Jan. 10, 2025
Claire Crooks (Submitted photo)
The late Claire Crooks, along with alumni Clark Bryan and Maureen Spencer Golovchenko, were named to Mayor Josh Morgan’s New Year’s Honour List for their transformative contributions to youth mental health, the arts and heritage preservation respectively.
Also covered by: The London Free Press
(L to R) Glen Dsouza, engineering PhD student, and Mita Ray, director of the WesternWater Centre. (Photo source: Jacob Arts/Western Engineering)
Researchers at the WesternWater Centre are improving water management and public health by using wastewater to track viruses, develop sustainable materials and enhance climate resilience.
The Order of Canada medal (Photo source: Governor General of Canada)
Four alumni and two honorary degree recipients have been named to the Order of Canada, including four-time Olympian and president of the Canadian Olympic Committee Tricia Smith, LLD’23.
(Image source: Julide Cakiroglu/Western Communications)
In this installment from the Western News “Our Warming Planet” series, professors Joshua Schuster and Kirsty Robertson discuss how art and literature drive climate change action.
The Impact Project
Explore how the Western community is collectively contributing to meaningful change in the world, today.
Chloe Grande (Image source: Crystal Carter/Western Communications)
Chloe Grande: How vulnerability can normalize mental health disorders.
Coming Up
Jan. 10 to March 26
Kindred Spirit exhibit
View a collection of handcrafted book art celebrating the life and work of Lucy Maud Montgomery, author of Anne of Green Gables. The exhibit will be displayed at Schweitzer Gallery, Archives and Special Collections Research Centre, D.B. Weldon Library.
Jan. 13 to 24
Call for nominations: Senate and Board of Governor elections
Nominations for faculty and administrative staff vacancies on Western’s Senate and Board of Governors are open Jan. 13 to 24.
Jan. 17 (12:30 p.m.)
Fridays @ 12:30 concert series
Enjoy an eclectic mix of music featuring guest artists, faculty and students during the Don Wright Faculty of Music’s concert series. Offered every Friday in von Kuster Hall, Music Building.
Jan. 20 (3 to 5 p.m.)
On being bold: Inspiring climate action and sustainability
Join students, staff and faculty for a conversation about Western's new climate and sustainability strategy. University Community Centre, McKellar Room. Register today.
Working at Western
(Photo source: Steven Anderson/Western Communications)
University Drive to close temporarily on Jan. 14
University Drive will be closed between Sunset and Richmond streets on Tuesday, Jan. 14 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., weather permitting. As the north sidewalk will also be closed in this area, please use the south sidewalk along University Drive. Charter buses will still have access to the Medway parking lot for pick-ups and drop-offs. Visit the London Transit Commission website for impacted bus routes.
Operational Excellence at
Western
Register for winter course offerings in Western's Operational Excellence program for administrative staff. Session topics include finance, research, human resources, and information and security.
Award-winning course on climate change begins Jan. 20
Registration is open until Jan. 17 for Connecting for Climate Change Action. Offered free through Coursera, this course blends storytelling with both western and Indigenous knowledge to educate, foster discussion and inspire action on climate change.
Application deadline: Indigenous Artist-in-Residence
The department of visual arts is offering First Nations, Métis or Inuk artists the opportunity to create new work, engage with the community and collaborate with faculty. Artists with regional connections or those interested in virtual residency components are encouraged to apply before Jan. 15.
Photo of the Week
A fresh blanket of snow turned campus into a winter wonderland this week. (Photo source: Marcia Steyaert/Western Communications)
Western in the News
In addition to the news above, your colleagues have been featured in the following media outlets.
Carrie Branch (Photo source: Western University)
The New Yorker
The elephantine memories of food-caching birds
Psychology professor Carrie Branch explains how chickadees’ memory of food storage locations affects their mating behaviours.
Canadian Geographic
On the map: Seismic shift
Earth sciences professor Sheri Molnar shares her research mapping seismic activity in Vancouver in this two-page spread.
The Guardian
‘At 98, I wouldn’t be so sharp without puzzles’: Do crosswords and quizzes really boost your brain power?
An article exploring whether completing puzzles and crosswords improves cognitive abilities highlights a study led by Schulich Medicine & Dentistry professor Adrian Owen.
