July 16, 2003
Posted on July 16: Not all test subjects driven by paymentsSome people do it because they want to advance science. Others do it because they want to make fast money. If you're willing to be . . .
July 15, 2003
Posted on July 15: McMaster student helps send mail to spaceMcMaster student Michael Kinsner is helping develop a relatively inexpensive means of mailing material back to Earth from the international space station. The fourth-year computer engineering and management student is working with an international scientific team in France, conducting experiments in weightless conditions in an aircraft over France and Belgium -- the so-called "vomit comet" used in astronaut training. The team, led by Kinsner's dad and McMaster alumnus Witold Kinsner '74 (University of Manitoba director of research), includes University of Manitoba master's students Neil Gadhok and Stephen Dueck. The students left for France this past weekend, where they will experience up to 30 episodes each trip of weightless conditions lasting about 30 seconds. The aircraft flies a lengthy parabolic trajectory that's been likened to a roller coaster, producing brief weightless conditions.
July 15, 2003
Posted on July 15: McMaster’s Fireball II team ablaze to try againDespite a disappointing showing at the American Solar Challenge in the United States, McMaster's solar race car, Fireball II — like the Phoenix — will . . .
July 14, 2003
Posted on July 14: She’s a team player with a passionate spirit and a strong allegiance to communityTherese Quigley, McMaster's director of Athletics & Recreation, feels "very blessed" to have lived and worked in McMaster's supportive community for 18 years. And her best years, she vows, are still ahead of her. Quigley's drive and enthusiasm, along with exceptional teaching, coaching and management skills have brought her a long way. Growing up in London, Ontario, in a family of seven children, she remembers sports as her earliest passion. From the age of six, she played competitively and by her twelfth year, tennis had become the major focus. She says, "There were public courts about a block and a half from me and London had a very good junior development program. You didn't have to be wealthy to play and many of the players did not come from families who could afford to pay membership fees. A lot of them became tennis professionals. We played at a high level; it was very competitive. Clearly, my whole career grew from the sporting experiences I had at a young age."
July 14, 2003
Posted on July 14: Wheels fall off Mac’s solar car race bidThere'll be no McMaster University entry in the 2003 American Solar Challenge race between Chicago and California. Fireball II, the university's entry in the 3,700-kilometre . . .
July 11, 2003
Posted on July 11: Better environmental protection means lower health care costs: McMaster studyCities that spend more on environmental protection spend less on health care costs, a McMaster Institute of Environment and Health study shows. In the first Canadian study to ever examine the link between the cost of pollution and health care costs, researchers found that Ontario counties with higher pollution outputs tend to have higher per capita health care expenditures, while those that spend more on defending environmental quality through spending on areas such as sewer and water works, waste management, emergency planning and recreational facilities spend less on health care. McMaster University researchers Michael Jerrett, John Eyles and Stephen Birch, along with University of Waterloo researcher Christian Dufournaud examined data on toxic pollution reported by industries to Environment Canada and all hospital and OHIP billings. These billings covered areas such as surgeries, asthma and cancer treatments and equipment purchases. The researchers studied data from all of Ontario's 49 counties and regions.
July 10, 2003
Posted on July 10: Molding a monk using iron and fireWant to know how to weld a monk? First, you take iron. Then you add fire. Master blacksmith Eddie Payne will show you how today in the Zone 1 parking lot. He is one of 12 artists displaying blacksmith talent at McMaster July 10-13. During the fourth annual CanIRON Conference, called "Share Our Fire", blacksmiths are providing demonstrations on welding, firing and molding iron. Six rows of Zone 1 are blocked off at the north-east side of the lot, north of Les Prince Field for the event. The public is invited to view some of the demonstrations, although most sections are reserved for conference participants. More than 250 participants from North America and Europe are attending the conference, with many staying in residence. "I'm really excited," says organizer Rowlande Rozon, also an artist and blacksmith. "We're expecting a lot of guests from the general public, as well as artists, blacksmiths and galleries." She hopes the conference keeps the fire in blacksmithing alive. "What we're trying to do is make sure the art is passed on and it's not lost on future generations," she says. That is why demonstrations are so important, she says, since artists learn the art by watching and learning from others.
July 9, 2003
Posted on July 9: Old-time distance running meet displays 25 laps of painMcMaster's track will be the site of one of the fastest 10,000 metre events on Canadian soil today. The Hamilton High Performance 10,000 Meter Footrace features 10 Americans, seven Canadians, four Kenyans and one runner from the Congo. The race gets under way at 9 p.m. "Old-time distance running makes a return to McMaster," says meet director Peter Self. "Twenty-five laps of pain will be on display Wednesday night from this high-quality field." The top seed for the event is Peter Ntabo (28:01) a native of Kenya who currently resides in Hamilton. The two seed is a Niagara resident, formerly of the Congo, Giitah Macharia (28:02). The third, fourth and fifth seeds from the United States are Rich Brinker (28:36), Brian Sell (28:36), and Joe Driscoll (28:48).
July 9, 2003
Posted on July 9: New experiential courses for teaching methods in biologyHave you ever considered a career in teaching? Thought about teachers' college? Maybe you're interested in being a TA in the future? McMaster's Department of . . .
July 9, 2003
Posted on July 9: Pharmacists aid patient care, says studyYour doctor hands you a prescription. The pharmacist fills it. Usually, that's the end of it. It shouldn't be, according to Hamilton researchers. They envisage . . .
July 8, 2003
Posted on July 8: Registrar accepts post at OUACRegistrar George Granger announced today that he is resigning his position at McMaster this summer to accept the post of executive director of the Ontario Universities' Application Centre (OUAC). Effective September 2, 2003 Granger will begin his new post at the OUAC offices in Guelph. Reporting to the president of the Council of Ontario Universities, Granger will be responsible for the delivery of a centralized admissions application processing service for Ontario's universities. He will also oversee the development of the Centre's related policies, principals and procedures. OUAC processes applications for all undergraduate programs as well as teacher education, law, medicine and rehabilitation sciences. "George's insightful leadership has been instrumental to the advancements in managing McMaster's recruitment and admissions processes," says provost and vice-president academic Ken Norrie. "His wealth of experience has contributed to the Registrar's Office implementing effective new systems to accommodate the changing needs of prospective and current students, including the special requirements of the double cohort era. George has developed strong working relationships with his staff and people at all levels and we'll all miss working with him."
July 8, 2003
Posted on July 8: Early morning power outagePower was lost in about 20 buildings on campus early this morning, after a transformer compartment in the Ivor Wynne Centre substation exploded. At 3 a.m. Tuesday, two subsequent explosions to one of two transformers in the substation caused a power outage to the entire east and north side of campus. All power was transferred to the other transformer and power was restored to all buildings. Buildings affected by the power outage included east campus residences, the Life Sciences Building, Mills Memorial Library and McMaster University Student Centre. The damaged transformer was removed from the building and the cause of the two explosions is being investigated.
July 7, 2003
Posted on July 7: A diamond in the roughAfter more than 40 years, you might say they've seen it all, except for an independent umpire that is. And it's likely not for the reasons you may think. Sure, there have been battles over the years, and the Phoenix Cup has taken a beating, but players in the McMaster three-pitch co-ed softball league seem to have managed just fine to last this long. This summer, official umpires will take the place of players behind the plate to allow more playing time each night for 21 teams in two divisions. "It made the game go smoothly and eliminated rules and it means I can schedule an extra game a night and also start the games a little later," says league commissioner Andy Duncan. "It's a good-natured group and we don't take it too seriously. The umpires who have done our tournaments have told us they enjoy it. It's a very laid-back league."
July 7, 2003
Posted on July 7: Hindu youth conference examines issues of faithThe hum from the soda machines is a little distracting. So is the squeak of someone moving chairs a floor below. But McMaster University professor . . .
July 4, 2003
Posted on July 4: Hindu faith conference at McMaster SundayIf you need to learn more about the Hindu faith, then you might head down to the McMaster Student Centre this Sunday. The Hindu Students . . .
July 4, 2003
Posted on July 4: On the road feels like homeFinding a home away from home is rare and something to hold on to. It is also something that many Canadian cyclists have been lucky . . .
July 4, 2003
Posted on July 4: Wash your hands before you goRemember your mother always telling you to wash your hands or else you'd get sick? It turns out she was right. The Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care says that hand washing, when done correctly, is the single most effective way to prevent the spread of communicable diseases. The recent Ontario outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) has made hand washing of paramount importance, especially for people visiting or working in health care facilities. Screen, Clean & Go, a new campaign launched in response to SARS, is designed to make everyone aware of the important role they play in infection control and preventing the spread of SARS. Everyone who enters the McMaster University Medical Centre or other health care facilities in the city are being asked to follow three simple steps before coming into the hospital. "People need to be prudent and take a common sense approach," says infectious diseases expert Mark Loeb. "The current SARS situation is under control, but programs such as Screen, Clean & Go will help us continue to fight against another outbreak."
July 3, 2003
Posted on July 3: Museum presents province-wide focus on water in artThis summer, the McMaster Museum of Art presents ArT=H2O, as part of a province-wide water project organized by the Ontario Society of Artists. The exhibition features art from the permanent collection in which water serves as the primary subject or inspiration. It includes significant Canadian art by Jack Bush, Kenojuak, William Perehudoff and York Wilson, as well as works by Utagawa Hiroshige, Ernst L. Kirchner and J.M.W. Turner. The Ontario Society of Artists was founded in 1872 and has long been involved in ecological and environmental issues. O.S.A. Lake in Killarney was dedicated to the Ontario Society of Artists in recognition of their efforts to save Ontario's scenic La Cloche Range from being logged in 1932, a crusade that resulted in the creation of a nature preserve. Now the O.S.A. is focusing on another important natural resource and major environmental concern. This July, more than 70 arts organizations across Ontario, including public and private galleries, artist-run centres and societies will be mounting exhibitions with a common theme and title water.
July 2, 2003
Posted on July 2: Four new Canada Research Chairs study diverse topicsModern Jewish thought and government funding policies for education are some of the diverse areas of study for McMaster's newest Canada Research Chairs. The newly-appointed social and health scientists will also examine the migration patterns of health-care workers in and out of Canada and the social and economic policies that affect children's health. McMaster's newest Canada Research Chairholders are Dana Hollander, assistant professor of religious studies, Canada Research Chair in Modern Jewish Thought; Abigail Payne, associate economics professor, Canada Research Chair in Public Economics; Ivy Bourgeault, assistant professor of sociology and health studies, Canada Research Chair in Comparative Health Labour Policy; and Michael Boyle, professor of psychiatry & behavioural neurosciences, associate member of clinical epidemiology & biostatistics, Canada Research Chair in the Social Determinants of Child Health. This round of chairholders brings McMaster's total number of Canada Research Chairs to 41.
June 30, 2003
Posted on June 30: Alumni Memorial Hall to close for renovations, upgradesAlumni Memorial Hall will close in July and August while it undergoes approximately $1.6 million in renovations and building upgrades. The renovation project will make the building accessible to persons with disabilities, and bring it up to current building codes. The project will also create an appropriate setting for the University Club as a showcase dining and function facility. "Renovation of Alumni Memorial Hall is a significant step towards ensuring a sustainable future for the facility," says Graham Hill, president of the University Club, which occupies most of the building. "Since February, two key events have occurred. First, the University's Board of Governors approved the $1.6 million renovation project and second, a new club manager was hired." During the closure, heating, cooling, water and hydro will be unavailable. Under the City's public health code, the demolition of the washrooms early in the project precludes the operation of a food service facility during the renovation.