Daily News

August 11, 2003

Two teachers who take a personal approach to health education are the winners of this year's John C. Sibley Award for part-time members of the Faculty of Health Sciences (FHS). The co-recipients are Harald Stolberg, of the Department of Radiology and Denise Marshall, of the Department of Family Medicine. The award is named for former associate dean John (Jack) C. Sibley, one of the founders of FHS who was known both locally and internationally for his interdisciplinary approach to community health. Established in 1986, it is given annually to those who demonstrate an exceptional commitment to innovative teaching, interdisciplinary education and research in improving patient care.

August 8, 2003

Even for a theoretical astrophysicist, it began with that simple but universal human impulse to look up, way up. "Almost everyone likes to look at stars and think, 'Wow, what are they? Where did they come from?' We like the idea that the vast universe out there is somehow important to us," says Alison Sills, professor of physics & astronomy. Her leisure-time pursuits while growing up in Toronto included reading science fiction novels and astronomy books and gazing at the stars. Today she spends less time looking at the night sky from her backyard and more time observing simulations of colliding stars on her desktop PC, using data fed from the Hubble Space Telescope and from fellow stargazers working at Earth-bound observatories in Chile and Hawaii. Last fall the Arthur Bourns Building became home to one of fastest supercomputers in the world dedicated solely to calculating gravitational forces between stars, particularly stars in the oldest parts of our galaxy. She's purchased the new desktop device through a New Opportunities grant worth almost $175,000 announced this past summer by the Canada Foundation for Innovation.

August 7, 2003

When it comes to computers, engineering, and sciences, girls are often outnumbered by boys. This week, the Venture Engineering and Science summer day camps, run by the Faculty of Engineering, are giving female campers aged 9 to 14 special opportunities to experience the worlds of engineering and science. All girls week, which runs from Aug. 5 to Aug. 8, fosters girls' confidence with computers, engineering and science in a supportive team environment. As a finale for the week, these lucky campers will learn about being a scientist from one of their mentors, Lisa Crossley, assistant professor, chemical engineering. "Our mandate is to introduce all children to the exciting world of engineering, science, and technology in a fun and innovative environment," explains Krista Adlington, co-director of Venture. "Girls are traditionally under-represented in these fields and we want to show them how much fun engineering, science and technology can be." Part of showing this excitement is to have a women scientist visit Venture to share her experiences with the girls. Crossley will speak to the campers Friday, Aug. 8, 2003 from 11 a.m.  12 noon in the John Hodgins Building, Room 264.

August 7, 2003

A creative, multi-faceted mix of approaches to psychotherapy training has garnered an award for the postgraduate psychotherapy program at McMaster University. The Psychiatric Education Award is given by the Association for Academic Psychiatry (AAP) to an outstanding specific project or program. The AAP receives submissions internationally for the award, which recognizes programs at both medical school and residency levels. The McMaster postgraduate psychotherapy program was developed in 1995 to train psychiatric residents to practice a variety of psychotherapies. The program is innovative in that most psychotherapy programs only teach the psychodynamic approach, said Priyanthy Weerasekera, the program's co-ordinator. The psychodynamic approach to therapy is one method that psychiatrists use to help patients gain insight into their feelings.

August 6, 2003

Would you like to see what's inside a grasshopper, hear what bones have to say, brush up on your basketball, or get fit with cardio-funk? For more that 3,000 elementary and secondary students, the answer was an enthusiastic yes. This list is just a sampling of the many activities available to participants in McMaster's annual summer camp programs. The University offers four main summer camps: Venture Engineering and Science Camp, Mini-University, Sport Fitness School and Marauder Sports Camp. Programs began in July and continue throughout August.

August 6, 2003

Three leading advocates of corporate director education announced their support for The Directors College, Canada's only accredited professional development program for directors. The Ontario Municipal . . .

August 6, 2003

Some McMaster professors think this year's Ontario Grade 12 graduates — the younger members of the infamous double cohort — won't be as well prepared . . .

August 5, 2003

McMaster University researchers have passed a significant milestone along the long road to unravelling the mystery of how to get patients with spinal cord injuries . . .

August 5, 2003

It will be a taste of university life for approximately 1,500 new students and parents who will come to campus Friday, Aug. 8 for Welcome Day @ Mac 2003. Welcome Day is an opportunity for the University to welcome first-year students and their families to the McMaster community. The program is designed to provide students and parents with valuable information before classes begin in September. Visitors have a wide variety of events to choose from including tours and information sessions. As well, department, Faculty Society, MSU services and clubs displays will be set up in McMaster University Student Centre. Visitors will park in Zones 6 and 7 and will take a shuttle bus to the centre of campus, where most activities will take place. A large tent will be set up in the courtyard, where visitors can purchase Welcome Week MacPacs and pick up a barbeque lunch for $3.25. For a full schedule of events, click here

August 1, 2003

Mirrored walls are a regular feature of gym dicor, but new research suggests that the reflections may make some women feel worse after their workouts. A study published in Health Psychology found that sedentary women who exercised in front of a mirror for 20 minutes felt less energized, less relaxed and less positive and upbeat than women who performed their workout without a mirror. Women who exercised without the mirror also reported that they were less physically exhausted at the end of their workout, while those with a mirror reported no change in their exhaustion level. The findings could have implications for encouraging physical activity among sedentary women, especially since the standard guidelines for exercise promotion suggest that workout rooms have mirrors on at least two of four walls. "As such, the recommended practice of placing mirrors in exercise centers may need to be reconsidered, especially in centers that are trying to attract exercise initiates," say Kathleen Martin Ginis, associate professor of kinesiology at McMaster, and colleagues. "Certainly if a woman leaves the gym feeling even worse than when she arrived, she will not be particularly motivated to continue exercising in the future," Martin Ginis adds.

July 31, 2003

[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/Mac_Volleyball.jpg” caption=”Volleyball team”]McMaster has won the right to host the CIS Men's Volleyball Championship in 2006 and 2007. The CIS Volleyball Championship has . . .

July 31, 2003

It's the last leg of the race. The finish line is in sight and thousands are waiting anxiously to see who the winner will be. Hamilton? New Delhi? Supporters at today's 2010 Commonwealth Games news conference have their money on Hamilton. "We believe that the Hamilton bid is strong on all fronts, but especially on the technical merits that are the subject of the Commission's specific attention," said David Adames, general manager of the Hamilton 2010 Commonwealth Games Bid Corporation. "In fact, we welcome their scrutiny. We know that they have discovered our bid's unparalleled public support, the precision of our plans, the readiness of our people and venues, the technical skill of our sport communities, and perhaps most importantly, the enthusiasm our city has for the Commonwealth Games." Welcomed by about 250 cheering children taking part in McMaster's summer camp program, members of the Commonwealth Games Federation Evaluation Commission (CGF) arrived by bus at McMaster Thursday for the only news conference by the Commonwealth Games evaluation commission. Others in attendance included athletes, representatives from local, provincial and national sports organizations, sports enthusiasts and local and national media.

July 30, 2003

Today, support is key. When members of the Commonwealth Games Federation Evaluation Commission (CGF) attend the one and only news conference for Hamilton's 2010 Commonwealth Games bid at McMaster, it will be the city's time to shine. It's the final visit to Hamilton by the CGF commission. Next, it's off to New Delhi, India, to assess Hamilton's only competitor. A decision on a host city will be announced in November. The news conference begins at 1 p.m. in the McMaster University Student Centre lobby and is hosted by the CGF Evaluation Commission, comprised of six international members of the Commonwealth Games Federation. Delegates are in the Hamilton area for a four-day visit to assess the technical components of the corporation's bid for the 2010 Commonwealth Games.

July 29, 2003

Edward Buffett has taken the seat of Board of Govenors' chair. The president and CEO of Buffett Taylor & Associates Ltd. was elected by McMaster's Board of Governors to succeed Edward Minich, who served as chair since 2001. As chair of McMaster's highest governing body, Buffett will lead the Board on matters pertaining to the administrative governance of the University. Buffett also is chairman of Wellness Councils of Canada, past chair of the Whitby General Hospital and Durham Community Foundation. Donald M. Green, who for the past 35 years has been president & CEO Tridon Ltd., was appointed vice-chair of the Board. He is currently chairman and CEO Greenfleet Ltd., a private investment company, deputy chairman CGU Group Canada Ltd. and chairman Avista Software Corporation. Minich is president and CEO of Otis Canada. He served as Board chair at McMaster University for the past two years. Minich was inducted to the McMaster Alumni Gallery in 2000 and became the Wayne C. Fox Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient in 2002. He continues to serve on the Board as an Alumni representative. The one-year appointments took effect on July 1, 2003.

July 28, 2003

One day, when you come into work and click on your internet browser, the Daily News home page is going to look quite a bit different. McMaster's top news and information will still be there, but it will be cleaner and easier to navigate. New features will be added, and old features will be gone. But before that day comes, McMaster's Office of Public Relations is seeking input from both the McMaster and external community on how to best recreate the Daily News. Launched in 2000, McMaster's award-winning Daily News Web site has become a regular source of news and information for the McMaster community. Some of the new features being considered include an online subscription to a weekly news list; an audio/visual page; an interactive online photo gallery; regular spotlights on faculty, staff and students; and a section devoted to media relations. The new site, which will be incorporated into the University's new Web templates, will be launched this fall. To provide your two cents into the Daily News redesign, click here or visit http://dailynews.mcmaster.ca/ and click on Daily News Survey on the left side of the page.

July 28, 2003

McMaster University is sending Canadian business leaders back to school. Up to 30 corporate directors are expected in class when the first directors' college session . . .

July 28, 2003

McMaster University is the first university in North America to develop a program to train cardiovascular nurses as researchers. Heather Arthur, a professor in McMaster's . . .

July 25, 2003

McMaster enjoys a tradition of innovation across the University. In the Faculty of Health Sciences, they're demonstrating some of their innovative approaches to education through the Bachelor of Health Sciences (BHSc) Program. Currently one of McMaster's most popular and premier programs, the honours program has grown to 300 students since it was first offered in September 2000. The program continues to enjoy much success, with more than 3,000 prospective students applying this year. The growth in this program is one reason McMaster needs additional space. The University is building a new Centre for Learning & Discovery which will provide these and other health sciences students with specialized space to conduct classes in inquiry and small-group learning, hallmarks of this new program. Students who are admitted to the program hold high averages in studies such as English, biology, chemistry and calculus, are involved in extracurricular activities and are interested in health issues. They are also well-rounded in their studies because the BHSc Program uses a unique interdisciplinary approach to the study of health. Students gain an understanding of health from biological, behavioural, and population-based perspectives. McMaster's internationally known expertise in problem-based, self-directed learning is a big feature of the program. This approach provides students with skills that will facilitate learning now and later in their careers. The program's assistant dean, professor of pathology and molecular medicine Del Harnish, states that the heavy emphasis on inquiry classes is the most unique and valuable aspect of the program. "Inquiry will be very valuable to these students in the long term. It will enable them to develop critical thinking skills and to take an active role in their own educations."

July 25, 2003

The Conference Board of Canada and the Michael G. DeGroote School of Business at McMaster announce that Ernst & Young, a global leader in professional . . .

July 25, 2003

Hamilton's Commonwealth Games bid is down to the final strokes as the Commonwealth Games Federation Evaluation Commission comes to the city next week. The CGF Evaluation Commission will hold its only public news conference about the Canadian bid on Thursday, July 31 at McMaster University at 1 p.m. in the student centre lobby. Then the CGF commission will depart for India to assess the New Delhi bid, Hamilton's only other competitor. The CGF Evaluation Commission, comprised of six international members of the Commonwealth Games Federation, is in the Hamilton area for a four-day visit to assess the technical components of the corporation's bid for the 2010 Commonwealth Games.