116 14021 gazette mar 19 fa

GAZETTE

March 19, 2014 Volume 46 Number 11

Publication Mail Registration No. 40062527

A M E M O R I A L U N I V E R S I T Y O F N E W F O U N D L A N D P U B L I C AT I O N

p4

DEAN EMERITUS

A former dean of Memorial’s business school has been admitted into a small circle of esteemed administrators.

p8

p8

GREEN CLEANING

PERFECT PARTNERS

A team of engineers at Memorial are researching a more environmentally friendly process for cleaning up oil spills.

Public library cardholders can now access 50 databases, thanks to a new e-resources portal.

Galactic reach Science scholar first choice for Yale astronomy scholarship

By Kelly Foss

A SECOND-YEAR

joint physics and applied

mathematics student at Memorial will spend the summer researching astronomy at Yale University.

Anna O’Grady, a resident of Kilbride, has been chosen to receive the Hoffleit Undergraduate Astronomy Research Scholarship, which will allow her to work as an intern for six weeks at the institution this summer.

“While I don’t have the specific details of the scope of the research, I do know I’ll be researching the brightest galaxy clusters, analyzing data about ongoing star formation in the clusters,” she said. “I will be making CHRIS HAMMOND PHOTO

maps of the age and mass of new stellar populations and potentially help with writing a paper that may end up in a research journal.”

Of the 70 international applicants for the scholarship — 20 of whom were from Oxford University — Ms. O’Grady was astonished to find she ranked first. She

Physics and mathematics student Anna O’Grady will study at Yale this summer.

See YALE story on page 4

Ambitious goals Doubling scholarly output by 2020

By Meaghan Whelan

A MAJOR NEW initiative aimed at strengthening all

administrative heads, student representatives and the

research-based graduate student support, undergradu-

aspects of research at Memorial University was recently

university’s formal advisory and decision-making bod-

ate research incentive funding and the establishment

unveiled in draft form. Called the Strategic Research

ies in the area of research. Consultations included all

of research-based master and doctoral programs at

Intensity Plan 2014-20, this plan builds on the Research

faculties and schools on the St. John’s campus, and the

every school, faculty and campus. The recommenda-

Strategy Framework and charts the course for a historic

Grenfell and Marine Institute campuses, as well as with

tions related to student support will complement the

transformation of Memorial’s research activities and

the Labrador Institute.

university’s Strategic Enrolment Plan currently under

impact.

During this consultation process, participants agreed

development.

“As Memorial approaches the anniversary of its first

that doubling scholarly output by 2020, while ambi-

Access to appropriate quality teaching, laboratories

century of existence, the province has time and again

tious, was achievable provided that significant progress

and office space is presently a substantial barrier to

demonstrated its unwavering commitment to Memorial,

was made in establishing conditions of success.

the expansion of research programs. The university is

and has steadily increased its financial support,” said Dr. Richard Marceau, vice-president (research). “This

The Strategic Research Intensity Plan identifies 12 recommendations to support this target.

currently developing the Strategic Infrastructure Plan, which will identify the space and infrastructure needed

has translated into significant success, and we can now

The plan includes a number of recommendations

to support all academic priorities, including enhanced

afford to give ourselves goals and objectives which,

aimed at providing a comprehensive environment for

research intensity. This plan will provide clarity on pri-

only a few years ago, might have appeared outrageous

supporting faculty, including faculty member career

orities and timelines of individual projects, facilitate

rather than ambitious.”

support, research seed, bridge and multidisciplinary

planning in all units and emphasize quality project management.

The central goal of the plan is to increase Memorial’s

funding, improved research grant and contract facil-

scholarly dissemination by its faculty members in forms

itation and the allocation and/or creation of research

In order to ensure that the recommendations of the

appropriate to the discipline by 100 per cent by Dec. 31,

chairs in all faculties, schools and campuses. The

Strategic Research Intensity Plan are implemented, the

2020. A closely associated goal is to increase Memorial’s

plan also calls for advocacy in favour of new provin-

university will identify suitable metrics and implement

master and doctoral graduates by 100 per cent over the

cial research funds in the health sciences and the arts,

formal metric-tracking processes. This will include a

same period.

humanities and social sciences.

university-wide process for creating an annual inven-

meetings

To better promote and support research opportu-

with Memorial University’s senior academic and

The

creation

of

the

plan

included

nities for students, the plan recommends improved

tory of the scholarly dissemination of its faculty

See DOUBLING story on page 4

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT Inspired by a summer spent teaching English in Tanzania

EF: How did the local people react to your work?

nobody spoke your language required some stamina.

in 2009, arts alumnus Andrew Harvey (BA(Hons.) ’11)

AH: Initially I think the people thought I was crazy

But it was full of chances to learn: building a mud-brick

returned to the east African country a few years later to

— why would a young Canadian be moving into their

house, chasing cows out of the cornfield, and tending to

complete a MA in linguistics at the University of Dar es

village and asking them questions with a big voice

scorpion stings, for example.

Salaam in 2013. His master’s work included making the

recorder in his hand? It didn’t take long for the local

first recordings and describing the grammar of the Gorwaá

people to realize how important the project was. After

EF: How did your time at Memorial influence you to

language in north-central Tanzania and creating a writing

all — if their language had never been written down,

continue your linguistics studies?

system for the language. Gazette contributor Elizabeth

their collective history — their stories of who they

AH: I will always remember Memorial as a safe place

Furey spoke with Mr. Harvey about his work.

are, how they got there — was only as good as their

filled with wise people who cared about my development

best speakers — many of whom were getting old and

as both a person and as a scholar. I’m lucky I ended up

without passing these stories on.

at Memorial because it left me with the confidence to

EF: Why did you decide to do your graduate work in Tanzania?

take a different path.

AH: I spent a summer in Tanzania in 2009 teaching

EF: How do you think your work has impacted the

English and returned to Memorial with an interest in

Gorwaá-speaking people?

the peoples and their languages. Tanzania is located in

AH: Perhaps the most concrete thing my work has

East Africa, where over 100 local languages are spoken

done is that it has gotten people excited about, and

by diverse ethnic groups — most of which have never

interested in their language. The Gorwaá language is a

been recorded or written down before. For a young

unique expression of Gorwaá culture and a unique lens

linguistics student looking for a big project, it was the

through which to interpret the world.

perfect place to go.

EF: Where did you first learn about the Gorwaá

How long did you live there, and where did you live?

language? Who speaks this language?

AH: I was in Tanzania for 26 months, the first 12 were

AH: The first time I came across it was in a book

spent at university in Dar es Salaam — a big, chaotic

listing the languages of Tanzania — in it, Gorwaá was

city. The rest of the time, I lived in a small village called

included, but the authors noted that no study had ever

Endabeg with two elderly people, working on their farm

been completed, and there were no books published

and herding their cattle in exchange for room, board,

about it. It is spoken by approximately 75,000 people in

and help learning their language. For a city boy like me,

north-central Tanzania.

learning to adapt to life in an isolated rural community

SUBMITTED PHOTO

EF: What was your experience like living in Tanzania?

Andrew Harvey and friends in Tanzania.

with no electricity, no running water, and where

GAZETTE

special management plan be developed for the river, says Mr. Hinks. The MFN, in partnership with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO), has also

A M E M O R I A L U N I V E R S I T Y O F N E W F O U N D L A N D P U B L I C AT I O N

initiated various salmon enhancement programs -- all

of which resulted is a slight increase in the number of

YOUR NEXT PROJECT

returning salmon, but were discontinued.

The project:

By Amy Tucker

Mr. Hinks hopes that researchers at Memorial can work

Special to the Gazette

to identify the causes of the continued decline and what “The MFN has resources for in-kind support, includ-

significant jobs is to provide a way for people from outside Memorial

ing boats, nets and people who have worked with DFO.

to ask for research help. With hundreds of community-suggested

We are also interested in building capacity for support

opportunities to choose from, your next project is just a click away.

of this study. In conjunction with DFO, the Aboriginal

Here’s one …

Aquatic Resource and Oceans Management Program could also provide support.”

The opportunity:

Erika Parrill, a research assistant at the Environmental

Surveys consistently indicate that the Bay D’Espoir fjord

Policy Institute at Grenfell Campus, is interested in

on the South Coast of Newfoundland is important to

working on this project, and is hoping to form an inter-

the survival of the Conne River salmon stocks, which

disciplinary team.

are in decline.

Classified Advertising Kelly Hickey

“I think the analysis of the data pertaining to the

“There have been speculations about the cause of

survival of the salmon population should be holistic

the decline, as we know that sea survival for Conne

in nature,” said Ms. Parrill. “For example, not only will

River smolt are among the lowest on the island,” said

data regarding survival rates have to be collected, but

Ross Hinks, director, Natural Resources, Miawpukek

Aboriginal traditional and ecological knowledge will

First Nation (MFN). “With all other things being equal

have to be collected with sensitivity and integrity.”

Interested in learning more about this project? Amy Tucker, co-ordinator

tion routes have determined that seaward travelling

of knowledge mobilization at the Harris Centre, would love to tell you

smolts and kelts spend an unusual amount of time

more. Call her at 709-864-6115 or email her at amy.tucker@mun.ca.

The Gazette is published 17 times annually by the Division of Marketing and Communications at Memorial Uni­versity.

concentrated.”

The MFN has always depended on salmon for surMIAWPUKEK FIRST NATION PHOTO

community exists in its location today.

“There has, however, been little research on the decline of the salmon stocks,” said Mr. Hinks. “Salmon are counted each year, samples have been taken, and migration routes have been partially completed, but none of this research has tried to explain the declining stocks.”

The MFN has already taken some measures to address the decline. The community has volunteered not to

Conne River on the South Coast of Newfoundland

Photography Chris Hammond

Next Gazette deadline April 2 for April 9 publication.

in the bay where aquaculture development has been

vival; it is one of the most important reasons why the

Cathy Newhook Naomi Osborne Michelle Osmond David Penney Marcia Porter Kristine Power Dave Sorensen Melissa Watton Meaghan Whelan Susan White-MacPherson Laura Woodford Sandy Woolfrey-Fahey

Advertising Mandy Cook Telephone: 709 864 2142 Email: mandyc@mun.ca

throughout Newfoundland, the only additional factor is the presence of aquaculture in the area. The migra-

Regular Contributors

Laura Barron Melanie Callahan Nora Daly Paula Dyke Kelly Foss Elizabeth Furey Pamela Gill Sharon Gray Janet Harron Jill Hunt Diane Keough Jackey Locke

measures might be necessary to reverse this trend.

Yaffle.ca is Memorial’s online connecting tool. One of its most

EDITOR GRAPHICS Mandy Cook Jacqui Baggs

Material in the Gazette may be reprinted or broadcast without permission, excepting materials for which the Gazette does not hold exclusive copyright.

Gazette, Room A-1024 Memorial University of Newfoundland St. John’s, NL A1C 5S7 Telephone: 709 864 2142 Fax: 709 864 8699 Email: mandyc@mun.ca ISSN 0228-88 77 With the exception of advertisements from Memorial University, ads carried in the Gazette do not imply recommendation by the university for the service or product.

exercise its rights to harvest salmon and insists that a

Gazette | Wednesday, March 19, 2014

2

www.mun.ca/gazette

‘Live and Learn’ $23 million Grenfell residence complex officially opened

By Melanie Callahan

STUDENTS, STAFF

and faculty and community

The Grenfell residence complex is a modern, state-of-

partners filled the first-floor lounge of Grenfell Campus’s

the-art building that features energy efficient mechan-

newest housing facility recently in a celebration of the

ical systems. It has five floors with 200 rooms and a

opening of the new residence complex.

lounge and kitchen on each floor for meals and socializing. There are laundry and storage facilities with an area LORI LEE HOLLETT PHOTO

Premier Tom Marshall, Kevin O’Brien, minister of Advanced Education and Skills, Dr. Gary Kachanoski president and vice-chancellor of Memorial, Dr. Mary Bluechardt, vice-president (Grenfell Campus) and resident assistant Sierra Tischler unveiled a ceremonial plaque March 6, which officially opened the new 200room residence in Corner Brook. The new facility will provide the campus with an increased capacity to house up to 600 students.

“I am honoured to be a part of the official opening

From left are Dr. Mary Bluechardt, Premier Tom Marshall, Dr. Gary Kachanoski and student Sierra Tischler.

for recreational gear. A partnership between Grenfell Campus and College of the North Atlantic (CNA) allows 23 of the rooms to be available for CNA students.

“With the opening of Grenfell’s new residence complex, students here have more options for safe living on campus,” said Dr. Kachanoski. “Living directly on campus puts students right at the heart of the university. By living in residence, they have an opportunity to live and learn surrounded by the supports of campus.

of the new Grenfell residence complex,” said Premier

Students living in residence become part of a commu-

Marshall. “I am delighted both as the member of the

while furthering their education. This new residence

nity and build a support network that proves essential

House of Assembly for Humber East and in my new role

demonstrates the provincial government’s commit-

to success throughout their university careers.”

as premier to see this beautiful building added to our

ment to provide affordable on-campus student housing

post-secondary infrastructure in Corner Brook.

and ensures students have the best experience while

“This is a modern residence for students to call home

getting a high-quality post-secondary education.”

University auditor takes up post

By Sandy Woolfrey-Fahey

JENNY BAKER

started her new role as university

“My first few weeks at Memorial have been spent

auditor at Memorial University in February. Ms. Baker

introducing the audit mandate to key stakeholders

brings more than 20 years’ experience in internal audit,

and to identify ways the department can provide value

most recently serving as director of internal audit in a

added services,” she said. “One way is to collaborate

private sector corporation.

with Memorial process owners in assessing whether

The position of university auditor was created in 2013 with the objective of improving corporate gover-

there are more efficient methods to accomplish their objectives.”

nance by establishing an independent department that

Ms. Baker holds a bachelor of business administration

reports functionally to the Audit and Risk Committee

from Wilfrid Laurier University. She is a certified public

of the Board of Regents.

accountant, a certified information systems auditor and

“My role is to provide assurance to stakeholders that strategic risks are being effectively managed,” said Ms. Baker.

a certified fraud examiner.

Ms. Baker’s appointment was approved by the Board of Regents at its December meeting.

She will work closely with Kristopher Parsons, Memorial’s chief risk officer, who is introducing a risk management framework to the university.

Jenny Baker

The ups and downs of altering the sick note policy THE RE-EVALUATION

of Memorial’s policy

regarding sick notes should be opening the door for

STUDENTVIEW

a discussion between administration and student

Shannon Page

organizations in regard to medical issues on campus.

student body and with student organizations on the creation of a new policy that addresses both the concerns of professors as well as those of students. An open dialogue would bring forward new ideas and would

Instead, declarations that the university should not

least, preserved. They need only say that they have

perhaps lead to a policy that works for everyone. It

be treating post-secondary students like children who

missed a test or assignment for “medical reasons.”

would also create space for a frank dialogue of mental

need to provide a note from a higher authority seem to be dominating the conversation.

There are two sides to this issue, and both are equally

health and accessibility for differently abled students

valid. On the one hand, there is the natural concern

or those dealing with chronic or re-occurring medical conditions.

In case you haven’t heard the news, Memorial’s policy

that some students may be dishonest and abuse the new

on missed examinations and tests, which requires stu-

policy by claiming illness to get out of assignments.

The other opinion pieces I have read on this issue

dents to provide a medical note in order to be excused,

This is going to happen. There is no getting around it.

seem to take the NLMA representative’s comment and

is being re-examined after the Newfoundland and

While the majority of students will probably be honest,

fixate on how the old policy did not treat students like

Labrador Medical Association (NLMA) declared that

there will no doubt be a handful of assignments and

responsible adults. However, concerns about whether or

physicians should no longer write notes for patients

tests missed this semester for “medical reasons” that

not the policies can be taken advantage of are indeed

whose illness has lasted less than five days if the patient

probably won’t amount to much more than a really bad

valid. It is not a matter of whether or not students are

was not assessed over the course of the illness. Until the

hangover.

being treated as irresponsible, but of creating a space for

end of the semester, students will be able to verbally

who

the free exchange of ideas. A better focal point for dis-

declare their illness directly to a professor if they miss

express concern about this inevitability aren’t necessar-

cussion would be how best to create a dialogue between

an assignment or exam. The only exceptions will be

ily treating students “like elementary school kids,” as a

students and administration in order to raise awareness

final exams, which students will still need a medical

spokesman from the NLMA phrased it. They are merely

of health issues as well as come up with solutions that

note to be excused from.

being realistic about the ways that the system might be

work best for both parties.

Under the temporary policy, students will not be required to divulge the details of their illness to their professor. The student’s privacy will be, in theory at

Gazette | Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Instructors

and

university

representatives

abused. However, obtaining a sick note can be a huge inconvenience for both physicians and students.

It would be nice to see administration work with the

3

Shannon Page is a fourth-year double major in English and classics at Memorial. She can be reached at spep60@mun.ca.

www.mun.ca/gazette

High honour

Con’t from DOUBLING on page 1

Retired business prof named dean emeritus

members.

The draft Strategic Research Intensity Plan 2014-20 is available to the entire university community for review.

To download a copy, visit www.mun.ca/research/2014_

By Susan White-MacPherson

university_consultation.pdf.

A FORMER DEAN of Memorial’s Faculty of Business

Feedback will be accepted until Monday, April 14, via

Administration will now retain the title in perpetuity.

email vp.research@mun.ca, or internal mail, Office of

Dr. Gary Gorman became only the fourth dean emeri-

the Vice-president (Research), A-2021, St. John’s campus.

tus in the history of Memorial University when the title was approved by the Board of Regents on Feb. 6. Three

NOTABLE

other former administrators have been named dean emeritus at Memorial: Dr. A.C. Hunter in 1957; Dr. G.A. Hickman in 1974; and Dr. Ian Rusted in 1989.

The Memorial University of Newfoundland’s Student

“I was overwhelmed, to tell you the truth. I was quite

Union (MUNSU) held an election or the union’s 2014-15

shocked,” he said.

board of directors March 11-12. The MUNSU board con-

Dr. Gorman retired in September 2013 after 36 years

sists of five full-time paid executive director positions.

with Memorial, all of which were spent in roles at or

Robert Leamon has been named director of campaigns

associated with the business faculty. He started his

and Devin Grant is director of finance and services. Ryan

career at the university as a co-ordinator in the Division

Murphy, director of external affairs, communications

of Co-ordination in 1977.

and research, Sean Kennedy, director of advocacy, and

“I have to confess: when I came to the university in

Kimberly Drisdelle, director of student life, were all

that role, I didn’t imagine it to be anything long term

acclaimed.

at all. It just looked like an interesting opportunity,” he said. “But then the opportunities just seemed to develop. The university is an incredible environment because you can get involved in so many things. That

OBITUARY

Dr. Gary Gorman

was something I didn’t really recognize until spending some time here, just the scope and range and variety of opportunities that are available.”

The title of dean emeritus is conferred upon retired faculty members with at least 10 years as a regular full-

was created. He also personally recruited 25 new faculty

Dr. Darren Hynes

members through cross-Canada tours to universities

Dr. Darren Hynes, a longtime contractual

that offer doctoral programs in business.

lecturer in the history, philosophy and human-

time faculty member. The prime criterion for nomina-

He also created the business faculty’s international

tion is a sustained and superlative record as an academic

bachelor of business administration (iBBA) degree, an

administrator.

office for international business studies and a fellow

Dr. Gorman’s greatest contributions to the business

in international business, and built relationships with

faculty came from his years as dean, a role he filled from

international universities that saw increased enrolment

2002-09. During his tenure, research output by faculty

from international students in business programs.

members doubled, a PhD in management degree was developed and the role of associate dean of research

ities programs, passed away March 1, 2014. He was 50.

CORRECTION Dr. Gerard Murphy, a former professor in the Faculty of Education, passed away Dec. 16, 2013.

He was 92. Incorrect information appeared in the

Con’t from YALE on page 1 believes she owes much of her

Feb. 5 edition of the Gazette.

life. I was always interested in sci-

glad

current success to taking an interest

ence,

and

to speak about my scholarship,

in science in early life.

astronomy, but that program made

because I believe it’s important to

me certain that I wanted to pursue

increase awareness of the impor-

physics as a career.”

tance of science, and to encourage

“My

three

years

at

Bishops

College High School further solidi-

particularly

physics

fied my passion for science, through

For the Grade 12 science fair,

fantastic teachers and a great aca-

Dr. Deupree put Ms. O’Grady in

demic program which included

touch with Dr. Louise Edwards

participation in the annual regional

who, at the time, worked at Mount

science fair.”

Alison University, and they worked

Her physics teacher at Bishops put her in contact with Dr. Robert

to

have

the

opportunity

other students to seek out experiences like this.”

CALLING ALUMNI NOMINEES FOR 2014 BOARD OF REGENTS ELECTION

together on a project about dark

Nominations are now being accepted for the upcoming

matter.

election of six alumni representatives to Memorial’s

Deupree, the Canada Research Chair

“Once again I went to nation-

Board of Regents. Alumni representatives are elected

in Astronomy and Astrophysics at

als, this time in Charlottetown. It

for a three-year term, commencing this year on Sept.

Saint Mary’s University in Halifax,

was another incredible experience,

1, 2014. Nominations for these positions will continue

N.S. Together they developed a proj-

which only furthered my interest

ect about the Hertzprung-Russell

in physics,” she said. “I had kept

diagram, a scatter graph of stars

up with Dr. Edwards, and she had

showing the relationship between

taken a position at Yale last year.

the stars’ luminosities versus their

She told me about the Hoffleit schol-

calling on alumni to consider running for one of the six

effective temperatures.

arship and encouraged me to apply

available positions.

“With that project I received the

for it, which I did.”

VISIT US ONLINE WWW.MUN.CA/ GAZETTE

to be accepted until April 4. The election will begin on April 28 and run until May 23.

Memorial’s Office of Alumni Affairs and Development oversees the nomination and election process and are

“The Board of Regents is the governing body of

opportunity to go to the Canada-

Ms. O’Grady believes the scholar-

Wide Science Fair in Toronto and

ship opportunity will help give her

I had an amazing experience,”

a better understanding of the prac-

“Members play a key role — both in the work that

she said. “One of the awards I

tical research aspect of a career in

guides us in the present and setting a vision for the

received was a scholarship for the

astronomy.

future. The Board of Regents has 30 members in total,

International Summer School for

“These experiences during my will

tive director, Office of Alumni Affairs and Development.

so representation with six alumni members provides an

Young Physicists at the Perimeter

undergraduate

Institute for Theoretical Physics in

nitely help me explore the differ-

Waterloo.

ent options I will have in graduate

To submit a nomination or for more informa-

school and beyond,” she said. “I’m

tion on the nomination and election process, visit

“Those two weeks changed my

degree

Memorial University,” said Dr. Penny Blackwood, execu-

defi-

opportunity for meaningful contributions to strategy and long-term planning for the university.”

www.munalum.ca.

Gazette | Wednesday, March 19, 2014

4

www.mun.ca/gazette

The On the Move Partnership is a story in and of itself — a massive, seven-year Social Sciences and Humanities

FRAMEWORKS AT WORK: Memorial’s frameworks in action

Research

Council-funded

project

exploring

how

employment-related geographic mobility (from long daily commutes, to extended absences from the home lasting weeks, months or even years) affects employers, workers and their families, as well as the communities where they live and those where the work. The project is a national initiative involving more than 40 researchers from 17 disciplines and 22 universities, working is a prime example of cross-discipline collaboration,

future

cross-university collaboration and public engagement.

direction — the

Research

Strategy

Framework,

the Teaching and Learning Framework and the Public

The partnership with CBC’s Ideas brings the research

Engagement Framework — are the result of several years of

to life for average Canadians — after all, the research

consultations with the university community and the people

is all about average Canadians. Who doesn’t know

and organizations of Newfoundland and Labrador. This

someone who commutes for work? A commuter in the

regular feature will help showcase the frameworks in action

Greater Toronto Area, a foreign-worker employed in ser-

by sharing projects and highlighting the successes that are

vices in a booming resource town, a family man from

bringing them to life.

rural Newfoundland trying to make a living commut-

REGIONAL MUNICIPALITY OF WOOD BUFFALO PHOTO

with more than 30 community partners. The project The three overarching frameworks guiding Memorial’s

ing to work in Fort McMurray — each person has a dif-

PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT Arts project forges groundbreaking partnership with CBC

By Cathy Newhook

ferent story to tell about how moving for work affects their health, family, work and community.

This is where CBC’s Ideas comes in. The hour-long show, hosted by Paul Kennedy, is broadcast on CBC Radio every weeknight and has an average of 800,000

Looking north on Highway 63 in Fort McMurray, Alta.

listeners (aside from online listeners). As a project partner, the show will air seven episodes over the course of

Memorial’s SafetyNet Centre for Occupational Health

the research to help share knowledge and tangible sto-

and Safety Research and Department of Sociology. “The

ries and then bring the seven together for a solid week

partnership with Ideas will enable us to involve the pub-

of programming towards the end. From the show’s per-

lic in the research as it unfolds, giving them an oppor-

effectively can

spective, the mutual benefit of the partnership is clear,

tunity to be part of the discussion.”

present a significant challenge for many researchers

and collaboration with established researchers and

The first documentary in the series, On the Move to

and many universities. Even for projects that have very

community partners engaged in a well-funded and sus-

Fort McMurray, aired in November and followed the

practical implications for people and communities, it is

tained project is a significant advantage in the world of

researchers as they talked to workers employed in the

not always easy to get good research out there.

journalism.

oil sands industry in Alberta. This year’s Ideas docu-

MOBILIZING KNOWLEDGE

Memorial’s On the Move Partnership, led by Dr.

“Work-related mobility is directly impacting employ-

mentary will look at mobility in the trucking industry

Barbara Neis of the Department of Sociology, has come

ers, workers and their communities — sharing those

in Prince Edward Island. Future topics will be decided

up with an innovative solution to the challenge, and

stories and understanding this complex phenomenon

in consultation with the On the Move team. You can lis-

forged a unique partnership directly with the long-run-

is not just fascinating, it’s important,” said Dr. Neis,

ten to the archived programs on the CBC Ideas website

ning CBC Radio documentary program, Ideas.

project director and senior research associate with

or via www.onthemovepartnership.ca.

Henrietta Harvey lecturer discusses oil’s ‘unconventional future’

By Janet Harron

DR. GAVIN BRIDGE,

professor of economic

“At the global scale some significant new frontiers of

and Labrador in the past six months. He took part in

geography at Durham University, U.K., will deliver the

extraction are beginning to emerge, such as the Arctic

October 2013’s conference on Extractive Industries and

Henrietta Harvey lecture, Oil’s Unconventional Future,

and the deep water offshore, although many people

the Arctic, organized by geographer Dr. Arn Keeling

on Memorial’s St. John’s campus on Thursday, March

challenge whether these are appropriate places to be

and historian Dr. John Sandlos.

27.

drilling for oil. “New geographies” refers to these emerg-

“I am looking forward to spending time with qual-

According to Dr. Bridge, “although oil shows no sign

ing patterns of resource exploration, and the processes

ity colleagues at Memorial and at the Labrador Institute

of running out anytime soon, the nature of oil is chang-

through which resource economies come into being,”

who are doing some very interesting work on the polit-

ing. Technology, high prices and government policy

said Dr. Bridge.

ical economy and environmental history of resources.

have opened up new “unconventional” oil reserves and

This will be Dr. Bridge’s second visit to Newfoundland

spurred oil production.”

I am also looking forward to another round of cod tongues,” Dr. Bridge said.

During his lecture, Dr. Bridge will explore the scale

The Henrietta Harvey lecture takes place on Thursday,

and significance of oil’s fast-arriving unconventional

March 27, at 7 p.m. in the Bruneau Centre, IIC-2001. A

future and demonstrate some of the emergent geog-

reception will follow and free parking is available in lot

raphies of supply and demand associated with this

15B.

future. He will then consider what they mean for estab-

Henrietta Harvey was a Nova Scotian who came to

lished geographies of production, consumption and

Newfoundland in 1905 to visit her aunt, Lady Whiteway,

regulations.

the wife of Newfoundland’s prime minister. A year later

According to Dr. Bridge, “new geographies” cap-

she settled in St. John’s as the wife of St. John’s busi-

tures the dynamic character of resource production

nessman John Harvey. When she died in 1964, her will

and the landscape of boom and bust that is associated

directed a substantial portion of her estate to Memorial

with resource-based economies like Newfoundland

University. The Henrietta Harvey Lectureship is possi-

and Labrador’s. This province, he says, is interesting

ble in any year where there are funds left over from the

because Newfoundland and Labrador’s area hosts both

funding of the Henrietta Harvey research chair, the pri-

conventional (the light or medium crude in produc-

mary purpose of the endowment fund.

tion at Hibernia and Terra Nova) and unconventional oil sources (such as the heavy crude to be extracted at Hebron). The Alberta oil sands exemplify the growing role of unconventional sources of oil, and some of the technical and environmental challenges of replacing conventional supplies.

Gazette | Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Dr. Gavin Bridge will deliver the Henrietta Harvey lecture on March 27.

5

www.mun.ca/gazette

Aldrich conference provides academic opportunity for graduate students

By Mandy Cook

ANNA HICKS wants to break down

“There’s a big gap between high

the barriers she says exist between

school and university,” said Dr. Hicks.

instructors and students due to a lack

“A class of 200 is not conducive of

of engagement in large university

learning. After the first month, stu-

classrooms and lecture halls.

dents are not likely to show up. I felt like I was not doing my job teaching them in a way that would help them.”

Memorial is presenting at the 2014

As part of her thesis work, Dr. Hicks

Aldrich Interdisciplinary conference

and her research partners conducted a

for graduate students March 21-23 in

research study where student engage-

the Bruneau Centre for Research and

ment methods — small group work,

Innovation on the St. John’s campus.

quizzes, clickers (class response system)

CHRIS HAMMOND PHOTO

That’s why the part-time master’s education student and lecturer at

This year’s conference theme is

– were used to keep students active in

Breaking Down Barriers, with abstract

a large first-year class. Dr. Hicks will

submissions

present her findings during the Aldrich

Dr. Octavia Dobre and her research student Walid Jerjawi.

conference.

Data traffic

categorized

into

three

main presentation streams that support the university’s frameworks: teaching

“The benefit of the Aldrich is that it

and learning, public engagement and

will help me to spread the word about

research.

engaging teaching methods on campus

The Aldrich conference offers graduate students the opportunity to gain

Improving the speed and flow of electronic communications

and initiate conversations about teaching large classes,” she said.

valuable presentation experience in

In addition to student presentations,

a supportive and interactive environ-

the three-day conference will provide

ment at Memorial. It is open to any

networking opportunities, workshops

graduate student that wishes to pres-

and social events to discuss academ-

THE INTERNET

has become the

users, when primary/incumbent users

ent course work, a work in-progress or

ic-related topics with other students

place to watch high-definition television

do not transmit. However, secondary

a completed research paper they feel is

and faculty from Memorial.

and videos, play games and listen to

users should sense the environment and

valuable and interesting.

By Jackey Locke

The Aldrich keynote address will take

music. As the reasons to log on become

ensure transmission without generating

Dr. Hicks, who has a doctoral degree

place Friday, March 21, at 7 p.m. in the

greater every year, so does the number of

unwanted interference to the primary

in neuroscience, was compelled to

Bruneau Centre. Michel Chikwanine, a

users and the data traffic.

users. There are several aspects that need

enrol in the master’s level education

former child soldier, will speak about

program after some time spent teach-

the ability to create change.

ing biology and psychology courses.

She wasn’t satisfied with the level of

For more information, please visit www.gsumun.ca/aldrich-home.

It is estimated that the increase in global

to be resolved before the CR technology

Internet traffic between 2015 and 2016

can be fully implemented in practical

will be more than 330 exabytes, which

systems, such as spectrum awareness,

is almost equal to the total amount of

resource allocation and routing.”

student attendance or student partici-

global Internet traffic generated in 2011,

Dr. Dobre’s work on CR technology is

pation she was seeing.

and that one in every five people owns a

supported by the Natural Sciences and

cellphone, which means that most people

Engineering Research Council of Canada

are likely accessing the Internet on their

and

mobile devices. As a result, every year

Centre Canada in Ottawa, Ont.

CHRIS HAMMOND PHOTO

Gazette | Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Communications

Research

Internet service providers are experienc-

In addition to her research on CR tech-

ing a greater demand for services, which,

nology, Dr. Dobre and fellow faculty mem-

in turn, is driving the development and

ber Dr. Ramachandran Venkatesan have

introduction of new technologies.

started an ambitions Atlantic Innovation

“In wireless communications, 4G net-

Fund project aiming to provide a techno-

works are being commercially deployed

logical solution to achieve transmission

and research has already started to be

rates higher than 100 gigabyte per second

carried out towards 5G, while in optical

in the optical transport networks.

communications, 100 gigabit ethernet

The goal is to apply orthogonal fre-

local area network systems are already

quency division multiplexing, a tech-

here,” said Dr. Octavia Dobre, associate

nique used in wireless communications,

professor, Faculty of Engineering and

to transmit at ultra-high speeds on opti-

Applied Science at Memorial.

cal transport networks — the backbone

Dr. Dobre’s research aims to find solu-

Anna Hicks will present her thesis findings about student engagement in large classrooms during the 2014 Aldrich conference.

the

for data transmission.

tions to diverse problems posed by the

“While several technical challenges

next generation communications sys-

lie before us, as well as the challenge of

tems, and involves using cognitive radio

building an optical communications lab-

(CR) technology as a viable solution to

oratory for experimental verifications, we

the efficient spectrum utilization in wire-

hope that we will be successful in provid-

less communications.

ing a commercially viable solution,” said

“Spectrum has been considered to

Dr. Dobre.

be a scarce resource, while it is actually underutilized,” said Dr. Dobre. “CR technology aims to support dynamic spectrum access, which would allow the spectrum utilization by secondary

6

www.mun.ca/gazette

Memorial’s Arctic pioneer

By Janet Harron

DR. JEAN BRIGGS

has led the kind of life that a

movie could be made of.

Dr. Briggs spent several years early in her anthropological career in two remote Arctic camps documenting the behaviour, language and customs of the Inuit people who lived there. And for three-and-a-half decades, while a faculty member at Memorial, she lived happily alone in her home on the Cape Spear peninsula without running water or road access.

Before she left for her Arctic fieldwork in 1963, two anthropologists who had conducted research in more or less the same area – and a number of other colleagues too – warned Dr. Briggs of the difficulties she would encounter.

“Everybody except my family thought I was mad,” she said.

One distinguished anthropologist told her: “You are a very heavy responsibility.” Another, when she asked for advice, said dramatically: “The cold is vicious, and the dark is vicious, and if you survive you will be the woman I admire most in the whole world.”

Needless to say, she survived. After spending several years living as an adopted daughter with one small group of Inuit, and informally attached to a family in another camp, both in what is now known as Nunavut, she wrote two groundbreaking anthropological books: Never in Anger (1970), which was predicted to be a classic before it was published, and Inuit Morality Play (1998), which won two awards upon publication.

Dr. Briggs’ years in the North were spent primarily observing the women and children of the communities.

She focused on the vocabulary of emotion, the ways in which emotions organized social life and how children were raised to think and feel like Inuit.

Dr. Jean Briggs

“Originally,” she recalled, “I went to the first camp to study the social lives of shamans, but no one would

Dr. Briggs’ first lessons in Inuktitut were given to her

let on that there even was a shaman. They were newly

by a missionary she met in an airport on her first Arctic

says Dr. Briggs.

“So the dictionary began as a list of suffixes but it

minted Anglicans. So I just wrote down everything that

field trip back in 1960; he was engaged in translating

grew like topsy. I don’t remember how I got into my

happened and since I was a woman, staying at home

the Bible into Inuktitut.

present pickle of writing two dictionaries!”

with the women and children, what I saw was mostly

“The translator demonstrated what non-English

Dr. Briggs’ friend and colleague Dr. Marguerite

how women and children interacted. And as I began to

sounds to listen for, and gave me clues about how the

MacKenzie, a professor in Memorial’s Department of

learn the language, I learned a lot of the emotion words

Inuktitut language was put together,” she remembered.

Linguistics, calls her, “a trained anthropologist and a

they used, and discovered many differences in the way

“This was very helpful, as Inuktitut is so different from

practising linguist.”

they thought about emotions, compared with us. Then,

English.”

Dr. Briggs is also a committed environmentalist who

very soon, I became a social nuisance, because I didn’t

Different is perhaps a bit of an understatement.

doesn’t like to see other houses from her windows — so

know how to behave or express my feelings – and I

In Inuktitut, every verb is the equivalent of an

much so that, for 35 years, she lived in the middle of the

began observing how people interacted with me.”

English sentence. For example, the verb qupannu-

woods near Maddox Cove on a part of the Cape Spear peninsula.

Her work on the Inuktitut emotion words ultimately

aq-paaq-r^uaq-hiu-qati-gi-juma-ngngit-taatigu-lluun-

grew into a major Social Sciences and Humanities

nii-nnguq is translated as “They said they didn’t even

“I loved it because you couldn’t see anything that

Research Council-funded project to document the

want to come hunting little horned larks with us.” This

wasn’t beautiful from the windows — woods or bay or

Utkuhiksalingmiutitut dialect of Inuktitut, the speech

word consists of a base (meaning “little horned larks”)

ocean, nothing was visible that was ugly.”

of the first camp she lived in.

and 10 postbases (suffixes), each being the equivalent of

She finally sold the house in the woods — which she

one or more of the other English words in the sentence.

affectionately calls “the Treehouse”— and renovated a

is currently preparing to publish the first of two

The about-to-be-published postbase dictionary ana-

nearby Maddox Cove house which she’s dubbed “the

Utkuhiksalingmiutitut-English dictionaries (one for

lyzes the forms, meanings and conditions governing the

Shoe,” after the Mother Goose rhyme. She sold the land

word bases and one for postbases or suffixes). This pre-

occurrence of the approximately 360 suffixes that carry

she owned around the Treehouse and along the Maddox

viously undocumented dialect might have been lost for-

a large part of the meaning of an Utkuhiksalingmiutitut

Cove coastline to the Nature Conservancy of Canada.

ever if not for Dr. Briggs’ preservation work.

word.

This land, which includes the Maddox Cove access

The 84-year-old professor emerita at Memorial

“Very few of the Utkuhiksalingmiut who speak the

Over the years, Dr. Briggs and her co-investigators

dialect I recorded in the camps of the 1960s remain,

have entered approximately 34,000 complex Inuktitut

and those that are still around are forgetting the words

words, taken from everyday speech and preserved in

Dr. Briggs’ last trip to the North was in January 2012,

they used to know but no longer use — for example, the

tape recordings and transcriptions, into a database to

after an absence of 10 years. She and a dictionary col-

words for traditional activities and tools.”

construct the dictionaries. The database will be archived

league went to Gjoa Haven, a hamlet in Nunavut where

The dictionaries are an important part of Inuit cul-

online and will be available in CD format for public use.

the Utkuhiksalingmiut have now settled, in order to

tural heritage and will make a major contribution to

As an anthropologist, Dr. Briggs had never intended

introduce the dictionaries to her Utkuhiksalingmiut

both the theoretical and practical study of Inuktitut.

point to the East Coast Trail, is now protected from any development in perpetuity.

to write a dictionary. During the late 1960s, Memorial

family and friends, to consult them about what they

As Inuktitut is one of the three official languages of

linguist Larry Smith, whose specialty was Labrador

wanted to call the dictionaries and what layout and

Nunavut, the dictionaries are of great interest to the

Inuktitut, urged her to make a list of the suffixes in

Inuktitut spellings would be most useful to them.

territory’s government, which is actively trying to pre-

Utkuhiksalingmiutitut.

serve Inuit cultural heritage. Materials in all dialects of Inuktitut are needed for use by the civil service, interpreters, translators and Nunavut residents in general.

Gazette | Wednesday, March 19, 2014

One of Dr. Briggs’s Utkuhiksalingmiut sisters, now

“Larry said, ‘Nobody knows what the suffixes of that dialect are, so please write them down,’” she said.

There are between 300 and 400 suffixes in any dialect,

7

a middle-aged matron who was two or three years old when Dr. Briggs first lived with her family, commented: “Now I understand what you were doing!”

www.mun.ca/gazette

Making more with less Educational sectors share resources

in the community who could benefit from our resources and the knowledge we have of those resources. The public library was a perfect partner in the dissemination of that information. They have 93 locations in the province and they also have a provincewide electronic presence.”

Website traffic is up by 30 per cent and the relative ease of the new portal is increasing the potential for new clientele, says Emily Blackmore, lending services librarian, NLPL. “We’re already seeing more people using our resources, and hope to attract more Memorial students to sign up for provincial library cards. Before the set up of the portal, patrons had to sign in to each database separately. Now that it is a portal, users have access to everything in one convenient location and CHRIS HAMMOND PHOTO

with one convenient login.”

The e-resources portal could mark the beginning of more fruitful partnerships between the various educational stakeholders in the province as they all strive to better serve the public.

“There are economies and efficiencies to be had when we co-operate, even if it

From left are Emily Blackmore and Louise White.

is shared expertise, as well as financial contributions,” said Ms. White. “When we are talking to each other and working

By Kristine Power

A NEW E-RESOURCES

portal on

Library (NLPL) card, which is also free

together, we just never quite know where

databases that provide information on

and available online.

those conversations will take us. We will

everything from career development to

likely find continuous ways to co-op-

project serve their own clientele, but we

erate that benefit us all and allow us to

Libraries’ website is the collaborative

Patrons from across the province can

realized that a lot of the population isn’t

have a greater impact on our services.”

result of Memorial University Libraries,

now access the expensive and previ-

affiliated with any of us,” said Louise

College of the North Atlantic and

ously restricted databases for free; the

White, associate university librarian

the

only requirement is that users must have

(marine, music and education).

Newfoundland

and

Labrador

Department of Education.

children’s literature.

“Each of the partners involved in the

a Newfoundland and Labrador Public

Cleaning up contaminated environments safely

By Jackey Locke

“We wanted to reach more people

and associated application technologies to adequately

biodispersants that have huge potential market values,

address the associated safety and environmental

cost-efficient

concerns.

technologies that use waste streams as substrates and oil

“We are working on a process to identify and screen

dispersion technologies that promote the application

for the superior biosurfactant-producing bacteria from

of biodispersants as an emergency measure for oil spill

oil-contaminated samples originated in the North

control in Newfoundland’s offshore,” said Dr. Zhang.

Atlantic ocean,” explained Dr. Zhang. “We will then

“Additionally, we hope to contribute to the devel-

grow that bacteria in specific substrate to generate

opment of biodispersant application guidelines for

biosurfactants.”

oil spill control in large-scale applications in harsh

Dr. Zhang and her team receive water and oil sam-

WE ALL KNOW

when an oil spill occurs, it’s

ples from offshore Newfoundland, and look at all the

important to clean it up as soon as possible. But, what

types of bacteria in the samples to find special bacteria

about the process used to clean it up?

that can be used to make biosurfactants. These special

That’s where Dr. Helen Zhang, a professor of engi-

bacteria are isolated and sent for DNA sequencing to get

neering at Memorial University, and her team, which

the pure streams, which can then be directly applied for

includes fellow faculty members, Drs. Kelly Hawboldt,

biosurfactant production.

Tahir Husain and Bing Chen, come in. They are

“Compared to their chemical equivalents, biodisper-

researching a less toxic and more environmentally

sants are less toxic, biodegradable, and can be biologi-

friendly process using biosurfactant-based dispersants

cally produced from industrial wastes or by-products,”

for cleaning up contaminated environments – a process

said Dr. Zhang.

that has never been done before.

the superior biosurfactant-producing microbes from

environments are becoming increasingly important

oil-contaminated samples with marine sources, to use

as exploration shifts to more remote areas,” said Dr.

industrial waste streams as the substrate to economi-

Zhang. “Oil spill management using dispersants has

cally produce biosurfactants, to characterize the newly

been proven to be effective under challenging environ-

produced biosurfactants and optimize their combina-

mental conditions. However, chemical dispersant usage

tion with solvents to generate advanced biodispersants

may cause some degree of environmental harm due to

and to assess the performance of newly produced bio-

toxicity and non-biodegradability of some chemical

dispersants and associated technologies for oil spill con-

dispersants.”

trol in cold and harsh environments.

The core of Dr. Zhang’s research is to find novel,

Gazette | Wednesday, March 19, 2014

environments.”

The project objectives are to identify and screen

“The management of offshore oil spills in harsh

environmentally friendly and cost-effective dispersants

biosurfactant-/biodispersant-producing

“The research outputs will provide the Newfoundland offshore

petroleum

industry

8

with

effective

SUBMITTED PHOTO

the Newfoundland and Labrador Public

The portal contains more than 50

Dr. Zhang aboard the Eastern Canada Response Corporation (ECRC) boat for oil spill response. www.mun.ca/gazette

‘Meaningful opportunities’

have a formal international development presence.”

Gauging Memorial’s potential in international development

reputation upon which to build new collaborations ,

Glen Penney, a DELTS international business develop-

having worked with many international partners and

ment manager and project lead with MI International,

by sharing DELTS’ expertise in online education, educa-

is implementing the pilot and will soon begin con-

tional technologies and teaching development..

sultations across Memorial’s St. John’s and Grenfell campuses.

“In taking a considered approach to international development projects, we are ensuring that we channel

“With this pilot, we’re taking a strategic approach to

Memorial’s expertise into the right areas for the benefit

international development work, identifying opportu-

of the university and the projects which we undertake,”

By Moira Finn

nities that align most closely with our strengths and

she saide.

Special to the Gazette

giving careful consideration to our engagement in this

Projects and Consultancies pilot project or to contribute

skills and expertise of

International development projects are typically iden-

Memorial’s academic community may soon help more

tified as initiatives to help reduce poverty and improve

people, in more countries around the world.

the lives and living conditions for people in developing and

countries. While participating in international develop-

Consultancies (IDPC) is a pilot project that was

The

International

Development

Projects

ment projects would mean additional revenue for the

launched

this past January. The project is assessing

university and heighten Memorial’s profile on the world

the university’s capacity to participate in major inter-

stage, its most profound impact would be on people and

national development projects. It is a joint initiative

communities in the developing world.

of Memorial’s International Centre, DELTS (Distance

“We often hear from students that they want to con-

Education, Learning and Teaching Support) and Marine

nect their studies to the world outside and international

Institute (MI) International.

development projects provide a host of meaningful

“Many Memorial and MI faculty members and

opportunities for global engagement for students and

researchers have experience in international develop-

faculty,” said Ms. Knutson, who is also the special advi-

ment,” said Bill Chislett, director, MI International, who

sor to the president on international affairs. “We have

along with Susan Cleyle, director, DELTS, and Sonja

many more research and exchange agreements, study

Knutson, director, International Centre, are overseeing

abroad opportunities, international collaborations and

the IDPC pilot project through an ad hoc committee.

other partnerships. International development projects

“But the questions we are facing now are whether we

and consultancies may be the logical nextstep.”

can do more, how we focus our efforts and should we

to consultations, contact Glen Penney at glenp@mun.ca or by telephone at 709-778-0593.

NAOMI OSBORNE PHOTO

arena,” he said.

THE KNOWLEDGE,

To learn more about the International Development

Dr. Bill Chislett

Ms. Cleyle says Memorial already has an excellent

Diverse view

Studying the international experience at Memorial

By Sandy Woolfrey-Fahey

MEMORIAL

UNIVERSITY’S

population

is

on

Working Group, Advisory Committee Chairs and

increasingly culturally diverse. Memorial is now home to

Internationalization at Memorial as well as the provin-

Steering Committee, followed by wider distribution

students from 90 countries, which provides a significant

cial and federal strategy for population growth.

to the university community. The study will be a

opportunity to create a learning environment rich in diversity for all students.

Memorial’s

recently

published

White

Paper

“Memorial has examined internationalization at sev-

valuable contribution to Memorial as it embarks on the

eral points in our history, but there has never been a

development of an international strategy. It will also

“Our international student enrolment is growing

comprehensive exploration of the needs of these stu-

inform the teaching and learning community about

steadily,” said Dr. David Wardlaw, provost and vice-pres-

dents on our campuses and our readiness to embrace a

effective strategies to pursue in support of its goal of

ident (academic). “In 2013-14, approximately 1,800 stu-

larger international population,” said Dr. Wardlaw.

creating a truly inclusive and responsive campus,

dents or 10 per cent of our total student population and

The report will be submitted to Dr. Doreen Neville,

23 per cent of our graduate students came from interna-

co-lead of the Teaching and Learning Framework and

tional locations. Now more than ever we need to make

associate vice-president (academic) planning and pro-

sure we are effectively supporting and welcoming our

grams, and distributed to the Teaching and Learning

as recommended by the Teaching and Learning Framework.

international students.”

Researchers

with

the

Teaching

and

Learning

Framework (TLF) are currently conducting a pan-university study looking at students who are vulnerable based on cultural differences and second language challenges. This is the third study arising from the TLF recommendation to support vulnerable learners.

The project, co-led by Dr. David Philpott, Faculty of Education, and Ms. Karen Kennedy, Office of the Provost, is proceeding in a manner similar to previous studies: examining data, holding consultations and focus groups with students, faculty and staff at all three campuses, and conducting an extensive literature review and environmental scan.

“Our study has adopted a dual focus,” said Dr. Philpott. “The first explores the experience of international students studying and living at Memorial and the second explores our institution’s competency in being ready to understand and respond to an internationally diverse student population.”

“We are also using the intercultural development inventory, a standardized assessment tool that measures intercultural competency,” said Ms. Kennedy. “It will establish a baseline measure of where Memorial currently stands with respect to its capacity to respond to an increasingly diverse student population.”

Members of the Pakistani Student Association have fun during the 2012 MUNdays Spirit Parade.

This study, focusing on students, complements

Gazette | Wednesday, March 19, 2014

9

www.mun.ca/gazette

‘Pharm parties’ frightening reality among youth

By Heidi Wicks

JUST BECAUSE

some drugs are legal, it doesn’t

these particular medications can be lethal if taken in an

mean they can’t be abused. And with frightening trends

excessive amount or if taken by someone whose system

like “pharm parties,” where prescription pills are laid

has not been introduced to the drug.

Five reasons to include the medicine cabinet in your spring cleaning THERE CAN’T BE much harm in using slightly expired

out like bowls of potato chips, on the rise, informing

Overuse and abuse of these drugs can cause psychi-

youth of the dangers of prescription drugs is more

atric impairments such as mood and anxiety symp-

important than ever.

toms, paranoia and psychosis, as well as destroy organs

According to Dr. Linda Hensman, dean of Memorial’s

outside of the brain system, causing respiratory issues,

School of Pharmacy, the No. 1 reason to discard expired

irregular heartbeats, heart attacks or seizures.

medications is because there is no guarantee of its potency

According to Health Canada, the most vulnerable victim group is youth — whose curiosity and lack of knowledge can be detrimental to their health.

“Some medication formulations are designed to

medications, right?

or effectiveness.

To help, students at Memorial’s School of Pharmacy

release the active ingredient slowly over many hours.

“The drug potency is decreased and if the label says

are using their education to inform Newfoundland and

Of great concern is when these formulations are either

100 milligrams, for example, there’s no guarantee that

Labrador’s youth by offering a series of presentations on

chewed, crushed, snorted or injected in an attempt to

100 milligrams is still there,” she explains.

the dangers of drug abuse to a number of high schools

get the high, as this leads to a rapid release of the drug

throughout March, Pharmacist Awareness Month

which can have deadly consequences.”

(PAM) 2014.

Dr. Thomas feels that when it comes to public aware-

Vanessa Bennett, a second-year pharmacy student,

ness, “we can’t take our foot off the gas.”

But that’s not all. Here are four more reasons you shouldn’t keep a cluttered medicine cabinet.

1. When medications lose their potency they will be ineffective in treating the condition for which they were

presented to high school students during last year’s

“The school system in Newfoundland and Labrador

PAM events, and says that high school is the time when

is targeting our children at an early age through pro-

2. Many childhood poisonings result from consump-

many students become exposed to drugs.

grams such as Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE).

tion of prescription and over-the-counter medications.

prescribed.

“Many people have the idea that just because a med-

Despite this, we continue to have problems with sub-

Also teenagers may misuse/abuse prescription medica-

ication is prescribed by a physician it is safe and will

stance abuse in our communities, and this tells me that

tions. The less medication there is available, the safer your

have no negative consequences,” said Ms. Bennett.

we may need to step it up even more.”

home will be.

“These presentations teach the students that this is not

3. Eyedrops with preservatives should be discarded 30

always the case and explains some of the consequences

days after opening, since the product will no longer be

of their misuse.”

sterile and may be contaminated. If used the drops may

Barbara Thomas with the School of Pharmacy teaches

contribute to the development of an eye infection.

substance abuse to undergraduate pharmacy students,

4. Stockpiling medications just in case you get the

and is proud they are taking the initiative to reach out

condition again is dangerous. Self-diagnosis may mean

to a vulnerable demographic.

misdiagnosis. Taking something for a condition that one

“The fact that the students are closer in age to the

believes they have but don’t could delay correct diagnosis

high school students likely adds impact to the message,”

and appropriate treatment, prolonging the ailment.

she said.

Luckily, there’s a place for the public to discard their

Dr. Thomas says that prescription drugs can be as lethal as illegal drugs if used incorrectly. The most common classes of prescription medications that are subject to abuse are the opioid analgesics, such as oxycodone (Oxycontin, Percocet), the sedative hypnotics such as lorazepam (Ativan), diazepam (Valium) and the psychostimulants such as methylphenidate (Ritalin). Each of

&

Pictured are members of the RNC and the RCMP, Dr. Csop Glew, student Samantha House, Dr. Linda Hensman and student Kara O’Keefe at police headquarters at 1 Parade Street in St. John’s where the 2014 Public Pill Drop will take place on March 29.

expired medications. On Saturday, March 29, from 11 a.m.-3 p.m., residents can drop off their expired pills at the School of Pharmacy’s Public Pill Drop at the refurbished RCMP/RNC building at Fort Townsend in St. John’s.

NEWS NOTES Listed below is a selection of the funding opportunities for

IMMINENT DEADLINES

–– Molly Towell Fellowship

which information has recently been received by the Office of

–– Operating grants

Research Services. For links to further information on these

March 27

items, visit Grant Funding Opportunities on the research web-

Human Frontier Science Program

site at www.mun.ca/research/overview/grant_opp.php

–– Research Grants (Letter of Intent)

•

Canada Council for the Arts –– Project Grants for Organizations in the Visual Arts

• Canada-Latin America and the Caribbean Research Ex-

March 31

change Grants (LACREG)

Canadian Liver Foundation Operating grants

• 2014 Competition Launch

–– Summer Studentship Program

CANADIAN CANCER SOCIETY RESEARCH INSTITUTE –– Prevention Research Grants (full application)

• CIHR Barer-Flood Prize for Health Services and Policy Research

Canadian Nurses Foundation

• CIHR Cancer Prevention Research Grants

The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada

–– Scholarships

–– Gold Medal Award (nominations)

• CIHR Catalyst Grant: HIV/AIDS Community-based Research (2014)

April 1

• CIHR Chair: Applied Public Health

Tree Research and Education Endowment Fund (TREE fund)

• CIHR Institute of Aging Betty Havens Prize for Knowledge

Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council –– Hyland R. Johns grant program

–– Synergy Awards for Innovation (call for nominations)

Translation in Aging • CIHR ICRH Community Development Program Grants • CIHR Partnership Award 2014

Cancer Research Institute (New York) –– Irvington Institute fellowship program

Alexander von Humboldt Foundation –– Annaliese Maier Research Award

• CIHR Knowledge Synthesis Grant • CIHR Rapid Funding for DSEN Targeted Research • CIHR Research Catalyst Network: Rare Diseases • Canadian Liver Foundation Operating Grant

Canadian Cancer Society Research Institute –– Capacity Development Awards in Prevention

March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation –– Research grants (letter of intent)

Research

• NSERC Collaborative Research Training Experience (CRE-

–– Innovation Gants (full application)

ATE) Program

–– Innovation to Impact Grants (Full Application)

Scottish Rite Charitable Foundation of Canada –– Major Research Grant

• NSERC Idea to Innovation (I2I) • NSERC Strategic Project Grants

Gazette | Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Molly Towell Perinatal Research Foundation

10

www.mun.ca/gazette

OUTANDABOUT Saturday, March 29 MUN Jazz Ensemble, 8-9:30 p.m., D.F. Cook Recital Hall, School of Music, Sponsor: School of Music

Monday, March 31 Environmental Management and Potential Use of Heavy Oil Fly Ash, 10 a.m.-12 p.m., IIC-2014, Bruneau Centre for Research and Innovation, Sponsor: School of Graduate Studies

Tuesday, April 1 Poetry Reading and Chapbook Launch, 8-9:30 p.m., A-3018, Sponsor: Department of English Hyper-Real-Time Ice Simulation and Modeling Using GPGPU, SUBMITTED PHOTO

1-3 p.m., IIC-2014, Bruneau Centre for Research and Innovation, Sponsor: School of Graduate Studies

Thursday, April 3 An Evening with Fergus O’Byrne and Alumni in Toronto, 5:30-

INAUGURAL VICTORY A team of four MBA students from Memorial University has won the inaugural P&G Cup, which focuses on innovation and technology. From left are MBA students Daan Goossens, David Winsor, Amy Fisher and Janine Brophy. Memorial defeated 11 teams from across Canada to claim the title.

8:30 p.m., Fionn MacCool’s, 181 University Ave. (the event will be held in Irish Family Room), Toronto, Ont., Sponsor: Alumni Affairs and Development, Johnson Insurance Using Technology-enhanced Teaching and Flipped Classroom to Engage Students in Large Classes, 2-4 p.m., ED-2030B, Sponsor: DELTS

For more on these events and other news at Memorial, please visit www.

Annual Engineering Open House, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Engineering

today.mun.ca

building, St. John’s campus, Sponsor: Faculty of Engineering and

Friday, April 4

Applied Science, Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of N.L.

CBIE Webinar Series: Attracting and Retaining International

Wednesday, March 19

Students, 3-4 p.m., ED-4008, Sponsor: International Student

The Gendered Dimensions of Employment-Related Geographical

Tuesday, March 25

Advising Office

Mobility, 12-2 p.m., ED-3023, Sponsor: Department of Sociology

Biogeochemical Prospecting for Buried Uranium Mineralization

MUN Chamber Orchestra, 8-9:30 p.m., D.F. Cook Recital Hall,

Education Information Session, 1-1:50 p.m., SN-4068, Sponsor:

and the Investigation of Black Spruce Trees as Tools for

School of Music, Sponsor: School of Music

Academic Advising Centre

Biogeochemical Sampling and for Environmenta, 10 a.m.-12

Basque Standardization and the New Speaker: Shifting Dynamics

p.m., IIC-2014, Bruneau Centre for Research and Innovation,

Saturday, April 5

of Authority and Value, 3-4:30 p.m., SN-3060, Sponsor:

Sponsor: School of Graduate Studies

MUN Chamber Music Showcase, 8-9:30 p.m., D.F. Cook Recital

Department of Anthropology, Department of Linguistics

Meet up with Memorial in San Francisco Region, 6-9 p.m.,

Hall, School of Music, Sponsor: School of Music

The Challenges of Ocean Science Research, 1-2 p.m., online

Pampas, 529 Alma St., Palo Alto, Calif., Sponsor: Alumni Affairs

webinar, Sponsor: School of Graduate Studies

and Development

Sunday, April 6

Aboriginal Diversity Sessions - Day 2, 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m., The Loft,

Book Launch: The Ballad and the Folklorist: The Collected

Dieux! MUN Festival & Chamber Choirs, 7-8:30 p.m., St.

third floor, University Centre, Sponsor: Aboriginal Resource Office

Papers of David Buchan, 7-9 p.m., Bitters Pub and Restaurant,

Andrew’s Presbyterian Church (The Kirk), St. John’s, Sponsor:

“Can Chemicals Be Green?” With Dr. Fran Kerton, 6:30-8:30

Feild Hall, Sponsor: Department of Folklore

School of Music

p.m., The Fluvarium, 5 Nagle’s Place, St. John’s, Sponsor: WISE

The Blue Castle Presents Lisa Moore, 7-9 p.m., The Rocket Room,

NL - Statoil Speaker Series

Water Street, Sponsor: Department of Gender Studies

Monday, April 7

Course and Teaching Evaluations, 3-4:30 p.m., ED-2030B,

Better Business Writing: The Right Approach, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.,

The Excited-State Chemistry of Molecular Assemblies and Novel

Sponsor: DELTS

Gardiner Centre, Sponsor: Gardiner Centre

Aromatic Chromophores, 1-3 p.m., IIC-2014, Bruneau Centre for

Employment Law for Managers, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Gardiner Centre, Sponsor: Gardiner Centre

Research and Innovation, Sponsor: School of Graduate Studies

Wednesday, March 26

Digital and Social Media Strategy and Tactics, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.,

Study of Dynamic Behaviour during Loading and Unloading of

Gardiner Centre, Sponsor: Gardiner Centre

Thursday, March 20

Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Operations, 1:30-3:30 p.m., IIC-

MUN Cinema Series: Empire of Dirt, 7-8:40 p.m., Cineplex

2014, Bruneau Centre for Research and Innovation, Sponsor:

Theatre, Avalon Mall, Sponsor: MUN Cinema

School of Graduate Studies

IRF-1 Responsiveness to IFN-gamma Predicts Different Cancer

Universal Design for Learning: An Introduction to UDL in Post-

Immune Phenotypes, 12-1:30 p.m., Health Sciences Centre,

Secondary Education II, 2-4 p.m., ED-2030B, Sponsor: DELTS

Luxury oceanside house for rent in Flatrock, 20 minutes

Lecture Theatre D, Sponsor: Immunology and Infectious Diseases

Giant Used Book Sale, 6-9 p.m., St. John’s Arts and Culture

from St. John’s/MUN. Three bedrooms, furnished, picture

Faculty Bible Study, 12-12:50 p.m., HH-2005, Sponsor: Phil Heath

Centre, Sponsor: Canadian Federation of University Women

windows, deck, Jacuzzi, open-concept kitchen, stainless

Fortunate Ones Headline Ottawa Social Night, 7-9 p.m., Sponsor:

CLASSIFIED steel appliances, hiking trails seconds away. Large writer’s

Heart & Crown, 67 Clarence St., Ottawa, Ont. (the event will

Thursday, March 27

studio with breathtaking ocean views. No pets/smoking.

be held in Peter Devine room), Sponsor: Alumni Affairs and

Lunch and Learn on Wind Power, 12-1 p.m., EN-4000, Sponsor:

Professionally managed. $1350/month. Utilities extra. Email

Development, Johnson Insurance

Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science

kati@agocsmusic.com

MUN Cinema Series: Tim’s Vermeer, 7-8:20 p.m., Cineplex

Friday, March 21

Theatre, Avalon Mall, Sponsor: MUN Cinema

Fully furnished house for rent in St. John’s east end. 3 bedrooms,

Blood Drive, 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., The Landing, University

Characterization and Role of Major Deep-sea Pennatulacean

1.5 bathrooms, on an elementary school street in a lovely, quiet

Centre, Sponsor: Canadian Blood Services

Corals in the Bathyal Zone, 1-3 p.m., IIC-2014, Bruneau Centre

neighbourhood. Fenced backyard, off-street parking, and on

Aldrich Conference Keynote Address, 7-8 p.m., Bruneau Centre

for Research and Innovation, Sponsor: School of Graduate Studies

busline, close to amenities. September-May/June (negotiable).

for Research and Innovation, Sponsor: Graduate Students Union

Meet up with Memorial in Los Angeles, 6-9 p.m., W Los Angeles

Please call 860.918.5927 or email lstoyles@hotmail.com

The Ethnography of Resistance: Notes from the Field on Thick

– Westwood, Whiskey Blue Restaurant, 930 Hilgard Ave., Los

Description and Activist Engagement, 3-4:30 p.m., QC-4028,

Angeles, Calif., Sponsor: Alumni Affairs and Development

ACADEMIC EDITING. Experienced technical writer and editor

Sponsor: Department of Anthropology

Berries for the Newfoundland Garden: From Garden to Campus

with a background in sciences, humanities, and health studies

Screening of Pandora’s Promise, 2-4:40 p.m., EN-2006, Sponsor:

Brown Bag Workshop Series, 1-2 p.m., UC-3018, The Landing,

offers editing and indexing services for papers, theses, articles,

Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, Faculty of Business

Sponsor: MUN Botanical Garden

and books. English as a Second Language students welcome.

Administration

Henrietta Harvey Lecture: Oil’s Unconventional Future, 7:30-9

Contact NLAcademicEditing@gmail.com or call 726-7711.

Visiting Scholar: Demographic Diversity and Team Performance,

p.m., IIC-2001, Bruneau Centre for Research and Innovation,

10:30 a.m.-12 p.m., BN-4000, Sponsor: Faculty of Business

Sponsor: Faculty of Arts, Department of Geography

Lawyer seeking two other professionals or students to

Administration

Giant Used Book Sale, 10 a.m.-9 p.m., St. John’s Arts and Culture

share a furnished four bedroom house. Shared laundry,

Centre, Sponsor: Canadian Federation of University Women

kitchen, bathrooms. Digital cable, wi-fi, heat and light

Saturday, March 22

included. Off street parking. Centrally located. Call

16th Annual Curling Bonspiel for Alumni and Friends, 9:30

Friday, March 28

a.m.-5 p.m., RE/MAX Centre, St. John’s, Sponsor: Alumni Affairs

Giant Used Book Sale, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., St. John’s Arts and Culture

and Development

Centre, Sponsor: Canadian Federation of University Women

Gazette | Wednesday, March 19, 2014

691-9446.

11

www.mun.ca/gazette

Plan for the worst, hope for the best Safeguarding Memorial University Libraries’ digital assets

By Kristine Power

AMIDST THE EVER increasing evolution of digital content, concerns about how to protect, preserve and access that information are becoming paramount to libraries and archives. The need to stay one step ahead of developing technology could explain why a group of university libraries, that now includes Memorial, has come together to create their own solution.

The LOCKSS program is a library-led digital preservation system created in 1999 and based out of Stanford University that works on the principle that “lots of copies keep stuff safe” (LOCKSS). Memorial University Libraries has just signed a formal agreement based on LOCKSS principles with four other European universities: Universität Bielefeld, Ghent University, de Bruxelles. This independent agreement is the first of its kind; other agreements have been signed, but by previously existing consortiums. Libraries are banding together in a self-sufficient and self-sustainable fashion that guarantees their resources are protected for generations to come.

CHRIS HAMMOND PHOTO

Université Catholique de Louvain and Université Libre

From left are Lorraine Busby, Dr. Faye Murrin, Pauwels Benoit, Slavko Manojlovich and IT Services Consultant Casey Hilliard in the QEII Library lobby.

“Memorial University Libraries began to realize there was a need to safeguard our digital resources and create a contingency plan,” said Slavko Manojlovich, associate university librarian (information technology). “By using

innovation, and representative of Université Libre de

Communications recently collaborated on a stream-

the LOCKSS network software, participating libraries

Bruxelles, who was on hand to present the agreement

lined process for graduate students to upload their the-

acquire copies of each other’s select digital resources,

to Lorraine Busby, university librarian. “If everything

sis and associated files (research data, video, images,

and through computers and network connections, we

burns down in Brussels, we will have a copy here.”

etc.) directly through a secure form on the my.mun.ca

can provide access to our e-content should one library’s

LOCKSS software also has built-in features to protect

system go down or be compromised by a catastrophic

the integrity of the information so it doesn’t deteriorate

“It certainly instills confidence to know that our grad-

event.”

over time and that preserve the authenticity of the orig-

uate scholarship output is protected with a contingency

inal digital object — articles from scholarly journals, for

plan should some unforeseen event happen and we lose

example.

that unique data,” said Dr. Faye Murrin, associate dean,

One of the fundamental preservation principles of LOCKSS is that participating libraries should be separated by a minimum of 100 kilometres of geographical

Under the newly signed agreement, Memorial

distance to ensure the data’s survival.

portal.

SGS.

University Libraries will add an additional layer of pro-

“This is about making sure that you have enough cop-

tection to its e-thesis repository, as well. Memorial’s

ies around the globe so you are sure you will never lose

School of Graduate Studies (SGS), the Queen Elizabeth

anything,” said Benoit Pauwels, head of systems and

II

‘Starting point’

the Double Mer Point site near the town of Rigolet,

interaction with European settlers, he cited factors

Labrador, under the supervision of Dr. Lisa Rankin,

such as non-adoption of a fur trade, disease, starvation,

head of Memorial’s Department of Archaeology.

competition for resources with Europeans, avoiding

Graduate student receives scholarship honouring late Beothuk scholar

By Janet Harron

Library and the Department of Computing &

“I am delighted that Jeralyn was awarded this schol-

contact with Europeans, and the precarious nature of

arship,” said Dr. Rankin. “Her research on European-

Newfoundland’s ecology for their extinction. For its

Inuit contact aligns well with Dr. Pastore’s and like

impact on Newfoundland and Labrador’s cultural her-

Ralph, she made the move to Newfoundland from the

itage, the Boyd’s Cove site was designated a Provincial

U.S. to further her research. International graduate stu-

Historic Site in 1999.

dents don’t always have the same access to scholarship

“Ralph discovered over 25 sites in the Notre Dame

funds that our Canadian students do and I am grateful

Bay area, the most famous of which is Boyd’s Cove,”

student Jeralyn Bohms from

that the Amina Anthropological Resources Association

said Dr. Latonia Hartery, president of the Amina

the Department of Archaeology received the 2013

opened up this competition to all students studying in

Anthropological Resources Association and Social

Pioneer’s Scholarship at an event earlier this month

the North.”

Sciences and Humanities Research Council post-doc-

MASTER OF ARTS

held in honour of the late Beothuk scholar and former

Dr. Pastore moved to St. John’s in 1968 to begin lec-

toral fellow in Memorial’s Department of Archaeology.

turing at Memorial. His most notable contribution to

“Through his research, we gained a more rounded

Dr. Pastore, who passed away 12 years ago, is credited

Beothuk studies was determining the multifaceted

view of who the Beothuk were as people, and his work is

with discovering the Boyd’s Cove Beothuk site and was

reasons for Beothuk demise. In addition to adverse

still the starting point for anyone interested in Beothuk

Memorial faculty member Dr. Ralph Pastore.

a prolific writer on Beothuk archaeology.

Archaeology.”

The scholarship was sponsored by the Amina

with me is his dedication to sharing his research with

Anthropological Resources Association, the travel com-

the communities where he worked,” said Ms. Bohms,

pany Adventure Canada, the Pastore family, the Mogford

who arrived at Memorial after completing a graduate

family and Dr. Ingeborg Marshall. An overview of Ms.

degree in Wisconsin. “I hope to live up to that prece-

Bohms research supported by this award can be read

dent with my work in the Inuit community of Rigolet,

at www.aminainc.org/Scholarship/Scholarship_Bohms.

where I will be doing my master’s research this sum-

html.

mer. I am grateful to the Pastore family, the Amina Anthropological

Resources

Association,

Adventure

Canada and all the other individuals who contributed to the scholarship fund for sharing their generosity.”

For her master’s thesis, Ms. Bohms will be excavating an 18th-century Inuit communal winter house at

Gazette | Wednesday, March 19, 2014

CHRIS HAMMOND PHOTO

“One of the aspects of Dr. Pastore’s work that resounds

Those interested in further information on the scholarship can contact Dr. Hartery at ljharter@aminainc. org.

Jeralyn Bohms 12

www.mun.ca/gazette