GradzetteTHE UNIVERSITY OF MANITOBA’S GRADUATE STUDENT MAGAZINEOctober 2012

GradzetteThe UNIVERSITY OF MANITOBA’S GRADUATE STUDENT MAGAZINE

Gradzettec/o The Manitoban NewspaperPublications Corporation105 University CentreUniversity of ManitobaWinnipeg, MB, R3T 2N2

General inquiries and advertisingPhone: (204) 474.6535Fax: (204) 474.7651Email: publisher@gradzette.comEditor: Sheldon BirnieCopy Editor: Ryan HarbyDesigner: Leif LarsenContributors: Jennifer Wasko, John Hu, Chinenye Alozie, Grace Romund, Beibei Cover: Beibei Lu

The Gradzette is the official student magazine of the University of Manitoba’s graduate student community and is published on the first Monday of each month byThe Manitoban Newspaper Publications Corporation.

The Gradzette is a democratic student organization, open to participation from all students. It exists to serve its readers as students and citizens.

The magazine’s primary mandate is to report fairly and objectively on issues and events of importance and interest to the graduate students of the University of Manitoba, to provide an open forum for the free expression and exchange of opinions and ideas and to stimulate meaningful debate on issues that affect or would otherwise be of interest to the student body and/or society in general.

The Gradzette serves as a training ground for students interested in any aspect of journalism. Students and other interested parties are invited to contribute. Please contact the Editor for submission guidelines.

The Gradzette reserves the right to edit all submissions and will not publish any material deemed by its editorial board to be discriminatory, racist, sexist, homophobic or libelous. Opinions expressed in letters and articles are solely those of the authors.

The Gradzette is a member of the Canadian University Press, a national student press cooperative with members from St. John’s to Victoria.

All contents are ©2012 and may not be reprinted without the express written permission of the Manitoban Newspaper Publications Corporation.

Yearly subscriptions to the Gradzette are available, please contact publisher@gradzette.com for more information.

n February the U of M Graduate Students’ Association (GSA) held a vote at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) to keep money allocated for Canadian Federation of Students (CFS) membership fees in trust, as the GSA explored claims made by the CFS national office that the GSA owed money to the CFS.

On Oct. 30, the GSA will be holding a Special General Meeting (SGM) to decide whether or not to continue to keep that money in trust or pay the CFS.$ Current GSA president Rotimi Ojo explained, “The basic thing right now is we are questioning our membership with the CFS at the national level, and we’ve really not had good cooperation with the national executives because often times we have

requested documents in their possession and for almost a year now we’ve been requesting information, and we’ve even volunteered to have someone from [the

GSA] visit the national office if their staff are busy to get the documents, yet they have not been able to give us anything.”$ “And what we’ve thought is they’re trying to use some delay tactics because they thought, ‘These guys need these documents for something else.’ We just want to verify what [they have] got. They’re our documents, and we are legally entitled at any

point in time to verify the documents we have with them.”$ The lines of communication between the GSA and the CFS are poor,

according to Ojo.$ “So far, since I’ve become the president on May 1, I’ve sent multiple requests to the national office and they keep postponing [their responses], or not replying to

my emails and letters,” Ojo told the Gradzette. $ Ojo spoke fondly, however, of the provincial office of the CFS in Manitoba saying, “The provincial aspect of the CFS has been very cooperative, in terms of wanting to make sure the GSA is aware of everything they are doing and aware of their programs and campaigns.” $ Graduate students representative in the national executive of the CFS Carolyn

Hibbs explained the importance and relevance of the CFS to Canadian students. $ “While each student union is autonomous, by organizing democratically within the CFS, we can pool our resources to provide services to students at the individual level, such as the student health plan, ethical and sustainable promotional materials, and the ISIC card,” noted Hibbs. “The reputation that the CFS has developed over the years, in representing students across the country, allows us to speak with a strong voice, and to access politicians and policy directly, through lobbying at both the provincial and federal level.”$ Hibbs went on to stress the importance of the CFS to graduates students

associations in particular. $ “The National Graduate Caucus (NGC) allows us to work on issues important to graduate students in particular, to lobby political bodies regarding these issues at the federal level, and to develop materials specifically for graduate students,” explained Hibbs. “We push for increased funding for graduate students, and work on copyrights whistleblower protection, and most recently on the corporatization of research.”$ While the relationship between the GSA and the CFS seems tense, Ojo was clear that the GSA does not wish to terminate their membership with the CFS at this time. Even if the GSA did want to leave the CFS, the process to do so is so long and involved, it would be realized long after the term of the current GSA Executive comes to an end.

GSA to hold Special General meeting

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Discussion of CFS membership on the table in OctoberBy Grace Romund

Gradzette

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Even if the GSA did want to leave, the process is so long and involved

anitoba post-secondary students received some good news this past September, when it was announced that the provincial government was reducing the interest rate on Manitoba student

loans from prime plus 1.5 per cent to prime. $ Erin Selby, minister for advanced education, David Barnard, president of the University of Manitoba, and Rotimi Oji, president of the Graduate Students’ Association at the University of Manitoba, made the announcement

at the U of M on Sept. 12.$ “Today’s announcement of reducing Manitoba student loan interest rate from prime plus 1.5 to prime is definitely a step in the right direction,” Oji said in a prepared statement. “This step will further reinforce students’ trust in the current government’s effort to provide affordable and accessible post-secondary

education to Manitobans.”$ Selby also announced that students will now be able to earn twice as much during their enrollment while still remaining eligible for student loans. Previously, students with provincial loans could only earn $50 per week during study periods. That number has been raised to $100 per week.$ “More favourable and flexible student loan options will help students as they make the most important investment in their lives, an education that is

the launching point for lifelong success,” added Barnard.$ According to the Canadian Federation of Students, the average Canadian

student owes a debt of $25,000 upon graduating with an undergrad degree, and generally much higher debt upon completing a graduate degree. According to the provincial government, over 12,000 students with provincial loans will

benefit from the changes. $ Ashley Elliot, a fourth year environmental chemistry student at the U of M, is a recipient of Manitoba student loans. She told the Gradzette, “Sure, [the changes] are nice, but I’m more concerned on how large my student loan is getting and whether or not the job market will be there to help pay it off” upon graduation.”

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Taking the pressure offProvincial government reduces interest rate on Manitoba student loansBy Sheldon Birnie

s a graduate student, you may be faced with the following dilemma: a conference in your field is coming up and you would like to go, but can you really afford it? After all, a conference means time. Time

away from your studies, away from your thesis, and it can cost money out of your pocket. You may be asking yourself, is it really worth it? How does it

benefit you? The benefits depend on where you are in your studies. If you just beginning, listening to other experts in your field may spark valuable ideas for setting up your study. Derek Koop, who just finished his defense for his MSc in mechanical engineering, found that conferences catering more narrowly to his field were more worthwhile than more general conferences. Koop found that “as long as you’re engaged and connected with people you get a lot out of it. If

you just sit and watch it’s not really worthwhile.”

$ Conference presenters often give insight into research that published papers do not, such as what can go wrong and how to avoid it. Learning from someone else’s mistakes is always better than making your own. At a conference, you get the opportunity to listen to experts from every facet of

your field, some of whom may have a totally different perspective than yourself or your advisors. Broadening and working your mind will make for a more rounded thesis. Even if you do not agree with their point of view, if you know

an opponent's point of view well you can better defend your own. $ Listening to the kinds of questions asked by fellow researchers may give you an idea of what to expect when it is your turn to present. You will be exposed to different styles of presentations and posters. Take note of what you thought worked well or what did not. These observations will be valuable when

you start preparing for your thesis defence. $ Perhaps you are deep in the process of your thesis and it is difficult to

Why you should consider participating in conferences as a graduate student

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Putting yourself out there

Jennifer Wasko

Gradzette

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A great benefit of presenting is the feedback that you get from the audience. Someone who is not in your current

network may be able to shed light on a problem spot of your study

Photo by Beibei Lu

pull yourself away for anything, especially something that might take more than a day. Sometimes a bit of time away from your studies lets your mind relax. When you return you should find yourself rejuvenated and more productive. You may even have stumbled upon a new angle from which to address your challenges. If you are feeling drained, the inspiration gained from listening to invigorating, intelligent talks may be precisely what you need. Einstein went sailing, Darwin strolled in his garden, and Archimedes took a bath. Perhaps your “Eureka!” moment will come

during your next conference. $ If you are nearing the end of your graduate career, conferences are a great place to network and scout out potential employers. This networking is beneficial even if you are just beginning your program. Bill Zhao, a Master’s of Science student in Water Resource Engineering, attended a conference where he had the opportunity of meeting in person other people that were working on his project. This face-to-

face interaction can be very important. $ Conferences are especially useful if you not only attend but also present. Presenting is a skill that requires a lot of practice to master. If you will be required to do any public speaking later in your career, the more practice you get as a student the better. This is especially true if

you have only ever presented in front of your peers.

$ Shanel Susser, who is now working on her MSc in Physiology presented at

several conferences as an undergraduate student. $“Presenting is especially important because it allowed me to practice my oral communications skills,” said Susser, “especially as an undergrad when presenting wasn’t as important. Presenting is far more important

for graduate students.” $If you are one who loathes public speaking, remember that the boost of confidence you get from completing a task that is uncomfortable is incredibly

rewarding. $A great benefit of presenting is the feedback that you get from the audience. Someone who is not in your current network may be able to shed light on a problem spot of your study. You sometimes see unfinished research being presented at conferences with the presenter inviting ideas. A conference is good

breeding ground for brainstorming.$As for the money, yes, it may cost you some of your own hard-earned and very finite cash, but there is help available. The University of Manitoba Graduate Student's Association has grants available specifically to help students cover some of the costs of both presenting at and attending conferences. The forms to apply are available on their website: umgsa.ca. Be

sure to also talk to your advisor as they may have funds designated for conferences.

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Photo by Beibei Lu

Gradzette

’ve slept in an airport. I’ve drunk cream on its own when only coffee

was served for refreshment. I’ve seen a moderator fall off

stage. While a conference involves many academic and professional elements, the pragmatic side of daily life can easily make or break a conference. Here are some quick thoughts on some practical tasks of conference preparation.

Finding a conference

$ I have found no better tool than conferencealerts.com, which allows you to search for conferences by keyword, timeframe, or location. While my desire to visit the pyramids have always compelled me to search conferences by location, timeframe is actually

most important to consider – arguably, even more so than subject area.

$As international and national conferences are becoming more interdisciplinary, one may take the opportunity to explore disciplines of interest as opposed to discipline of study. However, abstract submission deadlines come well in advance of actual conference dates for prominent conferences – learning about a conference even half-a-year in advance may mean waiting for next year to attend as a presenter. While late submission deadlines, or even extended deadlines, may be more convenient for a busy graduate student, they may indicate a lack of general interest by other researchers – or the lack of a

rigorous reviewing scheme. $ Another method to locate a conference is to unashamedly Google the names of researchers you would like to meet. They may happen to be presenting at an upcoming conference (as a keynote or plenary speaker), or even organizing one. Check out their CVs if they are made available online, and find conference presentations they have made in the past to get a sense of

The ups and downs of preparing for academic conferences

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Conference preparation

John Hu

Gradzette

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Photo by Beibei Lu

conferences in which you may run into like-minded people. Once a list of conferences is created, the next step is always to eliminate the ones you will not be able to afford. The real keepers are the conferences that come with their own student award or student travel funding opportunities. Some will offer a small cash award, while others will cover the entire trip including registration, flight, hotel, and a per diem. These are not to be missed. 

Getting accepted to present at a conference

$ Abstract preparation can be tricky due to word count limits, even if you know your research well. Some submission systems may have a word count limited for every segregated field (introduction, methodology, conclusion, etc.). In other words, it is likely that a single project being submitted to two

conferences would generate two very different abstracts.

$ Start with a logical outline and then flesh it out according to the unique context of each conference. Use the “conference track” as a guide; incorporate the conference theme for that specific year. Read accepted abstracts from previous years. Eliminate unclear points that would require a detailed explanation beyond the word limit: focus on an entirely different aspect of your

research instead.

$ Ideally, an abstract can be completed two weeks in advance. Forget about it, re-visit and edit it two weeks prior to submission.

Poster or paper?

$ Though a paper (oral) presentation beats the poster in prestige, I am becoming convinced that the poster is much more powerful networking and dissemination tool. A paper presentation is always run concurrently with others, and it can be difficult to beat out other speakers in terms of attracting an audience. Furthermore, a dry presentation from a fellow presenter before you

could also turn away a good portion of the audience. $ The poster, on the other hand, may be displayed for multiple days during break time and lunch hour – in this scenario, a good project with a clear title and colorful design could generate much more in-depth, one-on-one discussion than a paper presenter could ever hope for. Furthermore, it is possible to creatively design a pocket or envelope on the poster containing business cards or contact

information for future networking.$ The downside of the poster is that it is much more time-consuming to design than it seems. It also comes with the additional cost of printing, which can be a couple hundred dollars on its own and it runs the risk of having no exposure if the conference organizers cannot secure a poster exhibit right beside

places with heavy traffic. $ $ All in all, the real work starts right after receiving the acceptance email. Take a day to celebrate, then immediately note down all specifications of the poster or presentation. Start working on the presentation, start budgeting, start booking hotel and travels, and take some time to start planning a conference/vacation of a lifetime. 

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A good project with a clear title and colorful design could generate much more in-depth, one-on-one discussion than a

paper presenter could ever hope for

Gradzette

dris Ademuyiwa Adelakun is a master’s student and graduate research assistant in biosystems engineering at the University of Manitoba.

Adelakun, a native of Oyo state, Nigeria, completed his bachelor’s degree in engineering at the

University of Ibadan, Nigeria. $ With a burning passion to improve agricultural practices in Nigeria by providing farmers with relevant information relating to the soil, Adelakun decided to pursue a master’s degree program in a research field of soil and water engineering. Adelakun arrived at the University of Manitoba in 2010 and his research topic, entitled “Design of a multilevel-TDR Probe for Measuring Soil Water Content,” is currently under the supervision of Dr. R. Sri Ranjan, a professor in the department of engineering.$ The measurement of soil water content within the root zone is essential for determining the amount of water that is needed as irrigation depth to replenish plant water uptake. There is also a need to understand the relationship between water content and the chemical, biological, and physical properties of soil.

$ “There is a certain level of moisture in the soil that is best suitable for growing specific crops but very few farmers understand these things,” Adelakun

told the Grazette. $ Having knowledge of the water content in the soil is very important for

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By Chinenye Alozie

Gradzette

RESEARCHER PROFILE

Idris Ademuyiwa Adelakun

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Photo by Chinenye Alozie

meteorologists, geotechnical engineers, geologists and farmers who need this information to make important decisions at one time or another in the course of

their professional activities. $ Water content can be determined either directly or indirectly. In the direct approach, the gravimetric water content can be determined by taking the ratio of the mass of soil-water that is held in a unit mass of dry soil sample. This gravimetric water content is multiplied by the apparent specific gravity of the soil to obtain the volumetric water content, indirectly. Several devices and models have been accepted for use in measuring the soil water content, among which include time domain reflectometry (TDR), neutron moisture meter and frequency domain reflectometry. Ground-penetrating radar and the TDR can

also be used effectively for measuring soil water content. $ In his study, Adelakun investigated the performance of a multilevel-TDR probe by embedding the wave guide on the outside wall of a one inch PVC pipe and running the cable through the interior of the pipe as a way to protect the

cable. $ At the outset, the possibilities of achieving the desired result [were] so sketchy that I almost settled for a different research topic,” Adelakun told the Grazette. “I was excited when I eventually saw my results coming forth gradually after months of unsuccessful tries. It was like a light at the end of the

tunnel.” $ The ability to measure soil water content in a small volume of soil is dependent on the length of the TDR probe. Such point measurement of water content is needed to ascertain the soil water content profile within the root-zone. This requires the use of multiple TDR probes installed at different depths and locations in the soil profile. The coaxial cable used to connect the TDR probe to the cable tester cannot be subjected to a pull causing elongation of the

cable. Therefore, the need to protect the cable was identified as a pre-requisite for developing a TDR probe. Encasing the cable within a conduit will protect it during installation and removal. The TDR probe itself needs to be embedded on

the side of the conduit to allow trouble free installation. $ As a solution to this problem, Adelakun partially embedded a stainless steel rod of 60 mm long at the center of the PVC pipe. The rods were embedded in a groove made on the wall of a 200 mm section of PVC pipe. The ends of the stainless steel rods were then directed through the wall to protrude inside the pipe. The coaxial cable was soldered to the wave guide ends protruding inside the pipe through one end of the section of PVC pipe. Fifteen

sets of probes were built and tested. $ Adelakun has consistently won himself meritorious awards as he has progressed with this research. On Feb. 3, 2012, Adelakun received a Second Place Poster Competition Award at the Manitoba Soil Science Society Annual General Meeting in Winnipeg for a poster entitled “Design of a Multilevel Time Domain

Reflectometry Probe for Measuring Soil Water Content at Different Depths.”  $ On July 17, he also received a First Place Poster Competition Award at the Northeast Agricultural and Biological Engineering Conference/American

Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers meeting in Orillia, ON. $ “I was delighted and happy with myself. It was a work well done,” said

Adelakun.$ These results have placed Adelakun in good standing with his research

supervisor.$ “The role of my supervisor was paramount to the success achieved. It has been a good experience. This work will never have been possible without his nurturing guide, support and contributions. I am forever indebted to him.”

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