosystems. McCann developed a research program to uncover the role and function of biodiversity in ecosys- tems, especially the role of the larger ecological systems and the potential for conserving them. Ottawa established the CRC pro- gram in 2000 as a way of enabling Canadian universities to attract and retain excellent faculty. after hours ANNA MANDOLESI Teacher in the preschool program at the UofG Child-Care and Learning Centre since 1990 She hasn’t sung for Prime Min- ister Stephen Harper — at least not yet — but the Guelph- based Coro Cantitalia choir Anna Mandolesi sings soprano with has performed for former prime ministers Jean Chretien and Paul Martin. ‘Tve been singing with the Coro for 16 years,” says Mandolesi, “and we’ve also performed at the inauguration of the last two Guelph mayors and have travelled to other cities such as Montreal.” Coro Cantitalia performs primarily in Italian but does do a few pieces, such as the national anthem, in English. For someone who loves to sing as much as Mandolesi does, one choir just isn’t enough. She has also been part of the St. Joseph’s Catholic Church choir for nearly 30 years and is often a soloist on Sunday mornings. In addition to her twice-weekly choir practices, she devotes time to community charities, doing canvassing for the Heart and Stroke Foundation and the Kidney Foundation. She feels a particular connection to the Heart and Stroke Foundation because her father died of a heart attack at a young age. Close to Mandolesi’s heart, and with first claim on her remaining free time, are her five grandsons, who all live in the Guelph area. She loves to attend their hockey and soccer games and to cheer on one grandson who plays in chess tournaments. “I really enjoy watching the boys play.” GORDON KIRBY Associate dean (research and innovation) at OVC and a faculty member in the Department of Biomedical Sciences, joined UofG in 1994 When Prof. Gordon Kirby was invited to participate in a bam raising with a retired col- league’s Amish neighbours 14 years ago, he found a new craft that met his needs for a creative hands-on activity. “We built a two-storey bam in one day, and I thought: ‘This is amazing.’” The style of building those bam raisers used is called tim- ber framing, and Kirby has since built three structures — each larger than the last — with these techniques. “It’s like putting together a jigsaw puzzle, except you make your own pieces,” he says. One reason he enjoys this type of building is that the individual beams used to support a structure can be cut and shaped off-site — in Kirby’s case, in his heated ga- rage. The downside, he admits, is that “you don’t know if you’ve made a mistake, like cutting a piece too short, un- til the last day when you put everything together.” His first project was a backyard gazebo, and his sec- ond was a garden shed. Most recently, he built a carriage house for a friend’s property and gathered a group of friends and his own teenage children to do the final assembly. “The building was 16 feet by 20 feet, so the beams were big. It took four men to carry them.” With those projects behind him, Kirby is now look- ing for some property — probably in the Laurentians, so his family can use it as a base for skiing in the winter as well as summer activities — where he can build a tim- ber-framed cottage. “I find it very satisfying to build something using these old tools and techniques, and to work with a group of people and see it all come together in the end. I’m looking forward to my next project.” PRIYANTHA KULASEKERA PhD candidate in the Department of Land Resource Sci- ence As an international student from Sri Lanka, Priyantha Kulasekera spends much of his free time reaching out to others who share his South Asian background. For two years, he was on the executive board of U of G’s In- ternational Students’ Organi- zation and was its repre- sentative to the Graduate Stu- Priyantha dents’ Association. Last fall, he Klfiasekera helped found the South Asian Students’ Association and now serves as its president. With more than 130 members, this group brings to- gether students from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Afghanistan, the British Indian Ocean Territory and Maldives. Anyone with an interest in these cultures is welcome to join the club. “We look at ways to collaborate and create harmony because, even though there are differences between some of our countries, we still have a common basis where all our countries can come together and make progress,” says Kulasekera. “We also look for opportuni- ties to share our culture with others.” To that end, the club is organizing a South Asian ex- hibition and fair to run all day in the University Centre March 19. “We’ll have exhibits from all the countries and a concert at noon,” he says. Later in the year, the group will host a South Asian film festival and a formal dance for South Asian students. Kulasekera, who was also involved in organizing the last two “One World” multicultural shows held on campus, says his participation in these events helps when he feels the pull towards his homeland. “I’m far away from my home, and although I have my wife here with me, I miss my parents a lot.” The current civil war in Sri Lanka has intensified his concerns, he adds. “I miss the chance to be there when this crisis is going on and at a time when we need to be finding peaceful solutions.” Gordon Kirby Hunger Awareness Week Set M eal Exchange hosts its annual Hunger Awareness Week March 2 to 7. A variety of organizations, councils and commu- nity members are staging a range of events designed to boost awareness of hunger issues in Guelph and to encourage students and other mem- bers of the community to help solve them. Running throughout the week is a food drive in the University Centre courtyard. It features a Hunger Wall made up of canned goods that mem- bers of the University can buy and donate. A docudrama series hosted by the Central Student Association (CSA) food bank and Meal Exchange will also run all week. On March 2, Meal Exchange presents “Art for Change,” a display of hunger-inspired paintings, po- ems, photos and drawings, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the UC courtyard. At 5:30 p.m., Leisha Zamenick, com- munications and program manager for Meal Exchange National, will discuss “Food Insecurity and Volun- teerism” in UC 441. On March 3, a Conversation Cafe from noon to 1 p.m. in UC 442 offers an opportunity to sit down in small groups to discuss hunger issues. Um’Khonde Habemenshi, an au- thor and veterinarian who survived the Rwandan genocide and now works with the United Nations on agricultural issues, will talk about his life and about sustainable develop- ment March 4 at 5:30 p.m. in Room 1 1 3 of the MacNaughton Building. On March 5, the CSA’s human rights office and Free the Children will team up for the University Vow of Silence in support of the millions of children around the world who have no voice. The protest involves not talking or texting for 24 hours. On March 7, teams of six will face off at “Road Hockey for Hunger” in parking lot P 1 4. T earns must register by March 5 at meal@uoguelph.ca; the fee is $18. Hunger Awareness Week wraps up that afternoon with a concert called “Beat Hunger” from noon to 4 p.m. in the UC courtyard. Food and cash donations for the CSA food bank will be collected. Anyone wish- ing to perform can contact Meal Ex- change at Ext. 58212 or meal@ uoguelph.ca. At Guelph 8 February 25, 2009 THE UNIVERSITY OF GUELPH & THE SCHOOL OF FINE ART AND MUSIC Is pleased to present the thlnl Annual SHENKMAN LECTURE IN CONTEMPORARY ART WAR MEMORIAL HALL UNIVERSITY OF GUELPH WEDNESDAY MARCH II, 2009 5:30PM All Things Portuguese New language courses, seminars mesh with prof s interest in Portugal’s ‘ Golden Age BY TERESA PITMAN T he seeds of history professor Susannah Ferreira’s interest in all things Portuguese were sown when she was just nine years old. Her family moved from Ontario for two years to a fairly isolated community in West Java, Indonesia, that didn’t have many educational opportu- nities. As a result, Ferreira did her studying through correspondence courses, which turned out to be considerably outdated. “The social studies courses had a lot of emphasis on overseas expan- sion and the building of empires,” she says. Living in Indonesia, parts of which had been settled by the Portu- guese and later the Dutch, Ferreira was gaining another perspective on the issue first-hand. “I developed an early interest in colonization and Eu- ropean overseas empires,” she says. That interest led her to Trent University, where she took courses on European overseas expansion as part of her history degree. As she moved on to an MA/PhD program at Johns Hopkins University, she real- ized that little research had been done on Portuguese domestic his- tory during the country’s “Golden Age” of expansion. So she decided to examine Portugal’s political culture at the turn of the 1 6th century as part of. her dissertation. To complete her research, Ferreira had to learn Portuguese and spend two years in Lisbon. Her time there deepened her interest in Portu- gal and its culture, but mastering the language wasn’t easy for her. “Learning the language as an adult was hard. I read it better than I speak it, and because I work with 15th- and 16th-century sources, I find it really hard to spell modem Portuguese.” Her stay in Lisbon brought an- other benefit: it was there that she met her husband. After completing her PhD, Ferreira taught at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland for a year be- fore joining U of G in 2004. Since then, she’s been excited to see the growing interest in Portuguese and Brazilian language and culture in the College of Arts, as well as in the Uni- versity as a whole. One of the most recent develop- ments is the launch of two introduc- tory courses in Portuguese in the School of Languages and Literatures (SOLAL). “That opens a door into the culture,” she says. “With the growing influence of Brazil in eco- nomic and business arenas, it’s a valuable language for people to know. I hope more and more stu- dents recognize that.” Portuguese is the official lan- guage of nine countries and is ranked sixth in the world in terms of num- ber of native speakers. Other on-campus initiatives that Ferreira is excited about are SOLAL’s series of Brazilian film nights and the Department of History's Portuguese (Luso)-Atl antic seminars, which fea- ture speakers with expertise in the history of Brazil and the Portuguese MNlVERSn Vf-GUB PH Prof. Susannah Ferreira hopes more and more students will recognize the value of learning Portuguese. photo by martin schwalbe Empire. The seminar series has al- ready hosted Jos6 Pedro Paiva of the Universidade de Coimbra and A.J.R. Russell-Wood of Johns Hopkins University. Next up is a talk by Ivana Elbl of Trent University March 9 at 12:30 p.m. in Room 1 16 of the Crop Science Building. She will discuss “Chivalric Ethos and the Portuguese Slave Raids in the Atlantic Sahara, 1441-1446.” That’s close to the period Ferreira covered in her dissertation, which compared the courts of Manuel I of Portugal (1495-1521) and Henry VII of England (1485-1509). “Portugal at the time was a pow- erful kingdom and was undertaking a major program of overseas expan- sion,” she says. “The Portuguese royal court, in comparison with its European counterparts, became very wealthy through revenue from the spice trade. The English court had to rely on domestic revenues and prof- its of intracontinental trade.” On the other hand, the courts in both countries were expanding in similar ways, she says. “Both kingdoms undertook sig- nificant programs of administrative reform aimed at maximizing their income, allowing them to increase the size of their courts. And both kings used the expansion of the court as a response to the overwhelming political pressures they were feeling at the turn of the 16th century.” What surprised her most during her research was how cosmopolitan the Portuguese court was in the 15th and 16th centuries and the degree of cultural interaction that it housed. “A general assumption is that people didn’t travel much in those days and that kingdoms were fairly insular, but there was actually a great deal of pan-European contact and influence at the royal court in this period.” Ferreira is now expanding part of her thesis into a book and expects to finish it within the next two years. She’s also expanding her family — she and her husband are expecting their third child in June. 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At Guelph 9 February 25, 2009 Living Library ‘Start of Something Big’ Continued from page 1 students or members of the local community. “1 thought it sounded like an in- ! teresting event and a unique way to give people a new understanding of other people’s lifestyles and chal- lenges,” says Cyndy McLean, direc- tor of the Health and Performance Centre. A former marathon runner and elite-level athlete who was left para- plegic after falling off a cliff in 2003, McLean will be one of the living library “books” on physical disa- I bilities. The University hopes to have a ! few “books” on each topic so that numerous people can participate during the two-day event. People will reserve “books” in advance, checking them out for 20-minute periods. There is no limit on the number of “books” a person can take out. “Books” and their readers will meet in a section of the McLaughlin Library cordoned off for the event. “Libraries have always been about educating people, allowing them to learn things they didn’t know before by providing books and other resources,” says Ridley. “This is just another way of doing that, and it’s very exciting.” Chapman adds that she believes U of G’s living library will be “the start of something big. I truly hope this event sets an example for the changes we need to make in society. The Guelph community is com- posed of some very accepting, pas- sionate people, and it’s a place where these changes can originate.” For information about reserving a “book” at U of G’s living library, send e-mail to livinglibrary@ uoguelph.ca. More information about living libraries is available online at www. lib.uoguelph.ca/Living_Library. Where Are You Now? If you can identify where this photo was taken, you will have your name entered in a draw to be held in |une for a $50 gift certificate from the U of G Bookstore. Anyone who submits the right answer by Feb. 27 at 4:45 p.m. is eligible. Send your response to r.kendall@exec.uoguelph.ca or call Ext. 56039. The following people correctly reported that the Feb. 11 photo was of the central utilities plant: Barbara Cook, Jennifer Minogue, Timothy Diebel, Ray Hutchison, Bill Clair, Danny Martin and |ohn Van Manen. photo by Rebecca kendall ’'■U' •> R U R B A VISION itHorne 55) hardware losing ,our he ' ,p GRANITE ♦ MARBLE ♦ NATURAL STONE DESIGN ♦ MANUFACTURE ♦ INSTALLATION ROB DURIGON 519-821-5880 519-821-2422 f«.\ 987 York Road, Unit #$ Guelph. Ontario NIK 6Y9 graniiew < >rx©l nrllnci.ca Tel. 519-823-9400 www.purbavision.com Fax. 519-823-2273 Campus Hardware Limited 1027 Gordon Street Guelph, Ontario NIG 4X1 Tel. (519) 836-3721 Fax (519) 836-5664 Helen Maciag Banner Stands Order new or we can print new graphics for your existing banner stand Banner-Up Retractable Urga Format Printing By: ^.Roland nmuiJiMiui.rara Eye Exams Safety Glasses Contact Lenses Designer Frames Sunglasses Jai Jassai lnto@purt>avtsion 1388 Gordon St., Unit 1 Guelph, Ontario NIL 1C8 Canada At Guelph 10 February 25, 2009 CLASSIFIEDS FOR SALE 2000 Oldsmobile Alero, two-door, five-speed manual, black, power windows and mirrors, sunroof, key- less entry, CD and cassette player, 275,000 highway kilometres, Shane, 519-824-5404. Four-bedroom bungalow in Arthur, 2,400 square feet, 60- by 200-foot lot, 2Vi baths, hardwood and ceramic floors, main-floor laundry, two-tier deck, finished walkout basement to patio and hot tub, over- sized double garage, landscaped yard, custom-built playhouse, Mark or Cheryl, 519-848-3441, mddennis@sympatico.ca or visit www.propertyguys.com, ID 1 16379. Antique pine harvest table, rare six- foot length; framed, numbered and signed Norval Morrisseau print titled Bear Spirit, Mennonite dou- ble-size quilt, sunny and earth colours, photos available, aholling@ registrar, uoguelph .ca. Coffee table and two end tables, solid wood, white distressed, shabby chic, good condition, 519-822-1116, bpatteso03@rogers.com or bpatteso @uoguelph.ca. Kenmore table-top room humidi- fier, used only once, Ext. 56580. Black KitchenAid 30-inch self-clean- ing convection gas range, about two years old, top of line, excellent con- dition, 519-836-1555 or chenviky@ hotmail.com. Black 2006 Chevy Cobalt LS, 2.2-litre, four doors, snow tires, 51,000 km, 9,000 km left on war- ranty, 519-821-6105 before 9 p.m. or littled@uoguelph.ca. Bungalow with self-contained income apartment on lower level, close to downtown, hardwood floors on main level, new kitchen with built-in laundry, new windows and doors, new kitchen and bathroom in downstairs walkout, wood-burning fireplace, 519-265-3374 or visit www.privateforsaleclub.com, ID 1042. Kenmore dryer with extra-large load capacity, excellent condition, 519- 837-3809. FOR RENT Three-bedroom two-storey farm- house in Belwood, 1 Vi baths, family room, spacious country kitchen, available April 1, arrangements can be made for accommodation and pasture for horses, $1,200 a month, 910-947-1659 after 6 p.m. Large room in lower level of condo, separate bath and kitchenette/laun- dry room, one parking spot, Internet, quiet woman preferred, non-smokers, no pets, short- or long-term rental, $600 a month inclusive, elayne.starr@gmail.com. Furnished one-bedroom apartment in southwest Paris, France, short- term rental; two-bedroom holiday home in Antibes on French Riviera, weekly or monthly, 519-836-6745 or frimoll@rogers.com. WANTED Accommodation for visiting profes- sor, March 1 to mid -April, 416- 505-8407. Math tutor for Grade 10 student in old University area, once or twice weekly, Craig, 519-362-4261. Adults with Type 2 diabetes, not tak- ing insulin, blood glucose or choles- terol-lowering medications, needed for bread nutrition study in Depart- ment of Human Health and Nutri- tional Sciences, financial compensa- tion, Ext. 58081 or bread@ uoguelph.ca. Department of Computing and Information Science seeks volun- teers for study to help victims of neuromuscular disease, between 30 and 45 minutes required, financial compensation, tdoan@uoguelph.ca. Ride from campus to Toronto or TTC Tuesdays and Thursdays, leav- ing at about 5:20 p.m., will pay or share cost of gas, echang@uoguelph. ca. Homestay families or individuals to host international ESL students, homestay@uoguelph.ca. Adults with high blood cholesterol but not on cholesterol-lowering medication for oat cereal study, compensation, Ext. 58081 or oatstudy@uoguelph.ca. Subjects for study on zinc levels in sue- to eight-year-old boys, compen- sation, 519-820-2633 or zip@ uoguelph.ca. AVAILABLE Housecleaning, painting, etc., 519- 7 1 6-91 28 or bwheeler@uoguelph.ca. Classifieds is a free service available to staff, faculty, students, alumni and retirees of the University. Sub- mit items to Linda Graham on Level 4 of the University Centre, fax to 519-824-7962 or send e-mail to l.graham@exec.uoguelph.ca. Club Toscana Italian & European www.clubtoscana.com Active Travel Club Toscana offers some of Italy and Europe’s best Biking, Walking, Hiking and Multi Sport Vacations! Exciting itineraries that cover Italy from North to South, France, Austria, Czeck Republic, and Switzerland. 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Arboretum gardener Lenore Ross offers a workshop on growing perennials from seed March 26 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Cost is $50. Registra- tion and payment are due March 1 2. "An Ecological Vegetable Garden” is the focus of Denise Jupp March 27 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Cost is $50. The deadline for registration and payment is March 13. Opening March 27 at Theatre in the Trees is Self Help by Norm Foster. Directed by Bud Brennan, it runs weekends until May 10. Dinner is at 6:30 p.m.; showtime is 8 p.m. For tickets, call Ext. 54110. COLLOQUIUM The TransCanada Institute hosts an interdisciplinary colloquium on “Narrating Mennonite Canada: His- tory and/as Literature” Feb. 27 from 1 to 6 p.m. at 9 University Ave. It will feature Governor General's Award- winning author Rudy Weibe, Hildi Froese Tiessen of Conrad Grebel University College and Royde n Loewen of the University of Winni- peg. Space is limited, so advance reg- istration is requested at www. transcanadas.ca/news. The Spanish studies program in the School of Languages and Literatures presents the film Tierra March 1 1 at 7 p.m. in MacKinnon 309. CONCERTS LECTURES The School of Languages and Litera- tures’ lecture series continues with Patrick Leroux of Concordia Uni- versity Feb. 26 at 1 p.m. in MacKinnon 305. His topic is “Auto- feflexivife dans le th&ktre qu6b£cois: le miroir d’un devenir perp£tuel.” As part of U of G’s celebration of the International Year of Astronomy, the Department of Physics presents professor emeritus Jim Hunt dis- cussing “A Random Walk Through Ancient Astronomy” March 4 at 7 p.m. in Rozanski 101. Author Paul Roberts will give the keynote talk in the Kenneth Hammond Lectures on Environ- ment, Energy and Resources March 6 at 7 p.m. in War Memorial Hall. His topic is “Fuelling the Future: The Political and Environmental Impli- cations of the Energy Revolution.” The School of Fine Art and Music hosts the third annual Shenkman Lecture in Contemporary Art March 11 at 5:30 p.m. in War Memorial Hall. Guest speaker is U.S. artist Roni Horn. NOTICES The School of Fine Art and Music’s Thursdays at Noon concert series continues Feb. 26 with the Yellow River Ensemble, a Chinese music troupe, and March 5 with "Every Three Children — Remembering Africa,” featuring Carol Ann Weaver on piano, Rebecca Campbell on vocals, Anne Lindsey on violin, Ben Bolt-Martin on cello and Emma Elkinson on flute. On March 12, the Light of East Ensemble performs music of the near and Middle East. Concerts start at 12:10 p.m. in MacKinnon 107. The U of G Women’s Choir con- ducted by Prof. Marta McCarthy hosts the University of Toronto Women’s Choir and the Saint Mary’s College Women’s Choir March 13 at 7:30 p.m. at Harcourt United Church. Tickets are $10 gen- eral, $8 for students and seniors. "Docurama,” the film series spon- sored by the U of G Library and the Central Student Association, contin- ues with Blindsight March 3 at 7 p.m. in Thornbrough 1307 and March 4 at 4:30 p.m. in Thombrough 1200. Also scheduled is a screening of The Betrayal March 10 at 4:30 p.m. in Thornbrough 1307. U of G’s 2009 Master of Fine Arts Studio will feature the work of MFA students and specialized studio undergraduates March 1 1 from 3 to 5:15 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. in Black- wood Hall, the Fire Hall and the Textiles Building. SEMINARS Nominations are still open for Guelph’s annual student life awards, which recognize students, staff, fac- ulty and community members and groups who contribute to the enhancement of student life at the University. Nomination deadline is Feb. 27 at 4 p.m. For more details and nomination forms, visit the website www.studentlife.uoguelph. Ca/AwardsandRecognition.shtml. A breakfast fundraiser for women in Afghanistan will be held March 5 at 7 a.m. at the Arboretum Centre. Guest speaker is journalist Sally Armstrong. Tickets are $100. For tickets or information, call Ext. 54344 or send e-mail to afghaned@uoguelph.ca. V-Day Guelph presents A Memory, a Monologue, a Rant and a Prayer Feb. 27 at 8 p.m. and Feb. 28 at 2 and 8 p.m. in War Memorial Hall. Tickets are $10 and are available at the Cen- tral Student Association office in UC 274 or by sending e-mail to vdayguelph@gmail.com. Proceeds go to Guelph-Wellington Women in Crisis and Campus SafeWalk. The Stress Management and High Performance Clinic offers a four-session program on managing headaches starting March 4 at 7:30 p.m. in UC 335. For registration information, pick up a pamphlet at the Info Desk on UC Level 1, visit www.uoguelph.ca/~ksomers or leave a message at Ext. 52662. The Department of Pathobiology seminar series continues Feb. 27 with Prof. Shayan Sharif discussing “Probiotics and the Immune Sys- tem: Myths and Facts” at 1 1 a.m. in Pathobiology 2106. Todd Morris of the Great Lakes Lab- oratory for Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences in Burlington is guest speaker in the Department of Inte- grative Biology* s “Loaves and Fishes” seminar series Feb. 27. His topic is “Working Towards the Recovery of Canada’s Endangered Freshwater Mussels: Population and Life- History Characteristics of the Wavyrayed Lampmussel.” The series continues March 6 with post- doc Kazutaka Yanase discussing “Aquatic Locomotion in Fish: How Do Fish Swim So Effectively?” and March 13 with Prof. Rich Moccia, Animal and Poultry Science, exam- ining “Eco- toxicology of Botulinum Poisoning in Great Lakes Fish and Birds: The Challenges of Uncer- tainty.” The seminars are at 12:30 p.m. in science complex 3317. “The Role of DIR 1 in Long-Distance Signalling During Systemic Acquired Resistance” is the topic of Robin Cameron of McMaster Uni- versity March 2 in the seminar series hosted by the plant biology group in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology. On March 9, Denis Maxwell of the University of West- ern Ontario considers “Mitochon- dria and Intracellular Stress Sensing and Signalling in Chlamydomonas." The seminars begin at 3:30 p.m. in science complex 2315. The Department of Mathematics and Statistics presents Florin Diacu of the University of Victoria explain- ing “The N-Body Problem in Spaces of Constant Curvature” March 3 at noon. On March 10, Prof. Jeremy Balka talks about “Cure Rates” at 2:30 p.m. The seminars are in science complex 1511. Next up in the Department of Inte- grative Biology seminar series is Dirk Weihrauch of the University of Manitoba discussing “Ammonia Transport: A Lesson From Crabs” March 3. On March 10, Prof. Kevin McCann focuses on “The More Food Webs Change, the More They Stay the Same.” The seminars are at 3:30 p.m. in science complex 2315. Cafe Scientifique, hosted by the Fac- ulty of Environmental Sciences and the Bookshelf, continues with a talk by Prof. Rumina Dhalla, Business, on “How Can We Green Business?” March 3 at 7 p.m. at the Bookshelf. Susan Gottesman of the National Cancer Institute is guest speaker in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology seminar series March 4 at 12:30 p.m. in Animal Sci- ence and Nutrition 156. Her topic is “Small RNAs and the Bacterial Responses to Stress.” The Campbell Centre for the Study of Animal Welfare presents Char- lotte Bum of the Royal Veterinary College in London discussing “Doing the Donkey Work: Using Science to Improve Working Equine Welfare in Developing Countries” March 4 at 4 p.m. in Animal Science and Nutrition 141. “Making Western Canada Monoga- mous: Polygamy and Other Cracks in the Foundation for the Nation” is the focus of Sarah Clark of the Uni- versity of Alberta in the Department of History seminar series March 6 at 1 p.m. in the OAC Boardroom in Johnston Hall. The Department of History’s Portu- guese (Luso) -Atlantic seminar series features Ivana Elbl of Trent Univer- sity exploring “Chivalric Ethos and the Portuguese Slave Raids in the Atlantic Sahara, 1441-1446” March 9 at 12:30 p.m. in Crop Science 116. The women’s studies program and the Department of History present Barbara Brooks of the University of Otago, New Zealand, discussing “Failed Breadwinners and Unchaste Women: Gender and Shame in the 20th Century” March 9 at 3 p.m. in MacKinnon 132. The Department of Environmental Biology seminar series continues with Prof. John Klironomos, Inte- grative Biology, explaining “Mycor- rhizal Functioning in Terrestrial Ecosystems” March 12 at 1:30 p.m. in Graham 2307. TSS’s “Learning Circle” discussions continue with “Teaching on the Edge” March 6, “Community-Based Learning and Teaching” March 2, “Engaging in Education Research” March 4 and “Transformative Learning” March 9. The “Women in Academe” series continues March 10 with a discus- sion of “Work and Family Balance in Public and Private Sectors.” Instructors with questions about BlackBoard courses they are cur- rently running can take advantage of drop-in clinics Wednesdays from 1 to 2:30 p.m. and Thursdays from 2:30 to 4 p.m. in McLaughlin 200-A. TSS also offers a BlackBoard support line at Ext. 52530. THEATRE TEACHING SUPPORT Full details and a registration link for Teaching Support Services pro- grams can be found at www.tss. uoguelph.ca. Upcoming events for teaching assist- ants include “TA Food for Thought” Feb. 27 and a workshop on “Active Learning and Student Engagement” March 17. The Curriculum Development Re- source Network hosts the showcase event “Improving Analytical Skills Through Writing” March 6. It will feature three presentations: “The Lure of Publication" with Prof. Dan Thomas, associate dean of the B.Sc. program, and academic liaison librarian Peggy Pritchard; “Staging Independent Research Assign- ments" with Prof. Carol Dauda, Psychology, and “Incorporating Informal/In-Class Writing in a Course” with Profs. Alice Hovorka, Geography, and Ema Van Duren, Business. The School of English and Theatre Studies presents Uhu Roi by Alfred Jarry March 16 to 21 in the George Luscombe Theatre. Directed by Prof. Scott Duchesne, the play runs nightly at 8 p.m. Tickets are $8 and $10 at the door or in Massey 102. COMMUNITY EVENTS Guelph-Wellington Women in Cri- sis holds its annual dinner and auc- tion March 28 at 5 p.m. at Guelph Place. The evening will feature live and silent auctions, draws and enter- tainment. For tickets or to donate auction items, call 519-836-1110. The Guelph Concert Band performs “Songs of the Sea” March 1 at 3 p.m. at the River Run Centre. For tickets, call 519-763-3000. The Guelph Youth Singers present “In Harmony for Hospice,” featur- ing the First Baptist Girls’ Choir of Truro, N.S., and Hospice Welling- ton’s Joybringers, March 7 at 7 p.m. at New Life Church. For ticket infor- mation, call 519-821-8574. The Guelph Chamber Choir pres- ents “Afro-Centric Song” March 7 at 8 p.m. at Harcourt United Church. Call 519-763-3000 for tickets. The next meeting of the Guelph Field Naturalists is March 12 at 7:30 p.m. at the Arboretum Centre. Guest speaker is U of G graduate Scott Petrie of Bird Studies Canada. The Guelph Contemporary Dance Festival is holding a March Break camp March 16 to 20. For details, visit www.guelphcontemporary dancefestival.com/events.html. The Kalpa Bhadra Buddhist Centre holds free guided meditations Mon- days and Wednesdays from 12:15 to 12:45 p.m. The centre is also offering “Meditation 101” starting Feb. 26 and an evening series of talks and meditations starting March 9. For details, call 519-837-8077 or send e-mail to info@kalpabhadra.ca. At Guelph 12 February 25, 2009 at GUELPH UNIVERSITY y fajELPH Changing Lives Improving Life MARCH 11, 2009 • VOL. 53 NO. 5 . WWW.UOGUELPH.CA/ATGUELPH UNIVERSITY OF GUELPH INSIDE: RESEARCH MAKES LIFE BETTER • REGGAE ALL AROUND • GETTING THE MESSAGE OUT Legacy of College Royal Continues U OF G WILL RECEIVE $3.62 million from the provincial government to create spaces for 231 new graduate students. Besides supporting growth in graduate places in previous years, this funding will allow Guelph to create another 218 master’s and 13 PhD spaces, said president Alastair Summerlee. “We’re pleased with the McGuinty government’s ongoing commitment to post-secondary ed- ucation in Ontario and grateful for their support,” he said. Guelph MPP Liz Sandals said Ontario will invest $51.6 million over the next three years to create nearly 3,300 graduate spaces at uni- versities across the province. The new spaces will enable more stu- dents to study for careers in high-de- mand sectors such as engineering and environmental studies. “This investment will help more young people get the post-graduate education they need to help Ontario compete and succeed in today’s knowledge-based economy,” she said. Student-run open house set to welcome 30,000 visitors BY REBECCA KENDALL T HE theme OF College Royal 2009, “Continuing a Royal Legacy,” has special meaning for this year’s celebrant, Heather Peart, a fourth-year animal science student. That’s because she, too, is con- tinuing a legacy of sorts. Her father, Doug, was College Royal president in 1978. A lot has changed at U of G since then, but many of the events her dad presided over more than 30 years ago continue today, including the dog, cat and livestock shows; the square-dancing and flower-arrang- ing competitions; and the chemistry magic show. As celebrant, Peart serves as the official representative and major ^ukojctoon foi GoUcgc Royal events, which are expected to draw some 30,000 visitors to campus March 21 and 22. In preparation for this role, she spoke to a number of Guelph graduates from various de- cades to learn more about the legacy of what is billed as North America’s largest student-run campus open house. “When I called my 4-H judging coach, who attended Guelph in the 1950s, he spoke about the impor- tance of Conversat, which grew to become the modem College Royal Ball,” she says. “He could even re- member all the things he judged in the judging competition and entered in the forage and seed competition. It goes to show how passionate peo- ple are about College Royal. We’re celebrating the royal legacy, and the people are the legacy.” Another graduate told her about Curtain Call Productions’ adapta- tion of the Rodgers and Hammer- stein play Oklahoma in 1978. U of G students renamed it Uglahoma. The show depicted the break between Guelph’s founding colleges and the University of Toronto. This year, Curtain Call Produc- tions presents Fame March 19 to 21 at War Memorial Hall. Showtime is 8 p.m. on Thursday and Friday and 2 and 8 p.m. on Saturday. Tickets are $10 and are available at the Central Student Association Office in Room 274 of the University Centre. College Royal weekend also fea- tures a tractor rodeo, logging com- petition, spelling bee and pancake flip, Gryphon Jeopardy and Ulti- mate Frisbee, and dozens of club and Continued on page 10 Members of the Ride to Conquer Cancer team in the Department of Human Health and Nutritional Sciences get up close and personal with one of the bikes that will take them from Toronto to Niagara Falls in June in support of cancer research. From left are Kate Buddo, Matt Palmer, Prof. |im Kirkland, James Lally and Hilary Tulk. NHssVng from pfroLo Is Loam member Brendon Gurd. PHOTO BY FAART\H SCHWALBE They Ride to Conquer Biking enthusiasts find creative ways to raise funds for cancer ride BY TERESA PITMAN R iding a bicycle 200 kilo- metres from Toronto to Niagara Falls in two days might seem like a daunting task to most people, but Hilary Tulk and her Ride to Conquer Cancer teammates think that’s going to be the fun and easy part. For them, the toughest part of participating in the June event is doing the fundraising. “We each have to raise $2,500 for cancer research,” says Tulk, who is clinical trials manager at the Human Nutraceutical Research Unit. “It adds up to $ 1 5,000 for the sue of us as a team. That’s the real challenge for us.” The best way to meet that chal- lenge, they’ve decided, is to tackle it as a group — with a dash of creativ- ity and enthusiasm. "The big benefit to being part of a team is that it makes the fundraising easier and more fun," says team member Kate Buddo, a master’s stu- dent in the Department of Human Health and Nutritional Sciences (HHNS). Of course, because they think a 200-km bike ride is “fun,” their fundraising events tend to be equally strenuous. Last month, for example, they staged a 24-hour stationary bike ride, with two riders spinning their wheels at any given time. With all six team members taking part, that meant eight hours of riding for each. This was a little more challenging for the four men on the team because they had played in a hockey tourna- ment — five games — over the two days before. The four men are all members of HHNS: PhD student James Lally, who is team captain; Prof. Jim Kirkland; PhD student Matt Palmer; and post-doctoral researcher Brendon Gurd. The “Six Riders, Two Bikes, 24 Hours” event brought in more than $1,200 for the cause. “We all had big smiles on our faces at the end," says Tulk. She’s the one who first suggested forming a team to enter the ride. “We all ride bikes, and Jim Kirkland usually pulls together a group on Friday afternoons in the summer to ride after work. We all enjoy it. So when I saw the informa- Continued on page 10 A Boost for Graduate Studies This year’s College Royal program includes a demonstration of synchronized swimming by members of U of G’s competitive team and local swimmers. It runs Saturday at 1:15 p.m. in the red pool in the Athletics Centre. See page 8 for a story about U of G’s Synchronized Swimming Club. photo by martin schwalbe At Guelph 1 March 11, 2009 Low Student Teacher Ratio Toddler Program 18-30 Months 1/2 Day & Full Day Preschool Full Day Jr. & Sr. Kindergarten Elementary Grades 1-6 Extended Hours Available DOWNTOWN GUELPH 151 Waterloo Ave Guelph Ont » 9 836-3810 www.guelplimontessori.coin On-Campus PARKING NOTICE On Thursday, March 19, and Friday, March 20, P14 and 15 (adjacent to the Child-Care and Learning Centre and Alumni House) will be reserved for Campus Days visitors only. Please plan to use alternate parking lots PI 3 (near Maritime Hall), PI 8 (near East Residence) and P19 (near Lambton Hall). Your co-operation is greatly appreciated as the University of Guelph welcomes prospective students and their families to Campus Days, one of our most important on-campus recruitment events of the year. A Message From the Campus Accessibility Committee (CAC) The CAC meets every six weeks to discuss physic al access needs on campus. If you have any proposals, concerns, questions, ideas, comments or complaints regarding any physical access needs on campus, we would like to hear from you. Send inquiries via e-mail or fax to: hwheeler@uoguelph.ca Fax: 519-824-9689 Attn: Barry Wheeler or drop them off at the Centre for Studies With Disabilities, Level 3, University Centre “Within the Child Lies the Fate of the Future * Dr. Maria Montessori GUELPH l Enriched Academic Curriculum ■ Athletic Program including; Martial Arts, Swimming, Skating, Yoga and Gym ■ Musikgarten ■ Core French ■ Monthly Field Trips ■ Certified Montessori Teachers Guelph Student in Top 50 Vying for ‘Best Job in World’ President’s Scholar shoots contest video with friends, family in downtown Guelph BY BARRY GUNN T hird-year biological sciences student Mitch Moffit is one of the top 50 candidates for a dream job in Australia. The President’s Scholar was shortlisted along with six other Ca- nadians out of more than 34,000 people from 200 countries who ap- plied for “The Best Job in the World.” Applicants were asked to send in a 60-second video explaining why they are the best person for the job of caretaker on Hamilton Island in Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. Moffit’s video features a musical number shot in downtown Guelph. To help with the production, the Bishop Macdonell graduate, who’s been active in music and theatre since his high school days, tapped into his connections in the perform- ing arts and at Synn Studios. After submitting the video, he learned he made the cut last week during a rehearsal for the musical Fame!, which Curtain Call Produc- tions will present at War Memorial Hall March 19 to 21. “I knew when they’d be making the announcement, so I kept check- ing my laptop. When I didn’t see anything, I figured I didn’t make it.” But he decided to check one last time. “I yelled out: ‘I got it,’ and ev- erybody started clapping and cheering.” The winner will spend six months down under promoting the islands of the Great Barrier Reef and will earn about $100,000. According to the promotional website, the care- taker is required to “collect the mail,” “feed the fish” and “clean the pool” while living in a three-bed- room home overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The winner must also blog about his or her sun-baked adven- tures around the Great Barrier Reef. Regardless of the outcome, there’s a good chance Moffit will end up in Australia in the near future. He has applied for an exchange at James Cook University in Townsville, a coastal city of about 140,000 in northern Queensland and a major base for tourism in the Great Barrier Reef. He’s already heard from a number of potential colleagues there who said they’ve voted for him to win the dream job. “I won’t be too disappointed if I don’t get it,” he says. “I’m just really happy to have made the top 50.” Tourism Queensland will narrow the short list to 10 candidates and then give the world a chance to pick an 11th. The most popular short- listed candidate will receive a wild card to interview for the job. Voting ends March 24, and the winner will be picked May 6. You can watch Moffit’s video at www. islandreefjob.eom/#/Mitchell. New Mechanical Engineering Program at U of G a Big Draw for High School Students School of Engineering will launch new degree program in September BY ANDREW VOWLES A TELLING MOMENT for U of G’s new mechanical engineering program came last semester for Prof. John Runciman. He’d prepared a talk for high school students and their families about the program, due to begin in September 2009. So many people turned out that he ended up delivering the speech three times. “I was surprised at the numbers,” says Runciman, who helped shape the new offering. More telling numbers for the School of Engineering (SOE) arrived early this year. According to figures from the Ontario Universities’ Ap- plication Centre, the new Guelph- flavoured degree program in me- chanical engineering has attracted about 450 applicants, almost one- third of this year’s applications to the school. Now comes the hard part: win- nowing down those applications to the 75 spots available for September. Not to mention the work involved in initiatives intended to support this new degree and to strengthen Guelph’s signature mix of engineer- ing programs at the same time. Mechanical engineering is one of the oldest and broadest branches of the profession, says Runciman, a biomechanics expert who studied mechanical engineering at Queen’s University. “I’m a mechanical engi- neer who became a biomedical engineer.” In a sense, he embodies what’s different about Guelph’s new degree program. Students here will learn the basics of mechanics, kinematics, thermo- dynamics, fluid mechanics and en- ergy. But they’ll follow streams fed by SOE’s four existing programs — environmental, biological, systems and computing, and water re- sources. After a common first year, they can specialize in mechatronics, biomechanics, wind and solar en- ergy, or food and beverage engineer- ing. “The food and beverage industry is one of the biggest in Ontario,” says Runciman. “People might stop buy- ing cars, but they’re not going to stop buying food. A lot of what food engi- neers do is mechanical engineering.” Engineers are playing a growing role in food processing, storage and transportation. Food engineering courses are already offered in the school. Mechatronics mixes mechanical engineering with robotics and com- puter-controlled processing for all kinds of manufacturing applica- tions. Under its environmental engi- neering program, Guelph has developed expertise in wind and so- lar energy, as well as waste manage- ment. Water resources engineers here study the use of land and water resources and waste- water technolo- gies. Biomechanics research at Guelph includes Runciman’s studies, which also involve links to the Department of Human Health and Nutritional Sciences and OVC. He stresses the school’s broader connections to other parts of campus, including the departments of Food Science and Environmental Biology, the College of Biological Science, the Faculty of Environmental Sciences and the School of Fine Art and Music. tr Editor Barbara Chance b.chance@exec.uoguelph.ca At Guelph is published every two weeks by Communications and Public Affairs, Articles may be reprinted with credit to At Guelph. a Design Peter Enncson Level 4, University Centre, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario NIG 2W1. ►— Production Linda Graham Inquiries: 519-824-4120 Subscriptions (X l.graham@exec.uoguelph.ca Editorial: Ext. 56580 $25 (includes GST); Distribution: Ext. 56581 $30 outside Canada Advertising Scott Anderson Advertising: Ext. 56580 ISSN 08364478 1 ' C theandersondifference@rogers.com www.uoguelph.ca/adguide Director Chuck Cunningham Classifieds: Ext. 56581 Pax : 519-824-7962 Website: www. uoguelph. ca/atguelph c.cunningham@exec.uoguelph.ca At Guelph 2 March 11, 2009 news in bri el TASK FORCE ON CAMPUS RACISM TO HOLD HEARING Members of the University com- munity who are concerned about racism on campus are invited to share their experiences at the Guelph hearing of the Task Force on Campus Racism March 12 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. and 7 to 8:30 p.m. in Room 103 of the University Cen- tre. The task force is a province- wide initiative of the Canadian Fed- eration of Students-Ontario. By sharing experiences, concerns and successes, U of G students can work together with faculty, staff and community members to develop positive strategies for challenging racism and meeting the needs of racialized students, says Megan Nicholson, vice-president, exter- nal, of the Graduate Students’ Association. For more information, contact Nicholson at gsavpext@ uoguelph.ca. CAMPUS DAYS READY TO ROLL U of G expects to welcome up to 3,000 prospective students and their family members to Campus Days March 19 and 20. The days’ activi- ties will include information ses- sions, displays and campus tours. Hundreds of U of G faculty, staff and student volunteers will be on hand to talk about all facets of uni- versity life. During the event, park- ing lots P 1 4 and P 1 5 will be reserved for Campus Day visitors. Members of the campus community are encouraged to park in PI 3, PI 8 and PI 9. For more information, call Nicole Shepard at Ext 56716 or visit iWo website www.uogviclpVv.ca/ admissions/campusdays. VOTING UNDER WAY FOR STAFF SEATS ON SENATE, B OF G Seven U of G staff have been nomi- nated for two staff seats on Senate: Heather Bailey, Animal and Poultry Science; Matt Edwards, BA Coun- selling Office; Michelle Fach, Office of Open Learning; Richard Gorrie, Teaching Support Services; Bill Teesdale, Physics; Bruce Wilson, Co-operative Education and Career Services; and Lillian Wilson, Hu- man Resources. Three staff have been nominated for one staff/alum- nus seat on Board of Governors: Celeste Bannon Waterman, Alumni Affairs and Development; Gayleen Gray, Computing and Communi- cations Services and OVC; and Dave Scott-Thomas, Athletics. Bal- lots have been distributed via e-mail or by campus mail, and voting con- tinues until March 20. For nominee statements, visit www.uoguelph. ca/secretariat/ elections. WRITING SERVICES LAUNCHES BLOG OFFERING TIPS, NEWS Writing Services in the U of G Learning Commons is launching a blog to complement its website, www.writingservices.uoguelph.ca. To be updated daily, the blog will offer students resources such as tips on effective writing and news on upcoming workshops. Given the rising interest in online communi- cation tools such as Facebook, Skype and Twitter, the Writing Ser- vices team decided it was tune to enter the “blogosphere,” says co- ordinator Barbara Christian. Graduate student Randalin Ellery turned her interest in fair trade coffee into a research project for her master's degree in sociology and international development studies. photo by martin schwalbe Full of Beans Fair trade and gender issues meet in grad student’s research BY TERESA PITMAN F or the Canadian buying a cup of coffee, the difference is about a nickel. But for the coffee producer living on the other side of the world, the difference is life-changing. U of G master’s student Randalin EAlcry discovered t\\c significance of fair trade coffee when she arrived at Guelph in 2005 as an undergraduate sociology student transferring from Laurentian University. Her contin- ued involvement with the issue has led to her recognition by the Ontario Council for International Co-opera- tion (OCIC) as one of its Leaders in Development. She was profiled in an OCIC newsletter in February during International Development Week. Back in 2005, U of G’s Oxfam chapter was just starting its “Make Trade Fair” campaign. Ellery soon got involved. “At the time, fair trade coffee was available in only a few places on cam- pus,” she says. “Our goal was to work with Hospitality Services to make it available everywhere — and we suc- ceeded.” That was her introduction to fair trade issues, the work of Oxfam and the satisfaction of volunteering. Her awareness of the concerns surround- ing coffee production also led her to work at Planet Bean, the fair trade coffee co-operative in downtown Guelph. When Ellery decided to do a mas- ter’s degree in sociology and interna- tional development studies at Guelph, she wanted to do her thesis research on something that would reflect her interests in both fair trade and gender issues. Her job at Planet Bean gave her a starting point: some of its coffee beans are supplied by an all-women’s coffee-producing orga- nization in Peru called Caft Femenino. Her thesis question was: “Can fair trade empower women?” Last summer, Ellery spent more than three months in northern Peru doing fieldwork and research. “It was a really, really incredible experience,” she says. “I had seen the bags of beans from Cafa Femenino arriving at Planet Bean. Now I was seeing the other side of the process — the bags being filled and sent to Canada.” The heart of her research, how- ever, came from talking with the women about their lives. She found that, although most of the women in this community had been involved in coffee production since child- hood, their work was rarely recog- nized. “Their lives were restricted, and they had no educational or travel opportunities. Many of them had experienced violence from their fathers or partners." Being part of the women’s orga- nization changed all that, says Ellery. “Because it was fair trade and marketed as a premium coffee, this gave the women some income and more status in their families and community. They were recognized as real producers and contributors, and the men treated them with more respect. The men were very proud of the women’s achievements.” She notes that fair trade princi- ples aren’t just about offering coffee producers a better price for their beans. “To be certified, the growers also have to meet social and environmen- tal conditions. For example, most are organic. The co-ops also can’t discriminate by gender.” But even with these policies in place, Ellery found there wasn’t al- ways a way to check whether they were being followed. Often the men made all the decisions about how the money was to be spent without al- lowing the women to participate. She says Caft Femenino was devel- oped to give women more opportu- nity to take charge because it’s part of a larger co-operative including both men and women. “It’s about making sure that women don’t fall through the cracks and that they get to participate in the benefits of fair trade.” The Ca ft Femenino model has been so successful that it’s now being replicated in other parts of Latin America and in Africa. Although Ellery thought she was well-prepared for the realities of life in the Peruvian community she vis- ited (she wasn’t shocked by the mud floors in people’s homes, for exam- ple), what surprised her was the up- beat and welcoming attitudes of the women she got to know. “They were so proud to tell me about their accomplishments. They were enthusiastic and optimistic about their future, despite the pov- erty of their community.” Ellery’s involvement with Oxfam didn’t stop during this period of in- tense research. “I had a leadership role in our chapter for three years, and 1 did presentations at local high schools about fair trade. I also organized In- ternational Women’s Day events and was part of the Oxfam regional steering committee. It was Oxfam that nominated me for the OCIC award.” After she defends her master’s thesis this summer, Ellery plans to start PhD work at Wilfrid Laurier University — and her research inter- ests have taken a bit of a twist. “To me, it’s not that big of a stretch because it’s all community development,” she says. “I want to look at the concepts of fair trade and how they can be translated to a more local scale in our own communities. What are the local food production systems and how can consumers support the producers?” Although she’s now working for the United Way of Guelph and Wellington, you can still find Ellery drinking coffee from Planet Bean. “Not only does fair trade coffee have a huge impact on the lives of its producers, but it’s also top-quality coffee,” she says. “If you're a coffee lover — or even if you’re not — you’ll really notice the difference.” people OURA HONOURS GOODY Alex Goody, associate registrar, Undergraduate Program Services, was recently honoured by the Ontario University Registrars’ Association with its Award of Achievement. He was recognized for more than 30 years of service to the association through his involve- ment in standing committees and the executive. The award also recog- nizes significant contributions to the enhancement and development of academic administration in the Ontario university system. NOVEL LAUNCH SET Sandra Sabatini, research manager in the College of Arts, will launch her new book, Dante’s War, March 16 from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Bookshelf eBar. This is the first novel for Sabatini, who is the author of two short-story collections and a book on the place of infants in Canadian fiction. Anyone interested in attending the launch is asked to RSVP to rsvp@keyporter.com. KUDOS FOR STUDENT WRITER U of G student Lindsay Brown, a writer in the Office of Research’s SPARK program, received the silver award for student writing from the Society for Technical Communica- tions for her story about breast can- cer research in the Canada Founda- tion for Innovation magazine. Women's Track-and-Field Team Captures OUA Gold T he U of G women’s track- and-field team captured its first title at the 2009 Ontario University Athletics (OUA) track- and-field championships, ending Windsor’s four-year reign as OUA champion. The Gryphon men's team brought home a silver medal from the championships. The Guelph women captured a total of 10 medals: four gold, three silver and three bronze. Runner Lindsay Carson was a three- medal winner with two gold and a silver. The Gryphon men also had a to- tal of 10 medals: three gold, five sil- ver and two bronze. Three of those medals came in the men’s 3,000 with Derek Snider, Kyle Boorsma and Allan Brett sweeping first, sec- ond and third place. When the OUA honoured this year's top track-and-field athletes, four Gryphons were among the ma- jor award winners. Carson received the Dr. Wendy Jerome Trophy as most valuable female performer at the OUA championships. Boorsma was named OUA men’s track events MVP. Head coach Dave Scott- Thomas received the Sue Wise Award as the OUA women’s coach of the year. Rob Jackson won the Male Student-Athlete Community Service Award. The OUA also awarded All-Star honours to 11 Gryphons. Both the men’s and women’s teams will defend their 2008 na- tional titles March 12 to 14 at the University of Windsor. At Guelph 3 March 11, 2009 Getting the Message Out BY TERESA PITMAN 44 I THINK I HAVE THE PLUM JOB here on | campus,” says Cort Egan, senior communications officer in the Office of the Chief Information Officer (CIO). “There’s so much variety. In what other job would you be hosting a reading by award-winning author Lawrence Hill one evening and discussing enhancements for the University’s e-mail and calendar collaboration suite the next morn- ing?” It had to be a pretty tempting position to take Egan away from his successful freelance marketing business. After he’d worked for many years in sales and marketing for national travel companies, freelancing gave him an op- portunity to try new things. “I loved working from home and being my own boss,” he says, “but working alone is hard. I wanted the dynamics of interacting every day with colleagues again. When I heard about this position, I thought it might be the right fit for my skills. And once I met (chief information officer and chief librarian) Mike Ridley, I knew it would be a great work environment.” Egan’s role is to share with students, faculty and staff information about programs and ser- vices available to them through Communica- tions and Computing Services (CCS) and the U of G Library. “These two areas are key to the University and what it stands for," he says. "I was hired to put together a communications plan for the li- brary, for CCS and for the Office of the CIO. My first task was to ingrain myself in the cul- ture of each department and to understand what they do for our communities. Then I’ve been putting together a strategic plan so that we’re not just reacting — we’re getting the messages out there in a timely fashion.” Much of his work to date has been pro- ject-based and can include planning and publi- cizing an event, helping to redesign a website or developing a community network. With CCS, Egan is currently looking at en- hancements to the new e-mail and calendar system launched at U of G last year. Introduc- ing that software to the campus was actually Because of the variety and creativity his position offers, Cort Egan believes “it’s the best job I’ve ever had.” photo by martin schwalbe one of his first challenges after arriving here in February 2008. “The campus was using separate e-mail and calendar programs, and it was my job to com- municate the changeover to the University community. So part of the strategy was to build a contest around it and invite people to help name the new system.” Egan says he was delighted with the number of people who submitted names, including Gryph Mail, which was eventually chosen. “Gryph Mail as a program was a big win for students because it gives them a lot more fea- tures than they had before,” he says. “But it was more challenging for faculty and staff, who were used to using the old calendar system. We think the new enhancements will help them. CCS is constantly trying to improve the system to meet the growing needs of our users. We hope it will make everyone’s life a bit easier.” Egan is also in the midst of change at the li- brary. “Technology is changing libraries,” he says. “Almost everything that people once came to the library to find is now available electroni- cally. If libraries are just a place to store books, they won’t last much longer. We view the li- brary as an academic town square. It’s a place to learn, explore ideas, be challenged, engage in dialogue and grow.” Last month’s reading and presentation by author Hill was one aspect of that change. So was last week’s “living library,” the first to be held at a Canadian university. Egan notes that it’s unusual for a university to have the same person serve as CIO and chief librarian, but he believes it’s critical. “To have one person with a finger on the pulse of changing technology and also with an understanding of the library is invaluable. Peo- ple who say libraries are losing relevance don’t have Mike Ridley’s vision.” Egan says one of his biggest challenges since joining U of G has been getting to know how the University works. “It’s different in a corporate environment. The private sector tends to just do things and then deal with the fallout afterwards. The Uni- versity is much more inclusive and wants to be sure that everyone’s perspective has been con- sidered, and it’s more open to a multitude of approaches and suggestions. Here we take the time to try to do things right the first time.” With his office tucked behind the wood- panelled wall in the centre of the library, he has discovered some other unexpected positives as well. “I’ve never been in an environment where my audience, my user group, was so close to me. You just open up the office doors and there they are. So it’s easy to do surveys or get feedback on what you’re doing.” Because of the variety and creativity his po- sition offers, Egan believes “it’s the best job I’ve ever had. It’s a lot like being a freelancer — I’m still writing about many different things — but I’m doing it in this very supportive, apprecia- tive environment. Of course, I can’t work in my pyjamas here. That might be the one thing I miss. I did like working in my pyjamas.” MONTESSORI SCHOOL OF WELLINGTON established 1996 • Full- & half-day programs for 2 1/2 to 5 years • After-school program to 6 p.m. • Large gym & outdoor play area • Enhanced reading, writing & math • French, music, art & physical education • Social skill development In family setting PREPARE YOUR CHILD FOR SOCIAL AND ACADEMIC SUCCESS 519 - 821-5876 (located in Dublin Street United Church) 68 Suffolk Street West, Guelph N1H2J2 www.montessori-school.ca Save Up To 50% In Insurance Product Discounts pjtub Your Group Discount! Call today for a no-obligatlon quote Or visit our webslto at www.staebler.com YOUR PREFERRED Group Auto & Home INSURANCE PROGRAM VIST us al www.Konomicallnsurance.com At Guelph 4 March 11, 2009 Research Makes Life Better for Us All “Canada’s universities are full of people looking for ways to make things better” By Kevin Hall T here has been much confusion and uncertainty about the future of Genome Canada since the federal government unveiled its budget. There was no new funding for the national granting agency, which supports a spectrum of research projects at universities and other institutions across the country. A plethora of rumours, speculation and media reports followed. Worried scientists said they feared it meant the end of the agency and touted the importance of research. Govern- ment officials said there was no reason to be alarmed. Whether Genome Canada’s future is really hanging in the balance remains unclear. But it has prompted many of us who are engaged in university research to do some important re- flecting. We know the crucial role that research plays in Canada, both now and in the future, but do others? Have we done a good enough job of communicating the importance and value of intellectual innovation, and the differ- ence it can make to Canadians and people throughout the world? From the outside, universities may appear to some to be big, impersonal entities lacking any connection to the real world. Some may believe that pumping money into universities through agencies such as Genome Canada may result in little more than genetically modified ivy covering the walls. But in reality, the discoveries and technol- ogy that have continually revolutionized the world have emerged from the labs of university researchers. And the advancements that will truly make a difference in the future are being tested and tried right now on our nation’s campuses. Canada’s universities are idea factories. They’re places full of people looking for ways to make things better in just about any realm you can name — human health, the environment, the economy, our social lives, creativity and the arts. Through innovative research and collabo- rations with government and business, our post-secondary institutions can help us solve real-world problems and improve the quality of people’s lives. Forget ivory towers. Think networks. On Canada’s campuses, researchers are actively seeking ways to pool strengths and resources. Imagine a philosopher joining veterinarians and epidemiologists to discuss ecohealth solu- tions for emerging infectious diseases, climate change, food security and water quality. How about an artist helping to set up a design studio for mechanical engineers? Or plant scientists working with molecular and cellular biologists to turn crop plant wastes into everything from car parts and furniture to fuel, and using to- bacco plants to produce “plantibodies” that can be used to treat human diseases such as cancer — a paradox if ever there was one. Canadian scientists are also leading DNA bar-coding efforts meant to quickly and easily identify every creature on Earth, work that will pay off in our understanding of biodiversity and in improved human health. Imagine using your cellphone to make sure that shellfish on your dinner plate is what the menu promised, rather than some endangered species or some- thing allergenic or toxic. Or how about using a similar instrument to read for pathogens in wa- ter from a town well? That’s the kind of re- search paid for by agencies such as Genome Canada — not research for its own sake but for ours. On campus, we call it cross-disciplinary re- search and collaboration. And it mirrors the way the outside world works — complex but full of possibility. Buildings and equipment are necessary for research, but they’re only shells without people. What’s going on inside those walls is brain building. In Canada’s research labs, some of the world’s brightest minds have chosen to set up shop to tackle our most pressing problems. And in teaching labs and classrooms, universi- ties are producing not just ideas but also an- other generation of highly trained people. It is these human brains — using the leverage of ad- vanced research and investment in cut- ting-edge technology — that truly transform ideas and discoveries into value. Indeed, there is no shortage of ways to un- derline the connections between university re- search and the so-called “real world” and the crucial role innovation has to play in Canada’s present and future. It’s an expensive enterprise, one that requires dollars and commitment from society. Government and industry support is critical. Prof. Kevin Hall is U of G’s vice-president ( research). Student Entrepreneurs Pitch Their Ideas From energy patches to cheese to moisturizer-infused soy cloth, ideas abound at 2009 Nicol Venture Creation Competition BY REBECCA KENDALL A PATCH THAT RELEASES a continuous supply of energy solution through the skin earned a team of U of G entrepreneurs top prize in the 2009 Nicol Venture Creation Competition. Katherine Brown, Shane Bacher, Latham French and Rukie Liyanage, all fourth-year B.Comm. students, took home a $5,000 award following the Feb. 25 business-pitch contest. Together they created the "EnduraPatch,” which is intended for athletes looking to improve their performance in endurance sports without the use of supplements. The patch has been in development for about six months, says Brown, who adds that the team is in the process of patenting the product’s energy solution. “Unlike with competing energy products, the user doesn’t have to carry additional supplements with them during their activities,” she says. “Once applied, the patch does not require any additional effort from the user.” She notes that the technology is similar to that of a nicotine patch in that the formula is diffused through the skin into the bloodstream. “Our research has suggested that this is the optimal means of supple- ment delivery because traditional oral consumption of supplements can dilute the formula to as low as five per cent of the initial supple- ment.” Second prize of $2,000 went to Blair Cameron, Sarah Goldie and Amy Nodwell for their plan to pro- duce and sell water buffalo mozza- rella cheese to specialty cheese shops in the Guelph and Toronto areas. Nicole Beechy, Stephanie Holo- dinsky and Jeffrey Satin grabbed third place and $1,000 for their idea to produce and distribute moistur- izer-infused soy straw cloth made of natural soybean oils, waxes and other soybean byproducts. Sponsored and hosted by the Col- lege of Management and Economics (CME), this annual competition aims to recognize student entrepre- neurship. Prize money is provided by the Wesley and Mary Nicol Chari- table Foundation. The entries were judged by Joan Fisk, president and CEO of the Greater Kitchener-Waterloo Cham- ber of Commerce; John Sleeman of Sleeman Brewing; John Pollice, dis- U OF G, the United Way of Guelph and Wellington and the Volunteer Centre of Guelph/ Wellington are calling for nomina- tions for the third annual Dr. William Winegard Exemplary Vol- unteer Involvement Awards. Named in honour of former Uni- versity of Guelph president Bill Winegard, the awards recognize vol- unteer contributions of members of trict vice-president of TD Canada Trust; and John Kelly, executive di- rector of MaRS Landing in Guelph. “The ideas the students came up with were all novel and have the po- tential to become real businesses, which is what we want this competi- tion to encourage,” says Prof. David Prescott, acting dean of CME. “It was a great experience for the students. the University community. Award organizers are calling for nominations of current staff, faculty and students who have devoted sig- nificant time and effort through vol- unteer involvement with communi- ty organizations, including munici- pal boards, community fundraising, community social health and service agencies, and other non-profit orga- nizations. Nominators can be peers, and we’re grateful to the judges for supporting our young entrepreneurs in this way.” Six teams from across the country will be selected to proceed to a na- tional competition to be held March 24 in Ottawa. For more information about the Wes Nicol Entrepreneurial Awards, visit www.nicol-award.com. colleagues, supervisors or organiza- tions that benefit from the volunteer efforts of the nominee. The deadline for nominations is March 25. Nomination packages can be found online at the website www. volunteerguelphwellington.on.ca. The awards will be presented in April, and each winner will be recog- nized with an award created by a fine art student. Nominations Sought for 2009 Wine gard V ol unteer Aw ards • Renovating • Allergies Fresh Stert • Moving • New Baby Valeric Poult on CARPET & STEAM&TC. AIR DUCT CLEANING FURNITURE CLEANING Breathe cleaner air Nobody Cleans Better Than Steamatic Call Us 519-836-7340 At Guelph 5 March 11, 2009 Digging Into Real Estate Economist is searching for best ways to forecast volatility of real estate investment trusts Prof. Jian Zhou balances his interest in the complexities of real estate economics with a love for professional sports, photo by martin schwalbe BY TERESA PITMAN C hoosing a university major wasn’t easy for Prof. Jian Zhou, who joined the Department of Marketing and Consumer Studies last spring. Bom and raised in China, he was the first person in his extended family to go to university. His parents had no formal education past elementary school. “Because they’d never been to university, my parents weren’t able to give me much advice,” he says. At the time, however, real estate was a “hot industry” in China, Zhou recalls. “So I decided to study eco- nomics with a focus on real estate.” After completing a master’s de- gree in China, he headed to the Uni- versity of Illinois at Chicago to pursue a PhD in economics. And, yes, it was a huge culture shock to move from China to the United States. “It’s so different; everything is different,” he says. For his PhD research, Zhou ex- amined the phenomenon that hous- ing prices were rising more quickly than market fundamental variables such as incomes in almost every U.S. metropolitan area. The then ever- rising house prices caused concerns among potential home buyers. They were apparently wondering if houses had been out of line relative to the market fundamentals, says Zhou. “I wanted to give people an answer to these concerns.” He then went on to analyze Chi- cago’s single-family housing market and found that over a long period of time — usually decades — housing prices tend to be consistent with the levels determined by the market fun- damentals (incomes, populations, construction costs, mortgage rates, etc.) “But over short periods such as five or even 10 years, prices could de- viate significantly from the market fundamentals," he says. Since completing his dissertation, Zhou has begun research on a related area; real estate investment trusts (REITs). “REITs have become an important asset in people’s invest- ment portfolios along with stocks and bonds.” Like any other financial assets, REITs witness ups and downs in then prices, he says. To measure the changes in price, economists use vol- atility, which is widely regarded as a proxy of the risks associated with in- vesting in REITs. He emphasizes the importance of forecasting REIT vol- atility. “A variety of investment activities such as derivative pricing and port- folio diversification depend on our ability to accurately forecast the vol- atility. The risks, as measured by the levels of volatility, must be justified by appropriate levels of rates of return.” So Zhou is currently focusing on searching for the best ways to fore- cast REIT volatility. “I’m comparing the forecasting performances of dif- ferent methods, and I think my find- ings will ultimately be useful for financial practices.” His interest in the complexities of real estate economics is balanced out by his other love — professional sports. “I’m a big sports fan, but I have to admit I don’t like hockey. I don’t like the fighting.” Baseball and football are his favourite sports. “I’m a Chicago White Sox fan, like Obama.” Zhou opted to come to U of G be- cause he was “impressed by the qual- ity of research being done in the department, because the city is so beautiful and because it’s close to Toronto.” Being near Toronto mat- ters because he craves the real Chi- nese food available in Toronto’s Chinatown, something he says he can’t get in Guelph and can’t make for himself. “I’m a bad cook.” Although moving from China to Chicago was a big adjustment for Zhou, the transition from the United States to Canada was much easier. And once he had settled in at Guelph, he was able to do something he hadn’t done for AVi years while completing his PhD and looking for a job — visit his family in China. “The last time I was home was for my sister’s wedding. This winter I went back and got to see my niece, who was bom three years ago. People had told me that she looks like me, and I thought: ‘Wow, she must be ugly.’ But she’s beautiful. I hope I’ll be back to see her again soon — sooner than 4 Vi years anyway.” Nominees Sought for Exemplary Staff Awards P RESIDENT Alastair Summerlee is calling for nominations for the 2009 President’s Awards for Exemplary Staff Service. The dead- line for submissions is May 31. Summerlee created the awards program in 2004 to recognize Uni- versity of Guelph staff who have consistently demonstrated a com- mitment to excellence and have exceeded the expectations of their normal employment responsibili- ties. There are six award categories, five for individual nominations and one for a team nomination. The categories are: • Innovative Leadership Recogni- tion Award • Service Excellence Recognition Award • Hidden Hero Award • U of G Spirit Award • Community Service Award • Exemplary Team Recognition Award. All non-academic full- and part- time University staff who have been employed at U of G for at least two years are eligible for the awards. Employees selected receive. $2,00*0 and are recognized during an annual community event. Teams share the cash prize. For more information, visit the website www.uoguelph.ca/presi- dent/exemplaryservice. A hard copy of the nomination package is available from the executive offices on Level 4 of the University Centre. College Royal” 2009 © HUMBER School of Applied Technology Open House Weekend: March 21 & 22, 2009 Saturday: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. "Continuing the Royal Legacy University of Guelph Campus Apply now and be well on your way to a successful career in technology. In just two semesters at Humber, you could upgrade your degree with a postgraduate certificate in Wireless Telecommunications, Supply Chain Management or Project Management. Make technology work for you. humber.ca/appliedtechnology/ graduate (519) 824-4120, Ext. 58366 www.collcgeroyal.uoguclph.ca Come celebrate with us! Animals, displays, shows. Fun for all! FREE 7 X Bac/l r> Chat St. ASattitiir 7StSSL(Hly Meredith Hall soprano Rosemarie van der Hooft alto James McLean tenor (EvjngclUt) Justin Welsh bass (Jcsut) At Guelph 6 March 11 , 2009 Reggae All Around First solo album takes history student from Toronto roots to Juno nomination By Rebecca Kendall He recently received a U of G Ontario Graduate Scholarship from the David Murray and James Snell History OGS Fund for his high academic standing. “I’m sort of used to the double-agent life: mild-mannered cultural historian by day, reggae troubadour by night,” says Wilson. “In the end, I want to mine Canadiana through word and music, and both of my lives do just that.” He says his dual passions for music and history inspire and fuel each other. “At the end of a tour, you come home and you want to get as far away from that tour van as possi- ble, so you can just immerse yourself into relevant literature about what you’re doing. And vice versa. When your brain is fried and you don’t want to read another post-modern theory, you can just play some tunes, so it’s great.” While on tour, he has edited two books and co-authored Lord Stanley: The Man Behind the Cup, the first biography of Lord Frederick Stanley, 16th Earl of Derby and one of Canada’s first governor generals. “That was a pleasure because hockey is a huge passion of mine,” he says. The book earned Wilson and co-author Kevin Shea a 2007 Heritage Award for Outstanding Re- search and Writing from the Society of North Amer- ican Historians and Researchers, in conjunction with the Black Hockey and Sports Hall of Fame. “When you’re on the road, you’re on stage for two hours a night,” says Wilson. “There’s so much time to fill, and I’ve found I’ve been able to do a lot of work on tour. That’s how I’ve managed to keep both things going." His PhD dissertation is an exploration of the mi- gratory history of Jamaicans in his old neighbour- hood and the influence this population has had on the area. “How do you get a Scottish guy like me de- voting his life to a Jamaican art form? It really is somewhat autobiographical.” As the Junos draw closer, Wilson is hopeful he’ll leave with some hardware. He admits his first trip to the awards ceremony was bittersweet because of a chronic fear of public speaking. He says he used to avoid it at all costs and found ways to get out of oral presentations as an un- dergraduate student. “But that all changed when I became a master’s student. When you hit the graduate level, you can’t get away with that, so I had to persevere.” When Tabarruk was nominated in 2002, Wilson was less worried about winning than he was about delivering an accep- tance speech. “I couldn’t concentrate on anything else, and I was some- what relieved we didn’t win. This time, win or lose, I’m going to have fun.” Over the next year, Wilson, who is touring Jamaica this month, will also play shows in Canada, the United Kingdom and Holland. For more information, go to www. jasonwilsonmusic.com. I N THE 1980s, the beats of Jamaica permeated the streets of Toronto’s Keele and Finch district. For Jason Wilson, a Scottish-Canadian kid, this was the energy of his neighbourhood and is the rhythm of his childhood memories. ‘Reggae was all around me,” says Wilson, who re- ceived an MA in history from Guelph in 2003 and is now pursuing a PhD here. “That neighbourhood has the greatest concentration of Caribbean migrants in the world, and it’s the most densely populated square mile in Canada. I was about 10 when the influx of Ja- maican kids into my neighbourhood was just through the roof.” Back then, music was something he enjoyed for fun, but today it represents a career for Wilson, who is riding high from his recent Juno Award nomination in the category of Reggae Recording of the Year for his first solo album, The Peacemaker’s Chauffeur. The al- bum is a double disc that focuses on the human expe- rience in times of both war and peace. The 2009 Juno Awards will be presented March 29 in Vancouver. “The last few years have been amazing,” he says. “This is my second time to the dance, and I think I’m going to enjoy it a lot more this time around.” Wilson and his band, Tabarruk, were nominated in the same category for their album Jonah in 2002. He says his multicultural urban environment fos- tered an appreciation for reggae. This, coupled with the fact that his cousin is reggae artist Michael Virtue, former keyboard player for UB40, sealed the deal on Wilson’s musical fate. “I think reggae chose me. I don’t think it was the other way around.” His first nightclub experience was with Messenjah when he was 14. A friend of one of the band members’ brothers, he was asked to fill in on keyboards one night when a member of the group couldn’t make the show. A performer was born. Over his 15-year career, Wilson has appeared with some of the biggest reggae acts, including UB40, Sly and Robbie, Brinsley Forde, Jackie Mittoo and Ernest Ranglin. He has also collaborated with performers from outside the genre, including Alanis Morissette, Amanda Marshall, Percy Sledge and Ron Sexsmith. Morissette played on Wilson’s first album in 1994, the same year she re- leased Jagged Little Pill, and Marshall was once one of his bandmates. He has also been featured on Citytv’s Breakfast Television, CBC’s The National and BBC radio. In addition, he was the on-stage musical director for the award-winning project Jamaica to Toronto, which was named 2006 Album of the Year by Now Magazine, and he stars in the popular Marley/Dylan tribute act The Two Bobs with Fergus Hambleton, frontman for the Sattalites. The show, which is now on hold as Wilson promotes The Peacemaker’s Chauffeur, features songs by Bob Marley done in the bluegrass style that fuelled Bob Dylan’s popularity. In turn, Dylan’s songs are reinvented with a reggae vibe. “They have both done some incredible writing in the folk tradition,” says Wilson. “It’s effortless to flip them around. Not every song will work, but most do. The songs really stand on their own. It’s amazing watching people react to them.” Despite years of musical success and performing more than 2,000 shows in Canada and abroad, that hasn’t been enough for him. A high school dropout, he enjoyed leading the “rogue” life of a musician but eventually found himself reading voraciously and missing the learning that goes along with that. “I’ve since come back to it, persevered and been pretty suc- cessful at it,” says Wilson, who earned an undergraduate history degree from York University before finding his way to Guelph. He says coming to U of G made perfect sense based on his his- torical interests. “Having access to the Scottish studies program and its re- sources was something that initially attracted me to Guelph. Also, through meetings and my own performances around here, I fell in love with the place and the people. If I ended up teaching full time, I don’t think I’d want to do it anywhere else.” Inaugural Guelph Lecture in Philosophy March 21 Ethics and animals focus of talk by Princeton professor who inspired the modem animal rights movement T he world’s best-known bio- ethicist is coming to U of G March 21 to inaugurate the Guelph Lecture in Philosophy. Peter Singer, whose 1975 book. Animal Liber- ation, changed the way many people look at animals and inspired the modem animal rights movement, will discuss “Ethics and Animals” at 2 p.m. in Room 101 of Rozanski Hall. “We’re very fortunate to attract a speaker of his stature to launch our annual lecture, which we hope will focus attention on the innovative and exciting work going on in our department,” says Prof. Andrew Bailey, chair of the Department of Philosophy. The Australian-born Singer is a professor of bioethics at Princeton University whose provocative views on everything from the ethical treat- ment of animals and vegetarianism to abortion and euthanasia have drawn praise and scorn around the world. He rejects rights as a moral ideal in favour of viewing rights as derived from utilitarian principles, especially the principle of minimizing suffer- ing. He argues that animals should have rights based on their ability to feel pain rather than their intelli- gence and that the interests of all creatures capable of suffering should be given equal consideration. Because it is uncommon and difficult to raise animals for food without inflicting pain, he believes the most practical solution is to adopt a vegetarian or vegan diet. Singer’s latest book is The Life You Can Save: Acting Now to End World Poverty, in which he argues that, to live ethically, individuals in the western world must do a lot more to help the billions of people living in poverty. The lecture is being co-sponsored by the Campbell Centre for the Study of Animal Welfare as its an- nual Basil Capes Memorial Lecture. Admission is free. At Guelph 7 March 11, 2009 letters CHANGES IN LIBRARY OPENING HOURS NOT UNDERTAKEN LIGHTLY In the Feb. 25 At Guelph, Prof. Mary Cyr expressed concern about the U of G Library’s reduced open- ing hours during the winter break. I would like to provide a little more context/detail for the changes in library opening hours, which began last fall and were not under- taken lightly or without consider- ation for the impact this change would have on our users. The University is facing an ex- tremely difficult financial situa- tion, and over the past few years, the library (along with the rest of campus) has implemented a series of staff and budget reductions. Be- cause we are always seeking ways to make the best and most efficient use of our available resources, last winter and spring we did some de- tailed survey sampling of building occupancy (counts of the number of users in the building at various times of day). This sampling indicated that we have very few people in the library during the periods we are reducing hours — early morning through- out the week, very late in the eve- ning on weekends and low-use periods between semesters and during the winter break. Although we recognize that not being open at these times inconve- niences the relatively small num- ber of users who would like to use the library then, we expect this change will have minimal impact on the vast majority of our users. The decision to reduce opening hours was made with a view to allo- cating our staffing and financial re- sources where they would be most effective, but it also reflects the need to balance the library’s vari- ous roles/responsibilities. The number of hours we’re open — and the pattern of those service hours — is obviously important to our users, but it must be deter- mined within the wider context of — and in balance with — all the other services we provide. Collec- tions, equipment and staff exper- tise for a wide range of library services are examples of other areas that have great impact and impor- tance for the University commu- nity. The library has undertaken a lot of new service initiatives over the past few years that have increased support for scholarly publishing, provision of e-learning resources, teaching of information literacy skills, and growth of many Learn- ing Commons programs. We have also steadily and significantly in- creased the amount of public seat- ing and computing equipment in the library in response to the growth in student enrolment over the past six years. And we have made it increasingly easy for users to access as much information as possible over the web (from any- where at any time). To make all this possible, we try to choose where our finite financial resources are best spent, and we make “cuts” where they will appear to have the least negative impact, using the best data we have avail- able. We have been monitoring user response to the new pattern of building hours to assess its impact and will continue to monitor building occupancy patterns so that our service hours and staffing levels align with peak times of use by our users, such as during final exams. Helen Salmon Associate Chief Librarian User Services, U of G Library THANK YOU TO ALL I wish to thank all the faculty, staff, students, friends and family who came out to Manhattans Bistro Feb. 24 to help celebrate my recent retirement. Your numbers were overwhelming, your gifts extrava- gant, and your kind comments of praise humbling. I couldn’t possibly ask for a finer cast of characters with whom to share these past 42 years at the University of Guelph. In one way or another, each of you has touched my life and enriched my experience. Thanks to every one of you, and may the challenges ahead be surmountable. Patricia MacPherson after hours STATIA ELLIOT Faculty member in the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management since 2007 "There was a time when I always had a gym membership, but now my life is my gym,” says Prof. Statia Elliot. What’s made that approach to staying fit work for her is liv- ing in the Exhibition Park area, where it’s easy to be outdoors and active and to feel part of the community, she says. She and her two children, for example, skate a couple of times a week on the community rink. “The rink is created and kept up by volunteers. On Saturdays, there’s just one big hockey game going on all day long. You just show up, pick a side and play.” It’s also where she walks her dog, Sugar, who came to Canada with Elliot after her family lived in Korea for two years. “Sugar is a Jindo dog, and people often ask me about her. The Jindo is a Korean breed that has been desig- nated as a national treasure of Korea. They’re also very active dogs, and Sugar encourages me to get up and get out there even if I really don’t feel like walking.” On Sundays, Elliot and her family can often be found skiing (or snowboarding, in the case of her 11 -year-old son) at Chicopee Park. “I love that it takes only 20 min- utes to get there from our home,” she says. As the weather warms, she’ll add playing tennis in Ex- hibition Park, cycling around Guelph and swimming to the activities she enjoys with her children. “Living in Guelph has changed our fives,” says Elliot. “I’ve always lived in bigger cities — when we lived in Ko- rea, we were in Seoul, which has 14 million people. It’s very different to five in Guelph, where there’s much to do right in your neighbourhood and where people have made us feel very accepted and welcomed.” COLIN STRINGER Fifth-year B.Sc. student in molecular biology and genetics “It’s a little hidden gem in the basement of the Athletics Cen- tre,” says Colin Stringer of the U of G Climbing Club’s facili- ties. “In second year, I went there for an intro session with my roommate, and I was hooked. I’ve been climbing three or four nights a week since then, and this year I’m co-president of the club.” The Climbing Club has a volunteer staff of about 20 students who give introduc- tory lessons, monitor climbers and frequently set up new routes on the walls. “We’re open weekdays from 1:30 to 10 p.m.,” he says, “and we encourage students to come in for a free lesson to see if they like it. If they do, they can come back and join the club.” It’s a strategy that seems to be working because close to 200 people have joined this year. (For insurance rea- sons, only U of G students and people with Athletics Centre passes can join the club.) “Climbing for me is a great escape from the rest of university,” says Stringer. “It’s beyond just being a phys- ical sport; there’s also a lot of problem-solving. You’ll reach a point you just can’t seem to get past — you can’t find a place to put your foot or your hand — then you’ll shift your feet or your weight, and suddenly it works.” Although he’s done most of his climbing indoors, he travelled to Alabama during Reading Week to do some outdoor climbs in the foothills of the Appalachians. CLAIRE ALEXANDER Special projects manager in the President's Office, joined the University in 2001 As a volunteer member of the Donor Family Council for organ and tissue donations at the Trillium Gift of Life Net- work (TGLN), Claire Alexan- der is working hard to ensure that donated organs are avail- able for those who need them. Her commitment to this cause is the positive legacy of a trag- edy that occurred more than seven years ago when her son Fraser died unexpectedly from surgery complications at the age of four. “It’s the most devastating thing in the world to lose a child,” says Alexander. Knowing that, she wanted to do what she could to prevent other parents from experienc- ing that terrible pain. She and her husband agreed to do- nate Fraser’s organs. Now, as part of the family council, the couple works with TGLN to raise awareness of the need for organ do- nors and to help physicians and hospital staff learn how to discuss these issues with families of potential donors. “People can go online and download a form that they mail in to register their willingness to donate organs and tissue,” says Alexander. “Registering your consent to do- nate with the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long- Term Care database means doctors don’t have to search through a wallet for a donor card. The information is made available on a 24/7 basis to TGLN when it’s needed.” (To register or for more information, go to www.gjftoflife.on.ca.) She acknowledges that agreeing to donate her son’s organs did not ease her grief, but it did give her some comfort to know that others were helped. Since then, she has met many people who have received donated organs. “These people who have been given a second chance have such a zest for fife, and they are so grateful. I come away from these meetings feeling emotionally raw but also inspired.” On March 18, Alexander will be staffing a TGLN booth at U of G’s annual Health and Wellness Fair, which runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the University Cen- tre courtyard. Colin Stringer Claire Alexander Synchronized Swimmers Pool Their Talents BY TERESA PITMAN P SYCHO. The Exorcist. Halloween. All scary movies — and probably the last thing you’d associate with the graceful art of synchronized swimming. Think again. Those are the movies that pro- duced the background music and the overall theme for the competitive routine of U of G’s novice synchronized swimming team this year. Emily Zamora, president of the U of G Syn- chronized Swim Club, and her team took that spooky routine to the provincial champion- ships in Kingston in January and placed third out of 1 1 teams. It was a hard-fought win be- cause two members of the seven-member team had to drop out because of illness just a week before the competition. “We have no alternates for the novice team, and the routine is based on patterns for seven people, so with two missing, it can really mess | things up,” says Zamora, a fourth-year applied human nutrition student who has been doing synchro since Grade 6. The team scrambled to get in extra swim-through time with the smaller number before heading to Kingston. “Despite all our bad luck, I think we did pretty well,” she says. In addition to the novice team’s third-place finish, competitive solo swimmer Sam Hobbes placed fourth, and the competitive team came in 10th. Solo synchronized swimming may sound like an oxymoron, but Zamora explains that it’s a demonstration of the skills the swimmers use in their routines, In February, club members participated in the national competition in Toronto. There, the novice team placed fourth, the competitive team came in 14th and Hobbes came in eighth. During the run-up to the competitions, the team members practised about three hours a day, earlier in the season, they devoted six hours a week, divided between two late-eve- ning practices. “If we can’t get pool time, sometimes we do land drills,” says Zamora. “For those, we use our arms as legs and count everything out to the music on land, visualizing the moves to counts in water.” Although the competitive team “was fortu- nate enough to have a coach for the first time this year, the novice team is self-coached,” she says. "We take turns sitting out and watching so we can tell the others what they’re doing right or wrong.” What does it take to be a synchro swimmer aside from the ability to swim? Strength is im- portant, as is flexibility, says Zamora. “And be- ing able to hold your breath for a long time is important because you’re underwater a lot.” The routines for novice teams must be two minutes and 45 seconds, plus or minus 15 sec- onds. Competitive routines are three minutes, plus or minus 15 seconds. Each routine must include movements under the water, at the surface of the water and above the water — such as when one swimmer is thrown into the air. Competitors are also marked on artistic ex- pression. That’s why they wear makeup (wa- terproof, of course), so their facial expressions will be more visible as they swim, and why they have swimsuits and headgear designed to fit the theme of the routine. “Most teams have specially made swimsuits that last for only one or two competitions,” says Zamora. “We don’t have the money for that, so we wear Speedos that we can reuse, and the mother of one of the team members made us headpieces.” The swimmers use Knox cooking gelatin in their hair to hold it in place when they go under the water and resurface. Visitors to College Royal weekend can see a demonstration of synchronized swimming March 21 at 1:15 p.m. in the red pool in the Athletics Centre. At Guelph 8 March ii, 2009 Those Cr itical Early Bird Years Biology student makes Bay of Bundy field site a summer home for studies of bird migration BY ANDREW VOWLES I T S A BLACK box” in animal behaviour — and Greg Mitchell hopes to help open it. Learning more about the mysteries of a common songbird’s migration habits may ultimately improve protection of endangered species of migratory birds, says Mitchell, a PhD student in the Department of Integrative Biology. This summer, he’ll return to a Bay of Fundy field station for the sec- ond phase of his study on how Sa- vannah sparrows prepare for their annual winter trek Mitchell is study- ing factors that affect the birds’ round trip between their summer breeding home — an island on the New Brunswick side of the Canada- U.S. border — and their winter homes in the southern United States and Mexico. Bird migration has long posed questions for biologists — how vari- ous species navigate, how they sur- vive sometimes-epic journeys, where they overwinter abroad. The Guelph student is interested in how these sparrows prepare themselves for migration. One crucial question is what af- fects a bird’s ability to bulk up for the trip. But one question leads to an- other. Which birds will fare better on the journey than others? What’s the difference between travel-seasoned adults and juvenile birds that are making their first flight? And does success breed success, meaning that youngsters better prepared for their first migration typically find pre- mium wintering sites and better breeding sites in the following spring — a kind of critical early years for sparrows? “In the past, we haven’t been able to follow migratory birds,” says Mitchell, who completed a B.Sc. in environmental sciences at Guelph in 2004. “With improved technology, we can now start to gain insights into some of the factors that influence conditions for success.” Answering some of the un- knowns will help in understanding migration across lots of species, says his supervisor, Prof. Ryan Norris. “This ‘black box’ period is crucial for these birds.” Mitchell is working at Kent Is- land, a 200-acre dot in the Bay of Fundy that lies 45 minutes south by boat from Grand Manan Island. A field station run on the island by Bowdoin College of Brunswick, Maine, since 1935 allows naturalists to observe nesting seabirds such as petrels and herring gulls, as well as songbirds, notably sparrows and warblers. Less than three kilometres long and only 800 metres across at its wid- est point, the island consists of forest and old fields. The meadows are home to about 300 Savannah spar- rows, which are greyish-brown with yellow eye stripes. Females lay about four eggs a year in cup-shaped nests on the ground. Researchers have been able to maintain a pedigree, matching up walk in with your taxes, walk out with your money and you could win $5,000 towards a road trip, visit refundroadtrip.ca money back . gap-" adults and their offspring from year to year. That allows scientists to study parental effort and subsequent success of the fledglings. Mitchell suspects that early nest conditions — parental ability to pro- vide food, sibling competition — in- fluence juveniles’ body condition and their performance during that inaugural migration. And that, he believes, sets a pattern for birds in subsequent years, one that can be difficult to overcome. It means less fit individu- als may return to Kent Island a bit later than stronger individuals and lose out on the best spring nesting sites. Last year, he was on the island from June to October. He’ll return this summer, when he’ll have a chance to try out some sophisticated tools for examining birds, including ultrasound imaging in the field and injection of heavy water to calculate body water volume and ultimately estimate fat stores. He’s also using digital radio te- lemetry to monitor birds preparing and leaving the island for their fall migration. Smaller than a pinkie nail and with a whip-like antenna at one end, an electronic radio tag is held snugly against the bird’s back by a harness of elastic loops slipped over the bird’s thighs. Telemetry towers erected on the island tbs researchers exacdy when birds leave — including whether juveniles leave at the same time as the adults — and in what di- rection. “That’s cutting-edge,” says Mitchell, who successfully tracked four individuals leaving the island last year. Found across southern Canada, Savannah sparrows aren’t endan- gered, but using this model species might give managers ideas for pro- tecting other species that often fall into the regulatory cracks between countries, he says. Mitchell and Norris are also studying the long-distance habits of Leach’s storm-petrel, a robin-sized bird that breeds on Kent Island and wings all the way to southwest Africa in winter. To track these long-distance spe- cialists, scientists use light-sensing geo-locators. The sensors, which are mounted like a backpack on leg har- nesses, use information about day length to estimate latitude. Mitchell hopes the light sensors will help track the birds’ route, in- cluding where they stop to feed dur- ing that Atlantic crossing. Mitchell credits Prof. Ron Brooks, now emeritus professor in the Department of Integrative Biol- ogy, for sparking his interest in animal movement during his under- graduate studies. For his master’s de- gree at Acadia University, he studied pre-migration roaming by juvenile warblers. Although he didn’t grow up as a birder, Mitchell now spends most Sunday mornings with his lab group watching winged visitors to the Ar- boretum. At Guelph 9 March 11 , 2009 Cancer Ride Funds Support Research Continued from page 1 tion about the Ride to Conquer Can- cer, I immediately shared it with the others, and everyone jumped right in." This is the second year for the Ride to Conquer Cancer. Last year, the 2,850 cyclists who made the To- ronto to Niagara Falls trip raised more than $14 million for cancer re- search at the Campbell Family Insti- tute at Princess Margaret Hospital. This year, new rides have been added in Calgary, Vancouver and Montreal. Tulk and Buddo note that 100 per cent of the funds raised will be directed to cancer research. “We’re all involved in health re- search here, and Jim Kirkland actu- ally does cancer research, so we all know about the need for funding,” says Tulk. Adds Buddo: "Although $15,000 seems like a lot when you’re fundraising, that gets used up pretty quickly in research.” With the ride a few months away, the team is already in training. That means hitting the gym for 6 a.m. workouts on Wednesdays and Fri- days, each lasting 90 minutes, plus a two-hour ride once a week. "It’s pretty intense,” says Tulk. “There was some groaning and com- plaining the first week, but it’s al- ready not that bad.” Another benefit to being part of a team, says Buddo, is that “we push each other. If you don’t show up at six, you’ll hear about it for the rest of the day.” For the team members, being physically active is nothing new, but fundraising is less familiar. “It’s forcing us to get creative,” says Tulk. Besides the 24-hour cycling event, they’ve held a raffle and a 50/50 draw at a hockey game and are planning to stage a hockey marathon April 1 1 at the Gryphon Arena and a dance April 18 at Club 24 in Guelph. For more information, send e-mail to brgurd@uoguelph.ca or htulk@ uoguelph.ca. In addition, team members have hit up many friends and family members and have received spon- sorship from Gatorade, which also supports research in HHNS. “And we all drink a lot of it,” says Tulk. Another major fundraiser has the added goal of helping others im- prove their fitness, she says. “We’ll be doing fitness apprais- als. We will provide VO, max testing and body composition testing to anyone interested in participating, in exchange for a donation to our fundraising efforts.” Buddo says the team members have been pleasantly surprised by the generosity of the people they’ve approached. “Cancer has touched so many fives,” she says. “They want to help. Sometimes people think giving $10 or $20 won’t make much of a differ- ence, but every bit does add up.” The team has its own web page that is part of the Ride to Conquer Cancer website, and anyone inter- ested in supporting the group can donate online through the website or by contacting any of the team members. For more information, go to www.conquercancer.ca, choose the Toronto pages, then go to the team listings and click on “Team HHNS.” Where Are You Now? If you can identify where this photo was taken, you will have your name entered in a draw to be held in June for a $50 gift certificate provided by the U of G Bookstore. Anyone who submits the right answer by March 13 at 4:45 p.m. is eligible for the draw. Send your response to r.kendall@exec.uoguelph.ca or call Ext. 56039. The following people correctly reported that the Feb. 25 photo was of a stained-glass skylight on the third floor of the Macdonald Institute Building: Cathy Walsh, Wendy Turner, David McGee, Melanie Lang, Nina Eryavec, Alexia Prescod and Fred Pries. Installed in the early 1900s, the skylight was recently found hidden behind a dropped ceiling during restoration work on the building. photo by rebecca kendall College Royal March 21 and 22 Continued from page 1 college exhibits across campus. A special lecture series runs throughout the weekend. Topics this year are “The Science of Food” with Prof. Massimo Marcone of the Department of Food Science, “Eat- ing for Energy” with Erin Armitage of the Health and Performance Cen- tre and “Are We Entering the Post- Antibiotic Era?” with Prof. John Prescott of the Department of Pathobiology. Over in Zavitz Hall, fine art stu- dents will stage their 41st annual print show and sale. It runs March 20 and 21 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and March 22 from noon to 5 p.m. in Room 207. The minimum wage is going up. College Royal weekend also of- fers a number of activities designed especially for children. These in- clude food science milkshakes, pop- bottle rockets, boat races, teddy bear surgery and Old Macdonald’s New Farm. “After participating in many events at College Royal over the past few years and talking with enthusi- asts from the 1950s to the present, I believe the passion for this event has become the legacy of College Royal,” says Peart. “I also want to draw attention to the hundreds of student volunteers who put a lot of hours into making this event as successful as it is year af- ter year. It takes a lot of planning and dedication. I think the volunteers If you're an employer, here's what you need to know. General Minimum Wage Students under 18 and working not more than 28 hours per week or during a school holiday Liquor Server Hunting & Fishing Guides: for less than five consecutive hours in a day Hunting & Fishing Guides: for five or more hours in a day whether or not the hours are consecutive Homeworkers (people doing paid work in their home for an employer) Current wage rate $8.75/hour $8. 20/hour $7.60/hour $43.75 $87.50 110% of the minimum wage Mar 31,2009 wage rate $9.50/hour $8.90/hour $8.25/hour $47.50 $95.00 110% of the minimum wage On March 31 , 2009 , the general minimum wage will increase to $ 9.50 per hour from the current rate of $ 8.75 per hour. 1o find out more about how the new minimum wage guidelines affect employers and employees, call or visit the Ministry of Labour web site. Paid for by the Government of Ontario r*> (S' Ontario 1 -800-531 -5551 www.ontario.ca/minimumwage should be recognized for all the amazing work they’re doing.” The weekend open house runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. For a complete schedule of events, visit www.collegeroyal.uoguelph.ca. Energy Tip of the Month Get your home taps fixed, and be sure to report leaking faucets at work to Ext. 53854. A one-drop- per-second leak wastes 9,000 litres of water annually — that’s the same as taking 16 baths every month! And remember, saving water saves energy. For information about sustainability efforts on campus, visit www. pr.uoguelph.ca/sustain. At Guelph 10 March n, 2009 CLASSIFIEDS Three- or four-bedroom townhouse in Clairfields subdivision, 1,230 square feet, 2 Vi baths, immaculate, neutral decor, walking distance to high school and shopping, 10-min- ute drive to campus, on bus route, Tracey, 519-546-3583, Tracey_ inoakville@yahoo.ca or visit www. propertyguys, ID 116124. BlackBerry Pearl 8130, never used, mcleoda@uoguelph.ca or 519-575- 5023. Crib mattress with mattress covers, sheets and dust ruffle, 519-780-0181 or bagunn@uoguelph.ca. Three-bedroom bungalow in Guelph General Hospital area on Pleasant Road, close to schools, plas- ter construction, paved stone drive- way, parking for four vehicles, updated baths, hardwood and ceramic on main level, windows and roof replaced, sunroom with seven- person hot tub, partially finished basement, 519-821-7567 or smccormi@uoguelph.ca. Four-bedroom bungalow in Arthur, 2,400 square feet, 60- by 200-foot lot, 2 Vi baths, den, hardwood and ceramic floors, main-floor laundry, two-tier deck off kitchen, finished walkout basement to patio and hot tub, double garage, custom-built playhouse, Mark or Cheryl, 519- 848-3441, mddennis@sympatico.ca or visit www.propertyguys,com, ID 1 16379. Bungalow with self-contained apart- ment on lower level, close to down- town, hardwood floors on main level, new kitchen with built-in laun- dry, new windows and doors, new kitchen and bathroom in downstairs walkout, 5 1 9-265-3374 or visit www. privateforsaleclub.com, ID 1042. Antique pine harvest table, rare six-foot length; framed, numbered and signed Norval Morrisseau print titled Bear Spirit, Mennonite double quilt, sunny and earth colours, pho- tos available, aholling@registrar. uoguelph.ca. FOR RENT Furnished three-bedroom home in old University area, pool, suitable for faculty, staff or graduate stu- dents, non-smokers, hypoallergenic pets, kid-friendly, available July to December 2009, 519-835-5466 or ahovorka@uoguelph.ca. Large one- or two-bedroom apart- ment in house, separate kitchen and living room, walkout to half-acre lot, parking, 10 minutes to campus, Internet and utilities included, Wal- ter, 519-835-8085. One-bedroom condo currently under construction, 51 Goodwin Dr., available June 1 , $ 1 ,000 a month inclusive, doyle.jacqueline@gmail. com. Furnished large bedroom with office, 10-minute walk to campus, separate bath, kitchen, laundry, suit- able for visiting female faculty mem- ber or post-grad, non-smoker, no pets, short- or long-term rental, 519- 822-1084 or ctyler@uoguelph.ca. Three-bedroom home to sublet in Pine Ridge subdivision, garage, fenced yard, garden, available April 15 to Aug. 15, reasonable rent for mature, responsible person, kellis@ uoguelph.ca. Three-bedroom two-storey farm- house in Belwood, 1 Vi baths, family room, available April 1, accommo- dation and pasture for horses can be arranged, $1,200 a month, 910-947- 1659 after 6 p.m. WANTED Department of Food Science seeks people to test new dairy products, Lisa, Ext. 53410 or lduizer@ uoguelph.ca. Department of Computing and Information Science seeks volun- teers for study to help victims of neuromuscular disease, 30 to 45 minutes required, financial com- pensation, tdoan@uoguelph.ca. Homestay families or individuals to host international ESL students, homestay@uoguelph.ca. I Pianos, books, lessons & more! 519.836.8492 Banner Stands Order new or we can print new graphics for your existing banner stand — Roland Sanner-Up Retractable 3>P U R B A VISION Eye Exams Jai Jassai Safety Glasses lnfo@puieavttlon Contact Lenses 1388 Gordon St.. Unit 1 Designer Frames Guelph, Ontario Sunglasses NIL 1C8 Canada Tel. 519-823-9400 www.purbavisidn i.com Fax. 519-823-2273 Campus Hardware Limited 1027 Gordon Street Guelph, Ontario NIG 4X1 Tel. (519) 836-3721 l ax (519) 836-5664 Helen Maciag GRANITE ♦ MARBLE ♦ NATURAL STONE DESIGN ♦ MANUFACTURE ♦ INSTALLATION ROB DURIGON 519-821-5880 987 York Road. Ilnli #3 SlV-821-2422 fax Guelph, Ontario NIK 6Y9 grjn[itrvvnrx«l»elliiirLca ■ 210 Kortright Road West, Unit #5 Guelph, Ontario NIG 4X4 Telephone: (519) 826-1774 Michael H,C. McMurray Email: michaelmcmurray@on.aibn.com Partner • Are you happy with your savings and investments? • Would you like to talk to someone about your financial future? • With 24 years of financial experience, I can provide a professional second opinion • Call me today for a free consultation Guelph's Laminate and Hardwood Flooring Headquarters Come in and see our large in-stock selection of laminate and hardwood flooring, plus area rugs /It Finance . corn jnonoal Services 55 Dawson Road, Guelph 519-821-5744 7 At Guelph ll March ii, 2009 EVENTS ARBORETUM The Theatre in the Trees dinner- theatre production of Self Help by Norm Foster opens March 27 and continues weekends until May 10. Dinner is at 6:30 p.m.; showtime is 8 p.m. Cost is $62. To order tickets, call Ext. 54110. “Urban Wildlife Habitat Garden- ing” is the focus of a workshop led by Leslie Work April 3 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Cost is $50. The deadline for registration and payment is March 20 . ART CENTRE The Macdonald Stewart Art Centre’s learning lunch continues March 17 at noon with art centre director and curator Judith Nasby discussing masterworks from the collection. The art centre presents “Musical Life in Vienna” with the Bremen String Quartet performing works by Haydn, Beethoven and Brahms March 22 at 11 a.m. Tickets are $15. COLLOQUIUM The TransCanada Institute hosts an interdisciplinary colloquium featur- ing Len Findlay of the University of Saskatchewan March 18 at 4 p.m. at 9 University Ave. His topic is “From Extraordinary Renditions to Ordi- nary Hope: Recent Events Through a Humanities Lens.” CONCERTS The School of Fine Art and Music’s Thursdays at Noon concert series continues March 1 2 with the Light of East Ensemble performing music of the near and Middle East and March 1 9 with “Classics ‘n’ Blues” featuring Sibylle Marquardt on flute, Peter Stoll on clarinet and pianist Kathryn Tremills. March 27 is student solo- ists’ day. Concerts start at 12:10 p.m. in MacKinnon 107. Admission is free, but donations are welcome. The U of G Women’s Choir con- ducted by Prof. Marta McCarthy hosts the University of Toronto Women’s Choir and the Saint Mary’s College Women’s Choir March 13 at 7:30 p.m. at Harcourt United Church. Tickets are $10 gen- eral, $8 for students and seniors. The Diane Nalini Quartet presents an International Year of Astronomy jazz concert March 27 at 8 p.m. at War Memorial Hall. Prof. Diane Nalini de Kerckhove, Physics, will launch a digital EP of astronomy- themed songs at the concert. Tickets are $20 general, $10 for students. The U of G Contemporary Music Ensemble conducted by Joe Sorbara and the U of G Concert Winds led by John Goddard perform March 27 at 8 p.m. at Harcourt United Church. Tickets are $10 general, $8 for stu- dents and seniors. Henry Janzen leads the U of G cham- ber ensembles March 29 at 4 p.m. in MacKinnon 107. Prof. Marta McCarthy conducts the U of G Choirs and Guelph Chamber Players in “Voices of the Spirit” March 29 at 7 p.m. at Church of Our Lady. Tickets are $20 and $10. FILM “Docurama,” the film series spon- sored by the U of G Library and the Central Student Association, contin- ues with Flow March 17 and I.O. U.SA. March 24. Both begin at 7 p.m. in Thornbrough 1 307. The Spanish studies program in the School of Languages and Literatures presents the film Camardn March 24 at 7 p.m. in MacKinnon 309. LECTURES U.S. artist Roni Horn gives the School of Fine Art and Music’s third annual Shenkman Lecture in Con- temporary Art March 1 1 at 5:30 p.m. in War Memorial Hall. The inaugural Guelph Lecture in Philosophy features Princeton Uni- versity bioethicist Peter Singer dis- cussing “Ethics and Animals” March 21 at 2 p.m. in Rozanski 101. The Improvisation, Community and Social Practice project presents Kara Attrep of the University of Cal- ifornia, Santa Barbara, examining Yoko Ono-ism March 23 at 1 p.m. in MacKinnon 203. The Department of Physics hosts a Canadian Association of Physicists Lecture March 25 at 4 p.m. in MacNaughton 1 13. Prof. James Tay- lor of the University of Waterloo presents “What Is Dark Matter (and Why Should We Care)?” The ASTRA lecture series celebrates the International Year of Astronomy with a talk by Paul Delaney of York University March 25 at 7:30 p.m. in the science complex atrium. His topic is “From Galileo to Hubble: The Rise of the Telescope.” NOTICES The Department of Psychology is calling for proposals by March 1 3 for its fourth annual Neuroscience Research Day, to be held April 6 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Arbore- tum Centre. The day will include oral presentations by graduate stu- dents and post-docs and poster pre- sentations by post-docs, grad stu- dents and undergraduates. Submit proposals to Prof. Linda Parker at parkerl@uoguelph.ca. Fine art students host their annual print show and sale March 20 and 21 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and March 22 from noon to 5 p.m. in Zavitz 207. The sale will feature original litho- graphs, etchings, and relief and screen prints. The School of Languages and Litera- tures is hosting a March 12 informa- tion session with EF Education First Tours about an escorted cultural trip to Spain planned for spring 2010. The session begins at 6 p.m. in MacKinnon 308. The 2009 Master of Fine Arts Studio features the work of MFA students and undergraduates March 1 1 from 3 to 9 p.m. in Blackwood Hall, the Fire Hall and the Textiles Building. The Stress Management and High Performance Clinic and the Learn- ing Commons offer a four-session program called “ExamSMART” starting March 17 at 5:30 p.m. in McLaughlin Library 384. For regis- tration information, pick up a pam- phlet at the Info Desk on UC Level 1 , visit www.uoguelph.ca/- ksomers or leave a message at Ext. 52662. SEMINARS “Successful Field Applications of Advanced Phytoremedial Systems at Brownfield Sites: Decontamination of Petroleum, Metal and Salt- Impacted Soils” is the focus of Bruce Greenberg of the University of Waterloo in the Department of Environmental Biology seminar series March 12. On March 26, Prof. John Klironomos, Integrative Biol- ogy, presents “Mycorrhizal Func- tioning in Terrestrial Ecosystems.” The seminars are at 1:30 p.m. in Gra- ham 2307. The Department of Pathobiology seminar series continues March 13 with Brad Doble of the McMaster Stem Cell and Cancer Research Institute explaining “GSK-3, Wnt and Notch Signalling in Embryonic Stem Cell Self-Renewal” and March 20 with Prof. Geoff Wood on “Multi-Species Oncogenomics for Osteosarcoma Gene Discovery.” On March 27, the topic is “Phenotypic, Genetic and Epigenetic Variation of Immune Response and Disease Resistance Traits of Dairy Cattle” with Prof. Bonnie Mallard. The sem- inars begin at 1 1 a.m. in Pathobiology 2106. Prof. Rich Moccia, Animal and Poultry Science, examines “Ecotoxi- cology of Botulinum Poisoning in Great Lakes Fish and Birds: The Challenges of Uncertainty” in the Department of Integrative Biology’s “Loaves and Fishes” seminar series March 13. On March 20, the topic is “Story as a Natural Unit of Common Knowledge for Indigenous and Western Science in Fisheries Man- agement” with Prof. Steve Crawford. The seminars are at 1 2:30 p.m. in sci- ence complex 3317. The seminar series hosted by the plant biology group in the Depart- ment of Molecular and Cellular Biology continues March 16 with post-doc Mahmoud Yaish discuss- ing “AtMBD9 Modulates Plant Development Through the Dual Epigenetic Pathways of DNA Methylation and Histone Acety- lation.” On March 23, the topic is "The Psychological Ecology of Drought Adaptation: Macro- and Micro-Evolutionary Perspectives” with Prof. Hafiz Maherali. The semi- nars are at 3:30 p.m. in science com- plex 2315. The Rural History Roundtable pres- ents Christi Gameau-Scott March 16 at 4 p.m. in MacKinnon 2020. Her topic is “Hunting Traditions and Human-Animal Interactions: The Triangular Relationship Be- tween Huntsmen, Hounds and Prey in Mid-20th-Century America.” “Jumbo Problems: The Survivor- ship, Fecundity and Population Via- bility of Elephants in Zoos” is the focus of Prof. Georgia Mason, Ani- mal and Poultry Science, in the Department of Integrative Biology seminar series March 17. On March 24, Prof. Nick Bernier presents “Rid- ing Out the Storm: How Leptin Helps Fish Cope With Hypoxic Conditions.” The seminars begin at 3:30 p.m. in science complex 2315. Next up in the Department of Phys- ics seminar series is Mark Sutton of McGill University discussing “What’s All This Excitement About New X-Ray Sources Yet Again?” March 17 at 4 p.m. in science com- plex 1511. Rob Martienssen of the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory in New York explains “Heterochromatin Repro- gramming by RNAi During Cell Division and Differentiation” in the Department of Molecular and Cellu- lar Biology seminar series March 18 at 12:30 p.m. in Animal Science and Nutrition 156. The Faculty of Environmental Sci- ences’ Campus Cafe hosts Jamie Benidickson of the University of Ottawa March 19 at noon in the sci- ence complex atrium. His topic is “The Culture of Flushing.” SYMPOSIUM The annual undergraduate journal ARTHattack is hosting a free sympo- sium March 20 at 3:30 p.m. in MacKinnon 120, with a reception to follow in Johnston 104. Guest speaker is Kirsty Robertson, a pro- fessor of contemporary art and museum studies at the University of Western Ontario. TEACHING SUPPORT Full details and a registration link for Teaching Support Services pro- grams can be found at www.tss. uoguelph.ca. On March 13, TSS hosts a Design Cafe featuring instructors involved in the Desire2Learn pilot project. For instructors who would like to set up courses using Desire2Learn, TSS presents the “D2L Starter Kit” work- shop March 23. TSS’s “Learning Circle” discussions continue with “Teaching on the Edge” and High Tech Versus No Tech in the Classroom” March 25. A hands-on session on “Setting Up and Submitting Final Grades Using Gradebook” is slated for March 27. For teaching assistants, TSS offers a workshop on “Active Learning and Student Engagement” March 17 and the discussion series “TA Food for Thought” March 27. THEATRE The School of English and Theatre Studies presents Ubu Roi by Alfred Jarry March 16 to 21 in the George Luscombe Theatre. Directed by Prof. Scott Duschesne, the play runs nightly at 8 p.m. Tickets are $8 and $10 at the door or in Massey 102. THESIS DEFENCES The final examination of Laura Warren, an M.Sc. candidate in the Department of Population Medi- cine, is March 12 at 1:30 p.m. in OVC 1714. The thesis is “Road Transport Conditions of Slaughter Cattle: Effects on Some Measures of Welfare and the Prevalence of Dark Cutters.” The advisers are Profs. Ken Bateman and Ira Mandell. The final examination of PhD candi- date Thomas Binder, Integrative Biology, is March 19 at 9 a.m. in sci- ence complex 1511. The thesis is “Migratory Activity, Refuge Seeking and the Sensory Basis of Light Avoidance in Spawning-Phase Sea Lampreys.” The adviser is Prof. Gordon McDonald. COMMUNITY EVENTS The Guelph Little Theatre produc- tion of Beyond a Joke by Derek Benfield runs weekends from March 19 to April 4. Call 519-821-0270 for ticket information. Guelph-Wellington Women in Cri- sis offers free workshops on asser- tiveness March 20 and “Forbidden Topics in the Family” March 31. Register at 519-823-5806. The Guelph and Wellington branch of the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario hosts a public talk by U of G graduate Martin Bosch, owner of the Guelph Soap Company, March 18 at 7 p.m. at 10 Carden St. His topic is “Industrial Architecture: Reminders of Our Working Past.” Guelph-Wellington Women in Cri- sis holds its annual dinner and auc- tion March 28 at 5 p.m. at Guelph Place. For tickets or to donate items for the auction, call 519-836-11 10. At Guelph 12 March h, 2009 at GUELPH UNIVERSITY eTGUEUPH Changing Lives Improving Life MARCH 25, 2009 . VOL. 53 NO. 6 . WWW.UOGUELPH.CA/ATGUELPH UNIVERSITY OF GUELPH INSIDE: A MUCH-WEEDED BOOST • HELPING WHERE IT HURTS • A CLEAN SWEEP • THE DOCTOR IS IN The Eyes Have It £™ ua Lu S,uden U Sar ? h . Core and Prof - steve “'Her. Animal and Poultry Science have discovered that the .-raaaKst--" 1 Next Canadian Astronaut Might Come From U of G Robot Developed at Guelph to Help Strok e Patients Engineers put therapy robot through paces BY BARRY GUNN P hysiotherapists working with patients recovering from a stroke may soon be able to enlist a robotic helper developed by U of G scientists and tested with human patients at Hamilton Health Scien- ces. A team of researchers led by Prof. Hussein Abdullah, Engineering, has been developing the technology for seven years. It puts a robot to work with patients who have had a stroke, helping them with exercises de- signed to restore the function of their upper limbs. The project is funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Counci ) of Canada. Used for the first time in Canada in an in-patient environment, the robot proved to be as effective as conventional treatment in an exper- imental trial involving 15 partici- pants in the rehabilitation program at Hamilton Health Sciences. “The robot has not been de- signed to replace the physiothera- pist, says Abdullah, adding that the therapist can “teach” the robot to perform specific exercises. “It is a tool that therapists can use to help them do their jobs more efficiently and offer patients the most effective treatment.” Rather than start from scratch, Abdullah’s team took an off-the- shelf industrial robot and modified it for the delicate task of working with humans and providing inten- sive functional therapy. Hamilton Health Sciences phys- iotherapists Cynthia Lambert and Susan Barreca provided the exper- tise on the patterns of movement , that could be used to help patients recover mobility in their partially paralyzed arms. They worked with the robot in trials at the clinic for more than 18 months, mostly with patients over Continued on page 10 Guelph grad, PhD student among Canadian Space Agency's top 16 candidates Ottawa Supports Studies to Detect Contaminants Food scientists to sniff out toxic substances BY BARRY GUNN T he International Space Sta- tion or a future space flight to the moon or even Mars might have a Guelph graduate as a crew member. A current U of G student and a two- time graduate of the University are among the top 16 candidates to become Canada’s newest astronauts. Matt Bamsey, a PhD candidate working on life-support systems that will enable future space travellers to grow plants for food in extreme en- vironments, and Ryan Hunter, a B.Sc. and PhD graduate now doing post-doctoral research at the Massa- chusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), are competing with 14 others for just two positions in Canada’s as- tronaut corps. More than 5,300 peo- ple applied when the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) launched its re- cruitment drive last May. The lucky two will be chosen this May. CSA president and former astro- naut Steve MacLean says the top 16 candidates “represent an incredibly accomplished, well-rounded and di- verse group of Canadians." Hunter, of Mississauga, earned I his bachelor’s degree in microbiol- ogy in 2000 and his PhD in 2007. He’s working at MIT on a post-doc- toral fellowship from the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, study- ing the effects of bacteria on patients with the deadly lung disease. He’s also doing NASA-funded re- search on the origins of life on Earth and the interaction between living organisms and their environment. But his possible journey to the stars didn’t start until a third -year under- graduate course that examined the evidence for microbial life on Mars. “I thought it seemed pretty far- fetched, and I really didn’t have any interest in space until that time. But I’ve been fascinated ever since with the topic and with doing research in the areas where biology and micro- biology and geology intersect. To re- ally understand what to look for when we’re trying to find life on other planets, we have to know how bacteria function here on Earth.” Hunter’s r 6 sum 6 also includes a four-month fellowship at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California. Bamsey was raised in Guelph but completed degrees in aerospace en- gineering at Carleton University and the University of Colorado prior to his doctoral studies at U of G. He di- vides his time between Guelph, where he’s completing his PhD in environmental biology with Prof. Mike Dixon, and Montreal, where he’s a research affiliate with the CSA’s space science-planetary exploration division. In 2007, Bamsey spent four months on Devon Island at the Flashline Mars Arctic Research Sta- tion. The expedition was designed to simulate what living conditions would be like for explorers on a mis- sion to Mars. His research at Guelph examines water use for future moon/Mars crews and the develop- ment of sensors for ion-specific sensing of the nutrient solution in biological life-support systems. Bamsey says he feels privileged to be among the CSA’s top 16 candi- dates. “This is an amazing group of Canadians," he says. “It’s already a dream come true, regardless of the final outcome in May.” He lauds U of G for providing him with world-class experience. “It’s been a great fit. I’ve been fortu- nate to work with a very motivated research group in a program that’s perfectly aligned with my goals.” BY ANDREW VOWLES H elping to sniff out anthrax, botulin and other deadly substances in food or water con- taminated by potential bioterrorists is the purpose of almost $340,000 in federal funding announced this month for two U of G food scien- tists. Profs. Keith Warriner and Mansel Griffiths will use the money to develop techniques and tools for helping to detect toxic substances in food and water samples. The Guelph researchers are working with scientists in Canada and the United States under a pro- ject headed by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) with funding from the Department of National Defence (DND). The project is among 24 new re- search initiatives to receive more than $35 million from DND's De- fence Research and Development Canada agency under its Chemical, Biological, Radiological-Nuclear and Explosives Research and Technology Initiative. U of G is expected to receive about $337,000 over four years for its part in the CFIA-led project to develop technology for early detec- tion of food contamination. Warriner plans to develop porta- ble devices to help detect deadly contaminants quickly and accu- rately in the field. No such devices yet exist. Normally it takes several days or even weeks for suspect sam- ples to be tested at a laboratory — far too long to stem a potential bioter- rorism attack, he says. Continued on page 10 At Guelph 1 March 25 , 2009 /. S. Bax/C St. /Vlatt/uw PctSSUHV Meredith Hall soprano Rosemarie van der Hooft alto James McLean tenor (Evangelist) Justin Welsh bass (Jmuk) Musica Viva Orchestra - ON IT. RIOD INSTRUMENTS Sung in English ■jJpGEJV,^ 6i4S - 7i30pjn. JOHN DUTTARS "Hit goiptl of Matthtwj Itxl, I imtt and milieu' Ortobyafaewag 00 pm • APRIL 11, 2009 River Run Centre $30 Adults • $10 Students • $5 fiP- 0, 9_ 3000 . >f toll-fie*- 1-877-520-2408 fir on-line at www.riverrun.ea “Within the Child Lies the Fate of the Future” Dr. Maria Montessori ■ Enriched Academic Curriculum ■ Athletic Program including: Martial Arts, Swimming, Skating, Yoga and Gym ■ Musikgarten ■ Core French ■ Monthly Field Trips ■ Certified Montessori Teachers Low Student Teacher Ratio Toddler Program 18'30 Months 1/2 Day & Full Day Preschool Full Day Jr. & Sr. Kindergarten Elementary Grades 1-6 Extended Hours Available DOWNTOWN GUELPH 151 Waterloo A ve Guelph Ont 519 836*3810 o www.guelphmontessori.com PLANNING A HOME RENOVATION? Come in and see us about all your renovation needs and take advantage of the Home Renovation Tax Credit. DO IT RIGHT WITH RON A! RONAi CASHWAY ‘Van 4 from th e president Mitch's Music Video a Much-Needed Boost Editor’s note: President Alastair Summerlee welcomes comments on his column at president@uoguelph.ca. S ometimes inspiration, both personal and professional, can come out of nowhere and in unexpected packages. I received a much-needed motivation boost recently in the form of a 60-second music video. It was made by one of our President’s Scholars, Mitch Moffit, with a lit- tle help from about 20 of his friends. Mitch, a third-year biological sciences student, is vying for “The Best Job in the World,” a position that would take him to Hamilton Island on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef for six months. Once there, he would be the island’s caretaker, doing things like feeding the fish and blogging about the unique ecosystem and island life. The job is actually a very clever promotional cam- paign by Tourism Queensland in Australia. Their “help wanted” ad generated responses from more than 34,000 people in 200 countries. Candidates had one minute to explain — via a video application — why they are the best person for the job. Based on those entries, the field was narrowed to 50 fi- nalists, including Mitch and a handful of other Canadians. People around the world were asked to vote for their favourite, and thousands and thousands of people have been going to the Tourism Queensland website every day to cast their ballots. Their votes will help select a wild-card candidate, with the tourism board choosing the other 10 finalists. For his “hire me” pitch, Mitch, a fixture in Guelph theatre, wrote a musical. He sings about Canada’s harsh weather, his sense of adventure and his love for the out- doors and travel. The backdrop is downtown Guelph, and as Mitch walks along the street, a group of his friends follow be- hind in a chorus, singing about his many qualifications in sync and in tune. The result is simply delightful. Mitch manages to re- veal his likeable personality and the spirit of Guelph as he exudes genuine warmth and charm — all in 60 sec- onds. The first time I watched it, 1 smiled from start to fin- ish, as proud as could be that it was produced by one of our students. When it was over, 1 was flooded with good feelings about the University, the city and life in gen- eral. I’ve watched the video a dozen times at least, and each time, its feel-good aura lingers. I feel as though I’ve started to emerge from my March doldrums, the result of a brutal winter and the University’s even more brutal financial difficulties. Simply put, Mitch’s video reminds me of what the University of Guelph is all about. Working at U of G ex- poses us to creative people like Mitch and to fresh ideas on a daily basis. We even get a chance to encourage and foster them along the way. We get to witness emerging talent and creative minds on the cusp of what they will become, and to see budding ideas that will one day blossom to revolution- ize the world. We get to work with people who are deeply commit- ted to what they do, whether it’s teaching, research or daily work tasks. Sometimes we disagree with each other. But we do this knowing that U of G is a place where people feel free to exchange ideas and express differing opinions loudly and publicly, and where they feel confident they will be heard. And although Mitch’s quirky, cheery video can’t make our financial problems disappear, it does remind us why we must keep our shoulders to the wheel. The tough decisions we make today will help preserve the uniqueness of the Guelph learning experience for our students, both now and in the future. They are the rea- son we do what we do. Of course, I’ve always known this about U of G and have expressed similar sentiments in the past. But dur- ing troubling times, positive views can sometimes be buried under an avalanche of gloom and doom. I’m shovelling my way out, and Mitch’s outlook on what he and Guelph have to offer has helped immensely. I’m not the only person who’s been affected this way. As of press time Monday, Mitch had racked up 53,051 votes and was sitting in second place behind the candidate from Taiwan. Voting ended Tuesday. Mitch has been interviewed by television and radio stations, as well as numerous newspapers. He’s received hundreds of e-mails of support, and thousands of peo- ple around the world have seen and commented on his video. More important, “Mitch mania.’’ ha* swept GucVpH. Magic 106 FM has been doing a “Mitch count” every morning to announce the latest vote tally. A local public relations firm, McMillan Marketing Agency, launched an e-mail blitz. And people at City Hall and local schools rallied their troops to go to the website and vote. It’s a wonderful example of community pride in this university and city, and an important reminder of all things great about Guelph. We’ll all be rooting for Mitch when the top 10 and the wild-card finalists are announced in April. If he makes it, Mitch, sans chorus, will be off to Australia to interview for the job, this time in person. If you haven’t seen Mitch’s video, you can still find it on YouTube. It’ll make you smile, and it might just re- mind you of things you like about living and working in Guelph — even without an ocean view. 55 Dawson Road, Guelph 519-821-5744 AT GUELPH PUBLICATION SCHEDULE Publication Date April 8 April 22 May 6 May 20 Deadline March 31 April 14 April 28 May 12 X PL_ Editor Barbara Chance b.chance@cxcc.uoguclph.ca Design Peter Enneson At Guelph is published every two weeks by Communications and Public Affairs, Level 4, University Centre, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario NIG2W1. Articles may be reprinted with credit to Ar Guelph. Production Linda Graham Inquiries: 519-824-4120 Subscriptions pL l.graham@cxec.uoguelph.ca Editorial: Ext. 56580 $25 (includes GST); Distribution: Ext. 56581 $30 outside Canada ' Advertising Scott Anderson Advertising: Ext. 56580 ISSN 08364478 a theandersondifference@rogcrs.com wtvw. uoguclph. ca/adguidc Director Chuck Cunningham Classifieds: Ext. 56581 ro c.cunningham@excc.uoguelph.ca Website: www.uoguelph.ca/atguelph At Guelph 2 March 25 , 2009 news in brief TWO CANDIDATES FOR CME DEAN ANNOUNCED The selection committee for the position of dean of the College of Management and Economics has announced two candidates: Prof. Julia Christensen Hughes, chair of the Department of Business, and Prof. David Prescott, acting dean of the college. Copies of their bios can be viewed at www.uoguelph.ca/ facultyjobs/positions.shtml. A CD recording of their public presenta- tions will be available from Kim McCaughan at Ext. 53846. Provost Maureen Mancuso, chair of the selection committee, invites com- ments on the candidates by April 10. They can be submitted by regu- lar mail or by e-mail to provost@ uoguelph.ca. Comments will be held in strict confidence. U OF G TO SIGN ARTICULATION AGREEMENT WITH BLUEWATER SCHOOL BOARD, PROVINCE Representatives of the Bluewater District School Board and the Ontario government will visit Guelph April 2 to sign an articula- tion agreement with U of G. The agreement will exempt high school graduates of the specialist high skills major in agriculture from introduc- tory agriculture courses during sub- sequent studies toward an agricul- tural diploma or degree at U of G. It will also allow students enrolled in the secondary school agriculture major to pursue university experi- ences at Guelph or its regional cam- puses during Grade 11 or 12. CME TO LAUNCH ACADEMIC INITIATIVE, STUDENT GROUP The College of Management and Economics will launch the aca- demic initiative Sustainable Com- merce@Guelph and an undergrad- uate student organization called UoG Netlmpact March 30 in the University Club. Guest speaker is Peter Victor, author of Managing Without Growth: Slower by Design, Not Disaster. The event begins with a social at 4:30 p.m., followed by Victor’s talk at 5:30 p.m. and a dis- cussion period. If you wish to attend, RSVP by March 27 to netimpac@uoguelph.ca. Netlmpact is an international organization of young professionals and students working to promote sustainable commerce in businesses and busi- ness schools. SPRING ‘BETTER U’ PROGRAM HOSTS INFORMATION SESSION Occupational Health and Wellness launches its spring “Better U’ pro- gram with an information and sign-up session April 1 at noon in Room 168 of the Axelrod Building. The fitness program, which runs from noon to 1 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays starting April 6, offers a number of options: leisure walk- ing, power walking, running, learn- ing to run and stretching. Meeting place is the Powell Building. To reg- ister, contact Annie Eleveld at Ext. 56811 or aeleveld@uoguelph.ca. For more information, visit the website www.uoguelph.ca/hr/ohs/ thebetteryou.php. A walking group that meets at the Pathobiology Building is also available. Call Karen McKenzie at Ext. 54283 for details. National Co-operative Education Week at U of G Celebrates Award Winners University reception to honour top co-op employer and students C elebrating CO-OP students, employers and their achieve- ments is the focus of National Co- operative Education Week running until March 27 at universities and colleges across Canada. At U of G, the highlight of the week is the annual co-op awards reception March 26 at the Cutten Club, where the University’s top co-op employer and students will be recognized. This year’s award winners in- clude Coast Hotels & Resorts, which was chosen as Employer of the Year. The company has been a co-op employer for more than a decade, of- fering unique and challenging op- portunities for students in the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, says co-op education co-ordinator Shelley Gallina. In work terms with the organiza- tion, “students have been active par- ticipants in projects designed to enrich their experiences,” says Gallina. “Regular meetings with company president Graeme Barrit provide students with further in- sights into management and leader- ship activities.” The awards reception will also recognize Co-op Student of the Year winners Vanessa Klages and Steven Hawley. Klages, a B.Comm. student in ag- ricultural business, won in the cate- gory of commerce and social and applied human science. Hawley, a B.Sc. student in biochemistry, won in the science and engineering category. “During her time with us, Vanessa has displayed a positive atti- tude and a strong work ethic and has been an invaluable contribution to our company,” says lan Richardson, president of eBiz Professionals Inc., who nominated her for the award. Klages did a co-op work term with the organization as a project team member working on a veterinary biosecurity initiative. “Vanessa took the initiative to learn all aspects of the project and quickly surpassed our expectations of her.” Hawley was nominated by his co-op employer, Prof. Nina Jones, Molecular and Cellular Biology. “I have come to know Steve as a highly motivated and hard-working individual with a true passion for sci- entific investigation,” says Jones. Hawley voluntarily took on a chal- lenging project related to the ShcD adaptor protein, she says, and the data he collected are being assem- bled into a manuscript Also to be honoured at the recep- tion is HTM graduate Iris Lam, re- cipient of the Collin Cureatz Memorial Award for Co-op Student Involvement. The award recognizes a co-op student who has positively represented the co-op program to current students, future students and the community in general. “I was impressed with her insight — her ability to see the bigger pic- ture, envision positive change and take action on making improve- ments to the co-op program, the COOP*1100 class and the peer helper team in Co-operative Educa- tion and Career Services,” says on- campus co-ordinator Megan Brodie. Lam also volunteered with Pro- ject Serve, Start Online and Fall Pre- view Days; served as director of finance on the HTM Student Associ- ation; and played varsity lacrosse. She is now working in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, for Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts. University Puts Most Endowed Scholarships, Bursaries on Hold Move essential to protect future of student awards, says Summerlee BY LORI BONA HUNT B ecause of significant dimin- ishing investment returns in the current economic climate, U of G will be suspending most of its endowed scholarships and bursaries for the time being, says president Alastair Summerlee. Many other Canadian and North American universities have already taken similar measures, he says. The vast majority of Guelph’s student assistance — 83 per cent — is not affected by this decision be- cause only 17 per cent is supported by endowments, says Summerlee. The change applies only to new scholarship applications, and every effort will be made to honour multi-year endowed scholarship commitments. National institutionally sup- ported awards such as the President’s and Chancellor’s Scholarships are unaffected. “Like other universities and sec- tors, we are feeling the effect of the world’s economic crisis and are strategizing to manage the extreme challenges it presents,” says the pres- ident. “This decision comes with re- gret but is essential to protect the long-term availability of endow- ments and the University’s future position and strength.” Since May 2008, U of G has seen a decrease of about 25 per cent in the market value of its endowments. That amounts to a loss of about $39 million compared with where the “Like other universities and sectors, we are feeling the effect of the world’s economic crisis and are strategizing to manage the extreme challenges it presents. ” funds stood at the end of fiscal 2007/2008. This severely limits the University’s ability to generate in- come from its endowment funds. For example, if the University re- ceives a $100,000 donation for a scholarship, the investment income earned is what funds annual scholar- ship disbursements; the capital re- mains intact. If there is no investment funding and spending continues, the capital is in danger of encroachment — a situation re- ferred to as being “under water." About two-thirds of U of G’s 900-plus endowed scholarships are in this position. “If we don’t suspend endowed scholarships for now, the capital will be at risk, which would significantly compromise any future student awards program,” says Summerlee. He notes that Guelph is in a much better position than a number of other universities because its op- erating budget does not receive a lot of support from endowments. “If this were not the case, we’d be facing even more detrimental effects from the economic downturn and painful decisions.” U of G has written to its scholar- ship donors, informing them of the status of the endowment funds and the decision to suspend the awards. Some donors have stepped forward and supplemented their original gifts so their scholarships can con- tinue, says Summerlee. “This is a time of unprecedented financial challenges. We are doing everything we can to ensure that Guelph emerges firmly rooted in its place as one of Canada’s leading universities.” DeoDle CITY PRESENTS FIRST WATER CONSERVATION AWARDS Prof. Khosrow Farahbakhsh, Engi- neering, was one of two recipients of the City of Guelph’s inaugural Water Conservation and Efficiency Awards. Farahbakhsh and his fam- ily received the Residential Award for dramatically cutting back on their use of city water by installing a rainwater harvesting system and numerous water-efficient appli- ances and creating xeriscape gar- dens at their Guelph home. The first Community/Educational Award went to the Guelph Campus Co- op’s renovated student residence on College Avenue, which integrates rainwater harvesting and grey water reuse. GRYPHON RUNNER NAMED TOP CIS TRACK ATHLETE Lindsay Carson, a second-year bio- logical engineering student, is this year’s Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) Female Track Athlete of the Year. The honour was announced just prior to the CIS championships in Windsor, where she won three gold medals and the Gryphon women’s track team cap- tured silver. At the earlier Ontario University Athletics champion- ships, Carson won two gold medals and a silver medal, was named female MVP and helped her team capture its first provincial gold medal. In February, she won the 3,000-metre race at the Meyo Invi- tational at the University of Notre Dame, beating some of the top run- ners in North America. Pradeep Nampoothiry, a master’s student in the Department of Envi- ronmental Biology, has been selected to receive the Organic Crop Improvement Association Research and Education 2009 Scholarship Award. He will use the $ 1 ,000 award for a project that will develop strate- gies and test natural products to repel or control houseflies in organic dairy production. OUA HONOURS FOR HOCKEY GRYPHONS First-year human kinetics student Tamara Bell has been named Ontario University Athletics Rookie of the Year for hockey. Her teammate Dayna Kanis, a third- year psychology student, won the Marion Hillard Award for achieve- ments in hockey, academics and community service. In Memoriam Gabriel Tsampalieros, a former member of Board of Governors who received an honorary degree from U of G in 2007, died March 1 1 at the age of 61. Owner, chair and CEO of the Second Cup Coffee Company Inc. and former presi- dent and CEO of Cara Operations Limited, he was instrumental in raising funds for the teaching kitchen facility in the School of Hospitality and Tourism Manage- ment and led the way in developing U of G's distance MBA programs. He is survived by his wife, Yolande, and two daughters, Anne and Julia. At Guelph 3 March 25 , 2009 s en ate Academic Credit for Co-op Work Terms Not Practical for Now U OF G HAS DECIDED AGAINST ASSIGNING academic credit for co-op work terms for the time being. Senate approved a resolution to that effect at its March 10 meeting. Senators had voted last April to explore this option, but Prof. Neil MacLusky, chair of the Board of Under- graduate Studies (BUGS), reported that, after careful re- view and discussion with faculty advisers and students, BUGS determined that it’s not practical to assign aca- demic credit at this time. He said there is too much varia- tion among programs and departments. For now, the focus will be on enriching the co-op experience and im- plementing educational learning objectives through the co-op work-term reports. Senate also heard an overview of proposed academic changes expected to come forward to Senate standing committees in the next few months. Prof. Maureen Mancuso, provost and vice-president (academic), em- phasized that the proposals have been generated by col- leges, departments and program committees, and will move through the appropriate governance processes ac- cordingly. Generally, the University can ex- pect to see changes in three areas: re- source use, undergraduate curriculum and the structure of some academic units, said Mancuso. To better use resources, depart- ments and program committees are being asked to discuss courses that consistently have fewer than 10 stu- dents enrolled and majors that con- sistently register fewer than 40 students. She said U of G will also move to- wards a discussion of the elimina- tion of minors, which add complexity to advising, administer- ing, recording, tracking and course scheduling. The University cur- rently offers 58 minors. Other proposals include revising the credit/course load ratio for first-year and capstone courses and restructuring academic offerings to improve efficiency. Some senators offered com- ments or expressed concerns about the proposed changes, and Mancuso stressed that there will be opportu- nity for discussion at the appropri- ate Senate standing committees as well as at Senate. The first set of specific proposals is expected to make its way to the April 7 meeting of Senate, following review, recommendation and/or ap- proval by BUGS and/or the Board of Graduate Studies, as appropriate. In other business, senators re- ceived the revised Human Rights Policy and Procedures document. In addition, president Alastair Summerlee provided an update on U of G’s budget situation. He re- ported that Guelph continues to look for additional cost reductions and revenues in the face of flatlined government support for at least the next two years. Because of the funding freeze, the University has had to amend its budget targets to make up for fund- ing shortfalls, he said. The total tar- get under the four-year plan is now $46.2 million. Internships Give High School Students Food for Thought New program offers aboriginal students taste of food and nutrition research \ BY ANDREW VOWLES I F Cody /ahtail and Keodonce (Keko) Williams become food scientists one day, they might look back on their week spent at Guelph as their first taste of the field. Under a new internship program intended to give aboriginal high school students a look at cutting- edge food and nutrition research, they spent their spring break in research labs run by U of G food sci- ence professors Alejandro Maran- goni and Rickey Yada. The “Be a Food Researcher for a Week” program gave 12 selected First Nations, M6tis and Inuit stu- dents hands-on experience at five universities across Canada. The program was organized by the Advanced Foods and Materials Network (AFMNet), a National Centres of Excellence program based at U of G. Ron Woznow, AFMNet’s chief executive officer, created the internships to provide research op- portunities for young aboriginal Ca- nadians, who are under-represented in university science and research programs. “They had the opportunity to spend a whole week learning in the labs of some of Canada’s top food scientists, gaining hands-on experi- ence available only in this setting,” says Kelly Krashinsky, AFMNet re- search programs manager. Williams, 1 7, a Grade 1 1 student from Kahnawake, Que., says spend- ing a week at U of G “was a great ex- perience. I like science. I like being in the lab.” Iahtail, 21, figured the internship WEDNESDAY MARCH 25 2009 7:30PM SCIENCE COMPLEX ATRIUM FREE ADMISSION - ASTRA Science t> Tecnnoloqy Reseaicn Allianc would be a good way to feed her in- terest in science and boost her confidence. Now in Grade 12 at Ot- tawa’s Adult High School — the only adult secondary school in Ontario — she is thinking about becoming a medical lab scientist. Science suits her inquisitive nature, she adds. “I was that kid in third grade asking why, why, why.” Fernanda Svaikauskas, a research associate in Alejandro’s lab and a master’s graduate in physics, helped the interns study fats and sugars in cake icing. Working with young peo- ple is nothing new for Svaikauskas, who’s been involved in running sci- ence outreach programs at local ele- mentary schools and has mentored science fair projects for the past three years. In Yada's lab, PhD student Char- ity Parr-Vasquez showed Iahtail and Williams how to extract DNA from fruit. “It was such a great experience watching the students’ faces light up as they experienced something first-hand, when they previously had only talked about it in the class- room,” she says. Both students had their first op- portunity to use a variety of micro- scopes — including an atomic-force microscope and a scanning electron microscope — as well as tools for ex- amining DNA. They also observed how lab researchers use the scientific method from hypothesis to experi- ment to conclusions. Marangoni says he was eager to get involved in the inaugural project because it’s important to get people excited about science. “Science is a weird thing. You have to get exposed to it.” Survey to Track Career Choices of Engineering, Physical Science Students at U of G Where do male and female grads end up? BY BARRY GUNN C ANADIAN UNIVERSITIES have made slow but steady progress in attracting women to study in the traditionally male fields of engi- neering, math, chemistry, physics and computer science, but little is known about what they do with their degrees, says Jennifer Fender, program manager for the NSERC/ RIM Chair for Women in Science and Engineering-Ontario based at Guelph. “A lot of effort and research is fo- cused on the numbers and the fact that there are fewer women studying in these areas, as well as on the chal- lenges for women in male-domi- nated workplaces," says Fender. “But there is very little information about the transition from school to work. We want to look at what the women and men in these programs are planning and try to ascertain what factors are influencing their plans. There seems to be gender dif- ferentiation in what’s happening, but we don’t know for certain why.” This spring, researchers will sur- vey students graduating from Guelph’s engineering and physical science programs. Using face-to- face and online surveys, they aim to track which students will be stepping into a job in their field, which are heading for graduate school and possibly an academic career, and which are choosing to work in a dif- ferent field entirely. Or, in today’s troubled economy, whether they have any prospects at all. “We want to know if men and women are having positive or nega- tive educational experiences, whether their experiences in the marketplace are the same or differ- ent, and what things might be moti- vating them or turning them off from making certain choices,” says Fender. She hopes this pilot study will be expanded to include other universi- ties and future follow-up with the students. Prof. Valerie Davidson, Engi- neering, has held Ontario’s presti- gious Chair for Women in Science and Engineering since 2003. Funded by the Natural Sciences and Engi- neering Research Council, with sup- port from Research in Motion and the University, the chair was re- newed in 2008 and is designed to in- crease participation of girls and women in science and engineering. Recent statistics from the Associ- ation of Universities and Colleges of Canada show significant growth in the number of women enrolled full time in post-secondary science and engineering programs in the last 20 years. But they remain under-repre- sented overall, and the numbers are heavily skewed to the biological sci- ences. For example, although women represent nearly 40 per cent of students enrolled in biosystems and environmental engineering, they make up only about 10 per cent of students in computer and me- chanical engineering. Even fewer are climbing the aca- demic career ladder. In departments of engineering and physical sciences across Ontario, only 36 of the nearly 500 faculty who hold the rank of full professor are women; across Canada, the figure is 93 out of 1 ,440. “The reasons are complex, and there are many factors influencing people’s decisions at every level,” says Fender. “Our goal is to try to understand what’s happening and develop some creative solutions.” Discussion Series Focuses on Women in Academe B alancing the conflicting demands of life and career can be especially challenging for women. That’s why Teaching Support Services and the NSERC/ RIM Chair for Women in Science and Engineering-Ontario have brought back the “Women in Academe” series. These informal lunchtime dis- cussions are held once a month and are intended for faculty, ses- sional instructors, graduate stu- dents, post-docs and teaching assistants who want to share ideas about navigating the obstacles to a successful academic career. “We tend to get a bit compla- cent because, in many ways, Can- ada is doing very well in terms of human rights and equity,” says Trudy Smit-Quosai, project man- ager for the NSERC/RIM chair. “But in reality, even women in ed- ucated, privileged positions say: 'There is still need for change.’” The series provides skills in ar- eas such as managing tenure and promotion, publishing and apply- ing for post-doctoral awards. The next session April 7 will feature Prof. Julia Christensen Hughes, chair of the Department of Busi- ness, discussing establishing pres- l ence in the classroom. It begins at 1 1 :30 a.m. in Room 384 of the U of G Library. Registration is required at www.tss.uoguelph.ca. At Guelph 4 March 25, 2009 for u Sweeping on the Job by 7:30 a.m. It can be things like a BY TERESA PITMAN B eing a custodian at a uni- versity is a little different than working in an ordinary business, and much of that difference is due to the students, says custodial lead hand Danna-Lee Lloyd (usually known as “Danny”). She’s referring not just to the clean-up jobs students generate but also to the pranks they pull. “One time the students put meal trays on the floor in the hallway, side by side so the whole floor was cov- ered, and filled them all with water,” she says. “You couldn’t get out of the elevator without getting your feet wet.” She’s quick to add that the prank was aimed at other students, not her. “They left me a note and promised to clean everything up. And they fol- lowed through — there wasn’t a drop of water on that floor.” Lloyd has been a lead hand for eight months but was a Class 3 cus- todian for 10 years prior to that. “I knew the responsibilities and duties before I stepped into my current role, so it’s been an easy adjust- ment.” She typically works four 10-hour shifts from 6 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. Periodically, she can choose to take a turn (along with other lead hands) at carrying a beeper at home and may be called in if necessary to handle any emergency calls after houis. “It’s 24-hour-a-day coverage,” she says. “On one occasion, I got a call at two a.m. to come in and deal with something, and then I was back on campus again at sue to start my regular shift.” On weekends, Lloyd works with a crew of 10 to 13 students — “really good, hard-working students. They have to work hard because we cover priority areas across the whole cam- pus.” When she arrives for work on a Saturday or Sunday, she first picks up her “action sheets” listing any events scheduled for the day: athletic tournaments, weddings, confer- ences, etc. Those areas will get spe- cial attention, but she and her crew will perform routine cleanups in res- idences, cafeterias, the U of G Li- brary and other buildings. Garbage is taken out, washrooms are re- stocked, and quick cleanups are looked after. Removing garbage from resi- dences and other busy areas such as the library means that Monday’s custodians aren’t faced with over- flowing trash cans and that students, staff and faculty aren’t walking into untidy rooms after the weekend, says Lloyd. “Besides that, much of what I do is responding to calls. On one recent Sunday, for example, I had 21 calls backed-up toilet, broken glass, a burned-out light bulb or flooding, all of which need to be dealt with promptly.” On Mondays and Tuesdays, Lloyd’s time is more structured. She works with her partner, Margie Price, to complete "full” cleaning of various buildings, including the Equine Guelph building and the Ar- boretum Centre. The two of them also do what they call “policing” of buildings (picking up garbage, quick cleaning and restocking of wash- rooms, looking for spots that need tidying or cleaning). These buildings get a “full” cleaning by the night- shift crew, who work from 10:30 p.m. to 7 a.m. As on weekends, she carries a beeper and is ready to re- spond to any urgent situations that may arise during the day. Some aspects of her job aren’t too pleasant, Lloyd admits. Unplugging toilets or backed-up drains and cleaning up sludge or vomit would not be on anyone’s list of favourite tasks. But she takes them in stride and focuses on the positives of her work. “One of the things I really like about this job is that it’s different ev- ery day. It’s an adventure, and you never know what the next ‘beep’ is going to be about." Variety wasn’t such a hallmark of her former career: Lloyd previously worked as a medical office and lab assistant, drawing blood and per- forming ECGs on patients at a Guelph clinic. A single mother at the time, she found it difficult to get enough hours at the clinic to support her family and had no benefits, so when she heard about a custodial position at U of G, she was eager to apply. “Working here opened up a whole new world for me,” she says. Not only was she able to more com- fortably support her family, but her current job also gives her some flexi- bility that enables her to attend school field trips with her two chil- dren and do other volunteer work in their classrooms. Lloyd speaks passionately about the role of the custodian in keeping the campus clean and usable. “Re- ally, the campus would be compro- mised without us. I’d like people to know how hard we work and all the things we take care of behind the scenes.” She says she’s learned a lot on the job, especially working with Price, who’s been cleaning up the U of G campus for 42 years. When Lloyd was a Class 3 custo- dian, she worked in residences and says getting to know the students was one of the best aspects of her work. “Move-in and move-out days are very busy for us, and we’re interact- ing a lot with the students right from the day they arrive. They will often come to us with questions about how to do laundry or where they should go for something. The stu- dents find custodians pretty ap- proachable, and many of them will tell you a joke or a funny story.” She also appreciates another on- expected benefit of working at the University: her two dogs. Quantum and Foster, were both adopted from the Ontario Veterinary College after doing stints as in-house blood do- nors. They provide great company for Lloyd, her husband and her chil- dren when they’re out hiking and ex- ploring the outdoors — another of her passions. “Whether I’m at work or at home, I don’t like sitting still very long,” she says. Dinner, Auction to Raise Funds for Kenyan School U of G students will travel to Africa this fall to help build and furnish classroom at Bukati Primary School BY LORI BONA HUNT A DOZEN U OF G STUDENTS will travel to rural Kenya this fall to work on a school that provides an education to AIDS orphans and destitute children. The students will raise money and provide the labour to help build and furnish a classroom at the Bukati Primary School, which has been “adopted” by Prof. Cate Dewey, chair of the Department of Population Medicine. The students and Guelph Cam- pus Ministry are holding a dinner and silent auction March 28 to raise money for the initiative. It begins at 6 p.m. at the Rockmosa Community Centre in Rockwood. Tickets are $50 ($35 for students) and are available at the University Centre Info Desk and McNally House. All proceeds will go towards the costs of labour and building supplies, not the students’ travel costs. The students, along with Jamie VanderBerg, a member of U of G’s Multi-Faith Resource Team, will spend a month in the Busia district of Kenya. They’ll live with host fami- lies in the village of Butula and work alongside builders and tradespeople on the school. “I feel very fortunate to be a part of an initiative to enrich the fives of two communities, those of Guelph and Butula,” says Jared Wohlgemut, a third-year biological sciences stu- dent who has been to Kenya before. “This venture carries much more importance for the group than just building classroom facilities.” He says living with a host family will allow him to immerse himself in Kenyan fife. “I’m personally pumped to simply spend time in their pres- ence.” On his last visit, “I learned so much about how we are connected based on our common humanity, al- though our perspectives and histo- ries may differ drastically.” The people of Busia are primarily subsistence farmers. With half the population struggling to survive on less than 50 cents a day, they are among the poorest of the poor. It’s also a society reeling from HIV/ AIDS infection rates that are among the highest in Africa. Dewey has been raising money to support the Bukati Primary School since her first research trip to Kenya in 2006. The school had no electric- ity and meagre resources and was serving some 1,500 families. About 250 of its 700 students have been or- phaned by HIV/AIDS, and many more orphans don’t go to school be- cause their adoptive families can’t af- ford school uniforms or even basic supplies such as pencils. Dewey has been supporting the school in many ways since then, helping to fund a school lunch pro- gram, buying school supplies, paying tuition for some of the children, buying livestock and land, and teaching sustainable farming prac- tices to help improve quality of fife. She also established a formal charity called Children of Bukati and has raised more than $150,000. Jennifer McIntyre, a fourth-year international development major, says she’s thrilled to be involved. “Children of Bukati is an amazing organization that recognizes the im- portance of working in partnership with a community." She adds that she and the other students going to Kenya don’t look at the trip as “helping” or “offering expertise" to the community. “We’re fundraising to help ex- tend the primary school because the ability to do that is something we’ve been blessed with as university stu- dents here in Canada. But we’re also very aware that our experience in Butula is one we will gain a lot from. It will be a time of sharing and recip- rocal learning and relationships.” More information about Chil- dren of Bukati is available online at www.childrenofbukati.com. At Guelph 5 March 25, 2009 Helping Where It Hurts New professorship supported by chiropractic groups brings Guelph grad back to campus BY ANDREW VOWLES P rof. jOHN Srbely, Human Health and Nutritional Sci- ences (HHNS), remembers the day he was truly sold on acupuncture. He’d just seen his first acupuncture patient at his Toronto health clinic. "The person walked in crooked and walked out straight after one treatment,” he says. But one question remained — one that has confounded doctors for centuries — how did the treatment work? Learning the answers and im- proving the use of acupuncture as well as other techniques for handling myofascial and chronic pain is the goal of this Guelph graduate who re- cently returned to campus as a fac- ulty member. “Pain management is my thing,” says Srbely, who studied myofascial pain for his PhD completed here last summer with former HHNS profes- sor ]im Dickey. His new professorship here in neurophysiology and spine mechan- ics is funded by the Ontario Chiropractic Association, U of G and the Canadian Chiropractic Research Foundation (CCRF). This is the first professorship supported at Guelph by the CCRF, which has funded sim- ilar positions at six other universities and is negotiating with three more schools, says Dr. Allan Gotlib, the ' organization’s assistant secretary. Its goal within the next four years — in partnership with the Canadian Insti- tutes of Health Research — is to place a chair or professorship in every province. This group of chiropractic re- search centres will study ways to re- lieve what Gotlib calls the “economic burden” posed by musculoskeletal disorders. In 1998, those disorders cost the Canadian health-care sys- tem about $16.4 billion, according to the Canadian Institute for Health Information. Pointing to Guelph’s research fa- cilities and opportunities for collab- oration with other faculty here, Gotlib says Srbely’ s appointment will help advance research and train the “next wave” of chiropractic researchers. Myofascial pain is the most com- mon form of musculoskeletal pain. As a primary cause of health-care visits, workplace absenteeism and early pensions, it represents the sec- ond leading cost of illness in Canada (.cardiovascular disease is the first). Tighten muscles anywhere in your body and you may trigger chronic myofascial pain — and even “knots,” or painful contractions — in the connective tissue within your muscles. The problem may be wors- ened by use of the muscle, anxiety, cold or postural imbalance. It’s not just academic for Srbely. The 43-year-old blames his own chronic neck pain and spinal disk de- generation on two years’ worth of hunching over his laptop during his doctoral studies. He’s had a variety of treatments, including acupunc- ture, myofascial release therapy (massage to loosen the fascia) and spinal manipulation. (He adds that he’s not alone: by age 40, four out of five people have some degree of disk degeneration visible by X-ray.) Today he watches his posture and goes for treatment whenever he feels those characteristic twinges. Mostly it’s a matter of managing the condi- tion, he says. “Without treatment, I can’t function or concentrate.” Helping himself and others through research is Srbely’s goal here at Guelph. He’s zeroing in on trigger points within taut bands of muscular tissue. Part of that work will involve digging into how various treatments actually work, including chiropractic manipulation and manual therapy intended to ease chronic and myo- fascial pain. For help, he’ll look near and far. Many of his study subjects are as close as the patients in the practice he’s run in downtown Toronto since 1992, after completing studies at the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College. At U of G, he plans to look into possible ties with clinicians at the Health and Performance Centre. Srbely works with physicist John Bush at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology on biophysical as- pects of his field. He also expects to collaborate with HHNS colleague Prof. Leah Bent, who studies individ- ual nerve fibres to learn about pos- ture and balance. And he’ll continue working with Dickey, now at the University of Western Ontario. That connection between mus- cles and nerves is a key to Srbely’s re- search. Pain involves not just muscles and connective tissue but also the nervous system feeding muscles and organs. He aims to learn more about what happens at those trigger points to spark pain — and how to treat it. That brings him back to acu- puncture, one of the least under- stood weapons in the clinician’s arsenal despite its longevity. (Acu- puncture has been practised in Asia for more than 2,000 years. “It’s stood the toughest test — the test of time,” he says.) Research shows that trigger points and acupuncture points — where therapeutic needles are ap- plied — are mostly the same thing, says Srbely, who studied with the Ca- nadian Academy for Clinical Acupuncture. Rather than being confined to a single spot, however, a needle’s stim- ulus is believed to radiate through the nervous system to other parts of the body. Insert a needle in one spot and you affect other areas. Referring to other studies, he says electrical signals applied to so-called “acupoints” have been shown to af- fect stomach acidity, blood pressure, immune response and nausea. They’ve also reduced the need for analgesics in patients after hysterec- tomies and lowered pain sensitivity in headaches, dental pain and back pain. Speaking about bridging gaps be- tween eastern and western treat- ments, Srbely says we need to learn more about how pain works to treat it more precisely and effectively. He’s using the same principle to test topical creams applied to the skin. One brand, for instance, is used for treating neuralgia, or pain from damaged nerves. The cream contains the active ingredient in chili peppers and causes a burning or itching sen- sation. It works by depleting a chem- ical in the body that transmits pain — basically it desensitizes a person to pain. Deliberately lighting up that stimulus-response “branch” will help him understand the muscle- nerve connections. Srbely started studying physical education and switched to biochem- istry at the University of Toronto, where he also played varsity soccer. Earlier he’d been a mid-fielder and captain with Toronto Croatia, part of the Canadian Soccer League. He first encountered a chiropractor on the medical staff of the provincial team. Today he helps coach his own kids — Victoria, 13, Matthew, 10, and Julia, 9 — on the soccer field in Brampton. “I enjoy coaching more than I did playing.” Eye White Raises Red Flag Study links the amount of white in a cow's eyes to the animal's temperament, offers new tool for breeders and farmers BY DEIRDRE HEALEY C OWS are KNOWN for their big, beautiful dark eyes. But U of G researchers have discovered it’s actually the whites of their eyes that are important when it comes to determining their temperament. Their study, published in the recent online issue of the Journal of Animal Science, found that the higher the proportion of visible white in a cow* s eye, the more anxious the animal. “Cows whose eyes were about 50-per-cent white were very anxious,” says Sarah Core, a master’s student who worked on the study with Profs. Steve Miller, Tina Widowski and Georgia Mason, Animal and Poultry Science. “The more passive cows had about 20-per-cent visible white in their eyes.” Anxious cattle can be dangerous and frus- trating to handle and can also reduce profits and productivity because they tend to have lower weight gain and poorer meat quality, says Core. They’re also more likely to injure themselves or other cattle. As a result, identify- ing well-mannered cows is important when it comes to breeding, she says. “With today’s growing consumer demands for higher-quality products and animal wel- fare, selection for docility in cattle and other behavioural traits is beginning to play a key role in increasing profits throughout the beef industry.” The study involved 140 beef cattle. The researchers had the cattle enter a chute where their head was restrained, then they collected video images of each cow* s response and com- pared it with the amount of white visible in their eyes. “There was a significant positive correla- tion,” says Core. “The cows with a large pro- portion of white in their eyes would respond by jumping and thrashing around, and the cows with a smaller proportion of white in their eyes would just stand there.” With the same group of cattle, the research- ers also studied how the animals responded to being segregated from the herd. Those that were more anxious would panic and immedi- ately try to rejoin the herd, whereas those that were more passive would remain still. The findings of this second study also showed a cor- relation between the proportion of white in the animals’ eyes and anxious behaviour. Breeders currently evaluate a cow’s temper- ament by scoring its flight speeds and anxiety levels when put in stressful situations. “Calm cattle that are easy to handle are highly desirable,” says Miller, “but an objective measure that can be quantified and measured routinely in cattle breeding operations is not common. The use of eye-white percentage is showing very good promise of helping us select for calmer, more productive cattle.” The next step in this research is to deter- mine the heritability of eye white among cattle, says Core. “More research needs to be done on how this trait is transferred down the lines. For ex- ample, if you have two parents with a small amount of white in their eyes, what are the chances that will be passed on to their prog- eny?” At Guelph 6 March 25 , 2009 profile The Doctor Is In Working with students is just what the doctor ordered for former rock-star wannabe By Lori Bona Hunt D r. Forrest Caldwell believes he has the best job around, and nothing, absolutely nothing, can convince him otherwise. Not nasty vomit-inducing viral bugs, E. coli scares or students suffering from hard-to-treat heartbreak or homesickness. Even a patient caseload of several thousand with an annual turnover rate of 25 per cent doesn’t faze him. “I love what I do,” says Caldwell, the medical consultant in U of G’s Student Health Services, who also spends one day a week working as a sports doctor in the Health and Performance Cen- tre. “I honestly can’t imagine a better job.” Student Health Services has about a dozen doctors on the roster, most of them part time, and Caldwell is the senior physician. He treats up- wards of 35 to 40 patients a day — more if some- thing’s going around. “We seem to have an outbreak of something or other just about every year,” he says. Before coming to U of G, he had his fair share of experience in other practices, including starting the region’s first sports medicine clinic in Waterloo in 1986 and working as a part-time emergency-room physician at Guelph General Hospital for 17 years. In his opinion, neither helping top athletes on the road to recovery nor saving Eves in the ER compares with the satisfaction of working with university students. "They’re bright, energetic, intellectual and in- teresting. This is an impressionable time in their lives, and it’s not too late to make a difference in their future. For example, if I can get a 19-year-old to quit smoking, there is nothing more important I could do for his or her long-term health. It may not be as dramatic as using paddles to restart someone’s heart, but there isn’t another intervention that will make such a huge difference in their lives.” Besides, he adds with a smile, “working with students keeps me young.” Caldwell had planned on becoming a doctor since he was a teenager. But once at medical school at the University of To- ronto, he worried whether he’d made the right career choice. “I didn’t like it at first,” he says, adding that studying anat- omy, neurology and physiology was interesting but not fulfill- ing. “I started to enjoy medical school at the end when I got to work with patients. That was when I first realized it was the rela- tionships with people that make the job interesting for me, not tracking down some obscure diagnosis.” And that’s why he loves his work at U of G. He’s been able to develop relationships with his patients that continue through their university years. “That was the frustrating thing about emergency medicine — - not knowing whether what you did helped someone, or even whether it was the wrong thing, because you rarely saw the same people again.” He’s also been able to adhere to his three-pronged personal philosophy about medical treatment. He wants all patients to leave his office with a treatment plan, knowing they were heard and feeling better than when they arrived. “I may see 35 patients a day, but they see only one doctor, and I’m very cognizant of that. Helping people is what matters to me. It’s very satisfying.” Although he’s treated students for almost every illness in the book, he’s also seen his share of people who are less certain about what ails them. “A lot of the time, it’s anxiety and adjustment issues. They’re simply overwhelmed by the pressures of university life, they’re homesick or they’ve just broken up with someone. So you talk with them, help them and develop a rapport.” Hearing Caldwell talk about his job, you find it hard to imagine him ever doing anything else. But delve a bit into the past, and he’ll reveal that he did have another ca- reer ambition as a youngster: rock star. He played the piano and sang as a child and performed with a band called Fred in high school. He played keyboards, sang Chicago and Blood, Sweat and Tears cover songs and dreamt of mak- ing it big. “But then my high school music teacher told me it’s tough to make a living in music. You have to be incredibly good, you have to believe you’re incredibly good, and you have to be lucky enough to get the breaks.” § It was also around this time that his father, ° Harvey Caldwell, a U of G professor who chaired s the then Department of Extension Education for 3 10 years, suggested he consider becoming a doc- £ tor. But the young musician didn’t give up his § dream entirely. He continued to play music and S sing and was “drafted” to join the University’s symphonic choir when he was just 16. “They were about to leave on a tour of Scot- land, and one of the basses couldn’t make it at the last minute. A friend of the family, Murdo MacKinnon (the former U of G arts dean for whom the MacKinnon Building is named), said: “No worries, Forrest will do it.’” Caldwell has performed with the choir off and on since then. He also sang in the choir at McMaster University, where he did his under- graduate degree, and wrote musical arrangements and performed in variety shows during medical school. As the son of a U of G faculty member, Caldwell says he “grew up on campus,” which was why he decided to go to McMaster. " I was plan- , ning to ‘raise hell ’ at university, and you can’t do that under Dad’s nose,” he says jokingly. His family lived in a farmhouse on a one-acre plot of land on Gordon Street near what is now Kortright Avenue. “That was considered to be out in the country back then.” It was there that the elder Caldwell developed a variety of apples that now carries his name: the Caldwell McIntosh. The home and orchard are now gone, replaced by a town- house complex and a strip mall. All that remains is a lone maple tree that grows near Manhattans Pizza. “My father and I planted it,” says Caldwell. His memories of country life led him to search for a farm of his own. He eventually found an old stone cottage in Ariss near the Elora Research Station. “I didn’t like it at first, but I kept going back to look at it any- way. I had this strange strong sense that I was supposed to live there. That feeling has never left in 23 years.” Caldwell shares the house with his sons, Graham, 16, and Alex, 14. It came with 50 acres of land, which he leases to a neighbour who grows crops such as soybeans. He did plant some fruit trees, however. Caldwell McIntosh apples, of course. Canadian Children Deficient in Omega-3: Study First direct measurement of dietary intake of fatty acids in young children finds only 22 per cent getting suggested amount of DHA/EPA BY BARRY GUNN C HILDREN in North America may not be getting enough omega-3 fatty acids in their diet, a study at U of G has found. Published in the March issue of the Journal of Nutrition, the study is the first to directly measure the di- etary intake of fatty acids in young children, says University professor emeritus Bruce Holub of the Depart- ment of Human Health and Nutri- tional Sciences, who co-authored the study with graduate students Sarah Madden and Colin Garrioch. “This is the first rigorously ob- tained evidence demonstrating that the diets of Canadian children are of- ten deficient in these vitally impor- tant nutrients,” says Holub. The researchers analyzed the di- ets of 41 children between the ages of four and eight over a three-day pe- riod that included a weekend. They did this with the help of the chil- dren’s parents, who provided food samples identical to what they were feeding their kids. The study found that only 22 per cent of the children were getting the suggested amount of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA. These nutrients, commonly found in fish, play a key role in child develop- ment, particularly in the growth of the brain and other nervous tissues. That’s why infant formula is supple- mented with DHA. In contrast, the study found that 61 per cent of the children were re- ceiving enough of another impor- tant fatty acid, ALA, which is more widely available in canola, soybean and flaxseed oils, as well as walnuts and processed foods. The findings may not be surpris- ing given another recent study of U.S. children that found 16 per cent had consumed no fish or shellfish over the course of a year. “Our work shows the need to cre- ate more awareness of the impor- tance of these nutrients in human health and that there is a gap be- tween actual and suggested intakes,” says Holub. “This gap can be filled by increasing consumption of fish and seafood containing DHA/ EPA, as well as DHA/EPA omega-3- en- riched foods and supplements.” He says the research also shows that direct measurement, although time-consuming and costly, is the most accurate tool for assessing di- etary intake of fatty acids. Previous studies used indirect methods that relied on memory recall and “guess- timates” of food intake, an approach that is of limited value, he says. At Guelph 7 March 25, 2009 Book Explores Building Healthy Relationships To thine own self he true, says U ofG therapist BY BARRY GUNN S TRUGGLING WITH SOME of the relationships in your life and searching for answers? You might start by looking in the mirror, according to a new book by U of G therapist Suzanne Welstead. Searching for You: Ideas About Healthy Relationships explores the recurring themes and common ele- ments observed in healthy relation- ships by Welstead as a marriage and family therapist in Counselling Ser- vices and in private practice. Although it discusses all sorts of relationships and circumstances, the book focuses on the one thing they all have in common: the individual and the often- untapped inner re- sources that each person has to de- velop in positive and beneficial ways. Welstead says the book isn’t in- tended to be a prescription or a how-to guide. “It’s not ‘10 easy steps’ because, to me, that’s misleading people. We’ve got enough pop psychology out there. There are no easy answers. But there are often satisfying an- swers that you can find for yourself.” The book is organized into 12 \ chapters dealing with the major themes or features of healthy rela- tionships. Honesty, boundaries, self-respect, negotiation and com- promise, to name a few, all have a role to play. “1 really enjoyed looking at and reflecting on the common elements of healthy relationships,” says Welstead. “We get so focused on the pathologies — all the things that can go wrong and why — that we don’t pay enough attention to what’s good and what’s working for people.” To help explain her ideas and add a voice of authenticity, she shares personal experiences in the book from times in her life when she struggled with relationships and is- sues of her own identity. Now hap- pily married to her same-sex partner, she says it’s important to ex- amine all the relationships in one’s life, not just the intimate ones. “We get too focused on the inti- mate relationships. For example, you can’t say you’re going to show more respect for your spouse and then tum around and be disrespect- ful to everyone else in your life. It just won’t work. You won’t make any lasting change unless you focus on all your relationships.” The key lies in being true to your- self and being present — focused on the “now” and not the future or the past — and in reflecting on your sit- uation in a positive, non-judgmental way, she says. "People sometimes feel like vic- tims of circumstance when it comes to relationships. They want to throw up their hands and say: ‘There’s nothing more I can do.’ But is that really true? There will always be cir- cumstances you can’t control. But you can always control the decisions you make about how you’re going to handle those situations.” For more information or to order a copy of the book, visit suzannewelstead.com. It’s also for sale at the Bookshelf, at the front desk of Counselling Services on Level 3 of the University Centre and online at volumedirect.com. It will be available at chapters.ca and ama- zon.com by the end of March. Welstead says $1 from the sale of each book will go to Family and Children’s Services of Guelph and Wellington County. Film Looks at History, Science, Controversy of Sanders Portrait A new movie that tells the story of the Sanders portrait, believed by many to be the only portrait of William Shakespeare painted while he was alive, will have its Guelph premiere March 28 at 4 p.m. at the Bookshelf. The screening of Battle of Wills will be followed by a panel discus- sion featuring Prof. Daniel Fischlin, English and Theatre Studies; por- trait owner Lloyd Sullivan, a friend and supporter of U of G; and the film’s director, Anne Henderson. Tickets are $10 general, $5 for stu- dents, and are available at the door. Battle of Wills covers the science, history and controversy of the Sanders portrait, which is thought to depict the Bard at age 39. Sullivan in- herited the painting from his mother in 1972. It’s believed that Shake- speare sat for an ancestor of Sullivan's, an unknown actor and painter called John Sanders, in 1603. The portrait was held in the family for 400 years and at one time was stored under Sullivan’s grand- mother's bed. The portrait has been confirmed by sue years of painstak- ing forensic studies to date from around 1600, and it has not been al- tered since. In 2007, the portrait was the centrepiece of a five-month-long ex- hibit at the Macdonald Stewart Art Centre and the regional Shakespeare festival. It’s also the signature image of U of G’s Canadian Adaptations of Shakespeare Project. after hours ERICA TABAKA away from another passion, soccer, but he’s determined Second-year student in geography t0 keep U P his brother. He also dedicates considerable volunteer time to causes close to his heart and related to his work at U of G. “I have a background in architecture as well as engi- neering, and I’m very interested in what we can do to make our built environment more beautiful and more useful,” he says. Ferwerda belongs to a number of world organiza- tions, including the International Council on Monu- ments and Sites; the International Network for Traditional Building, Architecture and Urbanism; and the International Scientific Committee for the Analysis and Restoration of Structures of Architectural Heritage. His contributions as a board member or committee member with these organizations have taken him to meetings in countries around the world, including Italy, Spain, Greece, Israel, the Netherlands and Cyprus, as well as cities closer to home such as Chicago and Quebec City. His travels have given him an opportunity to see close up some of the architecture he’s interested in pre- serving or enhancing. TARA ABRAHAM Faculty member in the Department of History since 2006 Queen Victoria would be proud. On May 23, the day before her “official” birthday, the Toronto Choral Society will mark the occasion with a “proms” concert at Eastminster United Church. Prof. Tara Abraham is proud, too, because hers will be one of the voices singing Land of Hope and Glory, Edward Elgar’s The Music Makers and other com- positions at the Toronto concert. “We’re singing some really powerful stuff,” says Abraham. “Most of these are the songs traditionally sung at the coronations of British kings and queens.” Proms is short for “promenades,” and the concerts were given this name because during the earliest ones held in England in 1895, audience members were en- couraged to promenade or walk around in the concert hall. The Toronto Choral Society’s concert, one of two it gives each year, will be a bit more formal, says Abraham. She started singing while in high school but had fo- cused on her studies and research in recent years. “Then I went to The Sound of Music in the fall, and it was quite emotional for me. I told my family that I had to get back to singing. In January, I joined the Toronto Choral Society. I’m also taking voice lessons with the di- rector of the choir because I’ve never had any training prior to this.” The group features 120 voices and is non-auditioned. “We are people who take singing seriously,” says Abra- ham. It’s also a great way to relax and feel less stressed, she adds. “It’s nice to be able to schedule in some me-time when you have a young one at home.” The “young one” she’s talking about is her 17-month-old son, Julian, who is “the biggest thing in my life right now — the best thing I’ve ever done.” Its definitely the excitement,” says U of G stu- dent Erica Tabaka when asked why ringette is her sport of choice. “My older sister started teaching me to play when I was about six, and I loved it right from the start." Ringette may not be as fa- miliar to the average person as hockey is, but the two sports have many similarities. Ring- ette is played on ice with a blue rubber ring rather than a puck and with a stick that’s like a hockey stick without a blade. The emphasis is on passing between teammates and skillful skating, creating the fast-paced game Tabaka loves. “I really can’t get enough of ringette,” she says. “It’s just so much fun. And it’s really fun to watch as well.” Although the game is played primarily by girls and women, she’s seen many men play as well. U of G has two competitive teams (Tier 1 and Tier 2) that play against other Canadian universities at a tournament held each January. They also play exhibition games. Tabaka’s years on the ice have brought her some sig- nificant awards. When she was 16, her team won the On- tario provincial championships, then earned a bronze medal at the national competition. Last year, she played with the U of G team in its first venture into competitive ringette against university teams from across Canada. To her delight, Guelph won the Tier 2 gold medal. “It was a huge achievement for everyone.” Tabaka says she’s grateful for the support she’s had from her mother, “who spent more hours than I can count driving me to games and watching me play. The rest of my family and my friends have also been behind me 100 per cent.” Anyone wanting to know more about the game can send e-mail to ringette@uoguelph.ca. WILFRED FERWERDA Project manager in Design, Engineering and Construction, joined U ofG in 2002 Wilfred Ferwerda’s big brother is motivating him to kick his bicycling activities up a notch. Although he’s long been an avid biker who cycles to work most days, Ferwerda has recently started riding with his more experienced older brother. “We went out together re- cently, and he blew me away. I was totally humbled — but motivated.” He and his brother, both members of the Guelph Off-Road Bicycling Association, are planning to com- pete as a team in the club’s “Six-Hour Epic” ride in the fall. That means plenty of training together in the months ahead. Ferwerda says that will take some time Students Show Toy Designs I N THE YEAR that the Barbie doll celebrates its 50th birthday, University of Guelph students put their creative and marketing skills to the test at the 2009 Next Generation of Toys competition March 24. This year marked the first time students from family relations pro- fessor Susan Chuang’s infant devel- opment course joined students from ; marketing professor Vinay I Kanetkar’s management in product ! development course. Working in teams, the students put classroom I theory into practice setting up new I companies, designing toys for chil- j dren aged two and under, and devel- oping marketing plans as well as corporate branding and mission statements. About 60 student companies showcased their wares for the public in Peter Clark Hall at an event spon- sored by the University Bookstore. A panel of professors judged the toys, and members of the audience were invited to vote for their favourites. “Toys play a very important role in stimulating a child’s develop- ment, and a lot of research and plan- ning goes into making sure a toy is developmentally appropriate,” says Chuang. “The competition is a great way for the students to take what they’ve learned in the classroom and apply it in the real world.” Kanetkar says the competition was challenging and rewarding for his students, most of whom are in fourth year and thinking about what’s in store for them in the busi- ness world after graduation. “This competition takes them through all the steps necessary to create a new product, design and build it, and bring it to market,” he says. "There are three things a new product should do for a company. First, it should make money. It should also satisfy customer needs, and it should offer something that nobody else is doing in the market- place. That’s how I’m going to grade these projects.” At Guelph 8 March 25, 2009 Wiring Up the World U of G a partner in local Digital Ontario initiative aimed at bridging digital divide across Ontario BY ANDREW VOWLES «t RY AND NOT USE the | Internet for one week.” That’s graduate student Jennifer Temmer’s challenge to anyone questioning why we need to span a digital divide that still exists in Ontario. She had Internet access on the family farm near Simcoe where she grew up, but she remembers drum- ming her fingers waiting for the dial-up service to connect. And if she needed to use the telephone, she had to shut down the Internet connec- tion. As for cellphone reception, forget it. “The whole issue of communica- tions is pretty interesting,” says Temmer, who discovered a new wired world when she moved away to university. Now doing a master’s degree in the School of Environmen- tal Design and Rural Development (SEDRD), she has found herself un- expectedly helping to bridge that digital gap through U of G’s role in a fledgling project to promote and develop broadband (high-speed Internet) infrastructure across the province. Digital Ontario is a project begun last year by the provincial govern- ment to provide that infrastructure, particularly in rural and remote parts of the province. U of G has helped lead that initiative through research, teaching and networking, including holding a key conference on the topic last spring and contrib- uting to a new Digital Ontario web- site launched this year (www. digitalontario.mgs.gov.on.ca). “What’s great is that we’re part- nering with the province,” says SEDRD professor Helen Hambly. “We’re seen as part of this policy ini- tiative.” Describing Digital Ontario as a way for academics to help with public policy development, she adds: “We can be called on to contribute.” About one million of Ontario’s roughly 11.4 million residents lack access to high-speed Internet. Speak- ing last year at U of G’s symposium on the digital economy, Ron McKerlie, deputy minister of gov- ernment and consumer services, said Digital Ontario is an attempt to broaden access to the economic, en- vironmental and societal benefits of the “webbed” world. Broadband access in Ontario is patchy. Remote and rural Ontario are the least connected, but even some urban areas need upgrades, says Hambly. Outside of southern Ontario, access may vary from one rural county to another, with some services available for high-speed Internet and others still using dial- up or slower connections. She argues that broadband is a necessary form of infrastructure like roads and bridges that can support innovation and economic develop- ment, strengthen rural communities and even help clean the environ- ment. Enable people to explore tele- commuting, she says, and Internet access may help reduce work-related travel and lower carbon emissions. Hambly even suggests that broadband be subsidized for farmers money back walk in with your taxes, walk out with your money and you could win $5,000 towards a road trip, visit refundroadtrip.ca come in today or call 1-800-HRBLOCK (472-5625) H&R BLOCK and other rural businesses, a move that has helped other countries de- velop capacity. How might farmers and consum- ers benefit from broadband? Imagine an online atlas or map connecting consumers with On- tario-grown produce from potatoes to peaches. Referring to government efforts to promote locally grown products, she says: ‘“Buy Local’ can’t happen without rural broadband. Where do you find the most up-to-date information on available produce? Who is the best informa- tion provider? Of course it’s the local producers.” Health and education are also likely applications. Broadband would help ensure that rural and re- mote residents are part of a current push to put all Ontarians’ health re- cords online, she says. Internet ac- cess can also help distant students complete high school or pursue col- lege or university. In the other direction, Hambly says electronic access may benefit re- searchers, particularly by cutting down on the time and cost involved in running surveys. “Generally it would encourage more participation and interaction between rural re- spondents and researchers.” Digital Ontario’s new website provides information about the digi- tal economy and resources for com- munities to pursue initiatives. Several commissioned research re- ports are available on the site, in- cluding a 2007 paper on broadband use in southern Ontario written by Hambly and her SEDRD colleague Prof. John FitzSimons. They found that broadband is be- ing used for agricultural innovation, new partnerships (especially involv- ing the public sector and not-for- profits) and new rural producer net- works. But the paper says many peo- ple are left on “islands” lacking connectivity. “We’re creating this social divide of haves and have-nots," says Hambly, who is now completing a second paper for the site. Last year’s symposium brought together policy-makers, academics and rural and urban groups to dis- cuss the digital economy. Several graduate students became video in- terviewers and producers to record and post clips on the Digital Ontario website, including Temmer, who’s now studying local agricultural in- novation systems and technology transfer with FitzSimons. She says farmers need up-to-date connections to follow crop pricing and to more efficiently market their goods to web-sawy masses. “For a producer getting into spe- j cialty crops like ginseng, it means be- ing able to use the net to make your own website and get out to your con- sumers, as opposed to having to physically go out and do all that net- working.” Last spring’s event at Guelph in- cluded an announcement of $30 mil- lion to help extend broadband infrastructure in underserved rural areas in southern Ontario. At Guelph 9 March 25, 2009 Continued from page 1 65, testing and refining the exercises developed and programmed by the Guelph engineers. “Rehabilitation is embarking on an exciting new area of treatment us- ing innovative technologies," says Barreca. “I’m thrilled to be involved in this partnership because what we’re doing will result in better care and a speedier recovery for our patients.” The robot’s novel and intelligent user-friendly design employs sophis- ticated sensors and computer pro- gramming to re-create the move- ment patterns of human limbs — up, down, side-to-side, flexing, extend- ing and rotating. The clinical trial compared a physiotherapist’s conventional treat- ment with therapy using the robot. Half the patients used the robot for three sessions per week until dis- charge. The other half received con- ventional therapy. The results showed that clients who received only the robotic treatment for their arm did as well as those receiving conventional treatment. A larger study is now being planned to verify these findings. In the first level of the program, the passive mode, the robot does all the work, moving the patient’s arms to mimic daily functions such as grabbing a cup or dialing a phone. At the next level, the active assist mode, the robot assists only when it senses the patient needs help with a particu- lar movement. At the third level, the patient does all the work. As the patient pro- gresses, the robot can be set to exert some resistance to develop the mus- cles and reactivate the parts of the brain damaged by the stroke. At the fourth level, the therapist can fur- ther customize the robot’s pro- gramming to meet the individual patient’s needs and abilities. Throughout the process, the ro- bot captures data on all the forces at work in all the joints. “That way the caregiver can see on a daily basis whether there is any improvement and adjust the exer- cises accordingly,” says Abdullah, who hopes to conduct a larger trial involving more patients in the near future. “This research will lead to a new medical device that will help the health-care system address the ris- ing cost of providing rehabilitation services and make Canada a leader in therapeutic robotics.” Where Are You Now? If you can identify where this photo was taken, you will have your name entered in a draw to be held in June for a $50 gift certificate provided by the U of G Bookstore. Anyone who submits the right answer by March 27 at 4:45 p.m. is eligible for the draw. Send your response to r.kendall@exec.uoguelph.ca or call Ext. 56039. The following people correctly reported that the March 11 photo was of a machine wheel in the Thornbrough Building: Paul Vilchez, Ray Hutchison, Bill Verspagen, Jessica Turnbull and John Van Manen. PHOTO BY REBECCA KENDALL Bioterrorism Studies to Improve Food Testing Continued from page 1 “What you need in biosecurity is to give inspectors tools to go into the field and screen a batch for toxin,” says' Warriner. Earlier, he and a graduate student received funding from the U.S. Department of Home- land Security to study a probe for de- tecting a natural fruit contaminant. For this new project, he’s work- ing on a flow filter that would allow an inspector to concentrate a food or water sample enough to detect spores of pathogens such as anthrax bacterium. That would be a varia- tion on an instrument he designed to sample irrigation water for patho- genic bacteria such as E. colu Another device might use artifi- cial antibodies on a dense mesh of electrospun fibres small enough to detect substances such as botulinum toxin, the most toxic known sub- stance. This device would involve nanotechnology — the study of ma- terials and substances at the scale of billionths of metres. Both devices would be used to confirm a suspected outbreak. “It’s always going to be reactionary,” says Warriner, “but if you can say yes or no, you can instantly confirm it.” Acknowledging that a food- dr water-bome terrorism attack is un- likely, he says this technology would still be useful for standard food testing. Griffiths, who is director of the Canadian Research Institute for Food Safety, plans to study viruses that might be used to detect contam- inants, especially anthrax. “This funding will allow us to de- velop technology that we are already researching in other areas,” he says. “For example, we’ve done work on some techniques being used to de- tect more common food-borne pathogens. A natural extension of that is to look at some of the bioter- rorism agents.” Other partners in this project are Health Canada, the Public Health Agency of Canada, the U.S. Depart- ment of Agriculture, Michigan State University and the University of Minnesota. 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Three-bedroom bungalow in Guelph General Hospital area on Pleasant Road, close to schools, parking for four vehicles, updated baths, hardwood and ceramic on main level, windows and roof replaced, sunroom with seven-per- son hot tub, partially finished base- ment, 519-821-7567 or smccormi@ uoguelph.ca. Bungalow with self-contained apart- ment on lower level, close to down- town, new kitchen with built-in laundry, new windows and doors, new kitchen and bathroom in down- stairs walkout, 519-265-3374 or visit www.privateforsaleclub.com, ID 1042. FOR RENT Furnished two-bedroom house close to downtown, suitable for visiting professor, available May 1 to Aug. 3 1 , $ 1 ,500 a month inclusive, photos available, mmaidment@uoguelph. ca. Large bedroom in townhouse, shared bath and kitchen, laundry, parking, close to bus route, suitable for visiting female faculty or post-grad, non-smoker, no pets, available May 1, 519-826-3809 or cartem@uoguelph.ca. Two-bedroom apartment near downtown London in quiet adult building, close to UWO, parking for one vehicle, laundry in building, non-smokers, no pets, available Aug. 1 with one-year lease, $600 a month per bedroom inclusive, 519-843- 3470 evenings, tnudds@uoguelph.ca or nudds.family@sympatico.ca. Furnished three-bedroom house in old University area, pool, suitable for faculty, staff or graduate stu- dents, non-smokers, hypoallergenic pets, kid-friendly, available July to December, 519-835-5466 or ahovorka@uoguelph.ca. Large one- or two-bedroom apart- ment in house, separate kitchen and living room, walkout to half-acre lot, parking, 10 minutes to campus, Internet and utilities included, Wal- ter, 519-835-8085. Furnished large bedroom with office, 10-minute walk to campus, separate bath, kitchen, laundry, suit- able for visiting female faculty mem- ber or post-grad, non-smoker, no pets, short- or long-term rental, 5 1 9- 822-1084 or ctyler@uoguelph.ca. Three-bedroom home to sublet in Pine Ridge subdivision, garage, fenced yard, garden, available April 15 to Aug. 15, reasonable rent for mature, responsible person, kellis@ uoguelph.ca. Three-bedroom two-storey farm- house in Belwood, available April 1 , accommodation and pasture for horses can be arranged, $1,200 a month, 910-947-1659 after 6 p.m. Furnished one-bedroom apartment in southwest Paris, France, short- term rental; two-bedroom holiday home in Antibes on French Riviera, weekly or monthly, 519-836-6745 or fhmoll@rogers.com. WANTED Math tutor for Grade 7 student, once weekly, 519-822-0826. Department of Computing and Information Science seeks volun- teers for study to help victims of neuromuscular disease, 30 to 45 minutes required, financial com- pensation, tdoan@uoguelph.ca. Families or individuals to host inter- national ESL students, homestay@ uoguelph.ca. Subjects for study on zinc levels in six- to eight-year-old boys, compen- sation, 519-820-2633 or zip@ uoguelph.ca. Department of Food Science seeks people to test new dairy products, Lisa, Ext. 53410 or lduizer@ uoguelph.ca. Classifieds is a free service available to staff, faculty, students, alumni and retirees of the University. Sub- mit items to Linda Graham on Level 4 of the University Centre, fax to 519-824-7962 or send e-mail to l.graham@exec.uoguelph.ca. Eye Exams Jai Jassai Safety Glasses Infa^purtoavblon Contact Lenses 1388 Gordon St., Unit 1 Designer Frames Guelph, Ontario Sunglasses NIL 1C8 Canada Tel. 519-823-9400 www.puRBAvisiaN.caM Fax. 519-823-2273 Campus Hardware Limited 1027 Gordon Street Guelph, Ontario N IG 4X1 Tel. (519) 836-3721 Fax (519) 836-5664 Helen Maciag Banner Stands Order new or we can print new graphics for your existing banner stand Banner-Up Retractable H2 Roland 4IMWI4IM! Wednesday, April 8 @ 8pm 1 - 877 - 520-2408 In Person: 35 Woolwich St. www.riverrun.ca TRAILER PARK RICKY, BUBBLES & River Run Ce humber.ca/appliedtechnology/graduate Make technology work for you. Apply now and be well on your way to a successful career in technology. HUMBER School of Applied Technology In just two semesters at Humber, you could upgrade your degree with a postgraduate certificate in Wireless Telecommunications, Supply Chain Management or Project Management. MONTESSORI SCHOOL OF WELLINGTON established 1996 • Full- & half-day programs for 2 1/2 to 5 years • After-school program to 6 p.m. • Large gym & outdoor play area • Enhanced reading, writing & math • French, music, art & physical education • Social skill development in family setting PREPARE YOUR CHILD FOR SOCIAL AND ACADEMIC SUCCESS 519 - 821-5876 (located in Dublin Street United Church) 68 Suffolk Street West, Guelph N1H 2J2 www.montessori-school.ca At Guelph 11 March 25, 2009 EVENTS ARBORETUM The Theatre in the Trees dinner- theatre production of Self Help by Norm Foster opens March 27 and continues weekends until May 10. Dinner is at 6:30 p.m.; showtime is 8 p.m. Cost is $62. To order tickets, call Ext. 54110. Arboretum manager Ric Jordan leads a workshop on ponds April 16 from 1 to 4 p.m. Cost is $35. The deadline for registration and pay- ment is April 2. Call Ext. 52358. "Warblers Level 1: Butterflies of the Bird World” is the focus of naturalist Chris Earley April 17 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with a tour slated for May 9 at 6:30 a.m. Cost is $70. Deadline for registration and payment is April 3. Photographer Jon Brierley leads a beginner's workshop on digital pho- tography April 18 from 9 a.m. to noon. Cost is $30. Registration and payment are due April 3. ART CENTRE The Macdonald Stewart Art Centre hosts “Mixing the Message: Painting and Translation,” a symposium and reception sponsored by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council and the School of Fine Art and Music March 27 from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The art centre hosts the Guelph Contemporary Dance Festival’s off- site series March 28 and 29 at 4 p.m. CONCERTS The School of Fine Art and Music's Thursdays at Noon concert series continues March 26 and April 2 with student soloists’ days. Concerts start at 12:10 p.m. in MacKinnon 107. The Diane Nalini Quartet presents an International Year of Astronomy jazz concert March 27 at 8 p.m. at War Memorial Hall. Tickets are $20 general, $10 for students. The U of G Contemporary Music Ensemble conducted by Joe Sorbara and the U of G Concert Winds led by John Goddard perform March 27 at 8 p.m. at Harcourt United Church. Tickets are $10 and $8. Henry Janzen leads the U of G cham- ber ensembles March 29 at 4 p.m. in MacKinnon 107. Admission is free. Prof. Marta McCarthy conducts the U of G Choirs and Guelph Chamber Players in “Voices of the Spirit” March 29 at 7 p.m. at Church of Our Lady. The program includes works by Handel, Vander Woude, Hogan and Chatman. Tickets are $20 and $ 10 . Andrew Scott leads the U of G Jazz Band April 2 at 8 p.m. at Manhattans Pizza. There’s a $2 cover charge. U of G and the Bookshelf present Battle of Wills, a film by Anne Hen- derson, March 28 at 4 p.m. at the Bookshelf Cinema. A panel discus- sion follows. Tickets are $10 and $5. “Docurama,” the film series spon- sored by the U of G Library and the Central Student Association, contin- ues with Taking Root: The Vision of Wangari Maathai March 31 at 7 p.m. in Thornbrough 1307. LECTURES ASTRA presents Paul Delaney of York University discussing “From Galileo to Hubble: The Rise of the Telescope” March 25 at 7:30 p.m. in the science complex atrium. The Department of Physics hosts an International Year of Astronomy public lecture with Debra Fischer of San Francisco State University April 1 at 7 p.m. in Rozanski 101. Her topic is “Searching for Earth: The Hunt for Extrasolar Planets.” NOTICES The A.D. Latomell Conservation Research Forum will showcase the research of graduate students and A.D. Latomell Scholarship recipi- ents April 3 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Arboretum Centre. The Department of Psychology hosts its annual Neuroscience Re- search Day April 6 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Arboretum Centre. Key- note speaker Bryan Kolb of the Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience at the University of Lethbridge will discuss “Brain Plas- ticity and Behaviour.” READING OVC and the Bookshelf are sponsor- ing a reading by Erika Ritter from her new book. The Dog by the Cradle, the Serpent Beneath: Some Paradoxes of Human-Animal Relationships, March 30 at 7 p.m. at the Bookshelf. SEMINARS The Health and Performance Centre is offering a free fitness and nutrition seminar on “Eating for Exercise” March 26 at 6:30 p.m. Register at Ext. 53460 or hpc@uoguelph.ca. Next up in the Department of Envi- ronmental Biology seminar series March 26 is Prof. John Klironomos, Integrative Biology, discussing “Mycorrhizal Functioning in Ter- restrial Ecosystems.” The series con- tinues April 2 with Guelph graduate Andrea Edginton of the University of Waterloo ("Using Physiologically Based Pharmacokinetic Models to Predict Pediatric Pharmacokine- tics”) and April 9 with Derek Muir of the Canadian Centre for Inland Waters at the National Water Research Institute (“Assessment of Persistent and ‘Pseudo-Persistent’ Chemicals in Canadian Surface Waters”). The seminars begin at 1 :30 p.m. in Graham 2307. The Department of Pathobiology presents Prof. Bonnie Mallard dis- cussing “Phenotypic, Genetic and Epigenetic Variation of Immune Re- sponse and Disease Resistance Traits of Dairy Cattle” March 27 at 1 1 a.m. in Pathobiology 2106. The Department of Integrative Biol- ogy’s “Loaves and Fishes” seminar series continues March 27 with PhD student Sarah Alderman considering “101 Ways to Stress a Fish . . . and the Physiological Consequences of Doing So!” On April 3, the topic is “Aquatic Locomotion in Fish: How Do Fish Swim So Effectively?” with post-doc Kazutaka Yanase. The sem- inars are at noon in science complex 3317. The departments of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Environmental Biology and Pathobiology host Dr. Donald Capra, past president of the Oklahoma Medical Research Foun- dation, discussing “Human Mono- clonal Antibodies to Influenza and Other Pathogens” March 30 at 11 a.m. in science complex 1511. “Rural Encounters: 1970s Back to the Land, Cape Breton, N.S., and Denman, Hornby and Lasqueti Islands, B.C.” is the focus of PhD student Sharon Weaver in the Rural History Round Table March 30 at 3:30 p.m. in MacKinnon 2020. Nathan Muchhala of the University of Toronto discusses “Bats, Birds and Burmiestera: The Evolution of Specialized Pollination Systems in the Neotropics” in the Department of Integrative Biology seminar series March 31 at 3:30 p.m. in science complex 2315. The Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology seminar series pres- ents Lynn Howell of the University of Toronto and the Hospital for Sick Children April 1 at 12:30 p.m. in Animal Science and Nutrition 156. Caft Scientifique, hosted by the Fac- ulty of Environmental Sciences and the Bookshelf, continues with Prof. Scott Weese, Centre for Public Health, examining “The Influence of People and Pets on Each Other’s Health” April 7 at 7 p.m. at the Bookshelf. TEACHING SUPPORT Full details and a registration link for Teaching Support Services pro- grams can be found on the TSS website at www.tss.uoguelph.ca. TSS is accepting applications for its seventh annual Course Re/Design Institute, which runs May 11 to 14 and offers instructors an opportu- nity to work intensively with educa- tional developers and TSS technical support staff to design and produce a course product. Enrolment is lim- ited. If you have questions, call Mary Wilson at Ext. 56856. TSS offers the workshops “Black- board: Setting Up and Submitting Final Grades Using Gradebook” March 27 and “Hands-on With Adobe Presenter” April 8. Upcoming “Learning Circle” discus- sions include "Engaging in Educa- tion Research” April 1, with Prof. Alice Hovorka, Geography, and Peter Wolf of TSS discussing “Acti- vating the Classroom: Geographical Fieldwork as Pedagogical Practice.” Also scheduled are the discussion groups “Community-Based Teach- ing and Learning” April 6 and “Teaching on the Edge” April 8. Prof. Julia Christensen Hughes, chair of the Department of Business, leads the April 7 “Women in Aca- deme” session. Her topic is “Estab- lishing Presence in the Classroom.” On April 9, the Curriculum Devel- opment Resource Network hosts the showcase event “Improving Analyti- cal Skills Through Writing.” THEATRE The Wellness Centre’s Guelph Pro- ject 2009 presents Love . . . Actually March 26 to 28 at 7 p.m. in lower Massey Hall. Tickets are $2 at the door or at the Wellness Centre in the Powell Building. The Bedroom Ensemble, made up of students graduating from U of G’s theatre studies program, presents Surviving Fantomina April 2 to 4 at 8 p.m. at the George Luscombe Thea- tre. Tickets are $5 at the door. THESIS DEFENCES The final examination of Michelle Thibault, a PhD candidate in the Department of Chemistry, is March 26 at 2 p.m. in MacNaughton 222. The thesis is “Ruthenium-Based Ionic Hydrogenation Catalysts for the Selective Deoxygenation of Bio- mass-Derived Feedstocks.” The adviser is Prof. Marcel Schlaf. The final examination of M.Sc. can- didate Maria Espinosa, Molecular and Cellular Biology, is March 26 at 2 p.m. in science complex 2315. The thesis is l 'GCN5 Is a Positive Regula- tor of DNA Replication Origins in Saccharomyces cerevisiae." Advisers are Profs. Kassimir Yankulov and Joseph Colasanti. The final examination of PhD candi- date Kelly Shannon, Environmental Biology, is March 31 at 9 a.m. in Gra- ham 3301. The thesis is “Effect of Environmental Factors on Nitric Oxide Reductase Gene Expression and Denitrification in an Agricul- tural Soil.” Advisers are Prof. Jack Trevors and Claudia Goyer. The final examination of M.Sc. can- didate Brendan Wringe, Integrative Biology, is April 1 at 9 a.m. in science complex 3317. The thesis is “A Genetic and Gene Expression Analy- sis of Growth in Rainbow Trout.” The adviser is Prof. Roy Danzmann. The final examination of PhD candi- date Ali Taheri, Plant Agriculture, is April 1 at 1 p.m. in Crop Science 202. The thesis is “Ethylene, Fruit Thin- ning and Molecular Analysis of Trichome Development in Peach.” Advisers are Profs. Jay Subramanian and John Cline. The final examination of Chandler Andrews, an M.Sc. candidate in the Department of Integrative Biology, is April 3 at 2 p.m. in science com- plex 1511. The thesis is “Genome Size Diversity in Birds: Constraints and Consequences.” The adviser is Prof. Ryan Gregory. The final examination of PhD candi- date Thamara Laredo, Chemistry, is April 7 at 2 p.m. in MacNaughton 222. The thesis is “Electric Field- Driven Changes in the Orientation and Conformation of Gramicidin in a DMPCA Bilayer Supported on an Au(lll) Electrode.” The adviser is Prof. Jacek Lipkowski. The final examination of Andrea Charbonneau, an MA candidate in the DepaitmerrroFPolitical Science, is April 7 at 2 p.m. in MacKinnon 526. The thesis is “After the Fighting Stops: Youth-Based Approaches to Conflict Management.” The adviser is Prof. Ian Spears. The final examination of PhD candi- date Sharif Arar, Chemistry, is April 9 at 10 a.m. in science complex 1511. The thesis is “Complex Carbohy- drates: Structures and Conjugate Vaccine Development.” The adviser is Prof. Mario Monteiro. COMMUNITY EVENTS The Guelph Seventh-Day Adventist Church is hosting a free lecture on “Prostate Cancer and Health” by Dr. John McKinstry March 27 at 7 p.m. at 114 Lane St. The Guelph Historical Railway Association is offering a daylong tour of the Guelph Junction Railway April 25, leaving at 10 a.m. To reserve a seat, visit www.ghra.ca. The Royal City Ambassadors present “Experiencing Technical Difficul- ties” March 27 and 28 at 7:30 p.m. at the River Run Centre. For ticket information, call 519-763-3000. The Guelph Symphony Orchestra performs "Masterworks and More” April 5 at 3 p.m. at the River Run Centre. The Elora Centre for the Arts is holding a sign-up day for volunteers March 31 from 4 to 6 p.m. At Guelph 12 March 25, 2009 at GUELPH APRIL 8, 2009 » VOL. 53 NO. 7 « WWW.UOGUELPH.CA/ATGUELPH . UNIVERSITY OF GUELPH INSIDE: THEY’RE SOY CREATIVE! • CO-OP GRADS A STEP AHEAD • FINDING OUT WHAT IS CANADIAN Winegard Awards Honour Three for Volunteerism Commitment, service to organizations in Guelph area recognized S TUDENT HOUSING DIRECTOR Irene Thompson, acting associate chief librar- ian Janet Kaufman and Arthur Churchyard, a fourth-year environmental sciences student, are the 2009 recipients of the Dr. William Winegard Exemplary Volunteer Involvement Awards. The awards are named for the former U of G president and recognize members of the Uni- versity community who have shown commit- ment to volunteering and given outstanding service to organizations in the Guelph area. They were developed by U of G in partnership with the United Way of Guelph and Wellington and the Volunteer Centre of Guelph- Wellington. Winners were selected from a pool of nominees by Winegard and volunteer repre- sentatives from the three partners. “This year’s winners are excellent examples of how members of the University community are improving the lives of those who live and work in Guelph and Wellington County,” says Cathy Taylor, executive director of the Volun- teer Centre. “Their generosity and the generos- ity of all University volunteers are invaluable to our community.” The three winners received original artwork created by U of G graduate Tori Drost that rep- resents the concept of community. Thompson was honoured for her dedicated service to the United Way’s University and re- gional campaigns. She was the leadership chair for the community effort for four years, raising more than $1.3 million in leadership giving. Her other volunteer activities include chairing U of G’s Professional Staff Association, being an academic coach for the Gryphon football team and serving as a member of tbe Alcohol Interest Group and Crisis Response Team. Kaufman is an active volunteer member of Trellis Mental Heath and Development Ser- Continued on page 2 Spurning the Spammers IronPort filter keeps U ofG e-mail system clear of majority of junk mail Prof. Alicia Viloria-Petit’s route from Venezuela to U of G via the University of Toronto began with a chance meeting on an airplane. photo by martin schwalbe BY TERESA PITMAN S INCE Gryph Mail was introduced last June, more than 1.4 billion e-mail messages have been sent to U of G’s mail system, but only a small percentage have been allowed in — three per cent to be exact. The other 97 per cent were spam messages that were blocked by the University’s IronPort filtering system. “When people complain about getting spam e-mails, they don’t realize that what gets through to them is just a tiny bit of what’s sent out,” says Doug Blain, manager of information technology security. The number of spam messages landing in people’s mailboxes has dropped considerably since the introduction of IronPort last year, he says. Without this filtering system, e-mail users would be inundated with junk mail. Still, keeping the system secure continues to be a concern, says Cort Egan, communications officer in the CIO’s office. “Perhaps because we’ve been so successful in filtering out the vast majority of spam and phishing messages, it gives any illegitimate messages that do squeak through more credi- bility,” he says. Blain notes that early phishing e-mails were fairly unsophisticated, “almost laughable,” in fact. “I was surprised to find out how many rich dead relatives 1 apparently had.” But that’s all changed. A big concern today is a highly targeted form of phishing that in- volves sending e-mail that appears genuine to all the employees in an organization such as the Continued on page 10 At Guelph Goes Green for Earth Day A SPECIAL ISSUE of At Guelph is planned for April 22, which is celebrated as Earth Day by many countries around the world. It will feature a number of stories related to the environment and sustainability, including some of the efforts U of G is making to reduce its ecological footprint. At Guelph will make its own contribution to that effort by not publishing a hard copy of the April 22 issue. It will appear only on the web — in both our regular online version and as a PDF. A prominent link on the University home page will direct readers to the online At Guelph. A Moving Target Prof looks for ways to inhibit cell migration in breast cancer BY TERESA PITMAN I T WAS A CHANCE ENCOUNTER on a flight from Ottawa that started Prof. Alicia Viloria-Petit, Biomedical Sciences, on the road that brought her to U of G this January. But she’d been preparing for that moment for years. Born and raised in Venezuela, she earned an undergraduate degree in biology from the University of Zulia, then began a master’s de- gree at the Venezuelan Institute for Scientific Research (IVIC). By then, she had narrowed her focus to cancer, especially breast cancer, and was studying a particular molecule that seemed to be involved. “I wanted to keep working on that mole- cule because it was very ‘hot’ and promising at the time,” says Viloria-Petit. "I was looking for the right place to do my PhD and had even gone to the Japanese embassy to find out about going to Japan to study.” Then she met a Canadian student at IVIC who was doing research for his PhD thesis in Latin American history. As their relationship grew, he invited her to come to Canada and meet his family in Ottawa. While there, she visited the University of Ottawa and talked with some of the faculty but didn’t find a niche for her work. On the plane ride home, however, she was walking down the aisle and happened to no- tice a man reading a research paper on cancer. She couldn’t resist striking up a conversation, and it changed her life. “He turned out to be Robert Kerbel, one of the best-known cancer researchers in Canada,” she says. During their conversation, Kerbel asked Viloria-Petit to send him some samples of her work. “I sent him my paper the next day, and he responded by inviting me to come and work in his lab for four months. He even paid for my flights.” After a productive four months, Kerbel encouraged her to apply to the University of Toronto to complete her master’s and PhD and offered to be her supervisor. “He knew I was interested in this particu- lar molecule, and it fit with the work he was doing on the growth of blood vessels in tu- Con tinned on page 10 At Guelph l April 8, 2009 hardware Campus Hardware Limited 1027 Gordon Street Guelph, Ontario N1G4X1 Tel. (519) 836-3721 Fax (519) 836-5664 Helen Maciag Banner Stands Order new or we can print new graphics for your existing banner stand ''of, 'Excellence. Angela Crawford Sale* Representative ( 519 ) 821-3600 angela-crawford@co1dwBllbanker.ca PLANNING A HOME RENOVATION? Come in and see us about all your renovation needs and take advantage of the Home Renovation Tax Credit. DO IT RIGHT WITH RON A! 55 Dawson Road, Guelph 519-821-5744 GOURMET MARKET GOURMET MARKET Remember Vs This Spring Season For Plump, Juicy Farm Fresh TURKEYS Dress Up Your Special Easter Dinner With Our Famous Storemade Stuffing and Savory White Wine Gravy Pltast call aarly to place your order. Telephone orders are welcome. Mon, -Wed 9-7 Thuis.-Frl. 9-8 GUELPH POULTRY MARKET Kortrlght just off the Hanlon 570 Kortrlght Plaza 519 - 763-2284 Volunteer Work Recognized Continued from page 1 vices, Community Torchlight: Dis- tress Centre of Wellington/Dufferin, the U of G and regional United Way, Onward Willow and Project Serve Cape Croker/Nawash. She also lends her time to several other community organizations, including Family and Children’s Services and the Guelph- W eUington-Dufferm District Health Council. Churchyard was chosen for his extensive volunteer involvement both on and off campus. He started U of G’s Sustainability Day, which recently received a Gordon Nixon Leadership Award and involved more than 150 volunteers and 35 community groups. He is also in- volved with the Canadian Associa- tion of Community Service, Give Yourself Credit, the Speed River Cleanup, Toronto’s Ecojustice law firm, Wellington County’s Green Legacy not-for-profit tree planting, the new Transition Guelph initia- tive, Out on the Shelf and U of G’s Orientation Week. The fourth-generation Ontario Agricultural College student is also known for award-winning work in radio and television communica- tions that promote U of G’s agricul- tural research. U of G Budget on Track Ontario budget good news but won’t help eliminate structural deficit: Summerlee T he 2009 provincial budget will have some positive impact on universities, but it won’t alter the need for U of G to continue with its plan to reduce costs University-wide between now and 2012, says president Alastair Summerlee. Guelph’s initial budget assump- tions for its preliminary 2009/2010 Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities operating budget were already completed for the most part when the provincial budget was un- veiled March 26. This includes a multi-year plan to help address the University’s structural deficit. The Ontario budget did contain some new funding for higher educa- tion, which Summerlee says was a welcome surprise because the gov- ernment had warned universities in the fall to expect a funding freeze. But there were few details provided, so how much money Guelph will re- ceive and how it must be used remain unclear. What is known is that a large por- tion of the funding in the budget for operating support ($150 million for all Ontario colleges and universities) is a one-time allocation, he says. This means it can be used to deal with some immediate cost pressures but can’t be built into base funding. As a result, it won’t help U of G alleviate its $ 16-million structural deficit, which is the University’s most press- ing financial challenge, he says. The provincial budget also in- cludes a pool of funds set aside for “quality, growth and sustainability” at colleges and universities, but whether the funding will be one- time or base, how much money Guelph will receive and whether it will come with restrictions are all unknowns, says Summerlee. He adds that the province’s in- creased funding for growth in gradu- ate programs was anticipated and was already built into U of G’s bud- get assumptions. It’s also expected that the government’s funding in- creases to support research and capi- tal will be earmarked for specific projects as in the past, he says. “Overall, the government’s sup- port for higher education is good news. It’s a reversal of previous state- ments that had us bracing for an all- out funding freeze. But ultimately, the provincial budget will not help us eliminate our large structural def- icit or address the serious challenges that we face with our endowments and the even larger problems with our pension plans. As a result, U of G will not be altering its budget pro- posals at this time and will continue with the steps contained in its multi-year plan to address the struc- tural deficit.” Editor Barbara Chance b.chance@exec.uoguelph.ca Design Peter Enneson Production Linda Graham l.graham@cxec.uoguclph.ca Advertising Scott Anderson theandcrsondifference@rogers.com Director Chuck Cunningham c.cunningham@cxec.uoguclph.ca At Guelph is published every two weeks by Communications and Public Affairs, Level 4, University Centre, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario NIG 2W1. Inquiries: 519-824-4120 Editorial: Ext. 56580 Distribution: Ext. 56581 Advertising: Ext. 56580 ww>v. uoguclph.ca/adguide Classifieds: Ext. 56581 Fax: 519-824-7962 Website: wwv. uoguelpli. ca/atguelph Articles may be reprinted with credit to At Guelph. Subscriptions S25 (includes GST); $30 outside Canada ISSN 08364478 From left are Arthur Churchyard, Janet Kaufman, former U of G president Bill Winegard and Irene Thompson. PHOTO BY REBECCA KENDALL At Guelph 2 April 8, 2009 news i n brief ELECTRICAL SHUTDOWN SET U of G’s yearly campus electrical shutdown is slated for April 25 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. All campus buildings will be without regular power during the shutdown. Emer- gency lighting will not be affected. Access to all campus buildings should be restricted, other than for security reasons. Any queries should be directed to Douglas Doel, manager of electrical design, at Ext. 53459 or douglas@pr.uoguelph.ca. RAISING AWARENESS OF HOMELESSNESS Business students Jaclyn Bell, Graeme Close, Joshua Nasielski, Michelle Siman and Marc Tytus raised $10,000 in this year’s “5 Days for the Homeless” campaign. They slept outside and relied on donated meals from March 16 to 20. The money raised is being donated to Wyndham House. OCUFA SEEKS NOMINEES The Ontario Confederation of Uni- versity Faculty Associations is call- ing for nominations for its 2008/09 teaching and academic librarian- ship awards. Anyone in the Ontario university community can nomi- nate a faculty member or librarian. Submission deadline is May 8 . For more information, call 416-979- 21 17 or visit www.ocufe.on.ca. SURVEY ON VOLUNTEERISM Guelph faculty and staff are invited to participate in a short survey that aims to facilitate volunteerism and boost awareness of U of G’s contri- butions to the city and other com- munities. The survey is online at https://ssl7.sentex.ca/westresearch _secure_cgi/rws3.pl?FORM=vol- unteer. Responses are sought by April 17. A hard copy is also avail- able from Human Resources. All the Right Moves M ove-Out Madness, a pro- gram that helps U of G students get rid of extra food, clothing and household and bulk items they don’t need as they move away at the end of the semester, runs throughout April. Clothing and non-perishable food can be dropped in bins marked “Clear the Shelves” at University residences until April 27. Donations go to the Guelph Food Bank. Household items, school sup- plies and other reusable items can be dropped off or picked up at the “stuff swap” table in the University Centre. For a free pickup of bulky items, sign up at the “stuff swap” ta- ble or send an e-mail to moveout@ uoguelph.ca. Items will be donated to Habitat for Humanity. Move-Out Madness is spon- sored by Neighbourhood Relations and Off-Campus Housing, Physical Resources, Meal Exchange, the Central Student Association Food Bank, Guelph Students for Envi- ronmental Change, Freecycle.org and the City of Guelph. For more information, contact Jordan Thompson at 519-400-2475 or moveout@uoguelph.ca. They’re SOY Creative! Soy syrup, biodegradable cups win top prizes at 13th annual Project SOY Leona Dombrowsky, Ontario’s minister of agriculture, food and rural affairs, third from right, was on hand to celebrate the achievements of this year’s Project SOY participants. With her, from left, are her daughter, Maria, student co-ordinator of the competition for the Office of Research; Ridgetown Campus student Carolynn Seaton; president Alastair Summerlee; and students Evelyn Yeh and Anita Chung, photo by rebecca kendall B iodegradable cups made from soy fibre and maple syrup enhanced with soy took top prizes at the 13th annual Project SOY competition held March 25. Established to create new uses and marketing strategies for soy- beans, the competition showcased 16 projects by 39 U of G students, ranging from cupcakes and barbecue sauce to moisturizer and dye. The guest of honour at the event, Leona Dombrowsky, Ontario’s min- ister of agriculture, food and rural affairs, said Project SOY represents how agriculture and the environ- ment come together. “Green and re- newable is where we think the future of our industry should go,” she said. “We’ll get there through innovative efforts like these.” Cash prizes were awarded to the top three projects in two categories: diploma and undergraduate/gradu- ate. First place in the diploma cate- gory went to Ridgetown Campus student Carolynn Seaton for devel- oping Soylutions, a biodegradable container made from soy fibre. Sec- ond prize was won by Alfred Cam- pus student Lugi Stephano Bikeroti for Sunsoya Cake, and third place was a tie between two Ridgetown Campus students: Mitch Sykes for a soy-based dye and Luke Chamber- lain for Soy-Sweet BBQ Sauce. Topping the undergraduate/ graduate category was Soyrup, cre- ated by Evelyn Yeh and Anita Chung. Second place was a tie be- tween SoyCare, a moisturizing cloth developed by Nicole Beechey, Steph- anie Holodinsky and Jeffrey Sattin, and Sofia, a chocolate soy spread cre- ated by Elise Ringgenberg, Hayley Rutherford, Paige Schell and Silvia Garcia. Third prize went to Juan Du, Whei Ong and Pauline Ying Pong for a soybean dumpling called Sompling. Mark Lawton of Monsanto, one of the event judges, said he was amazed at the many ways soybeans can be used in commercial products. “The quality of the projects was top-notch,” he said. “The students are learning how to take an idea to the marketplace from the initial idea right through to product develop- ment, marketing, manufacturing and pricing. This is a great day for agriculture." Project SOY is sponsored by Dekalb Brand Seeds; Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada; the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs; and the Ontario Soy- bean Growers. People CONLON TO RECEIVE AWARD FOR ACADEMIC ADVISING The Council on Undergraduate Academic Advising has selected Prof. Peter Conlon as the recipient of the 2009 Excellence in Under- graduate Academic Advising Me- dallion. A four-time Guelph gradu- ate, Conlon is associate dean (stu- dents) in the Ontario Veterinary i College and a faculty member in the j Department of Biomedical Sci- | ences. To be presented in Septem- ! ber at the Community Breakfast, the award recognizes a faculty adviser, program counsellor or aca- demic advising staff member who contributes to providing high-qual- i ity academic advising. VP NAMED TO COMMISSION j Joanne Shoveller, vice-president i (alumni affairs and development), ! has been named to the Council for I Advancement and Support of Edu- cation’s Commission on Philan- thropy. She was selected from a i pool of international nominees and wifi be the sole Canadian on the ! commission, serving a three-year term. The commission is made up of 18 senior development profes- ! sionals from around the world. TOP GRYPHONS HONOURED \ Gryphon track-and-field and cross- country runners Lindsay Carson and Kyle Boorsma have been named U of G's Athletes of the Year for 2008/2009. They were honoured March 27 at the annual Gryphon awards banquet. Other major award winners were Dr. Patti Galvin (,Dt. JoVrnT. PoweW Award 1 ), Sarah Pierce and Joseph Brunsting (President’s Trophy), Kris Yallin and Josh Roundell (W.F. Mitchell Sportswoman and Sportsman), Courtney Laurie (Shirley Peterson Most Improved), Rob Maver (Don Cameron Most Improved), Jessalyn Walkey (Dr. Mary Beverley Burton Female Rookie of the Year) and Rob Jackson (Scott Yanchus Male Rookie of the Year). In Memoriam Craig Alexander Students Vote to Fund Athletic Improvements U of G students have voted to help fund improvements to campus athletic facilities over the next three decades. Voting took place last month during the Central Student Associa- tion and Graduate Students’ Associ- ation general elections. Although undergraduate students supported the motion, it got the nod from only 42 per cent of graduate students who voted. As per the student fee proto- col, the votes were combined and the question passed. Students wifi contribute $38 a se- mester ($19 for part-time students), which wifi generate about $75 mil- lion in 30 years. The money wifi be used to help bring the Department of Athletics’ master plan to fruition. Additional funding is still required and is being sought from private do- nors, grants and other means. "Construction won’t start on any of the master plan’s phases until there’s enough capital to support building and operating costs of a particular project,” says Brenda Whiteside, associate vice-president (student affairs). Athletics director Tom Kendall says the students’ decision to help fund the improvements “is a legacy for the future. We have one of the biggest intramural, recreational and varsity athletics programs in the country, so this gives us the chance to keep building on that.” The athletics master plan, which was approved by Board of Governors last year, is designed to be imple- mented in phases as funding per- mits, says Kendall. The priority will be projects that will have the most immediate benefit for students, such as outfitting the outdoor playing fields with artificial turf, he says. The four fields are cur- rently natural grass, which doesn’t hold up well to heavy use by intra- mural and varsity teams, as well as recreational users. Another priority is renovation and expansion of the Athletics Cen- tre, particularly the fitness and , weight training areas, which aren’t large enough to meet demand. These and other athletic-related improvements are essential for the University’s future, says Kendall. Athletics help attract and retain stu- dents, and other universities are building and expanding their recre- I ational facilities. “We also recognize the impor- tance of a healthy lifestyle for student success. These changes will allow us to continue to be leaders in student support.” Prof. Craig Alexander, a retired fac- ulty member in the Department of Human Health and Nutritional Sciences, died March 23 at age 83. A two-time OAC graduate and a PhD graduate of the University of Wis- consin, he taught at U of G from 1966 until 1991. He is survived by his wife, Margaret, three children l and six grandchildren. James Harrison University professor emeritus j James Harrison, English and Thea- j tre Studies, died March 1 7. A grad- j uate of Durham University, he joined U of G in 1 969 and retired in 1992. He is survived by his wife, Vivienne Denton, four children, i two stepchildren and 10 grandchil- dren. Ted McNinch Retired professor Ted McNinch, a , 1949 graduate of OAC who taught : horticultural science at Guelph from 1949 to 1985, died March 25 J at age 85. He is survived by his wife, Phyllis, two children and three grandchildren. At Guelph 3 April 8 , 2009 Co-op Grads a Step Ahead, Study Finds Grads surveyed earned average of $8,000 a year more Prof. Serge Desmarais, associate vice-president (academic), seated, signs an agreement with the Bluewater District School Board that’s designed to get more high school students interested in agricultural studies. Looking on, from left, are Mary Anne Alton, Bluewater director of education, Aldo Cianfrini, education officer for student success/learning with the Ontario Ministry of Education; Richard Franz, the ministry’s director of student success/learning; George Zegarac, deputy minister of agriculture, food and rural affairs; Prof. Peter Pauls, OAC acting associate dean (academic); and OAC dean Rob Gordon. PHOTO BY GRANT W. MARTIN PHOTOGRAPHY Partnership Aims to Draw High School Students to Agricultural Studies UofG signs agreement with Bluewater District School Board BY ANDREW VOWLES T here’s more to careers in agriculture than farming. As Ontario’s second largest industry, the agri-food sector offers wide- ranging job options — banking, food processing, sales and market- ing, communications — that U of G hopes will entice high school students into agricultural studies through a new kind of teaching partnership, says Prof. Peter Pauls, acting associate dean (academic) of the Ontario Agricultural College. On April 2, U of G officials signed an agreement with representatives from the Bluewater District School Board intended to help smooth the path for high school students head- ing to degree or diploma programs in agriculture offered by Guelph. The new agreement will exempt high school graduates of the special- ist high skills major in agriculture from introductory agriculture courses during subsequent studies at U of G or its regional campuses at Ridgetown, Kemptville and Alfred. It will also enable students en- rolled in the secondary school major to explore university experiences at Guelph or its regional campuses during Grade 11 or 12. Pauls views the new relationship with the board as a way to inform students about agriculture-related careers and to increase enrolment in Guelph's programs. “An agriculture degree doesn’t close doors — it opens new doors,” he said. “We want to expose students to the range of issues and opportuni- ties.” Referring to the potential uses of farm-based bioproducts in, say, cars and biomedical applications, George Zegarac, Ontario’s deputy minister of agriculture, food and rural affairs, said: “These will be students who will have great opportunities.” Ontario students enrolled in spe- cialist high skills major programs can focus on a specific economic sec- tor while completing their secondary school diploma. These sectors in- clude agriculture, arts and culture, business, the environment, hospital- ity and tourism. Students in grades 1 1 and 12 take specific courses — including certifi- cate or training courses — and pur- sue experiential learning and acti- vities at a university or college. In the Bluewater board, which runs 1 1 secondary schools from Tobermory south to Kincardine and east to Dundalk, students at one high school have taken part in an agri- business program involving U of G’s Ridgetown Campus as well as Geor- gian College in Owen Sound. They’ve tended livestock, planted crops, grown greenhouse plants, at- tended tours and lectures, and studied agriculture in the classroom. Chesley District High School teacher Dennis Watson, a Guelph bi- ology grad who also works a farm, said students grasp the wider appli- cations. “They aren’t talking about selling com — they’re talking about grow- ing soybeans for plastic.” Last spring, about 70 Bluewater students in the agriculture major at- tended a two-day conference at Guelph on agri-food careers, issues and U of G research. “This articulation agreement be- tween the University of Guelph and the Bluewater District School Board is a major innovation for students in our program,” said Jean Stephenson, superintendent of school success with the board. "Our strong agricultural com- munity partnerships and the quality program developed at Chesley will prepare students for a seamless entry to post-secondary education. We hear from students that it will be a factor in their post-secondary school selection.” Joy Johnson, who began organiz- ing the program when she retired as Chesley’s principal three years ago, said high skills students take special courses and weave agriculture into regular curriculum offerings such as English, math and biology. “It’s an extended opportunity that gives them a chance to see whether this is what they want to do,” said Johnson, a Guelph con- sumer studies graduate who still serves on the high skills program committee. To keep up-to-date on U of G teaching and learning news and to engage in discussion on posted topics, check out “Guelph Academic Matters” at uoguelph.ca / academicmatters. BY BARRY GUNN P OST-SECONDARY STUDENTS looking for a leg up in today’s uncertain job market should consider enrolling in a co-op program, says Prof. David Walters, Sociology and Anthropology. In a paper published recently in the Journal of Vocational and Educa- tional Training, Walters and co-au- thor David Zarifa of Statistics Canada report that graduates of co-op programs that combine on- the-job training with classroom ed- ucation are more likely to find full- time work and earn more money than their counterparts in conven- tional programs. “Co-op programs work,” says Walters. “They work better in some areas than in others, but most people who graduate from co-op programs are better off on average than those who graduate with a conventional degree or diploma.” The study found that students have the most to gain from enrolling in a university co-op program; grad- uates earned $8,000 a year more than graduates of conventional uni- versity programs, after controlling for field of study and other impor- tant predictors of earnings. Gradu- ates of college co-op programs earned $2,000 more than graduates of conventional college programs. College and university co-op stu- dents were also more likely to be em- ployed full-time two years after graduation. The study draws on data from Statistics Canada’s 2000 National Graduates Survey, the most recent and comprehensive look at the school-to-work transition of univer- sity and college graduates. Con- ducted in 2002, it contains detailed information on more than 30,000 post-secondary graduates surveyed two years after graduation, includ- ing approximately 3,000 who re- ported completing a co-op program. Besides measuring the effects of co-op programs on graduates’ in- come and employment, this study is the first to look at how the outcomes are influenced by gender differences, says Walters. The data show the gen- der gap in pay is highest among graduates of trades programs. “Co-op programs pay off more for men than women, but they still pay off tremendously for women, es- pecially women who graduate from university co-op programs,” he says. Co-op programs have expanded significantly in recent years, with three times as many graduates in 2000 as there were in 1 990. Although they are still concentrated in applied fields such as engineering, mathe- matics and computer science, their popularity has spread to the liberal arts and social sciences. Walters says it’s in these areas that co-op programs may be needed the most, to provide students with career-related work experience that will help differentiate them from the competition in the job marketplace. He adds that, although the full ef- fects of the current economic down- turn won’t be known for some time, there’s every reason to believe that co-op programs remain a good bet and expanding them would be bene- ficial. They provide students with a highly marketable mix of academic credentials and practical experience, while employers benefit by having access to an inexpensive source of skilled labour. Walters says students, post-sec- ondary administrators and policy- makers should take note. “There are no guarantees, but in today’s environment, people need every advantage they can get.” Province Boosts Tax Credit for Co-op Employers H iring co-op students is more attractive to employers with improved tax incentives announced in the Ontario budget March 26. The government has increased the co-operative education tax credit to $3,000 from $1,000 per four-month work term. “This substantial increase will provide much-needed incentives for employers across the province to hire university and college co-op students,” says Ian Wallace, presi- dent of Education at Work Ontario (EWO) and a co-op co-ordinator with U of G’s Co-operative Educa- tion and Career Services (CECS). This tax enhancement comes af- ter many years of lobbying by the government relations committee of EWO along with the education committee of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce. The efforts of these committees are well known by CECS assistant director Linda Hart, who has sat on both committees over the years. Multi-year lobbying efforts asked the government to boost the tax credit to encourage more small and medium-sized businesses in the province to hire co-op students, says Hart. “The changes to the tax program show that the government was lis- tening and recognize the impor- tance of investing money now to help develop a highly skilled workforce for the future.” At Guelph 4 April 8, 2009 — focus Staying on Course Timing, is of the essence for assistant registrar Catherine Canary, who is responsible for creating and maintaining all course schedules at U of G, overseeing exam schedules and booking all academic space. PHOTO BY REBECCA KENDALL BY TERESA PITMAN a [^EOPLE SAY TO ME: ‘I’m | surprised you still have hair,’” says Catherine Canary, assistant registrar, scheduling. “They look at all the things I deal with and think my job must be really stressful. Sometimes it is, but I really enjoy the problem solving.” Good thing, because that’s the mainstay of her work. “My job is where administration meets physical resources and academics,” she says. Canary is responsible for creating and maintaining all course sched- ules, overseeing the scheduling of fi- nal and deferred exams and the invigilation of centrally run exams, and booking all academic spaces — on the main campus and to some ex- tent at Kemptville and Ridgetown. “Sometimes we say it should be called the department of reschedul- ing because we’re often responding to changes,” she says. “Instructors can change for a variety of reasons, a class may need a larger room or a dif- ferent kind of room, additional course sections may be needed — it’s always changing.” Of course, you have to have a schedule in place before you can start rescheduling, and that’s the biggest part of Canary’s responsibili- ties. “It’s challenging, but the work can actually be fun — like a puzzle, stimulating and engaging,” she says. Last week as classes wrapped up, she and her team of four staff (one is actually on secondment right now) were busy mobilizing to run winter final exams in the Athletics Centre, managing the course selection pro- cess for summer and fall 2009, and working on the winter 2010 schedule. Many people don’t realize how far ahead the process begins, says Canary, but starting early is essential because of the complexity of the task. She and her team have to pro- cess time and room requests for thousands of lectures, labs and semi- nars each semester and make final assignments of times and locations for each. They have to make sure that course A doesn’t conflict with other courses that students in course A might need to take for their major requirements (keeping in mind that many courses are required for many more than one major), and that the course also doesn’t conflict with the assigned instructor’s other teaching responsibilities. That’s just setting the times for the course. Finding the right loca- tion can be the toughest part. “We have 17,000 undergraduate students and 2,000 graduate stu- dents and just 100 classrooms in the central inventory,” says Canary. "Sometimes it’s like trying to stuff 10 pounds of flour into a five-pound bag." Ultimately, she usually spends three or four weeks (nights and weekends included) “completely en- grossed” in finalizing the schedules. “I build groupings of required courses and restricted electives, then 1 make sure the times will work for all the majors needing those courses. I try to accommodate room requests and preferred times or, if necessary, I find an alternative. It’s very inten- sive, but it’s my favourite part of the job.” Another task is working with aca- demic units to manage the enrol- ment in various sections of a particular course. Sometimes the goal is to have students evenly di- vided among the sections, says Ca- nary. This is done by setting a low capacity on the sections initially, then gradually raising them as the sections fill up. At times, however, a cohort of students can attend only one particular section because of conflicts with another course they need, so that has to be taken into account in the planning . It’s hard to imagine what educa- tional background might prepare you for this role. Mathematics, per- haps? In fact, Canary came from her hometown of Halifax to earn a mas- ter’s degree in philosophy at Guelph and has done most of the work to- wards her PhD. She’s even been a sessional lecturer in philosophy at both U of G and Wilfrid Laurier. It all makes sense when she explains that her teaching specialties were critical thinking and logic. Designing the fall 2009 schedule certainly put those skills to the test. “The 21st-Century Curriculum Committee recommended a lot of changes that, given scheduling cy- cles, came in at the last minute for fall," says Canary. "I put everything I had into managing a special round of submissions from the academic units and getting everything to fit. I suggested that course selection be pushed back a couple of weeks, and we used that time to make the ad- justments. We did things in three days that normally take three weeks. Despite the shortened time for proofreading and other tasks, it's a strong timetable and seems to be working for people.” She stresses that none of this is done in isolation. “People at all levels of the Univer- sity are involved in scheduling. I work a lot with the program coun- sellors, for example, and they are wonderful. I often turn to them for information, such as whether two elective courses scheduled at the same time will be undesirable for a particular cohort of students. Some- times only they have the bird’s-eye view necessary to make this kind of call. And we work together to iden- tify when we might need to reserve one section of a class for a particular cohort of students because the other I sections are going to have conflicts.” j Canary also values the support of I her “terrific team” and others she 1 works with in the Office of i Registrarial Services and academic departments. The hardest part of her job? don ’t like being the person who says no,” she admits. “But inevitably there are disappointments. I’d say that, for the most part, instructors are very understanding — they know we do our best with the limited resources at our disposal.” In the end, the proof is in the stu- dents, she says. “If there’s a conflict missed or another problem, the stu- dents will find it.” Then it’s back to problem solving for Canary and her team. “I know our work has a direct im- pact on the quality of the students’ experiences,” she says. “That’s my motivation to do this job well.” CSI Guelph-Humber Team’s U.S. win shows Guelph-Humber has achieved international level in crime scene investigation, says justice studies program head BY ANDREW VOWLES A BLOOD-COVERED SHIRT lay on the rug. A pop can and coffee cups stood on a table. Across the room was a dresser with its drawers open, clothes hanging out as if someone had packed and left in a hurry. That was the crime scene faced by a team of four students from the University of Guelph-Humber’s jus- tice studies program who won last month’s CSI Challenge held at Mount St. Mary’s University in Maryland. It was the first-ever team fielded by Guelph-Humber for the contest. Now in its fourth year, the event at- tracted about 24 teams from univer- sity programs in the northeastern United States. Fourth-year Guelph-Humber students Jeffery McLean and Maxwell Bourdeau and second-year students Savita Sharma and Brittany Medeiros earned almost 43 points out of a possible 45. The judges were all veterans in crime scene investiga- tion from federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. “We went down there to win,” says McLean, who took pictures and helped gather evidence at the simu- lated crime scene. "We were very meticulous.” The Guelph-Humber team was accompanied by Dino Doria, head of the justice studies program and a 30-year veteran of the Toronto Po- lice Service. “I was very proud of these stu- dents,” says Doria, who notes that the team’s win “kind of surprised ev- erybody.” He adds that bringing home the trophy to Canada shows Guelph- Humber’s program has achieved an international level in crime scene in- vestigation. “I think it's a great pro- gram, and we can compete with anybody.” Now in its seventh year, the jus- tice studies program has some 400 students enrolled. About 140 have graduated over the past two years. Doria says many grads work for regional police forces and for the Ontario Provincial Police, the RCMP and the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS). Others are in law school, training for the Armed Forces or working for border services or private security companies. McLean will graduate this year and hopes to land a job with the To- ronto Police Service, the RCMP or CSIS. His mom works for the Shelburne Police Service near Orangeville. He and his teammates ran a lec- ture series this year that included a talk by a former FBI forensic psy- chologist, who put Doria in touch with the criminal justice head at Mount St. Mary’s. That contact led to the Canadian team’s entry in this year’s contest. Referring to the judges, McLean says: “It was a pretty big honour to work with these individuals and have them coach you along.” He plans to help run a similar CSI contest at Guelph-Humber next year. So is he a fan of the CSI television series? “Not really. I find the image they project where they’re done in 60 minutes makes it look a lot easier than it is.” At Guelph 5 April 8, 2009 Understanding the World Around Us From monkey flowers to heart disease , how do genes shape us and our surroundings ? BY ANDREW VOWLES T he question will resonate with any parent of multiple children. How can two kids from the same family be so different? Prof. Cortland Griswold’s studies of the genetics of adaptation are rather more complicated. But at some level, this evolutionary biologist is asking the same question. Whether it's his two sons — Arlen, 6 , and Hal, 2 — or widely differing kinds of monkey flowers, what’s the genetic basis for differences among individuals, populations or species of living things? Looking to understand those dif- ferences, Griswold joined the De- partment of Integrative Biology in the fall from a post-doc at the Uni- versity of Arizona. He hopes to apply evolutionary theory to learn more about ourselves and the natural world around us. How do plants and animals adapt to their environment? And how much of an organism’s ap- pearance or behaviour stems from differences inherited through its genes? "I’m trying to understand the evolutionary and genetic mecha- nisms that explain what we see in na- ture,” he says. Much of that interest is curios- ity-driven, but it may also help us understand the genetic underpin- nings of certain diseases. Griswold will rely on computer smarts, statistical know-how and a sound knowledge of genetics. Those tools and principles were still un- thought-of when Charles Darwin wrote On the Origin of Species, pub- lished in 1859. But the Guelph biolo- Tm trying to understand the evolutionary and genetic mechanisms that explain what we see in nature,” says Prof. Cortland Griswold. photo by martin schwalbe gist says his studies draw on data provided by field researchers who rely on the same kinds of skills that the natural scientist took aboard the Beagle. Darwin’s strengths were a ques- tioning mind and a keen eye, says Griswold. "The thing 1 admire about him is his general curiosity.” Unlike Darwin, the new U of G faculty member won’t venture far into the field. “My work is pretty the- oretical,” says Griswold, who studied bird behaviour for his master’s de- gree at the University of Toronto and then tackled evolutionary genetics for his PhD at the University of British Columbia. At UBC, Arizona and Washing- ton State University, where he also did a post-doc, his work on the ge- netics of adaptation drew ori two strikingly different species of mon- key flower pollinated by bees and hummingbirds, the fruit fly’s wing shape and epigenetic inheritance in yeast. He explains that there’s value in looking at evolutionary questions through math and stats. That be- comes apparent as he describes the complexities of genetic inheritance. Numerous genes often play a role in explaining a particular character- istic. Conversely, a single gene may influence sever'd different traits' through pleiotropy. Cause a muta- tion in the pertinent gene and you may affect all the traits at the same time but in different ways. Or ex- pression of a gene may cause com- peting effects, some good, some bad. Part of Griswold’s interest lies in teasing out relationships among genes, which diverge over time, as do the bodies they inhabit. Tracing back those relationships is a bit like study- ing a family tree. Referring to differ- ent forms of a gene in the same relative position on a chromosome, he says: “The allele I have has a common ancestor to the allele you have.” He says he’s excited to be working at Guelph, with its recognized strengths in biology and life sciences. He hopes to help other biologists model various ecological problems, beginning with bird migration. Another interest is the genetics underlying various ailments, includ- ing heart disease. Contractions of the heart muscle depend on calcium signalling. So does the activity of var- ied cell types from other organs to skeletal muscle. Understanding the genetic relationships among these cell types may help in treating dis- ease. Griswold grew up in semi-rural Wisconsin. The particular area es- caped glaciation some 10,000 years ago, making it an “island” for certain plants and animals. Today it’s recog- nized for its uncharacteristic terrain and habitats. At the University of Wisconsin- Madison, he studied both botany and zoology for his B.Sc. “As a fresh- man, I was interested in plant-ani- mal 1 hit^Ycfidhi: Basically' I' jtttt wanted to understand the world around me.” Here at Guelph, he’s taught wild- life conservation and management, and will teach population genetics next fall. Open Doors for Human Nutraceutical Research Unit Tours, lectures to mark grand opening ofHNRU’s new home for testing novel foods, natural health products j BY ANDREW VOWLES H uman health, food and nutrition have come together at U of G in a newly relocated and expanded lab for testing foods and products to promote health and prevent ailments such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The Human Nutraceutical Re- search Unit (HNRU) will celebrate the move and expansion April 23 with a seminar session and tours of the lab’s new human clinical and I sensory testing facilities. The HNRU allows researchers and industry to study natural health products and novel foods intended to promote health, enhance performance, and prevent and man- age disease, says Prof. Amanda Wright, HNRU director and a fac- ulty member in the Department of Human Health and Nutritional Sciences (HHNS). U of G researchers are using the unit for various studies, including fi- bre added to dairy products, spe- cially designed breads for preventing i diabetes, and interactions between I nutrition and exercise. The unit conducts human clinical trials for companies evaluating health benefits of foods and natural health products. It also helps organi- zations design clinical trials for these foods and products, just as drug companies routinely conduct trials for pharmaceutical products. Recent trials here have involved studies of probiotic yogurt and the effects of i oats on cholesterol. Pointing to recent regulations re- quiring testing of natural health products, Wright says: “There’s so much interest from industry. There’s excitement about functional foods. Consumers are craving these prod- ucts, but we have to make sure they work.” The HNRU opened at U of G 11 years ago. Last year, it moved from the Powell Building to its new 3,700-square-foot home in the Guelph Food Technology Centre. The new facilities include teach- ing labs, a metabolic kitchen where researchers can prepare samples or meals to exacting specifications, and a sensory evaluation lab for blind testing of sensory aspects — taste, texture and aroma — of new or reformulated foods. The April 23 event begins with a seminar series running from 1 to 4 p.m. in Room 1714 of OVC’s Life- time Learning Centre. Speakers are Prof. Lisa Duizer, Food Science; Pe- ter Jones of the Richardson Centre for Functional Foods and Nutra- ceuticals at the University of Mani- toba; Ray Winger of the Institute of Food Nutrition and Human Health at Massey University in New Zea- land; and Harvey Anderson of the University of Toronto’s Program in Food Safety, Nutrition and Regula- tory Affairs. The talks are being hosted through the Campbell and Pearson lecture endowments. Tours of the HNRU begin at 4 p.m. and will include a student poster session on food and nutrition research in HHNS and the Depart- ment of Food Science. If you wish to attend, RSVP to hnrursvp@uoguelph.ca. For more information, visit www.uoguelph. ca/hnru/GrandOpening.pdf. Pollination Symposium April 18 T HE world’s first large-scale pollination park is a step closer to reality, and Guelph organizers plan to talk about it at a pollination symposium April 18 at the Delta Guelph Hotel and Conference Centre. North American experts, including members of Pollination Guelph, will speak at the event, which runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Organizers hope to raise funds to establish pollinator habitat at the new Eastview Pollination Park, to be established on the former Eastview landfill site. The City of Guelph will begin construction of trails and sports fields on the site this summer. Pollination Guelph is working with the city to design habitat for pollinators such as birds and insects, says Prof. Karen Landman, Environ- mental Design and Rural Develop- ment, who sits on the organization’s board of directors. At the symposium, members of Pollination Guelph will discuss the organization and its plans, green ini- tiatives, the importance of pollina- tion, and pollination in Guelph and the tri-cities region. Keynote speaker Rufus Isaacs of Michigan State University will dis- cuss “Keeping Good Bugs Happy: Using Native Plants to Support Bees and Other Beneficial Insects.” Other speakers include Bob Wildfong of Seeds of Diversity and Pollination Canada, who will pres- ent “Be a Pollinator Observer: How to Identify and Record Information About Pollinators in Your Own Backyard,” and Cory Sheffield of York University discussing “The Bees of Canada.” The symposium will also feature a daylong silent auction and dis- plays. Registration is $30. For more details or to register, send e-mail to pollination guelph@ gmail.com or visit the website www.pollinationguelph.ca. At Guelph 6 April 8 , 2009 profile What I’ll Do on My Summer Vacation Book project will see Guelph-Humber student on the road to ask: What is Canadian ? H e loves this country. And he’s ready to prove it. This summer, University of Guelph-Humber student Corbin Smith will pack up a camera, a notebook and recording equipment and hit the road for a cross-country journey intended to answer a quintessentially Canadian question: “What is Canadian?” The question might evoke all kinds of replies, not least the stereotypes of maple syrup, beer and hockey. For those old enough to remember the Meech Lake and Charlottetown accords of the late 1 980s and early 1 990s — not to mention the 1995 sovereignty referendum in Quebec — it might stir another kind of response. But Smith, now completing his third year in Guelph-Humber’s creative photography stream of media studies, hopes to look deeper than symbols and across linguistic and cultural divides. Who we are must be more than our icons and arguments, he says. What’s the Canadian identity? What do Canadians themselves think it means to be Canadian? Preparing for his fourth-year thesis. Smith aims to find out by traversing the country from side to side and from top to bottom — all be- tween late April and the fall. That means driving roughly 5,000 kilo- metres from the Atlantic to the Pacific, making ^pjccted sflpps on cither -side of the-Trans.-.Can- . ada Highway. He’ll take in our most southerly tip at Point Pelee. And he plans to plane-hop to various destinations in the North, including Alert, Nunavut, our most northerly perma- nently inhabited location. That’s another 4,500 kilometres from south to north. Along the way, the 21-year-old Toronto photographer and graphic artist plans to con- duct one-on-one and town-hall-style inter- views. His goal is to publish a book of photos and commentary from his travels. He plans to make the journey itself part of the project through audio podcasts and by posting photos and journal entries on his website during his summer odyssey. Yes, he expects to find differences and disagreements. After all, what is there to connect a fifth-generation farmer in Flin Flon, Man., with a landed immigrant in Brampton, Ont.? But he’s anxious to learn about the ties that string together the most unlikely co-occupants of this country. “That’s what I’m most excited about. We’re so different, but it’s exciting to find the patterns of thought, the ways of thinking that bind us.” Smith is a fifth-generation Canadian who grew up in Alberta and Caledon, Ont., and now divides his time between Toronto and Halifax. Heck, he even shared that one quintessential Cana- dian dream. He was a Triple-A winger in the Greater Toronto Hockey League and was scouted at 16 to play junior hockey for the Schomberg Cougars. “I had an idea that I would play hockey for the rest of my life.” That idea changed after he suffered a torn shoulder and a back injury. “I thought: ‘All right, I need a new career path.’” That path wound through an arts high school in Caledon. There, he discovered drama, dance and visual arts, especially vi- sual arts. It was at high school that Smith had his first photo show and learned that he enjoyed documenting things through the camera lens. “I wasted a ton of my parents’ money on film at hockey camp.” His first high-profile gig was photographing nominees for the 2007 Canadian Comedy Awards. “That was a big moment, being asked to show my work,” says Smith, who had just started his first year at Guelph-Humber. Since then, he’s had several Toronto exhibitions, including a photo documentary of improvisational theatre at the Bad Dog Theatre Company. His shots of indie bands at a concert series at the Steam Whistle Roundhouse appeared in a photography show held at the venue earlier this year. “He’s got a real talent for capturing some great scenes of live music,” says Matt Weed, events administrator and “Unsigned” concert series co-ordinator. “He snaps them in that moment and captures their energy really well.” Smith eyed consumer culture through the camera for a show earlier this year at the Lens Factory, a contemporary photo gal- lery on Queen Street West. Leonard van Bruggen, the gallery’s director, says Smith’s work is “visually strong, striking, original. It has a graphic quality that at first I thought was Photoshopped, but he actually staged his photographs. It’s very dynamic." Smith has also done concept installations around the city as part of the Toronto Public Space Committee. His photos have appeared in Metro , Now Magazine, Eye Weekly and other publi- cations as well as on websites of music, arts and comedy groups across Canada. In March, he was asked to help organize the wrap-up show for Canadian Music Week at Queen Street Studios. That job also saw him snapping shots during the week’s concerts, an- other kind of documentary assignment focusing on an aspect of the country’s culture. Referring to the event lineup, he says: “They’re like ‘Canadian famous.’ It's kind of famous, not U2 but Joel Plaskett, the Weakerthans. They’re really great Canadian bands.” The idea for his pending road trip had fermented for about two years. It came into focus last summer during a six-hour drive from Halifax to Sydney, N.S., on Canada Day. There he d been seeking his family’ s roots — a century or so after his ances- tors had arrived from the United Kingdom. He was actually on his regular summer stint, travelling be- tween Ontario and Eastern Canada as a motiva- tional speaker for youth. That job came out of his involvement in student government, starting as a student council leader at high school and ul- timately as director of the Ontario Secondary School Students’ Association. (That student par- liament was dissolved early this year.) “I took the scenic route up the northwest coast of Cape Breton Island, up the Cabot Trail. There I was — Alberta-bom and -bred, driving a van with Ontario plates through Nova Scotia, listening to the CBC. It was a touching and pow- erful moment once I realized it. The country is so large. 1 want to understand it more. Why do I feel Canadian?” That’s a question he’ll invite people to pon- der this year. “I’m travelling coast to coast for five months, documenting different communi- ties across the country in relation to how they identify as being Canadian.” He’ll start in New Brunswick and spend about a week in each province, with two weeks each in Quebec and Ontario. He’ll stop at Van- couver Island and then track northward to Yu- kon. From there, he’ll spend the last three weeks hopping by plane to several communities across all three territories. Admitting that his French-language skills extend only as far as or- dering a meal and asking for directions, he says he plans to take along a friend from high school to. help with -translation in New Brunswick and Quebec. Smith is well aware of the size of the challenge ahead, not just physically but also culturally. But he figures that if anyone knows about the gulfs that can separate Canadians, he does. Home during the school year is Toronto’s Bloorcourt Village, where he rents a room and commutes to and from Guelph-Humber. “Toronto is 200 communities in a giant city mashed together” — something that takes a bit of mental adjustment every time he returns from Down East. “Halifax is super-concentrated.” Smith is busy completing his current semester at Guelph-Humber and looking for project sponsors. He esti- mates his costs will be $70,000, including accommodations, a vehicle and camera equipment. He hopes to drum up sponsor- ship from a hotel chain and car company especially, figuring the project offers a relatively inexpensive but highly visible package of human interest and Canadian heritage and culture wrapped up in one. He has developed a sponsorship package. A $100 donation (Pond Hockey level) will get a sponsor an acknowledgment in Smith's planned book. Beyond that, he’s got various sponsor- ship levels: Maple Syrup and Back Bacon, Toques and Chester- fields, Ookpik in a Bunnyhug, Great White North. The top level (Canadian Legacy, worth $2,500 or more) earns exclusive in- dustry sponsorship and mention in his book, on his website and on his travel equipment. Smith has picked up some interviewing and field research tips from Guelph-Humber instructor Greg Kelley. As research, he has also thumbed through other volumes of Canadian ram- bles, including Douglas Coupland’s two-part Souvenir of Can- ada, Noah Richler’s This Is My Country and Will Ferguson’s Why I Hate Canadians and How to Be a Canadian (co-authored with Ian Ferguson). Smith says his own book will differ from those often opin- ionated titles. “I’m not telling people how to feel, I’m telling them how other people feel.” He plans to write it from his thesis next year at Guelph-Humber. After that, he’s not sure where he’ll go — maybe a master’s degree in media studies. He has also recently set up a freelance photography business with a Canadian-fla- voured e-mail address: canuckcorbin@hotmail.com. At Guelph 7 April 8 , 2009 letters WHAT IS U OF G*S INVESTMENT STRATEGY? I am disturbed and puzzled by the suspension of new scholarships and bursaries announced by the University March 25. I had the understanding, appar- ently erroneous, that spending from endowment funds came from interest and dividend income earned from the invested capital. I am sure many in the University community shared this view. Can the administration answer the fol- lowing questions and help the Uni- versity community come to grips with the implications of the sad state of affairs presented by the an- nouncement? What is the actual investment strategy of the University in re- gards to endowments for scholar- ships? Why is there a direct and immediate connection between market value of endowments and funds available for disbursement in scholarships? In the past year, what proportion of the investment in- come from endowed funds came from realized capital gains and what proportion from interest and dividends? Has the investment strategy been changed in light of the current disaster? I look forward to a full disclo- sure, free of the bafflegab, of the current situation and a presenta- tion of steps that are being taken to correct the situation. Hugh Whiteley Adjunct Professor School of Engineering Horse Sense From the Ground Up L ooking to brush up on your basic horse smarts? Equine I Guelph will introduce workshops for horse owners starting this fall at a new equine and agricultural facility in Huron County. Gayle Ecker, senior manager of Equine Guelph, says the new ven- ture will extend U of G programs to Ontario’s unofficial "horse capital” and help unearth prospective stu- dents for her unit’s existing online programs. ' Starting in late September, Equine Guelph will launch a four- week series of workshops for horse owners at the Regional Equine and Agricultural Centre of Huron (REACH). The certificate program i will provide basic hands-on instruc- tion in horse management, includ- ing health-care basics, anatomy, foot care and nutrition. Weekly classes for up to 40 stu- dents will take place at the REACH training facility. That centre will open this spring in Clinton near Goderich. The centre, run by the local mu- nicipality and the Clinton Raceway, will consist of classrooms, indoor and outdoor arenas, stables and ; dorm-style accommodations, j REACH plans to offer clinics, short | courses and events in equine and ag- I ricultural topics. About one-third of Ontario’s horses — more than 300,000 ani- mals — live within an hour’s drive of Clinton. Huron County and its neighbouring municipalities are also home to many of the province’s live- stock animals, notably cattle, sheep and pigs. REACH staff are discussing pos- sible teaching partnerships with staff and faculty in OAC. Prof. Helen Hambly, Environ- mental Design and Rural Develop- ment, notes that REACH plans to offer rural residents adult education and retraining that focuses on e- business and agribusiness opportu- nities using the Internet. Says Ecker: “This is a chance for us to use these facilities to do hands-on face-to-face training.” She expects to add further workshop se- ries and hopes to interest students in Equine Guelph’s online certificate and diploma programs. “The University of Guelph brings a long history of offering program- ming in the agricultural and horse industries and rural programming in general,” says Richard Harding, REACH’S executive director and chief administrative officer for the Municipality of Central Huron. "Bringing that programming close to home for youth and young adults is great for our rural community and for the University." “ Within the Child Lies the Fate of the Future” Dr. Maria Montessori ■ Enriched Academic Curriculum ■ Athletic Program including: Martial Arts, Swimming, Skating, Yoga and Gym ■ Musikgarten ■ Core French ■ Monthly Field Trips ■ Certified Montessori Teachers Low Student Teacher Ratio Toddler Program 1 8-30 Months 1/2 Day &. Full Day Preschool Full Day Jr. &. Sr. Kindergarten Elementary Grades 1-6 Extended Hours Available DOWNTOWN GUELPH 151 Waterloo Avc Guelph Ont 519 836*3810 www.guelphmtMitessori.coin WENDY CUDMORE Liaison visits co-ordinator in Admissions Services, joined the University in 1996 Wendy Cudmore loves to be active, and she’s found a way to blend her desire to be on the move with a cause that’s close to her heart. This fall, for the third year in a row, she’ll be part of the “Weekend to End Breast Cancer" walk in Toronto, join- ing thousands of others as they trek 60 kilometres over two days Sept. 12 and 13. Each par- ticipant commits to raising at least $2,000 for the Campbell Family Institute for Breast Cancer Research at Princess Margaret Hospital. “It’s important to me because I lost my mother to breast cancer when I was 24,” says Cudmore. “Since then, raising funds for research has been a passion of mine. I know this work is making a big difference.” Cudmore walked alone last year but will have some company on the 2009 walk — her sister. Between the two of them, they have four children under eight, and Cudmore says they provide huge motivation. “We want to be here for our children when they grow up.” She estimates she’s walked more than 1,000 km over the past three years training for these events. "Those days when I wake up and feel like I don’t want to get out there and run or when I feel like I don’t want to do any fundraising, I remind myself that my mother couldn’t say: ‘Today I don’t feel like having breast can- cer.’ Then I get out there and go.” To donate to Cudmore’s walk, visit the website www.endcancer.ca, choose the Toronto walk and “Do- nate Now,” then type in her name. The walk itself is “a lot of fun,” she says. “They make you feel so special. When you’re walking along, there’s a sea of people around you as far as you can see. It’s amaz- ing what people can accomplish when they work to- gether.” LANA TRICK Faculty member in the Department of Psychology since 2000 Just a couple of blocks from where Prof. Lana Trick’s part- ner lives in London, Ont., is the London Music Club, a music venue they frequently visit. “It’s a labour of love for the owner,” she says. “There’s a room where they always have an open mic, and they bring in a lot of indie bands. We saw folk musician Kristen Sweetland last week, and they often have jazz, sometimes rock. It’s very eclectic.” Trick says listening to “small, struggling local bands” has always appealed to her. She and her partner also count themselves as supporters of the Hillside Festival held on Guelph Lake each summer. Her love of music started when she was a child. “I played clarinet, piano and guitar,” she says. She also sang in a choir right up to her university days, when she was an alto in the Renaissance Choir at the University of Cal- gary. It was a bit intimidating, she admits. “There were only two altos in the choir, so if you messed up, people knew it. I don’t think I have the cour- age to sing in front of people anymore.” She does, however, have the courage to get up early four or five mornings a week for a spin class. “It’s a really good workout,” she says. “You sweat, sweat, sweat, and I really push myself.” The early morning class works best for her, she adds, “because I’m not really awake enough to talk myself out of it. I find too many ingenious excuses not to work out if I try to go in the afternoon.” BRIAN JARDINE Third-year food science student “I didn’t discover the mature students’ lounge until I’d been at U of G for a year and a half,” says Brian Jardine. “I was dragged in by another member, and when I got there, I realized it was the best thing ever.” He liked it so much, in fact, that he’s now president of the Mature Students Association (MSA) and responsible for Brian Jardine overseeing maintenance of the lounge, located on Level 5 of the University Centre. He also helps plan events for the group, including pub nights and seminars on topics such as library research. “This is really a home away from home for many ma- ture students,” says Jardine. “If someone has been up in the night with small children, he or she can come to class, nap in the lounge, go back to class. We help each other with information about things such as what to do when you have an academic issue or where to go if you need to find a new apartment.” The MSA has about 60 members, and last year the ages ranged from 23 to 72. “I’m one of the older mem- bers, and I’m always amazed when there’s someone older than I am,” says Jardine, who’s 49. Supporting each other is important, he adds, because often younger students “don’t really want to do a project with someone their dad’s age. It can be isolating.” When his own son was looking at universities, “I joked with him that he should come to Guelph, and we could have lunch together every day and I’d introduce him to all my friends. I could see him turning whiter and whiter as I went on.” His son ended up going to Wilfrid Laurier. When Jardine’s not planning club activities or doing a bit of homework in the lounge, “I love to spend my time making food and wine,” he says. “Unfortunately, there isn’t much time for that during the school year.” TSS Institute Runs May 11 to 14 T eaching Support Services (TSS) hosts its seventh annual Course Re/Design Institute May 1 1 to 14. It offers customized support for instructors who are hoping to refresh a course they’ve been teaching for a while, looking for some innovative ideas for a new course or, in some cases, working to implement unfamiliar pedagogy in a 1 course. Instructors interested in attend- ing must compete for space in the limited program by describing their project and identifying the ways they think TSS can best assist them. The selected participants get four days of design and development time with access to a variety of workspaces and technical expertise, as well as personalized instructional support and guidance from TSS staff. The goal is to have each partici- pant produce an effective, tangible course product — be it a single teaching activity, a major project or assignment or even an entire course. The deadline to apply for the in- stitute is April 24. Full details and an application form can be found on the TSS website at www.tss. uoguelph.ca. If you have questions, call Mary Nairn at Ext. 53571. For information about paid advertising in At Guelph, call Scott Anderson at 519-827-9169. Eye Exams Safety Glasses Contact Lenses Designer Frames Sunglasses Jai Jassai lnIo@purtoavtslon 1388 Gordon St.. Unit 1 Guelph. Ontario NIL 1C8 Canada Tel. 519-823-9400 WWW.PURBAVISIQN.COM Fax. 519-823-2273 At Guelph 8 April 8, 2009 Digital Ad s a Hit With Local Businesses Student entrepreneurs keen to do business in ethical way that leads to improving community they live and work in BY REBECCA KENDALL I N A TOUGH economy, businesses often find themselves working with fewer and fewer advertising dollars. Knowing that maintaining a marketing presence is key to staying afloat in a recession and bouncing back when the economy improves, more and more businesses are turning to an intriguing local business solution developed by fifth-year U of G commerce students Paul DeMarco and Rob Murray. The concept is innovative yet simple. The pair, who own and operate Intrigue Guelph, create digital advertising for clients, then place those ads on LCD monitors in other high-traf- fic businesses. There’s no cost to businesses to host these monitors, and in return host busi- nesses receive videos to promote their own products and services plus a discount on their advertising campaign. “The purpose of our network of clients is to leverage local business for local business,” says Murray, adding that he and DeMarco hope these display units will in time become stan- dard “community information points” for business and non-profit organizations alike. “Local businesses have a hard time trying to advertise effectively in a small market and can’t afford print, television and radio ads on a regu- lar basis. We’re a substitute product with a cheaper price, so in a tough economy, people seem to be gravitating towards us.” Intrigue Guelph has 22 community infor- mation displays throughout the city — includ- ing one on campus at Trendz Hair Design — and is launching 10 more in Kitchener. The goal is to triple the company’s presence in the Kitchener-Waterloo market within two months. Not bad for a pair of entrepreneurs who be- gan this as a part-time start-up so they could get some practical business experience for a couple of semesters and, with any luck, earn some extra cash to pay for tuition. ‘Six months into it, we found there was great demand and lots of positive response, so we kept going with it,” says DeMarco. “It was strictly a reaction to demand.” They say they love being able to grow their business and use their U of G education every day, although the increasing workload has re- sulted in the pair having to reduce their course load to part-time. “We’re practising everything we’ve learned in our classes,” says Murray. “Many local en- trepreneurs are benefiting from this because they don’t necessarily have the theoretical business background that we do. What we’re doing allows us to help them with their mar- keting strategies and provide a means for them to promote their business and communicate their messages.” The College of Management and Econom- ics’ new emphasis on corporate social respon- sibility is something the pair says will be invaluable to Guelph business students and is a move in the right direction. They, too, are keen to do business in an ethical way that leads to improving the community they live and work in, and they view their success as a way to fur- ther engage the community and enhance the local business community by encouraging consumers to buy local. “Making money helps us do business, but it’s definitely not the reason we do business,” says Murray, who notes that he and DeMarco also sponsor advertising for a few local non-profit organizations. “The idea is that we’re taking care of each other and not just making a buck. It makes it really easy to get up in the morning.” To learn more about Intrigue Guelph, go to www.intriguemediasolutions.com. walk in with your taxes, walk out with your money and you could win S5,000 towards a road trip, visit refundroadtrip.ca money back '■t Miify ' —*!&**■ “X- •] p&>., W ■ i \ W m ' come in today or call 1-800-HRBLOCK (472-5625) H&R BLOCK It’s just, good business. Corporate LttigljtS Stay on top of key issues of sustainability with our rankings on corporate citizenship, cities, universities, and much more. Subscribe today at www.corporateknights.ca and get 4 issues for the price of 3. Act before April 15th, and get the chance to win one of two Brill Razor Cut Lawnmowers each valued at $250! At Guelph 9 April 8, 2009 Third Down, 10 P ages to Go Mentoring program gives student athletes a team to support studies, even boost grades BY REBECCA KENDALL M ake it to class? Check. Eat? Check. Get a good night’s sleep? Check. Get to practice? Check. Prepare for a weekend of out- of-town competition? Check. Study for next week’s midterm and write that 10 page paper? Check. When Jarrett Woof came to Guelph as a first-year student and Gryphon football player, he ex- pected it to be a big change from what he was used to in high school, but he didn’t expect it to be as de- manding as it was. “I never realized how important time actually was until I got to uni- versity,” says the second-year sociol- ogy student. “1 wasted a lot of time in i high school, but 1 can’t say I've wasted a lot of time at university. It ; was such a drastic change.” Woof is one of some 650 varsity athletes at Guelph who maintain their course loads and put in up- wards of 20 hours a week playing on Gryphon teams. For these students, time management, study skills, ex- amination preparation and other as- pects of academic life are an ongoing challenge as they try to juggle sports and school. With help from the Department of Athletics and the Learning Com- mons, students like Woof are getting support they need through U of G’s student athlete mentor program. On Monday to Thursday from 6 to 10 p.m., Room 300A of the McLaughlin Library becomes a place where about 100 student athletes get together to study and to receive support and en- couragement from their peers. "It gives you a set time to do your work," says Woof. "It’s a comfort- able spot to study in, and you get to be around your friends. I couldn’t imagine being here without it.” The program started in 2005 as a way to support members of the foot- ball team who were struggling aca- demically. This past fall, it expanded to include athletes in every varsity sport whose average falls below 65 per cent, says Dale Lackeyram, a learning specialist in the Learning Commons, who has played a key role in the program’s success. Preliminary research suggests committed participation in the pro- gram results in an average increase of five per cent in students’ grade-point averages, says Lackeyram. The expansion of the program is a positive step toward fostering aca- demic excellence across University athletics, says Angela Orton, man- ager of intercollegiate programs in the Department of Athletics. “The pursuit of excellence at Guelph is paramount,” she says. “Our goal is to help our athletes be self-sufficient and to provide the re- sources they need in their pursuit of academic success. This mentoring program gives all our coaches a con- crete structure to provide help.” The program benefits from a team of eight student mentors who are also varsity athletes. One of them is Shantelle Novak, a fourth-year psychology student and cross-coun- try and track-and-field athlete. She commits four hours a week to offer- ing study tips, advice and support to program participants. “We understand them — that’s the difference,” says Novak. “We un- derstand what it’s like to have classes, practices and competitions and then have schoolwork on top of that. As athletes, we don’t have 10 hours to work on a paper. We have to figure out how to do everything as efficiently as possible. I was drawn to being a mentor because I struggled in my first year with adapting to uni- versity and having no time to do what I needed to do. I want to help others figure these things out sooner rather than later.” Although the program has re- cently grown to include all varsity teams, Lackeyram and others hope the initiative will continue to gain momentum. “Our research on this program has demonstrated benefits to student athletes and their learning,” he says, “but we’re limited to meeting the needs of only 100 of the 650 varsity athletes because of funding con- straints. Increased support for this program would make it more acces- sible to many other student athletes who don’t currently qualify but who could greatly benefit from the en- hanced services and mentoring the program provides.” ‘I Fell in Love With the Whole Area of Cancer Biology’ Continued from page 1 ^ mours,” she says. “Bob Kerbel has a way of putting in your head that what you’re doing is important, that you are ultimately improving the quality of life for people. I fell in love with The whole area of cancer biol- / ogy. I knew then that I wanted to do this all my life.” At that time, Viloria-Petit was working with several different types | of cancer but wanted to focus more on breast cancer. “I was interested in the spread of cancer from the breast to other parts of the body,” she says. “Most people who get breast cancer don’t die be- cause of the primary tumour. It’s | when the cancer spreads to other or- gans that they’re at greater risk.” To pursue that interest, she did a post-doctoral stint with another University of Toronto scientist, Jeff I Wrana. “He was studying a molecule j called transforming growth factor : beta (TGFb) and had just discovered a new way it might be involved in | changing cell shape and promoting cell migration, a fundamental pro- cess in cancer metastasis.” Living cells, including cancer cells, are constantly signalling each other by transmitting molecules into the space between the cells. The mol- ecules are then picked up by recep- tors on the outer edges of each cell. | i When TGFb is received by a cell, the cell tends to change shape from be- i ing roughly square to being more ir- regular and flexible, says Viloria- | Petit. “This makes it easier for the : cell to move and migrate to other I places.” Her main research focus now is studying how cells change from a I normal site-restrained state to a mi- gratory state and what treatments might be used to inhibit this process ! 1 in breast cancer. “It’s very complicated. We know ! that, in many cases, by the time a woman knows she has breast cancer, some cancer cells have already mi- grated to other parts of her body. We’re also looking at how the cell that started off in the breast is now able to survive in a completely differ- ent organ.” Viloria-Petit was still working in Wrana’s lab when she heard about an opening at U of G, but she was ac- tually already living in Guelph. That’s because her husband, Prof. Stuart McCook — the Canadian stu- University, he says. "They’ll send e-mails purporting to be from Com- puting and Communications Ser- vices (CCS). They’ll use the U of G logo, and they’ll read the website to find current events to mention in the e-mail. Then they’ll say there’s been a problem with the e-mail system and that you need to give your user name and password to keep your ac- count.” That should be a dead giveaway to campus users, he says, "because neither CCS nor the University will ever ask for your password. We don’t know your password, and we don’t want to know it. But if you reply with that information, the scammer can take over your account and begin us- ing it to distribute spam e-mails.” Since last summer, CCS has locked more than 100 U of G ac- counts that were infiltrated by spammers. Most belonged to stu- dents, about half of whom re- sponded to one of those legiti- mate-looking e-mails. Others used Internet cafts, public computers or hotel wireless systems that weren’t secure. Blain notes that some public dent from Ottawa she met at I VIC — is a faculty member in U of G’s De- partment of History. “I’d been commuting to Toronto from Guelph — in fact, I was taking the bus back and forth when I was eight months pregnant with my daughter, Lucia,” she says. “So I was glad to be able to stop doing that. But more important, I was excited about the research going on at Guelph and about my possibilities as a faculty member and investigator at the Uni- computers may be infected with malware that can record every key- stroke. "It’s always best to use your own computer and use secure com- munications such as VPN (virtual private networks) to be sure your connection is secure.” Sometimes e-mail users who rec- ognize they’ve received a phishing or spam e-mail will fire back an angry response, but that's a no-no, too, says Egan. For one thing, it lets spammers know they’ve found an active mail address and that the spam has made it past all filters. And CCS has no way of knowing what you actually said in your reply — whether you told the spammer to get lost or provided passwords and log- in information. He adds that some people don’t understand the repercussions of giv- ing out their account information. “They think: ‘So someone has access to my account — big deal.’ Well, it can be a big deal. Not only have you given spammers access to all your e-mail files — which may include credit card numbers, passwords and other sensitive information — but it also costs a lot of effort and money to versit/s new Institute for Com- parative Cancer Investigation.” Much of Viloria-Petit’s time right now is occupied with writing grant applications, developing new re- search concepts and writing papers based on her previous research. But she’s looking forward to doing more teaching. She will be contributing to a histology course in the fall semester and is designing a cancer biology course she will co-ordinate. Away from the University, she’s deal with this every time it happens. ” Last year, both Hotmail and Ya- hoo blocked all U of G addresses for a period because of the high volume of spam coming from some Guelph accounts. “It’s like being on a wanted poster in the post office,” says CCS IT man- ager Drew MacPherson. “People don’t want to do business with you. We can spend many hours trying to get off the ‘bad boy * 1 list.” Universities are popular targets for spammers because they have high-capacity, high-performance systems, says Blain. At least six Cana- dian universities were blocked be- cause of spam problems last year. kept busy with little Lucia — now a year old. “I took her to Venezuela in December for the first time to visit my family. She really enjoyed all the noise and fuss around her.” She adds that her parents visited Canada for a couple of months wlien Lucia was born and that her brother is now studying English in Canada. “There’s a good exchange going on between Venezuela and Canada,” she says. “We’re keeping the connec- tions strong.” MacPherson adds that universi- ties are also seen as vulnerable be- cause they have thousands of new e-mail users arriving each Septem- ber. Incoming students tend to be computer-sawy and used to com- municating by e-mail, but they’re of- ten less concerned when it comes to issues of safety and security, he says. “E-mail today is a key part of teaching, learning and administra- tion at the University. We do our very best to keep it secure, but in the end, it comes down to users remem- bering not to give out their password and account information and paying attention to the security of the computers they use.” CCS, University Never Ask for Passwords Continued from page 1 At Guelph 10 April 8, 2009 mam CLASSIFIEDS FOR SALE Three small animal houses suitable for ferrets, hamsters or kittens, large, medium and small carrying cases, complete with toys, hammocks, bed- ding and food dishes, good condi- tion, Tim, 519-766-0257 or tmau@ uoguelph.ca. 2005 Smart Car, manual-automatic transmission, panoramic sunroof, air conditioning, extra speakers for radio, summer and snow tires on rims, 1 1/2 years of extended war- ranty remaining, certified, 59,000 km, Gard, 519-837-0441 or gotis@uoguelph.ca. Convertible sofa bed, beige with flo- ral design, used in guest bedroom, excellent condition, 519-823-2152 or anilsheth@rogers.com. Lift chair with remote, blue uphol- stery, purchased new last year and used for a few months, 519- 837-9044 or jalexand@uoguelph.ca. FOR RENT Two-bedroom apartment near downtown London in quiet adult building, close to UWO, parking for one vehicle, laundry in building, non-smokers, no pets, available Aug. 1 with one-year lease, $600 a month per bedroom inclusive, 519-843- 3470 evenings, tnudds@uoguelph.ca or nudds.family@sympatico.ca. Furnished one-bedroom apartment in southwest Paris, France, short- term rental; two-bedroom holiday home in Antibes on French Riviera, weekly or monthly, 519-836-6745 or fhmoll@rogers.com. WANTED The Big Bike for Heart and Stroke team in Communications and Pub- lic Affairs is looking for members of the U of G community to join the team to participate in Wheels of Thunder June 17 at 2 p.m., riders must each raise at least $50 in pledges, Rebecca, Ext. 56039 or r.kendall@exec.uoguelph.ca. Subjects for study on zinc levels in sue- to eight-year-old boys, compen- sation, 519-820-2633 or zip@ uoguelph.ca. Department of Computing and Information Science seeks volun- teers for study to help victims of neuromuscular disease, 30 to 45 minutes required, financial com- pensation provided, tdoan@ uoguelph.ca. Families or individuals to host inter- national ESL students, homestay@ uoguelph.ca. AVAILABLE Free: two Atari monitors, one monochrome, one colour, includes a monitor switch, monitor stand and a screen, wscholte@uoguelph.ca. LOST Pair of prescription Boll6 sunglasses in soft, crescent-shaped black case between Johnston Hall and MacKinnon Building on March 24, Ext. 53147. Pianos, books, lessons & more! 519.836.8492 218-A Victoria Rd. S. Guelph, Ont. N1E 5R1 fax: 519.836.9474 www.theoctavemc.com Where Are You Now? If you can identify where this photo was taken, you will have your name entered in a draw to be held in June for a $50 gift certificate provided by the U of G Bookstore. Anyone who submits the right answer by April 13 at 4:45 p.m. is eligible for the draw. Send your response to r.kendall@exec. uoguelph.ca or call Ext. 56039. The following people correctly reported that the March 25 photo was of a map in the Hutt Building: Bill Clair, Danny Martin, Fran Kitchen, Pam Speers, John Van Manen, Ray Hutchison and Jessica Turnbull. photo by rebecca kendall Call today for a no-obllgation quote Save Up To 50% In Insurance Product Discounts fltACb Your Group Discount! 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Ontario Approved Pest Control & Fertilizers, Bulk Soils & Mulches for Delivery or Pickup. Spring Decor & More! visit our website to view our Barth Day events! www.biockioadnutsetvoorm_UI58J3ordon Street. Guelph, C ) ,V /V I / tG6 5J_9 -836-5010 At Guelph 11 April 8, 2009 ARBORETUM The Theatre in the Trees dinner- theatre production of Self Help by Norm Foster continues weekends until May 10. Dinner is at 6:30 p.m.; showtime is 8 p.m. Cost is $62. To order tickets, call Ext. 54110. "Introduction to Birds” is the focus of a workshop with Richard Tofflemire April 29 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Cost is $50. The deadline for registration and payment is April 1 5. Call Ext. 52358. Ann Estill offers “Tips and Tools for Beginning Storytellers" May 2 from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Cost is $35. Reg- istration and payment deadline is April 17. Gardener Lenore Ross focuses on woodland wildflowers May 7 from 1 to 4 p.m. Cost is $35. Registration and payment are due April 23. ART CENTRE The Macdonald Stewart Art Centre hosts the violin/piano duo of Lance Ouellette and lustyna Szajna per- forming works by Mozart, Beetho- ven, Schubert and Kreisler April 23 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $15. NOTICES Books for Africa (www.books forafrica.org) and Invisible Children (www.invisiblechildren.com) are running a Better World Books cam- pus book drive until April 17. The goal is to collect 1,000 college-level books published within the past 10 years. Some of the books will be sold online to raise money, and some will be distributed to African countries in need. Donations can be dropped off in the University Centre and at the Co-op Bookstore. ment and enhancement through value chains, and production sys- tems. Proposals are due by noon May 5. For more details, consult the individual research themes posted on the website www.uoguelph.ca/ research/omafra/index.shtml. The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation is accepting nomina- tions for the 2009 Excellence in Edu- cation Award for Promotion of Sus- tainable Practices by Ontario educators. The award honours sec- ondary and post-secondary educa- tors who have contributed to higher standards in education by integrat- ing sustainable concepts into their curriculum. This includes sustain- able practices in architecture, plan- ning, landscape architecture, urban design, geography, engineering and environmental studies. Nomination deadline is May 31. For more infor- mation or to download a nomina- tion form, visit www.cmhc.ca. The U of G Child-Care and Learning Centre is holding a car seat safety clinic April 27 and 28 from 3 to 5:30 p.m. in the centre’s parking lot. To register, call Ext. 52682. Equine Guelph in partnership with the Office of Open Learning is offer- ing a new online course in equine event management. The 12-week course begins May 11. For more information, visit the website www. EquineGuelph.ca. TEACHING SUPPORT SEMINARS The U of G Child-Care and Learning Centre will hold a yard sale May 9 from 8 a.m. to noon. Proceeds will help buy toys, equipment and cre- ative materials and help offset costs of larger projects. Donations of new and gently used items are welcome. Contact Gabriele Polsterer at Ext. 52682 or childcare@uoguelph.ca. The OMAFRA/U of G research pro- grams are calling for project propos- als to address identified priorities in seven research themes: agricultural and rural policy, bioeconomy — industrial uses, emergency manage- ment, environmental sustainability, food for health, product develop- The Department of Environmental Biology presents Derek Muir of the Canada Centre for Inland Waters at the National Water Research Insti- tute discussing “Assessment of Per- sistent and ‘Pseudo-Persistent’ Chemicals in Canadian Surface Waters” April 9 at 1:30 p.m. in Gra- ham 2307. The Rural History Round Table con- tinues April 14 with Patricia Bowley discussing “Soybeans in Ontario: Scientific Beginnings in the 1920s.” On April 22, the topic is “The His- tory of Post-War (I and II) Immi- grants From the Netherlands in Ontario” with Prof. Frans Schryer, Sociology and Anthropology. The seminars begin at 3 p.m. in MacKinnon 2020. Full details and a registration link for Teaching Support Services pro- grams can be found at www.tss. uoguelph.ca. If you have questions, call Mary Naim at Ext. 53571. On April 9, the Curriculum Devel- opment Resource Network hosts the showcase event “Improving Analyti- cal Skills Through Writing.” TSS offers a hands-on workshop on “Setting Up and Submitting Final Grades Using Gradebook" April 17 and 22. TSS’s “Learning Circle” discussions continue with “Transformative Learning” April 13 and “Teaching on the Edge” April 24. New mem- bers are always welcome. On April 21, new faculty are invited to a luncheon where discussion will focus on “All About Promotion and Tenure.” TSS is accepting applications for its seventh annual Course Re/Design Institute, which runs May 1 1 to 14. Enrolment is limited. If you have questions, call Mary Wilson at Ext. 56856. Instructors with questions about BlackBoard or Desire 2 Learn courses they’re running can obtain one-on- one-help at drop-in clinics Wednes- days from 1 to 2:30 p.m. and Thurs- days from 2:30 to 4 p.m. in McLaughlin Library 200-A. There’s also a support line at Ext. 52530. “Identification of Non-Neutral Sin- gle Nucleotide Polymorphisms in Bay of Fundy Atlantic Salmon ( Salmo salar)." The adviser is Prof. Liz Boulding. The final examination of PhD candi- date Hao Chi Lac, Computing and Information Science, is April 23 at 1 p.m. in science complex 1511. The thesis is “Inducing Fold Dynamics From Known Structures Using Machine Learning.” The adviser is Prof. Stefan Kremer. The final examination of Andrea Lister, a PhD candidate in the Department of Integrative Biology, is May 1 at 9 a.m. in science complex 2315. The thesis is “Prostaglandin Synthesis in the Zebrafish Ovary: Role Regulation and Modulation by Environmental Pharmaceuticals.” The adviser is Prof. Glen Van Der Kraak. THESIS DEFENCES COMMUNITY EVENTS The Guelph Food Bank’s spring food drive continues until April 19. Non- perishable items can be dropped off at 100 Crimea St. Dublin Street Church’s annual fine art show and sale is April 18 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Guelph Civic Museum exhibi- tion “Curator’s Choice,” featuring treasures from local museums, archives and art galleries, opens April 8 with a reception from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Opening April 22 from 7 to 9 p.m. is “Illuminating the Middle Ages.” The Waterloo Wellington Wild- flower Society and the City of Guelph Healthy Landscapes pro- gram present gardening expert Frank Kershaw April 15 at 7:30 p.m. at the Arboretum Centre. His topic is “Small Native Trees for Urban Gardens." “New Zealand Aquaculture Re- search and Development” is the focus of post-doc Lincoln Tubbs in the Department of Pathobiology seminar series April 17 at 1 1 a.m. in Pathobiology 2106. The final examination of M.Sc. can- didate Derek Ho, Molecular and Cellular Biology, is April 9 at 9 a.m. in science complex 2315. The thesis is “Characterization of the Mem- brane-Bound Topology of the Colicin El Channel Domain.” The adviser is Prof. Rod Merrill. The final examination of Erin Westman, a PhD candidate in the Department of Molecular and Cellu- lar Biology, is April 15 at 1 p.m. in science complex 2315. The thesis is “Biosynthesis of di-N-acetylated Mannuronic Acid in Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Bordetella pertussis .” The adviser is Prof. Joe Lam. The AIDS Committee of Guelph and Wellington County holds its 2009 Red Ribbon Gala April 25 at 6 p.m. at the Italian Canadian Club. The evening features an auction, dinner and entertainment. To order tickets or to donate artwork or a service for the auction, visit www.aidsguelph. org/events. The Guelph Field Naturalists meet April 9 at 7:30 p.m. at the Arboretum Centre. Guest speaker is U of G physics professor emeritus Bob Brooks, who will discuss “The Space Between the Stars.” The annual National Service Dogs Easter egg hunt for dogs is April 1 0 at 1 1 a.m. at Riverside Park by the car- ousel. Registration begins at 10 a.m.; cost is $20 per family. Collect pledges, and you’ll have a chance at winning a grand prize. For registra- tion and pledge forms, visit www. nsd.on.ca or call 519-623-4188. Physician, author and social activist Dr. Gabor Mat£ speaks April 14 at 7:30 p.m. at St. George’s Church, 99 Woolwich St. His topic is “The Four Compassions — A Humane Com- munity Response to Addiction.” Tickets are available at the church and the Bookshelf. For more infor- mation, call 519-822-1366. The Guelph and Wellington branch of the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario hosts a public lecture by architect Carlos Venton April 15 at 7:30 p.m. at the Wellington County Courthouse at Woolwich and Douglas streets. He will discuss res- toration projects in Guelph- Wellington, including the Loretto Convent and the courthouse. The Guelph Jazz Festival hosts its annual art auction April 19 from 2 to 6 p.m. at the Bookshelf. For more information and to view the auction artworks, visit www.guelphjazzfesti- val.com. The Guelph Arts Council, Heritage Guelph and the City of Guelph Tourism Services host Doors Open Guelph 2009 April 25. Some of the city’s finest buildings, many of which aren’t normally open to the public, will open their doors from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For details, visit www. guelpharts.ca/doorsopenguelph. The Kalpa Bhadra Buddhist Centre offers “Buddhism 101” running for four Thursdays starting April 9 at 7 p.m. For information or to register, call 519-837-8077 or send e-mail to info@kalpabhadra.ca. The final examination of M.Sc. can- didate Heather Freamo, Integrative Biology, is April 21 at 2 p.m. in sci- ence complex 3317. The thesis is The Guelph Chamber Choir per- forms Bach’s St. Matthew Passion April 11 at 8 p.m. at the River Run Centre. For tickets, call 519-763- 3000. The Guelph Historical Railway Association is offering a daylong tour of the Guelph Junction Railway April 25, boarding at the River Run Centre at 10 a.m. For more informa- tion or to reserve a seat, visit www. ghra.ca. Tickets are also available at Pond’s Foto Source. • Renovating • Allergies Fresh Start • Moving • New Baby CARPET & STEAMATIC. DUCT CLEANING FURNITURE CLEANING Breathe cleaner air Nobody Cleans Better Than Steamatic Call Us 519-836-7340 Trusted Since 1968 Valerie Poulton At Guelph 12 April 8, 2009 at GUELPH MAY 6, 2009 • VOL. 53 NO. 9 « WWW.UOGUELPH.CA/ATGUELPH « UNIVERSITY OF GUELPH INSIDE: FOCUS ON ACCESSIBILITY • ON THE FRONTIERS OF EVOLUTION • GOING WITH THE FLOW CME Names New Dean Business chair to lead College of Management and Economics P ROF. Julia Christensen Hughes, chair of the Department of Business, has been appointed dean of the College of Management and Economics (CME). Her five-year term begins May 11. “Julia is an innovative leader who knows how to create and energize a team,” said provost and vice-presi- dent (academic) Maureen Mancuso, who chaired the selection commit- tee. “She will champion new ideas for CME, and her passion and en- thusiasm will help the college build and sustain partnerships and capital- ize on opportunities.” In announcing the appointment, Mancuso thanked acting dean David Prescott and founding dean Chris McKenna, both faculty members in the Department of Economics, for their dedicated service and contri- butions. Mie also thanked members of the search committee, which included faculty, students and staff members, for their hard work and commit- ment, and the University commu- nity for its participation. A U of G faculty member since Prof. Julia Christensen Hughes 1987, Christensen Hughes was direc- tor of Teaching Support Services for 10 years. She was also president of the Society for Teaching and Learn- ing in Higher Education, a national association of academics committed to enhancing the quality of teaching and learning. She became chair of the Department of Business in 2007. “I am deeply honoured by this decision,” said Christensen Hughes. “I look forward to working with CME faculty, staff and students, along with all our stakeholders, in helping the college realize its poten- tial and put management and eco- nomics at Guelph ‘on the map.’” Her scholarly interests include , organizational effectiveness, strate- gic human resource management, employee and student engagement, academic integrity and curriculum reform. She is the author of numer- ous book chapters and journal arti- cles and co-edited the 2007 book Curriculum Development in Higher Education: Faculty-Driven Processes and Practices. In 2008, Christensen Hughes re- ceived the University’s John Bell Award for outstanding educational leadership. In 2007, her work on aca- demic integrity earned her the Ed- ward F. Sheffield Award for research excellence. She has also been nomi- nated for numerous teaching awards and won an Excellence in Graduate Teaching Award in 1995. She holds a bachelor’s degree in commerce from U of G and an MBA and a PhD in organizational behav- iour from the Schulich School of Business at York University. Mathematician Asks: When Does Going Green Add Up? Prof to study green products under new Canada- U.S. Fulbright visiting research chair BY ANDREW VOWLES W HY DO CONSUMERS choose or reject green products — and how can businesses and governments use policies and incentives to help shape those choices? Those are the questions Prof. Monica Cojocaru, Mathematics and Statistics, will study under a new Canada-U.S. Fulbright visiting re- search chair. Starting next January, Cojocaru will spend five months at the Univer- sity of California, Santa Barbara, studying what motivates consumers to buy green products such as or- ganic food, hybrid vehicles and home products like geothermal heating, solar heating and high-effi- ciency furnaces. She hopes to help businesses and governments design more effective policies and incentive programs to reduce harmful emissions and lower the use of non-renewable resources. Cojocaru will apply game theory, market models and computer simu- lations to model people’s behaviour over time. Her work may help deter- mine how large a subsidy or rebate to offer — and for how long — to per- suade consumers to adopt green products. She will look at decisions made by entire populations and by indi- vidual consumers, including how so- cial networks compel people to jump aboard a green trend. “Both types of models allow you to compute the adoption level of green products in the population under a wide range of parameters while incorporating the design of policies that will effectively move the population towards environmen- tally friendly behaviour,” she says. For Cojocaru, it’s not just aca- demic. When she and her husband, Ed Thommes, a research associate in the Department of Physics, bought a hy- brid car in 2007, they faced spending an extra $7,000 over the standard model. But they used federal and provincial rebates worth about $3,000 to offset that cost — never mind saving about $400 a year in gas commuting between Waterloo and Guelph. “Suddenly it becomes man- ageable,” she says. At their 1960s-era home, they also received a rebate for a new high-efficiency furnace. Now they’re thinking about replacing the pool heater with a solar heating panel and installing a new hot water heater. Her Fulbright will occupy part of a year-long sabbatical for Cojocaru. This fall, she will be a visiting re- searcher at the Fields Institute in To- ronto, exploring applications of math in industry. She began studying green prod- ucts and behaviour last year along with Prof. Henry Thille, Economics, and Thommes. They received fund- ing from the Ontario Centre of Ex- cellence for Earth and Environ- mental Technologies and the City of Guelph to study a policy model for Continued on page 11 Theatre studies student Nigel Gough has been accepted into the master’s program at the Central School of Speech and Drama in London, England, the alma mater of renowned actors such as Laurence Olivier, Judi Dench and Vanessa Redgrave. See story on nape PHOTO BY REBECCA KENDALL The Next Stage Meal Exchange Wins National Volunteer Award Guelph chapter has raised nearly $700,000 in 10 years T he U of G chapter of Meal Exchange has received a June Callwood Outstanding Achieve- ment Award for Voluntarism. Named for the late June Callwood, a Canadian journalist, author and social activist, the awards recognize individuals and groups for exceptional leadership, innovation and creativity, and significant con- tributions to their communities and to the province through volunteer- ism. Guelph’s Meal Exchange chapter was one of 20 organizations and in- dividuals to be honoured. "Meal Exchange represents the power of our student volunteers," says Brenda Whiteside, associate vice-president (student affairs). It s student-run, it engages University and community partners, it involves thousands of student volunteers, and it has a significant impact on the city of Guelph and surrounding communities. I am thrilled that our student contributions are being honoured by this significant award.” Meal Exchange is a national stu- dent-run organization that aims to engage students from 35 Canadian campuses in solving the problem of hunger in their communities through various campaigns and initiatives. In the past 10 years, the Guelph chapter has raised nearly $700,000 Continued on page 10 At Guelph l May 6, 2009 C3> P U R B A VISION Ey© Exams Jai Jassai Safety Glasses lnfo@poitxjvislon Contact Lenses 1388 Gordon St.. Unll 1 Designer Frames Guelph, Ontario Sunglasses NIL 1C8 Canada 1 Tel 519-823-9400 www.purbavision.com Fax. 51 9-823-2273 | jf^Undcud'of,F^IIence. Considering a move? Please call for your free market analysis (333.03103 Banner Stands Order new or we can print new graphics for your existing banner stand —.Roland Banner-Up Retractable Chci bpr " Passion , Poetry, and Song" Special guests: John and Jane Watson 8:00 pm • May 9, 2009 Harcourt Memorial United Church www.guelphchamberchoir.ca S25 Adults • $10 Students *$5 1*5*: EF1 Order by phone 51 9-763-3000 or toll-free 1 -877-520-2408 or on-line at www.riverrun.ca umm “Within the Child Lies the Fate of the Future" Dr. Maria Montessori ■ Enriched Academic Curriculum ■ Athletic Program including: Martial Arts, Swimming, Skating, Yoga and Gym ■ Musikgarten ■ Core French ■ Monthly Field Trips ■ Certified Montessori Teachers GUELPH AngeCa Crawfonf Sales Representative (516) 821 -3600 angel3-crawford@coldwellbanker.ca «2< GORDON 8T-U201 GUELPH, Oh H1Q1YT Low Student Teacher Ratio Toddler Program 18-30 Months 1/2 Day &. Full Day Preschool Full Day Jr. & Sr. Kindergarten Elementary Grades 1-6 Extended Hours Available DOWNTOWN GUELPH 151 Waterloo Ave Guelph Ont ^ 836*3810 O www.guelphmontessori.com Accessibility Focus of Talks U of G conference to discuss Ontario's pending accessibility standards BY REBECCA KENDALL W ITH TOUGH new provincial standards being enacted through die Accessibility for Ontarians With Disabilities Act (AODA) within the next few years, organizers of an upcoming campus- wide conference see a big oppor- tunity for U of G to play a leadership role in accessibility in the university sector. The “Aiming for Accessibility. Creating Barrier-Free Information and Communication” conference, which runs May 27 in Rozanski Hall, is a proactive response to impending provincial information and commu- nication accessibility standards that could take effect as early as Dec. 31, 2011. The Ontario government re- leased two draft versions of the stan- dards for public comment last fall. A final version could be ready for re- view by the minister of community and social services within weeks. The U of G event, organized by the University’s Accessibility for Persons With Disabilities Advisory Committee and the Office of Open Learning, aims to raise awareness of information and communication accessibility issues and provide strategies to address them. "If you look at the amount of in- formation that is shared at this university, you’ll begin to see how big the scope of this issue is,” says Athol Gow, one of the event’s orga- nizers and co-ordinator of U of G’s Library Centre for Students With Disabilities. “If the final standard remains largely unchanged, virtually every unit on campus will be affected by the legislation. Units will have to de- liver information in a suitable, con- sistent and simultaneous format to each and every member of the cam- pus community. If you’re dissemi- nating information at U of G, this conference is for you.” Expectations around policy de- velopment and training are included in the proposed standard, as well as changes to the way a variety of com- munication formats are created. These changes could have significant impact on universities and other private and public institutions throughout Ontario, says Gow. For example, anyone producing print materials may also need to pro- vide an electronic version, a Braille- ready electronic form, a Braille printout, an accessible audio format, a large-print version and an elec- tronic version with supports for comprehension. Video material may require syn- chronized captioning and audio de- scriptions, a text transcript and a version of the information commu- nicated in sign language. In addition, educators will be responsible for “In most cases, it involves using tools that are already available to us. If we approach information accessibility in a proactive way, it’s not much additional effort. ” providing accessible educational/ training multimedia materials or ap- propriate substitutes to recipients with disabilities before or at the same time as other recipients, he says. “Given the need to produce a va- riety of information in different for- mats for people, it’s clear that the responsibility for putting that acces- sibility in place is going to have to be widely shared across both the service component of the University and the teaching component.” Preparing information in a vari- ety of alternative formats may seem like an enormous job, says Gow, but it doesn’t have to be. "In most cases, it involves using tools that are already available to us. If we approach information accessi- bility in a proactive way, it’s not much additional effort.” The daylong conference features keynote speaker Pina D’lntino, an advocate for accessibility and equity in the workplace for people with dis- abilities. An executive at Scotiabank Canada, D’lntino lost her sight in 1998 following unsuccessful surgery for a rare form of glaucoma. She is now the founder and senior manager i of Enabling Solutions and Support I Management at Scotiabank, a pro- gram that addresses accessibility strategy from an IT perspective and ensures that standards and guide- lines for accessibility are embedded in all processes in the bank for customers and employees. The day will also offer 1 6 sessions in three conference streams: introduction and awareness build- ing: teaching and learning; and ac- cessible web programming, docu- ment and multimedia design. Pre- senters include members of the U of G community, as well as speakers from IBM, McMaster University, Queen’s University, the University of Toronto, Desire2Leam, The Co-Operators and Design Science Inc. Neil Soiffer, a creator of com- puter-based math tools, will present via a webcast from Oregon. “People aren’t aware of the new standards,” says Prof. Joseph Tin- dale, Family Relations and Applied Nutrition, who has also been in- volved in planning this conference. "Faculty don’t often think of ac- cessibility beyond having to sign' a contract with the Centre for Stu- dents With Disabilities for someone to write a time-and-a-half exam, but at the same time, we’re increasingly using technology to teach, whether it be podcasts, Facebook, PowerPoint, Desire2Learn or websites. Legisla- tion will have a real impact on how we distribute information, but I see this as the perfect opportunity to make accessibility issues part of the everyday culture of the University of Guelph and to be a strong example for other universities.” For more information about the conference and to register, go to www.accessconf.open.uoguelph.ca. | CHANCELLOR A STRONG SUPPORTER OF ARTS AND LITERATURE I am writing in response to the open letter to me from members of the School of English and Theatre Stud- ies (At Guelph, April 22) about my support for Canadian arts and liter- ature. As chancellor of this outstand- ing institution, I am passionate about my role as an advocate for the University of Guelph. This includes promoting the University wherever I go and doing whatever I can to ad- vance our mission to change fives and improve fife. Over the years — in all my many roles — I have been a strong sup- porter of the arts and literature. I spent nearly three decades in the communications field, interviewing thousands of our cultural icons and leaders. Now, as U of G chancellor and a member of the Canadian Senate, I will continue to bring attention to the valuable role arts and literature play in our society. I very much appreciate the invi- tation to meet with members of the School of English and Theatre Stud- ies and to discuss the work being done there. I have long been im- pressed by the outstanding contri- butions of Guelph’s faculty. I am, as always, happy to learn more. Pamela Wallin, Chancellor X a p- Editor Barbara Chance b.chance@exec.uoguelph.ca Design Peter Enneson Production Linda Graham l.graham@exec.uoguelph.ca c Advertising Scott Anderson theandersondifference@rogers.com Director Chuck Cunningham c.cunningham@exec.uoguelph.ca At Guelph is published every two weeks by Communications and Public Affairs, Level 4, University Centre, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario NIG 2W l . Inquiries: 519-824-4120 Editorial: Ext. 56580 Distribution: Ext. 56581 Advertising: Ext. 56580 www. uoguelph. ca/adguide Classifieds: Ext. 56581 Pax: 519-824-7962 Website: www. uoguelph. ca/atguelph Articles may be reprinted with credit to At Guelph. Subscriptions $25 (includes GST); $30 outside Canada ISSN 08364478 At Guelph 2 May 6 , 2009 letters news in brief OVC TO BREAK GROUND OVC will break ground May 15 on a new era in veterinary education with a sod-turning celebration for the Hill’s Pet Nutrition Primary Health-Care Centre. It begins at 10 a.m. off Smith Lane at the west end of the OVC complex. The new facil- ity is supported by a $5-million, 10-year commitment from Hill’s Pet Nutrition. OAC CALLS FOR NOMINATIONS The Ontario Agricultural College is calling for nominations for the 2009 H.R. MacMillan Laureate in Agriculture. The award honours an individual or group judged to have made the most significant contri- bution to Canadian agriculture over the past fivfc years. Nomina- tion deadline is June 30. For more details, visit www.oac.uoguelph.ca. U OF G PROPOSAL EARNS NEW OURA AWARD U of G has received a new award from the Ontario University Regis- trars’ Association designed to rec- ognize, reward and share university achievements in improving the quality and reducing the cost of aca- demic administration. The award is valued at $5,000 to be given in the form of an endowment to fund a student scholarship. The winning U of G proposal, put forward by the Office of Registrarial Services and supported by the Central Student Association, was based on the Uni- versity’s energy retrofit program. CONSTRUCTION TO CLOSE SECTION OF COLLEGE AVENUE College Avenue East from U of G's Powerhouse Lane to Dundas Lane will be closed from early June to the end of July as the city does recon- struction work on the road. Anyone wishing access to the Arboretum will have to approach from the east via Victoria Road. CTV PUTS SPOTLIGHT ON OVC U of G and OVC were in the spot- light on the weekend when they were featured on CTV’s W-Five program. The half-hour segment, titled “Man’s Best Friend," took viewers behind the scenes of OVC’s animal cancer centre and included interviews with the co-directors of the Institute for Comparative Can- cer Investigation: Profs. Brenda Coomber, Biomedical Sciences, and Paul Woods, Clinical Studies. CCS SITE CARRIES UPDATES The “CCS News” section on the Computing and Communications Services website (www.uoguelph. ca/ccs) carries continual updates about any service outages that affect Gryph Mail, BlackBoard, telephone services and other campus-wide technical services powered by CCS. MITCH SAYS THANKS U of G student Mitch Moffitt, who was unsuccessful in his bid to be interviewed for "The Best Job in the World" offered by Tourism Queensland, has made a video to thank everyone who supported him. It’s online at www.youtube. com/watch?v=QuPnLhOZAHQ& feature=channel_page. The Frontiers of Evolution U of G colloquium, teacher workshop mark bicentennial of Charles Darwin’s birth BY ANDREW VOWLES E volution isn’t just about the past. Where evolutionary sci- ence will lead us — and how to teach the often-contentious subject in high school — will be the focus of a research colloquium and a teacher workshop this month at U of G. “Frontiers of Evolution” is the theme of the Peter Yodzis Collo- quium in Fundamental Ecology May 20 and 21.0nMayl9,UofG biolo- gists will run a daylong symposium for high school teachers and science co-ordinators about teaching evolu- tion under changes coming this fall in Ontario’s biology curriculum. Both events will mark this year’s bicentennial of Charles Darwin’s birth and the 150th anniversary of publication of On the Origin of Spe- cies. Organizers are also planning other evolution- and Darwin- themed events later this year, includ- ing an art exhibit and public lectures. Prof. Beren Robinson, Integra- tive Biology, says Darwin’s theory of evolution underpins understanding of the range of Earth’s organisms and their interrelations. “There’s probably more public interest in biodiversity, but evolu- tion becomes the organizing idea be- hind biodiversity,” he says. “We’re celebrating the fact that Darwin pulled together the framework that allowed biology to become a sci- ence.” At the colloquium, which is C ANADIANS looking for infor- mation and updates about the H1N1 flu virus have probably come across the names of U of G faculty and staff in their search. Guelph experts are front and centre in the media these days, providing everything from background to insight and commentary on a range of issues related to the outbreak. On Monday, Prof. David Waltner-Toews, Population Medi- cine, was on the CBC’s The Hour, discussing zoonotic diseases (those that can jump between animals and humans) and the H1N1 virus with host George Stroumboulopoulos. The Hour is a hybrid of news and ce- lebrity, with discussions covering politics, the arts, entertainment, the environment, human rights, sports and more, and Stroumboulopoulos has interviewed many of the most in- fluential and recognized people in the world on the program. Waltner-Toews, president of Veterinarians Without Borders- Canada, is the author of The Chick- ens Fight Back: Pandemic Panics and Deadly Diseases That Jump From An- imals to People. Published in 2007, the book disentangles myth from re- named for the late Peter Yodzis, a re- tired U of G ecology professor who died in 2005, participants will dis- cuss a variety of “hot topics” in evo- lutionary biology, says Robinson. These will include developmental bi- ology, transitional forms between organisms or even between mole- cules; and studies of ongoing evolu- tionary change in bacteria, yeast and other fast-growing organisms. Among the speakers is David Sloan Wilson of Binghamton Uni- versity, author of Evolution for Every- one: How Danvin’s Theory Can Change the Way We Think About Our Lives. He will discuss levels of se- lection. Also on the roster are Richard Lenski of Michigan State University, who will talk about experimental evolution; Hans Thewissen of Northeastern Ohio Universities Col- leges of Medicine and Pharmacy (pa- leontology and genetics); Belinda Chang of the University of Toronto (molecular evolution); and Craig Albertson of Syracuse University (evolution and development). Event co-organizer Prof. Ryan Gregory, Integrative Biology, will give a talk on the evolution of genomics. Gregory is associate edi- tor of Evolution: Education and Out- reach , a two-year-old Springer journal written for science teachers and students and for scientists. During the planned one-day ses- sion on teaching evolution, teachers will learn about provincial plans to ality about zoonoses. He was also featured this week on the national CBC radio program The Current and took part in an online interview and answered frequently asked questions for CBC.ca (CBC’s online news agency). Prof. Cate Dewey, chair of the Department of Population Medicine and a professor of swine health man- agement and epidemiology, was quoted extensively last week in a front-page Globe and Mail story on the outbreak and was featured on CTV news. In addition, she was quoted in Saturday’s Toronto Star talking about the virus and its existence on pig farms. Davor Ojkic, a scientist with the Animal Health Laboratory, has also been featured in CTV news reports, discussing the origins of the virus and safety issues and highlighting the testing and research conducted at the U of G lab. In Saturday’s Globe and Mail, Prof. Chris Bauch, Mathematics and Statistics, discussed how he and other math modellers have been asked by the Ontario Agency for Health Protection and Promotion to move evolution to Grade 1 1 biology from Grade 12 next fall. Wilson will also speak at this ses- sion, along with Brian Alters of McGill University, David Campbell of Ridgeview High School in Florida and Eugenie Scott of the National Center for Science Education in California. Gregory hopes the event will strengthen links between U of G and high schools and lead to similar workshops on other science topics. “We want to know what teachers’ challenges are and how we can help," he says. Grade 11 science teachers from Guelph’s three Catholic high schools plan to attend the session. Vince Campolongo, secondary curriculum co-ordinator for the Wellington County Catholic School Board, says science teachers sometimes lack ade- quate materials and resources and have trouble keeping up with scien- tific developments. It’s also difficult to simulate evolution in the lab, unlike running other science experi- ments. “It’s not a faith-versus-science ar- gument,” says Campolongo, a U of G biology grad. “For students, a deeper understanding of the natural world actually inspires awe in the workings of God’s creation. We look at how the two complement each other.” For more information about the colloquium, go to www.uoguelph. ca/EcoIogicalcolloquia/ Academic. html. make predictions about how the H1N1 virus will spread. Bauch was quoted as saying that early indicators show this virus is not as transmissi- ble as some in the past. In previous studies, he has cre- ated math models to analyze things such as whether voluntary vaccina- tion policies for diseases such as smallpox could result in increased mortality rates and how the per- ceived risk of vaccines among the general public influences vaccina- tion rates and disease outbreaks. Ridgetown Campus agricultural economics professor Ken McEwen has been discussing the possible eco- nomic impacts of the outbreak in the media, including Better Farming magazine. Other U of G experts continue to make themselves available to discuss the outbreak, including Prof. Jan Sargeant, Population Medicine, who is director of U of G’s Centre for Public Health and Zoonoses. The centre, which officially opened this week, brings together researchers to address new or re-emerging zoonotic diseases that threaten pub- lic health, including bird flu, SARS, £ coli 01 57:H7 and West Nile virus. people CONTRIBUTIONS TO U OF G STUDENT LIFE HONOURED Student leaders and community members were celebrated for their commitment to enhancing campus life at U of G at a banquet held March 30. This year’s winner of the R.P. Gilmor Student Life Award for contributions that enhance the quality of student life on campus is OAC student Stefanie Nagel- schmitz, a former president of the Student Federation of OAC. Also honoured were the recipi- ents of the Andre Auger Citizenship Award (Nathan Lachowsky), the Brian D. Sullivan Student Leader- ship Award (Christi Garneau- Scott), the Roberta Mason Rookie Involvement Award (Guillaume ! Blais) and the Accessibility Award | (Tucker Gordon). The recipients of this year’s , Gordon Nixon Leadership Awards were also announced: • Guelph Students for Environmen- tal Change: Sustainability Week; • Global Perspectives Working Group: Global to Local Perspectives summer program; and • Residence Energy Reduction Challenge Team: Residence Energy | Reduction Challenge. New this year were the Be the Change Awards, which were pre- : sented to students Adam Lewan- dowski and Mitch Moffitt, Meal Ex- change’s “Trick or Eat" campaign and the “Tap In!" campaign. OVC Launches Seminar Sertes T he Ontario Veterinary College will highlight the role of women in veterinary medicine in the inaugural seminar of a new annual series being launched to celebrate 1 50 years of the profession in Canada. The series, titled “VetMed Evo- lution: Animals, People and the En- vironment," kicks off May 28 with “Changing Lives . . . Women in Vet- erinary Medicine.” The free event runs from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. in OVC’s Lifetime Learning Centre. Susan Jones, president of the World Association for the History of Veterinary Medicine, will give the keynote talk on “Women in Veterinary Medicine Around the World" and will also discuss “Women Veterinarians: Making History in the 20th Century." The daylong event will feature other speakers from Canada and the United States as well as a panel dis- cussion with DVM graduates and current students. Sponsored by the OVC Alumni Association, the seminar series is the first official event in the count- down to the college’s 150th anni- versary in 2012. Future seminars will explore “Changing Cultures: Veterinary Medicine in Literature” (2010), “Changing Roles of Ani- mals in Society: The Human-Ani- mal Bond” (2011) and “Changing the Globe: International Veterinary Medicine” (2012). For more information, visit www.ovc.uoguelph.ca/conferences. To register, send e-mail to eventsrsvp@uoguelph.ca. Media Turn to University for Expertise on HiNi Flu Virus Guelph scientists front and centre in national, provincial news reports At Guelph 3 May 6, 2009 Vaccine for Traveller’s Diarrhea a Step Closer Chemist's sugar-based vaccine protects animals from bacterial infection BY ANDREW VOWLES A new sugar-based vaccine developed at U of G to prevent a major cause of bacterial diarrhea worldwide is a step closer to human trials, says Prof. Mario Monteiro, Chemistry. The new polysaccharide-conju- gate vaccine protected mice and monkeys from infection by Campylobacter jejuni, says a paper published by Monteiro and re- searchers with the U.S. navy. The pa- per appeared in the March issue of the journal Infection and Immunity. C. jejuni is one of North Amer- ica’s leading bacterial causes of food- bome illness with up to about 50 cases per 100,000 people, and occurs at much higher rates in some devel- oping countries, says Monteiro. It causes “traveller’s diarrhea,” a common problem for Canadians visiting developing countries. The organism is also associated with irri- table bowel syndrome and Guillain- Barr£ syndrome, a nervous system disorder. There are currently no vaccines available for the organism. First-phase human clinical trials will probably begin in 2011, says Patricia Guerry, head of the Campylobacter vaccine group in the enteric diseases department of the Naval Medical Research Center based in Maryland. She says she’s optimistic that the group will develop a viable vaccine. Researchers in the United States and at Guelph still need to refine their work, including demonstrating the feasibility of a vaccine before begin- ning clinical trials. “It’s been a true collaboration,” she says. “Mario synthesized the vac- cine, and we took his vaccine and tested it in animal models." The group learned this spring that the U.S. National Institutes of Health will provide new funding to support their studies for the next two years. Monteiro says a vaccine might take more than 10 years to work through human trials. “It’s very rewarding to know you can make an impact in improving people’s health with your chemis- try,” he says. The new conjugate vaccine con- tains sugars from two strains of C. jejuni In tests by Monteiro ’s Ameri- can collaborators, the vaccine proved to be 100-per-cent effective against diarrheal disease in monkeys. The Guelph chemist has worked on Campylobacter for almost two de- cades. He studies polysaccharides, or complex sugars, on bacterial sur- faces. Unlike carbohydrates in foods, these sugars are antigens like the substances that define human blood groups. Monteiro, one of the world’s few researchers studying polysaccha- ride-based vaccines, works with graduate student Yu-Han Chen. He also works with researchers in OVC on carbohydrate-based vac- cines for Clostridium difficile, a bug that has sickened and killed people in hospitals and nursing homes across Canada and has threatened various animal species. Other researchers have devel- oped vaccines based on bacterial sur- face sugars for pneumococcal and meningococcal diseases. Caffeine Poses Increased Risk to Pregnant Women With Diabetes, CBS Study Finds Research reveals that caffeine boosts resistance to insulin , impedes glucose metabolism BY BARRY GUNN P REGNANT WOMEN with gesta- tional diabetes should think twice about reaching for their morn- ing cup of coffee, U of G researchers have found. A new study reports that caffeine VncTeases resistance to insuYin, the j hormone that helps the body metab- olize glucose, in women diagnosed with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), a condition that affects up to 18 per cent of pregnant women in Canada. Results of the study are re- ported in a paper published in the April issue of the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology Canada. “Consuming even what many would consider ‘normal’ amounts of caffeine — equivalent to one to two cups of coffee a day — can have ad- verse health effects on women with GDM,” says Prof. Lindsay Robinson, Human Health and Nutritional Sci- ences, who co-authored the study with colleagues in her department and in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Queen’s Univer- sity . “Women with GDM already have an impaired ability to regulate glu- cose metabolism,” she says, “and caf- feine seems to make the situation worse. This is certainly something we have to consider when providing dietary advice to pregnant women.” The study is the first to report a caffeine-induced impairment of glu- cose metabolism in women with GDM. Pregnant women are routinely screened for GDM, a condition that has serious health implications for the fetus and the mother, including increased long-term risk for Type 2 diabetes. The researchers tested healthy pregnant women and women diag- nosed with GDM, who took part in two trials one week apart. Following an overnight fast, they were given water with either caffeine (three mil- ligrams per kilogram of body weight, equivalent to one to two cups of cof- fee) or a placebo. One hour later, they were given a “glucose chal- lenge” in the form of sweetened liq- uid to drink. Their blood was then tested to measure glucose and insulin levels. The caffeine did not significantly affect the women who didn’t have GDM. Those with the condition, however, experienced a significant decrease in insulin sensitivity. The caffeine impaired their ability to metabolize glucose. Most healthy adults can take in 400 to 450 mg of caffeine per day without any adverse effects. Health Canada advises pregnant women to limit their intake to 300 mg per day. At Guelph, previous studies of non-pregnant adults showed that caffeine (five mg/kg body weight or 300 to 400 mg) can sharply increase insulin resistance. But the current study has revealed that amounts of caffeine less than this can impair in- sulin sensitivity in pregnant women with GDM. Robinson cautions that the sam- ple size in this study is small and that more research is needed. But she adds that, because pregnancy in- creases the half-life of caffeine — the amount of time it takes to clear from a woman’s system — adverse health effects could develop in response to less caffeine than in women who aren’t pregnant. The lesson: women with GDM must receive sound di- etary advice on caffeine intake, she says. Would You Like Heart-Healthy Fries With That? U of G researchers join national project to sprout more healthful spuds and find new markets for potato farmers BY ANDREW VOWLES I F HE WANTS a good baked potato, Prof. Rickey Yada might pick a russet out of the produce bin. If he wants a good masher, it might be Yukon Gold. He hasn’t looked for a "heart-healthy" potato, but the food scientist says one day consumers will be able to select spuds made specially to prevent ailments such as cardio- vascular disease and diabetes. Helping to develop more health- ful potatoes is the purpose of a new federally funded project that links Guelph research from potato DNA to the dinner plate. U of G investiga- tors from several departments are among more than 30 scientists in a new cross-Canada potato research group awarded $5.3 million in 2008. The BioPotato Network led by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) will study food and non-food uses for potatoes, includ- ing developing new varieties for ev- erything from the dinner table to potential uses in plastics as bio- products. Finding new markets for farmers in Canada’s $6-billion potato indus- try is the goal of the three-year pro- ject, funded through the Agricultural Bioproducts Innovation Program. Guelph researchers will study nu- tritional and dietary aspects of starches in potatoes, especially re- sistant starches. This form of carbo- hydrate helps control the body’s release of insulin, preventing the blood-sugar spikes caused by easily digested carbohydrates such as those in corn syrup. Simple, easily digested carbs have been linked to rising obesity rates as well as Type 2 diabetes. Besides keeping blood-glucose levels more stable, resistant starches have dietary fibre-like properties and have been shown to help reduce the risk of colon cancer. The Guelph team will look at var- ious aspects of these starches in pota- toes: • CBS dean Mike Ernes and Prof. Ian Tetlow, Molecular and Cellu- lar Biology: how starches are made in plants; • Plant agriculture professor Al Sullivan: effects of genetics and the environment on starch and fi- bre in the potato; • Prof. Ming Fan, Animal and Poul- try Science: use of a pig model to simulate the effect of high-fibre potatoes on digestion and heart health in humans; • Yada and Qiang Liu, a scientist with AAFC’s food research pro- gram in Guelph: effects of food processing on resistant starches; and • Tom Wolever, a researcher in the University of Toronto’s depart- ment of nutritional sciences: how the body responds to blood-sugar levels. That response, or the glycemic index, will be the subject of clinical trials by U of T re- searchers studying how starch in potatoes affects blood glucose. Most of these researchers have worked together on dietary starches, including a project funded two years ago on cereals. Guelph scientists have also worked on non-food uses of starches in such products as paints, adhesives and industrial coatings. Yada says U of G would share study results to help potato breeders design spuds with desired nutri- tional qualities. “I pick potatoes at the store for end use,” he says. “I haven’t picked potatoes for health reasons, but I am aware that one day I would, as I do for other products such as yogurt.” Their work might also help shape dietary recommendations or pro- vide ideas for food preparation at home and in restaurants. Community Input Invited Communications and Public Affairs (C8cPA) welcomes comments on the April 22 issue of At Guelph, which appeared only online in celebra- tion of Earth Day (it can be viewed as a PDF file at www.uoguelph. ca/atguelph/ 09-04-22/GreenIssue.pdfor in our regular online version at www. uoguelph.ca/atguelph). C8cPA is also looking for members of the University community to participate in a focus group on e-communica- tions at U of G. To offer comments or volunteer for the focus group, call Ext. 56580 or send e-mail to bchance@uoguelph.ca. At Guelph 4 May 6, 2009 BY TERESA PITMAN H ERS IS THE FIRST VOICE a worried parent or anxious spouse hears when they finally get up the courage to make that call to the University of Guelph’s Couple and Family Therapy Centre. In fact, she may be the first person to ever hear the story of their struggles or challenges because they haven’t felt able to share it with anyone else. The voice and listening ear belong to the centre’s client services co-ordinator, Sarah McDougall. “I’m responsible for reaching out and con- necting with anyone who’s considering the next steps to make in the difficulties they’re facing,” she says. It might be a mother worried about her son’s behaviour at school or a husband won- dering if his marriage is headed for divorce. Whatever the reason for the call, McDougall says she seeks to engage the caller and help the person feel safe and comfortable. “They tell me about the concerns they’re facing in their life, and I try to learn as much as I can about their experience and how they’re trying to overcome their difficulties. It’s im- portant for us to learn about their experience, so we can offer them support that will help them break through whatever may be holding them back from living their life more fully.” She has a mental checklist she follows to help her get the basic information she needs for her notes, but she also tries to open the door to any additional concerns the person might have. “Often they’re just thinking about the im- mediate crisis or the pain they’re experiencing, so they don’t think to mention that they’ve just ended an important relationship or lost a par- ent.. I try to ask questions that will uncover those other issues.” McDougall’s discussions with potential cli- ents — she talks to between 10 and 20 new cli- ents a week — have another purpose as well. “At the same time that I’m gathering infor- mation, I’m checking to make sure they’re safe. I want to be sure they have the resources they need for the moment, that they’re not feeling suicidal or likely to harm themselves, or that they’re not at risk of violence from a partner.” People may hear about the Couple and Family Therapy Centre and call on their own, or they may be referred by a doctor, another agency in Guelph or an in-patient treatment program such as Homewood’s. Once they’ve had the initial conversation with McDougall, which generally lasts 20 to 25 minutes, clients are connected to a graduate student therapist Sarah McDougall is the first port of call at U of G’s Couple and Family Therapy Centre. PHOTO BY MARTIN SCHWALBE intern. The interns are students in the Depart- ment of Family Relations and Applied Nutri- tion’s master’s program in couple and family therapy, one of only two such programs of- fered at universities in Canada. At any one time, the centre has a total of 16 student therapists — eight from each year of the program — working under the supervision of experienced therapists. “The clients tell us they really like this ap- proach,” says McDougall. “They get the com- petence, enthusiasm and dedication of the therapist interns plus the added skill and knowledge of the supervising faculty.” Something else clients like is that there’s usually no waiting list, she says. “One of the things I find when I talk to peo- ple is that often they’ve tried other places to get help, only to discover there are very long wait- ing lists.” Most of the centre’s clientele are couples and families from the Guelph community, she says. They pay a subsidized fee on a sliding scale and usually schedule up to 10 sessions to start. U of G students can come to the centre for therapy if they choose, but most elect to go through Student Services, which provides free counselling. McDougall had been studying in U of G’s gerontology program and working in a long-term-care facility in Guelph when she first heard about the Couple and Family Ther- apy Centre. She started off as an evening recep- tionist, then worked part-time as client services co-ordinator before moving into a full-time role two years ago after she graduated with her B.A.Sc. Besides her responsibilities in interviewing new clients, she has a number of administra- tive tasks. “As part of their supervisory process, I help | the graduate students maintain their docu- mentation and complete data records for their clients. I also keep the records in good order in case they need to be reviewed later by another ; therapist or by the client." The master’s program in couple and family therapy is extremely demanding, says McDougall. “Students are attending classes, seeing up to 10 clients each week, meeting with their su- pervisors to get the guidance they need, com- pleting their ongoing clinical documentation and working on multiple other class assign- ments. We have very high standards for the | quality of therapy that is provided." She’s found the clinic to be a good fit for her personality and skills. “Everyone here tries to create safety, share ideas and communicate within a very supportive atmosphere.” She also appreciates that the centre strives j to be a diverse community that welcomes indi- viduals of all ages, genders, sexual identities, ethnic and cultural backgrounds, religious backgrounds and social experiences. “It’s important that our clients recognize our centre as being safe and accepting in order for them to discuss whatever they may be fac- j ing in their life. This is a place where people i come when they’re wanting change in their life and aiming to be all they can be." That means acceptance is crucial. “I really strive to be non-judgmental, and 1 find it’s actually quite easy to bring that part of me to my work. I take pride in being a calm and responsive presence that helps couples, families and individuals connect with a place where they can begin to explore the different possibilities that may exist for them in how they live their life.” focus A Listening Ear Talking Buddies Conversation Partners program pairs volunteers with international students to help improve English-language skills BY TERESA PITMAN Over 10,000 sq.ft. of flexible conference space. 1 Gazebo's Restaurant & Lounge. ' Ask about University of Guelph's Group & Meeting packages. 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Contact Us: cn267@whg.com 480 Silvercreek Parkway Guelph, ONN1H7R5 T: (519)763-1900 www.choicehotels.ca/cn267 At Guelph 8 May 20, 2009 Ethnobotany Research Grows on Campus U ofG ecologists seek common ground between scientific, traditional ways of looking at plants for food, medicines BY ANDREW VOWLES O NE SPECIES OR three? The Guelph botanists saw only one plant, normally dismissed as a noxious weed. But the Irulas people, whose roots in southern India stretch back for thousands of years, saw three kinds of plants, including two used variously for food and for treating joint pain. Who was correct? Both, says Prof. Steve Newmaster, Integra- tive Biology. Finding common ground be- tween western science — including genetic testing — and indigenous peoples’ under- standing of native plants in different parts of the world is a growing research interest for his Floristic Diversity Research Group, located in the U of G Herbarium and part of the Biodiversity Institute of Ontario (BIO). The Guelph researchers are studying ethnobotany, or how people employ local plants for food, medicine, shelter and other uses. Their work is intended to document sci- entific and cultural information about plants and peoples, including helping to preserve tra- ditional cultures’ increasingly tenuous hold on ages-old ways of life. What they* re learning can also help scien- tists chronicle the Earth’ s biodiversity and per- haps prevent rare or yet-undiscovered living things from vanishing. And they’re finding possible new medicines and food sources hid- den in some remote corners of the world. It’s all about recognizing that people look at plants in various ways, says Newmaster. He adds that ethnobotany also requires scientists to adopt a new view of their own practices and those of indigenous peoples relying on so- called traditional knowledge. “Our understanding in the literature is that traditional knowledge is pretty rudimentary,” he says. Not so. Western botanists may wield math- ematics and statistics to measure and charac- terize things, but indigenous peoples often rely on other tools, including their senses. How do plants feel or taste? How do they respond to be- ing bent or handled in other ways? Where ex- actly do they grow in the landscape? The result is surprising. “They see more characteristics than we do,” says Newmaster. “When you see more charac- teristics among things, then you can classify them into more pots.” (He stresses this point in his taxonomy classes by asking students to sort ordinary nuts and bolts by, say, head types, sizes or threads. Then he asks them to sort them by other criteria: colour, metal type. That exercise yields different — and more — piles of nuts and bolts.) Take that so-called weed from southern In- dia. Working with the Irulas people near Chennai in Tamil Nadu state, Newmaster and research associate Subramanyam Ragupathy have learned that balloon vine is more than merely a noxious weed species. The indigenous people use various kinds for medicine and food. One is a traditional herb for treating rheumatoid arthritis, a leading cause of disabil- ity around the world. On another collecting trip, Ragupathy brought back samples from a member of the milkweed family believed to help prevent dia- betes among local populations. The plant s name means “sugar killer,” reflecting its ability to deaden sweet tastes. Eat it and “you can’t taste a doughnut,” says Ragupathy, who stud- ied at the University of Madras and did post-docs in Australia, Malaysia and the United States before arriving here. Besides potential medicinal uses, the Guelph researchers are looking at possible new food sources. They think they’ve found new Prof. Steve Newmaster, bottom left, and his team are studying how people in different parts of the world use native plants for food, medicine and shelter. With him, from front to back, are research associate Subramanyam Ragupathy, PhD student Kevan Berg, graduating B.Sc. student Jose Maloles and U of G Herbarium curator Carole Ann Lacroix. PHOTO BY MARTIN SCHWALBE kinds of millet, a mountain grass in south Asia with more diversity than supposed. Among the types is a drought-tolerant vari- ant whose near-ideal nutrient mix may be a candidate food not just for south Asia but also for parts of sub-Saharan Africa. “We knew about three lines, but they have up to 16,” says Newmaster. “Knowledge is rich, and it’s very old.” The Guelph researchers test traditional knowledge by applying tools of botany and plant cultivation, genetics and social sciences. For his undergraduate research project in plant biology completed this year, Jose Maloles grew millet plants from seed brought back from India. By studying the plants and seeds, he found variants among three millet species matching 15 types recognized by indigenous peoples. (He also looked at two gene regions but didn’t find any differences to distinguish one type from another.) Another tool is DNA bar-coding. Already well-developed at the BIO for identifying spe- cies of insects, fish, mammals and other ani- mals, this genetic tool also holds promise for telling one plant specimen from another, says Newmaster. DNA bar-coding is more challenging in plants than in animals. For the latter, scientists can use a single telltale snippet of genetic mate- rial to distinguish among species of creatures. The BIO botanists are testing use of two or three DNA regions for automatically identi- fying plants. They’ve used that technology on plants collected in India. One study published this year in Molecular Ecology Resources de- scribes how the technique discriminates a cryptic species of Tripogon grasses missed by the Linnaean system of scientific classification. (Newmaster and Ragupathy co-authored another paper this year in the International Journal of Computer Applications in Technology that describes DNA bar-coding in plants. They also co-authored a separate paper on the topic — along with lead author and U of G research associate Aron Fazekas and other researchers at Guelph and elsewhere — that was published this year in Molecular Ecology Resources.) Yet another research tool combines biology and social sciences in those Indian tribal areas. Here, they use standard interviewing and statistical techniques to compare indigenous experts’ accounts of the medicinal and nutri- tional uses of plants. They’re looking for con- sensus among those experts that may help to scientifically validate their traditional knowl- edge. One report published this year in the Jour- nal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine con- firms the reliability of traditional plant knowledge among some 120 Irulas around a reserve forest. Their studies in other areas also suggest high agreement among groups about plants and their remedies. Newmaster acknowledges that accepting traditional knowledge alongside scientific knowledge requires a mental shift for a western researcher raised on the Linnaean system for classifying living things — the system that un- derpins collections such as those in the U of G Herbarium. “We thought we had it right," he says. “But we started to learn that different cultures in the world look at biodiversity in a different way than taxonomists do.” The goal is not to supplant one system or the other but to bring both together, says Kevan Berg, who completed a master’s degree at Guelph last year and has begun PhD studies in Newmaster’s lab. Berg plans to combine ecology and consensus studies with Tayal peo- ple occupying villages in the mountainous in- terior of Taiwan. He’ll spend one or two years working with his co-supervisor, Yih-Ren Lin, an ecologist and cultural geographer at Taiwan’s Provi- dence University in Taichung. Besides collecting plant specimens, Berg wants to learn about the Tayals’ habitat knowl- edge, or how indigenous peoples distinguish habitat diversity. He’ll compare traditional ecological knowledge of habitats with scientific classifications for the same sites, including use of satellite images of the island. “It’s complementary rather than opposing forms of knowledge,” he says. “Walking in the forest and watching how they experience I plants by tasting, smelling, bending their stems — that’s a different way of knowing plants.” Newmaster’s group has just learned that they’ve been awarded a grant to establish an ethnobotany genomics research project in Tai- wan with the Tayal and Bunun peoples in the Shei-Pa and Jade mountains. This year, the ecologists will begin working with Guelph social scientists. Prof. Sally Humphries, Sociology and Anthropology, studies the “culture" in agriculture, including traditional knowledge and practices of small- holder farmers growing maize in Honduras. Those farmers are interested in finding com varieties that thrive with little water and low nitrogen. Humphries studies ways to help them maintain crop genetic diversity in their fields through participatory plant breeding. Last year, she co-wrote a paper on biodiversity and agriculture in developing countries in a special issue of Biodiversity: Journal of Life on Earth. Along with Newmaster and Prof. Manish Raizada, Plant Agriculture, she will begin su- pervising Guelph arts and science graduate Rebecca Ivanoff in her master’s degree in an- thropology and international development. Newmaster’s team has been nominated for the International Society of Ethnobiology’s Medal of Achievement, to be announced in the fall. He and Ragupathy will speak at the soci- ety’s conference this year and will take part in the Asian Congress on Biodiversity in Taiwan. THANK YOU TO ALL MY FRIENDS, COLLEAGUES To all my friends and colleagues in the Col- lege of Social and Applied Human Sciences and across the University. Thank you for the lovely reception held April 22 in cele- bration of my retirement. It was so nice to see everyone. I will miss you all and hope to keep in touch. I am looking forward to the years ahead and pursuing other new adventures. Thank you all for your numerous good wishes, flowers and gifts. I have truly enjoyed the past 30 years working at the University. Donna Mokren At Guelph 9 May 20, 2009 letters Projects to Reduce Fertilizer Use, Aid in Biomonitoring Continued from page 1 improve the plant. Specifically, they want to discover the genes or the gene activity that regulate nutrient uptake so they can improve plants’ efficiency in absorbing and using nitrogen. Better nitrogen use would mean that less fertilizer would be needed to produce the same yield, which would reduce costs and help the en- vironment, says Rothstein. “Nitrogen fertilizers are one of the largest input costs for farmers and a very significant source of pol- lution from crop agriculture.” A 20-per-cent reduction in the amount of nitrogen fertilizer would lead to a 40-per-cent decrease in this type of pollution, he says. “This could clearly be a significant achievement.” Corn was selected for the study because of its prominence in On- tario, the completion of the maize genome sequence and Rothstein’s expertise in maize genetics. It’s also Syngenta’s main crop of interest. “Our goal is to increase har- vestable yield for farmers, and we can do this faster through collabora- tions with leading researchers,” says Jay Bradshaw, president of Syngenta Canada. “We're pleased that the Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation is supporting scientific advancements in agriculture through this grant.” Rothstein adds that the genomic information gained from studying corn can be transferred to other im- portant grain crops such as barley, rice and wheat. Other Guelph faculty involved in the project are Profs. Joe Colasanti and Robert Mullen, Molecular and Cellular Bi- ology, and Lewis Lukens and Manish Raizada, Plant Agriculture. In addition, the U of G-based Ca- nadian Centre for DNA Barcoding received $400,000. Located in the Biodiversity Institute of Ontario, the centre will use the funds to help sup- port a technology development pro- ject for scanning biodiversity in bulk environmental samples through the use of cutting-edge next-generation DNA sequencing approaches. This project is led by Profs. Paul Hebert and Mehrdad Hajibabaei, Integra- tive Biology, and will set the stage for integrating this technology in Envi- ronment Canada’s biomonitoring programs. Over the past several years, vari- ous bar-coding projects have re- ceived millions of dollars in govern- ment, private- and public-sector support that has reinforced Can- ada’s leadership in biodiversity genomics research. Cancer Studies Funded Continued from page 1 show whether this receptor will be a good target in the treatment of lung cancer,” he says. Coomber, co-director of U of G’s Institute for Comparative Cancer Investigation, will receive $481,760 over four years to continue research on angiogenesis — blood vessel growth — and cancer. Promising advances in cancer treatment in re- cent years involve preventing the de- velopment of blood vessels that feed the tumours. Working with David Rodenhiser of the University of Western On- tario, Coomber’s lab is examining whether some anti-angiogenic ther- apies have some unintended conse- quences. “Reducing the amount of oxygen available may actually cause genetic changes that promote the growth of tumour cells, thus compromising the effectiveness of the treatment, which could be counteracted if properly understood," she says. after hours JOSEPH TINDALE Faculty member in the Department of Family Relations and Applied Nutrition, joined U of G in 1981 When Prof. Joseph Tindale’s children were young, he had trouble finding the time to do any sustained physical activity. But he’s making up for it now. At age 50, Tindale began studying tae kwon do and worked his way up to a sec- ond-degree black belt over the next nine years. At that stage, he was expected to do more teaching, but the time spent teaching was time he wasn’t spending staying fit. “I started running in the summer of 2007 and joined a five-kilometre learn-to-run club,” he says. He was soon running 10 km and wanted to add other activities to his workouts to reduce the risk of injury, so he joined the Guelph Triathlon Club. He competed in three triathlons last summer and is now training for another season of swimming, biking and running. “Biking is the hardest for me,” says Tindale. “I used to ride my bike to school as a kid but hadn’t ridden much since then. I still have a lot of technique to learn.” Besides wanting to improve his fitness, Tindale was motivated by a challenge from his sister and brother-in-law in Edmonton. They’d been doing tri- athlons for a few years and had urged their siblings to get involved in the sport. Last summer, the challenge was met when Tindale and five other family members com- peted in a triathlon in Gravenhurst. “We’re doing it again this July,” he says, “and this year, one of my daughters will be competing. After- wards, we’ll all retire to the family cottage and relax.” But once he’s rested up, Tindale will be back to hon- ing his triathlon skills and participating in the Guelph club. “It’s a great bunch of people, all fairly serious about fitness and from all walks of life. If I can still be doing tri- athlons in my 70s, I’ll be a very happy boy.” ANDREW MCEACHERN Master’s student in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics Andrew McEachern has been playing sports “since I was a little kid.” Here at Guelph, that has translated into participation in a num- ber of intramural sports, including dodgeball, base- ball, water polo, floor hockey, basketball and McEachern’s favourite — flag football. For the uninitiated, he explains that in the “flag” version of football, “each person carries a piece of cloth called a flag, and instead of tackling each other, you pull each other’s flags. That way nobody gets wiped out, al- though there are still some collisions — and not always mild ones. It’s co-ed, and we play about once a week for the first half of each semester.” McEachern plays sports partly because he likes to be active and keep fit, but he admits it’s the competitive as- pect that appeals to him the most. Away from the sports field, he belongs to a group of fantasy role-playing gamers who play out situations cre- ated by the game’s referee. The situations can be any- thing from re-creating ancient battles to working through plotlines with characters from Buffy the Vam- pire Slayer. After years of play, he has noticed a surprising point of similarity in the characters he develops. “I always seem to be playing a character who can generate fire.” McEachern also volunteers to tutor Guelph high school students who are struggling with his favourite subject — math. He believes recent government at- tempts to reduce the amount of math students are faced with has made the subject harder for them, not easier, so he hopes to help others master the subject. “This is one case where less is not more," he says. PAMELA COOPER Cashier with Hospitality Services, joined U ofG in 2004 For Pamela Cooper, her work on the Masai for Africa board has given her an unex- pected way to fulfil a goal she set many years ago. “I went to bible college in Saskatchewan, and my focus there was on missions in for- eign countries,” she says. “I always planned to go over- seas but never got there.” In 2006, she heard Guelph physician Dr. Anne- Marie Zajdlik, founder and director of the Masai Centre, give a talk at the church they both attend. “What she’s doing resonated with me,” says Cooper. “I believed she’d been given a mission to help others this way, and I knew I needed to be involved someway, some- how.” With Zajdlik’s encouragement, Cooper joined the Masai for Africa board and is now chair of the fundrais- ing committee — a commitment that keeps her busy. “The board meets once a month, and my committee meets once a month. And the rest of the time we’re plan- ning, organizing and attending events. I’m often work- ing on board projects in the morning before I go to work and again in the evening when I get home.” She often attends talks and presentations given by Zajdlik and sells the red and white “bracelets of hope” that have become synonymous with the Masai Centre’s efforts to raise funds for an AIDS clinic in Lesotho in southern Africa. The bracelets and other crafts are made by a women’s co-operative in South Africa. Cooper is currently working on a strategic plan with the centre’s full board, and their goal is “to get a red and white bracelet on the arm of every Canadian and to raise $150 million to help end the AIDS epidemic.” It’s a goal she strongly supports. “We have to think globally. The world is not as big as it used to be, and we are all affected by what happens anywhere on the planet.” Andrew McEachern Pamela Cooper Guelph Student Named Young Woman of Distinction Continued from page 1 Davenport received the wellness and health award for being a long- time advocate of public health, health promotion and illness pre- vention. At U of G and the University of Waterloo, she helped establish health and wellness programs such as smoking cessation and fitness. She has also been an advocate for public health funding and physician re- cruitment for the past 20 years. She currently serves as chair of the Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health board of directors and on the Physician Recruitment and Reten- tion Committee. Dewey was presented with the science, technology and research award for her contributions as a sci- entist and as a role model for female veterinary students at OVC and globally. She was also recognized for extending her role as a veterinary ed- ucator to the international commu- nity, in particular to western Kenya. After making a research trip there in 2006, Dewey started the Children of Bukati, a charity that supports the el- ementary school education of more than 650 HIV/AIDS orphans and destitute children. She has also been teaching sustainable farming prac- tices to women in the region to help improve quality of life. Mir was named Young Woman of Distinction for her contributions to enhancing cultural understanding and promoting gender equality both on and off campus. During her time at U of G, she has been actively in- volved with numerous student- based and administrative organiza- tions with the goal of empowering students. She has served on Student Senate Caucus, on the Central Stu- dent Association board and as presi- dent of the Muslim Students’ Association. She’s also been a peer helper, a member of Engineers With- out Borders, a program facilitator for the Multi-Faith Resource Team, vice-president of Guelph NDP Youth, a volunteer with Meal Ex- change and a U of G delegate at the National Conference on Women in Engineering. Stewart, a culinary expert, re- ceived the award for business, la- bour, the professions and entre- preneurs. She is the author of 14 books that promote Canadian foods and wines, as well as the people who grow and cook it. U of G is promi- nently featured in her most recent book, Canada: The Food, the Recipes, the Stories. In 1999, as part of OAC’s 125th anniversary, she researched all the foods and ingredients that had been developed at the University and created recipes and a menu from them. Stewart also launched the an- nual Canadian Beef Barbecue and founded Cuisine Canada, a food- promoting organization that links people in the food industry. At Guelph 10 May 20, 2009 branchi n g out CLASSIFIEDS FOR RENT Two-bedroom bungalow loft on quiet crescent, 2 Vi baths, finished basement, air conditioning, five appliances, garage, close to campus, non-smokers, no pets, available after June 10, $1,400 a month plus utili- ties, 519-824-8298. Furnished one-bedroom apartment in southwest Paris, France, short- term rental; two-bedroom holiday home in Antibes on French Riviera, weekly or monthly, 519-836-6745 or fhmoll@rogers.com. WANTED Department of Computing and Information Science seeks volun- teers for study to help victims of neuromuscular disease, 30 to 45 minutes required, financial com- pensation, tdoan@uoguelph.ca. She Hillside Festival weekend tickets (will buy one if that’s all you can spare), Cynthia, 519-767-0122 or ccheesem@uoguelph.ca. The Big Bike for Heart and Stroke team in Communications and Pub- lic Affairs is looking for members of the U of G community to join the team to participate in Wheels of Thunder June 17 at 2 p.m., riders must each raise at least $50 in pledges, Rebecca, Ext. 56039 or r.kendall@exec.uoguelph.ca. Families or individuals to host inter- national ESL students, homestay@ uoguelph.ca. AVAILABLE ESL tutoring, available most morn- ings and evenings, will meet on cam- pus, rates negotiable, 519-824-0536 or rbuchner@uoguelph.ca. FOR SALE Coleman hardtop 16-foot pop-up trailer, sleeps six, hot running water, heater, lots of storage, excellent con- dition, 519-836-4466 or mmsears@ sympatico.ca. One-bedroom trailer home at River- bend Park, 20 by 40 feet, deck over- looking Kortright conservation area and Speed River, well-maintained, park open April to November, 519-763-8738 or slim@uoguelph.ca. 2003 Nissan Altima SL, pewter with tan leather interior, sunroof, Bose stereo, all options, extremely clean, excellent mechanical condition, new tires last year, 161,000 km, Ext. 58950 or jsmither@uoguelph.ca. Send “Classifieds” submissions to Linda Graham at l.graham@exec. uoguelph.ca. Editor’s note: This is part of a series of columns high- lighting some of the interesting tree species that can be found on the U of G campus. It is written by certified arborist Rob Shaw-Lukavsky, a gardener in the Grounds Department. T he large white elm ( Ulmus Americana) just southwest of Macdonald Hall would be an impressive tree under any circumstances. The fact that this enormous tree is a Dutch elm disease survivor makes it even more impressive — and downright rare. This elm, along with three other large survivors on campus, has been resisting the deadly disease for more than 40 years, probably because of superior genetics. Urban elm trees are especially susceptible because of the extra stresses of pollution, soil compaction, con- struction, limited root zones and countless other haz- ards. It’s incredible to have four of these survivors in the University’s urban forest. All of the elms are closely monitored for signs of the disease and kept on a regular maintenance program. Proper cultural practices include pruning and removal of dead branches, soil aeration and fertilization, which can greatly aid the trees’ natural resistance to Dutch elm disease. The Macdonald Hall elm, which towers over many of the other trees and buildings in the area and can be seen from surprising distances, also holds the biggest “insurance policy” of any tree on campus. More than 1 50 feet of hardware weaves through the trunk and can- opy of this specimen in the form of steel rods, steel ca- bles and rope cables. Each system helps to preserve the structural integrity of the massive tree as well as protect it against the regular forces of wind, snow and gravity that can harm the wide-spreading canopy. Not only are the four survivor elm trees beautiful, but they are also a link to the past — a glimpse of what a stately presence the elm trees were in our cities. They are also an image of what elm trees can someday be again, thanks in large part to the work being done by the Arboretum’s Elm Recovery Project. Where Are You Now? If you can identify where this photo was taken, you will have your name entered in a draw to be held in June for a $50 gift certificate provided by the U of G Bookstore. Anyone who submits the right answer by May 25 at 4:45 p.m. is eligible for the draw. Send your response to r.kendall@exec.uoguelph.ca or call Ext. 56039 . The following people correctly reported that the May 6 photo was of a corner of the MacKinnon Building: Sandra Campbell, Scott McWhinnie, Gail McGinnis, Lorraine Weir, Johanne Dupont, Ray Hutchison, Emily MacPherson, Bill Clair, Danny Martin, Jonathan Fitzgeorge and Gerritt Bos. PHOTO BY REBECCA KENDALL MONTESSORI SCHOOL OF WELLINGTON established 1996 • Full- & half-day programs for 2 1/2 to 5 years • After-school program to 6 p.m. • Large gym & outdoor play area • Enhanced reading, writing & math • French, music, art & physical education • Social skill development in family setting PREPARE YOUR CHILD FOR SOCIAL AND ACADEMIC SUCCESS 519 - 821-5876 (located in Dublin Street United Church) 68 Suffolk Street West, Guelph N1H 2J2 www.montessori-school.ca YOUR PREFERRED Group Auto & Home INSURANCE PROGRAM Call today for a no-obllgation quote Toll Free 1-800-482-0822 Local 519-836-5700 Or visit our websita at www.staebler.com Save Up To 50% In Insurance Product Discounts fiiccb Your Group Discount! Waterloo Insurance r.economi callnsuranco.com At Guelph 11 May 20, 2009 EVENTS ARBORETUM Richard Tofflemire leads a work- shop on bird sounds June 5 from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Cost is $55. Reg- istration and payment are required by May 22. Call Ext. 52358. “Sketching Nature” is the focus of a workshop with naturalist Chris Earley June 19 from 10 a.m. to noon. Cost is $25. The deadline for regis- tration and payment is May 27. Horticulturist Sean Fox leads a ses- sion on trees June 18 from 7 to 9 p.m. Cost is $25. Registration dead- line is June 4. ART CENTRE | Guelph silversmith artist Lois Betteridge will give a talk on the Macdonald Stewart Art Centre’s exhibition of contemporary Cana- dian silversmithing June 2 at noon. LECTURE | The Guelph-Waterloo Physics Insti- tute's Distinguished Lecture Series [ presents Brian Schmidt of the ! Mount Stromlo Observatory at the Australian National University June | 2 at 4 p.m. at the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics in Waterloo. His topic is “Observational Evidence for Dark Energy.” A wine-and- cheese reception will follow. NOTICES The departments of Psychology and Philosophy host an interdisciplinary workshop on “Conceptual Issues in Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Interpretation” May 22 to 24 in Rozanski Hall. It will bring together Canadian and international scholars who specialize in neuro- imaging, the philosophy of science and mind, science and technology studies and neuroethics. Keynote speaker Russell Poldrack of UCLA will discuss “Reading Mental States From Neuroimaging Data: From Reverse Inference to Pattern Classi- fication.” Registration is free. For more details, visit the website http://issuesinfrnri.ca. Organizers of “Europe in Its Own Eyes/Europe in the Eyes of the Other,” an international conference on representations of European identity to be held at U of G in Octo- ber 2010, are calling for conference ; paper and panel proposals. Submis- I sions are encouraged from a wide range of disciplines, with particular emphasis on literature, film, history, music, art and political science. Abstracts are due July 31, 2009. For more information, visit http://arts. uoguelph.ca/euid20 1 0. OAC is calling for nominations for the 2009 H.R. MacMillan Laureate in Agriculture. The award honours an individual or group judged to have made the most significant con- tribution to Canadian agriculture over the past five years. Nomination deadline is June 30. For more details, visit www.oac.uoguelph.ca. The Department of Pathobiology presents Brandon Lillie discussing “The Genetics of Disease Resistance in Livestock" May 21, Andrew Vince considering “Chronic Liver Disease in the Canine Patient” May 28 and post-doc Prithy Rupa Babu explain- ing “Prophylactic and Therapeutic Approaches to Interventions in Food Allergy Investigations Using Swine” May 29. All seminars begin at 11 a.m. in Pathobiology 2106. TEACHING SUPPORT Occupational Health and Wellness hosts a “Better ‘U’ Lilac Picnic” May 26 at noon at the Arboretum. Musi- cian Michael Mucci of the Depart- ment of Integrative Biology will per- form. Bring your lunch and a towel to sit on, and meet at the kiosk at the Arboretum entrance. Rain date is June 5. For more information, call Ext. 52647. The Stress Management and High Performance Clinic is offering a five-session “Better Sleep” program beginning May 27 at 7 p.m. in UC 335. For more information or to reg- ister, pick up a pamphlet at the Info Desk on UC Level 1, visit www. uoguelph.ca/~ksomers or leave a message at Ext. 52662. The Centre for Family, Work and Well-Being celebrates its 10th anni- versary with "Refresh Your Soul” May 30 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Ramada Inn. The day will include speakers, vendors, five-minute mas- sages and giveaways. Registration is required. For more information, send e-mail to gjoseph@uoguelph. ca. SEMINARS The Department of Mathematics and Statistics presents Xuewen Lu of the University of Calgary discussing “Partially Linear Single-Index Pro- portional Hazards Models” May 21 at 2:30 p.m. in science complex 1511. OVC launches an annual seminar series called “VetMed Evolution: Animals, People and the Environ- ment” May 28 to celebrate 150 years of veterinary medicine in Canada. This year’s theme is “Changing Lives . . . Women in Veterinary Medicine.” Keynote speaker is Susan Jones, president of the World Association for the History of Veterinary Medi- cine. The free event runs from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. in OVC’s Lifetime Learning Centre. To register, send e-mail to eventsrsvp@uoguelph.ca. Full details and a registration link for Teaching Support Services pro- grams can be found on the TSS website at www.tss.uoguelph.ca. If you have questions, call Mary Nairn at Ext. 53571. TSS is offering graduate student workshops on “Grading and Effec- tive Feedback” May 26 and “Prepar- ing a Teaching Philosophy State- ment” June 4. “Food for Thought,” a discussion group for grad students, focuses on “Graduate Student Development” May 29. Richard Gorrie of TSS leads a hands- on session on “Clickers in the Class- room” May 28. The Curriculum Development Re- source Network sponsors an interac- tive workshop on “Designing Effec- tive Writing Assignments” with Barbara Christian of the Learning Commons June 4. TSS is offering a series of Desire2Learn workshops June 1 to 4. THESIS DEFENCES The final examination of M.Sc. can- didate Jillian Smith, Integrative Biol- ogy, is May 25 at 9 a.m. in science complex 3317. The thesis is “Evolu- tion of Genome Size in the Order Chiroptera.” The adviser is Prof. Ryan Gregory. The final examination of Paul Rich- ardson, a PhD candidate in the Department of Integrative Biology, is June 12 at 2 p.m. in science com- plex 2315. The thesis is “Causes and Consequences of Biodiversity in Ecosystem Reconstruction.” The adviser is Prof. Doug Larson. The Ontario Public Interest Research Group-Guelph hosts the 30th annual Speed River Cleanup June 13 starting at 9 a.m. at Royal City Park. Bring old shoes, boots or hip waders, gloves, sun gear and water. A barbecue hosted by Re/Max will follow. For more information, call 519-824-2091 or visit www. opirgguelph.org. The Guelph Pride Committee’s week-long festivities for queer pride in Guelph officially kick off May 25 at noon with a flag-raising ceremony at Guelph City Hall. The week will also include a potluck dinner, a movie, a dance, a choral concert, workshops, a church service, and an art performance of spoken word and drag. For more information, send e-mail to guelphpride@gmail.com. Guelph Youth Singers present their spring concert, “Rhythm of the Rain,” May 23 at 7:30 p.m. at the River Run Centre. Conducted by Linda Beaupr£, the concert will fea- ture pianist Ken Gee and the Suzuki String School. For tickets, call 519-763-3000. The 2009 Commuter Challenge runs May 31 to June 6 during National Environment Week. The nationwide campaign aims to reduce the num- ber of single-occupancy vehicles driven to work by encouraging peo- ple to take public transportation, carpool, walk, bike or Rollerblade. To register your participation, visit www.commuterchallenge.ca. The Rainbow Chorus presents “Peace, Love, Rock ’n' Roll” May 30 at 8 p.m. at Harcourt United Church. For more information, visit www.rainbowchorus.ca. June 2 is National Hunger Aware- ness Day. From June 2 to 12, Kraft Canada’s Kraft Hunger Challenge will match donations made to food banks across Canada dollar for dol- lar up to $150,000. To donate locally, drop by the Guelph Food Bank at 100 Crimea Street, call 519-767-1380 or send e-mail to gfb@spiritwind.ca. The Guelph Arts Council’s annual guided walking tours run on selected Sundays until mid-October. Sue tours are available, each exploring a different area of historical Guelph. All tours start at 2 p.m. and last about two hours. For tour dates, call 519-836-3280 or visit www.guelph arts.ca/guelphartscouncil. The Barber Gallery hosts a juried exhibition by members of the Cen- tral Ontario Art Association May 23 to June 22. The opening reception is May 23 from 2 to 4 p.m. For Sale 60 Cardigan St. Condo Stunning two-bedroom condo at 60 Cardigan St. located in historical Stewart Lumber building near Speed River and downtown. Soaring timbered ceilings, exposed brick walls, hardwood floors. Shows 10+. $289,900. Bill Green, Royal LePage 519-824-9050 bgreen@rlproyalcity.com < 3 > R U R B A VISION Eye Exams Jai Jassai Safety Glasses lnto@purbavislon Contact Lenses 1388 Gordon St.. Unit 1 Designer Frames Guelph, Ontario Sunglasses NIL 1C8 Canada | Tel. 519-823-9400 www.rurbavision.com Fax. 519-823-2273 | The Guelph Contemporary Dance Festival runs June 4 to 7 at the River Run Centre, Exhibition Park and St. George’s Square. For details, call 519-780-2220 or visit www.guelph contemporarydancefestival.com. The Donkey Sanctuary of Canada hosts donkey visits Wednesdays and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. until Thanksgiving, with a donkey fundraiser slated for June 14. Visit www.thedonkeysanctuary.ca for more information. Our Lady of Lourdes presents Fid- dler on the Roof May 28 at 7:30 p.m. at the River Run Centre. For tickets, call 519-763-3000. The Edward Johnson Music Foun- dation is accepting applications for its 2009 scholarship and awards pro- gram for music students who are pursuing a post-secondary educa- tion. Application deadline is June 1 1 . For details, call 519-821 -7570 or visit the website www.edwardjohnson musicfoundation.org. College Heights Secondary School in Guelph celebrates its 40th anniver- sary with a reunion Sept. 25 and 26. It will feature a dinner-dance, golf tournament and car show. For infor- mation or to register for the reunion, visit http://collegeheights.ugdsb.on. ca. The Guelph Rowing Club, in part- nership with the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario, is offering a “Learn to Row” program beginning the first week of June. For more information, see the “Learn to Row” program information at www. guelphrowing.ca or contact Audra Thompson at athompson@hsf.on.ca or 519-837-4858. The next meeting of the Guelph Horticultural Society is May 27 at 7:30 p.m. at Dublin United Church. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Guelph is looking for sponsors and golfers for its annual Golf Fore Kids Sake tour- nament June 16 at Guelph Lakes Golf and Country Club. For infor- mation, call 519-824-5154, send e- mail to june@bbbsg.ca or visit www. bbbsg.ca. The first New Hamburg Live! Festi- val of the Arts runs May 20 to 24. The program includes concerts, a choral workshop, an art show, liter- ary events, and an aboriginal drums and dance presentation. For details, visit www.newhamburglive.ca. For information about paid advertising in At Guelph, call Scott Anderson at 519-827-9169. At Guelph 12 May 20 , 2009