Page 5 - Eureka! Spring 2008
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Student news  between the service they provide to   Bridging to university  By Mandy Sinclair                       Student news
 the community and the knowledge and
                                          to Earth. As an intern, Diamond had
            efore starting university, high
 skills they acquire at university.
                                                                              Engaging students in the subject
        Bschool graduates don’t typically
                                          the opportunity to research neutrino
 “At the end of the week, I had a
                                                                            matter is a top priority in the Faculty
        work on real research projects, engage
 greater understanding of public af-
                                          signals and write computer programs
                                                                            of Science, which offers bridging op-
 fairs, poverty and globalization in
        in the subject matter of their interest
                                                                            portunities in all nine departments to
                                          for SNO to analyze specific data for
        and work directly with world-
                                          the research project. She also attended
                                                                            students based on academic achieve-
 Mexico,” says Kalidindi.
 Stationed in Cuernavaca, Mexico, the
 students’ time was balanced between
                                                                              When presented with the bridg-
                                          interacted with other researchers at
        paid for it! However, for participants
                                          Carleton.
                                                                            ing opportunity, Diamond’s deci-
 experiential learning and service proj-  renowned researchers—much less get   physics meetings and seminars and   ments in secondary school.
        in the eight-week Bridging Sum-
 ects, and lectures and discussions at   mer Research Internship in Science   “What I enjoyed most about the   sion to accept was obvious thanks
 the Cuernavaca Center for Intercultur-  program in the Faculty of Science at   program was the opportunity to get   to the research projects she could
 al Dialogue on Development. The group   Carleton University, these opportuni-  first-hand experience working on   be involved in. “Carleton’s physics
 spent two days digging foundations   ties are realized.   a real physics research project—it   program is absolutely one of the best
 for two Habitat for Humanity houses,   ral recipient of this hands-on intern-  makes studying the material much   in the country and the department is
          As a physics major and the inaugu-
 one day painting and cleaning up an
                                          more exciting now that I’ve seen what
                                                                            involved in some of the most exciting
 A break from the ordinary  elementary school and another visit-  ship, Miriam Diamond spent summer   it can lead to,” says Diamond.    projects in the world.”
                                                                              For Diamond, the bridging intern-
        2007 working with Peter Watson, pro-
                                            The experience and mentoring Dia-
 ing families in a squatter settlement.
 By Mandy Sinclair  Kalidindi is the first science student   fessor in the department of physics,   mond received during her internship   ship program has been her greatest
 to participate in the ASB program, and   on a project for the world-renowned   have given her the confidence to ex-  Carleton experience and the greatest
 pending reading week in Mexico   nology student, Kalidindi embraced   values the breadth it provides in her   Sudbury Neutrino Observatory (SNO).   plore her research interests. “Dr. Wat-  academic experience of her life. “Hav-
 Simplies a relaxing vacation in the   the ASB opportunity to learn about   education.   Researchers at SNO have provided   son has been a wonderful mentor to   ing a first-hand glimpse into the world
 sun. But for Navya Kalidindi and 24   justice and poverty in the advent of   “I consider academics to be very   great insight into neutrinos coming   me, offering guidance when I needed   of physics research, I now know that
 other Carleton students involved in   globalization—subjects not taught in   important,” says Kalidindi, “but I think   from the sun that oscillate between   it, but allowing me to pursue aspects   I definitely want to pursue a career in
 the second annual Alternative Spring   the science classroom. The community   there are other things Carleton does   three different “flavours” on their way   of the research project by myself.”  physics.”
 Break (ASB), Mexico provided continu-  service learning initiative organized by   to ensure we have a well-balanced
 ous learning opportunities.   the First Year Experience Office chal-  university experience and allow us to
 A third-year biology and biotech-  lenges students to make connections   grow as a good member of society.”   A seminal seminar
                                            More than that, Wiles believes the
                                                                              “The class made me a better scien-
          f giving a presentation and being
 Prospecting   Coalition chess  Icritiqued by the professor in front   seminar sets the tone for a student’s   tific writer, and writer in general,” she
                                          university experience. “In the first
        of a room full of your first-year peers
                                                                            says. “Dr. Wiles always said that if we
 for employees  NSchoenberg electrified the cham-  the tremendous numbers of play-  sounds daunting, you likely avoided   term of their first year, students are   could not explain something to our
 The game’s complexity results from
 early a century ago, Arnold
                                          criticized on their presentation, and
        Don Wiles’ first-year seminar on sci-
                                                                            grandmothers then we didn’t really
 By Mandy Sinclair  ber music world with iconoclastic   able combinations from four sets of   ence. Pity.  they criticize me on mine. That con-  understand it, and that I’ll remember
 atonal compositions and secured a   pieces. As Paquette explains, there   Wiles, a chemistry professor emeritus,   fidence and trust, to tell a professor   for a good while to come.”
 Employers in the mining industry are   unique place in the history of music.   is no way that a human or a single   is one of those teachers you wish you’d   what he did wrong, to know that pro-  Helen Holden, in third year bio-
 digging for geology grads as the de-  A painter, music theorist and teacher   computer could play all the games, or   had. He’s passionate about teaching and   fessors can be questioned and talked   chemistry, echoes those sentiments.
 mand for skilled employees grows. the   of composition, Schoenberg was also   even experiment with all the start-  passionate about Carleton. Despite retir-
 Globe and Mail reported in March that   the inventor of coalition chess, a   ing configurations of the board in its   ing in 1990, he’s entering his fiftieth year   Students in the seminar learn early on how to
 only 1,200 geology students will gradu-  strategic board game where four play-  lifetime. (To see all possible starting   of teaching at Carleton in September. He
 ate this year, yet the mining industry in   ers form alliances to overcome their   combinations within 100 years, the   started teaching in the first-year semi-  communicate their research to diverse audiences
 canada has 9,000 positions to fill.   opponents on an expanded chess   pieces should be reconfigured more   nar program when it was introduced   and how to think on their feet
 the demand for employees meant   board. The complexity of Schoenberg   than 221x1015 times per second.)  eight years ago, and has been organizing
 that many of the 64 carleton students   Coalition Chess has made its play-  “The artificial intelligence of this   it for the past four years.  to, is important. Beyond the seminar   Because of the requirement for class
 attending the Prospectors and Develop-  ability questionable and inhibited its   game will have to be built over many   What sets the seminar apart from   content, students learn to trust the   participation, she had opportuni-
 ers Association of canada conference   popularity, but Michel Paquette hopes   years, certainly more than 10 years   other first-year courses is the small   system, accept positive criticism and   ties to work on presenting her ideas
 in toronto in March had pre-arranged   to change all that.     for any good purpose,” says Paquette.  class size of 18 to 22 students and its   work with colleagues.”    clearly and logically. “The course gave
 interviews with potential employers.   Paquette, a computer science   For now, with the online version   intention to teach science communi-  For Mutiat Enikanolaiye, now a   me a lot more experience and confi-
 students attended lectures on aspects   doctoral candidate, took on the chal-  available to anyone for play, Paquette   cation rather than science content.   second-year biochemistry and bio-  dence with public speaking, and that
 of geology and met with geoscientists,   lenge of creating an online version of   is working on improving its popular-  Learning the written and oral commu-  technology student, the small class   summer, I was even hired by Carleton
 entrepreneurs, investors and businesses   coalition chess for the international   ity by creating a 3D environment.  nication skills required of a working   size made all the difference. “The   to do presentations for the parents of
 representing all aspects of the mineral   Schoenberg symposium hosted at   “For people like me, for whom play-  scientist takes time, and Wiles winces   professor actually knew my name and   incoming students,” she says.
 industry.   Carleton in July 2007.   ing chess against a computer doesn’t   at the thought of students making   my face! With about a dozen students   “Dr. Wiles put together a practical
 similarly, a two-day career event host-  “The idea intrigued me since it was   cut it, coalition chess offers the added   their first presentation only later,   sitting in a circle speaking directly to   and inspiring course,” says Holden. “He
 ed by the carleton University society of   coming from the music department.   challenge of collaboration and social   when they defend their honours thesis.  the professor, you couldn’t help but   had a genuine regard for each of us as
 Economic Geologists student chapter   My critical mind was thinking, ‘What   interaction mingled with strategy.”  “Students in the seminar learn   participate, learn and actually think   individuals, and gave us room in the
 attracted 11 organizations and saw   could an artist have made which is   Visit the Online Schoenberg   early on how to communicate their re-  during the class—and the course gave   curriculum to tailor the course to our
 nearly 100 students interviewed—with   scientifically so interesting? I have to   Coalition Chess Project at   search to diverse audiences and how   me an initial network of friends, other   interests. I brought away skills and
 some students receiving more than one   see this!’ And I was won over.”  coalitionchess.com.   to think on their feet,” he says. “They   intelligent, curious and often con-  knowledge that I appreciate again and
 job offer.   gain a lot of confidence.”  fused first-year students like me.”  again as an upper-year student.”
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 4  EUREKA!    SpriNg 2008                                                        eur eka.carleton.ca
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