January 14, 2022
PhD candidate Brent Wakefield worked on a breakthrough study that could be crucial in addressing obesity. (Photo by Max Martin/Western Communications)
Researchers in a lab led by Schulich Medicine & Dentistry’s Silvia Penuela found deleting a specific gene in male mice results in a reduction in fat and an increase in muscle mass equivalent to working out one hour per day, five days a week for six weeks.
(Photo by Barske Francke/Pixabay)
Western scientists are involved in a $24-million research project to develop a revolutionary new approach in corrosion prevention. Led by Queen’s, the project is funded through a New Frontiers Research Fund federal grant.
Sarah Smith (submitted photo)
Faculty of Information & Media Studies professor Sarah Smith has been named new Canada Research Chair in Art, Culture and Global Relations, part of a new round of Government of Canada investments announced Jan. 12. Schulich Medicine & Dentistry’s Frank Beier was renewed as CRC in Musculoskeletal Research.
(Photo from Pixabay)
Research led by PhD student Grant Dickey provides new metrics for testing baseball chest protectors and identifies the most vulnerable impact locations over the chest that may result in commotio cordis, a rare, sudden-death cardiac event commonly affecting young athletes.
(Photo by Mali Maeder/Pexels)
Western's Institute for Chemicals and Fuels from Alternative Resources is working to address waste and industrial by-products by transforming them into value-added products, effectively reducing their carbon footprint.
Larry Haylor served as coach of the Western Mustangs football team from 1984 to 2006. (Undated Western Communications file photo)
The Western community lost another football legend last week with the passing of legendary Mustangs football coach Larry Haylor. During his tenure with the Mustangs, Haylor led the team to 185 wins, including two Vanier Cup titles and eight Yates Cup championships.
Working at Western
(Image from The Conversation)
Science-writing workshop
The Conversation Canada is hosting a virtual science-writing workshop for Western scholars. Supported by a science communications grant from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, participants will learn how to build a pitch, develop ideas and structure stories about their research
for publication in The Conversation and will receive feedback from peers and editors. The virtual training will take place Jan. 20 and 21, 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. via Zoom. Space is limited, please RSVP to cyi8@uwo.ca.
Seven new teaching fellow positions available
The Office of the Provost and Vice-President (Academic) and the Centre for Teaching and Learning invite applications from full-time Western faculty for three-year teaching fellowships, starting May 1, 2022. Please see application call for details and eligible faculties.
Photo of the Week
University College at night. (Photo by Brianne Wardle @bri_adventures16/Instagram)
Coming Up
(Photo by Edgar Chaparro/Unsplash )
Friday, January 14 (3 p.m.)
The meaning and measure of an ally: Acknowledging performative, insufficient, and ineffective allyship
Ann Marie Ryan, Michigan State University professor, will discuss a series of studies on individual and organizational missteps in displaying support for those in marginalized groups as part of the Department of Psychology's Colloquium Speakers Series.
Wednesday, Jan. 19 (12 p.m.)
Innovation Ambassadors monthly speaker series
This month’s event on engineering commercialization and intellectual property is hosted by WORLDiscoveries business development manager Saqib Sachani, featuring Bassem Awad, Law professor and acting director of the area of concentration in intellectual property, information and technology, and Kamran Siddiqui, engineering professor and associate dean (graduate).
Friday, Jan. 21 (3 p.m.)
For place & movement: The politics and analytics of Indigenous water relations
Michelle Daigle, professor in the Centre for Indigenous Studies at the University of Toronto and a member of Constance Lake First Nation in Treaty 9, examines the politics and analytics of Indigenous mobilities in this presentation as part of the Department of Geography and Environment Speaker Series.
Thursday, Jan. 27 (4 p.m.)
Indigenous data sovereignty & Indigenous futures
The fifth and final event in the Big Data at the Margins examines the growing movement of Indigenous scholars and activists working to challenge the ethical, legal and cultural impacts of the colonial forms of data collection. Presented by the Faculty of Information & Media Studies.
Western in the News
Screenshot of Wordle (Photo by Cynthia Yi/Western Communications)
The Toronto Star
Puzzled by the Wordle craze? Here’s why everyone’s obsessed with the online word game
Neuroscientist Adrian Owen says Wordle could be a just a phase for people to amuse themselves during this pandemic.
CBC Fresh Air
'It's not a surprise': Learning losses mounting as Ontario schools close due to the pandemic
What impact do school disruptions have on children’s learning? Faculty of Education professor Prachi Srivastava says the longer school closures go on, the more intensified learning loss becomes.
The National Post
'Democratization of COVID': Four in 10 Canadians know someone recently infected, poll finds
Health sciences professor and bioethicist Maxwell Smith says the collective view of COVID-19 will change as more people experience it or know someone who has.
CBC London Morning
Getting a closer look at mummies
Western-trained paleoradiologist Sahar Saleem and a team of researchers have uncovered information about royal mummy Amenhotep I, including his facial features, his age and his resemblance to other family members.
Commentary
(Photo by Greta Hoffman/Pexels)
Music provides a healthy outlet for children and parents to express their emotions during school closures and helps to boost their spirits, according to Music PhD student Ala Krivov.
