Daily News

April 14, 2003

McMaster's Mark Lawford was given a $205,000 boost for his research in software development, design and management from Communications and Information Technology Ontario (CITO). The assistant professor of computing and software engineering, received $100,000 from CITO, plus $100,000 from Ontario Power Generation and $5,000 in-kind support for his two-year project entitled "Reverse Engineering of High Level Requirements from Assembly Code." The majority of the money will be spent on support for graduate students working on the project. The group also has applied for an additional $38,000 per year in matching funds from Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada. CITO has provided more than $9 million in funding to support high-tech research projects at eight Ontario universities. In the latest round of funding, CITO is providing $5.373 million and industry sponsors are contributing $3.730 million in matching cash or in-kind support. McMaster's project also involves computing and software engineering professors Jacques Carette, Wolfram Kahl, Ridha Khedri and Alan Wassyng, who are members of the recently formed Software Quality Research Lab.

April 14, 2003

A local developer is hoping to cash in on the double cohort McMaster University will face this fall by providing decent affordable student housing located halfway between the University and the downtown core. The six new 2 1/2-storey homes on Dundurn Street, between Main and King streets, will feature a two-bedroom, 1,200-square-foot apartment on the main floor with four lodging rooms and a common area upstairs to house a total of 36 students. Construction began last month and is expected to be finished the beginning of August, in time for the thousands of students who will descend upon Hamilton this fall. Click here to read the story in today's Hamilton Spectator.

April 14, 2003

The brain of one of the 20th century's most gifted mathematicians is in the hands of McMaster University neuroscientist Sandra Witelson. She now has the chance to study the great mind of Donald Coxeter, internationally renowned for his work in geometry and the discovery of four-dimensional figures called polytopes. Coxeter, professor emeritus at the University of Toronto and Companion of the Order of Canada, died at 96 in his Toronto home on March 31. For Witelson, it's a second opportunity to study one of the greatest minds of our times. Earlier, in 1995, an unexpected invitation allowed her to examine the preserved brain of Albert Einstein, 40 years after his death in Princeton. This research was possible because of the extensive brain bank she had developed at McMaster. Read the complete story in The Hamilton Spectator. Also read, Mathematic mind explored, in The Toronto Star

April 11, 2003

This notice is to advise the McMaster community that a McMaster student was recently diagnosed with active pulmonary tuberculosis (TB). The part-time student is now on medication under a physician's care and is no longer infectious. The student does not live on campus. The City of Hamilton's public health and community services department is notifying those persons who may have had exposure to the individual and advising them to attend the public health TB skin testing clinics that will be held on campus. Details about the clinics will be provided to people who were contacted by the Hamilton public health department. The testing procedure is a precaution as there is a low risk that anyone contracted the disease. TB is not easily spread and those at greater risk must have had close, prolonged exposure to the individual. Any students, staff and faculty who have not been contacted by the Hamilton public health department but are concerned about tuberculosis should consult the Hamilton public health department at 905-546-2063. For further information, contact the Campus Health Centre at 905-525-9140 ext. 27700. For more information on tuberculosis, please go to the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care public information Web site at http://www.health.gov.on.ca:80/english/public/pub/disease/tuber.html or the Health Canada public information Web site at http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/english/iyh/diseases/tuberculosis.html.

April 11, 2003

McMaster University and Mohawk College are today celebrating a $2.2 million award from Ontario's Strategic Skills Investment Program to launch a new collaborative healthcare program in medical radiation sciences. Beginning in September 2004, the fully integrated Diploma-Degree Program in Medical Radiation Sciences will provide students with the training they need to pursue careers in the field of medical imaging. Students in the collaborative program will study in one of two program options to become either medical radiation technologists (radiography), or diagnostic medical sonographers. The first group of students in September 2004 will graduate in April of 2008 with both a Bachelor of Science degree from McMaster University and a diploma in Health Sciences from Mohawk College. This is the first diploma-degree program offered in Ontario for diagnostic medical sonographers. The start-up costs for the collaborative project are estimated at $5.7 million, with $2,214,000 coming today from the Ontario Ministry of Enterprise, Opportunity and Innovation through the Strategic Skills Investment (SSI) Program. Industry partners are contributing about $1.4 million to the program. McMaster President Peter George said: "This partnership is another example of our focus on students and how best to meet their needs. This innovative program is a model for future successful fully-integrated university-college programs in medical radiation sciences. It will offer students a thorough scientific education through our Faculty of Science combined with experiential learning that will help them excel. In turn, this collaboration will also address the critical and growing need for medical imaging professionals in Ontario."

April 10, 2003

Patient enrolment will soon begin in the ACTIVE trial (Atrial fibrillation Clopidogrel Trial with Irbesartan for the prevention of Vascular Events), the largest randomised trial program ever conducted in atrial fibrillation. "The ACTIVE trial is intended to respond to a largely unmet medical need in the treatment of patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), who are at an increased risk of life-threatening vascular events such as stroke, myocardial infarction and death," said Stuart Connolly, professor of medicine at McMaster, and principal investigator of the ACTIVE trial. "Current treatment with oral anticoagulants is not suitable for many AF patients since it is limited by specific contraindications, monitoring constraints and poor compliance. Aspirin, the only standard alternative to oral anticoagulants, provides only modest protection in this patient population." Salim Yusuf, professor of medicine and director of the Population Health Research Institute at McMaster, is chair of the ACTIVE Steering Committee. The multicentre, multinational ACTIVE trial includes three primary objectives in investigating the long-term efficacy and safety of clopidogrel plus ASA for the prevention of vascular events in patients with atrial fibrillation. Clopidogrel plus aspirin, which inhibits platelet aggregation, will be compared with standard oral anticoagulant therapy in one trial (ACTIVE W), and compared with ASA alone in a second trial (ACTIVE A). The goal of treatment is the prevention of vascular events in patients with AF. A third integrated trial is also evaluating whether the angiotensin II receptor antagonist, irbesartan, is superior to placebo (in addition to usual blood pressure lowering therapy) in preventing vascular events in patients with atrial fibrillation (ACTIVE I).

April 10, 2003

McMaster will submit 23 applications valued at $55 million to the 2003 Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) competition, according to a report to Senate from the University Planning Committee. Established in 1997, CFI provides research infrastructure awards to universities, colleges, research hospitals and not-for-profit institutions. Its budget over the 10-year period is $3.65 billion. This year, CFI will invest up to $450 million for projects with total project costs of $150,000 or more. All universities are required to submit applications to CFI by May 30, 2003. A funding decision will be made in February, 2004. In 2002, CFI received more than 900 notices of intent requesting more than $2.5 billion. As a result, CFI implemented an allocation strategy to reduce both the number and value of applications, setting a maximum envelop for each institution. McMaster originally submitted 37 applications valued at $91 million. Three internal review panels reviewed the submissions and recommended which ones they felt should received full institutional endorsement. McMaster's largest funding request is for a $11.6 Institute for Life-Related Systems, led by engineering professor Simon Haykin.

April 10, 2003

A draft Refining Directions report is now online. Click here to view the report. McMaster has spent the past six months reviewing its strategic plans through a process called Refining Directions. A number of work teams with representatives from across campus were created in the fall and they spent the next few months working on recommendations in six areas: undergraduate education; graduate education and research; external activities; internal community; planning and managing; and branding. The process has been overseen by a steering committee that has now reviewed the recommendations from each work group along with input from two rounds of community consultation and presentations to the University Planning Committee and approximately 25 other groups on campus. Input and comments on the draft report are welcome and can be forwarded to refining@mcmaster.ca. Over the next month, additional town hall meetings and consultation will be held on the draft report. Details of these sessions will be provided once the times and locations are confirmed. A final document will be presented to Senate in May and the Board of Governors in June.

April 9, 2003

Toronto Maple Leafs president Ken Dryden, Hamilton police chief Ken Robertson, and Belinda Stronach, ranked by Fortune Magazine as one of the world's most powerful women in business are among the distinguished recipients who will be given honorary degrees at McMaster University's Spring Convocation ceremonies. 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. About 3,000 students will celebrate graduation at Convocation ceremonies to take place in May and June at the Great Hall, Hamilton Place.

April 9, 2003

Implications of the aging of the population will be examined during a two-day conference this week. From April 10-11, professionals in policy and planning, researchers, academics and statisticians, will participate in the conference entitled "Moving Towards and Older Society", hosted by McMaster's Centre for Gerontological Studies and Social and Economic Dimensions of an Aging Population (SEDAP). Speakers include James Banks, from the University College London; John Ermisch, from the University of Essex; Rejean Hebert; CIHR and University of Sherbrooke; John Myles, from the University of Toronto; James P. Smith, RAND; and Alan Walker, from the University of Sheffield. SEDAP is a multidisciplinary research program at McMaster that studies a wide range of aging-related issues. Located at McMaster, SEDAP is funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. It involves 28 researchers from McMaster, the University of British Columbia, Universiti de Montrial, Queen's and the University of Toronto. The conference will be held in the CIBC Banquet Hall, third floor McMaster University Student Centre. Click here for program and registration information.

April 8, 2003

Today is the last day of classes at McMaster and students are now gearing up to write exams, which begin Thursday (April 10) and run until April 28. A total of 60,883 exams will be written over the 18-day period. For the exam schedule, click here. To help students prepare, the McMaster Students Union Student Life Committee (SLC) has co-ordinated an All-Night Study Program in the MUSC, where all floors are dedicated to students studying for exams. Silent areas and discussion areas have been established 24 hours a day in meeting rooms, banquet halls, lounges and the atrium. Consideration hours are in effect 24 hours a day, while no tolerance hours are between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. The Union Market will be open 24 hours during most of the exam period. A 22-hour quiet time also has been imposed in most residences and halls during the exam period. Student Walk Home Attendant Team volunteers are available to walk students home between 7 p.m. and 1 a.m. seven days a week until April 28. For a walk home call ext. 27500. McMaster Libraries are also busy with students preparing for exams. Click here for hours of operation.

April 7, 2003

McMaster University and the McMaster University Staff Association (MUSA) commenced negotiations Thursday for a renewal of their current collective agreement that expires June 15, 2003. This was the first of 24 days that the respective bargaining teams have set aside for bargaining through the months of April, May and June. Both teams have expressed their commitment to working hard to achieve a new agreement that balances the needs of staff and the University and that reinforces their progress in building a constructive union-management relationship. Fred L. Hall, dean of the School of Graduate Studies, is the chair of the University's team while Barry Diacon, past president of MUSA, who works in the Department of Engineering Physics, chairs the MUSA team. Also on the University's team are: Suzanne Crosta, associate dean of the Faculty of Humanities; Wilf Ward, director of the Office of Analysis & Budgeting; Susan Birnie, manager of the Department of Psychiatry; Alisan Noble, business manager of the Faculty of Science; and Murray Lapp, Judy Forbes and Stephen Fletcher from Human Resources Services. With Barry Diacon on the MUSA team are: Mina Dizdarevic, MUSA president, who works in the School of Business; Carmela Civitareale, who works in the Department of Pathology & Molecular Medicine; Debra Kigar, from the Department of Psychiatry & Behavioural Neurosciences; Roxanne Wilson, from the Centre for Continuing Educaton at the Downtown Centre; Mike Groom, MUSA's executive assistant and Barry Fraser, regional representative, Canadian Labour Congress. The parties have agreed on a number of protocols to assist the bargaining process, including a restriction on communications. Due to the nature of the negotiations process it is important that bargaining occurs through the official representatives at the bargaining table. For this reason, the union and the University may keep their respective principals updated on progress but there will be a blackout of public communications while bargaining is underway.

April 7, 2003

Material from the Health Sciences reserve collection has been moved to the Mills Memorial Library circulation desk in order to make books, articles and audiotapes accessible to students restricted from entering the hospital during the SARS health alert. Anyone wishing to use material listed in MORRIS as part of the Health Sciences reserve collection will be able to request it from Health Sciences Library staff working at the Mills circulation desk. The Health Sciences Library has also set up a service where students can request to have material delivered to Mills Library. Delivery request forms can be downloaded at http://hsl.mcmaster.ca/hslrequest.pdf. A library card is required to sign books out. The loan period on short-term loan items during the SARS health alert has also increased to two weeks from five days. Photocopy request forms can also be found at this site. Students can request a copy of one or more articles held in the Health Sciences Library collection to be delivered to the circulation desk for pickup. The charge is 10 cents per page and the fee can be charged to an account number, a student ID, or it can be paid by cheque, credit card or debit card. Completed forms should be faxed to 905-528-3733, or sent via campus mail to: SARS Document Delivery, Health Sciences Library, HSC 2B. Copies of both request forms will also be available from HSL staff at the circulation desk in the Mills Library throughout the SARS health alert. For further information or questions about any of these services visit http://hsl.mcmaster.ca or call the Information Desk in the Health Sciences Library at 905-525-9140 ext. 22327.

April 7, 2003

When surgeon Mehran Anvari slips his hands into the sophisticated controls of the three-armed robot named Zeus, it looks like he's about to embark on the latest video game adventure. In reality, Anvari performs landmark laparoscopic (or keyhole) surgery on patients hundreds of kilometres away, using a cutting-edge technology known as tele-robotics. Tele-robotics is a virtual-reality procedure that translates the surgeon's natural finger, hand and wrist movements into corresponding micro- movements of instrument tips positioned inside a patient in the next room or across the country. Tele-robotics represents the next frontier in surgical care for patients in rural and remote communities by offering a technology that can bring necessary health care to areas that have limited access to medical specialists. On Tuesday April 8, Dr. Anvari, professor of surgery and the founding director of the Centre for Minimal Access Surgery, will discuss this exciting new technology and its vast potential for changing the face of health care in Canada. This Science in the City lecture will be held at the Hamilton Spectator Auditorium, 44 Frid Street in Hamilton and begins at 7 pm (doors open at 6:30 pm). The lecture is free and all are welcome. To reserve your seat please call 905-525-9140, extension 24934 or email

April 4, 2003

Please be advised that the University is closed today (Friday, April 4) and all classes are cancelled due to the ice storm. Faculty, staff and students are advised to consult the Storm Emergency Policy and Procedures and local radio stations for additional information.

April 3, 2003

McMaster students have voted in favour of paying a levy that will support the construction of a new multi-sport wellness complex. Full-time undergraduate students chose an option that will see them pay $2 per unit commencing in 2003 followed by $2.55 per unit commencing in 2006 and increasing to $4.45 per unit commencing in 2012. (The last increment coincides with the projected retirement of the McMaster University Student Centre levy ($2.59 per unit to a maximum of 30 units) that students are paying.) "It's fantastic news," said Sam Minniti, former McMaster Students Union president and student chair of the "Yes" vote campaign. "For most students it means $60 or less a year for a tremendous new facility." Athletics & Recreation director Therese Quigley said she was pleased with the results of the vote. "We're excited about the possibilities of what we can provide to the McMaster community, especially in light of the access constraints and issues we've been managing," said Quigley. "There's lots of exciting work ahead." A total of 1,450 students voted yes in the student-run referendum while 984 voted no. Quigley said the next step is to form a users' committee to begin the planning process for the new facility. The proposal for the multi-sport/wellness complex at the north end of the Ivor Wynne Centre calls for a triple gymnasia, indoor track, the Pulse fitness centre three times larger than it is today, new locker rooms, a wellness centre and an expanded sport medicine clinic. McMaster students will contribute $20 million through the approved annual building fee per student and the University is contributing $10 million to this project.

April 3, 2003

Highlights from the March 27 Board of Governors meeting A financial plan for the future The Board of Governors approved the University's 2003-04 and 2004-05 . . .

April 3, 2003

The Centre for Research in Earth and Space Technology (CRESTech) is investing in four innovative research and development projects at McMaster. McMaster's recipients are: Yiping Guo, assistant professor of civil engineering, will receive $22,785 from the Ministry of Enterprise, Opportunity and Innovation (MEOI) for his project called, "Transferring analytical probabilistic storm-water models to practicing water resources engineers". Other support includes $7,785 in-kind from Alan A. Smith Inc and $15,000 from Weslake Inc. Daniel Ewing, assistant professor of mechanical engineering, will receive $35,000 from MEOI for, "Investigation of pollutant removal by advanced EGR cooling devices for diesel engines". Other support includes $30,000 and $17,000 in-kind from Dana Corp. William Morris, geography and geology professor, will receive $76,050 from MEOI for, "Hyperspectral imagery calibration and data integration with gradient airborne magnetometry for mineral exploration: Sudbury Basin and Cuprite, Nevada". Other support includes $75,000 in-kind from R.J. Burnside & Assoc., $40,000 in-kind from Falconbridge/Noranda and $10,000 in-kind from the Institute for Aerospaces Research NRC. Jim Smith, assistant professor of geography and geology will receive $57,580 from MEOI for, "An ecologically friendly remediation technology for subsurface pesticide contamination". Other support includes $16,020 from McMaster; $18,900 in-kind from National Water Research Institute; $8,500 in-kind from Parks Canada; and $9,600 in-kind from Acres & Assoc. Envir. CRESTech is investing $6.7 million in a total of 55 R&D projects at 13 Ontario universities and colleges beginning April 1, 2003.

April 2, 2003

The bicycle as art. An interesting idea and one that MACycle Co-op encourages people to explore at The MACycle Bike Show Thursday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. in the marketplace at the McMaster University Student Centre. More than 15 individuals will be presenting pieces of bicycle related art. Submissions are expected from students at McMaster as well as outside community members, artists, and bike enthusiasts. "The key learning objective of the art show is to illustrate how the bicycle is a cultural and social image. It is the challenge of the "artists" to create art that conveys this notion to the audience," says Alexandra Tarkowski, an organizer of the event. "It is hoped that the audience will see that the bike is more than a mode of transportation - it is a cultural icon. The bicycle can represent a road to health, both mental and physical, or freedom from the confines of a car-dependent lifestyle." The MACycle Co-op, launched September 2002, services all members of the McMaster and Hamilton community. The mission of MACycle Co-op is to promote cycling both as an alternative mode of transportation and as a form of recreation. This is achieved through a not-for-profit workshop, bike repair courses, a cycling resource centre and the organization of special events to encourage cycling. In order to provide these services, a one-time membership fee for students is $10 and $15 for faculty and staff.

April 2, 2003

Nearly 250 people attended the McMaster Students Union's 23rd annual Student Recognition Night Monday at the CIBC Banquet Hall. The event held special significance, as it was the first time Student Recognition Night took place at the McMaster University Student Centre. This event recognizes the contributions of outstanding students to the McMaster community. "At this time of year there are a number of award ceremonies held on campus. The recent MSU teaching awards and the athletic awards are just two of many," said McMaster President Peter George. "But the Honour M Awards stand out. They are one of the most significant honours for McMaster students and recognize the outstanding accomplishments they make to their fellow students, the community and the University." This year's Honour M Award winners were Adam Spence and Joanna Ranieri. The Honour M Award is presented to students who show commitment to extra curricular activities both within the McMaster community and have rendered outstanding and valuable service to the Hamilton community and/or the McMaster community by any or all of the following: university government, student government, residence government, departments, clubs, societies, and/or university athletics. Adam Spence's contributions during his time at McMaster have included developing the Horizons leadership conference for incoming McMaster students, restructuring of the MSU Community Relations Committee and the MSU Environment Committee into services, serving as president of the Social Sciences Society, hosting the Social Sciences Education Symposium and starting the social sciences newspaper. Spence was this year's MSU vice-president education. Spence was also the recipient of the Rudy Heinzl Award of Excellence for his outstanding one-year achievement improving the lives of McMaster students as MSU vice-president education. Click here for Spence's citation. Joanna Ranieri has shown an outstanding commitment to the environment during her years at McMaster. Aside from chairing the MSU environment committee, she has worked to develop environmental policies for McMaster University. Ranieri has also co-chaired the Tupperware Challenge and organized cleanups of campus and Cootes Paradise. She also has worked closely with the City of Hamilton and on the development of the city's solid waste management strategy. Click here for Ranieri's citation.