NSAC E-Bulletin

Please forward your submissions to the NSAC E-Bulletin to the newsdesk at (news@nsac.ca). for inclusion in the next edition, which run on Monday and Thursday of each week. Remember you can post notices anytime on the NSAC Forums at http://nsac.ca/forums

Registration Now Open for BioPort Atlantic 2007

From September 26-27, at the World Trade and Convention Centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia, a dynamic group of life sciences and business leaders from across North America and abroad will gather for BioPort Atlantic 2007.

Each year, BioPort Atlantic offers one-of-a-kind opportunities to learn from colleagues, to celebrate achievements, to facilitate business opportunities, to plan for future growth, and to discuss the local, regional and national challenges facing the industry. This year’s program, based on the theme Going Glocal, will focus on how local industry representatives can achieve global success. Panels will discuss the issues and opportunities faced by local companies in the world-wide marketplace, and speakers will share their experiences of building successful life sciences companies, from right here in Atlantic Canada.

BioPort Atlantic 2007 will bring together industry and business leaders, scientists, investors, government representatives, service providers, media, students, and people simply curious about what’s happening in Atlantic Canada’s growing life sciences industry. Providing world class speaker presentations and panels as well as a unique forum of networking and social opportunities, BioPort Atlantic is a must event for anyone involved or interested in life sciences in this part of the world.

Register today and take advantage of early bird registration prices. Visit www.bionova.ca/bioport to download your registration form, or contact Erin by email at info@bionova.ca, or by phone at 902-421-5705.

If you are interested in becoming a partner of BioPort Atlantic 2007, please contact Keith by email at kmcphail@bionova.ca, or by phone at 902-421-5705.

New Face on Campus

Ken MacKenzie recently joined NSAC as the new Human Resources Consultant.

Blessed, fortunate and very excited are just a few ways to describe how Ken feels to be working at the Nova Scotia Agricultural College. He looks forward to supporting all faculty and staff employees from an HR perspective in the near future.

Since joining the HR Resources Corporate Services Unit (Resources HR CSU) in
November 2005, Ken has been providing Human Resources support for several departments within the Provincial Government as an HR Consultant.

Originally from Truro, Ken has had a connection to NSAC throughout his entire life (with family and friends attending the university and by playing lunch-time FatBoys basketball for the past 14 years). Upon graduation from St. Francis Xavier University (BBA/IS '00), he has been fortunate that all of his professional work related experience has been supporting others within an HR capacity. He started his career with TEKsystems as a Senior Technical Recruiter and spent several years working and living in Ottawa. He is very happy and proud that he decided to relocate back to the East Coast and accept contract work with a firm called Convergys CMG. He held such HR positions as: Senior Associate of Recruiting and Senior Associate of Human Resources before joining the NSPG.

In his spare time, Ken can most likely be found spending time with his family (Sheryl, Nicholas and dog Charlie) and enjoying all the wonderful things that our beautiful province of Nova Scotia has to offer. He can also be found at the gym either playing basketball or lifting weights. Ken is anxiously awaiting the birth of his first baby in November!

Congratulations Ken and welcome to NSAC!

Sustainable Food Security Project: The Gambia

NSAC International would like to welcome Mr. Foday Malang from Gambia College to our campus. Foday is a faculty member at Gambia College's School of Agriculture. He is no stranger to NSAC as this is his third visit here! Foday and other project team members will be learning about international project evaluation and curriculum evaluation. In December, he and Nancy Pitts will apply these skills in carrying out an evaluation of the Sustainable Food Security project and of the new curriculum developed at Gambia College as part of the project.

Foday is the last visitor from Gambia College to NSAC for the forseeable future, as the project will end in March, 2008. The five-year project is funded by CIDA through the Canadian Colleges Partnership Programme.

Recruitment Update

Hello from Recruitment,

Another great success for Recruitment on Open House!!! During this time, Craig and I hosted 17 guidance counselors from all over the USA, Turkey and Malaysia. I must say they were quite impressed and EduNova, our international cooperative partner has committed to bringing international counselors to each open house. By far, NSAC was at its finest on Open House and Recruitment will definitely see some action as a result of this tour. The counselors were most impressed with the beautiful landscape, unique offerings and the community spirit! While we were hosting this group, I met with 4 families and perspective students - all of whom have completed their applications and paid deposits. I call that one stop shopping! One of our new Engineering students flew down from Nunavut and is very happy to be here! Also as a result of an email I sent two weeks ago regarding missing documents and unpaid deposits, Registry reported that Open House was busier than it's ever been.

Yesterday as Craig toured students, I ventured to Cornwallis Basin with Debbie Mellish, where we brought a few activities for 25 international students studying English at the Annapolis Basin Conference Centre. After a short eco-tour on the beach and discovery talk, Debbie held an anatomy and classification lab for the girls as I talked about the unique offerings at NSAC. We both felt that the time spent there was a great opportunity for us as well as the group.

This next few weeks in Recruitment will be exciting with the return of Leanne French-Munn, who will be moving over to our office in Cox in addition to Brian and Sandra. Craig and I are very pleased with the creation of the new Recruitment Lounge, where we will be able to meet with prospective students, parents, teachers and counselors. While Brian, Sandra and Leanne join us here in the Registry wing of Cox, Craig and I will be taking a few days of vacation. But before that, business first! As the Canadian Junior Herefords Bonanza sets up in the Agridome, so does Recruitment. I'm also offering tours of campus on Wednesday afternoon and Thursday morning to prospective students - so I'm sure I'll see you!!!

Finally, I'm still looking for volunteers and names of students and alumni that might be able to help with our display and information booth at the Valley Expo that is begin held from August 13th - 18th. Please contact me is you are interested or know someone who is at msani@nsac.ca.

All the best,

Monica

Healthy Workplace Website

The Healthy Workplace Committee has a page on the Healthy Workplace Website. The link for the page is http://www.gov.ns.ca/psc/default.asp?mn=1.161.514.521. This page provides information regarding the Departmental Healthy Workplace Committees, their Chairs, a brief description of the committees background, the events that have already been organized and the ones that will be coming up, etc.

11th Annual Agri-Golf Classic

The Agri-Golf Classic was held on Friday (July 27th) at the Sussex Golf and Curling Club in Sussex, NB. Major Sponsors included EastLink, Pepsi , and Pfizer. Major prize sponsors included RBC (10,000 hole in one), New Holland (25,000 tractor and loader hole in one) Downey Ford Sales (F-150 Super Cab 4X4 XLT hole in one), Stonehame Chalets, Meloche-Monnex, AJ Walkers, and Chartwells.

Sampling/product sponsors included Molson Canada, Scotsburn Dairy Group , Scotian Gold and Eden Valley Farms. Many other prize sponsors donated draw prizes and enabled most of the golfers to leave with an extra gift!

Winners
Overall - Sussex View Farm (led by Alumni Dave and Brian McCullum)
Business - Shur-Gain
Farm - Fisher Farm
Alumni - Steve Watts
Sponsor - EastLink

Specialty Prizes
Putting Contest - Dave Thompson (Greg Caldwell's Team)
Closest to the Hole - Josh Arenburg (CIBC team )
Longest Drive - Lisa Carpentier (RBC) and Shane McCullum (Sussex View Farm)
Accuracy - Dick Huggard (Jim Goit Team)

Caption: EastLink - Presenting Sponsor Winners

Caption: Sussex View Farm - Overall Winners

NSAC Construction Projects

This is a reminder that two major construction projects are slated to be completed during the month of August that will cause some inconvenience to the campus community for the next two weeks.

A new roof will be installed on the Langille Athletic Centre. During this project, employees may notice increased noise and tar fume odours from the application of tar to the roof. There may also be some inconvenience regarding parking.

Secondly, the Banting parking lot will be re-surfaced and paved. This project will involve the removal of the current asphalt and upgrading of the substructure. This will mean that the NSAC vans will be relocated for the month of August and parking will be unavailable during this time.

Although these construction projects will undoubtedly create some inconvenience, we certainly appreciate your understanding and patience.

Please keep posted to the E-Bulletin for construction updates as these projects are heavily dependent on favourable weather conditions.

If you have any questions, contact Tricia Lake at 893-6034.