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BIOFEEDBACK, Week Ending: May 17, 2012,
Volume 19, Number 19

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Submissions

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Department Calendar

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Department News and Notices

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Seminars

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News from the Chair

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I am delighted to announce that the Board of Governors has approved the appointment of Dr. Jonathan Schaeffer as Dean, Faculty of Science, for a five-year term of office effective July 1, 2012. Dr. Schaeffer is currently Vice-Provost and Associate Vice-President (Information Technology). He has been a member of the University of Alberta for 28 years, becoming a full professor in 1994 and named Distinguished University Professor in 2008. He entered the administrative realm in 2005 by serving as Chair of Computing Science (until 2008).

 

Jonathan is a successful researcher in the area of artificial intelligence and is well known for having founded and led the GAMES research group at the UofA, a group internationally recognized in its field. A Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, the iCORE Chair for High-Performance Artificial Intelligence Systems, and a former CRC, his Science paper, “Checkers is Solved” was a runner-up of Science’s“Breakthroughs of the Year” for 2007, was named by Nature’s readers as the 9^th Most Important Achievement of the Year, and was one of the New York Times’ “Ideas of the Year”.  He has had many successes including creating Chinook, the first computer to win a human world championship in any game (checkers), Phoenix, a program that tied for 1^st place in the 1986 World Computer Chess Championship, and Polaris, the first program to become competitive with world-class poker players.

 

Jonathan has an administrative record that demonstrates a leadership characterized by a high standard of ethics, accountability, and transparency. His approach to decision-making is to listen to understand others first, to analyze, and then to act based on facts, while seeking outcomes that are a win for all. He has significant experience in the areas of financial responsibility, outreach and fund development as well as the ability to attract high-quality talent and to bring people and resources together. Recognizing and supporting the ideas of others and encouraging ventures in innovation are important to him.

 

Moreover, Jonathan showed far-sighted leadership in the area of high performance computing (HPC) with his work on creating a long-range plan for Canadian HPC, WestGrid (Western Canada partnership), and Compute Canada (national organization). Provincially, he led the piloting of innovative programs that revitalized provincial high school education in computing science.

 

Jonathan is passionate about teaching and committed to teaching excellence. He considers the University environment to be all about students and wants to see their experience at the UofA become a turning point in their lives. He considers the teaching arena to be ripe for new perspectives that will drive the next innovations in pedagogy.

 

Jonathan considers the Faculty of Science to be “a superb Faculty to be in”. He plans to consult widely to create a vision that will position the Faculty to be a modern global leader.

 

At this time, I would like to thank Dr. Gregory Taylor for his excellent service as Dean of the Faculty of Science since 2003. Under his leadership, the Faculty hired more than 100 new professors; increased the number of research chairs and fellowships; established a host of research centres and institutes, as well as the Science Cohorts Program and the Science 100 Program; and completed the Centennial Centre for Interdisciplinary Science. We wish Dr. Taylor all the best as he returns to teaching and research.

News from the Associate Chair Research

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News from the Associate Chair Graduate Studies

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News from the Associate Chair Undergraduate Studies

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Training and Workshops

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Lunch and Learn
Sponsored by Health Promotion and WorkLife Services, Lunch & Learn Presentations are free, but seating is limited. Sessions from 12:05 - 12:55 p.m. (Except where noted otherwise). See locations below. Register at: www.learningshop.ualberta.ca

May 23 – Finding New Meaning in Work, presentation by Kristine Aanderson, Homewood Human Solutions; Education South 113

May 31 – CSI, Bones, and Reality, presentation by Pamela Mayne Correia, Anthropology; CAB229

 

 

May 2012 Academic Pre-Retirement Workshop

 

Life Lines May 2012

 

Not Myself Today Poster

 

Advantage Program
The UofA Advantage Program is a professional and personal development program for support staff that provides practical but high level learning experiences leading to enhanced job performance and personal development. The program focuses on a set of abilities and competencies required for any productive work environment, promoting a ‘real world’ sense of application. To learn more about the UofA Advantage program, please visit http://www.hrs.ualberta.ca/Learning/Programs/Leadership/Advantage.aspx

This series of one full-day and 8 half day sessions will explore topics relevant to the U of A context in relation to four concepts :
· Awareness
· Appropriateness
· Proactivity
· Internalizing

Date(s): mornings only May 29, June 5, June 12
Time: 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Location: Lister Conference Centre
Fee: $150.00 Payment can be made via department indent, HRDF or personal cheque payable to the University of Alberta. This course is eligible for

HRDF funding. Please register prior to applying for HRDF.
Audience: U of A Support Staff
Facilitators: Organizational Learning and Effectiveness
Registration Deadline: April 3. The program will be cancelled by this date if there are not sufficient registrations.

Supervisory Leadership Program
This nine (9) full-day transformational program engages learners in interactive, experiential workshop sessions that feature relevant U of A workplace case studies, planning exercises, self-assessments, and tools to apply directly to supervising in the workplace. The activities: in-class and online discussions, and a comprehensive project and presentation, gives the learners many opportunities to gain insight about their supervisory and leadership strengths, and to develop strategies for improving their skills. The content is customized to meet the specific needs of supervisors at the UofA. For more information on the Supervisory Leadership Program, please visit: http://www.hrs.ualberta.ca/Learning/Programs/Leadership/SupervisoryLeadership.aspx

Support Staff Pre-retirement Bulletin

 

Recognition Awards

President’s Achievement Award - Dare to Discover (March 1^st - May 31, 2012)

Excellence in Leadership (March 1^st - May 31, 2012)

For more information please see Recognition Awards Poster

 

MAY 2012 PROGRAM SCHEDULE
To register for a program offered below, please visit the Learning Shop, www.learningshop.ualberta.ca.
The Following sessions are currently open for registration. Please register early to avoid disappointment.

Cancellation policy: A cancellation fee will be applied for cancellations or no-shows within 5 business days prior to the start date. For ½ day workshops a $25 no-show/cancellation fee will apply and for workshops of one-day or more a $100 no-show/cancellation fee will apply.

Pathways Learning Series – www.hrs.ualberta.ca/learning/pathways
The following sessions are targeted for Support Staff as part the of Pathways Learning Series

May is Thriving as a Team Member month!

Each month we will present a different competency featuring in-class sessions as well as online learning sessions. Skillsoft is the online portal and learning system that makes it possible for you to access information about the competencies and much, much more 24/7!

For more information about Skillsoft, please visit the Skillsoft Online Learning webpage.

Building Accountability and Trust
In this half day course participants will dig deeper into the meaning of personal accountability, and how that looks in the workplace. With a focus on their own roles, participants can consider how to build trust with colleagues, what effective and supportive feedback looks like, and how these skills will enhance their experience at work. Open to support staff, this course is offered as part of the Pathways Learning Series to build competency in Thriving as a Team Member.
Date(s): 23 May, 2012
Time: 8:30 - 12:00 (half day)
Location: Glacier Room, Lister Conference Centre
Fee: Free
Audience: Open to all Support Staff as part of the Pathways Learning Series
Facilitator: Organizational Learning and Effectiveness

Teams from Good to Great
In this half day course learners will build the skills needed to take their performance from acceptable to exceptional in a team environment. Through the examination of tested and proven group processes, participants can achieve greater team cohesion and perform at a level everyone will feel proud of. Open to support staff, this course is offered as part of the Pathways Learning Series to build competency in Thriving as a Team Member.
Date(s): 30 May, 2012
Time: 8:30 - 12:00(half day)
Location: Glacier Room, Lister Conference Centre
Fee: Free
Audience: Open to all Support Staff as part of the Pathways Learning Series
Facilitator: Organizational Learning and Effectiveness

Other learning opportunities:

 

(Re)Doing Difference in the Workplace
This hands-on workshop will use a combination of highly interactive approaches and content delivery to build awareness, provide knowledge and skills. The program will engage people in open discussion, personal reflection and a range of experiential activities. Resting on the foundation of safe environment, the session will build on the knowledge and experience that participants bring to the session giving opportunities to create fresh perspectives and build new strategies.

This two-day workshop will explore:

· The differences we bring to the workplace

· How we can work together to create more equitable, inclusive and respectful work environments

· Going beyond colour and culture to include gender, sexual orientation, ability and age

· Barriers to an inclusive workplace, and

· Working together to enhance our own and others’ skills and awareness

Governance 101 – Collegial Governance at the U of A
Governance 101 has been designed to help you understand how decisions are made at the University of Alberta. What is governance? Who’s who? Who does what? How does it happen? How can I participate in decision-making?
The session offers information on the nature and principles of governance, the important elements of the Post-Secondary Learning Act, the three branches of governance (legislative, executive and judicial), the powers of the Board of Governors and General Faculties Council, and an overview about the history of the University of Alberta. Participants will receive a helpful reference information, useful website addresses and contact information for University Governance Staff.
The session will provide an integrated picture of how things are decided at the University of Alberta. Bring your questions!

Date(s): 30 May, 2012
Time: 12:00 - 1:30pm
Location: Council Chamber, University Hall
Fee: Free
Audience: Open to all University employees
Facilitator: Marion Haggarty-France, University Secretary
Register on the Learning Shop or contact University Governance at (780) 492-4262.

 

New Staff Orientation to the University
Cost: Free
Date: Thursday 5 July, 2012
Start Time: 9:00am*
End Time: 3:30pm**
Location: Maple Leaf Room - Lister Conference Centre***
*Breakfast and check-in are from 8:30 – 9:00am
**An optional walking tour will be offered at the end of the program, 2:30pm – 3:30pm.

This is the UofA’s way of welcoming you to our community. At New StaffOrientation to the University, you will have the opportunity to learn about the UofA and network with other people who are part of the campus community. While supervisors are responsible for inducting you into your immediate work area, this general orientation session addresses the organization as a whole. You will receive an overview of the University's mission and structure along with information on essential contacts, services and programs.

Highlights of the day include welcoming remarks and key organizational messages from high-level University administrators, and the Information Marketplace, which is a trade show with representatives from the many services and resources available to support you professionally and personally. A 1-hour walking tour of the campus will be available at the end of the program (2:30 pm).

We are committed to making the New Staff Orientation accessible for all staff. The Orientation is held in a wheelchair accessible building. In addition, interpreting services and/or CART (realtime captioning) services can be provided for employees with hearing loss. If you have any accessibility needs, please contact us directly at 492-0901 and we can help ensure that you are able to fully participate in the Orientation.

To register for the New Staff Orientation to the University, please visit the Learning Shop www.learningshop.ualberta.ca  

Department Classifieds

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ABMI Job Posting

 

Field Technician Volunteer
Field technician needed for July and August to conduct vegetation surveys in Jasper
National Park, Alberta. You will work closely with a Master’s student with respect to field
work associated with various vegetation surveys including stand structure and
composition, vegetation cover, and biomass production.

QUALIFICATIONS:

- Working towards or completed an environmentally related diploma or degree (life and environmental science, forestry,biology, natural resources, etc.) or equivalent experience

- Knowledge of plant identification in the Canadian Rockies

- Ability to pay keen attention to detail is essential

- Able to work outdoors in all weather conditions

- Preference given to those with Microsoft Access experience

Accommodations will be provided.

TO APPLY:
If you are interested in exploring this opportunity please submit your resume by
email to Colleen Arnison at carnison@gmail.com.

 

Room to Sublet June 1- Aug 31 2012
Furnished master bedroom for rent in a fully furnished 3 bedroom house - 15 min walk to the U of A (111st and 80ave). There are 2 other tenants living in the house during this time (1 grad student, 1 working professional). Two story house with large TV room, living room, dining room and kitchen on main floor, bedrooms and bathroom upstairs. Large south facing backyard with patio and BBQ will make for good summer living! Rent is $600/month (including utilities; negotiable). For more information or viewing contact Barry Robinson: 780-217-7650, bgrobins@ualberta.ca

 

Looking for a Place to Rent

James Stafford has an incoming student from Scotland that is looking for a place to stay on or close to campus for three months over the summer (June to August).
Any replies for potential residence opportunities can be sent to;
Stewart McEwen smcewen89@gmail.com.

Teaching News

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On/Off Campus News and Notices

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This Week's Funny

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