2012 News

Oral History Chronicles Scottish Immigrants

“Scottish Voices from the West”, an oral history project from SFU’s Centre for Scottish Studies, details the stories of some of the many Scottish immigrants who helped build BC.

FASS Alumnus Derek Milloy to be Honoured at Concert for Caregiving

One of the Simon Fraser University Pipe Band’s most stalwart pipers will be honoured for receiving a national caregiver award during the band’s 30th anniversary concert in Vancouver on April 15.

National Aging Study Begins at SFU Surrey

A new lab at Simon Fraser University’s Surrey campus will play a key role beginning this spring in an exhaustive study of aging in Canada.

Yes, We Speak German

In a Canadian first, seven SFU students who have studied German for five semesters through SFU’s Language Training Institute (LTI) all passed the Zertifikat Deutsch, an internationally recognized exam of German language ability. It is the first time in Canada that seven students from one post-secondary institution have passed this exam at the same time.

MOU Focuses on Engaging Students in Sustainable Urbanism

Simon Fraser University and The Prince’s Foundation for Building Community have signed a memorandum of understanding to develop an international knowledge network that advances sustainable urban development.

World Lit Student Helps Empower Youth in Sierra Leone

Krissi Bucholtz, a third-year major in World Literature at Simon Fraser University, shares Nelson Mandela’s philosophy that “education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”

Alleged Robo-calling May Have Significantly Impacted Voting

In a new paper, a Simon Fraser University economist finds that robo-calling, if the phenomenon did occur, could have significantly influenced voter turnout and ballot results in the last federal election. Anke Kessler’s discussion paper is available on her website and on Worthwhile Canadian Initiative, an economics blog.

Digitizing Endangered Historical Documents in India

FASS alumnus Kyle Jackson, who graduated in 2007 with a BA in history/political science, submitted this fascinating article about his participation in a global rescue mission to India to digitize some of the world’s most endangered historical documents.

African Stats a 'Numbers Game'

International development and aid groups are making decisions and distributing funds to African nations based on statistics that are incomplete and untrustworthy, says economic historian Morten Jerven, a School for International Studies assistant professor.

Researchers Want Your Text Messages

A Simon Fraser University researcher is collecting text messages to learn how people creatively use language to communicate using cellphones despite constraints such as cumbersome keyboards.

Book Traces Industrial Revolution’s Counterpart

Few periods in history have had a greater effect on humanity than the Industrial Revolution, which from its onset in 18th-century Britain produced sweeping changes in agriculture, manufacturing, transportation and technology, with profound effects on socio-economic and cultural conditions.