Daily News

Posted on July 8: SOLAR Team donates President’s Award to student scholarship

By donating its $2,000 President's Award for Outstanding Service to a student scholarship, the Student On-Line Academic Registration (SOLAR) team epitomizes what the award is about, feels Gary Warner, director of McMaster's Arts & Science Program. SOLAR donated its award at a small reception this week for an in-course scholarship named in memory of Charon McCain, who died of cancer on March 22 after a five-year fight with this disease. McCain worked in Financial Services for five years, in Student Financial Aid for 13 years and finally as the administrator in Arts and Science for almost two years. The donation has brought the endowment close to its goal of $10,000, which will be used to fund a scholarship annually for a student in the Arts & Science Program. Details about the scholarship are still being finalized.

Posted on July 8: Search for ideal city begins in sand

To a by-stander, it may seem like playing in the sand. However, to the 52 high school students who have come to Hamilton from all parts of Canada, it is an enlightening lesson about the challenges that are faced by a modern city. The event is Shad City, and it will be taking place Friday, July 9 and Saturday, July 10 at Kelso Conservation Area. The students are participants in an elite summer science, technology, mathematics, and entrepreneurship program called Shad Valley. During Shad City, 52 of Canada's brightest students will be challenged to produce a plan for building a city, while considering social, economic, and environmental issues. The participants will be divided into four groups, each responsible for a particular section of the city.

Posted on July 6: Study reveals online shopping experiences and trust vary by product

When it comes to online shopping, consumer experiences vary greatly according to the product they're seeking, according to a McMaster study. In a study involving 227 online shoppers, McMaster business professors Khaled Hassanein and Milena Head uncovered critical factors that impact consumer trust, which they say is necessary in establishing a successful relationship with online vendors. The survey included a mix of employees at a large Canadian utility company and MBA students, both male and female, who averaged more than 10 hours of online shopping a week, for both tangible products (such as books and clothing) and intangible products (such as concert and airline tickets). "Trust has been lacking in the online environment and is stifling the growth of online sales," says Hassanein. "People are used to face-to-face dealings, they like to hold products in their hands and feel them before making a purchase."