UNews - Judith Kulig

Kulig research highlighted throughout Fort McMurray wildfire event

trevor.kenney — Wed, 11 May 2016 17:39:51 +0000

From the moment Fort McMurray was first threatened by fire, Dr. Judith Kulig’s phone began ringing.

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Faculty of Health Sciences researcher has earned a reputation as a reliable and knowledgeable expert on issues related to wildfire events. As the scope of the Fort McMurray fire continued to grow, so did the list of media looking to speak with Kulig, who estimates she conducted more than 15 interviews over the past week.

Faculty of Health Sciences researcher's findings play important role in understanding health factors experienced by evacuees.

“Our team has devoted significant time in developing user-friendly resources such as our Lessons Learned booklets related to each community we have studied,” says Kulig. “The media has positively responded to these materials, as well as our short summaries that highlight the findings we generated. Sharing these findings with media in the last week highlights the importance of conducting relevant research when we are faced with devastating situations such as Fort McMurray."

Kulig and her Rural Wildfire Study Group (http://www.ruralwildfire.ca/) have been studying wildfire events in Western Canada over the last decade. Their work delves into the lives of those who have experienced wildfire events, the resiliency of their communities and the health factors associated with recovery and rural sustainability.

The group has been on the ground speaking with survivors of wildfire events in La Ronge, Sask. (Mallard Fire, 1999), Crowsnest Pass, Alta. (Lost Creek Fire, 2003), Barriere, B.C. (McLure Fire, 2003) and Slave Lake, Alta. (Slave Lake Fire, 2011). The results of their studies have led to policy directives and the establishment of appropriate disaster recovery protocols.

Kulig and her group have been funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), The Institute of Catastrophic Loss Reduction (ICLR), the Government of Alberta, the Alberta Centre for Child, Family and Community Research (ACCFCR), the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR student award), Alberta Innovates – Health Solutions (AIHS student scholarship) and U of L Chinook Research Summer Awards.

“Just by coincidence, in May 2011, I presented our wildfire research to provincial government officials in Edmonton,” she says. “A few days later, the Slave Lake fires occurred. My presentation and the familiarity with our work led to an invitation by the provincial government to study the impacts of the fire in that community. This highlights the importance of communicating research findings to a wide audience.”

Following are just some of the links associated with stories that Kulig contributed to in the past week. They include radio, television and print media stretching from the Fort McMurray and Edmonton areas to Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal, as well as overseas in London (BBC), several European countries, New Zealand and China.

May 2

Global News: http://globalnews.ca/news/2675281/western-canada-wildfires-this-year-could-be-worse-than-last-say-experts/

May 4

iNews880 (Edmonton): http://www.inews880.com/syn/123/15030/fort-mcmurray-fire-what-lessons-were-learned-from-the-tragic-2011-slave-lake-blaze

May 5

Metro News: http://www.metronews.ca/news/canada/2016/05/05/fort-mcmurray-residents-face-serious-challenges-in-months-years-ahead-expert.html

Canadian Press: http://www.680news.com/2016/05/05/fort-mcmurray-residents-face-serious-challenges-in-months-years-ahead-expert/

Global News: http://globalnews.ca/news/2682316/fort-mcmurray-wildfire-residents-face-difficult-road-to-recovery-expert-says/

BBC News: http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-36212145

CounterCurrents.com: http://www.countercurrents.org/fulton050516.htm

Le Devoir: http://www.ledevoir.com/politique/canada/470102/fort-mcmurray-devra-relever-beaucoup-de-defis-apres-l-incendie-dit-une-experte

Süddeutsche Zeitung (Switzerland): http://www.sueddeutsche.de/panorama/waldbraende-in-kanada-die-stunde-null-1.2985756

May 6

VG (Norway): http://www.vg.no/nyheter/utenriks/uviss-framtid-for-brannrammede-canadiere/a/23676562/

May 7

CBC Radio (Day 6): http://www.cbc.ca/radio/day6/episode-284-fort-mcmurray-wildfire-filipino-donald-trump-leicester-city-s-win-free-diving-record-more-1.3570060/how-the-wildfires-will-affect-fort-mcmurray-s-children-1.3570134

The Independent (UK): http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/canada-wildfire-fire-climate-change-connection-to-the-fort-mcmurray-firestorm-a7018581.html

De Redactie.Be (Belgium): http://deredactie.be/cm/vrtnieuws/buitenland/1.2649246

Público.pt (Portugal): https://www.publico.pt/mundo/noticia/incendio-no-canada-ameaca-duplicar-de-tamanho-1731266?frm=ult

May 8

New Zealand Herald: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=11635577

Storm.mg (China): http://www.storm.mg/article/115290

Xinhuanet.com (China): http://news.xinhuanet.com/2016-05/08/c_1118825056.htm

May 9

CKNW980 (Vancouver): http://www.cknw.com/2016/05/09/the-emotional-toll-of-fort-mcmurrays-loss-to-wildfires-will-be-long-lasting/

May 10, 2016

Daily Maverick (South Africa): http://www.dailymaverick.co.za/opinionista/2016-05-10-wildfires-turning-disaster-into-political-opportunity/#.VzIjCdc2vaA

Kulig and wildfire group are community focussed

trevor.kenney — Tue, 10 Sep 2013 21:47:59 +0000

Recently published research from ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Faculty of Health Sciences researcher Dr. Judith Kulig and the Rural Wildfire Study Group suggests that communities affected by significant traumatic events invest in recovery efforts that focus on the community as a whole, and not just those who experienced losses as a result of the event.

Kulig has spent considerable time researching rural health issues and community resiliency, particularly in communities that have experienced wildfire events.

In a paper just published in the Journal of Community Psychology, Kulig and co-authors Dr. Ivan Townshend (geography, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge), Dr. Dana Edge (nursing, Queen’s ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ), Dr. William Reimer (sociology, Concordia ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ) and Dr. Nancy Lightfoot (rural and northern health, Laurentian ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ) suggest that a community’s ability to recover from a wildfire event is impacted by many factors, but that it is imperative that all members of the community receive timely access to recovery services, whether or not they were evacuated during the event or experienced a tangible loss.

Dr. Judith Kulig and the Rural Wildfire Study Group offer key recommendations for community rebuilding after disaster.

“While our study reflects the experiences of those in a wildfire event, the results are relatable to similar traumatic community events, such as the recent flooding in High River and the urban communities in Calgary,” says Kulig.

The Rural Wildfire Study Group conducted a series of qualitative interviews with community members who experienced wildfire events in Barriere, B.C. (2003) and LaRonge, Sask. (1999) to answer the question, “Does the severity level of wildfires based on loss make a difference to the experience of individual and community impacts?”

The results of those interviews suggest that residents in both communities, whether or not they experienced loss, were significantly impacted by the event.

Further, in order to facilitate the social rebuilding of these communities, it was important that community resources be made available to all members of the community to mitigate lingering negative effects of the event.

“There is an expectation that those who were evacuated from the community or who experienced the loss of physical property as a result of the event are in need of and will receive community support and resources,” says Kulig. “But our research shows that there is often a long-term emotional impact felt throughout the community and that these resources must be available on a much wider scale to help the community heal.”

In the end, tragic events have the capability of bringing communities together in a cohesive and supportive manner.

Through continued gathering of information about the varying responses of community residents who have experienced traumatic community events, Kulig and her group hope to better understand the impact and duration of the effects and determine appropriate disaster recovery protocols.

Additional information about Kulig’s research, and recommendations for community rebuilding after a disaster, can be found at the following website: www.ruralwildfire.ca

Study to examine how social and economic stressors affect Aboriginal health

trevor.kenney — Mon, 15 Jul 2013 17:03:05 +0000

In a first-of-its-kind study, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge researchers are examining how the social and economic adversity faced by Aboriginal peoples may affect their biological health.

This new study, funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, will be co-lead by three researchers at the U of L, pulling together research strengths from health sciences, kinesiology and neuroscience.

"Aboriginal populations experience high levels of chronic stress as they are often marginalized both socially and economically in Canada. We know that over time, high unrelenting stress can have a profound influence on biological systems," says study Co-Lead, Dr. Cheryl Currie, who is a public health researcher at the U of L.

Stressful experiences are an inevitable part of life, but repeated and chronic exposure to uncontrollable stressors can disrupt the function of neuroendocrine, cardiovascular, and immune systems. Markers of biological disruption can be identified well before the clinical markers of disease are detected.

"We tend to think about social and biological determinants of health separately. Connecting the two is a more comprehensive way to think about health- and may shed new light on why Aboriginal populations are disproportionately affected by chronic disease," says study Co-Lead, Dr. Jennifer Copeland, a U of L kinesiology researcher.

The study will also build on past research by Currie indicating that Aboriginal cultural practices promote resilience against alcohol and drug abuse within Aboriginal populations. In this new study, the team will examine the extent to which Aboriginal cultural practices may promote biologic resilience and improve health. Further, the study will examine the ways in which western approaches to wellness, such as regular physical activity, may also promote resiliency in these populations.

Dr. Gerlinde Metz, a neuroscientist at the U of L's Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience and Co-Lead on the study says understanding the biological effects of adverse social conditions is an important step towards the development of interventions that can improve population health and wellness.

"Information gained from the study will be used to help identify new strategies that can reduce health disparities experienced by Aboriginal populations," says Metz.

The full research team includes Drs. Judith Kulig, Michelle Hogue, and Olu Awosoga from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, and Dr. David Olsen from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Alberta. Working together with the Aboriginal community in southern Alberta, this cross-disciplinary team will examine how a range of factors - including adverse childhood experiences, poverty, unemployment, single parenthood, living in overcrowded housing and racial discrimination - impact the stress response and biological functioning among Aboriginal adults living in the Lethbridge area.

The U of L study will commence October 2013 with results expected in 2016-17.

��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

Kulig research released on Slave Lake

trevor.kenney — Fri, 21 Sep 2012 15:56:58 +0000

A year-long study of people affected by the 2011 Slave Lake, Alberta, Wildfire indicates that as the community continues to recover, particular attention must be paid to families and children.

Dr. Judith Kulig, a ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Health Sciences researcher and wildfire recovery expert, was on the ground in Slave Lake a month after the disaster.

Along with post-doctoral research associate Dr. Anna Pujadas Botey and colleagues from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, Queens, Concordia and Laurentian Universities, Kulig spent the past year surveying families, children, health care professionals, emergency responders, local government officials and educators to get a sense of how the community was, and is, handling the aftermath of the fire.

The May 2011 wildfires affected a large area around Slave Lake and destroyed approximately one third of the town, including homes, the community's library, government offices, businesses and much more. 740 families lost their homes.

The fires resulted in an evacuation of 10,000+ area residents for 12 days, required the combined efforts of some 1,700 emergency responders, and caused an estimated $1 billion of damage.

"This will be no surprise, but we found that parents who were, quite frankly, emotionally drained and stretched to their limits by this event were having trouble supporting their kids – who were equally affected," says Kulig.

"In addition to the displacement caused by the fire, schools were closed, living arrangements were different, and the families were making big decisions: do they rebuild? Do they leave? If their home is gone, where do they live? Even if they had not lost their home, they still had to make sense of what happened."

The researchers also found that there were several supports in place to assist families and children with their emotional and health-related recoveries, which kicked in very soon after the fire, and are ongoing – a positive step that Kulig says is critical to helping the community move forward.

"We noted that several agencies increased their service levels, brought in additional people and launched programs to help people cope. These were excellent responses and we suggest that those programs continue, since the emotional recovery time from a disaster like this can take several years."

Kulig says that, as researchers moved through the community engaging people, they found ample evidence that Slave Lake and area exhibited a solid level of community cohesion and resilience, which is critical to the rebuilding process.

"Despite the huge amount of upheaval, many people initially told us that they were brought closer together as a family because of the fire, and the research bears this out. 92 per cent of the respondents indicated that they were as close, or closer, because of the disaster. As well, we measured family cohesion, which measures a family's ability to work together or relate well to each other, and 89 per cent of respondents said they were as -- or more – cohesive than before the fire."

Kulig cautions, however, that the actual transition back to what some families expressed as 'normal' would not be without challenges.

"We identified six key areas people experienced, and need to be mindful of even now, to ensure they are coping constructively with the disaster's aftermath."

Kulig says that people develop different life goals and priorities. As well, their interactions with their own family members, friends and neighbours and others in the community changed.

"We also noted that people developed new values and perceptions of the important things in their lives. We heard people say a number of times, '…it's just stuff, it can be replaced, but my family can't…'. This is a significant indicator that there is strength and resolve in the community to move forward."

Long Service & Retirement Recognition Ceremony

trevor.kenney — Wed, 09 May 2012 17:44:43 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge is holding its annual Long Service Awards and Retirement Recognition Ceremony on Wednesday, May 9 at 1 p.m. in the Students' Union Ballrooms.

A total of 103 employees, including 20 retiring employees and those who have completed 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40 years of service, will be honoured.

All employees are invited to the ceremony and reception to honour the award recipients listed below. The reception will include light refreshments.

Retirees

Nola Aitken, Pat Anderson, Bill Cade, Maria Draper, Carol Gaetz, Mary Anne Hellinga, John Johnston, Cindy Kabelka, Frank Klassen, Michael Kubara, Christina Lastuka, Rita Law, Kathy Lee, Marg McKeen, Bruce McMullin, Shari Platt, Charlene Sawatsky, Richard Tedesco, Barbara Wolstoncroft and Joan Zimmer

Long Service Recipients

40 Years

Lois Boras and
Jean Mankee

35 Years

Barbara Dickinson, Heather Mirau and Brian Parkinson

30 Years

Rene Barendregt, Annette Bright, Peter Heffernan, Barb Hodgson, Kurt Klein, William Krysak, Judy Lacey, Phill Lema, Valerie Richardson, Kim Selk and John Vokey

25 Years

Candace Dueck, John Eng, Frank Klassen, Sheila Lowe, Fiona Randle, Thomas Staples, Greg Tompkins, Kelly Vaselenak, Peter Visentin and Diana Young

20 Years

Lynn Ambedian, Robin Bright, Naomi Cramer, Mary Dyck, Rod Gelleny, Michael Kern, Judith Kulig, Rick Peter, Robert Runte, Sandy Slavin, Maxine Tedesco and Jeff Vucurevich

15 Years

Dwayne Armstrong, Mara Baldwin, Kerry Bernes, Lesley Brown, James Clark, Tom Doyle, Larry Flanagan, Carolyn Gaebel, Cam Goater, Bradley Hagen, Rob Johnson, Ed Jurkowski, Angela Luck, Goldie Morgentaler, Dan O'Donnell, Kent Peacock, Brent Selinger, Marlo Steed and
Nicole Wilson

10 Years

Peter Alward, Christine Anderson, Ebenezer Asem, Roberto Bello, Shawn Bubel, Kris Caldwell, Michael Campbell, Connie Chaplin, John Claassen, Melanie Collado, Dagmar Dahle, Alesha Farfus-Shukaliak, Bev Garnett, Daya Gaur, Joanne Gedrasik, Betsy Greenlees, Trevor Harrison, Linda Janz, Sharon Kanashiro, John Kometz, Igor Kovalchuk, Olga Kovalchuk, Bette Jo Kulak, James Linville, Douglas MacArthur, Claudia Malacrida, Kyla McFadden, Jacqueline Montain, Mandy Moser, Bob Muskovich, Janice Newberry, Tammy Paskuski, Jill Payant, Wilf Roesler, Edward Sandzewicz, Daryl Schacher, Darren Schell, Arlan Schultz, Daniela Sirbu, Debbie Tarnava, John Usher, Derek Vincent, Bernie Wirzba and Cindy Yee

Graduate students honoured with research awards

trevor.kenney — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 18:34:27 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge celebrated the achievements of 21 graduate students last night at the 2012 Graduate Student Research Awards reception.

"These graduate students are exemplars of academic achievement," says Dr. Robert Wood, dean of the School of Graduate Studies. "The exciting academic work that they do is advancing the frontiers of knowledge and creativity, and it cultivates and builds an essential foundation for our growing reputation as a comprehensive university. Indeed, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ community is immensely proud of these accomplished graduate student scholars."

Following is a list of the 2012 award winners.

Alberta Innovates Health Solutions
Erin Zelinski
(Robert Sutherland)
Neuroscience

Corinne Sidler
(Olga Kovalchuk)
Biological Sciences

Alberta Innovates - Technology Futures
Aaron Mullin
(Craig Coburn)
Geography

Alberta Cancer Foundation
Lidiya Luzhna
(Olga Kovalchuk)
Biological Sciences

Alexander Graham Bell Canada Graduate Scholarship Doctoral (NSERC)
Patrick Barks
(Robert Laird)
Biological Sciences

Andrew Hudson
(Camron Goater & Tony Russell)
Biological Sciences

Jenni Karl
(Ian Whishaw)
Neuroscience

Alexander Graham Bell Canada Graduate Scholarship Master (NSERC)
Kathryn Kuchapski
(Joseph Rasmussen)
Biological Sciences

Kirsten Rosler
(Hans-Joachim Wieden)
Chemistry and Biochemistry

Aaron Mullin
(Craig Coburn)
Geography

Natalie Freeman
(Louise Barrett & Peter Henzi)
Psychology

Joseph-Armand Bombardier Canada Graduate Scholarship Master's (SSHRC)
Gillian Ayers
(Claudia Malacrida)
Sociology

Leslie Bush
(Robbin Derry)
Management

Stacey Leavitt
(Michelle Helstein & Sean Brayton)
Kinesiology & Physical Education

Daniel Rutledge
(Sameer Deshpande)
Management

Rachel Shields
(Jason Laurendeau)
Sociology

Mark Bruce
(Dawn McBride)
Education

School of Graduate Studies Fellowship
Darcy Best
(Hadi Kharaghani)
Mathmatics & Computer Science

Health Quality Council of Alberta
Shannon Vandenberg
(Judith Kulig)
Health Sciences

endMS
Brietta Gerrard
(Artur Luczak)
Neuroscience

Alberta Gambling Research Institute
Scott Oberg
(Matthew Tata)
Neuroscience

Slave Lake wildfire focus of Kulig research

trevor.kenney — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 17:26:06 +0000

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge researcher Dr. Judith Kulig will travel to Slave Lake, Alberta and meet with members of the local and municipal governments, First Nations community leaders, and families affected by the recent wildfire in order to learn more about how the people in the community are coping.

The May 2011 wildfires affected a large area around Slave Lake and destroyed approximately one third of the Town, including homes, the community's library, government offices, businesses and much more. 740 families lost their residences.

Even with recent announcements of funding for rebuilding, and financial and moral support from organizations and individuals outside the community, the task of replacing physical structures lost or damaged by the fire is very significant.

More importantly, the process of looking after the physical and emotional well-being of the people affected by the fire and its aftermath -- and how well the community recovers – is what Kulig and her team are looking into. Her initial visit will set the stage for research that is expected to take a year to complete.

Kulig and her colleagues have spent the past decade examining what happens in smaller communities when disaster strikes, and how the overall health of the community is reflected in its ability to recover from disaster.

"Over the past decade, wildfires in Canada have forced nearly 700,000 people from more than 250 communities and caused massive amounts of financial, environmental and personal damage, including job losses, the loss of residents in a community, as well as lingering health and emotional challenges," Kulig said.

"We want to talk to the residents, members of the local and regional governments, the local First Nations communities and anyone who was affected by this disaster so we can gain insight into what can be done for the community as it rebuilds."

Kulig said that the research will focus initially on family experiences, and that community members will be confidentially surveyed in a variety of ways.

"I can't stress enough that the information we gather is confidential, and will not be used in any way to identify anyone. We know it is often very difficult for people to discuss this type of major loss, but the results will hopefully help the community rebuild in a way that factors in their overall physical and personal health."

"We are going to be in Slave Lake on a regular basis and are hoping to talk to families, and we also expect to meet residents at public places like the regular lunch gathering at the Friendship Centre, where we hope to talk to a wide variety of people about their experiences."

The information Kulig and her team gathers will be published independently and will be freely available to communities conducting disaster planning, communities that have experienced a major adverse event, or community members interested in learning more about helping their community recover from a disaster.

Among the different ways the team gathers information, Kulig plans traditional survey methods such as personal interviews and an on-line questionnaire but is also trying something new for this type of project: She hopes to equip families with cameras and have them record their impressions of the community, and have them capture in photos and words what they want Slave Lake and the surrounding area to be like as the re-building process moves forward.

Called 'photo-voice' research, Kulig said it is a method that can often result in surprising insights. "People express their feelings in many different ways, and we're going to try this approach here. We plan to ask people to talk about their photos, and we'd also look at creating an exhibit of the images they produce if the project goes forward."

"Understanding what this community goes through -- and gathering that information in a variety of ways -- will be informative for other communities that experience wildfires and other disasters," Kulig said. "It is also an opportunity for community members to discuss their experiences, and to ensure our findings are useful in the development of policies and/or guidelines in Slave Lake and other communities."

Information about other communities affected by large-scale wildfires can be found at http://www.ruralwildfire.ca. The website houses research results from wildfires in northern Saskatchewan, the BC interior and the Crowsnest Pass area of southwestern Alberta.

To contact the researchers by e-mail, please send a message to wildfire@uleth.ca

A toll-free telephone number is also available: 1-877-382-7119.

Kulig is in Slave Lake until Thursday, August 11 and has met community members, First Nations and regional government officials. She presented to the Slave Lake Town Council on Tuesday, August 9. On a regular basis, Kulig and/or a member of her research team will return to the community to connect with residents as the project progresses.
--30 –
Contacts:
Dr. Judith Kulig, Faculty of Health Sciences, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge
Cell (403) 894-4676 / Toll free 1-877-382-7119
e-mail: wildfire@uleth.ca
+++
Municipal District of Lesser Slave Lake #124:
Allan Winarksi, Municipal Manager
Cell: (780) 805-1142 / Office (780) 849-4888 / Toll free 1-866-449-4888
e-mail: allan.winarski@md124.ca
Website: http://www.md124.ca/
+++
Town of Slave Lake Contact:
John Sparks, Communications Lead, Recovery Operations
Cell (403) 660-8885 / e-mail: jsparks@shaw.ca
Town Office (780) 849-8000 / 1-800-661-2594
e-mail: town@slavelake.ca
Website: http://www.slavelake.ca

Researchers Advocate for Positive Approach to Rural, Community Health

trevor.kenney — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 16:08:20 +0000

A noted expert in rural nursing and community health issues will deliver a province wide teleconference and in-person seminar about rural and community health issues on Monday, July 25.

Alberta Health Services, Community & Rural Department and the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, Faculty of Health Sciences are jointly presenting a talk by Dr. Jeri L. Bigbee, who is currently serving as the Faculty of Health Sciences first visiting Fulbright Scholar at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.

Bigbee is a leader in rural nursing whose research focuses on public health nursing in rural and frontier communities in the United States. Bigbee's talk takes place on Monday, July 25, beginning at 10 a.m. in County Hall at Chinook Regional Hospital. It will also be broadcast to healthcare workers province-wide via the Telehealth network.

"We are extremely lucky to have Dr. Bigbee here in Alberta. Her expertise in rural health is a wonderful resource for Alberta Health Services and our partner organizations," said Rosalie Case, AHS Executive Director, Rural & Suburban Hospital Services & Supports.

"Her knowledge and research will help us better understand the unique needs in rural health and how to plan services according to those needs."

Case added that Dr. Bigbee's in depth understanding and emphasis on population health needs is in-line with the current direction of rural health planning in Alberta.

A Nurse Practitioner and Jody DeMeyer Endowed Chair at Boise State ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ in Boise, Idaho, Bigbee earned her doctorate from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Texas in Austin and has been a nurse educator since 1980 in Wyoming, Nevada and California.

"One of the goals for Dr. Bigbee's visit is to forge collaborative research relationships with individuals here who are involved in rural nursing," said Dr. Judith Kulig, a U of L Health Sciences rural nursing expert.

"Jointly-conducted research would provide an opportunity to determine the differences and similarities between our countries in terms of the number of rural nurses providing care and the impacts they have on population health."

Kulig said that while Bigbee is in the community, she will meet with faculty and graduate students to share her expertise in rural nursing and in nursing education in general. "We are really hopeful that Jeri's visit will lead to future collaborations including visits by our faculty to Boise State ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ."

Event details:

Date: Monday, July 25, 2011
Time: 10:00 - 11:30 a.m.
Location: Chinook Regional Hospital County Hall (Telehealth available)
RSVP: Romina Senneker (403-388-6013 or romina.senneker@albertahealthservices.ca)

Kulig study a blueprint for recovery

trevor.kenney — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 22:14:40 +0000

The recent fire in Slave Lake, Alta. has left many people wondering how the community will rebuild and, most importantly, cope with the aftermath of a devastating event that destroyed approximately one third of the community, including homes, the library, town government offices, businesses and much more.

The answer to that lies in the overall health and resiliency of the community itself – and there is strong evidence to back that statement from researchers like Dr. Judith Kulig (health sciences) who, with several colleagues, has spent the past decade examining what happens in smaller communities when disaster strikes, and how the overall health of the community is reflected in its ability to recover from disaster.

Dr. Judith Kulig researches community resiliency after tragedies such as wildfire events.

Over the past decade, wildfires in Canada have forced nearly 700,000 people to be evacuated from more than 250 communities. This has caused massive amounts of financial, environmental and personal damage, including job losses, the loss of residents in a community, as well as lingering health and emotional challenges.

The research team, which includes
Dr. Ivan Townshend (geography) and members from universities in Alberta, British Columbia, Quebec, Ontario and Australia, has studied fires in Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia and has found that there are common elements that can contribute to increasing a sense of community resiliency in the face of large-scale disasters, such as wildfires.

Disaster Preparedness

· Develop memorandums of understanding with relevant agencies to ensure that during and after the disaster, arising issues are addressed and that lines of communication and authority are in place.

· Develop public education and disaster awareness that is appropriate for the community (e.g., having a livestock evacuation plan).

· Create an updated community disaster plan, which identifies a back-up community that could assist, and transportation plans for evacuations (e.g., use of school busses).

· Maintain up-to-date maps to locate all individuals that may need evacuation.

· Establish policies to determine if large gatherings planned for the time period of an evacuation or evacuation alert should be cancelled.

During the Disaster

· Develop communication strategies so that the evacuees are updated about the condition of their homes and community during the wildfire.

· Create effective coordination of all relevant agencies.

· Ensure adequate safety and surveillance procedures are in place for vacated property.

After the Disaster

· Collect economic, social and health data in communities that experience wild-fires for 5 years after the wildfire and then every 10 years for 3 more decades.

· Develop temporary programs for the school-aged population to help them deal with the ongoing issues associated with the wildfire.

· Provide long-term mental health/community change facilitation for all community members.

· Provide financial counseling for families.

Fostering Community Resiliency

· Providing opportunities for local residents to gather and reflect on the disaster experience thereby building their networks and developing
opportunities for interaction.

· Organize celebrations to provide avenues for social support while also creating a sense of belonging and community.

· Provide support for local leaders and develop mechanisms to create the next generation of leaders within the community.

Complete study results are available on the rural wildfire website (www.ruralwildfire.ca).

Donations are still being accepted for the Slave Lake recovery process through the Canadian Red Cross (www.redcross.ca).

This story first appeared in the Legend. To view the Legend in a flipbook format, follow this link.

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