UNews - telecommunications

Schultz Award honours inquisitive spirit

trevor.kenney — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 22:09:12 +0000

Whether the apple struck Sir Isaac Newton on the head or not, history was made. That lone apple tumbling to the ground set off a chain of events that would fundamentally change the way people thought about the physical world.

"Physics is a very recent development in the history of mankind," says Dr. Arvid Schultz, a founding member of the physics department at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge. "The ancient Greeks were great scholars but Aristotle was a long way from understanding Newton's laws of motion."

Evidencing the discoveries made in the last 400 years, Schultz notes, "It's developed quite rapidly yet the effect has been transformational because physics explains the fundamental laws of our world."

While enjoying the beauty of natural phenomena, such as rainbows or star-filled skies, physicists maintain a childlike curiosity and continue asking: how does that work? The progress made in the 20th century is proof of their commitment to finding answers.

Dr. Arvid Schiltz, left, and the first winner of the Arvid Schiltz Award, student Brent Peterson.

"Things like relativity, quantum mechanics and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) have revolutionized modern science and are being practically applied in everyday life," explains Schultz.

The proof can be seen in almost every aspect of our existence. Lasers, for example, were invented in the 1960s and are now used for everything from eye surgery to telecommunications.

"Our instruments are improving and we are gaining great understanding but there are still great mysteries," admits Schultz, whose own research shifted from nuclear physics to astrophysics over the course of his career at the U of L.

Schultz's passion is apparent: although he retired in 1990 and is no longer an active researcher, he maintains a keen interest in the subject matter and visits the department regularly to stay current.

"It's the people that keep me coming back – the faculty and the students," explains Schultz.

It seemed only natural then, that the award developed by the physics department would be named the Arvid Schultz Award.

"The award is named after Dr. Schultz because he cares so much about the subject, the department and the students," explains Dr. Ken Vos, Chair of the physics department. "This award is very characteristic of Arvid."

The award provides a student the opportunity to work with eight different faculty members over the course of a 16-week period, and aims to help familiarize students with the distinct research programs within the department.

"Physics is a love that I have," admits Brent Peterson, a neuroscience student who received the award last May. "I like learning how things work, and that's what this placement was all about."

Since that apple caught Newton's attention, the character of physics research has changed enormously. Nevertheless, this unique award allows students to keep asking "how does that work?", a question Dr. Schultz is still asking himself.

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Generously supported by faculty in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, the Arvid Schultz Award allows a student to work in a variety of areas in modern physics. Open to all first- and second-year students with an interest in physics, the award is given out annually and provides $9,000 for a 16-week term starting in May.

The application deadline is Mar. 2, 2012. For more information, please contact Laurie Scott at laurie.scott@uleth.ca.

Iunctus a field leader

trevor.kenney — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 22:55:55 +0000

Building strong academic and public institutions is fundamental to fostering innovation that will lead to a successful and sustainable technology sector.

As well, strong business communities and research hubs are required to create a viable technology economy to provide jobs for graduates and skilled professionals. In that regard, Lethbridge-based Iunctus Geomatics Corp. is leading the way.

The company, which was founded by U of L alumnus Ryan Johnson (BSc '98, MSc '00) and employs a significant number of U of L graduates, was recently an Alberta Science and Technology (ASTech) winner in the Outstanding Achievement in Applied Technology and Innovation category.

Back Row (L to R) Sam Lieff (BSc '03, MSc '06), award presenter Alex Zahavich – SAIT, Scott Soenen (BSc '03, MSc '06). Front Row (L to R) Brett Michelson (BSc '99), Ryan Johnson (BSc '98, MSc '00, 2005 Alumni Honour Society Inductee).

Since the company was founded in 2000, Iunctus (a Latin mathematical term meaning "to bring together") has developed leading remote sensing products. Among them is the TerraEngine, which facilitates the storage and transmission of large files of digital imagery over the Internet.

Additionally, their remote sensing data is used to create geographical maps and other data for industries including agriculture, disaster management, forestry, telecommunications planning and oil exploration.

Iunctus has two sister companies, BlackBridge, a data centre company, and PrioraNet Canada, a joint venture with the Swedish Space Corporation which operates ground stations.

The company currently employs more than 50 people who support the satellite operations of the German Space Agency (DLR), French Space Agency (CNES), as well as manage all the data over North America for SPOT Image. Iunctus supports the operational requirements of clients across Canada in all segments of land management from commercial to government.

Iunctus is also a partner with the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge in a separate business called the Alberta Terrestrial Imaging Corp. (ATIC) that focuses on developing more commercial applications for remote sensing technologies.

True to its name, Iunctus is literally bringing together the geomatics industry in Lethbridge. Iunctus recently invested $1 million into a partnership with the City of Lethbridge to sponsor tecconnect – an Alberta centre for new commerce in a new facility designed to attract, incubate and develop technology companies through commercialization of their products and services.

"We hope to make a big difference in the community by attracting other technology businesses to our city," says Johnson, the Iunctus president. "We are helping young entrepreneurs by building a hub for technology companies to grow and stay in Lethbridge."

This story originally appeared in the December issue of the Legend. For a look at the full issue of the December Legend in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Gaudet serving the greater good

trevor.kenney — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 16:59:15 +0000

Whether it means taking on the powers that be or courageously facing a room full of "Dragons," Kevin Gaudet (BA '91), federal director for the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF), stands strong in his convictions, a legacy of valour that runs in his family.

"My grandfather, Walthen Gaudet, was the mayor of Charlottetown. He saw public service as a noble profession and lived up to the values of truth, duty and honour. I was brought up that way by my parents," says Gaudet. "They taught me to stand up for what I believe in, and they incubated a curious mind, encouraged it and put up with it."

Gaudet spent much of his childhood moving across Canada with his family, ending up in Lethbridge for his Grade 12 year. After graduating from Lethbridge Collegiate Institute in 1986, Gaudet spent a year studying engineering at Royal Roads Military College in Victoria, B.C., before deciding that was not the path for him.

"I went back to Lethbridge because my family was there. I was aware of the benefits of a liberal arts undergraduate degree so it was a rather easy decision for me to attend the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge. I could stay at home and get a really good quality education," explains Gaudet.

After taking an introductory philosophy course, Gaudet fell in love with the discipline and chose it as a major.

"When I told my parents, they asked me what the hell I was going to do with that, and of course I told them ,'I can do anything I want'," says Gaudet.

He was right. Studying philosophy began opening doors for him from the outset of his education. In his second year at U of L, Gaudet worked as a teacher's assistant for his philosophy professor, U of L President Emeritus Dr. John Woods. He also cut his political teeth that year by winning a seat on school council. Gaudet regards his time at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ in a very positive light.

"The professors were open and friendly and with the smaller size of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ you could actually get in the doors to talk to your professors so that they could prove to you just how wrong you were when you proposed ideas," laughs Gaudet. "Lethbridge has an interesting culture with its agricultural community, influx of foreign students and religious community. It provides the campus a rich diversity of experience, opportunity and thought, all in one place."

Following his graduation in 1991, Gaudet's education and career continued to grow. He spent five years as the director of opposition research for Preston Manning, graduated with an MBA from the Richard Ivey School of Business at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Western Ontario in 2000, and worked for various telecommunications, banking, computer and medical technology companies, performing marketing strategy and government relations.

In 2007, Gaudet began working as the Ontario director of the CTF and became the federal director in January 2008. As director, he is responsible for looking at all policy matters relating to the federal government. The CTF advocates for lower taxes, less waste and a more accountable government. Gaudet does whatever is necessary to get that message out, whether it is planning a rally, or presenting his flat tax message on the television show Dragons' Den.

Gaudet hopes to affect positive change on the national stage and his former professor is proud of the path he's taken since his time at the U of L.

"Kevin's skills are abundantly evident in his work. His policy analyses show an impressive analytical intelligence at work; his television appearances show a cool, elegant and engaging advocate," says Woods. "Kevin Gaudet reflects great credit upon the university that trained him."

GET THE FACTS

• Born in Halifax, N.S., Gaudet has lived in eight Canadian provinces

• He studied logic at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Amsterdam (summer 1990) and is fluent in both English and French

• Gaudet took over for John Williamson as federal director of the CTF

• Volunteering as a scout leader in Toronto, he says his greatest personal accomplishment is, "A very successful marriage and three wonderful children."

UNews - telecommunications

Schultz Award honours inquisitive spirit

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