Daily News

November 4, 2002

Noam Chomsky is coming to Hamilton in November. Those words tend to have one of two effects on people; either they are scrambling to find tickets, or they are saying "Noam who?" How is it that someone can be simultaneously so popular and so unknown? Chomsky has lectured all over the world, and has written more than 30 books on U.S. foreign policy, democracy, globalization and the thought control role of mass media. He first became known as a political dissident in the movement against the Vietnam War in the 60s. He has not traditionally received much coverage from mass media, which is a major reason why he is unknown to many. But more than ever since the events of Sept. 11, 2001, many people in North America are looking for answers to questions that Chomsky had been talking about for years. Chomsky's book 9-11 is a collection of interviews, which took place after Sept. 11. In the book, the professor from MIT states that "I have had considerably more access even to mainstream media in the U.S. than ever before, and others report the same experience." Chomsky will speak at McMaster on Nov. 12, as a Hooker Distinguished Visiting Professor on the topic: "Is there Intelligent Life on Earth? The Role of the Intellectual Culture and Institutions". This lecture is sponsored by the Centre for Peace Studies, the Department of Labour Studies and the Russell Centre, McMaster University. The lecture will be at 8:30 p.m. in the Burridge Gymnasium, Ivor Wynne Centre, McMaster University. Tickets will be distributed by the Compass Information Centre in the McMaster University Student Centre on Wednesday, Nov. 6, in three blocks. Block 1 (350 tickets) available from 9:30 a.m.; Block 2 (350 tickets) available from 12:30 p.m.; and Block 3 (400 tickets) available from 6:30 p.m. There is a limit of two tickets per person, and no holds or reservations. Please do not telephone the Compass Information Centre. For information contact chomskyhamilton@yahoo.ca or 905-525-9140 ext 26119.

November 4, 2002

It is less than a year until the official "double cohort" arrives. But the challenges the University will face extend well beyond 2003/04, says McMaster President Peter George. "We need to look at the long-range issues," he said to the Board of Governors Thursday. An increase in faculty retirement rates, higher student participation rates, increased graduate enrolment and enrolling a mix of international, Ontario and out-of-province students, are some of the issues McMaster will face, not just during the double cohort years, he says, but for years to come. "There are a lot of issues here that are long-reaching," he says. "The double cohort is just a lightning rod that is distracting attention away from the longer-term issues."

November 1, 2002

Italian Princess Elletra Marconi is visiting McMaster today. The daughter of Guglielmo Marconi, known as the inventor of the first practical system of wireless telegraphy, is visiting with students, touring labs and facilities and participating in an interview with CFMU News. With support from the Ministry of Canadian Heritage, and as a guest of the Congress of Italian-Canadians, Hamilton-District, the princess is in Hamilton this week to participate in the Guglielmo Marconi Tribute. This tribute honors the wisdom of Marconi and highlights his story and Canada's place in the history of wireless technology. In conjunction with this event, Canada Post issued a stamp in Marconi's honour. Photo caption: Princess Elletra Marconi poses with Deborah Messina, fourth-year computer engineering student and chair of the Institute of Electrical & Electronic Engineering. Messina presented the princess with a scarf, which has the Faculty of Engineering's colours.

November 1, 2002

The undefeated McMaster Marauders got another touchdown, only this time, off the football field. Eight Marauder football players were named all-stars by Ontario University Athletics (OUA), as voted by the ten OUA football head coaches. McMaster's all-stars include star running back Kyle Pyear who led the OUA and CIS in rushing for most of the season. The two-time all-star also broke an OUA record for most rushing attempts in a game with 39 at McMaster's Homecoming game against Laurier on Sept 28. Other McMaster all-stars include: Dave Forde on the offensive line; linebacker Ray Mariuz; Colin Shanahan, on the defensive line; defensive-half Brandon Little; placekicker Michael Ray; linemate Fabio Filic; and cornerback Kwame Aidoo. The road to the Yates Cup continues this weekend as the defending champions McMaster Marauders will host the York Yeomen Saturday at 1 p.m. The Western Mustangs travel to Kingston to meet the Queen's Golden Gaels. The winners of each game will meet in the 104th Yates Cup Championship Saturday, Nov. 9 at 1 p.m.

October 31, 2002

Strange things happen at the Auchmar estate on Hamilton's mountain brow. For one thing, mayflies bite people and age them a lot faster than humanly possible. McMaster's Marvin Gunderman can be held partly accountable for the creepy things that take place at the 150-year-old Gothic-style estate. After all, it's this entomologist that put the insects there in the first place. The technical co-ordinator, curator of entomology and insect taxonomist in McMaster's Department of Biology, supplied the set of Discovery Channel's new program Strange Days at Blake Holsey High with the mayflies that were digitized for use in episode 5. In this episode, a student catches a mayfly, known for its short lifespan, and when the bug bites him, his genetic code is altered and he ages rapidly. "A special crew took digital images of the insects spread on a Petrie plate and they manipulated those images to make a prototype creature," Gunderman explains. "What they wanted to get across was that aging and life spans are both relative." The show will air Nov. 23 on Discovery Kids on NBC Saturday mornings. The half-hour action series is filmed on location in Hamilton at the Auchmar estate, once a monastery. The show is set at a boarding school called Blake Holsey High, nicknamed Black Hole High because of the bizarre occurrences that take place there. The episode probably won't spook Gunderman. "As a kid I loved insects," he says. "I always had spider collections and all of my science projects in high school were on insects."

October 30, 2002

The City of Hamilton launched its bid today to host the 2010 Commonwealth Games, naming McMaster University as one of its partners. Click here to visit the City of Hamilton's Commonwealth Games site. "This is an exciting chance not only to work closely with the City to bring the very best to Hamilton, but also to create a legacy for McMaster," says McMaster President Peter George. "The opportunity to transform our athletics facilities would greatly enhance our ability to attract the best students and faculty, and to provide world-class athletic centres for students, faculty, staff and the community." The University of Calgary and University of Manitoba are examples of other universities that have greatly benefited from hosting international sporting events, he says. "I firmly believe that a University that has ambitions to be a national and international leader must look beyond its own borders to find the opportunities that will help propel it to new heights of success. The Commonwealth Games are one such opportunity for McMaster." Hamilton is not alone in the race for the 2010 games. Halifax also plans to make a bid. The first step in the lengthy process is Hamilton's official entry, which happened today. Early in the new year the winner of the Canadian competition will be chosen, and that municipality will then proceed to the international round of competition.

October 30, 2002

Eight out of every 10 students that visit a career counselor in the Career Planning and Employment Centre (CPEC) are looking to further their education beyond McMaster, according to CPEC stats. That's one reason Heather Hines, CPEC events and marketing co-ordinator, feels today's Continuing Your Education Fair is so valuable. "The Continuing Your Education Fair offers students the chance to speak with admissions and liaison personnel about the programs they have to offer," says Hines. "A great number of McMaster students are interested in further studies after their first degree, so the fair brings some of the possibilities right to their doorstep." More than 50 schools will participate in the fair on Wednesday, Oct. 30 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the atrium of the McMaster University Student Centre, including a school from the United Kingdom. For a list of the participating organizations visit http://careers.mcmaster.ca/cont_ed_fair_2002/students.htm CPEC's newest publication Staying in school a little longer... The Ultimate Ontario Guide to Continuing Your Education, is also being launched today. "The book is a comprehensive resource detailing more than 300 programs in Ontario that students can enroll in upon completion of a degree," says Hines. The book will be for sale at the fair and is available to students for $3.

October 30, 2002

McMaster University has made a dramatic move up on two national top 10 lists that rank research income and intensity at Canadian universities. Sponsored research at the University grew significantly in 2001, moving from $106.9 million in 2000 to $184.4 million. The increase moved the University from tenth to seventh position in a national ranking of universities with more than $100 million in research income. The University also moved into third place from seventh position on the top 10 list ranking universities by research intensity, defined as research dollars per full-time faculty position. In 2001, McMaster averaged $197,000 per faculty position, up from $117,600 in the previous year. The rankings are part of the Top 50 Research Universities report that was published Tuesday by Research Infosource Inc. from data collected by Statistics Canada. Mamdouh Shoukri, vice-president research & international affairs, said that this significant increase in income is directly related to McMaster's outstanding faculty and their aggressive approach to research.

October 30, 2002

Hamilton mayor Bob Wade delivered his second annual State of the City address at the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce Tuesday. In his address, he cites McMaster as a key element in the future growth of Hamilton and downtown. In biotechnology, he says, the City's economic development department, in conjunction with McMaster, has formed a steering committee to oversee plans for a biotechnology incubator and a biotech strategy for the city. "We want to greatly ramp up our partnership with McMaster. They will be a key catalyst to the future of this city," he says. "McMaster and our other academic institutions are as important as the airport and the harbour in the future direction of the city." Click here for the full address.

October 28, 2002

Two outstanding teams of teachers are the inaugural recipients of the Imperial Oil Departmental Learning Innovation grants. Carolyn Eyles and Susan Vajoczki from the School of Geography & Geology and Margaret Denton, Christopher Justice and Anju Joshi from the Undergraduate Degree Studies in Gerontology Program were awarded the grants for projects that will change the way undergraduate education is delivered in their departments. The awards are for three years and are worth about $100,000. Dale Roy, executive director of the Centre for Leadership in Learning, said the projects that were chosen for the first awards clearly demonstrated how they would change the way students are taught their disciplines in their departments. "We tend to do course development individually," said Roy. "This is a different way of approaching courses, how they're designed, delivered, collaborated on within a department." One of the goals of the initiative is to "build a culture of collaboration," Roy added.

October 28, 2002

McMaster chair of Biology Turlough Finan has received the 2002 Tourism Hamilton Convention Ambassador Award. The award recognizes Finan for helping organize "The International Congress on Nitrogen Fixation" conference held at the Hamilton Convention Center July 2 to 7, 2001. "I am honored to receive this recognition from Tourism Hamilton," Finan says. "It's nice to be recognized for something that helps boost Hamilton's image. The folks and facilities at the Hamilton Convention Center were excellent." Attended by 300 scientists from 44 countries, the five-day conference discussed biological and chemical aspects of nitrogen fixation -- the process in which ammonia is formed from the gas nitrogen. Sponsored by About Town Event and Meeting Planner, the award is given to a local individual who played a significant and active role in securing and co-ordinating a conference, meeting or related event that is generally held in a different city each year. The individual, who demonstrated a concerted effort to promote Hamilton's image, did not receive personal financial gain and the activity was not job-related. Earlier this year, Finan received a $3-million Genome Canada award with biology professor Brian Golding to support their research into Genomic Analyses of Soil Microorganisms. Click here for more information about the award. Wendy Read, conference co-ordinator of McMaster's Housing and Conference Services, was nominated for a Tourism Hamilton Behind the Scenes Award. Sponsored by the Stoney Creek Chamber of Commerce, the award recognizes an individual who typically works behind the scenes ensuring that complete customer satisfaction is obtained through the effective and efficient delivery of his or her responsibilities.

October 25, 2002

Sitting on a bench in front of a new Steinway piano in Convocation Hall, Hugh Hartwell plays a couple of lines of Billy Boy. In his head, he sings a few lines, hums softly. His fingers bounce off the piano keys like raindrops and the jazz resonates throughout the stained glass hall. "When I play, what I'm doing is singing to myself. In the end, everything is melody and melody comes from inside of you," he says. Born in Hamilton, McMaster's former director of Art, Drama and Music, has been playing the piano since he was six. Music has had a tremendous impact on his life since then. He began his professional career as a musician at 13, traveling with rock and roll bands and playing in festivals and competitions. At 16, he was a guest soloist with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra. He played with a trio band on a ferry that toured the islands of Montreal and when he was 18, he ventured to London, England to tone his technique in classical piano. There, he practiced eight hours a day, seven days a week and took lessons once a week. At night he played in jazz clubs in Soho. Later, Hartwell taught music at Hamilton College in upstate New York, studied music at McGill University and did his graduate work at Pennsylvania State before joining McMaster's music faculty in 1976. But among his musical experiences, his fondest is what he is doing now. The associate professor of jazz music, 20th-century concert music and music theory plays in the Hugh Hartwell Trio Band that will perform in the School of the Arts' annual McMaster Concert Series for 2002-03. His trio band, which includes music studio instructor Kevin Dempsey on drums and Marek Semeniuk on bass, performs Tuesday, Oct. 29 from 12:30 to 1:20 p.m. in Convocation Hall. Click here for a listing of the McMaster Concert Series.

October 25, 2002

Across Canada during the week of Nov. 4-11, an estimated 400,000 Grade 9 students will visit their parents, guardians or volunteer hosts in the workplace as part of Canada Career Week. The program will also touch McMaster where a number of high school students are expected to join their parents --McMaster's faculty and staff - at work on Wednesday, Nov. 6 as part of Take Your Child To Work Day. Within the Hamilton-Wentworth area, approximately 5,000 students are expected to participate in the annual program. McMaster wholeheartedly supports the initiative and is committed to providing the young students with an informative, enriching and exciting experience. It also wants the experience to be a safe one. The health and safety of each student who visits the campus on Nov. 6 is a priority for the institution. "We want to make sure that children who are brought into the McMaster workplace have a safe experience. So we have developed guidelines for the community which are aimed at ensuring our young people are safe. These guidelines state that the only acceptable role for a child in the workplace is an observer," says Ron Angus, manager, risk management services. Faculty and staff who plan to bring a young person to work with them on Nov. 6 must complete a permission form and have it signed by a supervisor. The parent/guardian of the visitor must also conduct a safety evaluation of his/her workplace and in the event any mechanical, chemical or other hazards exist, specify how those hazards will be controlled or eliminated. To download the permission form for Take A Child To Work Day, click here. The workplace deaths two years ago of two high school students in southern Ontario have raised awareness of the importance of having guidelines and regulations for such visits. McMaster is among a number of institutions who have drafted policies to guide such activities. "Things went very smoothly last year," says Angus. "People were grateful for the work that McMaster did in advance to ensure that our workplace was ready for these students. It was a positive experience and one that we can repeat again this year with the support and co-operation of the community." As part of this year's plans for the student visitors, Human Resources Services (Working at McMaster program) and the Office of Student Affairs will be organizing a luncheon for program participants. Last year, about 70 people (parents and students) attended the event.

October 25, 2002

Below is a listing of the School of the Arts' annual McMaster Concert Series. Lunchtime concerts: Rebecca Morton (cello), Nov. 12 Brass Arts (trombone trio), Nov. 26 Toronto Percussion Ensemble, Jan. 21 Pam Van Weelden (piano), Feb. 25 David Gerry (flute) and Cheryl Gobetti-Hoffman (flute), March 11 Gloria Saarinen (piano), March 25 The Smooth Jazz Series: Guitarist Brian Hughes tonight (Oct. 25) at 8 p.m. in Convocation Hall. Tickets are $25 Joe Sealy, Cindy Church and George Koller, Feb. 7 Vocalist Carol Welsman, Feb. 28 The Celebrity Classical Series: Penderecki String Quartet, Nov. 1 Valerie Tryon (piano) and Suzanne Shulman (flute), March 7 Toronto Consort, March 28. The Celebrity New Frontiers series: The Montreal Guitar Trio, Jan. 31 Barachois (Acadian musical show), Feb. 21 David Braid (new music  original jazz), March 21 Showcase Concerts: The McMaster Chamber Orchestra, Nov. 3 and March 9 at 3 p.m. McMaster Concert Band, Nov. 17 and Feb. 9 at 3 p.m. McMaster University Choir; dates TBA Marta Hidy & Friends, Nov. 24 and March 30 at 3 p.m. All concerts take place in Convocation Hall, second floor of University Hall, Room 213. Tickets for all performance can be purchased in Togo Salmon Hall, Room 414. For further information about the series visit soto.humanities.mcmaster.ca/misc/calendar.html Photo caption: Guitarist Brian Hughes plays tonight (Oct. 25) at McMaster at 8 p.m. in Convocation Hall. Tickets are $25.

October 24, 2002

McMaster's Canadian Centre for Studies of Children at Risk was given $100,000 to help fund an evaluation methodology project. The donation is part of Clarica's Contribution to Canada's children 2002 grant program, which provides funding to 36 children's programs across Canada totaling nearly $1.36 million. Of these 36 programs, 21 will participate in the Evaluation Methodology Project, assisting organizations funded by Clarica in their evaluation strategy development. The lessons learned at each site will build understanding about what works best and lead to improvements in programs for children and youth. Evidence of the value of these projects will assist these organizations attract future funding from various sources. Photo caption: Gerd Stucke, branch manager of Clarica in Hamilton, right, presents Dan Offord, director of the Canadian Centre for Studies of Children at Risk, with a cheque for $100,000 for an Evaluation Methodology Project by the Canadian Centre for Studies of Children at Risk.

October 24, 2002

McMaster University has successfully completed its first-ever capital financing bond issue. The $120-million bond issue is part of a capital financing strategy approved by the Board of Governors to provide financing for the $262-million in approved expansion projects such as new lecture halls, labs and research space. The successful private debt placement follows on the heels of the University acquiring its first credit rating - an AA rating - that matches the Province of Ontario's credit rating. The capital financing strategy supports the University's planning process for future growth and ensures stability in the financial planning process. The 50-year bonds have an interest rate of 6.15 per cent. "The success of this private debt placement speaks to the confidence that the business sector has in McMaster University," said Karen Belaire, vice-president administration. "Securing financing at a fixed rate for 50 years provides us with stability for future planning. Many individuals participated in this project and worked very hard to ensure the successful completion of the bond issue and I would like to thank everyone for their efforts."

October 24, 2002

A new research centre officially opens its doors in the Burke Science Building this week. The Centre for Spatial Analysis, located in Room 345, will celebrate its official launch with a reception for invited guests beginning at 4 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 24. The new centre is dedicated to the study of human activities over space, the effect those activities have on the physical environment and in turn, the impact of the environment on population health. It will combine mathematical and statistical techniques, as well as new technology for the analysis of complex interrelationships and for the development of decision support tools that can be useful in planning. Examples are the long-term effects of new transportation infrastructure and/or urban sprawl on the quality of urban life. Pavlos Kanaroglou, professor of geography and holder of McMaster's Canada Research Chair in Spatial Analysis, will head the centre. "This centre will support teaching and research in spatial analysis, which is an emerging scientific field," says Kanaroglou. His own research interests include the application of spatial analysis methods to the evaluation of urban air pollution from mobile sources and the impact of environmental pollution on human health. The new facility encompasses the Geographical Information Systems (GIS) laboratory and will be dedicated to providing undergraduate, graduate, certificate and diploma programs relating to spatial analysis. Along with Kanaroglou, three other faculty members in the School of Geography & Geology are aligning their teaching and research interests with the new facility (Bruce Newbold, Antonio Paez and Darren Scott). Funding for the facility was provided from the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI), the Ontario Innovation Trust (OIT) and McMaster University.

October 23, 2002

McMaster is ranked fifth overall in a new "report card" on Canadian universities prepared by the Globe and Mail newspaper. The University made the top five from a survey drawn from nearly 21,000 undergraduate students. In specific categories, students ranked McMaster's bookstore first; course variety third; quality of education and university atmosphere fourth; and career preparation and financial assistance fifth. Complete survey results are available online at www.universityreportcard.com.

October 22, 2002

Helping understand and ease the challenges faced by families of children with disabilities is the goal of a new study at CanChild Centre for Childhood Disability Research at McMaster. Led by Gillian King, CanChild investigator, and with $85,644 from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), researchers at CanChild will gather information from interviews with up to 24 families of children with Down syndrome or autism from across Ontario in the next three years. The study, "Understanding the Values, Priorities, and World Views of Families Raising Children with Chronic Developmental Conditions", is aimed at discovering how parenting a child with a disability affects families' values, priorities, and views. "As time goes on, there is an adaptation and accommodation process. What it means to a family to have a child with a disability may change," says King, a social scientist with CanChild, located in the School of Rehabilitation Science at McMaster. She is also assistant clinical professor in the School of Rehabilitation Science at McMaster and research director at Thames Valley Children's Centre in London, Ontario. "Over time, what family members consider to be important may shift," says King.

October 22, 2002

McMaster's Computing & Information Services (CIS) has restructured most of its organization into two new areas  infrastructure and information management. "The new structure will help us focus our energies and resources more closely on administrative computing and infrastructure services and support," says Pat O'Day, director of CIS. CIS has experienced both a change in mandate and a reporting line change to the assistant vice-president administration over the past year, explains O'Day. "We anticipate the new organization will benefit our clients by simplifying our structure and better positioning our resources to meet their changing needs and service expectations. Within CIS, the new structure is expected to generate more synergy between groups and enable us to explore new possibilities in both services and technology." The infrastructure component will include the software group, network group, database analysts and security. Information services will consist of the systems analysts, programming group and the LAN (Local Area Network) support group.