Daily News

March 12, 2003

Thanks to the digital age, McMaster students can visit the library without ever leaving their dorm room. But even the most tech-savvy student will go to the library to find the books they need, says Sheila Pepper, assistant university librarian, Mills Memorial Library. "The book is not disappearing," she says. "Library staff will always welcome users who want to access services and assistance in person. However, staff are aware that our students, particularly undergraduates, live in a digital age with increased expectations for online service." As a result, McMaster Libraries has introduced a number of new services in response to the digital bent of today's student. "The library has tried to make as much of its information and resources as possible available on a self-help and at-point-of-need basis, so that students can complete efficient research wherever and whenever they need to," says Pepper. "With the impending double cohort, the library has had to find creative ways to accommodate the additional students on campus," says Pepper. But, she adds it is difficult for the library to respond to the double cohort in specific ways due to an uncertainty of where enrolment will be increased the most. "However, there are a number of general things we have done to try to improve the situation." The libraries have worked on an extensive reorganization of the combined libraries' Web site in order to make information on library services and resources easy to locate. "An integral part of the project was the provision of an electronic resources database (ERD) through which students can more efficiently select the appropriate electronic resource." With funding from McMaster's one-time academic priority fund, library staff developed DOT@MAC, an online self-paced tutorial that students can use to develop research skills. Both DOT@MAC and the ERD can be accessed through the libraries' homepage at: http://library.mcmaster.ca.

March 12, 2003

A team led by McMaster scientists is exploring the genomics of a soil bacterium that is associated with many Canadian crops in research that could eventually help the environment and improve agricultural practices. Professors Turlough Finan and Brian Golding are leading the team that has been awarded $2.9 million from Genome Canada. Their project, Genomics Analysis of Soil Microorganisms, has a $5.8 million budget. Officials from the Ontario Genomics Institute, one of five genomic centres affiliated with Genome Canada, were at McMaster Wednesday to celebrate the award and promote the research project. Genome Canada is a not-for-profit corporation dedicated to developing and implementing a national strategy for genomics and proteomics research in Canada. To date, it has received $375 million from the federal government to fund genomics and proteomics research in environment, agriculture, fishery, forestry and health sectors across the country. To date, it has invested more than $294 million in 56 innovative projects across Canada. Ronnie Gavsie, president and CEO of the Ontario Genomics Institute, congratulated the researchers. "The research team led by Dr. Finan and Dr. Golding is bringing credit to Ontario and Canada for the brilliance of their work," said Gavsie. "They are creating the basic knowledge that will spark the development of new globally-competitive products and processes, thereby generating tomorrow's employment and income." McMaster President Peter George said the McMaster community, in particular students, reaps the benefits of such leading edge research. "McMaster is home to exceptional talent  people like Drs. Finan and Golding  who motivate and inspire our students through their approach to scientific discovery."

March 11, 2003

During March Break this week, countless high school students are giving their brains a time-out by hitting the beach or skiing the slopes. But at McMaster, you may have noticed many still have academics on the brain. More than 3,500 students and their parents are visiting McMaster this week, partaking in one of several campus tours offered through Student Liaison. And if numbers are any indication, students are showing a heightened interest in McMaster. Approximately 1,500 more visitors than last year are expected to tour campus this week. "Taking a campus tour remains to be one of the best ways to find out what a university has to offer and March Break is the perfect opportunity for many of our applicants to visit campus," says Patricia Harris, associate registrar for student liaison. "For most students, the campus tour is their first visit to the University. It allows them to get a sense of the size, layout and personality of the campus." Regular student tours take place Monday through Friday, at 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. and on Saturday at 9:15 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. This week they begin in the lobby of the McMaster University Student Centre. Students can register for a tour online at http://registrar.mcmaster.ca/external/tours, or by phone 905-525-9140 ext. 23650.

March 11, 2003

Carol Stephenson, recent president and chief executive officer of Lucent Technologies Canada, will present the 19th annual J.W. Hodgins Memorial Lecture tonight (March 11). Presented by the Faculty of Engineering, the lecture "After the Bust: Rebuilding the Trust", takes place at 7:30 p.m. in the McMaster Information Technology Building, Lecture Hall, Room 137. Stephenson, who has an extensive background within the telecommunications industry, will discuss the evolution of the information technology industry and where she sees it heading in the future. She recently led Lucent's Canadian team in providing sales, marketing, installation, maintenance and other services to the company's growing service provider customer base across Canada. She has a range of expertise in marketing, operations, strategic planning, business development, regulatory affairs, alliance management, technology development and financial management. Prior to her position at Lucent, Stephenson was president and COO of BCE Media Inc., a startup company offering leading edge satellite services for corporate business customers throughout the Americas. Before that, she was president and CEO of Stentor Resource Centre Inc. where she led the national marketing and technology development centre for Canada's nine telecommunications companies. In 1995, she was named Woman of the Year by Canadian Women in Telecommunications and in 1998 was named Woman of the Year by Wired Women. She is currently chair of the Board of Directors of the Information Technology Association of Canada as well as a director for Queen's University School of Business Advisory Board, Ottawa-Carleton Economic Development Corporation, Women's College Hospital Foundation Board, Ottawa Airport Authority and ING Canada. Stephenson is a graduate of the University of Toronto and has successfully completed the executive program at the Graduate School of Business Administration, University of California at Berkeley, as well as the advanced management program at Harvard University.

March 11, 2003

McMaster President Peter George recently provided an update to the University community that the search has begun for a new sexual harassment and anti-discrimination officer. The person replaces Cindy Player, who has taken on a new position at the City of Hamilton as a human rights consultant. A selection committee, chaired by Jane Aronson, professor of social work, has been appointed to lead the search. In the interim, Jane Mulkewich has agreed to take on the role of acting sexual harassment and anti-discrimination officer. Mulkewich joined the University in June 2002 as a human rights educator in the Sexual Harassment and Anti-Discrimination Office. She previously worked with the Hamilton Police Service for eight years as the anti-racism and anti-discrimination officer. "We wish Cindy well in her new job and thank her for the tremendous contributions she made in making McMaster a more inclusive and welcoming community for students, staff and faculty," George said.

March 10, 2003

Did you nominate your favourite teacher for an award earlier this year? Do you know an outstanding professor who has made exceptional contributions to McMaster? Would you like to come out and support your instructors? If you answered yes to any of the above questions come and check out the MSU Teaching Awards Wednesday, March 12 at 6 p.m. in the CIBC Banquet Hall at the McMaster University Student Centre. The annual McMaster Students Union event, recognizes and encourages excellence in teaching. Awards to be presented include Faculty Awards, Merit Awards for teachers in the first or second year at Mac, and Lifetime Achievement Awards. A reception will follow the ceremony. Award recipients are nominated by students each semester and classes of the top two nominees in each faculty are given evaluation forms to complete. The winner is the teacher with the highest ranking on these forms. Faculty Awards are given for each of the following faculties or programs; Arts & Science, Business, Engineering, Health Sciences, Humanities, Kinesiology, Nursing, Science, Social Work, and Social Studies. Merit Awards are given to support teachers in their first or second year at McMaster who have already made a significant contribution to the community. Each year, Lifetime Achievement Awards are presented to one or more instructors who have shown dedication to teaching at McMaster University for at least ten years, have been nominated for an MSU Teaching Award in the past and are close to retirement. This award recognizes the significant contribution by an instructor to the McMaster community due to their proven years of outstanding teaching but also considers their contributions to academia. Further information about the awards can be found at www.msu.mcmaster.ca/tac/index.php.

March 10, 2003

Issues of diversity, inclusion and equity will gain a higher profile at McMaster with the recent establishment of a presidential advisory committee. University President Peter George created the President's Advisory Committee on Building an Inclusive Community as part of his and McMaster's commitment to a community that celebrates, fosters and respects diversity. "The University fosters an environment of diversity and inclusivity. It is part of our culture and is something we should all celebrate," says George. "One of our principal purposes as a University is to make possible the expression of a wide range of views, cultures and lifestyles. It is my hope that this committee will help to strengthen our commitment to these issues and will assist us in building a stronger, more inclusive community for all."

March 7, 2003

Pierre Berton's well-chosen title for his latest book, The Joy of Writing, says it all. How else to explain the prolific writer's tremendous output of best-selling books? Berton, who himself clearly derives joy out of writing, has written a book for aspiring writers to share in that joy. On Monday, March 10, Berton will be at McMaster to read to students and other guests from The Joy of Writing, talk about writing non-fiction, and answer questions. Titles Bookstore will have copies of The Joy of Writing and Pierre Berton's other works available for purchase and he will be pleased to sign books following the question and answer session. Berton has a long association with McMaster. In 1974, the University Library received the first accrual of his papers, and received the most recent one, the twelfth, in 2002. The archive contains Berton's original manuscripts, research materials, correspondence, speeches, promotional material and photographs with Canadian and international celebrities. Looking through the extensive archive, you can witness Berton's development as a journalist, writer and broadcaster. The archives are located in the lower level of Mills Library in Archives and Research Collections. Hours are 9-5 Monday to Friday. Berton was also granted an Honorary Doctor of Letters degree by McMaster on November 11, 1983. Introducing Berton at the convocation ceremony, Peter George, then dean of Social Sciences, said this: "In a moving account of Phillips Thomson, Dr. Berton once wrote that his grandfather 'could not stop writing'. Neither, we hope, can Dr. Berton." In the 20 years that have since passed, George's words have certainly been realized. With the publication of The Joy of Writing, it is evident why. Admission is free to the event which takes place from 2-4 p.m. in CIBC Hall, third floor, McMaster University Student Centre. For more information, call ext. 24865.

March 6, 2003

The way McMaster's CanChild Centre for Childhood Disability Research makes a difference in the way children with disabilities and their families are treated and supported, has impressed researchers in Utrecht, Netherlands. So much in fact, that they launched NetChild, a new childhood disability research group modeled on CanChild's tradition of multidisciplinary collaboration. It is based in part on NetChild's Jan Willem Gorter's experience at CanChild in 2002, where he spent six months as a post-doctoral fellow. "We realize the added value of doing multidisciplinary research, both in developing a research program, as well as the opportunities for research funding," said Gorter, a NetChild partner. "We noticed that CanChild has made a difference in the last 10 years in the field of childhood disability research by developing a research program instead of conducting singular research projects, and by working together with a multidisciplinary approach and functioning as a community-linked organization." Gorter says it's time to work together in a network like CanChild. NetChild would like to develop a community-linked research program and work on transferring knowledge through teaching, education and promotion. "We would like to build a strong network of professionals in childhood disability research, with a focus on maximizing the level of activities, participation and quality of life of children with disabilities and their families," says Gorter. The new research group brings together colleagues from rehabilitation (Gorter and Marjolijn Ketelaar), pediatric physiotherapy (professor Paul Helders, Wilhelmina Children's Hospital) and special education (professor Marian Jongmans), each of whom has longstanding professional relationships with CanChild colleagues. The program was created with the support of professors Adri Vermeer of Utrecht University, and Arie Prevo of Rehabilitation Centre De Hoogstraat/University Medical Center Utrecht, and will be developing its first five-year research program. CanChild Centre for Childhood Disability Research is located at McMaster University in the School of Rehabilitation Science and has been funded by the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care since 1989.

March 6, 2003

Why aren't more women involved in politics? What can be done to support women interested in running for office? Have there been improvements to encourage women to participate as student, community and political leaders? Redefining Leadership, a one-day conference on Friday, March 7 in the council chambers of Gilmour Hall is providing a forum to discuss these issues. The conference, co-hosted by MacWin (McMaster Womyn's Issues Network) and the MSU Gender Equity committee, will feature a keynote speaker and panel discussions allowing panellists to share their experiences and members of the audience to participate in the presentation. "The speakers are all women who have all made outstanding commitments to their communities," says Nicole Richmond, who co-organized the event with Helen Tewolde. "Each of the speakers we have seen at different events and have been truly impressed by, and felt that these are women who would provide both inspiration and insight to our audience." Keynote speaker, Sue Fraser, kicks off the day at 9:30 a.m. Fraser was MSU president from 1989-90 and is now a social justice lawyer.

March 6, 2003

A team of researchers from McMaster University will be approaching up to 1,500 south Oakville residents asking for blood samples, in the first Canadian study to find the prevalence of West Nile virus infection. The researchers are looking for antibodies of the West Nile virus in the blood to help them get a better grip on how many were infected with the potentially deadly virus. Physicians believe that about 150 people are infected for every case that reaches them. The rate of Oakville residents contracting the mosquito-borne virus last summer was one of the highest in North America, said Halton medical officer of health Bob Nosal. There have been 58 human cases of West Nile since August -- 49 confirmed cases, and nine probable -- in Halton, almost all of them in south Burlington and south Oakville. Halton has the second-highest number of West Nile cases in Canada. Only Toronto is higher. Nosal said of the 19 Halton residents hospitalized with West Nile symptoms of encephalitis or meningitis, half are still suffering significant health problems, such as trouble walking. "West Nile caused a significant amount of illness last year, and we need to take it seriously." The ministry has contracted the research to McMaster University and hospital infectious diseases specialist Mark Loeb, and university colleagues and professors John Eyles and Susan Elliott. The blood will be tested at provincial labs. Read more

March 5, 2003

More than 100 guests from the Hamilton and Halton business and research communities, along with representatives from municipal and provincial governments, attended a Golden Horseshoe Venture Forum Tuesday morning where a new Biosciences Network was launched. The Golden Horseshoe Biosciences Network is an organization initiated by McMaster University, the City of Hamilton and the Region of Halton to bring together the area's biosciences research and business communities to foster the creation of a vibrant biotechnology industry. Nick Markettos, senior advisor in the Office of the Vice-President (Research & International Affairs) says the timing is right for such an initiative. "Biotechnology and biosciences hold enormous promise for economic and social benefit and the creation of this network will allow us to move ahead together to increase research and commercialization activities in this area," he said. Keynote speaker Borys Chabursky, president and founder of Strategic Health Innovations, spoke about advancing the commercialization and development of biotechnology in the Golden Horseshoe. He told the audience that in order to compete with already established biotechnology clusters they would have to take advantage of the biosciences strengths and opportunities that exist in this region. "You have the resources but lack the links that will establish a cluster of innovation in biosciences in this area," he said. The first major event organized by the Golden Horseshoe Biosciences Network is a day-long conference planned at McMaster University on June 11, 2003. BioSummit2003@McMaster will bring the scientific and business communities together to find opportunities for strategic partnerships and create an environment for collaboration.

March 5, 2003

Andy Oxman, a Hooker Distinguished visiting professor in the Department of Clinical Epidemiology & Biostatistics, will examine the "Unbearable Lightness of Health Care Policy", today (March 5) from 3:30 to 5 p.m. in Health Sciences Centre, Room. 1A6. An international leader in developing, teaching, researching and applying evidence-based health care, Oxman is the director of Health Services Research in the Norwegian Directorate for Health and Social Welfare. His talk will be based on Milan Kundera's book, The Unbearable Lightness of Being. "The underlying argument of my talk is that health-policy making is doubly unbearably light because not only is it often impossible to compare alternative policy options, many policies are never properly implemented, however well informed they are," Oxman says. Oxman will describe his experience working with key stakeholders in Norway to evaluate an implementation strategy for a broadly supported health policy: active sick leave; use case studies from six countries on the use of research to inform drug policy to better understand this experience; expand on a systematic review of interviews with policy makers about the use of research in health policy; draw some conclusions and engage the audience in a discussion about the implications of this in the Canadian context. Oxman's publications include systematic reviews, meta-analyses, methodology development, quality of life, community-health practice guidelines, and educational strategies for health-care providers and users. He is a leader in the Cochrane Collaboration and an active participant in the Evidence Based Medicine Working Group. After completing his MD at Michigan State, Oxman earned a Diploma in Occupational Health and Safety, a Masters degree in Design, Measurement and Evaluation, and Community Medicine Certification at McMaster in the 1980's. He is now the director of Health Services Research in the Norwegian Directorate for Health and Social Welfare.

March 5, 2003

Conditions facing female faculty at Canadian universities will be explored during a lunchtime discussion today (Wednesday). Hosted by Women's Studies, the event is one of several planned this week leading up to International Women's Day, Saturday, March 8. The discussion and brown bag lunch was inspired by the book Canadian Women and the Academic Tundra: Challenging the Chill, by E. Hannah, Linda Paul and Swami Vethamy-Globus. "International Women's Day is a time for asserting women's political and social rights, and reviewing the progress that women have made," says associate kinesiology professor Nancy Bouchier, one of the key organizers of the event. "Perhaps best of all, it is a day for celebration. Our event aims to provide us with a forum to reflect upon the working conditions of, and our own experiences at the university." Challenging the Chill gives a voice to women's experiences as teachers and researchers on university campuses across Canada, adds Bouchier, "and it embraces so many different perspectives from people of very different disciplinary, administrative, and pedagogical backgrounds." Participants do not have to read the book to participate in the discussion. But Bouchier says it will serve as a springboard for people to air their views about things like how they have felt about the social and academic climate at McMaster for women, what changes have happened during their tenure here, what work is left to be done, and what accomplishments they should celebrate.

March 5, 2003

Computing & Information Services continues to experience difficulty with the University's e-mail system. CIS staff are working around the clock to resolve the problem. Messages are being delivered, although at a slower pace than normal.

March 4, 2003

Three more up-and-coming McMaster researchers are the latest recipients of the Canada Foundation for Innovation's (CFI) New Opportunities Funding program. A total of $434,448 will provide world-class labs and facilities for the newly recruited faculty members to undertake leading-edge research in their first full-time academic appointment. The funding is part of more than $17.7 million awarded to 97 of the nation's emerging research leaders at 26 Canadian universities. McMaster's recipients are: Paulin Coulibaly, assistant professor jointly in geography & geology and civil engineering, was awarded $207,490 to research high-resolution soil moisture, through measurement, characterization, modeling and hydrologic applications. Geoff Werstuck, assistant professor of medicine in the Faculty of Health Sciences, was awarded $132,719, to study molecular mechanisms by which diabetes mellitus promotes the development and progression of atherogenesis. Yiping Guo, assistant professor of civil engineering, received $94,239 for field research for the control of non-point source water pollution.

March 4, 2003

The McMaster Museum of Art presents an exhibition of recent work by seven accomplished artists who are also faculty in McMaster University's School of the . . .

March 4, 2003

McMaster Security Services, in partnership with the Hamilton Police Service and Mohawk College Security, is launching a new Community Road Sign Amnesty Program. The kick-off will take place Wednesday in the McMaster University Student Centre at 9:30 a.m. From March 5-31, anyone in possession of a street sign can drop it off at any Hamilton police station, McMaster Security Services or Mohawk College security office. "The program will enable those in the community who are inadvertently in possession of any street signs, such as road or traffic, the opportunity to return them without fear of prosecution," says Cathy O'Donnell, McMaster's sergeant of crime prevention. "This Program is designed to educate the public about the costs and possible serious consequences of road sign theft." The cost of replacing signs in the City of Hamilton is approximately $300 per sign. The program does not negate criminal charges if a person is found in possession of a sign during this period and is not making a concerted effort to turn it over to the police. The punishment for possession of property obtained by crime is a jail term of up to two years. If a fatal collision was to occur, which was directly due to a sign being stolen, the involved thief could face a charge of criminal negligence causing death, increasing the punishment of jail time. The program was first developed and implemented in 1993 by constable Dave Milsip of the Hamilton Police Service.

March 3, 2003

The Conference Board of Canada and the Michael G. DeGroote School of Business at McMaster University announced today an agreement in principle to launch The Directors College for directors of Canadian corporations. The program is aimed at meeting the expressed needs of corporations in Canada for a Canadian-based approach to corporate governance. The Directors College, the first of its kind in Canada, will provide practically oriented corporate governance education to directors currently serving on the boards of Canadian corporations and prospective candidates for directorships. "Our program will not only cover the 'mechanics' of being a competent director, but will also focus on the principles of being a director who is constructively involved in defining the role of his or her company in Canadian society," said Vishwanath Baba, dean of the Michael G. DeGroote School of Business. "This initiative builds on the Conference Board's six years of experience in delivering director education and 30 years of researching the practices and principles in corporate governance," said Mark Schacter, director of Governance and Corporate Social Responsibility for the Conference Board. "Our conversations with corporate executives and our members make it clear that the need for this program is urgent." Elliot Schreiber, industry professor, marketing & reputation management, said the partnership is another example of innovation, a hallmark of McMaster's culture. "The School of Business will contribute significant start-up funds and expertise in key areas of corporate governance, including accounting and financial management and disclosure. In addition, we have leading experts in the creation and development of high performance boards, including brand and reputation management, executive evaluation, organizational development, and knowledge management." The vision of the two partners is to establish a program uniquely tailored to Canadian business and culture. Its intention is to promote professional standards for directors that companies will be proud to support and shareholders will come to expect of their boards. Participants who successfully complete the curriculum will obtain an accredited Chartered Director designation. Stand-alone shorter courses that do not lead to designation will also be available. The faculty of The Directors College will include specialists from the corporate, legal and academic sectors. Subjects to be covered in the curriculum include compliance, liability, ethics, auditing and internal control, compensation, and organizational behaviour. The college is scheduled to begin on a pilot basis in the fall of 2003. Elliot Schreiber will lead the Michael G. DeGroote School of Business' participation in the partnership, and Mark Schacter will lead the Conference Board's involvement. The partnership between the Michael G. DeGroote School of Business and the Conference Board is non-exclusive, and discussions are underway with other potential participants in this national initiative.

March 3, 2003

The future shape of McMaster is the subject of three upcoming open sessions held on campus. As part of Refining Directions, the University's strategic planning process, University President Peter George and Provost Ken Norrie are holding open meetings. The first meetings were held in December to introduce the community to the process. A second set of meetings are planned for this week and next. The first meeting will be held at the Downtown Centre today (Tuesday) from 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. in Room 216. Other meeting dates and times are: March 12: 8:30 to 10 a.m., McMaster University Student Centre, Room 319, and March 13: 2 to 4 p.m. Health Sciences Centre, Room 2J36-ABCD. The focus of this set of meetings will be on themes and recommendations emerging from reports submitted by six Work Groups on key areas of the University: undergraduate education, research and graduate education, external activities, internal community, planning and managing, and branding. The Work Groups have been meeting since last fall. In mid-February they presented their reports to the Refining Directions Steering Committee. The reports are currently being consolidated into a comprehensive planning document. For more information about this process and the Work Groups, visit Refining Directions.