UNews - Dan Kazakoff

Secrets to scholarship success

trevor.kenney — Wed, 31 Jan 2018 17:39:10 +0000

Sworn to secrecy, the first thing ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge student Jill Tataryn did when she found out she was the recipient of the Futures Fund Scholarship for Outstanding Leadership was to treat her mom to a coffee.

The fourth-year, Faculty of Management finance major explains that, “The news was to be kept confidential, so it was a struggle to keep it from my close friends and family.”

Fourth-year finance major Jill Tataryn to be honoured at Canada’s Outstanding CEO of the Year Gala.

Accordingly, Tataryn had to celebrate that moment in secret by doing what she does best — giving back.

Tataryn is one of 10 university business students from across Canada chosen to be honoured at Canada’s Outstanding CEO of the Year Gala being held in Toronto in February. Award winners, who will receive grants of $7,500 each, had to have demonstrated exemplary leadership skills through academic achievement and extra-curricular activities to be chosen.

Tataryn, who hails from Lethbridge, lists the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge’s state-of-the-art trading room, the opportunity to play rugby for the Pronghorns and the opportunist nature of the management degree as reasons to why she picked her program. And at the heart of all of her work, she says, “There’s no better feeling than giving back to your community.”

In addition to earning a high GPA, Tataryn is active in a number of clubs at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, including the Management Students’ Society (MSS) for which she was chosen to be director academic. Her leadership also extends to the rugby field where Tataryn is part of the women’s rugby team leadership group. She also spends time coaching both her teammates as well as the girls’ rugby team at Chinook High School. Tataryn is also a volunteer with the Good Samaritan Society, the Lethbridge Soccer Association and Project Paintbrush.

In fact, when asked what trait she possesses that she thinks has led her to such success, Tataryn named her desire to be involved.

“It has allowed me to participate in so many opportunities and experiences thus far. Putting yourself out there is the best way to be ‘lucky’ when it comes to getting a job, a volunteer position or a scholarship,” she says.

And on top of giving back and being involved, Dan Kazakoff, assistant dean, Experiential Education Programs, and one of Tataryn’s former professors, recognizes the other ingredient that has propelled the prestigious business-grant winner to success.

“Jill realizes that hard work is necessary to reach your goals and not only has she shown that in the past, I believe she will continue to do so over her career,” says Kazakoff. “Jill is well deserving of this award.”

To all who know Tataryn, all this is no secret.

IME up and running with new director at the helm

trevor.kenney — Tue, 27 Oct 2015 19:44:07 +0000

For the first time since the program’s introduction, the Faculty of Management’s Integrated Management Experience (IME) is under new stewardship.

Management professor Mike Madore is now at the helm of the highly regarded experiential program, taking over after 15 years of leadership by Dan Kazakoff. Madore is energized by the opportunity.

“The entire crux of the program is giving students the opportunity to use what they are learning in the classroom in an applied fashion, in a real-life situation,” he says. “That is something I’ve always tried to incorporate in my classes. As early as I can, I try and get students out using the theory they’re being taught in class and applying it in a real business setting.”

Mike Madore's IME class will be focussing its efforts on assisting Harbor House this year.

Madore has been at the U of L since 2003, first as a sessional instructor and then, for the past eight years, as a full-time educator. Previously, he taught at the secondary school level as well as for several other post-secondary level institutions.Madore also has experience as a business consultant and worked as a commercial lender with BMO for four years. The focus of the IME program, which is built on a solid foundation of community engagement, theory and practice, mirrors his philosophy on the role of the Faculty of Management in the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and southern Alberta as a whole.

“I really think it’s important that we have a strong connection with the local business community, and I’ve always looked at ways to try and engage the community,” he says. “It’s really a win-win when you can involve students with the business community. They get an opportunity to work on real problems that businesses are struggling with and the businesses benefit because they get consulting advice from students who are being educated with the latest expertise.”

IME involves students enrolling in two management modules, Mgt 3091 and Mgt 3092. In the first semester, Madore meets with representatives from a selected community organization and gains an appreciation for a challenge they are facing from a managerial perspective – essentially a business case problem the students work to solve. The second semester sees the students coordinate a sponsorship activity that raises funds for the selected entity.

“In the short term, I’m not going to move away from that model too much because I like the concept,” says Madore. “One thing we’re trying to do with the students is add additional factors, such as social media, and take advantage of that to promote IME not only a little more internally here at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ but outside to the general public as well.”

This year’s chosen organization is YWCA’s Harbor House. Madore says that as the program continues to evolve, he’d like to keep the focus on non-profit organizations that simply do not have the funds or expertise to manage their affairs as efficiently as possible.

“Many non-profits don’t have big budgets and are run on a volunteer basis,” he says. “As IME continues to evolve, I’d like to capture some of the lesser known non-profits in the Lethbridge area and give them an opportunity.”

With a cohort of just 22 students this year, Madore says he’d like to see that number climb back to its capacity of 36. He can’t overstate the value it brings to their educational experience, and with the majority of students who participate in IME in their third year of study; it creates meaningful pathways into the business world.

“IME allows students to flex some of the theory that they have captured in class in a real world setting,” he says. “At the same time, we’re a liaison or bridge to the community and the non-profit sector. We want to make sure we do the best we can for our partners in the community.”

To learn more about IME, visit the program’s website at ulethime.com or contact Madore at 403-329-2439 or michael.madore@uleth.ca.

Collaborative effort leads to win in Agribusiness Case Competition

trevor.kenney — Wed, 16 Apr 2014 20:51:03 +0000

An interdisciplinary group of ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge students showcased their problem solving and presentation skills recently, earning first place at the 3rd Annual International Agribusiness Case Competition held at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Guelph.

The team of (L toR) Rebecca Joseph, Phyllis MacCallum, Lara de Moissac and Monica Gorham now sets its sights on Cape Town, South Africa in June.

Monica Gorham (Management, Calgary, Alta.), Rebecca Joseph (Agriculture Studies, Lamont, Alta.), Phyllis MacCallum (Agriculture Studies, Vankleek Hill, Ont.) and Lara de Moissac (Agriculture Studies, Edmonton, Alta.) were presented with a case study that proposed using insects as a fourth protein source for both human consumption and livestock feed given the global issues of population increase combined with declining water and land resources.

“These competitions give students the opportunity to apply their skills to real-world problems facing the agribusiness industry, which spans agricultural input industries to food retailing,” says Dr. Danny Le Roy, coordinator of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s Agriculture Studies program and Chair of the Department of Economics. “The competition involves analyzing and presenting a case study which incorporates the complexities of food systems, corporate responsibility and sustainable solutions relevant in the global agribusiness environment. In addition to the competition itself, it is also a great networking opportunity for students and faculty members who have an interest in the business of food."

Students were given five hours to deliberate on and then solve the case for presentation to a panel of judges. They were tasked with analyzing the presented problem and implementing a sustainable plan for the future. Their 15 to 18 minute presentation to judges also included fielding questions from the panel.

The top teams from the preliminary round were then given further information on the case, asked to adjust their proposals and then present for 22-25 minutes to a new set of judges.

“To finish first overall was amazing and it’s given us the opportunity to now travel to Cape Town, South Africa (June 16-19, 2014) for another case competition sponsored by the International Food and Agribusiness Management Association,” says Gorham. “Not only did this case improve my academic knowledge but it has opened up doors for the future.”

It was the first time a ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge team had taken an interdisciplinary approach to the competition, sending students from both the Faculties of Management and Arts & Science.

“This competition really showed that when two Faculties at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge work together, not only does this provide a great opportunity for students, it benchmarks success that can be duplicated in many collaborative areas in the future,” says Dan Kazakoff, director of Theory Into Practice Programs and the Chair of the Small Business Institute Advisory Council in the Faculty of Management. “These students were amazing.”

Dow Agrosciences Canada Inc. provided funding support for the team and its journey to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Guelph.

IME class working to support Lethbridge Family Centre

trevor.kenney — Tue, 18 Mar 2014 22:04:53 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Faculty of Management's Integrated Management Experience (IME) class has joined forces with Classic Hits 94.1 CJOC to present a radio-thon fundraiser in support of the Lethbridge Family Centre.

Beginning Monday, Mar. 24 and running through to Friday, Mar. 28, the week long radio-thon is the culmination of a full month of activity designed to bring awareness to the Lethbridge Family Centre as part of Family Centre Awareness Month.

Students from the IME class have developed a marketing plan to raise awareness for Lethbridge Family Centre, applying theoretical knowledge they learn in class to a real work environment. The goal is to further build skills that address a more complete understanding of the business processes in the context of solving business problems.

"We are so appreciative of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Faculty of Management program," says Crystal Elliot, executive director of the Lethbridge Family Centre. "The IME students, Director of Theory into Practice Programs, Dan Kazakoff, to be able to work with them has been an amazing opportunity."

The Family Centre provides the community with parental education programs such as Parenting after Separation and also early childhood education programming such as Come Build with Us which allows children and parents to explore their creative side through three-dimensional building activities. Through the money raised during this fundraiser, the Family Centre is looking to further impact the community through the construction of a facility on the city's west side. This will allow more families to have fun and educate and support their children and our future generations.

RRP finds success points

trevor.kenney — Wed, 11 Sep 2013 16:05:22 +0000

It’s been nearly three years since the Recruitment and Retention Project team was established, and over that time a number of student-focused initiatives have been put in motion. To date, there have been 13 projects delivered or in the process of being delivered.

Responding to the needs recommended by student associations, units on campus, as well as many learner focus groups, this collaborative team has provided a rich environment of ideas to be acted upon in the pursuit of serving learners, helping create a real sense of community and support on campus that aligns with President Dr. Mike Mahon’s vision of a destination university.

“The RRP team’s energy, dedication and commitment in guiding and delivering these innovative projects focused on the recruitment and retention of our students is outstanding,” says ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Provost and Vice President (Academic), Dr. Andrew Hakin.

Student success is at the heart of the RRP team's mission.

As the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ opens the Fall 2013 Semester, four more projects are moving forward, all examples of the co-operative effort that has been a hallmark of the RRP mission:

• The introduction of an online graduate application process under the leadership of Alice Miller (Admissions) has put to rest a timely, labour-intensive paper application system and help streamline the manner in which students apply for graduate school.

• Predictive Modeling, under the leadership of Mandy Moser (Institutional Analysis) for early intervention with an applicant to enrolment model, as well as a student retention model to aid Faculties and campus services to direct their future actions with greater efficiency and effectiveness, thereby increasing the likelihood of student success.

• The business case and analysis for new housing led to the opening of Mt. Blakiston House this fall, the newest campus residence building, directly targeted at retaining learners into their second year and beyond, all the while freeing up additional rooms for first-year learners.

• With the guidance of James Graham (New Media), the innovative online virtual campus environment created by the RAVE project will be introduced this fall, allowing users to virtually visit campus in a 3D environment. It allows peopl to get a look at all of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s facilities and services, granting users a sense of the campus community available to them.

“The entire Recruitment and Retention project has been very collaborative from the beginning,” says Heather Mirau, director Integrated Planning. “The RRP team and the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ community have all been fantastic, and the spirit I’ve encountered while working on these projects has been fabulous. It’s the students who benefit from this work, and that has been the goal of this project from day one.”

Mirau credits the success of the Recruitment and Retention Project due to the strong support from students, faculty and staff, and senior leaders. Much change has taken place in just a few years with nine initiatives piloted (four more are in the process of being delivered), which is testament to the broad support the project has received.

“I look at the Game Day Shirt project under the leadership of Trevor Flexhaug that grew out of work from the Enhancing Community & School Spirit subject matter team,” says Mirau. “The project team thought a great way to enhance Pronghorn pride on campus would be to encourage faculty, staff and students to wear Game Day Shirts on the day of Pronghorn Athletics games. It started small and now we have a number of campus units requesting shirts so that they too can take part.”

While some of the projects are focused on pride building, others are academically focused, such as the introduction of the Liberal Education 2850 course. Described as “Mapping Self, Career, Campus, Community”, the course was introduced as a pilot for the Spring 2013 semester and went over extremely well with students. Designed to help students with the transition to university life, it provides an active learning component focussing on the U of L’s student resources, including those that are imperative in supporting student success from their first semester through to graduation.

“It was very encouraging to see the positive comments students had for the LBED 2850 class,” says project team leader, Dan Kazakoff (Management). “It was evident that many students appreciated the exposure to the value of our liberal education foundation and the many support services that are at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge to help them reach their goals. The key in the future will be to learn from the pilot class and expand the number of first-year students exposed to such an endeavour. A big thank you to Dr. Jan Newberry who taught the pilot class.”

The reworking of the Writing Centre within the Academic Writing Program provides students with a wider base of support within a multi-disciplinary approach.

“The greater level of support and expertise now enables writing skills and methods to be targeted to the various disciplines and needs of students,” says Dr. Cliff Lobe, coordinator of the Academic Writing Program.

The academic support project led by Dr. Heidi MacDonald (History) provided further emphasis on tutoring and learning strategists. This project resulted in several professors piloting the very successful visit from campus service professionals to their classes and the establishment of the 24-hour Collaborative Learning Centre (W650).

Other initiatives established through the Recruitment and Retention Project include the Learning Circles pilot project under the leadership of Dr. Craig Milner, the introduction of a Campus Information Services outlet, a campus service web page design, a services for students web page providing one online location for student support connections, and a Fun With Math program created through the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science with leadership from Dr. Hadi Kharaghani. Other project proposals have received approval for delivery over the next year.

“There’s been a real emphasis on talking to our learners and finding out what supports they need to be successful,” says Mirau. “We are trying to give them every opportunity to find that success. It starts with getting them engaged with our community the day they walk through the front door and then reinforcing those supports as they work their way through to graduation.”

For a look at the RRP team and for more on the project, visit www.uleth.ca/recruitment-retention.

��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

Small business, big opportunity

trevor.kenney — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 22:01:06 +0000

According to the provincial government, small businesses make up about 96 per cent of all businesses in Alberta. While they may be small, they certainly are mighty. In fact, small businesses in the province contribute nearly 30 per cent of Alberta's gross domestic product (GDP) – a figure that puts them first in the country for small business GDP per capita in 2009. But it's not just small enterprises in Alberta that are economic powerlifters. Across Canada, small businesses are doing their bit by employing half of the total workforce.

The hard reality, however, is that 75 per cent of Canadian small businesses fold within nine years. Why does that happen, and what factors contribute to the long-term success of some small businesses?

These questions and others like them are being explored at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge's newly established Small Business Institute (SBI) in the Faculty of Management. Founded earlier this year, the SBI links small businesses to the expertise of researchers, professionals and other business people. Simply put, the SBI serves as a hub for research on small businesses and a resource for those who own, work at and are interested in them.

Dr. M. Gordon Hunter and Dan Kazakoff want to help area small businesses avoid the pitfalls that doom many great ideas.

The Institute investigates many issues related to businesses, including succession, sustainability and franchising. The SBI also works with rural areas throughout southern Alberta, where small businesses are often the lifeblood of the community.

"The SBI is an excellent example of U of L professors and researchers working to ensure that their work is relevant and valued in the community, and that leading business practices can be adopted by small businesses in the region," says David Hill, director of Centres and Institutes at the U of L.

The SBI was established by researchers Dr. M. Gordon Hunter and Dan Kazakoff. Both professors in the Faculty of Management, they worked together initially to co-author the book Little Empires: Multi-Generational Small Business in Southern Alberta, Canada. Published in 2008, Little Empires profiled 11 local, family-run operations.

"We wanted to help small businesses learn from each other," says Kazakoff, noting that the SBI was a logical evolution of the work invested in Little Empires. "With the Institute, we wanted to raise the profile of small businesses and interact with the community. It was our way of giving back."

The strategy works well, says Paul McDonald (BMgt '88), one of the entrepreneurs featured in Little Empires. McDonald, along with his brothers Jim (BMgt '80) and Gord (BMgt '89), owns the McDonald Auto Group, which has operated in southern Alberta since 1942. While the family business originally sold John Deere tractors, it now owns McDonald Chevrolet Buick GMC in Taber and McDonald Nissan in Lethbridge.

Participating in Little Empires, says McDonald, was an eye-opening experience. "It allowed me to see how other businesses operate and what allowed them to prosper." Today, he repays those insights by serving on the SBI's Advisory Board. "They want to know the challenges small businesses face and the resources we need to succeed in the future. We provide that feedback."

In addition to guiding the SBI's initiatives, Alberta businesses are also supporting them financially. This fall, ATB Financial made a $36,000 investment in the SBI that will sponsor a speaker series and bring industry leaders and researchers – including Hunter and Kazakoff – to rural communities throughout southern Alberta. The purpose of the business education seminars is to share knowledge and experiences on topics pertaining to small businesses.

That expertise is also showcased in Hunter and Kazakoff's second book, which was released earlier this year. Unlike Little Empires though, Small Business: Journey to Success was written primarily for an academic audience, reflecting the researchers' goal to eventually develop new courses within the Faculty of Management that focus on small businesses and bring new knowledge into the classroom.

In the meantime, Hunter and Kazakoff are busy with a number of research projects. The team, for example, has previously examined why small businesses fail (e.g., owners lack passion and focus) and how small enterprises survived the financial crisis (e.g., they were already operating in a fiscally conservative manner). Now the researchers are studying why small businesses typically do not partake in insolvency processes to deal with deteriorating financial situations (e.g., owners usually cannot afford the inherent expense).

Down the road, Hunter and Kazakoff will also look at small businesses' contributions to the local economy and how the agricultural industry has been affected by changes to the Canadian Wheat Board. The researchers also plan to compare the success stories of indigenous entrepreneurs in Canada with those of the Maori in New Zealand.

"Through our research," says Hunter, "we hope to expand our reach locally, regionally, nationally and internationally."

For more information on the U of L's Small Business Institute, please visit: www.uleth.ca/management/sbi

This story first appeared in the Fall 2012 issue of SAM. For a look at the full issue in a flipbook format, follow this link.

SBI partners with ATB to create speaker series

trevor.kenney — Fri, 05 Oct 2012 23:13:55 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge joined ATB Financial officials at the new Highlands Crossing branch in west Lethbridge on Friday, October 5, 2012 to announce ATB Financial's support of the newly-established ATB Financial Small Business Institute Speaker Series.

A $36,000 investment will help launch the series, which will see industry leaders and researchers visit communities throughout southern Alberta to share their knowledge, insights and experiences on topics related to small business.

"This gift demonstrates ATB Financial's commitment to education, research and the business communities of southern Alberta," says U of L Faculty of Management Dean Dr. Bob Ellis. "The new speaker series will help forge ties among the small business community, ATB Financial and the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, resulting in strong partnerships that benefit southern Alberta business."

The widespread delivery of the speaker series is what makes the program so unique. Presentations from industry leaders and researchers will be made throughout southern Alberta, with a special focus on reaching rural communities.

"One of the things we love most at ATB Financial is being able to help small businesses succeed," says Rob Smith, Vice-President, ATB Financial South. "At ATB, we like to think we know Alberta and Albertans better than any other financial institution. With that in mind, it's exciting to partner with the U of L's Faculty of Management for the ATB Financial Small Business Institute Speakers Series. Having established small business leaders share their knowledge and experience with the rest of southern Alberta can only make our local economy stronger."

Led by Small Business Institute directors, Dr. M. Gordon Hunter and Dan Kazakoff, the series will be of interest to those currently involved or considering an investment or career in small business.

"The focus of our investigations is on privately held small businesses, varying from start-up businesses to those that are multi-generational," says Hunter. "The small business is the lifeblood of many rural communities and it's this unique focus of the Small Business Institute that makes its findings so relevant to the Lethbridge and southern Alberta area."

By further connecting with the rural communities that drive the southern Alberta economy, the SBI and students at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge also realize a great benefit from this relationship.

"Our students will benefit from the exchange of ideas with the area's business people," says Kazakoff. "The whole notion is that with an institute, you get people together who might have a common interest in the subject area. By discussing ideas around the table with other individuals, you often find you get a greater depth of understanding. This series offers that opportunity for us to better connect with and understand the issues facing small business owners and operators in southern Alberta."

Easing first-year transition the goal of RRIP project

trevor.kenney — Tue, 08 May 2012 20:15:32 +0000

With almost 8,500 students streaming through the hallways at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge each day, it seems improbable that a student could feel isolated.

Not necessarily so, says Dan Kazakoff, the director of Theory Into Practice Programs in the Faculty of Management, especially when it comes to new students.

"First-year students are dealing with a lot of difficult things – it's often their first time away from home, they may be dealing with a budget for the first time, among many other things. They're feeling alone and not knowing where to turn," says Kazakoff, who leads the Academic Success Achievement and Learning Resources Team. The group is responsible for a first-year experience course pilot project.

The course is designed to help students with the transition to the university lifestyle, the goal being that it will increase their opportunity for success and see them continue their studies through graduation.

Liberal Education 2850: Mapping Self, Career, Campus, Community will help make students more aware of all the services available to them at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, thereby helping them overcome any hurdles they might encounter.

The course will be offered on a trial basis in January 2013. In addition to a look at campus services, it is also designed to give students a greater awareness of their community as a whole and what the City of Lethbridge has to offer them.

"This course will give first-year students a sense that they're not alone," says Kazakoff. "When people feel as though they're part of a community, they're more likely to give back. And if students are engaged with our community, they're more likely to achieve success and complete their degree."

Kazakoff says the team, part of the Recruitment and Retention Integrated Planning (RRIP) project, sought feedback from first-year students who felt they had issues that couldn't be solved on campus. It was discovered that often, the support systems were in place but the students were simply not aware of the help available to them.

The pilot project course will see the class divided into groups. Each week, the groups will be assigned to check out different areas of campus – such as Career and Employment Services or Counselling Services – in order to come up with a map of the actual resources available to them. They'll then be tasked to create a concept map of themselves, looking at who they are and the issues they are facing as first-year students.

Lecturers will be brought in from across the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ to further enhance their knowledge of what support services are available on campus, and to expose them to the liberal education philosophy the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ is based on. They'll also hear from off campus guests on topics which could range from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's natural surroundings and First Nations culture to opportunities to volunteer or network within the community. Everything is geared to help students develop both academically and personally.

"Hopefully, they'll learn you don't have to go away on weekends to Calgary, or head back home to have positive experiences," says Kazakoff.

While enrolment in the pilot project will be entirely voluntary, Kazakoff says there are universities where such courses are mandatory for all first-year students. The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ will begin promoting the pilot course in September and the committee is confident they'll have no problem filling the 24 available spots.

Upon the term's completion, the course will be evaluated to see if it served students' needs, and if so, whether it's feasible to expand it so that a larger number of students are able to take part in the future.

This story appears in the April 2012 issue of the Legend. To view the entire issue in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Kazakoff brings industry skills to his management students

trevor.kenney — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 22:29:06 +0000

Dan Kazakoff is the director of Theory Into Practice programs at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge and consistently rated as one of the most popular teachers on campus.

In addition to teaching, Kazakoff directs the Faculty of Management's Applied Consulting program, Integrated Management Experience (IME) program and is one of the originators of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Small Business Institute (SBI). Along with Dr. Gordon Hunter, Kazakoff helped form the SBI as a unique initiative that will focus its work on privately held small businesses, varying from start-up operations to multi-generational ownership. In addition to entrepreneurship and family-owned businesses, other aspects of their research will include franchises, non-participating family members, succession and sustainability. The SBI is unique in that it will focus primarily on Lethbridge and southern Alberta businesses.

Both Hunter and Kazakoff expect a significant student benefit through the exchange of ideas with business people and faculty. In addition, new courses may be developed or existing courses modified to incorporate ideas that come out of the SBI research process.

Kazakoff's passion for business and dedication to his students, coupled with years of experience in small business consulting, management and education demonstrate the ideals of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and show just how much we've grown over the last 45 years.

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