Studio shows the world UW’s faces

First CNN called. Then it was Global National. Finally, CBC Newsworld wanted to talk to Dave Hammond. The UW professor of health studies was a bit of a media darling recently, as major media sought to discuss his research into smoking behaviours. First he was in demand as the United States explored legislation on cigarette packaging, and then a study by Hammond and colleagues shed light on research documents destroyed by the tobacco industry. And each network wanted him in front of a camera on a different day of the week.

Until recently, three such interviews would have taken the better part of three days, since they often involved journeys to a studio in Toronto. But a new “double-ender studio” right on campus lets academics share their expertize with media around the world from the lower level of Engineering II building.

The facility, formerly a general-purpose television studio, was created to help increase awareness of the university, its academic and non-academic units, and the leading-edge work of individual researchers. With no more effort than its takes to deal with local media, Waterloo can now spread word of its teaching and research well beyond southwestern Ontario.

Hammond’s three interviews, for example, each took less than one hour. “This really is a very convenient way to promote the university and our research,” he says. “I’m happy to discuss my work with a wide audience, but I simply could not have spared the time it takes to travel to a TV studio in Toronto. From the studio on campus, I was able to share my research with a North American audience. The experience was seamless; the university helped arrange the interviews and the people involved were fantastic to work with."

Those people include Michael Strickland of communications and public affairs, playing the part of the interview guest in the photo above (while Scott Charles of information systems and technology adjusts his microphone). Strickland explains that the double-ender studio, so called because it allows a journalist in one location to talk with a guest in another place, with real-time video and audio flowing in between, is intended specifically to increase national and international media opportunities. “Hammond was good enough to be its first academic user,” he says. A copy of the CNN interview can be found online.

The studio is a joint effort of CPA and IST’s Instructional Technologies and Multimedia Services (formerly “audio-visual”), which provides the physical space and technical know-how.

“The camera and audio signals are fed directly into an encoding device that converts the signals into 0's and 1's, and the information is streamed along a high capacity fibre optic cable to a service, called Bell Video Route, located in Toronto,” says Charles. “This service then acts as a switchboard, connecting the information coming from Waterloo to the media outlet using whatever means suits their need, including a satellite relay.”

CPA will coordinate requests and timing for the interviewee and media. ITMS technical staff will operate the studio during regular business hours. With a bit of notice, it can also be used in the early morning or as late as midnight. Operating details are still being finalized, but the studio is now functional and open for business. All requests should go to Strickland, the assistant director for media relations, at ext. 84777 or mstrickl@ uwaterloo.ca.

“This studio is a key component of our attempts to shift the focus of Waterloo’s media relations efforts from the local market to national and international ones, essentially raising our profile across Canada and around the world,” Strickland says. “Other elements include an online guide of Waterloo experts for media as well as the training we can offer those willing to share their expertise with the media.”

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Seeking the next University Professors

The provost has issued an invitation for department chairs and "the University community generally" to suggest who should receive the high honour of University Professor in 2010.

To date, a memo from provost Feridun Hamdullahpur notes, UW “has awarded this distinction” to 15 faculty members. The most recent, earlier this year, were Ellsworth LeDrew (left) of geography and environmental management and Ming Li (right) of computer science. Earlier award winners: Garry Rempel, Mary Thompson and Mark Zanna in 2004; Terry McMahon, Cam Stewart and Robert Jan van Pelt in 2005; Phelim Boyle and Ian Munro in 2006; Ken Davidson, Keith Hipel and Jake Sivak in 2007; Roy Cameron and Flora Ng in 2008.

Hamdullahpur’s memo summarizes the purpose of the award and the nomination process: "The University of Waterloo owes much of its reputation and stature to the quality of its eminent professors. UW recognizes exceptional scholarly achievement and international pre-eminence through the designation 'University Professor'. Once appointed, a faculty member retains the designation for life.

"Not counting retirees, it is anticipated there will be 14 University Professorships at steady state, with at most two appointments each year. Such appointments are reported to Senate and to the Board of Governors . . . and are recognized at Convocation."

Nominations are invited each fall. "A nominee shall have demonstrated exceptional scholarly achievement and international pre-eminence in a particular field or fields of knowledge. The individual who nominates a colleague is responsible for gathering the documentation and submitting it to the Vice-President, Academic & Provost. The University Tenure and Promotion Committee will act as the selection committee; its decisions are final.

"A nomination must be supported by at least six signatures from at least two UW departments and must be accompanied by a curriculum vitae and a short non-technical description of the nominee's contributions. A nomination must also be accompanied by letters from the nominee's Dean," and also comments from "scholars of international standing in the nominee's field" — the memo gives the details. The provost adds that the selection committee keeps the dossiers of unsuccessful nominees on hand for two more years, to be considered again with updated information.

Nominations for this year's awards should be "in my hands before Christmas", the provost writes.

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Marking a retirement; other notes

Staff and faculty members are being asked to send in RSVPs by tomorrow for the open house that will be held Wednesday, December 2, to honour one of UW's best-known administrators, Catharine Scott (left), on her retirement. Scott, leaving after 36 years at UW, began as a staff member in what was then the personnel department, and most recently (since 1996) has been associate provost (human resources and student services). A bursary for a Federation Orientation Leader has been created in her honour, friends have announced, and pledge forms will be available at the reception, which will be held from 3:30 to 6:00 that day at the Festival Room, South Campus Hall. Bud Walker, director of university business operations, will be master of ceremonies, and UW president David Johnston will speak. RSVPs go to ext. 32207 or ext. 38425, or e-mail sdahmer@ uwaterloo.ca.

Not unrelated to the previous announcement, the human resources department reports that long-time staff member Norman Scott retired officially on November 1. As technician/demonstrator and more recently Instructor IV in the biology department, he had been working at UW since July 1974.

Students in UW's speech communication program will be holding an event in the Student Life Centre at noontime today that's a fund-raiser for the Bracelet of Hope campaign. Says a news release: "From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. the event will have an assortment of food for sale, interactive activities with many prizes to be won, information booths held by various campus clubs and special guests such as Mayor Brenda Halloran and representatives from the Bracelet of Hope campaign. Bracelet of Hope is a non-profit organization started in 2005. Its mission is to raise awareness and support of the Tšepong clinic in the southern Africa country of Lesotho by selling red and white bracelets. Proceeds directly support the Tšepong and provide life-saving care and treatment to thousands of HIV/AIDS-infected people in Lesotho. Women entrepreneurs make the bracelets with the support of the Inina Craft Agency in South Africa. Each bracelet sold allows the women to earn income, which betters the women’s lives and the lives of their family while perpetuating their local economy. The Waterloo mayor visited Lesotho this past summer, and moved by her experience, she has initiated a campaign to raise $2.5 million for Bracelet of Hope in Waterloo Region.

There are three more performances — tonight, Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. in the Theatre of the Arts — for the drama department's big play of this term. A news release introduces it: “The Government Inspector, also known as The Inspector General, is a satirical comedy by Russian playwright and novelist Nikolai Gogol, which tells the story of what happens when the mayor and several other self-important officials of a provincial Russian town mistake a small-time con artist for an important government official. Hypocrisies are exposed and foolishnesses revealed as the officials offer increasingly extravagant gifts in order to placate and impress their visitor while the visitor becomes increasingly reckless in his greed. Gogol clearly succeeded in rendering contemptible and ludicrous the official life of Tsarist Russia, the corruption universally prevailing throughout the civil service, the arrogance, deception, self-deception, and servility of men in office. In view of the recent scandals in the financial markets, the play’s portrayal of human greed, stupidity, and the deep corruption of men in power has lost none of its contemporary poignancy.“ Tickets are $12 ($10 for students and seniors) at the Humanities box office, 519-888-4908.

And in case you're wondering where to go tonight: don't make it the main washrooms on the first floor of the Davis Centre, which will be closed for painting from 8 to 12 tonight and 3 to 8 tomorrow. “All other washrooms are open,” a memo from the plant operations department assures us.

CAR

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