Looking back at an amazing year at the U of L

trevor.kenney — Tue, 24 Dec 2013 17:16:55 +0000

It has been an incredibly busy year for the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge on a number of fronts. From groundbreaking research activities to hosting national events to serving as a shelter for the province’s greatest storm, the U of L has been front and centre.

As we wrap up 2013, we’ve compiled a sampling of some of the major activities that took place in and around the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ this past calendar year. This is by no means a comprehensive list, nor is it a ranking, rather it is simply a snapshot of the many ways in which the U of L impacts the world we know.

The Destination Project promises to shape the future of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ for the next 50 years.

Government of Alberta dedicates $200 million to the Destination Project

In December, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ announced a $200-million investment from the Government of Alberta to the Destination Project. What promises to be a transformative project that will shape the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s future for the next 50 years, it will involve the construction of new science facilities, a new energy plant and the revitalization of the original ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Hall.

“I cannot overstate how momentous this day is to the future of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge and southern Alberta as a whole,” said ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge President Dr. Mike Mahon. “This is the most significant development of our Lethbridge campus since ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Hall was completed in 1972.

“The Destination Project will contribute to Alberta’s ability to recruit the best and brightest scientific talent to our province, but it is more than a teaching and research space. Rather, it is a place for community engagement and outreach; a research incubator; a place where undergraduate and graduate research opportunities develop; where knowledge transfer and commercialization happen; a place where the next generation of researchers, scientists and scholars credit for the start of their science careers.”

Rowing for research

In January, a seemingly impossible journey began off the coast of Dakar, Senegal and the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge was well represented.

Adam Kreek, a Canadian Olympic rower, set off on a trek with three other distance rowers, Markus Pukonen, Pat Fleming and Jordan Hanssen, as they attempted to row unassisted for more than 3,700 nautical miles to Miami, Florida.

Along the way, researchers from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, led by the late Dr. Rick Mrazek of the Faculty of Education, tracked their progress and collected data for a number of studies.

Followed by students in community classrooms, the trek received a massive amount of media interest. Unfortunately, the mission came to a dramatic conclusion in early April when the crew’s 29-foot boat was capsized by a massive wave off the coast of Puerto Rico. The crew members all survived the ordeal and the boat was eventually recovered.

We love our Canadian football

Dr. Reg Bibby (sociology) has always had an interest in Canadiana, and much of his research work involves tracking trends related to Canadian popular culture.

In advance of the November Grey Cup game, Bibby worked with Angus Reid Global to test Canadians on their sporting tastes. His findings, particularly in relation to the growth of football popularity, were featured in media across the nation.

Bibby specifically looked at not only whether Canadians loved football, but also drew a picture of our taste for both Canadian and American football and whether the National Football League could ever be welcomed in Canada. His conclusion was that the NFL could make a go, but only if the Canadian Football League would also remain strong, was a topic of interest throughout the country.

Herschel goes silent

Dr. David Naylor is at the forefront of the science of space imaging.

A pioneering space imaging mission that sent a scientific instrument co-developed by ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge researcher Dr. David Naylor on a 1.5 million kilometer trip to deep space came to its conclusion in March when the Herschel Space Observatory finally went dark.

Naylor and his team of researchers led Canada’s contribution to the Herschel project on behalf of the Canadian Space Agency. Their instrument, called the Spectral and Photometric Imaging Receiver (SPIRE), was one of three devices attached to Herschel. It was designed to pick up heat and chemical signals not visible by optical telescopes, and turn the data collected into amazing images and information used to learn more about the life and death of stars and galaxies.

Naylor and his cohorts are now busy in the five-year post operation phase of the project, where the data obtained is used to develop improved calibration algorithms to allow the most information to be extracted from the images.

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ welcomes High River evacuees

When floodwaters began to rise in Central and southern Alberta in late June, nobody could have predicted the devastation that would eventually occur.

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, although a long way from the flood zone, became a very important location to a number of flood victims as the summer wore on. With much of their town under water, High River residents were forced into a number of makeshift shelters as they waited for the floodwaters to subside. The U of L stepped up and made available its residence buildings throughout the month of July. Over the course of the month, anywhere from 200 to 400 evacuees called the U of L their temporary home, many of which were families with small children.

While at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, evacuees had access to all the U of L amenities, including the Max Bell Regional Aquatic Centre, the fitness centre, cafeteria and so on. Many children took part in summer camps and for a brief window of time, some normalcy and routine was returned to their lives.

Survival of the fabulous: Vasey research on the Nature of Things

Dr. Paul Vasey's research has been featured by a number of media sources.

Psychology professor Dr. Paul Vasey was all over the newswire in November when his research on the Samoan fa’afafine went mainstream with a spot on David Suzuki’s The Nature of Things.

Vasey’s research into the ‘third gender’ biological males who live as women, was a key ingredient of the program and brought to light the evolutionary debate about why homosexuality survives despite it being a trait that seems to prevent reproduction.

Alumnus takes a stand against bullying

Manwar Khan, a 37-year-old IT professional, saw his life change in an instant when he witnessed a brutal beating on an Edmonton LRT train. Powerless to stop the attack, he struggled coming to terms with the victim’s eventual death and decided to take action.

In April, Khan staged the first of three anti-bullying rallies he would hold across the province. His first, in Edmonton, attracted city officials, concerned citizens and multiple media outlets.

“I want to encourage people to stand up against bullying, not just stand by,” said Khan.

With support from the U of L, the proud alumnus would go on to host rallies in both Calgary and Lethbridge, furthering the community-minded attributes he acquired during his time as a ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge student.

Protocol handbook a guide for FNMI inclusion

What began as an exercise in process turned into a major leap forward for the First Nations, Métis and Inuit community at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.

The creation of the FNMI Protocol Handbook has initiated a unique way of sharing knowledge between the FNMI community and the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and ensured that the significance of FNMI traditional activities will endure at the U of L.

The subject of a CBC television and radio feature story, the handbook received a great deal of media attention when it was released.

Dr. Leroy Little Bear (BASc (BA) ’72, DASc ’04), professor of Native American Studies and the FNMI Advisor to the President, says the handbook is more than a simple document, rather it is a living text that will continue to evolve as does the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and its relationship with the FNMI community.

“I was recently telling my class that one of the most profound ways that humans learn is through exchange with other humans and exchanges of ideas and experiences,” says Little Bear. “Not much learning occurs in a vacuum. The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge has developed and continues to foster these relationships, and I am very pleased to have had a role in developing this resource, which provides a foundation for ongoing exchange that we hope enriches the educational experience at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.”

Nurturing the next generation of scientists

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ hosted one of the largest events it has ever staged in May when it opened its doors to more than 1,100 students, chaperones, judges and sponsors at the 2013 Canada-Wide Science Fair.

The venue was perfect for the fledgling scientists as they had the opportunity to take part in Discovery Day, a chance to learn about the exciting multidisciplinary research activities that take place on a daily basis at the u of L.

The amazing event went off without a hitch and close to $1 million in cash, prizes and scholarships were handed out to the best student presentations.

All the while, the southern Alberta community was treated to some incredible science from the next generation of researchers.

Rankings tell us what we already know

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge has never been about defining itself through external ranking devices but when the rankings consistently show the institution as one of the country’s best, it’s hard not to take it as a feather in the cap.

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ continues to pride itself in providing the best educational atmosphere for its students.

This past year, the U of L maintained top-three national rankings in both Maclean’s and Research Infosource. But rather than the ranking, it was the way in which the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ achieved its lofty status that pleased President Mike Mahon.

“We’re very pleased that the ranking indicators reflect many of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s fundamental priorities, notably our philosophy of creating a supportive atmosphere for our students in a setting that fosters academic excellence and engaging research opportunities,” said Mahon. “All of this would not be possible without the contributions of our faculty and staff who have embraced the U of L’s vision and made the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ a destination of choice for our students.”

At the end of the day, it is all about creating opportunities for success for our students and the U of L will continue with that as its guiding principle for years to come.

Rowing for research

trevor.kenney — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 23:11:50 +0000

They're rowing across the Atlantic Ocean? Are they out of their minds?

Actually, no – but Adam Kreek and his teammates are mindful of the stresses, both physical and mental, that taking on a more than 3,700 nautical mile (6,700 km) trip entails. The group will set off from Dakar, Senegal, in mid January, rowing a sophisticated, open 29-foot rowboat, the James Robert Hanssen, on a world-record-attempting journey that will take them to Miami, Florida.

The late Dr. Rick Mrazek, centre, with Adam Kreek, far left, and members of his crew.

Along the way, researchers from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge will be tracking their every movement and collecting valuable data for use in a number of studies.

The mission is expected to take 60 to 100 days to complete. Their original target date of arrival in Miami was Mar. 22 (World Water Day), but had to be pushed back by shipping delays caused by Hurricane Sandy.

When Kreek, an Olympic gold medal winning rower, visited the U of L this past fall, he turned his passion for water and adventure loose on land-locked faculty, students and community members in a way that got them thinking in innovative ways about water – a subject Kreek knows well.

"Let's face it: Lethbridge isn't surrounded by a lot of water," says Dr. Rick Mrazek, Faculty of Education Associate Dean and science educator. "The Oldman River, while picturesque, isn't massive, there are no great lakes nearby, and what water we do have in this area is highly managed to make sure it supports our regional water needs, agri-business and the farming economy. Working with the Canadian Wildlife Federation to support Adam's trip and the opportunities we have to be involved as interactive observers on this adventure is extremely exciting."

Mrazek says it's one thing to teach students about the Atlantic Ocean, but it's quite another to follow someone, in real time, who is rowing across the Atlantic Ocean. "Through our relationship with Adam and his team, our education students, teachers in the area and our researchers can take advantage of his trip to bring students authentic data and information about ocean and weather dynamics, marine life, the biomechanics of rowing and movement, and other real-life research opportunities."

Mrazek says the rowers will be collecting data which could be available to researchers and students here at the U of L. Students in community classrooms will also be following the trip online, and Kreek and his team will be checking in regularly.

The Canadian Wildlife Federation, OAR Northwest and a host of sponsors who have provided everything from satellite phones to the massive amounts of high calorie food the team members will require for their journey, are supporting the trip.

GET THE FACTS

· Kreek will be joined by teammates Markus Pukonen, Pat Fleming and Jordan Hanssen for their journey

· Mrazek is a bold proponent of environmental sustainability and the latest application of his research can be found at the Water in a World of 7 Billion legacy website (www.ww7b.org)

· Kreek's team will gather data from the ocean environment, marine life and themselves (relating responses in human physiology under stress) throughout the trip

· The team will row 24 hours per day and in two-hour shifts, allowing for sleep and rest

· Kreek competed in the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games, winning gold with the Canadian men's eights team at Beijing in 2008

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

UNews - Markus Pukonen

Looking back at an amazing year at the U of L

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