UNews - Ingrid Speaker

Noted scholar Chambers earns Ingrid Speaker Medal

trevor.kenney — Tue, 07 May 2013 21:36:40 +0000

Professor of Education Dr. Cynthia Chambers is a leading figure in Canadian curriculum and literacy studies, and the enduring influence of her research has extended locally and around the world.

A scholar of curriculum and literacy education and curriculum theory, Chambers is the 2013 recipient of the Ingrid Speaker Medal for Distinguished Research, Scholarship or Performance.

Participating in several communities of practice and well known in curriculum studies, literacy studies and narrative/life-writing methodologies, her research interests include: indigenous literacies and languages; narrative, autobiography, personal essay and memoir as forms of inquiry for educators; interpretive inquiry; cultural, social and political difference and its effect; and the teaching life. Her work in Canadian curriculum studies is a research landmark in new thought, policy and pedagogy.

Dr. Cynthia Chambers has written a number of benchmark texts that address First Nations, Métis and Inuit research.

Chambers's research promotes positive educational change for the greater good of communities. She balances research and theory with a pragmatic knowledge of schools and society to impact literacy and curriculum development. Chambers has conducted research with and for marginalized populations, including indigenous communities in the Northwest Territories, British Columbia and Alberta. Her collaboration with the Northwest Territories Literacy Council, for example, played an important role in redefining literacy practices in northern communities.

She has written many benchmark texts, including works that address First Nations, Métis and Inuit research on traditional and indigenous literacies. She has also worked with local elders, teachers and community members on repatriating significant Blackfoot sites. For this and her research on literacy, land and place, she was honoured with a Blackfoot name and a lifetime designation of Eminent Scholar in Kainai Studies with Red Crow College.

In 2001, she and four colleagues established the Literacy Research Centre at the U of L. This centre aims to study literacy and the implications of literacy for education and society. It houses five principal researchers who work with teachers, school counsellors, school administrators and graduate students. The centre continues to develop a network of scholars, practitioners, students and community participants studying and practising literacy and pedagogy.

In Alberta, Canada and internationally, Chambers has a long-standing reputation as an excellent researcher and author, an inspiring speaker and exceptional educator. She has won the 2011 Ted T. Aoki award for Distinguished Service in Canadian Curriculum Studies Research, and the 2010 American Educational Research Association outstanding recognition award for a book on curriculum inquiry, which she co-wrote with two fellow curriculum scholars.

In 2001, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of British Columbia selected her as a Noted Scholar at their Centre for Curriculum and Instruction. In 2012, the Cynthia Chambers Award for outstanding master's thesis in curriculum studies was established in honour of her scholarship and inspiration to educators and researchers across Canada. These honours, and more, speak to the quality of her curriculum studies research and the high regard in which it is held.

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

Rasmussen's contributions earn Ingrid Speaker Medal

trevor.kenney — Mon, 07 May 2012 20:40:30 +0000

Professor of biological sciences Dr. Joseph Rasmussen has made outstanding contributions in fisheries and aquatic biology for three decades.

For his distinguished record of achievement and enduring contributions to these areas of study, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge has named Rasmussen as the recipient of the 2012 Ingrid Speaker Medal for Distinguished Research, Scholarship, or Performance.

Dr. Joseph Rasmussen continues to earn accolades for his aquatic research projects.

A Tier 1 Canada Research Chair, Rasmussen is the director of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge's Water Institute for Sustainable Environments (WISE). His research papers have been published in several elite science journals, including Nature, the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Ecology Letters, Ecological Monographs and the Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, the latter of which is the leading international journal for aquatic sciences.

Some of Rasmussen's work has resulted in crucial research advances. He is a pioneer in using stable isotopes to characterize food web systems, and his work has had major impacts on biomagnification, toxic substances and studies of the invasion by exotic species. His expertise in aquatic ecology led to his appointment to Environment Canada's National Oilsands Review Panel. In 2010, the Society of Canadian Limnologists awarded him the Frank H. Rigler Memorial Award, the society's highest honour.

"It was very gratifying to receive an award that has been given to many excellent scientists over the years, and to have my name associated with that of professor Rigler, who had such a profound impact on limnology and aquatic science in general," says Rasmussen of the honour.

His work has had significant scholarly impact as well. Rasmussen's cumulative citation record is impressive, with over 7,000 citations on the Web of Science, and over 9,000 on Google Scholar, showing that his research papers are very influential in advancing the field of ecology.

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

Mather receives Ingrid Speaker Medal

trevor.kenney — Wed, 18 May 2011 22:00:07 +0000

This year's winner of The Ingrid Speaker Medal is helping science understand the cognition and behaviour of octopuses and other cephalapods.

A world-renowned authority on octopus and squid behaviour, Dr. Jennifer Mather has been profiled in publications like the New York Times and Discover magazine, spoken at the prestigious TED (Technology, Entertainment and Design) conference, and conducted research around the world.

Dr. Jennifer Mather is a world-renowned authority on octopuses.

It's these achievements – and many others – that led to Mather's most recent accolade: The Ingrid Speaker Medal for Distinguished Research, Scholarship or Performance.

For almost three decades, the psychology professor and one-time CAETL Teaching Fellow, has taught thousands of undergraduates at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge everything from child development to the psychology of aging, while maintaining a rigorous research program defined by international collaboration and jet-setting to tropical locales. And, at 67, Mather's still as busy as ever.

"I'm probably trying to model what I teach, which is that we have a full lifespan, thank you, and we should use it," she says.

As one of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's most accomplished and longest serving faculty members, Mather is an intuitive choice for the prestigious Ingrid Speaker Medal. But the idea of an international expert on squids and octopuses residing at a land-locked university in southern Alberta's dusty prairies is unintuitive, to say the least.

Mather's fascination with cephalopods – a category of boneless marine creatures which includes octupuses, squids and cuttle fish – began long before she set foot in Lethbridge. Growing up in Victoria, B.C., she spent a lot of time at the ocean shore, investigating the critters that dwelled in the water and sand.

As a child, she was certain she'd study marine life in some capacity, but wasn't sure how. Finally, in the last year of an undergraduate biology degree at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of British Columbia, Mather took an animal behaviour class that clarified her path.

"Bingo. I said, 'Okay. This is what I want to do.' "

After completing a biology master's degree in octopus behaviour at Florida State ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, she went on to begin a PhD in psychology at Brandeis ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ in Massachusetts. Upon completion of post-doctoral research at Brandeis in 1978, Mather and her husband looked to return to Canada with their two children. In 1980 she took up a prestigious ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Research Fellowship at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of western Ontario, then spotted a tenure-track position at the U of L five years later and took the leap.

Lethbridge is nowhere near the natural habitats of cephalopods, but it's never been an impediment to Mather. She conducts field work related to squid displays (for instance, how they use their skin colour or tentacle movement to communicate) at the Caribbean island of Bonaire. At the Seattle Aquarium, she collaborates with Roland Anderson to study octopus cognition.

While many of us know octopuses mainly as odd, unique sea creatures, they're a far more intelligent and creative species than given credit. Researchers first realized the octopus's ability to solve problems in the 1960s, but the matter wasn't explored in breadth until the last couple of decades. In the course of her career, Mather has helped prove that octopuses have different personalities, can solve problems (like opening jars to eat food inside) and play.

While Mather is best known for her work on cephalopods, her research is broader: she's also explored how motor control problems can indicate brain dysfunction (like schizophrenia), care issues related to Alzheimer's disease, and successful university teaching. She's also recently co-authored a book about octopuses for the general public, entitled Octopus: The Ocean's Intelligent Invertebrate.

"I have my fingers in a lot of pies," she admits. "I think it came about by accident, but I'm glad it did. I didn't want to be the kind of researcher to sit in a lab and do nothing else. I also think, as a scientist, I have an obligation to help people understand these animals."

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

Celebrating the achievement of Convocation

trevor.kenney — Wed, 18 May 2011 17:44:17 +0000

Convocation is one of the very best times of the year for the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ because it is the culmination of everything we do and represents the essence of the institution.

To use an agricultural analogy, it is our harvest, when we reap the benefits of years of nurturing and hard work and release a bright crop of graduates ready to affect the world in a positive and productive manner.

Convocation is unique because it involves every aspect of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ. At first glance it is a celebration of the accomplishments of students but at the same time, it is also a celebration of the accomplishments of faculty members, staff members and the external community.

Convocation is an opportunity to step back and celebrate achievement on a number of levels.

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge is a member of a much larger community than just those individuals who make their way to the west side on a daily basis. By celebrating our distinguished alumni, by granting honorary degrees and by welcoming our stakeholders to campus to join in the Convocation ceremonies, we extend to southern Alberta and beyond, the family atmosphere that marks the U of L as unique.

The Spring Convocation is an especially significant one for the future of the institution, as we will be installing our next Chancellor, Dr. Shirley McClellan. Her appointment is a very important milestone in the transition of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ.

Outgoing Chancellor, Richard Davidson, was exceptional in his role. A true civic leader, he represented the community of Lethbridge extremely well and was a great ambassador for the institution.

In Dr. McClellan, we welcome an honorary degree recipient and a woman with deep rural roots who has strong provincial ties to decision makers in both Calgary and Edmonton. As the U of L continues its emergence as the province's destination university, McClellan's unique skill set embodies the direction to which we are moving.

I congratulate our President's Award winners for their service and dedication to the U of L. The AUPE group from Calgary was invaluable during the transition from our SAIT location to the present U of L campus at Bow Valley College, while Jamie Chinn continues to provide excellent service in his role with the IT department.

I also want to congratulate our outstanding faculty members, Dr. HJ Wieden and
Dr. Jennifer Mather, honoured with the Distinguished Teaching Award and Ingrid Speaker Medal, respectively. At the end of the day, our fundamental commitment is always to the students, and that we provide a student-centred atmosphere. We can never lose sight of the fact that our core responsibility is to educate the leaders of tomorrow.

I urge you to attend one of the upcoming Convocation ceremonies and share in the joy of our students as they set out to begin the next phase of their lives. It is a wonderful opportunity to reflect on the work you do to help them achieve their goals, and serves as a poignant reminder of how everyone in the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ community plays a part in their success.

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

Morris earns research honour

trevor.kenney — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 22:21:37 +0000

He's considered an authority on two extremely complex areas of mathematics and penned a reference book that is expected to become a classic of its type.

Dr. Dave Witte Morris is a world-class mathematician with an impressive list of research articles and citations to his credit. He's also the winner of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge's Ingrid Speaker Medal for Distinguished Research, Scholarship, or Performance.

Morris works in Lie groups and graph theory, two important and very difficult areas of mathematics. His findings have had profound impacts, most notably in the manner in which he has discovered new, greatly simplified proofs of Ratner's Theory. He is also renowned for his work related to the Superrigidity Theorem.

With more than 200 citations in Math Sci Net to his credit, several of his results have been described by his colleagues as "profound contributions" to the study of mathematics.

Morris has written about 70 research articles and three books. His articles routinely appear in such elite journals as the American Journal of Mathematics, International Mathematics Research Notices and Inventiones Mathematicae.
His book, Ratner's Theorems on Unipotent Flows, is a widely cited reference and expected to become a classic in its genre. It was published as part of the prestigious Chicago Lectures in Mathematics Series.

Another of his books, Introduction to Arithmetic Groups, has become the standard text in the field.

Morris's tremendous breadth of knowledge, deep technical work and creativity and insight are an inspiration to his colleagues and students.

Morris will receive the Ingrid Speaker Medal at the Fall Convocation ceremony, which takes place Oct. 16, 2010.

Campus is a better place because of people such as Jane O'Dea

trevor.kenney — Fri, 07 May 2010 17:47:45 +0000

As I approach the final weeks of my tenure as President of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, it's hard not to reflect on my 10 years here in southern Alberta and more specifically, on the many remarkable people I have met over that time.

Dr. Jane O'Dea is one of those people and it is both ironic and fitting that we would begin our positions on the same day, 10 years ago, and will now be leaving these positions on the same day at the end of June.

As the new Dean of the Faculty of Education, Jane had already been at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ for 10 years when she began her role. I was coming in from the outside and was fortunate to have Jane, among others, as a valuable resource to help learn about the U of L community.

Jane was very generous in her time to me early on, and I remember fondly accompanying her on my first visit to the Blood Reserve and Red Crow Community College. That was just the beginning of the Niitsitapi Teacher Education program, one that she supported, built and encouraged her colleagues to work on diligently.

Congratulations Madam Dean on all that you were able to accomplish during your term, and I know we will continue to see great things from you in the future.

The spring is a time for congratulations as we honour the many people who make the U of L such an exceptional place to work and study. Dr. Leah Fowler, this year's Distinguished Teacher, is to be commended for her wonderful work in the Faculty of Education, as is
Dr. Dave Morris, the Ingrid Speaker Medal recipient.

Dr. Fowler will be honoured at Spring Convocation while Dr. Morris will be recognized at the fall event.

I also want to make particular mention of the President's Award winners, Cal Toth from the Curriculum Re-Development Centre, Kim Fowler from Housing Services and the Major Building Construction Team from Facilities. This team is led by Brian Sullivan and includes Bill Hudgins, Jason Baranec, John Federkeil, Will Tietz, Dan Sullivan, Jim Vanderzee, Rick Baceda and Al Mueller. I am satisfied especially that these awards have recognized such a distinguished group over the years.

Now that the Michael Nolan campaign has concluded, I want to say a special thank you to Vice-President Advancement Chris Horbachewski for initiating what was the most satisfying fundraising experience with which I have ever been associated. It was a wonderful success, both in terms of money raised for student scholarships and the great amount of fun we had with the project.

I was very happy that a student, Joshua Og, won Michael Nolan, and I've heard that he has been putting the car to good use since he took ownership. My only advice to him, other than to enjoy the car and treat it well, was to never change its name.

I look forward to seeing many of you at the Farewell Fiesta in May, where I can
express my gratitude personally to all of you for how wonderful you have made my time here at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ.

Lastly, I will be presiding over my final convocation ceremonies next month, and I urge everyone to take some time to attend one of the four ceremonies. It's an excellent way to reaffirm why we work so hard to make the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ all that it is for our students.

Morris awarded Ingrid Speaker Medal

trevor.kenney — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 15:14:50 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge is proud to award Dr. Dave Witte Morris the Ingrid Speaker Medal for Distinguished Research, Scholarship, or Performance.

Morris will receive his award at the Fall Convocation ceremony, which takes place Oct. 16, 2010.

A world-class mathematician, Morris is the Canadian authority on two complex areas of mathematics.

Morris works in lie groups and graph theory, two important and difficult areas of mathematics. Of particular note are Morris's new, greatly simplified proofs of Ratner's Theory and his work related to the Superrigidity Theorem.

Overall, Morris's work has about 200 citations in Math Sci Net, an impressive achievement, and several of his results have been described by his colleagues as "profound contributions."

Morris has written about 70 research articles and three books. His articles have appeared in elite journals like the American Journal of Mathematics, International Mathematics Research Notices, and Inventiones Mathematicae.

His book, Ratner's Theorems on Unipotent Flows, was published as part of the prestigious Chicago Lectures in Mathematics Series, and this widely-cited reference work will likely become a classic of its type.

Another of his books, Introduction to Arithmetic Groups, has become the standard text in the field.

Morris's tremendous breadth of knowledge, deep technical work, and creativity and insight are an inspiration to his colleagues and students.

Convocation highlights week

trevor.kenney — Mon, 25 May 2009 18:01:21 +0000

An estimated 1,500 ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge students will cross the stage to receive well-earned university degrees this week as the U of L holds its Spring Convocation, Thursday and Friday in the 1st Choice Savings Centre.

A total of four ceremonies will be held over the two days, beginning with Thursday morning's 9:30 a.m. Ceremony I event. Ceremony II is set for Thursday afternoon at 2:30 p.m., followed by Ceremony III and IV on Friday, 9:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. respectively.

In addition to the many degrees that will be handed out, a number of members from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ community will be honoured for outstanding achievements throughout the past year. Dr. Ian McAdam (English) will receive the 2009 Distinguished Teaching Award and be honoured duriing Ceremony I. Dr. Brian Titley (Education) is the 2009 winner of the Ingrid Speaker Medal and he will be honoured during Friday morning's Ceremony III. The 2009 Senate Volunteer Award goes to Dr. Dennis Connolly and he will be honoured during Thursday evening's Chancellor's Dinner, beginning at 6 p.m. A limited number of tickets are still available for this event. Contact Nicole Leusink at 403-329-2482 or e-mail her at nicole.leusink@uleth.ca for additional information.

Once again, the U of L is providing live stream video of the convocation ceremonies through its website. It can be found by following this Spring Convocation video link.

Following is a full schedule of events for Spring Convocation.

Thursday, May 28 - Convocation Ceremony I and Ceremony II

11 a.m. – 4 p.m. Information ROSS, SU140, SUB

7:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Regalia Distribution Bookstore, Level 2, SUB
(Graduands and Academic Staff)

8:15 a.m. & 1:15 p.m. Usher Assembly & Rehearsal Gymnasium, PE155

8:00 a.m. Official Photographs Boardroom, W646, UHall
(Honorary Degree Recipients, Distinguished Teacher, Chancellor, President, Board Chair)

8:30 a.m. & 1:30 p.m. Assembly of Graduands Atrium, Level 6, UHall
Ceremony I - PhD, MA, MSc, MEd, MSc(Mgt), CAAP, BA, BASc
Ceremony II - BSc, BHSc, BN

8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. Faculty Information Booths 1st Choice Savings Centre, Level 2

8:45 a.m. & 1:45 p.m. Assembly of Chancellor's Party and Academic Staff, Theatre Foyer, Level 5, Cent. for Arts
(Chancellor, President, Board Chair, Honorary Degree Recipients, Distinguished Teacher, Executive Senators, Board of Governors, Visiting Dignitaries, Academic Staff, Marshals and other Platform Guests)
Assembly of Soloists & Musicians, PE157
Assembly of First Aid Personnel, PE105

9:15 a.m. & 2:15 p.m. Deadline for Seating Gymnasium, PE155
(Audience, Press and Distinguished Guests)

9:20 a.m. & 2:20 p.m. Academic Procession Theatre Foyer to PE155
(Decision to process indoors or outdoors made by Chief Marshal)

9:30 a.m. & 2:30 p.m. Convocation Ceremony I and II Gymnasium, PE155

11:30 a.m. & 4:30 p.m. Convocation Tea Track, Level 2, PE

1:00 p.m. Official Photographs Boardroom, W646, UHall
(Honorary Degree Recipient, Chancellor, President, Board Chair)

11:30 a.m.– 1:30 p.m. Working Lunch AH100
(For any staff, or platform members working back-to-back ceremonies)

11:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Regalia Return
Graduates and Academic Staff Bookstore, Level 2, SUB
Platform Party, PE264

Friday, May 29 - Convocation Ceremony III and Ceremony IV

11 a.m. – 4 p.m. Information ROSS, SU140, SUB

7:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Regalia Distribution Bookstore, Level 2, SUB
(Graduands and Academic Staff)

8:15 a.m. & 12:15 p.m. Usher Assembly & Rehearsal Gymnasium, PE155

8:30 a.m. & 1:30 p.m. Assembly of Graduands Atrium, Level 6, UHall
Ceremony III - Dip in Ed, BEd, BA/BEd, BSc/BEd, BFA(Art)/BEd, BFA(Dramatic Arts)/BEd, BMus/
BEd, BMgt/BEd, BFA(Art), BFA(Dramatic Arts), BFA(Multidisciplinary), BFA(New Media), BMus
Ceremony IV - PBCA, BMgt, Mgt Cert, BA/BMgt, BSc/BMgt

8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. Faculty Information Booths 1st Choice Savings Centre, Level 2

8:45 a.m. & 1:45 p.m. Assembly of Chancellor's Party and Academic Staff, Theatre Foyer, Level 5, Cent. for Arts
(Chancellor, President, Board Chair, Honorary Degree Recipient, Ingrid Speaker Medal Recipient,
Executive Senators, Board of Governors, Visiting Dignitaries, Academic Staff, Marshals and other Platform
Guests)
Assembly of Soloists & Musicians, PE157
Assembly of First Aid Personnel, PE105

9:15 a.m. & 2:15 p.m. Deadline for Seating Gymnasium, PE155
(Audience, Press and Distinguished Guests)

9:20 a.m. & 2:20 p.m. Academic Procession Theatre Foyer to PE155
(Decision to process indoors or outdoors made by Chief Marshal)

9:30 a.m. & 2:30 p.m. Convocation Ceremony III and IV Gymnasium, PE155

11:30 a.m. & 4:30 p.m. Convocation Tea Track, Level 2, PE

1 p.m. Official Photographs Boardroom, W646, UHall
(Honorary Degree Recipients, Ingrid Speaker Medal Recipient, Chancellor, President, Board Chair)

11:30 a.m.– 1:30 p.m. Working Lunch AH100
(For any staff, or platform members working back-to-back ceremonies)

7:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Regalia Return
Graduates and Academic Staff Bookstore, Level 2, SUB
Platform Party, PE264

Titley recognized with Ingrid Speaker Medal

trevor.kenney — Wed, 13 May 2009 22:02:35 +0000

The Ingrid Speaker Medal for Distinguished Research, Scholarship, or Performance is bestowed every year to recognize outstanding research.

This year's winner is Dr. Brian Titley, Faculty of Education.

Over a period of three decades, Professor of Education and ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Scholar Dr. Brian Titley has produced major works of historical inquiry that influence our understanding of institutions and politics in Canada and abroad.

Titley, who was profiled in the March 2009 issue of the Legend, has authored five books, all of which make singular contributions to several distinct areas of scholarship. His selection as the 2009 Ingrid Speaker Medal winner is testament to his research acumen and the furthering of scholarship in his field.

A native of Cork, Ireland, Titley earned his undergraduate degree abroad before coming to Canada to study at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Manitoba where he received his Bachelor of Education degree as well as his master's degree. He would then earn his PhD at ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Alberta and spend 10 years teaching at U of A before joining the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge in 1991.

His books have critiqued church power in Ireland, investigated the Canadian Indian Department and its policies, studied dictatorship in sub-Saharan Africa and offered a biographical portrait of immigrant adventurer Edgar Dewdney. His latest offering, The Indian Commissioners, examines the careers of those who directed the Indian Department on the prairies during a critical historical era.

Titley is also the author of more than 40 articles and essays and has served as president of the Canadian History of Education Association.

In 2008 he was appointed the Faculty of Education's first ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Scholar.

Prentice in good hands with McDaniel as lead

trevor.kenney — Tue, 12 May 2009 20:43:16 +0000

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge President Dr. Bill Cade chats about what's happening in the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ community

It was with great pleasure that the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ announced the appointment of Dr. Susan McDaniel as the first Director of the Prentice Institute. When the Institute was first established in 2006, thanks to the generous donation of the Prentice family, the mandate was to create an internationally recognized centre for the research of big-picture issues relating to global population change and demographics. At that time we expected to attract someone of great prominence to the role of Director because of the opportunity it presented.

Dr. McDaniel is exactly the calibre of researcher we envisioned filling this role and I am excited to have her join the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ. I look forward to watching the Prentice Institute take shape under her stewardship.

As we approach Spring Convocation, I want to congratulate personally all those who will be participating in this joyous occasion. You have worked hard over your years here at the U of L and it is exciting to see that work pay off in the culmination of your goals.

I have been through many convocation ceremonies and while they are all similar in nature, each one is unique in its own right. I want to thank the many people who make the event happen, from the convocation committee to the volunteers to the Registrar's Office. I am sure they encounter a variety of glitches behind the scenes but year after year, the ceremonies continue to run like clockwork and are presented flawlessly.

It is with great pleasure that we present a number of awards at convocation. We should be proud to celebrate achievement and recognize those individuals who have distinguished themselves. As a researcher and educator, I take particular note of the Ingrid Speaker Medal and Distinguished Teacher Award honours. Congratulations respectively to Dr. Brian Titley and Dr. Ian McAdam.

Welcome back to Dave Adams, recently named the new head coach of the Pronghorns men's basketball program. Dave brings a great deal of enthusiasm to the program and I wish him well in his goal to grow what he deems, "Horns Nation". I share in his vision of a national championship team playing to sellout crowds at the 1st Choice Savings Centre.

A number of sporting dignitaries with strong ties to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ were inducted into the Lethbridge Sports Hall of Fame recently. In fact, the entire evening was a Blue and Gold affair, right down to the event's master of ceremonies (alumnus Toby Boulet) and guest speaker (alumnus Neil Langevin). Congratulations to inductees and alumni Dori (Rodzinyak) Johnson, Danny Balderson and Don Chandler as well as Kinsmen Sportspersons of the Year and Pronghorn athletes Jim Steacy and Ashley Patzer.

Congratulations to Keith Robin, recently named the Rotary Club of Lethbridge's 2008 Citizen of the Year. A Chancellor Emeritus of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ from 1987 to 1991, Robin was heavily involved in the LINC fundraising effort and is someone who we still see often at the U of L and associated events.

Finally, I look forward to the upcoming Board of Directors retreat later this month. It will be held at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ for the first time in quite a while and will help the Board appreciate what it is like to be a student here on campus. It promises to be an enlightening event.

UNews - Ingrid Speaker

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