ON CAMPUS NEWS news.usask.ca FEB. 14, 2020 Volume 27, Issue 6 UNIVERSITY DIVERSITY From Black History Month to Indigenous Achievement Week, international student success and the upcoming One Day for Students fundraiser, we tell some of the stories of University of Saskatchewan students and staff with diverse backgrounds, coming from across the province and around the world. USask’s diversity enhances the university’s vibrant campus culture, while educating students for the opportunities of tomorrow. SEE PAGES 4-5, 8-9, 13-14. — 3 — — 6 — — 14 — GIVE PEAS A CHANCE CLIMATE CHANGE ONE DAY FOR STUDENTS Publication Mail Agreement #40065156 Pediatric residency program begins in Regina KRISTEN MCEWEN Saskatchewan now has its first degree before applying to medical Regina-based pediatrics residency school, which is a four-year program. On Campus News is published 12 times program. Once students have completed per year by University of Saskatchewan In July, two pediatric residents medical school, they are required Marketing and Communications. It is started their training at the Univer- to complete residency programs, distributed to all USask faculty, staff, graduate students and members of sity of Saskatchewan (USask) College which can be between two and seven governing bodies, as well as to others of Medicine Regina campus, where years depending on the specialty. in the university community, related roughly 30 per cent of all USask While residents have always organizations, some Saskatchewan medical students train each year. travelled between the cities and to government officials and news media. “We’re excited to have residents sites across the province for their Subscriptions are available for $24 based here,” said Dr. Bruce Holmes training, this is the first time two per year. Story and photo ideas (MD), a resident teaching co-ordi- residents are based in the Queen City. are welcome. Advertising rates are available online or on request. nator at the Regina campus. “It is still With the number of children part of the USask pediatric residency being treated out of hospitals - program but the environment is increasing over the years, doctors On Campus News aims to provide a different from that in Saskatoon.” need to be prepared for a wide range forum for the sharing of timely news, The College of Medicine Regina of experiences. Since he began prac- information and opinions about campus opened at the Regina Dr. Bruce Holmes (MD) is a resident teaching co-ordinator KRISTEN MCEWEN ticing medicine 35 years ago, Holmes events and issues of interest to the USask community. General Hospital (RGH) in 2006. at the Regina campus for the USask College of Medicine. said there are far fewer hospital beds The Regina campus includes the needed for pediatric in-patients. The views and opinions expressed by writers of letters to the editor and Health Sciences Learning Centre, MD students enrolled in USask In total, there are more than 450 Resident training programs, such as viewpoints do not necessarily reflect the Dilawri Simulation Centre and medical school. residents across all programs in the the four-year pediatric program, are those of USask or On Campus News. a health sciences library. About In addition to the two pediatric province, with 25 based in Regina. moving to a more distributed model - 120 USask medical doctor (MD) residents who started in Regina Residency is a key part of every to ensure residents have enough students are trained in Regina each this past summer, six others started doctor’s medical training. Students We acknowledge we are on Treaty 6 SEE RESIDENTS, PAGE 15 Territory and the Homeland of the year at RGH, out of the total of 400 their training in Saskatoon in 2019. must complete an undergraduate Métis. We pay our respect to the First Nation and Métis ancestors of this place and reaffirm our relationship with one another. - IN CASE YOU MISSED IT EDITOR A lot happens at the USask during the weeks when On Campus News isn’t published. James Shewaga Here are a few of the top stories from news.usask.ca: WRITERS Katie Brickman-Young, Shannon Cossette, Ashley Dopko, Lana Haight, Kurt Hofmann, Kristen McEwen, Community centre Coronavirus focus Edwards honours USask-India MOU Chris Morin, Chris Putnam, Ashley Sharp, The University of Saskatchewan USask researchers are working on Students from the University of USask’s Global Institute for Water John Shelling, James Shewaga, (USask) officially opened the new a vaccine for the coronavirus, after Saskatchewan Edwards School of Security and a top Indian research Carlee Snow, Alyssa Wiebe. USask Community Centre on Jan. being approved by the Public Health Business brought home the coveted institution—the Indian Institute of DESIGNERS 29. Located in Marquis Hall, the Agency of Canada (PHAC) to work title of Academic School of the Year Science (IISc) in Bengaluru—have Brian Kachur new centre hosts a variety of well- with the pathogen. Researchers at the 2020 JDC West competition. signed an over-arching agreement Pierre Wilkinson ness-related activities and supports hoped to have first candidates for The Edwards team was also rec- to partner for five years on joint re- for students, designed to make con- testing in an animal model in late ognized as the second-place team search, training and academic ex- nections and build community, ac- February or in March. “Within hours overall for the competition among changes related to water security, cording to Peter Hedley, director of we were given permission to handle the 12 competing business schools. climate science and policy issues. Student Supports and Services. The the virus,” said Dr. Volker Gerdts Guided by faculty advisor Nathalie USask President Peter Stoicheff and centre provides bookable space for (DVM), director of VIDO-Inter- Johnstone, Edwards students took IISc In-Charge Registrar Indumati ISSN: 1195-7654 wellness activities, such as yoga and Vac (Vaccine and Infectious Disease home five academic awards in total. Srinivasan signed a memorandum of PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT NO. 40065156 healthy eating classes, is the home Organization-International Vaccine JDC West is Western Canada’s larg- understanding to lead to additional Return undeliverable addresses to: base for Peer Health, a student Centre) at USask. In January, PHAC est undergraduate business student collaboration agreements and im- UNIVERSITY OF SASKATCHEWAN health education group, and is fre- classified the virus discovered in Wu- competition, showcasing academ- plementation plans. USask is ranked MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS quented by university faith leaders han, China, as a Level 3 pathogen, ics, debate, athletics, community No. 1 in Canada for water resources G16 THORVALDSON BUILDING who offer spiritual guidance and which VIDO-InterVac is certified to involvement, and an out-of-the-box research, while IISc is ranked No. 1 in 110 SCIENCE PLACE SASKATOON, SK S7N 5C9 support. safely handle. social competition. India for post-graduate research. Email: [email protected] FOR MORE UP-TO-THE-MINUTE NEWS, VISIT: news.usask.ca @usask 2 FEBRUARY 14, 2020 All we are saying … is give peas a chance JAMES SHEWAGA As a passionate proponent of great resource over the next decade plant-based proteins for more than for our community that works on two decades, researcher Dr. Tom pea and other legume crops,” said Warkentin (PhD) understands Warkentin. “From a Saskatchewan better than most the recent rapid point of view, in our plant breeding rise in popularity of pulse crops. work, we have various traits that we An expert in plant breeding and target, such as increasing protein genomics, Warkentin has spent 21 concentration and improving years at the University of Saskatch- disease resistance. So, by knowing ewan (USask) improving crop more about the genome sequence, it varieties, specializing in pea produc- helps us plan our research.” tion. His recent research—including Warkentin and his colleagues helping an international team in the Crop Development Centre crack the pea genome—has earned (CDC) conduct conventional— added attention as consumers trend not genetically-modified—plant towards beyond-meat burgers and breeding, as CDC researchers protein shakes powered by plant- continually work to improve the based proteins from environmen- majority of crop types grown tally friendly pulse crops like peas throughout the province and across and lentils touted for their health Western Canada. benefits and affordability. “More than 80 per cent of “It is exciting and interesting,” peas grown in Western Canada are said Warkentin, the Ministry of varieties that we developed here (at Agriculture Strategic Research USask), so our research certainly Program Chair in Field Pea Breeding has had an impact,” said Warkentin, and Genetics at USask. “We hear who has been involved in releasing more and more in the media these dozens of new pea varieties since days about plant-based proteins from starting at USask back in 1999. “We two points of view: one, nutritional, have been doing plant breeding at USask researcher Dr. Tom Warkentin (PhD) with a few of the pea plants in the GLORIA GINGERA and two, environmental. Plant-based the university in collaboration with College of Agriculture and Bioresources greenhouses on campus. proteins have a lower carbon footprint farmers and the provincial govern- than animal-based proteins, so those ment for decades to improve traits, based protein production in the Prairies have 30 years of history of rotations helps make for healthier trends are helping drive