The Journal is a new column in the Gazette, providing brief segments of information about higher education, from a number of international journals.

by Michael Todd

by Paul Delaney

The Gazette is pleased to present the return of this popular column. It will appear in the first issue each month.

In February, observers will be able to see a series of pleasant planetary collections, but none more spectacular than the conjunction of Venus and Jupiter.

While these planets will not be anywhere near each other in terms of physical location, from our Earthly perspective, the two planets will be within a quarter of a degree (half the diameter of the Moon) of each other on the evening of February 23rd. Note this date on the calendar, and if you are anywhere near York University, drop into the Observatory for a special public viewing session. To be able to see the two brightest planets in the solar system within the same low-powered telescope field of view will be quite exciting. I predict many ccd images and an avalanche of photographs will be taken that night. Of course, a view from your backyard will be quite a sight as well, so do not feel you have to travel to a telescope for this conjunction.

Here is a spacecraft update: The Japanese space probe Nozomi, destined for the Red Planet, has suffered a setback. While the spacecraft remains healthy, its arrival at Mars has been delayed nearly four years by a poor engine burn in December. After receiving gravity assists from the Moon as planned, the engine failed to perform as expected as the probe set sail for Mars. As a result, the transfer ellipse for the spacecraft will take nearly four more years to traverse, placing the space probe in orbit in 2003 instead of December 1999. It is expected that the mission objectives will still be met, just later than originally intended.

Also, the Galileo spacecraft orbiting Jupiter for over three years, is experiencing mounting technical problems. While the spacecraft continues to operate, concern about the radiation damage being inflicted on the spacecraft by the hostile Jovian environment may result in a premature end to the extended mission. While disappointing, if this does occur, the mission must still be classified as an outstanding success. Despite failure to deploy the high-gain antenna, the science objectives have been met and surpassed, and the extended mission to observe the Galilean satellites has been remarkably productive. Stay tuned.

Public viewing at the York Observatory continues Wednesday evenings from 6:30 pm until 8:30 pm. Dress warmly! For information, telephone (416) 736-2100, extension 77773.

Paul Delaney is an Associate Lecturer in Physics and Astronomy at York University, and Master of Bethune College.

Let's assume that you're interested in education. Be ye faculty, administration, staff or student, there's treasure to be found @ Ron's home:

http://www.edu.yorku.ca/~rowston/

As director of the Centre for the Study of Computers in Education in the Faculty of Education, Ron Owston has his finger on the algorithm of the digitally enlightened educational community. Having studied the trauma of this ev/revolutionary change, his site is a wonderfully safe and linear passage into the non-linear world of on-line ed.

The page offers links to Ron's "New Books!", "Recent Reports /Publications On-line" and his "Course Home Pages." Each offers expert insight, solutions and strategies with a "focus on the Internet as a place of learning rather than as a technology, and offers strategies designed to support your aspirations as Internet learners" and educators.

An essential aspect of students' university experience is discovering their own, most proficient strategy of assimilating or "uploading" data. The synergistic counterpart to this, is the Instructors' pursuit to impart their insight and wisdom in a manner that is both accessible and stimulating. Consequently (and particularly after witnessing a course director dismiss a student's offer to post the powerpoint lecture notes on the web because he feared that "no one would show up to class"), the multi faceted gems found "@ Ron's home" are all the more valuable.

In addition to Ron Owston's Home Page, the York domain is also home to The Centre for the Support of Teaching (CST):

http://www.yorku.ca/admin/cst/

and "Teachtec"- Using Technology in Teaching:

http://www.yorku.ca/teachtec/

who offer stimulation, training and support for both Sage and Guide.

David Finestone is the web editor at York's Communications Department. If you would like to contact David, e-mail db@yorku.ca

by Mary Ann Horgan

About 300 people turned out at the Scott Religious Centre at York University on Jan. 21 to celebrate the life of Robert Hall Haynes, who passed away suddenly in December.

The service was designed to be a celebration of Prof. Haynes' life rather than a memorial. The speakers gave sincere, moving - and sometimes even funny - tributes to Haynes. His intellectual breadth, his pioneering work in molecular biology and genetics, his service to York University and to the Canadian and international scientific community, were just a few of his characteristics that the speakers touched on. Words about Prof. Haynes' "appetite for life," and his own "larger than life" personality gave the listeners a deeper appreciation of Prof. Haynes' contributions to York, to science, and beyond.

Many of Prof. Haynes' colleagues from York, and from other universities and institutions in Canada and North America, attended. Master of Ceremonies at the service was English professor Christopher Innes. The speakers were: Professors Christopher Innes, Ken Davey, and Jagdish Hattiangadi, and York University President Lorna Marsden, Royal Society President Jean-Pierre Wallot, and Haynes' external colleagues, Philip Hanawalt of Stanford University, and Friederike Eckardt-Schupp. A speech by York English professor Maurice Elliott, who was unable to attend, was read in absentia. Music at the service was performed by York music professors Sterling Beckwith and Michael Coghlan and included an English folksong and a segment of Mozart's The Magic Flute.

Haynes came to York in 1986 to become Professor and Chair of the new Biology Department at York University. He was a Distinguished Research Professor Emeritus of Biology at York and the former President of the Royal Society of Canada from 1995 to 1997, the senior national body of distinguished Canadian scientists and scholars. He also served as a member of the National Research Council of Canada, as a founding executive member of the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, and as President of the Genetics Society of Canada. He was named an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1990. (See the accompanying biography for more detailed information about Prof. Haynes' career.) He is survived by his wife Jane Banfield and his sons, Mark, Geoffrey, and Paul Haynes.

"We are not here simply out of respect for a valued friend and colleague," said Professor Emeritus Ken Davey of the biology department. "Or to indicate to Jane, and to Bob's sons, that we share their sorrow, but we are here primarily to celebrate the life of Bob Haynes, and in so doing, demonstrate our gratitude for his time among us."

"...The building of the [biology] department on the base provided by the pioneers here has to stand as one of his most important contributions. Those were the days of academic swashbucklers roaming about the world identifying and competing for the very best of the coming generation to populate our expanding universities. Bob was a born swashbuckler, with a real eye for talent and a silver tongue. He had already established excellent credentials in what was then called the New Biology. On arrival at York, he rapidly developed a vision for what a department of biology at a university like York ought to be, and quickly recruited six new faculty members (Jim Friesen, Ron Pearlman, Liz Pearce, Ruth Hill, David Logan, John Heddle), and, working with them and the pioneers already attracted to York, he not only established the conditions whereby these first-rate people could deliver a curriculum, but he also provided a forum in which excellent science could flourish."

"For over 30 years, this amiable and good-natured man was for me a fund of wit, laughter, and, I am honoured to say, of advice," according to a letter read to the crowd on behalf of Prof. Maurice Elliott. "Bob was never a bore, never dull, no pedantic scientist, no mere administrator. He was a magnanimous and 'large' man, and he shared my enjoyment of that great Shakespearean line, 'They hate us youth.' He loved (and collected) books, and we would share bibliographic jokes. .. I think he would expect us all to 'belly up' to the great bar of life."

Prof. Christopher Innes noted that "It is indeed a tribute to [Prof. Haynes'] energy, his conviviality, and the breadth of his interests, as well as his eminence, that not only colleagues from his home university, but people from other universities across Ontario, from Ottawa, from the States, and from places as far away as England and Germany are here. If such a notoriously left-wing organization might be said to have such a thing, Bob counts as the Royalty of York University. He was known and loved across the campus, and far beyond the boundaries of Keele and Steeles. He was, in every sense, larger than life. ...

Several speakers referred to Prof. Haynes' founding of what was called the X Club, a social group of male professors from various disciplines who met several times a year for good food, wine, conversation, companionship, and intellectual discourse and discussion. "I like to think that the X Club embodies many of the qualities we all loved in Bob," Innes said. "In one sense, deeply unfashionable, he was never shy of holding unpopular opinions - indeed the very notion of founding an all-male society in this day and age is splendidly unreconstructed and politically incorrect. Very much a traditionalist but one who loved constructing his own traditions, he was also one of the most forward-looking people. His wide interests were reflected in the range of those he gathered around him; and his aim was to influence society, and to have fun while doing so."

Prof. Davey noted some of the key contributions made by Prof. Haynes, speaking of: his work in building the York biology department; his travels around the globe to do research and to develop and maintain scientific contacts; his strong input and affect on science policy in Canada; his sterling reputation as a scientist; his high standards and commitment to excellence; and his broad interests, as evidenced by his friends and colleagues spanning all academic disciplines and his enjoyment in playing "intellectual squash."

Davey also spoke about his style. "...That style, I think, is what endeared him to so many of us, and it is his pursuit of this style that has led to the enrichment of our intellectual lives here at York. It is a style which at one time was called clubbable. Bob loved good company, good food, drink and conversation. ... The X Club meets at a downtown venue once a month during term for an evening of eating, drinking, and intellectual squash. The membership of that group is a testament to Bob's extraordinarily broad interests: classicists, architects, politicians, artists, business persons, lawyers, government officials."

A fourth generation Canadian born in London, Ont., Robert Haynes (Aug. 27, 1931 - Dec. 22, 1998) received his primary and secondary education in Port Colborne and Brantford respectively. He graduated in mathematics and physics (1953), and biophysics (PhD 1957), from the University of Western Ontario. He was distinguished Research Professor Emeritus of Biology at York University, Toronto, at his death.

In the mid-1950s, Haynes joined a small but historically significant movement of physicists into biology that had begun, primarily in Germany and Britain, a few years before World War II. These migrant physicists were to play a seminal role, out of all proportion to their numbers, in the advent of molecular biology and genetic engineering, fields that continue to spawn amazing practical advances in medicine, biotechnology, and plant and animal breeding, as well as basic biological research.

Among molecular biologists and geneticists, Haynes was best known for his pioneering research on the ways in which cells are able to repair many types of damage that chronically afflict the genetic material (DNA) of all organisms. Were it not for the existence of these repair, or error correction, mechanisms, neither the genetic integrity of individuals, nor the evolutionary stability of species, could be maintained. During the past 30 years there has been a veritable explosion of research worldwide on DNA repair, and its relation to the occurrence of mutations, especially in human cells. This, in turn, has led to important breakthroughs in understanding cancer, certain genetic diseases, aging, speciation and sex, as well as the biological effects of exposure to radiation and mutagenic chemicals. (For his personal memoir describing these developments see his "My Road to Repair in Yeast: the importance of being ignorant", in The Early Days of Yeast Genetics, M. Hall & P. Linder, eds., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, New York, 1993, pp. 145-171).

For his work on DNA repair and mutagenesis, he received, among other honours, the Flavelle Medal of the Royal Society of Canada (1988).

Throughout his career he maintained an active interest in the physical as well as the biological sciences, and wrote, from time to time, essays on various topics in the history, philosophy and socio-political aspects of science and new technologies. He was also an avid collector of antiquarian books in science and philosophy. Upon completing his PhD under the late Prof. Alan C. Burton, FRSC, he worked as a post-doctoral fellow with Prof. Joseph Rotblat in the physics department of St. Bartholomew's Hospital Medical College, University of London. In 1958 he became a member of the Department of Biophysics at the University of Chicago. It was there that he and his co-workers made some chance observations in radiation microbiology that led them to postulate the existence of DNA repair mechanisms.

In 1964 he was appointed Associate Professor of Biophysics in the University of California at Berkeley. There he continued his work on DNA repair, partly in collaboration with Prof. Philip Hanawalt of Stanford University, and together they produced the first Scientific American reader on molecular biology (The Molecular Basis of Life, W.H. Freeman, San Francisco 1968). This and a succeeding volume sold widely and did much to promote interest in molecular biology among the rising generation of biologists.

In 1968, he returned to Canada to become Professor and Chair of the new biology department at York University. Here he continued his work on DNA repair and mutagenesis, but also initiated further research in environmental mutagenesis and the genetic consequences of disturbances in DNA precursor biosynthesis. In 1974-75, he was a Visiting Fellow at Yale University, In 1988 he became a Fellow of the Berlin Institute for Advanced Studies (Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin), where he was in residence for most of 1989.

He was strongly committed to the promotion of science education and research as critical factors in economic and social development, and in this connection travelled and lectured extensively in Asia and Latin America. In 1990 he was elected as a foreign member of the third World Academy of Sciences and of the Pakistan Academy of Sciences in 1994.

He served the Canadian scientific community in many capacities, for example, as a member of the National Research Council of Canada, as a founding executive member of the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, and as President of the Genetics Society of Canada. He was instrumental in bringing the 16th International Congress of Genetics to Toronto in 1988 and served as its President. This meeting attracted some 4000 scientists from 74 countries, the largest congress ever held in the 95-year history of genetics research. Latterly, he was Editor of the Monograph Publishing Program of the recently-established NRC Research Press of the National Research Council of Canada.

He became an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1990, and in 1993 a Festschrift in his honour was published as a special issue of the leading international journal in his field, Mutation Research. He received honorary degrees from the University of Manitoba (1995), the University of Western Ontario (1997) and the University of Alberta (1998).

He is survived by his wife Jane Banfield and his sons Mark, Geoffrey and Paul Haynes.

Call for Nominations

The 40th Anniversary Steering Committee announces a call for nominations for awards honouring the founders of York University. By honouring individuals who contributed to York during the founding years of 1957 to 1965, public attention will be drawn to the University during its anniversary year and it will make the ambitions, goals and achievements of the founders of York better known among both the current student body and the second and third generation of faculty, staff and alumni.

The 40th Anniversary Honours Society may include students, faculty, staff, administrators, board members, community and provincial representatives who made a major contribution to York during its founding years (1957-1965). These awards will be made on numerous occasions during the 40th anniversary celebrations (March 26, 1999 to March 25, 2000).

Nominations for this award should include the name of the candidate, with a brief description (3-5 short paragraphs) outlining the contributions made to the founding of York University. Nominations will be reviewed by the 40th Anniversary Steering Committee and forwarded to the Sub-Committee for Honorary Degrees and Ceremonials for consideration and approval.

Nominations should be submitted by:

February 8, 1999
April 8, 1999
September 8, 1999
January 10, 2000

Please send nominations to:

Gary J. Smith
Vice-President (University Advancement)
Chair, 40th Anniversary Steering Committee
Suite 280
York Lanes
4700 Keele Street
Toronto, Ontario
M3J 1P3

Anniversary Launch

Mark your calendars for the March 26th launch of a year-long series of events to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the founding of York University.

by Gillian Sewell

It all began on a beautiful sunny day in June when I started working for Alumni Affairs here at York. I realized that my job description inlcuded in the fine print something about coordinating the United Way campaign. Sounded easy enough?

I suppose I should tell you a little bit about how I got to where I am at right now. I am a recent graduate of York (BA '97) from the Kinesiology and Health Science Program and a former varsity athlete with the highly successful Yeowomen Field Hockey team. I also had the good fortune play for Canada at the National Team level participating in many international tournaments around the globe. Late in 1997, I retired from the National Team and began working part-time at the School of Physical Education along with holding two other part-time jobs while I was attempting to plan my future. Fortunately, I stumbled across a job opening with Alumni Affairs that intrigued me, and I applied. There was also something in the job description about coordinating the United Way Campaign on campus. This seemed a little daunting, as asking people for money was not something I had much experience at. But, I was excited about the possibilities and determined to do all I could for those who needed it most.

My first task as Employee Campaign Coordinator, I decided, was to enlist help. I went for the best, the proven fundraisers and go-getters from around the University, and after those three people were on board I began to worry. What was I doing? I didn't know who to recruit or how to get people to volunteer and I didn't have any favours to call in yet. Luckily for me the faculty and staff here at York University came through for me and the United Way as more than 120 people came forward and did there part to help those in need. However, even with that many volunteers there are still areas of the University that have no volunteers and I would be happy to hear from anyone who is interested in next year's campaign. (ext. 22083)

Now I had the help in place it was time to give them something to do. This campaign needed to be heard and seen throughout the campus, and once again the volunteers took the ball and ran with it. Never before have there been so many events - raffles, bake sales, balloon sales, and pancake breakfasts - on campus, and it was all to support the United Way. This year's campaign saw a resurgence of interest and enthusiasm on campus, and that was exciting to see as I had set out to ensure that fun was a part of this fundraising effort.

A United Way Campaign that was fun and raised awareness on campus sounded great but I was in this to raise money. Somehow I had agreed to a goal of $115,000 and we were raising a thermometer in Vari Hall that was 30 feet tall with no money yet. There was nothing worse than waiting for those first few pledge cards to come in or the first few people to actually buy a pancake. I didn't have to wait long however, the pledges came in, the pancakes were flying, and campaign was in full flight.

It became evident early on in the campaign that we were going to surpass our goals and this allowed me to relax and fully enjoy many of the events and fundraisers that took part across the campus. That is one thing I can say for sure?I truly enjoyed my experience as Employee Campaign Coordinator. I have met many truly wonderful and inspiring people who have donated much time and effort to ensure York did its part in lending a hand to community.

My experience has also taught me a lot about myself and how much one individual can make a difference. In taking a look at my own life I didn't have to look very far to see how I was touched by one of the United Way's agencies. My own mother required the services of a VON nurse for a period of four months last summer as she was recovering from an illness. It was clear that the United Way was a key player in maintaining the quality of life she had come to expect and I thank them for that. I guess this year has been a way for me to give back and to help York University improve the impact of it's helping hand. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the people in the Communications Department, and especially the York Gazette, for all their efforts and hard work in ensuring the United Way Campaign was constantly in the news here at York.

In the end, when the banner was gone and the last balloon was popped, the York University United Way Campaign raised more than $140,000 and had more people than ever participating in the campaign. It could be considered the most successful campaign in York's history with the United Way. However, not being someone that is easily satisfied, my sights are already firmly set much higher for next year. I hope I have been able to raise the profile of the United Way on campus and perhaps make the Campaign something to look forward to next year. It should be a time for fun, friends and the opportunity to make a difference. I hope some of you who read this will think about how you too can make that difference.

Gillian Sewell is the Coordinator of Chapter Programs in the Office of Alumni Affairs and the Employee Campaign Coordinator of York's United Way Campaign.