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    Rankings show Queen's 'diversity of strengths'

    Friday November 20, 2015
    By Communications Staff

    A new ranking of university programs by Maclean’s has Queen’s making the top 10 in all 10 categories.

    Offered for the first time alongside the magazine’s annual university rankings, Maclean’s ranked universities in 10 different undergraduate programs – biology; business; computer science; education; engineering; environmental science; geology; mathematics; nursing and psychology.

    “Queen’s continues to be recognized as one of Canada’s leading universities,” says Alan Harrison, Provost and Vice-Principal (Academic). “To be ranked in the top 10 of all 10 categories speaks to the diversity of strengths that help set Queen’s apart.”

    Large research-intensive universities, such as the University of Toronto, the University of British Columbia and McGill University, all had strong results as the indicators with the most weight measured research impact. Despite being a medium-sized university, Queen’s was ranked in the top 10 for all the programs, with the best result being second place for geology.

    Jean Hutchinson, Head of the Department of Geological Sciences and Geological Engineering, says that the rankings have “validated” the department’s efforts.

    “We work very hard in Geology at Queen's both in the classroom and in the field to ensure what we are doing has impact. The incredible dedication and hard work of our faculty, staff, students, and alumni have resulted in a superb learning environment,” Dr. Hutchinson says.

    Queen’s Program Rankings

    • Geology – 2
    • Education – 5
    • Business – 6
    • Engineering – 7
    • Psychology – 7
    • Biology – 8
    • Computer Science – 9
    • Nursing – 9
    • Environmental Science – 10
    • Mathematics – 10

    Maclean’s program rankings combine five indicators that are assigned a weight to come up with an overall score. Three indicators are based on data provided by Amsterdam-based Elsevier from their Scopus database, one of the most comprehensive compendiums of peer-reviewed literature in the world, with metrics calculated by its SciVal Analytics. The other two indicators are based on a survey of more than 1,200 deans, chairs, and professors at more than 80 schools asking them to list which schools offered the best programs and were doing the best research.

    In the Maclean’s 2016 university rankings, released earlier, Queen’s led the way in student satisfaction among Canada’s medical-doctoral universities, while holding its fourth-place overall position within the category.

    Tags: Campus Community|Student Learning Experience

    Talking about who 'We Are'

    Thursday November 19, 2015
    By Andrew Carroll, Gazette Editor

    The Equity Office has recently launched a new blog called We Are with the aim of providing a safe space where the many voices that make up the Queen’s community can have a conversation around equity, diversity and inclusion.

    [Equity Blog - We Are]
    We Are is a new blog created by the Equity Office at Queen's to have conversations about equity, diversity and inclusion. 

    As Equity Advisor Erin Clow explains, the blog will present a wide range of topics related to equity, diversity and inclusion through monthly postings by different contributors, adding that having such conversations is vital for Queen’s as well as the larger community that surrounds it.

    “We live in a really diverse community and conversations around equity and inclusion are things that we need to be talking about and thinking about, to ensure that Queen’s is an inclusive community for all of its members,” she says. “The blog is a place where the different contributors can lend their voice to these discussions and where we can hear from a diversity of people on these important topics.”

    Dr. Clow says the hope is that more community members will lend their voice to the conversation, offering a diversity of ideas, experiences and perspectives.

    One of the first contributors is De-Lawrence Lamptey, a doctoral student from Ghana at the School of Rehabilitation Therapy, who says he got involved with the blog to add to the cultural diversity at the university as well as his own personal experiences.

    “Although Queen’s has more room for improvement as far as cultural diversity on campus is concerned, it is worth showcasing the progress that Queen’s has made in providing a welcoming environment to people of diverse backgrounds,” he says. “I also hope that through my piece, people are inspired to face the challenges of life head on. As we grapple with the challenges of life, even if we don’t get our most desirable outcome, every progress we make dealing with the challenges is worth celebrating.” 

    For further information about We Are, contact Erin Clow.

    Tags: Campus Community

    Finding beauty in research

    Thursday November 19, 2015
    By Communications Staff

    • First Prize: Perfusion of Light – Botterell Hall; Raymond Sturgeon, PhD student, Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences
      First Prize: Perfusion of Light – Botterell Hall; Raymond Sturgeon, PhD student, Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences
    • SECOND PRIZE: Santa Fina – Musei Civici, San Gimignano, Italy; Una Roman D’Elia, Department of Art History
      SECOND PRIZE: Santa Fina – Musei Civici, San Gimignano, Italy; Una Roman D’Elia, Department of Art History
    • THIRD PRIZE: Gemini Mirror Reflections – Mauna Kea, Hawaii; Stephane Courteau, Department of Physics, Engineering Physics & Astronomy
      THIRD PRIZE: Gemini Mirror Reflections – Mauna Kea, Hawaii; Stephane Courteau, Department of Physics, Engineering Physics & Astronomy
    • HONOURABLE MENTION: In Search of Byzantium – Simonopetra Monastery, Mount Athos, Greece; Theodore Christou, Faculty of Education
      HONOURABLE MENTION: In Search of Byzantium – Simonopetra Monastery, Mount Athos, Greece; Theodore Christou, Faculty of Education
    • SHORTLIST: At a Snail’s Pace – Botterell Hall; Alamjeet Kaur Chauhan, Master’s Student, Department of Biomedical and Molecular Science
      SHORTLIST: At a Snail’s Pace – Botterell Hall; Alamjeet Kaur Chauhan, Master’s Student, Department of Biomedical and Molecular Science
    • SHORTLIST: Coded, I Am – Kingston; Stéfy McKnight, Master’s student, Cultural Studies
      SHORTLIST: Coded, I Am – Kingston; Stéfy McKnight, Master’s student, Cultural Studies
    • SHORTLIST: Leaving home – A microscope slide; Eric Y Lian, PhD student, Department of Pathology & Molecular Medicine
      SHORTLIST: Leaving home – A microscope slide; Eric Y Lian, PhD student, Department of Pathology & Molecular Medicine
    • SHORTLIST: Buried Alive – Impala Platinum Mine, Rustenburg, South Africa; Melanie Jansen, Master’s student, Department of Environmental Studies
      SHORTLIST: Buried Alive – Impala Platinum Mine, Rustenburg, South Africa; Melanie Jansen, Master’s student, Department of Environmental Studies
    • SHORTLIST: The Last Tree – Southwest Yukon; Courtenay Jacklin, Student Workplace Experience Program, Department of Geography
      SHORTLIST: The Last Tree – Southwest Yukon; Courtenay Jacklin, Student Workplace Experience Program, Department of Geography
    • SHORTLIST: Borders. What borders? – Apostolos Andreas Monastery, Cyprus; John McGarry, Department of Political Studies
      SHORTLIST: Borders. What borders? – Apostolos Andreas Monastery, Cyprus; John McGarry, Department of Political Studies

    There is a massive amount of research going on at Queen’s University and a recent photo contest has helped provide a view of some of the amazing work being accomplished.

    This September, the Office of the Vice-Principal (Research) launched the first Art of Research photo contest, calling on faculty, staff and students to showcase their research, scholarly and artistic work. Dozens of images were received highlighting a wide range of research from microbiology to the humanities, and locations such as a lab on campus to the Ebola outbreak zone in Africa.

    “Our inaugural Art of Research photo contest was truly a great success! We received over 50 entries from students, faculty, and staff that spanned the disciplines, ” says Melinda Knox, co-managing editor of (e)AFFECT, the Queen’s research magazine. “The winning submissions illustrate that research is not just about output: it is also an artistic endeavour and this should be celebrated.”   

    A panel of judges selected the first, second, third-prize winners, as well as an honourable mention. Another six photos were included in a shortlist.

    Shown are the winners and shortlisted photos. See the Research website for the story behind each photo.

    Tags: Campus Community|Research Prominence

    Green your office

    Tuesday November 24, 2015
    By Craig Leroux, Senior Communications Officer
    The green office certification program encourages practices that reduce waste and divert it from landfill, save energy, and lower emissions.

    Queen’s has launched a new green office certification program to encourage offices across the university to lessen their impact on the environment.

    The program, which has already been piloted by Physical Plant Services (PPS), is designed to recognize the sustainable practices offices are already doing and to identify further opportunities to create a greener office.

    “Sustainability is an important priority for Queen’s and there is a tremendous opportunity for all of us who work here to help make the university’s daily operations more environmentally friendly,” says Caroline Davis, Vice-Principal (Finance and Administration). “The green office certification program aims to get people thinking more about sustainability in the workplace and my office is looking forward to being one of the first signed up to participate.”

    The program, managed by the Sustainability Office, uses a series of checklists to assess an office’s green credentials. Points are awarded for each sustainable practice on the checklists and offices are given a certification level based on the number of points they earn: bronze, silver, gold or platinum.

    Examples of sustainable practises include

    • Setting computers to sleep mode after inactivity
    • Properly disposing of e-waste
    • Turning off lights in unoccupied areas
    • Participating in Queen’s carpool program

    “We successfully piloted the green office certification program here in PPS,” says John Witjes, Associate Vice-Principal (Facilities).  “The process is easy: an initial assessment is done using the program’s checklists and then the participating office decides which other sustainable practices they want to adopt. After six months the assessment is done again to see if you’ve moved up in your certification level.”

    The program awards points for having one or more sustainability ambassadors and for initiatives that help save energy, improve waste diversion and reduction, and promote more sustainable transportation practices.

    “The Sustainability Office is here to guide you through every step of the program. We want it to spark discussions about sustainability and encourage offices to challenge their fellow departments to join.

    - Aaron Ball, Sustainability Manager

    “The Sustainability Office is here to guide you through every step of the program,” says Aaron Ball, Sustainability Manager. “We want it to spark discussions about sustainability and encourage offices to challenge their fellow departments to join. All offices participating in the program will be recognized on the Sustainability Office website and listed according to their certification level.”

    The program aims to bring sustainability to the forefront in daily office operations and to demonstrate the importance of the entire Queen’s community engaging in sustainability.

    More information about the program is available on the Sustainability Office website. Anyone who would like more inforamtion or who may be interested in participating in the program can contact Aaron Ball by email or at ext. 33379.

    Tags: Campus Community|Financial Sustainability

    Driver safety workshop

    Thursday November 19, 2015

    With the cooler weather quickly approaching, Queen’s is starting to prepare and this includes the university’s drivers.

    The Insurance and Risk Management Team is hosting a short driver safety workshop which is open to all university employees, students and faculty who drive on behalf of Queen’s on university business. This includes those who drive rented vehicles for business as well as those who drive university-owned vehicles. 

    The workshop will be held on Nov. 24 with a choice of two times and locations:

    • 8:30-10 am – Humphrey Hall Auditorium
    • 1-2:30 pm – Ellis Hall Auditorium

    Email insurance@queensu.ca with information on the number of expected to attend and which time.

    Tags: Campus Community

    New edition of Vitality! available

    Thursday November 19, 2015
    [Vitality!]
    Read Vitality! online

    As the Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP) provider for Queen’s University, Homewood Health publishes a regular newsletter called Vitality!

    The newsletter is intended to support key personnel with a wealth of information on the topic presented, which for this edition is “Improving Time Management Skills.”

    For more information on the Queen’s EFAP, visit queensu.ca/humanresources/employees/efap.html.

    For 24-hour EFAP services call 1-800-663-1142 (English) or 1-866-398-9505 (French).  

     

    Tags: Campus Community

    Accepting an award, remembering a friend

    Thursday November 19, 2015
    By Chris Moffatt Armes, Government Relations Analyst

    John Smol receives the Martin Bergmann Medal for Excellence in Arctic Leadership and Science.

    John Smol has received an Arctic research lifetime achievement award named in honour of his friend and former colleague Martin Bergmann.

    “I knew and had worked with Marty for many years. He was a great guy who always ‘got things done,’ so receiving the Bergmann Medal is very close to me,” Dr. Smol says.

    Queen's researcher John Smol has received the Martin Bergmann Medal for Excellence in Arctic Leadership and Science. Established by the Royal Canadian Geographical Society in 2012, the award is named in recognition of Mr. Bergmann's career as an Arctic researcher and director of the Polar Continental Shelf Program with Natural Resources Canada.

    Mr. Bergmann was an Arctic researcher and director of the Polar Continental Shelf Program with Natural Resources Canada. Mr. Bergmann died when First Air charter flight 6560 crashed in Resolute, Nunavut on Aug. 20, 2011.

    Established by the Royal Canadian Geographical Society in 2012, the medal recognizes achievement for “excellence in Arctic leadership and science.”

    Dr. Smol received the award for more than 30 years of research in the Arctic. Since making his first trip north in 1983, Dr. Smol has studied climate change effects on the Arctic and water contamination from mining and human activities, as well as a spectrum of other issues.

    “During my career, I have had the opportunity to work on a large number of issues all around the region,” says Dr. Smol. “We’ve done a lot of work in the Arctic and we’ve learned a lot about how climate change, contamination and humans impact northern ecosystems. Canada has stewardship over a large part of the Arctic, and the Arctic is a very important part of who we are as a nation.”

    While the award recognizes Dr. Smol’s collective work in the Arctic region, he’s quick to point out that he is far from finished. Both the wealth of research opportunities and the landscape itself promises to keep bringing him back.

    “A lot of people go up to the High Arctic for two or three years and then family or other obligations prevent them from going back again,” said Dr. Smol. “If you go up one too many times, you’ll keep coming back forever. It’s in your blood. It’s a hauntingly beautiful place and you get hooked.”

    Dr. Smol received the award at the annual Royal Canadian Geographical Society fellows’ gala dinner on Nov. 18 in Ottawa. The Honourable Elizabeth Dowdeswell, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, presented Dr. Smol with the award.

     

    Tags: Arts and Science|Campus Community|Research Prominence|Student Learning Experience

    Sit down, take a moment

    Wednesday November 18, 2015
    By Mark Kerr, Senior Communications Officer
    [Thrive organizers]
    Thrive organizers Angela Reed, Sydney Downey and Emily Johnston (left to right) take a break after a busy week of events. The new yellow benches on main and west campuses will serve to remind the Queen’s community about the importance of positive mental health and well-being.

    A few days after hosting more than 70 events over a one-week period, Thrive organizers Sydney Downey, Angela Reed and Emily Johnston can finally relax. They reflect on the inaugural event while sitting on one of two new yellow benches, which they hope will continually remind the Queen’s community about the importance of positive mental health and well-being.

    “From the beginning, we saw the first week in November as the first step toward helping people ‘thrive 365,’” says Sydney Downey, Manager, Return to Work and Accommodation Services in Human Resources (HR). “I think we have made progress toward that goal with people expressing interest in certain activities continuing throughout the year.”

    The University of British Columbia created Thrive several years ago, and Queen’s HR adopted it with the goal of promoting positive mental health and resiliency among staff, faculty and students. Ms. Downey estimates half of the cases she deals with involve mental health, and those tend to result in longer medical absences from work.

    Thrive organizers consulted broadly at Queen’s and the local community to come up with an exciting series of events. Through the activities, participants could relieve stress and learn more about the various services available to them. Departments and units also hosted their own Thrive events, with activities such as “bring you pet to work day” and a video gaming hour.

    “We definitely got a lot positive feedback. People told us that Thrive helped them try new things and learn more about what people across campus do to relieve stress,” Ms. Reed says. “I played dodgeball, which I never would have tried otherwise.”

    The week drew to a close on Nov. 6 with the installation of two yellow benches on Queen’s main and west campuses. Physical Plant Services refurbished the benches and donated them along with two new red maple trees that are planted nearby.

    Thrive organizers borrowed the bench idea from the Friendship Bench project that students at Carleton University started to honour their friend Lucas Fiorella, who suffered from depression and committed suicide in 2014. The bright yellow benches are intended to raise awareness of mental health-related issues and help remove the stigma that surrounds the topic.

    “The Thrive benches, which really brighten up campus, invite people to take a moment and have a conversation with a friend or co-worker,” Ms. Johnston says.

    HR is currently evaluating the activities, which will inform planning for next year’s Thrive week. People who signed up for events will receive an email within the next couple of weeks asking for their feedback. If you didn’t attend an event but would like to offer your feedback, please send an email to Emily Johnston, HR Customer Service Representative.

    Tags: Campus Community

    New edition of the Gazette

    Wednesday November 18, 2015
    By Communications Staff

    The Nov. 17 edition of the Gazette is now available and can be picked up around Queen’s campus, as well as a number of off-campus locations.

    [Gazette Nov. 17, 2015]
    Read the Gazette online.

    As always the newspaper is filled with interesting Queen's-focused items including:

    • A closer look at the members of the Queen’s community who received the Distinguished Service Awards.
    • A recap of the official opening of Smith House, one of two recently-built residences.
    • A roundup of the winners of the “Art of Research” photo contest.
    • Updates on the latest research, awards and achievements of faculty, staff and students.

    The Gazette is published biweekly during the academic year; the next edition will hit the newsstands on Dec. 1.

    Anyone looking to get a story, photo or information in the Gazette can contact the paper's editor Andrew Carroll or Senior Communications Officer Mark Kerr.

    Also visit the Gazette Online for more stories and photos and follow us on Twitter at @queensuGazette

    Tags: Campus Community

    Nominations sought for Senate seat

    Tuesday November 17, 2015

    Nominations are requested for the following position: 1 staff member to Senate (three-year term commencing Sept. 1, 2016).

    Nomination forms and information about eligibility and the nomination process are available online or by contacting the University Secretariat at 613-533-6095.

    Nominations must be received at the University Secretariat, Suite F300 Mackintosh-Corry Hall by 4 pm on Friday, Dec. 11.

    Tags: Campus Community

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