Submissions
Submissions, questions, or comments - please contact Olga Milligan at 2-1433 - olga.milligan@ualberta.ca, subject line: Biofeedback.
Submission deadline for the next issue is at noon on Wednesday, May 30, 2012.
Department Calendar
May 21 Victoria Day – University Buildings closed
June 5-8 Spring Convocation, Parts I to IV (Faculty of Science - June 6 at 3 pm)
June 11-14 Spring Convocation, Parts V to XI
Payroll Deadlines and Information www.biology.ualberta.ca/department/hr/
Please make sure to check the departmental calendar for availability or contact Olga at olga.milligan@ualberta.ca before booking your event/special seminar.
Department News and Notices
New Biological Sciences Storeroom Hours
Effective immediately, the Storeroom front counter will remain open longer to provide better service to staff and students. The NEW Storeroom hours are:
9:00 am - 11:30 am AND
1:00 pm - 3:30 pm
Monday to Friday
We hope that the increased hour of service will provide you with more time to plan your purchases and offer you more time to pick up your special orders from the front counter.
Storeroom Staff (Ben, Christy and Debbie)
BioSci Storeroom Closed on Thursday, June 7, 2012
Please note that the Storeroom will be CLOSED on THURSDAY, JUNE 7, 2012 for an inventory check. We will be closing on Wednesday, June 6th @ 3:30 pm and re-opening on Friday, June 8th at 9:00 am (as long as everything goes as planned). Please mark this closure on your calendar as we will not be able to sell anything on Thursday, June 7th.
We will only receive the perishable shipments that day. We apologize for any inconvenience.
Storeroom Staff (Ben, Christy and Debbie)
Seminars
Friday, June 1, 2012, 3:00 p.m., M145 Biological Sciences Building
Glenn Millhauser
TBA
Molecules, Cells and Systems Seminar Series
Of Interest
Friday, May 18, 2012, 3:00 p.m., The Oborowsky Degener Room, Li Ka Shing Building
Dr. Marius Sudol
“THE SIGNALING ROLE OF THE WW DOMAIN IN GOLABI SYNDROME AND HIPPO TUMOR SUPPRESSOR PATHWAY”
Special Seminar
Monday, June 12, 2012, 3:00 p.m., The Oborowsky Degener Room, Li Ka Shing Building
Dr. Giovanni Blandino
“MUTANT p53 PROTEINS: BETWEEN LOSS AND GAIN FUNCTION”
Special Seminar
News from the Chair
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 9th 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 1st 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
Grants and Award Application Information
Note: If you are applying to a funding agency not listed below, please be aware that the normal department deadline is 10 working days prior to the agency deadline. This allows the department opportunity to review your application, make recommendations if necessary and sign off in time to meet the Research Services Office deadline which is 5 working days prior to the agency deadline.
Please submit one hard/paper copy of your application to Peggy Poholko in CW405 Biological Sciences. The volume of applications that are processed through this office make it prohibitive for office staff to receive electronic copies and print them all. Thanks for your understanding.
Department Deadlines
June 8 - University of Alberta Self-Funded Research Grants (see http://www.rso.ualberta.ca/FormsCabinet.aspx for application form)
June 8 - University of Alberta/Faculty of Science Conference Funds (contact Betty Peavey (Research Facilitation Office for form; betty.peavey@ualberta.ca)
June 11 - NSERC Preliminary Applications for Strategic Network Grants (see http://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/Professors-Professeurs/RPP-PP/SNG-SRS_eng.asp)
June 19 - Alberta Innovates Health Solutions - Collaborative Research and Innovation Opportunities (CRIO) (see http://www.aihealthsolutions.ca/grants/crio/)
News from the Associate Chair Graduate Studies
News from the Associate Chair Undergraduate Studies
Training and Workshops
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
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 1st - May 31, 2012)
Excellence in Leadership (March 1st - 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
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
On/Off Campus News and Notices
Cops for Cancer
University of Alberta Protective Services (UAPS) will be hosting a COPS FOR CANCER run/walk this year.
The even this year will be held on Friday, June 8 at 11:30 a.m.
It is a 5km run or walk taking place on Campus with a BBQ to follow in Main Quad.
If you would like to register for the 5km run/walk or if you would like to participate by volunteering please contact Janine Holubitsky by e-mail at Janine.holubitsky@ualberta.ca.
The cost is a $20 donation that will go to the Canadian Cancer Society. This will help fund cancer research, prevention and provides support services to people living with cancer. Your $20 donation will serve as your registration fee for the run it will also get you lunch after the run as well as a Cops for Cancer t-shirt. Please include your food choice (Hamburger, Hot-dog, or Veggie burger) and your T-shirt size in the e-mail.
New Vice-Provost and Associate Vice-President (Information Technology)
Announcement from Office of the Provost & Vice-President (Academic)
We are very pleased to announce that Duane Szafron has accepted the position of Vice-Provost and Associate Vice-President (Information Technology) effective July 1, 2012, following the conclusion of Jonathan Schaeffer’s term.
Duane received a PhD in Applied Mathematics from the University of Waterloo in 1978 and is currently a Professor of Computing Science. He was the first Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Science and has served two terms on GFC and GFC Executive. Duane has been conducting research in object-oriented computing since 1980, including language design, language implementation, programming environments and parallel computing. Current research interests are in computer games, especially believable characters in video games and decision agents that are capable of playing computer poker against the world's best human players. Having taught computing courses to students at all levels, from first year through graduate school, Duane won the Faculty of Engineering, Undergraduate Teaching Award in 1987 and the University of Alberta Graduate Student Association Award for Excellence in Supervision in 2006.
At this time, we would like to take this opportunity to thank Jonathan for his leadership as Vice-Provost and Associate Vice-President (Information Technology) and wish him the best in his new role as the Dean of Science.
On behalf of the President and the University community, please join us in both welcoming Duane to his role in University Hall and wishing Jonathan well as he begins his appointment as Dean of Science.
7th International Conference on the Environmental Effects of Nanoparticles and Nanomaterials
September 10-12, 2012
Banff, Alberta
Poster for more details.
Events at The Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre
Location: Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre, Bamfield, Vancouver Island, British Columbia
Contact information: summer@bms.bc.ca , 250-728-3301 ext. 226
Website: http://www.bms.bc.ca/pubed.html (Some workshops have their own page, as listed below)
Teachers Workshop
July 1-5, 2012
Join the energetic and knowledgeable Public Education staff at the Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre for hands-on, experiential learning. Workshop participants gain valuable techniques in outdoor education through a variety of field trips, including trips to local beaches, temperate rainforest, and coastal ecosystems. Participants leave BMSC with lesson plans and learning resources that can easily be adapted for use in the classroom. For example, we will demonstrate ways of using technology such as video conferencing and web-based live oceanographic databases to teach ocean principles. Our workshops are dynamic and can be tailored to meet specific outcomes for your teaching style or grade level.
Visit our website for information and to register: http://www.bms.bc.ca/pubed.html
Marine Explorations for Families Workshops
July 10-12, 2012 and August 2-4, 2012 (two separate workshops)
Experience hands-on marine biology in a fun family atmosphere at the Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre, a world-renowned teaching and research facility.
Whether you know a little or a lot about the ocean, we offer activities to interest all age groups and are flexible in how programs are delivered so that everybody learns something. Typical workshop activities include guided field trips to local beaches, nature walks, interactive labs, and boat trips, all of which showcase live local marine life. See and learn about microscopic plankton, invertebrate animals, seaweeds, fish, marine mammals, and other neat features of coastal life.
Visit our website for more information and to register:
http://www.bms.bc.ca/pubed/k12/family_workshop.html
Coastal Expeditions
July 26-31, 2012 and August 21-26, 2012 (two separate workshops)
Join our inspiring and knowledgeable biologists for multi-day educational workshops at the Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre, a marine field campus, part of U of A. Expeditions include:
* Offshore and coastal boat trips to view local wildlife, including seals, sea lions and black bears.
* Chance sightings of humpback whales, gray whales, harbour porpoises and orcas
* Fabulous bird sightings, including bald eagles, black oystercatchers, loons, auks, and other nearshore seabirds
* Guided hiking trips through towering coastal rainforest to pristine beaches and rocky shores teeming with life
Space Academy Summer 2012
Space Academy is a hands-on, five day camp designed and taught by experts
in space sciences, through the University of Alberta Institute for Space
Science, Exploration and Technology (ISSET).
Academy Trainees will build and launch model rockets, send a camera 30km
into the atmosphere on a weather balloon, experience virtual reality,
create meteorite impacts and much more!
Camps take place in July for students having completed Grades 5-6 and
Grades 7-9.
For more information, or to register please call Kerry at (780) 492-8831
or visit www.isset.ualberta.ca/ spaceacademy
Banff Conference on Plant Metabolism
The 3rd Banff Conference on Plant Metabolism is being held from June 28 to July 2 2012 at the Banff Centre in Banff Alberta (flyer attached).
Our website is www.ucalgary.ca/plantmetabolism. Please send any inquiries to this address plantmet@ucalgary.ca
Banff 2012 Flyer
Faculty of Extension Centenary Research Showcase: Celebrating 100 years of Engaged Research
Friday, May 25, 2012
VISIT US AT: http://www3.extension.ualberta.ca/researchshowcase/
International Symposium of Society & Resource Management
17-21 June 2012
Edmonton, AB
Key Dates:
April 1, 2012: Student papers (for competition) submitted to ISSRM
May 17th, 2012: Last day for early-bird registration
May 25th, 2012: Presentations uploaded to ISSRM 2012 website http://www.issrm2012.iasnr. org/
Please view the Poster
RiboWest 2012 Conference
8th Annual Meeting, June 10th - 13th, 2012
University of Lethbridge, Alberta
See the poster for more information
This Week's Funny
Waiter: "Tea or coffee, gentlemen?"
1st customer: "I'll have tea."
2nd customer: "Me, too - and be sure the glass is clean!"
(Waiter exits, returns)
Waiter: "Two teas. Which one asked for the clean glass?"