Daily News

April 18, 2002

A motivated group of first-year McMaster students united with a vision to create a unique learning experience in the field of medicine and health. The result was the birth of the Meducator, McMaster's Medical Research and Health Ethics Student Publication. To foster learning in the field, the student organization assembled writers to research medical and health ethics topics, connected them with McMaster researchers for personal interviews whenever possible, subjected the articles for review by post-graduates, and published the finished content in a free publication available around the McMaster campus and on the www.meducator.org web site. As an opportunity to further the educational value of the initiative, readers (students, faculty and staff) are invited to participate in on-topic discussions on the website, where cross-referencing and collaboration can take place. The first issue of the Meducator, launched on April 5, discusses current issues in regards to medical research and health ethics. The Meducator is an MSU organisation and welcomes new writers and researchers with open arms. The publication is a great venue to voice an informative outlook in the arena of medicine and science. The purpose is to inform the McMaster populace on current trends and hot topics that confront medical doctors, researchers, and scientists. The Meducator intends to be a new source of fascinating medical information that will interest the entire McMaster community. Free copies of the Meducator are available (on a limited basis) at the following locations: Hamilton Hall (near the Information Centre and the main entrance) Burke Science Building (Near main entrance) Bachelor of Health Science Honours Programme Office (At office counter and on coffee table) Health Science Lounge (Passcard only) Health Science Centre (Near Ewart Angus Centre on table) In Front of the Health Science Library (On table) (End of story)

April 18, 2002

Six senior software engineering students are $1000 richer after winning this year's IBM Challenge to design the best "Bio-Bank" software product. For their senior thesis project, 65 students were asked to develop a product that could conceivably be offered on the market after their project was complete. A team from IBM's Toronto lab assessed the projects for their effectiveness, performance reliability, maintenance and usability. The student team of Curtis Miles (team leader), Rajan Bhakta, Joseph Fakhri, Trevor Liang, Chris Murray and Alan Young developed the winning system, a product they called BIFF (Biography Information Fact Finder). The "Bio-Bank" challenge was designed by David Parnas, professor and director of the software engineering program, in response to a practical problem he encountered during a meeting last year. Even though he has been described as "one of the grandmasters of software engineering", Parnas doesn't always remember the 'Who's Who' of industry. During a meeting with representatives of a major mobile communications company, Parnas didn't recognize the name of the individual who was the subject of conversation. "I wished I could simply type this person's name into my laptop and get some kind of information about him."

April 17, 2002

Students studying angles of refraction at McMaster will soon see their assignments from a new vantage point. The James Stewart Centre for Mathematics, slated for opening in fall 2003 will, quite literally, have all the right angles. The angles will come from the beams of light that will help to transform a historic building into a modern teaching centre and research facility. Light refracted through big, tall windows, overhead skylights and atria is a key feature of the new facility to be created within the walls of Hamilton Hall. While the exterior of the historic building will remain virtually untouched, the interior will be completely renewed and renovated. The well-known architectural firm of Kuwabara Payne McKenna Blumberg, which is currently retrofitting the Hamilton Art Gallery and built the Fields Institute for Mathematics in Toronto, has been hired to design the facility. The firm and the donor for whom the centre is named share a love for glass and light. "We wanted a building that would admit as much light as possible and the architect's design, which calls for the creation of two atria within the building, will go a long way towards ensuring that the building is bright and open. The building has beautiful windows and these will play a key role in transmitting the natural light into the building," explains Matt Valeriote, chair of mathematics & statistics.

April 16, 2002

McMaster's alumni operation has a new leader. Rod Morrison will be joining McMaster as director, alumni advancement. Morrison is returning to his McMaster roots and he says he couldn't be more pleased to be back. He graduated from McMaster with his B.A. in history in 1979, followed by his Masters degree in 1980. He then traveled to Oxford, where he earned his D.Phil. After returning to Canada he worked as a lecturer at Memorial University, held several positions with the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, and most recently was executive director of the Huntington Society of Canada where he led a national team of 20 staff members and successfully established a number of new funding partnerships. "Rod brings with him tremendous experience in volunteer management," says Roger Trull, vice-president, university advancement. "I'm confident he will build on the success of our alumni and annual giving programs, and that he will be quick to establish relationships with the University, our alumni volunteers, and the McMaster Alumni Association Board." For his part, Morrison says, "I couldn't be more pleased to return to such a great institution. McMaster was a wonderful place to go to school and I have a strong sentimental attachment to the University. I'm looking forward to working with the advancement team and the alumni community." Morrison begins his duties at McMaster on May 6th. He replaces Scott Koblyk, who left the director's position last week after more than seven years with the alumni team. Koblyk will continue to be involved with the University but has chosen to concentrate on his writing career. (End of story)

April 15, 2002

Over the next few months the McMaster Web site at http://www.mcmaster.ca/home.html will undergo some major changes. Working in tandem with the University's branding initiative, the McMaster Web site will be redesigned in an effort to update it and make it easier and faster to find information. The redesign of the University Web site will ensure that information is presented consistently, particularly at the main levels of the Web site, as well as allow users to easily go back and forth between subsites and the main University site.

April 12, 2002

Research into health sciences education embarked on a new journey of discovery Thursday with the support of a $1-million gift from Alcan Inc. The endowed gift, which will be matched by the University, will create the John R. Evans Chair in Health Sciences Education Research. The chair is named in honour of John Evans, the founding dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences. Evans held the post from 1965 until 1972. During that time Evans was instrumental in cementing the concept of problem-based learning (PBL) where students learn through pre-assigned clinical problems, discussion and debates in small group settings and address real-life situations. The PBL approach to learning has been adopted at several academic institutions and is now an integral part of the curriculum in medical schools and health care programs worldwide. "The creation of the John R. Evans Chair in Health Science Education Research is a pivotal occasion for health sciences at McMaster," said President Peter George. "There are many of Dr. Evans's disciples scattered around the world. The John R. Evans Chair will further enhance his legacy." In accepting the donation, President George said that Alcan's gift will enable McMaster to make educational breakthroughs in how technology and computer-based learning are integrated with clinical experience to produce better doctors and health care professionals.

April 11, 2002

If it's April - it must be exam time. This year, McMaster students write exams from Friday April 12 through to Monday April 29. (See Final Exam Timetable for a complete listing of exams.) The library is probably the most-used University facility during exams. To meet students' study needs, extended hours are offered at Mills Memorial Library and the H. G. Thode Library of Science and Engineering: Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to midnight; Saturday, 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. (Sat. April 27 only: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.); Sunday, 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. (Sun. April 28 only: 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.). For the month of April, the Health Sciences Library and the Innis Library operate on their usual term schedule. The popular all-night study area will run again during the exam period, starting at midnight April 11. The Innis Library once again plays host, with the McMaster Students Union (MSU) providing student invigilators to patrol the space, ensure that the food, drink and noise policies are enforced, and take periodic head counts. Librarian Vivian Lewis reports that the service is extremely popular and well used, particularly between the hours of midnight and 3 a.m. The round-the-clock opening begins tonight (Thursday, April 11) at 11 p.m. until Saturday, April 27 at 10 a.m.. The program, run jointly by the MSU and the Department of Student Affairs, provides a quiet environment for studying, and gives students access to the collections, the computers and reference resources, as well as the photocopiers. However, no library services (borrowing, reserve pickup, etc.) are available. Two MSU services are closed during exams: the GLBT Centre and the Student Health Education Centre. All others, including MSU administration, the Info Centre, the Design and Copy Centre and the Snack Shack remain open. The Student Walk Home Attendant Team is also available during the exam period. (End of story)

April 10, 2002

Daniel Woolf, dean of the Faculty of Humanities, is taking on a new challenge at the University of Alberta. He's been appointed the university's next . . .

April 10, 2002

This spring, the very first class will graduate from McMaster's multimedia program. To mark this special event, the University community is invited to a Multimedia . . .

April 10, 2002

Wendy Orr was the first doctor employed by the South African government to break the silence surrounding the police torture and assault of political detainees. . . .

April 9, 2002

McMaster's proposal to partner with the City of Hamilton to build a biotechnology-business incubator facility was approved in principle at city hall Tuesday. The city's committee of the whole approved the partnership in principle and referred financial aspects of the proposal to staff to be dealt with in connection with budget discussions that are underway. The committee councillors asked city staff and the University, represented at the meeting by John Capone, associate dean of research in the Faculty of Health Sciences, to work together on a proposal to obtain additional funding from the provincial government. The University was asked to give a more detailed presentation to the committee of the whole within the next month. "I am extremely encouraged by this morning's discussion," said Capone. "The potential economic spin offs for both the city and the University will be unprecedented. Moving this partnership forward - from principle to practice - is a very high priority and we're committed to working with the city to make it happen." The Hamilton-McMaster Health and Biotechnology Strategy, which the committee considered Tuesday (April 9), includes a plan for an "incubator and discovery district" in Hamilton. The plan calls for an investment of $1-million a year over the next five years from the city to build this incubator facility, estimated to cost about $15 million. This partnership is just one of the collaborative initiatives the University is pursuing with the city in a bid to develop stronger partnerships that will have economic and other benefits for both institutions.

April 8, 2002

The first phase of construction of the $8.9 million Biomolecular Interactions/Advanced Materials research facility on the west side of the Arthur Bourns Building (ABB) is underway. The 2,700-sq. metres (30,000-sq. feet) research facility will house new instrumentation, new laboratories and meeting and seminar rooms. Construction of the four-storey addition (including a basement) is scheduled to be finished by July 2003. The construction of these research facilities, approved last June by the Board of Governors, will support research in advanced materials technology and biomolecular interactions, two separate projects which have been awarded funding by the Canada Foundation for Innovation, the Ontario Innovation Trust and the University. This construction project will provide much needed research space for two exciting projects that involve faculty primarily in the Departments of Chemistry and Biochemistry. The new laboratory space will house research in polymer chemistry directed toward the development of new materials and in research at the interface of chemistry and biochemistry directed to understanding the nature of the interactions between small molecules (e.g., drugs) and biomolecules (e.g., proteins and DNA). Temporary walkways and fencing are being installed and signs are mounted to direct pedestrians around the construction site to access Thode Library and the west entrance to ABB. The walkways are built with stone and screening and won't be paved until later this spring. Some trees will be removed from the site, beginning this week, because they are within the footprint of the facility. All trees that can be relocated will be moved to other parts of campus. Landscaping plans for the new research facility call for several trees to be planted around the area of the building once construction is complete. A rendering (image top right) of what the facility will look like can be viewed just inside the front lobby of ABB. The project manager, Joe Medeiros, is available by e-mail at medeiros@ppims.services.mcmaster.ca or at ext. 27789. The project co-ordinator for users is Leah Allan. Consultants on the project are Atkinson Engineering Inc., Cianfrone Architect, P.B. Engineering Inc. and Healthcare Equipment and Laboratory Planners Ltd.

April 5, 2002

A new 26-part documentary series filmed at McMaster University will provide audiences with a behind-the-scenes look at the innovative style of learning pioneered in the Faculty of Health Sciences. The series will chronicle the experiences of students and staff within McMaster health sciences and its affiliated teaching hospitals. The distinct environment in which future health care professionals are educated and trained will be portrayed along with the perspective of staff participants who facilitate this unique process. By allowing viewers to witness McMaster's self-directed and problem-based learning styles, the series places a human face on the rigorous academic programs. "The film series offers important opportunities for all of us in Hamilton," said John Kelton, Faculty dean and vice-president, in a letter to health sciences' faculty. "First, it will help support our students since all profits will be used for student scholarships and bursaries. Second, the series will enhance the image of our city, our University, our hospitals, our students and all of our dedicated health care providers."

April 3, 2002

An online election for a non-teaching staff representative on the Board of Governors begins today (Wednesday, April 3) at 9 a.m. and continues until 4:30 p.m., Friday, April 5. The elected member will serve a term from July 1, 2002 to June 30, 2005. Three members of the non-teaching staff have been nominated: Barbara Campbell, departmental manager, computing & information services; James McAndrew, reactor technologist, McMaster nuclear reactor; Dale Schenk, director, Centre for Continuing Education. Risumis for each candidate may be viewed at the Board of Governors election Web site at http://www.mcmaster.ca/bog/elections. Online voting is available at http://www.mcmaster.ca/bog/elections from any personal computer with internet access. Eligible voters who do not have access to the Web site may vote in the Board of Governors office (Room 115, University Hall), or in one of the following locations: Room B106, Gilmour Hall (staff lounge) Room B109, Kenneth Taylor Hall (staff lounge) Room 2238, Burke Science Building (staff lounge) Room 273, A.N. Bourns Science Building (staff lounge) Room B101B, Commons Building (Hospitality Services)--between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. All locations, except the Commons building, require a pass, code or key for entry. Any questions regarding the election or voting process may be directed to the Board of Governors office at ext. 24370. (End of story)

April 3, 2002

McMaster University is hosting a visit with Miriam Stewart, from the University of Alberta and CIHR Institute of Gender and Health scientific director, on Friday, . . .

April 3, 2002

The Michael G. DeGroote School of Business is pleased to announce that Edward A. Minich, MBA '74, is the third recipient of the Wayne C. . . .

April 2, 2002

Nanotechnology and bioinformatics will be the focus of research by McMaster's two newest Canada Research Chairs. The two new chairholders, Gianluigi A. Botton and Brian Golding, bring McMaster's total of Canada Research Chairs to 30. Botton, an associate professor in the Faculty of Engineering, is the Canada Research Chair in Electron Microscopy of Nanostructured Materials. Botton will use TEM/EELS technology to achieve three goals: improve techniques to detect signals from few atomic layers at interfaces and nanostructures; develop models to describe the analytical data in terms of structure and bonding changes; and describe the relationships between the observations and the properties of the materials. Golding, a biology professor in the Faculty of Science, is the Canada Research Chair in Bioinformatics. Bioinformatics is a new, multi-disciplinary field combining biology, computer science and mathematics to analyze data generated by genomics and to extract knowledge from it. The long-term objectives of Golding's research program are to determine the patterns and mechanisms of molecular evolution and influences of the natural processes of mutation, gene transfer, and selection on sequence evolution. The federal government allocatted $900 million to the Canada Research Chairs program in 2000 to help Canadian universities attract and retain the best researchers and achieve excellence in natural sciences and engineering, health sciences, social sciences and the humanities. The goal is to have 2,000 chairholders in place by 2005. To date, 532 chairholders have been awarded. Sixty of the chairholders represent a "brain gain" as they have either come to Canada from the U.S. or overseas or returned home to pursue their research. (End of story)

April 1, 2002

Faculty at McMaster have ratified a new three-year contract. Of those members who voted, 98 per cent were in favour of the salary and compensation package which provides annual wage increases of three per cent in each year of the agreement. The current agreement expires on June 30. The agreement was ratified by McMaster's 768 tenured faculty on March 28. The audited vote results were released today. The agreement runs from July 1, 2002 to June 30, 2005. Acting University President Peter Sutherland said the contract provides stability and predictability for the University and its faculty and students. McMaster University Faculty Association president Tom Davison is pleased with the ballot results. "Our remuneration committee thought this was an excellent agreement for our members and the result shows the members agreed. We've improved salaries across the board and adjusted the Career/Progress Merit system to make it a better mechanism to reward individual faculty excellence. It's a good deal for the University, too, in that it provides a basis for planning through the period of the double cohort and higher enrolments generally."

April 1, 2002

The announced deadline of April 30 for responses from Plan members concerning the disposition of their surplus share has now passed and it is time for an update on where we are in the process. The University's consultants are about to file the necessary documents with the Financial Services Commission of Ontario (FSCO). The normal minimum turnaround time is 90 days but the OPSEU strike (FSCO staff are OPSEU members) will likely extend this timeline. Even after final approval from FSCO, the trustee, CIBC-MELLON indicates it will take another 5 to 6 weeks to process and distribute payments. This suggests September as the earliest date payments will be received by individuals. The good news on this front, however, is that interest is being paid on the surplus shares until the time of distribution. Until recently, that was not much consolation as the market returns had been poor in our fund as in most others. However, the return from July 1, 2000 to March 31, 2002 is now 5.6% and recent monthly returns have been quite good. Let us hope this trend continues. The Canada Customs and Revenue Agency (formerly known as Revenue Canada) will allow individuals to select tax sheltering options up until the date of approval by FSCO. Therefore, for the time being we will accept late option forms. Once we have a better idea about the approval timetable, we will announce a new submission deadline. Over 3500 individuals have now responded by sending in their option forms. We still have some way to go and encourage you to submit your form. Even if you are happy to accept the cash-only default option (which will result if no response is received) it would help us if you would send in your form. Once final approvals are received, payments to those who submit forms will likely be faster than to those members who choose not to submit their forms. We appreciate the patience of plan members as we move through the final steps of the surplus pension distribution. Les Robb - on behalf of the employee groups Simon Ouellet - on behalf of the University Surplus Hotline 905-525-9140 ext.24272 e-mail surplus@mcmaster.ca

March 28, 2002

Construction crews at the new University Centre may soon disappear but that doesn't mean construction on campus is going to end. A new project is . . .