May 23, 2013 Vol. 47 No. 4
The Bulletin
umanitoba.ca/bulletin
University of Manitoba
Events
Inside
i34 Spring Convocation May 28, 29 and 30 th
For more, see centre pullout feature, pages 5 to 10
Students honour their teachers at annual recognition event
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Lego math for the layperson: Faculty profile The play’s the thing: Father-son activities for non-hockey fans
Page 12 Back page
Hats off to the graduating class of 2013! Photos by Dan Gwozdz
Faculty of Medicine students express jubilation after their convocation ceremonies, which took place on May 16.
The heart of teaching
Annual Migizii Award handed out at the Traditional Graduation Powwow Mariianne Mays Wiebe The Bulletin
daily grind of reserve life when out of the blue, she received a call. It was Wallin.
There’s a First Nations teaching that cautions against leading with the mind rather than with the heart. For master’s graduate Thelma Nice, this teaching made nominating her professor Dawn Wallin for the Migizii Award an easy decision. The former student says that after she gave up on her dream of earning her advanced degree due to personal issues, it was Wallin’s “extra mile” and demonstration of heart that pulled her back in.
Now acting head of the department in which Nice was studying, when her paperwork came across her desk, she recognized Nice’s name from the course. “She asked why I wasn’t continuing in my program when I was so close to completion.
The annual Migizii Award, now in its third year, acknowledges a university staff member who went above and beyond for an Aboriginal students on campus. Nomimated by an Aboriginal student, the award is presented to the selected staff member at the Traditional Graduation Powwow. It is available to all staff members of the U of M, both Aboriginal and nonAboriginal who made a difference.
Dawn Wallin, recipient of the Migizii award, with her nominator, Thelma Nice. Nice says that early in her master’s program, she took a course with Wallin, and enjoyed her class very much, but upon finishing, had no further contact with her. Struggling with personal issues, she gave up after papers were due and deadlines had come and gone, she notes. She had already given up on her dream, she says, and “resigned herself to the
“Dawn offered to be my student advisor and with her guidance and support, I was able to complete the Master of Education Administration,” finishes Nice. On her nomination form, Nice wrote, “I am nominating Dr. Dawn Wallin for the Migizii award because she has demonstrated a traditional Frist Nation teaching, which is the importance of acting and leading with the heart. Dr. Dawn Wallin reached out to me, she gave me as second chance and supported me along the way. Dr. Dawn Wallin has made a difference.” For her part, Wallin says that she is
humbled by the nomination. “I was deeply struck by how one small act of support in a single moment in time can have life affirming impacts on others,” she says. “Thelma’s nomination helped me re-connect to the reasons why I became a teacher. She taught me to remember that our triumphs are connected to the struggles we face, and that all of our successes as educators occur in the relationships we have with others.” She says that her goal is to “help set that foundation with students, help them maneuver around some of the bumps that may come up, and then for the most part get out of the way while they take charge of their own academic dreams,” she says. There were also six honourable mentions for the award: Mitch Bourbonierre, Extended Education; Joan Churley, Faculty of Social Work; Deanna Halonen, Faculty of Social Work; Sasha Kondrasov, Extended Education; Emma LaRoque, Faculty of Arts; and Bret Nickels, Faculty of Arts.
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The Bulletin | May 23, 2013 | umanitoba.ca/bulletin
The U of M in the News Going ballistic Apr. 25 Globe and Mail
James Fergusson, a professor of political studies and the director of the Centre for Defence and Security Studies at the U of M, commented on a story about missile defence, “Should Canada join the US in missile-defence systems?” As the reporter writes: “There are practical questions, like whether missile defence is needed, will work and at what cost. Experts have highlighted its failings in distinguishing armed missiles from decoys, for example. But Fergusson argues that weakness suggests the shield might be beaten by a full Russian or Chinese assault, not that it couldn’t stop a missile from North Korea or Iran, which might not muster a sharp fleet of decoys. What does Canadian participation mean? Maybe less than people think, but it’s always been “the million-dollar question,” said Fergusson, author of Canada and Ballistic Missile Defence 1954-2009. Canada previously ruled out basing interceptors - weapons to shoot down missiles - on its soil, but that would probably be of marginal military value now, Fergusson said. Basing tracking radars in Canada might be useful, he said, and Canada might pay for part, perhaps hundreds of millions of dollars, but not billions.”
Sober second thoughts
May 2 Vancouver Sun, Calgary Herald, Edmonton Journal, Leader Post, Montreal Gazette, National Post The public-private partnership (P3) model for building infrastructure has made inroads into provincial projects such as hospitals and schools. Now, municipalities are the targets, legal experts say, as Canada’s growing P3 industry looks to evolve and expand its reach. Sitting in the bull’s eye are water and waste treatment facilities. But John Loxley, an economics professor at U of M and winner of the 2010 John Kenneth Galbraith Prize in Economics, opposes P3s and any expansion of them into the municipal sector. “The argument in favour of P3s has been exaggerated,” he says, noting there hasn’t been any long-term analysis of benefits. He calls the risk calculations “highly dubious,” also believing governments pay too much in interest payments and says P3s cut small, local contractors out of the picture.
An uncommon phenomenon
May 14 Winnipeg Free Press, Agence France Presse An “ice shove” recently affected 27 properties on the southern shore of Dauphin Lake. U of M scientists say the ice that devastated Ochre Beach was “a fairly normal thing to happen. It’s just a matter of timing,” said Klaus Hochheim, a research associate in the Centre for Earth Observation Science. “It’s just getting the right combination of factors. It’s all probability.” The first factor is the presence of ice floating on a large body of water that’s in the process of thawing. While solid sheets won’t move, any form of free-floating ice — large blocks or smaller shards — can be pushed around by wind. When the wind is strong enough and blows long enough to push that ice in one direction, it can become an ice shove when it hits the shore. The leading edge of this mass of ice will stop, forcing the trailing ice to pile up on top of it. Given enough momentum, the resulting pile can surge onto the shore. “It’s like a freight train, and you have all these cars at the back end with nowhere to go,” said Jay Doering, a civil engineering professor at the U of M. “Some have even referred to it as an ice tsunami.”
Elijah Harper mourned Elijah Harper, one of the strongest voices of Indigenous peoples, died suddenly on May 17 as a result of heart failure, a complication due to diabetes. He was only 64 years old.
The
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“On behalf of the entire University of Manitoba community, I express deep sadness at the passing of a great leader and Indigenous activist,” said David Barnard,
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University of Manitoba president and vice-chancellor. “He was one of our most honoured and respected former students, a great Canadian leader who used his remarkable gifts and talents to give back to his Nation.” Deborah Young, executive lead, Indigenous Achievement at the University of Manitoba, said: “I had the pleasure
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Chancellor Secter celebrated at portrait unveiling Chancellor Harvey Secter’s contributions to the community and his distinguished career were celebrated this week at a special portrait unveiling ceremony held in Robson Hall, Faculty of Law. “He has performed many roles throughout his life: scholar, teacher, business leader, and philanthropist. As Chancellor, he has been a valued advisor and counselor. His ability to speak with passion and conviction about education and his affection for this university in particular is made repeatedly clear to everyone who gets to know him. We are very proud to have him here, of all the roles he has performed, surely the role of Chancellor is one he was born to do,” said Dr. David Barnard, President and Vice-Chancellor. The enthusiastic crowd attending the event included Chancellor Secter’s wife Sandra, their two children Beth and Joel, along with colleagues, friends, and honorary degree recipients John Harvard and Terry Sargeant. In addition to President Barnard, the Chancellor was also recognized for his contributions to the community by Janice Lederman, Chair of the Board of Governors and Jeff Leclerc, University Secretary. “Mr. Secter’s ability to be the voice of reason and wisdom in any conversation that he engages really stands out in terms of his contribution to the institution,” Ms. Lederman said. “Harvey is a leader, a visionary; he has served us remarkably well. He has shown us how truly invaluable the role of the Chancellor can be to the effective governance of the institution, and has raised the bar.”
of meeting Mr. Harper on numerous occasions and I was always struck by his humility, integrity and honesty. He was a tremendous First Nations leader and role model for everyone. His sudden passing is loss not only for Indigenous communities but for Canada.” Harper is best known for his courageous blocking of the Meech Lake Accord in
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Following the unveiling of the portrait, Chancellor Secter addressed the crowd with a quote from Carlos Castaneda’s book, the Teachings of Don Juan, “‘All paths are the same. They lead nowhere. … The only question is: Does this path have heart?’ “Well, I believe it’s the people you meet and share your journey with, that provide the heart on your path, and I’m honoured to look around this room and see so many whom I’ve shared so much of my experience. This place and this university in this last quarter of a century have really become part of who I am. Thank you for sharing this journey with me and for making this a very special occasion.” Chancellor Secter also presented Lorna A. Turnbull, dean of the Faculty of Law, with a very special memento. He donated a collection of a very rare set of Sir William Blackstone Commentaries on the Laws of England (1765-1769) to the E.K. Williams Law Library. The oil painting by artist Andrew Valko, will be on display in the Elizabeth Dafoe library alongside the university’s collection of portraits of 12 former Chancellors, an honoured tradition in the 136 year history of U of M. The Board of Governors has just announced the re-election of Harvey Secter as chancellor of the university for a second term beginning June 1, 2013. Secter has served as the 13th Chancellor of the University of Manitoba since January, 2010.
the Manitoba Legislature in 1990, raising an eagle feather to indicate his position of disagreement. This action blocked the constitutional amendment package negotiated by the Canadian government to gain Quebec’s acceptance of the Constitution Act of 1982, on the grounds that the accord was negotiated without the consent of Canada’s Aboriginal Peoples.
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The Bulletin | May 23, 2013 | umanitoba.ca/bulletin
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U of M research scientist awarded 2012 Alexander Bajkov Award Lake Winnipeg, the tenth largest lake in the world, is in trouble. Researcher Greg McCullough is committed to finding the solutions and his work has not gone unnoticed.
receiving this very deserving recognition,” said Digvir Jayas, vice-president (research and international) and distinguished professor at the U of M. “His contribution to the scientific knowledge surrounding the cause and effect of algae blooms on the lake has advanced understanding of this sensitive relationship not only in Manitoba, but around the globe.”
On May 8, the Lake Winnipeg Foundation presented McCullough with the 2012 Alexander Bajkov award. The award recognizes McCullough’s dedicated research aimed at protecting, preserving and restoring Lake Winnipeg and its watershed. McCullough, a research associate with the Centre for Earth Observation Science in the Clayton H. Riddell Faculty of Environment, Earth, and Resources, has worked for the betterment of Lake Winnipeg, largely on his own time and at his own cost.
McCullough’s commitment to communicating science to the public is exemplified by his website, where he educates scientific colleagues, policymakers and the public on the increasing frequency and extent of algal blooms in Lake Winnipeg. Greg McCullough. “I congratulate Dr. McCullough on
McCullough’s website can be found here: >>home.cc.umanitoba.ca/~gmccullo/ LWsat.htm
Awards of Excellence for Support Staff 2013 Recipients Mark O’Riley For The Bulletin
The Awards of Excellence for support staff celebrate the outstanding work done by members of the university support staff. This is the eighth year of the awards and 32 nominations were received, a great testament to our community’s spirit of recognition. Listed below are the recipients selected in each of four award categories: President’s, Leadership, Service and Team. President’s Award Recipient: This award celebrates the exceptional contributions of support staff during their career at the university. The Award consists of a certificate of recognition and a financial award. Lynn Smith, student services: To her staff, Smith is “our mentor, our leader, our confidante, our cheerleader, our protector, our advocate, sometimes our conscience, and always a constant supporter of student-first initiatives.” Smith has a broad timely vision of student services and support, and works tirelessly for that vision. Leadership Award: Celebrates support staff members who lead effective teams to achieve results. Effective leaders engage colleagues in ways that promote a common understanding of the team, unit or university’s mission or goals. These leaders inspire co-workers to work creatively and collaboratively. Marcia Bryson, financial services/ ROSE: Bryson has been a force for change within the university community and financial services. As one of her team members stated “I call her super woman”, she consistently engages and challenges the team. The infrastructure that Marcia and her teams are putting into place will help ensure the university’s continued success and growth. Tracy Mohr, Office of Research Services: Mohr manages a large portfolio of complex projects, and leads a team that generates 80 million of research funds from various sources and 44 CRC nominations and renewals. Her team also has supported success in attaining graduate student funding. Tracy supports and develops her staff, and maintains an infectious, positive attitude and sense of humor. “Tracy Mohr is, in a word, a star.” Greg Sobie, Faculty of Science, dean’s office: As the founding and current president of the advisor exchange group, Greg supports and coordinates collaboration such as communications and best practices. Greg is a participative, creative leader with a great grasp of social media —contributing to the development
of a wiki, the advisor exchange website, an innovative new call schedule and a blog. Sobie also participates on many university committee. Service Award: Celebrates support staff members who have exhibited a high level of initiative, dedication and cooperation in their service to students, faculty, staff and the general public. Lorna Cameron, U of M Libraries: Approachable, patient and an iPad expert, Cameron is dedicated to innovating and improving the workplace with thoughtful initiatives and hosting work placement students for two weeks every spring. Her citation noted that “she is creative and has an astounding ability to initiate programs and procedures that support change and adaptation to new technologies; she is a true expert in knowledge-transfer.” Thayalan Karthigesu, Faculty of Law: In the Law Faculty, Karthigesu is in constant motion. He enthusiastically embraces his role and his approach puts his colleagues’ minds at ease regarding their technical concerns. Because of Karthigesu, law has leading edge classroom technology and a computer based examination system. It is reported that “we have the best IT support that anyone could offer.” Andrea MacIntosh, Faculty of Medicine: MacIntosh has an incredible work ethic and sets a tone of professionalism, respect, efficiency, and collegiality. Her mark of quality and organization is ubiquitous throughout her lab. She has single-handedly developed and refined every operating procedure. Janis McGonigle (posthumous), Faculty of Kinesiology and Recreation Management: The nomination contains pages of love and testimony for the late Janis McGonigle. She was respected, admired, and appreciated as an administrator, guide, and motherlike supporter of students. The Research Institute is a friendly place in large part because of McGonigle’s impact on that environment. Her legacy includes the tremendous impact on the lives of the students and colleagues she touched. Reg Roy, physical plant: How do you describe a man who works in -30C weather, fights off vicious squirrels, and carves the very fixtures that beautify our campus with his bare hands? Two words: Reg Roy. Reg has always committed himself to ‘doing the job right’ and shared his craftsmanship in Arthur Mauro, the laboratories in Buller and numerous offices and classrooms. Judith (Jude) Zieske, Faculty of Medicine: Zieske’s hard work,
commitment to continuous improvement, and positive attitude affect support in three key areas, research, training, and community development, while keeping 45 members of the research group organized. Whether fundraising for schools in Kenya, upgrading her own skills, or going above and beyond the call of duty in the office, Zieske’s approach can be summed up with the phrase “How can I help?” Team Award: Celebrates teams or working groups that have performed an outstanding service for the benefit of the university community. While the team may include external partners of the university, at least half of the team members must be support staff. 2012-2013 Wireless “N” Project, team members Jeysan Anoling, Tom Gronski, Marvin Kocay, Brian Mitchell, Jeff Reitberger, Harold Robson, Doug Stoyko, Kelly Thomas, James Tharayil, Darwin Thompson: Best described as a “triple win,” in under a year this team brought wireless connections to 12 U of M buildings on scope, on time, and within budget. Meeting the demands of the highly technology-connected student population has put the University at the forefront of wireless technology. Exchange implementation project team, team members Chris Bohonis, Ed Co, Robert Dvorski, Jason Frovich, Trevor Gebel, Brian Greenberg, Lisa McCaffrey, Chris McCann, Brian Mitchell, Andrew Perchaluk, Dan Shinnan, Richard Sipinski,Ed Spencer, Lonnie Smetana, Kevin Stewart, David Treble, Jon Vitt: Changing a University email and calendar system is a tremendous undertaking. This team built the high degree of trust and respect needed to deliver a high quality, reliable, enterprise-level solution. This team was solution-focused and constantly had the benefit to the enduser in mind when defining work and making decisions. They migrated 4,300 individual email accounts and almost 600 functional accounts. Such a high profile and complicated project could not be delivered without the shared contributions of each team member. Physics and astronomy graduate and undergraduate support team, team members Susan Beshta, Wanda Klassen, Gilles Roy: The team’s work ethic, supportive behaviour, and positive morale radiates from the department’s main office, setting a respectful and collegial tone for members at all levels while producing “error-free work.” All three team members are driven by a desire to help the department succeed and take pride in its achievements.
campus news & Kudos Improving online library catalogues
The Marcel A. Desautels Faculty of Music congratulates Wendy Rondeau (BMusic/2004, Post-Bac. Dip./2005, MMusic/2008) on receiving the Canadian Library Association’s 30th Student Library Award. Rondeau’s article titled “Making Use of Existing Tools for Unknown Item Needs: Improving Subject Retrieval in Online Catalogs” focuses on teaching library literacy skills in order to help patrons with successful online research. The article will be published in the August issue of the Feliciter, the Canadian Library Association’s national publication.
Faculty of Engineering finishes first year of ‘Adopt-aClass’ program
The U of M’s WISE Kid-Netic Energy, supported by the Faculty of Engineering, is wrapping up the first school year of the Adopt-a-Class program. Women in Science and Engineering, or WISE for short, is an outreach group from the U of M that has existed since 1990 to provide hands-on, memorable, curriculumbased workshops for schools, clubs, camps and more. All workshops at no cost to nine schools in the inner-city; schools in the Adopt-a-Class program were identified by the Boys and Girls Club of Winnipeg and Engineering Access Program (ENGAP). In total the Adopt-a-Class program saw 2903 kids in the inner-city of Winnipeg, and the workshops were very well received. The Faculty of Engineering plans to continue the program next year.
Faculty trailblazing
Bill Kops, professor and director, summer session, extended education division, has recently been elected president of the Association of University Summer Sessions (AUSS) at the annual meeting in Burlington, Vermont. The association was founded in 1917 to serve as a forum for discussing the theoretical and practical issues of summer session. The by-invitation institutional membership of fifty Carnegie tier-one research universities balances regional representation; private and public; and large and small institutions across North America. The U of M is one of two Canadian members. Kops is the first Canadian president in the association’s 95 year history. N. A. Michael Eskin, professor and associate dean in the department of human nutritional sciences, Faculty of Human Ecology, was selected by The American Oil Chemists’ Society as the 2013 winner of the prestigious Alton E. Bailey Award. This award is given in recognition of outstanding research and exceptional service in the field of lipids and associated products. In addition to an honorarium and a plaque, Eskin will give an award lecture at the AOCS Annual Meeting & Expo in Montreal this spring. Of the nearly 60 former recipients of this award since 1959, Eskin is the third Canadian to receive this honour. Congratulations, faculty members!
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Warmth for the learner’s soul
Students honour educators at annual recognition reception Bova. “Rather, it is about how students feel as they are learning.” Bova continued in admiration for Heilmann and Oshionebo: “It will never matter what you say, until it matters how you make someone feel. These two individuals embody this principal consistently, perfectly, and with humility.” President and Vice-Chancellor David Barnard shared a line from poet Jean Valentine. “Blessed are those who break off from separateness, theirs is wild heaven,” he quoted, adding, “The thing that makes real teaching is the moment that students and teachers interact, getting rid of separateness.” The thread continued in the presentations; rather than stimulating lectures or interesting facts, it was personality and engagement that made an impact and closed the gap between student and teacher.
Student-nominator Alexa Yakubovich addresses her nominators and the crowd at the May 8 event. Eric Postma For The Bulletin
On May 8, in one of the most poignant events of the year, the Students’ Teacher Recognition Reception, 18 graduating University of Manitoba students paid tribute to educators that made a difference. “It’s very touching to hear students share their memories of teachers who inspired them and mentored them over the years,”
said Mark Torchia, director of university teaching services (UTS). In 21 years of the reception, UTS has honoured over 850 educators.
It was a theme that carried through the event, with students espousing the humanity and warmth of their honoured educators.
What makes a great teacher worthy of being honoured? In his opening remarks, Torchia quoted psychologist Carl Jung: “The curriculum is so much necessary raw material, but warmth is the vital element for the growing plant and for the soul of the learner.”
Marlena Bova, graduating from the Faculty of Law, celebrated Michael Heilmann, her high school chemistry teacher, and Evaristus Oshionebo, associate professor, Faculty of Law. “Education is not about the facts, figures and concepts that students require,” said
Sarah Barton, graduating from the Faculty of Education, paid an emotional tribute to her high school basketball coach Lauri McFarlane. Barton was adjusting to a recent move to Thunder Bay and dealing with a death in the family when McFarlane stepped in with her support. “I am now a teacher and hope that I can be an influence on my students the way that she has influenced me,” said Barton. “My character as an athlete, student, coach, citizen and friend has been shaped by Coach McFarlane. She has given up countless hours of her time to be a positive female role model. “I hope that one day we will be colleagues.”
Student-presenters and recipients listed in order of faculty and student, K-12 teacher recognized, professor recognized. Agricultural & Food Sciences: Student Casey, curriculum, teaching and learning Ryan Murphy, food science program, Engineering: Student Lucas Wazney, civil honouring Daryl Wiebe, Fort Richmond engineering, honouring Kevin Kitching, Collegiate; Martin Scanlon, food science Springfield Collegiate Institute; Shawn Agriculture: Student Matt Lowry, honouring Kerri Hayhurst, Neepawa Area Collegiate Institute; Don Flaten, soil science Architecture: Student Aaron Pollock, honouring Marlene Leuschen, Harold Hatcher Elementary School; T. Jeffrey Garcia, instructor, Faculty of Architecture Arts: Student Alexa Yakubovich, psychology, honouring Paula MacPherson, Brock Corydon School; Randall K. Jamieson, psychology Student Thomas Toles, English, film and theatre, psychology, honouring Mary Hawn, Manitoba Conservatory of Music; Robert Smith, instructor, English, film and theatre Clayton H. Riddell Faculty of Environment, Earth, & Resources: Student Michelle Curry, honouring Heather Singer, University of Winnipeg Collegiate; John Hanesiak, environment and geography Dental Hygiene: Student Raymond Wang, honouring Irene Kocsis, Linden Meadows School; Lorene Belows, dental hygiene Dentistry: Student Karen Rosolowski, honouring Benoit Lepine, River West Park School; Doug Brothwell, Faculty of Dentistry Education: Student Sarah Barton, curriculum, teaching and learning, honouring Lauri McFarlane, St. Ignatius High School, Thunder Bay, ON; Catherine
Clark, civil engineering Human Ecology: Student Jennifer Bewza, honouring Mary-Anne Lovallo, St. Mary’s Academy; Joyce Slater, human nutritional sciences Kinesiology & Recreation Management: Student Sara Oswald, honouring Ginette Lafrenière, Oak Park High School; LeAnne Petherick, Kinesiology and Recreation Management Law: Student Marlena Bova, honouring Michael Heilmann, Dakota Collegiate; Evaristus Oshionebo, Faculty of Law Marcel A. Desautels Faculty of Music: Student Matthew Packer, music, honouring Jacquie Dawson, Vincent Massey Collegiate; Allen Harrington, Faculty of Music Nursing: Student Elaine Bronsdon, honouring Ruth Hallonquist, Sturgeon Creek Regional Secondary School; Bernadine Wallis, Nursing Science: Student Amber Gemmell, biological sciences, honouring Donna Martens, Morris School; Jeffrey Marcus, biological scineces Student Ying Ying Liu, computer science, honouring Zhi Bing Chen, Tongnan Middle School, Chongqing City, China; Parimala Thulasiraman, computer science Social Work: Student Erica Siddall, honouring Ketri Wilkes, Balmoral Hall; Donald Robinson, Social Work
Recipients of this year’s recognition awards with their nominees, President Barnard (left) and the Honourable Erin Selby, Minister of Advanced Education and Literacy.
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President's perspective
outstanding student experience
You will often hear me talk about the outstanding student experience we offer at the University of Manitoba and our desire to ensure that the time our 29,000 students spend with us is as rewarding as possible. Our graduation and convocation ceremonies celebrate the success of our students and drive home how varied and meaningful their experiences can be. On Friday, May 10, I had the privilege of travelling to Thompson to attend the Northern Social Work Program graduation ceremony. Eleven students received their diplomas joined by family, friends, faculty and the larger community. The Northern Social Work Program has been in existence for nearly 30 years, providing an opportunity for professional social workers from the North to be educated in and near their home communities. The individuals who received their diplomas at the ceremony held in Thompson have chosen a profession that is among the most challenging in our society. In many cases, they will be working to help restore families that have been damaged due to a variety of heartbreaking circumstances.
Faculty of Medicine celebrates one of largest classes of new physicians at Convocation faculty worked closely with Megan Jack and adopted a new way of teaching. The Faculty’s very own sleuth, Brett Houston, helped solve a blood mystery that had researchers and members of a Manitoba family completely baffled for decades. Donna Neufeld, an inner-city wife, and mom of four, returned to academia after 22 years. She has shown everyone around her what it means to persevere.
Several of those students have children of their own and successfully managed to juggle the competing priorities of school and family. Some were the first members of their family to graduate from university. It is truly inspiring to see our graduates so committed to a program that is grounded in the desire to help others. The University of Manitoba is a community of learning, discovery and engagement that successfully takes on critical issues facing our province, country and world. This program demonstrates just one of the many ways in which we address the breadth of the Manitoba’s priorities. Through teaching and research, we help improve our health care system. Education enables the transition out of poverty. Our researchers confront environmental challenges, such as water quality and climate change. We are at the heart of the province’s arts community. The University of Manitoba has some of the best researchers in the world, who have distinguished themselves by making discoveries with global impact. These include preventing the spread of HIV-AIDS and other infectious diseases, promoting and defending human rights at home and throughout the globe and uncovering the causes and impact of climate change. Our graduating students have learned from these world-class scholars and researchers and are ready to make their own impact on the world. They have earned the diplomas through time, effort and dedication and this truly is a time for celebration. Family, faculty, friends and fellow students who helped them through this academic journey also deserve our congratulations and thanks. Our graduates are joining an alumni community that includes nearly 130,000 remarkable people. This includes chief executive officers at some of Canada’s most successful companies; world-class physicians; exceptional researchers; groundbreaking artists; National Chiefs of the Assembly of First Nations; jurists on provincial, Canadian and international courts; and senior government and elected officials at the highest levels. Eighty per cent of graduates stay and work in Manitoba, making our university the province’s best retention program for medical professionals, engineers, architects, entrepreneurs, scientists, teachers, musicians, jurists, visual artists and critical thinkers. Just as Northern Manitoba will be served by the 11 newest graduates of the Northern Social Work Program, we know our graduates will enrich the lives of people and communities throughout our province, country and world. It is my hope that this is the beginning of their relationship with the University of Manitoba. As their lives unfold and flourish, I hope our paths continue to cross and connections grow as alumni, community partners and life-long learners.
TRAILBLAZER PIONEER EXPLORER INNOVATOR VISIONARY UNIVERSITY OF MANITOBA 2012-2013
EMPLOYEES SCHOLARSHIP Applications are now available online at: umanitoba.ca/student/fin_awards/media/UMES_application_-_(2012-2013).pdf Applications are also available at the Financial Aid and Awards Office, 422 University Centre, and S107 Medical Services Building at the Bannatyne Campus. The 2012-2013 competition is based on course work completed between May 1, 2012 and April 30, 2013. The application deadline is Friday, May 31, 2013. For additional information, visit: umanitoba.ca/student/fin_awards/scholarships/1720.htm or contact Tyler Kroeker (474-8197 or umkroe43@cc.umanitoba.ca).
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University of Manitoba Employees Scholarship ad
Ilana Simon For The Bulletin
The U of M held a Convocation Ceremony for medical graduates on May 16. The Faculty of Medicine Convocation took place at the Brodie Centre Atrium on the Bannatyne Campus. Degrees were conferred on 105 medical school graduates: 56 females and 49 males, including four Aboriginal students and 26 with rural attributes which include rural roots; rural work experience or rural volunteer experience. The Class of 2013 is an exceptional group. Graduates include the faculty’s first hearing-impaired student. The medical
“When I look at the 105 MDs graduating today, I see a diverse group of individuals that have overcome many different challenges; whether it’s dealing with specific learning needs or balancing academic and family life,” said Brian Postl [MD/76], Dean, Faculty of Medicine. “These students represent and identify with the individuals they will go on to serve as physicians.” This year, more than 70 per cent of the graduates are staying at the University of Manitoba to complete their residencies. “As a medical school we are dedicated to educating and training our graduates who will serve communities across the province and meet the health care needs of all Manitobans,” Postl said. The Convocation also includes the presentation of an Honorary Doctorate degree to University of Manitoba alumnus Harry Bone.
Dental hygienist’s compassion results in 2013 Alumni Honour Sean Moore The Bulletin
A long-time practitioner in community oral health has been named the recipient of the 2013 Alumni of Distinction award from the School of Dental Hygiene at the U of M. Ms. Pattie Moore of the Class of 1971 has spent a career dedicated to community oral health and public service and, because of these efforts, she has been selected for one of highest accolades in Manitoba oral health. “This kind of dedication speaks volumes and really sets a great example for those who will soon become members of our profession,” said Joanna Asadoorian, director of the School of Dental Hygiene. “Dental hygiene is far more than just cleaning teeth; it’s about a long-term commitment to promoting health for the public we serve.” This year’s recipient has spent over 30 years in the field as a full-time public health dental hygienist with the City of Winnipeg Health Department and the
Winnipeg Regional Health Authority. In that capacity, she has worked on many first-of-its-kind outreach initiatives, including the Machray School Project that reduced decay in at-risk, inner-city children from 90 per cent to under 10 per cent. Moore has also worked as a speaker and researcher on oral health care for disadvantaged communities. “Pattie’s career is an excellent example of the impact that a dental hygienist can have on a community,” said Cindy IsaakPloegman, president of the School of Dental Hygiene Alumni Association. “It goes beyond the operatory and the clinic and reaches into the lives of those who are in need of help.” Moore will be formally presented with the award at the Faculty’s annual Alumni of Distinction Awards Banquet and Celebration on September 20 at the Fort Garry Hotel in Winnipeg. A coproduction of the Faculty of Dentistry and School of Dental Hygiene and their respective alumni associations, the annual autumn event is a salute to oral health excellence in Manitoba.
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The Bulletin | May 23, 2013 | umanitoba.ca/bulletin
i34 th Spring
Convocation 20I3
Honorary Degree Honorary degrees are awarded for distinguished achievement in scholarship, the arts, or public service. Candidates for honorary degrees are nominated by members of the University and the public.
Mark Carney Magna Cum Laude A.B. Economics (Harvard), M. Phil Economics (Oxford), D. Phil Economics (Oxford) Special Ottawa Convocation, Friday, April 5
Mr. Mark Carney was born in Fort Smith in the Northwest Territories, a town of 2,500 people founded by fur-trading explorers and intrepid adventurers. From here, Mr. Carney blazed a remarkable trail that has taken him to the top of the global financial world. His journey began following high school in Edmonton, where his family moved when he was young. He ventured from home, going to Harvard University to earn his bachelor’s degree in economics in 1988. He went further still, earning his master’s degree in economics in 1993 from St. Peter’s College, University of Oxford, and a doctorate in economics in 1995 from Nuffield College, University of Oxford. Mr. Carney went on to have a thirteen-year career with Goldman Sachs in its London, Tokyo, New York and Toronto offices, eventually becoming the bank’s managing director of investment banking. In August of 2003, Mr. Carney was appointed Deputy Governor of the Bank of Canada. A little over a year later he left the Bank to become Senior Associate Deputy Minister of Finance. He served under both a Liberal and Conservative government before he was appointed to a seven-year term as the Governor of the Bank of Canada on February 1, 2008. He serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Bank of Canada, as well as serving as Chairman of the Board of the Financial Stability Board. When Mr. Carney accepted the governorship at the Bank, the global financial system offered uninviting horizons. But no one, even Mr. Carney, knew how vast, vague and tangled the approaching troubles were. He faced a daunting test almost immediately upon taking the helm: guide Canada through the worst of the financial impacts of a global banking crisis that began in 2007. He succeeded. Time named him one of the top 100 influential people of 2010, and in 2011 Reader’s Digest declared him the Most Trusted Canadian. And in recognition of his world-wide reputation, last year Mr. Carney was named Central Bank Governor of the Year. A rare and unique opportunity came on November 26, 2012, when Her Majesty the Queen approved the appointment of Mr. Carney as Governor of the Bank of England, the second oldest central bank in the world. He is the first non-Briton to be appointed to the role since the Bank was established in 1694. A visionary thinker and trailblazer who possesses tireless ambition and sterling integrity, Mr. Mark Carney is recognized with an Honorary Doctor of Laws for his leadership and impact on the financial world.
Elder Harry Bone BA (Brandon) Medicine Convocation, ThUrSDAY, MAY 16 AT 10:30 AM
Elder Harry Bone has worked tirelessly and quietly throughout his life to bolster Indigenous rights. He serves as a source of inspiration to the Faculty of Medicine, which shares his goal of improving the lives of Indigenous peoples by respecting their individual and collective rights. He is awarded an Honorary Doctor of Laws from the University of Manitoba for working with respect and humility toward this honourable end. He is a member of the Keeseekoowenin Ojibway Nation, where he served as a Chief and Director of Education. He also worked as a CEO at the West Region Tribal Council and as a Director of the Manitoba Indian Education Authority. While a graduate student in political studies at the University of Manitoba he was a Student Advisor and Lecturer. Elder Bone was also a Director of Native Programs for the Federal Government and he served as a Vice-President of Aboriginal Cultural Centres of Canada. Elder Bone is currently a member of the Elders Council, the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs, and the Treaty Relations Commission. Through the Treaty Relations Commission, he has been active in working with the Manitoba and federal governments, the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs and the Manitoba First Nations Education Resource Centre on the Treaty Education Initiative. This initiative develops Treaty-education resources for K-12 teachers to help them introduce treaties and traditional laws and knowledge to their students. Elder Bone’s expertise in First Nations governance at the community level is well regarded. He has led delegations that have met with all levels of government and has been instrumental in furthering many projects for the benefit all Manitobans, such as the Oral History Project and the Historical Atlas of First Nations in Manitoba. Elder Bone and Elder Doris Pratt co-authored Untuwe Pi Kin He – Who We Are: Treaty Elders’ Teachings Volume, a book that documents the traditional laws and customs of Indigenous peoples in Manitoba in a way that is accessible to all interested readers; it is not a revision of history but rather a retelling of history from Indigenous historians, giving them an opportunity to reclaim words and inject new power into them. Like Elder Bone, the book aims to inspire people through compassion, reason, humility and dignity. The University of Manitoba honours Elder Bone for his tireless and trendsetting work that advances Aboriginal education in Canada.
The Bulletin | May 23, 2013 | umanitoba.ca/bulletin
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Honorary Degree Phyllis N. Yaffe BA (Manitoba), BLibSci (Alberta), MLibSci (Toronto), LLD TUESDAY, MAY 28 AT 9:30 AM
Phyllis Yaffe is awarded an Honorary Doctor of Laws in recognition of her exceptional business acumen and for trailblazing paths for other women to follow into the world of publishing and entertainment. This former librarian has made a lot of noise in commercial entertainment. Ms. Yaffe was born in Winnipeg and began working as a librarian in the Winnipeg Public Library in 1969. Her love of books led her, after she earned her BA from the University of Manitoba, to receive a Bachelor of Library Science degree from the University of Alberta, and a Master of Library Science from the University of Toronto. In the 1970s she was a librarian at Seneca College in Toronto, and was later the Executive Director of the Canadian Children’s Book Centre. In 1980, the Association of Canadian Publishers appointed her Executive Director. Five years later she became Vice-President of Marketing for the children’s magazine Owl, a position she held until 1993 when she was approached by Alliance; they wanted her to help them expand. She did, and they did. By 1995 Ms. Yaffe was President of Showcase Television and she again helped them expand in 1996 with the successful licensing of History Television. In 1999, she became President and CEO of Alliance Atlantis Broadcasting and by 2001 she was appointed to the newly created position of Chief Executive Officer of Alliance Atlantis Broadcasting. Four years later they appointed her Chief Executive Officer of Alliance Atlantis Communications. She was responsible for overseeing the company’s worldwide operations, including the specialty channels, the international television distribution business, and the CSI franchise. She is also credited for bringing such personalities as Mike Holmes, Christine Cushing, and the Trailer Park Boys to Canadian television. In 1999, Canadian Women in Communications presented her with the Woman of the Year Award. The following year she received the Lifetime Achievement Award from Women in Film & Television. In 2006 she was named one of Canada’s 100 Most Powerful Women by the Women’s Executive Network. She is Chairperson of Women Against Multiple Sclerosis and she has sat on the World Wildlife Fund Board, the Board of Trustees of the Ontario Science Centre, and on the United Way of Greater Toronto’s 2007 Campaign Cabinet. She is currently the Chair of the Board of Directors of Cineplex Entertainment and the Lead Director at Torstar Corporation, as well as a member of the Board of Directors of Astral Media Inc. and Lionsgate Entertainment. Today, she receives an Honorary Doctor of Laws from the University of Manitoba, a premier academic institution that celebrates Ms. Yaffe’s trendsetting spirit.
Strinivasan Reddy OM, BEd, MEd (Manitoba) WEDNESDAY, MAY 29 AT 9:30 AM
Strinivasan Reddy is a fighter. Throughout his 42-year career as an educator working in five countries he fought for social justice and peace by combating racism. He is a rebel and defender honoured today by his alma mater. Mr. Reddy began teaching in 1956 in South Africa’s Natal Province. In 1962 he moved to Southern Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe, to teach for two years before he became the Assistant Principal and Chief Examiner at a boarding school in Zambia. He later moved to London, England, to teach for one year before arriving in The Pas, Manitoba, where he was a teacher and administrator with Kelsey School Division as well as coordinator of Brandon University’s Northern Teacher Education Program. In 1975, he graduated from the University of Manitoba with a Bachelor of Education Administration. After earning his master’s in 1979 he became a consultant for English as a Second Language with Manitoba Education, working mainly in northern Aboriginal communities. He then went on to work in Frontier School Division where, in 1985, he became the first ever Chief Superintendent of that
Wayne R. Anderson BSA (Manitoba), MBA (York) TUESDAY, MAY 28 AT 3:00 PM
A champion of the University of Manitoba’s vision and mission, Wayne Anderson has invested himself in the governing of the U of M community to such an extent that in 2008 he received the Peter D. Curry Chancellor’s Award in recognition of his service. He is again recognized today with an Honorary Doctor of Laws. Mr. Anderson was born in Winnipeg and graduated from the University of Manitoba in 1963 with a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture, a suiting degree: after he earned his MBA from York University in 1968 he became actively involved in his family’s cattle operation. He continued this farm work as he carved a path into Winnipeg’s business community. He has been a self-employed entrepreneur for most of the last 40 years. In 1973, Mr. Anderson was named President and General Manager of General Window Products of Canada Ltd. In 1981, he became President of Bonar Plastics Western Ltd. He remained there until 1993, when he became President at St. Boniface Pallet Co., a position he still holds today. He was Vice-President of Hillside Farms Manitoba Ltd. from 1963 until 2003, and from 1993 to 2003 he was Chairman of the Manitoba Horse Racing Commission. He also served as a Director on the Board of the Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association for 18 years, including three years as Chair. Multi-tasking has always been his strength: while a student here he was a hockey player for both Agriculture and the U of M Bisons, he was a member of Delta Upsilon fraternity, and he served on the Agriculture Student Council. In 1998, Mr. Anderson was elected to the University of Manitoba’s Board of Governors as a Representative of the Graduates. He was re-elected in 2001 and 2004. He served as Vice-Chair from September 2000 until June 2002, when he was elected as Chair of the Board of Governors. That same year he was awarded the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal. He served as Chair of the Board with great integrity for four years and then remained on the Board until May 2007. He is currently a member of the Board of Directors of the Frontier Centre for Public Policy, an independent “think tank.” He is also, since 2009, the Chair of the St. Boniface Hospital’s Board of Directors and continues to be an integral part of the University of Manitoba community: since 1999 he has been a member of the U of M’s Trust and Endowment Committee. Mr. Anderson is an example of the visionary and caring leaders the University of Manitoba has been shaping since 1877. He has enhanced his community, enriching its people and their connections to one another. He has committed his life to preserving and growing these bonds and the University of Manitoba honours him today for defending and promoting the community’s good.
Division. In 1992, he taught for Brandon University and in 1993 he took the post of Executive Director of the Manitoba Association of School Superintendents. Mr. Reddy continues to work with community organizations to improve education and combat child poverty. Until the program ended last year, he was Manitoba Coordinator for Project Love, which annually sent upwards of 15,000 kits of basic school supplies to students in the most poverty-stricken countries in Africa. He is Chair of the South Africa Education Support Committee, which conducts annual fundraising activities in support of AIDS orphans and vulnerable children in his home province of KwaZulu-Natal. He is also a cofounder of the Summer Learning Enrichment Program for Winnipeg’s innercity children. This free program operates five days a week for five weeks during the summer months, providing food, cultural enrichment and education to children. Mr. Reddy is Past Chairman of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Winnipeg, whom he still volunteers for, and from 2004 until 2007 he served on the University of Manitoba’s Board of Governors. His life’s work has earned him awards from numerous education organizations including the Canadian Council for Multicultural and Intercultural Education, and in 2000, he was named a Member of the Order of Manitoba. Mr. Reddy is a champion of social justice, racial understanding, literacy, and poverty reduction. And he has not stopped working. The University of Manitoba is proud to award its distinguished alumnus, Mr. Strinivasan Reddy, with an Honorary Doctor of Laws.
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The Bulletin | May 23, 2013 | umanitoba.ca/bulletin
Honorary Degree Archbishop V. James Weisgerber PhL Cum Laude (Ottawa), STL Magana cum laude (Ottawa)
Julie Payette OC, CQ, BEng (McGill), MApplSci (Toronto), LLD
WEDNESDAY, MAY 29 AT 3:00 PM
THURSDAY, MAY 30 AT 9:30 AM
Perhaps it was preordained that Archbishop V. James Weisgerber would reach beyond the borders of the Saskatchewan village he was born in to make an impact on Canadian society. His compassion and courage to rebel against the status quo allowed him to go forth from Vibank, Saskatchewan, to promote social justice and defend marginalized peoples. He was ordained as priest 50 years ago and in that time he has served numerous prairie communities and parishes, even serving as Dean of Arts at Notre Dame College in Wilcox, Sask. In Regina he worked in the Archbishop’s Office as director of the pastoral and social justice offices and served as Rector of Holy Rosary Cathedral and Pastor of Holy Trinity Parish. At Our Lady of Sorrows Parish in Fort Qu’Appelle he led the pastoral ministry in the neighboring First Nations’ reserves. In 1990 he was elected General Secretary of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB), a position he held until his ordination as the Bishop of Saskatoon. He was appointed the fifth Bishop of Saskatoon by His Holiness Pope John Paul II on March 7, 1996, and named the sixth archbishop of the Archdiocese of Winnipeg by Pope John Paul II on June 7, 2000. One of his first actions as Archbishop of Winnipeg was to establish Micah House on Main Street, a centre for the promotion of social justice. Archbishop Weisgerber was instrumental in bridging the divide between the Catholic Church in Canada and Canada’s Aboriginal Peoples, a divide which developed because of the abuse of Aboriginal peoples in residential schools established by the Government of Canada and operated by the Roman Catholic Church. Archbishop Weisgerber worked tirelessly to bring about the meeting in Rome in April 2009, when His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI met with leaders of Canada’s Aboriginal peoples at the Vatican to express his sorrow at the anguish caused by the conduct of some members of the Church. Archbishop Weisgerber did not allow the reconciliation process to stop here. Since 2009, he has been a driving force in setting up the Moving Forward Together campaign to encourage fundamental and lasting change to Aboriginal communities in Canada by supporting healing and educational programs. He currently co-chairs the campaign with Dr. Phil Fontaine. In recognition of his work to amplify First Nations voices, Archbishop Weisgerber was symbolically adopted by several First Nations Elders at a ceremony in 2012 that made him a brother to the First Nations community. Archbishop Weisgerber was awarded the Notre Dame Medal of Honor in 1994 and the Saskatchewan Order of Merit in 2005. Today he is awarded an Honorary Doctor of Laws from the University of Manitoba for his visionary commitment to social change and justice.
Henry J. Engbrecht ARCT, BA (Bethel College), MMusic (Southern Methodist), MMusEd (Southern Methodist),
LLD
THURSDAY, MAY 30 AT 3:00 PM
Professor Emeritus Henry Engbrecht is celebrated today for his musical exploration and innovation. A pioneer, he served as the university’s first Director of Choral Studies from 1978 until 2006. For the sixteen years prior to this appointment he taught music and directed choirs in various schools and colleges in Southern Manitoba. Recognized as a leading music educator, choral conductor, clinician and adjudicator, he has made significant contributions to the development of music education and choral music throughout Manitoba and across Canada over the past 50 years. He helped establish the Manitoba Choral Association, the Foundation for Choral Music in Manitoba, and the Manitoba Summer Academy in Advanced Choral Conducting. He has conducted the University of Manitoba Singers, the Winnipeg Philharmonic Choir, the Manitoba Opera Chorus, and Canzona, his own professional chamber choir. He also created CAN-AM Choir – the Canadian-American University Choir
Julie Payette is an explorer who once traveled six million kilometers in just shy of ten days. She did this as a mission specialist aboard Space Shuttle Discovery in 1999. Her mission was to perform the first manual docking with the International Space Station (ISS) to deliver supplies. She was the first Canadian to participate in an ISS assembly mission and to board ISS. She is awarded an Honoray Doctor of Science in recognition of her courage to explore new boundaries, for challenging herself, and for trailblazing deeper paths for other women of science to follow. Born in Montreal, Julie Payette joined the NASA astronaut corps in 1996 and flew two space missions aboard space shuttles Discovery and Endeavour. On Endeavour, in 2009, she again flew to the ISS and operated Canadarm, a robotic arm she guided through delicate maneuvers needed to complete installation of a new laboratory attached to ISS. Ms. Payette has logged over 611 hours in space and from 2000 until 2007 she was Chief Astronaut for the Canadian Space Agency. Ms. Payette is Knight of the National Order of Quebec and in 2011 she was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada. In January 2011, Ms. Payette accepted a fellowship in public policy at the prestigious Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, D.C. She is a Former Governor-in-Council for the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, and a Member of l’Ordre des lngenieurs du Quebec and the International Academy of Astronautics. In 1999, she received the NASA Space Flight Medal for her service and achievements; ten years later, she received the award again. In 2001 she was named Chevalier de l’Ordre de la Pleiade de la francophonie, and in 2010 she was inducted into the Canadian Aviation Hall of Fame. She also received the NASA Exceptional Service Medal, and the Canadian Council of Professional Engineers gave her their highest honour – Engineers Canada Gold Medal. Ms. Payette holds a commercial pilot license and obtained her military pilot captaincy. She is a certified deep-sea diver who is fluent in French and English, and can converse in Spanish, Italian, Russian and German. She plays the piano and has sung with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, the Piacere Vocale in Basel, Switzerland, and the Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra in Toronto. Her achievements listed in this last paragraph alone would allow others to declare her life one lived well and full. But explorers spill over the average life’s brim; Ms. Payette has lived beyond Earth’s horizons and continually expands her own. She goes forth, cultivating new talents and enriching old ones, all to the betterment of global society. Ms. Payette is an adventurer and the University of Manitoba is proud to honour her today. – in collaboration with former WSO Conductor Bramwell Tovey. This international choir offered students an extraordinary way to experience masterworks. Professor Engbrecht was twice awarded the Campbell Outreach Award in recognition of his achievements in promoting the university through concerts and tours of the University Singers across Western Canada, North Dakota, Minnesota, and Europe. In 2000, he received the Prix Manitoba Award from the Government of Manitoba for his then 40 years of service to choral music development across Manitoba and Canada. This admirable record of service also inspired the Manitoba Choral Association to award him with an Honorary Life Membership. In 2006, he was thrice honoured: the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra presented him with the Manitoba Choral Association’s Award for Distinguished Service, the Association of Canadian Choral Conductors presented him with the Distinguished Service Award, and his students nominated him for the UMSU Professor of the Year Award. He is so well loved by his friends, colleagues, and former students that they established an endowment fund in his name to recruit top graduate students to the Marcel A. Desautels Faculty of Music. The award celebrates Professor Engbrecht’s dedication to choral music at the university and throughout Manitoba. Professor Engbrecht retired from the university in 2006 after 28 years as Director of Choral Studies, but he continued to teach courses for two more years. He is a donor, a teacher, an artist and a source of inspiration. He forever changed the Marcel A. Desautels Faculty of Music for the better, and he continues to enrich Manitoba with his artistic gift. The University of Manitoba recognizes this creator and pioneer with an Honorary Doctor of Laws.
The Bulletin | May 23, 2013 | umanitoba.ca/bulletin
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Honorary Degree J. Roger Léveillé BA, MA (Manitoba) Université de Saint-Boniface, MonDAY, June 3 AT 2:00 PM
It’s been said that all poetry is experimental, but J. Roger Léveillé made poetry pioneering too. He created and established FrancoManitoban literature as a form, as something worthy of study in universities throughout the world. Perhaps no other person has exported Franco-Manitoba culture to such a degree. His creative, inspiring and reverberating voice will forever enrich the cultural environments of Canada and Europe. For this, the University of Manitoba awards him an Honorary Doctor of Letters. Born into an artistic family in Winnipeg, he developed a passion for literature at a young age. He pursued classical studies at Collège de Saint-Boniface where he was actively involved in various cultural activities, particularly as director of the film society and as writer and later editor of the student newspaper, Frontières. In 1965, he took part in the first exhibition of Franco-Manitoban artists at the St. Boniface Public Library. After obtaining his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Manitoba he moved to Montreal where he pursued graduate studies for one semester. He later received his Master of Arts from the University of Manitoba in
1968 and published his first poetic narrative, Tombeau, that same year. In 1973, he abandoned his doctoral thesis at the University of Manitoba to devote himself to writing. After briefly working as a French-language instructor, he went into journalism in 1981 while continuing to publish works such as L’incomparable and the collective works Le livre des marges and Œuvre de la première mort. In 1984, he established the collection Rouge at Les Éditions du Blé with the aim of promoting local young poets. He also started preparation work for the Anthologie de la poésie franco-manitobaine, which was published in 1990. In 1994, he received the Prix littéraire du Manitoba français for his work Causer l’amour and, in 1997, the Prix du Consulat général de France à Toronto for his entire body of work. That same year, he developed the Foyer des Écrivains, the francophone component of the Winnipeg International Writers Festival, of which he was a board member for many years. In 1999, he was invited by the Government of Canada to the Salon du livre de Paris and was later inducted into the Temple de la renommée de la culture du Manitoba français. In 2003, he recieved the Prix Champlain as well as the Prix Rue-Deschambault for his novel Le soleil du lac qui se couche. He received the Manitoba Writing and Publishing Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006 and most recently, he was named recipient of the Manitoba Arts Council’s 2012 Manitoba Arts Award of Distinction. J. Roger Léveillé has been writing for over 40 years, publishing nearly 30 works. The University of Manitoba and Université de Saint-Boniface pay tribute to him today by conferring on him an Honorary Doctor of Letters in recognition of his remarkable contribution to the promotion of literature and the arts both nationally and internationally.
Teaching Awards Lance W. Roberts BA, MA, PhD (Alberta) Dr. and Mrs. H. H. Saunderson Award for Excellence in Teaching TUESDAY, MAY 28 AT 9:30 AM
Dr. Lance Roberts does not offer an easy sociology course; he challenges his students with difficult tests and manageable burdens of weekly reading requirements, and they (mostly) love him for it. Indeed, last year, he received the University 1 Excellence in Teaching Award. In 2011, he received the Faculty of Arts Teaching Excellence Award and he has received the Faculty of Arts Outstanding Achievement Award four times. In 2002, he was named Professor the Year in the Faculty of Arts and the following year he earned the U of M’s outreach award. He began teaching here in 1976 and today is a Professor, a Senior Fellow at St. John’s College, and a Collaborating Scholar at the National Center for the Twenty-First Century Schoolhouse at San Diego State University. In the lecture hall, he uses humour to engage students. As one student enthused, he is the “funniest prof I’ve ever met, I didn’t know I could ever pay attention so well in class…his tests were challenging but that was awesome.”
Lisa M. Ford BSc (Victoria), MA (Saskatchewan) Olive Beatrice Stanton Award for Excellence in Teaching
David G. Barber BSc (Manitoba), MSc (Manitoba), PhD (Waterloo) Distinguished Professor Award TueSDAY, MAY 28 AT 3:00 pM
After completing his PhD at the University of Waterloo, Dr. David Barber returned to the University of Manitoba in 1993. He started the Centre for Earth Observation Science (CEOS) in 1994 with himself, one half-time technician, and two graduate students. In 2002, he received a Canada Research Chair in Arctic System Science. He continues as Director of CEOS and Associate Dean (Research) in the Clayton H. Riddell Faculty of Environment, Earth, and Resources. Dr. Barber has extensive experience in the examination of the Arctic marine environment as a “system,” and the effect climate change has on this system. He shares his experience with his students. To date, he has supervised to completion six honours theses, 18 MSc theses, 17 PhD dissertations and nine post-doctoral fellowships. He currently supervises 11 graduate students, two post-doctoral fellows, and 14 research associates. He is a member and leader of many national and international research councils, and he currently leads a polar marine science group of over 100 people. He has published over 170 articles in the peer-reviewed literature and during the latest International Polar Year (IPY) in 2007, he led the world’s largest IPY project — the Circumpolar Flaw Lead system study. Throughout his years as a dedicated administrator, gifted teacher, and bold exploratory researcher, Dr. Barber has distinguished himself through his unwavering commitment to excellence.
TUESDAY, MAY 28 AT 3:00 pM
Exuberant. That is how students describe Lisa Ford as a teacher. Other adjectives commonly used are funny, amazing and best. She arrived to the University of Manitoba in August of 2008 with the goal of enhancing the education experience of geography students, particularly first-year students. Judging by one student’s comments, she succeeded: “She definitely knows how young minds think and makes activities that will ensure you remember the concepts she goes over in class. Her teaching style will want you to never miss a class….” She teaches physical and human geography and in her short time as an instructor she has been nominated twice for the University 1 Excellence in Teaching Award, and in 2011 she received the Award of Excellence for Undergraduate Teaching. Her passion seems to have rubbed off: “[She’s] probably the best instructor I have ever had,” one of her students wrote.
Watch the ceremony live at umanitoba.ca/convocation/live Follow the action on twitter @umanitoba
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The Bulletin | May 23, 2013 | umanitoba.ca/bulletin
Governor General’s Medals Created in 1873 to encourage academic excellence across the nation, the Governor General’s Academic Medals have become the most prestigious award for outstanding achievements that Canadian students can receive.
Gold
Silver
Bronze
Brent Gordon Thomas Else
Jason Matthew Klusowski
Tanner Kyle Nicoll
Awarded for outstanding achievement at the graduate level
Awarded for outstanding achievement at the undergraduate level
Awarded for highest standing in the two year Diploma program in agriculture
University Gold Medals
Awarded for highest standing in an undergraduate faculty or school.
Ryan William Murphy
Robyn Alexandra Arnason
Jacqueline Reva Usiskin
Alexa Rachel Yakubovich
Anissa Bernadeth Anter
Christine Marie Valérie Paillé
Agricultural and Food Sciences
Architecture
Art
Arts
Asper School of Business
Université de Saint-Boniface
Daron Kelsey Baxter
Peiki Loay
Daniel Bruce Kowbel
Jennifer Leigh Deborah Sellen
Meaghan Luise Rempel
Conner Gibson Harris
Dentistry
Education
Engineering
Human Ecology
Kinesiology and Recreation Management
Law
Matthew David Charles Packer
Ashley Joy Newman
Lesley Amanda Worsnop
Lauren Alexa Eggie
Christie Samantha Rampersad
Erica Siddall
Desautels Faculty of Music
Nursing
Pharmacy
Riddell Faculty of Environment, Earth, and Resources
Science
Social Work
Program Medals AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD SCIENCES
General Degree
Agribusiness
Marcella Marie Dyck
Agriculture
Melissa Suzann Krushel
Nolan Jay Giesbrecht Matthew Neil Chastko Agroecology
Katherine Alexandra Stanley Food Science
Lindsey Rianne Boyd ART Art History Honours
Jacqueline Reva Usiskin Fine Arts Studio
Honours Degree
DENTAL HYGIENE Chelsea Heather Hagen EDUCATION Early Years Stream
Shayla Michelle Refvik Middle Years Stream
Kevin Lee Stevenson Senior Years Stream
Cara Jess Mason
Peiki Loay
Fine Arts Studio Honours
ENGINEERING
Jordan Walker Stephensen ARTS Advanced Degree
Anne Marie Heard
Biosystems
Shawn Kenneth Wiebe Civil
Lucas Emerson Wazney
Computer
Chen Liu Electrical
Jesse Neil Doerksen Mechanical
Daniel Bruce Kowbel HUMAN ECOLOGY Family Social Sciences
Lisa Joy Balcaen Health Sciences
Sarah Elizabeth Turner
Recreation Management and Community Development
Lacey Michelle Lynes
CLAYTON H. RIDDELL FACULTY OF ENVIRONMENT, EARTH, AND RESOURCES Advanced or Major Degree
Stacie Dawn Westervelt Honours Degree
Kayla Renee Moore SCIENCE General Degree
Human Nutritional Sciences
Jessica Sarah Enns
Textile Sciences
Jason Matthew Klusowski
Chelsey Anne Walchuk Kyla Lynn McWhirter
KINESIOLOGY AND RECREATION MANAGEMENT Physical Education
Sara Kathleen Oswald
Honours Degree Major Degree
XiangLiu
The Bulletin | May 23, 2013 | umanitoba.ca/bulletin
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Graduating students look to the future with confidence, skills and knowledge Mariianne Mays Wiebe The Bulletin
Those students donning their caps and gowns for this year’s convocation are also giving thought to where they’re heading. From the Asper School of Business to the Faculty of Medicine to Engineering, students find very particular benefits in their programs here, and The Bulletin asked several graduands for highlights from their time at the university and about how the U of M has prepared them for what’s next.
Now working in Ottawa at IBM, where she served her final co-op term, Chan, who finished her degree in December 2012, says that the co-op experience was unbeatable because it allowed her to envision her career.
Passion and pragmatism: Matt Lowry (no photo available) attended U of M for two reasons, both related to his passions: One was the highly recommended agriculture program, and the other was the Bisons hockey team. Playing for the Bisons was a bonus, and the team took first in regular season play last year. Winters are dedicated to hockey, and he will persist with his pro hockey career in the states. With his love for farming, he’s been working with his father on the family farm and will continue his research as well, managing trial plots and utilizing research skills that he sees as stepping stones to further opportunities. Because of the high calibre of the professors and the program at the U of M, he says, he’s entering the workplace with “a good balance between the necessary information and hands-on, practical experience.”
Andrea Chan. Chan says that the co-op program instills confidence in students. Having also spent two years at UBC, she notes that the U of M program is large enough for networking, and “small enough to build your own community.”
environment that made her realize that she “needed more business administration skills,” she says, and so she started to look into MBA programs.
Adriana Fritsch. Now graduating with a master of business administration, Fritsch chose Canada because “it is the only country in the world which provides the opportunity to gain a work permit after my studies. I was looking for a new experience as a student and after as a professional.” She hasn’t regretted it. Says Fritsch, “I believe that the quality of education in Canada is very good. I did some research and I found that Asper was among the top 10 MBAs.” Critical thinking, respect and dignity: Graduating from the Faculty of Pharmacy, Christopher Dupont says that the knowledge, passion and commitment that have been shared with students by instructors within the faculty, “have transformed me into the confident young pharmacist that I am today.” Dupont will be working in the Children’s Hospital Pharmacy (CK4) at the Health Sciences Centre.
Megan Jack. Thankfully, that wasn’t the case at all. “The Faculty and Student Accessibility Services really dove into supporting my education and creating awareness, so that by the time I was encountering other doctors and staff, the awareness was already there,” she says. “Patients didn’t have that luxury, however they were all so accepting of my presence (and of the interpreters) that it wasn’t even needed!” Jack will continue in the Urban Family Medicine residency program at U of M over the next two years.
Zachary Klippenstein.
Cynthia Nazar. Determination and support: For Cynthia Nazar, making it through her law degree meant more than simply attending class and applying herself. Partway through her program, she was told by her doctor that she needed a new kidney. The former teacher is now articling with the provincial education department, a position that draws on her strengths and experience. Due to her health issues, Nazar was forced to attend part-time and to stretch out her program. She appreciates the positive support of the faculty and the dean, without whom, she said, she may not have continued her program. Now elated she did, Nazar feels “such a sense of accomplishment” at having completed. Community = opportunity: With two parents with computer science degrees, Andrea Chan had an inkling of how her career might go. What she didn’t foresee, however, was a co-op program in the U of M’s computer science department that would not only supply her with the skills and experience she needed to succeed, but would also land her a position right out of the program.
Collaboration, learning and excellence: Zachary Klippenstein is another student graduating with a Bachelor of Computer Science (Honours) with Co-op Option. One highlight he describes from the program is the ACM International Collegiate Programming Contest each year. “Students compete in teams of three, solving as many problems from a set as they can in a four hour period,” he says. “Comparing notes over pizza afterwards was always interesting, and I probably learnt as much about algorithm design preparing for those contests as in any course.” Klippenstein will travel to Seattle this summer to begin a full-time job, an opportunity that arose through the co-op program. He has only good things to say about the computer science program and the co-op experience: “Our computer science co-op is excellent, and defined my university experience. Classroom learning is great, but seeing how it applies to the real world in multiple environments has taught me more than I could have ever learnt through lectures and isolated projects alone.” International intrigue: With an undergraduate degree in architecture and urbanism, international student from Brazil Adriana Fritsch spent seven years working on the real estate market as a developer. It was an
Gerald Fournier.
Christopher Dupont. What does he take with him from his experience at U of M? Besides knowledge, he says, “I have learned the value of critical thinking and how to make clinical decisions on cases that are not always black and white. “I understand the value and importance of treating every human being with dignity and respect, and I look forward to the opportunities in which I can help patients to make informed decisions, and the joy of helping improve someone’s quality of life,” he says. Overcoming barriers, with support from others: Megan Jack is the Faculty of Medicine’s first deaf graduate, and she has an inspiring story to tell. Coming into the faculty, she expected some barriers. Specifically, she says, she expected she “would be busy assuring other people — doctors and patients — about my competence.
Heart and soul: As an older student who returned to school, Gerald Fournier has a lot of history behind him. In fact, he entered the Faculty of Social Work’s Inner City Social Work program after working as a professional truck driver for 28 years. The highlight for the Metis student? “Studying Aboriginal history and getting a different perspective on social justice for the individual and for groups; hearing the Aboriginal side of the story.” For Fournier, social justice is central, and he has also enjoyed reclaiming his artistic gifts, which he had the opportunity to reclaim through his program, presenting music as an alternative to a final paper in one of his courses. The arts are a means of bringing self-healing and healing to others, he says. “Music connects to the soul and connects us to our sense of well-being.” He adds that without the benefit of the access program through Inner City Social Work, it wouldn’t have been possible for him to attend university — and with the foundation he’s gained from his degree, he intends to go on to graduate studies. “It’s opened doors, and has given me opportunities to do what I’m passionate about,” he says
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The Bulletin | May 23, 2013 | umanitoba.ca/bulletin
Faculty Profile:
Stephanie Portet Mathematics MARIIANNE MAYS WIEBE The Bulletin
Stephanie Portet got into science and mathematics because “it was the only thing she was able to do,” she says, smiling. Not the type for long-term plans, she’s made a habit of simply saying “yes” to opportunities when they arise — to an extraordinary extent, including that of postdoc-ing and then teaching in a country in which she didn’t speak the language. (She recounts that her partner said to her, after she was offered a position, “You realize we can’t speak English?” to which she replied, “I’m sure it will be fine!”) Immigrating to Canada from her native France, Portet spent several years in Edmonton before accepting a position in mathematics at the U of M, which she and her partner decided upon because it offered him a position as well. Over the years, she’s used mathematical modeling over a number of disciplines, something she greatly enjoys. Much of her work is interdisciplinary, primarily math-biology. Perhaps adeptness across the disciplines is also what helps her to find the necessary analogies to elucidate her work for students. Explaining it to a severely math-challenged layperson like me, she resorted to analogies from child’s play, but not without delight. It seems even the simplest analogy brings her joy and satisfaction. “What I’m doing is Lego,” she says with a laugh. In fact, the research in which Portet is engaged is a first in mathematical modeling. She’s found a unique niche, “acting as another type of microscope” for the cell structure, as she puts it. Her work is rooted in cell biology but requires a multidisciplinary approach that encompasses different domains such as mathematical biology, biophysics and image analysis for research about the complex but dynamic scaffolding or skeleton contained within a cell’s cytoplasm, called the cytoskeleton. According to Portet, math modeling
is “translating a problem into a new language,” and her research goes into understanding the relationship between structure and function in the cell, in order to “develop a computational and mathematical modeling framework to study the shaping and reorganization processes constituting the structural pathways of cell signalling.” The field is relatively new to mathematical modeling, and therefore it gives her the “luxury of being wrong,” says Portet. Because it’s such a new area, “the goal is to find more data.” And learning is else something she values in her work. “The freedom to discover and start new prospects is important to me in my work. I’m paid for learning new things — and that I like,” she says. However, sometimes when you are in the work, she says, it feels like you are not getting anything done. Apparently mathematical modeling research is nothing at all like administrative work, which has been added to her plate. There, she says, at least she can check things off her list. And because, perhaps because of that, she oddly enough enjoys administrative work — for the human aspect of it, she says. “I can’t stay alone for too long doing research, especially when nothing is advancing.” Immigrating to a country where she knew no one, the assistant professor and now-associate head of the mathematics department says, “We had to smile when we called home and say everything was fine, and work harder.” Teaching and interaction with students helped them to learn the language. Eventually they made friends. And they worked hard. “Sometimes you feel like you haven’t done anything, but then when you look back over your shoulder, you realize that you have, after all, gotten some things done,” Portet says. She sounds a little surprised herself.
Stephanie Portet
Q&A
Something that inspires you today:
Spring is coming back.
What activities do you engage in outside of work?
Art classes at the WAG: sculpture, pottery, drawing, painting, mosaic.
Best place you’ve visited and why:
Banyuls sur mer (France) — Best unknown little paradise and very good memories. New York — a kid’s dream and an old song by a French band named “Telephone.” A book you’ve read and enjoyed recently?
John Cardinal mystery series by Giles Blunt.
Favourite piece of music or film:
An album entitled “Bleu Petrole” by Alain Bashung.
“We’ve done a lot in a short time,” she says.
Women of Distinction
U of M women honoured by YMCA-YWCA On May 1, six intelligent, dignified and accomplished women affiliated with the University of Manitoba were honoured as Women of Distinction at the 2013 Women of Distinction Awards by YMCA-YWCA of Winnipeg.
The YMCA-YWCA of Winnipeg presents the awards every year to bolster awareness of the outstanding contributions certain local women make to Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada and the world. Eighty-six women were nominated in twelve categories including culture, leadership and voluntarism. The six U of M recipients were Dr. Judith Bartlett, Dr. Juliette “Archie” Cooper, alumna Lisa Meeches, Melanie Verhaeghe and Diane Gray and student Emily Richard. Judith Bartlett (MD/1987, MSc/2004) is an associate professor in community health sciences in the Faculty of Medicine. Until 2012, she was the founding director of the Health & Wellness Department at the Manitoba Metis Federation where she co-led a province-wide
comprehensive Metis health report and led the research on cancer and diabetes in the Metis population. She was also a co-founder of the Aboriginal Heath & Wellness Centre of Winnipeg.
Juliette “Archie” Cooper (BOT/1979, MSc/1982, PhD/1987) has been an occupational therapist for 50 years and was the first occupational therapist in Manitoba to attain a PhD. She has been an educator at the University of Manitoba for 40 years, and is now Professor Emeritus of the School of Medical Rehabilitation. For her many contributions to the U of M, she was recognized in 2012 with the Peter D. Curry Chancellor’s Award and the School of Medical Rehabilitation has established the Juliette Cooper Lectureship in Rehabilitation. Lisa Meeches received an award as part of NSI New Voices, a 14-week, full-time training program for young Aboriginal adults, aged 18 to 35, interested in a career in film, television and digital media. She and her co-winners spent four years interviewing residential school survivors across Canada, a life-changing
experience that provided the inspiration for the NSI New Voices program. NSI New Voices is a one-of-a-kind program that integrates education with traditional teachings and bridges the gap between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal content creators. She was a member of the U of M Board of Governors from 2002-2005.
Melanie Verhaeghe (BA/1988) is senior producer of newsgathering for CBC Manitoba. She started out as a newspaper reporter and then entered the broadcast industry, landing at CBC. As a reporter, investigative reporter and producer, Melanie has been involved in awardwinning stories that raised awareness and led to change. Her stories have taken her all over the world, including to Uganda to follow up on the lives of child soldiers in a civil war lasting more than 20 years and to Honduras to expose a Canadian company involved in sweatshop labour. Diane Gray (BA/1993, MPA/1996) has had success as a civil servant, business leader and active community volunteer. In 2003 she became the youngest Deputy Minister ever appointed and the first
woman to serve as Deputy Minister in the traditionally male-dominated portfolios of Federal-Provincial and International Relations, Trade and Finance. While still in government, she was tasked with developing the guidelines for what has become CentrePort Canada, an initiative that had been discussed for more than 15 years, but under Diane’s leadership, came to fruition in months. Emily Richard is an elite rhythmic gymnast and social work student who had a maximum 4.5 GPA in every one of her 2011-12 courses. She competed nationally and internationally for several years and paid that knowledge forward by becoming the youngest head coach and board member with Rhythmic Gymnastics Manitoba and is head rhythmic gymnastics instructor at the U of M’s Bison summer camps. Emily’s dedication to young girls led her to travel to Kenya last year, where she co-founded The Wasichana Fund Inc., which supplies sanitary napkins to impoverished schoolgirls and offers female-only health-education classes.
Black The Bulletin | May 23, 2013 | umanitoba.ca/bulletin
U of M engaging inner Winnipeg and Indigenous youth Multiple partners join efforts to run physical activity programming With the support of community partners, the U of M is providing three unique programs for inner Winnipeg children and youth. The U of M’s Mini U Programs, Indigenous Achievement Office, Faculties of Kinesiology and Recreation Management, Medicine, Pharmacy and Dentistry and Cambrian Credit Union are helping to provide summer programs at the Bannatyne and Fort Garry Campuses. This year, for the first time, an Indigenousfocused Mini U Camp will be offered at no cost to children and youth, engaging them in leadership opportunities and Indigenous games in an environment that shares Indigenous traditions, cultures and knowledge. The U of M is committed to the success of Canada’s First Nations, Metis and Inuit populations. The university’s Pathways to Indigenous Achievement strategic plan commits to supporting students, building partnerships and supporting communities, sharing Indigenous knowledge and research and celebrating First Nations, Metis and Inuit successes. Camp scholarships are also made available through funding from Mini U Programs, Winnipeg School Division (WSD) and
through a donation from Robert Alan Kennedy [BSc (EE)/62]. Youth from elementary and middle schools within WSD, have the opportunity to select from an array of Mini U Programs and attend camp for two weeks during the summer. Programs focus on leadership development, special interests, sports and recreation. Participants receive transportation, lunches, and a tee shirt. These programs build upon the year round community engagement activities with youth, which include the Faculty of Kinesiology and Recreation Management’s “Rec and Read” Mentorship programs — a culturally based afterschool physical activity program for young people living in diverse communities. Rec and Read nurtures the leadership skills and educational success of youth and develops culturally responsive recreation leaders that can plan and facilitate relevant and meaningful programs. Programs like these have led to fantastic relationships with individuals from the inner Winnipeg community and the University of Manitoba. Supporters from our community have made these opportunities available.
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The 8th annual Winnipeg International Storytelling Festival Jessica Senehi For The Bulletin
PR ÉSENTÉ PAR THE ARTHUR V. MAURO CENTR E FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE AT ST. PAUL’S COLLEGE PR ESENTS
THE 8TH ANNUAL WINNIPEG INTERNATIONAL
STORYTELLING
The 8th Winnipeg International Storytelling Festival was held May 8 through 11, with more than 50 regional and international storytellers. A major aspect of the festival is a school program for students at all grade levels, Grade 1 through 12. The school program encompassed 9,000 seatings and 47 tellers. Students not only see storytelling performances but also participate in workshops that nurture youth voice.
F E S T I V A L 8
On Saturday, May 11, a public program included several workshops and performances, with a final wind-up Saturday storytelling night held at St. Paul’s College. Tellers included Doug Berky from Indiana, Hobey Ford from North Carolina, Roberta Kennedy from Haida Gwaii, Lisa Martin from Winnipeg, Noma Sibanda from Winnipeg, Christine Spink-Mitchell from Winnipeg, Paul Taylor from Austria. The evening was hosted by storyteller Wayne Drury. This year, the festival’s French program expanded greatly, under the
FESTIVAL INTERNATIONAL DU CONTE DE WINNIPEG
SHARING
MAY 8-11, 2013
STORIES
FREE AND OPEN TO ALL / GRATUIT ET OUVERT A TOUS
WORKSHOPS
INTERACTIVE
PUPPETS
SCHOOL PROGRAM
PROGRAMME FRANÇAIS
Winnipeg storyteller, author, and educator Joe McLellan, who wrote the Nanobosho series of books for children, says that the festival is important for young people. “It improves students’ critical thinking because for every story they have to think about it and figure it out. And they have to interiorize it. It helps develop oracy and writing skills. It broadens the child’s whole interior landscape,” he said.
ÈME
PUBLIC EVENTS
VISIT US ONLINE FOR A FULL LISTING OF EVENTS AND MORE INFORMATION POUR PLUS D’INFORMATIONS SUR LA PROGRAMMATION COMPLÈTE
UMANITOBA.CA/STORYTELLING STORY TELLING ON THE PATH TO PEACE
SE R ACONTER UNE NOU V ELLE HISTOIR E DE PAIX
coordination of storyteller, author, and puppet artist Janine Tougas. She developed programming with a number of local artists as well as artists from outside Manitoba, including Myriame El Yamani from Montréal and Anne Leviel from France. The festival included a variety of storytelling forms, including Deaf storytelling, puppetry, and digital storytelling. The Festival is presented by the Arthur V. Mauro Centre for Peace and Justice with the support of sponsors such as the Le bureau de l’éducation française, The Winnipeg Foundation, and Sargent Blue Jeans, and partners including the Centre for Creative Writing and OralCulture, the Millennium Library, and Le Centre culturel de franco-manitobain.
The Seeds of Discovery are Being Planted Right Here in Our Province
The Manitoba Medical Service Foundation and Manitoba Blue Cross are proud to celebrate the 2012 recipients of the personal and research grants competition. Thank you for choosing to establish your research career in Manitoba.
Photo Credit: Elaine Halpert Photography
www.mb.bluecross.ca
www.mmsf.ca
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The Bulletin | May 23, 2013 | umanitoba.ca/bulletin
events
Academic Job Opportunities
University of Manitoba Fort Garry + Bannatyne campuses The Bulletin publishes events involving the university community at no cost. Email events to bulletin@umanitoba.ca. Deadline is the Wednesday of the week prior to publication, at 4:30 p.m. Please refer to page 2 for specific dates.
Wednesday, May 22 to Sunday, May 26
Lobby Hero, directed by George Toles, distinguished professor in the department of English, film and theatre and featuring several Black Hole Theatre alumni in the cast. At The Forest Nickerson Theatre (Manitoba Center for the Deaf), 285 Pembina Highway. Tickets: $15. Call 204452-4791 for reservations. Wed, May 22 - Fri, May 24, 8:00 p.m. Sat, May 25, 2:00 and 8:00 p.m. Sun, May 26, 2:00 p.m.
NURSING RESEARCH SEMINAR
June 10, 2013 | 12:00 to 1:00 pm “The Lived Experiences of Neuroscience Nurses Caring for Acute Stroke Patients Requiring End-of-Life Care” by Janice Nesbitt, graduate student, Faculty of Nursing. In 370 Helen Glass Centre. Telehealth open registration: contact your site Telehealth scheduler to participate in this session. For more information contact the Telehealth registration desk at 975-7714 option 2.
2013 Service after Death Burial and Memorial Service Commemorating the men and women who have made a unique contribution to the advancement of Medicine and the University of Manitoba. The University of Manitoba, Faculty of Medicine, and the Department of Human Anatomy and Cell Science requests your presence in paying respects to the individuals who have donated their bodies for anatomical studies.
Wednesday, June 26, 2013 10:00 a.m. - Ceremony-Neil Bardal Funeral Centre, 3030 Notre Dame Ave. 11:30 a.m. (approximately) Interment - Brookside Cemetery, 3001 Notre Dame Ave. Please confirm your attendance, or a designated representative, to: Jacki Armstrong, Administrative Assistant by June 7, 2013 at 789-3652 or via email: service_after_death@umanitoba.ca
Probiotics and Prebiotics Understanding the Science and Opportunities Winnipeg June 17-18, 2013
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.
Canada Research Chair in Aboriginal Human Rights
Position: Tier 2 Canada Research Chair (CRC), full-time probationary position at the rank of Assistant or Associate Professor within one of the following Faculties: Arts, Education, Law or Social Work Position number: 15333 and 15334 Deadline: July 15, 2013 Start Date: July 2014 For information: Dr. Gary Glavin, Associate Vice-President (Research), c/o Lindsey Troschuck, Administrative Assistant to the AVPR Email: Lindsey. Troschuk@ad.umanitoba.ca
FACULTY OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD SCIENCES
Position: Head of the Department of Soil Science Position number: AH164 Deadline: May 31, 2013 or until the position is filled Start Date: July 1, 2013 or soon thereafter For information: Dr. Brian Amiro, Associate Dean (Academic), Chair of the Advisory Committee, Soil Science Head Search, Faculty of agricultural and Food Sciences, 256 Agriculture Building, The University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3T 2N2, tel. 204-474-9395, fax 204-474-7525, email Brian_Amiro@ UManitoba.ca
FACULTY OF MEDICINE, SCHOOL OF MEDICAL REHABILITATION
Position: tenure-track Assistant Professor in the Department of Physical Therapy, School of Medical Rehabilitation Position number: 16420 Deadline: July 31, 2013 Start Date: January 1, 2014 or as soon thereafter as possible For information: Dr. Emily Etcheverry, Chair, Physical Therapy Search Committee, School of Medical Rehabilitation, R106 -771 McDermot Ave., Winnipeg, MB R3E 0T6, email: Emily.Etcheverry@med. umanitoba.ca, tel. 204-789-3418, fax 204789-3927
FACULTY OF MEDICINE, SCHOOL OF MEDICAL REHABILITATION
Position: full-time position at the rank of Instructor II in the Department of Respiratory Therapy, School of Medical Rehabilitation Position number: 16504 Deadline: June 24, 2013 Start Date: September 1, 2013 For information: Dr. Emily Etcheverry, Chair, Respiratory Therapy Search Committee, R106–771 McDermot Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba RE# 0T6, email: emily.etcheverry@med.umanitoba. ca, tel. 204-789-3418, fax 204-789-3927, umanitoba.ca//medrehab
TRAILBLAZER PIONEER CREATOR INNOVATOR VISIONARY DEFENDER
VISIONARY PIONEER CREATOR Faculty of Medicine Build Project
wE nEED yOU!
Help us BUILD HOPE! The RCFFN is hosting a two-day national conference/ workshop on probiotics and prebiotics, with the objective of creating a forum to facilitate sharing of ideas and networking opportunities between the academic, industrial and government communities.
June 17-18, 2013 To register or for more information go to https://www.rcffn.ca/probioticsconference or call 204-474-9989
Volunteer with Habitat for Humanity Manitoba on the Faculty of Medicine Build Project.
June 10-21, 2013 1:00 - 9:00 p.m. (weekdays) TO VOLUNTEER, VISIT: umanitoba.ca/medicine
Page 1| May 23, 2013 | umanitoba.ca/bulletin The Bulletin
The Bulletin
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Bringing Research to LIFE Student and Faculty reminders
take some time this summer to complete:
The online course Research Integrity umanitoba.ca/researchintegrity
Your profile in My Research Tools (so that industry, colleagues, students and media can find you!) umanitoba.ca/research/mrt Your entry for the Annual Undergraduate Research Poster Competition (It’s never too early!) october 30, 2013 Watch for additional information on registration at: umanitoba.ca/postercompetition
Upcoming event
Visionary Conversations Welcome to Winnipeg: Population 1 million Welcome to Winnipeg! Population One Million. How did we get here and where are we going? Join our panelists to discuss how Winnipeg will reach a population of one million, when it will happen and what it will mean for economic development, the arts, health, safety and community planning. september 25, 2013 Robert B. Schultz Theatre St. John’s College, Fort Garry Campus reception in Galleria 6:30 – 7 pm Panel discussion 7 – 8:30 pm featured speakers: Jim Carr Rick Linden Wanda Wuttunee umanitoba.ca/visionaryconversations
ethical eavesdropping
Geographer puts ear to the ground to find out how to better connect with zoo visitors By Katie Chalmers-BrooKs for the Bulletin Mary Benbow goes to the zoo to observe humans, not animals. The U of M geographer’s research has her listening in on visitors’ conversations. She sat for two weeks at the Toronto Zoo recording banter overheard at the polar bear exhibit. She wanted to know: Do people read the signage about climate change? Do they discuss this pressing topic with their kids while looking at polar bears, animals that have come to symbolize the consequences of a warming planet? “They don’t,” Benbow says. “I waited and waited. There were essentially two conversations in the entire study that vaguely alluded to climate change.” But people did talk about the hot weather and speculated how that might make the bears feel. Benbow hopes that visitors’ concerns for the welfare of individual animals in the zoo could translate to broader concerns for the well-being of Arctic ecosystems. The goal of her research is to provide zoos with practical information about how their visitors engage with the exhibits so they can do a better job of educating the public. “It’s really to give zoos another thread of information of how they can interact with their visitors to give people more information and more relevant information to some of those serious decisions that they have to make about things like climate change,” Benbow says. “I think a lot of people are still bewildered about the issue of climate change.” The need to better understand the environmental challenges we face has put zoos front and centre in recent years. Benbow’s research – she’s been studying the social, cultural and environmental implications of zoos since the early 1990s – shows how they set the scene for family discussions, are places where people feel safe and provide an opportunity to educate. People view zoos as trusted sources of information. “My hope is that (zoo visitors) will get the information they need and they’ll have greater clarity,” she says. The environment and geography professor is on the interpretative team for the new Journey to Churchill exhibit scheduled to open in 2014 at the Assiniboine Park Zoo. Benbow has contributed the insight she gained from her observations at the Toronto Zoo. She and several of her colleagues in the Clayton H. Riddell Faculty of Environment, Earth, and Resources played a key role in the signage for the International Polar Bear Conservation Centre, home to Hudson the polar bear. “We’ve been able to access that very current information and create really carefully honed messages,” she says. No longer simply collections of animals, zoos are raising standards for care, Benbow says. Assiniboine Park Zoo, for example, continues to use techniques like hiding food to satisfy an animal’s natural desire to forage, or positive reinforcement to get bears like Hudson to cooperate with workers in a less intrusive way. Exhibits are becoming more
umanitoba.ca/research
Submitted Photos
mary Benbow, associate professor and associate dean (academic) in the Clayton h. riddell faculty of environment, earth, and resources. the faculty is celebrating its tenth anniversary this year. complex and require more staff. They’re also incorporating more signage that gets people thinking about the big issues in the world. “Visitors overall have a far more complex understanding of the world they live in so obviously zoos are going to have to deal with that level of sophistication,” she says. How we perceive animals has changed as well. An expert in zoo maps, Benbow analyzes how illustrations of animals on these visitor handouts have evolved over years. Take the gorilla, which has become friendlier looking and is no longer portrayed as a brooding beast. She’s now investigating
if the same can be said for polar bears. “There’s a changing perspective,” Benbow adds. Research plans are being finalized for one of Benbow’s students to undertake her own ‘overheard conversation’ research at the Assiniboine Park Zoo this summer. A recipient of a U of M undergraduate research award, the student hopes to listen in on what people are talking about at the Toucan Ridge exhibit, honing in on a couple of species, including the dart poison tree frogs. “There is a global frog crisis,” Benbow notes. Since 1980, 168 amphibian species have gone extinct because they’ve lost their habitat thanks to factors like pollution and climate change. To get this message across you need to know how best to share it with the audience, Benbow says. “By being able to listen in, we may be able to capture the reactions that people have and provide the information to the zoo so they can create interpretative signage that will speak to the people’s interests.” A sign will be posted to let visitors know that by being in the exhibit area, they may be in the study. Benbow knows of a number of other studies in different fields that have used the unconventional research technique: for example, researchers have recorded museum guests as they navigated exhibits, and a hospital tracked what clinical staff said about patients while riding the elevator. Benbow was first inspired to investigate visitor conversations when she was touring a zoo in Wichita, Kan.; she was in the Midwest to help the American zoo redraw their map. Spending time at an otherwise unfamiliar zoo, she realized that as well as observing visitors and their habits, their conversations might reveal more complex ideas.
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
Follow us on Twitter @um_research
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Faculty of Education summer session course offers experience beyond the classroom By Andrea Di Ubaldo
The Faculty of Education is offering a new course this summer session called “Beyond Classrooms: Considering Education, Teaching and Learning in Non-School Settings.” In it, Bachelor of Education students will gain communitybased education field experience. Director of the faculty’s school experiences office Melanie Janzen created the course, which focuses on understanding community-based organizations and the role of education and teaching within organizations, alongside issues of social justice and pedagogy and practice to help expand the students’ views on education. “Many of our teacher candidates have traditional views of what education is about. They want to get in front of a class and deliver a lesson,” explains Janzen. “I want our students to have experiences and opportunities to broaden their understandings of education, curriculum and teaching and to experience education in places that are not schools.”
Students will attend a weekly seminar and spend 20 hours a week for six weeks at one of the host sites including the Boys and Girls Club of Winnipeg, Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization of Manitoba, Rossbrook House, ArtCity and Fort Whyte Alive.
Rossbrook House is an organization that provides more than 2,000 Aboriginal and inner-city youth with a safe place 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, including weekends and school holidays. Their co-executive director, Maria Vigna, says that Rossbrook House believes education is a pillar of positive change. “Lived experience and reflection on that experience is an integral part of the learning process. We are happy to welcome [Faculty of Education] students to share in the life and energy that is here at Rossbrook House and to have an opportunity to build relationships,” says Vigna. “The kids will have an opportunity to expand their world too. I have worked
in a classroom and have deep respect for the learning that occurs there. At the same time, I know how enriching it is to encounter learning in daily life and allow that to be a classroom as well.” To pass the course, the two Faculty of Education students who will be placed there must complete a project called The Reciprocity Project, in which they will be responsible for creating a resource for the host organization. “The resource to be developed will be decided upon collaboratively between the student and each host organization, and will contribute to its educational programming. It might include anything from the development of particular educational materials or resources to innovative programs or curriculum programs,” explains Janzen. “The purpose is to draw on B.Ed. student experiences — the students offer something back of value to the host organization to support the organization’s educational endeavours,” she says.
Winning combinations: Father and son collaborate on play Mariianne Mays Wiebe The Bulletin
Lobby Hero, nominated for the Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Off-Broadway Play, tells the story of Jeff, a luckless young security guard trying to get his life together after being thrown out of the navy. The lobby proves to be no sanctuary from the world, as Jeff is drawn into a local murder investigation involving his supervisor, a man called upon to bear witness against his troubled brother, and a rookie policewoman who is in over her head with her herocop partner. Directed by George Toles FEATURING: Justin Fry - Bill; Stephanie Moroz - Dawn; Ray Strachan - William; Thomas Toles - Jeff
Long-time theatre director and distinguished professor in the department of English, film and theatre, George Toles, directs his son along with other Black Hole Theatre alumni in a play that was called a masterpiece when it debuted Off-Broadway on March 13, 2001. The Winnipeg six-show run of Lobby Hero continues until May 26 at The Forest Nickerson Theatre (Manitoba Center for the Deaf), 285 Pembina Highway. A tight four-hander with twists and turns to rival any rollercoaster, Kenneth Lonergan’s Lobby Hero follows Jeff (played by Thomas Toles), a hapless young security guard drawn into a love triangle, as well as a murder investigation that involves his supervisor and a rookie policewoman who idolizes her coppartner. Toles calls it a great play — “great” in the sense of it being “one of the very few great American plays to have appeared in the last 25 years,” he says. “It is powerfully realistic in its language, characterization and milieu, but it has a cunningly artful structure in which all the seemingly ‘slice of life’ elements are beautifully patterned and integrated.” Though the action unfurls “loosely and casually,” says Toles, suddenly “everything tightens with supreme ethical and dramatic logic. [At the centre of the play is a] dilemma in which a character attempts to do the right thing with ever more drastic, troubling consequences.” What’s it like for son and father to work together? Toles describes his 22-year-old son’s approach as an actor as “exceedingly conscientious and disciplined” — and so any concerns about nepotism are unwarranted. He adds, “[Thomas] would be mortified if any of his fellow actors thought for a moment that he was being allowed to get away with anything.” Other actors in the show are Stephanie Moroz, who just graduated from a threeyear acting program at Studio 58 in Vancouver, Ray Strachan, who’s worked at the Manitoba Theatre Centre and Justin Fry, another Black Hole alumnus who’s worked with Thomas before. The role played by Thomas is the largest
From left to right: Ray Strachan (William), Thomas Toles (Jeff ), Stephanie Moroz (Dawn). he’s had in any of the shows father and son have done together, and he feels extra pressure, says Toles. “But I firmly believe that the role [of Jeff] is a natural fit, and that his best qualities as a person and a performer will be abundantly in evidence.” Toles admits that it’s both exhilarating and strange directing his son in theatre productions. It’s the third show to see the two as collaborators, and Thomas, who’s heading to Oxford this fall as U of M’s Rhodes Scholar, has also taken on a director’s role for a play he produced as part of last year’s Fringe Festival.
work together for a very long time, and I’m conscious at every moment of what a rare privilege this collaboration offers me,” says Toles. “What better way for a non-hockey fan father and son to have memorable days together than by a deep, shared commitment to a creative project?
Thursday, May 23 & Friday, May 24, 8:00 p.m. Saturday, May 25, 2:00 & 8:00 p.m. Sunday, May 26, 2:00 p.m.
“Oh yes, and he always makes me laugh,” he says.
Opera school tour The University of Manitoba Opera Theatre performed a public preview of their new opera in Winnipeg on May 2 before starting its tour to 20 schools in Southern Manitoba.
In fact, Toles laughs that Thomas’s own director’s eye is always “warily focused” on what Toles is up to. “He can see through many of my cherished stratagems for getting results. My authority persona is a laughable fiction, as he knows all too well, but he kindly refrains from letting others in on my uncertainty and core identity as a pushover.”
The opera, Angela and Her Sisters, was written especially for children, based on an Italian folk tale. It was a U of M commission with music by Canadian composer Dean Burry and libretto by Katherine Twaddle, opera coordinator at the U of M. The story involves a girl called Angela, her mean older sisters; her mother, who is an Italian chef; the Moon, who adopts Angela, and a gardening princess.
Pushover or no, Toles is a wonderful, uncannily intuitive and generous director. Plays directed by him always evoke a sense of wonder at humanity. The two obviously work well together, and both must be revelling in the opportunity for collaboration before the impending separation of the upcoming year. For his part, George Toles is cherishing the time he gets to collaborate with Thomas. “We may not have another opportunity to
Tickets: $15 The Forest Nickerson Theatre (Manitoba Center for the Deaf ) 285 Pembina Highway Call 204-452-4791 for reservations.
Faculty of Music student performing in Angela and her Sisters.
The annual opera tour serves to introduce young people to opera and the performing arts and to give our students performing opportunities. This year the tour runs from May 6-17