March 21, 2013 Vol. 46 No. 19
The Bulletin
umanitoba.ca/bulletin
University of Manitoba
Until April 19: Art exhibit: “Hymenal Views" by Bev Pike
March 28 2nd Annual Curry Cook-off in support of Dr. William Norton Award
Currrent and future U of M students awarded for excellence
April 5 to 7 World War One: 100 Years After, a weekend with historian Andrew Robertshaw April 13 President's Reception for Retirees
See page 10 for more events
Page 4-5
Singing in a Strange Land: A taste of the opera, served up U of M-style
Page 6
Inspiring faculty achievements: U of M authors celebrated
Page 8
Photo by Mike Latchislaw
Events
$15 Million facility opens Geological sciences professor Søren Rysgaard, President and Vice-Chancellor David Barnard, Clayton H. Riddell, Nellie Cournoyea, Minister of Advanced Education Erin Selby and associate dean of the Faculty of Environment, Earth, and Resources David Barber cut the ribbon for the Nellie Cornoyea Arctic Research Facility.
One of the largest sea ice research teams in the world celebrates the opening of a new laboratory that will transform and lead global efforts to understand climate change
See story on page 3.
Research strengthened with $4.3 million in funding New Canada Research Chair announced, four renewed BY JANINE HARASYMCHUK For The Bulletin
Cancer is now the leading cause of death in Canada and infections are still a significant cause of death and suffering. It is becoming increasingly clear that infections cause many cancers, with 20 per cent of cancers worldwide caused by preventable or treatable infections such as H. pylori, the human papillomavirus (HPV) and hepatitis B. Newly appointed Canada Research Chair (CRC) in Pharmacoepidemiology and Vaccine Evaulation, Salah Mahmud, an assistant professor in the department of community health sciences, will be using epidemiological methods to find ways to reduce the risk of developing and dying from these common cancers
and infections by studying the use of widely used medications like aspirin, cholesterol lowering drugs and antidepressants in preventing major cancers including prostate, colon and cervical cancer. Mahmud will receive $500,000 over five years as a Tier2 chair holder. Mahmud’s CRC appointment was
announced on March 15 at the U of M by Minister of Public Safety Vic Toews, coinciding with the national announcement in Ottawa. Renewed support for four existing U of M Chairs was also announced. Chair holders are research leaders or rising stars in natural sciences and engineering, health sciences, or social sciences and humanities.
The new and renewed funding announced is worth a combined $4.3 million. “This welcome investment will spark innovation while enabling our exceptional researchers to focus on world-changing and life-saving discovery that benefits all of us,” said President and Vice-Chancellor David Barnard. “I want to thank the Government of Canada for the support provided here and at other research-intensive universities across the country.” The four renewed Chairs are Diana Brydon, Warren Cariou, Michelle Driedger, and Grant Hatch. Continued on page 3
Diana Brydon
Warren Cariou
Michelle Driedger Grant Hatch
Salah Mahmud
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The Bulletin | March 21, 2013 | umanitoba.ca/bulletin
5 Days for the Homeless
The U of M in the News Celebrating a champion March 11 Winnipeg Free Press
University of Manitoba student recruiter Christine Cyr was recognized in the press for her outstanding contributions to the community. Cyr is “a champion to many youth in Winnipeg who need a little support and guidance to pursue a post-secondary education,” the article says. For the past 13 years, she has worked as the program co-ordinator for aboriginal recruitment at the U of M. She also started the Post-Secondary Club program for high school students who may be struggling to stay motivated or lack the support to pursue a post-secondary education, which she knows all too well from her own past. “When I used to think about university when I was younger, I never believed I could do it,” recalls Cyr. “I was so shy. But it changed the very course of my life.” When she first started working at the U of M, she knew she had to approach recruitment in a different way. After talking with numerous high school students, she realized she needed to see them more regularly. She started to volunteer her time after hours to work with students in three high schools, taking them on group outings, being a constant support in their lives. She recognized some youth were desperate to learn more about their culture, so she began taking the students on educational outings to sweat lodges and different events.
Finding balance
March11 Calgary Herald, Montreal Gazette, Canada.com, LeaderPost, Edmonton Journal, Windsor Star A new study by Family Social Sciences associate professor Karen Duncan and graduate student Rachael Pettigrew found that Canadian women who have flexible work schedules are 75 per cent more likely to report a healthy balance between their professional and family lives than those who don’t. The findings come at a time when such highprofile companies as Best Buy and Yahoo are under fire for restricting, or altogether eliminating, flexible work arrangements - an approach the data suggests could have ill effects for everything from absenteeism to retention. “This research shows that a bit of autonomy – a sense of being able to control your day, to a certain degree – leads to happier employees,” Pettigrew said. “And happier employees are less likely to leave the organization.” In the study, which draws on Statistics Canada’s General Social Survey, people were asked whether they were satisfied, or not, with their work-life balance. The researchers examined the effect of different work arrangements on this satisfaction while controlling for possible confounding factors (family characteristics, income, education, etc.). For instance, women with flexible schedules scored .75 above baseline, while for men it was just .11, a score that wasn’t statistically significant. Duncan suggests this is because women remain primary caregivers in most households, and are thus tasked with the most juggling. “The majority of (two-parent) families now are dual-earner, yet our society is still structured on the assumption that we all have somebody at home taking care of everything,” said Duncan.
The Winnipeg 5 Days for the Homeless campaign is organized by the Commerce Students’ Association at the Asper School of Business. Each year a group of students brave the cold and sleep outside for five nights to raise funds and awareness for homelessness in Winnipeg. This was the fifth year the campaign took place at the University of Manitoba and ran from March 10 to15. The main goals of the campaign are to educate students on the issue of homelessness and to raise necessary funds for Resource Assistance for Youth (RaY) a local organization supporting homeless youth. Furthermore, the campaign provides opportunities for passionate and committed students to help others in a meaningful way Photo by Mike Latchislaw by building strong relationships and Asper students who participated in the lasting connections with Winnipeg’s Winnipeg 5 Days for the Homeless campaign. inner city community.
Three Minute Thesis
Wandering rebel
March11 The Huffington Post, Winnipeg Free Press Rare images of Louis Riel and Manitoba in the 1860s and 1870s turned up recently at an Australian auction of memorabilia from the American civil war. The eight photos are “cartes de visite,” a type of small photograph popular during the period. Together, these photos are worth about $6,500. “It’s significant that Louis Riel would have shown up just when a historic decision was made by the Supreme Court of Canada. It’s uncanny that when he’s needed, he showed up again,” said Shelley Sweeney, head of the University of Manitoba’s Archives and Special Collections, which will house the exhibit in the U of M’s Elizabeth Dafoe Library. One of the photos shows a famous scene of Riel and his councillors. The print is likely the first made of the original photograph, according to Sweeney. The other images give a fascinating look at what life was like in Manitoba during the time of Riel’s rebellion. One shows a man dressed as a Metis hunter, another First Nations mourners hiding their faces from the photographer. You can see all the images on the U of M’s website.
Headlines
(L-R) Anthony Signore, Amy Flasko, Christopher White, Amy Scott, Jennifer Juno, Leah (Wong) Guenther, Heather Campbell-Enns, Julia Gamble, Marcos Cordeiro On March 6, nine of the University of Manitoba’s graduate students shared new frontiers of knowledge while competing for the top prize in the first-ever Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) competition held in Manitoba. Chosen from among 137 of their exceptional colleagues and having survived heats involving 30 graduate students, the finalists all wowed the audience with the quality of their presentations. First Place ($5,000): Leah (Wong) Guenther "Engineering a synovial fluid analogue for the wear testing of orthopaedic bearing materials"
“The cream of the top; Canada’s prestigious research chairs attract international talent and help further vital research”, Globe and Mail, March 5, story highlighting three Canada Excellence Research Chairs, including the U of M’s Søren Rysgaard, Canada Excellence Research Chair in Arctic Geomicrobiology and Climate Change.
Second Place ($2,000): Anthony Signore "When blood runs cold: Paleophysiology of oxygen delivery in extinct Arctic megafauna"
“The school of cool; U of M students camp out to help homeless,” Winnipeg Sun, March 12, story about six U of M students sleeping outside for 5 Days for the Homeless, a national campaign to raise awareness and funds for the cause.
To watch the finalists' presentations, visit
The
Bulletin
–Compiled by Sean Moore
The Bulletin is the newspaper of record for the University of Manitoba. It is published by the marketing communications office every second Thursday from September to December and monthly in December, Jan., Feb., June, July and August. Material in The Bulletin may be reprinted or broadcast, excepting materials for which The Bulletin does not hold exclusive copyright. Please contact editor for policy. The Bulletin is printed on paper that includes recycled content.
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People’s Choice ($1,000): Christopher White "Heart in a box: Optimizing donor heart preservation for transplantation" www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLlYd78BcX9oNzNOLfjkkmdLgC0aYHVFBJ. For more on this story, go to page 11.
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The Bulletin | March 21, 2013 | umanitoba.ca/bulletin
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New lab will lead efforts to understand global climate change By Sean Moore The Bulletin
Arctic explorers and scientists have a new home: The Nellie Cournoyea Arctic Research Facility, a transformational institute in the U of M’s Clayton H. Riddell Faculty of Environment, Earth, and Resources. At an event on March 18, President David Barnard welcomed the faculty’s namesake, Clayton H. Riddell, Nellie Cournoyea, the Honourable Erin Selby, minister of advanced education and literacy and minister responsible for international education, as well as scientists, students and community members. Construction on the innovative $15-million facility began two years ago after Riddell donated $2.5 million towards it. His visionary donation coincided with the U of M being awarded a Canada Excellence Research Chair (CERC) in Arctic Geomicrobiology and Climate Change from the federal government. To help support such research, the Province of Manitoba also contributed funding to the U of M’s CERC program. “Our alumni are extraordinary people who transform the world with their talents and generosity, and we are proud and grateful that distinguished graduates such as Dr. Riddell continually offer
unwavering support to the University and its mission,” says David Barnard, president and vice-chancellor. “We are world leaders in Arctic climate change research thanks to the generous support of Dr. Riddell.” In December of 1945 a Winnipeg Tribune editorial argued that Manitoba should be home to an Institute of Arctic Research, and today that became a reality. The Wallace Building, the faculty’s home, is now five storeys as a floor was added to house the 60,000-square-feet of specialized laboratories, state-ofthe-art instruments, and classrooms in the Nellie Cournoyea Arctic Research Facility. This space accommodates the influx of graduate students and researchers coming to the University as a result of the Canada Excellence Research Chair, held by Søren Rysgaard. In addition to the new chair and the 17 U of M researchers already involved in sea ice research, the University has invested in three new tenure track faculty positions, post-doctoral and research associate positions, graduate students and support staff. The faculty’s Centre for Earth Observation Science (CEOS) has more than doubled in size to over 100 people. The Nellie Cournoyea Arctic Research Facility is named after Nellie Cournoyea, an Officer of the Order of Canada and
Continued from page 1
Canada Research Chairs Diana Brydon (English, film and theatre), Canada Research Chair in Globalization and Cultural Studies draws from humanities and social sciences methods and perspectives to examine globalization and what it means for Canadian culture. Her research provides new insight into Canada’s social and cultural development and its place on the world stage. Brydon, a Tier 1 chair, will receive $1.4 million over the next seven years. Warren Cariou (English, film and theatre), Canada Research Chair in Narrative, Community and Indigenous Cultures is exploring how narratives are used to create and sustain communities, particularly Aboriginal ones, within the larger context of the Canadian nation. Cariou will receive $500,000 in funding over the next five years as a Tier 2 chair. Michelle Driedger (community health sciences), Canada Research Chair in Environment and Health Risk Communication has been involved in
a program of research that examines how health risks are communicated in situations of uncertainty — when the experts do not have all of the answers — and yet policy decisions about health have to be made. Driedger will receive $500,000 in funding over the next five years as a Tier 2 chair. Grant Hatch (pharmacology and therapeutics/biochemistry and medical genetics, Manitoba Institute of Child Health), Canada Research Chair in Molecular Cardiolipin Metabolism is conducting research into cardiolipin metabolism. The research could lead to new therapies for heart disease, diabetes, obesity, neurological disorders and Barth Syndrome (a rare genetic disorder in boys that causes a dangerously weakened heart muscle as well as a weakened immune system). Hatch will receive $1.4 million over the next seven years as a Tier 1 chair. There are currently 45 CRCs at the University of Manitoba.
keeping the memory alive It was one of the most significant—and horrific—events in history, and a group of U of M architecture students will be participating in an international design competition to commemorate it, for the first time. The students are preparing to enter the United Nations’ ITF International Poster Competition 2013-2014, through which they will be designing pieces to the theme of “Keeping the Memory Alive — Journeys Through the Holocaust.” This is the first time Faculty of Architecture students have participated. A panel will then decide which 20 entries from across Canada will make it to the final international adjudication. The 12 winning posters will be displayed around the world on Jan. 27, 2014, to mark International Holocaust Remembrance Day. A survivor of the Buchenwald concentration camp in WWII spoke with Faculty of Architecture students on March 11 to prepare them for their participation in the competition.
recipient of the National Aboriginal Achievement Award and Governor General’s Northern Medal Award. She became the first female premier of a Canadian territory; she served as leader of the Northwest Territories from 1991 to 1995. Nellie served 16 years as Chair and Executive Officer of the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, and currently remains a member of its executive committee. The U of M is home to the most wellfunded sea ice research team in the world. In addition to the $10-million CERC investment, the university and its partners contributed $25 million. The total investment of over $35 million supports U of M’s trailblazing Arctic research team, the leading thinkers and explorers of Earth’s harshest and most delicate environment. “The Earth is our home. It is appropriate that we do some maintenance on our home. While the North in general, and the Arctic in particular, may seem far away, it is important to understand we in Canada are all intimately connected with those regions through resource development, climate change, and our people,” says Norman Halden, dean of the Clayton H. Riddell Faculty of Environment, Earth and Resources. “This critical investment in Arctic research
comes at a time of unprecedented global change. As researchers we must rise to challenge the real problems that affect our home and our societies. This world-class platform will be the stage on which this work is done.” Clayton Riddell [BSc(Hons)/59, DSc/04] is a distinguished geological sciences graduate of the University of Manitoba, and a long-time friend and supporter of his alma mater. Riddell advised the U of M during the $237-million Building on Strengths capital campaign and took a leadership role in supporting the construction of the Ed Leith Cretaceous Menagerie. In 2004, the University of Manitoba awarded Riddell an honorary Doctor of Science degree in recognition of his distinguished career and service to the community. >>umanitoba.ca/admin/public_affairs/ videos/arctic_footage_1.mp4 >>Visionary Conversation on climate change, a topic explored by U of M researchers at a thought-provoking event: youtube.com/watch?v=8msh0vNlXE&feature=youtu.be >>David Barber explains some findings his research team discovered while working in the Arctic: youtube.com/wat ch?v=LjaVp6AS5XU&feature=youtu.be
campus news & Kudos
New research chair focused on the health of children and youth BY JANINE HARASYMCHUK For The Bulletin
Roberta Woodgate, a Faculty of Nursing professor, has been awarded a research chair in child and youth health from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). Woodgate has been a trailblazer in this area of medical research. Prior to her research in this field, the voices of children and youth were virtually absent from discussions related to health research. This matters because if health care professionals want to have an effective impact on the health of children and youth, health care services must be grounded within, and be responsive to, the life-situations of children and youth. Woodgate’s already strong research program is further strengthened by this new five-year CIHR Applied Research Chair in Reproductive, Child and Youth Health Services and Policy Research ($925,000). This chair will allow her to conduct innovative, high-quality applied health services and policy research. As a CIHR applied research chair, Woodgate will have three priorities: Children and youth living with chronic physical and mental illness; children and youth living with disabilities and complex health needs; and promoting health and access to health care for children and youth. She will work with health system managers, policy-makers and health care providers, as well as children and youth who are directly impacted by the research. Her goal is to find policies and practices that will have impact and can be implemented into the health care system.
Roberta Woodgate. “This investment by CIHR speaks to the national and international reputation that Dr. Woodgate has established over the past decade in researching issues surrounding children and youth and the care they receive,” said Digvir Jayas, VP (research and international) at the U of M. “I’m sure research support through this chair will have outcomes that result in improved care for future generations.” Woodgate is also a scientist at the Manitoba Institute of Child Health and an investigator, Psychosocial Oncology Nursing Research Group, at St-Boniface Hospital Research. In 2010 she was awarded a Manitoba Research Chair in youth health and illness from the Manitoba Health Research Council. Woodgate’s chair is one of six across Canada. >>For more information go to the CIHR website at www.cihr.gc.ca/e/46349.html
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The Bulletin | March 21, 2013 | umanitoba.ca/bulletin
Student celebrated at emerging leaders dinner 2013 An exciting group of student leaders were honoured at the U of M’s Emerging Leaders Dinner 2013, presented by student life office and student affairs on Thursday, March 14.
President David Barnardand and the Honourable Kevin Chief (centre back) with emerging leaders (l to r), Myra Tait, Rebecca Kunzman and Timi Ojo.
Dozens of students were celebrated for demonstrating leadership qualities on campus and in our community. Three of these inspiring students, Rebecca Kunzman, University 1 student council president, Myra Tait, 3rd year law student and member of the U of M Aboriginal
Student Council, and Emmanuel Rotimi (Timi) Ojo, president of the U of M Graduate Students’ Association and PhD student in the department of soil science, were selected to speak at the event. President David Barnard, Vice-Chair of the Board of Governors Patricia Bovey, Minister of Children and Youth Opportunities the Honourable Kevin Chief, and a proud group of deans and directors were among those offering congratulations to students, who were also joined by the faculty and staff who nominated the students. What does leadership mean to our leaders of tomorrow? “[It] is not defined by the groups we join or the programs we complete,” explains Kunzman, “but by our ability to recognize our potential and responsibility to bring about positive change.”
To be a successful leader, adds Tait, you must be a role model with integrity, “somebody who deserves to be followed.” Leadership is also responsive, say Ojo, who describes a good leader as someone who “sees the need, answers the need, and encourages others to do the same.” In a moving keynote address, Minister Chief stressed the importance of giving young people role models, in order to build a resilient community. “Leadership is the willingness to stand up when you need to, and if people want to follow, [that’s] great. [But it’s also] knowing that sometimes you just have to be out and supporting other people,” he said.
U of M students awarded for outstanding performance in co-op programs Two University of Manitoba students are being recognized for excellence in their co-operative education programs. The University of Manitoba Co-operative Education Student Champion Award recognizes students who demonstrate personal and professional development through their participation in a cooperative education option. Marissa Borgford was chosen as the 2012 winner. Borgford is a student in the bachelor of environmental studies (honours co-op) program, where she participated in several work terms with Environment Canada Community Programs. Borgford was presented the award as part of the university’s celebration of National Co-operative Education Week from March 18-22.
The runner-up for this year’s award is Helene Schultz, from the bachelor of science-- microbiology (honours coop) program. Schultz has worked at the Public Health Agency of Canada and has conducted research on the Measles virus as well as bladder cancer. Both students received a Certificate of Merit in recognition of their win. With over 80,000 co-op students nationally, co-operative education has been working in Canada for well over 50 years with no sign of slowing down. The many co-operative education programs at the University of Manitoba provide students and employers with an opportunity to work together in a meaningful partnership. There are co-op programs in departments in the faculties of Agricultural and Food Sciences, Arts, Engineering and Science, the Asper School of Business
and the Clayton H. Riddell Faculty of Environment, Earth, and Resources. The programs allow students to combine practical paid work experiences with their classroom-based education. Employers benefit through the connection with motivated, pre-selected students and an added benefit of increasing the flexibility of recruitment strategies. Co-op programs at the U of M are all housed in their individual departments. – Sandy Klowak
Marissa Borgford, U of M co-operative education champion award winner for 2012.
New batch of future leaders welcomed on campus
By Sandy Klowak and Mariianne Mays Wiebe The Bulletin
community he felt right off the bat.
“From the moment we arrived and were personally greeted by previous LOT scholars, we knew that this was not just a scholarship, but a society, a resource, and maybe even a family.”
A group of outstanding high school students were on campus recently participating in a prestigious scholarship selection process.
Rampersad, who plans to pursue a science and then medical degree, says what he’s most looking forward to as a U of M student is the sense of purpose and belonging he knows the society will afford him.
On March 11, 12 students were involved in all-day interviews with a selection committee to join the Leader of Tomorrow Scholarship program at the U of M. This year’s top six receive the Leader of Tomorrow Scholarship valued at $10,000; the remaining six will receive a Leadership Entrance Scholarship, and all 12 will be part of the Leaders of Tomorrow (LOT) Society. Recipients are chosen annually on the basis of leadership qualities and exceptional academic performance in high school, and their involvement in student affairs, intramural activities and their communities. This year’s 12 finalists were shortlisted from about 115 applicants. The event was also a welcome to the university by current members of the society, and featured a closing address by previous award recipient Rebecca Kunzman, a first year student who plans to pursue a degree in global political economy. Kunzman says the LOT Society provides a rich opportunity to network that has
11 of the 12 new inductees into U of M’s Leaders of Tomorrow society. already opened several doors for her, including her work as a World W.I.S.E. Ambassador with the International Centre for Students, her participation in the Amnesty International student group, and much more. “I’ve received so much support, guidance and encouragement from the group over the past school year, and I look forward to being able to provide the same support to incoming Leaders of Tomorrow throughout my university career,” she says.
Leader of Tomorrow Scholarship winners receive $4,000 during their first year of school, and then $2,000 per year for the next three years. LOT Society members often continue to participate in the program as unofficial university ambassadors throughout their course of studies. Christopher Rampersad of Fort Richmond Collegiate is one of this year’s 12 finalists. He called the March 11 event “amazing, humbling, and downright inspiring,” emphasizing the sense of
“Each person involved with the LOT Society brings their own set of skills and connections to the table, and it is in this intricate network of interconnectedness – of people – that we will be able to develop not only a sense of community, but of purpose,” he says. Grace Kang, another of this year’s finalists, agrees. She says she’s looking forward to having a built-in community at university. “I think it will give me a fantastic support system both socially and academically,” says the Strathclair Community School student who also plans to go into medicine. “Having like-minded friends at university before I go will help me to stay on track academically. Being introduced to so many brilliant people at once is a truly humbling experience and it has really inspired and encouraged me.”
The Bulletin | March 21, 2013 | umanitoba.ca/bulletin
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More awards, more space, more success Financial aid and study areas ease the pressure and help students reach their full potential. By Krista Simonson
Fast Facts about Philanthropy • Every gift, no matter what size, makes a difference to our students • You can direct your gift to the area that matters most to you • 100 per cent of your gift goes to the area of your choice • When you support students your generosity grows and has an impact on our wider community
Rebecca Kunzman has thrown herself whole-heartedly into her first year of university, and student funding has played a pivotal role. Winner of a Leader of Tomorrow Scholarship, which is a renewable award that has covered all of her first year’s tuition, Kunzman says she can look forward to a well-rounded extensive education. “By easing the worry of paying for my education I’m better able to focus on my studies and become involved with different groups and programs,” she says. “I’ve always been actively involved in community, so I was excited to be able to become so engaged in my first year.” Kunzman is president of the University 1 student council, volunteers at the International Centre for Students,
and participates in the Amnesty International group and the Student Leadership Development Program. Later this year, she will travel with fellow students to Russia to represent Canada at the Youth G20 Summit. “My university experience thus far has been phenomenal and I am so thankful for the wonderful financial support, faculty and staff that make it so,” Kunzman says. One of these dedicated staff members is Ada Ducas, head of the Neil John Maclean Health Sciences Libraries, and this year’s co-chair of the faculty and staff campaign. She has donated to the campaign since 1994 and says another crucial student area that needs funding is libraries and study spaces. There are benefits that reach beyond our campus, she says.
Ducas works at the Bannatyne campus, home to faculties focused on health care such as medicine, pharmacy and dentistry. She sees a direct link between a thriving medical library—with ample study space and relevant, current information— and a successful health care system. “Libraries need to constantly evolve to keep up to date. We need funds to purchase the materials required to deliver exceptional library services,” Ducas says. “We have to support the university, its libraries and its study spaces because of the change and positive impact it makes in students’ lives, and then the benefit it has on the educational, social and financial well-being of Manitobans.”
scholarships and fellowships, and ample study space is essential for the spirit of our university, one that encourages innovation and exploration, and our greater society. “There’s an intangible spirit here and I think it’s why we see so many Rhodes Scholars and so many U of M students recognized for important research, significant involvement in social justice and prize-winning innovations. And you can see the returns on an investment in education through our hard work and passionate commitment to the future.” Throughout the month, you can visit the U of M homepage to make your taxdeductible donation to student awards and study space. Your gift shapes our future.
Kunzman agrees financial support for promising students, including bursaries,
REBEL PIONEER CREATOR EXPLORER TRAILBLAZER INNOVATORCHALLEN EXPLORER DEFENDER TRAILBLAZER REBEL PIONEER EXPLORER ADVENTURER TRAILBLAZER REBEL EXPLORER PIONEER DEFENDER CREATOR Whether it’s student awards, study space, active living or experiential education...
YO U R G I F T SHAPES
OUR FUTURE Every gift, large or small, makes a difference to our students.
Make your gift today. umanitoba.ca/giving Jane Hirose, fourth-year Science student, studying in the newly renovated Elizabeth Dafoe Library
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The Bulletin | March 21, 2013 | umanitoba.ca/bulletin
A tradition of opera By Heather Saxton The Bulletin
On March 8 and 9, the University of Manitoba Opera Theatre presented an evening of opera excerpts under the title Singing in a Strange Land performed by students from the Desautels Faculty of Music. Twenty-nine singers and three pianists performed selections that appealed to both veteran opera lover and those experiencing the art for the first time. Excerpts included: Lakmé by Leo Delibes; Les Mamelles de Tirésias by Francis Poulenc; The Magic Flute by W.A. Mozart; Xerxes by G. F. Handel; and Dido and Aeneas by Henry Purcell. The University of Manitoba Opera Theatre has been a starting point Scenes from the recent performances in “Singing in for many aspiring opera singers, like a Strange Land,” presented by U of M’s opera theatre Adriana Chuchman [B.Mus./04] students. who is currently performing with the San Francisco Opera and will make her Metropolitan Opera debut next year in New York City. A few of the members of this year’s ensemble are already gaining professional experience including Anne-Marie MacIntosh, Jason Klippenstein and Jessica Kos-Whicher who have been performing this month and last with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra. “Opera theatre is a great program in which you learn and develop new and existing skills necessary for you as a musician and artist,” says Kos-Whicher, a fourth-year student in the program. “It’s a professional environment but we always have so much fun. You’re working with a faculty that is so passionate about your journey that they feed you so much valuable information. In addition you learn so much from the colleagues you’re cast with.” Opera has been offered in some form since the inception of the former School of Music, now the Desautels Faculty of Music, and performance has been a vital component of the opera program. However, it wasn’t until two years ago that the faculty produced their first opera with the University of Manitoba Symphony Orchestra, Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro. They plan on making this collaboration a regular tradition. Watch for Opera Theatre’s next production with the University of Manitoba Symphony Orchestra when they present Handel’s Rinaldo on November 20 and 21 at St. Andrew’s River Heights United Church.
Illustration by Kaitlin O'Toole
TRAILBLAZER PIONEER EXPLORER INNOVATOR VISIONARY JOIN US FOR A PUBLIC LECTURE
HOW YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM HELPS–AND HARMS–YOU Dr. Kent T. HayGlass Canada Research Chair in Immune Regulation Professor, Immunology University of Manitoba Why do some people develop asthma or food allergies and others don’t? To learn the answer and find out more about our immune system, join Dr. Kent HayGlass, recipient of the prestigious 2012 Dr. John M. Bowman Memorial Winnipeg Rh Institute Foundation Award.
Wednesday, March 27, 7:00 p.m. Robert B. Schultz Lecture Theatre, St. John’s College, 92 Dysart Rd. All are welcome. Free admission
The Dr. John M. Bowman Memorial Winnipeg Rh Institute Foundation Award was established in 1997 and is awarded to a senior University of Manitoba faculty member in recognition of outstanding research accomplishments.
umanitoba.ca
A new roof: We’ve got you covered Western Economic Diversification Canada (WD) has awarded the U of M over $250,000 to upgrade infrastructure on its Fort Garry campus. The new funding will help the university repair the roofs of its Frank Kennedy Centre and the Extended Education Building. “This investment at Frank Kennedy Centre addresses an important infrastructure need while allowing us to redirect resources destined for these roof repairs into other university priorities,” says David Barnard, president and vice-chancellor. “We would like to thank the Government of Canada for its support and partnership, which is critical to our university’s future success.” The renovations will ensure the U of M can continue to offer its services in the two adjoined buildings. The Extended Education Building is home to Extended Education, a division of the University of Manitoba that develops and delivers off-campus degree credit and non-degree courses, on-campus summer session
courses, distance and online courses, as well as an extensive list of certificate programs. Students include professionals, new learners, aboriginal communities, Canadian Forces personnel and international students. The Frank Kennedy Centre serves a range of individuals who are seeking active lifestyles. Students, staff and community members alike benefit from its facilities that support active living. In January 2010, through its Recreation Infrastructure Canada (RinC) program, WD contributed funds to upgrade the inside of the Frank Kennedy Centre. Western Economic Diversification Canada’s mandate is to promote the development and diversification of the economy of Western Canada and advance the interests of the West in national economic policy. This mandate is delivered primarily through grants and contributions programs, which enable the department to contribute strongly to the productivity and competitiveness of the West.
The Bulletin | March 21, 2013 | umanitoba.ca/bulletin
Page 7
The Pluto Shot launches at The Black Hole Theatre
Photos, left, scenes from The Pluto Shot. The costumes, scenery and dramaturgy in this ambitious play with a large ensemble cast and 17 separate scenes were elements that stood out and brought a beauty to the play, and there was also a lot of great acting. What was it like, that process of seeing this work of yours come to life on stage?
Photos by Dennis Smith
there, she asked me when I had left. When I told her, she looked wistful and said: “Ah, it was still the good times.” It was, at least, a place of ‘convergences.’ Aside from the scatological humour, how did Aristophanes play into the writing in particular? The utopian fantasy of The Birds, and the bawdy sex strike of Lysistrata, seemed great sources not only of scatology, but also of sanity. Aristophanes fit the period and place exactly. Somehow, if you can tap into his spirit, or unchain it (as the personalities and movements of that time did, I think), wonderfully anarchic things can happen. But Aristrophanes is also a master of form, and I tried to listen to him. Playwright and faculty member Robert Smith developed the latest Black Hole play, The Pluto Shot, as the latest New Play Development project of the theatre program in the department of English, film and theatre. A wild ride through the early 1960s in the midst of the cold war, the play draws on divergent elements such as Aristophanes and Hitchcock’s The Birds. It’s all set in northern California. Beautiful, wacky and ever-shifting, The Pluto Shot is described by the playwright as an “exposé about the politics of science which boldly forecasts a change in the… weather?” This wildly imaginative comic play features the population of San Francisco Bay, ostensibly about to explode — in more ways than one — a threat to which scientists are developing the ultimate deterrent. The Bulletin spoke with the playwright via email about the play, which runs until the end of the week. Your play The Pluto Shot draws on or combines a number of wildly diverse elements — cult/behavior, pop psychology, bird watchers, Hitchcock’s The Birds, Aristophanes, science, the San Francisco beat scene in the 1960s — can you say a little about what inspired the play initially, and how you brought these divergent elements together? Oddly, these elements never felt divergent to me. I set out to write a play about a critical moment in time when a host of forces were set to collide: The rise of
the student and free speech movements which led to the events of 1964 in Berkeley and then spread elsewhere in the States and later to Europe, campus turmoil, the occupation of Sproul Hall and the president’s office; the rise of anti-nuclear consciousness which was still a part of campus activism in the 80s; and the awakening of conservation groups (eg. the Sierra Club) to the nuclear power agenda of Pacific Gas and Electric, first at Bodega Bay and later at Diablo Canyon, which threatened the environment — and which played out from Three Mile Island to Fukishima.
It strikes me as at least interesting that William Arrowsmith and company translated Aristophanes for the (American) generation of the '50s and '60s, making the master of old comedy a popular vehicle of dissent in another strife-ridden world. The first play performed in the Hearst Theatre, where The Pluto Shot opens, was Aristophanes Birds. Or was it Clouds, another of my favorites? Anyway, that was back in 1905.
I cannot say enough good things about the director, Chris Johnson, and the dramaturge, Bill Kerr, who asked me two years ago if I would teach the playwriting course for the Theatre department’s New Play Development programme. This was a challenge and an opportunity that I initially resisted. But with their trust and encouragement, I completed a draft of the play by the end of May last year; a subsequent revision of that draft was workshopped last September; considerable rewriting followed, with the creative input and encouragement of Bill Kerr, until Chris Johnson auditioned and chose the cast in November, and rehearsals began in earnest in January. There was some further fine tuning before the reading week break, at which point the cast took the play to another place beyond the page. Several of the actors are in classes which I teach, so I have had the opportunity to talk to them about how they found the characters, and the greatest pleasure is in seeing that happen on stage! It is gratifying to look at a show I worked on for so long — and see it as someone else’s work entirely. It is good to know that a show I had endless fun writing, is also fun to rehearse and perform, as director and actors have told me. Theatre is a convergence of skills, of individuals and groups, and the convergence of The Pluto Shot has been a wonderful synergy, to use a current buzzword.
What was the “utopian” moment before? Before the promise of the torch passing to a new generation was nearly extinguished in Vietnam and then suffered the cynicism of the end of the Nixon period. I focused on the anxiety of the cold war period with its end-of-the-world scenarios and how that is still with us. Wasn’t the world supposed to end last December? I frequently wondered at the irony of writing this play in the shadow of that prediction. There were, incidentally, academic psychological studies done in the '50s in the field of cognitive dissonance among cult groups. It was helpful to have lived where the play is set. My wife and I lived there in the early '80s when I was in graduate school. I went back to Berkeley several years ago. Everything had changed. And when I mentioned this to someone
AND NO BIRDS SING
In 1966, due to dwindling support for the Stage Society’s dramatic productions and the desire to involve more students in cultural events, UMSU established a Film Committee, chaired by John Thomson, to determine the costs and practicalities involved in producing a feature film on campus. The film tells the story of Joey, an apathetic student with a crush on the Freshie Queen, Virginia, who may not be the idealized love interest that he imagined. The film is indicative of the attitudes of students in the mid- to late-1960s in Canada, particularly in snowy Manitoba, where escapism is often used as a coping tool during a stressful semester. The film is also one of the few existing historical records that capture student life at the U of M during the 1960s, albeit a fictionalized account, via moving images.
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The Bulletin | March 21, 2013 | umanitoba.ca/bulletin
Faculty Profile
Harvey Chochinov
Q+A
Distinguished Professor of Psychiatry and Director of the Manitoba Palliative Care Research Unit, CancerCare Manitoba. with advanced illness, there are a multitude of things that can influence a patient’s sense of dignity — everything from how well pain is controlled to whether or not they feel that people, including health care workers, still recognize them for who they are, for their worth, and confer honour and respect. In essence, attentiveness to dignity at end of life yields the very best that palliative care can deliver.” While Chochinov is modest about the diverse talents that have led him to where he is now, he notes that it seems as though his past experiences and skills have prepared him well for what he is doing today. “I’ve been fortunate, in that they have all come together in a particular and unique way to inform what I do,” he says. Harvey Chochinov, psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, in his office. Oh! The humanities! Harvey Max Chochinov finds unique ways to include literature and the arts in health care teaching and research. The distinguished professor of psychiatry recounts an anecdote from Michael Bliss’s biography of William Osler, Canadian forefather of modern medicine. In the story, a colleague knocks at the great professor’s door only to be greeted by choking and gagging sounds from within the room. He enters upon the scene of Osler threading a tube down his own throat. “Is everything all right? What are you doing?” he asks, stricken. Responds Osler, offering his colleague another tube so he can join in: “We place these down many patients, and I thought I ought to know what it feels like.” The colleague politely declined, Chochinov says, smiling. The point is that “Osler had these amazing insights about medicine — he understood that there were many things you could touch and feel that had to do with anatomy and physiology. “But he also knew that there is this whole human aspect of care that really is about feeling, and unless you appreciate that, you aren’t going to be able to connect with or understand what your patients are going through.” In short, he says, “Osler
Photo by Mariianne Mays Wiebe
understood the importance of humanity and of the humanities for the world view of the healer.” Chochinov is the recipient of many awards and accolades. In addition to making “dignity therapy” an internationally recognized approach within his speciality of palliative care — incorporating disciplines from across the medical spectrum — he also has a number of other disciplinary aces up his sleeve. In fact, he solidly qualifies as artsy, with strongly developed interests and skills in music, history and literature. His latest book, Dignity Therapy: Final Words for Final Days, just won the 2012 Prose Award for Clinical Medicine (the American Publisher’s Awards for Professional and Scholarly Excellence). It explains the approach developed by Chochinov and his research team over a period of about 20 years. While there have been other aspects to come out of the palliative care research (such as the issue of “personhood,” a key component of “dignity-conserving care”), he says, dignity therapy is one that’s gained international attention. Chochinov says he has spent much of the past decade on issues related to dignity. “What we discovered is that even for people
“The interest in literature informs my writing. I believe that how one says things matters. Certainly, as a clinician and someone in palliative care, I know that words, and how we choose to express ourselves with patients, can shape the entire tone of care.” “With both history and literature, we gain so much wisdom about the human condition, which, in essence, is what I’m trying to understand in an empirical way, in palliative care research. Whether I’m assigning a short story by Chekhov or something by Tolstoy, these are wonderful teaching tools because they come from people with profound insights about being human, being vulnerable and being mortal,” he says. According to Chochinov, all of medicine could benefit from the humanities. In fact, he’s working on a new book, which he hopes will be for everyone in health care “from the receptionist who works at a medical clinic to the person who makes the first incision. “It seems to me that everyone in health care needs to learn something about communication skills; in particular, we need to understand that we are implicated in the success or failure of our interactions with patients,” he says.
WHO INSPIRES YOU TODAY AND WHY?
I admire people who have the courage of their convictions; people who are able to put the needs of others ahead of their own; those who live their lives with passion and strive to make a difference in this world in whatever way they can. I have been fortunate to have found such people in friends, family and colleagues; my children inspire me. BEST PLACE YOU’VE VISITED; SOMEWHERE YOU LOOK FORWARD TO VISITING:
In my work, I’ve been privileged to speak and travel around the world. My memories and most vivid impressions are of people; and I’ve met wonderful people in China, Japan, Taiwan, Singapore; Australia, New Zealand; Western Europe, Israel, Brazil, Argentina, and the list goes on. I’ve been invited to give some talks in Prague and Budapest this coming May. Not having done as much travel in Eastern Europe, that is a trip I am very much looking forward to. A RECENT BOOK YOU’VE ENJOYED:
I loved Doris Kearns Goodwin’s A Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln [the movie is based on this book]. Not only is the story telling gripping, but the lessons about leadership, vision and power are insightful and contemporary. ON MUSIC:
Music was a big part of my childhood. I studied classical violin and along the way, also learned to play guitar. When I was nine or ten years old, I remember being taken to hear Itzhak Perlman play the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto; it was a mesmerizing and transformative experience. It introduced me to what has remained my favorite violin concerto, and affirmed that, lacking Perlman’s talent, I was not destined to be a professional musician. ACTIVITIES OUTSIDE OF WORK:
Anything having to do with the arts; film, theatre, music. I love reading, particularly books that provide new insights about the human condition. And of course, spending time with family and friends.
continued on page 9
Book by UofM staff and faculty: Robert O’Kell
Prof links creative and political life of former U.K. prime minister in new book By Sandy Klowak The Bulletin
He was a 19th century politician, the namesake of an iconic Winnipeg bridge and now he’s the subject of an innovative new book by a U of M professor. Benjamin Disraeli, the British parliamentarian who served twice as prime minister, was also a prolific novelist. In Disraeli: The Romance of Politics, English professor Robert O’Kell illustrates how Disraeli’s political life informed his novels and vice versa, providing fresh insight into both public and private aspects of his character. “The connection between the novels and the politics is important because they both express the same urgencies, the same ambivalences, and the same emotional conflicts that are the essence of Disraeli’s character and personality,” says O’Kell, who is also Dean Emeritus of the Faculty of Arts. O’Kell’s book received an international launch, with events in both Canada and the U.K. Sponsored by the Victorian Studies Centre at the University of Leicester, the U.K. launch featured a lecture by O’Kell followed by a book signing and dinner. In Winnipeg, the book launched at McNally Robinson Booksellers on Tuesday March 5. How did you choose the subject of this book? What significance does Disraeli have to you?
I first became interested in Disraeli many years ago, when I was in graduate school. It seemed to me then that the usual dichotomy between the politician and the novelist was not very helpful in trying to understand how he overcame the tremendous obstacles in his path to political success and literary fame. His Jewish heritage, his large debts and his social notoriety all stood in the way of fulfilling his ambitions.
And yet, despite these disadvantages, he did succeed brilliantly, though it was a long struggle against the anti-Semitism of his age, the effects of his own reckless extravagance, and his early political reputation for inconsistency and insincerity. When I read the novels, I realized that there is a recurrent fantasy structure in them that seemed to be similar to the imaginative ways in which he shaped his political career. What do you hope readers take away from your book?
Robert O’Kell at the recent I hope that readers will find the story of Disraeli’s launch of his new book. life interesting and enjoyable and that they will come away with a greater understanding of his ideas and of the complex nature of his relationships with both his supporters and his antagonists. I hope, too, that some readers might be inspired to read one or two of Disraeli’s novels. Both Coningsby and Sybil are still in print and available in either the Oxford World Classics or Penguin editions. I also hope that readers will gain some understanding of the ways in which the private imaginative life of public men, such as Disraeli, but also of politicians in our own day, shapes their ideological positions and the politics of our own culture. In Disraeli: The Romance of Politics (2013) by Robert O’Kell is published by University of Toronto Press.
The Bulletin | March 21, 2013 | umanitoba.ca/bulletin
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Rare photos show Louis Riel in 1869, and a 1874 traffic jam at Portage & Main
By Chris Rutkowski The Bulletin
At a recent auction of civil war memorabilia halfway around the world from us in South Yarra, Australia, 13 items known as cartes de visite were for sale. They were part of a collection that included a folding moustache comb and a Spenser repeating carbine machine gun. But some of these cartes de visite at auction in Australia have a Winnipeg connection. Eight of them depict scenes from what is now Manitoba, dating from the 1860s and 1870s. One shows Louis Riel and a number of his councillors who joined him as part of the Métis Legislative Assembly of Assiniboia. It is likely the earliest print of this well-known image, dating somewhere around 1869 and quite possibly taken by photographer Ryder Larsen. This and the other seven Manitoba images are now in Archives & Special Collections at the University of Manitoba. The cartes de visite were taken around the Red River settlement by photographers James Penrose and Simon Duffin, among others. They provide a glimpse into what the Red River settlement looked like at that time and provide a nice balance between civic life and the private life of citizens.
There’s a shot of Portage and Main that is so different from what it is today that it is unrecognizable. It seems to show a “traffic jam” on the dirt tracks that met near the forks of the Assiniboine and Red River, nearly 140 years before present-day skyscrapers would tower over the famous intersection.
Also among the eight cartes purchased by Archives is a photograph of Indigenous people, a copy of which was identified by Magnus Einarsson for the Canadian Centre for Folk Culture Studies in 1978 as Ojibwa mourners in a graveyard near Lake of the Woods, Manitoba. The way the graves are constructed are interesting, but what makes the image both startling and sad is the fact that everyone in the photo has obviously covered their faces to avoid being seen by the photographer. Gordon Goldsborough, past-president of the Manitoba Historical Society and currently webmaster, secretary and Gazette Editor of Manitoba History journal, notes: “At this point we know nothing about the seller and how these photographs ended up halfway around the world–just that these photos must have made an incredible journey.” The popular phenomenon known as carte
de visite was patented in Paris, France, in 1854, but only became popular after Napoleon III’s photos were published in this format. They were thin paper photographs mounted on a thicker paper card and traded between friends and visitors, much like the way baseball or hockey cards are sold and traded today. These Red River themed cartes are albumen prints with a strangely yellowish cast, measuring a mere 2.125 inches (54.0 mm) × 3.5 inches (89 mm) mounted on a card sized 2.5" (64 mm) × 4" (100 mm). “These eight carte de visit are important acquisitions for the province, featuring early shots of life in the
Red River area in the 1860s and '70s,” says Shelley Sweeney, head of Archives & Special Collections. These historic Manitoba treasures were shown to the public for the first time at the University of Manitoba archives & Special Collections on Friday, March 8, 2013. The eight cartes de visite are now available for viewing online at: umanitoba.ca/libraries/archives/ digital/red_river_cartes_visite/ For more information, contact Shelley Sweeney, head, archives & special collections, at: 204-474-6350, or email: shelley.sweeney@ad.umanitoba.ca
TRAILBLAZER PIONEER EXPLORER INNOVATOR VISIONARY UNIVERSITY OF MANITOBA PROFESSOR ELECTED TO THE
ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA Harvey Chochinov - continued from page 8 Chochinov would like future psychiatrists to see palliative care as a tremendous career opportunity — psychiatrists have been slow in entering the field. “It can be tremendously gratifying,” he adds.
does in palliative care is that usually one knows very quickly whether or not you’ve made a difference. And how many jobs can you say that about?”
Palliative care, he says, has been growing both nationally and internationally. “The piece that our group has tried to add to that whole dynamic of growth is attention to psychosocial issues, understanding that, in addition to the medical expertise involving symptom management, that holistic palliative care requires attention to the physical, as well as psychological, spiritual and existential, issues that patients and families confront near end of life.
More on Harvey Max Chochinov: >>umanitoba.ca/faculties/ medicine/units/psychiatry/research/ about_harvey_chochinov.html
“The wonderful thing about the work one
–Mariianne Mays Wiebe
>>dignityincare.ca Dignity Therapy, the book from Oxford University Press: >>oup.com/us/catalog/ general/subject/Medicine/PalliativeMe dicine/?view=usa&ci=9780195176216 Chochinov Chairs the Canadian Virtual Hospice: www.virtualhospice.ca
Academic Job Opportunities A full listing of employment opportunities at the University of Manitoba can be found at umanitoba. ca. U of M encourages applications from qualified women and men, including members of visible minorities, Aboriginal peoples, and persons with disabilities. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority. Please include the position number when applying for openings at the university.
FACULTY OF MEDICINE Department of Clinical Health Psychology Position: contingent geographic full-time clinical psychologist at assistant professor level Position number: 16364
Deadline: April 12, 2013 Start Date: July 1, 2013 For information: Bob McIlwraith, department of clinical health psychology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Manitoba, PZ 350 - 771 Bannatyne Avenue, Winnipeg, MB R3E 3N4
DR. CHARLES BERNSTEIN
DR. RAYMOND P. PERRY
DR. FRANK PLUMMER
We are extremely proud to honour University of Manitoba professor Dr. Charles Bernstein as a new Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada (RSC). We also congratulate Distinguished Professors Dr. Raymond P. Perry recipient of the Konrad Adenauer Research Award, and Dr. Frank Plummer who won the McLaughlin Medal. Founded in 1882, the RSC’s mission is to recognize scholarly, research and artistic excellence, to advise governments and organizations, and to promote a culture of knowledge and innovation in Canada and with other national academies around the world. The University of Manitoba has 42 current RSC Fellows.
umanitoba.ca/research
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The Bulletin | March 21, 2013 | umanitoba.ca/bulletin
events
PHYSICS LECTURE
University of Manitoba fort garry + Bannatyne campuses
TÉMOIGNER & STEMNING EXHIBITION
Monday to Friday until March 31 | 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Lilian Bonin & Liv Valmestad. In Dr. Paul H. T. Thorlakson Gallery, Iceland Reading Room, Elizabeth Dafoe Library.
HUMAN RIGHTS FILM FESTIVAL
Wednesday, March 20 to Friday March 22 | all day Films include two with U of M connections: Flooding Hope: Lake St. Martin and Free China. In various locations. For more info: marl.mb.ca/content/filmfestival.
THE KING OF LIES
Storytelling show by storytellerin-residence Clare Murphy Thursday, March 21 | 2:30 p.m. In 240 University College. Free. Saturday, March 23 | 7 p.m. At aceartinc., second floor, 290 McDermot Ave. $5.
MYTH BUSTERS: PRISON EDITION
Thursday, March 21 | 7-9 p.m. Talks on the topic of prisoners and human rights, by filmmaker Ervin Chartrand, advocate Kim Pate and criminologist Justin Piché. At Folk Exchange, 211 Bannatyne. Free.
SATIETY AND WEIGHT MANAGEMENT LECTURE
Thursday, March 21 | 7 p.m. Lecture by Susan Raatz, USDA-ARS Human Nutrition Research Center followed by nutrition round-up featuring panel of experts. In Robert B. Schultz Theatre, St John’s College.
STATISTICS SEMINAR SERIES Thursday, March 21 | 2:45 to 4 p.m. “Likelihood Inference in Small Area Estimation by Combining Time Series and Cross Sectional Data” by Farhad Shokoohi, department of community health sciences, University of Manitoba. In 316 Machray Hall.
CONVERSATIONS WITH MICHAEL SILVERBLATT AND GUY MADDIN Thursday, March 21 | 7:30 p.m. “The Reading Life” lecture by Michael Silverblatt. In 330 Dafoe Library. Friday, March 22 | 7:30 p.m. “A Conversation between Michael Silverblatt and Guy Maddin on Film, Reading, Dreams, and Art.” At Winnipeg Free Press Café.
FUNCTIONAL FOODS AND NATURAL HEALTH PRODUCTS GRADUATE RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM Friday, March 22 | 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Featuring keynote presentations by Susan Raatz of the USDA, naturopath Deirdre Jasper, and graduate students. At Canad Inns Fort Garry.
events
PSYCHOLOGY COLLOQUIUM SERIES Friday, March 22 | 3 p.m. Lecture by Ira L. Cohen, NYS Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities. In P412 Duff Roblin. Refreshment served 30 minutes before talk, wine and cheese to follow, in psychology lounge.
MATHEMATICS COLLOQUIUM Friday, March 22 | 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. “Fixed points and derivation problem of B. E. Johnson” by Safoura Zaffar Jafar Zadeh (mathematics). In 111 Armes.
PHYSICS LECTURE
Friday, March 22 | 3:30 p.m. "Graduate Research at the Frontiers of Physics and Astronomy" by Kurt Hildebrand, Elizabeth Skoropata, Jiandong Wu (physics). In 330 Allen Bldg.
CENTRE ON AGING RESEARCH SEMINAR SERIES Monday, March 25 | 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. “Is this my body? Body dissatisfaction, concerns about aging, and food choices of baby boomers and older women in Manitoba” by Christina Lengyel and Catherine Marshall, department of human nutritional sciences. In 405 Brodie Centre, Bannatyne Campus.
Native Studies Colloquium Series
Wednesday, March 27 | 11:30 a.m. to 12:20 p.m. “Developing Aboriginal youth leadership through theatre” by Jo-Ann Episkinew, Director, Indigenous People’s Health Research Centre, University of Regina. In 223 Migizii Agamik.
JEFFREY COOK MEMORIAL LECTURE
Wednesday, March 27 | 6 p.m. Talk by Craig Dykers. In Centre Space, John A. Russell Building.
DOCUMENTARY SCREENING Thursday, March 28 11:30 a.m. Screening of documentary Food Inc. followed by critical conversation and Supermarket Sweep game with chance to win prizes. In Fireplace Lounge, University Centre.
2nd ANNUAL CURRY COOK-OFF Thursday, March 28 | 12 to 2 p.m. Cook-off between Christopher Trott, warden and vice-chancellor, St. John’s College and Norman Halden, dean, Clayton H. Riddell Faculty of Environment, Earth, and Resources, in support of Dr. William Norton Award. $10. In Cross Common Room, 108 St. John’s College.
CENTRE ON AGING RESEARCH FORUM
Friday, April 5 | 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. A celebration of the centre’s 30th anniversary. Research affiliates will reflect on their work with the centre, with reception to follow. RSVP by March 28 to coaman@ad.umanitoba. ca or 474-8754. In 108 Cross Commons Room, St. John’s College.
• The Bulletin publishes events involving the university community at no cost. • Deadline for the April 4 issue is March 27 at 4:30 p.m. • Email events to bulletin@umanitoba.ca.
Friday, April 5 | 3:30 p.m. Talk on recent developments in understanding quantum transport in nanoscale systems by Hong Guo, department of physics, McGill University. In 330 Allen Bldg.
WORLD WAR 1: 100 YEARS AFTER
A weekend with military historian Andrew Robertshaw
Friday, April 5 | 7 p.m. Digging the Trenches. At McNally Robinson- Grant Park. Saturday, April 6 | 2 p.m. War Horse: Making the Movie. Camp Hughes Tour Orientation following presentation. In 290 Education Building. Free parking. Sunday, April 7 | 11 a.m. Camp Hughes Tour. Near Carberry, Man. All events free and open to the public.
PRESIDENT’S RECEPTION FOR RETIREES Saturday, April 13 | 2 p.m. Meet with Dr. David Barnard, President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Manitoba, with other retirees and speaker Eleni Giannouli, medical director of the Sleep Disorder Centre. In 204 Marshall McLuhan Hall, University Centre. RSVP by Friday, April 5 to Linda Lassman at Linda.lassman@ad.umanitoba.ca or by telephone at 204-474-9124.
UPCOMING MUSIC EVENTS All music events at Eva Clare Hall (Desautels Faculty of Music, 65 Dafoe Road) unless otherwise noted. For more music events: >>umanitoba.ca/music (click on “events”) Friday, March 22 | 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. | Thomas Roberts Recital. Thomas Roberts presents his 3rd year violin recital. Friday, March 22 | 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. | University Wind Ensemble & Concert Band. Final presentation of this academic year features “Samurai” by Clarke and “Music for Praque” by Husa. At Glenlawn Collegiate, corner of St. Mary’s Road and Fermor Ave. Tickets at door, $15/$5. Saturday, March 23 | 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. | Made in Canada: Choral Spring Concert. Annual Spring Concert by the University Singers and Women’s Chorus. Tickets $15/$5. At Crescent Fort Rouge United Church, 525 Wardlaw Avenue. Sunday, March 24 | 1:15 to 1:45 p.m. | XIE at Musicians in the Making. Join eXperimental Improv Ensemble (XIE) performs live soundtracks and interactive dance. At the Centennial Concert Hall, Piano Nobile. Sunday, March 24 | 2 to 3:30 p.m. and 7:30 to 9 p.m.| Concert: Winnipeg Jazz Orchestra. Pianist Nikolaj Bentzon performs his “1001 Arabian Jazz Nights.” At the Winnipeg Art Gallery. Tickets $15/$32.50. Monday, March 25 | 7:30 to 8:45 p.m. | Andrea Wicha Recital. Andrea Wicha presents her graduate conducting recital in conjunction with Cantata Singers. Free. Wednesday, March 27 | 8 to 9:30 p.m. | An Evening of Operetta. Vocal faculty members perform selected excerpts from popular and famous operas. Free. Monday, April 1 | 8 to 9:30 p.m. | Alex Massa Recital. Alex Massa presents his graduate jazz trumpet recital. At The Hub, University Centre. Free. Tuesday, April 2 | 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. | Stephen Haiko Recital. Stephen Haiko presents his third year voice recital. Free. Tuesday, April 2 | 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. | Sean Burke Recital. Sean Burke presents his third year jazz bass recital. At Exchange Community Church, 75 Albert Street. Free. Tuesday, April 2 | 9 to 10:15 | Jeff King Recital. Jeff King presents his post baccalaureate jazz drum recital. At Exchange Community Church, 75 Albert Street. Free. Wednesday, April 3 | 7 to 8:30 | Philip Collins Recital. Philip Collins presents his post baccalaureate jazz trumpet recital. At Arkadash Bistro, 268 Portage Ave. Free. Wednesday, April 3 | 8 to 9:15 p.m. | SooJung Kim Recital. SooJung Kim presents her fourth year piano recital. Free. Saturday, April 6 | 8 to 9:15 p.m. | Jeremy Buzash Recital. Jeremy Buzash presents his graduate violin recital. Free. Saturday, April 6 | 9 to 10 p.m. | XIE performance. Multimedia performance at Graffiti Gallery, 109 Higgins Ave. By donation. Sunday, April 7 | 2 to 3:30 p.m. | Winnipeg Brass Collective. At Grace Christian Church, 50 Barnes St. Silver collection, proceeds go to Hands of Hope Charity. Sunday, April 7 | 7:30 to 9 p.m. | University Concert Choir. At Westworth United Church, 1750 Grosvenor Ave. Tickets $12/$5. Sunday, April 7 | 7:30 to 9 p.m. | Oleg and Friends Concert Series. Works by BachBusoni, Franck, Schumann, Balakirev. Tickets $20/$15/$7. At Broadway Disciples United Church, 396 Broadway. Monday, April 8 | 7:30 to 9 p.m. | University Symphony Orchestra. At Westworth United Church, 1750 Grosvenor Ave. Tickets $12/$5.
ART EXHIBIT
Until Friday April 19 “Hymenal Views” by Bev Pike. At the School of Art Gallery, 255 ARTlab, 180 Dafoe Road.
The Bulletin Page |1 March 21, 2013 | umanitoba.ca/bulletin
The Bulletin
Page 11
Bringing Research to LIFE Upcoming Events
The top three of the Three Minute Thesis Graduate students cut to the chase about their research
how your Immune system helps—and harms—you Dr. Kent T. HayGlass Recipient of the 2012 Dr. John M. Bowman Memorial Winnipeg Rh Institute Foundation Award Canada Research Chair in Immune Regulation Professor, Immunology march 27 7 pm Robert B. Schultz Theatre St. John’s College Fort Garry Campus
Visionary Conversations Global Pandemic: another y2K or Future apocalypse? Talk of the inevitability of a global pandemic abounds in popular media. Is it necessary? Are we prepared? Learn about the science behind the hype from our experts and join the discussion. april 17 Frederic Gaspard Theatre Basic Medical Sciences Building Bannatyne Campus Reception in Buhler atrium 6:30 – 7 pm Panel discussion 7 – 8:30 pm Featured speakers: Frank Plummer – Canada Research Chair in Resistance and Susceptibility to Infections, Faculty of Medicine Michelle Driedger – Canada Research Chair in Environment and Health Risk Communication, Faculty of Medicine Anand Kumar – Associate Professor, Medical Microbiology/ Pharmacology/ Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Joanne Embree – Head and Professor, Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine RSVP to: visionary.conversations@ ad.umanitoba.ca
Photo by Mike Latschislaw
Winners at 3MT® from left: U of M graduate students Christopher White, Leah (Wong) Guenther and Anthony Signore By KatIe ChalmeRs-BROOKs For the Bulletin How do you sum up countless hours of complex research in just three minutes? “Practice, practice, practice,” says PhD student Christopher White. He earned the People’s Choice award at the U of M’s inaugural Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) event. The competition, originating in Australia, challenges graduate students to explain their thesis to a layperson audience in a super succinct and digestible way. White, who is working on his PhD in physiology, is also completing his residency in cardiac surgery. He has witnessed heartbreak of both kinds: the physical heart that no longer works as it should, and the sadness of patients who struggle to take even a few steps. He has also seen the joy that a new heart brings. “For someone to go from not being able to walk to their kitchen to cook a meal to being able to go about their daily life again, that’s certainly a rewarding part of medicine to be involved in,” says White. His research tackles the imbalance between the number of people who need a heart transplant and the number of healthy donor hearts available. “The lack of suitable organs is really the biggest limiting factor of cardiac transplantation as a treatment for end-stage heart failure,” he says. The solution may involve ex vivo heart perfusion, a technical term for “heart in a box”. During conventional heart transplant surgery, the donor heart sits idle in a bag in a bucket of ice until it’s transplanted. During ex vivo heart perfusion, which is now undergoing clinical trials, the donor heart is tricked into thinking it’s still inside a warm body. The heart is supplied with blood and oxygen, which allows it to keep beating so doctors can assess how well it works
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before it finds a new home. White is investigating the ideal conditions for this procedure. “What is the best perfusion pressure and temperature? What kinds of drugs or pharmaceuticals should be in the solution? What is the best way to assess the function of the heart? None of these things have really been determined before,” he says. This technique could make it possible to resuscitate and preserve many of the hearts now considered unsuitable and discarded. The competition’s first-place winner Leah (Wong) Guenther, who is working towards a master’s in mechanical and manufacturing engineering, is also focused on the people who will benefit from her research. Her efforts could lead to a Manitoba-born solution for the flawed testing of new, artificial hip and knee joints. The number of joint replacement surgeries is on the rise but the artificial joints available today aren’t lasting long enough and some fail all together. “These joint replacements aren’t being tested properly,” Guenther says. There has been several recalls worldwide in recent years on artificial joints already in people’s bodies. “These recalls cost billions of dollars and affect hundreds of thousands of people,” she adds. To test the wear performance of new and existing joint replacements using machines, the orthopedic industry replicates the joint movement and the surrounding synovial fluid, which reduces friction when we move. Guenther is trying to improve on the synthetic version of this fluid so testing would better reflect the real thing and garner more accurate results. She says her analysis shows the synthetic lubricant is actually “quite different” from synovial fluid. “If we can screen these joint replacements more accurately, we can catch any problems beforehand so that
we can make improvements to these products before they are implanted into patients,” she says. Second-place winner and biological sciences PhD student Anthony Signore is looking to the past to make life better for people today. For the latest insight into how to improve the way we perform heart surgery, he’s investigating some long extinct Arctic species—the woolly mammoth, extinct 4,000-10,000 years ago, and Steller’s sea cow, gone since 1768. What’s the connection between surgery and these species? Body temperature. During heart surgery, the body is cooled so it requires less oxygen and doctors can stop the heart to operate on it. But the hemoglobin, the protein that carries the oxygen in the blood, also performs more poorly when the temperature drops. This can shorten the window for how long a body can be cold without a risk of damaging major organs. Signore is sequencing the DNA extracted from the fossilized bones of these extinct Arctic animals, whose hemoglobin had adapted to work better in the cold. He then reproduces their hemoglobin and determines how it’s able to maintain its function in chilly temperatures. The methods he is developing could help create a better blood substitute for surgery patients. This field of paleo-physiology is brand new. It was Signore’s advisor, Kevin Campbell, who, as part of an international team, first brought back to life a complex protein from the woolly mammoth. The process is essentially like going back in time and taking a blood sample from a living creature. “It’s really exciting to be a part of something like this,” says Signore. “When you’re doing research, you know things that no one else in the world knows at that time. There’s something pretty neat about that.” View video of the winning presentations at umanitoba.ca/3mt/
Published by the Office of the Vice-President (Research and International) Comments, submissions and event listings to: research_communications@umanitoba.ca Phone: (204) 474-7300 Fax (204) 261-0325
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The Bulletin | March 21, 2013 | umanitoba.ca/bulletin
Art exhibition depicts interior female landscapes as mountains of cloth A decade ago, artist Bev Pike says she set out to create the ugliest painting in the world, to illustrate the emotional turmoil she was experiencing. Now, the U of M’s School of Art Gallery is hosting the solo exhibition of Pike’s work, 10 years in the making. Hymenal Views features six 20-foot-long paintings that depict mountainous bundles of clothing enveloping the gallery, creating a visual topography of overlapping social histories and constructions of gender. Highly illustrative and detailed, these paintings are incredibly labour-intensive. Each piece takes a full year to complete, which is a testament to Pike’s commitment to her practice. This exhibition represents six out of 10 years of work. To mark the opening of the exhibition, a celebratory reception was held on Thursday, March 7. The artist gave a talk providing an overview of her almost 40-year career on Wednesday, March 13. The exhibition runs to April 19, 2013. Bev Pike is a prominent member of the Winnipeg arts community but surprisingly it has been over 23 years since Pike’s paintings have been featured in a solo show in Winnipeg. “In these works the political and personal are wedded to create an environment that overwhelms the viewer,” says gallery
director and curator Mary Reid. “The experience is intended to produce new feelings and insights.” “Pike’s paintings express a determination and resolve,” says Paul Hess, director of the School of Art. “By virtue of their sheer scale they slow the act of looking and thereby open new possibilities The first piece in Bev Pike's series, Hymenal Views. of experience.” These pieces present “a story coming from a marginalized position,” says Pike, and their impressive scale is significant and necessary to communicate a female-centred point of view that even today is frequently overlooked. Pike is an experienced artist and influential cultural advocate who has built an impressive body of work and is known for her large scale oracular land-form paintings. Her current research areas include performative landscape, underground shell grottoes and other Baroque spectacles.
Photo by Sandy Klowak
Q & A with Bev Pike What inspired you to begin this series of paintings, a decade ago?
My work is heavily based on my emotions at the time and in 2003 everything was upside down and chaotic and so I decided, wouldn’t it be interesting to paint the ugliest painting in the world, that would give a visual idea of what it feels like to be insane or to feel insane. So I did everything wrong, the way I was trained — I broke all the rules. There’s smudgy painting, the colours don’t match, the paint styles don’t match, the space is weird — it’s just really bad. So that’s the ugliest painting in the world, and that started everything. That intensity fed into the subsequent pieces. What is the importance of the large scale of the paintings?
I’m after making painting that’s experiential, that’s time-based, so you have to walk around it, you have to walk back from it 30 feet and close up to it, you have to stand at one end and look down. It’s not a picture, it’s more an experience. What is the significance of the title, Hymenal Views? What does the fabric represent?
The title comes from my desire to create a unique feminist point of view. So I want these paintings to represent interior female landscapes. [The bundles] represent women’s bodies.
What do you hope people will take away from this exhibit?
I hope that these works help people to recognize familiar states of being or familiar emotions, and I’d like people to see that painting can do much more than it’s been used for in the past — that painting can affect people viscerally and that it can be successful large, and a room of large paintings can induce new sensations and new insights. – Sandy Klowak
AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE FOR SUPPORT STAFF
See work that’s great? Then nominate!
Above, Hymenal View of the Reflective, 2007, gouache on paper, 244.0 x 620.0 cm, Collection of the artist. Below, Hymenal View of Alchemy (detail), 2008, gouache on paper, 244.0 x 620.0 cm.
Four ways to celebrate outstanding contributions:
President’s Award Leadership Award Service Award Team Award
The deadline for nominations has been extended till March 29th 2013 Potential nominators, please visit the Learning and Development Services web site and find helpful resources to aid in your nomination: http://umanitoba.ca/admin/human_resources/lds/recognition/EA.html
Photos by Robert Barrow and Sheila Spence