The children of baby boomers, like their parents in the 1970s, are having a huge impact on the teaching profession, according to a new study in Education Matters, Statistics Canada's online source of facts and analysis on education.

These "echo babies" are attending universities in large numbers, leaving behind empty seats in elementary, and soon, secondary school classrooms. Meanwhile, the ranks of university professors experienced much faster employment growth than that of elementary and secondary teachers between 1999 and 2005.

While the teaching profession adapts to demographic shifts in the student population, it is also experiencing changes from within.

University professors are generally older than the average worker and many are fast approaching retirement age. Rather than retiring completely, however, more are continuing on a part-time or contractual basis.

Indeed, college and university professors 55 and older are a fast growing segment of the part-time faculty, influencing a change in the composition of this group.

Using data from the Labour Force Survey, this article profiles university and college professors and elementary and secondary teachers from 1999 to 2005.

Over the seven-year period, the number of educators grew from 457,000 to 502,000. In 2005, close to three-quarters were teachers in elementary and secondary schools, while the remaining 15% were college teachers and 12% university professors.

Demographic shifts explain some of the recent trends in teacher employment. The school-aged population aged 5 to 18 declined by 1% between 1999 and 2005, while the postsecondary population aged 19 to 24 rose 9%. In 2005, about 28% of individuals aged 20 to 29 attended university, up from 25% in 1999. As a result, employment increased 30% among university professors during this period, three times the 9% gain among elementary and secondary teachers.

The average age of educators in 2005 was 45, compared with 42 for workers in the general population. Among university professors, 59% were aged 45 or over in 2005, whereas 59% of elementary and secondary teachers were under 45.

Previous research has shown that the number of part-time university professors has been increasing. In the past they tended to be younger with lower educational qualifications than their full-time colleagues.

Now, however, a small but growing number of part-timers are older professors with many years of tenure. College and university professors aged 55 and older represented 26% of part-time faculty in 2005, double the proportion of 13% in 1999.

The study also found that women have increased their presence in nearly all levels of teaching. By 2005, they accounted for more than one-third (35%) of full-time university professors, up from 29% in 1999.

Rod Preece, professor emeritus of political science, has had another of his books singled out for recognition by the American Library Association.

Brute Souls, Happy Beasts, and Evolution: The Historical Status of Animals (UBC Press, 2005) has been named a Choice Outstanding Academic Title for 2006. Choice publishes reviews of current books and electronic resources of interest to those in higher education.

In evaluating selections for the Outstanding Academic Title, editors review the publication for:

overall excellence in presentation and scholarship
importance relative to other literature in the field
originality or uniqueness of treatment
value to undergraduate students
importance in building undergraduate library collections.

Another of Preece’s books, Animals and Nature: Cultural Myths, Cultural Realities, received the same honour from Choice in 1999.

Preece, who retired from Laurier in 2005 and lives in London, ON, published three books on post-war German politics before becoming involved (as a favour to a friend) with the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

“Then my interest in the history of philosophy grew into areas of animal rights,” he said in an interview, and the result has been four monographs and seven annotated volumes of historical material on animal ethics from the 18th to early 20th centuries.

In Brute Souls, “contrary to received opinion, Preece provides strong evidence that people have always taken animals’ moral status seriously,” the Choice review of his book said. He “ties together the historical and moral analyses. This wise, well-written, scholarly book is filled with insights.”

Preece, who has recently been appointed to the board of advisors of the Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics at the University of Oxford, is not on the fashionable edge of the animal rights movement.

Many animal rights organizations, he says, “are entirely advocacy-oriented and don’t care about factual or philosophical reasons. They are too busy trying to prove their point.

“It’s easy to convince people who are readily convinced, and turn off scientists and people of a more pragmatic nature.”

Preece’s next book, which he hopes to finish next year, is a history of vegetarianism. He says he has been a vegetarian for 16 years, but says he can’t be considered a vegan because he loves cheese pizza.

WATERLOO, Ont. (Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2006) -- The University of Waterloo is inviting high school mech-heads from across southwestern Ontario to participate in the first round of an international competition in robotics.

The FIRST Robotics Competition challenges teams of high-school students and their mentors from around the world to solve a common problem in a six-week period using a standard parts kit and common set of rules. Teams build robots from the parts to play a game where the objective is to score points by completing such tasks as shooting balls, stacking boxes, climbing over obstacles or hanging from bars.

"There is nothing like the clashes you see on the robo-warrior programs," said Ian Mackenzie, a one-time student participant and current planning committee chair for FIRST Robotics Waterloo Regional. "FIRST is the acronym for For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology. This is really about making science, math, engineering and technology as cool for kids as sports are today."

The Waterloo regional competition, to be held next March 22-24, will be open to the public and admission is free. Mackenzie said about 30 teams will attend the event, from across Ontario and a few from the United States, including a team from Michigan and one from Florida.

The UW-hosted event is one of two Canadian venues hosting a regional FIRST competition in 2007. The other Canadian regional takes place March 29-31 at the Hershey Centre in Mississauga.

The annual contest draws 1,100 teams in regional competitions in Canada and the United States. The final championship will be held in Atlanta on April 12-14.

The competitions are high-tech spectator sporting events, the result of brainstorming, real-world teamwork and mentoring, as well as project timeliness and meeting deadlines. Referees oversee the competition and judges present awards to teams for design, technology, sportsmanship and commitment.

To learn more about FIRST Robotics, visit www.firstroboticscanada.org/site/aboutfrc. The Canadian site includes information on registering, as well as photos and video from past competitions.

Major sponsors for the Waterloo regional competition include Research In Motion, Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada, Government of Ontario and the Discovery Channel.

Anyone seeking more information or interested in sponsoring the Waterloo competition should contact Mackenzie at ian.e.mackenzie@gmail.com.

* Jon Douglas of St. Pauls, ON, who has received the $3,000 Corporate Facilities Council Scholarship, sponsored by the Corporate Facilities Council of the IFMA;

* Amanda Ford of Cambridge has won the $2,000 scholarship sponsored by the IFMA’s Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex Chapter;

* Nick Heibein of Tillsonburg is the winner of the Canadian Chapters Scholarship of $1,000; and

* Samantha Jansen of Cambridge has won the $3,000 scholarship sponsored by the Philadelphia Chapter.

The scholarships are given based on merit. Students must be enrolled in a full-time, four-year baccalaureate program or a graduate school program associated with facility management. Academic achievement is a criterion for selection, as are program involvement, faculty appraisals and the student’s resume.

The IFMA has 18,500 members in 125 chapters and councils in 60 nations. Through fundraising, the IFMA Foundation promotes research and educational opportunities aimed at advancing the facility management profession.

Conestoga’s Architecture * Project and Facility Management program leads to a Bachelor of Applied Technology degree. The four-year program combines project-based learning at Conestoga with periods of co-op education in industry. The emphasis is on the architectural design, maintenance and management of the built environment. Students experience a combination of technical theory and applied skills, business management knowledge and skills, and complementary liberal studies coursework.

WATERLOO - A founding member of the Waterloo Institute for Health Informatics Research, computer science pioneer Donald Cowan, is the recipient of an international scientific honour from the Government of Brazil.

A University of Waterloo distinguished professor emeritus, Cowan was admitted to the Grand Cross, National Order of the Scientific Merit, for his contributions to science and technology. He will receive the award from the President of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, at a ceremony in the capital Brasília early in the new year. The award is the highest recognition provided to a foreign scientist by the Brazilian government.

"We are delighted to see professor Cowan receive this well-deserved honour," said UW president David Johnston. "Don Cowan has been contributing to the University of Waterloo and the scientific community for over 46 years and this award recognizes his many accomplishments."

Cowan, a faculty member at UW since 1960, is the director of the Computer Systems Group. He was the founding chair of the computer science department at UW, providing the foundation for what now is the David R. Cheriton School of Computer Science.

During his career he has supervised over 100 graduate students including a substantial number from Brazil. Many of his graduate students are providing leadership in the Brazilian computer science research community.

"Donald Cowan has made significant contributions to computer science and software engineering internationally," said professor Carlos Lucena, one of Cowan's former students and now a professional colleague.

"He has had particular influence on the development of computer science in Brazilian universities where many of his former students are now making noteworthy contributions," Lucena said. "He helped many Brazilian computer science departments reach the international standard they have now achieved."

Cowan was first introduced to the Brazilian computer science community in the 1960s through exchanges arranged by the IBM Corp. and the National Research Council of Canada.

During the 1970s and early 1980s, Cowan and professor Kelly Gotlieb of the University of Toronto led a Canadian International Development Agency project, which sent computer science faculty from Waterloo and Toronto to Brazil to teach and support research.

As a result, numerous faculty members from Brazilian universities came to Canada and studied for a PhD, thus seeding a vibrant Brazilian computer science research community. The strong relationship between Brazilian computer science departments and UW is still very active.

Cowan's current interest in software engineering focuses on design and implementation of systems for the web, particularly making it easier for individuals and organizations to build, maintain and sustain web software. He has worked on the design and underlying technology for community information systems for more than 30 community organizations, many of which are situated in Waterloo Region.

He is one of the founders of WATCOM, UW's first spin-off company and now iAnywhere Solutions (part of Sybase), and of LivePage, which has become part of Oracle Corp.

Brazil's National Order of Scientific Merit was established in 1993 and has two levels: the Grand Cross (the higher level) and Commander. Membership in the Order of Scientific Merit is achieved through a rigorous screening process conducted by a panel of distinguished scientists nominated by the Brazilian Academy of Sciences. Brazil's president is grand-master of the National Order of Scientific Merit.

The number of living Brazilian and foreign individuals who receive the Grand Cross is limited to 200. There are currently 59 foreign members and professor Cowan is the first foreign computer scientist to receive this honour since the order's inception.

UW is one of Canada's leading research-intensive universities and has developed a major strategic focus on health and health informatics. WIHIR is a health-related research institute that has been established in response to this key initiative. With the many spin-off companies associated with the university and its large co-operative education program, Waterloo is a leader in technology and knowledge transfer.

· Agreements that (in some cases) produced a reduction in fees of 100 per cent.

1 All boards have significantly reduced the hourly rates they charged for the use of double gymnasia, and 36 per cent of boards have totally eliminated these fees.

2 All boards have significantly reduced their hourly Saturday custodial rates, and 56 per cent of school boards have totally eliminated these fees.

“Schools are important hubs in our communities. They are places where we can gather to learn, grow and play,” said Wynne. “Our community use of schools program is helping to ensure that our schools remain accessible and affordable to our communities.”

TORONTO - Newly certified elementary teachers have to wait up to three years to land full-time jobs, says a study released November 27, 2006, by the Ontario College of Teachers.

However, French-language teachers have their pick of jobs as do many specialists in math, chemistry, physics and technological studies, the College's annual Transition to Teaching study shows.

This is the fifth year of the study, which is funded by a grant from the Ontario Ministry of Education. In 1998, the College's research predicted a critical shortage of teachers in Ontario. Eight years on, the pendulum has swung the other way for English-language elementary teachers.

<< The study reveals that:

- only 25 per cent of the non-French, primary-junior teachers outside the Greater Toronto Area found full-time jobs by the end of their first year teaching
- one-third of all newly certified teachers worked as supply teachers (daily, occasional)
- one in five new teachers worked in two or more schools. >>

In contrast, 71 per cent of the teachers qualified to teach in French found regular jobs by spring in their first year and two-thirds of qualified physics, math and tech studies teachers secured full-time work.

"This information is critical to individuals deciding on careers in teaching," says Brian McGowan, Registrar of the teaching profession's licensing body. "You can improve your employment prospects by knowing the areas of greatest need."

Internationally educated teachers continue to have difficulty finding employment. Many cannot find full-time work and rely on occasional teaching assignments, even if they hold qualifications in the high-demand subject areas.

Don Cattani, Chair of the College Council, said the College hopes that policy makers who fund and shape the programs that prepare teachers will take a hard look at the data. "We need to ensure that teacher education programs prepare teachers who can fill the needs of our education system. We also need to improve the employment picture of licensed teachers who are new Canadians. The College has certified them to teach in Ontario, but far too many remain underemployed."

For new teachers who got jobs, late hiring, fragmented teaching schedules, difficult assignments and little or no support persisted for most new teachers last year. Fifty-nine per cent were hired after school began - 19 per cent in September and 40 per cent later in the school year.

For the fifth year in a row, new teachers reported they were disappointed by the lack of systematic orientation and support in their first year. The survey confirms the importance of the new, government-funded teacher induction program, which kicks into full effect in all Ontario school boards this year and is expected to help address this need.

The good news is that teachers are resilient. Only three of the 1,300 new teachers polled said they intended to quit teaching. Fully 92.6 per cent said they planned to teach in Ontario next year.

The College mailed surveys in May 2006 to 40 per cent of the 8,223 Ontario faculty of education graduates in 2005 and to 40 per cent of the 1,203 graduates from teacher education programs at six US border colleges. Thirty-two per cent (1,289) responded. The survey results are considered accurate within 2.7 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

The Transition to Teaching study also includes a survey of teachers educated in other provinces and countries as well as surveys of teachers in their first five years in the profession after graduation. The large-scale study reports on findings from 4,130 survey returns overall. To see complete survey results, go to www.oct.ca - Publications - Transition to Teaching.

A University of Guelph graduate and member of the Board of Governors has been appointed to head a new $260-million federal agency charged with developing Canada’s strategy for cancer control, including supplying information about preventing, diagnosing and treating the disease.

Jeff Lozon, president and CEO of St. Michael’s Hospital, was named chair of the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer by Prime Minister Stephen Harper. The agency’s job is to “make sure that the best cancer-care practices in any single part of Canada are known and available to health-care providers in every part of Canada,” according to a government news release.

Lozon graduated from U of G in 1976 with a bachelor’s degree in political science. He was appointed to B of G in 2003 as an alumni representative and was re-appointed for another three-year term in June. He serves on the board’s development and membership and governance subcommittees.

“Jeff is an excellent appointment for the chairmanship of the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer,” said Joanne Shoveller, Guelph’s vice-president for alumni affairs and development. “He is a team builder who is very goal-oriented and very focused on results, and he understands the power of networks and the power of education in solving large problems. In addition, he is committed to his community and truly cares about people. He is an excellent example of the resourceful, innovative and compassionate people who make up our alumni body.”

Lozon also served as Ontario’s deputy health minister from 1999 to 2000. He will stay on as president and CEO of St. Michael’s Hospital while holding the agency chairmanship.

Three world-class research collaborations headed by University of Guelph scientists have received more than $14.5 million from the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI).

The announcement was made today in Waterloo by CFI president and CEO Eliot Phillipson. CFI covers 40 per cent of the cost of a project, with the remaining money coming from matching provincial funds and other partners.

The Guelph projects are headed by physics professors Stefan Kycia and Paul Garrett and chemistry professor Jacek Lipkowski, and will position the University and Canada at the forefront of X-ray diffraction, nuclear physics and life sciences and bioelectrochemistry, said Alan Wildeman, vice-president (research).

“Today’s announcement underscores the national recognition that University of Guelph researchers have achieved,” Wildeman said. “All of the proposals submitted from across campus in this last competition were cutting edge, and having three of them now selected for funding is a great outcome. All three of the lead investigators and their colleagues at Guelph and across Canada should be very proud of their success.”

Kycia received more than $11 million to establish the Brockhouse X-ray Diffraction and Scattering Sector, which will be housed at the Canadian Light Source, Canada’s national synchrotron research facility at the University of Saskatchewan. It will support a wide spectrum of materials research in academic and industrial sectors in Ontario and Canada, and has applications such as advanced alloys and polymers, novel batteries, food science and petroleum products. Some 28 Canadian researchers spanning the disciplines of physics, chemistry, geology, biology, engineering and environmental science are involved.

“I'm extremely pleased,” Kycia said, adding he is getting ready "for a great deal of hard work and responsibilities for the years to come. Canada will now have one of the best X-ray facilities in the world for studying the structure of many types of new materials. It will likely enable discovery and open the doorway for revolutionary technologies that are currently unforeseen. This will lead to significant opportunities for Canadian materials researchers in both academia and industry.”

Lipkowski will use his $2.7-million grant to enhance infrastructure in Guelph laboratories that conduct leading-edge life science and soft materials research involving biomolecules, cells and bacteria. The project includes 24 investigators at U of G and more than 100 post-doctoral researchers and students and fosters collaborations among Guelph’s College of Biological Science, College of Physical and Engineering Science, and Ontario Agricultural College.

“This is tremendous news for interdisciplinary research at the University of Guelph,” Lipkowski said. “It brings electrochemistry and physics to biology, and biology to electrochemistry and physics. Because of the availability of the infrastructure, we will be able to offer challenging, innovative research projects that will attract the best and most motivated individuals. Last but not least, this award recognizes and builds upon the substantial achievements of the Centre for Food and Soft Materials Science and the Electrochemical Technology Centre.”

Garrett is heading a neutron detector array that involves 11 researchers from across Canada. The $656,000 grant they received from CFI will be used to construct a “world-unique” device that allows for the detection of neutrons in such a way that scientists will be able to perform measurements on the particles much more directly. “This will enable us to perform experiments that we could not do otherwise, providing us a tool to probe such questions as the origin of the elements in the universe and the nature of matter under extreme conditions,” he said.

The equipment will be built at TRIUMF, Canada’s national laboratory for particle and nuclear physics in Vancouver. “It will form one of the cornerstones of my own research program, as well as that of other Guelph and Canadian scientists,” Garrett said. He added that CFI was a major factor in his decision to return to Canada in 2004 from a permanent position at a U.S. national laboratory. “The possibility of funding capital equipment through CFI was a very attractive incentive for me and makes Canadian universities competitive with our U.S. counterparts.”

CFI is an independent not-for-profit corporation established by the Canadian government 1997 to address an urgent need of Canada’s research community. Support for these projects came from CFI’s Leading Edge and New Initiatives funds.

“I am very pleased about this investment,” said Brenda Chamberlain, MP for Guelph-Wellington. “It’s a testament to the hard work of so many people to make the University a leader in research and development. The Government of Canada must continue to make these investments to ensure that our universities are not only national leaders but also international leaders.”

Besides the students, also invited are their families and guests, College faculty and administrators affiliated with degree studies, outstanding high school mentors of the winning students and donor representatives.

Among the scholarship donors are COM DEV International, Manulife Financial, Melloul Blamey Construction, MTE Consultants, CanAm Special Risk Insurance, the Guelph Community Foundation, the Canadian Healthcare Engineering Society (Ontario), the Alumni Association of Conestoga College and the President of the College.

Annual Degree Programs Scholarship Evening

Thursday, November 30

The Blue Room

Conestoga College, Doon Campus

Reception begins at 6:30 p.m.

Remarks and presentations begin at 7 p.m.

Researchers are receiving $25.6 million for infrastructure, plus another $7.7 million to operate and maintain equipment for a total of $33.4 million, from the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) to lead work in astronomy, quantum information processing and wireless communications. UW professors are also participating in CFI-funded projects at other institutions, exploring brain developmental disorders and conducting social science research.

Funding for the three UW-led projects is part of a CFI announcement of $422 million ($325-million plus $97-million to operate and maintain equipment). It will support 86 projects at research institutions across Canada. The announcement was made today on the UW campus by Eliot Phillipson, president and CEO of CFI.

"These awards represent a strategic boost to the university's research capacities and represent a tremendous result from one of the strongest competitions since CFI's inception," said Alan George, UW's vice-president, university research. "We sought $42 million for 12 projects, and had 25 per cent of our applications and 61 per cent of our dollar request approved, which is above the national average."

The three UW projects are:

* Project title: From Nano Structures to Quantum Information Processing: A Technology Incubator for the 21st Century. UW professors Raymond Laflamme, also director of the Institute for Quantum Computing, and Tong Leung will lead researchers from UW, the University of Western Ontario (UWO) and Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre. CFI's leading edge fund is providing $17,955,697 and the project is worth $50,326,944.

The funding will equip research laboratories in a landmark quantum-nano building to be built at UW. The new centre will bring together top researchers in quantum information processing and nanotechnology engineering to advance fundamental knowledge and develop practical applications. The advances will develop new and practical quantum devices, such as first-generation sensors and nano-electro-mechanical systems, exploiting the laws of quantum mechanics with applications in computing, material science, sensing, medicine, manufacturing and other areas.

* Project title: Submillimetre Instruments for Astronomy: Building on the SCUBA-2 Experience. UW professors Michel Fich and Jan Kycia will lead a team involving researchers from UW, UWO, the Université de Montréal as well as the universities of British Columbia and Lethbridge. Funding for this project totals $6,772,280, with $2,708,912 from the CFI leading edge fund.

SCUBA-2, an instrument to be used at the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope in Hawaii, will be the most powerful submillimetre wavelength camera in the world. These wavelengths are where the youngest objects in the universe emit dense structures that will form solar systems, stars and galaxies. The project aims to improve SCUBA-2's detector -- the heart of the camera -- and enable the instrument to participate in new astronomy instrument initiatives.

* Project title: Centre for Intelligent Antenna and Radio Systems. UW professors Ali Safavi-Naeini, Amir Khandani, Sujeet Chaudhuri and Jake Thiessen will lead a project that involves researchers from UW, the universities of Toronto and Manitoba, Simon Fraser University as well as Defence Research and Development Canada, Nortel Networks and the Communications Research Centre. CFI's new initiatives fund is providing $5,016,637 of the project's $12,541,593 cost.

The heart of CIARS is an electronically shielded test chamber the size of a house, where researchers can simulate the various environments in which next-generation wireless devices will need to operate. Researchers in three interrelated laboratories will study radio wave propagation, antennas and the wireless appliances themselves. They will work to increase the capacity and reduce the cost of wireless data transmission.

Total value of these projects is $77,345,191, with $69,640,817 to acquire research infrastructure and $7,704,374 to operate and maintain the facilities.

As well, UW professors John Goyder, Keith Warriner and Lori Curtis are taking part in a project called The National Research Data Centre Network: A Quantum Leap Forward in Social Science Research. Led by the University of Manitoba, the network fosters exchange of methodological and statistical advances and improvements in data documentation.

UW professor Melanie Campbell is participating in the Centre for the Investigation of Neuroplasticity and Developmental Disorders, led by the Hospital for Sick Children. The centre will investigate the neuroplasticity of brain function or the brain's ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections throughout life.

The CFI is an independent corporation created by the Government of Canada to fund research infrastructure. Its mandate is to strengthen the capacity of universities, colleges, research hospitals, and non-profit research institutions to carry out world-class research and technology development that benefits Canadians.

However, the child's sex was only one dimension on which children's readiness to learn varied, according to the study. Two other key dimensions were the level of income of the child's family and the home environment in which they grew up.

The study used data from the 2002/2003 data collection phase of the National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth to determine how ready children were to learn when they were five years old. It also looked back two years in time to determine if trends were already apparent when the children were three years old.

Some differences between girls and boys, and between children in various income levels, were already apparent when the youngsters were only three years old.

Early success in school has been linked to the abilities, behaviours and attitudes that youngsters bring with them as they go to class for the first time. Such information can provide important insights for developing educational policies and practices.

The study considered several different aspects of readiness to learn. It compared demographic groups on 11 measures that included language and communication skill, academic skill, self-regulation of learning, self-control of behaviour, and social competence and independence.

Girls were more ready to learn at age five

The study found that girls and boys at the age of five differed considerably in several dimensions of readiness to learn. In general, girls were more ready to learn at the age of five than boys were.

Girls scored higher than boys in communication skill, attention and self-control of behaviour, and were rated higher in independence in dressing. Boys were rated above girls on only one measure — curiosity.

On the other hand, the study determined that girls and boys entered school with equivalent abilities in several areas. They did not differ in receptive vocabulary, which is the vocabulary that is understood by the child when he or she hears the words spoken. Girls and boys were similar in work effort, cooperative play and independence in cleanliness as well.

The academic knowledge and skill that children bring to school may contribute to their early learning. The study assessed the children's knowledge of numbers and their ability to copy and use symbols, both of which are linked strongly to academic achievement.

Compared to boys, girls entered school with stronger abilities in copying and using symbols; however, girls and boys performed equally in number knowledge.

Children from lower income households were less ready to learn

Household income was a significant predictor of 6 of the 11 readiness to learn measures. In every case, children from lower income households scored lower than their counterparts who lived in more affluent households. In other words, children from lower income households were less ready to learn.

The aspects of readiness to learn where children from lower income households did not do as well included: receptive vocabulary, communication skill, knowledge of numbers, copying and using symbols, attention and cooperative play.

However, the study found no differences in other measures. It found that household income level was not related to a child's work effort, level of curiosity, self-control of behaviour or independence in dressing or cleanliness.

Home environment linked to child's readiness to learn

The study found important links between measures of readiness to learn and several aspects of a child's home environment.

For example, children with high levels of positive interaction with their parents tended to have higher scores for receptive vocabulary and communication skill than other children. They also tended to be rated higher in both curiosity and cooperative play.

Children who were read to daily did better in receptive vocabulary and number knowledge than those who were not read to daily.

Participation in organized sports and physical activities was linked to several readiness to learn measures. Children who participated at least weekly in these activities showed stronger abilities in receptive vocabulary, communication skill, number knowledge, and copying and using symbols. Even children who participated regularly in unorganized sports were rated higher in cooperative play than children who did not.

Some activities were linked with higher scores on readiness to learn measures whether or not children lived in low-income or higher income households. These activities included: daily reading, high positive parent-child interaction, participation in organized sports, lessons in physical activities, and lessons in the arts.

However, the fact that the lower income children were less likely to experience the home environment factor may help to explain the difference in readiness to learn between the income levels.

It should also be noted that links found among income levels and home environment factors on the one hand, and measures of readiness to learn on the other, do not imply causality. However, the findings are consistent with other research that suggests a causal role.

Some differences already apparent at the age of three

The study looked back two years to determine whether differences in readiness to learn between girls and boys and between lower and higher income level children already existed at the age of three, or whether they emerged during the pre-school period between three and five.

These analyses were undertaken to determine at what ages policies and interventions designed to reduce disparities might be most effective for children.

The clear differences found at the age of five between girls and boys in communication skill and independence in dressing were already evident at three, with girls ranking higher than boys on both. Similarly, boys were already more curious at three.

On the other hand, differences in attention and in self-control of behaviour favouring girls were not apparent at three, but emerged over the two-year period.

In terms of household income, the clear differences found at the age of five in communication skill and attention that favoured children from more affluent households were already apparent when they were three. In contrast, the difference in cooperative play at five was not in evidence at three, but appeared over the two-year period.

Affluent children ranked higher than less affluent children in work effort and self-control of behaviour at the age of three, but these differences had disappeared two years later.

The lack of difference between income levels in curiosity, independence in dressing, and independence in cleanliness existed at both ages.

Note to readers

The National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth (NLSCY) is a long-term study of children that follows their development from birth to early adulthood. The NLSCY, which began in 1994, is conducted by Statistics Canada and is sponsored by Human Resources and Social Development Canada. The survey is designed to collect information about factors influencing the social, emotional and behavioural development of children, and to monitor the impact of these factors on their development over time.

The sample in this study included 3,923 children who were born in 1997, and who were five years old during the 2002/2003 data collection phase. These children represented around 360,000 five-year-old children in the population.

Definitions

Readiness to learn at school: Readiness to learn is broadly defined in this report, to include receptive (or understood) vocabulary, communication ability, number knowledge, copying and using symbols, self-control of behaviour, attention, work effort, curiosity, cooperative play, independence in dressing, and independence in cleanliness. Vocabulary, number knowledge, and copying and symbol use were assessed using direct measures. The other variables were measured by asking parents how often their children behaved in certain ways, such as how often they were able to pass a simple message, to pay attention, or to finish things they had started.

Household income level: Measured as the ratio of household income to the relevant low income cut-off level (LICO) for each family. Families with income levels below the LICO are those who devote a larger share of income to the necessities of food, shelter and clothing than the average equivalent family. In this report, income levels ranged from very low income (below LICO) to high income (three times LICO or above).

WATERLOO, On. - The University of Waterloo today announced it is striking a task force to examine how UW manages campus-dwelling wildlife that pose a risk.

Deep Saini, Dean of the Faculty of Environmental Studies, will lead the task force which will draw on campus expertise in wild-life and animal-care management, and will consult as appropriate. Recommendations of the task force will be made to the university's Provost, Amit Chakma.

Although UW's recent actions concerning beavers were congruent with Ministry of Natural Resources guidelines, the University is sensitive to the outpouring of public opinion.

UW's faculty of arts will launch a new interdisciplinary graduate student seminar called Knowledge Mobilization to Serve Society. Knowledge mobilization -- which involves sharing university research findings with the wider community in order to influence policy, practice and everyday life -- has become an increasingly important part of scholarship.

The new course, to be offered during the next winter term, will equip students with the background and tools needed for such socially responsive knowledge transfer. UW's strategic research plan says that academic excellence includes "service to society through the transfer of knowledge."

"Researchers in the arts disciplines produce work of incalculable value to society at large," said Ken Coates, dean of arts at UW. "We have, however, often fallen into the practice of leaving the work of mobilization of our ideas to others and have largely kept our research and insights to ourselves."

Coates said the course is part of a broader initiative to take greater responsibility for "moving the fruits of our research out of the academy and to engage more directly with those seeking to create societal change."

The for-credit course will be led by psychology professor Kathleen Bloom, who also directs the Canadian Centre for Knowledge Mobilization as well as an alliance for child literacy called Research Works!

"Effective mobilization of knowledge is a two-way process," Bloom said. "It's built on partnerships between those who produce new knowledge and those who can use it. This is how decisions about social issues extend beyond opinions and beliefs. This is how researchers make their knowledge count."

The course is one of UW's responses to a recent call by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) for more effective and extensive mobilization of university knowledge.

In its recent strategic plan, the federal funding agency underscores the importance of humanities and social sciences research to Canadians.

"Humanities and social sciences ideas can have enormous impact on society," the plan says. "There are the paradigm-shifting ideas of great philosophers, historians, economists and psychologists and there is the practical knowledge coming from research that helps us understand and address immediate issues such as third-world poverty, security and human rights, education and health-care delivery."

To serve society, scholarly products must be collated, put in context, translated into plain language and transported beyond the walls of academia, Bloom said. And to enable the productive identification of research questions, academics need to form partnerships with non-academic groups and learn how to work collaboratively with them.

Bloom will augment her own extensive knowledge and experience by inviting policy-makers, practitioners, journalists and SSHRC representatives to give public guest lectures on topics related to knowledge mobilization.

The seminar will include discussion of conceptual issues as well as hands-on learning from the perspective of the students' own research interests. They will be given opportunities to work together in teams and to meet with community stakeholders both face-to-face and online.

The Wednesday evening seminar will be open to graduate students at both UW and Wilfrid Laurier University. Enrolment is limited, so pre-register now by contacting Bloom at kbloom at cckm.ca. Registration will be processed by a students's department.

This study uses data from two Statistics Canada surveys to investigate the reasons for the differentials of growth in university attendance between 1977 and 2003.

Its findings suggest that a major factor underlying the steady increase in university enrolment among women is that it pays more for women to attend university.

The study showed that the financial return for both men and women with a university degree is proportionally higher than it is for their counterparts who have just a high school diploma. But this return to education has been consistently higher for women than for men since 1977.

Specifically, a woman with a university degree in 1977 earned $1.88 for each dollar earned by a woman with a high school diploma. The corresponding ratio for men was $1.63.

By 2003, women with a university degree earned $2.73 for every dollar earned by those with a high school diploma. The corresponding ratio for men was $2.13.

Between 1977 and 1992, the university premium for women was 16% higher than for men; between 1993 and 2003, it was 22% higher for women.

This higher premium for women and its growth relative to that for men explain a large part of the divergent trends in university attendance, the study suggests.

It points out that tuition fees, parents' education and family income are well-known important factors related to university attendance. However, these factors cannot explain why women's enrolment has increased steadily relative to men's.

The study found that the gap in university attendance between children from high and low income families declined more over the period for women than men, but this fact by itself did not account for the divergent trends.

In 1977, there were four people attending university from families in the top fifth of the income distribution for every person attending from the bottom fifth. By 2003, this ratio had fallen to only 1.6 for women, and to 2.7 for men.

The study shows that university participation for both men and women has increased within all income brackets, more so for women than for men. This suggests that other trends underlie the divergence in women's and men's university enrolments.

WATERLOO, Ont.- The author of the most comprehensive study ever undertaken on Canada's strengths in science and technology will explain how the web has impacted what people know versus what they think they know during a lecture at the University of Waterloo.

Peter J. Nicholson, first head of the newly formed Council of Canadian Academies (CCA) and author of the recently released report The State of Science & Technology in Canada, will deliver a talk in the Accelerator Centre at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 29. His talk is entitled The Expert vs. The Crowd: Networked Knowledge and the Evolution of Intellectual Authority.

"The web has democratized access to information and led to such innovations as social networking and massive collaborations. Just think of Wikipedia and rating systems on sites like Amazon or Google," said David Fransen, executive director of the Institute for Quantum Computing (IQC). "The nature of what counts as knowledge, truth and expert opinion is changing. Dr. Nicholson will ask: 'What are the consequences?' "

Nicholson was appointed as inaugural president and chief executive officer of the CCA in February 2006. He is a Member of the Order of Canada, awarded in recognition of his contribution to business through both the public and private sectors.

Nicholson has held numerous private and public sector positions, including senior vice-president of the Bank of Nova Scotia, Clifford Clark Visiting Economist in the federal Department of Finance, chief strategy officer of Bell Canada Enterprises Inc., special adviser to the secretary-general of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, and deputy chief of staff for policy in the Office of the Prime Minister.

The mission of the CCA is to provide independent, expert assessments of the science underlying important matters of public interest and provide a voice for Canada on behalf of the sciences, both nationally and internationally.

The State of Science & Technology in Canada was prepared at the request of the federal government. It explores Canada's strengths in order to set the context for the government's consideration of policy. Findings from the report, which was released in September, are available at www.scienceadvice.ca.

"Dr. Nicholson has a broad understanding of the positive and negative impacts of emerging technologies," said Iain Klugman, CEO of Communitech. "Communitech is pleased to help bring him to Waterloo Region and we look forwarded to hearing the insights he has to offer on the web and the creation of knowledge."

This event is being organized by IQC (www.iqc.ca) and UW (www.uwaterloo.ca), in partnership with Communitech (www.communitech.ca).

Enrolment jumped in every major trade group. Since 1999, apprenticeship registrations have increased by 81,390, or 43.7%, fuelled by growth in the building construction, and the electrical, electronics and related groups.

The building construction group contributed 40% of the total increase in apprentices in 2004.

Municipalities issued a record $55.6 billion in overall building permits in 2004, including residential and non-residential projects. There were record high permits in the residential sector with strong advances in both single- and multi-family dwelling components.

A near record high of 19,705 individuals completed their registered apprenticeship training, up by 1,185, or 6.4%, from 2003. The metal fabricating trades accounted for about a quarter of the completions.

The average age of 30 years for registered apprentices has remained stable since 1994. The proportion of apprentices in the combined age groups 25 to 39 declined over the same period, while the shares for all other age groups have risen.

The proportion of females in apprenticeship training edged up from 8.4% in 1999 to 9.6% in 2004. The food and services group had 63.2% of all female apprentices.

Construction apprenticeships push up total

Four fields (building construction trades; metal fabricating trades; electrical, electronics and related trades; and motor vehicle and heavy equipment) accounted for about 80% of total registrations in 2004. Of the 16,980 new apprentices, about 87% came from these top four.

Since 2001, the building construction field has had the highest gains among major trade groups. It became the largest in 2003, reflecting the construction industry's boom since 2001, especially in residential construction.

Registrations rose 3.7% to 54,655 in metal fabricating trades, the second largest trade group. Its gain of 1,960 trainees accounted for 11.5% of overall growth.

The electrical, electronics and related field and the motor vehicle and heavy equipment field each accounted for about 17.5% of the total growth. In the motor vehicle and heavy equipment trades, the number of trainees rose 5.9% to 52,835.

Ontario, Quebec and Alberta accounted for 77.4% of overall registrations. Ontario had nearly 35%, or 92,895 apprentices, while Quebec and Alberta each had one-fifth of total registrations.

The number of apprentices in Ontario rose 8.8% from 2003, while Quebec's total grew by 12.5%. Alberta's registrations remained stable over the previous year. Prince Edward Island and British Columbia also gained new trainees.

Most of the Atlantic provinces recorded a decline in registrations. Those in Nova Scotia fell by 5.1%, those in Newfoundland and Labrador by 4.3%, and those in New Brunswick by 3.1%. In the West, Saskatchewan and Manitoba had slight declines.

Electrical and metal fabricating drive completions

Except for a decrease in 2002, apprenticeship completions have otherwise remained stable between 1999 and 2003. In 2004, completions grew by 6.4%.

Completions in the electrical, electronics and related trades surged 24.2%, or a gain of 685. This increase accounted for 57.8% of the net gain in total completions. The field had a total of 3,520 completions.

The number of new apprentices completing their programs in the metal fabricating group increased by 340, or 7.6%. This field had 4,785 completions, about a quarter of the overall total.

Certificates in the building construction group rose by only 1.6%, while their registrations have been growing significantly since 1998.

The only decline in completions occurred in the motor vehicle and heavy equipment group, where they fell 3.4%. Completions in this field totalled 4,130, about a fifth of all apprenticeship certificates.

The number of women receiving certificates increased by 165 to 2,185, representing about 11% of all completions. The food and services group had the highest proportion of women (75.7%) receiving certificates.

The largest three provinces for apprentices, Ontario, Quebec and Alberta, all had an increase in completions; combined, they continued to account for about three-quarters of total certificates. Completions rose by 15.9% in Ontario, 11.4% in Quebec and 8.3% in Alberta.

In the Atlantic provinces, completions in Prince Edward Island grew by over two-thirds and Nova Scotia by 14%, while in the West, Manitoba gained 6.5%.

Completions fell in British Columbia, New Brunswick, Saskatchewan and Newfoundland and Labrador.

Apprentices in their teens and over 50 on the rise

The number of registrations increased across all age groups. While the combined age groups 20 to 29 accounted for half of apprentices, proportions increased fastest in the groups under 20 and over 50. The under 20 group had a 14.9% increase in trainees, while the 50 and over group grew by 11.7%.

From 1994 to 2004, the age groups under 25 increased their share from 26.8% to 33.6% of overall registrations. The 40 and over age groups accounted for 17% of registrations, up from 10.2%.

Completions in 2004 increased across all ages, except in the 50 and over group, where they fell 10.3%. Completions in the age group 40 to 44 rose 15.1%, the fastest rate of growth.

More than one-half of the total completers were still in their 20s. The share of completers aged 40 and over almost doubled between 1994 and 2004.

Registered apprenticeship training: Registrations
Major trade groups	1999		2003		2004		1999 to 2004	2003 to 2004
	number	% total	number	% total	number	% total	% change
Building construction trades	36,495	19.6	53,835	21.5	60,610	22.6	66.1	12.6
Electrical, electronics and related	30,475	16.4	42,415	16.9	45,430	17.0	49.1	7.1
Food and service trades	18,910	10.1	25,275	10.1	26,235	9.8	38.7	3.8
Industrial and related mechanical	16,020	8.6	19,690	7.9	19,890	7.4	24.2	1.0
Metal fabricating trades	40,390	21.7	52,695	21.0	54,655	20.4	35.3	3.7
Motor vehicle and heavy equipment	39,865	21.4	49,885	19.9	52,835	19.7	32.5	5.9
Other1	4,230	2.3	6,995	2.8	8,120	3.0	92.0	16.1
Total2	186,385	100.0	250,795	100.0	267,775	100.0	43.7	6.8
1. The trade group "Other" consists of miscellaneous trades and occupations not classified elsewhere. Many of the apprenticeship trades and occupations that have been introduced since the 1990s have been added to this group. Because of the small numbers in this group, it has been excluded from analysis. 2. Totals may not add up due to rounding.

Registered apprenticeship training: Completions
Major trade groups	1999		2003		2004		1999 to 2004	2003 to 2004
	number	% total	number	% total	number	% total	% change
Building construction trades	2,180	11.8	2,550	13.8	2,590	13.1	18.8	1.6
Electrical, electronics and related	2,760	14.9	2,835	15.3	3,520	17.9	27.5	24.2
Food and service trades	2,575	13.9	2,130	11.5	2,265	11.5	-12.0	6.3
Industrial and related mechanical	2,220	12.0	1,930	10.4	2,055	10.4	-7.4	6.5
Metal fabricating trades	4,225	22.8	4,445	24.0	4,785	24.3	13.3	7.6
Motor vehicle and heavy equipment	4,230	22.8	4,275	23.1	4,130	21.0	-2.4	-3.4
Other1	355	1.9	360	1.9	360	1.8	1.4	0.0
Total2	18,545	100.0	18,520	100.0	19,705	100.0	6.3	6.4
1. The trade group "Other" consists of miscellaneous trades and occupations not classified elsewhere. Many of the apprenticeship trades and occupations that have been introduced since the 1990s have been added to this group. Because of the small numbers in this group, it has been excluded from analysis. 2. Totals may not add up due to rounding.

Registered apprenticeship training: Registrations by age groups
	1994		2003		2004		1994 to 2004	2003 to 2004
Age groups	number	% total	number	% total	number	% total	% change
Under 20	3,865	2.4	15,535	6.2	17,845	6.7	361.7	14.9
20 to 24	39,945	24.4	67,205	26.8	72,135	26.9	80.6	7.3
25 to 29	43,810	26.8	57,800	23.0	61,880	23.1	41.2	7.1
30 to 34	31,575	19.3	37,835	15.1	39,655	14.8	25.6	4.8
35 to 39	17,920	10.9	27,180	10.8	28,035	10.5	56.4	3.1
40 to 44	9,155	5.6	20,585	8.2	21,870	8.2	138.9	6.2
45 to 49	4,470	2.7	11,995	4.8	13,090	4.9	192.8	9.1
50 +	3,145	1.9	9,420	3.8	10,525	3.9	234.7	11.7
Not reported	9,865	6.0	3,245	1.3	2,735	1.0	-72.3	-15.7
Total1	163,750	100.0	250,795	100.0	267,775	100.0	63.5	6.8
1. Totals may not add up due to rounding.

Registered apprenticeship training: Completions by age groups
	1994		2003		2004		1994 to 2004	2003 to 2004
Age groups	number	% total	number	% total	number	% total	% change
Under 20	30	0.2	45	0.2	50	0.3	66.7	11.1
20 to 24	3,495	20.8	4,295	23.2	4,490	22.8	28.5	4.5
25 to 29	5,520	32.9	5,770	31.2	6,130	31.1	11.1	6.2
30 to 34	3,735	22.2	3,330	18.0	3,630	18.4	-2.8	9.0
35 to 39	1,785	10.6	1,975	10.7	2,140	10.9	19.9	8.4
40 to 44	760	4.5	1,360	7.3	1,565	7.9	105.9	15.1
45 to 49	335	2.0	740	4.0	760	3.9	126.9	2.7
50 +	135	0.8	485	2.6	435	2.2	222.2	-10.3
Not reported	1,005	6.0	520	2.8	510	2.6	-49.3	-1.9
Total1	16,800	100.0	18,520	100.0	19,705	100.0	17.3	6.4
1. Totals may not add up due to rounding.

Note to readers

Data on registered apprenticeship training for 2004 were obtained using information from the Registered Apprenticeship Information System. It covers both registrations and completions.

Total registered includes the still registered from the previous year plus the newly registered apprentices from the current year and excludes apprentices that have completed or discontinued. In most provinces, registered apprenticeship training combines on-the-job experience with periods of in-class technical training.

Apprenticeship programs, depending on the trade or occupation, vary in duration from two to five years. However, it is relatively common for apprenticeship training to extend beyond the required duration.

The centre is a major part of an expanded motive power trades area at the campus and involved construction of 3,200 sq. ft. of new shop space. Motive power education, which now includes two apprenticeship programs - Automotive Service Technician, and Truck and Coach Technician, is a specialty of the campus. The impetus provided by the new facility promises future opportunities for more diversified and specialized programming, geared to the needs of a growing region that features a large number of automotive and trucking enterprises.

A number of trucking industry donors and supporters have been advocates for establishment of the Truck and Coach Technician Centre, and have provided equipment, supplies and materials to help the program to a successful start, as the first group of apprentices began their training this September.

Conestoga is a major force in apprenticeship education in Ontario - the fourth-largest apprenticeship college in the Ontario system, a leader in the development of new programming and curriculum structures, and a college where apprenticeship enrolment has grown by more than 20 per cent in recent years.

Featured speakers at the November 14 event were: Dan Einwechter, Chairman and CEO of Challenger Motor Freight Inc., who spoke on behalf of the industry donors; Conestoga President John Tibbits, who outlined the importance of the new facility and how this development fits in with the College’s long-term plans; Conestoga Chair of Trades and Apprenticeship Stephen Speers, who recognized and thanked each donor organization; and student Darrin Lockwood, who expressed appreciation on behalf of the Truck and Coach Technician program apprentices.

The campus in Guelph also houses programs in standard, advanced and robotic welding, conventional and computerized metal machining, industrial mechanics, millwright education, and preparatory studies, such as employment readiness, academic skills upgrading, and career research and planning. In addition, the campus annually registers more than 4,000 participants in part-time adult, continuing education courses and programs.

Conestoga plans to move forward with establishing centres of excellence at its campuses. Goals for the Guelph location include continued expansion of motive power trades activity and enrolment, institution of a number of innovative programs that combine technical diploma studies with apprenticeship training and co-op experience in industry, and growth in part-time continuing education activities.

A group of Canadian scientists — including several from the University of Guelph — are being honoured by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) today for their groundbreaking research on neutrinos.

Scientists from the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory (SNO) have been awarded the inaugural NSERC John C. Polanyi Award, NSERC president Suzanne Fortier announced in Sudbury. The $250,000 prize is named for the University of Toronto professor who won the 1986 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his work in reaction dynamics.

“We are very pleased to share in this wonderful recognition,” said Guelph physics professor Jimmy Law, who, along with other Guelph researchers, has been involved with the SNO experiment since its inception.

Law was in Sudbury today representing the Guelph cohort. “We are part of a great team of international scientists whose hard work and dedication have made this project and subsequent discoveries possible.”

SNO is a unique neutrino telescope that is the size of a 10-storey building. It’s located two kilometres beneath the earth in a nickel mine near Sudbury, making it the world’s deepest underground laboratory.

Guelph scientists were part of the original group helping with research and development and the construction of the SNO detector. They also helped design and construct SNO’s sophisticated instruments. In total, more than 130 researchers from 14 different universities and research labs in Canada, the United States and Great Britain are involved in the project.

The heart of SNO’s $100-million detector is the world’s largest acrylic vessel, holding 1,000 tonnes of heavy water on loan from Atomic Energy Canada Ltd. and worth an additional $330 million.

In contrast to its massive size, the detector is used to look for neutrinos, tiny subatomic particles that make up all matter in the universe. Neutrinos are extremely difficult to detect, because they can pass through most forms of matter easily. In fact, billions of neutrinos pass through people’s bodies every second with no noticeable effect.

SNO is the only facility in the world that can detect neutrinos accurately, thanks to the giant sphere filled with ultra-pure heavy water that contains heavy hydrogen. Neutrinos passing through break up the deuterium into a neutron and a proton, which is crucial to the measurement process.

In 2001, SNO researchers gained international recognition when they solved the mystery of solar neutrinos that had baffled scientists since the early 1970s: the discrepancy between the number of neutrinos observed and the previous predictions of theoretical models for the sun.

The researchers found that two-thirds of the electron-type neutrinos produced by nuclear reactions in the core of the sun change to other types of neutrinos – muon and tau neutrinos – before reaching Earth.

Further tests have confirmed those findings and later this month, SNO scientists plan to complete the neutrino measurements that they have been collecting data for over the past seven years. In addition to solving a 30-year-old scientific problem, the SNO measurements proved that the most basic laws of physics are incomplete.

U of G researchers were involved in both phases of data collection, and Law, a nuclear physicist, helped write and test the software used to analyze the data generated.

In addition to Law, U of G researchers involved in SNO are physics professor emeritus Robin Ollerhead, a member of the SNO collaboration since 1993; Prof. Bernie Nickel, who has served as a consultant; post-doctoral researcher Diane Reitzner; and PhD student Marc Beregvin.

“The world-class facilities at SNO, coupled with a community of top-notch physicists, have made Canada a global leader in the search for answers to some of the deepest mysteries of the universe,” said Maxime Bernier, minister of industry and minister responsible for NSERC. “The success of these scientists is truly something in which Canadians can take great pride.”

SNO’s underground lab pace is currently being expanded by 150 per cent, and a new surface building is being constructed. Once complete, it will be a world-class astrophysics facility called SNOLAB. Here, groups will develop, assemble and operate new experiments in particle physics. The expansion project is being funded by a $38.9-million grant from the Canada Foundation for Innovation, with an additional $10.4 million in support coming from other granting agencies.

University of Guelph President Alastair Summerlee has been named the new chair of the board of directors of World University Service of Canada (WUSC), one of the country’s leading international development agencies.

WUSC teams with students, faculty and institutions to internationalize Canada’s universities, increase knowledge of global issues and foster human development through education and training. Summerlee has served as its board vice-chair for the past two years.

“Dr. Summerlee has a great deal of energy and creativity to contribute, and we’re really looking forward to continuing our work with him,” said Paul Davidson, WUSC’s executive director. “He’s an innovative thinker with a strong commitment to our goals.”

WUSC programs have been offered in some 50 countries over the past four decades. “It has had a profound influence on people in many parts of the world,” Summerlee said. “I’m honoured to be part of this important and growing enterprise and am particularly excited about taking on this role.”

U of G has been actively involved in WUSC for more than 20 years, including participating in its student refugee program, which brings students from war-torn countries to study in Canada.

Students come from countries such as Afghanistan, Sudan, Ethiopia, Uganda, Malawi, Zaire, Somalia, Sri Lanka and Rwanda in hopes of pursuing higher education in an environment free of violence or fear.

Recently, the local WUSC chapters and the University have worked to bolster U of G’s support of the program, including increasing the number of refugee students brought to the Guelph and Alfred campuses annually and increasing assistance.

The student refugee program is just one of many international initiatives and projects sponsored by WUSC, which was established in 1939 in response to the need to encourage international understanding in a war-torn world.

It also offers students and faculty numerous unique training and educational opportunities overseas. U of G has been involved in such programs since the 1960s. This includes an annual international seminar for which 20 to 30 Canadian students and two faculty members are selected to participate in an intensive six-week educational tour of a developing country.

WATERLOO - What are the forces driving land use change in the Amazon? Where is the best location for a business looking to expand? What areas of a city have higher rates of childhood asthma? How far back from a river does the risk of flooding and property damage extend?

Those are just a few of the questions that students in a new program at the University of Waterloo will learn to answer.

Geomatics is a multi-disciplinary field applying the latest satellite and computing technologies to the study of environmental issues such as climate change, deforestation and urban growth. The undergraduate program will be offered next fall by the geography department in the faculty of environmental studies, with support from the schools of computer science and planning.

Students will study environmental topics while acquiring skills in geographic information systems (GIS), remote sensing, modern surveying and mapping techniques, as well as computer programming. They will learn to apply that knowledge during co-operative education work terms, which could see them working in the Arctic or Australia.

"Statistics and data on their own aren't always meaningful," said geography professor Richard Kelly,one of the driving forces behind the program along with colleague Ian McKenzie. "Geomatics allows decision makers in many different fields to analyze and map information so they can make meaningful decisions."

By deploying geomatics, he said, experts are able to figure out answers to such key questions as whether the amount of precipitation in an area is changing and what the implications of that change will be for agricultural crops.

McKenzie said students will graduate with a bachelor of environmental studies degree in honours geomatics. "They will enter a rapidly growing and dynamic field as geomatics is considered one of the three most important emerging and evolving fields, along with biotechnology and nanotechnology," he said.

Geomatics consists of