July 28, 2005
The University of Saskatchewan presents '10 Fun Family Activities For Summer'
Posted July 28, 2005
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - July 28, 2005 2005-07-06-OTHER
The University of Saskatchewan presents '10 Fun Family Activities For
Summer'
Discover one of North America's most beautiful campuses. The University of
Saskatchewan is home to many family-oriented summer activities. See what the
U of S has to offer by visiting campus during August! All activities are
free unless otherwise noted with an *.
1. MEET OUR FRIENDLY DINOSAURS - Visit the Museum of Natural Sciences in the
Geology Building where minerals, meteorites, animals, fossils and plants are
always on display! Download a scavenger hunt guide and brochure at:
www.usask.ca/geology/museum.html or call (306) 966-4399. (This building is
air conditioned!)
2. PICNIC IN THE BOWL - All you need is a blanket or lawn chair. Bring a
picnic lunch from home and don't forget your Frisbee, kite or your sidewalk
chalk because there is plenty of room to play.
3. A SCENIC RIDE - Take a bicycle ride along the many paved trails that wind
their way through campus and along the riverbank.
4. SEE THE FUTURE - Tour the CLS synchrotron. Public tours are held in
August on Tuesday and Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. and must be pre-booked by
calling (306) 657-3500 or send an email to outreach@lightsource.ca. Please
note tours are geared towards teens and adults and involve a fair amount of
walking. More information can be found at www.lightsource.ca.
5. STEP INTO THE PAST - Visit the Anne Frank in the World exhibit on display
at the Diefenbaker Canada Centre until August 28 and open from 9:00 a.m. -
5:00 p.m. daily.
6. STAR GAZING - The U of S Observatory is open from 9:30-11:30 p.m.
Saturdays during August. Call the astronomy information line at (306)
966-6429 for more information.
7. CAMPUS ART - The Kenderdine Gallery in the Agriculture Building (2nd
floor) is the home of the U of S permanent collection. It also features
touring exhibits. Hours are Monday-Friday 11:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. and Sunday
12:30-5:00 p.m. For more information, please call (306) 966-6816.
8. ANCIENT ART - The Museum of Antiquities is located in Room 237, Murray
Building. Hours are 9:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. (Monday-Friday) and the museum
features a collection of original and replica pieces of famous sculpted art
from the Louvre, British Museum and the Acropolis Museum in Athens.
9. *SUMMER CAMP - The U of S is offering various camps for kids on campus
this summer. With art, ecology, music, history, science, athletics and drama
every child's imagination will be ignited. Visit www.kidscamps.usask.ca/ for
registration details.
10. *WALKING TOURS OF CAMPUS - Tours for the general public are offered
through the Diefenbaker Canada Centre. For more information, call (306)
966-8384. Admission is $3 (adults) and $2 (children). Tours for prospective
students, parents and guidance counsellors are available through the Student
and Enrolment Services Division and are free. For more information on
guided, self-guided and virtual tours, visit
http://explore.usask.ca/events/.
Campus maps are available for download at: www.usask.ca/maps/ or by calling
University Communications at (306) 966-6607. Maps are also available at the
Information Kiosk in the Place Riel Student Centre on campus from 8:15 a.m.
- 5 p.m. Monday - Friday. Billboard maps are located at entrances to the
campus at Wiggins Avenue, Campus Drive, East Road, and Perimeter Road.
Please observe all posted parking signs.
-30-
July 22, 2005
U of S Joins Partnership To Advance Saskatchewan Bean Industry
Posted July 22, 2005
The following release was issued by the Saskatchewan Pulse Growers.New Partnership To Advance Saskatchewan Bean Industry
Saskatchewan Pulse Growers, Walker Seeds Ltd., the Crop Development
Centre
at the University of Saskatchewan and Keg Agro Ltd. have signed an agreement
designed to advance the bean industry in Saskatchewan.
For more information, see the official news release:
http://www.saskpulse.com/library/press_releases/050721_beanagreement.html
July 11, 2005
U of S Economist Challenges Policy Makers To Look Beyond Oil in Alberta
Posted July 11, 2005
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Monday July 11, 2005 2005-07-03-AG
U of S Economist Challenges Policy Makers To Look Beyond Oil in Alberta
Regional economist, Mark Partridge, contends the explanation that Alberta is
simply living off its natural resources is a misleading myth that has gone
unquestioned for too long. He says Alberta's long-term success is due to a
combination of factors including aesthetics, business climate and emerging
urban economic engines of growth.
Partridge, the Canada Research Chair in the New Rural Economy at the
University of Saskatchewan, says that business and government leaders should
be learning important lessons from Alberta's economic growth rather than
simply attributing it to mining of oil and gas reserves.
"Alberta's strong economy was not dictated solely by accident, but rather it
is a combination of several factors including an aesthetically pleasing
Rocky Mountain environment, a business-friendly stance and Calgary and
Edmonton having attained a critical mass - becoming 'engines of growth' for
the province that have taken on a life of their own," says Partridge.
Traditionally, vast energy reserves have not been a blessing for economies-a
phenomenon economists call the "natural resources curse." Partridge analyzed
employment growth rates based on mining for 48 U.S. states. His conclusion
was there was no evidence that natural resources provided an economic
advantage - a sentiment he says also rings true in Canada. Clearly something
else is driving Alberta's widespread prosperity.
Partridge identified a corridor running along the Rocky Mountains from
Alberta through Arizona where there is rapid population growth. Though the
mountain region is not necessarily known for oil, the region is known for
its geographic amenities and pro-business environment, both factors in
Alberta's economic success that cannot be ignored.
"Being business-friendly can create jobs in the long-run and people will
move to where there are jobs. As we see in Alberta, people also enjoy living
in environments that are aesthetically pleasing with friendly climates.
Though ups and downs of energy prices still have cyclical impacts on
Alberta, these other factors are much more critical in the long-run."
When looking at explanations for Alberta's success, leaders should also look
at the role that Calgary and Edmonton have played in becoming dynamic cities
that are economic drivers for provincial success.
Many provincial and federal government policies have been written without a
thorough analysis of regional economies, Partridge adds. The Canada Rural
Economy Research Lab (C-RERL) at the University of Saskatchewan will release
his policy brief today.
C-RERL is a state-of-the-art research facility designed to study issues that
affect the vitality of rural Canada such as diversified economy, healthcare,
environment, amenities, transportation and sustainable agriculture.
-30-
For a copy of the complete policy brief, please visit:
http://crerl.usask.ca/policy.php
For more information, please contact:
Mark Partridge
Canada Research Chair in the New Rural Economy
Department of Agricultural Economics
College of Agriculture
University of Saskatchewan
Tel: (306) 966-4037
Email: mark.partridge@usask.ca
Web: http://crerl.usask.ca/
U of S-Led Team Awarded $450,000 to Search for New Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Treatments
Posted July 11, 2005
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Monday, July 11, 2005 2005-07-04-OTHER
U of S-Led Team Awarded $450,000 to Search for New Alzheimer's and
Parkinson's Treatments
A Canadian research team led by University of Saskatchewan cell biologist
Helen Nichol will use the Canadian Light Source synchrotron to search for
new ways to treat Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, backed with $450,000
from the federal Collaborative Health Research Project (CHRP) program.
"This initiative illustrates how expertise from widely different disciplines
can be brought to bear to tackle society's toughest challenges," said U of S
Vice-President Research Steven Franklin. "It also highlights the unique
research capacity at the University of Saskatchewan offered by the Canadian
Light Source."
Common neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's affect
more than 20 million people world wide and are the fourth leading cause of
death and major disability among adults in Western societies.
Over the next three years, the team will use synchrotron light to analyze
the location and chemical form of metals in the brains of fruit flies. They
will examine flies that carry the genes that cause neurodegenerative disease
in humans, from the early stages before cells die until the disease in the
fly's brain is advanced.
Nichol is collaborating with Gabrielle Boulianne from Toronto's Hospital for
Sick Children, Ian Meinertzhagen from Dalhousie University in Halifax, and U
of S Canada Research Chairs Ingrid Pickering and Graham George.
Boulianne is a leading Canadian Drosophila (fruit fly) geneticist and expert
in fly models of Amylotropic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS, or Lou Gehrig's
disease). She will raise flies that have been genetically altered to exhibit
features of each human disease. Nichol will use synchrotron X-ray light to
determine the location and chemical forms of iron, zinc and copper in the
brains of each fly model. Meinertzhagen, a former Killam professor in
neuroscience, will use his expertise in Drosophila brain structure and
high-resolution and 3-D imaging techniques to assess pathological changes in
flies and what protection therapeutic drugs can provide against such
changes. George and Pickering will contribute their world-leading expertise
in new synchrotron imaging techniques.
While iron, zinc, and copper are essential micronutrients, they can
contribute to the destruction of brain cells when present in excess or in
toxic chemical forms. The team will develop a rapid screening method that
will eventually enable them to test the ability of various therapeutic drugs
to prevent metal-induced damage. Ultimately, they hope their work will help
to forge links with pharmaceutical companies to develop new therapies for
these devastating diseases.
The CHRP grant is part of $5.4 million awarded to 16 research teams across
the country announced today in Ottawa by Industry Minister David Emerson and
Health Minister Ujjal Dosanjh. The CHRP program is a joint initiative of the
Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and the Natural Sciences and
Engineering Research Council (NSERC).
"To succeed at improving the health of Canadians, we must encourage people
with diverse expertise to focus their energy on solving today's health
challenges," said Minister Dosanjh. "A multidisciplinary approach to health
research leads to better public health, innovation and economic growth."
For more information on the Canadian Light Source, the national synchrotron
facility at the University of Saskatchewan, visit www.lightsource.ca.
-30-
For more information, contact:
Helen Nichol
Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 966-4094
h.nichol@usask.ca
http://www.usask.ca/anatomy/people/nichol.shtml
Michael Robin
Research Communications
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 966-2427
michael.robin@usask.ca
www.usask.ca/research
July 08, 2005
PotashCorp Donation Helps Bring Vanier Cup to the University of Saskatchewan
Posted July 08, 2005
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - July 8, 2005 2005-07-02-KIN
PotashCorp Donation Helps Bring Vanier Cup to the University of Saskatchewan
Sports Precinct To Be Named PotashCorp Park
University of Saskatchewan President Peter MacKinnon and PotashCorp
President and CEO Bill Doyle today announced plans to invest a $5 million
donation from PotashCorp in upgrades to Griffiths Stadium. The donation will
enable the University to host the Vanier Cup in 2006.
The University was awarded the 2006 Vanier Cup by Canadian Interuniversity
Sports (CIS) on the condition the field be upgraded with artificial turf and
field lighting installed. PotashCorp's gift will pay for those projects as
well as provide other facility upgrades in Griffiths Stadium.
"The refurbishment will create a first-class facility for Huskie athletes
and the 2006 Vanier Cup," said Doyle. "We believe this will enrich the
student experience, raise the profile of the University of Saskatchewan and
the City of Saskatoon and strengthen the ties between the campus and our
community."
"Without PotashCorp's commitment, we may not have been able to meet all the
requirements for bringing the Vanier Cup to Saskatoon. PotashCorp really
saved the day," said Carol Rodgers, Dean of the College of Kinesiology,
where the Huskies are based.
In thanking Doyle and PotashCorp, U of S President Peter MacKinnon spoke
about the long-term impact of the gift. "The benefits of the Griffith
Stadium upgrades will be felt for years to come by Huskie athletes and fans
as well as the many community sports programs which also make use of the
facilities."
To recognize PotashCorp's long-standing relationship with the University of
Saskatchewan, its outstanding leadership and community support, the U of S
will name the sports precinct on the south side of College Drive, PotashCorp
Park. Griffiths Stadium, along with the adjacent fields used by Campus
Recreation and other groups, are included in PotashCorp Park.
MacKinnon also thanked Doyle for his personal involvement in the campaign.
"PotashCorp's commitment to this campaign goes far beyond their leadership
gift. President and CEO Bill Doyle has been a leader and motivator in this
campaign - serving as Chair of the Saskatchewan Campaign Committee and a
member of the National Advisory Board."
The CIS championship football game, the Vanier Cup, will be held in
Saskatoon on November 25, 2006. It is the first time this national sporting
event will be held outside of Ontario. A study by Saskatoon Sports Tourism
estimates that tourists coming to Saskatoon for the Vanier Cup will spend
$7,403,679 in Saskatchewan. Of this, $4,807,785 represents the profit
generated from their expenditures and is the net economic impact or Gross
Domestic Product (GDP) of the 2006 Vanier Cup.
The donation is the lead gift in the University's Thinking the World of our
Future fundraising campaign. With a goal of raising $100 million by the
university's centennial year in 2007, the campaign will result in increased
financial support for students, improved facilities and enhanced
opportunities for learning and research.
-30 -
For more information, please contact:
Susan Burton
Campaign Communications Officer
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 966-1851
Rhonda Speiss
Manager, Public Relations
PotashCorp
(306) 933-8544
--------------------------
PotashCorp Gift Designation Backgrounder
2006 Vanier Cup - Saskatoon
Economic Impact Estimates from Saskatoon Sports Tourism
It is expected that tourists coming to Saskatoon for the Vanier Cup will
spend $7,403,679 in Saskatchewan. Of this, $4,807,785 represents the profit
generated from their expenditures and is the net economic impact or Gross
Domestic Product (GDP) of the 2006 Vanier Cup.
Griffiths Stadium
The gift from PotashCorp will pay for upgrades including artificial turf,
stadium lights, and other refurbishments.
Griffiths Stadium is used by the University of Saskatchewan and the
Saskatoon community for Huskies football home games, community football and
rugby teams, elementary and high school track and field athletics, and a
variety of sporting events.
Huskie Football
Huskie football players have maintained a tradition of academic excellence.
Last year's team included:
- Three student/players named to the CIS Academic All-Canadian team, earning
a minimum 80.0% average on at least 18 credit units.
- Six student/players named to the Huskie Athletics All-Academic First Team,
with minimum averages of 79.5%.
- Eight student/players named to the Huskie Athletics All-Academic Second
Team, attaining averages of at least 74.5% on a minimum 24 credit units.
The Huskie Football team is currently represented in six Colleges at the
University of Saskatchewan: Agriculture, Arts and Science, Commerce,
Education, Engineering and Kinesiology.
Student athletes come from across Saskatchewan. While many are from
Saskatoon, they also come from Findlater, Eatonia, Loreburn, Foam Lake,
Caronport, Delisle, Wilkie, Wilcox, Humboldt and Hague. Fans come from
throughout the province to watch the Huskies play their home games at
Griffiths Stadium.
The Huskie football team has won the Vanier Cup Championship in 1990, 1996
and 1998 and played in the championship game seven times.
PotashCorp
PotashCorp is the world's largest fertilizer producer by capacity, producing
the three primary plant nutrients: potash, nitrogen and phosphate. From its
head office in Saskatoon, it has built an extended enterprise that includes
operations in seven countries and customers around the world.
In addition to being a leader in its industry, the company has a
longstanding practice of being a leader in the communities where it
operates. It has committed $5 million to the University of Saskatchewan's
current campaign and previously donated $5 million to construct the PCS
Centre at the College of Commerce.
