From education to crime to high finance, Canada's newest university offers real-world expertise

OSHAWA, Ont. - Why on earth would a fish flirt with its reflection? What's the best way to break a bank? And how does a seemingly civilized lady turn into a murderous maniac? For the answers to these questions and much, much more, tune in to the experts at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT).

Faculty members at Canada's newest university are readily available for media interviews and speaking engagements. Our gifted and rapidly growing roster of professors welcome the opportunity to share their expertise on compelling stories of the day or on lesser-known issues of interest. Experts are available across the university's six faculties and one school in areas such as business and information technology, criminology and justice, education, energy and nuclear science, health science, manufacturing engineering, and science.

Take biologist Doug Holdway. A professor in the Faculty of Science, Holdway is one of the world's leading experts in ecological toxicology and wetlands preservation, and has studied how pollutants adversely affect the behaviour of aquatic life. Before joining UOIT, the prolific researcher worked in Australia for 17 years, at one point developing tests designed to protect wildlife in the Alligator Rivers region of Northern Australia, a UN world heritage site.

Mathematician Mark Staley, also in the Faculty of Science, worked for one of Canada's Big Five banks for several years, helping to develop highly sophisticated programs for managing financial risk. "We had to come up with models that would predict worst cases losses the bank could experience in a day or a week," says Dr. Staley. "The bank put aside capital to cover losses based on those models."

Hannah Scott, an associate professor in the Faculty of Social Science, is a widely published researcher whose work has challenged conventional thinking about women and crime. She is nearing completion of her book, The Gentler Sex: The Female Serial Killer, which is due to be published in September 2004 by Mellon Press. Scott is currently studying the recovery process for women who have been the victims of sexual crimes.

The list goes on: Bev Freedman, an adjunct professor in the Faculty of Education, is an expert on the role of the principal in schools; Manon Lemonde, an associate professor in the Faculty of Health Sciences, has extensive knowledge in the fields of gerontology and oncology; and Ebrahim Esmailzadeh has done work in the area of automotive engineering.

For more information on some of these faculty members, please check the university's Web site at www.uoit.ca, and click on News and Events. Interviews or speaking engagements can be arranged through Oliver Fernandez in the Department of Communications and Marketing, at 905.721.3111, ext. 2513.

About the University of Ontario Institute of Technology

As Canada 's newest university, the Oshawa-based University of Ontario Institute of Technology provides a unique combination of academic knowledge, vibrant student life, leading-edge research, and hands-on skills. The university offers career-focused degree undergraduate programs in the fields of business and information technology, sciences, engineering, nursing, justice studies, and education. It is also developing leading-edge research and graduate programs. The university welcomed its first students in September 2003. To find out more, visit www.uoit.ca, or call 1.866.844.8648.

About Ontario Tech University
A modern, forwarding-thinking university, Ontario Tech advances the discovery and application of knowledge to accelerate economic growth, regional development and social innovation. We inspire and equip our students and our graduates to make a positive impact in a tech-focused world. For us, it’s not only about developing the next tech breakthrough. Understanding and integrating the social and ethical implications of technology differentiates us as university. Learn more at ontariotechu.ca.

Media contact
Oliver Fernandez
Communications and Marketing
Ontario Tech University
905.721.3111, ext. 2513
oliver.fernandez@uoit.ca