UNews - Doug Parker

Shell Canada gift helps ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ revitalize Westcastle Field Station

trevor.kenney — Thu, 26 May 2016 17:18:12 +0000

A group of determined researchers, an innovative project manager and a $100,000 donation from Shell Canada have combined to enhance the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge’s Westcastle Field Station, creating opportunities for expanded research, student training and community outreach initiatives for years to come.

The Westcastle Field Station can now host numerous students and researchers and has the capacity for community outreach initiatives.

“There was always the view that we really wanted to improve this facility so that we could make the most of its outstanding location and the research opportunities it provided,” says Dr. Stewart Rood, a faculty member in the Department of Biology. “Now we have a field station that will allow for those activities.”

Established in the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s initial days, the original field station was constructed in 1970 on a five-acre parcel of land in Castle Provincial Park, just five kilometres from Castle Mountain Ski Resort. It began with a pre-fabricated wood cabin with adjacent wooden pads for canvas tents that were meant to serve as dormitories.

Over the years, safety (bears aren’t easily deterred by canvas) and practicality (generators were replaced with line electricity) led to a number of changes to the site. An ATCO-style trailer was added as a lab to free up dorm space in the cabin and eventually various trailers and campers made their way on site to meet space demands – but they were all seen as stop-gap measures.

The scope of research being conducted at the field station is vast, and the natural setting is inspiring.

“We saw an opportunity to be involved in creating long-term sustainable infrastructure that would benefit both the community in and around Waterton and also those who conduct research in the Castle,” says Ryan C. Smith, senior environmental planner with Shell Canada. “These types of opportunities are very important to us. They help us meet the commitments we make to local stakeholders as well as improve our connection to the surrounding communities where we operate.”

Former psychology professor Dr. Drew Rendall first approached Shell with a funding proposal. The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ then stepped in, and through then Executive Director of Facilities, Doug Parker, secured infrastructure revitalization grant money from the provincial government. A project was born.

The field station now features a second building (Shell Dormitory), accommodates 23 beds and three bathrooms, an expanded kitchen facility, increased lab space, exterior storage, new water storage, a fire alarm system and better road access. The end result is a station that can now host numerous students and researchers and has the capacity for community outreach initiatives.

“We’ve been running field courses in geography, environmental science and biology that were dispersed and scattered around because we had no core facility,” says Rood. “Now we have a viable field station in a prime and accessible location.”

The scope of research being conducted at the field station is vast. From Dr. Andrew Hurly’s study of hummingbirds and memory to Dr. Chris Hopkinson’s work on climate systems and climate change to Rood’s water studies and more, the Castle area offers an extremely valuable environment. Couple that with Shell’s interests in resource extraction and its associated environmental sensitivities and like interests emerge.

“Protecting the environment requires new technologies, new partnerships and new ways of operating,” says Smith. “This partnership with the U of L is a great example of how we can work with an academic institution and also involve those from the NGO world and surrounding communities and come together for a common goal.”

Rood says the industry partnership is extremely beneficial to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and its students.

“If you asked my students a decade after they graduate what they remember, a high proportion of them will remember the field experiences,” says Rood. “Ironically, it’s a very inefficient way to get content across. It’s much easier to present bullet points on a screen in a classroom but those lessons don’t become embedded in the students, they don’t really become a part of who they are. To actually go out and see something and discover its natural place is invaluable.”

Events - June 2011

trevor.kenney — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 20:42:23 +0000

Lectures

June 14 | Wellness Lunch and Learn: Edible and Sustainable Gardening and Landscaping | Jason Baranec and Julia Mitchell (Southern Alberta Permaculture) present tips on positive solutions for a sustainable future. | Noon to 1 p.m., Andy's Place (AH100)

June 22 | International Year of Chemistry Guest Speaker: Dr. Pierre Beaumier Your Health and Your Hair – Hair analysis through screening for essential minerals and toxic elements | 7 p.m., PE250

Performances

June 20 | Sommernacht
Piano duo Bente Hansen and Jesse Plessis present music for two and four hands by Schubert, Corigliano, Brahms, Plessis, Chopin, and The Beatles. | 7 p.m., Lethbridge Public Library

Miscellaneous

June 17 | Doug Parker Retirement Reception | Join Facilities management and staff in offering best wishes to Doug Parker, Executive Director on his upcoming retirement.
2:30 to 5 p.m., Markin Hall Atrium

Honouring long service

trevor.kenney — Tue, 17 May 2011 21:24:26 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ held its annual Long Service Awards and Retirement Recognition Ceremony recently, honouring 116 employees who have completed 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, and 40 years of service. A total of 23 retiring employees were also honoured.

Following is a list of honoured employees.

RETIREES

Art Aitken, Dayna Daniels, Richard Epp, Rex Forsyth, Eldon Gardner, Wolfgang Holzmann, Bill Hudgins, Joan Kendall, Leslie Lavers, Lucie Linhart, Gerald McConaghy, Linda McLeod, Ken Nicol, Seamus O'Shea, Doug Parker, Ramrattie Ramtej, Donna Seyed Mahmoud, Ches Skinner, Philippe Teillet, Linda Van Esch, Wendy Vogel, Nick Wade and Ian Wells

LONG SERVICE RECIPIENTS

40 Years | Maria Draper

35 Years | Chris Charles, Bryan Kolb, Peter McCormick and Gerda VanderFluit

30 Years | Jane Allan, Cheryl Calver, Dayna Daniels, Gayle Durand, Rex Forsyth, Laurel Hamilton, Jay Johnston, Linda Kucheran, Greg Martin, David Naylor, Shari Platt and Leanne Wehlage-Ellis

25 Years | Shamsul Alam, Lana Barton, Bryson Brown, Cathy Campbell, Patricia Chuchryk, Leslie Gatner, Allan Gergel, Nancy Grigg, Tyler Hayward, Mary Anne Hellinga, Wolfgang Holzmann, Bill Hudgins, Margaret Joblonkay, Kas Mazurek, Alice Miller, Richard Mrazek, Thomas Robinson, Doug Ross, Jadranka Smiljanec, Brian Sullivan, Richard Tedesco, David Townsend, Sandy Wiest and Joan Zimmer

20 Years | Patti-Jo Aiken, Linda Anderson, Roberto Aragon-Garcia, Jochen Bocksnick, Carl Budny, James Byrne, Peter Dibble, Deborah Grant, Bill Halma, Andrew Hurly, Janet Macdonald, Karen McCallum, Louise Miller, Al Mueller, Claudia Notzke, Sergio Pellis, Dwayne Pepin, Vern Peterson, Maria Quinteros, Kathy Schrage, Colleen Sullivan, Brian Titley, Donna Townley and Mark Walton

15 Years | Doug Berry, James Dobbie, Jackie Edwards, Lance Grigg,
Michelle Hogue, Marie Matkin, Ian McAdam, Gerald McConaghy, Chris Moroz, Jeff Oliver, Derek Peddle, Michael Perry, John Poulsen, William Ramp, Keith Roscoe, Elizabeth Schultz, Ivan Townshend and Kenneth Vos

10 Years | Louise Arsenault, Stella Baah, Brenda Bell, Donald Birchfield, Ryan Buckman, Jill Cassidy, Lorena deLange, Christopher Epplett, Margaret Forgie, Don Gill, Bill Glaister, Val Hill, Patricia Horrocks, Nancy Hosgood, Frank Huss, Deborah Jarvie, Helen Kelley, Carol Knibbs, Keith Knowles, Josh Korthuis, Christopher Kukucha, Greg Lacey, Corie Lazenby, Wayne Lippa, Karen Mahar, Jeremiah Merkl, Josephine Mills, Joy Morris, Chris Nicol, Chris Picken, Jeremy Pierson, Mike Pinder, Catharine Reader, Michael Robinson, Victor Rodych, Tammy Rogness, Mark Sabo, Robin Schafthuizen, Shelley Scott, Behnam Seyed Mahmoud, Gerry Ste. Marie, Robert Sutherland, William Tietz, Raquel Trillia, John von Heyking, Kevin Ward, Katherine Wasiak, Robert Williams, Barbara Williams, Jim Wishloff, Robert Wood and Jing Zhu

To view the Legend in a flipbook format, follow this link.

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ welcomes senior managers

trevor.kenney — Fri, 13 May 2011 15:53:53 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge is pleased to welcome Elaine Carlson and Chris Eagan to the U of L family as they assume roles on campus left by longtime senior managers Don MacDonald and Doug Parker.

Carlson joins the senior administration team as the associate vice-president, Human Resources, following MacDonald, who is retiring after 13 years of service to the U of L. Carlson was most recently the manager of Employee Relations & HR Consulting and acting director, Support Staff Human Resources at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Alberta.

She led a team of human resource consultants who managed investigations, layoffs, performance management issues and discrimination & harassment complaints, lead bargaining for support staff, and developed HR procedures and processes, among other duties.

Eagan is the new executive director of Facilities, following Doug Parker, who is retiring after almost 30 years of service to the U of L.

Eagan was most recently the director of Facilities Management at Lethbridge College, and in that role was responsible for the day-to-day operation of the facilities, utilities, grounds and other components of the College's campus infrastructure, worked with cross-campus teams to implement several capital planning projects, as well as the development of a campus master plan, among other duties.

Long Service Awards Wednesday

trevor.kenney — Wed, 04 May 2011 15:00:57 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge is holding its annual Long Service Awards and Retirement Recognition Ceremony on Wednesday, May 4, beginning at 1 p.m. in the Students' Union Ballrooms.

A total of 116 employees who have completed 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, and 40 years of service, and 23 retiring employees will be recognized. All employees are invited to the ceremony and reception to honour the award recipients. The reception will include light refreshments.

Following is a list of retirees who will be honoured at the ceremony. For the full list of employees to be recognized, follow this link.

Retirees
Art Aitken, Dayna Daniels, Richard Epp, Rex Forsyth, Eldon Gardner, Wolfgang Holzmann, Bill Hudgins, Joan Kendall, Leslie Lavers, Lucie Linhart, Gerald McConaghy, Linda McLeod, Ken Nicol, Seamus O'Shea, Doug Parker, Ramrattie Ramtej, Donna Seyed Mahmoud, Ches Skinner, Philippe Teillet, Linda Van Esch, Wendy Vogel, Nick Wade and Ian Wells.

UNews - Doug Parker

Shell Canada gift helps ��Ѹ�����Դ���߿�Ƭ revitalize Westcastle Field Station

Related Topics

Events - June 2011

Related Topics

Honouring long service

Related Topics

��Ѹ�����Դ���߿�Ƭ welcomes senior managers

Related Topics

Long Service Awards Wednesday

Related Topics

Shell Canada gift helps ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ revitalize Westcastle Field Station

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ welcomes senior managers