UNews - Rob Wood

Breadth of institutional research on display with award of $3.7 million of federal funding across disciplines

trevor.kenney — Tue, 15 Jun 2021 21:07:04 +0000

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge research projects from across the institution were supported with more than $3.7 million in funding as the Government of Canada announced a major investment in Canadian science, engineering, social sciences and humanities research.

Today, at the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, announced investments of more than $635 million to support more than 4,800 lead researchers and their teams. This support includes more than 3,400 new grants and grant extensions through the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada’s (NSERC) Discovery Grants program, and 1,315 research projects across Canada through the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council’s (SSHRC) Partnership Grants, Partnership Development Grants, Insight Grants and Insight Development Grants. As well, there were 156 new or renewed Canada Research Chairs (CRC) confirmed at 36 institutions across Canada.

“The investment of nearly $4 million in our institution’s research activities is an investment in our people who drive innovation, spark inquiry and author solutions to some of the biggest issues facing society today,” says Dr. Robert Wood, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s interim vice-president (research). “That each of our five Faculties is represented in these funding announcements shows the depth and breadth of the research activities taking place here on campus and affirms our position as one of the country’s leading comprehensive research institutions.”

In all, 30 different projects are receiving funding support through either SSHRC or NSERC, with values ranging from small awards that support community outreach STEM activities in Destination Exploration (grants of $4,600 and $5,000) to large funding awards for projects such as Dr. Inge Genee’s SSHRC Insight Grant supporting her work in the Department of Modern Languages and Linguistics/Indigenous Studies ($344,779 for Documenting contemporary and historical variation in Niitsi'powahsin (Blackfoot)) and Dr. Majid Mohajerani’s NSERC Discovery Grant supporting his Department of Neuroscience study ($720,000 for researching Spontaneous activity, memory replay and the default mode network).

“From math and computer science to neuroscience, kinesiology, physics & astronomy, chemistry and biochemistry, philosophy, education, music, business, psychology, health sciences, religious studies and English, our researchers are pushing boundaries, training students and making a real difference in society,” says Wood.

The Government of Canada says the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the invaluable contributions researchers make to our country and throughout the world.

“More than ever, this past year has shown that society cannot move forward without the strong contribution of researchers from across Canada and beyond,” says Ted Hewitt, president of SSHRC and Chair of the Canada Research Chairs Program Steering Committee. “Advancing knowledge and insight within and across all disciplines — including social sciences, humanities, natural sciences, engineering and health — is essential to tackling the challenges we face and finding the solutions we need to make Canada healthier, safer, more innovative and more prosperous.”

NSERC Discovery Grant

Amir Akbary, Math & Computer Science, Distribution problems for L-functions and number fields — $105,000

Robert Benkoczi, Math & Computer Science, Facility location optimization with applications in evacuation planning and IoT — $30,000

Chelsea Ekstrand, Neuroscience, Novel approaches for examining functional and structural correlates of naturalistic cognition using functional magnetic resonance imaging — $177,500

Daya Gaur, Math & Computer Science, Fine-grained linear programming based approximate methods for NP-hard problems — $120,000

Paul Hazendonk, Chemistry & Biochemistry, Development of characterization methods for multicomponent mixed phase materials for application in energy and environmental technologies — $120,000

Rob Laird, Biological Sciences, Evolution of senescence in plants — $355,000

Majid Mohajerani, Neuroscience, Spontaneous activity, memory replay and the default mode network — $720,000

Gongbing Shan, Kinesiology, Development of a general biomechanical model for wearables application — $30,000

Locke Spencer, Physics & Astronomy, FarInfrared technology for Experimental Astrophysics — $170,000

(Co-Applicant) Theresa Burg, Biological Sciences, Microstallite Paternity Analyses of Six years of Savannah Sparrow Field Data — $10,000

NSERC Engage Grant

Borries Demeler, Chemistry & Biochemistry, Use of Analytical Ultracentrifugation to Uncover Unique Characterization of Canola Feed Ingredients — $25,000

NSERC PromoScience Science Literacy Week

Valerie Archibald, Dean’s Office, Family STEM activities — $4,600

NSERC PromoScience Supplement for Science Odyssey

Valerie Archibald, Dean’s Office, STEM Explorers on the Go — $5,000

NSERC Research Tools & Instruments

Aaron Gruber, Neuroscience, Next-generation neural recording platform for the Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience — $149,594

Igor Kovalchuk, Biological Sciences, Plant growth chambers to support a new Phytotron Core Research Facility — $148,804

Robert McDonald, Neuroscience, Assessing memory representations in freelybehaving animals with calcium imaging via miniscopes — $122,433

Majid Mohajerani, Neuroscience, Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience Research Cores for High throughput, Automated and Longitudinal Monitoring of Rodents Behaviour and Brain Activity — $149,842

SSHRC Connection Grant

Dan O’Donnell, English, Canada-LATAM Workshop on Open and Inclusive access to research (Taller Canada-LATAM sobre acceso abierto y equitativo a la investigación científica), Santiago de Chile, November 2020 — $25,000

Paul Vasey, Psychology, The Puzzles of Sexual Orientation & Gender Diversity Conference 2020 — $19,279

SSHRC Insight Development Grant

Julia Brassolotto, Health Sciences, Medical Assistance in Dying: Ethical and Policy issues in Southern Rural Alberta — $57,322

Jennifer Otto, Religious Studies, Remembering Anabaptist Martyrs — $23,050

SSHRC Insight Grant

Barbara Bordalejo, English, Canterbury Tales Project Phase 3: Analysis and Publication — $333,000

Inge Genee, Modern Languages and Linguistics/Indigenous Studies, Documenting contemporary and historical variation in Niitsi'powahsin (Blackfoot) — $344,779

Kent Peacock, Philosophy, Sustainability: The Symbiotic Hypothesis — $50,690

Sharon Pelech, Education, Agents in the Field: Exploring the Educational Value of Place-Conscious Pedagogy — $129,602

Janet Youngdahl, Music, Singing all the names of the Prairie Crocus: Building a women's vocal ensemble with an ear to the ground and a heart for relationships — $93,224

(Co-Applicant) Yale Belanger, Political Science, Organisational Changes to Address Homelessness: Lessons Learned from 3 Mid-sized Canadian Cities — U of L portion TBD

(Co-Applicant) Feng Jiao, Dhillon School of Business, Forward Premium Puzzle, International Stock Returns, and Heterogeneous Beliefs — U of L portion TBD

SSHRC Partnership Development Grant

Dan O’Donnell, English, Good things come in small packages: A grassroots Community of Practice for Open and FAIR humanities data practices — $200,000

SSHRC Partnership Engage Grant

Debra Basil, Dhillon School of Business, Communicating effectively with new Latino immigrants — $25,000

New agreement to bring Mexican graduate students to U of L campus

trevor.kenney — Mon, 07 Apr 2014 16:05:51 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge has reached an agreement with Mexico’s national council of science and technology that will see fully-funded Mexican graduate students study at its campus.

Under the agreement, Mexican students who are accepted and enrolled in a master’s or PhD program at the U of L will have a significant portion of their tuition fees and living expenses paid for by the National Council of Science and Technology of the United Mexican States (CONACYT).

Additionally, the agreement will open the door for Lethbridge and Mexican master’s and PhD students to participate in fellowship visits that will last up to one year. These visits are for the purpose of allowing Lethbridge and Mexican students the opportunity to acquire expertise in specific research projects.

“This agreement will provide Mexican graduate students an incredible opportunity to study at our university,” says U of L Dean of Graduate Studies, Dr. Rob Wood, adding that the continued internationalization of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ will benefit all students. “Just as important, these students will enrich our campus through the interactions and collaborations they have with our Canadian students and other international undergraduate and graduate students.”

The U of L is currently the institution of choice for nearly 500 international students representing 87 different countries.

CONACYT is an agency of the Mexican federal Government aimed at strengthening the country's scientific and technological capabilities. Areas of strategic importance for the organization include health, natural resources and the environment, alternative energy, education, social development, information technology, biotechnology, nanotechnology, and transportation. CONACYT administers several funding programs in education for the development of human capital in Mexico.

U of L President and Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Mike Mahon, says agreements like these will have a lasting impact, not only for students, but also for their countries.

“Universities play an important role in building relationships between nations,” says Mahon. “This collaboration will have lasting and positive economic and quality of life impacts that will benefit both Canada and Mexico.”

Building international connections is a key component of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s strategic direction to enhance relationships with external communities, as detailed in Destination 2020 – the U of L’s strategic plan.

Spoulos keeps finding his way back to the U of L

trevor.kenney — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 20:30:08 +0000

If it wasn't inevitable that Doug Spoulos (BMgt '87) would eventually return to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, at the very least it wasn't surprising.

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's associate vice-president (finance) has a deeply rooted history with the U of L, so it seemed only right that circumstance aligned to bring him into the fold once again in spring 2011. He graduated from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ in 1987, previously worked for the U of L, met his wife on campus and has a stepson who chose to come to the U of L from their home in Calgary.

So when it was time to get away from the busy Calgary lifestyle and apply the experience he'd gained in private sector positions, the U of L was there once again.

"We were looking to Lethbridge and this was the perfect job," says Spoulos. "It was a good experience for us in Calgary. I had the chance to work in a couple different industries and when I left I was the vice-president of finance, so I was getting the experience I wanted. But our kids were at an age where we wanted something a little slower and a little more relaxed – this opportunity was too good to pass up."

Doug Spoulos is instrumental in bringing people to the table to discuss priorities in the new budget process.

A chartered accountant by trade, Spoulos had worked the last several years acquiring the broad business experience he'd need for his new role at the
U of L.

"In my last position, I had the chance to work beyond the accounting side of things and look at the business aspect as well, how businesses run and how they operate. That's the more interesting part, because you can sit there and just work on the numbers or you can take those numbers and figure out how to apply them and determine what the business should be doing."

His first order of business at the U of L was to play a key role on the President's Task Force on Budget Process, the mandate of which was to review the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's budget process and make recommendations to the executive team supporting both short and long term planning.

Consisting of President Mike Mahon, executive director representatives Carrie Takeyasu and Chris Eagan, dean representatives Chris Hosgood and Rob Wood, Spoulos and the group sought input from throughout the U of L community on the budget process.

"The number one thing that came out of those meetings was a consensus that people wanted to tie budget priorities to the Strategic Plan," says Spoulos. "They wanted to see a rationale as to why money was going where it was going."

Another emergent theme came from the existing budget committee, its members expressing that the three-year sitting term was not long enough to gain a full understanding of the process to make their contributions effective.

"The basic conclusion we came to was that we already have a group of people who have a good understanding of the budget process," says Spoulos. "Those on the committee should be the people who are responsible for the budgets in their units, the deans and executive directors."

In not wanting to exclude the rest of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ community from the process, the task force recommended that business units and faculty members have input through priority presentations, within their units and faculty councils, that speak to their specific areas.

"It's a build-from-the-ground-up approach when it comes to setting priorities," says Spoulos. "Priority presentations are not about dollars, they're about what priorities you've established in your area. We look at them, the themes, and prioritize them in relation to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's Strategic Plan and decide whether they should be funded. These presentations are open to the entire ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ community. It gives everybody the opportunity to see what is being funded and why. You might not agree with every decision but at least the process is transparent and you can see the rationale behind the decision."

A third key theme of discovery centred on the timing of the budget process. Having always worked on a September to March cycle, Faculties indicated that to hire the most desirable candidates, they needed to start looking for people in November and December, far before they had any idea of what budget dollars were available to them. The cycle has now been adjusted to work from April to October.

"This first year will be a pretty difficult transition year because by the time this recommendation was made, we'd already put ourselves a month behind in the new system," says Spoulos.

As a result, the priority presentation process has been pushed back from June 25 to September.

"At the end of the day, our goal is to make the entire budget process transparent and accessible, so that everybody understands what goes into the creation of the budget," says Spoulos. "We want to make it equitable, so that not only do people have input into the process, but the right people have input."

GET THE FACTS

· The final report from the President's Task Force on Budget Process can be viewed at www.uleth.ca/president

· Spoulos met his wife, Bev, when they both worked at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ previously. She just started a new position at the U of L as an administrative assistant in the Department of Native American Studies

· Spoulos and his wife have three children, two daughters aged 12 and 13, and a son who is entering his second year of psychology at the U of L

· Prior to his first term at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, Spoulos worked at KPMG as a chartered accountant, auditor and manager

This story first appeared in the June 2012 issue of the Legend. For a look at the entire issue in flipbook format, follow this link.

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

Significant And Mentionable

trevor.kenney — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 22:54:14 +0000

HISTORIANS SCORE 100%

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge History Department celebrated 100 per cent participation in Supporting Our Students for the second year in a row.

"This is an incredible accomplishment," says Debi Sandul, who is co-chairing this year's SOS campaign. "Students have always been at the centre of what we do and this demonstrates the continued commitment of the History Department to enhance the student experience and create opportunities."

Supporting Our Students is an annual internal fundraising campaign to raise money for student awards. Faculty and staff donations are matched by the Government of Alberta's Access to the Future Fund, doubling the impact of all contributions.

The goal for this year's campaign is 300 contributions and thanks to the dedication of faculty and staff like those from the History Department, the campaign already has 255 participants.

"This year's campaign is about participation and this group has come together to demonstrate the strength of the U of L community," explains Dr. Rob Wood, the campaign co-chair.

"We are very proud of what we've been able to do as a group and I hope this is just the beginning," says History Department Chair Dr. Chris Epplett, who went on to issue a friendly challenge to other U of L departments.

GRAD STUDENTS HONOURED

When the School of Graduate Studies and the Office of Research Services handed out their Research Excellence awards recently, there were no trophies, only cold hard cash to the tune of more than $700,000, which was shared by 36 student recipients of graduate, doctoral and post-doctoral studies awards.

The investment in research funding directed toward candidates in master's and doctoral programs is critical to help grow the
U of L's research programs and its place as a comprehensive research university.

The research funding was supported by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and Alberta-based agencies Alberta Ingenuity Fund, Alberta Innovates Health Solutions, the Alberta Cancer Foundation, and the Alberta government-funded Ralph Steinhauer Awards of Distinction.

NATIONAL RANKING SHOWS DRAMATIC GROWTH FOR U OF L RESEARCH FUNDING

The U of L is ranked second nationally by Re$earch Infosource in terms of research income growth over the decade 1999-2009 for undergraduate universities – with an overall growth rate from $3.295 million to $15.956 million.

"This is the highest gain of any Alberta school and any Western Canadian school – and we are still growing," says U of L Vice-President (Research) Dr. Dan Weeks.

"These figures do not reflect the additional people we have attracted, the income from this past year or the many new programs that we have launched."

As assessed by RE$EARCH Infosource, the list ranks universities by their research income and research intensity (research funding per faculty member).

ACCESSIBILITY AND INNOVATION LEAD TO RECORD ENROLMENT

This September brought with it the largest student enrolment in the U of L's history. The official enrolment number is 8,472, with the growth being credited to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's dedication to being an accessible and innovative institution.

EDUCATION STUDENTS TAKE A STAND AGAINST BULLYING

The third annual ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Anti-bullying and Cyberbullying Awareness Week was held Oct. 4 to 6. Organized by the Education Undergraduate Society, the event is the only student-organized anti-bullying campaign in Alberta and aims to increase the awareness of cyberbullying and bullying in the community.

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

The anti-bullying campaign highlighted the need for schools to develop policies and procedures related to cyberbullying, while providing teachers with techniques and tools to address the issue.

STUDENTS' UNION HELPING PAINT A BRIGHTER FUTURE

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Students' Union Executive Council worked on their home-improvement skills this past summer by volunteering with Project Paintbrush.

Working with Volunteer Lethbridge and Project Paintbrush, the students laboured to fix up homes for those who are not able. Specifically, the four council members grabbed brushes and aided in painting the exterior of a local home.

Project Paintbrush focuses on assisting seniors and individuals with special needs who are physically and/or financially unable to maintain the exterior of their property. There is no cost to the homeowner and the program operation is based solely on volunteers.

Taz Kassam, SU president, believes that "making positive changes through volunteering in the community provides for greater experiences and opportunities for all. Lethbridge supports its students and it is important for students to support Lethbridge, too."

By taking part in this project, the ULSU hopes to not only spark knowledge of Volunteer Lethbridge and Project Paintbrush, but also showcase the impact volunteering has on individuals and the community.

"At the end of the day, we can look back and realize that we made a difference, and the families are more than grateful for the help," says Kassam.

IGEM TEAM CLEANS UP

A group of ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge undergraduate chemistry, biochemistry and neuroscience students has been awarded a $20,000 international research grant from the Oil Sands Initiative to find a biological solution to improving the environmental sustainability of Alberta's oil sands.

The students are members of the
U of L's multiple-award-winning International Genetically Engineered Machines (iGEM) team, which competes each year at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Boston, Mass. Regarded as the premier undergraduate synthetic biology competition in the world, the conference attracts competitors from around the world but the U of L group was the only team to receive a $20,000 award.

The money will help support the development of a petrochemical-eating bacteria that the group plans to design. If successful, the bacteria could be used to help clean up water in ponds that have been polluted in the refining process.

CONGRATULATIONS

The U of L extends sincere congratulations to the following members of our community for their awards and recognitions this fall.

U of L Chancellor Richard Davidson was named one of the 50 most influential people in Alberta by Alberta Venture magazine.

Dr. Trevor Harrison, sociology professor, was awarded a Fulbright Visiting Research Chair in Canadian Studies at Kennesaw State ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ.

The Honourable Rick Casson, who is a Member of Parliament for Lethbridge and a former U of L employee, was appointed to the Queen's Privy Council of Canada.

Dr. Susan McDaniel, director of the Prentice Institute for Global Population and Economy, was named Vice-Chair of the Council of Canadian Academies' Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC).

Dr. Joseph Rasmussen, biological sciences researcher, was appointed to the National Oil Sands Review Panel.

GLOBE & MAIL REPORT CARD

The Globe and Mail's annual report card on Canadian ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ performance is out and the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge has been given high marks, ranging from B's to A's in more than 80 per cent of 17 categories.

The survey was prepared by higher Education Strategy Associates in partnership with the Globe and Mail, and asked more than 35,000 students 100 questions that were distilled down to the final 17 categories. Individual scores (such as the U of L's) are based on a minimum number of responses from U of L students.

The Faculties of Health Sciences and Management recorded high marks from students for providing a quality education, and "A" level grades were received for the number of small class sizes, the quality of student/professor interaction, and the institution's athletics and recreation services.

"This survey is a solid reinforcement of our strength as an undergraduate university, but we're moving along a new path to become a comprehensive research university – without losing sight of the very important factors that put all of our students first," says U of L President Dr. Mike Mahon.

U OF L'S CANDO PARTNERSHIP NETS STUDENT SCHOLARSHIP

Faculty of Management student Shermayn Menicoche (photo, right) is one of three people to receive a $3,000 National Indigenous Economic Education Foundation (NIEEF) scholarship from the charitable arm of the Council for the Advancement of Native Development Officers (CANDO).

CANDO is an Aboriginal-controlled, community-based group that builds partnerships with educational institutions, Aboriginal leaders and senior corporate and government representatives.

The U of L is now one of nine post-secondary institutions accredited by CANDO to deliver courses that help economic development officers working in First Nations communities obtain an Aboriginal Economic Developer Certificate in addition to their U of L degree.

For a look at the full issue of SAM in a flipbook format, follow this link.

History Department leading SOS charge

trevor.kenney — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 20:07:44 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge History Department is celebrating 100 per cent participation in Supporting Our Students for the second year in a row.

"This is an incredible accomplishment," says Debi Sandul, who is co-chairing this year's SOS campaign.

"Students have always been at the centre of what we do and this demonstrates the continued commitment of the History Department to enhance the student experience and create opportunities."

Supporting Our Students is an annual internal fundraising campaign to raise money for student awards. Faculty and staff donations are matched by the Government of Alberta's Access to the Future Fund, doubling the impact of all contributions.

The goal for this year's campaign is 300 contributions and thanks to the dedication of faculty and staff like those from the History Department, the campaign already has 243 participants.

"This year's campaign is about participation and this group has come together to demonstrate the strength of the U of L community," explains Rob Wood, the campaign co-chair.

"We are very proud of what we've been able to do as a group and I hope this is just the beginning," says History Department Chair Chris Epplett.

"I would like to see more departments on campus with 100 per cent participation. Consider this a friendly challenge."

To accept the challenge and make a donation, visit www.ulethbridge.ca/giving/SupportingOurStudents

SOS campaign full of optimism

trevor.kenney — Fri, 07 May 2010 18:44:03 +0000

Supporting Our Students (SOS) co-chairs Debi Sandul and Rob Wood are remaining positive despite the tough economic times. Drawing on the strong tradition of faculty and staff support at the U of L, these co-chairs are refusing to back down.

"We're all facing some level of economic uncertainty," acknowledges Wood, "but none more so than our students. This is not the time to hold back. This is the time to give more."

In their time on campus, both Sandul and Wood have seen the difficulties students face when pursuing a university education. They can also attest to the difference scholarships and bursaries make.

"Students should be focused on their studies instead of worrying about tuition, rent or groceries," says Sandul. "Students are the reason the rest of us are here, and we need to be a part of keeping them here. Your support allows students to focus on being students by alleviating some of the financial burden."

This year's campaign focuses on addressing the growing student need by educating faculty and staff on how they can make a difference in the lives of our students.

"I hope to lead by example," says Sandul who has been a part of SOS since it's inception five years ago. "I want to raise awareness and educate people on what we're doing and how they can help in a positive way."

"We've got a great team of volunteers this year as well," recognizes Wood. "This group includes representation from across the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, including our campuses in Calgary and Edmonton. Each volunteer will be fostering momentum in his or her own department or unit and helping to build that team spirit that is so important to SOS."

Both Sandul and Wood emphasize that the success of this year's campaign will be measured by the number of donors who give, as well as by the dollars raised.

"The goal for this year's campaign is 300 contributions, but I would like to see many more than that," says Wood.

"I want people to understand that every little bit helps," explains Sandul. "The amount you choose to give is not nearly as important as your participation. If everyone on campus made just a small donation, we'd be able to do some amazing things."

Sandul, Wood and a team of SOS volunteers are out in full force and are asking for your support.

"I am perfectly happy to pester my colleagues for money," jokes Wood.

Consider yourselves warned.

For more information on how you can contribute to SOS 2010, please visit www.ulethbridge.ca/giving/SupportingOurStudents or call ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Advancement at 403-329-2582.

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