Page 8 - Eureka! Spring 2008
P. 8

Faculty news  Extreme                       Calling it a day: faculty retirements                                          Faculty stars                                                                                                Faculty news
               makeover:
                                                                                                                                 Carleton University honours its best and brightest researchers with annual Research Achievement Awards. Established in
                                                 Peter Watson, professor of physics
                                                                                                                                 1989, the $15,000 awards enhance the quality of research conducted at Carleton.
               Steacie edition
                                                 When the ATLAS particle physics experiment be-
                                                 gins in Geneva this summer, it will search for the
                   y middle age, time has taken a
                                                                                                                                 Humans have lost their ability to
                                                 ago by Carleton’s Peter Watson, M.K. Sundaresan
                                                                                                                                                                   newly discovered small molecules,
                                                 and Lazer Resnick. In 1973, the trio was the first
               Btoll, priorities have changed, and   Higgs boson using a method suggested 35 years                               Cold play                         Storey’s latest explorations are how
                                                                                                                                 shut down and survive in the cold.
               many start to think about a lift here   to publish how the possible effect of the Higgs                           Despite having all the same tissues   microRNA, can interfere with cell
               and a tuck there. For the 42-year-old   boson might be observed. Watson, then a research                          as hibernating mammals, if we     function in order to turn off human
               Steacie Building, a major makeover   associate, was trying to understand an anomaly in                            attempted to lie down all winter   organs; how epigenetic mechanisms
               is underway to maximize and renew   the short-lived muonic atoms. Now on the verge of                Photo: Chris Strangemore  we would be plagued by bed sores   that activate and inactivate cellular
               space, modernize laboratories and   retirement, the former dean of science will see one                           and atrophied muscles. And without   genomes can turn off and stop life
               incorporate a new program in food   of his earliest ideas put to the test.                                        slowing down our metabolism, we   signs and disease processes; and how
               science and nutrition.              Since arriving at Carleton in 1971, Watson has                                would also need to eat and drink,   the widespread process of autopha-
                 In April, the complete demolition   worked in a variety of fields of theoretical phys-  Peter Watson            interrupting that long winter’s nap.  gy—whereby cells and organs revers-
               of chemistry labs kicked off the first   ics, including quark models, broken colour mod-                                                            ibly eat themselves during times of
               of three phases of the $12.6-mil-  els, and Higgs and neutrino phenomenology. As a member of the Sudbury Neutrino                                   stress—works.
               lion renovation. In their place is a   Observatory (SNO) collaboration, Watson’s principle interest is in possible neutrino                           “This award helps keep me out of
               “super lab” for first-year chemistry   signals from astrophysical sources such as γ-ray bursters and pulsars. With the                              grant prison,” says Storey. “It gives
               and organic chemistry courses. By   analysis of SNO data winding up in a year’s time, “it fits in quite nicely with retire-                         me freedom to pursue new avenues of
               September, the lab will accommodate   ment plans,” he says.                                                                                         discovery.”
               almost 30 per cent more students    Respected among his colleagues for sharing best practices and resources on teach-                                                                 In April, John Oommen (pictured) and post-doc-
               and give the university flexibility in   ing methods—and how to motivate students to study physics—Watson was feted with                                                              toral researcher Dragos Calitoiu were presented
               scheduling.                       a Carleton University Teaching Achievement Award in 2005 for his creation and use of                            Photo: Brigette Bouvier, Ottawa Citizen  Learning from mistakes  with the Best Paper Award from the International
                                                                                                                                                                                                     Conference on Health Sciences Simulation for their
                 “The super lab will ensure we con-  technology-assisted learning. The Faculty of Science gave him a teaching award in 2007                        If everything in education is     simulation methodology that can predict how a
               tinue to offer our students hands-on   for his commitment to science education via outreach to high schools and the commu-                          fallible—teachers, teaching       disease spreads to infect healthy people in a certain
               training in state-of-the-art research   nity, innovative course delivery and new programs. (See page 11.)                                           techniques, textbooks—how do      geographical region.
               and laboratory facilities,” says    “I’ll certainly go on teaching as long as there is an opportunity,” says Watson.                                students learn accurately? John
               George Iwama, dean of the Faculty   “It’s always been the most satisfying part of what I have done.”                                                Oommen, chancellor’s professor in the   chapter. Finally, the model also lets
               of Science.                                                                                                       Kenneth Storey has identified the molecular   school of computer science, explores   the teacher improve teaching skills
                 The next two phases of the renova-  Gerald Buchanan, chancellor’s professor of chemistry                        technology the wood frog has evolved over time to   this question in designing electronic   through interacting with and feed-
               tion project will include upgrades   When Gerald Buchanan arrived at Carleton in                                  survive freezing.                 teaching and learning strategies.  back from the students.
               to the computer classroom, and a   1971, the field of nuclear magnetic resonance                                                                      “The entire field of designing and   Currently in the research stage
               retrofit of additional undergraduate   (NMR) spectroscopy was in a primitive stage:                                 “Humans developed an extremely   implementing tutorial-like systems   of the project, Oommen’s prototype
               teaching labs and rooms for prepara-  the department of chemistry had an NMR spec-                                narrow lifestyle,” says Kenneth Storey,   is fascinating,” says Oommen. “It   demonstrates that such a teaching/
               tion and instrumentation.         trometer, but no one knew how to use it. Thanks                                 professor of biochemistry and Canada   is amazing how much ‘learning’ is   learning paradigm is feasible and
                                                 in part to Buchanan’s late nights spent getting                                 Research Chair in molecular physiol-  possible even in the most imperfect   expedient. He’ll use his 2008 Research
                                                 the machine to work, and his nearly 150 publi-                                  ogy. “We’ve reorganized our molecular   settings.”                  Achievement Award to develop a re-
                                                 cations, the field of NMR at Carleton can now                       Photo: Chris Strangemore  signals away from hibernation, but   Traditionally, the field of intelligent   search monograph and help bring the
                                                 claim a mature—but not staid—status.                                            we can flip those switches back.”  tutorial systems has dealt with the   tutorial system another step closer to
                                                   In fact Buchanan, in his latest work with Igor                                  Storey’s program of research focus-  problem of real-life students learning   real-world application.
                                                 Moudrakouski at the National Research Council,                                  es on dormancy at all levels of biolog-  from a program guiding, teaching and
                                                 invented a new method of doing magnetic reso-  Gerald Buchanan                  ical organization: from the molecu-  testing the students. Oommen has
                                                 nance imaging that holds the potential of rapid,                                lar to the genetic, from tissues and   created a tutorial-like model where
                                                 non-invasive gastrointestinal imaging within a few seconds.                     organs to the whole animal. Whether   the teacher program can make mis-
                                                   A former chair of the department of chemistry, Buchanan is a decorated teacher,   switching off an organ for transplant   takes probabilistically, with teaching
                                                 twice winning the Faculty of Science Teaching Award and receiving the Carleton   or slowing down a patient’s metabolic   material that can also contain errors,
                                                 University Teaching Achievement Award in 2002. In 2004, the president gave him the   rate to prolong the time a surgeon has   and yet the student (a real person
                                                 special professorial designation of chancellor’s professor.                     to operate, dormancy is important for   or a program) is capable of learn-
                                                    “I have enjoyed tremendously the stimulating interactions with some very     medical science. Even more important   ing within that setting. The student   FIshy BUsINEss
                                                 bright students,” says Buchanan, who has supervised the research of more than   for Storey is the thrill of studying the   is also a member of a classroom of   steve cooke, assistant professor of biology,
                                                 50 students at all levels. “It has been really satisfying to see them go on to suc-  unexplored.                  students, all of whom could also have   is working with scott hinch at the Forest
                                                 cessful careers in academia, industry and government.”                            “We do discovery science in this   inaccurate knowledge. Each student   sciences centre at the University of British
                                                   As for his own future, travelling to see his grandchildren is a priority, but Bu-  lab,” he says. “This is the research   can learn from the teacher and from   columbia on climate warming and high
                                                 chanan will stay at Carleton part-time to teach the food, drugs and health course   Darwin would have done if he’d had   any students. Using a Socratic model,   salmon migration mortality. the research
                                                 and “dabble” in areas of magnetic resonance spectroscopy and imaging.           the same equipment.”              the teacher asks multiple choice   team was awarded a three-year strategic
               A new “super lab” will accommodate 30 per cent   “Teaching at a university is a privileged existence,” he says. “Carleton has   With an infusion of funds from his   questions about the material, which   grant by the Natural sciences and Engi-
               more chemistry and organic chemistry students in
               state-of-the-art facilities.      been a wonderful fit for me and I hope that I can continue to make some contri-  2008 Research Achievement Award,   increases in complexity chapter by   neering Research council of canada.
                                                 bution to it for many years to come.”

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