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Accolades 

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A Faculty of Engineering and Computer Science capstone project has won the first place prize at this year’s national Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) TELUS Innovation Awards. The Multi-Touch Multi-User Interactive Surface Using Computer Vision, a project led by Professor Reza Soleymani, won $10 000 at the competition in Mississauga, Ont., in Sept. The project has received attention from TELUS for future funding and development.

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On Sept. 23, the Honorable Gary Goodyear, Minister of State (Science and Technology), announced two Concordia University professors have received further Tier-2 funding of $100 000 annually over a five-year period from the Canada Research Chairs (CRC) program. Psychology Professor Mark A. Ellenbogen is reconfirmed as the CRC in Developmental Psychopathology and CIISE Professor Yong Zeng is reconfirmed as the CRC in Design Science.

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On Sept. 21, Professor in the Education Department Arpi Hamalian was honoured as one of 11 YWCA 2009 Women of Distinction, receiving the Education Award. During her 30+ years at Concordia, Hamalian has served as Chair of the Department of Education, Principal of the Simone de Beauvoir Institute, President of the Concordia University Faculty Association (CUFA), and was the first female President of the Quebec Federation of University Professors (FQPPU).

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Congratulations to Humanities PhD student Joanne Hui for the selection of her artwork, entitled The Potato Wars: Chinese-Canadian Resistance during the Exclusion Era, for inclusion in the exhibition DIASPORArt; Strategy and Seduction by Canadian Artists from Culturally Diverse Communities. The exhibition will be displayed in the Ambassadors Room in Rideau Hall, the official residence of the Governor General Michaëlle Jean. The exhibition opened Sept. 21 and will remain on display for one year.

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Two Concordia researchers are involved in SPOT, a research project designed to reinforce HIV prevention among men who have sex with men. Both professor Gilbert Émond and part-time lecturer Thomas Haig are among the researchers on the project, headed by Mark A. Wainberg, former president of the International AIDS Society. The project was established over a year ago (see Journal, Jan. 17, 2008). The Sept. 16 opening of the rapid-testing, drop-in and support centre in the gay village sets the practical aspect of the research in motion. Organizers hope to deliver 4 000 tests, along with information and resources, between now and Dec. 2010.

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Congrats to R4, whose work in developing Concordia’s rigorous environmental policy have helped the school win this year’s Prix québécois d’entreprise citoyenne in the category of environment, large institutions. The prize is awarded in recognition of actions taken by Quebec-based businesses to introduce and promote innovative practices in business ethics and sustainable development. Created under this policy, the large-scale composting program allowed Concordia to recycle 20 tons of waste material that would otherwise have gone to the dump – four times the amount normally recycled – in the 2008-09 academic year alone.

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Last issue, the Journal overlooked the awarding to a Concordian of a second Canadian Psychological Association (CPA) award at their 70th convention in June. Psychology Professor Adam S. Radomsky was the recipient of the Distinguished Contributions to Public or Community Service award. Psychology Professor Andrew Ryder won the President’s New Researcher Award at the same event.