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THE NEWSMAGAZINE FOR McMASTER UNIVERSITY ALUMNI FALL 2012 CELEBRATING 125 YEARS
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MACTIMES FALL 2012

Mar 21, 2016

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Page 1: MACTIMES FALL 2012

THE NEWSMA G A Z IN E FO R M cMASTER UNIVERS ITY ALUMNI FALL 2 0 1 2

CELEBRATING 125 YEARS

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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

MEET MCMASTER

ALUMNI DIRECTIONS

ALUMNI ALBUM

McMASTER WRITES

IN MEMORIAM

THE LAST WORD

DEPARTMENTS

UNIVERSITY NEWS

Meet McMaster The University’s new provost, David Wilkinson, is eager to engage alumni help to support new Forward with Integrity initiatives.

Hands-On Learning Leads the WayInnovative teaching comes in different forms and approaches. But professors using these methods all have one goal: making the student learning experience better. Meet some of McMaster’s leading innovators.

Milestone Moments Shaping McMasterIt all began in 1887 and 125 years later McMaster is regarded as one of the top 100 universities in the world. The Times highlights turning points that have left an indelible mark on the University’s rich history.

VOL. 27, NO. 2 - FALL 2012

THE NEW

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Several members of the McMaster alumni community participated in the London 2012 Olympics, including silver medalists Doug Csima ‘07 (back left) and Jeremiah Brown ‘07 (back right).

A new centre devoted to spinal cord and cancer rehabilitation research opens. See page 6.

Researchers deconstruct the perfect Olympic athlete. See page 9.

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FEATURES

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Spinal cord, cancer research boost

Senior academic appointments

Olympic success

Water policy research supported

National science award winner

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A Year To RememberTake a moment and think of your favourite memory from McMaster. Travel back to your days on campus, and recall the sights and sounds along Scholars Road as you strolled to and from class. Remember the anxious tug in the pit of your stomach during your first lecture; your first date at the Rathskeller with the person you would eventually marry; the professor who loaned you the book that changed your life. Remember your friends, your colleagues, your classmates and your roommates. Remember those who are no longer with us, and cherish them. This year at McMaster, we’re taking a moment to reflect on what the University means to us. It’s been 125 years since our beloved alma mater was founded, and throughout the years a small Baptist College in downtown Toronto has grown to become one of the world’s leading postsecondary institutions - right here in Hamilton, Ontario. Indeed, much has changed on campus. Our current student body includes more than 24,000 students, and McMaster boasts an alumni population of 156,000 living in 140 countries around the globe. Our focus is research-intensive, but enhancing the student experience has become a top priority within all Faculties. With a new focus on experiential learning, more students than ever before are doing productive and meaningful work in their chosen field - whether they’re scouring dusty archives in distant libraries, or conducting applied fieldwork all over Canada and beyond. We strive to reach new heights in both academics and athletics, and celebrate our achievements with great enthusiasm. While your own experiences at McMaster may have been quite different, we invite you to share in this wondrous occasion with this special commemorative edition of the Times as we continue to celebrate our 125th year. Browse through old photographs, reminisce with friends and please stop by for a visit. Your home away from home is always open.

Andrew Baulcomb ‘08

It is very easy in our busy lives to let the weeks, years and even decades slip past without taking note of the milestones we’ve reached, the celebrations we’ve shared, and the impact we’ve had on others. McMaster’s 125th anniversary re-minds us to take the time to consider just how much the University has evolved and the thousands of alumni who together have shaped one of the world’s lead-ing universities. To say McMaster has changed over the years is a dramatic understatement. The number of students who arrive each year has grown exponentially. Contin-ued evolution of the campus has created a community of learning that attracts the very best researchers and teachers. Would our founder William McMaster recognize the place? Perhaps not the physical university, but I’m confident he would recognize the underlying spirit of innovation and commitment to excel-lence. These are the foundations of McMaster’s success. The principles and priori-ties I outlined in the Forward with Integrity document released last year build on these traditions of innovation and excellence. They challenge the University community to re-imagine the teaching and learning experience to develop a distinct, effective and sustainable undergraduate experience. In considering the needs of today’s students, McMaster has been reviewing our educational approaches to ensure our graduates are knowledgeable, adapt-able, entrepreneurial, creative, and ready to continue learning throughout their lives. We are reconceptualising postsecondary education and actively pursuing ways to provide students with the experiential education, community engage-ment and problem-based learning that our experience shows us produces the most qualified graduates. The magnitude of change facing McMaster and the overall postsecondary system may seem overwhelming to some. How do we respond to our changing world without losing the essence of inquiry and the joy of learning simply for the sake of learning that for generations have been the hallmark of universities and the foundation of so many remarkable contributions to society and discov-ery? Looking back at McMaster’s milestones over the past 125 years shows us that dramatic and in some cases revolutionary changes have created the most successful and inspiring advancements at the University. When McMaster cel-ebrates its 225th anniversary I hope our alumni, students, faculty and staff will highlight these early years of the 21st century as some of the most dynamic in our University’s history. Sincerely,

Patrick Deane ‘11 (honorary)President, McMaster University

ContributorsAndrew Baulcomb ‘08, Patrick Deane ‘11 (honorary), Michelle Donovan, Wade Hemsworth ‘87, Karen McQuigge ‘90, Mark Stewart ‘06, ‘10, Matt Terry ‘09 Advertising SalesSandra RodwellOffice of Public Relations905-525-9140 ext. 24073 Officers, Alumni AssociationMark Stewart ‘06, ‘10, president; Bill McLean ‘90, past-president; Sandra Stephenson ‘78, vice-president; Don Bridgman ‘78, financial advisor; Brian Bidulka ’87, member-at-large; Elaine Kunda ‘95, member-at-large;Brad Merkel ‘85, member-at-large; Don Simpson ‘79, member-at-large;Erin Robertson ‘07, member-at-large; David Feather ‘85, ‘89, member-at-large; Stephanie McLarty ‘03, member-at-large. Representatives to the University SenateIan Cowan ‘71,‘76; Peter Tice ‘72; Suzanne Craven ’73;Dennis Souder ’70 Representatives to the University Board of GovernorsQuentin Broad ’86, ‘88; Lauren Cuddy ’80, ‘84;David Lazzarato ’79; Howard Shearer ’77 McMaster Times is published two times a year (spring and fall) by theOffice of Public Relations in co-operation with the McMaster Alumni Association. It is sent free of charge to University alumni and friends.Non-alumni subscriptions are available at $15 (Canada and U.S.A.) and $20 (foreign). Please make cheques payable to McMaster University. Ideas and opinions published in the McMaster Times do not necessarilyreflect those of the editor, the McMaster Alumni Association or theUniversity. Letters and editorial contributions are welcomed. Nationaland local advertisers are invited. Editorial communications:McMaster Times, DTC 125McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L9 Tel: 905-525-9140, ext. 23662Fax: 905-521-1504E-mail: [email protected]: bit.ly/McMasterTimesCanada Post Publications Mail 1473638Postmaster: Send all returns toMcMaster Universityc/o Advancement Services, T-27Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8

The wood in this product comes from well-managed forests, independently certified in accordance with the rules of the Forest Stewardship Council.

30%

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PublisherAndrea Farquhar

Art Director JD Howell ’04

EditorShelly Easton

On the CoverThe collage on the Times cover showcases various iconic McMaster images through the decades. Created by JD Howell ’04.

THE NEWSMAGAZ INE FOR McMASTER UNIVERS ITY ALUMNI FALL 2012

CELEBRATING 125 YEARS

REVOLUTIONARY CHANGE

PRESIDENT’S M

ESSAGE

CELEBRATE

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The federal government an-nounced $6.5 million in funding for McMaster, to study news ways of saving money in the healthcare system. The project will investigate how inter-professional collabora-tion can improve patient care and help to limit cost increases, and will be based at the new downtown health campus.

McMaster celebrated its 500th convocation on May 18 with the Faculty of Health Sciences grad-uating class of 2012. The University’s first convo-cation took place in 1894 at the Walmer Road Bap-tist Church in Toronto.

President Patrick Deane ’11 (honor-ary) and Mo Elbestawi ’76, ’80, vice-president of Research and International Affairs, traveled to Rio de Janeiro to sign a series of academic agreements with six universities in Brazil. McMaster is one of 12 Canadian institutions taking part in the program, which involves the exchange of students, scholarships and ideas from both nations.

Throughout the summer, incoming students read A Year of Living Generously as part of the Student Suc-cess Centre’s “Common Reading Program.” Partici-pants read, studied and held online discussions about the Canadian non-fiction book as part of their orientation.

NEWSLINE What has happened since the last issue...

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Alumna’s gift supports optimal aging researchA remarkable $10 million gift from Mc-Master alumna Suzanne Labarge ’67, ’11 (honorary) will seed high-potential research and provide the best evidence about key areas of optimal aging. The Labarge Optimal Aging Initiative includes the Labarge Optimal Aging Opportuni-ties Fund providing seed funding for research that will best enable optimal aging. The McMaster Optimal Aging Portal will be a one-stop web-based resource that offers the best information and evidence about healthy aging to seniors and their families, to health-care practitioners, to policy makers and to researchers from around the globe.

Sarah Janes

Breakthroughs in spinal cord and cancer research will be the focus of the newly opened WB Family Foundation Centre for Spinal Cord Research and Rehabilitation and Centre for Cancer Education, Research and Rehabilitation. The federal government contributed $8.25 million toward the project through the Knowledge Infrastructure Program and a matching contribution was made by the Ontario government in the 2009 budget. As well, McMaster supporters Robert Beamish and the WB Family Foundation contributed additional funding of $2.5 million. The Robert Fitzhenry Specialized Rehabilitation and Exercise Lab is named in recognition of Robert Fitzhenry ’54 who made a gift of $1 million. The McCall MacBain Foundation led by Marcy McCall MacBain ’00 contributed $250,000. The centre features specialized one-of-a-kind equipment and will focus on advanced laboratory research, teach-ing, exercise and rehabilitation.

Senior leaders appointedSeveral senior McMaster officials have been appointed or reappointed to leadership roles. On July 1, former Engineering dean David Wilkinson began his tenure as McMas-ter’s new provost. (See page 10 for an inter-view with the new provost.) Wilkinson is one of the world’s foremost experts in mechani-cal behaviour of materials, and has a keen desire to expand on experiential learning and student engagement. He succeeds Ilene Busch-Vishniac, who is the new president of the University of Saskatchewan. Phil Wood, dean of students, had his term extended through to June 30, 2013, while Mo Elbestawi ’76, ’80 was reappointed to a second term as vice-pres-ident of Research and International Affairs. Suzanne Crosta ’80, ’82, Humanities dean and Charlotte Yates, Social Sciences dean were also reappointed to second terms.

Site for new liberal arts building chosenThe new L.R. Wilson Hall will be built on the west side of campus, on the current site of Wentworth House. The $65-million project is supported by a $45.5-million investment from the Ontario government, a $10-million gift from Chancellor Lynton “Red” Wilson ’62, ’95 (honorary), and a $1-million gift from the McMaster Association of Part-Time Students. L.R. Wilson Hall will support innovative teaching, learning and research within the Faculties of Humanities and Social Sciences.

Back to the future To mark the University’s 125th anniversary, a time capsule was buried on Founder’s Day in April to be un-earthed in 2062. The capsule is located between Edwards Hall and Alumni Memorial Hall and contains copies of The Silhouette, tickets from the 2011 Vanier Cup, aerial photos of campus, menus from student eateries, a 2012 penny and two CDs full of contemporary music. The custom-made time capsule is covered with a plate inscribed with the words “Time Well Spent.” The senior class gift committee buried the capsule, which will be-come a garden honouring the classes of 2010, 2011 and 2012. More information on the University’s landmark anniversary can be found at www.mcmaster125.ca.

The Vanier Cup champion McMaster Marauders re-ceived their commemorative rings, complete with 44 small diamonds and one large dia-mond to mark the team’s first national title. Player names, numbers, positions, team lo-gos and the final score are among the many fine details.

AlumniTara Baker ’05 & ’07 Sport: Mountain Biking (Physiotherapist)

Chris Black ‘06 Sport: Wrestling (TV Producer)

Jeremiah Brown ’07 Sport: Rowing (Men’s Eight) Silver Medal

Larry Cain ‘89 Sport: Canoe/Kayak (TV Commentary)

Colleen Cupido ’91, ’93 & ’10 Sport: Beach Volleyball (Trainer)

Doug Csima ’07 Sport: Rowing (Men’s Eight) Silver Medal

Mark Heese ‘92 Sport: Beach Volleyball (TV Commentary)

Adam van Koeverden ’07 Sport: Kayak (500m) Silver Medal

Joanne Malar ‘02 Sport: Swimming (TV Commentary)

David Marcus ’02 Sport: Dressage

Lisa Thomaidis ’94 Sport: Basketball (Assistant Coach)

Barrie Shepley ‘86 Sport: Triathlon (TV Commentary)

Donna Vakalis ‘03 Sport: Pentathlon

Joseph Veloce ’12 Sport: Cycling (Kieren)

Funding research into a most precious resourceThe Philomathia Foundation has made a $1 million gift to establish the Philomathia Foundation Water Project, an initiative that will support a professorship in water policy and research, as well as fellowships and travel scholarships for students studying water-related issues. Philomathia CEO Wilfred Chung ’75 said the University offers a unique opportunity to address what UN-Water refers to as a “global crisis.”

Gift supports access, enhanced learning spaceStudents with disabilities will have better access to the services available in McMaster’s libraries and students will enjoy a dynamic learning space at the Ron Joyce Centre thanks to an investment by TD Bank Group. The $700,000 gift from TD Bank Group will help fund a staff position to offer support services in research and provide space equipped with adaptive technology. The gift also supports the creation of the TD Learning Commons at the Ron Joyce Centre.

New spinal cord, cancer rehabilitation research centre opens

Several members of the McMaster alumni community participated in the London 2012 Olympics. Jeremiah Brown ‘07 (back, right) and Doug Csima ‘07 (back, left) took home silver in Men’s Eight rowing. (Steve Russell/Toronto Star)

McMaster’s Olympic Success

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Ancient bacteria resistant to antibiotics Microbiologist Gerry Wright and colleagues uncovered multiple strains of bacteria in the Carlsbad Caverns, N.M., that remained untouched by human life for roughly four million years. All 93 strains collected were resistant to at least one form of antibiotics commonly used to fight infection. Wright is director of the Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infec-tious Disease Research.

A major breakthrough in cancer treatment Mick Bhatia ’92 and a team of McMaster scientists sent shock-waves around the world with their discovery that the drug thi-oridazine successfully kills cancer stem cells in humans, while avoiding the toxic side-effects of conventional cancer treatments. As part of the study, the research-ers pioneered a fully automated robotic system to identify several drugs, including thioridazine.

Test strips developed for rapid bacteria detection McMaster researchers have devel-oped a rapid testing method that can detect E. coli in recreational water within minutes. Using a simple paper strip, the tool can close the gap between outbreak and detection, ultimately im-proving public safety. Chemistry professor John Brennan said the methods currently used to detect outbreaks are slow, and tend not to be portable. Field testing of the prototype strips is under way in Canada and across the globe.

Low weights can help build muscle New findings concluded that lift-ing less weight at greater intervals is just as effective as training with heavy weights. The key to muscle gain is simply working to the point of fatigue. Cameron Mitch-ell ’07, a lead author of the study and a PhD candidate in Kinesiol-ogy, says many older adults with joint pain can now train with lighter, less intimidating loads.

Cannibalistic galaxy being studied Recent European Space Agency observations have provided a view of a neighbouring galaxy known as Centaurus A – the closest large elliptical galaxy to the Milky Way. Researcher Christine Wil-son, with a team of international scientists, has been monitoring a black hole at the centre of the galaxy in the hopes of unlocking Centaurus A’s mysterious past.

Music boosts babies’ brains McMaster scientists have found that early musical training ben-efits children before they can even walk or talk. The team found that one-year-old babies who partici-pate in interactive music classes with their parents smile more, communicate better and show earlier and more sophisticated brain responses to music.

No harmful effects of long-term insulin use Long-term insulin use does not harm people with diabetes or

pre-diabetes, nor does it put them at increased risk of heart attacks, strokes or cancer. Hertzel Gerstein ’89 and a team of re-searchers also found that people with pre-diabetes who received daily injections with a long-acting insulin known as “glargine” had a 28 per cent lower chance of devel-oping type 2 diabetes, even after the injections stopped.

Physical abuse study Child abuse experts say psycho-logical abuse can be as damaging to a young

child’s physical, mental and emo-tional health as a slap, punch or kick. While difficult to pinpoint, it may be the most challenging and prevalent form of child abuse and neglect, McMaster expert Harriett MacMillan ‘90, ‘94 and colleagues said in a position state-ment on psychological maltreat-ment in the journal Pediatrics.

Honoured as Women of Distinction Mary Koziol ’11 and fellow alumna Jeanette Eby ’09 were both named YWCA Hamilton “Women of Distinction” on May 9. Both were recognized for their positive impact on McMaster, and the Hamilton community at large. Koziol became the first female president of the McMaster Stu-dents Union in more than two decades when she took office in

2010. She was was rec-ognized in the Politics and Pub-lic Affairs category.

Koziol is an assistant to McMas-ter President Patrick Deane ’11 (honorary) on special community initiatives. Eby, 24, is a passionate volun-teer in the Beasley neighbour-hood of downtown Hamilton and was instrumental in facilitating the McMaster Discovery Pro-gram, which offers a free, non-credit university course for those who would otherwise be unable to access post-secondary educa-tion. She was honoured with

the Young Woman of Distinction Award. Two other McMaster alumnae

were decorated at this year’s cer-emony. Janice Lukas ’72, a kine-siology graduate and retired high school guidance counsellor, was recognized for her ongoing vol-unteer efforts with Grandmothers of Steel, the United Way and the Ancaster Food Drive. Cheryl Jensen ’79, ’84 was honoured as a trailblazer for her role in de-veloping the popular McMaster-Mohawk Bachelor of Technology Program. She is vice-president, Academic, at Mohawk College. Also honoured with nomina-tions were Mary Williams ’87, McMaster’s vice-president, Uni-versity Advancement and Susan

Vajoczki ’88, ’89 & ’93, director of the Centre for Leadership in Learning at McMaster.

McMaster PhD candidate wins national science award She never planned on having a career in science, but Megan Dodd ’07 has made her mark at a young age. Dodd, 27, was hon-oured in June with the national Synapse Mentorship Award prize, recognizing her outstanding ef-forts in community outreach and education as a graduate student. She’s one of two co-ordinators of McMaster’s chapter of “Let’s Talk Science,” a national charitable organization that encourages young people to participate in science-based activities.

Mac biologists receive top honours Recognized as distinguished microbiologists, two McMaster scientists have been honoured with awards from the Canadian Society of Microbiologists. Eric Brown, chair of the Biochemistry & Biomedical Sciences depart-ment, and Brian Coombes ’97, ’02, associate professor of Bio-chemistry & Biomedical Scienc-es, won the CSM Murray Award for Career Achievement and the CSM Fisher Scientific Award.

Deane, George among Queen’s Jubilee winners Several distinguished University figures are among the 60,000 Canadians who will receive the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal this year. McMas-ter President and Vice-Chancellor Patrick Deane ‘11 (honor-ary), President Emeritus Peter George ’96 (honorary), former Board of Governors chair Doug-las Barber ’98 (honorary), Dean & VP (Health Sciences) John Kelton and Mel Hawkrigg ‘52 & ‘97 (honorary) were among recipients of the commemora-tive medal. The award recognizes those who have made significant contributions to a province, terri-tory, region or community within Canada or while living abroad.

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Matt Terry

Sport Injury Management: Chris Puskas, athletic therapist

“Most Olympic athletes are young, fit and have trainers for everything from strength to nutrition to help prevent injury. They also have time to commit

to ‘prehab’ for older injuries and also to prevent new ones from occurring.”

Diet and Physical Performance: Stuart Phillips ‘89 & ‘91, professor, kinesiology

“Margins of victory in some Olympic events come down to fractions of a second. Athletes who want to achieve their peak performance need to make sure they’re ready

to perform in every aspect, and that includes nutrition and hydration. The science of how exercise performance is

fueled is now highly advanced.”

The Science of Sports Medicine: Janice Harvey ‘86, sport medicine physician

“Sports medicine has made some huge advances in recent years, and the Canadian Olympic team has

elite physicians in all areas, including concussions and orthoscopic surgery. They’re the best of the best, and

help athletes return to training and competition as soon as possible.”

Building Strength & Muscle: Steve Lidstone, Strength & Conditioning Coordinator

“Everything is done through science. We take a physical profile of an athlete, and map out the parameters of

what they need to work on. Most strength plans involve a four-year cycle leading up to the Games.”

Mind Over Matter: Steven Bray, associate professor, kinesiology

“Mental stability plays a role in every sport at the Games, and some require a great deal of focus and skill. Being able to stick to your game plan and not lose focus in the moment

is crucial. Athletes will often speak to a psychological consultant to have all of these tools ready.“

What Makes Them Tick: Jeff Healey ‘06, associate professor, cardiology

“Athletes’ hearts are nothing special out of the box, but there’s a ‘nurture aspect’ to the human heart. It’s just

another muscle, and with the right amount of work it will get bigger and more efficient. It’s all a matter of exposing it

to stress, whether it be running or any other activity.”

Mac experts deconstructed the ‘perfect athlete’ for 2012 London Olympics

Reid celebrated as first female chair of surgery More than 25 years after gradu-ation, Susan Reid ’87 became the first ever female chair of surgery at a Canadian medical school – begin-ning her new role at McMaster on July 1. Originally from Toronto, Reid came to study medicine at the Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine during the mid-1980s due to the University’s reputation for small-group, problem-based learning. She continued lecturing at McMaster throughout her residency, and won numerous teaching awards in the process. Since 1993, Reid has also worked for Hamil-ton Health Sciences as a general surgeon and in intensive care. Her primary clinical interests involve breast cancer and critical care. “A surgical practice can be very rewarding, as it can have a good work-to-life balance for both women and men,” Reid told the Daily News. “As time goes on, we’ll have more women in surgery and more women in leadership positions.”

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JD Howell

You have been here for 33 years. What initially attracted you to the University? In 1978 there weren’t a lot of academic or industrial jobs available. I saw more opportunities working in the industrial sector so I got a green card and immigrated to the United States. I had in mind I would do a post-doc and do five years of industrial work and then come back to academia. I felt I needed that additional grounding. I got a call from Gary Purdy, department chair here, who knew George Weatherly, my supervisor in Toronto, about an opening. It was a risk because the University had a hiring freeze and I came on a one-year contract. Towards the end of my second year at McMaster, the financial climate improved and I became tenure track. I never looked back from there.

What convinced you McMaster was where you wanted to be? The reason I came back in the first place was because, without a shadow of a doubt, McMaster had the best materials department in the country. Here’s a place that had a fabulous reputation, one of the top materials departments in the world and they had just opened two faculty positions for the first time in 10 years, so it was a great opportunity.

Why were you interested in having the industrial experience? I’m an engineer. The work that I wanted to do was applied in nature. I thought I would be a better industrially focused applied researcher with that industrial experience. The fact that I didn’t end up doing that probably has had some influence on the direction I took but I’ve long since given up trying to predict my career. Landing in this office is a good case in point.

What attracted you to your field of study? I’ve always had this interest in the boundary between science and engineering. I chose engineering science because I realized I

wouldn’t be happy doing straight science. It needed to be applied and have some way of bringing some connection to the real world. I think my whole career has been about making connections to society, to where the world is going. The research work that I’ve done more recently, in terms of automotive research and lightweight materials, is really driven by an increasing passion in thinking about sustainability. What is your focus going to be in your role as provost? The general direction for the University is being set through Forward with Integrity. That is a fabulous piece of work that the president has led. It has given us a sense of direction and mission that is, as he says in the letter, grounded in McMaster’s history, but which takes us in new and interesting directions. My job as provost has a lot to do with how you actually put meat on the bones. There’s a lot of work that has been done over the last year, with the advisory group and the task forces that have met and they’ve come up with some great ideas. Now the question is how do we move forward with that. How do we get people enthusiastic about trying to embrace real change? How do we show momentum and what is that change going to look like? That’s going to be critical.

What role can alumni play to help you? Forward with Integrity talks a lot about community engagement. Certainly for those alumni who are engaged here within our own community, there’s huge opportunity to be involved with projects of various kinds. As provost, I’d like to make better use of our students’ talents to build some of the new initiatives that will be critical to Forward with Integrity and I’d like to engage alumni in helping us to put some of these initiatives in place. That can happen in every area of the University whether it’s social work or in fine art or in understanding local water issues or

health issues. We have a lot of alumni who are interested in engaging with students and the University. If we channel this enthusiasm it will provide great opportunities for both alumni and students.

What are you are looking forward to in this role? This job is really about working with people, building relationships. My job as provost is to provide opportunities for my colleagues to be successful. It’s about helping other people to be able to do their jobs in a way that enables them to meet their goals. If that happens then they will be successful and if they’re successful then the University will be successful. That can take place in a wide variety of ways. A university is a very open kind of place. It’s a community of scholars and you can have people who are going to want to be in their labs or offices and do their own thing and can be very successful at doing that. But a lot of times what really makes for success are the ways in which we work together in groups, either within our own disciplines or these days, more importantly, working across disciplines. Finding ways of supporting that and being able to help people be effective in working in these large groups is really a critical element of the job.

When your term is up, what does success look like? It’s hard to predict. Again, it’s all about helping my colleagues be successful. Our students will be better prepared for the work that they have to do. McMaster will be regarded in the community as more engaged than it is currently. McMaster will be a better place to work and to learn.

For more information about Forward with Integrity please go to http://www.mcmaster.ca/presidentsoffice/priorities/

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by Shelly Easton

David Wilkinson came to McMaster in 1979 after earning his undergraduate and master’s degrees at the University of Toronto, a PhD from Cambridge and a post-doctoral fellow-ship from the University of Pennsylvania. He is a Distinguished University Professor and has

served as the Faculty of Engineering dean for the past four years. One of the world’s experts in mechanical behaviour of materials, he is pas-sionate about experiential learning and student engagement. Wilkinson discusses his new role as provost and vice-president academic.

“We have a lot of alumni who are interested in engaging with students and the University. You can channel this enthusiasm and provide great opportunities for alumni and students.”

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proved irresistible. A fundraising drive would help defray the costs of transplanting the University from Toronto and, at the same time, the city would give McMaster 75 acres of land in Westdale (then considered a Hamilton suburb) for free. Faculty and students looked forward to better laboratories and more playing fields for sports. A student editor in 1927 described his understanding of what was happening: “ . . . now this vision is taking shape. A mountain appears and on a shelf of that mountain, overlooking a broad valley, new buildings, surrounded by a large campus.” The University moved to Hamilton in 1930 and with the gift of land and $500,000 raised by enthusiastic citizens, McMaster was reborn. The successful fundraising efforts were designated to support the construction of a science building – Hamilton Hall.

1957 McMaster Converts to a Publicly-Funded Non-Denominational UniversityUntil 1957, the University’s Governors were elected by the Baptist Convention of Ontario and Quebec. Then the University became a non-denominational institution with the historic Baptist connection continued through the separate incorporation and affiliation of a theological school, McMaster Divinity College.

1959 Establishment of a Nuclear Reactor as a Hub for Cutting-Edge Scientific InquiryThe McMaster Nuclear Reactor was the first university-based research reactor in the British Commonwealth. More than 50 years later, the reactor remains an integral part of a number of industries, providing an array of services which can’t be found elsewhere. Perhaps most notably, the reactor is one of the world’s largest suppliers of the medical radioisotope iodine-125 which is used for the treatment of prostate cancer.

McMaster’s story began more than a century ago when Irish immigrant William McMaster moved first to Montreal and then York, as Toronto was known at the time. Senator McMaster, a proud Baptist church member, epitomized success – he was a risk taker, a shrewd entrepreneur and leading merchant, the first president of the Bank of Commerce. Most importantly, he valued higher education. In 1887, his bequest of $900,000 founded the University and the first lecture halls were created in McMaster Hall on Toronto’s Bloor Street. To this day, McMaster is the only university in Canada created from the generous philanthropy of an individual.

1930 Hamilton-BoundIn the early years of the 20th century, discussions raged about moving McMaster out of Toronto. In the 1920s, civic, cultural and business leaders from the self-named “Ambitious City” anxiously sought to establish a university in Hamilton. The Hamilton Chamber of Commerce and business leader W.J. Westaway made an offer that

JD Howell

As McMaster celebrates the 125th anniversary of its founding, the Times reflects on some significant

milestones in the University’s storied history.

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2002 The McMaster University Student CentreOften referred to as the “Main Street” or heart of campus, the McMaster University Student Centre was the first building dedicated to serving the needs of students since the opening of Wentworth House in 1961. It is a central hub like no other in McMaster’s history. (Read more about the impact of the student centre on page 18.)

2003 A $105 Million Gift to McMaster from Michael G. DeGrooteCanadian businessman and philanthropist Michael G. DeGroote gave $105 million to McMaster for health sciences education, research and patient care. It was and remains the largest single cash gift in Canadian history. In tribute, the School of Medicine became the Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine at McMaster University, the first Canadian medical school to bear the name of a benefactor.

2004 McMaster Named Research University of the Year McMaster earned the designation of Research University of the Year based on its ability to attract and capitalize on its research income. Last year, McMaster attracted almost $400 million in research income. The University is consistently ranked as one of the top 100 universities in the world.

1961-1972 Harry Thode Envisions a Research Powerhouse President Emeritus Peter George called Harry Thode one of the University’s most important builders and a man who defined the modern day McMaster. Thode led the evolution of McMaster into a leading science and health sciences research institution. He was a great promoter of the creation of the Engineering Faculty. Engineering, Humanities and Social Sciences established doctoral programs that ranked as the best in Canada. All Faculties were actively involved in teaching undergraduates and weaving the research enterprise into the students’ academic activities. One of his greatest legacies was the embracement of interdisciplinary collaboration. “Lest we become paralyzed by the sheer mass of knowledge, careful thought should be given to the questions, What to learn? When to learn? And, how to learn? On the other hand, no man can be considered cultured who is in complete ignorance of a whole field of human endeavour. It will be our aim to strive for a truly liberal education in which science is taught in relation to the other disciplines and in which the humanities are infused with science. “The problems confronting us are most complex and must be solved both on the intellectual level and on the emotional level. What is needed is a new order of ethical and social responsibility.”

1969-1972 Creation of the McMaster Medical School The first medical school class was admitted to McMaster, with the first students graduating in 1972. That was a remarkable year for health sciences education and research as the Life Sciences Building and the McMaster University Medical Centre opened in the same timeframe. The medical school became famous for pioneering the problem-based learning approach to education, a method since adopted by universities around the world.

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1979 Harry Lyman Hooker’s $25 Million Bequest This bequest, still the largest in the University’s history, enabled the creation of an endowment that continues to reap benefits for students, faculty and staff today. Harry Lyman Hooker was born in Buffalo, N.Y. to Canadian parents. He grew up in Hamilton and in 1904 graduated from the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York City and went on to practice internal medicine. In 1942 he became the physician of the Waldorf Astoria hotel and remained there until his retirement in 1959. An opportune investment in International Business Machines provided the basis of Hooker’s wealth. The proceeds from the Hooker endowment expanded student financial aid, supported the creation of the innovative Arts & Science Program, and ensures funds are available each year to support the recruitment of distinguished speakers and lecturers from all fields of study to come to campus.

1994 Nobel Prize Awarded to Professor Emeritus Bertram Brockhouse McMaster Professor Bertram Neville Brockhouse shared the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1994 with American physicist Clifford G. Shull for their separate but concurrent development of neutron-scattering techniques. Brockhouse, who died in 2003, was a professor at McMaster from 1962 until his retirement in 1984. In 2005, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada created the Brockhouse Canada Prize for Interdisciplinary Research in Science and Engineering to honour Brockhouse’s achievements.

2006 The David Braley Athletic Centre and the Ron Joyce StadiumThe creation of a brand new athletic centre, which opened in 2006, and new sport stadium signaled the first expansion of athletics facilities at McMaster in nearly four decades. It is another example of a major student-university partnership that enhances the overall student experience. Students/graduates contributed $20 million of the $30 million capital costs for the well-used facility. Senator David Braley ’00 (honorary) generously contributed $6 million to help complete the project.

2007 Enhancing the Humanities and Social SciencesThe University announced a $10 million gift from Chancellor Red Wilson ’62 to create a signature building to enhance the study of the humanities and social sciences. The Ontario government has since committed $45 million to the project, to be known as L.R. Wilson Hall. Wilson has invested more than $14 million at McMaster and his gifts have helped create the L.R. Wilson Institute for Canadian History, the L.R. Wilson Professor in Canadian History and the L.R. Wilson/Bell Canada Chair in Data Communications in the Faculty of Engineering.

2012 30th Anniversary of Alumni Gallery

Members of this eclectic group of graduates are all part of McMaster’s character, its history and its future. They are inventors, humanitarians, scientists, nurses, magicians, astronauts, father of universal health care, teachers, bankers, doctors, engineers, comedians, actors, geographers, political scientists, professors, digital media experts, artists, Nobel Laureates. Go to: http://www.mcmaster.ca/ua/alumni/programs_recognition_gallery.html to hear interviews with Alumni Gallery members.

McMaster Celebrates the 125th Anniversary of Its Founding There is no end in sight to this remarkable story of achievement. To learn more, go to mcmaster125.ca.

“The problems confronting us are most complex and must be solved both on the intellectual level and on the emotional level. What is needed is a new order of ethical and social responsibility.”

Harry Thode helped McMaster become one of the country’s preeminent research-based institutions. His tenure as president and vice-chancellor spanned more than a decade, and Thode is often credited as a modern-day visionary thanks to his efforts on campus.

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2012-08-TimesAd2.indd 1 12-08-15 10:01 AM

According to Harry “Baptist Control Ends,” declared the Silhouette’s banner headline on Friday, 21 September 1956. Word had just come that secularization was imminent, and the student paper hastened into print. Potentially anxious readers were assured that there was no cause for alarm, since little fundamental change was expected. After all, said the “Sil”, certain deeply rooted principles already guided McMaster along lines fully compatible with most small secular universities on the continent. Indeed, thanks to the latitude long afforded by an enlightened Baptist Convention, McMaster enjoyed a decidedly liberal ethos. Thus, early and excessive specialization were eschewed, while core requirements spanning a broad range of general knowledge knit the community together, rather like the “Kitten” sweaters and “Mac” jackets ubiquitous on campus. Within a week, however, “Keep it Small” became the watchword of the same undergraduate scribes. Now, rumour had it that both unprecedented numbers and (heaven forbid) professional schools were to be added to the established scene. Suddenly, there seemed to be plenty of cause for concern. Citing the law of diminishing returns, the journal argued that a rush to growth could have deleterious effects on student-faculty relations, while diminishing the quality of education. “In the usual manner of accepting something better,” ran editorial opinion, “this campus may not realize that its excellence is partially due to its size.” Worse still, professional faculties might not integrate smoothly with existing liberal values. Instead, the likely outcome was a large group of segregated buildings dedicated to churning out those who specialized in “a well-indexed store of facts.” Several student letters to the editor, such as that from Gordon Vichert, agreed, noting that McMaster had always emphasized learning in the broadest sense, rather than the production of “highly skilled units for industry.” This was a theme Vichert would return to as a professor in the seventies. An ambivalent President George Gilmour no doubt nodded in silent empathy as he perused these columns. Although a father of the new university, he yet remained very much a son of old McMaster. Such was readily apparent in his 1960 presidential remarks, when all manner of change was proceeding visibly apace. “This rush to the universities,” he wrote, “and this crying up of the power of education has a frightening as well as an encouraging side.” The president worried that people would expect mere growth automatically to herald a vaguely defined, but inevitably better, tomorrow. As well, Gilmour was concerned that burgeoning specialization might threaten cherished liberal learning. Still, he added: “To recognize the existence of this danger is to possess some power to avert it.” Ambivalent or not, Gilmour was committed to expansion; not that there was much choice, given the imperatives of the hour.

Prominent among these was the inescapable need to respond to public demand. From the Rowell-Sirois Commission (1940), through the Massey Report (1951), to the Royal Commission on Canada’s Economic Prospects (1957), various worthies had called official attention to a correlation between higher education and national wellbeing. By the late fifties, this message filtered down to the general public, at which time it was embraced with a hitherto unimaginable fervour. The story of how unprecedented prosperity, the “Baby Boom”, soaring consumer expectations, and not a few Cold War anxieties fuelled the mania for university degrees is a twice-told tale. No local phenomenon, it gathered force in all developed states, reaching a crescendo in the sixties. Specific to McMaster, however, was the cardinal fact that Hamilton stood at, or very near, the Canadian epicentre of those developments: the so-called “Golden Horseshoe”. Indeed, within that arc, sweeping round the head of Lake Ontario from Oshawa to Niagara Falls, the intertwined post-war booms

registered a heavily concentrated impact. Economically, an ebullient Hamilton positively roared during the smoke-stack era’s resounding, last hurrah. From the end of war until the early seventies, the “Ambitious City” rose to be the thriving capital of Canadian heavy industry. Westinghouse, International Harvester, Otis Elevator, National Steel Car, and sundry other substantial firms offered jobs aplenty. The making of steel, however, dwarfed all other endeavour. Canada’s giants in the field, Stelco and Dofasco, afforded truly mass employment. Smaller, specialty outfits, such as Burlington Steel, Slater Steel, Hamilton Bridge and Tank, and scores of spin-off companies also flourished. With the

opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway in 1959, the cost of imported iron ore fell, rendering steel all the more profitable. Later, the 1965 Auto Pact created an insatiable, nearby market, as sprawling branch plants of the American “Big Three” thundered into production across Southern Ontario. All told, by the early seventies, Hamilton’s share of Canada’s steel output was in excess of seventy percent. There was, to be sure, a period of slower growth during the so-called “Diefenbaker Recession” (1957-61). The Steel City, however, rode this out better than many other locales, and its populace reaped the reward in the form of increased purchasing power, even for the common labourer. Inextricably linked with all this was a potent local edition of the nationwide population explosion. Gilmour, for one, was sharply aware that, second only to Toronto, Hamilton was the fastest growing city in Canada. In 1942, its population was 167,855. By 1959, natural increase and rising immigration required the doubling of civic limits and the expansion of bordering suburbs, as Greater Hamilton came to embrace fully 327,831 inhabitants. Two years later, it was proudly (albeit inaccurately) announced that the city had supplanted Winnipeg as Canada’s fourth-largest urban centre. Within months, the metropolitan Planning Board projected (erroneously) that, by 1985, Hamilton would be home to no fewer than 740,000.

A Chance For GreatnessAnother chapter in McMaster’s story is captured by author and alumnus James G. Greenlee ’68, ’69

& ’75 in the third volume of the University’s history. Titled A Chance for Greatness, the book covers

the time period beginning in 1957 until 1987. It will be published in Spring 2013. Here’s an excerpt:

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A Chance For Greatness profiles one of the University’s most prolific eras, the mid-20th century. Above: University Hall

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Some of the most popular annual events include: Clubsfest: An annual fall event where students can sign up for volunteer activities, browse student activities and discover new interests in the heart of the student centre.

Alumni Weekend: Each year, following the Alumni Gallery induction ceremony in Convocation Hall, a reception dinner for the new inductees is held in the beautiful Donaldson Family Marketplace.

Innovation Showcase: Organized by the McMaster Industry Liaison Office (MILO), the Innovation Showcase brings together some of the brightest minds in business, research and technology for a symposium in CIBC Hall.

Several sites were considered for MUSC, and the facility’s longtime director, Lori Diamond, says there was considerable debate:

Along Scholar’s Road at the northwest corner of the Mall

South of University Hall on the northern half of the Mall (where the flagpoles stand)

Adjacent to Faculty Hollow near Alumni Memorial Hall

East of Gilmour Hall (the eventual site that was selected)

Evan Mackintosh – MSU President, 2002/03 Mackintosh, who currently resides in Riyadh, Saudi Ara-bia and works in the Canadian Foreign Service, was MSU president on the day the ribbon was cut to open the student

centre. He recalls the era leading up to the opening was somewhat contentious, but says the opening of MUSC was a significant mile-stone in University history. “Overall, there was a positive response. Most students had lived with the constant construction and inconvenience for the previ-ous two years and having the building open and available was great. There was always the feeling that a student centre was missing, and it felt like we were behind the times without one.”

Siobhan Stewart – MSU President, 2012/13 McMaster’s cur-rent student union president says MUSC plays a pivotal role in stu-dent engagement while fostering an important sense of community.

“The student centre is such a huge part of the student experience at Mac. I really can’t imagine what my experience would have been without it. It just seems so abstract that the MSU offices used to be in Hamilton Hall. So many of the gatherings that students love throughout the year happen in the Donaldson Family Marketplace – it’s a warm and collec-tive community space. This place is very spe-cial. I think a lot of people have fond memo-ries … I don’t just think of it as the heart of campus, but also the beat.”

The McMaster University Student Centre (MUSC) turns 10 this year, and to celebrate its role as the “heart of campus” the Times caught up with three generations of MSU presidents and examined the building’s unique and rich history.

compiled by Andrew Baulcomb ‘08

Stephen Longo – MSU President, 1989/90 Longo, now a Toron-to-based lawyer, was MSU president at a pivotal point in the building’s history. In 1989, a student ref-erendum was held to determine whether to increase the student

levy to help finance construction. “It was kind of a fractured campus, with no real central hub. Hamilton Hall had the Blue Lounge on the main floor, and most of the MSU operations were in that building. But it couldn’t act as a true student centre. The thinking was: ‘we’d like to see the students put their money where their mouths are.’ But we also needed to prepare for a commit-ment, and a selfless one, too. There was some resistance, but after that vote (58.3 per cent in favour), everything started to fall in place.”

Key Timeline

Late 1970s – The idea of a new student building is discussed. Growing enrolment means Hamilton Hall is not large enough to house student ser-vices and offices such as The Silhouette, the MSU offices and CFMU.

1981 – Undergraduate popula-tion continues to expand. A University task force is convened to study the possibility of a new student centre.

1987 – MSU approves a student levy of $15 to be put towards the construction of the centre. McMaster’s Board of Governors commits to finding a suitable site.

1991-98 – Board of Governors approves plan to raise $10.1 mil-lion toward the University Centre Campaign.

1998 – Architects Moriyama & Teshima are tasked with design-ing a 158,000 sq. ft. building to be integrated between Gilmour Hall, Mills Memorial Library, the Arts Quad and the DeGroote School of Business.

March, 2000 – Ground is broken and construction begins.

September, 2002 – The McMas-ter University Student Centre is formally opened.

Annual EventsMUSC was made possible by a powerful partnership: student

support ($24 million via a student levy) coupled with generous philanthropic gifts, including:

$6 million – The DeGroote Family

$1 million – The Donaldson Family (benefactors of The Donaldson Family Marketplace)

$600,000 – The McMaster Alumni Association

$500,000 – The McMaster Associa-tion of Part-time Students

Significant Support

CELEBRATING A DECADE IN

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Put one hand on the right and touch Europe. Put one hand on the left and touch North America. Geography and Earth Sciences professor Carolyn Eyles knows the best way to learn about plate tectonics is on a field trip to Iceland where students can do just that. Eyles is one of many McMaster professors who exemplify what it is to be innovative and who are constantly working to improve the student learning experience. McMaster has an extraordinary roster of legendary, award-winning teachers who’ve repeatedly demonstrated what it takes to be the best – psychology professor Dick Day ‘77 pioneering the Intro to Psychology course and health sciences professor PK Rangachari using mystery

novels to teach students about toxicology are just a few that come to mind. The Times checks in with some McMaster professors who are carrying on the tradition of innovation. Psychology professor David Shore ’91 knows how engaged students get when they have first-hand experience using research tools and techniques in their learning. “They get excited when they collect their own data, formulate their own questions, do their experiments. They get this spark in their eye and get really excited about the research enterprise.”

Shore believes the quality of learning improves. Working with psychology professors Sue Becker and Joe Kim ’95, ’00, Shore

is combining this approach with a new tool – audience response systems or “clickers” – to evaluate the impact on

student learning. The clickers – fashioned like the ubiquitous TV remote – give instructors immediate feedback on whether

students understand material discussed in class and help students know immediately how their understanding of a lecture

compares to their classmates. Shore has used clickers in his classes to do skill testing questions, to give short multiple choice tests, and

to teach the connection between data and theory. “That is the hardest link for them to make and the hardest thing to teach. This provides a lever to teach that in a way that is engaging.” This fall, the professors are running an experiment in the Introduction to Psychology first-year course (about 3,300 of the 5,000 Level 1 students take this course) that will involve students using clickers, pen and paper and web-module lectures to learn concepts. They will evaluate if the clicker, which also provides students with instant gratification, is a better teaching tool.

All the world’s a stage Students in Hartley Jafine’s Bachelor of Health Sciences courses know his mantra well – theatre skills are life skills. Jafine, an actor and applied drama practitioner, is passionate about bringing that sensibility to his teaching. While pursuing a master’s in applied drama in London, England he learned about applying theatre skills to work with prisoners, homeless people and other marginalized groups. “Anywhere where theatre isn’t traditionally found,” he says. Then he started exploring health care environments to take perceived negative spaces like a hospital, a space that individuals rarely elect to visit, and turn it into a more positive space. Jafine says the benefits of including traditional humanities courses like theatre into health sciences programs undoubtedly makes for better future health care professionals. Students develop active listening skills, empathy, collaboration skills, learn how to adapt, and are exposed through performance to characters that are atypical. “Some of these characters are older, some are depressed, some are ‘bad’,” he says. “Once they begin to unpack that character through acting, they see the world through a different lens. My goal is to get them to develop transferable skills and to have a fresh perspective on the people they may encounter in their professional life moving forward.” McMaster’s reputation for being a leader in adopting innovative approaches like this is well known, he notes. “When I tell people what I’m doing and where I’m doing it they say ‘Oh, of course, McMaster. That makes sense.’” Risk equals rewards Sue Vajoczki ’88, ’89 & ‘93 loves the risk taking nature of teaching at McMaster. “It’s the place that permits and allows innovation and encourages risk taking in teaching and learning,” says Vajoczki, a nationally recognized award-winning professor who is also director of the Centre for Leadership in Learning. “It has also ensured that there are resources to assess those innovations.” Vajoczki is incorporating this approach into a number of activities. In October, McMaster is hosting an international conference of at least 500 delegates that’s dedicated to advancing higher education teaching and learning. Including students in these gatherings is vital, she says. Graduate students will be invited to present posters on their research and a collaborative writing group exercise will involve taking groups of scholars at different levels, including student scholars, who will work on a journal article together. This will involve setting up networking writing groups – living labs – around the world. “This is a really

important piece,” she says. “We’re trying to do something new in our learning and then measure to see if it’s effective. That can mean do students like it, do the instructors like it, has it impacted students’ learning, do they learn better as a result of this?”

Vajoczki takes pride in constantly adopting innovative practices and approaches in her work. McMaster is a heavy “blended learning” campus, she notes. This is a great jumping off point for a study she’s leading that will assess this model – a combination of online and face-to-face learning – as it applies to information and geospatial literacy instruction. She’ll also be teaching a new fourth-year inquiry course that will focus on higher education. Some of the topics she and her students will look at include the Drummond report on the Ontario economy, social unrest involving Quebec postsecondary students, access for aboriginal students to higher education and social and cultural impacts of teaching and learning and family structure. Biking to understand history Efforts to enhance the undergraduate learning experience are moving out of the lecture hall with history professor Michael Egan and onto bicycles. The avid cyclist is the 2012 Petro-Canada Young Innovator Award winner who is combining scholarly research and writing with experiential learning in a project called “Vélo: Technology, Society, & Culture.” Egan’s students will participate with him in a research project that examines the bike in global history as a social, cultural, technological and environmental phenomenon. “Over the past few years, I’ve been experimenting with various

assignments and media to enhance the undergraduate classroom experience,” he says. “My sense is that students respond better to assignments and course tasks that give some agency in their work.” Students will receive a hands-on introduction to bikes in collaboration with Mac Cycle Co-op and CAN-BIKE with the aim that as many students as possible will be certified instructors. In turn, they can become University ambassadors for safe cycling practices. They will participate in building a website and/or webzine that will host information about the history of the bicycle, contemporary debates about cycling advocacy and a bike-related blog, which students will author and administer. The main showcase for this project will be a student-organized McMaster Bike Festival that will celebrate the bicycle and promote its use as a sustainable alternative. Students will also develop a fundraiser for Bikes to Rwanda, an organization that builds cargo bikes for independent coffee co-ops in Rwanda. “This will give students firsthand experience of history in practice,” Egan says.

Students in Carolyn Eyles’ fourth-year field course explored the unique geography and geology of Iceland earlier this year. In the above photograph, students form a human chain to connect the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates.

“It’s the place that permits and allows innovation and encourages risk taking in teaching and learning.”

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More than 40 years ago, McMaster pioneered problem-based learning, an approach that fundamentally changed the way students were taught and that has been adopted at universities around the world. Today our professors continue to transform their practices, incorporating experiential learning and inquiry into their teaching, embracing the concept of “deep learning,” an extension of problem-based learning, and ultimately building stronger connections with students to tap into their full potential.

by Shelly Easton

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A family affairOver the last few months, ever since we started celebrating McMaster’s 125th anniversary, you can pretty much cut the history with a knife around here. My desk is a poorly-catalogued archive. It’s covered with Silhouette articles from the ´90s, Frosh Week T-shirts from the ´80s, mimeographed meeting notes from the ´70s, faded donor records from the ´60s, beanies from the ´50s, pennants from the 4́0s, a

Marmor from the ´30s, and a partridge in a pear tree. The farther I wade into the history of the University and the McMaster Alumni Association, the more I can imagine the work of my predecessors as alumni director … and when I imagine their work, I imagine the ease of the time before websites and e-mail. You see, right now, a good portion of my professional life is devoted to launching a new Mac alumni website that will be a Kyle Quinlan leap forward in our online service to Mac grads. The site’s new features will mean that you can follow, comment on or even author your own blog. You’ll be able to login to our Alumni Community with a single click from Facebook or LinkedIn. The new online directory will function like a social network for Mac grads,

allowing you to share photos, integrate social media accounts and create groups of friends. And of course, you’ll be able to manage your contact information, e-mail forwarding, event registrations and charitable giving. It’s going to be fantastic, but getting something like that in place doesn’t come easy. There’s planning, technical expertise, testing and more testing. It’s a big, complex and fussy thing to get a new web system installed. Whenever that task seems most daunting, I think about McMaster’s very first alumni director, Don Seldon ’40, who never had to worry about HTML, smartphones or tablets. Of course he also maintained an alumni database on file cards, so maybe technology isn’t so bad. But really, alumni work isn’t about technology, it’s about people. That hasn’t changed and never will. It’s about relationships and connections and a shared history. It’s the things in our history that unite us far more than the things that are different divide us. The reality is that in 125 years, McMaster University and its people – alumni, faculty, staff and students – have experienced a great deal of change, but in many ways, we are constant. We are still a University family, connected by an institution, linked by experience, taking pride in our collective and individual contributions to our communities and our society. I know I share that belief with Don Seldon and every other alumni director who came after him and before me.

Making change happen Change, as they say, is the only constant. This year, McMaster University celebrates its 125th anniversary. During this time, McMaster has moved cities, held more than 500 convocations, and granted degrees to more than 150,000 alumni who are changing the world. The McMaster Alumni Association has taken change in

stride. Led by past president Bill Maclean ‘90, the MAA underwent a strategic board review and restructuring. As a result, MAA presidents will now sit for two years, and we’ve introduced new board member roles that reflect the diversity of our faculties and location of alumni. I’m pleased to welcome Brian Bidulka ’87, Elaine Kunda ’95, Brad Merkel ’85, Don Simpson ’79, Erin Robertson ’07, David Feather ’85 and Stephanie McLarty ’03 to the board. I’m looking forward to working with our new vice-president, Sandra Stephenson ’78, and congratulate David Adames ’92 on his leadership and the completion of his term as past president.

The Alumni Association is also supportive of President Deane’s emphasis on community engagement. This year, the McMaster Alumni Hamilton Community Awards will recognize Jean Clinton ’77, ’81, Mary Anderson ‘85, ‘90, ’00, Laurie Kennedy ’04, and Dyanne Semogas on September 25, 2012 at the Art Gallery of Hamilton. Please join us as we recognize excellence and dedication among fellow alumni. The number of McMaster graduates continues to grow. Recognizing this, Mac10 was launched earlier this year to meet the professional, social and intellectual needs of alumni within 10 years of graduation. Mac10’s events, career services, mentorships and online resources have all been popular since its inception, planting the seeds for lifelong alumni relationships with McMaster. In order to meet the changing communication needs of McMaster alumni, we have created a new online community alumni.mcmaster.ca that makes it easier than ever to stay connected. With alumni in more than 130 countries, this portal is a critical tool that provides a new leadership opportunity for alumni – becoming McMaster social media ambassadors. Change can be nerve-wracking, but also exciting. Rooted in 125 years of history, the Alumni Association and the McMaster community are working together so that our University capitalizes on the opportunities that change offers, and we look forward to sharing the journey with you, our alumni.

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Congratulations to the 2012 Alumni Gallery Inductees & Award winners

Honorary MembershipPresented to Arthur Newcombe Bourns ‘12 (Honorary), president emeritus for his service and leadership to McMaster over his distin-guished career in administration and academia.

Sandra Cruickshanks Social Sciences ’79

David Feather Social Sciences ’85, Business ’89

Debra Katzman Sciences ’80, Health Sciences ’83

David Levy Social Sciences ’72, Health Sciences ’75

Conrad Milne Humanities ’59, Physical Education ’65

Lorna Bentley Wreford Humanities ’67

The Alumni Gallery celebrates 30 years of recognition of the diverse and remarkable accomplishments of McMaster Alumni. We congratulate this year’s inductees:

The Arch Awards recognize the early success and achievements of our more recent graduates.

Presented to Pearl Sojnocki ’54 for her dedication to the McMaster Alumni Association. Instrumental in creating the Alumni Gallery in 1982, Pearl remains a loyal volunteer and can take great pride in the rich legacy of the now 400 member plus Gallery she has helped create.

Distinguished Service Award

Stephanie McLarty Arts & Science ‘03 (pictured) Braden Kurc-zak Engineering ’03 (pictured) Shawn Cheung Business ’05 Evan Jones Arts & Science ‘01

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1950sDorothy Turcotte (Hannaford) ’50 has received the Lieutenant-Governor’s Lifetime Heritage Achievement Award. She has written 11 books on local history, and is the founder and volunteer archivist at the Grimsby Archives.

Jim McCulloch ’52, ’53 cel-ebrated 60 years of marriage to his wife, Diane, on May 10. The couple were married shortly after the completion of his final exams at McMaster. One of their five grandchildren, Andrea Campea ’05, is a graduate from the Faculty of Science.

1960sReed Elley ’67, ’70 was recently named president of the B.C. Con-servative Party. Elley previously served as the member of Parlia-ment for Nanaimo Cowichan for seven years, and pastored several Baptist churches in Ontario, Al-berta and British Columbia.

André Bandrauk ’68 was named an officer of the Order of Canada for his research involving atto-second science. He is a Canada Research Chair in Computational Chemistry & Photonics and a professor of theoretical chemis-tryat the Université de Sherbrooke in Sherbrooke, Quebec.

1970sDon Barclay ’70 has been an ac-tive volunteer and philanthropist in the West African nation of Togo, working with Sleeping Children Around the World to help deliver bed-kits to those in need. Last summer, Barclay and three partners launched Support Education Togo, and the charita-ble organization has helped build a new three-room school in Agbe-louve and finance renovations at an existing school in Agalepedo.

George Eynon ’74 received a Dis-

tinguished Member of the House award from the American Asso-ciation of Petroleum Geologists. Eynon is a board member with the Alberta Energy Resources Conservation Board, and is also a member of the Association of Pro-fessional Engineers, Geologists and Geophysicists of Alberta and the Canadian Society of Petro-leum Geologists.

Colin MacDonald ’74 has been named board chair of Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame. MacDon-ald, a partner in Borden Ladner Gervais LLD, has been helping oversee the completion of the Hall of Fame’s new building at Canada Olympic Park in Calgary.

Mary Turner ’74 was promoted to president, Canadian Tire Bank and chief operating officer, Ca-nadian Tire Financial Services. Turner is responsible for growing revenue and managing operation-al costs and credit risk for both businesses.

Meric Gertler ’77 has received an honorary doctor of philosophy from Lund University in Lund, Sweden. Gertler is dean of the Faculty of Arts and Science at the University of Toronto, and is one of the world’s foremost urban theorists and policy practitioners. His main areas of research involve the geography of innovative ac-tivity and the economies of city-regions.

Dean Chambers ’78 was named as executive vice-president, de-velopment, with Sherritt Inter-national – a world leader in the mining and refining of nickel.

Susan Cunningham ’79 received a 2012 Distinguished Service Award from the American Asso-ciation of Petroleum Geologists. A longtime supporter of McMas-ter, Cunningham is currently senior vice-president (exploration & corporate reserves) with Noble Energy, and lives in Houston, Texas. The Susan Cunningham Research Chair in Geology was established in 2010 in recogni-tion of her $1-million donation to McMaster.

Janet Faucon ’79 was honoured with the 2011 Peter Palangio Award for her lifetime commit-ment to sporting excellence in North Bay, Ontario

1980s

Marco Marrone ’80, ’86 was re-cently appointed chief operating officer of Canadian Tire Retail and executive vice-president of the Canadian Tire Corp., Ltd. Marrone has been with the com-pany for more than 25 years.

Katherine Bergman ’83, ’87 was named president and vice-chan-cellor of St. Jerome’s University in Waterloo, Ont.. Bergman began her academic career as a postdoc-toral fellow at McMaster.

Gregory Hudson ’83 was pro-moted to fire chief of the Town of Lincoln Fire & Rescue Service. A computer science major, Hudson has more than 24 years of experi-ence as a firefighter.

Stephen Elop ’86, ’09 (honorary) is celebrating five years as CEO of Nokia, one of the world’s largest mobile phone companies.

1990sRobert J. Angus ’90 was named medical director of St. Joseph’s General Hospital in Hamilton. Prior to joining the hospital’s

medical team, Angus enjoyed an extensive career with the Cana-dian Forces, including stints as senior flight surgeon at the Ca-nadian Forces’ Aerospace Health Services Squadron (Winnipeg), and base surgeon for the Cana-dian Forces in Victoria.

Julia Brown ’91 was recognized by The Network Journal as one of its annual “25 Influential Women in Business” award win-ners. Brown is chief procurement officer and senior vice-president (global procurement) at Kraft Foods Inc. in Northfield, Ill..

Sean Forkan ’91 was appointed new country manager for Syman-tec Canada. He joined Symantec from Oracle Canada, where he served as area vice-president.

Michelle Stark ’92 was named president of the Hamilton Law Association for the 2012-13 term. Stark specializes in the area of personal injury litigation, and has been actively involved in the as-

Bradley Wolak ’97 started feeling restless the day after convocation. Less than 48 hours after receiving his undergraduate degree in chemical engineering, Wolak boarded a plane for London, England, where he planned to embark on a summer-long tour of Europe with a small group of friends. “I couldn’t get enough of traveling,” says Wolak. “It wasn’t until very recently that I somewhat squashed the travel bug, and felt the desire to stay in one place and put down roots.” After trekking across the continent for several months, he then ventured to South East Asia, “once it got cold,” jokes Wolak. After navigating his way throughout Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia, Wolak was eventually lured to Australia where he began his first “post-Mac” job at an IT call centre. After several years circumnavigating the globe, Wolak finally landed a more stable job in his field in Miami, Florida. For the time being, at least, the hospitable climate and easygoing lifestyle seemed like a good place to settle down and possibly build a home. But that all changed once he met some new business colleagues from South America. “After meeting many good Colombian friends in Miami, I becom-ing enamoured with the country when I first came here to study,”

says Wolak. “It was a logical choice as a warm place to live and work, with a relatively low cost of living and access to inexpensive program-mers.” In 2007, Wolak left his corporate career in Florida behind, and flew to Colombia for the first time to take a much-needed breather and learn basic Spanish. After re-connecting with an old friend from Brandon Hall, Marc Rodriguez ‘96, the two set to work founding a new mobile app development company. With Wolak based in Medel-lin, Columbia and his business partner in Trinidad, the pair officially launched Thinkov Mobile App Development last year to capitalize on the growing personal tech boom. “Apple had just released the very first iPhone (in 2007), and we realized this would change the world forever,” recalls Wolak. “Either we could be a part of it or not … where we are physically is almost irrelevant, as long as we have a cord, a computer and a connection.” The company is driven to create “beautiful, well-designed applica-tions” for both personal and professional use, including verb language guides in Spanish and Portuguese, airport distance and margin call calculators and even a blackjack strategy guide for new players. For more information on the company and some of its products and ser-vices, visit www.thinkov.com.

A Mining Gem

John Hansuld ’54 has been honoured with an induction into the Canadian Mining Hall of Fame. Throughout his career, Hansuld has worked at the forefront of Canada’s min-ing and minerals industry – breaking new ground as a geochemist, entrepreneur and

industry advocate for more than four decades. A geology graduate from the Faculty of Science, Hansuld began his career in geochemistry – making an early breakthrough in the field by studying the dispersion and relative mobility of common metals. Following a decade devoted to academic and scientific research (including graduate degrees from UBC, McGill and Harvard), Hansuld launched the Association of Exploration Geochemists. He helped expand longtime affiliate Amax Exploration (Canada) into a powerhouse exploration firm and in the 1980s unveiled a new public mining industry entity, Canamax Resources Inc. Nicknamed “the father of flow-through” by industry peers, Han-suld was instrumental in promoting flow-through share financing within the Canadian mineral exploration sector. He was named “Mining Man of the Year” by The Northern Miner in 1988 thanks in large part to his forward thinking and financial prowess. Hansuld currently serves as Chairman of Viking Gold, and is a member of the Board of Directors of Eastmain Resources Inc.

ALUMNI ALBUM‘Bit by the travel bug: building a business abroad’By Andrew Baulcomb ’08

sociation for 16 years.

Mike Morreale ’94 was elected president of the Canadian Foot-ball League Players’ Association (CFLPA). The former Marauders slotback played 12 seasons in the CFL with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Toronto Argonauts, and captured two Grey Cups during his pro career. He was inducted into the McMaster Hall of Fame in 2005.

Jeffrey Coles ’96 was appointed president of Schindler Elevator Corporation’s Canadian opera-tions. Coles has been working with the company for 13 years.

Jamie Girolametto ’97 is taking over as head coach of the Re-deemer University College men’s basketball team. Girolametto played four years on the McMas-ter Marauders basketball squad, and also served as the team’s as-sistant coach in 2010.

Jenn Salfi ’97, ’01 & ’04 re-

ceived the 2012 Dr. John Gilbert Interprofessional Education Mentorship Award from the National Health Sciences’ Stu-dents Association. The honour recognizes a leader in interprofes-sional education, and is based on encouragement, support, insight, and enthusiasm. Salfi is an as-sistant professor in the School of Nursing.

Patrick Chain ’96, ’99 recently received his PhD in molecular biology from Michigan State University, and is working for the Los Alamos National Lab in Los Alamos, N.M..

Tanya Riemann ’99 will celebrate 10 years in business this fall. Rie-

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Will van Engen ’11 caught his first break as a photographer with The Silhouette – shooting sports, fashion and campus events in between Arts & Science classes. Last summer, however, the 24-year-old took his passion for the craft to a new level – travel-ing to Afghanistan with a col-league to gain insight into the besieged Middle Eastern nation. “We wanted to observe how Afghanistan had changed since NATO became involved in the country,” said van Engen. After obtaining a pair of work visas through the National Post and Hamilton Spectator, van Engen and co-photographer Aus-tin Andrews set off for Kabul to document Canada’s role in train-ing Afghan soldiers and police officers. Getting into the country as an accredited journalist was easy, but finding safe lodging was not. Even luxury hotels were not im-mune from attack, he said, and finding a moderately-priced hotel with decent security that had “only been bombed once” was a challenge. “The bombed-out school bus in my photo series contained a group of schoolchildren who thankfully were not in the bus when a rocket incinerated it. The other photos show Afghan soldiers containing a perimeter around the area where the Tali-ban militants were staging their attack.” Check out his travel photogra-phy at www.willvanengen.com.

‘From the Silhouette to Kabul’ By Andrew Baulcomb ’08

mann started her own web design and marketing company in 2002, Platypi Designs Inc., and contin-ues to find success in the Guelph area. Andrew MacKay ’98 was a business partner in the project for four years.

2000sBethany Janna Haalboom ’00 joins Victoria University in Wel-lington, New Zealand in Sep-tember, 2012 as a lecturer in the School of Geography, Environ-ment and Earth Sciences.

Tracey Bailey ’01 was appointed president and CEO of Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital Foundation.

Abram Bergen ’01, ’03 launched THAATDelivery (the Hammer Active Alternative Transportation Delivery). The company, first of its kind in Hamilton, uses cus-tomized, eco-friendly bicycles to deliver heavy goods around town, rather than cargo trucks.

Michael Dove ’02 and Cheryl Dove ’03 celebrated the birth of their second daughter, Julia Dove, on Mar. 7, 2012.

Yohann Calpu ’04 and Jennifer Calpu celebrated the birth of their first child, Hana Lynne Calpu, on Mar. 9, 2012.

Jeremy Nicks ’04 has opened the Canadian School of Lutherie in Toronto, along with two business partners. The firm specializes in hand-crafted guitars and high-quality repairs.

Megan Dodd ’07 was honoured with the Synapse Mentorship Award, which recognizes the efforts of a graduate student or postdoctoral fellow who has made exceptional efforts to promote health research among Canada’s high school students.

Amanda McLoughlin ’07 estab-lished a program for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder at Sir William Mulock Secondary School in Newmarket, helping students achieve their Ontario secondary school diplomas.

Ryan Moran ’07, ’12 and Kailee Jamieson ’12 took first place in this year’s prestigious “Canada’s Next Top Ad Exec” competition. The duo bested a highly-competi-tive field of more than 190 teams from 32 business schools.

Mike DeAngelis ’08, Nick Dika ’08, Dan Griffin ’08 and Max Kerman ’08 won the 2012 JUNO Award for “Group of the Year” as four-fifths of the Hamilton rock band Arkells. The JUNO victory was the second of the band’s ca-reer. Fellow alumni Diana Panton ’98 and Jeremy Greenspan ’04 (one half of Junior Boys) were also nominated for JUNO Awards.

Elizabeth Grandbois ’09 (honor-ary) received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in April, which recognizes a signifi-cant contribution to a province, territory or community. Grand-bois has helped raise millions of dollars toward finding a cure for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Geh-rig’s disease.

Jeff Green ’09 took home two Ontario Newspaper Awards for his work at the Hamilton Specta-tor - novice reporting and sports writing. He is a former executive editor and photo editor at The Silhouette.

David Vanderhorst ’10 and Sherri Vanderhorst celebrated the birth of their first child, Tristan Seth, on Feb. 8, 2012.

Jim Featherstone ’12 graduated from the Faculty of Humanities in June at the age of 79. He was inspired to enrol at McMaster after the passing of his wife, Shir-ley, and spent nine years earning a history degree on a part-time basis.

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It’s better in the Bahamas!Calling all alumni in the Caribbean! You’re invited to attend the 2nd Mc-

Master Alumni Caribbean Reunion Nov. 2-3, 2012 to be held at The Atlantis,

Bahamas. Enjoy great socializing and networking and get reconnected with

McMaster. Contact Kathleen D’Amico at

[email protected] or at 1-888-217-6003 for details.

Hong Kong Branch AGMFor information on the McMaster Alumni Association (Hong Kong Branch

Limited) Annual General Meeting, please visit http://bit.ly/mac_hkbranch.

Upcoming events: McMaster Women’s Series: Your Life...Only Better!Join us six times a year as we gather at the Hamilton Club for an evening

of personal and/or professional development. Each session is hosted by

a community leader in their field who will engage the group with new

insights and skills, shared in an inviting, casual atmosphere. For more infor-

mation please visit our website: alumni.mcmaster.ca Wednesday, Sept. 19: Psychologist Russ Irwin is an executive coach and author of Creating an Extraordinary Life. He will discuss how people can reach their personal potential.

Wednesday, Oct. 10: Liz Primeau, author of In Pursuit of Garlic, and founding editor of Canadian Gardening magazine and the former host of Canadian Gardening Television on HGTV, will discuss her passion for garlic.

Award Nominations and Deadlines: Do you know a member of the McMaster community who deserves recog-

nition for their accomplishments and/or service? Visit alumni.mcmaster.ca

to learn more about the following awards and how to submit a nomination.

Oct. 1: Alumni Gallery; Honorary Doctorate

Feb. 1: Albert Lager Prize for Student Initiative; Arch Award;

Distinguished Service Award

March 31: McMaster Community Impact Award & Honorary

Membership

Get to know the 2012 Valedictorians

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■ Caribbean Cruise ■ Southeast Asia ■ Antarctica ■ South Africa■ Tahiti & French Polynesia ■ Villages & Vineyards of Argentina & Chile ■ The 2013 Masters ■ Provence ■ Sorrento ■ Prague ■ Cruising Spain to Rome ■ Haida Gwaii ■ Baltic Sea ■ Waterways of Russia ■ Scotland ■ Northwest Passage ■ Greatbear Rainforest ■ Blue Danube with Dr. Alvin Lee, President Emeritus ■ Namibia ■ Around the World ■ Cruising Naples to Malta ■ Villages & Vineyards of Italy

Discover worry-free travel on exclusive group tours around the globe. Be sure to request your 2013 Travel Calendar and check out discoveryourmacadventure.ca for detailed itineraries.

Tel: 905.525.9140 ext. 24882 Toll-free: 1-888-217-6003 Email: [email protected]

discoveryourmacadventure.caMcMaster Alumni Travel program 2013

Web Analytics Program (New) Harness the power of the digital world for your business.

As the world moves online, the wealth of information available to businesses has become staggering. Decision makers in marketing, website development, information technology, management and many other aspects of business are wading through this information trying to understand how people interact with their digital assets.

Organizations that don’t learn to channel this information are wasting marketing dollars, losing business to inefficient websites and failing to meet goals.

Develop the skills you need to distill web and social media metrics into clear and actionable key performance indicators that are relevant to your business goals. You’ll learn what the numbers mean, which numbers you should focus on and how to get started.

Whether you are looking to enter the growing field of web analytics or looking to understand online data to make better business decisions, this comprehensive online program will help you master the metrics and play a critical role in informing business decisions.

Learn more today!www.mcmastercce.com/web-analytics

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Business A

dministration | Case Management | Health Informatics | Health Information Management | Web Analytics

McMaster University’s Centre for Continuing Education offers many programs entirely online or through distance education. Study at your convenience Prepare for professional designations Gain new university-level knowledge and skills Excel in your career

Enjoy theflexibility ofONLINE EducatION.

mcmaster-at-home.ca

Marianne (Brender) Brandis ’60, ’64 pub-lished Thinking Big, Building Small: Low-tech Solutions for Food, Water, and Energy. It covers the work of Jock Brandis ’68, who designed equipment for farming and food processing that doesn’t use fossil fuels or grid electricity.

R.D. Gidney ’61, ’64 and W.P.J. Millar ’64 wrote How Schools Worked: Public Education in English Canada, 1900-1940.

Bill Freeman ’70, ’79 publishedThe End of War, which explores the possibilities of our world existing in lasting peace.

James A. Anderson ’72 released his second thriller, The Scorpion, which is set at a Toronto daily newspaper. Ander-son was a reporter at The Silhouette from 1968 to 1972.

Konrad Anton Aniol ’73 has written East of the Rhine. The historical fiction, set in First Century A.D., follows the the protagonist in turbulent times in Germania.

David McMurray ’79 helped publish Canada Project in Kyushu (Volume 7), which contains a series of articles profiling Canada’s cultural and academic relationship with Japan. Mc-Murray is director of international affairs at the International University of Kagoshima.

Mary Anne White ’79 released Physical Properties of Materials (Second Edition) in late-2011. It’s focused on the science of materials.

Bruce Hart ’83 wrote the CD-ROM textbook Introduction to Seismic Interpretation.

John Bacher ’85 published Two Billion Trees and Counting: the Legacy of Edmund Za-vitz through Dundurn Press. The book details how fellow alumnus Edmund Zavitz 1903, a pioneer of environmen-

talism and conservation, helped educate the Ontario public about the disastrous effects of deforestation and forest fires.

Robin Stevenson ’93 completed her 13th book, Hummingbird Heart, a contemporary teen novel about a young girl’s first encounter with her estranged father.

Cheryl Fury ’98 released The Social History of English Seamen, 1485-1649 in October, 2011. The book also features contributions from McMaster professor emeritus J.D. Alsop and alumnus Geoffrey Hudson ’85.

Vanessa Hayward ’01 published her debut book The Bitchographies under the pen name Vivienne Vuitton. Hay-ward says the book’s topics include relation-ships, social media, friends and the continu-

ous struggle to bite one’s tongue.

McMaster professor Daniel Coleman, along with alumni Agnes Kramer-Hamstra ’04, Erin Goheen Glanville ’05 and Wafaa Hasan ‘12 published Countering Displacements: The Creativity and Resilience of Indigenous and Refugee-ed Peoples.

McMASTER WRITES

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SOCI A L

FOR EVERYONE FROM THE SHY GUYS TO THE SOCIAL BUTTERFLIES

In the last year, we’ve had events at a sake brewery in Toronto, the art classroom of the Art Gallery of Hamilton, the PC Cooking

School in Maple Leaf Gardens and many more. Wherever we set the meeting place, our social calendar in Hamilton, Burlington

and Toronto brings together young (and young at heart) alumni to reconnect, make new contacts and have a little fun.

IN T EL L EC T UA L

LEARNING, FOR FUNWe’ve connected young alumni with researchers

across disciplines from psychology to fi ne art to bioarchaeology. This regular series connects McMaster’s

most engaging and groundbreaking researchers with Mac10 alumni in a social setting – never in a

boring lecture hall and always with good food!

for event information & registration

P ROF E S SION A L

SUPPORT FOR THE NEXT STEPIn partnership with the Student Success Centre, we offer tailored resources for the professional development of our young alumni. Our year-round schedule of events and workshops, delivered in person and broadcast live online, is designed to support alumni who are actively seeking work or exploring career options.

Mac10 delivers engaging and informative programs to fulfi ll the professional, intellectual and social needs of McMaster’s graduates of the last decade, in Hamilton and beyond.

If you graduated from McMaster in the last 10 years,

is for you.

mac10.ca

Kenneth Baker ’46 died Jan. 29, 2012 at the age of 88. Baker was born in Glasgow, Scotland, and immigrated to Canada in 1929. He married his wife Viv-ian in 1947, enjoyed a long and prosperous career in research and academia at Union College, St. Lawrence University and Harvey Mudd College.

Edward “Ed” Botan ’57 died Feb. 14, 2012 at the age of 86. During his career, Ed was involved in numerous cutting edge scientific research projects, including the development of the life science testing package for NASA’s Mariner Mars landing craft. Ed was also an avid out-doorsman, and enjoyed fishing and camping with his family.

Jonathan Frid ’48 died Apr. 13, 2012 in his hometown of Ham-ilton. An accomplished actor in both theatre and film, Frid became a household name in the late-1960s with his portrayal of Barnabas Collins on the gothic soap opera Dark Shadows. Actor Johnny Depp revived the char-acter in the 2012 film adaptation and both he and director Tim Burton were reportedly longtime fans of Frid’s work. Prior to graduating from McMaster with a degree in General Studies, Frid served in the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War. He later earned a master’s degree in directing from the Yale School of Drama, and also studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London.

Jane (Kneeland) Goepfert ’40 died Dec. 13, 2011 at the age of 93. A longtime resident and active community member in Syracuse, N.Y., she was also past president of the American Asso-ciation of University Women in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Alice (Powers) Goheen ’32 died Feb. 13, 2012 at the age of 101. Goheen earned a degree in mathematics and statistics, and enjoyed a teaching career at Flesherton District High School and Guelph Collegiate and Vo-cational Institute. She was the widow of Kenneth Goheen ’32, and mother of twins Robert and Peter Goheen ’62.

Elizabeth Graham (formerly Betty Hull) ’58 died April 4, 2012 in Orillia. She was a teacher of Latin and French, and served as secretary at St. James Anglican Church in Dundas, Ont.

William F. Grant ’47, ’49 & ’00 (honorary) died Oct. 6, 2011 in Montreal. As a McGill professor he enjoyed a distinguished career in research, teaching and admin-istration and contributed to the advancement of Canadian and international botany and genet-ics research. He received the McMaster Distinguished Alum-ni Scholar award in 1990 and was inducted into the Alumni Gallery in 1996. He is survived by his wife Phyllis, son Taylor and sister, Isabelle Wardlaw (Grant) ’52.

John Russell “Russ” Hewetson ’51 died in Toronto on Dec. 2011. After graduating with a degree in Political Economy, Hewetson held positions with Canadian General Electric, The Guild Inn, Crescent Construc-tion Ltd. and his own real estate firm, J.R. Hewetson Ltd. He is survived by his wife, Winifred Hewetson ’51 and two children, Janet Hewetson-Cavers and John Clark Hewetson.

Donald Hurst ’55, ’62 died Oct. 16, 2011. Hurst taught science, mathematics and geology be-tween 1955 and 1988. He was a pioneer in outdoor education and was a lifelong volunteer in Selkirk, Simcoe and Port Dover.

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Elizabeth Latimer ’67, ’76 & ’79 died Apr. 28, 2012 in Hamilton. Latimer was one of the country’s top palliative care practitioners, and a well-respected professor at McMaster. She was founding chair of the palliative care section of the Ontario Medical Associa-tion, founding board member of the Canadian Society of Palliative Care Physicians and founding director of the Regional Pallia-tive Care Program in Hamilton-Wentworth. In 1982, Latimer established the first palliative care program in the greater Hamilton area at Henderson Hospital.

Peter Malon ’79 died Dec. 2, 2011 in Mississauga. Malon was the head coach of the Burlington Minor Football Association’s Pee Wee Stampeders, and a vibrant entrepreneur.

Frederick Martin ’40 died May 9, 2012. Martin was a graduate from the Faculty of Social Sciences.

David Milencoff ’61 died Oct. 2, 2011 in Welland at the age of 72. He is dearly missed by his wife Betty and his children, grandchil-dren and friends.

Allen R. Pearce ’42 died in April 15, 2012 in Ottawa. Pearce served with the Royal Canadian Army Service Corps and later with the Canadian International Develop-ment Agency.

William John Quinsey ’50 died Apr. 9, 2012, in Toronto. Quinsey had a successful career as a land surveyor with the Canadian Na-tional Railway, and is survived by his three children and family.

Cameron Robertson ’38 died in September, 2009 in Thunder Bay, Ont.. He was a graduate from the Faculty of Science.

Allan Tudge ’49, ’50 died Apr. 1, 2012 in Anaheim, Calif.. Tudge was a Faculty of Science graduate, majoring in Chemistry.

John White ’44 died Feb. 12, 2012 at the age of 90. A highly-regarded litigator in the Hamilton-Wentworth area, White was ap-pointed to the Ontario Supreme Court in 1981, where he later rose to the rank of regional Chief Justice. He is survived by his wife Mary, the couple’s three sons and their respective families.

Terry Wilkinson ’82 died in 2011. Wilkinson was a graduate from the Faculty of Social Sciences.

Christine Mary Williams ’68 died Aug. 11, 2011 in Guelph. She was a graduate from the Faculty of Science.

Oonagh Wilms ’57 died Feb. 1, 2012 in Hamilton. Wilms taught Art and English at high schools in Aldershot and Orangeville, and was a principal in the remote com-munity of Moose Factory, Ont.

John Woszack ’64 died Oct. 4, 2011. He was a graduate from the Faculty of Social Sciences.

Page 18: MACTIMES FALL 2012

dailynews.mcmaster.ca34

Mary Anderson ’85, ’90 & ’00 Author, Playwright “Since this is the 125th anni-versary of McMaster University it is significant to go back to the words of Thomas B. McQuesten as he made a statement in 1928 to former Chancellor Howard P. Whidden about the importance of the University for the Hamilton people: ‘We’ve never landed such a fish as this . . . This is the first break to-ward a broader culture and higher educational development. It was sorely needed. Did you ever think what a great word “university” is? It has never been let down, never become stale or commonplace, always dignified and lofty.’ “In order to continue the vital-ity in both the Humanities and the Sciences we need to incor-porate more of the Humanities into the University. In fact, it is now becoming ‘innovative’ to encourage the Humanities. We, as the people of Hamilton, are very proud of our University and it would be desirable to see more links into the community. The University is our proudest feature. Alumni has done a wonderful job of welcoming the commu-nity into the University and I think we would like to have more of the same.” Jean Clinton ‘77, ‘81 Associate Clinical Professor “McMaster has contributed in significant ways to ‘making Hamilton the best place to raise a child.’ With faculty support for evaluation and research some top class programs have been developed. As McMaster faculty I work very closely, along with others with our boards of educa-tion, early childhood and child welfare. McMaster, if continuing its innovative and collaborations for health leadership must become a leader in early human development. As we

learn more about the huge impact of the first 2,000 days of life, how it impacts adult health, learning and mental health, we must become leaders in this field. We are in a unique place with the Offord Centre, Can Child and the work of outstanding researchers to make a signifi-cant contribution, not only in the sciences, but as a leader in education. Every undergrad could benefit from an understanding of this essential science.” Laurie Kennedy ‘84 Administrator, School of Nursing “It is difficult to quantify the impact the McMaster community has on Hamilton and the surrounding region. Throughout its 125 year history, McMaster University’s primary role has been to educate and develop people who are committed to making a difference locally, nationally and internationally, e.g., Lincoln Alexander ‘49, ‘87 (honor-ary), former Lieutenant-Governor of Ontario; business leader Michael

Lee-Chin ‘74, ‘03 (honorary); and psychiatric epidemiologist Heath-er Munroe-Blum ‘74, ‘07 (honor-ary), principal and vice-chancellor of McGill University. McMaster’s interdisciplinary people-centred, problem-based approach has led to innovative research and capacity building locally and globally. As Hamilton shifts from manufacturing to a more knowledge-based economy, McMaster’s students, faculty and staff – in partnership with civic leaders and citizens – are playing an even greater role in shaping a vibrant community socially and economically. To maintain this impact on our city and on cities worldwide, it is vital that creative thinkers at McMaster and in our communi-

ties work together and value each other’s opinions and contributions. Through collaboration, the McMaster community can continue to make a difference. McMaster’s future role should be to continue edu-cating, developing and preparing people who will take advantage of existing opportunities while also creating new ones.” Dyanne Semogas Assistant Professor “McMaster has a strong tradition of making scientific and creative contributions to the public good. In the future, there will be greater demand on the University to build on these strengths by forming sustained community partnerships across sectors. Collectively with citizens at the centre, the University will work to generate collaborative solutions to pressing social and economic problems. Patrick Deane’s strategic vision that places value on civic engagement will act as a cata-lyst for students, faculty and staff to work with others in shaping a vital local community.”

LAST

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The award recognizes outstanding contribu-tions by individuals who have made a positive impact on the Hamilton community within the past three years. This year’s honourees are Mary Anderson ’85, ’90 & ’00; Jean Clinton ’77, ’81; Laurie Kennedy ‘04 and Dyanne Semogas (joint nomination).

What is McMaster’s impact in Hamilton and the surrounding region?

How should McMaster continue to build strong links with the community in the years to come?

Four distinguished women are this year’s recipients of the McMaster Alumni Hamilton Community Impact Award. The Times asked this year’s recipients to

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Page 19: MACTIMES FALL 2012

Homecoming

2012

September: Call, text, facebook, tweet your MAC friends and plan to meet at Homecoming! Buy tickets for the Game at www.marauders.ca.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 13

Grab the kids, don your McMaster wear & Paint your Face!

Marauder fun & Chili lunch - Marauder Plaza. Enjoy music and great eats and get into the spirit with temporary tattoos and noisy sticks. Find your friends, fi nd a mascot for a photo with the kids or take a stroll around campus.

GAME TIME! 2011 Vanier Cup winning Marauders vs. Windsor Lancers – Ron Joyce Stadium, McMaster University

Celebrate a win for the home team! ;)

For more information,please visit alumni.mcmaster.ca, email [email protected] or call 1.888.217.6003.

11:00 am 1

11:00 am 1

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REUNIONS ON HOMECOMING SATURDAY

Football alumni: An informal gathering for former players: contact [email protected]

Commerce 1972 & 1982 Reunions: contact Kellie Rabak at [email protected]

Engineering & Society 20th Anniversary: contact Carm Vespi at [email protected]

Surgery Alumni Reunion: contact Clare Mitchell at [email protected]

Wallingford Residence Open House: contact [email protected]

BA/BPE, CAPE, & BPE ’77 Reunion: contact Laura Escalante at [email protected]

OTHER UPCOMING REUNIONS

October 20th: MD Class Reunions: contact Josie Bufalino-Jasek at [email protected]