Sustainability workshop targets faculty, PhD students
For Richard Ivey School of Business professor Tima Bansal, sustainability requires collaboration between academics and business. “We need to do this together,” she says. “No one individual can move the system.”
For this reason, Bansal has organized a multidisciplinary business sustainability workshop this semester. Hosted by Ivey, and sponsored by RBC and the Centre for Environment and Sustainability, Multi-Disciplinary Perspectives of Sustainability is comprised of six sessions, each facilitated by a faculty member representing a different academic discipline.
Open to faculty members and PhD students, the workshop begins Thursday, Jan. 19 and runs every other Thursday until the end of the semester. Those interested in participating can contact Bansal at tbansal@ivey.uwo.ca.
Bansal sees this workshop as a worthwhile opportunity to bring together a diverse group of people. “Through the differences in perspectives we are going to be able to address some of the difficult problems that sustainability presents,” she says.
With participants and audience members representing backgrounds from the natural sciences, social sciences and the arts and humanities, Bansal anticipates an atmosphere that will generate new insights, which may potentially lead to grant proposals for unique research projects.
“To bring people together across departments is an important, laudable goal,” Bansal says.
Although sustainability is an issue all people should concern themselves with, Bansal explains the system itself is not working. Sustainability is less about the individual striving for perfection than it is about creating a balance within the system.
“What we have is an imbalance,” Bansal says. “We have too much consumption and not enough renewal. It’s about achieving harmony.”
– Scott Kennedy
Borrowed Shoes challenge kicks off
The Borrowed Shoes Diversity Challenge is a university-wide initiative aimed at promoting awareness and acceptance through personal experiences. Organized by the Leadership and Mentorship Program (LAMP), the event is open to anyone. Each week of the total five weeks will have five challenges that complement the theme of that week.
On Friday, Jan. 13, a kick-off event will be held in University Community Centre, Room 37, where each participant will receive the Challenge Guide detailing the 25 challenges and any supplementary information that is required.
For information, visit the Student Success Centre website, https://success.uwo.ca.
Anti-doping expert to speak
David Howman, director general of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), will address Current Challenges and Issues for Anti-Doping at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 18 in the Faculty of Law’s Moot Court Room. The free public talk is presented by Western Law’s Distinguished Speakers Series.
WADA is an international independent agency charged with leading a collaborative worldwide campaign for doping-free sport.
Howman served as the chair of the Independent Observer Team at the Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City 2002, and the deputy chair of the Independent Observer Team at the Sydney Olympic Games in 2000.
He came to Canada from Wellington, New Zealand, where he practised as a barrister specializing in sports law. He was chair of the New Zealand Sports Drug Agency 2000-03 and was previously its counsel.
El Naggar elected fellow
Hesham El Naggar, Western Engineering’s associate dean (research and external services), has been elected a fellow of the Engineering Institute of Canada (EIC). He will be awarded the honour on June 7 at the Shaw Centre in Edmonton during the Canadian Society for Civil Engineering/EIC awards gala to celebrate the 125th anniversary of both organizations.
Western connections among Order of Canada
Dr. Calvin Stiller, University of Western Ontario professor emeritus, was recently named an Officer of the Order of Canada. For Stiller, it was a promotion within the order.
In his citation, he was singled out “for his leadership as a medical entrepreneur and for his advancement of scientific research and innovation.”
Stiller was one of five individuals with Western connections so honoured. Others included:
- James Bartleman, BA’63 (History), LLD’02. Officer of the Order of Canada – For his contributions to his country, notably as lieutenant governor, and as a champion of mental health, literacy and poverty reduction;
- Denis Losier, MA’75 (Economics). Member of the Order of Canada – For his contributions to the economic and social development of his province, as a politician, businessman and community leader; and
- Paul Martin, LLD’10. Companion of the Order of Canada – For his distinguished contributions to Canadian politics and for his active involvement in promoting opportunities for Aboriginal Canadians.
- Canadian philanthropist Seymour Schulich has been promoted from a Member to an Officer of the Order of Canada. For Schulich, it was a promotion within the order. In his citation, he was singled out for his transformational support of education and health-care institutions. Schulich’s 2004 donation of $26 million to Western’s Medical and Dental School is just one of his many contributions to higher education.
The Order of Canada, one of the country’s highest civilian honours, recognizes a lifetime of outstanding achievement, dedication to community and service to the nation.