Two new Canada Research Chairs named at Western; eight renewed
Western professors Bipasha Baruah and Girma Bitsuamlak have been named Western’s newest Canada Research Chairs (CRC). Gary Goodyear, Minister of State (Science and Technology), announced the two new and eight renewed CRCs at Western University, marking the kickoff to National Science and Technology Week.
Baruah, new Tier 2 CRC in Global Women’s Issues, develops theories, methodologies and analytical frameworks for conducting interdisciplinary research on gender and property ownership.
Bitsuamlak, new Tier 2 CRC in Wind Engineering, combines the use of experiments and computer simulations to uncover the impact of hurricanes, tornadoes and downbursts on buildings and energy infrastructure.
An additional eight Western chairholders had their CRCs renewed for another term:
- Daniel Ansari, CRC in Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, Tier 2;
- Irena Creed, CRC in Watershed Sciences, Tier 2;
- Jason I. Gerhard, CRC in Geoenvironmental Restoration, Tier 2;
- Nusha Keyghobadi, CRC in Molecular Ecology and Landscape Genetics, Tier 2;
- Isaac N. Luginaah, CRC in Health Geography, Tier 2;
- Charles A.McKenzie, CRC in Translational Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Tier 2;
- Éric Schost, CRC in Computer Algebra, Tier 2; and
- Charles Weijer, CRC in Bioethics, Tier 1
The Chairs program has been designed to encourage and promote top research and innovation in universities. Tier 1 chairs receive $200,000 annually for seven years to fund their research and are awarded to outstanding researchers who have developed reputations as world leaders in their fields. Tier 2 chairs receive $100,000 annually for five years and are recognized as exceptional and emerging researchers with the potential to lead their respective fields.
News and notes
- Take a walk around Western without leaving your desk. Google Maps with Street View has completed work on Western’s interior campus after a summer mapping a number of universities across Ontario. Visit maps.google.ca to explore Western through 360-degree street-level imagery or drop right in on campus at tiny.cc/h7g2lw.
- Joseph L. Rotman, Chairman and CEO of Roy-L Capital Corporation, received the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2012 Ontario Lifetime Achievement Award for his significant accomplishments as a game-changing entrepreneur. He received the honour Oct. 10 at a Toronto gala. On July 1, Rotman was appointed as Chancellor of Western for a four-year term. The chancellor is the titular head of the university, and its foremost ambassador. Western’s Rotman Institute of Philosophy and the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto are named in his honour.
- Working in partnership with Brescia University College, London’s Phoenix Interactive and Labatt Brewers of Canada have each committed $10,000 to establish the Susan Truppe International Day of the Girl Scholarship. The scholarship provides $10,000 per year for two years and will benefit a student entering Brescia from a London-area high school who has demonstrated leadership in her family, school or community.
- Former Western vice-president (Research and International Relations) Ted Hewitt has landed in the nation’s capital, taking over as executive vice-president of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC).
Hewitt served as Western’s vice-president (Research and International Relations) from 2004-11 pushing the university’s research funding from $125 million-$220 million during that time frame. Holding a PhD in sociology from McMaster University, Hewitt is well-known in Ottawa, most recently for his contributions to Canada’s efforts to enhance international relations with Brazil, especially at the graduate level. - Workplace Health and the Staff/Faculty Family Practice Clinic will be providing adult-only influenza immunization clinics for Western faculty, staff and postdoctoral scholars again this year in the University Community Centre Health Services Resource Centre.
The staff and faculty immunization clinics will be held on the following days: 9 a.m.-3p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 23, Monday, Oct. 29 and Thursday, Nov. 1. These clinics do not require an appointment time. Bring your health card.
Only employees of the university are eligible to use these immunization clinics. These clinics are unable to provide immunization for children of staff and faculty. Western student employees, including master’s and PhD students, are asked to arrange an immunization appointment through Student Health Services (519-661-3030).
For further immunization clinics in the London community, visit healthunit.com.
Trust him, you’re not that funny
Learning that no matter how funny you think you are, you’re really not that funny, was just some of the sage advice Western alumnus Deepak Sethi (BNsc’02) shared with students this past week as part of a Screenwriting Workshop. Sethi, who has written for a number of shows including Family Guy and Daniel Tosh’s Brickleberry, gave the students an opportunity to receive feedback and get the inside scoop on what it takes to be a Hollywood screenwriter.
