GAZETTE - Memorial University · GAZETTE A MEMORIAL UNIVERSITY OF NEWFOUNDLAND PUBLICATION Oct. 15,...

MYSTERY SOLVERS Memorial researchers dive to the bottom of an underwater mystery in Smith Sound, Trinity Bay.

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NANO-SCIENCE New solid state sensors are being developed to detect oil contaminants in harsh marine environments.

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VITAL SIGNS New report provides a comprehensive look at key quality of life indicators in Newfoundland and Labrador.

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GAZETTEA M E M O R I A L U N I V E R S I T Y O F N E W F O U N D L A N D P U B L I C AT I O N

Oct. 15, 2014 Volume 47 Number 04

Publication Mail Registration No. 40062527

By Jennifer Batten

UArctic, an international consortium of northern

universities, colleges, research institutes and other

organizations committed to higher education and

research in the North, will bring its annual board of

governors meetings to Memorial University and St.

John’s next week. While visiting the province, experts

with UArctic will present at two concurrent sessions for

students, faculty, staff, researchers and administrators

in the Memorial community with an interest in UArctic

programs and partnership opportunities.

“Memorial University is an important partner in the

development of the North and the Arctic and we look

forward to discovering new and exciting opportunities

to work together,” said Lars Kullerud, president of

UArctic. “The mission of UArctic is to empower the

people of the circumpolar North by providing unique

educational and research opportunities through

collaboration within a powerful network of members.

We are happy to see Memorial’s energy for engaging in

the North.”

Dr. Gary Kachanoski, president and vice-chancellor

of Memorial University, currently serves on the UArctic

board and is pleased to be hosting the group made up

of senior representatives from member institutions.

Every year, the UArctic board meetings are hosted by

a different member organization involved in research,

education and collaboration in the North.

“Memorial University is leading significant research

and education initiatives in Northern regions,” said Dr.

Kachanoski. “Our physical location on the edge of the

North Atlantic provides a rich, living laboratory right

outside our front door. Memorial has earned national

and international distinction in a variety of fields,

including Arctic technology, and we are pleased to

showcase some of our unique resources and capabilities

with the UArctic Board.”

ThE MACphERSON, CLuETT ANd ShIwAk fAMILIES look on as dr. Gary kachanoski, president and vice-chancellor, officially names the new residence Macpherson College, with Cluett hall and Shiwak hall as the east and west wings of the complex, respectively.

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MeMoriAl University has officially named

the new residence complex on its St. John’s campus. The

500-bed facility has been named Macpherson College

and its two wings are Cluett Hall and Shiwak Hall.

The names chosen for the new complex commemorate

the efforts of three Newfoundlanders who served

during the First World War. The complex, Macpherson

College, was named for Dr. Cluny Macpherson, who

invented the gas mask used by British/Newfoundland

troops, and whose family farm once occupied the land

on which Memorial’s St. John’s campus sits today.

Cluett and Shiwak Halls are named for Frances Cluett,

one of Memorial’s earliest alumnae who served with the

Voluntary Aid Detachment, and John Shiwak, an Inuit

hunter who came to be known as one of the best snipers in

the British forces. The names were chosen after extensive

consultation, and align with the broader commemoration

activities within Memorial’s WW100 program.

The state-of-the-art residence was developed with

students’ comfort, convenience, accessibility, safety

and security in mind.

New residence complex named Macpherson College

See residence page 3

By Laura Barron

Northern exposureuniversity of the Arctic leadership set to visit Memorial and share northern knowledge and expertise

See northern page 5The in-flight view on the way to petermann Ice Island.

Gazette | Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2014 2 www.mun.ca/gazette

Bert riGGs (BA(Hons.)’77, B.Ed.’77, MA’12) has a story

to tell. In fact, he’s got thousands. As head of Archives and

Special Collections at the Queen Elizabeth II Library on

Memorial’s St. John’s campus, Mr. Riggs is dedicated to the

research, collection and documentation of the history of

Memorial University and Newfoundland and Labrador. At

the heart of that history lies the Newfoundland Regiment

and the stories of over 6,000 men who enlisted during

the First World War. Gazette contributor David Penney

spoke with Mr. Riggs about his work and what inspires him

to preserve and share the stories of the Regiment.

DP: How did you get started at Memorial?

Br: After I graduated with my first degrees from

MUN in ‘77, I worked for about three years with

the Encyclopedia of Newfoundland project and that

was really how I got my first ‘in’ as an employee at

Memorial. That experience helped me get a short,

grant-funded position that came up in 1984 with the

Centre for Newfoundland Studies (CNS) to organize

the Smallwood papers. That led to other contracts and

eventually a permanent position as archivist at the

CNS when Nancy Grenville retired in 1989. In 2005

the archives was established as a separate unit and I

was successful in seeking the headship of that unit. In

that role I also became an academic staff member and

began lecturing with the Department of History and

Department of English.

DP: Why are the newfoundland regiment and its

history important to you?

Br: Quite simply, it’s at the core of our identity as

a province and a university. What happened to that

generation of young men and women in going to war

shaped our history. And it’s the reason why Memorial

University came into being.

DP: you also have a personal connection to the

regiment, correct?

Br: Yes. I never knew my mother’s father, he died

of tuberculosis at 36, but in the first picture I saw of

him he is wearing a Regiment uniform. He was part of

that last contingent in training who were ready to go

but never went overseas. That photograph is an early

memory for me.

But on another level, what I would describe as a

personal connection has also evolved. I’ll give you an

example. In 1998 I was fortunate to meet James Steele,

whose father and uncle both served in the Regiment.

His uncle, Lieutenant Owen William Steele, was

killed at Beaumont-Hamel. I had read a beautiful

collection of letters written by Lieutenant Steele that

were donated to the archives. So when I met James,

his nephew, there was suddenly a human face to that

story. Over the years I’ve developed friendships with

a number of people who are directly connected to

the Regiment. When people share their history and

actually give papers, photographs and other items to

our collection they are placing an important part of

their life in our trust. It is very personal.

DP: tell me about Memorial’s WW100

commemoration Program.

Br: We are marking the centenary of the First World

War with a range of activities over the next five years.

I’ve been fortunate to be on the steering committee

for World War I commemorations, which has been

appointed by President Kachanoski to co-ordinate

commemorative activities on all our campuses and

also assist others with their ideas and proposals. If

we value the sacrifices that the men who served in

the Royal Newfoundland Regiment and in other

fighting forces made, we owe it to them to be ready

to commemorate their lives. We need to find out as

much about each of them as we can, to bring them

back to the land of the living where they can become

a part of our lives, our memories and our legacy to

future generations.

DP: How do you feel about the naming and

dedication of the new student residence buildings

on the st. John’s campus?

Br: Absolutely delighted. It is an incredibly

important part of the WW100 commemoration

program – a wonderful dedication to the memory

of three individuals from very different walks of life

who made major contributions in their own way. I

think Frances Cluett would be amazed if she were

here today, to see the legacy she created. She was

a very humble woman who came from the small

fishing community of Belleoram, and she was a

heroine to many people. What she did wasn’t for

personal reward or accolades but simply to serve, to

help others. People like Frances Cluett, John Shiwak,

Cluny Macpherson – these are very appropriate

individuals for our students to look to for inspiration.

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

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Bert Riggs

GAZETTEA M E M O R I A L U N I V E R S I T Y O F N E W F O U N D L A N D P U B L I C AT I O N

EdiToR GRAPhics Kelly Foss Mike Mouland

Regular contributors

courtenay AlcockLaura Barron

Jennifer BattenMelanie callahan

Nora dalyKrista davidson

Paula dykeKelly Foss

Pamela Gillsharon GrayJeff Green

Janet harronJill hunt

diane Keough

Jackey LockeVirginia Middleton

cathy NewhookMichelle osmond

david PenneyMarcia PorterKristine Power dave sorensenMelissa Watton

Meaghan Whelansusan Whiteheidi Wicks

Laura Woodford

classified Advertising Photography Kelly hickey chris hammond

AdvertisingMandy cook

Telephone: 709 864 2142Email: [email protected]

Next Gazette deadline oct. 29 for Nov. 5 publication.

The Gazette is published 17 times annually by the division of Marketing and communications at Memorial Uni versity.

Material in the Gazette may be reprinted or broadcast without permission, excepting materials for which the Gazette does not hold exclusive copyright.

Gazette, Room A-1024 Memorial University of Newfoundland st. John’s, NL A1c 5s7 Telephone: 709 864 2142 Fax: 709 864 8699 Email: [email protected] issN 0228-88 77

With the exception of advertisements from Memorial University, ads carried in the Gazette do not imply recommendation by the university for the service or product.

NEW from

Newfoundland and Labrador Studies

Essays on the Great WarA Special Publication of essays from

Newfoundland and Labrador Studies in Commemoration of the 100th Anniversary of WWI

Because they rest in grim Gallipoli; Because they sleep on Beaumont Hamel’s plain;

Because beneath the ever-flowing main Their bodies find a grave eternally

Till the Last Call….— Robert Gear McDonald

Available October 2014isbn: 978-0-9781840-2-5 | paperback | 312 pages | $20.00

www.mun.ca/nls/


For tHe seconD yeAr in a row, two

undergraduate engineering students from Memorial

are the recipients of the Peter Kohler Scholarship.

First-year students Skyler Loveless from Seal

Cove, Fortune Bay and Toni Jerrett from Clarke’s

Beach were chosen from 39 applicants from

Atlantic Canada to receive this substantial award.

Mr. Loveless will receive $50,000 over four years,

while Ms. Jerrett will receive $5,000 for the 2014-15

academic year.

The students, who both plan to study mechanical

engineering, are very grateful to Mr. Kohler for the

awards. While they say the funding means eating

better and increased time for their academics, it’s

also about working hard at everything they do.

“I was thinking about getting a part-time job,

but was afraid of how it would impact my studies

and now I don’t have to,” said Mr. Loveless. “I work

really hard to get good grades. When some of my

friends were playing sports, I was inside studying to

try and get accepted into engineering.”

“I feel all the dedication and hard work I put in

throughout high school and with other activities

really paid off,” said Ms. Jerrett.

Andy Fisher, associate dean, undergraduate

engineering, believes scholarships like the Peter

Kohler Scholarship have far greater impact than just

a financial one for students like Mr. Loveless and

Ms. Jerrett.

“We are very proud of Skyler and Toni. For students

from Memorial to win this scholarship two years in

a row speaks to the caliber of our students,” he said.

“We believe it is important for all of our students

to aim for excellence and to have confidence in

themselves. Financial awards like the Peter Kohler

Scholarship not only enable students to become

more financially independent, but they also teach

the value of hard work and self-confidence.”

Last year’s recipients were Mark Elliott and

Brandon Fitzpatrick.

The Peter Kohler Scholarship is administered

through the Community Foundation of Nova Scotia.

It is a scholarship fund for engineering students in

Atlantic Canada, and to be eligible, applicants must

be enrolled full-time in an engineering program at

a university in Atlantic Canada. The scholarship is

based upon academic standing and financial need

and is eligible to be renewed by the award winner

for up to four years, provided the student maintains

a reasonable standing in his/her program.

sAtUrDAy, Oct. 4, marked the ninth annual Sisters in

Spirit vigil, a ceremony to honour and remember Canada’s

missing and murdered indigenous women, and to support

their families and all those directly or indirectly affected

by this national tragedy.

The Sisters in Spirit initiative was born in 2004 as a

response to the alarming numbers of missing and murdered

indigenous women in Canada – numbers which seemed

to have gone unnoticed by government and society as a

whole. Sisters in Spirit sought to address this issue through

research and education in the hopes of inciting change.

In 2006, 11 vigils were held across Canada. In solidarity

with the growing movement, Memorial University’s

Student Union (MUNSU) began organizing its own Sisters

in Spirit vigils. This year, the MUNSU event had a fantastic

turnout, with over 100 people in attendance. It was one of

216 vigils held across Canada.

In Newfoundland and Labrador alone, indigenous

women constitute between 20 and 25 per cent of the

100 cases of missing/murdered persons recorded since

1763. According to one of the vigil’s speakers, Tama

Ball, statistics indicate indigenous women are three

to four times more likely to go missing in our country.

Considering that indigenous peoples currently make up

a mere three per cent of Canada’s female population,

the over-representation of these women as victims is

shockingly apparent, and yet government action and

social change are slow in coming.

The Sisters in Spirit initiative suggests that part of the

issue lies in depicting our missing women as cold, hard

numbers. As Miriam Saunders, mother of Loretta Saunders,

suggested during the vigil, numbers are just numbers until

you have a face to associate with them.

More often than not, it takes the face of someone you

love in order for the message to get across, but it does

not have to be this way. It is easy to remain indifferent

to quantitative data. After all, they are just numbers. But

missing and murdered indigenous women are not just

numbers. They are victims of systematic oppression. They

are mothers, grandmothers, aunts, sisters, and, more

importantly perhaps, they are people in their own right

with their own stories.

Admittedly, I walked into that Saturday vigil thinking of

the numbers. Despite my interest in the movement, I had

not made a personal connection to it. Within moments

of the vigil’s start, that all changed. Between a heartfelt

poetry reading by vigil host Anita Kora, a breathtaking

performance of Strong Woman’s Song by women’s drum

group, Eastern Owl, and Miriam Saunders’ personal

experience of losing her daughter and granddaughter,

I shared tears with many others in attendance and left

that room empowered by the stories of my sisters. With

stories we connect. Through stories we give identity to the

numbers. Sisters in Spirit insists that we cannot allow our

sisters to remain faceless any longer.

For more information visit www.nwac.ca or contact

Memorial University’s Aboriginal Resource Office.

Samantha Fitzpatrick is a fourth-year English major at Memorial.

She can be reached at [email protected].

Sisters in Spirit The stories behind the numbers

Memorial engineering students repeat scholarship winBy Jackey Locke

Cont’d from residence page 1

STUDENTVIEWSamantha Fitzpatrick

Some of the residence’s features include: study rooms,

kitchen areas and storage rooms on each floor; laundry

and lounge areas in each wing; wireless internet access;

flat-screen TV mounts in every bedroom; an after-

hours check-in counter; eight single bedroom, barrier-

free suites, complete with barrier-free washrooms;

energy-saving lighting system; large, green courtyard

space; security card access; security cameras and more.

Construction of the new residence began in

September 2010. Macpherson College was designed

by John Hearn Architect Inc. and was constructed by

Ellis Don. The complex is Leadership in Energy and

Environmental Design (LEED) certified at the silver

level, which reflects a commitment to sustainability

and green buildings.

Macpherson College provides students with

independent living accommodations along with

guidance and support from the in-house Residence

Life team in order to encourage a successful

transition from life at home. Each wing of the

complex has a full complement of Residence Life

staff, including a residence co-ordinator, resident

assistants and an academic assistant.

The Government of Newfoundland and

Labrador provided an investment of $65 million

for the construction of the 500-bed complex.

This investment is in addition to $45 million for

renovation and refurbishment of existing residences

on the St. John’s campus, and $23.3 million for a

new 200-room residence complex on the Grenfell

Campus in Corner Brook.

“As the new premier, I am honoured to be here today

to take part in the naming ceremony of the new state-

of-the art residence complex Macpherson College,”

said Paul Davis, premier of Newfoundland and

Labrador. “Our government continues to demonstrate

its commitment to provide affordable post-secondary

education and on-campus housing. More students are

pursuing post-secondary education in Newfoundland

and Labrador than ever before and more are coming

from other parts of Canada and around the globe.

This new residence provides a home away from home

for many students as they embark on their academic

careers and build memories that will last a lifetime.”

“Whether it’s building new residences or designing

new labs, investment in education is all about offering

superior teaching and learning opportunities,” said

Dr. Gary Kachanoski, president and vice-chancellor,

Memorial University.

“These investments allow us to set the stage for

individual success now and for future generations of

students and ultimately for the continued success of

Newfoundland and Labrador.”

“Every aspect of Macpherson College is designed

to foster an environment suitable for learning,”

said Hillary Bellows, a student who lives in Shiwak

Hall, Macpherson College. “Along with promoting

academic success, the residence experience guides

students through the transition to independent

living, helps us to develop communication and

leadership skills and teaches us how to network

socially with like-minded individuals. The proximity

to on-campus resources and volunteer opportunities

is another huge asset of living in residence.”

More information about Memorial’s student

residences can be found at www.mun.ca/hfcs/.

from left are scholarship winners Skyler Loveless and Toni Jerrett.

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Gordon Slade celebrates with his five-year-old granddaughter Reese flynn following the presentation of his honorary doctor of laws degree at the Grenfell Campus fall convocation in Corner Brook recently.

NOTABLE

PAPERS AND PRESENTATIONS

CLASSIFIEDS

CORRECTION

Dr. Fereidoon shahidi, Department of Biochemistry,

has recently received three awards in recognition

of his research – the Babcock-Hart Award from the

International Life Science Institute, North America (ISLI

North America) and the Institute of Food Technologists

(IFT) jointly; the Stephen S. Chang Award from the

American Oil Chemists’ Society (AOCS) and the Alton

E. Bailey Award from the American Oil Chemists’

Society (AOCS).

The awards were presented for outstanding and

substantial contributions to lipid science and

technology, muscle foods, natural antioxidants and

functional foods and for advancing the understanding

and application of science related to the nutritional

quality and safety of the food supply; for outstanding

and exemplary research in lipid oxidation,

antioxidants, nutraceuticals and functional foods,

and for outstanding contributions to lipid science and

technology of lipids, respectively.

Dr. Jim Feehan, professor of economics, has

published The Challenge of the Lower Churchill. It

appears as a chapter in the recent anthology First

Among Unequals: The Premier, Politics, and Policy

in Newfoundland and Labrador (McGill-Queen’s

University Press, 2014), which was edited by Dr. Alex

Marland (Political Science – Memorial Univeristy)

and Matthew Kirby (Political Science – University

of Ottawa). Professor Feehan also recently authored

Canada’s Equalization Program: Peering Inside the

Black Box…and Beyond, which has been published

through the University of Calgary’s School of Public

Policy as SPP Research Paper, Volume 7, Issue 24,

September 2014.

Available immediately: Three-bedroom, living room,

kitchen, fridge and stove, fenced backyard, parking for

two vehicles. Rent is $1,000 per month plus utilities.

Requires one year lease. Phone: 754-5445.

House for sale. Located in the Pius X area and in

walking distance to MUN; a two-storey, detached,

older home on a quiet cul-de-sac. House has three

bathrooms and six bedrooms. Approximately

3,200 sq. ft. and four parking spaces. Electrical and

plumbing upgrades in recent years. Patio deck and

storage shed. Opportunity to own real estate in a

prime St. John’s area or use as a student rental. Asking

$425,000. Go to www.town-country.ca for more info

or contact Carol Cantwell at 690-0315.

In the Sept. 24 edition of the Gazette, incorrect

information appeared in a photo caption on page 4.

President Kachanoski is pictured shaking hands with

Anne Husebekk, rector, UiT The Arctic University of

Norway, not Mona Elisabeth Brøther.

By amy tucker

special to the Gazette

Yaffle.ca is Memorial’s online connecting tool. One of its most significant

jobs is to provide a way for people from outside Memorial to ask for

research help. With hundreds of community-suggested opportunities to

choose from, your next project is just a click away. Here’s one …

The opportunity:

Many rural communities throughout the province

have issues with their drinking water; a fact made clear

by the number of boil water advisories in effect at any

given time. But what if the problem is not alleviated

through boiling? The community of Moreton’s

Harbour is facing this challenge first-hand, as testing

has shown very high levels of arsenic in many wells

throughout the area, some of which were over 100

times the acceptable level of Canadian standards.

Unlike bacteria or other organic water contaminants,

arsenic does not disappear after boiling.

“If you are part of a municipal water supply, your

water is tested by government officials. However, it is up

to homeowners to test their own private wells,” said Dr.

Daniel Hewitt, a family physician in Summerford, near

Moreton’s Harbour. “Since people in Moreton’s Harbour

have private water sources, the government urges them

to test their wells. However, that can get expensive

when done correctly. Also, if they do find arsenic, then

they are faced with the challenges and costs of dealing

with it,” he added.

Dr. Hewitt described the potential health effects

of ingesting arsenic, specifically inorganic arsenic,

including increased chances for certain cancers, and

circulation and liver problems. However, he notes the

topic isn’t largely discussed.

“This impacts everyone in the community, from the

elderly to the young, but it is not being talked about

as much as it should be,” he said. “Also, the issues

need to be addressed using a more comprehensive

and robust approach.”

The project:

Dr. Hewitt acknowledges the help he has received

from Memorial so far, and would like a researcher, or

team of researchers, at Memorial to investigate the topic

further and take a coordinated and holistic look at the

water issues in Moreton’s Harbour.

Raising awareness of the issue is important, but

also finding solutions that will work for community

members is also an important factor. The potential

of existing health effects that people may have from

exposure to the contaminant could also be explored.

In addition, studying how industrial developments

may have an impact on arsenic levels is also important,

such as possible disturbances to the water system

caused by potential mining or oil projects.

“I know this is an issue; however, I am not an expert.

I don’t have the practical experience or scientific

knowledge to try and study this and come up with

useful answers. But, hopefully someone at Memorial

can help us come to some understanding of how to

create a healthy drinking water system for everyone in

our community.”

Interested in learning more about this project, or the Harris Centre-

RBC Water Research and Outreach Fund, which is opening in

February? The Harris Centre’s co-ordinator of knowledge mobilization

would be happy to tell you more. Call Amy Tucker at 709-864-6115 or

email [email protected].

yOUR NExT PROjECT

Moreton’s harbour, NL

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Memorial has been a member of

UArctic since 2006. Dr. Keith Chaulk,

director of the Labrador Institute, is

currently serving as vice-president

(Indigenous) with UArctic. In his role,

Dr. Chaulk provides guidance and

leadership related to the integral role

of Indigenous peoples in northern

education and research.

“UArctic presents a unique opportunity

for faculty, staff and students at Memorial

to exchange knowledge and share

expertise with renowned organizations

with similar priorities in the areas

of Arctic research, development and

education,” said Dr. Chaulk.

Both information sessions about

UArctic will take place at Memorial

University’s St. John’s campus on

Monday, Oct. 27. Open to students,

administration and faculty, the first

will take place in the Physical Education

building, room PE-2001, from noon to 1

p.m., and will focus on opportunities for

students to study abroad or take courses

through UArctic member institutions. It

will be hosted by Outi Snellman, vice-

president (organization) and Dr. John

Eichelberger, vice president (academic)

with UArctic. To attend this session,

contact [email protected].

The second session, open to faculty and

researchers, will take place in the Beatrice

Watts Boardroom, room IIC-2014, from

noon until 2 p.m. and will give an

overview of how faculty and researchers

can engage with UArctic, with a focus on

course development. Presentations will be

made by Lars Kullerud, UArctic president,

and Dr. Kari Lane, UArctic vice-president

(research). To attend this session, contact

Moira Finn at [email protected].

Since Memorial became involved

with UArctic, faculty members, staff,

researchers and students have been

involved in collaborations with the

group and its member organizations. An

example of this collaboration are the six

exchange students from the University

of Akureyi last fall who benefited from

Memorial’s relationship with UArctic. The

Marine Institute hosted the third-year

students who were completing a bachelor

of science in fisheries, providing them

with hands-on experience in the local

marine sector that will transfer as credit

to their program of study in Iceland.

This fall, there are nine students from

Greenland, Iceland, Sweden and Norway

completing exchanges at Memorial as

part of the North 2 North exchange

program organized by UArctic.

UArctic has more than 170 member

organizations in the eight Arctic countries

and beyond. It is the North’s only truly

circumpolar higher education institution

and one of the world’s largest education

and research networks.

Cont’d from northern page 1

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RESEARCH STRATEGY

FRAmEwoRkS AT woRk: Memorial’s frameworks in action

The three overarching frameworks guiding Memorial’s future direction — the Research Strategy

Framework, the Teaching and Learning Framework and the Public Engagement Framework —

are the result of several years of consultations with the university community and the people

and organizations of Newfoundland and Labrador. This regular feature will help showcase

the frameworks in action by sharing projects and highlighting the successes that are bringing

them to life.

Memorial university faculty members with fellowships bring prestige and opportunities to the university community.

Talented faculty build upon Memorial’s reputation

By Krista davidson

since 2000, Memorial faculty

members have been making a

dramatic climb on the national and

international academic platform,

securing fellowships and positions

among the country’s most distinguished

academics and professions.

The Royal Society of Canada

(RSC), for example, has a rich 130-

year history with more than 2,000

current members in their fellowship.

Scholars, artists and scientists in

Canada regard a fellowship in the

RSC as one of the highest honours

that can be attained.

To date, Memorial has 25 faculty

members who have been inducted into

the RSC, with 15 of those occurring in

the last 14 years, a dramatic increase

in a short span of time.

“Induction into the RSC, and other

professional and academic peer-

elected organizations, means our top

scholars are sitting at the table with the

country’s influencers and policymakers,

and helping them make informed and

valued decisions about our present

and future,” said Dr. Ray Gosine, vice-

president (research), pro tempore.

“In addition, their worthy distinction

as international leaders helps build the

reputation of this university, which

unleashes countless opportunities for

their peers and colleagues, as well as

our current and future students.”

This increased presence and

recognition of Memorial’s faculty also

supports the university’s Strategic

Research Intensity Plan 2014-2020,

which has the ambitious goal to

“become one of the most distinguished

public universities in Canada and

beyond.” The plan, to be implemented

by the end of 2020, will take an

integrated approach to strengthen

all aspects of research at Memorial

University, including scholarship

and creative activities. An increased

national presence from Memorial

certainly provides more opportunities

to accomplishing this goal.

“There is no question that election

to the Royal Society of Canada brings

prestige to the individual scholars

so honoured and to their university.

I’m delighted, therefore, to see the

Memorial University contingent of

RSC members grow,” said Dr. Beverley

Diamond, a fellow of the RSC’s

Academy of Arts and Humanities

since 2008, and a faculty member

with Memorial’s School of Music and

Faculty of Arts.

“But it is not just about prestige.

The Royal Society has a powerful voice

in arguing for the value of research.

Their co-authored position papers on

significant social issues make a more

powerful impact than any individual

scholar could.”

Similarly, Memorial is increasing

its presence in other accomplished,

peer-elected groups. In 2014, five

faculty members and/or alumni

were inducted into the Canadian

Academy of Engineering (CAE), which

comprises many of the country’s most

accomplished engineers.

Memorial has also seen an increase

of faculty inducted as fellows into the

Canadian Academy of Health Sciences

(CAHS). The Academy credits their

fellows with having an outstanding

performance in academic health

sciences in Canada. There have been

11 fellows elected from Memorial since

2005, six of whom were inducted in

the last four years alone.

While membership in these exclusive,

highly reputable organizations isn’t

the only measure of quality and

excellence in universities, it certainly

is an indicator of the extraordinary

talent, hard work and dedication of

Memorial’s faculty and alum.


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WitH A FloUrisH of scissors,

the ribbon was cut on Oct. 1 to mark

the official opening of Memorial

University’s new Medical Education

Centre.

The ceremonial ribbon cutting was

done by Lieutenant-Governor his

Honour Frank Fagan and her Honour

Patricia Fagan; Paul Davis, premier of

Newfoundland and Labrador; Steve

Kent, deputy premier and minister

of health; Dr. Susan Dyer Knight,

chancellor of Memorial; Dr. Gary

Kachanoski, president of Memorial;

Dr. James Rourke, dean of medicine

and Janine Flaherty-Woodland, a first-

year medical student.

The Medical Education Centre

is located on the first two floors of

the Faculty of Medicine’s expansion

building, located east of the Health

Sciences Centre. The additional space

has already allowed the Faculty of

Medicine to increase the entering

class size from 60 to 80, with all of the

additional 20 seats reserved for students

from Newfoundland and Labrador.

Premier Davis said the Medical Education

Centre will provide more opportunities to

train and develop top quality physicians

right here in Newfoundland and Labrador.

“Our government is proud to have

contributed nearly $22 million for this

project. The new learning tools offered at

the centre, coupled with the expansion

of the medical school class size, further

builds on the Faculty of Medicine’s

exceptional programming and success

in educating students from our province

and around the world.”

Dr. Kachanoski thanked government for

its support. “The Medical Education Centre

is a milestone in the growth of the Faculty

of Medicine at Memorial University.

That growth began in 2013 and we now

have two medical school classes with 80

students – many of whom, if recent history

is any indication, will soon spread out to

the far corners of the province to start

their practice, which is great news for rural

Newfoundland and Labrador.”

At the heart of the Medical Education

Centre is a state-of-the-art simulation

lab known as the Clinical Learning and

Simulation Centre (CLSC). The centre

amalgamates three support units that

include the standardized patient unit,

the high-fidelity simulation unit and the

surgical skills unit. Tours of the CLSC were a

popular highlight at the opening on Oct. 1.

Through simulation in many forms,

students develop preparedness and insight

that can only come from practising real-

life scenarios in a controlled environment.

“Experience in the simulation lab will

result in improved performance, quicker

response time and increased confidence

and competence,” said Dr. Rourke. “In

the long run, this will improve patient

safety and promote the teamwork,

communication and collaboration that

is so critical to health-care delivery.”

In addition to the Clinical Learning

and Simulation Centre, the new Medical

Education Centre includes expanded

and updated lecture theatres and small

group learning rooms, and educational

support units.

tHe DeeP WAters of Smith

Sound, Trinity Bay, hold many mysteries.

Why did Smith Sound have a strong and

vibrant cod stock during the moratorium?

What happened to vessels that sank in the

1890s during an ice storm? Are there really

internal standing waves, or seiches, in the

waters and what drives them?

These are questions surrounding one of

the longest fjords along the coast of the

island, questions that no one has been

able to answer. A team of researchers

from Memorial’s Marine Environmental

Research Laboratory for Intelligent

Vehicles (MERLIN) is searching for those

answers in hopes of uncovering the

mysteries of Smith Sound.

MERLIN researchers from the faculties

of Engineering and Applied Science,

Science and Arts are using an explorer-

class autonomous underwater vehicle

(AUV) called DORA (Deep Ocean Research

AUV). Dora the Explorer provides 3D

images of the seafloor, information on the

seafloor topography and can even detect

shipwrecks on the ocean floor.

During phase one, which took place

this past June, the AUV conducted a

preliminary multi-beam survey from the

surface. The survey provided an accurate

map of the bottom of the sound.

“Existing charts for the area

only provide soundings, or depth

measurements, at point locations,”

explained Dr. Dan Walker, lead researcher

of the project. “That’s fine for a ship or

boat at the surface, because it’s not in

danger of hitting anything in 150 or

200-metres of water.”

For phase two, in early July, the AUV

dove to the bottom of the ocean and

mapped seabed from approximately

20-metres altitude.

“We used the multi-beam sonar again

and improved the bathymetric map

developed in phase one,” said Dr. Walker.

“The closer the sonar is to the sea floor, the

higher the resolution so we were able to see

images or obstructions very clearly. The

AUV has other types of sonar as well – a

side-scan sonar and a sub-bottom profiler.

The side-scan sonar sends signals from

the side of the vehicle to provide a three-

dimensional picture of rocks, wrecks, etc.

on the sea floor, which determines sizes

and shapes of rocks and other objects

on the seafloor. The sub-bottom profiler

sends a signal into the sediment and can

look into the mud to see things that other

sonars cannot detect.”

The MERLIN team wants to get a clear

picture of the sound’s seafloor, to know

if it’s rocky, sandy or muddy, and if it’s

rocky, they want to know how big those

rocks are. This knowledge will help them

understand why codfish were plentiful in

Smith Sound during the moratorium.

“The principal goal of our research was

sea floor characterization, which tells us

what type of sediment is on the sea floor,

for example mud, silt, rock or sand,” said

Dr. Walker. “Based on differing acoustic

responses, we can determine patches of

mud or rock.

“However, some members of the team

have an interest in archaeology and

were able to use the data we collected

to establish potential locations of

shipwrecks that may have occurred

during the late 1800s, shipwrecks that

remain a mystery today.”

While the results of the survey are still

being compiled and more work needs

to be done, the team is very excited

about what they’ve learned so far. Multi-

beam results, along with a subsequent

bottom ground-truthing program using

grab samples, which involves taking, or

grabbing, actual samples from the sea

floor to determine the type of sediment

have allowed the team to develop a

preliminary habitat map. Initial side-

scan results have highlighted potential

shipwrecks that can be explored using

remotely operated vehicles and future

programs will, hopefully, increase their

knowledge and expertise when using

AUVs to explore deeper locations.

Mystery solversdiving into the mysteries of Smith Sound

By Jackey Locke

Ceremonial opening for Medical Education CentreBy sharon Gray

A side scan sonar image of potential shipwreck (circled). The target is approximately 10 feet wide by 60 feet long at a water depth of 655 feet. Rock type features and an outcropping are also visible.

preparing to launch dora in Lower Lance Cove, Trinity Bay. pictured are graduate student katherine Macpherson and Research Lab Coordinator Ron Lewis.

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Cutting the ribbon to mark the official opening of the new Medical Education Centre.


iF neWFoUnDlAnD and Labrador was made up

of 100 people, there would be 49 males and 51 females.

Their average age would be 44, with a life expectancy of

78.9 years and 40 would live on the Northeast Avalon. Five

would live in Labrador. There would be 57 people between

the ages of 25 and 64 and 15 younger than 15-years-old.

This information, and much more, can be found in

Vital Signs, the province’s first annual report on key

quality of life indicators in Newfoundland and Labrador.

The Community Foundation of Newfoundland and

Labrador (CFNL) recently released the report, in

partnership with the Harris Centre, at a launch event

with community stakeholders and expert contributors.

As part of a unique partnership with TC Media, the full

report was also printed as an insert in every copy of The

Telegram and appeared in each of TC Media’s regional

papers across the province.

As part of Community Foundations of Canada’s national

Vital Signs program, the report provides a comprehensive,

reader-friendly look at how Newfoundland and Labrador

communities are faring in key issue areas.

“We are so pleased to be presenting the province’s first

Vital Signs report,” said Jennifer Guy, chair of CFNL. “This

report marks the beginning of an ongoing discussion

about the health of our province. We want to bring

community organizations and leaders into the discussion

and use this report as a way to work together to build

stronger communities.”

The report looks at 13 different quality of life indicators

across 12 different regions in the province: the gap between

rich and poor, safety, health, learning, housing, youth,

newcomers, arts and culture, environment, population,

economy, belonging and leadership and transportation.

“Taking a regional approach to the report was critical

for us in this first edition,” said Dr. Rob Greenwood,

executive director, Harris Centre. “For lots of issues, we

can’t tell the real story without telling the regional story.

We have a large province and each region has its own

unique set of strengths and challenges. The real value of

this type of work comes from looking at the information

from a regional perspective.”

The aim of the report, Dr. Greenwood explains,

is to give community organizations, policy makers

and individuals information that will enable them to

build on their strengths, address challenges and make

informed policy decisions.

“Lots of the information in the report is not new

– we know we have an aging population, we know

we have high rates of diabetes in this province – but

having the information all together in one place gives

communities a tool to build on,” said Ms. Guy. “We hope

this report will provide insight, fuel discussions, inform

decisions, prompt partnerships and inspire action in our

communities.”

The report can be viewed online at www.vitalsignsnl.

ca. It was made possible with support from Oceanex,

Telus, Municipalities Newfoundland and Labrador,

Crosbie Group Limited, FFAW-UNIFOR, Memorial

University’s Faculty of Medicine and Choices for Youth.

every 11 MinUtes a Canadian dies as a result

of tobacco use (Health Canada). The dangers of smoking

are no secret – cardiovascular and lung disease, cancer,

spontaneous abortions, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome,

premature aging and more. Despite declining national

rates, one in six Canadians still smoke.

“A cigarette is the only drug I know that is guaranteed

to kill at least half the people who use it,” said Dr. Leslie

Phillips, School of Pharmacy, who recently pledged to start

counseling her patients on smoking cessation. The pledge

follows the Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists

(CSHP) 2015 Initiative – a campaign that focuses on ‘a

vision of Pharmacy Practice Excellence by 2015.’

She researched smoking cessation literature and

completed online continuing education programs,

including the Canadian Pharmacists Association’s QUIT:

Quit Using and Inhaling Tobacco.

Then Dr. Phillips created a plan on how to ask patients

about smoking, assess their willingness to quit and motivate

them to do it, and how to assist in the cessation process. She

planned the information she would cover in each visit, and

which supplementary materials she would require.

“I work in a mental health practice and perhaps the

most significant non-psychiatric health issue facing my

clients is smoking, so it’s logical for me to want to expand

my knowledge in this area,” she said. “When smokers quit,

the health benefits to our population are immeasurable.

Pharmacists are uniquely positioned to make this happen.”

Her colleague, Karen Brown, was a smoker for over 40

years and agreed to act as “a guinea pig, of sorts.” The

pair began working together in February 2014. She has

been a non-smoker ever since.

Ms. Brown confessed she experienced some sleepless

nights in the early weeks. It was difficult to resist her

triggers – coffee and being with friends who smoked. But

she soon adopted the one-day-at-a-time mentality.

“As a day turned into a week, then a month, I started

feeling proud to think of myself as a non-smoker. I

remember seeing my doctor for the first time since

quitting and blurting out, ‘I’m a non-smoker!’ I felt a

huge sense of accomplishment.”

Dr. Phillips plans to encourage her fellow pharmacists

to be more proactive in smoking cessation, and train her

pharmacy students to perform counseling. She hopes

to offer a student-operated traveling “Quit Clinic”

next summer.

“We could go around to family practice settings and offer

the service,” she said. “As of this October, the Newfoundland

and Labrador Prescription Drug Program will be subsidizing

the cost of some prescription smoking cessation products,

and this year’s Pharmacists Association of Newfoundland

and Labrador Annual Conference put out a request for

pharmacists to speak about smoking cessation. It also fits

in well with the movement towards an expanded scope of

practice. It’s an opportune time to offer this service.”

While some resources for smoking cessation do

exist in Newfoundland and Labrador, Dr. Carlo Marra,

dean, School of Pharmacy, believes that there are

opportunities for pharmacies to offer more personal

and hands-on quit strategies.

“Even though the majority of smokers want to quit, many

are not routinely approached by a health care professional,

and only about 20 per cent of people who have tried

quitting have used a smoking cessation aid – despite that

smoking cessation medications double, and in some cases

triple, the chances of abstinence. Since pharmacists are the

most accessible health care professionals – and pharmacies

across Canada do offer these services – the benefits of

offering such a service in this province are vast.”

The benefits are certainly there as far as Ms. Brown is

concerned.

“I so enjoy that I can breathe without having a rattle,

my coffee tastes wonderful, and life is easier now. I’m

not always looking at my watch wondering when I can

go for my next cigarette and I no longer look around

the room hoping to find another smoker. Right now I

cannot imagine smoking again.”

(L-R): karen Brown and dr. Leslie phillips.

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Pharmacists help patients kick ‘butt’By heidi Wicks

New report captures Vital Signs of the provinceBy Cathy newhook

The cover of Vital Signs, the first annual report on key quality of life indicators in Newfoundland and Labrador.


By marcia porter

lectUre rooM 256 in the School of

Nursing buzzed with the sound of student

voices.

Into the chatter walked Anush Noziri, a

second-year nursing student and new peer

mentor in the school’s brand new peer

mentoring program. Mr. Noziri is from

Tajikistan by way of New York; his mentee

is first-year Tim Maher from the Goulds.

“I love being involved with the

university,” said Anush. “I love helping

people and since I am a second-year student

I can help. I can tell (Tim) about things

like our courses and clinicals. I can tell

him how awesome it is here. This would

have been a nice program to have when I

was a new student.”

Judging by turnout for this information

session, there’s a high level of interest in

the peer-mentoring program among first-

years and more senior level students.

“One of the big things we noticed as

fourth-year students is the culture of

nursing school is very different from that

of other faculties,” said Emilee Downey, a

member of the Nursing Society and one

of the members of the Canadian Nursing

Students’ Association (CNSA) who helped

develop the program.

“We rely heavily on our classmates

over our four years and (near the end of

the program) you always hear fourth-

years say, ‘We are one big family here.’

So we thought, why not bring these first-

years together and help them make the

transition, help them adapt.”

During last year’s national CNSA

conference in Vancouver, when nursing

students from across the country met

to network and share ideas, nursing

delegates discovered a real desire among

nursing students for peer mentoring.

“This program is about making

connections,” said Ms. Downey. “Often

in first semester some students don’t

succeed and they drop out. Why? We

want to help them make their experience

as positive as possible.”

“Anyone who’s in nursing understands

there are a lot of stressful things in nursing

school,” said Megan Carey, a fourth-year

student who also worked on development

of the new program. “It’s such a big

transition, especially from high school.”

The peer-mentoring program also has

a faculty advisor who serves as a resource

for students. Over the year, Prof. Lynn

Cooze will evaluate the program to see

if it lives up to expectations and meets

student needs.

By marcia porter

tHey DiDn’t Go expecting to change the world,

but helping about 600 of Honduras’ poor felt pretty good

to a contingent of nursing students.

“It was so rewarding,” said Jordan Chapman, who,

along with 29 nursing, medicine, pharmacy and science

students, spent 10 days this past summer setting up and

helping staff a health clinic that operated out of a small

village school in rural Honduras.

“This was about having a chance to help people and

change things a few lives at a time,” she said. “We were

kind of skeptical at first. I mean, how could we make a

difference? We were only a few people.”

But there’s nothing quite like first-hand experience. The

small, makeshift clinic drew adults and children of all ages

from small villages and communities in the region, which

is about four hours outside the capital of Honduras.

“It really surprised me that there were people who

walked for hours barefoot just to get to a clinic,” said

student Jess Conrad. “We were open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

and the temperatures were 40-degrees plus. People waited

in line for hours and didn’t complain at all.”

“We saw things that we would never expect to see here

(in Canada), things that we would have gone to the doctor

for right away,” said Ms. Chapman. “We saw people with

blood glucose levels over 20 − normal usually ranges

between 4-6 − blood clots, kidney failure and liver failure,

people who were sent to hospital right away.”

The student contingent was Memorial’s first Global

Brigades chapter, which is a student-led organization that

works in four countries, including Honduras. It’s better

known to American university and college students.

Students worked for a week alongside their Memorial

colleagues, Honduran students their own age and also a

Honduran doctor, dentist and translator. They provided

medicine and medical supplies and hired the local medical

team using funds raised during the previous school year.

“It was really cool to see everyone come together,” said

Ms. Conrad. “In nursing you need to work as a team.”

Ms. Chapman, Ms. Conrad and many other students are

planning their return to a different part of Honduras next

summer. With a growing interest in the Global Brigades

program, they hope to set up medical and water brigades.

Contact Jordan Chapman at [email protected] for more

information.

Making a differenceStudent contingent works to change a few lives at a time in honduras

Nursing students pair up for peer mentoring

(L-R) Maria pinto, Alyssa fleming and Jordan Chapman having fun with a honduran health practitioner.

(L-R) first-year nursing student Tim Mayer and Anush Nozori, in his second year at the School of Nursing, have paired up for the new peer mentoring program.

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tHe FooD ADvocAcy Research Network at

Memorial (FARM) is celebrating World Food Month

with a discussion on Oct. 22 focused on the future of

Newfoundland and Labrador’s food system.

Designing NL Food Futures: A Roundtable Discussion

will feature speakers from various areas of the province’s

food system who will share their own visions of what our

food system will be, or should look like, by the year 2025.

Participants include chefs Todd Perrin of Mallard Cottage

and Andrea Maunder of Bacalao, farmers Evan Murray and

Mary Lester, food security educator Kirstie Jamieson, and

graduate student Chloe Poitevin of the Too Big To Ignore

project (small scale fisheries).

“The purpose of the roundtable is to reveal the complex-

ity of the Newfoundland and Labrador food system; it has

many angles that need to be better understood if we are to

create a healthier, accessible and sustainable food system in

the future,” said Dr. Lynne Phillips, dean of arts and FARM

committee chair. “We hope that the roundtable will also

show the food system is something in which we all play a

part, even if only as eaters, and in which we all have cer-

tain responsibilities – this is called food citizenship.”

The lunchtime event takes place from 12 to 2 p.m. at the

North Bank Lodge in Pippy Park on Oct. 22. A light lunch

will be available, courtesy of Mallard Cottage and Bacalao.

This event is free but registration is required. Please email

[email protected] to register. Designing NL Food Futures

is supported by the Public Engagement Framework of

Memorial University.

fARM presents a discussion on Newfoundland’s food future Oct. 22 at North Bank Lodge.

food futuresfARM to host roundtable on food systems

By Janet harron

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MeMoriAl University is

at the centre of two international,

multimillion dollar projects to get a

better understanding of the role of the

Labrador Sea in the Earth’s climate

system.

The Ventilation, Interactions and

Transports Across the Labrador Sea, or

VITALs, is a pan-Canadian initiative,

which includes scientists from 11

Canadian universities, multiple federal

government laboratories, and industrial

and foreign partners.

The research network is attempting to

understand and model the functioning

and vulnerability of the Labrador

Sea including its uptake of oxygen,

carbon and heat exchange with the

atmosphere. These interactions are

poorly understood and actively evolving

under changing climate conditions.

Researchers believe new observations

and modelling will help determine

what controls these exchanges and how

they interact with a varying climate,

providing better information for future

climate prediction.

“The Labrador Sea is one of the

three areas on the planet where deep

water forms,” explained Dr. Brad de

Young, Department of Physics and

Physical Oceanography. “Which

means it’s where the deep ocean

breathes the atmosphere. We want to

measure how that happens and what

the scale of it is.”

Memorial’s role is focused on the

deployment of instruments and

numerical modelling. This summer, Dr.

de Young led a team, including Dr. Ralf

Bachmayer, Faculty of Engineering and

Applied Science, and Dr. Evan Edinger,

Department of Geography, to the region

to deploy moorings along the shelf and

into the deep ocean. These moorings

and mobile platforms will remain in

place and collect data over a period of

at least four years. They also flew ocean

gliders across the shelf break, collecting

real-time data, which will help other

teams, including Dr. Entcho Demirov,

also of the Department of Physics and

Physical Oceanography, during the

numerical modelling phase.

Dr. de Young is also the only

Memorial researcher involved in the

international Overturning in the

Subpolar North Atlantic Program, or

OSNAP, which is also partly occurring

in the Labrador Sea.

This program is designed to provide

a continuous record of the full-water

column circulation, which sees surface

currents taking warm water in one

direction while the deeper colder water

circulates in another. Understanding

these currents and their impacts on

weather and climate in the North

Atlantic will begin this summer with

the deployment of an array of sensors

and floats which will collect data over

the next several years.

“This project is looking at deep

circulation in the North Atlantic,” said

Dr. de Young. “There is a circulation

called the meridional overturning

circulation, which is the large-scale

climate-driven circulation that has

a hundred-year timescale. We want

to measure the variability of this

circulation over the years and decades

to see if climate-related influences can

be measured from that circulation.”

Dr. de Young says the two projects

are complementary. While one looks

at the very large scale circulation

character of the North Atlantic, the

other focuses on what happens in

this particularly intense region of

convection − convection being where

the water cools at the surface to such

an extent that it sinks down to the near

bottom part of the ocean.

“It doesn’t reach the very bottom in

the Labrador Sea,” he explained. “There’s

nowhere in the North Atlantic where

water reaches the bottom. Bottom water

is formed in the Antarctic. That then

percolates through the global ocean.

“The ocean is not like a lake where

typically everything turns over. Because

it is so much deeper, many kilometres

deep, and stratified with temperature

and salt, the ocean is more complicated.

The overturning only happens in

particular places: Greenland, Antarctica

and the Labrador Sea.”

He says that makes the Labrador Sea

a logical place to try and understand

what regulates carbon dioxide

exchange between the ocean and the

atmosphere in one of the places where

it’s most dynamic.

“Clearly carbon dioxide is tied to

the whole climate change question,

because carbon dioxide levels

continue to rise in the atmosphere,

and over the last 100 years the ocean

has taken up a fair bit of the carbon

dioxide,” said Dr. de Young. “About

a third of the carbon dioxide that’s

emitted anthropogenically goes into

the ocean.

“There’s evidence now the uptake

by the ocean is slowing down. The

question will logically be what happens

to global climate change warming if the

atmospheric concentrations increase

more quickly because the uptake by

the ocean slows down? And that’s the

expectation. The rate of increase of

carbon dioxide in the atmosphere does

seem to be speeding up, but we cannot

say why for sure.”

Projects to study Labrador Sea’s role in Earth’s climate systemBy Kelly foss

The glider used in the VITALs project being deployed through the OSNAp array from the CSS hudson.

This image shows the tracks the glider took in July and August of 2014.

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GO ABROAd assistants Sana Ghouri and Leyong Loro and Go Abroad coordinator Natalie Spracklin, along with other members of the Go Abroad fair Team, exhibitors and volunteers, put off a successful event on Oct. 1 in the Landing.


For more on these events and other news at Memorial, please visit www.

today.mun.ca

Wednesday, Oct. 15

Public Mourning, The Nation, and Samuel Barber’s Adagio for Strings,

12-1:30 p.m., A-4049D. Sponsor: Department of Sociology Speaker

Series Memorial University

Blood Donor Clinic, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Lobby, Bruneau Centre for Research

and Innovation. Sponsor: Canadian Blood Services

Trudeau Foundation Scholarship information session, 3-5 p.m., Junior

Common Room, R. Gushue Hall. Sponsor: Memorial University

Application to Graduate School: Tips and Strategies, 3-4 p.m., Online

webinar (www.mun.ca/become/graduate/webinars/). Sponsor: School of

Graduate Studies

Thursday, Oct. 16

The Work of Music at the Canadian War Museum, 7-9 p.m., IIC-2001,

Bruneau Centre for Research and Innovation. Sponsor: Department of

Sociology, Research Centre for Music, Media and Place

Fundamentals of Project Management, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., B-4019. Sponsor:

Gardiner Centre

The Work of Music at the Canadian War Museum, 7-9 p.m., IIC-2001.

Sponsor: Department of Sociology, Research Centre for Music, Media and

Place

Probing and Observing Cortical Circuits in Mice During Stroke Recovery,

10-11 a.m., 1M101, Medical Education Centre, Health Sciences Centre.

Sponsor: Division of BioMedical Science

Marketplace in Bolivia, 12-1 p.m., SN-2033. Sponsor: Faculty of Arts

MUN Cinema Series: Obvious Child, 7-8:30 p.m., Cineplex Theatre,

Avalon Mall. Sponsor: MUN Cinema

Open Call Photo Shoot at the Marine Institute, 12-2 p.m., Lobby, Marine

Institute. Sponsor: Office of the Vice-President (Research)

Open Call Photo Shoot at Grenfell Campus, 1-2 p.m., Arts and Science

Extension Atrium, Grenfell Campus. Sponsor: Office of the Vice-President

(Research)

Panel on American Politics Today, 9-10:10 a.m., SN-2036. Sponsor:

Department of Political Science

Friday, Oct. 17

Surgical Shape Shifting: Transgender Embodiment in Nina Arsenault’s

The Silicone Diaries, 1-2 p.m., SN-4087. Sponsor: Department of Gender

Studies

Dietary Arginine Availability and Creatine Accretion: Is Creatine

Supplementation Necessary for the newborn? 1-2 p.m., SN-4015.

Sponsor: Department of Biochemistry

Scheduling on a Single Machine Under Time-of-Use Electricity Tariffs,

1:30-2:30 p.m., B-3010. Sponsor: Faculty of Business Administration

Saturday, Oct. 18

Symposium on 100 Years of the International Grenfell Association, 9

a.m.-4:30 p.m., The Rooms. Sponsor: History of Medicine and Medical

Humanities

Sunday, Oct. 19

Multiple Sclerosis information session, 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m., Comfort Inn

Airport Hotel. Sponsor: Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada

Monday, Oct. 20

The Blue Castle: If Tarzan was a Labrador fur trader and Jane was from

Manhattan, 8-9:30 p.m., The Orbit Room (downstairs at the Rocket

Bakery). Sponsor: Department of Gender Studies

OUTANDABOUT

ADAM Pike is 12 years old. His mother describes

him as a kind boy who loves video games and hanging

out with his friends. Sounds like a typical 12-year-old.

But when Adam was four, he was diagnosed with a brain

tumour. His mom is Memorial University employee Lori

Pike. The day her son was diagnosed was “one of the

hardest days of my life.”

“We were told that Adam had a brain tumour; it was

cancer and it had to be removed as soon as possible,” she

said. “We were in shock and disbelief that our child was

so sick. We didn’t know what the future was going to

hold for Adam. All the dreams you have as a parent for

your child are immediately put on hold and your focus is

on getting him though the next round of treatment and

ultimately well again.”

An organization called Candlelighters, which provides

support to families who have children diagnosed with

cancer, was an important part of the help Ms. Pike and

her family received.

Candlelighters is one of the many community

organizations supported by the United Way of

Newfoundland and Labrador. Over the next few weeks,

Memorial employees have the chance to give to the

United Way through the payroll deduction campaign. It’s

the third year for the campaign and last year Memorial

employees committed over $28,000.

“When Adam was diagnosed the Candlelighters were a

support to me; my husband, Jason; Adam and our other

son, Lucas,” explained Ms. Pike, who is associate director

of budgets with Financial and Administrative Services.

“Events such as the annual Christmas party gave the

families a chance to catch up and be there for each other.

Even the food cupboard at the Janeway helped us by

having soup, snacks and coffee so we did not have to

leave our child to get something to eat.”

The United Way has also supported Camp Delight, a

seven-day camp for children who have been diagnosed

with cancer, their siblings and their bereaved siblings.

“Camp lets our kids forget about cancer and just be kids

and have fun,” she said. “Camp Delight for Adam is

the best week of the year.” Candlelighters also provide

families with things such as a diagnosis kit with financial

support, biweekly coffee breaks and survivor scholarships

for post secondary education.

Now, Ms. Pike gets to help other families. She got

involved with Candlelighters because she wanted to

give back. She’s the treasurer, a Parent Camp Delight

representative and Night of Delight co-chair.

“When a child is diagnosed with cancer the entire

family is affected,” said Ms. Pike. “By supporting United

Way, you are helping families during their most difficult

time. The Candlelighters strive to provide programs and

support for the entire family during the treatment years

and beyond.”

from left are Memorial university’s Lori pike and her son, Adam.

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Donations come full circleMemorial’s united way payroll campaign kicks off this week with impacts close to home

By michelle osmond

“By supporting united way, you are helping families during their most difficult time.”

100 YEARS OF THE INTERNATIONAL GRENFELL ASSOCIATION AND THE DELIVERY OF HEALTHCARE IN NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR: A SYMPOSIUM

The Rooms, 9 Bonaventure Avenue, Saturday, Oct. 18, 2014, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The impact of British physician-missionary Sir Wilfred Grenfell (1865-1940) was widely recognized during the first half of the twentieth century. Grenfell’s life-work in Newfoundland and Labrador began in the early 1890s with the Royal National Mission to Deep Sea Fishermen. By 1914 the International Grenfell Association (IGA) was formed to focus on his work in this region. This one-day symposium will explore the historical significance of Grenfell, the IGA, and the delivery of healthcare in Newfoundland and Labrador over the last century and address issues concerning the present and the future. The keynote speaker, Dr. Ronald L. Numbers, of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, is an expert in medical history and the missionary experience. Other speakers include author Anne Budgell, former IGA physicians, specialists from The Rooms, and scholars from Memorial University. Funds are provided by a Canadian Institutes for Health Research grant in the history of medicine to the Memorial University organizers of the symposium. All are welcome, with refreshment breaks provided.

There is no registration fee. For further information contact, [email protected] or 709 777 8729.


Digital and Social Media for HR Professionals, 9 a.m.-

5 p.m., B-4019, Sponsor: Gardiner Centre

Tuesday, Oct. 21

Running Effective Seminars, 9:30-11:30 a.m.,

ED-2030B (McCann Centre). Sponsor: DELTS,

Professional Development Experiences for Educators

Activating Knowledge and Partnerships: Opening

a Different Discourse on Scholarship: Margaret

McLean, 4-6 p.m., Main Auditorium, Health Sciences

Centre. Sponsor: School of Nursing

Matricellular proteins for the treatment of myocardial

infarction, 1-2 p.m., HSC, Theatre I, Pharmacy (Room

3444). Sponsor: Division of BioMedical Science

Digital and Social Media Strategy and Tactics, 9 a.m.-5

p.m., B-4019. Sponsor: Gardiner Centre

Wednesday, Oct. 22

Engineering Information Session, 1-1:50 p.m., SN-

4068. Sponsor: Academic Advising Centre

Graduate education for Memorial employees, 1-2

p.m., IIC-2014. Sponsor: School of Graduate Studies

and Department of Human Resources

2014 Gairdner Lecture Speaker, 1:30-2:30 p.m., Main

Auditorium, Faculty of Medicine. Sponsor: Faculty of

Medicine

“HCV is cured. What do I do now?” 5-6 p.m., 1M101,

Medical Education Building. Sponsor: Division of

BioMedical Science.

CSEP 2014: Science on the Edge of the Continent,

8:30 a.m.-5 p.m., Delta Hotel, St. John’s. Sponsor:

School of Human Kinetics and Recreation

Designing NL Food Futures: A roundtable discussion,

12-2 p.m., North Bank Lodge, Pippy Park. Sponsor:

Food Advocacy Research at Memorial (FARM)

Thursday, Oct. 23

Understanding Synaptic Function and Dysfunction

in Huntington’s Disease, 10-11:10 a.m., HSC, Theatre

B. Sponsor: Division of BioMedical Science

Pancake Breakfast, 8-10 a.m., Main Dining Hall.

Sponsor: MUNdays

Spirit Parade, 9:30-10:30 a.m., Main Dining Hall.

Sponsor: MUNdays

MUN Cinema Series: Calvary, 7-8:40 p.m., Cineplex

Theatre, Avalon Mall. Sponsor: MUN Cinema

Friday, Oct. 24

Kindness Friday, all day, everywhere. Sponsor:

MUNdays

Fill the Square, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Paton College. Sponsor:

MUNdays

Weight reduction and obesity management: Faculty

of Medicine Speaker Series, 1:30-3:30 p.m., Lecture

Theatre B, Faculty of Medicine. Sponsor: Faculty of

Medicine

Faculty of Arts Heidelberg Field School reunion, 5-7

p.m., Christian’s, 23 George Street. Sponsor: Faculty

of Arts

Just Get Out! 2014, 6-4 p.m., Brother Brennan

Environmental Education Centre, Salmonier Line.

Sponsor: Newfoundland and Labrador Environmental

Educators

Back to Business: Reunion 2014, 2:30-4:30 p.m.,

RBC Atrium, Business building. Sponsor: Faculty of

Business Administration

Back to Business: Class of 1989 Reunion, 4:30-6:30

p.m., Guv’nors Pub, St. John’s. Sponsor: Faculty of

Business Administration

Saturday, Oct. 25

Super TSC Night Concert, 7 p.m.-2 a.m., Breezeway

Bar, Memorial University. Sponsors: MBNA, Johnson,

The Telegram, Steele Communications

Halloween Howl Family Program at MUN ‘BOO-

tanical’ Garden, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., MUN Botanical

Garden. Sponsor: MUN Botanical Garden

School of Pharmacy Class Reunions, 6:30-9:30 p.m.,

Quidi Vidi Brewery. Sponsor: School of Pharmacy.

Sunday, Oct. 26

President’s Golden Reception, 7-9 p.m., DF Cook

Recital Hall, Memorial University. Sponsor: Memorial

University

MUNdays Sunday Skate, Sunday, Oct. 26, 2014, 4-6

p.m., Jack Byrne Arena. Sponsor: MUNdays

Monday, Oct. 27

MUNdays Dining Etiquette Workshop, 6-9 p.m.,

The Landing, UC, 3rd Floor. Sponsor: MUNdays

UArctic Info Session, 12-1 p.m., PE-2001. Sponsor:

International Centre

Law for Managers, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., B-4019. Sponsor:

Gardiner Centre

Google AdWords Fundamentals, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.,

B-4019. Sponsor: Gardiner Centre

Tuesday, Oct. 28

Education Information Session, 2-3 p.m., SN-4068.

Sponsor: Academic Advising Centre

Foraging Strategies of a Pursuit-Diving Seabird in

a Dynamic Marine Environment, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.,

IIC-2014. Sponsor: School of Graduate Studies

Functional Identification of Hippocampal Neuron

Subpopulations Underlying Early-life Epilepsy,

10-11 a.m., Health Sciences Centre, Theatre B.

Sponsor: Division of BioMedical Science

UC Lounge, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., University Centre.

Sponsor: MUNdays

Touque Day, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., DELTS Office, ED-1032

and ED-2000. Sponsor: MUNdays

Health Circus, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., Field House. Sponsor:

MUNdays

Evidence of Teaching Effectiveness, 2-4 p.m., ED-

5021. Sponsor: DELTS, Professional Development

Experiences for Educators

Wednesday, Oct. 29

Human Kinetics and Recreation Information

Session, 1-1:50 p.m., SN-4068. Sponsor: Academic

Advising Centre

Thursday, Oct. 30

MUN Cinema Series: A Most Wanted Man, 7-9

p.m., Cineplex Theatre, Avalon Mall. Sponsor:

MUN Cinema

Critical Race and Anti-Colonial Theory Discussion

Group, 12:30-2 p.m., ER-4002. Sponsor: 2014-

2015 Critical Race and Anti-Colonial Theory

Discussion Group

Friday, Oct. 31

Celebrating Women… And More! 8-9:30 p.m., D.F.

Cook Recital Hall. Sponsor: School of Music

Energy Regulating Hormones and the Development

of Obesity and Diabetes, 1-3 p.m., IIC-2014,

Bruneau Centre for Research and Innovation.

Sponsor: School of Graduate Studies

Saturday, Nov. 1

Health Care Leadership Forum: Navigating Change

Through Leadership, 8 a.m.-7 p.m., Sheraton

Hotel. Sponsor: Professional Development and

Conference Services, Faculty of Medicine and

Gardiner Centre

Monday, Nov. 2

Universal Design for Learning in Post-Secondary:

Part Two, 2-4 p.m., ED-2030B. Sponsor: DELTS,

Professional Development Experiences for

Educators

Tuesday, Nov. 3

Ten Thousand Villages Fair Trade Sale, 10 a.m.-7

p.m., The Landing. Sponsor: University Chaplaincy

Eliciting User Requirements for the Business

Analyst, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., B-4019. Sponsor: Gardiner

Centre

Digital and Social Media Strategy and Tactics, 9

a.m.-5 p.m., B-4019. Sponsor: Gardiner Centre

Tuesday, Nov. 4

Cyclic Block Designs from Skolem-type Sequences,

11 a.m.-1 p.m., IIC 2014. Sponsor: School of

Graduate Studies

Democratic transitions in Nicaragua and Russia,

12-1 p.m., SN-2033. Sponsor: Faculty of Arts

Scripted Skins: Women’s Tattoos as Embodied Life

Narratives, 1-2 p.m., SN-4087. Sponsor: Department

of Gender Studies Speakers’ Series

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CELEBRATEd dANCE ARTIST and choreographer karen kaeja spent several sessions with students, community dancers and other partners at Grenfell Campus as part of her residency as Memorial university’s first dancer-in-residence. here, Ms. kaeja addresses the crowd following a session at the Grenfell Campus Art Gallery. following her time at Grenfell, Ms. kaeja worked with Creative Gros Morne. She will spend two weeks at the St. John’s campus in december.


even A sMAll AMoUnt of oil spilled in a marine

environment can have a devastating impact. So small, in

fact, that Memorial researchers are working at the nano-

level to create sensors for use in harsh environments.

The solid state sensors being created by the

nanofabricated sensor technology project have little

or no moving parts. They can detect contaminants

through a specialized material that the molecules can

land on, sending signals to a reader which would make

a spectroscopic measurement and determine what

molecules are present, based on their particular vibration,

and how much.

Chief investigators for the project include Drs. Erika

Merschrod and Christina Bottaro, Faculty of Science,

and Kelly Hawboldt, Faculty of Engineering and Applied

Science.

“We are currently designing, developing and inventing

new materials to get stronger more specific signals,” said

Dr. Merschrod. “We have already created three new

classes of materials that promote the binding of molecules

and amplification of signals from these sensors, which is

really exciting.”

The sensors could function on a buoy or be attached

to an AUV during surveys around an oil platform. They

could also function on the platform itself, testing water as

it comes off a platform and goes back into the ocean, as

part of the platform’s own monitoring practices.

“By knowing the details of the chemical composition

of that water, not only can we prevent certain molecules

from going into the ocean that we don’t want there, but

oil companies can also make sure their processes are

working the way they think they are,” said Dr. Merschrod.

“Having something that can give an answer in real time

will allow them to respond right away if a module is not

working properly.”

The team has primarily been testing the devices in the

lab but has recently moved into more realistic tests in

the field, attaching them to an autonomous underwater

vehicle.

“We did a test in Bonne Bay this past winter and

that worked out well,” said Dr. Merschrod. “We haven’t

tested offshore yet, but we’re continuing to develop new

materials for use in the real world and we’re also creating

a new field of highly qualified personnel, in terms of the

students that we’re graduating.”

She says one of the ultimate goals in developing

this new technology is to have something that can

be manufactured here and sold around the world,

stimulating the growth of a new industry in the province.

Having graduates trained in these cutting-edge methods

would be very important in supporting this new sector.

The researchers have received a grant from the Atlantic

Canada Opportunities Atlantic Innovation Fund,

with support from Petroleum Research Newfoundland

and Labrador (PRNL), the Research and Development

Corporation and Memorial University. This investment

is providing new infrastructure and instrumentation

for the university in the form of a nanofabrication clean

room, which is currently under construction.

“Being able to make nanostructured materials in an

integrated and clean environment is very important,

because when you are working on a nanoscale, something

as small as a dust particle can be a huge contaminant,”

explained Dr. Merschrod.

“A number of us at the university have been working

with nano-technology and nano-science and having a

clean room where we can integrate the different materials

in one setting is certainly going to help us increase

capacity for this high-tech research at Memorial.”

Dr. Merschrod believes the industry contacts provided

by PRNL will give the team a huge advantage over other

companies offering monitoring technologies.

“All of the organizations who are members of PRNL are

big multinational companies, and our partnership with

PRNL gives us access to direct contacts within this huge

market,” she said. “We have a big advantage in being here

in Newfoundland and Labrador where a lot of the action

is and the community is still small enough that we can

make those connections.”

Graduate student MunMun Sarkar is testing the wettability of materials used in the solid state sensor.

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Environmental protection on a nano-scaleBy Kelly foss

VISIT USONLINE

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GAZETTE - Memorial University · GAZETTE A MEMORIAL UNIVERSITY OF NEWFOUNDLAND PUBLICATION Oct. 15,...

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