June 9, 2003

For their outstanding contributions to McMaster students, Sue Baptiste, Patricia Solomon, Michael Brook, and Jim Waddington, have been crowned recipients of the 2003 President's Awards. The President's Awards demonstrate the value McMaster attaches to its educational function and recognize those who, through innovation and commitment, have significantly enhanced the quality of learning by McMaster students. The President's Award for Educational Leadership recognizes the contributions of an individual that more generally promote excellence in teaching and learning. The contributions in question may not influence any single course or program directly but have effects well beyond the nominee's own department or faculty. The President's Award for Instruction recognizes the contributions of an individual to education through innovation, achievement or continuing excellence in classroom or personal instruction.

June 9, 2003

One hundred and seventy four McMaster student-athletes were recognized for their outstanding athletic and academic accomplishments at the Seventh Annual McMaster Marauder Scholar Brunch. Student-athletes who are named as Marauder Scholars must have achieved high academic standing while competing for a varsity or club team during the 2002-2003 school year. Also presented where the Dr. Jack Kennedy and the Dr. Mary Keyes Awards. The Dr. Mary E. Keyes and Dr. Jack Kennedy Awards are presented annually in honour of Keyes and Kennedy to a male and female undergraduate student-athlete who best combines outstanding academic achievement and athletic excellence. Candidates exemplify the high ideals of Keyes and Kennedy, including the qualities of excellence, integrity, development of the whole student athlete, and community involvement. Dr. Mary E. Keyes Award Mary Keyes was a key figure in the development of women's sports at McMaster. During her early years on the McMaster faculty, she coached both the women's swim team and women's basketball teams. She served as president of the C.W.I.A.U. and was a key member of the Amalgamation Committee that led to the Union of the C.W.I.A.U. and the C.I.A.U. into a single entity for university sport. From 1981-87, Keyes was the director of the School of Physical Education and Athletics. She held the position of associate vice-president, Student Affairs at McMaster until her passing in the winter of 2002. This year's recipient: Allison Mills, volleyball Mills completed her third year of the kinesiology program this past year while competing for the women's volleyball team. She obtained an 11.5 average (95 per cent) over 30 units, which is equivalent to an "A+" average. She is a three-time Marauder Scholar and has also been awarded the Rose Hill Scholarship, Dr. Harry Lyman Hooker Scholarship, and the Miller Thompson Award for her academic achievement while at McMaster. Hill's ability to juggle her academic and numerous community endeavors while competing at the Varsity level in volleyball is truly remarkable. In addition to being a teaching assistant in first-year anatomy and physiology, she has volunteered at the McMaster Sports Injuries Clinic, Cardiac Rehabilitation Centre, and has found time to volunteer at Prince Phillip Primary School. She has been involved with the McMaster Athletic Council as a team representative and during the summer she has worked with both the McMaster E.X.P.L.O.R.E and Mini-University programs. On the volleyball court she is described by her coach, Tim Louks as, "One of the hardest workers on the team. She applies the same dedication and determination to the volleyball court." Dr. Jack Kennedy Award Jack Kennedy was an associate professor of physical education from 1965-87 and head football coach from 1966-72, guiding his team to the Atlantic Bowl Championship and College Bowl final in 1967. Kennedy was director of athletics from 1969-74 and head coach of the women's ice hockey team from 1976-83 leading the team to O.W.I.A.A. and North American Championships in 1978. Kennedy retired in 1987 after an impressive 34 years of coaching, and passed away in 1999. This year's recipient: Scott Moore, tennis A fifth-year engineering physics and management student and member of the Marauder Men's tennis team, Moore has been a Marauder Scholar every year that he has been at McMaster. He finished the 2002-2003 school year with an 11.1 average over 36 units. Thirty-six units translates into two additional courses above the average that a typical student would complete in an academic year. He is a nominee for the 2002-2003 Chancellor's Gold Medal as well as the recipient of the Atomic Energy of Canada Scholarship, Ray Lawson Scholarship, and Dr. Harry Lyman Hooker Scholarship. Moore graduates with a combined average 11.7 out of 12 or A+ average. On the tennis court, Moore has had an equally successful McMaster career. A nominee for the 2002-2003 Ivor Wynne (Male Athlete of the Year) and Ray Johnson Awards, Scott was this year's OUA singles bronze medallist and also won a bronze medal in doubles. For the second straight season he was the Men's Tennis team Most Valuable Player and for the fourth time in five seasons he was an OUA All-Star. While at McMaster he has won a combined six OUA individual medals and five team medals, including the 1999 OUA Championship and National Championship titles. Moore has also demonstrated his ability to contribute off the court acting as not only the team captain, but as an assistant coach for the past two seasons.

June 6, 2003

McMaster alumni George Koblyk '60, will receive the McMaster Alumni Association Distinguished Award, the highest form of recognition offered by the Alumni Association to its members. He will receive the award at the Alumni Gallery Induction and MAA Awards ceremony June 7 during Alumni weekend. Over the years, Koblyk has held a number of volunteer positions with the McMaster Alumni Association, from holding committee meeting for his class' 25th reunion in his living room to representing the MAA Board of Directors on the University Senate. Koblyk is currently a member of the Alumni Adventures in Continuing Education committee, and was a member of its predecessor, the MACE committee, almost since its inception. He is a creative, enthusiastic and vital member of the committee. However, Koblyk has contributed to and continues to be involved with the MAA in a variety of ways. He has been an on-course' volunteer for every year of the McMaster Pro-Am Golf Challenge and has been either a member of the greeting crew, a reunion volunteer, or a golf cart driver every Alumni Weekend since 1995. Koblyk has also represented the MAA on the President's Teaching Awards committee, the Community Contribution Awards selection committee, and chaired the Stockwell Review Committee on Branches. Perhaps Koblyk's most significant contribution to the MAA is how is able to create an environment of enthusiasm for McMaster. Several currents volunteers can credit him for their involvement with the MAA, including Scott Koblyk '92 and Liz Koblyk '98. Koblyk is an exceptional and remarkable volunteer and the McMaster Alumni Association is proud to recognize such outstanding service.

June 6, 2003

The focal point at McMaster this weekend (June 6 to 8) will take place in the 'heart' of campus, the foyer of the McMaster University Student Centre. Here, old friends will meet, memories will be shared and new friendships established during McMaster's Alumni Weekend. It's the spot where alumni can check in for a campus tour on Saturday afternoon to reminisce with other graduates while strolling through campus, partake of some refreshments while listening to music or pick up their nametag. An induction ceremony will be held Saturday afternoon in Convocation Hall for inductees to the Alumni Gallery. The Alumni Association will also be recognizing achievements of young grads with the first recipients of the Arch Award.

June 6, 2003

McMaster and the City of Hamilton will roll out the red carpet this summer for international delegates who will determine where the 2010 Commonwealth Games will be held. Hamilton and New Dehli, the two cities bidding for the games, lodged bids in London, England on May 30. The next step of the bid process is a series of international visits, in which delegates from 70 Commonwealth countries will visit each city, and have the opportunity to see the specific qualities of each location. These personal visits could act as the turning point for some countries in how they cast their ballot in the Nov. 13 vote that determines who will host the 2010 Games. In all, delegates from 72 nations will cast votes. Hamilton needs 37 votes to win the bid. The first international visit began yesterday (Thursday), when representatives from the countries of the Americas  Guyana, Bermuda, Belize, and the Falkland islands  arrived in Hamilton. The visit, which lasts for four days, will see delegates touring McMaster campus on Saturday, June 7.

June 6, 2003

More than 200 swimmers from 13 clubs across Ontario will converge on McMaster University tomorrow for the annual Trillium Synchronized Swimming Competition. "This is the last big event of the season," said Karen Worlidge, meet organizer for the Burlington Synchronized Swimming Club (BSSC), fresh off a string of meets that included the provincial, divisional and national championships in Victoria, B.C. The BSSC, in conjunction with Synchro Ontario, will host teams from Kingston and Kawartha-Trent along with area teams from Toronto, Durham, Markham, Mississauga, Etobicoke, Newmarket, and Waterloo Region in the day-long event. As the only synchronized swimming club in the area, the BSSC draws members from Burlington, Hamilton, Stoney Creek and Waterdown. The club offers competitive and recreational streams to keep children involved. The BSSC wraps up the year with the club's annual Water Show on June 14 and 15 at Centennial Pool at Lord Elgin High School in Burlington. (The Hamilton Spectator, June 6, 2003)

June 6, 2003

On June 7 during Alumni Weekend, the McMaster Alumni Association will honour the outstanding achievements of 11 accomplished McMaster alumni who have made significant contributions to their vocations and avocations. Helen Ghent '56 (Health Sciences) As well as being a small business owner, a nurse and mother, Ghent has been extremely active in a number of volunteer organizations in her community. She served as president of the Ontario division of the Canadian Cancer Society and chair of the Ontario Campaign for Action on Tobacco. Luke Chan '74 (Social Sciences) A respected scholar, teacher, researcher, and author, Chan is known throughout the McMaster community as McMaster's champion in international spheres. He has published extensively on cultural diversity in international business. Charly Chiarelli '73 (Social Sciences) Chiarelli is most widely known as the effervescent character behind two one-man shows about growing up in a Sicilian neighborhood in Hamilton: "Cu'Fu" and "Mangiacake." By day, he is a senior analyst for the Ontario Ministry of Health. Harold Coward '73 (Social Sciences) Coward is passionately committed to research on religion that relates to a broad range of social and cultural questions and communities. He continues to be involved in the community with speaking engagements for various church, school and community groups. Robert Dickson '61 (Science, Health Sciences) Dickson returned to McMaster to instruct the first undergraduate medical class. The second year, he returned as a student. He is currently a family physician in Hamilton, a leader in the Hamilton medical community, a community volunteer, and a published poet. Lorraine Allan '68 (Science) Since receiving her PhD, Allan has made her mark at McMaster as a teacher, administrator and scholar of international reputation. She has conducted groundbreaking research on the role of learning in perception and cognition. John MacGregor '65 (Engineering) MacGregor is currently a chemical engineering professor at McMaster but has made significant developments in process-automation and multivariate statistics. His MVS software enables large manufacturing companies to monitor processes,eliminate redundancies and save millions of dollars. Timothy Oke '64 (Science) Oke is recognized as the foremost authority on urban climates, especially for his work on the energy and water balance of cities, urban roughness, evaporation and heat storage. He is currently a professor of geography at the University of British Columbia. Elisabeth Nicol '87 (Science) A physics professor at the University of Guelph, Nicol has won numerous high-profile research awards including five NSERC grants, the Polanyi Prize for Physics, and the Premier's Research Excellence award. Robert Pulford '63 (Social Sciences) Pulford played professional hockey for the Toronto Maple Leafs for 14 years and was part of four Stanley Cups. He is currently the senior vice-president of the Chicago Blackhawks. John Van Duzer '50 (Humanities) Van Duzer is a judge, lawyer and long-time volunteer with the McMaster Alumni Association. After several years as a family court lawyer and judge, he spearheaded a move to and became a founding judge on the Unified Family Court of Hamilton-Wentworth.

June 6, 2003

The McMaster Alumni Association established the Arch Award this year to recognize the achievements of the University's most recent graduates. This year's recipients are: Nat Hardy '93 M.A. Faculty of Humanities (English) Since graduation, Nat Hardy has held teaching positions in the USA, published numerous articles, reviews, creative pieces, and received several awards. At McMaster, he volunteers with Career Counselling services as a writing assistant. He has continued his volunteer work with Red Cross disaster relief and Habitat for Humanity. Duncan McKinlay '96 B.A. Faculty of Social Sciences (Psychology) Since being diagnosed with Tourette's Syndrom when he was 19, Duncan McKinlay has focussed his energies on outreach, community service and awareness of Tourette's Syndrome including an award-winning documentary about him and his struggle with TS. While at McMaster he was president of the Psychology Society. He often returns to McMaster to lecture on TS to psych students. Michael P. Smith '93 M.B.A. School of Business Michael Smith started Consumer Impact Marketing as part of project for MBA. CIM is now a leading marketing firm and considered one of the 50 best-managed companies with 1500 employees and clients around the world. Vincent Tropepe '94 B.Sc. Faculty of Science (Psychology) Vincent Topepe is a stem cell researcher who actually discovered the presence of stem cells in the adult human eye. This discovery may be used to repair retinal damage. He has received numerous grants and awards for his research and teaching. Jeffrey Wight '90 B.P.E. Faculty of Social Science (Physical Education) Since graduation, Jeffrey Wight has turned a personal interest in scuba diving into environmental education programmes, appearing on various science TV shows, specials and documentaries. While a student, Jeffrey was involved in varsity athletics, student government, and was a member of the President's Advisory Committee on Security Services.

June 5, 2003

Six members of the 2002 OUA Championship McMaster Rugby team have each earned one of 26 spots on the Canadian Under 21 Rugby World Cup roster. Marauders Rob Ashwood, Mike Blakey, Aaron Carpenter, Dan Pletch, Mike Pletch, and Steve Shortly where each selected to compete for Team Canada. McMaster players comprise 23 per cent (six of 26) of the team, and 75 per cent of the Ontario born players (six of eight) on the roster. The 2003 IRB U21 World Cup will take place in the Oxfordshire region of England from June 13 to 29. This will be Canada's first appearance at the prestigious and highly competitive 12-nation tournament. The inaugural IRB U21 World Cup took place in South Africa in 2002 where the host nation defeated Australia in the final. The tournament begins with pool matches, starting on June 13 (Canada vs. Argentina) and continuing to June 17 (Canada vs. South Africa) and June 21 (Canada vs. Scotland). Semi-Finals will be played on June 25 with the finals and ranking positional matches taking place on June 29. For more about the IRB U21 World Cup visit http://www.irbu21.com/ Player bio information Rob Ashwood: 5'10", 185 lb. Scrum half from Utopia, Ontario. Ashwood was a rookie on the McMaster varsity team in 2002. Mike Blakey: 5'10", 212 lb. Hook from Port Perry, Ontario. Blakey is a rookie on the McMaster varsity team in 2002. Aaron Carpenter: 6'0", 230 lb. Back row player from Brantford, Ontario. Carpenter was the OUA Rookie of the Year and First Team OUA All Star in 2002. Dan Pletch: 5'11", 235 lb. Prop from Lucan, Ontario. Dan was an OUA All-Star in his rookie season at McMaster in 2002. Mike Pletch: 5'11", 235 lb. Prop from Lucan, Ontario. Mike is the twin brother of Dan Pletch and was a rookie on the McMaster varsity team in 2002. Steve Shortly: 6'0", 230 lb. Centre from Port Perry, Ontario. Shortly was an OUA All-Star in his rookie season at McMaster in 2002.

June 5, 2003

The Faculties of Engineering and Science hold convocation ceremonies today (Thursday, June 5) in the Great Hall at Hamilton Place. This year, McMaster is proud to present two Governor General's Academic Medals. It is very rare to have more than one recipient of this prestigious award in a given year. David Zywina, of the Faculty of Science, will receive his medal during the Science convocation this afternoon. Fellow recipient, Roxanne Lai, who received an Honours Linguistics degree at the Faculty of Humanities ceremony, was awarded her medal on Tuesday. Honorary degrees will be presented to Francis Navin, Andrew Benedek, James Stewart, and Richard Bader. Navin and Stewart will give the Convocation addresses at their respective ceremonies.

June 5, 2003

McMaster University acknowledges Roxanne Lai, Faculty of Humanities and David Zywina, Faculty of Science as recipients of the 2003 Governor General's Academic Medal. It is very rare to have more than one recipient of this prestigious award in a given year, but with special approval from the Governor General's Office, medals are presented to Lai and Zywina who both had a cumulative average of 11.9 out of a possible 12 points. Roxanne Lai graduates from Honours Linguistics and plans to continue her education this fall to become a physician for disadvantaged populations. Not a traditional educational path, she chose to do her undergraduate degree in humanities instead of sciences. Focusing on languages, psychology and culture provided her with the 'human side' that is important to her for the type of medical career that she plans to pursue. An inspiration to many, Roxanne dedicates endless hours to volunteer work with the Hamilton Program for Schizophrenics and experience in unique fields of medical care and humanitarian aid. She supports the Peace Through Health organization, which provides physicians the opportunity to use health initiatives to bring together nations in conflict. In May 2000, Roxanne traveled to Honduras to work with disadvantaged families through the Global Youth Network and Habitat for Humanity. In 2002, Roxanne was the recipient of the Chancellor's Gold Medal as well as the A.G. Alexander Scholarship for excellence in an Honours Humanities program for studies outside of Canada. David Zywina is completing his undergraduate degree from the Faculty of Science where he studied Honours Mathematics. With tremendous talent, interest and enthusiasm, David excelled right from start of his university career by completing the advanced placement exam. His rate of learning continued at an incredible pace allowing David to complete his undergraduate program as well as some graduate level courses. His summer work experiences provided him with the opportunity to participate with advanced mathematics studies with McMaster faculty. David has received numerous academic awards and scholarships including the H.L. Hooker Scholarship, the S.L. Squire Scholarship, the MUFF IC Scholarship for outstanding academic achievement, the G.A. Young Scholarship, and the Class of '44 Scholarship. Following graduation David will pursue his PhD at the University of California, Berkeley, an institution renowned for its advanced mathematics programs.

June 4, 2003

The title of University Professor is the highest honour McMaster can bestow on its faculty and the designation is awarded to professors who demonstrate exceptional achievement by distinction in research, scholarship and education such that the work has made a major impact on a given field of study, and/or the work has had a major impact across disciplinary boundaries. This year, McMaster is proud to acknowledge William Coleman and John MacGregor. The title of University Professor is awarded to full-time members of McMaster faculty whose contributions in research, scholarship and education are truly outstanding. The title is held for life and cannot be held by more than seven full-time faculty members at any time. William Coleman, University Professor A scholar and author of international standing, William Coleman holds the Canada Research Chair on Global Governance and Public Policy at McMaster. Coleman excels as both an instructor and a researcher. In 1996, he won the Konrad Adenauer Research Award. In 1997, he was awarded the Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations Teaching Award and won an MSU Teaching Award in 2002. In 2001, his study on Globalization and Autonomy was awarded $2.5 million from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council. A professor in the Department of Political Science, Coleman teaches globalization, Canadian and Quebec politics and comparative public policy and conducts research on globalization and public policy. He serves as director of McMaster's Theme School on Globalization, Social Change and the Human Experience and has served on numerous University committees including the University's Task Force on Educational Quality Assurance and President's Committee on Indigenous Studies. In 2002, Coleman won McMaster's President's Award for Educational Leadership. He has also won the MSU Teaching Award (Overall). In 1990, Coleman was co-winner of the Charles H. Levine Memorial Book Prize given for the best book in public policy and administration. He is an author of four books in his area of expertise. John MacGregor, University Professor John MacGregor has earned an outstanding scholarly reputation in the area of process and product quality monitoring, advanced process control, and polymer reaction engineering. The professor of chemical engineering and holder of the Dofasco Chair in Automation Process was instrumental in the development of three major research centres at McMaster: the McMaster Institute for Polymer Production Technology, McMaster Advanced Control Consortium, and the Steel Research Centre. Business Week magazine cited him as one of the top five people in North America in the area of quality improvement. MacGregor has pioneered several innovative research fields of engineering. His work has had a profound influence on the Canadian process systems engineering and chemical engineering communities, and internationally in the general area on product and process quality improvement. A recipient of the President's Award for Excellence in Graduate Student Supervision, MacGregor's many other honours include the Century of Achievement Award from the Canadian Society for Chemical Engineering, the W. G. Hunter Award for Quality Control, the Professional Engineers of Ontario Engineering Medal (Research and Development), the Bell Canada Forum Award. He is a Fellow of the American Statistical Society.

June 4, 2003

The Faculty of Social Sciences will confer degrees on more than 800 McMaster graduands at its annual Spring Convocation ceremony today (Wednesday, June 4). The graduation will be held in two ceremonies, the first at 9:30 a.m. and the second at 2:30 p.m. Both ceremonies will be held at Hamilton Place. The morning will include Anthropology, Economics, Geography, Labour Studies, Political Science, Psychology, Religious Studies and MA(T)/MSc(T), the afternoon, Gerontology, Health Studies, Kinesiology, Social Work and Sociology. Honorary degrees will be presented to Kenneth Robertson, Hamilton police chief, Ben Vanderbrug, Hamilton conservationist, Ken Dryden, Toronto Maple Leafs president, and John VanDuzer, superior court judge. Dryden and Robertson will deliver the Convocation addresses at their respective ceremonies.

June 4, 2003

The Arthur Bourns building is back to normal after being closed for a few hours last night (Tuesday) after security noticed an odor inside. The electricity in ABB had been shut down for scheduled maintenance and fume hoods are not operational during such a shut down. As of last night, the cause of the odor had not been determined but it's believed it may have been connected to a fume hood in a lab. When security noticed the odor, it evacuated the building and called 911. No one was injured and the building was operational within a few hours. The investigation into the cause of the odor will continue today.

June 3, 2003

The Faculty of Humanities, Arts & Science Program, and School of Business hold convocation ceremonies today (Tuesday, June 3) in the Great Hall at Hamilton Place. The Faculties will confer degrees for doctor of philosophy, master of business administration, master of arts, bachelor of arts, bachelor of music and bachelor of arts & science. At 9:30 a.m., 465 humanities and arts & science students convoke, and at 2:30 p.m., 181 business students graduate. This year, McMaster is very proud to present two Governor General's Academic Medals. It is very rare to have more than one recipient of this prestigious award in a given year. One medal will be presented today to Roxanne Lai, who receives an honours linguistics degree at the Faculty of Humanities ceremony. Fellow recipient David Zywina, of the Faculty of Science, will receive his medal during the Science convocation Thursday. Honorary degrees will be presented to Michael Ruse, Jackie Washington, Belinda Stronach, and Mona Campbell. Ruse and Stronach will deliver the Convocation addresses at their respective ceremonies.

June 3, 2003

McMaster University is the home of the leaders of tomorrow. This year, University President Peter George is awarding his student leadership awards to five individuals whose exemplary scholarship and service to community provide models of leadership for their fellow students and all members of the McMaster community. The students will receive their awards at Spring Convocation.

June 3, 2003

Sabrina Ciardelli, MBA '03 will be awarded the Allan J. Greve  St. Joseph's Healthcare Medal for Excellence in Health Services Management at the DeGroote School of Business Convocation today. The prize of a gold medal and $1,500 is awarded for the highest academic performance of a graduating student in the Health Services Management (HSM) stream in the MBA program. "I am very honoured to be the first recipient of this prestigious award. It is also a great honour to have an association with Mr. Greve, who has been such an influential leader in the healthcare sector," Ciardelli remarked. The MBA student was selected for this distinction as a result of her stellar academic performance  she achieved the highest cumulative grade point average ever recorded within the HSM program. Ciardelli also completed a double major, pairing health services with marketing. "Sabrina is an exemplary student. Her grade point average was well above the rest of the class, and she showed strong leadership skills within the classroom and during her work term placements as well," explains Dr. D. Wayne Taylor, director of the Health Services Management stream. In addition to her strong academic performance, Ciardelli found time to sit on student committees and act as a mentor for new MBA students. She is currently employed as a product manager for Stryker, a health care products manufacturer. The medal is named in honour of Allan J. Greve, former president and CEO of St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton. The award recognizes Greve's success in establishing St. Joseph's as a major academic health sciences centre renowned for its strong management, clinical and fiscal performance, and innovation and academic excellence. Greve continues to be an important advisor to government, industry and health care institutions. Allan Greve will take part in the Convocation procession and ceremony.

June 2, 2003

Data on the effectiveness of zoledronic acid for the treatment of bone metastases that stem from various cancer types has contributed to a better understanding of multiple bone complications, according to a study led by Pierre Major, a medical oncologist at McMaster University, and presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) meeting in Chicago, Illinois, USA. Research indicates many patients with advanced cancer develop bone metastasis, the spread of cancerous cells from the original tumour to bones. Many of these patients are at risk of developing multiple bone complications including bone pain, pathologic fractures, a need for radiation or surgery to their bones, spinal cord compression, and hypercalcaemia. These painful, debilitating complications can significantly impact the daily lives of patients and caregivers. Understanding the cumulative burden of these bone complications over the entire course of follow-up allows physicians to determine the best treatment options for their patients. The data confirm superior results from treatment with zoledronic acid infusions on the occurrence of first and subsequent bone complications. The simple graphical summaries of cumulative disease burden, obtained from the new analysis, have direct relevance for health economic considerations. Major, associate professor of medicine at McMaster, and Richard Cook, University of Waterloo, used a new method to analyze the growing burden of pain and morbidity from bone complications in patients with breast, prostate or lung cancer, or other solid tumors. The new analysis helps doctors gain insight into the effects of treatment and prevention of the debilitating effects of complications to the bone. This method adjusted for survival and patient dropout information. "Metastasis to bone causes significant pain, adversely affects quality of life and substantially raises healthcare costs for patients with a wide range of tumors," said Major. "As patients live longer, it becomes that much more important for physicians to understand the long-term risks from bone metastases and subsequent complications to help avoid these problems and to manage pain and suffering from these complications that follow."

June 2, 2003

Mosquitoes have always been a part of summer. Formerly a minor annoyance, these insects now carry an added threat of West Nile virus. While only some mosquitoes carry the West Nile virus, everyone is encouraged to take appropriate measures to personally protect themselves against being bitten by mosquitoes this season. McMaster's newly established environmental committee has heard the warnings and is ensuring that the University has a comprehensive strategy in place to address the potential for the West Nile virus on campus.

June 1, 2003

The Amazing, Changing Brain Featured symposium on brain plasticity From before we are born until we die, our brains are in a constant state of flux. This special symposium highlights the work of four internationally acclaimed research groups, who have all made significant advances in our understanding of how the brain changes and what those changes mean for behaviour. Yang Dan (University of California at Berkeley) "Adult visual cortical plasticity: Spike-time dependence" Christo Pantev (Rotman Research Institute) "The competition for cortical space" Daphne Maurer & Terri Lewis (McMaster University) "The role of visual input in the postnatal development of human visual perception: Lessons from children treated for cataract" Isabel Gauthier (Vanderbilt University) "Interference between holistic processing of faces and objects of expertise" Developing a vision of the world Babies' brains are constantly changing as they learn new things and acquire new skills. Studies of animal brains have made it clear that many of these changes depend on the development of certain chemicals in the brain. Now, new research on human brain led by a graduate student at McMaster University has shown for the first time how these chemicals change in infants' brains. These results may provide key insights into our understanding of how babies learn to see the world around them. Brett Beston, Sandra Hessels, David Jones & Kathryn Murphy (McMaster University) "Developmental changes in glutamate receptor expression in human visual cortex" Reading in technicolour Imagine seeing the colour purple every time you saw the letter M, or the colour red every time you saw the number 3. This is the reality for people with synaesthesia. New research from the University of Guelph suggests that such visual associations can be learned. Rather than being something you are born with, synaesthesia might be acquired through early experiences with the environment. Dan Meegan (University of Guelph) "Training non-synaesthetes to behave like synaesthetes: Implications for the development of synaesthesia" Narcissism is only natural How attractive you think someone is depends on how much they look like you, suggests new research done by Lisa Debruine, a graduate student at McMaster. In this study, people rated the attractiveness of computer-morphed faces, some of which resembled the participants. Although they were unaware of the resemblances, people consistently rated their own morphs as more attractive. Lisa DeBruine (McMaster University) "Facial resemblance increases attractiveness" Substance abuse Symposium showcases new research on drug addiction Canadian psychologists will present the latest research on drug addiction in a special symposium organized by Professor Mary Olmstead from Queen's University. Researchers will discuss their findings on drug addiction at each stage of the disorder: from getting hooked, to kicking the habit, to relapsing. Kim Hellemans & Mary Olmstead (Queen's University) "Early environmental experience influences impulsive choice following alcohol intoxication" Robert Sorge, Giovanna Paolone & Jane Stewart (Concordia University, Universita di Roma LaSpeinza) "Buprenorphine maintenance reduces cocaine, but not heroin, self-administration in rats trained to self-administer both drugs" Tracie Paine & Mary Olmstead (Queen's University) "Effects of chronic cocaine on impulsivity: Relation to cortical serotonin mechanisms" Annie Tremblay, Francesco Leri & Jane Stewart (Concordia University, University of Guelph) "Methadone maintenance attenuates heroin and cocaine seeking in rats trained to self-administer both drugs Franca M. Placenza & Franco J. Vaccarino (University of Toronto, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health) "The role of substance P in reinstatement of cocaine-seeking behaviour" Brain scans provide a window into Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Brain imaging techniques are shedding new light on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. Researchers at the National Research Council of Canada and the University of Manitoba have shown that both pre-teens and adults who were born with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome have irregular patterns of brain activity when performing certain memory tasks. Ava-Ann Allman, Lorna Jakobson, Deboral Shiloff, Albert Chudley, Sally Longstaffe, Krisztina Milisza (National Research Council of Canada, University of Manitoba) "Executive function and spatial working memory in fetal alcohol syndrome" Chronic stress and "high" anxiety New findings by Canadian and US researchers suggests that the behavioural effects of marijuana may depend on pre-existing stress levels. Scientists administered low and high doses of cannabinoids to chronically stressed and unstressed rates. The results suggest that stress increases anxiety in response to the drug. Matthew Hill, Boris Gorzalka, Erica Carrier, Sachin Patel, Brandi Ormerod, Cecilia Hillard (University of British Columbia, Medical College of Wisconsin) "Enhancement of responsiveness to cannabinoid agonists following chronic stress" Good news for aging brains Older adults may remember less than younger adults, but they remember the important things. Canadian and US researchers asked younger and older adults to remember lists of words and told them that some words were more important than others. Older adults remembered fewer words, but they remembered the most important words best. Alan Castel, Aaron Benjamin, Fergus Craik & Michael Watkins (University of Toronto, University of Illinois, Rice University) "The strategic and selective control of memory in younger and older adults" Practice makes perfect, or at least reverses some age-related changes in vision Tasks like driving require people to look at, and pay attention to, many things at once. Older adults have more difficulty doing this than younger adults. Fortunately, McMaster researchers have shown that some older adults can learn to pay attention to multiple things just as well as younger adults if given enough practice. Even more promising, these benefits are retained for at least two months after practice. Eric Richards, Patrick Bennett & Allison Sekuler (McMaster University) "Aging, learning, and the useful field of view" The birds and the bees Polly want a dictionary Researchers from the University of Alberta have discovered that two different species of bird can communicate with one another. The research team has also completed the first bioacoustic analysis of mountain chickadee "chick-a-dee" calls, which may lead to a more complete understanding of how such interspecies communication is possible. Isabelle Charrier, Laurie Bloomfield, Tiffany Lee & Christopher Sturdy (University of Alberta) "Interspecific communication in chickadees". Laurie Bloomfield, Isabelle Charrier & Christopher Sturdy (University of Alberta) "Bioacoustic analysis of the mountain chickadee chick-a-dee' call" Finding bees' favourite flowers A study by University of Ottawa psychologist Dana Church indicates that when bees fly back to a particular flower, they don't rely on the smell of the flower or on the positions of neighbouring flowers. Instead, bees can find flowers by relying on their exact positions. A flower with a new scent might smell as sweet, but it won't fool the bee that's looking for it. Dana Church (University of Ottawa) "Bumblebee floral recognition: Simultaneous exploration of memory and non-memory mechanisms" The body rules the mind Go speed racer! When bike racers speed down a hill, you might think that they can tell how fast they are going from information they get from their eyes. Surprisingly, feedback from their bodies matters more than vision, according to research by a Hamilton psychologist and his students. Using a virtual-reality simulator to simulate bicycling, Professor Hong-Jin Sun and his McMaster students found that physical sensations overruled the visual experience when the two were inconsistent with one another. Amanda Lee, Jennifer Campos, George Chan & Hong-Jin Sun (McMaster University) "Visual and proprioceptive integration of speed estimation during self-motion" Moving to the sound of music Music makes you bounce. Now, new research led by McMaster graduate student Jessica Phillips-Silver suggests that how you bounce might improve your memory for music. Infants were bounced at different rhythms in their mother's arms to musical beats. Both infants and adults remembered the music differently depending on their initial movements when they first heard the music. These findings suggest that movement plays an important role in how people remember music. Jessica Phillips-Silver & Laurel Trainor (McMaster University) "Movement influences the auditory encoding of rhythmic patterns in infants and adults" Insights into brain injury Brain waves show severity of brain injury Electrical activity generated by the brain can indicate the severity of damage to the brain, according to a study by Professor Sidney Sigalowitz and his colleagues at Brock University. The study found that the degree of reduction in certain high-frequency brain waves varied with the severity of thought impairment reported by patients. In a related study on people with mild head injury, Sigalowitz's group found that the patients' brain wave patterns revealed attentional impairments similar to those of normally aging adults. Jane Dywan, Bill Tays & Sidney Segalowitz (Brock University) "ERP correlates of source monitoring deficits after mild head injury" Sidney Segalowitz, Anthony Folino & Jane Dywan (Brock University) "High frequency EEG reduction is associated with post-concussive symptoms following traumatic brain injury" New computer model mimics brain damage McMaster psychologists have developed a mathematical model that mimics a bizarre problem that can result from brain damage. People with "category-specific deficits" lose specific knowledge, for example losing memory about plants, but not about any other object categories (e.g., furniture or animals). The computer model developed by graduate student Damian Jancowicz and colleagues mimics this impairment by assuming that the brain stores similar information in nearby locations. In addition to helping us understand the effects of brain damage, the model may provide insights into the way we think about objects more generally. Damian Jankowicz, Suzanna Becker & Steve Howell (McMaster University) "Modeling semantic category-specific deficits using topographic, corpus-derived representations" Problem solved! Mr. Confident isn't necessarily Mr. Right Your boss, after thinking carefully about the problem you've laid out, suddenly comes up with a solution. You have your doubts, but he seems so sure of himself that you think he must be right. Not necessarily, according to research by scientists at the University of Saskatchewan. In their study of how people solve reasoning problems, Valerie Thompson and Jody Maton found no relation between people's accuracy and confidence. Giving someone extra time to solve a problem might make that person more confident, but it won't necessarily make them more right. Valerie Thompson & Jody Maton (University of Saskatchewan) "On being confidently wrong: The relationship between confidence and accuracy in deductive reasoning" There's more to math than numbers To solve word problems correctly, kids need to learn how to extract relevant information and ignore unnecessary details. Shilpi Majumder's recent research at York University has shown that how well children can solve mathematical word problems is related to the language and attentional components of each problem. What does this add up to? Part of the solution to math woes might lie in teaching kids to use these additional skills more effectively. Shilpi Majumder (York University, University of Waterloo) "Are children's difficulties with math word problems related to inhibition?" Planning to remember You are less likely to forget what you are doing if you carry out your plans in the same place that you planned them. Research from the department of Psychology at the University of British Columbia shows that memory for planning, and the ability to execute plans are both strongly influenced by environmental cues. Investigating how the environment around you affects memory will provide valuable insight into the human mind, and may eventually help you find your misplaced keys. Peter Graf (University of British Columbia) "Contextual influences on prospective memory"