Daily News

Posted on Sept. 16: Graduate students in science, engineering invited to scholarship session

Engineering and science graduate and senior undergraduate students take note. An information session being held on campus this week may yield some much-needed and useful scholarship information. Representatives from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) will be on campus Thursday, Sept. 19 to inform students of their scholarship and fellowship programs and to provide advice on the application procedure. The session will run from 8 to 11 a.m. in the Banquet Hall,(Room 319), McMaster University Student Centre. Students are invited to bring questions and to find out more about the programs and procedures. NSERC offers post-graduate scholarships valued at $17,300 to $19,100 annually (for a maximum of two years per category, depending on category of application and qualifications) to high-calibre scholars who are engaged in master's or doctoral programs in the natural sciences or engineering. Candace Robinson, Pat Houston, Eika Vagt, and Reginald Theriault, all from NSERC, will be present for the session. The session is open to all interested engineering and science graduate and senior undergraduate students. For more information about NSERC and its scholarship programs, visit the links below. For more information about the session, contact the School of Graduate Studies, ext. 24234.

Posted on Sept. 13: Sept. 11 Senate meeting highlights

Highlights from the Sept. 11 McMaster Senate meeting Enrolment forecast McMaster's projected enrolment figures continue to grow. As of Sept. 10, 4,862 first-year students were enrolled at McMaster, reported University registrar George Granger. The number includes 147 first-year nurses enrolled in the collaborative nursing program at the Mohawk and Conestoga locations. When these students are subtracted from the total enrolment figure, McMaster is 306 students over its modified Senate level 1 target of 4,409. "Our first-year full-time student body is roughly 16.5 per cent larger than last year," said Granger. McMaster's total undergraduate enrolment currently stands at 16,601 (full- and part-time) compared to 15,069 on the same date last year, he says. At the graduate level, 1,799 full-time students are registered in full-time PhD programs as of Sept. 10 -- 739 more than a year ago, says Fred L. Hall, dean of graduate studies. In August, a tentative agreement was signed by McMaster President Peter George and all other Ontario university presidents, agreeing to take a share of undergraduate enrolment growth for this year and next. The final agreement will provide student forecasts to 2005-06. In return, the government has committed to provide full average funding for this enrolment growth up to the level of the revised projections, says George. This funding will be provided through the University Accessibility Funding envelope. To receive the funding, McMaster must achieve enrolment target levels and depending on enrolment outcomes across the system, there will normally not be funding for students in excess of the agreed upon target, George says. "The important good news is that we do have the assurances of the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities that full average funding will be received for his growth," he says. Degree designation change Two recently approved professional master's programs in the School of Rehabilitation Science have undergone a degree designation change. In effect for the first graduating classes this fall, master's programs in physiotherapy and occupational therapy are now called Master of Science in Physiotherapy (MSc(PT)) and Master of Science in Occupational Therapy (MSc(OT)). The professional or entry level master's programs in occupational therapy and physiotherapy are new within Ontario and nationally, says Fred L. Hall, dean of graduate studies. "McMaster is the first Canadian institution to offer a professional master's degree in physiotherapy and the second Canadian institution to offer a professional master's degree in occupational therapy." Distinguishing between degree designation provided to occupational therapists and physiotherapists with advanced research master's qualification and those with professional qualifications is important, adds Hall. "This change will provide our graduates a designation which is consistent with the national standard and easily recognizable by employers, patients and other health professionals." Distinguished Alumni Award Deputy minister of finance Kevin Lynch and award-winning scientist Martin Green will receive Distinguished Alumni Awards at Fall Convocation on Nov. 8. Lynch, who graduated from McMaster in 1980 with a PhD in economics, will receive the Award for the Arts. Named by MacLean's Magazine as one of the 50 most influential Canadians, Lynch sets policies on all major economic issues, such as the challenge of an ageing population, income inequality and competing fiscal objectives without incurring foreign debt interest payment obligations. Green, professor at the University of New South Wales and photovoltaics researcher, will receive the Award of Science. Green graduated from McMaster in 1974 with a PhD in electrical engineering. His award-winning research has led to significant innovations in solar cell technologies that have resulted in a 63 per cent efficiency increase for converting sunlight into electricity. His solar cells were also used in the homes of the Athlete's Village for the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.

Posted on Sept. 12: Cognitive intervention could transform lives

For some children with a brain injury, remembering the rules to a game or following simple instructions is not easy. Researchers at CanChild are hoping to prove that a recently developed cognitive intervention will help children with a traumatic brain injury (TBI) handle the social and academic problems they encounter when they return to school. A one-year pilot study will examine the effectiveness of a strategy-based occupational therapy intervention with children who are 7 to 14 years and experiencing difficulties at home and school. The Ontario Neurotrauma Foundation (ONF) is awarding CanChild Centre for Childhood Disability Research at McMaster, $79,078 for the Cognitive Intervention for Children with Traumatic Brain Injury study.

Posted on Sept. 11: Muralist returns to McMaster

Mexican muralist Daniel Manrique returns to McMaster this week to begin work on a new painting to hang in the McMaster University Student Centre. Manrique has been commissioned to create a diptych - two canvases sized 10 feet by seven feet each - that will hang above the lower west entrance that links MUSC with Gilmour Hall, in close proximity to the University's council chambers. The theme of the painting will be the human race and our responsibility for the planet. "We're delighted that Mr. Manrique accepted our invitation to come to McMaster and create a painting that will be exhibited in our new student centre," said Karen Belaire, vice-president administration. "This is a terrific opportunity for our students to see a muralist at work in a studio, benefit from his expertise and be exposed to his creativity." The University invited Manrique to return to campus to create a new painting when it was determined a mural he painted on a Togo Salmon Hall wall in 1981 would be too costly to move and could not be incorporated into the renovations for the new student pub, Quarters. Manrique understood the predicament and agreed to come back to campus to create a new work. The University is paying Manrique an honorarium for his work and covering his expenses while here. Once he arrives Sept. 12 and art supplies are purchased, he will begin work on the painting in the art studio in Togo Salmon Hall Room 116. When completed, the work will become part of McMaster University's permanent art collection, under the care of the McMaster Museum of Art. In conjunction with Manrique's visit, there will be a viewing of a video titled Walls of Mexico that focuses on Mexican mural painting on Sept. 26 at 7 p.m. in TSH-114 (the New Space). Manrique, who speaks Spanish only, will participate with the aid of an interpreter in a question and answer session that will follow the viewing. As well, there is a reception planned for Oct. 4 at 3 p.m. in the Council Chambers to celebrate the completion of the painting and allow Manrique to meet members of the McMaster and local artistic communities.