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v o l . 2 1 n o . 3 w i n t e r 2 0 0 5

T h e A l u m n i M a g a z i n e

Choosing aMaritime lifestyle

Balancing workand family

Healthy choicesfor kids

Dalhousie

www.dal.ca

Attracting over $93 million in annual research funding, Dalhousie research generates jobs, stimulates our economy, improves our lives and communities.

Treating chronic pain in children.Tracking climate change. Uncovering renewable energy sources.

Departments

2 Editor’s Message

3 Upfront on Campus

20 Dalumni

22 Class Notes

32 At Last

Features

12Go outside and play

Children from AtlanticCanada are consideredat high risk of beingoverweight. The Schoolof Health and HumanPerformance is dedicat-ed to enhancing the

health and well-being of the community. Dr.Phil Campagna shares his insights on thehealth of Nova Scotia’s children and youth ...and some strategies for the rest of us, too.By Dawn Morrison (BJ(K)’93)

16A fine balanceA conversation with Credit Union Atlantic’sCEO Eleanor (Findlay) Humphries (BSc’80, MBA’99) draws out her inspiration forsuccess – a fine balance between work andfamily. She emphasizes the importance oflistening on the way to earning back-to-back“Top 50 CEO” awards.By Dawn Morrison (BJ(K)’93)

Cover Story

8Choosing a Maritime lifestyleStaying focused on a future in the Mar-itimes, Bill Black (BA, BSc’70) believes thatsuccess comes from putting people and val-ues first. That is a philosophy that, onewould hope, would position him well as helooks to a future in public office. One of thenewest members of Dalhousie’s Board ofGovernors explains the qualities that makean organization shine in a community.By Jim Vibert (BA ’77)

Cover photo:Dal alumnus and board member Bill Blackwas recently photographed at Pier 21 by uni-versity photographer Danny Abriel.

v o l . 1 8 n o . 1 s p r i n g 2 0 0 1

T h e A l u m n i M a g a z i n e

vol. 21 no. 3winter 2005

w i n t e r 2 0 0 5 1

Dalhousie, The Alumni MagazineDalhousie is the official periodical of the Dalhousie AlumniAssociation and appears three times a year. Editorial deadlinefor the next issue is April 4, 2005.

O n t h e I n s i d e

Photo: Abriel

Dalhousie

Ah! Venice28

Photo: Muir

Seldom has it been demonstrated more clearly that theDalhousie community cares.

No sooner had winter term classes resumed, when volunteersgot busy with a variety of fund raisers. Their concern translatedinto tangible support of relief efforts for areas of South Asia and

East Africa impacted by the tsunami.

"At Dalhousie, we are part of an academic community that is global both in its char-acter and range of experience. Events like this ... reinforce and lift beyond cliché thereality that we live in a global village," President Tom Traves wrote to the universi-ty community early in the New Year.

You can read more about the heartfelt response from faculty, students, staff andalumni in our coverage of campus activity. Doubtless this engagement will contin-ue, even as it evolves over the months and years to come.

The communities touched are also close at hand. In this issue of the magazine, wewere pleased to catch up with the fast moving Bill Black (BA, BSc’70) to hear abouthis enduring commitment to living in the Maritimes.

The health and well being of children is a growing concern, one that touches ourpersonal lives. Research at Dalhousie offers an enhanced understanding of fitnessand activity. Dr. Phil Campagna prompts consideration of how we can all respond– as individuals, families, organizations and communities.

The dual challenge of providing vision and leadership while simultaneously raisingthe next generation is a daily reality for Eleanor (Findlay) Humphries (BSc’80,MBA’99), who shares some of her innovative approaches with us.

I hope the stories in this magazine will provide the opportunity for you to reflect onhow we all contribute to the community – near and far.

Sincerely,

2 d a l h o u s i e a l u m n i m a g a z i n e

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

JUNE DAVIDSON

EDITOR

AMANDA PELHAME-MAIL: [email protected]

DESIGN AND PRODUCTION

Jane Lombard, DALHOUSIE DESIGN SERVICES

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vol. 21 no. 3winter 2005

F r o m t h e E d i t o r T h e A l u m n i M a g a z i n eDalhousie

Photo: Abriel

Our contributorsKeri Irwin (BA'98, BCom'01) was recentlydrafted from Athletics to join the team inCommunications and Marketing. In addi-tion to overseeing advertising requests, sheis also the magazine's new productionassistant. In her 'spare time' she teaches

skiing and volunteers with the Junior League.

Jim Vibert (BA’77), Dal’s Director of Communications andMarketing, interviewed Bill Black for our cover feature.

Dawn Morrison (BJ(K)'93) exploresissues of balance on a daily basis, as themother of three-year old twins Max andOlivia, and as a communications managerfor Dalhousie University.

Make the connectionSIGN OUR GUEST BOOK: www.dal.ca/insightBY E-MAIL: [email protected]

AMANDA PELHAM

Editor

w i n t e r 2 0 0 5 3

U p f r o n to n C a m p u s

Three for the

RhodesDal has 85 Rhodesscholars to date

DALHOUSIE UNIVERSITY STUDENTS havewon all three of the Atlantic Region’sRhodes Scholarships for 2005.

In an unprecedented sweep, three Dalstudents – Anna Robinson, MatthewKnox, and Graham Reynolds – have wonboth Maritime region awards, as well as theNewfoundland award.

“This is a huge accomplishment forthese students and a great day forDalhousie,” says President Tom Traves.“Dalhousie is dedicated to nurturing theskills and talents of the quality students weattract and we couldn’t be happier forAnna, Matthew and Graham, who embodythat dedication.”

Anna Robinson, a neuroscience studentfrom Harbour Grace, Newfoundland, hasmany extracurricular interests including theBrazilian Martial Art of Capoeira. She isan active fund raiser for charities and shevolunteers with brain-injured patients dur-ing their rehabilitation.

“I still can’t believe this is happening tome!” says Robinson. “I honestly feel asthough my life changed in a day. It will be awhile before I stop smiling.”

Matthew Knox, a kinesiology studentfrom Halifax, Nova Scotia, is an avid hock-ey player, coach, and referee who hasworked as a counselor at Camp Goodtimefor children with cancer and brain tumours.

“It is truly the opportunity of a lifetime.It is very gratifying to have the work that Ihave done in the community acknowledgedin this way. This is a wonderful opportunityto advance my education, which will benefitme throughout my lifetime,” says Knox.

Graham Reynolds, a law student fromWinnipeg, Manitoba, is a talented musicianand an active volunteer with the Pro BonoStudents Association at Dalhousie.

“I feel very honoured to have beennamed as a Rhodes Scholar,” says Reynolds.My time at Dal has prepared me well forthe challenges that lie ahead.”

– Charles Crosby and Dawn Morrison

Anna Robinson, neuroscience

Matthew Knox, kinesiology (left)and Graham Reynolds, law

U p f r o n t o n C a m p u s


Science illuminated by art

Alumni from the Faculty of Science have been mailed a 2005 Calendar “Illuminationson Science” that highlights the artistic side of graduates, students, faculty and staff.

“The calendar was created with several objectives – one was to strengthen contactwith alumni, another to show off the talents of Dal’s students and staff, and finally,there is the hope of raising some money,” says project organizer Patrick Ryall. “Allfunds will help support student activities, be it attending conferences or enhancingscholarships.”

The idea was borrowed and reinterpreted based on a project seen at anotherCanadian university. Dal’s Faculty of Science invited students and staff to submit pho-tographs in spring 2004, and held an exhibit in the Life Sciences Centre.

“Everyone walking by was invited to vote on their favourites and the top twelvemade it into the calendar,” says Ryall. Thecalendar design was completed byDalhousie’s Design Services.

Calendars have been sent out to pre-1999 science graduates. Copies are alsoavailable for sale at the Dean’s Office,located on the eighth floor of the LifeSciences Centre, or through the UniversityBookstore in the Student Union Building.The Faculty of Science is seeking photo-graphs for a 2006 edition and alumni areinvited to contribute.

Focusing on the bottomline and the blue line

Dominic Noel traded his business attire fora uniform this summer in order to try andscore the ultimate goal on a reality televisionseries.

The seniorcommerce co-opstudent was a suc-cessful competitoron a prime timereality show“Making the Cut,”sponsored by Bell.The ultimateprize was a prohockey tryoutwith one of sixCanadian teams –and Noel was oneof the half dozenfinally chosen from among 68 hopefuls.

Originally from Lameque, New Brunswick,Noel credits Halifax’s vibrant community andhead coach Fabian Joseph as the driving forcesin his decision to attend Dalhousie.

– Keri Irwin

A group of

scientists

led by

Dalhousie

University

biologist

Vett Lloyd and doctoral student AndrewHaigh are the first to successfully clone insects.

The breakthrough research, using fruit flies as the

subjects, is featured in the British on-line publica-

tion Nature.com.

First Insects Cloned

Tiger Dominic Noel made thecut on CBC TV’s hockey campreality series

‘Summer Spectacular’ byBiology Department staffmember Carman Millsand ‘Arctic Fox’ by earthsciences grad ChristopherHamilton (BSc’04) – twoof the winning sciencephotos

Photo: Pearce

w i n t e r 2 0 0 5 5

So, why of all things, fruit flies, already so

numerous and pesky? As anyone who owns a

greenbin will doubtless ask: does the world

really need more flies? Lloyd tells Nature.com

that she hopes the flies, which are very easy

to experiment with, will help to fine-tune the

cloning process in other animals and even in

humans, where the technique is being

researched to aid production of therapeutic

stem cells.

This is not the first time someone has

attempted to clone flies but Lloyd says this is

the first success. Her team used a slight varia-

tion on the standard cloning process, transfer-

ring nuclei taken from embryos rather than

fully-fledged adult cells. They removed nuclei

from developing fly embryos, and injected

them into a fertilized fly egg. From over 800

initial attempts, they produced five adult

insects.

The team attracted media attention across

the country and around the world, including

the BBC and CNN.

The natural disaster in the Indian Oceanhas affected all who have seen pictures orheard accounts of it - Dalhousie communitymembers included.

No sooner had winter classes begunwhen students, faculty, staff and alumnibegan to offer assistance. Out of concern,they have given time, funds and expertise.

The Dalhousie Student Union (DSU)quickly organized a benefit concert thatdrew more than 300 people to theGrawood, raising over $2000 for theCanadian Red Cross’ tsunami relief efforts.

Campus appeals – including a ‘pass thehat’ collection at a Cohn symphony concert,and a special donations box in the SUB –in turn fed into a larger fundraiser at theHalifax Metro Centre.

Concert for Asia was organized in lessthan a week, with Halifax-based band MIRworking closely with the Centre for DiverseVisible Cultures. Armando Regala,recently retired from Dalhousie’s PersonnelServices, presented a cheque for $103,000to Oxfam Canada on behalf of the Centre.

“It makes me feel humble that I wasinvolved in getting such a thing done, andthat it may make a little dent in the effortto provide assistance in such a devastatingsituation,” says Regala.

There to receive the donation on behalf

of Oxfam Canada was Dick Evans,national board chair, and an associate pro-fessor at the Dalhousie Law School. Evansappreciated seeing diverse communitiesworking together, and the recognition thatthe crowd gave to Dalhousie’s mention. “Abig cheer came out of the audience!”

Still others are offering their valuableexpertise.

When a country’s infrastructure is dev-astated and when help is offered in theform of expert advice, time is of the essence.Such is the case in Sri Lanka where muchof the coastal area has been devas-tated by the tsunami.

Dalhousie alumnus DonFraser (BSc’59, BEng’61) isoffering guidance in rebuildingthe fisheries infrastructure alongthe Southeast coast of Sri Lanka.

He is an adviser with theExport Mentoring Program withACOA and a volunteer withCanadian Executive ServiceOrganization (CESO). He hasover 30 years ofexperience indirecting fisheries developmentprojects in Canada and over 75 countriesinternationally.

In this region of Sri Lanka, the fishingindustry has been destroyed, including most

of the boats, fishing supplies, landing sites,wharves and water supplies.

Oxfam’s Evans reminds us to continueto look beyond the headlines. “It’s impor-tant that we support a whole range of inter-national development needs on a long termbasis.”

- Files from Maria McGowan, KristenLoyst and Catherine Young

Dal rallies support for tsunami relief

A benefit concert at the Grawood raised fundsfor the Canadian Red Cross relief effort


U p f r o n t o n C a m p u s

Palmer Wing named

For James Palmer (LLB’52, LLD’87)and his wife Barbara, generosity is simplysecond nature.

When classes resumed in September,law students and staff returned to anupdated learning environment.Classrooms were refurbished, technologywas up-dated and a “moot” court wasbuilt. In recognition of their gift, twoclassrooms have been named the Jamesand Barbara Palmer Wing.

Dr. Palmer is a founder of a leadinglaw firm in Calgary. Burnet, Duckworth& Palmer is recognized for community-minded contributions. Palmer was select-ed to receive the Dalhousie UniversityWeldon Award for Unselfish PublicService in 1993.

Despite his busy schedule,James Palmer and his wife Barbara havechosen to take the time to help theircommunity and offer countless studentsat Dalhousie more opportunities to learnand grow.

– Ian Murray

At your service

Get the groceries, drop off the dry cleaning, research Timmy’s play school options, schedule acar appointment, buy Mom and Dad’s anniversary present, walk the dog, organize the closet,and oh – book a vacation. Phew! With our to-do lists running even longer than our work days,we need help.

That’s where Amanda Abbott comes in. After busy colleagues bemoaned the lack ofhours in a day, the super-organized student started her wildly successful business YourConcierge in 2003, the third year of her Commerce degree studies.

“I’m a personal assistant, there just for you,” explains the in-demand Cole Harbour resi-dent, who lives on a cell phone and keeps a mobile office in her car. “What exactly is it I do?That’s a list that never ends.”

Nominated in both the New Business of the Year and Small Business of the Year categoriesfor the 2004 Halifax Chamber of Commerce Business Awards, Abbott has been entrusted witheverything from buying $600 worth of particular candy for a wedding reception to organizing a

yard sale for a rental property owner whose tenant did amidnight dash.

Charging flat or hourly ratesdepending on the task, Abbott offers

her own skills and that of a sterling list ofcontacts for both personal and professional

needs (www.your-concierge.ca). She isincreasingly a fixture at business trade

shows, as large corporations recog-nize her sanity-saving service can

enhance the life of hard-workingemployees.

“We can prepare your HSTreturn, organize your homeoffice and then go get your gro-ceries,” explains Abbott(BCom’05). She is specializingin entrepreneurship and credits

that Commerce department pro-gram for a job she loves.

“It gave me answers to ques-tions I didn’t even know Ihad,” she says. “This iswhat I wanted to do with mylife.”

– Cathy MacDonald

On-line donation‘fast, safe and easy’Making a donation to supportDalhousie will get a little easier earlyin 2005. Thanks to recent up-gradesto our computer technology, Dal willbe able to accept your credit card dona-tion on-line through a secure weblink.

Thousands of alumni and friendsalready give to Dal via the mail and ourphone program. “With today’s securetechnology, it made sense for us tomake on-line giving available. Many ofour alumni were asking for it, aswell,” says Mary Ann Daye, exec-utive director of UniversityAdvancement.

On-line giving is fast, safe and easyto do and can be accessed through our

On the go so you don’t have to be –Amanda Abbott of Your Concierge

Photo: Abriel

Sex cells

Birds do it. Bees do it. And now, even microscopic Archaea do it.A trio of Dalhousie researchers has discovered that Halorubrum, a

group of bacteria-like organisms that thrive in extremely salty environ-ments, are a promiscuous lot. They’ve shown that, in nature, theseorganisms have “sex” and they do it all the time, even betweenspecies.

Senior researcher Dr. Thane Papke, graduate student Jeremy Koenig

and Dr. W. Ford Doolittle, Canada Research Chair in Evolutionary

Biology, all of the Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, have

revealed the “sexual habits” of these frisky and mysterious creatures in

a paper titled “Frequent Recombination in a Saltern Population of

Halorubrum.” The paper appears in the 10 December, 2004 issue of the

leading American journal Science.Halorubrum is one genus of Archaea, a category of single-celled

organisms similar to Bacteria, although they aren’t thought to causeinfection. The name “Archaea” comes from the fact that many of theseorganisms live in extremely hot or salty environments, much like theconditions on Earth billions of years ago.

This knowledge is on the cutting edge of biogeography, an emerg-ing field in microbiology. It will be used to compare populations ofArchaea found in similar environments throughout the world, to deter-mine if genes are shared between them, or if different populations areevolving separately.

The paper was developed in collaboration with researcher FranciscoRodriguez-Valera at the Universidad Miguel Hernandez in Spain, andwith support from Genome Atlantic and the Canadian Institutes forHealth Research.

– Files from CharlesCrosby, Catherine Youngand Kristen Loyst

From far and wide: visitorsco me for Open House

w i n t e r 2 0 0 5 7

Dalhousie was abuzz with excitement andenthusiasm on October 22 and 23, 2004 asguests from Ontario, Quebec, the AtlanticProvinces, Bermuda and New Englanddescended upon each of the three campusesand took in over 260 displays, open lectures,classes, and special events.

A highlight of Open House was Reachfor Dalhousie, a high school quiz tourna-ment based on “Reach for the Top”, whichhad schools from across the province vyingfor the top prize of a year’s tuition.

Dal was alive with community and campusspirit as guests of all ages enjoyed the sightsand sounds. For many it was a trip downmemory lane, and a chance to picture sons,daughters or grandchildren following theirexample and gracing the doors of the universi-ty.

For others, such as potential students, itwas a chance to experience Dalhousie inti-mately, through interactive science shows, lec-tures, seminars and displays.

Congratulations to online survey respon-dent Eileen Hurst, (BScPharm’93), who wona laptop computer for participating.

– Keri Irwin

Open House visitors take in an exhibit at theHuman Motion Lab

Grad student Jeremy Koenigwith senior researcher

Dr.Thane Papke


Photos: Abriel

w i n t e r 2 0 0 5 9

Choosing a

Maritimelifestyle

“THE CUSTOMER IS WHAT

matters. Treat the customerswell, and treat the employees

well, so that they can take good care of thecustomers, and everything else will prettymuch take care of itself.”

He makes it sound simple, but admitsit’s not easy.

At just 54 years of age, Bill Black(BA, BSc’70) is preparing to adapt thatphilosophy for a whole new audience, as

he seeks the Tory nomination in HalifaxCitadel, and a seat in the provincial legis-lature.

Nine months after walking away froma 34-year career that took him to the high-est echelons of Canadian business, andarguably to the pinnacle of the businessworld in Atlantic Canada, Bill Blackremains as certain as ever that successcomes from putting people and values first.Profits belong somewhere down the list.

by Jim Vibert (BA’77)

Bill Black is still on message. It’s all about putting people and valuesfirst – a pretty good political platform?


For illustration, he cites the mostfamous product-tampering incident ofthem all – Tylenol. In 1982, when itcame to light someone was poisoningTylenol in Chicago, the manufacturer,Johnson & Johnson pulled the pills offthe shelves – everywhere. When it cameback, Tylenol set a new standard fortamper-proof packaging. The productrecovered and eventually assumed theprominent place it holds in the markettoday. The case is often cited as a tri-umph of public relations.

Not so, says Black. It’s about values.“Johnson and Johnson understood

that they were in the business of makingpeople well. It was about their values.There was never a question. Take it offthe shelves.”

As for the current litany of corporatemalfeasance (Enron, Worldcom, Tyco,Wall Street), Black says the “disgraced”corporations lost sight of whatever valuesthey had to begin with.

During Bill Black’s eight years asCEO of Maritime Life, theHalifax-based insurance com-

pany grew from fewer than 1,000employees to nearly 3,000. Most of thatgrowth came through acquisitions.Confederation Life, Aetna, Royal &SunAlliance – Maritime Life swallowedthem all.

The past decade was a time of consol-idation in the insurance, and many other,industries. In the cut and thrust world ofcorporate mergers and acquisitions,Maritime Life was a player, and Blackwas its leader.

w i n t e r 2 0 0 5 11

Bill Black is the third generation of hisfamily to work at Maritime Life. He start-ed at age 15, working summers and, aftergraduating from Dalhousie University, hejoined the company fulltime in 1970. Bythen, Maritime Life had been purchasedby Boston-based insurance giant JohnHancock Financial Services.

“Hancock pretty much left us alonewhile things were going well, and for themost part things went well,” said Blackwith typical understatement. MaritimeLife was a thriving, growing success story.By 1993, having worked most every job inthe company, Black became COO, andtwo years later, CEO.

It wasn’t long after, that MaritimeLife became the employer of choice, cer-tainly in Halifax. The company startedshowing up, first on regional, then nation-al, lists of the best places to work.

In 2003, Maritime Life boasted anemployee satisfaction level of 91 per cent.That is remarkable for any large organi-zation but doubly so because MaritimeLife had, over the preceding five yearsand through major acquisitions, bal-looned from 900 to 2,900 employees.Perhaps more remarkable, in a separatesurvey, 97 per cent of Maritime Lifeemployees understood how their particu-lar job fit into the big picture, and sup-ported exceptional customer service.How does that happen?

“You have to work at it. Companyleadership has to live it. Everybody in theplace, including the CEO, is subordinate toit.” And when new people come in, Blacksaid, whether through large acquisitions ornew hiring, it is vital that they are part andfeel part of their new organization.

Equally important is the willingnessto “exit” – fire – people who “don’t get it,”Black said, and that is difficult, “some-times they are friends, and we all want toavoid conflict, and we can all find excusesand reasons to ignore those kinds of prob-lems.”

But, he said, the harm they can do tothe organization and to the motivation ofothers around them is potentially devas-tating.

In 2004, Maritime Life found itself onthe other end of a corporate acquisition,when Manulife bought Hancock, andwith it gained control of Maritime.Initially, it looked like Black would stayon, but when Manulife decided theywanted the executive team in Ontario, BillBlack, a lifelong Haligonian, said ‘nothanks.’

In the fall of 2004, Black joinedDalhousie’s Board of Governors, andfrom that vantage point, along with

the experience gained earning twoDalhousie degrees, and putting three kidsthrough college, he believes there are afew lessons the academic world can learnfrom the corporate world.

“People are born with an innate desireto do a good job. Bureaucracies beat thatout of them.”

Bill Black doesn’t believe universities– or governments for that matter – have amonopoly on creating bureaucracy. Hehas seen plenty of private sector bureau-cracies take root and flourish. But heclearly thinks smart and successful organ-izations know how to resist “stultifying”employees through a proliferation of

rules, regulations and processes – bureau-cracy.

“The difference is a high tolerance formistakes,” he said. The best organizationshave that.

“They (the best organizations) lettheir people make decisions. And, for themost part with good people, those judg-ments are reasonable given the circum-stances and information available at thetime. If they turn out to be wrong, yousupport that employee rather than create arule or set of rules to make sure it neverhappens again.”

Another area where Black says thepublic sector should take a lesson from theprivate is in HR policy. He believes gov-ernment, universities and other publicinstitutions look the other way rather thandeal with personnel issues.

They have to learn you . . . “can’t tol-erate deadwood. It drags down the goodpeople.”

The ultimate lesson, however, goesback to the Maritime Life conviction –and they proved it works – that the share-holders’ interest can be served well byhaving satisfied customers created by sat-isfied employees.

Then he tells the “famous” story aboutNordstrom – the high end US-baseddepartment store.

Seems a customer comes intoNordstrom’s and asks for an item the storedoes not carry. The clerk not only pointsout that the item is available from a com-petitor, but actually leads the customer outof Nordstrom, to the competitor store,and finds the requested item.

You get the feeling Bill Black wouldhire the guy in a minute.

”“People are born with an innate desire to do agood jo b. Bureaucracies beat that out of them.

dal


Go outside and

Remember those days? A new study provides a ‘wake up call’

to reintroduce physical activity into everyday life

by Dawn Morrison (BJ(K)'93)

AT FIRST, I THOUGHT IT WAS

adorable. I was in the car withmy three-year-old twins, andwe passed by a well-known fast

food restaurant. When my son saw thefamiliar giant logo standing in the sky, hesang a very catchy jingle, and then bothkids asked for fries and chicken nuggets.

I’ll admit that my kids are no strangersto chicken nuggets. From time to time, wedo treat them to this particular fast foodrestaurant’s colourful, nicely-packagedkids’ meals, and their accompanying toys.

With my husband working thatevening, and only about two hours toarrange supper, playtime, a bath and story,swinging through the drivethrough was atempting thought. For two busy workingparents, it is difficult sometimes to keepfast food a “treat” instead of a habit. Thatevening, I stayed firm and opted for ahealthy meal at home.

I thought about this incident later. Atthree, my son had not only recognizedthe logo, and learned the jingle, but alsoknew to connect these things with aproduct. It was a bit disturbing. Whilethe sound of his little voice chirping thejingle was incredibly cute (I even had himsing it for his grandparents on thephone), the fact remained that my tod-dlers had not only recognized this restau-rant, but were now trained to bug me forits products.

Recently, disturbing health trends arecoming to light, fueled in part by ourincreasing consumption of fast food cou-pled with a sedentary lifestyle. Physicalinactivity is a major public health andsocial issue in North America, with stud-ies showing links between the increase inthe number of children and youth leadinginactive lives, the rise of overweight teensand adults, and an increase in preventable

diseases such as type 2 diabetes, coronarydisease and some cancers. At Dalhousie,Dr. Phil Campagna’s research on physicalactivity levels of Nova Scotia’s children ishelping to provide a better understandingof this issue.

Perhaps the most troubling aspect ofthis trend is the rise of child inactivityand obesity. The Canadian Institute forHealth Information (CIHI) recentlyreleased data showing a large increase inobesity rates among children over thelast two decades (although these ratesappear to be stabilizing). Today inCanada, about 36 per cent of childrenaged 2 to 11 are considered overweight,and of those, 10 per cent are obese. Thepercentage of overweight children todayis more than three times as high as in1981, and the rate of obesity is five timeswhat it was then.

Nova Scotians have the highest per-

play

w i n t e r 2 0 0 5 13

centage of overweight people in the coun-try, according to the CIHI, and childrenfrom Atlantic Canada are considered atthe highest risk of being overweight. Thisis attributed to poor eating habits, com-bined with a lack of exercise.

Dr. Campagna’s research supportsthese national statistics. Dr. Campagna isa professor and associate director of grad-uate studies in the School of Health andHuman Performance at Dalhousie. Heteaches such courses as Advanced FitnessAssessment, Exercise Prescription and

Lifestyle Counselling.He is the principal investigator for an

ongoing research project examining phys-ical activity levels of Nova Scotia childrenand youth, with the first phase conductedduring the 2001-2002 school year.Interestingly, his data shows a clear trendtoward less and less physical activity aschildren get older.

The purpose of the study was todetermine the percentage of children and youth who accumulate 60 minutes of moderate or higher physical activity

on five or more days of the week. Datawas gathered using a technical devicecalled an accelerometer. The intent wasto examine the factors which maycontribute to the physical activity levelsof children and youth in the province.The results of this study will be used as abenchmark for future studies which willcontinue over the next several years.

The study found that 90 percent ofgrade three boys and girls accumulated 60minutes or more of moderate and vigorousphysical activity on five or more days of

Photos: Muir


the week. Among grade seven students,only 62 per cent of males and 44.5 per centof females met the 60 minutes require-ments. By grade 11, only 12.6 per cent ofmales, and 6.9 per cent of females accu-mulated 60 minutes or more of activity.

“This study sends a clear message – ifwe want our children to grow up to behealthy adults, then physical activity has tobe re-introduced into modern, everydaylifestyles,” said Dr. Campagna. “It’s awake-up call for all of us – individuals,families, communities, schools, munici-palities, and provincial and federal govern-ments.”

“This is ground-breaking researchthat will give Nova Scotia accurate infor-mation on which to base future planningand monitor change over time,” said Dr.Campagna. “We know that the increase in

preventable disease associated with physi-cal inactivity has been a growing concernof governments across Canada, the UnitedStates and Europe in recent years. Nowwe have a benchmark for Nova Scotia thatwill allow us to measure how we’re doing.”

It reflects a growing challenge for allof us. What initiatives are in place to helpbusy families and individuals stay off thecouch and out of the drivethrough?

The Government of Nova Scotia hasannounced new plans to invest signifi-cantly in health promotion, much ofwhich will be used to try and improve thehabits of children. Specifically, part of thefunding will go towards promoting physi-cal activity, and healthy eating amongkids.

The private sector is also movingtoward innovative approaches to address

these challenges. A newinteractive fitness centre forkids has opened inDartmouth, N.S., designedto “trick” kids into exercis-ing through the use of videogames. Rather than spendhours sitting on the floor infront of the television, andusing only their thumbs tosimulate movement, kidscan go to the BulldogInteractive Fitness Centreand get moving on a PS 2Game Bike, climb to thetop of “Mount Everest” onthe Treadwall, or try outtheir dance moves onDance Dance revolution(DDR), a specialized dancemachine.

Dalhousie graduateRyan Mclellan (BScK’00) isbringing his knowledge offitness and heath promotionto this new venture, by edu-cating families about thebenefits of exercise. “Ouraim is to show that there areways to make exerciseenjoyable tor today’s youth

who love video games and computers, andalso to educate parents in the fundamen-tals of fitness and nutrition,” he says.

By providing youth with positiveactivities that encourage and enable themto exercise, it is hoped that kids will expe-rience the additional benefits, includingimprovements in well-being, self-esteemand friendship building.

For busy individuals and families, Dr.Campagna says the key to a healthierlifestyle is to make good choices, andmake exercise fun, especially for kids.

“Kids have to play a little more, andparents have to instill a sense of joy in exer-cise, to make it fun. You have to set anexample for them, by incorporating moreexercise into your own lifestyle,” he says. “Iknow that parents are busy, and there does-n’t seem to be enough time in the day. But,

“ ”It’s a wake-up call for all of us – individuals,

families, communities, schools, municipalities,

and provincial and federal governments.

With an increased emphasis on safety,many of today’s parents are uncomfort-able letting kids roam outside to playunsupervised. Unfortunately, this can

mean a loss of valuableplaytime and exercise fortoday’s kids. Busy parentshave to be innovative towork exercise and healthyeating into their families’lives.

Dr. Phil Campagnateaches a course inlifestyle counseling to

address these very issues, and offers thefollowing tips for families on the run.

A surprising outcome of Dr. Phil’sresearch indicates that across the board,kids tend to be less active on weekends.Use weekends to plan extensive physicalactivities with the kids, a game of base-ball in the backyard, a pickup game ofhockey with the neighbourhood kids, ora longer walk or hike.

Take a walk with the kids every evening,even if it is just a short walk around theblock. Older kids can follow along ontheir bikes. Even a small amount of exer-cise is valuable if done every day.Everyone will eat and sleep well, and

this provides some great family time tocatch up on the day’s events.

For a supper on the run, instead of get-ting fast food, try a vegetarian pizzawith extra veggies.

A movie night with the kids is still agreat activity, but consider a switch inmovie treats. Instead of chips, dips andcandy, substitute low-fat, tasty snackslike popcorn and pretzels.

For adults who can’t dedicate an hourevery day to the gym, look for ways touse your existing time and space to geta few minutes of exercise throughoutthe day. Instead of aiming for a 30-minute workout each day, it maybe easier to get three 10-minuteblocks in.

Always take stairs instead of theelevator. If there are lots of stairsin your building, try going up anddown them for ten minutes twicea day.

When driving to work or the mall,park farther away than you nor-mally would. You will avoid thestress of circling the parking lot

looking for the perfect spot, and work inan extra few minutes of valuable exer-cise.

Try heart rate monitors and pedometers– inexpensive technology that can assistyou to track your daily attempts to getmore physical fitness.

Keep exercise fun! Discover new activi-ties that you can enjoy. Branch out – youmay find that you are a natural at kayak-ing, rock wall climbing, squash, karate,kickboxing, or any number of activitiesyou and your family had not consideredbefore.

Dal’s Dr. Phil has lifestyle tips for busy families

even if you take your kids out for 15 -20minutes a day after work, go for a walk,play some pick-up hockey with the olderkids, or kick a ball around with the littleones, this will have a tremendously posi-tive impact on the health of your family.”

Dr. Campagna has some valuableadvice when looking at the road ahead.He says that although most of us preparefinancially for our retirement, we do not

always prepare for it physically. The bestway to do that is to establish and maintainhealthy lifestyle habits while we are stillyoung. “We want to have a good quality oflife when we are older. When I am in my70s and even my 80s, I want to enjoy mylife, and my grandchildren, not to be sickor disabled by a stroke or heart attack.Thebest way to ensure our future health is tostart now, and maintain good, healthy

habits throughout our lives.”

w i n t e r 2 0 0 5 15

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A fine

balancePhotos: Abriel

w i n t e r 2 0 0 5 17

“IF THEY ARE READY TO GO ON TIME, and not acting up,they can listen to the music of their choice on the wayto school. If not, it’s mom’s choice – CBC Radio,” she

says, with a broad smile. “For the first part of the year, they weretotally up on the news.”

On this drizzly November morning, the Dalhousie grad andPresident and CEO of Credit Union Atlantic confides that she

fell asleep the previous evening at 2 a.m., only to get up threehours later to “do it all over again.” It is not uncommon forEleanor to get home at about 7 p.m., spend time with her fami-ly, and when the children are in bed, work again until the smallhours of the morning. She relays this with a hearty laugh, with-out a trace of the complaint that might be expected from some-one with such a grueling schedule.

Eleanor (Findlay) Humphries (BSc’80, MBA’99) has worked out aunique arrangement with her children – one that makes the daily morningrush go more smoothly.

by Dawn Morrison (BJ(K)'93)

A fine balance


For Humphries, the key tosuccess is balance. Along withboundless energy and enthusi-asm, she considers confidence,organizational skills, fairnessand respect essential for lead-ership.

Of all the qualities neededfor good leadership, the mostimportant is the ability to lis-ten, she says, “I think today weundervalue the importance oflistening. We talk a lot aboutlistening to people, but do weactually do it? Do we actuallyhear what they are saying, andtake the time to think abouttheir point of view, and reflecton it?”

“I see the value of activelistening at the office, and athome. If an employee is at your

door, you know that it is important, andyou should make time for them. I see it athome, especially with my 14-year-old,sometimes rather than talk to them par-ent-to-child, it is better to talk person-to-person, to really understand where theyare coming from.”

Of course, the communication andpeople skills needed for leadership mustalso go hand-in-hand with vision.“Having a direction for your organizationis important, and a large part of that is theCEO’s vision. Having said that, you alsohave to engage people. No one person isgoing to get you there, you have to have a

strong team environment. A large part ofthat is believing in your people and theirskills. You have to have confidence intheir abilities to execute that vision.”

To say the past five years have beenbusy would be an understatement. Aftercompleting her MBA at Dalhousie in1999, she took the helm of Credit UnionAtlantic. In that time, she turned thecompany’s finances around, taking a$1.75-million loss, and creating a netincome that continues to grow. She hasfostered a strong and committed teamenvironment, and earned two “Top 50CEO” awards (2002 and 2003).

Dr. Abol Jalilvand, Dean of Dal-housie’s Faculty of Management, says shehas a strong sense of determination. “Shehas also given back to the Faculty ofManagement by participating in variousacademic and promotional activities,including membership on the searchcommittee for directorship of the businessschool a few years ago,” he adds.

Her achievements as a busy executiveare remarkable, but if you ask her, she’llsay her most important accomplishmenthas been raising a large family with herhusband Gary, and finding the balance,energy and good humour to do it all, anddo it all well.

“Eleanor demonstrates incredibledetermination, however, this is alwaystempered with compassion and under-standing of others. She clearly recognizesthe need for balance in her life and havingbeen born in Scotland, she is true to her

“”

I think today we undervalue the

importance of listening. We

talk a lot about listening to

people, but do we actually do it?

heritage through maintaining strong fam-ily values along with a commitment toboth work and education,” says Gary. “Sheundeniably follows in the footsteps of herlate father, Dr. John Findlay, who dis-played these personal characteristicsthroughout his life.”

Rounding out many family and workcommitments is a dedication to com-munity leadership. Eleanor is an active vol-unteer and serves on the Boards ofInNOVAcorp, the Nova Scotia Com-munity College Foundation, ArmbraeAcademy, and the Mental HealthFoundation of Nova Scotia.

On this particular day, a meeting ather son’s school has pushed her scheduleforward, which means back-to-backmeetings until after 6 p.m. Lunch consistsof a quick bite on the run. Missing aschool visit, however, is not an option.

“I really try to make sure that familypriorities are met,” she says. “If there is amedical appointment, a meeting, a schoolrecital, or concert – we’re there. Those arethe things you just can’t get back.”

Time management means morethan just maximizing productivityat the office. Not a minute of her

day is wasted. She credits the support ofher husband and a nanny in helping to maintain that all-important balance,but also enlists another ally in the dailyfight against the clock. “I try to use whatever tools available to make themost of my day, including technology,”she says. This could mean using herBlackberry to check e-mails while wait-ing for a plane, or taking the drive hometo dictate notes and memos for the nextday. “Ten minutes here and there canreally make a difference.”

In fact, the long commute fromHalifax to her home in St. Margaret’s Bayforms an integral part of her day. “Somedays, I use that drive home just to decom-press. When you’ve had a long day, with alot of meetings, or issues, it’s important to

remember that it’s not your children’sfault. In the space of about an hour, youmay go from talking with the CEO of amajor company, to a six-year-old whowants to share his day at school. And thesix-year-old talking about his day in gradeprimary is just as important as your con-versation with the CEO.”

Determination is a word that rushes tomind in reviewing the list of Eleanor’saccomplishments. “My mother alwayssaid that I knew where I wanted to gofrom a young age, and also knew how toget there,” she says.

Growing up, both parents instilled thevalue of hard work, self-sufficiency, andthe importance of education. Even then,she was a person who was confident, andcomfortable being herself.

“I was a funny kind of kid, because onone hand I would love to wear dresses andlook pretty, but I was also the girl hangingfrom the highest branch on the tree.”

Her parents taught her to value herindependent spirit, and she learned a greatdeal from her father, Dr. Findlay. “He hadsuch respect for people, no matter whothey were, or what they did,” she said.“And, he always made time for family. Heworked extremely hard, but when it wastime for family, he was there.”

What’s next for this busy executive?She says she is giving seri-ous consideration to a doc-torate, and would somedaylike to teach. “Retirement isnot on my horizon,”Humphries says, lookinginto a future filled withchallenge and possibility.

w i n t e r 2 0 0 5 19

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D a l u m n i

Award named for‘Caretaker’ of CanLitThe many colleagues and friends of the lateDr. Malcolm Ross, Professor Emeritus inthe Department of English, have providedboth the inspiration and the support for anew scholarship. The Dr. Malcolm RossGraduate Scholarship in English will supportan outstanding student entering the Mastersprogram in English at Dalhousie.

Dr. Ross, who died in November 2002,aged 91, was celebrated for his many contri-butions to Canadian literature and culture. Inthe mid-1950s, he persuaded publisher JackMcClelland of the value of a series ofCanadian paperbacks. For two decades, Rosswas general editor of McClelland & Stewart’sNew Canadian Library, a vital reprint series ofCanadian fiction and poetry. He is wellremembered for fostering the development ofCanadian literature. He humbly describedhimself as a ‘caretaker’.

“His greatest joy came from his stu-dents,” recounts his daughter, Julie Ross.The scholarship is most fitting as Dr. Rosswas instrumental in establishing the gradu-ate program in the English Department.

Student financial aid growsDalhousie University is working hard toshape the futures of its students by creatingopportunities for educational advances. Adirect way to do this is by placing an empha-sis on building financial support for students.

In fact, with the fifth-largest endowmentinvestment in the country with a market valueof $280 million, Dalhousie now has morethan 900 separate endowments that directlysupport students through awards, prizes,scholarships, bursaries and programs.

Adding the on-campus employment thatDalhousie is able to provide for students, theUniversity spends $34 million annually in stu-dent financial aid, which is almost 40% of thetuition paid by its 15,500 students. Increasingthis support is a University priority, andDalhousie is extremely grateful to the gen-erosity of the many, many donors who arebehind this success.

– Natasha LaRoche

Make sure to visit our events scheduleonline for details and updates: www.dal.caand click on Alumni & Friends

For more information about events pleasecontact [email protected] (unless oth-erwise noted).

Look for events in the following cities:Halifax – March/April 2005 – Movie NightSan Francisco – April 2005Toronto – April/May 2005Vancouver – May 2005 Annapolis Valley – May 2005

Calgary Alumni Lobster DinnerMay 13, 2005, 6 p.m. reception, 7 p.m. dinnerGlencoe Club,636-29 Avenue SW, CalgaryFor more information, please contact:

Joseph Macdonald, (MBA’91) at

[email protected]

or Wendy Mullane, (MBA’02) at [email protected]

Calgary Engineering Lobster DinnerMay 14, 2005, 6 p.m. reception, 7 p.m. dinnerBig Rock Brewery, 5555-76th Ave SE, Calgary

For more information, please contact:

Jon MacConnell, BEng ’97 at

[email protected]

25th Reunion – BN (Basic) Class of 1980BN (Basic) grads of 1980 are planning a reunion

for June 2005. If you are interested in attend-

ing please email Joan Hamilton at

[email protected].


Eventswww.dal.ca/alumniCome join us !

Classes of’39 and ’44

Classof ’54

Class of ’49

Reunion classes gather

Alumnae night out – fun at Torontopub night in November

w i n t e r 2 0 0 5 21

10th Reunion – Dalhousie PhysiotherapyClass of ’95July 1-3, 2005Stanley Bridge Country Resort, Stanley Bridge PEI

www.stanleybridgeresort.com (1.800.361.2882)

Contact : [email protected]

Please make bookings with the hotel directly

and contact the reunion committee for further

information.

Halifax – Dalhousie Annual DinnerSeptember 29, 2005Westin Nova Scotian Hotel, 6 p.m. for 7 p.m.

Contact: Darlene Jarvis at 902.494.1697 or

1.866.225.8043 or [email protected]

Halifax – Dalhousie Law Alumni AnnualDinner and Reunion WeekendSeptember 30 to Oct 2, 2005Contact: Katherine Stanford at 902.494.5100

or [email protected]

Ottawa Christmas reception, December 2004

Harold Cook, Dean of Medicine withSusan Barry (DDS’83) and MichaelBarry (MD’82), hosts at the Saint Johnreception in November

Fall Reunion 2004Fall Reunion 2004 was packed with events for

alumni who attended. Receptions, classlunches, university tours and the

Dalhousie Annual Dinner made for amemorable visit with plenty of chances

to renew friendships and relive Dal daysgone by.

The Annual Dinner was a gala affair featur-ing inspiring appearances by alumni Olympicathletes Karen Furneaux (BScK’00), SteveGiles (BSc’97, BEng’02), David Kukuchi(BSc’01), and Mike Scarola (MBA’04) and aperformance by jazz musician Dani Oore(BMus’02). Entrepreneur Tanya Shaw-Weeks(CCS’91) was dinner speaker and PresidentTom Traves outlined Dal’s successes and aspi-

rations for the future. Teaching award winner Steve Coughlan (LLB’85) and ArchibaldAward winners Peter Doig, (BA’51, BCom’53), Ron Gilkie (BSc’60, BEng’62, MEng’64)and the Dal Alumni Women’s Division were congratulated. Special guests were members ofthe 1954 Football Team, winners of the Purdy Cup, who were inaugural inductees to theDalhousie Sport Hall of Fame.

Don’t miss the celebrations this year. Mark your calendars for Fall Reunion 2005,September 29-30.

2005 Alumni Award for Teaching ExcellenceAs a professor at Dalhousie Law School for the past 12years, Steve Coughlan (LLB’85) has made a memo-rable and lasting impact on many students. Coughlan ispraised as an innovative lecturer with a dynamic andaccessible style, striving to ensure that learning is anactive, enjoyable experience.

Librarian honoured by alumni associationThe Associated Alumniof the School of Libraryand Information Studiespresented Dalhousielibrarian Judy Dunn(MLIS’83) with the2004 OutstandingAlumni Award. Dunn’senduring commitment tothe School of Libraryand Information Studies(SLIS), her active par-ticipation in professionalbodies and the large net-work of alumni and students she supports - all are hall-marks of her outstanding contribution.

Dalhousie Sport Hall of Fame inducteesInaugural inductees in thebuilder category were LoisMacGregor (BPE’70), vol-leyball coach 1975-85, whoseteams won five conferencechampionships, CIAU gold in1982 and CIAU silver medalin 1984, and Nigel Kemp,varsity swim coach since 1971.Under Nigel’s guidance,Dalhousie swim teams havecaptured 27 AUAA champi-onships.

Hall of famer MacGregor

Eventswww.dal.ca/alumni

At a special reunion luncheon hosted by PresidentTraves, Gerald (Fuzz) Foster (Arts ’49) showed offa prize Dal souvenir

1 9 5 5John W. Alward, LLB, was named theHonourary President of the Nova ScotiaBarristers’ Society for the 2004/05 year. He isalso Honorary Colonel of the 1st (Halifax-Dartmouth) Field Artillery Regiment RCA(M). John continues to practice law as counselto the Halifax office of Patterson Palmer andresides in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

1 9 6 4Leslie Shaw, BA, was selected as the 2004Janssen-Ortho Inc. Volunteer of the Year forher work with the metro Halifax clinic ofPlanned Parenthood. Leslie began her volun-teer work as one of the first board membersand is still very much involved as an executiveboard member and committed volunteer.

1 9 6 7Allen M. Ruben, Q.C., BCOM, SwedishConsul for New Brunswick and PrinceEdward Island was honored at a receptionhosted by his Excellency Lennart Alvin,Swedish Ambassador to Canada at OldGovernment House in Fredericton on August3, 2004. His Excellency conferred upon Mr.Ruban the distinction of Knight of the RoyalOrder of the Polar Star, in recognition of mer-itorious personal service to Sweden.

1 9 6 8Don Allan Lee, BSC, is currently living inTrinidad, West Indies and is very interested infinding classmates and friends from 1965-68,contact him at [email protected].

Jan Zatzman Orlansky, BA, recentlymoved to Skopje,Macedonia with her husbandMichael, Public Affairs Officer at the USEmbassy, where they expect to be for the nextthree years. Dal graduates visiting Macedoniacan reach her at [email protected].

1 9 7 9W. Brent Cotter, Q.C., LLB’74, LLM, formerDalhousie law professor (1977-92), DeputyMinister of Justice (1992-97) and DeputyMinister of Inter-governmental and Abori-ginal Affairs (1997-2004) with the governmentof Saskatchewan, is now Dean of the Collegeof Law at the University of Saskatchewan. Hecan be reached at [email protected].

1 9 8 2Steve Wilcox, BSC, wife Stephanie and sonsBrent and Adam have relocated to OverlandPark, near Kansas City. They welcome fellowalumni in the area to contact them.

John Cairns, MA, recently published hisfirst novel, High Degree of Atrocity, under thepen name, Jay Scott Kanes. A thriller consid-ered politically incorrect in its home market,the book is set in Hong Kong, where John haslived since 1992.

1 9 8 5Margaret Harrison, BA, gave birth to son,John “Jack” Harrison Davie in June 2001.Margaret and husband John work in film andtelevision, Margaret as a production managerand John as an actor and writer. The coupleresides in Halifax.

1 9 8 6Yvonne (Damjanov) Craig, BSC’82, BN,lives in Ottawa with her husband of 15 years,Mark, and their 7-year-old surviving triplets,Robert and Anthony. Yvonne is in charge ofNursing Education and In-service at theRoyal Ottawa Hospital. Yvonne is a memberof the Ottawa Multiple Birth FamiliesAssociation and sits on the board of directorsfor the Ottawa Children’s Treatment Centre.Friends can reach her at [email protected].

1 9 8 7David Chodikoff, Q.C., LLB, is a trial andappellate lawyer for the Department of Justiceand is the conceptualizer, co-editor and con-tributing author of Advocacy and Taxation inCanada.The first book of its kind in the coun-ty, it has over thirty contributors includingthree nationally known justices. Royalties willbe donated to the Canadian Cancer Society.

Richard G. Benwell, BSC’83, DENG’83(TUNS), MBA, LLB, and wife Julia announcethe birth of Anna Faith, May 15, 2004, a sis-ter for Marc Andrew and Christopher. Theyreside in Sackville, NS where Rick is legalcounsel to the IMP Group International Inc.and Julia is the Children’s Pastor at the RockChurch and the director of the Tiny TreasuresNursery School.

C l a s s N o t e s


1 9 8 8Jacquie (Selig) Froom, BSC, and DougFroom, BSC, MSC’92, are pleased toannounce the arrival of their son, Ian Bruce,June 16, 2004, a brother for Alex (1998) andZachary (2001). Jacquie is on maternity leavefrom her research assistant position in theDepartment on Medicine at DalhousieUniversity and Doug is self-employed.Contact them at [email protected].

1 9 9 1Joel D. Greek, BSC, wife Joanne Sparkes, andbig brother Andrew announce the birth ofKaren Jane, August 7, 2004.

James Mitchell, MLIS, and his wifeMoira celebrated the birth of their daughter,Emily this past February. James currentlyworks as the Curator of Rare Books at theNational Library of Scotland in Edinburgh.

Heather (MacDonald) Myrer, BREC,and husband George are pleased to announcethe birth of their son Will, born on October13, 2003. Heather is the Executive Directorof the Nova Scotia Equestrian Federation.Friends and old roommates are asked to con-tact Heather at [email protected].

1 9 9 2Vikas Joshi, BSC, received a degree in med-icine from Ambedkar Medical College,Bangalore University in Bangalore, India.Vikas is now in the process of studying for theCanadian and American medical qualifyingexams.

Anita (Mathur) Sharma, BSC’88, DDSand husband Hemant would like to announcethe birth of their son, Nirav, born May 22,2003, a brother to Kaavya. They reside inToronto and can be reached at [email protected].

1 9 9 3Tina Paige-Acker, BSC, BSCAMC’93 andSteven announce the birth of their secondchild, Samuel Andersen on June 6, 2004, abrother for Issac Michael. Tina is currentlyteaching full time in the Moncton area.

1 9 9 4Jo-Ann Scott, BSC’90, BSCPT, has beenworking in the Middle East for the past fiveyears. Having worked in Kuwait and Dubai,she is now working in Saudi Arabia. Jo-Annwould love to hear from old friends and class-mates by email at [email protected].

S P O T L I G H T O N A L U M N I

Mapping an exciting future

Jeffrey Tracey’s (BSc’77) personal com-pass was firmly set on Alberta when hegraduated. He wasn’t the first to pointhis van westward. “Goin’ Down theRoad” – a film about Maritimers migrat-ing in search of work – was a hit film ear-lier in the decade. His mother’s keen eyessoon changed that and set him in a direc-tion that would take him to Newfound-land, Ottawa, Peru and even Iraq.

She had spotted anad from the NovaScotia Land SurveyInstitute (now COGS)for a new course calledRemote Sensing. Jeffliked photography andhad taken some landsurvey courses. RemoteSensing would com-bine those skills andteach him how to inter-pret and analyze infor-mation about the earthusing photos taken bysatellites. Today, it’sone of the geomatic disciplines, ‘geomat-ics’ being the art, science and technolo-gies related to the management of geo-graphically-referenced information.

Jeff was charting a path few hadtaken back then. The term geomaticswasn’t introduced in Canada until 1988.

It certainly mapped out an amazingcareer. Jeff has used geomatics to followicebergs in the shipping lanes offNewfoundland and map the effects of ElNiño in Peru. It even led to his mapping avery different kind of danger - weapons.

Jeff was part of the last UnitedNations Monitoring and Verification

Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC) teamin Iraq in March 2003. “It was really theculmination of my experiences,” saysJeff. “My biology degree from Dal got mein training as a biological weaponsinspector (and) I had experience in armscontrol related to overhead imaging.”

Less than a month later, the team wasevacuated to Larnaca, Cyprus. “We sat ina bar, watching the bombing,” says Jeff.

“Our HQ in Baghdad was blown up. Itwas pretty close to home.”

Jeff’s place on the map is much qui-eter today. He’s the president of theGeomatics Industry Association ofCanada in Ottawa. Now instead of look-ing for weapons, he looks out for newways to encourage and support geomat-ics suppliers in Canada and helps themfind their own pathways to success.

Keen eyes will spot a Dal sticker onhis car.

– Margaret MacQuarrie

w i n t e r 2 0 0 5 23

Jeff (right) poses with Malath Jessom, a local chemical engineer,during an inspection in Mosul, Iraq, March 2003

C l a s s N o t e s

1 9 9 5LeeAnne (Fullerton) Sullivan, BSCPH, andhusband Phillip announce the birth of theirfirst child, Liam Michael, on September 23,2004 in Summerside, PEI. Friends can con-tact them at [email protected].

David Stevenson, MBA, marriedHeather Vokey on September 4, 2004. Davidis the Vice President of Operations for FirstCommunication Contractors & MapcommCanada.

Angela Proctor, BA’88, MBA, and herfamily have recently relocated to Richmond,Virginia, where she is a Senior ProjectManager with the Invention Factory atCapital One. She and her husband, Leonardwelcomed the birth of a second son in 2002.

1 9 9 6Kyla Matheson, BSC, married CurtisGreenham on September 4, 2004 in herhome town of Markam, Ontario. They residein Irondale, Ontario, where she manages afish hatchery for the ministry of NaturalResources. Curtis and Kyla can be contactedat [email protected].

Darren MacDonald, BSCK, marriedSusan Best in Maui, Hawaii on August 2,2004. Darren is a Certified ProfessionalErgonomist with Humantech, Inc. of AnnArbour, Michigan. The couple resides inCape Breton where Susan teaches elementaryschool.

1 9 9 7Kyle C. Forden, BCOM, and Martha(Purvis) Forden, BSC’95, welcomed theirfirst child, Brendan Ian Daniel, on October 5,2004. Kyle just graduated from the Edwin L.Cox School of Business Professional MBAProgram at the Southern MethodistUniversity in Dallas, Texas. Friends and col-leagues can contact Kyle and Martha [email protected].

Blaine Kent, BSC’93, MD, and JenniferBurke, BA(H)’93, BED’95, along withdaughter Meredith, are pleased to announcethe birth of Graeme Andrew Kenton, August10, 2004. Blaine completed his fellowship incardiothoracic anesthesia at Duke UniversityMedical Centre last year and is currently thehead of cardiac anesthesia at the QEII Health

Science Centre. Jennifer just recently com-pleted her Masters in Education and will

resume her teaching position in the new year.

1 9 9 8Gwynedd (Morgan) Pickett, BSC’92, MDand Andrew Pickett, BSC’94, MSC are nowliving in the United Kingdom with their sonGalen. Andrew is studying voice (coun-tertenor) at the Royal College of Music andGwynedd is completing a fellowship in vas-cular neurosurgery.

Chris Shields, BSCK and wife Mary-Ann are pleased to announce the birth oftheir daughter, Elizabeth Grace, on August18, 2004.

Nicole (Maillet) Barkhouse, BSC

(PHARM), and her husband, ChrisBarkhouse, BSC(PHARM), welcomed theirfirst child, Ethan James on September 18,2004. The couple resides in London, Ontarioand is employed with Shoppers Drug Martwhere Chris is a pharmacists/owner andNicole is a staff pharmacist. Friends can reachthem at [email protected].

1 9 9 9Suzanne Garner, BA, married NicholasThériault on September 24, 2004 in Ottawa,Ontario where the couple resides and workfor the government. Friends can reach themat nicholasandsuzanne@ hotmail.com.

Stephanie R. Linton, MBA, is living inOttawa working at the US Embassy. Friendscan reach her at [email protected].

2 0 0 0Erin (Porter) Christian, BA and husbandScott, welcomed the birth of their son,Branceon Robert on July 10, 2004. Erin

invites anyone from Bronson ’95-’98 to con-tact her at [email protected].

Jennifer (Brown) Clarke, BSC, and herhusband are now living in Calgary, Alberta.Friends can contact Jenn at [email protected].

2 0 0 1Lazarus Yotamu, BEDS’98, MARFP,encourages everyone to come and visit the“most beautiful place on earth”, the ComoxValley.

2 0 0 2Leigh Lampert, LLB, MBA, and DarcieRichler, BA, were married on August 19,

2004 in Toronto. They reside in Ottawawhere Leigh works as an advisor to theHonorable Irwin Cotler, Minister of Justiceand Attorney-General, and Darcie works forthe Canadian Israel Committee. They can bereached at [email protected].

Pamela J. Pearson, DHSA, is pleased toannounce the birth of Laurel Kelly, bornNovember 17, 2003, is a sister for Marin (7)and Ian (4).

2 0 0 4Adam Rock Houston, BSCK, credits theSchool of Health and Human Performancewith providing him a terrific foundation forsuccess within the rehabilitation industry. HisDal education provided him with a distinctedge over others going into the workforce.

Guy André Rohland, BSC, is studyingoptometry at the Pennsylvania School ofOptometry in Philadelphia.

I n M e m o r i a mThomas William Bauld, ARTS AND

SCIENCE, Halifax, N.S. on August 18, 2004.William Fraser Napier, ARTS AND SCIENCE,Oakbay, B.C. on December 2, 2004.Rev. Reginald Charles Rose, ARTS AND

SCIENCE, Port Perry, Ont. on Sept. 28, 2004.Anna Viola (Irving) Sutherland, ARTS AND

SCIENCE, North Brookfield, N.S. onNovember 8, 2004.Norman Carmichael Sinclair, FACULTY OF

MANAGEMENT, Rothsay, N.B. in October,2004.Florence (McMullen) Peel, BA’26, Truro,N.S. in February 2003.Samuel Nathan Rosenberg, MD’39, NewYork, U.S.A. in 2002.Reta Lillian Parker, BA’40, DED’41,Woodville, N.S. on October 25, 2004.Ralph Clarence Laltoo, BA’41, MA’42,Moncton, N.B. on August 26, 2004.Dr. James H. Watson, MD’42, London,Ont. on April 30, 2004.Robert Gordon MacKenzie, MD’43,Ottawa, Ont. on January 17, 2004.Robert Jardine McCleave, BA’43, LLB’46,Halifax, N.S. on September 3, 2004.Edmund Charles Moores Tuff, BENG’45(NSTC), Hamilton, Ont. on Oct. 20, 2004.Murdo Charles Waterfield, DENG’46(NSTC), BSC’46, BENG’49 (NSTC), St.


Halifax Regional Council’s first elected female

councillor Sheila Fougere (BRec’79) is off

and running. Literally and figuratively.

The self-described “soccer mom” enjoys

the community she has lived in her entire life

and works hard to make a difference for its

future. “No matter who you are, whatever your

background, you have something to give and a

lot to gain.”

These words epitomize how Fougere lives

her life and encourages others to do so. A busy

mother of two teenagers and wife of over 22

years, Fougere was the first woman elected to

Halifax Regional Council and has served since

1998 as councilor for District 14, Connaught-

Quinpool. Following the civic election in

October 2004, eight other women joined her at

the table.

Fougere ran for council with the desire to

have representation from an “ordinary” citizen,

however, there is nothing ordinary about her.

She credits her recreation degree with pro-

viding her foundation and skill set needed to be

a councilor. When asked what she enjoys about

her position on council, Fougere replies, “No

day is ever the same . . . and you learn a lot

about where you live.”

Not many can say they have been in the

doorway of a Sea King during flight, in the

tower at the top of the MacDonald Bridge, at

sea for naval exercises on the HMCS

Ville de Québec or in a pumping

station under Dunbrack Street, but

for Sheila Fougere this has all been

part of a day’s work.

A member of countless commu-

nity boards and organizations, vol-

unteering and community involve-

ment has been prevalent in

Fougere’s upbringing. Her father is

81 years old and is a regular volun-

teer with the Meals on Wheels pro-

gram. Her mother, while busy rais-

ing seven children, volunteered in

the hospital, utilizing her medical

training.

Fougere holds a special place

for Dalhousie in her heart. Not only

did she complete her degree here and work as

Dal’s manager of Conference Services and Off-

Campus Housing in the 1980s but, in a way, a

criminology class led to her marriage. Husband

Joe is a member of the Halifax Regional Police

Force. As a requirement of the class, students

had to do a police ride-along and Sheila’s

assignment was with her future husband.

Fougere currently maintains her connection

with Dal as a member of the Community

Committee (DUCC). She enjoys being involved

with students and Dalhousie once again.

Sheila remains active, running and playing

pick up basketball and soccer. She ran her first

half marathon when her son was six months

old and looks forward to completing the full

Blue Nose marathon this spring.

How does she fit everything in? She feels

fortunate, as her work is truly enjoyable, how-

ever, balance is paramount. “You learn to prior-

itize and recognize that there are only so many

hours in the day, so you do what you can, there

is always another day,” says Fougere.

– Keri Irwin


Off the sidelines and into the race

Catharines, Ont. on September 3, 2004.Robert A. Cameron, BSC’48, DENG’48(NSTC), Sudbury, Ont. on April 20, 2004.Geoffrey Payzant, BA’48, Toronto, Ont. onAugust 31, 2004.Harold E. Pippy, BA’48, Burlington, Ont. onFebruary 11, 2004.Dorothy Ann (MacLeod) Aslin, BA’49,BED’59, Halifax, N.S. on September 26,2004.William Harris Martin, XDPHRM’49,Caledonia, NS on October 19, 2004.William Owen Morrow, BCOM’49, Halifax,N.S. on August 16, 2004.

Wilfred Hugh Armstrong, BENG’50,DENG’53, MENG’71(NSTC), GranvilleBeach, N.S. on November 16, 2004.Charles Laughton, LLB’50, London, Ont.on August 30, 2004.James Wendall Mahon, DENG’50, BENG’52(NSTC), Saint John’s, Nfld. on August 26,2004.Robert Stairs Morrow, BENG’50 (NSTC),Toronto, Ont. on October 24, 2004.Sherman Fenwick Homer Zwicker, BA’50,Lunenburg N.S. on November 9, 2004.Ronald Jeffery Noah, BENG’51 (NSTC), St.John’s, Nfld. in 2003.

Donald William Quinlan, BENG’51(NSTC), Kingston, Ont. on August 17, 2004.Col. William Edward Belliveau, BSC’52,Ottawa, Ont. on November 10, 2004.Donald Boyd Good, Q.C., LLB’52,Portsmouth, Ont. on October 13, 2004.Eva M. MacFarlane, DPH’53, Parrsboro,N.S. on August 18, 2004.Dr. Kenneth Tulle, MD’58, Antigonish, N.S.in October, 2004.Dr. Roland Roderick MacDonald, DDS’59,Halifax, N.S. on October 8, 2004.Clarence Stuart MacKinnon, MA’59,Regina, Sask. on September 12, 2004.

w i n t e r 2 0 0 5 25

Halifax City Councilor Sheila Fougere

Photo: Abriel


Derek A. Liddell, DENG’60, BENG’63(NSTC), New Hampshire, U.S.A. onSeptember 5, 2004.Lenora Muriel (Pitcher) Little, BA’60,Halifax, N.S. on November 15, 2004.Dr. Brian Chandler, MD’61, Waverley, N.S.on November 7, 2004.Catherine Ellen Budge, BA’62, BEd’63,Southside Boularderie, N.S. on Sept. 8, 2004.James Chester Hamilton Martin, MA’65,Saint John, N.B. on September 22, 2004.Dr. John Chalmers Jefferson, MD’65,Fredericton, N.B. on August 4, 2004.Kathryn Judy Benson-Logan, BA’67,Halifax, N.S. on October 1, 2004.Donald Verner Moore, BSCPH’67,Fredericton, N.B. on August 26, 2004.Roy Berton Bennett, BED’68, Halifax, N.S.on August 26, 2004.Richard B. Hubley, Q.C., LLB’68,Summerside, P.E.I. on July 24, 2004.Diane Mary (Finch) Sharpe, DPH’68,Texas, U.S.A. on October 29, 2004.Archibald Campbell Clark, MA’71,Edmonton, Alta. on November 16, 2004.Harvey Walter Guilderson, BENG’71(NSTC), Beaver Bank, N.S. on October 12,2004.

Bruce W. Taylor, BSC’72, BENG’74 (NSTC),Ottawa, Ont. on August 7, 2004.Joseph Aucoin, BCOM’73, Boucherville,Qué. in 2001.Joseph Thomas Francis Taranczak,BPE’74, Hamilton, Ont. on January 17, 2004.Jonathan Callum Kerr Stobie, LLB’75,Halifax, N.S. on September 16, 2004.William Andrew Ionson, BA’77, LLB’80,Clementsvale, N.S. in August 2004.Margaret (Cann) MacLean, BA’77, Sydney,N.S. on October 4, 2004.Calvin W. Ruck, DSW’79, LLD’94, Ottawa,Ont. on October 19, 2004.Irene Szuler, PGM’79, Halifax, N.S. onAugust 31, 2004.Patricia Margaret (Forshner) Hicks,BSC’83, South Berwick, N.S. on October, 27,2004.Melanie Smith, BREC’83, BCOM’86,Ottawa, Ont. on September 14, 2004.Shirley Burnham Elliott, LLD’85,Wolfville, N.S. on October 15, 2004.Dorothy Louise (Hebb) Davison, BA’85,Halifax, N.S. on December 7, 2004.Dean Charles Stewart Leddicote, BA’86,Middleton, N.S. on August 31, 2004.

David C. Galloway, MHSA’89, Estevan,Sask. on March 24, 2004.Lawrence Thomas Hancock, LLD’89,Truro, N.S. on September 5, 2004.Martha Anne Mills, BA’97, Toronto, Ont.on August 30, 2004.John MacIntyre, MBA’99, Toronto, Ont. onAugust 28, 2004.Shannon Elizabeth Churchill, BSCN’04,Kentville, N.S. on October 20, 2004.

I N M E M O R I A M

w i n t e r 2 0 0 5 27


Postcard from VeniceIt’s all a matter of perspective, and for self-described “art nut” AnjaliPala (BA(K)’04) landing a job in an Italian art museum put her solidly in

the midst of a personal dreamscape.

The dream job was a three-month internship at the Peggy

Guggenheim Collection in Venice. During fall 2004, Pala spent her days

overlooking the Grand Canal from Guggenheim’s former home, now a

public museum. Described as “the most important museum in Italy for

European and American art of the first half of the 20th Century”, it con-

tains pieces from Picasso to Pollack.

As an intern, Pala was involved in the daily operation of the museum.

She helped prepare the galleries prior to opening, answered questions

from the public, assisted with projects and special events, and gave talks

on the life of Peggy Guggenheim and works in the collection.

Competition is fierce for the coveted internships. Laura Addicott,

Manager, Dalhousie Student Employment Centre, assisted her in prepar-

ing the complicated application, a process that tested even Addicott's

considerable skills.

"The principles that we know and we apply at the Centre

have broad application. What I did was help Anjali understand

where the priorities were for this organization and how to

speak to them about how she can meet their needs," said

Addicott. "She won the internship based on her qualifications

and experience."

The 23-year-old Torontonian was initially drawn to Halifax

after high school to take the Foundation Year Program at the

University of King’s College. While studying for combined hon-

ours in English and history, she used Dalhousie's credit

exchange agreement with the Nova Scotia College of Art and

Design University to her advantage.

"I took English literature and I took history, with as many

NSCAD art history courses as I possibly could. I tailored the

degree to fit my interests."

Pala says the internship opportunity was both an exciting

and valuable caeer experience. “The internship was a key step

in learning more about museums – from curatorial and conservational

issues to the practical elements of maintaining an art museum. I still plan

on pursuing a career in curating – spending every day surrounded by

such incredible works of art was intoxicating and extremely addictive. It

was like Disney World. Well, Disney World for ‘art nuts’.”

– Catherine Young

Anjali Pala (BA(K)’04) on the terrace of the Guggenheim museum in Venice

Finlay Michael MacDonald, LLB’71 passed away on December

30, 2004. He was son of the late Senator Finlay MacDonald and Ann

(MacKenzie) MacDonald. Finlay spent his professional life in broad-

casting and politics and began his broadcasting career while studying

law at Dal. He was CTV’s first national correspondent for Atlantic

Canada, a national reporter for CTV News on Parliament Hill and, in

1977, was the first Canadian journalist to interview Fidel Castro. He

was appointed to a CRTC National Royal Commission and became one

of the nation’s leading regulatory and licensing consultants in the

broadcasting industry. He offered counsel to countless business, polit-

ical and professional leaders. He will be remembered for his compas-

sion and style, infectious laugh and ability to live every moment to the

fullest.

National broadcaster and journalist dies in Halifax


Names: Dr. Norm Schepp andDr. Fran Cozens (with LeonbergersKira and Karma) Jobs: Fran is a physical organicchemist and Norm is a bio organic chemist in the Department ofChemistry.Personal Passion: Showing andbreeding Leonbergers and BerneseMountain DogsNotable Achievements: Best in Showwin with a homebred BerneseMountain Dog; having the all-timetop-winning female Leonbergerwithin Canada and the number onefemale Bernese Mountain Dog with-in Canada for 2002.

“Life is about fulfilling all of

your dreams and aspirations

as best you can.”-Dr. Fran

Cozens

Our laser-based chemistry combines a high degree of creativity and

imagination with the technical skills required to build complex

sophisticated laser systems. • We have published close to 80 scientific

papers, with much of the inspiration for our research coming from each

other. • One of the most satisfying aspects of our profession is mentoring

our graduate students to become independent scientists. • Breeding dogs

is a passion like few others filled with so much emotion, both joyful and

sorrowful. Our dogs are an integral part of our family and we all very

much enjoy spending time together.Research: Keri Irwin

Canine chemistryDal chemistry profs team up in the lab and at the dog show

A t L a s tPhotos: Abriel

Reunion events in HalifaxSEPTEMBER 29-30, 2005For information on planning or volunteering for any reunion, please call

902.494.8801 or [email protected]

Rediscover Dalhousie this fall.

Meet old friends and see what’s new.

A special invitation for the Classes of 1955, 1950, 1945 and earlier

dalhousie · 4 dalhousie alumni magazine science illuminated by art alumni from the faculty of...

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