Campus News Briefs

From golf course to residential community

The University of Manitoba will be introducing an international design competition for a plan that will convert the unused Southwood Golf Course into student and public housing, as well as new rapid transit station. The criteria for the competition states that the riverbank be made accessible from the southern edge of the campus to Bishop Grandin Boulevard.

One of the main reasons for this transformation is to show the university’s connection with its community, rather than leaving the former golf course as a barrier.

“It’s an intention to ask the whole planning process to focus on the river,” said U of M president David Barnard.

The competition will reach its conclusion in October, 2013.

Improving treatment for burn victims

Current burn dressings have a tendency to adhere to the wound after a given amount of time, which causes incredible amounts of pain when the bandages are removed. This is due to the silver compounds used in the dressings to fight bacteria and infection.

Two U of M researchers are undertaking a formidable task – designing new burn bandages that won’t adhere to the burns but still provide bacterial protection. Professor of surgery Sarvesh Logsetty and textile sciences professor Song Liu are receiving $384, 018 from the Collaborative Health Research Projects program to assist in this project.

Logsetty and Liu plan to use silver nanoparticles, which will still provide the antibacterial and infection support, but will not stick to the burns.

Romeo Dallaire will receive the Peace Award

Senator Roméo Dallaire will be giving a public lecture at the U of M to promote peace and urge Canadians to help the whole of humanity by turning from conflict to serenity. This will occur on Oct. 5 from 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. at Moot Court, Robson Hall, Fort Garry campus.

Dallaire was the former commander of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Rwanda where he witnessed the worst side of humanity during the Rwandan genocide. He was appointed to the Canadian Senate in 2005.

Dallaire also published a book in 2003 entitled Shake Hands with the Devil: The failure of Humanity in Rwanda.

Dallaire will be presented with the 2012 Mahatma Ghandi Peace Award of Canada. Followed by this will be a panel discussion featuring Dr. Sean Byrne, executive director of the university’s Arthur Mauro Centre for Peace and Justice and U of M genocide expert Dr. Andrew Woolford.