Please be advised that PEI Energy’s infrastructure supporting our Main Campus Cooling System is experiencing issues. This is resulting in some of our buildings being warmer than normal.  

PEI Energy's team is actively working on the issue, and they hope to have the system functioning as usual by the end of the day on Monday, June 2, 2025.  

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

-UPEI Facilities Management Team 

Calling all UPEI undergraduate and graduate students conducting research this summer!

UPEI’s Office of the AVP-Research and Dean, Graduate Studies is excited to announce the ninth annual Student Program for Research Engagement and Excellence (SPREE), running from June 19 to September 2, 2025. Each week, participants will attend Lunch & Learn sessions held every Thursday from 12:00–1:00 pm, and the program will conclude with a research poster competition.

Why should research students sign up? Participants will:

1. Develop valuable research and professional skills through targeted workshops;
2. Explore diverse research-based career paths;
3. Receive support to prepare for the end-of-summer poster competition;
4. Compete for cash prizes (up to $300) awarded to the top three posters, including a special new “People’s Choice” winner;
5. And lunches are provided!

Eligibility: Undergraduate students involved in summer research projects and graduate students with supervised research components are encouraged to register.

How to register: interested students should complete the SPREE 2025 Registration Form before June 19, 2025 

For more information, please review the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) page, or contact Rosetta Shokunbi, SPREE 2025 Coordinator, at tshokunbi@upei.ca 

Please share this notice with eligible UPEI student researchers.

Bring your craft project (or art, or writing, or other creative work-in-progress) to Robertson Library on Monday, June 2, between 12:00 and 1:00 pm. Show off your skills, ask for advice, see what others are working on, and make some progress in community!

All are welcome; feel free to bring your lunch as well. We will meet in the comfortable seating area near the Library stairs.

Contact Katelyn Browne (krbrowne@upei.ca) with questions or to express interest in a future meet-up.

The Third International Conference on Small Island States and Subnational Island Jurisdictions is being held at UPEI from June 16 - 20. This conference will explore the evolving discussion of climate change on islands, and will include speakers from all around the world, as well as multiple workshops throughout the week and an artist showcase!

Saturday, May 31 is the last day to register for Turning the Tide 2025!

Day passes and student discounts are available. For more information, visit the conference website here. 

As part of UPEI's quality assurance process, the Robertson Library is preparing a self-study for its Quality Assurance Review. To inform the self-study and provide information for reviewers, the Library has prepared a survey for faculty and staff to be submitted by Tuesday, June 3, 2025.

The survey is available from this link: https://forms.office.com/r/z31sf4ESTh 

Our thanks in advance!

Title: Turning Waste into Wealth: Pioneering the Bioeconomy for a Sustainable Future

Presenter: Dr. Bishnu Acharya, Associate Professor, University of Saskatchewan

Date and Time: May 30, 2025, 1:00–2:00 pm (Atlantic Time)

Registration: Click here to receive the Zoom link. The webinar is free.

Abstract: In a world facing the dual crises of climate change and resource depletion, there lies a critical but often overlooked opportunity: transforming waste into value. His talk addresses the boundaries between mitigation and adaptation, focusing on the bioeconomy, a sustainable economic model that utilizes biological resources for energy, materials, and other needs. Consider food waste: when we discard uneaten food, it typically ends up in landfills, emitting methane, a greenhouse gas far more potent than carbon dioxide. In Canada, with vast landfills, this is a manageable issue, but globally, where space is limited, it presents a more urgent challenge. My work centers on converting this food waste into bioenergy, which can replace fossil fuels and natural gas, and producing biomaterials for uses ranging from drug delivery systems to bioplastics and food supplements. This transformation not only mitigates greenhouse gas emissions but also fosters a circular economy.

The Sir James Dunn Animal Welfare Centre is pleased to share our 2025 spring newsletter with you! 

https://awc.upei.ca/newsletters/

The Third International Conference on Small Island States and Subnational Island Jurisdictions is being held at UPEI from June 16 - 20. This conference will explore the evolving discussion of climate change on islands, and will include speakers from all around the world, as well as multiple workshops throughout the week and an artist showcase!

Saturday, May 31 is the last day to register for Turning the Tide 2025!

Day passes and student discounts are available. For more information, visit the conference website here. 

Join us this morning as we come together to celebrate the remarkable achievements and unwavering dedication of our faculty and staff at UPEI!

Thursday, May 29, 2025
10:00 am–12:00 pm
Room 121S, UPEI Performing Arts Centre

We’ll kick off the celebration with a reception at 10:00 am—enjoy refreshments and connect with colleagues, including this year’s award recipients.

At 10:30 am, we’ll begin the award presentations, honouring the individuals whose contributions make UPEI an extraordinary place to learn, work, and grow.

For our video highlighting a few of our 25 year award recipients, please click here. 

Let’s come together to applaud the spirit, service, and success of our amazing community. We look forward to celebrating with you!

University of Prince Edward Island is hosting the Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE) 2025 Atlantic Regional Meeting in Charlottetown June 26 to 27. This event will focus on the future of international education through a series of sessions, roundtables and networking activities.

CBIE’s Atlantic Regional Meeting is an annual gathering of international education practitioners. It is an opportunity to share knowledge and resources and keep abreast of immigration and other changes in the sector. It also serves as an annual networking event for international education practitioners and is a precursor to the national conference held each November.

Registration is now open for the CBIE Atlantic Regional Meeting.

Title: Turning Waste into Wealth: Pioneering the Bioeconomy for a Sustainable Future

Presenter: Dr. Bishnu Acharya, Associate Professor, University of Saskatchewan

Date and Time: May 30, 2025, 1:00–2:00 pm (Atlantic Time)

Registration: Click here to receive the Zoom link. The webinar is free.

Abstract: In a world facing the dual crises of climate change and resource depletion, there lies a critical but often overlooked opportunity: transforming waste into value. His talk addresses the boundaries between mitigation and adaptation, focusing on the bioeconomy, a sustainable economic model that utilizes biological resources for energy, materials, and other needs. Consider food waste: when we discard uneaten food, it typically ends up in landfills, emitting methane, a greenhouse gas far more potent than carbon dioxide. In Canada, with vast landfills, this is a manageable issue, but globally, where space is limited, it presents a more urgent challenge. My work centers on converting this food waste into bioenergy, which can replace fossil fuels and natural gas, and producing biomaterials for uses ranging from drug delivery systems to bioplastics and food supplements. This transformation not only mitigates greenhouse gas emissions but also fosters a circular economy.

The UPEI IT Systems and Services team is advising all faculty, staff, and students to suspend the use of MATLAB and any other MathWorks software products until further notice.

We have been informed that MathWorks, the developer of MATLAB, has recently been impacted by a ransomware attack. While the full extent of the breach is still being assessed, as a precautionary measure, we are recommending that no one use or access MathWorks services or software—including MATLAB, Simulink, and any related toolboxes—until we can confirm it is safe to do so.

We will provide an update as soon as more information becomes available or when it is deemed safe to resume use.

If you use the same username and password for any third-party systems as you do for your UPEI account, please change your UPEI password immediately. Reusing credentials across systems significantly increases the risk of unauthorized access so you should always use a unique password that is different from your UPEI credentials.

Cybersecurity Reminder

This incident is a timely reminder of the importance of staying vigilant against cyber threats. Please take a moment to review these key practices:

• Phishing: Be cautious with unexpected emails or messages, especially those urging immediate action or requesting personal or financial information. When in doubt, don’t click—report suspicious emails by clicking on Report --> Report Phishing button in Outlook. This automatically forwards the suspicious email to ITSS.  Do NOT forward the email to anyone. 
• Vishing (Voice Phishing): Do not disclose sensitive information over the phone unless you have verified the caller's identity.
• Smishing (SMS Phishing): Treat links and attachments in text messages with the same caution as email.
• Software Downloads: Only install software from trusted sources, and avoid third-party sites.

Cyberattacks are becoming increasingly sophisticated, and protecting our digital environment is a shared responsibility. If you believe you may have been targeted or have questions, please contact the ITSS Help Desk at go.upei.ca/itss or 902-566-0465 for urgent live help.

Thank you for your cooperation and continued commitment to campus cybersecurity.

Join us as we come together to celebrate the remarkable achievements and unwavering dedication of our faculty and staff at UPEI!

Thursday, May 29, 2025
10:00 am–12:00 pm
Room 121S, UPEI Performing Arts Centre

We’ll kick off the celebration with a reception at 10:00 am. Enjoy refreshments and connect with colleagues, including this year’s award recipients.

At 10:30 am, we’ll begin the award presentations, honouring the individuals whose contributions make UPEI an extraordinary place to learn, work, and grow.

To view our video highlighting a few of our 25-year award recipients, please click here. 

Let’s come together to applaud the spirit, service, and success of our amazing community. We look forward to celebrating with you!

The next President's Town Hall will feature the progress report on Year 0 and Year 1 of the UPEI Action Plan—and the Year 2 Implementation Plan.

Kate Richard, Jane Ngobia, and Wendy Rodgers will present and discuss the activities completed in years 0 and 1, and some of the bigger implementation plans for Year 2.  

This Town Hall will be open to the broader UPEI community, including partners from government, members of our Board of Governors, and other relevant groups.  

UPEI Action Plan Update 
Wednesday, May 28, 2025 – 1:30 pm 
Amphitheatre, Performing Arts Centre and Residence building (PAC121S)

You will be able to attend in person (always preferable) or online. If you are unable to participate in person, you are welcome to join virtually at this Teams Town Hall link.

The UPEI Action Plan documents can be found on the UPEI website. 

As part of UPEI's quality assurance process, the Robertson Library is preparing a self-study for its Quality Assurance Review. To inform the self-study and provide information for reviewers, the Library has prepared a survey for faculty and staff to be submitted by Tuesday, June 3, 2025.

The survey is available from this link: https://forms.office.com/r/z31sf4ESTh 

Our thanks in advance!

The next deadline for submitting biosafety applications, including new applications, renewals, and/or amendments, is Friday, May 30, 2025. These applications will be reviewed at the June 19 meeting.

All research compliance applications, including biosafety application forms, must be submitted through the UPEI researcher portal. Information about the researcher portal, including instructions for using the site, is available at https://www.upei.ca/research-services/forms.

Please contact the Research Compliance Coordinator at researchcompliance@upei.ca if you have any questions about accessing or using the researcher portal, or about the biosafety application, review, and approval process.

Do you know that you can partner in health research to help make it more relevant? Hear from patients and academic researchers about how working together makes health care research better. 

This workshop will interest people from all backgrounds - patients and caregivers, curious members of the public, researchers, trainees, and research staff. 
June 10, 5:00-6:30 pm at the Charlottetown public library! Find out more and register: https://sites.google.com/cihr-ig-irsc.ca/workshop-pei-2025/home

UPEI staff and faculty, take part in the new "Panther Wellness Prowl" on May 28 between 11:00 am and 1:00 pm. Tour three of our campus locations to learn more about the programs, services, and resources our UPEI departments offer to support your health and well-being. 

Help the UPEI Healthy Campus Committee celebrate the UPEI Health and Wellness Centre's recent accreditation with commendation! Enjoy a slice of cake and healthy refreshments along the way. Visit all three locations (UPEI Athletics and Recreation, UPEI Health and Wellness Centre, and UPEI EDI/SV-PRO office), have your card stamped at each spot, and submit for a chance to win a gift basket valued at over $250!

This is a great opportunity to connect with resources available to help you thrive at work and beyond!

UPEI Bachelor of Integrated Studies (BIS) program invites you to attend an information session. 

UPEI's Bachelor of Integrated Studies program is specifically designed for mature learners who are looking to earn a university degree. This session will include general information and guidance on completing an application. 

Attendees will be given a promo code to have their application fee waived ($50 CAD value). 

Schedule of live online information sessions:

• Tuesday, May 20, 6:00 pm (ADT)

• Wednesday, May 28, 12:00 noon (ADT)

• Wednesday, May 28, 4:30 pm  (ADT)

Link to join the session: UPEI BIS Information Session

In-person meeting: Friday, May 30, 12:00 noon (ADT), Robertson Library, Room 209

For more details on the program and entry requirements, visit UPEI Integrated Studies. If you have questions regarding the program or application, please contact bis@upei.ca.  

Please feel free to share this message with anyone who may be interested in attending a session.

Title: Turning Waste into Wealth: Pioneering the Bioeconomy for a Sustainable Future

Presenter: Dr. Bishnu Acharya, Associate Professor, University of Saskatchewan

Date and Time: May 30, 2025, 1:00–2:00 pm (Atlantic Time)

Registration: Click here to receive the Zoom link. The webinar is free.

Abstract: In a world facing the dual crises of climate change and resource depletion, there lies a critical but often overlooked opportunity: transforming waste into value. His talk addresses the boundaries between mitigation and adaptation, focusing on the bioeconomy, a sustainable economic model that utilizes biological resources for energy, materials, and other needs. Consider food waste: when we discard uneaten food, it typically ends up in landfills, emitting methane, a greenhouse gas far more potent than carbon dioxide. In Canada, with vast landfills, this is a manageable issue, but globally, where space is limited, it presents a more urgent challenge. My work centers on converting this food waste into bioenergy, which can replace fossil fuels and natural gas, and producing biomaterials for uses ranging from drug delivery systems to bioplastics and food supplements. This transformation not only mitigates greenhouse gas emissions but also fosters a circular economy.