UNews - editor

SAM - Fall 2014 edition

trevor.kenney — Sun, 23 Nov 2014 16:58:39 +0000

Welcome to the fall 2014 issue of SAM.

We are so proud to share with you stories about your ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, and as Canada's consummate storyteller Margaret Atwood tells us in this issue - we as humans are compelled to tell stories. Ms. Atwood will speak at our Calgary Alumni & Friends Dinner in March.

This issue contains stories about students keen on making a difference in the world. It includes stories of alumni who illustrate how the gift of time can make a profound difference in the communities we live, work and play in; and it includes stories about the incredible opportunities being realized at the U of L; philanthropic gifts that take us in new directions; and how preparations for our golden milestone are taking shape.

Our stories connect us. As we approach our 50th anniversary, I encourage you to share your story with us. Please send your story and U of L memories to sam@uleth.ca.

Enjoy!

Tanya Jacobson-Gundlock, Editor

If you would prefer to view the magazine in a flipbook format, please visit our ISSUU website.

Closing de Grandmaison

trevor.kenney — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 17:40:51 +0000

The Nicholas de Grandmaison: Recent Acquisitions exhibit Closing Reception and Hoop Dance Performance takes place Tuesday, June 25 at 7 p.m. in the Main Gallery

Each face, with its deep lines, juxtaposing colours and gentle strokes, tells a story – a story of honour, dignity and character; joy and sorrow; life and death – a story of a people in the midst of transition.

By capturing the faces of Canada's First Nations people, painter Nicholas de Grandmaison (1892 – 1978) left a deeply personal record of history.

A Russian aristocrat forced out of his homeland, a prisoner of war and eventually an immigrant to Canada, de Grandmaison felt an intimate connection to the First Nations people and empathized with the massive cultural changes they were forced to endure during the mid-20th century.

From the 1930s up until his death, de Grandmaison was struck with an urgency to paint the Plains Indians because he believed their way of life was quickly disappearing.

Nicholas de Grandmaison travelled across the Canadian Prairies documenting history through the faces he painted. Recognized as one of the most significant portraitists of First Nations people in Canada, de Grandmaison's own story began across the Atlantic.

Nicholas de Grandmaison. Courtesy of U of L Archives.

Born in Russia in 1892, de Grandmaison's roots trace back to France and a great-grandfather who was rescued during the French Revolution. Because of his heritage, de Grandmaison's early years were privy to upper-class privileges his forefathers had been afforded by Catherine the Great a century earlier, including art lessons and learning about social graces as part of his schooling. After graduating from college, he attended a military school and was trained as an officer.

When the First World War broke out, de Grandmaison, who was in his early-20s, served as a soldier in East Prussia where his unit suffered a terrible defeat and he was sent to Germany as a prisoner of war. He spent a number years as a prisoner of war in Germany where he put his artistic talent to work, drawing his fellow prisoners and even some of the camp's officers.

Eventually, de Grandmaison regained his freedom, but his life was far from worry-free upon returning to Russia. As a monarchist, he ended up fleeing his civil war-ravaged homeland and escaping to Poland/Germany.

In time, de Grandmaison made his way to England. In London, with support from his friends, he attended St. John's Wood School of Art. That creative journey, however, did little to ease de Grandmaison's constant fear of deportation. So, using the winnings from a horse race wager, he set sail for Canada in 1923.

Upon disembarking in Quebec City, de Grandmaison connected with some harvesters who were headed to Manitoba. His career as a farm labourer, however, was not to be. After doing multiple odd jobs, de Grandmaison secured work at a large commercial art firm in Winnipeg. There, in addition to joining the Winnipeg Arts Club, he spent the next few years illustrating catalogues, painting portraits of chief justices, politicians and the children of local business leaders. But it wasn't until de Grandmaison ventured to northern Manitoba in 1930 that he found his true calling in life: capturing portraits of First Nations people.

He once wrote the First Nations people he saw inspired him "to forget the past and look forward to see and paint them all."

Nicholas de Grandmaison, Wolf Tail (Apisoh'soyi), 1960. From the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Art Collection. Gift of BMO Financial Group, 2012.

Wanting to capture First Nations people in an authentic setting ultimately compelled the artist to move to Alberta where he set out to paint First Nations people who lived far away from cities and towns, and consequently had managed to retain their customs.

While in Alberta, de Grandmaison married Sophia (Sonia) Orest Dournovo, a talented sculptor in her own right, and together they went on to have five children – all of whom would grow up to become artists or work in some facet of the art world.

When the children were young, de Grandmaison worked on a number of commissions as a way of supporting his growing family. Despite these everyday responsibilities, he remained devoted to drawing First Nations people.

Specifically, de Grandmaison was fascinated with his subjects' faces. In them, as he once described, he saw "…all the sorrow, oppression and history…indelibly written. They have character, colour and history in their blood."

But a rich past wasn't the only thing that de Grandmaison saw in the subjects; he was also keenly aware that their cultural practices were under great pressure from assimilation.

In fact, when the artist had arrived in Canada, First Nations people had been moved onto reserves and were being taught how to farm. This dramatic shift, as de Grandmaison came to understand, posed a serious threat to First Nations people's traditional way of life. So while first-hand memories were still vibrant, de Grandmaison felt duty-bound to document the history of First Nations people.

He accomplished this goal in two ways: by recording First Nations people as they told stories in their own languages and by preserving their features in pastel drawings. Today, those recordings and works of art – many of which are housed at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge – serve as proof of de Grandmaison's unwavering loyalty to Canada's First Nations communities.

"There are not many paintings that actually depict First Nations people as individuals," says Josephine Mills, director/curator of the U of L's Art Gallery. "De Grandmaison's paintings focus on the honour, dignity and character of each person. He didn't see First Nations people in a stereotypical light; he tried to show their individual personalities and life stories."

Nicholas de Grandmaison, Blackfoot Child, 1936. From the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Art Collection. Gift of BMO Financial Group, 2012.

Not only a technically skilled artist, Mills says, de Grandmaison possessed the exceptional ability to capture an individual's unique personality. Through careful colour selections, precise compositions and gentle lines, he was able to depict subjects' expressions as well as their character.

De Grandmaison's attention to detail was evident in every aspect of his work. For example, he recognized the importance of portraying First Nations people in their real clothing. It was a commitment to authenticity that stood de Grandmaison apart from other portraitists who chose to dress First Nations people in ornate and often culturally inaccurate costumes.

Instead, de Grandmaison was deeply deferential toward First Nations people, and this approach did not go unnoticed by First Nations communities. In fact, as a symbol of the respect and affection that First Nations people felt for de Grandmaison, he was named Chief Little Plume, honorary chief of the Piikani Nation. When de Grandmaison died in 1978, he was laid to rest on the Brocket Reserve in southern Alberta.

Thirty-five years later, the gestural, unfinished qualities of de Grandmaison's drawings continue to intrigue viewers and tell an important part of the Canadian story. And thanks to a recent gift to the U of L, even more people will now be able to appreciate the late artist's work.

In February 2013, the BMO Financial Group donated 67 original pastel portraits by de Grandmaison to the U of L's Art Gallery, along with $50,000 to care for and create access to the works. The collection, which is valued at more than $1.6 million, spans a period of more than 30 years and traces the development of de Grandmaison's talent and facility as one of the most important painters and portraitists of western First Nations people in Canada.

The donated portraits are part of a portfolio of works by de Grandmaison that were purchased by BMO in 1978 from the artist's family following his death. To that end, the collection now has an ideal home at the U of L, says Robert Hayes, senior vice president, prairies division of BMO Bank of Montreal.

"The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ already owns one of the most comprehensive collections of artworks and artifacts by this important Canadian portraitist. We are excited to enhance this collection with a gift that will allow it to continue to serve as a resource for students, faculty and independent scholars," says Hayes.

This gift of works from BMO Financial Group joins over 170 drawings, paintings and personal archival items (most of which have been deemed to be of outstanding significance and national importance) already housed by the U of L Art Collection and Archives, which the de Grandmaison family previously donated to the U of L.

"The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ takes seriously what it means to be entrusted with these cultural treasures," says Mahon. "These pieces hold special meaning for the U of L as most of de Grandmaison's work was created in this area. I find it fascinating that the communities Nicholas de Grandmaison was passionate about are the same communities the university remains passionate about today."

Being chosen as the keeper of the additional portraits is a testament to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's overall approach to art.

One of the most significant art collections in Canada, the U of L's Art Gallery's holdings number over 14,000 objects from Canada, America and Europe – and those works are not simply kept in storage on campus. "The gallery does a great deal with its works," says Mills. "We exhibit them, send them on tours, loan them to other galleries and use them to generate research."

In addition to using the works as teaching and research tool for faculty and students across the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, there are plans to initiate an oral history project that will collect stories from anyone who knew de Grandmaison and any of the subjects in his portraits. Mills has also commissioned First Nations artists, such as Jeffrey Thomas, to create new works in response to de Grandmaison's artwork, and there are future plans to loan the collection to other museums and create a touring exhibition.

"This generous gift will significantly enhance our collection, exhibitions, and public programs and thus be an excellent resource for our community," says Mills.

Most importantly, the gift preserves a part of the past.

"While we tend to understand history as big events, this piece of Canada's history focuses on the individuals and their stories," says Mills. "If we didn't have these paintings, we would be missing an important part of our Western heritage."

Editor's note: This article references Drawn From The Past – Nicholas de Grandmaison by Gordron Synder, Introduction by Joan Murray, as a factual resource.

The faces of history

trevor.kenney — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 17:12:40 +0000

The Nicholas de Grandmaison: Recent Acquisitions exhibit Closing Reception and Hoop Dance Performance takes place Tuesday, June 25 at 7 p.m. in the Main Gallery

Each face, with its deep lines, juxtaposing colours and gentle strokes, tells a story – a story of honour, dignity and character; joy and sorrow; life and death – a story of a people in the midst of transition.

By capturing the faces of Canada's First Nations people, painter Nicholas de Grandmaison (1892 – 1978) left a deeply personal record of history.

A Russian aristocrat forced out of his homeland, a prisoner of war and eventually an immigrant to Canada, de Grandmaison felt an intimate connection to the First Nations people and empathized with the massive cultural changes they were forced to endure during the mid-20th century.

From the 1930s up until his death, de Grandmaison was struck with an urgency to paint the Plains Indians because he believed their way of life was quickly disappearing.

Nicholas de Grandmaison. Courtesy of U of L Archives.

He once wrote the First Nations people he saw inspired him "to forget the past and look forward to see and paint them all."

Nicholas de Grandmaison, Wolf Tail (Apisoh'soyi), 1960. From the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Art Collection. Gift of BMO Financial Group, 2012.

But a rich past wasn't the only thing that de Grandmaison saw in the subjects; he was also keenly aware that their cultural practices were under great pressure from assimilation.

Nicholas de Grandmaison, Blackfoot Child, 1936. From the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Art Collection. Gift of BMO Financial Group, 2012.

Being chosen as the keeper of the additional portraits is a testament to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's overall approach to art.

"This generous gift will significantly enhance our collection, exhibitions, and public programs and thus be an excellent resource for our community," says Mills.

Most importantly, the gift preserves a part of the past.

Editor's note: This article references Drawn From The Past – Nicholas de Grandmaison by Gordron Synder, Introduction by Joan Murray, as a factual resource.

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ recognizes faculty excellence

trevor.kenney — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 21:21:16 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge honoured faculty and postdoctoral fellows across campus who received academic research awards of distinction, secured research funding or published their research findings in the last year at Thursday's Celebrating Research Reception in Markin Hall.

The U of L also recognized those who had books published within the last calendar year.

Below is a list of the awards presented.

Research Awards: External

Alberta Science and Technology Leadership Foundation (ASTech) Award: Excellence in Science and Technology Public Awareness
Kristy Burke | Conference & Event Services

American Oil Chemists' Society Timothy L. Mounts Award
Roman Przybylski | Chemistry & Biochemistry

Campus Alberta Innovates Program (CAIP) Chairs
Chris Hopkinson | Geography, Terrestrial Ecosystems Remote Sensing
Greg Pyle | Biological Sciences, Aquatic Health

Canada Research Chairs
Louise Barrett | Psychology, Cognition, Evolution and Behaviour, Tier 1
Stacey Wetmore | Chemistry & Biochemistry, Computational Chemistry, Tier 2

Canadian Insolvency Foundation Lloyd Houlden Research Fellowship
Gordon Hunter | Management

Confederation of Alberta Faculty Association (CAFA) Distinguished Academic Award
Trudy Govier | Philosophy

Pat Clifford Award for Early Career Research in Education
Michelle Hogue | First Nations' Transition Program

Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Medal
Reginald Bibby | Sociology
Peter McCormick | Political Science
Richard Mrazek | Education

World Council for Curriculum & Instruction Distinguished Leadership Award
Peter Heffernan | Education

Research Awards: Internal

Ingrid Speaker Medal for Distinguished Research, Scholarship, or Performance
Joseph Rasmussen | Biological Sciences

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Board of Governors Research Chair

Igor Kovalchuk | Biological Sciences
Olga Kovalchuk | Biological Sciences
David Naylor | Physics & Astronomy
Sergio Pellis | Neuroscience

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Scholars
Janice Rahn | Education
Peter Visentin | Music
Judith Whitehead | Anthropology

Research Grants: External

Alberta Advisory Committee for Educational Studies Grant
Noella Piquette | Education
Jennifer Thannhauser | Education

Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development
Wei Xu | Geography

Alberta Centre for Child, Family and Community Research Grant
(2) Claudia Malacrida | Sociology

Alberta Foundation for the Arts
Mary Kavanagh | Art
Taras Polataiko | Art
Janice Rahn/Michael Campbell | Education/Art Co-Principal Investigators

Alberta Gaming Research Institute Grant
Yale Belanger | Native American Studies
Cheryl Currie | Public Health
Gabriela Novotna | Addictions Counselling
Claudia Steinke | Nursing

Alberta Inflammatory Bowel Disease Grant
Sameer Despande | Management

Alberta Innovates Health Solutions Grant
Gerlinde Metz | Neuroscience, Co-Director

Alberta Innovates Health Solutions Sustainability Funds
Roy Golsteyn | Biological Sciences
Aaron Gruber | Neuroscience
David Naylor | Physics & Astronomy
Paul Vasey | Psychology
Ute Wieden-Kothe | Chemistry & Biochemistry

Alberta Rural Development Network (ARDN) Grant
Shawn Bubel | Geography
Glenda Bonifacio | Women & Gender Studies
Jon Doan | Kinesiology & Physical Education
Leanne Elias | New Media
Carmen Mombourquette | Education
Monique Sedgwick | Nursing
David Slomp | Education
(2) Carol Williams | Women & Gender Studies

Alzheimer Society of Canada Grant
Shannon Spenceley | Nursing

American Cancer Society Grant
Raphael Lencucha | Public Health

ATB Financial
Gordon Hunter/Dan Kazakoff | Management

Canada Council for the Arts Grant
Mary Kavanagh | Art
Maria Ng | English

Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation Grant
Olga Kovalchuk | Biological Sciences
Olga Kovalchuk | Biological Sciences, Co-applicant

Canada Centre for Remote Sensing
Nadia Rochdi/Karl Staenz | Alberta Terrestrial Imaging Centre/Geography

Canada Foundation for Innovation Leaders Opportunity Fund Grant
Aaron Gruber | Neuroscience
Paul Hazendonk | Chemistry & Biochemistry
Andrew Iwaniuk | Neuroscience
Hans-Joachim Wieden | Chemistry & Biochemistry

CIHR Emerging Team Grant
Gabriela Novotna | Health Sciences

CIHR Café Scientifique Grant
Penny D'Agnone | Office of Research & Innovation Services

CIHR Operating Grant
Sameer Deshpande | Management, Co-applicant
Judith Kulig | Nursing

CIHR Research Planning Grant
Sameer Desphande | Management, Co-applicant

Canadian Space Agency Contract
Karl Staenz | Geography
(2) David Naylor | Physics & Astronomy

Canadian Wildlife Federation
Richard Mrazek | Education

Department of Defense Contract
Albert Cross | Neuroscience

European Union FP7 Grant
David Naylor | Physics & Astronomy, Co-applicant

Grand Challenges in Global Health Grant
Gerlinde Metz | Neuroscience, Co-applicant

Health Canada Grant
Judith Kulig | Health Sciences, Co-applicant

Heritage Canada Grant for Aid to Scholarly Publication
Peter Heffernan | Education

Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction Grant
Judith Kulig | Health Sciences

Max Bell Foundation Award
Noella Piquette | Education, Co-applicant

Monieson Centre, Queen's Business School
Gordon Hunter | Management

National Science Foundation
Jennifer Mather | Psychology, Collaborating Consultant

NSERC Collaborative Research & Training Experience (CREATE) Grant
Robert Sutherland | Neuroscience

NSERC Discovery Grant
Louise Barrett | Psychology
Sarah Boon | Geography
Howard Cheng | Mathematics & Computer Science
Saurya Das | Physics & Astronomy
Jon Doan | Kinesiology & Physical Education
Cam Goater | Biological Sciences
Bruce McNaughton | Neuroscience
Jackie Rice | Mathematics & Computer Science
Elizabeth Schultz | Biological Sciences
Robert Sutherland | Neuroscience
Soroosh Yazdani | Mathematics & Computer Science

NSERC Research Tools and Instruments Grant
Amir Akbary | Mathematics & Computer Science
Paul Hazendonk | Chemistry & Biochemistry

Pacific Institute for the Mathematical Sciences
Shahadat Hossain | Mathematics & Computer Science

SSHRC Aid to Scholarly Journals Grant
Peter Heffernan | Education
Edward Jurkowski | Music

SSHRC Insight Development Grant
Abdie Kazemipur | Sociology, Co-applicant

SSHRC Insight Grant
Harold Jansen | Political Science
Heidi MacDonald | History
Noella Piquette | Education, Co-applicant
Paul Vasey | Psychology

SSHRC Partnership Grant
Yale Belanger | Native American Studies, Co-applicant
Henning Bjornlund | Economics, Co-applicant
Glenda Bonifacio | Women & Gender Studies, Co-applicant
Abdie Kazemipur | Sociology, Co-applicant
Richard Mueller | Economics, Co-applicant
Ivan Townshend | Geography, Co-applicant
Wei Xu | Geography, Co-applicant

SSHRC Public Outreach Grant
Debra Basil | Management

TECTERRA
Wei Xu/Karl Staenz | Geography

Research Grants: Internal

Emmy Droog Research Awards in Health Sciences Grant
Cheryl Currie | Public Health
Ruth Grant Kalischuk | Nursing

Interdisciplinary Research Development Fund Grant
Leanne Elias | New Media
Team: John Usher (Management), Janice Rahn (Education), Michael Campbell (Art) and Cheryl Meheden (Management)
Roy Golsteyn | Biological Sciences
Team: Olga Kovalchuk (Biological Sciences) and David Naylor (Physics & Astronomy)
Josephine Mills | Art
Team: Louise Barrett (Psychology), Lisa Doolittle (Theatre & Drama), Emily Luce (New Media), Bruce MacKay (Liberal Education Program) and Tiffany Muller Myrdahl (Women & Gender Studies)
Nicole Rosen | Modern Languages
Team: Inge Genee (Modern Languages), Robbin Gibb (Neuroscience), Claudia Gonzalez (Kinesiology & Physical Education), Fangfang Li (Psychology) and Noella Piquette (Education)
Carol Williams | Women & Gender Studies
Team: Glenda Bonifacio (Women & Gender Studies), Bonnie Lee (Health Sciences), Linda ManyGuns (Native American Studies) and Patrick Wilson (Anthropology)

Parkland Institute Faculty Research Grant
Claudia Malacrida | Sociology

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Community of Research Excellence Development Opportunities (CREDO) Grant
Jerimy Cunningham | Anthropology
Claudia Malacrida | Sociology
Janay Nugent | History
Amy Shaw | History

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Internal
Artistic/Creative Grant
Michael Campbell | Art
Dagmar Dahl | Art
Mary Kavanagh | Art

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Internal SSHRC Grant
Michelle Hogue | First Nations' Transition Program
Janay Nugent | History
Kent Peacock | Philosophy
Amy Shaw | History

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Research Dissemination Grant
Glenda Bonifacio | Women & Gender Studies
Inge Genee | Modern Languages
Catherine Kingfisher | Anthropology
Janice Newberry | Anthropology
Hillary Rodrigues/John Harding | Religious Studies
Arlan Schultz | Music
Amy Shaw | History

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Research Fund Grant
Vishaal Baulkaran/Ebenezer Asem | Finance
Sarah Boon | Geography
Shawn Bubel | Geography
Michael Campbell | Art
Arundhati Dasgupta | Physics & Astronomy
Larry Flanagan | Biological Sciences
Claudia Gonzales/Fangfang Li | Kinesiology & Physical Education/Psychology
Ute Wieden-Kothe | Chemistry & Biochemistry
Jason Laurendeau | Sociology
Raphael Lencucha | Public Health
Hua Li | Mathematics & Computer Science
Heidi MacDonald | History
Kimberly Mair | Sociology
Steve Patitsas/Saurya Das | Physics & Astronomy
Adriana Predoi-Cross | Physics & Astronomy
Drew Rendall | Psychology
Shelley Scott | Theatre & Drama
David Siminovitch/Tony Montina | Physics & Astronomy
D. Andrew Stewart | Music
Mark Walton | Physics & Astronomy
John Zhang | Mathematics & Computer Science

Post-Doctoral Fellow Awards Alberta Innovates Health Solutions Postgraduate Fellowship
Ben Clark | Neuroscience
Corinne Montes-Rodriquez | Neuroscience
Jake Ormond | Neuroscience
Ivan Skelin | Neuroscience
Aaron Wilber | Neuroscience

Canadian Space Agency Space Science Enhancement Award Postdoctoral Fellowship
Matthijs Van Der Wiel | Physics & Astronomy

CIHR Fellowship
Hendrik Steenland | Neuroscience

Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Postdoctoral Fellowship (Short-Term) for North American and European Researchers
Noelle Gunst | Psychology

Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Postdoctoral Research Support Allowance (Short-Term) for North American and European Researchers
Noelle Gunst | Psychology

Book Awards 2013 recipients

M. Gordon Hunter & Dan Kazakoff (authors): Small Business: Journey to Success

Shawn Bubel, James McMurchy & Duncan Lloyd (authors): Record In Stone: Familiar Projectile Points From Alberta

Jean-Baptiste Leca, Michael A. Huffman & Paul Vasey (editors): The Monkeys of Smokey Mountain

Sarah Glassford & Amy Shaw (editors): A Sisterhood of Suffering and Service: Women and Girls of Canada and Newfoundland during the First World War

Geoffrey Hale (author): So Near Yet So Far: The Public and Hidden Worlds of Canada-U.S. Relations

Aaron Taylor (editor): Theorizing Film Acting

Marc R. Roussel (author): A Life Scientist's Guide to Physical Chemistry

Glena Tibe Bonifacio (editor): Feminism and Migration: Cross-cultural Engagements

Robert J. Williams, Robert T. Wood & Jonathan Parke (editors): The Routledge International Handbook of Internet Gambling

Arundhati Dasgupta (editor): Recent Research in Quantum Gravity

John S. Harding (editor): Studying Buddhism in Practice

Yale D. Belanger (editor): First Nations Gaming in Canada

Yongjian Bao & Wenlong Yuan (authors): The Contrarian Way of Crisis Management

Keith Roscoe & Rick Mrazek (authors): Developing Scientific Literacy: Ideas and Strategies for Planning, Assessment, and Instruction

Blythe Shepard & Lorna Martin (authors): Supervision of Counselling and Psychotherapy: A Handbook for Canadian Certified Supervisors and Applicants

Margaret A. Winzer & Kas Mazurek (editors): International Practices in Special Education: Debates and Challenges

Judith C. Kulig & Allison M. Williams (editors): Health in Rural Canada

Olga Kovalchuk & Igor Kovalchuk (authors) Epigenetics in Health and Disease

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ loses distinguished faculty member

trevor.kenney — Mon, 10 Sep 2012 04:58:17 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ community offers its most sincere condolences to the family, friends, students and many colleagues of the late Dr. Don Birchfield, a professor of Native American Studies, award-winning author and champion of, and mentor to, numerous students.

Don served the Department of Native American Studies at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge since 2001. He passed into the spirit world in the early hours of Friday, September 7, 2012. He will be greatly missed.

At this time, a memorial service is yet to be finalized. This notice will be updated with additional information as it becomes available.

Don Birchfield was a graduate of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Oklahoma College of Law and a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma.

Prior to teaching at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, Don taught American Indian studies at Cornell ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of New Mexico, and the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Wisconsin-Green Bay.

He served as book review editor for Studies In American Indian Literatures (SAIL), Native Americas, and News From Indian Country, and is a former editor of Camp Crier at the Oklahoma City Native American Center.

His Oklahoma Basic Intelligence Test (Greenfield Review Center, 1998) won the First Book Award For Prose from the Native Writers' Circle of the Americas, and his Field of Honor (U of OK P, 2004) won the Writer of the Year award from Wordcraft Circle of Native Writers & Storytellers and the Spur Award for Best First Novel from Western Writers of America.

His other books include Black Silk Handkerchief: A Hom-Astubby Mystery (U of OK P, 2006) and nineteen textbooks for children from educational publishers.

Don was a founding member of the National Advisory Caucus of Wordcraft Circle of Native Writers & Storytellers. He was General Editor of the eleven-volume Encyclopedia of North American Indians (Marshall Cavendish, 1997).

In 2007, he was the Distinguished Lecturer at the 84th annual convention of the Central States Anthropological Society. His most recent book, How Choctaws Invented Civilization and Why Choctaws Will Conquer The World (U of NM P, 2007), treats American history, American Indian law and policy, Choctaw history, and academe as objects of satire.

Yamashita proud of her small-town roots

trevor.kenney — Tue, 08 May 2012 20:32:43 +0000

Dr. Kathy Yamashita (BASc '72) puts a new twist on the saying that good things come in small packages. Yamashita is a firm believer that it is also good to come from small places.

Her experience growing up in the small town of Vauxhall had a profound effect on the direction of her career.

"I was influenced by our family doctor, Dr. Campbell. Over the years he got to know our family well. I was impressed that when I would go to see him he would also ask about the welfare of other members of my family. I thought that if I was ever a doctor, I would like to be like that," explains Yamashita.

Dr. Kathy Yamashita continues to encourage young people, especially young women, to consider careers in the medical field.

In 1968, Yamashita enrolled at a very young ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge. She attended her first three years of classes at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's temporary site on the Lethbridge Junior College campus.

"I was shy and the thought of going away to a university was too frightening. To have the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ open up in Lethbridge one year before I graduated high school, where I could come and live with my aunt for the first year was a big plus," remembers Yamashita. "Sometime during my second or third year, I realized I couldn't attend the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ forever. I considered the professions; at that time it was uncommon for a woman to go into medicine, but I had gained confidence in my academic abilities and I thought, 'why can't I go into medicine'?"

Yamashita spent her fourth year of studies preparing for medical school, taking biology and chemistry classes in the newly constructed ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Hall.

"It was wonderful! You even got to take an elevator to class," laughs Yamashita as she remembers how tightknit the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ community was. "My brother and I both lived in residence. He was in his second year and would frequently forget to wake up for Paul Lewis' parasitology class. One day Paul took his other students and they went to my brother's room, woke him up and had class there. You see, in those early days, only about five or six years of age separated us from our professors. They were a big source of our social gatherings. They would have us to dinner or hang out with us at corn roasts; it was a very collegial atmosphere."

She graduated with a BASc in 1972 and was accepted to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary medical school, which opened its doors only two years earlier. She was one of 35 students who graduated from the U of C medical school in 1975.

"I came from a small school in Vauxhall to a small university to an even smaller medical school. It is good to come from small; you cannot be ignored. Being from small, you are encouraged to be yourself. You can't hide in the back row. Someone will always ask you what you think and expect you to speak. So, being shy? Well, I am no longer shy. It was encouraging to be from small, where your voice is important."

In 1978, Yamashita opened the Lacidem Clinic in Lethbridge as the lone physician. She now works with five other female physicians who all specialize in family practice. Over the years, Yamashita has spent countless hours volunteering for various organizations and boards, including the LRH Sexual Assault Response Team (of which she is an original member), Canyon Church Camp and the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Senate.

Despite her busy schedule, Yamashita believes in making friends and loved ones a priority. She recently returned home from Durban, South Africa, where she went to cheer on her nephew, U of L lifeguard Jon Yamashita, at the Commonwealth Lifesaving Championship, and to catch up with good friend Helga Holst, CEO of the McCord Hospital. While there, she attended an HIV conference and toured the hospital and the construction site of a unique orphanage designed as a children's village, a place for the children, orphaned due to the HIV crisis, to call home.

"I think I am meant to do something with that experience, but I don't know what yet," says Yamashita who, in the meantime, will continue her work with young people that are considering a career in the medical field.

"I teach first and second-year family medicine residents and third-year medical students. I have other students that come and job shadow me at family medicine as well. I want students to see how much fun this is and what a great career this is. It is a joy to do my job!"

GET THE FACTS

· Yamashita is a very proud mother of two daughters

· She is proud to call the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge her family's "home university". She has five siblings and all have attended the U of L

· Yamashita was a 2004 recipient of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Distinguished Alumni Award

· She is currently serving as the secretary for the South Alberta Presbytery and is the editor of the Kyogikai Newsletter for the National Japanese United Church Association

Book Awards handed out Mar. 19

trevor.kenney — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 21:48:46 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ will celebrate the 2012 Book Awards on Monday, Mar. 19 from 4 to 6 p.m. in Andy's Place (AH100).

This is your opportunity to celebrate the achievements of your colleagues. A wine and appetizer reception will follow the formal portion of the event.

Following is a list of Book Award recipients. Congratulations on your achievement.

Book Awards: Book Listing

Dr. Carly Adams – Queens of the Ice

Dr. Reginald W. Bibby – Beyond the Gods & Back: Religion's Rise and Demise and Why it Matters

Dr. Glenda Tibe Bonifacio – Gender, Religion, and Migration: Pathways of Integration

Dr. Bryson Brown (Editor) – Philosophy of Ecology Handbook of the Philosophy of Science Volume 11

Dr. Christopher Burton (Editor) – Soviet Medicine: Culture, Practice, and Science

Dr. Craig A. Coburn (Editor) – Proceedings, 30th Canadian Symposium on Remote Sensing

Dr. Mary Dyck – Coaching Volleyball Champions: Principles and Practices

Leanne Elias (Book Designer) – Science Fiction Science Fair

Dr. Trevor W. Harrison (Editor) – Against Orthodoxy: Studies in Nationalism

Dr. Harold J. Jansen (Editor) – Money, Politics & Democracy: Canada's Party Finance Reforms

Dr. Bryan Kolb – An Introduction to Brain and Behavior

Dr. Christopher J. Kukucha (Editor) – Readings in Canadian Foreign Policy: Classic Debates and New Ideas

Norman Leach – Passchendaele: Canada's Triumph and Tragedy on the Fields of Flanders

Norman Leach – Broken Arrow: America's First Lost Nuclear Weapon

Norman Leach – Canadian Battles: Canada's Role in Major World Conflicts

Emily Luce (Book Designer) – Science Fiction Science Fair

Dr. Jennifer A. Mather – Octopus: the Ocean's Intelligent Invertebrate

Dr. Kevin M. McGeough (Editor) – World History Encyclopedia v. 3 & 4: Era 2: Early Civilizations, 4000-1000 BCE v. 5 & 6: Era 3: Classical Traditions, 1000 BCE – 300CE

Dr. Kevin M. McGeough – Ugaritic Economic Tablets: Text, Translations and Notes Ancient Near Eastern Studies Supplement 32

Dr. Sheila McManus – Choice & Chances: a History of Women in the U.S. West

Dr. Kent A. Peacock (Editor) – Philosophy of Ecology Handbook of the Philosophy of Science Volume 11

Dr. Derek R. Peddle (Editor) – Proceedings, 30th Canadian Symposium on Remote Sensing

Dr. Adriana Predoi-Cross (Editor) – 20th International Conference on Spectral Line Shapes

Dr. Thomas A. Robinson – Out of the Mouths of Babes: Girl Evangelists in the Flapper Era

Dr. Hillary P. Rodrigues (Editor) – Studying Hinduism in Practice

Dr. Steven Urquhart (Translator) – Not for Every Eye

Dr. Ian Q. Whishaw – An Introduction to Brain and Behavior, Third Edition

Dr. Kelly Williams-Whitt (Editor) – Perspectives in Disability and Accommodation

Dr. Patrick C. Wilson – Federaciones Indígenas, ONG y el Estado: El Desarrollo y la Politizacíon de la Cultura en la Amazonía Ecuatoriana

Walter Wymer – Connected Causes: Online Marketing Strategies for Nonprofit Organizations

Dr. Ying Zheng – Chemistry for the Life Sciences I

Dust switch flicked by humans, Hugenholtz

trevor.kenney — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:47:49 +0000

We all know it is windy in southern Alberta, but there are only a few people who can tell you just how windy it is, why it is windy, where it is really, really windy, and what the long term effects of wind are on our environment. The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge's Dr. Chris Hugenholtz is one of those people.

Hugenholtz is jointly shared by the U of L and the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary as the Cenovus Research Chair in the Faculty of Environmental Design, and was recently profiled in the journal Environmental Research Letters.

The story, by editor Liz Kalaugher, is re-printed below.

+++++

In the 1930s the North American "Dust Bowl" saw drought and poor land management result in extensive soil erosion and economic hardship. Since then farmers have introduced measures to cut soil loss and dust formation but it's been hard to track their success.

Now researchers in Canada have found that blowing dust has occurred markedly less often since 1990, indicating that such attempts are working.

"While climate does play a central role in entraining soil particles, it is mostly the actions of humans in the Canadian Prairies that expose or protect the soil," Chris Hugenholtz of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge and ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary told environmentalresearchweb. "Our findings demonstrate an example where human influence on the landscape can 'flick' the dust switch."

Individual farmers, as well as government agencies, have responded to soil erosion by developing programmes to promote soil conservation, says Hugenholtz. Such measures include reducing summerfallow (the practice of leaving fields unused in the growing season) and employing direct seeding to cut down on tillage and the associated disturbance of soil.

Hugenholtz, Thomas Fox and colleagues examined data for the start of the growing season, when most dust occurs, from seven sites in and near the Palliser Triangle.

This is the most arid region of the Canadian Prairies. They found that blowing dust frequency declined between 1961 and 2006, as did climatic wind erosion potential – a ratio of wind power to aridity. The frequency of blowing dust exhibited a significant drop-off from 1990 onwards.

"Initially, we were concerned this step change was not real, but some artefact of changes in data collection around 1990," said Hugenholtz.

"After an extensive search of metadata and many correspondences with scientists at Environment Canada, the federal agency that supplied the data used in our study, we confirmed that it was a real signal of a change in dust frequency."

The link between climate and dust also became stronger after 1990. The researchers reckon that before this date the role of climate was compounded by poor conservation management, leading to higher dust frequency and lower correlation.

But after 1990 the role of climate became more prevalent because the effects of soil conservation initiatives began manifesting across the region. "It is as though land use began cancelling out after 1990, yielding a better correlation with climate," said Hugenholtz.

"Although we were unable to establish a cause–effect relation between dust and land use, we examined agricultural census data and found a steady increase in soil conservation practices since the 1960s, particularly the extent of direct seeding and summerfallow," said Hugenholtz.

"We also found an expansion of soil conservation programmes in the decade preceding the change point. Overall, our findings suggest that soil conservation has had an impact in reducing airborne dust on the Canadian Prairies."

Hugenholtz believes Canadian farmers are now better equipped to handle conditions with moderate climatic wind-erosion forcing than in the past. "Extreme events will always lead to some level of erosion but under moderate conditions the likelihood of dust emission is now much lower," he said.

Projections indicate that the southern Canadian Prairies are likely to dry as climate changes. In the American southwest, scientists have suggested that climate change will bring more dust, which could have major implications for human health and ecosystems.

"At this point it is too early to extend this hypothesis to the Canadian Prairies," said Hugenholtz. "With that said, one of our goals is to establish better empirical relations between climate, land use and dust before applying this knowledge to forecast future conditions. If we can get a sense of future scenarios, we may be able to offset negative impacts by being better prepared."

A mature path to education

trevor.kenney — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 20:24:57 +0000

Not every university education begins after high school. There are many ways to achieve a post-secondary degree and the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge is home to a variety of mature students pursuing their educational goals across all disciplines.

"I may not have been able to attend university straight out of high school," says English-Education major Alisha Sims, "but looking back I don't think that was a bad thing."

English-Education major Alisha Sims balances a career, family and post-secondary studies.

Indeed, Sims points out that her work experience has been a great benefit to her academic progress: as a mature student she knows how to manage her time and focus on the tasks at hand.

Sims also brings journalistic experience to her literary studies. Having worked for newspapers since the age of 15, when she was a junior sports-reporter in Manitoba, Sims went on to Saskatchewan and Alberta, picking up a couple of provincial writing awards along the way. Presently, she is with The Lethbridge Herald, where she is editor of the Lethbridge Sun Times weekly newspaper, Great Reads (Books) page and special sections. She also writes freelance feature articles for Bridge magazine.

All the while, Sims juggles the demands of home life.

"My children know I'm in university and it's been a real learning experience for them, too," she says. "While my four-year-old associates the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ with Tim Hortons, my nearly 12-year-old sees me getting my homework done on time, and sees the work I put into my assignments. She's already talking about pursuing post-secondary education after high school."

Despite her busy schedule, Sims exhibits a continued passion for her studies in English.

"I get to read well-written literature every day. What's not to enjoy? The classes offered are interesting: Literature and Nothingness, Mother Figures in Literature, Portrayals of Madness in Women's Writing – this is not the stuff of dusty old books," she says. "I look at the calendar and would have no problem filling my schedule up with five English classes if I had the time to take that many in a semester."

When asked why she chose the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge over other institutions, the choice was logical.

"For me, other institutions were not an option," says Sims. "I work in the city, my husband works in the city, my daughter goes to primary school and my son is in daycare. It would have been impossible for us to uproot and move to another city so I could attend university. I'm just fortunate enough to live in a city where the Education program is second to none."

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

Whetstone Magazine revived

trevor.kenney — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 20:27:17 +0000

If you are an aspiring writer or photographer who dreams of having their work published, you are in luck. Whetstone Magazine is back, and it's just waiting for your literary and visual art submissions.

"To my delight, there was a great interest in reviving the magazine," says Dr. Jay Gamble, the English professor who, along with managing editor Rylan Spendroth, proposed giving the magazine a facelift and bringing it back into circulation.

Gamble runs the Creative Writing Association at the U of L and had heard about Whetstone and its history. He asked if anyone in the CWA was interested in reviving the publication and a preliminary meeting was organized to gauge participation. Over 20 students answered the call.

"We not only had students interested in seeing the publication come back, many of them were eager to take on senior editing positions," says Gamble. "That initial interest and enthusiasm bolstered the desire to renew the publication."

Whetstone is a ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge based literary magazine that consists of submitted prose, poetry, photography and graphic design images. It was originally established in 1971 with the help of English faculty advisors, and buoyed by a dedicated incoming flow of submissions and donations from the community. The magazine survived until 1999 when it was discontinued due to declining interest.

The plan now is to publish Whetstone bi-annually, with issues out every fall and spring semester. And while the Whetstone name remained from its first incarnation, a twenty-first century upgrade was definitely in order. One of the main changes, its size, came out of necessity.

"Due to the fact we had relatively few submissions in the latest edition, the magazine was able to take a full size format, cut it horizontally in half, and use the look as a new publishing trait," says Andrew Penner, a third-year English major and the public relations advertising manager. "The result is a reenergized Whetstone 2.0."

Gamble says that Whetstone can provide a wonderful outlet for both aspiring and established writers alike.

"It offers a great opportunity for emerging writers to not only have their work published, but to have it showcased alongside more established authors," says Gamble. "Our first issue, for instance, includes work by respected Canadian author Robert Kroetsch."

Penner, who is a poet,attended the preliminary meeting held by Gamble and Spendroth because he was interested in possibly getting some works published. He walked away from the meeting as a member of the executive committee.

"It is really exciting to be involved at the grassroots level of a magazine that has the potential of becoming something very big," says Penner.

Whetstone is available for purchase at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Bookstore.

As sales increase and the magazine's budget expands, Whetstone will look to similarly expand its distribution. Until then, the main focus of the magazine is on southern Alberta and the prairies.

"Whetstone will help to establish a community of writers at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, in the city of Lethbridge and surrounding area," says Gamble. "I would eventually like to see the magazine grow to become a part of the landscape of Canadian Literature."

Those interested in submitting works for inclusion in the magazine can send their works to Poetry.whetstone@gmail.com or Fiction.whetstone@gmail.com.

For general comments or questions, contact the editor of Whetstone at Editor.whetstone@gmail.com and check out the Whetstone Facebook page.

The next submission deadline is tentatively set for Dec. 1, with the edition scheduled to be released Mar. 15, 2011.

UNews - editor

SAM - Fall 2014 edition

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