UNews - ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Toronto

iGEM team celebrates North American Regional victory

trevor.kenney — Mon, 07 Oct 2013 21:10:49 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge has further cemented its reputation as a leader in the teaching and research of synthetic biology by capturing first place at the 2013 North American iGEM Regional Jamboree in Toronto, Ont. this past weekend.

The competition, held at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Toronto, featured teams from across Canada and the United States. The U of L team of Dustin Smith, Graeme Glaister, Jenna Friedt, Suneet Kharey, Harland Brandon and Zak Stinson will now move on to the international competition, which will be held at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Boston, Mass. Nov. 1-4.

“This certainly shows that bioengineering research and the aggressive approach we’ve taken to study this field is working at the U of L, and that the RNA Institute is playing a key role in both enabling research and training students,” says Dr. H.J. Wieden, director of the Alberta RNA (Ribonucleic acid) Research and Training Institute (ARRTI) at the U of L, the Innovates Centre of Research Excellence (iCORE) Chair of Bioengineering and faculty advisor for the U of L’s iGEM teams. “The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ is poised to continue to be at the forefront of this emerging field.”

The U of L team’s project includes developing a bioengineering part that compresses genetic information – essentially working like a zip drive. Every gene needs DNA, but there is only so much DNA that will fit in a cell. This novel part may allow future bioengineers more flexibility in their work.

Additionally, the U of L team developed software that quickly determines what DNA is compatible to compress together.

“Each year we are also tasked with exploring the social implications of our project. Our team sought to ensure that our part could not be misused to hide dangerous genes,” says team member Harland Brandon (BSc’13), a first-year master’s student and Winston Churchill High School graduate. “We hypothesized that our part could be used to hide dangerous sequences, such as Ricin or Ebola, from gene synthesis companies. We then took it a step further and actually consulted with gene synthesis companies, U of L Risk and Safety Services and even a representative from the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI). Not only do we see our project benefitting the field, but we found through our critical analysis that the potential for misuse is not possible.”

In addition to winning the overall Regional Overgrad award, the U of L also claimed the award for best Wiki (website explaining their project).

iGEM is the premier competition for young scientists interested in the emerging field of synthetic biology, which is quickly leading to new discoveries that will diversify key economic sectors such as pharmaceutical, agriculture, medical diagnostics, clean energy and resource extraction. It also facilitates scientific research and education by establishing and operating the Registry of Standard Biological Parts, a community collection of open source biological components.

The organization promotes the advancement of science and education by developing an international open community of students and practitioners in schools, laboratories, research institutes and industry.

Earlier this year, a team of Lethbridge high school students was awarded the coveted Green Brick grand prize at iGEM’s High School Jamboree.

Horns women's hockey hosts National Female Hockey Challenge

trevor.kenney — Fri, 27 Sep 2013 18:21:04 +0000

For the second season in a row, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Pronghorns women’s hockey team will conclude its pre-season preparation by hosting the National Female Hockey Challenge.

The three-day event features six Canadian Inter��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Sport teams as well as 12 'AAA' Midget girls teams and utilizes the Horns' home facility, Nicholas Sheran Arena, as well as Henderson Arena and the Enmax Centre.

The Horns will play three times over the course of the tournament, gearing up for next weekend's Canada West regular season opener.

Joining the ‘Horns in this year's CIS tournament are the Mount Royal ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Cougars, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Toronto Varsity Blues, Ryerson ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Rams, Concordia ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Stingers and St. Thomas ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Tommies.

For the ‘Horns, they will open the tournament Friday evening at 8 p.m. versus the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Toronto. They'll then face the Ryerson Rams at 8 p.m. on Saturday night. The tournament concludes Sunday with the ‘Horns playing the St. Thomas Tommies at 2 p.m. All games of the CIS portion of the tournament will be played at the Enmax Centre.

The Pronghorns will also host a Skate with the Pronghorns event on Saturday afternoon, 12:45 to 1:45 p.m., at the Enmax Centre. The skate is open to the public and admission is free.

In addition to hosting the CIS portion of the tournament, the ‘Horns are also hosting a ‘AAA’ Midget girls tournament with teams from across Alberta. All of the midget tournament games will be played at Nicholas Sheran Arena and Henderson Arena.

Tickets for the CIS tourney are available at the ENMAX Centre Box Office (403-329-7328) or online. Full Schedules and tournament information can be found here.

The ‘Horns will open the 2013-14 Canada West conference schedule Oct. 4-5 when they host the UBC Thunderbirds.

Horns soccer looks to build off success

trevor.kenney — Tue, 25 Jun 2013 16:34:59 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Pronghorns have finalized their schedules for the Canada West soccer season and for the program's men's team, the focus will be on building off of last season's 18-point performance, a franchise best.

The men's program will open its 2013 campaign with a home-and-home series against the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary Dinos, Sept. 7-8 (at home on Sunday, Sept. 8). That's the start of a 15-game schedule that will also see the Horns play host to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Saskatchewan Huskies, Mount Royal ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Cougars, UNBC Timberwolves, UBC Thunderbirds and the Trinity Western Spartans.

The Horns won four games last season and narrowly missed the playoffs with 18 standings points. They will once again play in the six-team Prairie Division, looking for one of three playoff spots.

The regular season concludes on Oct. 27 followed by three rounds of playoffs in four days at the home of the first-place finisher in the five-team Pacific Division. The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of New Brunswick in Fredericton, N.B. is the site of the 2013 CIS men's championship tournament, Nov. 7-10.

On the women's side, the Horns are coming off a one-win season but with 21 players eligible to return from last season's roster (that included 11 first-year players), it should be a much more seasoned and cohesive group.

The Canada West women's set-up differs from the men in that only one, 13-team division exists, with the top eight teams qualifying for playoffs.

After opening the schedule on the road with games against the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Alberta and Mount Royal ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Cougars, the Horns will host the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Winnipeg Wesmen on Saturday, Sept. 14 at the U of L Community Stadium.

The Horns will also play host to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Manitoba Bisons the next day and host the UNBC Timberwolves, UBC Thunderbirds and Trinity Western Spartans to round out the home schedule.

Canada West playoffs open with quarter-finals on Oct. 26, after which teams will be re-ranked for semifinals and medal matches on Nov. 2-3. The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Toronto hosts CIS Nationals, Nov. 7-10.

For a look at the complete Pronghorns soccer schedule visit the website at www.gohorns.ca. For season tickets, call Pronghorn Athletics at 403-329-2681.

Lasting Images - Kenojuak Ashevak

trevor.kenney — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 21:58:20 +0000

Kenojuak Ashevak was born in Ikirasaq, Baffin Island in 1927. Her father was a shaman, who clashed with other members of the community who had recently converted to Christianity, and he was killed when Ashevak was six years old. After his death, her family moved to live with Ashevak's maternal grandmother, who taught her traditional craft techniques including sealskin repair and caribou hide preparation.

In 1946, Ashevak married and began to have children, but was separated from her family from 1952 to 1955 by a stay in Quebec City's Parc Savard hospital, where she convalesced from tuberculosis. Upon her recovery, Ashevak began working with Inuit art promoter James Archibald Houston, and in 1959 she and a group of other Cape Dorset artists formed the West Baffin Eskimo Cooperative workshop. Throughout her artistic career, Ashevak produced thousands of drawings, etchings, stone cut prints and soapstone sculptures, often featuring brightly coloured, stylized representations of animals and mythical beings.

She was the subject of a National Film Board documentary in 1963, made an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1967, awarded honorary doctorates from Queen's ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Toronto, and her work is held in numerous private and public collections across Canada and internationally.

Ashevak died on January 8, 2013 in Cape Dorset.

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

Kenojuak Ashevak, Summer Owl, 1979. From the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Art Collection. Gift of an anonymous donor, 1986.

Kenojuak Ashevak, Talelayu, 1979. From the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Art Collection. Purchased in 1988 with matching funds provided by the Alberta Advanced Education Endowment and Incentive Fund, as a result of the gift of an anonymous donor.

Kenojuak Ashevak, Multifeathered Bird, 1961. From the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Art Collection. Gift of Toni Onley, 1988.

5 Questions With Dr. Martin Lalumiere

trevor.kenney — Mon, 22 Oct 2012 22:03:02 +0000

Dr. Martin Lalumiere is an associate professor in the Department of Psychology. He studies the etiology of sexual aggression, the development of atypical sexual preferences, the physiological assessment of sexual arousal, sex differences in genital arousal, the effect of birth order on development and the determinants of risk taking.

Prior to joining the U of L, he was a research psychologist at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, and associate professor of psychiatry and criminology at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Toronto (1997-2004).

Lalumiere teaches courses on criminal behaviour, psychopathology and evolutionary psychology and is a past Chair of the Human Subject Research Committee.

Dr. Martin Lalumiere is a foremost expert on sexual aggression and the development of atypical sexual preferences.

What first piqued your interest in your research discipline?

As an undergraduate student at the Université de Montréal, I signed up to be a research participant for a study on the Pavlovian conditioning of sexual arousal in humans (how can one not be curious about a study like that!). I had a long chat with the PhD student who was running the study, and soon thereafter I applied for a research assistant position in that laboratory. I immediately started running similar studies and discovered that the study of human sexuality was fascinating, complex and extremely rewarding.

How is your research applicable in "the real world"?

I will say that sex is pervasive, important to people and associated with important health and life satisfaction outcomes. Increasing knowledge about sex is bound to have important impacts on things like sex education, prevention of sexually transmitted infections and sexual and relationship satisfaction. In our lab we also study the link between sexual preferences and crimes, with the hope of better preventing sexual crimes.

What is the greatest honour you have received in your career?

I would say the Governor General's Academic Gold Medal, for best graduating student at Queen's ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ. As a graduate student I didn't even know that such a prize existed, and all I was trying to do was to learn English and become a good scientist.

How important are students to your research endeavours?

I spent the first nine years of my career working in research institutes, without much help from students. I was sufficiently productive but felt that something was missing. Since arriving at the U of L in 2004 and establishing the Human Sexual Arousal Laboratory, I discovered the joys and benefits of having undergraduate and graduate students involved in my research. They are very important to my research program. In fact, most of my recent successes are a direct result of having very qualified students in my lab. Their work has shaped the direction of my own research activities.

If you had unlimited funds, which areas of research would you invest?

Currently, my students and I are spending most of our energies attempting to discover why women's genital arousal is not quite consistent with their experience of sexual arousal. It is a great mystery that fascinates us. Is it the most important research question in the world? Probably not. Is it an important question that is likely to lead to concrete answers? Very likely. Will those answers allow us to better understand women's sexuality (a mostly neglected topic in human science)? Very likely.

Already we have received emails from women who have been the victim of rape, and who were tortured by the memory of experiencing genital arousal during the event. We are now able to provide them with a possible explanation, and they find it quite reassuring.

The most important areas of research are those where questions are answerable and can lead to improvement in human welfare.

Having said all this, I think the most important research question for human research has to do with the effects of economic and health inequalities, and the measures needed to diminish those inequalities. We have done some research on this topic and I hope that we will continue to do so.

Each month, the Legend will present 5 Questions With . . . one of our researchers. For a look at the entire catalog of 5 Questions With . . . features, check out the Office of Research and Innovation Services website at www.uleth.ca/research/research_profiles. If you'd like to be profiled, contact Penny Pickles at pickpj@uleth.ca

This story first appeared in the October 2012 issue of the Legend. To see the full issue in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Possible worlds a fantastic ride

trevor.kenney — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 23:29:13 +0000

Part murder mystery, part science fiction and part mathematical theory, TheatreXtra's presentation of Possible Worlds by Canadian author, playwright and mathematician, John Mighton, takes audiences on a trip through space and time.

Playing nightly at 8 p.m. in the David Spinks Theatre from Jan. 26-28 (with a 2 p.m. matinee Jan. 28), Possible Worlds is an original story presented in a very unique way.

First-time director and third-year drama major Ryan Reese was attracted to the creative concepts and unusual storytelling found within the play.

"Mighton has a PhD in mathematics from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Toronto and the play is what I call math noir. It's based on a mathematical theory and explores that theory. The noir is the mystery!" says Reese. "There's truly something for everyone in this play. The story is very compelling and touches on so many elements."

A man, traveling through space and time, tries to do the right thing for the woman he loves, while two detectives attempt to solve a gruesome murder case.

"There's a lot going on in this play, with parallel narratives and alternate worlds. The cast loves the script as much as I do, and it's been exciting to put what's in my head, on the stage," he says.

Tickets for this suspenseful and thought-provoking drama are on sale at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Box Office beginning Jan. 9, Monday to Friday 12:30 to 3:30 p.m., or by calling 403-329-2616. Tickets are priced at $11 regular, $7 for students and seniors.

U of L celebrates Fall 2011 Convocation

trevor.kenney — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 20:05:04 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Fall 2011 Convocation ceremony takes place Saturday, Oct. 15 in the 1st Choice Savings Centre for Sport and Wellness, beginning at 10 a.m.

Among the honoured guests at this ceremony are the 358 graduands eligible to convocate, along with Honorary Degree recipients George Gemer and Dr. John Kloppenburg and Alumnus of the Year Michael Miltenberger. Admission is free and the public is welcome to attend.

Convocation will be streamed live on the internet for those not able to attend the ceremony. View a live webcast of all convocation ceremonies by following this link to the Convocation website. The web link is live approximately 10 minutes prior to the ceremony.

Following are brief biographies of our special honourees.

Dr. George Gemer, Doctor of Laws, honoris causa

A well-known Lethbridge track and field and fencing coach, Gemer is also an author and survivor of Second World War prisoner of war camps who fled Hungary for Canada in 1956. Gemer has coached and officiated at the Olympics, Commonwealth Games and other world-class sporting events while retaining close ties to the Hungarian community in Lethbridge and beyond.

Read George Gemer's full Honorary Degree citation at this website.

Dr. John Kloppenborg, Doctor of Arts, honoris causa

A ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge graduate (BA '74), he is a professor and Chair at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Toronto's Department and Centre for the Study of Religion. Kloppenborg is well-known as a researcher of the origins and sources of early Christian texts such as the Q document, a lost book of the New Testament.

Read Dr Kloppenborg's full Honorary Degree citation at this website.

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION AWARDS DISTINGUISHED ALUMNUS OF THE YEAR HONOUR

Michael Miltenberger, (BA '75) Alumnus of the Year

J. Michael Miltenberger is the MLA for Thebacha, NWT, Deputy Premier and environmental advocate. He has been described as a northern visionary and a protector of northern values. His clear and thought-provoking approach has significantly impacted a variety of projects in areas ranging from health services to wildlife and endangered species.

Read Michael Miltenberger's complete Distinguished Alumnus of the Year citation at this website.

First MMus graduate -- Acacia Doktorchik (BMus '09 distinction, MMus '11)

The U of L will also welcome the first graduate of a Master of Music program. Acacia Doktorchik has performed as a soprano soloist in Handel's Messiah and Bach's Magnificat with the Lethbridge Symphony Orchestra, as well as being an accomplished pianist, cellist, and Celtic and Highland Dancer. She is currently teaching in Medicine Hat, Alta.

Read more about Acacia at this website.

Wood leads School of Graduate studies into future

trevor.kenney — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 21:06:52 +0000

His colleagues may have seen an administrative future for Dr. Robert Wood but the dean of the School of Graduate Studies (SGS) didn't necessarily buy into their forecast. In fact, given Wood hadn't even planned on being an educator when he started his post-secondary career, that he's now the dean of a key strategic directive seems even more unlikely.

"I had no aspirations whatsoever to do any admin work until about three or four years ago," laughs Wood, who is now in his 12th year at the
U of L. "So I certainly didn't see myself in this role at that time."

Originally from Leicester, UK, Wood has been in Canada since he was a young boy, growing up largely in Edmonton, where he first studied and earned a bachelor's degree in sociology. He entertained the notion of law school but was too enamored with the study of sociology to leave it behind. A master's degree at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Toronto, followed by a PhD back at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Alberta, paved the way for his career as an academic.

"For me an academic career was an unplanned outcome, but it has been an immensely positive part of my life," says Wood.

Dr. Robert Wood with his wife Kristin Ailsby-Wood and daughter Georgia.

Wood's early years at the U of L were focused on establishing a research portfolio and igniting a passion for sociology in his undergraduate students. By 2005-06 he'd begun to involve himself at the committee level throughout the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ.

"I actually found the chance to have some strategic input into the direction and priorities of the institution to be quite exciting," says Wood. "For me it's all about creating momentum and I saw those committee settings as an opportunity to do that."

Over the next three or four years Wood says he really connected with the committee service aspect of his job and the idea of a future in administration. His move into the area of graduate studies was natural, having been active as a graduate student supervisor and serving on a number of graduate education committees.

He now finds himself on the cusp of a whole new era for graduate studies. The SGS has its own dedicated space in Anderson Hall and it has been identified as a key strategic directive as the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ further establishes itself as a comprehensive institution.

"When I came here in 2000, the key message was that we were an undergraduate university," says Wood. "As a new faculty member, I got the sense that grad studies was a bit of an add-on to what we were really all about, which was undergraduate education. A lot of that has changed now because today it's really a central component of not only how we see ourselves as an institution but where we see ourselves going forward."

Wood will play a key role as graduate studies continue to evolve. While much progress has been made, there are many areas that need to be addressed in order to truly advance the SGS.

"I would like to see the program areas and faculties properly synchronized and co-ordinated with respect to the resourcing, administration and delivery of graduate education," says Wood. "I also want to emphasize the importance of quality. Not only enhancing the quality of the programs that we offer, but also enhancing the quality of the overall experience of graduate education on this campus."

Wood is fully invested in his role as dean, meaning he's had to put his research ambitions and teaching responsibilities on the back burner. While he is in the midst of co-editing a book on Internet gambling that is due out in February 2012, teaching is out of the question.

"If you take an administrative job, it definitely impacts your ability to prosper as a researcher. I'm still actively engaged as a researcher but the dean's job takes priority," says Wood. "I do miss the classroom though. Teaching was probably my favourite part of the job as a professor. I love being around undergraduate students and I love teaching in the classroom. I just love the dynamic interaction and really do miss it."

He has a bigger picture focus now, one the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ sees as a priority and one where the U of L is beginning to garner a reputation for excellence.

"While we're still relatively small as a graduate school, we're becoming more and more recognized for many key strengths," says Wood. "I think where we're really being noticed on the national terrain is with the very unique multi-disciplinary programs we have, especially at the PhD level. People are certainly taking notice and I think that will continue as we continue to expand the range of PhD majors that we offer at the U of L."

GET THE FACTS

• Wood is married to alumna Kristin Ailsby-Wood (BA '96, MA, LLB), a family lawyer at Davidson & Williams, and they have a five-year-old daughter, Georgia. He took a year of parental leave in 2006.

• An avid fisherman, Wood tries to find time to fish for walleye, on the Oldman River, in the Grassy Lake area.

• Wood has authored or co-authored a number of peer-reviewed articles and books on youth culture and the various aspects of problem gambling.

• Wood's family originally emigrated from the UK to Grande Cache, Alta.

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

Celebrating 100 years of the AUCC

trevor.kenney — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 16:37:08 +0000

By PAUL DAVIDSON
President, Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada

In the coming weeks, Canada's universities will be sharing their visions and priorities with readers through this column, in conjunction with the 100^th anniversary of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada.

One hundred years ago, leaders from 15 of Canada's universities met face-to-face for the first time to discuss the day's pressing issues.

There were no Blackberries. No women either. Telephones were still new. ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ leaders traveled by train and ship to McGill, where the meeting was held. Canada was just turning 44 years-old. Later that year, Sir Robert Borden's Conservatives would win the "free trade" federal election, sweeping Sir Wilfred Laurier's government out of office after 15 years.

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ leaders were brought together by Sir William Peterson, principal of McGill ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, and Sir Robert Falconer, president of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Toronto to discuss admission requirements, student mobility and graduate education. This is how universities first came together to work for the benefit of Canadians. So pressing were these issues, they decided to meet again, regularly, but in a reflection of the different pace at the time, the next meeting would be four years later."

While times have changed, university leaders still meet regularly to address these kinds of issues. Today's Canada may be very different from 100 years ago but universities continue to help address challenges, improve our quality of life, and position our country as a leader in the years ahead.

As AUCC marks its centennial in 2011, it is an opportunity to commemorate the pivotal role universities have played and continue to play in making Canada what it is and what it can be. At this year's meeting in October, today's university leaders will focus on the future needs of Canadians.

AUCC will also host a unique panel discussion entitled, Smart healthcare: The role of Canada's universities in addressing our healthcare challenges. This panel will draw on expertise from across the country to discuss how Canada's universities can respond directly to the upcoming health care needs of an aging population.

Another centennial initiative is an online dialogue on the future of university education in Canada which began last month. The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Commons blog (www.aucc.ca) offers diverse perspectives on what university education should look like in the years ahead and how it can meet the needs of a nation.

Canada's universities are also focused on enhancing the undergraduate experience in Canada. AUCC led a national workshop on undergraduate education in Halifax last March, attended by many presidents and other university leaders, as well as students. This workshop reflected a growing consensus that university leaders must do more to strengthen the undergraduate experience. One of the results was the development of a new online tool to help strengthen undergraduate education, which will be officially launched later this month.

AUCC's fun, social media-based centennial project involves a small, carved, wooden polar bear named Ursula. She has been on a whirlwind tour of campuses across Canada since May. Throughout the year, Ursula is capturing a slice of life of Canadian universities on Facebook, Twitter and her own blog, www.ursulaontour.ca.

Rounding off AUCC's centennial year, Canadian universities will open their doors to visitors Nov. 4-13. Open Doors, Open Knowledge, is a series of open house events on campuses across the country to showcase the new and improved research and learning facilities made possible through investments of the federal and provincial governments and other parties.

From 1911 to 2011, the story of Canada is reflected in the story of universities. As we mark 100 years of achievement, Canada's universities invite all Canadians to be a part of the celebration. Learn more at www.aucc.ca.

Lasting Images - Roloff Beny

trevor.kenney — Tue, 17 May 2011 21:42:42 +0000

Through the museum studies internship program, I am both entrusted with the responsibility and granted the opportunity to co-curate an exhibition for the Helen Christou Gallery.

During the research and planning phase for the 1950s exhibition, I came across Arctic Vertical by Roloff Beny, and was disappointed that I couldn't include this drawing because it was produced in the 1960s. What I love about this piece is that it reminds me of works both by Vincent Van Gogh, in its parallel echoing strokes, but also of Piet Mondrian's works, which are stripped down to simplified geometric forms.

Roloff Beny, Arctic Vertical, 1964 From the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Art Collection; Bequest of the artist, 1989.

Discovering works like this one is one of my favourite aspects of participating in the Museum Studies Internship program. I am continually amazed at the beautiful works that find their home in the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Art Collection.

Roloff Beny was born in Medicine Hat in 1924 and then spent a large portion of his life living abroad working as a photographer. His formal training took place at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Toronto, the Banff Centre for the Arts and the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Iowa. Beny is best known for his photographic work later in his career, but earlier he explored a wide range of media. The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge acquired many of Beny's prints, drawings and paintings, as well as works by other significant artists from his personal collection, when Beny bequeathed his entire art collection to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ upon his death in 1984.

David Smith, Museum Studies Intern

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