UNews - ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Windsor

Horns basketball releases 2013-14 schedule

trevor.kenney — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 21:12:04 +0000

The 2013-14 Canada West conference basketball season will begin for the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Pronghorns men's and women's basketball teams with a road swing into the lower B.C. mainland with match-ups versus the Fraser Valley Cascades and Trinity Western Spartans,
Nov. 1-2.

The following weekend, the 'Horns host the Manitoba Bisons in a pair of games for the first home games of the new season.

One change 'Horns fans will see this season is in the start times for Saturday night games. Moving away from the traditional 6 and 8 p.m. starts for women's and men's games respectively, the Horns will now play at 5 and 7 p.m.

Also visiting the 1st Choice Savings Centre during the first half of the season will be the UBCO Heat, Thompson Rivers WolfPack and Regina Cougars.

In the New Year, the 'Horns will host an action packed set of games, welcoming traditional rivals ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Alberta, UBC Thunderbirds and Victoria Vikes, before closing out the conference schedule with a home-and-home series versus southern Alberta rival Calgary Dinos. The series with the Dinos kicks off at the 1st Choice Savings Centre Friday, Feb. 14 before concluding the regular season the next night in Calgary.

The Canada West best of three quarter-final series is scheduled for Feb. 21-23 with the Canada West Final Four being hosted by the highest remaining seed the following week. The CIS Final 8 will be hosted by Carleton ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ in Ottawa, Mar. 7-9, 2014.

On the women's side, the opening round is scheduled to start a week later but could move to the same weekend as the men's quarter-final if a scheduling conflict is created with the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Regina and ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary hosting the CIS Volleyball Championships. The Canada West Final Four will be hosted by the highest remaining seed, Mar. 7-8 and the CIS Final 8 will be hosted by the three-time defending champion ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Windsor.

Once again this season, all Canada West basketball games will be webcast on www.canadawest.tv.

5 Questions with Dr. Carly Adams

trevor.kenney — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 21:38:04 +0000

Dr. Carly Adams joined the Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education in July 2007. Adams is a social and cultural historian working at the intersections of sport history and sport sociology. Her research interests lie in the study of 20th century Canadian sport, gender, regional and local history, oral history and women's sport governance. She is particularly drawn to research methods that allow her to talk to people about their sport and leisure experiences of the past and ask them how they make sense of and remember their experiences within the context of their lives and the world around them.

Most recently, Adams has received funding (with Dr. Hart Cantelon) through the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada Sport Participation Research Initiative to explore issues of community revitalization and rural survival in southern Alberta through a case study of the Warner Hockey School in Warner, Alta. This project looks at the social determinants that led to the establishment of the school, its purposes, both imagined and actual, and the underlying role that high performance sport might play in rural community survival. She will present her findings at a Women Scholars Speaker Series event on Mar. 25, 12 to 2 p.m. in Andy's Place (AH100).

Adams received her PhD in Sport History at The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Western Ontario in 2007. A paper from her dissertation won the North American Society for Sport History Graduate Student Essay Award.

Dr. Carly Adams delves into the history of sport and has done a great deal of work on the history of women's hockey.

What first piqued your interest in your research discipline?

I have always loved history and learning about the past. During my undergraduate studies in human kinetics and sport management at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Windsor, several influential professors piqued my interest in social history, oral history and the relevance of sport, leisure and recreation to our understanding of the past. However, I was also surprised by how few sport historians researched and wrote about gender and women's sport/recreation experiences. In 2000, I was chosen to participate in a one-semester exchange to Deakin ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ in Melbourne, Australia. While in Melbourne I interned with the Melbourne Football Club. The Aussie club had a full time sport historian on staff dedicated to the team – and from there I was hooked! I attended my first North American Society for Sport History conference in 2001 and discovered that there was a group of scholars dedicated to this type of research and I knew that this is what I wanted to do. My PhD dissertation project was largely based on oral histories with women who played industrial, recreational and playground sports in London, Ont. during the 1920s, 30s and 40s. As soon as I completed my first oral history interview, I knew how important memory and voice were going to be to how I wanted to "do" history.

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

A historical understanding is relevant to all of us – past practices in any situation are valuable and important. It doesn't matter what career one is in, understanding experiences and happenings of the past will guide, shape and challenge how we think about the present and make decisions about the future. I have been fortunate to collaborate with various public institutions such as sports halls of fame and I have also recently published a book, aimed at ages 12 and up, about the Preston Rivulettes, a women's hockey team that competed in the 1930s. I am committed to disseminating my research beyond the borders of academia.

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

Every time I have an article accepted for publication, or I am asked to consult with a public institution (for example the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame and The National Commemoration Board of Parks Canada), or receive a research grant – it is an honour.

How important are students to your research endeavours?

Students are central to my research. I have had many student research assistants work closely with me on various projects. I also believe it is very important that we bring our research to the classroom. My greatest challenge as an educator is to encourage students to think critically about the world around them, to ask questions and express different perspectives. I use many examples from my research in class and encourage students to discuss and critically engage with the projects I am working on. Some of my favourite teaching moments have been listening to students discuss and challenge something I've written or offer a different perspective that challenges me to rethink the direction of a project.

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

If I had unlimited funds, I would invest in ALL areas of research! Related to my own field, I would invest in regional, local and oral history in rural communities. These histories tend not to get much academic attention, and we risk forgetting these important ties to our past.

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_profiles. If you'd like to be profiled, contact Penny Pickles at pickpj@uleth.ca

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

Adams bringing the past to life

trevor.kenney — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 21:35:34 +0000

Dr. Carly Adams (Kinesiology) is a professor and historian who researches a variety of topics, including the history of women's sport. Her work has led her to creating books aimed at a non-academic audience and it is through these works where she connects the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ with the broader community. She also works very closely with her students, many of which have assisted her on research projects.

Adams joined the Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education in July 2007. Adams' research interests include 20th century Canadian sport, gender, regional and local history, oral history, and women's sport goverance. She is particularly drawn to research methods that allow her to talk to people about their sport and leisure experiences of the past and ask them how they make sense of and remember their experiences within the context of their lives and the world around them.

Adams' current research projects explore Lethbridge's Sporting Heritage from 1860-present (with Dr. Robert Kossuth) and the history of women's hockey in Alberta during the 1920s and 1930s.

Most recently, Adams has received funding through the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, Sport Participation Research Initiative to explore issues of community revistalization and rural survival in Southern Alberta through a case study of the Warner Hockey School in Warner, Alta. This project will look at the social determinants that led to the establishment of the school, its purposes, both imagined and actual, and the underlying role that high performance sport might play in rural community survival.

"I have always loved history and learning about the past," says Adams. "During my undergraduate degree in human kinetics and sport management at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Windsor in Ontario, several influential professors piqued my interest in social history, oral history and the relevance of sport, leisure and recreation to our understanding of the past. However, I was also surprised by how few sport historians wrote about and researched gender and more specifically women's sport/recreation experiences."

"As soon as I completed my first oral history interview, I knew how important memory and voice were going to be to how I wanted to "do" history."

U of L leads way in establishing ACCRU

trevor.kenney — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 19:44:35 +0000

This story by Léo Charbonneau appeared in the Sept. 12 edition of ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Affairs. It is re-posted here with their permission.

There is a new university group in Canada: the Alliance of Canadian Comprehensive Research Universities.

Created at a meeting in Ottawa in June, ACCRU brings together the vice-presidents, research, of the smaller comprehensive universities in Canada that have "a strong commitment to research," said Dan Weeks, vice-president, research, at ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.

The creation of the alliance is in part a reaction to the group known as the U15, which advocates on behalf of what it calls "Canada's 15 leading research universities."

A graphical representation of ACCRU.

That group, previously called the G10 and then the G13 before it expanded to its current 15 members, has given those institutions "a strong unified voice for consultation and lobbying activities on their behalf," said Dr. Weeks.

However, ACCRU is not meant to be a lobbying group, he stressed. Rather, the aim of the new alliance is to discuss the challenges and issues that these smaller universities face, and to pool resources and best practices with like-minded colleagues.

"If we do have advice and things that have policy implications, the route would be through either AUCC [Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada] or our individual presidents," he said.

Dr. Weeks set the ball rolling for the new group with a letter he sent to colleagues this past January.

The letter reads in part: "There are a number of unique challenges associated with conducting world-class research at Canada's small institutions. Effectively meeting these challenges and ensuring that research investments made in our institutions are of maximal benefit to all Canadians prompts me to suggest that Canada's 'small' research universities might benefit by informal discussion of the merits of forming a group or forum. This would give us the opportunity to discuss and react collectively to issues we face now or that will arise."

The response was "absolutely fantastic," said Dr. Weeks. "Everybody was excited about getting together." The respondents agreed on a date and venue for the event, and of the 25 universities initially contacted, 19 sent representatives to the Ottawa gathering – in most cases, either the vice-president or associate VP research.

While stressing that membership in ACCRU is "meant to be inclusive," Dr. Weeks acknowledged he had to come up with "some sort of algorithm" to choose who to invite.

He and William Bridger, a former vice-president at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Western Ontario, devised a plan. First, they said the university had to describe itself as a comprehensive university.

Second, they did a rough calculation of the percentage of tri-council funding that each university receives, and "there was a pretty obvious breakpoint, and so we invited everybody below that line," said Dr. Weeks.

But he added, "I really wouldn't put too much stock in this 'who's in, who's out' type of thing. It's really more about the scope of your operations and would you benefit from being at these discussions."

The attendees to the Ottawa meeting "talked a lot about faculty recruitment and, related to that, the general perception of small universities by the public and by other institutions," said Dr. Weeks.

They also discussed research ethics, infrastructure, animal care, research centres and institutes, contracts, "and all the things that we have to fulfill in terms of policies and regulations" but often with far fewer resources than the larger universities, "so we have to be more clever about how we get some of these accomplished."

Katherine Schultz, vice-president research at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Prince Edward Island, attended the meeting and said the conversations "were frank and open." She noted that, unlike vice-presidents, academic, there is no national meeting for VPs research, so this group "fills a gap that many of us perceived. … It's a forum for information exchange that didn't exist."

André Manseau, dean of research at Université du Quebec en Outaouais, said it was "very enriching" for him to have his colleagues share their experiences. "We face many similar issues," he said. "Our offices are of relatively modest size and we don't have a lot of specialized personnel."

The ACCRU members agreed to meet again in Ottawa in early December, before the annual Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council's leaders meeting (of senior university administrators who serve as points of contact with the council).

The alliance also created three working groups that will report at the December meeting: one looking at best practices, one on governance of the group itself, and a third tasked to craft a mission statement.

Universities represented at the ACCRU meeting in June:

* Acadia ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ
* Bishop's ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ
* Brandon ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ
* Brock ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ
* Cape Breton ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ
* Lakehead ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ
* Nipissing ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ
* St. Francis Xavier ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ
* Saint Mary's ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ
* Thompson Rivers ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ
* Trent ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ
* Université de Moncton
* Université du Québec en Outaouais
* ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge
* ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Northern British Columbia
* ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Prince Edward Island
* ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Regina
* ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Windsor
* Wilfrid Laurier ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ

Lasting Images - Iain Baxter&

trevor.kenney — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 18:02:37 +0000

Iain Baxter& is known as one of Canada's foremost conceptual artists. Born in England in 1936, Baxter&'s family moved to Canada a year later, and he spent most of his early career in Vancouver. From 1966-78, Baxter& and artist Ingrid Baxter formed the art collective N.E. Thing Co., which explored the boundaries between corporate advertising, mechanized production and fine art.

Baxter& went on to produce work in a wide variety of media, including drawing, painting, sculpture, photography and film. He is a Professor Emeritus at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Windsor, Ontario while continuing his artistic practice, and in 2003 was designated an Officer of the Order of Canada.

Iain Baxter&, Selections from Reflected Paris Beauty Spots, 1980 | From the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Art Collection; Purchased from the artist, 1985.

In 1980, Baxter& travelled to France to create work for an exhibition held at the Canadian Cultural Centre Paris, entitled Reflets sur polaroid de grains de beauté parisiens (Reflected Paris Beauty Spots).

Baxter& carried a small mirror through Paris and took Polaroid photographs of it, angled to reflect key landmarks and architecture around the city. Baxter& then photographed the original Polaroids against the body of a model, highlighting the contrast between the historical buildings and human flesh.

For the 30th anniversary of Baxter&'s premier Parisian exhibition, the Canadian Culture Centre Paris mounted a retrospective of Baxter&'s work entitled Canadian Perspective, displaying the original Reflected Paris Beauty Spots series (now held in the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Art Collection) and other

works spanning five decades of Baxter&'s prolific career.

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

Honorary degree recipient passes away

trevor.kenney — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 19:51:00 +0000

One of Canada's foremost geographers and a ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge honorary degree recipient has passed away.

Marie Sanderson (honorary doctor of science, '00) died of breast cancer in Toronto on July 12 at the age of 88.

Noted as a pioneering climatologist and highly respected figure in environmental research, Sanderson was the first female geography professor in Canada when she completed her PhD at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Michigan and later accepted a position as assistant professor of geography at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Windsor.

An experienced traveler, Sanderson would attend conferences throughout the world and similarly took her studies to many corners of the globe. Her focus remained in Canada however as she was instrumental in conducting research into water management issues in the Grand River Basin and in Ontario. She also studied in the Canadian Arctic and assisted Environment Canada on studies related to climate change.

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge recognized Sanderson with an honorary doctor of science in 2000.

For a complete biography, follow this Globe and Mail link.

Student captures NEADS award

trevor.kenney — Thu, 20 May 2010 19:48:25 +0000

The National Educational Association of Disabled Students (NEADS) and BMO Capital Markets are pleased to announce the 12 outstanding winners of the 2010 NEADS Equity Through Education Student Awards Program.

Among the recipients is Katherine Taylor, a ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge psychology student who was selected from among 375 applicants to join 11 other undergraduate or graduate students as award winners.

All recipients receive $3,000 toward their tuition.

A complete listing of recipients can be found below.

"NEADS congratulates the 2010 winners of the NEADS Equity Through Education Student Awards, says Dr. Mahadeo Sukhai, NEADS Past-President and Chair of the selection committee.

"There were many excellent candidates and 375 applications for this year's competition. The dedication, perseverance and achievements of this year's winners embody the spirit of the Awards program. We wish them all the very best in their studies, and look forward to watching their successes in the future. We are grateful to BMO Capital Markets for its generous funding of the Equity Through Education Student Awards."

"Congratulations to all of this year's winners," says Mike Miller, Head of Equity Products, BMO Capital Markets and a champion of the Equity Through Education Program. "Your achievements serve as an inspiration for others and help reinforce the important work of NEADS. We admire the vital role of NEADS, which helps young Canadians with disabilities finish their studies and make a successful transition to the employment market."

The winners in the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Undergraduate Studies category are:

-- Naomi Harrington (Computer Science and Psychology combined major,��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Victoria)

-- Devin Ryan (Computer Science, Business option, Lakehead ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ

-- Katie Raso (Communication, Simon Fraser ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ)

-- Alexandra Papaiconomou (Law, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Western Ontario)

-- Katherine Taylor (Psychology, French Minor, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge)

-- Tawnie Wilson (Communications and Women's Studies combined, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Windsor)

Recipients in Graduate Studies category are:

-- James Bell (MA Criminology, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Toronto)

-- Jessica Dunkley (Faculty of Medicine, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Ottawa)

-- Kelly Fritsch (Ph.D Social and Political Thought, York ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ)

-- Chelsea Mohler (Masters of Health and Rehabilitation Science, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Western Ontario)

-- Barbara Schober (Doctor of Philosophy/History, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of British Columbia).

The winner of the Equity Through Education Student Awards in the College/Cegep Studies category is Larissa Haluszka-Smith (Occupational Therapist Assistant/Physiotherapist Assistant, Centennial College).

Global institute draws renowned demographics researcher

trevor.kenney — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 16:53:07 +0000

Nothing illustrates the role of the economy in our lives like the current economic downturn.

With families across North America foreclosing on mortgages, baby boomers delaying retirement and new graduates scrambling for jobs, almost every demographic has been affected.

The economy is an ever-evolving force with tremendous influence on how and where people live. In fact, understanding how global populations and economies inform one another is crucial for understanding everything from international relations to when Canadians retire, explains Dr. Susan McDaniel, the newly appointed Prentice Institute Director and Research Chair.

A renowned demography expert, McDaniel returns to Alberta from Utah, where she was a senior scholar at the Institute of Public and International Affairs and Professor of Family and Consumer Studies at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Utah from 2007 to 2009. She will lead the new Prentice Institute for Global Population and Economy, which is the product of a multi-million dollar endowment from Alberta agribusiness entrepreneur, the late Dr. John Prentice (LLD '06) and his family.

"It's interdisciplinary, so the institute is expected to bring in researchers from across Alberta, Canada and the world. It will be a global institute focused on global issues and a global population," she explains.

McDaniel previously spent 15 years at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Alberta as a full professor of sociology and another three at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Windsor. She currently holds grants from agencies like the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) and the Canadian Embassy in Washington, D.C.

One of her current research projects focuses on perceptions of aging and retirement trends. In a recent study - soon to go to press- she interviewed middle-age Canadians and Americans during the financial crisis to find out how they anticipated their older years.

Many Americans expressed panic about how they'd manage their health, while Canadians were more proactive, expressing greater confidence that they'd handle whatever challenges they encountered.

"That's what's so exciting about doing this research; you discover such interesting things," she says.

While the institute is still in development, McDaniel believes it will become an area of extreme excellence for which the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ will become known.

"It's a tribute to the U of L that they managed this. The funding could have gone to any of the universities, but it came here," she says.

Weeks named U of L's new VP, Research

trevor.kenney — Fri, 22 May 2009 15:09:37 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge has appointed a new Vice-President, Research. Dr. Daniel J. Weeks has been named the institution's second VP Research and will take over the position July 1, 2009.

Weeks joins the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ from Simon Fraser ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ where he is currently a Professor and Chair of the Department of Psychology, as well as operator of the PsychoMotor Behaviour Laboratory.

Born in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., Weeks received a BA with honours in psychology from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Windsor (1983), an MSc specializing in human biodynamics from McMaster (1985) and a PhD in psychology specializing in cognition and motor performance from Auburn ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ (1989). He completed his postdoctoral work as a visiting Assistant Professor in the Department Psychological Science at Purdue ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ.

Weeks is a cognitive psychologist and an internationally recognized expert on human motor control. He also has a research program focused on skill acquisition in persons with Down syndrome. He has pioneered new brain imaging techniques to determine the impact of cerebral specialization and information processing on health and behaviour, among other projects.

"Dr. Weeks is well known as someone who has worked on both sides of the border, at all levels of the academic and research funding community, and on projects that have not only helped to build research capacity and attract significant funding - and people - to his present employer, but have also affected people's lives in a very positive way," said Dr. Bill Cade, the U of L's President and Vice-Chancellor. "We are very pleased Dan has chosen to join our team, and look forward to having him in the community."

Weeks said he is looking forward to fitting in to the personal, but far-reaching, nature of the
U of L research office and the people behind it.

"If I were to use a boxing analogy, the U of L 'punches bigger than its weight' in terms of influence," Weeks said.

"U of L researchers are key players on several national and international stages, and yet the faculty and administrative team retain a personable attitude that reflects well on the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, its programs, accessibility to students and other factors such as community outreach."

In addition to his active research program, over the last five years, Weeks has focused on facilitating research and service opportunities for the Down Syndrome Research Foundation. This work has resulted in more than $10 million in capital fundraising. Recently appointed to the Board of Down Syndrome International, Weeks is actively promoting health and physical activity in developing countries around the world as a fundamental human right for persons with intellectual disability.

Prentice Institute taking shape with McDaniel appointment

trevor.kenney — Tue, 12 May 2009 16:15:48 +0000

Numbers can be cold, hard and impersonal. Put them in the hands of Dr. Susan McDaniel however and they can be used to influence policy decisions that effect change at the most personal of levels.

The newly appointed director of the Prentice Institute for Global Population and Economy is an internationally renowned sociology researcher and demographics expert, combining her love for mathematics with a penchant to study people and society's big-picture issues. It was a research focus that was initially unintentional but has proven to be a life's work.

"Demography allows you to see how individual actions don't add up to what you think they'll add up to," McDaniel explains.
"The collective outcome of individual actions is very different than what the individuals intend and it's that kind of mystery that entices me. To me it's phenomenal because some of it is counter-intuitive and I'm still fascinated by that."

McDaniel returns to Alberta (the place she mostly refers to as home) from Utah where she was a senior scholar at the Institute of Public and International Affairs and Professor of Family and Consumer Studies at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Utah. Previously, she'd spent 15 years at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Alberta as a full professor of sociology and another three years at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Windsor.

Her return is a testament to the U of L, its vision and the opportunity afforded her as the first director of the Prentice Institute.

"There were no push factors for me leaving Utah, it was all pull," McDaniel says. "I'm hoping to really build this institute as a centre that people will say, 'The Prentice Institute is a leader on . . .'. That would really be great."

The mandate of the Prentice Institute is to promote the research of big-picture issues relating to global population change and demographics, among other topics. McDaniel is enthused by the opportunity to be in on the ground floor of constructing the Institute and its reputation.

"My goal is building something that's not just flash and dash but something solid that will last for a long time, and when people think about population issues and economy, they think about the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge," she says.

Getting to this point has been a long and non-traditional route for McDaniel.
Entering post-secondary study as a math major, a bad experience in her first course turned her eye elsewhere and she found demography.

"It was a question of using mathematics to study people and I thought, wow, I've found my calling," she says.

Through demography she slowly made her way into studying the societal impacts of her demographic research. Ironically, she is now world renowned as a research sociologist, has written an introductory sociology textbook and taught the course at a post-secondary level but because she entered the field through the back door, never actually took introductory sociology.

McDaniel's extensive research, publishing and teaching record reflect her varied interests and research on demographic aging, generational relations, family change and the social impacts of technology.

The arrival of the Prentice Institute comes at a perfect time for the U of L as it continues to emerge as a leading comprehensive university. McDaniel revels in building graduate programming, has a long record of collaborating with the best doctoral and post-doctoral researchers and trumpets the concept of community outreach, from local to international levels.

"The idea is to build interdisciplinary research that will have public and policy interest, but also to have outreach to the community. I want to see public issues of importance addressed here, and in a profound way," McDaniel says.
"What interests me is the notion that this is global. This is a new concept at the U of L and an area of strength that we're planning on building."

GET THE FACTS

• The Prentice Institute for Global Population and Economy was established in late 2006, when John Prentice, a Calmar, Alta., based agri-business entrepreneur, with his wife, Connie, donated $8.25 million to the U of L – the largest private philanthropic gift the U of L has received in its 40-year history.

• McDaniel took her undergraduate studies at ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Massachusetts, studied a master's degree at Cornell ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and her PhD at ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Alberta.

• A lover of bird watching, walking and jogging, McDaniel is apt to be spotted enjoying the outdoors with her one-year-old Maltese puppy Victoria

• Her research on gender and aging issues led to her involvement in the Dove soap self-esteem campaign

• McDaniel is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada

• In addition to her role as director of the Prentice Institute, McDaniel will also teach an undergraduate course at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ

UNews - ��Ѹ�����Դ���߿�Ƭ of Windsor

Horns basketball releases 2013-14 schedule

Related Topics

5 Questions with Dr. Carly Adams

Related Topics

Adams bringing the past to life

Related Topics

U of L leads way in establishing ACCRU

Related Topics

Lasting Images - Iain Baxter&

Related Topics

Honorary degree recipient passes away

Related Topics

Student captures NEADS award

Related Topics

Global institute draws renowned demographics researcher

Related Topics

Weeks named U of L's new VP, Research

Related Topics

Prentice Institute taking shape with McDaniel appointment

Related Topics

UNews - ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Windsor