“It is a great honour and at some level it is also a validation of the work we’ve been doing as musicians,” said Stewart. “My interest lies in sonic exploration and those influences are definitely on this album.”

Stewart was in Toronto yesterday to take part in the press conference announcing his group’s nomination for the award. The Junos will be handed out in Ottawa on April 1 and Stewart plans to attend. News of his nomination spread quickly.

“I opened my email this morning to find over 50 congratulatory messages from friends and colleagues at Carleton!” said Stewart. “I am quite certain that this would not happen at most universities — further confirmation that Carleton is a special place.”

The Stretch Orchestra is described as an eclectic trio that routinely traverses a wide gamut of musical styles, from jazz to rock to folk, often within a single tune. The group includes Stewart on percussion, Kevin Breit on guitar and Matt Brubeck on cello (yes, he is Dave Brubeck’s son).

“The common language between the three of us is jazz but we all come from different backgrounds,” said Stewart. “There’s a real mix of sensibilities with an experimental edge but this album is a little more tuneful, which I love. Being on stage with these two – our music facilitates or grows out of this friendship.”

Before joining Carleton’s music faculty in 2008, Stewart lived in Guelph and saw his band mates more regularly. This has not hindered the music writing process as he says they often do their writing before their gigs, jamming new ideas out during sound check.

At Carleton, Stewart teaches music composition. As a composer, he writes mainly for percussion, found objects and instruments of his own design. As a researcher, Stewart’s work focuses primarily on experimental music, jazz, hip hop, music of the African diaspora, and musical improvisation. He is a co-investigator with the Improvisation, Community, and Social Practice Project (ICASP), which received a multi-year $2.5-million Major Collaborative Research Initiative grant through Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council in 2007.

Stewart is the second Carleton community member in recent years to be nominated for a Juno. In 2011, Jazz singer Kellylee Evans, a Carleton alumna (BAHons/97) won the Vocal Jazz Album of the Year award for her album Nina.

For more information:
Caitlin Kealey
Media Relations
Carleton University
613-520-2600, ext. 8718
Caitlin_Kealey@carleton.ca

Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/CUnewsroom

Carleton University PhD candidate Christian Bordeleau knows the answer. He has designed Canada’s first certification protocol that municipalities can use to become more transparent and democratic while decreasing the systemic risk of unethical behaviour and corruption.

Bordeleau recently released the first IGO 9002 certification report on ethics and good municipal governance as part of a pilot project with the City of Blainville, Quebec.

“The IGO 9002 process is the equivalent of taking a Polaroid picture of the way a municipal government currently functions and then overlaying the snapshot with the protocol,” said Bordeleau, a student in Carleton’s School of Public Policy and Administration. “This is a world’s first. This type of synthesis has never been done before. A good governance certification has never been done in a rigorous, scientific way before.”

The certification tool, specially designed for municipalities wishing to subscribe to best practices in governance, is now accessible to all cities in Quebec. But Bordeleau has his sights set on the bigger picture.

“The city council of Blainville’s commitment to obtaining this certification is akin to them throwing down the gauntlet for other cities in Quebec – a friendly challenge as it were,” said Bordeleau. “And it seems to be working, as we have already heard from a number of other cities who want to undergo this process. Eventually, we’d like to adapt it to other provinces and then other countries.”

The City of Blainville has obtained a conditional certification and has 12 months to implement the report’s recommendations. The certification process contains 111 points of inspection that address a wide range of subjects. One example is the receipt of gifts: some municipalities state that gifts valued at $200 or up must be declared, but the IGO 9002 protocol sets that value at $25.

“By creating a bridge between academia and needs of the Quebec population, we are leveraging the expertise developed in our universities and abroad, to the benefit of society and individuals,” said Leslie Pal, director of the Centre for Governance and Public Management at Carleton University. Pal is Bordeleau’s thesis supervisor and also a member of an expert committee that helps oversee the project. “The issues of governance and ethics are at the heart of the political agenda. For the first time, the terms of the discussion have shifted, which is extraordinary because ethics is no longer a burden, but is a true aspiration.”

Bordeleau has created a new company called Intangible based on his work. He has five employees working on the project and hopes to expand into Ontario as soon as possible.

For more information:
Caitlin Kealey
Media Relations
Carleton University
613-520-2600, ext. 8718
613-818-7956
Caitlin_Kealey@carleton.ca

Follow @CUnewsroom on Twitter

The competition challenges teams from around the world to design, build and operate solar-powered houses that are cost-effective, energy-efficient and attractive. All teams now begin an 18-month process to refine and build their home designs prior to disassembling them for shipping to the competition site in Irvine, California.

“Team Ontario is ecstatic to have been awarded a place in the 2013 Solar Decathlon in Irvine, California,” said Christopher Baldwin, Carleton’s project manager and student lead. “This competition provides a unique avenue for passionate graduate and undergraduate students to show case their work on an international stage. We hope to achieve our vision of a future where sustainable homes are a reality in the Canadian market.”

The team will be composed of a volunteer base of about 50 students. Together, their diverse skills and student experiences will ensure the design, funding and technological requirements of Team Ontario’s Solar Decathlon house are met.

“We are thrilled to have been selected to compete ,” says Cynthia Cruickshank, Carleton faculty lead and assistant professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering. “This event provides an unparalleled opportunity to promote sustainable buildings and renewable energy while showcasing the work of our students on the world stage. Our team’s net-positive energy home will capitalize on research and innovation while inspiring and educating the public to demand more from the next generation of homes.”

The houses will be judged on architecture, market appeal, engineering, affordability, comfort, hot water, appliances, home entertainment and energy balance. Last year’s competition homes were visited more than 350,000 times in 10 days.

More information on the 2013 Solar Decathlon can be found at http://www.solardecathlon.gov/.

-30-

For more information:
Chris Cline
Media Relations
Carleton University
613-520-2600, ext. 1391
christopher_cline@carleton.ca

Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/CUnewsroom

The contest, which took place last the weekend, saw teams of two from across the United States and Canada debate resolutions that ran the gamut from the abolition of the euro to immortality. Maione and Cameron beat Yale in the semi-finals to square off against a team from McGill University.

“We thought we had a shot to win going in, but it was a big field – Yale alone sent eight teams,” said Cameron, a fourth-year economics student. “If I was a betting man, I would have bet on us winning — but I would have demanded substantial odds.”

The pair recently returned from the World Universities Debate Championship in Manila and they have been working together as a team for two years. Last year, they traveled to Botswana for the same competition.

“We narrowly missed the debate equivalent of playoffs this year in Manila,” said Cameron, vice-president of communications for the Carleton University Debate Society (CUDS). “Debate is a really fun game once you learn the strategy and it’s also a useful skill. You meet the most fascinating people and explore things you never would think about otherwise.”

CUDS meets every Wednesday evening and there are tournaments almost every weekend, explained club member Sakshi Sharma. Sharma is a first-year student in global politics and has been debating for five years.

“Debate is one of the greatest things you can in university,” she said. “I love it because it is very competitive but you also have to learn and be fluent about many issues. It’s a super supportive community.”

If you want to see the CUDS team in action, they will be hosting the Lord Dorchestor Cup on the Carleton campus from Friday, Feb. 24 to Sunday, Feb. 26. Details will be posted on their website shortly.

“It’s a little embarrassing, but also really gratifying,” said Tait, a longtime Carleton journalism professor and former print and radio journalist. “I’m particularly pleased with the emphasis on the role of journalists in the nomination, as we often are so busy doing the job right that we lose the thread of why we do it in the first place.”

The award, in its fourth year, is bestowed by J-Source to honour people who have demonstrated excellence, innovation and integrity in journalism.

The nomination from an unnamed student states: “[Tait] inspires a desire in his students to be journalists who truly serve the public good. His lectures on ethics and integrity form the foundation of my understanding of a journalist’s duty. … I believe he has had a positive and long-lasting impact by teaching the next generation of newspeople to guard against cynicism and strive for the highest quality of journalism.”

A Carleton alumnus, Tait graduated with a Bachelor of Journalism in 1979 and returning to do a master’s degree in 1993. In between degrees, he worked for a variety of Canadian newspapers before moving to CBC Radio in roles ranging from news reporter to program manager and training co-ordinator. He also spent two years at Radio Beijing, China’s shortwave service.

Tait is quick to commend the list of nominees as “terrific – it presents the range of activities that journalists do – from big traditional media to the alternative press and web-based media.”

“It makes it all the more meaningful that the role of the J-school is recognized,” said Tait. “Often journalism profs aren’t considered as so-called ‘working journalists,’ but we’re involved in real journalism every day. We produce real radio shows and real newspapers and websites for real audiences from right here at the university.”

This year’s winner is Wilf Dinnick, founder and CEO of OpenFile.ca – a community-focused online news organization operating in seven Canadian cities.

Gaidies’ research aims to unravel the fundamental atomic-scale processes that govern the formation of rocks. Direct applications of that research will improve the quantification of the ore potential of rocks, the analysis of the rocks’ pore structure relevant for oil and gas storage and water transport, and the imaging and examination of rock fractures and their potential for transport of contaminants such as nuclear waste and heavy metals. In the long term, this research will impact how scientists interpret the structures and dynamics of the interior of Earth with important implications for the prediction of earthquakes.

The X-ray machine, known as a tomography scanner, is “broadly applicable technology,” explains Gaidies, “as it allows the non-destructive study of the interior of any solid material at ultra-high resolution. It is of interest to paleontologists who investigate the morphology and evolution of fossils, but it can also be used by oncologists as quality control of material used in hip replacements, or by researchers who design composite materials in aerospace engineering.”

Carleton’s funding was among $33 million announced by CFI for research and infrastructure in Canada.

“Canadians from coast to coast to coast can be assured that Canada’s research community is bringing its talents to bear on the problems that matter to them,” said Gilles G. Patry, CFI president and chief executive officer. “This round of investment illustrates the value of research and innovation in building stronger, healthier and more prosperous communities.”

About Carleton University:

Carleton University is a dynamic, interdisciplinary research institution located in Ottawa—Canada’s capital. Carleton is proud of its game-changing research in the sciences, business, engineering, arts and public administration; and has realized research partnerships with numerous public and private sector organizations. Its strengths in health, digital media, globalization and global identities, and environment and sustainability, among others, have led to international recognition for its faculty, as well as an ability to attract outstanding students.

About CFI:

Created by the Government of Canada in 1997, the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) strives to build our nation’s capacity to undertake world-class research and technology development to benefit Canadians through investments in state-of-the-art facilities and equipment in universities, colleges, research hospitals and non-profit research institutions.

For more information:

Caitlin Kealey
Media Relations
Carleton University
613-520-2600, ext. 8718
Caitlin_Kealey@carleton.ca

Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/CUnewsroom

Carleton’s team of 48 crack business students did an impressive job, earning third place overall in the multi-disciplinary competition. Teams were tasked with eight academic case analyses, a parliamentary-style debate, sports competitions and social challenges.

Following the 2011 competition, Sprott students successfully bid to bring the competition to Carleton. The organizing committee of mostly Sprott alumni and students has worked tirelessly for over a year to create a memorable experience for delegates.

“I think I speak for all of us when I say that the past year has been an incredible experience and will be missed,” says Christine Jackson, co-chair of the JDC Central 2012 organizing committee and fourth-year Commerce student.

Congratulations are in order for the teams from Laurier and Ryerson for placing first and second respectively, and to all of the participants for their hard work and dedication.

-30-

For more information:
Chris Cline
Media Relations
Carleton University
613-520-2600, ext. 1391
christopher_cline@carleton.ca

Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/CUnewsroom

The interdisciplinary graduate student conference, hosted by the Max and Tessie Zelikovitz Centre for Jewish Studies, includes a public lecture by keynote speaker Michael Meng from Clemson University, who will talk at 4 p.m. in Room 2017, Dunton Tower. Meng is the author of Shattered Spaces, which explores the postwar history of Jewish ruins in the urban landscapes of Germany and Poland.

Carleton’s Jennifer Evans will also be launching her book during the conference. It’s called Life Among the Ruins: Cityscape and Sexuality in Cold War Berlin.

The launch of the Dachau exhibition will take place from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on the fourth floor of Paterson Hall.

On Friday, Feb. 10, media are invited to a presentation at 10:30 a.m. from exhibition curator Sabina Gerhardus in Room 303, Paterson Hall. She will be available for questions. Names Instead of Numbers will remain at Carleton through March 9.

Information about the exhibition and a full program of the conference is available here: http://ccph.carleton.ca/news/test-post-for-names-instead-of-numbers/.

-30-

For more information:
Dominique Marshall
Acting Chair, Department of History
Carleton University
613-520-2600, ext. 2846
Dominique_marshall@carleton.ca

Christopher Cline
Media Relations Co-ordinator
Carleton University
613-520-2600, ext. 1391
Christopher_Cline@Carleton.ca

Easier to navigate and loaded with photos and videos, the newsroom is now a one-stop shop for all the latest news and stories about Carleton.

Each day, we’ll be posting five top feature stories along with a selection of news stories that highlight the activities, interests and successes of the Carleton community. We have also put our extensive list of experts front and centre to make sure media seeking expert opinions and perspectives can find what they’re looking for quickly.

The site includes news feeds from across campus and easy access to social media links – in short, everything you need to stay in the know when it comes to what’s happening on campus at Carleton.

We hope you enjoy it.

Workshops will cover topics of particular interest to all graduate students seeking to hone research skills that they can carry over into the workplace whether within academia, the private or public sectors. Workshops will range from the “how tos” of writing for publication, open source publishing, citation management, qualitative research management and research data management , and COS Pivot funding opportunities.  (COS is a professional database.)

An opening presentation on January 30 will provide a global romp through the expanding resources and services being developed within higher education institutions in Canada and internationally to support professional skills education.

Detailed program information, including times and room locations and registration information, is available on the Library’s website.

More Library Services

Did you know that Room 511 on Floor 5 of the Library is reserved for graduate student study?

The Library offers a service to help you get a little quiet. If you are being prevented from studying effectively anywhere in the Library, just text or email quiet@library.carleton.ca, and someone will respond right away.  Read more about the Quiet, Please! service.

Grad students can keep their books for 120 days with one renewal. Books may need to be recalled in 28 days if there is a request.

You can contact a subject specialist on this list to help you research specific research information. The Library offers a list of subject guides at this site.

Wireless access is available throughout the entire library.

Grad students can deposit their work, ensuring long term preservation of their digital resources in CURVE (Carleton University Research Virtual Environment) which is an open access repository that collects, preserves and makes accessible Carleton’s academic research output and creative work.

The Library is also a sponsor of the Graduate Student Open Access Award, co-sponsored by the Graduate Student Association and the Office of the Vice President (Research & International), to support Carleton University graduate students in publishing research in open access journals. Up to five monetary awards of $1000 will be distributed. More information is available here.