Reminder- Susan Greenfield to speak about 'Mind Change' at Mount Allison University on Monday, September 26th 2011

A reminder about Susan Greenfield's talk on Monday night courtesy of Laura Dillman. I'm going to do my best to attend and so should you.

Baroness Susan Greenfield to deliver Jonah Lecture — Monday, Sept. 26, 7 p.m. Convocation Hall

Acclaimed University of Oxford pharmacology professor, neuroscientist, writer, and broadcaster Baroness Dr. Susan Greenfield will launch Mount Allison University’s Year of Science and Discovery as the first speaker in the President’s Speakers Series and the 2011-12 Wilford B. Jonah lecturer. Her talk entitled, Mind Change: The New Climate Change? will take place on Monday, September, 26, at 7 p.m. in Convocation Hall. Everyone is welcome and there is no admission charge.

Greenfield’s Mount Allison talk will address the evolution of the human brain to adapt to our changing technological circumstances, especially screen technology. During her lecture she will speak to the question, “If the 21st century environment is changing in unprecedented ways, will the minds of upcoming generations also be changing in ways that are unprecedented?”

This lecture will be relevant for the sciences and the humanities alike, as it will address key issues in our evolving world of information technology and human cognition.

For more information please visit www.mta.ca/ysd

Geoff Campbell: Student, Communications Assistant, Newspaper Web Editor, and Non-Profit Public Relations Coordinator at Mount Allison University

This year I'm going to be fairly busy. In terms of classes:

• My Cultural and Political Change class with Dr. Hunt (who just got back from sabbatical at the London School of Economics) is really interesting. So far we've discussed John Dewey and experiential learning and Timothy Ferris' argument that the democratic revolution was made possible by the scientific revolution. This week we're going to talk about Fareed Zakaria's (of CNN fame) The Post-American World and a section from a book on re-engineering national identity. It's a really engaging class that he says will adapt to our interests. In that course I hope to work on a project on the effects social networking can have on developing brains. It's the kind of class I imagined when I thought of liberal arts in that it's centered loosely on readings but is mostly discussion of ethical and other issues.
• My fourth year seminar on Africa in a Global Context is based almost entirely on a group project (70%) and seminar participation based on readings (25%).
• Second-year French will entail a lot of rote memorization of grammar.
• In my 3rd year International Relations course Global Governance I'm in a group project on the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People on Friday which should go very well.
• In Marketing, I'm working on a group project hopefully on the multitude of ways the internet has changed how marketers connect with consumers which should be an engaging project if it's approved.

Last week I applied for graduation online and submitted the Honours IR Degree Audit form signed by the program advisor. It's odd that this is finally my year to pay attention to all those prospective grad e-mails.

Doing well in all of my classes is unquestionably my highest priority this term. However, in addition to coursework, I'm involved with

• The Communications Office (As Communications Assistant I'll be continuing and expanding on what I've been doing over the summer. Commitment: 10 hours/week.)
• The Argosy (As Online Editor, I'll be giving input on the content of the inside front page of the print issue, formatting and uploading all the articles to the website, embedding article photos from Flickr (which I taught the photo editors to use), encouraging readers to submit photo and video content to the site, and helping to live-stream the Atlantic Regional Canadian University Press conference at Mount Allison the 2nd week of October. Commitment: Staring this week, no more than 5 hours/week and the weekend of October 14-16th (in addition to the many hours spent over the summer helping to transform the Argosy website to what it is today).)
• Amnesty International Mount Allison (As outgoing President and part-time Public Relations Coordinator, I'm training the new Amnesty International president and am going to help begin the club's activities at the first meeting. I hope to attend a majority of the meetings but the main contribution I'm making to the group is to organize a speaker's visit to campus. I've been in discussions with the group's executive and funding partners and it seems like this event is gaining some traction and may very well become a reality. I'll provide details once this idea is off the ground and has been approved for funding. Commitment 1-2 hours a week beyond training the new President and planning/executing the speaker visit)
• ATLIS (As Online Editor, I'll be doing the online promotion of the group's conference in January and its journal publication in the Spring. I'll also help with the technical set-up (microphones and presentations) as well as recording the presentations and keynote speaker at the January conference. Commitment 1 hour/week in addition to the weekend of January 13-15, 2012.)
• A yet-to-be-launched social media initiative customized to the needs of Mount Allison students. It's still under consideration by the Powers That Be but even without their blessing I believe the initiative will begin sometime this academic year.
• Applying to graduate school. (I'm currently focused getting together materials to apply to four of the top PR/Communications/Marketing Programs in the United States and need to request a couple more recommendations and receive a number of others I've requested. I've already taken the GRE (750-800 Verbal 610-710 Math) and don't think writing personal statements will be any challenge. The biggest selling point for Mount Allison is personal interaction with professors and consequently I believe the strongest part of my application will be my letters of reference. As of today one of my top choices is Emerson's GMCA program.

Clearly from all of the above I'll be incredibly busy. More than a couple people have asked me how exactly I plan to do all of that and stay sane. My response is that it would be impossible to do without the solid foundation the last three years has given me. Oh yeah, and some amazing professors, bosses, club leaders, and friends. Also, if you are undertaking anything like I am this semester, you'll probably need Gmail, Google Calendar, Dropbox, Evernote, and a lot of coffee.

With all of the above in mind, I've still been able to answer messages fairly regularly. However, keep in mind anything not related to the above activities ranks at most 12th on my list of priorities this semester. If you can live with waiting, the best way to contact me is the e-mail listed on this page.

Problem Gambling Prevention Program Comes to N.B.

I was recently contacted by Susan Saundercook, Communications Specialist at the Responsible Gambling Council about a visit to campus today and tomorrow by kts2. The program is about targeting students to educate then about the dangers of problem gambling. If you're interested in learning more and you missed their Student Centre visit today, they will have a booth set up in Jennings tonight from 5-7pm for on-campus students and tomorrow from 10am-2pm for off-campus students. If you or someone you know is a problem gambler you should consider making a point of visiting their booth.

September 15, 2011 (Sackville, N.B.) – Back on campus for two weeks, New Brunswick’s 40,000-plus post-secondary students are hitting the books and getting a taste of college and university life. Next week though, there will be a different subject in the cards for students—problem gambling prevention.

Research shows that early experiences with gambling play a role in the development of gambling problems later on, with the majority of problem gamblers in New Brunswick (NB problem gambling prevalence rate is an estimated 1.3% of the adult population) reporting that they first gambled for money before the age of 19. That’s why kts2 (formerly Know the Score) an innovative peer-to-peer program created by the Responsible Gambling Council (RGC) and sponsored by Atlantic Lottery, is reaching out to students on campus and online through social media and its interactive website, kts2.ca.

kts2 looks at the real chances of winning and losing, highlights signs of problem gambling, shares local problem gambling services and suggests ways to keep gambling safer.

WHAT: Media are invited to visit the kts2 display at Mount Allison University to:
• talk to a kts2 representative about issues related to problem gambling and young adults
• speak to local students
• get facts about behaviours that can signal a problem
• find out how RGC connects with students via Facebook, Bluetooth technology and travel diary blog

Display Times:

WHEN: Monday, September 19, 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
WHERE: Jennings Dining Hall


Atlantic Lottery promotes responsible gambling education, awareness and prevention as part of its overall commitment to social responsibility. Atlantic Lottery is committed to remaining a world leader in responsible gambling and believes that taking a more active role in promoting the responsible use of their products is the right thing to do - not only for their players, but also for the communities they serve.

The Responsible Gambling Council (RGC) is an independent, non-profit organization committed to problem gambling prevention. RGC designs and delivers highly effective awareness programs like kts2.

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For information, please contact:
Susan Saundercook, Communications Specialist, Responsible Gambling Council
(t) 416.499.9800 ext. 230 (e) susans@rgco.org

Lindsay Shannon, Communications Counsel, Atlantic Lottery
(t) 506.867.5800 ext. 5281 (e) lindsay.shannon@alc.ca

Mount Allison University Farm Project

Mount Allison University recently revived its farm after allowing it to lay dormant for half a century. The results have been a very sucessful harvest and a substantial amount of fresh local food for Jenning Dining Hall.

From Global Maritimes:

From the CBC: Mount Allison students harvest first crops

Posted: Sep 12, 2011 6:53 AM AT
Last Updated: Sep 12, 2011 11:31 AM AT

Staff and students at Mount Allison University are harvesting their first crops from a new farm that had been unused for 50 years.

Michelle Strain, the university’s director for administrative services, and her team of staff and students have revived a fallow piece of farmland in Sackville, and its harvest is being eaten in the university meal hall.

Two students spent all summer in the fields and now Strain is helping to dig up some of the 13,600 kilograms of potatoes from the first crop.

She said the yield is admirable for the school's first attempt at farming.

“It's two acres of potatoes, and the reason we did that is to help break up the sod because the land hasn't been farmed in 50 years. And we've tested corn, turnips and a few other crops up in this area,” Strain said.

The farm is generating roughly 630 kilograms of vegetables a week for students to eat at the university’s meal hall.

Tom Burrell, the university’s head chef, said it's not enough to feed 1,100 students a day but it’s still a big draw.

“I call it Mount A's homegrown,” Burrell said.

“The other stuff that comes, it's been sitting on a truck somewhere, it has been harvested three weeks ago, this has basically been harvested out of the ground yesterday and I've got it on their plates the next day.”

Burrell said the student appetite for local food is increasing and the university’s farm is set to expand in size next year to try to satisfy it.

Not only are students demanding to eat more local food, but the opportunity to have a farm at the university is also serving as an educational tool.

“It’s neat to see students come out and say, ‘Oh, that's a potato plant. I had no idea they grew underground or that's a bean plant, I had no idea they grew like this,’” Strain said.

“It’s quite something.”

Strain said potatoes have been a particularly successful crop, and the university is holding potato u-picks for the public every Saturday into October.

Presenting Mount Allison's Year of Science and Discovery President's Speakers Series

Every year, Mount Allison decides on a theme for its speaker's series. This year's speakers are among the most renowned scholars in their fields. This year's list is below along with a link to the Mount Allison organized Facebook events.

I think many of the speakers will inspire lively debate on campus, especially Susan Greenfield.

Baroness Susan Greenfield
Title:	Mind Change: The New Climate Change?
Profile:	Professor of pharmacology at Oxford University, neuroscientist, broadcaster, and author of the best sellers The Private Life of the Brain and ID: The Quest for Identity in the 21st Century
Event:	Monday, September 26, 7 p.m. Convocation Hall
Supported by the Wilford B. Jonah Lecture Fund

Greenfield is a highly respected Neuroscientist especially in the field of Parkinson’s and Alzheimer's treatment and is often described as the "foremost female scientist in Britain". She has made some very controversial statements including the implication that social networking sites are harmful to children's mental development. Below is Greenfield in her own words on video and highlights from an article she wrote two years ago in the Daily Mail.

"Facebook does not require the subtleties of social skill we need in the real world. Not only will this impair individuals' ability to communicate  -  and build relationships  -  it could completely change how conversation happens."

"I find it incredibly sad that people choose to spend their time and money sitting alone playing games with no consequence and no meaning.

But beyond any frustration I feel is concern about the future our screen culture might create. One extreme situation could be a rise in psychiatric problems and fewer babies born because people can't form three-dimensional relationships. 

By the middle of this century, our minds might have become infantilised  -  characterised by short attention spans, an inability to empathise and a shaky sense of identity."

I'm absolutely going because I'd like to hear her explanation of these statements and what evidence led her to these conclusions. I highly encourage you to do the same.

Here are the other speakers this year:

Dr. David Schindler
Title:	Protecting the Athabasca River Ecosystem from the Oil Sands Industry
Profile:	International expert on climate change effects, water, and public policy and Killam Memorial Chair and ecology professor, University of Alberta
Event:	Wednesday, October 12, 7 p.m. Crabtree Auditorium
Supported by the Centre for Canadian Studies and the annual Edgar and Dorothy Davidson Lecture in Canadian Studies
Professor Jocelyn Bell Burnell
Title:	Reflections on a Life in Science
Profile:	Instrumental in the Nobel Prize-winning research on the discovery of pulsars, Prof. Bell Burnell, DBE, is a visiting professor in astrophysics at the University of Oxford and a Fellow of Mansfield College and the Royal Society.
Event:	Monday, January 23, 7 p.m. Brunton Auditorium
Supported by the Josiah Wood Lecture Fund
Dr. John Mighton, OC
Title:	The Open Mind: Preparing for a Future in which Everyone is Brilliant
Profile:	Playwright, mathematician, educator, and founder of JUMP (Junior Undiscovered Math Prodigies)
Event:	Friday, February 10, 7 p.m., Crabtree Auditorium
Supported by CultureWorks and the Centre for Canadian Studies
Vanessa Woods
Title:	The Bonobo Handshake: What We Can Learn from Our Peaceful Cousins in the Congo
Profile:	Journalist, research scientist and evolutionary anthropologist at Duke University and Lola ya Bonobo in the Congo
Event:	Monday, March 12, 7 p.m. Crabtree Auditorium
Supported by Leadership Mount Allison and the Marjorie Young Bell Speakers’ Fund

Introducing the new President of Amnesty International Mount Allison Advait Vij

Over the last month I've done a lot of thinking about the future of Amnesty International at Mount Allison (AI Mount Allison). I had a discussion with another engaging and motivated student who happens to be your next President of AI Mount Allison.

Over the summer I was offered the opportunity to continue working at the Communications Office at Mount Allison. I readily accepted the 8-month part-time extension of what had been an amazing summer internship but was left with the realization that I would have less time and energy for being president of Amnesty. I could either keep the title and do an adequate job at something that is incredibly important to me or find a more suitable replacement.

Although I had done a lot of prep work over the summer (undergoing training at HRC/AGM in Montreal, planning group activities, and beginning to organize a speaker on campus) I decided that I couldn't in good faith keep a title reserved for someone with enough time and energy to spearhead a newly-born group on campus when I myself could not commit the necessary time to the cause during the school year. I contacted potential replacements and eventually discussed the potential role with a strong candidate. He demonstrated energy and enthusiasm for the group when I initially asked him to join as events coordinator and rose to a new level of commitment when I decided he was more than fit for the role and he accepted the position of President.

At the time I was confident that our new president would do a great job in the lead role and everything since then has convinced me he's prepared for it. From spending the entire four hours helping to recruit new members at SACtivities Fair to meeting preparation, event planning, and conflict resolution afterwards he has demonstrated a level of maturity and commitment I've seen in few others at this school. While it was with great regret that I made the decision to step down as President it is with greater optimism for the group that I announce that Advait Vij will lead the group for this upcoming academic year.

I will remain on the group's executive as Public Relations Coordinator and help organize a still-to-be-confirmed guest speaker's visit to campus and act as spokesperson for the group on and offline but Advait, in consultation with the executive, will be tasked with managing the group and making the major decisions about the group's activities. At the fair we had over 110 people sign up to be active members of the group and that makes me very excited to be a part of this important campus group and confirms my optimism about the groups upcoming success. I can think of no better a leader for the group this year (myself included) than our new President Advait Vij.

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Geoff Campbell
Former President and Current Public Relations Coordinator, Amnesty International Mount Allison