![[University of Waterloo]](/goldbar.gif)
| Yesterday |
Tuesday, October 1, 2002
|
Editor: Chris Redmond credmond@uwaterloo.ca |
Barbara Bulman-Fleming, director of the teaching resources and continuing education office, describes the project in the fall issue of the TRACE newsletter, Teaching Matters. Says Bulman-Fleming: "How do we foster a better understanding of people from different countries and cultures among non-mobile students, increasing their knowledge of and respect for other human beings and their way of living, and creating the global society in a multicultural context?"
![[Globe]](/images/globe.gif){kind=small}
The answer, she suggests, is to use the experiences of
students from other countries, and of Canadian students who have visited
overseas. TRACE is investigating the possibilities along with the
office of the associate vice-president (academic), which is responsible for
"internationalization"
in general at UW.
She's hoping that graduate student Elise Ho will come up with "information and insights on how to use the talents, experience and knowledge of students to enrich ('internationalise') the curriculum", then work with professors to try them out. With the help of funding from the Canadian Bureau for International Education, Ho has been hired part-time as a research assistant.
Bulman-Fleming writes that "Similar efforts are occurring in several universities in Europe, where about 10% of students study abroad at some point, as opposed to fewer than 1% of Canadian students."
Ho -- who's working on a master's degree in environment and resource studies -- will work to find out what strategies other universities have used in order to harness the expertise of international students and domestic students with international experience. She'll also hold focus groups with students, and with faculty members who have either developed international exchange programs or who have an interest in developing them, to identify "practical and appropriate ways" for faculty members to enrich the curriculum using students with international experience as resources.
Then some of these ideas can be "pilot tested" in selected courses with interested faculty members. Finally, Ho will consolidate the information and ideas, and prepare a report that will be made available to other Canadian universities.
Says Bulman-Fleming: "Learning about other cultures and ways of thinking, and the flexibility of mind this brings about, is useful -- arguably critical -- to successful functioning in today's world.
"In the US, similar initiatives are considered under the broad term 'diversity' issues, and include gender, racial, cultural, and sexual-identity considerations. It is what one might call a hot topic in the higher-education literature south of the border and among American policy makers.
"Results of many studies on the efficacy of 'diversity initiatives' seem to suggest that they indeed have positive effects both on students' attitudes toward people who are in any way different from themselves, as well as on cognitive development."
![[Creekside scene]](/images/2002/1001north.gif)
Another angle on the north campusThe conversation goes on: yesterday I quoted John Semple about plants on the north campus not getting the respect they deserve, and immediately I heard from Paul Ward in electrical and computer engineering, wondering why nobody had mentioned animals."My backyard is full of squirrels," he writes, "rabbits, birds (including, I believe, a red cardinal), a groundhog, to say nothing of the undoubtedly countless smaller insects and grubs they feed upon. My backyard is about 50'x50'. I suspect the North Campus, being somewhat larger, has many, many more animals, and variety of animals. No wonder we have problems with species loss. We don't even notice them! Incidentally, I believe habitat loss is the single biggest cause for species loss, not active extermination." The photo at left -- no, that's not Ward -- is one of a set taken for a current study of the planned north campus "environmental reserve". |
![[LeDrew]](http://www.watleo.uwaterloo.ca/~ells/Ells%202001-crop.JPEG)
The impact of
the cryosphere -- frozen natural
phenomena -- on Canada's climate will be discussed at the fourth annual
Faculty of Environmental Studies Lecture tomorrow night.
Geography professor Ellsworth LeDrew (right) is the speaker at the event, which starts at 7:30 Wednesday night in the Theatre of the Arts, Modern Languages building. His presentation is entitled "A Uniquely Canadian Dimension to Climate Change: The Role of the Cryosphere in the Everyday Lives of Canadians".
LeDrew will discuss whether severe and unexpected ice storms and other cryosphere phenomena in Canada are related to global warming, El Niño or extreme events in a highly variable and complex natural system. He will also discuss whether it is possible to forecast and prepare for these and similar cold climate phenomena.
It is known that the cryosphere, which includes "all frozen natural phenomena," is an important influence on the day-to-day climate with which Canadians cope, LeDrew said. An extensive network of university, government and private industry scientists is addressing the impact of the cryosphere and climate on Canadian policy, economy and daily life.
LeDrew's lecture will focus on the use of satellite images of the northern hemisphere; simulation of the structure of weather systems; data mining techniques to determine methods that can be used to improve climate analysis; and an examination of the temporal signal to determine whether the system is changing, increasing in variability or becoming more unstable.
There is no charge to attend, but seating is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Dr. Scherer is a graduate of the University of Waterloo (1987), where he studied biology through the co-operative education program. He chose UW because it offered hands-on lab experience both in the classroom and on work terms. One term spent at the National Research Council cemented an interest in molecular genetics, his current area of research. This interest led to his eventual appointment as Associate Director of the Centre for Applied Genomics at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto. A recipient of numerous awards for his contributions to science and society, he is also responsible for providing at least fifty Waterloo students with co-op jobs. He not only hires co-op students, but many of those same students return to the Centre for Applied Genomics for full-time positions.
![[Simard in Scherer's lab]](/images/2002/0901sicard.gif)
When asked what motivated him to start hiring UW co-op
students, Dr. Scherer comments that "I knew so
many good co-op students when I was there; I knew there
had to be more coming in the future."
At present, Dr. Scherer and his research team are working to construct a complete gene map of human chromosome 7 as part of the international human genome project. They are using the information from this gene map to identify novel genes involved in imprinting, development and disease. Already, the lab's work has helped discover the gene that causes Lafora Progressive Myoclonus Epilepsy. Two current members of the research team are co-op students Tricia Sicard (left) and Adam Smith, both in their fourth year of biochemistry.
Tricia's main duties involve a variety of laboratory and computer tasks, focusing on looking for possible genes related to a specific disease, X-linked myopathy with excessive autophagy (XMEA). As her previous experience had only been in private industry, Tricia has had to adjust to the demands of scientific research. She remarks that "everyone depends on each other and interrelates more here than the other places I have been." Focusing on another part of chromosome 7, Adam is researching the potential cause of Russel-Silver Syndrome, a genetic disorder that is characterized by severe intrauterine and postnatal birth defects.
The Centre for Applied Genomics also provided Adam with an exciting opportunity during his work term. He left in June to finish the latter part of his 8-month work term at a colleague's laboratory at Imperial College in London, England. There he gained access to an increased number of DNA/RNA samples in order to identify new imprinted genes, which are believed to contribute to the syndrome. A third Waterloo co-op student, Rishi Kapur, took over Adam's duties in Toronto in the summer. Adam praised his work term experience, saying, "Sick Kids Hospital has been my most interesting and informative work term to date and the knowledge that has been given to me will prove invaluable in the future."
Part of the reason that Adam and Tricia both enjoyed working in Dr. Scherer's lab is the unique attitude towards students. Co-op students from several universities and high schools work closely with graduate and post-graduate researchers. Adam applauds the open atmosphere, remarking that "ideas from students are encouraged and students are never thought of as secondary." Dr. Scherer goes so far as to label co-op students "the life-blood in our laboratory for generating data". One of the most important parts of job satisfaction among co-op students is recognition, of which there appears to be plenty in Dr. Scherer's lab. The students are constantly challenged throughout their work term. "There are very high expectations and everyone is expected to maximize their experience here," explains Tricia.
And back in UW's career services department, the career development workshop series continues, with sessions today on "Interview Skills: The Basics" at 1:30 and "Preparing for Questions" at 2:30. And at 4:30, there's a session on "Starting Your Own Business: Next Steps". The career resource centre in Needles Hall has more information about them all.
Computer science student Paul Nijjar sends this note: "The UW Simplicity circle will have its first meeting Tuesday at the WPIRG office (Student Life Centre room 2139). We meet once a week to discuss different aspects of voluntary simplicity, and find practical ways to simplify our lives. Everybody is welcome, and there is no charge. Contact pnijjar@uwaterloo.ca for more information."
There's something special at Federation Hall tonight. "Travel the world," says Dave McDougall of the Federation of Students. "Ian Wright, former host of 'Lonely Planet' and current host of 'Pilot Guides', as seen weekly on the Outdoor Life Network, will be sharing his wit, charm and humour in a travelogue to some of his favourite destinations. Doors open at 6:00 and the show starts at 7:00. Tickets can be purchased at the Fed office for $15 Feds and $20 others."
Some UW people are involved in the K-W Aquarium Society, which will be holding its monthly meeting at 7:30 tonight at the Adult Recreation Centre, corner of King and Allen Streets.
Back to the topic of career planning: there are two different "fairs" scheduled for tomorrow on campus:
CAR
TODAY IN UW HISTORYOctober 1, 1968: The monthly price of parking rises to $3 in central lots, $1.75 in others. October 1, 1988: The Robert Starbird Dorney Ecology Garden, outside Environmental Studies I, is dedicated. October 1, 1990: The WatGreen program is announced. October 1, 1998: UW's oldest academic building becomes the Doug Wright Engineering Building. |