UNews - Yale

U of L researcher to play key role in national homelessness initiative

trevor.kenney — Thu, 11 Jul 2013 16:40:30 +0000

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge researcher Dr. Yale Belanger will play a key role in a national initiative that will gather information on the state of homelessness in Canada and will disseminate that knowledge to front-line providers.

The Canadian Observatory on Homelessness was recently created through a $2.5 million investment from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, which promotes and assists research and scholarship in the social sciences and humanities.

The Observatory's work will be particularly relevant in Alberta, as recent province-wide flooding may increase the number of individuals who could be homeless.

"Homelessness remains a massive national issue, even though communities across the country have made great strides in reducing the number of people experiencing homelessness," said Belanger, a researcher/professor in Native American Studies and the Faculty of Health Sciences. "We know that homelessness is usually the result of the cumulative impact of a number of factors, rather than a single cause."

Belanger said individual challenges or a traumatic event like flooding, compounded by structural factors like income, affordable housing and discrimination, or failures in a system designed to help vulnerable people, can render people homeless.

In Canada approximately 200,000 people are homeless each year, and about 30,000 people homeless on any given night.

In Calgary, there were more than 3100 people counted in January 2012 as part of a homeless person census, according to recent data published in "The State of Homelessness in Canada." A web link attached to full report is included, below.

Counts taken in October, 2012 showed Edmonton recording more than 2100, Red Deer nearly 280 while Lethbridge recorded 99 individuals.

Belanger added that Aboriginal people are particularly at risk, as are low-income workers and, increasingly, families.

Belanger said one of the key goals of the Canadian Observatory on Homelessness group is to work as a team to devise best practices that can be housed in the Observatory for use by anyone – researchers, community organizations and policymakers.

"More than 25 researchers are involved, plus many more local, provincial and national advocacy groups and support networks, so we feel quite confident about being able to gather a large amount of information quickly, and which we know everyone can share."

The group won't be simply researching the topic – Belanger said they will be on the ground, translating research into action wherever possible.

"We are expected to participate to help people create response and prevention strategies. I am very pleased to be working with the City of Lethbridge and other agencies in our community and the province."

"Though efforts like Social Housing in Action and the Vibrant Lethbridge Poverty Reduction Strategy group, our community is working really hard to put in place effective systems to reduce homelessness, as are similar groups in Calgary and Edmonton."

The Canadian Observatory on Homelessness is housed at York ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and is led by Dr. Stephen Gaetz, professor and Associate Dean, Education. Gaetz was recently in Lethbridge as a keynote speaker at a two-day conference on homelessness issues.

A copy of "The State of Homelessness in Canada" is available at these websites:

http://www.homelessresearch.ca/
http://www.homelesshub.ca/

��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

Paying it forward

trevor.kenney — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 21:17:09 +0000

Inspired by the professors who helped him when he was a PhD student in Germany, Dr. Hans-Joachim (HJ) Wieden decided from the moment he arrived at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, he would pay it forward by similarly helping students. Not only does he give personally to the Supporting Our Students (SOS) campaign, but he also developed a co-curricular symposium that is now supported by the campaign.

In 2007, Wieden initiated the Chinook Symposium in Chemistry and Biochemistry after realizing that students in his department had very limited opportunities to share their work with their peers.

What started as an annual poster competition now has three external judges and an $1,800 prize pool, with $300 for first-place posters and $150 for second place in four different categories. Participating in the Chinook Symposium has become a real career booster for the students.

While he facilitated the competition, Wieden credits his department colleagues for their enthusiasm and financial support.

"We raised $15,000 inside the department, so we now have money to run the contest for the next ten years," says Wieden.

The Symposium also provides a great opportunity for scientists and students to interact with each other, helping to build a vibrant research and training community. Now supporters of the SOS campaign can direct their money towards the initiative as well.

By now, you've probably heard of the SOS campaign, where faculty and staff can direct their own money to support student scholarships and bursaries. SOS has raised more than $1.5 million since its inception in 2005.

For Wieden, the opportunity to involve undergraduate students in research projects provided a major attraction to Lethbridge.

"One of the reasons I came to this university was because of the huge involvement of undergraduates in research," says Wieden.

If Wieden's name seems familiar, it's because you may have heard it often. In 2010 he won a Distinguished Teaching Award and one of three Students' Union Teaching Excellence Awards. He also leads the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's busy International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) undergraduate research team, which regularly places alongside schools like Yale, Harvard and MIT in the world's premiere synthetic biology competition.

Every year, Wieden employs several students in his research lab, and says that scholarships like those supported by SOS are key to helping students acquire that often-transformative early lab experience.

"We need more scholarships so we have students getting to choose to go into research labs in the summer instead of flipping burgers," he says.

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

Education begins with respect

trevor.kenney — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 17:04:10 +0000

A year after opening a dialogue on diversity and respect, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Faculty Association's Gender, Equity and Diversity Caucus is looking to build upon that momentum with the 2nd Annual Respect & Diversity Awareness Week.

Running Mar. 5-9 at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, this year's theme for the weeklong conversation is "Respect and learning go hand in hand".

"Last year was great for an inaugural event," says Dr. Carly Adams, Chair of the Gender, Equity and Diversity Caucus. "We thought how it was taken up by the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ community was wonderful. It's a conversation that needs to be ongoing."

Events such as a Talking About Teaching panel discussion through the Centre for the Advancement of Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CAETL) spurred the campus community into thinking about how we interact with one another, in classrooms, meeting rooms and even as we walk through the hallways.

"As a faculty member who attended these talks, I thought about the issues raised and then took them into my classroom," says Adams. "I hope that others took the things they heard and tried to adapt new strategies in the ways they dealt with students or fellow faculty."

If anything, the week created an environment where issues of inclusion and respect can be discussed. It also established an awareness of the caucus and took its work to another level. In early February, the caucus played a role in the Discover Diversity conference hosted by the City of Lethbridge and co-sponsored by the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ.

"I was really pleased we were able to be a part of that because not only did we have an opportunity to talk about the caucus but also the respect and diversity week and some of the other initiatives we're involved in," says Adams. "It led to an even wider discussion about workplace diversity and respect beyond our campus."

This year's awareness week will feature a few new additions, including an Ignite! event on Wednesday, Mar. 7 at 5 p.m. in the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Library (10th floor). Described as a fun, informative, rapid-fire session, participants are tasked to speak to 20 pictures or slides of their choice, all in a five-minute window of time, as they wax eloquent about diversity and/or gender.

"We're really excited about this event," says Adams. "We have a number of faculty lined up to take part, as well as people from the Lethbridge Public Interest Research Group (LPIRG) and the Students' Union. In total it's about 12 to 15 people, and it should create a really lively discussion from all the different perspectives across campus."

The line up of speakers includes Dr. Kevin McGeough (Geography), Yale Belanger (Native American Studies), Dan Johnson (Environmental Science), Carol Williams (Women and Gender Studies), Phil Jones (CAETL/Health Sciences), Marinus Swanepoel (Library), LPRIG, Shelia McManus (History), Rob Sutherland (CCBN/ULFA) and Tanya Harnett (Native American Studies/Fine Arts).

Other events for the week include a film screening of MissRepresentation, a documentary exploring how the media's misrepresentation of women has led to the underrepresentation of women in positions of power and influence. The Gender, Equity, and Diversity Caucus is joining the YWCA, Womanspace, Campus Women's Centre and LPIRG in sponsoring the film screening that takes place Thursday, Mar. 8 at 7 p.m. in Galileo's Gallery and coincides with International Women's Day.

On Friday, Mar. 9, Craig Milner from the Faculty of Management will present Student Diversity Rocks: Developing High Performance Teams in the Classroom (1 p.m., M1040).

"He's discussing diversity in teams, and how we might leverage some of the different experiences of our students in the classroom to create different conversations in groups," says Adams of the one-hour workshop.
While the week concludes with Milner's presentation, the conversation does not, and will be picked up a week later when the Department of Women & Gender Studies, with assistance from Adams' group, will present Why Women and Gender Studies? A Multigenerational Roundtable and Conversation, Friday, Mar. 16 at 2 p.m. in the Students' Union Ballroom.

"Last year, we came away thinking it was a very positive week and worth continuing," says Adams. "We invite everyone to come out for these events and I hope that this will give these important issues even more exposure."

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Faculty Association's Gender, Equity and Diversity Caucus consists of: Andrea Amelinckx, Andrea Glover, Dr. Hester Jiskoot, Dr. Kevin McGeough, Dr. Noella Piquette, Dr. John Sheriff, Dr. Robert Sutherland, Jennifer Thannhauser and Dr. Carly Adams (Chair).

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

New research centre focuses on urban Aboriginal issues

trevor.kenney — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 21:37:54 +0000

Researchers at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge and several partner organizations are establishing a unique collaborative centre to research issues relating to urban aboriginal communities in Alberta and Canada.

The Centre for Urban Aboriginal Research (CUAR) will assist with developing policy-relevant research as it relates to urban Aboriginal issues.

Members of the research group will join with regional First Nations and Aboriginal community members and advocates city and regional government officials, on Thursday, Oct. 20 (9 a.m., AH100) at a one-day symposium at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.

The group will hear from Bev Jacobs, the past president of the Native Women's Association of Canada (NWAC) and Heather King-Andrews, the Research Officer for the National Association of Friendship Centres (NAFC) and the Urban Aboriginal Knowledge Network (UAKN). Representation from Aboriginal Affairs in Edmonton has also been confirmed, as well as the attendance of local and regional First Nations and Aboriginal leaders.

The intent of the Centre for Urban Aboriginal Research is, through relevant research, to help better inform policymakers and residents about the dynamics of the urban aboriginal community -- a population with political, economic and social force but that is under-represented in many forms of government, community advocacy or research.

"Alberta's urban Aboriginal population is the fastest growing in Canada and this trend is reflected in Lethbridge, a city of more than 87,000 people," says Dr. Yale Belanger, a researcher in the U of L's Faculty of Health Sciences and Native American Studies.

"There are an estimated 3,500 permanent Aboriginal residents in Lethbridge. This is approximately 4.1 per cent of the city's population," Belanger said.

"The number of people 'couch surfing' and temporarily living in the city is not reflected in this number, but grows significantly each year with the introduction of new students to the college and university. We conservatively estimate that on any given day in Lethbridge, the local Aboriginal population numbers in the neighbourhood of 10,000 because the city is a service centre for the surrounding areas."

Belanger says networking with the local First Nations and Aboriginal communities has been ongoing in an effort to establish working relationships. In 2010, an initial symposium incorporated the views of several local First Nations and Aboriginal leaders, agency representatives and community-based advocates.

"Participants and potential partners, especially our representatives from various First Nations communities, indicated that such a Centre was important, and of great value," says Belanger. "As well, we believe that it is extremely important to create a non-politicized location where we can improve our research capacity."

Belanger adds that the group wants to grow a body of literature through research reports, case studies, and ultimately scholarly publications to help inform other communities of our local progress.

"We are also planning to draw from a growing literature base being created by partnering agencies in the larger Urban Aboriginal Knowledge Network to improve our understanding of how similar issues are being engaged nationally."

Initial funding for the project was obtained through the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), which provided more than $62,000 to help the group start the process of establishing the centre in 2010.

There is no cost to attend the Oct. 20 symposium. Students and interested members of the general public are welcome, but seating is limited. Phone 403-382-7101 to register.

Few gamblers cause majority of problems

trevor.kenney — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 15:37:41 +0000

A small percentage of individuals account for the large majority of issues surrounding gambling in the province of Alberta.

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge researchers from the Faculty of Health Sciences and the Department of Native American Studies concluded in a recent study that only 10 per cent of gamblers account for 80 per cent of all provincial gambling revenues.

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ sifted through more than 40 years of information, data and reports and then conducted their own in-depth research to determine the long-term effects of gambling in the province. Their study suggests that the not-for-profit groups and community organizations that raise money through gambling get minor economic benefits but also endure minor economic costs.

Roughly $2.5 billion annually is taken into government coffers through gambling and dispensed to charitable groups through various agencies and government ministries.

Not surprisingly, the researchers also found that there are major challenges in the form of problem gambling.

"A small percentage of individuals are responsible for a majority of the issues surrounding gambling in general — and their actions directly or indirectly affect eight to 10 per cent of the province's population," says Dr. Robert Williams, one of the study's authors. "That's more than 300,000 people. Of that population, we estimate that 10 per cent of gamblers contribute 80 per cent of all provincial gambling revenues. These people can be involved in problem gambling to a point where they are affected by bankruptcy, divorce, unemployment, crime and, tragically, suicide."

Williams says gambling appears to be an important contributor to overall bankruptcy and suicide rates in the province.

"The challenge is that despite a number of controls and programs, and well-regulated legalized gambling which has significantly decreased non-regulated illegal gambling, the bottom line is that a small percentage of problem gamblers are responsible for the majority of health, social and criminal problems associated with gambling."

The researchers also confirmed that the legal availability of gambling is only partly responsible for the prevalence of problem gambling, which existed to some extent prior to the introduction of legalized gambling.

"The relationship between legal gambling availability and problem gambling prevalence in Alberta is weak," says Jennifer Arthur, a Health Sciences masters degree candidate and project manager.

"We found that problem gambling is only partly responsible for these serious consequences, because the people involved had other conditions such as alcohol or drug dependency that were triggered by the availability of gambling. What we really want to draw attention to is, in addition to the percentage of gamblers who have significant personal and social problems, the ethical challenge of government and charity gambling revenue being derived from a very small percentage of the population which includes a disproportionate percentage of problem gamblers."

The news, however, is not all bad, as gambling does provide its benefits, particularly to First Nations communities.

"We found that gambling has provided an additional leisure option that is fairly well patronized, and legalized gambling also appears to provide minor employment benefits," says Dr. Yale Belanger, a Native American Studies researcher and a co-author of the report.

"The main economic benefits concern the fact that gambling appears to create additional economic activity without any obvious negative impacts on other businesses, and gambling leads to a very small increase in the value of infrastructure such as buildings and roads, for instance."

Belanger adds that, at a community level, there are significant economic benefits to First Nations communities that host casinos, because of their ability to retain a large part of the revenue.

"We estimate that First Nations in 2009-2010, through their charities and the First Nations Development Fund, had access to more than $158 million for local programming, economic development and infrastructure projects, to name a few areas this money can be used for."

The three-year study was funded by the Alberta Gaming Research Institute, at a cost of $685,000. In addition to Williams, Belanger and Arthur, 10 students were employed while conducting the research.

An opportunity to honour faculty achievement

trevor.kenney — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 20:52:13 +0000

Following is a list of those receiving awards, and the books they authored.

2011 Book Award Recipients
Pamela Adams, The Essential Equation
Yale D. Belanger, ed. Aboriginal Self-Government in Canada
Yale D. Belanger, Ways of Knowing
Reginald W. Bibby, The Emerging Millennials
Glenda Tibe Bonifacio, ed. Gender, Religion, and Migration
Bryson Brown, ed. On Preserving
Michael Campbell, Field Recordings of Icebergs Melting
Cynthia M. Chambers, Life Writing and Literary Métissage as an Ethos for Our Times
Andrea M. Cuéllar, The Quijos Chiefdoms
Dayna B. Daniels, Polygendered and Ponytailed
Alexander Darku, Empirical Essays in Open Economy Macroeconomics
Richard G. Delisle, Les Philosophies du Néo-Darwinisme
Elizabeth A. Galway, From Nursery Rhymes to Nationhood
Trudy Govier, A Practical Study of Argument
Geoffrey Hale, ed. Borders and Bridges
John S. Harding, Introduction to the Study of Religion
John S. Harding, Mahāyāna Phoenix
John S. Harding, ed. Wild Geese
Trevor W. Harrison, 21st Century Japan
Erika Hasebe-Ludt, Life Writing and Literary Métissage as an Ethos for Our Times
David J. Hay, The Military Leadership of Matilda of Canossa, 1046-1115
M. Gordon Hunter, ed. Handbook of Research on Information Management and the Global Landscape
M. Gordon Hunter, Little Empires
M. Gordon Hunter, ed. Selected Readings on Strategic Information Systems
M. Gordon Hunter, ed. Strategic Information Systems
M. Gordon Hunter, ed. Technological Advancement in Developed and Developing Countries
Dan Johnson, Grasshopper Identification & Control Methods
Edward Jurkowski, ed. Eduard Tubin
Dan Kazakoff, Little Empires
Abdie Kazemipur, Social Capital and Diversity
Abdie Kazemipur, The Generation X
Lynn Kennedy, Born Southern
Bryan Kolb, Introduction to Brain & Behavior
Igor Kovalchuk, ed. Genome Instability and Transgenerational Effects
Igor Kovalchuk, ed. Plant Epigenetics
Olga Kovalchuk, ed. Genome Instability and Transgenerational Effects
Christopher J. Kukucha, The Provinces and Canadian Foreign Trade Policy
James R. Linville, Amos and the Cosmic Imagination
Claudia Malacrida, ed. Sociology of the Body
Jennifer Mather, Octopus
Ian McAdam, Magic and Masculinity in Early Modern English Drama
Susan A. McDaniel, ed. Ageing: Key Issues for the Twenty-First Century
Susan A. McDaniel, Close Relations
Kevin M. McGeough, ed. American Schools of Oriental Research Archaeological Reports
Kevin M. McGeough, The Romans: An Introduction
Sheila McManus, ed. One Step Over the Line
Craig Monk, Writing the Lost Generation
Dave Witte Morris, Ergodic Theory, Groups, and Geometry
Richard E. Mueller, ed. Pursuing Higher Education in Canada
Richard E. Mueller, ed. Who Goes? Who Stays? What Matters?
Maria N. Ng, Pilgrimages
Janay Nugent, ed. Finding the Family in Medieval and Early Modern Scotland
Kent A. Peacock, The Quantum Revolution
Sergio Pellis, The Playful Brain
Sergio Pellis, Sex Differences
Adriana Predoi-Cross, ed. Infrared Microscopy and Spectroscopy with Accelerator Based Sources
Janice Rahn, ed. Viewfinding
Thomas A. Robinson, Ignatius of Antioch and the Parting of the Ways
Hillary Rodrigues, Introduction to the Study of Religion
Deborah Saucier, Psychology
Shelley Scott, Nightwood Theatre
Jonathan P. Seldin, Lambda-Calculus and Combinators
Gongbing Shan, Arts Biomechanics
Amy J. Shaw, Crisis of Conscience
Alan Siaroff, Comparing Political Regimes
Michael Stingl, ed. The Price of Compassion
James Thomas, Production of High Quality Fenugreek
Brian Titley, The Indian Commissioners
David Townsend, The Essential Equation
Peter Visentin, Arts Biomechanics
Amy von Heyking, Teaching with Dear Canada
John von Heyking, ed. Civil Religion in Political Thought
John von Heyking, ed. Friendship & Politics
Judith Whitehead, Development and Dispossession in the Narmada Valley
Ian Q. Whishaw, Introduction to Brain & Behavior
Patrick C. Wilson, ed. Editing Eden
Pamela J.T. Winsor, The Language Experience Approach to Literacy for Children Learning English
Margret A. Winzer, Children with Exceptionalities in Canadian Classrooms
Margret A. Winzer, From Integration to Inclusion
Walter Wymer, ed. The Routledge Companion to Nonprofit Marketing

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

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ celebrates faculty authors

trevor.kenney — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 16:33:47 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge is celebrating the achievements of faculty members who authored books in the past two years with the 2011 Book Awards.

A public reception will be held in the Markin Hall Atrium on Wednesday, Mar. 16, beginning at 3 p.m.

Following is a list of those receiving awards, and the books they authored.

2011 Book Award Recipients

Pamela Adams, The Essential Equation
Yale D. Belanger, ed. Aboriginal Self-Government in Canada
Yale D. Belanger, Ways of Knowing
Reginald W. Bibby, The Emerging Millennials
Glenda Tibe Bonifacio, ed. Gender, Religion, and Migration
Bryson Brown, ed. On Preserving
Michael Campbell, Field Recordings of Icebergs Melting
Cynthia M. Chambers, Life Writing and Literary Métissage as an Ethos for Our Times
Andrea M. Cuéllar, The Quijos Chiefdoms
Dayna B. Daniels, Polygendered and Ponytailed
Alexander Darku, Empirical Essays in Open Economy Macroeconomics
Richard G. Delisle, Les Philosophies du Néo-Darwinisme
Elizabeth A. Galway, From Nursery Rhymes to Nationhood
Trudy Govier, A Practical Study of Argument
Geoffrey Hale, ed. Borders and Bridges
John S. Harding, Introduction to the Study of Religion
John S. Harding, Mahāyāna Phoenix
John S. Harding, ed. Wild Geese
Trevor W. Harrison, 21st Century Japan
Erika Hasebe-Ludt, Life Writing and Literary Métissage as an Ethos for Our Times
David J. Hay, The Military Leadership of Matilda of Canossa, 1046-1115
M. Gordon Hunter, ed. Handbook of Research on Information Management and the Global Landscape
M. Gordon Hunter, Little Empires
M. Gordon Hunter, ed. Selected Readings on Strategic Information Systems
M. Gordon Hunter, ed. Strategic Information Systems
M. Gordon Hunter, ed. Technological Advancement in Developed and Developing Countries
Dan Johnson, Grasshopper Identification & Control Methods
Edward Jurkowski, ed. Eduard Tubin
Dan Kazakoff, Little Empires
Abdie Kazemipur, Social Capital and Diversity
Abdie Kazemipur, The Generation X
Lynn Kennedy, Born Southern
Bryan Kolb, Introduction to Brain & Behavior
Igor Kovalchuk, ed. Genome Instability and Transgenerational Effects
Igor Kovalchuk, ed. Plant Epigenetics
Olga Kovalchuk, ed. Genome Instability and Transgenerational Effects
Christopher J. Kukucha, The Provinces and Canadian Foreign Trade Policy
James R. Linville, Amos and the Cosmic Imagination
Claudia Malacrida, ed. Sociology of the Body
Jennifer Mather, Octopus
Ian McAdam, Magic and Masculinity in Early Modern English Drama
Susan A. McDaniel, ed. Ageing: Key Issues for the Twenty-First Century
Susan A. McDaniel, Close Relations
Kevin M. McGeough, ed. American Schools of Oriental Research Archaeological Reports
Kevin M. McGeough, The Romans: An Introduction
Sheila McManus, ed. One Step Over the Line
Craig Monk, Writing the Lost Generation
Dave Witte Morris, Ergodic Theory, Groups, and Geometry
Richard E. Mueller, ed. Pursuing Higher Education in Canada
Richard E. Mueller, ed. Who Goes? Who Stays? What Matters?
Maria N. Ng, Pilgrimages
Janay Nugent, ed. Finding the Family in Medieval and Early Modern Scotland
Kent A. Peacock, The Quantum Revolution
Sergio Pellis, The Playful Brain
Sergio Pellis, Sex Differences
Adriana Predoi-Cross, ed. Infrared Microscopy and Spectroscopy with Accelerator Based Sources
Janice Rahn, ed. Viewfinding
Thomas A. Robinson, Ignatius of Antioch and the Parting of the Ways
Hillary Rodrigues, Introduction to the Study of Religion
Deborah Saucier, Psychology
Shelley Scott, Nightwood Theatre
Jonathan P. Seldin, Lambda-Calculus and Combinators
Gongbing Shan, Arts Biomechanics
Amy J. Shaw, Crisis of Conscience
Alan Siaroff, Comparing Political Regimes
Michael Stingl, ed. The Price of Compassion
James Thomas, Production of High Quality Fenugreek
Brian Titley, The Indian Commissioners
David Townsend, The Essential Equation
Peter Visentin, Arts Biomechanics
Amy von Heyking, Teaching with Dear Canada
John von Heyking, ed. Civil Religion in Political Thought
John von Heyking, ed. Friendship & Politics
Judith Whitehead, Development and Dispossession in the Narmada Valley
Ian Q. Whishaw, Introduction to Brain & Behavior
Patrick C. Wilson, ed. Editing Eden
Pamela J.T. Winsor, The Language Experience Approach to Literacy for Children Learning English
Margret A. Winzer, Children with Exceptionalities in Canadian Classrooms
Margret A. Winzer, From Integration to Inclusion
Walter Wymer, ed. The Routledge Companion to Nonprofit Marketing

Opening a dialogue of respect

trevor.kenney — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 17:31:04 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Faculty Association's Gender and Diversity Caucus is looking to initiate a conversation about diversity and respect – and it wants everyone's voice to be heard.

The inaugural event, a week titled, Show Respect, Get Respect at Your U, will be held at the U of L from Mar. 7-11 as the caucus looks to get the campus thinking about how we interact with one another, in classrooms, meeting rooms and as we walk down the hallways.

"One of the things we've seen in the last 10 years is incredible growth here at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ," says Dr. Hester Jiskoot, Chair of the Gender and Diversity Caucus. "It's also grown in terms of diversity, and we thought this was a positive way to talk about that diversity. We want the conversation to focus not on tolerating one another but rather on respecting each other."

The U of L campus is fertile ground for academic debate, and such debates often result in academic discovery. However, when the debate is held in an atmosphere of disrespect, nobody benefits.

"Universities are places for academic freedom, but with that freedom comes a responsibility of making choices and accepting diversity of opinion," says Jiskoot. "You don't necessarily have to agree with someone exactly, but you still have to respect the other person's opinion, traditions, culture and lifestyle, just as much as you would your own."

She explains that although there have been cases of discrimination/disrespect on campus, they are not interested in highlighting these specific instances, but rather want to address a "general feeling" among faculty members about issues of disrespect in U of L classrooms and meeting rooms. To stem such behaviour, Jiskoot says we need only look at our own Strategic Plan for guidance.

"We want people to see this more as an opportunity to enrich their own lives through diversity. Our Strategic Plan speaks to promoting and enhancing diversity and to presenting students with a welcoming environment," she says. "Everybody should feel welcome and respected for being in the classroom, both students and professors."

Dr. Carly Adams is also on the caucus, and she has seen students intimidated in the classroom, something that undermines their educational experience and what she is trying to accomplish as a professor.

"It's constantly a challenge, especially in senior level classes, to make sure there's an atmosphere where everyone's voice is respected," says Adams.

While respect in the classroom is not a new concept, the initiative of establishing a week that celebrates respect and diversity through a series of events is unique. The caucus does not know what to expect from the week, but more than anything hopes it can open up a dialogue. The group would also like to make it a recurring event that will grow in future years and include activities and events organized by undergraduate and graduate student organizations and clubs.

"We're really trying to raise awareness about all of these issues," says Adams. "We want students talking to students about how classrooms could be more diverse and more respectful places, and at the same time we want colleagues talking to one another about these issues as well."

The Centre for the Advancement of Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CAETL) is on board with a Friday, Mar. 11 Talking About Teaching session that will address the topic of respectful teaching and respectful learning. Other events include the Monday, Mar. 7 Lethbridge Public Interest Research Group film screening and a Wednesday, Mar. 9 webinar workshop.

"We're hoping that by the end of the week, people are willing and open to talk about making this a much more diverse and respectable place to be, whether it's inside or outside the classroom," says Adams.

As Jiskoot adds, it all starts with initiating the conversation.

"I think the main goal is mutual respect, understanding and gaining an awareness," she says. "Even if people don't actually go to any of the activities, at least if they start talking about it, that's a beginning."

GET THE FACTS

• The CAETL Talking About Teaching seminar features panelists Dr. Suzanne Lenon (Women's Studies), Andrea Glover (Library/FNTP), Dr. Bruce MacKay (Liberal Education) and Dr. Sameer Deshpande (Management). The session is Friday, Mar. 11 from 2 to 4 p.m. in AH100.

• The LPIRG film screening of, The Experimental Eskimo, is Monday, Mar. 7 at 7 p.m., Galileo's Lounge (in the Student Union Building).

• The Wednesday, Mar. 9 webinar is titled, Diversity, Inclusivity, Civility, and runs from 5 to 6:30 p.m. in L1168.

• Gender and Diversity Caucus members include: Dr. Pamela Adams (Education), Dr. Carly Adams (Kinesiology and Physical Education), Ardis Anderson (Philosophy), Dr. Yale Belanger (Native American Studies), Don Gill (Art), Andrea Glover (Library), Dr. Hester Jiskoot (Geography), Dr. Rob Sutherland (Neuroscience), Dr. Janet Youngdahl (Music).

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

Opening a dialogue of respect

trevor.kenney — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 22:34:37 +0000

The inaugural event, a week titled, Show Respect, Get Respect at Your U, will be held at the U of L from Mar. 7-11 as the caucus looks to get the campus thinking about how we interact with one another, in classrooms, meeting rooms and as we walk down the hallways.

"One of the things we've seen in the last 10 years is incredible growth here at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ," says Dr. Hester Jiskoot, Chair of the Gender and Diversity Caucus. "It's also grown in terms of diversity, and we thought this was a positive way to talk about that diversity. We want the conversation to focus not on tolerating one another but rather on respecting each other."

The U of L campus is fertile ground for academic debate, and such debates often result in academic discovery. However, when the debate is held in an atmosphere of disrespect, nobody benefits.

She explains that although there have been cases of discrimination/disrespect on campus, they are not interested in highlighting these specific instances, but rather want to address a "general feeling" among faculty members about issues of disrespect in U of L classrooms and meeting rooms. To stem such behaviour, Jiskoot says we need only look at our own Strategic Plan for guidance.

"We want people to see this more as an opportunity to enrich their own lives through diversity. Our Strategic Plan speaks to promoting and enhancing diversity and to presenting students with a welcoming environment," she says. "Everybody should feel welcome and respected for being in the classroom, both students and professors."

Dr. Carly Adams is also on the caucus, and she has seen students intimidated in the classroom, something that undermines their educational experience and what she is trying to accomplish as a professor.

"It's constantly a challenge, especially in senior level classes, to make sure there's an atmosphere where everyone's voice is respected," says Adams.

While respect in the classroom is not a new concept, the initiative of establishing a week that celebrates respect and diversity through a series of events is unique. The caucus does not know what to expect from the week, but more than anything hopes it can open up a dialogue. The group would also like to make it a recurring event that will grow in future years and include activities and events organized by undergraduate and graduate student organizations and clubs.

"We're really trying to raise awareness about all of these issues," says Adams. "We want students talking to students about how classrooms could be more diverse and more respectful places, and at the same time we want colleagues talking to one another about these issues as well."

The Centre for the Advancement of Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CAETL) is on board with a Friday, Mar. 11 Talking About Teaching session that will address the topic of respectful teaching and respectful learning. Other events include the Monday, Mar. 7 Lethbridge Public Interest Research Group film screening and a Wednesday, Mar. 9 webinar workshop.

"We're hoping that by the end of the week, people are willing and open to talk about making this a much more diverse and respectable place to be, whether it's inside or outside the classroom," says Adams.

As Jiskoot adds, it all starts with initiating the conversation.

"I think the main goal is mutual respect, understanding and gaining an awareness," she says. "Even if people don't actually go to any of the activities, at least if they start talking about it, that's a beginning."

GET THE FACTS

• The CAETL Talking About Teaching seminar features panelists Dr. Suzanne Lenon (Women's Studies), Andrea Glover (Library/FNTP), Dr. Bruce MacKay (Liberal Education) and Dr. Sameer Deshpande (Management). The session is Friday, Mar. 11 from 2 to 4 p.m. in AH100.

• The LPIRG film screening of, The Experimental Eskimo, is Monday, Mar. 7 at 7 p.m., Galileo's Lounge (in the Student Union Building).

• The Wednesday, Mar. 9 webinar is titled, Diversity, Inclusivity, Civility, and runs from 5 to 6:30 p.m. in L1168.

• Gender and Diversity Caucus members include: Dr. Pamela Adams (Education), Dr. Carly Adams (Kinesiology and Physical Education), Ardis Anderson (Philosophy), Dr. Yale Belanger (Native American Studies), Don Gill (Art), Andrea Glover (Library), Dr. Hester Jiskoot (Geography), Dr. Rob Sutherland (Neuroscience), Dr. Janet Youngdahl (Music).

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

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