July 26, 2002
Interim University Co-ordinator of Agricultural Research Appointed
Posted July 26, 2002
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - July 26, 2002 2002-07-13-AG
Interim University Co-ordinator of Agricultural Research Appointed
Pierre Hucl, a professor in the University of Saskatchewan Department of
Plant Sciences, has been selected as Acting University Co-ordinator of
Agricultural Research, effective immediately.
Reporting to the Vice-President Research, the Co-ordinator of Agricultural
Research maintains relations between U of S scientists and the many
stakeholders in agricultural research. The Office is jointly funded by the
U of S and Saskatchewan Agriculture Food and Rural Revitalization (SAFRR).
Hucl succeeds Bryan Harvey who was appointed Acting Vice-President Research
July 1. Both appointments are for a one-year term while a search is carried
out nationally and internationally for a Vice-President Research.
"Professor Hucl is prolific researcher who is very familiar with the
agrifood industry from producer to end user" said Harvey. "He will be a
great asset to this Office as we continue efforts to work with scientists
and our partners to intensify our agrifood research and contribute to our
overall research success."
Hucl is the author of over 80 peer reviewed articles and 85 published
conference papers. He is the breeder or co-breeder of 34 varieties of five
crop species. He has served as a member of numerous professional
organizations and committees. He has supervised a dozen graduate theses and
is extensively involved in rural field days and industry presentations.
Hucl received his M.Sc. in crop science from the University of Guelph in
1980 and his Ph.D. from the U of S in 1986. He was a research associate at
the University of Guelph and then a research scientist with the Saskatchewan
Wheat Pool. He joined the Crop Development Centre at the U of S in 1990,
first as professional research associate and then as a research scientist.
Almost 30 per cent of the research funding that comes to the U of S is
agriculture related. The U of S is a major partner with SAFRR, Agriculture
and Agri-Food Canada, the National Research Council's Plant Biotechnology
Institute, the Saskatchewan Research Council, and the private sector.
Saskatoon is a leading centre for agricultural research with the largest
concentration of biotechnology research and development in Canada and one of
the largest in the world.
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For more information, please contact:
Dr. Bryan Harvey
Acting Vice-President Research
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 966-8514
or
Dr. Pierre Hucl
Acting Co-ordinator of Agricultural Research
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 966-2560
U of S Professor awarded AIC Fellowship
Posted July 26, 2002
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - July 26, 2002 2002-07-14-AG
U of S Professor awarded AIC Fellowship
University of Saskatchewan Crop Development Centre professor Brian Rossnagel
has been awarded the Agriculture Institute of Canada's (AIC) highest honour
- a Fellowship in the Institute.
Rossnagel was recognized for his leadership in research in the development
of new barley and oat varieties. His work developing over 50 barley and oat
varieties in collaboration with colleagues across Canada has attracted
millions of dollars of funding from agencies investing in barley and oat
research and development and contributed even more research money to the
western Canadian agriculture industry.
He has garnered the respect of the scientific community, industry sector,
producers and farm organizations. He is well known for his ability to share
his expertise through scientific events in Canada and abroad. His ability to
relate information to farmers and the media has made him a popular contact
for information and advice.
Rossnagel has received many other accolades including the W.J. White
Professorship in the Department of Plant Sciences, the Prairie Oat Growers
Association Kirylchuk Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Western
Canadian Oat Industry, the Young Scientist Award from the Canadian Society
of Agronomy (1993), and an Honourary Life Membership in both the
Saskatchewan and Canadian Seed Growers Associations.
As a researcher and scientist, Rossnagel has been with the Crop Development
Centre at the U of S since 1977.
The Fellowship in AIC is granted for professional distinction. Recipients
are entitled to us the initials FAIC after their name. The AIC is the
national federation dedicated to promoting the profession of agrology and
the science of agriculture.
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For more information, please contact:
Brian Rossnagel
Crop Development Centre
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 966-4976
or
Rick Holm
Director, Crop Development Centre
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 966-5855
July 24, 2002
Saskatchewan Synchrotron Institute Launched
Posted July 24, 2002
Saskatchewan Synchrotron Institute Launched
The following news release was issued today by the federal Department of Western Economic Diversification and the Saskatchewan Department of Industry and Resources, announcing the launch of the new Saskatchewan Synchrotron Institute.
See the news release at: www.gov.sk.ca/newsrel/2002/07/24-601.html.
July 11, 2002
Get Lost in the Forest at the Kenderdine Gallery
Posted July 11, 2002
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - July 11, 2002 2002-07-10-OTHER
Get Lost in the Forest at the Kenderdine Gallery
Curator Helen Marzolf defines the Kenderdine Art Gallery's new show The
Claustrophobic Forest as a "sampling of how a diverse ensemble of artists
have imagined arboreal disorientation (literally being lost in the forest),
in historical and contemporary images of the forest."
The Claustrophobic Forest is built around the holdings in the University of
Saskatchewan Art Collection - including work by Adrian Cooke, Graham Fowler,
Eldon Garnet, David Hockney, Augustus Kenderdine, Doris Wall Larson, and
Ernest Lindner. Works by Emily Carr, Brenda Pelkey and Patrick Close have
been drawn from public and private collections.
The exhibit features photographs, linocut prints, paintings, and a special
limited edition book by British artist David Hockney, Six Fairy Tales from
the Brothers Grimm, which has been included as a reminder of the forest as
the ubiquitous backdrop for the first stories we hear as children. Saskatoon
photographer Brenda Pelkey has lent one of her major new works to the
exhibition - Forest III, a photographic mural with audio.
The exhibition runs until September 8, 2002. The Kenderdine Art Gallery is
located in the Agriculture Building and is named after Augustus Kenderdine,
the first art instructor at the U of S. The gallery is open from 11:30 a.m.
to 4:30 p.m. Monday to Friday; closed Saturdays; open Sundays 12:00 to 5:00
p.m. Admission is free and everyone is welcome.
The Kenderdine Art Gallery acknowledges the generosity of lenders to the
exhibition: the Mendel Art Gallery, the MacKenzie Art Gallery, Brenda
Pelkey, and Patrick Close. The exhibition was supported by the Museums
Association of Saskatchewan, the University of Saskatchewan, The Canada
Council for the Arts, and the Kenderdine Beamish Trust.
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For more information about the exhibition contact:
Helen Marzolf
Assistant Curator - Kenderdine Art Gallery
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 966-6662
www.usask.ca/kenderdine
July 10, 2002
Government invests in Prairie Feed Resource Centre
Posted July 10, 2002
The following information was issued in a release by the Government of Saskatchewan:
Government Invests in Feed Research
The Government of Saskatchewan announced more than a quarter of a million dollars in funding today to continue development of the province's livestock feed industry.
Deputy Premier and Agriculture, Food and Rural Revitalization Minister Clay Serby said the three-year, $275,000 arrangement would help the Prairie Feed Resource Centre (PFRC) in Saskatoon continue to pursue the development and commercialization of research related to livestock feed.
For further information, refer to the official news release at http://www.gov.sk.ca/newsrel/2002/07/10-561.html.
July 05, 2002
Order of Canada appointments from the U of S
Posted July 05, 2002
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - July 5, 2002 2002-07-06-OTHER
Order of Canada appointments from the U of S
The University of Saskatchewan is very pleased to announce that David
Christensen and David Kaplan have been appointed Members of the Order of
Canada.
The Order of Canada honours Canadians who have demonstrated merit,
achievement, and service to their communities. Created in 1967, the Order of
Canada has three levels of achievement - Companions, Officers and Members.
Members of the Order of Canada are identified for their contributions to a
group or field of work.
David L. Kaplan is a Professor Emeritus of the U of S who is being
recognized for his musical work on campus, and in the community.
He began his career at the U of S in 1960 when he was asked to set up the
music program as part of the College of Education. He was important in the
creation of one unified Department of Music, combining programs from Arts
and Science and Education into one.
In 1966, he was named Head of the Department of Music - a position he held
until 1982.
A conductor, composer and clarinetist, Kaplan will be a sessional lecturer
in the Music Department in the fall where he will teach two music history
classes.
Outside the university, Kaplan is involved in a folk group which recently
performed at the Sasktel Jazz Festival, conducted the Saskatoon Symphony New
Music Festival and at nearly 80 years old, is once again looking forward to
returning to the classroom in the fall to teach.
He was a founding member of the Saskatchewan Music Council, an organizer of
the Festival of Faith for Multi-Faith Saskatoon, and has helped with
Holocaust Memorial and Remembrance Day services.
David A. Christensen, a professor in dairy cattle nutrition and production
has worked extensively on dairy and agricultural development projects close
to home as well as in more than 25 other countries.
His commitment to international development and many years of service have
made an impact in agriculture provincially, nationally and internationally.
Christensen's commitments to teaching excellence and original research ideas
have left an imprint on the agriculture sector in western Canada and around
the globe.
Christensen has received many other accolades including: the Distinguished
Researcher Award (U of S) 2001, the J.W. George Ivany Internationalization
Award (U of S) for his research and development projects around the globe,
and the International Recognition Award from the Agricultural Institute of
Canada, and the 1998 International Animal Agriculture award from the World
Association for Animal Production.
He earned his Bachelor of Science in Agriculture (1958) at the U of S, a
Master of Science degree (1960), and a Ph.D. (1963) at McGill University. In
1965, he returned to the U of S as an assistant professor. He became a full
professor in 1976 and served as the head of the Department of Animal and
Poultry Science (1983-1994).
The U of S is also pleased to announce that alumnus Harold MacKay was
inducted as an Officer of the Order of Canada. MacKay received his Bachelor
of Arts (Great Distinction) from the University of Saskatchewan in 1960 and
went on to receive his Law degree from Dalhousie University in 1963.
Presently residing in Regina, he is the Chairman of MacPherson, Leslie and
Tyerman, Saskatchewan's one of Saslatchewan's largest law firms. MacKay has
also served as a consultant to the Law Reform Commission of Saskatchewan and
as Chair of the Tax Force on the Future of the Canadian Financial Services
Sector. In 2000, he was presented with the Alumni Award of Achievement from
the U of S.
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For more information, please contact:
David Christensen
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 966-4152
E-mail: christensen@sask.usask.ca
David Kaplan
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 249-3154 (home)
July 04, 2002
Canadian Light Source Synchrotron Achieves Key Technical Milestone
Posted July 04, 2002
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - July 4, 2002 2002-07-04-OTHER
Canadian Light Source Synchrotron Achieves Key Technical Milestone
The Canadian Light Source synchrotron, now under construction at the
University of Saskatchewan, has achieved an important milestone on the way
to supplying brilliant light for scientific experiments by January of 2004.
This week, a beam of electrons travelling at nearly the speed of light was
successfully transferred from the refurbished linear accelerator or 'linac'
to the booster ring. It was then transported around the 100-metre
circumference booster ring with substantial current for several millions of
turns. The current was measured and detected on a monitor at
http://www.cls.usask.ca/media/analyze_screen.shtml
"This is the synchrotron's second successful operating subsystem, and we're
delighted that we've reached this significant milestone on time and on
budget," said Mark de Jong, Interim Executive-Director of the Canadian Light
Source Inc. (CLSI).
"We now have an operating booster ring that will be used to accelerate
electrons and boost their energy. The next major milestone will be to inject
the beam into the storage ring which is expected to be achieved in early
2003."
Later this week, the CLS commissioning team hopes to boost the energy of the
beam for the first time. The team is led by accelerator physicist Les Dallin
who designed both the booster and storage rings for the $173.4-million
project.
The U of S-owned national facility is one of the largest scientific projects
in Canada and one of the most advanced synchrotrons in the world.
Further testing to optimize performance of the booster ring will take place
over the next year and a half. The booster ring uses magnetic fields to
force the electrons to race in a circle and powerful radio waves to ramp the
energy of the electron beam to 2.9 billion electron volts.
Once the speeding electrons are transferred to the 170-metre storage ring,
powerful magnets will bend or accelerate the electrons to produce light over
a spectrum from infrared to X-rays. This very bright and stable light will
be directed down beamlines to hutches where scientists can use it for their
experiments.
Synchrotron light -- millions of times brighter than sunlight -- is used to
view chemical reactions and the micro-structure of materials, paving the way
for new drugs, more powerful computer chips, better engine lubricants, more
effective medical imaging and a host of other applications for science and
industry.
In other synchrotron news, the U of S board of governors recently appointed
Bernard Michel, chair and chief executive officer of uranium supplier Cameco
Corporation, to the CLSI board of directors.
"With 35 years of distinguished engineering and management experience in the
North American and European mining industry, Bernard will provide an
invaluable industrial users' perspective to the CLSI board," said U of S
President Peter MacKinnon.
The board of governors also approved two contracts worth a total of $1.4
million plus taxes and duty:
- a $723,560 contract to Air Liquide of Winnipeg for a liquid nitrogen
system that will supply cooling to parts of the storage ring
- $700,400 contract to Danfysik A/S of Denmark for fabrication and supply of
magnets and power supplies vital to storage ring operation. These special
magnets merge an injected beam with a beam already circulating in the
storage ring. Danfysik was identified as the only acceptable candidate based
on schedule, cost and technical ability.
CLS funding partners include the Canada Foundation for Innovation, the
Canadian government (including Western Economic Diversification, Natural
Resources Canada, the National Research Council, NSERC, and the Canadian
Institutes of Health Research), Saskatchewan Industry and Resources, Ontario
Innovation Trust, Alberta Innovation and Science, Alberta Heritage
Foundation for Medical Research, U of S, the City of Saskatoon, SaskPower,
and Boehringer Ingelheim, University of Western Ontario, and University of
Alberta. GlaxoSmithKline has also provided funding for a U of S chair in an
area of synchrotron science.
For more information about the CLS and how it works, visit: www.cls.usask.ca
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For more information, contact:
Kathryn Warden
Research Communications Officer
Office of the Vice-President (Research)
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 966-2506
kathryn.warden@usask.ca
U of S Awarded Nearly $690,000 from Canada Foundation for Innovation
Posted July 04, 2002
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - July 4, 2002 2002-07-05-OTHER
U of S Awarded Nearly $690,000 from Canada Foundation for Innovation
Today the University of Saskatchewan was awarded almost $690,000 from the
Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) for labs and equipment, as well as
related operating support, that will advance research and teaching in
leading-edge areas.
Six researchers will receive a total of $529,343 under the CFI New
Opportunities Program to purchase equipment and lab facilities for projects
ranging from reducing greenhouse gas emissions to combating
tuberculosis-causing bacteria. U of S will also receive $158,802 from the
CFI's infrastructure operating fund.
"This is exciting news for the U of S," said U of S Acting Vice-President
Research Bryan Harvey. "These new facilities and equipment are potentially a
tremendous addition to our research capacity and will help launch the
careers of some of our highly talented new faculty members."
Nationally today, the CFI and Industry Canada Minister Allan Rock announced
$30 million for 39 universities and research institutions. With New
Opportunities funding, the CFI contributes 40 per cent of eligible project
costs and universities must find the remaining 60 per cent.
"These investments will help Canada move from 14th place to among the top
five leaders in innovation worldwide," said Rock. "These recipients will
help train the next generation of outstanding Canadian researchers, ensuring
that Canada's prosperity continues."
"Today's announcement means the U of S will boost its research
infrastructure which will allow it to better compete as an international
leader and in turn, bring benefits to the local community and the region,"
said Saskatchewan's cabinet minister Ralph Goodale.
Many of the U of S projects will involve training of graduate students. The
projects are:
- Ronald Geyer (biochemistry) -- $186,000 to launch a proteomics laboratory
that will develop new technology for analyzing the function and interaction
of proteins in a wide range of organisms including plants, animals, viruses,
and pathogens. The research focus of this lab will make it unique in Canada
and it will enhance graduate and undergraduate teaching.
- Luis Melo (physiology) -- $80,000 for an ultrasound medical imaging system
that will be used to develop and test new gene and cell-based therapies for
cardiovascular diseases, such as heart failure, hypertension, and artery
disease. This project will build on U of S research strengths in genomics,
the new science of deciphering the genetic code of life.
- Carey Simonson (mechanical engineering) -- $79,200 for equipment to study
moisture properties in buildings and building materials. The aim is to
develop healthier buildings with comfortable indoor temperature and
humidity, good indoor air quality, and low energy consumption. This
equipment will allow U of S researchers to join international research and
product development in this area.
- Xuin Guo (geography) -- $64,905 for equipment to study the rate at which
carbon is stored in soil and released into the environment by various
land-use practices. The study will help develop land-use methods that
reduce greenhouse gas emission.
- David Sanders (chemistry) -- $60,000 for equipment to develop new ways of
combating disease-causing micro-organisms that are multi-drug resistant such
as the bacterium that cause tuberculosis. This equipment will build on a
strong U of S initiative in structural biology and will complement the
Canadian Light Source (www.usask.cls.ca) synchrotron now under construction
at the U of S.
- Jeff Hudson (biology) -- $59,238 to launch a new research program that
will study artificial and natural factors, such as climate change, that
affect the chemistry of freshwater and marine environments. The program
will enable water research to proceed at internationally competitive levels.
"The CFI is pleased to support these New Opportunities researchers, which
will contribute to the development of world-class expertise at the U of S,"
said CFI President David Strangway.
CFI is an independent, not-for-profit corporation established by the federal
government to strengthen the capacity for innovation in Canadian
universities and research institutions. With a $3.15-billion budget, CFI
makes its investments in partnership with all levels of government, as well
as with private and voluntary sectors. For more information, visit:
http://www.innovation.ca/
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For more information, contact:
Kathryn Warden
Research Communications Officer
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 966-2506
July 03, 2002
Overweight Aboriginal Women at Dramatically Higher Risk for Gestational Diabetes
Posted July 03, 2002
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - July 3, 2002 2002-07-01-ME
Overweight Aboriginal Women at Dramatically Higher Risk for Gestational
Diabetes
University of Saskatchewan researchers have found that overweight Aboriginal
women are almost five times more likely to develop gestational diabetes (GD)
than overweight non-Aboriginal women.
In a recently published study, Aboriginal women were also found to have
twice the risk of GD compared with women in the general population after
adjustment for other potential variables. Many pregnant Aboriginal women
with GD, as well as children of GD pregnancies, later develop Type 2
diabetes, a current epidemic in Aboriginal communities.
"This is the first time in Canada that Aboriginal women with and without GD
were directly compared to non-Aboriginal women," said Dr. Roland Dyck, lead
investigator on the study and a member of the U of S department of medicine
at Royal University Hospital (RUH).
"We have found that Aboriginal ethnicity is an independent risk factor for
GD, and GD could be a key factor in the Type 2 diabetes epidemic because of
its impact on the next generation."
While obesity alone does not account for the difference in GD risk, the
combination of Aboriginal ethnicity and obesity resulted in dramatically
higher levels of GD among Aboriginal women.
The team's research shows that almost 30 percent of Aboriginal women who are
obese before pregnancy develop GD, while fewer than five per cent of
overweight non-Aboriginal women develop GD. In contrast, the team found that
fewer than five per cent of Aboriginal women who are at a healthy weight
before pregnancy develop GD, compared to three per cent of non-Aboriginal
women.
GD develops during pregnancy when the placenta produces hormones that can
cause insulin resistance. This raises blood-sugar levels in both the mother
and fetus, and in infants, can cause high birth weight, difficult
deliveries, jaundice, and respiratory distress. These infants are also more
likely to develop diabetes as adults.
Dyck's team concludes that fitness and nutrition programs are urgently
needed for expectant Aboriginal mothers. He thinks exercise could
significantly reduce both GD and Type 2 diabetes. Regular physical activity
reduces insulin resistance and blood sugar levels, increases energy, and
helps to control weight gain. Increased fitness also contributes to easier
pregnancies and deliveries.
The study involved more than 2000 Saskatchewan women, of whom 252 were
Aboriginal. Findings were published in Diabetes Care, an American Diabetes
Association healthcare professional magazine.
Aboriginal obesity may be caused by a "thrifty genotype" -- a survival
mechanism that prepares for nutritional hardship by conserving calories when
food is abundant. This genotype may have contributed to healthier
pregnancies and births centuries ago. But now, when combined with high food
intake and decreased physical activity, it's a liability that leads to
increased rates of GD and Type 2 diabetes, says Dyck.
"This disease didn't exist in Aboriginal populations 60 years ago," he
says, referring to a 1937 Saskatchewan study conducted by Dr. Lillian Chase
that didn't turn up a single case of diabetes in a population of Registered
Indians. "Theoretically, there's no reason why the current epidemic can't
be turned around in another 60 years."
"As exposure to non-Aboriginal lifestyles increases, rates of obesity also
increase," said Dyck. "Genetics don't change in 50 years, or even over a
century. Lifestyles change."
The study was funded by U of S and Saskatoon District Health. Other U of S
researchers included epidemiologist Helena Klomp (medicine), and professors
Leonard Tan (community health and epidemiology), Roger Turnell (obstetrics
and gynecology), and Makram Boctor (medicine).
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For more information, contact:
Dr. Roland Dyck
Department of Medicine
University of Saskatchewan
Royal University Hospital
(306) 966-7947
Kathryn Warden
Research Communications Officer
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 966-2506
www.usask.ca/research
Farm Safety Essay produces high yields
Posted July 03, 2002
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - July 3, 2002 2002-07-03-AG
Farm Safety Essay produces high yields
Each year at the annual convention of the Saskatchewan Association of Rural
Municipalities (SARM), one talented grade 12 student receives the SARM 90th
Anniversary Student Scholarship in Agricultural Safety and Rural Health.
This award is available to students who live in a rural municipality and
have a farming background, to help them pursue post-secondary education.
The winner of the 2002 scholarship is Melissa Schachtel from Macklin, RM of
Eye Hill, #382. In her essay, The Importance of Safety and Health on Our
Farm, she wrote, "farm safety can become as natural as the birth of a calf
or the crop ripening in the fall. If we all think, educate and lead by
example, we can enjoy safe, accident-free lives." Melissa has been accepted
into the College of Arts and Science, University of Saskatchewan. She has
been named a Greystone Scholar and was awarded $2,000 for her outstanding
academic achievements. Melissa plans to later enter the College of
Dentistry.
The first scholarship was presented by the Institute of Agricultural, Rural
and Environmental Health (I.ARE.H.) in 1997 to commemorate the outstanding
relationship between SARM, its member municipalities and I.ARE.H. Funds
from auctioning the first copy of SARM's history book, The Building of a
Province: Commemorating the 90th Anniversary of the Saskatchewan
Association of Rural Municipalities, were presented by SARM's Board of
Directors to I.ARE.H. The Institute established the student essay award to
accomplish the double goal of sensitizing rural students to farm health and
safety issues and recognizing the tremendous role that SARM has played in
agricultural health and safety in the province through support for the
Agricultural Health and Safety Network at I.ARE.H. The Founding Chairs
Program at I.ARE.H. maintains the scholarship.
To qualify, students write a 1,000 word essay. Watch for announcements
regarding the 2003 scholarship to be offered again this fall. Applications
must be postmarked by January 17, 2003.
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For a copy of Melissa's essay and her photo, please contact:
Lori Lockinger
Institute of Agricultural, Rural and Environmental Health
University of Saskatchewan
Phone: (306) 966-6643
E-mail: lockinger@sask.usask.ca
