GAZETTE - Memorial University · In this interview with Gazette contributor Jennifer Batten,...
Transcript of GAZETTE - Memorial University · In this interview with Gazette contributor Jennifer Batten,...
Senior appointment Associate vice-president (academic) faculty affairs role filled by former director of Faculty Relations.
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Leading the way Student Affairs and Services has created three leadership certificate programs customized to students’ needs.
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memoriaL rememberS Memorial’s pensioners’ association is inviting submissions for a book of personal memoirs about the era 1950–90.
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Dr. Jeffrey Pittman has been named the
Faculty of Business Administration’s first research chair.
“The creation of the Chair in Corporate Governance
and Transparency underscores the Faculty of Business
Administration’s commitment to excellence and rele-
vance,” said Dr. Wilfred Zerbe, dean, Faculty of Business
Administration. “Through this chair, we are building
on an established area of research leadership to increase
the impact of our world-class research, and to enhance
our contribution to public policy and corporate best
practices.”
A $500,000 contribution from Power Corporation
of Canada to Memorial’s $50-million private sec-
tor fundraising campaign, Dare To: The Campaign for
Memorial University, is supporting academic excellence
at Memorial. The university has designated this fund-
ing to the Faculty of Business Administration to support
the establishment of the chair. Corporate governance is
an area of growing interest in the global business sec-
tor. It focuses on the development of processes and best
practices for corporate stakeholder relations, including
reliable financial reporting and overall transparency
and accountability.
Along with teaching in Memorial’s Faculty of
Business Administration, the chair will undertake orig-
inal research and integrate research from various disci-
plines concerning the role of corporate governance in
Canada and beyond.
Dr. Pittman joined the Faculty of Business
Administration in 2000 after finishing his PhD at
the University of Waterloo. Along with his appoint-
ment as Memorial’s Chair in Corporate Governance
and Transparency, he is also the university’s
Certified Management Accountant (CMA) Professor
of Accounting. He holds two professional account-
ing designations, chartered accountant and certified
management accountant, and has compiled an excep-
tional track record which includes publishing 14 articles
in journals on the Financial Times’ list of top business
journals. Dr. Pittman has presented his research at
some of the best scholarly conferences in his discipline,
with his research routinely informing public policy
discourse.
“I am thrilled to be appointed to this role, which
I’m optimistic will enable me to continue to analyze
the importance of firm-level and country-level gover-
nance structures to corporate economic outcomes,”
said Dr. Pittman. “Ideally, research under the Chair
in Corporate Governance and Transparency will have
broad policy implications, hopefully leading to reforms
that will benefit the economy.”
GAZETTEA M E M O R I A L U N I V E R S I T Y O F N E W F O U N D L A N D P U B L I C AT I O N
April 24, 2013 Volume 45 Number 13
Publication Mail Registration No. 40062527
SpeCiaL anniVerSary memorial student and tetra Society member ashley Sullivan, left, accepts the glenn roy blundon award on behalf of dr. Leonard Lye and the tetra Society from olga blundon, glenn roy blundon’s mother, during the blundon Centre’s 20th anniversary celebrations. See related story on page 9.
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Corporate cultureFirst research chair named in the Faculty of business administrationBy Laura Barron
See CORPORATE story on page 4
Gazette | Wednesday, April 24, 2013 2 www.mun.ca/gazette
By amy Tucker
special to the Gazette
Yaffle.ca is Memorial’s online connecting tool. One of its most
significant jobs is to provide a way for people from outside Memorial
to ask for research help. With hundreds of community-suggested
opportunities to choose from, your next project is just a click away.
Here’s one …
The opportunity:
In her role as the executive director with the Labrador
West Status of Women Council, Noreen Careen has been
working with some members of the immigrant popula-
tion in Labrador West. A sizeable number of immigrants
have moved to the region for gainful employment, and
they have been recognized for saving the local service
sector.
“Without the immigrants, many of the retail organiza-
tions would probably not be able to operate on a perma-
nent basis,” said Ms. Careen. “A lack of human resources
is one of the major issues facing Labrador West in this
time of economic boom. Retail business, along with not-
for-profit organizations, cannot compete with big mining
or contracting companies.”
Ms. Careen has learned that many members of the
immigrant population are working in the lower skilled
service industry. However, many of these new arrivals
are highly educated and may aspire to work in an area of
their expertise. There are concerns that these immigrants
are not being integrated as well as they could be into the
local community, and their needs and aspirations are not
being met.
“I feel by them not being integrated into our commu-
nity that we are missing out on some of their great skill
sets. Also I feel that if they were better integrated into the
community they would feel a sense of belonging and will
stay for the long term. Many express concerns of lack of
extended family. ”
Ms. Careen also notes that in her work, she and her
colleagues find themselves helping newcomers with liv-
ing arrangements. Workers are often provided with over-
crowded and expensive accommodations in Labrador
West.
It is also difficult to assess the challenges that immi-
grants face, says Ms. Careen, as many are reluctant to
make them known. As they are often sponsored to the
province by their employers, they may be afraid that
speaking out could cause them to lose their current
employment or living arrangements that are part of their
work contract.
There also seems to be a lack of services available in
Labrador West to help immigrants, from both govern-
ment and non-profits, she says. The Advanced Education
and Skills-funded role that provides assistance to immi-
grants when needed is based in Happy Valley-Goose Bay;
however, the staff member has left the position. Also, Dr.
Careen notes: “I have heard from immigrants that the clo-
sure of our Employment Connection Center in Labrador
West will also have a profound effect on those looking for
assistance with job search, resumé writing, etc.”
The project:
It would be useful to conduct a study of the local
immigrant community — their needs, the challenges
they face, their aspirations and what can be done to
improve accommodations for these groups, says Dr.
Careen.
“I think for a research project it would be great to talk
directly with some of the many immigrants in Labrador
West and find out how they are coping with the move.
There is a lot of work that needs to be done to expand
intercultural understanding.”
Interested in learning more about this project? Amy Tucker, co-ordinator
of knowledge mobilization at the Harris Centre, would love to tell you
more. Call her at 709-864-6115 or email her at [email protected].
GAZETTEA M E M O R I A L U N I V E R S I T Y O F N E W F O U N D L A N D P U B L I C AT I O N
EdiToR GRAPhics Mandy cook Molly Baker
Regular contributors
courtenay AlcockLaura Barron
Jennifer BattenRebecca cohoe
Melanie callahanNora dalyPaula dykeMoira FinnKelly Foss
Pamela Gillsharon GrayJanet harron
Jill hunt
Jackey LockeVirginia Middleton
Peter Morrisshannon o’dea dawson
Naomi osborneMichelle osmond
david PenneyMarcia Porterdave sorensen
Meaghan Whelansusan White-MacPherson
heidi Wicks Laura Woodford
classified Advertising Photography Kelly hickey chris hammond
AdvertisingMandy cook
Telephone: 709-864-2142Email: [email protected]
Next Gazette deadline May 8 for May 15 publication.
The Gazette is published 17 times annually by the division of Marketing and communications at Memorial Uni versity.
Material in the Gazette may be reprinted or broadcast without permission, excepting materials for which the Gazette does not hold exclusive copyright.
Gazette, Room A-1024 Memorial University of Newfoundland st. John’s, NL A1c 5s7 Telephone: 709-864-2142 Fax: 709-864-8699 Email: [email protected] issN 0228-88 77
With the exception of advertisements from Memorial University, ads carried in the Gazette do not imply recommendation by the university for the service or product.
your next project
correctionMargot Reid, a spring 2013 honorary graduate whose bio-
graphy appeared in the April 3 Gazette, was born in St. John’s,
N.L., not Saint John, N.B. The Gazette apologizes for the error.
The Petty Harbour Mini Aquarium is a unique, non-profit
organization that was started by a group of Memorial
University graduates with a passion for the ocean and the
creatures that lie beneath it. In this interview with Gazette
contributor Jennifer Batten, executive director melanie
Knight discusses the aquarium’s beginnings and what it
will mean for ocean sciences in Newfoundland and Labrador.
The facility’s grand opening will take place June 15; all are
welcome to attend. For more information on this initiative,
visit www.miniaqua.org .
JB: tell me about how the Petty Harbour mini
aquarium got started?
mK: The Petty Harbour Mini Aquarium is modelled after
the very successful Ucluelet Mini Aquarium on British
Columbia’s west coast. After my first year at Memorial
University, I moved to Ucluelet, B.C., to go surfing and
ended up spending all my time at the mini aquarium
that had just opened there. I started volunteering with
the organization and eventually began working there.
The experience changed my life. It helped me apply
my biology degree and figure out what kind of marine
biologist I wanted to be.
I came back to Memorial for second year with a new-
found determination and passion. I wished we had a
marine aquarium right here in the province to continue
to teach at, but there wasn’t one. The idea came up
during a conversation with Memorial professor Dr. Ian
Jones about my summer experience. “So start one here,”
he said. “What? No way!” I thought. Well, seven years
later, here we are launching the Petty Harbour Mini
Aquarium. I guess the idea that was at first totally outra-
geous, took root. I’ve spent the last seven years getting
the work, volunteer experience, training, education and
mentorship that would prepare me to start something
like this.
Bowater House president and dear friend Kaylen Hill
and I kept talking about the idea throughout the years.
Kaylen, who is a graduate of the Marine Institute, holds
a bachelor of science from Memorial and is a master’s
candidate at Memorial, is now the president of the Petty
Harbour Mini Aquarium board of directors along with
directors Justin Dearing, a Memorial bachelor of science
graduate, Kiley Best, a Marine Institute researcher and
graduate and Memorial bachelor of science graduate,
and Keith Mercer and Geoff Coughlan, both Marine
Institute instructors. I finished my biology degree from
Memorial through distance education while in B.C. Our
team is one big MUN family!
JB: What can people see/do when they visit the Petty
Harbour mini aquarium?
mK: Touch! You can also smell, stare, compare, zoom
in, jaw drop, ask, wonder, cringe, draw, gasp, pledge,
give and be inspired! The animals you could expect to
see on display would be charismatic intertidal and sub-
tidal life, such as sea stars and anemones, snails, crabs,
jellies, lumpfish, ocean pout, wolf fish, the infamous
lobster, seasonal seaweeds and schools of juvenile fish.
Small 360-degree viewing, open-topped tanks allow
for close interactions that you can’t get at other large
aquariums. Video microscopes, a children’s play area
and a scuba diver dress-up photo booth will also be
among the exhibits.
JB: How will the Petty Harbour mini aquarium impact
ocean sciences in newfoundland and Labrador?
mK: Like nowhere else, the mini aquarium will be a
place to spark conversations about ocean conservation.
A place where students, researchers, fishermen, families
and tourists can come together to discuss, share
and learn about our oceans. Old traditions and new
research will be compared and displayed to show our
hard lessons learned and the advancements from them.
We hope the mini aquarium will become a hub which
fosters our natural curiosity for what lies beneath the
big blue blanket.
ALuMni SpotLiGHt
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Gazette | Wednesday, April 24, 2013 3 www.mun.ca/gazette
fisHeries science anD researcH
initiatives were the focus of more than $2 million
in funding to the Marine Institute’s (MI) Centre for
Fisheries Ecosystems Research (CFER) from the provincial
government this month.
The funding was announced the same day CFER research
scientists set sail from Ireland on board the Irish national
research vessel, RV Celtic Explorer, on a transatlantic survey.
The multidisciplinary survey was led by Dr. George
Rose, director, CFER. It gathered oceanographic data as
well as acoustic recordings across the entire North Atlantic.
The survey built on work completed during two previous
transatlantic surveys in 2011 and 2012.
As MI’s newest centre in fisheries research, CFER has
become the largest university-based, at-sea fisheries
ecosystems research unit in Canada.
The centre’s expansion has significantly impacted
provincial capabilities in fisheries research. It has
allowed the team to conduct extensive research in the
Newfoundland and Labrador marine ecosystem and
contribute to the knowledge base and stock assessment of
cod, capelin, shrimp and crab.
CFER’s research plays a significant role in better
understanding our changing ocean environment and the
effects climate change will have on fish stocks.
“The provincial government’s continued support for
the advancement of the Fisheries and Marine Institute
in the global oceans sector has been essential to our
development,” said Glenn Blackwood, vice-president,
Memorial University (Marine Institute). “The centre
mentors future generations in fisheries science and plays
a significant role in better understanding our changing
ocean environment.”
During the announcement, a financial contribution to
the Canadian Centre for Fisheries Innovation (CCFI) for
the coming year was also highlighted.
“We certainly need to understand what is happening
to our ecosystem and our fish resources to ensure the
product we harvest and process is used for the benefit
of Newfoundland and Labrador,” said Robert Verge,
managing director, CCFI. “We believe there is a bright
future for the seafood industry and will continue working
to help create that future. Over the past three and a half
years, the centre has used provincial government funding
to initiate or support projects valued at $24 million. We
thank the provincial government for the additional
contribution for the coming year and we will ensure it is
used wisely to help build the Newfoundland and Labrador
fishery.”
Derrick Dalley, minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture,
was provided a tour of CFER’s lab and CCFI’s high pressure
processing unit after the announcement.
Since the inception of both the Centre for Fisheries
Ecosystems Research and the Canadian Centre for Fisheries
Innovation, the Provincial Government of Newfoundland
and Labrador has invested almost $15 million toward both
initiatives.
noW tHat tHe winter semester of 2013 has
ended, many students may consider taking the next
four months off from school. Some will work within
their placement programs, get part-time jobs, travel,
reconnect with friends and family or fill the time with
entertainment and pure leisure. Before getting too
comfortable with your spring/summer plans though,
consider the downfalls of having too much time off
from academics.
Upon returning in the fall, many students have
difficulty getting back into the routines they held before.
Opening those thick, heavy books is one of the toughest
tasks to face in September. Perhaps some people take
too much of a break from classes and neglect the brain’s
need for constant training, which should be maintained
during the off-season.
Simple tasks like reading books and magazines,
especially ones that are related to your field of study, are a
healthy way for minds to remain fresh. This may provide
opportunity to apply what you have already learned in
school and remain up-to-date in your chosen field. A lot
of our studies reference previous classes so it is important
to maintain that basic knowledge.
MUN offers courses all throughout the summer. They
offer intersession, which are full semesters compacted
into two months, along with the full four-month
semester. Keep in mind, the more classes you take now,
the fewer you will have to do as you close in on your
final year.
For those of us who will return to home outside of
St. John’s, or dedicate our summer to working full-
time hours, there is the option of taking courses online
through MUN’s distance education unit, DELTS. If you
cannot find a class that credits your declared major, there
is likely one available that fills an elective requirement
for your degree. This will help with the upkeep of your
study habits.
By reducing to part-time studies during the summer,
you still have the flexibility in your schedule to enjoy free
time or work. If you have plans to travel, an intersession
course from May–June or June–August is also an option.
MUN encourages us to maintain our knowledge by
offering courses during the spring and summer months.
The mind is like a muscle that craves exercise and
nourishment (i.e., knowledge) for its growth and health.
A prof once mentioned that it is our most important
asset and we must always put it to use. Take a moment to
rethink how you might spend your spring/summer and
consider filling those empty gaps by staying on top of
academics.
Joshua Duff is a fourth-year student majoring in political science and
English language and literature at Memorial University. He can be reached
StuDentVieWJoshua Duff
School is finished. now what do i do?
Future of fisheriesprovincial government supports fisheries science at marine institute
By naomi osborne
Kiley best, fisheries technologist, examines a cod otolith at mi’s Centre for Fisheries ecosystems research.
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Gazette | Wednesday, April 24, 2013 4 www.mun.ca/gazette
Dr. anDy Jones,
an honorary graduate of
Memorial, former writer-
in-residence and occasional
instructor in the Department
of English Language and
Literature, was awarded
the 2012 BMO Winterset
Award for his book Jack and
Mary in the Land of Thieves
(published by Running the
Goat Books & Broadsides of St. John’s).
Jack and Mary in the Land of Thieves is the first picture
book to receive the prestigious award and the first winning
book to have been published by a publisher based in
Newfoundland and Labrador.
The BMO Winterset Award celebrates excellence in
Newfoundland and Labrador writing, in any genre.
It honours the memory of Sandra Fraser Gwyn, St.
John’s-born social historian, prize-winning author and
passionate promoter of the Newfoundland and Labrador
arts community. Her husband, journalist and author
Richard Gwyn, established the award in 2000.
morgan cooPer has been named associate
vice-president (academic) faculty affairs. He has also
been appointed associate professor in the Environmental
Studies Program in the Division of Social Science
at Grenfell Campus, with an association with the
Environmental Policy Institute.
The recommendations of the search committee were
accepted by the president and approved by the executive
committee of the Board of Regents.
Mr. Cooper’s appointment as associate vice-president
(academic) faculty affairs is effective April 15, 2013, for
a five-year term.
“Please join me in welcoming Mr. Cooper to this posi-
tion,” said Dr. David Wardlaw, provost and vice-president
(academic). “I am very pleased with the outcome and
look forward to working with Mr. Cooper. I know that he
is eager to assume this position and I am confident that
he will provide dynamic and effective leadership for the
portfolio and the university.”
Mr. Cooper replaces Dr. Grant Gardner who completed
his term as associate vice-president (academic) on March 31.
Dr. Wardlaw acknowledged Dr. Gardner’s work in
this role.
“We thank Dr. Gardner for his valuable contributions
to the university and appreciate his extraordinary dedi-
cation to the portfolio,” said Dr. Wardlaw.
Mr. Cooper has held the position of director of
Faculty Relations at Memorial since April 2008. His core
responsibilities in that role include leadership in the
collective bargaining process for all academic collective
agreements; day-to-day administration of all academic
collective agreements and maintaining working rela-
tionships with union leadership; providing advice to
academic administrators on all matters involving the
recruitment, appointment, promotion and tenure of fac-
ulty members and on university policies as they pertain
to faculty members; and managing the operations of the
Office of Faculty Relations.
Mr. Cooper has been active in the local community
throughout his career and he currently holds the posi-
tion of president of the Law Society of Newfoundland
and Labrador, having served eight years as an elected
bencher of the Law Society.
Prior to his appointment at Memorial, Mr. Cooper was
a partner with McInnes Cooper in the firm’s employ-
ment and labour group where he had responsibility for
all aspects of employment and labour law, including
advocacy before administrative tribunals courts, collec-
tive bargaining support and tactical and strategic advice
to corporations.
Mr. Cooper has held positions as vice-chair and chair
of the Labour Relations Board with the Government of
Newfoundland and Labrador for a combined period of
five years.
From 1994–2001, he held the appointment of
assistant professor at Memorial’s Faculty of Business
Administration. Mr. Cooper has also been a per course
instructor for Business since 2001.
He holds a bachelor of commerce (honours) from
Memorial, a master of industrial relations from the
University of Toronto and a bachelor of laws from
Dalhousie.
The position of associate vice-president (academic) fac-
ulty affairs reports to the provost and vice-president (aca-
demic), and will be an active participant in a team-based
approach to senior academic leadership in the Office of
the Provost and Vice-President (Academic).
This portfolio will have primary responsibilities in all
areas pertaining to the employment relationship, the aca-
demic workplace, career development and professional
well-being of academic staff (all types of appointment,
including librarians and co-operative education co-ordi-
nators) and instructors. Some of the responsibilities apply
to the St. John’s campus, while others are pan-university.
Initially, there will be one direct report to this position,
namely, the director of the Office of Faculty Relations.
aVpa faculty affairs announced winterset for dr. JonesBy Janet harron
notABLeshannon gill and Will Bradford, both graduate students with
the Department of Earth Sciences, have been awarded gradu-
ate fellowships from the Society of Economic Geologists with
funding from the Society of Economic Geologists Canada Foun-
dation (SEGCF). In the 2013 competition, only 32 fellowships
were awarded globally. Ms. Gill, a M.Sc. student, is working on
the Lemarchant volcanogenic massive sulfide (VMS) deposit in
central Newfoundland, while Mr. Bradford is a M.Sc. student
working on the isotope geochemistry of trace minerals associat-
ed with VMS mineralization in the Wolverine deposit, Yukon.
sandra cooke-Hubley, a third-year medical student, has won
a US$1,750 travel award to attend a conference in Japan in May
with Dr. Christopher Kovacs, Faculty of Medicine. The confer-
ence is the joint meeting of the International Bone and Mineral
Society and the Japanese Society of Bone and Mineral Research.
This award for Ms. Cooke-Hubley was for her research abstract
titled Circulating FGF23 Is Regulated by PTH and Calcitriol
During Fetal Development But Low FGF23 Does Not Signifi-
cantly Alter Fetal Phosphorus Metabolism. The research was
largely done last summer, with her salary funded by a summer
undergraduate research award.
Dr. anne thareau has been re-appointed head of the Depart-
ment of French and Spanish for a further three-year term.
Dr. yuri muzychka has been appointed associate dean, re-
search, in the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science for a
one-year term, renewable for an additional two years.
Dr. Philip Branigan has been appointed head of the Depart-
ment of Linguistics for a three-year term.
Kimberly Blanchard, Department of Human Resources; gary
Pike, Department of Financial and Administrative Services;
John Hogan, legal representative; and Dr. tim fletcher, parent
representative, have been appointed to the Childcare Board
for two-year terms. Lisa murphy and travis Perry, Memorial
University of Newfoundland Students’ Union representatives,
have been appointed for one-year terms.
Janice galliott has been re-appointed university director on the
Western Sports and Entertainment Inc.’s board of directors until
Sept. 30, 2014.
anne richardson, director/general manager of The Works, has
retired from the position. Craig Neil was appointed to the role
as of April 13, 2013, by the Memorial University Recreation
Complex board. Mr. Neil has been a member of The Works
team for the past 12 years and was a key member of the senior
management team.
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Dr. Gary Kachanoski, president and vice-chancellor,
sees this new chair as an opportunity to advance corpo-
rate governance nationally, and to distinguish Memorial
as a research institution.
“This generous contribution from Power Corporation
of Canada will help Memorial University to take a lead
role in the development of Canadian expertise in cor-
porate governance,” said Dr. Kachanoski. “As Memorial
grows, investments such as this are key to attracting the
very best students and faculty to our university.”
Power Corporation has had a long history with the
university, and was keen to be a part of the campaign,
and to support academic excellence at Memorial.
“Power Corporation of Canada’s involvement with
Memorial University goes back more than 30 years,”
said Edward Johnson, vice-president, Power Corporation
International. “We are particularly pleased to extend our
relationship with Memorial by contributing to the Dare
To campaign. Our contribution to this campaign is part
of a larger program of community involvement which has
been part of our corporate culture for many years.”
con’t from CORPORATE on page 1
dr. Jeffrey pittman, edward Johnson, dr. gary Kachanoski and dr. wilfred Zerbe unveil a donation from power Corporation of Canada.
Gazette | Wednesday, April 24, 2013 5 www.mun.ca/gazette
seeing your ByLine in print can be pretty
exciting, and that’s how six master’s students at
Memorial’s School of Nursing felt when they found out
their work is being published in the Canadian Journal of
Nursing Infomatics.
The Canadian Journal of Nursing Informatics is a
scholarly, peer-reviewed journal that aims to promote
the advancement of infomatics within Canada’s nursing
community.
As part of their course work for Dr. Wendy Young’s
distance education class in nursing infomatics, students
were asked to write final papers that focused on a project
they would like to see implemented in the practice
setting.
Nursing infomatics is a specialty that facilitates
integration of health care data, information and
knowledge to support nursing practice and decision-
making — using high quality research to propose
evidence-based change.
“Having a piece of work published feels like obtaining
success at a level that is different from academic
accomplishment,” said Carla Kennedy, one of the
master’s students and a critical care nurse at St. Clare’s
Mercy Hospital. “I’m surprised, and humbled.”
Ms. Kennedy, a graduate of the Western Regional
School of Nursing, wrote about the use of mobile
communications in health-care delivery with co-author
Dr. Young, an assistant professor in the School of
Nursing and the Canada Research Chair in Healthy
Aging.
Seeking publication in the journal was voluntary
and beyond the scope of the students’ course work. The
issue is including a special section to showcase student
work, with the Memorial nursing students’ papers the
first to be selected to appear.
“I feel fortunate to have my work published this early
in the master’s program,” said Sarah Payne, who wrote
her paper about electronic documentation. “I am very
proud of this accomplishment and it certainly inspires
me to continue my studies.”
A graduate of the Centre for Nursing Studies and a
staff nurse in the surgical unit at the Janeway Children’s
Hospital, Ms. Payne explored the benefits of using
electronic documentation systems to document vital
clinical information that nurses would typically record
on paper charts.
“We encourage our students to publish, and to engage
in scholarly activity,” said Dr. Shirley Solberg, associate
dean (graduate programs and research) at the School of
Nursing. “It’s absolutely essential if we are to develop
and share new knowledge.”
“Our nursing students are interested in using nursing
informatics to improve patient care, and I’m so proud of
them,” said Dr. Young. “Writing and researching these
articles gets them thinking and writing about important
issues, and it’s really helpful to have a publication on
their resumés.”
tHe memoriaL University of Newfoundland
Pensioners’ Association (MUNPA) memoir group is
inviting submissions for a book of personal memoirs
about the era 1950–1990 by retired Memorial
University professors, librarians, instructors, technical
and administrative staff.
The group was started 10 years ago after retired
English professor Dr. Roberta Buchanan was asked
by several MUNPA members — including Dr. Raoul
Andersen of the Department of Anthropology and the
late Dr. Don Steele of the Department of Biology — to do
a workshop on memoir writing. A group of interested
retirees then started meeting once a month.
“We think that the uniqueness of Memorial
University and its challenging early decades could
result in our memoirs being a valuable supplement
to the literature about academic life in Canada,” said
Dr. Stephen Riggins of the Department of Sociology.
“We also anticipate that alumni will enjoy reading
this volume and believe it may even contribute to the
community spirit of the university.”
Dr. Riggins, who is currently writing a history of the
Department of Sociology, will co-edit the volume with
Dr. Buchanan. They welcome the following types of
articles: autobiographical reminiscences about careers
at Memorial University, including how the author
came to Memorial; articles about deceased members
of the groups mentioned above; interviews with staff
or faculty members who do not wish to submit an
article of their own; and stories about institutions
and events at Memorial, such as the Junior Division,
Extension Services, Botanical Garden, the student
strike, Women’s Association (WAMUN), Institute of
Social and Economic Research, academic departments,
campus theatre, art gallery and so forth.
The MUNPA memoir group meets informally one
afternoon a month in A3015 to read and discuss their
memoirs. Members include retired librarians, retirees
from geography, sociology, anthropology, women’s
studies (now gender studies), physics, biology, the
School of Medicine and the School of Music, among
others. They have documented not only their own
personal histories but also how their personal lives are
intertwined with the history of their years at Memorial
University. The book project was the next natural step,
according to Dr. Buchanan.
Her own first memories of Memorial include arriving
on the Newfie Bullet in August 1964 and being met
by the head of the English department, Dr. Seary, and
his wife Gwen, and “how kind and welcoming they
were to a nervous young new immigrant and faculty
member.”
The deadline for submissions is Sept. 1, 2013. The
editors request articles averaging 2,000–3,000 words
with photographs if possible. Memorial retirees who
are interested in submitting an article or those in the
Memorial community who wish to suggest names of
potential contributors or topics, should contact the
editors at [email protected] or [email protected].
Student showcasegraduate students publish research in national nursing journalBy marcia Porter
the arts and administration building in 1961, from the S.J. Carew collection.
Remembering Memorialpensioners’ association inviting submissions for book of personal memoirs
By Janet harron
From left are nurses and graduate students Carla Kennedy and Sarah payne.
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a screen capture from a video used in an online nursing course.
Doreen Westera is passionate
about spirituality in nursing education
and practice, and it shows. An associate
professor at Memorial’s School of Nursing,
her work is not only valued in this
province, but is in demand nationally and
around the world.
Over the past year Ms. Westera, together
with Distance Education, Learning and
Teaching Support (DELTS), created 13
videos for Memorial’s online Nursing
2990 course, Spiritual Dimensions of
Nursing Practice. Word soon spread about
the videos as distributing companies in
Canada, the United States, Australia and
Hong Kong are now carrying them. Several
of her videos have also been translated
into Mandarin for use in China.
“There are very few resources on
spirituality and nursing, which is
why these videos are in demand,” she
explained. “I didn’t set out for it to happen
that way, but people heard about them
and wanted to purchase them for use in
their own courses and curriculum.”
Early in 2012, Ms. Westera embarked
on a journey to develop (and redevelop)
videos to better engage nursing students
on the subject of spirituality in nursing,
and to facilitate nurses’ competence in
the subject matter when dealing with
their patients. Adverse events, such as
illness, often stimulate spiritual searching
yet, according to Ms. Westera, there is
ample evidence in nursing literature that
the spiritual element is often ignored in
nursing curriculum and practice.
“My goal is for students to feel they have
the skills, know what questions to ask and
how to respond when asked the “why”
question by patients, and to know what
spiritual needs are,” she said. “Sometimes
nurses are the best people to provide
spiritual care as they are with patients
24/7. But nurses are missing this all over
the place because they aren’t adequately
prepared.”
In teaching spirituality in nursing it was
important to Ms. Westera that her students
hear the voices of real clients, and video
was the medium to do that. By hearing
real human stories she felt it would help
students connect theory to practice.
“Real patient stories help students to
realize that the definition of spirituality is
different for each person. And they hear
from real patients what they read in the
research — it makes the theory come to
life. I don’t tell people what to say, and
yet both the professionals and patients
interviewed reinforce the theories in the
literature and research.
“And personally, being able to interview
real patients and interact with them on
such an intimate level is both inspiring and
humbling in many ways. It’s a privilege as
nurses to be involved with people as they
journey through their experiences.”
The series of videos, which was used
during the winter 2013 semester, includes
three core videos that address general
aspects of spiritual care and assessment, as
well as 10 videos that focus on spirituality
in relation to specific groups. Some videos
focus on spirituality in the context of
specific illnesses such as Parkinson’s,
addictions, HIV/AIDS and mental health.
Others focus on spiritual care in patient
groups including children and adolescents,
palliative care and life-threatening illness.
This isn’t the first time Ms. Westera has
used videos in a course. Since 1999 she has
worked with DELTS to create 31 videos.
“I don’t know anything about
technology, but as I did more videos I got
more ideas,” she said. “I would do lots of
research, decide who to interview, arrange
interviews and put together the narrations.
DELTS would do the video shooting and
editing, and use their creativity to help
me convey what I wanted to convey in an
effective way.”
In addition to spirituality in nursing,
Ms. Westera has completed videos for
community health nursing, counselling
and communication skills, and one video
on resilience in health crises, which she
co-developed with Doreen Dawe, associate
professor in the School of Nursing.
To view Ms. Westera’s nursing
video resources, visit www.ucs.mun.
ca/~dwestera .
WitH tHe ProLiferation
of computer viruses, phishing emails,
password security issues and other
online security concerns, there is
reason to feel vulnerable or unprotected
about your online activity at times.
Memorial University’s Computing and
Communications (C&C) is launching
an online program on Wednesday,
April 24, to increase computer and
information security awareness to
better protect you and your work, at
Memorial and at home.
All faculty, staff and students at
Grenfell Campus, the Marine Institute
and the St. John’s campus can access
the courseware via Distance Education,
Learning and Teaching Suport’s
(DELTS) Desire2Learn Learning
Management System. The complete
program includes 30 short lessons on
identity theft, viruses, phishing attacks,
password security and more. The total
program is 75 minutes long, but can be
completed in shorter segments, as well.
Visit https://online.mun.ca and log in
with your MUN login username and
password to access the courseware.
“Many security incidents start at
the desktop,” said Kenneth Forward,
C&C’s information technology
security officer. “It’s therefore vital that
everyone know the difference between
safe and unsafe computing practices,
and to know when and how to report
suspicious IT events. Each person in the
Memorial community can help prevent
IT security incidents. This courseware
is designed to provide that knowledge.”
Last year, the Canadian University
Council of Chief Information Officers,
in collaboration with the Canadian
Association of University Business
Officers, issued a national request
for proposals on behalf of member
institutions for IT security awareness
training. Under the resulting standing
offer, member institutions were able
to procure the security awareness
training at a cost far less than any one
individual institution could negotiate.
C&C recently signed a contract
under the standing offer, making the
courseware available to all members of
the Memorial community.
While this courseware may undergo
minor revisions over the summer, all
employees and students are encouraged
to complete the program now, as
security awareness training will be
mandatory for all employees in the fall.
“C&C periodically holds computer
security awareness seminars,” said
Mr. Forward. “We also regularly use
the Newsline email bulletin service
and Twitter to get the word out about
emerging computer security threats.
The new courseware is designed to
enhance these awareness efforts in a
manner that is both convenient for
employees and students, and that is
also cost-effective for the institution.
“Everyone has a role to play when
it comes to online security. Only by
knowing what to look for, and what
practices to follow and avoid, can we
protect ourselves and the university.”
‘Inspiring and humbling’bringing spirituality in nursing to lifeBy courtenay alcock
online protectionC&C offering program to increase online security on campus and at home
By shannon o’dea dawson
Ken Forward, C&C’s it security officer.
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m e m o r i a L university has
taken the next step
in reinvigorating its
partnership with United
Way, naming chairs to a new workplace campaign. The
campaign officially launched Monday, April 8.
Dr. David Wardlaw, provost and vice-president
(academic), named Dr. Gary Gorman, former dean
and now associate professor in the Faculty of Business
Administration, and Karen Kennedy, internal consultant,
Office of the Provost, as co-chairs of the St. John’s campus
payroll deduction campaign committee.
“To reinvigorate our commitment to United Way,
we have recruited a steering committee of university
volunteers from across the institution,” said Dr. Wardlaw.
“The steering committee has identified our first goal to
be a 2013–14 fundraising drive in support of United
Way’s annual workplace campaign.”
Established in 2004, United Way of Newfoundland
and Labrador (UW-NL) is the only United Way chapter
in the province.
“The organization works in partnership with others to
mobilize people and resources to address the root causes
of social problems and to change community conditions
for the better,” said Dr. Gorman, adding that United
Way supports charitable agencies that provide services to
strengthen individuals, families and communities.
“I am delighted to play a role in this invigorated
campaign at Memorial. Memorial’s commitment to
the United Way reflects to our community the spirit of
giving that is so vibrant at Memorial,” said Ms. Kennedy.
UW-NL raises most of the funds to support these
activities through workplace campaigns and corporate
donations.
Memorial University is a founding supporter of United
Way in this province. Its employees have contributed
through the United Way’s workplace campaign via
payroll deduction or direct donation, and some members
of the university community have participated in
activities of UW-NL such as the Stuff a Sock campaign.
after a year-Long intensive development
period, three new concentrated student leadership pilot
programs have emerged from Memorial’s Department
of Student Success Programs.
While student leadership programming at Memorial
has, for the most part, been generalized and focused
on attracting students interested in learning about the
common and universal aspects of leadership, the three
new programs offer an extra level of specialization.
The programs are titled HIRE!, IMPACT and
BUILDING LEADERS respectively. Students who are
passionate not just about leadership, but leadership
in the areas of supervisory skill development, global
issues and competitive sport, now have an opportunity
to expand their skill sets in these specific areas and to
build their resumés and co-curricular records.
“At Memorial University, we are committed to student
learning and development, both within and outside
of the classroom,” said Tom Brophy, director, Student
Success Programs, a department within Student Affairs
and Services. “The development and creation of extra-
curricular student leadership workshops, curriculum
and certificate programs is a growing trend among
post-secondary institutions in North America. I am
pleased to say that Memorial is a trailblazer in this
movement within Canada.”
Tessa Whelan has been taking part in HIRE!, the
certificate program that hones participating students’
supervisory skills. HIRE! offers a series of educational
workshops which provide students like Ms. Whelan
with useful skills and tools to be an efficient and
productive peer supervisor in a professional setting.
The certificate program is offered in partnership
with Career Development and Experiential Learning,
Memorial University’s student union (MUNSU) and
the Department of Student Success Programs.
“I would like to go into management one day, so
this program is a definite asset to my resumé,” said the
second-year double major in business and psychology.
“You need something that will set you apart. I believe
HIRE! gives you the confidence and skill set you
need to manage peers, and be placed ahead of the
competition.”
For students who are interested in learning how to
encourage positive social change in the world, the
IMPACT program is a natural fit. By participating in
various workshops and engaging activities throughout
the program, students enhance their leadership
competencies and have a more holistic understanding
of leadership, global issues and social responsibility.
The program aims to provide students with an
increased self and intercultural awareness, self-efficacy
for leadership, knowledge of current and future global
issues and commitment to global social responsibility.
Impact is offered through the Department of Student
Success Programs.
Andrew Hogan, a first-year general science student,
says the IMPACT program has taught him to be
“internationally minded,” and to remain open to
different possibilities and interpretations.
“Being open-minded and being a part of a
multinational setting go hand in hand and it spells
disaster if something happens otherwise,” Mr. Hogan
said. “We are in a global community where it is very
unlikely that we will not meet anyone from a different
culture, or travel to unknown places, so being able
to understand them and their motivations will make
future endeavours more pleasant and productive for all
concerned.”
For student-athletes who show potential for leading
their teammates to sporting success, BUILDING
LEADERS is designed for them. Participating varsity
athletes enhance their leadership competencies in
a series of workshops focused on teambuilding, self-
awareness, communication skills, problem-solving
and conflict resolution. The program is offered in
partnership with Memorial’s Varsity Athletics and the
Department of Student Success Programs.
Carla Chaytor, a member of the Sea-Hawks wrestling
team, says no matter where her life takes her, BUILDING
LEADERS has taught her much about what it takes to
become a problem-solver — and to teach others to do
the same.
“I thought I already knew what it meant to be a
successful leader, but after just a few sessions I realized
there is a lot more to it,” said the third-year kinesiology
student. “It takes someone who is not afraid to speak
up, who is empathetic, caring, approachable and so
many more things. I enjoy helping others, and helping
others be confident in themselves, too.”
All three certificate programs are being delivered by
a combination of staff and faculty, outside speakers
and even a student — Ryan Murphy, a student assistant
who is employed part-time with the Department of
Student Success Programs is an IMPACT program
participant.
“We’ve had fantastic pan-university collaboration
with our own experts here at Memorial as well as with
our community partners,” said Amy Butt, manager,
Answers, Department of Student Success Programs,
and who was involved in the development of all three
programs. “Workshops have been facilitated by faculty
members such as Dr. Bas Kavanagh from the School of
Human Kinetics and Recreation and Dr. Janna Rosales
from the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science.
Remzi Cej, the chair of the Newfoundland and Labrador
Human Rights Commission and a Memorial alumnus
has led sessions, and many Memorial staff members,
such as Greg French from the Office of the General
Counsel and right here with Student Affairs and
Services have all invested their energy and expertise in
building the leaders of the next generation.”
United way campaign chairs named
tessa whelan and Carla Chaytor
Leaders of tomorrowStudent affairs and Services offering programs tailor-made for students leading by example
By mandy cook
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By susan White-macPherson
memoriaL’s Faculty of Business
Administration has retained its interna-
tional accreditation by the Association to
Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
(AACSB), holding its place among the top
business schools in the world.
AACSB International announced
the successful accreditation renewal
of 68 business schools worldwide at its
annual meeting in Chicago, Ill., earlier
this month. The Faculty of Business
Administration was initially accredited
in 2002 — the first in Atlantic Canada
to receive this prestigious designation
— and is still one of only 19 accredited
business schools in Canada.
AACSB is the longest serving global
accrediting body for business schools,
providing a professional standard that
recognizes a high-quality teaching envi-
ronment, a commitment to continu-
ous improvement and curricula that is
responsive to the needs of businesses.
Currently, 672 business schools in 44
countries maintain AACSB accreditation.
“The successful renewal of our accred-
itation by AACSB is confirmation of
our continuing commitment to the
quality of our programs as well as to
our students, the business commu-
nity of Newfoundland and Labrador
and Memorial University,” said Dr.
Wilfred Zerbe, dean, Faculty of Business
Administration.
“The accreditation process is rigor-
ous, requiring in-depth internal review
of our programs and strategic planning
to bring us to the forefront of business
schools in this country. To have suc-
cessfully maintained our accreditation
demonstrates our commitment to ensur-
ing that business students at Memorial
University receive a top quality educa-
tion that stands against the best business
schools in the world.”
“It takes a great deal of commitment
and determination to earn and main-
tain AACSB accreditation,” said Robert
D. Reid, executive vice-president and
chief accreditation officer of AACSB
International. “Business schools must
not only meet specific standards of
excellence, but their deans, faculty and
professional staff must make a commit-
ment to ongoing continuous improve-
ment to ensure that the institution will
continue to deliver the highest quality of
education to students.”
From left are robert Scherer, University of dallas; gerona mcgrath, dr. Larry bauer and dr. wilfred Zerbe, Faculty of business administration, memorial University; and robert reid, aaCSb international.
dr. greg naterer
‘Our continuing commitment’business faculty retains top global accreditation
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memoriaL’s dean of Engineering
and Applied Science is the recipient of
the Canadian Society for Mechanical
Engineering’s (CSME’s) 2013 Jules
Stachiewicz Medal — the highest award in
Canada for contributions to engineering
heat transfer.
Dr. Greg Naterer was selected by a
national honours and awards committee
comprised of his peers for his outstanding
contributions to heat transfer and
thermodynamics. As a result of Dr.
Naterer’s research, new understanding
and technologies have been developed
in a diverse range of thermal engineering
areas that include energy systems, ice
accretion on structures, multiphase and
chemically reacting flows, convection and
heat exchangers.
Dr. Naterer is not only thrilled to receive
this medal, but also to be recognized by
his peers for the research and teaching
he has contributed in the field of thermal
engineering.
“It is a proud achievement to receive this
prestigious award from CSME in an area
where I have worked for more than two
decades,” he said. “I am grateful to CSME,
colleagues and students who made this
success possible and for my contributions
to be recognized for having a positive
impact on industry and society.”
The Jules Stachiewicz Medal was
established in 1983 to honour the late
Jules Stachiewicz, who was a professor
of mechanical engineering at McGill
University for many years. The medal
recognizes outstanding contributions
in the field of heat transfer, including
design, research, manufacturing and
teaching. CSME jointly awards the medal
with the Canadian Society for Chemical
Engineering (CSCE).
Dr. Naterer will receive the award at
the 24th Canadian Congress of Applied
Mechanics (CCAM) in Saskatoon, Sask.,
on June 3.
engineering dean receives prestigious national awardBy Jackey Locke
CanadIan aaCSB-aCCRedITed BuSIneSS SChOOLS:
Goodman School of Business brock University
John Molson School of Business Concordia University
Faculty of Management dalhousie University
heC Montréal Université de montréal
Faculty of Business administration memorial University of newfoundland
deGroote School of Business mcmaster University
School of Business Queen’s University
Ted Rogers School of Management ryerson University
Sobey School of Business Saint mary’s University
Faculty of Business administration Simon Fraser University
School of Business University of alberta
Sauder School of Business University of british Columbia
haskayne School of Business University of Calgary
Faculté des sciences de l’administration Université Laval
I.h. asper School of Business University of manitoba
Telfer School of Management University of ottawa
Joseph L. Rotman School of Management University of toronto
Peter B. Gustavson School of Business University of Victoria
School of Business and economics wilfred Laurier University
Gazette | Wednesday, April 24, 2013 9 www.mun.ca/gazette
WHiLe tHe PersonaL, academic and
professional success of students who’ve come to the
Glenn Roy Blundon Centre over the past 20 years is a
source of pride for Ruth North, she derives nearly as
much inspiration from the changing attitudes of people
who don’t need the centre’s help.
“Across the university, amongst employers and in
society — there is a much greater understanding of dis-
abilities and an appreciation for the value of diversity,”
said Ms. North, manager of the Blundon Centre and
someone who has been involved with the centre since
its inception in the early 1990s. “There’s still much
work to be done and everyone has a role to play.”
This message of co-operation and collaboration was
heard throughout celebrations marking the 20th anni-
versary of the centre, held at the University Centre
recently. More than 100 well-wishers from across the
university, as well as disability community organiza-
tions and government agencies, joined staff, students
and members of the Blundon family to celebrate two
decades of work supporting students with disabilities.
Dedicated to the memory of a former Memorial stu-
dent who was a leading advocate for equality and acces-
sibility issues at Memorial, the Blundon Centre assists
students facilitating access to information, services and
campus facilities and raises awareness of the value of
inclusiveness. From a few dozen students at the start,
the centre now delivers a range of services for hundreds
of students each semester, from test and exam accom-
modation, to assistance technologies such as speech-to-
text software, and convocation accommodation. It also
provides training and advice to faculty, staff and others
to better meet the needs of students with disabilities.
Dr. David Wardlaw, Memorial’s provost and
vice-president (academic), commended the Blundon
Centre for enhancing collaboration throughout
Memorial, enabling many different areas of the univer-
sity to play a role in improving accessibility for students
with disabilities.
“Access means more than removing physical barriers.
It also means developing services to break down barriers
to personal and academic development and enhancing
the quality of student life,” he said while addressing
the gathering. “Memorial is dedicated to giving equal
opportunity to all students and we recognize the impor-
tance of the role the Blundon Centre plays and celebrate
how its services have grown over the past two decades.”
Valda Aucoin, a Memorial alumnus and lifelong
friend of Mr. Blundon, spoke of the kind of inspiring
person Mr. Blundon was, particularly during his years
as a student at Memorial.
“Glenn did not look at life as having limits, but rather
as being limitless,” she said. “He broke the mold on so
many things that he opened people’s eyes and hearts to
the power of determination.”
Rhyder Evans, a recent Memorial graduate who
availed of Blundon Centre support while a student, said
the centre was critical to his success academically and
beyond.
“Often times it is difficult for people to look for sup-
port. However, asking the Blundon Centre for support
helped me reach higher than I could have on my own,”
he explained. “They made me comfortable in a stressful
situation and they made it possible for me to express
the full depth of my knowledge. For the assistance the
centre provided me and continues to provide to people
with disabilities, I thank them.”
Ms. North was quick to acknowledge that members
of the university community, including student groups,
individual faculty members and support staff, academic
and administrative units, fitness facilities and libraries,
have all partnered with the Blundon Centre and com-
munity organizations to give students with disabilities
equal access to a university education and experience.
“We feel we have received tremendous support from
the university and I expect in the decades to come, we
will see even more growth in university-wide collabora-
tion that will benefit all students.”
From left, Kathy Skinner presents a certificate of appreciation to 2013 blundon award nominee Jared thompson, a student assistant at the writing Centre and the Commons.
memoriaL’s latest Rothermere Fellow got his first
taste of digging up the past as a young boy when out
harvesting vegetables with his grandfather and father
in their Twillingate garden. Their potato bed turned out
to be a Dorset Palaeoeskimo site where he and his father
discovered several stone tools.
“After finding my first stone tool, I was instantly
captivated and realized that archaeology was the career
for me,” remembers Robert Anstey, who will be attending
Cambridge University in the fall of 2013. Deciding on
Cambridge was a “no brainer” for Mr. Anstey.
“It’s the top-ranked institution in the world for
studying archaeology and has a strong reputation
for producing some of the world’s most sought-after
scholars,” said the holder of two degrees (BA ’09 and MA
’11) from Memorial.
Mr. Anstey was encouraged to apply for the Rothermere
Fellowship by his master’s supervisor Dr. Priscilla
Renouf, a former Rothermere Fellow herself.
“Robert was one of my best MA students, amongst the
many excellent ones I have been fortunate enough to
supervise,” said Dr. Renouf.
Established by Memorial University’s first chancellor,
Lord Rothermere, this generous trust will fund the full
cost of three years of study in the United Kingdom,
and provides a yearly stipend and airfare to and from
Newfoundland and Labrador. This annual award is
currently valued at about £15,000 per year, plus tuition
fees.
A major part of the Rothermere Fellowship is to reward
students who are committed to Newfoundland and
Labrador and applicants must provide a written letter
on that theme and how this commitment is reflected in
their research.
Mr. Anstey’s PhD research will represent the first
cohesive examination of Amerindian-Palaeoeskimo
interactions in the Strait of Belle Isle. He plans to
synthesize existing data from both sides of the strait,
tying both sides together rather than treating them as
separate, as has been done in the past. On a broader level,
Mr. Anstey’s research will provide an important analogy
for understanding contemporary social relationships
and will contribute to revitalizing the region’s cultural
heritage, therefore supporting future tourism to the area. robert anstey
sUB
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From a twillingate garden to Cambridge UniversityBy Janet harron
‘power of determination’blundon Centre celebrates two decades advocating for students with disabilities By moira Finn
Gazette | Wednesday, April 24, 2013 10 www.mun.ca/gazette
Listed below is a selection of the funding opportunities for which
information has recently been received by the Office of Research
Services. For links to further information on these items, visit
Grant Funding Opportunities on the research website at www.
mun.ca/research/overview/grant_opp.php .
Canada Council for the Arts – Killam Research Fellowships
CIHR and Graham Boeckh Foundation – Transformational
Research in Adolescent Mental Health
CIHR Mental Health Network
CIHR Café Scientifique Program (2013)
CIHR Canadian Consortium on Neurodegeneration in Aging
CIHR Dissemination Events
CIHR – ICRH Emerging Network Grants
CIHR Operating Grant – Canada-China Human Vaccines
CIHR Operating Grant – Collaborative Health Research
Projects (NSERC Partnered) (2013–14)
CIHR Operating Grant – Discovery Frontiers
CIHR Operating Grant – E-Rare-2 Joint Transnational Call on
Rare Diseases
CIHR Planning Grants
CIHR Team Grant – HIV Cure Research
CIHR Team Grants – Mental Disorders
CIHR Travel Awards – Institute Community Support
NSERC Collaborative Research and Training Experience
(CREATE) Program – Letter of Intent
NSERC Discovery Frontiers – Letter of Intent
SSHRC Digging into Data Challenge
SSHRC Knowledge Synthesis Grants
WCB Research and Workplace Innovation Program 2013
IMMINENT DEADLINES
June 1
Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (U.S.)
– Clinical Research Awards (Letter of Intent)
The Wenner-Gren Foundation for Anthropological Research
– Conference and Workshop Grants
– International Collaborative Research Grants
Memorial University of Newfoundland,
Office of Research Services
– Salary-based Research Grants Program
(Re-designation of Salary)
The Association of Commonwealth Universities (U.K.)
– ACU Titular Fellowships
June 5
National Institutes of Health (U.S.)
– New Research Grants
June 15
The Canada Council for the Arts
– Killam Prizes (Nominations)
Muscular Dystrophy Association (U.S.)
– Research Grants Program (Letter of Intent)
neWS¬eS
togetHer with the College of the North Atlantic
(CNA), Memorial University is working on an initiative
that will ensure an accessible and inclusive environment
for students with individual learning needs associated
with disability(s) and/or mental health issues. Both
institutions are participating in a shared, provincial
conversation to examine existing programs and services
on post-secondary campuses across the province.
Dr. David Philpott, professor in the Faculty of
Education, is a recognized expert in special education
and is leading the project along with Elizabeth Chaulk,
associate vice-president, learner services, at CNA. The
process to date has included a literature review and
environmental scan. As well, a series of consultations
with more than 260 members of the Memorial commu-
nity and organizations and individuals throughout the
province has just been completed.
“What we’ve heard throughout the consultations
is there’s a real interest in looking at how we respond
to these students, and in becoming more proactive,”
explained Dr. Philpott. “We need to create an ecology
of well-being so that we have an environment in which
these students can identify their needs and get effective
support without fear of stigma or repercussion — creat-
ing a more inclusive and healthy campus.”
Now that the information gathering process is com-
plete, Dr. Philpott and Ms. Chaulk will complete a
report for Memorial’s associate vice-president academic
and CNA’s president that will outline recommendations
and a road map toward healthy post-secondary cam-
puses across our province.
“This project is the second of three specific initiatives
developed in response to the recommendation of the
Teaching and Learning Framework to provide support
to academically vulnerable students,” said Dr. Doreen
Neville, associate vice-president academic and co-lead
on the Teaching and Learning Framework. “An effec-
tive institutional response to students with individual
learning needs associated with disability(s) and/or men-
tal health will position Memorial University as a leader
in the development of inclusive and effective learning
environments for all students.”
Memorial presently has services that do support vul-
nerable students, including the Counselling Centre,
Glenn Roy Blundon Centre and the Student Health
Centre. The issue, according to Dr. Philpott, is that peo-
ple aren’t always aware of the services or the referral
process.
“Also, the services may not be appropriately scaled,”
added Dr. Philpott. “When conducting the environ-
mental scan we included a needs assessment on our
campuses, and we’ve discovered that the need for sup-
port of vulnerable students has increased. So there are
more students with more complex needs than ever
before.”
But Dr. Philpott says this is a good thing.
“It means that more students with individual learn-
ing needs are graduating from the K–12 system with the
marks, skills and, more importantly, the confidence to
continue on with a post-secondary education.”
However, he cautions that without the appropriate
support services in place, drop out rates within the vul-
nerable student population will remain high.
In order to create a healthy campus for students, Dr.
Philpott emphasized the inclusion of staff and faculty
and the importance of the role they will play.
“They’re the ones interacting with students,” he said,
“so the need to provide training for our staff and faculty
is profound. While students with disabilities are the
largest population of students seeking supports, mental
health is the number one concern not only regionally,
but also globally.”
“As mental wellness is one of the most important and
challenging issues on university campuses and work-
places in Canada, Memorial is committed to further
supporting a culture of psychological safety to enhance
the well-being of our employees,” said Stephen Dodge,
director of Memorial’s Department of Human Resources.
“In fact, on April 29 our department is hosting a lead-
ership forum titled Mental Wellness in the Workplace.
This will increase awareness and provide education on
the complexities of mental health and wellness in the
workplace, in particular from a psychological health
and safety, human rights and human resources, and
business best practices point of view. This forum is one
of many initiatives to be introduced over the coming
months.”
Dr. Philpott and Ms. Chaulk plan to have a report
submitted by fall 2013. The report will contain recom-
mendations on processes and guidelines that will better
ensure an accessible and inclusive post-secondary learn-
ing community for all students, faculty and staff.r
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dr. david philpott
Inclusive campusteaching and Learning Framework project focuses on support for students with individual learning needs
By courtenay alcock
dr. Kate Bride
Dr. Kate Bride, an instructor in the Faculty of
Education and the Department of Gender Studies,
passed away April 7, 2013. She was 45.
dr. John Walsh
Dr. John Walsh, professor emeritus, Faculty of
Engineering and Applied Science, passed away
Feb. 14, 2013. He was 76.
oBituAry
Gazette | Wednesday, April 24, 2013 11 www.mun.ca/gazette
For more on these events and other news at Memorial, please visit
www.today.mun.ca
Wednesday, april 24
Discussion About Arts Research/Writing Courses, 1–2 p.m.,
A1046, Sponsor: Office of the Dean of Arts
Gluttony: Insight From Hypothalamic Research, 5–6 p.m.,
Health Sciences Centre auditorium, Sponsor: Division of
BioMedical Sciences
Where Heritage Constitutes Belonging: Composing Irishness in
Small Town Quebec, 3:30–5 p.m., SP4008, Sponsor: Department
of Anthropology
Thursday, april 25
The Nuclear Future: Can We Make It Safe?, 7:30–9:30 p.m.,
IIC2001, Bruneau Centre for Research and Innovation, Sponsor:
Faculty of Science, Department of Physics and Physical
Oceanography
Monday, april 29
Youth Support Group Meeting, 7–9 p.m., UC3018, The Landing,
Sponsor: Schizophrenia Society of Newfoundland and Labrador
The Magic of Molecular Soccer: Beauty and Purpose of Curiosity-
Driven Basic Research, 7:30–9:30 p.m., IIC2001, Bruneau
Centre for Innovation and Research, Sponsor: Department of
Chemistry
Tuesday, april 30
REEL Justice Film Festival: Justice for Sale, 7–9 p.m., The
Landing, UC 3018, Sponsor: Reel Justice Newfoundland and
Labrador, Faculty of Education
Chemistry with Methane: Concepts Rather than Recipes,
2–4 p.m., A 1043, Sponsor: Department of Chemistry
Oxidative Dehydrosulfurization and Selective Bond-Activation
by Roll-over Cyclometalated Pt(II) Complexes: Theory and
Experiment in Concert, 10 a.m.–12 p.m., C2004, Sponsor:
Department of Chemistry
Mapping Social Relations of Older Workers’ Employment:
Using Institutional Ethnography to Explore the Meaning and
Organization of Work, Health and Safety of Aging Workers in the
Home Support Sector, 10 a.m.–12 p.m., IIC2014, Bruneau Centre
for Research and Innovation, Sponsor: School of Graduate Studies
Wednesday, May 1
MUN Botanical Garden Opens for the Season, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.,
306 Mount Scio Rd., Sponsor: MUN Botanical Garden
Workshop Registration at MUN Botanical Garden, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.,
306 Mount Scio Rd., Sponsor: MUN Botanical Garden
Intersections and Reflection: Queering Collective Action,
8 a.m.–8 p.m., Memorial University St. John’s campus, Sponsor:
Canadian University Queer Services Conference
Mini-Med School Is Back!, 7–9:30 p.m., Health Sciences Centre
auditorium, Sponsor: Faculty of Medicine
Thursday, May 2
Resisting Shame, Making Our Bodies Home, 7:30–9 p.m.,
IIC2001, Bruneau Centre for Research and Innovation, Sponsor:
Canadian University Queer Services Conference
Intersections and Reflection: Queering Collective Action,
8 a.m.–8 p.m., Memorial University St. John’s campus, Sponsor:
Canadian University Queer Services Conference
Friday, May 3
Janet Mock: Writer, Speaker, Activitst and Advocate for Trans
Women, 7:30–9:30 p.m., IIC2001, Bruneau Centre for Research
and Innovation, Sponsor: Canadian University Queer Services
Conference
Intersections and Reflection: Queering Collective Action,
8 a.m.–8 p.m., Memorial University St. John’s campus, Sponsor:
Canadian University Queer Services Conference
Saturday, May 4
Intersections and Reflection: Queering Collective Action,
8 a.m.–8 p.m., Memorial University St. John’s campus, Sponsor:
Canadian University Queer Services Conference
Sunday, May 5, 2013
Writer’s Fair and Centre for Newfoundland Studies, 1:30–5 p.m.,
Centre for Newfoundland Studies, QEII Library, Sponsor: Queen
Elizabeth II Library
International Compost Awareness Week at MUN Botanical
Garden, 10 a.m.–5 p.m., MUN Botanical Garden, 306 Mount
Scio Rd., Sponsor: MUN Botanical Garden
Three Cheers for Composting Family Program, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.,
MUN Botanical Garden, 306 Mount Scio Rd., Sponsor: MUN
Botanical Garden
Intersections and Reflection: Queering Collective Action
8 a.m.–8 p.m., Memorial University’s St. John’s campus,
Sponsor: Canadian University Queer Services Conference
Monday, May 6
Constructing the Meaning of Being At-Risk: The Experiences of
Individuals Living in Families at Risk for Arrhythmogenic Right
Ventricular Cardiomyopathy in the Province of Newfoundland
and Labrador, 1–3 p.m., IIC2014, Bruneau Centre for Research
and Innovation, Sponsor: School of Graduate Studies
Tuesday, May 7
Home Grown: Propagation Without a Greenhouse Workshop,
6:30–8:30 p.m., MUN Botanical Garden, 306 Mount Scio Rd.,
Sponsor: MUN Botanical Garden
Wednesday, May 8
2013 Alumni Job Fair, 10 a.m.–2 p.m., R. Gushue Hall, Dining
Hall, Sponsor: Career Development and Experiential Learning,
Alumni Affairs and Development
Friday, May 10
National Public Gardens Day at MUN Botanical Garden,
10 a.m.–4 p.m., MUN Botanical Garden, 306 Mount Scio Rd.,
Sponsor: MUN Botanical Garden
outAnDABout
art oF the earth earth Science graduate students Shannon gill and Jean-Luc pilote check out the department of earth Sciences’ new self-produced art installation. the images have been culled from researchers’ field work photo collections. everyone is invited to view the works in the departmental lounge in er4065.
ke
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ss P
ho
To
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Fully furnished house for rent in St. John’s east
end. 3 bedrooms, 1.5 bathrooms, on an elementary
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busline, close to amenities. September–May/June
(negotiable). Please call 860-918-5927 or email
Gazette | Wednesday, April 24, 2013 12 www.mun.ca/gazette
WHen tHe DePartment of Physics had
trouble obtaining artwork for their walls, they decided
to look to a new source — their faculty and staff.
“We realized that there were many people in the
department who created art and that it would be nice
to have it around,” said Dr. Brad de Young, head of
the department. “It seemed like a good way to involve
faculty and staff, and their interests, in the life of the
department.”
Currently the department is featuring painted works
by Drs. Iakov Afanassiev and Mike Morrow, both
professors in Physics, as well as photography by Dr.
Chris Deacon, lab co-ordinator, and Fred Perry, the
department’s system administrator.
Dr. de Young says the works range from the profes-
sional to that of serious amateur.
“We really liked the idea of being completely open to
all,” he said. “We liked the variety that it creates. One
other goal was to give these artists some recognition.
We did also want to encourage others in the department
and to show them they can do the same thing.”
He says part of the reason he wanted to talk about this
project was not just to show off the works, but also to
put the idea in the minds of other departments.
“Obviously we are not terribly unique in having peo-
ple with interests in the arts,” said Dr. de Young. “A lot
of non-scientists don’t see science as a creative disci-
pline. However, that is not how most scientists see it.
A creative discipline creates different things — be they
ideas, concepts, equations or images.
“Having it around reminds you that creativity, even
in science, is not narrowly a structured disciplinary
thing. It can be a much more open perspective because
many scientists take that kind of wider view of it.”
The pieces, which are on temporary loan from the
artists, have been placed in the department’s public
spaces and various offices where people will get to see
them the most.
physics adorns its walls with in-house artistry
a wider view
By kelly Foss
Late march from Signal hill, mike morrow
Quidi Vidi gut, Chris deacon portia in a rocking Chair, iakov afanassiev