Media Releases >
Media Releases Archive
> Popular professors lauded with media award
Popular professors lauded with media award
Document Tools
January 22, 2003
Two well-known SFU faculty members with solid credentials in academia are being honored for the strength of their reputations in the public domain.
Gloria Gutman, director of SFU’s gerontology research centre, and Barry Beyerstein, an associate psychology professor, are recipients of the annual president’s award for service in media and public relations.
Both have longstanding careers tackling issues of social relevance and have solid records as community speakers and media sources.
Gutman arrived at SFU in 1980 and is known for putting SFU on the map of Canadian academic gerontology. The gerontology research centre is widely recognized in Canada and internationally as one of the country’s leading research institutions, while the master’s program she spearheaded (the only program west of Quebec) has drawn similar measure.
Gutman’s visibility rose dramatically with her election in 2001 as president of the International Association of Gerontology. The role has led to extensive world travel and opportunities to speak on issues related to global aging — increasingly through the international media. "It’s given me a great opportunity to bring attention to Canadian expertise on aging," says Gutman, who this year will attend major events in Argentina, Spain, South Africa, Chile and Japan.
Beyerstein, a charter student of SFU, is a tireless commentator on a wide range of social issues, tackling everything from hard line subjects such as drug or alcohol addiction, and depression to a wide gamut of notions and social beliefs linked to parapsychology. He studies the brain and is fascinated by the psychology of human error.
A skeptic at heart as well as by trade, his goal is to clear the unscientific air by spreading the facts. His track record of media interviews — more than 800 — shows he seldom turns down the chance. His penchant for criticizing what many might rather believe, from the benefits of alternative medicine to the presence of UFOs, has made him an internationally sought expert.
"It’s tough sometimes to be the skunk at the garden party," says Beyerstein, of Port Moody, who is also chair of the BC Skeptics and member of the international Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal (CSICOP). Its mandate is improve the low level of scientific explanation of everything from crop circles to cults. "My message is often not as comforting as the message being criticized. But when notions are put forward as truth, all I ask for is a fair shake in getting out the scientific facts."
–30–
Contact
Gloria Gutman, 604.263.5221 (h); gloria_gutman@sfu.ca
Barry Beyerstein, 604.291.3743; barry_beyerstein@sfu.ca
Marianne Meadahl/Julie Ovenell-Carter, Media & PR, 604.291.4323, marianne_meadahl@sfu.ca
Gloria Gutman, director of SFU’s gerontology research centre, and Barry Beyerstein, an associate psychology professor, are recipients of the annual president’s award for service in media and public relations.
Both have longstanding careers tackling issues of social relevance and have solid records as community speakers and media sources.
Gutman arrived at SFU in 1980 and is known for putting SFU on the map of Canadian academic gerontology. The gerontology research centre is widely recognized in Canada and internationally as one of the country’s leading research institutions, while the master’s program she spearheaded (the only program west of Quebec) has drawn similar measure.
Gutman’s visibility rose dramatically with her election in 2001 as president of the International Association of Gerontology. The role has led to extensive world travel and opportunities to speak on issues related to global aging — increasingly through the international media. "It’s given me a great opportunity to bring attention to Canadian expertise on aging," says Gutman, who this year will attend major events in Argentina, Spain, South Africa, Chile and Japan.
Beyerstein, a charter student of SFU, is a tireless commentator on a wide range of social issues, tackling everything from hard line subjects such as drug or alcohol addiction, and depression to a wide gamut of notions and social beliefs linked to parapsychology. He studies the brain and is fascinated by the psychology of human error.
A skeptic at heart as well as by trade, his goal is to clear the unscientific air by spreading the facts. His track record of media interviews — more than 800 — shows he seldom turns down the chance. His penchant for criticizing what many might rather believe, from the benefits of alternative medicine to the presence of UFOs, has made him an internationally sought expert.
"It’s tough sometimes to be the skunk at the garden party," says Beyerstein, of Port Moody, who is also chair of the BC Skeptics and member of the international Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal (CSICOP). Its mandate is improve the low level of scientific explanation of everything from crop circles to cults. "My message is often not as comforting as the message being criticized. But when notions are put forward as truth, all I ask for is a fair shake in getting out the scientific facts."
–30–
Contact
Gloria Gutman, 604.263.5221 (h); gloria_gutman@sfu.ca
Barry Beyerstein, 604.291.3743; barry_beyerstein@sfu.ca
Marianne Meadahl/Julie Ovenell-Carter, Media & PR, 604.291.4323, marianne_meadahl@sfu.ca