MURAnews Summer 2025

President's Corner

Contacting MURA Mail: Gilmour Hall B108, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8 Phone: 905-525-9140, extension 23171 (voicemail is checked once a week) Email: mura@mcmaster.ca

News and Events

Welcome New Council Members

Monica Anderson – I first started with the University in 1984 and moved to Toronto to work with the government before returning to McMaster in 1987. Throughout my time with the University I completed my BA in Labour Studies as well as my Certificate in Human Resources along with my Certified Human Resources Leader (CHRL) designation.

During my career I have worked on and off campus in various departments and roles as well as being a member of various committees. I held the position of Human Resources Consultant in the Faculty of Health Sciences until my retirement. I enjoyed working with staff, faculty and the Union.

Retirement activities include spending time with my grandchildren, grand pups, and common-law partner, as well as gardening, yoga, Zumba and travel.
Robert Stevens – Born in Hamilton, Ontario and raised in Waterdown. Started my career at Tridon as a material handler and decided to change my future with a trade. Joined the Local 18 United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America in ‘73. Did my apprenticeship and became a General Carpenter after 5 years. Worked 20 years as a Journeyman, becoming a Certified Health and Safety Representative, and Job Steward on various job sites throughout Southern Ontario. Then I resigned from there in ‘93 to go back to Mohawk College to take a Mechanical Engineering Technology course. After graduating, started work at a small company called TARESDOR. Was approached by McMaster to work in the Trades department in 2001 as a temporary worker for summer projects. Later hired full time in the summer of 2002 as a Carpenter. Worked 22 years, was elected President of SEIU Unit 2 for the Trades, and became a Level 2 Certified Health and Safety Representative. Took advantage of McMaster’s “Tuition Assistance Program”, and became a Certified Home Inspector. Retired in March of 2023 and have been busy bowling, fishing and golfing.
Terri Wetton – When Terri joined the University on June 25, 1975 she didn’t anticipate staying for very long. Her goal was to work as a receptionist in a doctor’s office. Terri soon realized the incredible opportunities McMaster had to offer. Inspired by her colleagues and supervisors and wanting to grow and learn personally and professionally, Terri began taking diploma, degree and leadership courses. During her more than 47-year career Terri held a variety of positions in the School of Business, Institutional Analysis, Human Resources and Finance. Finding her niche in Finance, Terri moved into a managerial role in Accounts Payable July 1998.

Terri has several accomplishments of which she is proud. She has served on a variety of committees and system implementation teams. Terri’s positive attitude, sense of humour, incredible work ethic and collaboration contributed greatly to the success of several initiatives, including Mosaic Procure to Pay and MacBuy.

Since retiring in January 2023, Terri has been completing tasks on the half-finished to-do list, renovations around her home, adding more perennials to the garden and enjoying reading murder mysteries.

Retirees in the News

Mike Brook looks back on 40 years

Mike Brook, retiree, emeritus professor in the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, recalled that his childhood bedroom had a poster taped to it that proved prophetic. On the poster was a quote that was both a motivator and a warning – “there’s no heavier burden than a great potential.”

Mike showed that poster during his final lecture in a theatre full of current and former students and colleagues. His exit lecture – Four Decades of Silicon Chemistry at McMaster University – was a look back on a career that included 317 published papers, 12 granted patents, more than 500 presentations, one scientific monograph, national and international awards and some of the University’s highest honours, from being named a Distinguished University Professor to receiving multiple teaching awards from students and the president. He joined McMaster in July 1985 as an assistant professor funded by an NSERC University Research Fellowship. 

He gave special thanks during his exit lecture to four key mentors and research collaborators – Bob Pelton (20 co-authored papers), John Brennon (23 co-authored papers and 2 patents), the late Mark McDermott (11 co-authored papers and one patent) and Heather Sheardown (21 co-authored papers). And despite a slow start as a collaborator, Mike would go on to open his lab to 280 students, postdocs and professors.

Adapted from the Daily News article by Jay Robb: "Team spirit made my career magic" - Professor Emeritus Mike Brook looks back on 40 years at McMaster University.

Saroj Saigal appointed to Order of Canada for pioneering work in neonatology

Dr. Saroj Saigal, professor emerita in McMaster’s Department of Pediatrics and a neonatologist at McMaster Children’s Hospital, has been named an officer of the Order of Canada for her global impact on the health and life outcomes of premature infants.

Saroj is internationally recognized for her pioneering research on the long-term outcomes of extremely premature infants. She established a groundbreaking cohort study following infants weighing less than one kilogram from birth into adulthood, examining their physical and emotional health, as well as life achievements. Saigal was also the first to assess how adults born preterm perceive their own quality of life — her findings making a significant global impact on neonatal and pediatric care.

In addition, Saroj has played a leading role in neonatology, co-founding an international research network focused on long-term outcomes of preterm infants and holding executive positions in national pediatric organizations. Her work has earned her numerous prestigious awards, including honours from the Canadian Paediatric Society and the American Academy of Pediatrics, highlighting her significant impact on both research and clinical care.

To learn more, view the Faculty of Health Sciences article “Saroj Saigal appointed to Order of Canada for pioneering work in neonatology”.

Alan Walker receives rare honorary doctorate from Liszt Academy

Alan Walker, retiree, emeritus professor in the School of the Arts, Faculty of Humanities, has received a rare honorary doctorate from Budapest’s Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music, one of the world’s top music schools.
Alan, a musicologist, who specializes in the music of the Romantic composers, is only the seventh honorary doctor in the Academy’s 150-year history – a distinction he shares with world-renowned musicians including conductor John Eliot Gardiner and violinist Yehudi Menuhin.

Best known for his influential, award-winning three-volume biography of Hungarian composer Franz Liszt, which took 25 years to complete, Alan worked at McMaster from 1971 to 1995, bookending his academic career by chairing the department of music from 1971 to 1980 and from 1989 to 1995.

Along with his biography of Liszt, Alan has also written books on composers Robert Schumann and Frédéric Chopin, as well as conductor Hans von Bülow. In addition, he was active in promoting the performance of Romantic music, organizing Hamilton’s annual Great Romantics Festival from 1994 until 2010. This led to part of MacNab Street South being commemoratively named “Franz Liszt Avenue” in 1995 – believed to be the only city street in North America named for Hungary’s most famous composer.

His personal archives now reside in the William Ready Division of Archives and Research Collections in Mills Library, and include more than 20 original letters written by Liszt himself.

Adapted from the Daily News article by Sara Laux: Professor emeritus Alan Walker receives rare honorary doctorate from Liszt Academy.

Welcome New Retirees

MURA Walks

Tuesday May 20 – Burlington Sculpture Walk

A dozen of us walked the Burlington Sculpture Walk. It was a lovely, sunny day, but pretty cool by the lake. There were a number of interesting (!) sculptures to be seen. Here are a few pictures to consider.

Spencer Smith Park is a beautiful park to visit – parking was available. It is likely best in the “off” season, as the area was abuzz with lawnmowers and weedwhackers. We had a nice coffee and visit at a café afterwards.

Missed some of our “regular” walkers, but we’re forming quite a lovely group. Come join us!

Wednesday June 18 – Battlefield Cemetery

Another successful gathering. Twenty of us toured the Stoney Creek Cemetery with our pals Pat and Alycia. It was a walk FILLED with details about the War of 1812 and some of the important people who can be found in the cemetery. And lunch at the Scout Café Restaurant after was quite impressive! Tried some new and interesting dishes. Check it out sometime!

Wednesday July 23 – Royal Botanical Gardens

It was a lovely walk – perfect on a hot day to walk through the forest. We saw lots of little creatures, such as a wee baby turtle, several blue herons, wood ducks, a muskrat, and a water snake. And chipmunks of course! Lu and Sheri Wang were great guides, very knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the RBG! It was a bit more of a hike than a walk, so extra effort was needed as compared to some of our other events. Hot dogs at Easterbrooks rounded out the day.

Coming up: 

Wednesday August 13 – Hamilton Market, 10:30 am

We’re going to meet up with a guide at the York Blvd entrance who will tell us some history. We will prepare a scavenger hunt of the market, then take our lunch and go outside to listen to a lunchtime concert on the patio.

Tuesday September 16 – Road trip to Vineland

We may try to carpool for this one. Meet up at Lime Ridge Mall – drive along Mud Street to Ridge Road, come down the hill at either McNeilly or 50 Road and drive along Hwy 8 into Vineland with a few stops along the way. I’ve included a meat shop (Littlefoot Farm Meat Shop), Romagnoli Farms Fruit Stand, Back 10 Cellars Winery, The Watering Can Flower Market (where we can stop for lunch?), Bloomingdeals Thrift Shoppe/World of Flags flag shop, Cherry Lane cherry specialists, Monteforte Fruit Farms, and the Upper Canada Cheese Company (2nd choice for good food – depending upon our tummies!). These are all places that I drive by regularly, checked out recently and feel that they are interesting enough to have a look at! I’d love some feedback on this one. 

We could set up a meeting spot for those coming from the lower city/Burlington who want to meet and just drive down the highway to 50 Road – although I think that coming in on Bartlett and driving along Highway 8 is a more scenic drive with interesting spots along the way! To be discussed. Let me know if you are interested and we’ll start a discussion group. 

The October walk (date TBA) will take place in Niagara-on-the-Lake and we will see if we can dig up some ghosts!

Recent Passings

Amin Amershi, DeGroote School of Business, March 5, 2024
Janet Ajzenstat, Political Science, March 27, 2025
Jacques Barbier, Chemistry & Chemical Biology, November 12, 2024
Karen Dion, Human Resources, Health Sciences, May 19, 2025
Simon Haykin, Electrical & Computer Engineering, April 13, 2025
John Lamont, Obstetrics & Gynecology,  May 21, 2025
Christine Leng, Audio Visual Services, June 4, 2025
Geraldine (Gerry) Linton, Financial Services, June 16, 2025
David Ludwin, Medicine, November 18, 2024
Linda Moffat, DeGroote School of Business, May 21, 2025
Walter (Scottie) Scott, Security Services, July 12, 2025
John Simmons, Engineering Physics, February 19, 2024
Mark Sproule-Jones, Political Science, May 28, 2025
Bronwen Wood, Obstetrics & Gynecology, December 3, 2024

What’s Happening at Mac

McMaster University Appoints Next Provost

Maureen MacDonald has been appointed as McMaster University’s new provost and vice-president (Academic), beginning a six-year term on July 1, 2025. MacDonald, a longtime champion of student success, academic excellence and research impact, served as dean of the Faculty of Science for the past seven years. Over the last two decades she has made lasting contributions to McMaster by advancing academic programs, expanding student supports, and leading major research and infrastructure investments in the Faculty of Science. Under her leadership as dean, the Faculty of Science expanded career supports for students, launched the Sustainable Chemistry undergraduate program, and invested in new infrastructure to enhance the student experience. In 2018, MacDonald received the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology Mentorship Award in recognition of her dedication to student development.

MacDonald is an internationally recognized scholar who has maintained an active, NSERC-funded research program for over 25 years. She received her PhD in Kinesiology from the University of Waterloo. Her expertise in cardiovascular health, exercise physiology, spinal cord injury and aging has earned her respect across disciplines. As dean, MacDonald’s strong record in advancing equity, diversity and inclusion initiatives is highlighted by her creation of the role of associate dean for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion and Indigeneity. She worked closely with Indigenous colleagues on the Faculty of Science strategic plan and ensured Indigenous student representation on its student strategic plan implementation team. As provost, MacDonald has identified several key priorities, including facilitating open communication to enhance the university’s sense of community, providing sound financial stewardship, and increasing trust and connection across campus.

Adapted from the Daily News article: Maureen MacDonald appointed McMaster University’s next provost.

Superconducting Magnet Dedicated to David Farrar

Bob Berno, Manager of NMR Facility, couldn’t find any takers for a 39-year-old magnet that stood two metres high and weighed hundreds of kilograms. The 4.7 Tesla superconducting magnet had been the heart of a 200 MHz nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrometer at McMaster, where generations of undergraduates and researchers had used the scientific instrument to analyze chemical compounds.

Built in 1986 and first used by Ontario Hydro, the spectrometer made its way to McMaster in the late 1990s. In 2002, it was moved to an undergraduate teaching lab in the Arthur Bourns Building, where it recorded high quality data for another 20 years. It was time to retire the workhorse and replace it with a sleeker and smaller benchtop version with modern features and functions. No one wanted the massive magnet but shipping it off to the scrapyard felt like a waste. Berno first needed to get the magnet out of the lab, so he reached out to Jim Cleaver in the Engineering Shop who said he’d move and temporarily store the magnet until Berno figured out how to get rid of it.  Berno asked Cleaver if he was up to the challenge of slicing open the magnet to reveal its inner workings. The shop had the tools and the talent to disassemble the magnet, hoists to lift and move the heavy pieces, blades to cut cross-sections out of the individual pieces and the patience to reassemble it.

As a fellow tradesperson, Cleaver was impressed by the quality of work that had gone into assembling the magnet. The engineers who assembled the magnet also had an artistic flair — they had drawn a flower on the solenoid coil, knowing it would likely never be seen. The clandestine artist’s identity remains a mystery.

Berno wanted to publicly display the cross-cut magnet in a high-traffic area. Parking it in the ABB foyer next to the Elements at McMaster interactive periodic table seemed like the perfect spot. While he usually begs forgiveness rather than ask for permission, Berno thought he should first pitch the idea to the chair of the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Gillian Goward, who is now the Faculty of Science’s Associate Dean, Research and External Relations. Goward agreed on the location, and she thought it would make the perfect gift for President David Farrar, who had just announced his decision to conclude his tenure at the end of his five-year term and return to his roots as a researcher. Berno is glad the old magnet has a new life as a repurposed teaching tool.

Adapted from the Daily News article by Jay Robb: Some disassembly required: Department dedicates heart of a retired superconducting magnet to David Farrar.

Greensuits Dig Deep for a Greener Tomorrow

McMaster’s Commerce Greensuits have done it again! For the third year, working with Nature@McMaster, these amazing students have rolled up their sleeves to tackle the immense task of removing invasive species of plants from the Ancaster Creek area. Invasive species like multiflora rose and honeysuckle are being replaced with native plants like elderberry and sycamore to help restore biodiversity and renew and protect these beautiful and precious natural areas.

Wayne Terryberry, Coordinator of Outdoor Recreation and Natural Lands at McMaster, emphasizes how vital student involvement is in restoring and sustaining the ecosystem, and in building peer relationships and ongoing collaborations: “Students are the energy and the passion—they are the ones making a difference and changing the status quo”. As these young leaders of tomorrow put it, the collective work towards sustainability means giving back to the planet, to each other, and to the future.

Check out these articles for more exciting information and inspiring photos featuring past and present activities of these heroes: McMaster’s Commerce Greensuits.

• Taking action towards sustainability: DeGroote Greensuits restore campus biodiversity (2025)
• Planting Sustainability: Commerce Greensuits Help Restore McMaster Biodiversity (2024)
• Restoring Biodiversity: Greensuits Commerce Students Give Back to Nature at McMaster (2023)

Computer Tips & Tricks

Your Email Account with McMaster

By Diana Parker

McMaster University provides a number of post-retirement benefits. Benefit entitlements vary by retiree group, so it is important to review your entitlements both in the Retiree Benefit Booklet given to you on retirement, and on McMaster's HR website for retirees.

MURA tracks a number of benefits our members are eligible for, and a list can be found on the MURA website. Included in the list are a number of McMaster services still available to MURA members.

Among the most popular of our post-retirement services is the continuing use of your McMaster email and calendar. 

This benefit comes with a few caveats. 

1. Storage capacity of 25 GB (Retirees) and 50 GB (Professors Emeriti)
2. Microsoft Exchange is not the full Microsoft suite
3. Use it (log in) or lose it
4. No survivor rights

1. The storage capacity offered to retirees is 25 GB, and 50 GB to professors emeriti. (Visit Upcoming Storage Limits for more information.) While these limits would normally be sufficient for most day-to-day use, storage will quickly be consumed if you are receiving or sharing large files or have a voluminous correspondence. If you are still actively working or researching you may want to investigate other document storage options, as outlined in this Research Data Management article. Additionally, you may want to look at “How to check your Outlook storage”, along with the helpful links at the bottom of the article to learn more about managing your email storage.
2. Similarly, retirees are not offered the full Microsoft suite. Retirees other than professors emeriti will use web access only. Professors emeriti have access to additional Microsoft applications with download capability. If you need additional Microsoft applications (such as Word, Excel, etc.), you may want to consider a subscription to Microsoft 365 individual or family. While McMaster provides email and calendaring services to retirees primarily via web browser, individuals may use their own software to access their McMaster email through Outlook, Android, Apple iOS, etc.
3. To reduce the number of accounts to check, some retirees may have chosen to have their McMaster email auto-forwarded to a personal email account. Please note that if you do not log on to your McMaster email at least once each year it may be deleted without prior notice as unused. Auto-forwarding is not recognized as "using" the account. 
4. Your email is personal to you and will be locked when McMaster HR receives notice of your death. Unlike Gmail or other commercial email products there is no provision for inheriting access. While McMaster has documented a special provision to provide limited access in case of extraordinary need, the process is not taken lightly. Keep in mind that your Executor may not even know what to ask until a purging process has already been completed. It is better to plan ahead and move any personal or valuable information or recovery information out of your McMaster inbox and either save information offline or shift to an inheritable account and take steps to name your successor who should have access. 

Your Money/Your Health

Caregiver Forum

Supporting Caregivers in our Community

Caregiver Forum: Insights from a Local Family Doctor
This month, I’d like to share some insights from Dr. Henry Siu, a local family doctor who has spent many years caring for older adults and their families. He works in a busy family practice, at a local long-term care home, the McMaster Family Health Team Memory Clinic, and with the Care of the Elderly program at McMaster University. Understanding the Challenges of Caregiving
Dr. Siu understands how aging and caregiving affect people. He says one of the hardest parts for his patients and their caregivers is uncertainty – not knowing what the future will bring. Many older adults want to stay in their own homes, but over time, their care needs can become more than their caregivers can manage alone.
To help, Dr. Siu often recommends community services that provide support at home. But getting support isn’t always easy – accessing care in the moment can be hard, and for some, accepting help is difficult.

“Typically, the people who refuse services are those that live by themselves or with their partner and they feel like ‘we can do it together…we’re going to be fine’. Whereas the people that are more willing to accept services are the older adults who come with a child who clearly have a better understanding of what is actually needed to provide the care and their capacity (or lack of capacity) to provide the care.” 

When Home Support Isn’t Enough
Even with help at home, there may come a time when more care is needed. In these cases, planning the next transition, e.g., long-term care, becomes part of the conversation. Dr. Siu says that family doctors play an important role by having early and ongoing conversations about different care options. Helping older adults and caregivers understand their changing health needs, what care options might be needed in the future, and how to support these changes – financially, physically and emotionally is very important.
The Importance of Continuity in Care
When asked what one thing would make caregiving easier, Dr. Siu gave a simple but powerful answer: continuity of care.

What is “continuity of care”?
It means regularly seeing the same care providers – people who know your medical history and your needs. This way, you don’t have to explain everything again with a new care provider.

Continuity is not always easy to achieve, especially in large clinics where patients may see different doctors or resident physicians at each appointment. But nurse practitioners are more common and are a great option. They often have more time to spend with patients and can handle many health issues, including prescribing medications.

“It’s always better to see someone who knows your story,” Dr. Siu says. “It doesn’t have to be a doctor – it could be a nurse practitioner or physician assistant.”

Dr. Siu’s Top Tips for Caregivers

To support safe and healthy aging at home, here are some practical tips for caregivers:

1.    Safety at Home Assessment

Prevent falls before they happen with a free safety and fall risk assessment. Even one fall can cause a serious injury that affects long-term independence.
St. Joseph’s Home Care – Safety at Home

2.    Exercise for Balance and Strength

Programs like MacSeniors offer supervised exercise for people 55+ to improve strength, balance, and overall health.
MacSeniors Exercise and Wellness Program

3.    Medication Reconciliation (MedRec)

Keep an accurate, up-to-date list of all medications to prevent errors and manage side effects - especially after a hospital stay. Speak to your doctor, nurse practitioner, or pharmacist.

4.    Nutrition Assessment

Older adults may have different dietary needs. A nutrition assessment can uncover issues that may be contributing to fatigue, weakness, or other symptoms. Ask your doctor, nurse practitioner, or dietitian.

5.    Extra Help at Home

Services like occupational therapy, physiotherapy, and personal support workers (PSWs) can help people stay at home longer. Some of these are free or low-cost. Ask your doctor or Ontario Health at Home (formerly CCAC) for more information.

6.    Stay Social

Staying connected to others supports both body and mind. Encourage your loved one to join a club, attend community events, or simply visit with friends and family.

Helpful Resources for Caregivers:

1.    Caregiver Tax Credit (Canada Revenue Agency)

Learn about the Canada Caregiver Credit, which can help reduce the financial burden of caregiving. This tax credit is available to caregivers supporting an elderly parent or other dependent family members.

2.    Canadian Home Care Association

Offers educational webinars, tools, and guidance for caregivers. Topics include in-home care, assisted living, and palliative care for aging loved ones.

3.    Family Caregiver Support Program

This government program provides funding to provinces and territories to support family caregivers. Services may include respite care, counselling, and education.

4.    Canadian Association for Retired Persons (CARP)

CARP advocates for older adults and their caregivers. Their site includes information on public benefits, care planning, and community support.

Parking on Campus

Permit Expiry Renewal Reminder

Retiree parking permits are issued on a 12-month basis and must be renewed annually. Renew prior to your expiry date by email, phone or by postal mail. Your transponder number is on the front of your transponder. If you have questions or have not made a note of your expiry date, please contact McMaster Parking Services by email at parking@mcmaster.ca or at 905-525-9140 ext. 24232.

Note that central-campus parking (with a transponder) is available to McMaster retirees as follows:

• May to August each year:
• • Access to lots B, C, D, H, I, K, N, P and Underground Stadium at all times.
• September to April each year:
• • Access to Lots B, C, D and I after 12:30 pm on weekdays, and at all times on weekends and holidays,
  • Access to Lots H, K, N, P and Underground Stadium at all times on weekdays, weekends and holidays.

Parking lots with arms up operate on the HONK app. These lots do not work with transponders or parking rebate passes, so please do not park in a lot with the arms up or you will receive a ticket.

A note to retirees without parking transponders
Free parking on campus is available to retirees. To take advantage of this perk, and to view retiree parking access, go to the McMaster Parking Services webpage. The Parking Office is accepting permit applications by email only. For further information, please contact Parking Services.

Retiree Benefits Reminder

Claim Submissions

The benefit year runs from July 1st to June 30th. For your claims to be processed, Sun Life must receive them prior to the September 30th following the end of the benefit year in which the expenses were incurred.

Claims for expenses incurred between July 1, 2024 and June 30, 2025, must be submitted to Sun Life no later than September 30, 2025. Late claim submissions will not be reimbursed.

You are encouraged to review all claim statements from Sun Life. If there are any questions, please contact Sun Life’s Customer Care Centre at 1-800-361-6212. If questions remain, the Human Resources Contact Centre can be reached at 905-525-9140, extension 22247 or hr.mcmaster@mcmaster.ca for assistance.

For more information about your retiree benefits and how to submit claims electronically, please visit the McMaster Human Resources webpage: Sun Life Benefit Information For Retirees.

News from the College and University Retiree Associations of Canada (CURAC)

CURAC 2025 National Conference

by Diana Parker 

The 2025 CURAC Conference was hosted in Montreal by the “other” MURA (McGill University Retirees Association) who are celebrating their tenth year as an association. Our MURA was ably represented by Susan Birnie, Nora Gaskin, Jan Nicholson, and Diana Parker.

The venue was the McGill Faculty Club and Conference Centre, which is located in the historic Baumgarten House, originally built in 1886 as a private mansion. Around each corner was ever more beautiful golden-age architectural detail. If you’re interested, you can take a look at the history of the venue for more information.

The theme of the conference was “The Well-being of the Person, the Community, and the Planet" presented in a series of talks by faculty from McGill University.

Jeremy Cooperstock, from McGill's Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, gave a presentation titled, "Smartphones vs. AI: Which has more profoundly transformed our society?"  (Spoiler: Smartphones transformed HOW we communicate, but AI is transforming WHAT we communicate in ways we're only beginning to grasp.)

Joe Schwartz, Director of McGill University's “Office for Science and Society", spoke on the differences between "Misinformation and Disinformation". As a chemist, Dr Schwartz is well placed to speak to the dangerous impact both are having on our societies.

David Kaiser is Associate Medical Director in the Department of Global and Public Health, and a Public Health & Preventive Medicine (PHPM) specialist. He spoke on a more hopeful note on "A Trauma-Sensitive Approach to the Well-Being of 

People, Communities and Ecosystems", and the importance of ensuring that all parties are fully heard to ensure lasting peace.

The final morning was a series of Roundtable discussions on the role of Retiree associations and how CURAC can assist us, as well as guided tours of the McGill campus.

McMaster University Retirees Association has been asked by CURAC to host the 2027 CURAC Conference. Let your MURA council know if you have any ideas for a McMaster-led program or an interest in volunteering, should it go ahead. You can contact us at mura@mcmaster.ca.

courtesy of Rose Anne Prevec
Instagram: @groundhog_hill

Contacting Human Resources

Mail Gilmour Hall 304, McMaster University          1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON          L8S 4L8 Phone 905-525-9140, extension 22247 Email hr.mcmaster@mcmaster.ca Website https://hr.mcmaster.ca/retirees/

Members' Corner

A Tribute to Elaine McKinnon Riehm: Memories of a Great Friend

By Regina Bendig

Elaine became a MURA Council member in the Summer of 2024. She had worked at McMaster for many years as managing editor for the journal Eighteenth-Century Fiction. When needed, she greatly enjoyed browsing through the McMaster Library Archives and Research Collections for photos to enliven submitted manuscripts.

She wrote many stories for the MURAnews Members’ Corner. They were always witty and amusing, such as the one entitled Chimneys: Dundas and Prague, Pliny on the FIFA World Cup, The Missing Oysters or #@%#!**&?#^!, just to mention a few.

She developed an interested in mathematics, specifically in the life of John Charles Fields about whom she published a book (Turbulent Times in Mathematics: The Life of J.C. Fields and the History of the Fields Medal, 2011) and also gave a presentation last summer on the occasion of the centenary of the 1924 International Congress of Mathematicians, Toronto (Fields Brings the 1924 (ICM) to Toronto). She was appointed Fellow of the Fields Institute in 2010 – she has been credited with suggesting the name of the institute.

Elaine was knowledgeable and inquisitive about great and small things. She saw the comic and absurd in people and objects she encountered and she was very generous. 

She was a unique person and a rare friend to me whom I will miss beyond words. 

She died on March 29, 2025.

What We’re Watching Now

This is Not Your Grandparents’ Retirement – The Agenda
Submitted by Mary Gauld

A wonderfully inspiring interview with retiree Cathrin Bradbury on The Agenda with Steve Paikin (who is also retiring). Cathrin’s new book is “This Way Up: Old Friends, New Love, and a Map for the Road Ahead”.

The Thursday Murder Club
Submitted by Dawn Elston

The Thursday Murder Club is a murder mystery book series by television presenter and author Richard Osman. Soon to be released on Netflix with Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, Ben Kingsley, and Celia Imrie, the Thursday Murder Club is about four friends in a peaceful retirement village who meet each Thursday to investigate unsolved murders. Book #5, “The Impossible Fortune”, was recently released and promises to deliver another great summer read!