February 19, 2004

In a place where the future looks dark and uncertain, the light bulb is pure information. This year, for the first time in McMaster's history, the University will be hosting an Undergraduate Communications Conference titled "Breaking the Bulb." Organized by third-year McMaster communications studies students Martin Pahulje and Yvonne Betancur, and supported by the Career Planning and Employment Centre, McMaster Association of Communications Studies Students, the Communications Studies Program, the Faculty of Humanities, and the Centre for Leadership in Learning, this conference has been put together to break down the barriers to knowledge and provide a direction for communications students concerning their future within the field of communications. "Unlike the dramatic inflation of student interest within the program of communications, resources such as scholarships, tutorial services and career initiatives (co-ops and internships), are not reflecting the importance of this program to the University as a whole," says Pahulje. "This conference seeks to rectify this problem by offering students a glimpse into what their communications degree offers."

February 19, 2004

Researchers, graduate students and other key stakeholders at McMaster and in Hamilton are being invited to help the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council transform itself from a granting council to a knowledge council. The federal body, which funds research in the humanities and social sciences at universities across the country, is engaging key stakeholders in discussions across Canada to develop a new blueprint for the organization and to increase and improve dialogue between the council and its stakeholders. A new vision, mandate and structure for the council will emerge from the process, which is designed to rejuvenate the organization and strengthen understanding of the importance of public investment in the human sciences. "SSHRC is embarking on this transformation process, which will involve 12 months of focused public consultation, to re-invent itself as not just an organization that delivers grants but also as a body that imparts knowledge to the nation," says Mamdouh Shoukri, vice-president research and international affairs. "The council is at a juncture in its history. After 25 years and considerable change within our environment and our communities, SSHRC is taking stock of what it currently does and what it wants to accomplish in the future. To do this it is engaging the research community, research users and Canadians -- its key stakeholders -- in public dialogue and consultation. This is an opportunity for McMaster and its communities to contribute to a new vision and future for the council."

February 18, 2004

She's the chief U.S. disease detective, a top sleuth in solving a health mystery at home and abroad. As the director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Julie Gerberding is leading the front lines tackling threats to public health ranging from bioterrorism to SARS, West Nile Virus, mad cow disease and currently avian influenza or bird flu. Gerberding will share her expertise and perspective on Wednesday, Feb. 25, when she presents the annual Redman Lecture at McMaster University in a presentation called "Twenty-first Century Health Threats: Preparedness in a Small World." Gerberding became the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the administrator of the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry in 2002. Prior to her appointment she was acting deputy director of the National Center for Infectious Diseases where she played a major role in leading CDC's response to the anthrax bioterrorism events of 2001.

February 17, 2004

The latest in LCD, plasma and wireless projectors will be on display Wednesday, Feb. 18 at the second annual Emerging Technologies Showcase. Fifteen suppliers, including IBM, Hewlett-Packard, 3Com, Cisco, SMC, AMD, Intel, will showcase information technology (IT)'s latest technologies and trends in the McMaster University Student Centre. "This event will draw attendees from all levels of government as well as the private sector," says Terry Galan, director of McMaster's Purchasing Resources. "With an estimated 500 to 600 attendees, this proves to be the regions premier IT show."

February 17, 2004

HOPE Chair in Peace Through Health Senate approved the terms of reference for a HOPE Chair in Peace Through Health, a position that will encompass . . .

February 16, 2004

This week, students are getting a little r, r & r  reading, rest and relaxation. Students are being given a break from classes and labs Feb. 16-20 during Reading Week'. That means campus will be a little quieter than usual. There are no classes scheduled  classes and labs will resume Feb. 23. All University facilities will remain open, including the libraries, which will operate under regular hours. Hospitality Services will be reducing its operations. Click here for a full schedule of reading week hours.

February 16, 2004

The 2003/2004 McMaster Celebrity Concerts season resumes in the new year with a concert by star mezzo-soprano Judita Leitaite on Feb. 20 at 8 p.m. . . .

February 16, 2004

[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/Waterpolo.jpg” caption=”Women’s waterpolo team”]The McMaster women's waterpolo team captured the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) championship this past weekend at the McMaster pool. The . . .

February 13, 2004

McMaster's Association of Part-time Students (MAPS) is dedicated to helping the University's part-time students cope with the costs of achieving their educational goals. This week, MAPS president Walter Pohl announced the organization's generous $250,000 gift to establish The McMaster Association of Part-time Students 25th Anniversary Bursaries. MAPS is taking advantage of a matching gift opportunity made possible through the second phase of the McMaster Student Opportunity Fund. McMaster created the program in response to a commitment by the Ontario government to match all private sector donations supporting endowed student bursaries. As a result, MAPS' gift will be matched dollar-for-dollar by the province to create a $500,000 total endowment. Each year, the investment income generated by the fund will furnish a variable number of bursaries dispersing funds tailored to the individual financial needs of part-time students. "These bursaries are designed to bridge the gap that currently exists for part-time students in need of financial assistance. They simply are not offered the same access to the provincial and national student assistance program as full-time students are. That's why MAPS is so important. We're working 'full-time' to help McMaster's part-time students," Pohl said.

February 12, 2004

McMaster University's School of the Arts kicks off the Directors' Series 2004 this week with two plays that contribute to Black History Month celebrations on . . .

February 12, 2004

There are only three games remaining in the regular season basketball schedule and the battle for playoff positioning has heated up in the OUA West . . .

February 12, 2004

Approximately 200 people attended a local community meeting Tuesday evening to discuss the community impact of student housing in west Hamilton. Hosted at St. Mary's . . .

February 11, 2004

McMaster's School of the Arts is hosting Directors' Series 2004, a festival of unique shows directed by McMaster School of the Arts theatre & film . . .

February 11, 2004

Love in a cold climate heats up at McMaster this week. Author and historian Cheryl MacDonald will present stories from her recent book, Great Canadian Love Stories, (Altitude Publishing Ltd., 2003) as part of the Albert Lager Event Series at McMaster University. MacDonald, who did much of her research for the book at McMaster, is working part-time on a master's degree in history at the University. MacDonald's research delves into the lives and loves of notables such as Brantford's Alexander Graham (Aleck) Bell and Binbrook's George Johnson, two teachers who fell in love with their students. One vignette examines the romance of Sir John A. Macdonald with his personal secretary's sister. "He was a widower and considered one of the country's most eligible bachelors, not that you might think that looking at his portrait on a 10 dollar bill," said MacDonald. "He had a nice personality and a great sense of humour."

February 11, 2004

McMaster University, Hamilton Health Sciences and Chedoke Health Corporation today announced the appointment of Peter Szatmari, MD, as the first holder of a new chair in child psychiatry. Szatmari, 52, is a professor, vice-chair of research, and head of the division of Child Psychiatry at McMaster University. He is a member of the Offord Centre for Child Studies, and he is a world-renowned expert in the study of autism and pervasive developmental disorders. The new chair, the Chedoke Health Chair in Child Psychiatry at McMaster University, will support Szatmari in his current research. He is leading an international collaboration investigating the genetics of autism, and is conducting a longitudinal study of anxiety and mood disorders in adolescents with Asperger Syndrome and autism. This chair will anchor one of our leading researchers in psychiatric disorders of children, said John Kelton, MD, dean and vice-president of the Faculty of Health Sciences at McMaster. "The importance of childhood psychiatric illness and its impact on society are considerable and Dr. Szatmari will continue his important research." He said the Chedoke Health Corporation's generous endowment comes at a time when the Canadian medical community has identified that the prevalence of child psychiatric disorders that are associated with significant impairment is around 15 per cent of all children.

February 11, 2004

Two conferences exploring the multi-layered character of the contemporary city begin this week at McMaster. The first, "What is the future of Your City?" is a two-part conference initiated by the Art Gallery of Hamilton (AGH), with the first session, "Future Cities and Globalization" scheduled for Feb. 12 to 13. That event will be followed by the Canadian Association of Cultural Studies (CACS) second annual conference, "Culturepoles: City Spaces, Urban Politics & Metropolitan Theory," from Feb. 13 to 15. Imre Szeman, director of the Institute on Globalization and the Human Condition, is working with organizers of both conferences, located at the Downtown Centre. "I believe the conference themes will complement each other," says Szeman. He expects close to 200 attendees at the CACS conference, which boasts 100 presenters over two days and will have representation from every discipline in humanities and social sciences at every Canadian University.

February 11, 2004

McMaster will host the OUA women's waterpolo championship Feb. 14-15. McMaster advances to the championship along with Queens, Toronto and Carleton. McMaster has outscored opponents . . .

February 11, 2004

The former Rathskeller (a.k.a. the 'Rat'), a campus bar that closed two years ago when the new student centre opened, is being transformed into a . . .

February 10, 2004

Brains are buzzing as Hamilton-area high school students prepare for McMaster's first annual "brain bee," a competition that will earn the winner a trip to Baltimore to compete for a honey pot of prizes including a $3,000 US cash scholarship. Judith Shedden, associate psychology professor, is working with undergraduate and graduate students on her "brain bee crew" to co-ordinate the first event of its kind in Hamilton, guaranteeing one participant a chance to compete with 40 other regional winners across Canada and the United States for the international title. "The annual brain bee is a great opportunity for us to share with local high school students our fascination with brain and neuroscience research, and to encourage them to think about making brain research a career," she says. "Our brain bee crew is visiting a number of high schools to talk to students, and during the competition, high school students will have the opportunity to chat with McMaster psychology students about their own brain research."

February 10, 2004

[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/athletics_reception_opt.jpg” caption=”Graduating student-athlete reception”]More than 90 guests attended a reception today (Tuesday) hosted by President Peter George to honour the student-athletes scheduled to . . .