• Abstract and Figures
• Public Full-text

CELEBRATING PHILANTHROPY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA SPRING 2014 Vice-President of Advancement O’Neil Outar Senior Director Robert Moyles Supervising Editor Cynthia Strawson Editor Lisa Cook Managing Editor Christie Hutchinson Associate Editor Karen Sherlock Art Director Marcey Andrews Contributing Photographer John Ulan Editorial Assistant Bridget Stirling Proofreader Sasha Roeder Mah © 2014 Cornerstone Magazine Cornerstone is published twice a year by the Offi ce of Advancement, Strategic Communications, and is distributed free of charge to supporters and friends of the University of Alberta. Th e views and opinions expressed do not necessarily represent the views of the University of Alberta or the Offi ce of Advancement. All material copyright ©. Cornerstone cannot be held responsible for unsolicited manuscripts or photographs. ISSN: 2292-7964 Publications Mail Agreement No. 40112326 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: Offi ce of Advancement University of Alberta 3-501 Enterprise Square 10230 Jasper Ave. Edmonton, AB T5J 4P6 To give: Phone: 1-888-799-9899 Email: [email protected] Online: giving.ualberta.ca To contact Cornerstone: Phone: 780-492-6321 Email: [email protected] On the cover: Online: cornerstonemagazine.ca Rohit Sharma, alumnus and entrepreneur, photographed in his home, March 2014. Photo by Th e Canadian Press Images/Alison Yin Family has long been at the centre of Rohit Sharma’s 5 6 10 16 22 28 32 36 38 life — whether it’s mornings spent with his son in his California home or days long ago learning curiosity at Building Together A Bridge to Health The Voice Bigger Than Barriers Forever Farmers Shrink the World Being Marissa The Time to Change A Golden Thread The inaugural issue of Research chair connects A voice known to millions A D-Day veteran reflects For brothers born to the Technology. Business. Freed from a long-kept Scholarships boost a A renowned virologist the feet of his father in India. So it’s no surprise his Cornerstone celebrates Aboriginal communities leaves a legacy for the on overcoming obstacles land, stewardship has Family. Rohit Sharma’s life secret, one woman helps student innovator who weaves together life has been about creating connections (page 28). leaders who inspire with health solutions next generation of artists and never giving up been a lifelong calling is built on connections others find themselves wants to change the world philanthropy and research Photo by The Canadian Press Images/Alison Yin WHAT PHILANTHROPY CREATES Building Together Philanthropy allows the University of Alberta to advance creativity, support discovery and create positive change in the world. It has opened doors for students. It has created boundless opportunities for researchers. It is truly transformative. Here is just some of what the generosity of our donors has accomplished. 46 1 national championships won by vaccine discovered by Li Ka Shing researcher student athletes supported through Michael Houghton that will potentially help the Adopt-An-Athlete program combat hepatitis C 841 rare items — including art and textiles — from ancient and modern East Asia in the Mactaggart Art Collection, he president’s residence faces east. On this late winter morning the sunlight donated by Cécile and Sandy Mactaggart 164 coming through the front windows brings the promise of spring — days of community organizations green grass and budding trees. served by students through T the Community This house once belonged to one of the University of Alberta’s most distinguished Service-Learning program alumni, former MLA and university chancellor Lou Hyndman. It was within these walls that he and another alumnus, former Alberta premier Peter Lougheed, would 3 meet to discuss their vision of what this province could become. books written about the Mactaggart Art Collection Although they’re no longer with us, we continue to feel the impact of these passionate and daring leaders. Philanthropic legacies established in their honour continue to uplift students and this institution, through the Lou Hyndman Service Bursary and the Peter Lougheed Leadership Initiative. Hyndman and Lougheed will long be remembered as two cornerstones of the foundation of our university. 1 13,077 This magazine celebrates philanthropy at the University of Alberta. In the pages robotic arm created by a of this inaugural issue, you will come to know some of today’s cornerstones — this acres of land donated by the Mattheis and Bocock student thanks to a grant families on which researchers conduct agricultural institution’s closest friends and greatest advocates. You will learn about these from the Undergraduate and environmental studies innovators and visionaries, and hear what moved them to partner with the Research Initiative University of Alberta. You will come to know not only how they are changing the lives of our students, faculty and researchers, but also how they are creating positive change in the world around us. When Lou Hyndman and Peter Lougheed sat in this house nearly 50 years ago, surely they felt the potential of what they were creating. I hope the people you meet 7 3,913 in this magazine create the same feeling for you and inspire you in following your donor-funded scholarships received K-12 students who learned how life’s ambitions and creating your own legacy. u by 2013 Rhodes Scholarship winner to be allies for diversity by attending Megan Engel fYrefly in Schools workshops in 2013 Indira V. Samarasekera, O.C., President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Alberta The Lou Hyndman Service Bursary and the Peter Lougheed Leadership Initiative To build something with the University of Alberta, visit giving.ualberta.ca or call 1‑888‑799‑9899. are made possible by donor gifts. Turn to page 42 for more information. cornerstonemagazine.ca 4 spring 2014 spring 2014 5 cornerstonemagazine.ca A Bridge to Health STORY BY CARISSA HALTON | PHOTOS BY JOHN ULAN One of the world’s leaders in finding the link between nutrition and chronic disease is working at the University of Alberta to improve the health of Aboriginal communities angita Sharma has always been interested and cancer are on the rise, and even accessing in food. Or, more accurately, she has always treatment is a major challenge for northern Sbeen interested in nutrition. “I like nutrition,” indigenous people. “Consider that from Nunavut she says. “While it’s a neutral topic, you can learn you have to fly almost a day for treatment. Who so much from people and about people.” wants to fly when you’re sick?” asks Sharma. One of the world’s leading experts in nutritional “There is an emotional and financial cost to epidemiology, dietary assessment and nutritional chronic diseases in the North.” and lifestyle interventions, Sharma has studied Sharma’s consultation with community the health of nearly 30 ethnic groups across the members and collaboration with local grocery globe — from Jamaican to Nepalese — in an effort stores worked to reverse this trend. Limp to learn how a culture’s food affects its risk for a produce, expired cereals and processed foods variety of diseases. But her research on a project were replaced with fresh vegetables, lentils called Healthy Foods North in Canada’s Arctic and skim milk powder. Free taste tests and was the catalyst for her work as the University cooking demonstrations featured healthier of Alberta’s Endowed Chair in Aboriginal Health. alternatives, and the nutritional benefits of “The first time I arrived [in the Arctic], people traditional meat were promoted. People lost laughed because even my teeth were cold!” Sharma weight and their vitamin intake increased. This remembers. The Inuit and Inuvialuit people, initial work in Arctic nutrition opened the door however, were the warmest she had met in her to a variety of new projects in the North: an career, excited to share their culture and food, exploration of maternal health, a study into introducing Sharma to the taste of muskox and obesity prevention and, recently, research into polar bear. But globalization and global warming how northern indigenous communities access are gradually pushing these traditional foods out cancer screening services. of fashion in the North, replacing them with Consultation and collaboration are a key processed foods high in sugar and fat, low in fibre part of her responsibilities as Endowed Chair in and nutrients. Obesity, heart disease, diabetes Aboriginal Health. Sharma will form a bridge cornerstonemagazine.ca 6 spring 2014 between health services and communities, but dietary fibre and exceed acceptable sodium intake. she will also bring to the table other University of As with her experience in the North, education Alberta faculties and other academic institutions will be critical to transforming the teens’ diets. By worldwide as well as governments, policy- working with Aboriginal youth, elders and other makers and private-sector partners. This kind members of the community, Sharma hopes her of collaboration is vital to creating programs that research will inform existing Aboriginal health incorporate indigenous knowledge to improve programs and lead to the development of new the population’s health. “The communities know programs to fill any gaps. She is working with what needs to be done; they just need support Elder Francis Whiskeyjack (centre, facing page) facilitating.” at amiskwaciy Academy in Edmonton to guide Sharma has also been working with a number the program. of Edmonton high schools on Why Act Now?, a “In Canada, there is a large health disparity project to better understand the health of urban between the Aboriginal population and the non- Aboriginal youth. Preliminary data from her Aboriginal population. There is an up to 12-year study suggests that more than 90 per cent of lower life expectancy and we need to eliminate the Aboriginal youth surveyed don’t get enough that gap,” Sharma says. u The Endowed Chair in Aboriginal Health is supported through philanthropy and aims to improve the lives and health of Aboriginal people.

Load more

  24

Copy Link