Around campus
Free pass to the Redpath
The last Sunday in May is International Museum Day, when museums across Montreal and around the world extend their hours and waive their admission fees in an effort to attract as many visitors as possible. "It's like the Woodstock of the museum year," said Ingrid Birker, responsible for public programs and education at the Redpath Museum. The Redpath has participated in this event since 1992. This year again, on Sunday, May 27, there will be special tours and hands-on activities such as making plaster replicas of fossils and dissecting owl pellets. In addition, paleontologists will be on hand to answer questions about the museum's dinosaur collection. The Redpath's mineralogist will gladly identify any mysterious rocks, minerals or gems museum-goers bring in for inspection.
Sunday, May 27, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Redpath Museum, 859 Sherbrooke St. W. Admission: free. Everyone welcome, all ages. No reservations required. For more information, contact Ingrid Birker, 514-398-4086, ext. 4094, ingrid.birker@mcgill.ca.
True crime?
How do literature, TV, movies and other media influence and reflect our ideas about crime? For a fascinating scholarly foray into this and related questions, check out the upcoming Symposium on Crime, Media and Culture that McGill will host May 18-19. Co-sponsored by Media@McGill and the Department of Art History and Communication Studies, this series of panel discussions will address the ways in which criminality is framed, constructed, and represented in everything from detective novels to crime scene photographs. Topics to be covered include gender, race, public security, and the rise of cartographic analysis in police work. The symposium is organized by Dr. Carrie Rentschler and Dr. Will Straw, members of McGill's Crime and Media Working Group. It is open to the public.
May 18-19, Arts Building, 853 Sherbrooke St. West, W-215 (3rd floor, west wing). For additional information, contact Anna Leventhal. For the schedule of events and the titles and bios of symposium participants, see media.mcgill.ca/en/node/770.
Bright minds in a dark time
After 1933, the ascendance of the Nazi party led to an exodus to North America of displaced Central Europeans, not a few of whom were doctors who were to have an enormous influence on the development of North American medical science and public mental health services. To celebrate the legacy of these émigré doctors and scientists, the Department of Social Studies of Medicine has organized "Migrating Minds and Methods," a public outreach event to be held Friday, May 25. Consisting of an evening discussion panel followed by a reception, the event will focus on the history of the Montreal Neurological Institute, a rallying point for the talented neuroscientists forced to flee Hitler's Europe. Senior faculty members will share their personal experiences working alongside these scientists and highlight their many contributions to the development of neuroscience. This retrospective on a historical phenomenon is both fascinating and tragic.
"Migrating Minds and Methods—Trajectories of the Neurosciences in North America after 1933," Friday, May 25, 4 p.m. David Thomson House, 3650 McTavish, 2nd floor, ballroom.
All are welcome, no reservations required. For more information, contact Dr. Frank Stahnisch, 514-398-4455, ext. 2058 or Dr. Cornelius Borck, 514-398-4995.
Brush up on your number crunching
Participating in the preparation of financial reports is a challenging task that requires a thorough understanding of financial data. If you'd like to sharpen your financial reporting skills before working up that next big set of spreadsheets, McGill's accounting department can help you at a half-day workshop on May 29. During this morning development session, instructors will provide information and direction, elucidating the theory behind the numbers so that attendees can acquire the know-how and confidence they need to ensure the validity and accuracy of their next financial report.
Tuesday, May 29, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. 688 Sherbrooke St. W., Rm. 726. Admission: no charge. For more information and to register, see www.mcgill.ca/hr/staffdevelopment/courses/ or contact Karen Kirouac, 514-398-1816.
Backing bullies into a corner
With bullying so much in the news lately, it comes as no surprise that Canada's experts are mobilizing to see if they can improve a record that ranks us 26th out of 35 in a World Health Organization survey for tackling the issue. On Friday, May 18th, 400 delegates will pack into the Leacock Building for the 2nd Annual PREVNet (Promoting Relationships and Eliminating Violence Network) Conference—a gathering of 30 university researchers from across Canada, plus dozens of community-based organizations like the Canadian Association of Principals, Girl Guides, Scouts Canada, Boys & Girls Clubs, Kids Help Phone, Red Cross and others.
The one-day symposium, titled, Rise up for Respectful Relationships! will include presentations by experts in school-based prevention programs, the biology of bullying and, in the case of McGill's own renowned bullying authority, Dr. Shaheen Shariff, cyber-bullying.
PREVnet Conference, Friday, May 18, 8:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m, Registration Friday morning in Leacock lobby, $200 for the day, $100 for students.
For more information: 613-533-6672 or email prevnet@post.queensu.ca.
