Happy New Year!

Your alumni office and the Alumni Association wish you and your family a healthy and prosperous 2008. We look forward to seeing you at alumni events throughout the year. Our service office, located in room A120 in the Administration building, is open to serve you from 8:30am to 4:30pm weekdays, or you can email us or call us toll-free at 1-877-220-8509 to answer questions on alumni benefits, help you frame your degree, or take your new contact information.

Alumni News

Honour an alumni star Incredible contributions. Life-changing discoveries. Great accomplishments. Innovative ideas. Nominate an alumni star you know for the 2008 Arch Awards. Deadline: February 29. Learn more...

Kids thrilled to skate with Santa More than 375 alumni and their families celebrated the holiday season at the U of C's second annual Alumni Family Skate with Santa at the Olympic Oval on Dec. 9. Delighted kids and parents were welcomed by cheerful reindeer handing out festive hats as they arrived at the Oval, while out on the fastest ice in the world, Santa Claus joined the skaters for a few laps. Learn more and see the pics...

Convocation "one of the most important days" for contest winner

Congratulations to Shelly Kostic, BGS'07, winner of our November Convocation survey prize: a $500 Banana Republic gift card. Thanks to all grads who provided their feedback on this important event. "I had many highlights that day," Shelly said after learning she won the prize. "My husband, who encouraged me to begin the process was there to witness me fulfill my dream and I could not have started or finished my degree without him. My eldest sister who has been an amazing part of my life came to watch. Last but not least, Dr. Margo Husby Scheelar was on the stage to give me a hug, congratulate me and wish me well. The three most important people were there on one of the most important days of my life, and I thought there could not be a more perfect ending to my degree."

Recognize an alum with the Order of the U of C

The Order of the University of Calgary recognizes individuals who have demonstrated outstanding, distinguished service to the U of C. Any member of the university community, including alumni currently or formerly representing the university in the community, are eligible to receive the award. Nominate someone you admire today! You may submit a nomination at any time; nominations received prior to Feb. 7 will be considered for the Spring 2008 Convocation.

Learn more...

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For more alumni news: http://www.ucalgary.ca/alumni

Your Alumni Stories

Music grad scores with movie soundtrack Badland, a Hollywood film written and directed by Francesco Lucente, is the story of an American soldier struggling to cope after returning from a tour of duty in Iraq. For Jamie Desautels, BMus'94, a Texas-based violinist, composer and songwriter, it was a chance for his work to hit the silver screen. Learn more...

Alumnus led Outdoor Centre growth When he started the U of C's Outdoor Centre, Alf Skrastins, BSc'81, had a dream, and not much else. "Basically we had a handful of back-packs and tents and that was it," recalls Skrastins on the eve of his retirement as the centre's director after 30 years. Skrastins will stay on as a consultant until September 2008, advising the centre's new director, Kurtis Kinnear. Learn more...

Canada reads Wharton's Icefields Author Thomas Wharton's 1995 novel, Icefields, will be part of the 2008 edition of the CBC's popular "Canada Reads" competition. The series will run February 25-29 on CBC Radio One at 11:30am daily. By coincidence, the novel will be championed by astronaut Steve MacLean, a colleague of the U of C's 1985 Distinguished Alumni Award recipient Robert Thirsk, BSc'76. Wharton, PhD'98, is currently writing The Shadow of Malabron, the first in a fantasy trilogy for younger readers called The Perilous Realm. It will be published next fall. Learn more...

Lester receives 2007 Canadian Engineering Leadership Award Barry Lester, BSc'69, MSc'71, and the university's Distinguished Alumni Award recipient in 1990, was recognized as a role model for his outstanding achievements, leadership and generosity with the 2007 Canadian Engineering Leadership Award, awarded by the Schulich School of Engineering. Learn more...

Environmental artist in action Work by Ingrid Koivukangas, MFA'02, is featured in Art in Action, a book just published by the United Nations Environment Program and the Natural World Museum. It features 79 artists working at the forefront of environmental awareness. Koivukangas is an environmental artist who works intuitively and in direct response to the land. Learn more...

For other recent profiles of your alumni peers, click here.

Alumni in the News

Top 40 alumnus and Lululemon Athletica founder and president Chip Wilson, BA'80, was profiled in the December issue of Report on Business magazine. Read more...

A second Top 40 alumnus, Charlie Fischer, BSc'71, MBA'82, LLD'04, Nexen's president and CEO, was asked about philanthropy in the "Corner Office" interview in The Globe & Mail in December. Read more...

U of C law professor Keith Yamauchi, BA'77, was appointed to the Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta. Read more...

Sanjeev Dutta, MD'06, is a paediatric surgeon at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford University where he is pioneering a new form of "minimally-invasive" surgery. Dutta was recently profiled in India West. Read more...

Have you received profile in the media lately? Email us a link and we'll note it in the next issue!

U of C News

Endowment leads to research chair in domestic violence Although Alberta has the highest rate of domestic violence in Canada, the U of C will soon be home to a researcher whose mandate is its prevention. Thanks to a generous $1.5 million endowment from the Brenda Strafford Foundation, a fully-funded research chair in domestic violence prevention is now a reality at the Faculty of Social Work. This chair will be one of two in Canada, and the only one in Western Canada. Learn more...

International volunteer teaching opportunities

The Faculty of Education's English for Professional Purposes program is recruiting volunteers to teach English and train English teachers in a variety of international settings, including Chile, Bhutan and Brazil. Locations depend on the time of year, and commitments range from four weeks to nine months. Ideal volunteers have TESL/TEFL certification, are highly committed, responsible and flexible, have comprehensive health insurance and have prior experience teaching overseas, to name a few qualifications. For more information, contact Karen Dodge at (403) 220-5836 or kdodge@ucalgary.ca.

Archiving a queer history

GLASS, a student club representing sexual and gender diversity at the U of C, is creating a publication and archive celebrating the queer history of the university. The group is collecting clippings, photographs, brochures and other memorabilia from events and groups from any era. They are also seeking contributions of original works to the publication in the form of poems, stories, articles, photography, art or essays about queer life on campus. Contact glass@ucalgary.ca if you are interested in contributing to the archive or the publication.

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Campus and Alumni Events

Learning leadership at Haskayne networking lunch

January 11: Doug Bowie will present on sustainable leadership at the next MBA Alumni Networking Luncheon. 11:30 am to 1:30 pm at the Delta Bow Valley.

Learn more...

Knowledge is the Best Medicine

January 17: Hosted by the U of C in partnership with The Kerby Centre, Knowledge is the Best Medicine informs, discusses and answers your important issues of aging. The series invites Calgarians who are 50+ to take part in a morning of listening, opinions and conversation. The lecture is held at the Kerby Centre from 9-11 am. Join us for a discussion on breast cancer with Dr. Barbara Walley, BSc'83, MD'90. The lecture is approx. 45 minutes with plenty of additional time for questions and conversation. To register, call the Kerby Centre Wellness Department at (403) 705-3234.

The need for speed networking

January 23: The Commerce Undergraduate Society is hosting its annual speed networking event at the Haskayne School of Business. It provides students with the opportunity to improve their networking skills, meet a diverse group of people and build new relationships with Calgary businesses. If you would like to participate in this event, watch the CUS website or contact Michael Markevich at (403) 827-4478 or Rashida Bhaiji at (403) 397-1452.

Network with MBA students at Haskayne Career Centre mixer

January 31: The Haskayne Alumni Office is partnering with the Haskayne Career Centre to offer this unique networking opportunity at the annual MBA Networking Reception. Meet current MBA students, recruiters, mentors and fellow alumni in a relaxed mix and mingle atmosphere at the Ranchman's Club.

Learn more...

Inuit leader to speak on Arctic issues

February 5: Mary Simon, president of the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, will speak at 3 pm at the Rozsa Centre on Inuit and the Canadian Arctic: sovereignty begins at home. The event is sponsored by the Arctic Institute of North America and the University of Calgary Native Centre. Simon will examine new approaches to Arctic issues such as sovereignty, the environment and northern economies. Everyone is welcome to this free talk.

Learn more...

The Business of Green

February 8: The increasing interference between individuals, corporations and countries and the effect it has on the environment has prompted the 38th Annual Business Day Conference to adopt a green theme. This year's conference will be on campus and will focus on sustainability and how businesses and individuals alike can make conscientious decisions to help preserve the environment. Attendees will interact with and learn from today's leaders, entrepreneurs and innovators. Exceptional speakers will share and direct experiences which will allow participants to learn critical success factors directly from prominent business leaders.

Get involved or register to attend...

For more events, go to http://www.ucalgary.ca/events/

An international team that includes U of C scientists has shown how crude oil in oil deposits around the world – including in Alberta's oil sands – are naturally broken down by microbes in the reservoir. Their discovery – published in the prestigious science journal Nature – could revolutionize heavy oil and oil sands production by leading to more energy-efficient, environmentally friendly ways to produce this valuable resource. Learn more...