Blue-green algae and its many scientific mysteries were hot topics at an international water-quality conference in Montreal, wrote The Gazette (Montreal) Aug. 15. While blue-green algae needs sufficient levels of phosphorus to grow, said Lewis Molot, a biologist in York’s Faculty of Environmental Studies, his research in northwestern Ontario indicates several species also require iron. Removing iron from waterways could be another tool for limiting cyanobacterial blooms.
Horváth picked as an adviser for Canada’s Outstanding CEO of the Year Award
The Caldwell Partners, CTV and the National Post are pleased to announce the appointment of Dezsö J. Horváth, dean of York’s Schulich School of Business, to Canada’s Outstanding CEO of the Year Advisory Board for 2007, wrote the Post Aug. 15. This year’s recipient will be announced in Financial Post Business magazine on Nov. 6, 2007.
Panel on street food includes York’s Liette Gilbert
Ontario recently amended regulations so street food can expand beyond hot dogs, wrote the Toronto Star Aug. 15. Toronto city council is working on applying the changes here, but nothing is expected to happen until spring. In the meantime, Katie Rabinowicz and Andrea Winkler’s Street Food Vending Project is tackling the issue from various perspectives, including a vending cart design competition, research and public education. It hopes to help bring healthy, affordable and culturally diverse street food to Toronto. A panel held Aug. 13 and organized by the project to examine the "urban dimensions and benefits" of street food, included Liette Gilbert, associate dean of York’s Faculty of Environmental Studies.
The ‘mathemagical’ esthetic
The 20th century has seen a rise in non-representative sculpture based on the sculptor’s efforts to communicate abstract ideas about spatial relations, geometry, volume, complex curvilinearity: in other words, "mathemagic", wrote the Kingston Whig-Standard Aug. 15. These works seek to meld the universal languages of sculpture and mathematics. Here in Kingston, we are fortunate to have two such pieces: Tetra and Time.
Tetra, a work by Ted Bieler, professor emeritus in York University’s Faculty of Fine Arts, was commissioned to commemorate the Olympic sailing events held at Portsmouth Olympic Harbour in 1976. Tetra, 26 feet high, is constructed from aluminum. The sculpture features four diminishing regular tetrahedra rotated and placed at 90 degrees to each other.
Discovering inspiration
York alumnus James Levac (BEd ’02) finds the inspiration of a late piano teacher in every note he plays, wrote the Cornwall Standard-Freeholder Aug. 15 in a profile of the Toronto musician. The pianist only took lessons with the late Bob Eadie for a few years before his teacher passed away. Yet, during that brief period of time, the youngster realized the joy and purpose behind Eadie’s instruction. "Bob was a serious piano player," said Levac. "He wasn’t just a piano teacher, he was a serious entertainer. "Bob was damn good."
Levac hasn’t sought a traditional life of performance in the music halls of the nation. Instead, he prefers to share his gift by performing in rather non-traditional venues for seniors and shut-ins, as well as teaching his own students in the evenings.
"I’m trying to carry Bob’s spirit forward," explains Levac, who is also Faith Presbyterian Community Church’s organist on Sundays. "There are 400 retirement and nursing homes in the Toronto area, and almost every day I play at one."