Daily News

September 7, 2004

The Institute on Globalization and the Human Condition (IGHC) will begin a new phase of activity with this fall with the arrival of the first class of the MA in Globalization Studies. This new interdisciplinary masters program is the first graduate degree offered in Canada focusing on the study of globalization.

September 3, 2004

This Monday, the McMaster Marauders will open its 2004 season against the Western Mustangs at TD Waterhouse Stadium in London. The Sept. 6, Labour Day game is expected to attract a sell-out crowd of more than 8,000 spectators. Kick-off time is 3 p.m.

September 2, 2004

Sixty lucky students will attend Dave Wilson's Body, Mind, Spirit class this fall. Only a fortunate few were able to register for one of McMaster's most popular classes this summer before it filled after just 20 minutes on the Student Online Academic Registration system. Wilson is not surprised. In fact, it's the same every year.

September 1, 2004

McMaster University will broadcast all games this season on both television and radio. This season, Cable 14 Television will carry six of the eight regular season games including a live broadcast of the McMaster season opener at TD Waterhouse stadium in London on Monday, Sept. 6 (Labour Day) at 3 p.m. Todd Crocker and Don Edwards will provide the commentary.

September 1, 2004

As a new school year draws near, McMaster is busy preparing for the arrival of new and returning students. This weekend, more than 3,300 students will move into McMaster's residences. "The new school term is less than a week away, and like all departments, Housing & Conference Services is busy preparing for the beginning of another exciting year," says Cathie Miller, director of Housing and Conference Services.

August 31, 2004

Wireless technology and worldwide news syndication have revolutionized McMaster's Daily News Web site. A brand new resource for McMaster's news and information launched today (Aug. 31) kicking off several state-of-the-art features. The new site now offers a version designed specifically for wireless handheld devices, an innovative feature that allows users with WAP (Wireless Application Protocol) enabled cell phones or PDAs to access the site without the use of a computer.

August 30, 2004

Sixty years ago on May 3, 1944, a Royal Canadian Air Force's Harvard AJ538 crashed into the waters off Quebec Head, Wolfe Island, near Kingston. Now, members of the Canadian Harvard Aircraft Association (CHAA) are attempting to locate the yellow single-engine trainer, and they've enlisted the help of McMaster University researchers in their search. Along with preserving history, searchers have a more basic goal in mind: obtaining spare parts to keep the remaining old Harvards flying. Joe Boyce, an assistant professor and researcher of geography & geology at McMaster, is working with members of the CHAA Dive Recovery Team on the quest. Boyce is using a marine magnetometer to improve the odds of their search.

August 30, 2004

A major Canadian-led global study has found that the vast majority of heart attacks may be predicted by nine easily measurable factors and that these factors are the same in virtually every region and ethnic group worldwide. The INTERHEART study looked at more than 29,000 people in 52 countries and from all inhabited continents of the world. The study was presented today at the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) conference in Munich, Germany by Dr. Salim Yusuf, a professor of medicine at the Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine at McMaster University and director of the Population Health Research Institute at McMaster University and Hamilton Health Sciences, which coordinated the study.

August 28, 2004

Athens was golden for Adam van Koeverden. He made a second trip to the Olympic podium on Saturday after winning gold in the K1, 500 metre kayak finals. Just the day before a bronze medal had been placed around his neck for the K1, 1000 metre kayak event.

August 26, 2004

A two-month exhibit by Canadian artist Yechel Gagnon opens Sunday at the McMaster Museum of Art. The exhibit, entitled "Palimpsest", is an installation of routered wood panels, columns and frottage. "Gagnon conveys the concept of layering, to produce creations laden with suggestions of myths, tragedies, and vistas of other worlds," says Alexandria Pierce, acting director and curator at the Museum. Curated by Pierce, the exhibit will be on display in the museum from Aug. 29-Nov. 28.

August 25, 2004

McMaster has purchased VIP Software from the award winning Montreal-based software company, DLGL, announced the Human Resources and Payroll Management System (HRMS) Steering Committee. This purchase follows an intensive, two-year consultative request for proposal process that involved a diverse range of McMaster stakeholders and culminated in successful contract negotiations between the University and DLGL.

August 24, 2004

Those looking to scale new heights, set sail, explore history or achieve peace, will benefit from this year's Albert Lager Lecture Series. The annual series of educational lectures and events, named after McMaster graduate Albert Abrum Lager begins Saturday, Sept. 18 with Operation: Alumni Altitude! Family Event. Alumni and families are invited to experience the Alpine Tower, a leadership and teamwork development facility located near the Ivor Wynn Centre.

August 23, 2004

The summer months are known for their opportunities for curling up under a shady tree and spending a quiet hour with a good book. But how do you find that 'good book'? What are the best 'summer reads'? McMaster librarians, one of the campus' most voracious groups of readers, often act as reader advisory groups for family and friends. Vivian Lewis, an associate university librarian in Mills Memorial Library, says, "People will call you up to see what's worth reading. I sometimes feel like we have a responsibility to read all the new things that are coming out and let people know what's good." Below, Lewis and other McMaster librarians share their picks for good summer reads.

August 20, 2004

"Not so exciting, is it? Very boring," shouts Rosie O'Donnell to a curious afternoon crowd trying to figure out why the TV and film star is sitting on a blanket in the middle of McMaster's Faculty Hollow surrounded by a film crew and cameras. Turns out O'Donnell, along with actress Andie MacDowell and actress-turned-director Angelica Huston were on campus this summer to film Slow Ride. The CBS-TV movie is based on the book Riding the Bus With My Sister and stars Andie MacDowell as a New York photographer who makes an effort to bond with her mentally handicapped sister Beth (Rosie O'Donnell) after the death of their father.

August 19, 2004

When five years of studying finally come to an end next year, 24 Engineering & Society students will be putting their education to the test. They're planning to incorporate the engineering theory and practices they've learned into an applied situation thousands of kilometres from home, in rural Guatemala. It's called "Society's Challenge," and it's a new student-initiated group that hopes to apply what they've learned while studying the "human side of engineering." In the next two semesters the students will use their undergraduate thesis projects as an opportunity to study and implement solutions to specific challenges encountered within El Matatazanos, a town with a population of 40,000 people.

August 18, 2004

Marking three decades of innovation in Canada, Xerox Canada announced today a $1-million gift to McMaster University toward the building of a new Centre of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, a first of its kind in Ontario. "This endowment is dedicated to two causes at the heart of Xerox: innovation and entrepreneurship - a source of Xerox's continued success in the marketplace," said Doug Lord, chairman, president and CEO, Xerox Canada Ltd. McMaster President Peter George believes "the commitment of Xerox launches the realization of our vision for the Faculty of Engineering and for McMaster University. Xerox has taken the lead in the creation of a truly innovative School. Its teaching and research will remain strong through close links to business and industry."

August 17, 2004

More than 70 McMaster employees gathered in Gilmour Hall on August 16 for the grand opening ceremony of the new employee lounge. Complete with food, refreshments and what has become the traditional ribbon cutting ceremony, employees gathered in Gilmour Hall B106 to celebrate the renovation. The opening of the Gilmour Hall employee lounge brings the number of new or renovated lounges to nine since the summer of 2001 and those gathered were told that "more were to come" by Karen Belaire, vice-president administration, during the dedication ceremony. Belaire later remarked that "it is very satisfying to see such results arising from the commitment of employee volunteers like the Lounge Steering Committee who ensure the renovations are done, and the lounge stewards who volunteer to ensure that the space in all of these lounges remains in good shape. I think the improvements made to these spaces are an excellent investment in the quality of work life for all McMaster employees." It appears the budget committee agrees as they have once again approved funding for employee lounge improvements for this fiscal year.

August 17, 2004

Hundreds of McMaster staff, faculty and students turned out Tuesday afternoon to get a sneak peak of the new Michael G. DeGroote Centre for Learning and Discovery. Guests were treated to peaches with ice cream crepes at the open house as they wandered the 300,000-square-foot facility. For the open house the first, third and fourth floors of the five-level complex were open to the curious. Over the next two months staff and faculty will continue to move into office and lab space located on the third, fourth and fifth levels. Both the six new classrooms and six new lecture theatres located on the first floor will hold classes for students across all departments and faculties beginning in September.

August 16, 2004

McMaster MBA and undergraduate commerce students have once again 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. DeGroote's commerce students scored in the 95th percentile in North America while the MBAs scored in the 75th percentile. Both sets of scores were consistent with an earlier test in December, 2003. "We are very proud of the consistently outstanding performance displayed by our students. Once again, this is clear evidence of the strong teaching culture and quality of curriculum we possess here at DeGroote," said Dean Paul Bates. "We strive to prepare all of our students well for the future and these results show that we are doing a fantastic job."

August 16, 2004

When classes begin this September, students with semester parking passes will likely make it to class a lot faster than those without. Because of a reconfiguration of Sterling Street, McMaster's Parking and Transit Services encourages students who attend night class to purchase semester passes rather than nightly passes, so that the entry time into campus is reduced. This summer, the City of Hamilton reconfigured Sterling Street to improve pedestrian and cyclist safety and encourage more people to ride a bike or use roller blades to get to campus. With the reconfiguration there is now one incoming lane into campus from Sterling Street.