UNews - Mary Dyck

Exceptional service to the community earns Dr. Mary Dyck honour as U of L Volunteer Award recipient

trevor.kenney — Thu, 22 Oct 2020 19:34:23 +0000

It is one thing to recognize a student/colleague/organization in need. It takes a special person to jump in and try to meet that need — a person like Dr. Mary Dyck.

Dr. Mary Dyck, a retired kinesiology instructor, has been the lifeline for numerous people in need over the years.

Dyck, a retired kinesiology instructor, has been the lifeline for numerous people in need over the years and is now being recognized as the 2020 ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Senate Volunteer Award recipient.

Lauded as an excellent educator, Dyck’s teaching spoke to issues of inclusivity and the power of sport for well-being. The lessons she taught in class mirrored the example she set as a coach and volunteer. Always willing to take on a challenge, Dyck was instrumental as a volleyball and soccer coach at both the high school and post-secondary levels. And while her work with typical athletes was exceptional, she took particular interest in athletes with disabilities.

In class, she would educate her students about diverse needs’ populations in sport. She then involved herself in creating and maintaining sports initiatives so that her students could embrace and learn from such populations’ experiences. Her teaching led to an understanding of the challenges and a deep respect and meaningful appreciation for how sport contributes to the well-being of everyone.

Away from the classroom, Dyck, working with Adapted Physical Activity Consultants (APAC), took the lead as head instructor and program coordinator as she designed, implemented and taught a six-session soccer program for children (aged 3 to 14) with disabilities and their friends — a program that ran from 2013-2019.

A champion for wheelchair basketball, Dyck became involved as a volunteer simply because she recognized a population in need of a program and was willing to share her expertise in a selfless manner.

She was also willing to reach out and assist her colleagues, who would often seek her help mentoring students. She regularly assisted members of the Pronghorns men’s hockey team, taking the time to fully understand the assignments and workload of the students and then assisting them with learning strategies and time management ideas so they could find success as student-athletes. All the while, she maintained a high expectation level that helped them find their footing as confident learners.

Dyck fostered a culture of caring and selflessness that continues to permeate throughout the university, putting the needs of her students in the forefront. It’s a lesson that is sure to live on as these students graduate from the university and look to make their own impact on the communities in which they live.

3D-printed prosthetic brings hope to young man in Africa

caroline.zentner — Thu, 06 Jul 2017 19:20:05 +0000

A retired ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge kinesiology professor, an alumnus and a graduate student in kinesiology are making a huge difference in the life a young man living in Africa after he lost both arms above the elbow following an accident.

Dr. Mary Dyck (BA ’82) and Brittany Mercier, who’s working on a master’s degree and is an athletic therapist at the U of L’s

Sunday, sporting a Manchester United scarf, stands beside his father as they pose for a photo with Dr. Mary Dyck and Brittany Mercier, far right.

Rebound Health Centre, have been working with Sunday, a 19-year-old man who lives in a rural area of southern Nigeria. In December 2015, he sustained injuries when he used a metal pipe to retrieve a bucket from a well. As he lifted the bucket up, the pipe hit a high voltage wire above him. Both of his hands were broken and, because they failed to heal properly, both arms were eventually amputated. He also required many skin grafts, including one that covered his ankle. The graft interfered with Sunday’s ability to bend his ankle, forcing him to walk on his toes.

Dyck learned about Sunday’s situation from her sister and brother-in-law, who are missionaries in the area where Sunday was hospitalized. She approached Colin Pischke (BMgt ’13) about 3D printing a prosthetic. Pischke, through his Print Your Mind 3D company, has been teaching high school students to make hands. Eventually, Dyck and Pischke joined Medical Makers, a for-profit social enterprise that creates medical solutions by using technology to save lives, time and money. Joining Medical Makers allowed Dyck and Pischke to lead a team of medical engineers to work on the project. Phase 1 included developing a left socket, forearm and hand for Sunday. The team had no one with a therapeutic background so Mercier, who was a teaching assistant in one of Dyck’s classes at the time, was brought on board. When Mercier saw a video of how Sunday walked, she and Dyck knew he could benefit from hands-on treatment with a therapist.

Gripper Thumb TD

Dyck and Mercier travelled to Nigeria in February to meet Sunday. They brought the printed socket and arm and tested a 3D-printed Gripper Thumb Terminal Device (TD) prosthetic hand designed by Skip Meetze and Jon Schull at the Rochester e-NABLE Lab. Sunday caught a glimpse of how the device could help him with daily living tasks and assist him in returning to university to resume his studies in electrical engineering.

“We were very excited to meet Sunday and test the prosthetic arm,” says Dyck. “The 3D-printed Gripper Thumb TD will enable him to grasp objects, such as a pen or toothbrush. I don’t believe he could envision doing daily tasks again without seeing our prototype prosthetic.”

Brittany Mercier works to mobilize the scar tissue on Sunday's ankle.

During the three weeks in Nigeria, Mercier used her knowledge of athletic therapy to mobilize the scar tissue in Sunday’s ankle to allow better mobility.

“Brittany worked with Sunday every day to reduce the restrictions of the skin graft scar tissue on his mobility. The difference that the treatments made was unbelievable. The hospital there does not provide any physiotherapy. Seeing Sunday walk with an almost typical gait was one of the highlights,” says Dyck.

“Sunday was wonderful. He was compliant, optimistic and grateful for any help that could be given to him,” says Mercier. “It felt rewarding to help somebody who sustained such severe injuries but still had such an optimistic outlook.”

Since the trip in February, Dyck and Pischke, with the Medical Makers team, have worked through the modifications to redesign and print two arms for Sunday. They have received tremendous support from Ryan Cochrane, a local prosthetist at Lethbridge Orthotics and Prosthetics to ensure the fit and function will meet Sunday’s daily needs.

The prosthetics will be delivered to Sunday in July, along with a comprehensive therapy program, including videos, developed by Mercier. Through practice and experimentation, Sunday will once again be able to do many functions and regain independence.

Diversity celebrated, Mar. 11-15

trevor.kenney — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 22:55:50 +0000

Now in its third incarnation, the annual ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Respect and Diversity Awareness Week is an established campus event that brings to light issues related to diversity and respect both in the workplace and beyond.

Presented by the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Faculty Association's Gender, Equity and Diversity Caucus, the week runs Mar. 11-15 and features six events over the span of five days. The goal, of course, is to have the themes that are discussed throughout the week resonate long after the event spotlight has faded.

"I think it's great to highlight the week and to bring in speakers and all the bells and whistles, but this is something that should be infused in our everyday," says caucus member and Chair of Respect and Diversity Awareness Week, Dr. Noella Piquette.

Dr. Noella Piquette is the Chair of Gender Diversity Equity Week.

An associate professor in the Faculty of Education, Piquette says that issues of diversity are becoming a greater part of mainstream conversation but there is much work to be done.

'Diversity Includes All' is the theme to this year's week and is designed to get faculty members to think about their own diversity as well as the student diversity that exists on campus.

"We do a fantastic job at this university talking about students and how we can support them, and while we're not trying to shift the focus, we're broadening the focus to include the fact that we have a huge faculty and staff component on campus, and it's important to think about the diversity that exists within those groups," says Piquette.

The week kicks off with a presentation from assistant professor of neuroscience Dr. Robbin Gibb as she presents Sex Differences in the Brain, Monday, Mar. 11 at noon in TH241.

Gibb will outline some of the factors influencing brain development that are mediated by sex differences. What promises to be a lively question and answer session follows her talk.

On Tuesday, the Spoken Word – Poetry Slam event is at noon in AH176. This gives presenters a platform to speak, read, rhyme or rant their words in a two-minute window as they discuss diversity and inclusion.

"I think this will be so much fun and really puts a new slant on discussing diversity," says Piquette, who notes that the Lethbridge Public Interest Research Group is also supporting the event.

Faculty, staff and students are all welcome to take part. Participants just need to sign up in advance by contacting Piquette at noella.piquette@uleth.ca.

Wednesday's event is a presentation with Jeff Meadows and Brad Reamsbottom of the Teaching Centre. They will discuss Supporting Faculty in Supporting Students with Learning Disabilities, focussing on some of the key issues that students may be experiencing within reading and writing tasks, and specific strategies that can be employed to assist them.

A pair of events takes place Thursday, beginning with a wheelchair basketball demonstration hosted by Dr. Mary Dyck (kinesiology and physical education) and with the Lethbridge Wheelchair Basketball Association (10:45 a.m. in the 1st Choice Savings Centre gym), followed by a special film screening of Shameless: The ART of disability (7 p.m. in PE264).

"It's a heartwarming movie, but at the same time it's also very comical," says Piquette. "They really try and show that disability is not all about being sad and serious, it's a part of life and they do a great job at portraying that message."

The week wraps up with Friday's Strengthening Academic Capacity: Gender Dimensions presentation by Mary Butterfield of the Office of Research and Innovation Services.

Butterfield will speak to gender equality in academic research at 12:15 p.m. in TH277.

Piquette has long been involved with issues related to diversity. She was a special education teacher and guidance counsellor for 14 years at the school level and now as an associate professor, teaches courses in special education at the undergraduate level and in counselling at the graduate level, focusing on a broader picture of diversity and mechanisms to advocate for inclusion within all community systems.

"We've done our best to represent as many different approaches to the discussion of diversity issues as we could with this week's events," she says. "I really do urge everyone to find a topic that might be of interest to them and to engage in the conversation."

For more information on any of these events or any issues related to the Gender and Diversity Caucus, contact the following members: Chair, Dr. Carly Adams (carly.adams@uleth.ca); Sandra Cowan (sandra.cowan@uleth.ca); Dr. Hester Jiskoot (hester.jiskoot@uleth.ca); Dr. Kevin McGeough (mcgekm@uleth.ca); Dr. Luz Ospina (luz.ospina@uleth.ca); Dr. Noella Piquette (noella.piquette@uleth.ca);
Dr. Jennifer Thannhauser (jennifer.thannhauser@uleth.ca); Dr. John Usher (john.usher@uleth.ca); or Ilsa Wong (ilsa.wong@uleth.ca).

Long Service & Retirement Recognition Ceremony

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

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

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

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

Retirees

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

Long Service Recipients

40 Years

Lois Boras and
Jean Mankee

35 Years

Barbara Dickinson, Heather Mirau and Brian Parkinson

30 Years

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

25 Years

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

20 Years

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

15 Years

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

10 Years

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

Book Awards handed out Mar. 19

trevor.kenney — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 21:48:46 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ will celebrate the 2012 Book Awards on Monday, Mar. 19 from 4 to 6 p.m. in Andy's Place (AH100).

This is your opportunity to celebrate the achievements of your colleagues. A wine and appetizer reception will follow the formal portion of the event.

Following is a list of Book Award recipients. Congratulations on your achievement.

Book Awards: Book Listing

Dr. Carly Adams – Queens of the Ice

Dr. Reginald W. Bibby – Beyond the Gods & Back: Religion's Rise and Demise and Why it Matters

Dr. Glenda Tibe Bonifacio – Gender, Religion, and Migration: Pathways of Integration

Dr. Bryson Brown (Editor) – Philosophy of Ecology Handbook of the Philosophy of Science Volume 11

Dr. Christopher Burton (Editor) – Soviet Medicine: Culture, Practice, and Science

Dr. Craig A. Coburn (Editor) – Proceedings, 30th Canadian Symposium on Remote Sensing

Dr. Mary Dyck – Coaching Volleyball Champions: Principles and Practices

Leanne Elias (Book Designer) – Science Fiction Science Fair

Dr. Trevor W. Harrison (Editor) – Against Orthodoxy: Studies in Nationalism

Dr. Harold J. Jansen (Editor) – Money, Politics & Democracy: Canada's Party Finance Reforms

Dr. Bryan Kolb – An Introduction to Brain and Behavior

Dr. Christopher J. Kukucha (Editor) – Readings in Canadian Foreign Policy: Classic Debates and New Ideas

Norman Leach – Passchendaele: Canada's Triumph and Tragedy on the Fields of Flanders

Norman Leach – Broken Arrow: America's First Lost Nuclear Weapon

Norman Leach – Canadian Battles: Canada's Role in Major World Conflicts

Emily Luce (Book Designer) – Science Fiction Science Fair

Dr. Jennifer A. Mather – Octopus: the Ocean's Intelligent Invertebrate

Dr. Kevin M. McGeough (Editor) – World History Encyclopedia v. 3 & 4: Era 2: Early Civilizations, 4000-1000 BCE v. 5 & 6: Era 3: Classical Traditions, 1000 BCE – 300CE

Dr. Kevin M. McGeough – Ugaritic Economic Tablets: Text, Translations and Notes Ancient Near Eastern Studies Supplement 32

Dr. Sheila McManus – Choice & Chances: a History of Women in the U.S. West

Dr. Kent A. Peacock (Editor) – Philosophy of Ecology Handbook of the Philosophy of Science Volume 11

Dr. Derek R. Peddle (Editor) – Proceedings, 30th Canadian Symposium on Remote Sensing

Dr. Adriana Predoi-Cross (Editor) – 20th International Conference on Spectral Line Shapes

Dr. Thomas A. Robinson – Out of the Mouths of Babes: Girl Evangelists in the Flapper Era

Dr. Hillary P. Rodrigues (Editor) – Studying Hinduism in Practice

Dr. Steven Urquhart (Translator) – Not for Every Eye

Dr. Ian Q. Whishaw – An Introduction to Brain and Behavior, Third Edition

Dr. Kelly Williams-Whitt (Editor) – Perspectives in Disability and Accommodation

Dr. Patrick C. Wilson – Federaciones Indígenas, ONG y el Estado: El Desarrollo y la Politizacíon de la Cultura en la Amazonía Ecuatoriana

Walter Wymer – Connected Causes: Online Marketing Strategies for Nonprofit Organizations

Dr. Ying Zheng – Chemistry for the Life Sciences I

Wellness evident at Life Balance Fair

trevor.kenney — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 20:59:13 +0000

Our 4th Annual Life Balance Fair, promoting Health Workplace Month, proved to be very successful.

With over 45 exhibitors, a number of demonstrations and an opportunity to try out the U of L's Get Fit at Work – Stretch and Strengthen program, more than 200 visitors attended. Thanks to all of the exhibitors for donating their time and draw prizes. A special thanks goes out to the AUPE for their donation towards the healthy.

Following are prize winners from the Life Balance Fair:

Off Balance Team Challenge
Both the Cash Office and Housing had 100 per cent participation of their team

Wii Party Game
(Wellness Committee)
Bev West, Health Sciences

IPOD Shuffle
(Wellness Committee)
Jeanette Leusink, Printing

$100 gift certificate to Only Women's Fitness Spa (Alberta Workplace Solutions)
Karen Clearwater, Financial Planning

Bosu Total Training System
(Flaman Fitness)
Mary Dyck, Kinesiology

Sony Digital Camera (Chinook Respiratory Services)
Donna Court, Financial Services

Bosu Ball, Whey Protein, Gift Certificate (Go Mango)
Shelley Tuff , ULSU

Shoppers Drug Mart Tote bag (Shoppers Drug Mart)
Christine Groves, Caretaking

Pen, Notebook and Water Bottle (Canadian Mental Health Services)
Heidi DeHeer, Cash Office

Totebag and t-shirt coupon (Helen Schuler Nature Centre)
Abby Groenenboom, ULSU; Jesse Couture, Fitness Centre

Whole Food Meal Replacement (Go Mango)
Mary Anne Hellinga, Financial Services; Rebecca Seely, ROSS; Gayle Durand, ROSS Registry

Fitquest DVD
(Only Women's Fitness)
Linda Wever, Biology; Brenda Nixon, Kinesiology; Jodie Black, ROSS Recruitment

Swedgie (Stamina Clinic)
Joanne Golden, Biology

Coffee Mug (AB Emergency Management Services)
Jennifer Thannhauser, Education; Alesha Farfus-Shukaliak, Advancement

Automatic Millionaire book (Financial Health Club)
Linda Robison, HR

Blanket in Tote (Blue Cross)
Rob Wood, Sociology

Horns Combo Pass
(U of L Pronghorns)
Linda Kucheran, ROSS Recruitment

Holmes Eco Water Set (Holmes Water Service)
Rhonda Paisley, ROSS

First Aid Kit (AB Blue Cross)
Debbie Murphy, Arts and Science Advising

Spa Basket
(Eclipse Salon and Spa)
Mariette Beaudry, Arts and Science Advising

Fresh Pear Lotions
(Nirvana Energy)
Shelly Hutchinson, Ancillary Services

Tote Bag (Mercer Consulting)
Marguerite Anderson, Education; Mary Nugent, Health Sciences

Water Bottles
(Mercer Consulting)
Jacqueline Preyde, A&S Advising; Debbie Tarnava, Caretaking; Vern Leckie, Grounds

Handblown Glass necklace (YWCA)
Anne Baxter, Risk and Safety Services

Upcoming Wellness Events
November 8
Heart Healthy Eating Session II – Cholesterol. Noon to 1 p.m., Andy's Place

November 17
Lunch and Learn: BodyTalk by Terrasol. A form of healthcare that is safe, non-invasive and can be used to overcome many health challenges. A focus of bodytalk is to restore communication and re-synchronize functioning of the body/mind, thus activating the body's
innate ability to heal itself on all levels. Noon to 1 p.m., AH116.

Get Fit At Work – Stretch and Strengthen
If you are interested in getting more information about this program, contact wellness@uleth.ca to set up a session for your team.
Please send your comments, suggestions or feedback to suzanne.mcintosh@uleth.ca or wellness@uleth.ca

Suzanne McIntosh is the co-ordinator of wellness programs at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge

Taking a stand against bullying

trevor.kenney — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 18:26:45 +0000

The ever increasing use of cyber technology among children is rapidly leading to a transformation in the traditional forms of bullying, with cyberbullying becoming more prevalent among today's youth.

To increase the awareness of cyber bullying and bullying amongst students, teachers and the general public, the third annual ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Anti-bullying and Cyberbullying Awareness Week was held Oct. 4-6.

Organized by the Education Undergraduate Society, the event is the only student-organized anti-bullying campaign in Alberta. The emerging issue of cyberbullying was added to the campaign's itinerary this year.

"We feel there's a real need to inform teachers and student teachers about how to react towards bullying in the classroom and how to support students who are being bullied," says Jenn Shuster, EUS president.

Shuster and Ashley Lepage, the EUS vice-president external, have both been involved in the previous anti-bullying campaigns. They note that bullying is prevalent in schools, regardless of the age of children. It is therefore important for teachers understand the seriousness of the issue and how to recognize it at its earliest stages.

New to the scene is cyberbullying, which Shuster characterizes as intentional hostile behaviour inflicted on others through the use of communication technology. She points out that cyberbullying is much harder to control than traditional forms of bullying.

"There's a greater level of anonymity associated with cyberbullying," says Shuster. "That makes it especially difficult to pinpoint where the problem originates."

One of the unique aspects of cyberbullying is that it does not always happen at school. It is at school, however, where the bully and the bullied often confront one another, highlighting the need of schools to develop policies and curriculums that deal with cyberbullying.

"It's imperative that teachers educate their students against all types of bullying," says Shuster. "We hope that through this campaign, we're able to provide teachers with techniques and resources to do so."

This year the event consisted of four free lecture sessions featuring grad student Chelcie Zimmer (The Experience and Psychological Impact of School Violence), ATA speaker Cynthia Malner-Charest (Cyberbullying and E-liability), ATA speaker Mark Yurik (Tips and Strategies for Preventing and Dealing with Bullying) and Dr. Robin Bright, Dr. Mary Dyck and Constable Tom Gross (Teaching in the 21st Century: Online Citizenship for Ourselves and
Our Students).

Bright, a professor in the Faculty of Education, uses the term "cyber citizenship" when she discusses respectable behaviour online.

"The rules that apply to face-to-face interactions must also be the basis of cyber interactions," she says. "This should apply to texting, e-mail, instant messaging, blogs, personal websites and chat rooms."

She adds that it is crucial children be introduced to the concept of cyber citizenship as early as possible, considering that cell phones and the internet are being used at such young ages.

The EUS raised money in support of bullying.org by selling bracelets at the lectures. A non-profit organization located in Cochrane, bullying.org, is dedicated to increasing the awareness of bullying and to preventing, resolving and eliminating bullying in society through anti-bullying workshops and courses.

The original research documents by Bright and Dyck regarding online communication and social development of rural adolescents in Alberta can be found at www.cybertalk.ca. Those who would like to know more about the campaign against bullying can visit the website www.bullying.org.

EUS tackles issue of bullying

trevor.kenney — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 21:41:27 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge's Education Undergraduate Society (EUS) is leading the charge to protect your children.

The 3rd Annual Anti-Bullying and Cyberbullying Awareness Week is on now at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge. With professional development workshops and a variety of engaging discussions, the EUS is trying to stem the tide of bullying by providing its developing teachers with the tools to help recognize and then fight this destructive influence in the classroom.

The three-day event runs Oct. 4-6 and includes a number of informative presentations. Wednesday's wrap-up sessions include Mark Yurick presenting, Tips and Strategies for Preventing and Dealing with Bullying, from noon to 12:50 p.m. in the Students' Union Ballrooms.

The final session of the week is from 6 to 8 p.m. as Dr. Robin Bright, Dr. Mary Dyck and Cst. Tom Gross present, Teaching in the 21st Century: Online Citizenship for Ourselves and Our Students.

For more information on the sessions or the EUS, contact the Society via e-mail or visit the office at TH368A.

Campus Kudos

trevor.kenney — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 19:56:22 +0000

Mary Dyck (Kinesiology and Physical Education) and Ard Biesheuvel (BEd '90, MEd '98) authored a book, Coaching Volleyball Champions: Principles and Practices of Successful Coaches. Each chapter in the book includes a biography of one of North America's outstanding volleyball coaches, followed by an in-depth interview and the coach's five favorite drills. Dyck also co-authored, Everybody Move: A multimedia package for daily physical activity, published by Human Kinetics in November 2009.

Denton Fredrickson (Art) and Catherine Ross (Art Technician) have been awarded the Public Art commission for the Southern Alberta Art Gallery. Applications were received from around the world and the selection committee consisted of representatives from the Allied Arts Council and the SAAG, a community member, an artist and a technical expert. Ross and Fredrickson proposed to create a giant stringed instrument responsive to the day-to-day wind and light levels in Lethbridge. Visually, the installation reflects a flock of birds both at rest and in flight, appearing to move seamlessly from exterior to interior. The work should be installed by fall 2011.

Dr. Shelley Scott (Theatre & Dramatic Arts) has been elected by acclamation to a second two-year term as the president of the Canadian Association for Theatre Research (CATR).

Merle Fuller (MEd) has been accepted into the PhD in Management program at Sobey School of Business, St. Mary's ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, Halifax, N.S. Fuller's project, Living with a cop: A handbook for Police Officers and their Families (a training handbook for police officers addressing work/family issues) was a significant factor in his being accepted into the IO/Pscyh PhD stream of this excellent PhD program.

Dr. Ed Jurkowski (Music) was recently elected to a three-year term as English editor for the journal Intersections, the peer-review bilingual publication of the Canadian ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Music Society.

Bente Hansen (Music), Dale Ketcheson (Music), Nicole Higginson (BFA/BEd) and Jesse Plessis (music major) all performed at For the Love of Music: For the Love of Medicine concert to raise funds for a medical mission to El Salvador being undertaken by U of L pre-medical students.

Katherine Taylor (Psychology) is one of 12 winners of a 2010 NEADS Equity Through Education Student Award. Taylor was selected out of a field of 375 total applicants. Equity Through Education is a charitable initiative launched by BMO Capital Markets in 2005 to help people realize their educational ambitions by giving them the means to pursue those goals.

Ed Wasiak (Music Education) has been appointed to the Editorial Committee of the Journal of Historical Research in Music Education (JHRME). Taking over the Canadian seat, Wasiak joins a body of 16 international scholars on the JHRME Committee.

Don Gill's (Art) exhibition Erratic Spaces/THE LAND is at THE LAND/Gallery in Albuquerque, N.M. from June 5 to 26. The exhibition is an installation based on Gill's February 2010 residency at THE LAND/an art site. www.landartsite.org/exhibitions/index.html

Nick Sullivan (Music) performed as a soloist with the Lethbridge Symphony Orchestra during its season finale.

Catherine Ross (Art) has an exhibition of Stella Mere at the Glenbow Museum, Aug. 2. Stella Mere is a spectacular installation made up of 750 shimmering starfish, each individually cast in aluminum and mounted on thin threaded steel rods. Stella Mere took three years and the help of more than 20 people to complete.

Finding a new reality on Facebook

trevor.kenney — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 18:35:30 +0000

Is your new Facebook 'friend' really a friend or someone using a fake identity to get your personal information? How easy is it to convince someone to accept a completely made–up person as his or her friend?

A group of ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Faculty of Management students – all active users of social media such as Facebook – recently tested those two ideas on a group of their peers and found some surprising answers.

"With more than 300 million users, Facebook and many other social networking sites pose a growing concern for the safety of individuals who use these sites and services," says Sarah Lajeunesse, group spokesperson who worked on the term-long project with team members David Ho, Kirk Patterson, Lauren O'Dwyer and Tony Melicchio. "Our primary concern with the increasing popularity of these sites is the consequences and dangers that we, as users, are potentially facing."

With that idea in mind, their assignment for the Information Systems component of the Integrated Management Experience (IME) program – under the supervision of IME Director Dan Kazakoff and Management Information Systems Professor Gordon Hunter – turned into a research-based episode of the popular MTV program Punk'd, where average people are fooled by sophisticated stunts.

In this case it was frighteningly simple.

"We have all heard about people putting up fake identities for criminal or revenge purposes, but we wanted to actually test how easy it could be to fool Facebook users," says Lajeunesse. "Our group created an imaginary female, who in less than 24 hours managed to entice more than 25 users to become her 'friends' – including complete strangers and many students from our more than 50-person research group. What really surprised us was the speed with which the 'friendship' requests were accepted, and also that one-third of the respondents who accepted this fake person as a friend started up an online conversation. As well, at least two people expected to have dates with our fake person within the week."

Lajeunesse adds the male-to-female ratio of acceptances was 65 to 35 per cent.

Their work raises concerns about the overall validity of online identities, and serves as a warning for people of all ages to be more careful about who they accept as friends or interact with online.

While the idea of people being so easily conned into accepting a completely fake person as a friend seems absurd, Lajeunesse says that as Facebook and other social networking sites are increasing in popularity at an exponential rate, so too are the number of false identities.

"Unfortunately, the social networking sites lack the technology, the legal power, or, in some cases, the will to prevent these abuses," she says. "Learning about this issue was a huge wake-up call for our group and our class. We really want people to know about our results, because this was very easy for us to do. It is not a stretch to assume that it is equally easy for others who might have bad intentions to do as well. We hope that by learning more about this issue – and talking about it – parents can increase their level of supervision to protect the young, our most vulnerable, yet least cautious, users."

The fact that young adults and teenagers are being taken in by fake Facebook pages is not a surprise to Dr. Mary Dyck.

A researcher in the U of L's Kinesiology and Physical Education department who is an expert on cyber bullying and inappropriate use of online communities, Dyck collaborated on Canada's first-ever study on rural teens' online social communication with U of L Faculty of Education researchers Dr. Pamela Adams and Dr. Robin Bright.

"Our research supports that the more information someone puts online, the more vulnerable they become to bullying, targeted marketing, predators, unwanted harassment and intrusions, and feelings of discomfort," says Dyck. "Facebook is an online community. Nothing is safe online. We can only make every attempt to be safer online by restricting our images and information, setting privacy settings for content and applications, and continually being aware of our own behaviour – and the information presented by the IME student group confirms that."

UNews - Mary Dyck

Exceptional service to the community earns Dr. Mary Dyck honour as U of L Volunteer Award recipient

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