With interest in water problems increasing across Prince Edward Island over the past few years, there is still much to learn about protecting and enhancing this important natural resource. As an aid to this learning process, award-winning author Marq de Villiers will give a talk about water issues in the Alex H. MacKinnon Auditorium (Room 242), McDougall Hall at UPEI on Friday, April 24, at 7 p.m.

In his book, Water: The Fate of Our Most Precious Resource, de Villiers says water is still undervalued, but it is becoming more precious. It's not that the world is running out of water, he says, but "it's running out in places where it's needed most."

First published in 1999, the book is now in print in 11 languages. It won a Governor General's Award and earned glowing praise from such respected figures as Maurice Strong, now of the Earth Council, who called it 'timely, authoritative, and eminently readable.' Water also won the 1999 Canadian Science Writers Award and was nominated for the Evelyn Richardson Prize for Non-Fiction. Copies of the book can be purchased at the talk.

One reviewer noted that 'de Villiers has a keen eye for detail and a solid command of the scientific literature on which his argument is based. He's also a fine storyteller, and his wide-ranging book makes a useful companion to other works that call our attention to a globally abused - and vital - resource.'

A veteran journalist, magazine editor and writer, de Villiers has worked as a foreign correspondent in Moscow, South Africa and other places. He has travelled extensively, especially in Africa, and has written 13 books on travel, history and natural history. He lives in Nova Scotia.

The talk is co-sponsored by the Environmental Coalition of Prince Edward Island, the Environmental Studies Program at UPEI and the provincial Department of Environment, Energy and Forestry. There is no charge for admission, and everyone is welcome.

The University of Prince Edward Island's Department of History will host the 18th Atlantic Canada Studies Conference (ACSC) from Thursday, April 30, to Sunday, May 3, in McDougall Hall.

Held every two years since the 1970s, the ACSC has gained a prominent place within Canada's scholarly landscape. Although physically grounded in the region, the ACSC pursues universal themes and spans a variety of disciplines, including History, Canadian Studies, Economics, English, Folklore and Environmental Studies. In the process, it brings together university researchers, public history practitioners, policy-makers, volunteers and students.

'Regional boundaries, like regional identities, are tantalizingly imprecise,' says UPEI history professor Edward MacDonald, chair of the conference organizing committee. 'Through its conference theme, ‘Unpacking' Atlantic Canada, this year's conference confronts the very notion of region, both internally, in terms of themes and issues that define our past, and externally, by examining the fluid boundaries of that thing we call ‘Atlantic Canada.''

The diversity of approaches and disciplines in this year's program encourages fresh insights into the nature of Atlantic Canada and its relationship with other regions within and beyond Canada, says MacDonald, including those borderlands where physical, cultural, and economic boundaries tend to blur. In the process, 'region' reaches out to the global, and 'local' conjures the universal.

During the conference, over 75 papers will be given by presenters from across Canada. In addition, it will feature a special panel on the career of Dr. Margaret Conrad, Canada Research Chair in Atlantic Canada Studies at the University of New Brunswick (UNB). Conrad is retiring after a distinguished career as a Canadian historian and a staunch advocate of the Atlantic region as an important field of study.

On Saturday, May 2, Conrad will officially launch a digitized collection of important letters from the Public Archives and Records Office of P.E.I. at the conference banquet at the Confederation Centre of the Arts. This collection is part of a larger initiative at UNB called the Atlantic Canada Virtual Archives. In this project, important archival collections from each Atlantic province have been digitized, making them available online to researchers.

Among the letters that have been digitized, transcribed and annotated for the virtual archives are some written between Captain John MacDonald who brought over 200 Highland Catholic settlers to his estate around Tracadie, P.E.I., in 1772, and his sister Nelly, who supervised the estate during his extended absence from P.E.I. The letters give researchers a rare glimpse of a woman in a position of authority during this period in Island history.

Delegates will also have the opportunity to tour the PEI Museum and Heritage Foundation's new exhibition, 40 Years and Counting: Celebrating the Provincial Collection, now on display at the Centre's Art Gallery, before the banquet.

For more information and registration, please contact Sharon Currie at the Department of History, at (902) 566-0493, or visit http://www.lib.unb.ca/Texts/Acadiensis/ACSC.htm.

Photo: Dr. Sharon Myers, Dr. Edward MacDonald and Dr. Lisa Chilton, of the UPEI history department, look over the program for the 18th Atlantic Canada Studies Conference, which will be held at UPEI from Thursday, April 30, to Sunday, May 3.

The University of Prince Edward Island has signed agreements for programs of academic linkage and cooperation with Koç University in Istanbul, Turkey, and Fernando Pessoa University in Porto, Portugal.

The agreements will facilitate academic cooperation between UPEI and the two institutions through joint research, and faculty and student exchanges at the graduate and undergraduate levels.

'By participating in exchange programs, UPEI students will learn to work through the challenges of living in different cultural settings and thus develop a better understanding of the world. Along with the benefit of learning a foreign language, students will also develop a great deal of independence, increased maturity and confidence,' said Mamdouh Elgharib, Manager of International Development at UPEI.

Koç University was founded in 1993 with the mission "to produce the most capable graduates by providing a world class education; to advance the frontiers of knowledge, and to contribute to the benefit of Turkey and humanity at large.'

In 1993, Koç University opened with 233 students and 35 faculty members in two colleges. Today, the University has 3,527 students and 281 faculty members in four colleges. For the last five years, Koç University has ranked in the top three Turkish universities for the number of published articles per faculty member.

Fernando Pessoa University was created in 1992 as result of the merger of two innovative institutes of higher education: the Instituto Superior de Ciencias de Informacao e da Empresa and the Instituto Erasmus do Ensino Superior, created in 1988. The university has 4,200 students who are enrolled in three faculties: Human and Social Sciences, Science and Technology, and Health Sciences.

For more information about UPEI's student exchange programs, please contact Sherilyn Acorn-LeClair, the Student Mobility Coordinator at 894-2837 or sdacorn@upei.ca.

The UPEI School of Business and Holland College are collaborating on a joint Bachelor of Business Studies (BBS) degree program beginning in September of 2009.

Students who have completed a two-year Accounting Technology, Business Management or Retail Management diploma program at Holland College will be eligible to complete the degree with only an additional two years of study at UPEI.

The BBS program allows Holland College graduates to transition into a degree program. It is designed to help students with their career development while taking into account their prior learning. With many career choices requiring a degree, such as some accounting designations, this degree program empowers students to move forward with the requirements of their chosen career paths expeditiously.

'This is a great opportunity for students to continue their education,' says Donald Wagner, Acting Dean of the UPEI School of Business. 'The new program provides qualifying Holland College graduates with the opportunity to complete a business degree with only two years of further study.'

Michael O'Grady, Vice President of Innovation, Enterprise and Strategic Development for Holland College, said the college is pleased to be able to provide another educational pathway for its graduates.

"There has always been great interest on the part of Holland College graduates to pursue a business degree at UPEI. The new BBS degree offers a tremendous option for our students to realize their educational objectives. This new degree is another instance of cooperation between our two institutions to the benefit of Island students."

UPEI and Holland College have numerous other educational partnerships, for which both institutions are recognized nationally.

For more information about the Bachelor of Business Studies program, contact Chris Power, UPEI Recruitment Coordinator, by phone at (902) 628-4352 or cjpower@upei.ca, or the Registrar's Office at Holland College by phone at (902) 566-9517, toll-free at 1-800-446-5265, or by e-mail at getready@hollandcollege.com.

The University of Prince Edward Island (UPEI) is proud to learn that it has successfully entered Phase 2 of a national competition for funding under the newly created Canada Excellence Research Chairs program.

The Canada Excellence Research Chairs was established by the Government of Canada in 2008 to establish 20 prestigious research chairs in universities across the country. The program invests $28 million a year to attract and retain the world's most accomplished and promising minds to help Canada build a critical mass of expertise in priority research areas. UPEI's submission to the program was for funding to further its aquatic epidemiology expertise.

'The University of Prince Edward Island, supported by its veterinary medicine faculty (the Atlantic Veterinary College), is a global leader in aquatic epidemiology and a national leader in research excellence,' says Dr. Katherine Schultz, Vice President of Research Development.

'Our expertise in aquatic species health and epidemiology advances basic and applied science, strengthens industry both within Canada and internationally, and makes a healthy, sustainable source of food a possibility. We are excited and proud of this opportunity to further expand our strengths by competing to recruit a world leading researcher in this field.'

If successful in Phase 2 of the competition, UPEI will receive up to $1.4 million annually for seven years to develop an ambitious research program to contribute to Canada's global competitiveness, future prosperity and well-being.

The UPEI and Atlantic Veterinary College researchers, all of whom are professors of epidemiology, involved in the development of the Canada Excellence Research Chair submission for a UPEI-based world leader in aquatic epidemiology include: Drs Larry Hammell (Director of the Atlantic Veterinary College's Centre for Aquatic Health Sciences), Crawford Revie (Canada Research Chair in Population Health/Epi-Informatics ), Ian Dohoo (Director of the Atlantic Veterinary College's Centre for Veterinary Epidemiological Research) and John VanLeeuwen (Chief Research Officer of the PEI Health Research Institute).

UPEI is one of the top ten universities in Canada for undergraduate research, and the number one Canadian undergraduate university for research income growth over five years. External grants and contracts for all research areas at UPEI totaled $16.4 million in 2008. UPEI has seven Canada Research Chairs in the sciences and the social sciences and humanities.

For the complete list of competition results, please visit www.cerc.gc.ca.

The Tourism Research Centre (TRC) at UPEI has released a new report profiling cruise ship passengers to PEI in 2007 and 2008. The survey was conducted by distributing it to passengers who disembarked in September and October of 2007, and again in May and June of 2008.

The cruise ship passenger to PEI has quite a different profile than the typical overnight pleasure visitor to PEI. 'While only seven percent of our overnight pleasure visitors for the year come from the US,' stated TRC Research Director Dr. Monica MacDonald, 'over 80 per cent of cruise ship passengers to PEI are from the US.' Cruise ship passengers also tend to be older: in 2007 86 per cent of passengers to PEI were 55 or older, although in 2008 this figure dropped to 69 per cent.

Results also show that many of the passengers had not been to PEI before. Typically, about 20 per cent of overnight pleasure visitors to PEI are visiting the province for the first time, whereas about 85 per cent of the cruise ship passengers were first-time visitors. In the survey, passengers were asked if they would return to PEI for a vacation. While few (less than two per cent in 2008) said they would return in the next year, approximately 15 per cent (averaged over 2007 and 2008) said they would return sometime after a year, and 43 per cent said they may return at some point in the future.

'It would be worthwhile to follow up with these potential visitors and encourage them to return to PEI for a full vacation,' said Dr. MacDonald. 'Our cruise ship passengers have higher incomes than our typical overnight pleasure visitors to PEI, and gave good ratings when evaluating their short experience here.'

In 2008 cruise ship visitors to PEI spent an average of almost six hours away from the ship - minimal time for the province to leave a lasting impression. Nevertheless, in 2008 about two thirds of passengers chose to participate in an organized shore excursion, an increase from 58 per cent in 2007. Many of those (about 62 per cent) not taking organized excursions explored Charlottetown on foot and/or visited historic sites in the city. About 38 per cent shopped, and the percentage of passengers who chose to dine at a restaurant increased from 14 per cent in 2007 to 32 per cent in 2008.

Average spending per passenger increased from $39.04 in 2007 to $47.75 in 2008. To compare, the average overnight pleasure visitor to PEI spends $49.46 when accommodation is omitted. On average, about one third of spending by cruise ship passengers goes toward organized tours, and almost $6.00 per passenger is spent at a restaurant.

The full report is available on the exit survey section of the TRC's website: www.trc.upei.ca/exitsurvey. Further information about the report can be obtained from the Tourism Research Centre, School of Business, University of PEI, at (902) 566-6096 or trc@upei.ca.

The impressive five-storey building that stands at the southwest corner of the University of Prince Edward Island campus and serves as UPEI's newest student residence has been named in honour of Bill and Denise Andrew in recognition of their life-long commitment to the well-being of the University.

'To say that Bill and Denise Andrew are passionate about UPEI is an understatement. Their contributions of time, energy, and financial resources have been invaluable,' says Fred Hyndman, Chair of the UPEI Board of Governors. 'Their generosity has benefitted every corner of the UPEI community and made a tremendous impact on students' lives.'

"Bill and Denise Andrew have been outstanding supporters of UPEI and its advancement, in the fullest sense," says UPEI President Wade MacLauchlan. "The entire UPEI community, including students and alumni, has benefitted from their example and their generosity. We are proud that Bill and Denise Andrew Hall will have such a fine name, and that UPEI has such a bright future."

The Andrews are Calgary residents who maintain close ties to their native Prince Edward Island. They have a home in PEI and, in partnership with Bill's brother Brian and his wife Carol, they operate Meridian Farms in Milton where they raise standardbred horses, a family tradition for four generations.

Bill Andrew graduated from UPEI's Engineering program in 1973. He went on to become the CEO of Penn West Petroleum, one of Canada's largest senior oil and natural gas exploration and production companies. Since March 2005, he has been Chancellor of UPEI and was recently elected to serve for a second term, ending in 2013.

The Andrews have created numerous academic and athletics scholarships, supported neuroscience research, and assisted nursing leadership programs. They are also leading contributors of the Friends of UPEI group in Calgary which provides scholarships for Alberta students to study at the University of Prince Edward Island.

'Generosity and down-to-earth encouragement of students, faculty, and staff are their trademarks,' says Fred Hyndman. 'UPEI is a force that is capable of improving the lives of all Prince Edward Islanders, and positively affecting individuals and communities well beyond its shores. It is able to do so because of the extraordinary contributions of individuals like Bill and Denise Andrew.'

Bill and Denise Andrew Hall was officially named at a special ceremony during Convocation Week at UPEI. Students and faculty made presentations about the impact that the Andrew family's support has made on their education and research, and President Wade MacLauchlan unveiled a plaque that will be mounted in bronze in the main entrance to the residence.

Bill and Denise Andrew Hall was designed to provide quality accommodation that is quiet, spacious, and filled with natural light. Directly connected to the Wanda Wyatt Dining Hall, the residence offers a choice of one-, two-, or three-bedroom fully-equipped suites. It has significantly increased UPEI's capacity to host high-profile conferences, tournaments, and special events. Throughout the spring and summer months, it houses individuals and groups from across Canada and around the world. In June more than 400 members of the Federated Women's Institutes of Canada will call UPEI home, and in August campus residences will become the Athletes' Village for week two of the 2009 Canada Games.

Photo: Bill and Denise Andrew

Dr. Michael Entzeroth, Deputy Director of Biopolis, Singapore and Chairman of the Executive Council, BioSingapore, will give a public presentation called 'Singapore-An Outstanding BioMedical Hub in South-East Asia,' on Thursday, May 14, at the University of Prince Edward Island.

The UPEI School of Business is presenting this event in collaboration with the Province of Prince Edward Island, NSERC and the PEI BioAlliance.

The event begins with lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. in Room 142 of Bill and Denise Andrew Hall (formerly known as the New Residence). Lunch will be followed by Entzeroth's presentation and a panel discussion in the K.C. Irving Chemistry Centre, Room 104.

The panelist will be Dr. Steven Casper, Fulbright Scholar and Director of the Bioscience Program, Keck Graduate Institute.

Entzeroth is the Deputy Director of the Experimental Therapeutic Centre, Biopolis, Singapore. He has extensive experience in the pharmaceutical industry, with many success records in drug discovery and development, as well as in generating entrepreneurial drug discovery cultures in an internationally competitive environment. He is currently Chair of BioSingapore, an industry association for life sciences' businesses in Singapore and a member of the Scientific Advisory Board of Chakra Biotech Sdn Bhd in Penang.

Casper is an Associate Professor and the Director of the Master of Bioscience Program at the Keck Graduate Institute in Claremont, California. Casper's research interests include comparative studies of the development of new technology industries, with a special interest in processes by which biomedical science has been commercialized across European countries. He is also interested in using computational social science methods to examine the emergence of social networks within biotechnology clusters. He is currently a Fulbright Chair at the UPEI School of Business.

To register, please contact Tammie Rose by Monday, May 11, at (902) 566-0564 or tmrose@upei.ca.

Dulcie McCallum, Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Review Officer for Nova Scotia, will be the guest lecturer at the annual Chief Justice Thane A. Campbell Lectureship in Law on Thursday, May 21, at the University of Prince Edward Island.

Her presentation, entitled 'The Audacity of Inclusion', will discuss assisted decision-making and guardianship - Is guardianship law a thing of the past? Has the UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities, to which Canada is a signatory, changed how we include people who are labeled mentally disabled? McCallum will discuss the proceedings at the UN leading up to the passing of the Convention. Her focus will be on what guardianship laws meant that held people to be incompetent, and what a new model might look like that will enable all people to maximize their ability to make decisions for themselves.

McCallum received her law degree from the University of Victoria in 1981 and was called to the bar in 1983. She was the ombudsman for British Columbia for seven years, until 1999. Since then, she has worked for government, contributing her expertise to high-profile projects such as the administrative review into abuse at Woodlands School that resulted in the public report, 'The Need to Know.' She has also worked in the not-for-profit sector, particularly in the area of rights of people with disabilities. This included acting as an expert representative on the Canadian Delegation to the UN for four years.

The Chief Justice Thane A. Campbell Lectureship in Law is co-sponsored by UPEI and the Law Foundation of Prince Edward Island. In 1991, the Foundation created an endowment at UPEI to provide a stimulating series of lectures in honour of Chief Justice Thane A. Campbell, former premier of PEI and first chancellor of UPEI.

The May 21 lecture by Dulcie McCallum is open to the public. It will begin at 7 p.m. in the Alex H. MacKinnon Auditorium of McDougall Hall, UPEI. Following the speech, there will be an opportunity for questions and discussion. There is no charge and everyone is welcome.

High school graduates who have deferred their post-secondary education can now find out what it is like to attend UPEI through a new program called ExperienceU. All students accepted into the one-week program will receive an ExperienceU award to cover their costs.

'Some high school students are uncertain about attending university right after grade 12, and others who have deferred university for a year are looking for information and support about beginning university,' says Tamara Leary, Acting Director of Student Services. 'They worry about finances, or making time for study, or they are not familiar with the academic and support options available here. ExperienceU is a hands-on program that helps them make an informed decision about their education and career paths.'

ExperienceU participants will learn about university academic expectations and supports, scholarships and bursaries, and research skills, and they will experience campus life. They will meet with academic advisors and a career counsellor, discuss learning styles, and have an opportunity to explore career choices. The program is delivered on campus and also includes online study. There are activities outside the classroom to familiarize participants with all aspects of the campus community.

ExperienceU runs from June 22 to 26, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The application deadline is June 12. More information is available at upei.ca/experienceu or khennessey@upei.ca.