I am an Olympic Games junkie. Whenever the Olympics – summer or winter – are taking place, I am ensconced on the couch in front of my TV from opening to closing ceremonies. I get very little else done for two weeks. The ability of the athletes to push their bodies and minds to the […]
Education
Remembering Dr. Cy Frank
I heard the sad news today about the passing of Dr. Cy Frank. Cy was President and CEO of Alberta Innovates–Health Solutions and a proud alumnus (MD’76) of the University of Calgary. This is a great loss. The news is particularly tragic since Cy was relatively young and full of energy and bright ideas. He […]
Moving the yardsticks in energy research
I chair a University of Calgary body known as the Senate.The Senate is composed of 62 respected Calgary citizens as well as university students, faculty and staff. It acts as a communication link between the Calgary community and the university. Through its many activities, the Senate works to enhance the profile and reputation of our […]
Arts and Science Honours Academy an enriching program focused on multidisciplinary learning
Several months ago I met with two University of Calgary colleagues, Professor Patrick Finn and Senator Colin Jackson. We chatted in my office about a number of things. I mentioned my interest in showcasing stories of interdisciplinary collaboration at the University of Calgary. Patrick and Colin talked about breaking down silos and about some of […]
Go Dinos! UCalgary men’s hockey team wins playoff game
The University of Calgary Dinos men’s hockey team won their playoff game today over our city rivals, the Mount Royal Cougars. It was the third and deciding game of their best-of-three series in the Canada West semi-finals (the Dinos had won the first game 3-2 while the Cougars won the second 5-2).
Chancellor’s Scholars on path to become great community and national leaders
One of my privileges as Chancellor is to work closely with a group of students at the University of Calgary known as Chancellor’s Scholars. These are extraordinary students who not only demonstrate academic excellence but also community involvement. For example, some of these students have helped raise money to fight poverty and homelessness, built a […]
New Earth-Space Technologies’ Research Strategy
Today I had the pleasure to participate in a Town Hall meeting on campus. The topic of the meeting was the University of Calgary’s ‘New Earth-Space Technologies’ Research Strategy. New Earth-Space Technologies is quite a mouthful to say so I was amused that the meeting attendees had already developed their own acronym for the topic: […]
Heartbreak in Calgary
I was saddened to hear of the April 15 slaying of the five young people who were associated with the University of Calgary. The awful news evoked a number of thoughts. My first and foremost thought was of the youth and innocence of the victims. What a loss.
Everything is one – We are all connected
I was in Nanaimo in late January to participate in the winter convocation ceremonies of Vancouver Island University. This university offers a variety of certificate, diploma, undergraduate and master degree programs on campuses in Nanaimo, Powell River, Cowichan and Parksville-Qualicum. Under the leadership of President Ralph Nilson, VIU is well known for having close cultural, […]
The Pursuit of Excellence
This week I attended the gala for the 2012 Canada Gairdner Awards held at the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) in Toronto. In the shadows of towering dinosaur skeletons and in front of an audience of the who’s who of health research, six international and one Canadian researcher were presented with their awards.