UNews - New York

Calgary alumni dinner hosts Bremmer

trevor.kenney — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 22:14:40 +0000

He appears regularly on CNBC, has published articles in The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The New York Times and Newsweek, all while presiding over the leading global political risk research and consulting firm. Ian Bremmer, the president of Eurasia Group, is the guest speaker for the 2013 Calgary Alumni & Friends Dinner, Tuesday, Apr. 9 at The Fairmont Palliser.

"He is definitely one of the world's leading authorities on how political developments move markets," says Anil Tahiliani (BMgt '90), Chair of the Calgary Alumni & Friends Dinner. "His insight on global macro political trends and the emerging markets they influence is especially relevant for our Calgary audience, many of whom are influenced daily by the changing political climate throughout the world and its effect on the markets with which they interact."

Bremmer founded Eurasia Group in 1998 with an initial investment of just $25,000. Today, the company has offices in New York, Washington and London, as well as a network of experts and resources around the world. He created Wall Street's first global political risk index, has authored several books, writes 'The Call' blog on ForeignPolicy.com and regularly appears on national television and radio programs as an acclaimed expert in his field.

"When we first introduced the Calgary Alumni & Friends Dinner, our goal was to create an evening that would not only bring our alumni together in fellowship, but to give attendees a compelling and engaging speaker that reflects the values and goals of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge," says U of L President, Dr. Mike Mahon. "Ian Bremmer is representative of the U of L's ever-growing international reputation as well as its continued emergence as a comprehensive research university."

Tickets for the Apr. 9 event are priced at $175 per plate and are available online at www.uleth.ca/conreg/calgarydinner or by calling ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Advancement toll-free at 1-866-552-2582 or e-mailing advancement.events@uleth.ca.

Polataiko exhibition garners worldwide attention

trevor.kenney — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 21:45:18 +0000

Taras Polataiko's exhibition, Sleeping Beauty, at the National Art Museum in Kyiv, Ukraine, has generated considerable media interest worldwide. What initially started out as an interactive performance art exhibit with live streaming video has stirred up a firestorm of international commentary that includes critical praise, some apprehension, a possible copycat, and at least one newfound romantic relationship.

The three-week-long show, which ran until Sept. 9, 2012, featured five women in white gowns sleeping on a raised podium bed in the gallery, to Eric Satie's mystical Gnossiennes piano pieces. Each Beauty had her own melody. Men and women who came to view the show had the opportunity to participate in it by 'awakening' one of the women with the power of a single kiss…and an important accompanying commitment. Before attempting the kiss, both men and women were required to sign a contract stating that they were single, at least 18 years of age, and seriously intended to marry the Beauty if their kiss caused her to open her eyes. The 'Sleeping Beauties' participating in the exhibit signed a similar agreement: that they would only open their eyes if they felt a true, intuitive connection in the kiss, and they agree to marry the 'Prince' whose kiss awakens them.

Instead of a quiet exhibit, international TV and radio networks like BBC, EURONEWS, FOX, ABC, CBS, RAI, ANSA, American Public Radio and GloboTV all of the major international news companies – including Associated Press, Reuters, France Presse and The Telegraph – online news and major international newspapers from Le Figaro and The Guardian to the Washington Post and Los Angeles Times, and social sites from Hyperallergic to Huffington Post have pounced on the story, some repeatedly.

The responses have ranged widely from the romantic to the political. The exhibition was almost shut down by the Ukrainian Ministry of Culture a day before it was scheduled to open. There is cultural commentary embedded in Polataiko's take on the fairy tale regarding the enduring patience of the Ukrainian people awaiting a "catalyst" for successful revolution (see the Guardian's article for more).

The gender roles of the 'beauty' and the 'prince' ignited online discussion about old-fashioned gender tropes, positive and negative notions of 'true love', even voyeurism. In a media world where courting has been turned into successive generations of reality television programming, the idea of love found through hopeful intuition is perhaps not so far-fetched; at least one hopeful suitor moved viewers to tears when his kiss was not successful.

Only one 'awakening' was reported, with a twist - instead of a 'Prince' waking the sleeping beauty, it was a 'Princess'. Same-sex marriage is currently not allowed in Ukraine, but the attention the exhibit received might stir new consideration of that issue. Further information regarding this development was examined by the Huffington Post.

Five days after Polataiko's project ended, a notably similar event took place at the Guggenheim Museum in New York: a one-night-only launch on Sept. 14, by American pop singer/writer Lady Gaga, where she 'slept' inside a large set construction of her perfume's custom bottle. While sleeping performances have been seen previously in art, Gaga's exhibit may have been less about contributing any kind of artistic statement and more about simply promoting her fragrance. Polataiko's response to the similarities was posted on the New York art website Hyperallergic.com.

While this inaugural exhibition has ended, Polataiko may recreate Sleeping Beauty in North America, South America, Europe or other parts of the world. He is indeed interested in other possible readings its restaging in other countries may engender.

Taras Polataiko has been teaching at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge since 2010.

Leading behind the scenes

trevor.kenney — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 21:39:46 +0000

Forget about spreadsheets and market analysis. If you want to hatch an incredibly successful idea, one of the best ways to do it is to scratch your musings on a paper napkin. The method might be unorthodox, but it's hard to argue with its effectiveness when you consider the list of businesses and ideas that got their start that way. The founders of Southwest Airlines, the professor who came up with trickle-down economics, and the duo who created the game Trivial Pursuit all used napkins as a springboard for their ideas. It's not a bad club, and it's one that Christian Darbyshire (BMgt '99) is happy to be a part of.

Darbyshire is the co-owner and operator of tinePublic Inc. (pronounced "tiny" Public) – an internationally renowned special-events company with a rather prophetic origin.

Inspiration for tinePublic struck late one night in Toronto at a restaurant in Chinatown. Darbyshire was sitting across the table from his good friend Andy McCreath, eating soup and talking the way old buddies do. The duo has known each other since the age of 12 and has a long history together. As fate would have it, Darbyshire and McCreath had professional interests in common, too.

Christian Darbyshire has been able to secure some of the biggest names in the speaking business.

After serving several years in the trenches of the television industry, Darbyshire had carved out a profitable niche as a freelance production manager and publicist. McCreath was doing publicity work for the National Hockey League. As the night wore on, the soup disappeared and the conversation between the friends got inventive. They started to wonder what was stopping them from joining forces and creating their own company. They had been planning events and doing publicity for others for years. Why not combine their expertise and strike out on their own? They envisioned putting together speaking engagements that featured big headline names, producing and promoting the events, and selling tickets for a tidy profit. Darbyshire used the proverbial paper napkin to jot down a business plan. Before the night was over, he and McCreath were partners in a new event-planning venture – tinePublic Inc.

"We wanted to create events for young business professionals," says Darbyshire. "Most of the speaking engagements at that time were big-ticket dinner events that priced a lot of people out of the market. We wanted to produce events that drew a wider audience."

tinePublic's top choice for a first speaker was former U.S. president Bill Clinton. Darbyshire sent a letter to Clinton's organization requesting a meeting to discuss his company's proposal. It wasn't a big surprise that there was no response.

"I knew it was a long shot trying to line up such a big name right off the bat, but there was nothing to lose in trying," says Darbyshire. "I sent at least half a dozen letters to Clinton's office over two years, and made several phone calls, but it didn't get us anywhere. In the meantime I kept looking for another opportunity."

The brass ring presented itself a couple of years later in the form of a reality TV star – one Bill Rancic, winner of the first season of Donald Trump's television show, The Apprentice.

"The Apprentice was a massive success and Bill Rancic was huge," recalls Darbyshire. "It was 2005, and business in Alberta was booming. It was the perfect time to bring the current icon of business success to the public."

Darbyshire and McCreath contacted Rancic's people, scheduled a meeting and flew to New York. There, in Rancic's Manhattan office, the partners laid out a plan for the first speaking engagement the pair would produce. It would take place in Calgary, the epicentre of new business in Canada, and Rancic would be the headliner.

"He jumped on board right there," says Darbyshire, describing Rancic's response. "We couldn't believe it. Suddenly we were in business. That was it. The ball was in motion."
The next 30 days were a whirlwind of big-time planning on a shoestring budget. Darbyshire and McCreath cleaned out their bank accounts to pull it off, and a month later Bill Rancic was in Calgary in front of a group of 1,800 eager businesspeople. The success of that first engagement led to five more shows at venues across North America. The Rancic tour was tremendously popular and profitable.

"That's when we knew we were really onto something," says Darbyshire.

tinePublic was enjoying its first taste of success. Darbyshire and McCreath were busy planning a stream of new engagements when one day, out of the blue, Darbyshire picked up a call from the office of the man he'd been waiting for since day one – Bill Clinton. Clinton's office had received all the letters Darbyshire had sent over the years and was impressed by the company's recent success. They offered tinePublic the opportunity to co-ordinate speaking engagements for the former president and Darbyshire accepted the job on the spot.

"It wasn't until I hung up the phone that it occurred to me that maybe we'd bitten off more than we could chew," says Darbyshire.

Putting his worries aside, plans for the Clinton engagement went full steam ahead. The event took place several months later at the John Labatt Centre in London, Ont., in front of a crowd of 6,500 riveted attendees. Darbyshire and his partner doubled their investment that day, and went on to produce 10 more events with Clinton over the next two years.

The rest, as they say, is history. tinePublic has gone on to organize touring events for Tony Blair, Alan Greenspan, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Colin Powell, George W. Bush, Sarah Palin, Rudy Giuliani and Lance Armstrong among other cultural and political icons. The company has also expanded its business scope to include concert promotion (they've worked with performers like Elton John and Diana Ross). In addition to his work with McCreath, Darbyshire runs a public-relations firm that works with major finance, cosmetic, oil and gas, and mining companies across North America. In recognition of his hard work, Darbyshire was named to Canada's Top 40 Under 40™ in 2011.

Stories and anecdotes about the famous people Darbyshire has met are just under the surface of his speech, but he's far too professional to let any cats out of the bag. The most he'll tell you is that everyone he's worked with is quite candid, and the insights he's gained from high-profile people are extraordinary. When it comes to sharing the secret of his own success, however, Darbyshire is a lot more forthcoming.

"You can't let fear stop you, in life or in business," Darbyshire says. "I've been scared plenty of times, but I've always followed through. If you really work at something, it will most likely end up being OK, or really good, or even spectacular. You've got to use fear in a positive way. Never give up. And think big."

This story first appeared in the Fall 2011 issue of SAM magazine. For a look at a flipbook version of SAM, follow this link.

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ hosts special SACPA session on fracking

trevor.kenney — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 19:10:24 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge will host a special session of the Southern Alberta Council on Public Affairs Thursday night, 7 p.m. in PE264.

Should a Moratorium and a Full Scale Environmental Assessment Precede Any Further Development Using Hydraulic Fracturing? That is the question that guest speaker Jessica Ernst will debate.

Ernst is an environmental scientist with 30 years of oil patch experience. Her career and personal experience make her uniquely qualified to talk about drilling and hydraulic fracturing. Ernst must haul water from outside sources because her well has been poisoned by unnatural and dangerous concentrations of methane gas and other industrial toxins.

She filed legal action against EnCana (a large oil and gas company), the Energy Resources Conservation Board (ERCB) which approves energy projects in Alberta and the Alberta Government for their responsibility. In May, 2011 Ernst was invited to New York to present her case and to make recommendations to governments at the United Nations 19th Commission on Sustainable Development. On October 1, 2011, UNANIMA International, a UN Economic and Social Council NGO, presented Ernst with its annual "Woman of Courage" award in New York, at the Church Center of United Nations.

Much of the general public know little or nothing about hydraulic fracturing (fracking), an increasingly popular, but controversial technique of drilling for oil and natural gas. Fracking involves vertical and sometimes horizontal drilling into coal bed, or shale rock using extreme pressure for the fracture treatments. Anywhere from 200,000 to 1500,000 liters of water and various stimulation and fracturing fluids, and from 75,000 to 320,000 pounds of propellant are consumed during a typical hydraulic fracture of a single well.

Fracturing fluids can contain chemicals toxic to humans and wildlife, chemicals that are known to cause cancer. These include diesel fuel, which contains benzene, which in very small quantities can cause cancer and are capable of contaminating millions of gallons of water. Drilling chemicals can be more toxic than fracturing chemicals. The speaker will relate her experiences with fracking in her community of Rosebud, Alberta and her fight to bring the many issues associated with drilling and fracking to the public.

Campus Kudos - April

trevor.kenney — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 22:00:35 +0000

Alumna Chelsea Matisz (BSc '06, MSc '09) was recently named the winner of the Ashton Cuckler New Investigator Award. This award is handed out by the American Society of Parasitologists and is given to the top graduate student in the field, based upon the quality of research accomplished during a candidate's graduate studies. In the past, this award has gone to a recently-graduated PhD student, while Matisz is currently in a PhD program at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary. She will be honoured at the Society's annual meeting in Anchorage, Alaska, in June.

Soprano Acacia Doktorchik (MMus) presents her final Graduate Recital on Apr. 14 at 8 p.m. in the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall.

Mart Blicharz (MFA New Media) has an exhibition entitled, Breaking The Spell: Work in Progress, showing at the U of L Penny Building until Apr. 15.

Tasha Diamant (MEd student) was invited to present a Human Body Project event at the Union Theological Seminary, a graduate degree-granting seminary associated with New York's Columbia ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ. Her presentation included a live Human Body Project performance followed by a discussion with faculty and students. The Human Body Project is the subject of Diamant's MEd research project, which mostly consists of a 53-minute documentary film, and is under the supervision of Dr. Erika Hasebe-Ludt and Dr. Leah Fowler.

Nicholas Louma (BFA '08) had artwork in the exhibition, Mind the Gap, at the Art Gallery of Swift Current in March.

Anna VanderHeide (BMus/BEd) sang in a Tribute to Ray Charles and Aretha Franklin organized by the newly formed Lethbridge Jazz Society in April.

Mike Pinder (Operations Co-ordinator, Sport and Recreation Services, BSc '04) was given a Lethbridge Sport Council Achievement Award for coaching excellence. Pinder is an assistant swim coach with the LA Swim Club, and in addition to coaching Youth Olympic medalist Rachel Nicol, is highly respected by athletes and parents for his dedication and commitment to the sport of swimming.

Ken Allan's (Art) article, Barnett Newman's The Wild: Painting as Spatial Intervention, has been accepted for publication by the American journal October, published by MIT Press.

Taras Polataiko (Art) had work displayed in the group exhibition, Delinear, at the Barbara Edwards Contemporary in Toronto.

Knud Petersen, a longtime supporter of Pronghorns Athletics through the Horns Booster Club, Operation Red Nose, Pronghorn Dinner & Auction, Casino Chair and Adopt-A-Horn programs, was given a Lethbridge Sport Council Achievement Award for Spirit in Sport.

Collin Zipp (MFA Art) is participating in a residency, culminating in an exhibition, at Daimon Video in Gatineau, Que.

Soprano Rachel Sinnott (MMus) presented a Masters Recital on Apr. 7 in ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall.

Pronghorns thrower Heather Steacy was given a Lethbridge Sport Council Achievement Award as Senior Female Athlete of the Year in 2010. Steacy, who took a year off of Canada West competition, devoted her time to the Canadian National Track and Field team, winning a gold medal at the North America, Central America, and Caribbean Championships (NACAC) where she threw a personal best of 67.20 m in the hammer throw.

Billy McCarroll (Professor Emeritus), on bass, and Dale Ketcheson (Music), on guitar, perform at the Southern Alberta Art Gallery (SAAG) at a Happy Hour performance sponsored by the Lethbridge Jazz Society on Apr. 15 from 5-8 p.m. McCarroll's artwork is presently on display at SAAG.

Jazlyn Dow (BFA '10) has just been accepted into the Master of Arts in Visual Culture: Costume Studies program at the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education and Human Development at New York ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ.

International Management students Kayley Fulton and Aamna Zia have each been awarded a $3,000 Export Development Canada (EDC) International Business Scholarship. Fulton completed a work exchange in Spain in 2010 while Zia, an Edmonton Campus student, is currently on work exchange in France.

Darcy Best (Mathematics and Computer Science) bettered his score from last year to set a new school record for his performance in the William Lowell Putnam Mathematics Competition. Best joined nearly 4,296 North American students in a six-hour, 12-problem contest, earning an overall ranking score of 527.5, leaving him one point out of the top 500.

For a look at the Legend in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Quirky musical opens Thursday

trevor.kenney — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 17:44:22 +0000

TheatreXtra premieres its first musical production in March with the uniquely dubbed, [title of show].

"It's a musical about two guys writing a musical about two guys writing a musical," says Kyle Schulte, director of [title of show], this season's final TheatreXtra production. "This is the first time TheatreXtra has put on a musical, so we're all thrilled to be a part of it."

Playing Mar. 3-5 in the David Spinks Theatre, there are shows nightly at 8 p.m. and a 2 p.m. matinee on Mar. 5.

[title of show]'s catchy music and eccentric cast promises to leave an impression on audiences. An off-beat comedy written by Jeff Bowen and Hunter Bell, it premiered at the New York Musical Theatre Festival in September 2004. After running with great success Off-Broadway in 2006, [title of show] ran at the Lyceum Theatre on Broadway in 2008.

"I was already a fan of the show and knew the music well," says Schulte, a third-year drama major. "When the performance rights were released, I jumped at the chance to present it here."

With 19 pieces of music, including 14 songs, putting together a musical in four weeks is a challenge that would make any director's head spin.

"This has really been a collaborative effort," he says. "It's a musical about students putting on a musical, and so far, this has been a great fit for our cast and crew, and works perfectly with TheatreXtra's mandate."

The demands of directing a musical add a new element to the process.

"There are two more elements in this show: choreography and music," he adds. "It's been so much fun to direct."

With quirky songs such as, Two Nobodies in New York, The Tony Award Song and Die, Vampire, Die!, audiences can expect a contemporary, funny night of musical theatre.

"I liked that the themes of the musical were very similar to my own life," says Schulte. "This show is relevant to students, and we know the audiences are going to love it too."

Tickets to TheatreXtra's hilarious final production of the season are available at the U of L Box Office or by calling 403-329-2616. Tickets are $15 regular and $10 for students and seniors.

For a look at the February issue of the Legend in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Quirky musical caps season

trevor.kenney — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 16:28:31 +0000

TheatreXtra premieres its first musical production in March with the uniquely dubbed, [title of show].

"It's a musical about two guys writing a musical about two guys writing a musical," says Kyle Schulte, director of [title of show], this season's final TheatreXtra production. "This is the first time TheatreXtra has put on a musical, so we're all thrilled to be a part of it."

Playing Mar. 3-5 in the David Spinks Theatre, there are shows nightly at 8 p.m. and a 2 p.m. matinee on Mar. 5.

[title of show]'s catchy music and eccentric cast promises to leave an impression on audiences. An off-beat comedy written by Jeff Bowen and Hunter Bell, it premiered at the New York Musical Theatre Festival in September 2004. After running with great success Off-Broadway in 2006, [title of show] ran at the Lyceum Theatre on Broadway in 2008.

"I was already a fan of the show and knew the music well," says Schulte, a third-year drama major. "When the performance rights were released, I jumped at the chance to present it here."

With 19 pieces of music, including 14 songs, putting together a musical in four weeks is a challenge that would make any director's head spin.

"This has really been a collaborative effort," he says. "It's a musical about students putting on a musical, and so far, this has been a great fit for our cast and crew, and works perfectly with TheatreXtra's mandate."

The demands of directing a musical add a new element to the process.

"There are two more elements in this show: choreography and music," he adds. "It's been so much fun to direct."

With quirky songs such as, Two Nobodies in New York, The Tony Award Song and Die, Vampire, Die!, audiences can expect a contemporary, funny night of musical theatre.

"I liked that the themes of the musical were very similar to my own life," says Schulte. "This show is relevant to students, and we know the audiences are going to love it too."

Tickets to TheatreXtra's hilarious final production of the season are available at the U of L Box Office or by calling 403-329-2616. Tickets are $15 regular and $10 for students and seniors.

For a look at the February issue of the Legend in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Unassuming academic

trevor.kenney — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 17:15:47 +0000

Reality for Chad Befus (BSc '08, MSc '10) came from looking into the eyes of his co-workers, on a frigid Arctic work site toward the end of another 16-hour day. He needed to go to school.

"In the Arctic, when you're out there working what seems like a never-ending day in minus-60 degree weather, you get that feeling you need to go do something else," says Befus, whose indirect route to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge included a work stint in the seismic trade after graduating from Calgary's William Aberhart High School.

"It was long hours and very hard work. There were guys working there, and they were very impressive people, who were 60 years old – I just didn't want to be them at 60."

So he looked south to the U of L and, taking the advice of friends who'd said he was always "good with computers", and threw himself into computer science with a determination steeled by his time in the workforce.

"My time away from school is what told me I needed to come to university and do my bachelor's degree," he says. "It also drove me to work so hard to complete it."

Alumnus Chad Befus had multiple opportunities to stay in the work world but he kept coming back to school.

A second work experience sent Befus back to school once more, this time to complete his master's degree. He says he doesn't need a third reality check, having already been accepted into a PhD program at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of London. The academic world is where Befus plans to stay.

"I was fortunate enough to do a co-op program with Shell Canada in my fourth year and it was an excellent experience," says Befus, who was offered a full-time job as a result.

"I likely could have spent the rest of my life there as a programmer, but I didn't find it especially challenging. It gave me yet another perspective and drove me back into university."

The U of L hooked Befus very early in his post-secondary career.

"One of my first classes was with Dr. Yllias Chali. He has such a spark of enthusiasm for his work that all the kids in his class are just drawn in by him," says Befus. "He is so exciting and interesting, and I give him a great deal of credit because that first class at university was so fun and so interesting, that appeal just stuck with me."

When seeking a graduate program, students are often advised to look beyond the confines of the school at which they earned their bachelor's degree. Befus, having built a rapport with his professors, respectfully ignored that counsel.

"For me, the idea of working for some stranger, not knowing what I'd be working on or what environment I'd be in, just didn't appeal to me," he says. "I wanted to come back and work for one of the professors that I did know, who would challenge me and give me enough leash to be able to go out and do the tasks."

Befus' research interest is in music information retrieval, essentially applying computers to music. As a computer scientist his work is on the systemic side of the equation, how to make computers more accurately represent music. It's not a one-discipline problem however, and Befus says his exposure to the artistic and psychological components have given him a more complete approach.

"I know people who have gone to other universities who stick to their respective areas, and they become very good in those areas. Here you're forced to take different disciplines as an undergraduate, things such as psychology courses, social science courses, art courses, and that's what I find really interesting. I like to go out of my box," he says.

He credits that interdisciplinary approach for enhancing his critical thinking skills.

"If you've got a breadth of knowledge, you can come at a solution from a direction that nobody else will," Befus says. "Somebody coming from a background in music might approach the same problem differently than someone from computer science or psychology. The U of L has helped me see that interdisciplinary areas of research are much more interesting."

It also contributed to his finding a PhD opportunity with Dr. Geraint Wiggins at Goldsmiths' College at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of London.

"From what I've read of his work, his department is very connected with the other aspects of this field, you'll see all three areas represented," says Befus. "I have experience with that and it's what interests me."

He admits the experience will once again take him out of his comfort zone. London is a long way from the U of L and his hometown of Calgary, and even further from his time in the Arctic.

"Back then I wanted to work on cars or something like that, being a doctor seemed out of this world to me because you had to be a brain to do that," he laughs.

"I've never done anything quite like this. It's going a little bit further than I'm used to, so it should be interesting."

GET THE FACTS

· Befus has an older brother currently pursuing his master's in earth sciences at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary.

· His mother was born in Lethbridge and has a nursing degree from the U of C, while his father has a bachelor's degree from the U of C and a law degree from ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Victoria.

· Befus met his PhD supervisor after earning the right to present a paper at the International Computer Music Conference in New York.

· He earned his studentship at ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of London after winning one of three spots from among 80 applicants.

· He describes the practical applications of his research by saying, "The idea is we can do things like search or classify music better, simply because we can get a more accurate representation of music itself at a workable level."

A Provost's Philosophy

trevor.kenney — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 17:51:38 +0000

Dr. Cheryl Misak (BA '83) never intended to go into academia. When she began her education at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, Misak's goal was to become a lawyer.

As fate would have it (if fate does in fact exist – a question Misak has certainly pondered and discussed at length with hundreds of students over the course of her long and illustrious career) Philosophy 1000 was the only course that fit a gap in her schedule that first semester. You could say the rest is history, but in Misak's case, it's far more appropriate to ask whether certain things in life are just meant to be.

Taking a look at Misak's resumé, which brims with esteemed accomplishments, culminating in her current position as vice-president and provost at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Toronto, it's easy to buy into the notion that things have a way of working out the way they should. That first course in philosophy that Misak added to her schedule simply out of practicality, set her life on an extraordinarily successful and interesting trajectory that she might not otherwise have pursued.

"I was immediately taken by it," Misak says of philosophy. "I agonized over what to do – it seemed that degrees in philosophy wouldn't lead to much of a career, but eventually I took the plunge."

Dr. Cheryl Misak (BA '83) was the 2009 recipient of the Alumnus of the Year award.

Misak followed her passion, earning a BA in Philosophy with great distinction, and the coveted Faculty of Arts and Science Gold Medal to go along with it. While she had her sights set on a Rhodes Scholarship that year, it was at Columbia ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ that Misak earned an MA. Even so, Oxford was never off the radar. Misak reapplied for the Rhodes Scholarship while in New York, was accepted and went on to earn her PhD in England.

Since then, it's been one step after the other for Misak. She's been a lecturer at Oxford, graduate co-ordinator and assistant professor at Queen's, and then steadily moved up the ranks at U of T, advancing from professor to chair to dean to VP and principal – all the way to the top of the institution as vice-president and provost. It's an impressive succession that even Misak herself sometimes has trouble recognizing as her own career.

"It's a constant object of amazement to me," Misak says. "I had to be convinced to do each successive job. Each time I moved on, I found I was enjoying it more and more. People kept asking me to do things, and I just kept saying yes."

While the position of vice-president and provost at U of T is more than a full-time job, Misak makes a point of keeping her hand in research and teaching. She is currently working on research for a book titled The American Pragmatists – a subject matter very much in line with work Misak started while still an undergrad at the U of L. It is fittingly full circle – especially for a philosophy buff.

"Philosophy is about working through problems, getting to the bottom of things and trying to come to an understanding about concepts such as truth, knowledge, justice and the good. Ask a question about an old problem, and you're bound to learn something, if not new, then at least important."

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Alumni Association Distinguished Alumnus of the Year award recognizes individuals for exceptional professional achievements, academic excellence or contributions to society.

Unassuming academic

trevor.kenney — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 19:16:09 +0000

Reality for Chad Befus (BSc '08, MSc '10) came from looking into the eyes of his co-workers, on a frigid Arctic work site toward the end of another 16-hour day. He needed to go to school.

"It was long hours and very hard work. There were guys working there, and they were very impressive people, who were 60 years old – I just didn't want to be them at 60."

"My time away from school is what told me I needed to come to university and do my bachelor's degree," he says. "It also drove me to work so hard to complete it."

"I was fortunate enough to do a co-op program with Shell Canada in my fourth year and it was an excellent experience," says Befus, who was offered a full-time job as a result.

"I likely could have spent the rest of my life there as a programmer, but I didn't find it especially challenging. It gave me yet another perspective and drove me back into university."

The U of L hooked Befus very early in his post-secondary career.

"One of my first classes was with Dr. Yllias Chali. He has such a spark of
enthusiasm for his work that all the kids in his class are just drawn in by him," says Befus. "He is so exciting and interesting, and I give him a great deal of credit because that first class at university was so fun and so interesting, that appeal just stuck with me."

He credits that interdisciplinary approach for enhancing his critical thinking skills.

It also contributed to his finding a PhD opportunity with Dr. Geraint Wiggins at Goldsmiths' College at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of London.

He admits the experience will once again take him out of his comfort zone. London is a long way from the U of L and his hometown of Calgary, and even further from his time in the Arctic.

"Back then I wanted to work on cars or something like that, being a doctor seemed out of this world to me because you had to be a brain to do that," he laughs.

"I've never done anything quite like this. It's going a little bit further than I'm used to, so it should be interesting."

GET THE FACTS

• Befus has an older brother currently pursuing his master's in earth sciences at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary.

• His mother was born in Lethbridge and has a nursing degree from the U of C, while his father has a bachelor's degree from the U of C and a law degree from ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Victoria.

• Befus met his PhD supervisor after earning the right to present a paper at the International Computer Music Conference in New York.

• He earned his studentship at ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of London after winning one of three spots from among 80 applicants.

• He describes the practical applications of his research by saying, "The idea is we can do things like search or classify music better, simply because we can get a more accurate representation of music itself at a workable level."

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