Leap Sri Lanka

Margaret Leighton ('07) not only likes lizards and plays the accordion, she is also the director of Leap Sri Lanka.

Leap Sri Lanka strives to reduce the impact of the civil war through unconventional means: by inspiring children in affected areas to be passionate students and think independently.

Designed as a week-long curricular and co-curricular activities camp, Leap works with classroom teachers in addition to delivering after-school programs.

By encouraging local youth to engage and learn with foreign facilitators, and providing access to resources including digital cameras, science equipment and musical instruments, Leap gives destitute rural school children access to resources normally available only to very wealthy families.

To see how you can help, visit their web site: http://www.leapsrilanka.org/

Bill Godfrey Remembered

Professor Bill Godfrey was remembered in his hometown newspaper, the Waterloo Record:

At his core Bill Godfrey was a scholar and a teacher, a man who lived and breathed history. Even during vacations Bill dove into books related to his chosen fields of American colonial and Atlantic Canadian history.

In a eulogy, colleague Hans vanderLeest recalled Bill frequently musing about Kitchener. "His love for that part of Ontario was always evident, as could be seen in the standing order he had for any friends who were travelling there to bring back pigtails for him, even if they had to be packed in a cooler for a three-day drive to Sackville."

Read full story: Talented educator popular with students

Music Library Improved

A message from Dr. Janet Hammock, Professor Emeritus of Music at Mount A

Near the end of the last “Sonic Explorations” course I taught at Mount Allison prior to my retirement in 2001, several students drew to the attention of the class that the wooden chairs in the Music Library made terribly loud, unpleasant, screeching noises when they were moved on the floor.

During the course the students had become much more aware of their sonic environment, and they found this noise very disturbing as they tried to study. Since the academic year was almost over, it was impractical to suggest that the students take this on as a class project, so I assured them that I would draw it to the attention of the Music Librarian.

Unfortunately, perhaps due to the flurry of retirement celebrations, I forgot to do this.

Years passed.


On November 15, 2007, although I have been retired for six years, this e-mail arrived quite unexpectedly in my inbox:

The R. P. Bell Library Receives a Further Installment of New Chairs One-hundred new chairs are being delivered to the R. P. Bell Library on Thursday, November 15th. These chairs represent the second installment of three that will replace all old and dilapidated chairs.

The new chairs conform to the model and specifications that the SAC and the student body selected two years ago when the first installment of 200 chairs were received.

Thank-you,
Bruno Gnassi
University Librarian


His e-mail announcement reminded of the promise I had made to my students in the “Sonic Explorations” course so many years ago! I immediately wrote to the University Librarian:

Dear Bruno:

I am delighted to see that new chairs are coming! Will they also be in the Music Library? If not, may I suggest that a small, inexpensive improvement be undertaken on the present Music Library chairs?

When they are moved on the floor they make the most horrendous, disruptive, loud, screeching sounds!

These sounds can be completely eliminated by the addition of soft material pads to the bottoms of each chair leg. This would result in a much quieter study atmosphere in the Music Library.

Thanks for your attention to this matter, Bruno. I am forwarding my e-mail to the Music Librarian, Peter Higham.

I have been meaning to mention this to my friend Peter for many years and keep forgetting! Better late than never!


Imagine my surprise when I received this e-mail on March 18, 2008 from Peter Higham, the Music Librarian:

Janet,

Though I had not replied, I had not forgotten about your suggestion from months ago. Felts are now being applied to most of the wooden chair legs in the Music Library.

Though I hadn't thought it would be practical or effective, I am convinced it is a nice little improvement to the Music Library.

Thank you for your suggestion.
Peter


I think my former "Sonic Explorations" students would be gratified to know that their excellent suggestion, made so long ago, has finally come to fruition. As a result of their "deep listening" the sonic environment of the Music Library has been vastly improved.

Key milestone in cancer treatment research

It all started with a shrew and the inquisitive mind of a Sackville biochemistry professor.

Now more than six years later, Mount A professor Jack Stewart’s curiosity has evolved from experiments in his lab into a full-out drug discovery and development company working on exciting patented technology that could lead to new treatments for cancer and chronic pain.

The official opening of BioProspecting NB Inc.’s new laboratory facilities in Sackville was held last Wednesday.Prior to his research on the shrew, Stewart said he had never heard of a venomous mammal and instantly wanted to know more. This interest soon lead to the discovery of a very small, but important, compound derived from the shrew’s venomous saliva – a peptide Stewart’s team now refers to as ‘soricidin.’

Recent research conducted at BioProspecting indicates that a target mechanism for the molecule includes the TRPV6 calcium channel – and that utility may be found not only in treating primary cancers but also difficult-to-treat aggressive cancers.

The BioProspecting team will now move into the pre-clinical stage in oncology and has already initiated the patent process for developing this potential cancer treatment drug.

BioProspecting, which now employs nine full-time staff including a small team of young biochemists who graduated from Mount Allison University, is located on Queens Road where its lab facilities contain the latest, up-to-date equipment.

Stephanie Jackson (’06), a lab technician who graduated from Stewart’s biochemistry program in 2006, said she’s excited to be part of this research.

Jackson works out of the Atlantic Cancer Research Institute lab in Moncton, where she cultures breast cancer and ovarian cancer cells and treats them with the peptides derived from the shrew.

The company, since its 2005 establishment, has managed to secure funding from a number of agencies, including the Canadian Institutes of Heath Research, the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, Business New Brunswick, and the National Research Council.

Read full article: BioProspecting NB Inc hits key milestone in cancer treatment research (Sackville Tribune)

Three Cheers for Old Mount A!

What was the first sport played on campus? When were the school colours chosen? What Rhodes Scholar and famous Nova Scotia writer played for Mount A? When did female students begin to play competitive sports?

These are some of the questions that are answered on the new Mount Allison University Archives virtual exhibit, Three Cheers for Old Mount A!

This comprehensive website, which was launched at this year's annual Mount Allison athletics awards ceremony, examines the development of sports at Mount Allison from its earliest origins, including sports played, athletic facilities, prominent individuals, awards, and fans & cheers.

New recordings of the Mount Allison Choral Society performing century-old songs and cheers are also featured, including a stirring rendition of Mount Allison's Sports at Mount Allison, 1843-1919. Alma Mater Song.

Please visit www.mta.ca/threecheers and explore the rich sporting tradition of Mount Allison and its founding institutions: the Male Academy, Ladies' College, and University. It is a legacy that Allisonians of all ages can take pride in!

Read article: Virtual exhibit highlights Mount A’s sports heritage (Sackville Tribune)