January 27, 2011 Vol. 47 No. 4 The University of Western Ontario’s newspaper of record
www.westernnews.ca
PM 41195534
AWARDING EXCELLENCE
INSIDE
Pages 7 - 10
Paul Mayne, Western News
Changing faces of Western’s faculty leadership
B y H e a t h e r Tr a v i s
D
ean of the Faculty of Science David
Wardlaw is taking on the role of vicepresident (academic) and pro-vice
chancellor at Memorial University Aug. 1.
But this isn’t the only academic leadership
change expected at The University of Western Ontario this summer.
Provost and Vice-President (Academic)
Janice Deakin is involved in four decanal
searches for the faculties of Law, Education,
Music and Science.
The contracts for the currently serving
deans (and acting dean of Education) expire
July 1.
Wardlaw, who joined Western as Science
dean in July of 2006, will begin a five-year
term at Memorial University on Aug. 1. He
will also become a member of the university’s Department of Chemistry. Memorial’s
Board Regents approved Wardlaw’s appoint-
ment on Tuesday, Jan. 25.
As Western undergoes a changing of the
guard, Deakin is keen to assemble a strong
leadership team to help the university face
challenges ahead as it sets its sights on the
international stage.
Looking ahead to two other faculty reviews
on the horizon – Arts and Humanities and
Information and Media Studies – half of the
university’s faculties and schools may have
a new leader at the helm in 2012.
“Ultimately, a dean must bring a dynamic
mix of leadership qualities that enables them
to engage with and balance the demands
of students, faculty, staff, administration,
alumni, donors and other important stakeholders who contribute to the life and success of the faculty and the broader campus
community,” Deakin says.
“Deans are chosen entirely on the basis of
how well their credentials and experience
meet the demands of the role as outlined
at the beginning of the search,” she adds.
“Different faculties present different challenges and opportunities at different times,
and thus demand different kinds of leaders.”
The four decanal searches underway are
at different stages in the process.
For Law and Education, the respective
selection committees have conducted confidential first-round interviews, and started
public phases where candidates meet faculty, staff, students and senior university
administrators.
In the Faculty of Science, the selection
committee began first-round interviews earlier this month.
The Don Wright Faculty of Music selection committee is in the process of developing a short-list of candidates to interview.
Dozens of candidates can be considered
for the job – some apply and others may be
nominated by a colleague or identified by an
external consultant.
Deans are typically appointed to five-year
terms.
However, if a dean decides to take a study
leave at the end of the first term, the reappointment term will be six years. There is
no maximum number of terms a dean can
serve.
As the end of a dean’s term approaches,
faculty reviews are typically conducted. The
results of the review will determine whether
the selection committee will call a formal
decanal search or if the sitting dean will be
asked to consider serving another term.
“Even in instances where a formal search
is called, sitting deans are still entitled to
apply and compete for the role among other
candidates,” Deakin says.
In the case a dean is not selected to serve
another term, he or she is given the opportunity to re-engage in teaching, research and
service duties as a tenured member of the
faculty.
INSIDE: Campus Digest 2 | Opinions 4-5 | Classified 13 | Coming Events 13 | Faculty Profile 15
2
J A N U A R Y
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N E W S
CAMPUS DIGEST
FACIAL HAIR FUNDRAISER
TARGETS HEAD, NECK
CANCER
Ear, nose and throat (ENT) surgery residents at The University
of Western Ontario are raising
funds (and awareness) for head
and neck cancer research. Taking a cue from ‘Movember’ campaigns, the residents have created
a fundraising campaign where
participants grow beards for the
month of January (a.k.a. ‘Manuary’).
Participants sign up for this
contest either individually or as
a team, urging friends and family
to sponsor their beard by donating
at www.manuary.ca. Even ‘follicularly challenged’ ladies compete.
Women send a photo into the website and get ‘bearded’ with some
creative (and humorous) Photoshoping. All funds are being collected by the London Health Sciences Foundation, and will be used
locally to develop future treatments for head and neck cancer.
The event will culminate in a
‘Facial Hair Face-off’ on Sunday,
Jan. 30 from 6-9 p.m. at the Coates
of Arms pub where the “Crown
of Manuary” will be awarded to
the person with the most creative facial hair. Prizes have been
Mark Wolfe/Contributed
Western ear, nose and throat surgery residents pose at the midway point of Manuary, a fundraiser for head and
neck cancer research. Pictured are, from left, Justin Poirier, Chris Chin, Leigh Sowerby, Brandon Wickens, Goran
Jeremic, Shahin Nabi, Sammy Khalili, Jason Beyea and Doug Angel; sitting, Josee Paradis and Jenna Theriault.
donated by the Denver Nuggets of
the NBA and BeardHead.com.
WESTERN CONNECTIONS
AMONG ORDER OF ONTARIO
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prostate cancer, a climate change
expert, a literary icon and a dedicated choral musician are among
The University of Western Ontario’s connections to 30 new appointees to the Order of Ontario.
The appointees to Ontario’s highest honour were chosen for their
contributions to the arts, justice,
science, medicine, history, politics,
philanthropy and the environment.
The Honourable David C. Onley,
Lieutenant Governor of Ontario,
will invest the appointees at a ceremony to be held on today, Jan. 27
at Queen’s Park.
Western-connected individuals
named to the Order of Ontario are:
• D r. Joseph Chin, Department
of Surgery professor, crossappointed to Oncology, is a medical pioneer and leader in the prevention and treatment of prostate
cancer. His group was the first
in the world to perform threedimensional, ultrasound-guided
prostate surgery;
• Gerald Fagan, BMus ’61, is a choral conductor, teacher and mentor recognized for his lifelong
dedication to choral music, and
for enriching vocal traditions in
Canada and around the world;
•Gordon McBean, Department of
The Distinguished University
Professorship Award Public Lecture
Everyone is invited to a public lecture presented by Russell Poole, one
of three recipients of the 2010 Distinguished University Professorship
Award. Plan to attend and help recognize the scholarly contributions of
this outstanding Western faculty.
Russell Poole
Distinguished University Professor
Faculty of Arts and Humanities
Public Lecture title:
The Vikings and Their Outreach:
From Buddhas to Butternuts
Thursday, February 10, 2011
4:30 p.m.
Conron Hall, Room 224
University College
Lecture session will be followed by a reception in
Conron Hall ante room rsvp@uwo.ca
PARKER JOINS FT LEXICON
Simon Parker, Richard Ivey
School of Business associate professor of entrepreneurship, was
named Professor of the Week by
the Financial
Times newspaper (U.K.).
The Financ i a l Ti m e s
consults
business academics the
world over
to contribute
definitions to
PARKER
its FT Lexicon, lexicon.
ft.com/, an online resource on all
things business. The lexicon provides detailed definitions written
by its hand-picked Professors of
the Week to thousands of words
and phrases selected by Financial
Times editors. Parker contributed
definitions to intrapreneurship,
entrepreneurship, economics of
entrepreneurship, gazelle and
self-employment.
Parker becomes Ivey’s third
FT Lexicon expert. Tima Bansal
(building sustainable value) and
George Athanassakos (value
investing) were both Professors
of the Week in 2010.
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Russell Poole is an internationally recognized authority in
medieval studies. His main interests are the Icelandic sagas,
skaldic poetry, and Viking contacts with continental Europe
and the British Isles.
The Distinguished University Professor Award is Western’s
highest recognition for a faculty member. This award is
presented in honour of sustained excellence in teaching,
research and service accomplished during an outstanding
scholarly career at The University of Western Ontario.
business.humber.ca
Geography, is a leading scientist
and authority on climate change
and natural disasters. He and
the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
shared the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize
with environmental activist Al
Gore;
•The Honourable Coulter Osborne,
BA ’55, a lawyer and former associate chief of justice, is honoured
for his contributions to making
Ontario’s civil justice system
more accessible and affordable,
including changes to the way Small
Claims Courts operate;
• Elizabeth Hillman Waterston,
former Department of English
assistant professor (1958-66), is
a researcher, writer and expert
on Canadian writers. She has fostered the study of Canadian literature in high schools and universities since the 1950s, and mentored
upcoming writers including Mordecai Richler and Jane Urquhart.
Proudly providing the best student experience among
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519 659-3550
CSA and Energy Star Rated
W E S T E R N
N E W S Aboriginal communities
receive pandemic supplies
from Western donation
J A N U A R Y
2 7 ,
2 0 1 1 MCKELLAR THEATRE
RM 290 UCC
519-661-3616
$4.99 Adults
Children, Seniors and Tuesdays $3.50
Jan. 28 - Feb. 3, 2011
THE
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Rated PG 7:00 NIGHTLY
(112 min.)
INSIDE
JOB
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MIDNIGHT MOVIE SERIES
Friday Jan. 28
SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION
(119 min.)
Friday Feb. 4
BIG LEBOWSKI
w w w.we s te r n f i l m .c a
B y H e at h e r T r av i s
W
hen the World Health Organization raised the
alarm on a possible avian flu pandemic, and
again with the potential H1N1 influenza pandemic, The University of Western Ontario stocked up
on supplies of latex gloves, hand sanitizer, facemasks
and biohazard dispense containers. But now that the
concern has waned, Western is left with a surplus of
supplies.
With some of them set to expire in May 2012, Western
is partnering with police in Ontario’s Aboriginal communities to put the supplies to good use. On Monday,
Jan. 24, two trailers – one bound for the Parry Sound
area and other for Akwesasne First Nation (near Cornwall) – were loaded up at Alumni Hall.
The university plans to donate close to $100,000
worth of supplies to Aboriginal communities in these
areas, as well as those in Thunder Bay and Hudson Bay.
“We knew at the rate we were using our pandemic
supplies which were purchased in the 2007-2008 timeframe, some of them were going to expire before we
had an opportunity to use them,” says Elgin Austen,
director of Western’s Campus Community Police Service. “The pandemic that was originally predicted by
the World Health Organization back in 2008 and then
later on again, those never really materialized to the
extent they thought. So, it’s left us with an overstock of
supplies, some of which are going to expire.
“It’s a fabulous donation that the university has
decided to do,” he adds.
The university calculated how much of the supplies
will be needed to serve the campus and rather than let
the remainder go to waste, it was decided to make better use of the excess stock.
John Carson of Western’s campus police, who is a
retired OPP officer, contacted the OPP Aboriginal Policing Bureau to see if Ontario’s First Nation communities
could use the excess supplies.
OPP Staff Sgt. Gary Maracle was on-hand Monday to
receive the supplies, which will be distributed amongst
nine stand-alone, self-administered First Nation police
services who represent about 120 First Nation communities in Ontario.
“They all accepted gladly and said, ‘Yes, we’d be
more than happy to utilize them and share them with
the community,” Maracle says. “I certainly didn’t mind
assisting to help get the supplies out.
“It was a big surprise and we are more than eager to
come out and accept it and make sure it is used and goes
Heather Travis, Western News
Anishinabek Police Sgt. Warren John, above, helps load
boxes of pandemic supplies onto a trailer to be distributed to Aboriginal communities in Ontario. Below, OPP
Staff Sgt. Gary Maracle connected with Western’s Campus Community Police Service to collect a donation of
excess pandemic supplies, such as hand sanitizer.
Graduate Studies
Open House
Friday, February 4
1 - 4 pm
Atrium, University Community Centre
The University of Western Ontario
Exciting opportunities for you to earn a MSc or PhD degree
working in health research areas such as:
• Biomedical Imaging
• Cancer
• Cardiovascular, Respiratory Health and Metabolic
Diseases
• Maternal, Fetal, Child and Family Health
• Infection and Immunity
• Musculoskeletal Health
• Neuroscience and Mental Health
...and many more
Meet researchers and students from
12 Schulich graduate programs in medical science.
Complimentary refreshments.
to a good home,” he adds.
Also helping to load the supplies was Sgt. Warren
John, detachment commander for Anishinabek Police
Service, who says the donation will be greatly appreciated by the First Nation communities.
“Some of the First Nation territories are lacking a lot
of supplies. This will certainly be a benefit to our territories,” John says. “Why let it go to waste?”
3
www.schulich.uwo.ca/gradstudies
4
J A N U A R Y
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N E W S
The Way We Were:
1947
Western News (ISSNO316-8654), a publication of
The University of Western Ontario Department of
Communications and Public Affairs, is published every
Thursday throughout the school year and operates
under a reduced schedule during December, May, June,
July and August.
An award-winning weekly newspaper and electronic
news service, Western News serves as the university’s
newspaper of record. The publication traces its roots
to The University of Western Ontario Newsletter, a onepage leaflet-style publication which debuted on Sept.
23, 1965. The first issue of the Western News, under
founding editor Alan Johnston, was published on Nov.
16, 1972 replacing the UWO Times and Western Times.
Today, Western News continues to provide timely news,
information and a forum for discussion of postsecondary
issues in the campus and broader community.
WESTERN NEWS
WesternNews.ca
Westminster Hall, Suite 360
The University of Western Ontario
London, ON N6A 3K7
Telephone 519 661-2045 Fax 519 661-3921
VICE PRESIDENT EXTERNAL Kevin Goldthorp
krg@uwo.ca, 519 661-3108 Ext. 83108
PUBLISHER Helen Connell
hconnell@uwo.ca, 519 661-2111 Ext. 85469
EDITORIAL
newseditor@uwo.ca
ON-CAMPUS ADVERTISING SERVICES
advertise@uwo.ca
OFF-CAMPUS ADVERTSING SERVICES
campusad@sympatico.ca
EDITOR Jason Winders
jwinder2@uwo.ca, 519 661-2111 Ext. 85465
REPORTER/PHOTOGRAPHER Paul Mayne
pmayne@uwo.ca, 519 661-2111 Ext. 85463
REPORTER/PHOTOGRAPHER Heather Travis
htravis2@uwo.ca, 519 661-2111 Ext. 85464
ADVERTISING COORDINATOR Denise Jones
denise@uwo.ca, 519 661-2111 Ext. 82045
OFF CAMPUS ADVERTISING Chris Amyot, Campus Ad
campusad@sympatico.ca, 519 434-9990
PRODUCTION DESIGNER Scott Woods
swoods42@uwo.ca, 519 661-2111 Ext. 80229
Contributed by Alan Noon (anoon@uwo.ca)
My 631,487 reasons to be proud
ADVERTISING DEADLINE
All ads for the upcoming edition are due by noon
the prior Thursday.
By
Alex Kulczycki
EVENTS DEADLINE
All events to be listed in the upcoming edition are due
by noon the prior Thursday.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Letters can be submitted via email to
newseditor@uwo.ca. Letters should be less than 250
words and are published at the discretion of the
editor. Deadline is noon of the Friday prior to desired
publication date.
GUEST COLUMN
Members of the university family and its extended
community are invited to submit guest columns
on any topic. Columns should be 500 words or less
and are published at the discretion of the editor. If
interested, please contact Jason Winders, editor, at
jwinder2@uwo.ca or 519 661-2111 Ext. 85465
to arrange a column.
STORY IDEAS
Know interesting people, events or research
connected to Western? Tell us. Contact Jason Winders,
editor, at jwinder2@uwo.ca or 519 661-2111 Ext. 85465.
POSTAL RECOVERY
$50 Canada, $65 United States, $85 Other
POST OFFICE
Please do not forward. Return to Western News,
The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario
N6A 3K7 with new address when possible.
“Our objective is to report
events as objectively as
possible, without bias or
editorial comment. We
hope you will read it and
contribute to it.”
– L.T. Moore,
University Relations
and Information director,
Nov. 16, 1972
Photo credit London Free Press Collection of Negatives/Western Archives
This huge ‘witches broom,’ consisting of hundreds of stunted pine twigs, was first noted by Professor R. Cosgrove who thought it was a
squirrel’s nest. The removal of the growth was supervised by Professor R. Walker of the Botany Department. He explained the parasitic
mistletoe, which was found growing on the tree, caused the abnormal development. This phenomenon is quite rare in this part of the country,
but more common in Europe where mistletoe is more abundant.
United Way
sponsored employee
H
ere we are at the end of another
successful Western United Way
Campaign. It’s a bittersweet feeling because, as I contemplate how to start
to thank everyone involved, I find myself
a touch sad it’s all over. It was a tough and
trying year, but in the end, the Western community came through yet again.
$631,487. Wow. No. 1 in the city.
This has been my second straight campaign as a sponsored employee and in both
years our goal was exceeded by a large
amount (this year by more than $40,000).
This was done by the hard work, dedication and passion of Western’s volunteers.
I can’t tell you how much I, United Way,
funded agencies and 20,000 clients who use
the services in London appreciate those
volunteers.
Without volunteers this campaign couldn’t
get off the ground.
The co-ordinators and canvassers did the
work of distributing/collecting pledges, organizing fundraising activities and helping
with the follow-ups. Western lost one of its
longtime volunteers in Peggy Bugler. Her
dedication to Western and to helping the
United Way will be greatly missed.
Some of you came on board because you’re
a close friend or an acquaintance, while some
of you I talked into volunteering and we
became a close friend as a result. Thank you.
My thanks and gratitude goes to Roy, Sue
and Mitch in the Physical Plant Department
for allowing me to go back for a second term
as a sponsored employee – especially with a
few days notice, yet again.
Thanks to Western’s campaign co-chairs,
Malcolm and Joan, and the rest of Western’s
United Way committee – Paul, Scott, Joan and
retiree co-chairs Sally and Pat. Your dedication to the cause is truly inspiring. I want to
thank the Department of Communications
and Public Affairs for helping to get the
information out to the community via Western News and the university’s website.
And because of them I made a new friend
– Marty the Zebra.
What can I say about the United Way staff.
What a wonderful group to work with. Enthusiastic, vibrant and damn young. Sometimes
I felt like I should have started this a few
decades earlier.
Andrew, Barb, Gabby and everyone else at
United Way, a big heartfelt thanks for treating me like I was one of your own for four
months. They let me go gung-ho at Western
and since I’ve been bouncing around here for
30-something years, I know the place like the
back of my hand – especially the pubs.
United Way of London & Middlesex’s chair
this year is our own Ivey Dean, Carol Stephenson. And it’s true what they say about
giving the job to a busy person; you can’t get
any busier than her and yet she came through
when needed.
A big thank you to the agencies I have had
the pleasure to be involved with these past
two years. They helped me see a side of London I didn’t even know existed.
A very heartfelt thank you has to go to all
the other sponsored employees from around
the city who I have been honoured to work
with. We became a very tight-knit group over
these four month gigs – so close, in fact, I had
some little brothers, a few sisters, someone
who thought of me as a dad, and I even had a
couple of wives there.
I was one of the older sponsored employees
and I always felt this was a younger person’s
job – as the average age is about 35. But when
I was working with them, I felt 20 years
younger.
I truly wish I could do this every year but
I know it’s not possible. But let me say that
What a wonderful group
to work with. Enthusiastic,
vibrant and damn young.
Sometimes I felt like I
should have started this a
few decades earlier.
everyone should have the chance to do this
at least once in their life. You will be forever
changed.
Lastly, a thanks to all the donors. Regardless of the size of your donation it has made
(and will continue to make) an even stronger
and more vibrant London. And a strong and
vibrant London equals a strong and vibrant
Western.
Without all the folks I just mentioned, there
would be no way. But because of them, Western has a reason to be proud: 631,487 reasons
to be exact.
Thanks again.
W E S T E R N
N E W S J A N U A R Y
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2 0 1 1 5
Global buy-in
not a done deal
M
Don’t be fooled. Guidelines
don’t drive your behaviour
T
he bar has been
of time an individual should
By
lowered for Canaspend in sedentary behaviours,
Harry
dians regarding the
such as watching television and
P r a p av e s s i s
nation’s physical-activity
sitting in front of a computer.
and
standards. In short, there
This is an important move as
Nerissa
is compelling evidence that
setting guidelines for sedentary
C a m pb e l l
doing less is still associated
behaviour is potentially just
with significant health benas important as establishing
efit.
guidelines for physical activity
Two main changes are
behaviour.
worth noting in the new Canadian physical-activity
A positive consequence of these changes is that
guidelines.
Canadian physical activity standards are now in line
First, the classification system used to differentiate with those set by the World Health Organization and
the recommended level of physical activity across the other developed nations like the United States, Britain
life span has been revised.
and Australia, improving research correspondence and
The previous age range for children and youth, 6-14 the ability to compare physical activity levels across
year olds, is being expanded to include all school-age the globe.
children, 5-11 years old, and youth, 12-17 years old. The
It also has been suggested by some experts that lowage range of adults, previously 20-54 years old, will ering the physical activity guidelines may have desirencompass a larger range of individuals and include able spill over effects (i.e., encourage rather than dispeople 18-64 years of age. Coincidentally, older adults courage inactive Canadians). Although this logic may
will now focus on people 65 years of age and older com- apply to a small number of Canadians, the majority of
pared to the previous guidelines that focused on people inactive individuals are likely disinterested in physical
55 years of age and older.
activity irrespective of the level of standards set.
The second change deals with the recommended
This raises a fundamental question, “How do we
volume of moderate-to-vigorous activity.
get inactive members of our society to pay attention
For children and youth, the recommended 90 min- to physical activity guidelines that are known to have
utes of moderate-to-vigorous intensity of physical health benefits?”
activity per day will be decreased to 60 minutes. For
There is no easy answer to this question and it
both adults and older adults, the recommendation of remains one of the most challenging and pressing
achieving 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical public health issues. We need to work together at the
individual, environment and policy level to get inactive
Canadians moving.
Let’s not fool ourselves, guidelines do not drive
behaviour, behaviour drives guidelines.
‘It also has been suggested by
some experts that lowering the
physical activity guidelines
may have desirable spill
over effects ... the majority
of inactive individuals are
likely disinterested in physical
activity irrespective of the level
of standards set.’
activity on most days of the week is now lowered to
achieving 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per week.
A new addition to the guideline changes involves
developing recommendations on the maximum amount
A professor in the School of Kinesiology, Harry
Prapavessis is the director of Western’s Exercise and
Health Psychology Laboratory (EHPL). His research
investigates the determinants of physical activity and
exercise as a therapy to improve health. A Faculty
Scholar, his exercise and smoking cessation research is
funded by the Canadian Cancer Society and he also has
research partnerships with the University of Auckland
investigating video games as a form of physical activity
for children.
Nerissa Campbell is a PhD student in kinesiology
working in the Exercise and Health Psychology Laboratory alongside Harry Prapavessis. She received her BA
(Hon.) in kinesiology from Western in 2007. Part of her
research focuses on objective physical activity outcome
measures for adolescents.
Info box at end: To learn more about the Exercise and Health
www Psychology
Laboratory, visit ehpl.uwo.ca/index.html.
aybe
we’ve
By
assumed too much.
Jason
If a recent study is
Winders
to be believed, then Canadian university students
aren’t as prepared for
Associate Director,
internationalization as we
Editorial Services
may have believed.
The study, conducted by
Higher Education Strategy Associates and released earlier this
month, reveals lukewarm student bodies across Canada, ones
who buy into the ‘feel good’ concepts of internationalization, but
have trouble committing beyond the surface. They shy away
from the challenging, even recoil from the competitive aspects
of the concept.
Internationalization, it seems, can be embraced only to its point
of contact with domestic dominance.
Generally speaking, Canadian university students support
their international colleagues on campus. They feel international
students enhance the in-class experience (71 per cent), make the
country stronger (82 per cent) and are well-integrated across
campus culture (88 per cent).
Female students share those feelings slightly more than their
male counterparts (75 per cent vs. 67 per cent). Those in education or fine arts buy in at a far higher rate (80 per cent) than those
in math and computer science (59 per cent).
Overall, international students are seen as a positive force on
Canadian campuses.
But cracks in that sentiment develop as you look deeper into
the numbers.
Nearly a quarter of students surveyed (23 per cent) agreed
with the statement “international students are taking opportunities away from Canadian students.” That’s a big number. That
feeling was shared by more males (26 per cent) than females (20
per cent). And when you again break it down to field of study,
this sentiment was highest in math and computer science (29 per
cent), and lowest in fine arts (9 per cent).
There’s a problem there.
As the study points out, where international students are most
common (math, computer science and engineering), you see the
highest levels of concern about their impact. Those findings raise
serious questions about a future workforce willing – and able – to
compete on a global scale if they cannot handle the competition
on their own campus.
As for off-campus opportunities, the same apprehensive about
being challenged pops up.
Nearly a quarter of surveyed Canadian students had gone or
planned to go on a study abroad program. That’s a wonderful
number for a country already widely exposed to a world beyond
their shores. (More than three-quarters of Canadian university
students have lived or traveled outside of Canada/United States
before attending university.)
But look at where students are opting to study. Seems as long
as the destination is somewhere like the U.K. or Australia, where
language is not an issue and the culture is recognizably similar,
our students have no trouble embracing it.
Funny, while our students see “ability to work in diverse settings” (93 per cent) as key to getting a job after graduation, their
actions remain disconnected. The most prized study abroad destinations are in Anglophone countries (50 per cent of total) with
the next most common being France (10 per cent). Not exactly a
stretch.
Only 3 per cent of students opted for 21st Century superpowers
China or India as their preferred location. Even fewer looked at
Russia and Brazil.
Seems that, as the study points out, when internationalization
requires extra investments of time support falls off dramatically
– presumably because the perceived value of such investments
isn’t as high as is sometimes supposed.
These are troubling attitudes for university administrators to
confront.
As universities work to retrain more entrenched stakeholders
on the benefits internationalization, one group they counted on
‘buying in’ from the start – the students – has sort of been forgotten. Many believed, myself included, youth accept the notion of
internationalization as the way of the world already.
But this study shows that is far from the case.
For universities going forward, the study stresses over-communication of an intended global focus.
It offers a bold prescription.
“(Universities) could deliberately seek to attract students who
are interested in ‘deep’ internationalization,” the study states,
“and – perhaps more importantly – implicitly encourage people
who are less interested or even feel threatened by some aspects
of internationalization to go elsewhere.”
6
J A N U A R Y
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2 0 1 1 W E S T E R N
N E W S
Findings call universe’s size into question
By Lauren Nisbet
T
he way we understand the size of
the universe is changing as a result
of research done by an international
team, which included Pauline Barmby, an
astronomer in Western’s Department of
Physics and Astronomy.
“The biggest problem in astronomy is
that when we look at something in the sky,
we don’t know how far away it is,” Barmby BARMBY
says. “Measuring distances is important to
understanding the properties of the things in the universe.”
The study examined Cepheid variable stars, which are a
type of standard candle used to determine distances in the
universe. Measuring the brightness of a candle that is closer
against that of an identical candle that is farther away can
help to establish the distance between them. This particular
class of standard candles known as Cepheids pulsates, getting
brighter and dimmer over time, helps astronomers determine
their luminosity.
This calculation was famously performed by astronomer
Edwin Hubble in 1924, leading to the revelation that our galaxy is just one of many in a vast cosmic sea. Cepheids also
helped in the discovery that our universe is expanding, and
galaxies are drifting apart.
Barmby’s study, utilizing NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope,
found evidence some Celpheids are losing mass, a factor
which could produce inaccurate measurements. “It doesn’t
mean that everything we thought we knew is wrong, but if
you want to do the best possible job, this effect needs to be
considered.”
Follow-up studies have shown that 25 per cent of these stars
are shrinking.
Astronomers have studied the mass of stars for a long
time, but the appearance of discrepancies between different
methods of measurement is what led to Barmby’s search for
evidence that stars might actually be losing mass. “If one
measurement examined the stars when they were younger
and the other when they were older, then the disagreement
would make more sense.”
“By taking images with an infrared telescope we can see
the dust in the mass that is being lost, which allows us to
measure it.”
The infrared camera used is called the IRAC or ‘infrared
array camera’ and is part of NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope.
Barmby was also involved in the construction of this camera
at the time of the telescope’s launch in 2003.
By examining astronomical objects like standard candles,
astronomers are not only able to gain insight into the state of
the universe, but also the Earth itself. “Understanding the
universe gives us a better understanding of why the Earth is
the way it is. If we want to understand where we come from,
we need to understand the world around us,” Barmby says.
“Plus, it’s just cool.”
Massimo Marengo of Iowa State University was lead author
of the study on the discovery appearing in the Astronomical
Journal. Barmby was lead author of the follow-up Cepheid
study published online Jan. 6 in the Astronomical Journal.
Other authors of this study include N. R. Evans and G.G.
Contributed
Pauline Barmby’s study, utilizing NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope, found evidence some Celpheids are losing mass, a factor
which could produce inaccurate measurements.
Fazio of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics;
L.D. Matthews of Harvard-Smithsonian and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Haystack Observatory; G.
Bono of the Università di Roma Tor Vergata and the INAFOsservatorio Astronomico di Roma in Italy; D.L. Welch of
the McMaster University; M. Romaniello of the European
Southern Observatory, Germany; D. Huelsman of HarvardSmithsonian and University of Cincinnati; and K. Y. L. Su of
the University of Arizona.
Talking about the birds and the bees. (Just birds, mainly.)
By Lauren Nisbet
T
homas Luloff sees the study
of the American goldfinch as
the first step toward understanding the effects of climate
change.
Luloff, a biology master’s student, has been featured on the
National Science Foundation website, as well as Science News for his
study examining the effect of visual
cues on the breeding schedule of
the American goldfinch.
“Plants and insects are becoming available earlier due to climate
change which affects a lot of bird
species, especially those who still
migrate and reproduce on the same
schedule they always have. Now
they’re missing the peak time for
the food they need to survive,” Luloff says.
While previous studies have
examined reproductive cues among
other bird species, most have
The University of Western Ontario
TSC
Teaching Support Centre
Fellowship in
Teaching Innovation
Call for 2011 Applications
The purpose of the $10,000 Fellowship in Teaching Innovation is
to encourage Western faculty members (full-time and part-time) to
pursue teaching innovations at The University of Western Ontario.
The Fellowship exists primarily, but not exclusively, to support
undergraduate and professional school teaching at the University,
matching Western’s commitment to the highest standards and quality
of undergraduate education.
Teaching innovation projects may take many forms, such as initiatives
involving the novel incorporation of educational technology into
classroom settings or developing new strategies for student
engagement. The award may be used to develop teaching
innovation projects through the purchase of release-time,
support for graduate students, acquisition of technology, or
to attend teaching conferences.
For more information, contact Dr. Debra Dawson
Director of the Teaching Support Centre
by phone at ext. 84621
or e-mail: dldawson@uwo.ca
The deadline for receipt of applications is March 1, 2011.
Application procedures can be found at: www.uwo.ca/tsc
focused on direct stimulation. One
study showed how the ant bird sees
a cricket then goes into a reproductive state after eating the cricket.
In Luloff’s study, only a visual cue
was necessary to induce the birds’
reproductive traits.
The experiment involved bringing a number of American goldfinches into captivity and dividing
them into two different rooms
where the environment could be
controlled to resemble either summer or spring conditions.
“The goldfinch was chosen
because they use thistle seeds to
feed their young, and breed later
in the year than other songbirds,”
Luloff’s says.
The birds within each room were
then isolated into three groups and
given different visual cues: a blooming thistle, a non-blooming thistle or
no plant at all. “We hypothesized
that the birds wait for hot temperatures, but they’re also waiting to see
if the thistle plants are blooming,
because that would tell them food
is coming,” he says.
In the summer-condition room,
the birds who saw the blooming
plant carried more testosterone
than those who did not as well as
entered reproductive mode sooner.
“Now we know that even just showing a bird a plant when they can’t
touch it or eat it will induce earlier
reproductive traits in the right temperature conditions,” Luloff says.
This finding is significant as part
of the larger issue of climate change
and the effort to understand how we
can conserve different species of
birds. “It’s the first time we’ve been
able to show that plants actually
have an effect. It shows that we
might need a more complex understanding of how birds breed.”
Luloff is encouraged by the
amount of feedback and support
his work has received and plans to
continue his research as he works
toward a PhD, examining other
birds.
W E S T E R N
N E W S J A N U A R Y
2 7 ,
2 0 1 1 AWARD OF EXCELLENCE
KIMI MARUOKA
Coordinator (Graduate Program Liaison),
School of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies
Kimi Maruoka is an exceptionally professional yet approachable
person. The commitment to her job, and by extension to the Western
community, shows in her everyday interactions with her knowledgeable,
pleasant and efficient manner of communication. The School of Graduate
and Postdoctoral Studies sees Maruoka as a great leader who clearly
communicates important messages to all who represent graduate
programs at Western. Maruoka is not confined within the borders of her
job description and will not to turn down an opportunity to go above
and beyond in helping someone else. She is always willing to help in
such a way that makes the person on the receiving end a witness to her
professionalism, efficiency and kindness.
Celebrating our
staff’s contributions
Story and photos by Paul Mayne
“Goes above and beyond.”
“A joy to work with.”
“Backbone of the department.”
T
hese are but a few of the observations of this year’s Western
Award of Excellence winners. This year’s seven top staff
members will be honoured to kick-off the Staff & Leaders’
Conference on Feb. 22.
The internal award is designed to recognize the tremendous
work staff performs in support of providing the best student
experience.
“This award program celebrates those staff members whose
knowledge, skills and commitment represent the best of our
campus community. I want to congratulate the seven individuals
who have been recognized by their peers and colleagues as the
newest recipients,” says Western President Amit Chakma. “To be
honoured in this way by those who work most closely with them
certainly speaks highly of the excellent qualities they bring
to their jobs on a daily basis.”
Winners are chosen for their exemplary service, creativity
and innovation, the ability to share their knowledge and
expertise and their capacity to foster their values of integrity
and respect across campus.
This year’s winners of the university’s highest form
of campus-wide recognition are Kimi Maruoka (School
of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies), Elisa Kilbourne
(Philosophy), Sherri Waring (Biology), Haitao Yang
(Psychology), Jan Shepherd McKee (Engineering),
Meredith Legault (Research Accounting) and Ruth
Harland (Conference Services).
7
8
J A N U A R Y
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2 0 1 1 W E S T E R N
N E W S
W E S T E R N
N E W S J A N U A R Y
2 7 ,
2 0 1 1 AWARD OF EXCELLENCE
ELISA KILBOURNE
Administrative Assistant, Department of Philosophy
Referred to many times as the “backbone of the department,” ask anyone
in the Philosophy Department about Elisa Kilbourne and the narrative will
include phrases like “unwavering dedication,” “tireless efforts” and “forever in
her debt.” Kilbourne is involved with a number of service projects at Western
including Relay for Life, heading United Way fundraising in the department
and participation in the university’s Alternative Spring Break service project.
With the physical move of the department in 2009, Kilbourne’s dedication
to keeping the department running speaks to her rare personal and
professional qualities. She coordinated normal department functionings
around renovations, liasioned with the construction crews and assisted
faculty, graduate and undergraduate students who, admittedly, could not
have made such a transition without Kilbourne’s capableness.
HAITAO YANG
Computer System Administrator,
Department of Psychology
Haitao Yang is one person a lot of folks count on. His focus remains on
software development, network maintenance and support/maintenance
for more than 60 computers. That means the research of more than a
dozen faculty members, and at least twice as many graduate students
and postdoctoral fellows, is dependent on Yang’s skills. In addition to his
invaluable technical expertise and computer competence, Yang is also
extremely friendly and thoughtful of others. He demonstrates creativity and
innovation in his work, and goes well beyond the call of duty to ensure his
work is complete. The assistance to his colleagues is, without fail, cheerful
and prompt and done with such apparent ease.
SHERRI WARING
Human Resources, Department of Biology
Sherri Waring is incredibly organized, efficient, competent, knowledgeable
and friendly. But so are many other employees at Western. What makes her
stand above the crowd is her willingness to go above and beyond the call
of duty and her positive ‘can do’ attitude, regardless of the crisis of the day.
Waring provides a seamless interface between graduate and undergraduate
students and the processes involved in daily departmental operations
in Biology. Being so efficient, many students (and faculty/staff for that
matter) don’t even realize how much she does for them. Waring’s loyalty and
dedication to her department, as well as her unfailing character of treating
everyone with dignity and respect, has become a daily occurence, according
to colleagues.
MEREDITH LEGAULT
Financial Officer, Financial Services
Meredith Legault approaches every interaction with the utmost
professionalism. Western’s researchers are funded by many different
research sponsors. As every single project is unique, the management
of so many is immense. But to Legault, this daunting task has become
second nature. Legault, referred to as a “godsend” and “a star” in the
books of so many researchers, is an excellent ambassador in managing
millions of dollars of research funding. She graciously and proactively
offers her vast experience, knowledge and support in research
administration. Her commitment to detail and enthusiastic and
conscientious problem-solving exemplifies Western’s values.
9
10
J A N U A R Y
2 7 ,
2 0 1 1 W E S T E R N
N E W S
AWARD OF EXCELLENCE
JAN SHEPHERD MCKEE
Associate Director (Undergraduate
Services), Faculty of Engineering
Jan Shepherd McKee’s contributions to Western, particularly
to the faculty, staff and students within Western
Engineering, are overwhelming. She takes a participatory
approach with the work she does. Her dedication and strong
ability to network, analyze and develop innovative tools
that complement the counseling process demonstrates
her commitment to the students and staff within her unit.
Shepherd McKee’s transparent leadership skills and modes
of communication make her a unique individual in the
sometime chaotic fever of an undergraduate office. Student
satisfaction, maximum efficiency and timely completion of
academic undergraduate activities are her motto. She is a
true team player, and a transformational leader in all that
she does at Western Engineering.
RUTH HARLAND
Manager (Conference Services),
Hospitality Services
Ruth Harland is a face that is recognized by many at Western – and
she, in turn, also recognizes many faces. Harland keeps the personal
touch alive. In a time of technology overload where e-mail rules,
she is one of the few who still takes the time to actually pick up the
phone and call people. Within Conference Services, Harland embraces
her leadership role and promotes a willingness to take on large
and challenging projects with her very determined and motivated
attitude. She is well respected for her friendly and easy manner, and
inclusive nature. Acknowledged as the ‘go-to person’ no matter what
the needs of Hospitality Services or the university, Harland always
steps up to the plate to get things done.
W E S T E R N
N E W S Matthews offers students
straight talk on health care
B y P a u l M ay n e
I
t was an afternoon of straightforward and honest conversation as Ontario Minister of
Health Deb Matthews chatted with
Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry students at The University of
Western Ontario Tuesday, january
25th about current issues facing the
health care system.
And she didn’t shy away from
addressing what she called the “fiscal reality” of Ontario’s ever-growing health care costs, which sit at
approximately $47 billion a year.
“That is creeping up to half of
our entire budget as a province,”
she says, noting a decade ago it
accounted for just 35 per cent of
the provincial budget. “Half of the
taxes people pay in Ontario go to pay
for health care. And every year we
increase spending in health care by
far more than there is an increase in
revenue … far more than any other
expenditure we have.”
She says skyrocketing health
costs, of which she says OHIP and
drug costs are leading the way, are
beginning to limit opportunities in
areas such as education and poverty.
“We cannot continue to spend
more and more and more every year
at the rate that we have been in the
past. It’s time to bend the cost curve.
We are willing to spend more every
year, we just can’t spend as much as
we have before.”
Students, which included a live
feed from Schulich’s Windsor campus, raised the question of length of
stay in acute care beds, and the costs
involved. Matthews agreed, saying close to 17 per cent of hospital
beds in the province are occupied
by people who should not be there.
“They could be receiving better
care, at less cost, outside the hospital system,” she says. “So focusing
on getting people all the care they
need, but in the right place at the
right time is one of our challenges,
but also one of our opportunities.”
One would think creating more
long-term care facilities would easily solve the problem, but while only
part of the solution, Matthews says
20 per cent of those in long-term
care don’t need to be there either.
“The answer is to provide more
community-based care, including inhome care, support housing, hospice
care - continual care that is outside
of hospitals.”
Matthew adds her ministry is also
looking at re-admission, patients
who are discharged and then readmitted to hospital within 30 days.
“That is a sign, not in 100 per cent
of the cases, but if you have high
rates of re-admission within 30 days
that’s a sign people are not getting
the best discharge planning. It’s
actually poor patient care, but it’s
also expensive care.”
Other areas of discussion
included the reduction of environmental waste at hospitals, the need
for increased infrastructure with
an aging Baby Boomer population,
electronic records and the Conservatives call to scrap the Local
Health Integration Networks - 14
provincial regions created in 2006
to allow for planning, funding and
integrating health care services at
a local level.
“It would be nothing short of
disastrous,” says Matthews of the
Conservatives plan. “It costs us
about $70 million a year to operate,
which manages $2 billion in care.
They would eliminate it and replace
it with nothing. All the decisions
made I guess would be by the Minister of Health, which would be a
disaster. You can’t manage an entire
province from the 10th floor of the
Hepburn Block (Ministry of Health
and Long Term Care). You need that
local planning to make it happen.
The solution is in the community.”
J A N U A R Y
2 7 ,
2 0 1 1 11
Study hall
Paul Mayne, Western News
When it comes to studying, students try to find every opportunity they
can. For first-year Social Science student Kelsey Privette, she found
some quiet time in the second-floor hallway in University College.
Health educator
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Health physicist
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Physical training instructor
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Rehabilitation counsellor
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12
J A N U A R Y
2 7 ,
2 0 1 1 W E S T E R N
N E W S
Three research projects earn Biomed lab
heads CFI
$1.2 million from NSERC
funding
T
710 Adelaide Street N., just south of Oxford St.
NEW ADDRESS
519 679-1211
629 Wellington Street, London
(between Pall Mall & Central • free parking)
hree Western projects will
share in nearly $1.2 million
in new funding from the
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada
(NSERC) to support early-stage
research ranging from fuel cell
development and salmon repopulation to added-value farm operations.
The NSERC Strategic Program
Grants are designed to increase
research and training in areas
that could strongly influence Canada’s economy, society or environment over the next 10 years.
The first successful project,
led by Mechanical & Materials
Engineering professor Andy Sun,
received $410,000 to develop
novel, graphene-based carbon
nanomaterials that will be used as
electrocatalyst support for lowcost, high-durability fuel cells.
Nanotechnology-based solutions – which involve studies
at the scale of one billionth of
a metre – are increasing recognized as having the potential to
profoundly affect energy production, storage and utilization,
including for hydrogen generation, batteries and solar cells.
Working with T.K. Sham, Sun’s
research will also help increase
the global competitiveness of Ballard Power Systems, Inc., which
is an international leader in fuel
cell development.
Commercial and sport fisheries are also key industries in
Canada’s Great Lakes region. In
fact, more than 65 million pounds
of fish are harvested from the
lakes annually, contributing more
than $1 billion to local communities; however, fisheries have
been declining in large part due
to human activities.
Biology professor Bryan Neff
The NSERC
Strategic Program
Grants are designed
to increase research
and training in areas
that could strongly
influence Canada’s
economy, society or
environment over
the next 10 years.
has received $499,700 to produce
the first comprehensive scientific evaluation of three stocks
of Atlantic salmon approved for
reintroduction into Lake Ontario.
Neff uses a quantitative genet-
ics approach to understand the
conservation and the architecture
of fitness of Atlantic salmon, and
will collaborate with a number of
government and industry partners while reintroducing salmon
to the Great Lakes.
Chemical & Biochemical Engineering professor Amarjeet Bassi
will work with Ajay Ray and partner with Stanton Farms in Ilderton to help farmers extract the
maximum value from their operations. As part of the project, Bassi
will explore biodiesel production
from microalgae – a process that
involves cultivation of microalgae on nutrient-rich wastewater
from livestock operations – and
capture CO2 from stack gas from
biodigester operations.
This is significant because
livestock operations produce
wastewater rich in nutrients and
organic matter, but modern farming practices emphasize a ‘closedloop’ approach to operations to
avoid unnecessary costs, and regulations prohibit farmers from
simply ‘land-farming’ wastewater slurry from their livestock
operations. Bassi, who received
$250,000, hopes to establish new
directions and understand challenges in large-scale, integrated
micro-algal technologies for the
Canadian farm economy.
– Staff report
Licensed under L.L.B.O.
R
esearchers at The University of Western Ontario have
established a new facility for
producing biomedical devices that
pairs existing research strengths
in biomedical imaging with stateof-the-art prototyping technology.
Within the laboratory, scientists will be able to rapidly design,
develop, fabricate and test new
devices that have applications ranging from musculoskeletal health
and image-guided cancer diagnosis and therapy, to cardiovascular
imaging platforms.
The initiative, led by Schulich
School of Medicine & Dentistry professor David Holdsworth, received
$605,623 from the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) and
also helps bolster strengths within
Robarts Research Institute.
New equipment will include a
high-powered laser capable of fusing metal into any desired shape
– layer by layer – which will dramatically reduce the time required
to develop functional prototypes
of new machines and devices, and
allow for limited-run manufacturing of complete devices.
Holdsworth, who holds the
Dr. Sandy Kirkley Chair in Musculoskeletal Research, says the
facility will be used to develop
metal implants and biocompatible ceramic scaffolds, which have
direct applications in joint replacement, dental implants and craniofacial reconstruction.
He and his colleagues, who
include Aaron Fenster and Maria
Drangova, will also use the laboratory to validate new therapeutic devices and to develop imageguided mechanical assistive
devices for biopsy and cancer
therapy, advanced tools and components for preclinical research,
and novel systems for real-time
analysis of living cells.
“One of this program’s strengths
is that it couples quantitative, 3-D
medical imaging technology as a
core component of the design and
fabrication facility,” says Holdsworth. “This approach will create a
pipeline for development – in many
cases, moving from an acquired
3-D image of an object to a computer-generated representation of a
component, which can then be fabricated directly by rapid-prototype
manufacturing processes.”
The project is one of six at Western sharing nearly $2 million in
funding from the CFI. Other projects include:
•Lars Rehmann: $299,474, Applied
Biotechnology Laboratory;
• Robert Shcherbakov: $139,946,
Computational Geophysics Laboratory;
• Stefan Everling: $318,272, Laboratory for Neural Circuits and
Cognitive Control;
• Walter Siqueira: $212,059, Salivary Proteomics Research Laboratory;
• David Hess: $272,955, Somatic
Stem Cell Selection Laboratory
for the Regeneration of Beta Cell
and Vascular Function.
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DAYS/WEEKLUNCH: 11:30 - 2:30
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LUNCH: 11:30
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DINNER:
MON - SAT 4:30 - 10:30,
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LUNCH: 11:30 - 2:30
SUN 4:30 - 9:30
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DINNER:
MON - SAT 4:30Rd.
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LUNCH: 11:30 - 2:30
residence
DINNER:
MON - SAT life
4:30 -staff
10:30, SUN 4:30 - 9:30
668-7407
Applications are invited from full-time undergraduate students
for the (live-in) positions of:
•
•
715Dons
Wellington
Head
Residence Dons
Rd. S. (at back)
for the 2011-2012 academic year.
Members of the Residence Life Staff are responsible for
ensuring the overall aims of residence life are achieved, and that
these aims are in keeping with the mission of Huron University
College.
For more information about the positions and the application
process, please contact Ms. Sharon McKillop at 519-438-7224, ext.
202. Head Don applications are due by 4pm on Jan. 24, 2011. Don
applications are due by 4pm on Feb. 3, 2011. Applications are
available at www.huronuc.ca/residencestaffapplications.
Sharon McKillop
Director of Housing and
Student Life
Huron University College
1349 Western Rd.
London, ON N6G 1H3
– Staff report
W E S T E R N
CAREERS
A central website displays advertisements for
all vacant academic positions. The following
positions are among those advertised at www.
uwo.ca/pvp/facultyrelations/jobs/index-jobs.
html. Please review, or contact the faculty,
school or department directly.
FULL-TIME ACADEMIC APPOINTMENTS
Faculty of Arts and Humanities /Faculty of Social
Science Department of Women’s Studies and
Feminist Research - The Department of Women’s
Studies and Feminist Research at The University
of Western Ontario invites applications for a Tier
II Canada Research Chair (CRC) in the area of
Global Women’s Issues, at the rank of probationary (tenure-track) Assistant or tenured Associate
Professor, as qualifications and experience warrant, starting January 1, 2012 or later. For detailed
information about the CRC Program see: http://
www.chairs-chaires.gc.ca/. For information, including how to apply, see: http://www.uwo.ca/womens/.
Review of applications begins on February 1, 2011
and continues until the position is filled.
STUDENT
SERVICES
BULLETIN
Apply to Graduate
Online application opens for the June 2011
Convocation on February 2 and closes on March
15. There is no ceremony for February and all
graduate names will appear in the June convocation programs. Tickets for the June convocation will be released starting the end of May.
Upcoming Fairs
All-Campus Job Fair
Date: Thursday, February 3, 2011. Location: Western Student Recreation Centre (WSRC) Fair
Hours: 11:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. For more information,
visitsuccess.uwo.ca/index.cfm/careers.
2010-2011 Academic Calendar
The new 2011-2012 Academic Calendar will be
posted online at the end of January at www.
westerncalendar.uwo.ca.
Richard Ivey School of Business - International
Business - Seeks candidates for a probationary (tenure-track) Assistant Professor or tenured
Associate or Professor appointment in the area of
International Business. The position is available to
begin July 2011. Candidates should have a Ph.D. or
be very close to completion. Submission deadline
is March 1, 2011, although applications will be
accepted until the position has been filled. For
information on how to apply, please visit our website at www.ivey.uwo.ca/faculty/Career_Opps.htm.
Tax Receipt Information
T2202A’s and T4A’s
PART-TIME ACADEMIC APPOINTMENTS
(Anticipated)
Student Central
Faculty of Law
The Faculty of Law anticipates that there will be
some Limited-Duties (Part-time) appointments
in a number of subject areas during the Fall/
Winter period September 1, 2011 to April 30, 2012.
The Faculty is particularly interested in receiving
applications from persons interested in teaching optional, upper-year courses. The calendar
descriptions of courses offered in the Faculty of
Law are available at http://www.law.uwo.ca/ under
Prospective Students: Upper Year Curriculum. The
closing date for applications is February 18, 2011.
For more information, please visit us on
the web at studentservices.uwo.ca. Follow us
on Twitter @UWOSCentral or on Facebook Student Central @The University of Western Ontario
All positions are subject to budgetary approval.
Applicants should have fluent written and oral
communication skills in English. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadian
citizens and permanent residents will be given
priority. The University of Western Ontario is
committed to employment equity and welcomes
applications from all qualified women and men,
including visible minorities, Aboriginal people and
persons with disabilities.
CONFERENCE
CALENDAR
Send submissions to comingevents@uwo.ca.
This column features conferences based at
Western or in London for a student, staff or
academic audience.
ACADEME
PhD Lectures
Linda Weber, Education, International Chinese
and Canadian Students’ Experiences of Internationalization at a Canadian University, Jan. 27,
FEB 1010, 2 p.m.
Adrian Snihur, Neuroscience, Sexual Differentiation In The Auditory System: An Investigation Into
Prenatal And Adult Sex Steroid Influences On Otoacoustic Emissions, Jan. 28, RRI 2nd Floor, 1:30 p.m.
Leif Einarson, English, Re-forging the smith: an
interdisciplinary study of smithing motifs in Völuspá and Völundarkviða, Jan. 31, N/A.
Andrew McRae, Epidemiology and Biostatistics,
Ethical Challenges in Cluster Randomized Trials,
Jan. 31, B & G 0165, 9 a.m.
New books
Dr. Constant Venesoen, professor emeritus
(French), recently published a series of 20 critical
studies in Regards sur le théâtre des classiques
français, Western, Mestengo Press, 2010, 288 p.
Please send submissions to newseditor@uwo.ca
Tuition tax receipts for the 2010 tax year will
be available on-line at the end of February 2011.
Watch this column and the Registrar’s website
http://www.registrar.uwo.ca for updates.
T4A’s (income tax slips for scholarships, bursaries and monetary awards) for the 2009 tax
year will be mailed at the end of February to
eligible students.
Starting January 13th, the hours for Student
Central in the WSS are as follows: Monday,
Tuesday, Thursday, Friday between 9am-4pm
and Wednesday 10am-5pm.
CLASSIFIED
Editing / Proofreading
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519-433-0896. E-mail: joey.hughes@rogers.com.
For Rent
Excellent residential north location – close to Western, walking path to Masonville Mall. Air conditioned
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room, 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, solarium, eat-in kitchen.
5 appliances included. Covered parking, exercise
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Phone 519-451-4864.
For Sale
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Row, JLC, train station. 1 bedroom can be converted
to two easily. Contact me for more information at
226-268-0695 or email: ahobbs@sutton.com .
For Classifieds, call 519-661-2045 or send email to
advertise@uwo.ca. Rates: faculty, staff and students
- $15; others and services/commercial ads - $20.
Beyond 35 words, please add 50 cents per word.
Payment must accompany ads. Submit by 9 a.m.,
Thursdays to Western News, Suite 360, Westminster
Hall. No refunds. Visit Classifieds Online at http://
communications.uwo.ca/com/classifieds_menu/.
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N E W S J A N U A R Y
COMING EVENTS
January 27
Museum of Ontario Archaeology – Gathering
of the Clans: Art Exhibition featuring three First
Nations Artists. Moses Lunham, Jeremiah Mason
and Clayton Samuel King. Runs through to January 30, 2011. For more information visit: uwo.ca/
museum.
Student-2-Business - Gain access to London’s
business community, get insider information
on industries in London, and learn how to pitch
your skills and experience to London employers.
London Convention Centre. 1 – 7:30 p.m. For more
info and to register: www.s2b.ca/. Registration
is only $10.00 and includes 50 business cards,
transportation, two conference sessions, keynote
address, food and beverage, and access to the
Student-2-Business Networking Room.
Physics & Astronomy Colloquium - Michel Fich,
Department of Physics and Astronomy, University
of Waterloo.“Intermediate mass stars provide
clues to the star formation process?” Chemistry,
Rm. 9. 1:30 p.m.
Writing Support Centre – Grammar Primer. WSS
Room 3134, 12:30 – 1:30 p.m. Register at sdc.uwo.
ca/writing.
King’s University College – Religious Life Lecture
Series – Hindy Najman, University of Toronto.
“Overcoming Destruction in Ancient Judaism”
Labatt Hall 105. 7:30 p.m.
January 28
Western Green Tour - Claudette MacKay-Lassonde Pavilion, Stevenson Hall, and McIntosh
Gallery. A free, guided walking tour hosted by
Physical Plant and EnviroWestern. Every Friday
until the end of April. 2 – 4 p.m. Sign up at: uwo.
ca/ppd/greentours.html.
Don Wright Faculty of Music – UWOpera presents
Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro. Paul Davenport
Theatre. 8 p.m. Tickets sold in advance through
Orchestra London 519-679-8778. $30/ $25 seniors,
students.
January 30
Men’s Volleyball – Lakehead at Western. 1 p.m.
Don Wright Faculty of Music – UWOpera presents
Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro. Paul Davenport
Theatre. 2 p.m. Tickets sold in advance through
Orchestra London 519-679-8778. $30/ $25 seniors,
students.
McIntosh Gallery – Sense of Place: Reading by
Alistair MacLeod and Nino Ricci in memory of
Suzanne Kaufmann to celebrate her tremendous
contribution to the McIntosh Gallery. Conron
Hall, University College. 2 p.m. MacLeod and Ricci
were guest writers for the publication Sense of
Place: A Cross-Border Print Exhibition on view at
McIntosh Gallery until February 19th. For more
info contact James Patten 519 661-2111 ext. 84602,
jpatten2@uwo.ca .
Women’s Hockey – Toronto at Western. 2 p.m.
January 31
Faculty of Education Visiting Speaker – Kristin
Snoddon, School of Early Childhood Education,
Ryerson University. “Education for Deaf and
Hard of Hearing Students: Issues and Trends.
Faculty of Education Bldg. Rm. 1139. All welcome.
Contact Karen Kueneman at Kueneman@uwo.ca
or ext 88561.
Department of Physiology and Pharmacology –
Frank Beier and Andrew Leask, Robarts Research
Institute, Western. “Lab Reports” DSB, Room
2016, 4 p.m.
Department of Biochemistry Seminar – James Staples, Biology, Western. “Mechanisms of metabolic
suppression in hibernating mammals” MSB 384,
10:30 a.m.
February 1
Visual Arts Department – Breaking and Entering:
The House Cut, Spliced and Haunted is a group
exhibition running from January 28 to February
18th. Opening reception January 28th, 6 – 8 p.m.
Opening remarks 7 p.m. Symposium: February
4th, Keynote: leading international curator James
Putnam. For more information visit: uwo.ca/
visarts/research/2010-11/house/house.html.
Senior Alumni Program – Adrian Owen, Canada
Excellence Research Chair, Neuroscience and
Imaging, Western. “Mysteries of the Brain – Pioneering insights into how the brain functions”
McKellar Room, University Community Centre.
9:30 a.m.
Don Wright Faculty of Music – Ffourtissimo. That’s
four clarinets: Marie Johnson, Gary McCumber,
Amanda Palmer and Robert Riseling. von Kuster
Hall. 12:330 p.m.
Women’s Volleyball – Windsor at Western. 6 p.m.
Don Wright Faculty of Music – Fred Pattison Piano
Competition. von Kuster Hall. 8 p.m.
Don Wright Faculty of Music – UWOpera presents
Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro. Paul Davenport
Theatre. 8 p.m. Tickets sold in advance through
Orchestra London 519-679-8778. $30/ $25 seniors,
students.
Men’s Volleyball – Windsor at Western. 8 p.m.
January 29
Women’s Hockey – York at Western. 4 p.m.
Women’s / Men’s Wrestling – Western Open. 9
a.m. – 5 p.m.
!
ays for Brunch
Now open Sund
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We are Fully Lic
Western Staff & Leaders’ Conference – Registration begins today at 9 a.m. Visit: uwo.ca/humanresources/conference/registration.htm .
2 7 ,
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ACCESS
WESTERN NEWS
Advertising
For rates and information, contact advertise@
uwo.ca.
Coming Events
Seminars, sporting events, lectures and cultural
events for the coming week. Send submissions
at least two weeks in advance to comingevents@
uwo.ca. Events may also be posted on the online
events calendar at uwo.ca.
Conference Calendar
Scholarly conferences at Western or in London.
comingevents@uwo.ca.
Faculty & Staff
Have you presented a scientific paper, earned
a milestone appointment or published a new
book? newseditor@uwo.ca.
Letter to the Editor
Offer praise, criticism or a fresh take on the
news, or any aspect of campus life. Up to 300
words. newseditor@uwo.ca.
Opinions
Western News welcomes Viewpoint articles of
600 words. Offer your perspective on campus
and post-secondary issues. Send submissions or
find out more at newseditor@uwo.ca.
Public Space
Tell campus neighbours what’s new in your
department in 500 words or fewer. neweditor@
uwo.ca.
Tribute
We recognize significant accomplishments by
faculty, staff and students. Submit 200 words or
fewer about the award and the winner. newseditor@uwo.ca.
A British Pub - Home of the London English FC.
Writing Support Centre – Writing in the Social
Sciences. WSS Room 3134, 1:30 – 2:30 p.m. Register
at sdc.uwo.ca/writing.
Pub Stumpers Trivia
8pm Wednesdays
February 2
Writing Support Centre – Punctuation Primer.
WSS Room 3134, 1:30 – 2:30 p.m. Register at sdc.
uwo.ca/writing.
Toastmaster’s Campus Communicators - Build
your confidence in public speaking. Meets every
Wednesday 12-1, UCC 147B unless noted otherwise
on website: cctm.freetoasthost.info/ . Contact
Donna Moore, dmoore@uwo.ca or 85159.
Ask your server about our Western Student, Faculty & Staff discount.
580 Talbot Street (at Albert)
519-432-1001 www.coatesofarms.ca
The Department of Modern Languages and
Literatures - presents “La Tertulia” Spanish
Conversation Group. Anyone wishing to speak
Spanish and meet people from different Spanishspeaking countries is welcome. Wednesdays at
3:30 p.m. UC 117. Email tertulia@uwo.ca .
Men’s Basketball – Brock at Western. 7 p.m.
Please send submissions to comingevents@uwo.ca
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WALK TO WESTERN
Furnished executive rental within walking
distance to University Hospital, shopping,
Catholic and Public grade schools &
Banting Secondary School. You can also
walk to the Aquatic Centre and indoor ice
skating rinks. This 3+1 bedroom, 2 bath
home backs onto a forested park and boasts
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14
J A N U A R Y
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2 0 1 1 W E S T E R N
N E W S
Goldman Sachs sparks debate London looking
B y P a u l M ay n e
M
embers of Senate, as
well as the Committee
on Academic Policy and
Awards, have raised concerns
about a potential student award
at Western from U.S.-based Goldman Sachs.
The Goldman Sachs Scholars
Fund MBA Award, valued at
$35,000, has some senators questioning whether or not the university should accept the financial
incentive citing, among other concerns, the company’s civil fraud
case in which they were fined
$550 million for deceiving investors.
The award would be given
annually to a full-time student
entering the MBA program at the
Richard Ivey School of Business.
“We made a decision to go
back to review the donor acceptance policy, which does allow
for – when concerns are raised by
members of the community – it is
to be referred back to the board,”
says External Vice-President
Kevin Goldthorp. “The board will
review this donation to ensure
acceptability by the university
and, of course, it meets the stan-
dards of the university.”
Other scholarships/awards
passed by Senate include:
•C
ornell Prize in Aviation Law –
Awarded annually to the Social
Science/Management and
Organizational Studies student
receiving the highest mark in
the Aviation Law course, the
$500 award was established by
Justice Cornell;
•R
obert K Swartman Award for
Innovation – Awarded to a fulltime student third- or fourthyear Engineering student, the
$2,500 award was established by
Tim Kwan 9BESc’73) in honour
of Professor Robert Swartman;
• Dr. Mark Cohen Ophthalmology Scholarship – Awarded to
any full-time student pursuing
a residency or graduate program in ophthalmology in the
Doctor of Medicine program at
the Schulich School of Medicine
& Dentistry, the $1,500 scholarship was established by MD
Medical Marketing;
•R
obert J Gorman MBA Scholarship – Awarded to a full-time
student entering the MBA program at Ivey, the $4,000 scholarship was established by a
donation from Robert Gorman
POSTGRADUATE
CERTIFICAT ES
Financial Planning
Global Business Management
Human Resources Management
International Development
International Marketing
Marketing Management
Public Administration
to Foundation Western.
WESTERN EYES MORE
BEDS FOR CAMPUS
With the university’s new enrolment strategy in the works, and
Western’s residences currently
at their outer limit, work is underway to determine the proper
course of action to meet these
increased needs.
“Recently projected increases
in domestic and international
student enrolment will require
additional new beds at Western,
if we are to maintain our firstyear guaranteed residence,” says
Provost and Vice-President (Academic) Janice Deakin.
In terms of planning, she adds
Vice-President (Resources &
Operations) Gitta Kulczycki is
leading a planning exercise to
explore various options for residence capacity expansion, both at
the undergraduate and graduate
levels.
Later this month, a recommendation will be put forward to the
Board of Governors to approve
the hiring of an external consultant to help with the development
of the plans.
to keep more
Western graduates
B y H e at h e r T r av i s
T
he City of London needs to do
a better job of selling itself
to University of Western
Ontario graduates as a great place
to work and live, says Phil Hunt
of the London Economic Development Corporation.
Hunt is helping to organize the
4th annual Student-2-Business Networking Conference held today
(Jan. 27) at the London Convention
Centre. He believes the city has to
step up its game in order to stay
competitive and retain some of the
brightest minds in the area. The
statistics are staggering for the
number of Western students who
remain in London after graduation.
The numbers don’t even compare
to Fanshawe College graduates,
many of whom are recruited from
the London area.
Many Western students come to
London from the Greater Toronto
Area or from other parts of Southwestern Ontario to study – decisions about where to live after
graduation is an afterthought.
“I think it’s harder to keep Western students here than it is for
Fanshawe students because more
Western students come from outside London,” Hunt says. “I think
a lot of Western students can go
through their three or four years
here without really knowing what
kind of business community London has.
“If we have events like this
where they get to kind-of meet
and greet the business leaders of
the city, then some of them might
say, ‘Wow, there are a lot of great
companies here.’”
The Student-2-Business Networking conference isn’t a job fair.
It is an opportunity for students to
connect with about 200 industry
leaders and community agencies in
areas such as advanced manufacturing, life sciences, information
technology, digital media, media
and communications, construction, business services and notfor-profit.
The event is open to all students, not just those graduating.
The cost is $10, which will buy
students access to workshops, a
keynote address and two hours of
networking opportunities. A complimentary bus pickup at Natural
Sciences Centre will be available
and will drop off at the London
Convention Centre.
Listed by Forbes as one of the
top certified personal brand strategists, keynote speaker Paul Copcutt will talk to students about why
realizing your strengths and specializations are the keys to success
in developing a personal brand.
“Personal brand strategy is
about ‘how do you make yourself
stand out?’ What differentiates you
that gives you a competitive advantage?” Hunt says.
In addition to being home to
many leading companies, London
is a great place to start a career
because of the city’s size, affordability and entertainment venues,
he notes.
“We are kind-of on the cusp of a
labour shortage, where the Boomers are retiring and companies
are becoming aware of the fact
other groups are going to have to
pick up the slack, such as students
or recent immigrants,” he says.
“(Companies) all recognize that
London, to continue growing the
economy and growing their businesses, needs to retain a higher
number of high quality students
than we have in the past.”
Students looking towards future
job prospects or just wanting to
secure summer employment are
encouraged to attend the event.
For more information and the event
www schedule
for the Student-2-Business
business.humber.ca
Networking Conference, visit www.s2b.ca or
drop by the London Convention Centre at
12:30 p.m. to get registered. Bus service from
Western begins at noon and the last pickup
at the London Convention Centre
will be at 8 p.m.
W E S T E R N
N E W S J A N U A R Y
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New Faculty Profile
‘Adventurous one’
speaks to love
of languages
Heather Travis, Western News
Now an assistant professor in The University of Western Ontario’s modern languages department, Silvia Perpiñán continues to open the eyes of her students to other cultures. Perpiñán teaches
undergraduate and graduate linguistics in Hispanic studies.
By Nicholas Mizera
W
hen Silvia Perpiñán helped
restart a study-abroad program at the University of
Illinois, she had one of the most
rewarding moments of her young
teaching career.
“We took students from Illinois
to Barcelona, Spain,” she says.
“The language, the culture, the
everything – the food. It really was
a life-changing experience.”
Now an assistant professor in
The University of Western Ontario’s modern languages department,
the Barcelona native continues to
open the eyes of her students to
other cultures. Perpiñán teaches
undergraduate and graduate linguistics in Hispanic studies.
Growing up speaking Spanish
and Catalan, the regional language
of Catalonia, Perpiñán calls herself
a rare student who knew linguistics
was her passion since her time at
Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona in 1996.
“I always liked languages and
the structure of the language,” she
says. “How they work – how the
system works within itself.”
Perpiñán’s parents, both natives
of central Spain’s Castile region,
worked hard to provide a university education to the whole family including Perpiñán and three older
brothers. Pointing to a picture of a
smiling family, Perpiñán adds she
ended up being “the most adventurous one,” travelling abroad instead
of staying close to home.
A year before graduation, Perpiñán earned a fellowship to study in
Edinburgh, Scotland. It was there
she realized she wanted to continue
her studies away from Barcelona.
In 2002, she completed her fiveyear degree in Hispanic philology.
After a year working, she moved
to the Midwestern United States to
pursue her master’s and doctorate
degrees in linguistics at the University of Illinois.
“It’s a small campus town, and
I loved it from the very beginning. Everybody complains about
Urbana-Champaign because it’s
small, but it’s this international
community with lots of students,”
she says. “It’s kind of the ideal
community.”
It was at the University of Illinois that she got her start as a
future professor.
Perpiñán was asked to instruct
linguistics classes in the Spanish,
Italian and Portuguese department. In time, she went from being
a teaching assistant for undergraduate classes to starting her
dissertation.
Her dissertation about second
language acquisition focuses on
how people pick up the basics of
another language. She investigated
how a person’s first language both
helps and hinders learning a second.
“I tried to tease apart what
comes from the first language and
what comes from universal grammar,” she explains.
With her dissertation behind her,
Silvia Perpiñán
• Perpiñán has been a lover of
opera since she first heard
Wagner’s “Lohengrin” at
Barcelona’s famed Lyceum
theatre.
• The self-proclaimed Yogini has
been practicing Yoga for more
than four years.
• You might notice her distinctly
European sense of style – her
favourite labels include Miu Miu
and Chanel.
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she completed her PhD in 2010,
building on her 2004 master’s
degree. Since arriving at Western,
she has spoken at two conferences,
including one in Washington, D.C.
While in D.C., she avoided obvious tourist spots like the White
House. Instead, she saw a single
exhibition at the Smithsonian
American Art Museum. To her,
that was more rewarding.
“I prefer to understand the
culture and how that place grew,
more than seeing the typical places
you’re expected to see.”
At another conference at Michigan State University last year,
Perpiñán met Camelia Nunez. The
28-year-old is now one of Perpiñán’s graduate students at Western.
Nunez was invited to attend the
presentations for candidates interested in Perpiñán’s job earlier in
the year. It was there she stood out
as the right choice for the department.
“She makes you feel like she’s
your friend, not just your professor,” Nunez says. “The fact that she
takes an interest in what you have
to say makes it easier to connect
with her.”
And feeling a connection with
her students and the university
means just as much to Perpiñán.
“It was more finding a place
where I could feel comfortable and
I could meet their expectations,
and their program could meet my
expectations,” she says.
As for her coming year at Western, Perpiñán says she is balancing
finding time to write papers for
publishing, preparing classes and
doing administrative work.
But for now, she sets a single,
lofty goal. “My goal this year – is to
survive,” she laughs.
16
J A N U A R Y
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N E W S
Western makes largest-ever donation to United Way
Heather Travis, Western News
Local United Way-funded agencies helped The University of Western Ontario reveal its campaign results by sending the donation total to volunteers’ iPads during the announcement in the Great
Hall on Monday, Jan. 24.
B y H e at h e r T r av i s
T
he University of Western
Ontario community reached
deep into their pockets to
help those in need and in doing so
made a record-breaking $631,487
donation to United Way of London
& Middlesex.
The total surpasses last year’s
donation of $590,383 and pushes
well past the university’s goal of
$600,000. It is the largest donation
ever made to the local United Way.
The need in the local community
continues to grow as many families feel the financial strain of job
losses and reduced resources, says
Andrew Lockie, CEO of the local
United Way. But the dollars provided by the Western community
will stretch across several services
and local support agencies funded
by the United Way to help those in
need.
“This is truly a remarkable
achievement and at the United Way,
it is not one we take lightly,” Lockie
says. “This is a truly spectacular
result and one that so many people
should take pride in, whether you
are a volunteer, a donor or both.
“We can’t forget why we do this.
There is a community out there
that needs us and we are a part of
that community. It’s our job to work
and catch up that community in the
ways we are empowered and mobilized to do that,” he adds.
Western president Amit Chakma
made the Jan. 24 announcement on
behalf of the university’s faculty,
staff, retirees and students at an
event held in the Great Hall. Carol
Stephenson, dean of the Richard
Ivey School of Business and chair
of the 2010 United Way campaign,
joined Chakma in congratulating
the more than 1,330 individual
donors and 100-plus volunteers who
drove the campus campaign well
beyond its goal.
“Western and United Way have
a long and proud history,” Chakma
says. “I commend the commitment and dedication of our campus
United Way volunteers, and sincerely thank our students, faculty,
staff and retirees for their generous
donations, which have a tremendous
impact on the local community.”
In her role as chair of the campaign, Stephenson has witnessed
first-hand the need in the community.
“One of the things I’ve learned is
there is a hidden London we don’t
see everyday where we work and
travel to,” Stephenson says. “What
you have done here at Western is
making a huge difference to the
campaign for London & Middlesex.
While it isn’t all about money, the
money really does help fund the
issues we need to solve in this community.”
Western’s support of this year’s
United Way campaign included the
provision of two sponsored employees: Alex Kulczycki, who worked in
support of Western’s campus campaign, and Kristin Robinson, who
worked in support of the campus
campaign at Fanshawe College.
Since 1994, Western’s campus
community has raised more than
$6.9 million for United Way of London & Middlesex.
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