Rhodes Scholar Makes Math Count Steinbach resident Jody Reimer is completing her Bachelor of Arts at the University of Manitoba, including transfer credits from exchange courses she took in both France and Finland. She attended Steinbach Regional Secondary School. A mathematics major with a minor in religion, she has received scholarships for highest standing in Arts as well as numerous awards for her mathematics studies. She notes her passions for travel, cycling and language studies enhanced her learning experience and gave her additional incentive to pursue higher education. She notes: “While cycling through Finland this past summer, my companions and I discussed theoretical physics.” Last year, while on a five-month trip to India with the Ten Thousand Villages Program,  Reimer taught mathematics to impoverished girls in an informal school in Kolkata. She appreciated her own privileged educational opportunities and felt, “I owe it both to myself and to society not to waste that.” She intends to pursue interdisciplinary research projects, “applying mathematical models to aid in solving problems in the biological and ecological sciences.

Native Studies adds a Ph.D. to its Extensive Graduate Program

The Department of Native Studies at the University of Manitoba is a leader in its academic field. Students can choose from a diverse range of courses including Indigenous cultures and history, politics, economics, business, literature and the arts, as well as Cree and Ojibway languages. The Department features an extensive graduate program and a new Ph.D. Program which is only the second of its kind in all of Canada! 
In addition to the rich content featured during the regular session, students can also take part in some of our exciting Summer Session courses.  The Pangnirtung Summer School Program is just one example during which students travel to Baffin Island in the Nunavut Territory for  five weeks to learn about Inuit culture, politics, and environmental issues.  It is an experience that none will soon forget.

New Manitoba Institute for Policy Research Plays a Crucial Role

Started October 1st 2010 and headed by Rob Ermel, the Manitoba Institute for Policy Research Institute engages academics, government, the private and non-profit sectors, and citizens of Manitoba on a wide variety of policy issues concerning Manitoba, Western Canada, and Canada in general. The Institute pursues collaborative and interdisciplinary research in the areas of public policy, administration, and governance. By bringing together government, practitioners, scholars and members of the community, the Manitoba Institute for Policy Research will further debates and discussion on matters of policy development, administration, and analysis.

New Program

A new MPA/MBA joint program in ‘Defence Administration’ stream for the Master of Public Administration degree in Political Studies launched its inaugural class in Fall 2010. The program is a partnership with the Canadian Forces School of Aerospace Studies Advanced System Course program at 17 Wing, Winnipeg. 

New Courses

• New Portugese Course - the first time Portuguese has been taught at University of Manitoba. Twenty-five students enrolled.
• As part of the University of Manitoba and University of Szeged exchange program, exchange instructor Zsófia Solymár taught the first Hungarian language course at the University of Manitoba in Fall 2010. There were 23 students enrolled.
• History of Human Rights and Social Justice in the Modern World (3ch), first taught Fall 2010.
• The Department of Native Studies successfully launched a new Summer Institute in Cree Language and Narrative in collaboration with Linguistics, English, Film and Theatre and the Centre for Creative Writing and Oral Culture.
• Women’s and Gender Studies added a new course in Winter 2011 term: “Native Women and the Arts.” Taught by Sherry Farrell Racette.

New Teaching Resources

Brenda Cantelo (Religion) produced a number of films for teaching including “An Interview with Shona Duncan MacTavish”, “Healing Dances in Mexico”, Healing Rituals on the streets of Mexico City” and Maori dances at Waitangi”