Community Highlights

Chemist receives award for bravery
Dr. Jean Burnell, Chemistry, was one of four people recognized by the province for acts of bravery. On Aug. 22, 1989, Dr Burnell crawled through smoke and flames in a Memorial University chemistry lab to reach a graduate student, Pei-Ying Liu, whose experiment had exploded. Dr. Burnell extinguished the fire in Ms. Liu's hair and clothes and pulled her to safety. While Ms. Liu's colleagues took her for medical attention, Dr. Burnell returned to the lab to put out the blaze. Premier Roger Grimes and Lieutenant-Governor A. M. House presented the Newfoundland and Labrador Award for Bravery in a special ceremony at Government House Oct. 9.

A living memorial
Memorial University held a ceremony of remembrance to honour those Newfoundlanders and Labradorians who paid the ultimate price for the protection of our freedom in the wars of this century. Memorial University College saw 310 former students enlist for active service in the Second World War and those names were remembered at the Nov. 7 ceremony. Capt. John Powell of the Newfoundland Regiment presented to President Meisen with one of 20 commemorative banners unveiled during the 85th anniversary of the Battle of Beaumont Hamel.

Celebrating Marconi
Memorial University and the local chapter of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) hosted the Marconi Crystal Radio Contest. Activities got underway early in the morning as Grade 9 students brought their handmade radios to the judging station to have them tested. The event wrapped up with an awards ceremony and live communication with Poldhu, England. Special guest Lieutenant Governor A. M. House presented the awards and Yves Fontaine, chair of the IEEE (Newfoundland and Labrador section), exchanged greetings with Barry Maxwell, director of the Radio Communications Agency in England.

Spectacular concert
In March the School of Music co-ordinated a performance of African Sanctus by British composer David Fanshawe. A percussion ensemble, a rock band and a locally-born opera star along with 700 choristers from Memorial, Prince of Wales Collegiate, Holy Heart of Mary, Gonzaga High School, Bishop's College, Mount Pearl intermediate and senior high schools, as well as the Cantare-Cantelina Youth Choir from Bay Roberts, came together for the massive performance.

Senior appointment for Atlantic schools
Robert Best has been appointed vice-president, national and international relations, for the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada. He has been director of AUCC's government relations and public affairs division for the past 10 years, and has been instrumental in the association's advocacy efforts on behalf of Canadian higher education.

"Bob Best's extensive background and experience in the areas of policy, public affairs and government relations will serve AUCC well," says Robert J. Giroux, president of the Ottawa-based association. Mr. Best succeeds senior vice-president Sally Brown, who will become executive director and CEO of the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada in October.

Before joining AUCC, Mr. Best was a senior policy research officer with the Consumers' Association of Canada. He holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Lethbridge and an MA in political science from Carleton University, and has taught political science courses at four Canadian universities (Alberta, Athabasca, Carleton and Victoria).

AUCC is the national organization representing Canada's 92 public and private not-for-profit universities and university colleges. Its mandate is to foster and promote the interests of higher education and its contribution to the economic, social and intellectual wealth of our nation.

Internship program acknowledged
On Sept. 25, 2001, about 50 people gathered in the University Club in an afternoon of appreciation for donors, employers and interns involved in an internship program jointly operated by the Faculty of Arts and the Centre for Career Development.

The project co-ordinator, Lisa Russell, is herself an intern in the program. So far she's placed or helped to place about 20 interns with community organizations, governments, advocacy groups and research units for six-month, matching-fund internships, using money supplied by the provincial Department of Human Resources and Employment.

Allison Earle, the assistant deputy minister from HRE, spoke about the importance of partnerships. She has been responsible for securing the funding for this program for the last two years. In its initial year the program was given a grant of $100,000 and in its second year its funding amount was increased to $150,000.

Dr. Lilly Walker spoke about the valuable opportunity that this program presents to recent graduates and what a marvellous opportunity the interns are having, as well as the valuable role the employers play in participating in this initiative. Memorial's intern with the City of St. John's, Stephen Byrne, spoke about how his internship experience has changed the way he looks at his education and himself. Dr. Jim Black acted as emcee and acknowledged the important role of Dr. Terry Murphy in creating the program.

Folklorist represents country
During the 31st session of the UNESCO General Conference, a decision was made to proceed in drafting an international standard-setting instrument to safeguard intangible cultural heritage, following the widely supported 1972 Convention on the Protection of Cultural and Natural Heritage. Following this decision, UNESCO decided to convene a meeting of international experts who would advise on policy and practice.

Dr. Gerald L. Pocius, Folklore, was chosen by the Canadian Commission for UNESCO (in consultation with the federal Department of Canadian Heritage) to represent Canada at this meeting. Eighteen experts from around the world were chosen to help the UNESCO executive draft a preliminary declaration which would cover such intangible aspects of world heritage as oral traditions, festivals and celebrations, cultural spaces, and traditional knowledge that are in need of recognition and safeguarding.

The International Experts Meeting was titled Intangible Cultural Heritage: Priority Domains for an International Convention, and was held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in January 2002. The First Lady of Brazil, Ruth Cardoso, opened the meeting, speaking of Brazil's recent establishment of a Registry of the Intangible Heritage. UNESCO's irector-general, Koichiro Matsuura, provided guidelines for the work of those participating. The draft document from this meeting will be revised by legal experts and presented at the 32nd General Session of UNESCO in October 2003.

Partners dinner honours distinguished business people
The Faculty of Business Administration held its 18th annual Partners dinner on May 16, 2002, at the Fairmont Newfoundland Hotel in St. John's. Alumni and friends of the faculty are invited to join us as business recognizes its partners in management education and the winners of two very special awards.

Brendan Paddick, president of Persona Communications Inc. and Persona Inc., received the Alumnus of the Year award and Chris Griffiths, founder and owner of Garrison Guitar Works, received the P. J. Gardiner Institute for Small Business Studies' Newfoundland and Labrador Entrepreneur of the Year award.