FASS@SFU e-Newsletter

April 2013

Welcome to the April edition of FASS@SFU, your guide to news and events in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. If you’re not already receiving this newsletter directly and would like to be added to the distribution list, please email FassComm@sfu.ca. Don’t forget to check out FASS on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SFUFASS. We’re also on Twitter at www.twitter.com/SFUfass.

FASS News

SFU Engages in Aftermath of Murder Series

A Simon Fraser University criminologist, criminology master’s student and communication alumnus hope a new hard-hitting video series that they are behind will garner major public attention during National Victims of Crime Awareness Week in Canada.

With SFU criminologist Brenda Morrison’s advisory support, Brent Stafford, a B.A. and master’s graduate of SFU’s communication school, has produced Aftermath of Murder, Survivor Stories.

Lies, Damned Lies and African Statistics

Shanta Devarajan, the World Bank’s chief economist for Africa, has called the state of economic-development data on the continent a “statistical tragedy”.

And Morten Jerven, an SFU assistant professor of international studies, concurs.

Jerven’s recently published book, Poor Numbers—How We Are Misled by African Development Statistics and What to Do About It, documents the weakness of statistical systems in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Carole Gerson Awarded 2013 Tremaine Medal and Watters-Morley Prize

Professor Carole Gerson, English, has been awarded the Bibliographical Society of Canada’s 2013 Tremaine Medal and Watters-Morley Prize for outstanding service to Canadian bibliography and for distinguished publications in the field.

FASS Student Photo Contest Winners

We're pleased to announce the winners of our Spring FASS photo contest:

First place - Alex Kwok, English
Second place - Talisa Nyte, International Studies
Third place - Cory Lagasse, School of Resource and Environmental Management

Senior Faculty Luncheon

On April 17th, Dean John Craig welcomed SFU FASS Senior Faculty members for lunch at the Vancouver Club. The successful event saw upwards of 55 guests, with Dean Craig announcing the continuation of the well received FASS Retirees Research Fund, as well as the Visiting Speakers Fund available to all retired FASS faculty.

Photos here.

FASS Teaching

What's All the Fuss About: Experiential Education

Faculty members at SFU are often encouraged to undertake a new stance or approach in their teaching practices. One of the more recent is “experiential education”. Responding to faculty concerns about how “experiential education” is being deployed at SFU, we undertook to write a short paper for FASS faculty in particular.

You can view the full Experiential Learning paper here.

FASS Research

Mitacs Globalink Now Accepting Professor Projects for Summer 2014

Mitacs Globalink is offering professors an opportunity to work with exceptional undergraduate students from India, China, Brazil, and Mexico on 10-12 week research projects in summer 2014. Also see Mitacs funding opportunities for grad students and post-docs.

Anna Miegon Joins FASS as Associate Research Grants Facilitator

Anna Miegon has over a decade of experience within a research setting, including work as a facilitator and editor for SFU and the University of Western Ontario. She holds a MA in English Philology from the University of Lodz and a Doctor of Philosophy in English from SFU. During her doctoral program, Anna specialized in eighteenth-century literature and received advanced training in humanities research. At Simon Fraser University, she has also taught undergraduate courses on literature and culture.

Phone: (778) 782-9695
E-mail: Anna Miegon

Around FASS

Unearthing a King: The Discovery of Richard III

The School of Criminology and the Centre for Forensic Research are pleased to announce that two of the researchers who uncovered and analyzed the remains of Richard III found recently under a car park in Leicester will be presenting and discussing their findings at the Wosk Centre on May 14th.

This event which is free but requires prior registration because of the limited seating.

The event is open to all interested faculty and graduate students (and their significant others) on a first come, first served basis.

Taboo Topics in Residential Care

22nd John K. Friesen Conference

May 27 and 28 -- 2013

SFU Vancouver Campus, 515 West Hastings St.

Topics include such difficult to deal with issues as: resident-to-resident aggression; bullying and abuse; theft; alcohol and other substance abuse; and sexuality.

FASS Events Calendar

Upcoming FASS events are always accessible via the FASS Calendar.

Please click here to add your upcoming events to the FASS calendar. Make sure you select "Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences" as the calendar for your events.

FASS in the Community

Starting the Dialogue on Reconciliation

Brenda Morrison, a Simon Fraser University criminologist and director of the SFU Centre for Restorative Justice, expects an invitation-only reconciliation dialogue on Aboriginal people’s history in Canada will be well attended.

Morrison is a Reconciliation Canada Ambassador on the North Shore with the Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh Nations. She and the event’s other co-hosts, Chief Robert Joseph, Hereditary Chief of the Gwawaenuk First Nation and a Reconciliation Canada Ambassador, and Reconciliation Canada, will lead a dialogue on residential schooling and reconciliation.

Brantingham in Ottawa to Discuss Crime Data Collection

Patricia Brantingham, SFU’s RCMP Professor of Computational Criminology, was in Ottawa to present at The Data Effect: Tomorrow’s Canada Today conference. Featuring leaders from government, the private sector and researchers from across Canada, the conference aims to explore the emerging data revolution and how Canada should embrace it.

FASS People in the Media

Islamic specialist Derryl MacLean was mentioned in The Vancouver Sun in a discussion of the efforts of the Ahmadiyya Muslims to advertise their religion.
An op-ed written by Lillian Zimmerman, research associate with the Gerontology Research Centre, was featured in the Vancouver Sun regarding the negative stigma surrounding our aging population.
International security expert Andre Gerolymatos was interviewed by Global National discussing the Boston marathon explosions.
A Province story on Paul Cheng, a former Economics students and football player, who's looking to make a mark as MMA fighter in Asia.
Urban Studies student Brandon Yan was mentioned in The Vancouver Sun discussing unemployment among young people from age 15 to 24 in B.C.