Faculty of Science Council Meeting April 13, 2017 April 13, 2017 - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Faculty of Science Council Meeting April 13, 2017

April 13, 2017 Today’s Agenda 1. Review of Agenda 2. Approval of Minutes of January 12 Meeting 3. Introduction and Brief Vision Statement, Acting Dean 4. Faculty of Science Transitions: Introductions and Brief Vision Statement 5. Proposed School of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences 6. Science Research Portfolio Update 7. Nominating Committees 8. Joint Teaching Fellowship 9. Science Senators Report 10. Undergraduate Awards 2017

Acting Dean Pauline Barmby

Associate Dean Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies Jisuo Jin

Graduate and Postdoctoral studies in science Vision and priorities (Jisuo Jin) Continue to improve the quality and reputation of graduate and postdoctoral studies in science at western.  Promote a healthy and supportive environment for GPS (funding, space, inter- personal relationships, and other supports);  Promote research quality and productivity (e.g. highlight the dissemination of results of GP research in Science);  Promote professional development / career preparation (writing and other communication skills, teaching experiences, etc.);  Promote interdisciplinary breath and collaboration (e.g. multi-departmental graduate and PDF research conferences).

Acting Associate Dean Academic Ken Yeung

Ken Yeung Department of Chemistry (50%, Home) Department of Biochemistry (50%) Assistant Professor (2001 – 2007) Associate Professor (2007 – ) Undergraduate Chair, Chemistry (2012 – 2014) Associate Chair, Chemistry (2015 – ) Undergraduate Courses Taught: Biochem 4465B (Proteomics) Chem 3372G (Analytical Chem) Chem 2272F (Analytical Chem) Chem 1302B (General Chem)

Top Priority: Maintain smooth operation of undergraduate affairs in the Faculty of Science Refinement: explore opportunities that can make use of electronic forms A. Formalize the process for Varsity event accommodation with Health Studies. B. Most common accommodation requests. C. A form for Academic appeals with pre-set questions.

Vision: Fostering the Quality Indicators for “Best Student Experience” 1. Promote high-impact educational practices (HIEPs) 2. 3. Rebrand ongoing Review recruitment professional development priorities

Centre for Advanced Materials and Biomaterials Research (CAMBR) Elizabeth Gillies, Acting Director Department of Chemistry Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering

Current status of CAMBR Centre that brings together researchers across faculties in area of materials and biomaterials A Faculty of Science research theme encompassing: 1) Materials for Health 2) Materials for Sustainable Energies 3) Innovative Functional Materials 4) Earth and Astromaterials Review of CAMBR is required according to Western Senate policy Extension until June 2018 Need to conduct strategic planning and internal review to decide future directions

Plans for the next year Strategic planning exercise Should CAMBR renew as a Centre? What are the strategic research priorities where Western can lead in Materials and Biomaterials? What are infrastructure needs? What are faculty recruitment needs (e.g, CRCs)? How can CAMBR help coordinate large grant initiatives? Bring CAMBR through the renewal process Opportunities to provide your feedback Feel free to contact me

Proposed School of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences

What is it? • School of Mathematical & Statistical Sciences • Closer academic and administrative association among three departments in FoS

Why a School? • Old academic divisions no longer make sense • Increase visibility at Western and beyond • Operational benefits to be realized too

Why Not Merge? • Preserve decidedly different cultures • Cultures need not be disrupted altogether in order to realize the scientific benefits of closer association • Operations can benefit without a merger

How is it to be Structured? School Director APPLMATH DSAS MATH RES Chair Chair Chair Chair Program Chair Program Chair Program Chair Program Chair P & T, APE P & T, APE P & T, APE P & T, APE

Impact • Minimal for those outside participating depts. • Improved service teaching • Still eager to collaborate • Math will still have a central place in science

Science Research Portfolio Update Bryan Neff

2016-2017 Awards NSERC Steacie Fellowship Elizabeth Gillies • Hellmuth Prize Tsun-Kong Sham • CFI - JELF • Johanna Blacquiere, Sheri Molnar NSERC CRD • Liz Webb and Patricia Corcoran, Matt Davison, Marc Moreno Maza

2017 Discovery Grants 80% overall success rate Total annual funding increased by $128K Excellent Outcomes • Yuri Boykov, Graham Denham, Keith Hobson, Mikko Karttunen, Rogemar Mamon, Brent Sinclair

2017 Discovery Grants

Research Tools & Instruments • 42% success rate (5 of 12 funded) • Science average $135K Brian Branfireun • Giovanni Fanchini • Francois Lagugne-Labarthet • Bryan Neff • Liana Zanette •

NSERC SPG-P 83% invited to submit full proposals (5 of 6 LOIs) Irena Creed • Giovanni Fanchini • Norman Huner • Kostas Kontogiannis • Bryan Neff •

U15 Science 6 12 (8)

High impact publications Nature Audrey Bouvier - Primitive Solar System materials and Earth share a • common initial 142 Nd abundance Science Gordon Osinski - The formation of peak rings in large impact craters • Kristy Tiampo - Surface uplift and time-dependent seismic hazard due to fluid • injection in eastern Texas Nature Communications David Smith - The Gonium pectorale genome demonstrates co-option of cell • cycle regulation during the evolution of multicellularity Fred Longstaffe - Agriculture causes nitrate fertilization of remote alpine lakes • Jan Cami - Atomically resolved phase transition of fullerene cations solvated • in helium droplets Liana Zanette - Fear of large carnivores causes a trophic cascade • Tsun-Kong Sham - Platinum single-atom and cluster catalysis of the • hydrogen evolution reaction

Nominating Committee Update/Discussion 1) Suggested change to filling 1-year replacements for P&T committees Current: • Same process as used to fill the 3-year full term positions • Department representatives on the Nominating Committee (with Department Chair) solicit nominees for the position. A FoS vote is held to elect the replacement. Suggested Change: Fill the position with the nominee that had the 2 nd highest number of • votes on the initial election for the 3-year full term position. • The nominees have already all been vetted by the Department and deemed as suitable

Nominating Committee Update/Discussion 2) Short Bio Blurbs for nominees in FoS elections • All members of the FoS vote to fill open service positions (i.e. P&T committees, representative on Faculty council for other Faculties, etc) Current: • Only the names of nominees are provided in the vote. If the nominee is outside of your home department it is difficult to make an informed decision when voting. Suggested Change: • Nominees should provide a short (1-2 sentence) bio blurb that conveys why they are well suited for the given position. • The Nominating Committee will provide examples or prompts

Nominating Committee Update/Discussion 3) Process for elections that have >2 nominees for a position • Ideally an individual is nominated with majority support, which is not guaranteed if there are >2 nominees for one position. Current: • First past the post voting Suggested Change: • Ranked ballot Ranked Ballot Example • 1 position with 3 nominees A - C , 100 voters • Voters rank A - C , where ‘ 1 ’ is their top ranked candidate. 1 st choice ( 1 ) candidates are tallied •

Nominating Committee Update/Discussion 3) Process for elections that have >2 nominees for a position Case #1: Majority based on 1 st choice votes Nominee A Nominee B Nominee C Top choice ( 1 ) votes 60 20 20 Candidate A wins the election Case #2: No Majority based on 1 st choice votes A B C Round 1: C has fewest votes and is removed. 2 nd choice nominees 1 votes 40 35 25 from ‘ C ’ ballots are tabulated 2 votes from C ballots 5 20 X Total 45 55 Candidate B wins the election

Joint Teaching Fellowship in Science “Students as Partners” Lindi Wahl Applied Math Tom Haffie Biology 3 yr, 40% secondment $50K/yr funding

Science Senators Report Undergraduate Fall Study Week (Thanksgiving Mon-Fri) • 15% of grade 3 days before drop deadline • Drop deadline pushed back to Dec 7 • Blended courses: at least 30% on-line • No classes between 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. • Gold Medalists: avg.in top 10% of dept. •

Science Senators Report Graduate • Proposed new hub-and-spoke (Master of Data Analytics) is awaiting Quality Council Approval • New spoke (Applied Science) in the MMASc program Other • Computer Science cyclical review: achieved the highest rating

Undergraduate Awards 2017 • competition for undergraduate students completing 3rd- or 4th-year • 25 categories spanning Science, Arts & Humanities, Social Science, etc. • students submit work already completed that earned an A • top submissions are published and invited to the UA Global Summit in Dublin • submission deadline: June 13 • more info: www.undergraduateawards.com