two university researchers have been
pulled into action to pinpoint the source
of a mysterious humming noise that has
disrupted the lives of west-end residents of
Windsor, Ontario over the past two years.
“Hopefully we can find what the source
is and do something to rectify it,” says Colin
Novak, a University of Windsor engineering
professor who specializes in noise, vibration
and acoustic measurement. He’ll be joined
in the hunt by Peter Brown, a physics professor at Western University. The two were
provided with $60,000 in funding by the
federal Department of Foreign Affairs and
International Trade to conduct their search.
Dr. Novak plans to install low-frequency
noise monitoring stations near the presumed
source of the hum, which is a heavily industrialized island in the Detroit River on
the U.S. side of the border. The devices will
remain in location for up to five months,
constantly recording noise and alerting
Dr. Novak via email whenever they pick
up anything within the frequency range the
researchers suspect the hum is in.
Once the source of the hum is located,
the researchers hope to characterize the
sound through a process called spacial filtering to figure out what is causing the noise.
Mentorship program helps Asperger’s
students adapt to university
“They’re pleased to find
out they’re not alone, that
there are other students
like them at the university.”
Overheard
Robert Ballingall, a PhD student in political science at the University
of Toronto, writing in the winter 2013 issue of U of T Magazine.
My own sense as a grad student is that this
decline in mental health is ultimately the
result of spin-off effects from a deeply felt
anxiety about our economic prospects.
“
“
a mentorship program at York University is
helping students with Asperger’s Syndrome
to navigate the ups and downs of student life,
both inside and outside the classroom.
The Asperger’s Mentorship Program was
created by psychology professor James Bebko,
referred to as autism spectrum disorder. Last
year across Ontario, over 800 students with
the disorder registered for support at the province’s colleges and universities.
The York program received a grant in
2008 from the Counselling Foundation of
Canada. It pairs clients with graduate psychology students, giving mentors practical experience in their field while helping students with
Asperger’s successfully adapt to university life.
Since its start, more than a dozen mentors
have worked with over 50 “Aspie” undergrads.
Mentors act as guides in everything from
learning how to balance a hectic timetable to
buying a cup of coffee on campus. Dr. Bebko
says that although not all students with As-
perger’s exhibit the same symptoms, many
struggle with daily social interactions that are
a major part of university life.
