VIU student excited for Antarctic experience
January 22, 2009
Vancouver Island University student L-A Shibish will soon be leaving for the Antarctic as part of an international student expedition celebrating International Polar Year (IPY), a large scientific program focused on the Arctic and Antarctic. International Polar Year includes over 200 projects with thousands of scientists from over 60 nations examining a wide range of physical, biological and... Read more
VIU nursing program gets million dollar donation
January 20, 2009
Local philanthropists Sidney and Gladys Sharman presented VIU President, Dr. Ralph Nilson and the VIU Nursing program a cheque for one million dollars on January 19. The donation is the largest VIU has ever received from an individual. The money will go into an endowment fund to provide awards for nursing students based on financial need and academic excellence. “We need doctors and surgeons,... Read more
VIU science show heats up the radio
January 20, 2009
It may not be rocket science, but it does take some work to make science interesting and entertaining to the average radio listener. It’s a challenge Todd Barsby and Greg Arkos take seriously. The two Vancouver Island University (VIU) professors are part of a team of producers behind “Not Rocket Science” (NRS) a weekly, science-themed radio show on CHLY 101.7 fm. They see a relationship between... Read more
Accounting grads make national honor roll
January 15, 2009
Two graduates from Vancouver Island University’s Bachelor of Business Administration program have earned national recognition. Sarah Flood and Melody Nikleva placed among the top 50 graduates in Canada who successfully passed the Uniform Final Evaluation of the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants (CICA). The graduates received prizes of $1,000 each. “This is a phenomenal achievement in... Read more
Euthanasia (Review - the Modern Art of Dying)
January 12, 2009
Euthanasia is discussed in churches, philosophy classes, pubs, street corners, homes, medical societies, nursing classes, hospices, law journals, and in legislative assemblies across the land. There is no shortage of information and opinion. Just as we debate what counts as the beginning of life, we also have changed the definition of the end of life over the centuries. It used to be that death... Read more
Player turned coach enjoying life on the sidelines
January 6, 2009
Life is very different these days for VIU women’s basketball assistant coach Maria Kirkbride, who spent the last five years as one of VIU’s best players. “This was a great opportunity for me as an ex-player and I feel honoured to stand on the sidelines as a coach,” said Kirkbride. “As a very recent former player, I think my experience will really help the team this year.” Kirkbride acts as... Read more
Book Review
January 5, 2009
Review - Feminist Philosophy And Science Fiction Utopias And Dystopias by Judith A. Little (Editor) Prometheus Books, 2007 Review by Bob Lane, MA Jan 6th 2009 (Volume 13, Issue 2) Thought experiments are a staple in philosophy. We all remember the unconscious violinist, the Thomson lamp, Galileo's complex objects, People seeds, and Einstein's elevator. These "experiments" are narratives... Read more
VIU tackles disaster management in Belize
December 10, 2008
Students and faculty from Vancouver Island University are heading to Belize to help the country become better prepared at coping with disasters. The project team, including 14 students, will be led by Geography professor Dr. Larry Wolfe and Dr. Victoria Macfarlane of the Psychology department. “It’s a unique field school experience for students,” said Wolfe. “It’s not often that one can save... Read more
VIU professor wins Emmy Award for work on Golf Channel
December 9, 2008
Ray Penner couldn’t have imagined that writing a paper on the physics of golf would one day lead to an Emmy Award. But win an Emmy he did – a George Wensel Technical Achievement Award for his work on a technology used by the Golf Channel. “If someone had asked me a couple of years ago what the chances of winning an Emmy were, I’d say about the same as winning a Grammy,” said Penner, a Physics... Read more
VIU grad serves as 'role model' for mature students
December 4, 2008
Anything is possible. Just ask Sandy Neal, a former stay-at-home mom who made a quantum leap from raising kids to studying jellyfish. Neal is a research assistant for renowned scientist Dr. Andy Spencer in a Biology lab at Vancouver Island University’s Nanaimo campus. They conduct pure research using some of the earliest multicellular organisms, including jellyfish and flatworms, to better... Read more