AVC’s big reunion celebration is almost here! On Friday, July 14, Dean Greg Keefe will host an All-Year’s Reunion at 7:00 pm, in The McCain Foundation Learning Commons. Two classes are celebrating milestones—the Class of 1992 its 25th anniversary at the All-Years’ Reunion, and, on Monday, July 17, the Class of 2007 its ten-year anniversary in the Commons at 5 p.m.

During the All-Years Reunion, the inaugural AVC Alumni Challenge Cup will be awarded to the class with the greatest proportion of grads who donate $25 or more to the College. And Dean Keefe will present Dr. Alice Crook, coordinator of the Sir James Dunn Animal Welfare Centre, with AVC’s 2016 Atlantic Award of Excellence in Veterinary Medicine and Animal Care. It will be a jam-packed evening with local entertainment and delicious food!

Alumni will also have the chance to learn about the new AVC Alumni Association, a great way to stay in touch with their alma mater and classmates. For more information or to get involved, please contact Janice MacWilliam, special events coordinator for AVC, at jmacwilliam@upei.ca, or Anthony Gill, manager of alumni engagement for UPEI, at adgill@upei.ca.

The University of Prince Edward Island is thrilled to announce a $30,000 funding grant through the Rick Hansen Foundation’s Access4All Program, a Canada 150 Signature Initiative aimed at breaking down barriers for people living with disabilities.

In celebration of Canada’s 150th anniversary of Confederation, the Rick Hansen Foundation, with support from the Government of Canada, invited schools and community groups to learn more about accessibility, identify barriers, and apply for grants of up to $30,000 to undertake and celebrate accessibility infrastructure improvements in public places and spaces.   

With the participation of the Government of Canada, this grant will fund a “Barrier Buster” Project that will see ten buildings on the UPEI campus receive infrastructural accessibility upgrades. The project funding was acquired through THE INSPIRE! CAMPAIGN at UPEI, and will also support an awareness event and announcement, detailing the upgrades and improvements, later this fall.

“We want to help ensure that every individual in the UPEI community has the opportunity to realize their full potential,” said Vice-President Administration and Finance Jackie Podger. “This begins with creating inclusive and accessible communities, and we’re proud to be able to improve and upgrade our facilities with support from the Government of Canada and the Rick Hansen Foundation.”

While approximately 500 students are registered with UPEI Accessibility Services, the upgrades and improvements to the UPEI campus will impact and benefit the entire community.

The entire University of Prince Edward Island community was saddened to hear of the passing of historian and UPEI sessional lecturer Boyde Beck on Tuesday, July 18, from complications associated with pancreatic cancer.

He died at his summer home in Cable Head East at the age of 56.

Beck was a historical research officer with the PEI Museum and Heritage Foundation and a long-time lecturer with UPEI’s Department of History.

The Dieticians of Canada recently honoured Dr. Melissa “Misty” Rossiter at the 2017 National Conference Award Ceremony in St. John’s, Newfoundland. Dr. Rossiter received a Member Recognition Award, which recognizes volunteerism, expertise, and achievements that contribute to the advancement of the profession in the areas of leadership, innovation, education, and association catalyst.

Dr. Rossister was honoured in the leadership category. According to the award website:

“Dr. Rossiter’s nomination highlights the diverse roles dietitians can develop and nurture and in the process help create effective public health policy. As a primary or co-investigator, her research focus is assessing and promoting nutritional health for women and children. By examining the Nutrition Standards in Child Care in PEI, Melissa’s research progressed to engaging the child-care community in conversation about feeding young children through the Early Years Centres Evaluation project. She is a member of the Obesity Prevention from Conception pan-Canadian team and a DC representative with The Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada developing clinical practice guidelines on female nutrition. Dr. Rossiter’s contributions demonstrate strong leadership and commitment in promoting nutrition health and building the profession’s knowledge base.”

Congratulations, Dr. Rossiter!

The University of Prince Edward Island prides itself on people, excellence, and impact and is committed to assisting students reach their full potential in both the classroom and community. With roots stemming from two founding institutions—Prince of Wales College and Saint Dunstan’s University—UPEI has a reputation for academic excellence, research innovation, and creating positive impacts locally, nationally, and internationally. UPEI is the only degree granting institution in the province and is proud to be a key contributor to the growth and prosperity of Prince Edward Island.

The University of Prince Edward Island congratulates Dr. David Hickey, Assistant Professor, Professional Writing and Digital Rhetoric in the UPEI Department of English, on receiving the 2017 Pat Rogers Poster Award from the Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (STLHE). Dr. Hickey was recognized for his poster, Sounding Off: Soapboxes for the University Classroom, at the recent STLHE annual conference in Halifax. 

The L.M. Montgomery Institute and the University of Prince Edward Island are launching an exhibit that marries technology and history in an exciting and dynamic way. “The Wreck of the Marco Polo” Virtual Reality Experience launches Thursday, July 27 from 4-6 pm in UPEI’s Robertson Library.

The virtual reality experience is a five-minute adventure where participants are transported back in time, through special reality headsets, to the July 1883 wreck of the Marco Polo as witnessed by eight-year-old Lucy Maud Montgomery. Participants will hear Montgomery’s words, which were chronicled eight years later in her essay, “The Wreck of the Marco Polo”, describing how the ship came within 300 metres of the Cavendish shoreline and ran aground off PEI’s north shore.

The launch includes a reception with guest speakers, including Dr. Betsy Epperly, past-president of UPEI and the founder of the L.M. Montgomery Institute.

“The Wreck of the Marco Polo” Virtual Reality Experience will be available for public viewing in the Robertson Library on July 27, noon–8:00 pm; July 28, 8:00 am–5:00 pm, and July 29, noon–5:00 pm.

This is a UPEI Reunion Weekend Event. For the full schedule of events, visit upei.ca/reunionweekend

The University of Prince Edward Island prides itself on people, excellence, and impact and is committed to assisting students reach their full potential in both the classroom and community. With roots stemming from two founding institutions—Prince of Wales College and Saint Dunstan’s University—UPEI has a reputation for academic excellence, research innovation, and creating positive impacts locally, nationally, and internationally. UPEI is the only degree granting institution in the province and is proud to be a key contributor to the growth and prosperity of Prince Edward Island.

The University of Prince Edward Island’s (UPEI) Faculty of Education is partnering with the Government of Nunavut’s (GN) Department of Education to offer the first-ever graduate-level course to be taught exclusively in the Inuktitut language. ED512 Educational Leadership: Engaging Nunavut Parents, Elders, and Community focuses on the development of collaborative relationships, positive communication, and empowerment of parents, elders, and community members who lead, support, and guide education in Nunavut. The course is offered July 15–20 in Iqaluit, Nunavut.

“This course promotes collaboration and communication among the members of the community who support and guide education in Nunavut,” said the Honourable Paul Quassa, Nunavut’s Minister of Education. “We are also excited for the opportunity this course provides for students; accessing post-secondary education in Inuktitut is a necessary step in keeping the Inuit Language alive.”

ED512 is one of five courses offered by UPEI and the Department that make up the curriculum for the Certificate in Educational Leadership (Nunavut), also known as CELN. Participants will learn approaches to educational leadership involving the extended community. Community involvement in the daily life and vision of a school can create collaborative learning communities with parents, caregivers, and elders based on cultural values, beliefs, and principles. 

“This is a noteworthy and exciting moment for education in Nunavut that will have a positive impact for our educational leaders and students,” said Rebecca Hainnu, one of the instructors of the ED512 course. “This certificate will contribute to Inuit educators using Inuktitut as a language of instruction.”

Dr. Jane Preston is an associate professor in the Faculty of Education at UPEI and the academic lead for CELN. “The CELN program provides educators with the history, knowledge, attitudes, and skills that embody culturally-based, effective school leadership. Encompassing the unique language, culture, and specialized knowledge of Inuit, the certificate is earned by completing five courses pertaining to effective school leadership in a Nunavut context.”

UPEI’s Faculty of Education has a long history working with educators in Nunavut. In July of 2009, 21 Inuit women were conferred with the Nunavut Master of Education in Leadership and Learning—the first graduate program offered exclusively in the territory. The program was offered by the University of Prince Edward Island, in partnership with Nunavut's Department of Education, St. Francis Xavier University, and Nunavut Arctic College. UPEI previously ran a pilot graduate-level course in Inuktitut a few years ago, and while it did not continue, it did lay important groundwork for this course within the CELN program.

“As we know, language is culture,” said Dr. Ronald MacDonald, dean of the Faculty of Education at UPEI. “We at UPEI, in strong collaboration with the Government of Nunavut, have honoured Nunavut culture through infusing the principles of Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit, an Inuktitut phrase often translated as ‘Inuit traditional knowledge’, in all we do. The only way to truly honour culture is through course delivery in the manner and language of the Inuit.”

The Atlantic Veterinary College at UPEI is participating in a pan-Atlantic research initiative to improve the health and welfare of cultured Atlantic salmon using genomic and other biotechnologies. The project will equip the Atlantic salmon aquaculture industry with the information and tools needed to develop more disease-resistant broodstock and improved vaccines, which will result in a more robust industry. The announcement was made at Memorial University (MUN) on August 9 in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, where the project will be led.  MUN News Release

Nick Whalen, Member of Parliament for St. John’s East, on behalf of the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), today announced $2.99 million for the project. The Honourable Christopher Mitchelmore, provincial Minister of Tourism, Culture, Industry and Innovation announced a provincial government investment of $500,000 for the initiative through InnovateNL.

These investments will enable the researcher team to work with Atlantic Canadian industry and academic partners to mitigate the impact of climate-related challenges on salmon aquaculture. The project will focus on the predicted effects of warming coastal waters and improve methods for protecting salmon from pathogens that can lead to diseases, which can have significant negative economic impacts on the industry.

As a result of this project, Atlantic Canadian fish farmers will be able to expand their workforce and revenue and have more disease-resistant broodstock as well as new scientific tools to improve fish health.

“The global demand for healthy and sustainable protein sources continues to grow,” said Dr. Mark Fast, associate professor at the AVC and a collaborator on this project. “The Atlantic salmon farming industry, in Canada and globally, continues to expand and adjust to fill this demand. Now, in the face of continued global climate change and the threat of more intensive summer and winter seasons, this collaborative research grant will determine the underpinnings of Atlantic salmon’s ability to grow and thrive at higher temperatures, providing industry with genetic markers/tests so it can select and produce salmon more suited to this changing ocean environment. This research is important also for identifying the genetic links between temperature changes, immunity, and disease in salmon. These links should provide information on how to develop more effective vaccines and reduce antibiotic use, again in the interest of enhancing the industry’s ability to produce a healthier, cheaper, and more environmentally sustainable salmon.”

The investment from ACOA is being provided through the Atlantic Innovation Fund, which encourages partnerships among private sector firms, universities, colleges and other research institutions to develop and commercialize new or improved products and services.

Read the full story. 

The University of Prince Edward Island prides itself on people, excellence, and impact and is committed to assisting students reach their full potential in both the classroom and community. With roots stemming from two founding institutions—Prince of Wales College and Saint Dunstan’s University—UPEI has a reputation for academic excellence, research innovation, and creating positive impacts locally, nationally, and internationally. UPEI is the only degree granting institution in the province and is proud to be a key contributor to the growth and prosperity of Prince Edward Island.

Media contacts:

Paul McGrath, Director, Communications, ACOA NL
709-772-2984, paul.mcgrath@canada.ca

Eric Humber, Tourism, Culture, Industry and Innovation NL
709-729-4819, 709-725-9655, erichumber@gov.nl.ca

Susan Flanagan, Memorial University
709-691-7876, 709-864-4073, susan.flanagan@mun.ca

An updated version of the UPEI Tobacco-use policy will go into effect on Friday, September 1, 2017. 

The UPEI Tobacco-use policy was reviewed from May 2015 to May 2016 by a working group that consisted of students, staff, faculty, and community partners. The working group conducted research that included a campus-wide survey followed by public consultations, all suggesting that UPEI become a tobacco-free campus. Research findings and feedback from the consultations were included in a final report presented to the University of Prince Edward Island Board of Governors; a recommendation that the University become a tobacco-free campus was approved by the board in January 2017.

“This policy is in sync with other organizations that have moved toward tobacco-free spaces,” said Vice-President Administration and Finance Jackie Podger. "It will ensure a safe and accessible campus environment for everyone at UPEI."

“We are proud of the work that we have accomplished alongside the University in regards to the updated tobacco-use policy," said Hammad Ahmad, President of the UPEI Student Union. “This initiative supports our shared priority of providing a healthy atmosphere for students to pursue their education."

While the intended goal of the policy is to provide a safe, healthy working and learning environment for students, faculty, staff, contractors, and visitors at the University, UPEI is also using the updated policy as an opportunity to promote available cessation materials and services to improve individual and community health. UPEI hopes that if members of the campus community cannot use tobacco products on University property, they may consider not using them at all.

The School of Sustainable Design Engineering at UPEI has launched a summer program to promote interest in engineering research with girls in high school. Dr. Amy Hsiao, associate professor at the SSDE, was awarded a grant from UPEI’s Annual Fund to develop Promoting Girls in Research on Engineering and Sustainability, or ProGRES.

Research has shown that direction interaction with professional women is the most significant factor in encouraging young women to pursue studies in under-represented areas, such as engineering. ProGRES will offer these young women a firm foundation of mentorship and professionalism as they pursue a future in engineering. Thirty-two girls applied for the six spots in this inaugural year.

“Students are concerned with ‘living green’, ‘caring about our world’, and ‘making a difference,’” said Dr. Hsiao. “The emphasis on bioresources, sustainable energy systems, mechatronics, and robotics at the School of Sustainable Design Engineering are all appealing for young women.” 

After two weeks in the program, student Katia Hughes said, “I am currently doing general research on wind turbine blade failure and leading-edge erosion. We were also introduced to Onshape this week, and although I am very new to the program, I hope to design something cool and useful, and hopefully develop some basic design skills. I look forward to what the following weeks hold!”

The program will come to an end with a final presentation August 17, during which all participants will be encouraged to share their ProGRES experience with friends and classmates, highlighting the countless opportunities for young women in engineering.

The School of Sustainable Design Engineering at UPEI offers a progressive and innovative four-year Bachelor of Science in Sustainable Design Engineering degree, which recognizes the need for a broad and balanced engineering education. Our unique engineering education program is organized as an innovation-focused engineering consulting firm. Faculty and staff act as senior engineers, consultants, and mentors to project groups working on real-world problems for community-based and industrial clients.

The University of Prince Edward Island prides itself on people, excellence, and impact and is committed to assisting students reach their full potential in both the classroom and community. With roots stemming from two founding institutions—Prince of Wales College and Saint Dunstan’s University—UPEI has a reputation for academic excellence, research innovation, and creating positive impacts locally, nationally, and internationally. UPEI is the only degree granting institution in the province and is proud to be a key contributor to the growth and prosperity of Prince Edward Island. UPEI is located on the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq People.