UNews - Jane O'Dea

Record number of Indigenous students graduating throughout Spring 2022 Convocation celebrations

trevor.kenney — Tue, 31 May 2022 16:19:31 +0000

A positive trend has been developing at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge as more and more Indigenous students are earning post-secondary degrees, culminating with a record 98 graduates crossing the stage at the 2021/22 convocation ceremonies.

Trishell Provost (BA '19) is a graduate from the 2019 class who majored in kinesiology.

Nestled in the heart of Blackfoot Territory, ULethbridge has long nurtured its relationship with the Indigenous communities of southern Alberta and in 1975 established one of Canada’s first Departments of Native American Studies. In recent years, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ made it a strategic initiative to advance learning options and supports for Indigenous students through a variety of programs.

“When you see the number of Indigenous students who are finding success and completing their academic careers consistently increase, there is intentionality behind it,” says Dr. Mike Mahon, president and vice-chancellor.

Over the last decade, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ has graduated, on average, 50 to 75 self-declared Indigenous students between the spring and fall convocation ceremonies. In the last three academic years, those numbers have shot up to 87, 84 and 99 students respectively. The roots of that growth can be traced.

In 2011, Mahon asked Roy Weasel Fat, then Red Crow Community College vice-president (academic), and ULethbridge faculty members Drs. Leroy Little Bear (BASc (BA) ’72, DASc ’04) and Jane O'Dea to create a strategy to support Indigenous students, faculty, staff and community members. The seven recommendations they submitted set a course of action and elicited a pledge from Mahon.

“We will place greater focus on recruiting and retaining Blackfoot and other First Nations, Métis, and Inuit students, the fastest growing young adult population in Canada,” said Mahon at the time. “However, enrolment is not the only reason to focus on this population. Creating opportunity and an inclusive campus environment for all students is simply the right thing to do.”

The establishment of the Iniskim Education Committee followed in 2013, and in 2014, a Memorandum of Understanding with Red Crow Community College was signed, and the Iikaisskini Student Gathering Place opened. The calls of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission further highlighted the need for educational institutions to develop and implement a process of truth and healing and in 2019, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ appointed Charles Weaselhead as its 14th chancellor and first of Indigenous descent. Later that year, EleV — the monumental partnership initiative between the Blackfoot Confederacy, ULethbridge and the Mastercard Foundation — was born.

“I’ve always had a passion for our young people to grow and find success,” says Weaselhead, who will be presiding over the final convocation ceremonies of his term this week. “I never considered myself a formal role model, but I think being named chancellor, it probably opened some eyes and opened up minds for our young people and our community that there is a place for them here and these positions are possible.”

Lindi Shade, manager of Iikaisskini Indigenous Services, says it is gratifying to see the programs working and students reaping the benefits.

“It is inspiring to see our Indigenous students attend the U of L, complete degrees and go forward to serve all communities,” says Shade. “At Ikaisskini Indigenous Services we are so proud of all the Indigenous graduates at this year's convocation, and we wish them the very best in their future careers.”

Inspired and inspiring: Teaching in the Faculty of Education

darcy.tamayose — Mon, 22 Dec 2014 23:01:46 +0000

Dr. Jane O’Dea believes strongly in meeting students on their own ground. This principle solidified the day she paired classic literature and art with contemporary equivalents and watched student understanding blossom. It germinated earlier, however, on literal ground, when she arrived in 1990 at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge and encountered Dr. John Woods, eminent scholar and president emeritus, sitting on the floor in animated conversation with first-year students.

Dr. Jane O'Dea is a past recipient of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Distinguished Teacher Award.

“I knew then that this university was a very different place,” she says.

The way Woods engaged with students on a personal level had a seminal influence on O’Dea. Other influences have been Blackfoot Elders who model respect for all viewpoints, and world-class scholars who consider it an obligation to share their knowledge. O’Dea’s own experience transitioning from Ireland to Canada and between Fine Arts and Philosophy honed her empathy with students, whom she recognizes as also having to negotiate diverse worlds.

“Our responsibility in helping them do that is important,” she says. “In this digital age, students are constantly bombarded with information. They desperately need help making sense of it. We have the unique opportunity to make that happen.”

Throughout her teaching O’Dea uses current music, movies and literature as entry points into traditional academic readings. She also encourages learning through self-expression, guiding students into formal writing by first having them express their ideas through informal means, such as rants and blogs. By establishing rules of civility and respect she creates and mediates safe classroom environments in which no topic is taboo.

“Teaching isn’t about instilling information – it is setting in motion the process of learning. Enhancing the life of the mind is a sacred responsibility, one of which I’m proud to be a part.”

Drawing on experience

trevor.kenney — Fri, 19 Oct 2012 22:00:46 +0000

Of everything that sets the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge apart from other post-secondary institutions, its deeply-rooted relationship with First Nations, Métis and Inuit (FNMI) peoples, and specifically the Blackfoot nation, is intrinsically unique.

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ can justifiably take pride in being among the first universities in Canada to include a major in Native American Studies among its liberal education components. It can also take pride in the extensive range of innovative academic programs, research and creative activity related to FNMI peoples developed across Faculties, coupled with active student services support programs.

And yet there are gaps in those supports and incongruences across campus in the delivery of academic programming related to Aboriginal Peoples.

Roy Weasel Fat, the interim director of the FNMI Centre, sees education as a means to self determination.

In September 2011, President Mike Mahon asked professor Dr. Leroy Little Bear (BASc (BA) ’72, DASc ’04), Roy Weasel Fat (Red Crow Community College vice-president academic) and professor Dr. Jane O'Dea to develop an overarching strategy that would create support for FNMI students, faculty, staff and community members at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.

The FNMI Report to the President (available at www.uleth.ca/president/fnmi) was the result, and the development of an FNMI Centre, of which Weasel Fat is now the interim director, is a key recommendation of the report.

"Like all Native centres in Alberta, it's basically focused around student support – what can the centre provide in terms of supporting students so that we can improve their retention and completion rates," says Weasel Fat.

A master's degree holder in education and major player in establishing the current relationship between the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and Red Crow College (he served 17 years there, most recently as the vice-president academic), Weasel Fat speaks to the importance of education in bettering the Aboriginal community.

"Education is the most recognized path to reach self determination," he says.

"There are many people from my generation who are going back to school and their kids will follow and also become educated. Once the parents become educated, then it's an expectation for their children, and that helps bring our people out of that cycle of poverty."

He understands better than most that this cannot be accomplished without the proper support systems for Aboriginal students and the FNMI report identifies seven major recommendations to help achieve that goal.

From the creation of a Niitsitapi Gathering Place to the establishment of an Elders Program and Aboriginal Education Policy, the report is closely aligned with the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's 2009-2013 Strategic Plan.

One aspect especially important to Weasel Fat is the involvement of band elders.

"When we looked at other centres across B.C. and Alberta, what I noticed was that there was very minimal elder involvement," says Weasel Fat. "This is something our students have asked for and one of the mandates of the FNMI Centre, to increase the elders' presence here so that they can be available to the U of L community."

He describes the role elders play in traditional Blackfoot communities as integral.

"Their role in the community is to act as traditional mentors, to provide spiritual support and to keep our history and culture alive," he says.

Weasel Fat sees the Niitsitapi Gathering Place as a community room that would benefit the entire ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ.

"There is a lot of Aboriginal activity across campus through programs in virtually every Faculty but a centre like this can provide a venue for dissemination and collaboration of research for those who are working in these areas across the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ," he says.

Weasel Fat speaks quietly, but with an eagerness that is genuine in its belief. He is a product of what an education can achieve, and he has passed those lessons on to his family through his example. He recently had two sons graduate from the U of L (Roy Jr. BA '12 and Cy BA '11) and quickly move into managerial roles on the Blood Reserve, while his daughter Triscia is a fourth-year student and looking to enter the Faculty of Education next fall.

"When I first started out in education, my first instinct was to go back home and help my people," he says. "Education has been of benefit to my own family as well as my community and I will continue to promote education to our community plus share the Blackfoot culture with the U of L."

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

Loewen appointed dean of Faculty of Education

trevor.kenney — Thu, 21 Jun 2012 22:14:17 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Board of Governors has, after a national/international search, confirmed the appointment of Dr. Craig Loewen as dean of the Faculty of Education.

Loewen is a professor within the Faculty of Education and was serving as interim dean since Dr. Jane O'Dea's decade of service as dean ended in 2010. Loewen is a long serving faculty member, U of L alumnus (BEd '84) and mathematics education expert whose research includes how students learn and how teachers can promote and enrich student learning.

"Dr. Loewen is a highly-respected educator and researcher who has held a number of administrative positions within the faculty in addition to maintaining an active teaching and research portfolio," says Dr. Andy Hakin, the U of L's vice-president (academic) and provost.

Loewen has been recognized by his peers at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and in the education community for his efforts to be an excellent teacher and mentor. He has received the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Distinguished Teaching Award, and the Educational Research Award from the Alberta Teachers' Association, which acknowledged his involvement in pre-service and in-service mathematics education. Additionally, he was appointed a Friend of the Mathematics Council of the Alberta Teachers' Association and was inducted into the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Alumni Honour Society in 2011.

Education, for Loewen, seems to be the equivalent of a family business. He joined the Faculty of Education in 1987, the year his father Arthur, also a long-term U of L education faculty member, retired. His three sisters are educators as well, either in the public school system or in post-secondary settings.

O'Dea's contribution to Education a lasting legacy

trevor.kenney — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 21:44:54 +0000

Finding a way to coax Dr. Jane O'Dea to talk about herself as she reflects on her 10 years as dean of the Faculty of Education is a lesson in futility. Only within the context of describing the faculty's achievements will she discuss her stewardship, and even then, she'll deflect credit away from the individual to that of the collective.

"It's not so much what I achieved over the 10 years, rather it's what we all achieved together," says O'Dea.

"I'm tremendously proud of the things we accomplished because they were achievements that involved every single faculty member and all of our support staff."

Recognizing she was inheriting a faculty with a long and proud tradition, and balancing that with a need to create new and innovative programming that would reflect emerging educational challenges was a juggling act that O'Dea mastered.

"I was tremendously fortunate to become dean of a faculty that has a fabulous tradition of collaboration and partnership with the professional community," she says of the faculty relationship with Alberta Education's Zone 6 schools and teachers. "That isn't something I brought about, that's something the founding members of the faculty created. It was my privilege to come in both as a faculty member and later as dean, become familiar with those structures, realize how important they were and then use that as a foundation to work with our faculty in moving forward."

One of the great legacies of O'Dea's leadership is the establishment of First Nations programming, specifically through the creation of the Niitsitapi Teacher Education and the First Nations, Metis and Inuit (FNMI) graduate programs.

"She made First Nations education one of the priorities of her deanship," says Education faculty member Dr. Cathy Campbell. "She succeeded in developing relationships with the Blackfoot speaking nations, initiating collaborative work and programming with Red Crow College, and bringing issues in First Nations education to the forefront of discussions at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and in the province."

Open Mike - February 2012

trevor.kenney — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 21:04:40 +0000

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge President Dr. Mike Mahon chats about what's happening in the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ community

It has often occurred to me how fortunate we are to have a campus so deeply connected to the Blackfoot Nation and the rich Aboriginal culture of southern Alberta.

It is a heritage we both respect and celebrate, and one that has played and will continue to play a key role in shaping the strategic priorities of the institution as we move forward.

Just recently, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ announced an exciting collaboration with the Métis Nation of Alberta, creating a $1 million endowment fund for students of Métis heritage. With close to 100 Métis students currently enrolled at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, this fund will not only support those already on campus, but it will encourage future generations of Métis students to pursue post-secondary education.

Creating an inclusive campus that is open to exploring and celebrating its Aboriginal heritage is a goal we should all share.

This week, another major announcement in support of our First Nations, Métis and Inuit (FNMI) students is forthcoming.

This has long been a priority of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, and as we look forward, it is essential we create a campus wide framework for recruiting and supporting Blackfoot and FNMI students.

The U of L can be proud of the fact it established the first Department of Native American Studies in the country, and that we have initiated the Niitsatapi First Nations program in education, the First Nations Governance Program in management and the First Nations Transitions Program in arts & science. It is now time to harness that energy and develop an overarching strategy that creates support for FNMI students, faculty, staff and community members.

Dr. Leroy Little Bear and Dr. Jane O'Dea, with support from Roy Weaselfat of Red Crow College, have been exploring that model. They have been talking to people across campus about what support systems for our FNMI population need further expansion with the goal of making the U of L a highly inclusive and highly welcoming campus.

We also want to create an environment across the university that understands the importance a supportive atmosphere can play in the lives of faculty, staff and students.

A report about their findings is forthcoming, and I anticipate one of the recommendations to be the establishment of a centre grounded in the ideals and values of the Blackfoot Nation. This centre would come with significant support and guidance from Blackfoot elders, and its vision would be integrated into the next Strategic Plan as it is developed over the coming months.

This is a responsibility that the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ takes very seriously. We are a community leader, and it is important we accept our role as such. It is one of the reasons we so willingly co-sponsored the recent Diversity Lethbridge conference, to not only push the ideal of a welcoming on campus environment, but to extend that thinking to the community as a whole.

With Native Awareness Week on the horizon, I encourage you to take some time to explore this rich heritage and understand the role we can all play in creating a campus atmosphere that both encourages FNMI students to come to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge and supports their academic pursuits while they are here. Such is an environment that benefits us all.

This column first appeared in the February 2012 edition of The Legend. To view the full issue in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Taking brainwork to the classroom

trevor.kenney — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 18:48:53 +0000

With the launch of the Inclusive Education and Neuroscience MEd program in 2010, one of former Faculty of Education dean Jane O'Dea's long-awaited visions finally became a reality.

Dr. Bryan Kolb, a researcher in the Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience, says he remembers the genesis of the program well, recounting O'Dea's desire to expose teachers to the principles of brain development.

"Jane was eager to take the knowledge that we were generating and somehow apply it to classroom practice," says Kolb, who will be presenting as part of the Faculty of Education Lecture Series in early December.

Dr. Bryan Kolb is eager to share his research with today's educators.

Kolb's talk, Moving from Brainwork to the Classroom, is Monday, Dec. 5 at 4:30 p.m. in Andy's Place (AH100).

The three-year MEd program, the first of its kind in Western Canada, is intended for practicing teachers as well as administrative and leadership professionals. After learning about the latest in neuroscience research, practicing teachers will explore the direct application of this knowledge to the classroom.

"The whole premise of the program is to take the research done by the people in the CCBN and apply it to teaching practices in the classroom," says Sue Bengry, former director of Student Services, Lethbridge School District 51. "It's a school-based initiative."

"Teachers need to know about the principles of brain development in order to understand the impact these processes have on behaviours," says Kolb. "Whereas most of the body develops from a genetic blueprint, the brain develops in response to experiences. So you are your brain."

It's an added body of knowledge that teachers welcome.

"Teachers are eager to learn about the newest neuroscience findings and how they might influence our instructional practices and the design of classroom environments," says Dr. Nancy Grigg of the Faculty of Education. "In the past, we could only assume that kids with learning disabilities had neurological damage or dysfunction."

Having a foundation in brain-based learning allows educators to adapt their teaching methods to ensure the best results, essentially providing students with practical work-arounds to their learning challenges. Although this particular program is geared towards experienced teachers, Kolb says that in the future, it would be useful to have all education students taking neuropsychology courses.

Translating research into practice is, of course, a complex process.

"But when educators and neuroscientists begin to work together, the gap between neuroscience research and classroom practice starts to close," says Grigg.

New MEd Neuroscience program debuts

trevor.kenney — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 17:05:28 +0000

Brain-based neuroscience research will soon be applied in the classroom through a first-of-its-kind Master of Education program at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.

Combining inclusive education and neuroscience principles, the new Inclusive Education and Neuroscience MEd program offers teachers the opportunity to become their school's expert on children with varying learning and behavioural challenges.

"This unique collaboration between two of the U of L's well-respected academic units brings the experience for the candidates in this program to a whole new level," says Dr. Jane O'Dea, the former dean of the Faculty of Education.

"The candidates receive the best of our Faculty's nationally-respected programming and the benefits of the cutting-edge research that has brought the Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience (CCBN) to a position of leadership in neuroscience research in North America."

"This is a school-based initiative," adds Dr. Nancy Grigg, associate professor and program co-ordinator.

"We're putting our research directly into the classroom. Our neuroscience partners bring data to show us, conclusively, that all kids learn differently – which means we have to develop a wide variety of teaching methods in order to meet their needs. Our goal is to have a direct impact on improving how teachers can help their students."

Grigg says there is a huge level of excitement within the Faculty of Education because of the new partnership.

"Neuroscientists know how the brain works in the critical areas that define how people learn. Educators know about instruction, how schools work, what teachers need. Bringing these fields together is critical."

A key component of this area of study is recognizing how the brain develops and how experiences and genetics work together, says Dr. Bryan Kolb, a world-leading neuroscience researcher at the U of L's CCBN.

Kolb and more than 100 researchers at the CCBN have worked for more than 30 years on revolutionary treatments in brain injury, drug addiction and conditions such as stroke and Alzheimer's Disease.

"Most of the body develops from a genetic blueprint, but the brain develops in response to experiences. So you are your brain," says Kolb.

"Teachers need to know about the principles of brain development in order to understand the impact these processes have on behaviours. Although this particular program is geared towards experienced teachers, down the road it would be useful to have all education students taking neuropsychology courses."

Alberta Minister of Education, Dave Hancock, says that the concept of changing the classroom environment to be more inclusive raises important questions that the U of L's new program will help to address.

"We anticipate that teachers will adapt their curriculum to differentiate instruction based on student needs, but what about students with additional needs," he asks. "How do we provide the tools to further adapt the curriculum so that teachers have a body of resources to draw on when personalizing learning?"

Sue Bengry, director of Student Services for Lethbridge School District 51 (and currently seconded by the U of L Faculty of Education) says the entire premise of the program is to take the research and apply it to teaching practices in the classroom.

"Classes are different today in that they now include an ever growing number of students with diverse skill and ability levels," says Bengry. "The challenge for teachers is to acquire the knowledge and skills needed to meet the needs of all students. I know from experience that teachers really want to do a great job to help students, but they've had to seek out professional development opportunities to meet their growing need."

Bengry's role is to consult with U of L program developers to insure the curriculum meets the needs of frontline educators.

"Administrators and teachers alike can now enhance their knowledge and understanding of diverse needs through this innovative program that explores current research in neuroscience and how it can improve teaching and learning in inclusive classrooms within our schools."

Groundbreaking masters program to impact classrooms

trevor.kenney — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 17:19:19 +0000

Brain-based neuroscience research will soon be applied in the classroom through a first-of-its-kind Master of Education program at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.

"This is a school-based initiative," adds Dr. Nancy Grigg, associate professor and program co-ordinator.

Grigg says there is a huge level of excitement within the Faculty of Education because of the new partnership.

Kolb and more than 100 researchers at the CCBN have worked for more than 30 years on revolutionary treatments in brain injury, drug addiction and conditions such as stroke and Alzheimer's Disease.

"Most of the body develops from a genetic blueprint, but the brain develops in response to experiences. So you are your brain," says Kolb.

Bengry's role is to consult with U of L program developers to insure the curriculum meets the needs of frontline educators.

Significant And Mentionable

trevor.kenney — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 15:46:20 +0000

Chancellor named Citizen of the Year

Widely known as one Alberta's most influential people, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Chancellor Richard Davidson was recognized in May as the Lethbridge Citizen of the Year by the Rotary Club of Lethbridge and the Lethbridge Herald.

"Clearly in his law practice, his work with the Chamber of Commerce, his work with the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge and his work with virtually every other volunteer organization you could imagine, this is one cool dude," says Lethbridge Mayor Bob Tarleck, who also presented Davidson with a key to the city. "This is the highest honour we can bestow upon anyone, and Richard is extremely deserving."

Davidson was appointed a Queen's counsel in 1986 and is a partner at the law firm of Davidson & Williams. In recognition of his many contributions to the community, he has received numerous awards including the Commemoration Medal for the 125th Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada by the Governor General, the Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal, the Alberta Centennial Medal and the Law Society of Alberta Distinguished Service Award for Service to the Community.

U of L at forefront of water hub

World Water Day, on March 22, served as the perfect occasion for federal Environment Minister Jim Prentice to announce $1.5 million in funding for the creation of the Water and Environmental Sciences Water Hub at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.

The Hub, which will be developed over the next two years, will serve as a data repository and will be an authoritative public source of information, providing tools to analyze water and environmental data. This data will be used by governments, industry, academia and the public to make more-informed decisions regarding water, and will create a better understanding of this resource by these stakeholders.

Prentice explains that the government needs reliable water data to make better decisions concerning water.

"To make good decisions, governments in Canada need good information – and it's not as though you can just turn on a tap to get it. We need knowledge generated by scientists and researchers who can provide the evidence for informed decisions about freshwater use," says Prentice.

Ellis welcomed as new management dean

On July 1, Dr. Robert (Bob) James Ellis will join the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge as the new dean for the Faculty of Management.

Originally from Vancouver, B.C., Ellis is an accomplished administrator who successfully bolstered business programs at both the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Northern British Columbia and Wilfrid Laurier ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ.

With a collaborative and visionary approach, he has a strong record of attracting accomplished faculty and raising the research profile of programs. His current research focuses on increasing educational opportunities in society, specifically for aboriginal students in a business environment.

Ellis is looking forward to the creative atmosphere he sees within the Faculty.

"Throughout my career, my focus has always been to try and increase opportunities for students through the development of new courses or new programs," says Ellis. "The faculty at the U of L are very innovative, and I think at the forefront of management thought and action."

Ellis succeeds Dr. Murray Lindsay, who spent the past five years in the position and is returning to the academic community at the U of L.

Education dean O'Dea passes leadership to Loewen

After 10 years of incredible success, Dr. Jane O'Dea will step away from her role as dean of the Faculty of Education at the end of June. And while she is handing the reins of leadership over with plans to return to the classroom, she has no plans to leave the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ.

Dr. Craig Loewen

"Absolutely not. This is a tremendous ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ. I love its size, I love its entrepreneurial innovative spirit and its emphasis on community and student engagement," says O'Dea.

Taking over the Faculty, Dr. Craig Loewen (BEd '84) will serve as acting dean for a two-year term.

A veteran faculty member, Loewen admits he will miss the classroom, but stands firmly in a belief that whatever the setting, teaching is an important calling.

"You're looking after the path, building for the future, caring about the kids of today. I find it really hard to see anything much more important than that," he says. "The person who you are can, at some point, be traced back to a teacher or mentor."

CREATE funding translates to employment opportunities

On June 10, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) announced the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge as the recipient of the CREATE program award. The U of L will be the only institution in Alberta to receive the award this year.

With more than $1.6 million, the CREATE program award provides funding for approximately 50 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral candidates working in satellite and other imaging programs, including photonics, climate change, civil engineering and optical networks.

Through the program, 20 projects will receive $32 million over six years, support that will help science and engineering graduates upgrade their skills to make a successful transition to the workplace.

As part of this, participating students will complete work placements with local, national and international organizations including companies such as Iunctus Geomatics, the Alberta Terrestrial Imaging Corporation, Natural Resources Canada, NASA and several European research institutes.

U of L Vice-President of Research Dr. Dan Weeks says this will give students a strong mix of professional skills development and workforce preparation.

"The exciting aspect for me is the employment rate for graduates," says Weeks. "It isn't unreasonable to expect 100 per cent employment, because we are looking at this as a model that will provide for sustainable training for research workforce preparation."

Top 40 Under 40

Dr. Olga Kovalchuk, a biological sciences and epigenetics researcher at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, can now add recipient of Canada's Top 40 Under 40TM to an already long list of accomplishments.

Dr. Olga Kovalchuk

Canada's Top 40 Under 40TM, a prestigious national award program, annually honours 40 Canadians in the private, public and not-for-profit sectors under the age of 40.

With more than 1,200 nominees, honourees were selected by an independent advisory board based on five key criteria: vision and leadership; innovation and achievement; impact; community involvement and contribution; and strategy for growth.

"This is an outstanding award for Olga, the members of her lab team, for her research collaborators here and literally worldwide – and for our ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ," says U of L President Dr. Bill Cade.

"Olga has worked very hard to bring new research and new programs to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and has influenced countless young researchers. With her husband and research collaborator, Dr. Igor Kovalchuk, they have brought new people with a wealth of international talent to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ community. It is an understatement to say that we are extremely proud of her achievement."

A ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Board of Governors Research Chair, as well as a Canadian Institute of Health Research Chair in Gender, Sex and Health, Kovalchuk focuses her research on the effects of long-term exposure to radiation, and how that exposure changes cellular and molecular structures in animals and people.

Inspired by her experience as a high school student living in Ukraine, only 600 kilometres from the nuclear Chernobyl blast, her work examines how radiation induces secondary tumours in cancer patients, the different effects radiation has on women and men, and what can be done to protect the children of radiation-exposed parents from contracting cancer.

Kovalchuk has also played a key role in working toward establishing an Alberta Institute for Epigenetics at the U of L.

Sakamotos give back

Ron and Joyce Sakamoto

Ron Sakamoto (LLD '03), or "Sak," as he is affectionately known, has presented shows from KISS to Shania Twain. In March, the concert provider and his wife, Joyce, announced a $200,000 donation in support of students in the U of L Digital Audio Arts (DAA) program. The gift will be matched by the Government of Alberta's Access to the Future Fund, bringing the total to $400,000.

Launched last fall, the DAA program is the first of its kind in Canada and produces graduates who are experts in music technology and have skills to integrate with visual media, audio and advanced research.

"The role of audio across all media has changed monumentally from the traditional broadcast media of the past. The culture of audio and visual media is growing and evolving rapidly," says Sakamoto.

"Joyce and I are happy to support students in the DAA program. These are the people who will be superstars in the years to come, and I look forward to the contributions this group will make to the music industry."

To view the entire issue of SAM in a flipbook format, follow this link.

UNews - Jane O'Dea

Record number of Indigenous students graduating throughout Spring 2022 Convocation celebrations

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Inspired and inspiring: Teaching in the Faculty of Education

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Drawing on experience

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Loewen appointed dean of Faculty of Education

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O'Dea's contribution to Education a lasting legacy

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Open Mike - February 2012

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Taking brainwork to the classroom

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New MEd Neuroscience program debuts

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Groundbreaking masters program to impact classrooms

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Significant And Mentionable

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