2006-05-18. MUN Gazette, vol. 38, no. 14

              Memorial
University of Newfoundland
Gazette
May 18, 2006
Volume 38 Number 14
Publication Mail
Registration No. 40062527
A Memorial University of Newfoundland Publication
Inside
Looking north
Memorial University has appointed a Labrador-based
consultant to prepare a report outlining the post-secondary
needs in Labrador. Cathy Jong of Happy Valley-Goose Bay
was appointed April 15 and should have a final report
completed by June 9.
PAGE 3
A lot of class
After 50 years in front of a
class, Dr. Shannon Ryan will
retire from the Department of
History this year.
PAGE 5
Finishing touches
With convocation approaching, the Gazette looks at a few of
our graduates preparing to cross the stage to a new phase of
their lives.
PAGES 6-7
National recognition
A Memorial professor of
sociology who has been a
trailblazer in marine occupational health, local
knowledge and science
research, and gender and
fisheries has received one
of the most lucrative social science awards in Canada. A
Trudeau Foundation Fellowship will give Dr. Barbara Neis
greater flexibility to expand her work.
PAGE 9
Andrew Critch's quest for knowledge will see the Hillview native earn his bachelor
of science (honours) in pure mathematics just two years after graduating from
Clarenville High School. Among his many accolades, he will be awarded the
Governor General's Medal (Undergraduate). For more on Mr. Critch, see story below.
All about the truth
BY JILL HUNT
ANDREW CRITCH WANTS THE TRUTH.
"All I've really wanted to know in my whole life is the
absolute truth," says Mr. Critch. "I want to know definite,
irrefutably correct things about the world, and pure mathematics, as a discipline, is a search for precisely that."
When Mr. Critch was in high school, he completed first-
year university science courses, allowing him to have a head
start before entering the science program at Memorial.
Studying an average of seven courses a semester, Mr. Critch
is graduating with his undergraduate bachelor of science
(honours) in pure mathematics in just two years.
This summer, Mr. Critch is starting an undergraduate
research assistantship position with the University of Toronto
and will begin his master's of pure mathematics in the fall.
Dr. Chris Radford, head of the department of Mathematics and Statistics, said since Mr. Critch's arrival at Memorial, he has achieved remarkable results in his degree program.
"Andrew is certainly one of the best students the department has had the good fortune to have had in one of its
programs," said Dr. Radford. "Andrew has achieved a lot
more than top grades - he has been a great role model for other
students and an outstanding ambassador for Memorial in his
travels to various mathematical meetings and competitions in
the Atlantic region and beyond."
Last December, Mr. Critch competed in the William
Lowell Putnam Mathematical Competition and placed fifth
in Canada, putting Memorial's team 35th out of 500 schools.
Upon entering the competition, Mr. Critch set a personal
goal of trying to achieve a score of 50 out of 120, a result he
achieved. This outstanding score earned him an honourable
mention and a ranking of 57 out of 3,545 contestants.
Other competitions Mr. Critch participated in include
the Atlantic Provinces International Council of the Science
(APICS) Competition where Mr. Critch and his teammate
Neil McKay placed first in 2004 and 2005.
Mr. Critch will also be awarded the Governor General's
Medal (Undergraduate) during convocation.
The governor general's medal for undergraduates goes to
the student obtaining a first degree who stands highest in the
graduating class and has an average of first-class standing.
For more successful students, see pages 6-7.
Engineering society gives a local man a second chance at his favourite pastime
BY MICHELLE OSMOND
FOR FIVE YEARS, James Scurry hasn't been able to play his guitar. In 2001, he had a brain
aneurysm that caused a stroke. It left him without the ability to move his left side and
although he was an avid musician, he gave up hope of ever playing again. That is, until the
Newfoundland Tetra Society, founded and coordinated by Memorial engineering professor
Dr. Leonard Lye, heard about it.
The Tetra Society is an award winning volunteer organization of engineers, technicians,
and health professionals who design and build assistive devices for people with disabilities.
Dr. Lye says Mr. Scurry's challenge was perfect for the society and what it stands for. He
enlisted new volunteers and engineering students Gillian Langor, Steven Coward, and Steve
Reddin. The volunteers consulted an occupational therapist to find out what Mr. Scurry could
and couldn't do then found out what the client wanted. They also worked with Griffiths Guitar
Works who made modifications to the guitar, and with Memorial's Technical Services who
constructed the prototype.
Gazette
May 18, 2006
"It's a trial and error process. First, coming up with a rough prototype before getting a proper
one made in the machine shop then there was more fiddling until we got a system that worked
reasonably well," explained Dr. Lye.
It works using the up-and-down motion of the pick which is controlled by a foot pedal
of a high-hat stand, which is used by drummers. The pick is attached to a spring loaded lever
arm and when the pedal is pushed down, a bike cable pulls the lever arm up and the pick
moves downwards to strum the guitar. When the pedal is let go the spring mechanism pulls
the lever arm and the pick strums upwards. So the speed of strumming is controlled by
foot movement.
Ms. Langor says it was an amazing learning experience for the volunteers.
"The Tetra Society has a lot to offer us. It's a chance for students to become involved by
reaching out to our community and at the same time, we get to work with professionals and
learn a lot from them. It helps us see a little outside of our curriculum."
Mr. Coward agrees and says it was definitely worth the effort.
see ENGINEERING on page!
www.mun.ca/marcomm/gazette