UNews - Administrative Sciences Association of Canada

Medal winner looking ahead

trevor.kenney — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 17:11:10 +0000

Whether cleaning hallways or helping to clean up the environment, international student and recent master's medal-winning graduate Olufemi "Femi" Aiyegbusi (MSc '13) finds a way to create a lasting impact.

Aiyegbusi, a Nigerian student who completed an undergraduate degree in economics at Obafemi Awolowo ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ in Nigeria in 2005, came to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge to pursue a master's of science in management. His wife, Titi Babalola Aiyegbusi, who is currently working on a master's degree in English, also made the trek to Canada.

Throughout his time at the U of L, Aiyegbusi has supported his family and paid for his education by working as a campus caretaker. Facilities Caretaking Manager Judy Jaeger regards him as one of her best workers and an exemplary student.

Olufemi Aiyegbusi, left, with Facilities Caretaking Manager Judy Jaeger.

"Femi appreciates where he is from and where he is going," says Jaeger. "He is very determined and always thinks of others and how his actions will impact them. He is a great person."

Femi credits his thesis supervisor, Dr. Rossitsa Yalamova, as being a significant force in his success in the master's program.

"Dr. Yalamova was my supervisor and primarily drove me to participate in all the summer schools and conferences," says Femi. "I also wrote and presented papers with her staunch guidance. She personally mentored and exposed me to the field of complex systems and agent-based modelling, and (together with my readers) played a very crucial role in the crystallization of my research trajectory. I was blessed with a committee that genuinely cares about my success."

In summer 2012, Aiyegbusi successfully competed for a full scholarship to attend the Global Sustainability Summer School at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Change Research in Germany. He was one of 20 students selected worldwide and says the experience was a turning point in his master's research.

"It was a really great experience for me," says Aiyegbusi. "I was exposed to so many ideas and perspectives from people in many different disciplines – physics, biology, economics, humanities, sciences, the arts…"

He says the feedback and perspective offered from these multiple sources prompted him to make significant changes to his project work.

"I went there with a 70-page thesis, and I ended up discarding most of it. The people I met asked me so many questions about my work and whether I'd thought about this or that, I really felt I had to make some major changes."

The thesis, The Alberta Carbon Market: An Exploration of Alternative Policy Options through Agent-Based Modeling, attempts to build a framework examining scenarios and recommending solutions for economic growth coupled with low carbon emissions. Carbon markets or carbon trading are voluntary systems that set limits on carbon emissions, allowing member companies to "sell off" emissions credits to other firms when they come in below limits, or to buy additional credits from others if they are high.

While at the Potsdam summer school, Aiyegbusi completed a crash course in computer programming and, using a tool called NetLogo, was able to create a model that would test his theories, allowing him to make recommendations for carbon emissions policy and legislation.

"This has the potential to be a good strategic tool for companies wanting to manage their emissions," says Aiyegbusi. "It's good to get the research out there to people who will use it."

While his thesis focused on the Alberta carbon market, he hopes to eventually see his research applied to the larger, more complex European markets.

"I chose to base the study initially on Alberta, as I felt it would be nice to do something for this community, and we need to understand simple systems first," he says. "Also, there are policy recommendations that could be of benefit to lawmakers. I thought it would be good to have research that informs legislation."

Faculty of Management professor Dr. John Usher, one of the readers for Femi's thesis, characterizes him as "intensely motivated and very focused."

"His MSc course work outputs in my class were thorough and innovative," says Usher. "His thesis work demonstrated both a keen analytical mind and a big-picture strategic orientation to his interest in carbon trading."

Aiyegbusi convocated in May and received the School of Graduate Studies Medal of Merit.

With the success of his thesis work, Aiyegbusi has also been accepted to present a paper at the 2013 meeting of the Administrative Sciences Association of Canada. He will also attend another summer school in the UK on greenhouse gas capture and storage.

Aiyegbusi has additionally distinguished himself by earning a full scholarship to complete a PhD program at top-ranked Bocconi ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ in Milan, Italy, and will commence studies in September 2013. He hopes to eventually pursue a career in academia.

Runte, Amies earn YWCA honour

trevor.kenney — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 22:20:23 +0000

A current ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge faculty member, as well as a graduate and former employee are among the people selected by the YWCA as 2012 Women of Distinction.

Dr. Mary Runte (Faculty of Management) and Sarah Amies (BA '88 with Distinction), currently the program director of Lethbridge Family Services – Immigrant Services will receive their YWCA Women of Distinction Awards on Friday, Mar. 23 along with entrepreneur Vicky Vannatta Miller, lawyer and community volunteer Berga Moen and 87-year-old Edith M. Stewart, this year's "Wise Woman of Distinction."

The YWCA Women of Distinction Awards recognize outstanding women who live and work in southern Alberta.

Through a competitive process, the honourees are chosen from a group of nominations. The awards are based on the candidate's accomplishments, commitment and leadership. The Women of Distinction Awards Ceremony is a wonderful venue to showcase the talent and leadership of women in southern Alberta. Women honoured have been trailblazers, entrepreneurs, innovators, social advocates and volunteers.

Sarah Amies: Woman of Distinction in the Social Advocate category

Sarah Amies emigrated from the UK to Canada in 1974. She attended the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge and graduated in 1988 with a B.A. (Distinction) in Anthropology. She was the co-ordinator of the Applied Studies program at the U of L for nine years and a Student Program Advisor for five years.

In January 2001, Amies became the program director of Lethbridge Family Services – Immigrant Services. She is closely involved with the settlement and integration of new immigrants planning a make a life in Lethbridge, focusing especially on the empowerment and advancement of women with disadvantages. Under her leadership, Immigrant Services has expanded programming and services significantly, growing from a staff of three to 22 at present.

Amies has chaired the Alberta Association of Immigrant Serving Agencies' Communications committee and has well established business and community networks, particularly in the in area of developing and executing innovative community partnerships and collaborations.

She has extensive volunteer service including: Vibrant Lethbridge, Volunteer Lethbridge, Alberta Network of Immigrant Women, National Settlement Modernization Advisory Group, Canadian Coalition of Municipalities Against Racism and Discrimination, Family Violence and Elder Abuse Awareness and Prevention Committee and the Southern Alberta Ethnic Association.

Mary Runte: Woman of Distinction in the Spirit of Women category

Mary Runte has a PhD in Management from St. Mary's ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and an MBA from York ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ. She is an associate professor of strategy and the director of social responsibility in the Faculty of Management at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.

Previously, Runte worked with a variety of nonprofit organizations, including Eastside Young Moms and the Society of Special Needs Adoptive Parents. Gender inequity, work-family balance, social responsibility and business ethics are her particular areas of interest and research, having numerous publications and having received major research grants to study these issues.

Runte was honoured as distinguished speaker for the Work-Life Conference at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Ochanamizu, Tokyo, Japan in 2007. She is the founding Division Chair for the Social Responsibility Interest Group of the Administrative Sciences Association of Canada.

Her tireless support of her students, especially female students in non-traditional fields, and her one-on-one mentoring throughout their academic careers is done on a volunteer basis. She is an incredible role model for students and colleagues alike as she advocates ceaselessly for ethical and principled business behaviour.

The Women of Distinction Awards Ceremony will take place on Friday, March 23 starting at 5 p.m. at the Lethbridge Lodge. The guest speaker is Leela Gilday, aboriginal singer/songwriter and a winner at the Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards.

Call 403-329-0088 or stop by the YWCA for tickets ($100 with a $50 tax receipt).

Ellis named new Dean of Management

trevor.kenney — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 22:18:58 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Board of Governors has appointed Dr. Robert (Bob) James Ellis as the institution's new Dean, Faculty of Management. Ellis follows Dr. Murray Lindsay, who spent the past five years in the position and is returning to the academic community at the U of L.

Originally from Vancouver, BC, 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 track record of attracting accomplished faculty and raising the research profile of the programs with which he has been associated.

"Dr. Ellis is known as someone who is a strong recruiter of talented faculty, and is adept at creating an environment that both supports excellence in teaching and innovative research," says Dr. Bill Cade, the U of L's President and Vice-Chancellor. "He has displayed a unique skill of being able to develop relationships with the business community and subsequently integrate those affiliations into the creation of original programming. We are very pleased Bob has chosen to join our team, and look forward to having him in the community."

With an educational background in psychology, Ellis continues to conduct research in the areas of leadership, teamwork and creativity, and also writes business case studies to capture the issues confronting Canadian organizations. His current research focuses on increasing educational opportunities in society, specifically for aboriginal students in a business environment.

Currently, Ellis is on sabbatical from his role as Chair, School of Business, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Northern British Columbia, a position he has held since 2005. Prior to that, he served in a variety of roles over the span of 24 years at Wilfrid Laurier ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, including Associate Dean of Business: Faculty Development and Research. Ellis takes up his new position at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge on July 1, 2010.

Ellis says he is looking forward to becoming a part of the U of L and the creative atmosphere he sees within the faculty.

"I'm very excited to be joining the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge and becoming Dean of the Faculty of Management," says Ellis. "I've had a lot of administrative experience in my career and my focus has always been to try and increase opportunities for students through the development of new courses or new programs. The faculty here are very innovative and I think at the forefront of management thought and action."

In addition to publishing numerous scientific articles, chapters, and research monographs,

Ellis has served as a visiting professor internationally, both at the Huazhong ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Science and Technology in Wuhan, China, and at Budapest ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Economic Sciences in Budapest, Hungary. A past winner of the Excellence in Case Writing Award, Case Track, Administrative Sciences Association of Canada Annual Conference, Ellis is a member of the Academy of Management, Administrative Sciences Association of Canada and the North American Case Research Association.

Ellis joins the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, and specifically the Faculty of Management, at a keystone moment, as the U of L readies to open Markin Hall, the new home for the Faculty of Management.

"I think it will be a wonderful place to study management education, and for management educators, faculty and staff to work together and exchange ideas about how to create new programs and courses for our students," says Ellis. "It will also be a place of welcome for our community. Having a great facility provides a springboard for building relationships between colleagues and our community, and for developing innovative teaching and research programs."

Ellis holds a BA with first class honours in psychology from Carleton ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ (1974), an MA in psychology from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Waterloo (1978) and a PhD in psychology from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Waterloo (1981).

UNews - Administrative Sciences Association of Canada

Medal winner looking ahead

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