September 15, 2004 UNBC sends two students to Golden Key Conference UNBC students Erin Doyle and Linda Kerswell joined 800 other students from more than 250 universi- ties from all over the world at the Golden Key International Honour Society Leadership Conference. The con- ference was held in Atlanta Georgia this past August. UNBC is one of 17 universities from across Canada who have a chapter of the Golden Key Society. Awards were granted to out- ‘standing chapters and individual students for their accomplishments over the past year. Canada took home the International Spirit Award, thanks to dedi- cated involvement of it’s member chapters, of which, UNBC is a part. New Lecture Series hosted by UNBC Prof The Northern Medical Society is launching a lecture series on Northern ‘Medical issues, and the inaugur- al lecture will be hosted by Dr. David Snadden, Head of the Northern Medical Program. The lecture series is a ser- vice to health profes- sionals and interested citizens across Northern British Columbia, and will be named after Dr. Bob Ewert, an early pio- neer of medicine in Prince George. The first lecture will be held on Saturday, October 2, at the Prince George Civic Centre. For more infor- mation, call 564-6000 or. 960-8764. : News Page 4 Did You Get Orientated? by Marlon Francescini chet Stas Writer New students here are definitely not apathetic: they danced, they sang karaoke, they oriented them- selves to campus life, and they were one of the largest turnouts of first year students to Northern Degrees - Orientation 2004. Besides shortening the festivities down from the traditional week to a three day period that covered the weekend plus Friday, the organiz- ers of this year’s orientation made sevéral other alterations to the planned activities. For instance, the previous atten- dants of Orientation sat in the Canfor Theatre while Heads of Departments explained the excit- ing courses you could take if you were only majoring within their department. However, this year a one on one environment of freshman speaking to their professors gave these stu- dents the opportunity to meet the professors who will be able to help them understand . their assign- ments and’ the subjects they’re >> photo by Marlon Francescini First year students learn teamwork and a little physical coordination in this crazy foot race at Northern Degrees Orientation 2004. intending to major in. This year’s orientation fun involved trust building exercises such as falling backwards and being caught by all your new found friends, which one first year described as “a great chance to meet people.” This opportunity to meet your contemporaries can not be under- stated, as it will be the friends you made while falling over in orienta- tion that will help you study for your Physics 101 exam in 3 days. Another popular addition to Northern Degrees Orientation was. a student written play, ‘You're at UNBC Charlene Brown’. The play was entirely written and performed by veteran UNBC students, and it presented some of the common pitfalls that new stu- dents face in the year in a comical yet topical manner. Big laughs were provided in the play, and the reception meant that it will proba- bly be performed in years to come. However, Northern Degrees - Orientation 2004 is really all about learning the value of free healthy food provided by the Health And Wellness Centre, lead by the intre- pid University Nurse Robin Johnson who coincidently was injured during orientation this year and still ensured that students were cared for. UNBC Professor Dr. Kevin Hall a True Explorer: Hall inducted into Explorers Club This Summer For His Achievements by Kathleen De Vere News idifar Imagine yourself sitting in a tent in the middle of Antarctica. Aside from your tent, which may have one other person in it, the next nearest trace of human civi- lization might be hundred of kilo- meters away in another tent. Sounds rather desolate and unpleasant doesn’t it? “| think it's wonder- ful to get away from everything, but my personality works for that. A lot of people wouldn’t want to do something like this, or be able to cope with it mentally and physically” However, if you were Dr. Kevin Hall, you might just think it sounded like another day at work. UNBC professor Dr. Hall was made a fellow of The Explorers Club this summer. The presti- gious honor is extend to members of the club who have contributed to scientific knowledge by explor- ing or conducting scientific research while on expeditions to remote locations. How many research expedi- tions do you have to go on to become a fellow of the explorers club? Hall has been on more than 50, including .13 trips to Antarctica, (two -of which were over the winter), 10 trips to the high arctic, more than 20 to moun- tains in Africa, three to Tibet, and even one to the Gobi desert. On his last expedition to Tibet in 2002, Hall studied the produc- tion of land forms in cold, dry environments that are exposed to increased levels of radiation due to high altitude. Hall has been journeying around the world on scientific expeditions since 1968. During his many travels, Hall has been to unexplored parts of Antarctica, and has even named a ridge in the vast continent. When departing for one of his research expeditions, it wouldn’t be uncommon for Hall to leave the warm shores of New Zealand in the springtime when the daf- fodils were blooming, only to find himself experiencing tempera- tures as low as -50 degrees Celsius after he’d finished the eight hour plane ride to Antarctica. So what makes researchers like Hall want to return time and time again to the most empty and des- olate place on Earth? “These are peculiar people of some sort,” said Hall, “not partic- ularly normal people.” “When you're in the Antarctic, if something goes wrong, you're on your own.” “1 think it’s wonderful to get away from everything, but my personality works for that,” he explained. “A lot of people wouldn’t want to do something >> photo courtesy of the Internet On one of his many expeditions to the Antarctic, Dr. Kevin Hall studies geo- graphic land forms. Hall has been on over 50 expeditions all over the world, and has visted the Antarctic more than 12 times. like this, or be able to cope with it mentally and physically.” Not all of Hall’s expeditions have gone entirely smoothly either - on one trip to the Antarctic, Hall’s ship was trapped in the ice for more than five weeks. “When you're in the Antarctic, if something goes wrong, you're on your own,” said Hall, but luck- ily, whenever Hall went on an expedition, he and the other sci- entists had enough supplies to last them through almost any situ- ation. Now that he is a fellow of The Explorers Club, Hall has been inducted into a fellowship of famous and important scientists and explorers such as Diane Fossey who is famous with her work studying gorillas, Jéhn Glen the American astronaut, and Sir Edmund Hillary, the first man to climb Mt. Everest.