Daily News

January 22, 2009

The author whose bestselling book created long-lasting shockwaves both inside and outside of China for its investigation of the country's most prominent smuggling case is set to become the next McMaster English and Cultural Studies International Writer-in-Residence.

January 22, 2009

During uncertain economic times, questions about personal finances and investments are front and centre for most individuals. Investors wonder about the optimum compositions of their portfolios while considering which steps they should be taking to limit risk and maximize return.

January 21, 2009

Halton Regional Council has endorsed McMaster's plan to expand to the region, approving a $5 million investment in the Burlington campus project and providing the final municipal funding required for the plan to proceed.

January 21, 2009

Applications to McMaster have risen at twice the rate of the provincial average and the number of students naming McMaster as their first choice has risen by more than 8%. "It's a strong signal that students want to be at McMaster and that the University has the programs, facilities and activities that are high on their list," says McMaster registrar Richard Levin.

January 21, 2009

Second year philosophy student Jeremy Landon and second year English student Shazeen Dhala normally spend plenty of time in McMaster's campus libraries; however, over the next ten days the pair will be taking it to the extreme as they camp out 24-7 in the lobby of Mills Memorial Library to support the 2009 Live in for Literacy campaign, raising money to help construct nine school libraries in India through a charity called Room to Read.

January 20, 2009

Female promiscuity appears to have triggered changes in the type of sperm a male produces, according to new research on fish from central Africa. The study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA, examines how competition for reproduction influences the sperm of many species of African cichlids. These fish have extremely diverse mating behaviours, ranging from strict monogamy to species where females mate with many males in quick succession.

January 20, 2009

McMaster University will be the focus of the hugely popular The Rick Mercer Report, which is set to air Tuesday evening on CBC. Rick Mercer - Canadian comedian and political satirist - was on campus last week for a full day of filming, which included a conversation with McMaster president Peter George, some scuffles on the squash courts, a brush with a bat, a simulated operation with McMaster's robotic patients, some laughs with professor-astronaut, Dr. Dave Williams, and plenty of gags with the students.

January 19, 2009

While many people are familiar with McMaster's large and internationally recognized German Expressionist art collection, few may be aware of the breadth and significance of the McMaster's German Art collection as a whole. Three new exhibitions at the McMaster Museum of Art - Albrecht Durer, Die Brucke and Before the Fall of the Berlin Wall - comprising works by historical and contemporary German masters will set this right.

January 19, 2009

Computers, printers, chairs, desks, filing cabinets and even artwork. If they no longer have a use in your office they might be welcome in another thanks to an auction site developed specifically for the McMaster community.

January 16, 2009

The School of the Arts has announced its new line-up of enriching concerts in the Celebrity Concert Series. The series provides the McMaster community with the opportunity to take in performances by a variety of local and international musicians. The School of the Arts is also hosting a series of free lunchtime concerts throughout February and March. All performances take place in Convocation Hall.

January 15, 2009

Researchers have discovered evidence that blue stragglers in globular clusters, whose existence has long puzzled astronomers, are the result of 'stellar cannibalism' in binary stars. In other words, binary stars are eating each other and turning into a blue straggler.

January 15, 2009

For more than a year, the William J. McCallion Planetarium, which digitally projects a representation of the night sky onto its domed ceiling, has been shuttered while it undergoes a major renovation that includes new equipment, theatre-style seating and the latest in digital technology and computer software.

January 14, 2009

MBA and undergraduate commerce students from the DeGroote School of Business at McMaster University scored among the highest business schools in North America in a recent Major Field Test (MFT) conducted by the Educational Testing Service (ETS) - the largest educational assessment organization in the world.

January 14, 2009

Several McMaster University students have scored the hottest ticket in Washington. Nadia Oryema, Valerie Phoon, Irena Rebalka and Paul Athanasopoulos are among a select group of international university scholars invited to attend the U.S. presidential inauguration of Barack Obama.

January 12, 2009

A new initiative to promote careers in Ontario's video game industry will be launched at McMaster University on January 14 with speakers from Bedlam Games. The Department of Computing and Software is hosting the first Go Into Games (GIG) Speaker Series event organized by Interactive Ontario, a not-for-profit trade organization representing more than 200 members in the digital media industry.

January 12, 2009

Award-winning biochemist Michel Bouvier will speak at the second annual Biology and Pharmacology Program Lectureship. His lecture, G-Protein-Coupled Receptors as Oligomeric Signaling Machines: Insights into the Molecular Basis of Drug Efficacy will focus on his extensive research into G-protein coupled receptors.

January 9, 2009

A start-up company formed by engineering physics professor Chang-Qing Xu that could transform the quality and power needs of TV and computer monitors is receiving $500,000 in funding from the Ontario Investment Accelerator Fund.

January 9, 2009

Living in residence plays a large part in shaping a student's university experience. That's why the role of community advisors is important to the residence system.

January 8, 2009

Medical student Tiffaney Krushel always appreciates learning from patients who are good-natured about allowing students to do an extra exam or ask extra questions to aid their education. Many of her fellow students agree they'd like to be able to show their appreciation with more than a quick thanks and cheerio.

January 7, 2009

The New Year has brought frigid temperatures, snow and a McMaster winter favourite back to campus: Frost Week 2009 has begun! Organized by a number of campus groups, Frost Week is the cold weather alter-ego of September's Welcome Week. Combining winter fun with a showcasing of student clubs and organizations, Frost Week 2009 promises something for everyone.