Daily News

June 1, 2004

Canada's first School for Engineering Practice could be coming to McMaster. Senate approved the proposed school and two associated centres last week, with recommendation to . . .

June 1, 2004

[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/payetteopt.jpg” caption=”Julie Payette”]Curious about what it's like to work and live in space? Canadian Space Agency astronaut Julie Payette will share her first-hand . . .

May 31, 2004

The McMaster solar car team rolled back to Canada recently after three days of intense competition at the 2004 Formula Sun Grand Prix in Topeka, Kansas. Last year, the team put their second generation solar vehicle, Fireball II, through its paces at the American Solar Car (ASC) Challenge, a 10-day race from Chicago, Illinois, to Los Angeles, California. The Formula Sun Grand Prix is a shorter race than the ASC Challenge, lasting only three days. The event challenges full-size solar powered, photovoltaic (PV) cars  similar to those built to compete in national cross-country races  on a 2.1-mile road course. McMaster's team overcame a disappointing showing at the 2003 American Solar Challenge to finish as the top Canadian school and fifth overall at the Grand Prix.

May 31, 2004

Canadian musical icons Daniel Lanois and Jeff Healey, former federal cabinet minister The Honourable Lloyd Axworthy, and astronaut Julie Payette, the first Canadian to board the International Space Station, are among the distinguished recipients who will be given honorary degrees at McMaster University's Spring Convocation ceremonies. These prominent Canadians will share words of wisdom, and music, with members of McMaster's 2004 graduating class of more than 3,000 students during convocation ceremonies to take place June 2 to 4 at the Great Hall, Hamilton Place. The honorary degree recipients are honoured for their contributions in areas such as public service, education and scholarship, creative and performing arts and the McMaster community.

May 31, 2004

[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/Mactavish_Cioran_Rockwell.jpg” caption=”Mactavish, Cioran, Rockwell”]A recent celebration of three phases of Humanities computing at McMaster brought together the founding, current and soon-to-be directors of . . .

May 28, 2004

[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/krywionek2.jpg” caption=”Josh Krywionek “]McMaster University pitcher Josh Krywionek has been selected to the Canadian Student National Baseball Team that will compete at the . . .

May 28, 2004

Rick LeGrand, a recent graduate of McMaster Psychology's PhD program, received the prestigious Brain Star Award for his work on the development of face processing. . . .

May 28, 2004

The community is invited to a town hall meeting tomorrow (Tuesday) on Refining Directions, McMaster's strategic plan that will guide the growth and development of the University over the next five to 10 years. The meeting will take place Tuesday, June 1 at St. Mary's High School (200 Whitney Ave. Hamilton) from 7 to 9 p.m. The meeting will provide an overview of Refining Directions and its implementation process. A panel of community representatives will participate in the program and help respond to inquiries. "A continued commitment to a planning culture has helped McMaster advance its stature as one of Canada's premier universities," says Ken Norrie, provost and vice-president academic at McMaster. "I look forward to sharing this information with you, discussing the important relationships between the University and the surrounding community and welcoming your questions, comments and input to this important process." Copies of Refining Directions will be available at the meeting. The document is also available online at http://www.mcmaster.ca/pres/refining/.

May 28, 2004

McMaster University and St. Joseph's Healthcare announced Thursday the creation of two endowed chairs and a professorship that will have a significant impact on surgical innovation and research. These appointments will serve to benefit patients, community and healthcare in Canada. Mortgage Intelligence/GMAC Residential Funding of Canada, and Johnson & Johnson Medical Products, a division of Johnson and Johnson, Inc., through the St. Joseph's Healthcare Foundation, have each directed $1 million towards the creation of the two endowed chairs, the first in Thoracic Surgery, and the second in Minimally Invasive Surgery and Surgical Innovation. McMaster University is also matching $1 million toward each endowed chair. Additionally, a donation of $1 million from Margaret and Charles Juravinski will set up the Juravinski Surgical Professorship, which will include a specialty focus in thoracic oncology surgery.

May 27, 2004

Peter George, President of McMaster University, today announced that Henry Giroux, an internationally-renowned educator from Pennsylvania's Penn State University has accepted the Global Television Network Chair in Communications in the Faculty of Humanities at McMaster University. He will begin lecturing this fall in the Communication Studies Program and the Department of English. Giroux was named in 2002 as one of the 20th century's top contributors in Fifty Modern Thinkers on Education. He ends a 12-year term at Pennsylvania State University as the Waterbury Chair in the College of Education. He has written more than 300 articles and 40 books and had his work translated into languages around the world. "McMaster's community is extremely pleased to welcome Henry Giroux as Global Television Chair," the McMaster president said. "We have a culture of innovation at our University which is second to none in the country. Henry Giroux is renowned for breaking down barriers in cultural and education studies and we look forward to the explosion of ideas we know he will generate on campus."

May 27, 2004

Five graduating McMaster students are leadership exemplified. For their outstanding scholarship and service to the community, students Gregory Athaide, Sean Park, Dan Freeman, Candy Hui and Sarah Roger, were selected by McMaster President Peter George as recipients of this year's distinguished President's Award of Excellence in Student Leadership. Established in 1993, the award recognizes students who have demonstrated a commitment to the University's belief in excellence in its student body. The students will receive their awards at next week's Spring Convocation.

May 27, 2004

[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/LuLu_Bursztyn_opt.jpg” caption=”LuLu Bursztyn”]McMaster wrestler Lulu Bursztyn has been selected as one of eight Academic All-Canadians by Ontario University Athletics. Bursztyn will be honoured . . .

May 26, 2004

At a special celebration, Hamilton philanthropists Margaret and Charles Juravinski have installed a time capsule at the new Margaret & Charles Juravinski Education, Research & Development Centre, located in the Michael G. DeGroote Centre for Learning and Discovery, which is under construction at McMaster University. The stainless steel time capsule, to be opened in 2054, is filled with memorabilia that highlights Charles Juravinski's entrepreneurial business career, including an original photograph of him as a young man, as well as the tie he is wearing in the photo. Juravinski's professional career began at a construction company and then went on to ownership of a series of businesses, including a gas station, a development company and Flamboro Downs racetrack. "Charles Juravinski has learned much during his long life as an entrepreneur," said John Kelton, dean and vice-president of the Faculty of Health Sciences. "This time capsule will be like time-release medicine. It will do good for our descendents to learn his lessons when it is opened in 2054."

May 25, 2004

McMaster's Faculty of Engineering has appointed Peter Mascher its new associate dean of engineering for research and external relations. In this new position, Mascher will act as a spokesperson and advocate for the Faculty outside of the University. Internally, he is a liaison with the Office of the Vice-President Research and International Affairs and will work with other faculties to identify and initiate large, multi-faculty initiatives to enhance McMaster's research capabilities and reputation. "The creation of this position signals the Faculty's commitment to maintaining and further enhancing its status as one of the most research-intensive engineering schools in the country," Mascher says. "It will allow us to aggressively pursue new opportunities and partnerships, both in the academic environment and with industry. Among the most notable are initiatives in the areas of biomedical engineering, micro- and nanosystems, engineering design, energy systems, and environmental engineering and public policy."

May 21, 2004

A prestigious Killam Fellowship is helping pave the way for McMaster honours arts & science student Theresa Enright. Enright was awarded $5,000 to study at the American University in Washington D.C. in the 2004/05 winter semester, an opportunity she says will help her towards a career in international diplomacy or law. "I am really honoured to be chosen for this scholarship and think that it's a fantastic opportunity for personal and academic growth," she says of the cross-border undergraduate scholarship and exchange program. "One of the goals of the award is to foster relations between Canada and the United States, and I am hoping that through the exchange, I will gain a greater understanding of the relationships that exist between these countries. As I will be living in Washington D.C., I will be able to witness the Canadian-American dynamic on a political level, but on a social and cultural level as well. I am considering a career in international law or diplomacy, and I hope that this exchange will help me on that path."

May 21, 2004

The Joint Job Evaluation Steering Committee (JJESC), established by McMaster University and the McMaster University Staff Association (MUSA), has completed development of the new job . . .

May 21, 2004

Want an excuse to get fit, help the environment, and have fun? The Commuter Challenge is the answer. McMaster University is once again joining the City of Hamilton's efforts in the Commuter Challenge, an Environment Week event that encourages Canadians from St. John's to Victoria to try more active, sustainable forms of transportation. It all takes place May 30 to June 5, 2004. On Wednesday, May 26, ACT will host an Active Transportation Fair from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the McMaster University Student Centre (MUSC) marketplace. The fair will feature informative speakers, a "Foot First Fashion Show", vendors and other activities.

May 21, 2004

On Tuesday, May 25, the McMaster cross country program will host the Marauder Invitational 5,000 meter track race as part of the 2004 Hamilton Summer . . .

May 21, 2004

It's 5:30 a.m. and Lou Ariano leaves his Bloor Street home in downtown Toronto. At about 6:15 a.m. he arrives on McMaster's campus and heads for the Pulse, where he works out for an hour before getting changed into his "registrar's" suit. By 8 a.m. he's ready to help recruit the best and brightest students to McMaster. It's a routine he's grown accustomed to since starting his job as university registrar Feb. 1. He came to McMaster from York University where he worked as registrar for the past three years. Promoting McMaster is an easy job for him. It helps that he's so impressed by the University. "McMaster has always had a very high profile and a great reputation in Ontario and among Canadian universities. I've been involved with universities in Canada since 1981 and I've always known about McMaster," he says. In fact, it was McMaster's reputation that drew him here.

May 20, 2004

Ontario's current home care policy has led to deteriorating working conditions for home support workers, a decreased number of qualified workers in the Hamilton area, . . .