Daily News

June 8, 2001

McMaster professor Richard Butler will receive an Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations' (OCUFA) Teaching Award for his "tireless passion for teaching and for teaching about learning" at an awards ceremony today (June 8) in Toronto. A professor in the Department of Pathology & Molecular Medicine, Butler teaches medical, nursing, occupational therapy and physiotherapy and science students. "His enthusiasm for and considerable knowledge about the inter-relationships between the disciplines of anatomy and physiology is an integral part of what makes him an excellent teacher," says the OCUFA citation. "Professor Butler's teaching philosophy stresses the students' need to learn how to think, how to think critically, and how to communicate ideas," says OCUFA. "We are proud to honour Professor Richard Butler with a well-deserved OCUFA Teaching Award." Butler has already received four MSU Teaching Awards for the Faculty of Science and was the overall MSU winner for the University in 1990. In 2000 he received the Teaching Excellence Award from the Faculty of Health Sciences and the President's Award for Excellence in Instruction. The OCUFA citation quotes McMaster students who say: "Dr. Butler does not lecture, he makes you think. . .I had no idea that in my fourth year of university, that such a drastic improvement could be made to the way I process thought. Dr. Butler gave us ownership over our education." Another student is quoted as saying: "His time and efforts were well invested He helped develop us into self-thinkers, problem solvers not fearful of unanswered questions but rather excited and intrigued by them. . .the result will have a profound impact on whatever realm of society or science we should choose to apply it to." OCUFA president Henry Jacek, a professor of political science at McMaster, said "The recipients of the teaching awards are people who make a difference both to their profession, and in the lives of their students by ensuring the best in course development, instruction, and research." OCUFA represents 11,000 university professors and academic librarians from across Ontario. (End of story)

June 6, 2001

Today is an historic occasion for the University of Sharjah as it holds its first graduation ceremonies, due in part to the teaching and guidance . . .

June 6, 2001

Construction workers struck copper at Gilmour Hall recently when they took down the building's brick fagade. They found a time capsule lodged behind the date stone that marks the dedication of the building in 1959. It turns out that this particular time capsule -- a 30.5 centimetre- (12 inches) long tarnished copper tube that is soldered shut at both ends -- was actually discovered about seven years ago when the building's date stone was moved farther north on the wall when the wheelchair elevator was installed. Physical plant associate director John Farrell, who is overseeing construction of the new McMaster University Student Centre (MUSC), said because of the previous discovery, construction workers working on MUSC and work associated with that were on the lookout for the copper tube. "I was surprised when we pulled it out of the wall seven years ago when we were moving the date stone," he said. "We had no idea it was there. There is no organized way of recording where there are time capsules. One of the things we should be doing is establishing procedures for time capsules." The workers who found the tube called Kim Davison, MUSC administrative director, so it could be safely stored while the building's fagade is refurbished. She was intrigued by the discovery. "It's an interesting mystery," said Davison. The Daily News has made several inquiries to determine the history behind the Gilmour Hall time capsule. So far, no one, including retired history professor Charles Johnston who has written two books about the University's history, knows how the time capsule originally ended up behind the building's date stone. What do you think should happen to the Gilmour Hall time capsule? Send an e-mail to the daily@mcmaster.ca and tell us what should happen. We'll publish a report on your feedback in the coming days. McMaster Memories: Kim Davison, administrative director of the McMaster University Student Centre, holds the copper time capsule recovered behind the Gilmour Hall date stone. Photo: Shelly Easton

June 6, 2001

The Board of Governors is holding an online election to fill three teaching staff positions on the University Planning Committee. The online election began June 6 and continues until 4:30 p.m. Thursday, June 14. Two teaching staff members will serve three-year terms from July 1 until June 30, 2004. One will serve from July 1 until June 30, 2002 to complete the term of a member who is resigning in order to go on research leave. The nominated members are: Virginia Aksan, Department of History David Andrews, Department of Biochemistry A. Leslie Robb, Department of Economics Eric Sawyer, Department of Mathematics & Statistics The two candidates who garner the most votes will fill the three-year terms and the third-place candidate will take over the term vacated by the Board member going on research leave. The risumis, prepared by the candidates, may be viewed at the Board of Governors election Web site at http://www.mcmaster.ca/bog/elections. Voters can choose one of two options to cast their votes: If you have a personal identification number issued by the Human Resources department, you may use it for election purposes. This is the same PIN you use on the Web for viewing/updating your address information and gaining access to the CIS Software Depot. If you do not have a PIN, send an e-mail to pinreset@mcmaster.ca: be sure to include your employee ID number, surname, given names, birth date (month, day, year). If you do not have access to e-mail, you may go to the Department of Human Resources (Room 304, Gilmour Hall). Please note: it may take you a few days to receive a PIN, depending upon the number of requests being processed by the Human Resources department. You will be able to cast a ballot simply by entering the following information at the time of the election: your McMaster employee number, your surname and your date of birth. Eligible voters who do not have access to the Web site may come to the Board of Governors office (Room 115, University Hall), between 9 a.m. and 12 noon and between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m., during the election period. (End of story)

June 5, 2001

The National Commuter Challenge is in Hamilton today and McMaster commuters are being encouraged to bicycle, walk, run, or skate to work. "Leave your car at home and take up the commuter challenge" is the message from Green Venture during National Environment Week, June 3-9. Why does Green Venture want you to leave your car at home? The answer is a four-letter word: smog. The City of Hamilton and several organizations in the region are participating in the national initiative aimed at keeping our air clean. And McMaster is being asked to do the same. The challenge provides McMaster faculty, staff and students with a chance to demonstrate their concern for the environment. To register for the challenge, click here. While commuters are encouraged to cycle, paddle, carpool, walk or run to work for the duration of Environment Week, the focus for McMaster will be on getting as many people as possible to participate, Wednesday, June 6, the day of the Canadian Commuter Challenge, a larger, country-wide competition held each year on Clean Air Day Canada. (End of story)

June 5, 2001

[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/PalmerandRideout.jpg” caption=”Liz Rideout and David Palmer in Sharjah”]Two members of the McMaster community, David Palmer and Liz Rideout are spending a year at . . .

June 4, 2001

Negotiators for the University and the McMaster University Staff Association resume mediation talks today (Monday, June 4). The parties are also scheduled to meet on Tuesday, June 5 and Wednesday, June 6. The talks are being held in Burlington with mediator George Adams, a retired judge and a former chair of the Ontario Labour Relations Board. When the groups met with Adams in May a structure and detailed process was developed for dealing with issues that are still outstanding. The parties are expected to discuss representation and dispute resolution, staffing, hours of work and money. (End of story)

June 3, 2001

Eleven alumni became the newest members of McMaster's Alumni Gallery Saturday. The induction ceremony was held in Convocation Hall, University Hall 213. The new members . . .

June 1, 2001

[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/alumni(f).jpg”]The focal point at McMaster this weekend (June 1-3) will be under the blue-and-white marquee in the centre of campus. Old friends will . . .

June 1, 2001

The University will confer Bachelor of Engineering degrees today on 21 students who are the first graduates of McMaster's new and innovative software engineering program. The milestone is one that Paul Taylor, chair of the Department of Computing & Software, will celebrate for a variety of reasons. "We started this new degree program from scratch and have also maintained our strength in computer science. The graduation of these students is a defining moment for both the department and the Faculty. We've been able to demonstrate a synergy between the two disciplines and we're also setting the tone for the engineering profession and the computer science community in terms of how to bring these two sides - computer science, on the one hand, and software engineering, on the other - together." The goal of the McMaster program is to develop engineers who produce software with a warranty and not a disclaimer. "This is a program that prepares engineers with a specialty in safety-critical and mission-critical software," says Taylor. Chad McIntyre, one of the students graduating from the program, enjoyed his four years at McMaster. "It was definitely the right choice for me." McIntyre will begin working for IBM after graduation. Down the road, he sees himself starting his own software business and designing systems to help people with different computer needs. Sean Burak is also graduating today (June 1). "When I started at Mac, I wasn't sure what I wanted to specialize in so I took engineering. I looked at the course catalogue and the software program courses seemed to be custom designed for the Software Engineering Program. I'd done some programming in high school so I decided to do the software program and I'm glad I did."

June 1, 2001

[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/Brash.John.jpg” caption=”John Brash”]Chemical engineering professor John Brash has earned an international reputation for his work in the field of biomaterials. He is being . . .

June 1, 2001

[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/Weiker.jpg”]”University for me was one little adventure after another,” says Phillip Weicker, an electrical engineering graduand and Governor General's Academic Medal winner. “It's . . .

June 1, 2001

The Faculty of Science Convocation takes place this afternoon at Hamilton Place. Degrees will be conferred for student in the programs offered by the departments . . .

June 1, 2001

A Convocation ceremony for Faculty of Engineering graduands takes place this morning (June 1) at Hamilton Place. Degrees will be conferred for students in programs . . .

May 31, 2001

Here is a transcribed version of Martin Short's address to McMaster University graduands at Spring Convocation 2001 on May 30: Please be seated. I can't . . .

May 31, 2001

Graduands from the Faculty of Social Sciences will be centre stage at Hamilton Place today as Spring Convocation continues. This morning's graduands hail from Anthropology, Economics, Geography, Labour Studies, Political Science, Psychology, Religious Studies and Teaching. The honorary degree recipients at this morning's ceremonies are Robert Giroux, president of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada and Colin Millar, retired Hamilton-Wentworth police chief. This afternoon, graduands come from the fields of Gerontology, Kinesiology, Social Work and Sociology. Honorary degrees will be awarded to retired nursing professor Mary Buzzell, who is recognized as a leader in the fields of gerontology and long-term care and Hamilton lawyer Jack Pelech. Two graduands of the Department of Religious Studies, one of the smallest departments on campus, are among those who will receive medals as the outstanding graduands in Social Sciences.

May 31, 2001

He mixed comedy with common sense, wit with wisdom. McMaster's newest honorary degree holder offered Humanities and Arts & Science graduands advice, best wishes, even a nine-step program, all wrapped in his humourous dead-pan style. McMaster alumnus Martin Short delivered the Convocation address yesterday to about 1,500 graduands and their families and friends gathered at Hamilton Place. While the speech was punctuated with satire and sendups, Short conveyed congratulations and a heart-felt message to McMaster's newly minted alumni to pursue their dreams. "Don't be afraid of trying, of dreaming," said Short, who received a Doctor of Letters. At a news conference held prior to Convocation, Short reflected on the impact of his years at McMaster. His dream was to become a doctor. "By the time I left I was an actor," said Short. "When I think of McMaster I think of four years of absolute new experiences, a separate existence, expressing all aspects of life and leaving on a totally new journey. If it hadn't have been for Mac, I wouldn't have gotten into the business." Short said in his early 20s, the idea of hailing from Hamilton and becoming an actor seemed "highly unrealistic." Short credited the people, the encouragement he received and the opportunities to experiment with helping him launch his acting career. "I don't think I would have had the nerve to do it," he said. "The atmosphere of Mac at the timethere was an active theatre scene, it encouraged the students to take more on their shoulders. It was a very creative period." In his speech to graduands, Short quoted Walt Whitman, Aldous Huxley and Winston Churchill, reiterating his theme to take risks to achieve goals. Dr. Short: Martin Short listens while President Peter George introduces him to the audience at yesterday's Convocation. Photo: Ron Scheffler (Editor's note: See Martin Short's Convocation Address for the full text of his remarks.)

May 30, 2001

For 3,000 McMaster students, graduation day will be one of celebration and achievement. For their parents, families and friends it will be a day filled with pride and joy. Over the next three days (May 30, 31 and June 1) some 2,700 graduates will take home degrees from the six ceremonies, McMaster's 377th-382nd Convocations, held in the Great Hall of Hamilton Place. These grads, along with some 275 others who received their degrees earlier this month at Convocation ceremonies for Divinity College (May 8) and the Faculty of Health Sciences (May 11), will become the University's newest alumni. Bachelor's, master's and doctorate degrees will be conferred on students in the Faculties of Business, Engineering, Humanities, Social Sciences, Science and the Arts & Science Program. At the ceremonies, McMaster will award honorary degrees to captains of industry, humanitarians, scientists, scholars and a comedian. The Faculty of Business Convocation takes place this morning with former professional referee Ron Foxcroft giving the Convocation address. World renowned comedian Martin Short will give the address at the Faculty of Humanities and Arts & Science Program ceremony this afternoon. This year's honorary degree recipients are: Anthony Fell and Ron Foxcroft* (Business); William Sinclair and Joseph Wright* (Engineering); Pierre Conlon and Martin Short* (Humanities and Arts & Science Program); Robert Giroux*, Colin Millar, Mary Buzzell and Jack Pelech* (Social Sciences, morning and afternoon); and James Bruce and David Strangway* (Science). Also recognized at Convocations will be: Phillip Weicker, winner of the Governor General's Medal; John Brash, University Professor; Jean Wilson, winner of the 2001 President's Award for Excellence in Instruction (an article on Wilson appeared on the Daily News last month); and Karinne Chan, Alex Mazer, David Sandomierski, Wai-Yin Shum and Meaghan Stovel, winners of the President's Awards of Excellence (Student Leadership).

May 29, 2001

[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/Risdon.Cathy.h&sh.jpg” caption=”Cathy Risdon”]Cathy Risdon, an assistant professor of family medicine, has been appointed to the David Braley and Nancy Gordon Chair in Family . . .

May 29, 2001

Five McMaster students -- including two from engineering and two from the Arts & Science Program -- are the recipients of this year's President's Awards of Excellence (Student Leadership). The five awards are the highest number ever given out since the awards were introduced. The award acknowledges the contributions made by sutdents who play a significant role in improving and developing the intellectual, social, cultural and/or athletic fabric of the McMaster community. Third or fourth-year students who are in their graduating year are eligible for the award. This year's winners are: Karinne Chan (Chemical Engineering & Society) was actively involved in the McMaster Engineering & Society student association, serving as its president last year. She was a member of the McMaster Engineering council and represented her Faculty on McMaster's Undergraduate Council. She served as Kipling co-ordinator for the Faculty's iron ring celebration. She was a Welcome Week representative for a campus residence, a peer helper and academic outreach co-ordinator for McMaster's Centre for Student Development, and a teaching assistant. She held many awards including the National Research Council's Women in Engineering and Science Program and the Ashbaugh Scholarship. Alex Mazer (Arts & Science and Political Science) served McMaster students as a writing clinic tutor for the Centre for Student Development, a residence program assistant and a teaching assistant. He was a reporter and freelance writer for Incite Magazine and copy editor and typesetter for The Silhouette. Mazer is also a talented musician, artist and photographer. He came to McMaster on a national award for the Canadian Merit Scholarship Foundation and served as McMaster's chapter representative for the foundation. He received the Ontario-Rhone-Alpes Scholarship and spent his third year studying in Grenoble, France. He is the lead guitarist and songwriter for the group Toothpaste/Dentifrice. David Sandomierski (Arts & Science) was captain of the Marauders varsity cross-country and indoor track teams and was twice named Canadian Interuniversity Athletic Union Academic All-Canadian. He won the national award for the Canadian Merit Scholarship Foundation in 1997 and has since been a committed volunteer for the foundation. During his third year he studied at the Universiti Lumihre in Lyon, France on an Ontario-Rhone-Alpes bursary and was the lead runner for the Universiti Lyon II at the French national championships. He has been a teaching assistant and a residence program assistant at McMaster and a volunteer for a youth drop-in centre in Hamilton. Meaghan Stovel (Commerce) co-chaired the successful 22nd McMaster World Conference for the Michael G. DeGroote School of Business. As co-ordinator of the McMaster Student Union Information Centre, she managed a staff of seven undergraduates. She served as the University undergraduate representative to the Board of Governors for the past two years. Stovel produced the sold-out production of Shakespeare's Pericles: Prince of Tyre and was actively involved with the McMaster Drama Club during her four years on campus, serving as president during her third year. She was also academic chair for the MSU Clubs executive council and a teaching assistant for the commerce program. Wai-Yin Shum (Computer Engineering & Management) placed first in an Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineering (IEEE) Computer Society international design competition in Washington, D.C., for his team's "Heart Mate" invention, a warning device for high-risk heart patients. A Dean's List scholar, Shum voluntarily introduced, developed and taught more than 15 IEEE courses to about 1,000 engineering students. He chaired the committee for the McMaster Student Professional Awareness Conference. He introduced and organized the McMaster Industry Wine and Cheese to help connect students with potential employers, and he created the first Web service on campus for students to host their Web pages. (End of story)