SUMMER 2016
UNIVERSITY OF GUELPH MAGAZINE FOR ALUMNI AND FRIENDS
Helping hands How the humanitarian efforts of U of G grads are giving refugees a fresh start. p.16
Designing woman Shannon Passero’s ethical, sustainable and profitable global business. p.22
Love your germs Jason Tetro shares his infectious admiration of microbes. p.28
Canadian mystery Exploring the ‘many deaths’ of iconic painter Tom Thomson. p.15
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Contents
33
22 12
COVER ILLUSTRATION: GARY CLEMENT PHOTOS: (THIS PAGE) DEAN PALMER; JOHN E. SOKOLOWSKI / TORONTO ARGONAUTS; SHUTTERSTOCK.COM
COVER STORY SECTIONS
4 Editor’s note 4 Loose cannon 5 President’s message 34 Class notes
6 Around the ring
@porticomag
Long snapper Jake Reinhart plays one of the most specialized positions in football.
Was Canadian painter Tom Thomson’s death an accident, murder or suicide? Author Gregory Klages untangles the 100-year-old mystery.
VOICES
6 Coursework 11 Ask the expert 26 Alumni spotlights 28 This I know 36 Passages 37 Time capsule
14 On the job 15 Q&A
14 IN EVERY ISSUE
FEATURES
News and views from around campus.
10 Discovery U of G research, innovations and ideas.
31 Alumni matters Events, updates and class connections.
16 From hardship to hope How U of G grads are helping refugees get a fresh start.
22 Designing woman With an eye to ethics and sustainability, Shannon Passero creates a successful textile business.
38 Last look Break out the pencil crayons! Daniel Rotsztain turns his collection of library illustrations into a colouring book and we get in on the fun.
Summer 2016 PORTICO | 3
Editor’s note Summer 2016, Vol. 48, Issue 2 LOOSE CANNON @guelphengalumni What a great use of an engineering degree (@SoCIALLITEVodka). Congrats guys! @SEDRD Well wishes to BLA alumna @tanya_olsen. @kristaduchene Excellent article in the U of G alumni magazine @jennifersygo. #dietician
@uofgamandalee Opened up the new #uofguelph @porticomag and seeing one of my photos! #awesome @woolwichnews Great piece … in @porticomag on @matthewfrench … congrats Matt! @mridley Good piece … in @porticomag about @UGseminars.
Alumni making a difference
Daniel Atlin, vice-president (external) Chuck Cunningham, assistant vice-president, Communications and Public Affairs EDITOR
Do well by doing good. That notion — the idea of social responsibility — has become central to the operations of today’s best organizations and the philosophy of many professionals. More than a marketing idea or superficial façade, true social responsibility — or acting for the benefit of society at large — is a commitment that can take many forms. U of G grads are well known for their commitment to making the world a better place. Take this year’s Alumni Medal of Achievement winner Gavin Armstrong and the Lucky Iron Fish. He began his advocacy work as a student at U of G when he raised funds and organized emergency meal packing events. Read more about the awards on page 31. Shannon Passero (page 22) also credits her U of G experience with setting her on the path of doing good through business. A successful textile and fashion designer, she takes great care to ensure her
products are ethically and sustainably created and sourced, and are “gentle to the Earth.” And with refugees fleeing tragic circumstances to find safety in Canada, U of G alumni are stepping up to help them build new lives by offering medical care, pro bono law assistance and community support, among other humanitarian efforts (page 16). On a lighter note, summer is here! For a fun and relaxing summer distraction, turn to page 38, and don’t forget to send us a snapshot of your finished creation. Happy reading!
Stacey Morrison ART DIRECTOR
Janice Van Eck WRITERS
Susan Bubak, Kevin Gonsalves, Lori Bona Hunt, Wendy Jespersen, Teresa Pitman, Curtis Rush, Andrew Vowles PHOTOGRAPHERS
George Nikitaras, Dean Palmer, Amanda Scott ILLUSTRATORS
Gary Clement, Daniel Rotsztain
Portico is published three times a year by Communications and Public Affairs at the University of Guelph. Opinions expressed in the magazine do not necessarily reflect those of the editor or the University. FEEDBACK
Send letters and story ideas to porticomagazine@uoguelph.ca or by mail to Communications and Public Affairs, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ont., N1G 2W1. We reserve the right to edit all submissions. ADVERTISING
Send advertising inquiries to Stacey Morrison at s.morrison@uoguelph.ca or 519-824-4120, Ext. 58706.
Stacey Morrison Editor
LETTERS
i recently read my fall issue of Portico and love the new look, as well as the new and continuing features. Well done! —Debbie Holzman, BA ’77
@questnaturetour Great article and we love the cover photo!
ADDRESS CHANGES
Send address changes to: alumnirecords@uoguelph.ca or 519-824-4120, Ext. 56550, or by mail to Records c/o Alumni Affairs & Development, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ont., N1G 2W1. ISSN 1714-8731
Printed in Canada. Publication Agreement #40064673. Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: Portico Magazine, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ont., N1G 2W1.
Connect with Portico @porticomag
PUBLISHERS
porticomagazine@uoguelph.ca
4 | PORTICO Summer 2016
porticomagazine.ca
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
Fostering a global U of G network
I
went all the way to Israel only to find myself at home. Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne invited me, as well as Malcolm Campbell, U of G’s vice-president (research), on a provincial life sciences trade mission to Israel in May. While there, I signed a cooperation agreement with the Hebrew University of Jerusalem to pursue faculty and student exchanges, and to undertake joint research projects and conferences. And I met U of G alumnus Ido Schechter, who completed his graduate studies at the Ontario Agricultural College. He now runs Agrinnovation, which commercializes technologies from research in Hebrew University’s Faculty of Agriculture. Schechter’s roots are entwined with those of the University of Guelph. By helping to find real-world applications for food, agricultural and veterinary research, he’s grounded in nearly 150 years’ worth of U of G tradition. And he’s not alone. Schechter is one of more than 122,000 U of G alumni living in Canada and 149 countries around the world. Each of those graduates, including the class of 2016, became similarly grounded in this community. During your time on campus, each of you took in
@porticomag
that “Guelphiness,” that hard-to-define sense of community and shared heritage that identifies U of G grads in the wider world, even decades after graduation. From Israel to China to Toronto, wherever I go I find U of G. It’s a U of G community and, at the same time, an “international community.” Community grounds and strengthens us. That strength
During your time on campus, each of you took in that “Guelphiness,” that hard-to-define sense of community and shared heritage that identifies U of G grads in the wider world comes from shared purpose. It also comes from diversity. Among our nearly 28,000 students on campuses in Guelph, Ridgetown and Toronto, some 1,200 international students arrive from more than 100 countries. We maintain that strength — that sense of shared community and purpose — wherever you find yourself at home in the world.
Franco Vaccarino President and Vice-Chancellor Summer 2016 PORTICO | 5
Around the ring CAMPUS NEWS AND VIEWS STUDENT LIFE
Evan Van Moerkerke
“IT’S CHESS BUT IT’S MORE INVOLVED THAN CHESS. THERE’S A LOT THAT COULD HAPPEN, A LOT OF MOVES TO CONSIDER AND DIFFERENT STRATEGIES.”
COURSEWORK
Adding a pop culture twist to computer science class He doesn’t play chess. And he doesn’t watch The Big Bang Theory. So how did computer science student Patrick Hartman end up tops in a class assignment for an online chess tournament modelled after the TV sitcom? Speed and strategy, says Hartman. His program won 53 of 58 games in a round-robin tournament run by Prof. Stefan Kremer, School of Computer Science, for “Introduction to Intelligent Systems,” a third-year artificial intelligence (AI) course. In the process, Hartman and his classmates learned more about AI — the ultimate goal for Kremer, who added the pop culture twist as another way to engage students in a regular course assignment to write chess-playing programs. “My goal is to train students to be able to solve interesting computing problems,” says Kremer. He adds that programming machines to play games is a longstanding tradition in AI courses. His AI assignments already involved games, puzzles and problem-solving. For this project, he assigned students 6 | PORTICO Summer 2016
to write chess-playing programs modelled after a chess version developed by the character Sheldon on The Big Bang Theory. Unlike Sheldon’s three-player game that uses a three-sided board, Kremer stuck with a simpler twoplayer version. But he borrowed the sitcom’s made-up chess pieces complete with their unorthodox properties. For example, the serpent “poisons” adjacent pieces and the catapult launches other pieces to land elsewhere on the board. After his students wrote their programs, he pitted those agents against each other in an online, round-robin tournament of games lasting up to two minutes each. “I liked the idea of competition,” says Hartman, who aimed to write a program that “thought” its way quickly through possible moves and counterattacks. “It’s chess but it’s more involved than chess. There’s a lot that could happen, a lot of moves to consider and different strategies.”
Students to compete in Olympics Swimmer Evan Van Moerkerke and triathlete Jason Wilson will compete in the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio in August. Van Moerkerke, a fourth-year student, earned a spot on the 400m-freestyle relay team during the Canadian Olympic trials held earlier this year. He also qualified for the 2016 world short course championships taking place in December. Wilson, a fourth-year environmental engineering student, will compete for his home country of Barbados. He will be the first competitor to represent Barbados in the triathlon. The list of U of G participants in the 2016 Summer Olympic Games continues to grow. Visit www. uoguelph.ca for more information.
The Big Bang Theory’s Sheldon Cooper
–ANDREW VOWLES
Jason Wilson
CAMPUS NEWS
NUMBER CRUNCH
PEOPLE
New athletics centre set to open in September
A few fascinating facts about the University of Guelph Arboretum. Plantings started in 1971, and today the arboretum features specialized gardens, botanical collections and gene conservation programs.
Bob Dony, professor in the School of Engineering, has been named president-elect of Professional Engineers Ontario, which governs and regulates the engineering profession in Ontario.
73,500 Number of visitors each year
The new $45-million Guelph Gyphons Athletics Centre is scheduled to open by the start of the fall term in September. The renovation is part of a larger project that includes renovating the existing W.F. Mitchell Centre to accommodate recreational and intramural programs. The new structure will house a two-storey, 24,000-square-foot fitness centre and a 2,200-seat event centre, which includes a suspended running track. It will host varsity basketball and volleyball, as well as large capacity events such as convocation. The facility will also include a combative room to house the Gryphon wrestling team and martial arts classes, as well as a climbing wall. The cardio and weight room areas are almost complete and fitness equipment will be installed in August. There will be six new fitness studios and three change rooms (men’s, women’s and universal), which will be open by September. The event centre is scheduled to open Thanksgiving weekend. In the meantime, the current gym will still be available for sports and varsity practices. The event centre includes 362 stadium seats at mid-court. The “comfort” seats are part of a Name-aSeat promotion — for a $1,000 gift, a name of the donor’s choosing will be recognized on a seat plate. Funds raised will go toward the new facility.
For more information, visit www.buildingpotential.ca. @porticomag
1,900+
9+ Number of kinds of trees and shrubs
Number of kilometres of trails
165
Robert Enright, professor in the School of Fine Art and Music, received an honorary degree from the University of Winnipeg in recognition for his contributions to the arts. He spent 25 years as an art critic for CBC in Manitoba, regularly contributes to international publications and founded the awardwinning Border Crossings magazine. Nia King, a third-year biomedical science student, was one of 10 recipients of a 2016 3M National Student Fellowship Award, which recognizes promising Canadian undergraduate leaders. Kelly Meckling, professor in Human Health and Nutritional Sciences, has been elected to the executive of the Canadian Association of University Teachers. Bei Zeng, professor in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics, has joined the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics in Waterloo as a visiting fellow. Zeng studies quantum entanglement and quantum information theory.
Number of hectares in size
207
Number of species of birds
Summer 2016 PORTICO | 7
Around the ring CAMPUS NEWS
OVC receives $23-million provincial investment ATHLETICS
The University of Guelph has received $23 million from the provincial government to support critical infrastructure renewal at the top-ranked Ontario Veterinary College (OVC). The funding will support the renovation and expansion of facilities at OVC, including new spaces for enhanced clinical teaching and learning, and advanced surgery and anesthesia facilities. “This critical funding will support our continued accreditation,” says Franco Vaccarino, University of Guelph president. “It will also help us maintain our leadership position in innovative education and research, and in understanding the powerful connection between animal and human health.” Renovations started this summer. The project will include new laboratory and classroom spaces equipped for computer-based case studies, patient simulators and demonstration models. Modern surgery and anesthesia areas will be built in renovated spaces, and the college will install new equipment and improved biosecurity and infection control.
For more information, visit ovc.uoguelph.ca. 8 | PORTICO Summer 2016
U of G breaks ground on new football facility Construction is under way on an $8.5-million facility to upgrade the Gryphon football team’s locker room and offices. The Angel Gabriel Foundation — the charity started by former head football coach Stu Lang and his wife, Kim — is funding the project. The two-storey structure will adjoin Alumni Stadium near College Avenue. The ground floor will house a 3,300-square-foot, state-of-theart locker room and a year-round players’ lounge. The second floor will contain meeting rooms for players and coaches, a boardroom, coaches’
The renovations to Alumni Stadium are being privately funded by the Angel Gabriel Foundation.
offices and a video production room. A rooftop viewing area will be available for football alumni on game days. Renovations inside Alumni Stadium will also include a new equipment room and a therapy centre, including a hydrotherapy room. “With the world-class improvements being made to the facilities on our campus, we will continue to be a coveted destination for the top student athletes around the country,” says Scott McRoberts, athletics director. The new facility is scheduled to open in December 2016.
NOTEWORTHY
Students, alumni win prestigious arts awards
Author and playwright Adnan Khan, a master’s student in creative writing, was awarded the 2016 RBC Taylor Emerging Writer Award, worth $10,000.
Painter Ashleigh Bartlett, MFA ’11, has won a 2016 Emerging Artist Award, which is presented to Alberta emerging artists in the fields of visual art, music, filmmaking and literature.
Ambera Wellmann, a master of fine arts graduate candidate, received the prestigious Joseph Plaskett Award, which is given annually to a graduate student focused on painting.
Liz Howard, MFA ’13, won the 2016 Griffin Poetry Prize worth $65,000 for her first book, Infinite Citizen of the Shaking Tent.
Soraya Peerbaye, MFA ’10, won the $10,000 Trillium Book Award for Poetry for Tell: poems for a girlhood.
NOTEWORTHY
Strategic renewal framework approved The University of Guelph’s strategic renewal process was an eight-month project that invited people from inside and outside the University community, including alumni, to share their thoughts on U of G’s future. The goal was to create a concise document that is aspirational and visionary, and can guide the University’s planning in the years ahead. A 35-member strategic renewal advisory committee reviewed conversations and input from more than 1,100 people to identify five intersecting themes that form the basis of the new strategic framework. Those themes include inspiring learning and inquiry; catalyzing discovery and change; connecting communities; stewarding valued resources; and nurturing a distinctive university culture. Each theme includes objectives and questions to support development of University plans. The draft framework was presented to Senate in May and to the Board of Governors in June. After discussing the key points and how it will shape future decisions, both groups unanimously approved the document. The framework will inform institutional planning and decisionmaking, including the University’s strategic mandate agreement with the provincial government; its strategic research plan that defines relationships with external funders; and new initiatives and programs.
For more information, visit uoguelph.ca/strategicrenewal. @porticomag
CAMPUS NEWS
NOTEWORTHY
Author Lawrence Hill joins U of G Lawrence Hill, one it has been translated of Canada’s most into 10 languages and esteemed writers and published around the cultural voices, has been world. appointed a creative The novel received writing professor in the numerous accolades, College of Arts. He including the Rogers started in July. Writers’ Trust Fiction “I have always loved to Prize, the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize and teach, mentor and Lawrence Hill’s CBC’s Canada Reads. It encourage developing latest novel, was made into an writers, and I can’t think The Illegal, won award-winning TV miniof a more exciting way to CBC’s Canada Reads 2016. series co-written by Hill. embrace that passion His latest novel, The Illegal, won and to support the world of Canada Reads 2016. Inspired by Canadian letters than to join the stories of refugees around the School of English and Theatre world, it’s also being adapted for a Studies at the University of television miniseries. Guelph,” says Hill. A member of the Order of Among his 10 books of fiction and non-fiction, Hill’s best-known Canada, Hill currently chairs the work is The Book of Negroes. Since jury for the 2016 Scotiabank Giller its publication in Canada in 2007, Prize, Canada’s top literary award. CAMPUS NEWS
Plans begin for relocation of Guelph Turfgrass Institute New turfgrass plots will soon be growing in the University of Guelph’s Arboretum. After site preparations, grass plots were planted in the north section of the arboretum in May. Once mature, the grasses will become part of the Guelph Turfgrass Institute (GTI), relocating to the arboretum in 2018. Established in 1987, the GTI is a world-class centre for turfgrass research, education, service and professional development. U of G manages the institute under its enhanced partnership with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. U of G’s Board of Governors approved the relocation
Attracting aboriginal scholars and students A new initiative to attract more First Nations, Métis and Inuit scholars and learners to U of G includes hiring five tenure-track aboriginal faculty members and creating five new graduate awards for aboriginal scholars. The project, believed to be the most comprehensive initiative of its kind in Ontario, will also expand undergraduate research opportunities for aboriginal students and create an aboriginal artistin-residence program.
during its June 2015 meeting. Plans call for construction of a new facility in 2017. The GTI building will remain open until its planned relocation in fall 2018. The new location is a nearly sevenhectare parcel in the arboretum off College Avenue East, southeast of Cutten Fields Golf Club. The land is now mostly old-field meadow. The proposed plan includes installation of turfgrass research plots and greens, an irrigation pond, two stormwater retention ponds and an upgrade of existing facilities at the new site.
Summer 2016 PORTICO | 9
Discovery RESEARCH, INNOVATION, IDEAS NOTEWORTHY
FINDINGS
Program to reduce childhood obesity has extended benefits An educational program offered to parents and young children at community centres may provide benefits beyond its initial goal of reducing childhood obesity, according to a new study published in the Canadian Journal of Public Health. The pilot study found that parents in the Parents and Tots Together (PTT) program reported less stress and better management of their children’s general behaviour. PTT had a minimal influence on children’s body mass index (BMI). Over the nine-week program, the researchers invited parents and children aged two to five to community centres for weekly dinners. After the meal, the parents discussed topics with a community worker and dietitian while their children took part in educational programming. The parents then attempted to change their children’s behaviour during the week, including more sleep and physical activity, less screen time and fewer sugar-sweetened drinks. The program also attempted to improve parents’ feeding practices. Following up nine months later, the research10 | PORTICO Summer 2016
ers found most parents felt their general parenting abilities had improved. Changing children’s lifestyle and eating habits early in life has benefits, says senior author Prof. Jess Haines, Family Relations and Applied Nutrition. “This age is when behaviour patterns are being formed in children; we know that kids who are overweight by the age of six will generally be overweight as teens and young adults,” she says. Haines says the researchers wanted to look beyond BMI alone. “To see drastic changes in children so young would be challenging to see; we focus more on healthy behaviours,” she says. PhD student and lead author Kathryn Walton says concerns about their children’s weight were a low priority for most parents taking part in the PTT program. “The primary draw for most people was about general parenting, specifically discipline and limit-setting,” she says. The researchers are now considering expanding the program, including modifying it for the workplace.
U of G joins big data consortium The University of Guelph has joined a collaborative research and development consortium in advanced computing and big data analytics. The Southern Ontario Smart Computing Innovation Platform (SOSCIP) brings together academic researchers, government and industry leaders to work on advanced computing and “big data” projects with strong potential for commercialization. Supported by the Canadian and provincial governments, the consortium is made up of 15 Ontario universities and colleges, as well as the Ontario Centres of Excellence and IBM Canada Ltd. The group will give U of G access to advanced computing platforms, resources and expertise available nowhere else in Canada. SOSCIP focuses on such applications as advanced manufacturing, digital media, cybersecurity, mining, health, water, energy and cities. “Big data extends across all of University of Guelph’s research strengths, from agri-food science and biodiversity genomics, to water engineering, environmental monitoring and digital humanities,” says Malcolm Campbell, U of G’s vice-president (research).
ASK THE EXPERT
My lawn is overrun with weeds. What can I do?
FINDINGS
PHOTOS: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM
Exercise keeps muscles young Prof. Jeff Power has uncovered the “secret” to staying strong as we age: superb fitness. His research shows elderly people who were elite athletes in their youth or later in life — and who still compete as masters athletes — have much healthier muscles at the cellular level compared to those of non-athletes. The study, published in the Journal of Applied Physiology, compared world-class track and field athletes in their 80s with people of the same age who are living independently. There have been few such studies of aging and muscle weakening in masters athletes in this age group. “One of the most unique and novel aspects of this study is the exceptional participants,” says Power, Department of Human Health and Nutritional Sciences. “These are individuals in their 80s and 90s who actively compete in world masters track and field championships. We have seven world champions. These individuals are the crème de la crème of aging.” The study found that athletes’ legs were 25 per cent stronger on average and had about 14 per cent more total muscle mass. In addition, the athletes had nearly one-third more motor units in their leg muscles than non-athletes. More motor units, consisting of nerve and muscle fibres, mean more muscle mass and subsequently greater strength. With normal aging, the nervous system loses motor neurons, leading to a loss of motor units, reduced muscle mass, and less strength, speed and power. That process speeds up substantially past age 60. “Exercise is definitely an important contributor to functional performance,” he says, adding that even nonathletes can benefit. “Staying active, even later in life, can help reduce muscle loss.” But, he adds, “we cannot rule out the importance of genetics.” He said further research is needed to determine whether muscle health in elite athletes comes from training or genes.
If the grass is always greener on the other side of your fence, plant agriculture professor Katerina Serlemitsos Jordan has tips to help you grow your own healthy lawn. An avid golfer, she has a PhD in turf pathology and now works with golf courses, athletic fields and sod farms to diagnose and treat lawn problems. Weeds are among the biggest enemies of a healthy lawn, taking advantage of weaknesses such as poor soil and lack of nutrients. Lawns face a constant barrage of weed seeds from the air — one dandelion can produce more than 2,000 parachute-equipped seeds per year. The same conditions that are bad for grass are ideal for weeds: lack of fertilizer, aeration and water. “I would say 80 to 90 per cent of the time that we see a really weedy lawn, it’s because that lawn hasn’t been looked after.” Nitrogen is key to a healthy lawn, so choose a fertilizer that contains this nutrient. But fertilizer alone won’t help a lawn that is more than half weeds. That’s when a lawn needs intensive care. Serlemitsos Jordan recommends removing as many weeds as possible by hand and filling each hole with topsoil, grass seeds and fertilizer to prevent weeds from returning. “Even if you get to half of them, it gives your grass a fighting chance.” For those who prefer chemical warfare, she recommends hiring a lawn care company to apply an approved herbicide. Another common mistake that homeowners make is letting their lawn grow too long and then cutting it too short. Removing more than one-third of the grass blade stresses the plant, so mow more often and cut off less. Make sure your blades are sharp, since a clean cut heals better and retains moisture. –SUSAN BUBAK
Tips to make your lawn healthier 1
Feed your lawn with a slow-release fertilizer with nitrogen.
2 Aerate your lawn in the fall to reduce compaction and allow oxygen into the soil. 3 Plant hardier grass species like fescue.
For additional resources, visit www.plant.uoguelph.ca. @porticomag
Summer 2016 PORTICO | 11
Discovery
FINDINGS
Bee flower choices are altered by exposure to pesticides
“BEES RELY ON LEARNING TO LOCATE FLOWERS, TRACK THEIR PROFITABILITY AND WORK OUT HOW BEST TO EFFICIENTLY EXTRACT NECTAR AND POLLEN.”
Low levels of pesticides can impact the foraging behaviour of bumblebees on wildflowers, changing their floral preferences and hindering their ability to learn the skills needed to extract nectar and pollen, according to a study coauthored by Prof. Nigel Raine, School of Environmental Sciences. The study, published in Functional Ecology, is the first to explore how pesticides may impact the ability of bumblebees to forage from common wildflowers that have complex shapes such as white clover and bird’s foot trefoil. Bees and other insects pollinate many of the world’s important food crops and wild plants, raising serious concerns about the impacts of reported global pollinator declines on food security and biodiversity. The researchers found that bumblebees exposed to a realistic level of a neonicotinoid insecticide (thiamethoxam) collected more pollen but took longer to do so than control bees. Pesticide-exposed bees also chose to forage from a different flower than the control bees. “Bees rely on learning to locate flowers, track their profitability and
12 | PORTICO Summer 2016
work out how best to efficiently extract nectar and pollen,” says Raine. “If exposure to low levels of pesticide affects their ability to learn, bees may struggle to collect food, and impair the essential pollination services they provide to both crops and wild plants.” Previous studies have found that exposure to neonicotinoid pesticides can cause changes in the brain, more specifically in the areas associated with learning and memory in honeybees. In this new study, the researchers found that, while bumblebees exposed to pesticides collected more pollen than control bees, control bees were able to learn how to manipulate these complex flowers after fewer visits. “Our results suggest that current levels of pesticide exposure could be significantly affecting how bees are interacting with wild plants, and impairing the crucial pollination services they provide that support healthy ecosystem function,” says Raine.
Working toward a password-free world Keeping your mobile phone secure and protected is important to avoid identity theft and other security compromises. But phone passwords can be hard to remember, and current authentication methods are cumbersome. One day you may not need passwords at all, thanks to research involving Google’s Advanced Technology and Projects team (ATAP) and University of Guelph researchers. Engineering professor Graham Taylor and graduate student Griffin Lacey, along with Google’s ATAP, are developing a new phone security mechanism based on user habits. “Mobile users find typing in passwords intrusive to their enjoyment of the phone,” says Lacey. “So we’re looking for a solution that could help improve the usability of their devices.” As part of what Google ATAP calls a “research sprint,” Lacey took part in ATAP’s Project Abacus for three months at Google’s California headquarters, where he helped with a learning problem called continuous authentication, or guaranteeing user identity through multiple phone sensors such as touchscreen and keyboard input and images. Google ATAP contacted Taylor as an expert on machine learning. This computational technique essentially teaches computers to learn like humans by finding patterns in large amounts of raw data. In one form of machine learning called deep learning, a computer is taught to recognize patterns within multiple kinds of data — sound, images, keystrokes — and place them into categories. The device can then use the computer equivalent of a human’s neural pathways to distinguish between individuals.
PHOTOS: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM
RESEARCH BRIEF
FINDINGS
LEADING EDGE
Homeless youth with pets less depressed, less likely to use drugs
Reducing food waste Plant agriculture professor Gale Bozzo is studying how to store apples and pears so they last longer in an effort to reduce food waste.
A new study led by researchers at the Ontario Veterinary College (OVC) shows that homeless youth with pets are less likely to engage in potentially harmful behaviour, are three times less likely to be depressed and are more likely to open up to veterinarians about their personal challenges. However, the team found that pets can make it difficult for their owners to obtain social services. The study looked at 198 street youth in Toronto, Ottawa, Kingston and Hamilton who were in shelters and drop-in centres. Among the participants, 98 had a pet and 100 did not. Many youth are very open to discussing their struggles and issues with veterinarians, says
Programming unpredictability Engineering professor Medhat Moussa is developing robots for “unpredictable” greenhouse applications such as picking tomatoes.
Researchers studied homeless youth in Toronto, Ottawa, Kingston and Hamilton.
lead author Michelle Lem, DVM ’01, M.Sc. ’12, and founder and director of Community Veterinary Outreach, a volunteer group providing mobile veterinary services to homeless people in Toronto, Hamilton, Kitchener-Waterloo, Guelph and Ottawa. Calling for pet-friendly shelters, she says, “So many of these youth have lost trust in people, and the
animal gives them unconditional love. They will do anything for their pets, which means they are less likely to commit potentially harmful acts, but also face more challenges with accessing housing, health care or addiction treatment services.” The study is the first of its kind to look at the benefits of pet ownership among homeless youth in Canada.
U of G ‘water magnets’ in moisturizers
Transforming plant production
The water-retaining properties of certain nanoparticles first discovered by U of G physics professor John Dutcher and his research team will be contained in three new moisturizer brands and new anti-aging cosmetics. These “water magnets” hold water much longer and more consistently than other moisturizing agents.
Researchers studying Arabidopsis, a small flowering plant often used in lab studies, found that inserting a particular corn enzyme caused its growth rate to double and increased seed production by more than 400 per cent. The discovery could help transform food and biofuel production, and increase carbon capture on farmland.
High produce prices affecting buying, eating habits
PHOTOS: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM
IN THE NEWS
@porticomag
Food for thought Food science professor Lisa Duizer is studying the sensory capabilities of elderly eaters to help make meals healthier in long-term care facilities.
A new survey conducted by U of G’s Food Institute shows rising fresh fruit and vegetable prices have changed Canadians’ purchasing behaviours, from reducing consumption to product substitution to buying frozen vegetables. In the past year, produce prices have increased an average of 14 per cent and fruit prices 11 per cent.
Summer 2016 PORTICO | 13
WHO
Jake Reinhart, BA ’13
JOB
Long snapper for the Toronto Argonauts JAKE REINHART has the muscular frame of a construction worker or a pro athlete. He’s actually both, playing in the Canadian Football League (CFL) from June to November and doing home renovation work during the off season. At six feet tall and 225 pounds, the third-year Toronto Argonaut has thick arms and wrists, which make him one of the CFL’s best long snappers. With his sunglasses perched atop his head, holding back his goldenbrown hair, the 26-year-old has the look of a surfer, complete with glistening smile and easygoing charm. But looks are deceiving. Surfers don’t heed the clock or routine. For Reinhart, life on the field and even at home is all about clockwork routine and simple rhythms. As a long snapper, Reinhart spends hours perfecting the timing of snapping the ball back 15 yards to an exact point on the punter’s right hip, and seven yards back to the field-goal kicker with exactly 2 1/2 revolutions.
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At home, life takes on a familiar rhythm, too. He and his two brothers, Job, 21, and Will, 24, live at home with parents, John and Ellen. When they aren’t with their girlfriends, the brothers are hopping on mountain bikes and riding the trails near their home. John raised his family on the same street where he grew up in Guelph and the university has been the centre of the family’s life for decades. John, 57, earned a horticulture diploma in 1985, and is U of G’s grounds department manager. He’s been working at the school for close to 40 years. Jake graduated from the geography program in 2013, while Job is coming off a rookie-of-the-year campaign with the Gryphons. Too light to be a regular centre, Jake is happy to be a specialist, even if there’s little glory in the job. But he’s doing his part to make the position cool. In a series of popular CFL videos, Reinhart has performed a variety of “trick snaps,” including clanking
the ball off the uprights from long range and snapping the ball through a small opening of a passing tractor into the arms of a receiver. Jake and Job have followed similar paths on the field, both playing quarterback in high school before switching to linebacker in university. In Jake’s third year at U of G, defensive line coach Brian Cluff encouraged him to specialize as a long snapper. “He said that I was a quarterback, so I’d be doing the same thing, only throwing it between my legs,” Reinhart recalls. Reinhart catches the Gryphons games when he can. “He had a great first year,” he says of his brother’s team, which advanced to the Mitchell Bowl after a 7-1 regular-season record. “He’s definitely getting noticed. He’s really strong and fast.” But brotherly love sometimes takes a back seat to sibling rivalry. “My brother is probably five pounds heavier, but I’m stronger and faster,” Reinhart says with a big laugh. “That’s what I tell him anyway.” –CURTIS RUSH
PHOTO: JOHN E. SOKOLOWSKI / TORONTO ARGONAUTS
On the job
Q& A Author Gregory Klages investigates the mysterious death of iconic Canadian landscape painter Tom Thomson
PHOTO: GEORGE NIKITARAS
On July 8, 1917, renowned Canadian artist Tom Thomson, 39, disappeared during a canoe trip on Canoe Lake in Algonquin Park. His body was discovered eight days later. Today his death is still shrouded in mystery: was it an accident, suicide or murder? Where are his remains buried? An instructor at the University of Guelph-Humber, Gregory Klages, BA ’94, MA ’02, has been studying the circumstances of Thomson’s death for 10 years and examines the evidence in a new book, The Many Deaths of Tom Thomson: Separating Fact from Fiction. On the eve of the centenary of Thomson’s death, Portico spoke with Klages about the painter’s demise. P: Why has this mystery captivated people for almost 100 years? Gregory Klages: Thomson died a tragic, mysterious death and the “facts” have never stabilized long enough to get boring. Human remains discovered decades after his death suggest an entirely alternate version of events from the original account. Eyewitness testimony changed repeatedly and new “witnesses” were still coming forward 60 years after the fact. It seems like the plot of a bestselling crime fiction. P: Why is there so much controversy over Thomson’s burial place? GK: Thomson’s body was buried in Algonquin Park the day after it was found. His family immediately had his remains exhumed and reburied near Owen Sound. Still, some believe his body was never moved. They claim remains found in the park in 1956 are @porticomag
Thomson’s, despite contrary findings by police forensic experts. P: What kind of evidence do you look at in your book? GK: I consider the abundant documents produced by Thomson, his friends and family before and after his death. I also closely consider materials produced by those who have investigated Thomson’s death over the last century to help understand how the story about his death has evolved. P: What about forensics performed in 2010 that suggest the body in the grave at Canoe Lake — found with a hole in the skull — is indeed Tom Thomson? GK: In The Many Deaths of Tom Thomson I explain how those findings are dubious. The forensics
WHY YOU KNOW HIM Thomson influenced a group of Canadian painters that would come to be known as the Group of Seven. In 2009, his painting Early Spring, Canoe Lake sold for almost $2.75 million at auction.
involved is quite subjective — it doesn’t involve anything nearly as authoritative as DNA, for example. Much of the argument for Thomson’s body remaining in the park is very difficult to reconcile with evidence from 1917. P: What do you think happened? GK: I will say this: I consider the most popular theories about how Thomson died — accident, murder, suicide — and offer a comprehensive review of the evidence related to the case. I also subject almost a century of speculation to rigorous analysis. The approach reveals deep flaws in some of the main theories — I hope as the book progresses, what happened to Thomson emerges as obvious. Of course, it will be up to readers to decide if they are as convinced. –TERESA PITMAN Summer 2016 PORTICO | 15
FROM HARDSHIP TO HOPE
U OF G GRADUATES HAVE FORMED A NETWORK OF SUPPORT TO HELP REFUGEES MAKE A FRESH START
Story by Andrew Vowles Illustrations by Gary Clement
A
s an immigration and refugee lawyer in Toronto, Jackie Swaisland has encountered her share of horror stories about the ordeals of migrants. Still, when news outlets broadcast images last fall of three-year-old Alan Kurdi, who drowned in the Mediterranean Sea, the Syrian refugee crisis took on added poignancy. Swaisland had
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just returned to work from her first maternity leave. “Like parents all across the world, I thought: ‘What if that had been my daughter?,’” she says. “It struck really close to home.” She felt driven to act. She’s one of many U of G graduates who are helping refugees or internally displaced people, now numbering in the tens of millions worldwide. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
says those numbers have reached their highest point since the Second World War, driven by recent conflicts in Syria and Iraq. Ripples from the Middle East have reached other parts of the globe, notably Europe, where Edward Koning grew up in the Netherlands. The U of G political science professor — and, as of last year, a permanent Canadian resident — says Canada’s geographical distance
@porticomag
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PRACTISING REFUGEE LAW INVOLVES A HIGH PROPORTION OF PRO BONO CASES AND MORE THAN A LITTLE RESILIENCE. allows us to be more selective of prospective migrants than many European countries facing floods of people spilling over their borders. He says we could be doing more. “The story of Canada as the most generous place for refugees is a 18 | PORTICO Summer 2016
little self-congratulatory,” says Koning, who is studying immigration policy in Europe and North America. Referring more generally to the country’s careful selection process for admitting immigrants, he says Canada tends to accept
applicants based on their potential for finding work. Governmentassisted refugees to Canada, who are registered as refugees with the United Nations, receive public assistance for at least a year. Still, there’s no denying the refugee crisis has touched a humanitarian chord in many Canadians, including Swaisland. Stunned by those TV images last fall, she launched the Refugee Sponsorship Support Program (RSSP). Taking time off from her work at Toronto law firm Waldman
matches them with prospective private sponsors. So far, the group has helped sponsors submit applications for about 2,500 refugees — mostly from Syria but also from Burundi, Somalia and Afghanistan. Swaisland now helps run the program’s Toronto chapter. Earlier, Swaisland served as co-counsel in a successful court challenge of cuts to federal health-
often have a legal background.” Practising refugee law involves a high proportion of pro bono cases and more than a little resilience. “You deal with people who have faced trauma and who have been through things nobody should have to deal with.” While at U of G, Swaisland was involved in student governance and worked on Interhall Council. So
“ MY PATIENTS HAVE BEEN THROUGH HORRIBLE LIFE-CHANGING EVENTS. HELPING THEM MOVE PAST THAT IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF SETTLING INTO CANADA.”
and Associates, Swaisland, BA ’03, worked with University of Ottawa law professor Jennifer Bond to enlist practitioners across Canada for this new venture. Under the network, legal experts offer pro bono services to groups and individuals looking to privately sponsor refugees to Canada. Within days, they received more than 100 responses. Today, the network involves 1,300 lawyers and law students in 11 major centres. The RSSP trains lawyers in refugee sponsorship issues and @porticomag
care benefits for refugees imposed in 2012 by the former Conservative government. Earlier this year, the new Liberal government — already committed to resettling thousands of Syrian refugees — restored full benefits. “One hundred thousand refugees have better health care as a result,” says Swaisland, 35. “It’s amazing, knowing that you have been a small part of helping so many people. How often do you have an opportunity to help on that kind of scale?” Swaisland arrived at U of G to study philosophy with a minor in business. “I wanted a university with a sense of community and I heard that Guelph was social justice-oriented.” She went on to complete degrees at Queen’s University and Harvard Law School, and has worked at Waldman and Associates since 2009. “Lawyers are people who can evoke change in society,” she says. “People who can challenge how things work and enter politics
did Michael Stephenson, who came to U of G to study biomedical science. After graduating in 2002, he went to medical school. One day he heard a talk by a man who had been tortured in Iran and said Canada’s health-care system had been vital to his recovery. “I’ve always been interested in the care of more vulnerable populations,” says Stephenson, who spent time travelling through Central and South America, Asia and East Africa. His residency took him to a Montreal clinic where half of the patients were refugees. Later he worked in Toronto at Access Alliance Multicultural Health and Community Services, a community health centre focused on refugees. After moving to Kitchener, Ont., in 2012, he realized that services were lacking right where he lived. “I heard again and again there was a huge need in the region,” he says. “Refugees were facing a lot of access issues, and health providers misunderstood coverage and entitlement. I heard stories of insured Summer 2016 PORTICO | 19
refugees being turned away from walk-in clinics and emergency rooms.” Working with local social service agencies, he established Sanctuary Refugee Health Centre in 2013. Today about 1,400 patients — mostly from the Middle East — are registered with the clinic. Stephenson, 37, retains a full-time social worker and a registered nurse, as well as
established in Canada,” he says. “My patients have been through horrible life-changing events. Helping them move past that is an important part of settling into Canada.” Recalling his anger over the 2012 health-care cuts, he says he was among numerous practitioners who joined the court challenge to overturn that decision. Prof. Edward Koning’s research
“ IT’S AMAZING, KNOWING THAT YOU HAVE BEEN A SMALL PART OF HELPING SO MANY PEOPLE.” other part-time specialists. He relies on volunteer receptionists, nurses and translators. Funding and administration are ongoing challenges, but he loves helping to improve people’s health and change their lives. “I have the good fortune of being able to assist somebody to become
U OF G’S HISTORY OF HELPING Since 2010, U of G has sponsored 13 refugees from several African countries. U of G funds tuition, meal plans and residence accommodations for refugee students during their first year. The university is welcoming two Syrian refugee students under a special sponsorship arrangement for students fleeing the war-torn country. In January, Sara Kuwatly was the first to arrive under the Student Refugee Program run by the local chapter of the World University Service of Canada — she’s enrolled in a general science degree program. A second student is expected to start at U of G in the fall semester. For more information visit www.uoguelph.ca/community/ newcomer-resources. 20 | PORTICO Summer 2016
also looks at migrants’ access to health benefits and social services. He says the Harper government invoked fairness and equitable access to health care to justify its cuts. Right idea, wrong approach, he says. To ensure the best chance of integration and to quell tensions between groups, Koning says the same benefits and social services need to be offered to all migrants. Earlier this year, Koning found himself in demand as a local speaker on the Mediterranean refugee crisis. That’s where he met Jaya James, B.Comm. ’02, a policy adviser with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs based in Guelph. When Ottawa announced plans last year to accept 25,000 Syrian refugees to Canada, James, 38, was drawn to the mounting efforts to sponsor local refugees and raise funds. She took a six-month leave from work to devote her efforts fulltime to the cause as the volunteer director of Guelph’s Refugee Sponsorship Forum (RSF), which supports private refugee sponsors in the city. The organization recruits, trains and screens volunteers for various tasks, including
transportation, housing, food and clothing collection, counselling for work and health care, and English-language training for new arrivals. More than 800 volunteers are organized into teams under the RSF umbrella. “There’s a sense of relief because they got out [of the country], but there’s also anxiety because they had to leave some immediate family behind,” says James of the new arrivals she’s met, including many multigenerational families. “You can see how grateful they are, but also how concerned they are.” By the time her volunteer appointment ended in late June, more than 20 families — mostly from Syria — had settled in Guelph and Wellington County. She expects to join the forum’s advisory committee and help with fundraising: the group hopes to raise $100,000 to support RSF operations until the end of 2017. Last spring, Stephenson returned to campus to deliver the Last Lecture to the 2015 graduating class. He says U of G introduced critical thinking skills and enabled him to investigate history, political science and the arts — all useful grounding for dealing with humanitarian issues. He encouraged graduates to apply these skills to make a difference in the world. Next spring, it will be Swaisland’s turn to deliver the Last Lecture. Before that, her volunteer work is being recognized this year by awards from the Canadian Association of Refugee Lawyers and the Advocates’ Society, and with a Precedent Setter Award for being a “leader of tomorrow.” She says much of her conviction stems from her U of G days. There’s a sense of enthusiasm and optimism around campus, she says: “There’s bad in the world, so let’s go help fix it.”
University of Guelph Alumni Travel Program
Exclusive educational trip for U of G Alumni and Friends: Namibia, Africa Join the University of Guelph’s Chris Earley on a journey to Namibia to discover an unspoiled country and an eclectic mosaic of cultures. You will see surreal landscapes, discover a rich natural and cultural heritage, meet Namibia’s friendly people and view wildlife to your heart’s content! Optional post-tour extension to Botswana and Victoria Falls. Visit alumni.uoguelph.ca/travel or call 519-824-4120, x 56934 or 1-888-266-3108
Designing
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g woman Shannon Passero’s flourishing textile and design company is sustainable, ethical and profitable Story by Susan Bubak // Photography by Dean Palmer
Y
ou won’t find any stamps or envelopes in the old post office building in Thorold, Ont., but you will find unique clothing and accessories made locally and around the world. Clothing and textile designer Shannon Passero and her husband, Michael, transformed the former government building into a niche boutique called The Post Office. The store caters to socially-conscious consumers who care about what they buy, where it comes from and the people who made it. The store features a colourful assortment of products, from handstamped pewter jewelry made by an artisan in Thailand to preserves from Niagara-on-the-Lake. Along with a team of buyers, Passero handpicks all of the merchandise — more than 20,000 items from 200 vendors — and every item has a Designer Shannon Passero in her retail space in Thorold, Ont.
@porticomag
story. “We know where everything’s coming from and the accountability of it, which is refreshing,” she says. She also wants her customers to have a memorable shopping experience, from the moment they walk through the door and smell the handmade soaps to when they make their purchase. When was the last time your receipt came in a small hand-beaded purse? “It all works together in this amazing little spot,” says Passero, 43. “The way retail is going is that people want a great experience. The whole ‘shop local’ thing is great, but people want to have good value, they want to have friendly service and different products. It’s a simple equation, but it’s very difficult to get.” Passero, BFA ’95, is a veteran of the fashion world, getting her start in 1998 when she co-founded and designed her first clothing line, Pure Handknit Designs, a collection of hand-knit sweaters with distinctively crafted buttons. In 2006 she launched Neon Buddha, a lifestyle
clothing collection. Today, she designs clothing for both multimilliondollar brands under the umbrella Shannon Passero Designs. High-end retailers such as Bloomingdales, Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus carry Passero’s designs, along with more than 2,500 specialty stores in North America, Europe and Australia. Originally from Welland, Ont., Passero and her husband decided to put down roots and open a bricks and mortar store in Thorold to be close to their families. In 2013, Passero opened her first retail location in the Old Firehall (also named after its former life) down the street from The Post Office and now uses it as a design studio. Her style inspiration comes from being a working mom — all of her clothes are wash and wear. When the store outgrew the 800square-foot fire hall, she moved into the 6,500-square-foot post office in August 2015. Both heritage buildings underwent extensive renovations to bring them up to Summer 2016 PORTICO | 23
modern building standards while preserving their historical character. “The community at large felt this project was so important to Thorold and Niagara as a whole,” says Passero. Every item in the store reflects a commitment to sustainable production and respect for the workers who made it. Much of the knitwear is handmade in Thailand. The coconut-shell buttons are one of Passero’s trademarks. “That was a way of differentiating ourselves in the market,” says Passero, who is wearing a dress and tights from The Post Office and several necklaces from the store, two of which bear “E” and “V” pendants — the initials of her two daughters, Elizabeth, 2, and Victoria, 4. In the wake of the 2013 garment factory collapse that claimed the lives of more than 1,100 workers in Bangladesh, Pure Handknit and Neon Buddha have set themselves apart from other clothing lines. More than 6,000 people in Thailand have worked for Passero’s collections over the past 18 years, all of them receiving a living wage, paid health care, including a maternity leave that’s twice as long as the state standard, a daily hot meal, and English and Thai classes. Some of them have graduated with master’s degrees; others have become the first generation in their families to send their children to university. A large number of her managers are female, a rarity in the clothing industry, she says.
Passero works on her clothing lines in her design studio, above. In her retail store, below, Passero handpicks all of the merchandise and knows the story behind every item and vendor.
Every item in the store reflects a commitment to sustainable production and respect for the workers who made it. 24 | PORTICO Summer 2016
The manufacturing facilities are environmentally friendly, with energy-efficient fluorescent light bulbs and a biomass power plant, which produces power and heat using recycled agricultural waste. “From an entrepreneurial respect, you want to do business in a way that makes sense on many levels: having a product that you feel good about, having a product that’s saleable and that’s not leaving a huge imprint on the environment,” she says of her business philosophy. She admits it’s not easy to provide
these benefits to her workers but that her time in Guelph, both as a student and as a resident for 10 years after graduation, influenced her mindset. She also praises consumers for becoming more aware of where their purchases come from and how they’re made. Starting a business with a foreign supplier posed unique challenges, including cultural and language differences. Although most of her contacts in Thailand speak English, she finds they’re reluctant to be critical. “In Southeast Asia, they
don’t like to use the word ‘bad,’” says Passero, so she asks if a product is “good or not so good.” Passero recently received an honorary degree from Niagara College and was invited to speak at the school’s 2016 convocation. Among her advice to graduands were to have “respect for others” and “be gentle to the Earth,” which are the cornerstones of her business. She credits her own education at U of G for instilling an appreciation for sustainability. “Guelph empowered us to feel like we could change things — that always stuck with me. There’s a right way to do business and that’s always stuck with me as well.” She attributes much of her success to “not a lot of strategy, but a lot of luck.” Her entrepreneurialism started in high school, when she sold her own handmade creations at craft shows — she sold greeting cards at the Guelph Farmers’ Market. Working for retail clothing stores pointed her toward a career in fashion. With the goal of helping other women entrepreneurs succeed, she launched the Shannon Passero Women in Business Grant in 2013. Two grants valued at $12,500 each are awarded annually to female entrepreneurs in Ontario who have been in business for at least three years and follow Passero’s tenets of producing goods ethically and sustainably. “I’m amazed there’s so much talent in Ontario, especially here in Niagara,” she says, adding The Post Office carries many of the winners’ products. Passero says even after more than two decades in business she’s still learning. She wishes she’d had a mentor when she was starting out and now dedicates a few hours every Friday to mentoring others. “The need for women to mentor other women in business — we have to do it.” @porticomag
Bringing heritage buildings back to life The old fire hall and post office in Thorold, Ont., could have stood empty and in disrepair if it weren’t for the vision of local residents Shannon and Michael Passero, who saw retail potential in both buildings. “It’s important to be part of restoring history,” says Michael, Shannon Passero in front of the BA ’93. His family operates heritage fire hall that now houses Silvergate Homes, which her design studio. completed the restoration work. Under the Ontario Heritage Act, any renovations to a heritage building must be in keeping with its time period. Preserving a building’s historical character while improving its energy efficiency is costly and time-consuming, but that didn’t deter the couple. Michael’s expertise in designing energy-efficient homes combined with Shannon’s eye for design helped Thorold reclaim part of its historical identity. Once used to hang fire hoses to dry, the fire hall’s bell tower is one of its most distinguishing features. In strong winds, the tower would sway, so the couple hired a structural engineer to reinforce it with internal bracing that was invisible from the outside. Layers of paint were removed from the window frames to reveal their original black colour, which was matched when they were repainted. Set against the red brick walls, the black window frames create a “striking contrast,” says Michael. Built in 1935, the post office is clad in Queenston limestone. “It’s such a beautiful stone,” he says, and after a thorough cleaning, “the spark from the stone is back.” The stone capping on the roof was painstakingly recreated using casts of the originals. Instead of replacing the windows, the couple reglazed and repaired them. Each window was then inspected for historical integrity and energy efficiency. The elevator, with its top- and bottom-closing doors, was restored and is now used to move inventory. The vault in the basement had to be unlocked by a locksmith. “It took the locksmith two days to open it,” says Michael. The restoration of the post office received a Niagara Community Design award and was featured in Heritage magazine.—SB Shannon and Michael Passero outside the restored post office, now Shannon’s retail store.
Summer 2016 PORTICO | 25
Spotlight
HAULENA HELPS RESCUE MORE THAN 100 MARINE MAMMALS EACH YEAR WITH THE GOAL OF REHABILITATING AND RELEASING THEM BACK INTO THEIR NATURAL HABITAT.
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In 2014, a baby false killer whale became stranded on Chesterman Beach on the west side of Vancouver Island after becoming separated from its mother. Its skin was cut and bleeding from the rocks, it was suffering from malnutrition and hypothermia, and its chances of survival were less than 10 per cent. Martin Haulena, chief veterinarian at the Vancouver Aquarium, directed his rescue team of eight while obtaining the necessary permits and paperwork to bring the young false killer whale back to the aquarium. Local law enforcement and about 180 volunteers helped the team as they worked to stabilize “Chester” and transport him. “We got him into the pool and he was like a floating log, completely unresponsive,” says Haulena, DVM ’93, M.Sc. ’99. He worked around the clock providing intensive treatment as Chester was fed by syringe and kept afloat using special flotation devices. Today, Chester is healthy and tips the scales at 300 kilograms. “He’s a big energetic goofball who just loves to play,” says Haulena. As an orphan, Chester became a permanent resident and currently shares his pool with dolphin Helen. He is known for his interactions with visitors and has befriended a little boy with autism who visits frequently — when his human friend arrives, Chester will often race around with him on the other side of the pool windows. “To me, that’s a terrific example of how important the human-animal bond is for both people and the
animals under our care,” says Haulena. Chester is one of more than 100 marine mammals that Haulena helps rescue each year — ranging from various types of seals to a porpoise and a killer whale — with the goal of rehabilitating and releasing them back into their natural habitat. Haulena fell in love with marine animals when he was seven years old and touched a dolphin while vacationing in Florida. “I’m one of those lucky kids who got to do what I always wanted to do,” he says. He worked at the Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito, California, for nine years before arriving in Vancouver. His routine at the aquarium includes daily rounds to check on any recovering animals and identify new medical issues. Preventive care for the nearly 1,000 species living at the aquarium is a priority: a recent day included a physical exam on a sea otter and a necropsy on a mudskipper. Haulena says caring for the aquarium’s animals allows veterinarians to study them in-depth, providing knowledge that helps with their rescue work and contributes to better care for animals in the wild. Through his work treating a sea lion with cancer, for example, Haulena and his team developed a method to remotely sedate wild sea lions that have become entangled in debris and garbage. This causes considerable suffering and can be fatal to the animals, and disentangling them from a boat in open
PHOTO: VANCOUVER AQUARIUM
Living the life aquatic
Through his work with sea lions, Haulena has developed a method to remotely sedate animals that have become entangled in debris to safely treat them.
water can be dangerous — Haulena is the only veterinarian in Canada able to perform these rescues. His technique, which he’s shared with other rescue groups, has helped save many more sea lions. Haulena is currently studying the sea star wasting syndrome that is causing sea stars along the Pacific Coast to die off. “Working with the sea stars has helped me appreciate the diversity of life on this planet,” he says. “As a kid, I thought dolphins were cool. But this work reminds me that all forms of life are so precious, and so vulnerable to what we as humans are doing to them. I’m grateful to be able to do even a little to help them.”
Grad unsticks herself from corporate world
–TERESA PITMAN
PHOTOS: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM; CBC
u Also at the Vancouver Aquarium LANCE BARRETTLENNARD, B.Sc. ’80, a whale biologist studying the mating patterns of transient whales and the identification of offshore killer whales.
@porticomag
Would you cook more often if you didn’t need to spend as much time cleaning your cookware afterwards? “The number one task consumers dislike the most about food preparation is the time spent cleaning up,” says Kalpana Daugherty. That’s what she told a panel of judges on Dragon’s Den earlier this year when she successfully pitched her UNSTICK collection of reusable, non-stick, heat-resistant sheets and liners for cooking, baking and grilling. She invited judge Joe Mimran, founder of Joe Fresh, to join her onstage while she cooked on an electric grill using her products. The liners are heat-resistant up to 260 C and easy to clean, thanks to the nonstick coating. The products are also non-toxic and FDA-approved, and if cared for properly, the sheets and liners will last for up to 2,000 uses. Daugherty received three offers from the dragons and asked Jim Treliving, owner of Boston Pizza, and Manjit Minhas, co-founder and co-owner of Minhas Breweries and Distillery, to split a $200,000 investment for a 25 per cent share of her company. After graduating from U of G, Daugherty, BA ’97, spent 15 years working in corporate marketing at Kraft, Pepsi and Pizza Hut. Her priorities changed when she and her husband, chiropractor Alrick Daugherty, BA ’93, wanted to start a family and she suffered a miscarriage at work. “It was pretty devastating,” she says. “It just kind of changed my perspective on life. Life is too short.” When she became pregnant again, Daugherty decided to quit her job. A week later, she found out she was having twin girls, who are now seven. During a trip to China, she saw a food vendor barbecuing chicken skewers with a liner on a grill.
Kalpana Daugherty with Joe Mimran during her pitch on Dragon’s Den earlier this year.
“I stopped dead in my tracks because she was cooking them on this material. I stood there thinking how is this material not burning or catching on fire and nothing is sticking to it?” She asked the street vendor what the material was but the language barrier kept her from getting an answer. When Daugherty returned to Canada, she scoured stores for the liners but was unable to find a similar product, so she decided to develop her own. Her biggest challenge was finding out what the liner was made of. A business contact in China pointed her in the right direction and she found a manufacturer there. She began testing her designs in her kitchen, but making 3D paper models proved to be a challenge, so she sent her pots and pans to the manufacturer to mould the liners into the right shape. Her first product was a barbecue-grilling sheet, which goes directly on the grill. UNSTICK now includes a range of liners for bakeware, frying pans and casserole dishes, which are available at grocery, housewares and hardware stores. After less than a year on the market, UNSTICK won a 2015 Product of the Year award. In September, Daugherty will participate in the celebrity-gifting suite for the 2016 Emmy Awards. “I’ve always had an entrepreneurial spirit,” she says. “My dream has always been to take my corporate learning and launch my own brand or product line one day.” – SUSAN BUBAK Have an idea for an alumni spotlight? Send us a note at porticomagazine@uoguelph.ca. Summer 2016 PORTICO | 27
This I know
How to make peace with the trillions of microorganisms that inhabit your body
TOP TIPS TO STAY HEALTHY 1 Wash your hands or use a hand sanitizer. 2 Take a probiotic supplement that contains lactic acid bacteria. 3 Only take antibiotics as a last resort; they don’t treat viral infections.
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common ingredient in these supplements, his “favourite” germ. Bacterial foes include Staphylococcus aureus, which is commonly found on the skin. Antibiotics are the first line of defence against the potentially life-threatening infections it can cause but some strains have become resistant. Another route of infection is the
respiratory tract. Coughing and sneezing send infectious droplets containing cold and flu germs through the air. Tetro says if you’re within six feet, there’s a good chance you’re going to become infected if your immune system isn’t strong enough. Touching your eyes, nose or mouth after touching an infected surface is another mode of transmission.
PHOTO: AMANDA SCOTT
Most people have a love/hate relationship with germs: they love when germs keep them healthy but hate when they make them ill. A sickly childhood didn’t stop Jason Tetro, B.Sc. ’93, from becoming a germ expert and the author of two books: The Germ Code and The Germ Files. Also known as “The Germ Guy,” Tetro wants us to develop a healthy appreciation for the germs that live in, on and around us. “The reality is there’s really no place on Earth that is natural and free of microbiological life,” he says. Recent research suggests that up to one hundred trillion microorganisms inhabit the human body. “For the most Known as part, if you happen to “The Germ have reasonably good Guy,” Jason Tetro wants health, you can find us to develop ways to work with a healthy microbes,” he says. appreciation Distinguishing the for the germs that live in, good ones, what he calls “bystanders” and on and “friends,” from the bad around us. ones, or “foes,” is the first step. Those good bacteria help with a variety of physiological functions, including digestion. When bad bacteria get the upper hand, taking a probiotic can help restore the bacterial balance. Tetro is a fan of probiotic supplements and calls Lactobacillus acidophilus, a
Fortunately, practising good hand hygiene by washing with soap and water is one of the easiest ways to stay healthy. Hand sanitizer is the next best thing if you don’t have access to soap and water. “Alcohol basically shuts down everything. A bacterium simply cannot develop resistance to high concentrations — 62 to 70 per cent alcohol — because it’s a physical form of disinfection,” says Tetro. Enclosed spaces where people congregate are bacterial hot spots, and airports are among the most germ-infested. Tetro cultured bacterial samples from touch screens in a Canadian airport and found bacteria as diverse as the global population. “I could not believe what I cultured. Some of the species that I saw, I’m like, ‘I don’t even know what this is.’”
Any form of public transportation is a breeding ground for bacteria. Tetro recently collected samples from a Toronto subway and its passengers — they’re not the only ones going for a ride. A subway pole can have 1,000 microorganisms per 10 square centimetres, but he says only 0.1 per cent are harmful. Tetro wasn’t always pro-germ. During his many illnesses, he says, “I wanted to kill them all because I didn’t want anyone else to go through what I went through.” A bout with pneumonia in his mid-20s turned him from germ warrior to pacifist. He changed his diet to include more fruits, vegetables and fermented foods, and started taking probiotic supplements. “I haven’t had an antibiotic since nor have I needed one.” –SUSAN BUBAK
THE “FIVE-SECOND” RULE FACT OR FICTION? We’ve all heard, or practised, the old adage: if food falls on the ground, it’s OK to eat it if less than five seconds have passed. Here’s what “The Germ Guy” says:
“ If you accidentally drop food on the ground, the stickier the food, the more likely it will pick up microbes. But this may not be a problem. If you know how clean the surface is, you shouldn’t have to worry about eating it. But if you are unsure, it may be better to discard it because you might end up suffering.”
Create a legacy that lasts forever. Start planning yours today. To learn more about bequests and planned giving, contact Ross Butler at 519-824-4120, ext. 56196, or bequests@uoguelph.ca
@porticomag
Summer 2016 PORTICO | 29
Congratulations
T h e U n i vers it y o f Gu elph Alum ni Association is p leased to recogniz e th re e dis t in g u is h ed alu m ni for their insp ir ing achiev em ents an d commitm ent to excellence.
Harry Brightwell DVM ’56 Alumnus of Honour
Trailblazer Influencer Advocate
Karen Kuwahara B.A.Sc. ’76 Alumni Volunteer Award
Volunteer Leader Mentor
Gavin Armstrong B.Comm. ’11, PhD ’16 Alumni Medal of Achievement
Entrepreneur Activist Ambassador
Excellence
Hear from our winners — watch their videos at
w w w. a l u m n i . u o g u e lp h.ca/award s o f ex cellence
Alumni matters COMING EVENTS Sept. 19, 2016 HAFA/HFTM Alumni Association Golf Tournament Sept. 24, 2016 Homecoming
ALUMNI NEWS
Reconnecting with your alumni family
T
he U of G alumni family is growing strong with more than 122,000 grads living in 150 countries around the world. Much like a family reunion, Alumni Weekend in June brought almost 1,000 alumni back to campus to celebrate. With class reunions, the President’s Milestone Lunch and the Awards of Excellence Gala, there were many reasons and events to celebrate our connections to the University of Guelph. At a family celebration you often get to know some distant family members, and this was the case at the Awards of Excellence Gala. We gathered to honour Harry Brightwell, DVM ’56; Karen Kuwahara, B.A.Sc. ’76; and Gavin Armstrong, B.Comm. ’11, PhD ’16, and we learned so much about each of them and their unique experiences. We met Alumnus of Honour Harry Brightwell and learned about his extraordinary life. He graduated from the Ontario Veterinary College in 1956, and began trailblazing a path of success and service in the veterinary profession. Known for having more than one groundbreaking idea, he established a veterinary buying group in 1972 that now sees sales of $275 million a year. He also made key discoveries for keeping swine healthy, and found time to serve as a Member of Parliament and volunteer for many organizations. We got to know Karen Kuwahara, retired president
and CEO of Nestlé Purina Petcare. During a time when fewer than 25 women were CEOs of Fortune 500 companies, she forged a path and set an incredible example for women in business. As the recipient of the Alumni Volunteer Award, Kuwahara lives and breathes volunteerism, and has served on U of G’s Board of Governors, Campaign Cabinet, and countless advisory boards and committees. We also learned about Gavin Armstrong and the story behind the Lucky Iron Fish. As the recipient of the Alumni Medal of Achievement, Armstrong’s social entrepreneurship is saving lives in developing countries with a simple iron fish that helps prevent anemia and its terrible effects. The idea marries innovation and activism, using business as a source for good. What we learned from our three esteemed alumni at the awards gala is that having a great idea is only part of the picture. You also need passion, purpose and commitment to excellence. By combining these qualities, our alumni are charting new territory, developing life-changing solutions and making a difference in the world. And they’re making their alma mater proud.
Brandon Gorman, B.Comm. ’06 President, UGAA
Jason Moreton, BA ’00 Associate Vice-President Alumni Advancement
Sept. 24, 2016 Gryphon Football Redmen Reunion Oct. 1, 2016 Gryphon Men’s Soccer Reunion Oct. 2, 2016 HK5K Run, hosted by Human Kinetics alumni Oct. 15, 2016 Gryphon Women’s Hockey Reunion Nov. 3, 2016 School of Engineering Alumni Honours & Awards
For details and a full list of events, visit www.alumni. uoguelph.ca/events.
PHOTOS: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM
GRAD PERKS
Toronto Argonauts Save on Argos tickets and cheer them on at their new home, BMO Field! @porticomag
Continuing education U of G’s Open Learning and Educational Support extends educational resources to learners worldwide. Alumni receive a 20 per cent discount on OpenEd programs.
Canada’s Wonderland Summer is here! Alumni receive discounted tickets to Ontario’s premier amusement park. For details on all grad perks, visit www.alumni.uoguelpu.ca/promotions. Summer 2016 PORTICO | 31
Alumni matters FEATURED EVENT
Alumni Weekend highlights In June, almost 1,000 U of G grads attended the marquee alumni event of the year — Alumni Weekend. Reunions, tours and social events for all ages and interests were on the agenda. The event kicked off Friday evening with the Awards of Excellence gala. The sold-out annual celebration of excellence honoured three alumni for their achievements. The President’s Milestone Lunch the following day was also sold out, with 350 grads from 1949 to 2010 celebrating their class anniversaries. There were 23 class reunions held over the weekend, with alumni travelling from across Canada and the U.S. to attend. The Great Gryphon Race had alumni racing across campus on a timed mobile challenge, taking photos and answering U of G trivia questions. The Alumni Pub Night at the Brass Taps featured a beer tasting, marché-style dinner and live music. Special tours allowed grads to see what’s changed on campus and learn more about programs and research. Highlights included an ice cream technology tour, and visits to Macdonald Hall, the arboretum, the School of Engineering and the Livestock Research Innovation Centre in Elora. If you missed Alumni Weekend, mark your calendars for next year’s event June 9-10, 2017. If you are planning a reunion for 2017, we can help. Get in touch at alumni@uoguelph.ca. 32 | PORTICO Summer 2016
(top) Awards of Excellence winners were honoured at a gala celebration; (above, l-r) Gavin Armstrong, B.Comm. ’11, PhD ’16 (Alumni Medal of Achievement); Karen Kuwahara, B.A.Sc. ’76 (Alumni Volunteer Award); Franco Vaccarino, U of G president; and Harry Brightwell, DVM ’56 (Alumnus of Honour). (right) Alumni Pub Night at the Brass Taps featured a craft beer tasting and live music by the GMOs.
Daniel Atlin, vice-president (external), and Roberta Bondar greet each other with a fist bump. Bondar recently had surgery on her hand and was advised to use an alternative to a handshake. OTTAWA EVENT
Reception with Roberta Bondar Roberta Bondar, B.Sc. (Agr.) ’68, Canada’s first female astronaut, was a special guest and speaker at an alumni reception at the National Arts Centre (NAC) in Ottawa in May. The reception was held prior to NAC Orchestra’s Life Reflected performance, which told the stories of four exceptional Canadian women through music, motion and word. Guests enjoyed hearing about Bondar’s 1992 Discovery mission when she became the world’s first neurologist in space. Bondar spoke about how much she loved her time at U of G and how her diverse university experience boosted her chances of selection into the Canadian space program. Almost 100 alumni attended the event, which was hosted by Daniel Atlin, U of G’s vice-president (external).
Grads take a group selfie with the Gryphon statue for the Great Gryphon Race challenge. @porticomag
(l-r) Roberta Bondar with longtime friends Larry (B.Sc. Agr. ’68) and Margaret (B.H.Sc. ’68) Dickenson. Summer 2016 PORTICO | 33
Alumni matters CLASS NOTES
1950s
Bernard Brennan, DVM ’51, was appointed to the Rideau Carleton Raceway Holdings board of directors. He previously co-owned Alta Vista Animal Hospital, the largest veterinary practice in Canada for many years, and served as track vet at Rideau Carleton Raceway.
1960s
Theresa (Terry) Cosgrove, BA ’68, has a piece of art displayed in the Centre for Contemporary Canadian Art database. John Richardson, BA ’68, attended a U of G mini reunion this spring in London, England, and will drive from Alexandria, Egypt, to Cape Town, South Africa, in September with Brian Barclay, BA ’68.
1970s
Barry Heath, DVM ’72, published Mosie and Me: A Veterinarian’s Story, a humorous
book about his summer experiences on his grandparents’ farm that led to his veterinary career.
1980s
Cinda Gault, BA ’76, MA ’94, published a new book called This Godforsaken Place. She is also an English professor at the University of Guelph-Humber. Ian MacPherson, BA ’77, and Valerie (Hanson) MacPherson, BA ’77, sold their retail business in Kenogami, Ont., and are now semi-retired. Ian remains an on-air contributor at CJKL-FM in Kirkland Lake where he has served as weather specialist for 25 years. Catherine Wentworth-Stanley, B.Sc. ’77, received an M.Sc. with distinction in equine science from the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies at the University of Edinburgh in 2013. Steven Oliver, B.Sc. ’79, is happy to report his son, Peter Oliver, has graduated from the environmental sciences program at the University of Guelph.
p Craig Merkley, BA ’80, and daughter Olivia Merkley, B.A.Sc. ’16, hold up a blanket made from U of G paraphernalia. “My stepmom actually came up with the idea for a Christmas/upcoming graduation gift,” says Olivia. “My dad and I are very close, and have really bonded over the fact that we both attended the University of Guelph and our shared love for the school. She thought it would be a nice memento of my time here, as well as my dad’s memories. She made it by hand, using articles of clothing my dad has collected over the years, as well as donations from friends who have also attended Guelph.” Jan Cervelli, BLA ’81, was appointed president of Saint Mary’s College in Notre Dame, Indiana. Jennifer La Chapelle, BA ’81, was elected vice-president/president-elect of the Ontario Public Library Association for 2016-17. Jock Langford, B.Sc. (Agr.) ’82, retired as intellectual property adviser and international negotiator on the Nagoya Protocol (genetic resources). He is consulting on the protection of traditional knowledge and recently opened his online Langford Gallery. Diane McClure, BLA ’82, recently produced an art show called “Home and Away” in London, Ont. The show featured 35 artists who described the Canadian immigrant experience through story and art. Marian Thorpe, B.Sc. (Agr.) ’82, and husband Brian Rennie, PhD ’85, have retired from careers in education with the Halton District School Board. They have spent the past 30 years birding on seven continents and Marian is into her third career as an indie writer, reviewer and editor — her e-books,
34 | PORTICO Summer 2016
Empire’s Daughter and Spinnings, can be found on Amazon. The couple has returned to Guelph, living less than a kilometre away from where they met in South Residence. Bruce Schouten, B.Sc. ’83, was appointed chief risk officer at Coast Capital Savings. He has more than 25 years of experience in the financial services industry. Kevin Wang, B.Sc. ’84, is an associate professor of psychiatry, neuroscience and chemistry at the University of Florida. He is also a scientific co-founder of Banyan Biomarkers, Inc., which is developing the first point-of-care blood test to diagnose traumatic brain injury. Ernest Rogers, BA, B.Sc. ’85, has earned Diplomate of the American Board of Forensic Medicine status with the American College of Forensic Examiners Institute. Rogers is a forensic veterinarian for Animal Forensic Investigations LLC in New Jersey. Ben Hogervorst, B.Sc. ’86, and Jenny Hogervorst, B.A.Sc. ’86, won the 2016 Small Business of the Year Award from the Air Miles for Business Small Business Achievement Awards for their company, Britespan Building
Systems, which manufactures portable steelframed fabric structures. Adam Socha, M.Sc. ’86, has been a toxicologist with the Ontario Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change for 30 years, and is currently science coordinator in the Director’s Office, Laboratory Services Branch. Christiaan Vanderkop, BA ’86, is semiretired and “finally riding a Harley.” Julia Brown, DVM ’89, achieved the gold level in ice dancing. Rob Scott, BA ’89, has been promoted to OPP inspector and detachment commander in Perth County, Ont. He and Kimberly Morissette-Scott, B.A.Sc. ’90, are proud their son, (Robert) Bradley Scott, has chosen U of G as the place to earn his engineering degree. Leslie Woodcock, DVM ’89, was appointed chief veterinarian for Ontario. She is also director of animal health and welfare at the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.
1990s
Mark Phillips, BA ’90, received a Governor General’s Caring Canadian Award in recognition of his more than 10,000 hours of community volunteer service. Greg Root, B.Comm. ’94, is vice-president of lending services operations at D+H, a leading financial technology provider. Delma Lobo, BA ’95, moved from Guelph to the Sunshine Coast, B.C., to be closer to family. She is a freelance writer for online publications about Goa and Mumbai, India, and is also a member of a writing critique group. She says, “I am a huge proponent of ‘never stop learning.’” Jody White Van De Klippe, B.A.Sc. ’95, is program manager and research coordinator with Hamilton City Ballet’s Dance for Parkinson’s, an innovative series of ballet classes designed for people with Parkinson’s disease. Cassie Campbell, BA ’97 and former captain of the national women’s hockey team, was appointed to the Order of Canada.
Alumni: recruit from Guelph! Hire a co-op student or new grad • Post co-op, full-time, part-time and summer jobs year round. • Co-op: No waiting for a match! Just post, interview and hire.
Post your jobs now @porticomag
www.recruitguelph.ca
(519) 824-4120 x52323
Summer 2016 PORTICO | 35
Alumni matters Colin Dewar, BFA ’98, has published his first novel, Mammoth, which is available on Amazon. Anne Clermont, B.Sc. ’99, will publish her debut novel, Learning to Fall, in August. Marilyn Rayner, B.Sc. ’99, has been appointed a professor in food engineering at Lund University, Sweden.
2000s
Tamara Keeley, B.Sc. ’00, is a wildlife biologist and postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Queensland in Australia. She is featured in a video about predicting tiger pregnancy: vimeo.com/153846169. Gabriela Flores, BA ’01, and Sarah Hutchison, BA ’01, founded Bliss B4 Laundry, which focuses on self-care and wellness for women. Chad Nuttell, BA ’04, and his wife, Marie Crosta, are happy to announce the birth of their first child, a son named Grayson Anthony, on April 1, 2015. Wesley Macdonald, B.Comm. ’08, writes: “Grateful for my experiences at U of G and how they’ve helped me become the leader I am today.” Gregory Sydoryshyn, B.Comm. ’09, moved into his first home. Robert Thompson, MBA ’09, graduated from the University of Southern Mississippi in May and accepted a position as assistant professor of hospitality and tourism management at the University of Southern Alabama. Travis Cranmer, B.Sc. ’11, M.Sc. ’14, was a finalist for BioTalent Canada’s 2016 Catalyst Award for biotechnology graduates. He works as a plant pathology biocontrol technician at Vineland Research and Innovation. Jonathan VanDusen, B.Sc. ’12, graduated with a master’s degree from McMaster University’s physiotherapy program. Malcolm Chong, B.Sc. ’13, was named president-elect of the International Veterinary Students’ Association (global). Laura Pipher, B.A.S. ’13, is a third-year student at the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine. Nathan Lachowsky, PhD ’14, is a new faculty member at the University of Victoria’s School of Public Health and Social Policy.
36 | PORTICO Summer 2016
Passages ALUMNI 1930s Ruth Cohoe, DHE ’38, July 22, 2015.
David Streib, DVM ’77, Jan. 23, 2016. Catherine Oldford, BA ’79, June 21, 2015. Christopher Whitear, BA ’79, June 8, 2015.
1940s Arthur Bradford, Dipl. ’41, Feb. 20, 2016. Henry Steadman, DVM ’44, Feb. 27, 2016. Gordon Caven, BSA ’46, July 9, 2015. William Harley, BSA ’46, Jan. 24, 2016. Clare Rennie, B.Sc. (Agr.) ’47, June 23, 2016. William Harvey, Dipl. ’48, Feb. 23, 2016. William Whale, BSA ’48, April 7, 2016. Douglas Darlington, DVM ’49, Feb. 27, 2016.
1980s Catherine Blom, MA ’81, Aug. 1, 2015. Alok Gupta, B.Comm. ’82, Feb. 3, 2016. Ada Biagini, BA ’84, Nov. 24, 2015. Faye Murphy, B.Sc. (Agr.) ’84, June 25, 2015. Peter Solomon, B.Sc. ’84, Dec. 27, 2015. Jason Bock, BA ’85, March 29, 2015. Barbara Charlton, Dipl. ’86, Feb. 9, 2016. Helen Coates, B.Sc. ’87, Feb. 6, 2016. Helen Cavanagh, BA ’89, Jan. 21, 2016.
1950s Donald Luckham, BSA ’50, April 6, 2016. Thomas Bates, BSA ’51, March 30, 2016. Eldred Crawford, BSA ’51, Dec. 1, 2015. John Godward, BSA ’51, March 7, 2016. Donald Ralph, DVM ’51, Dec. 28, 2015. Ruth Taylor, DHE ’53, March 24, 2016. Robert Clarke, DVM ’54, March 20, 2016. Reginald Lane, BSA ’54, April 7, 2016. James Saunders, DVM ’54, April 29, 2016. William Sherman, BSA ’54, April 2, 2016. Leonard Weeden, Dipl. ’54, April 9, 2016. Walter Scott, BSA ’55, Dec. 24, 2015. Murray Edmondson, BSA ’56, May 21, 2016. William McKay, BSA ’56, April 8, 2016. William Wiper, Dipl. ’57, March 9, 2016. Meredith Robb, Dipl. ’58, March 4, 2016.
1990s Charles Duncan, BA ’91, March 16, 2016. Patrick Dugas, B.Comm. ’95, April 25, 2016.
1960s William Combe, DVM ’60, March 31, 2016. John Sankey, DVM ’60, April 15, 2016. James Shaw, BSA ’60, Oct. 23, 2015. Oscar Van Binsbergen, BSA ’60, Jan. 14, 2016. Charles Herbert, BSA ’61, Dec. 3, 2015. Arnold Holmes, BSA ’62, May 22, 2016. Annabelle Lovering, B.H.Sc. ’62, Jan. 12, 2016. Harold Bentley, BSA ’64, April 26, 2016. Peter Myronyk, B.Sc. (Agr.) ’65, April 5, 2015. Allan Seabrook, B.Sc. (Agr.) ’65, May 13, 2016. Gerald Honeywood, DVM ’67, Feb. 26, 2016. Burns Stephen, B.Sc. (Agr.) ’68, April 14, 2016. Gerritt Klyn, Dipl. ’67, Dec. 3, 2015. David Croskery, DVM ’69, Dec. 11, 2015. Joseph Johnston, DVM ’69, Jan. 12, 2016. 1970s Carla McKague, BA ’71, Sept. 23, 2015. Margaret Taylor, BA ’72, March 16, 2016. Sidney Scholtens, Dipl. ’73, March 9, 2016. Gerald Harron, Dipl. ’76, May 20, 2016. Wayne Hunter, BA ’76, Jan. 24, 2016. Jon Taylor, DVM ’76, Feb. 26, 2016.
2000s Kate Runions, BA ’04, Feb. 1, 2016. Candice Chaput, BAA ’06, Jan. 28, 2016. Julie Beuker, BA ’08, Feb. 8, 2016. Steven Persaud, B.Sc. ’15, Oct. 14, 2015. FACULTY, STAFF AND STUDENTS Kaya Firth, student, Feb. 21, 2016. Helena Grgic, postdoctoral fellow, Population Medicine, June 10, 2016. Keith Harron, technical supervisor, Animal Health Laboratory, May 20, 2016. Eric Nielsen, student, March 3, 2016. Zachary Sutherland, student, Feb. 21, 2016.
To honour those who have passed away, the University of Guelph Alumni Association makes an annual donation to the Alumni Legacy Scholarship.
Time capsule
THE YEAR
1985
Students participate in a chemistry lab in what was then known as the College of Physical Science. Four years later, it was renamed the College of Physical and Engineering Science, which still stands today. Can you identify any of the people in this photo? Send us a note and let us know!
Do you have a memory to share from your time at U of G? Email a high-resolution photo to porticomagazine@uoguelph.ca and it could appear in Time Capsule.
@porticomag
ON CAMPUS
OFF CAMPUS
+ Students vote for the redevelopment of athletic facilities on campus, including a double rink, 25-metre pool, a bubble for tennis courts, and new squash and racquetball courts.
+ The first Internet domain name is registered.
+ The University Centre marks its 10-year anniversary. + Microcomputers are available for purchase at discount prices to staff, faculty and students, including Radio Shack’s “Tandy 1000” for $1,499 and “IBM AT Enhanced” for $8,318. Printers are available for $460.
+ The wreck of RMS Titanic is found off the coast of Newfoundland. + The first cellphone call is made in Canada between Toronto mayor Art Eggleton and Montreal mayor Jean Drapeau. + Back to the Future, starring Michael J. Fox, hits movie screens and is the highestgrossing film of the year.
+ Author Margaret Atwood receives an honorary degree.
Summer 2016 PORTICO | 37
Û Colour it in McLAUGHLIN LIBRARY, UNIVERSITY OF GUELPH
Artist and geographer Daniel Rotsztain, a master of landscape architecture student, filled much of his free time last year on a personal quest: to draw each of Toronto’s 100 public libraries. Travelling across the city by bus, bicycle, streetcar and train, he sketched each library branch over the course of two months. His collection, which he says is a “love letter to the library,” was recently published as a colouring
38 | PORTICO Summer 2016
book, called All the Libraries Toronto (Dundurn Press). Portico wanted to get in on the fun, so we asked Rotsztain to draw U of G’s McLaughlin Library, which he likes because of its “quiet bustle” and the delicate balance expressed in its architecture: “A brutalist concrete structure that nevertheless lets in lots of light.” Just like Rotsztain’s collection, we’re presenting it to you as
a colouring page – tear it out (or download the image at porticomagazine.ca), dig out your favourite pencil crayons and take some time to be creative this summer. We’d love to see your finished creation — email or tweet us a picture (@porticomag) and we’ll share it online. –STACEY MORRISON To view all of Rotsztain’s library illustrations, visit allthelibraries.ca.
ILLUSTRATION: DANIEL ROTSZTAIN
Last look
NAME-A-SEAT in the new
GUELPH GRYPHONS ATHLETICS CENTRE
Opening Fall 2016
Be part of Gryphon history! For only $1,000, your name will be recognized on a seat in the new Guelph Gryphons Athletics Event Centre. Only 362 seats are available, so name yours before they are gone!
YOUR NAME HERE
NAME YOUR SEAT TODAY! Visit www.buildingpotential.ca Questions? Contact Sam Kosakowski, Alumni Advancement Manager 519-824-4120 x58463 | skosakow@uoguelph.ca #GryphonsNameASeat
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