Serve the community
Western’s third annual Western Serves, a campus-wide service-learning program designed to increase social awareness, is set for Sept. 26 (11 a.m. to 6 p.m.). Providing students, staff and faculty with an opportunity to work together in active service within the London community, participants can take part in activities ranging from tree planting to working with children at the Boys & Girls Club. To find out more, and to register, visit westernserves.uwo.ca.
Bjerring earns honorary degree
Former Western professor and administrator Andrew K. Bjerring will receive an honorary degree from the University of Manitoba. Bjerring was a founding member of the board of CANARIE Inc., Canada’s advanced research and innovation network, and its president and CEO from 1993 until this summer. He chairs the advisory board for the Institute for Information Technology at the National Research Council of Canada and is active on the boards of the Communications Research Centre and the C3.ca high performance computing initiative. Bjerring, with a PhD from Western, spent 18 years as a Western faculty member and senior administrator in academic planning and information technology services. Fall convocations takes place Oct. 21-22.
Ferguson to represent London West Liberals
Western Law Community Legal Services Director Douglas Ferguson won the nomination to represent the Liberals of London West in the next federal election. Ferguson, former president of the Liberal Party of Canada and lecturer at The University of Western Ontario, is the son of former Agriculture Minister John Ferguson.
Get out alive
Fire drills will take place in most campus buildings over the period Oct. 5 – 16. Drills will occur between 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 pm. at about five to nine new buildings each business day.
So, what will it cost?
A new online tool helps students estimate the cost and payment options for post-secondary education. The Investor Education Fund, a not-for-profit organization established by the Ontario Securities Commission, has created the new University Cost and Debt Calculator. The tool helps students plan for the long-term implications of debt. It approximates costs associated with tuition, room and board, books, entertainment, transportation and other expenses. Visit www.investored.ca/tools-and-calculators/university-cost-and-debt-calculator/university-cost-and-debt-calculator.html
Bioethics appointment
Abraham Rudnick, a professor of psychiatry cross-appointed to philosophy, was appointed head of the Canadian unit of the international network of the UNESCO Chair in Bioethics. The UNESCO Chair in Bioethics is located at Haifa University in Israel, and focuses on bioethics education. The Canadian unit is located at the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry and has an advisory board from across campus. The unit focuses on post-graduate bioethics education and research, with a particular interest in ethics of psychiatry and mental health.
Inuit Advocate At Brescia
Nobel Prize Nominee and Western honorary degree recipient Sheila Watt-Cloutier will speak Oct. 1 at Brescia University College on the subject ‘Everything is Connected: Environment, Economy, Foreign Policy, Sustainability, Human Rights and Leadership in the 21st Century.’ The lecture is at 7:30 p.m. in the auditorium. Parking is free but there’s a suggested donation of $10 for students and seniors and $20 for others. Contact 519-432-8353 x28288, [email protected] or visit www.brescia.uwo.ca/sophia.
Journal launch
Come for a session Sept. 23 to learn about open access publication and how to get involved with the Western Undergraduate Research Journal (health and natural sciences session). The event takes place Sept. 23 at 7:30 p.m. in the Arthur and Sonia Labatt Health Sciences Building, room 240.
Rwanda initiative seeks expert involvement
Interested in taking part in an international initiative with Rwanda? Western is developing a partnership with the Centre for Gender, Culture and Development Studies at the Kigali Institute of Education with involvement likely to focus on curriculum development, teaching and research projects. Additional possibilities exist to get involved through provision of technical and administrative assistance, faculty, staff and student exchanges, mentoring programs and related endeavours. Faculty, staff, post-docs and PhD candidates with expertise in women’s or gender studies and a demonstrated commitment to women’s equality projects seeking to explore options are invited to contact Rebecca Coulter at [email protected] or ext. 88603] for more information.
Chakma on small screen
Catch a video of Western President Amit Chakma discussing some of his plans for the university’s future, in particular internationalization. The video was taken during a recent interview with Western News. www.youtube.com/watch?v=1eydahhoJ28.
Grant proposals tips
The Faculty Mentor Program will provide a seminar: “Preparation of the Research Grant Proposal SSHRC, NSERC, CIHR” from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Weldon Library, Room 121. Details and registration available at www.uwo.ca/tsc