September 29, 2008
SaskEnergy announces program and scholarship help for Post-Secondary Students
Posted September 29, 2008
NEWS RELEASE - September 19, 2008
Today SaskEnergy announced two major investments into the future of Saskatchewan’s youth – especially for Aboriginal students planning to attend a post-secondary or trades-based institution.
For more information: http://www.saskenergy.com/about_saskenergy/news/news_releases/2008/080919.asp
September 26, 2008
Veterinary college at University of Saskatchewan welcomes 76 western Canadian students to veterinary profession
Posted September 26, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – September 26, 2008
2008-09-15-WCVM
A group of 76 men and women will receive an official welcome to the veterinary profession from the University of Saskatchewan’s Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) during an evening ceremony on Friday, September 26.
“We’re very pleased to welcome our newest and largest group of talented students to our four-year Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) program — the 44th class since the veterinary college opened in 1965,” says WCVM Dean Dr. Charles Rhodes.
During the college’s annual “White Coat Ceremony,” every first-year class member accepts a personalized lab coat from the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association. Each student also receives a stethoscope from the provincial veterinary medical association in the student’s home province.
Members of the regional college’s first-year class represent 50 communities located across Western Canada and in the Northwest Territories. Based on an interprovincial agreement, the WCVM accepts an allotted number of applicants from Canada’s four western provinces and the northern territories.
The class’s 20 Saskatchewan-based students include a Regina resident who helped to co-ordinate pet spay and neuter clinics in the province’s north, a graduate student from Ebenezer who is completing her Master of Science degree in environmental biology, and an agriculture student from a cattle and grain farm near Marshall, Sask.
“We’re very proud of the exceptional quality of our students’ academic records and their broad array of personal skills and experiences that will make them outstanding veterinarians,” says Rhodes.
He adds that the veterinary college is fortunate to have an excellent pool of applicants from which to select its student body each year. First-year veterinary students are selected based on their academic record, their animal-related experience and knowledge, their insight into the profession and their communication skills.
WCVM (www.wcvm.com) is a Canadian centre of expertise for veterinary education, clinical services and research that’s located on the U of S campus. Since 1969, more than 2,400 veterinarians have received their DVM degrees from the regional veterinary college. While most WCVM alumni live and work in Western Canada, former students can be found in more than 580 communities around the world.
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For more information, contact:
Myrna MacDonald
Communications, Western College of Veterinary Medicine
University of Saskatchewan
Tel: 306-225-4479
Cell: 306-291-9950
sm.ridley@sasktel.net
VIDO at U of S Receives More Funds for Infectious Disease Research and Vaccine Development
Posted September 26, 2008
NEWS RELEASE - SEPTEMBER 25, 2008
The Government of Saskatchewan will increase its annual funding to the University of Saskatchewan's Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO) by $1.7 million.
For more information: http://www.gov.sk.ca/news?newsId=68ae1408-e478-4f45-8580-5375c15c23d4
September 25, 2008
University of Saskatchewan Launches Student Business Plan Competition
Posted September 25, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – September 25, 2008
2008-09-14-ESB
The W. Brett Wilson Centre for Entrepreneurial Excellence at the University of Saskatchewan (U of S) has created a new student Idea Challenge competition with a top prize in excess of $50,000.
The I3 Idea Challenge, an eight-month endeavour to help students learn to think like an entrepreneur, was officially launched on campus this week with the appearance of innovator information booths. The I3 Idea Challenge, consists of three phases and simulates real life business startups, including competition for ideas and money and the formation of key strategic partnerships. The first phase helps students generate and screen ideas under the mentorship of U of S faculty and local business leaders. In phase two, students create executive summaries of their business concepts for submission to a judging panel.
The top 25 teams will be invited to participate in the phase three semi-finals and submit full business plans. Ten teams will advance to the finals, scheduled for May 2009, where they will present their ideas live for a chance at first prize.
“The idea challenge is more than just a competition,” says Sanj Singh, director of the W. Brett Wilson Centre for Entrepreneurial Excellence. “The challenge encourages innovative thinking to learn the discipline of entrepreneurship. That’s why the prize money is geared toward professional development and education, not necessarily starting a business. If a student starts a business, great, but we hope they discover they are not quite ready yet and more education is needed.”
Undergraduate, graduate, PhD students and post doctoral fellows from any discipline can participate in the competition. Student volunteers, called Innovators, are on-hand at the innovator information booths on campus to help interested students learn more about the competition and provide event passes that will allow students to attend further W. Brett Wilson Centre events. Booths, up until the end of today, are in eight locations across campus: Arts Building Tunnel; Aboriginal Students Centre; Engineering Building student lounge; Agriculture Building main floor; Biology Building main floor; Physical Activity Complex buffeteria; Health Sciences Building library; and the Commerce Building second floor foyer.
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, visit www.innovate.usask.ca or contact:
Melissa Strom, Associate
W. Brett Wilson Centre for Entrepreneurial Excellence
University of Saskatchewan
Telephone: (306) 966-4855
Email: melissa.strom@usask.ca
September 23, 2008
University of Saskatchewan Pharmacy Education and Research Receives Boost
Posted September 23, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – September 23, 2008
2008-09-13-PH&N
Students and faculty in the University of Saskatchewan’s College of Pharmacy gathered today in their pharmacy practice lab to thank Apotex Inc., Canada’s largest pharmaceutical company, for their recent gift to the college.
The $1.5 million donation from Apotex Inc., the largest single gift ever received by the college, will support three areas:
- a state-of-the-art pharmacy practice laboratory, which simulates a real-life pharmacy for undergraduate students, in the new Academic Health Science Centre
- additional research funding for faculty and graduate researchers
- increased graduate student support, providing crucial funding for continued study
“Our faculty members have achieved national and international distinction for their research activities in a variety of areas and we will build on that success by supporting new and innovative research ideas and projects,” said U of S Dean of Pharmacy and Nutrition Dennis Gorecki. “We have established a premiere graduate award to support outstanding students. And we can look to the future, with the completion of the Academic Health Science Centre and the Apotex Pharmacy Professional Practice Centre, to further enhance our undergraduate pharmacy program.”
“Apotex is a great Canadian business success story,” says Jack Kay, President of Apotex Inc. “but it does not stop there – giving back to our communities is just as important. This gift will help reduce the shortage of pharmacists in this country, and support great research and graduate work at the University of Saskatchewan. We are leaders in the support of pharmacy and we have committed over $16 million to all the Faculties of Pharmacy across Canada.”
The newly named Apotex Pharmacy Professional Practice Centre, currently located in the Thorvaldson Building on campus, will relocate to the university’s Academic Health Sciences Centre when it is complete. The Academic Health Sciences Centre will offer leading facilities to enable U of S health experts to teach, conduct research and practise in the community. In addition, the project will expand learning resources for students, healthcare instructors, clinical supervisors and practitioners across the province.
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:
Lisa Green, Development Officer
College of Pharmacy & Nutrition
University of Saskatchewan
Telephone: (306) 966-5823
Email: lisa.green@usask.ca
September 22, 2008
U of S Researcher Helps Identify Gene Linked to Labrador Retriever Ailment
Posted September 22, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - September 22, 2008
2008-09-11-WCVM
Researchers at the University of Saskatchewan’s Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) and the University of Minnesota’s College of Veterinary Medicine have identified a genetic mutation in Labrador retriever dogs that is highly associated with exercise-induced collapse (EIC) syndrome.
The findings published this week in Nature Genetics are expected to help dog breeders gradually reduce the number of Labradors with the trait in future generations.
After intense hunting or retrieving exercise, EIC-affected Labradors start to lose control of their hind limbs. In most cases, their legs get wobbly and their limbs give out. In rare cases, the dogs may die. Labradors are the most common dog breed in the world and an estimated three to five per cent of Labradors have this condition.
“After 13 years of working on this problem, we now have the definitive answer about the syndrome’s true cause for Labrador breeders and owners. This discovery will have a huge impact on the Labrador breed worldwide,” says Susan Taylor, a professor of small animal internal medicine at the WCVM.
“This is very exciting because it is the first naturally occurring mutation of this gene identified in any mammal,” adds James Mickelson, professor of veterinary sciences and a genetic researcher at the University of Minnesota. “Its discovery could offer insight into normal as well as abnormal neurobiology in both animals and humans.”
The research team identified a mutant form of the dynamin 1 gene as highly associated with EIC. The dynamin 1 protein normally maintains proper chemical communication between adjacent nerves, also known as synaptic transmission.
The mutated form of the dynamin protein in dogs with EIC appears to have diminished function. As a result, synaptic transmission is interrupted during intense exercise and excitement, causing collapse.
The researchers have also developed a genetic test for the mutated gene and determined that up to 30 per cent of Labrador retrievers are carriers of the mutation. EIC is inherited as an autosomal recessive trait, with affected dogs inheriting one copy of the mutation from each parent. Owners can have their dogs tested through their veterinarian by submitting a blood sample to the University of Minnesota Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory.
Taylor and her WCVM colleague, small animal surgeon Cindy Shmon, initiated a comprehensive clinical investigation of EIC in 1995 after examining an affected dog that was referred to the WCVM Veterinary Teaching Hospital. Suspecting that the syndrome had a novel genetic basis, Taylor contacted Mickelson and Edward Patterson at the University of Minnesota in 2001.
“The genetic research was based on more than 300 blood samples and pedigrees that we collected from affected and unaffected Labradors throughout North America,” says Taylor, who breeds Labradors and competes with them in retriever field trials.
The EIC research received financial support from the Morris Animal Foundation, the American Kennel Club Canine Health Foundation and the WCVM's Companion Animal Health Fund.
About WCVM: (www.wcvm.com) is a Canadian centre of expertise for veterinary education, clinical services and research that’s located on the U of S campus. More than 400 undergraduate and graduate students are enrolled at the regional veterinary college that annually attracts more than $10 million in research funding from public and private sources.
About U of S: (www.usask.ca) 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:
Myrna MacDonald
Communications, WCVM
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 225-4479
Cell: (306) 291-9950
Email: sm.ridley@sasktel.net
Dr. Susan Taylor, Professor
Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences
WCVM
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 966-7093
Email: sue.taylor@usask.ca
September 17, 2008
University of Saskatchewan Agreement with SIAST Adds Degree Options for Computer Systems Technology Grads
Posted September 17, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – September 17, 2008
2008-09-08-AR
Students in the Computer Systems Technology (CST) diploma program at the Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology (SIAST) now have the option to transfer their diploma and continue in a degree program through the University of Saskatchewan’s College of Arts & Science.
This agreement, which was officially signed during an event held today at the university, will enable graduates of SIAST’s Computer Systems Technology program to continue their studies in either a Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Science (Honours) or a Bachelor of Science (Honours) – Software Engineering degree program within the university’s College of Arts & Science. The transfer agreement will apply to past and future graduates of the SIAST Computer Systems Technology program.
“The Department of Computer Science is excited to offer SIAST students the ability to continue their studies in this dynamic and growing field with us,” said Eric Neufeld, head of the Department of Computer Science at the U of S. “This is an important agreement that allows SIAST graduates of Computer Systems Technology the ability to pursue a degree in Computer Science while remaining in Saskatchewan.”
Graduates from SIAST’s Computer Systems Technology diploma program who meet the entry requirements will now be able to complete one of the Computer Science degree programs in two years as a U of S student.
“This agreement adds to the versatility of a Computer Systems Technology diploma,” said Arnold Boldt, dean of Technology, SIAST. “Students gain marketable skills during their two years at SIAST, while at the same time having the option to gain a degree in an accelerated time frame.”
The University of Saskatchewan has secured, and continues to pursue, transfer articulation agreements with domestic and international post-secondary institutions, allowing for more options and flexibility for transfer students. SIAST has negotiated credit transfer options, including entry into degree programs, with a number of universities and colleges across Canada.
SIAST is Saskatchewan’s primary public institution for post-secondary technical education and skills training, recognized nationally and internationally for its expertise and innovation. Almost 12,000 students are registered in SIAST programs, which touch every sector of the economy; additionally, the organization draws more than 29,000 individual course registrations. It operates campuses in Moose Jaw, Prince Albert, Regina and Saskatoon, and provides a number of courses and programs through distance education.
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:
Kirk Sibbald, Communications Officer
College of Arts & Science
University of Saskatchewan
Tel: (306) 966-1982
Email: kirk.sibbald@artsandscience.usask.ca
Clayton Cunningham
Marketing and Communications
Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology
Tel: (306) 765-1653 or Cell: (306) 961-3036
Email: cunninghamc@siast.sk.ca
September 12, 2008
U of S BioVenture Challenge Finalists Named
Posted September 12, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday, September 12, 2008
2008-09-05-OTHER
Eight budding entrepreneurs—all University of Saskatchewan students or graduates 35 or under—have been named finalists in the U of S 2008 BioVenture Business Plan Challenge and will go on to compete for a $50,000 prize to help take the winning business plan from idea to reality.
The finalists were announced today at Innovation Place by U of S Acting Associate Vice-President Jim Basinger. Their ideas for a Saskatchewan-based “bio-economy” business range from biodigestors for alternative energy to extracts for the cosmetic industry derived from a thorny shrub known as seabuckthorn.
“The U of S Industry Liaison Office is proud to partner with Saskatchewan Agriculture to celebrate these outstanding young U of S graduates and entrepreneurs who will undoubtedly be running successful businesses in Saskatchewan that will enhance job and wealth creation in our thriving bio-economy,” said Basinger.
The eight entrepreneurs associated with the final five business plans will receive intensive coaching and mentorship to refine their plans. The entrepreneur whose plan is judged the best will receive $50,000 from the Industry Liaison Office (ILO) to launch or run his or her venture. The winner will be announced early in the new year.
As well, all finalists will have the fee waived for submitting their business plans to the Saskatchewan Angel Investors Network (SAINT) for funding consideration. SAINT is a member-based group of investors with an interest in investing in early stage and growth-focused Saskatchewan companies.
Judges include representatives from Saskatchewan Agriculture, ILO, SAINT and the Saskatchewan Entrepreneurial Foundation.
The finalists are:
- Joel Ahmed, a master’s student in ag and bioresource engineering, aims through his company ViSens to build small-scale ethanol plants supported by community refineries. The feedstock is non-food bio-waste from agriculture. His process would provide fuel using technology that is environmentally friendly and non-energy intensive. (306) 881-5635
- Oksana Akhova and Melissa Strom, who both received master’s degrees in business administration in 2007, intend to use fireweed, a common Saskatchewan plant, to produce herbal tea leaves, as well as develop seabuckthorn extract for the cosmetic industry. Seabuckthorn is known for its exceptional nutrient and antioxidant qualities.
Akhova: (306) 651-2140
Strom: (306) 477-2042
- Patrick Mah, a 2006 commerce graduate, has been working to develop an economically viable “in situ bioremediation” process for use on “brownfields”—contaminated land previously used for industrial purposes. His company, New Wave Environmental Technologies (New Wave) Limited, will enable brownfields that are visually unappealing and health hazards to become productive, useful and valuable real estate again. (306) 242-2434
- Karthikeyan Narayanan and Zafer Dallal Bashi, both PhD students in food and bio-product sciences, are developing a methyl ester/biodiesel system that uses waste vegetable oil as a feedstock. This will be a co-operative based on building a network for waste oil collection and conversion to biodiesel, thereby fostering development of biodiesel production in local communities.
Narayanan: (306) 956-2892
Dallal Bashi: (306) 717-5978
- Scott Parry and Brandon Hall, both 2008 engineering graduates, are developing an “anaerobic biodigestor” that can help with agricultural livestock waste disposal while providing methane and high-grade fertilizer. By providing environmentally friendly processing of animal waste, Parry and Hall intend to help both the producer and the province harness a wasted, renewable energy resource. Parry: (306) 717-6974
The U of S ILO, located at Innovation Place, is dedicated to helping U of S researchers, faculty, staff, and students identify inventions arising from their research and to work with them to protect their intellectual property and help commercialize promising new technologies.
About the U of S: 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, contact:
Lorna Shaw-Lennox
Start-Up Company Specialist
Industry Liaison Office (ILO)
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 966-7338
Lorna.Shaw-Lennox@usask.ca
http://www.usask.ca/research/ilo
September 05, 2008
University of Saskatchewan Creates Workplace Learning Opportunities for Students
Posted September 05, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – September 5, 2008
2008-09-02-EBUS
In partnership with the business community, the University of Saskatchewan (U of S) is providing third-year business students with a practical way to gain work experience, explore career options in relevant industries and be mentored by professionals, all while earning academic credit.
During an event held today at the U of S, Grant Isaac, dean of the university’s Edwards School of Business, announced 15 students successfully participated in a pilot of the Business Co-operative Education Program. The program, which officially got underway in January 2008, pairs the skills and interests of students with various organizations throughout Saskatchewan during a four-to-eight month work placement. Thanks to a $250,000 donation from Cameco Corporation to help the program grow, 46 students are registered for the 2008-2009 academic year. Ultimately the program will accommodate 200 students.
“We are delighted to have partnered with the University of Saskatchewan on a number of initiatives, the most recent being the Edwards School of Business and the Business Cooperative Education Program,” said Rita Mirwald, senior vice-president of corporate services for Cameco Corporation, whose company was one of the program’s first co-op employers. “Cameco Corporation worked with three students during the pilot program and we were very impressed by their high calibre of education and professionalism.”
“The Business Co-operative Education Program is often a student’s first exposure to a professional business environment and is a very practical means of enhancing the student learning experience,” said Isaac. “Students learn from and make valuable connections with business leaders. Companies, on the other hand, gain access to top students as part of their recruiting process, and benefit from the fresh ideas students bring to the work environment.”
The Business Co-operative Education Program also benefits students financially. Canadian Western Bank (CWB) and Certified Management Accountants (CMA) Saskatchewan have both stepped up to provide annual achievement awards to students who exceed their co-op employers’ expectations. During the Friday event, CWB presented Joren Burton and Travis Low each with $2,500 for accomplishments during work placements at UMA Engineering Ltd. and Wiegers Financial Ltd., respectively. CMA Saskatchewan will offer two $2,000 awards annually to co-op accounting students pursuing a CMA designation after graduation.
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 additional information, contact:
Brent Wellman, Director
Goodspeed Career Services, Edwards School of Business
University of Saskatchewan
Telephone: (306) 966-1283
