UNews - Victoria

Local octopus expert Dr. Jennifer Mather featured in latest installment of Scientists in the Field book series

caroline.zentner — Mon, 25 May 2015 16:14:18 +0000

Growing up in Victoria, B.C., Dr. Jennifer Mather loved exploring the seashore. Rather than being drawn to larger animals like seals and whales, Mather was curious about much smaller life forms.

“It was just fascinating,” she says. “I was looking at snails, hermit crabs, sea anemones and I was turning over rocks to see the crabs underneath and collecting shells.”

Her captivation was so great she decided at the tender age of 10 that she wanted her life’s work to include the study of marine animals. To become the renowned octopus expert that she is today, Mather studied the habits of these intelligent masters of camouflage with eight tentacled legs and three hearts in aquariums and places like Hawaii and the Caribbean island of Bonaire.

An octopus watches Dr. Jennifer Mather approach in the waters off the island of Moorea.

In her 2013 expedition to the island of Moorea, an island paradise in French Polynesia, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge professor and her team were joined by Sy Montgomery, author of the Scientists in the Field book series, and a photographer. The resulting book, The Octopus Scientists: Exploring the Mind of a Mollusk, will be launched June 2. The Octopus Scientists has already received great reviews and been honoured as a Junior Library Guild selection. Books in the Scientists in the Field series are geared toward children in middle school. Each book highlights people who are engaged in scientific careers in the natural world by illustrating their adventures as they seek to learn more about their particular subject.

“We feel privileged to have had Sy write about us. Sy is a wonderful person to be anywhere with; she’s curious, social and interested in everything. She was excited by the possibilities. It was great fun,” says Mather. “The idea of the book is to try to explain how field researchers get into field research and how they work.”

Mather, who teaches in the U of L’s Department of Psychology in landlocked Lethbridge, spent nearly a month in Moorea studying octopuses. She, along with Dr. David Scheel, a marine biology professor from Alaska Pacific ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, Dr. Tatiana Leite, a professor of marine ecology at Brazil’s ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Rio Grande do Norte and a former student of Mather’s, and Keely Langford, an interpretive specialist at the Vancouver Aquarium, undertook the field study to see if they could determine whether personality or prey availability play a role in what an octopus eats.

During a previous expedition to Hawaii, Mather found octopuses that ate only crab. Other studies done in various locations have shown that some octopuses eat a varied diet while yet other populations eat snails only. In Moorea, she hoped to gather more data to get closer to answering the question.

The Octopus Scientists describes the kind of work scientists do on a daily basis, from donning wetsuits and snorkeling as they searched for octopuses to administering personality tests and recording the octopuses’ responses to being approached and gently touched with a pencil. Scientists then collect the prey remains found near the den for sorting and identification.

“To figure out what an octopus eats you find its home and then you find its garbage heap,” says Mather. “They eat the soft part of the food and throw out the hard parts.”

During their time in Moorea, the team found 18 octopuses at five sites and collected, sorted and identified 244 shells and carapaces from the octopuses’ garbage heaps. At the end of the study, Mather was unable to determine if personality played a role in the diet of an octopus. For now, it seems habitat is more important than personality.

“I don’t know, but as a scientist I have to pursue all sorts of little alleys and say ‘maybe this’ and ‘maybe that,’” she says.

The decision that Mather made when she was 10 has given her a career that’s incredibly diverse. She has provided advice on regulations concerning the ethical treatment of animals and is the go-to octopus expert for PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals). In addition, Mather is passionate about good teaching and she often writes on that subject, too.

“So being an octopus expert leads me in a bunch of different directions,” says Mather. “That’s exactly why Sy writes this series of books — to show people the fascination of science and the scope.”

Legacy of leaders will live on with Horns' culture

trevor.kenney — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 21:26:23 +0000

Athletic programs often talk about creating a culture and a unique identity that defines the ideals and goals of the organization. In many instances, that's all it is – talk. For the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Pronghorns men's basketball team, fifth-year seniors Derek Waldner and Julian Spear Chief-Morris embody Horns' culture.

"They have been cornerstones of transformational change in our program," says head coach Dave Adams. "We went from pretenders to contenders in the time that they were here, and I cannot say enough about the sacrifices that both of them made to push the program to where it is now. Anything that's happened in the program in the last few years has been built on the backs of these guys."

While each of them took different paths to the Horns' program, and each battled through his own adversity, it was fitting to see them walk off the court together in triumph, checking out of their final Canada West game to a standing ovation from the home crowd, a victory well in hand.

"It's really nice in life, because you don't see it all the time, when people will put in the work and then get rewarded for it and that's happened for both guys," says Adams.

Derek Waldner, left, won the majority of these position battles over the course of his five-year career with the Pronghorns. Photo by Paula Gorman

Neither of the two had an easy road to success.

Waldner, an Okotoks product, admits that the U of L was really the only Canadian Interuniversity Sport program to recruit him out of high school and that he had no promises or expectations about what his role would be when he arrived on campus.

Spear Chief-Morris began his career at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Victoria. A local high school star at Lethbridge Collegiate Institute, he chose to head west to play for the nationally-renowned Vikes, but after two seasons in Victoria and an invitation from Adams to come back to Lethbridge in hand, he returned to his roots.

He subsequently had to sit out a transfer season and then early into his first year with the Horns, suffered a devastating knee injury. A year later he was back on the court but it really wasn't until the last few months of his senior season that Spear Chief-Morris was able to play to his abilities.

"I didn't really have basketball in mind when I was recovering, I just wanted to be a healthy person again because I spent a whole summer not being able to run, not being able to jump, having to learn how to walk again," he says. "I just decided I'd worry about getting healthy first and in the end I decided I wanted to play again."

All the while, Waldner was emerging from obscurity to become one of the best rebounders in the country and one of Canada West's top post threats. A double-double machine (double figures in both points and rebounds), he would eventually set the all-time rebounding record at the U of L and lead the CIS in rebounding his senior season.

"It was the goal for me when I came out of high school," says Waldner. "My coach, Sam Aiello, when I graduated he told me to go get that record, because Nick Baldwin, who had the record before me, was his product as well."

The Horns flourished with both Waldner and Spear Chief-Morris in the lineup, but it wasn't only court success that defined their time in blue and gold. Waldner, a biochemistry major, is a four-time Academic All-Canadian, while Spear Chief-Morris, studying urban and regional studies, has achieved All-Canadian status three times.

"I'm a competitive person and anything I do I want to be the best at, so walking into the classroom is the same thing. Why not try and be the best at what you do?" asks Spear Chief-Morris. "That's why I push myself in the classroom, if I'm going to do something I'm going to do it well."

Julian Spear Chief-Morris was a mentor both on and off the court to the next generation of Pronghorns. Photo by Paula Gorman

While he doesn't tout himself as a role model for First Nations teens, he recognizes that his success both on and off the court can serve as a positive motivating factor for the Aboriginal community.

"I don't think I've ever looked at myself as a role model but now that I'm getting older, I've been put in situations where I've been confronted with that," he says. " I think I definitely do serve as a role model in some respects to some of the kids out there on the Reserve. I'm really just trying to live my life the right way, so if people look up to me, that's great."

For Waldner, combining the rigors of ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ with athletics was never a question, it's always been a focus.

"It just takes a little discipline, it takes staying in and studying instead of going out with your buddies some times," he says. "Time management is the biggest aspect, and having basketball and ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ at the same time has really taught me that life skill where time management will never be an issue for me."

Both Spear Chief-Morris and Waldner have plans to pursue graduate studies, and even may look at professional basketball opportunities should it fit in with their academic ambitions. More than anything though, the two are not content to revel in their glory days as Horns basketball players, knowing this is just a stage in their life plan.

"I'm just excited for what's next," says Spear Chief-Morris. "My time here was wonderful but all things pass and I'm looking ahead."

It's that attitude that Adams says will live on well past their time in uniform.

"What a blessing in a program when you have two guys that not only come into practice and set the work ethic example on the court, but then they back it up by what they do in the classroom as well," says Adams. "Imagine how blessed we are to have a locker room where that is the voice of leadership. It's a fabulous culture that those guys will leave as a legacy in that locker room."

GET THE FACTS

· Both players had their parents in attendance for their final CIS game

· Waldner had 252 rebounds this season to set a new Horns' single-season record and lead all CIS players. His career total of 874 rebounds is also a Horns' record and the fifth highest total in Canada West history

· Both players credited Horns alumni for truly representing Horns culture. "I know that I've played for two universities now and the support, not just from the community but from the alumni is not comparable," says Spear Chief-Morris. "It really is a blessing to have a group of people who honestly care about who you are and your success."

This story first appeared in the March 2013 issue of the Legend. For a look at the full issue in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Nicol, Thornley lead Horns' effort in pool

trevor.kenney — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 18:45:06 +0000

This past weekend in Victoria, 27 Pronghorn swimmers hit the pool at the Canada West Championships, led by medalists Jeff Nicol and Ryan Thornley. It was the largest group of swimmers the 'Horns have sent in recent memory and they continued to build on this season's positive results.

Both the men's and women's sides finished fifth in their respective team categories with the men's side accumulating 293.5 points, while the women's side finished with 216. The 'Horns had 13 top-eight finishes at the meet and 20 of 27 swimmers recorded individual scoring points.

There were also two school records broken in Victoria with Thornley breaking the school record in the 100 metre backstroke and the men's 400 freestyle relay team also setting a new school mark.

"Canada West is the fastest conference meet in the CIS and it lived up to its billing," says first-year head coach Peter Schori. "Overall, I am pleased with our team's improvement but not satisfied with all of our results, I think we are better in some areas than we showed and expect to see improvements at the CIS Championships."

Thornley and fifth-year swimmer, Nicol led the way for the Pronghorns and were the only medalists this year. Nicol has medaled at the last four conference championship meets and finished with two medals in Victoria, while Thornley picked up a bronze in the 50-metre fly on Friday.

In the 200-metre breast stroke, Nicol earned silver in the event for the second consecutive year, and is currently ranked third in the CIS. He also swam a lifetime best time in the 100-metre breast stroke en route to a bronze medal.

The men's 400-metre freestyle relay team narrowly missed the podium, finishing fourth. It is currently ranked fifth in the CIS.

"We needed 3/10ths more in the Men's 400 Free Relay to get on the podium ahead of Alberta. The boys raced well but I think there are lots of places over 400 metres to find the improvement we need," says Schori.

On the women's side, Kara Declark had two top-8 finishes in the 50 and 100-metre fly events and Kiara Bodell also finished in the top eight in the 100 backstroke. A bright sign for the women looking toward the future is that 10 of the 14 women that competed at the championships registered points for the team.

"I am pleased to see the progress from our Women's team. They are a very young team and have raised their level of competitiveness in Canada West moving up to 5th place with 10 swimmers scoring points," says Schori.

The 'Horns had one more swimmer qualify for the CIS Championships and have qualified nine to date. The team will have another chance this weekend to post CIS qualifying times as the Lethbridge Swim Club plays host to the Speedo Alberta Senior Swimming Championships at the Max Bell Pool.

The CIS Championship meet will be hosted by the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary Dinos, Feb. 21-23.

Judging its own reward

trevor.kenney — Mon, 05 Nov 2012 22:46:13 +0000

Having seen the spark ignited in a young scientist's eyes, Dr. Roy Golsteyn is eager to stoke the fires of ingenuity once again. As the chief judge for the Canada-Wide Science Fair (CWSF), to be held at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge May 11-18, 2013, he'll get that opportunity, and it's one he'd like to share.

"I'm a huge believer in science fairs," says Golsteyn (BSc '84), an associate professor of biology and the director of the Cancer Cell Laboratory at the U of L.

He participated in science fairs as a kid, but never competed beyond the local level. Now, as a judge whose own children have competed nationally, he sees the true value of encouraging scientific discovery in our youth.

"You see it, there's a real sense of excitement in these kids," says Golsteyn. "Some are just starting to dabble in science, some have already acquired a lot of knowledge; they like it, they like the freedom of it and they revel in the challenge.

"Having judged science fairs for the last four years, I always walk away happily impressed, because there are some smart kids out there and we get an opportunity to not only meet them but to also encourage them to continue to pursue science."

Dr. Roy Golsteyn is the chief judge for the Canada-Wide Science Fair, which the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of lethbridge will be hosting May 11-18, 2013. A total of 400 judges are required for the massive event.

The CWSF is a massive undertaking, featuring 400 of the top science projects in the country and involving more than 1,100 students (Grades 7 to 12), chaperones, judges, sponsors and delegates. There are more than 400 judges alone who are needed to officiate the proceedings and as Chief Judge, one of Golsteyn's main duties is to recruit the best group of judges he can find.

"We are attracting the best science students from across the country, so we want to match those students with the best judges we have in southern Alberta," says Golsteyn. "Fortunately for us, southern Alberta is pretty scientist dense."

Golsteyn cites the valuable resources available at the U of L, Lethbridge College, the Canada Research Centre, the Regional Hospital and major industry such as Pratt & Whitney, which has a very strong engineering component to its operation.

"We know there are many qualified judges in southern Alberta, it's more an issue of people being able to find time to take part," he says.

To that end, judging is limited to just one day, and even half-day participation can be considered. A pre-competition orientation evening is also involved and judges are encouraged to stay through the evening of competition to ensure all major prizes are awarded accordingly.

The value of having a captive audience of Canada's brightest young scientific minds on the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ campus for a full week cannot be understated.

"The finalists truly do come from all over Canada, and there's this ripple affect associated with that," says Golsteyn. "It's not just that there are two or three students from every region, what you'll see is that individual schools all across the country will follow their students for the week. So for that week, an entire school will be talking about the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, whether that's in Nunavut or Victoria."

There are three qualification levels for judges, including those with master's degrees or greater in sciences, those with professional diplomas such as engineering or veterinary medicine, and those with professional diplomas and experience in a science and technology-related field. Scientists with French language skills are also especially welcomed.

The U of L is uniquely suited to host a Canada-Wide Science Fair because of its already inherent science outreach programs.

"That's one of the reasons for my commitment to doing this," says Golsteyn. "It is so aligned with what we already do at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and what so many scientists are trying to do across the country. Here's an opportunity to share our expertise and to influence the next generation of young scientists."

He's seen, first-hand, how beneficial it is to students. His children (Quentin, 15, and Charlène, 12) have participated in science fairs and attended CWSF in Charlottetown, PEI last year. His daughter Audrey, 10, also has a distinct interest in microbiology and is likely on the same path.

"Sometimes science isolates students at that age. There are things that are cool and things that are less cool and sometimes science falls into that less cool category," says Golsteyn. "One of the goals of the science fair is to give these kids a week dedicated to science, and the opportunity to share it with people their own age who are just like them, just as thrilled about science as they are."

Those interested in joining Golsteyn on the judging committee can contact him at roy.golsteyn@youthscience.ca. He promises it will be a rewarding experience.

"I'm really excited about the possibilities this week provides for the U of L," he says. "It's a lot of work to do this right but in the end, it's so valuable to everyone involved, it's definitely worth it."

GET THE FACTS

· Student finalists for the Canada-Wide Science Fair are winners of their regional or provincial science fairs

· Approximately 400 projects from 500 youth finalists from across 100 national regions will be attending the Canada-Wide Science Fair

· Up to $1,000,000 in scholarships and prizes are available to participants

· U of L Arts & Science faculty have confirmation from Dean Dr. Chris Nicol that serving as judges for CWSF qualifies as part of their community service component

· Golsteyn, as chief judge, has relief for one of the two courses he was scheduled to teach this semester. His research activities continue however, "It just gets pushed a little later into the night," he says

Goyal recognized with Cade Award

trevor.kenney — Mon, 07 May 2012 21:30:38 +0000

A student with high aspirations has received an award to match.

Dipankar (Dee) Goyal, a second-year neuroscience student recently received the Bill and Elsa Cade Student of the Year Award.

Goyal moved to Lethbridge from Victoria for his university studies and has been truly amazed by the opportunities provided at the U of L.

"For an undergraduate student, getting the opportunity to work under a professor in first year is simply magnificent. It has been a great experience having done research under Dr. HJ Wieden, Dr. Robert Laird and Dr. Olga Kovalchuk," says Goyal.

Second-year neuroscience student Dipankar Goyal, a member of the U of L's iGEM team, has been named the recipient of the Bill and Elsa Cade Student of the Year Award.

He has set his sights on medical school, and is working his way toward that goal by engaging in a combination of academic and community service activities that he hopes will take him far.

"I look forward to attending medical school with a long-term goal of joining an organization like Doctors Without Borders," he says. "It is far more than a dream for me to one day become a part of an experience like that – it is my passion, dedication and ambition."

Goyal recently organized the Relay for Life Star with the Canadian Cancer Society. He also volunteers under Dr. Surendar Kilam and Dr. Ryan McColl at the Chinook Regional Hospital, and is a crucial part of the award-winning International Genetically Engineered Machines (iGEM) team here on campus. The iGEM team ranked as one of the top four teams at the Americas Competition and as the top Canadian team internationally, all based on its efforts to build a bacterium that could consume oil sands tailings pond residue.

This story first appeared in the May issue of the Legend. For a look at the full issue in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Moleschi makes instant impact

trevor.kenney — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 22:03:02 +0000

Kayla Moleschi isn't technically classified as a mature student, but maturity is a big factor in her approach to school, rugby and life in general.

The first-year standout on the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Pronghorns women's rugby team took some time before deciding to start her university career. Blessed with a natural talent and recognized early as one of the country's best rugby players, she had multiple offers to attend school, but for her the timing had to be right.

"The last couple of years I've been working and I did some schooling at home before I came here, but now I know this is what I want to do," says Moleschi, a product of Williams Lake, B.C. "I want to play rugby but I also want to get an education. Education is something I want, not just something I'm doing to play rugby."

Kayla Moleschi and the Horns are off to CIS Nationals at Trent ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, Nov. 4-6.

She worked four jobs prior to enrolling at the U of L, spending weekends doing clean-up in the local plywood mill in addition to two landscaping jobs and a heavy babysitting load. It almost makes rugby sound easy – and given her performance this season, maybe it has been.

Moleschi was named Canada West Rookie of the Year and a Canada West all-star recently, helping guide the Horns to their sixth consecutive Canada West title and berth in the CIS Championship tournament (Nov. 4-6 in Peterborough, Ont.). A kinesiology student, she has yet to decide what life path she'll take, only that she wants to help the people around her.

"I really want to become someone who can help better other peoples' lives, like that movie Pay it Forward, I really like that whole philosophy," she says. "I just want to be able to help those who are struggling."

She talks about teaching, working with sports teams and helping children.

"I have so many things I want to fall back on but what I want to do, I'm not quite there yet," she says. "Being a teacher would be awesome. I'd be able to help the kids and then still have the summers to pursue my rugby career."

She's been on the national radar for years, having been a part of developmental and touring teams since she was 16 years old. Just recently she was carded as an athlete with the Senior Women's Sevens national team, meaning she will leave the U of L in January for a six-month stint in Victoria to participate in Rugby Canada's centralization training. It presents a barrier to her educational goals but it's one she's planning to tackle.

"I have three options: to take online courses; an independent study course; and an applied studies course," says Moleschi. "I think I'll be doing at least two of those, if not all three. It'll be a little difficult because I won't be in the classroom but I really want this."

She's found the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ to be a good fit for her, mainly because of the rugby program and coach Neil Langevin's approach, but also because of the welcoming nature of the city.

"Williams Lake is pretty small but when I came here, I found it's not overwhelming. It's a close-knit community and it reminds me a lot of home," says Moleschi, who lives off campus but just a block from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ. "The people are really nice and have been very welcoming. It's hard to leave your friends and family but you have to do things to better yourself and in turn you're only going to be bettering them. I really owe them a ton of thanks for supporting me and helping me get to this point."

Moleschi, a fullback, has earned comparisons to star alumnus Ashley (neé Patzer) Steacy, the most decorated player in Horns' rugby history. She's flattered by the talk and considers herself lucky to have Steacy as a valuable resource.

"I get the chance to talk to her quite a bit and she'll always answer any questions I have," says Moleschi. "I'm going to get the chance to play with her on the Sevens team too, so I'm pretty excited about that. They have such a great tradition here and I'm proud to contribute to that."

GET THE FACTS

· Moleschi scored five tries during the conference season and was fourth in Canada West scoring with 25 points.

· Horns head coach Neil Langevin describes her play as, "electrifying" and "dynamic". "She's an all-around force, and she's got hands of glue, she catches everything that comes her way."

· The Horns finished fourth at CIS Nationals last year and are looking for their fourth national title.

· Pronghorns' third-year player Kelsey Willoughby, of Lethbridge, was named Canada West Most Valuable Player for the second consecutive year. She was also rookie of the year in 2009.

This story first appeared in the November issue of the Legend. For a look at the Legend in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Mather receives Ingrid Speaker Medal

trevor.kenney — Wed, 18 May 2011 22:00:07 +0000

This year's winner of The Ingrid Speaker Medal is helping science understand the cognition and behaviour of octopuses and other cephalapods.

A world-renowned authority on octopus and squid behaviour, Dr. Jennifer Mather has been profiled in publications like the New York Times and Discover magazine, spoken at the prestigious TED (Technology, Entertainment and Design) conference, and conducted research around the world.

Dr. Jennifer Mather is a world-renowned authority on octopuses.

It's these achievements – and many others – that led to Mather's most recent accolade: The Ingrid Speaker Medal for Distinguished Research, Scholarship or Performance.

For almost three decades, the psychology professor and one-time CAETL Teaching Fellow, has taught thousands of undergraduates at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge everything from child development to the psychology of aging, while maintaining a rigorous research program defined by international collaboration and jet-setting to tropical locales. And, at 67, Mather's still as busy as ever.

"I'm probably trying to model what I teach, which is that we have a full lifespan, thank you, and we should use it," she says.

As one of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's most accomplished and longest serving faculty members, Mather is an intuitive choice for the prestigious Ingrid Speaker Medal. But the idea of an international expert on squids and octopuses residing at a land-locked university in southern Alberta's dusty prairies is unintuitive, to say the least.

Mather's fascination with cephalopods – a category of boneless marine creatures which includes octupuses, squids and cuttle fish – began long before she set foot in Lethbridge. Growing up in Victoria, B.C., she spent a lot of time at the ocean shore, investigating the critters that dwelled in the water and sand.

As a child, she was certain she'd study marine life in some capacity, but wasn't sure how. Finally, in the last year of an undergraduate biology degree at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of British Columbia, Mather took an animal behaviour class that clarified her path.

"Bingo. I said, 'Okay. This is what I want to do.' "

After completing a biology master's degree in octopus behaviour at Florida State ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, she went on to begin a PhD in psychology at Brandeis ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ in Massachusetts. Upon completion of post-doctoral research at Brandeis in 1978, Mather and her husband looked to return to Canada with their two children. In 1980 she took up a prestigious ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Research Fellowship at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of western Ontario, then spotted a tenure-track position at the U of L five years later and took the leap.

Lethbridge is nowhere near the natural habitats of cephalopods, but it's never been an impediment to Mather. She conducts field work related to squid displays (for instance, how they use their skin colour or tentacle movement to communicate) at the Caribbean island of Bonaire. At the Seattle Aquarium, she collaborates with Roland Anderson to study octopus cognition.

While many of us know octopuses mainly as odd, unique sea creatures, they're a far more intelligent and creative species than given credit. Researchers first realized the octopus's ability to solve problems in the 1960s, but the matter wasn't explored in breadth until the last couple of decades. In the course of her career, Mather has helped prove that octopuses have different personalities, can solve problems (like opening jars to eat food inside) and play.

While Mather is best known for her work on cephalopods, her research is broader: she's also explored how motor control problems can indicate brain dysfunction (like schizophrenia), care issues related to Alzheimer's disease, and successful university teaching. She's also recently co-authored a book about octopuses for the general public, entitled Octopus: The Ocean's Intelligent Invertebrate.

"I have my fingers in a lot of pies," she admits. "I think it came about by accident, but I'm glad it did. I didn't want to be the kind of researcher to sit in a lab and do nothing else. I also think, as a scientist, I have an obligation to help people understand these animals."

This story first appeared in the Legend. For a look at the Legend in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Chinooks inducted into hall of fame

trevor.kenney — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 16:10:29 +0000

It has been 40 years since a group of women from a new and small institution captured the school's first national championship, and the school will celebrate that accompishment by inducting the 1971 ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Chinooks into the Pronghorns Hall of Fame at the 44th Pronghorn Blue and Gold awards banquet on Friday, Apr. 8.

Just four years into the existence of the institution, the Chinooks captured the Canadian Junior Women's Basketball Championship at the War Memorial Gymnasium at Vancouver's ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of British Columbia.

The Chinooks, later renamed the Pronghorns in the fall of 1971 when the campus moved to its westside location, were coached by Wilma Winters, a Lethbridge native and assistant professor of physical education at the U of L. The team's roster was made up of players from southern Alberta with the nucleus hailing from provincial championship teams at Kate Andrews High School in Coaldale.

The U of L squad had come close to winning a national title the year before, losing to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of New Brunswick in the final of the 1970 national tournament, which was held in Lethbridge.

Lethbridge began its run the next year by once again claiming claimed the Alberta crown by defeating Red Deer College 66-29 and Mount Royal College 71-25. It marked the Chinooks' third straight provincial title win.

At the Canadian championships, the Chinooks opened by winning a 46-45 squeaker against host UBC and then advanced to the final by beating Ottawa 70-59. In the title game, Lethbridge defeated Victoria 52-40, with a great team effort.

Members of the team coached by Winters included: Dixie Dow, Linda Dogterom, Leona Voth, Minne Van Dieren, Sharon Giduk, Marge Moore, Linda Voth, Rosemary Brodrick, Joan Cannady and Linda Dow.

Swimming at the heart of Nicol family

trevor.kenney — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 18:57:52 +0000

Rarely a day goes by when Dr. Chris Nicol does not have a busy schedule. And yet, in between the phone calls, meetings and deadlines, Nicol makes a point to keep one window of time open for just himself – call it pool maintenance.

You'll find Nicol in the U of L's Max Bell Regional Aquatic Centre pool nearly every lunch hour, swimming his customary two kilometres before getting back to his duties as dean of the Faculty of Arts & Science. Go a little earlier in the day and you'll likely catch his son, third-year history major, Jeffrey, training with the Pronghorns swim team. It wasn't too long ago that Nicol's wife Lorraine, a research associate in the Economics Department and PhD student in water management, was also a pool regular.

Swimming has been at the heart of everything the Nicol family has done for the better part of the last 15 years, and with Jeffrey (20) just hitting his prime and younger sister Rachel (17) blowing up on the international scene this past summer, it promises to be a central focus moving forward.

"There wasn't really any grand design to turn them all into competitive swimmers," Chris says of his children. Don't forget 19-year-old Alastair, who also swam competitively before turning his focus to music. "At an early age though, because Lorraine and I were quite often at the pool, it was an obvious family activity to do."

Lorraine Nicol, left, Jeffrey Nicol, centre, and Chris Nicol, right, have been able to balance the demands of both athletics and ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ.

It runs in the genes, as Chris was a highly competitive swimmer in his native Scotland before coming to Canada to compete for Queen's ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ while achieving his master's and PhD degrees. A breaststroker, Chris placed third in the Ontario university championships in the 100m breast and would later win both the 100m and 200m breast events in the inaugural World Masters Games in Toronto in 1985.

By the time he met and married Lorraine, they were working at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Regina and swimming had become a big part of both of their lives. The kids naturally took to the water and when competitive swimming called, the parents, just as naturally, worked it into their routine. When the couple moved to Lethbridge 10 years ago, Lorraine set aside certain career aspirations and made swimming the focus. She was president of the L.A. Swim Club for four years and a member of the board for a total of six.

"For parents who are so connected to their kids through a sport like this, the act of parenting, I think, becomes exceptionally easy," says Lorraine. "I can't remember when I've ever had an argument with my kids.

"You spend so much time with them that they know how much we've supported their sport. I wouldn't call them sacrifices but if I'd made other career choices, I would not have had that flexibility to spend 30 to 40 hours a week with them and their swimming."

The sport has literally taken them around the globe. Switzerland, Luxembourg, England, Spain, Costa Rica, and just this past summer, Singapore and Hawaii, have all been visited to attend various meets and training camps.

"I don't think we've ever taken a holiday that hasn't been connected to a swim meet," says Lorraine.

All the while, the couple has had to balance their own academic careers and instill a work ethic in their children that speaks to both athletics and studies.

"You get efficient at using your time," says Chris. "These guys have picked up on that, having seen how we operate, in terms of if we have work to do, you get down to it."

Jeffrey, who achieved personal best times in each of his long course swims in Victoria this past spring, says the student-athlete balance isn't always easy.

"I'd say the hardest year was Grade 12 when I really had to bear down and focus on my ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ," he says. "My swimming suffered that year, I didn't post any best times, but it paid off in that it got me the marks I needed to get into a good university."

The discipline of elite competitive swimming transfers well into the world of academia.

"You don't always see immediate results in the work you put in," says Chris. "Sometimes you have to put in a bit more time than you thought but you have to stick at it and not give up. They've obviously learned that with swimming. When it comes to the academic side, maybe we have to do a bit more convincing, but I think they're getting the message."

Whether Rachel keeps tradition alive and comes to the U of L next fall remains to be seen, but with Jeffrey still going strong with the Horns and both Chris and Lorraine busy with their roles at the U of L, expect to see the Nicol family as regulars in the pool area for the foreseeable future.

"I can't even describe how incredible a journey this has been, and it has helped both Chris and I grow as individuals and as parents as well," says Lorraine. "And to hear them still say, after so many ups and downs and injuries and highs and lows, that they are still excited to swim – I love hearing that, because then we know the journey is just beginning."

GET THE FACTS

· Jeffrey made huge strides with the Horns program last season. "From my perspective, he made a major transition and ramped things up to a whole new level," says Chris, as Jeffrey jumped from top-20 status to top-10 in the national 200m breaststroke rankings. "In terms of where he was last year to this year, he's gone to another tier on the national scene."

· Rachel exploded as an international star this past summer, winning three medals (gold, two bronze) at the Youth Olympics in Singapore.

· Both Jeffrey and Rachel benefit from work with sports psychologists, while Chris and Lorraine have provided the pair with tutors, many of which are Education students at the U of L, to help with schooling.

· Chris has been dean of the Faculty of Arts & Science for 10 years. Lorraine, who has two master's degrees, is currently in her second year of a PhD studying biosystems and biodiversity.

Pronghorns celebrate 30 Academic All-Canadians

trevor.kenney — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 18:11:11 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge is proud to congratulate the 30 student-athletes who have been recognized as Academic All-Canadians. Athletes need to maintain an 80 per cent average in ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ to earn the All-Canadian honour.

Following is a list of Pronghorns who excelled both athletically and academically throughout the 2009-2010 year.

Men's Basketball
Derek Waldner, Arts& Science, DeWinton, AB

Men's Hockey
Curtis Cooper, Arts& Science, Kamloops, B.C.
Logan Lavorato, Management, Lethbridge, Alta.

Men's Soccer
Brett Silbernagel, Arts& Science, Crossfield, Alta.

Men's Swimming
James Carmichael, Arts& Science, Victoria, B.C.

Men's Track & Field
Brett Bromley, Arts& Science, Calgary, Alta.
Kevin Chubb, Arts& Science, Lethbridge, Alta.
Darren Jones, Education, Drumheller, Alta.
Stephen Leonhardt, Arts& Science, Calgary, Alta.
Kyle Murray, Fine Arts, Coaldale, Alta.

Women's Basketball
Courtney Heinricks, Arts& Science, Dunmore, Alta.
Kara Henry, Fine Arts, Calgary, Alta.

Women's Hockey
Megan Bach, Arts& Science, Champion, Alta.
Kayla Hopkins, Health Sciences, Outlook, Sask.
Kailey McMaster, Arts& Science, Kenora , Ont.
Jasmin Teske, Arts& Science, Calgary, Alta.

Women's Rugby
Ashley MacDonald, Arts& Science, Corran Ban, P.E.I.
Jena Murray, Fine Arts, Lomond, Alta.
Amanda Richardson, Management, Olds, Alta.
Nicole Van Eck, Arts& Science, Lethbridge, Alta.
Ashley Zaremba, Arts& Science, Lethbridge, Alta.

Women's Soccer
Sarah Lajeunesse, Management, Lethbridge, Alta.
Samantha McMillan, Arts& Science, Calgary, Alta.
Amy Schweitzer, Health Sciences, Lethbridge, Alta.
Erika Sollid, Arts& Science, Saskatoon, Sask.
Jessica Volpi, Arts& Science, Calgary, Alta.
Elizabeth Young, Arts& Science, Lethbridge, Alta.

Women's Swimming
Sarah Gagnon, Arts& Science, Fort McMurray, Alta.

Women's Track & Field
Emily Brown, Arts& Science, Lethbridge, Alta.
Alexandria Thomas, Arts& Science, Warner, Alta.

This story appeared originally in the November issue of the Legend. For a look at the full issue of the November Legend in a flipbook format, follow this link.

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