UNews - assistant professor

French language scholarship enables opportunity

trevor.kenney — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 21:02:21 +0000

Maggie Kogut, a third-year modern languages and English major, has received a highly competitive national scholarship to attend a French language university of her choice in Canada for a year of study.

Kogut, originally from Sylvan Lake, Alta., transferred to the U of L from Red Deer College. She will receive $7,000 and travel expenses as the recipient of a Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Endowment Fund for Study in a Second Official Language award, administered by the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC).

"The competition for this award is fierce as there are only a maximum of three awarded every year," says Dr. Tabitha Spagnolo Sadr, an assistant professor of French and one of Kogut's nominators. "Each university in Canada can put forth only their best candidate.

"The idea is that anglophone undergraduate students either in their second or third year can apply for funding to study for a year at a francophone institution. In turn, francophone students compete for the same award to study at an anglophone institution. We are extremely proud of Maggie for this exceptional achievement."

Third-year student, Maggie Kogut, will study at the Université du Québec à Montréal for a year after winning a prestigious national scholarship

Kogut is taking majors in both English and French, and is already refining her bilingual writing skills as the Entertainment editor and as a French-language columnist for the Meliorist.

Though the year away adds to the time Kogut ultimately spends in school, she does not mind at all.

"I am interested in taking a program at the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) which focuses on French writing for non-francophones," says Kogut. "I'm considering a career in journalism, and being able to write effectively in both languages would be a helpful skill."

Spagnolo Sadr says she and her colleagues in the Department of Modern Languages spend a great deal of time and effort creating a cultural environment and range of courses, particularly at the upper levels, that prepare students like Kogut to succeed in language and literature studies in the classroom and beyond.

"Department members are always pleased to engage with our students and support them in exploring a wide range of external opportunities including funding, travel and employment options."

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

2013 Alumni Honour Society inductees

trevor.kenney — Thu, 16 May 2013 17:54:29 +0000

Introduced in celebration of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's 35th anniversary in 2002, the Alumni Honour Society recognizes the achievement of successful alumni within the global community. The alumni inducted into this prestigious group have served as role models to our students and the broader ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ community through success in their vocation, outstanding community service or superior accomplishment in their avocation.

Sarah Amies (BASc '88)

A vigorous and compassionate human rights advocate, Sarah Amies has more than 20 years of experience in the not-for-profit and education sectors. Since becoming the program director of Lethbridge Family Services – Immigrant Services in 2001, Amies has had a positive impact on new immigrants in the Lethbridge community. Under her leadership, Lethbridge Family Services has grown in programming and services, and expanded its resources. She has worked closely with many volunteer boards, such as the Alberta Association of Immigrant Services Agencies, the Canadian Coalition of Municipalities Against Racism and Discrimination, Family Violence and Elder Abuse Awareness and Prevention Committee and Social Housing in Action. The YWCA recognized her in 2012.

Sylvia Campbell (BEd '79)

Through her many years as an educator and mentor, Sylvia Campbell has demonstrated a steadfast commitment to environmental issues and human rights. She has served on numerous committees and boards, including the Lethbridge branch of the Canadian Federation of ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Women, the Southern Alberta Group for Environment and the Lethbridge Network for Peace. Campbell was a longtime member of the Raging Grannies, a group through which she worked to raise awareness of social justice issues related to peace, the environment, gender, human rights, world equality, Canadian unity and social programs. In 2003, she was recognized by the YWCA.

Frank Gnandt (BASc '74, BEd '79)

Frank Gnandt has been an exceptional educator in Lethbridge School District No. 51 for more than 30 years and has instilled a passion for the arts in many students. Gnandt, currently the choir director for Chinook High School in Lethbridge, is recognized by his peers as an accomplished adjudicator, instructor and conductor. His influence and passion for music have spread to students and audiences locally, provincially, nationally and abroad. Gnandt has been a guest conductor and performed at numerous prestigious venues, including Carnegie Hall and at the Vatican. Gnandt is a recipient of both the Governor General's Award for Community Service and the ATA Teacher of Excellence Award.

Michelle Hogue (MEd '04)

An assistant professor and co-ordinator of the First Nations Transition Program at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, Dr. Michelle Hogue has helped ensure the success of many students at university, particularly in science-related programs. Hogue's research blends required curricular and institutional demands with narrative and arts practices that, with holistic knowledge, have the potential to change science education for Aboriginal learners. In addition to her research, Hogue develops new and innovative teaching practices with high school students, educators and administrators on the Blackfoot (Kainai) Reserve in southern Alberta. Hogue has been the recipient of many awards and scholarships, including most recently the Canadian Education Association Pat Clifford Award.

Douglas McArthur (Certificate in Mgt '90)

Douglas McArthur is well known for his enthusiastic support of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge and particularly the U of L Alumni Association (ULAA). An investment advisor by profession, McArthur served as ULAA president from 2003 to 2005. His leadership played a key role in advancing the ULAA, strengthening its affinity with alumni and establishing a foundation that the association has continued to build upon. McArthur remains an active member of the ULAA and is currently serving on the U of L Board of Governors. McArthur has invested in his community by volunteering his time with organizations such as Rotary, Crime Stoppers and the Lethbridge Symphony Association.

Diane Randell (BN '91)

Throughout her career, Diane Randell has worked diligently to make a difference in her community. Since beginning her career in nursing in the 1970s, Randell's care and compassion for others has expanded from individual patients to entire communities. Currently the manager of the community and social development group at the City of Lethbridge, Randell's work addresses large-scale issues such as social policy, homelessness, poverty and racism. Randell is a founding member of the Abreast of Bridge Dragon Boat Team, a founding board member and past Chair of the Lethbridge Dragon Boat Festival and a member of the U of L Senate. She has been recognized by Rotary International, the YWCA and is a recipient of the Queen's Jubilee Medal.

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

Currie study says Aboriginal culture key to limiting drug problems

trevor.kenney — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 16:26:23 +0000

A new study by a ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge researcher has found that urban Aboriginal adults who embrace traditional culture are less likely to experience drug problems.

Dr. Cheryl Currie, an assistant professor in the Faculty of Health Sciences at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, collected data from almost 400 Edmonton-based Aboriginal Canadians. The study results, recently published in the prestigious journal Social Science & Medicine, suggest Aboriginal cultural practice is associated with reduced prescription and illicit drug problems for urban Aboriginal adults.

"More than half of all Aboriginal Canadians live in cities", says Dr. Currie, lead investigator of the study. "In fact, Aboriginal peoples are urbanizing rapidly around the globe, yet we know little about factors that support Aboriginal health and well-being in cities.

Results suggest Aboriginal adults with strong ties to traditional activities had higher self-esteem, and this helped explain why engaging in cultural traditions was protective.

"But statistically, increased self-esteem did not explain the protective effect entirely" says Currie. "Aboriginal culture was also protecting urban Aboriginal peoples through additional mechanisms that remain unknown."

Determining what these additional mechanisms are in collaboration and partnership with urban Aboriginal communities in Alberta will be a key focus of Currie's future research.

"To improve urban Aboriginal health, we need to start asking different questions and to start looking for different answers that are grounded in the knowledge of the community itself." Currie says.

When asked what it meant to practice Aboriginal culture in a city, those in the study described participating in Aboriginal ceremonies and cultural events; valuing spirituality and family; and respecting oneself, others, and the earth. As stated by one study participant: When one returns to the Red Road one has a community, one has an identity, one feels the Creator working in their life - spirit heals.

The Social Science & Medicine journal publication entitled: Illicit and prescription drug problems among urban Aboriginal adults in Canada: The role of traditional culture in protection and resilience can be found here.

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ mourns passing of Mrazek

trevor.kenney — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 19:19:08 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ community wishes to express its most sincere condolences to the family, many friends and colleagues of the late Dr. Richard (Rick) Mrazek, our associate dean, Faculty of Education and a veteran educator, who passed away on Sunday, Mar. 17.

He is survived by his mother, Mary-Rose, and daughter, Kristen. Rick had a personalized license plate on his car that read DAD1DR2, so it was quite evident where his priorities were.

His boundless energy and enthusiasm for life, his family and education will be sorely missed on campus and among the many groups Rick touched.

"Rick was a wonderful man, an accomplished scholar, and a strong promoter and defender of this faculty, this institution and its programs," says Dr. Craig Loewen, the dean of the Faculty of Education.

"More importantly, he was a devoted son and father, and a dear faithful friend. He will be greatly missed. Our heartfelt sympathies go out to his family at this very difficult time."

A natural teacher, Mrazek's influences in the education community extended from the grade three classes he once taught in Coaldale to being internationally recognized as a leading science, technology and environmental educator.

Mrazek's contributions over the past 30 years helped establish sustainable environmental and conservation education programs in the K-12 schools, post-secondary institutions, parks, and communities throughout Alberta and Canada.

Most recently, Mrazek was an enthusiastic champion of a cross-Atlantic Ocean trip organized by Olympian Adam Kreek who, with three colleagues, is presently rowing across the Atlantic and scheduled to arrive in Florida in late March/early April.

His work with the Canadian Wildlife Federation on the curriculum and educational components of this project were particularly meaningful to him, partly because of his love of water, but also because of the enthusiasm with which young students embraced the educational concepts he was talking about and, in turn, became excited about learning.

Mrazek was a proud U of L graduate (BASc/BEd '78), member of the U of L Alumni Honour Society and Alumnus of the Year (1993) who obtained his MEd and PhD from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Alberta. He began his academic career at he U of L in 1986 as an assistant professor.

A memorial service is not confirmed at this time. More details will be released when that information is available.

Mrazek kept an online CV which is quite extensive and can be viewed at this website: http://richardmrazek.com/

Additional obituary information will be added as it becomes available.

Condolences may be sent to the family in care of the Faculty of Education.

Please e-mail darcy.mckenna@uleth.ca

Alumna Thomas earns ULSU honour

trevor.kenney — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 15:20:20 +0000

Melanee Thomas, who led the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Students' Union as President in 2002-03, is the recipient of the Students' Union Alumni Achievement Award for 2012.

Thomas, originally from the Granum area, graduated from the U of L in 2003 with a degree in political science (Great Distinction)

She went on to achieve her masters in political science with a specialization in Canadian Politics from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary in 2006, and completed her PhD in political science at McGill ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ in 2011.

Now back in Alberta, Thomas is an assistant professor at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary in the political science department. Prior to her position at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary she was The Skelton-Clark Post Doctoral fellow in the Department of Political Science at Queen's ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ.

"The reason we chose Melanee as the recipient for the ULSU Alumni Achievement Award is we were blown away with the success she has had in her academic career, and the fact that she was highly-esteemed by her co-workers and colleagues at the ULSU," says Shuna Talbot, the SU vice-president, internal.

Among numerous awards, Thomas received a Young Woman of Distinction award from the YWCA in 2003 and a Federation of Canadian Municipalities' (FCM) 2005 scholarship for her research into how gender influences the participation of women and men in politics.

She also has direct political and election experience as a candidate for the NDP in the Lethbridge Riding during the 2004 federal election.

Outside of ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, Thomas is also an accomplished runner and maintains an interest in music, having studied piano at the ARCT level with the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto.

5 questions with . . . Dr. Andrew Iwaniuk

trevor.kenney — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 22:12:03 +0000

Dr. Andrew Iwaniuk is an assistant professor in the Department of Neuroscience. He is interested in understanding the neural and behavioural effects of chemical exposure by using multiple methods in both the laboratory and in the field.

This research includes: gaining a better understanding of the role of the brain and hormones in controlling natural behaviours, the effects of specific classes of chemicals on neural development and the neural and behavioural effects of newly emerging contaminants, such as perfluorinated and polybrominated compounds.

His current research addresses two main questions: 1) how have the brain and behaviour evolved in concert with one another; and 2) what are the neurobehavioural effects of exposure to persistent organic pollutants?

Dr. Andrew Iwaniuk investigates the role of the brain and hormones in controlling natural behaviours.

What first piqued your interest in your research discipline?

As a graduate student, I was stunned by how little was known about why different species behave differently. I decided to then start filling in the gaps by examining how the anatomy of the brain varies from one species to the next and how this variation is related to its behaviour.

Currently, I am examining how male Ruffed Grouse produce their unique drumming display and how females might be detecting the extremely low frequencies that make up the drumming sound. I am also testing the effects of environmental contaminants on developing birds to better understand how environmental pollution disrupts the development of the brain and behaviour.

How is your research applicable in "the real world"?

My research addresses fundamental questions regarding how the brain modulates behaviour in different species, which is one means by which we better understand how the brain works.

In addition, Ruffed Grouse are in decline across much of eastern North America and by better understanding their courtship display (i.e., drumming) we can make more informed decisions about habitat management for them.

My contaminants research also has significant implications for deciding what chemicals we use, how much should be allowed in our food and in the environment and the extent to which some of these chemicals might be affecting wildlife.

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

I do not consider any of my research awards to be honours, but if I had to choose something it is being asked to be on the committee of the J.B. Johnston Club, the only international organization focusing exclusively on how brains vary among different animals.

How important are students to your research endeavours?

Students are critically important to my research at a number of levels. First, they provide much needed technical assistance in my lab on several different projects. I can honestly say that I would not have been able to complete the bulk of my research without student help.

Second, when students are really interested in the topic they are researching, they often bring new perspectives and ideas to my research, which aid immensely in designing new experiments and writing papers.

Third, students that I train are often afforded the opportunity to travel to present their research at regional and international meetings. This greatly benefits the students because they can meet potential graduate or post-doctoral supervisors as well as present their work to the scientific community. It is also critical to my research because it fosters collaborations with other researchers, advertises the expertise of my lab and encourages other students to come and work with me.

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

Application based research, such as prevention and treatment of various health problems, is entirely dependent on basic research. Most major discoveries in science occurred because of serendipitous findings in research labs addressing fundamental questions in science. I would therefore allocate far more funding and flexibility to productive scientists who are trying to gain a better understanding of how the world works.

For a look at the entire catalog of 5 Questions features, check out the Office of Research and Innovation Services website at www.uleth.ca/research/research_profiles.

This story first appeared in the March 2012 issue of the Legend. For a look at the full issue in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Wright's choice was an easy one to make

trevor.kenney — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 23:03:01 +0000

Every year thousands of young people are faced with the critical choice of where to attend university. For some, the decision is not easy and can take many months. For others, it's a "no-brainer." Jaden Wright (BSc '09) counts himself in the latter camp.

Wright graduated with honours from the U of L in 2009 with a BSc in biochemistry. A high-performing high school student who had his pick from any number of universities, Wright recalls why his choice to attend the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge was so easy. Now studying to become a medical doctor at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Alberta, Wright found exactly what he was looking for from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ.

Alumnus Jaden Wright made the most of his chance to gain hands-on experience through a variety of ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ programs.

"I found the smaller class sizes at the U of L really beneficial. It was nice to be able to see professors outside of class and for them to know what class of theirs I was in," says Wright. "I found it really easy to approach the professors and ask them for help, and to get involved in undergrad research opportunities."

Wright took advantage of those opportunities and made the most of his chance to gain hands-on experience through a variety of ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ programs. He worked with Dr. Ute Kothe, an assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, as an independent study student, an honours thesis student, summer student and co-op student.

"My co-op work experience was great in that I was able to try different jobs before having to commit to a career choice," he says. "I was able to see what it was like working in agriculture, neuroscience and biochemistry research, and find out what was the best fit for me."

Wright's positive memories about the benefits of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's student-centred approach are a common refrain among many graduates. Asked if he had any words of advice for current students, Wright says they should take full advantage of the opportunity to have close, one-on-one learning experiences with their professors.

"Talk to your professors outside of class," he says. "Most professors I had at the U of L were extremely friendly and helpful. They wanted me to succeed. They also were eager to provide opportunities for research experience and opportunities to develop personal skills not acquired in classroom learning."

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

Alumnus Gregg wins prestigious prize

trevor.kenney — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 17:35:47 +0000

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge alumnus, Dr. Christopher Gregg (BSc '98), captured the 2010 Grand Prize in the annual international competition for The Eppendorf & Science Prize for Neurobiology.

Gregg is being recognized for his outstanding contributions to research on how the parental origin of a gene affects its expression in the developing and adult brains of offspring.

"My interests are now focused on determining whether maternal and/or paternal gene expression programs in offspring are altered according to stresses and environmental effects experienced by parents," says Gregg, a postdoctoral fellow in the Molecular and Cellular Biology Department at Harvard ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ. "This is an exciting possibility that could reveal pathways that prepare offspring for the environment into which they will be born."

As the grand prize winner, Gregg receives $25,000 from Eppendorf, and his essay, Parental Control over the Brain, will be published in the November issue of the journal Science. Gregg will join the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Utah as an assistant professor in the Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy next year.

In his award-winning essay, Gregg explains how he and his team at Harvard sort out how mother- and father-specific genetic cues influence their offspring's brains. Gregg describes how the team developed a genome-wide approach to study these parental effects on different regions of the brain during various developmental stages.

Through experiments with mice, they document how rare, epigenetic marks on certain maternal and paternal genes—known as genome imprints—affect the timing of gene expression in the next generation. For example, these researchers have identified approximately 553 genes that are subject to these parental genome imprints at day 15 of embryonic development and just 372 genes under the influence of such parental effects in the adult brain.

"Genes that preferentially express one parent's copy can be especially vulnerable to the presence of a mutation, because the other copy that doesn't have the mutation isn't being expressed, so there is no backup," says Gregg. "This phenomenon is especially obvious in males with diseases involving mutations on the X chromosome. In females, these diseases tend to be less severe, because females have two X chromosomes, but males have only one."

His findings reveal some of the specific parental effects associated with brain development and diseases, such as multiple sclerosis—and they provide a roadmap for future research in this field.

"I believe these effects have major relevance for our understanding of brain evolution, function, and disease," says Gregg.

The Eppendorf and Science Prize in Neurobiology recognizes outstanding international neurobiological research based on current methods and advances in the field of molecular and cell biology by a young early-career scientist.

Kelley speaks in Scholars Series

trevor.kenney — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 15:56:18 +0000

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Faculty of Management assistant professor, Dr. Helen Kelley, takes the stage Friday as the featured speaker in the latest Women Scholar Speaker Series event.

Kelley will present her lecture, The Clinical Impact of eHealth on the Self-Management of Diabetes, on Friday, Oct. 8 from 3 to 5 p.m. in Andy's Place (AH100).

Kelley is an associate professor in the information systems area of the Faculty of Management and director of the Master of Science in Management Program. She is currently researching under a Lawson Foundation grant.

Refreshments will be available prior to the lecture, with a discussion period to follow.

The event is free and everyone is welcome to attend.

Glacial retreat a global problem

trevor.kenney — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 20:49:29 +0000

The issue of glacial recession is of particular interest to Canadians but by no means is the problem unique to our country.

On Friday, Aug. 27, Dr. Jeffrey McKenzie, an assistant professor in Earth Sciences at McGill ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, will be discussing potential impacts of glacial recession on human livelihood in the Andean highlands of Peru.

His talk is from 11 to 11:30 a.m. in room WE2070 of the Alberta Water and Environmental Science Building.

Dr. McKenzie's research is highly interdisciplinary, involving both the latest techniques in groundwater modelling and the use of surveys to improve our understanding of local understanding and adaptive capacity as it pertains to potential impacts of climate change.

The Cordillera Blanca holds the world's largest concentration of tropical glaciers, most of which supply the Callejón de Huaylas watershed, with an area of 4900 km2 and home to 267,000 people. Livelihoods in the region depend on access to water for agricultural and livestock production, as more than 80 per cent of the population is engaged in smallholder production, and more than 50 per cent of the population lives in conditions of poverty, defined as lacking more than one basic necessity.

The potential for severe climate change impacts on water availability for household, irrigation, ore processing and hydroelectric generation is particularly acute in the dry Cordillera Blanca valleys, where glacial melt water services these needs almost entirely during the dry seasons. Dr. McKenzie's work includes the quantification of the extent of anthropogenic water consumption in the region.

His surveys indicate that rural farmers are aware of climate-induced glacier retreat, and that they attribute observed decreases in water availability to glacial recession. Stream discharge measurements, combined with hydrochemical tracing to quantify water source contributions, have revealed a net increase in the relative proportion of glacial melt on an annual basis, in tributaries and major rivers of the Cordillera Blanca, along with a 15 per cent decrease in glacial extent in recent decades. Eventually, a tipping point will be reached in which the negative effect of glacier retreat will exceed the increased flow that occurs in warmer seasons.

During the past few decades, there has been no decrease in the discharge of most glacially-fed tributaries, but river discharge has decreased at the regional scale since the 1980s.

McKenzie's research will contribute to our understanding of adaptive responses required to maintain sustainable and prosperous livelihoods in the face of the challenge of glacial retreat in a seasonally dry ecosystem.

UNews - assistant professor

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