Campus Community

Full STEAM Ahead

Friday April 27, 2018

By Dave Rideout, Communications Officer

Science Rendezvous in Kingston features YouTube stars AsapSCIENCE along with exciting new activities and exhibits

Mitch and Greg of AsapSCIENCE will break down some of science’s weirdest questions and inexplicable phenomena during their session at Science Rendezvous, being held May 12 at the Rogers K-Rock Centre.

The popular Science Rendezvous educational showcase returns to the Rogers K-Rock Centre on May 12 to celebrate innovative science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics (STEAM) projects with the Kingston community. The free, family-oriented event will feature fascinating hands-on exhibits, exciting demonstrations, and a thrilling ‘headlining’ performance and special meet-and-greet with worldwide YouTube sensation AsapSCIENCE.

“We’re very excited to be bringing Science Rendezvous back for the eighth straight year,” says Lynda Colgan, Professor in the Faculty of Education and lead event organizer. “With the support of people, families, schools, and businesses across Kingston, the event has grown by leaps and bounds, allowing us connect more Kingstonians with fun, inspiring, and educational opportunities.”

With the help of 375 local volunteers, Science Rendezvous hosted over 4,400 visitors last year, with as many or more expected to attend the upcoming event. An extensive complement of exciting presenters will be on hand, including: an interactive visual exhibition by Art The Science – a Canadian non-profit celebrating connections between art and science; a chemistry magic show by the Department of Chemistry; a ‘magic mirror’ decoder game with Math Midway and; a life-sized replica of Leonardo DaVinci’s self-supporting bridge created by the Pump House Steam Museum.

There will also be stage shows, robotics demonstrations, virtual reality sessions, large-scale experiments, science games, and more. Ontario’s own Mitchell Moffit and Gregory Brown of AsapSCIENCE will be doing a 30-minute performance in which they will break down some of science’s weirdest questions and inexplicable phenomena.

“There is something for everyone at Science Rendezvous,” says Dr. Colgan. “Whatever your interests, we try to share a wide variety of thought-provoking exhibits designed to delight and excite the young and young at heart.”

The first 2,000 families to arrive at this year’s event in Kingston will receive a take-home booklet filled with experiments that can be done at home, as well as a free tote bag – some of which will contain additional prizes, like passes to local museums, merchandise, and more.

“It’s also been very important to me for this event to remain free for everyone year in and year out, because everyone deserves to learn and to experience the wonder of the world around us,” says Dr. Colgan. “I want to extend my gratitude to all of those people who are working to make this year’s Science Rendezvous the best one yet. I’d like to especially thank the Queen’s Office of the Provost and Office of the Vice-Principal (Research) for their support; Rick Mercer for helping to promote the event; local Kingston radio stations 93.5 Country, Kiss 102.7, and K-Rock 105.7 for providing the venue free of charge; and, of course, the staff and management of the Rogers K-Rock Centre for hosting our event.”

Kingston’s event will be one of 300 Science Rendezvous celebrations happening in 30 cities across Canada on May 12, all of which will be marking this year’s theme “Full STEAM ahead!”

For more information on the event please visit the Science Rendezvous website. You can also follow Kingston’s Science Rendezvous on Twitter and Instagram for the latest updates.

Tags: Campus Community|Education

Queen's Remembers Nobel plinth now installed

Friday April 27, 2018

A plinth commemorating the Nobel Prize-winning neutrino discoveries of the team at the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory (SNO) scientific collaboration has been installed between Ontario and Grant Halls.

[Nobel Plinth] A plinth commemorating the Nobel Prize-winning neutrino discoveries of the team at the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory (SNO) scientific collaboration led by Dr. Art McDonald, Gordon and Patricia Gray Chair in Particle Astrophysics Emeritus in the Department of Physics, Engineering Physics, and Astronomy at Queen’s, has been installed between Ontario and Grant Halls.

The plinth was recently unveiled at a special event held at the Agnes, but at the time it could not be permanently installed due to the weather. To learn more about the Nobel plinth, please see this Gazette article.

The plinth is a part of the Queen's Remembers series. Previous Queen’s Remembers plinths have recognized the traditional inhabitants of the Kingston area—the Anishinaabe and the Haudenosaunee peoples—and the 5th Field Company, a group of soldiers primarily comprised of Queen’s students and faculty who served and gave their lives in both World Wars. To learn more about the Queen’s Remembers initiative, visit the Queen’s Encyclopedia.

Tags: Arts and Science|Campus Community

Malcolm Williams: 1932-2018

Thursday April 26, 2018

By Communications Staff

[Dr. Malcolm Williams] — Dr. Malcolm Williams

Malcolm Williams, a former head of the Department of Otolaryngology and a professor in the Faculty of Health Sciences for 27 years, died on April 23, 2018 at his home in Kingston.

Born on June 9, 1932 in Grovesend, South Wales, Dr. Williams arrived at Queen’s in 1969 and retired in 1996. Engaging and compassionate he was recognized as one of Canada’s top ear surgeons during his career.

A memorial service will be held at the Cathedral Church of St. George (corner of Johnson and King streets), on Friday, April at 11 am. The family will receive friends at the church prior to the service from 10 am until 10:50 am and during a reception following the service.

An obituary is available online.

Dr. Williams also wrote a piece for the Undergraduate School of Medicine Blog regarding a trip to Italy and the art of teaching through storytelling, something he excelled at.

Tags: Campus Community|Health Sciences

For The Record: April 26, 2018

Thursday April 26, 2018

For the Record provides postings of appointment, committee, grant, award, and other notices set out by collective agreements and university policies and processes. It is the university’s primary vehicle for sharing this information with our community.

The next issue of For the Record will be published Thursday, May 10. The deadline for submitting information is Tuesday, May 8. For the Record is published bi-weekly throughout the academic year and monthly during the summer.

Submit For the Record information for posting to Gazette Editor Andrew Carroll.

NOTICES

Renewal, tenure, promotion applications

Under the terms of the Collective Agreement between Queen’s and Queen’s University Faculty Association for faculty, librarians and archivists, Aug. 15 is the deadline for regular faculty to apply for renewal, tenure or promotion; librarians and archivists to apply for renewal, continuing appointment or promotion; and adjuncts to apply for promotion.

Members must notify their unit head of their intent to apply for renewal, tenure, continuing appointment, or promotion by July 1.

Articles that refer to these procedures include: Article 24 – Employment Equity; Article 30 – Renewal, Tenure and Promotion for Tenure-Track and Tenured Faculty Members; Article 31 – Renewal, Continuing Appointment and Promotion for Librarian and Archivist Members; Article 32.6 Reappointment and Promotion of Adjunct Members; and Appendix O – Aboriginal Participation in Renewal, Tenure or Promotion Committees (or in the case of Librarian and Archivist Members, Continuing Appointment).

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Queen's Cancer Research Institute (QCRI) is pleased to announce the names of this year’s recipients of the Craig Jury Memorial Summer Studentship in Cancer Research. This endowment fund was established in 2005 through a gift from Erma Jury (Arts 1963). in memory of her son Craig, and is awarded on the basis of high academic achievement and a demonstrated interest in cancer research, to a full-time undergraduate student in the Faculty of Health Sciences or the Faculty of Arts and Science to participate in a summer studentship in the Cancer Research Institute at Queen’s University.

Thanks to funds from the Estate of Franklin Clayton Weaver, QCRI was able to offer an additional Craig Jury Memorial Summer Studentship in Cancer Research. Congratulations to the four recipients in the Division of Cancer Biology & Genetics (CBG) in QCRI:

Carrie Wei, a third-year BScH Life Science student under the direction of Dr. Lois Mulligan (project title: “Intracellular movement of multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2 (MEN2) RET proteins in human cancer”).

Zier Zhou, a second-year BScH Life Science student under the direction of Dr. Neil Renwick (project title: “Analyzing microRNA expression data from neuroendocrine and control tumours from various anatomic sites”).

Isabelle Grenier-Pleau, a fourth-year BScH Arts and Science (Biochemistry) student under the direction of Dr. Sheela Abraham (project title: “Assessing biomarkers for Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia”).

Jack Yao, a third-year BScH Arts and Science (Biochemistry) student under the direction of Dr. Andrew Craig (project title: “Defining targets of tumor suppressor microRNAs in malignant melanoma”).

SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATES

Job Title: Cancer Research Study Coordinator
Department: Canadian Cancer Trials Group
Competition: J0617-1075
Successful Candidate: Constance Laroche-Lefebvre

Job Title: Student Development Coordinator (USW Local 2010)
Department: Student Experience Office
Competition: J0118-0237
Successful Candidate: Sara Ali

Job Title: Caretaker (CUPE Local 229)
Department: Physical Plant Services
Competition: J0218-0919
Successful Candidate: Lorne McDonell (Physical Plant Services), Rhonda MacDonald (Physical Plant Services), Taylor Bertrim (Physical Plant Services)

Job Title: Caretaker (CUPE Local 229)
Department: Physical Plant Services
Competition: J0218-0919
Successful Candidate: Donald MacGregor (Physical Plant Services), Marina Oikonomou (Physical Plant Services), Brent Pople (Physical Plant Services), Matthew Trentadue (Physical Plant Services) Richard Wilinson (Physical Plant Services), Paul Houghton (Physical Plant Services), Doug Cochrane (Physical Plant Services)

Job Title: Postgraduate Program Coordinator
Department: Department of Surgery
Competition: J0218-0851
Successful Candidate: Nicole de Smidt (Department of Surgery)

Job Title: Business Manager
Department: University Secretariat and Legal Counsel
Competition: J0118-0075
Successful Candidate: Suzan Moase (Associate VP International)

Job Title: Caretaker (CUPE Local 229)
Department: Physical Plant Services
Competition: J1217-0172
Successful Candidate: Sean Gaulton

Job Title: Timetabling Administrator
Department: Office of the University Registrar
Competition: J0118-0206
Successful Candidate: Merry Horton (Undergraduate Admission)

Job Title: Teaching and Learning Coordinator
Department: Office of the Provost and Vice-Principal Academic
Competition: J1217-0650
Successful Candidate: Mahsa Gholami (Applied Science - Faculty Office)

Job Title: Administrative Assistant (USW Local 2010)
Department: Regional Assessment Resource Centre
Competition: J0218-0071
Successful Candidate: Heidi Galloway-Bourgoin

Job Title: Internship Coordinator, QUIP (USW Local 2010)
Department: Career Services
Competition: J0218-0059
Successful Candidate: Melissa Duggan

Job Title: Privacy/Security Officer
Department: ICES Queen's Health Sciences Research Facility
Competition: J0118-0314
Successful Candidate: Patrick Baldwin

Job Title: Social Worker (OPSEU Local 452)
Department: Family Medicine
Competition: J1217-0790
Successful Candidate: Jessica Waller

Job Title: Senior Contracts Negotiator
Department: Office of Partnerships and Advancement
Competition: J1217-0271
Successful Candidate: Helen Lee

Job Title: Undergraduate Program Assistant (USW Local 2010)
Department: History
Competition: J0218-0007
Successful Candidate: Jennifer Lucas

Job Title: Caretaker (CUPE Local 229)
Department: Department of Residences (Housing & Ancillary Services)
Competition: J0218-0513
Successful Candidate: Hope Jones [Department of Residences (Housing & Ancillary Services)]

Job Title: Caretaker (CUPE Local 229)
Department: Department of Residences (Housing & Ancillary Services)
Competition: J0218-0514
Successful Candidate: Tanya Sherboneau [Department of Residences (Housing & Ancillary Services)]

Job Title: Coordinator, Orientation and Transition (USW Local 2010)
Department: Student Experience Office
Competition: J1217-0574
Successful Candidate: Melissa Burke

Job Title: Admission Awards Assistant (USW Local 2010)
Department: Office of the University Registrar
Competition: J0118-1093
Successful Candidate: Dionne Gaudet

Job Title: Financial Assistant (USW Local 2010)
Department: Faculty of Engineering and Applied Sciences
Competition: J0218-0063
Successful Candidate: Melissa de Haan (Faculty of Engineering and Applied Sciences)

Job Title: Finance and Staffing Assistant (USW Local 2010)
Department: Department of Student Health Services
Competition: J1017-0979
Successful Candidate: Rachel Vanhooser (Department of Student Counselling Services)

Job Title: Desk Services Representative (USW Local 2010)
Department: Department of Residences (Housing & Ancillary Services)
Competition: J0218-0461
Successful Candidate: Taylor Doherty [Department of Residences (Housing & Ancillary Services)]

Job Title: Coordinator, Office of Indigenous Initiatives
Department: Office of Indigenous Initiatives (Office of the Provost)
Competition: J1217-0314
Successful Candidate: Haley Cochrane

Job Title: Support Technician (USW Local 2010)
Department: Department of Residences (Housing & Ancillary Services)
Competition: J0118-0404
Successful Candidate: Kurtis Riehl

Job Title: Administrative Assistant
Department: School of Graduate Studies
Competition: J0218-0621
Successful Candidate: Tracey Kawamoto

Job Title: OSCE and Clinical Skills Program Assistant
Department: Undergraduate Medical Education
Competition: J0318-0074
Successful Candidate: Melissa Scott (Undergraduate Medical Education)

Job Title: Registered Practical Nurse (OPSEU Local 452)
Department: Family Medicine
Competition: J0118-0988
Successful Candidate: Jessica MacLauchlan

Job Title: Administrative Assistant, Alumni Education and Travel (USW Local 2010)
Department: Department of Alumni Relations and Annual Giving
Competition: J0138-0486
Successful Candidate: Marketa Civin (Department of Alumni Relations and Annual Giving)

Job Title: Administrative Assistant, Alumni Relations and Annual Giving
Department: Department of Alumni Relations and Annual Giving
Competition: J0218-0932
Successful Candidate: Kate Bearse (Department of Alumni Relations and Annual Giving)

Job Title: Program Coordinator, JD Studies (USW Local 2010)
Department: Faculty of Law
Competition: J0318-0148
Successful Candidate: Giovanna Crocco (Smith School of Business)

Job Title: Caretaker (CUPE Local 229)
Department: Physical Plant Services
Competition: J1217-0172
Successful Candidate: Drew Davies

Job Title: Marketing Coordinator (USW Local 2010)
Department: Dan School of Drama and Music
Competition: J0218-0274
Successful Candidate: Ginger Pharand

Job Title: Personal Counselling (USW Local 2010)
Department: Department of Student Counselling Services
Competition: J0218-0170
Successful Candidate: Hannah Peck (Department of Student Counselling Services)

Job Title: Driver/Delivery Clerk (USW Local 2010)
Department: Queen's Postal Services
Competition: J0218-1140
Successful Candidate: Cindi Allen (Family Medicine)

Tags: Campus Community

Queen’s Law students raise more than $25,000 for charities

Wednesday April 25, 2018

By Communications Staff

Local and national charities benefit from the ongoing support and efforts of law students.

When they weren’t hitting the books this year, Queen’s Law students hit the rinks, stages, and links to raise over $25,000 for charity.

[Queen's Law Cabaret for a Cure] — The annual Cabaret for a Cure dance and fashion show was one of the highlights of a Queen's Law 2017-18 fundraising year that saw students raising money for charity at a number of events. (Supplied photo)

On March 15, the annual Cabaret for a Cure capped off a year of Queen’s Law Cancer Society (QLCS) fundraising events by raising $17,000 for the Canadian Cancer Society. A crowd of more than 400, including guests from the Canadian Cancer Society’s Kingston branch, attended Cabaret at the Grand Theatre in downtown Kingston to see students dance, sing and model in support of cancer research.

“It was incredible to be involved in a group that is not only one of the largest clubs at Queen’s Law but one that captures the attention and compassion of so many students, staff and members of the Kingston community,” said Anu Lalith Kumar (Law’19), one of the co-presidents of the QLCS.

Local businesses donated items for the Cabaret raffle and provided clothes for the fashion shows. The QLCS also auctioned off tickets to Toronto Maple Leafs, Blue Jays and Raptors games. But the most intense bidding was for unique events like dinner with Dean Bill Flanagan and drinks with Professor Nick Bala.

In September the QLCS raised over $5,600 for the CIBC Run for the Cure in support of breast cancer research and in November the club raised $2,756 for the Movember Foundation, a charity focused on funding research in prostate and testicular cancers, supporting men’s mental health and preventing suicide. Some students grew moustaches. Many more were able to join the QLCS at events throughout the month. These included a basketball tournament, a bowling night, a games night at Barcadia and blindfolded attempts to Pin the Mo’ on (a photo of) the dean in the student lounge.

On Sept. 30, staff partnered with students to host the Fall Classic Charity Event at Loyalist Golf and Country Club in Bath. A total of 80 students, staff, faculty, alumni and friends took in the sunshine and sought to Out Drive the Dean at the 10th hole. The event raised $1,500 for Pathways to Education.

“We were excited to offer fun activities throughout the day,” said Heather Cole (Law’96), Assistant Dean of Students. “Our golfers and non-golfers were very generous with their support.”

Law firms and Kingston businesses supported the day on the links with in-kind donations for prizes like Kingston Frontenacs tickets.

The faculty, the Frontenacs, and the Queen’s Law hockey team put on the Winter Classic on Feb. 2 and raised $500 for the Boys and Girls Club of Kingston and Area. More than 100 Queen’s Law community members enjoyed a private pre-game reception in the club lounge and sat together to cheer the Frontenacs as they faced the Oshawa Generals in an OHL matchup.

Lawlapalooza on Valentine’s Day had the Queen’s Law community show its love for the talented musicians in its ranks. The $4,000 raised through Lawlapalooza benefits the aspiring musicians who borrow for free at Joe’s M.I.L.L., a Kingston instrument lending library with over 1,000 instruments.

Queen’s Law has more plans for community outreach, including a summer camp this year on law and leadership for adolescents.

Tags: Campus Community|Law

Indigenous alumnus helps right a 133-year-old wrong

Friday April 27, 2018

A 25-year campaign to exonerate a Cree chief has finally come to its conclusion.

[Pîhtokahanapiwiyin] — Cree Chief Pîhtokahanapiwiyin (“Poundmaker”) was wrongfully convicted of treason in 1885. (National Archives Canada).

They say the wheels of justice sometimes grind slowly. And sometimes those wheels need help to get moving at all.

Blaine Favel (Law’90), recently saw the truth of those words when a lobbying effort he has championed for more than 25 years finally persuaded the federal government to exonerate Cree Chief Pîhtokahanapiwiyin (“Poundmaker”) from a wrongful 1885 treason conviction.

“Poundmaker was a good man and a good chief who took care of his people. He was unfairly convicted,” says Favel. “[The decision] to set history right is the best news I’ve heard in a long time.”

Poundmaker’s story is one Favel knows well. The CEO of Kanata Earth Management (a Cut Knife, Saskatchewan-based, Indigenous-owned producer of organically grown cannabis), is himself a former chief of the Poundmaker First Nation, a former grand-chief of the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations, and Chancellor Emeritus of the University of Saskatchewan

“I became aware of Poundmaker’s story when I was growing up, and during my own time as chief, I started working with other members of the Poundmaker First Nation to clear his name.”

In May 1885 in the midst of the Northwest Rebellion, the chief went to Fort Battleford in an unsuccessful effort to convince a government “Indian agent” to provide treaty payments to starving members of the Poundmaker First Nation. However, when the chief and his still-hungry men returned to their reserve, they were pursued by government soldiers intent on exacting revenge for some looting the Cree were wrongly alleged to have committed. On the morning of May 2, the troops launched a sneak attack.

Eight Canadian troops died in the Battle of Cut Knife Hill, and their mates retreated in disarray, but Poundmaker ordered his fighters not to give chase. “They could have wiped out those soldiers the same way Custer was wiped out at Little Bighorn in 1876, but the chief said no,” Favel says. “Poundmaker never wanted war. He was a peacemaker.”

Poundmaker was convicted of treason and went to prison for three years. However, when he contracted tuberculosis while behind bars, he was released after a year. He died four months later. Members of the Poundmaker First Nation never forgot or forgave that injustice.

[Blaine Favel] — Blaine Favel (Law'90). (Supplied Photo)

When the Trudeau government prioritized reconciliation with Canada’s Indigenous people, Favel and other members of the Poundmaker First Nation doubled down in their efforts to win exoneration for the chief. An online petition drew more than 4,500 signatures, and Favel and fellow First Nations leaders lobbied politicians. Their efforts paid off earlier this year when at long last Poundmaker was exonerated.

Favel regards the move as a vital first step toward a comprehensive reparations agreement between Ottawa and the Poundmaker First Nation. He hopes a formal apology also will be part of any final agreement. “The government’s decision should be viewed as an act of literal reconciliation and nation-building,” Favel says. “This is our common history, and so we should embrace Chief Poundmaker as a great Canadian.”

Learn more about Pîhtokahanapiwiyin's story and the exoneration in this CBC Radio news coverage.

Tags: Campus Community|Law

Honorary degrees for spring ceremonies

Tuesday April 24, 2018

By Sarah Linders, Senior Communications Officer

The presentation of honorary degrees is one of the many traditions of convocation. This spring, seven recipients will be honored during the ceremonies. All recipients were selected by Queen’s community members for their contributions to the local community, Canadian society, or the world.

The honorary degree recipients this year include:

Phil Gold, Doctor of Science DSc

Ceremony 2: Thursday, May 24 at 2:30 pm

Phil Gold is the Executive Director of the Clinical Research Centre of the McGill University Health Centre at the Montreal General Hospital (MGH) and the Douglas G. Cameron Professor of Medicine and Professor of Physiology and Oncology at McGill University. He has served as the Inaugural Director of the Goodman Cancer Centre, Chairman of the Department of Medicine at McGill, and Physician-in-Chief at the MGH.

Dr. Gold’s early research led to the discovery and definition of the Carcinoembryonic Antigen (CEA), and the subsequent CEA blood test. In 2006, the Phil Gold Chair in Medicine was inaugurated at McGill University. Dr. Gold was inducted into the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame in 2010, and also received the Life Time Achievement Award from McGill University and the inaugural McGill University Faculty of Medicine Global Achievement Award in 2011.

Dr. Gold has received national and international recognition throughout his career, including the Gairdner Foundation Annual International Award (1978), Medizinische Hochschule, Germany (1978), the Johann-Georg-Zimmerman Prize for Cancer Research (1978), the Isaak Walton Killam Award in Medicine of the Canada Council (1985), the National Cancer Institute of Canada R.M. Taylor Medal (1992), the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Medal (2002), and many other accolades, including honorary degrees from a number of universities.

Isabel Bassett, Doctor of Laws LLD

Ceremony 5: Friday, May 25 at 4 pm.

Professionally, Isabel Bassett was Chair and CEO of TVOntario, MPP and Minister of Citizenship, Culture and Recreation for the Ontario Government, and host and producer of award winning documentaries on CFTO TV, which focused on social issues such as sexual abuse, mental health, and teen gangs.

Now retired, Ms. Bassett is a facilitator using her know-how and connections to work for gender parity. She advocates to get young people more involved in politics and for more diversity on boards and in senior management positions. She is now adding her voice in support of the McMichael Gallery to awaken the public to Canada's little known treasure house of Canadian Art.

Indira Samarasekera, Doctor of Science DSc

Ceremony 12: Thursday, May 31 at 4 pm

Indira Samarasekera served as the twelfth President and Vice Chancellor of the University of Alberta from 2005 to 2015. She also served as Vice-President (Research) at the University of British Columbia from 2000 to 2005. She is currently a Senior Advisor for Bennett Jones LLP and serves on the Board of Directors of the Bank of Nova Scotia, Magna International, and TransCanada. Dr. Samarasekera was appointed by the Prime Minister to serve as a Federal Member to the Independent Advisory Board for Senate Appointments until 2017.

Dr. Samarasekera is internationally recognized as one of Canada’s leading metallurgical engineers for her ground-breaking work on process engineering of materials, especially steel processing. Dr. Samarasekera was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2002 for outstanding contributions to steel process engineering. In 2014, she was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in the US, the profession’s highest honour.

As a Hays Fulbright Scholar, she earned an MSc from the University of California in 1976 and a PhD in metallurgical engineering from the University of British Columbia in 1980. She has received honorary degrees from the Universities of British Columbia, Toronto, Waterloo, Montreal, and from Western University in Canada, as well as Queen’s University in Belfast, Ireland.

Valerie Tarasuk, Doctor of Science DSc

Ceremony 13: Friday, June 1 at 10 am

Valerie Tarasuk is a professor in the Department of Nutritional Sciences and Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto.

Dr. Tarasuk’s research includes Canadian food policy and population-level dietary assessment, but much of her career has focused on income-related problems of food access in Canada. She played a pivotal role in the implementation of food insecurity monitoring in Canada and has helped spearhead efforts to use monitoring data to inform programming and policy decisions. Dr. Tarasuk has led PROOF, an interdisciplinary research program investigating household insecurity in Canada, since 2011. In 2017, Dr. Tarasuk was honored by the Canadian Nutrition Society with the Earle Willard McHenry Award for Distinguished Service in Nutrition.

John Baird, Doctor of Law LLD

Ceremony 14: Friday, June 1 at 2:30 pm

John Baird served as a senior cabinet minister in the Government of Canada. Mr. Baird spent three terms as a Member of Parliament and four years as Minister of Foreign Affairs. He also served as President of the Treasury Board, Minister of the Environment, Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, and Leader of the Government in the House of Commons. In 2010, he was selected by MPs from all parties as Parliamentarian of the Year. He is currently a Senior Business Advisor with Bennett Jones LLP.

An instrumental figure in bilateral trade and investment relationships, Mr. Baird has played a leading role in the Canada-China dialogue and worked to build ties with Southeast Asian nations.

Mr. Baird holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Political Studies from Queen’s. He volunteers his time with Community Living Ontario, the Prince's Charities, and is a board member of the Friends of Israel Initiative.

Hugh Segal, Doctor of Law LLD

Ceremony 15: Monday, June 4 at 10 am

Now the fifth elected Principal of Massey College and a strategic advisor at the law firm of Aird and Berlis, LLP, Hugh Segal has spent his career in such public service roles as the Associate Cabinet Secretary (Federal-Provincial Affairs) in Ontario and the Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister. In Ontario, he was involved in the negotiations to patriate the Canadian constitution and create the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Mr. Segal chaired the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade and the Special Senate Committee on Anti-Terrorism between 2005 and 2014. He served as Canada's Special Envoy to the Commonwealth and a member of the Commonwealth Eminent Persons Group on reform and modernization, human rights, and rule of law.

A former President of the Institute for Research on Public Policy in Montreal, a Senior Fellow of the Canadian Institute of Global Affairs, and a Distinguished Fellow of the Munk School of Global Affairs, the Queen's School of Policy Studies, and the Smith School of Business at Queen's, Mr. Segal holds honorary doctorates from the Royal Military College of Canada and the University of Ottawa.

Douglas Cardinal, Doctor of Law LLD

Ceremony 21: Wednesday, June 6 at 2:30 pm

Originally from Calgary, Alberta, Douglas Cardinal's architectural studies at The University of British Columbia took him to Austin, Texas, where he achieved his architectural degree and found his passion for human rights initiatives. Mr. Cardinal has become a forerunner of philosophies of sustainability, green buildings, and ecologically designed community planning.

Mr. Cardinal has received many national and international awards, including 20 Honorary Doctorates, Gold Medals of Architecture in Canada and Russia, and an award from the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) for best sustainable village. He was also titled an Officer of the Order of Canada, one of the most prestigious awards that can be given to a Canadian, and he was awarded the declaration of “World Master of Contemporary Architecture” by the International Association of Architects.

Planning underway to welcome students for fall term

Friday April 20, 2018

By Communications staff

The 2017-18 academic year isn’t over quite yet, but Queen’s is already encouraging students, staff, faculty and the near-campus community to think ahead to the 2018 fall term.

The university is introducing several changes to the fall term schedule, including changes to residence move-in day and the first day of classes.

More than 4,500 students will be moving in to their residence on the Saturday of Labour Day weekend, Sept. 1, 2018, instead of the usual Sunday.

Thousands of upper-year students living in the near-campus community are also expected to arrive in town over that weekend. With so many people moving around the campus area on the Saturday, the impact on local traffic will be significant.

“We are working closely with our municipal community partners to plan for the increase in traffic on the Saturday, ensuring new students know what to do and where to go when they arrive, and making the community aware of changes to the first-week schedule,” says Ann Tierney, Vice Provost and Dean of Student Affairs. “Our goal is a smooth weekend for everyone, as we welcome our students to Queen’s and the Kingston community.”

The changes also include starting classes on the first Thursday in September and are the result of the introduction of a fall break into the academic calendar. Following the residence move-in day and welcome to campus on Saturday and Sunday, faculty-specific orientation activities will take place Monday, Sept. 3 through Wednesday, Sept. 5. Regular classes will run Thursday and Friday, and will be followed by continued faculty-specific and university orientation events throughout the weekend. There are several varsity games and campus activities scheduled all week.

Advancing move-in by one day, and starting classes the following Thursday, retains six days of orientation activities, has minimal impact on sessional dates, offers a new four-day break in late October, during a high-stress period in the term, and maintains pre-exam study days in December.

Reducing the time between move-in and the start of classes is also consistent with the recommendations of a working group that reviewed undergraduate orientation and developed a shared vision for an inclusive and accessible welcome to Queen’s.

“We will be communicating with our students, faculty, staff and the community over the summer to ensure they have accurate and timely information around the changes being introduced this September to move-in and orientation week,” Tierney adds.

Information for new students can be found at the Queen’s University Residences and Housing webpage. This page will be updated throughout the summer.

* An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated that the fall term break would take place in Novermber. The fall term break will take place in late October.

Tags: Campus Community

Introducing our new faculty members: Ravi Prakash

Tuesday April 24, 2018

By Phil Gaudreau, Senior Communications Officer

Ravi Prakash is a new member of the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science.

This profile is part of a series highlighting some of the new faculty members who have recently joined the Queen's community as part of the principal's faculty renewal plans, which will see 200 new faculty members hired over the next five years.

Ravi Prakash (Electrical and Computer Engineering) sat down with the Gazette to talk about his experience so far. Dr. Prakash is an assistant professor.

Fast Facts about Dr. Prakash

Department: Electrical and Computer Engineering

Hometown: Delhi, India

Alma mater: University of Calgary (Doctor of philosophy and master of science in electrical and computer engineering), IIT Madras (undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering)

Research area: Disposable sensors and micro-actuators, organic transistors, label-free biosensors, bio-engineering

Unwinds with: Tennis, squash, swimming, hiking, walking the dog

Dr. Prakash’s web bio

Why did you decide to teach?: My perspective has always been to solve a research challenge. I feel like I have always been a mentor, even during my undergraduate studies. I was engaged in activities where I could help students in junior years.; When I started my masters and had some teaching assistant responsibilities, I thoroughly enjoyed assisting undergraduates. Everyone has their calling, and it seemed like research and instruction is mine. I have enjoyed it so far – I must be doing something right.

What got you interested in electrical engineering?

I think what attracted me to engineering most was the eagerness to deliberate about real-world challenges, and growing up in resource-limited settings offered an excellent vantage point for that.

When I was doing my bachelor degree in mechanical engineering at IIT Madras, I opted for a minor degree in biomedical engineering and was looking to develop microsystems for biomedical applications. I realized there are more electronics to these systems than mechanics. I had a good background for the transition when it appeared the best possible department to continue research would be electrical and computer engineering.

In my past research, I have developed advanced chip technologies for conducting bio-assay and biochemical tests. If you think of any nucleic acid test, for example, you go to a clinical laboratory where they take a blood or other bio-fluid sample, and they do a host of clinical tests using expensive bench-top instruments to identify bacterial, viral, or other kinds of infections.

During my PhD and my NSERC postdoctoral fellowship, I designed molecular diagnostic microchips that did not require such large, expensive clinical equipment, allowing for potential low-cost and point-of-care applications.

What do you hope to achieve in your research?

My research is more focused on physical and chemical sensors now, and less on biomedical devices.

I am looking to create disposable, flexible sensors and soft-wearable devices where a polymer patch on skin can detect analytes such as glucose level, lactate level, or levels of stress induced hormone cortisol for biomonitoring applications. Two of my current students are working on cortisol detection in sweat and saliva, and detection of different kinds of enzymes and antibodies using novel label-free organic biosensors, in collaboration with faculty members in Electrical and Computer Engineering, Chemical Engineering, and the Kingston Health Sciences Centre.

There is a health management aspect to monitoring these bio-molecular concentration levels, but there are many devices already available to track glucose. What we are trying to do is offer a multitude of tests within the same device through smart, multi-modal sensor integration and implementing new data analytic tools. Let’s say you’re doing athletic conditioning – these devices could help monitor lactate, pyruvate, glucose levels, measure breathing rate, exhaled air composition and the like. Or we can monitor acute or chronic stress conditions in workplaces, such as the military or healthcare facilities, where chronic stress and associated conditions are a major concern.

I also have some tangential research interests in clean tech energy sources. We are developing bio-supercapacitors with a company in Ottawa which will use a sustainable bio-electrolyte product in small and large footprint energy storage systems. I have recently started working on a geophysical sensing project – which is more of a civil engineering and environmental engineering domain – but my interest is focused on enhancing near-field sensing methods for testing geomembrane integrity as part of my sensor research.

Are you teaching as well?

I have taught a few technical electives, such as sensors and actuators, and core courses in electronics and digital electronics. This fall, I believe I will be teaching graduate courses in biological signal analysis.

This term, I had a large class with about 270 students, which can be a bit overwhelming administratively. But I love being in the classroom, and I enjoy being in front of the avid learners at Queen’s who are both intelligent and willing.

[A photosensitive chip] — Flexible organic transistors like these are sensitive to the environment and must be handled with care. (Photo by Rob Whelan)

What are you most proud of?: I completed my undergraduate degree at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras. IITs are world-renowned institutions and, if you have some idea of the population of India, you know the competition to get in is really rigorous. I believe we had about two million students take exams per batch. Only a handful – less than 2,500 – are selected. I was ranked around 700th nationwide.; I am also proud of some of the research I led during my PhD. We were developing some superhydrophobic coating for new lab-on-chip tests and other biological assays. At the time, creating such coatings was rather expensive. I connected with a research team in Athens, Greece and worked with them on optimizing a relatively low-cost technique. We ended up coming up with a very novel way of developing superhydrophobic coatings.; Doing a successful, interdisciplinary project where I was heavily involved gave me a lot of confidence. I was able to combine my various experiences into fruitful research outcomes.; Since that time, I have formed new research collaborations in Greece, as well as some in the U.S. and Germany. I have exceptional collaborations across Canada, particularly in Ontario.

How are you liking Kingston?: I love Kingston. There is so much history in this town…and I call it a town. It’s not really a city, is it? Coming from Calgary at least, it seems like a town…but there is so much culture and history here.; I love the Victorian architecture, the limestone buildings and the gorgeous waterfront. I miss hiking though, being in Calgary and near the Rockies, but I am planning to head to Québec City at some point this summer to get some hiking in.; I liked the weather in Kingston last year. This year, not so much.; It’s still a transition as my wife transitions her work from Calgary to Kingston – when you leave a city where you have been for eight years, it takes time!

Other than hiking, any hobbies or interests?: I love swimming. I haven’t made it to the beach yet but I look forward to checking that off my list.; I enjoy racket sports – tennis outdoors, squash indoors. I also have a 11-month old black Labrador retriever which means a lot of training, walking, and other outdoor activities.

Faculty Renewal

Principal Daniel Woolf has identified faculty renewal as a high priority for reinvestment by the university in support of the academic mission. The five-year renewal plan will see 200 new faculty hired, which nearly doubles the hiring pace of the past six years.

Faculty renewal supports Queen’s commitment to diversity and inclusion by giving the university the opportunity to seek, proactively, representation from equity-seeking groups such as women, people with disabilities, Indigenous Peoples, and racialized individuals. It will also build on Queen’s current areas of research strength.

To learn more about the Principal’s faculty renewal plans, read this Gazette article. Stay tuned for additional new faculty profiles in the Gazette.

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

Library journal input sought

Thursday April 19, 2018

By Communications Staff

Queen’s University Library is asking all Queen’s researchers to review and comment on the Queen’s results of the national Journal Usage Project to provide further input about which journals are most highly valued at Queen’s.

For more information, please see the Information Resources Strategies on the Queen’s University Library website.

Tags: Campus Community

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Full STEAM Ahead

Queen's Remembers Nobel plinth now installed

Malcolm Williams: 1932-2018

For The Record: April 26, 2018

Queen’s Law students raise more than $25,000 for charities

Indigenous alumnus helps right a 133-year-old wrong

Honorary degrees for spring ceremonies

Phil Gold, Doctor of Science DSc

Isabel Bassett, Doctor of Laws LLD

Indira Samarasekera, Doctor of Science DSc

Valerie Tarasuk, Doctor of Science DSc

John Baird, Doctor of Law LLD

Hugh Segal, Doctor of Law LLD

Douglas Cardinal, Doctor of Law LLD

Planning underway to welcome students for fall term

Introducing our new faculty members: Ravi Prakash

Library journal input sought

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