UNIVERSITY NEWS

REMEMBERING ARCHIE MACKINNON

It is with great sadness that SFU's Faculty of Education announces the passing of its inaugural dean, Archie MacKinnon on June 23, 2022 at age 94. Teacher education in B.C. wouldn’t be what it is today without the pioneering vision of MacKinnon, who served as dean of education from 1965 to 1969 and was instrumental in the development of SFU's professional development program (PDP).

CLIMATE CHANGE IS A BUZZKILL FOR BUMBLE BEE POPULATIONS

Temperature changes have negatively impacted most species of bumble bees over the past 120 years. “Bumble bees are important pollinators for wild plants and for the crops humans rely on for food. That’s why we need to develop conservation strategies that account for the future impacts of climate change on bee populations,” says biological sciences graduate student Hanna Jackson.

SEE THE BUZZ

CREATING OPPORTUNITIES AND INCLUSION IN SPORTS ANALYTICS

SFU statistics alumni, Dani Chu, Matthew Reyers, Meyappan Subbaiah and Lucas Wu founded a new award for Indigenous students studying sports analytics. Their goal is to create opportunities and remove barriers such as unfair hiring practices of sports team management positions.

MEET THE TEAM PLAYERS

NEW RESEARCH AIDS IN PREDICTING ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE

Researchers from SFU’s Functional and Anatomical Imaging & Shape Analysis Lab are studying how a combination of genetics and brain MRIs may be used to predict the chances of developing Alzheimer’s disease in the future. This could provide practitioners with deep insight and enough time to plan appropriate care for each patient.

BRAIN HEALTH

CREATING DEEPLY HUMAN EXPERIENCES IN THE ARTS

Retired professor Evan Alderson and his wife Ingrid endowed the Alderson Interarts Award with the School of Contemporary Arts. Fourth-year students majoring in the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree are eligible to receive a $3,000 award to complete their studies.

FISHY CHANGES IN WILD SALMON POPULATIONS

SFU’s School of Resource and Environmental Management Jonathan Moore and postdoctoral fellow Kyle Wilson studied 40 years of historical data and observed how changes in environments affect Pacific salmon. Discover the urgent need for global action on climate change and how to address the stressors that challenge salmon.

RESOURCES + OPERATIONAL UPDATES

REFLECT ON INDIGENOUS HISTORY AND RECONCILIATION ON JULY 1

This June, SFU celebrated National Indigenous Peoples Month where we honoured the culture, resilience and contributions of First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples across our three campuses.

Canada Day presents an important opportunity to reflect on the country’s colonial history and our own personal and professional commitments to reconciliation. We encourage you to take tomorrow to learn more about the history of the Indigenous Peoples whose land Canada occupies, colonization and residential schools.

LEARN ABOUT RECONCILIATION

ACCESS SUPPORTS THROUGH SFU'S EMPLOYEE AND FAMILY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

Life can be full of many personal and work challenges. Please remember that the SFU Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP) is a voluntary and confidential support service that is available to provide professional assistance to help you or your family members resolve issues that affect your lives.

TOWARD GREATER INCLUSION: SFU ROLLS OUT UPDATED PERSONAL DATA FORM

The personal data form was recently updated with field improvements and a contextual statement as steps toward creating a more equitable and inclusive university. The form is required for all new employees and personal information changes - if you are using an older version of the form, please download the updated version and begin using it immediately.

Please reach out to edi@sfu.ca with any feedback or questions.

EXPLORE THE GDBA

The SFU Beedie Graduate Diploma in Business Administration (GDBA) provides you with a solid grounding in graduate-level business fundamentals while giving you the flexibility to study at your own pace and adjust your academic plan to accommodate your changing life and career. The GDBA application deadline is July 22, please contact Sophie Ji if you have any questions.

To learn more, sign up to attend an online GDBA panel discussion on July 5 at 12:00 p.m.

FEATURE EVENT

BLENDED LEARNING 3: FACILITATING BLENDED LEARNING

July 12 | Hosted by Centre for Educational Excellence

This free session explores the shift in role that instructors often experience when delivering a blended course. More than a workshop, it provides you a space to connect with others who are navigating the change that comes with teaching in multiple modes. With guidance and advice on how to enhance facilitating skills, you will have the opportunity to plan for a blended delivery to make teaching more rewarding and courses more engaging.