Mun gazette proof sept22b

Sept. 23, 2015 Volume 48 | Number 3 Registration Mail No. 4006252 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

From left are Robert Wells, Dr. Sylvester Gates, Jr., and Robert Joy, who will be awarded honorary degrees during fall convocation.

Fall honoraries announced MEMORIAL UNIVERSITY has announced the names of three people to whom it will award honorary doctorates at fall convocation ceremonies in October 2015.

The Corner Brook session of fall convocation will take place at the Arts and Culture Centre on Friday, Oct. 2. Retired Supreme Court Justice and former member of the House of Assembly Robert Wells will receive an honorary doctor of laws degree.

Physicist Dr. Sylvester Gates, Jr., will receive an honorary doctor of science degree and actor Robert Joy will receive an honorary doctor of letters degree at fall convocation sessions in St. John’s on Friday, Oct. 23, at the Arts and Culture Centre.

Biographies of all honorary degree recipients follow on this page and page 9.

Honorary degree recipients are chosen by the Senate, the university’s academic governing body, after careful examination of the grounds for their nomination.

The honorary doctorate is designed to recognize extraordinary contributions to society or exceptional intellectual or artistic achievement.

The awarding of honorary doctorates, an important feature of Memorial’s convocation, serves to celebrate both the individual and the university as well as to inspire graduates, their families and guests.

Some 950 undergraduate and graduate students will receive their degrees during fall convocation. Distinguished retired faculty members who were recently accorded the title professor emeritus/emerita by the university’s Senate will also be recognized.

Dr. Georg Gunther, Division of Science, Grenfell Campus; and Dr. Paul Wilson, Counselling Services, Grenfell Campus, will be honoured at the Corner Brook session of convocation on Oct. 2 at 10 a.m.

Dr. Sandra LeFort, School of Nursing; Dr. Marguerite MacKenzie, Department of Linguistics, Faculty of Arts; and Dr. Christopher Sharpe, Department

of Geography, Faculty of Arts, will be honoured at the St. John’s session of convocation on Oct. 23 at 7:30 p.m.

The distinction professor emeritus/ emerita is open only to retired members of the faculty. To be eligible, a person must have served at least 10 years as a regular fulltime faculty member at Memorial and must have held the rank of professor upon retirement. The prime criteria for nomination are sustained, outstanding scholarly work and/or service to the university.

A native of Badger’s Quay, N.L., Robert Wells graduated from Memorial University with a bachelor of arts degree in 1953 and was named Newfoundland and Labrador’s Rhodes Scholar in that year. In 1958 he returned to the province from Oxford University, where he studied law, to join the provincial civil service as an economist but instead took up the practice of law. Mr. Wells

See HONORARIES on page 9

6 I L OV E M U N DAYS

8 C L I M AT E CO N T R OV E R S Y

12 R I S K- F R E E L E A R N I N G

Biographies of honorary graduands ROBERT WELLS

was a member of the Department of Justice from 1959-62 as a Crown attorney and departmental legal advisor and then went into private practice specializing in criminal and civil law for 23 years. He was appointed justice of the Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador, Trial Division, spending 22 years in that role before retiring in 2008. Throughout his distinguished legal career, Mr. Wells served in a variety of voluntary positions related to the profession.

He was national president of the Canadian Bar Association from 198586, the only person in Newfoundland and Labrador to hold the position.

He is past president of the Canadian Institute for the Administration of Justice, past president of the International Commission of Jurists (Canadian section) and former chair of the Canadian Bar Association Committee on Human Rights for Developing Countries.

features

4 T O P TA L E N T

Memorial is the only Canadian university currently shortlisted for a SSHRC Impact Award that had major award winners since the program’s inception in 2013.

No matter what campus you’re on, there will be plenty of events for students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends to celebrate their Memorial pride next month.

A founder of environmental sociology and the fall 2015 Henrietta Harvey lecturer will address the climate change counter-movement.

The Clinical Learning and Simulation Centre at the Faculty of Medicine features simulation mannequins — “patients” who can talk and bleed, but won’t die.

Alumni spotlight Geoff Eaton, BBA’98, never really heard the word “can’t” while growing up. Raised by parents who were driven to make a difference at work and in the community, Mr. Eaton has an indomitable spirit to help others — particularly cancer survivors. After all, he’s been in their shoes. Six months after graduation at the age of 22, he was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia.

He overcame the odds and founded Young Adult Cancer Canada (YACC), a national not-for-profit organization that provides a support network for young adults with cancer in Canada. The group has raised more than $8 million for its mission.

Contributor Jeff Green caught up with Mr. Eaton to talk about his career and how he feels about being named Memorial’s Alumnus of the Year.

JG: How does it feel to help cancer survivors?

GE: Great, yet unsatisfied. On one hand, YACC’s work requires a very specific expertise, that of understanding and knowing how to work with the unique issues facing young adults with cancer, while on the other hand the most important part of our work is so simple … we bring

you are building something from the beginning. As well, Karen, my wife, and my kids Adia, Mira and Kane, everything I do ultimately ties back to them.

to transform there are 49 unaware of YACC or unable to access our programs.

Geoff Eaton people with common experiences together so they can connect and that is a transformative experience for them. Today there are roughly 50,000 young adults living through, with and beyond cancer in Canada and another 7,000 diagnosed each year.

For every young adult we have helped

JG: Your group runs the popular Shave for the Brave program. Why is it significant?

GE: The Shave for the Brave has been the fuel that has propelled YACC’s second phase of growth. The retreats, adventures, conferences, web networks, none of these things would exist at the scale they do without the Shave for the Brave. As a registered charity we can develop and deliver programs based on the resources we can raise to support those programs. The shave gives people an opportunity to change someone’s life… the most powerful haircut of their life!

JG: What does this honour from Memorial mean to you?

GE: I’m grateful for the acknowledgment and I’m grounded enough to know that I’m accepting this award on behalf of many people.

JG: How important was your Memorial education?

GE: I wasn’t committed to going to university out of high school but my dad felt it was a very important next step so I willingly gave it a go. I remember graduating and even then was fascinated by the transformation that had occurred within me in those five years of studying business.

Mr. Eaton will be presented with the Alumnus of the Year honour during the 34th annual Alumni Tribute Awards on Monday, Oct. 19, at the Sheraton Hotel Newfoundland in St. John’s. Tickets are on sale now. Learn more at mun.ca/ mundays.

JG: Who have been the biggest influencers on your career?

GE: Parents and family are huge. I don’t ever remember hearing the word “can’t” in my childhood, not to be confused with “not allowed.” I’ve learned as much from my mentors.

Asking for help is one of the most important steps you can take when

EDITOR Mandy Cook GRAPHICS John Andrews

CHOICES FOR YOUTH PHOTO

REGULAR CONTRIBUTORS

Momma Moments enables young moms and their children to build a network in a support environment that emphasizes overall wellness – mental, physical, spiritual and social – for mother and child.

Courtenay Alcock Laura Barron Jennifer Batten Melanie Callahan Rebecca Cohoe Nora Daly Kelly Foss Elizabeth Furey Leslie Earle Pamela Gill Jeff Green Janet Harron Jill Hunt Jackey Locke

Virginia Middleton Cathy Newhook Michelle Osmond Lisa Pendergast David Penney Marcia Porter Kristine Power Dave Sorensen Melissa Watton Meaghan Whelan Susan White Heidi Wicks Laura Woodford Sandy Woolfrey-Fahey

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING Kelly Hickey

YOUR NEXT PROJECT

By Bojan Fürst Special to the Gazette

The opportunity The challenges of pregnancy and parenting can be overwhelming for any woman, but for young at-risk mothers, the social isolation, financial demands and limited social and family support can pose real danger for both mother and child. Currently, Choices for Youth offers a program for young moms and their children called Momma Moments.

The program runs in St. John’s and Conception Bay South, where groups meet once a week for programming that emphasizes overall wellness —

mental, physical, spiritual and social — for mother and child. Young mothers have access to healthy recreational activities, as well as resources and discussion on topics of family building, income supports, mental health, nutrition and more. But the challenges for young mothers are complex and Choices for Youth is eager to better understand what kind of supports benefit young mothers and their families the most.

The project “We would like to work with a researcher who can help us understand how comprehensive supports to young, at-risk, pregnant and parenting mothers impact health outcomes for their children,” said Ayon Shahed, senior manager, Choices for Youth. He said the organization is particularly interested in the effects such programs have on improving the attachment between children and mothers.

Wraparound services are highly individualistic, Shahed explains, and can include formal services and

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interventions, working together with community services and, when appropriate, directly working with families. As a starting point, he hopes he can work with researchers who would focus on evaluating the supports provided through Choices for Youth’s Momma Moments program.

This research is part of a broader ambition to build a Young Parents Resource Centre. The facility would provide expanded and more exhaustive programming based on the Momma Moments model and findings of this research and provide supportive housing for young at-risk mothers as well as integrated child-minding services.

If you are interested in working on this project or would like more information about the project and applied research funds available through the Harris Centre for projects such as these, please contact Bojan Fürst, manager, knowledge mobilization, at the Harris Centre at bfurst@mun.ca or at 709-864-2120.

PHOTOGRAPHY Chris Hammond ADVERTISING Mandy Cook T. 709 864 2142 mandyc@mun.ca Next gazette deadline Oct. 7. for Oct. 14 publication.

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

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 T. 709 864 2142 F. 709 864 8699 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.

www.mun.ca/gazette

Two Memorial students awarded $60K and $80K Schulich Leader Scholarships

By Laura Barron

SAKIF MOHAMMED and Meriel Fitzgerald, two incoming first-year students at Memorial, have been named 2015 recipients of Schulich Leader Scholarships.

Created in 2011 by Canadian business leader and philanthropist Seymour Schulich, the annual scholarship program encourages high school graduates to embrace science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines in their future careers. This year, there were 1,250 Schulich Leader nominees.

Two scholarship recipients, Schulich Leaders, are selected at each participating university each year.

One undergraduate scholarship, valued at $80,000, is designated for a student pursuing a degree in an engineering program. The second undergraduate scholarship, valued at $60,000, is awarded to a student pursuing a degree in a science, technology or mathematics program (non-engineering based).

Mr. Mohammed is the recipient of the $80,000 award. A graduate of Prince of Wales Collegiate in St. John’s, Mr. Mohammed comes to Memorial with plans to achieve a bachelor of engineering.

Sakif Mohammed

Meriel Fitzgerald

“When I was nominated for this scholarship, I had no high hopes that I would win, considering the impressive accomplishments of previous winners,” he said. “So, when I received a letter from Memorial congratulating me on winning this award, I was beyond surprised, as I had never before achieved something so great. Above all, I am grateful to my guidance counsellors for supporting me throughout the application process and to the Schulich Foundation for

funding this generous program.”

Mr. Mohammed is also grateful for the opportunity to stay close to home while he pursues his studies and research.

“What drew me to Memorial is the amazing opportunities,” he said.

“During high school, as part of the concurrent studies program, I took two undergraduate psychology courses here. In addition, last summer, I got to work in a biochemistry laboratory alongside a graduate student. I

gained experience as a university student and realized that Memorial was the right university for me.”

Ms. Fitzgerald is the recipient of the $60,000 award. A graduate of J. L. Ilsley High School in Halifax, N.S., Ms. Fitzgerald comes to Memorial with plans to pursue a bachelor of science with a major in biology.

“In the first moments after receiving the letter about this scholarship, I was in disbelief,” she said. “After getting over my initial shock and extreme excitement, I felt truly honoured and grateful to have been chosen as one of this year’s recipients.”

The location of the St. John’s campus was a major draw for Ms. Fitzgerald.

“St. John’s seems like such a beautiful place, surrounded by an amazing natural environment,” she said. “I am so very excited to live and learn in this culturally unique city and I am thrilled to become part of this vibrant community.

What finally convinced me to choose this excellent school was the gorgeous campus, helpful staff and of course my exciting offer for a Schulich Leader Scholarship.”

For more information on the Schulich Leader Scholarship program, visit shulichleaders.com.

A statement by President Kachanoski regarding student accommodations THE RECENT INCIDENT involving academic accommodations for a student with a hearing disability has been unfortunate on many levels. We regret deeply that the student was put in this situation.

It is the university’s legal obligation to accommodate the special needs of its students and we are committed to this.

On behalf of Memorial University, I apologize to William Sears for our mishandling of his request for accommodation in this class.

When I learned of this incident last week, I asked three questions: How did this happen? What are we doing to fix it? How can we prevent it from happening again?

The answer to the first question of how this happened seems to be that there is a flaw in our current procedures. Typically, a student with special needs will work with our Glenn Roy Blundon Centre for Students with Disabilities to arrange an accommodation to ensure they can participate as fully as possible in the classroom and other university activities.

For almost 25 years, the Blundon Centre has been co-ordinating programs and services that enable students with disabilities to maximize their educational potential and to increase awareness of inclusive values among all members of the university community. In the winter semester 2015, for example, almost 400 students self-identified and received special needs accommodations through

the Blundon Centre. Working with the students and their professors, the Blundon Centre makes best efforts to put in place the necessary types of accommodations prior to the start of the semester.

That is what should have happened in this case but clearly an accommodation at the start of the semester was not in place. It was inappropriate that the student arrived at the class without an accommodation in place.

Since we need more clarity, I have directed that a review be undertaken into how the situation with this student happened.

My second question: What are we doing to remedy this situation?

We have offered the opportunity to Mr. Sears to return to the class after we have put in place an alternate technology solution. Again, our preference would have been for the need for accommodation to be identified up front and that accommodation arranged with the professor prior to the start of classes. But clearly that did not happen originally, so we wanted to be sure he was aware that this option was still available to him.

We understand the reasons that he has rejected this option.

I understand that Mr. Sears has filed a complaint with the Newfoundland and Labrador Human Rights Commission in relation to the university’s handling of his request for accommodation. The university will

work closely with the commission to reach an accommodation that fully meets our obligations to students under human rights legislation, and look forward to clarity regarding the balance of competing rights that was arrived at in 1996.

Memorial is also committed to respecting the rights of our employees.

From reviewing the files over this weekend, I have learned that the agreement in 1996 was the result of a human rights complaint filed by Dr. Panjabi over the decision of the university that she should have worn the microphone as requested by the student. I understand that Memorial officials were working with the commission towards resolving the matter of respecting Dr. Panjabi’s rights while accommodating the student with a hearing disability. The discussion culminated in an accommodation agreement between the university and Dr. Panjabi, which was linked to her withdrawal of her complaint.

To be clear, the 1996 agreement did not mean that students would not be accommodated; rather, it allowed for other forms of accommodation. The details of the agreement were made public in articles in the Telegram in November 1996. Visit today.mun.ca/news. php?id=9704 to read the statement.

At the time, this agreement was viewed as a workable solution.

Since 20 years have passed, we have begun our own examination of that agreement to see if it is still

suitable in today’s environment.

The next question — how can we prevent this from happening again — is one that we have been looking into since we learned of the incident involving Mr. Sears.

This will probably take some time to finalize, but I expect that our first action should be to refine our internal processes to ensure that no student is placed in this type of situation again. So while it is too early to detail precisely the correction we will put in place, we will ensure the institutional processes serving students with special needs will be improved and meet or exceed our required obligation.

We will also continue to explore new technologies that might be alternative or even improved means of accommodating students with hearing challenges so they can participate more fully in our academic programs.

A final note: We regret that the professor has been harassed and I am concerned about the impact this matter has had on her. Dr. Panjabi is being publicly vilified and even threatened with harm. Personally, I am dismayed at the tenor and content of some of the commentary around this matter. At Memorial we have codes of conduct and respectful workplace policies that we expect all members of our community to follow.

I realize this important issue has generated much passion and emotional response. However, I urge everyone to keep the discourse respectful.

Top talent

Small-scale fisheries research leads to big-time nomination

By Janet Harron

a finalist for a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Impact Award in recognition of her groundbreaking work on small-scale fisheries.

The Connection Award recognizes an outstanding SSHRC-funded initiative to facilitate the flow and exchange of research knowledge within and/or beyond the academic community. It is given to an individual or team whose project has engaged the campus and/or wider community, and has generated intellectual, cultural, social and/or economic impacts.

Dr. Chuenpagdee is a professor of geography in Memorial’s Faculty of Arts and the Canada Research Chair in Natural Resource Sustainability and Community Development.

She is the project director for Too Big to Ignore, a global research network and knowledge mobilization partnership established to elevate the profile of small-scale fishers, to argue against their marginalization in national and international politics, and to develop research and governance capacity to address global fisheries challenges.

“On behalf of Memorial University, I am delighted to congratulate Dr. Chuenpagdee for being recognized as a finalist for the SSHRC Impact Awards,” said Dr. Richard Marceau, vice-president (research). “The Impact Awards recognize the nation’s top research talent in the areas of

CHRIS HAMMOND PHOTO

DR. RATANA CHUENPAGDEE is

Dr. Ratana Chuenpagdee social sciences and humanities.

These individuals are exercising true research leadership in enhancing our understanding of the world.”

It is significant that Memorial is the only Canadian university currently shortlisted for an Impact Award that had major award winners

(Marguerite MacKenzie, Impact Award, 2013, and Dr. Beverley Diamond, Gold Medal Award, 2014) since the program’s inception in 2013. Drs. Chuenpagdee, MacKenzie and Diamond are all members of the Faculty of Arts (Dr. Diamond is cross-appointed to Folklore).

Too Big to Ignore is currently engaged in a provincewide campaign designed to promote discussions around the value of fish for the province’s food security.

The Impact Awards will be presented at a special ceremony in Ottawa, Ont., on Nov. 16.

across the St. John’s campus.

Under the direction of the University Occupational Health and Safety Committee, Memorial University is continuing to develop its long-term program for water quality testing and is actively working to ensure the continued provision of safe drinking water on campus. Once that program has been reviewed and approved by the committee, it will be implemented and shared with the university community.

“The results we’ve received to date indicate that lead exposure from drinking water is not a concern on campus, with only a few localized issues related to things like stagnant water, individual fittings and low volume, that have been addressed.”

— Kent Decker

Water quality update HEALTH AND SAFETY officials at Memorial University are lifting the drinking water restrictions that were implemented on the St. John’s campus this summer.

Restrictions have now been lifted on the Biotechnology, the Queen Elizabeth ll Library, Computing Services and Chemistry-Physics buildings.

The most recent water quality results indicate that average exposure levels are within the Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality.

Health Canada states that “Consuming water over the course of a lifetime (i.e., 70 years) with lead levels at or near the guideline value [10 micrograms per litre] is considered to be protective of human health.”

More information can be found here: www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ewh-semt/pubs/ water-eau/lead-plomb-eng.php.

“The results we’ve received to date indicate that lead exposure from drinking water is not a concern on campus, with only a few localized issues related to things like stagnant water, individual fittings and low volume, that have been addressed,” said Kent Decker, vice-president (administration and finance). “Our health and safety experts are more than comfortable that these levels are safe. They do recommend that

the best sources of drinking water are the chilled and filtered stations and washrooms are not a recommended source of potable drinking water.”

Dr. David Allison, chief medical officer of health, Department of Health and Community Services, has advised that “there is no cause for concern about the quality of drinking water at Memorial University.

“The steps Memorial has put in place are appropriate and I would have no concern personally consuming the drinking water at the university,” said Dr. Allison. “The Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality specify the average maximum allowable concentration of lead in water is 10 micrograms per litre.

This level is set to protect the most vulnerable in our population, children, by applying this as an average level consumed over a lifetime and does not point to elevated risk from occasional consumption of higher levels.”

A number of measures have been taken as part of the remediation process to date. For example, a total flush of many buildings on campus, removal of some older fountains and the installation of filters that are certified to remove contaminants, such as lead in all water bottle-fill stations. Since late July, more than 850 water samples were tested

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For more information and to see the latest sample results, visit www.mun.ca/health_safety.

notable Kylie Beals has been appointed MUNSU’s student representative on the board of directors for the Memorial University Recreation Complex for a one-year term.

Ms. Beals’s appointment is effective Oct. 16, 2015; she replaces Jared Ryan.

papers & presentations Dr. Edita Bosák, Department of History, Faculty of Arts, presented a paper titled Živena and Its Place in the Slovak National Movement from 1869-1914 at the International Council for Central and East European Studies IXth World Congress at Kanda University of International Studies, Makuhari, Japan, in August 2015.

the early consultation stages of the development of the framework.

Several new projects of the Teaching and Learning Framework are also creating interest and buzz across Memorial’s campuses.

In spring 2015 13 dynamic individuals were appointed to lead the university’s faculties, schools and campuses as Chairs in Teaching and Learning. The chairs began in their roles in summer 2015, and are busy developing strategies to support teaching and learning at Memorial, collaborating with colleagues to advance the objectives of the framework, and promoting the scholarship of teaching and learning.

As a collective over the coming few semesters, the chairs will generate new ideas to take teaching and learning at Memorial to new levels.

This summer, 14 projects from a variety of academic and support units across Memorial were awarded funding through the new St. John’s campus TLF Funding Competition.

A total of $1.1 million (combining one-time allocations from 2014-15 and 2015-16) was disbursed and will give project teams the resources needed to explore innovative ideas in teaching and learning. The project list can be found at http://blog. delts.mun.ca/teachingandlearning/ tlf-fund/funded-projects/. Details on each project will be available as they progress over the coming months.

Grenfell Campus has identified teaching and learning as one of its central goals in its Vision 20/20 strategic planning document. In implementing these goals, the campus has revamped its housing program so that students embody the qualities of the graduate identified in the framework. Grenfell Campus also continues to offer its Steps

Frameworks at work MEMORIAL’S FRAMEWORKS IN ACTION

The three overarching frameworks guiding Memorial’s future direction — the Research Framework, the Teaching and Learning Framework and the Public Engagement Framework — are the result of several years of consultations with the university community and the people and organizations of Newfoundland and Labrador. This regular feature will help showcase the frameworks in action by sharing projects and highlighting the successes that are bringing them to life.

TEACHING AND LEARNING

A thriving culture of teaching and learning NEXT SPRING will officially mark five years since the establishment of Memorial University’s Teaching and Learning Framework (TLF), and in that time great advances have been made to refine and build upon the teaching and learning experience for faculty, instructors, students and staff in all corners of the university.

Through extensive consultations with stakeholders, brainstorming sessions, researching and reporting, the teaching and learning community has created a foundation for moving forward and building on the success to date.

Unique initiatives like Project Engage, a pilot project now in its final year, the Teaching Skills Enhancement Program and the First Year Success Program have helped everyone from brand new first-year students to longtime faculty members. The Teaching and Learning Framework has also played a role in the development of a variety of major pan-university plans and projects, including the Strategic Internationalization Plan 2020, which relied on information presented in Strengthening the Value Chain: Supporting International Students and Building Intercultural Competence at Memorial University, a report initiated as a result of the priorities identified in the framework; and the recent decision to extend midterm break in the winter semester to one full week, a concept that found its roots during

to Success program, helping students become more proficient in the academic learning skills needed to excel in the classroom. The Marine Institute has also embraced the frameworks through its annual strategic planning process with the establishment of the chair role to champion innovative practices on campus and an award to acknowledge the impact and effort of quality teaching in the classroom.

The marked momentum in the teaching and learning community will continue with the October 2015 launch of the first-ever Memorial University Award for Outstanding Self-directed Learning. The award is intended to celebrate undergraduate students who have the qualities and skills to manage their own learning and successfully undertake self-directed learning projects. Applications for the unique award will be open to all undergraduate students across Memorial University’s campuses and full details will be shared with the university community in mid-October.

Facilitating the advancement of many of these initiatives and supporting development and collaboration among the faculty, staff and students, is Kim Myrick, manager of the Teaching and Learning Framework. Ms. Myrick began in her current role in spring 2015.

“It is inspiring to be part of the ever growing teaching and learning community at Memorial,” said Ms. Myrick. “In the few short months I’ve spent in this role, I have been energized by the dedication and enthusiasm at Memorial for advancing the quality of teaching and learning for faculty and students and ensuring everyone in the university community has access to the right resources to explore their potential and succeed.”

Accessing the great outdoors

By Sandy Woolfrey-Fahey

LEARNING BY DOING — through hands-on experience in real life situations — provides students with an effective opportunity to apply what they explore in class.

Courses in the School of Human Kinetics and Recreation frequently provide opportunities for just this type of experiential learning.

This past summer, Jaymee Webster was a student in Dr. TA Loeffler’s Therapeutic Recreation in Outdoor Settings class. The course focused on providing students with the knowledge and skills necessary to practise therapeutic recreation in outdoor settings.

“Dr. Loeffler assigned the class with a case study where students had to plan and implement a therapeutic recreation experience,” explained Ms. Webster. “She mentioned in class that a friend of hers with a disability was interested in zip lining and that someone could plan this outing as their project. I’ve had great experiences with zip lining in the past so this sounded like a good fit for me.”

Dr. Loeffler’s friend, Kim White, is manager of strategic initiatives with the Coalition of Persons with Disabilities – Newfoundland and Labrador (COD-NL). Ms. White uses

braces and crutches for mobility.

“I think it’s vastly important for persons with disabilities to have opportunities to experience recreation activities, especially those outdoors, and it’s something that needs to be broadly supported,” said Ms. White. “Outdoor experiences connect us to nature and the awe of the world, but often persons with disabilities are left out of outdoor activities, and that means missing out on a whole lot of learning, development and fun that help build knowledge, skills, and confidence.”

For Ms. Webster, the project was an opportunity to work through all stages of planning an outdoor experience focused on using a TrailRider to provide a person with mobility challenges access to the zip lining experience. The TrailRider is a singletire wheelchair that allows individuals with mobility disabilities to access trails, go hiking and, in this case, reach the first line of the zip line course.

She says she learned a great deal about how much planning is involved for inclusive recreation experiences, and even though she thought she had considered everything, she was assessing and problem solving throughout the entire experience.

“The most rewarding part of this experience was seeing the enthusiasm

SUBMITTED PHOTO

Inclusion top priority in Human Kinetics and Recreation course

Jaymee Webster (front left) used the TrailRider as part of a class project to provide an accessible outdoor recreation experience. Back, left to right are Marian Wissink and Travis Wilkins. Front, left to right are Jaymee Webster, Kim White and Dr. TA Loeffler. of the operators of North Atlantic Zip Lines, who were welcoming and interested in the TrailRider we used and they may decide to make their course more accessible in the future.”

For Ms. White, it was an opportunity to try something new. Even though she knew there were zip lines in the province, she never thought

she’d be able to access them.

“This experience was awesome,” she said. “TA brings an inclusion lens to all she does, it comes naturally to her.

Others need to be supported to be able to apply this same lens to recreation activities and beyond, so it’s incredibly awesome that she is bringing that perspective to her students.”

An inside view of French phonetics DR. ANNE THAREAU, head of the department of French and Spanish at Memorial University, recalls a time when she taught French phonetics using cassette tapes and, later, computer-assisted learning devices and DVDs. Now, with Internet and online tools readily available, she has ventured into more novel territory.

The online offering of French 2300 Phonetics, taught by Dr. Thareau, was a collaborative development of the Department of French and Spanish, with the Department of Linguistics and DELTS. Intended to help students understand and master oral French, the course includes carefully designed multimedia to provide an interactive means for students to study the workings of the speech organs.

“In the past, cards were used to show the position of the tongue and lips when pronouncing French sounds,” said Dr. Thareau, “but I always thought that it would be great if students could actually see a video instead of a picture.”

Dr. Thareau did better than that.

Collaborating with DELTS, as well as Dr. Maureen Scheidnes, departments of French and Spanish, and Linguistics, and Dr. Yvan Rose, Department of Linguistics, the team used an ultrasound to create videos that provide an internal view of how French words and phrases are pronounced.

“Following the motto that an

SUBMITTED PHOTO

By Courtenay Alcock

Dr. Anne Thareau displays videos created to help online students with French pronunciation. image is worth a thousand words, we adapted methods developed for linguistic research based on ultrasound visualization,” explained Dr. Thareau.

“This unique approach allows you to see the positioning of speech organs when pronouncing sounds in French. Students can play back the videos as they mimic the movement of the speech organs, in their own efforts to master pronunciation.”

To produce the videos, the team used an ultrasound device and recorded both the lip movements (using video) and the tongue movements (using ultrasound) of a French-speaking volunteer.

“The ultrasound recordings give students visual information about the tongue that one would otherwise not have access to,” explained Dr. Scheidnes. “Textbooks often present static drawings of tongue positions; however, these do not reflect the realities of spoken language in which the tongue position for one sound is influenced by neighbouring sounds.

The ultrasound recordings allow students to visualize the movement and shape of the tongue during speech in which one sound follows another in very rapid succession.”

“Mastering the sound system of a second language requires

making fine motor and perceptual adjustments,” added Dr. Thareau. “So by including these videos, we were able to provide students with visual cues to optimize their learning.”

In addition to the ultrasound videos, the course includes a French articulation tool that was designed specifically for the course. It features an interactive phonetic animation, showing the positioning of the mouth, tongue and voice box in pronouncing a given sound. It also includes video and audio recordings of each phonetic sound and a map indicating its linguistic position in the International Phonetic Alphabet.

“Once students master the course content, they are able to read the International Phonetic Alphabet and can, therefore, pronounce any written word they come across by checking the phonetic symbols in a dictionary,” explained Dr. Thareau.

Typically delivered face-to-face, the online offering of French 2300 required attention to design, and carefully considered integration of technology into the course. The primary goal of the course is to provide students with the necessary tools to master French pronunciation.

In developing any course for online delivery at Memorial, DELTS provides content authors like Dr. Thareau with the instructional design and technical support needed to create high quality, interactive and mediarich courses. The end result provides students with access to an online course that has engaging content to enhance the learning experience.

Rockin’ the house: George St. concert among MUNdays highlights All-campuses celebrations kick off Oct. 15 ONE OF THE most versatile bands in St. John’s is headlining this year’s Super TSC Night concert, one of the many events and activities taking place during MUNdays, Memorial’s annual spirit week.

Billy and the Bruisers perform live at The Rock House on Saturday, Oct. 17, along with the Barry Canning Band and The Secrets. Funnyman — and alumnus — Matt Wright returns for a second year as host. Tickets are on sale now. Visit mun.ca/mundays.

MUNdays rolls out under the banners of I ♥ MUNdays on the St. John’s campus, I ♥ MI MUNdays at the Marine Institute and I ♥ Grenfell MUNdays at Grenfell Campus in

Corner Brook. In the capital city, festivities run Oct. 15-19, while events in Corner Brook run Oct. 17-26.

No matter what campus you’re on, there will be plenty of events for students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends to celebrate their Memorial pride.

Grenfell Campus events Grenfell Campus is hosting a Super TSC Night pre-party at the Gypsy Tea Room in St. John’s from 6-8 p.m. for all Grenfell Campus alumni.

By registering for the free event, participants will receive a discount on the Super TSC Night concert.

More details are available at mun.ca/

6 gazette | Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2015 | www.mun.ca/gazette

mundays.

Meanwhile, organizers on the West Coast are planning a series of events to mark the 40th anniversary of Grenfell Campus, including a special concert of their own on Friday, Oct. 23, in The Backlot. The event features a stellar lineup including The Once and Emma Peckford. Tickets are on sale now; visit mun.ca/mundays. Other events include the award-winning Teddy Bear Clinic, International Night, Grenfell Market, a luncheon for alumni from the class of 1975 and more.

Plenty of fun in St. John’s At the Marine Institute, there will be a free breakfast, a living library event

and MI clothing day among lots of other activities.

Other events planned on the St. John’s campus include class and group reunions, a student innovation showcase, a dining etiquette workshop, family skate, the Three-Minute Thesis Challenge, a Kindness Friday celebration, the 34th annual Alumni Tribute Awards and much more.

You can find full details on all events on all campuses on the MUNdays website, mun.ca/mundays.

Be sure to also keep an eye out for updates on Memorial’s social media channels and the hashtag #MUNdays2015.

Listen to your lungs

By Kelly Foss

ALTHOUGH MANY techniques for evaluating a patient’s lung condition exist, listening to the sounds their lungs make remains an invaluable clinical tool for medical practitioners. In fact, it’s probably the most common method for evaluating the condition of a lung.

For the past six years, Dr. Oscar Meruvia-Pastor, an assistant professor cross-appointed between the Department of Computer Science and the Faculty of Science’s Office of the Dean, has been working on a project to assist nursing students with learning this vital procedure.

It started when Dr. Karen Andres, a registered nurse (RN) currently at Alberta’s South Health Campus, D approached him when they were both teaching at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops, B.C. “She was a faculty member in the School of Nursing and came to me wondering if we could make multimedia software for nursing students to teach them how to interpret breath sounds,” he said. “We received seed funding from Thompson Rivers University to begin looking into it, and shortly after that, I came to Memorial.”

Despite the distance, the pair continued to work together and brought in Dr. Creina Twomey, a RN and assistant professor with the School of Nursing at Memorial.

Together, the nurses developed narratives for a series of case studies, which provide the core of the multimedia experience, including descriptions of the relevant data — measurements such as pulse, temperature and respiratory rate — needed for patient evaluation. Dr. Meruvia-Pastor and his research assistant, Pranjal Patra, developed an online multimedia assessment of respiratory conditions (OMARC) to tie it all together.

OMARC simulates what happens when a person visits a hospital and is observed by a nurse for the purpose of health assessment to see if their breathing is normal or abnormal. Using a glossary, students identify and interpret the sounds associated with lung health.

“If you have a textbook, they will have a description of the sounds, but it’s not the same as actually hearing them,” said Dr. Meruvia-Pastor. “That’s why some textbooks will come with a CD. This software provides the students with relevant information that will let them learn the sounds, associate the sounds with a location on the thorax and comprehend the contexts within which sounds may appear so they can identify them later on.”

After the software was developed, the team began a user study to see how much it will improve students’ learning by inviting Memorial’s nursing students for a test drive.

“We wanted to know whether students would like it or benefit from it,” said Dr. Meruvia-Pastor. “We evaluated

students on their ability to identify the sounds before they used OMARC and after, and we had really good results.

The students’ ability to identify the sounds significantly increased after using the software. In addition, the students found the software very useful, were excited about it, and said they would recommend it to other students.”

While the team believes the software could greatly benefit nursing students who are in the process of learning how to distinguish breath sounds, they feel it could also have other uses. For instance, nurses could use it as a training refresher. The software is currently a prototype, but the long-term goal is to make it accessible online, so anyone can use it anywhere — a particularly relevant benefit in rural settings where large facilities or populations are not present.

CHRIS HAMMOND PHOTO

Computer scientists and nurses pair up to create teaching software

From left are Dr. Oscar Meruvia-Pastor and Dr. Creina Twomey.

Disturbing, threatening or violent behaviour Wednesday, Sept. 23 Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science EN-2006 1-2 p.m.

Wednesday, Sept. 30 Arts and Administration A-1043 1-2 p.m.

Monday, Oct. 19 Physical Education PE-2001 11 a.m.-12 p.m.

Thursday, Oct. 29 Marine Institute Hampton Hall 12-1 p.m.

Do you know how to recognize these behaviours?

What would you do?

Every member of the Memorial University community has the right to study, work and live in a safe, nonthreatening environment. Memorial University is committed to providing and maintaining such an environment.

www.mun.ca/ocro

Memorial facilities to participate in national Science Literacy Week

By Kelly Foss

MEMORIAL UNIVERSITY’S Faculty of Science, Queen Elizabeth II Library and the Botanical Gardens have joined forces with the Johnson GEO Centre and the St. John’s Regional Library to host a series of science themed events during the week of Sept. 21-27.

Science Literacy Week is a coastto-coast celebration encompassing more than 100 universities, libraries, museums, zoos and other organizations across Canada in nearly 50 cities. It provides a forum for these diverse institutions to showcase the work they do year round and promote a greater public understanding of science across the country.

In St. John’s, the all-ages events began Monday, Sept. 21, at the Ocean Sciences Centre in Logy Bay and will culminate at the Avalon Mall on Sunday, Sept. 27.

The week-long offering of lectures, demonstrations, presentations and programs cover a variety of themes including ocean sciences, physics, biology, chemistry, computer science, earth sciences, astronomy,

DAVE HOWELLS PHOTO

“We live in an age of constant scientific discovery — something new is discovered every single day.”

— Dr. Aimée Surprenant

Science Literacy Week runs Sept. 21-27 at various locations around St. John’s. nature, gardening and more.

“We live in an age of constant scientific discovery — something new is discovered every single day,” said Dr. Aimée Surprenant, a professor with the Department of Psychology and one of the co-ordinators of the St. John’s events. “The goal of Science

Literacy Week is to expose the public to the wonders and excitement of our scientific discoveries and to help them understand why knowing about science is important to them in their everyday lives.”

Science Literacy Week, which is only in its second year, was the brain

child of Jesse Hildebrand, a recent University of Toronto alumnus.

A calendar of the St. John’s events and locations can be found at www.mun.ca/science.

How climate change became controversial Henrietta Harvey lecturer to address denial counter-movement

By Janet Harron

A FOUNDER of environmental sociology and a longtime climate watcher will give the 2015 Henrietta Harvey Lecture at Memorial on Thursday, Oct. 1.

Internationally renowned academic Dr. Riley E. Dunlap, whose research on the climate skeptic movement is referenced in referenced in Naomi Klein’s most recent bestseller, This Changes Everything, examines the social dimensions of climate change and argues that an improved understanding of the complex relationship between climate change and society is essential for modifying ecologically harmful human behaviours and institutional practices in order to create just and effective environmental policies and to develop a more sustainable future.

In his lecture, Dr. Dunlap will address how climate change became controversial since being recognized as a major problem in the early 1990s.

According to the sociologist, the basic findings of climate science are constantly challenged by a growing set of interconnected actors who portray climate change as uncertain, even a

“We invited Riley as a Henrietta Harvey speaker because he is a key figure in the environmental social sciences, whose research on environmental values spans 35 years and helped to define the field of environmental sociology.”

— Dr. Mark Stoddard Dr. Riley E. Dunlap hoax, leading significant segments of the public and numerous policymakers to dismiss its importance—and thus the need to take action to reduce carbon emissions. He will outline the key actors in what has been termed the “denial counter-movement,” the economic and ideological interests motivating them and the primary strategies and tactics they employ.

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Dr. Dunlap will conclude with a brief assessment of the wide-ranging impacts of climate change denial, including the obstruction of U.S. and international policy-making.

“We invited Riley as a Henrietta Harvey speaker because he is a key figure in the environmental social sciences, whose research on environmental values spans 35 years and helped to define the field

of environmental sociology,” said Dr. Mark Stoddard, Department of Sociology. “Just as important, his recent research on public attitudes towards climate change and climate skeptic movements has been integral to the development of a sociology of climate change. I hope his talk will demonstrate just how important rigorous social science research is for understanding social and political responses to climate change, which is the central environmental problem of the 21st century.”

The lecture takes place in A-1043 of the Arts building and starts at 7 p.m. All are welcome and free parking is available in lot 15B. Henrietta Harvey was a Nova Scotian who came to Newfoundland in 1905 to visit her aunt, Lady Whiteway, the wife of Newfoundland’s prime minister.

A year later she settled in St. John’s as the wife of St. John’s businessman John Harvey. When she died in 1964, her will directed a substantial portion of her estate to Memorial University. The Henrietta Harvey lectureship is possible in any year where there are funds left over from the funding of the Henrietta Harvey research chair, the primary purpose of the endowment fund.

Cont’d from HONORARIES on page 1

He is currently chair of Newfoundland and Labrador’s Provincial Criminal Justice Committee. Mr. Wells also served in the province’s civil service. He was elected to the House of Assembly in 1972 and stayed there until 1979, holding posts as minister of Health and Government House Leader. He was chairman of the Diocese of Eastern Newfoundland and Labrador from 197984 and of the board of the Janeway Child Health Centre from 1977-87. In 2009 Mr. Wells was appointed commissioner of the Helicopter Safety Inquiry, and has, since the delivery of his report in 2011, been an advocate for safety in the offshore sector. For his contribution to the law and to offshore safety, Robert Wells will receive the degree of doctor of laws honoris causa during fall convocation on Oct. 2 in Corner Brook.

DR. SYLVESTER GATES, JR.

He is recognized as an outstanding communicator, able to make highly abstract science meaningful to the layperson, and has made many television appearances, ranging from PBS’s NOVA to the BBC’s The Hunt for Higgs. For his contributions to physics as a scholar and as an educator, Dr. Sylvester Gates, Jr., will receive the degree of doctor of science honoris causa during the 3 p.m. session of fall convocation on Oct. 23 in St. John’s.

ROBERT JOY Robert Joy was born in Montreal, Que., and raised in St. John’s, N.L. In addition to his involvement with the Memorial University Drama Society, Mr. Joy had an outstanding academic career at Memorial.

He graduated with a bachelor of arts (honours) degree in English literature in 1972, and won the university’s gold medal in English. In 1973 he won the Rhodes Scholarship and began studies in Oxford University, completing two terms before returning to Newfoundland and Labrador to pursue acting. As a member of CODCO from 1974-77, he acted, wrote scripts, composed music and lyrics, played piano and guitar and sang. Following the disbanding of the comedy troupe, Mr. Joy landed the role

of Peter in a theatrical production of The Diary of Anne Frank in Toronto and New York, his off-Broadway debut. His film career began as a result of that show; Mr. Joy went on to perform alongside many notable international stars such as Susan Sarandon, Burt Lancaster, Jimmy Cagney and Madonna. He may well be best known for his television work: he appeared in the role of chief medical officer Dr. Sid Hammerback on CBS’s CSI:NY more than 100 times from 2005-13. Of the three genres in which he works, it is in theatre that Mr. Joy has worked the longest and made the greatest contribution to his craft, earning numerous Genie and Gemini nominations along the way.

Since his beginnings singing in the chorus of Brother Rice High School’s production of Gilbert and Sullivan’s Mikado in 1966 to his upcoming role as Sir in the musical Side Show on Broadway in New York City in the fall of 2015, Mr. Joy is thought by theatre scholars to be one of the best character actors working in North America today. For the range and quality of this theatrical work, Robert Joy will receive the degree of doctor of letters honoris causa during the 10 a.m. session of fall convocation on Oct. 23 in St. John’s.

SUBMITTED PHOTO

Dr. Sylvester Gates, Jr., was born in Tampa, Fla. As a young child, he lived in St. John’s for a time while his father was stationed at Fort Pepperrell.

While there he was taken to see a science-fiction film, Spaceways, which kindled a passion for science that would eventually govern his life. Dr. Gates completed both undergraduate and

graduate studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), earning two bachelor’s degrees in 1973 and a PhD in 1977. His doctoral thesis was the first thesis at MIT to deal with supersymmetry, a topic that has dominated theoretical physics since that time. His strides in that field helped to provide a mathematical framework uniting Einstein’s general theory of relativity with the principles of quantum mechanics. Dr. Gates joined the faculty of the University of Maryland in 1984 where he rose to the rank of John S. Toll Professor of Physics. He currently serves as director of the University of Maryland’s Center for String and Particle Theory, is president of the National Society for Black Physicists and is a member of the U.S. President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology. For his teaching Dr. Gates received awards from the American Association of Physics Teachers in 2003, the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 2006 and in 2014 was the first black person to be inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in its 150-year history. In 2013 he was awarded the National Medal of Science by U.S. President Barack Obama.

From left are Lauren Brake and Kirk Wiseman in Grenfell Campus’s new dining hall The Grove.

‘Sit and enjoy’ Grenfell dining hall delivers diverse dietary needs in inviting atmosphere

By Melanie Callahan

TWO YEARS AGO, a committee at Grenfell Campus embarked on a review of food services on campus.

The committee’s findings were that the Grenfell community wanted a bright, inviting dining hall that offered a wide variety of nutritious food that met diverse dietary needs.

The call has been answered. The Grove dining hall opened this semester offering daily lunch and dinner specials,

takeaway meals, a salad and soup bar and dessert options. Later this month, the offerings will expand to include paninis, fresh pizza and pub food.

The dining hall also underwent aesthetic renovations, including new furniture and decor. The new space was developed with an emphasis on creating a warm, comfortable and inviting space to not only eat but to gather and study.

Extended evening and weekend hours have also been implemented.

Grenfell’s commitment to sustainability also extends to the dining hall as it prohibits the sale of bottled water, encourages the use of locally sourced food and is moving to fully compostable cutlery and dishes.

“We are so happy with the results,” said Lauren Brake, vice presidentacademic, Grenfell Campus Student Union (GCSU). “Our goal has been to offer students a pleasant space that offers different meal options.

We wanted students to have a place

that they want to sit and enjoy time together, and I think we’ve done it.”

This dining hall also means that students at Grenfell are able to purchase an optional decliningbalance meal card for the first time.

“The meal plans have been well received by our students,” said Kirk Wiseman, manager, GCSU. “And more and more are following suit as awareness of the new dining hall grows.”

To learn more, visit thecampusgrove.ca.

The hard work of democracy explored

By Janet Harron

WITH PROVINCIAL and federal elections looming and Canada’s democracy recently given a “C” grade in a report by the non-profit think tank Samara Canada, an upcoming initiative at Memorial University sponsored by the Royal Society of Canada (Atlantic) and CBC Radio’s Ideas couldn’t be more timely.

Running Oct. 6-9, Dialogue on Knowledge and Democracy will explore Canada’s institutional capacity to produce the knowledge required to sustain a healthy democracy and to provide the foundation for sound policies and practices.

“These series of events are an invitation to all of us to take a short break from our busy lives — including the current federal and provincial elections — to reflect on, debate and discuss this question,” said Dr. Barbara Neis, Memorial sociology professor, Royal Society of Canada Fellow and a key member of the organizing committee. “Democracy requires hard work and an informed and actively engaged citizenry. Our overarching objective is to contribute to a larger and more sustained dialogue on

Dr. Harry Collins

Dr. Sheila Jasanoff

these issues in the province and nationally over the coming months.”

Dr. Neis cites cuts to government science, widespread concerns about the elimination of the compulsory long-form census, reactions to Bill C-51 and worry among legal scholars, journalists and community groups about constraints on free expression. She also considers the changing relationship between universities and the wider society

and the different views on the nature of expertise and its place in a democracy as an area of concern.

The public is encouraged to attend a screening of the film Hands On: Women, Climate, Change in partnership with Cinema Politica on Tuesday, Oct. 6; an address by Dr. Harry Collins titled Science and Democracy: The New Synthesis on Wednesday, Oct. 7; and Dr. Sheila Jasanoff’s discussion on the topic of A Mature

Workshop and Symposium on Safety and Integrity Management of Operations in Harsh Environments accepting papers THE THIRD WORKSHOP and Symposium on Safety and Integrity Management of Operations in Harsh Environments will be held in St. John’s May 30-June 1, 2016. Papers on topics related to scientific understanding and engineering challenges for technological development and safe operation in harsh environments are being accepted until Oct. 15, 2015.

The workshop and symposium provides an excellent international forum for both industry experts and academic researchers to exchange and discuss innovative ideas, to identify and establish new collaborative research opportunities relevant to the Arctic and other harsh environments.

Dr. Faisal Khan founded the workshop and symposium.

“The workshop and symposium cover a broad range of research topics related to process safety and asset integrity management, which is so important,” said Dr. Khan. “The primary focus of the Safety and Risk Engineering Group at Memorial primarily is safety and integrity challenges faced by offshore oil and gas as well as mining industries operated in harsh environments, Arctic and remote areas.”

Continuing from past successes, next year’s workshop will include training sessions and a symposium on both theoretical and practical aspects.

The workshop will provide three half-day specialized training sessions on the topics of human factors, abnormal situation management and winterization to enhance

the understanding of operational challenges in harsh environments. The symposium will identify and discuss potential solutions to operational challenges in harsh environments.

Novel research articles for symposium are now being accepted on, but not limited to, the following areas: • • • • • • • •

Process safety in harsh environments Occupational safety in harsh environments Design, constructional and operational safety Risk assessment under uncertainty Integrity challenges in harsh environments Risk-based integrity management Innovation in data collection and remote monitoring Emergency scenarios and operational considerations

All submitted papers will be peer reviewed and selected on the basis of quality and relevance to the theme of the symposium. The deadline to submit abstracts is Oct. 15.

Submissions should be made through the Ex Ordo abstract submission system at http://crise3.exordo.com.

For more details about the workshop and symposium, please contact fikhan@mun.ca or refer to www.mun.ca/engineering/research/ sreg/workshops/thirdworkshop.

10 gazette | Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2015 | www.mun.ca/gazette

Modernity: Science and Skepticism in Democractic Societies on Thursday, Oct. 8. All three events take place in the Bruneau Centre for Research and Innovation’s lecture theatre, IIC-2001, at 7 p.m. Parking is available in lot 17.

Dialogue on Knowledge and Democracy is also sponsoring a short film contest in partnership with the Newfoundland Independent Film Cooperative (NIFCO) and the St. John’s International Women’s Film Festival.

“Events like this one help us explore a topic critical to a well-functioning and just society of the 21st century,” said Dr. Noreen Golfman, provost and vice-president (academic) at Memorial. “We all must understand and appreciate the need to find the right answers to questions and to explore and challenge opposing points of view to acquire true knowledge in an increasingly complex world. Memorial is privileged to be welcoming an exceptional lineup of experts to help us engage in conversation — I encourage everyone to take time to participate.”

More information on the public events and the short film contest can be found at www.mun.ca/arts/knowledgedemocracy.

Cross-Campus Initiatives and Conference Fund calls for proposals now open

By Jennifer Batten

APPLICATIONS are now being accepted for the Vice-Presidents Council Cross-Campus Initiatives Fund and Conference Fund.

The Cross-Campus Initiatives Fund is meant to encourage and build on existing strategic relationships between Memorial’s campuses: the St. John’s campus, the Marine Institute, Grenfell Campus, Harlow Campus and the Labrador Institute.

The fund annually allocates $50,000 as one-time support for new initiatives that are clearly and demonstrably strategic for the units.

More information on the CrossCampus Initiatives Fund, including terms of reference and guidelines for proposals is available at www.mun. ca/vpacademic/ccfi/. Inquiries can be directed to the Office of the Provost

and Vice-President (Academic) at 709-864-8246 or vpacad@mun.ca.

The Conference Fund provides support for conferences, workshops or seminars that are hosted or co-hosted

by Memorial University. The fund annually allocates $50,000 for onetime support of regular conferences, as opposed to large-scale events.

More information on the Conference Fund, including terms of reference and a template for submissions, is available at www.mun.ca/research/funding/ conference/. Inquiries can be directed to the Office of the Vice-President (Research) at 709864-3650 or ebruce@mun.ca.

A call for applications to both funds is issued three times per academic year, in October, February and June.

Applications for the funds will be accepted until Thursday, Oct. 15.

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out & about MUN Cinema Series: Jimmy’s Hall, 7-9 p.m., Cineplex Theatre, Avalon Mall, Sponsor: MUN Cinema Career and Graduate School Fair, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Field House, St. John’s campus, Sponsor: Memorial University Pharmacy Information Session, 1-1:50 p.m., SN4063, Sponsor: Academic Advising Centre Social Work Information Session, 1-1:50 p.m., SN-4068, Sponsor: Academic Advising Centre Quantitative Social Science in Arts Group Talk: Economic Inequality and Electoral Accountability, 12:30-2:30 p.m., C-3024, Sponsor: Department of Political Science, Faculty of Arts An Afternoon in the Garden, 2-3 p.m., Botanical Garden, 306 Mount Scio Rd., Sponsor: Memorial University Botanical Garden Science Literacy Week: MUN’s Got Chemistry!, 12:30-1:30 p.m., QEII Library, Second Floor, Sponsor: Department of Chemistry, QEII Library Disturbing, Threatening and Violent Behaviour Awareness Information Session, 1-2 p.m., EN2006, Sponsor: Office of the Chief Risk Officer

Thursday, Sept. 24 Halifax Affinity Celebration, 6-9 p.m., HMCS Preserver, Halifax Waterfront, Sponsor: AA&D Writer-in-Residence Reading, 8-9:30 p.m., Suncor Energy Hall, School of Music, Sponsor: Faculty of Arts Automatic and Adaptable Registration of Live RGBD Video Streams Sharing Partial Overlapping Views, 1-2 p.m., EN-2022, Sponsor: Department of Computer Science Terry’s CAUSE on Campus, 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m., University Centre Clock Tower, Sponsor: Residence Life/Housing HR Succession Planning, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Gardiner Centre, BN-4019, Sponsor: Gardiner Centre Science Literacy Week: Computer Science Science Fair, 12:30-1:30 p.m., Chemistry-Physics building lobby, Sponsor: Department of Computer Science Faculty Bible Study, 12-12:50 p.m., HH-2005, Sponsor: Phil Heath

Friday, Sept. 25 Tour of the Battery Facility Graduate Accommodations, 12-2 p.m., 100 Signal Hill Rd., Sponsor: Office of Public Engagement Love Your Body: Examining Body Image Programs in the Context of the “Obesity Epidemic” by Dr. Jan Wright, 1-2:30 p.m., Main Auditorium, Health Sciences Centre, Sponsor: Community Health and Humanities, Faculty of Medicine, Pastoral Care and Ethics

12-5 p.m., Avalon Mall, St. John’s, Sponsor: Faculty of Science Sunday Nature Hike, 10-11 a.m., Botanical Garden, 306 Mount Scio Rd., Sponsor: Memorial University Botanical Garden Sunday Afternoon Family Programs, 2-3 p.m., Botanical Garden, 306 Mount Scio Rd., Sponsor: Memorial University Botanical Garden, N.L. Horticultural Society KELLY FOSS PHOTO

Wednesday, Sept. 23

Monday, Sept. 28 Graduate Studies Information Session, 1-2 p.m., The Landing, UC-3018, Sponsor: School of Graduate Studies Supervisory Management Skills Program: Communications and Team Development, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Gardiner Centre, BN-4019, Sponsor: Gardiner Centre Linking Organ System Development to Cancer: Role of the DLX Homeobox Genes, 10-11 a.m., 1M101, Medical Education Center, Sponsor: Division of BioMedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine

Tuesday, Sept. 29 Honouring Newfoundland and Labrador Aboriginal Participation in the First World War, 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m., UC-2001, Sponsor: WW100 Commemoration Program Canadian Common CV Workshop, 11 a.m.-1 p.m., SN-4030, Sponsor: Faculty of Arts Ready, Set, Connect: A Science Career Networking Event, 12-2 p.m., The Landing, UC3018, Sponsor: Science Matters

Wednesday, Sept. 30 MUN Cinema Series: The Diary of a Teenage Girl, 7-8:50 p.m., Cineplex Theatre, Avalon Mall, Sponsor: MUN Cinema Nursing Information Session, 1-1:50 p.m., SN4063, Sponsor: Academic Advising Centre An Afternoon in the Garden, 2-3 p.m., Botanical Garden, 306 Mount Scio Rd., Sponsor: Memorial University Botanical Garden Disturbing, Threatening and Violent Behaviour Awareness Information Session, 1-2 p.m., A-1043, Sponsor: Office of the Chief Risk Officer The Best of Both Worlds: Part-Time Study at Memorial University, 3-4 p.m., Online Webinar, Sponsor: School of Graduate Studies

Thursday, Oct. 1 MUN Chamber Choir Extravaganza , 8 p.m.9:30 a.m., School of Music, Sponsor: School of Music Spectrum Awareness for Cognitive Radio Systems, 1:30-3:30 p.m., IIC-2014, Bruneau Centre for Research and Innovation, Sponsor: School of Graduate Studies

TAKING SHAPE At centre, Gordon Stratford, senior vice-president and design principal for architectural and design firm HOK’s Canadian practice, speaks with attendees of the Core Science Facility open house on Sept. 16. Mr. Stratford and other project team members were on hand to answer questions about the new facility during the event.

Memorial University Botanical Garden Sunday Afternoon Family Programs, 2-3 p.m., Botanical Garden, 306 Mount Scio Rd., Sponsor: Memorial University Botanical Garden

Monday, Oct. 5

Tuesday, Oct. 6 Experimental and Numerical Investigation of Moving Loads on Hull Structures, 11 a.m.-1 p.m., IIC-2014, Bruneau Centre for Research and Innovation, Sponsor: School of Graduate Studies

Wednesday, Oct. 7 Dialogue on Knowledge and Democracy, 7-9 p.m., IIC-2001, Bruneau Centre for Research and Innovation, Sponsor: Faculty of Arts Engineering Information Session, 1-1:50 p.m., SN-4063, Sponsor: Academic Advising Centre An Afternoon in the Garden, 2-3 p.m., Botanical Garden, 306 Mount Scio Rd., Sponsor: Memorial University Botanical Garden An Introduction to Graduate Studies at Memorial University, 3-4 p.m., online webinar, Sponsor: School of Graduate Studies

Thursday, Oct. 8 Brown Bag Lunch & Learn: Lighten Up Your Day, 12-2 p.m., A-2065, Sponsor: Employee Wellness Office, Human Resources Leading Students in the Workplace: 1-Day Session, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., The Guv’Nor Pub, Sponsor: Learning and Development, Human Resources

Friday, Oct. 9

Department of Classics Guest Speaker, 4-5 p.m., A-1049, Sponsor: Department of Classics

Science Literacy Week: Physics Demonstrations, 12-1 p.m., C-2039, Sponsor: Department of Physics and Physical Oceanography

Shamrock City Comes to Toronto, 6-9 p.m., Meating at the Bottom Line, 22 Front St. West, Toronto, Sponsor: AA&D

Graduate Studies Information Sessions, 1:302:30 p.m., The Landing, UC-3018, Sponsor: School of Graduate Studies

Viewpoints: Exhibit Opening, 6-7:30 p.m., First Space Gallery, Queen Elizabeth II Library, Sponsor: Memorial University Libraries

Henrietta Harvey Lecture: How Climate Change Became Controversial: Examining the Denial Counter-Movement, 7-8:30 p.m., A-1043, Sponsor: Department of Sociology

Saturday, Oct. 10

Friday, Oct. 2

Tuesday, Oct. 13

The Need for an Ecological Worldview in the Anthropocene, 1-2 p.m., SN-2025, Sponsor: Department of Sociology Speaker Series; Department of Geography - Blue Box Talk

Generational Gaps, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., TBD, Sponsor: Learning and Development, Human Resources

Mark Nuccio: A Taste of the Big Apple! , 8-9:30 p.m., D.F. Cook Recital Hall, Sponsor: School of Music

Growing Air Plants (Tillandsia) Workshop, 7-8:30 p.m., Botanical Garden, 306 Mount Scio Rd., Sponsor: Memorial University Botanical Garden

Un Duo in Tre, 8-9:30 p.m., D.F. Cook Recital Hall, Sponsor: School of Music Alumni Breakfast in Singapore, 9-10:30 a.m., Pacific Marketplace, Pan Pacific Singapore, 7 Raffles Boulevard, Marina Square, Sponsor: AA&D, Provost and Vice-President (Academic) Faculty of Education Cricket Match, 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m., R.C.A.F. Road, Sponsor: Faculty of Education Science Literacy Week: Signals from Seabirds: Messages from the Ocean, 7-8:30 p.m., IIC-2001, Bruneau Centre for Research and Innovation, Sponsor: Department of Psychology

Sunday, Sept. 27 Science Literacy Week: St. John’s Science Fair,

ARTS on Oceans Distinguished Lecture: The Water Next Time: Changing Wavescapes in the Anthropocene, 3-5 p.m., IIC-2001, Bruneau Centre for Research and Innovation, Sponsor: Faculty of Arts

Sunday, Oct. 4 Sunday Nature Hike, 10-11 a.m., Botanical Garden, 306 Mount Scio Rd., Sponsor:

Application to Graduate School - Tips and Strategies, 3-4 p.m., online webinar, Sponsor: School of Graduate Studies

Fundamentals of Project Management , 9 a.m.4:30 p.m., Gardiner Centre, BN-4019, Sponsor: Gardiner Centre

Feminist Focus: Exploring Feminist Evaluation with Second Story Women’s Centre, 12-1 p.m., SN-4087, Sponsor: Department of Gender Studies Speakers’ Series

Saturday, Sept. 26

Managing Competing Priorities, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Gardiner Centre, BN-4019, Sponsor: Gardiner Centre

Body Works: A Public Exhibition, 1-5 p.m., Medical Education Centre Atrium, Sponsor: Faculty of Medicine

Wednesday, Oct. 14 CARE Sponsors N.L. Leadership Debate, 7-9:40 p.m., IIC-2001, Bruneau Centre for Research and Innovation, Sponsor: Collaborative Applied Research in Economics An Afternoon in the Garden, 2-3 p.m., Botanical Garden, 306 Mount Scio Rd., Sponsor: Memorial University Botanical Garden

classified For rent: Beautifully decorated, furnished and maintained semi-attached bungalow with finished basement. Located in 50plus condo cul-de-sac. Snow clearing and lawn care included. Available December 2015-May 2016. Backs on sizeable green space. Minutes from Outer Ring Road and shopping district. $1,500 per month plus utilities. Call 709-726-1761.

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MLS# 1121184. Call 727-4040.

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As you enter the property you view this beautiful original staircase and wooden floors throughout. Features include high ceilings with rosettes plus original ceiling mouldings and some original light fixtures. There are five bedrooms and four bathrooms plus fireplaces with original mantel. Living room fireplace has a newly installed recessed wood stove. Main floor offers a modern Kitchen with center island plus a fireplace and dining area, a two piece bathroom plus a patio overlooking a beautiful garden. On the second floor you have two spacious bedrooms with a fireplace in each room plus a full bathroom. Third floor there are two more spacious bedrooms with a fireplace in each room plus a full bathroom. Third floor also offers a patio with a great view of the narrows and surrounding area. Basement has a bachelor unit with a galley Kitchen plus full bathroom and its own ground level entrance.

Basement also has laundry room with ample shelving, storage and furnace room. Garden at the rear is a delight and professionally landscaped. Property at rear has a green wooded space which is very private and peaceful. The garden is a rare find in the downtown area. FOR A PERSONAL VIEWING, CALL LINDA MAHER COLDWELL BANKER PRO/CO AT 727-7424.

HSIMS PHOTO

Dr. Ainsley Decker ventilates an intubated simulation mannequin patient via a bag-valve mask in the Clinical Learning and Simulation Centre.

Practice makes perfect Simulation centre opens doors to risk-free learning in Faculty of Medicine

By Virginia Middleton

DR. AINSLEY DECKER is a fourthyear anesthesia resident who knows what it’s like to face critical choices when minutes matter and a patient’s life may be on the line. To her relief, in the Clinical Learning and Simulation Centre (CLSC) at Memorial University, that patient is sometimes a simulation mannequin who can talk and bleed, but won’t die.

The Faculty of Medicine’s Clinical Learning and Simulation Centre opened in September 2014 with the official opening of the new Medical Education Centre, an expansion to the medical school. Within the CLSC there are three support units: standardized patient, surgical skills and high-fidelity simulation.

The mission of the CLSC is to provide a state-of-the-art, risk-free learning, teaching and research environment for learners and faculty that simulates real-life, health-care situations in the most resource

efficient and effective manner.

Postgraduate students who are completing a residency in a clinical field of focus are in the final stages of becoming fully licensed physicians.

After four extensive years of medical education and training to complete their doctorate of medicine (MD) program, they are building upon that solid foundation with additional skills and a more complex understanding of their medical specialization.

It’s during these important years that simulated learning can provide essential experience.

“Simulation puts you in a high-risk situation in a low-risk environment,” said Dr. Decker. “In the Clinical Learning and Simulation Centre, we use high-fidelity mannequins that we can program to simulate any physiological function and display any sort of scenario we would want to simulate.”

There is a wide range of mannequins in the CLSC, such as units that can simulate labour and delivery, with a newborn mannequin also having a life-like role. This adds a layer of complexity to a scenario:

12 gazette | Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2015 | www.mun.ca/gazette

two patients who may need urgent medical attention instead of one. One mannequin, Laerdal SimMan 3G, also known as “3G”, has the ability to be moved to different environments, or stay located within the simulation centre where video capture and one-way windows allow for multiple layers of observation and learning.

“Simulation puts you in a high-risk situation in a low-risk environment.”

— Dr. Ainsley Decker Dr. Decker explains that simulation is also an important way for residents to learn how to work as a team.

This is particularly important during crisis situations, where residents learn how to use their crisis resource management skills.

This usually involves a team leader, who must utilize good listening skills and assign roles to everyone involved so that the crisis can be addressed as quickly as possible.

Preparedness and insight can

only come from practising real-life scenarios in a controlled environment.

In the CLSC, students have an opportunity to learn, practise and repeat procedures as often as necessary. With the high-fidelity simulation mannequins, a resident’s skills can be refined without compromising patient safety. In real-life situations when confidence and quick decisions are necessary, it’s important to be prepared.

Authenticity is also important.

Dr. Decker believes the more real a situation can look and feel, the better. A sense of urgency and pressure can help with the learning experience, which in turn, may help deliver lifesaving patient care in a future real-life situation.

Simulation teaching and learning doesn’t stop at the postgraduate level.

Current licensed physicians can also receive continuing medical education, as well as additional training to expand their skills and knowledge.

Through technology in the CLSC, it’s possible to create hundreds of different scenarios that will help achieve this learning outcome.