June 20, 2008
University of Saskatchewan Announces New Approach to Teaching and Learning
Posted June 20, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - June 20, 2008
2008-06-06-OTHER
The University of Saskatchewan (U of S) has created a new position to provide leadership for academic innovation and renewal as part of the institution's new four-year strategic plan. Effective July 1, 2008, Ernie Barber, currently the University's interim provost and vice-president academic, will become the vice-provost teaching and learning, for a two-year term.
"Improving the teaching, learning, and student experience is one of the University's top priorities over the next four years," said incoming Provost and Vice-President Academic Brett Fairbairn, who assumes his new role July 1. "As vice-provost teaching and learning, Dr. Barber will provide leadership and support for those involved in teaching and learning at the University."
The University's focus on enhanced teaching and learning is a key part of its overall integrated plan and this will involve innovation in teaching and learning, such as hands-on learning, both inside and outside the classroom.
"The University has identified a need for increased focus and leadership in teaching and learning, and I look forward to engaging with academic units and students," said Barber. In his new position, Dr. Barber will work to enhance the University's academic programming and instruction, and as past professor, dean, and acting provost, he brings a wealth of experience to the position.
Fairbairn said, "The new position will complement current Vice-Provost Jim Germida's role, which focuses on faculty recruitment and retention."
Located in the heart of Saskatoon, the University of Saskatchewan is one of the leading medical doctoral universities in Canada. With 58 degrees, diplomas and certificates in over 100 areas of study, the University is uniquely positioned in the areas of human, animal and plant studies. World-class research facilities, renowned faculty and award winning students make the U of S a leader in post-secondary education.
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For more information, contact:
Patty Martin, Community and Media Relations Specialist
University Communications
University of Saskatchewan
Tel: (306) 966-6919
Email: patty.martin@usask.ca
June 16, 2008
U of S VIDO launches $2-million project with India to develop tools for improved food safety
Posted June 16, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - June 16, 2008
2008-06-05-VIDO
The University of Saskatchewan's Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO) is a key partner in a $2-million Canada-India initiative to improve food safety through the application of biotechnology in developing an innovative device for rapidly diagnosing disease in cattle.
"With this project, we have the opportunity to apply VIDO's expertise in large animal models and in immune-response technology to empower rural farmers in India." said VIDO director Dr. Andrew Potter. "This technology could be life-changing in a country where owning a cow can lift a family from poverty."
The project aims to apply "lateral flow technology" - the same technology used in over-the-counter pregnancy tests - to develop a simple device for diagnosing diseases such as respiratory disease and mastitis. The device is expected to be commercially available in about two years.
Currently, diagnostic techniques are slow and expensive. By enabling farmers and feedlot operators to rapidly and cost-effectively identify infected animals, treatment will occur earlier and be more effective. This will increase the overall health of the herd and save billions of dollars lost to livestock diseases annually. Bovine respiratory disease causes more than half of feedlot deaths, while annual losses due to mastitis run up to $300 million in Canada alone.
"We look forward to the significant research and commercialization that this unique public-private partnership with India will bring," said U of S Vice-President Research Steven Franklin, noting the U of S has identified India as a strategic priority for research and development.
The project is one of 10 across Canada announced today by the governments of Canada and India as part of the Canada-India Agreement for Scientific and Technological Co-operation. Each project will involve corporate and academic research partners in both countries. The total funding from all sources in the joint initiatives will be $17 million.
VIDO will receive $600,000 from the International Science and Technology Partnerships Canada (ISTPCanada), an arm's length, non-profit organization. Similarly, the Bharatiya Agro Industries Foundation (BAIF) Development Research Foundation in Pune, India will receive funding from India's Global Innovation & Technology Alliance.
Other funding partners in the VIDO-BAIF project include Safeguard Biosystems of Toronto which holds patents on lateral flow devices, and Vetnex Livestock and Canine Business, the animal health unit of RFCL Ltd. of New Delhi.
The project will be jointly led by VIDO director Dr. Andrew Potter and BAIF President Dr. Narayan Hegde. A management committee will incorporate representatives of VIDO, Safeguard, BAIF and Vetnex.
The new technology is expected to dramatically reduce the amount of time before results become available, greatly simplify the training required to conduct tests, and decrease the cost of the diagnostics and need for extensive supporting facilities and equipment.
It is hoped the partnership will eventually lead to diagnostics for economically important diseases in other agricultural species.
Earlier this year, U of S Vice-President Franklin led a senior delegation to India to fortify U of S research partnerships. Efforts undertaken in India over the past two years have focused on areas where U of S has considerable expertise, including human and animal health, engineering and biotechnology.
The University of Saskatchewan's VIDO protects humans and animals from infectious disease through bold advances in vaccination and immunity-enhancing technologies. VIDO offers interdisciplinary training opportunities for students and postgraduates and is leading construction of the International Vaccine Centre (InterVac), the largest Containment Level 3 vaccine research centre in Canada. VIDO has achieved five world firsts and operates with the support of the provincial governments of Saskatchewan and Alberta, the Government of Canada, charitable foundations and competitive grants. www.vido.org
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For more information, visit www.international.gc.ca/index.aspx or contact:
Tess Laidlaw
VIDO Communications Officer
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 966-1506
June 11, 2008
U of S Historian Awarded $1.4 Million for Residential School Research
Posted June 11, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - June 11, 2008
2008-06-04-AR
Saskatoon, SK - University of Saskatchewan history professor James Miller has been awarded $1.4 million from the federal Canada Research Chair (CRC) program to advance his study of how churches and the federal government have attempted to make amends with residential school victims.
As a leading expert on residential school abuse, Miller's CRC renewal comes as no surprise. His research is receiving national media attention as he has become a valuable source for thoughtful commentary on today's federal apology to residential school victims at the House of Commons.
Miller hopes that forums such as the federal apology to residential school survivors and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission will provide victims with emotional relief and help them move forward in healing the damage done.
Already a CRC in Native-newcomer relations, Miller and his graduate student team have seven more years of funding to analyze public apologies to residential school victims, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, and recent court settlements. By delving into these documents and historical records, Miller hopes the books he writes will contribute to policymaking and public understanding surrounding residential schools' legacy.
"I started research in the field of Native-newcomer relations because I was perplexed by what I saw around me," says Miller. "Like most Canadians who think about the matter today, I wondered why things were so messed up, why were relations so bad between us, and why do Aboriginal communities very often have such serious socio-economic and health problems? How did it get like this?"
Miller's reputation for balanced Native-newcomer research stretches back 25 years. He has authored seven books, including Shingwauk's Vision: A History of Native Residential Schools, co-winner of the 1996 Saskatchewan Book Award and named an "Outstanding Book" by the Gustavus Myer Center for the Study of Human Rights in North America.
This CRC renewal was included in a $113-million national funding announcement of 127 new appointments and renewals made yesterday by federal Minister of the Environment John Baird on behalf of Jim Prentice, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for the Canada Research Chairs Program.
The U of S has 24 Chairs under the CRC program, designed to attract the best talent from Canada and around the world. For more profiles of U of S Canada Research chair holders, visit http://www.usask.ca/crc/ or the national CRC website at http://www.chairs.gc.ca.
To view a video of Jim Miller describing his CRC research on residential schools, visit http://www.usask.ca/research/100yrsinnovation/videos.php.
Located in the heart of Saskatoon, the U of S is one of the leading medical doctoral universities in Canada. With 58 degrees, diplomas and certificates in over 100 areas of study, the University is uniquely positioned in the areas of human, animal and plant studies. World-class research facilities, renowned faculty and award-winning students make the U of S a leader in post-secondary education.
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For more information or to arrange an interview, contact:
Cameron Zimmer
Research Communications
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 966-2427
cam.zimmer@usask.ca
www.usask.ca/research
June 10, 2008
University of Saskatchewan Appoints Dean of Dentistry
Posted June 10, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - June 10, 2008
2008-06-03-DE
The University of Saskatchewan (U of S) is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Gerry Uswak as Dean, College of Dentistry, for a five-year renewable term effective July 1, 2008. Dr. Uswak's appointment is the result of an extensive international search that attracted candidates from around the globe.
Dr. Uswak joined the University of Saskatchewan as an associate professor in Community Dentistry in 2005 and has served as acting dean of the University's College of Dentistry for the past two years. Active as a clinical supervisor in northern Saskatchewan, Dr. Uswak is also an accomplished teacher, lecturer and researcher. Most recently, Dr. Uswak was part of the U of S research team that tested solar-powered titanium toothbrushes, a revolutionary invention that eliminates the need for toothpaste.
"Dr. Uswak has been a valuable member of the University of Saskatchewan academic community as both a faculty member and leader over the past three years," said U of S Acting Provost and Vice-President Academic Ernie Barber. "His commitment to his profession, the local and provincial community and the student experience through clinical learning will be of tremendous importance to the college and the University over the next several years."
Dr. Uswak received his Doctor of Dental Medicine in 1989 from the University of Manitoba, followed by a hospital dentistry internship at the Health Sciences Centre in Winnipeg. His dental public health specialty training was completed at the University of North Carolina's Chapel Hill School of Public Health and his residency at the North Carolina Division of Dental Health. From 2002 to 2005, Dr. Uswak was CEO of the Inuvik Regional Health and Social Services Authority, which included Canada's most northerly hospital.
"There's no other place I'd rather be than the University of Saskatchewan," said Dr. Uswak. "It is my hope the University's College of Dentistry will play an increasingly greater role in primary health care, helping the community achieve well-being while helping our students build clinical and cultural competencies."
Located in the heart of Saskatoon, the University of Saskatchewan is one of the leading medical doctoral universities in Canada. With 58 degrees, diplomas and certificates in over 100 areas of study, the University is uniquely positioned in the areas of human, animal and plant studies. World-class research facilities, renowned faculty and award winning students make the U of S a leader in post-secondary education.
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For more information, contact:
Patty Martin, Community and Media Relations Specialist
University Communications
University of Saskatchewan
Tel: (306) 966-6919
Email: patty.martin@usask.ca
June 03, 2008
University of Saskatchewan Tractor Team Impressive in Competition
Posted June 03, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - June 3, 2008
2008-06-01-ENG
The Sled Dogs Quarter-Scale Tractor Team from the University of Saskatchewan (U of S) has come home from a Peoria, Illinois competition with several awards, and with the admiration of some of the world's largest manufacturers of agricultural and construction equipment.
The team, from the College of Engineering, returned to Saskatoon June 3 having placed fifth overall in a field of 27 teams, many from significant U.S. schools like Penn State, Texas A & M, Ohio State and Nebraska. For the students and their faculty advisor though, the big victory came in how top industry engineers and recruiters responded to the U of S.
"This isn't your typical student competition," said advisor Terry Fonstad, an associate professor of Agricultural and Resource Engineering. "The tractor pulling is fun but this competition is designed to teach students certain skills and to prepare them to work in industry. To have top people from companies like Deere and Caterpillar so impressed with the students' prototype machine was a real bonus for the team."
The Sled Dogs won the maneuverability section of the competition, and were third in the oral presentation, which is given to equipment manufacturing engineers and managers to convince them to take the team's design to production. The Dogs were also voted top in appearance by the panel of judges and other competitors, and first in ergonomics where industry judges look at customer needs and operator comfort.
Fonstad said to compete, teams must meet the strict design standards set out each year by the equipment manufacturers who developed and organize the event.
"What was particularly encouraging this year was seeing the company recruiters hunting down our entire team to talk to them about future careers in the industry," said Fonstad. "This was a breakthrough that can be attributed to the hard work and quality of our students."
Located in the heart of Saskatoon, the University of Saskatchewan is one of the leading medical doctoral universities in Canada. With 58 degrees, diplomas and certificates in over 100 areas of study, the University is uniquely positioned in the areas of human, animal and plant studies. World-class research facilities, renowned faculty and award winning students make the U of S a leader in post-secondary education.
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For more information, contact:
Terry Fonstad, Associate Professor of Agricultural and Resource Engineering
College of Engineering
University of Saskatchewan
Tel: (306) 966-7860 OR Cell: (306) 260-6780
