Campus News

“Sex in 3D: Dialogue, Diversity and Determinants of Sexual Health” will be this year’s theme for Canada’s largest and longest-running sexual health forum. The 34th annual sexuality conference will take place in the University of Guelph’s Rozanski Hall, May 31-June 1, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Organizers expect to attract more than 300 researchers, nurses, physicians, public health workers, therapists, students, social workers and other health professionals from across North America.

On May 31, renowned author and performer Ivan Coyote will present “Nightmares and Triumphs from Beyond the Gender Binary.” Prof. Robin Milhausen, Family Relations and Applied Nutrition, will speak June 1 on “Individual and Social Determinants of Condom Use.”

“For many decades sexual health researchers and practitioners have investigated the individual factors which impact health behavior, for example, communication skills and self-efficacy,” said Milhausen, a sexuality researcher at U of G and the conference chair. However, in recent years attention has turned to the social and structural barriers which can negatively influence health.

“Our presenters will be exploring these barriers at this year’s conference. How can factors like culture, education, and social support positively or negatively impact our sexual health? What can we do to influence these factors in our work to support the sexual health of our communities?”

Among the conference workshops are the following:

• Recognizing and confronting homophobia among youth, led by Teens Educating and Confronting Homophobia, Planned Parenthood Toronto;
• the impact of criminalization of HIV non-disclosure, B.J. Caldwell, HIV/STI prevention/outreach educator, AIDS Committee of Guelph and Wellington County;
• understanding and promoting sexual and reproductive health, William Fisher, University of Western Ontario;
• sexual health promotion initiatives in Australia, Erin McKay, Canadian PhD student at the University of Sydney; and
• How social media is influencing relationships, Amy Muise, University of Toronto, Mississauga & Jocelyn Wentland, University of Ottawa.

New treatment and management of sexually transmitted infections will be the focus of a May 31 clinical update for nurses and physicians.

Also on Thursday, Dr. Chris Steingart, medical director of the Sanguen Health Centre in Waterloo, will speak on “Treatment of Patients Living with Hepatitis C” at noon in Peter Clark Hall.

A five-day intensive sex therapy training program will begin June 3 for practising clinicians and graduate students.

More information is available at www.guelphsexualityconference.ca

“This year will be one of our largest conferences to date, with more than 35 concurrent sessions and more than 70 speakers,” Milhausen said. “It’s exciting that people from all over Canada converge in Guelph every spring for this historic event.”

Contact:
Robin Milhausen
Department of Family Relations and Applied Nutrition
University of Guelph
519-824-4120, Ext. 54397
rmilhaus@uoguelph.ca
www.guelphsexualityconference.ca

The University of Guelph today unveiled seven additions to its dramatic "donor wall" in Rozanski Hall. The donor wall in the lobby of the classroom complex honours supporters and tells the story of the University’s BetterPlanet Project.

“It’s intended to be an evolving symbol of the issues and needs being addressed as we look to create change and make the world a better place,” said president Alastair Summerlee.

“Today we are adding to this work of art. The seven new pieces represent extraordinary giving to the University and the potential for growth via the new opportunities these gifts provide.”

Donors highlighted today are:

· Philip Gosling and Susan Gosling, Gosling Foundation: a second leadership gift to the BetterPlanet Project of $1.5 million to establish the Gosling Research Institute for Plant Preservation;

· Tony and Anne Arrell, U of G graduates: $1 million to support excellence in teaching and 20 annual scholarships for students across disciplines;

· Wolf Haessler, U of G graduate and founder of Skyjack Inc.: $1 million to enhance the University’s engineering facilities and to fund 20 new scholarships;

· Donald Pestell, Ontario Agricultural College graduate: $600,000 for the D.J. Pestell Student Service and Alumni Centre at the Ridgetown Campus;

· The late J.E. Blake Graham, Ontario Veterinary College graduate: $500,000 for the Blake Graham Fellowship Endowment Fund, supporting graduate studies in public health and zoonotic diseases;

· Bob and Gail Farquharson, a second leadership gift to the BetterPlanet Project of $537,000 to support individual preventive health-care research; and

· Scotiabank, $500,000 to support scholarships and case study competitions in the College of Management and Economics.

The 42-foot-long installation depicts a mural map of Canada painted by five local artists, along with four columns for the themes of the BetterPlanet Project: food, environment, health and community.

Launched publicly in fall 2010, the BetterPlanet Project aims to raise $200 million to help U of G improve research and teaching.

The donor wall was unveiled last September at the campaign’s halfway point; the campaign had raised more than $136.5 million.

The campaign is scheduled to end in 2014 during the University's 50th anniversary.

A study by University of Guelph researchers shows growing demand in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) for okra, Asian eggplant, bitter melon, bitter gourd and other “ethnocultural” vegetables (ECV) – a fresh opportunity now drawing interest from Ontario farmers.

Prof. Glen Filson, School of Environmental Design and Rural Development (SEDRD), hopes the new study will encourage local growers to produce vegetables favoured by recent arrivals from South Asia, who spend more than 30 per cent of their food budget on vegetables.

“The potential this niche market represents to Ontario’s rural economy is huge,” Filson said. “The soils north of Lake Erie, and of the Niagara Peninsula, the Holland Marsh, south Lake Simcoe and even the Ottawa Valley are suitable for growing certain ECV crops, and some, such as okra, will prove to be profitable.”

At about 800,000 people, Canadians of South Asian descent make up the largest cultural group in the GTA and spend $33 million a month on ECV – about half of the $61 million spent by the three largest ethnic groups (South Asian, Chinese and Afro-Caribbean Canadians) in the GTA each month.

Even though many vegetables decline in nutritional value and flavour within a week of picking, most of the ECV available in Ontario still come from overseas, many from as far away as China and India. Consumers are willing to pay extra for preferred produce.

“It’s unlikely for South Asians to totally abandon their traditional diet,” Filson said. “To the contrary, the demand for these vegetables is likely to increase with time as Canadians of European descent are beginning to enjoy tropical veggies along with their peas and carrots.”

Many ECV, such as okra and kaddu (Asian pumpkin), could be grown here. Ontario’s growing season may be shorter than the native climates for many of these vegetables, but some of this produce can be grown in greenhouses, or started there and finished in fields, says Filson. Although local production of ECV probably cannot guarantee supply all year long, the researchers say it would guarantee food safety, improve the nutritional value of the produce and enhance Ontario’s economy.

Meanwhile, agronomic research on crop spacing, the amount and types of fertilizers, pesticides and irrigation systems required is taking place at FarmStart (the Guelph-based organization that helps new Ontario farmers gain access to affordable farmland), Vineland Research and Innovation Centre, U of G’s Simcoe Research Station and the Muck Crops Research Station in Toronto.

“Financial incentives such as tax credits would help local farmers who are willing to try growing ethnocultural vegetables,” says Filson. “We don’t know enough yet about the production costs.”

The researchers have received funding from the Ontario Market Investment Fund and the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs’ Knowledge Translation and Transfer Program to study ECV demand, value chains, pricing and availability in mainstream grocery stores.

The paper appears online in the journal Appetite. Lead author Bamidele Adekunle, special graduate faculty in SEDRD’s capacity development and extension program, earlier studied agricultural economics in Nigeria. Co-author Sridharan Sethuratnam is FarmStart’s program manager.

Contact:
Glen Filson
School of Environmental Design and Rural Development
519-824-4120, Ext. 56231
gfilson@uoguelph.ca

The University of Guelph has received nearly $14 million from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) for research ranging from rare isotopes to the workings of the human mind.

The awards were announced today in Toronto by Gary Goodyear, minister of state (science and technology), and Suzanne Fortier, NSERC president. Across Canada, the government will invest $410 million to support 3,750 research projects.

Today’s announcement includes the 2012 competition results for NSERC programs, including Discovery Grants, Discovery Accelerator Supplements, and graduate and post-doctoral awards. Most research projects are supported for five years.

Guelph’s 46 projects span five colleges and numerous departments. U of G also received 35 graduate scholarships and a post-doctoral fellowship.

“This NSERC support will provide the stipends for the next generation of researchers and problem-solvers, and the equipment, technology and other resources that are vital to our researchers’ ability to leverage their work into new knowledge and applications,” said Kevin Hall, vice-president (research).

“Not only do we want to make discoveries, but we also want to put those discoveries to use finding solutions to challenging issues.”

Nearly half of U of G’s funding went to a project headed by physics professor Carl Svensson. His research team received more than $6 million for studies in the emerging field of rare isotopes. The project involves state-of-the-art research facilities across the country, including TRIUMF, the national subatomic physics laboratory in Vancouver. Svensson leads a team of scientists building advanced detector systems at TRIUMF to probe nuclear structures and processes.

"We are deeply appreciative of the research support received through the NSERC grants programs,” Svensson said. “These programs are crucial to Canada's fundamental discovery research enterprise across all fields of natural science and engineering.”

He added that the NSERC support will enable groundbreaking research and ensure that undergraduate, graduate and postdoctoral researchers continue to receive research training at the forefront of their field internationally.

The U of G-based International Barcode of Life (iBOL) project received $300,000 in NSERC funding for continued work on DNA barcoding. Directed by integrative biology professor Paul Hebert, iBOL is the world’s largest biodiversity genomics initiative using DNA barcoding to create a digital ID system for all life on Earth.

Food scientist Rickey Yada received more than $250,000 for continued research on more efficient use, control and design of food-related proteins with desired functions.

How skin receptors control posture and help in standing and walking is the goal of work by Prof. Leah Bent, Human Health and Nutritional Sciences, who received more than $125,000 for continued research into balance control problems.

Prof. Paul McNicholas, Mathematics and Statistics, will use a $125,000 grant to develop novel approaches for grouping data intended to allow varied researchers to better interpret statistical results.

Psychology professor Naseem Al-Aidroos will use a $150,000 grant to study “attentional mechanisms” in the brain to focus attention and filter out distractions. He will look at how aging affects this process and how to overcome challenges.

University of Guelph research that involves cloning elm trees that are resistant to Dutch elm disease is making headlines. A story about the breakthrough appeared on CBC’s online news site this weekend and a TV news report aired on CBC’s The National Wednesday. (Read the story and watch the TV news clip here)

A research team led by Praveen Saxena and Alan Sullivan in Guelph’s Department of Plant Agriculture has found a way to successfully clone American elm trees that have survived repeated epidemics of their biggest killer. More than 95 per cent of the population in Eastern Canada and the United States has now been wiped out by Dutch elm disease.

It is the first known research to use of in vitro culture technology to clone buds of mature American elm trees. The study also involved Guelph post-doctoral researchers Mukund Shukla and Maxwell Jones; Chunzhao Liu, professor, Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing; and Susan Gosling of the Gosling Foundation, which funded the project. Read more

U of G recently announced the establishment of the Gosling Research Institute for Plant Preservation (GRIPP). Here scientists will hone cutting-edge technologies to protect and conserve the world’s endangered plant species.

NASA astronaut Mike Good and Bob McDonald, host of CBC Radio’s Quirks & Quarks, will speak at the launch of the first space-themed open house at the University of Guelph. “Bringing Space Down to Earth” will take place June 2.

The family-friendly event will showcase “out-of-this-world” research in various disciplines across campus, said organizer Leah Bent, a professor in the Department of Human Health and Nutritional Sciences.

Geography professor Aaron Berg will discuss space-based monitoring of climate change and impacts on water supply. Visitors may tour the Controlled Environment Systems Research Facility for growing plants in space, run by Prof. Mike Dixon, School of Environmental Sciences. Attend a talk and video demonstration about a device on a Mars rover bound for the red planet that was developed by an international group of scientists led by physics professor Ralf Gellert.

“It’s exciting to be able to share this interactive science experience with the community,” said Bent. “The university’s Centre for Open Learning and Educational Support and Ph.D student Catherine Lowrey were pivotal in putting this special day together. Our hope is that others will become as fascinated with space as we’ve become and realize how findings from space research can be applied right here on Earth.”

By studying skin receptors in astronauts’ feet after space flight, Bent hopes to help improve balance in Earth-bound seniors. Her “hyper-sole” study is funded by the Canadian Space Agency.

The daylong event in Rozanski Hall will begin with a welcome by Michael Emes, dean of the College of Biological Science, and a keynote talk by McDonald.

An internationally renowned science communicator for more than 30 years, McDonald chairs Geospace, a new environmental centre and planetarium planned for the Toronto waterfront. He has received six honorary doctorates, including one from U of G; he was appointed to the Order of Canada in 2011.

He and Good will discuss the future of space research.

Good was a crew member during space shuttle missions to the Hubble Space Telescope in 2009 and the International Space Station in 2010. He has spent 25 days in space and almost 30 hours on four space walks.
The U of G event will also feature graduate Kris Lehnhardt, who is studying to become an astronaut.
Let’s Talk Science, a national charitable organization for improving science literacy, will run hands-on science activities for youth at the event. Since 2008, a U of G chapter has run activities for local schools and youth groups.

For more information and to register, visit http://www.coles.uoguelph.ca/space/.

Contact:
Centre for Open Learning and Educational Support
519-824-4120, Ext. 55000
info@coles.uoguelph.ca

Using agroforestry to enhance livelihoods in resource-poor communities is the goal of a six-year-old collaboration by scientists from the University of Guelph and Ghana, backed by a $3-million Tier 1 grant from the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA).

The project partners hope to improve income generation and food security, and strengthen Ghana’s vision of becoming West Africa’s centre of excellence in agroforestry.

Researchers from U of G and the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Kumasi, Ghana, will discuss the project during a public meeting May 22, 7 p.m., in Rozanski Hall, Room 102.

Much of Ghana is plagued by poverty, chronic food insecurity, and poor health and nutrition. “The increasing degradation of the natural resource base relied upon by rural communities is a major contributor to a persistently low quality of life,” said Naresh Thevathasan, an adjunct professor in the School of Environmental Sciences (SES) and manager of U of G agroforestry research. He oversees the project with SES professor Andy Gordon.

Agroforestry land-use technologies (farming crops along with trees and/or animals) were identified in the Ghana Poverty Reduction Strategy among the most important aspects of environmentally sustainable cropping practices.

The U of G team has helped train students of agriculture and natural resources management in Ghana, established research projects, and supported sustainable farming practices to improve rural economies and community health in partner villages.

Speakers at the public meeting will discuss the project and promote further dialogue on international development, Thevathasan said.

The Ghana project marked the first time U of G had received Tier 1 funding. Tier 1 projects are managed by CIDA’s universities and colleges program and promote major development and institution-building projects.

Animal imagery from the Macdonald Stewart Art Centre (MSAC) and the University of Guelph art collections will be featured in an MSAC exhibition, “Nature of the Beast,” May 17 to July 8. The event coincides with the 150th anniversary of U of G’s Ontario Veterinary College.

From 19th-century romanticized views of animals to more challenging contemporary perspectives, the exhibition includes painting, sculpture and works on paper showing how artists help shape our assumptions about connections between animals and humans.

“This exhibition reveals the breadth of the collections, which form a wonderful resource for the campus and the community,” said MSAC director Judith Nasby, who curated the exhibition. “It’s an opportunity for us to show off the treasures in both collections, ranging from rare 16th-century European etchings to transformation subjects by Aboriginal artists, as well as works by regional artists such as Robert Howson and Ken Danby.”

The MSAC collection focuses on contemporary Canadian art, especially outdoor sculpture, Inuit art and Canadian silver. The U of G collection, established in the 1870s, surveys Canadian art over three centuries with examples of European historical prints. Together, the two collections comprise more than 7,000 works by regional, national and international artists.

Aidan Ware, MSAC co-ordinator of education and development, said: “The catalyst for this show was to examine how animals are depicted in art.

“It is truly amazing to think about how animals have impacted many of our social, environmental, and personal histories. The exhibition addresses a really diverse set of topics ranging from agriculture to gender, and presents some of our finest pieces to the public in a completely new context. ‘Nature of the Beast’ is truly a celebration of this legacy.”

The collections continue to grow through national and international donations and bequests of artworks, and through purchases and commissions supported by individual donors, federal grants and funds raised by MSAC volunteers.

The opening reception will take place May 17, at 7 p.m. The exhibition will be opened by OVC Dean Elizabeth Stone and there will be a gallery talk May 22 at noon.

Contact:
Aidan Ware
Co-ordinator of Education and Development
Macdonald Stewart Art Centre
519-837-0010, Ext. 2.
aware@msac.ca

A new study by University of Guelph researchers offers hope for recovery of an endangered marine snail on Canada’s West Coast that has been depleted by overfishing, mostly for foreign sushi restaurants.

Genetic analysis suggests that northern abalone snails spawned in hatcheries can survive and repopulate depleted waters off the British Columbia coast, said integrative biology professor Elizabeth Boulding.

She and her former Guelph students Kaitlyn Read, Stephanie Acheson and Matthew Lemay authored a paper published last month in the journal Conservation Genetics.

The team found that hatchery-reared snail larvae and juveniles released, or out-planted, along the coast thrived, although not at high enough densities to restore populations. The endangered snail lives in shallow intertidal areas from Alaska to the California Baja.

“There’s merit in reintroducing abalone to some of these areas, and our study shows that out-planting can happen at the larval stage,” said Boulding.

Northern abalone snails are considered a delicacy in Japan. Their ear-shaped shells are lined with mother-of-pearl and are used in traditional carvings by First Nations.

Not only have natural populations dwindled, but also the remaining male and female snails are so dispersed that spawning is difficult, further threatening survival.

Despite fishing bans, poaching of lucrative abalone is a continuing threat. Natural predators include sea otters and invertebrates such as starfish and crabs.

The researchers worked at the Bamfield Marine Science Centre on the west coast of Vancouver Island.

Between 2002 and 2005, Bamfield volunteers released hatchery-raised larvae and juveniles into Barkley Sound. Before the Guelph project, they didn’t know whether the out-planted snails had survived.

The researchers took small tissue samples from snails collected from those areas before returning them to the ocean floor.

At Guelph, the team used DNA from the samples to match the animals with hatchery parents and siblings. Hatchery-reared stock made up about one-quarter of the sampled snails.

The researchers recommend more frequent out-planting to increase population density and raise the odds of mating success. New out-planting methods are needed to improve abalone survival, including use of cages and cobble substrates to favour abalone and deter predators, said Boulding.

She remembers collecting abalone shells while growing up on eastern Vancouver Island. “Whenever you went for a walk after a big storm, you found their iridescent shells washed up on the beach.”

Boulding’s abalone studies were funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council under a project with researchers from Thompson Rivers University, the University of British Columbia, and the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans.

Former U of G graduate student Kaitlyn Read and her dive buddy from TRU, Christine Hansen (left)

Women’s rugby player Jacey Murphy has been named the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) female Athlete of the Year. She received the honour at the 2012 OUA Honour Awards banquet Thursday night.

Murphy, a fifth-year B.Sc.(Agr.) student, was also named U of G’s female athlete of the year and was nominated for the prestigious Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) athlete of the year award in 2012. She is only the fourth University of Guelph athlete ever nominated for the CIS honour.

Murphy has been a dominant force on the Gryphon women’s rugby team throughout her career and especially this season en route to the team’s OUA and CIS championships. She was named CIS Player of the Year and received the OUA Most Valuable Player award. She led the OUA conference this season with 12 tries in the five-game regular season and placed third with 60 points. Murphy also earned all-Canadian status and was named a CIS championship all-star.

Political science professors Dennis Baker and Troy Riddell were featured in the May 11 issue of the National Post. The two professors, who are part of U of G’s Criminal Justice and Public Policy Program, wrote an opinion article about the case against accused child-killer Michael Rafferty and how the case against him is affected by Supreme Court of Canada decisions in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Baker's research focuses on the separation of powers, particularly the relationship between the courts and the representative branches. His book, Not Quite Supreme, considers the limits of the Supreme Court of Canada’s power to settle political controversies. Riddell teaches and researches about constitutional and judicial politics and public policy/administration. His current t research projects investigate how the Charter of Rights and Charter decisions by the courts, particularly the Supreme Court, impact public policy and administration.

Prof. Alfons Weersink of the Department of Food, Agricultural and Resource Economics is quoted in numerous news reports today on the changing nature of Canadian agriculture, including in the Vancouver Sun and Winnipeg Free Press. He was interviewed by the Canadian Press about new 2011 census data Statistics Canada released Thursday, which reveal that there has been a shift from small farms and plentiful livestock to larger operations focused on crop production. Weersink says the change is due to more farmers wanting to capitalize on the strong crop market.

Weersink’s research focuses on the effects of technology and government policy, particularly environmental policy; on decisions made by firms in the agri-food sector; and on the resulting structure of the sector. He was raised on a cash crop/dairy farm near St. Marys and continues to be involved with the farm.

Plant agriculture professor John Cline is quoted in numerous articles and news reports Wednesday on the effect of the early thaw and late freeze on Ontario’s orchards. He told the Globe and Mail that the weather is having a significant economic effect; the apple industry alone is estimated to be around $300 million to $400 million. Several other news outlets picked up the story, including the Winnipeg Free Press and radio stations around the country.

Cline is interested in physiology and plant growth. He looks at substances that regulate the crop level, or the number of apples on the tree. He also studies orchard systems. Read more

More than $30,500 was raised for the Guelph Jazz Festival during the seventh annual “Sounds Provocative Jazz Art Auction." University of Guelph faculty, staff and alumni were among the artists whose work was auctioned.

The auction featured works by some of Canada’s finest emerging and established artists, including Prof. John Kissick, director of the School of Fine Art and Music; Pat Eaves-Brown, a U of G librarian; and fine art professor Will Gorlitz.

The show, held April 29 at Cutten Fields, also featured works by many U of G alumni, including Phil Irish, Eileen MacArthur, Jessica Masters, Christian McLeod, Linda O’Neill, Pearl van Geest, Don Russell and Annette Twist. The exhibit’s curator was Renann Isaacs Contemporary Art.

The art auction is the largest annual fundraiser for the Guelph Jazz Festival, begun in 1994 by U of G English professor Ajay Heble.

The festival, which will be held Sept. 5 to 9, offers jazz performance and education and is considered among the most visionary musical events in Canada. It has received the Lieutenant-Governor’s Award for the Arts and the Premier’s Award for Excellence in the Arts.

University of Guelph researchers have found the location and effect of abnormal heart proteins that can cause cardiac failure, a discovery that points to potential new ways to treat the most costly health problem in the world.

The study appears today in PLoS ONE, a peer-reviewed international journal published by the Public Library of Science.

"In order to cure heart disease, you have to understand its fundamental properties," said study author John Dawson, a molecular and cellular biology professor.

"So we looked at variants of naturally occurring proteins that are found in people with heart disease."

The research team included graduate students Maureen Mundia, Ryan Demers, Melissa Chow and Alexandru Perieteanu.

Heart disease and stroke is the leading cause of death in Canada, killing tens of thousands each year. Treating cardiovascular disease costs more than $20 billion a year in physician and hospital costs, lost wages and reduced productivity.

The study examined gene abnormalities for the actin protein and its role in heart failure.

As the most abundant protein in the body, actin helps in vital processes including muscle movement.

Abnormal actin genes are linked to heart diseases such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) and dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). HCM causes excessive thickening of the heart muscle and can lead to sudden cardiac death. Under DCM, the heart weakens and enlarges, and cannot pump blood efficiently.

Scientists had already linked HCM and DCM to 14 actin gene abnormalities. "But this is the first time that many of these variants have been studied at the molecular level," Dawson said.

Understanding the molecular deficiencies of actin variants is a starting point for figuring out the underlying mechanisms of heart diseases, he said.

The researchers inserted human genes into insect cells to make heart muscle proteins for study. Dawson's lab is one of the few in the world able to do this work.

They then mapped where on the abnormalities occurred and their effects. Three were in spots that resulted in problems with heart contractions; three others were in locations that affected stability and efficiency.

Dawson hopes their work will help in developing more targeted treatments.

"Heart disease has many different forms and variants. If we can design specific therapies that address the precise mechanisms of the things going on — treat the root cause rather than the whole system — then we can improve the quality of life for people."

Dawson belongs to a growing cardiovascular research group at the University of Guelph, one of few such groups worldwide studying cardiovascular disease from single molecules to animal models.

"It makes Guelph a unique place to do this research," he said.

Dave Scott-Thomas, head coach of the University of Guelph’s track-and-field and cross-country teams, and several Guelph runners, including plant agriculture professor Istvan Rajcan, were featured in the weekendGlobe and Mail .

The full-page news story looked at the grassroots fundraising effort to build an international-calibre track and field facility at U of G's Alumni Stadium that raised $1-million in less than two weeks.

It also talked about how Scott-Thomas created the Speed River Track and Field Club for student and local runners that is now the most successful running club in Canada. Since arriving at Guelph in 1997, Scott-Thomas has won 22 Coach of the Year Awards from Ontario University Athletics (OUA) and 19 from Canadian Interuniversity Sport. A Level IV certified coach, he has coached Olympians and 17 national teams.

Following the fundraising effort, the University revised its planning for the stadium project to incorporate an eight-lane International Athletic Federation-certified track in Alumni Stadium. The city and the University will host internationally accredited events at the new facility, which has been supported through donations from elite athletes, community members, alumni, family, friends and businesses.

Officials hope to have the new facilities ready for the fall semester, before the Gryphons’ football home opener Sept. 15.

Seven members of the University of Guelph community took home honours from the 17th annual Women of Distinction Awards Wednesday night.

The annual awards are presented by the YMCA-YWCA to Guelph women who are inspirational leaders. The gala is a fundraiser for the Teenage Parents Program.

The honorary chair of this year’s event was Prof. Maureen Mancuso, U of G provost and vice-president (academic). She received the Women of Distinction Education and Training Award in 2010.

This year’s recipients are Prof. Elizabeth Stone, dean of the Ontario Veterinary College (OVC); Prof. Claudia Wagner-Riddle, acting director of the School of Environmental Sciences (SES); Joan Budd, a retired professor of wildlife pathology; Patsy Marshall, an instructor in the Centre for Open Learning and Educational Support; Jessie McConnell, a third-year applied human nutrition student; Kate Vsetula, a U of G graduate in international development; and Gracen Johnson, an international development student.

They were among 30 women nominated for achievements in eight categories: arts and culture; business, labour, the professions and entrepreneurs; education and training; public service; science, technology and research; voluntary community service; wellness, health and recreation; and young woman of distinction.

Stone was recognized for lifetime achievement in education and training for serving as a role model for students and faculty. She became the 10th dean of OVC in 2005, the first woman to head the veterinary school at Guelph and the first woman to head a veterinary school in Canada. Among other things, she has created a course in veterinary medicine and literature to help students see their roles as veterinarians within broader cultural and emotional contexts.

Marshall received the Education and Training Award. A two-time U of G graduate and former head of the Mac-FACS Alumni Association, she has served as director of education at the Homewood Health Centre and runs her own training and development company.

Wagner-Riddle, a U of G professor since 1994, received the Science, Technology and Research Award. She was a research scientist in Brazil before moving to Canada in 1988. At SES, she oversees efforts to integrate the life and physical sciences to address environmental problems.

Budd was recognized for lifetime achievement in the science, technology and research category. Now age 100, she is a 1950 OVC graduate and was OVC’s first female faculty member, retiring in 1980. Her career includes working within filter operations for the Royal Canadian Air Force during the Second World War.

The Voluntary Community Services Award honoured McConnell for being a volunteer at St. Joseph’s Health Centre and with the Children’s Foundation of Guelph. She also works as a day camp counsellor for special-needs children.

Vsetula was recognized with the Wellness, Health and Recreation Award. She earned an undergraduate degree at U of G in 2000, is a member of the Guelph-based band the Funky Mamas, and has been involved with numerous Guelph agencies, including Guelph-Wellington Women in Crisis.

Johnson was honored as the Young Woman of Distinction. She spearheaded a national initiative to get thousands of people to gather on Parliament Hill in 2009 for Fill the Hill: Climate Day and organized a student vote mob on campus in 2011 that sparked a national campaign urging youth to vote. She received the University’s Be the Change award in 2011 for her advocacy initiatives, and was among 36 undergraduates selected nationwide to participate in The Next 36, a competitive program for future entrepreneurs.

Campus flags will be at half-mast Monday to honour staff member Mary Komarnitsky, who died May 1. She worked as the academic assistant to the director of the Centre for Open Learning and Educational Support.

A celebration of her life will be held Saturday at 1 p.m. at the Gilbert MacIntyre & Son Funeral Home, 1099 Gordon St., Guelph.

As expressions of sympathy, the family suggests donations to the Guelph Humane Society or to your charity of choice.

The University of Guelph is the top-ranked university in Ontario for living and learning environment for international students, says a new survey.

U of G ranked No. 1 for overall learning, living and student support, and had the highest overall average in the 2011 International Student Barometer.

Conducted by the International Graduate Insight Group, it’s the largest annual survey of international university students in the world. This is the first year that Guelph has participated.

“Simply put, international students see Guelph as a good place to be,” said Lynne Mitchell, director and international liaison officer in the Centre for International Programs.

“Students are asked about all aspects of their lives at Guelph, from how and what they are learning to their living experience, and they are ranking all of their experiences at U of G very highly.”

The survey included more than 209,000 international students from 238 institutions in 16 countries; about 300 were from U of G, representing all seven colleges and levels of study. Guelph currently has nearly 850 international students.

U of G was among 10 Ontario universities that participated. Others were Carleton University, the Ontario Institute of Technology, Queen’s University, Ryerson University, University of Toronto, University of Waterloo, University of Windsor and Wilfrid Laurier University.

The survey was funded by Ontario’s Ministry of Colleges, Training and Universities. Ten Ontario colleges and four universities outside of the province also took part and were benchmarked separately.

Conducted in fall 2011 and released in late April, the survey included numerous questions in four categories: learning, living, support and arrival. Schools were ranked “overall” in each category and marked in various subcategories for an average category score.

U of G had the highest average and highest overall score for student support, including counselling, health services, student advising, IT and clubs.

For living experience, U of G was first overall and received the top mark in safety, accommodation quality, and connections with Canadian friends.

U of G was first overall for learning environment, and first in such areas as laboratories, learning spaces, language support and course content.

“International students care about teaching quality, program offerings, personal safety, institutional reputation — the same things that all of our students are concerned about,” said Laurie Schnarr, director of Student Life. Her department includes the Office of Intercultural Affairs, which provides a variety of programs and services for international students.

“But they also pay attention to how welcoming the campus is, to their relationships with domestic students and to the orientation process. Meeting their expectations and ensuring a positive experience is a responsibility that is shared by the entire University community, and it appears we are getting it right.”

Brenda Whiteside, associate vice-president (student affairs), said the survey results provide important insight and knowledge. “While the results are gratifying, it is important that we use the information to continue to improve services and offerings for international students.”

A University of Guelph studio art professor and landscape artist is featured in the London Free Press and Toronto Sun today.

Prof. Will Gorlitz, who teaches drawing and painting in the School of Fine Art and Music, has a new show opening of landscape this week at the Michael Gibson Gallery in London.

Among the works on display is an installation of nine paintings and seven other pieces.

Gorlitz, a U of G faculty member since 2001, has exhibited his artwork nationally and internationally in public and commercial galleries for more than 30 years. Venues include the Shanghai Museum of Art, the Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art, the Art Gallery of Ontario and the National Gallery of Canada. His work has also been featured in numerous periodicals, books and catalogue publications.

Born in Buenos Aires and raised in Winnipeg, he studied at the University of Manitoba School of Art and the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design.

President Alastair Summerlee is calling for nominations for the 2012 President's Awards for Exemplary Staff Service. There are seven award categories: six individual, one team. The nomination deadline is today.

Created in 2003, the awards program recognizes U of G staff who have consistently demonstrated commitment to excellence and exceeded their expected responsibilities.

The awards are:

Community Service Award: An employee who demonstrates Guelph’s commitment to community service through volunteer work on or off campus.

Excellence in Health and Safety Award: An individual, group or committee fostering a culture of health and safety in the workplace .

Exemplary Team Recognition Award: A cohesive team whose members demonstrate shared commitment to providing exceptional service and combine their expertise for high-quality results.

Hidden Hero Award: An employee who supports others and provides excellent service behind the scenes.

Innovative Leadership Recognition Award: An employee who is an innovative thinker and creative implementer, and whose vision motivates and inspires others.

Service Excellence Recognition Award: A staff member on the front line who motivates and inspires others to excel in customer service.

University of Guelph Spirit Award: An employee who demonstrates University spirit by fostering a sense of belonging to the U of G community or by supporting and promoting the University.

All non-academic full- and part-time U of G staff employed here for at least two years are eligible for the awards. Individual employees receive $2,000; team members share a cash prize. Recipients will be recognized during an annual community event.

More information is available online. For further information, contact Claire Alexander, Ext. 53098, or c.alexander@exec.uoguelph.ca.

The University of Guelph is moving forward with one of the key goals of its Integrated Plan — discussing the creation of a School for Civil Society.

Campus-wide and community consultations about the design of the school are beginning. Through a new website, small group meetings, interviews and other sessions, a “catalyst team” will gather feedback and exchange information with faculty, students, staff and stakeholder groups. They will gain ideas to develop a school design proposal to be discussed in the fall.

The new school will be interdisciplinary and collaborative and span all seven U of G colleges. It will involve undergraduate and graduate degree programs, and various learning, research and collaboration opportunities.

But precisely what the school will offer and how it will work will be left to the U of G community to decide, said Maureen Mancuso, provost and vice-president (academic).

“Community engagement will be a core value, a core principle, of the school, and our intention is to remain true to that principle; this will be a very public process,” she said.

“The school will be designed through a process of engagement, as opposed to the administration bringing something forward for discussion and approval.”

This past winter, a discussion was held about how the University might contribute to civil society. That dialogue was intended to engage U of G community members in considering the meaning of civil society and in exploring links to other groups and institutions.

“Now we want to take those ideas and the excitement and engage additional ideas, to think about how we can build something at Guelph that would really capture that enthusiasm and those interests,” said Linda Hawkins, director of U of G’s Institute for Community Engaged Scholarship and a member of the Catalyst Team.

Other members include Prof. Belinda Leach, associate dean (research) in the College of Social and Applied Human Sciences, and Prof. Wayne Caldwell, director of the School of Environmental Design and Rural Development in the Ontario Agricultural College.

Members of the U of G community should be encouraged to go to the website and share their ideas, thoughts and perspectives to help move the school forward.

“In the end, we want this to belong to the University and to civil society, so we want to engage as many different voices and views as possible,” Caldwell said.

Ultimately, the goal is to design a school that will allow students and faculty to pursue research, teaching and other opportunities in community engagement. Guelph is already unique for its commitment in this area, Mancuso said.

Many faculty and staff study community-related topics locally and globally, and Guelph’s students volunteer in local neighbourhoods and in development activities halfway around the world, she said.

“Our faculty, students and staff possess a drive to make a difference in the world. It comes from a shared recognition of our civic and cultural responsibility.”