THOMPSON RIVERS UNIVERSITY
SPRING 2017, Issue 14

Engineered
for the Future 10
16 The Child as Witness
22 Twenty-five Years of Gala

Photo: Tourism Kamloops/Peter Olsen

Publisher
Lucille Gnanasihamany
Office of Marketing & Communications
Editor
Diana Skoglund (’90, ’94)
Managing Editor
Anita Rathje
Contributing Editors
Nada Ansalahi
Christine Anderson (’05)
Danna Bach (’01)
Bart Cummins (’07)
Dawn-Lousie McLeod (‘12, ‘10)
Kelley O’Grady (‘09)
Robin Phelan

Contact Us
Diana Skoglund
TRU Marketing & Communications
Email bridges@tru.ca
Phone 250-371-5897
tru.ca/bridges
Throughout Bridges Magazine, former iterations of the institution including UCC, Cariboo and Open Learning Agency are assumed in use of “TRU”.
The views and opinions expressed in the magazine are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of Thompson Rivers University or the
TRU Alumni and Friends Association. All material copyright ©. Bridges cannot be held responsible for unsolicited manuscripts or photographs.

Photography
Christine Anderson (’05)
Bart Cummins (’07)
Alex Mey
Kelley O’Grady (‘09)
Robin Phelan
Anita Rathje
Andrew Snucins
Production
Corey Wiwchar
Caitlin Johnson
Art Direction
Linda Komori
Graphic Design
Amanda Johnson (‘08)
Distribution
TRU Alumni & Friends Association

CONTENTS
Campus Commons
2
4
5
6
7
8
9

TRU Today
President’s Message
Nursing at the Next Level
New Building on
Nursing’s Horizon
The Economics of
What Matters
Masters of Strategy
Welding on the World Stage

Student Street
10 Engineered for the Future
11 Building Tech Potential
12 Arts Alum Finds
TRIUMF-ant Success
13 Law Clinic Expands Service
Research Review

ON THE COVER
TRU Engineering Transfer student Ryan White uses an electron deflection
tube to observe the motion of electrons under the influence of an electric
field. TRU’s proposed Bachelor and Master of Engineering programs will
allow students like Ryan to complete degrees in Kamloops. Story page 10.
(Cover photo: Alex Mey Photography)

14 Championing Research in
Ecosystem Reclamation
15 Moving against the Flow
16 The Child as Witness
18 Mason Set to Go Global
19 Dream Catcher
Foundation
20 A Circle of Support
21 Big Dreams in Laser Focus
Interior Settings
22 Twenty-five Years of Gala
Track the ‘Pack
24 Every Second Counts
25 Killin’ It
InsideTRU
26 Grassroots Actions for
Global Goals
28 Pathways for Student Success

CAMPUS COMMONS

TRU TODAY

ANNUAL UNIQUE

STUDENT
HEADCOUNT
17,566 (2000/01)

25,754
(2015/16)

>33,000

>15,000+

CANADIAN ALUMNI

INTERNATIONAL ALUMNI

24%
16%

Live in the BC Interior
& Kootenays

Rest of Canada & the World

CAMPUSES &
REGIONAL CENTRES
WILLIAMS LAKE
100 MILE HOUSE
ASHCROFT &
CACHE CREEK
LILLOOET

2 | Thompson Rivers University

ABORIGINAL
STUDENTS (2015/16)

Live in other regions of BC

60%

LYTTON

9.9%

CLEARWATER
BARRIERE

KAMLOOPS

11%

INTERNATIONAL
STUDENTS (2015/16)

TRU’S ECONOMIC
IMPACT

>$650,000,000
on provincial economy

$355,000,000
on Kamloops and region

CAMPUS COMMONS

60

CREDENTIALS
AWARDED (2015/16)

DISTANCE
PROGRAMS

2,608

11: Apprenticeships
56: Associate degrees
62: Graduate certificates
64: Developmental
72: Professional (Law)
104: Master’s degrees

913:
Bachelor’s
degrees
422:
Certificates

140+
ON CAMPUS
PROGRAMS

373:
Diplomas

321:
Trades certificates

Study
Abroad
Field
Schools

210:
Post-baccalaureates

Co-op
Placements

total waste
diverted from
landfill for
recycling:
40% to 60%

energy savings
of $500,000
per year
recognized by
BC Hydro from
2010 to 2016

Why is there a coyote on top
of the House of Learning?

Undergraduate
Research
Service
Learning
and more

In the stories of BC’s Secwepemc
peoples, Coyote—Sek’lép—is a
helper to the people, as well as a
trickster. Honouring our ties to the
Secwepemc, Canadian sculptor
John McEwen created TRU’s
coyote from dozens of steel
stars—helping find the way.

tru.ca/bridges | 3

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

The Fourth Industrial Revolution?
SOME SAY THAT RAPID
CHANGES in the nature of
work are the fourth industrial
revolution. Really? So I googled
it and found out what the first
three were: 1) the transition
from agricultural to urban
industrial societies via iron
and steam; 2) huge expansion
of industry due to steel, oil,
electricity and the internal
combustion engine; and 3) the
digital revolution of computers
and the Internet. And now,
some say 4) is the automation
of decision-making in everyday
life, work and even learning due
to artificial intelligence.
Bottom line: computers can
automate many complicated
manual and cognitive
tasks better than humans.
Automation is creating a
prosperity gap—an economic
chasm between those who have
the highly specific knowledge
and lifelong learning skills
required by the new knowledge
economy, and those who do not
and face unemployment as old
jobs are eliminated.
Enter TRU!
In this issue of Bridges,
discover how our new Master
of Nursing degree program

4 | Thompson Rivers University

promotes leadership skills and
our proposed Bachelor and
Master of Engineering programs
will educate future software,
computer and electrical
engineers. Read how our newest
Bachelor of Education program
addresses the shortfall in
science and math secondary
school teachers. And learn more
regarding the BC government’s
recent approval of two
graduate programs in
environmental economics.
Further, the groundbreaking
work of our recent Canada
Research Chairs (CRCs) will
benefit Kamloops and its
regional communities—and will
reverberate globally.
Accordingly, we are creating
new learning spaces—the
Industrial Training and
Technology Centre and the
Nursing and Population Health
building—to greatly improve
our delivery of high-quality
teaching, learning and research.
New people, programming
and buildings will support
innovation, job creation and
quality of life in our region.
And—through Open Learning—
our learners can exploit the
digital revolution to get an

excellent education, catch up
and keep up with the new
knowledge economy—regardless
of their background, where they
live, or their stage of life.
Finally, thanks to recent
investments in TRU by our
governments and by our friends
and graduates through the TRU
Foundation’s campaign, our
students will have the support
they need to overcome the
prosperity gap.
Alan Shaver
President and Vice-Chancellor

CAMPUS COMMONS

NURSING AT THE NEXT LEVEL
BY KELLEY O’GRADY

TRU’S SCHOOL OF NURSING
HAS a rich history in providing
nursing education over the past
35-plus years. In 2016, a new Master
of Nursing (MN) program was
approved and is intended to start in
May 2017.
“Our School of Nursing is
well-recognized nationally for its
excellent faculty and graduates.
Therefore, I am delighted that we
are now offering a Master of Nursing
program right here in Kamloops,”
says President and Vice-Chancellor
Alan Shaver.
The MN is flexible in its delivery,
inviting graduate students to map
a degree path through full or parttime studies, making it convenient
for nursing degree-holders and
registered nurses to continue with
their professional and educational
goals. It also offers opportunities for
professional nurses to gain leadership
roles within the field, advance health

care knowledge and obtain clinical
education to work in academia.
“Nurses have a great deal of
knowledge about the direction
and future of health care in our
province,” says Dean of Nursing
Donna Murnaghan. “The Master of
Nursing program will contribute to
nurses advancing change, research
and leadership within health care.”
The 33-credit program consists of
five core courses with directed study
options and opportunities to focus
on Aboriginal health leadership,
clinical education and practice, and
nursing education. It also offers
flexible progress options of two to
three years, to a maximum of five
years, and the choice to complete a
thesis, major project or major paper.
Graduates of the MN program
will possess the leadership and
professional capacity, research
skills and workplace competencies
to engage in clinical practice at the

advanced level and to earn positions
in local, provincial, national or
international health care areas.
Other advanced opportunities
include teaching roles in academia,
administration, research and
private practice.
“We are really excited to
support nurses in reaching their
potential as advanced leaders within
diverse and evolving health care
systems,” says Nicola Waters, MN
program coordinator.
The MN was the third new
graduate program launched at TRU
in 2016, expanding the university’s
offerings to six master’s degrees.
Above: Florriann Fehr, Joyce O’Mahony and
Lisa Bourque Bearskin are among the nursing
faculty members teaching in the MN.

Apply now: tru.ca/mn
tru.ca/bridges | 5

CAMPUS COMMONS

NEW BUILDING
ON NURSING’S HORIZON
BY KELLEY O’GRADY

AS HEALTH CARE DEMANDS
INCREASE nationwide, many
communities in BC are facing a
shortage of skilled health care
professionals who can meet the
care needs of diverse populations—
essential for those in rural and
remote communities.
TRU’s new $30.6 million
Nursing and Population Health
(NPH) building will address these
conditions by expanding seats
and programming, and create an
educational environment where
students can thrive, access state-ofthe-art technology and gain skills
critical to providing high quality care.
“We are truly excited about the
opportunities that our new Nursing
and Population Health building will
create,” says Dean of Nursing Donna
6 | Thompson Rivers University

Murnaghan. “TRU will attract the
brightest students in nursing and
health to a learning environment
that incorporates high-calibre
advanced technology, equipment
and resources.”
The 4,100 square metre standalone building will support
current School of Nursing
programs and enable development
of new certificate programs in
specialty areas such as critical,
perioperative, senior, rural and
home care. For prospective
nursing students who already
have an undergraduate degree, an
accelerated option will fast-track
graduates into the profession to
address current shortages.
The province announced an $8
million contribution this March

toward construction, which will
begin in spring 2018. Over $2.5
million has been raised privately,
including major contributions from
the Stollery Charitable Foundation
and an anonymous donor who will
be naming the building. The NPH is
expected to open in fall 2020.
“Kamloops and all the
communities TRU serves will greatly
benefit from graduates who have
the knowledge and expertise to
deliver the best care possible to the
population,” says Murnaghan.
From left: Hands-on learning in NPH labs
will include state-of-the-art equipment.
East face of the NPH building (Rendering by
Chernoff Thompson Architects).

CAMPUS COMMONS

The Economics of What Matters
BY ROBIN PHELAN
TRU’S NEWEST MASTER’S
DEGREES, THE thesis- or projectbased Master of Science in
Environmental Economics and
Management (MScEEM) and
the course-based Master of
Environmental Economics and
Management (MEEM), are both
set to start September 2017.
Students will gain a unique
combination of skills and
knowledge necessary to
incorporate the principles of
sustainability into the economic
and management decision-

making process in a way that will
make them extremely marketable
to companies large and small.
“Graduates will have the
knowledge and analytical
tools required to address the
sustainability of many industry
sectors, such as fisheries,
forestry, agriculture and energy,”
says Dr. Laura Lamb, program
coordinator in the School of
Business and Economics.
A master’s in environmental
economics not only educates
students on socially responsible

global decision-making, it also
enables them to manage the
initiatives of diverse stakeholders,
therefore opening the door to
numerous career opportunities.
As Dean of the School
of Business and Economics
Michael Henry said in his
interview with the Globe and
Mail in September, “This will be a
unique set of graduates who will
be able to live in both worlds and
be able to speak in an informed
way in both domains.”

tru.ca/bridges | 7

CAMPUS COMMONS

MASTERS OF STRATEGY
BY ROBIN PHELAN
A GROUP OF 21 MASTER of
Business Administration (MBA)
students came out on top in a
competition against peers from
the University of British Columbia,
Simon Fraser University, University
of Victoria and Vancouver Island
University (VIU) at the second
annual BC MBA Games, held at VIU
in Nanaimo Oct. 21 to 23, 2016.
Going into the games, the team
was under significant pressure
considering TRU had
come second in the inaugural
2015 games.
Strategic and overnight case
studies, presentations, community
fundraising and athletics—including
dodgeball and canoe racing—were
all part of the competitions.
Management faculty member
Nancy Southin coached the strategic
case component for the team and

8 | Thompson Rivers University

was thrilled that TRU took first in
strategy. “It’s so exciting when you
see people who have worked so hard
do so well,” she says.
The team placed in an impressive
six out of eight events and raised
$6,500 for the Childhood Cancer
Canada Foundation.
“Growing up in Dawson Creek,
I know how it feels to compete
representing a smaller community.
You don’t get taken seriously,”
explains co-captain Shamir
Mangalji. “Winning this competition
proved that smaller universities
can challenge and beat the larger
universities in academics, athletics
and spirit!”
The team feels their win has
helped put their program and
community on the map.
“We want to thank all of our
supporters,” says co-captain Steffi

Thomas. “We all put in ridiculous
hours on top of our regular
classroom commitments.”
The students are excited that
TRU and Kamloops will host the
2017 games and have already
begun preparations.
Mike Henry, dean of Business and
Economics, says they are looking
forward to engaging the local
business community in the games.
“Local businesses will have the
opportunity to network with some
of the brightest MBA students from
across the province.”
TRU expects to host more than
100 students for the 2017 BC MBA
Games this fall.
Right: Shamir Mangalji and Steffi Thomas,
co-captains of TRU’s winning team.

CAMPUS COMMONS

WELDING ON THE WORLD STAGE
BY BART CUMMINS
LATER THIS YEAR, WELDING
STUDENT Andrew Christensen
could be TRU’s first medalist at the
WorldSkills competition.
Since qualifying for what
amounts to the Olympics of trades,
Christensen has ramped up his
training and is spending 40 to 50
hours a week perfecting everything
that will be required during the
four-day competition.
Held every two years, WorldSkills
2017 will be held in Abu Dhabi,
capital of the United Arab Emirates,
from Oct. 14 to 19. More than 1,200
competitors—gold medalists from
the qualifiers of 72 countries and
regions—will compete in 50 skill
categories. In welding, Christensen
will be among at least 40 competitors.
It’s a big deal.
“When I’m done, I’ll have a skill
set very few people have,” says

Christensen, who is three-quarters
through his apprenticeship program.
“I’ll also have work contacts that will
allow me to pick and choose what I
want to do after this.”
All qualifiers were given
blueprints and instructions for
most of what they will have to
create, allowing Christensen almost
a year of training to perfect his
speed, techniques, accuracy, project
management and other skills.
To prepare, he also competed
at the US finals in Livingston,
Alabama in February and at the
UK championships in Manchester
in March, and may find other
opportunities to practice.
Welding faculty member Larry
Franzen is among Christensen’s
mentors and coaches. He says the
hours of practice and training will
pay off come October.

“If Andrew is going to compete
on the same stage with everybody
else who is training just as hard as
he is, maybe that little bit of extra
time he puts in each week will be
the difference between podium and
non-podium.”
The Skills Canada program is also
providing coaching, guidance and
other supports, including official
team clothing and meetings with
the other members of Team Canada
bound for Abu Dhabi.
Above: Apprentice Andrew Christensen
practices his welds for the Olympics of
trades competitions.

tru.ca/bridges | 9

CAMPUS COMMONS

ENGINEERED FOR THE FUTURE
BY BART CUMMINS
THE CEO OF CANADA’S HOTTEST
startup is staking his company’s
future on a locale that fosters
innovation, supports tech and has a
readily available skill pool.
For Daniel Rink of iTel Networks,
receiving the Startup Canada award
for High Growth Entrepreneurship
was made possible in part by
employees he’s recruited from TRU’s
computer science programs.
Now the local tech sector is
about to get even hotter. Premier
Christy Clark gave the green light
to 1,000 new tech seats throughout
BC at the #BCTECH Summit in
March, and TRU is poised to fill
this need with new Bachelor of
Engineering (BEng) and Master
of Engineering programs. The
proposed programs will allow
Rink and the growing number of
innovators in the region to play a
pivotal role in building and shaping
British Columbia and beyond for
decades to come.
The BEng will offer specializations
in electrical, software and computer
engineering—professions that will
be in high demand in the region and
10 | Thompson Rivers University

across the country through 2020
according to projections by Engineers
Canada and the Centre for Spatial
Economics in 2015.
“The BC Tech Sector is on the rise
and in keeping with this trend, TRU
has done a great job of seeing a need
and addressing the opportunity to
educate skilled tech professionals in
Kamloops,” says Rink.
“Over the past several years,
we have seen a real shift toward
technology in the region. The
support from TRU and the
provincial government will help the
local startup community continue
to take off and secure Kamloops as
a future tech-hub.”
TRU’s Chair of Engineering
Faheem Ahmed sees the programs
as a catalyst for economic and
population growth.
“There will be an impact on the
economy of the region once we have
the skilled labour,” says Ahmed. “This
could attract tech companies here,
because the operational costs are less
than they are in larger cities.”
The proposed BEng builds on
TRU’s current two-year engineering

transfer program to the University
of Victoria, which currently offers 60
first-year seats and 20 second-year
seats and receives three applications
for each available seat. Years one
through three of the BEng could
begin as early as fall 2017 with fourth
year starting in fall 2018. Space is
earmarked in the university’s new
Industrial Training and Technology
Centre opening in 2018.
From top: An engineering transfer class
with faculty member George Weremczuk.
Dan Rink, iTel Networks.

CAMPUS COMMONS

Building Tech Potential
BY BART CUMMINS
THE NEW INDUSTRIAL
TRAINING AND TECHNOLOGY
Centre (ITTC) gives TRU the
space to offer training for the
in-demand technology and trades
jobs of today and tomorrow to
hundreds of future TRU students.
At 5,344 square metres, the
facility allows for an increase of
550 full time equivalent (FTE)
student spaces in TRU’s industrial
trades and technology programs,
including new industrial process
technician, power engineering,
HVAC/refrigeration technician
and machinist trades programs
not currently offered.
Supported by over $20 million
in federal and provincial funding,
the project officially broke ground

on Feb. 9 and is expected to be
completed in the fall of 2018.
“Industry support for these
new programs was critical
in receiving approval for the
business case for the new
facility,” says Dean of Trades and
Technology Baldev Pooni.
The new building will also
provide space for electrical and
industrial electrician programs.
Renovations to the existing Trades
and Technology building are also
planned to accommodate the
Architectural and Engineering
Technology program and expand
student services.
Third-year electrical
apprentice Justin Trodd was at
the ground-breaking ceremony.

“The addition of this new
trades building will improve
our labs and classrooms, and
will provide a much-needed
expansion of the programming
at TRU so that more students
like myself can come here, enjoy
this beautiful city, and learn from
some of the very best in a space
that directly reflects the quality of
education that we are all looking
for,” he says.
Below: North face of the ITTC building
(Rendering by Stantec).

tru.ca/bridges | 11

STUDENT STREET

ARTS ALUM FINDS
TRIUMF-ANT SUCCESS
BY KELLEY O’GRADY
FROM FASHION TO PHYSICS,
Nic Zdunich has done it all—
including turning his final co-op
position into a full-time job. The
2016 Bachelor of Arts (BA) graduate
completed two co-op work-terms
at TRIUMF, Canada’s National Lab
for Particle and Nuclear Physics,
before accepting a full-time strategic
communications associate position
with the company.
Hailing from rural Saskatchewan,
the young globe-trotter has lived on
three continents, in four Canadian
cities and has travelled to 27 countries,
all while completing five co-op terms
and his BA. With a resumé almost as
extensive as his travels, having worked
12 | Thompson Rivers University

in fashion, events, graphic design and
student affairs, it’s no surprise he was
named TRU’s 2016 Co-op Student of
the Year.
“Nic approached every work
term with energy, enthusiasm and
confidence, demonstrating his
initiative, sharing his ideas and
bringing a can-do attitude to every
project or task,” says Marion Oke,
co-op coordinator.
His involvement in student
affairs was equally impressive. As
the LGBTQ+ representative for
the Students’ Union, he joined an
international movement to declare
lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender
and questioning (LGBTQ+) pride

by painting the BC Interior’s first
permanent rainbow crosswalk
on campus.
“Nic stands out for quite a few
reasons—the soft skills he developed
outside of the classroom are a direct
correlation to his achievements,”
says Susan Forseille, student
employment coordinator.
Zdunich’s upbeat approach to
life and work is simple, attainable
and likely a big part of his success:
“show up, be present and good
things will happen.”
Above: Arts alumn Nic Zdunich joined
TRIUMF as a strategic communications
associate in 2016.

STUDENT STREET

LEGAL CLINIC EXPANDS SERVICE
BY CHRISTINE ANDERSON

TRU LAW STUDENTS WILL SOON
be able to serve more clients at
the TRU Community Legal Clinic
thanks to new funding from
the Law Foundation of British
Columbia (LFBC).
The LFBC recently announced
$225,000 in annual, ongoing funding
for the clinic.
The part-time clinic—which offers
free legal services for low-income
populations in the Kamloops area—
was officially launched on April 1, 2016
with funding from TRU Law as well
as a one-time grant from the LFBC.
“The new funding will allow us
to expand to full-time hours, plus
fill some additional staff positions,”
says supervising lawyer Ted Murray,
adding that student positions will

nearly double from six to 10 or 12
per semester.
Although not limited to serving
the elderly, the clinic currently draws
about half of its client base from
the Centre for Seniors Information,
which houses the clinic. Murray
notes discussions for an additional
location near the university are also
in the works.
He says a main focus of the clinic
is residential tenancy issues.
“In advocating for the client, we
might, for example, require a landlord
to properly maintain a property, or
get tenancy reinstated by challenging
an eviction. We are able to attend
residential tenancy hearings.”
To date, over 200 clients have
been served. Meanwhile, students

benefit by earning academic credits
and gaining practical experience.
Claire Armstrong was one of
five students who spent part of
the summer helping seniors and
gaining practical experience as a
student clinician.
“I feel so much more competent
now,” she says. “We get to work on
files from start to finish and build a
relationship with the client.”
Above: TRU Law students will have more
opportunities to put theory from classes
like these into practice in the expanding
Legal Clinic.

tru.ca/bridges | 13

RESEARCH REVIEW

CHAMPIONING RESEARCH
IN ECOSYSTEM RECLAMATION
BY ANITA RATHJE

CANADA’S FIRST RESEARCH
CENTRE FOR ecosystem
reclamation is closer to fruition.
TRU’s history of excellence in
restoration ecology and sociological
understanding of the environment,
human health and economic wellbeing has helped garner three grants
in support of a Natural Sciences
and Engineering Research Council
(NSERC) Industrial Research Chair
(IRC) position.
In late 2015, Genome BC pledged
$250,000 toward the IRC; the Real
Estate Foundation of BC contributed
a further $150,000 in April 2016; and
New Gold, operators of the New

14 | Thompson Rivers University

Afton mine west of Kamloops,
pledged $200,000 in June 2016.
Several other industry partners
have also expressed interest. Each
organization’s contribution is eligible
to be matched by NSERC on a oneto-one basis.
“These investments allow
TRU to be at the forefront in the
development of tools to help solve
environmental disturbances caused
by mining, forestry and ranching—
solutions that are more pressing
than ever in the face of climate
change,” says Dr. Lauchlan Fraser,
professor of natural resource science
and candidate for the IRC position.

The research chair will
support the development of
industry-based solutions to
environmental challenges.
“New Gold has partnered with
TRU to continue research in the
area of reclamation over a five-year
period,” says Scott Davidson, manager
of environment, social responsibility
and tailings at New Gold’s New Afton
mine. “Working locally on initiatives
like this helps to build capacity in
the community and leaves behind
a positive legacy. We are proud to
support applied research with TRU
and build on our ongoing relationship
with the university.”
The Centre for Ecosystem
Reclamation at TRU would add
innovative strategies to restoration
management plans—such as using
genetic tools to establish biodiversity
and ecosystem function baselines.
Reclamation solutions will be
developed in consultation with local
Aboriginal communities, including
the use of native plant species to
restore traditional land use.
“Sustainable management means
that we meet our immediate needs
without compromising the needs
of future generations, including
environmental, social and economic
needs,” says Fraser.
Above: Lauchlan Fraser engages
Natural Resource Science students in
reclamation research.

RESEARCH REVIEW

MOVING AGAINST THE FLOW
BY ANITA RATHJE
AN EMERGING LEADER IN
APPLIED mathematics is bringing
interdisciplinary vigour to TRU’s
research in engineering, big data, and
optimization and decision science.
Dr. Yana Nec, the new Canada
Research Chair in Applied
Mathematics and Optimization in
the Faculty of Science, focuses on the
use of mathematics to find solutions
to unconventional problems—
including ecological issues faced by
our region and nation. Nec joins
TRU from New Brunswick’s Mount
Allison University.
Specializing in partial differential
equations, Nec develops mathematical
tools to explain complex natural
phenomena, from gas flow in
landfill facilities to the dispersion of
atmospheric pollutants, to signalling
processes during immune responses.
“Accurate mathematical
modelling of natural phenomena
allows for better understanding
of the world around us, and
consequently leads to informed
choices about our interactions with
the environment,” says Nec.
Her expertise bridges mathematics
and engineering, blending theory
and applied knowledge—a rare
combination in academia. “I like
solving problems that are deemed
conceptually unclassifiable within
classic notions of either mathematics
or engineering.”
Nec says that her interests tend
toward promoting “completeness” in
its many forms.

“It can be the investigation of
pattern formation in settings that
are often deemed esoteric. It can
be utilization of data collected by
an industrial company to their
full research potential. It can be
creating analogies or connections
between things that are not
usually compared.”
She anticipates partnering
with local industry that work
with flowing matter—from stack
emissions to dam control and from
printer ink to dispersal of species to
landfill gas collection.
From top: Yana Nec’s research models
complex patterns such as those formed
by chemical reactions. Nec at the CRC
announcement Dec. 6.

Canada Research Chairs
TRU’S RESEARCH CAPACITY
WAS ACCELERATED in 2016
with the appointment of
four Tier 2 Canada Research
Chairs (CRCs) in science, arts,
tourism and social work. It’s
the first time in a decade that
TRU has had four CRCs in
place simultaneously.
Together, they represent
a $2 million investment from
the federal Canada Research
Chairs Program, along with an
additional $241,000 infrastructure
investment from the Canada
Foundation for Innovation.

Created in 2000, the CRC
program invests approximately
$265 million annually to
attract and retain some of the
world’s most accomplished
and promising researchers.
CRCs work at over 70 postsecondary institutions across
Canada in a wide range of
fields. Tier 2 CRCs are identified
as exceptional emerging
researchers, acknowledged
by their peers as having the
potential to lead in their field.

tru.ca/bridges | 15

RESEARCH REVIEW

THE CHILD AS WITNESS
BY DANNA BACH
AS VICTIMS OF OR WITNESSES to
crime, children have a vital role to
play in the criminal justice system.
Dr. Heather Price wants to ensure
that when children are involved, the
evidence they provide is as strong
as possible.
“We haven’t done a good enough
job helping kids provide evidence, and
if we don’t do a good enough job, bad
things may continue to happen to
them,” says Price, Canada Research
Chair in Culture and Communities:
Children and the Law in the Faculty
of Arts. She is one of a handful of
experts in North America on memory
and children as witnesses within the
legal system.
Price grew up in BC’s Kootenays
region and acquired her undergraduate
degree at the University of Victoria
before moving to Simon Fraser
University to complete her master’s
degree and PhD. She arrived at TRU
in 2016 from the University of Regina,
where she had spent nine years as an
associate professor of psychology.
The primary focus of her research
rests on basic memory, investigative
interviewing and perceptions of
children. Often, we expect children
to be less truthful—more likely to be
dishonest—than adults, but research
shows that’s not the case, says Price.
“What can we expect children
to be able to recall? How can we
get that memory out of them?” She
says how we question children and
how we evaluate the accuracy of a
statement once we have it, are the
questions that drive her research.

16 | Thompson Rivers University

Price can often be found in her
newly-developed Children and
the Law Laboratory at TRU and
expects to work with local law
enforcement, social workers and
teachers. In Regina, she worked with
RCMP and Regina Police on how to
effectively question children, and she
anticipates continuing this focus in
Kamloops. She is actively seeking
local families to participate in her
research program.
“Ultimately, we want to discover
the type of evidence children are
capable of providing, and help those
involved in the legal system to obtain
that evidence,” says Price.
“In doing so, we can reduce
the anxiety and fear children
experience when they participate
in the justice system.”
Below: Research by Heather Price will
improve how effectively the justice system
obtains evidence from children.

RESEARCH REVIEW

tru.ca/bridges | 17

RESEARCH REVIEW

MASON SET TO GO GLOBAL
BY DANNA BACH & DAWN-LOUISE MCLEOD
DR. COURTNEY MASON IS
POISED to take the results of
his earlier research with rural
Canadian Indigenous communities
to a global level.
As the Canada Research Chair in
Rural Livelihoods and Sustainable
Communities in the Faculty of
Adventure, Culinary Arts and
Tourism, Mason is expanding on
TRU’s collaborative relationships
with Aboriginal communities
to conduct research on health
initiatives, tourism development and
food security.
His latest project, funded by a
Social Sciences and Humanities
Research Council (SSHRC) Insight
Development Grant, compares
Indigenous peoples’ experience
of displacement from parks and
protected areas in Canada and New
Zealand. It builds on his doctoral
research, which assessed the impacts
of displacement from these lands on
Canadian Indigenous communities—
specifically, how displacement

18 | Thompson Rivers University

links to contemporary issues in
community education and health.
After working alongside the
Nakoda peoples of the Banff-Bow
Valley in western Alberta, Mason
wrote Spirits of the Rockies:
Reasserting an Indigenous Presence
in Banff National Park (2014). He
learned that although tourism and
the formation of Banff National
Park helped justify the displacement
of local Indigenous peoples, the
Nakoda eventually negotiated a
return to the park through their
involvement in regional tourism.
Mason’s new co-edited book, A
Land Not Forgotten: Indigenous
Food Security and Land-Based
Practices in Northern Ontario (2017),
examines the consequences of
disruptions in local food practices
on the health of Indigenous peoples
in Canada’s rural north.
“The relationships I
formed during this time were
transformative,” Mason comments.
“Research—whether into health

initiatives, tourism development
or food security—requires working
collaboratively with community
members and band councils to
understand their concerns and best
serve their interests.”
In New Zealand, he is collaborating
with Māori scholars and communities
on their management of national
parks and protected areas.
“This appointment as a CRC gives
me the time to further develop these
relationships to ensure projects
meet the needs of communities
and the responsibilities of ethical
researchers,” he says.
The results of this new research
will have national and global
relevance in the development of
Indigenous lands and resources.
From left: Indigenous peoples in Canada
and New Zealand have been displaced in the
creation of national parks like Banff. CRC
Courtney Mason.

RESEARCH REVIEW

DREAM CATCHER
BY DANNA BACH

IN DECEMBER, TRU ANNOUNCED
Dr. Shelly Johnson (Mukwa
Musayett) would be joining the
Faculty of Education and Social
Work as the country’s first Canada
Research Chair (CRC) in Indigenizing
Higher Education.
“Stepping into this role is an
honour,” says Johnson. “It is the
dream job that I have been waiting
for my entire academic life.”
The development of a CRC
position in this field was driven by
the recommendations of the Truth
and Reconciliation Commission and
by TRU’s commitment to increasing
intercultural understanding—TRU’s
Strategic Research Plan emphasizes
Aboriginal understanding as one of
its five key themes.
“The way Indigenous people
approach research is like a ceremony,
and within that are many protocols
of respect, honour and reciprocity,”
Johnson says. “This is an opportunity
to research and teach about our

ways of knowing, being and doing.
As Indigenous peoples, we have a
lot to share that can strengthen
institutions for us all.”
Saulteaux from Saskatchewan’s
Keeseekoose First Nation, Johnson
is a recognized leader in Indigenous
research methods and leadership.
She took on her new role as CRC in
January 2017 after more than four
years as an assistant professor in
the School of Social Work at the
University of British Columbia. She
currently holds $3 million in research
grants on projects to develop capacity
in urban Aboriginal communities,
with a focus on culture and language
revitalization, child welfare and
justice issues. Broadly, her research
interests are in international
Indigenous research methodologies,
restorative child welfare practices
and transformative healing through
Indigenous cultural practices.
“I want to do meaningful
research. I’m not interested in dead

research that sits on a shelf. It must
be forward-thinking and inclusive
and be an extension of the practice
that I’ve had in the province for 25
years,” she says.
Johnson acknowledges that
she’s a visitor to the Secwepemc
territory and, as such, seeks
support for her research.
“I plan to visit the Nations, meet
with leadership and grassroots
people and learn about research
that could be meaningful to them,”
she says. “The creation of this role
makes a critical academic statement
to Indigenous peoples. It’s a privilege
and a responsibility to carry it
forward in a respectful way.”
From left: First Nations children at the
Kamloops Indian Residential School, 1958,
(Basil Fox/The Kamloops Sentinel/Library
and Archives Canada/PA-185655). CRC
Shelly Johnson.

tru.ca/bridges | 19

FOUNDATION

A CIRCLE OF SUPPORT
BY ANITA RATHJE
WHILE TRU FOUNDATION
AWARDS OFTEN recognize
students for the heights of academic
achievement, bursaries—awarded
to those in financial need—can
make all the difference to a student
realizing her or his potential at TRU.
Carl and Leslie Sulkowski,
Kamloops insurance brokers since
2001, believe that the foundation of
any community is found within the
trades. Seeing the increasing need for
skilled tradespeople, they recently
established a $100,000 endowment
which, among other programs,
supports trades students who require
tools or equipment for their program.
20 | Thompson Rivers University

“What better way to give back to
the community that supported our
success than to help others achieve
their own goals?” says Carl.
In recognition of their support,
the Sulkowskis were inducted into
the President’s Circle in September.
Dr. Bas Gowd and Shankaramma
Gowd, who have been contributing
to the Foundation since 1994, were
also inducted. Dr. Gowd sat on the
Foundation Board for ten years.
Three endowments established
by the Gowds create bursaries
awarded annually to a Bachelor of
Science and Bachelor of Science in
Nursing student, a Bachelor of Social

Work or Human Service student, and
a female First Nations student.
Dr. Gowd is inspired by the
message of Indian guru, spiritual
leader and philanthropist Sathya Sai
Baba: “Love all, serve all, help ever,
hurt never.”
Above: New President’s Circle inductees,
Bas and Shankaramma Gowd and Leslie
and Carl Sulkowski.

FOUNDATION

BIG DREAMS IN LASER FOCUS
BY ANITA RATHJE
THE FAR-REACHING
APPLICATIONS OF PHYSICS drew
Natascha Hedrich into the field and
halfway around the world.
A Bachelor of Science alumna
(’14) who grew up near Kamloops,
Hedrich took advantage of
every opportunity to experience
undergraduate research, beginning
a learning trajectory that has taken
her all the way to Switzerland.
Now a few months into a PhD in
physics at the University of Basel,
Hedrich began her double major
at TRU in physics and honours
mathematics with graduate school
in her sights. Ranked as TRU’s top
science student, she was a threetime recipient of the Alvin and
Lydia Grunert Scholarship, and won
the Ken Lepin Award for Academic
Achievement in Science. Awards
paid the way for Hedrich to focus on
her studies.
At a co-op term at the TRIUMF
particle physics laboratory in 2011,
she had her first taste of applied
research. Two years later, thanks
in part to that experience, she
was one of only five Canadian
undergraduates selected for a
two-month summer internship,
conducting research at CERN, the
European Organization for Nuclear
Research in Geneva.
“Participating in cutting-edge
Higgs boson research at the Large
Hadron Collider was a highlight of
my undergrad,” says Hedrich. “But
after my CERN internship, I realized
I wanted to work hands-on rather
than on a computer all day.”
In fourth year, an independent
research project funded by the

Undergraduate Research Experience
Award Program (UREAP) allowed
her to explore the practical
applications of physics.
“From that opportunity, I
discovered I was most interested in
experimental work,” she says. The
project also gave her an edge when
she applied to graduate programs—
with Switzerland on her radar.
Hedrich accepted an offer from
ETH Zurich, one of the world’s
top-ranked universities and alma
mater of physicist Albert Einstein.
She soon found her passion in a
course on solid state physics mixed
with optics (lasers). Completing
her master’s thesis in optics in
September 2016, she followed
that passion to Basel’s optics lab,
specializing in diamond sensing.
Her PhD research uses a type of
defect in diamonds called nitrogenvacancy centres to sense magnetic
fields in materials, and map these
magnetic structures. The research has

the potential to find new magnetic
memory solutions for computers.
“It’s fundamental physics, looking
at possibilities, new concepts,” she
says. “The ultimate goal of the field
is to manipulate these magnetic
structures to create hard drives that
are significantly smaller, faster and
more efficient.”
Hedrich never imagined her
choice of career would lead her to
Switzerland, but when she finishes
her PhD in four or five years, she
plans to continue her work there.
“It’s surreal—going to Paris for
the weekend,” she says, still sightseeing on weekends and amazed
by the proximity to the rest of
Europe. “There’s lots of research
and development going on in
Switzerland. I want to apply what
I’ve learned in a practical way.”
Above: Academic achievements have
propelled Natascha Hedrich to graduate
study in Switzerland.
tru.ca/bridges | 21

INTERIOR SETTINGS

TWENTY-FIVE YEARS OF GALA
BY ANITA RATHJE
1. Over its 25-year history, the TRU
Foundation Gala has been one of the
most spectacular ways to raise funds
to support student financial aid and
awards, and celebrate the generosity of
major TRU donors—such as Mark and
Ellen Brown, who pledged $2 million
in 2010 toward the construction of the

Brown Family House of Learning and
student success.

performances from Alice’s Adventures
in Wonderland by Project X Theatre.

2. From Pirates of the Caribbean
(2007) to An Evening in Wonderland
(2015), each gala theme inspires unique
sets and décor, food, costumes, raffle
prizes and entertainment—such as

3. A glittering Rio Carnivale
atmosphere set the stage in 2014
for the largest private pledge to the
Foundation, a $2.25 million gift from
Ken Lepin.

2
1
3

22 | Thompson Rivers University
22 | Thompson Rivers University

INTERIOR SETTINGS

4. Past Culinary Arts creations
included glazed quail with black
currants and brandy (An Evening
in Paris, 1998). This year, Aramark’s
chef offered Ursula’s Delight—
poached lobster. A tasting is held in
November with Foundation board
members and VIP guests.
5. Nine months of preparations by the
Office of Advancement’s nine-member
gala committee go into each event,
and setup itself takes three days with
the help of tourism students.

8. In 2009, Alvin Grunert
took the stage to give
$1.5 million to create
endowed scholarships
for top students. He said,
“If I can step up here
and change the world
tonight, what will you
do tomorrow?”

6. Despite a challenging economy,
the Kamloops community has
continually shown its support in
sold-out gala tickets, sponsorship,
the silent auction and raffle tickets
to benefit students.
7. Transformed by a giant Once
Upon a Time castle set made by
Greg Klohn from GK Sound, Gala’s
25th anniversary celebration
was made more magical by the
anonymous donations of $2.5
million in major gifts.

4

8

6
7
5
tru.ca/bridges | 23
tru.ca/bridges | 23

TRACK THE ‘PACK

EVERY SECOND COUNTS
BY KELLEY O’GRADY & NADA ANSALAHI
IN SWIMMING, A MILLISECOND
CAN make or break you. Just ask
captain of the WolfPack swim team
Jagdeesh Uppal, who truly makes
every second of his day meaningful.
Uppal, who recently wrapped
up his final season with the ’Pack,
received the USport Male Swimmer
Community Service Award at the
national swimming championships
for his outstanding community
impact. He also received the TRU
Board of Governors Recognition of
Excellence Award and the Dr. Roger
H. Barnsley Scholar Athlete Award
while landing himself on the Dean’s
List six times.
Despite 6 a.m. swim practices
and leading the team to nationals,
he somehow still finds time to do
groundbreaking medical research and
volunteer at Royal Inland Hospital.
“You need to eat, sleep, breathe
and plan every hour of your day

24 | Thompson Rivers University

to make sure that nothing goes to
waste,” says Uppal.
The chemical biology major spent
three months conducting research
at the Indian Institute of Technology
(IIT) in Roorkee, India last summer,
funded by a Mitacs Globalink
Research Award. He developed a
compound to detect and track the
progression of Alzheimer’s disease.
“Experiences are invaluable,
especially in university when you
have the opportunity to go abroad,
go to different universities and learn
every day from PhD and master’s
students,” says Uppal, noting
that even seeing how research is
conducted in one country vs. another
is a learning experience in itself.
He has also been a valued asset
to Chemistry faculty member Dr.
Kingsley Donkor’s research team.
“Jagdeesh has proven to be an
outstanding researcher, who shows

great initiative and dedication to
his work,” says Donkor. “It’s been
a pleasure mentoring such an
excellent student.”
Uppal graduates this spring with
a Bachelor of Science and hopes to
attend medical school.
“TRU has been the best four
years of my life and I’m going to miss
it,” he says. “University is the best
time to go out of your comfort zone
and try new things. My friends keep
me motivated and the professors are
a help too.”
Below: Scholar-athlete Jagdeesh Uppal is set
to make a splash in medicine.

TRACK THE ‘PACK

,
KILLIN IT
BY KELLEY O’GRADY &
NADA ALSALAHI
IULIIA PAKHOMENKO IS THE
MOST decorated female athlete to
ever wear a WolfPack uniform, but
the Ukrainian volleyball standout
has a story even greater than her
stat line.
The first and only female
athlete at TRU to win the Canadian
Interuniversity Sport (CIS) Player of
the Year, she was also named a CIS
all-Canadian twice, Canada West
MVP and first-team conference allstar—all while completing a Master
of Business Administration.
And while Pakhomenko was
setting records in nearly every
category, she was overcoming barriers
that would be insurmountable
to many.
The 6 ft. 3 in. outside hitter, born
and raised in the Ukrainian city of
Druzhkovka, left her home to play
volleyball at Northwood University
in Michigan before coming to TRU
in 2014—a time when her country
and the family she left behind were
facing extreme turmoil.
“I didn’t know anyone here. I
honestly thought, I’m not going to
make it,” says Pakhomenko.
Shortly after her arrival in
Canada, hostilities reached a boiling
point and her family decided to leave
their homeland to seek safety in
Russia. Pakhomenko was unable to
contact her asylum-seeking family,
knowing thousands had already
been killed in the fighting.
“It was a really tough time for
me. I had just come to Canada and
I didn’t know anyone who I could
share this information with.”
After finding out her family had
found safety in Russia, Pakhomenko

took the CIS by storm, becoming the
driving force behind the WolfPack
women’s volleyball program for the
next three years.
“Here, I have the opportunity to
have a better life, to be a successful
person, a happy person,” she says.
“I’m honoured and I’m happy,
and this has been one of the best
experiences of my life.”
Pakhomenko took to the
classroom with the same tenacity as
the court. Despite a hectic schedule,
completing her MBA has always
been her number one priority.
“School is always first,” she says,
when asked about balancing school

and sport. “Knowledge will stay
with you for the rest of your life.
Volleyball gave me a ticket to a better
life. If I wasn’t playing this game I
would never get my MBA and see
the world.”
Pakhomenko recently got
married and will graduate from the
MBA program in April 2017.
“I’m happy where I am right now,”
says Pakhomenko. After graduation,
she plans to pursue a professional
volleyball career.
Above: Iuliia Pakhomenko took a leap to
succeed on and off the court.

tru.ca/bridges | 25

INSIDE TRU

GRASSROOTS ACTIONS FOR
GLOBAL GOALS
Talks, panels, workshops and other events throughout IDays 2017 showcased one or more of the
United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals, to educate and motivate our community to join forces
to create a better future for all by 2030.

1. No Poverty

2. Zero Hunger

3. Good Health and Well-Being

4. Quality Education

5. Gender Equality

6. Clean Water and Sanitation

7. Affordable and Clean Energy

8. Decent Work and Economic Growth

9. Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

26 | Thompson Rivers University

INSIDE TRU

1.

Developing World Connections is
bringing eco-stoves to Guatemala.

7.

Leave your car at home—run errands
from campus using Zipcar car-sharing.

13. Students take the Sustainability Office’s
Zero Waste Challenge.

2.

Consumers can do their part to
promote sustainable agriculture.

8.

Posters of economic behavior presented
by economics students.

14. “People protect what they love,” says
aquanaut Fabien Cousteau.

3.

Students get tips on healthy habits
from the TRU Wellness Centre.

9.

The Reach will bring university village
living to campus.

4.

Cindy Blackstock advocates
for education equality for First
Nations children.

10. Breaking down five common myths
about Islam and Muslims.

15. Elder Loretta Seymour speaks on the
sanctity and importance of fresh water
at the Secwepemc Response circle.

5.

Dr. Soley-Beltran presents on gender
images in fashion advertising.

11. Jaimi Garbutt, City of Kamloops,
connects community goals to SDGs.

6.

Environmental Issues in Tourism
students discuss why water matters.

12. Reduce food waste and improve soil
quality with composting.

16. Understanding anti-corruption and
bribery through role-playing.
17. IDays Mar. 7–10: a community coming
together for intercultural understanding.

10. Reduced Inequalities

11. Sustainable Cities and Communities

12. Responsible Consumption and Production

13. Climate Change

14. Life Below Water

15. Life on Land

16. Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

17. Partnerships for the Goals

tru.ca/bridges | 27

INSIDE TRU

PATHWAYS FOR STUDENT SUCCESS
BY DAWN-LOUISE MCLEOD
THANKS TO RECENT
PARTNERSHIPS AND agreements
between TRU and other postsecondary institutions, TRU students
can choose to accelerate their
completion of a bachelor’s degree.
As a member of the BC Transfer
System (BCTS), TRU is mandated to
facilitate student mobility between
institutions and adhere to quality
assurance principles and guidelines.
Through its Strategic Partnerships
department, TRU negotiates
partnerships and agreements with
the other 35 members of BCTS to
increase credit transfer and degreecompletion options.
“I’m happy to say that TRU is
leading the way in providing

unique pathways for students,” says
Donald Poirier, Director of
Strategic Partnerships.
These pathways give TRU
students credit for coursework
they have completed elsewhere
and strengthen their ability to
gain the credentials they need to
be competitive in the job market.
Adherence to the BCTS principles
and guidelines ensures that students
receive an education that deepens
their knowledge and expands their
career possibilities.
“Articulation agreements have
become an important option for
many students, who are looking
to respond to more demanding
and changing work environments

and to gain a different educational
experience,” continues Poirier. “The
standard agreement is giving way
to stronger relationships between
institutions that purposefully design
programs for compatibility.”
Articulation is how TRU and
other institutions function as a
system to provide greater access
to education, recognizing one
another’s courses and programs
so that students receive credit for
previously completed equivalencies.
Partnerships and agreements
delineate pathways from lower- to
higher-level credentials. Students
can begin their education at one
institution and transfer their
certificate or diploma to finish
an undergraduate degree at an
institution that is authorized to
grant degrees.
By transferring previously earned
credit from another institution
to TRU, students can accelerate
completion of the 120 credits
generally required for a four-year
undergraduate degree.
Prospective students can learn
more about existing partnership
pathways and compare programs
offered by BCTS members by using
the BC Transfer Guide, which gives
specifics about credit equivalencies
and transfer, and the Education
Planner, which allows searches of
over 2,100 undergraduate programs.
Left: Pathways at TRU through
partnerships and agreements work for
on-campus and Open Learning students.

28 | Thompson Rivers University

Campaign for the Future of TRU
AT TRU, THE BOARDS OF the
Alumni & Friends Association and
the Foundation typically work with
different audiences in mind. If TRU is
the parent, Alumni and Foundation
have traditionally been two kids that
run in different crowds.
Alumni is primarily focused on
connecting with graduates, providing
them ways to engage with their alma
mater, while seeking to share their
story with key audiences (such as
prospective or current students) as
a way to underscore the strengths
of the university. Through excellence
in alumni relations, this board’s
work helps to raise the profile of the
institution, which in turn, serves to
strengthen its reputation.
Meanwhile, the Foundation
works diligently to raise funds to
support university initiatives such

as student awards, capital projects
and innovative research. The board’s
work is significant. Through donor
stewardship, the university has the
opportunity to cultivate exciting
partnerships that considerably bolster
student success.
Well, the kids are starting to
hang around each other’s crowds.
More and more alumni are donors,
and vice versa. A few years ago, the
Alumni Association even redefined
itself as “Alumni & Friends” to be able
to welcome the growing number
of interested stakeholders into its
engagement activities.
We are steadily approaching 2020
and TRU’s 50th anniversary. The
Alumni & Friends Association and the
Foundation invite you to celebrate
our success and to contribute to our
campaign for the future of TRU.

Christine Anderson

Rick Sallis

Chair, TRU Alumni & Friends Association

Chair, TRU Foundation

Environmental impact estimates were made using the Environmental Paper Network Calculator.
For more information visit http://calculator.environmentalpaper.org