UNews - Athabasca ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ

U of L researchers among Venture's Top 50

trevor.kenney — Thu, 25 Jul 2013 22:14:53 +0000

Two ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge researchers from vastly different disciplines have been acknowledged by Alberta Venture Magazine as being among the province's 50 most influential people for 2013.

Drs. David Naylor (Physics and Astronomy) and Robert Sutherland (Neuroscience, Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience) made the 2013 list for their achievements in the lab -- outer space, in Naylor's case, and for Sutherland, advocating for the academic community as the President of the Confederation of Alberta Faculty Associations.

Dr. David Naylor

As an instructor with the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge's physics department since 1981, David Naylor has taken his lab to the upper echelons of experimental astrophysics. Practically speaking, that means he designs and uses instruments that can measure incredibly small amounts of radiation and light.

His primary project for the last four years has been the Spectral and Photometric Imaging Receiver (SPIRE), a telescope on the Herschel Space Observatory, which was launched in 2009.

The Herschel is winding down its mission as it runs out of liquid helium to cool its instruments, but its 25,000 hours of studying the universe have already led to 250 peer-reviewed articles, a better understanding of the galaxy and spin-off businesses in the Lethbridge area.

Naylor himself was instrumental in establishing Blue Sky Spectroscopy, a private company that has won several contracts from the European and Canadian space agencies and delivered complex instrumentation to leading research teams across the planet. And the SPIRE's legacy is still in its infancy. Astronomers will analyze the prolific telescope's legacy of data for years to come.

Dr. Robert Sutherland

Rob Sutherland's day job is as a professor and chair of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge's department of neuroscience, but his public profile this year has come as a result of his role as president of the Confederation of Alberta Faculty Associations.

CAFA represents academic associations at the province's four research-intensive institutions (��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Alberta and Athabasca ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ).

They were all hit hard in the provincial budget in March, with cuts to their operating budgets of more than seven per cent. Sutherland was suddenly thrust into the limelight as a defender of tertiary education from both the budget cuts and the mandate letters sent to the institutions from Education Minister Thomas Lukaszuk.

You can be sure the battle will continue for years as the provincial government continues its austerity measures and the universities fight to get their funding back up to – and beyond – prior levels.

The complete list of Alberta Venture's 50 most influential people for 2013 is available here.

U of L celebrates its Calgary presence at Bow Valley College

trevor.kenney — Thu, 09 May 2013 22:28:01 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge is celebrating the new location of its Calgary Campus with its post-secondary, community, alumni and government partners, as Bow Valley College officially opens its South Campus today.

In addition to the introduction of a beautiful building that will be utilized by four of Alberta's post-secondary institutions, a new partnership between Bow Valley College, Olds College, Athabasca ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge is being celebrated in front of dignitaries that include Premier Alison Redford, Deputy Premier Thomas Lukaszuk and Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi.

Since 1996, the U of L has served a critical role in Calgary by offering university degree level programming through its Faculty of Management in the evenings and on weekends.

"By meeting the needs of busy, working adult learners, U of L students can earn a degree in a manner that accommodates their busy lifestyles," says ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge President, Dr. Mike Mahon. "This niche, combined with our Campus Alberta partnership with Bow Valley College, Olds College and Athabasca ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ will create new, important laddering opportunities for Alberta's students."

The U of L's original Calgary Campus was located at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology. Significant student growth occurred from 1997 to 2001, primarily due to the post-diploma program offered in Calgary. Today, the U of L's Calgary Campus is home to approximately 700 students in Calgary.

"The success of the programming we offer in Calgary can be attributed to the quality of a U of L degree, but also to the efforts the U of L has made in making a university degree accessible to adult learners," says Dean of the Faculty of Management, Dr. Bob Ellis.

When combined with the many students from Calgary who choose to attend the U of L's Lethbridge campus, Calgary and its surrounding areas become the U of L's most significant source of students. Calgary students make up 38 per cent of the U of L's total student body.

Since its inception, more than 1,460 students have graduated from the Calgary Campus. Overall, Calgary and area is home to more than 7,000 U of L alumni.

"The U of L is very proud of the role it plays in creating access for Alberta students, whether they attend our Lethbridge, Calgary or Edmonton campuses. Further, we are extremely proud of the role our alumni are playing in building communities across Alberta, Canada and internationally," says Mahon.

Board Chair message, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ budget and letter of expectation

trevor.kenney — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 19:06:24 +0000

On Mar. 7, the Government of Alberta introduced the 2013-14 provincial budget. By now, many in our community will have read or heard of the financial impact this budget will have on the two post-secondary institutions in our city – Lethbridge College and the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge. At the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ alone, this financial impact is a reduction of $11.9 million for this coming year and for every year that follows.

Having served as Chair of the Board of Governors for Lethbridge College and now as Chair of the Board of Governors of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, and as a graduate of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, I've been afforded the opportunity to witness the quality teaching and research conducted at these institutions. I have seen and experienced the dedication and commitment of the faculty and staff to students in all programs and their devotion to their respective fields of teaching, research and creative exploration. I, like many thousands in our community, enjoy the fine arts productions, and the continuing education offerings. I cheer for the Kodiak and Pronghorn athletic programs, I use the facilities regularly, I attend the lectures and am grateful for the unique benefits afforded to Lethbridge by having two outstanding post-secondary institutions in our hometown – a rarity in Canada for any city of our size. I am also concerned of the impact these reductions and proposed changes to the post-secondary education system in our province will have on our ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and College.

The financial constraints being imposed on both the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and College are significant and given the role both institutions play in our city, they will be felt well beyond the walls of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and College. As significant are the concerns raised by the Letters of Expectation presented to each of the 26 post-secondary institutions in Alberta. The Letters are still in draft form and I remain hopeful that they will accomplish what both the Premier and Minister of Enterprise and Advanced Education have suggested - that our Universities and Colleges will comprise a world class post-secondary system renowned for its contributions to all elements of our society and a system that prepares students to be the citizens and leaders of tomorrow. While there is always room for improvement and greater efficiency, I would argue that we are already well on our way to accomplishing this vision for our system.

There is much public speculation about the responsiveness of Alberta institutions to the needs of students and the needs of employers. Both the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and College are leaders in the province when it comes to collaboration and accessibility. It was the vision of successive Lethbridge MLA's John Gogo and Clint Dunford that created the concept of Campus Alberta. In turn, it was the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge and Lethbridge College that created the standard for easy and seamless transfer for students in programs like Nursing and now in Management. The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ shares a campus with Concordia ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ College in Edmonton and early next month will celebrate a partnership with Bow Valley College, Athabasca ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and Olds College in downtown Calgary that truly is expressive of what the Campus Alberta concept can and should be.

As for responsiveness to the needs of employers, I can speak from personal experience that my ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ education prepared me well for my career and it prepared me well to be an active and engaged contributor to my community. Personal passion and curiosity are hallmarks of the most successful people in our society. As such, the education a student receives during their post-secondary experience at times will be targeted specifically to a particular job but should also be reflective and preparatory of the long and varied career the individual has before them. Given this, there is a significant role for both the College and the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ in the creation of the workforce for our province and there is a significant role for all of the academic programs offered as it is these programs that enable individuals to pursue their personal passions and curiosity.

The Board of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ is incredibly diligent and committed to the fiduciary responsibilities assigned to it and the members take seriously the stewardship role that is imparted to them when they accept the volunteer role of Board member. I know from experience that the College Board has the same level of commitment. Any suggestion that there is wastefulness or "fat" at either school is false. I know the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ operates very cost-effectively because our Board demands it of the administration. The resources of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ are specifically targeted to the areas that are of greatest importance – the students and the programs. National recognition bestowed on the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ speaks to this. Maclean's consistently ranks the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge very high and most recently placed the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ 3rd nationally. Research Infosource recognized the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ as Canada's Research ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of the Year – Undergraduate Category this year. These are significant accomplishments and illustrate clearly the quality of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ we have in our community. They also display a momentum that the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ has created and it is this momentum that I am hopeful will not be lost as a result of our current challenge. This is a ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ we should be proud of not only for its accomplishments but because it is our ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ - born of our community and fought for diligently by our civic, business and community leaders in the 1960's.

I am hopeful that the outcome of the current provincial dialogue will not diminish the quality or reputations of our ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and College. We owe that to those who helped create these institutions and more importantly, we owe that to those who have yet to experience these great institutions.

Sincerely,

Gord Jong
Chair, Board of Governors
The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge

Herschel Mission Operating Phase Wrapping Up

trevor.kenney — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 15:54:37 +0000

A pioneering space imaging mission that sent a scientific instrument co-developed by a U of L researcher on a 1.5 million kilometre trip to deep space aboard the Herschel Space Observatory might be nearing its conclusion, but that doesn't mean the end of the project for the research team.

Dr. David Naylor (Physics and Astronomy) and his team of researchers lead Canada's contribution to the Herschel project on behalf of the Canadian Space Agency.

The instrument, called the Spectral and Photometric Imaging Receiver ("SPIRE"), is one of three devices attached to the Herschel telescope system.

http://www.asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/satellites/herschel/default.asp

The helium-filled 'gas tank' cooling Herschel's equipment is expected to run dry over the next few weeks – an expected process.

As the coolant diminishes, equipment will stop working, but data transmission will continue until the bus-sized telescope parks itself in a permanent orbit around the sun.

What follows is a five-year post operation phase, where the data obtained during the mission are used to develop improved calibration algorithms to allow the most information to be extracted from the images. Eventually the data will be reprocessed and placed in an archive that will have legacy value.

http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Science/Herschel_to_finish_observing_soon

The mission, launched on May 14, 2009 from the Ariane Spaceport in French Guyana, almost immediately began to shed new light on stars and galaxies by measuring a level of light called far-infrared.

Infrared light is invisible to the human eye, but travels well across the universe. Star forming regions emit light at these wavelengths and Herschel can detect it, capturing a wealth of detail such as heat signatures and chemical composition that help astronomers clearly see, for the first time, stars and whole galaxies that have previously remained hidden or only poorly understood.

"SPIRE picks up heat and chemical signals that are not visible by optical telescopes, and turns that data into the amazing images and information we and other scientists are using to learn more about the life and death of stars and galaxies," Naylor said.

In addition to literally 'clearing up' the images people have been using for two centuries to look into space, Naylor said the Herschel mission is confirming the existence of molecules on earth that originated in space.

"With SPIRE we can look at the big picture, or the very tiny picture, and gain a whole new insight into how stars live and die. The reason the imagery is so clear is that the space observatory sits more than 1.5 million km from earth, far from our atmosphere which absorbs virtually all radiation at which far-infrared wavelengths. Since the universe emits most of its energy at these wavelengths, Herschel provides us with our first comprehensive view of the universe."

The data and crisp images come from a device about as big as a large microwave oven that took more than 15 years and $100 million to develop – and has to function at a chilly -270C.

Also gratifying are the unique research collaborations that Naylor sees happening in the future. "Approximately one-third of the time available to researchers is guaranteed to those involved in key projects, and our time is included in that. We see the data here in Lethbridge before anyone else does. Scientists will be seeking our help in analyzing their data and the U of L group will be an important Canadian and international resource."

With an estimated output of up to 7,000 hours per year of data, there should be enough information to keep researchers busy for years – and some of that data flows through Blue Sky Spectroscopy, a Lethbridge-based, high tech spinoff company founded by Naylor in 2003, and now privately owned and operated.

Blue Sky is one of the three international Data Processing and Science Analysis Software centres for the SPIRE instrument. Data are downloaded daily from the spacecraft and stored on the Blue Sky servers.

Its highly qualified staff, all with postgraduate degrees, specialize in custom hardware and software spectroscopic solutions. Customers include NASA, ESA, and CSA, and many leading research institutes such as Harvard, Berkeley, Chicago, Max Planck and Cardiff, NIST, Centre d'Etudes Atomique, Paris, Institute National d'Optique, Canada to name a few.

What's next?

According to Naylor, more research that refines his current SPIRE device to make it suitable for yet another space mission currently under review by the Japanese, European and Canadian Space Agencies.

The project – SPICA, which stands for Space Infrared Telescope for Cosmology and Astrophysics – is a next-generation version of the SPIRE device, and would perform a similar function on a space telescope planned to launch in 2022.

Learn more about the SPICA project, here: http://research.uleth.ca/spica/index.php

Naylor said Herschel has been an overwhelming success, but its sensitivity is limited by its 'warm' telescope. "At a temperature of -80K (-193C) this may sound cold, but it limits the achievable sensitivity. By cooling a telescope to -6K (-267C) would increase the sensitivity by an astonishing factor of 100, allowing it to explore a volume of space 1000x greater than Herschel".

Building on the success of Herschel, the Japanese Space Agency JAXA is developing such a cooled telescope. ESA has joined forces with JAXA; in return for ESA providing the telescope and a ground station, European scientists will build one of the flight instruments.

Based on the Herschel experience, an imaging FTS similar to the ones Naylor's group has been building for over two decades has been selected and Naylor has been invited to join the international team that will build the instrument known as SAFARI.

The instrument is similar to one that the U of L team has recently commissioned on the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope, the world's largest submillimetre telescope located atop Mauna Kea, Hawaii.

http://www.jach.hawaii.edu/JCMT/

The space-based project, SPICA – which stands for Space Infrared Telescope for Cosmology and Astrophysics – is a next-generation version of the SPIRE device, and would perform a similar function on a space telescope planned to launch in 2022.

In Alberta, a recent and significant collaboration has also been launched with the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary, where the U of L and the U of C and Athabasca ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ have formed the Institute for Space Imaging Science (ISIS) to work together on projects that take space research further than Herschel technology, whether on the ground or in the atmosphere.

"By nature, physics researchers don't get too excited, but to see these images and know that we're looking at them in a whole new way, and further that we'll be able to share this information with the public so they can learn about the origins of the universe, is truly exciting," Naylor said.

He estimates that more than 200 papers have already been produced using data from the Herschel mission, and approximately half of those have Canadian co-authors.

The geographical distribution of SPIRE science within Canada is broad with authors affiliated with the following universities/institutions: UBC, Calgary, CFHT, HIA/UVic, Laval, Lethbridge, McMaster, Toronto, Waterloo. As well, a large group of researchers, including more than 30 post docs, undergrad and grad students have conducted research using SPIRE data.

An example of the type of imaging and discoveries made possible by the Herschel Space Observatory can be found here:

Comet 'Demolition Derby' Creates New Information About Solar System Origin

Compelling new images from the Herschel Space Telescope – parked more than 1.5 million kilometres from earth and facing into deep space -- are showing researchers what the formation of our solar system must have looked like at its early stages: a violent, comet-laden disk of debris where thousands of 1 km wide chunks of ice collide and spin around a young star.

http://oshi.esa.int/#list=/images.html?q=pillars;detail=image.html?id=89

The images are made possible in part by technology created by ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge researchers, and designed and built by an international consortium of space agencies, universities and research institutes.

http://www.uleth.ca/notice/display.html?b=300&s=17611

New Chair in Aquatic Health Appointed

trevor.kenney — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 23:05:57 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge has added to its internationally recognized expertise in water research with the addition of a new Chair in Aquatic Health, Dr. Greg Pyle.

Pyle is the first of four new research Chairs being added to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ this year as part of the Government of Alberta's Campus Alberta Innovation Program (CAIP) Chairs plan. The government is contributing $1-million for four Chairs, over the course of seven years, for a total investment of $7 million.

"It's exciting to be able to bring in an outstanding research talent such as Dr. Pyle," says Dr. Dan Weeks, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's vice-president (research). "His established expertise in the effects of environmental contaminants on the chemical communication systems in aquatic animals will greatly add to the already comprehensive research portfolio that has been established by our researchers in the Water Institute for Sustainable Environments (WISE)."

Pyle comes to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ after spending the previous five years as head of the Aquatic Biotechnology and Ecotoxicology Laboratory at Lakehead ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ in Thunder Bay, Ont. His research program is considered unique because he is able to study several aquatic species, including both vertebrate and invertebrate animals, representing different positions within a typical freshwater food web and thereby better understanding the subtle effects of environmental contamination.

"The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge has been building a strong reputation in research over the past several years, especially in the aquatic sciences," says Pyle. "I am thrilled to be part of that growing research culture, and excited by the prospects afforded by the university and surrounding region."

Prior to taking up a Canada Research Chair in Environmental Biotechnology and Ecotoxicology at Lakehead, Pyle helped establish and build the Department of Biology at Nipissing ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ. He earned both his bachelor and master's degrees from Laurentian ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and received his PhD from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Saskatchewan.

The CAIP Chairs plan is part of the Government of Alberta's Campus Alberta collaborative initiative and will provide research Chairs to Alberta's four Comprehensive Academic and Research Intensive (CARI) institutions: the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, Athabasca ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Alberta and the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary.

The U of L will also welcome CAIP Chairs in the areas of brain health and dementia, synthetic biology, and terrestrial ecosystems and remote sensing later this year. Pyle's appointment at the U of L is funded for seven years.

"The program is designed to recruit new research leaders to Alberta in specific areas of study," says Weeks. "Not only do these areas align with the Government of Alberta's strategic priorities, but they also reflect the core strengths of our institution."

U of L's Calgary Campus in new administrative space

trevor.kenney — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 15:58:51 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, Calgary Campus, has finished moving into new administrative space.

Now serving students from the 6th floor of Bow Valley College's South Campus, the U of L team enjoys high quality professional space with room to grow.

"Relocating allows us to serve students more effectively," says Dana Corbin, Calgary Campus manager. "By being closer to classrooms, we have the ability to offer convenience to our students and more support to our instructional staff."

The new offices now share a building with classrooms, printing services, a cafeteria, Tim Horton's and the BVC bookstore. Connected by more than 15 walkways to more classrooms and the downtown core, the new facilities offer a unique campus environment and enhance the student experience.

This move has been in the planning stages since the Calgary Campus moved to the downtown core in 2011. As a member of the Campus Alberta South Partnership, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge will work closely with Athabasca ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, Olds College and Bow Valley College in the new facility.

All telephone numbers and e-mail addresses will remain the same. The new mailing address is as follows:

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, Calgary Campus
6th Floor
345 6th Avenue S.E.
Calgary, Alberta T2G 4V1

5 Questions with Dr. Shelley Scott

trevor.kenney — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 21:16:37 +0000

Shelley Scott (BA '86) is an associate professor in the Department of Theatre and Dramatic Arts. She served as the department Chair from 2008-2011 and was the president of the Canadian Association for Theatre Research (CATR) from 2008-2012. Shelley teaches courses in theatre history, Canadian theatre, theatre theory and dramatic literature.

Scott has published two books: The Violent Woman as a New Theatrical Character Type: Cases from Canadian Drama (2007, The Edwin Mellen Press) and Nightwood Theatre: A Woman's Work is Always Done (2010, Athabasca ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Press).

What first piqued your interest in your research discipline?

When I was an undergrad here at the U of L (1982-86), I acted in many of the department's productions and thought of myself as a theatre practitioner. I spent some time after university working for the Alberta Status of Women Action Committee (ASWAC), which, at that time, was the provincial feminist lobbying organization, and thought of myself as a feminist activist. But when I started graduate work at the Drama Centre in Toronto, I found the right combination: as a theatre scholar, I could study and write about plays by women and make my contribution to both feminism and Canadian theatre within the academy, the place I feel most at home.

Dr. Shelley scott investigates the realm of women's theatre.

I now occasionally direct plays for the department, which in turn feeds my thinking about theatre and sparks ideas for publications. For example, after directing Goodnight Desdemona (Good Morning Juliet), I delivered a conference paper about my analysis of that play; that paper was published in an academic journal, which was later included in an anthology of articles about Canadian productions of Shakespeare, and then finally formed a portion of one of the chapters in my book about Nightwood Theatre, where the play first premiered.

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

In terms of the publication, a lot of the value is simply in
recording and preserving theatre activity, which is, by its very nature easily lost. A company such as Toronto's Nightwood Theatre, which has been around since 1979, serves as an incredible reflection, not only of all the plays that have been produced and of the artists that have worked on them, but also of the changes in feminist thought and the social realities that shape a women's theatre company.

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

Serving as the president of the Canadian Association for Theatre Research for four years has been a great honour. CATR is the national organization for theatre scholars and practitioners: it's a veritable "who's who" of Canadian theatre ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, and it's a great privilege to consider these people my friends and colleagues. Our annual conferences are packed with the very best scholarship, and I always leave inspired and energized about the state of our discipline.

How important are students to your research endeavours?

I love the opportunities I have to direct because they allow me to interact with students in a different way, outside of the classroom and in an arena where they are contributing their creativity and ideas to a collaborative effort in a really interactive environment. Because I teach the history and theory courses for the department, I get to know the students in an intellectual and academic way, which is very exciting and rewarding. But the chance to work on a play together helps me to see other sides of them (and they see other sides of me!) and that in turn informs both my teaching and my perspective on writing about theatre. I think that, in the Fine Arts in particular, the interrelationship between teaching and research is fundamental.

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

On a personal level, I would love to travel and see more theatre and learn about women's theatre companies all around the world. I am going to a women playwright's conference in Stockholm this summer, and that's the kind of international event I'd like to be able to explore more often. In terms of creative activity, I would build a new Fine Arts building here on campus, one with all the fabulous theatre facilities and studio space we could imagine – plus accessible parking!

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

Naylor, U of L researchers contribute to latest space find

trevor.kenney — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 19:47:44 +0000

Compelling new images from the Herschel Space Telescope – parked more than 1.5 million kilometres from earth and facing into deep space – are showing researchers what the formation of our solar system must have looked like at its early stages: a violent, comet-laden disk of debris where thousands of 1 km wide chunks of ice collide and spin around a young star.

The images are made possible in part by technology created by ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge researchers and designed and built by an international consortium of space agencies, universities and research institutes.

It would be a great 273rd birthday gift for Sir William Herschel, a legendary astronomer and researcher, and the telescope's namesake.

"One of the leading questions in astronomy is 'how do planets form around stars?'," says Dr. David Naylor, a ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Physics and Astronomy researcher, and designer of SPIRE ((S)pectral and (P)hotometric (I)maging (RE)ceiver), a device that gathers infrared images and converts them into tangible data that defines what far-off stars and solar systems are made of.

The European Space Agency's images, which were just released yesterday (Herschel's birthday) show spectacular images of the debris disk surrounding a nearby star, called Fomalhaut.

"The disk surrounding it is actually a very large and violent place, where we have counted more than 2000 comets more than 1 km wide crashing into each other – every day," adds Naylor. "The key idea is that, as the result of those crashes, the larger pieces form into an orbit over time. We can now see this all more clearly because Herschel gives us the best view yet of how our own solar system might have formed."

Fomalhaut is a young star, just a few hundred million years old, and twice as massive as the Sun. Its dust belt was discovered in the 1980s but Herschel's new images show it in much more detail than ever before.

The images can be viewed at this website.

Naylor, who also serves as the Space Astronomy Director of the Institute for Space Imaging Science (a partnership between the U of L, Athabasca ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary) added that, while the debris disks have been well-known to exist and have been measured to some extent by past explorations, the level of detail of these large icy bodies can only be observed at the far infrared wavelengths detected by Herschel.

"In our solar system, apart from the well-known planets, moons and asteroids, there are many smaller small icy bodies that exist beyond the orbit of Neptune in what is known as the Kuiper belt. These icy bodies are thought to give rise to short period comets and to represent the physical conditions of the primordial solar nebula that existed before our sun was born," he says.

Naylor is the Canadian Principal Investigator of Herschel SPIRE and co-developer of the SPIRE instrument. His team was responsible for evaluating the performance of the instrument prior to launch and in orbit.

U of L earns wellness honour

trevor.kenney — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 21:44:46 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge is among nine Alberta employers that have been recognized for their commitment to improving the health of their employees at the fourth annual Premier's Award for Healthy Workplaces.

The U of L received an Award of Merit in the 1000+ employee category for a number of workplace health initiatives, including ongoing health screening, wellness seminars and programs such as the Life Balance Fair, the Bee Heart Smart challenge, and others.

An employee wellness survey is also taking place this month to determine the future direction of wellness programming. Learn more about the Wellness office at http://www.uleth.ca/hum/wellness

As part of the Alberta government's Healthy U initiative, the award celebrates employers who invest in their employees' well-being through health promotion programs, such as encouraging their staff to make healthy eating choices or incorporate daily physical activity into their workday.

Applicants are judged on the strategies, initiatives, policies, and programs that promote, support and enhance a healthy workplace.

This year, 23 workplaces applied for an award in three categories based on the number of employees ranging from one to more than 1,000 employees. This year's winners are:

Premier's Award of Distinction

Metromedia Marketing, A Brand Alliance Company (1-100 employees)

Alberta Blue Cross (101-999 employees)

Alberta Workers' Compensation Board (1000+ employees)

Premier's Award of Merit

Municipal District of Greenview (1-100)

Red Deer Primary Care Network (1-100)

Hyatt Regency Calgary (101-999)

Persons with Developmental Disabilities, Central Region Community Board (101-999)

Athabasca ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ (1000+ employees)

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge (1000+ employees)

A paperless solution

trevor.kenney — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 19:18:38 +0000

Imagine a tower of completely full binders more than 34 feet tall, or a large stack of photocopy paper packages greater than 19 feet tall.

That's a lot of paper (from a lot of trees), and the approximate amount of printed material required in a typical year to support the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Board of Governors in their decision-making processes.

In mid-November, however, the Board literally stopped the presses on printing hard copies of their materials (other than a set or two for document retention and archival purposes), and has migrated to an iPad-based paperless system.

Graduate Students' Association President Paul Walz and the rest of the U of L's Board of Governors has adapted well to the iPAD changeover. The paperless approach is expected to save both money and resources.

"We are incorporating sustainability and a more efficient use of resources into our operating model, just as other areas of campus are doing," says Jodie Black, the Board secretariat and person responsible for managing the Board's information flow.

"We conducted a complete analysis of our past practices, future needs, efficiency and cost effectiveness. The decision to go paperless was an obvious and sensible choice."

Black says that in addition to cost savings, the flexibility and quick process of information sharing with the new iPADs is becoming very handy.

"There is less paper to manage, we have less paper to worry about shipping, and I can easily get information in front of people very quickly," she says. "As an example, we were able to deliver a 40-page, last-minute agenda item immediately to our Board shared drive, versus printing off copies for everyone."

Board information packages are now available on a shared drive rather than printed, mailed and/or couriered. Over time, the previous folders and binders full of information used by most Board members would get cumbersome, while the iPad continues to take up the same amount of space, regardless of how much information it stores.

Black says the cost of the transition is being amortized over two years.

"The price of the initial iPad purchases will be recouped due to cost savings in printing and distribution."

Chris Robinson, left, from the U of L's IT department helps BOG member Jim Berezan get his iPAD up and running.

The big switch happened last month, and for the Board's first paperless meeting, members of the Information Technology team were on hand to make sure everything ran smoothly.

"Our IT group has been extremely helpful with the process, the transition and for the occasional challenges we've encountered," says Black. "We are also tracking how this works over time, so that other units on campus can take advantage of going paperless if they choose to do so."

Currently, Athabasca ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ uses a paperless system for their board of governors, and Black says that other institutions are watching the U of L's progress with interest as they research their own options.

"I am also willing to meet with any other business unit or group on campus looking to go paperless," says Black. "We're looking to lead by example, and also to have what the Board does to support sustainability be a part of our regular business practices."

Those interested can contact Black at Jodie.black@uleth.ca to set up a time to talk.

UNews - Athabasca ��Ѹ�����Դ���߿�Ƭ

U of L researchers among Venture's Top 50

Related Topics

U of L celebrates its Calgary presence at Bow Valley College

Related Topics

Board Chair message, ��Ѹ�����Դ���߿�Ƭ budget and letter of expectation

Related Topics

Herschel Mission Operating Phase Wrapping Up

Related Topics

New Chair in Aquatic Health Appointed

Related Topics

U of L's Calgary Campus in new administrative space

Related Topics

5 Questions with Dr. Shelley Scott

Related Topics

Naylor, U of L researchers contribute to latest space find

Related Topics

U of L earns wellness honour

Related Topics

A paperless solution

Related Topics

UNews - Athabasca ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ

Board Chair message, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ budget and letter of expectation