Daily News

Posted on Nov. 7: Marauders vie for Yates Cup

For the third consecutive year, McMaster will host the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) Yates Cup championship football game. The Marauders will take on the Queen's Golden Gaels Saturday, Nov. 9 at 1 p.m. at Les Prince Field. McMaster Marauders defeated York Yeomen, 29-14, in the OUA semi-finals this weekend. Queens defeated The University of Western Ontario in the other OUA semi-final. Mike Ray led the scoring with five field goals, the longest being 36 yards. Quarterback Jon Behie was 11 for 26 for 168 yards and scored one rushing touchdown. Kyle Pyear had the other McMaster touchdown and led the ground attack, with 100 yards on 25 carriers. Brandon Little led the defence with two interceptions. The winner of the Yates Cup will play in the Churchill Bowl game Saturday, Nov. 16. The winning team of this game will vie for the national championship Vanier Cup to be held in Toronto at the SkyDome Saturday, Nov. 23 at 1 p.m. Ticket prices for Saturday's championship game are: Adult - $10 Student - $8 Senior - $8 McMaster Student - $5 Children under 10 - $5 Children under 3 -- free Tickets are available beginning Tuesday at 12 p.m. at the following locations at no service charge: McMaster Information Centre, in the McMaster Student Centre McMaster Locker Room Service Area, in the McMaster Ivor Wynne Centre (Athletic Complex) Copps Coliseum Box Office McMaster Spirit Store at Lime Ridge Mall Les Prince Stadium on the McMaster University Campus, one hour prior to game time Tickets are also available through Ticketmaster at 905-527-7666, http://www.ticketmaster.ca and all Ticketmaster outlets. Normal service charges apply. For more information, contact the athletics & recreation department at www.athrec.mcmaster.ca or at ext. 24463

Posted on Nov. 7: McMaster’s MacShad students claim top environmental prize

Sometimes the simplest message has the greatest impact on the environment. It can also have the biggest reward. Students of McMaster's Shad Valley program, known locally as MacShad, received the best overall award from the RBC Shad Entrepreneurship Competition for the "Big Green Tree Planting Kit", which includes Marvin's Tree, a story about a bird who searches for a new home after his tree is destroyed. "We're really proud of winning this award," says Bob Loree. "It really says a lot for McMaster and the faculty, staff and students that we have here." The 52 students who came to McMaster in July for the Shad program were instructed to create a project that would benefit the environment. Divided into four groups, the students were given four weeks to design, build, market, and present a product or service to a panel of judges. The 'Big Green Tree Planting Kit' was selected for entrance into the fifth annual RBC competition. This is the second time McMaster has claimed the top prize. They also won first place for prototype and third for their business plan. The kit includes five tulip tree seeds per student that they plant to help re-establish this endangered species. Also included in the kit is a teacher's reference guide, three compact discs, 25 planting pots and a colored children's storybook of Marvin, that the students translated in several languages, including English, French, Ukrainian and Mandarin. The team also created a Web site, which people could submit their address to, to be mailed tree seeds native to their area. The kit has caught the eye of local school boards who are considering purchasing the books for Grade 3 teachers, notes Loree. "The Shad experience in itself is fantastic," he says. "With or without the reward, students were able to go home and say they had a great experience and a lot of fun. The skills they learn here are really invaluable." Photo caption: One of the pages from Marvin's Tree, the colored children's storybook that has been translated by students into several languages, such as French, Mandarin and Ukrainian.

Posted on Nov. 7: McMaster celebrates Downtown Centre official opening

On Thursday, Nov. 14, McMaster President Peter George will welcome The honourable James Bartleman, lieutenant-governor of Ontario, and mayor Bob Wade from the City of Hamilton to participate in the official opening of the McMaster University Downtown Centre. All staff, students, and faculty are invited to attend the opening ceremonies at 11 a.m. at the main entrance to the building at 50 Main Street East, Hamilton. The program will include a ceremonial ribbon cutting and plaque unveiling to officially open the Downtown Centre and acknowledge McMaster's partnership with the City of Hamilton that resulted in the University's presence in the former Wentworth County Courthouse building. Refreshments will be provided and the building will be open until 2 p.m. for those who would like to see the departments located in the Downtown Centre.

Posted on Nov. 6: McMaster celebrates Fall Convocation Nov. 8

Friday, Nov. 8 will be a memorable day for 789 McMaster students. The students will receive their undergraduate and graduate degrees at two Fall Convocation ceremonies held at Hamilton Place (9:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.) For a full listing of the degrees to be conferred, click here. Four outstanding leaders in public service, medical science and urban design will be recognized for their achievements with honorary degrees at Fall Convocation. Legendary hockey dad Walter Gretzky and media executive Israel Asper will receive honorary degrees at morning Convocation (9:30 a.m.). Esteemed Japanese physician Shigeaki Hinohara and award-winning architect Raymond Moriyama will receive their degrees at the afternoon Convocation (2:30 p.m.). Both ceremonies will be held at the Great Hall at Hamilton Place.

Posted on Nov. 6: Distinguished McMaster alumni honoured at Fall Convocation

These awards are made to McMaster alumni who have distinguished themselves through outstanding scholarship, research, creative contributions to the arts or sciences, or service to society. Martin Green Martin Green is Scientia Professor at the University of New South Wales, Sydney Australia, and research director of Pacific Solar Pty. Ltd, a firm established to commercialize the university's polycrystalline silicon thin-film solar cell technology. An expert in the area of photovoltaics and the utilization of solar energy, Green received his doctorate in electrical engineering from McMaster University in 1974. His bachelor's and master's degrees in engineering were obtained from the University of Queensland in 1970 and 1971. The process whereby sunlight is converted to electricity using solar cells is called photovoltaics. His fundamental work in this field identified the factors that limit silicon solar cell performance. Since then, the work of his research group has improved the performance of silicon solar cells by over 50 per cent. Green has invented or co-invented (with former student Stuart Wenham), seven distinct cell technologies over the past 15 years and these solar cells have held the world efficiency record for converting sunlight into electricity for more than a decade. He is the author of a popular textbook on solar cells and founding director of the Photovoltaics Special Research Centre. Green's work has been recognized internationally with the 1990 William R. Cherry Award, the 1995 J.J. Ebers Award and the 1999 Australia Prize. The World Renewable Energy Network Congress awarded him the 2000 Millennium Award for outstanding scientist in his field. Last year Green received the Humboldt Foundation Research Award for his lifetime achievements in science. Kevin Lynch During his more than 20-year career with Canada's public service, Kevin Lynch has worked in a number of key economic departments and agencies, most notably and recently as deputy minister of the Department of Finance. Born in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Lynch received his BA in economics from Mount Allison University, his master's degree from the University of Manchester and his PhD in economics from McMaster University. He began his career in 1976 with the Bank of Canada and joined the finance department within five years, becoming the youngest director in the history of the department. Before being named federal deputy minister of finance in 2000, Lynch held such senior positions as assistant deputy minister, international trade and finance; assistant deputy minister, fiscal policy; and senior assistant deputy minister of finance. He is former deputy minister of industry (1995-2000) and in this capacity also served as director of the Business Development Bank of Canada. He is a former secretary to the Prime Minister's Advisory Council on Science and Technology. Earlier this year, Maclean's magazine named Lynch among its 50 "most influential Canadians." He is credited with shifting the department's focus from fundamentals to new departures. Lynch leads the civil service in tackling such major economic issues as an aging population and coping with growing income inequality. He has shown both an ability to make bold decisions and a balanced approach.