Daily News

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.

August 14, 2004

Maroon and gold are familiar colours to McMaster student Adam van Koeverden and alumni Sue Palmer-Komar and Mark Heese. But over the next two weeks, these colours will mean more to them than ever. Maroon, because it will remind them of home and gold, because it's what they want to return with. This month, the athletes are in Athens, Greece, competing in kayaking, cycling and beach volleyball. It's exactly four years after Van Koeverden made a pact with himself -- he was going to Athens in 2004.

August 13, 2004

One hundred and twenty-six incoming first-year students will be staying in Woodstock Hall this weekend to experience a little taste of university life. Horizons: Future Student Leaders Conference is about to begin. The conference aims to help students with their transition from high school to university and explore the extra-curricular opportunities at McMaster, with the goal of helping build and define McMaster's future student leaders.

August 12, 2004

McMaster employees are invited to get a sneak peak and have some peaches with ice cream crepes at an open house for the new Michael G. DeGroote Centre for Learning and Discovery on Tuesday, Aug. 17 from 2 to 4 p.m. "Senior management and the McMaster Employee Spirit Society have planned a sneak peek peach party for the new Michael G. DeGroote Centre for Learning and Discovery," says Karen Belaire, vice-president administration. "We hope all employees will come out for this event, which coincides with peach season and the final stages of construction. A tour of the first floor, which houses six new classrooms and six new lecture theatres, will be available, as well as a peek at some of the other floors."

August 12, 2004

The first stretch of the nine-day Canadian Solar Tour was halted after one of the vehicles was involved in an accident Thursday night. A University of Toronto student was killed in the crash. McMaster's solar car team was part of the tour but faculty advisor John Preston confirmed that the team had already completed its journey for the day and all nine team members were in Waterloo when the accident occurred near Stratford. Additional details can be found in an article in today's Hamilton Spectator. The Solar Tour began in Windsor Thursday morning. Teams were to spend the next nine days traveling 1,700 kms to Quebec City to promote renewable energy technologies. The cars were scheduled to make a stop at McMaster today, but the stop has been cancelled due to the tragedy. [End of story]

August 11, 2004

Year round, the team at the McMaster Solar Car Project works on designing, building and modifying solar vehicles while raising awareness about renewable energy and energy conservation. Friday, Aug. 13 at 1:45 p.m., they will have some help spreading their message as the Canadian Solar Tour rolls onto the McMaster University campus. Beginning Aug. 12 in Windsor, ON, and concluding Aug. 21 in Quebec City, the Canadian Solar Tour will take McMaster's team on a 1,700 km journey in promotion of renewable energy technologies. Throughout the tour, the team will be joined by other students from some of Canada's top universities. Usually in competition, the students from McMaster, University of Toronto, Queen's University, McGill University, and Icole de Technologie Supirieure will work in co-operation to complete the 10-day trek.

August 10, 2004

McMaster's Mehran Anvari will conduct experiments using the latest remote surgical technologies and techniques during a 10-day underwater mission taking place this October. The director of McMaster's Centre for Minimal Access Surgery (CMAS) will guide NEEMO 7 -- a mission that will focus on the demonstration and evaluation of innovative remote technologies.