Bin Laden, stress, chemistry, census
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Where’s the evidence?
Andre Gerolymatos, an SFU international security expert, says there are a couple of important reasons why Middle Eastern groups are pushing for video and photos that confirm Osama bin Laden is dead. “Photos are important because people are less technically sophisticated in the northwest frontier of Pakistan, Afghanistan and in other parts of the Middle East,” says Gerolymatos. “They are not knowledgeable about how DNA and face recognition are used today to confirm the death of someone. They also want the visual evidence to show recruits from al Qaeda and the Taliban, as these areas do the recruiting.”
Andre Gerolymatos, 778.782.5597, 604.778.2712 (cell); andre_gerolymatos@sfu.ca
Helping stressed students
May 1-7 is the 60th anniversary of Mental Health Week in Canada. But Martin Mroz, director of SFU Health and Counselling Services, says the university is striving to raise awareness of the issue year round. In fact, the department is opening up two summer workshops to anyone in the university community, not just students. They are SOS: Support Over Suicide (July 9) and Dealing with Students in Distress and Distressing (July 13). Mroz says the workshops are already full and adds: “All members of our university community are conscious of the stress affecting students and want us to give them the tools so they can help.” Mroz notes people between the ages of 17 and 24 are at the highest risk of having their first serious mental health challenge.
Martin Mroz, 778.782.3692; mfm@sfu.ca
Chemistry cook up
SFU’s academic quadrangle at the Burnaby campus will transform into a giant chemistry lab featuring mad scientists at work and at play 1-4 p.m., Saturday, May 14. SFU’s chemistry department and Douglas College are staging ChemQuest 2011 to celebrate International Year of Chemistry and the B.C. Year of Science. For more information about the free public event go to: http://i.sfu.ca/BJMEEQ.
Lee Hanlan, chemistry assoc. chair, 778.782.4409; hanlan@sfu.ca
SFU takes census seriously
Jan Flagel, SFU’s director of residence and housing, hopes that everyone in the university community, particularly students in residence, will keep their eyes out for a yellow package in the mail. Flagel can elaborate on why completion of the 2011 census short and long surveys by people who work for and attend post-secondary institutions is important. Stats Canada started distributing by mail to every Canadian the 2011 mandatory short form census on May 2. One in three Canadians is also getting a voluntary long form version.
Janet Flagel, 778.782.4535; jflagel@sfu.ca