Gradzettethe university of manitoba’s graduate student magazinejune 2013

Research rewardedFive years worth of funding from the NSERC, page 4

F r e e l a n c e !The Gradzette is pleased to offer U of M graduate students the opportunity to get involved with their student paper. If you have a passion for writing, journalism, photography, or illustration the Gradzette is looking for individuals to get involved with the production process of the U of M’s grad student paper.

The Gradzette currently offers 10 cents per word for free-lance article assignments (articles can range from 400-900 words) and upwards of seven dollars per photo/graphic used within the paper.

Freelancers will be added to a contact pool and emailed with potential article, photo, or graphic assignments when they become available. On average, freelance contributors will be expected to complete assignments within a seven day period, although certain assignments may be allotted a lon-ger schedule.

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GradzetteTHE UNIVERSITY OF MANITOBA’S GRADUATE STUDENT MAGAZINE

Gradzettec/o The Manitoban NewspaperPublications Corporation105 University CentreUniversity of ManitobaWinnipeg, MB, R3T 2N2

General inquiries and advertisingPhone: (204) 474.6535Fax: (204) 474.7651Email: editor@gradzette.com

Editor: Ryan HarbyCopy Editor: Bryce HoyeDesigner: Marc LagaceContributors: Rachel Wood, Ryan Harby, Marc Lagace, Beibei Lu Cover: Ryan Harby

The Gradzette is the official student magazine of the University of Manitoba’s graduate student community and is published on the first Monday of each month by the Manitoban Newspaper Publications Corporation.

The Gradzette is a democratic student organization, open to participation from all students. It exists to serve its readers as students and citizens.

The magazine’s primary mandate is to report fairly and objec-tively on issues and events of importance and interest to the graduate students of the University of Manitoba, to provide an open forum for the free expression and exchange of opinions and ideas, and to stimulate meaningful debate on issues that affect or would otherwise be of interest to the student body and/or society in general.

The Gradzette serves as a training ground for students interested in any aspect of journalism. Students and other interested parties are invited to contribute. Please contact the editor listed above for submission guidelines.

The Gradzette reserves the right to edit all submissions and will not publish any material deemed by its editorial board to be discriminatory, racist, sexist, homophobic or libelous. Opinions expressed in letters and articles are solely those of the authors.

The Gradzette is a member of the Canadian University Press, a national student press cooperative with members from St. John’s to Victoria.

All contents are ©2013 and may not be reprinted without the express written permission of the Manitoban Newspaper Publi-cations Corporation.

Yearly subscriptions to the Gradzette are available, please contact publisher@gradzette.com for more information.

GSA news and notesby Ryan harby

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Bike to Work Day On June 21 the Health Sci-

ences Graduate Students’ As-sociation will host their own pit stop for Bike to Work Day, an annual event held in Win-nipeg each June since 2008. The purpose of the initiative is to encourage members of the general public to consid-er the bicycle as a means of everyday transportation.

The U of M’s Brodie Cen-tre location, in front of the building at 727 McDermot Ave., will serve as one of over 40 pit stops throughout the city on Bike to Work Day. Pit stops are designed to aid participants with mechanical assistance, snacks, and re-freshments, while some will offer prizes and giveaways throughout the day. Other pit stops around the city include the Winnipeg Free Press pit stop located at Old Market Square, the University of Winnipeg Bike Lab pit stop located at 515 Portage Ave., the Winnipeg Roller Derby League pit stop located at Main and Stradbrook, and the Tire Stewardship Man-itoba pit stop located under the Canopy at The Forks.

“There is an explosive interest and enthusiasm for cycling in Winnipeg, and we want to foster the growth

of cycling culture for all people,” says BTWD event coordinator Andraea Sartison.

In 2012 the day-long bike cel-ebration pulled in a total of 3,930 registered cyclers, over $28,000 worth of in-kind donations, and over $6,000 in financial dona-tions. In the six years since its inception, Bike to Work Day has seen increased programming that now includes workshops, group rides, concerts, and film festivals.

“By registering, Winnipeg-gers make cycling count and speak to the need for improved cycling infrastructure, and re-spectful road sharing. We focus on the environmental, fiscal, and health benefits of riding to work

but most importantly we want everyone to have fun on their bikes!”

At the end of the day all riders are invited to a free BBQ and party at The Forks. The closing fes-tivities will feature live music, bike maintenance, and even a free bike valet service for those who wish to attend. For more information on Bike to Work Day check out biketoworkdaywinnipeg.org. continued on page seven

Funding mattersU of M researchers rewarded, overall budget takes hitby Rachel Wood

In the midst of news that the provincial government had failed to uphold its promise of a five per cent

funding increase to the University of Manitoba for the 2013-14 fiscal year, the department of graduate studies received substantial funding for research purposes.

The funding, totaling $9,500,100, was awarded to the U of M from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and will cover research costs for the next five years.

Jane Walden, NSERC acting president, and Minister of State (science and technology) Gary Goodyear an-nounced the funding on May 21 in Ottawa.

According to Goodyear, “Discovery Grants is the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada’s flagship program and one of Canada’s largest sources of funding for basic research.”

NSERC’s website cites that their goal is to “make Canada a country of discoverers and innovators for the benefit of all Canadians.”

Dean of graduate studies John Doering explained that the funding received was targeted and will be al-located towards grants for professors as well as schol-arships to graduate students and postdoctoral fellows.

The portion assigned to future scholarships totals $1,287,500 while 95 different professors will each be awarded a portion of the remaining $8,212,500 to cover research.

“The faculty of graduate studies is always pleased to see the excellence of our students and postdoctoral fel-lows recognized with scholarships and fellowships from NSERC. Graduate students are the fuel that drives the research engine of this university,” said Doering.

Research projects are likely to include collaborations between partner universities and companies, which U of M vice-president (research and international) Digvir S. Jayas described as an “ongoing aspect of research con-ducted in the global community.”

“This funding will fuel our scientific innovators in their quest for answers to the problems facing society today. I am proud of each of this year’s recipients and look forward to hearing about their discoveries as they unfold,” said Jayas in a U of M news release.

The university was also awarded a substantial amount of funding from the NSERC Discovery Grants in 2012. Last year they received $9.9 million that went to 70 different professors who used the opportunity to further research in the areas of flood protection, mos-quito-borne diseases, and green building.

Due to the nature of the Discovery Grants, the $9.5 million is intended purely for research purposes and, therefore, is quite distinct from the operational funding cuts reported in the U of M budget.

The awarded funding arrived during the release of the most recent fiscal budget. Although recent media

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“We believe these decisions will ensure that our uni-versity will continue to grow and thrive, and meet

our mission of learning, discovery and engagement now and into the future.”

– David Barnard

attention has highlighted budget cuts from the provin-cial government, U of M communications director John Danakas argues that these stories have been sensation-alized and have failed to focus on the positive aspects of the budget.

“The bigger picture is more nuanced and positive, I would suggest [ . . . ] very broadly speaking, we did get an increase from the province in funding of 2.5 per cent [ . . . ] That, of course, isn’t the five per cent more that had been promised.”

Labeling it as a mixed picture, Danakas explained that the smaller than anticipated increase caused for an average of 1.5 per cent cuts overall across different units and departments in the university.

Danakas explained that the units were prepared for possible cuts beforehand.

“Every year during the budget exercise [ . . . ] the units across the university are asked to contemplate cuts of, in this case, three and five per cent.”

The U of M was diligent in focusing on protecting areas in the budget as outlined in the strategic planning framework, such as Indigenous achievement, student engagement, student outcomes, and certain research areas, said Danakas.

“[Cuts] really are in areas where the impact will be as manageable as possible,” he said.

A message from U of M president David Barnard preceding the operating budget found on the U of M website explains that, while the university was disap-pointed by the reduced provincial contribution, they “recognize that universities in other jurisdictions faced freezes, or outright cuts, to operating budgets.”

“We recognize our province is facing fiscal pressures and we appreciate that this is a tough budget year. We also know that it is even more important during diffi-cult times to invest in post-secondary education since our graduates will drive our economy out of its current challenges,” said U of M president David Barnard at the time of the provincial budget release.

Despite cuts in some departments, Barnard’s pream-ble explained that $7.75 million of “one-time only al-locations” were provided to Indigenous achievement, student experience, academic enhancements, and insti-tutional infrastructure.

The Winnipeg Free Press also reported that the engi-neering, extended education, nursing, and social work access programs would also be unaffected by the draw-backs, while the faculty of arts will be experiencing cuts of $750,000 and the faculty of science of $516,000.

Barnard identified the Resource Optimization and Service Enhancement (ROSE) program, a review that began in 2009 that determined strategies and resources as a contingency plan in times of budgetary reductions, as a resource to those who were not protected from the 1.5 per cent cuts.

Barnard remained optimistic in his message to the staff and faculty in his explanation of the budget.

“We believe these decisions will ensure that our uni-versity will continue to grow and thrive, and meet our mission of learning, discovery and engagement now and into the future.”

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From the thesis to the classroomTwo-day graduate students seminar set to commenceby Marc Lagace

On June 4 and 5, U of M graduate students will gath-er to take in the 2013 Graduate Student Seminar, a

free two-day event designed to provide valuable infor-mation for graduate students, helping them find success not only as students, but as instructors and teaching as-sistants as well.

“This is the fourth year we’ve offered the graduate seminar and the second year that we have given this seminar in partnership with Centre for Advancement of Teaching and Learning,” explained Miriam Unruh, director of the Academic Learning Centre and one of the organizers/presenters at this year’s event.

The event will be hosted in Marshall McLuhan Hall, located on the second floor of University Centre, and Unruh believes the topics of discussion are of value to most graduate students.

Day one is broken up into five workshops/presenta-tions spread out over eight hours. Registration opens at 8 a.m. and gets underway with a greeting from the GSA at 8:45 a.m. The first presentation is on academic integ-rity and intends to increase awareness while giving stu-dents the knowledge and resources needed to produce work with academic integrity.

Next, University of Manitoba librarians will take the stage and present an overview of the library resources available for research purposes. The goal of this work-shop is to instill attendees with valuable strategies and techniques required to become confident researchers.

After an hour-break for lunch, the emphasis on re-search continues as seminar attendees will learn about integrating the research of others into one’s own work. This is an exercise-based workshop intended to pass along invaluable information and skills regarding para-phrasing and effective summarization; a skill-set that is crucial for any researcher, but one that is not typically taught in a formal graduate classroom setting.

Day one draws to a close first with a presentation detailing tips on how to maintain an effective working relationship with your advisor. The session will offer perspective from various university representatives, in-cluding the faculty of graduate students, student advo-

cacy, and specific faculties from a cross section of dis-ciplines.

The final session of the day covers on strategies for writing your thesis. It will provide participants with a number of strategies and tools that will help students overcome challenges and continue to develop their writing skills.

Day two shifts away from research and thesis work to focus on graduate work in the classroom. There are six workshops in day two, with topics ranging from syl-labus creation to handling disruptive student behavior.

The morning session opens up with a workshop on developing instructional strategies designed to facilitate learning for diverse student populations. Participating students will learn how to modify their instruction ap-proach by considering active learning strategies.

Syllabus creation is next on the agenda, with a work-shop that will include multimedia, group discussion and an application activity. The goal of this session is to ensure that participants leave with the knowledge and ability to create a syllabus deliverable through multiple formats.

The first half of day two wraps up with an hour-long session exploring the role of assessment in teaching. Topics of discussion will include the connections be-tween assessment and learning and consideration for the different forms of assessment. This session also in-

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ondary situations. Finally, the seminar concludes on day two with a session concerning incivility in (and out of) the classroom. This session will rely on discussion of case scenarios that will help to identify strategies for responding to and hopefully preventing disruptive be-havior within the classroom.

Graduate students interested in participating in one or both of the days are asked to register online ahead of time. While Unruh explained that the event has already reached capacity through pre-registration, they will gladly accept last minute registrations as space opens up.

There will be a free lunch provided for all participants on both days. For more information on the 2013 Grad-uate Student Seminar, please visit umanitoba.ca/faculties/graduate_studies/workshops/grad_seminar_2013.html.

cludes an interactive portion in which participants are encouraged to bring in materials—course assignments or syllabi—for discussion or sharing.

After a break for lunch, the seminar shifts gears with a closer look at issues in the classroom. First up is technology in teaching; the differences between Web 2.0 and 3.0 are explored, as are the advantages that the Internet provides within a teaching environment. The session will also discuss how harnessing social media can be an effective way to increase student participation beyond attending lectures.

The theme of the final two workshops centers on ev-eryday interactions with students in the classroom or lab. The first session focuses on cultural diversity and offers tips worth considering when interacting in an in-tercultural environment, such is found in most post-sec-

continued from page three

New UMGSA executive office hours

President: Monika WetzelMondays, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

VP Academic: Mehdi RahimianThursdays, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

VP External: Crystal CookMondays, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.

VP Internal: Farhoud DelijaniWednesdays, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

VP Health Science: Melissa RabbMondays, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at HSGSA office

Executive-at-Large: Jennifer ChenTuesdays, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Senator: Calistus EkennaFridays, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Senator: Gustavo MejicanosTuesdays, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Senator: Emeka OkekeWednesdays, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at HSGSA office

The Manitoban is the official student newspaper of the University of Manitoba. It is published monthly during the summer and each week of regular classes during the academic year by the Manitoban Newspaper Publications Corporation. The Manitoban is an independent and democratic student organization, open to participation from all students. It exists to serve its readers as students and citizens.

If you would like to volunteer for the Manitoban, please email all inquiries to volunteer@themanitoban.com.

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Are you a graduate student eager to promote your research and provide exposure for your work in the master’s or doctoral program? The Gradzette is looking for individuals interested in participating in our ongoing “Researcher Profile” column, which seeks to showcase important and exciting U of M research for a larger audience.

Subjects of a “Researcher Profile” will be interviewed by a Gradzette staff member regarding their ongoing research project. Once the column has been put together, the information will be published online both on the Gradzette website and within the PDF version of the monthly Gradzette magazine. Both versions are free to share with coworkers, acquaintances, professors, etc.

If you would like to be featured in an upcoming “Researcher Profile,” please contact editor@gradzette.com with details regarding your field of study, a short blurb about your current research, and any pertinent contact information for interview purposes.

GradzetteGet your research featured in the

Photo of the monthInaugral photo of the month: Beibei Lu

Send your photo of the month submission to editor@gradzette.com!