University of Ottawa | Media releases and announcements

Study finds that suicide is contagious among teens

Tue, 21 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

New research by Dr. Ian Colman, an assistant professor at the Department of Epidemiology and Community Medicine and Canada Research Chair in Mental Health Epidemiology, has found that suicide contagion - the idea that someone else's suicide can influence your own suicidal thoughts or behaviour - does occur, especially among younger adolescents. What's more, the study published in The Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) confirms that teens do not have to be personally linked to the suicide victim to entertain thoughts of suicide or to attempt suicide themselves.

"When someone dies, particularly a young person," explains Dr. Colman, "the deceased is talked about by their loved ones, in the media and in social media in glowing and romantic terms. Talk like this is understandable whenever a child dies, but it can be dangerous when talking about suicide. You don't want vulnerable youth thinking that suicide is an acceptable or attractive solution to dealing with problems they may have."

Examining data from over 22,000 participants between the ages of 12 and 17, researchers found that 12-to-13 year olds who had been exposed to suicide were five times more likely to be thinking about suicide themselves or to say that they had attempted suicide. Surprisingly, however, there is almost no variance in these statistics when the teen's personal knowledge of the deceased is factored in. The effect appears to decline as the teen ages: 14-to-15 year olds who were exposed to suicide were three times as likely to think about or attempt suicide, while 16-to-17 year olds were twice as likely.

Dr. Colman's findings have practical implications for mental health professionals involved in prevention. "It's clear that these results support the suicide contagion hypothesis, especially among younger adolescents. It most certainly supports school-based interventions as opposed to high-risk interventions aimed solely at the friends of the deceased," Dr. Colman concluded.

For more information, please visit: med.uOttawa.ca

INFORMATION:
Kina Leclair
Media Relations Officer
University of Ottawa
Office: 613-562-5800 ext. 2529
Cell: 613-762-2908
kleclair@uOttawa.ca

The University of Ottawa receives more than $13 million in funding from NSERC

Tue, 21 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

One hundred and five researchers and students at the University of Ottawa and its affiliate research institutions will receive $13,387,425 million in grants and scholarships from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC).

With the NSERC's grants and scholarships programs, the University of Ottawa researchers and students will be able to advance their projects in a wide range of areas related to natural sciences and engineering.

For more information, please see the official NSERC news release.

INFORMATION:
Kina Leclair
Media Relations Officer
University of Ottawa
Office: 613-562-5800 ext. 2529
Cell: 613-762-2908
kleclair@uOttawa.ca

Professor Norm O'Reilly recognized as one of 5 To Watch in Canadian sport business industry

Fri, 17 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

The University of Ottawa congratulates Faculty of Health Sciences sport management professor Norm O'Reilly for being recognized as one of the best and brightest of the Canadian sport business industry at the second annual 5 To Watch Awards, a celebration of leadership in Canadian sport business, held in Toronto.

Norm O'Reilly, PhD, is an associate professor at the School of Human Kinetics, where he teaches graduate-level courses related to sport management, sport finance and sport marketing in both English and French. He also gives talks at the NFL-Stanford Executive Education Program, and he leads practical student research with Senators Sports & Entertainment as well as theGolf Association of Ontario to evaluate the impact of sport on local markets. In addition, he often acts as an expert witness on legal cases. And the list goes on.

Professor O'Reilly's impressive resume has earned him a reputation as a go-to expert on sport business in North America. The 5 To Watch Awards now officially acknowledges that this academic is as much a part of the industry as Canada's leading sport business and marketing professionals. Previous recipients have come from TSN, Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, the Canadian Olympic Committee, Vancouver Whitecaps FC and Bell Media.

"I do a lot of speaking, consulting and expert work that keeps me in the industry's field of view, so I am very surprised that an academic was selected," says Professor O'Reilly. "It's an honour in itself, to know that my work is recognized outside of the classroom and by the industry. Sport marketing professors don't have labs. Our lab is out here, and we need the support of organizations to allow us to follow through with our research."

However, Professor O'Reilly admits that what counts for him are the opportunities he can provide to his young team of graduate researchers. "The bigger my platform is, the more knowledge and opportunities I can offer to my students, who are really the ones to watch. That's how I foresee myself making a difference and setting the tone for the future success of Canadian sport business."

5 To Watch recipients are voted on by a panel of leading sports marketers and influencers, including representation from Founding Partners�BMO Financial Group, the Canadian Football League, Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, SDI Marketing, and TSN�and from presenting partner The Globe and Mail.

Information:
Kina Leclair
Media Relations Officer
kleclair@uOttawa.ca
Office: 613-562-5800 (2529)
Cell: 613-762-2908

University of Ottawa Graduate School of Public and International Affairs and Paris School of International Affairs - Sciences Po form strategic partnership

Fri, 17 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

The University of Ottawa Graduate School of Public and International Affairs and the Paris School of International Affairs of the Institut d'�tudes Politiques de Paris (Sciences Po) signed a new agreement today in Paris.

Under this agreement, the two schools' students and professors will benefit from a new student and faculty mobility program. As well, the agreement will enable collaboration on new research projects. The agreement reflects the two institutions' commitment to research excellence and their desire to educate the next generation of decision makers and public and international affairs leaders.

"This partnership between the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs and the Paris School of International Affairs, both of which are recognized worldwide for the quality of their programs and faculty, is a sign of the excellent relationship we have built over the years with Sciences Po, a partner with which we share common interests and similar teaching and research goals," said Allan Rock, president and vice-chancellor of the University of Ottawa, who signed the agreement along with Fr�d�ric Mion, president of Sciences Po. "We are looking forward to the countless opportunities for exchanges and knowledge transfer that will be made possible for our students and professors thanks to the close ties that join our two campuses," added Rock.

The University of Ottawa and the Institut d'�tudes Politiques de Paris signed their first agreement in 2006. This new three-year partnership adds to the 70 agreements that the University of Ottawa currently has with 64 French institutes of higher learning, making France the University's largest partner when it comes to student mobility.

INFORMATION
Caroline Milliard
Manager, Media Relations
Office: 613-562-5800 (3087)
Cell: 613-240-0275
caroline.milliard@uOttawa.ca

New deans appointed to the Faculty of Law-Common Law Section, and the Faculty of Health Sciences

Thu, 16 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

The University of Ottawa is pleased to announce the appointment of two well-respected women to the leadership team of the University. Nathalie Des Rosiers will take over the deanship of the Faculty of Law's Common Law Section and H�l�ne Perrault will be the new dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences.

Nathalie Des Rosiers, dean of the Faculty of Law, Common Law section

Nathalie Des Rosiers has been a full professor since 2004 in the Civil Law Section of the Faculty of Law, where she was also dean from 2004 to 2008. She is currently general counsel for the Canadian Civil Liberties Association and was president of the Law Commission of Canada from 2000 to 2004 as well as president of the Federation of Social Sciences and Humanities from November 2009 to July 2010.

Nathalie Des Rosiers holds an LL.B from Universit� de Montr�al and an LL.M. from Harvard as well as two honorary doctorates, one from the Law Society of Upper Canada and one from Universit� de Louvain, in Belgium.

An expert in civil liberties, administrative and constitutional law as well as issues related to women's rights, Nathalie Des Rosiers authored, with Louise Langevin, the first book on compensation for victims of sexual abuse published in Quebec.

Nathalie Des Rosiers' five-year term begins on July 1, 2013. She takes over the section's deanship from Bruce Feldthusen, who has held the position of dean for the past 13 years.

H�l�ne Perrault, dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences

H�l�ne Perrault, PhD, was most recently dean of McGill University's Faculty of Education. While at McGill, she also held the positions of associate provost and chair of the Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education. She continues to be a faculty member in this department as well as in the respiratory division of the Department of Medicine at the McGill University Health Centre.

Holder of a PhD in exercise physiology from Universit� de Montr�al, H�l�ne Perrault was also a visiting professor at Universit� Joseph Fournier in Grenoble, France, in the university's Laboratoire de bio�nerg�tique fondamentale et appliqu�e.

H�l�ne Perrault is a past president of the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology, where she worked to foster academic and research partnerships between exercise science and medicine in order to promote well-being and good health, advance knowledge and develop therapeutic applications and modalities.

Taking over from Sylvie Lauzon, who has served as interim dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences for the past year, H�l�ne Perrault assumes deanship on August 1, 2013.

INFORMATION :

Caroline Milliard
Manager, Media Relations
Office: 613-562-5800 (3087)
Cell: 613-240-0275
caroline.milliard@uOttawa.ca
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University of Ottawa Media Calendar for May 10 to 17, 2013

Fri, 10 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

Here are some of the events taking place at the University of Ottawa from May 10 to 17, 2013.

Saturday, May 11

uO Insights: A day of learning about health and wellness
Desmarais Building, 55 Laurier Avenue East, Ottawa. Free parking in the Desmarais Building garage.

10 a.m. to 11 a.m.: Morning keynote: Search and Destroy: Using Viruses to Treat Cancer Patients
Room 4101
11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.: Should You Really Be Following Canada's Food Guide?
Room TBD
11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.: Joint session: Dissolve the Myths and Get the Facts on Obesity and The Effects of Weight Loss on Appetite (in French)
Room TBD
11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.: Joint session: Understanding the Triggers: Puberty and Vulnerability to Stress and Is Society Driving Us Mad? (in French)
Room TBD
11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.: Is "Dr. Google" the Right Physician for You?
Room TBD
12:30 p.m.: Lunch keynote: A Place for Clinical Care and Research Leadership: Inside the Innovations at the uOttawa Heart Institute
Room 4101

Saturday, May 11

10 a.m. to 3 p.m.: Lecture, Conference, Activities�SCIENCE RENDEZVOUS 2013
Marion Hall, 140 Louis Pasteur
�
7 p.m. - uOttawa Alumni Week gala: Destination 2013
Canada Aviation and Space Museum, 11 Aviation Parkway, Ottawa

For more information on activities, please see the uOttawa Alumni Week website.

For more information about upcoming sports events, please visit www.gee-gees.ca.

INFORMATION:

Kina Leclair
International Media Relations Officer
University of Ottawa
Office: 613-562-5800 (2529)
Cell.: 613-762-2908
kleclair@uOttawa.ca

Today's universities more relevant than ever, adapting to meet needs of students and labour markets: Allan Rock

Thu, 9 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

Are Canadian universities still relevant to today's graduates? Are they serving the changing needs of labour markets? According to University of Ottawa President Allan Rock, the answer is a resounding yes. In fact, universities are as focussed as ever on ensuring that they remain on the cutting edge.

Mr. Rock challenged the myth of the irrelevance of a university education in a speech delivered today to members of the Canadian Club of Ottawa.

"Recent articles in the popular press have stated that universities are out of touch with our economic reality and unresponsive to labour market needs," said Allan Rock. "I think this is wrong. In fact, the evidence doesn't support this drumbeat of criticism about undergraduate programs."

Numbers in hand, Mr. Rock first addressed the "skills mismatch" issue. "While there is an undeniable shortage of qualified people to fill open jobs in the skilled trades, a shortage which community colleges are well-positioned to fill, there continues to be a strong demand for university graduates and they are faring well in the job market."

In fact, the latest employment survey commissioned by the Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities revealed high rates of university graduate employment with almost 88 per cent of graduates having a job within six months of graduation and more than 82 per cent working in degree-related positions within two years of completing university. A recent CICB World Markets report identified 25 professions that have persistently experienced employment shortages and almost all of them require a university degree.

Mr. Rock also brought forward evidence of how Canadian universities are constantly adapting to a complex world in rapidly changing times.

"The days of the "ivory tower" are long-since past, as universities increasingly work with community partners to bring programs and courses alive in practical settings" said Allan Rock in reference to the growingemphasis across the country on experiential learning through co-op placements, course-related volunteer work, internships, mentoring and undergraduate research programs.

Finally, Allan Rock noted the role that higher education plays in driving innovation and economic development, as well as in enriching the lives of citizens and society as a whole.

"With each of our students, in every faculty and department, our concern is not so much with the work that they will do, as it is with the person that they will become. There are many challenges ahead. We seek to equip our students with the skills they need to get a job, but also the capacity, inspiration and experience to make a difference in their community, in their country and in the world" concluded Allan Rock.

Read the complete speech on the University of Ottawa President web site.

INFORMATION
Caroline Milliard
Manager, Media Relations
Office: 613-562-5800 (3087)
Cell: 613-240-0275
caroline.milliard@uOttawa.ca

Alumni Week celebrates A New Energy on campus as City of Ottawa declares May 10 uOttawa Alumni Day

Wed, 8 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

With Alumni Week celebrations underway at the University of Ottawa, the City of Ottawa is paying special tribute to its 80,000 uOttawa alumni. The City has officially proclaimed May 10, 2013 uOttawa Alumni Day. Grads are encouraged to mark the day by wearing their garnet and grey colours to work, and showing their pride on social media.

"The uOttawa Alumni Day proclamation is a tremendous tribute to all that our graduates contribute to our city," says Louis de Melo, uOttawa's VP external relations and himself a proud alumnus. "I hope our alumni wear their colours with pride, and come to campus to celebrate with us during Alumni Week."

This year's uOttawa Alumni Week promises to be the university's largest. Louis de Melo says the theme for this year's celebration, A NEW ENERGY, reflects what he hears from alumni who have visited campus recently and are blown away by just how much it has grown and changed.

"This is a chance for uOttawa grads to hear from some of our very best professors, meet fellow alumni like Lisa LaFlamme, and see new features like North America's tallest living wall. There are even science demonstrations for the kids."

Alumni should visit uOttawa.ca/alumniweek to plan their weekend. There promises to be something for all alumni and friends: class reunions, young alumni events, interesting discussions with professors, campus tours, events for families and the Destination 2013 celebration on Saturday evening.

Watch the A New Energy video.

Follow uOttawa Alumni Week on Twitter: @uOttawaAlumni. Hashtag: #uOenergy.

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INFORMATION:

N�omie Duval
International Media Relations Officer
University of Ottawa
Office: 613-562-5800 (2981)
Cell.: 613-863-7221
neomie.duval@uOttawa.ca

HIGHLIGHTS OF A NEW ENERGY: UOTTAWA ALUMNI WEEK MAY 6 - MAY 12, 2013

Refresh Your Mind

Saturday's special lecture series�uO Insights: A day of learning about health and wellness�takes attendees deep inside the minds of eight of uOttawa's most renowned researchers. The two keynote presentations are especially noteworthy.

The morning keynote features Dr. John Bell. This extraordinary medical scientist will outline how he is creatingvirus-based therapeutics designed to seek out and finish off cancerous tumours. He will also present the results of his work from early tests on cancer patients.

The luncheon keynote turns the spotlight on Dr. Marc Ruel. Chief of cardiac surgery at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute, he will provide a fascinating look into recent and looming innovations in cardiac surgery and the leading role our city and the institute play in fostering new approaches and spreading them around the world. Dr. Wilbert Keon, who performed the institute's first heart transplant in 1976, will then join Dr. Ruel to answer questions in a moderated question-and-answer session.

The breakout sessions will address a variety of interesting health and wellness topics: Is "Dr. Google" the right physician for you? Should you really be following Canada's Food Guide? How are genetics and environmental adversity during puberty linked to mental illness? And more!

Science Rendezvous will make the wonders of science come alive for the whole family. The Science and Engineering Alumni Speaker Series will explore innovations in science and engineering. And faculty lectures throughout the week will showcase the insights of some of uOttawa's most original thinkers.

Rediscover the campus
Campus tours and lab tours will be offered at different times throughout the week. Visit old haunts, see what has changed and, most of all, explore what is new�the Advanced Research Complex, now under construction, and the spectacular new Social Sciences Building and its 100-foot living wall.

Reconnect with friends
Alumni will have plenty of opportunities to catch up with old friends and make new ones. Reunions for graduating classes, faculties and groups will be held at different spots throughout the city, including My Condo Cocktail Lounge and Kitchen, and the Fairmont Ch�teau Laurier.

Destination 2013 will cap off uOttawa Alumni Week. Hosted by CTV news anchor Lisa LaFlamme and La Presse columnist Patrick Lagac�, this year's extravaganza will see the Canada Aviation and Space Museum transformed into a cool urban lounge. Alumni and their guests will salute the achievements of remarkable alumni and then celebrate with Les Trois Accords and the Alan Doyle Band �two of Canada's most acclaimed musical acts.

Visit the Alumni Week website to get a sneak peak at the events to come. Access updates, photos and comments throughout the week on Twitter @uOttawaAlumni(hashtag: #uOenergy).

MEDIA ADVISORY: University of Ottawa President Allan Rock debunks myth of the irrelevant university education

Tue, 7 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

Is a university education still relevant to today's students and labour markets?

University of Ottawa President Allan Rock will address the value of a university degree and the important role that post-secondary institutions play in driving innovation and economic development in a speech to members of the Canadian Club of Ottawa on Thursday, May 9 at the Fairmont Ch�teau Laurier.

WHAT: The "Skills Mismatch" and the Myth of the Irrelevant University, speech by President Allan Rock to the Canadian Club of Ottawa
WHEN: Thursday, May 9 at noon
WHERE: Fairmont Ch�teau Laurier, Adam Room

Members of the media need to confirm their attendance with the Canadian Club of Ottawa admin@canadianclubottawa.ca

Requests for interviews with President Rock should be made to the University of Ottawa Media Relations team. Please contact Caroline Milliard, Manager of Media Relations.

INFORMATION
Caroline Milliard
Manager, Media Relations
Office: 613-562-5800 (3087)
Cell: 613-240-0275
caroline.milliard@uOttawa.ca

Flu vaccine safe for children with IBD: study

Mon, 6 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

Influenza immunization rates in children with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are low, but immunization is actually safe, according to a new study by researchers at the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES), the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO), the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute (OHRI) and the University of Ottawa.

Yearly influenza immunization is recommended for patients with IBD, including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. However, concern about vaccine-related adverse events may limit immunization uptake. Given that Ontario has the highest rates of childhood-onset IBD in the world and offers universal influenza immunizations to everyone more than six months old, the province offers an optimal setting to evaluate rare outcomes in children with IBD, such as adverse events following immunization.

"While influenza immunization rates in children with IBD are low, immunization did not result in increased adverse events or contacts with the health system," says Dr. Eric Benchimol, lead author, adjunct scientist at ICES, principal investigator at the CHEO Research Institute and assistant professor at the Faculty of Medicine at University of Ottawa.

The study examined all children under 19 years of age diagnosed with IBD in Ontario between 1999 and 2009 and matched them to non-IBD controls. It found the following:

25.3% of IBD patients received immunization from a physician or nurse practitioner.
There was no increased adverse event rates in IBD cases after children received the immunization, compared to control periods.
IBD-related visit rates were lower after children received the immunization compared to control periods.

"There is no risk of IBD flare-up following influenza immunization. In fact, in the years they were immunized, children with IBD had lower rates of IBD-related outpatient physician visits compared to years they were not immunized. This may indicate that receiving the influenza vaccine protects against having a flare-up of IBD, or at least prevents visits to doctors for IBD-related symptoms," says Benchimol.

The researchers add that the lack of increased health services use for IBD-related concerns in the post-vaccine risk period by IBD patients, and evidence of a protective effect of influenza immunization against IBD-related health services use, should encourage improvement inpoor flu vaccination uptake rates.

The study, "Safety and utilization of influenza immunization in children with inflammatory bowel disease,"was published today in Pediatrics.

Authors:Eric I. Benchimol, Steven Hawken, Jeffrey C. Kwong, Kumanan Wilson.

More detailed study findings are available on the ICES website.

About the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES)
ICES is an independent, non-profit organization that uses population-based health information to produce knowledge on a broad range of health care issues. Our unbiased evidence provides measures of health system performance, a clearer understanding of the shifting health care needs of Ontarians and a stimulus for discussion of practical solutions to optimize scarce resources. ICES knowledge is highly regarded in Canada and abroad, and is widely used by government, hospitals, planners, and practitioners to make decisions about care delivery and to develop policy.

About the CHEO Research Institute
The CHEO Research Institute coordinates the research activities of the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) and is affiliated with the University of Ottawa. Its three programs of research include molecular biomedicine, health technology and evidence to practice research. Key research themes include cancer, diabetes, obesity, mental health, emergency medicine, musculoskeletal health, electronic health information and privacy, and genetics of rare disease. The CHEO Research Institute makes discoveries today for healthier kids tomorrow. For more information, visit www.cheori.org.

About the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute (OHRI)
The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute (OHRI) is the research arm of the Ottawa Hospital and is an affiliated institute of the University of Ottawa, closely associated with the University's faculties of Medicine and Health Sciences. OHRI includes more than 1,700 scientists, clinical investigators, graduate students, postdoctoral fellows and staff conducting research to improve the understanding, prevention, diagnosis and treatment of human disease. Research at OHRI is supported by the Ottawa Hospital Foundation. www.ohri.ca

About the University of Ottawa
The University of Ottawa is committed to research excellence and encourages an interdisciplinary approach to knowledge creation, which attracts the best academic talent from across Canada and around the world. It is an important stakeholder in the National Capital Region's economic development.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

Kina Leclair
Media Relations Officer
kleclair@uOttawa.ca
Office: 613-562-5800 (2529)
Cell: 613-762-2908

Deborah Creatura
Communications, ICES
deborah.creatura@ices.on.ca
Office: 416-480-4780
Cell: 416-904-4547

Adrienne Vienneau
Communications, CHEO Research Institute
avienneau@cheo.on.ca
Office: 613-737-7600 (4144)
Cell: 613-513-8437

Paddy Moore
Communications and Public Relations, OHRI
padmoore@ohri.ca
Office: 613-737-8899 (73687)
Cell: 613-323-5680