GAZETTE - Memorial University of Newfoundland · other imaging techniques, ... In the December 2012 Gazette, the research opportu- ... could play the guitar a bit and I could play

Breathe deep A smoke-free environment is now in effect on all of Memorial’s campuses.

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Chemistry pays Graduate student receives $25,000 NSERC research scholarship.

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memOriaL reads The Gazette serves up the latest literary offerings by Memorial’s staff and faculty.

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An updAte was provided July

11 on the new Molecular Imaging

Program that will provide the people of

Newfoundland and Labrador with state-

of-the-art technology to greatly improve

the diagnosis and treatment of certain

illnesses, such as cancer.

“The Faculty of Medicine and Memorial

University are pleased to partner with

Eastern Health to fully capitalize on this

significant and strategic investment by the

provincial government,” said Dr. James

Rourke, Faculty of Medicine. “The best

health care requires up-to-date facilities

and excellent health care professionals

who are informed by research and edu-

cation. This project addresses all of these

requirements.”

Susan Sullivan, minister of Health and

Community Services, said the provincial

government is investing approximately

$40 million to provide this new diagnostic

testing as well as consolidate nuclear med-

icine services in one location at the Health

Sciences Centre.

“With the addition of a positron emis-

sion and computerized tomography scan-

ner to Eastern Health’s Molecular Imaging

Program, we are making an important

and essential investment in the health of

our residents,” said Minister Sullivan.

A positron emission and computerized

tomography (PET/CT) scanner is a vital

diagnostic tool most commonly used to

detect, assess and treat cancers. This tech-

nology is also used for the assessment of

cardiac disease and diagnosis of some neu-

rological disorders.

“The Molecular Imaging Program

will provide our patients with access

to leading-edge medical equipment

that will enhance health-care delivery

in Newfoundland and Labrador,” said

Vickie Kaminski, president and CEO of

Eastern Health. “With the introduction

of a PET/CT scanner, patients with cer-

tain illnesses will no longer have to travel

outside the province to receive this spe-

cialized procedure.”

Dr. Rourke noted that the heart of

the molecular imaging facility is the

cyclotron that can generate an array of

radioisotopes for biological and physical

investigations. Biomedical science inves-

tigations will begin within a specialized

research laboratory located near the

cyclotron.

For this specialized lab, researchers at

Memorial are seeking a major enabling

investment to acquire a specialized

pre-clinical CT scanner and a high-field

pre-clinical spectrometer.

“This investment, together with that

in the cyclotron, offers the potential for

excellence, nationally and internation-

ally,” said Dr. Rourke. “This is a wonder-

ful opportunity and Memorial’s scientific

community is keenly interested in the

capabilities that this laboratory can offer.”

Dr. Peter Hollett, clinical chief of

nuclear medicine at Eastern Health, said

operating a PET/CT scanner within this

province provides a better chance at

fighting various chronic illnesses.

“A PET/CT scan would be able to tell a

physician whether their patient’s chemo-

therapy is working far in advance of any

other imaging techniques, it will allow

physicians to monitor blood flow in the

heart more effectively and will provide a

means to positively diagnose Alzheimer’s

from other types of dementia, which is

something we could previously not do in

this province.”

A tender to begin realignment of

Clinch Crescent to accommodate the

project at the Health Sciences Centre was

recently awarded. This realignment will

be the first phase of development that will

include the creation of a new entrance to

the Janeway Emergency Department and

construction of a new facility to house

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

August 7, 2013 Volume 46 Number 1

Publication Mail Registration No. 40062527

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‘Potential for excellence’memorial partners with eastern health on molecular imaging program

By sharon Gray

dr. James rourke

the VieW FrOm here pictured above is the view residents of the sixth floor of the west tower of the new residence on the st. John’s campus will enjoy this fall. the west tower will accommodate 250 students in september; beds for 250 more students will be available upon completion of the east tower in January 2014.

See partnerS on page 5

Gazette | Wednesday, August 7, 2013 2 www.mun.ca/gazette

By amy Tucker

special to the Gazette

LocAtion is everything, especially when

it comes to tourism.

At a recent Harris Centre regional workshop on the

Burin Peninsula, local participants said they’d be inter-

ested in learning more about potential tourism linkages

between the Peninsula and the French islands of St

Pierre and Miquelon. After all, the town of Fortune is

only a short ferry ride away from the islands, and there

is significant tourist traffic to the French territory.

Economic development and tourism workers in the

region wanted to better understand the current value

of the tourism industry in their area, given the limited

amount of promotion of St. Pierre and Miquelon to

Newfoundland and Labrador tourists and travellers.

“If St. Pierre and Miquelon, and the Burin Peninsula,

as the route to those islands, were marketed on a larger

scale, how might the value of the tourism industry

change for the Burin Peninsula and the province?”

asked Trevor Bungay, economic development officer

with the Department of Innovation, Trade and Rural

Development. “What if they were promoted in the same

way as other anchor tourism attractions such as George

Street, Cabot, icebergs, or Vikings?”

In the December 2012 Gazette, the research opportu-

nity was featured in this column. The article caught the

attention of Dr. Edward Addo, with the tourism studies

program at Grenfell Campus. He was so interested in the

project, he asked his Tourism Marketing 2201 class to

research the case, do a situation analysis, and propose a

marketing strategy incorporating the two destinations.

“The project offered students the opportunity to

demonstrate their understanding of how to apply tour-

ism concepts and principles to practices or challenges in

local communities; and consequently, learn how to pro-

pose or recommend solutions to tourism challenges,”

said Dr. Addo.

In addition, Dr. Addo plans to do his own research on

the topic, resulting in a report to share with local part-

ners and others in the province. As part of the efforts

to increase tourist awareness of the communities and

advance knowledge in his field, he is also planning to

complete a conference paper/presentation and journal

publication.

Throughout this work, Dr. Addo has been in email

and telephone communication with people from the

region who represent provincial and Saint Pierre and

Miquelon governments, small businesses, and tourism

organizations. He is planning a visit to the region in

late summer 2013, to become more familiar with the

area and complete an Area Survey of Challenges and

Opportunities for Development.

This project demonstrates the role that the univer-

sity can play in bringing together various partners to

advance knowledge and address community research

needs. It is also a strong example of how students can

be engaged in applied research that benefits the pub-

lic. In addition, it demonstrates how Yaffle and this

publication link together those inside and outside the

university.

Interested in learning more? Amy Tucker, co-ordinator of knowledge

mobilization at the Harris Centre, would love to tell you more. Call her

at 709 864 6115 or email her at [email protected].

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 Mandy cook Molly Baker

Regular contributors

Laura BarronRebecca cohoe

Melanie callahanNora dalyPaula dykeKelly Foss

Pamela Gillsharon GrayJanet harron

Jill huntsharon KingJackey Locke

Peter Morriscathy NewhookNaomi osborne

Michelle osmonddavid PenneyMarcia PorterKristine Powerdave sorensenMelissa Watton

Meaghan Whelansusan White-MacPherson

Laura Woodfordsandy Woolfrey-Fahey

classified Advertising Photography Kelly hickey chris hammond

AdvertisingMandy cook

Telephone: 709 864 2142Email: [email protected]

Next Gazette deadline Aug. 21 for Aug. 28 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.

your next project update

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It was no surprise to many when the Newfoundland and

Labrador Folk Arts Society recently announced that accordion

player and entertainer ray Walsh (BA(Ed.)’72, BA’85,

M.Ed.’90) is the newest recipient of its Lifetime Achievement

Award. Mr. Walsh, a proud Memorial graduate, a former

teacher and a founding member of the Walsh Family Band

was humbled by the award. In this interview with Gazette

contributor sharon King, he talks about his early years as an

entertainer and playing the accordion when it wasn’t “cool”.

sK: Why did you decide to play the accordion?

rW: There was always music in our house. My father

played the fiddle and his father played the fiddle, so the

first instrument I played was the fiddle. Then, I progressed

to the guitar because growing up in the ’60s, it wasn’t

cool to play the fiddle. I always wanted to play every

instrument I ever saw so I could play the fiddle a bit, I

could play the guitar a bit and I could play the button

accordion. When I first started teaching in Marystown,

I was lucky enough to get into a band. One of the

fellows that played in the band had a piano accordion,

which is much different than a button accordion and

I took it home to the boarding house and tried to play

it. It’s not a popular instrument in Newfoundland and

Labrador. After a year of teaching in Marystown, I came

to St. John’s to teach and I met a Newfoundland singer

named John White who was looking for an accordion

player and John later introduced me to Harry Brown and

I eventually got on a radio show on CBC. It was luck,

chance, determination and being in the right place at the

right time.

sK: How has the traditional music industry changed

since your days on CBC’s All Around the Circle?

rW: There has been a tremendous interest in traditional

music among young people in our province and we have

young folks that teach traditional music. Traditional

music was played in the halls for dances and there was

no commercialization of the music.

sK: What is the most fun part about playing the

accordion?

rW: I love music. I love all kinds of music and I get a

lot of enjoyment out of playing music. There’s always a

challenge with music. If you want to play it well, you

have to play it better than you did before. The enjoyment

is the challenge of learning new things. I still play music

every day because I want to get better at it. You always

have to have a challenge.

sK: How did your experience at Memorial influence your

decision to play traditional music?

rW: When I went to Memorial on Parade Street, one of the

requirements was that you had to attend one choir class

a week. I had never done that in my life. The choir was

conducted by Dr. Ignatius (Nish) Rumboldt and I never

forgot that experience. He would have us sing the old

standards like How Great Thou Art and I was never much

for singing, but I fell in love with group singing. When I

was teaching in Bay de Verde, and I had the opportunity, I

always had a school choir that I played for and conducted.

We attended festivals and I always felt that my experience

at the Parade Street campus paved the way for where I am

today. Nish was a very nice man, and if you can, imagine

100 or so first-year education students down by the old

annex where The Rooms is now, conducting a choir. He

would do all these old pieces. I just loved it. It was a very

enjoyable time in my life.

aLuMnI SpotLIGHt

ray Walsh


students Are offered a wide range of

opportunities to build their professional skills during

their time in university. From co-op placements and

Memorial Undergraduate Career Experience Program

(MUCEP) positions to volunteer activities, many

resumé-building options are available through the

university. These openings help our learning experience

to become a hands-on one, one that is different from

the classroom.

These programs not only look great on a resumé, they

also help you decide your career path by allowing you to

explore your interests. Moreover, they create a solid net-

work that opens doors that lead to various paths.

Employers (co-op, MUCEP, volunteer) have connec-

tions. They can recommend you or provide you with a

solid reference. Their reputation might be well recog-

nized by other establishments, which could benefit you

in the long run.

Before moving to St. John’s, a professor from Algonquin

College warned me that many college grads are more

employable than university grads. Colleges usually offer

co-op placement within their structured programs.

Many university departments have recognized this col-

lege trend and have incorporated internships into their

programs, giving their students specialized training.

For some, this is a matter of choice. But if you plan on

working full time during your summers off, co-op offers

the added bonus of earning credits while getting paid.

Also, work terms can be conducted outside and around

the province, providing amazing opportunities to see the

world and experience life in new places.

MUCEP positions help students build real world expe-

rience and career skills. MUCEP employs students in

various departments on campus. Administrative, orga-

nizational, research and writing are a few of the many

different positions that are offered. Each position lasts

a semester, offering 40–80 hours over the course of four

months. It allows flexibility with class schedules, some-

thing that not all off-campus jobs can offer.

A volunteer position is great on a resumé as well. I under-

stand the difficulty in dedicating what limited available

time we have as students to volunteer work while trying

to balance studies and work. Yet, any sort can definitely

boost your qualifications as a job applicant post-gradu-

ation. There are many volunteer establishments on and

off campus. These organizations may also allow you to

make connections while providing you with the training

you need for your desired career choice and will usually

provide an excellent reference. Moreover, it shows your

dedication to a cause or your desired profession.

I only stress these options because the job market

increasingly requires hands-on qualifications. Studying

books and writing papers does help us build knowledge

that we can apply to our careers. However, there are other

possibilities to discover how to apply what we learn in

school and the options listed above will teach you how.

Joshua Duff is a fourth-year student majoring in political

science and English language and literature at Memorial

University. He can be reached at [email protected] .

StudentVIeWJoshua Duff

your career begins with mUN

The music of friends

By mandy cook

one of AtLAntic cAnAdA’s

leading summertime chamber music

programs will once again produce

beautiful sound for classical music

lovers and practitioners on Memorial

University’s St. John’s campus.

The Tuckamore Festival will take place

at Memorial’s School of Music, and at

other capital city venues and beyond

from Aug. 5-18.

Chamber music is a form of classical

music that is composed for a small group

of instruments — historically a group that

could fit in a palace chamber and is some-

times described as “the music of friends.”

Led by artistic directors Timothy

Steeves and Nancy Dahn, professors of

music in the School of Music who are

also known as Duo Concertante, the

13th season of the Tuckamore Festival is

offering up its trademark of performances

and compositions by participants in

the festival’s Young Artist Program and

Young Composers Program, as well as an

exciting roster of guest artists. Passionate

pianists and string players will lead and

perform during two weeks of inspired,

powerful and diverse concerts, as well as

numerous free of charge open rehearsals,

master classes, lunchtime performances

and children’s concerts.

Guest artists include pianist Marc Andre

Hamelin, clarinetist James Campbell, the

Gryphon Trio, the Afiara String Quartet

and composer Dinuk Wijeratne.

The musicians will also travel from the

typical performance halls into St. John’s

café The Rocket and the communities of

Admiral’s Cove and Brigus to share the

experience further.

Mr. Steeves says there are numerous

aspects of the festival he is looking for-

ward to.

“Following the development and per-

formances of the 20 or so young artists

over the course of the two weeks is always

very inspiring,” he said. “I really enjoy

the teaching aspect. In terms of perfor-

mances, I can’t wait for Hamelin’s — one

of the world’s greatest pianists — perfor-

mance of the big Schubert A major sonata

on Aug. 5.”

Ms. Dahn says that not only is the fes-

tival an important vehicle for attracting

world-class performers to a far flung loca-

tion like St. John’s, it also attracts the

next generation of Memorial’s classical

music stars.

“The festival serves as a great recruit-

ing tool for the School Music,” she said.

“Many of our students became interested

in coming to Memorial because they

first came to Tuckamore. Our graduat-

ing gold medal winner this year came

to Tuckamore twice as a high school stu-

dent. The kids who do Tuckamore are

keeners and these are the students we

want at Memorial.”

Both professors say the festival also

helps to build new audiences and to

introduce chamber music to people who

have not yet experienced the genre, so

that it can be “accessible to all.”

For more information, please visit

www.tuckamorefestival.ca .

the afiara string Quartet is just one of the musical groups performing at the tuckamore Festival, taking place aug. 5–18.

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Proud historyFaculty of engineering and applied science awarded four-year accreditation

By Jackey locke

the engineering building on memorial’s st. John’s campus.

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the fAcuLty of Engineering and Applied

Science has been awarded full accreditation status

to June 30, 2017, of its undergraduate co-operative

programs in civil, computer, electrical, mechanical

and process engineering by the Canadian Engineering

Accreditation Board (CEAB). The faculty’s ocean and

naval architectural engineering program received a

six-year accreditation in 2011, which means that all six

undergraduate engineering programs are now aligned

to coincide together for the next CEAB accreditation

review in 2017.

“Accreditation is an essential requirement of our

programs,” said Dr. Greg Naterer, dean, Faculty of

Engineering and Applied Science. “This is great news

for the faculty and for our students, in particular. It is

especially good news for our process engineering pro-

gram which received four years for its first accreditation.

New programs normally receive three years for first-time

accreditation, so it is an exceptional achievement for our

new program to receive four years.”

CEAB accreditation is recognized worldwide. It

involves quantitative and qualitative evaluations of

the curriculum, program environment and learning

outcomes for undergraduate engineering programs in

Canada. The Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science

at Memorial has a long, proud history of accredited engi-

neering co-operative education. It is dedicated to pro-

viding students with the best quality of undergraduate

engineering programs in Canada and around the world.

“This was a great team effort and a major

accomplishment for our faculty,” said Dr. Naterer. “The

accreditation process is a vigorous one and involves a lot

of hard work and preparation. I want to thank everyone

who contributed, especially Andy Fisher, associate dean,

undergraduate studies, and Faisal Khan, chair, process

engineering, as well as Darryl Pike and Nicole Devereaux.

We are very proud of our undergraduate programs and

students.”

The Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board was

established by Engineers Canada in 1965 to accredit

undergraduate engineering programs that provide the

academic requirements necessary for licensure as a pro-

fessional engineer in Canada.

Learn more at [email protected].

A fuLL smoKing bAn has come

into effect at Memorial University. The

final stage of the phased-in approach

to banning smoking on all campuses

began Aug. 1.

“Memorial is committed to providing

a safe, smoke-free environment for its

students, faculty and staff,” said Kent

Decker, vice-president (administration

and finance). “Going smoke-free will

make Memorial University a healthier

place to live, work and study.”

Memorial University encourages its

community to respect the revised smok-

ing policy and the rights of others to a

healthy and smoke-free environment.

“The long-term health and safety

of students and staff, the detrimental

health impact of smoking and exposure

to second-hand smoke, and the univer-

sity’s ability to influence community

and society through its policies and

actions were factors that influenced the

board’s decision,” said Mr. Decker.

The university is also conducting an

awareness campaign, which includes

posters and billboards near campus

entrances, to highlight the restrictions.

“We hope and expect smokers to

comply with the non-smoking pol-

icy,” said Sheila Miller, director of the

Department of Health and Safety.

Memorial’s Board of Regents intro-

duced the phased-in smoking ban in

2011, first banning smoking in door-

ways. Since last year, smoking has been

banned at the Marine Institute, and

allowed only at one location on the

St. John’s campus and a single spot at

Grenfell Campus.

Smoking cessation assistance can be

found through Memorial’s wellness

programs.

For more on Memorial’s smoking pol-

icy, see www.mun.ca/policy/site/policy.

php?id=198 .

cAre, An initiAtive of

the Faculty of Arts’ Department of

Economics, has commissioned a report

that puts Newfoundland and Labrador’s

productivity front and centre.

CARE (Collaborative Applied Research

in Economics) was established in 2012

to promote applied economic research

within Newfoundland and Labrador and

a greater understanding of the province’s

economy and any associated wider social

impacts.

According to Dr. Wade Locke, one of

CARE’s principal investigators, the study

shows that the improvement in productiv-

ity in Newfoundland and Labrador during

the 1997-2010 period has been “phenom-

enal” and considerably higher than any

other region in Canada. Dr. Locke indi-

cates that the report shows this growth

has spilled into other sectors, which

denotes, in his words, “true productivity.”

“Due to higher wages and higher stan-

dard of livings, most people in the prov-

ince have benefitted,” he said. “This is a

good news story and the sort of thing that

CARE hopes to generate more and more of

for the people of this province. The release

of this sort of positive information is key

to decision-making at both the policy and

personal level.”

Since Newfoundland and Labrador’s

high productivity level reflects the high

value added per hour worked produced in

the mining and oil and gas sector, deple-

tion of these natural resources, especially

the offshore oil reserves, raises sustain-

ability issues. In order for the province to

maintain its current relative productivity

level, it needs to invest substantially in

reproducible capital, both human capital

and physical capital.

The entire report can be found at CARE’s

website at www.economicsaction.com.

memorial now smoke-freeBy david sorensen

Careing about productivityBy Janet harron


dr. Kelly Vodden

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Collaboration key to successful regional governanceBy cathy newhook

A recent report released by Memorial’s Leslie

Harris Centre of Regional Policy and Development (the

Harris Centre) takes an in-depth look at communities

across the province and identifies successful approaches

and challenges to regional governance. The report

identifies regional collaboration as an important strategy

for rural communities facing social, economic and

ecological change.

Understanding Regional Governance in Newfoundland

and Labrador: A Survey of Regional Development

Organizations, was led by Memorial’s Dr. Kelly Vodden,

associate professor, Environmental Policy Institute,

Grenfell Campus (cross-appointed to the Faculty of Arts’

Department of Geography), along with Dr. Heather

Hall, post-doctoral fellow, Department of Geography

and the Harris Centre, and Dr. David Freshwater, pro-

fessor of agricultural economics, University of Kentucky

College of Agriculture and adjunct professor, Memorial

University’s Department of Geography. This core group

collaborated with a research team and an advisory com-

mittee representing a cross-section of government and

regional organizations over a five-year period.

“It was critical that the project engage with communi-

ties and organizations throughout the province,” said Dr.

Rob Greenwood, executive director of the Harris Centre.

“Their input provided insight into how regions within

our province work together, helping us develop a practi-

cal guide for public policy decision-makers.”

The findings of the research suggest that while com-

munities have long been coming together at a regional

or multi-community level to address challenges, regional

efforts have increased substantially since the 1980s and

1990s. This regional collaboration, through both formal

institutions and more informal social arrangements, has

resulted in a number of advantages for communities,

including economic benefits, sharing of ideas, mutual

support and improved environmental management.

Dr. Vodden explained that the forces of change that

have encouraged communities to collaborate with one

another have come from both within and outside their

regions.

“Both provincial and federal levels of government

have encouraged regional development approaches,” said

Dr. Vodden, “but many community leaders also see the

advantages — and the necessity — of working together as

their demographic and financial realities change.”

She added that regional governance and collaboration

does not come without challenges and requires signifi-

cant investments in relationship and capacity building

at the local level.

“With the loss of the Regional Economic Development

Boards, Employment Assistance Services offices and

school boards, stakeholders across the province have

begun to come together to discuss what development in

their regions will look like going forward,” Dr. Vodden

elaborated. “These are critical discussions at a time when

more, rather than less, development capacity is required

in many rural regions.”

The research also describes a trend towards large pro-

vincially defined geographic regions which are cited by

stakeholders as extremely difficult to serve. Findings of

the report suggest they are often not optimal for shar-

ing services or planning for economic development.

Alternatively, the report suggests regions should be smaller

and based on factors such as labour flows, service areas,

natural resources and amenities that reflect residents’

sense of place.

“When regions come together at this smaller scale it is

often organically. The interconnections between social

and economic development, for example, tend to be evi-

dent in these smaller regions,” said Dr. Vodden.

Driven by the mandates and funding programs of indi-

vidual departments, the report suggests most regional ini-

tiatives in Newfoundland and Labrador have yet to take

an integrated approach to development.

“This creates silos,” said Dr. Vodden, “but also contrib-

utes to the complex layering and maze of regions and orga-

nizational structures and processes across the province.”

The research was made possible with support from

Canadian Rural Revitalization Foundation, the Canada-

Newfoundland and Labrador Labour Market Development

Agreement, Service Canada, the Department of Advanced

Education and Skills and Municipalities Newfoundland

and Labrador.

The report is available online at www.mun.ca/

harriscentre/reports .

Join us to celebrate another season with brilliant artists such as Marc-André Hamelin, the Afiara String Quartet, the Gryphon Trio, and James Campbell.

Monday, august 5th 8 pMMarc-andré haMelin, D. F. Cook Recital Hall

Wednesday, august 7th 8 pM the afiara string Quartet, St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, “The Kirk”

thursday, august 8th 10 pMdinuk Wijeratne and friends, doWntoWn late night prograM, The Rocket Room, 272 Water St.

friday, august 9th 8 pM genius and genesis, DF Cook Recital Hall

The Afiara String Quartet, Bill Brennan, Duo Concertante, Dinuk Wijeratne & Vernon Regehr

saturday, august 10th 7 pM – young coMposers, Suncor Energy Hall

Come hear our young composers music8 pM – young artists at play, Petro Canada Hall

Young Artists play chamber music & solo repertoire

saturday, august 10th 7:30 pM afiara string Quartet, Old Church Admiral’s Cove

thursday, august 15th 8 pM gryphon trio: Music for the end of tiMe, DF Cook Recital Hall

friday, august 16th 8 pM jaMes caMpbell & friends, DF Cook Recital Hall

Tuckamore faculty artists, Susan Waterbury and Yariv Aloni, join James Campbell.

sunday, august 19th 8:00 pM festival finale! With young artists, DF Cook Recital Hall

Plus FREE lunch hour recitals, children’s concert, workshops, masterclasses, open rehearsals, Brigus concert and more!

Tickets and passes available at 1-888-311-9090 (Ticketpro)

or www.ticketpro.ca or www.tuckamorefestival.ca.

Gryphon TrioAfiara String Quartet

Susan Waterbury

Yariv Aloni

Marc-André Hamelin

Vernon Regehr

Duo Concertante

Dinuk Wijeratne

James Campbell

A U G U S T 5 – 1 8 , 2 0 1 3

the Molecular Imaging Program next to the Dr. H. Bliss Murphy Cancer Centre.

In addition to providing Eastern Health and Memorial

University with additional research and teaching oppor-

tunities, the Molecular Imaging Program will assist with

recruitment efforts for physicians. More information

about the program can be found on Eastern Health’s web-

site at www.easternhealth.ca .

Development of the facility is anticipated to begin later

this year. It is expected that the first PET/CT scan will

be offered by spring of 2015 and the Molecular Imaging

Program should be in full operation by 2016.

cont’d from partnerS on page 1


awakening to the Great sleep WarGert Jonketranslated by Jean m. snook

Awakening to the Great Sleep

War is one of the loveliest

riddles of European

literature: an expedition

through a world in

constant nervous motion,

where reality is rapidly

fraying — flags refuse to

stick to their poles, lids

sidle off of their pots,

tram tracks shake their

stops away like fleas, and

books abandon libraries in

droves.

Our guide on this jour-

ney through the possi-

ble (and impossible) is an

“acoustical decorator” by

the name of Burgmüller

— a poetical gentleman,

the lover of three women,

able to communicate with

birds, and at least as phil-

osophically minded as the author who invented him: “Everything has suddenly

become so transparent that one can’t see through anything anymore.” This enor-

mously comic and finally quite moving tale is perhaps Gert Jonke’s masterpiece.

Amanda DeMarco wrote in the Los Angeles Review of Books that “Snook’s translation

is pure and clean, and her prose has a ceaseless energy that fluctuates gracefully

between crisp philosophical enigma and exuberant poeticizing.”

Dr. Snook is a professor of German in the Department of German and Russian.

mark of timemarshall Godwin

This novel traces the ancestry and generations

of two fictional families, the Knights and the

Johnsons. The families can be linked genetically,

based on a birth mark, from the time of the Vikings

in 1,000 AD until today. The Mark of Time is a

story of those two families, the lives of successive

generations and their presumed relationship to the

historical and disastrous events in Newfoundland’s

history.

The story begins in 1,000 AD in the Viking com-

munity of Leifsbudir in what is now Newfoundland.

This community does not survive due to attacks

from other Vikings and the northern Skraelings or

Inuit. The survivors take refuge with the Beothuk

and become part of their family line. The most vis-

ible genetic heritage is a large port wine stain, originating with a Viking woman and

her daughter.

The two families are linked from generation to generation by a common birth-

mark and a curse bestowed on one of the families by an old Beothuk woman in

the 1600s. Because of this curse, when there is not a Bart and Elizabeth Knight liv-

ing, then a series of catastrophes befall Newfoundland. The novel follows the Bart

and Elizabeth Knights of subsequent generations and the disasters that occur when

there is not a married couple by that name. Throughout this fictionalized story,

major events in Newfoundland’s history are interwoven.

Dr. Godwin is a professor of family medicine and director of the Primary

Healthcare Research Unit. The Mark of Time is his second novel and the second in a

trilogy involving the now extinct Beothuk race. The first novel, Belle Maro, is also a

sweeping historical novel but it concentrates on cross-cultural contact and relations

between the Beothuk and the European settlers who came to Newfoundland. Dr.

Godwin said each novel can be read separately, but will be tied together in the third

part of the trilogy.

hookingmary dalton

Over the years Memorial University professor Mary Dalton has contributed greatly

to the literary life of this province through editing the literary journal Tickle Ace

and the interdisciplinary journal Newfoundland Studies, mentorship of generations

of young poets and the organization of many literary events.

Her fifth book of poetry goes where no other Newfoundland poet has gone. It is

experimental in form and it addresses our contemporary situation.

Hooking is a collection of centos, collage forms with ancient antecedents. It has

been listed by the Globe and Mail and by CBC Books as one of this season’s top poetry

books. It’s on Salty Ink’s top 10 spring list of Canadian poetry books. Described

on the recent Literary Press Group National Poetry Month page as “eagerly antici-

pated,” this book sees her approaching contemporary Newfoundland through the

use of techniques in common with mash-up in music and collage in visual art, as

well as in the traditional Newfoundland craft of mat-hooking.

Prof. Dalton is a poet, a professor in the Department of English Language and

Literature and the director of the Faculty of Arts’ annual SPARKS Literary Festival.

the Face of Justice on Newfoundland’s Northeast Coastedited by Christopher Curran and melvin Baker

The essays contained

in this volume trace

essential elements

of the face of justice

on Newfoundland’s

Northeast coast from

the migratory fishery

of the 18th century to

the pre-Confederation

decades of the 20th.

They were written

by academic and by

public and community

historians. They show

not only that the sources

of law and the level

of justice activities in

communities varied as

demographic, social and

economic conditions

changed throughout

this period, but also that

the law and its institutions formed an integral part of the fabric of everyday life and

were valued as such. Communities discussed include Brigus, Harbour Grace, Trinity,

Bonavista, Catalina and Greenspond. Dr. Baker is Memorial’s archivist-historian.

B O O k S


Nasrullah: Fogotten patriarch of the american thoroughbredmelanie Greene

Nasrullah arrived in Kentucky

in 1950 and forever changed

the modern American

thoroughbred.

Bred into royalty by the

Aga Kahn, Nasrullah’s jour-

ney from Europe to America

was one of glorious victories

and grand potential. He was

the first horse to lead both

the American and English sire

lists, which led to a legend-

ary line of descendants that

includes nine U.S. champions,

three Hall of Famers and 98

stake winners like Bold Ruler,

Noor and Nashua. Nasrullah

is even grandsire of the famed

Secretariat.

Ride along with author

Melanie Greene, a staff mem-

ber working with Distance

Education, Learning and

Teaching Supports and the Office of the Vice-President (Academic) on the Teaching

and Learning Framework, as she recounts the compelling history of a truly remark-

able horse that is sure to take any equestrian fan far beyond the bluegrass.

parties, elections, and the Future of Canadian politicsedited by amanda Bittner and royce Koop

On May 2, 2011, Canadians

watched as the Stephen Harper

Conservatives won their first

majority government. Jack Layton

led the NDP to its best performance

in history, and Michael Ignatieff

and the federal Liberals had their

worst showing to date. To most

casual observers, this election

marked a major shift in Canadian

politics. In reality, the country’s

political landscape and national

party system had been changing

for quite some time.

Parties, Elections, and the Future

of Canadian Politics offers the first

comprehensive account of politi-

cal change in Canada over the past

two decades. It explores develop-

ments in the political landscape

from both historical and contem-

porary perspectives and speculates

on the future of the national party system. By documenting how parties and voters

responded to new challenges between 1993 and 2011, this volume enhances our

understanding of one of the most tumultuous periods in Canadian political history.

Prof. Bittner is an assistant professor in the Department of Political Science at

Memorial. Royce Koop is an assistant professor in the School of Public Policy at

Simon Fraser University.

activity theory perspectives on technology in higher educationelizabeth murphy and maria rodrigues-manzanare

Activity Theory Perspectives

on Technology in Higher

Education presents a

compelling theory

that will be useful for

researchers, policy makers

and practitioners interested

in understanding and

controlling the shifts that

are occurring in education

due to the integration of

technology.

The book was authored

by Drs. Elizabeth Murphy

of the Faculty of Education

and Maria Rodrigues-

Manzanare, a sessional

lecturer in French and

Spanish and in the Faculty

of Education. Activity

Theory is a tool that can

help make sense of the

complex changes taking

place in higher education because of the integration of technology. Unlike other

theories, it allows for a focus that includes elements in the social, cultural and his-

torical setting in which the technology is used.

In addition, it supports consideration of the practices of individual students and edu-

cators as well as practices at the institutional level. The book provides insights into how

technology can support innovation, not only in education, but in other practices.

Free FlightWilliam pryse-phillips

It’s not every day that a neurologist turns his hand to writing a children’s book,

but professor emeritus Dr. William Pryse-Phillips is the proud author of Free Flight, a

Newfoundland-based book for children aged six to 10.

Dr. Pryse-Phillips’ last book, Companion to Clinical Neurology, had more than one

million words; Free Flight comes in at 1,000 words with beautiful illustrations by C.

Anne MacLeod.

Free Flight is a parable for children and their parents. It tells the story of Junior, a

young gannet, who doesn’t want to learn to fly, despite the urging of his parents.

“I’m a land bird,” says Junior, perched on a ledge on a chimney of rock, high above

the sea. “I could sit here forever.”

The mother and father gannet try to persuade him to try to fly, but Junior isn’t

moving. Until, that is, his cousin comes by and sings the praises of flight. “On a

clear day there is sea forever,” says the cousin. “Sometimes the wind gets under your

wings and lifts you up so you can just hang there and look down to where the roil-

ing bubbles in the water tell you where your next meal is.”

Inspired by his cousin’s words, Junior shuffled to the edge of his rock ledge, where

a gust of air swirls around him and

lifts him for an instant. He realizes

that truly birds were born to fly

and spreads his wings for the first

time.

Dr. Pryse-Phillips said the gan-

net’s story grew out of his own

struggle of letting his three chil-

dren leave home for careers in

other parts of Canada. He said the

story should appeal not only to

children but to grandparents who

have let their adult kids go and to

parents who are preparing for an

empty nest.

A T M E M O R I A L


‘smartest and best’ By naomi osborne

John cross, a marine engineering instructor with

the Marine Institute’s School of Maritime Studies, is

described by his colleagues as “someone who embodies

and exemplifies that which is best of teachers of

engineering” and by his students as one of the “smartest

and best” instructors they have ever had.

Mr. Cross was recently named the first Marine Institute

recipient of the teaching award from the Professional

Engineers and Geoscientists of Newfoundland and

Labrador (PEGNL). He was honoured with this presti-

gious award at PEGNL’s annual general meeting and

conference on June 14.

Having served as a member of PEGNL for many years,

Mr. Cross has made significant contributions to the

engineering profession and to engineering education.

Fellow instructor in the Marine Institute’s School of

Ocean Technology, Paul Ryan, began the process when

he approached Mr. Cross for permission to nominate

him for the award. Intent on being thorough, Mr. Cross

submitted a 30-page application which impressed the

selection committee.

“I think the Marine Institute will be seeing a fair bit

of this award in the future because we have excellent

teaching and an environment which allows instructors

to hone their skills,” said Mr. Cross. “I’m hopeful this

award will generate awareness at the institute about

PEGNL and in turn make PEGNL aware of our capabili-

ties at the Marine Institute.”

From left are John Cross and Bill hunt.

suB

miT

Te

d P

ho

To

awards recognize diverse selection of deLts’ servicesBy courtenay alcock

if recognition is any indication of success,

Memorial’s Distance Education, Learning and Teaching

Support (DELTS) is off to a good start this year. Since

the beginning of 2013, the department has received

eight awards from four national and international

associations.

The awards recognize a variety of work by DELTS,

ranging from innovations in integrative technology,

educational practices and collaboration, service pro-

grams, instructional support and marketing.

“The diversity of these awards speaks to the creativity

and talent of our staff in the many facets of our orga-

nization,” said Susan Cleyle, director of DELTS. “The

commitment of our partners and the ingenuity of our

staff allows us to remain innovative and effective in the

technologies we use and the services we provide to the

university community and beyond.”

The Canadian Network for Innovation in Education

(CNIE) presented DELTS with four awards at its annual

conference in Ottawa, Ont., on May 2. All four awards

recognized the unit’s integration of technology in var-

ious ways.

DELTS also received two marketing awards on

May 24 from the Canadian Association for University

Continuing Education (CAUCE). And earlier this year,

its student retention program, CONNECT, was rec-

ognized with two awards. The CONNECT program

engages online education applicants and first-time

online education students to help them connect with

the larger Memorial University community.

A complete list of the awards include:

2013 Award of excellence and innovation in the

integration of technology in the K-12 classroom,

by the Canadian Network for Innovation in Education,

for Education 6107 – Arts Education: Creativity in the

Classroom


integration of technology in educational practices/

collaboration, by the Canadian Network for Innovation

in Education, for Teaching with Technology Community


integration of technology in a formal or non-formal

educational program, by the Canadian Network

for Innovation in Education, Fishing Vessel Stability

Simulator

2013 Award of merit in the integration of technology

in instructional design/teaching and Learning, by

the Canadian Network for Innovation in Education, for

Chemistry 1810: Elements of Chemistry

2013 marketing Award for other printed marketing

materials/collateral materials, by Canadian Association

for University Continuing Education, for “Memorial@it’s

your day” e-Convocation congratulatory card

2013 marketing Award for other printed marketing

materials/collateral materials, by Canadian Association

for University Continuing Education, for Memorial@

Home transit posters

2013 innovative program Award, by National

Orientation Directors Association Region IX, CONNECT

2013 Wagner Award for outstanding instructional

support, by Distance Learning Administration, to

DELTS staff member Jody Burke for CONNECT

reseArchers in Memorial University’s

Department of Earth Sciences are among those from

16 other universities and 24 leading mining companies

across Canada to benefit from the largest Collaborate

Research and Development grant ever awarded by the

Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of

Canada (NSERC).

The $5.1 million investment towards the $12-million

project will support a pan-Canadian research partnership

to innovate the country’s mining industry. The five-year

project will involve in-depth research on three specific

areas, a gold deposit in Quebec, a uranium deposit in

Saskatchewan and a copper deposit in British Columbia.

The hope is after this five-year term, researchers will spend

another term on deposits in three new areas.

Dr. Steve Piercey and Dr. Colin Farquharson are research

partners on the project, which is hoped to increase explo-

ration success rates.

Dr. Piercey says the idea for the project was born in

2006 when some of the country’s mining visionaries got

together to figure out a way to keep Canadian mining and

exploration research from getting left behind.

“Canada and Australia are the leaders in mining and

mineral exploration globally, and Australia had been put-

ting all kinds of money into projects called predictive

mineral research centres,” he explained. “These stalwarts

of the Canadian mining companies decided that if we

didn’t start putting our heads together we were going to

be outmoded.”

From that idea the Canadian Mining Innovation

Council was born, with interests in exploration, develop-

ment, drilling technology, mining and clean up.

“They wanted industry-oriented research where the

questions were coming from industry, but researchers in

universities, government, people in industry and services

providers would work together to come up with unique

solutions to the problems,” said Dr. Piercey.

Dr. Piercey and Dr. Farquharson became involved in

one particular aspect of the project, the footprints explo-

ration group, which was hoping to create a new model for

exploration.

“When we are trying to find new resources there is a

footprint of that deposit and the environment around it,”

said Dr. Piercey. “The idea of this project is we are trying

to understand what a deposit looks like physically, chem-

ically and geologically right at the deposit, 100 metres

away, 200 metres away, etc.”

“Picture an archery target,” said Dr. Farquharson. “The

deposit is the yellow circle in the middle and there are

different colour circles coming out from it. From a geo-

physical perspective we might do a survey and get data

that suggests that we are not right over the bullseye, but

we don’t really know which of those coloured bands we’re

in, in other words, how far from the target we are.”

Dr. Farquharson says since researchers already know the

physical properties of the actual deposit, if they have data

from right over the top they’d know exactly where they

were. But they know a lot less about how to recognize how

far away from a discovery they might be.

“If you are way off to the side, where there is only a

slight alteration or variation, we don’t know what the

effect there will be on the physical properties,” he said.

“So we are trying to understand all the physical properties

in the area, not just the stuff right in the middle over the

deposit.”

The footprints exploration group is trying to create a

unified picture by bringing together the disparate geolog-

ical, geochemical and physical data collected by research-

ers, to give mining companies a greater ability to recognize

the subtle differences in the information collected around

an ore deposit and more accurately pinpoint its actual

location.

“What’s unique is that we researchers usually work in

silos,” said Dr. Piercey. “The key here is that we are talking

to one another to create integrated data sets with geolo-

gists, geophysicts, and so on collecting data on the same

samples in the same locations, working together and

co-supervising students. It has never been done this way

before and it’s a major change in thought.”

a collection of views of a 3-d earth model showing the “true” geology from different angles.

‘Major change in thought’memorial researchers involved in unique mining innovation partnership

By Kelly Foss


A chemistry mAster’s student has won

a prestigious Julie Payette-Natural Sciences and

Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC)

research scholarship. Jessica Besaw completed her

undergraduate degree at Memorial in the spring and

will begin the second phase of her academic career in

September.

The Julie Payette-NSERC Research Scholarship is

awarded to the 24 most outstanding applicants in

NSERC’s postgraduate scholarships “M” competition

and is based on academic excellence, research abil-

ity and potential, and communication, interpersonal

and leadership abilities. The scholarship will provide

$25,000 towards one year of study.

One of the faculty’s strongest undergraduate aca-

demic achievers, Ms. Besaw made the dean’s list for four

consecutive years and received the chemistry medal for

highest academic standing at spring convocation. While

she agrees academic success has been important to her,

she says this scholarship is about much more.

“This scholarship wasn’t just about academics and

having the highest grade,” she said. “There were other

criteria they were looking for, including communica-

tions, leadership and interpersonal abilities. The reason

I stood out, I think, is because as an undergraduate stu-

dent I was chosen to represent Memorial at the London

International Youth Science Forum.

“In addition, I have worked as a teaching assistant and

tutored high school students full time. I have also been

a volunteer with Habitat for Humanity and involved in

Memorial’s intramural sports teams. I have also writ-

ten and directed a play, which was performed by high

school students at the regional drama festival competi-

tion. This role enabled me to encourage others to bring

their own skills to the table.”

The recipient of three NSERC Undergraduate Student

Research Awards, including one at Queen’s University,

Ms. Besaw thought carefully about where she wanted to

do her graduate studies.

“The reason I stayed here to do a master’s at Memorial

is, while I looked around at other projects and had got-

ten proposals to work at other universities, I found the

project I had here was better than any other project I

could have gotten elsewhere. My project will include

computational chemistry work with Dr. Chris Rowley

in chemistry and experimental protein work with Dr.

Valerie Booth in biochemistry,” she said.

“It combines two things I really love to do. I thought

when I did my master’s I would have to choose between

them, but Dr. Rowley contacted Dr. Booth and proposed

they do a collaboration together for my benefit. So I will

be doing experimental work by synthesizing proteins

and characterizing them with nuclear magnetic reso-

nance, and then running molecular dynamic simula-

tions on high performance computers. It’s exactly what

I wanted and all I had to do was ask!”

premier signs mOU with China; highlights expanded post-secondary education partnerships

As the neWfoundLAnd and Labrador

delegation in China continued its mission, Kathy

Dunderdale, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador,

reaffirmed the province’s commitment to global

partnerships and post-secondary education through the

signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on

the Mutual Recognition of Higher and Post-Secondary

Education with the Ministry of Education of the People’s

Republic of China on June 26.

“Education is one of the highest priorities for our gov-

ernment, and we are extremely proud of the partnership

that has been built with the People’s Republic of China,”

said Premier Dunderdale. “This new memorandum

of understanding commits us to work together more

closely towards our common goal, the pursuit of excel-

lence in training and mobility in higher education.”

Through the MOU, both parties will encourage their

post-secondary institutions to formally recognize diplo-

mas, degrees and certificates from each other’s juris-

diction. Under the agreement, for example, Chinese

bachelor degree holders who have achieved outstanding

results will be eligible for admission into further stud-

ies leading to graduate degrees at Memorial University.

College of the North Atlantic currently provides the

curriculum for diploma programs at eight Chinese uni-

versities and supports and trains faculty at two of these

educational institutions.

In addition to the MOU on the Mutual Recognition

of Higher and Post-Secondary Education, Memorial

University has signed MOUs with the China Scholarship

Council (CSC) and the China International Center

for Economic and Technical Exchanges (CICETE). The

CSC MOU establishes the China Scholarship Council

and Memorial University of Newfoundland Joint

Funding Program, which will support up to 20 qual-

ified doctoral students who will be jointly funded by

Memorial University and the CSC to pursue doctoral

studies. It will also support visiting research students

and post-doctoral fellows as they study and carry out

research at Memorial. The CICETE MOU will explore

potential collaborative opportunities between the two

organizations.

“Approximately 36 per cent of Memorial University’s

international students are from China, and the univer-

sity has more than a dozen existing agreements with

Chinese institutions and is continuing to work on

developing more,” said Dr. Gary Kachanoski, president

and vice-chancellor, Memorial University. “Through

our shared dedication, efforts and commitment, I am

confident we will be able to develop even stronger

post-secondary connections between Newfoundland

and Labrador and China.”

Along with Dr. Kachanoski, Premier Dunderdale was

joined on the China mission by Tom Marshall, minis-

ter of Natural Resources; Jerome Kennedy, minister of

Finance and president of Treasury Board; and Ed Martin,

president and CEO, Nalcor Energy. Premier Dunderdale

was also the guest speaker June 26 at a dinner hosted by

Alderon Iron Ore Corp.

Jessica Besaw

ch

ris

ha

mm

on

d P

ho

To

Choosing Memorialtop chemistry academic achiever applying NserC scholarship at master’s level

By Kelly Foss

Dr. Alex Colville

Dr. Alex Colville, an honorary graduate

of Memorial University, passed away July

16, 2013. He was 92.

Irene Anne Whitfield

Irene Anne Whitfield, a retired staff

member of the Faculty of Arts, passed

away July 20, 2013. She was 72.

Dr. Gus Rowe

Dr. Gus Rowe, who served as chair of

Memorial’s Discipline of Family Medicine

from 1978-1985, passed away July 20,

2013. He was 92.

Dr. Minnie Vallis

Dr. Minnie Vallis, an honorary graduate

of Memorial University, passed away July

26, 2013. She was 80.

obItuarIeS


Listed below is a selection of the funding opportunities for which

information has recently been received by the Office of Research

Services. For links to further information on these items,

visit Grant Funding Opportunities on the Research website at

www.mun.ca/research/funding/opportunities/index.php .

• Burroughs Wellcome Fund Postdoctoral/Fellowship Awards• Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation Atlantic Regional

Fellowship Program• CIHR Catalyst Grant: Secondary Analysis of Neuroimaging

Databases• CIHR Dissemination Events• CIHR HFSP Postdoctoral Fellowship• CIHR Industry-Partnered Collaborative Research

(Registration and Full Application)• CIHR Knowledge Synthesis Grant• CIHR Mental Health Network • CIHR Operating Grant Registration (Mandatory)• CIHR Partnerships for Healthy System Improvement• CIHR Pathways to Health Equity for Aboriginal Peoples

- Partners for Engagement and Knowledge Exchange (PEKEs)

• CIHR Planning Grants• CIHR Proof of Principal Phase I• CIHR Proof of Principal Phase II• CIHR Team Grant: Health Challenges in Chronic

Inflammation Initiative• DoD Prostate Cancer Clinical Consortium Award• DoD Prostate Cancer Pathology Resource Network Award• Heart & Stroke Foundation of Canada Doctoral Research

Award• Heart & Stroke Foundation of Canada Grant in Aid• Heart & Stroke Foundation of Canada New Investigator

Award• Heart & Stroke Foundation of Canada Research

Fellowships• Heart & Stroke Foundation of Canada Research

Scholarships• MITACS-Accelerate PhD Fellowships• NL-HARP Doctoral Dissertation Awards in Healthy Aging• NL-HARP Master’s Research Grants on Healthy Aging• NL-HARP Project Grants• NL-HARP Seed Grants on Healthy Aging• NSERC Award for Science Promotion• NSERC Idea to Innovation (I2I) Grant• NSERC PromoScience Grant• NSERC Research Tools and Instruments Grants• NSERC Ship Time Grant

• SSHRC Insight Grants Notice of Intent (Mandatory)

IMMINENT DEADLINES

Aug. 30

Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada

– International Travelling Fellowship

– Royal College Fellowship for Studies in Medical

Education

– Medical Education Travelling Fellowship

– Detweiler Travelling Fellowship

– Walter C. MacKenzie, Fellowship in Surgery

Sept. 13

The Ontario Mental Health Foundation

– Research Project Grants

Sept. 19

Guggenheim, John Simon Memorial Foundation

– Fellowships to assist Research and Artistic

Creation (U.S. and Canada)

Sept. 20

Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation

– Community Health Grants

neWS&noteS

When dr. Linda hensman takes time away from her

role as dean of the School of Pharmacy, you will often find

her in training for a very different type of challenge than

leading a busy professional school. In 2004 she discovered

a joy for running and that passion has guided her through

six marathons in cities such as Prague, Toronto, Vancouver

and Berlin. Her first time running the Boston Marathon

was in 2012, and although she successfully completed that

run, the high temperatures that year motivated a return

to run the race again under normal conditions. The tragic

circumstances that marred the event in 2013 would prove to

be the furthest thing from normal. On April 15, 2013, two

bombs exploded near the finish line, killing three people and

injuring hundreds more. Dr. Hensman talked with Gazette

contributor david penney about her experience in Boston.

dp: What happened when the race was first stopped?

Lh: My friend Judy Sheppard and I had crossed the timing

mats at the 40 kilometre distance on the race route and

about one kilometre later I saw a congestion of runners up

ahead of us, just before the underpass at Massachusetts

Avenue. My immediate reaction was, “Darn it, I am

having such a fabulous race, my time is out the window

now!” But within 30 seconds I heard sirens and presumed

we were stopped for some kind of emergency. We were

among the first couple of hundred runners to be stopped.

As the crowd grew and more runners began stopping it

was amazing how calm everything was. No one got upset

or annoyed.

dp: How did events unfold from there?

Lh: Eventually, maybe after five minutes or so, people

with phones started to get messages that there had been

an explosion on Boylston Street near the finish line. I had

my cellphone and managed to call my Dad in Vancouver

to let him know I was okay, but shortly after that all

cellphone transmission was shut down for a while. At

that time we couldn’t reach Judy’s husband who was

waiting in the family area at the finish line. That was a

very anxious time for us.

About 10-15 minutes later, race officials told us that there

had been explosions and people were injured. Close to an

hour later they came back and told us they were trying to

get water and blankets to the runners, many of whom were

starting to get cold and thirsty. I had taken a jacket along

with an extra shirt tied around my waist so I was lucky in

that regard. Later I learned that Bostonians had brought out

clothing and blankets from their homes to many runners

who were stopped further back.

Finally we were told that the race was cancelled and were

instructed to walk back to the buses to collect the bags

and clothing that we had checked at the beginning of the

race. We were directed around the underpass and along

Commonwealth Avenue, which runs parallel to Boylston

Street. Even then all I saw was an incredibly tranquil bou-

levard with runners heading as quickly as they could to get

to the buses. We still had no real appreciation for what had

happened. We didn’t know the cause of the explosion or the

extent of the injuries. I don’t think we knew then that any-

one had died.

dp: When did you first get a clear picture of what had

happened?

Lh: My first sense of the enormity of the event was

when I got a call from a friend in St. John’s – that was

shortly after the race had been stopped and we were still

waiting. Knowing she was a friend of mine, the CBC

had contacted her to try to reach me for comment so I

knew this had to be serious. It started to really sink in

when I was walking back to my hotel and I chatted with a

volunteer who told me that he had helped put a critically

injured spectator in an ambulance. I turned up another

street and saw ambulances lined up for blocks, all ready

to be dispatched as required. I had never seen anything

like it. The full impact hit when I got back to my hotel

and saw the bombings on TV and realized how lucky I

was. I was stopped with about one kilometre to go, about

five to six minutes away from the site. I immediately

thought how different events could have been if I had

started a bit earlier, if I hadn’t taken a bathroom break or

even if I had walked a little faster during my walk breaks.

dp: Tell me about the calls, texts, emails and your

welcome home at the airport.

Lh: I was overwhelmed with the number of texts,

emails and voice messages not only from the running

community, but colleagues at work, friends and family

all over the world. I spent about four hours that evening

responding to everyone and doing interviews. It was

exhausting but it made me realize the wonderful group

of people I work, run and socialize with. At a time like

that it’s the support that gets you through and makes you

strong.

At the airport in St. John’s four friends who are also

runners were there with flowers to greet me. There were

a few watery eyes and tears shed. I’ve seen emotional

homecomings many times at the airport but never

thought I’d be part of one myself. It was very emotional

and again showed me the loving, caring and supportive

community that I live in. I felt very protected having

friends greet me and bring me home.

dp: Faculty and staff at the School of Pharmacy set up a

“finish line” for you in front of your office. What did you

think of that?

Lh: I was surprised and really touched that the some of

the staff and faculty would think to do that for me. I have

always known they are a great group to work with but it

really goes to show just how special they are that they

went to the trouble to help me “finish” Boston. It was

incredibly creative and thoughtful. I crossed the finish

line but I was reluctant to break the tape. I left it up for

a few days.

dp: Having had time to collect yourself and reflect, what

have you taken away from the experience?

Lh: In the face of adversity most people are caring

individuals who will help out in times of crisis and

need. The volunteers in Boston stayed around to hand

out water and blankets and helped us in many different

ways. They didn’t know if there would be more bombs

and they could easily have left to go home and allowed

us to fend for ourselves. The people of Boston who

opened up their hearts and homes to the runners to give

out clothing, blankets and water showed a great side of

humanity. I’ve also been extremely impressed with how

the Boston Athletic Association managed the events and

the aftermath, including how they’ve reached out to the

many runners who did not have an opportunity to finish

the race. They have been exemplary in every way.

Like most people I am deeply saddened for the inno-

cent people who were killed and injured and the lasting

impact on their lives that such a senseless act has caused.

I am very fortunate and thankful that I managed to avoid

being a direct witness to the carnage of that terrible

event and that I was not injured. Those who were pres-

ent will relive the horror for the rest of their lives I am

sure. While I have always known this, it was reinforced

through these events that I have incredibly supportive

friends and colleagues. That’s what truly creates rich-

ness in one’s life.

Finally, based on the response of the sporting and in

particular the running community, it’s evident that the

collective spirit remains resolute. For me, my next mar-

athon will be Chicago in October and I’ll be back in

Boston to run again next year.

dr. Linda hensman stands next to the “finish line” outside her office door at the school of pharmacy.

One runner’s experience at the 2013 Boston marathonBy david Penney

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

www.today.mun.ca

Wednesday, Aug. 8

Model Study of Coupled Physical-Biogeochemical Variability in

the Labrador Sea, 3:30–4:30 p.m., C 2045, Sponsor: Department

of Physics and Physical Oceanography

Sunday, Aug. 11

Nature Programs at MUN Botanical Garden, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.,

306 Mount Scio Rd., Sponsor: MUN Botanical Garden

Monday, Aug. 12

Beyond the Backyard Nature Program, 10:30–11:30 a.m., 306

Mount Scio Rd., Sponsor: MUN Botanical Garden

Afternoon Nature Hikes Program, 2:30–3:30 p.m., 306 Mount

Scio Rd., Sponsor: MUN Botanical Garden

Wednesday, Aug. 14

French Presence in Newfoundland and Labrador: Past, Present

and Future, 9 a.m.–5 p.m., Memorial University, Sponsor:

Department of French and Spanish

Thursday, Aug. 15

Measuring Police Caution Comprehension in Adult Offenders

and the Relationship to Cognitive Function, 11 a.m.–1 p.m.,

IIC 2014, Bruneau Centre for Research and Innovation, Sponsor:

School of Graduate Studies

Friday, Aug. 16

Synthesis of New Macrocyclic Polyamides and Polysulfonamides

and a Study of their Complexation Behavior using 1H-NMR and

Mass Spectrometry, 10 a.m.–12 p.m., IIC-2014, Bruneau Centre

for Research and Innovation, Sponsor: School of Graduate

Studies

Sunday, Aug. 18

New Plant Showcase at Botanical Garden, 10 a.m.–3 p.m.,




Monday, Aug. 19

Beyond the Backyard Nature Program, 10:30–11:30 a.m.,


Afternoon Nature Hikes Program, 2:30–3:30 p.m., 306 Mount

Scio Rd., Sponsor: MUN Botanical Garden

Tuesday, Aug. 20

Elastodynamic and Finite Element Analysis of Coupled Lateral-

Axial Vibration of a Drillstring with a Downhole Vibration

Generator and Shock Sub, 1–3 p.m., IIC 2014, Bruneau Center

for Research and Innovation, Sponsor: School of Graduate

Studies

Sunday, Aug. 25



Monday, Aug. 26

Beyond the Backyard Nature Program, 10:30–11:30 a.m.,


Afternoon Nature Hikes Program, 2:30–3:30 p.m.,

|306 Mount Scio Rd., Sponsor: MUN Botanical Garden

outandabout

REMEMbERInG WAynEmembers of the Faculty of Business administration as well as the family of the late dr. Wayne King participated in an installation ceremony for a memorial bench at Long pond recently. dr. King was a longtime member of the business faculty who passed away in November 2012.

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cLaSSIFIedFULLY FURNISHED 3 bedroom house available

for rent after August 26, 2013 and up to June 30,

2014. Move in with only your clothes. Beautifully

decorated, bright and clean modern 3 bedrooms

with 3.5 bathrooms & family room in basement.

Everything is included for your stay—washer,

dryer, glasses, cookware, linens, etc. Great house

for entertaining. Gorgeous propane fireplace.

9 ft ceilings. Hardwood throughout and heated

ceramic. House is 2 years old and R2000 with

very efficient electric heating. Back patio facing

greenbelt with Weber BBQ. Great neighborhood

in Clovelly on a cul de sac with Golf Course within

5 min walk. 10–12 min drive to MUN. Close to all

shopping and amenities. 2 car parking. Access to

garage for storage. No smokers or pets. To discuss

please call Barbara at 709 691 0885.


When pArt of the curriculum is

to design and build an off-road vehicle for

racing, going to school takes on a whole

new meaning. For the fourth year in a

row, Team Memorial Baja competed at the

international Baja SAE Series. The team

placed 38 out of 88 universities and, for

the first time, the university’s baja finished

the four-hour endurance race over rough

terrain without any technical issues. Team

captain Aaron Bolt was pleased with how

the team worked together leading up to

and during the competition, which took

place in Rochester, N.Y.

“We learned a lot from last year’s com-

petition and because of that we were able

to produce a vehicle that was both techno-

logically superior and more capable than

ever before,” he said. “Our car held up

great in the endurance race and was able

to compete in all the events, and despite

many unexpected challenges leading up to

the event, we all pulled together and got

things done.”

Baja SAE consists of three regional com-

petitions that simulate real-world engi-

neering design projects and their related

challenges. Engineering students are

tasked to design and build an off-road

vehicle that will survive the severe punish-

ment of rough terrain and sometimes even

water. Baja SAE Rochester 2013 took place

from June 6-9, and included competitions

in acceleration, hill climbing, manoeu-

verability, suspension and traction and

endurance.

“The first few days of the event are always

the most stressful,” said Mr. Bolt. “This is

when the technical safety inspection of

the car takes place. Despite not having any

critical problems with the car, some unfor-

tunate scheduling problems caused things

to be a little more stressful than usual, but

we got through it and were able to compete.

The first day of dynamic events — acceler-

ation, hill climb, suspension and traction

and manoeuverability — went well, but a

few minor issues cost us in the standings.

On the last day, which was the day of the

endurance race, the sun came out after

three days of rain and the car performed

great and stayed on the track and required

one minor repair.”

To date, Team Memorial has done well

at the competition. In 2010 the team came

in first overall in the water event and won

the Rookie of the Year award. In 2011 Team

Memorial placed fourth in the hill climbing

event, and placed sixth in the acceleration

event in 2012. For next year’s competition,

the team plans to improve the existing

baja by reducing the overall weight of the

car while maintaining strength by using

composite materials, expanding the capa-

bilities of the Arduino-powered driver

information system, continuing to find

new ways to utilize 3-D printing in designs

and improving driver training and compe-

tition preparation. Improving the existing

car instead of building a new car will allow

for more preparation time leading up to

next year’s event.

Mr. Bolt believes that getting involved in

events such as the Baja SAE Series enhances

the university experience and encourages

students to find creative and fun ways to

learn.

“The Memorial Baja team provides a

unique experience to engineering stu-

dents and allows us to get real world design

experience before we graduate. It is the

best way for students in engineering to

learn about machining and fabricating

and gain hands-on experience with all

the tools of the trade, as well as learning

to design for manufacturing, assembly and

maintenance. It has truly enhanced my

academic experience and has been crucial

in my development as an engineer. It is

awesome!”

The team wishes to acknowledge and

thank their sponsors, including the Angus

Bruneau Student Leadership and innova-

tion Fund in Engineering (LIFE) Program,

Memorial’s Faculty of Engineering and

Applied Science and Technical Services

Division, Hickman Motors, Atlantic Trailer

and Equipment, Cimetrix Solutions,

PAL, Wood Group PSN, Rideout Tools,

Pennecon, QTC, PEG-NL and Mile One

Harley.

For more about Team Memorial Baja,

please visit www.memorialbaja.com .

Luke hancox of memorial’s Baja team churns up some mud during competition.

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Team Memorial drives ahead at international baja eventBy Jackey locke

Documents

GAZETTE - Memorial University of Newfoundland · other imaging techniques, ... In the December 2012 Gazette, the research opportu- ... could play the guitar a bit and I could play