UNews - Thomas Fox

Westcastle Field Station supports research in diverse areas

caroline.zentner — Thu, 15 Dec 2016 21:00:20 +0000

The ability to conduct field work is essential to ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge students who study topics like mountain snowpacks, changing tree lines and the cognition, behaviour and ecology of wild hummingbirds.

Christine (Michell) Mishra (BSc/BEd’10) called the U of L’s Westcastle Field Station home for two summers while she participated in three different research projects by Dr. Andy Hurly. The research examined hummingbird foraging behaviour to better understand the factors the birds used when they decided which flowers to feed from in an artificial flower patch.

“My experiences at the Westcastle Field Station, as well as other field work I did with other biology faculty, have really benefited me in my career as a high school science teacher,” says Mishra. “I often share stories from these experiences with my students, either to illustrate a point about a biological process, or just to let them know that science is not just something you do in the lab—it can take you to beautiful places and let you experience great things.”

The field station was renovated in 2016, with a second building added to provide dormitory facilities for 23 beds, an expanded kitchen, more lab space, exterior storage, water storage, a fire alarm system and better road access. The field station can now host numerous students and researchers and community outreach programs. The U of L supports the station by directing a portion of its Research Support Fund toward its operations.

Thomas Fox (BSc ’11), who also studied under Hurly, conducted research on wild hummingbirds and their ability to find the same flower time after time. They learned that hummingbirds primarily rely on landmarks close to the flower, although other factors can also play a role. Using the Westcastle Field Station as home base, the study was conducted over two consecutive summers.

“Having the field station as a resource was really great—it was like summer camp for scientists. Being out there gave me hands-on experience engaging with the scientific method in a beautiful setting,” says Fox. “Perhaps the most beneficial aspect for me was having the opportunity to live out there with graduate students and professors from all over the world. I really learned a lot getting to know all those brilliant people!”

David McCaffrey, who’s completing a Master of Science degree under the supervision of Dr. Chris Hopkinson, studies changes in the tree line in the Castle Wilderness Area southwest of Pincher Creek. While he sometimes camps when conducting his research, the U of L’s Westcastle Field Station serves as a launching point.

“As a base of operations and logistics hub, it makes a world of difference,” he says. “It provides us with a kitchen, lodging and a more research-focused atmosphere. I’m thankful to have the station there. I’ve been at a number of field stations around the world and the Westcastle Field Station is on par with any of them. It’s a really great facility.”

McCaffrey uses repeat photographs to study changes in the tree line. Some of the earliest photos come from surveys done more than 100 years ago. His research has revealed that whether a tree line goes up or down depends on topographic features like slope and aspect, which can affect the way the Castle area stores water. His work helps build understanding of long-term water resources in the Oldman River basin.

McCaffrey, and other geography students studying under Hopkinson, have also used the Westcastle Field Station as a base for LiDAR (light detection and ranging) surveys. LiDAR provides a high-resolution data set that allows researchers like McCaffrey to calculate the mass of the trees and, when compared with earlier images, the amount of carbon stored or lost.

Kelsey Cartwright, a Master of Science student under Hopkinson, conducts snow surveys in the mountains of the Oldman River watershed. Having an accurate measurement of the snow pack allows for better predictions of runoff and the potential for floods or droughts. Knowing more about the snowpack, locally and provincially, could help mitigate natural disasters and the costs that go with them. The Westcastle Field Station has provided a convenient mustering point for the work Cartwright has been involved in.

“We had a ton of equipment and tools to keep track of, which was easier to do at the field station than from tents and vehicles, as we did before the field station opened,” says Cartwright.

The Research Support Fund supports a portion of the costs associated with managing the research funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council and Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, such as salaries for staff who provide administration support, training costs for workplace health and safety, maintenance of libraries and laboratories, and administrative costs associated with obtaining patents for inventions.

Dust switch flicked by humans, Hugenholtz

trevor.kenney — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:47:49 +0000

We all know it is windy in southern Alberta, but there are only a few people who can tell you just how windy it is, why it is windy, where it is really, really windy, and what the long term effects of wind are on our environment. The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge's Dr. Chris Hugenholtz is one of those people.

Hugenholtz is jointly shared by the U of L and the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary as the Cenovus Research Chair in the Faculty of Environmental Design, and was recently profiled in the journal Environmental Research Letters.

The story, by editor Liz Kalaugher, is re-printed below.

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In the 1930s the North American "Dust Bowl" saw drought and poor land management result in extensive soil erosion and economic hardship. Since then farmers have introduced measures to cut soil loss and dust formation but it's been hard to track their success.

Now researchers in Canada have found that blowing dust has occurred markedly less often since 1990, indicating that such attempts are working.

"While climate does play a central role in entraining soil particles, it is mostly the actions of humans in the Canadian Prairies that expose or protect the soil," Chris Hugenholtz of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge and ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary told environmentalresearchweb. "Our findings demonstrate an example where human influence on the landscape can 'flick' the dust switch."

Individual farmers, as well as government agencies, have responded to soil erosion by developing programmes to promote soil conservation, says Hugenholtz. Such measures include reducing summerfallow (the practice of leaving fields unused in the growing season) and employing direct seeding to cut down on tillage and the associated disturbance of soil.

Hugenholtz, Thomas Fox and colleagues examined data for the start of the growing season, when most dust occurs, from seven sites in and near the Palliser Triangle.

This is the most arid region of the Canadian Prairies. They found that blowing dust frequency declined between 1961 and 2006, as did climatic wind erosion potential – a ratio of wind power to aridity. The frequency of blowing dust exhibited a significant drop-off from 1990 onwards.

"Initially, we were concerned this step change was not real, but some artefact of changes in data collection around 1990," said Hugenholtz.

"After an extensive search of metadata and many correspondences with scientists at Environment Canada, the federal agency that supplied the data used in our study, we confirmed that it was a real signal of a change in dust frequency."

The link between climate and dust also became stronger after 1990. The researchers reckon that before this date the role of climate was compounded by poor conservation management, leading to higher dust frequency and lower correlation.

But after 1990 the role of climate became more prevalent because the effects of soil conservation initiatives began manifesting across the region. "It is as though land use began cancelling out after 1990, yielding a better correlation with climate," said Hugenholtz.

"Although we were unable to establish a cause–effect relation between dust and land use, we examined agricultural census data and found a steady increase in soil conservation practices since the 1960s, particularly the extent of direct seeding and summerfallow," said Hugenholtz.

"We also found an expansion of soil conservation programmes in the decade preceding the change point. Overall, our findings suggest that soil conservation has had an impact in reducing airborne dust on the Canadian Prairies."

Hugenholtz believes Canadian farmers are now better equipped to handle conditions with moderate climatic wind-erosion forcing than in the past. "Extreme events will always lead to some level of erosion but under moderate conditions the likelihood of dust emission is now much lower," he said.

Projections indicate that the southern Canadian Prairies are likely to dry as climate changes. In the American southwest, scientists have suggested that climate change will bring more dust, which could have major implications for human health and ecosystems.

"At this point it is too early to extend this hypothesis to the Canadian Prairies," said Hugenholtz. "With that said, one of our goals is to establish better empirical relations between climate, land use and dust before applying this knowledge to forecast future conditions. If we can get a sense of future scenarios, we may be able to offset negative impacts by being better prepared."

Students' Union recognizes contributors

trevor.kenney — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 18:03:39 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Students' Union held its annual Recognition Dinner on Friday, Apr. 8 to acknowledge the incoming and outgoing councils, as well as honour those dedicated individuals who contribute so much to the ULSU.

The ULSU award winners are as follows:

Employee of the Year -- Cheri Pokarney

This annual award is presented to the Students' Union employee who has made the most outstanding contributions to our organization over the past year and best displays the values of the Students' Union. The winner of this year has only been with the organization for a relatively short time, but she has come into her position with strength and dedication. She is always willing to help the Executive Council with any questions or concerns, and acts as a driving force for the entire office. The winner this year best demonstrates the core of what the Students' Union is; dedication to students.

John Brockelesby Students' Union Award of Excellence -- Armin Escher

This award is for the General Assembly member who has made the most outstanding contribution to this ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ. As anyone who has met this individual knows, he is extremely passionate and determined. Never one to be shy during General Assembly meetings, he has kept this entire organization accountable. This individual has sat on numerous committees for both the Students' Union and the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and is always ready to be the voice of the students. He also organized the second annual Fashion Drive to raise money for student scholarships. The ULSU is pleased to have had him on the General Assembly this year, and knows he will do great things as the incoming Board of Governors Representative.

Bill Chapman Students' Union Certificate of Distinction -- Eva Gorny

This is an annual award presented to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge student who has shown the most innovation in the area(s) of student affairs, wellness, or any other notable field over the past year. The winner this year is an extremely active student in many ways, especially with the Rotaract Club. She has volunteered at many events and is always looking for new ways to raise awareness for causes she feels strongly about. This year she organized the first ever 12-hour Relay for Life, which raised money in support of the Canadian Cancer Society. This year she was received the 2010 Leaders of Tomorrow Volunteer Excellence Award, given on behalf of Volunteer Lethbridge. She has gone beyond expectations of the average student, and we are so glad that she is part of our community.

Students' Union Helping Hand Award -- Karol Budny

This is an annual award presented to a ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge faculty or staff employee that has made the most significant and lasting contribution to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Students' Union and their members over the past academic year. The winner has always been willing to help out the Students' Union in any way he can. Whether it means lending a hand or a ladder, he is eager to serve the SU in any way possible. He is always positive and so polite to everyone he interacts with and is always quick to respond to any requests the SU has. Any task that this individual takes on is completed thoroughly and promptly, and regularly exceeding expectations.

Outstanding Dedication Award -- Bob Cooney

This award honors the faculty or staff member who demonstrates outstanding dedication to the students of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge. Students are the heart of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, and this individual consistently seeks to make sure the heart is strong. Any time a student or a club needs help with promoting an event he has been eager to help out in ways that surpass his job description. He has even dedicated time to help the Executive Council of the SU learn how to properly handle the media.

Continued Support Award -- Calvin Toth

This is presented to a ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge faculty or employee in special recognition to outstanding dedication to the students of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge. This year's winner continually puts in all of his effort to helping the students. He spends nights, weekends and even lunch hours in assisting students to put on their events. Almost every club has had this individual working behind the scenes for them, and he is always willing to help with any last minute considerations. Never one to give up, he is persistent to delivering quality service.

Students' Union Student Employee of the Year Award -- Dukagjin Berisha

This is an annual award presented to the Students' Union student employee who has demonstrated the most exceptional contribution to our organization over the past year. This individual personifies the values of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Students' Union in all his endeavors and is enrolled as a full-time student at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge. This year's recipient is hard working and always looking for more ways to help out. He goes above and beyond expectations, is extremely reliable and always positive. This person is mindful of the little things and provides great customer service with his polite and conscientious demeanor.

Students' Union Club of the Year Award -- PRIDE Centre

This annual award is to honor the Students' Union ratified club that has demonstrated the most dazzling effort and dedication in its endeavors over the past year. This club should have held numerous successful events and should be in excellent standing with Clubs' Council. This club has attended every Clubs' Council and always coming to up with something new. This club is constantly looking for ways to positively spread their message to the community, and bring a sense of belonging to the students. They are one of the most active clubs on campus, and probably the most persistent.

Students' Union Student of the Year Award -- Thomas Fox

This award recognizes the student who has shown excellent effort and commitment to his or her endeavors over the past year. Our recipient this year has taken on enough activities for an entire committee and still manages to find time for more. He was president of two clubs this year; Amnesty International and the Chess Club, participated in the Student Speaker Challenge, and even had time to serenade the masses at the occasional Open Mic Night. This person has worked closely with the Lethbridge Public Interest Research Group to promote important causes to the student community, such as the Bring your own Bag movement.

Legacy Award -- Taz Kassam, 2010/2011 Students' Union President

The Legacy Award is presented to the President of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Students' Union. It symbolizes the hard work put in by the outgoing council, under the guidance of the President. This year has been quite dynamic, seeing a lot of new events and great incentives. This year council came together to support each other, and a lot of it had to do with the drive and optimism of the President. She is a great communicator and always works for the best interests of the students. The ULSU President is unbelievably organized and an exceptional leader.

Student Speaker Challenge opens

trevor.kenney — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 23:00:59 +0000

The first head-to-head match-up of the 2011 Student Speaker Challenge takes place Tuesday, Jan. 18 in Students' Union Ballroom A, featuring a battle of intellectual heavyweights, Robbie Rolfe and Thomas Fox, as they debate, "What is global justice and how can it be achieved?"

The Student Speaker Challenge is in its third year and is presented in partnership by the Southern Alberta Council on Public Affairs, the Lethbridge Public Interest Research Group, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Students' Union and the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.

The format of the competition will see both Rolfe and Fox present a 15-minute thesis response to the global justice question, followed by an additional 15 minutes responding to questions and criticisms from the judges and audience members. A winner is then selected to advance to the next round. In total, eight speakers begin the challenge.

The judging panel consists of one ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge student, one member of faculty, and one member of the Lethbridge community.

Rolfe is a double political science and economics major who recently completed his honors thesis in political science. He is a former president of the campus Model United Nations Club and a founding member of the Kappa Sigma fraternity.

Fox is an environmental science major who is completing his honors thesis this semester. He is the president of both the campus Chess Club and Amnesty Club. He also is a member of the board of directors for both the Lethbridge Public Interest Research Group (LPIRG) and the Lethbridge chapter of Amnesty International.

The rhetorical duel begins at 12:15 p.m. in SU Ballroom A.

Student undergraduate research award winners

trevor.kenney — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 15:55:09 +0000

Following are the 2010 Student Research Awards for undergraduate students. Please note that some awards might not be listed because the granting agency has not yet given the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ permission to publicly release the information.

AHFMR Summer Studentship Awards
(Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research)

Katie Areshenko, Biological Sciences (O. Kovalchuk)
Elfriede Dyck, Biological Sciences (R. Golsteyn)
Kristyn Kurio, Neuroscience (G. Metz)
Rajat Thapa, Neuroscience (R. Sutherland)
Saif Zahir, Neuroscience (B. Kolb)

Chinook Research Summer Awards

Lowell Ayers, Philosophy (T. Govier)
Lisa Boody, History (L. Kennedy)
Janelle Brodner, Modern Languages (N. Rosen)
Brett Clifton, History (A. Shaw)
Michael De Coste, Physics (B. Seyed-Mahmoud)
Laura Faber, Mathematics & Computer Science (H. Kadiri)
James Falconer, Sociology (A.Kazemipur)
Yang Li, Mathematics & Computer Science (N. Ng & A. Akbary)
Sheena MacInnis, Neuroscience (M. Tata)
Dominic Mudiayi, Chemistry & Biochemistry (H. J. Wieden)
Hugh Ramp, Mathematics & Computer Science (H. Kharaghani)
Dasha Reizvikh, Health Sciences (B. Lee)
Laura Richardson, Anthropology (J. Newberry)
Bethany Schmidt, Sociology (R. Wood)
Rachel Shields, Sociology (C. Malacrida)
Tyler Stewart, Fine Arts (A. Dymond)
Jennifer VanderFluit, Fine Arts (A. Dymond)
Sophia Vathracoulis, Chemistry & Biochemistry (P. Hayes)
Vanessa Wall, Health Sciences (B. Hagen)
Elizabeth Young, History (H. MacDonald)
Amber Zary, Sociology (T. Harrison)

NSERC Undergraduate Student Research Awards
(Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada)

Trystyn Berg, Physics & Astronomy (D. Naylor)
Darcy Best, Mathematics & Computer Science (K. Kharaghani)
Alix Blackshaw, Neuroscience (A. Iwaniuk)
Lisza Bruder, Chemistry & Biochemistry (S. Mosimann)
Mackenzie Coatham, Chemistry & Biochemistry (H. J. Wieden)
Adriena De Visser, Biological Sciences (B. Selinger)
Jarrod Dowdall, Neuroscience (M. Tata)
Shey Eagle Bear, Chemistry & Biochemistry (H. J. Wieden)
Melissa Ferrari, Neuroscience & Physics (A. Cross)
Jason Flindall, Psychology (D. Weeks)
Thomas Fox, Geography (C. Hugenholtz)
Andrea Glover, Chemistry & Biochemistry (P. Hayes)
Dillon Hambrook, Neuroscience (A. Luczak)
Tanner Heggie, Physics & Astronomy (D. Naylor)
Breanne Kamenz, Chemistry & Biochemistry (S. Wetmore)
Fern Leavens, Chemistry & Biochemistry (S. Wetmore)
Elizabeth Millions, Chemistry & Biochemistry (S. Wetmore)
Samuel Neale, Physics & Astronomy (D. Naylor)
Kirsten Rosler, Chemistry & Biochemistry (H. J. Wieden)
Keilan Scholten, Mathematics & Computer Science (A. Akbary)
Jordan Van Dyk, Biological Sciences (E. Schultz)

Alberta Cancer Foundation Studentship

Philip Kubara, Biological Sciences (R. Golsteyn)

2010 student research awards (undergraduate)

trevor.kenney — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 21:30:39 +0000

AHFMR Summer Studentship Awards
(Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research)

Chinook Research Summer Awards

NSERC Undergraduate Student Research Awards
(Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada)

Alberta Cancer Foundation Studentship

Philip Kubara, Biological Sciences (R. Golsteyn)

Students share Millenium Fund

trevor.kenney — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 22:23:42 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Board of Governors recently recognized several students who received new scholarships from the Millennium Scholarship Fund. A total of 15 students shared $73,500 in new and renewed awards. The complete list of scholarship recipients is below.

Alix Blackshaw, BSc, 4th yr (renewal)
Courtney Cann, pre-BA/BEd, 3rd yr (renewal)
Teena Cormack, BA/BEd, 4th yr (renewal)
Gina Deitz BA, 1st yr (new)
Thomas Fox BSc, 3rd yr (new)
Samantha Gilbert, BSc, 2nd yr (new)
Chelsey Gorety, BA/BEd, 3rd yr (new)
Alisha Janiga, BSc/BEd, 3rd yr (new)
Carissa Johnson, pre-BFA (Art)/BEd, 1st yr (new)
Jesse Johnstone, BFA (New Media), 4th yr (renewal)
Randi McDonald, BA, 3rd yr (renewal)
Jerrim Rushka, BFA (New Media), 1st yr (new)
Bethany Schmidt, BA, 3rd yr (new)
Alysha Smith, pre-BMus/BEd, 1st yr (new)
Annette Vandekerkhove, BSc, 1st yr (new)

Students earn bragging rights

trevor.kenney — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 19:54:08 +0000

Score a victory for the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Student Chess Club.

The annual Chess Challenge event, pitting a team of five chess-playing professors against the best players from the student club, took place Mar. 21-22.

An annual event contested since 1998, and perhaps unique to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, the professors were coming off a victory in 2008 and entered this year's contest with their habitual sense of invincibility. They were shocked, however, to be confronted with a student team fortified by new talent and determined to assert their superiority. After 16 games, the students came out on top by a score of 9-7, a point being awarded for each game won.

The victorious student team comprised: Cashe Erskine, Thomas Fox (team captain), Gregory Holmes, Slava Ilnytskyy and Ihor Kurylo. The professors were: Lance Grigg (Education), Igor Kovalchuk (Biology), Vic Rodych (Philosophy), Brian Titley (Education, and team captain) and Paul Viminitz (Philosophy).

The best individual performance in the tournament was by Dr. Igor Kovalchuk, who won all four of his games. The rivalry will be renewed a year from now.

UNews - Thomas Fox

Westcastle Field Station supports research in diverse areas

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Student Speaker Challenge opens

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2010 student research awards (undergraduate)

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