Daily News

July 12, 2005

Billions of people tuned into recent Live 8 concert broadcasts, some just for the music, others to support the altruistic cause spearheaded by former Boomtown Rat, Sir Bob Geldof. In today's rat-race climate, what makes some of us look out for each other, while others look out for themselves? According to evolutionary theory, natural selection has designed individuals to behave selfishly; selfish individuals are likely to end up with more resources and therefore more offspring. But many species (including humans, some rock musicians, politicians, and everyday citizens among them) do co-operate.

July 11, 2005

July is "Caring Hands and Cans" month at McMaster. This month, the McMaster Students Union is asking people to reach into their pockets or donate canned goods to the newest service offered by the MSU - the MAC Bread Bin. "We have called on students, McMaster faculty and staff as well as local businesses in the community to embrace students facing financial difficulties by donating canned food, or other non perishables, or monetary donations," says Stephanie Murray, MSU vice-president education, who adds local restaurants also have the option of giving gift certificates.

July 11, 2005

This Thursday (July 14), the section of Forsyth Avenue on the south side of McMaster University Medical Centre (MUMC) parking garage will be closed to permit the final stage of work to be done for the Main Street entrance project. The road closure will remain in effect for approximately five weeks (est. August 18). Access information and detour route info and diagrams are available at: http://fhs.mcmaster.ca/mainstreet/MUMCentrancemap.pdf During the road closure, the new Main Street West entrance to McMaster at Emerson will be open and will serve as the only access route to the hospital's main entrance and Emergency Department.

July 8, 2005

A McMaster University researcher will be leading the Canadian arm of a six-year, 3,300-patient, multi-centre North American study that will evaluate whether the risk of heart attack, stroke and acute coronary syndromes can be further reduced by increasing low levels of good cholesterol (HDL-C), and lowering elevated levels of triglycerides and bad cholesterol (LDL-C).

July 7, 2005

Members of the Job Rating Committee (JRC) originally volunteered to serve for one year. Although some members of the JRC are continuing to serve until the process is complete, others have decided to return to their jobs full-time.

July 7, 2005

Winners of the newly-expanded Concours de Fran

July 7, 2005

When three McMaster MBA students were looking for a co-op opportunity last fall, they couldn't find anything that suited them. So Stephen Weir, Mohamed Bhamani and Nathan Notwell decided to create their own opportunity and launched Focus Business Consulting, a company run by MBA students in their final year of study.

July 7, 2005

The federal government's CANMET Materials Technology Laboratory (CANMET-MTL) will relocate to the McMaster Innovation Park, bringing new opportunities for industry and for Hamilton. It will be the first major federal lab to be located in southern Ontario. The announcement was made this morning by the Honourable Tony Valeri, leader of the government in the House of Commons, and member of parliament for Hamilton East-Stoney Creek.

July 6, 2005

MBA and commerce students from the DeGroote School of Business at McMaster University continue to score among the highest 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. The exam was administered in April 2005 to graduating students. DeGroote's commerce students scored in the 95th percentile in North America. MBAs scored in the 85th percentile. For the first time, a DeGroote student, Christian Kurtz scored perfect on the tests.

July 5, 2005

In Canada, up to 30 per cent of individuals in need of a solid organ transplant die waiting. McMaster University's Kim Jones is taking innovative steps into the field that offers the potential to one day alleviate the chronic, unrelenting and unmet need for organ donation - tissue engineering.

July 4, 2005

Whether or not they're a future Vince Carter, Albert Einstein or Neil Armstrong, students taking part in one of McMaster's summer camps will likely take with them an experience that could change their lives. More than 3,000 elementary and high school students will descend on campus to partake in one of the many camps the University offers over the summer.

June 30, 2005

This Sunday (July 3), McMaster University will welcome 52 of Canada's brightest young high school students from across Canada (and one from Hong Kong) for the award-winning Shad Valley Program, an elite summer camp for science, technology, mathematics and entrepreneurship. Every year, out of thousands of applicants, approximately 500 senior high school students who have demonstrated excellence in academics, recreation, leadership, entrepreneurship and community involvement are chosen to attend one of 11 participating Shad university campuses across Canada - with Trent University being the new one this year.

June 30, 2005

The McMaster campus is a hive of activity these days. Not necessarily academic activity, but tremendous growth with several projects underway. The athletics and recreation complex, the new Main Street entrance, MDCL and renovations to the Burke Science Building are all major initiatives that will greatly enhance the University. Beginning July 5, 2005, work will begin on a new student residence. The 400-bed facility will be located beside Hedden Hall along the west side of the zone 1 parking lot.

June 30, 2005

McMaster University's DeGroote School of Business and St. Joseph's Healthcare have teamed up to host a Disney Institute professional development seminar this fall. "Making the customer experience positive and rewarding has been the key to Walt Disney World Resort success," said business professor D. Wayne Taylor. "This professional development program will help provide participants with proven success strategies that organizations and individuals can use to improve customer service, key in building customer loyalty and enhance results."

June 29, 2005

Since the dropping of atomic bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki there have been severe effects from high doses of radiation. With lasting images and memories, many see radiation as negative, which has led many to fear it. Yet, it is often overlooked that low doses of radiation can be beneficial, such as radiotherapy for cancer patients, diagnostic radiology and nuclear power.

June 28, 2005

The Right Honourable Ellen Louks Fairclough, a much-loved Hamilton politician who became the first woman to be named to a federal cabinet position, was honoured Monday with the unveiling of a postage stamp commemorating her achievements. "Ellen Fairclough was a trailblazer in the area of human rights," said Roger Trull, vice-president of University Advancement. "She pioneered the principle of equal pay for equal work, and worked hard to ensure this right was extended to all Canadians." Being honoured with a postage stamp, said Trull, was an apt tribute to Fairclough, who was Canada's first and only female postmaster general.

June 27, 2005

McMaster's Steve Hranilovic is working at the frontier of an ongoing trend of technological advancement. The assistant professor in the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering studies data communications. Specifically, he studies how light waves can be used as a medium for wireless data communication - a field also known as wireless optical communications.

June 24, 2005

Three exceptional business graduates have made the School of Business' new "wall of acclaim". A recognition wall for the Allan J. Greve - St. Joseph's Healthcare Medal for Excellence in Health Services Management was unveiled Thursday in the Michael G. DeGroote School of Business.

June 24, 2005

Automotive research at McMaster received a boost with funding for three research initiatives in the Faculty of Engineering. The AUTO21 Network of Centres of Excellence announced the funding at a ceremony in Toronto this week. Mo Elbestawi, professor in mechanical engineering and dean of engineering, received funding for research in high-efficiency machining processes; David Wilkinson, professor in materials science and engineering, for research in chemically enhanced formability of automotive aluminum alloys; and Marek Niewczas, associate professor in materials science and engineering, for wrought magnesium for automobiles.

June 23, 2005

For outstanding contributions to the field of organic chemistry, McMaster chemistry professor emeritus Ian Spenser received the 2005 R.U. Lemieux Award from the Canadian Society for Chemistry (CSC). "Spenser has made substantial contributions to organic chemistry through his rigorous and meticulous investigations of the biosynthesis of natural products," said Dalhousie University chemist Robert White, in introducing Spenser's Lemieux Lecture, Biosynthesis of Vitamins B6 and B1: Diversity and Convergence, presented at the CSC conference May 31 in Saskatoon.