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Michael is a designer: perhaps a type of person inclined to step into the middle of perceived chaos and attempt to strategically devise customized, ordered form and function within it. Michael believes that aggressive distillation and organization of root issues (the whys of the whats) must be sought. Critical analysis and abstract extrapolation of significance is key for issues to be adequately understood. With the presumption of adequate understanding, a designer will pool resources (often bridging occupational boundaries) to creatively generate possible solutions and strategies for deriving them. If the change is expected to last in a dynamic system, it must be as cyclical and re-inventing as the system it hopes to influence. A designer must be proactive, self-motivated and devoted to the cause if there is hope of on-going success. As an undergraduate unable to swallow the conventions in Landscape Architecture, Michael used his training to isolate the reason for the friction. He explored and educated himself about his ultimate concern, the global predicament coined the Problematique. It became apparent that the conventions of landscape architecture were reinforcing the behaviours, forms and functions characteristic of Problematique-contributing factors. He was fortunate enough to use his Honours year to pursue design of an unconventional alternative intended, upon maturation, to help mitigate the impending crisis. Michael's career interest is to participate in design work that strategically modifies the human-environment relationship to better accord with the natural laws that govern our existence, thus better ensuring our longevity as a species. Specifically he promotes the idea that we must endeavor to become aware of the Homo sapien sapien role within Gaia, as well as that of the individual within our species if there is hope for Humanity to consciously influence our destiny. Bachelor of Landscape Architecture Honours University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada (1997 - 2001) Design Thesis - available online with portfolio at http://homepages.paradise.net.nz/mtcooper
Designing Mutualism: Founding Cooperative Relationships to Promote Environmental Stability. The terraforming Domestication Approach intentionally excludes the Wild, but its abuse debilitates the function of our ecological support systems and inevitably ourselves. A fundamental shift in our approach to the use of landscape, Designing Mutualism is a moderator that promotes cooperative interaction with wild species, thus supplementing humans without displacing wild ecology critical to maintaining life on Earth.
Bruce Buchanan, M.D.,D Psych., is a retired physician who has had careers in medical practice, public health, psychiatry, university teaching, and in governmental policy studies and management, with a lifelong interest in philosophy and systems sciences. A native of Toronto, and a graduate of the University of Toronto in medicine ('51) and psychiatry ('65), Bruce did general practice in Etobicoke for a decade, also working as Medical Officer for the Toronto detachment of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and for a time as a district medical officer for the City of Toronto Department of Public Health. In 1962 he pursued postgraduate studies in psychiatry which also led to teaching in the U. of T. School of Graduate Studies (courses in management and systems sciences). In 1972 he joined the Ontario Ministry of Health where he was Chief of Health Manpower and Director of Programs for Clinical Education of physicians, nurses and other health professionals in funded programs in Ontario universities. He provided the liaison between the Ministry and university Presidents and Deans of Health Sciences, establishing the priorities and managing the budgets ($200 million annually) e,g, for specialty residents in Ontario hospitals. For a time he was also coordinator for the appraisal processes for Ministry funded health science research proposals. During the late 1980's he was the Ministry's Senior Policy Advisor on Intergovernmental Affairs, responsible among other things for preparing agendas and arranging Ministerial briefings, and participating in interprovincial and federal meetings. While in general practice he published a paper - A System of Social Significance (American Documantation Journal, 1956) - which helped pave the way for later teaching (systems sciences) and management responsibilities. Since retirement in 1992 he has written and published several papers: 1."Assessing Human Values",Kybernetes,Sept 97- http://intermix.org/buchana1.htm 2."Values, Systems, and Consciousness", Noetic Journal,Vol 1 No.1 June, 1997. 3."Human Freedom..." - http://intermix.org/buchanan.htm He is a former member of the Society for General Systems Research and the American Society for Cybernetics. He is a member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and a member emeritus of the Canadian Medical Association and the Ontario College of Physicians and Surgeons. He is an active member and contributor to Gaia Preservation Coalition and discussions, the Canadian Association of the Club of Rome, the Ryerson conference on the Evolution of World Order ("Cybernetic Perspectives on World Order") and to the Working Group on Systems Science and Sociocybernetics of the World Congress of Sociology ("Information Requirements for a Viable World", Montreal, July 98). He is a widower and lives in Etobicoke. With respect to GPC and its policies, his interest and role would be related to strategies and the Problematique. Many highly competent people and groups continue to provide invaluable information and analysis on specific issues. However, major unresolved problems still lie in administrative and political blocks to development, acceptance and implementation of wise public policies.
___________________________________________________ I'm a professor of Holistic Management (Natural Resource Management) at University of Texas, Austin. I consult in various ways with individuals and organizations, traditionally ranchers, but broadening with time. That's too long for any resume, but FYI. The class website is http://www.utexas.edu/courses/resource if you want to get into the nitty gritty. I am the Chair for the Education Task Force for the Consortium for Sustainable Ag Research and Education, which works closely with the USDA SARE program. In some ways, this makes me the fox in the hen house of traditional ag. Now, if the corporate "owners" of USDA don't come out with the shotgun, I may get some interesting activities stirred up. I was told that one of my "strong points" was that I was NOT associated with an ag. school. I guess this says the leverage may be greater than from within, but in the end that depends on where the fulcrum is located. I'll try to push that inside the "system" and use my effort from outside.
___________________________________________________ Born November 29, 1936 near Goderich Ontario where I attended early schooling. 1955 to 58: Attended, and graduated from Ryerson Institute of Technology -Toronto, in Electronics. 1958 to 67: A variety of positions were held, all related to troubleshooting, repair and design of systems associated with aircraft, electronics, or computers and peripheral equipment. 1967 to 82: I opened and operated aircraft electronics sales/service facility at Dorval Airport, Montreal. Clients ranged form small private operator through to corporate aircraft and small commuter airlines. Also during this period I spent two years as Director, and then two years as Vice President of the Canadian Region of the AEA, (Aircraft Electronics Association). 1982 to 86: The company was sold, and after a move to Ontario I joined a Toronto company and was involved with the market research, design, development and marketing of an automated test equipment for specific types of avionics on airlines. The project was successful, sold to a US company who still support and expand the product line. 1986 to 2001: I joined Transport Canada, Airworthiness Division, Avionics section, Manufacturing dealing with avionics manufacturing companies. 2001 I retired and relocated to a rural area near Picton Ontario. I soon began to become involved in local activities, with a group called CREEK, for County Regional Environmental Ko-alition. We are concerned about the growth of ILO (Industrial Livestock Operations) in Canada and locally. About 1990 I first noticed the Problematique, and began a reading/learning/writing period, lasting to today. About 1996 I was invited to join CACOR (Cdn. Association for the Club Of Rome). During this period I has some articles published in CACOR Proceedings and in Futures Journals. In '98 I was among those listed in the "Canadian Futurists" publications. In 1992, the GPC was formed, and local meetings were held monthly until 1997 when we began to transition to the email venue.
Personal hobbies
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