SCIENCE VOLUME 21, No 1, SPRING 2009 FACULTY OF SCIENCE ALUMNI MAGAZINE contourswww.ualberta.ca/science Following in Jason Hessels Observational Astronomer Four Centuries Later MESSAGE FROM THE DEAN SCIENCE Fostering an Interest in the contours In April I attended a donor event to celebrate the International Year of Astronomy. During the question period following Dr Ian Mann’s presentation, grade 6 student Alex Mc Phee asked an inter- esting question that surprised everyone in the room. Science Contours is published twice a The question had to do with the Maunder Minimum a phe- year by the Faculty of Science Office nomenon that happened about 300 years ago when sunspots be- to provide current information on the came very rare. Apart from the fact many of us in the room did many activities of Faculty and alumni. not even know what this was, we were all struck by the poise and The magazine is distributed to alumni maturity of this young enthusiastic astronomer in our midst. It re- and friends of the Faculty. minded many of us of our own youth and the events that shaped our motivation for getting a science degree. Dean of Science I always imagined myself as a biologist from the start. We spent Gregory Taylor our summers on a lake in northern Ontario, so I always had plenty of time to explore nature. Life in the water and life on land seemed Assistant Dean External Relations different to me then. As a young student, this dichotomy began to Claudia Wood break down and there were always so many interesting questions about how biological systems functioned. Assistant Dean Development But in many respects, it was the passion of the biologists that Tom Berekoff I learned from, first in high school and particularly at University that made it easy to learn. The more I learned, the more it seemed Editor there were fascinating things to explore. I have always found sci- Wanda Vivequin ence to be fun. Having fun always seemed like a good thing to Graphic Design keep me focussed on my career. Studio X Design Fostering this interest and enthusiasm in the next generation of scientists is important to the Faculty and we have outreach pro- Contributing writers grams to motivate students like Alex to get involved at an early age. Michael Brown, Ileiren Byles, Brian The first question Alex asked after the presentation was whether Murphy, Jamie Hanlon, Julie Naylor, or not he was old enough to attend the Faculty’s first ever Space Wanda Vivequin Academy in July 2009. The Space Academy is just one of the outreach programs of- Cover photography Lars Bahren ASTRON (Netherlands fered on campus. Many are run through DiscoveryE, a not-for- Foundation for Research in profit, student-run program at the U of A to foster an interest in Astronomy) and NASA science, engineering, and technology in youth. In 2008 alone DiscoveryE programs impacted the lives of almost 18,000 youth There is a saying that we have not inher- ited the world from our parents, but that we are Send your comments to: The Editor, Science Contours merely borrowing it from our children. Sci- CW 223 Biological Sciences Building ence is a part of our daily life. Everything University of Alberta we do and deal with in life is science, from Edmonton, AB, Canada T6G 2E9 cooking, playing ball, growing a garden and Tel: 780.492.4073 understanding how technologies work to Fax: 780.492.4827 watching a rain storm. Finding fun ways to Toll-free: 800.358.8314 encourage future scientists into the field of E-mail: [email protected] discovery will inspire them to commit to Website: www.science.ualberta.ca this proverb just as many of us do today. Publications Mail Agreement No: Have a great summer. 40063605 Gregory Taylor Dean of Science Cert no. SW-COC-001609 SCIENCE 2 contours SCIENCE science bases FACULTY OF SCIENCE ALUMNI MAGAZINE 4 Recognizing our Best contours A great faculty has, among other things, great researchers, recognized by their peers: a highlight of recent award winners and accomplishments. 5 Science in the News From the NY Times to the BBC to National Geographic, Faculty of Science researchers have been making headlines around the world. 12 International Year of Astronomy 2009 What is happening to celebrate this feature event. features 6 8 6 The Multiplying Effect of Google Googler Alona Fyshe lets us in on what it’s like to work for one of the “coolest” companies on the planet. 8 Academic All Canadians Jennifer Newton and Hugh O’Neill show how it’s possible to stay on top of your game in sports and academia at the same time. 9 Glen Loppnow Top Teacher This 3M recipient tells us how looking through the eyes of his students helped him to re-evaluate his classroom technique. 13 Science for Kids Teacher/author Ovid Wong book tally now stands at 22 with more planned and information about the U of A’s first ever space academy. 14 Rebuilding Communities 14 Geography graduate Binod Shrestha helps the UN re- build communities in Afghanistan. 16 A Long-term Relationship Produces Science for the Public Good David Schindler reflects on two decades of support from the Walter and Duncan Gordon Foundation. 18 Science and Swimming Mike Morrow talks about the scholarship he established Edmonton Tourism Edmonton 16 18 for members of U of A swim team. cover story 10 Jason Hessels Observational Astronomer Holland-based science graduate discovers the fastest spinning millisecond pulsar and is now working on the largest radio telescope in the world. SCIENCE contours 3 Awards and Accolades Provincial Distinguished Service Prestigious Research Prize Top International Appointment Award Dr. Dennis Hall was named the 2008 Chemistry professor Dr. John Vederas Dr. Ronald Cavell was honoured with winner of the prestigious Steacie Prize has been elected as a Fellow of the Royal the Saskatchewan Distinguished Service for outstanding scientific research car- Society (London). Award for his vision and effort in secur- ried out in Canada. The prize is one of Vederas’s research focus is investigat- ing one of the world’s most advanced Canada’s most prestigious science awards ing the way Nature assembles molecules, synchrotron facilities, located at the encompassing a wide range of disciplines a prerequisite to rationally influence life University of Saskatchewan. A founding including mathematics, engineering, processes in medicine and agriculture. member of the Board of Directors for the chemistry, physics, and biology. The election to this prestigious group Canadian Light Source, Cavell is also su- Dr. Hall is an organic chemist work- recognises Vederas’s work at the cutting pervisor of X-ray Spectroscopy Projects ing on applications of compounds edge of science worldwide. He joins an for the Alberta Synchrotron Institute known as bo- outstanding group of over 1400 Fellows and served as president of the Canadi- ronic acids and and Foreign Members of the Royal Soci- an Institute for Synchrotron Radiation esters. While ety, and ranks as an international leader from 1999-2006. today’s chem- in his research field. Other Fellows elect- ists can make ed over the years include scientists like virtually any Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin and Ste- molecule they phen Hawking. choose, the real challenge is figuring out which molecule will serve a useful, spe- cific purpose, then finding a way to pro- duce that compound efficiently. Doing so could save millions of dollars in drug development or improve current indus- trial processes. ongratulations to all the Faculty of Science award winners who routinely receive prestigious international, national, provincial and university awards that recognize their excellence in research Cand teaching. International Schindler (Biological Sciences), the Year; Association of Professional Mark Wilson (Biological Sciences) Royal Canadian Institute for the Engineers, Geologists and Geophysicists Society of Vertebrate Paleontology Advancement of Science Sandford Fleming of Alberta (APEGGA) Voluntary Service Joseph T. Gregory Award; John Award; Eleni Stroulia (Computing Award. Vederas (Chemistry), Fellow of the Science), iCORE Chair (Services Systems Royal Society (London). Management); John Waldron (Earth University and Atmospheric Sciences), Atlantic Dennis Hall (Chemistry), National Geoscience Society Gesner Medal. Rutherford Award for Excellence in Michael Caldwell (Biological Undergraduate Teaching; Alexander Sciences), Geological Association Provincial Melnikov (Mathematical and of Canada W.W. Hutchison Medal; Ron Cavell (Chemistry), Saskatchewan Statistical Science), McCalla Dennis Hall (Chemistry), Steacie Distinguished Service Award; James Professorship; Donald Page Prize; Liang Li (Chemistry), Hoover (Computing Science) AVAC/ (Physics), Killam Annual Professorship; Canadian Society for Chemistry iCORE/ASTech Outstanding Achievement James Pinfold (Physics), McCalla Maxxam Award; Glen Loppnow in Information and Communications Professorship, Osmar Zaiane (Chemistry) Society for Teaching and Technology and Innovation; Douglas (Computer Science), Killam Annual Learning in Higher Education 3M Schmitt (Physics), University of Professorship. National Teaching Fellowship; David Lethbridge Distinguished Alumnus of SCIENCE 4 contours SCIENCE in the news The first evidence of pre-industrial mercury pollution in the Andes The study of ancient lake sediment from high altitude lakes in the Andes has revealed for the first time that mercury pollution occurred long before the start of the Industrial Revolution. University of Alberta Earth and Atmospheric Sciences PhD student Colin Cooke’s results from two seasons of field work in Peru have now provided the first unambiguous records of pre-industrial mercury pollution from anywhere in the world and his research finds were published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). “The idea that mercury pollution was happening before the industrial revolution has long been hypothesised on the basis of historical records, but never proven,” said Cooke whose research was funded by the National Geographic Society. Cooke and his team recovered sediment cores from high elevation lakes located around Huancavelica, which is the New World’s largest mercury deposit.