Research & Creative Activity
SHOWCASE
2012.2013
Figurative study by Leanne Snellen
Dr. John Corlett
Provost and Vice President, Academic
MacEwan University Provost's Message
MacEwan University is an undergraduate institution with a passion
for excellence in teaching and learning. And an important part of
our commitment to excellence in undergraduate education is the
way in which the outstanding scholarship of our faculty is integrated
into the learning experiences of our students. In this showcase you
will discover why, at MacEwan University, we believe that research
and creative activity need not wait until graduate school or be the
purview only of "research-intensive universities." For us, research and
creative activity is an everyday reality. New and important knowledge
is created and communicated here at MacEwan every year as a
collaborative adventure of discovery, integration and engagement. I
encourage you to read about the many innovative research initiatives
that make MacEwan University such an exciting place for our faculty,
staff and students to work, study and learn together.
Meghan Abbott, Research Officer
780-633-3265
abbottg6@macewan.ca
Acknowledgments
MacEwan University is thrilled to celebrate some of the incredible scholarly
and creative achievements of our students and faculty featured in this
publication. The shared abstracts are from presentations made throughout
the year at the university's annual faculty and student research and creative
showcase series. All schools and faculties participate, with a wide range of
disciplines represented. These are just a few examples of the excellent work
being accomplished by the MacEwan University community, many of which
demonstrate our commitment and connection to the community.
We thank external collaborators for their contributions to these projects and
welcome community organizations, industry and other academic institutions
to contact us and explore potential partnerships.
Additional thanks to the Golden Key International Honour Society,
USRI Committee members, and various MacEwan University staff,
students, and faculty for their contributions to showcase events and
support developing this publication.
A special thanks to Syncrude for sponsoring, in part, the Annual Student
Research and Creative Activity Showcase week.
Join us at City Centre Campus from January 27 through 31, 2014 for the
next Student Research and Creative Activity Showcase Week, and
throughout the year for our faculty speaker series Scholars 'n Snacks.
Details posted at MacEwan.ca/Research
ii
Abstracts
Faculty of Arts & Science
Arts
Faculty
Boulianne, Dr. Shelley Sociology............................................................1
Online and engaged: An experiment related to online news and political interest
Buchanan, Dr. Dave English................................................................. 2
Travels with a tricycle: The Pennells and early cycle-travel literature
Falconer, Dr. Rob Humanities - History.................................................. 3
Community, conflict and control: The social meaning behind petty crime in later 16th-century Aberdeen
Jung, Dr. Sandy Psychology................................................................... 4
Child pornography possessors: Comparisons and contrasts with contact and non-contact sex offenders
Students
Blake, Jessica Bachelor of Arts (Honours), Psychology................................ 5
Sexual experience and sexual awareness: The relationship between Attitudes, Awareness, Attraction and Sexual
Openness
Calderon, Joanna Bachelor of Education Transfer
Supporting global cultural diversity with selective social media............................................... 6
Transformation assessment in a learning community to foster student leadership:
Methods of transformative assessment......................................................................7
Earley, Claire Bachelor of Arts, Anthropology............................................ 8
Starch grain analysis of organic residue from 18th-century Inuit soapstone vessels in northern Labrador
Haje, Bruno Bachelor of Arts (Honours), Sociology..................................... 9
Prevalence of aggressive and dangerous driving behaviors among university students
Ratay, Anna Bachelor of Arts, Sociology...................................................10
Integration barriers faced by immigrants to Canada
Reedman, Amy Bachelor of Arts, Anthropology........................................ 11
Ethnohistory and archaeology in northern Labrador
Schmidt, Alyssa Bachelor of Arts (Honours), Psychology............................ 12
Multimodal contributions to emotion processing in children with autism
Wiwad, Dylan Bachelor of Arts (Honours), Psychology............................... 13
The effects of previously established biases on novel song preference
iii
Science
Faculty
Aaquist, Dr. Orla Physical Sciences - Physics...........................................14
A low-cost cosmic ray detector using new technology materials
Anton, Dr. Calin Computer Science........................................................ 15
Generating hard satisfiable instances
Beltaos, Dr. Elaine Mathematics and Statistics........................................16
Algebra and modern physics
Digweed, Dr. Shannon Psychology and Biological Sciences....................... 17
Who's your neighbour? Acoustic cues to individual identity in red squirrel (Tamiasciurius hudsonicus) rattle calls
Hamilton, Dr. Trevor Psychology.........................................................18
An alteration of cellular memory by neuropeptide Y
Indratmo, Dr. Computer Science...........................................................19
A visual analytical tool for mapping stock market data
Locky, Dr. David Biological Sciences..................................................... 20
The challenge of managing a keystone ecosystem: Cumulative impacts in a peatland-dominated landscape in
Alberta, Canada
Lorimer, Dr. Shelley Engineering
Part I: The evolution of a first-year engineering transfer program: 1995-2010............................... 21
Part II: StrengthsQuest for engineers...................................................................... 22
Withey, Dr. Jonathan Physical Sciences - Chemistry............................... 23
The end of drug discovery?
Students
Annich, Natasha Bachelor of Science, Biological Sciences.......................... 24
Bioacoustic analysis of amphibian breeding calls to compare their use of natural and borrow pit wetlands in
northern Alberta
Bain, Tamara Bachelor of Science, Computer Science
Segmentation techniques on geophysical images (with Ruben Estevez).....................................25
Statistical methods for segmentation of geophysical images (with Ruben Estevez).......................... 34
Bokenfohr, Brock Bachelor of Science, Biological Sciences........................ 26
The effectiveness of commercial products at controlling (Aiptasia spp.) in captive coral reef systems
Bourgeois, Leanne Bachelor of Science, Biological Sciences.......................27
A discounted threat: Environmental impacts of the livestock industry
Buchwald, Ian Bachelor of Science, Biological Sciences............................. 28
The effects of a marl seep on freshwater phytoplankton and zooplankton communities in Long Lake, Alberta
Collette, Julie Bachelor of Science, Biological Sciences.............................. 29
Eugregarine parasitism in the Saffron-winged Meadowhawk (Sempetrum costiferum) and
Lake Darner (Aeshna eremita) at Hermitage Park, Edmonton, with an assessment of possible fitness costs
iv
Crosland, Brett Bachelor of Science, Biological Sciences........................... 30
The relationships between Monocystis ventrosa (Apicomplexa: Monocystidae) infection and immune
activity in Red Wigglers; Eisenia fetida (Annelida; Clitellata)
Doyle, Ashley Bachelor of Science, Biological Sciences............................... 31
Inactivation of ergot (Claviceps purpurea) using thermophillic anaerobic digestion process
Edmunds, Benjamin Bachelor of Science, Physical Sciences...................... 32
Antibiotic degradation in cattle manure during the thermophilic anaerobic digestion (TAD) process
Estevez, Ruben Bachelor of Science, Computer Science
Encodings of subgraph isomorphism to SAT and their influence of SR-SGI................................. 33
Segmentation techniques on geophysical images (with Tamara Bain).......................................25
Statistical methods for segmentation of geophysical images (with Tamara Bain)............................ 34
Huybregts, Lauren Bachelor of Science, Physical Sciences.........................35
Catalyst optimization for the synthesis of renewable waxes from camelina oil
Kamanos, Krystal Bachelor of Science, Physical Sciences.......................... 36
Enantioselective total synthesis of (R)-(-)-complanine
King, Kelcey Bachelor of Science, Biological Sciences.................................37
Compartment specific expression of SC00608 in Streptomyces coelicolor
Lekas, Ariel Bachelor of Science, Biological Sciences................................. 38
Fecundity of Northern redbelly dace (Phoxinus eos) and finescale dace (Phoxinus neogaeus) (Pisces: Cyprinidae)
and their all-female asexual hybrids in Northern Alberta
Lindsay, Cameron Bachelor of Science, Biological Sciences....................... 39
Identification of wingless in the embryonic development of Amblyomma hebraeum
Lutsky, Michael Bachelor of Science, Biological Sciences........................... 40
Construction of EGFP transcriptional fusion products for analysis of gene expression in S. coelicolor
Mazurok, James and Tiedmann, Kyle
Bachelor of Science, Physical Sciences.......................................................41
Development of a porous layer open tubular (PLOT) platform for quantitative environmental analysis
Mome Etindale, Karl-Yvan Bachelor of Science in Engineering Transfer.... 42
The role of fluid modifiers in the enhanced recovery of oil in reservoirs
Orr, Brett Bachelor of Science, Biological Sciences.................................... 43
Analysis of heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Edmonton snow storage facilities
Schmidt, Danielle Bachelor of Science, Biological Sciences........................ 44
Identification and sequencing of wnt5 and wnt6 genes in embryos of the ixodid tick, Amblyomma hebraeum
Sharp, Justin and Warkentin, Amy
Bachelor of Science in Engineering Transfer.............................................. 45
Tackling academic integrity online: Creation of automated assignment/exam software for distance learning
v
Steed, David Bachelor of Science, Biological Sciences................................ 46
Site-directed mutagenesis of the DNA repair enzyme, polynucleotide kinase/phosphatase from Caenorhabditis
elegans
Wiesmann, Christina Bachelor of Science, Biological Sciences...................47
Inactivation of hormones using the thermophilic anaerobic digestion process
Yip, Daniel Bachelor of Science, Biological Sciences.................................. 48
The effect of eugregarine infection (Gregarina niphandrodes) on mate selection behavior of the Yellow Mealworm
Beetle (Tenebrio molitor)
School of Business
Faculty
Elbarrad, Dr. Sherif and Ilter, Dr. Cenap Accounting.......................... 50
Murabaha–an Islamic financial tool and the challenges vis a vis the International Accounting Standards
Wei, Dr. William Bachelor of Commerce, Institute of Asia Pacific Studies..... 51
HRM practice within Chinese MNCs
Wong, Dr. Leo Bachelor of Commerce....................................................52
The impact of sustainability curriculum on student outcomes
Students
Guay, Travis with Ellison, Marisa; Halabi, Ehab; Lamoureux, Taylor;
and Murdock, Brett Bachelor of Commerce, International Business............53
Cool Sweat in Brazil
Guay, Travis Bachelor of Commerce, International Business...................... 54
Public-private partnerships
Mesluk, Amanda Bachelor of Commerce, Management.............................55
The impact of the adoption of Environmental, Social, and Governance practices on firms’ performance and its
relation with executive compensation: The case of Canadian companies
Schwanke, Dee-Ann Bachelor of Commerce........................................... 56
The labyrinth: Barriers for women to executive positions
Faculty of Fine Arts & Communications
Faculty
Garfinkle, Dr. David Theatre Arts........................................................ 58
A quantitative study of the comprehension of discrete "emotives" as portrayed by an actor in theatrical
communication
Korda, Dr. Andrea Art History............................................................ 59
Printing and painting the news: A case study of new media practices in Victorian London
Matejko, Agnieszka; Edwards, Jannie and Lysay, Bob
Fine Art and Design Studies.................................................................... 60
Resonance: Urban Wind
vi
Potter, Gerry Professional Writing, Communications.................................61
Rabbits & Monsters
Santa-Balazs, Hoyne Fine Art............................................................. 62
Stories from the dark side of desire: Criminal aesthetes, opportunistic collectors, and remedies for culture crime
Takach, Geo Bachelor of Communication Studies..................................... 63
Visually redefining Alberta: A study in polarized, resource-based economies
Students
Butorac, Sabina Fine Art
"C" Panorama........................................................................................... 64
Playing games and making fun–Maurizio Catellan......................................................... 66
da Silva, Sean Bachelor of Communication Studies....................................67
Communication breakdown: The media effects on Ecuador's environment
Miklas, Ania Daniela Fine Art
The destruction and rebirth–the art of Anselm Kiefer...................................................... 68
Self–the historical and conceptual approach to portrait painting........................................... 69
Pluim, Derek Neil Bachelor of Communication Studies............................. 71
Building pressure: Buried costs of the Northern Gateway Pipeline
Snellen, Leanne Fine Art
Figurative studies.........................................................................................72
Marina Abramovic.........................................................................................74
Faculty of Health & Community Studies
Faculty
Kato, Dave Physical Education...............................................................76
Determination of the ability to perform activities of daily living in people with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary
Disease (COPD)
Rogers, Robert Holistic Health Practitioner............................................. 77
Medicinal mushrooms of North America
Students
Antunes, Joana; Lee, Jessica; Peters, Taylor and Rendflesh, Jena
Bachelor of Science in Nursing................................................................ 78
Learning leadership: MacEwan students using creativity and collaboration to promote
unity and pride in their Nursing program
Chauhan, Anupama Bachelor of Science in Nursing.................................79
A guide to home care referral
Riou, Nicole Massage Therapy.............................................................. 80
Massage therapy for essential tremor: Quieting the mind
vii
Faculty of Arts & Science
Online and engaged: An experiment related to online news and
political interest
Unlike other experiments in
the field, the experimental
manipulation reflects the
varied ways in which online
news sources reach Internet
users e.g., use of traditional
news organization websites,
news forwarded through social
networks, and use of a variety
of other non traditional news
sources.
Faculty of Arts & Science
Youth’s low level of political engagement creates
concerns about the health of our democratic
system. This research examines whether new
media, specifically online news sources, can
address low levels of political interest among
youth. Experiments were conducted in 2010
and 2011 exposing a random sample of first-year
MacEwan University students to a variety of
online news sources.
Interest in local politics increased significantly
for youth who were exposed to the news sources
compared to youth who were not exposed. In
addition, compared to prior use, political interest
increased significantly after news source use.
The results affirm the potential of online news
sources to stimulate youth’s interest in politics.
Hence, these findings provide support for the
argument that the Internet could become a tool
to mobilize youth to become involved in politics.
About the researcher
Dr. Shelley Boulianne (PhD,
University of WisconsinMadison) is an assistant professor
in sociology at MacEwan
University. Her research focuses
on the role of the Internet in civic
and political engagement and on
strategies to increase response
rates to web surveys.
Dr. Shelley Boulianne, Sociology
1
Research & Creative Activity Showcase 2013
Travels with a tricycle: The Pennells and early cycle-travel literature
Dr. Buchanan’s research involves creating a
new scholarly edition of the Pennells’ first two
cycle-travel books, A Canterbury Pilgrimage
(1885), which traces the route of Chaucer’s
pilgrims from London to Canterbury, and An
Italian Pilgrimage (1886), their account of a
cycle journey through Tuscany, in the hopes
that the Pennells’ general message—that cycling
Faculty of Arts & Science
School of Business
In London during the 1880s and ‘90s, the
American creative duo of Elizabeth Robins
Pennell (writer) and her husband Joseph Pennell
(illustrator and writer) established reputations as
pioneering cycle-travel writers (and illustrator,
in Joseph’s case). During the cycling boom of
the late 19th century, the Pennells travelled
extensively in England and Europe by tandem
tricycle, and later bicycle. Their five illustrated
books and dozens of illustrated magazine articles
about their journeys comprise some of the
earliest cycle-travel literature.
These works attracted a
significant readership and
positive critical reviews in their
day and helped invent the idea
of leisure cycle travel.
In fact, these works are considered by some
cycling historians to be some of the best works
of cycle-travel writing ever produced, sharply
penned and beautifully illustrated. However, the
Pennells’ cycle writing has been largely forgotten,
their books having been out of print for years.
is “the most delightful manner of getting about
and seeing a country, of taking a holiday”—
still speaks to many readers today. As well,
he explores the journals of Elizabeth Robins
Pennell, focusing on the unique collaborative
nature of the Pennells’ creative process, and on
Elizabeth’s conflicted position as a reluctant late19th-century “new woman.”
About the researcher
Dr. Dave Buchanan is a member of the
department of English at MacEwan
University, where he teaches 18thcentury literature, as well as courses
on creative non-fiction and travel
literature. His current research involves
early cycle-travel literature of the 1880s
and 1890s. He is a semi-serious cyclist
who enjoys bicycle writing almost as
much as bicycle riding.
Dr. Dave Buchanan, English
2
MacEwan University
Community, conflict and control: The social meaning behind
petty crime in later 16th-century Aberdeen
Faculty of Arts & Science
Despite the efforts of a generation or so of
historians practicing the “new social history,”
most studies of early modern communities paint
a picture of power concentrated in the hands of
the few, communities defined by the elite alone
and social space rigidly fixed. Frequently, such
studies focus on the dichotomous relationship
between those who “possess” authority and
those who attempt to undermine it; the
former group acknowledged as having been
ordained by God to hold their power while the
latter construed as simple malcontents. Such
identifications of monopolies of power diminish
the contributions made by all members of the
community in actively or passively establishing
authority, constructing regulations, defining
group boundaries, affinities and loyalties, and
maintaining social order. It is not always the
most fruitful method of inquiry to start from the
premise that those on the margins are without
any influence within the community dynamic.
Conversely, there is a danger of giving too much
agency to the disenfranchised and investing
their actions with meanings that were likely
unintended. There must be a middle ground.
Over a period of roughly 60 years (1540-1600),
the Council Register and Baillie Court Books
record nearly 2,000 individual convictions for a
variety of crimes that included statute breaking,
petty theft, destruction of property and acts of
verbal and physical assaults.
These accounts shed light on the social
interactions of a community at work, play and
prayer and the regulatory systems in place that
governed proper behaviour and attempted to
instill in the inhabitants of the burgh the idea of
“good neighbourliness.”
This research argues that 16th-century
Aberdonians prevented from exercising formal
political power used petty crimes as a ‘weapon’
for settling disputes and a tool for negotiating
power and space.
The monograph, Crime and Community in
Reformation Scotland: Negotiating Power in a
Burgh Society (London: Pickering and Chatto,
2012) contends that through an analysis of the
negotiation of social power and space inherent
in petty criminal acts and the prosecution of
petty criminals, a clearer understanding of the
complexities of burgh society in 16th-century
Scotland emerges.
About the researcher
Rob Falconer completed his PhD on crime
in 16th-century Aberdeen at the University
of Guelph in 2005 and joined MacEwan
University in 2006. Dr. Falconer's research
has included the areas of crime and gender,
household crime, and Scottish urban history.
He is currently working on his second
monograph: a comparative study of criminal
activities in Aberdeen (Scotland), Norwich
(England) and Bayonne (France).
Dr. Rob Falconer, Humanities (History)
3
Research & Creative Activity Showcase 2013
Child pornography possessors: Comparisons and contrasts
with contact and non-contact sex offenders
Questions remain regarding whether child
pornography possessors are similar to or
different from other types of sex offenders,
and whether or not assessment and treatment
protocols for contact and non-contact sex
offenders are appropriately applied to child porn
offenders.
Faculty of Arts & Science
School of Business
The advent of the Internet has
facilitated a dramatic increase
in the number of individuals
accessing and possessing
child pornography, and a
corresponding increase in
referrals for assessment and
treatment.
The present study compared 50 child
pornography offenders, 45 non-contact sex
offenders, and 101 contact child molesters.
Results indicated that the three groups were
more similar than different; however, child
pornography offenders were distinguished by
greater academic and vocational achievement,
fewer childhood behavior problems, and by select
relational variables. Recidivism rates were low
for all groups.
About the researcher
Dr. Sandy Jung is an associate
professor in the department of
Psychology at MacEwan University
and a forensic psychologist with
Alberta Health Services in Edmonton,
Alberta. Her research focuses on the
excuses and denial patterns of sexual
offenders and the characteristics of
child pornography offenders. Her
clinical practice has been in the field
of assessment, treatment, and risk
management of violent and sexual
offenders.
Dr. Sandy Jung, Psychology
4
MacEwan University
Bachelor of Arts
Psychology (Honours)
Graduation 2012
Jessica Blake
Sexual experience and sexual awareness: The relationship
between Attitudes, Awareness, Attraction and Sexual Openness
Faculty of Arts & Science
Sexual behavior is a dynamic aspect of human
life that is influenced by experience, awareness,
ideas, beliefs, culture and society. Many different
explanations are used to explain the desire to
engage in sexual behaviors that are statistically
uncommon. This study explored the occurrence
of unconventional sexuality as a product of
the interaction between sexual awareness and
sexual experience. Responses from a sample
of university students and swingers were
compared. This included measures on Sexual
Awareness, Sexual Experience, Attitudes
Towards Unconventional Sexuality, and Sexual
Orientation.
The results showed that
swingers had more sexual
experience, higher sexual
awareness, and were more open
to unconventional sexuality.
Swingers were significantly more likely to be bior homosexual, and less likely to be heterosexual
or asexual than students. It is unlikely that
demographic differences could account
sufficiently for the results of this study.
Faculty mentor
Melike Schalomon has a PhD in neuroscience from the University of Alberta and has been
a faculty member in MacEwan University's department of Psychology since 1996.
Dr. Schalomon's area of expertise is behavioural neuroscience. Her current research focuses
on learning and memory in zebrafish, with a secondary research interest in biological aspects
of human sexuality.
5
Research & Creative Activity Showcase 2013
Faculty of Arts & Science
School of Business
Bachelor of Education
Transfer
Completion 2015
Joanna Calderon
Supporting global cultural diversity with selective social media
(Spanish Language and Culture, 2007) Spanish
as a Second Language Program of Study using
the traditional pen pal learning activity.
The use of pen pals to
communicate with students
from different parts of the world
is a tried and true method of
second language development.
The availability and ease of use of social media
enables educators to include cultural diversity
as a powerful learning resource beyond what
could be achieved with prior generations of
learners. This unprecedented access to the
global community has the potential to promote
global citizenry by communicating through rich
multimedia outlets at the speed of light. This
research explores the integration of social media
in second language curricula to achieve several of
the objectives outlined in the Alberta Education
However, use of penpals has historically been
time-consuming and comprised of static
media. Social media has transformed this
learning activity by making communication
instantaneous, interactive and engaging. The
goal of this research is to provide a pedagogical
context and rationale for the integration of social
media into second language learning.
References
Spanish Language & Culture (9-Year Program) Grade 4 - 12. (2007).
Retrieved July 8, 2013, from http://www.learnalberta.ca/
ProgramOfStudy.aspx?lang=en&ProgramId=774260#.
Faculty mentor
Sharon Bratt holds a PhD from Simon Fraser University and teaches in the areas of humancomputer interaction and instructional technology. Dr. Bratt's research areas include topics
related to the research, development and integration of technology in education.
6
MacEwan University
Bachelor of Education
Transfer
Completion 2015
Joanna Calderon
Transformation assessment in a learning community to foster
student leadership: Methods of transformative assessment
Student teachers learn about learning and
teaching assessment methods and their value
through classroom activities and lectures.
teachers as a leader rather than being passive
receptacles of teaching.
Faculty of Arts & Science
Beyond the formative and
summative characteristics of
teaching assessment, there has
to be a transformative aspect.
While formative and summative assessment
is teacher-directed, transformative are learner
centered and have the holistic benefit of helping
students grow and mature.
Transformative assessment is still developing,
but through journal writing, conferencing
and student presentations, students can take
ownership of their learning and reveal creative
parts of their personalities, actively engage with
An example of an elementary classroom team
project with students using online conferencing
and presentation tools is explored.
Faculty mentor
Rick Bjarnason (BA, BEd, MEd) retired from the Edmonton Public School Board after a
35-year career as a teacher, department head and administrator. He has been a sessional
instructor at MacEwan University for six years and works with the University of Alberta as a
university facilitator for student teachers completing their Bachelor of Education. Rick is also
a member of the Alberta Attendance Board, which works with schools, families and students
to deal with poor attendance issues.
7
Research & Creative Activity Showcase 2013
Faculty of Arts & Science
School of Business
Bachelor of Arts
Anthropology
Graduation 2011
Claire Earley
Starch grain analysis of organic residue from 18th-century Inuit
soapstone vessels in northern Labrador
Little research has been published regarding the
analysis of starch grains in relation to Inuit diet
and plant utilization. This research will attempt
to fill a gap in Inuit plant use while adding to the
comprehensive archaeological knowledge of the
18th century Oakes Bay site (HeCg-08) on Dog
Island, northern Labrador.
Carbonized food residue recovered from 13
soapstone vessel fragments retrieved from
Dog Island were subjected to starch analysis
according to various accepted methodologies,
including those outlined by Horrocks (2005)
and Boyd & Surette (2010). The results were
compared to a reference collection created from
10 economically important plant species that
were likely to have been used by the Inuit in
antiquity, and two European imports.
Results were limited as starch granules in the
organic residue may have been gelatinized in
antiquity by high heat. More tests should be
conducted on the associated soils to potentially
identify more starch granules. This study will
compliment, and contribute to, recent research
done on Inuit archaeobotanical remains,
including macro botanicals and phytolith analysis
(Pigford 2008; Zutter 2009).
References
Boyd, M., & Surette, C. (2010). Nothernmost Precontact Maize in
North America. American Antiquity, 75(1): 117-133.
Horrocks, M. (2005). A combined procedure for recovering phytoliths
and starch residues from soils, sedimentary deposits and
similar materials. Journal of Archaeological Science, 32, 11691175.
Pigford, A. (2008). Inuit plant use: Phytolith analysis of soapstone
residues. Senior Honors Paper. Department of Anthropology,
University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
Zutter, C. (2009). Paleoethnobotanical contributions to 18th century
Inuit economy: an example from Uivak, Labrador. Journal of
the North Atlantic: Archaeologies of the Early Modern North
Atlantic 1, 23-32.
This research was funded by a Research Development
Initiatives Grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities
Research Council (SSHRC)
Faculty mentor
Dr. Cynthia Zutter is an anthropology faculty member of MacEwan University who has
spent the majority of her career participating in field work and disseminating research
information related to the Inuit of northern Labrador and the Circumpolar Region. Her
research interests include Archaeology, Palaeoeconomy and Palaeoethnobotany and
Archaeobotany as well as Gender studies in Anthropology.
8
MacEwan University
Bachelor of Arts
Sociology (Honours)
Graduation 2013
Bruno Haje
Prevalence of aggressive and dangerous driving behaviors
among university students
Faculty of Arts & Science
Aggressive and dangerous driving is a major
problem on North American roads. The purpose
of this study was to examine the prevalence of
aggressive and dangerous driving behaviours
among university students. Aggressive driving
included acts of aggression with the intent to
physically, psychologically or emotionally harm
those within a driving environment, for example,
tailgating and acts of road rage (Hennessy &
Wiesenthal, 2002). Dangerous driving consisted
of unsafe driving acts not meant to inflict harm
on others, but nevertheless put other road
users at risk, for example, illegal lane changing,
excessive speeding and operating a cell phone
while driving (Bone & Mowen, 2006).
Results showed that 85 per cent
of respondents used verbal
aggression through negative
comments while 81 per cent
glared at other drivers and
called names under their breath.
Using a vehicle to express anger was the next
most common form of driver aggression. Eightysix percent of subjects reported driving faster
to express their anger, 31 per cent admitted to
tailgating as a means of venting and 30 per cent
purposely blocked another driver with their
vehicles when angered. For dangerous driving,
participants sent text messages while stopped at
a light (57 per cent), sent texts while driving (40
per cent) and reported eating while driving (33
per cent). In addition, a sizeable portion reported
speeding (54 per cent) and switching lanes in
order to exceed the speed limit (47 per cent).
Participants – 298 MacEwan University students
recruited from the Psychology Subject Pool –
completed a secure online survey using Sona
Data Management Software.
References
Bone, S.A., & Mowen, J.C. (2006). Identifying the traits of aggressive
and distracted drivers: A hierarchical trait model approach.
Journal of Consumer Behaviour, 5, 454-464.
Hennessey, D.A., & Wiesenthal, D.L. (2002). The relationship between
driver aggression, violence, and vengeance. Violence and
Victims, 17(6), 707-718.
Faculty mentor
Dr. Diane Symbaluk teaches third- and fourth-year research methods courses in MacEwan
University's department of Sociology. She is an experienced researcher in the sub-disciplines
of social psychology, criminology and educational pedagogy. Her most recent publication
is an introductory sociology textbook, titled Sociology in Action: A Canadian Perspective
(2013) co-authored with Dr. Tami Bereska.
9
Research & Creative Activity Showcase 2013
Faculty of Arts & Science
School of Business
Bachelor of Arts
Sociology
Graduation 2013
Anna Ratay
Integration barriers faced by immigrants to Canada
As a multicultural society, the study of
immigration is of utmost importance to Canada.
Growth in the immigrant population from 2001
to 2017 alone is expected to rise from 5.4 million
to between 7.0 and 9.3 million people (Bélanger,
2005). Integration can be challenging for many
reasons: “newcomers encounter difficulties
in coping with culture shock, social isolation,
emotional loneliness, cultural understanding,
language, communication, and even the
weather. The three major challenges reported…
language and communication, employment, and
family dynamics” (Stewart, 2003). As of 2010,
Edmonton received 4 per cent of the immigrants
that came to Canada (Edmonton Social Planning
Council, 2011).
Edmonton is increasing in
size and diversity as time
progresses, and thus the
effective or positive integration
of newcomers is essential.
Determining the city's available settlement
services is imperative to uncovering needs and
finding solutions to reduce integration barriers.
This study aims to uncover barriers to
integration faced by the Somali-Canadian
community in Edmonton.
Data was collected through online research of
numerous governmental and non-governmental
organizations that provide services to
immigrants. Specific case studies of major
Canadian cities and the role of the media as a
main actor in public discourse on immigration
and immigrants is also discussed.
References
Bélanger, A & Malenfant, E.C. (2005). Ethnocultural diversity in
Canada: Prospects for 2017. Canadian Social Trends (79):
18-21.
Edmonton Social Planning Council. (2011). Tracking the Trends 2011:
Edmonton’s Increasing Diversity. 11th ed. Edmonton, AB:
ESPC.
Stewart, M. J. (2003). Immigrants and refugees: Perspectives on
supportive policies, programs, and practices. In Eighth
International Metropolis Conference. (Vienna, Austria).
Faculty mentor
Dr. Fiona Angus is a faculty member in MacEwan University's department of Sociology.
She is a qualitative researcher and teaches courses on ethnic/minority relations, sociology of
sport, and sociology of work.
10
MacEwan University
Bachelor of Arts
Anthropology
Graduation 2014
Amy Reedman
Ethnohistory and archaeology in northern Labrador
Faculty of Arts & Science
The socio-economic and cultural influences
initiated by the presence of Moravian Christians
on the northern Labrador Inuit in the mid- to late
18th century are substantial factors somewhat
overlooked in current literature. The Brethrens’
ability to infiltrate the Inuit population would
not have been successful without the mediation
of an influential local Inuit woman. Mikak, the
wife of Tuglavina, a prestigious Inuit middleman
and trader (Williamson, 1964), was held in
high regard during initial colonization by the
English and the Moravians and her story is only
partially known through compiled ethnohistories
and journal entries (Gosling, 1910; Pearson,
1978; Stopp, 2009; Taylor, 1983, 1984;
Williamson, 1964). During this period of history,
documentation of women, especially aboriginal
women, was very rare, making Mikak even more
fascinating.
This project is a two-fold collaborative effort
with Amelia Fay, PhD candidate at Memorial
University, St. John’s, N.L. First, to add further
interpretation to the life history of Mikak;
especially her role in establishing Inuit trading
relationships with Europeans and fishermen in
southern Labrador, as well as to try and discern
possible trading of foreign food items. Second,
this background information will contribute
to the understanding of the archaeological site
of Khernertok, the suggested site of Mikak’s
sod house residence in 1776 on Black Island,
Labrador (Fay, 2011). Trade records and analysis
of local vegetation will assist in interpreting
archaeobotanical remains recovered during the
2011 field season and will highlight how the local
Inuit used plants daily for medicines, food, fuel
and bedding.
References
Fay, A. (2011). Searching for Mikak: Archaeologist Uncovering Story
of First Labrador Inuit Woman to Earn a Place in Recorded
History. Labrador Life 5(4), 22-25.
Gosling, W.G. (1910). Labrador: Its Discovery, Exploration, and
Development. A. Rivers. 574.
Pearson, A.A. (1978). John Hunter and the women from Labrador:
The story behind a picture. Annals of the Royal College of
Surgeons of England 60(1), 7-13.
Stopp, M.P. (2009). Eighteenth Century Labrador Inuit in England.
Arctic 62(1).
Taylor, J.G. (1983). The two worlds of Mikak, Part I. The Beaver
314(3), 4-13.
Taylor, J.G. (1984). The two worlds of Mikak, Part II. The Beaver
314(4), 18-25.
Williamson, A. (1964). The Moravian Mission and Its Impact on the
Labrador Eskimo. Arctic Anthropology 2(2), 32-36.
Faculty mentor
Dr. Cynthia Zutter is an anthropology faculty member at MacEwan University who has
spent the majority of her career participating in field work and disseminating research
information related to the Inuit of northern Labrador and the Circumpolar Region. Her
research interests include archaeology, palaeoeconomy and palaeoethnobotany and
archaeobotany as well as gender studies in anthropology.
11
Research & Creative Activity Showcase 2013
Faculty of Arts & Science
School of Business
Bachelor of Arts
Psychology (Honours)
Graduation 2012
Alyssa Schmidt
Multimodal contributions to emotion processing in children
with autism
Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD)
typically have social and communicative
impairments, as well as behavioural
abnormalities. Moreover, studies have found
that children with ASD have difficulties
recognizing emotion, which may contribute to
their difficulties in social and communicative
functioning. Many have explored this deficit
using static facial expressions and brief verbal
cues rather than dynamic stimuli which capture
more realistic social-emotional communication.
The purpose of this study was to examine the
multimodal contributions to emotion recognition
in children with ASD in comparison to typically
developing (TD) children of ages 4-6 and 7-12
years.
Performance of groups under auditory, visual,
and auditory-visual conditions was examined
using a computerized game format. Preliminary
results show age-related improvements in
overall accuracy within the TD group, and
a tendency to perform better in visual and
auditory-visual conditions in comparison to the
auditory condition. In addition, TD children
were more accurate at identifying emotion when
the sentence content was consistent with the
intended emotion compared to when there was
no emotion content in the sentence.
The current sample of children
with ASD performed similarly to
age-matched TD children.
Additionally, children with ASD benefited more
from auditory-visual presentations compared to
the single modal conditions.
This research was awarded a grant from MacEwan
University's Undergraduate Student Research Initiative.
Faculty mentor
Dr. Tara Vongpaisal is a developmental psychologist and principal investigator of the Child
Development Laboratory at MacEwan University. She specializes in children’s developing
auditory skills with a focus on music and speech perception in children with hearing loss and in
children with autism spectrum disorders.
12
MacEwan University
Bachelor of Arts
Psychology (Honours)
Graduation 2013
Dylan Wiwad
Dylan begins graduate studies for his MA in
psychology in Fall 2013.
The effects of previously established biases on novel song
preference
Faculty of Arts & Science
This study aims to provide some insight to
the broad question of how people form their
preferences for certain styles of music. There are
many different theories as to why and how people
develop certain preferences, most of which focus
on personal and cognitive factors without taking
into account our environment. This specific study
aims to add another dimension to these models:
previously established biases.
Specifically, do previously
established biases, namely
preferred radio stations,
influence whether or not
someone develops a preference
for a certain song or type of
music?
Researchers gave participants a novel song to
listen to. Before hearing the song, the researcher
informed each participant that the song was
being considered for his or her favorite (like
condition), least favorite (dislike condition), or a
fictional radio station (the control group). After
listening to the song, participants filled out a
questionnaire assessing preference for the song
and the JAMIN scale. The JAMIN scale assesses
the role of music in one's life as well as how
much an individual intertwines music into their
personal identity.
The working hypothesis was twofold: (a)
participants in the like condition will rate
the song significantly higher than the control
condition, while participants in the dislike
condition will rate the song significantly lower
than the control condition; and (b) the effect
will only carry through for individuals high on
the JAMIN, with individuals low on the JAMIN
showing no effect. Initial data confirms both of
these hypotheses.
Faculty mentor
Rodney Schmaltz received his PhD at the University of Alberta in 2007. He is an assistant
professor in the department of Psychology and founder of a social psychology and music
research program at MacEwan University. Dr. Schmaltz's research focuses on the social and
applied psychology of music.
13
Research & Creative Activity Showcase 2013
A low-cost cosmic ray detector using new technology materials
When complete, an array of
250 detectors will be built and
assembled at CERN, site of the
Large Hadron Collider (LHC), in
Switzerland.
This array will work in coincidence with the
LHC’s ATLAS experiment (which is currently
searching for the Higgs Boson and other exotic
elementary particles) to study high energy
cosmic ray showers. These are generated
by ultra-high energy cosmic particles from
deep space that collide with atomic nuclei in
Earth’s atmosphere to produce extensive air
showers of exotic particles, similar to that
created in the LHC beam line. Since February
2011, students have tested a prototype of this
detector using standard materials: a high voltage
photomultiplier tube to detect Cherenkov light
from distilled water and scintillation from
solid scintillation plastics. Now, students have
Faculty of Arts & Science
School of Business
In collaboration with the Centre for Particle
Physics at the University of Alberta, Dr. Orla
Aaquist and students in the department of
Physical Sciences at MacEwan University are
designing and testing a low-cost cosmic ray
detector using new-technology materials.
Photograph Views of the LHC tunnel sector by
Maximilien Brice © 2009 CERN
replaced the solid scintillator and water with a
new, inexpensive, non-toxic scintillation fluid
(linear alkyl benzene, LAB, doped with the
organic fluor 2,5-diphenyloxazole, DPO), and
they have replaced the photomultiplier tube with
a low-cost silicon-based photo detector (SiPMT)
and a waveshifting fibre optic cable that guides
the scintillated DPO light to the SiPMT. The
focus of this study is the testing of this detector
and its impending deployment at CERN.
This research contributes to ATLAS experiment.
About the researcher
Dr. Orla Aaquist has been teaching physics and
astronomy at MacEwan University for the past 13
years. He has a Bachelor of Education from Queen's
University and a master's and PhD in astrophysics
from the University of Calgary. Since 2010, he has
been working in the field of cosmic ray research
with the expressed aim of getting MacEwan
University physics students involved with meaningful
undergraduate research.
Dr. Orla Aaquist, Physical Sciences
14
MacEwan University
Generating hard satisfiable instances
The last decade witnessed impressive progress
of Satisfiability solvers resulting from the
Satisfiability Competition, a permanent
competition between finding new, challenging
instances and designing efficient solvers able to
tackle the challenges. Organized in conjunction
with the main Satisfiability conference, the
Satisfiability Competition states that finding
new challenging benchmarks is one of its main
purposes.
This research focuses on generating hard
satisfiable instances for the Satisfiability Problem
(SAT).
Faculty of Arts & Science
Satisfiability is a fundamental
problem in computing
science with many practical
applications, ranging from
formal verification of hardware
and software to finding the best
route for mail delivery.
Over the last five years, Dr. Anton has proposed
and investigated several ways of generating hard
satisfiable instances of Satisfiability, based on
random instances of Subgraph Isomorphism
problem. The resulting generators were
submitted to the Satisfiability Competition.
The competing solvers needed long running
times to solve these instances which shows that
these instances are empirically hard. Besides
generating hard satisfiable instances these
models have other interesting properties, such as
easy-hard-easy pattern of evolution, exponential
growth of empirical hardness and the ability
to differentiate between state-of-the-art SAT
solvers. These features recommend the models as
viable generators of satisfiable SAT benchmarks.
About the researcher
Calin Anton obtained a PhD from the
University of Alberta in 2005, completing
his thesis Structure and Randomness of
Satisfiability. Since 2008 he has been
instructing in the department of Computer
Science at MacEwan University. His
research interests reside in the general
areas of empirical algorithms and artificial
intelligence; more specifically he studies
heuristic search and the Satisfiability
Problem.
Dr. Calin Anton, Computer Science
15
Research & Creative Activity Showcase 2013
High energy physics is the study of sub-atomic
particles (e.g., electrons). A current popular yet
controversial area of this field is string theory,
which aims to reconcile quantum theory (the
physics of the very small) with general relativity
(the theory of the very large).
String theory states that
elementary particles are actually
tiny vibrating strings.
According to theory, different particles are given
by different kinds of vibrations of the string,
just as different notes on a guitar are given by
different kinds of vibrations (frequencies) of the
Faculty of Arts & Science
School of Business
Algebra and modern physics
guitar string. Modern string theories include
both open and closed strings. Closed strings
are small loops, or circles. For example, the
graviton – the hypothesized particle responsible
for the force of gravity – is a closed string. Open
strings are tiny intervals, or threads. The photon,
the particle responsible for light, is an open
string. Each end of an open string is attached to
a membrane, called a D-brane – the D is after
German mathematician Johann Peter Gustav
Lejeune Dirichlet (1805–1859) – or just a brane.
These branes have tension and carry charge,
similar to electric charge. Dr. Beltaos discusses
her current research which uses algebraic
methods to calculate brane charges.
About the researcher
Elaine Beltaos received her PhD in
mathematics from the University of
Alberta in 2009. Since then, she has
been a member of the department
of Mathematics and Statistics at
MacEwan University. Dr. Beltaos's
expertise is in Lie theory, an area of
algebra. She is especially interested
in the applications of her field to
theoretical physics.
Dr. Elaine Beltaos, Mathematics and Statistics
16
MacEwan University
Who's your neighbour? Acoustic cues to individual identity
in red squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus) rattle calls
be acoustically represented. This research
provides a detailed analysis of acoustic cues to
identity within rattle calls.
Faculty of Arts & Science
North American red squirrels often produce
a loud territorial rattle call when conspecifics
enter or invade a territory. Previous playback
experiments suggest that the territorial rattle call
may indicate an invader's identity as squirrels
responded more intensely to calls played from
strangers than to calls played from neighbours.
This dear-enemy effect is well known in a variety
of bird and mammal species and functions to
reduce aggressive interactions between known
neighbours. However, although previous
experiments on red squirrels suggest some form
of individual differentiation and thus recognition,
detailed acoustic analysis on potential acoustic
cues in rattle calls were not conducted. If calls
do function to aid in conspecific identification
in order to mitigate aggressive territorial
interactions, individual recognition cues should
A total of 225 calls across 32 individual squirrels
from Sheep River Provincial Park, Kananaskis,
Alberta, were analyzed with discriminant
function analysis for potential acoustic cues to
individual identity.
Initial analysis of all individuals
revealed a reliable acoustic
differentiation across
individuals.
A more detailed analysis of clusters of
neighbouring squirrels was performed and
results again indicated a statistically significant
likelihood that calls were assigned correctly to
specific squirrels. In other words, squirrels have
distinct voices that should allow for individual
identification and discrimination by conspecifics.
This research was completed in collaboration with Dr. Drew Rendall,
University of Lethbridge, and Teana Imbeau, MacEwan Biological
Sciences graduate (2012).
About the researcher
Dr. Shannon Digweed is a joint faculty
member in the departments of Psychology and
Biological Sciences. She received her PhD in
Evolution and Behaviour from the University
of Lethbridge in 2009. Dr. Digweed's research
is in the areas of animal communication and
behaviour, and explores how the acoustic or
physical structure of animal sounds are shaped
in important ways by their function in a variety
of mammalian species, including red squirrels
and wood frogs.
Dr. Shannon Digweed, Psychology and Biological Sciences
17
Research & Creative Activity Showcase 2013
An alteration of cellular memory by neuropeptide Y
This research shows how the part of a brain cell
(neuron) that receives information (dendrite)
is capable of adjusting its response to specific
patterns of input.
It is this alteration in how a
brain cell responds to input that
is the basis of how memories are
formed and forgotten.
This study used a specialized form of
electrophysiology (the recording and stimulation
of electrical currents from single, live brain cells,
still intact in slices of rat brain) to artificially
induce patterns of action potentials (the signal
that triggers communication between neurons)
while recording the response of the receiving
Faculty of Arts & Science
School of Business
brain cell. Specifically, two to three electrodes
were inserted into one single brain cell to record
how input causes change in different sections of
the cell. This input mimics what could happen
normally in an intact animal. By measuring the
electrophysiological response and simultaneous
calcium imaging, the effects of the application
of neuropeptide Y (NPY), a substance that exists
naturally in our brains and is released by specific
neurons, was observed.
NPY decreased calcium influx in neocortical
pyramidal neurons (highly evolved brain cells in
the cortex) in a specific part of their dendrite that
receives input from other regions of the cortex.
Furthermore, NPY prevented a form of cellular
learning, called long-term depression (LTD)
that occurred in the same cells when NPY was
removed.
This work demonstrates that LTD is prevented
when calcium influx is decreased in a specific
part of the dendrite, and NPY can perform this
action.
The research will help explain how memories are
stored in the cortex and how specific situations
(that would cause NPY to act) prevent memory
storage.
About the researcher
Trevor Hamilton obtained a PhD in
neuroscience from the University of Alberta,
where he performed intracellular recordings
in live brain slices. At MacEwan University
his research involves the investigation of
learning and memory in zebrafish through
the creation of novel memory paradigms
and manipulation of the memory trace with
pharmacological compounds.
Dr. Trevor Hamilton, Psychology
18
MacEwan University
A visual analytical tool for mapping stock market data
data analysis and exploration. In particular, this
project developed a visual analytical tool to help
users explore stock market data. The tool used a
self-organizing map (Kohonen & Honkela, 2007)
to analyze stock prices over a period of time,
group similar stocks, and visualize the results
on the map. The tool revealed several clusters of
companies, showing the structure of the stock
market.
This visualization can serve
as a starting point for the user
to do further research about a
particular company.
The strengths and limitations of this approach
are discussed, as well as its potential applications
in various domains.
Faculty of Arts & Science
Analyzing large amounts of data is a complex
task performed in many fields. Without a tool,
however, people have difficulties extracting
and recognizing useful information from the
data. This project provided a case study of how
information visualization can assist people in
References
Kohonen, T. & Honkela, T. (2007). Kohonen network. Scholarpedia,
2(1) : 1568.
This research was completed with the help of Joel Joseph, computer
science student.
About the researcher
Prior to working at MacEwan University,
Dr. Indratmo completed a PhD in
computer science and taught computer
science courses as a sessional lecturer
at the University of Saskatchewan. His
research interests cover multidisciplinary
areas of social computing, information
visualization and human-computer
interaction.
Dr. Indratmo, Computer Science
19
Research & Creative Activity Showcase 2013
Worldwide, governments face the challenge of
balancing wetland conservation with appropriate
economic development.
conventional oil and gas activity, oil sands
development, forestry and peat harvesting has
the state of Alberta’s peatlands become an issue.
These challenges exist in
Alberta, Canada, a region with
an abundance of peatlands,
lucrative natural resources
and an unprecedented rate of
industrial development.
The extent of potential cumulative impacts on
peatland impairment and loss are unknown.
However, the effects will be potentially high
given that the region contains the world’s third
largest petroleum deposits within a matrix of 60
per cent peatlands.
This research reviews the state of the science
on Alberta’s peatlands, including historic and
potential impacts, mitigation initiatives, policies
and management, and offers science-based
recommendations.
Wetlands are Alberta’s keystone ecosystem.
They are inextricably linked by function to the
province’s aquatic and terrestrial environments.
This is particularly true in northern Alberta
where 93 per cent of the province’s wetlands,
primarily peatlands (peat-producing), are
found. Only since the inception of large-scale
Faculty of Arts & Science
School of Business
The challenge of managing a keystone ecosystem: Cumulative
impacts in a peatland-dominated landscape in Alberta, Canada
While novel wetland reclamation, restoration
and construction initiatives are being developed,
a progressive wetland policy no longer exists, and
management and planning initiatives have not
kept pace with development. Strong functional
linkages between peatlands and other landscape
features suggest that the effects of Alberta’s
industrial activities are being exported outside
of the province. At this juncture, Alberta has
the unique opportunity to become a leader in
wetland science, policy and practice, and set a
precedent for effective and balanced wetland
conservation and management in Canada, and
elsewhere.
About the researcher
David Locky received his PhD in environmental
biology and ecology from the University of
Alberta in 2005. His research interests and
expertise include a wide range of topics related
to wetland and aquatic ecology, including
wetland classification and valuation, wetland
plant diversity and ecology, anthropogenic
impacts to wetlands, treatment wetlands, and
wetland policy and practice.
Dr. David Locky, Biological Sciences
20
MacEwan University
Part I: The evolution of a first-year engineering transfer
program: 1995 – 2010
The history and evolution of the one-year
engineering transfer program at MacEwan
University that prepares students to complete a
Bachelor of Science in Engineering (B.Sc.) degree
at another university is discussed.
As the engineering transfer
program has grown from 33
students to over 200 students
in 15 years, there have been
considerable “growing pains.”
Faculty of Arts & Science
The experience gained through this evolutionary
period could be useful to other institutions
going through similar growth. Many facets of
the university transfer program (e.g., bootcamp)
have been incorporated into other engineering
programs. Likewise, our program has
adopted educational activities similar to other
institutions. In all cases, these changes were
made to enhance the engineering education of
students and ultimately lead them to successfully
complete an engineering degree.
The educational activities developed over the last
15 years have seen various measures of success.
Some have continued and been enhanced
while others were discontinued or modified.
These activities include a one-week bootcamp,
extra engineering tutorials, development of an
engineering club to facilitate tours, engineering/
math student assessment exams, a student night
and a variety of other activities that enhance
the student experience. All of these activities
constitute what might be called the “engineering
educational experience,” which is paramount to
improving learning.
Other essential elements for the success of the
program include: 1) developing a strong rapport
with students and to receive constant feedback
regarding their achievement after transfer
takes place, 2) maintaining close relationships
with faculty at the transfer institution so the
education keeps a strong sense of continuity after
transfer, and 3) fostering a cooperative rather
than competitive relationship with the transfer
institution.
About the researcher
Dr. Shelley Lorimer is the chair and an instructor
of the Bachelor of Science in Engineering transfer
program at MacEwan University. She is a graduate
of the University of Alberta in mechanical
engineering and a registered professional engineer
with the Association of Professional Engineers and
Geoscientists of Alberta (APEGA). Prior to her career
at MacEwan University, Dr. Lorimer worked for
several years in industry as a research engineer and
a consulting engineer. Research interests include
engineering pedagogy and simulation of oil recovery
processes from oil sands.
Dr. Shelley Lorimer, Engineering
21
Research & Creative Activity Showcase 2013
Part II: StrengthsQuest for engineers
This initiative has evolved into an
ongoing longitudinal study examining the
StrengthsFinder® talent themes of first-year
engineering students, to determine whether or
not each engineering group possesses a unique
talent theme signature. The results presented
in this study are for two similarly sized student
groups and span a three-year period. Whether or
not this information can quantitatively improve
the teaching practices of engineering instructors
remains to be determined.
The collection of data and use
of this assessment tool have
already qualitatively affected the
educational process of students
that were involved.
Faculty of Arts & Science
School of Business
The Gallup organization has a considerable
body of literature on strengths and their use as
a mechanism for enhancing self-understanding
and improving team performance. Gallup's
online strengths assessment tool, Clifton
StrengthsFinder® was identified by the
researcher as a possible useful educational tool
for engaging students and as a research tool in
analyzing the first-year engineering educational
experience. As a result, StrengthsFinder® was
introduced as a part of the curriculum for
the first-year course “An Introduction to the
Engineering Profession.”
Results to date show a “strengths” signature,
or a dominant set of talent themes, typical for
the engineering student groups considered in
this study. For both study groups, a dominant
talent theme “competition” emerged in the top
five signature themes of ~ 30 per cent of each of
the two groups. Furthermore, eight key talent
themes were common in the top 10 talent themes
for both groups: “achiever,” “adaptability,”
“analytical,” “competition,” “deliberative,”
“futuristic,” “learner” and “restorative.” Based
on this study, it would seem that the problemsolving based curriculum is well-suited to the
common StrengthsFinder® themes of first-year
engineering students.
22
MacEwan University
The end of drug discovery?
There is great need for new drugs for treatment
of the diseases of the 21st century, yet there has
been a tremendous shortfall.
The productivity of the drug
industry is in decline. From
Alzheimer’s to obesity, the new
drugs that we need are not
materializing.
Faculty of Arts & Science
As traditional descriptions and definitions of
diseases are broken down into much clearer
subsets of mechanisms, the idea of a tablet
which treats the entire population vanishes.
Smarter and more specific drugs are required;
drugs that work on a much more specific subset of patients. The drug development process
requires a change: better collaboration, between
industry and academia, and between drug
companies. Resources need to be pooled. No
single organization can do it on their own. Big
pharmaceutical companies are very capable
of doing drug discovery but they are often
interested in buying into it at a later stage.
The research described will focus on early
stage drug development to serve discovery in
the pharmaceutical industry. This involves
the preparation of focused libraries of small
molecules through parallel synthesis in order
to improve hit rates during the screening
process which underpins all of drug discovery.
Through rational design, parallel synthesis has
the potential to accelerate the drug discovery
process, leading to much needed new medicines.
This research is being done in partnership with ChemRoutes
Corporation.
About the
researcher
Jonathan Withey has
an MA and D.Phil. in
organic chemistry from
the University of Oxford.
His research at MacEwan
University focuses on organic
synthesis and medicinal
chemistry.
Dr. Jonathan Withey, Physical Sciences
23
Research & Creative Activity Showcase 2013
Faculty of Arts & Science
School of Business
Bachelor of Science
Biological Sciences
Graduation 2013
Natasha Annich
Natasha is currently completing a Master of Science
in biological sciences at the University of Alberta.
Bioacoustic analysis of amphibian breeding calls to compare
their use of natural and borrow pit wetlands in northern Alberta
Borrow pits that exist along roads, as byproducts of anthropogenic development, may
progress over time to serve as wetland habitats
for amphibians and other animals (Rausch and
Kershaw 2007; Hugron et al. 2011). The objective
of this study is to evaluate the abundance of
amphibian species at both well-established and
newly-developed borrow pit sites in relation
to a natural wetland site through the use of
bioacoustic analysis of amphibian breeding calls.
toad (Anoxyrus boreas). Song Scope™ software
is used to analyze the sound files recovered from
each site and uncover the call intensity of the
separate species along with the presence/absence
of calls within each recording. This study is only
a small analysis of a much larger investigation.
The evidence evaluated in addition to other
studies has the potential to influence the means
as to which development of borrow pits occurs to
promote the growth of wildlife habitats.
According to the National Wetlands Working
Group (1997) a wetland is defined as a body of
water that lasts long enough to promote aquatic
processes and exhibits poorly drained soils,
hydrophytic vegetation, and a variety of biological
systems modified for a wet environment. A
natural wetland is studied to provide a baseline
of expected conditions and naturalization goals.
Bioacoustics is used to monitor the breeding calls
of the wood frog (Lithobates sylvaticus), boreal
chorus frog (Pseudocris maculata) and western
References
Faculty mentors
Mrinal Das received his PhD in zoology
from the University of Alberta. His research
interests and expertise are in vertebrate
evolutionary biology with special emphasis on
taxonomy, systematics, anatomy and natural
history of fishes and amphibians.
David Locky received his PhD in
MacEwan University
Hugron S., Andersen R., Poulin M. & Rochefort L. (2011). Natural
plant colonization of burrow pits in boreal highlands of eastern
Canada. Botany 89: 451-465.
National Wetlands Working Group. (1997). The Canadian Wetland
Classification System. Wetlands Research Centre, University of
Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.
Rausch J. & Kershaw G.P. (2007). Short-term revegetation
performance on gravel-dominated, human-induced
disturbances, Churchill, Manitoba, Canada. Arct. Antarct. Alp.
Res. 39: 16-24.
This research was awarded a
grant from MacEwan University's
Undergraduate Student Research
Initiative.
environmental biology and ecology from
the University of Alberta. His research
interests and expertise include a wide range
of topics related to wetland and aquatic
ecology, including wetland classification and
valuation, wetland plant diversity and ecology,
anthropogenic impacts to wetlands, treatment
wetlands, and wetland policy and practice.
24
Bachelor of Science
Computer Science
Graduation 2013
Tamara Bain and Ruben Estevez
Segmentation techniques on geophysical images
Faculty of Arts & Science
Image segmentation is the process of separating
portions of a digital image using a variety of
mathematical-based computer algorithms. In
a large variety of fields, numerical data can
be read into a matrix and represented as an
image. It is often useful to separate different
portions of these images from each other to
learn more about the data. Doing so may allow
us to recognize features, count structures, or
find boundaries. In geophysics, magnetic data
can provide us with information about a region’s
physical properties.
Unfortunately, deposits outlined
in a magnetic survey often
overlap, so each individual
feature found in a geophysical
magnetic survey needs a clear
boundary defined.
Starting with numerically simulated data,
this study experimented with a variety of
mathematical algorithms with varying degrees
of success. Two of the frequency domain image
processing algorithms – Fourier’s Transform and
Daubechies Wavelet Transform – had excellent
success on segmenting the almost orthogonal
components of the numerically simulated data.
However, when applied to the field data, these
techniques were not as successful at segmenting
parallel components. This shows the need of
considering several approaches for studying
complex field data, such as the level set method
for Gaussian mixtures algorithms.
This research was funded in-part by a College and Community
Innovation Program Applied Research and Development Grant from
the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada
(NSERC).
Faculty mentor
Cristina Anton has a PhD in applied mathematics from the University of Alberta and a PhD in
probability and statistics from the Center for Mathematical Statistics of the Romanian Academy.
Her research interests include the asymptotic study of random dynamical systems, numerical
methods for stochastic differential equations, and various statistical methods for signal
processing. Dr. Anton primarily considers applications from aeronautics, but has also worked
with medical and economical data.
25
Research & Creative Activity Showcase 2013
Faculty of Arts & Science
School of Business
Bachelor of Science
Biological Sciences
Graduation 2013
Brock Bokenfohr
The effectiveness of commercial products at controlling
Aiptasia spp. in captive coral reef systems
Captive coral reef systems are an important
asset in the propagation of many coral reef
organisms that are currently being threatened by
bleaching events. The sea anemone that belongs
to the genus Aiptasia can be a hardy pest that
is difficult to remove and has harmful effects on
a captive coral reef system (Schlesinger et al.,
2010).
There are many methods
described through anecdotal
events that may be used to
remove Aiptasia spp., but there
is little scientific evidence to
support them.
A test of the effectiveness of commercially
available products will be conducted to examine
the benefits of the application of chemical
products to treat Aiptasia infestations. A test
of two commercially available products will
be conducted and compared to a control to
determine the effectiveness of the individual
products. Then they will be compared to each
other to determine which product is more
effective. This project is significant because it is
helping to aid in the understanding of the control
of Aiptasia places on many other tropical reef
organisms, specifically threatened coral species.
References
Schlesinger, A., Kramarsky-Winter, E., Rosenfeld, H., Armoza-Zvoloni,
R. and Loya, Y. 2010. Sexual Plasticity and Self-Fertilization in
the Sea Anemone Aiptasia diaphana. PLoS ONE. 5(7) : e11874
Faculty mentor
Dr. Ross Shaw has taught at MacEwan University for 12 years. His research interests are
in marine biology, recently focusing on captive and wild coral reef systems. Recent projects
include family relationships (phylogeny) of coral species in collaboration with the Hawaiian
Institute of Marine Biology, and Aiptasia propagation and removal.
26
MacEwan University
Bachelor of Science
Biological Sciences
Graduation 2013
Leanne Bourgeois
A discounted threat: Environmental impacts of the livestock industry
This research provides an overview of the
environmental effects of the livestock industry.
Faculty of Arts & Science
Current industry practice,
specifically the proliferation of
concentrated animal feeding
operations as the primary
means of production, has
left far-reaching ecological
consequences in its wake.
Animal agriculture is implicated in numerous
environmental threats, including rising
greenhouse gas emissions (particularly through
release of nitrous oxide and methane, in addition
to carbon dioxide), overconsumption of water
for both live animals and feed crops, and
decreased water quality. Furthermore, localized
pollution owing to significant animal waste has
contaminated many regions and compromised
human health. Alterations of land use and
the resulting loss of biodiversity are also of
major concern. The problem has expanded as
developing countries’ demand for these products
grows – however, the issue has tended not to
be a focal point of environmental debate. This
includes environmental destruction wrought
by current practices and recommendations
for reducing the environment toll at both the
individual and systemic level.
Read the complete article: https://journals.macewan.ca/index.
php/earthcommon/article/view/56
Faculty mentor
Don MacDonald is a sessional instructor in the department of Physical Sciences. He
teaches courses related to the environment and resources. Prior to teaching, he had 15 years’
experience as a research geologist and about 15 years’ as an environment and climate change
policy advisor with the Alberta government.
27
Research & Creative Activity Showcase 2013
Faculty of Arts & Science
School of Business
Bachelor of Science
Biological Sciences
Graduation 2013
Ian Buchwald
The effects of a marl seep on freshwater phytoplankton and
zooplankton communities in Long Lake, Alberta
Long Lake in northern Alberta, near Athabasca,
has a unique marl seep that introduces calcium
carbonate into the lake. The seep caused a
shallow circle in the middle of the north section
of the lake.
between the test areas as well as between specific
species present.
It is thought that this unique
habitat will cause differences in
phytoplankton and zooplankton
abundance and diversity.
The plankton distribution pattern was
investigated to determine if there are spatial
horizontal distribution patterns in freshwater
plankton. Water chemistry and physical property
tests were run at 20 sampling locations and
divided into four test areas, where plankton tow
samples were taken. A Simpson’s diversity index
was used to compare the plankton communities
The diversity indices showed some variation, but
the species distribution was more conclusive with
two species of phytoplankton differing between
the marl seep and the other test locations. The
deep section of the lake also showed variations,
while having the lowest diversity and two species
unique only to that area of the lake.
Faculty mentor
David Locky received his PhD in environmental biology and ecology from the University of
Alberta. His research interests and expertise include a wide range of topics related to wetland
and aquatic ecology, including wetland classification and valuation, wetland plant diversity
and ecology, anthropogenic impacts to wetlands, treatment wetlands, and wetland policy and
practice. Dr. Locky is a practicing Professional Wetland Scientist and Professional Biologist.
28
MacEwan University
Bachelor of Science
Biological Sciences
Graduation 2013
Julie Collette
Eugregarine parasitism in the Saffron-winged Meadowhawk
(Sempetrum costiferum) and Lake Darner (Aeshna eremita) at
Hermitage Park, Edmonton, with an assessment of possible
fitness costs
Faculty of Arts & Science
Dragonfly parasites frequently include
eugregarines (Phylum Apicomplexia),
although only a small percentage of dragonfly
species have been surveyed for these obligate
monoexous parasites (Roberts & Janovy, 2009).
The objective of this study is to determine
the presence, and when present, the effects of
gregarines in two dragonfly species from Alberta:
(Adonta: Ansioptera), Sympetrum costiferum
(Hagen) and Aeshna eremita (Scudder).
Previous odonate-gregarine
studies have suggested a range
of effects on whether gregarines
are harmless or pathogenic to
their hosts.
In this study, the relationship between gregarine
prevalences and intensities will be compared
throughout species and time. Relationships
between gregarine abundance and host fitness
parameters will be determined. Host fitness
parameters measured will include: body length,
abdomen length, hind-wing length, wing
condition and wing load (maturity). Findings
may suggest if host population and/or host
fitness parameters are significant explanatory
variables related to possible gregarine parasitism
in these dragonfly species. Dragonflies prey on
pest insects, such as mosquitoes, so research that
studies possible pathogenic effects on dragonfly
populations is important (Corbet, 1980).
References
Corbet, P.S. (1980). Biology of Odonata. Annual Review of
Entomology 25, 189-217.
Roberts, L.S. and Janovy Jr. J. (2009). Foundations of parasitology
(8th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill Publishers.
Faculty mentor
Michael Stock received his M.Sc. and PhD from the University of Alberta. He is a faculty
member in MacEwan University's department of Biological Sciences. Dr. Stock specializes in
zoology, parasitology and wildlife diseases.
29
Research & Creative Activity Showcase 2013
Faculty of Arts & Science
School of Business
Bachelor of Science
Biological Sciences
Graduation 2013
Brett Crosland (L) with Dr. Stock
The relationships between Monocystis ventrosa (Apicomplexa:
Monocystidae) infection and immune activity in Red Wigglers,
Eisenia fetida (Annelida: Clitellata)
One part of immune response
includes the products of
antimicrobial proteins that
assist in neutralizing antigens in
invertebrate body cavities.
viewed under a compound microscope (Reinhart
& Dollahon, 2003, p. 711).
In this study, antimicrobial proteins in response
to Monocystis ventrosa infection in Red Wigglers
(Eisenia fetida) will be analyzed.
Coelomic fluid will be extracted from worms,
centrifuged, and then tested for antimicrobial
activity against gram-positive and gramnegative bacteria. Antimicrobial activity of
coelomic fluid will be analyzed using MuellerHinton agar plates cultured with Escherichia
coli and Staphylococcus epidermidis in Disk
Diffusion Test. Each pair of seminal vesicles
will be removed using forceps to make squash
preparations in insect saline, which will then be
Little is known about Monocystis infection in
E. fetida; therefore, the results of this study
may answer basic questions about infection
parameters and also whether this protozoan is
harmful to E. fetida.
References
Reinhart, M. & Dollahon, N. (2003). Responses of coelomocytes
from Lumbricus terrestris to native and non-native eukaryotic
parasites. Pedobiologia 47 : 710-716.
Faculty mentor
Michael Stock received his M.Sc. and PhD from the University of Alberta. He is a faculty
member in MacEwan University's department of Biological Sciences. He specializes in
zoology, parasitology and wildlife diseases.
30
MacEwan University
Bachelor of Science
Biological Sciences
Graduation 2014
Ashley Doyle
Inactivation of ergot (Claviceps purpurea) using thermophillic
anaerobic digestion process
Faculty of Arts & Science
Ergot is a harmful fungus that infects grains such
as barley, wheat and rye, causing a significant
loss of profit for producers in Alberta. So far,
there are neither seed treatment methods
nor pesticides to control its recurrence, nor
are there safe procedures to dispose of ergotinfected grains after elevating. The potential
for thermophilic anaerobic digestion (TAD) as
an alternative way to kill ergot and dispose of
infected grains safely was investigated.
Materials and Methods: 1.25 grams of ergot
scelerotia (seeds) from wheat were placed into
a lab-scale TAD reactor (50 millilitre digestate)
and non-TAD controls (H2O). The reactors
and the controls were kept at 55 C and 22 C
for 28 days. Samples were taken at 0, 2, 7, 14
and 28 days to examine ergot survival using
culture on agar for identification and in broth
for enrichment. Polymerase chain reaction
(PCR) was applied to confirm the culture
positives by using specific primers for NADPH
oxidase, a critical enzyme in ergot lifecycle.
Biogas from each group was measured using gas
chromatography (GC).
Results: Growing fungi was observed in most of
non-TAD controls cultured at both 55 C and 22
C. Fewer growth was seen in TAD placed at 22 C.
However, there was no visible fungus growing in
active TAD at 55 C in all time points. COX1 gene
encoding NADPH oxidase was detected in most
of culture positives, verifying that fungi grown
were from ergot placed in the groups. Biogas
production and methane content in biogas were
increased in active TAD with ergot compared
to TAD-only control. Preliminary results
showed that ergot did not survive in active TAD
process even after a short period of incubation
(two days). TAD will be a cost-effective and
environmentally friendly way to inactivate ergot
and ergot-infected grains. Further, it can be used
to generate renewable energy.
This research was made possible with support from Himark bioGas
Inc.
This research was funded in-part by a College and Community
Innovation Program Innovation Enhancement Grant from the Natural
Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC).
This research was completed with the support of Dr. Tiejun Gao
and Dr. Sheila Li, who assisted in developing the research topic
and provided ongoing advice and support to the project. Student
Christina Wiesmann assisted in conducting experiments.
Faculty mentor
31
Jonathan Withey has an MA and D.Phil. in organic chemistry from the University of Oxford.
His research at MacEwan University focuses on organic synthesis and medicinal chemistry.
Research & Creative Activity Showcase 2013
Faculty of Arts & Science
School of Business
Bachelor of Science
Physical Sciences
Graduation 2014
Benjamin Edmunds
Antibiotic degradation in cattle manure during the thermophilic
anaerobic digestion (TAD) process
The aim of this project was to
determine the degradation
levels of both hormones and
antibiotics in cattle manure
during the thermophilic
anaerobic digestion (TAD)
process.
TAD is an ongoing process at Growing Power
Hairy Hill, a biogas plant located just north
of Vegreville, Alberta. In this presentation,
the overall process of TAD will be explained,
including conditions, and purpose. Second,
the methods of sampling will be outlined.
Most important, the methods of extraction,
along with both quantitative and qualitative
identifications using the high performance liquid
chromatography and mass spectrometer will be
explained. Finally, the conclusion will discuss
the implications of the results, including the
importance of the TAD process in the biogas
plant to promote sustainable, environmentally
sound energy in the agricultural sector.
This research was made possible with support from Himark bioGas
Inc.
This research was funded in-part by a College and Community
Innovation Program Innovation Enhancement Grant from the Natural
Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC).
Faculty mentor
Jonathan Withey has an MA and D.Phil. in organic chemistry from the University of
Oxford. His research at MacEwan University focuses on organic synthesis and medicinal
chemistry.
32
MacEwan University
Bachelor of Science
Computer Science
Graduation 2013
Ruben Estevez
Encodings of subgraph isomorphism to SAT and their
influence of SR-SGI
Faculty of Arts & Science
The Satisfiability Problem (SAT) consists of
deciding whether a given Boolean formula,
in conjunctive normal form (CNF), can be
satisfied by assigning different Boolean
values to its variables. The problem has many
practical applications such as model checking,
automatic test pattern generation, combinational
equivalence checking, planning in artificial
intelligence, automated theorem proving, and
software verification.
This study is a continuation of previous research
by Dr. Calin Anton about generating hard SAT
instances using random subgraph isomorphism.
The goal of the project is to investigate if
the main characteristics (the easy-hardeasy pattern and exponential growth of the
empirical hardness) of SAT encoded subgraph
isomorphism instances are independent of the
SAT encoding method used. The preliminary
results indicate that this is the case.
In the SAT world there are two
main directions of research:
one that tries to create hard
instances of Satisfiability, and
another that tries to produce
better solvers for SAT.
Faculty mentor
Calin Anton obtained a PhD from the University of Alberta in 2005, completing his thesis
Structure and Randomness of Satisfiability. Since 2008 he has been instructing in the
department of Computer Science at MacEwan University. His research interests reside in the
general areas of empirical algorithms and artificial intelligence; more specifically he studies
heuristic search and the Satisfiability Problem.
33
Research & Creative Activity Showcase 2013
Faculty of Arts & Science
School of Business
Bachelor of Science
Computer Science
Graduation 2013
Ruben Estevez and Tamara Bain
Statistical methods for segmentation of geophysical images
A magnetic survey is one of the most popular
techniques for the fast mapping of large areas
in geophysical and environmental studies.
The survey consists of mapping one or more
components of the earth’s geomagnetic field in
order to analyse the magnetic field anomalies.
The magnetic anomalies mapped by this method
can be used generally as an aid to geological
mapping, or for specific purposes, such as
estimating basement topography and depth in
oil exploration and the estimation of magnetic
polarization anomalies in mineral prospecting.
The segmentation of these
survey images give information
on the exact position of
deposits of natural resources
underground.
In this study, in addition to the use of frequency
domain method based on Fourier’s Transform
or Daubechies Wavelet Transform, statistical
methods were used to segment magnetic images
of the ground. Intensity inhomogeneities often
occur in real world images, and this presents
difficulties to segment images due to overlaps
between the ranges of the intensities in the
regions to be segmented. To overcome this
difficulty, a level set method with bias correction
was applied. Alternatively, an approach based
on a Gaussian mixture model was implemented.
Although promising results are obtained with
each of these approaches, a more complex
mixture model incorporating more dependencies
seems necessary.
This research was funded in-part by a College and Community
Innovation Program Applied Research and Development Grant from
the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada
(NSERC).
Faculty mentor
Cristina Anton has a PhD in applied mathematics from University of Alberta and a PhD
in probability and statistics from the Center for Mathematical Statistics of the Romanian
Academy. Her research interests include the asymptotic study of random dynamical systems,
numerical methods for stochastic differential equations, and various statistical methods for
signal processing. Dr. Anton primarily considers applications from aeronautics, but has also
worked with medical and economical data.
34
MacEwan University
Bachelor of Science in
Physical Sciences
Graduation 2015
Lauren Huybregts
Catalyst optimization for the synthesis of renewable waxes
from camelina oil
Faculty of Arts & Science
Many chemical processes are made possible
or enhanced by the use of catalysts to initiate
or drive the reactions involved. Catalysts in
the same phase as the reactants are termed
homogeneous while heterogeneous catalysts are
in a phase different from that of the reactants.
Heterogeneous catalysis often involves the
immobilization of a catalyst (often an acid, base
or enzyme) onto a solid support to be used in the
reaction solution.
Using solid heterogeneous catalysts can reduce
materials and processing costs, allow for greater
control of the reactions taking place, and help to
limit negative environmental impacts and safety
concerns.
This study looked at a number of commercial,
lab-made and enzymatic catalysts, and compared
their effectiveness in promoting free fatty
acid-based esterification reactions for the
production of wax esters from plant oils. Acid
value titration was used to determine the per
cent conversion of fatty acid into ester product.
Small-scale reactions using the various catalysts
were followed by scale-up of the most promising
catalyst reactant combinations. The lab-made
sulfuric acid-activated carbon catalyst was found
to be effective in the esterification of free fatty
acid derivatives of camelina oil to novel wax
ester products. The tribological properties of the
produced wax esters were characterized using a
rheometer and differential scanning calorimetry.
This project was driven by the belief that
plant oil-based waxes produced sustainably
using renewable catalysts may find use as
environmentally friendly alternatives to the
petroleum-based waxes currently used as
industrial lubricants, coatings and plastics
additives and in commercial cosmetics and
personal care products.
Faculty mentor
Dr. Samuel Mugo graduated from Jomo Kenyatta University in Kenya with a Bachelor
of Science (honours) in 2000. He obtained a PhD in chemistry from Memorial University
in Newfoundland in 2006, performed research at Queen's University in Ontario from
2007-2008, and since has been teaching at MacEwan University. Dr. Mugo has an interest
in environmental and analytical chemistry and is currently researching developed microreactors for more biofriendly syntheses of products for bioindustry.
35
Research & Creative Activity Showcase 2013
Faculty of Arts & Science
School of Business
Bachelor of Science in
Physical Sciences
Graduation 2013
Krystal Kamanos
Read the published article:
Kamanos, K.A.D. & Withey, J.M. (2012). Enantioselective total
synthesis of (R)-(-)-complanine. Beilstein Journal of
Organic Chemistry, 8 (1), 1695-1699.
Enantioselective total synthesis of (R)-(-)-complanine
A route is described for the enantioselective
synthesis of (R)-(-)-complanine. An
organocatalytic, asymmetric oxyamination of
a homoconjugated all-Z-dienal intermediate
provides versatile and efficient access to the
natural product.
(-)-Complanine is an organic
chiral amide secreted by the
marine fireworm, Eurythoe
complanata, which was isolated
and identified by Kazuhiko
Nakamura in 2008.
Processing amphipathic properties due
to its characteristic unsaturated carbon
chain and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)derived trimethylammonium substructure,
(-)-complanine causes inflammation by binding
to Protein Kinase C (PKC) in the presence
of calcium (Ca2+) and tissue plasminogen
activator (TPA); this binding to PKC triggers
phosphyorylation of cascade signal molecules
which induce inflammation as part of the
organism’s defense mechanism. The total
synthesis of (-)-complanine was effected using
a series of environmentally benign, catalytic
reactions in which a preliminary substrate,
5,8-Undecadiyn-1-ol, was constructed using
two readily available and relatively inexpensive
reagents, 5-hexyn-1-ol and 1-bromopent-2yne. The subsequent skipped diynol underwent
partial dehydrogenation via Lindlar catalyst
yielding a novel skipped dienol, which was then
oxidized to produce a novel skipped dienal.
Direct proline-catalyzed a-aminoxylation allowed
the asymmetric addition of oxygen to alpha
carbon; production of the skipped diene diol
intercepted the existing route leading to the
synthesis of (-)-complanine, allowing completion
of the synthesis.
This research was awarded a grant from MacEwan University's
Undergraduate Student Research Initiative.
Faculty mentor
Jonathan Withey has an MA and D.Phil. in organic chemistry from the University of
Oxford. His research at MacEwan University focuses on organic synthesis and medicinal
chemistry.
36
MacEwan University
Bachelor of Science
Biological Sciences
Graduation 2013
Kelcey King
Kelcey is currently pursuing a Master of Science in
biology at Memorial University of Newfoundland
Compartment specific expression of SC00608 in Streptomyces coelicolor
The Streptomyces family of bacteria is of
high economic importance to humans as they
industrially produce medically and agriculturally
important compounds such as antibiotics and
fungicides.
Faculty of Arts & Science
Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2) is used
extensively for Streptomyces research as it is
more genetically manipulable than its relatives.
It has a relatively large, linear chromosome
predicted to encode a high number of regulatory
genes (Bentley et al., 2002). However, the
roles of many regulators remain “hypothetical”
and “putative” according to the Streptomyces
genome database. SCO0608 is one of these
putative regulatory genes with unknown
function. This research intends to further
SCO0608 understanding by determining where
in the colony and when during development it
is expressed using Enhanced Green Fluorescent
Protein (EGFP).
Using methods outlined in Sun et al. (1999),
and the plasmid plJ8660, the promoter of
SCO0608 will be amplified from S. coelicolor
template DNA before being cloned into plJ8660
in front of, and in control of the EGFP gene.
This recombinant plasmid, introduced into S.
coelicolor and EGFP expression will be viewed
using fluorescence microscopy. Therefore, when
EGFP is expressed in S. coelicolor colonies,
it is a result of the SCO0608 promoter being
transcribed in that specified location at that
particular time in development. It is expected
that SCO0608 will be expressed either during
antibiotic biosynthesis or sporulation, resulting
in EGFP expression in either the substrate
mycelia or aerial hyphae respectively.
This research will characterize SCO0608 and
its role in S. coelicolor’s development. Any
discoveries may translate to related genes in the
economically important Streptomyces species,
leading to possible industrial strain improvement
(Harcombe, 2009).
References
Bentley, S., K. Chater, A. Cerdeno-Tarraga, G. Challis, N. Thomson, K.
James, D...Hopwood, D. (2002) Complete genome sequence
of the model actinomycete Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2).
Nature 417, 141-147.
Harcombe, K. (2009). Defining the role of BldG in morphological
and physiological differentiation in Streptomyces coelicolor.
(Unpublished doctoral dissertation). University of Alberta,
Edmonton, AB, Canada.
Sun, J., G. Kelemen, J. Fernandez-Abalos & M. Bibb, (1999) Green
fluorescent protein as a reporter for spatial and temporal gene
expression in Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2). Microbiology 145:
2221-2227.
Faculty mentor
Kimberly Harcombe has a PhD in microbiology and biotechnology from the University
of Alberta, and has expertise in the fields of microbiology, bacterial genetics, and molecular
biology. Her research focuses on the genetics of antibiotic production and life cycle
progression in the soil bacterium Streptomyces coelicolor, a model organism for industrial
antibiotic production.
37
Research & Creative Activity Showcase 2013
Faculty of Arts & Science
School of Business
Bachelor of Science
Biological Sciences
Graduation 2013
Ariel Lekas
Ariel is currently completing a law degree at the University
of Calgary
Fecundity of northern redbelly dace (Phoxinus eos) and
finescale dace (Phoxinus neogaeus) (Pisces: Cyprinidae) and their
all-female asexual hybrids in Northern Alberta
Northern redbelly dace (Phoxinus eos), finescale
dace (P. neogaeus), and the asexual hybrid
P. eosneogaeus coexist in many parts of their
distributional range throughout North America.
An assessment of each group’s relative fitness
would help facilitate understanding of the
underlying mechanisms allowing their continued
coexistence and variable success.
This project looked into the fecundity of both
parental species and the hybrids from various lakes
and water bodies in northern Alberta. The data was
collected by meristic and morphometric analysis
and dissection of alcohol-preserved specimens
located at the Royal Alberta Museum, and was
compared with a similar study performed on
specimens from lakes located in southern Alberta
(Mee, 2011).
This study provides more insight into the
phenomenon of hybridization and the relative
fitness of asexual hybrids by comparing results
from different geographic locations. Results will
either support a uniformity of fecundity and fitness
of hybrid and parental Phoxinus throughout the
northwestern range of their distribution or suggest
variable fecundity of differing clonal lineages as a
result of hybrid vigour, or contrastingly, the greater
success of sexual reproduction. Similar studies have
found that, when adjusting for body size, fecundity
is not significantly different between the two
parental species and the hybrid. As such, the results
of this study should display similar findings.
References
Mee, J. A. (2011) Understanding the coexistence of spermdependent asexual species and their sexual hosts: the role of
biogeography, mate choice, and relative fitness in the Phoxinus
eos-neogaeus (Pisces: Cyprinidae) system. (Unpublished
doctoral dissertation). University of British Columbia,
Vancouver, BC.
This research was awarded a grant from MacEwan University's
Undergraduate Student Research Initiative.
Faculty mentor
Mrinal Das received his PhD in zoology from the University of Alberta. His research
interests and expertise include vertebrate evolutionary biology with special emphasis on
taxonomy, systematics, anatomy and natural history of fishes and amphibians.
38
MacEwan University
Bachelor of Science
Biological Sciences
Graduation 2013
Cameron Lindsay
Identification of wingless in the embryonic development of
Amblyomma hebraeum
This study aims to outline the expression of the
wingless (wg) gene during the development of
Amblyomma hebraeum.
A. hebraeum is a hard-bodied tick (Ascari:
Ixodidae) commonly known as a vector for
African tick-biting disease in humans.
Faculty of Arts & Science
Wg is a member of the Wnt gene family, a family
of genes that encode a highly conserved group
of signaling molecules. In arthropods, Wnt
is known to play roles in axis elongation and
segmentation (Murat et al., 2010). However,
Wnt’s exact role in ticks is not known. The
wg gene is known to participate in segment
polarity in other arthropods such as Drosophila
melanogaster (Murat et al., 2010).
To identify wg in A. hebraeum, degenerate
primers were developed from wg homologues
in other arthropods (Ixodes scapularis,
Achaearanea tepidoriorum and Drosophila
melanogaster). Using reverse transcription
polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) these
primers were used to generate double-stranded
complementary DNA (cDNA) from messenger
RNA (mRNA) collected from various embryonic
stages of A. hebraeum. cDNA was sequenced
using BigDye terminator v 3.1 sequencing kit.
Both degenerate and non-degenerate primers
were created from the cDNA sequences and were
used to further expand the partial nucleotide
sequence.
The nucleotide sequence currently stands at 618
base pairs which correspond to part of a 205
amino acid protein. Further expansion of the 3’
poly T tail and 5’ Adapter is being implemented
in conjunction with RT PCR techniques.
Following the complete sequencing of wg, highly
sequence-specific primers will be applied to
several stages of A. hebraeum development to
view the times wg expression occurs during A.
hebraeum development.
References
Murat, S., Hopfen, C., & McGregor, A.P. (2010). The function and
evolution of Wnt genes in arthropods. Arthropod Structure &
Development, 39, 446-452.
Faculty mentor
Kevin Friesen received his PhD in biology from the University of Alberta in 2003. His
research is focused on physiology and egg development in hard ticks. Current research
projects include establishing an artificial feeding system for ticks, and identifying some of the
genes involved in regulating embryo development.
39
Research & Creative Activity Showcase 2013
Faculty of Arts & Science
School of Business
Bachelor of Science
Biological Sciences
Graduation 2013
Michael Lutsky
Construction of EGFP transcriptional fusion products for
analysis of gene expression in S. coelicolor
Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2) is a model
organism for the study of soil dwelling Grampositive bacteria, most notable for producing
natural antibiotics. Streptomyces are filamentous
bacteria showing unique multicellular growth,
including antibiotic producing substrate mycelia
and spore producing aerial hyphae.
Much work has been done to characterize specific
genes but a great deal is still unknown. The
purpose of this work was to isolate promoters
for three genes of known spatial and temporal
expression from S. coelicolor and fuse them to an
enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) gene,
producing a set of transcriptional fusion products
to serve as probes for the location and timing of
gene expression. The three promoters isolated
correspond to genes bldG, sigF and redD. SigF
functions in spore maturation and is active in
developing spore chains. RedD occurs in mature
substrate mycelia and is required for regulation
of antibiotic production (Sun et al. 1999). bldG
functions as a regulator for maturation and
differentiation and is present in all tissues
(Bignell et al. 2005).
Isolation of promoters was performed using
chromosomal DNA from Streptomyces and
specifically engineered primers for PCR.
Promoters were ligated into plasmid containing
EGFP gene and plasmids were transfered
into E. coli for replication. Purified plasmids
containing the transcriptional fusion products
will be conjugated into Streptomyces and
visualized under fluorescent microscopy. The
three products constructed here will be used
as controls to compare to similarly constructed
products using unknown promoters. Two
products, one known and one unknown, will be
inserted into Streptomyces and novel spatial
and temporal characteristics will be studied and
assigned to unknown genes.
References
Bignell, D., K. Tahlan, K. Colvin, S. Jensen & B. Leskiw, (2005).
Expression of ccaR, encoding the positive activator of
cephamycin C and clavulanic acid production in Streptomyces
clavuligerus, is dependent on bldG. Antimicrobial Agents and
Chemotherapy. 49, 1529-1541.
Sun, J., G. Kelemen, J. Fernandez-Abalos & M. Bibb, (1999). Green
fluorescent protein as a reporter for spatial and temporal gene
expression in Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2). Microbiology 145,
2221-2227.
Faculty mentor
Kimberley Harcombe has a PhD in microbiology and biotechnology from the University
of Alberta, and has expertise in the fields of microbiology, bacterial genetics, and molecular
biology. Her research focuses on the genetics of antibiotic production and life cycle
progression in the soil bacterium Streptomyces coelicolor, a model organism for industrial
antibiotic production.
40
MacEwan University
Bachelor of Science
Physical Sciences
Graduation 2013
James Mazurok (R) and Kyle Tiedmann (L)
Development of a porous layer open tubular (PLOT) platform
for quantitative environmental analysis
Faculty of Arts & Science
The use of porous polymer monoliths has become
widespread in chemical applications, especially
in the area of chromatography and chemical
separation. Uniquely fabricated polymers which
have been formed only on the interior walls
of silica tube leave an open hole in the center
(PLOTs), allowing for faster separations than
their cored counterparts (monoliths).
Many previously cited methods
for PLOT formation did not
seem to work well and ended in
the fabrication of a monolith.
This study resulted in the development of a
facile PLOT formation method. More usefully, it
demonstrated the application of the developed
PLOT platforms for analysis of degradation
products of petroleum and for food analysis
applications. Further, it demonstrates how the
researchers have integrated PLOT platforms
in tiny microchips for on-site environmental
analysis.
Faculty mentor
Dr. Samuel Mugo graduated from Jomo Kenyatta University in Kenya with a Bachelor
of Science (honours) in 2000. He obtained a PhD in chemistry from Memorial University
in Newfoundland in 2006, performed research at Queen's University in Ontario from
2007-2008, and since has been teaching at MacEwan University. Dr. Mugo has an interest
in environmental and analytical chemistry and is currently researching developed microreactors for more biofriendly syntheses of products for bioindustry.
41
Research & Creative Activity Showcase 2013
Faculty of Arts & Science
School of Business
Bachelor of Science in
Engineering Transfer
Completion 2012
Karl-Yvan Mome Etindele
The role of fluid modifiers in the enhanced recovery of oil in
reservoirs
With billions of barrels of oil in reserves, oil and
gas remain an important industry in Alberta. In
addition to its oilsands, Alberta has reserves of
crude oil deep underground.
To improve the removal of
crude oil reserves, water can be
injected in one well, pushing the
oil into another.
Simulations of this process were done via
computer modeling using a computational fluid
dynamics software package called OpenFOAM.
Investigators explored situations where select
modifiers made the oil unstable, detaching from
rock surfaces. Results of the study begin to show
definite regions where oil becomes unstable and
detaches from rock surfaces.
Although this method removes a majority of
the oil, some remains attached to porous rock
surfaces. This project investigates the addition of
modifiers to the injected water for enhancing oil
removal.
Faculty mentor
After receiving his PhD from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in 2004, specializing
in thermal hydraulics in nuclear reactors, Dr. Jeffrey Davis worked on the Phoenix Mars
Mission. In 2010, Dr. Davis joined the Bachelor of Science in Engineering Transfer program
at MacEwan University as a sessional instructor. Currently, his research focuses on the
numerical modeling of instabilities which develop between two fluids, with applications to
both the energy and health sector. Additionally, he is involved with research in software
development for educational purposes.
42
MacEwan University
Bachelor of Science
Biological Sciences
Graduation 2015
Brett Orr
Analysis of heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic
hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Edmonton snow storage facilities
Edmonton has several sites throughout the city
where snow collected from streets during winter
is stored.
Collected snow is melted into
storage ponds and the water is
returned to the environment.
Faculty of Arts & Science
The sand used to create traction on the streets is
also deposited at these storage sites as it is mixed
in with the snow. The sand is separated from the
pond water and sediment cleaned and recycled
for use in future winter seasons. The purpose of
the study was to analyze the water and sediment
for heavy metals and organic compounds
that could be potentially dangerous to living
organisms and the environment.
With the assistance of the Edmonton Waste
Management Center of Excellence, water
and sediment samples from various locations
throughout four snow storage sites for Edmonton
were collected and analyzed through the use
of inductively coupled plasma (ICP) and gas
chromatography - mass spectrometry (GC-MS).
The ICP was used to analyze the concentration
of heavy metals and the GC-MS was used
to determine the levels of specific polycyclic
aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) within the
samples. The results of the study show that heavy
metals and organic compounds were either not
present or levels were within safe environmental
limits.
This research was made possible with support from AACTI and
Edmonton Waste Management Centre of Excellence
Faculty mentor
Dr. Samuel Mugo graduated from Jomo Kenyatta University in Kenya with a Bachelor
of Science (honours) in 2000. He obtained a PhD in chemistry from Memorial University
in Newfoundland in 2006, performed research at Queen's University in Ontario from
2007-2008, and since has been teaching at MacEwan University. Dr. Mugo has an interest
in environmental and analytical chemistry and is currently researching developed microreactors for more biofriendly syntheses of products for bioindustry.
43
Research & Creative Activity Showcase 2013
Faculty of Arts & Science
School of Business
Bachelor of Science
Biological Sciences
Graduation 2013
Danielle Schmidt
Identification and sequencing of wnt5 and wnt6 genes in
embryos of the ixodid tick, Amblyomma hebraeum
Ticks are ectoparasites, obligate blood feeders
and vectors of disease. Embryos of the ixodid
(hard) tick, Amblyomma hebraeum, are being
studied in this research. The wnt gene family
encodes a highly conserved group of signaling
proteins that play a role in several developmental
events in animals (Kuhl, 2010). Wnt genes
are expressed during early embryogenesis,
and these genes help regulate several different
developmental processes (i.e., in arthropods
wnt genes have a role in axis elongation and
segmentation). In the tick, the role for wnt genes
is currently unknown.
The objective of this study was to identify and
sequence wnt5 and wnt6 genes in A. hebraeum
embryos using degenerate primer polymerase
chain reaction (PCR) and then to compare these
found sequences to those of closely related
organisms. Messenger RNA (mRNA) was isolated
from a range of frozen embryos and then was
used to create complementary DNA (cDNA) by
reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction
(RT-PCR). Degenerate primers were developed
using wnt 5/6 homologues in different organisms
(Ixodes scapularis, Achaearanea tepidariorum,
and Drosophila melanogaster) and then were
used to amplify wnt5 and wnt6 specified cDNA.
A band of approximately the right size (~400
base pairs) for wnt5 was amplified and observed
after the second strand synthesis reaction.
Currently, these bands are being purified further
for sequencing comparison with other organisms.
Further research will need to be done to find out
more specifically when a particular wnt gene
is being expressed during embryogenesis. This
research will contribute more knowledge towards
tick embryogenesis, which is lacking at present.
It looks at whether or not wnt gene expression
occurs during the 60 to 70 days that a tick
embryo takes to go through embryogenesis.
References
Kuhl, M. (2010). Wnt Signaling in Development. New York, USA:
Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers
Faculty mentor
Kevin Friesen received his PhD in biology from the University of Alberta in 2003. His
research is focused on physiology and egg development in hard ticks. Current research
projects include establishing an artificial feeding system for ticks, and identifying some of the
genes involved in regulating embryo development.
44
MacEwan University
Bachelor of Science in
Engineering Transfer
Graduation 2012
Justin Sharp and Amy Warkentin
Tackling academic integrity online: Creation of automated
assignment/exam software for distance learning
With worldwide accessibility of the internet
increasing daily, educators are realizing the
potential of distance learning in a global
environment. Challenges, however, arise from
the issue of course accreditation and with issues
of academic integrity when large groups of
students are involved.
Faculty of Arts & Science
For distance learning to be
viable, suitable teaching and
testing materials must also be
available.
Faculty mentors
Dr. Ken Fyfe has a PhD in mechanical
engineering from University of Waterloo
specializing in acoustics, vibration and signal
processing. A professor at the University
of Alberta in mechanical engineering for
14 years, Dr. Fyfe left to form a start-up
company, Dynastream, which was sold in
2006. He currently teaches in the Bachelor
of Science in Engineering Transfer program
at MacEwan University and is involved in
randomizable problem research.
The objective of this study was to generate
a software package that is able to create
assignment and/or exams (with full solutions)
automatically. This would allow students to
receive unique assignments and reduce the
potential of cheating. To accomplish this goal,
software was programmed in C++ and the
resulting assignment/exam was outputted in
portable document format (PDF). The results of
this project are currently being used in a firstyear engineering mechanics course.
After receiving his PhD from the Swiss
Federal Institute of Technology in 2004,
specializing in thermal hydraulics in nuclear
reactors, Dr. Jeffrey Davis worked on the
Phoenix Mars Mission. In 2010, Dr. Davis
joined the Bachelor of Science in Engineering
Transfer program at MacEwan University
as a sessional instructor. Currently, his
research focuses on the numerical modeling
of instabilities which develop between two
fluids with applications to both the energy
and health sector. Additionally, he is involved
with research in software development for
educational purposes.
45
Research & Creative Activity Showcase 2013
Faculty of Arts & Science
School of Business
Bachelor of Science
Biological Sciences
Completion 2013
David Steed
Transfered to the University of Alberta Faculty of
Medicine, graduation date 2016.
Site-directed mutagenesis of the DNA repair enzyme,
polynucleotide kinase/phosphatase from Caenorhabditis elegans
The DNA of all living organisms is subject to
constant bombardment by damaging agents,
such as ionizing radiation or reactive oxygen
species. To safeguard their DNA, cells have
evolved complex systems that recognize and
repair DNA damage. Defects in DNA damage
response pathways are associated with
neurological diseases, cancer or pre-dispositions
to cancer.
The enzyme polynucleotide
kinase/phosphatase (PNKP)
plays a crucial role in the
repair of a specific type of DNA
damage: DNA strand breaks.
This study explores the function of PNKP in
the model organism, Caenorhabditis elegans,
by combining site-directed mutagenesis with
biochemical characterization of the enzyme. In
this project, a series of mutations was introduced
into C. elegans PNKP, and the resulting mutant
proteins were overexpressed and purified. These
proteins are now available for biochemical
studies, to be carried out in the near future.
Faculty mentor
Prior to joining the department of Biological Sciences at MacEwan University, Dr. Nina
Bernstein conducted research in structural and molecular biology applied to DNA repair. In
the lab of Dr. Mark Glover at the University of Alberta, she studied the structure and function
of the DNA repair enzyme, PNKP (polynucleotide kinase/phosphate) from human or mouse.
Dr. Bernstein is continuing this research at MacEwan University, focusing on PNKP in model
organisms, such as Caenorhabditis elegans or Drosoplila melanogaster.
46
MacEwan University
Bachelor of Science
Biological Sciences
Graduation 2014
Christina Wiesmann
Inactivation of hormones using the thermophilic anaerobic
digestion process
Cattle and hog manure from concentrated
feeding practices contains a variety of hormones
that can potentially disrupt life in ecosystems
contaminated with manure runoff (Hanselman,
Graetz, & Wilke, 2003). Finding a practical way
to clean up these environmental disrupting
compounds (EDCs) is a challenge.
Faculty of Arts & Science
Thermophilic anaerobic digestion (TAD) is an
environmentally friendly way to treat manure
while producing “green” renewable energy
(Himark bioGas Inc., 2012). This study was
completed to increase understanding of whether
hormones can be degraded by TAD.
Materials and methods: a representative range
of hormones were added to a lab-scale TAD
reactor along with a number of appropriate
controls. Reactors were sampled periodically, by
extracting the hormones and their derivatives
and subjecting them to high performance liquid
chromatography (HPLC). Biogas (carbon dioxide
and methane) production was also measured.
Results: There was no difference in biogas
production from the TAD reactors with or
without hormones, indicating that the presence
of hormones did not interrupt healthy TAD
processes. Analysis of hormone degradation is
currently being completed. The current results
are inconclusive as to whether or not TAD had a
significant impact on hormone degradation.
If hormones can be degraded by the TAD
process, TAD could be adapted as a practical
and cost-effective approach to reducing the
environmental impact of hormones from
livestock manure.
References
Hanselman, T.A., Graetz, D.A., & Wilke, A.C. (2003). Manure-borne
estrogens as potential environmental contaminants: a review.
Environ Sci Technol. 37, 5471-5478.
This research was made possible with support from Himark bioGas
Inc.
This research was funded in-part by a College and Community
Innovation Program Innovation Enhancement Grant from the Natural
Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC).
Faculty mentor
Jonathan Withey has an MA and D.Phil. in organic chemistry from the University of Oxford.
His research at MacEwan University focuses on organic synthesis and medicinal chemistry.
47
Research & Creative Activity Showcase 2013
Faculty of Arts & Science
School of Business
Bachelor of Science
Biological Sciences
Graduation 2013
Daniel Yip
Daniel Yip was awarded "Best Poster Presentation" at
the Prairie University Biology Symposium (PUBS) at
the University of Winnipeg for his related presentation
"Eugregarine Infection (Gregarina niphandrodes)
Reduces Mating Success in the Yellow Mealworm
Beetle (Tenebrio molitor)."
He is currently completing a Master of Science in
biological sciences - ecology at the University of
Alberta.
The effect of eugregarine infection (Gregarina niphandrodes)
on mate selection behavior of the Yellow Mealworm Beetle
(Tenebrio molitor)
The relationship between eugregarine protozoan
parasites and their hosts is controversial and
problematic. Some consider it to be pathogenic
(Valigurova et al., 2009), but others claim it may
be mutualistic (Rodriguez et al., 2007).
The objective of this study is to
determine the effect of infection
of the gregarine, Gregarina
niphandrodes, on the beetle
Tenebrio molitor, by analyzing
behaviour and mate choice.
An analysis of mate preference by female T.
molitor, when given the option of uninfected or
infected males, may shed light on the nature of
this relationship. Female beetles will be allowed
to mate with either infected or uninfected males
under controlled conditions. Trials will be
recorded and analysed to detect any preference.
Preference will be determined based on number
of copulation attempts, number of courtship
attempts, and time spent by females near each
male. Preference for an infected individual
may suggest that the relationship between G.
niphandrodes and beetles is mutualistic, while
preference for non-infected males may suggest a
parasitic association.
References
Rodriguez, Y., Omoto, C.K., & Gomulkiewicz, R. (2007). Individual
and population effects of eugragarine, Gregarina niphandrodes
(Eugregarinidia: Gregarinidae), on Tenebrio molitor (Coleoptera:
Tenebrionidae). Environmental Entomology 36, 689-693.
Valigurova, A., Michalkova, V., & Koudela, B. (2009). Eugregarine
trophozoite detachment from the host epithelium via epimerite
retraction: Fiction or fact?. International Journal of Parasitology
39, 1232-1242.
Faculty mentor
Dr. Michael Stock is a faculty member at MacEwan University in the department of
Biological Sciences. He received his M.Sc. and PhD from the University of Alberta. He
specializes in zoology, parasitology and wildlife diseases.
48
MacEwan University
School of Business
Murabaha–an Islamic financial tool and the challenges
vis-a-vis the International Accounting Standards
Three parties are involved in
a Murabaha transaction: a
customer, a supplier and an
Islamic financial institution
(IFI).
The process: A customer selects a supplier
based on the best available market price (net
realizable value) and selects an IFI for the best
profit margin. Customers sign a purchasing
contract from the IFI at a price that includes the
IFI’s profit margin. The supplier then sends the
goods to the customer (per IFI’s instruction) and
invoices the IFI. The IFI pays the supplier and
prepares a second invoice with a profit margin
About the researchers
Cenap Ilter, assistant professor of
accounting, has a PhD as well as CPA
and CMA designations. Dr. Ilter has 22
years of industry and 11 years of teaching
experience. His areas of expertise are
inflation accounting, dual currency
reporting, corporate social responsibility,
Islamic finance and accounting fraud.
to send to the customer. The customer pays the
IFI invoice at an agreed maturity. The profit
margin charged by the IFI creates the argument
of interest or profit margin.
School of Business
This research compares an Islamic finance tool
named “Murabaha” with International Financial
Reporting Standards (IFRS), as the Quran
prohibits usury/interest ("riba" in Arabic).
This research explores Murabaha through the
eyes of IFRS. It discusses the inventory value
in terms of International Accounting Standards
(IAS) 2-Inventories; IAS 23-Borrowing Costs;
and IAS 16-Property, Plant and Equipment. The
researchers conclude when the goods purchased
are not qualified assets for interest-profit margin
capitalization, the profit margin on these goods
should be eliminated and reflected in the profit
and loss account. Whereas, if the goods are
qualifying assets then no adjustment is needed
since the interest-profit margin will be reflected
in profit and loss in arrears either by depreciation
expense or cost of goods sold.
Sherif Elbarrad is an assistant
professor of accounting and chair of the
Accounting & Finance department. He
has a PhD, CPA, and more than 28 years
of teaching and professional experience.
Dr. Elbarrad's areas of expertise include
financial and managerial accounting, IT
implementations in accounting, effect on
accounting information on stock markets
and Islamic finance.
Dr. Sherif Elbarrad and Dr. Cenap Ilter, Accounting
50
MacEwan University
HRM practice within Chinese MNCs
This research examines a range of theoretical
perspectives used to explain the dynamics
involved in the human resource management
(HRM) transfer process. The research links
macro with micro aspects of analysis to provide
a rounded picture of the evolving process of
transferring HRM practices.
Through a case study of
one Chinese multinational
company (MNC), the researcher
demonstrates that the
construction of HRM practices
in subsidiaries is a relational
process of interaction between
individual entities and social
structures.
A framework integrating the factors of system,
society, dominance, corporate strategy and interfirm relationship is given.
About the researcher
School of Business
William Xiaojun Wei obtained a PhD
in international economics from the
University of Limerick in Ireland.
He completed a post-doc at Richard
Ivey School of Business, University of
Western Ontario. His research interests
are in international business with a
focus on FDI.
Dr. William Wei, Bachelor of Commerce, Institute of Asia Pacific Studies
51
Research & Creative Activity Showcase 2013
This study examines the effect on educational
and private outcome of embedding sustainability
curriculum into an introductory level business
course.
As post-secondary institutions
increasingly pay attention to
and integrate sustainabilityrelated content into course
curriculum, it is uncertain
whether students benefit
directly from those changes, and
if so, how.
School of Business
The impact of sustainability curriculum on student outcomes
It can be argued that post-secondary institutions
are responding to marketplace demands on this
new skill set and that career opportunities will
improve as schools align with this perspective.
However, it is unclear what the impact of
sustainability curriculum is on outcomes such as
student learning, course satisfaction, instructor
evaluations, personal beliefs and lifestyle changes
such as adopting sustainability behaviours.
This research looks at learning outcomes,
personal beliefs and sustainability behaviours in
particular, over a multi-year period.
About the researcher
Leo Wong graduated with a PhD in
marketing from the University of
Alberta and is an assistant professor
at MacEwan University's School of
Business. He teaches and researches
new business concepts that are aligned
with socially responsible thinking
and ethical decision-making, working
with a generation of students who will
shape our sustainable world.
Dr. Leo Wong, Bachelor of Commerce
52
MacEwan University
Bachelor of Commerce
International Business
Graduation 2013
Travis Guay (L), Taylor Lamoureux, Brett Murdock, Ehab Halabi (R), and Marisa Ellison (C)
Cool Sweat in Brazil
Cool Sweat is an innovative sport towel which
becomes cooler as it becomes wet from absorbing
sweat. It is a mock product designed for a course
project in international marketing. Specifically,
the course includes a group project where
students apply their contextual knowledge by
launching a product of their choice in a foreign
market. An international marketing strategy for
Cool Sweat in Brazil was developed.
Throughout the project a range of questions
emerged that needed to be addressed. Issues
explored included international market
evaluation, opportunity assessment, mode of
entry, pricing, promotion, distribution and
break-even analysis. Information was gathered
from government websites, the World Bank and
Export Development Canada websites, and an
interview conducted with a Brazilian native.
School of Business
Extensive research was carried out for creating
this innovative product idea, Cool Sweat, and
for developing a marketing strategy specific to
Brazil. The project was formed on the basis of
capitalizing on the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the
2016 Summer Olympics in Brazil.
The product idea is a variation
of the current Extreme Cooling
Towel, a sport towel that once
wetted, becomes cool to the
touch.
The results of the project clearly indicated that
the marketing strategy for Cool Sweat should
reflect the business environment in Brazil.
Faculty mentor
Dr. Makarand Gulawani is an assistant professor of marketing at MacEwan University.
His teaching and research interests are in international marketing.
53
Research & Creative Activity Showcase 2013
School of Business
Bachelor of Commerce
International Business
Graduation 2013
Travis Guay
Public-private partnerships
This case study focuses on a Calgary-based
private company, Alta Injection Molding (AIM)
and its cooperative agreement with SAIT
Polytechnic. The main objective of the study is
to encourage other post-secondary institutions
to become involved with local businesses
so students and industry leaders can share
knowledge, resources and networks.
The importance of this project
is to illustrate to other academic
institutions and businesses
that benefits exist for both
parties, and such cooperative
agreements should be
supported.
It is hoped that a model can be developed
from the AIM and SAIT partnership for other
businesses and institutions to follow and create
their own success stories. Information has been
gathered from company websites, Statistics
Canada, telephone interviews and in-person
interviews. This case study should provide a rich
example to academic institutions and businesses
in Alberta of the challenges and rewards of
public/private cooperative agreements.
Faculty mentor
Dr. Michael Roberts is a graduate of the Richard Ivey School of Business. His academic
research has focused on corporate strategy and he is currently writing a report for the
Government of British Columbia under the Ministry of Forests, which analyses the decadelong cooperative initiative of public/private market development for Canadian wood products
in China.
54
MacEwan University
Bachelor of Commerce
Management
Graduation 2013
Amanda Mesluk
The impact of the adoption of Environmental, Social, and
Governance practices on firms’ performance and its relation
with executive compensation: The case of Canadian companies
School of Business
Sustainability is a way for businesses to move
into the future with less risk and uncertainty.
There is little dispute today that the 2008
financial crisis was caused mainly by excessive
risk taken by executives. This problem was
created by the introduction, mostly in the 90s, of
compensation schemes that reward executives
with stock options. These provisions create an
incentive for executives to take on more risky
activities in order to maximize the stock return
in the short term. On the other hand, there is
also little dispute that the world needs a shift
in terms of business practices towards a more
sustainable business model. If these are times
of transition, maybe companies need to review
executives’ compensation schemes in order to
create a different incentive: for executives to
adopt sustainable business practices.
In line with this belief, the goal of this project
is to research a firm’s ability to be innovative
and achieve financial performance through the
adoption of high standards of Environmental,
Social and Governance (ESG) principles.
Specifically, the objective of the showcased
research is to assess whether there is a
relationship between firms’ ESG strategies and
their profitability. The other objective of the
project is to analyze the relationship between
a firm’s executive and board of directors’
compensation schemes in relation to the firm’s
decisions on environmental sustainability.
This research was awarded a grant from MacEwan University's
Undergraduate Student Research Initiative.
Faculty Mentor
Dr. Eloisa Perez is an assistant professor in the Finance and Accounting department. She
completed a Bachelor of Business Administration from EAESP-EGV in Sao Paulo, Brazil,
and after working several years in the financial departments of multinational companies,
returned to graduate school to complete an MBA and a PhD in Finance from the Autonomous
University of Barcelona, Spain. Dr. Perez's research is primarily in the areas of corporate
governance and its impact on firm value, and public governance and the use of public budget.
55
Research & Creative Activity Showcase 2013
School of Business
Bachelor of Commerce
Graduation 2013
Dee-Ann Schwanke
The labyrinth: Barriers for women to executive positions
Women’s advancement in the corporate
workplace has taken significant strides over the
last century. Research demonstrates, however,
that despite an increased presence of female
employees in mid-management positions,
executive positions continue to be maledominated.
Women are underrepresented
in areas of governance,
directorship and executive
leadership. This seems to
contradict the apparent
momentum of the promotion of
women.
Why does this misrepresentation remain and
what are the obstacles that women face in
becoming top leaders of organizations across
North America? This research unveils some of
the hidden barriers that stubbornly exist for
women in business. It reviews research that
demonstrates why gender inequality is difficult
to recognize, the systems that perpetuate it, the
complexities of how society views it and the ways
women respond to it.
By knowing the interplay between external
and internal obstacles, women who wish to
assume positions of leadership can more easily
navigate the labyrinth of gender inequality,
and their male colleagues can recognize the
untapped opportunity that women hold. There
are corporate, social and economic benefits of
allowing women to fairly advance to positions
of power. Recognizing and removing barriers
is vital to the strength of our companies, social
networks and jurisdictions.
Faculty mentor
Dawit Isaac has a BA in economics and management, Masters of Divinity and a Masters
of Business Administration in community economic development and leadership. He is
interested in organizational and personal leadership development.
56
MacEwan University
Faculty of Fine Arts & Communications
A quantitative study on the comprehension of discrete
“emotives” as portrayed by an actor in theatrical communication
This quantitative study
investigates the rate of
comprehension by an auditor,
who listens to a set of discrete
audio samples, to determine
the correct emotion from five
possible choices.
Dependent variables include the years of
professional actor training (none, one to two
years, three to five years) and the level of
theatre-going experience of the auditor (never,
occasional, regular, often). The hypothesis is that
an actor should be able to communicate a specific
emotive to an attentive auditor more than 65 per
cent of the time.
For each emotive sample, the auditor listens
to four variations: a neutral/standardized text
with a neutral delivery, a historical text with
neutral delivery, the neutral text with an emotive
delivery, and last, the historical text is repeated
with an appropriate emotive delivery. These
distinctions help us to compare the impact of
the semantic meaning from that of the emotive
Faculty of Fine Arts & Communications
The portrayal of emotion by an actor is called
emotive behaviour, and three universally
recognized emotives from a 17th century
dramatic text were selected for this project.
content, for some will interpret an emotion from
the words alone, while others will need both the
words and the emotive emphasis in the vocal
delivery for comprehension. The auditor then
rates the selected emotive by perceptual features
such as intensity, definiteness and clarity.
The results reveal that the experience level of
actor training is not a statistically significant
factor, for some people can communicate an
emotion well, regardless of their training.
Further results indicate that certain specific
emotives, such as anger, are easier to recognize
than others, such as love. The study makes a
contribution to the educational assessment of
actor training programs, and offers a baseline
for future comparisons of the use of emotion in
different historical eras of drama.
About the researcher
With an MA from New York University in
performance studies, and a PhD from the
University of Washington in theatre history and
dramatic criticism, Dr. Garfinkle has taught oral
interpretation, public speaking, play analysis
and theatre history, and is a master teacher of
yoga, speech and performance skills. His research
interests explore affect in theatrical communication,
performance ethnography and feminist
historiography, and he is a specialist on gender and
rhetoric in restoration drama, and on hysteria in
modern drama.
Dr. David Garfinkle, Theatre Arts
58
MacEwan University
Printing and painting the news: A case study of new media
practices in victorian London
This research addresses the relationship between
the illustrated newspaper, a new medium that
emerged in Victorian London, and the older
medium of painting, by taking an illustration
from the Illustrated London News and a painting
by Luke Fildes as prime examples.
Faculty of Fine Arts & Communications
When the world’s first
illustrated newspaper, the
Illustrated London News,
was launched in 1842, the
editors promised that the
newspaper would supersede its
predecessors with its immediacy
and accessibility, allowing
viewers to get closer to “the
thing itself.”
The illustrated newspaper was presented as an
improvement of its non-illustrated counterpart,
but it was also promoted as a new and improved
version of painting.
Artists Luke Fildes, Frank Holl and Hubert
Herkomer responded to this challenge and
sought to rival the apparent immediacy of the
newspaper with their large-scale paintings,
exhibited at the Royal Academy of Art in the
1870s. Fildes, Holl and Herkomer are known for
narrative paintings featuring the urban poor,
first conceived as illustrations for the newspaper,
the Graphic. Though many contemporary critics
dismissed the paintings as misguided choices of
subject matter, their paintings can be understood
as attempts to go beyond the capabilities of
the newspaper. The strong responses that the
paintings generated demonstrate that they
provoked intensely immediate and affecting
experiences for viewers, and suggest that
painting may have been able to rival the news
illustration’s immediacy after all. Though Fildes,
Holl and Herkomer are often dismissed as
sentimental Victorian painters, this research
argues that they participated in a wider discourse
about Victorian media by seeking to assert the
continued importance of painting in the face of
new media’s challenges.
About the researcher
Andrea Korda received her PhD in art history
from the University of California, Santa Barbara in
2010. Her dissertation, “Printing and Painting the
News in Victorian London: The Graphic and Social
Realism,” examined the relationship between
painting and illustrated news in 19th-century
London. Dr. Korda's research interests are in
Victorian art and visual culture, with a particular
interest in the new media of the period.
Dr. Andrea Korda, Art History
59
Research & Creative Activity Showcase 2013
Resonance: Urban Wind
The work is not polemical; rather, is a confluence
of moving images, sound and poetry that
captures some of the elusive beauty, power and
mystery of wind. Everything moves with the
wind: bottle pickers drift through alleys; shadows
of flags and walkers interplay on sidewalks;
flocks of starlings and leaves lift into the sky.
Faculty of Fine Arts & Communications
Resonance: Urban Wind is a three-dimensional,
multi-disciplinary video installation inspired
by wind in the city and explored through the
integration of sound, video and poetry. One
cannot see wind in and of itself; we only see and
hear how it moves through space – ushering in
storms, dervishing leaves and garbage, stealing
hats and umbrellas. Just as invisible as wind and
big weather patterns, but just as powerful, are
the systems that shape how people in the city
exist. The city’s vulnerable – street people, the
homeless – are deeply affected by big systemic
forces of poverty and social policy. In the city,
wind becomes a metaphor for homelessness, for
the often invisible, systemic forces that shape the
way street people move through the back alleys,
the edges and borders of the urban landscape.
The work invites viewer engagement beyond a
two-dimensional video poem or static concrete
poetry on the page.
Sheer screens which hang like
layered curtains allow images
to penetrate, creating threedimensional “alleys” in which
viewers can venture.
Poetic text literally blows off the screen. As
people walk through the installation, they create
moving shadows which become unique additions
to the work. Their bodies become surfaces onto
which projected images fall, and viewers are
inside the percussive sound of wind. The totality
of the creative experience builds on the layered
suggestions of the work’s central metaphor
– resonance – an aesthetically, socially and
existentially layered experience.
About the researchers
Agnieszka Matejko is a video-based artist whose work addresses social and
community issues. She has coordinated numerous community collaborations with her
students, including the 2011 "TapeWorks!" installations at the University of Alberta
Hospital and the "MacEwan Student Garden" project on Stony Plain Road. She holds
an MFA in sculpture from the University of Alberta.
Jannie Edwards (Emeritus) is an award-winning poet and collaborator on several
multi-disciplinary creative projects. She taught creative writing, composition and
literature for over 25 years at MacEwan University.
Bob Lysay is a videographer with over 30 years of experience as a teacher of
motion image and as a collaborator in artistic and documentary video projects.
His collaboration with Agnieszka Matejko, The Space Between You and Me, which
explores the complexities of the lives of youth with Tourette Syndrome, continues to
be exhibited.
Agnieszka Matejko, Jannie Edwards and Bob Lysay
60
MacEwan University
Rabbits & Monsters
Rabbits & Monsters–written, directed and
produced by Gerry Potter–is a fictional film shot
on high-definition video.
The film–a dark, poetic
comedy–explores the way
fear may lead to aggression,
and the role of imagination in
aggravating or, alternatively,
defusing fear.
Faculty of Fine Arts & Communications
In the film, Petr, a writer-illustrator of graphic
novels for youth, is caught up in his art when
a call comes: he’s late picking up his daughter,
Joss, after school. He races across town, getting
more aggressive and reckless as he goes, driven
by visions of monsters menacing his daughter.
Meanwhile, a mob chases an ex-con sex offender,
a cab driver writes poetry, Joss chases a rabbit,
and all converge, with surprising results.
The film was recently screened at the 2012
Edmonton International Film Festival and is
being entered for possible screening at other
festivals. Production of the film involved
several other MacEwan University instructors
and graduates, and will be of help in the
understanding and teaching of screenwriting and
film production.
About the researcher
Gerry Potter is a playwright, screenwriter and
director. He holds an MFA from the University
of Alberta and an honours degree in English
from Carleton University. He founded four
theatre companies, including Workshop
West Playwrights’ Theatre and Rising Sun
Theatre, and a film and theatre company,
Peregrine Productions. He has worked as a
journalist and is a member of Edmonton’s
Cultural Hall of Fame. Research interests
include screenwriting, directing, creativity and
dramaturgy.
Gerry Potter, Professional Writing (PROW), Communications
61
Research & Creative Activity Showcase 2013
Stories from the dark side of desire: Criminal aesthetes,
opportunistic collectors, and remedies for culture crime
By analyzing a series of recent case studies, this
research compares various contemporary models
for the repatriation of cultural property, and
considers some of the key issues that underline
the manner in which the various cases in
question have been resolved.
Although there have been
significant national and
international developments
during the post-WWII period,
the obstacles in the way of
protection and repatriation
continually present new and
complex challenges.
Faculty of Fine Arts & Communications
Crimes against art at perilous times such as war,
perpetrated by victors or opportunistic vandals,
have a history as long as the history of warfare.
The practice had its critics as far back as Polybius
and Cicero, both of whom argued for a special
consideration to be accorded to objects of art and
culture on the basis that they constitute a unique
category different from goods legitimately seized
as part of the routine in warfare. Eighteenthcentury treaties that first attempted to formally
resolve the fate of plundered works of art were
operating with this special consideration in
mind, although they still dealt with the return of
plundered art as part of broader war reparations.
Most successful repatriation cases fall outside
the direct application of legal remedies but are,
nonetheless, still informed by current national
and international legal frameworks. The most
common successful resolutions fall into one of
three categories: the application of international
law and formal interstate treaties; informally
negotiated agreements between parties restoring
works of art to their place of origin; and extrajudicial binding arbitration models such as
the UK's Spoliation Advisory Panel which,
while operating in the spirit of international
agreements, bypass actual court involvement.
The case studies are considered in the historical
context in which the repatriation of art as a
separate category among remedies emerged, and
shows how each of the competing models has its
roots in the historical development of the concept
and role of cultural property.
About the researcher
Hoyne Santa-Balazs has a BFA in art and design
and an MA in the history of art and visual culture.
She teaches on a wide variety of topics about
western art ranging from prehistory to modern art
and contemporary art issues. Hoyne's own research
interests concern the relationship between art and
the law, the ownership of art and the ethical issues
of collecting, the protection of cultural property
in conflict zones, and the repatriation of cultural
treasures considered from both historical and
contemporary international perspectives.
Hoyne Santa-Balazs, Fine Art
62
MacEwan University
Visually redefining Alberta: A study in polarized, resourcebased economies
Faculty of Fine Arts & Communications
In an age in which we communicate and
construct reality increasingly through images,
visual representations of a place carry profound
currency, influencing everything from its
international reputation and balance of trade
to its citizens’ identity and social and economic
well-being. A case in point is Alberta, site of the
world’s largest industrial project and secondlargest recoverable source of oil, the bituminous
(also called “tar” or “oil”) sands. On one hand,
images broadcast by the provincial government
and the oil industry—soaring mountain peaks,
verdant forests, golden grain fields—further a
longstanding tradition of pristine landscapes
used to beckon investors, settlers and tourists to
the province. But a growing body of documentary
films and environmental advocacy videos
depicting the devastating costs of exploiting the
tar sands—scarred landscapes, toxic tailings
ponds, oil-soaked duck corpses—are tarring
Alberta’s status and economic prospects.
This dramatic visual duality
leaves little room for dialogue,
let alone compromise, in a
province long plagued by
rampant political and electoral
apathy.
Yet filmmakers can help redefine Alberta in a
way that engages a broader audience than do
the polarizing practices in the visual battle to
represent the province in the global public sphere
today. Drawing on both eco-criticism and its
emerging filmic flank, eco-cinecriticism, this
presentation offers a case study for resourcebased economies in suggesting factors that could
produce more realistic, balanced and forwardlooking imagery aimed at transcending Alberta’s
stunning visual binary and ultimately, at
moderating the extreme polarities in the conflict
between the dominant economic model and its
unsustainable and perilous ecological price.
About the researcher
Geo Takach is a senior writer, speaker,
filmmaker and instructor who has taught
in MacEwan University’s Communications
program since its inception in 2000. He is a
PhD candidate in communication and culture
at the University of Calgary, focusing on how
place-identity is constructed and contested
visually in resource-based economies. His
primary research interest is in environmental
communication.
Geo Takach, Bachelor of Communication Studies
63
Research & Creative Activity Showcase 2013
Faculty of Fine Arts & Communications
Fine Art
Graduation 2013
Sabina Butorac (L) with Leslie Sharpe
"C" Panorama
The project objective for this work was to carry
forth a completely independent work based
on the student's own ideas and research, and
to execute it successfully with the guidance
of the instructor. The project was graded on
concept and execution, originality and creativity,
sophistication, and how well the student adhered
to the project plan they come up with.
The initial concept for this work originated in
an interest in creating a painting that provides
an experience that goes beyond the expected
two-dimensionality of traditional painting.
Traditional two-dimensional media are moving
steadily toward greater viewer/consumer
interaction (3D movies, touch screens and
immersive gaming), and the artist was prompted
to use a similar approach to painting.
In the 19th century, artists used
a panorama as a way of allowing
the viewer to be immersed in the
scene portrayed.
This piece utilizes the large scale and horizontal
orientation of the panorama, but introduces
a cylindrical structure that allows only one
viewer at a time to enter the work. The piece was
assembled from 11 separate 1 x 3-foot frames,
banded together by a specially designed wood
and hardwood frame. The frame forms a semicomplete cylinder that allows one person at
a time to experience the painting by entering
through a cut-out in the frame.
Faculty mentor
Leslie Sharpe holds an MFA in computing for the arts from University of California, San
Diego and a BFA in painting from University of Alberta. She has been an artist in residence at
P.S. 1 Institute of Contemporary Art (New York), The Banff Centre, Visual Studies Workshop
(Rochester, NY), and the Artists in the Park Program at Ivvavik National Park in the Canadian
Arctic. Sharpe has shown her work internationally and her research focuses on space and
place, and histories or technologies of human or animal presence, particularly in Canada’s
north and coastal regions.
64
MacEwan University
"C" Panorama by Sabina Butorac
Faculty of Fine Arts & Communications
Fine Art
Graduation 2013
Sabina Butorac
Playing games and making fun–Maurizio Catellan
The construction of meaning in artwork is
explored in this project through the example
of Maurizio Cattelan, looking through the lens
of postmodern theory. Maurizio Cattelan is an
Italian artist whose work is often seen as a joke
and his public persona is interpreted as being
a parody of what society expects an artist to be.
Cattelan acts as a joker, playing tricks on his
audience (dressing up like a Disney-type mascot
of Picasso) or on his gallery managers (he ducttaped one to the wall for several hours). Because
of this wild-child personality, his sculptures
and other artworks are usually understood as a
parody of art.
The kind of personality an artist
portrays to the world is highly
influential in the way that we
interpret their work.
The artist constructs a public image through
the way they act in front of media and viewers,
and the way we understand this projected image
skews the way we receive his work. Similarly,
the way that critics view his work can influence
our opinion as well. If the artist seems to be
the kind of person one does not take seriously,
then their work can be reduced to the value of a
joke – a kind of visual pun that has little lasting
impression.
Faculty mentor
Hoyne Santa-Balazs has a BFA in art and design and an MA in the history of art and visual
culture. She teaches on a wide variety of topics about western art, ranging from prehistory to
modern art and contemporary art issues. Her own research interests concern the relationship
between art and the law, the ownership of art and the ethical issues of collecting, the
protection of cultural property in conflict zones, and the repatriation of cultural treasures
considered from both an historical and from contemporary international perspectives.
66
MacEwan University
Bachelor of
Communication Studies
Graduation 2014
Sean da Silva
Communication breakdown: The media effects on Ecuador’s
environment
Faculty of Fine Arts & Communications
The Earth is changing at an accelerating rate, so
it is important that humans consider their role in
the process and remain humble to its activities.
When examining environmental issues, it
is implausible to link every event to human
behavior, but it is not prudent to dismiss human
involvement all together.
Environmental communication
is an essential part of any
society; it informs the
population of new occurrences
around the globe.
The ways environmental issues are presented to
and perceived by the public have increasingly
influenced decision-making and continue to
affect the way people live their lives. What role
do media outlets play in the environmental
awareness of their audience? This research
study demonstrates the role of communication
in the environment, and the various ways it can
be distorted or controlled. It is critical that the
public is aware of their own nation's actions and
reactions to the environment, including their
own personal footprint within it. With media
playing an essential role in the environmental
awareness of its citizens, as well as their attitude
towards conservation, it is imperative that these
systems of communication are regulated and
controlled in order to eliminate manipulation.
Read Sean's complete article: https://journals.macewan.ca/
index.php/earthcommon/article/view/67
Faculty mentor
Lucille Mazo, BA, M.Ed., PhD (candidate) has taught at MacEwan University since 1994
in the areas of English and Communication. Her research interests focus on two areas:
1) relationship between learning and communication styles, and 2) communication of
environmental issues. Lucille is the managing editor of Earth Common Journal, a studentdriven journal that communicates and publishes student research articles concerning
sustainability, conservation and global warming.
67
Research & Creative Activity Showcase 2013
Faculty of Fine Arts & Communications
Fine Art
Graduation 2013
Ania Daniela Miklas
The destruction and rebirth–the art of Anselm Kiefer
As part of the class Contemporary Art Issues,
students are required to submit a research
report and present findings in a 30-minute
presentation. This research was inspired by
contemporary German artist Anselm Kiefer's
work. Everything he produces/creates relates to
his personal experience, his interests, his ideas,
his beliefs, his philosophy on life as an artist and
as a human being.
The research revealed how atrocities of World
War II and the Holocaust influenced the postwar
culture and art in Germany as well as how and
why Anselm Kiefer became and remains one of
the most prominent contemporary artists in the
world. When moving towards more conceptual
and contemporary art, Kiefer and his art became
strong influences on how to approach new forms
of art and where to look for an inspiration.
Borrowing from national
identity, mythology, alchemy,
Jung’s theory, tradition and
religion, Kiefer creates work
that has much deeper meaning
than it presents.
Faculty mentor
Hoyne Santa-Balazs has a BFA in art and design and an MA in the history of art and visual
culture. She teaches on a wide variety of topics about western art ranging from prehistory to
modern art and contemporary art issues. Her own research interests concern the relationship
between art and the law, the ownership of art and the ethical issues of collecting, the
protection of cultural property in conflict zones, and the repatriation of cultural treasures
considered from both an historical and from contemporary international perspectives.
68
MacEwan University
Fine Art
Graduation 2013
Ania Daniela Miklas (R) with Leslie Sharpe
Self–the historical and conceptual approach to portrait painting
Faculty of Fine Arts & Communications
Leonardo Da Vinci, Albrecht Dürer, Rembrandt,
Vincent Van Gogh, Picasso, Andy Warhal–since
the 15th century and the introduction of mirrors,
artists have modeled for themselves in their
own works of art. Whatever the reason, nearly
every artist, in every medium has attempted the
exploration of self.
The objective of the self-portrait
project was to produce an image
not only resembling the artist,
but also to show the psyche.
The purpose of the research of portraiture
paintings in art history was to understand why
and how to create a self-portrait in modern
day. Although the "likeliness" of the artist was
required for the project, it was the conceptual
approach that strongly influenced the final result.
A self-portrait is intended to grasp identity.
As paintings of the Old Masters provided vast
technical and ideological background, the selfportrait study eventually revealed a sense of
personal history. Analysis of family, childhood,
interests, passions and emotions forced the artist
to study their own personas, both physical and
emotional. The 3 x 4-foot painting (acrylic paint
on canvas) blended traditional painting methods
based on Renaissance and Baroque art with a
personal theme of career progress from a model
to an artist.
The project was an opportunity to see beyond the
image in the mirror and begin to search into the
soul.
Faculty mentor
Leslie Sharpe holds an MFA in computing for the arts from University of California, San
Diego and a BFA in painting from University of Alberta. She has been an artist in residence at
P.S. 1 Institute of Contemporary Art (New York), The Banff Centre, Visual Studies Workshop
(Rochester, NY), and the Artists in the Park Program at Ivvavik National Park in the Canadian
Arctic. Sharpe has shown her work internationally and her research focuses on space and
place, and histories or technologies of human or animal presence, particularly in Canada’s
north and coastal regions.
69
Research & Creative Activity Showcase 2013
Self-portrait by Ania Daniela Miklas
Bachelor of
Communication Studies
Graduation 2014
Derek Neil Pluim
Building pressure: Buried costs of the Northern Gateway Pipeline
Faculty of Fine Arts & Communications
An analysis of the proposed benefits and likely
consequences of the planned Northern Gateway
Pipeline was conducted. Examination was
conducted through the use of peer-reviewed,
third-party reports and supplemented by current
events reported in the media. The conclusion
of this review considers the Northern Gateway
Pipeline to be a far greater liability than a benefit
to the people of Alberta and British Columbia.
The promises of job creation
account for a small minority of
the population being employed
for a relatively short duration of
time.
Furthermore, the wealth generated by the
pipeline project is not equally distributed to
the people of Alberta and British Columbia.
Unsupported claims have been made by industry
of “sustainable communities” which amount
to little more than large one-time payments to
charities and other organizations across North
America. Furthermore, some findings suggest
health complications may develop in individuals
employed in the oil industry. Ultimately, this
researcher believes the Northern Gateway
Pipeline should be canceled.
Read Derek's complete article: https://journals.macewan.ca/
index.php/earthcommon/article/view/52
Faculty mentor
Lucille Mazo, BA, M.Ed., PhD (candidate) has taught at MacEwan University since 1994
in the areas of English and communication. Her research interests focus on two areas:
1) relationship between learning and communication styles, and 2) communication of
environmental issues. Lucille is the managing editor of Earth Common Journal, a studentdriven journal that communicates and publishes student research articles concerning
sustainability, conservation and global warming.
71
Research & Creative Activity Showcase 2013
Faculty of Fine Arts & Communications
Fine Art
Graduation 2013
Leanne Snellen (R) with Leslie Sharpe
Figurative studies
Learning to paint from observation is the
foundation of any painting program. Second-year
fine art students are given projects in the study of
the human figure, both in traditional and nontraditional media. Drawing the human figure is
different than painting it.
The human body, from a painting point of
view, is a series of planes, almost facet-like,
that fit within an anatomical framework.
Knowledge of anatomy of the underlying bone
structure, landmarks and fleshy musculature is
paramount for accurately describing a human
form. Initially introduced in first-year drawing
classes, this study is expanded in year two to
include the angular planes described with paint.
Painting the directly observed human figure,
students complete a series of small gestural
paintings which describe the essence of the pose.
These gestural studies, which are later used
as informative references for larger, finished
compositions, can be very beautiful and strong
paintings in their own right.
Taking small studies and
enlarging and expanding on
them is a process that uses
all the information gathered
about the described form.
Then, decisions are made about
composition, lighting, colour,
space and detail.
It is a skill that takes practice to achieve success.
Artists often continue to include the study of the
human form in their ongoing body of work.
Faculty mentor
Leslie Sharpe holds an MFA in computing for the arts from University of California, San
Diego and a BFA in painting from University of Alberta. She has been an artist in residence at
P.S. 1 Institute of Contemporary Art (New York), The Banff Centre, Visual Studies Workshop
(Rochester, NY), and the Artists in the Park Program at Ivvavik National Park in the Canadian
Arctic. Sharpe has shown her work internationally and her research focuses on space and
place, and histories or technologies of human or animal presence, particularly in Canada’s
north and coastal regions.
72
MacEwan University
Figurative study by Leanne Snellen
Faculty of Fine Arts & Communications
Fine Art
Graduation 2013
Leanne Snellen
Marina Abramovic
Choosing a contemporary artist to complete
a research presentation on can be a little like
taking a leap off a blind ledge; you just never
know how far you will go before you land.
Researching Marina Abramovic was like taking
a blind leap. Research began blindly, without
knowing anything of performance as an art
form, and initially questioning whether it was
truly “art.” Curiosity and comprehension grew
as stories emerged about daring performances
done before her 10 p.m. curfew in her native
Yugoslavia (Richards, 9); collaborative
"relational" performances with Ulay, her partner
and lover (Abramovic and Iles, 194); and her
evolving sense of “presence,” an elusive sense
of connection, in the moment, having “direct
energy exchanges” with the spectators drawn
to her performances (Richards, 43). Abramovic
captivates more than curiosity with her
underlying search for connection, timelessness
and energy.
A discussion of Abramovic’s personal history is
necessary to understand her work and internal
motivation. Performance art and its evolution
alongside Feminism is discussed to help
understand Abramovic’s timely appearance and
success in the art world. Also explored is the
eminence of Abramovic’s “energy exchanges”
and “presence” as she describes her recent
performances.
References
Abramovic, M., & Iles, C. Marina Abramovic Untitled. Grand Street
No.63, Crossing the Line 63. Winter (1998): 186-194.
Richards, M. (2010) Marina Abramovic. New York: Routledge.
Faculty mentor
Hoyne Santa-Balazs has a BFA in art and design and an MA in the history of art and visual
culture and has been teaching art history at MacEwan University since 2000. She teaches
on a wide variety of topics about western art, ranging from prehistory to modern art and
contemporary art issues. Her own research interests concern the relationship between art
and the law, the ownership of art and the ethical issues of collecting, the protection of cultural
property in conflict zones, and the repatriation of cultural treasures considered from both an
historical and from contemporary international perspectives.
74
MacEwan University
Faculty of Health & Community Studies
Determination of the ability to perform activities of daily living
in people with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
Exercise rehabilitation for COPD patients
has traditionally focused on aerobic training,
however, it is unclear as to whether aerobic
fitness or muscular fitness is more important in
the performance of ADL in this population.
If muscular fitness is shown to be of value in
ADL performance, then the incorporation of
resistance training into COPD rehabilitation
programs would be warranted.
Twenty-three participants from a pulmonary
rehabilitation program were recruited. Peak
oxygen uptake (VO2 peak) was used as the
measure of aerobic fitness and was determined
from a symptom-limited graded exercise test on
a treadmill. Throughout the exercise test, expired
air was analyzed using a metabolic measurement
system. VO2 peak was defined as the highest VO2
observed during the test. Muscular fitness was
determined from two tests: the chest press and
leg press. For the chest and leg press, loads were
set at 30 per cent and 50 per cent of body weight
respectively (Baechle & Earle, 2009). Repetitions
were performed at a cadence of 30 reps/min
until patient fatigue or two consecutive errors.
Volume was calculated by multiplying sets x
reps x load. The dependent variable (i.e., ability
to perform ADL) was estimated from patient
performance on the Continuous Scale Physical
Function Performance test battery (CSPFP-10)
which includes 10 everyday tasks that progress
from easy (personal tasks), to moderate
(household tasks), to difficult (mobility tasks)
(Cress, J.K., Moore, & Schenkman, 2005). The
intensity and pace of each task was determined
by the patient and quantified by a combination
of time, distance or weight moved. Performance
on each of the tasks was scored on a 0 to 100
scale and used to calculate a Global Score. Global
Scores below 57 have been used to classify
patients as low-functioning with an increased
probability of becoming dependent. A correlation
and regression analysis was performed.
Faculty of Health & Community Studies
This study was undertaken to determine the
effect of aerobic fitness versus muscular fitness
in predicting the ability of people with COPD to
perform activities of daily living (ADL).
References
Baechle, T. R., & Earle, R. W. (Eds.). (2009). Essentials of Strength
Training (3rd ed.). Champaign IL: Human Kinetics.
Cress, M. E., J.K., P., Moore, T. L., & Schenkman, M. L. (2005).
Continuous-scale physical functional performance test:
validity, reliability, and sensitivity of data for the short version.
Physical Therapy, 85, 323-335.
Cress, M. E., & Meyer, M. (2003). Maximal voluntary and functional
performance levels needed for independence in adults aged
65 to 97 years. Physical Therapy, 86(January), 37-38.
About the researcher
Dave Kato is a PhD candidate in the Faculty
of Rehabilitation Medicine at the University
of Alberta. He is acting chair in the Physical
Education department and has been at MacEwan
University for 15 years. His research focus is
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
and activities of daily living (ADL). Other areas
of research interest include treatment of sport
injuries using cryotherapy and strength training.
Dave Kato, Physical Education
76
MacEwan University
Medicinal mushrooms of North America
For example, reishi, shiitake and turkey tail are
recommended to optimize immune function
while undergoing chemotherapy and radiation
for various cancers.
Medicinal mushrooms are a largely unexplored
area in biomedicine. They have great potential
for both preventative health and as adjunct
therapy for chronic, auto-immune and
degenerative diseases.
Faculty of Health & Community Studies
This research looks at the wide
scope of human clinical trial
outcomes and the potential use
of these natural products as we
move towards a holistic model
of health and wellness.
In The Fungal Pharmacy: The Complete Guide
to Medicinal Mushrooms and Lichens of North
America, a beginning exploration of various
medicinal uses of mushrooms is explored.
This small contribution is an attempt to bring
broader awareness to the importance of fungi
and the role they play in the health of our planet.
Medicinal mushroom uses for human, plant
and animal health are remarkable. Their role
in cleaning up our increasingly toxic planet and
optimizing Gaia's immune system are yet to be
fully realized. The use of fungi in the form of
essential oils, homeopathy and even vibrational
essences, as well as their more traditional usage
in decoction, powder or tincture form is also
included.
About the researcher
Robert Rogers, B.Sc., RH (AHG), is a professional herbalist
and amateur mycologist. He instructs herbology and flower
essences at MacEwan University, and is an assistant clinical
professor in family medicine at the University of Alberta. He
is author of 14 books on plants and fungi of boreal forest,
including his latest The Fungal Pharmacy: The Complete
Guide to Medicinal Mushrooms and Lichens of North
America published by North Atlantic Books, Berkeley,
California.
Robert Rogers, Holistic Health Practitioner
77
Research & Creative Activity Showcase 2013
Faculty of Health & Community Studies
Bachelor of Science in
Nursing
Graduation 2015
Joana Antunes (Bottom Right), Jessica Lee (Top Left),
Taylor Peters (Top Right) and Jena Rendflesh (Bottom Left)
Learning leadership: MacEwan students using creativity and
collaboration to promote unity and pride in their nursing program
a way that reflected what the students valued in
nursing.
Learning leadership involves incorporating
teamwork skills, pooling individual strengths,
exercising creativity and working from a
foundation of values.
The final assignment for an introductory nursing
course in the BScN Program at MacEwan
University required first-year student groups
to create a coat of arms. The purpose of the
assignment was to provide students with
an opportunity to exercise creativity and
collaborative skills to integrate course content in
One group of students had in mind the objective
to create an emblem much like traditional school
of nursing pins, that would instill pride and
a sense of unity in nursing students studying
at MacEwan University. The Latin motto that
the students selected for the coat of arms,
“Knowledge, Passion, and Integrity,” was central
to their concept of nursing.
They carefully chose symbols, colors and music
that incorporated the motto with the values of
the BScN program to create an end product–a
power point presentation of the coat of arms–
that had quality, meaning and relevance to their
development as nurses.
In this presentation, the students describe the
assignment and the group process involved in
creating it.
Faculty mentor
Barb Tarnowski, BFA (Visual Arts), B.Sc., MN, RN, currently teaches clinical and theory
courses in the MacEwan University BScN program. Barb's clinical nursing background
includes practice and teaching in the areas of burn care, plastic surgery, and general surgery/
medicine. Her scholarship and research areas of expertise center on creativity in nursing and
the integration of arts in nursing education.
78
MacEwan University
Bachelor of Science in
Nursing
Graduation 2012
Anupama Chauhan (L) with Barb Tarnowski
A guide to home care referral
Faculty of Health & Community Studies
Medical and surgical clients in hospitals
often have complex needs post-discharge that
require ongoing coordination amongst different
agencies such as nursing, occupational therapy,
physiotherapy, respiratory therapy, social work
and personal care. Nurses and other health care
personnel are often involved in the arrangement
and coordination of such agencies.
A complete and thorough
home care referral is essential
to ensure a more efficient
transition on discharge,
continuity and quality of care
that the client receives at
home, and minimization of
risks for complications or rehospitalization.
The objective of this project was to create a tool
that would assist staff members responsible
for completing the referral from hospital-tohome-care process to make sound decisions
about clients' post discharge needs, determining
appropriate home care services, and completing
the Home Care Referral Form as thoroughly as
possible.
“A Guide to Hospital-to-Home-Care Referral” in
the form of poster and pamphlet was developed
to provide easy access to the information
required to complete the process. The outcome
of the initial trial for this project on one unit
at the Grey Nuns Hospital was an improved
understanding and planning of the home care
referral with fewer errors or omissions in the
process. Feedback from staff using the guide
indicated that it was simple, precise and easy to
follow. The guide was so successful that, with
minor revisions, plans have been made to adopt
the guide as a training tool for the Home Care
division of Alberta Health Services.
This work was completed with the help and support of project
coach, France Goudreau from Covenant Health.
Faculty mentor
Barb Tarnowski, BFA (Visual Arts), B.Sc., MN, RN, currently teaches clinical and theory
courses in the MacEwan University BScN program. Barb's clinical nursing background
includes practice and teaching in the areas of burn care, plastic surgery, and general surgery/
medicine. Her scholarship and research areas of expertise center on creativity in nursing and
the integration of arts in nursing education.
79
Research & Creative Activity Showcase 2013
Faculty of Health & Community Studies
Massage Therapy
Graduation 2012
Nicole Riou
Massage therapy for essential tremor: Quieting the mind
Essential Tremor (ET) is a neurological disorder
causing rhythmical shaking of part of the body.
The condition is known to have an inheritable
tendency and can present in more than one
family member, known as familial tremor.
Treatment of the disorder is commonly by way of
prescription medication. ET is progressive and in
its mildest form can be sensed and/or observed
when performing simple motor skills or activities
of daily living.
The objective of this study was to evaluate the
effects of massage therapy on the severity of
ET using an activity-based rating scale and
pre- and post-treatment. The study period
included five consecutive weekly sessions. The
subject, a 63-year-old female, indicated her
hands and head as the primary areas affected
by ET. The treatment aim was to reduce
sympathetic nervous system firing; therefore,
the massage techniques implemented were
relaxation-based. Methods included Swedish
massage, hydrotherapy, myofascial release,
diaphragmatic breathing, remedial exercise
education and affirmative symptom management
recommendations. Drawings of an Archimedes
spiral for comparison pre- and post-treatment
provided an objective, visual representation of
tremor intensity affecting fine motor control.
Goniometric measurements were taken to mark
changes in cervical range of motion.
The results showed a decrease in tremor intensity
after each session; demonstrated by improved
fine motor skills.
The client also reported an increased
functionality in cervical range, which was
documented during the first and last visits.
The results suggest that tremors, symptomatic
to ET, can be eased through initiatives that
encourage a parasympathetic response. Massage
therapy has shown to be a valuable method of
treatment for ET. Tremor severity can present in
an irregular pattern due to subjective individual
triggers; therefore, further controlled research
is required to lessen the variability between
subjects and to validate these findings.
Faculty mentor
Jeff Moggach is a practicing massage therapist and chair of MacEwan University's Massage
Therapy program. Jeff has a Master of Arts and maintains currency in the massage therapy
field through workshops and evaluating research. His blend of education and clinical
experience grounds his interest in research involving the therapeutic effects of massage
therapy, as well as massage therapy education.
80
MacEwan University
Thank you to MacEwan University students for contributing feature on-line
articles on student projects. Articles can be found at MacEwan.ca/News
By Aaron Wannamaker, Professional Writing Student
Research provides helping hand, January 31, 2013
By Tracey L. Anderson, Professional Writing Student
Biology student's research experience invaluable, January 11, 2013
By Lorelie Betke, Professional Writing Student
Artist draws on her past for inspiration, January 7, 2013
By Danica Erickson, Public Relations Student
From small explosions to big discoveries, November 15, 2012
A vision to help people see, July 26, 2012
Research explores emotion reasoning in children, June 25, 2012
At MacEwan.ca/Research:
By Landis Donahue, Bachelor of Applied Communications in
Professional Writing
Oh, the Places You'll Go, February 5, 2013
MacEwan.ca/Research
MacEwan University
Research Services (7-266)
PO Box 1796
Edmonton, AB T5J 4S2
CANADA