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‘Veritable Cyber Circus’ on Black Hole stage

What’s up, doc? Archives’ Bugs Bunny at the WAG

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Sober federal budget shows restraint

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The Bulletinpage 5

University of Manitoba

March 11, 2010 Vol. 43. No. 17 umanitoba.ca/bulletin

John Loxley from the department of economics has won the 2010 John Kenneth Galbraith (JKG) Prize in Economics.

The JKG Prize is awarded every two years and is based on a demonstrated contribution combining economic analysis with a commitment to social justice. It is given to the economist whose work best exemplifies the goals and objectives of the Progressive Economics Forum (PEF), a group of 125 Canadian economists.

“I am very pleased and pleasantly surprised by the news,” Loxley said.

Loxley’s research concerns development economics, international monetary and financial systems, and community economic development.

“However,” his colleague Jim Stanford said, “it is more through his enduring and important personal commitment to activism that John has really left a lasting benefit for social change efforts in Canada and around the world.”

Loxley has worked on, among many other things, international debt issues and developing grass-roots economic development

initiatives with First Nations communities in northern Manitoba.

“There are a lot of problems that need solving and inequality is a big one,” Loxley said. “We are fairly privileged as University professors and those of us privileged to have an education have a responsibility to help.”

The JKG Prize comes with a $2,000 award and the winner delivers a lecture to the PEF at the bi-annual meeting. Loxley will give his lecture in Quebec in May.

Economics beyond mere numbersUniversity of Manitoba professor wins Galbraith prize

Sweat for the common goodAlternative Spring Break in El Salvador a success for second year

MARIIANNE MAYS WIEBEThe Bulletin

During the February break as members of the Alternative Spring Break Team, twelve University of Manitoba students travelled to rural El Salvador for an outside of the classroom learning experience.

Students from Faculty of Arts, Faculty of Science, Engineering, UMSU, Pharmacy, School of Music and the Asper School of Business were in El Salvador from February 10 to February 22, 2010, along with advisors Meghan Laube and Joe Danis from University of Manitoba’s Office of Student Life.

In El Salvador, the group laid the foundation for a living classroom facility in the town of Santa Catarina Masahuat. When complete, the classroom will service surrounding communities and offer the opportunity to engage in organic farming methods and sustainable agriculture.

Working with the Lutheran World Federation Central America (LWF) and the local agricultural association, students carried out various tasks on site, said director of Student Life Joe Danis. A barn was renovated, a field cleared for a large greenhouse, a fence was built, and agricultural land cleared for a coffee plantation. 2010 was Year One of a five-year project that will include terracing, irrigation, and soil preparation for the following planting season.

The El Salvador program was conceived in 2008 as a Service Learning program with Student Life and the University of Manitoba Students’ Union (UMSU). Danis said that students were

integral to the program’s genesis.“Our office was interested in

expanding our current international service learning programs to complement

the five-week program we offer in Bangladesh with something more short-term and closer geographically. Coincidentally, Sid Rashid, UMSU vice

president at the time, came forward with the idea of doing an international service project over reading week. From there, the two ideas meshed into one and

Continued on page 6

John Loxley

University of Manitoba student reads with children as part of Service Learning Program trip to El Salvador. Submitted photo

The Bulletin March 11, 2010

The Bulletin is the newspaper of record for the University of Manitoba. It is published by the Public Affairs department every second Thursday from September to June and monthly in December, July and August.

The Bulletin welcomes submissions from members of the university community. Submissions can include letters to the editor, columns, news briefs and story and photo suggestions.

Material in The Bulletin may be reprinted or broadcast, excepting materials for which The Bulletin does not hold exclusive copyright.

Editor/Advertising/ProductionPublic Affairs

Phone: 474 8111 Fax: 474 7631E-mail: [email protected]

Academic AdvertisingKathy Niziol

Phone: 474 7195 Fax: 474 7505E-mail: [email protected]

This issue’s contributors: Mariianne Mays Wiebe, Pat Goss, Sean Moore, Chris Reid, Chris Rutkowski

ScheduleIssue Date: March 25, 2010Copy/advertising deadline: March 17Issue Date: April 8Copy/advertising deadline: March 31

Return undeliverable copies withCanadian addresses to:The University of Manitoba Bulletin137 Education Building,University of ManitobaWinnipeg, MB R3T 2N2Phone: (204) 474 8111Fax: (204) 474 7631

EventsThe Bulletin publishes notifications of events taking place at the University of Manitoba or events that are of particular interest to the university community. There is no charge for running notices in the events column.

Send events notices to:[email protected]

Advertising PolicyWith the exception of advertisements from the University of Manitoba, ads carried in The Bulletin do not imply recommenda-tion by the university for the product or service. The Bulletin will not knowingly publish any advertisement which is illegal, misleading or offensive to its readers. The Bulletin will also reject any advertisement which violates the university’s internal policies, equity/human rights or code of conduct.

The Bulletin can be viewed online at umanitoba.ca/bulletin

The BulletinUniversity of Manitoba

In The News

Advertise in the BulletinFor details call 474 8111

Correction NoticeIn the February 25th issue of the Bulletin, the name of one of the St John’s College Honorary degree recipients was omitted.

The Most Reverend James Weisgerber will be awarded a Doctor of Divinity (Honoris Causa) degree at the 144th Annual Convocation of St John’s College, Sunday November 7, 2010.

Slow down, it’s not a raceMarch 8, 2010 Winnipeg Free Press

The Winnipeg Police recently launched the second phase of its campaign to persuade motorists to drive slower and Michelle Porter, a kinesiology and recreational management professor, who researches driving behaviors, offered her insights. Porter said researchers are looking at setting speed limits based on harm reduction versus a road engineering perspective. “You look at whether the road has a lot of pedestrians, whether it’s divided, the quality of the roadway, and decide what speed it should be to reduce fatalities,” she said.

Let it goMarch 5, 2010 The Winnipeg Sun

Rumours still report that the Winnipeg Jets hockey team is returning after more than a decade since the team flew south to Phoenix, Arizona. Jessica Cameron, a professor of social and personality psychology, suggested hockey fans’ fixation on “bringing back the Jets” might be compared with a bad breakup of a romantic relationship, or even a loss of a spouse. “It creates a kind of empty place that you feel once it’s gone,” Cameron said, adding it’s common in widowhood to “idealize the past partner” and to “kind of maintain a relationship with that person, even though they’re gone.” Trying to hold on, could be “destructive”, she said – unless, of course, they come back.

What will be for dinner then?March 5, 2010Winnipeg Free Press

The International Institute for Sustainable Development – a Winnipeg-based environmental think tank – recently released a report elucidating the effects of phosphorus spilling into Manitoba’s waterways. Not only does phosphorus promote the growth of algae but the failure to capture and reuse phosphorus could contribute to a global food crisis as supplies of the vital fertilizer run low, the report said. Some scientists say the world’s supply of phosphorus rock will be exhausted within 100 years. But soil science professor Don Flaten doesn’t think it will be that fast, but it will indeed be critical. “When we run into a shortage of phosphorus, it’s going to make an oil shortage look like a minor issue,” Flaten said. “I don’t think the shortage is quite as imminent as some people think...but given that it’s very important, we should start right away to take better care of phosphorus.”

She’s got styleMarch 1, 2010Winnipeg Free Press

Student Madelaine Calanza in the Faculty of Human Ecology showcased her talents at one of Canada’s most exclusive fashion events: the Telio Design Competition. Calanza is the only Manitoban among 25 fashion students from across the country chosen as finalists who will get to see their garments modeled on the catwalk during Montreal Fashion Week.

Headlines“NDP keeps Doer’s seat,” Winnipeg Free Press and Brandon Sun, March 3, 2010, story about graduate Matt Wiebe who is the new MLA for Concordia.

“U of M student’s snap wins photo competition,” Winnipeg Free Press, March 3, 2010, story about student Dylan Hewlett who is among the winners of the 2010 SNAP!Stars photo competition, which sees 10 student photographers awarded $1,500 each and a chance to display their work alongside Canada’s top photographers at a gala in Toronto.

More awards

On Friday, March 19 and Saturday, March 20, 2010, the 9th Annual Elders & Traditional Teachers Gathering at the University of Manitoba will be hosted by the Aboriginal Student Centre, the Department of Native Studies, the University of Manitoba Students’ Association and ACCESS at Aboriginal House on the Fort Garry Campus.

“Respect” is this year’s theme, and traditional teaching circles will be led by visiting and local guest Elders, including Peter Irniq, former Deputy Minister of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth of Nunavut, Violet Cabaiosai, one of the walkers of the Mother Earth Water Walk for the Great Lakes that began in 2003, and Annie Wilson, a Resident Elder of

Seven Generations Education Institute.The mission of the annual gathering

is to have a place for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people to meet, to promote and share traditional knowledge and traditional teachers’ knowledge as well as to connect the University of Manitoba with First Nations communities.

Opening Ceremonies take place at Aboriginal House on Friday, March 19 at 10:00 a.m. and Friday events end at 4:30 p.m. A feast will follow in University Centre. The gathering resumes on Saturday, March 20 at 10:00 a.m., with Closing Ceremonies at 3:30 p.m.

Everyone is welcome and invited to attend this free event.

Congratulations to University of Manitoba Public Affairs Communications Officers Chris Rutkowski and Michael Marshall who won a 2009 Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) Award in the Video and Multimedia/Public Relations Videos category for their “Campus Files” project.

Public Affairs has also won a Silver

for its “More” brochure at the CASE District VIII Communication Awards competition, in the category of Visual Design. The brochure was developed to serve as an innovative and engaging introduction to the institution, conveying the university’s ongoing achievements in the academic, research and community engagement realm.

9th Annual Elders & Traditional Teachers Gathering

Starting a business?Don’t know where to turn?

Call 474-9949We will be accepting new clients in October, 200

The clinic is designed for entrepreneurs who require information* regarding new business organizations: incorporation, partnership, sole proprietorship and non-profit.

Get free information* from theL. Kerry Vickar Business Law Clinicat the Faculty of Law

*Students do not give legal advice


Events ListingUniversity of Manitoba

Fort Garry Campus

EventsThe Bulletin publishes events involving the university community at no cost.• The deadline for the March 25 Bulletin is March 17 at 4:30 p.m.• E-mail events to • [email protected].

Read stories of real students and more.itsmyfuture.ca

THURSDAY, MARCH 1129th Annual George A. Lubinsky Memorial Lecture presented by the Biological Sciences Graduate Students’ Association, The Evolution of Evolution: Darwin Then and Now by David Reznick, University of California Riverside, Moot Court, Robson Hall (Law Building), 7:00 p.m., Thursday March 11. Reception to follow.

FRIDAY, MARCH 12Department of Economics Seminar, The Effect of State Tax Preferences on the Living Arrangements of Elderly Individuals—Evidence from PSID by Jie Pan and G. Wagner, Loyola and University of Arkansas, 307 Tier Building, 2:40 p.m., Friday, March 12.

Faculty of Engineering Seminar by Vladimir Okhmatovski Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, E3-262 EITC (Senate Chamber Room), 2:00 p.m., coffee and cookies will be available from 1:30 p.m. in E2-361 EITC, Friday, March 12.

Electrical and Computer Engineering Department Seminar Series, Silicon Photonics: Beyond the Roadmap by Andrew P. Knights, Department of Engineering Physics, McMaster University, E3-262 EITC, 2:00 p.m., Friday, March 12.

Colloquium in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, Black Holes and the Problem of Information-Loss by Saurya Das, CAP Lecture Tour Speaker 2010, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Lethbridge, 11 Armes Building, 3:30 p.m., Friday, March 12.

2010 George A. Lubinsky Departmental Seminar presented by the Biological Sciences Graduate Students’ Association, Experimental Studies of the Interaction Between Ecological and Evolutionary Processes in a Natural Ecosystem by David Reznick, University of California Riverside, 306 Buller, 11:30 a.m., Friday March 12.

TUESDAY, APRIL 13Manitoba Centre for Nursing and Health Research Presentation, But it’s their right to smoke: Critically reflecting on the rights of smokers by Annette Schultz, 370 Helen Glass Centre, 12:00 p.m., Tuesday, April 13. To participate in this session via Telehealth and to register your site, please contact the Manitoba Centre for Nursing and Health Research at 474-9080 or [email protected].

MONDAY, MARCH 15Centre for Creative Writing and Oral Culture Roundtable Discussion, Re/Making the Canadian West: Regional Literature in a Globalized World, with George Bowering, professor emeritus (SFU), inaugural Canadian Parliamentary Poet Laureate David Arnason, Alison Calder and Warren Cariou, Cross Common Room, 108 St. John’s College, 3:30 p.m., Monday, March 15. Free and open to the public. Reception to follow.

TUESDAY, MARCH 16Manitoba Centre for Nursing & Health Research Research Seminar Series, The Sleep/Wake Patterns of Critical Care Nurses Engaged in Shiftwork: A Pilot Study by Asha Pereira, 370 Helen Glass Centre, 12:15 p.m., Tuesday, March 16. To participate in this session via Telehealth and to register your site, please contact the Manitoba Centre for Nursing and Health Research at 474-9080 or [email protected].

THURSDAY, MARCH 18Cecile Clayton-Gouthro Memorial Lecture, Dressing Up and Dressing Down: The Politics of Clothing in Aboriginal Art by Ruth Phillip, 260 Helen Glass Building, 7:00 p.m., Thursday, March 18.

FRIDAY, MARCH 199th Annual Elders & Traditional Teachers Gathering, Aboriginal House, 45 Curry Place, University of Manitoba, Opening Ceremonies 10:00 a.m., gathering closes at 4:00 p.m. with feast

to follow in University Centre. For more information contact Aboriginal Student Centre at (204) 474-8850, fax (204) 275-3142, email [email protected], website http://umanitoba.ca/student/asc/

Colloquium in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, Supernova Remnants as Nearby Laboratories for the Study of Extreme Physics and the Life Cycles of Matter and Energy by Samar Safi-Harb, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Manitoba, 330 Allen Building, 3:30 p.m., Friday, March 19.

Centre for Creative Writing and Oral Culture Reading by award-winning poet and novelist Marilyn Bowering, Cross Common Room, 108 St. John’s College, 9:30 a.m., Friday, March 19. For more information see umanitoba.ca/centres/ccwoc/ or call 480-1065. This event is free and open to the public.

SATURDAY, MARCH 209th Annual Elders & Traditional Teachers Gathering, Aboriginal House, 45 Curry Place, University of Manitoba, event resumes at 10:00 a.m., Closing Ceremonies, 3:30 p.m. For more information contact Aboriginal Student Centre at (204) 474-8850, fax (204) 275-3142, email [email protected], website http://umanitoba.ca/student/asc/

TUESDAY, MARCH 23Manitoba Centre for Nursing & Health Research Seminar Series, Managing tobacco use during hospitalization:

Listening to patient and health provider experiences of enacting a smoke-free ground restriction by Annette Schultz, Room 370, Helen Glass Centre, 12:15 p.m., Tuesday, March 23. To participate in this session via Telehealth and to register your site, please contact the Manitoba Centre for Nursing and Health Research at 474-9080 or [email protected].

THURSDAY, MARCH 25President’s Town Hall, Bannatyne Campus, Frederick Gaspard Theatre, Basic Medical Sciences Bldg with a video link to the Fort Garry Campus, EITC – E3-262 (Senate Chambers), Thursday, March 25, 2010. The event will also be webcast so that staff and faculty can view the town hall from their desk tops.

FRIDAY, MARCH 26Colloquium in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, Cold, Laser-Trapped Atoms: the “Other” Energy Frontier in Particle Physics by Gerald Gwinner, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Manitoba, Room 330 Allen Building, 3:30 p.m., Friday, March 26.

Department of Economics Seminar, Ross Hickey, UBC Okanagan, Room 307 Tier Bldg., 2:40 p.m., Friday, March 26.

and St. Boniface General Hospital and Research Centre

Bannatyne Campus

Medical rounds are typically targeted at university staff and professionals directly involved in the medical field.

THURSDAY, MARCH 11Pediatric Grand Rounds, Theatre A, Basic Medical Science Building, Linked St. Boniface, NG002, 8:00 a.m., Thursday, March 11.

Combined Department of Immunology Seminar/MICH Research Rounds, Anaphylaxis: Recent Advances, Research Questions by F. Estelle R. Simons, MD, FRCPC, FAAP, FACAAI, FAAAAI, Department of Pediatrics & Child Health, Department of Immunology and New Etiologies of Old Pediatric Problems: Linking Folate to Pre- and Postnatal Childhood disorders by Aziz Mhanni, Pediatric Genetics & Metabolism, 500 John Buhler Research Centre (Boardroom), 12:00 p.m., Thursday, March 11.

FRIDAY, MARCH 12Pediatric Nephrology Rounds, Room JL397A, 12:00 p.m., Friday, March 12.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences Grand Rounds, Management of the Third Stage of Labour: The Ongoing Debate by Jason Elliott, resident, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Frederic Gaspard Theatre (formerly “A”; Link NG002 St. Boniface General Hospital), 7:45 a.m., Wednesday, March 17.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences Grand Rounds, Little Red Flags: Paraneoplastic Disorders of Gynacologic Interest by Devon Ambrose, resident, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Frederic Gaspard Theatre (formerly “A”; Link NG002 St. Boniface General Hospital), 7:45 a.m., Wednesday, March 17.

THURSDAY, MARCH 25C o m b i n e d D e p a r t m e n t o f Immunology Seminar/MICH Research Rounds, Molecular Mechanisms of Signal Transduction by G-protein Coupled Receptors (GPCRs) by Prashen Chelikani, Department of Oral Biology, Faculty of Dentistry, Room 500. John Buhler Research Centre (Boardroom), 12:00 p.m., Thursday, March 25.

FRIDAY, MARCH 2616th Annual Centre on Ageing Research Forum, Educational Research: Planning, Conducting, and Evaluating Quantitative and Qualitative Approaches by John Creswell, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 12 p.m., Frederic Gaspard Theatre (Theatre A), Bannatyne Campus. Following his lecture Dr. Creswell will conduct a workshop in S211 Medical Services Building from 1:30 to 3:00 p.m., Friday, March 26, registration by by fax to 474-7576 or email [email protected].

THURSDAY, APRIL 8Palliative Care Educational Evening, Controversies and Compromise: Finding Common Ground, featuring guest speakers George C. Webster & Pat Murphy, Clinical Ethicist, Health Ethics Service, St. Boniface General Hospital, hosted by the WRHA Palliative Care Education Committee, DeLuca’s Cooking Studio, 950 Portage Avenue (parking lot behind facility and street parking available), Reception with cash bar 6:00 p.m., Dinner and educational presentation 6:45 p.m., Thursday, April 8. Limited space limited, so register early to avoid disappointment. Cost $ 40 (includes meal, taxes and gratuity). To RSVP, please provide payment by April 1st to Kris Springer, A8024, 409 Taché Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R2H 2A6; cheques payable to: WRHA Palliative Care Education Fund. Please contact Kris with any questions at 237-2373 or [email protected]


The Black Hole TheatreThe Black Hole Theatre is located in the lower level of University College. For tickets call 474-6880.

The Department of English, Film, and Theatre and The Black Hole Theatre Co. present

HeadSpace by Mike Bell7 p.m., March 9 and 16

8 p.m., March 10 to 13 and 17 to 20

The Black Hole Theatre Company concludes its 2009-2010 season with the premiere of HeadSpace by Winnipeg playwright Mike Bell. Commissioned by the Department of English, Film, and Theatre at the University of Manitoba, HeadSpace is a comic look at the phenomenon of social networking a la Facebook and Twitter. Bell takes the audience surfing through the World Wide Web, jumping from story to story to story, some true, some imaginary, some funny, some sad, all exploring ways in which technology shapes our brains and the way we see the world. Join The Black Hole Theatre Company for the world premiere of this exciting new play.

Tickets $9.00 students/seniors, $11.00 adults. 24 hour box office/reservations @ 474-6880. The Black Hole Theatre is located on the lower level of University College, Dysart Road, Fort Garry Campus. Free evening parking is available in Lot B.

Project Rio & Cello Benefi t concertProject Rio launches Sunday, March 28th, 7:30 p.m. at Eva Clare Hall at the University of Manitoba with a Cello Benefit concert featuring special guest artists from Marcel A. Desautels Faculty of Music, members of WSO cello section and guest of honour, David Chew, OBE.

This Project stems from work in Rio as part of the Rio International Cello Encounter (RICE), a free festival held annually in August. Project Rio is an initiative to bring attention to our Winnipeg music community through our proposal to fund a performance exchange with Brazilian conservatories. All the contacts with Brazil universities have been made through David Chew, Director and Founder of RICE. Eventually it is hoped to garner Canadian government and university support to maintain an annual program to bring our talent to Brazil and hold clinics in our areas of expertise.

Free admission, donations suggested ($15-20).

Marcel A. Desautels Faculty of MusicThe Faculty of Music hosts recitals and performances at Eva Clare Hall, located within the Faculty of Music building on Dafoe Road. Recitals and events are free unless otherwise noted.Music events

• Keegan Dill, 4th year saxophone recital, Eva Clare Hall, 8:00 p.m., Saturday, March 13.

* U of Manitoba Concert Choir presents “Moods and Modes” Spring Concert, Westworth United Church (Grosvenor & Lanark), 7:00 p.m., Sun-day, March 21, Tickets $12/adult $5/students, available at the Music Office or at the door.

• Susanne Reimer, 3rd year voice recital, Eva Clare Hall, 3:00 p.m., Sun-day, March 21.

• Cantata Singers, St. John’s Chapel, U of M Campus, 12:30 p.m., Wednes-day, March 24.

• XIE performs at MIND GAMES, a multimedia installation project with Architecture and Computer Science, Engineering Atrium, 12:30 p.m., Friday, March 26.

• The UM Wind Ensemble & Concert Band present music by Paul Hin-demith and James Barnes. Tickets $10.00 for adults, $5.00 for students, available at the door. Jubilee Place (MBCI), 180 Riverton Avenue, 7:30 p.m., Friday, March 26.

• O Lux - The University of Manitoba Singers and Women’s Chorus un-der the direction of Elroy Friesen, Westminster United Church, 7:30 p.m., Saturday, March 27. Tickets $12/adult $5/students, available at the Faculty of Music Office.

Gallery One One OneGallery One One One is located on the main floor of the FitzGerald Build-ing. It is open Monday to Friday, noon to 4:00 p.m.

DONOR RECOGNITION SERIES:THE FRANK MIKUSKA DONATION

Organized by Robert Epp, Gallerist, Gallery One One One

March 1 to April 1, 2010

EntertainmentArts& Sober federal budget

shows restraintWAYNE SIMPSONfor The Bulletin

The euphoria of the Winter Olympics has been rapidly replaced by the sobriety of budget season, kicked off by the presentation of the federal budget on March 5, 2010. The Manitoba budget will soon follow on March 23.

The federal budget was expected to be a modest and cautious document, and in this sense, it did not disappoint. Despite a sharp global recession and uncertain recovery, Canada remains in a favourable position in international terms with a budget deficit that, at 3% of GDP, is far smaller than most countries, including the U.S. and Europe.

About one-third of that deficit will disappear with the end of stimulus spending in 2011, and the budget predicts that the deficit will be halved by 2012 and virtually eliminated by 2015 under consensus assumptions about economic growth and modest spending restraint. The restraint involves cuts to government spending in areas such as defence, foreign aid, administration, and environmental protection over the next five years, but transfers to provinces and individuals will be maintained.

This is good news for Manitoba, and indirectly for the University, because of the province’s reliance on federal transfer payments for about 40% of total revenues. The budget maintains these payments and they are scheduled to grow at about 4% per annum to 2015, in excess of inflation projections of around 2% for that period.

Although the theme of this year’s budget is restraint, it does propose some modest initiatives to enhance research that may help universities. Of particular note is funding to establish 140 two-year postdoctoral fellowships, valued at almost $70,000 per annum, to attract “top-level talent” to Canada. There is new funding for specific strategic research sectors, including the TRIUMF nuclear and particle physics national laboratory at UBC, Genome Canada, medical isotopes, and satellite surveillance under the RADARSAT Constellation Mission.

There is also funding for the commercialization of research through National Research Council’s research innovation clusters and a two-year pilot Small and Medium-sized Enterprise Innovation Commercialization Program. The three granting councils will “receive” an additional $32 million but, to put this in perspective, it only represents an increase of 1.2% in a budget of $2.6 billion and will only partially offset scheduled reductions in funding announced in the 2009 budget.

There is really no new money for standard and strategic research grants emanating from this budget.

The budget maintains transfers to individuals as well as provinces. It offers $3.2 billion in personal income tax reductions, but this includes an increase in the level of the personal deduction and each tax bracket simply to offset the effect inflation. That bracket

adjustment is only 0.6% next year, which is unlikely to keep up with actual inflation or salary increases in 2010.

There are welcome increases to the National Child Benefit and the Working Income Tax Benefit for families with low incomes. Employment Insurance premiums are frozen until the end of 2010, after which they will likely rise fairly sharply to balance EI program costs.

The impact of federal budgets for University operations is always unclear because education is a provincial responsibility. This serves well at the K-12 level, but less well at the growing postsecondary level where education and research outcomes have greater national scope and interest. The more important budget for the University will be delivered on March 23.

Since Manitoba has survived the recent financial crisis better than Canada as a whole, and since federal transfer payments have been maintained in this budget, there is some room for optimism that Manitoba universities will be well supported. There are already some indications of difficult times ahead, however.

The immediate sign is that the province has already indicated that K-12 education will receive a budget increase of 2.95% this year, and traditionally the universities and colleges receive slightly less. An increase of this size would make it difficult to sustain existing programs according to University officials, leading to some difficult programming decisions next year.

The less immediate, but potentially more ominous, sign is that federal deficit reduction plans are already under attack as being either too optimistic or insufficiently ambitious. If Canada’s economy does not achieve projected growth and the deficit lingers, there will be repeated calls for expenditure cuts. And some of the pressure for cuts will focus on provincial transfer payments, particularly equalization.

Cuts in this area would have serious consequences for Manitoba’s finances, and likely the University’s operating funding, over the medium term. In that case, future budgets will be far more eventful.Wayne Simpson is Professor of Economics in the Faculty of Arts.

Bison BeatMeet Bison Athletes at

Behind the Brown & Gold http://bit.ly/BisonBeat

Wayne Simpson


MARIIANNE MAYS WIEBEThe Bulletin

When Mike Bell was a student at the University of Manitoba, he took courses with Theatre professor Chris Johnson. Now his new play HeadSpace is being directed by his former teacher.

The play premieres as part of Bell’s work as Winter 2009 Playwright-In-Residence for the University of Manitoba’s Centre for Creative Writing and Oral Culture (CCWOC). Bell is a long time writer and performer with the comedy troupe the Royal Liechtenstein Theatre, and a familiar face at the Winnipeg Fringe Festival. He worked on the full-length play as part of a new program, The New Play Development Initiative.

The play developed by Bell is a 30-hander. Yes, you heard that right. There are thirty actors involved, and a plethora of other students working on everything from lighting and sound to stage set. Each of the actors plays multiple characters, with more than 100 peopling the scenes.

That isn’t the only unusual thing about the play. It takes technology and communication in all its forms as its subject matter. Cell phones, Facebook, the Internet and Twitter, virtual reality, payphones, human messengers, and alien communication all figure. Bell said, “I wanted to write a play that looked at technology and its effect on human beings — the good, the bad, and the ugly.”

According to Johnson, the play is a “veritable cyber circus.” There are glimpses of characters like J. Robert Oppenheimer (father of the atomic bomb), Hitler, Napoleon, John A. Macdonald, aliens, a mysterious cowboy, the inventor of the payphone, the inventor of the windshield wiper, Pumpkin Perv, Tom Twitter, iPod girl, a Japanese ghost, and Nuts Man.

If it’s not already clear from the lists of topics and characters, the play is big and unwieldy. Scenes are rapid-fire and embedded within other scenes. Characters appear and then vanish. They range from the present-day and ordinary to the farcical, and from the fantastical to the historical.

At times, noted Johnson, the play can feel more like an Internet surf session than a single story.

Yet, in spite of unruly storylines and the myriad roles, as an audience member you find yourself interested in these characters and what happens to them. Perhaps that’s because so many of them seem to be begging the question of the nature of human connection in the light of technology aimed at advancing possibilities for communication.

Two of the main characters, a female Internet geek and a male technophobe, experience relationship troubles over their extra personae. The female has a “Double Life” persona as a bi-sexual anime vampire, while the male immerses himself in Dungeons and Dragons.

In another relationship and a storyline tangled with the first, a CIA operative and his secretary are suspicious of the technophobe’s lack of cyber trails and stalk him to find out what he’s hiding. Their paranoia gives credence to the conspiracy theory that HeadSpace, a fictional cross between MySpace and FaceBook, was invented by a “shadowy

government agency to keep track of us.”

The relationship between the aging and bombastic, gout-ridden CIA operative, (ably handled by senior Theatre student Tim Bandfield), and his younger secretary (Julia Florek) is by turns hilarious and preposterous, sad and slightly chilling, thanks to nimble dialogue and Florek’s lively, engaging acting. In spite of their lusty, role-playing relationship, they can’t seem to sustain a real connection.

Another relationship the play follows is that of a mother and daughter uneasily reunited after the daughter, who has been given up for adoption, finds her mother through the Internet. Liz Madden shines in her role as an Oprah-watching, former smack-mother (not a crack-mother, as she emphatically explains)

who tries, poignantly, to reconnect with her appalled, suburban-raised daughter.

The question of how to represent cyber-space onstage became one of Bell’s concerns in writing and developing the play. In addition to depicting relationships alternately bound and challenged by technology, the cleverly-designed stage set by student Andrei Mardli is a visual representation of the innards of a computer.

The stage also boasts four entrances and a unique pop-up stage at its centre.

As Johnson said, “Clearly, online life is an important aspect of our students’ lives, and we can’t really depict their everyday experience on stage until we take up this challenge.”

While Bell was Playwright-In Residence, and writing first drafts of what was to become HeadSpace, he also taught a playwriting course. During the same semester, Bill Kerr of the Theatre program was teaching a course in new play dramaturgy and Johnson was teaching a course in new play directing.

Students from all three courses worked together to produce the Fire in the Hole and the Fire Out of the Hole festival of new student work in spring 2009, with 13 new one-act student plays presented as Lunchbag productions in the Black Hole, or as staged readings in the Cowie and Losey studios, Wiseguys and Degrees.

Be l l ’ s p l ay was in tens i ve l y workshopped with Kerr as dramaturge, Johnson as director, and students from the three participating courses as actors

and creative participants.Johnson commented, “I don’t know

of any other program in a Canadian university which offers students such an extensive immersion and collaborative experience in the creation of new theatre scripts, nor do I know of one in which students and faculty are working on scripts simultaneously and in ways which complement each other in this fashion, one in which teaching and creative research are so intimately interconnected.”

Bell said that the position of Playwright-In-Residence taught him that theatre is still alive and well with

students. “It still plays a potent role in their lives,” he said.

“In terms of HeadSpace, I’ve learned that the possibilties of theatre can be endless. Production-wise, I thought to myself many times, how are they gonna do this? Well, they pulled it off. I believe now, more than ever, that theatre can reflect the times in which we live.”

HeadSpace opened March 9 and runs until March 20 at the University of Manitoba’s Black Hole Theatre.

‘Veritable cyber circus’ comes to Black Hole stageFormer University of Manitoba student Mike Bell premieres HeadSpace as part of new theatre program

Please be advised that the year-end cutoff date in

the BookStore, Pharmacy and Post Office is Friday,

March 26th, 2010.

This is the last day to charge merchandise

to your 2009/2010 budget.

Thank you

U of M BookStore

474-8321

Year-end Cutoff Date

March 26, 2010

Tim Bandfield, who plays bombastic CIA operative Sur in The Black Hole’s production of Mike Bell’s HeadSpace, is pinned by his feisty younger secretary Gwen (Julia Florek).

photos by Sean Moore

Winter 2009 Playwright-In-ResidenceMike Bell



Alternative Spring Break was born.”The di f ference between the

program’s conception and actual onsite work was more than he could have imagined, said Rashid. As current UMSU president, Rashid was part of this year’s student team. “To begin to learn the history and culture of a group of people, to interact with those same people, share stories, and to work side by side, dripping sweat for the common good of their community [was] a remarkable experience,” he said.

Among the objectives of the program are the opportunity to learn about and experience Non-Government Organization (NGO) culture, and a chance to assist in a Service Learning project in El Escalon, El Salvador. Students also learn about Salvadorian culture and prevalent issues in Salvadorian society. During two months of pre-departure orientation meetings, participants study the politics and people of the country they are visiting. They discuss current events and prominent aspects of El Salvador history.

According to student Jennifer Kujanpaa, the research and weekly meetings before the trip added a great deal to the experience: “This made us aware going in and being there just gave added weight to everything that we had read and talked about.”

H o n o u r s Pol i t ical Studies student David Safruk said the precursory i n f o r m a t i o n m o t i v a t e d a n d e n c o u r a g e d students in their work, but “nothing beats actually being there, and so in seeing the culture, people, and political l a n d s c a p e a n d opinions first hand, we were granted some perspective to compliment our newly amassed information.”

The trip fit well with his current academic focus, since two fundamental aspects of the experience were international relations and sustainable

deve lopment . In pursuing his degree, Safruk has focused on i n t e r n a t i o n a l relations and the

international economyFor Safruk, the trip also made

him “recognize and appreciate the importance of context, especially as it applies to learning and education.

“Over the course of two weeks, we

were able to experience an education that would never have been possible in the context of an actual classroom.”

The time spent in El Salvador was both rewarding and challenging for students. Not only did the project require strenuous physical labour, but the mental and emotional stresses were just as intense. Witnessing poverty firsthand is very different than hearing about it, and many of the participants were overwhelmed by the stark difference between their lives in

Canada and those of the people they worked beside. Indoor flushing toilets were rare, and water was rationed.

“ K n o w i n g that the l iv ing conditions of these people was their reality, and that soon we would go back to our homes and leave all these people behind. It didn’t seem fa i r that people that shared u n c o n d i t i o n a l love wi th one another and their c o m m u n i t i e s , and l ived with such hope for our world, had so l i t t le,” said Rashid.

Becoming global citizens: Refl ection and personal growthIn addition to the labour accomplished by the projects, students also participate in the Service Learning program to challenge their own personal worldviews and engage in critical reflection, and to contribute back to the U of M community as a result of the experience. These are part of the program goals.

In fact, many of the students who participated this year heard about the program from last year’s particpants. David Safruk said, “Their stories were full of excitement and energy, and I instantly knew it was something I wanted to take part in as well.”

All participants were required to contemplate and journal their experiences throughout their time in El Salvador. They also shared their reflections and learning with other members of the group.

In one reflection exercise, students were asked to sum up their experience with a single word. They chose words such as “profound,” “real,” “harmony,” “discovery” and “solidarity.” One student picked “prelude” to indicate the impact of the experience in setting the tone for the rest of her life.

Safruk chose “grateful.” The word came to mind, he said, mainly because he felt gratitude at having “ the opportunity to engage in such a humbling experience, grateful for sharing it with such amazing people — both those affiliated with the University of Manitoba, LWF, and residents of El Salvador. [I also feel]

Sweat for the common good

Recognize the

Greatness in Our

Community: Nominate Now

Celebrate the outstanding contributions of support

staff. Nominate your colleagues for the President’s

Award, Leadership Award, Service Award or Team

Award.

For more information call 474-9491 or go to:

http://www.umanitoba.ca/admin/human_resources/lds/recognition/452.htm

Deadline for Nominations is April 9th, 2010.

Students worked side by side with the local community during the El Salvador Alternative Spring Break, a University of Manitoba Service Learning program coordinated by the Office of Student Life. All photos supplied by the participants.

continued from page 1


Bison BeatMeet Bison Athletes at Behind the Brown & Gold

http://bit.ly/BisonBeat

You are invited to attend the

President’s Town HallIntroduction and short presentation by David Barnard,

President and Vice-Chancellor, followed by an open forum

question and answer period with the president and the

executive team.

Bannatyne Campus

Thursday, March 25, 20109:30-10:30 amFrederic Gaspard Theatre,

Basic Medical Sciences Building

Video linked to the Senate Chambers, EITC E3-262, Fort Garry Campus

Webcast on umanitoba.ca

One university. Many futures.

honoured at how grateful the local people were towards us in every regard imaginable.”

Jennifer Kujanpaa used the word “community” to describe her experience.

She said it was the best way to describe the connection and love that she felt for all the people. “The sixteen of us living in our house became a community. We were part of the community of Santa Catarina. When we worked with the men and women at the project site, we were a community and we were all part of the same world community.”

For students who went on the trip, the personal growth and sharing left a powerful impression. Each student left with photos and journals full of memories.

Safruk has a clear mental picture of being greeted by a group of smiling students. “When we traveled to the school in El Escalon for the first of our two visits as a group, the students were standing in a line to greet us, all with beaming smiles of anticipation. It was an overwhelming and truly welcoming gesture.”

‘It’s about what we take back with us’For Sid Rashid and other students, the experience was all about making professed values of global citizenship become an intrinsic part of one’s life.

This kind of project, he said, is not only about

the things they left behind, but also “what [the people of El Salvador] gave to us, and what we take back with us.”

The program’s u n i q u e n e s s c o n t r i b u t e d t o students’ feeling of possibility for change. “Building a project in-house where students live, learn, eat, and work

with the locals is unique to the majority of volunteer projects out there,” Rashid said.

“It has reinforced my feeling that volunteerism does make a difference, that in fact every small gesture, even a smile, can make a difference.”

However, it was that same on-site experience that became a challenge when it was time for the students to return to Canada. On her return, Kujanpaa recalled her mild culture shock at the difference between El Salvador and Canada. For instance, taking her first shower at home, she said that all she could think about was the many, many things the people in Santa Catarina would have used the water for.

“The most challenging thing was saying goodbye to all the people and not knowing if I would ever see them again. We worked side by side, day by day and though we couldn’t speak the same language we could communicate through signs and smiles and embraces,” said Kujanpaa.

“We developed friendships and it was hard leaving. The saying we all used when leaving was not good bye but hasta pronto, see you soon.”

The Depar tment fo r Wor ld Service (DWS) is the humanitarian and development agency of the NGO Lutheran World Federation (LWF) and works in 36 countries through four regional and 15 country programs and emergency operations with around 40 international staff members, who work alongside 2,700 local staff. The LWF associate programs employ an additional 3,000 staff worldwide. Guided by its Strategic Plan, DWS is meeting the needs of people irrespective of race, sex, creed, nationality, or political conviction. DWS works to foster awareness, advocacy, solidarity and action at local, national, and international levels, on a wide range of human rights, humanitarian, and development issues.

The El Salvador Alternative Spring Break is a University of Manitoba Service Learning program and out of classroom learning experience coordinated by the Office of Student Life and UMSU. It engages in various

projects in rural El Salvador, based on the immediate needs of the community in that particular year.

“Over the course of two weeks, we were able to experience an education that would never have been possible in the context of an actual classroom.”


Why is the OARS project important and how does it support the University of Manitoba Strategic Planning Framework?

The OARS project involves teams of academics and administrators who are together taking a birds eye view of how the University functions. This is very important to generate new ideas for how we might become better in supporting education and research, and becoming more efficient in operations.

As a member of the Academic Synergies and Efficiencies (ASE) Project Team, can you describe a teaching or research area where we can improve synergies and gain efficiencies?

The ASE Working Group is conducting an environmental scan of programs and curricula to determine the extent of duplication in courses and programs, opportunities for interdisciplinary and inter-faculty cooperation/collaboration in core courses, and opportunities for greater sharing of resources. One area that has the potential for duplication is statistics courses, which is used in diverse fields ranging from psychology to engineering. Our scan has shown that this duplication is not happening at the University—as a result of two decades of evolution—and is in fact an excellent model for harmonizing offerings across faculties. The model finds the current practice of required first and second year courses for almost all degrees being taught by the Department of Statistics. These courses are offered at the optimum student to instructor ratio, thereby assuring efficient use of classroom space, resources and instructor time. More advanced statistics courses that are discipline specific and

more specialized are taught in separate departments. The ASE team will now direct their focus to ways in which we can increase integration of research in teaching. I believe that exposure to research significantly enhances the education of students through a hands on experience and by making a meaningful contribution to new knowledge.

OARS involves two other focus areas: Strategic Enrolment Management and Rules, Regulations and Red Tape; although you are not a member of these project teams, why do you see these areas as important to the University?

Rules and regulations within a University are important for consistency and for establishing and justifying standard operating procedures. We all know that rules and regulations can become outdated or ineffective or get in the way of efficiency and innovation. The 3Rs Team is essential to identify issues such as these and recommend changes to address them.

Students are the life blood of the University. It is absolutely essential to manage enrolment to ensure that students receive an outstanding environment and that the University can grow. The SEM team is exploring how to continue to attract and retain excellent students as well as provide students with the environment and support to ensure a successful educational experience.

As a faculty member, what information is important to your faculty member colleagues and how can they support the goals of the OARs project?

This exercise is an important opportunity to suggest changes and provide valuable insight to the University administration. In addition to the on-line feedback available through the website, the members of the various teams are open and eager to engage in one-on-one or group discussions about any of the topics that are being explored. It is important to capture examples of successful approaches that will increase efficiencies and synergies in the existing system and situations that need to be changed to enable innovative ideas that can help the University move forward.

One university. Many futures.umanitoba.ca

CALL FOR PROPOSALS

Major Outreach ProjectsThe Outreach Committee is committed to enlarging and enriching the contacts between

the University and all segments of the community, particularly through sharing more

effectively its resources within the community. Support is provided for activities that

engage the University, its people and programs, with external constituencies that

enhance the public good and the University. Guidelines and Application forms can be

found under the heading “Major Outreach Awards” on the Vice-President (Academic) &

Provost website:

umanitoba.ca/admin/vp_academic/forms.html

The maximum level of support is $5,000 - $7000. Please note that Outreach funds are

very limited. The deadline for submissions is Thursday, April 15, 2010. Applications

should be submitted to Dr. Karen R. Grant, Vice-Provost (Academic Affairs), and Chair,

Presidential Advisory Committee on University Outreach, 208 Administration Building.

The Centre for Professional and Applied Ethics at

The University of Manitoba

One university. Many futures.umanitoba.ca

Public Lecture

“The Crack Made Me Do It: Can we hold addicts responsible for their actions?”PROFESSOR GIDEON YAFFEAssociate Professor of Philosophy and Law, University of Southern California. His books include: Trying and Attempting Crimes (Oxford, forthcoming) and Liberty Worth the Name (Princeton)

Friday, 26th March, 12:30-1:30Concourse Lounge, University College

Everyone is welcome to attend.

The University of Manitoba has undertaken two resource optimization projects (entitled ROSE and OARs) aimed at finding ways to improve service, reduce costs, eliminate duplication, share resources, leverage technology and apply best practices. In the coming months, the Bulletin will feature interviews with faculty and support staff involved with the projects.

Resource Optimization: Team Member Profi le

CHRIS RUTKOWSKIThe Bulletin

If you’re taking a course from Denis Hlynka in the Faculty of Education, you’d better be blogging.

Update your Facebook status and tweet your comments, because the era of social media in the classroom is here.

“The entire concept of ‘meaningful discourse’ has changed,” says Hlynka, who teaches undergrad and grad courses on educational technology in the faculty. His graduate-level courses, however, are up-to-date in requiring students to be involved in social media.

Hlynka explains that you can’t ignore social media when teaching high school and other secondary students anymore, because their learning and communication style has changed from what it was a decade or two ago.

“There is a great upheaval in classroom technology,” he says, “and teaching with a chalkboard or textbooks may now seem rather archaic.”

Hlynka cautions, however, that technology does not by itself allow better or more effective communication. He cites the increasing use of “smart boards” in classrooms as an example of unnecessary technology.

“Smart boards are expensive, and they can’t do anything a chalk board can’t do. In fact, if I quickly want to sketch a diagram on the spur of the moment to show my class some relationship, I can do it in an instant with a piece of chalk and a chalk board. But to do it on a smart board means I have to turn on the power to the system, boot up the computer, connect with the network, then eventually draw on the screen. Very

inefficient.”Blogs, on the other hand, are useful

additions to technology that Hlynka does advocate and use in his class. For one course, after each lecture, his students are required to each blog about something that they felt was significant from the presentation. They are then required to read everyone’s blog and comment on at least three of them.

“Academic blogs like these are not for venting,” he notes, “and I’m not looking for a summary of the class. By getting students to blog about what was taught, the course is taken out of the classroom into the blogosphere, and the conversation keeps on going.”

Hlynka says that such required blogging increases students’ participation and creates one big, virtual “study group” in which concepts are discussed and debated over several days or weeks. And he notes that it is routine to have students write a 500-word blog entry each day, which means that they are effectively writing short essays which compare well with other courses that don’t use blogging as an educational tool.

“I also get an RSS feed that lets me know when someone has added to a discussion, so I can get an idea of where the conversation is going,” he says.

Ironically, Hlynka has found that his students, most of whom are teachers pursuing higher degrees, can’t do their blogging “homework” during their lunch hours or breaks at work.

“Schools usually block blogging websites,” he notes.

To blog, or not to blog…


Michael Freund, member of the Academic Synergies and Efficiencies (ASE) Project Team


SEAN MOOREThe Bulletin

“This isn’t going to be a scholarly discussion of the Holocaust. I’m not a Holocaust scholar. I’m just a guy who lved it,” Leon Leyson said at a public lecture he gave on campus.

Leyson recently visited the Fort Garry campus upon the invitation of the Asper School of Business. It asked him to give lectures to the public, and to MBA students in an effort to inspire them about the power and responsibilities managers have: Leyson is alive today partly because his name appeared on “Schindler’s List.” On March 3, Leyson told his story to 200 people; on March 4 he told it to 560.

Leyson was born on September 15, 1929, the youngest of five children in the town of Narewka, 240 kilometers northeast of Warsaw. In 1938 his family moved to Krakow and led a happy life until Germany invaded Poland in the autumn of 1939.

“I went from being a young and curious boy, enjoying the beautiful city, to being an enemy of the state. Apparently Germany couldn’t be a great nation until people like me were annihilated.”

Things began as a ser ies of “insignificant restrictions,” Leyson recalls. At first authorities said Jews could not sit on park benches. Soon after, Jews were banned from parks altogether and Jewish children could not attend school. “But I was 10 at the time so I thought, good.” That sentiment soon dissolved and he was left confused: his Christian friends were still going to school, so why couldn’t he? Then it was decreed that

Jews occasionally had to provide free labour.

“Step by step Jews were marginalized into ‘the other’,” Leyson said. Then the day came when the Nazis forced Jews into a ghetto.

“I was always looking for food. I don’t remember a time in the Ghetto, which was two years, when I wasn’t hungry.”

Near the Ghetto’s edge an industrialist and Jewish sympathizer named Oskar Schindler opened a factory. Leon’s father and older brother were hired without pay but in their commute they found scraps of food to share with the family.

In time, one of his brother’s was killed by Nazis in the Krakow Ghetto, and another brother boarded a train leaving the ghetto and was murdered at the destination.

“This nation of philosophers and composers turned into a nation of killers. It was very difficult to accept,” Leyson said, noting that when the first train packed with Jews left the Ghetto, it was unthinkable what their fate would be.

In the movie Schindler’s List, a scene shows Schindler learning that his accountant is aboard the train, so Schindler goes through the carriages looking for him. He finds him and takes him off.

“That happened. That is true,”

Leyson said. “But what you didn’t see in the movie was that my second oldest brother was on that train and Schindler saw him and offered to get him off. My brother declined because he was with his girlfriend and Schindler couldn’t get her off too so he stayed.” He was 17 and “that was the last decision he made.”

Trains kept leaving the Ghetto and one train bound for Płaszów concentration camp was leaving with Leyson’s family forcibly put aboard. Leyson had previously escaped death by hiding from Nazis with his friends, but

on this day he chose to get on the train while his friends hid. They were all found and killed.

At Płaszów Schindler asked for a sub-camp to be built by the factory so his workers didn’t need to commute; the camp would also be of a relatively less terrifying nature. He bribed enough men and the camp was built. The Leysons’ names were all put on the list, but on the first day of work Leon’s name was crossed off. He told the guard at the gate this bit of news and for some reason the guard pointed him towards the line of exiting workers rather than beat or kill him for insubordination.

He worked 12-hour days on a lathe, standing on a box so his 12-year-old hands could reach the controls. Schindler knew him and his family by name and would often chat with Leyson, giving him extra food rations and his father extra cigarettes.

Leyson survived four years of “constant, constant fear” because of Schindler. When the war ended, the Leysons ended up in a displaced persons camp. After three years in the camp Leyson’s aunt in California found them in a database. She contacted them and the Leysons moved to Los Angeles, “and the rest is history.”

Leyson’s lecture will be made available on the Asper School of Business’s website in the coming days.

ATTENTION: ALL STAFF MEMBERSREMINDER THAT THE FISCAL YEAR END IS MARCH 31ST, 2010.

Health spending accounts must be used up by this date, otherwise you lose this valuableopportunity to purchase new fabulous eyewear from

THE FOCAL POINT Optician

The Focal Point Optician invites you to the European designer frame sale:

THURSDAY, MARCH 18TH, 20109:00 AM – 5:00 PM

ONE DAY ONLY25% OFF beautiful designer frames,

with the purchase of lenses

ALSO featuring Maui Jim sunglasses, 20% OFF sunglasses (excluding prescription lenses).

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across from the Bookstore. 121 University Centre (204) 474-7090 EYE EXAMS AVAILABLE ON SITE.

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On ‘Schindler’s List’, Leon Leyson Remembers

Leon Leyson photo by Sean Moore


Academic Job OpportunitiesA full listing of employment opportunities at the University of Manitoba can be found at umanitoba.ca. The University of Manitoba encourages applications from qualified women and men, including members of visible minorities, Aboriginal peoples, and persons with disabilities. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority. Please include the position number when applying for openings at the university.

MARCEL A. DESAULTELS FACULTY OF MUSICBabs Asper Professorship in Jazz Performance Assistant Professor in Jazz TrumpetPosition: Assistant ProfessorStart date: July 1, 2010Salary: Commensurate with experience and qualificationsApplication Deadline: April 11, 2010 or until position is filledPosition Number: 11130For Information: Joan Linklater, Associate Dean, Chair, Jazz Trumpet Search Committee, Marcel A. Desautels Faculty of Music, University of Manitoba, 65 Dafoe Road, Winnipeg, MB, T 2N2, email [email protected], fax (204) 474-7546

FACULTY OF MEDICINEDepartment of Internal Medicine, Winnipeg Regional Health Authority Critical CarePosition: Head of the Section of Critical Care and Medical Director, Critical Care ProgramStart date: July 1, 2010Salary: Salary and rank will be dependent upon qualifications and experienceApplication Deadline: May 30, 2010 or until position is filledPosition Number: 10748For Information: Chair, Critical Care Search Committee, Department of Internal Medicine, Room GC430, Health Sciences Centre, 820 Sherbrook Street, Winnipeg, MB, R3A 1R9

FACULTY OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD SCIENCESDepartment of EntomologyPosition: Assistant or Associate Professor, Curator of the J.B. Wallis Museum of EntomologyStart date: July 1, 2010Salary: Commensurate with experience and qualificationsApplication Deadline: April 15, 2010Position Number: 10948For Information: Dr. M.L. Connor, Chair, Search Committee, SE, Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of

Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3T 2N2 Canada. Telephone: (204) 474-9219; FAX: (204) 474-7628; e-mail: [email protected]

FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIESPeace and Conflict StudiesPosition: Assistant ProfessorStart date: July 1, 2010Salary: Commensurate with experience and qualificationsApplication Deadline: May 14, 2010 or until position is filledPosition Number: 11157For Information: Dr. J. Doering, Dean, Faculty of Graduate Studies, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada R3T 2N2

FACULTY OF SCIENCEDepartment of Computer ScienceTier I Canada Research Chair in Visual AnalyticsPosition: Tier I Canada Research Chair, Professor or Associate ProfessorStart date: July 1, 2011Application Deadline: Review of applications begins in March 2010 and will continue until position is filledPosition Number: 11025For Information: Chair, CRC Search Committee, Department of Computer Science, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, R3T 2N2,

[email protected]

FACULTY OF MEDICINERegenerative Medicine ProgramDepartmental Affiliation at the choice of incumbentPosition: Two (2) positions at the rank of Assistant or Associate ProfessorStart date: May 15, 2010Application Deadline: April 11, 2010 and will remain open until filledPosition Number: 08498/08499For Information: Dr. Geoff Hicks, Director, Regenerative Medicine Program, Faculty of Medicine, University of Manitoba, Room A108 Chown Bldg, 753 McDermot Ave., Winnipeg, MB R3E 0T6, Tel. (204) 789-3375, Fax (204) 789-3942, email: [email protected]

UNIVERSITY OF MANITOBA LIBRARIESSciences and Technology LibraryPosition: Head, Sciences and Technology Library at the Assistant or Associate levelStart date: August 1, 2010Salary: Commensurate with experience and qualificationsApplication Deadline: April 23, 2010Position Number: BX491/BX489For Information: Ms. Karen Adams, Director of Libraries, The University of Manitoba Libraries, Winnipeg, MB, R3T 2N2, email karen_adams@umanitoba

When the earth shookVisitors to the Ed Leith Cretaceous Menagerie are often puzzled by the white rotating drum display that has squiggly lines drawn on it by a stationary pen. Sometimes, these squiggles move back and forth across the drum, as if held by a trembling hand. That’s close to the truth, as the drum is part of the seismograph installed in the department of geological sciences, and that ink needle is responding to signals from the actual seismometer in the basement. When an earthquake occurs somewhere in the world, whether it be in Haiti, Chile or Hawaii, the seismic waves travelling through the Earth are detected here at the University of Manitoba, which participates with other institutions that have seismic stations across Canada and around the world to monitor earthquake events. The seismograph is open to viewing each weekday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

University of Manitoba President David Barnard takes one for charity at the Engineering Great Pi Throw

Submitted photos


Published by the Research Communications and Marketing Unit, Office of the Vice-President (Research)Comments, submissions and event listingsto: [email protected]: (204) 474-9020 Fax (204) 261-0325

umanitoba.ca/research

vaccine that silences the cells first exposed to HIV and render them a poor target for the virus.

The research team is also taking a closer look at AIDS on on the Canadian prairies. “The epidemic in Manitoba and Saskatchewan is really exploding, especially among young women,” says Fowke, who is joining forces with other top researchers at the Canadian Conference on HIV/AIDS Research in Saskatoon in May to figure out why.

U of M researchers are following a group of HIV-infected Manitobans that doesn’t require medication since their bodies are effectively controlling the virus naturally. Around the world, these people are known as “elite controllers,” Fowke says.

“And interestingly, some of those individuals who are controlling their infection are Aboriginal,” he says. “We’re trying to understand if there’s a commonality there.”

To learn more, join Fowke for HIV Vaccines: The Frustration and the Hope March 17 at 7 p.m. in the Education Building, Room 290. The free public presentation is part of the Bringing Research to Life Speaker Series.

Public Forum

Human Wrongs: Making Things Right

Wednesday, March 31, 2010

2:00 PM - 4:30 PM

Room 210, University Centre,

University of Manitoba

For more information e-mail:

[email protected]

______________________________

Bringing Research to Life Speaker Series

The Pursuit of Better Roads: Safe, Smart and

Sustainable

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

7:00 PM

Room 290

Education Building

FREE ADMISSION

For more information e-mail:

[email protected]

Bringing Research to LIFE

BY KATIE CHALMERS-BROOKS

The discovery was huge: a group of women in Kenya, all of them sex-trade workers, were somehow evading HIV infection despite repeated exposure to the deadly virus.

It was Keith Fowke’s job as a graduate student in the late 1980s, guided by lead investigator Frank Plummer, to go to the AIDS-ravaged East African country and collect data to determine whether or not these women had some sort of natural immunity. If so, it would be a major breakthrough in the global pursuit of a vaccine.

Fowke, now a medical microbiology professor, remembers well the evening the results became clear. Perched on the balcony of his tiny 600-square-foot flat in a Nairobi suburb, a cold beer nearby, a full moon above, he did the calculations from lab data collected earlier that day. In a test tube, he had combined HIV cells with blood samples from exposed but uninfected women and noted whether or not – and to what extent – the women’s blood cells would go after the virus. HIV cells under attack released a radioactive compound. Fowke did the same comparison for infected women.

An analysis of the numbers (which measured radioactivity levels) showed the healthy women’s cells were killing the HIV virus “very aggressively,” Fowke says, suggesting they were in fact “naturally vaccinated.”

“That was an amazing moment. I remember calling Dr. Plummer and saying this is what the result is and he said, ‘Are you sure? Did you double-check’?” Fowke recalls. “He said, ‘Wow, I think it’s real.’ We were both excited about that.”

Three decades later, Plummer, Fowke, and their University of Manitoba colleagues Blake Ball and Ma Luo are leading the way worldw ide in H IV vaccination research. Roughly 3,000 women have taken part in their Kenya study – between five and 10 per cent are HIV resistant. There are individuals in other countries who have been exposed but not infected – including some heterosexual wives and husbands, homosexual men, and babies born to HIV-positive mothers – but the Kenyan sex-trade workers was one of the first groups discovered and is one of the best understood.

“Our group in Africa is one of the oldest and best characterized in the world and that’s why we’re fortunate enough to be leading an international consortium of researchers, because we’ve been in it for a long time,” explains Fowke.

Africa is particularly hard hit by AIDS; Kenya alone is home to more than one million people living with HIV. The disease has claimed so many adults in their prime the continent faces teacher and doctor shortages. Stories of orphans as young as eight having to raise their toddler siblings are what motivate Fowke, who admits it can be frustrating their research results aren’t felt immediately. But the wait may be over before long – he predicts in 10 to 15 years they could have an effective vaccine capable of stopping the spread

and saving millions of lives. “It’s frustrating because you want to

help right away but learning the mysteries of the immune system takes a long time,” says Fowke. “The answer is there. We just need to be smart enough to find it.”

Develop ing an H IV vaccine is particularly difficult since the virus mutates quickly and kills the main controlling cell of the entire immune system.

U of M researchers continue to try to figure out which part of the virus is being targeted by the immune systems of HIV-resistant individuals in order to stop the virus from taking hold. But recent findings have steered them in a new direction as well, suggesting a calm immune system may play a role.

The cells of the naturally immune women have shown to be in a resting state. They ramp up to fight infection but then return to calm. The virus infects and replicates better in highly active cells so finding a way to keep the immune system quiet may prevent the virus from propagating. “This is a brand new area,” Fowke says, noting their investigations are funded by the Melinda and Bill Gates Foundation and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. The hope is to create a

In Brief

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Exceptions to the RuleHonours from India

Two faculty members – both of them leading cardiovascular sciences research scientists at St. Boniface Hospital Research (formerly Centre) – were recently honoured in India for their work.

Naranjan Dhalla, D istinguished Professor at the Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and director of cardiovascular development at St. Boniface Hospital Research, was recently elected Honorary Foreign Fellow of the Romanian Academy of Medical Sciences. Dhalla was also elected Honorary Fellow of the Punjab Academy of Sciences in recognition of outstanding research contributions and achievements in medical sciences. He received the honour Feb. 7 during the 13th Punjab Science Congress in Chandigarth, India.

Grant Pierce, professor of physiology in the Faculty of Medicine and executive director of research at St. Boniface Hospital Research, received the Manjeet Singh Oration Award in New Delhi on Feb. 3. Presented during the Joint International Conference of the International Society for Heart Research and the International Academy of Cardiovascular Sciences, the award recognizes outstanding contributions in cardiovascular sciences.

Photo by Katie Chalmers-Brooks

esear her Keith o ke rom the a lty o e i i e says re e t i s i the st y o -resista t se -tra e orkers i Ke ya s est ha i a alm imm e system hel s ar o the ir s

Pursuit of AIDS vaccine takes new turn in study of HIV-resistant women


Winnipeg-born Charlie Thorson provided the original character model for Bugs Bunny, an achievement in which he took considerable pride. Charles Gustav “Charlie” Thorson was born in 1890 and didn’t move to Hollywood until he was already over forty years old. Between 1935 and 1937, he worked on a large number of animated shorts for Disney, as well as Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, for which he designed six dwarves (the seventh, Dopey, was a late addition). Thorson always claimed that Snow White was based on his drawings of a Winnipeg waitress. Though this runs counter to the “official” story put forth by Disney, several pre-Disney sketches survive to support his claim. Thorson took offence at his lack of screen credits, particularly on Snow White, and quarreled with Walt Disney, after which Thorson left to work first at M.G.M. (1938) and then at Warner Brothers (1939). Thorson radically revised the Warner style towards anthropomorphic animals, which remains a part of the Warner “look.” He died August 7, 1966.

“The Art of Warner Bros.Cartoons” exhibition at the Winnipeg Art Gallery features several of Charlie Thorson’s cartoon images. It opened March 5 and runs until May 30, 2010.

Two images by Thorson from the University of Manitoba Archives: Bugs and “Sniffles the Mouse”

left: Bugs Bunny, ca.1939, by Charles Thorson, mixed media. Collection of the University of Manitoba Archives & Special Collections.

Photo credit: Ernest Mayer, Winnipeg Art Gallery

What’s up, doc?Archives’ Bugs Bunny at WAG

Angus Shortt was a well-known local artist who caught the attention of many natural history and conservation organizations. He immigrated from Ireland in 1908, and found his home here in Winnipeg. Shortt was fascinated by the wildlife and nature that surrounded him and this inspired his work for many years. Ducks Unlimited recognized his talent and kick started his career.

Ducks Unlimited began selling Shortt’s paintings to raise money for their organization and continued to do so for 30 years. To honour his outstanding work and dedication, Shortt was awarded “The Waterfowl Art Award” and had a lake named after him, “Shortt Lake.” Though Angus left some of his work untitled he seemed to be very diligent in keeping track of the dates of his completed work. Our collection includes framed and unframed painting and drawings, Centennial Provincial Floral Medallions, Christmas and New Year Greeting cards, coasters with flower emblem and provincial scenes and duck models sculpted of wood, all made by the hands of Angus Shortt.

Shortt made sketches of raccoons, owls and colorful birds but he is renowned for his detailed oil painting of ducks and geese. His paintings are found in collections all over the world from Japan, South Africa, England and Australia. Now his collection is here at the University of Manitoba Archives, Dafoe Library. One particular oil painting by Angus Shortt is called “Wood Ducks.” This painting is an inspiration to me and the perfectly executed detail is impeccable. The colors resemble the real thing. His painting brings “wildlife to life.”

By: Theresa Szkwarek, Library Technician student at Red River College, Internship at University of Manitoba, Dafoe Library, Archives.

Nothing small about Angus Shortt’s collection

BY CHRIS RUTKOWSKIThe Bulletin

The word is out: a contingent of University of Manitoba graduates contributed to the Oscar-nominated movie Avatar.

Prime Focus, a visual effects company with offices in Los Angeles, Vancouver and Winnipeg, contributed to several scenes of the 3-D blockbuster. And, in the Winnipeg office, dozens of staff have University of Man i toba connec t ions , whether as graduates or co-op students from the department of computer science.

A few, like Matthew Machnee and Sean Cody, made substantial contributions that got their names into the end screen credits of the movie.

“It was really neat,” says Machnee, who graduated in from the U of M in 2003. “I had worked at Prime Focus right after graduation, then went overseas and came back here again a few years ago. It’s the best place to work.”

“They’re doing some amazing things with digital technology here,” he adds. Machnee used his skills acquired in computer science to help in the use of software that allows tracking and manipulation of shots as part of the overall look of complex scenes. One shot in particular was the scene inside the military control room where a

multitude of holographic computer displays appear.

“That involved a lot of separate pieces that needed to be layered on one another,” Machnee explains, “and for a 3-D film, it meant everything had to be duplicated. Without the software to keep track of it all, it wouldn’t have been possible.”

Other movies that Machnee has worked on include Resident Evil 2 and Paycheck.Additional Prime Focus staff who hail from the University are: Sanjay Fisk (BSc/08); Conrad Wiebe (BCSc/07); and Paul Rondeau (MSc/07), all working on other movies that are in the works.

Cody (BSc/07) is currently in Mumbai working on a project, and Shane Adam (BSc/08) is in Los Angeles working on the upcoming 3-D version of Clash of the Titans, due out in May 2010.

University of Manitoba grads credited on Oscar-nominated movie

Matthew Machnee photo by Chris Rutkowski

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