The Department of Physics at the University of Prince Edward Island will be relocating to the new facility being constructed to house the UPEI School of Sustainable Design Engineering, President and Vice-Chancellor Alaa Abd-El-Aziz announced Friday at a meeting of the University Senate.

“I am so delighted to see my colleagues in the School of Sustainable Design Engineering and Department of Physics coming together and forging more interdisciplinary links to ensure our students have broader knowledge and hands-on experience,” said Dr. Abd-El-Aziz. “The future of universities will be built on a foundation of strong programs, collaboration, interdisciplinarity, and experiential learning. I am very proud that UPEI is actively building this foundation in support of enabling our students to reach their full potential in both the classroom and the community.”

The relocation of the Department of Physics will take place this summer. Both engineering and physics faculty will have their offices, labs, and classes in the new building.

Acting Chair of Physics James Polson added, “The physics and engineering departments have a history of working together. By now being in the same building and sharing resources such as labs and project studios, our students will further benefit.” Dr. Polson explained, “The prospect of growing collaboration is exciting, as UPEI’s research agenda will also be strengthened. For example, one of my physics colleagues has been essential in the development of the four multi-disciplinary centres of excellence in the School of Sustainable Design Engineering.”

Associate Dean of Engineering Nicholas Krouglicof said, “Since arriving at UPEI, I have had the pleasure of working with outstanding colleagues that have a great vision for the new UPEI School of Sustainable Design Engineering. This includes faculty from other departments such as physics, who have partnered with engineering for many years.” Dr. Krouglicof added, “We welcome our physics colleagues to the new facility as we know it will create many more opportunities for collaborative research and strengthen existing partnerships.”

“Faculty of Science departments at UPEI are recognized for their strong desire to work together across disciplines,” remarked Dr. Debbie MacLellan, Dean of Science. “We have recently witnessed this collaborative effort when Mathematics and Statistics and Computer Science merged to form the new School of Mathematical and Computational Sciences. With this latest announcement that Physics will be located in the new engineering facility, I expect more innovative programming and research synergies as an outcome.”

The new building and home of the UPEI School of Sustainable Design Engineering and Department of Physics will open in August 2016.

The UPEI Panther Subway Athletes of the Week for the week of February 22-28 are Katie Donahoe, Women’s Basketball, and Bradley States, Men’s Basketball. On a weekly basis, UPEI Athletics and Recreation recognizes these talented student-athletes for their hard work and dedication to their respective sports. UPEI Athletes of the Week are then nominated to Atlantic University Sport and Canadian Interuniversity Sport for possible recognition in the region and/or country.

Who:  Katie Donahoe, Women’s Basketball, and Bradley States, Men’s Basketball

What: UPEI Panther Subway Athletes of the Week

When: Week of February 22-28, 2016

Where: University of Prince Edward Island

Why: Donahoe, a fifth-year guard and Kinesiology student from Riverview, N.B., scored 14 points including 3 three pointers in the Panthers 70-59 loss to the University of New Brunswick on the weekend. Donahoe also had 4 steals, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, and played great defence.

States, a fourth-year Bachelor of Business Administration student, from Bathurst, N.B., was an impact player for the Panthers during their 102-87 loss to UNB this past weekend.  States contributed 28 points, 8 rebounds, 1 block, 1 steal, and was 16/20 from the foul line.

About UPEI Athletics and Recreation
• Nine varsity sports and six club team programs
• Proud member of the AUS and CIS
• Athletic facilities include: Chi-Wan Young Sports Centre, UPEI Alumni Canada Games Place and UPEI Turf
• Home of Panther Sports Medicine
• Other facilities available to students and the community at large include: fitness centre, squash and racquetball courts, competition and leisure pool with hot tub, and two ice arenas

Students at UPEI will attempt to gather 1,000 signatures this Friday, recording people’s commitment to the R-Word Pledge. The pledge asks that we use respectful, people-first language that eliminates the word “retard/retarded” from our everyday language.

The R-Word Pledge day is organized by the Applied Human Sciences student society, the Nursing society, and the Best Buddies UPEI chapter. Best Buddies partners students with and without intellectual abilities for one year. Buddies talk, hang out, and build friendship! There are Best Buddies chapters at schools in more than 50 schools around North America.

Look for students with pledge sheets across campus this Friday, March 4, and take the R-Word Pledge!

University of Prince Edward Island Women’s Hockey Coach Bruce Donaldson is pleased to announce that Chatham, Ontario native Sydnee Baker has committed to the Panthers for the 2016–17 season.

Baker played wing this past season with the London Jr. Devilettes of Ontario Provincial Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) where she recorded 10 goals and 20 assists in 30 games. Baker was in the top 20 in PWHL scoring and earned 44 penalty minutes.

Baker says, “I’ve looked forward to being a student-athlete at UPEI from the moment I stepped foot onto the beautiful campus, toured the facilities, and met Coach Donaldson along with some future teammates.  I knew it was the place for me, I can’t wait to join the team in September.”

“Sydnee is a strong power forward who sees the ice very well,” adds Donaldson. “She plays a physical team game and will help improve our offensive success.”  

Baker will be entering the Faculty of Arts at UPEI.

About UPEI Athletics and Recreation
• Nine varsity sports and six club team programs
• Proud member of the AUS and CIS
• Athletic facilities include: UPEI Chi-Wan Young Sports Centre, UPEI Alumni Canada Games Place
• Home of Panther Sports Medicine
• Other facilities available to students and the community at large include: fitness centre, squash and racquetball courts, competition and leisure pool with hot tub, and two ice arenas

The University of Prince Edward Island's Board of Governors is pleased to announce that Dr. Gulrose Jiwani has been appointed dean of the UPEI School of Nursing.

"I am deeply honoured to be chosen to lead UPEI’s School of Nursing,” says Jiwani. “I passionately believe in the essential role that nurses play in the delivery of health care, community development, policy and education. I look forward to helping to educate future nurse leaders, and to promote excellence in nursing scholarship at UPEI.”

“I look forward to working with Dr. Jiwani as we continue to build on the excellent reputation of our School of Nursing,” said UPEI Vice-President Academic Dr. Christian Lacroix. “We take great pride in graduating nurses who are destined to be leaders in primary health care, here in Prince Edward Island and beyond.”

Jiwani holds a PhD in Nursing Science from the University of Washington in Seattle, a Master of Nursing degree specializing in psychiatry and mental health from Memorial University of Newfoundland, and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (Honours) from the University of Windsor. She is a Magnuson Scholar from the prestigious Warren G. Magnuson Institute for Biomedical Research and Health Professions Training, University of Washington, USA.

She has held executive leadership positions in government and health sciences settings, and practiced as a clinical nurse specialist in mental health, addictions, forensic and oncology settings. She has extensive experience in health and social policy development, strategic planning, system redesign and managing complex projects. She brings teaching experience at the undergraduate and graduate level studies, and lectures internationally in the areas of policy decision making, leadership development, research and poverty reduction. She is currently President and CEO of HPSC Health Policy & Strategies Consultants Inc., and Affiliate Assistant Professor with the University of Washington’s School of Nursing.

Jiwani will begin her six-year term as dean on June 1, 2016. Congratulations, Dr. Jiwani!

 

The Centre Health and Biotech Management Research (CHBMR) at UPEI has been awarded more than $600,000 from The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) through its eHealth Innovation Partnership Program (eHIPP). The CHBMR is piloting and monitoring an award-winning, cognitive behavioural therapy developed by Dr. Kathleen Carroll and researchers at the Yale School of Medicine. CBT4CBT allows 24-hour-a-day online access to cognitive behavioural therapy for addictions to complement traditional treatment, including counselling.

“We are excited to be awarded this funding from CIHR, as it allows us to bring another tool to battle addiction to Canada,” said Dr. Juergen Krause, director of the CHBMR. “Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is known for its great success for helping individuals suffering from alcohol and substance abuse.  CBT4CBT is the first program to offer cognitive behavioural therapy online and can be offered alongside traditional treatment options such as counselling. The funds obtained will provide us the unique opportunity to be the entry portal for this new addictions treatment approach to Canada and to develop it in collaboration with our partners in PEI and New Brunswick.”

Cognitive behavioural therapy allows patients to recognize triggers, improve coping mechanisms, and alter the behaviour that leads to substance abuse. CBT4CBT’s efficacy, durability, and cost-savings have been proven in clinical trials, and it has been praised by patients and therapy personnel alike. Through web-based delivery, CBT4CBT can reach people even in rural areas 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

“The CIHR-funded project is a joint effort by Drs. Krause and Carroll and enables the implementation of an innovative and proven approach to the treatment of substance abuse that promises to benefit individuals in rural communities,” said Dr. Robert Gilmour, UPEI’s Vice-President of Research and Graduate Studies. “As such, UPEI is proud to be a part of the project and we look forward to further development of this approach as it gains traction on PEI and in rural communities across Canada.”

The development of this treatment program for Canada was initiated in Prince Edward Island. The Centre for Health and Biotech Management seeks to further establish CBT4CBT in Canada by first validating it in relevant rural communities before expanding it to more Canadian provinces and territories.

“Canada has no shortage of innovative health care thinkers, top-notch health researchers or vibrant entrepreneurs,” said Dr. Alain Beaudet, president of CIHR. “Through eHIPP, these great minds are coming together to deliver creative eHealth solutions for some of our country’s most pressing health care needs. I am particularly proud of the ways in which these projects put patients first, often by empowering them to be partners in their own care.”

CIHR announced yesterday more than $13 million in eHIPP funding for 22 research projects across the country, including this project at UPEI. This program was designed to test eHealth solutions in real-world contexts, and the breadth of funded projects highlights Canadian creativity and tech savviness. From the development of an app to enhance Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for youth being treated for anxiety and depression to programs that allow doctors and nurses to monitor the health of seniors in the comfort of their homes, these projects will help to empower patients to be partners in their health care, enable better health care, and accelerate innovation in Canada’s health system and growing health information technology (IT) industry.

The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) is the Government of Canada’s health research investment agency. CIHR’s mission is to create new scientific knowledge and to enable its translation into improved health, more effective health services and products, and a strengthened health care system for Canadians. Composed of 13 Institutes, CIHR provides leadership and support to more than 13,000 health researchers and trainees across Canada.

UPEI MENTAL HEALTH WEEK SCHEDULE

UPEI Men's Soccer coach Lewis Page brought the audience to their feet in a standing ovation after sharing his journey with depression at yesterday's kick off to the 2016 UPEI Mental Health Week. Encouraged by the overwhelming positive support after sharing his story during the Bell Let’s Talk campaign in January, Page focused his talk yesterday on the relationships that have mattered most in his life. 

Sarah Thompson, a mathematics and computer science double major, was also announced as the recipient of this year's "My Abilities" award, granted to a full-time student registered with Accessibility Services at UPEI who has demonstrated involvement in community and/or campus life. 

President Alaa Abd-El-Aziz welcomed the audience and encouraged "all members of the University community to participate in the week, but to take the opportunity to also learn more to support fellow students, colleagues and friends year-round." UPEI Student Union president Dana Kenny also provided an update on the UPEI Mental Health Initiatives Fund, a fund that was established by the Student Union and University to support student-led initiatives in an effort to support the mental health of students.

One benefactor of the fund is the Zen Zone that has been created in The Credit Union Day Lounge at the W.A. Murphy Student Centre for the duration of Mental Health Week. This space will serve as an area for relaxation, reflection, and mindfulness. Members of the campus community are invited to come into the Zen Zone and participate in quiet activities such as colouring, journaling, reading, or reflective thought or take part in any of our planned events.

Find the full schedule for Mental Health Week events online, and be sure to join in the conversation on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at the hash tag #upeimentalhealth.

A new book by UPEI’s Dr. Gregory Irvine examines the life and legacy of legendary tuba player and teacher Arnold Jacob (1915-1998). The book is published by Scholar Publications of Chicago.

Arnold Jacobs was an orchestral tuba player, and a long-time principal tubist for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. As Dr. Irvine writes in the introduction of his book, Jacobs was also a highly sought after teacher. “Brass players, both experienced and inexperienced, flocked to his studio because they had heard of his unique teaching and the success others before them had achieved under his guidance.”

Dr. Irvine’s book explores Jacobs’ unique pedagogical approach, which contrasted sharply from conventional teaching styles at the time, and explains his teaching principles through Irvine’s own experiences, and those of others as his students.

Chuck Daellenbach, the tuba player with the Canadian Brass Quintet and a former student of Jacobs, writes in the book’s forward: “For those not lucky enough, or old enough to be part of that tradition, Irvine has given vibrant insights into the mystique that was Jacob’s studio. This will be a book we will all keep close for those moments we wish to revisit the legacy of our once-in-a-millennium teacher, coach, mentor, and champion.”

Arnold Jacobs’s Legacy can be purchased online at CanadianBrassStore.com.

Would you know what to do if a cut on your dog’s leg was bleeding badly or if your pet was having a seizure? Do you know what common household items and foods are toxic for your pet?

Hosted by AVC Community Practice veterinarian, Dr. Kathy Ling, this session will provide basic information on how to recognize and care for emergencies and injuries in dogs and cats. Topics will include primary assessment, handling an injured pet, bleeding, shock, common toxins, and recognizing signs of pain and distress.

"Basic First Aid for Your Pet" will take place on Tuesday, March 29, from 7:00–8:30 p.m. in Lecture Theatre A at the Atlantic Veterinary College. Admission is free, and everyone is welcome! For information, call (902) 566-0589, or visit upei.ca/avc.

The University of Prince Edward Island will welcome prospective students during Open Class Day 2016 on Friday, March 11, from 8:15 am to 4:30 pm. The day starts at 8:15 am with a welcome session for prospective students in the Dr. Steel Recital Hall.

Participants can attend a selection of first-year classes in the faculties of Arts, Business and Science, and they can participate in hands-on labs, campus tours and information sessions about new student orientation, scholarships and awards, and other relevant topics. They will receive assistance with on-site admission and registration to prepare for the start of classes in September 2016, and enjoy free lunch at the Wanda Wyatt Dining Hall.

Prospective students are coming to Open Class Day from across PEI, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. To register, go to upei.ca/openclassday. For more information, contact Morgan Byng at mbyng@upei.ca.