Daily News

April 1, 2008

If you are struggling to retrieve a word that you are certain is on the tip of your tongue, or trying to perfect a slapshot that will send your puck flying into a hockey net, or if you keep stumbling over the same sequence of notes on the piano, be warned: you might be unconsciously creating a pattern of failure, a new study reveals.

March 31, 2008

The Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour hosted its fourth-year Honours Undergraduate Thesis and Poster Day last week. A total of 55 psychology students participated in the event, and their work was displayed in CIBC Hall on Tuesday, March 25.

March 31, 2008

The recently merged Classroom Audio-Visual Services (CAVS) and McMaster University Library is launching a million-dollar classroom renewal project. Provost Ilene Busch-Vishniac and vice-president, Administration Karen Belaire have identified approximately $1 million dollars in funding for the initiative. The money will go towards upgrading and enhancing classroom technologies in approximately 50 classrooms on campus.

March 31, 2008

A major Canadian-led global study has found that a new blood pressure medication is effective in reducing cardiovascular death, with fewer side effects than the current standard of care. The study found a new drug telmisartan is as effective as the popular drug ramipril in reducing cardiovascular death in high risk patients and it has fewer side effects.

March 28, 2008

A major milestone has been reached today as 3,000 employees, formerly known as Roll 1, received their first pay deposit processed through MacVIP. This doubled the number of pay deposits made by MacVIP two weeks ago.

March 28, 2008

McMaster University is joining the global initiative to get people to think about the environment. Staff, students and faculty are being encouraged to reduce energy consumption on campus in concert with this weekend's Earth Hour by shutting off computers, printers, and non-essential devices at the end of business on Friday and for the duration of the weekend.

March 27, 2008

It's officially open. A newly refurbished employee lounge is in full use at the Ivor Wynne Centre. Located on the second floor in the middle of the kinesiology section of the building, this lounge is used by faculty and staff in Athletics & Recreation and the Department of Kinesiology.

March 27, 2008

If you have walked or driven by the David Braley Athletic Centre or Ronald V. Joyce Stadium recently, you will have noticed a great deal of activity and progress. To borrow a phrase from the movie Field of Dreams, "Build it and they will come" is a reality in Athletics & Recreation. At the David Braley Athletic Centre, growing numbers of students, faculty, staff and community members are gaining great benefit from this world-class facility.

March 27, 2008

Former students of McMaster University this morning gave half a million dollars to the David Braley Athletic Centre. The atrium of the Centre will now be known as the Alumni Atrium.

March 26, 2008

The last Celebrity Concert of the season will feature pianists Alla Zacarelli and Vera Danchenko-Stern along with the Gould String Quartet. The McMaster community is invited to join Zacarelli on a musical journey featuring the works of Rachmaninov, Gavrilin, Stravinsky and Dvorak.

March 26, 2008

The provincial government has reinforced its ongoing support for universities with significant investments that will create new opportunities for students and strengthen the ability of universities to make Ontario more competitive and prosperous. "The McGuinty government is making investments that will have real dividends for the province," says McMaster President, Peter George. "The investment of $200 million for the maintenance and renewal of university facilities is part of a $970 million commitment to build places to learn and is a clear indication of the importance this government places on universities and colleges and the critical roles our institutions play in Ontario's future."

March 25, 2008

When Imre Szeman meets with his graduate students, he learns as much from them as they do from him. "Working with graduate students keeps my own ideas fresh," said Szeman, associate professor in the Department of English & Cultural Studies.

March 25, 2008

Media Production Services has recently launched a new, web-based print system called PrintPal that will enable the McMaster community to create documents, review proofs and order printing online, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, from any computer on campus.

March 24, 2008

Anyone interested in seeing what the future holds will want to attend this year's Bell Canada Lecture. Waguih Ishak, vice-president and director of west coast research for Corning Inc., will speak about The Digital Society of the 21st Century on Wednesday, March 26 at 5 p.m. in the Information Technology Building, Room AB102. Ishak will discuss how society is approaching a highly creative era in which digital consumer electronics and life sciences will drive much of high-technology research and products for the betterment of people, society and the environment.

March 24, 2008

A chronic stomach ache may affect how you think. There is a direct connection between the healthy bacteria in your gut and both how well you can think and how you respond to stress.

March 20, 2008

Water is on the minds of many Canadians at the moment, and not just because this Saturday is World Water Day. The record level accumulation of snow laden with imported moisture brought up from the Gulf of Mexico has resulted in snow packed with water: This kind of snow takes longer to melt than the usual lake effect, dry, fluffy snow typically seen around southern Ontario.

March 20, 2008

An international study of immigrant health care professionals may hold the solution to Canada's health care crisis. "People talk about Canada's aging population and express concern about the lack of health care providers for the elderly, but one of the problems is that we may have some difficulties recruiting and retaining people who are Canadian into this field," says lead researcher Ivy Bourgeault.

March 19, 2008

Water is essential to life, but the water we drink to stay alive could also be making us sick. Lesley Warren, associate professor in the School of Geography & Earth Sciences, is studying the interaction between water, rocks and bacteria that can have a negative impact on human and environmental health. "Environmental water quality and public health are inextricably linked," said Warren.

March 19, 2008

Statistics professor Narayanaswamy Balakrishnan is the 2008 recipient of the Don Owen Award for excellence in research and teaching. "Dr. Balakrishnan is an outstanding example of the ideals expected by this important award and reflects both the research and teaching excellence within the Faculty of Science here at McMaster," said John Capone, dean of the Faculty of Science, "and in the spirit of this kind of distinction, Dr. Balakrishnan will be held high as a role model."

March 18, 2008

For the first time, the number of public health nurses in Canada is being documented by researchers at McMaster University -- critical information to have on hand should another outbreak like SARS occur. Of the 320,248 nurses in Canada, 50,557 work in community health positions, according to data compiled by McMaster's Nursing Health Services Research Unit (NHSRU).