IN FOCUS: the Faculty of Arts & Science Newsletter

Thursday, September 1, 2016

Welcome back. I trust you had a productive summer. For myself I managed to read a couple books related to my research, Edward Schippa’s Protagoras and Logos and Robert Simon’s Order and Dispute: An Introduction to Legal Anthropology. The latter, in particular, is related to a project on Athenian Law, which I hope to make some headway on over the year. As you know, other distractions can sadly get in the way. This Fall I will have the privilege to teach again; this time second year Greek. It is always a pleasure to read ancient Greek texts with students, and I am very much looking forward to it. I must confess I do miss the classroom at times.

For those who have not yet noticed the big hole at the north end of UHall, work has begun on the new Science and Academic Building. This is exciting both for the University and the Faculty. Soon the foundations will be poured. We are ahead of schedule, which is very good, but there will be ongoing challenges to remain within budget and no doubt hard choices will need to be made. Associate Dean Letts will take an active role in the project now, allowing me to direct my attention to other things.

As we enter a new academic year, Arts and Science is well positioned, though not without its challenges. The Faculty met its overall targets, and then some, for undergraduate registrations for Fall 2016 (102% of our target). Again student attraction to the sciences remains strong, reaching 107% of our enrollment target in this area. BA numbers have remained steady but have not grown over the last two or three years (as of August 23 we had made 96% of our target for Fall 2016 registrations), and this is an area to which we need to pay some attention and find ways to attract more students. On the bright side, the Global Citizenship Cohort, which is being offered again this year, attracted 92 applications, with over forty students registered for the fall. Such initiatives may prove an important vehicle to invigorate our undergraduate teaching, and help with recruitment and retention, as we continue to look for ways to offer unique learning experiences for students. In a similar vein Biology’s Undergraduate Research Internship, which begins this fall, easily met its target. I also note that registrations in FNTP are up, and registrations in combined degrees with Education are strong: the Combined BA/BEd reached 111% of its target, whereas the Combined BSc/BEd reached 91% of the target. Likewise, results in the Pre-BEd programs were strong: 103% of our target for Pre-BA/BEd and 107% for Pre-BSc/BEd. 

All this looks very good for us. But there are some areas of concern. Only 27 students have registered in our first year Engineering Program, slightly down from last year. We had hoped to grow the program and gain momentum as we worked toward developing a case for a full-fledged Engineering Program. Some attention will have to be directed towards this. Currently students, who successfully complete our one year program with the appropriate GPA, can transfer into second year Engineering at U of A. We will be adding a second transfer option with the University of Saskatchewan, and we hope this will improve the appeal of our first year program, but in the end our ultimate aim is to develop a stand-alone program of our own, something that has the strong support of our local engineering community. In November 2015, a former Associate Dean of Engineering from U of A conducted a site visit to assess the potential for such a program. After consultation with various groups, he produced a report laying out the direction the university could take if it wanted to develop engineering. We have been soliciting feedback from the Engineering Advisory Committee and will begin this year to work on curriculum.

Graduate numbers are also a concern. Although our numbers (as of August 23) are slightly up for this coming year for both the MA and MSc (and slightly down for the PhD) we are far off our projected targets. Perhaps those targets were too ambitious, and we will need to evaluate how quickly and fast we can grow at the graduate level, but growth is important if we are to become a more fully comprehensive university.

All this to say, as we move forward, we will need to be strategic, given that resources are limited and tight; for that reason, I began talking last year about the need to develop an Academic or Strategic Plan to guide the Faculty over the next several years. I would like to return to this with greater purpose in the Fall. In this context, I would refer you back to something I said in an earlier issue (newsletter #3). There I referred to Derek Bok’s book, Higher Education in America (Princeton and Oxford, 2013) and the challenges which comprehensive universities have with multiple and sometimes competing mandates (research vs teaching; graduate vs. undergraduate programming) that can work at cross-purposes to one another if institutions are not careful. According to Bok, “the different aims [of a university] often complement one another to produce a whole greater than the sum of its parts” (31), and universities can benefit “from the synergies derived from pursuing several goals at once” (32); graduate programs, for instance, can strengthen and enhance our research and, if done well, assist in undergraduate teaching, but a strategy of pursuing multiple aims, Bok suggests, is not without its risks, and often these various aims can run at cross purposes and come into conflict. As universities take on multiple purposes, there is the added pressure to grow and add new programs (much as we are thinking about Engineering). Since this kind of “mission creep” tends to be expensive (36), a comprehensive university must be “clear about [its] purposes and priorities so that they can concentrate on important activities and avoid taking on unnecessary responsibilities” (34). Hence, the need for a Strategic Plan.

With this, I will end and wish you a successful Fall Term.

Craig Cooper
Dean, Arts & Science

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PUBlic Professor Series 2016-2017

The PUBlic Professor Series is back for another season! The upcoming lectures are sure to be thought-provoking and encourage open conversation. No matter what, there will be something for everyone. See the lineup below.

September 22, 2016
Dr. Kevin McGeough, Geography & Archaeology
'I met a traveller from an antique land': The Archaeology of Progress, Decline and Collapse

October 20, 2016
Dr. Roy Golsteyn, Biological Sciences
Flower Power: A scientific search for new medicine in Prairie Plants

November 24, 2016
Dr. Goldie Morgentaler, English
How Dickens Invented Christmas – and Why it Matters

 

January 26, 2017 Dr. Janay Nugent, History
Converting a Nation: family, religion and Calvinism in sixteenth and seventeenth-century Scotland

February 16, 2017 Dr. Kent Peacock, Philosophy
Alberta in the Anthropocene

March 23, 2017 Dr. Stacey Wetmore, Chemistry & Biochemistry
DNA Damage, Repair and Disease: How Computers Can Help Us Understand

If you missed a talk, or just want to hear it again, you can visit After The Talk, where you will find videos for each of our PUBlic Professor lectures. Research stories from each lecture can also be found below:

Sign-up for the mailing list and never miss a thing!

 

The F.E.L. Priestley Lecture Series

As part of the F.E.L. Priestley Lecture Series, the Faculty of Arts & Science is proud to host Erna Paris, who will discuss "Why Multiculturalism Matters." Paris is the author of seven acclaimed works of literary non-fiction and the winner of twelve national and international writing awards for her books, feature writing, and radio documentaries. She will be on campus Thursday, October 27, 2016 from 7:30-9:30 in PE250. This is a free event, but space is limited so arrive early! For complete details, visit the website.

Notable Mentions

August 29, 2016 | Destination Project packs economic punch
As construction on the Destination Project continues to grow, so too are the dollars in the hands of southern Albertan families and businesses.

August 26, 2016 | No easy solution to electoral reform
Dr. Harold Jansen weighs in on electoral reform before the House of Commons Special Committee on Electoral Reform

August 23, 2016 | Canadian Catholicism showing signs of resilience and growth
New book shows rumours of the demise of the faith in Canada are greatly exaggerated

August 9, 2016 | University of Lethbridge trio present to Senate committees
Drs. Yale Belanger, Geoffrey Hale and Chris Kukucha provided their expertise to two Standing Senate committees

July 29, 2016 | The Destination Project; Building careers from cooperative education placements
Building the cutting-edge home for future generations of scientists isn’t the only thing the Destination Project is helping to develop.

July 13, 2016 | Young researcher summer program looks to expand through transition
The U of L hopes to expand the Heritage Youth Researcher Summer program over the next three years
   
June 28, 2016 | Summer science camps offer fun, interactive learning opportunities
Children aged 5 to 16 have the opportunity to enjoy a variety of science based and recreational activities at the University of Lethbridge this summer through the Learning Quest Summer Science Camps

June 23, 2016 | Southern Alberta oral history project proves popular
Dr. Darren Aoki's oral history project focuses on Japanese Canadians after the Second World War
   
June 21, 2016 | University of Lethbridge creating, maintaining links to Japan through agreements
The University signed a number of agreements, extending a 35-year history of collaboration with Hokkai-Gakuen University and creating a new dual degree program with Gakushuin Women’s College

June 7, 2016 | Canadian Olympian Clara Hughes to headline Pronghorns Scholarship Breakfast
The fifth annual Pronghorns Scholarship Breakfast takes place on Thursday, Sept. 29, 2016 in the 1st Choice Savings Centre

June 3, 2016 | Community leader Erin Phillips honoured with University of Lethbridge Volunteer Award
Noted for fostering a sense of belonging and connection both at the University and in the community at large, Phillips is the chaplain for Ecumenical Campus Ministry

June 1, 2016 | Celebrating the Spring 2016 Convocation medal winners
A select group of students distinguished themselves as the Spring 2016 Convocation medal winners

May 26, 2016 | Shell Canada gift helps University revitalize Westcastle Field Station
The field station can now host numerous students and researchers and has the capacity for community outreach initiatives

May 3, 2016 | U of L’s Centre for Oral History and Tradition to offer public workshops
Centre for Oral History and Tradition to offer public oral history workshops across southern Alberta

May 2, 2016 | New 3T MRI Centre to open in CCBN
The new centre, scheduled to open in mid-July, will feature a 3T MRI that will greatly expand research possibilities for faculty and students, as well as provide clinical scanning for southern Alberta patients wishing to pay for a private MRI study
  
April 12, 2016 | U of L researcher to investigate the challenges of acquiring water for new housing in the Calgary region
Will the availability of water affect housing development in the Calgary area? Dr. Lorraine Nicol's research will provide some answers

March 24, 2016 | Student refugee initiative gets boost from Scotiabank
Funds will help a student from Syria study at the University of Lethbridge

March 22, 2016 | Wind testing plays role in design of Science and Academic Building
Comprehensive testing helps shape design alterations for the KPMB|Stantec Architects design, as well as wind mitigation techniques for areas around the new building

March 18, 2016 | Bibby asks the questions that are on everyone's mind
Reg Bibby's name is synonymous with popular culture and is one of the country’s most respected and accessible sociologists

In May and June, the Centre for Oral History and Tradition (COHT) offered community oral history workshops at the Galt Museum & Archives; the Crowsnest Community Library; and Stavely & District Museum. On September 23, 2016  they will be offering an introductory workshop in Medicine Hat at the Esplanade Arts & Heritage Centre, and on October 21, 2016 will be offering an intermediate workshop at the Galt Museum & Archives. For more information, please visit the website or contact COHT by email

HYRS
The Heritage Youth Researcher Summer Program, or HYRS, is a province-wide initiative to encourage biomedical research in Alberta while recruiting and retaining high performing students as future talent. The 2016 HYRS program placed seven exceptional grade 11 students with 6 biomedical research labs at the University of Lethbridge. 5 of the students came from Lethbridge High Schools, while 2 were from Medicine Hat. The students worked on biochemistry and neuroscience topics such as the effects of tobacco on DNA structure, multi-generational stress inheritance, Alzheimer's treatments, and the functions of RNA in cellular machinery. In addition to their research, students were privy to career counselling services, professor presentations on medical anthropology, pharmaceuticals, and environmental toxicology, tours of Health Science and research facilities, and a Showcase banquet to display their projects in the community.

HYRS student research was conducted in the labs of Principal Investigators Gerlinde Metz, Robbin Gibb, Robert Sutherland, Ute Kothe, HJ Wieden, and Stacey Wetmore.

In each respective lab, HYRS participants were mentored by the following student researchers:

•     Dennis Bettenson
•     Rachel Dombowsky & Serena Jenkins
•     Keiko McCreary, Justin Lee & Melinda Wang
•     Emily Soon & Laura Keffer-Wilkes
•     Fan Mo & Harland Brandon
•     Katie Wilson

The staff responsible for the operation of this program include:

•     Brett Weighill - Program Coordinator
•     Trevor Armstrong - Program Manager, AWESB Manager
•     Susan Entz and Greg Vilk - Research Services
•     Jackie Rice - Dean's Office

Events
Members of the English and History departments will host a talk regarding "Western Canada at War." This event will take place on Wednesday, November 30, 2016 beginning at 6PM at the Dr. Foster James Penny Building (324 - 5 Street South). Scheduled to speak are Dr. Elizabeth Galway (English), Dr. Kristine Alexander (History), and Dr. Amy Shaw (History). This event is in conjunction with the University of Manitoba, who will also be publishing a special issue edition of Manitoba History in November 2016. For complete details, please contact Elaine Toth.

The Prentice Institute for Global Population and Economy will continue their Brown Bag Lecture Series, beginning with a lecture by J. Douglas Willms entitled Education Prosperity in Low-and Middle-Income Countries. This talk will take place on Thursday, September 15, 2016 from 12-1:30pm in L1102 (the Prentice Boardroom). For complete details and more information about upcoming lectures, please visit the website or follow them on Twitter.

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August 19, 2016 | Building rapport key to success of the Raising Spirit project
Taylor Little Mustache spent the summer working as a research assistant with the Raising Spirit project

August 18, 2016 | Students take centre stage at annual CCBN Summer Student Symposium
Research students shared their research projects at the annual CCBN Student Symposium

June 24, 2016 | Undergraduate student success highlights ATIC awards at national symposium
Undergraduate student Jason Beaver claimed the Best Student Oral Presentation Award as the Alberta Terrestrial Imaging Centre (ATIC) was prominent at the 37th Canadian Symposium on Remote Sensing

June 8, 2016 | Physics student awarded prestigious scholarship
Proposed doctoral research nets Ian Veenendaal an Alexander Graham Bell Canada Graduate Scholarship

May 9, 2016 | High school students meet the challenge of university coursework
Students were eager, engaged and dived into their project work, says their instructor, Deb Jarvie.

March 14, 2016 | Douglas Kiss takes first place in 3MT competition
Douglas Kiss heads to the Western Regional 3MT Competition at the end of April

March 9, 2016 | Oral histories to highlight farming stories of southern Alberta
In the days before wheel moves, moving irrigation pipes was a family activity that required all hands on deck. Shelby Forster is collecting irrigation farming stories like this as part of an applied study.

February 23, 2016 | Repeat winners take Play Right and Striking Prose prizes
The Striking Prose and Play Right Prize competitions are generously supported by University of Lethbridge alumnus Terry Whitehead

 

 

February 17, 2016 | U of L student honoured with national award for inorganic chemistry research
Chemistry research brings an element of joy to Jackson Knott's life

 

 

Notable Mentions

Kevan DeCuypere has won the highly competitive Chinook Summer Research Award through her outstanding undergraduate work in the Department of English. The award provides $5,625 to encourage the advanced research training of undergraduate students alongside a faculty member performing innovative research. In summer 2016, Kevan has been working as a full time researcher on Dr. Nick Morwood’s forthcoming book project Modern Metamorphoses: Origins and Developments of 20th Century Posthuman Culture. In further evidence of her research potential, Kevan has also recently won the prestigious George Ellis Research Scholarship in support of her forthcoming Honours Thesis. Congratulations Kevan!

Congratulations to geography student Theo Harvey (centre), who was awarded the inaugural 2015-2016 MacLachlan Prize for his outstanding work in economic geography.
The award was established following Dr. Ian MacLachlan's retirement from the Department of Geography, in recognition of his unfailing commitment to student success and mentorship. It is to be awarded annually to the student in second-year economic geography who best displays enthusiasm for and a commitment to the sub-discipline.
Harvey is the first recipient of this award, and received a prize of $200 for his achievement. Dr. MacLachlan (left) presented the award to Harvey, along with Dr. Stefan Kienzle.

Congratulations to Scott Semenyna and Lanna Petterson, who each received the following awards to conduct their doctoral research in Samoa: Social Science and Humanities CGS D3 Doctoral Awards ($35,000/year for 3 years) and the Board of Governors Chair Graduate Awards ($5,000/year for 4 years). Their supervisor is Dr. Paul Vasey in the Department of Psychology.

August 31, 2016 | U of L humanities researchers secure federal grants
Four University of Lethbridge professors have been awarded more than $300,000 in research grants from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC)

August 30, 2016 | New conference to build bridges between academia and the public
A new annual conference organized by Dr. Fangfang Li and her colleagues will help ensure the public has accurate information about child language learning

August 19, 2016 | CIHR grant allows researchers to dig deeper into the effects of prenatal stress
The goal is to develop new treatments that promote healthy futures for children

July 28, 2016 | Johnson and monitoring network keeping an eye out for potato 'zebra chip' disease
Very low levels of insecticide use by Alberta farmers may be keeping harmful insects at bay

July 26, 2016 | Hopkinson, Chasmer embark on cross-Canada research mission
Drs. Chris Hopkinson and Laura Chasmer will once again take to the skies to conduct surveys that will provide rich data about climate change, forest resources, wetlands, flood risk, permafrost loss and water resources

June 27, 2016 | Leca research targets light-fingered Balinese macaque monkeys
 University of Lethbridge research team, featured by BBC Natural History, studies unique phenomenon and what it might teach us about behavioural economics

June 23, 2016 | U of L researchers awarded more than $2 million in NSERC funding
Projects in math & computer science, neuroscience, physics & astronomy, biological sciences, chemistry & biochemistry and kinesiology & physical education all received support

June 23, 2016 | CCBN research capabilities expand with state-of-the-art optical imaging lab
Optical imaging lab will give researchers new insight into neurological disorders

June 23, 2016 | Auditory research study to further tinnitus knowledge
New optical imaging equipment will help Dr. Michael Kyweriga learn more about tinnitus, a hearing disorder that affects millions of people.

June 7, 2016 | University of Lethbridge receives grant to help train the next generation of space scientists and engineers
Graduate students like Ian Veenendaal will receive specialized training as the result of a Canadian Space Agency grant worth $500,000.

May 30, 2016 | The First Regional Conference on Women in Physics
Dr. Adriana Predoi-Cross was recently invited to speak at the First Regional Conference on Women in Physics in Islamabad, Pakistan

April 26, 2016 | Researchers show prenatal stress influences new behavioural traits, including handedness
Mirela Ambeskovic and Dr. Gerlinde Metz found male rats exposed to ancestral stress were predominantly left-pawed

April 22, 2016 | Board of Governors Research Chairs announced
Research Chair program acknowledges accomplishments of U of L faculty members

April 11, 2016 | Skating therapy making significant difference for those living with Parkinson's disease
Dr. Jon Doan leads a study that could bring Parkinson's patients back to the rink - the social epicentre of many Canadian communities

March 18, 2016 | The haunting effects of ancestral ghosts
Dr. Gerlinde Metz and her team's pioneering research has shown for the first time that remote ancestral stress — several generations removed from a mother — can influence her risk of preterm birth, diabetes, and the development of her baby.

March 15, 2016 | Researchers find North American grasslands likely to be more productive under future climate change
Native grasslands could become more productive in a warming climate

March 14, 2016 | U of L research programs to benefit from Canada Foundation for Innovation funding
Research projects by Drs. Nehal Thakor and Andrew Iwaniuk have been boosted thanks to funding award

February 23, 2016 | Research study finds Americans are more optimistic about the future than Canadians
 Canadians are more pessimistic than Americans about their children's prospects in the future

February 22, 2016 | Science website names Bubel archaeological find as second most interesting discovery of 2015   
Dr. Shawn Bubel's discovery of seven upright bone features at the Fincastle Bison Kill Site is an archaeological rarity

February 11, 2016 | Final Herschel/SPIRE Consortium meeting hosted by University of Lethbridge
Leading scientists from around the world attended a four-day conference, the SPIRE ICC Post-Ops Meeting, February 16-19, 2016, and the U of L’s Dr. David Naylor (physics and astronomy) hosted the event

January 26, 2016 | University of Lethbridge welcomes new Research Chair in Potato Science
Dr. Dmytro Yevtushenko is digging into his new role as Research Chair in Potato Science
  

Notable Mentions
Chemistry & Biochemistry
Trushar Patel, who joined the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry in April, recently published the following: Application of novel analytical ultracentrifuge analysis to solutions of fungal mannans. Gillis, R. B., Adams, G. G., Besong, T. M., Machová, E., Ebringerova, A., Rowe, A. J., Harding S. E. and Patel, T. R. European Biophysics Journal (2016), 1-11

LAR protein tyrosine phosphatase regulates focal adhesions via CDK1. Sarhan, A. R., Patel, T. R., Cowell, A. R., Tomlinson, M. G., Hellberg, C., Heath, J. K., Cunningham, D. L. and Hotchin, N. A. Journal of Cell Science (2016) 129, 2962-2971

Regulation of Platelet Derived Growth Factor Signaling by Leukocyte Common Antigen-related (LAR) Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase: A Quantitative Phosphoproteomics Study. Sarhan, A. R., Patel, T. R., Creese, A. J., Tomlinson, M. G., Hellberg, C., Heath, J. K., Hotchin, N. A. and Cunningham, D. L. Molecular & Cellular Proteomics (2016) 15, 1823-1836

Institute for Child and Youth Studies (I-CYS)
In July 2016, Dr. Mary-Ann Shantz of MacEwan University joined us for a week-long writing fellowship. Here are her reflections on the experience:

“In July I had the pleasure of being hosted as a Writing Fellow by the Institute for Child and Youth Studies. Besides affording me a close encounter with a rattlesnake, my time at the University of Lethbridge allowed me to complete revisions to an article entitled, “‘Nudists at Heart’: Children’s Nature and Child Psychology in the Postwar Canadian Nudist Movement” (drawn from a chapter of my book manuscript on the cultural history of Canadian nudism).

The Institute for Child and Youth Studies provided me with space and time to think and write; but even more valuable to me were the collaborative and supportive faculty and students that comprise the Institute. Often the academic life is a solitary one; my time as an I-CYS Writing Fellow countered that isolation by allowing me to physically work alongside colleagues, to engage in fruitful discussions, and to be encouraged by the enthusiasm of others for my work. I have no doubt my article and book will be better as a result, and I returned to my home in Edmonton invigorated and inspired by the work being done by members of I-CYS. I am grateful to Kristine Alexander, Jan Newberry, and the Institute for hosting me at the University of Lethbridge and promoting interdisciplinary dialogue and relationship-building.”

“Raising Spirit”: I-CYS Collaboration with Opokaa’sin Early Intervention Society
I-CYS researchers Jan Newberry, Erin Spring, and Kristine Alexander, along with MA graduate Amy Mack and undergraduate trainee Taylor Little Mustache, have made significant progress with “Raising Spirit: The Opokaa’sin Digital Storytelling Project,” a community-engaged research project being conducted in collaboration with Opokaa’sin Early Intervention Society. This spring-summer, we:

• Presented a panel about the project at the Congress of the Social Sciences and Humanities at the University of Calgary
• Received a $40,000 grant from the Alberta Centre for Child, Family, and Community Research (ACCFCR)
• Received a $14,900 grant from the Urban Aboriginal Knowledge Network
• Benefited from the funded research assistance of two high school students, Hudson Eagle Bear and Tesla Heavy Runner (funded by STEP) as well as U of L undergraduate Taylor Little Mustache. Taylor’s work with the project was featured on UNews.
• The project was also featured on McGill University’s Belonging, Identity, Language, Diversity research group blog.

New Graduate Students
We’re excited to report that we have three new graduate students joining us this fall: Ashley Henrickson (MA History), Kaitlynn Weaver (MA Cultural, Social, and Political Thought), and Victoria Holec (PhD Cultural, Social, and Political Thought).

Mathematics & Computer Science
John Anvik, an assistant professor in the Mathematics & Computer Science department, was recently awarded the ICSE-10 Most Influential Paper 10 Years Later Award at the 2016 International Conference on Software Engineering held in Austin on May 18, 2016. The award is given to the paper presented 10 years ago that has had the most impact in the community. The paper also received a SIGSOFT Distinguished Paper Award at the conference held in Shanghai in 2006. The paper title is “Who Should Fix this Bug?”.

Philosophy
Victor Rodych, a professor in the Department of Philosophy, is currently working on three projects: a four-paper project on speciation, a logic book and an edited volume of Ludwig Wittgenstein's writings on mathematics and logic. The latter two are: Copi, Cohen & Rodych, Introduction to Logic, 15th Edition (Routledge, Forthcoming 2017). Victor Rodych (Editor) and Timothy Pope (Translator): Ludwig Wittgenstein, Writings on Mathematics and Logic, 1937-1944, Three Volumes (Cambridge University Press, Forthcoming).

Religious Studies
The Religious Studies department’s 14th annual Research in Religious Studies conference (May 7-8) was a great success. The conference regularly sees over 30 papers presented by undergraduate and masters level students from across Western Canada and beyond. This year we welcomed our first European contributor.

James Linville visited over a dozen creation museums and related facilities in the US trying to get to the bottom of the young Earth creationist movement. His CREDO funded travels took him to the newly opened Ark Encounter—a full size model of Noah’s Ark—in Kentucky and to numerous home-grown museums in the small towns across the great plains.

Hillary Rodrigues obtained a SSHRC Insight Development Grant to study modern nondual spirituality and his book Introducing Hinduism, 2nd edition (Routledge 2016) was just released.

John Harding organized a conference at UBC, "Buddhism in the Global Eye: Beyond East and West." He is the PI of "The Modernization of Buddhism in Global Perspective" SSHRC project, which co-sponsored this conference in August 2016. For more information please visit the website.

Atif Khalil was the Kenan Refai Visiting Chair of Islamic Studies at Peking University in China in the summer of 2016. His book, Repentance and the Return to God: Tawba in Early Sufism, will be published next year by the State University of New York Press.

Tom Robinson travelled to Vienna, Prague, and Budapest visiting Jewish museums and synagogues on research for a book on the use of early Christian writings in modern antisemitism. He also authored two new books: Who Were the First Christians? Dismantling the Urban Thesis (Oxford University Press, 2016), and Preacher Girl: Uldine Utley and the Industry of Revival (Baylor University Press, 2016).

Women & Gender Studies
Carol Williams received a 2015-2016 Parkland Institute Faculty Research award for a research project titled “Campaigns against Reproductive Autonomy and the Fetal Rights Movement in Southern Alberta.” Two students have worked over the summer months on this research project as Research Assistants: MA student Shannon Ingram and History undergraduate, Carly Giles. Williams' Parkland research project aligns with Ms. Ingram’s MA research titled, “‘Where do I go?’ Barriers to Accessing Abortion in Alberta, 1969-1990” Ms. Ingram is expected to complete her Masters in Fall 2017. Upcoming in October 2016, Williams and Ingram  will jointly present a short overview of their respective research on a panel Complicating Reproductive Rights Activism in Saskatchewan, Alberta, and British Columbia for a conference on Women’s Social and Political Activism at the University of Alberta. The panel, organized by Williams, addresses reproductive rights activism in Western Canada, in particular the struggle for and against abortion in the western provinces. The other panelists are Canada Research Chair (uSask) Dr. Erika Dyck and independent scholar, Shannon Stettner. The panel will be moderated by a former University of Lethbridge MA in History, Karissa Patton. Ms Patton, a winner of a major SSHRC doctoral award, is currently completing her PhD on reproductive rights in Alberta at uSask.

Suzanne Lenon has a new book (co-edited with OmiSoore H. Dryden) published last fall by UBC Press entitled Disrupting Queer Inclusion: Canadian Homonationalisms & the Politics of Belonging. An interview with the authors about the book and LGBTQ politics in Canada is forthcoming in Upping the Anti: A Journal of Theory and Action (vol 18). She is the recipient of an inaugural faculty research award from the Centre for Oral History & Tradition for a new research project called “(Hi)stories of Inheritance: Kinship, Intimacies, and Belonging”, which seeks to explore inheritance stories of people living in Southern Alberta. She is also the recipient, together with Dr. Kara Granzow (Sociology) of a Teaching Development Fund on “Unsettling Settler Colonialism: Resources for the Classroom.”

Caroline Hodes received a 2015/2016 University of Lethbridge Research Fund (ULRF) grant for a book project based on her SSHRC funded doctoral work entitled: “Rights, Bodies, Locke and the Law: Challenges to Reconciliation in Canada”.  Her article entitled “Intersectionality in the Canadian Courts: In search of a Decolonial Politics of Possibility” is forthcoming in Atlantis: Critical Studies in Gender, Culture & Social Justice.  She was also a participant in the 2016 Decolonizing Knowledge and Power: Postcolonial Studies, Decolonial Horizons workshop in Barcelona, Spain, a collaboration between the Ethnic Studies Program at the University of California Berkeley and the Universidad Autònoma de Barcelona.

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August 23, 2016 | MacKenzie investiages modern religious choices in a traditional Maya community
As an anthropologist of religion, Dr. James MacKenzie writes about the variety of religious beliefs he found in a Guatemalan community in his new book, Indigenous Bodies, Maya Minds

July 22, 2016 | Von Heyking book explores friendship as a key component of the political process
The Form of Politics considers the writings of Aristotle and Plato and examines the role that friendship plays in the political arena

July 21, 2016 | U of L named as host for 2017 CIS Women's Rugby Championship
Horns lasted hosted the CIS championship in 2008, winning their third straight national title

July 12, 2016 | Dr. Kimberly Mair challenges conventional scholarship in her new book, Guerrilla Aesthetics
Guerrilla Aesthetics focuses on the Red Decade from 1967 to 1977 in West Germany history

July 4, 2016 | Kurt Schlachter named Chair of University of Lethbridge Board of Governors
Schlachter is a U of L alumnus and the 10th Chair of the U of L Board of Governors

June 21, 2016 | Board confirms appointments of Helstein and Gunn to associate dean roles
Dr. Michelle Helstein and Dr. Thelma Gunn will serve as associate deans in their respective Faculties
 
June 16, 2016 | Malacrida named to independent federal funding review panel
Associate Vice-President (Research), Dr. Claudia Malacrida, has been invited to take part in an independent review of the manner in which the federal government provides funding for fundamental science

June 3, 2016 | Leading RNA researchers to convene at U of L for RiboWest Conference
Leading investigators in the field of Ribonucleic acid (RNA) research were gathering at the University of Lethbridge, June 5-8, 2016, to attend the 12th Annual RiboWest Conference

May 30, 2016 | McManus reflects on her time as Convocation Chief Marshal
Since first being handed the mace in 2013, McManus has witnessed nearly 3,000 students go from graduand to graduate

May 30, 2016 | History professor Dr. Janay Nugent named 2016 Distinguished Teaching Award winner
Nugent, who completed a bachelor of arts in history at the University of Lethbridge in 1995, is known for her teaching excellence and ability to create a safe and open learning environment

May 25, 2016 | Truth and reconciliation initiatives underway
During the past academic year, the campus community has had several one-of-a-kind opportunities to begin the process of reconciliation

May 17, 2016 | McDaniel to receive 2016 Speaker Research Award
A prolific researcher, Dr. Susan McDaniel is one of the leading social demographers in the world

  
May 6, 2016 | President's Awards celebrate outstanding service
The 2016 President's Awards for Service Excellence reflect a group of outstanding U of L people
   
April 21, 2016 | Board of Governors approves new Sexual Violence Policy
Approved in conjunction with the launch of a new website, the policy better identifies supports available to the University community

April 21, 2016 | Board of Governors reappoints Hakin and Nicol to administrative roles
The University of Lethbridge’s Board of Governors approved the reappointment of senior administrators Dr. Andrew Hakin and Dr. Christopher J. Nicol

April 5, 2016 | Millman, Latrace earn Pronghorn Athletics athlete of the year honours
CIS champions lead track and field sweep of major awards

April 5, 2016 | Heaton named manager of AGILITY Program
Tyler Heaton moves into the role after spending close to nine years in the University’s Teaching Centre, formerly the Curriculum Re-Development Centre

April 4, 2016 | U of L introduces 7 Cups of Tea Student Support System
An on-demand, 24/7, text-based, worldwide Internet support network, 7 Cups of Tea provides targeted and specialized support to students who need help when they need it most.

February 29, 2016 | Revitalizing liberal education
The University of Lethbridge was founded on the principle of liberal education and nearly 50 years later, the principle remains just as central.

January 26, 2016 | 50 Voices research project gathering steam
What better way to commemorate the U of L’s 50th anniversary than by giving those who have been part of the University’s journey the chance to tell their stories?

January 15, 2016 | Pronghorn student-athletes honoured with Academic All-Canadian awards
The 46 Pronghorn athletes honoured from this past year account for more than 25 per cent of the school’s varsity athletes

Notable Mentions
Native American Studies
The Department is pleased to welcome Dr. Maura Hanrahan from Splet'k Mi'kmaq First Nation, Newfoundland and Memorial University to Blackfoot Territory and the Department of NAS at the University of Lethbridge. Her recent research has focused on water insecurity in First Nations and Inuit communities in Newfoundland and Labrador, on Newfoundland Mi’kmaq history, and on Arctic explorers’ legacies in Greenland. She has worked with Indigenous governments, organizations, and communities in several provinces and nationally in relation to research, policy development, and land claims advancement.  From 2011 to 2014, she also was Memorial University’s first Special Advisor to the President for Aboriginal Affairs and oversaw the implementation of recommendations on a presidential task force on Aboriginal initiatives.

Dr. Linda Many Guns has recently been appointed by the Minister's Office to sit on two provincial advisory committees. The first is The Provincial Court Nominating Committee, which recommends appointments to the judiciary, and second is to the First Nations Women's Economic Council which provides recommendations or advice to the minister’s office.

Chemistry & Biochemistry
12th Annual RiboWest Conference hosted by the Alberta RNA Training and Research Institute (ARRTI)
Every year, the RiboWest Conference brings together researchers interested in one of the major biomolecules called RNA or ribonucleic acid. They all share a passion for understanding the molecular basis of life and the involvement of RNA during infections, development, and diseases. The participants of the RiboWest Conference are mostly from western Canada, but also from northwest US and eastern Canada with a special focus on students. The 12th annual installment of this event took place from June 5-8, 2016 and was organized by the RNA institute (ARRTI) located at the University of Lethbridge.

While many good traditions were continued, also new elements were explored at the RiboWest Conference this year. Of course, the core of this meeting was built on exciting RNA research presented by the 80 participants in numerous talks and posters. For the first time, the two days of the conference were dedicated to general overarching topics: RNA & Synthetic Biology: New RNA Technologies and RNA in Health & Disease. These topics were excellently represented by two keynote speakers: Dr. Adam Arkin (University of California Berkeley, USA), and Dr. Paul Lasko (McGill University, Quebec, Canada). Moreover, Dr. Eric Massé (Université de Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada) was the invited speaker representing the east-Canadian RNA community.

In addition to the scientific sessions, the RiboWest Conference 2016 included for the first time a “World Café” where all participants engaged at their tables in passionate discussions on “Innovative Directions of RNA Research”. Clearly, this is a format that needs to be further developed, but many participants enjoyed this new way of networking. Also, the conference offered a very fruitful panel discussion on “Collaborations and Funding in Biomedical Research” which obviously met the demands and interests of all participants.
Besides these new elements, the strong student-focus was continued, for example by having two judging panels for the poster presentations, one led by the students themselves and one by the principal investigators. The local students winning awards are listed below; the large number of awards showcases the success of the University of Lethbridge RNA institute (ARRTI). Also, prior to the conference, three students were selected for fellowships to attend the RiboWest Conference.

Finally, the conference concluded with a dinner in the Galt Museum offering a beautiful view of the sunset over the Oldman River in Lethbridge ( - well, for a good part of the participants, the conference actually concluded with the subsequent karaoke night in a close-by bar).

Presentation Awards
Justin Vigar (H.-J. Wieden lab, University of Lethbridge)

Poster Awards – PI Selection

1. Sarah Schultz (U. Kothe lab, University of Lethbridge)
2. Dominic Czekay (U. Kothe lab, University of Lethbridge)
3. Jessica Baedke (U. Kothe lab, University of Lethbridge)

Poster Awards – Student Selection
Graduate

1. Dylan Girodat (H.-J. Wieden lab, University of Lethbridge)

Undergraduate

1. Sarah Schultz (U. Kothe lab, University of Lethbridge)
2. Elijah Dueck (U. Kothe lab, University of Lethbridge)

Poster Recognition in Special Areas

• Enthusiasm: Jalyce Heller (H.-J. Wieden lab, University of Lethbridge)
• Best Design: Taylor Sheahan (H.-J. Wieden lab, University of Lethbridge)
• Postdoctoral: Anne-Sophie Tillault (U. Kothe lab, University of Lethbridge)

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August 24, 2016 | Alumnus Manwar Khan continues to empower people to put a halt to bullying and violence
Khan established a series of anti-bullying rallies in 2013 and has been holding annual events in Edmonton, Calgary, Lethbridge and Airdrie ever since

August 12, 2016 | Amazing alumni adventures come to an end
Lethbridge’s own Julie (Greidanus) Taylor (BA ’05) and Lowell Taylor (BFA ’04) have stepped foot on the final pit stop mat for the last time.

August 2, 2016 | Steacy's connection to Pronghorns everlasting
Jim Steacy's retirement from athletics an opportunity to reflect on outstanding career
  
May 18, 2016 | Alumni Association announces its 2016 award winners
The University of Lethbridge Alumni Association is excited to announce a diverse and accomplished group of alumni as its 2016 Alumni Honour Society inductees, as well as the Distinguished Alumnus of the Year and the...

February 22, 2016 |  Wort Hannam eager to help University celebrate anniversary through song
Alumnus has been commissioned to write a song for the U of L's 50th anniversary in 2017

 

Notable Mentions
Campus kudos to Dr. Lisa Pasolli, who has earned three national awards at the Canadian Historical Association Annual Meeting. Lisa graduated from the U of L in 2005 with a major in History and has been an instructor here for the last two summers. Her research examines the child care movement nationally, and regionally in British Columbia.

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