October 4, 2001

A painting, a poem and the universe: that's what American astronomer Steven Beckwith brought to an overflow audience in the Health Sciences Centre last evening during the first of this year's two Whidden Lectures, given under the whimsical title Rocket Science and Little Green Men: The Universe from Orbit. Last night's talk by Beckwith, director of the Space Telescope Science Institute and professor of physics and astronomy at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Md., was called Where Did We Come From? Where Are We Going? In his second lecture tonight, called Looking for Life in the Galaxy, he will discuss new space technologies that will allow us to search for signs of life on planets orbiting other stars. The lecture will take place in HSC-1A1 at 8 p.m. Last night, Beckwith discussed how scientists from Galileo to American astronomer Edwin Hubble to modern researchers have observed the night sky and developed ideas to explain an enduring mystery: the origins and continued unfolding of our universe. Against an opening slide backdrop of Vincent Van Gogh's Starry Night, he said, "Asking where we came from and where we're going is a deep-rooted notion in people." It was Hubble who first got an inkling not just of the size of the universe but of its continual expansion, an observation that underpins the Big Bang theory of the universe's origins. "This was a really remarkable discovery," Beckwith said, pointing out that Hubble's work in the 1920s still guides much of modern astronomy. Perhaps no more visible proof of that lies in the Hubble space telescope. Launched in 1990, the telescope orbits above the earth's atmosphere to provide a clear-eyed view of the universe in greater detail than ever. Beckwith said the school-bus-sized instrument allows us to "look at a time when stars and galaxies were first being created. That's what Hubble has done."

October 4, 2001

[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/Goborah.Ahmed.h&sh.final.jpg”]Have you ever wondered what causes earthquakes? Or why certain areas are at a greater risk than others? Earthquakes are one of the . . .

October 4, 2001

McMaster and other member libraries of the Ontario Council of University Libraries have purchased a shared collection of about 2,000 scholarly electronic books, known as eBooks, from netLibrary. eBooks are full-text electronic versions of published books that current McMaster students and employees can search, browse, borrow and return over the internet. eBooks are accessible from a library, lab, office or home at any time of the day or night and are available for online browsing or checkout. To check out an eBook, authorized McMaster users must first create an account in netLibrary and obtain a proxy ID. eBooks are automatically checked back into the library collection when the checkout period (24 hours) expires. For information or assistance, ask reference staff at any campus library, or visit netLibrary and netLibrary FAQ. The university libraries' electronic book collection ranges in scope from core academic areas of science, social sciences and the humanities to collections of specialized study in areas such as business, computer science and engineering. Individual electronic book titles are listed and available to authorized McMaster users through MORRIS, the online library catalogue, or through the netLibrary site. More than 4,000 public domain electronic books are also available at the netLibrary site, including political texts and literary and historical classics. As an added feature, the American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language is embedded into netLibrary eBooks and has been enhanced technologically to include graphics and audio pronunciation. (End of story)

October 3, 2001

There is no better time than the present to start or continue building a better you! The Pulse is pleased to offer a great way . . .

October 3, 2001

The most ambitious fundraising campaign in the history of McMaster University has exceeded all expectations. The Changing Tomorrow Today campaign raised almost $30 million more than the original target of $100 million, set two years ago. The total amount raised is $128,628,073 in private sector gifts. President Peter George and campaign chair Lynton 'Red' Wilson announced the milestone at a reception held Wednesday night. More than 500 people were on hand to celebrate the campaign's success and to thank the hundreds of volunteers, students, faculty, staff and alumni who ensured the campaign surpassed its target. "I am absolutely thrilled to announce that the Changing Tomorrow Today campaign has raised $128.6 million," said George. "The total reflects not only the prestige in which McMaster is held in this community, this province and this country, but also the anticipation of great things to come from our faculty, students and alumni. It is a tribute not only to the University's reputation and standing as an academic institution, but also to the tremendous work of everyone involved." The wildly successful campaign broke new ground for McMaster. Some highlights include: almost 30,000 donors contributed to the campaign. $25 million in scholarship and bursary funds. In addition to the $13.97 million in matching funds from the government, McMaster was able to increase its scholarship and bursary endowments from $19 million to $69 million. 39 new endowed chairs. Prior to the campaign, the University had no endowed chairs - this will assist in faculty recruitment and retention. significant contributions from alumni and friends accounted for 52 per cent of the total campaign donations and 94 per cent of the total number of donors. the community campaign - Board of Governors, faculty, staff, retirees - contributed more than $8 million. Campaign chair Red Wilson said that the University will enjoy more success. "I am a proud graduate of McMaster and am proud to have worked with so many volunteers and members of the University to help make the campaign such a tremendous success," Wilson said. "I am confident that this is just the beginning of a future that will bring even greater success to this outstanding institution. Wilson said he got involved because the campaign had a vision. "This campaign wasn't just about replacing lost government money. It was about students, about faculty, about wanting to ensure that the dollars for research, equipment and facilities are there." One of the many legacies of the campaign is the Centre for Leadership in Learning. Director Dick Day said the centre would not have been possible without the fundraising campaign. "These gifts will allow us to continue to look at new ways of teaching and to expand our understanding of technology."

October 2, 2001

Steven Beckwith, director of the Space Telescope Science Institute and professor of physics and astronomy at Johns Hopkins University will deliver this year's Whidden Lectures, exploring the theme of Rocket Science and Little Green Men: The Universe from Orbit. The Space Telescope Science Institute is the astronomical research centre responsible for operating the Hubble space telescope as an international observatory for the world-wide astronomical community. The Hubble space telescope was launched in 1990 and has been returning a steady stream of scientific data and images--images that Beckwith will share with the public at each lecture. The lectures (free admission) take place at 8 p.m., Oct. 3 and 4, at the Health Sciences Centre, room 1A1. The first lecture, on Wednesday, Oct. 3 explores Where did we come from? Where are we going? using new images from the Hubble space telescope to show how we detect the presence of unseen matter and energy. While we can look to the night sky to see planets, stars, galaxies and nebulae, space telescopes detect many other fascinating objects such as neutron stars, black holes or planets orbiting other stars. Beckwith notes that "all these objects constitute only a small fraction of the matter and energy in the universe--they are like spots on the side of a leopard." The second lecture, on Thursday, Oct. 4, discusses the sophisticated space technologies that have been developed to answer the age-old question, "Are we alone?" Beckwith will discuss Looking for Life in the Galaxy and examine how the search for extraterrestrial life is entering the realm of observational astronomy. The Whidden Lectures were established in 1954 by E.Carey Fox, a philanthropic alumnus of McMaster University, to honour a beloved chancellor, Rev. Howard P. Whidden, churchman, statesman and teacher, who had been the architect of the Universiy's transfer from Toronto to Hamilton in 1930. The first lecture in the annual series was delivered in 1956. Photo: Towers of sculpted gas in the Eagle nebula(M16) captured by the Hubble space telescope.

October 2, 2001

Imagine you're standing in line at the Commons Marketplace. You're hungry. You're short on cash, time and energy. What can you eat that tastes good and is good for you? Kinesiology professor Kathleen Martin and fellow researchers Lori Buscher and Shannon Crocker have the B*E*S*T snack solution. During the fall of 1999 and spring of 2000, more than 2,200 McMaster students encountered large, colourful posters placed in the entrance to the Commons Marketplace cafeteria. The posters emphasized BEST snack food choices -- budget-friendly, energizing, sensory satisfaction/taste and time/convenient -- such as yogurt, pretzels, fruit or vegetable baskets. The posters were used as point-of-purchase (POP) interventions to promote healthful eating to students, emphasizing the benefits of choosing yogurt over french fries as a snack choice. Research has shown that university students tend to snack frequently, skip meals and have diets high in fat but lacking in fruits and vegetables. The POP intervention, conducted at McMaster's largest cafeteria, was part of a study recently published by Buscher, Martin and Crocker in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association. POP interventions have often been used at university cafeterias, but have had little success in promoting healthier eating. "Many POP interventions tend to emphasize nutritional labelling, such as fat content. That type of message just can't compete with all the eye-catching food promotions going on in most cafeterias," says Martin. "Even if students read the nutrition labels, they often fail to use that information because it's too difficult to understand and apply."

October 1, 2001

Described as a no-nonsense businessman whose favourite expression was "Do it now," the late Allen H. Gould would no doubt be pleased to know that effective today, Oct. 1, the Educational Trading Centre in the Michael G. DeGroote School of Business will be known as the Allen H. Gould Trading Floor. A ceremony for the unveiling of the Allen H. Gould Trading Floor takes place today at 4 p.m. Tours of the trading floor will be provided. The trading centre will be officially renamed in recognition of the $500,000 gift from the Allen and Milli Gould Family Foundation. The trading floor is a unique teaching facility allowing students to acquire hands-on experience through the use of state-of-the-art systems that deliver real-time data from the financial markets of North America. The trading floor at McMaster is the only one of its kind in English-speaking Canada. Gould, an investor in the stock market, and his wife Milli are well known in Hamilton not just for their philanthropy but also for their successful retail operation, Milli's Boutique. Vishwanath Baba, dean of the School of Business said, "This generous gift from a prominent Hamilton family will help to maintain the high standards that we have worked so hard to achieve at the Michael G. DeGroote School of Business. We are proud to have Mr. Gould's name on our trading centre -- it is a gift that will endure for generations to come." The 90-square-metre (1,000-square-foot) facility resembles an actual trading floor in a brokerage operation. It features 20 computer work stations and two large digital display boards that provide up-to-the-minute market data. Nicole Isava, a recent graduate of the honours commerce program said, "The experience I gained in the trading centre helped make a difference when I was looking for employment. Because I already knew how a trading floor operated I was more productive much earlier."

September 27, 2001

The following message from Karen Belaire, vice-president administration, was distributed to the McMaster community Thursday afternoon: Parking at McMaster The success of the University in . . .

September 27, 2001

Do you think you have what it takes to be a great business leader? Maybe you see yourself as the next Bill Gates. You've got . . .

September 27, 2001

Parking on the east side of campus will be altered beginning Monday to accommodate construction of the School of Business's new e-commerce wing. This construction is expected to take about eight months. In a message distributed Thursday afternoon to the McMaster community, Karen Belaire, vice-president administration, noted that Parking & Transit Services, the transportation committee and the Campus Plan committee are working to develop a comprehensive parking and traffic strategy for the McMaster community. She noted that everyone needs to be aware of the changes taking place because of new construction on campus. "In the short term we face some considerable challenges that will require the patience, understanding and flexibility of the campus community," she said. "Everyone, regardless of where you park, will need to allow extra time to get on and off campus." Click on Parking at McMaster to read the full message. About 50 parking spaces in Zone 2 will be lost when the fencing for the new e-commerce wing goes up beginning Monday. As well, the access road that runs in front of the Michael G. DeGroote School of Business building will be blocked. This will split Zone 2 parking in this area into two sections with the northern section only accessible from Stearn Drive, also known as the perimeter road. Traffic going to Zone 2 parking near the tennis courts or to Zone 1 parking will have to take the perimeter road.

September 27, 2001

Collaboration. Convergence. These are the watchwords of the state-of-the-art Communication Technology Research Centre (CTRC) in the Faculty of Engineering. Some of the money the University recently received from the Canadian Foundation for Innovation (CFI) includes $2.2 million for a centre. The CTRC will focus on three areas: communication systems, photonic devices and networks and optimization, modelling and computer-aided design. "The centre will complement the research and education in the broad area of communication technology," says Max Wong, the centre's director and chair holder of the Mitel-NSERC Professorship of Signal Processing, Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering. "The information age has made communication technology an essential propulsion force in the advancement of our society technologically, economically and socially. It has also imposed upon us a great demand for highly-qualified people in the field," he said. "We are trying to fulfil this demand by promoting the convergence of interdisciplinary and collaborative research, as well as by expanding our education and training program in this important area." Additional funding for the $5.5 million centre will come as matching funds from the Ontario Innovation Trust and from McMaster and private donations. The monies are being used for equipment procurement and upgrade, network upgrade for laboratories and offices and for the renovation of 12,560 sq. ft. of laboratory space. Photo: (back row, l to r) Jim Reilly, Alex Gershman, John Bandler, Tim Davidson, (front row, l to r) Peter Smith, Max Wong, Tom Luo

September 26, 2001

The new courtyard adjacent to the McMaster University Student Centre and Mills Memorial Library has become a haven for socializing, eating, studying -- even a live statue. The cement courtyard is proving to be popular with students and employees alike since the fencing came down and it became accessible in early September. And there is still work to be done, says Kim Davison, MUSC administrative director. Four mature trees will be planted in the middle of the courtyard in the areas that are now covered in plywood. The trees are large oaks that will provide shade to the area, which can become quite hot when the sun is shining. "According to Aldershot Nurseries, our landscaping subcontractor, mature oaks are difficult to transplant but the safest time is in the spring," Davison says. "So the trees will be planted in the spring." Concerns that the concrete is a tad too bright should be resolved as the area ages, says Davison. "The concrete will become darker through normal aging and pedestrian traffic -- like sidewalks do." As well, the slanted window that looks out from the future McMaster Students Union offices in MUSC and reflects light onto the courtyard will be equipped with pewter sun shades this fall to diminish the light, she added. Photo: A live statue holds court on the new courtyard adjacent to the McMaster University Student Centre. Photo by Shelly Easton

September 26, 2001

The Faculty of Health Sciences along with partners at Sheridan College's Visualization Design Institute and the City of Hamilton's social and public health services division, have collaborated on a project investigating how problem-based learning can be modified for delivery using computer-mediated communication technology. McMaster University is a pioneer in the application of problem-based learning. "This exciting initiative brings together three groups with real expertise in the area," said John Kelton, dean of health sciences. "McMaster's focus is on learning through problem solving. We are now aligned with experts from the City of Hamilton and Sheridan College to address an important public health problem that affects Canadians and people around the world. Nursing experts from McMaster and specialists at Sheridan College, which has an international reputation for its skill in animation, are joining forces to develop an exciting educational tool." Learners in undergraduate nursing, medicine, and midwifery programs as well as graduate nurses are given online access to a problem-based learning case, discuss the case in small groups using the communications technology and are provided with current educational resources online to support their learning. The case that has been developed for this project deals with Fetal Alcohol Effects/Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAE/FAS), which is a national health concern. Hamilton's public health research, education and development program has provided public health context experts to assist in developing the case. "The project will help us better understand how problem-based learning can be offered online to support learners who experience challenges in accessing educational opportunities offered in traditional face-to-face formats," said principal investigator Ruta Valaitis, a McMaster professor of nursing. "We are also investigating emerging learning objects standards to apply to educational resources." Co-investigators for this project are McMaster nursing colleague Wendy Sword and professor Bob Jones of Sheridan College. McMaster University and Sheridan College have worked jointly on the development of this online problem-based learning case to incorporate rich graphic, audio and animation technologies. Sheridan's Visualization Design Institute is an applied research unit created to extend knowledge and skills in animation and graphics beyond the traditional fields of art and entertainment. One of its mandates is to explore how visualization techniques can be applied in health education. Funding for this project was obtained from the Office of Learning Technologies of Human Resources Development Canada. The grant for this project came from the New Practices in Learning Technologies program.

September 25, 2001

Students in the multimedia program in the Faculty of Humanities started the academic year in new surroundings when the Anne and Neil McArthur Humanities Multimedia Wing opened on the second floor of Togo Salmon Hall. The wing was officially named and the McArthurs recognized at an event held yesterday (Monday) afternoon. McMaster is the first university in Ontario and only the second in Canada to offer a multimedia program. The combined honours program, offered by the School of the Arts, was designed by Geoffrey Rockwell and Andrew Mactavish and began accepting students in 1999. "Our plan was to accept 30 students each year but the response has been overwhelming," says Mactavish. "This year we had 65 qualified applicants and accepted all of them." Construction of the new wing was accelerated by a $400,000 gift by local residents Anne and Neil McArthur for whom the wing is named. "Building the new wing was crucial to increasing enrolment and the generous gift by Mr. and Mrs. McArthur not only allowed us to move forward but also to construct a bigger space," says Mactavish. Neil McArthur noted that humanities is a new area for him. "My background is more in engineering. What impressed me about the humanities was that that its graduates have such a high employment rate. I'm pleased our contribution will be used to further the excellence of students in the humanities," he said. The 4,000 square-foot wing is located above the graduate studies office in Togo Salmon Hall and is home to 45 of the most up-to-date computers and software. Students learn skills in designing and developing digital images, animation, Web design and music to name a few. There are almost 200 students in the program in years two, three and four. Students from other faculties have also been applying to take courses in the program and in some cases there are lengthy waiting lists, particularly in digital imaging that teaches basic Web design. Fourth-year student Mike Cope is combining his multimedia studies with anthropology and is planning to go into teaching. "I would like to teach computers at the secondary school level," he said. "The multimedia program has been great - students share ideas and you can be very creative with the different types of software." Photo: Neil and Anne McArthur (Photo by Peter Stevens/Wordsmith)

September 24, 2001

The Centre for Leadership in Learning (CLL) has announced to Faculty deans and department chairs the availability of $1,000,000 in new learning innovation grants. Supported by the Imperial Oil Charitable Foundation, these grants are designed to allow academic departments to make changes in their undergraduate programs that are both substantial and consistent with the goals and directions outlined in McMaster's academic plan. (See an earlier story, Imperial Oil partnership means new opportunities for undergraduate education, for information about the Imperial Oil Charitable Foundation gift to support these grants.) The CLL will award three to four grants in each of the next four or five years. According to Dale Roy, CLL's executive director, "Each learning innovation grant will be for a period of three years and will support projects with a total budget of approximately $100,000. Successful applications will show evidence of departmental and Faculty commitment to the project in the form of financial or in-kind support, typically for half of the project's total budget." In awarding the grants, priority will be given to applications that propose changes in how rather than what students learn. In addition, preference will be given to proposals that foster or enhance collaboration among students, that take a rigorous and scholarly approach to curriculum change and that will increase self-directed learning by students. The CLL's academic director, Dick Day, was delighted at the announcement. "It's nice to be able to encourage departments with more than words," said Day. "Academic departments will finally have access to the kinds of resources they need to bring about significant change in their undergraduate programs." The deadline for submitting letters of intent to apply for this year's round of learning innovation grants is Oct. 15. More detailed information on the learning innovation grants, including instructions for applying, can be found on the CLL Web site at www.mcmaster.ca/learning/facact/DLIGrantsCall2001.htm. Interested departments are also encouraged to call Roy at ext. 24540 at the CLL for guidance and assistance in the design of their projects and the preparation of grant applications.

September 24, 2001

Looking to talk to a benefits officer about your upcoming retirement? Well, beginning Tuesday (Sept. 25) you'll find that officer at the downtown McMaster location. . . .

September 21, 2001

A new compensation system is being developed for members of the management group (TMG) at McMaster. It's called total rewards compensation and integrates compensation, recognition, and training and development. The first step in this new approach was the creation of a Management Professional Development Allowance (MPDA) for 2001/2002. "Each TMG member plays an integral role in the University's success," said President Peter George. "The MPDA reinforces the importance of professional development for managers to continue to develop their professional skills to help McMaster achieve its ambitious objectives." The MPDA is similar to the established faculty professional development allowance. A task force was struck this summer to make recommendations on the implementation of the total rewards compensation system. It includes several members of the TMG group along with representatives from senior management. The task force's recommendation on the annual salary review for TMG has now been approved by the Executive Committee of the Board of Governors. It includes: Increases to salary ranges Across-the-board salary increase of 3 per cent* Merit pool of up to 2 per cent* *retroactive to June 16, 2001 The dates for implementing the salary changes have not yet been set. Financial services and CIS are currently working to complete the changes necessary under the MUSA agreement. The task force will continue to meet to make recommendations to senior management on other key components of the total rewards compensation system.

September 20, 2001

The co-ordinating council of the Centre for Peace Studies is composed of student, faculty, staff and community representatives. The council held an extraordinary meeting on . . .

September 20, 2001

It's the largest recruiting event of the year. Careers Day 2001 offers McMaster students an opportunity to meet with more than 75 employers who are . . .