University of Lethbridge digest to July 12, 2014

• Potato Growers of Alberta and industry partners to create research Chair at U of L
• Dr. Susan McDaniel among Alberta Venture’s 50 Most Influential People
• Brian Burke the featured speaker for 2014 Pronghorns Scholarship Breakfast
• U of L faculty members recognized as University Scholars
• U of L researchers to receive $1.8 million in NSERC funding
• U of L alumnus named one of RBC Top 25 Canadian Immigrants of 2014
• Mexican indigenous students to study at U of L
• Cor Van Raay’s $5 million gift toward agricultural studies at U of L and Lethbridge College
• U of L researcher hopes to improve health of Aboriginal communities

From University of Lethbridge press releases

Potato Growers of Alberta and industry partners to create research Chair at University of Lethbridge

Research capacity in Alberta’s potato industry will be significantly enhanced due to a $1 million investment in the University of Lethbridge by a consortium of association and industry partners.

The U of L will receive the funds over five years from the Potato Growers of Alberta (PGA), McCain Foods, ConAgra Lamb Weston and Cavendish Farms to establish a Chair in potato science. The announcement was made today at a special event at Perry Produce near Chin, AB.

“Growers and processors identified a need to expand research in this critical field,” says Terence Hochstein, the PGA’s executive director. “There are only a handful of researchers dedicated to the discipline throughout western Canada and we expect this new Chair will greatly enhance and complement the current capacity that exists.”

The Potato Growers of Alberta (PGA) is a non-profit potato grower organization that aims to increase the success of the potato growing industry in Alberta. To accomplish this, the PGA works on three fronts: education and extension, marketing and promotion, and research.

Alberta’s potato industry is worth over $1 billion annually, including $165 to $180 million in farm gate receipts.

The University will immediately begin its search for a scientist with demonstrated experience in the potato industry. As well, the University will be seeking a researcher who is able to collaborate with producers and industry partners.

In addition to building research capacity, Hochstein hopes that U of L graduate and undergraduate students benefit from the Chair and that future capacity is created for the industry.

“One of the consortium’s long-term aspirations is that through student-research activities and related interactions, more agriculturally-focused students will consider a career in the potato industry,” says Hochstein. “While the potato industry is big business in Alberta, family farms continue to be a significant contributor to both seed and consumption potatoes.”

U of L President and Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Mike Mahon, says the PGA investment recognizes the commitment the U of L is making to Alberta’s agriculture industry.

“This investment, coupled with the recent donation made by Cor Van Raay, illustrates the leadership role that the University of Lethbridge plays in agriculture,” says Mahon. “We recognize agriculture as a dominant industry in southern Alberta. We will continue to respond to the economic, social and quality of life needs of southern Albertans.”

Acting Vice-President (Research), Dr. Lesley Brown, says existing research strengths at the U of L will enhance the work performed by the new Chair.

“The work done by this new Chair will complement existing U of L agricultural research strengths like water, epigenetics and remote sensing,” says Brown. “The U of L has a history of successful interdisciplinary projects and this new expertise will not only expand capacity for potato research, but will inform many other important areas as well.”

Dr. Susan McDaniel among Alberta Venture’s 50 Most Influential People

A University of Lethbridge sociologist’s research into labour shortages in Canada led to some myth-busting that earned her a spot on Alberta Venture’s 50 Most Influential People for 2014.

Dr. Susan McDaniel, director of the Prentice Institute for Global Population and Economy and Canada Research Chair in Global Population and Life Course, was the principal investigator in a study that showed Canada is not facing a broad labour shortage, although some industries and regions are experiencing skills shortages.

The research, funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, has received national attention and challenged accepted notions about labour shortages.

The article on McDaniel can be found at http://albertaventure.com/2014/07/susan-mcdaniel-albertas-50-influential-people-2014/.

McDaniel joins several other people with U of L connections who have made the list in previous years. In 2013, Dr. David Naylor (Physics and Astronomy) and Dr. Robert Sutherland (Neuroscience) were among the 50 most influential. President Emeritus Dr. Howard Tennant and U of L alumnus Ryan Johnson (Geography) were named in Alberta Venture’s 2012 most influential list.

Alberta Venture magazine creates the 50 Most Influential People list to acknowledge Albertans from all walks of life who have had uncommon influence on the province and beyond in the past year.

The complete list of Alberta’s 50 Most Influential People for 2014 can be found at http://albertaventure.com/2014/07/albertas-50-influential-people-2014

Calgary Flames’ Brian Burke the featured speaker for 2014 Pronghorns Scholarship Breakfast

One of the most accomplished, opinionated and prominent personalities in professional hockey is the featured speaker for the 2014 Pronghorns Scholarship Breakfast, to be hosted by Pronghorn Athletics on Tuesday, September 23, 2014in the 1st Choice Savings Centre gym.

Brian Burke, President of Hockey Operations for the National Hockey League’s Calgary Flames, will be welcomed to campus for the third annual athletic scholarship fundraising event.

“We’re thrilled to be able to bring in a speaker of Brian Burke’s stature,” says Robb Engen, manager of Business Development, Sport and Recreation Services. “Brian is well known for being outspoken and one of the sport’s biggest off-ice personalities but he’s also an astute businessman, environmentalist and humanitarian. I think his message is perfect for our audience and one that will resonate long after the event.”

Burke has spent time with professional hockey organizations in Hartford, Vancouver, Anaheim, Toronto and now Calgary over the last 20-plus years.

Well respected in the hockey community. Burke’s teams have qualified for the Stanley Cup playoffs seven times since 2000-2001. As executive vice-president and general manager of the Anaheim Ducks, Burke guided the Ducks to their first Stanley Cup win in 2007. He was appointed to the Hockey Hall of Fame’s selection committee and is an original member of the US Men’s National Team Advisory group. In 2008, he received the Lester Patrick Award for his outstanding service to hockey in the United States.

Outside the rink, Burke is well known for his community involvement. He is a vocal activist against homophobia in sports, and a strong supporter of first response personnel and military service members.

The Pronghorns Scholarship Breakfast was launched in 2012 during the University’s 45th anniversary, and raises money for U of L student athletes now and into the future. Its goal is to continue to provide essential funding as the Horns build and maintain a competitive athletic program.

The inaugural breakfast featured CBC Sports personality Brian Williams as the featured speaker, while last year’s event invited Olympic gold medallist Mark Tewksbury and hall fame swim coach Debbie Muir to campus.

“This event provides a great opportunity for our program to connect with the broader community,” says Engen. “In addition, the scholarship funding achieved through this event is critical to our success as it helps our teams both in terms of recruiting and in supporting our student athletes as they balance their academics with their sport.”

University of Lethbridge faculty members recognized as University Scholars

Three University of Lethbridge faculty members, Dr. Abdie Kazemipur (Social Sciences), Dr. Kas Mazurek (Education) and Dr. Josephine Mills (Fine Arts), have been appointed by the U of L’s Board of Directors to three-year terms as University Scholars – a program that acknowledges exceptional research, scholarship and performance.

“The University Scholar program helps talented faculty members more actively pursue their respective research areas by granting them financial resources as well as time to further explore their interests,” says Associate Vice-President (Research) Lesley Brown. “These three new University Scholars, who are tremendous representatives of the U of L’s world class faculty, will also have increased opportunities to disseminate their work publicly.”

University Scholars receive a research grant totaling $5,000 over three years, in addition to $1,500 over three years that may be used towards conference travel, conference registration, speaking and/or performance engagement expenses, or other activities used to disseminate their research activity. One course relief in teaching duty will be granted in each year of an appointment.

Each University Scholar will give a public lecture or performance as part of the University Scholars Series at the University of Lethbridge during the three-year term of their designation.

One University Scholar in each of Education, Fine Arts and the Social Sciences is appointed in one particular year, and one in each of Health Sciences, the Humanities, the Natural Sciences and Management, the alternate year.

The terms of the University Scholars appointments begin July 1, 2014.

Dr. Abdie Kazemipur
Dr. Kazemipur's work is targeted towards developing a better understanding of the role and place of religion in sociopolitical developments that involve Muslim populations. His work will explore the integration of Muslim immigrants in western liberal-democracies, including Canada. As well, Kazemipur will investigate secularization as well as the interplay of Islam and democracy in the Middle-Eastern countries of Iran, Turkey and Egypt. Through this work, Kazemipur hopes to add a Canadian perspective and a Canadian voice to these ongoing debates.

Dr. Josephine Mills

Dr. Mills will work to advance the outcomes of the Complex Social Change research project. Recently funded through the Interdisciplinary Research Development Fund, this project aims to study and enact collaborative strategies to overcome the inertia that discourages action. The project brings together curators, artists, students and scholars from different disciplinary backgrounds with a common interest – a deep commitment to activism, Liberal Education and to exploring the boundaries between the academy and the public realm. As a U of L Scholar, Mills will be curating a related series of exhibitions and public programs related to activism and social engagement.

NOTE: Dr. Mills is not receiving course relief. Rather, a contract staff person will be hired to work with her on gallery projects.

Dr. Kas Mazurek

Dr. Mazurek’s work explores how Alternative Language Programs meet the needs and aspirations of Alberta's culturally and linguistically diverse populations. His research will document perceptions of administrators and teachers regarding the cultural dimensions of their programs to investigate how these extend beyond language instruction and maintenance. The information that is obtained from Mazurek’s work will inform our understanding across numerous domains. These include how the cultural components of a program are defined, how a program and its teachers are part of a cultural and linguistic community, what makes a program unique, the needs of students and parents an Alternative Language Program meets that other public school programs cannot, and teacher competencies that facilitate successful delivery of a culturally-based program.

University of Lethbridge researchers to receive $1.8 million in NSERC funding

A total of 12 University of Lethbridge researchers will receive funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) this year, enabling future U of L discoveries in a variety of areas including neuroscience, biological sciences and chemistry and biochemistry.

Canada’s Minister of State (Science and Technology), the Honourable Ed Holder, made the national funding announcement earlier today at Western University in London, Ont.

U of L researchers receiving Discovery Grant funding include: Dr. Alice Hontela (biological sciences); Dr. Olga Kovalchuk (biological sciences); Dr. Locke Spencer (physics and astronomy); Dr. Theresa Burg (biological sciences); Dr. Lawrence Flanagan (biological sciences); Dr. Ute Kothe (chemistry and biochemistry); Dr. Paul Hazendonk (chemistry and biochemistry); Dr. Gongbing Shan (kinesiology and physical education); Dr. Daya Gaur (mathematics and computer science); Dr. Andrew Iwaniuk (neuroscience); Dr. Gerlinde Metz (neuroscience); and Dr. Adriana Predoi-Cross (physics and astronomy).

Iwaniuk will also receive funding through the Discovery Accelerator Supplement program.

Additionally, Dr. Hans Joachim Wieden (chemistry and biochemistry) is receiving funding under the Research Tools and Instruments Grants Program.

In total, U of L researchers will receive approximately $1.8 million in funding over the next five years.

“NSERC funding is an important support that will help these very worthy U of L researchers move their respective programs forward, which in turn will benefit our communities in terms of economic growth and quality of life,” says Acting Vice-President (Research), Dr. Lesley Brown. “Further, these funds over time have played a critical role in the U of L’s rapid transition from a primarily undergraduate institution to one of Canada’s leading research universities of its size.”

NSERC also announced recipients of its graduate scholarships and fellowship awards. Adela Gherga (mathematics and computer science) and Mark Hornsby (biological sciences) are receiving graduate scholarships while Jenni Karl (neuroscience) is receiving a post-doctoral fellowship award.

NSERC grants aim to develop, attract and retain the world’s most talented researchers at Canadian universities who are working in a multitude of scientific and engineering disciplines.

U of L alumnus named one of RBC Top 25 Canadian Immigrants of 2014 

University of Lethbridge alumnus Manwar Khan (BSc ’07) is being recognized as one of the RBC Top 25 Canadian Immigrants of 2014.

Khan, a father of twins, has been an active community advocate against violence since witnessing and intervening to stop a deadly attack against a fellow commuter on an Edmonton LRT train in December 2012. Since then, he has organized a number of anti-bullying rallies across the province and worked to empower citizens to take a stand against violence.

“The RBC Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Awards recognize outstanding individuals from diverse communities who enrich Canada and make it a better place to live,” says Christine Shisler, director, Multicultural Markets, RBC, in a news release.

The annual program invited citizens to submit nominees to the RBC Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Awards, from which a judging panel created a 75-person list of finalists. From there, Canadians were encouraged to vote online for the final award winners through to May 15, 2014, after which the top 25 were recognized.

Khan, who came to Canada in 2001 from Bangladesh as an international student to study at the University of Lethbridge, is now a business user acceptance testing co-ordinator for the Ministry of Alberta Human Services. Since his hero moment, he also has the unofficial moniker of the Anti-bullying Crusader.

“Since that day, I have been setting up rallies across the province to raise awareness about bullying and the role of the bystander. I have been sharing my story in the hopes of making Alberta a better, safer place,” explains Khan.

He has organized rallies and candlelight vigils in the province to create awareness against violence and the power of bystanders to intervene.

“I am proud of seeing my anti-bullying campaign go province-wide and start to empower victims of bullying and violence, and gain so much support from people of all different backgrounds in Alberta,” says Khan. “Having a positive attitude toward the challenges I encountered as an immigrant and facing those with patience helped me succeed in Canada. I believe if I want something, I have to go after it. You can’t wait for someone else to give it to you. You have to be focused, have a goal and go after it.”

Mexican indigenous students to study at U of L

Custom program is designed to prepare Mexican indigenous female students for further post-secondary studies as well as develop linkages with U of L students

A group of 20 indigenous female students from Mexico will spend four weeks at the University of Lethbridge this summer studying southern Alberta First Nations, as well as English and Canadian culture, as part of a partnership agreement between the U of L and the State of Quintana Roo, Mexico.

The program, organized by the Council for Science and Technology in the State of Quintana Roo (COQCYT), and funded by the National Council of Science and Technology of the United Mexican States (CONACYT), is designed to assist students with their graduate studies in Mexico.

Students will participate in interactive English as a Second Language classes that focus on Canadian culture. These classes will be augmented by three weekly off campus cultural activities. Additionally, Mexican students will participate in a peer partner program where they are matched with undergraduate students from the U of L. The program begins June 30.

The University has been working with officials from the State of Quintana Roo to further explore possible collaborations since the beginning of the year. U of L President and Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Mike Mahon, says the program will not only assist participating students in the short-term, but will create individual, institutional and national collaboration opportunities in the future.

“By providing this program, these students will have a greater understanding of southern Alberta, which will assist them in their respective endeavours,” says Mahon. “I am confident that the linkages that are built on our campus this summer will serve our University and respective countries well by fostering greater understanding of our respective cultures.”

This initiative came about due to the U of L’s involvement with a consortium of 10 indigenous universities in Mexico and several undergraduate universities in Canada that are focused on aboriginal education. In particular, the U of L has a close relationship with the Mayan University in Quintana Roo and has set up student exchange and cooperative work study agreements.

CONACYT is an agency of the Mexican federal government designed to strengthen the country's scientific and technological capabilities. Areas of strategic importance for the organization include health, natural resources and the environment, alternative energy, education, social development, information technology, biotechnology, nanotechnology and transportation. CONACYT administers several funding programs in education in Mexico, including specific programs for indigenous women.

Building international connections is a key component of the University’s strategic direction to enhance relationships with external communities, as detailed in Destination 2020 – the U of L’s strategic plan.

Cor Van Raay’s $5 million gift toward agricultural studies at U of L and Lethbridge College

One of southern Alberta’s most prominent agricultural entrepreneurs is ensuring that the future of agribusiness and the agricultural sector remain strong through a major philanthropic gift that will benefit students at both the University of Lethbridge and Lethbridge College.

Cor Van Raay, the founder of Cor Van Raay Farms and a leading Canadian cattle producer, has donated $5 million to Lethbridge College and the University of Lethbridge, jointly, to establish the Cor Van Raay Southern Alberta Agribusiness Program.

“This is an incredible gift, and we are extremely grateful to Cor and his passion for agriculture and his commitment to southern Alberta,” says University of Lethbridge President and Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Mike Mahon. “Through the establishment of this program, we will be able to create student opportunities such that we educate future generations in agribusiness practices that enable them to successfully operate wide ranging businesses in the agricultural sector.”

Through the Cor Van Raay Southern Alberta Agribusiness Program, a joint program offered by the College and the University will be created, focusing on agriculture-related education opportunities in the areas of Ag-economics, business development, entrepreneurship, finance, human resource management, commodity and futures trading, and general management and leadership with a focus on agricultural innovation.

“Mr. Cor Van Raay is a philanthropist, a lifelong learner, an innovator and a collaborator,” says Lethbridge College President and CEO, Dr. Paula Burns. “His collaborative nature is seen in the structure of this gift, which will allow Lethbridge College and the University of Lethbridge to create a unique partnership to meet the educational needs of agricultural professions for future generations.”

Van Raay and his late wife, Christine, settled in the Iron Springs area of southern Alberta in the early 1960s. The couple purchased a half section of cropland, to which Cor added a small herd of Holstein cattle in 1966.

By the 1970s, the Van Raays were growing grain and sugar beets and, as their cattle numbers grew, began to establish what would become one of the country’s most successful cattle operations.

In the early 1980s, Cor co-founded Butte Grain Merchants and continued to build his cattle business with an increasing emphasis on sustainable business practices. Around the same time, Cor became a majority owner of a very successful southern Alberta John Deere dealership from which he recently retired. Cor has now shifted his focus to a new farming operation he’s establishing in Saskatchewan.

The $5 million gift will be shared jointly between the University of Lethbridge and Lethbridge College, establishing endowed student awards, academic programming, an Agriculture Entrepreneur in Residence (Lethbridge College) and an Innovation and Entrepreneurship Program (University of Lethbridge).

“In partnership with Lethbridge College and the U of L, this gift will help position southern Alberta as a leader in the agricultural industry,” says Van Raay. “I’m really looking forward to the future.”

U of L researcher hopes to improve health of Aboriginal communities

An Alberta Innovates – Health Solutions (AIHS) investment will enable University of Lethbridge Faculty of Health Sciences researcher, Dr. Cheryl Currie, to make important strides toward gaining a better understanding of the unique health needs of rural and urban Aboriginal populations. The overall goal of her research is to work in partnership with communities to improve related health policies, practices and programs.

Currie, an assistant professor of public health in the U of L’s Faculty of Health Sciences, has been selected as the AIHS Translational Health Chair in Aboriginal Health and Wellness, an investment of $1.7 million over the next seven years.

“I want to congratulate Dr. Currie on receiving an AIHS Translational Health Chair,” says Dr. Cy Frank, AIHS CEO. “Dr. Currie’s work will contribute enormously to both our understanding of Aboriginal health priorities and the approaches they use to manage and promote better health. This is core to improving health and well-being.”

The AIHS Translational Health Chairs program provides opportunities to attract top researchers to Alberta. Focusing on priority research and innovation areas, these individuals translate research into real world solutions, moving what we know into what we do.

Last year, Currie made national headlines for a study that demonstrated the role of Aboriginal traditional culture and knowledge in the health and well-being of Aboriginal Peoples in cities. Such findings are important to inform effective prevention and treatment services.

Currie says improving the health of Aboriginal populations depends on having a greater understanding of the factors that shape Indigenous health in Canada.

“Through this work, I hope to promote a better understanding of the determinants that promote Aboriginal health, strength and resilience in Canada,” says Currie.

As an AIHS Translational Chair, Currie will continue to work in partnership with Aboriginal communities to examine health determinants and to develop and evaluate interventions that address community-identified health needs for children, youth and adults.

“To improve Aboriginal health, we need to start asking different questions and to start looking for different answers that are grounded in the knowledge of the community itself,” say Currie.



U of L Dean of Health Sciences, Dr. Chris Hosgood, says Currie brings a collaborative approach to her work and has engaged in several multi-disciplinary projects with researchers on campus and beyond. He says this approach will contribute greatly to the success of Currie’s program.

“Through her work, Cheryl has collaborated with a diverse group of researchers; working in neuroscience, kinesiology and epigenetics to name a few. Her own research is extremely impressive, but her ability to bring together other world-leading researchers from different areas will only enhance the success of her efforts as a translational chair,” adds Hosgood.

Alberta Innovates – Health Solutions supports research and innovation activities to improve the health and well-being of Albertans and creates, through innovation, health related social and economic benefits for Albertans. It provides leadership for Alberta’s health research and innovation enterprise by directing, coordinating, reviewing, funding and supporting research and innovation. For more information see: www.aihealthsolutions.ca.