Robertson is one of the most trusted faces in TV news, spending 35 years as Chief Anchor and Senior Editor of the country’s most-watched national newscast, CTV National News. A broadcaster since 1952, Robertson is a three-time Gemini award winner, and member of both the Canadian Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame and the Order of Canada.

“Lloyd’s efforts as a journalist and communicator have made Canada a better place,” says BU President and Vice-Chancellor Deborah Poff. “We applaud his career, his contributions and his national pride.”

In addition to television work, Robertson was honourary chairperson of the Terry Fox Run. In 2006, he received an honourary degree from Royal Roads University in Victoria, BC.

Robertson will receive his BU degree next month, along with 600 BU graduating students.

Brandon University, founded in 1899, promotes excellence in teaching, research, creation and scholarship; educating students so that they can make a meaningful difference as engaged citizens and leaders.

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Michael Decter is President and CEO of the investment company LDIC Inc., author of eight books and popular lecturer with the National Speakers Bureau. A former Deputy Minister of Health for Ontario and Cabinet Secretary in the Government of Manitoba, Decter was the founding Chair of the Health Council of Canada and continues to serve with numerous non-profit health care organizations.

“Michael brings incredible depth to BU, through both his career experiences and vast network,” says University President and Vice-Chancellor Deborah Poff. “We welcome Michael and anticipate that his leadership will help us grow as an institution during his term as Chancellor.”

The BU Senate ratified Decter’s appointment this week. He will be officially installed May 31^st during Convocation, taking over from Henry Champ who passed away in September 2012 during his second term as Chancellor.

Decter, a native Manitoban and recipient of the Order of Canada, served on the Brandon University Foundation and as Chair of the Stanley Knowles Distinguished Professorship Endowment Campaign in the 1980s.  He now resides in Ontario.

Brandon University, founded in 1899, promotes excellence in teaching, research, creation and scholarship; educating students so that they can make a meaningful difference as engaged citizens and leaders.

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Figures released today by BU’s Admissions Department show that 636 persons have applied to attend the University as new students beginning this fall. That compares to 528 in February 2012, 619 in 2011 and 567 in 2010. BU’s overall annual enrollment exceeds 3,000.

“This year to date, we have seen a substantial increase in student applications,” says Murray Kerr, Director of Admissions. “This number includes international and domestic, graduate, undergrad and EAP students – anyone considering BU.”

BU President and Vice-Chancellor Deborah Poff says the numbers show a strong commitment to higher education and, in particular, Brandon University. “Students, parents and alumni recognize that we offer a quality of education unavailable at other institutions. We are proud of that and welcome each student who chooses BU.”

Students wishing to be considered for BU’s substantial scholarship program must apply by March 1^st. Over the past year, the University has awarded more than $1.4-million dollars in scholarships.

Brandon University, founded in 1899, promotes excellence in teaching, research, creation and scholarship; educating students so that they can make a meaningful difference as engaged citizens and leaders.

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Dr. David Greenwood, with Simon Fraser University evolutionary biologists Drs Bruce Archibald and Rolf Mathewes, discovered that parts of Canada some 50 million years ago enjoyed tropical weather and a wider range of living organisms. Their findings have been published in the international scientific journal Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology.

“This is new proof,” says Dr. Greenwood, “on an important hypothesis that fewer species live on temperate mountain tops because of the wide swing in seasonal temperature, whereas tropical mountains are highly diverse because migration between mountains is more difficult than in temperate areas.”

The team studied fossil beds from British Columbia and Washington state, which provided a unique view into the warmer, less seasonal weather which previously enveloped much of the earth.

“These fossil beds were laid down during a time when little to no ice was present on the earth,” says Dr. Greenwood. “We found great diversity amongst fossil insects across a wide range of sites, meaning the climate at the time was less seasonal – more like the tropics today – enabling more species to flourish.”

Dr. Greenwood’s research is funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.

Brandon University, founded in 1899, promotes excellence in teaching, research, creation and scholarship; educating students so that they can make a meaningful difference as engaged citizens and leaders.

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Dr. Egan holds a Ph.D. in Forest Science from The Pennsylvania State University and is currently the Executive Director of the New Mexico Forest and Watershed Restoration Institute at New Mexico Highlands University.  Dr. Egan previously served as Dean of the School of Forestry and Natural Resources at Paul Smith’s College in New York and as a Professor and Canada Industrial Chair designee at Université Laval in Québec.  He is the recipient of several awards for teaching and research excellence, including a Senior Fulbright Scholarship (2004).  Dr. Egan has led the development of a number of new academic programs and has published over 100 papers and book chapters.

“I am very excited to be joining the Brandon University community and honoured to have been chosen to be the next Dean of its Faculty of Science.  Important to me is BU’s diverse student population and commitment to student-centered, liberal education, forming the foundation for the development of broadly educated professionals, citizens, and leaders.  I look forward to working with the faculty, staff and students of the Faculty of Science, as well as across faculties and with the broader Brandon and Manitoba communities.”

As a member of the senior leadership team, Dr. Egan will oversee the Faculty of Science which is comprised of eight departments and serves more than 600 undergraduate students.  He will contribute to the development, implementation and promotion of institutional goals including academic programming and research advancement.

Dr. Egan will begin at BU on June 1, 2013.

BU President and Vice-Chancellor Deborah Poff says, “I am pleased that Dr. Egan will be joining us as the new Dean of the Faculty of Science.  He brings experience from a number of different universities and is committed to teaching and research excellence.  We look forward to welcoming him to Brandon University.”

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For more information, please contact:

Glen Kirby, Communications Officer
Brandon University
270-18th Street
Brandon, MB R7A 6A9
T: (204) 727-9762
kirbyg@brandonu.ca

“There are very few people in the world who do this type of analysis, so being aware of my research, the researchers at the University of Frankfurt contacted me by email and asked if I was willing to assist them,” he said, explaining how he collaborated with the paper’s lead authors, a graduate student, Lineth Contreras and her supervisor Dr. Joerg Pross. “This paper reconstructs Antarctica’s climate in a time of extreme global warming — the early Eocene Epoch.”

Dr. Greenwood outlined his research, which examined sediments that had been extracted from the sea bed containing pollen from Antarctica’s Wilkes Land forests as part of the international ocean drilling program. The discoveries that he made about the climate of Antarctica 52 to 54 million years ago from these samples are remarkable.

“Our analysis showed that this part of Antarctica had an almost tropical climate with palms and other kinds of trees that are restricted to the tropics, very different to the permanent ice and bare rock that exists there today,” he said. “The record we have also includes a time after (the middle Eocene), when the warming episode ended, and it shows a cool temperate rainforest such as you would see today in southern Chile replacing the tropical forests on the Antarctic coast.”

This is not the first time Dr. Greenwood has lent his expertise to an international research team or publishing endeavour. His findings, along with those of various colleagues from around the globe, have appeared in many other scientific publications.

“However, being published in the science journal Nature is always special. I published a similar paper in Nature in 2009, but on the Arctic, and with a different team,” he said. “Both papers are a thrill because Nature is considered in all of the sciences the pinnacle for scientific publishing and its very hard to get published there.”

This level of research is not unusual at Brandon University. Dr. Greenwood explained that his success story is just one among his colleagues in the Faculty of Science. Nevertheless, the acting Dean of Science Dr. Phillip Goernert is delighted with this latest success.

“Dr. Greenwood and colleagues’ current paper in Nature illustrates research at the highest level. The topic of the paper is an extension of Dr. Greenwood’s ongoing research plan that reconstructs climates of the geological past,” said, Dr. Goernert. “Students in the Faculty of Science are most fortunate to have Dr. Greenwood available to serve as a mentor for their research projects.”

Dr. Greenwood’s trip to his homeland of Australia is another highlight of his summer. The conference to which he is contributing is held in a different country every four years and attracts geoscientists from around the globe. At this gathering, he will be chairing a symposium that will focus on the geological record of climate change. He will give a presentation about the Antarctic climate study that is appearing in Nature and will discuss follow-up studies on his research about the Arctic.
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Honorary Doctorate Recipients

• Annette Thorimbert Osted: A dedicated psychiatric nurse, Mrs. Osted also held the position of Executive Director/Registrar of the College of Registered Psychiatric Nurses of Manitoba (CRPNM) for more than 30 years. Throughout her career, she also devoted time to volunteer, gravitating to organizations that help those afflicted by a mental illness.

• Anton Kuerti: An Officer of the Order of Canada, Mr. Kuerti is acclaimed for his performances of Beethoven’s music and has appeared with many of the world’s top orchestras. With more than 25 discs to his credit, he is also avid chamber musician has collaborated with other remarkable instrumentalists, the likes of Yo-Yo Ma and the Tokyo String Quartet.

Distinguished Teacher Award Recipients

• Dolores Hardy: Born in Rossburn, Manitoba and raised in Mississauga, Ontario, Ms. Hardy is a Brandon University alumna. She spent her first year teaching in Alexander, followed by 21 years at King George School in Brandon.

• Brigit Lavallee: Raised in Winnipeg, MB, Brigit graduated from the University of Manitoba in 1994. She taught for 10 years in Roblin, MB and is now teaching History and English in Rossburn Collegiate.

• Sherryl Maglione: Born and raised in Alberta, Miss Maglione is currently working on her MEd at Brandon University, with a focus on indigenizing the high school English Language Arts curriculum. She has been teaching for 15 years, and in the past five, her focus as been senior English Language Arts at the Sioux Valley High School.

Board of Governors Community Service Award Recipient

• Patrick Johanneson: Patrick, who was born and raised in Ste. Rose du Lac, writes science fiction and fantasy, and has been published in On Spec, Tesseracts 14 and Daily Science Fiction. In 1997, he started taking judo lessons. In 2009, he received his shodan (or first degree black belt) and he currently runs the Brandon Judokan club, which practices in the Brandon University gym. Patrick also volunteers at the Evans Theatre.

Brandon University Alumni Association’s Outstanding Young Alumni Award

• Rochelle Rands: Rochelle, who grew up in MacGregor, graduated with a B.Ed. from Brandon University in 1998. She first taught in Portage la Prairie at Yellowquill School. During this time, she completed a Post Baccalaureate Certificate in Education and a Post Baccalaureate Diploma in Education from the University of Manitoba. In 2008, she completed the Masters Program in Special Education at Brandon University and became the Assistant Superintendent/Student Services Coordinator for the Pine Creek School Division. In 2009, she transitioned back to Portage la Prairie, where she is in her third year as the Administrator of Student Services.

Brandon University Alumni Association’s Excellence in Teaching Award

• Dr Wendy McCallum: Dr. McCallum holds a Bachelor of Music degree and a Bachelor of Education degree from Brandon University and completed a Master of Music at the University of North Dakota. She received her Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of North Texas. As a faculty member at Brandon University, she conducts the Symphonic Band and teaches undergraduate and graduate conducting courses, as well as instrumental music methods. She is well respected for her knowledge and conducting skills and has been invited to conduct numerous junior high and high school, among other honours.

Valedictorians

• Jennifer Shead: Born and raised in Winnipeg, Jennifer moved to Brandon to pursue her studies in Music Education after high school. During her time at Brandon University, she performed as a member of the National Youth Band of Canada (NYB) in 2010, worked as a Student Ambassador for Recruitment & Retention, and served as President of the Brandon University Student Music Educators Association (BUSMEA). A multi-scholarship winner, she has been accepted into the flute masterclass program at the Orford Arts Centre in Orford, Quebec for the summer of 2012. She hopes to teach instrumental music in the public school system in Manitoba in the fall.

• Kelsey Grindey: With a lifelong desire to teach, Kelsey left her small rural hometown just outside of Winnipeg and enrolled at Brandon University. During summer breaks, she moved back home to work with Aboriginal youth in Winnipeg’s inner city. She is very proud to be First Nations and is looking forward to starting her career as a Senior Years teacher.

• Natasha Vandamme Born and raised near Baldur, Natasha began her studies at Brandon University in 2008 and is now graduating with a Bachelor of Science (4-Year), with a major in Chemistry and a double minor in Mathematics and Zoology. While at BU, she served several terms as a lab assistant in the Chemistry department as well as was an Academic Residence Advisor. In her third year, she received the Chemical Institute of Canada Silver Medal and she is currently working on an NSERC grant with Dr. Lemaire.

All four ceremonies — at 10 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. on both June 1 and 2 — can viewed via live streaming at:

http://www.brandonu.ca/convocation/video
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“I remember studying John’s recordings and compositions when I was a student at Eastman a long time ago,” said Gatien. “He’s not as well known as he should be, having chosen to settle in Wisconsin, but he is a truly remarkable musician. Hearing him play is going directly to the source. Getting to hear him live, getting to play his compositions here in Brandon is a remarkable opportunity.”

A student of the late, world-famous jazz pianist Oscar Peterson, Harmon co-founded Matrix, a jazz nonet. With that group, he contributed to five recordings and countless live performances. Since the early 1980s, the pianist has also been focused on music education. He has been the Director of Jazz Studies at his alma mater, Lawrence University. For almost two decades, he was the music director of the Fox Jazzfest.

Nicknamed ‘Wisconsin’s Gentle Poet of Jazz’, Harmon’s work underlines his concern for the environment and his interest in Native American culture. He has received many awards for his musical achievements. These include an Honorary Doctor of Fine Arts (Lawrence University); fellowships from the Wisconsin Academy of Science, Arts and Letters and Culver Military Academy (IN); Distinguished Service Awards from both the International Association of Jazz Educators and Wisconsin State Music Association; the Jazziz Award, and many others.

Harmon will join the Brandon University musicians on Wednesday, May 30, at 8 p.m., in the Lorne Watson Recital Hall. Admission to this performance is free and everyone is welcome to attend.
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“I am very pleased that we have negotiated an agreement that will facilitate Mount Royal University music students who wish to continue with Music degree opportunities at Brandon University. When universities partner for the benefit of students, both institutions benefit,” said Dr. Deborah Poff, Brandon University’s President and Vice-Chancellor.

“The School of Music is greatly honored to have forged this alliance with Mount Royal University’s Music Diploma Program,” said Dr. Michael Kim, the Dean of the School of Music at Brandon University. “This collaborative venture will be of great and mutual benefit to both our music programs, and we look forward to welcoming the very talented young musicians from this program in the near future.”

This new agreement between Brandon University’s School of Music and Mount Royal University’s Faculty of Communications Studies was preceded by similar transfer agreements between the Calgary-based University and other Albertan universities. This arrangement will be advantageous for Brandon University, Mount Royal University and the students involved.

“With the signing of this articulation agreement, Mount Royal University will be able to provide its Music Diploma students with a remarkable opportunity to complete a four-year degree at Brandon University in a most prestigious Music School,” said Mount Royal University’s President Docherty.
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