------~---~--~----,.....-~---~------CONCORDIA'S Publications Mail Agreement No.40042804
Community scholarships Canada Research Ehair
The Canada Research Chair in Combinatorial when manoeuvring the pair of satellites Optimization has been awarded to Vasek Chvatal, who used in its StarLight space interferome will join Concordia's Department of Computer Science on ter mission. June 1, 2004. He comes from Rutgers, the State University These are all examples of what can of New Jersey. be called the "travelling salesman prob At Rutgers, Chvatal received the Alexander von lem:" Given a finite number of cities Humboldt Distinguished Senior Scientist Award and the along with the cost of trayel between Beale-Orchard-Hays Prize for Excellence in Computational any two of them, find the least expen Mathematical Programming. He is also the author of a sive route that takes you through all popular textbook and more than 100 articles. His appoint the cities and brings you back home. ment through the Canada Research Chairs program is In the 1990s, Chvatal and three collab through a NSERC Tier 1 award. orators developed a computer code for "The appointment of D:t Chvatal fulfils the principal pur solving certain instances of the "travel The inaugural Concordia University Community Scholarships and Awards Reception was held Tuesday night pose of the federal program to attract to Canada a first-class ling salesman problem:• Some of their at Samuel Bronfman House.Th e honoured students all received scholarships or bursaries funded by scientist who has the potential of mentoring a new school of groundbreaking techniques may be Concordia's internal community through Annual Giving or other fundraising events like the Shuffle. excellence in discovery at Concordia;• said Nabil Esmail, applicable to a wide class of combinato Pictured here are Mara Pancheri, Rong Chen, and Belinda Hoi Yum Lai in the front row, and Elena Rasile, Dean of Engineering and Computer Science. rial optimization problems, where one John Molson School of Business Dean Jerry Tomberlin, Lingyu Kong and Nathalie Abbott. Chvatal's research field, combinatorial optimization, can aims to find the most economical be presented the following way: What do a semiconductor option among a finite, but often astronomically large, num applications in "very large-scale integration" (VLSI) manufacturer, a group of genome scientists, and a team of ber of possibilities. At Concordia, Chvatal and his research design; the 1990s brought new applications in computa engineers working on a NASA project have in common? team will be investigating this potential. tional molecular biology. The semiconductor manufacturer wants to minimize the Combinatorial optimization problems have many appli The most recent applications are largely dominated by length of "scan chains;• which are routes included on a chip cations in industry and management. Classical applica the Internet revolution and advances in genomics. They for testing purposes; the genome scientists want to inte tions include manpower, production, and facility planning; include broadband satellite communications, telecommu grate local radiation hybrid maps into a single consistent job sequencing and scheduling; manufacturing layout nication network design, e-commerce, computational map of a genome; and the NASA engineers want to save fuel design; retail seasonal planning. The 1980s brought new finance, and biotechnology and bioinformatics. • in this The arts make inroads in university research BY BARBARA BLACK joined with the Canada Council to give new specifically, foods introduced in the 1950s and grants for projects in multimedia. how they influenced the design of kitchens. Though working at a computer and singing Now SSHRC, the Social Sciences and Research in the arts may be different from issue in a concert hall might seem far apart; univer Humanities Research Council, is starting a that in the sciences and humanities, in the sity-based artists do research. Fortunately, the grant program similar to that of the FQRSC. sense that it may take the form of a perform How Bazaar: major public granting agencies ai-e showing Adams thinks it will be ideal for individuals or ance or a series of paintings, but the impetus 2 awareness of that fact. teams that straddle disciplines or break new behind it is the same. Mathematicians and Expert talks about Associate Dean of Fine Arts Liselyn Adams ground. There are many ways this can happen. physicists, whp are supposed to be pragmatic, Iranian market said in an interview that Quebec, not for the A researcher might explore a new medium get starry-eyed talking about the beauty of first time, has led the way in this regard. The of expression by using text as a major element their subjects; artists, whom we think of as FQRSC (Fonds quebecoi~ de la recherche sur of design, or wire a stage so that lights and impulsive, often have to exercise their craft Colour Lines: la societe et culture) blazed a trail with their sound react electronically to the movements with rigorous precision. 3 "recherche-creation'' program in 2001, and of performers. A typical project could combine "The difference may be that while Professor studies some intriguing projects are being developed artwork, theory and reflection on the work of researchers in the other disciplines look for colour bias at Concordia. another artist. It might take a wealth of earlier answers, artists tend to come up with search For example, a chamber music ensemble work and come up with a new creation, or take ing questions;• Adams said. recently commissioned a work of poetry by a number of structures and examine them, The Canada Council for Arts gives about $1 7 Fearless Fiction: Michel Garneau. They took the text as their looking for patterns. million a year to artists linked to Concordia's inspiration for a score. Visual artists work Erin Manning, a newly hired professor who Faculty of Fine Arts. For the doubting Peter Such joins with the ensemble and the sound .recording will start working in the film studies area in Thomases who ask why taxpayers' money English Dept. team members to create "visual chamber January, is doing a study of tango and political should be spent in this way, Adams simply music" that can be seen with the performance theory. The sensual dance was invented by says, "Imagine taking the beauty away. Why or as an independent work. Several student Argentinian exiles; now it is danced by people bother with the logo on this can, for example?" 1 l soccer star: teams have produced similar projects. all over the world. Marming has travelled to Art is all around us, and increasingly, Adams Melanie Poirier is "The Canada Council for the Arts and [its Japan and Finland to study the political impli is seeing young scholars who are excited by the counterpart in] Quebec gave only to inde cations of the tango. arts that are extensions of what they have leading scorer pendent artists, not to universities:• Adams · Rhona Richman Kenneally, an architect already experienced in their daily life, such as explained. "Last year, NSERC [the Natural teaching in the Department of Design Art, is Sciences and Engineering Research Council] going to do a project on the concept of home; - Continued on page 8 Bazaar provides insight to understanding Iran
BY FRAN K KUIN
Arang Keshavarzian is excited about being the new Middle East expert in Concordia's Political Science Department. The young professor, who has just moved to Montreal from New York, has been impressed with his new students. "They're quite engaged with the issues facing the Middle East, and they're quite passionate towards it;' said Iranian-born Keshavarzian, who grew up in the United States and recently completed his PhD at Princeton University. Keshavarzian's first impressions of Concordia, with its large community of Middle Eastern students, have been "very positive;' he said. His tenure-track posi tion in the vibrant Political Science Department is his first as a full-time teacher. "There's a natural interest in the region, and an attachment;' he observed. "Not only are many of my students interested, but they have family members living in [the Middle East], they visit on a regular basis, and they speak and read the local languages:• Keshavarzian, who teaches an introductory course on Middle Eastern politics, has had no tJouble getting his students interested; if anything, his goal is to "make them step back a little bit from their immediate understanding of the region;' he said. "I try to get them to think a little bit more broadly and analytically about the issues, [and] to reflect on what are some of the underlying factors driving the poli tics and societies of the region:• In his dissertation, which .he defended at Princeton just two months ago, ARANG KESHAVARZIAN, Concordia's new Middle East expert, says that his students are passionate about the region's issues.The political science Keshavarzian has written about politics in his native Iran. Specifically, he has professor's studies of the bazaar help us understand Iranian society.· researched the political organization of the bazaar, or central market, in the capital Tehran. that the bazaar is supportive of the political status quo. They don't work with some of Comparing the bazaar's potential for political mobilization before and after the Islamic these bazaris who would support their aspirations:• revolution of 1979, Keshavarzian found that it has lost much of its potency as a.force in Keshavarzian knows first-hand. He spent more than a year in Iran in 2000-2001, during Iranian society in the last couple of decades. which time he did many in-depth interviews with bazaris and observed their interactions. The Tehran bazaar, generally seen as a socially conservative bastion that has been sup His aim was to fill a gap in the knowledge about the role of the bazaar in Iranian society. portive of the revolution, has become increasingly fragmented in recent years, he "Many observers have talked about the important role played by the bazaar in social explained. This has been due largely to specific policies of the Islamic republic in such movements in Iran," he said. "But while there is a general agreement on that issue, we have areas as urbanization, trade, and foreign exchange. almost no field research on the bazaar." "If you would want to stereotype the bazari, he is considered someone who is extreme Keshavarzian's research period coincided with the re-election of Iran's president ly religious and socially conservative," Keshavarzian said. What is often overlooked, how Khatemi, "a politically significant moment in Iran's modem history:• ever, is that there is also an economically liberal streak to the bazaar that, if recognized, He found the people of Tehran very open to discussing politics. "Iran is an extremely would be quite compatible with the goals of reformists in Iran. politicized society, in part because of the revolution;• he said. "Whether it's in taxicabs, in "What I find unfortunate is that many members of the reformist camp in Iran assume shops or in people's homes, people are non-stop talking about politics:• Concordia professors hail Nobel Prize win by fellow Iranian
BY SARAH BINDER able, kind;' and "interestingly, she doesn't talk very much:' Though they view it from slightly different per The prize is the latest of a number of awards spectives, two Concordia professors from Iran were that Ebadi has received for her work, Hoodfar said. optimistic about Iranian human-rights activist She will use it to promote her cause because Shirin Ebadi winning the Nobel Peace Prize. "a society where the women and children have Roksana Bahraniitash and Homa Hoodfar both rights and are protected is a sign of a truly civ hailed Ebadi's win as recognition of the hundreds ilized society." of Iranians who have been working quietly to For Bahramitash, the award is Europe's way of improve human rights, especially those of women sending a clear political message to the United and children, in their country. States to back off from any plans it might have "What's important about her is that she works of invading Iran, one of the countries in U.S. within the existing structure to press for change, President George Bush's so-called axis of evil. "It as compared to those who want to export democ is a vote against U.S. pre-emptive policies" as racy and development in Iran;• said Bahramitash, seen in Afghanistan and Iraq, she said. a lecturer at the Simone de Beauvoir Institute. Eschewing the view that Islam and the West Bahramitash criticized the media's tendency are locked in a clash of civilizations, Europe has to represent Ebadi i!-S a militant radical, which opted for a dialogue of civilizations, she is not. Bahramitash said. "She regards herself as Muslim and has used 'i\.nd that is what Europe is showing by giving Islamic law to press for changing laws regarding the prize to a woman who says outwardly she is women;• she said. Muslim and that she see no contradiction Like Iranian President Mohammed Khatami, between Islam and democracy; she says outright Ebadi is part of the reform movement that must that Islam and de!Ilocracy are compatible:• walk a fine line between the desires of reformers Baharamitash's concern about an eventual and religious hardliners "so that slowly and surely U.S. invasion oflran has prompted her to organ change can be brought about;• Bahramitash said. ize a conference on Sunday, Nov. 23 under the Hoodfar, associate professor in the Sociology· theme Women and the Struggle for Peace in the and Anthropology Department, said Ebadi's win ROKSANA BAHRAMITASH says the recent Nobel Peace Prize given to Iranian human-rights activist Shirin Ebadi shows Middle East, with speakers from Iran, Iraq, will "refocus attention on the work done by civil that Europe isn't afraid to reward a woman who sees no contradiction between Islam and democracy. Afghanistan, U.S. and Quebec. society" in Iran and elsewhere to promote human rights, peace and non-violent forms of resistance. "They see it as a reaffirmation of what they've done for "It has re-energized many people who have been work 15 years:• The conference, taking place under the auspices of ing quietly locally;' she said. Hoodfar, a specialist in gender and development issues Concordia Peace and Conflict Resolution ser[es, is organized Hoodfar said she has received excited e-mails from in countries such as Egypt, Afghanistan and Iran, has met in conjunction with Alternatives. It will be held in Room H- Islamic women all over the world, including a group work Ebadi a number of times. She described the 56-year-old 973. For more information, contact Bahramitash at ing to promote peace between communities in Sri Lanka. lawyer and former judge as "down-to-earth, very approach- [email protected] or 848-2424 ext. 2372. 2 C,on r,ord (a• s Thursday Report I October 23 , 2003 From crayons to cinema Professor Lorna Roth says biases affect how we handle colour
BY J ASO N GO NDZIOLA at a A paper by Communications chair Lorna Roth received a good deal of interest at Harvard's Color Lines conference earlier this fall. The paper, part of a larger study which Roth hopes to turn into a Nicholas Lauzon-Timm, a June 03 graduate in Design Art, had an illustra popular book, is entitled "More tion published in enRoute magazine, Air Canada's beautiful and well-trav Than Skin Deep: The Color elled in-flight magazine. Nicholas won a competition to illustrate the win Balance Project in North ning entries of the CBC Literary Awards, which carried a $500 cash prize. American Industries of Visual He was recommended by his professor, Rhona Richman Kenneally. Representation:• It looks at the Nicholas is now in the architecture program at the Universite de Montreal. embedded bias present in prod Ted Stathopoulos (Building/Civil/Environmental Engineering, and ucts from Crayola's "flesh" Associate Dean of Graduate Studies), was invited to be keynote speaker at coloured crayons to "nude" panty the 11th International Conference on Wind Engineering, which took place hose coloured for Caucasian skin, at Texas Tech University, Lubbock. Texas, on June 2-5. His lecture was enti Communications Chair Loma Roth's paper on colour representation in industries recei\ There was good news and bad news - or no news - in where fewer than 230 completed surveys were submitted ever, it placed fourth after Waterloo, Sherbrooke and the "university report card" published as a supplement to to a given category. Queen's when it came to Career Opportunity, and 15th in the Globe and Mail on Oct 14. It was no news that Concordia didn't win the Miss Employment Preparation. This survey, like the one published by Madean's maga Congeniality award because of ideological and Mideast However, all four Montreal universities benefit from the zine every November, must be taken with a healthy grain of tensions on campus. In the category called Atmosphere, city's great reputation for fun and accessibility, but they salt. Concordia placed dead last in a field of 38. have some catching up to do in terms of student housing. In its front-page Oct 18 report on the survey, the However, Concordia came first when students nation For many years, students could easily find accommodation National Post revealed that the survey awarded top marks wide were asked for the best place for post-graduate stud off campus, but this is no longer the case. to medical schools at York and Waterloo universities, even ies in art, ahead of the University of Toronto and well In his introduction, pollster Gregg remarks "two of the though neither has a faculty of medicine. Waterloo placed ahead of the Emily Carr Institute of Art & Design and the most respected- universities in Canada - Toronto and . ninth and "University of Quebec" placed seventh in the law Nova Scotia College of Art & Design. McGill - record the greatest unhappiness with classroom schools category; neither offers a law degree. In the Quality of Education category, Concordia was size. Students are telling us that they feel isolated not only Close examination of the website (www.universityreport rated in mid-field, but when this was broken down into from the community where they live, but also from one card.com) reveals that only 358 Concordia students out of sub-categories, we did even better. In Quality of Teaching, anothei' a potential 28,000 participated in the online survey run by Concordia ranked seventh, and in Teaching Methods, 14th. Gregg also notes that teaching methods, faculty feed Uthink, a research and youth marketing firm, ·and Allan Concordia did not fare well in such categories as Student back and access to faculty outside the classroom are as Gregg's firm, The Strategic Counsel. There is no informa Services, Library Services, Online Resources, Campus important to students as their professors' scholarship. tion about department or faculty affiliation of these 358 Food, Recreational Facilities and Financial Assistance. Concordia students. Some of the responses were confusing, not to say contra The supplement didn't even print results for universities dictory. McGill came first in the Reputation category, how- In memoriam: Enrolment Services makes its debut Adolf E.Hlach, 1926 -.~003 A department has been born from the marriage of the those functions. Professor Adolf B. Wach joined the Department of · Office of the Registrar and the Office of Student ·The creation of the Enrolment Services Department Mechanic'1 .Bngin~_ring of Concordia University .in Recruitment. The new baby was announced by Vice-Rector involves adjusting various roles, including that of Registrar 1973. He~ an assistant professor in 1977, and a Services Michael Di Grappa at the Board of Governors Linda Healey. Associate Registrar Terry Too has had full professor in 1994. After his retirement in 1996. he meeting on Oct 16. Director of Enrolment Analysis and Process Control added AX,ntinued to serve as an adjunct p r until his The goal is to realign the work of admissions, recruit to his title. death on Oct. 2. ,, . ment, enrolment analysis and precess control, as well as Assistant Registrar Bruce Mackenzie is now Director of He came to the~with a wealth.of industrial i • A __ _,_..,J in . · vesael and communication with students. It comes out of the Government Reporting, Statistics and External Liaison. expenena!. ispecuwBL . }>fet!!8Ure ,1_,~ .... Enrolment Management Transformation Project (EMTP), Director of Recruitment David Gobby is now Director of 1~;,pjping, he,worlced as a ~tant through~ Canada which follows a trajectory from the first expression of Communications and Services to Students. Another posi . and the United~ and WU a member of the Order interest by a student in coming to Concordia all the way tion has been created, that of Director of Admission of Engineers of Quebec and the Association of through to that student's potential graduation. Services and Recruitment, and a search is under way. ~ Rti~ in Ontario. The EMTP started in 1998 to examine the university's In his presentation to the board, Di Grappa said, "Co \l¼l'As the· current chair, Suong ¥an Hoa- recalled. admission processes, related information systems and operation among the Office of the Registrar, the Faculties, Pi:ofessor Blach earned all bis clegrees while working. recruitment activities, and the reporting of statistics on HTS and other stakeholders, as well as the dedication of all from his BSc in math and physics at Slr George personnel involved, have allowed us to considerably Williams University (1967) to ·his doctorate at ;the improve our responsiveness and effectiveness by re-engi &ale Polytechnique in 1983. ··• neering the admission process and introducing advanced "He was an engineer and a designer at heart, metic computer support systems:• ulous in his work. He had an engineering feel, a very The EMTP will continue to lqok at enrolment manage rare quality these days," Dr. Hoa said. ment and further enhance the system, with more organiza As well as teaching and doing consulting, Dr. Blach tional changes expected in the spring. was also very active in the administration of the Department and in the technical community at large. ' • 4 Among other things, he was on a CIDA team to estab Concordia's Jhursday Report Loyofa !A(umnt' !Association extenas: lish a program of industrial engineering at the is published 17 times during the academic year on a University of West Indies in St Augustine, Trinidad, bi-weekly basis by the Internal Relations and 91.n invitation to dinner where many engineering educators were trained. "He was also a person who enjoyed life for its every This year we are celebrating the Richard J. Renaud Science Communications Department of Concordia University, moment, including dancing and travelling," Di: Hoa Coinplex. The new building heralds the renewal of the Loyola 1455 de Maisonneuve Blvd. W., Campus. an endeavour begun by Concordia University fou r recalled "When I first organized the international con Montreal,Quebec H3G 1M8 ·years ago. The complex is named after Rick Renaud, L BComm ferences on advanced materials, at the banquet, when 69, a most generous and co~tted alumnus of Loyola and the music started, Professor Blach and Ms. Irene Blach Phone: (514) 848-2424 ext.4882 Concordia supporter. were the first couple to dance. E-mail: [email protected] Martin Singer, Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Science, whose "He was full of life and energy, and exuded it to the guidance has been pivotal to the creation and completion of the people around him. He was not just a colleague, but Fax: (514) 848-2814 Science Complex, will be our guest of honour. He will speak also a friend, and an example of how to work and how Material published in the newspaper may not be reproduced about his vision for the Loyola Campus as part of the universi ty's academic and social mission. to live. We will dearly miss him." ISSN 1185-3689 withoutpennis.sion. Fittingly, the reception and dinner will be held in the Science Publications Mail Agreement No.: 40042804 Complex itself, at 7141 Sherbrooke St. W. Corrections Editor Tours of the Science Complex will be given during the cocktail hour. Please indicate your interest in taking a tour when you Concordia's Thursday Report is dedicated to accuracy. If Barbara Black register for the event. you have a correction or clarification, please contact us at Assistant Editor Rector Frederick Lowy has always referred to.the Loyola (514) 848-2424 ext. 4882 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday Campus as "the jewel of Concordia." Come see for yourselves through Friday. Angie Gaddy on November 15 how true this is! Or e-mail us at [email protected]. Concept and Production Raymond Huot, President, Loyola Alumni Association In our Oct. 9 issue, we misspelled the name of first-time Elana Trager Donald W. McNaughton, Chair, Loyola Club Dinner Marketing Communications writer Mia Shelton, and extend our sincere apologies to Loyo(a C(u6 'Dinner her. Cocktaifs 6 y.m., 'Dinner 7 y .m. Also, the caption on the front-page photo of the happy 'Ricliard j. 'Renaud Science Co~(ex, ?ltrium football players mentioned the Shaughnessy Cup. While t •, 7141 Slier6rooke St. West t t Concordia $85 ye1· yerson, 6usiness attire'Tickets, $85 eacli, may 6e the Stingers did win that one on Sept. 21, the victory in t yurcliased online at a(umni.concordia.ca/(oyo(a. • t t question was the Homecoming Cup. We dropped the ball t U NIVERSITY and extend our apologies to our readers. 4 Co n'tbr8ia •s Thur sday Report \ October 23, 2003 Students able to get information by we.beam BY A NNE -MAR I E CU RATOLO ment, as well as locker selec odd hours. "We want our services to suit the students and tion. Dandurand said she their schedules. Our goal is to make it easier for them to With the introduction of 10 new infor likes the fact that the kiosks obtain quality service - anywhere and at anytime;' he said. mation kiosks throughout both campus can be found whenever you The kiosks will feature an additional option, allowing es, students will soon be able to speak need them. "If I forget my students to record themselves via webcam for Concordia with a representative at the Information schedule the first week of University Television (CUTV), in a "Speaker's Corner" type Desk via a webcam. Once microphone school, the kiosks are there of format. These 30-second segments, where users will have installations are completed in the next to check courses or any the opportunity to speak their minds about a topic of their few weeks, Concordians will no longer other information I might choosing, will be aired on CUTV monitors throughout the have to make the trek to the Hall Building need;' she said. university. "This allows everyone to participate in CUTV in to get their questions answered. The The kiosks are part of the a fun and easy way, without needing technical knowledge;• kiosks will allow both the Information philosophy of the Service 1 said Stephan Herman, executive producer, CUTY. "It gives Desk representative and the student to initiative, introduced by us content by, for and with Concordia University students see an image of each other while speaking. Vice-Rector Services Michael and members of the community:• "The kiosks make it simple to get student di Grappa - aimed at deliv "It's a really fun idea:• said Dandurand. "I think students information;• said Candice Dandurand, a ering excellent service to will not only use it to discuss light and fun topics, but as ·a third-year Journalism student. She noted every member of the univer method of activism. It's a way for people to say things they that it wasn't always easy to find informa sity community. "These wouldn't normally get the chance to:• tion in the different buildings. kiosks are part of our ongo The university will boast a total of 19 kiosks across both The new burgundy kiosks will continue ing commitment to improve campuses (including the blue model installed in 2002)· to give users access t,o Concordia's home the quality of services for stu after four more kiosks are added by next term. page ( www.concordia.ca ), as well as their Mike di Grappa, Vice-Rector Services, demonstrates how to use dents, faculty and staff;' said For questions regarding kiosk use, please contact the personal portals ( www.myconcordia.ca ). a new infonnation kiosk. di Grappa Helpline at ext. 7613 (Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.) This allows students to verify a wealth of information, He stressed the importance of pu~ng essential informa or send an e-mail to [email protected]. including exam schedules, the shuttle bus schedule and tion and services at the fingertips of students, as well as pro ATJ,ne-Marie Curatolo is IITS' Communications Coordinator. grades. Other options include course registration and pay- viding a service that can be accessed between courses and at Accomplished diploma students awarded scholarships The background of students who enrol in the Graduate out research and international projects for the United Leonard and Bina Ellen Art Gallery at Concordia. Diploma in Administration and the Diploma in Sports Nations Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO). She has She holds a Master's of Professional Services degree in Administration always makes interesting reading. published in scientific journals and co-authored a textbook. Hotel Administration from Cornell University and a This year, the Humberto Santos Graduate Awards went study guide and other materials in food industry economics. Bachelor of Arts in languages and literature from Bard to Nata Kokhreidze, who is in the DIA, Community Bradley Thomas has a BComm with a major in market College, New York Aberman has held senior positions in Services, Public and Para-public Administration, and ing from the John Molson School of Business. A baseball marketing and sales with the Compass Group in London, Bradley Thomas, who is in the Graduate Diploma in Sport coach and a level 2 umpire, he works in the marketing England, and with Hilton International in England, Administration. department of FieldTurf. Switzerland, Canada and the U.S. Nata Kokhreidze holds a Diploma in Engineering Caisse de depot Mouvement Desjardins founded the The award is named in honour of the late Bruno J. Technology born the Georgian Institute of Subtropical award in memory of the late Humberto Santos, a member Pateras, a respected Montreal lawyer known for his repre Crops, Sukhumi, Georgia, and a Master's of Science in of Concordia's Board of Governors and a long-time sup sentation of government leaders and his community Biology (Biotechnology) from the Institute of Plant porter of the university. involvement. Biochemistry of the Georgian Academy of Sciences, Tbilisi. Susan Aberman, an Arts Administration student, For more information call Edith Katz, at 848-2424, ext. She has held senior positions with the Ministry of received the Bruno J. Pateras Graduate Award in 2766, or consult wwwJohnmolson.concordia.ca/diadsa. Agriculture and Food in the Republic of Georgia, and carried Administration, which carries an internship at the Head & Hands organization reaches out to Montreal teens BY CI N DY DAVI S Centraide, which provides more than $115,000 each year, Centraide at Concordia more than a quarter of the organization's budget. Six years ago, Angela Campeau was a 19-year-old preg The Head & Hands office at 5833 Sherbrooke St. W. A lot of teddy bears will be looking for nant woman who felt isolated and alone. That was when _looks like a store from the outside, but its second floor sponsors on Thursday, Oct. 30, at she turned to the Young Parents' Program (YPP) sponsored has full medical rooms and counselling areas decorated lunchtime. by Head & Hands. with wall hangings and murals to make young For the second year, the business "I had nothing in common with my friends any people feel at home. students' charity group CASA more; I had to stay home now, I couldn't party. It They provide free HIV and gynecological tests Cares and the Concordia was really hard;' she said from the community cen without judgment. "You can say you've had 60 Centraide committee will run the ter on St. Jacques St. where the YPP is located. "Here partners and no one here is going to blink." Teddy Bear Adoption Agency in the we give each other advice, we have discussions on Sylvester said.· lobby ofthe Guy Metro Building. rearing kids. We give each other comfort and tell each othei; On Nov. 6, Head & Hands will premiere their new sex edu Once adopted, many of the bears 'You're doing a good job: " • cation video, which will be shown in workshops they provide will be donated to the Montreal Children's Hospital The The Youth Parents' Program is one of the many to schools in the area They will also launch their "All Sexed money will go to Centraide. resources made available to young adults in Montreal by Up" fundraising campaign, selling posters showing vaginas As organizer Mona Senecal says, "Don't leave us bare - Head & Hands. of women of different ethnicities and body types. Show you care - Donate a bear." You can contact her at ext. "Head & Hands provides youth with the tools they need "We decided to do the poster to answer the common 2721, or CASA Cares at ext. 7381. to make decisions;' said director Nicole Fournier Sylvester. question of '.Am I normal?' that women often have," The Centraide campaign is well under way; and there's a "Our mission is to reach youth where they are without Sylvester said. "Most people find it empowering even lot of money to raise - the goal this year is $140,000. The judgment:' though at first it may seem shocking:• most effective way to give is through a payroll deducation. For Head & Hands offers a wide range of free social, medical The group also provides free tutoring to high school only $5 per paycheque, the cost ofa coffee latte, you could be and legal services to youth under 25 in Montreal. It was students. giving $150 for the year;for $10 a paycheque, $260. founded over 30 years ago when a group of street workers Gabriela Richman has been working for Head & Hands There will be more events, including the ever-popular bake hanging out in Girouard Park in N.D.G decided there was a for more than 10 years and is co-ordinator of the Youth sales and toonie lines. Watch this space or go to news@con need for services geared towards youth in the area. The Parents' Program. She feels the organization is unique cordia.ca for developments. organization has grown ever since. because of the variety and flexibility of services it provides. Ifyoua like to get involved or hold an event, contact a mem "It was N.D.G.-based and has stayed that way;• Sylvester "We focus on their individual needs;' she said. ber of the committee: Kathleen Perry, Miriam Posner, Jorge said. "I think the fact that 30 years later we are still perti If you would like to volunteer for any services offered by Sanchez, Kristina Ramsay, Nancy Curran, Barbara nent to youth and meeting their needs and are still with Head & Hands, or if you are a young parent under the age Woodside, Perry Calce, Francine Kolodychuk, Sandra Spina, them speaks to our ability to adapt:· of 24 and would like to get involved in the Young Parents' Pierrette Lucas, Reeta Tremblay and Isabelle Bouvier. Head & Hands now relies heavily on funding by Program, please call 481-0277. 5 October 23 , 2003 I Concordia 's Thursday_ll_epo_rt Concordia project wins Forces .avenir award BY BARBARA BLACK A business student who got creative about international trade was one of the winners of this year's Forces avenir awards. Hugues Mousseau, a student in the School of Community and Public Affairs, was at the Grand Theatre du Quebec with his partner, McGill stu~ dent Louis Dorval, to accept the cash prize of $8,000 for their project, CommEx Mission, which organizes trade missions to countries in Central America. As we told Concordia's Thursday Report readers in our Sept. 25 issue, Mousseau's interest in international trade started with a Junior Team Canada trade mission to Malaysia three years ago. Since then, CommEx has undertaken two trade missions, both to Mexico. The students' effort to create affordable trade junkets have paid off in lasting links with as many as eight Quebec businesses, and the students got letters of commendation from th~ prime minister. CommEx includes 11 students from the Universite de Montreal, Waterloo, the University of Western Ontario, McGill and Concordia. Mousseau said CommEx's missions are one-tenth of the larger govern . ment-organized projects, which tend to focus on large enterprises. CommEx missions are affordable and advocate on behalf of small- to medi um-sized businesses, he said. The pair won their prize in the business and economic activity catego ry of the competition, whose selection committee was chaired by Alban D'.Amours, head of the Mouvement des caisses Desjardins. True to form, Mousseau and his partners used the banquet to do a CONCORDIA'S HUGUES MOUSSEAU celebrates with McGill ~tudents Louis Dorval and Kathryn Washen at the Forces avenir gala in Quebec City on Oct.8.There are 12 students in the Comm Ex project altogether, including two more Concordia students, Cherif Habib and Clelia Martres.The other members are from the little work. Universities of Waterloo and Western Ontario, the Universite de Montreal and Sciences Po Paris. "The gala was a wonderful opportunity for CommEx to increase its . business. It allowed for networking with proactive students from universities across the Jennifer Newman and Veronique Brun. province, as well as with past and potential corporate partners. "Our scholarship will Forces avenir is a non-profit business and government body that seeks to encourage allow us to further our activities and we are now studying the destination of the next trade community initiatives by young people. Now in its sixth year, the organization gave a mission." total of $114,000 in awards at the gala on Oct. 8. For more information, check out The other nominees from Concordia each won $2,000 honorable mention awards. They wwwforcesavenir.qc.ca. are environmentalists Geneva Guerin and Louise Henault-Ethier, and art therapists Top scholars· honoured $1, 140,224 to grad students The Social Sciences and Humanities In this case, Kallio felt that the frame of Research Council has awarded $1,140,224 "free speech" bent discussion of the actual in research funding to graduate students, events out of shape. News reports fell back many of them master's students at on Concordia's "history of violence;' linking Concordia. three unrelated incidents over 34 years, and The windfall is part of a new program used incendiary phrases like "campus in called Canada Graduate Scholarships. conflict." Across Canada, $51 million was awarded to She tried her idea out at the Learneds in 800 master's students, 600 doctoral stu Halifax last spring, and got so much dents and 135 postdoctoral fellows. Here encouragement from the other social scien are just three examples from the 35 award tists around her that she wrote her SSHRC ed to Concordia grad students. application as soon as she got back to Ngan Trinh is a Communications Studies Montreal. master's student who is doing a study on 'Tm not taking a side;' said the second teens and transcultural consumption in year master's student, who did an Honours Vietnam. SSHRC found her project so inter English degree at the University of esting that she was singled out for mention Saskatchewan before coming here last year. in the agency's news release as one of the ''.And I'm wondering what frame I'm going first recipients tinder the CGS program. to be slotted into:• Linda M. Darwish is the fourth year of To see the full list of Concordia recipi Award-winning students from the Simone de Beauvoir Institute Brigitte-Anne Pelletier (left), Nancy Edgar and Karine Deschamps toast her doctoral studies in the Department of ents, check out the SSHRC Web site at their achievements with Principal Lillian Robinson at the annual Arts and Science Awards evening. Religion. Holder of a scholarship from the www.sshrc.ca/web/winning!comp_results/20 Quebec agency FQRSC, she has now 03_cgs_docs, and look for pages 83 to 85 of More than 230 undergraduate students were honoured at the fourth annual Arts and received a CGS doctoral fellowship of the results. Science Awards evening, held at the Oscar Peterson Concert Hall on Sept. 25. The cen $19,000 for "The Ayatollahs speak: Shi'ite trepiece of the event was the awarding of cheques for $250 to 185 Arts and Science fatwas on Muslim-other relations." Scholars, students who had achieved the highest grade point averages in the Faculty last Matthew C. Hayday is doing a a study Open House year. called "Canada Day celebrations and the Five departments and the Simone de Beauvoir Institute also used the occasion to construction of national identity, 1958- Nov. 15 hand out departmental awards to some of their top students. 1985" under the supervision of Professor 73 15 de Turrebonne The Faculty awarded scholarships of $5,000 each to 34 international students. This Ronald Rudin. He got a postdoctoral fel 3rd Floor year's group were from Bangladesh, China, Colombia, Egypt, Kenya and Slovakia, among lowship of $70,056. Free classes and workshops in others. Natalie S. Kallio got a grant of $17,500 to contemporary Dance Tuchnique do a study called "(re)framing Concordia." Choreography It's about how the media treated the politi Creative Process cal controversy at the university last year, CONCORDIA'S something she found both frustrating and Also studio performance of depressing. student works The reference to framing comes from THURSDAY REPORT For more information: communications theorists, who say we cre (514) 84&4740 ate frames around subjects that shape dis [email protected] Published 17 times during the school year. Contact us at [email protected] course on those subjects. 6 Conc o, di a•s Thursday R,port I 0ctobtr 23, 2003 Peter Such returns to Montreal as visiting _scholar BY Scon McRAE As a teenager, Peter Such arrived in Montreal on a small, half-century-old steamboat that carried him across the Atlantic. He came to start a new life in Canada. Last month, the British-born author returne·d to Montreal in a car that carried him across the continent. He came to work as the English Department's new visiting scholar. For the next year, the self-described intellectual migrant worker will make Concordia his home. Such, an interdisciplinary scholar who previously taught at York University and the University of Helsinki; forged an artistic career filled with variety. He directed Free Dive, a documentary film, which followed six wheel chair-bound children as they learned how to scuba dive. He wrote for the television series Home Fires. He published a book on the Beothuk Indians of Newfoundland. And he penned the libretto for Loom Sword River, a Chalmer's-winning opera based on Ugro-Finnish legends similar to the Norse sagas. All this in addition to writing five novels that range from brac ing speculative fiction to a roman a clef to what some call Canada's first post-modem novel. Such said his work is infused with eclecticism and a working class spirit. 'Tm not an intellectual writer;' he said. "I don't have a signature [style]. I'm not Michael Ondaatje writing the same book over and over again. I'm a democratic writer and want to reach beyond the literary world. I want to write books that people can enjoy but that still have something important to say." Writer, screenwriter and dramatist Peter Such joins Concordia's English Department as its newest visiting scholar. In his position, he is finishing his latest book, Such wears a broad smile and a chunky-knit Cowichan sweater with Tht Shropntl Gentrotion, and teaching his•Fearless Action" dass, which encourages students to write about things they have self-censored. three circling orcas on the back, a traditional native symbol of community and a symbol Such has taken to heart. about subjects that they had previously self-censored. This is advice he is also trying to Community building has been an integral part of his life's work. Perhaps the most visi take to heart. ble symbol of this is the bed and breakfast he and his wife, artist Joyce Kline, have estab The subject of his new book, orphaned World War II children, who are spread across the lished during their four-year stay in Victoria. The Earle Clarke House has become a li~r globe at the war's end, is one Such knows well. It is his own story. Growing up in a "very ary centre for the area. Carol Shields used to live down the street. Toronto author Ann severe and nasty school;' a Masonic orphanage in London, Such learned first-hand the Marie MacDonald recently completed an extended stay there, where Such and his wife fre devastation and tribulations faced by thousands of British children. Now, he faces the trial quently held salons. of portraying it all on paper. Such has also been heavily involved in founding some of the major institutions that sup "It has been difficult;' he said, "because it's all so close to me:• port and lobby for Canadian artists including The Writers' Union of Canada, the Canadian Magazine Publisher's Association, the Writers Development Trust and ACTRA Peter Such will be reading from his work-in-progress as part of the Writers Read series Screenwriters Guild of Canada. Wednesday; October 29, at 6 p.m. in room H-762 ofthe Hall Building. This year, Such will be focusing on finishing his latest book, The Shrapnel Generation. In his "Fearless Fiction'' class, he encourages students to push themselves to write Mordecai & me Journalism instructor finds passion in Montreal's most celebrated author BY TRISTAN 8AURICK exotic, weird and has its own strange prob lems;' he said Concordia journalism instructor Joel A longtime freelance writer and Gazette Yanofsky's new book, Mordecai & Me, is columnist, Yanofsky has drawn material from drawn from what he describes as "an ongo his own life for articles in The Village Voice, ing 30-year relationship" with Montreal's · Reader's Digest, The Globe and Mail and most celebrated author. Canadian Geographic. It's a relationship built less on hand "I. try to give students the practical nuts shakes and face-to-face encounters and and bolts I've learned and help them get pub more on a close connection to the ink and lished;' he said. "If they're writing about what pulp of Mordecai Richler's books. they're interested in, it makes their job a lot With a passion verging on self-described easier." obsession, Yanofsky poured his knowledge But writing about one of your great pas of the novelist into his new book and fused sions, Yanofsky understands, is no guarantee his own story alongside. Mordecai & Me is a · for published success. Yanofsky struggled to literary crossbreed, splicing autobiography ~ find a publisher that would take a chance with biography, personal confession with I with his odd tale of a famous writer and the literary criticism. ~ fan that admired him. He credits a partner Well-received since its early September ; ship with Concordia's Canadian Jewish release from Red Deer Press, Mordecai & Me '~ Studies as a significant factor in Mordecai & garnered a number of favourable reviews ______, Me's success. and ranked second on the Montreal JOEL YANOFSKY's new book,Monitcai &Mt, comes from the Concordia instructor's passion for the famed Montreal writer. · Professor Norman Ravvin, the chair of Gazette's bestseller list this week. Critics Canadian Jewish Studies, edits a Jewish writ and readers like it, but what would Mordecai think? close to his roots in the Jewish community around St. ing series co-published by Calgary's Red Deer Press and the "He'd say it's presumptuous, none of my business, an Urbain Street. Institute for Jewish Canadian Studies. Ravvin was looking invasion of privacy," Yanofsky admits, weighing the late "Bichler showed that you could write about obscure for a novel for the series but was impressed with Yanofsky's author's closely guarded private life and disdain for media places and find all kinds of universal themes;' Yanofsky pitch for Mordecai & Me. Ravvin helped edit the book and attention. "I worry about what he'd think a bit, but I can't said In his 1997 novel, Jacob's Ladder, Yanofsky explored helped procure funding. take it too seriously. Bichler used other people's lives in his his own Jewish community in Laval's Chomedey district . "Ravvin liked the my idea for the book and trusted my writing all the time. Writers just do that." "Bichler gave me the knowledge and courage to do this:' instincts;' he said. "I consider the Jewish Studies depart~ · Bichler was at his best when he drew inspiration from Yanofsky imparts this lesson in his Advanced Print ment a full partner in the book:' real people and his own experiences, Yanofsky said The Workshop, teaching journalism students to mine their Yanofsky will read from Mordecai & Me at the book's Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz and St Urbain's Horseman experiences for the gold that makes stories shine. launch tonight at 7:30 p.m. at MAI, 3680 Jeanne-Mance St. illustrated the depth Bichler could achieve when he stuck "Everyone comes from a place that is, in its own little way, 7 OctobH 23 , 2003 I Concordia 's Thu rsday Report Inspiration from the field Ordre des ingenieurs and Faculty hold conference on values BY JAY P OULTO N for Bombardier Aeronautics, told the students that competence in engineering means not only staying For the first time, a conference on the core values of focused but continuing to learn throughout one's engineering has been held under the joint auspices of career. Concordia's Faculty of Engineering and Computer "Take advantage of every opportunity there is to Science and the Ordre des ingenieurs du Quebec. learn;' he said. "It is a matter of applying scientific "Engineering: A Profession, a Passion!" was aimed concepts with the combination of technical and at raising the profile of engineering, and building a communication skills because if you cannot get closer bond between the professional order and the across what you have accomplished, your project is teaching community. useless:' Over three days, Oct. 7-9, invited speakers talked Reginald Weiser, Chairman and CEO of Positron about the four fundamental values that every engineer Industries, spoke about responsibility. Michele must subscribe to: competence, ethical conduct, Thibodeau-DeGuire, president and executive direc responsibility, and social commitment tor of Centraide and a professional engineer, dis "This event is a starting-point from which to dis cussed the value of social commitment, and Madiha cuss these values, and how we can introduce them to Kotb, of the Regie du Batiment du Quebec, discussed the students;' Dean Nabil Esmail said. ethical conduct. Ordre president Gaetan Lefebvre supported the The conference was opened via videophone by Dean's message, and said he hoped students would Sam Hamad, Minister of Natural Resources, also an come away from the conference with a deeper under engineer. standing of how engineers can improve society and the The students who attended were enthusiastic well-being of its members. ENGINEER MADIHA KOTB is a boiler and pressure vessel fabrication manager for the Regie du bati about what they heard, and enjoyed getting perspec Students packed the D.B Clarke Theatre to hear pro ment du Quebec. She spoke about the value of ethical conduct in the engineering Pr BY S YL VA I N COMEAU We've got 2.5 million parts in the shuttle system - all built public interest in space exploration is opening up access to by the lowest bidder - and we're travelling in one of the the final frontiei: Disasters like the destruction of the space shuttle most extreme environments you can imagine. We are "Right now, only a tiny elite has access to space ... and Columbia are inevitable, and a risk that nations must take expending a huge amount of energy to put this vehicle into U.S. regulations prohibit any sort of space tourism, even by to accomplish the goal of space exploration, NASA engineer space; we're pushing our technology right to the edge, in wealthy individuals who could pay a lot to go up into space. Scott Higginbotham said in a recent Concordia lecture. terms of extreme environments, velocity, heat So of course That has to change. The key will be reducing the cost of Last February, the space shuttle Columbia disintegrated it's a test program. It's exploration. We are still in our infan sending vessels into space, which is currently $10,000 per over Texas, killing seven astronauts on board. cy in space exploration." pound." The disaster was a serious blow to the U.S. space pro Higginbotham contends that North American society If technology allows costs to come down, "I can see all gram, and put new manned space missions on hold. has become so allergic to risk that it has a hard time grap kinds of entrepreneurs getting into space tourism, once Higginbotham, Mission Manager at the Kennedy Space pling with the inherent challenges of space exploration. · they see there is money to be made. If the private sector Center in Florida, spoke candidly on October 8 about the "U.S. society - maybe the whole world - has become gets involved, we will have a new boom in space explo accident and the fallout felt at NASA. incredibly risk averse. We go fight 11 war in 1940 and we lose ration:• · "This is one of those cases in which hindsight is 20/20. I millions of people, but the result was worth it in the end. Higginbotharn's lecture was part of a one-day conference don't know how loudly they complained or voiced their con We go to another place these days, and if two people get by the Canadian Aeronautics and Space Institute (Quebec cern before the accident, but since then, there have been shot, (the reaction is) 'Oh my gosh. We need to pull out Branch). people coming out of the woodwork saying 'I told you that now'. Not to belittle human life - which is_absolutely pre was a problem: It's hard to tell how much of that is real:' cious - but our perspective of risk has totally changed. The Last summer, investigators determined that the accident pandemonium after the accident occurred was because was caused by the loosening of a piece of foam insulation (NASA missions) are a symbol of the country:' Theatre Department to from an external fuel tank. The insulation hit and damaged No matter how much testing and planning is involved, a heat shield on a wing, causing the shuttle to break apart there will never be any guarantees of success, he said. show three Ives' plays upon reentry to the earth's atmosphere. Higginbotham "I expect these kinds of things to happen. It's not a mat noted that while some heads did roll at NASA after the ter·of if it's going to happen again, it's when. It will happen Columbia was lost, the accident was more bad luck than again; it'll be something else that we didn't think about· bad planning. that will get us, or something we couldn't have prevented. The Theatre Department will present Ives for You: "In my opinion, we are overreacting now. We had been There are certain systems on the vehicle that are critical Three SMrt Plays by David Ives, the Chicago-born flying that vehicle ·successfully for a lot of years, and yes, ones, which means that if one system fails, you're dead. So playwright who has been hailed not only as a lively we can improve it. We can redesign it so the foam will not it will happen again." theatre talent, but as an intelligent and "anarchi come off again. We can add all this new inspection and NASA currently has three space shuttles left, all of which cally funny" experimental dramatist repair capability, and wring our hands over safety issues for are grounded for the moment Higginbotham hopes to see The three works to be presented at the Cazalet over a year. But the reality is that the accident was a situa them back in the air soon. Theatre on the Loyola Campus are: tion in which a lot of bad things lined up. Occasionally, "I hope we get back on the horse that threw us. I hope we • Bolero: About a man and a woman dealing with that happens:' get flying again, get back to what we are supposed to be the sounds next door in the middle of the night Higginbotham says that, despite numerous computer doing, which is exploring and doing things that are hard. • Babels in Arms: Set in Babylonia circa 1000 B.C., simulations and past experience, any time a manned flight Because they are hard to do. And we have to accept that:• where two workers are building the tower of Babel is launched, "it is a test program, and it will always be one. In the long run, the key to better funding and a revived stone by stone. • The Green Hill: Follows a man's search for his vision of ultimate happiness. Arts: "It's a form of survival through co-operation" Ives for You is approximately one hour and a quarter, and will be directed by theatre professor Continued from page 1 together helps us to connect, and even disturbing art is Ralph Allison. important for what it tell us:• The plays run Oct 23 to 25 and Oct 30 to 31 at 8 digital media. As a specialist in classical chamber music, In fact, Adams said, researchers tend to understand one p.m.. A matinee will be presented on Nov. 2 at 2 she's philosophical. another across disciplines; it's the politicians, wary of pub p.m. Tickets are $5 general admission and can be "Art is an essential part of being human. It's a form of lic disapprobation, who need to be convinced that the arts reserved at the box office: 848-2424, ext 4742. survival through co-operation. Even listening to music are worthy of support 8 Concord ia's Thursda y Report I Octobtr 23 , 2003 Former prime minister speaks about Ireland 'I BY (LARE BYRNE "No two countries are working together with such a tance in resolving 'The Troubles; which were claiming degree of intimacy in Europe after such negative history;' civilian lives in Britain. The resulting Anglo-Irish And still they gaza, and still the wonder grew/ That one FitzGerald remarked of the two neighbours. Agreement marked the beginning of a peace process, small head could carry all he knew - Oliver Goldsmith He outlined three factors that facilitated the emergence which led to an IRA (Irish Republican Army) cease-fire in of this bonne entente. The first was Ireland's independ 1994 and nearly a decade of relative calm. When Economics Professor Ian Irvine thinks back to his ence, he said. The Irish Free State was declared in 1922. Reflecting on Irish foreign policy, FitzGerald commented classes with Garret FitzGerald at University College FitzGerald maintained the separation was particularly on its "remarkable" similarity to Canadian foreign policy. Dublin, he recalls experiencing the same sense of bewilder- . positive because it lessened Ireland's economic depend "Our position is a principled one, like Canada's;• he said ment as the schoolchildren in Oliver Goldsmith's Deserted ence on Britain. referring to both countries' opposition to the U.S.-led war Village. That's because FitzGerald was a brilliant econo "Had there been no nationalism, we would have become on Iraq. mist who baffled his students with complex economic the very dependent on Britain for transfers (subsidies), and we More than a hundred people attended FitzGerald's lec ories before entering Irish political life in the '60s. would have been very frustrated." ture in the J.A. De Seve cinema, for the most part members Minister for Foreign Affairs, then Prime Minister (or The second was the elimination of economic disparaties of Montreal's Irish community. Taoiseach) of Ireland from 1982 to 1987, Garret FitzGerald between Britian and Ireland, made possible by Ireland's His insightful and often funny reflections on British was one oflreland's great statesmen and perhaps the most entry to the EU in 1973. Irish relations won him a standing ovation. re~pected. When he came to Concordia University on Oct. "EU membership allowed us to catch up with Britain. A number of distinguished academics and public figures 9, his former pupil, now a professor of economics at And we were also much more successful in the EU than are invited each year by the Centre fur Canadian Irish Concordia, introduced him in glowing terms. Britain, which gave us a great boost in self-confidence:• Studies to speak on themes related to Ireland or the Irish. "Garret FitzGerald influenced and shaped Irish society Finally, and perhaps most importantly, the initiation by FitzGerald was the third speaker in this year's series. more than any Irish politician of his generation;' Irvine said. FitzGerald of talks with Margaret Thatcher on Northern The Centre was created three years ago to promote an FitzGerald was invited by Concordia's Centre for Ireland in the 1980s melted away decades ofBritish distrust understanding of Ireland and the Irish experience in Canadian Irish Studies to speak about Northern Ireland of the Irish government. Britain was still sore with Ireland Canada, and offers both a minor and a certificate in and the normalization of British-Irish relations. It's a sub for insisting on observing neutrality during World War Two Canadia:Q. Irish Studies. ject he's intimately acquainted with, having negotiated the and viewed its former colony with suspicion and disdain. This fall, two Irish experts will speak at Concordia. landmark Anglo-Irish agreement in 1985. The deal gave the "What was necessary was for the British government to Vincent Carey and Angus Mitchell will lecture on Oct. 28 Republic of Ireland a say in the governance of Northern listen to us;· explained FitzGerald. and Nov. 6, respectively. For more details, contact the Ireland for the first time and marked a new departure in It took all of FitzGerald's skill as a diplomat to convince Centre for Irish Studies at 848-8711. the hitherto strained British-Irish relationship. Margaret Thatcher the Irish government could be of assis- cultures of the four main regions of the world, Europe, Building and the renovation of our Loyola Athletics Africa and South America, and to promote AIESEC's Complex. He will also be responsible for the leasing of In brief International Internship Exchange Program. retail spaces, particularly in the two new downtown build "Each booth will have information pertaining to ings. Tony will report to Peter Bolla. Graduate journal launched AIESEC's international network and opportunities, i.e. Tony is a graduate of Concordia University, where he traineeships in other countries, demanding positions to obtained a Master of Business Administration degree. He The Graduate Researchers Consortium, which organized build up professional skills," Kim said. also holds an Engineering degree from McGill University an interdisciplinary conference last March at Concordia AIES~C claims to place 5,000 young people every year in and a Bachelor's degree in Applied Science from the and McGill, has published the first issue of Graduate positions lasting up to 18 months in business, public serv University of Toronto. Researcher: Journal for the Arts, Sciences and Technology. ice or civil society. Kim added, "To enrich that experience An experienced project administrator, Tony Vanvari was The issue includes selections from the First Millennium further we create opportunities for them to interact with the CEO of Madi International (Croissant Plus) from 1990 University Conference by Gary Boyd, Brooke Jeffrey, Abigail their local environment and its challenges, supported by to 2002 and before that Director of Development at Shorter, Rocci Luppicini and Nisha Sajnani (Concordia), the members of each of our local offices:· Steinberg Corporation. Steven Rytina, Mario Bunge and Bruce M. Shore (McGill), If you missed the Global Village display and want to Please join Peter Bolla and the team at Facilities Lee Harris (Ottawa) and David Peters (Memorial). · know more, contact the AIESEC office at Concordia, at Management in wishing Tony the best of success at For more information about the journal, please contact 848-2424, ext. 7435. Concordia University. the editor, Rocci Luppicini, at 848-8895. Management seminars Research & Technology Fair Adult learning holds include negotiating skills Concordia's Centre for the Study of Learning and intellectual smorgasbord Performance (CSLP) will be holding its fourth Research The John Molson Executive Centre is now offering two- and Technology Fair on Monday, Oct. 27 from 1:30 to 4 p.m. '1 The Quebec Association for Adult Learning, which is day management seminars tailor-~ade for businesses and in the atrium of the J.W. McConnell Building (1400 de housed at Concordia, is celebrating Adult Learners' Week, other institutions. Maisonneuve Blvd. W.). Oct. 25 to 31. Among the offerings are Acquisitions and Alliances: Current research projects of members of the CSLP will On Tuesday, Oct. 28, the QAAL is holding an "intellectu Managing After the Deal is Done; Alternative Dispute be exhibited in the form of poster presentations and mul al smorgasbord" from 6 to 9 p.m. in Room H-763. Resolution, Labour Relations, The Trading Room timedia demonstrations. Projects include the use of digital The guest speaker is Noel Burke, Assistant Deputy Experience, and The Essentials of Successful Negotiation. portfolios in the newly implemented Quebec Education Minister of Education for the English-speaking communi Each two-day session costs about $1,000. Program; technology integration in Quebec English ty. This will be followed by round tables on the ages and For more information, please call 848-3960, or e-mail schools; computer-mediated communication and distance stages of adult learners. organizers at [email protected], or consult wwwjohnmol education; the role of attention in the acquisition of sec More participants are welcome at this free event, and son.concordia.ca/ec. ond language; and the development of a computer-based you can indicate your interest by calling Malka Benjamin, learning environment to help children at risk of dropping in the QAAL office, at ext. 2036. out of school. Vanvari appointed as Teachers and students from CSLP partner schools will be on hand to display their technology-based classroom AIESEC places students in Director, Major Program projects, including representatives from the Tomorrow's School Today Project. international internships Management The Fair is an excellent opportunity to get a first-hand Students with wanderlust should go to the mezzanine of view of the innovative instructional technology activities the Hall Building today, and look at a display called The Executive Director of Facilities Management Peter Bolla currently unfolding in Quebec schools. Global Village. is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Tony For more information, call {514) 848-2424, ext. 2020 or go Robert Kim, a member of the sponsoring group, AIESEC, Vanvari to the newly created position of Director, Major to the CLSP website at: http://doe.concordia.ca/cslp/ explains that the title is an acronym for Association Program Management. Internationale des Etudiants en Sciences Economiques et As Director, Major Program Management, Tony Vanvari Commerciales. However, the full title is no longer used, will provide general project management support for NEWS@ because the membership, academic disciplines and activi Concordia's major building program and, more specifically, ties have broadened. spearhead the construction of the new John Molson School CONCORDIA The tables on the mezzanine are intended to display tlfe of Business Pavilion, the renovation of the Drummond http://news.concon:Jla.ca/ 9 Oc t ober 23 , 2003 I Co nco rd ih Th ursday Re ·pod l Journalism students win Gazette awards Every year, The Gazette sponsors four journalism awards in honour of someone affiliat ed with the newspaper in the past. The Lewis Harris Award goes to an undergraduate stu dent and honours the memory of Lewis Harris, a former Gazette copy editor and part time teacher at Concordia, who died four years ago. The Susan Carson Award and two Philip Fisher Awards go to graduate students. The Susan Carson Award honours the memory of reporter Susan Carson, a committed and courageous journalist whose work in the Living section of The Gazette touched many peo ple. She died of cancer in the late 1980s. The Philip Fisher Awards honour Philip Fisher, former chairman of the Southam company, and an early and longtime supporter of jour nalism education. Tristan Baurick: Susan Carson Award Tristan Baurick did his un~ergraduate work at Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington, a school that U.S. News and World Report called the best "learning commu nity" in the United States. As part of his studies, Tristan interned on a newspaper - and found his calling. He dreams of becoming a foreign correspondent and one day starting a publication devoted to presenting the historical context behind global issues. In his application for the Susan Carson award, Tristan wrote: "I wish to seek out answers abroad and to present them clearly for domestic audiences. I'm drawn to places I'm not supposed to go. I want to see what few have the opportunity to see:• Four Concordia journalism students were honoured at TM Gazettt. Pictured left to right are Colleen Gauthier, Tristan Baurick, Heather Thompson and Anne-Marie Reynaud (in front) . Heather Thompson: Philip J. Fisher Award Heather Thompson majored in film production as an undergraduate at Concordia, and year at the local university in upstate New York on a lark. "I was surprised at how natural over the past five years, spent considerable time on experimental and narrative filminak it felt to write for print; Colleen said in her Fisher application. "It seemed to satisfy both 1 ing. When asked on the Fisher application if she has any special skills, Heather listed my love for writing - 'and my thirst for knowledge:• "making cocktail party conversation" among her specialties. She wrote: "I love to hear what people have to say about themselves and often find a great deal to say about myself Anne-Marie Reynaud: Lewis Harris Award as well. I think this ability will be crucial to my career as a journalist, because an interest Anne-Marie Reynaud was born in France in 1981 of a French father and Canadian in humanity and the -ability to communicate with people are of key importance. As well, mother. They lived in Nova Scotia for three years in the 1990s where Anne-Marie attend it means that I have spent much of my adult life searching for the right questions to ask." ed public school for grades 5, 6 and 7. The family moved back to France and Anne-Marie did her secondary studies there. After completing her baccalaureat, she volunteered to Colleen Gauthier: Philip J. Fisher Award work with l'.Arche in Honduras for one year, helping to look after disabled orphans. She Colleen Gauthier, a dual citizen of the U.S. and Canada, chose to study biology as an went on to do a three-month internship with AP television news in London, England in undergrad at McGill because of the unending quest for knowledge that science represent the fall of 2000, before going to Toronto to begin studies there in January 2001. That fall, ed for her. Yet from an early age, she'd been drawn to words. She won her first writing con she transferred to Concordia to begin journalism studies, where she is currently in her test at age nine. In her application for the Fisher Award, Colleen wrote that she never third year. planned to study journalism, but decided to take an introductory journalism course last - Linda Kay (with files from Enn Randsepp) Student association political infrastructure explained BY ( OLIN B ATE M AN having existed since the merger of the two campuses in 197 4. It consists of six sister asso With more than 25,000 undergraduate students, Concordia has a political infrastruc ciations and five committees that reach out to the 4,500 students studying at the John ture that could intimidate the Canadian government.· At the top sits the Concordia Molson School of Business. Student Union (CSU), with the apolitical "Evolution, Not Revolution" party in office this '"We're only doing our job properly if our associations are happy;• explains CASA VP of year. Directly beneath it are four Faculty associations, CASA (business students), ASFA marketing Mohammed Younis. "If they do well, we do well, because essentially, the stu (Arts and Science students), FASA (Fine Arts students), and the ECA (Engineering and dents are our number one priority:• Computer Science students), each of which represents thousands of students and dozens A common link between all the Faculty associations is the desire to help students thrive of associations. at the university level. Each one has special events and uses various methods of commu "This year the CSU and the Faculty associations are working very well together;• says nication to keep their students involved. CASA has a quarterly magazine called the CSU president Nathalie Pomerleau. "We are aiming at having a good working relationship Commerce Exchange, which keeps students informed about what the associations and and keeping abreast of each other's activities:• committees beneath it are doing. One of the big annual events is the fashion show, thrown As a means of achieving this end, the Senate of Faculty of Associations has been resur every March. rected after being dormant for several years. It meets once a month with three members The Arts & Science Federation of Associations (ASFA), representing more than 12,000 from each association. The four associations have the responsibility of providing infor students and 30 associations, is entering its fourth year of operation, and has some new mation and resources to their many associations, as well as to the students that comprise activities planned. them. "We had our first ever frosh, orientation and student handbook," said an optimistic The Commerce & Administration Students' Association (CASA) is Concordia's oldest, VP Farouk Mohammed, one of the six vice-presidents in the only Faculty association with out a president in its infrastructure. "Our first grad ball is set for the end of the year and 3M Teaching Award Speaker Series: we have eight new student bursaries as wen:• Lessons Learned and Still Leaming The Fine Arts Student Alliance (FASA) is also trying to lay down the foundation for a successful future. Also in its fourth year of existence, the association, representing rough October 28 and November 7, 2003 ly 2,200 students, is the smallest of the Faculty associations, but it represents 14 depart mental clubs and four associations. Sizing Up Our Favourite Teaching Still Passionate About Teaching After The performing arts students reside on the Loyola campus, while the visual arts stu Habits All These Years dents study at the Sir George Williams campus, creating a challenge for FASA in terms of Dr. Michael Moore, Professor of English Dr. Clarissa P. Green, Associate Professor promoting unity. That is why parties such as the one thrown this past Friday by FASA and Wilfrid Laurier University University of British Columbia its biggest inter-departmental association, Art Matters, are important. Indeed, all of the Faculty associations recognize the benefits of partying as a means of creating a sense of October 28, 12:00-2:00 November 7, 10:00-12:00 cohesiveness within their Faculty. The Search for Rhythm(s): A Basis "Every Friday night at Reggie's, a different organization sets up activities and deals on for Teacher Self-Assessment All seminars will be held in Loyola AD drinks;' said Engineering and Computer Science Association (ECA) president Shahnaj A. Dr. Alex Fancy, Professor of Modern 308 and include a light lunch. Shimmy. "Our students deserve it for all the hard work they do, after all:' Languages With more than 20 associations and 4,000 students under its umbrella, a weekly party Mount Allison University For more information and to register, call CTIS at 848-2424 ext. 2495 or log is not a stretch by any means. To keep in touch, they have a weekly newsletter called EGA on to www.concordia.ca/ctls. This Week and an intricate website that only an engineering student could maneuvre November 7, 12:30-2 :00 The event is free, but space is limited. through. The association is a well-oiled machine that has been in operation for more than 18 years at the university. 10 (on'c ord i a's Th ursd~y Report I Octob er 23, 200 3 ._J r Soccer's Poirier glad to be at Concordia BY JOHN AUSTEN Stinger roundup Rookies don't usually merit the attention Concordia gridders eye the top spot that Melanie Poirier of the women's soccer team does. The bright young star from A first-place finish is still a possibility for the Concordia Stingers football Laval was heavily recruited by the Stingers team. After beating up ·on the McGill Redmen 26-9 in the 17th annual coaching staff this past summer. Once Shrine Bowl at Molson Stadium last Saturday, the Stingers find them options south of the border dried up for her, seives in a three-way tie for first place with Laval and Montreal. All three Poirier happily chose to come to Concordia. teams have identical 6-t records heading into the last week of the sea "To be honest, my first choice was to get son. a schol¥ship in the United States;' Poirier, The Stinsiers host the winless first-year Sherbrooke franchise in what 19, said. "I was too late to try and get into a should be a gimme on Saturday (1 p.m. Concordia Stadium), while school down there and Concordia really Montreal travels to Laval on Sunday. Assuming the Stingers take care of Sherbrooke, Montreal would have to beat Laval for Concordia to be wanted me. It's been fun here, although I awarded first place. wish the results would have been a bit bet ter. I was hoping for a trip to the Nationals:• The Stingers were forced to play the Redmen last weekend without their star ruMing back Jean.Michel Paquette, who suffered a concussion after Poirier, the team's leading point-getter so his team's 26-15 win aver Montreal earlier this month. That appeared to far this season, scored the only goal in a 3-1 leaye a ~uge hole in ttie offence early in the game as tl\e,Stlngers could loss to Laval at Concordia Stadium last on.If m,tch the Redm~s normally a~ offence. ·· ;ri# Sunday afternoon. The setback eliminated Stinger quarterback Jon Bond eventually found his rhythm, however, as any chance the Lady Stingers had of he threw touchdown strikes to Carlton O'Brien (13 yari:ls) and Brad advancing to a National berth. Concordia Remus (60 yards). Bond ended up with 17 completions on 29 attempts ( 6-6) sits in third place with just two regular for 273 yards on the day. season games remaining. ~ Redmer), who ·· 't passed fur ~10,uchdown all ~son;could only . "Yeah, I was expecting the team to do pu,tft" field goals , . on the boara-1:" , better;' said Poirier, who is studying Middle-ffneback Mickey Donovan led the Stinger defence with 11 tack~ Athletic Therapy. "I was pretty excited with les.J;te wa.s aw.rded the Shrine Bowl MVP .ward for his efforts. Defensive.. what I saw in the tryouts. We just didn't Although a U5. university was her first choice, the Stingers soccer leading scorer and star en _j