News & Appearances

November 05, 2012: YFILE: "Ready, set, flip! Flapjacks fly for the United Way" (news photo co-subject; l-r: Marsha, me, Amy, & Norma).

October 25, 2012:York University Mature Students Blog: "Mature Student Success: Keeping up with Edward Fenner-Part 2".

October 22, 2012:York University Mature Students Blog: "Mature Student Success: Keeping up with Edward Fenner-Part 1" (author). YFILE: "International students at York claim three of six City of Toronto awards" (author).

May 07, 2012: I was once again honoured to be recognized as a Murray Ross Award (President's Medal) winner when I was invited to attend the unveiling of a new permanent memorial to recipients of York University's top awards. I was pleased to meet other recipients and especially pleased to share the event with my wife Linda. Photos on my facebook album (publicly available). Read the YFile story and view the short video.

February 29, 2012: I set up and launched my academic research blog: The Smashing Mr. Van de Graaff today.

February 28, 2012: I was a panelist on the Career Conversations Panel Series:"Discovering Careers in Writing & Publishing. View the YorkU Career Centre event page at York University.

February 23, 2012: I hosted a workshop for professors, academic advisors, and teaching assistants: "Getting Better Essays from Your Students." It was part of a series of talks and workshops presented through the Office of the Master, Vanier College, York University.

 

January 18 and 20, 2012: The Faculty of Graduate Studies posted a story about me "STS student awarded American Institute of Physics grant" which was picked up and tweaked a wee bit by YFILE  two days later: "Part-time student awarded American Institute of Physics grant" and reposted in the newly redesigned YFILE. Thanks to all who have written to me or spokenn to me with congratulations. FGS also posted my Graduate Student Profile along with the article.

December 19, 2011: I received an email today telling me that I have been awarded a grant-in-aid from the Friends of the Center for History of Physics, American Institute of Physics, in College Park, Maryland, USA. Worth up to US $2000, this grant is meant to help reimburse expenses regarding my investigation into Robert J. Van de Graaff and his devices while visiting the Center's Niels Bohr Library & Archives and Emilio Segrè Visual Archives. Thank you AIP for your support!

December 09, 2011: YFILE - "York in the World: New exchange program offers experience in migration culture" (author). The same story rearranged for student readership - YLIFE - "New exchange program offers experience in migration culture."

November 10, 2011: I was a panelist on the Career Conversations Panel Series: Discovering Careers in Communications & Public Relations. View the YorkU Career Centre event page at York University.

November 07, 2011: Today, I successfully dubbed an old 7-inch reel of 1/4-inch audio tape of Robert J. Van de Graaff. It's been 25 years since I used a reel-to-reel machine. With the help of Rob van der Bliek, music librarian and YorkU's Sound and Moving Image Library, I was able to get a good, clean copy on modern media. The old reel was in remarkably good shape since it likely hasn't been played since circa 1967.

November 03, 2011: YFILE: "President's Pancake Breakfast breaks participation record" (news photo subject).

October 12, 2011: YFILE: "TTC site accident affects transit service" (news photo credit). YLIFE: "Classes at Schulich cancelled tonight due to accident" (news photo).

October 05, 2011: A £350 (CDN $522) grant came through from the Scientific Instrument Society, based in the UK. Thank you, SIS!

August 18, 2011: YFILE: "Subway construction moves into high gear" (news photo credit). YLIFE version.

August 2011: I visited Bill Van de Graaff for the first time and have added about 1,200+ photographs of Robert's documents and files, plus lots of reports from HVEC (High Voltage Engineering Corporation). Bill and his lovely family reside in Burr Ridge a suburb of Chicago, Illiniois.

July 2011: I visited John Van de Graaff in Northampton, Massachusetts again and have a total of 8,000+ photographs of Robert's documents and files. I also spent some time at the MIT Archives in Cambridge.

May 02, 2011: YFILE: "A tree is planted for Qian Liu" (news photo credit). YLIFE version.

April 29, 2011: CBC News: "Election word of the day: Endorsement" (quoted).

April 05, 2011: Toronto Star: "Town hall: When is it OK to campaign for ‘re-election‘?" (quoted).

March 11, 2011: The Scientific Instrument Society, based in the UK, approved a grant of up to £350 to help reimburse expenses regarding my road trip investigations into Robert J. Van de Graaff's devices. This is very helpful to part-time graduate students like me who do not qualify for (nor are we usually permtited to apply for) grants and scholarships in the same fashion as full-time graduate students.Thank you SIS for your support!

January 31, 2011: I was the guest speaker in professor Jan Rehner's Professional Writing: Process and Practice course (AP/EN 1700 9.0) at York University.

January 06, 2011: I was a panelist on the Career Conversations Panel Series: Discovering Careers in Writing & Publishing. View the YorkU Career Centre event page at York University. View videos or listen to audio files.

January 2011: York University's Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies publishes my "Tips for Mature Students" in their January 2011 Newsletter.

December 07, 2010: YFILE: "QR codes engage current and prospective students" (quoted).

December 01, 2010: YFILE: "Water main rupture diverts buses on the Keele campus" (news photo credit).

November 03, 2010: I got a nice mention in a profile on Toronto poet and editor Karen Correia Da Silva. Thanks, Karen! Read The Toronto Quarterly profile.

October 21, 2010: I was a panelist on the Career Conversations Panel Series: Discovering Careers in Communications and Public Relations at York University. View the YorkU Career Centre event page. Also, view videos or listen to audio files from the panelists.

September 2010: Joined the STS Executive Committee as the MA representative. View the STS Program website.

September 15, 2010: YFILE: "Annual Words Alive Literary Festival draws York authors, poets" (mentioned).

August 2010: I spent time with Robert's son John and had a visit with Robert's original generator at the Museum of Science in Boston (see banner image above of the generator in action when newly built at Round Hill, South Dartmouth, Massachusetts in 1933). I also spent some time at the MIT Archives and the MIT Museum. All are preliminary investigations into my research on Robert and his machine for my Master's research and for a potential book.

July 2010: I began preliminary investigations into the life, science, and legacy of American experimental physicist Robert J. Van de Graaff - the focus of my Master's degree studies in STS. If anyone has any suggestions, links, or other comments, do let me know. Read the Wikipedia profile of Robert J. Van de Graaff.

June 22, 2010: I was a guest on Daytime, the morning show on Rogers TV for York Region. I talked with hosts Jeff Moore and Jacqueline Betterton about the mature student experience, graduating after six years of study, receiving the Murray G. Ross Award, reviving Existere - Journal of Arts and Literature and mentoring students there, establishing YUMSO (York University Mature Students Organization), & about helping to promote the Words Alive Literary Festival. Visit Daytime's website.

June 2010: The Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies at York University has posted three brief videos of me chatting about my experiences at York University. You can view them on York's YouTube channel:
1. Profile of a Mature Student Graduate.
2. Professional Writing Program.
3. York University Mature Students Organization.

June 2010: The Senate of York University has bestowed upon me the 2010 Murray G. Ross Award (see image, right) - the University's highest honour given to a graduating undergraduate student. I am deeply, deeply honoured and humbled to receive such a prestigious award. View the notification letter.And, read the June 16, 2010 YFILE " Mature student receives Murray G. Ross Award for contribution and academics."

June 2010: Vanier College, York University has awarded me top honours. I shared in the Vanier Master's Award for Academic Achievement and Outstanding Go to Vanier College.

March 2010: Faculty of Graduate Studies, York University has offered me a place in the Science and Technology Studies master's degree program in Fall 2010. I, of course, accepted. View the STS Program website.

March 18, 2010: Appeared on A-Channel's First Local news hour story about GO Transit bus route cancellations.

March 17, 2010: Stong College, York University presented a staged reading or my play The Tesla Chronicles.View the Stong College flyer about The Tesla Chronicles. Also, view the programme.

Spring, 2010: Canadian Newcomer Magazine: "Mature Students: What Are Post-Secondary Institutions Offering To Them?" (co-subject of story). La version française:"Ales étudiants adultes: Comment les établissements post secondaires répondent à leurs besoins."

March 16, 2010: Guest on Rogers TV's Focal Point as part of a panel about GO Transit bus route cancellations.

March 16, 2010: YFILE "Edward Fenner to give a reading on Wednesday of his play The Tesla Chronicles" (subject of story).

March 12, 2010: YFILE "Riders pledge to drive as GO kills bus routes" (mention).

March 06 & 10, 2010: I'm quoted in two YorkRegion.com articles 'GO poised to cancel bus routes. York University; Yonge buses on chopping block.' View the first article and 'Hundreds protest GO route cuts. Alternatives mean longer trips, higher costs, riders say.' View the second article.The same articles appeared in The Banner newspaper March 7, 2010 (pages 1 & 8) and March 11, 2010 (pages 1 & 8) respectively.

January 25, 2010: YFILE: "York and China University of Geosciences sign a memorandum of understanding" (news photo credit).

January 21, 2010: I acted as MC and moderator for the inaugural Mature Students Success Forum at Ryerson University. Our panel comes from York U, Ryerson U, U of Toronto and other Toronto area institutions. Over 100 students came from as far away as Thunder Bay (Lakehead University) and Sudbury (Laurentian University) to attend in person. Mount Allison University (New Brunswick) also attended via Skype webcast. Thanks go to Latoya Dickenson (MSAR founder) for organizing this event. Click to visit the event page.

December 15, 2009: Dead Poets Night - part of the Dead Poets Society annual meeting and the Art Bar Poetry Reading Series. I read a short poem and a portion of a long poem from Mark Twain and from Stephen Leacock. View the programme.

September 2009: The Tesla Chronicles was performed by pettichild productions - a team of York University theatre students who have formed their own company. View photos 1, 2, 3, 4, from the performance. I was also delighted to perform the festival's first proxy reading: that of Halifax author Binnie Brennan's debut novella Harbour View. I also act as MC for the festival's monthly Open Mic Nights at Books/Cafe & Things in Newmarket.

September 15, 2009: YFILE: "Words Alive Literary Festival boasts strong York connection" (mention).

May 14, 2009: I won the Kent Haworth Playwriting prize at York University for my short play The Tesla Chronicles - my third win in four years in this competition (runner up in 2008). With this win, I am retiring from this competition for undergraduate students. This play was given a performed reading at Words Alive on September 20, 2010 (see note above).

May 05, 2009: YFILE: "York International launches Web site profiling York's international connections" (mention)

April 2009: Vanier College Productions produced my short play Grim Business as a radio-style play in their Radio 10 Live Festival April 29-30 (8pm) at York University's Fred Thury Theatre. The 3-day festival (to May 1st) featured five short plays performed in the style of old-time radio dramas. No sets, no pre-recorded sounds. VCP director and festival co-ordinator: Guy Doucette. Read the April 27, 2009 YFILE: "Radio 10 Live Festival brings back the magic of radio theatr."

March 06, 2009: I moderated the "Profession of Publishing Panel: The Editor Today and Tomorrow" at The Book Publishing Business - Inside the Trade: The York University Conference on the Book. On the Panel: Eleanor MacKay (Pearson), Laura Shin (Penguin), and Janie Yoon (Anansi). View the conference flyer. Or, view the conference programme.

February 12, 2009: My third guest blog on Academica.ca is up. Go to blog Edward Fenner --- "On Connecting with Mature Students - Nationally."

January 14, 2009: I am honoured to be included in York University's 50th Anniversary book The Way Must Be Tried  by Michiel Horn. I'm quoted on page 228 regarding mature students at York and my role in founding YUMSO.

January 08, 2009: I announced that I created a new national mature student enterprise called CAMSO (Canadian Assembly of Mature Student Organziations). More info to come soon for now, the Facebook version.

October 23, 2008: I was interviewed by The Muse, the student newspaper for Memorial University in Newfoundland, for their feature story "Artists weigh in, post election" including commentary on my arts Facebook site. Go to The Muse website. Note: The story is temporarily not on-line. The newspaper is undergoing a redesign. In the mean time, you can read these jpg files: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.

October 10, 2008: In only 16 days my pro-arts Facebook site protesting prime minister Stephen Harper's funding cuts to the arts attracted over 66,000 members from across Canada and around the world. Go to "Ordinary Canadians DO SUPPORT the Arts, Mr. Harper. You are dead wrong" on Facebook (membership may be required by Facebook).

October 08, 2008: My second guest blog is up. Go to blog Edward Fenner --- "Should I Stay or Should I Go."

October 01, 2008: The Excalibur newspaper did a story on my pro-arts Facebook site regarding prime minister Stephen Harper's funding cuts to the arts. Go The Excaliburstory "Ordinary Canadians do support the Arts."

July 16, 2008: My first guest blog is up. Go to blog "Edward Fenner on Mature Students" on the Academica Group website.

June 06, 2008: I have agreed to become Academic Group's new regular guest blogger on adult learning issues starting in early July. Go to Academica Group's website.

March 19, 2008: I was deeply honoured to make the cover story of YorkU Magazine. "Second Chance: How Mature Students like Edward Fenner renew their lives and enrich York." Go YorkU Magazine's April 2008 cover story "Second Chance: How mature students like Edward Fenner renew their lives and enrich York." Or view the PDF.

March 12-15, 2008: Vanier College Productions produced my short play The Prodigal Father as a fully-staged play in their One Act Play Festival in the Fred Thury Theatre at York University. The 4-day festival featured four short plays by YorkU students. Play director: Joel Pettigrew.

January 29, 2008: The Excalibur newspaper did a story "Walk a day in the shoes of a mature student" which looks at the mature student experience of several students - including myself.