UNews - Michigan

5 Questions with Dr. Olu Awosoga

trevor.kenney — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 16:49:29 +0000

Dr. Olu Awosoga completed his dissertation on Meta-Analysis of Multiple Baseline Time-Series Design Intervention Models for Dependent and Independent Series. This study developed a traditional meta-type analysis and corresponding robust methodology for multiple baseline series. This is a statistical approach used in applied statistical research to investigate the validity of procedures and power comparisons between parametric and robust methods.

Awosoga joined the Faculty of Health Sciences in July 2009, the same year he completed his doctoral program at Western Michigan ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ in Kalamazoo, MI. He teaches applied statistics courses to undergraduate and graduate students and works with various faculty members as a statistical consultant. He is a co-investigator in the following projects: Moral Distress in the Care of Persons with Alzheimer Disease in Residential Care Facilities; Slave Lake Fire project to investigate the response of families and children – community resiliency; CAETL (now known as the Teaching Centre) project to assess teaching effectiveness in undergraduate applied statistics course.

Awosoga is passionate about using his knowledge in applied statistics to provide simple interpretation of results obtained from data analysis to make sense to the average man – a fundamental basis for his research interests.

Most recently, as a principal investigator, he has applied for several grants through the Alberta Centre for Child, Family and Community Research and Workers Compensation Board to investigate the health status of childcare workers in southern Alberta.

Dr. Olu Awosoga takes statistical analysis to another level through unique applications.

What first piqued your interest in your research discipline?

My interest base was first stirred up by a combination of statistical courses I took during my graduate program, in particular, applied statistics in social sciences. I had questions about a data analysis approach used in a journal article where I first discovered the word 'meta analysis.' So, I decided to learn more about it and of course, the result was my dissertation topic.

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

In the real world, meta analysis of multiple baseline time-series design intervention models is of great interest to researchers in the fields of behavioural sciences, environmental sciences, economics, education and medicine. They often employ interrupted time-series designs to determine the effectiveness and efficiency of several interventions in both clinical and natural settings. This model also provides a strong basis for causal conclusions.

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

As a graduate student, I received the best graduate research poster during the third annual Western Michigan ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ research and creative activities poster day in 2009.

Personally, I feel honoured every time I meet with a former student who shares how their statistical learning is enhancing their work, and feel the same when I can offer a meaningful statistical analysis in collaborative projects. In my career, it warms my heart to have an article accepted for publication or to obtain approval for a research grant.

How important are students to your research endeavours?

I find that working with students is a two way learning dynamic. Data analysis is core in interpreting research findings; hence it is rewarding being able to engage students in quantitative research. Students who work with me are trained in data collection procedures, recruiting research participants, conducting and transcribing qualitative interviews, data coding and literature reviews. This process provides students with learning opportunities and prepares them for future research works.

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

If money was not an object, I would invest in any research which requires application of statistical theory and concepts, and would also participate in continuous professional development across the globe. In particular, I would invest in research focusing on health related issues to provide reasonable explanations to understanding existing variable relationships, interactions, cause and effects, amongst other things. In addition, I desire to participate in innovative teaching research to build stronger teaching and learning strategies at all levels of education.

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.

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ mourns passing of Oordt

trevor.kenney — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 22:07:36 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ community offers its most sincere condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of the late Dr. Martin (Marty) Oordt, a founding member of the U of L faculty community, legendary professor of English, and well-known writer, poet, magazine publisher and community volunteer.

The man credited with the birth of the Meliorist, the U of L campus newspaper, passed away Friday, April 8 at age 73. He is survived by his wife Mary, and a daughter, Marya (Oordt) Helm, BA'85, BEd '89.

A celebration of Marty's life will take place on Saturday, Apr. 30, beginning at 6:30 p.m. at the Galt Museum.

Condolence notes may be left at the Martin Bros website:

http://www.lethbridgefuneralhomes.com/obituaries/view_guestbook.asp?obitid=1662

He was born in Lynden, WA, in 1938, and received his undergraduate degree at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan in 1960. He took both his masters and doctoral degrees at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Kentucky.

During his more than 30-year career at the U of L, Marty influenced many writers and poets through his classroom and on Whetstone, a literary magazine he founded.

He is described by former students as one of those people, that no matter how much time had passed between the last time you chatted with him, you could pick up right where you left off when you saw him next.

A former student who is now a reporter at a major daily newspaper recalled a particularly memorable experience:

"When I was a student at the U of L, I submitted a particularly lazy paper on Alan Ginsberg to Marty. Rather than let it ride, he gave me a little lecture I've never forgotten. It made a big difference and I never thanked him for it. But, Mary, I want you to know how grateful I am for having had Marty as a professor. He will be missed."

With his spouse and long-time business partner Mary, they published Lethbridge Living Magazine from 1997 until 2006, and for years produced the Faculty of Management's magazine, Management Matters, among other publication.

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.

Campus Kudos

trevor.kenney — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 16:21:49 +0000

Congratulations to Drs. Paul Vasey and Martin Lalumiere (Psychology) on their successful Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Aid to Research Workshops and Conferences in Canada application. The workshop will be held May 31 to June 2.

Dafne Carrasco (New Media student) and friends organized the Help Rebuild Haiti T-shirt Fundraiser that featured original T-shirt designs by fellow students, faculty and alumni.

The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) recently posted the successful Community-��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Research Alliances (CURA) program applications. U of L professor Dr. Claudia Malacrida (Sociology) is a co-applicant on the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Alberta's, six-year, $1 million grant, titled Living Archives on Eugenics in Western Canada.

Dr. Janet Youngdahl (Music) was a soprano soloist in Carl Orff's Carmina Burana in Calgary at the Jack Singer Concert Hall on Mar. 27. The concert celebrated the 20th anniversary of Mount Royal's Kantori and also premiers a new work by Imant Raminsh, with the composer in attendance.

Adam Chorneyko of the Pronghorns men's hockey team was named Canada West rookie of the year after a season in which he led all freshmen with 16 goals and 35 points. Defenceman Ryan Pottruff and centre Dustin Moore were named to the Canada West First All-Star Team while goaltender Scott Bowles was named to the second team.

Dr. David Renter (Music) has been invited to be the composer-in-residence at this year's prestigious Stella Royce Music Camp, July 26-30 in Grand Rapids, Mich. He will be debuting a series of original solo piano compositions of varying difficulty for students aged 8-15.

Fourth-year point guard Jeff Price was named to the Canada West men's basketball Second All-Star Team after a stellar first season with the Pronghorns men's basketball program.

Nursing student Alexandra Tritten-Champoux recently received one of seven United Nurses of Alberta (UNA) scholarships awarded to students in their first year of nursing study. The winners needed to be related to a UNA member in good standing and complete an essay on How does the UNA impact nursing worklife?

Music faculty Dr. Janet Youngdahl, Dr. Sandra Stringer, Dr. Blaine Hendsbee and retired music professor Dr. George Evelyn were soloists with the Lethbridge Symphony Orchestra's presentation of Haydn's The Creation on Mar. 29.

Dr. Ed Jurkowski (Music) presented, Random Sounds or Organized Structure? What the Compositional Sketches tell us about Morton Feldman's Late Music, last month at the annual meeting of the Pacific-Northwest Chapter of the American Musicological Society.

New faces in ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Library are all about service

trevor.kenney — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 18:02:52 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Library continues to be an innovative campus leader, and it's reflected in the new personalities they bring into the fold.

A year ago, new ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Librarian Alison Nussbaumer was introduced, bringing a fresh approach to the highest post in the library's administration. This fall, two more new faces have been added to the mix in associate university librarians Brenda Mathenia and Wendy Merkley. And while their responsibilities may be unique to their positions, their philosophies are remarkably similar.

"One of my goals is to make sure our public service is at the top, that we're putting our users first," Mathenia says.

As the Associate ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Librarian for Client Services and Facilities, Mathenia's group is often the first contact for people using the library. As such, customer service is at the forefront of her efforts.

A Michigan native, Mathenia has a wide and varied background, having worked in primarily academic settings throughout her career. A cartography and geography undergrad, she earned her first master's degree in urban geography.

After working in that field however, she soon found that the information aspects of her job, finding information, helping others find it and use it appropriately, led her back to library school.

"I've always been very inquisitive and liked to know a lot about a lot of things," Mathenia says, calling herself a jack-of-all-trades.

"Librarianship is the perfect discipline to go into because you can dabble in all manner of subject areas."

She was given that latitude in her last job, at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Nevada-Reno. For four years she worked primarily in the sciences but also managed a branch library and dabbled in major collection development.

"I've had my fingers in a lot of different things in the library and it's served me really well and been very good experience," she says.

"I like to help people navigate the world of information. It's always been easy for me, so I like to share those skills and make it easier for other people."

Merkley, a Manitoba native who worked previously in the Lethbridge public system, is all about simplifying the search for information. The difference is that her work is done behind the scenes as the Associate ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Librarian for Information Systems and Technical Services.

"There have been major changes in how technology is being used in the library world, and this is a really good time with two new AULs and a relatively new ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Librarian, we're looking at how do we integrate some of these new things into what we're doing," Merkley says.

Her journey to librarianship was also non-direct. An English undergrad at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Manitoba, she worked in the faculty library while completing her degree.

"I would love to say it was a great passion and I always knew what I wanted to do, but it really came from that experience," Merkley says. "I really enjoyed the atmosphere of a library and the people I worked with and it just seemed like a logical thing to do."

From there she moved to Alberta and completed her master's degree at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Alberta before coming to Lethbridge and entering the public library system. Positions in Lethbridge and then later in Calgary set up a three-year stint in the United Arab Emirates (2005-2008).

"I call it my running away period," she laughs, noting that the pull of her daughter, a third-year kinesiology-psychology double major at the U of L, was a major influence in her return.

"It was tremendous. You learn an awful lot about yourself when you go in and have to adjust to being a stranger in a strange land."

Her route to the U of L was delayed by a one-year stint implementing video conferencing services for rural Alberta libraries but saw this role as too good to pass up.

"In the end, it's about facilitating that process of helping people find information," she says. "We strive to find a happy medium between simplicity and still allowing people to do the kinds of research they need to do that sometimes requires a more elaborate search strategy."

She's enthused about the new technology being implemented and how it can reshape the way the library helps its clients.

"It's really exciting and I'm really looking forward to it. That's one of the reasons I've stayed in library so long, because it's such a changing environment."

Dan Otte Symposium at U of L

trevor.kenney — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 22:07:41 +0000

Some of North America's leading entomologist's will converge on the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Tuesday, June 16 to celebrate the career of Daniel Otte.

The Dan Otte Symposium welcomes the esteemed Otte, one of the world's leaders in evolutionary biology, systematics and the behavior of insects, especially grasshoppers, crickets and their relatives, along with a list of stellar researchers from across North America.

Otte is now curator and Chair, Department of Entomology, at the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia. The symposium is sponsored by Otte's former graduate students to thank and honour him for his contributions to the world of entomology. Among his colleagues is ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge President, Dr. Bill Cade.

A full day of presentations in evolutionary biology will take place on Tuesday. Papers range from the behavior of social amoebas to the evolution of human behavior and everyone is welcome to attend. The event concludes with the Taste of Alberta banquet at 7:15 p.m., featuring the keynote address from Dr. Dick Alexander, professor and curator emeritus at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Michigan.

For a list of speakers and more information on the symposium, visit http://www.danottesymposium.com or contact Bill Cade at bill.cade@uleth.ca.

UNews - Michigan

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