Campus News Briefs

Trick or treat for a good cause

Join the Winnipeg chapter of Meal Exchange in going door-to-door to raise food for local food banks this Halloween. The group dresses up, goes trick-or-treating and donates everything to food programs around the city.

The event, called “Trick or Eat,” has raised over $1 million in food donations over four years. This year’s goal is $400,000.

“Last year the places we donated to were very grateful because it helped them through the donation lag that happens between Thanksgiving and Christmas,” said co-ordinator Karen McDonald.

Meal Exchange is a student-funded national charity and has been around since 1993.

To participate contact Kim at [email protected].

EcoPIA, Mennonite historian honoured with fall awards

The University of Winnipeg announced its fall award recipients Oct. 14. The awards recognize exceptional service, achievement and distinction. Winners include Richard Graydon, Royden Loewen, Kenneth Meadwell, Mark Ruml, the university library and Ecological People in Action (EcoPIA). Graydon is a U of W graduate who has spent years as principal of various Winnipeg schools. Loewen is a distinguished professor of history and chair of Mennonite Studies. Meadwell has served in the Faculty of Arts since 1983. Ruml has devoted himself to aboriginal religious traditions. The library and EcoPIA are being recognized for helping reduce the university’s environmental impact.

The awards will be presented at fall convocation. The presentations will be webcast at http://www.uwinnipeg.tv.

U of M-led research team awarded funding to study H1N1

The Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR) awarded $300,000 to University of Mantioba professor Satyendra Sharma and his team to study the mechanism of infection and the immune response of patients who experience severe respiratory illness due to H1N1. Sharma is head of respirology in the university’s department of internal medicine, the Health Sciences Centre and St. Boniface General Hospital.

“The research team led by Dr. Sharma and his colleagues nationally, is taking a unique approach to finding answers to the factors associated with Severe Respiratory Illnesses in at-risk populations,” said Digvir Jayas, Vice-President (Research) at the University of Manitoba, in a release. “This collaborative approach will give answers that can be used to reduce the severity of current and future pandemics.”

Campus security van goes green

An OttoView device has been installed in the campus security van by the Centre for Sustainable Transportation (CST) at the University of Winnipeg. The device measures the van’s use, fuel costs and emissions output. The van is used mainly for moving people to and from campus housing, SafeWalk functions and for University errands.

“This is the first stage in a project to electrify the UW campus fleet vehicles,” said CST research director Terry Zdan in a release. “The CST will analyze the geographical information and vehicle diagnostics to identify a range of more sustainable options for future vehicles.”

In preparation for these future vehicles, the CST has outlined rules and guidelines for electric vehicle charging stations for the future Richardson College for the Environment. The data collected by the device will help provide information for the U of W’s sustainability plan.

Published in Volume 64, Number 8 of The Uniter (October 22, 2009)

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