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Laurentian University celebrates Nobel Prize in Physics

Laurentian University celebrates Nobel Prize in Physics

Colleagues of Dr. Arthur McDonald toast “the ultimate prize in science”

October 9, 2015 – Colleagues and associates of Dr. Arthur McDonald at Laurentian University and at the SNOLAB research facility are applauding the news that Dr. McDonald is a co-winner of the  2015 Nobel Prize in Physics.  Dr. McDonald, emeritus professor at Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario was jointly named this year’s Nobel Laureate with Dr. Takaaki Kajita of the University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Japan. Dr. McDonald was honoured for his work in the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory, a collaboration between Laurentian University and five other Canadian universities.

 

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences said the prize was awarded to Doctors McDonald and Kajita for their “key contributions to the experiments which demonstrated that neutrinos change identities. This metamorphosis requires that neutrinos have mass. The discovery has changed our understanding of the innermost workings of matter and can prove crucial to our view of the universe.” (Full release: http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/physics/laureates/2015/press.html)

 

Word of the Nobel award spread through the Laurentian community “at the speed of a neutrino,” said Dr. Doug Hallman, professor emeritus of Physics at Laurentian University and an early collaborator in the SNOLAB work with Dr. McDonald.  “This is terrific news for all of us who have been engaged in the SNO neutrino research,” said Dr. Hallman.  “This is the ultimate prize in science, and we are thrilled to see the work recognized at this level.”

 

Laurentian University is a founding member of the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory Institute. Over a 20-year period, Laurentian’s SNO group  has been a major contributor to the design, construction and operations of the SNO laboratory, a unique facility built two kilometers below surface at the Vale Creighton Mine in Sudbury, Ontario. The underground  environment enabled SNO researchers to make their groundbreaking neutrino measurements  with minimal background interference.   More than 150 researchers from universities and research institutions in Canada, the United States and Europe participated in the SNO project.

 

The SNO laboratory ended its data taking in 2006 but analyses and publications of results are  continuing.  The SNO detector is now in the final stages of conversion to a new SNO+ experiment, which will measure lower energy neutrinos from the sun and the earth and search for a rare nuclear decay process to find out more about the nature of neutrinos.

 

Building on the success of the SNO experiment, an expanded underground facility, SNOLAB  has been constructed adjacent to the SNO laboratory and now houses a group of new  experiments. The underground cleanroom facility, the deepest in the world, has the lowest background radiation environment, allowing researchers to take highly sensitive measurements with minimal interference. 

 

“We are thrilled with the awarding of this prize and congratulate Dr. McDonald and all of our faculty and collaborating researchers for their contributions to this exciting area of science over the years,” said Laurentian University President and Vice-Chancellor, Dominic Giroux.  “We welcome the new groups of scientists who will be doing their work at the facility, and are excited by the additional collaborations and research initiatives at SNOLAB as the next generation of underground experiments gets underway.”

 

Laurentian University is working with SNOLAB to organize a national media tour of the SNOLAB facility in the near future.

Laurentian University Names New Research Director for CRSJP

Laurentian University Names New Research Director for CRSJP

Dr. Carol Kauppi to lead research at Centre for Research in Social Justice and Policy

SEPTEMBER 25, 2015 – Dean of the Faculty of Health and Acting Dean of the Faculty of Education at Laurentian University, Dr. Roger Couture today announced that Dr. Carol Kauppi has been appointed Director of Research at the Centre for Research in Social Justice and Policy (CRSJP).

 

“We are pleased that Dr. Kauppi has been appointed to this position, in recognition of her major contribution to the advancement of social work research here at Laurentian University,” said Dr. Couture. “This full-time research position will enable Carol to fully devote her time to research, to pursue her many current projects across Northern Ontario, and to present her research to groups both within and outside the University.”

 

CRSJP is a Laurentian University research centre committed to the study of social justice and policy, with particular emphasis on rural and northern communities. Its mandate is to conduct interdisciplinary research on population health, social justice and healthcare issues, including homelessness and poverty. The Centre currently manages the six-year research project “Poverty Homelessness and Migration,” led by Dr. Kauppi and funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC).  Established in 2009, CRSJP was one of the first university research institutes in Canada to focus on these fields.

 

“I am looking forward to the challenge of advancing and expanding the scope of research conducted through CRSJP, and building on the important work we have accomplished through the Poverty, Homelessness and Migration project,” said Dr. Kauppi.  “We’ve established an excellent foundation, and I am eager to extend our research into the areas of urban renewal, housing and food security.”

 

With its own research staff, CRSJP collaborates with investigators from various academic units at Laurentian University, from the community, with other research centres in Ontario, and with other universities. 

 “The appointment of Dr. Kauppi as Research Director is in line with the University’s Strategic Plan 2012-2017, as the University aspires to research excellence,” said Dr. Rui Wang, Vice-President, Research, Laurentian University. “We look forward to the continuing results of the work being done through CRSJP.”                                           

                                                     

 

Laurentian University Celebrates Franco-Ontario Day 2015

Laurentian University Celebrates Franco-Ontario Day 2015

Provincial day of recognition celebrates contributions of Ontario's Francophone community

Sudbury, ON (September 23, 2015) – As francophones and francophiles across the province prepare to celebrate Franco-Ontarian Day, Laurentian University President and Vice-Chancellor Dominic Giroux today offered congratulations, on behalf of all members of the Laurentian community, to those who have contributed to the many accomplishments of the francophone community in its 400 years in Ontario.

 

The first bilingual university in Ontario with a partial designation under the French Language Services Act, Laurentian University will partner in a number of events in support of Franco-Ontarian Day, including:

 

  • Gala event, Association of Francophones of Ontario of Greater Sudbury, Sept 24
  • Raising of the Franco-Ontarian flag, University of Sudbury, Sept 25
  • Le French Fest, La Slague, Sept 25
  • The 5th Francophone Symposium, Northern Ontario School of Medicine, Sept 24-26

 

“I am proud to be a member of the francophone community in this province, and I congratulate all of those people, both French- and English-speaking, who celebrate this event,” said President Giroux.  “I am equally proud of Laurentian University’s long history of leadership in the francophone community.”

 

In 1975, the iconic green and white Franco-Ontarian flag was created at Laurentian University.  Members of the Laurentian community were also central to the development of several important French-language cultural institutions in the Sudbury region, including the publishing house les Éditions Prise de parole, the Théâtre du Nouvel-Ontario, and the annual music festival La Nuit sur l’Étang. 

 

Through its Office of Francophone Affairs, Laurentian University will partner this year with more than fifty organizations and community groups to support the continuing growth and vigour of the French language and culture.  

Laurentian University professors awarded new SSHRC funding

Laurentian University professors awarded new SSHRC funding

Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council invests in four projects

SEP. 8, 2015 – Laurentian University is pleased to congratulate four faculty members who have been awarded new funding from Canada’s Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) for 2015.

 

Three faculty members were awarded funding under SSHRC’s Insight Development Grant program:

- Dr. Tammy Gaber, Assistant Professor, School of Architecture, Faculty of Science, Engineering and Architecture
Project: Beyond the Divide: A Century of Canadian Mosque Design and Gender Allocations
Award:  $63,935

 

-  Dr. Susan Glover, Associate Professor, Department of English, Faculty of Arts
Project: Indigenous Writing and Literary Networks in Eighteenth- and Nineteenth-Century Canada
Award:  $66,748

 

-  Dr. Tim Nieguth, Associate Professor, Department of Political Science (Barrie), Faculty of Arts
Project: The True (Blue) North: The Prime Minister and Canadian Nation Building since 2006
Award: $74,044

 

Insight Development Grants support research in its initial stages. The grants enable the development of new research questions, as well as experimentation with new methods, theoretical approaches and/or ideas. Funding is provided for short-term research development projects, of up to two years, proposed by individuals or teams.

 

A fourth faculty member was awarded a grant under SSHRC’s Connection Grant program.  These grants are intended to support events and outreach activities geared toward short-term, targeted knowledge mobilization initiatives that present opportunities to exchange knowledge.

 

- Dr. Alicia Hawkins, Associate Professor, School of the Environment, Faculty of Science, Engineering and Architecture
Project : Circles of Interaction : the Wendat and their neighbours in the time of Champlain
Award : $24,530

 

"We are delighted with the strong showing by our Laurentian faculty in this year’s applications for SSHRC funding," said Laurentian University Vice-President, Research, Dr. Rui Wang.  "Their success speaks to the depth and the quality of research conducted in all departments at Laurentian University, and we congratulate all of the recipients."

 

Earlier this year, Laurentian University faculty and graduate students were awarded a total of $1,329,500 in new funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC). 

Vale, the United Steelworkers and CROSH kick-off groundbreaking new study on mining and mental health

Vale, the United Steelworkers and CROSH kick-off groundbreaking new study on mining and mental health

Ontario Minister of Labour, Kevin Flynn, applauded the partners for taking a proactive role in addressing mental health issues through this study.

July 23, 2015 – Today Vale and the United Steelworkers, in partnership with the Centre for Research in Occupational Safety and Health (CROSH) at Laurentian University, announced a groundbreaking new research project on the topic of mental health in the mining industry. 

The aim of the 3-year study, called ‘Mining Mental Health’, is to gain vital information in order to develop key strategies that promote the best possible mental health for workers at Vale’s Ontario Operations. In addition, this study will contribute substantially to the body of research to help others in the mining industry and similar sectors to develop evidence-based practices that effectively promote positive mental health. 

Ontario Minister of Labour, Kevin Flynn, applauded the partners for taking a proactive role in addressing mental health issues through this study. 

“Good employers recognize the importance of keeping their people physically safe and healthy on the job, and great employers are taking the next step to ensure their workplaces promote psychological safety and well-being,” said Minister Flynn. “Vale is becoming a leader in this area, and I want to thank them for supporting this research project and taking mental health in the workplace seriously. I hope to see many companies follow their lead.” 

Existing data suggests that the percentage of disability claims in Canada attributable to mental health problems is estimated at 78% of short-term claims and 67% of long-term claims. At Vale’s Ontario Operations, approximately one in four of all disability claims are due to mental health problems. 

“In order to build an effective mental health management system, it is vital to understand the predictors, facilitators and barriers to good mental health at our operations and in our industry,” said Jody Kuzenko, Director of Vale’s Ontario Production Services and member of the CROSH Board. “We are proud to be taking a leading role through this research, in partnership with the United Steelworkers and Laurentian University, to help contribute to the well-being of our workers.” 

“Mental health, especially as it relates to workers in an industrial setting, has long been an overlooked and underfunded area of research, which is why this study is so important,” said Leo Gerard, International President of the United Steelworkers and Chair of the CROSH Advisory Board. “I’m pleased and excited that the USW, Vale and CROSH are coming together in such a concrete and meaningful way to try to tackle this issue and reduce the suffering and effects of poor mental health on workers and their families.” 

The project will use a comprehensive survey to sample workers from all occupational groups across Vale’s Ontario Operations. A multidisciplinary research team from CROSH will be led by Dr. Michel Larivière, clinical psychologist and Associate Director at CROSH. The team will work closely with the Vale/USW Joint Occupational Health Committee (JOHC) in all phases of the project from survey development to the presentation of findings. 

“To date there has been little research on the mental health and well-being of workers in the mining industry. However, there is good evidence linking these issues to productivity, absenteeism, injury, and most importantly, quality of life,” said Dr. Larivière. “Through this collaborative research, we hope to better understand the well-being of this workforce. Our findings may help to shape policies and procedures that are most conducive to worker well-being in mining and in other industries.” 

The research team also includes postdoctoral fellows, as well as graduate and undergraduate students. The cost of the study is estimated at approximately $400,000. 

CBC Senior Producer Alex Freedman appointed Chief of Staff at Laurentian University

CBC Senior Producer Alex Freedman appointed Chief of Staff at Laurentian University

“We are pleased to welcome Mr. Freedman to Laurentian in this critical role,” said President Giroux.

JUNE 29, 2015 – Laurentian University President and Vice-Chancellor Dominic Giroux today announced the appointment of Alex Freedman as Chief of Staff to the President, effective August 31st.

 

“We are pleased to welcome Mr. Freedman to Laurentian in this critical role,” said President Giroux. In this capacity, he will lead the University’s Communications and Marketing Departments and the President’s Office, champion university-wide efforts to achieve greater national recognition and effective internal communications, support the President with community engagement, work closely with members of the Executive Team as a resource to advance institutional priorities, and represent the University for example as spokesperson with the media or as a member of the board of directors of the Northern Policy Institute.

 

Mr. Freedman is an award-winning bilingual journalist who as Senior Producer has been managing the CBC’s Quebec City bureau since 2013, leading a team of 12 people. He worked as television reporter then as investigative journalist in Winnipeg from 2005 to 2013, producing and reporting for CBC radio and television programs including World Report and The National with Peter Mansbridge. From 2000 to 2005, he was reporter for CBC Radio News and Newsworld Business News in Montreal. He completed a Bachelor of Arts with a major in Journalism and a minor in Political Science at Concordia University. Through his undergraduate studies, he was station manager for CJLO Radio Concordia, did promotions and production for CHOM 97.7 FM and was reporter and assignment editor for 940 AM News. He has volunteered in the community for the environment and the arts, including as Board Chair of Theatre Projects Manitoba.

 

“It is exciting to come to Greater Sudbury to join such an outstanding team,” said Mr. Freedman. “Laurentian University is on the move on the national stage and I look forward to contributing to that momentum. As the son of a professor emeritus of anthropology and of a former administrator of continuing education at Western, I have been exposed since a very young age to the transformative role played by universities in our society. I look forward to reconnecting with the academy and playing a small part towards its inspiring purpose,” concluded Freedman.  

Laurentian University researchers secure $1.3M in new funding

Laurentian University researchers secure $1.3M in new funding

Faculty awarded NSERC 2015 Discovery grants

JUNE 22, 2015 – Seven Laurentian University faculty members and three graduate students have won new research grants and scholarships awarded by the Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC). 

 

Total funding awarded to Laurentian University researchers amounts to $1,329,500.

 

The funds are awarded through competition for NSERC’s Discovery Grants, Discovery Accelerator Supplements, Alexander Graham Bell Canada Graduate Scholarships, NSERC Postrgraduate Scholarships and Postdoctoral Fellowships.  The 2015 competition results were announced today at at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology in Oshawa, Ontario.

 

“A key pillar of our government’s updated Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy is ensuring Canada develops, attracts and retains the world’s most talented researchers. Today’s investment in more than 3, 800 researchers at 70 universities across the country ensures Canada has a broad base of talented men and women whose research continues to push the boundaries of knowledge, creates jobs and opportunities while improving the quality of life of Canadians,”  said Canada’s Minister of State (Science and Technology), Ed Holder.

 

 “We are extremely proud of the research profile achieved by our Laurentian faculty and graduate students,” said Laurentian University Vice-President, Research, Dr. Rui Wang.  “Our success in winning NSERC funding is evidence of  the high-calibre research being conducted in Biology, Medicine, Engineering, Earth Sciences and Human Kinetics, and we congratulate all of our award recipients.”

 

Laurentian faculty awarded NSERC Discovery Grants are:

  • Dr. Douglas Boreham, Faculty of Medicine: $170,000 (Biological Mechanisms Induced by Low and Ultra Low doses of Ionizing Radiation)
  • Dr. Thomas Johnston, Department of Biology: $105,000 (Individual specialization and the trophic niche of aquatic consumers)
  • Dr. Daniel Kontak, Department of Earth Sciences: $110,000 (Chemical fingerprinting of hydrothermal ore deposit systems)
  • Dr. Tammy Eger, School of Human Kinetics: $110,000 (Modeling human response to foot-transmitted vibration)
  • Dr. William Lievers, School of Engineering, $110,000 (Measuring and modelling the mechanical and failure behaviour of bone)
  • Dr. Junfeng Zhang, School of Engineering, $22,000 (Blood Flows and Blood-Vessel Interactions in the Microcirculation)
  • Dr. Zhibin Ye, School of Engineering, $200,000 (Developing semicrystalline star polyethylenes and advanced polyethylene ionomers)

 

In addition to his five-year Discovery Grant, Dr. Zhibin Ye was also awarded a Discovery Accelerator Supplement in support of his research, worth $120,000 over three years.

Three graduate students have also won graduate scholarships worth between $21,000 and $35,000 per year:

  • Nicolas Rouleau, three-year Postgraduate Scholarship (Biology)
  • Nirosha Murugan, three-year Postgraduate Scholarship (Biology)
  • James Baxter-Gilbert, three-year Canada Graduate Scholarship (Biology)

University invests in research, technology & graduate expansion

University invests in research, technology & graduate expansion

2015-16 marks fifth consecutive year of balanced budgets at Laurentian

JUNE 19, 2015 – Laurentian University’s Board of Governors today approved a 2015-2016 operating budget of $147.7 million, marking the fifth consecutive year the University has achieved a balanced budget. The budget represents a $7 million increase over last year to fund key areas of priority for the University in capital projects, research, student services, graduate studies and information technology.

 

Budget highlights include:

  • A 42% increase in the budget of the University’s Office of Research Services in 2015-16 that will allow the university to facilitate grant preparation and establish a new online data management system to support research efforts.  Laurentian will also increase support to innovation and the management of intellectual property. “We are strengthening our support for research activities in all disciplines, through the Tri-council leaders program and through strategic matching funds for major grant applications,” said Laurentian University’s Vice-President, Research, Dr. Rui Wang.
  • The budget also provides for increased investments of 12% in graduate studies to support enrolment expansion from 589 students in 2014-15 to 859 in 2018-19.  “We will continue to expand our reach and enhance opportunities in graduate studies,” said Acting Dean, Faculty of Graduate Studies, Dr. David Lesbarrères. Programs to be expanded include Master’s programs in Architecture, Geology, Biology and Orthophonie, and PhD programs in Boreal Ecology, Rural and Northern Health, Natural Resource Engineering, and Mineral Deposit Geology, among others.
  • An increased investment in information technology to ensure a progressive IT infrastructure now and for the future.  Improvements consist of higher-speed and robust networking, dense high-speed wireless, an institutional record management system, wireless classroom audio visual and continuation of administrative automation.  These and other upgrades will create a better student and faculty experience. The University’s investments in information technology will increase by 12% in 2015-16, a 70% increase over the past four years.
  • Investments in student services will also increase by 14% in 2015-16. Laurentian will again support continuous learning for its staff with the equivalent of 1% of salaries set aside for professional development. 
  • The 2016 completion of a $115.5 million physical transformation of the Sudbury campus with the renewal of 34 classrooms and five labs, the addition of an Indigenous Sharing and Learning Centre, a University Club, an Executive Learning Centre, a world-class Cardiovascular and Metabolic Research lab, improved food services, new one-stop student services, renovations to the Single Student Residence, the new School of Architecture, and increased investments in deferred maintenance projects.

 

“In recent years, we have built a solid foundation to support the university’s aspirations,” said Laurentian University President and Vice-Chancellor Dominic Giroux.  “We are well-positioned to move forward with a balanced and strategically-focused growth plan that responds to the needs of the communities we serve today and in the future.”

 

This marks the ninth consecutive year of declining per-student provincial funding at Laurentian. For the first time, provincial grants constitute less than half of the University’s overall revenues. The Board’s unanimous approval followed a series of seventeen consultation sessions held in April with the Laurentian community in Sudbury and Barrie.

 

For more information about the University or its 2012-2017 Strategic Plan endorsed in a Globe and Mail editorial as “an excellent strategy”, please visit www.laurentian.ca.

 

Summary:

  • 2015-16 budget of $147.7 million, up $7 million over last year;
  • Budget balanced for fifth consecutive year, despite nine consecutive years of declining per-student provincial funding. For the first time, provincial grants constitute less than half of the University’s revenues;
  • Budget increases in 2015-2016 of 42% in the Office of Research Services, 14% in Student Services, 12% in the Faculty of Graduate Studies, 12% in Information Technology;
  • $115.5 million of capital transformation to be completed in Sudbury in 2016;
  • 1% of staff payroll allocated annually to professional development and training;
  • Establishment of a $1 million sustainability green fund: projects will be solicited from university community with main criteria being positive environmental impact and financial payback;
  • Balanced six-year forecast. During that period, major investments planned in deferred maintenance, graduate studies, research, the library and the Faculty of Management to support its international AACSB accreditation. 

Laurentian University to host 6th Mining and the Environment 2015 International Conference

Laurentian University to host 6th Mining and the Environment 2015 International Conference

The first Mining and the Environment Conference was held in Sudbury in 1995.

JUNE 11, 2015 – Laurentian University’s Goodman School of Mines, in cooperation with the Laurentian University School of the Environment, will host the 6th Mining and the Environment 2015 International Conference from June 20-25, in Sudbury, Ontario.

 

The Conference will bring together experts in the environmental sciences and environmental health sciences, industry representatives and researchers, as well as policy makers and regulators from around the world.  Conference delegates will explore mine, land and waterway rehabilitation and related environmental protection issues.

 

The first Mining and the Environment Conference was held in Sudbury in 1995. Since then, more than 2000 professionals have attended a series of conferences culminating in this 20th anniversary conference, to be hosted by Laurentian University.

 

The 2015 conference will include a short course, “The Sudbury Story; Re-greening Science of the Sudbury Region.” Presented by the Goodman School of Mines, the workshop will focus on the 40-year history and science of the Sudbury Restoration Story, from the early experimental trials through operations of the UN Award-Winning Municipal Re-greening Program, to the successes and challenges of today. The short course will feature documentary-style lectures, group discussion and multi-media exercises working with actual data from long-term surveys and assessments. In-class sessions will be held on Saturday June 20th, with group work and presentations on Sunday June 21st, followed by a guided tour of the Sudbury reclamation sites.

The Conference also includes a Tradeshow and Exhibition, free to the public, which will feature many innovative developments and displays relevant to the mining industry, including exhibits from all aspects of the mining and environmental community.

 

For more information and to register, please visit: http://www2.laurentian.ca/sudbury2015/#course

Enactus-Laurentian Team Wins Spirit Award

Enactus-Laurentian Team Wins Spirit Award

Laurentian Team is one of eight Spirit Award winners at this year’s Exposition.

JUNE 9, 2015 – Congratulations to the Enactus – Laurentian Team on winning the Enactus Spirit Award at the 2015 Enactus Canada National Exposition. The Exposition took place from May 11th – 13th, at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.

 

The competition consisted of 58 participating universities and colleges across Canada. The Laurentian team was one of eight recipients of the Spirit Award. The Enactus Spirit Award is given one team in each division, and is awarded to the teams that have projects that embody the goals of Enactus. Members of the Enactus-Laurentian Team are: Richard Filliter (President), Valérie Carrey, Justin Labelle, Jean-Noël Desmarais, Éric Lavergne-Giroux.

 

The Enactus Canada National Exposition provides a forum for Enactus teams to present the results of their Community Empowerment projects. Through rounds of presentations students showcase how their community outreach projects are shaping the economic, social and environmental landscape of Canada. Business leader serve as judges and evaluate the teams’ projects. This years National Champion, University of Ottawa, will move on to represent Canada at the Enactus World Cup.

 

For more information about the Enactus and the National Competition visit www.enactus.ca. 

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