In Brief
Centre for Arts in Human Development wins award
The Centre for the Arts in Human Development was given an award on May 4 at the International Summit for an Alliance on Social Inclusion in Montreal, part of a conference held in the city by the American Association on Mental Retard-ation (AAMR).
The award was for the social inclusion of people with disabilities, in the research and innovation category. It was accepted by the co-founders of the Centre, Lenore Vosberg, Executive Director, Stephen Snow, Director of Creative Arts Therapies at the Centre, and Miranda D’Amico, Director of Research at the Centre.
They and colleagues Elizabeth Anthony, Joanabbey Sack and Denise Tanguay told the delegates how they have used developmental drama with elementary school children and participants of the Centre to overcome bias towards people with disabilities.
They also showed an absorbing documentary about the process of creating the show And Alice Dreams, which illustrates the benefits of the creative arts therapies.
The Centre is 10 years old now, and an anniversary show is planned for June 17. There will also be an art project with the Museum of Fine Arts on June 7.
With a little help from our friends
What began as a PhD thesis proposal in Communication Studies has turned into the launch of MediaScrape, “a global internet TV news network in 100-per-cent video format.”
“I couldn’t have done it without Concordia,” said MediaScape vice-president Tyler Cavell.
Cavell was working on a PhD proposal on global media alternatives with Communications Studies Professor Dennis Murphy. As discussions progressed last year, he decided to turn the thesis proposal into reality.
With advice from Communication Studies and JMSB, he built a business plan and Mediascape was launched on May 9 with wide coverage in the local and national media.
The service provides direct video news feed from news services like Reuters, AP, Canadian Press, Dogan News Agency (Turkey and Asia) and several non-state broadcasters from Central Asia. More are on the way, Cavell said.
Cavell sees the service as an alternative to the major American networks and a way to encourage a more balanced view of world events. For new Canadians, it could be a way to keep in touch with news from their former home.
History student Mike Petty has joined the team as a video editor. Cavell sees Concordia as a future source of news people with global sensitivity. You will find MediaScrape on the web at www.mediascrape.com/
Installation of David P. O'Brien
There will be limited seating for faculty and staff who wish to attend the installation of the new chancellor, David P. O’Brien at the first Faculty of Arts and Science ceremony on June 12 at 10 a.m. at Place des Arts, Salle Wilfrid Pelletier.
Details of how to reserve seating will be announced shortly on the News@Concordia website.
The possibility of a webcast of the installation event on the university website is being looked at.
At the second Arts and Science ceremony at 3 p.m., the honoree will be Naim Kattan.
The John Molson School of Business will honour Louis-Jacques Ménard on June 13 at 10 a.m.
The Faculty of Engineering and Computer Science will honour Michèle Thibodeau-DeGuire on June 13 at 3 p.m.
Finally, Fine Arts will give an honorary degree to painter and filmmaker Alfred Leslie on June 14 at 10 a.m.