Solving Everyday Problems Together

New Trail - December 2016

In 1901, 75 per cent of Alberta’s population lived in rural areas. A hundred years later, the rural-urban split was reversed, and then some, with only 17 per cent of Albertans living in rural communities in 2011.

Rural communities need to adapt to this rapid pace of change and, in some cases, they are struggling to survive. Sustainability 101 is one of many ways University of Alberta researchers and scholars are helping, in this case with workshops that bring people together to discuss obstacles and strategies to thrive as communities.

Readers of this blog won’t be surprised to hear that the U of A connects to the broader community, but you might be surprised at just how deep those connections run. Our cover feature in the latest New TrailNew Trail, “Answers Wanted,” looks at some of the many ways the U of A is working with communities to define and address problems that affect people’s daily lives. From researching tuberculosis in the North, to finding novel food sources for hungry families, to keeping aging parents safe, U of A researchers, faculty, scholars and alumni are having a direct and lasting impact on the world by helping find solutions to complex challenges.

Also in this issue is “Charting a New Course for Sex Ed,” which looks at three U of A related programs that are leading the way in sex education with the goal of helping young people become healthy citizens.

And speaking of impact, what about making millions of people around the world laugh for close to 30 years? “Inside the Animated Mind of Joel Cohen” introduces you to an alumnus who is a writer and producer on The Simpsons. Go behind the scenes to sit in on a table read with the cast and to find out how the writers come up with their jokes.

From Edmonton to Los Angeles, the U of A community is far-reaching not only geographically but also in the communities it creates.

Karen Sherlock — Managing Editor, New Trail, Office of Advancement

Karen Sherlock is managing editor of New Trail and Thought Box. As a former newspaper reporter and editor for 25 years, she’s having fun working on these publications, with a whole university of stories at her fingertips.’