NSAC E-Bulletin

Please forward your submissions to the NSAC E-Bulletin to Stephanie Rogers (news@nsac.ca) by Friday at 3:00 p.m. for inclusion in the next week's edition.

Two exciting events come to the NSAC Campus
Get your tickets early!

Plan to spend a night yuking it up a the NSAC, Friday, October 14th when Yuk Yuks comes to the NSAC Alumni Theatre. Yuk Yuks offers comedy that never fails to generate laughter and this two man show, featuring Chuck Byrn promises to deliver. Tickets are just 10 dollars and are available at MacQuarrie's Pharmasave Esplanade and the NSAC Athletic Centre Equipment Room.

Its our Homecoming and its our Centennial celebration and its a night to experience one of Cape Bretons most exciting Bands at NSAC. Saturday, October 15th Beolach comes to the NSAC Alumni Theatre performing an energetic mix of Scottish and Irish tunes featuring piano, pipes, fiddles and step dancing. Tickets are just 15 dollars and are available at MacQuarrie's Pharmasave Esplanade and the NSAC Athletic Centre Equipment Room.

Contact Stephanie Rogers for more information on either event at 7247 or by e-mail at srogers@nsac.ca

Recruitment Campaign Ready to Pop!

It’s been a long time coming but NSAC is finally getting a mucho gusto facelift in the student attraction department. NSAC’s Marketing Campaign ’05 debuts first thing on Monday, October 3rd. And it’s going to turn the university sector on its ear.

You’re going to see some novel approaches to university marketing here:
We’re taking the messages to where youth live instead of expecting them to come to us.
You know how you can look at most university ads, cover up the logo and it could be any university? With NSAC’s new mind-blow creative, we won’t be mistaken for any other university out there.

And here’s the best news. We’ve chewed our fingers raw designing a campaign that will attract the students we want, the ones NSAC fits best. Not good news for our fingers but it’s definitely stellar news for this university. Better targeted messages, media and creative mean better qualified prospects in our database which means better conversion rates of prospects to enrolled students.

And this campaign will last six months, that’s 4.5 months longer than our marketing campaign last year. The new media we’re using isn’t saturated with other universities’ messages so our awareness levels will start to increase. And these new media also give us the chance to target viewers much more closely by geography and profile. And these media are much more cost-effective than newspapers and radio so we get to accomplish more for the same budget.

And here’s an anecdote for you to feast upon: We were getting our creative pre-approved by one large media provider (long story, avoids very bad things happening the day before campaign launch). When they caught sight of the creative, they flipped. Not only did they love the creative itself but they said it’s above and beyond what any other university is doing out there, AND the market will love it. Like that annoying chef says - Bamm!

So keep an eye out. We’ll be sending out some messages in the next few days so that all you internal folks get the scoop before anyone else out there. We’ll let you know when you can catch certain campaign elements so you can get out and bask in that sweet light called marketing success. This campaign is all about that wicked university we all call home!

Wedding Announcements of former NSAC Athletes

Donnie MacGregor, Class of 2001 and Men's Basketball coach married former varsity basketball player Katherine Bremner on Saturday, September 17th, 2005. Katherine is a member of the Class of 2003 and is currently undertaking her Masters. Donnie and Katherine were married at Stonehame Chalets in Scotsburn.

Congratulations are also extended to Trevor Dillman, Class of 2000 who married Shari Nelson, (Woodsmen athlete) on Saturday, September 17th at the Immaculate Conception Church in Truro.

The Atlantic Agronomy Workshop

Rodd Charlottetown Hotel, Charlottetown, PEI
January 17-18, 2006

Organized by Canadian Society of Agronomy
http://www.agronomycanada.com

The Canadian Society of Agronomy (CSA) is organizing a meeting for agronomy people (cereals, corn, forages, pulse crops, soybeans, etc) to get together to exchange ideas and research results. The meeting which will be run as an "at cost" event covered by registration fees.

This meeting, aimed at both researchers/graduate students and advisers, is planned to provide a forum for presentation of new information and discussion on all aspects of agronomic crop production in the Atlantic Region including;

Crop Production
Crop management practices - conventional and organic
Crop rotations
Crop fertility
Cropping effects on environment and greenhouse gasses
Cultivar development and evaluation
Soil and water

Pest Management (diseases, insects, nematodes, weeds)
Field experiments and results from long-term / rotation studies.
Interaction of management practices for pest control
Plant and pest bio-diversity and changes in cropping systems
Management and control of individual pest species and weeds.

Invited guest speakers will give lead presentations on selected areas of the above listed subjects. The organizers invite offers of spoken and poster presentations. Slots are available for approximately 35 oral papers which are related to the session topics.

The papers are to be 12 minutes in length plus a three minute period for questions. Volunteer papers will be assigned to appropriate session based on topic of submission and offers that cannot be accommodated in the oral sessions will be allotted space for a poster presentation. Abstracts of all papers/posters will be published in a volume of Canadian Journal of Plant Science. A prize will be offered for the best paper and poster presented by a graduate student . Authors must indicate on the form whether the paper or poster is intended for the graduate student competition.

Titles and abstracts are to be submitted to Dr. Jerry A. Ivany , P,Ag., Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Crops and Livestock Research Centre, 440 University Ave., Charlottetown, PE, C1A 4N6, Tel: 902-566-6835: Fax: 902-566-6821: E-mail: IvanyJ@agr.gc.ca

For more details, as they become available, please visit the CSA Website:
http://www.agronomycanada.com

Deadline for offer of Paper / Poster Title is December 9, 2005
Deadline for Submission of Abstract is January 6, 2006

Upcoming Seminars presented by the NSAC Seminar Committee

“Modeling Construction of Salmonid Feed”

By Dr. Adel El-Mowafi, Senior Scientist EWOS Innovation, Dirdal, Norway

Monday, September 26th, 2005 Noon to 1:00 p.m. Room 112, Haley Institute

“Food is the New Sex”

By Dr. Jerome H. Barkow, Professor, Department of Sociology and Social Anthropology Dalhousie University

Wednesday, September 28th, 2005 Noon to 1:00 p.m. Room 209, Cox Institute

All are Welcome to Attend!!

Call for Letters of Interest

Department Head, Plant and Animal Sciences

The Department of Plant & Animal Sciences is the largest academic department on campus. This department delivers academic programs at the degree, technical and graduate levels, and manages extensive laboratory, animal and field facilities. Most faculty also actively participate in international and/or research activities. The department is looking for an enthusiastic and effective Department Head to meet the challenges and opportunities of the next five years.

The process will be as follows:

1. Tenured faculty of the NSAC are invited to submit their dossier to the office of the Vice-President Academic by October 3, 2005. The dossier should contain a letter explaining your interest in the position and a current copy of your CV. You may also wish to comment on how your qualities match with those identified below.

2. After Committee members have had an opportunity to review the dossiers, qualified candidates will be invited to make a presentation to the campus community and for an interview. This should take place by mid to late October.

3. Among the criteria and qualities to be considered:

-A clear and inclusive vision of the future of the Department of Plant & Animal Sciences in alignment with the NSAC Strategic Plan.
- Inclusive in orientation, and deeply committed to team building.
Conscientious, and a fair-minded manager of limited resources, with a demonstrated ability to manage budgets.
- Excellent communicator with Department faculty and staff, scientific colleagues, as well as with NSAC and with external stakeholders.
- Ability to evaluate and motivate the performance of all faculty and staff.
- Ability to make difficult decisions after appropriate consultations.
- Effective time management skills.
- Forward thinker, ready to seek new approaches to development of the department, including curriculum development.
- A commitment to optimizing enrolment in all programs to ensure responsible use of resources.
- Active interest in research, teaching and outreach and a willingness to assist others in the development of support for research and teaching programs.

5. Budget constraints do not permit us to consider candidates from outside NSAC staff at this time. We do not, however, rule out candidates from outside the Department of Plant and Animal Sciences.

6. The appointment will be for a five-year term, beginning December 1, 2005.

This is a challenging and dynamic position for which we encourage all qualified candidates to come forward.

Dr. Leslie MacLaren

New Staff Appointments

I would like to announce the addition of Cheryl Burgess to the NSAC administrative team in the position of Executive Director of Institutional Affairs for the next year to address issues related to the strategic plan and especially the governance of NSAC. Last year, Cheryl joined the Leadership Continuity Program sponsored by the Public Service Commission (PSC), and is assigned to the NSAC for 12 months as part of her executive professional development.

Cheryl's background is focused in the areas of health care administration and human resource management. Her most recent position was Director Human Resource Innovation and Growth with the PSC, responsible for management and executive leadership development programs, corporate training and development, corporate succession management systems and human resource planning for the civil service, performance management systems and organizational change and design.

I am very pleased to have Cheryl join our team and value the perspective she brings to our work.

Please join me in welcoming Cheryl to NSAC.

Philip Hicks, President

Appointment Michele Morash

Effective Monday, September 26, 2005, Michele Morash joins the human resource team as our Human Resource Development Consultant. Michele replaces Donna Smith who is now with the Department of Health. Michele will provide you with human resource training and development programs and she comes from a similar role with Transportation and Public Works. We are very pleased to have Michele with us.

Isabel Hache, IPMA-CP
Manager, Human Resources
Resources CSU for Departments of
Agriculture and Fisheries, Energy, Environment & Labour, Natural Resources
phone: 902-424-2361
fax: 902-424-8407
e-mail: hachei@gov.ns.ca

2nd Call for Proposals - Bilateral Research Cooperation with Norway

This call for proposals encompasses all disciplines and subject areas. The closing date for submitting proposals is October 13.

The Norwegian strategy for S&T cooperation with North America was launched in 2004, in an effort to increase transatlantic R&D cooperation. The Research Council of Norway (RCN) established the Bilateral Research Cooperation initiative and has issued a call for proposals for (i) mobility grants; and (ii) research grants for conducting pre-projects and seed funding to initiate collaborations.

The Leiv Eiriksson Mobility Programme supports Outbound Mobility (from Norway to Canada) and Inbound Mobility (from Canada to Norway).

Canadian researchers can access funds through the Inbound Mobility program. Canadian researchers should submit their proposal through their potential host institution in Norway. Support is granted to cover the additional costs of research stays of three to ten months' duration in Norway. Support is granted in the form of a travel subsidy, a monthly grant for operating costs, and a monthly living allowance.

Stays of three to ten months in Norway must commence after January 1st, 2006. For further information, please visit:

http://www.emb-norway.ca/education/FoU/news/leiveriksson.htm

and/or contact your Norwegian host institution.

Engineering Seminar

The Engineering Department is pleased to invite all NSAC staff, faculty and students to attend a seminar presented by Ms. Zuzana Lehocka from the Research Institute of Plant Production, Piestany, Slovakia. Ms. Lehocka is a visiting scientist and has been working for Drs. Rob Gordon and David Burton for the past several months.

The seminar will include information about her Research Institute, Slovak Agriculture University in Nitra and her research activities at NSAC. The seminar will be held on Friday September 30, 2005 at 2PM in C. A. Douglas Room, Cumming Hall.

Ethiopia Project Launch

Launch hosts in traditional Ethiopian dress. From left: Anna Fitzgerald, Mary Breen, Philip Hicks, Cara Kirkpatrick, Tess Astatkie, Natalie Cole, Norman Goodyear, Dian Patterson, (missing) Bonnie Waddell.

Many thanks to all who joined the project team, NSAC International Director Dian Patterson and NSAC President Philip Hicks to celebrate the successful launch of the Agricultural Sustainability Project on Tuesday afternoon. Special thanks to the Truro Mayor, Bill Mills, for his active interest and participation.

The project is in cooperation with JUCAVM, The Jimma University College of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine and aims to support capacity development initiatives at JUCAVM. Project funds were awarded to NSAC by CIDA to contribute to poverty reduction in Ethiopia by increasing agricultural productivity of smallholder farmers. To read more about this and other international projects, please see www.nsac.ca/international

The event was publicized in the Thursday, September 22nd editions of the Truro Daily News and the Halifax Chronicle Herald.

Tessema Astatkie, Project Director, and Bill Mills, Mayor of Truro

Biotechnology and Life Sciences Week Proclaimed in Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia Premier, John Hamm has declared the week of September 26-30, 2005 as Biotechnology and Life Sciences Week in Nova Scotia. This proclamation is in recognition of the growing impact that the life sciences industry has on the province’s economy and on the overall well-being of Nova Scotians.

“The life sciences industry is one of the fastest growing economic sectors in our province, offering numerous economic and social benefits to all Nova Scotians,” said Premier Hamm. “I am delighted to be able to make this proclamation on behalf of the province and recognize the talented researchers and entrepreneurs who have contributed to making Nova Scotia one of the emerging life sciences economies in Canada.”

The proclamation will be read during the opening ceremonies of BioPort Atlantic 2005 on September 28, in front of an impressive group of delegates comprised of business and industry leaders, scientists, investors, government representatives, service providers, media and students from across North America and abroad. Hosted by BioNova, the province’s life sciences industry association, BioPort Atlantic is the annual signature event for life sciences in the region. This year’s conference will take place September 27-30 at the Casino Nova Scotia Hotel in Halifax.

International Seminars

September 27, 2005
EVENING OF DIALOGUE

"Food, farming and seeds: Canadian and Malian experiences in community-based food security".

With special guest: Mamadou Mana Diakité, Director for USC Seeds of Survival (SoS) West Africa

Please join us for an informal evening of dialogue in Halifax on Tuesday, September 27, hosted by the Urban Farm Museum Society.

Date: Tuesday, September 27, 2005
Time: 7:30 pm
Location: Capt. William Spry Community Center, 10 Kidston Road, Halifax
Room: Community Meeting Room

September 28, 2005
PRESENTATION

"Food security through agricultural biodiversity: The experience of Seeds of Survival in Mali."

Saint Mary's University International Development Grad Society is pleased to announce a presentation by Mamadou Mana Diakité, Regional Director of USC Seeds of Survival (SoS) West Africa.

For more than a decade USC has worked in Douentza, Mali. The program supports efforts to ensure a secure source of food, conserve vital plant resources and rehabilitate the land.

Date: Wednesday, September 28, 2005
Time: 6:15pm
Location: Saint Mary's University Sobey Building 260

SoS is an international program of USC Canada that works with farmers to improve food security through on-farm conservation and sustainable uses of agro-biodiversity. The program includes initiatives such as local seed banks, farmer-led research, conservation and use of underutilized crops and land rehabilitation. USC is also involved in policy work, such as a current campaign to permanently ban "Terminator" technology that would prevent farmers from saving seeds.

For further details, please contact:
Beatriz Oliver, Seeds of Survival, USC Canada
Tel. (613) 234-6841, ext. 242
boliver@usc-canada.org

Varsity Results