January 2013 Gradzette

GradzetteTHE UNIVERSITY OF MANITOBA’S GRADUATE STUDENT MAGAZINEJANUARY 2013

GradzetteThe UNIVERSITY OF MANITOBA’S GRADUATE STUDENT MAGAZINE

Gradzettec/o The Manitoban NewspaperPublications Corporation105 University CentreUniversity of ManitobaWinnipeg, MB, R3T 2N2

General inquiries and advertisingPhone: (204) 474.6535Fax: (204) 474.7651Email: [email protected]: Sheldon BirnieCopy Editor: Ryan HarbyDesigner: Leif LarsenContributors: Fosyer Lyle, David Krause, Chinenye Alozie , Beibei Lu Cover: Beibei Lu

The Gradzette is the official student magazine of the University of Manitoba’s graduate student community and is published on the first Monday of each month byThe Manitoban Newspaper Publications Corporation.

The Gradzette is a democratic student organization, open to participation from all students. It exists to serve its readers as students and citizens.

The magazine’s primary mandate is to report fairly and objectively on issues and events of importance and interest to the graduate students of the University of Manitoba, to provide an open forum for the free expression and exchange of opinions and ideas and to stimulate meaningful debate on issues that affect or would otherwise be of interest to the student body and/or society in general.

The Gradzette serves as a training ground for students interested in any aspect of journalism. Students and other interested parties are invited to contribute. Please contact the Editor for submission guidelines.

The Gradzette reserves the right to edit all submissions and will not publish any material deemed by its editorial board to be discriminatory, racist, sexist, homophobic or libelous. Opinions expressed in letters and articles are solely those of the authors.

The Gradzette is a member of the Canadian University Press, a national student press cooperative with members from St. John’s to Victoria.

All contents are ©2013 and may not be reprinted without the express written permission of the Manitoban Newspaper Publications Corporation.

Yearly subscriptions to the Gradzette are available, please contact [email protected] for more information.

niversity of Manitoba Career Services is preparing to host its annual Career Fair on Wednesday, Jan. 16. A part of the annual Career Week, the Career Fair will play host to over 80 registered employers, who are

recruiting full-time, part-time, summer and volunteer positions, and is open to all U of M students and alumni. The Career Fair begins at 9:30 A.M. and runs to 2 : 30 P.M. on the second f loor o f Univer s i ty Centre ." Career Week kicks off Jan. 9 with coffee and snacks provided by Career Services. Information sessions and workshops on career and employment planning will be held through the week, and are free for students and alumni. One highlight that students should keep their eyes on is a $1,000 tuition draw,

sponsored by the Alumni Assoc ia t ion ." “There’s going to be 89 employers there eager to be chatting about possibilities at organization,” Lindsey Hiebert of Career Services told the Gradzette. “[These employers] will be looking to raise their profile with students

on campus, with some looking specifically looking for graduate students.” " Last year’s Career Fair drew 93 registered employers, and saw over 4,000 students take part. If you’re in the job market, or are beginning to think about your long-term or short-term career goals, make some time to take in the

Career Fa i r." “This year we’ve got 89, which is our full capacity,” explained Lindsey. “As for student numbers, I expect at least 4,000, probably more. We’ve got some

new marketing initiatives this year so we’re hoping to draw more students.”

"“It ’s go ing to be a busy and fun f i l l ed week . ”" Make sure to mark January 9 in your calendar if you’re in the job market, or are planning to enter it soon. Also be sure to check umanitoba.ca/student/careerservices for more information on Career Week events.

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Career Services to hold annual Career WeekOpen to students and alumniBy Sheldon Birnie

Photo provided by U of M Career Services

ur world’s political landscape is changing at a rapid pace. Our hyper-connected existence makes the globe feel smaller and the conflicts that occur more intimate. As Canadians, it is important to know our

ro le on the wor ld s ta ge . " SAMPA (University of Manitoba Political Studies group) aims to educate students and the public on our role – specifically NATO’s after the Afghanistan war and its impact on the world stage. Since Canada is a member of NATO the

organ izat ion’s dec i s ions a f fect us . " To foster discussion and discourse SAMPA’s president, Alexander Salt, has organized a conference taking place Jan. 30 (1 P.M. – 5 P.M.), Jan. 31 (10 A.M. – 5 P.M.), and Feb. 1 (9:30 A.M. – 2 P.M.) at the Great Hall (University

Co l l ege ) a t the Univer s i ty o f Mani toba For t Garr y campus .

" The purpose, according to Salt, is to “create a debate and discourse in academia, the student population, and the general public as whole over a very important issue. Foreign and defense policy is often pushed to the side when discussing political matters in Canada, and the conference organizers would like

to a l te r th i s t rend . ”

" Salt has arranged for speakers to present talks on topics in which they are conducting research. Some of the key speakers include: Dr. Kim Richard

Nossa l , Dr. Da v id Ha g lund , and Dr. Dan Midd lemiss .

" The speakers’ topics vary, but all fall under the conferences scope of

NATO’s ro le in the wor ld a f te r the recent Afghan i s tan war." Nossal will be delivering a presentation entitled “After Afghanistan, Where?” that explores the sort of operations the Canadian military may face in future. Next, Haglund will explore potential Canadian discontent with NATO during his presentation “One Hand Clapping: Canada’s NATO Angst in the Wake of Afghanistan?” Another speaker, Dr. Middlemiss, wil l give a presentation entitled “The NATO factor in Canadian Defense Decision-

making : Afghan i s tan and After. ” " To some NATO seems more of a European organization, though Canada is a charter member. Canada has been involved in every major military operation NATO has engaged in — Kosovo in 1999, Afghanistan in 2001 and Libya in 2011; in all conflicts our involvement has been significant compared to

other members . 

Focus on Canada’s role in NATO

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Political studies group to host conference

By David Krause

Gradzette

O

Canada has been involved in every major

military operation NATO has engaged in —

Kosovo in 1999, Afghanistan in 2001 and Libya

in 2011

‘Canada undertook a major combat role in the

Kandahar region of Afghanistan while other Western

European states such as Germany rejected such a

potentially costly task’ - Alexander Salt

" Salt explains, “Canada undertook a major combat role in the Kandahar region of Afghanistan while other Western European states such as Germany

re jected such a potent ia l l y cos t l y t a sk . ”  " “As to how Afghanistan has impacted its relation with NATO, well it would seem that Canada has made a strong case to the NATO community that it is willing to remain an active player on the international level and prepared to

use military power when necessary. However, ultimately I feel it’s still a bit early

to tell and I’m hoping that this conference will help shed light on this situation.”" If you wish to attend, simply show up at the displayed times and take a seat. No registration is required. After a talk, a Q&A session will occur where audience members are encouraged to ask questions and engage in conversation.

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From left to right: Kim Richard Nossal, Dan Middlemiss, Alexander Salt. Photos provided by conference

he University of Manitoba PlayCare Centre has been offer ing daycare services to students and staff who need

them for years. The program is designed so that parents who work for the University are able to work without having to deal with the difficult job of juggling a child at a daycare far away from home and school, and for students to be able to go class worry free about their child’s well-being.

" This, at its core, sounds like a wonderful program. Unfortunately, the program is not living

up to i t s mandate . " “Concerns about access to child care for students and staff were raised in the October 2012,” said Brandy Usick, director of student advocacy and accessibility. “PlayCare faces challenges that are common to most licensed daycares in the province, [such as] limited funding which can hamper goals to increase

capacity, maintenance of facility, purchasing of toys, and professional development of staff.”" The program, which is technically open to all staff and students, offers child care services from 7:45 A.M. until 6:00 P.M., Monday to Friday. Children are divided into three separate rooms within the one-story day care facility based on their age, and are provided a safe and enjoyable environment in which to learn and play. In addition to the one-story building, the child care program has exclusive all-day access to an outdoor playground located next to their building in the

north east most corner of the Fort Gary campus. " Formed in 2005, Campus Day Care Centre Inc. is a publicly funded group organized with the purpose of discussing the strategic goals of the campus daycare program. The agenda included many i tems , two notab le ones be ing the development of a vision statement and mission statement. Later they released their vision “for publicly-funded child care that is accessible and affordable and that can accommodate families’ diverse child care needs,” as well as say in their

mission statement to “provide the highest quality child care services to children of students, staff

and f acu l ty. ”

" Many who have tried to enroll their child in the University of Manitoba’s Child Care program realize this mission and vision has not been fulfilled. Back in 2007 this sounded like a quality program that was going to give parents the option of going to school while raising a child. As of now

this is an expensive and inaccessible program. " “I believe all centres wish they could do more to help parents in need,” said Usick. “It is very difficult to have to tell a parent that a spot is

not a va i l ab le”" The issue that arises with campus child care is that it is not, as stated, open to everyone. The waiting list stretches well over a year, meaning a

Long wait lists and high costs create roadblocks for grad students

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U of M daycare inaccessible to students

By Foster Lyle

Gradzette

T

The waiting list stretches well over

a year

‘I know child care is expensive, but

that’s almost as much as I pay in rent

every year for my apartment’ - Travis Palmer

parent looking to go to university must anticipate their need for child care at least 12 months in advance. Sometimes opportunities, like going back to school, happen with only a moment’s notice. For many, forcing parents to realize their need for child care a year in advance is as good as

not ha v ing i t a t a l l ." In addition to the lengthy wait times child care can be expensive. Child care on campus costs $19 per day, or almost $400 per month. A full-time student would pay nearly $4,000 a year for full-time child care over the fall and winter terms, which is on the high end of average for Manitoba’s child care rates (ranging from around $17 to $20

per day ) . " “PlayCare does keep its fees lower than the maximum allowed under the province,” explained Usick. “PlayCare receives modest donations from UMSU and GSA to help keep the fees lower than

m a x i m u m . ” " Though th i s i s t r ue , “ low” may be a subjective term for students. “$4,000.00 a year is outrageous,” argued graduating science student Travis Palmer when asked about the price of child care on campus. “I know child care is expensive, but that’s almost as much as I pay in rent every

year for my apar tment . ” " Palmer continued to suggest that fees be reduced and that students in the faculty of education and social work take shifts several days a week to drive down costs, and increase hands-on

e x p e r i e n c e . " The issue with this fal ls primarily on graduate students. A portion of this $19 fee can be subs id ized by the pro v inc ia l o r f edera l government. The reason for this is many parents must put their children in child care to continue their careers, or go to school to train for a career.

" The dollar value of this subsidy depends on an individual’s total household income, something that is much higher for graduate students who are bringing in grant money, and are much more likely to have a partner earning higher income. " Child care is also biased towards students who use these services full-time. To many day care centres a full-time child care is more desirable than part time because it brings in higher revenue per child. This directly affects graduate students because it is not them who use the full-time services. Generally, graduate students have lower course loads per day and more time away from work and school where they can care for their child. Because of this many graduate students do not get considered because of their limited, part-time need.

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Photo by Beibei lu

ashniba Kaiser is a master’s student and graduate research assistant at the University of Manitoba’s department

of electrical and computer engineering. Kaiser, a native of Dhaka, Bangladesh, completed her bachelor’s degree in engineering at the Military Institute of Science and Technology in

Bangladesh." Kaiser worked at Airtel Bangladesh Ltd, a leading mobile phone company for four years where she gathered experience in wireless networks. She went on to work in the data network and security field department of IBM Bangladesh for eight months as a network engineer. After much training, she now works with Dr. Ken Ferens at the U of M, studying “Wireless Device Localization Using Artificial

Neural Network.”" “Everyone is entitled to their privacy,”

Kaiser told the Gradzette. " “Organizations need to know when an intruder is attempting to gain access to their

network or protected data and to quickly take corrective measure to thwart and deny access

when required.”" Wireless theft has become a big issue in recent years. A lot of network owners and users don’t see the depth of danger ahead with increasing reliance on computer networks as a means for transferring personal information and

data.

" Kaiser’s study proposes a method to track and locate strange wireless devices or signals within the premises of a given organization. Security protocols are set up to prompt the identification and authentication of guest users or devices trying to gain access to a protected

network and to deny access when necessary.

" Kaiser is using artificial neural network (ANN) to localize the wireless device. This algorithm is trained to learn the environmental impairments of an organization’s premises and investigate the position of a wireless transmitter

for implementing the required security policy." “Artificial neural networks are a bunch of computers organized like our brain,” Kaiser explained. “By providing the ANN with various contaminated samples of the signal strengths for each known location in the protected area, the ANN will learn to associate the impaired samples to the originating position. This is how we can

locate a wireless device.” " Training an artificial neural network requires a neural network toolbox in Matlab. Three wireless receivers were placed in the protected premise (wireless infrastructure) to locate the position of the wireless client. Triplet sets of signals were received from these three

receivers. " Received signal strength indicator (RSSI) is a measurement of the power present in a received

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By Chinenye Alozie

Gradzette

RESEARCHER PROFILE

Tashniba Kaiser

T

Kaiser’s major problem is

interference from other deterministic

narrowband wireless technologies,

such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, ZigBee,

cordless phones and microwave

ovens.

or an incoming signal. The RSSI circuit is designed to pick RF signals and generate an output equivalent to the signal strength. The ability of the receiver to pick the weakest of signals is referred to as receiver sensitivity. " ANN was used to learn the characteristic features of the signal strength captured from targeted device via RSSI. The training data set is fed initially to the ANN with a specific learning rate and the errors are adjusted, Kaiser explained. With this, it automatically detects a wireless-device within the proximity of its premises and based on certain calculations, it will either grant or

deny access to the protected wireless network. " According to Kaiser, “we rely on sensing RSSI readings to identify the actual signal that has been received from the receivers. Unfortunately, these measurements are often contaminated with channel errors, which include time varying

impairments and environmental impairments.”" Kaiser’s major problem is interference. RSSI suffers from interference from other deterministic narrowband wireless technologies, such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, ZigBee, cordless phones, microwave ovens. Other problems encountered include fading, shadowing, multipath, non-line-of-sight propagations, reflections, and attenuation from

obstacles in the environment. Despite these predicaments Kaiser’s work has seen the daylight

to an acceptable extent." Her gratitude and appreciation goes out to her supervisor who has always showered her with encouragement and moral support. “I am highly indebted to him,” Kaiser told the Gradzette.

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Photo by author

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