Daily News

Posted on Feb. 27: McMaster collaboration explores what war teaches

Within the horrors of war and violence, sometimes hope, perseverance and strength are born. That's the message of a one-day event "War Taught Me", taking place at McMaster on Monday. The workshops, dinner, performance and reception are the collaborative effort of a 12-member committee representing eight campus organizations focused on promoting peace, raising awareness, and making a difference to the victims of war. "Education isn't just about expanding our understanding, but about making a practical commitment to improve things," says Elisabeth Gedge, an associate professor of philosophy and women's studies. "It's a means of advocating for communities beyond our own." In addition to raising awareness of the effects of war, the group hopes to raise $750 at a potluck dinner, enough to support a teacher in Afghanistan for one year. "One huge implication of the violence in Afghanistan was that women were cut off from education and opportunity," says Gedge. "Afghanistan's women are working to reverse this damage, and our committee wants to use this event to support their efforts as well as raising awareness of their situation."

Posted on Feb. 29: $250,000 research prize honours Canadian Nobel Prize winner Bertram Brockhouse

A $250,000 science and engineering research prize in honour of the late Bertram Brockhouse, winner of the 1994 Nobel Prize in Physics, was announced Friday at McMaster. "The new prize the Brockhouse Canada Prize for Interdisciplinary Research in Science and Engineering offers permanent recognition for Dr. Brockhouse's outstanding contribution to science and to Canada," said Beth Phinney, member of parliament for Hamilton Mountain. "The award signals the great importance of success in science and technology to the future prosperity of Canadians. We compete with the best in the world through our ability to generate new ideas and our ability to bring them to the marketplace." Phinney made the announcement on behalf of Lucienne Robillard, minister of industry and minister responsible for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec. Working at Chalk River about 40 years ago, Brockhouse invented the use of neutron scattering to study the internal structure of materials, and gave Canada many years of leadership in that field. Neutron scattering is now an essential technique used around the world both in science and industry.

Posted on Feb. 26: 40 volunteer tutors + 200 students = McMaster’s Math Enrichment Day

Many students at McMaster University remember their daily struggles with mathematics. Now, more than 40 Bachelor of Health Sciences (BHSc) undergraduates are reaching out to public schools across Hamilton, helping elementary students enrich their understanding of math. As part of the outreach program, McMaster is hosting a Math Enrichment Day today (Thursday, Feb. 26). More than 200 students from across Hamilton will be attending this event, which is designed to entertain as well as educate. Maintaining the academic enthusiasm of students is the goal of the McMaster tutors, who have been preparing the Grade 7 and 8 students to write the Gauss mathematics competition, which will be held later this spring.