Preston Manning will deliver a public lecture on June 14th entitled, "Legitimating the Expression of Faith in the Public Square" as part the UPEI Centre for Christianity and Culture's free public lecture series.

One of Canada's most recognizable political figures, Manning has championed the cause of democratic and political reform and in the process founded two political parties, the Reform Party of Canada and the Canadian Reform Conservative Alliance.

Mr. Manning will share his experience with the current taboos restricting the expression of faith within the political arena, including the House of Commons and why practising politicians fear "letting religion out of its private box".

Since leaving public office in 2002, Mr. Manning has released a book ("Think Big"), has served as a Senior Fellow of the Canada West Foundation and a Distinguished Visitor at the University of Calgary and the University of Toronto, and is currently the President and CEO of the Manning Centre for Building Democracy.

Date: Monday June 14th

Place: Alex H. MacKinnon Auditorium, McDougall Hall, University of Prince Edward Island

Time: 7pm

Contact: Suzie Jay (jay@upei.ca; 566-0480)

The Institute of Island Studies hosts a series of free public lectures, and an international conference, June 13-18, 2010, that turns an entire island into a case study for human impact on the land.

"Seeing Connections: Environmental History and Visual Culture"
Dr. Finis Dunaway, Trent University
Sunday, June 13, 7:30 p.m.
Studio One, Confederation Centre of the Arts, Charlottetown

"North Americans in an Age of Limits"
Dr. Donald Worster, University of Kansas
Eptek Centre, Summerside
Monday, June 14, 6:00 p.m.

"Time, Place and Trees: Forest Scenes and Incidents in Eastern North America"
Dr. Graeme Wynn, UBC
McDougall Hall, UPEI
Tuesday, June 15, 7:30 p.m.

"Crisis and Opportunity: The History and Future of Global Fisheries"
Dr. Daniel Pauly, UBC
Souris Theatre, Souris
Wednesday, June 16, 7:00 p.m.

"Silent Partners: Animals in Human Environmental History"
Dr. Harriet Ritvo, MIT
McDougall Hall, UPEI
Thursday, June 17, 7:30 p.m.

Chief Justice Thane A. Campbell Lectureship in Law (sponsored by UPEI and the Law Foundation of Prince Edward Island)
"Environmental Law: Are we making progress?"
Toby Elaine Vigod, LLB, Executive Vice-Chair, Environmental Review Tribunal, Environmental and Land Tribunals Ontario
McDougall Hall, UPEI
Friday, June 18, 7:30 p.m.

Download poster for more details, or visit the conference website.

This conference is made possible by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, the Network in Canadian History & Environment, and UPEI.

As of July 1, 2010, UPEI will no longer accept credit card payments for tuition and residence fees, but now offers online banking as an alternative.

In the ongoing effort to cut costs while at the same time offer convenient payment options for students, UPEI has been set up as an online banking payee with all major banks and credit unions.

A student (or parent) can now make payment directly to a student's account at UPEI by selecting 'UPEI Student Accounts' in the online banking payee list and inputting the student's ID number.

Phil Hooper, Executive Director of Finance and Comptroller says, 'This is an important cost-saving measure. We always need to carefully examine our expenditures, and while reviewing these, we noticed that the annual cost to UPEI for accepting credit card payments for major fees is in excess of $150,000 and growing.' He adds, 'The estimated saving for UPEI, and in turn students, by eliminating this one payment method is the equivalent of about a one per cent increase in tuition.'

UPEI is not alone in adopting online banking as a payment method. Other major Canadian universities, including UNB, St. Thomas and Dalhousie, have also gone this route, and no longer accept credit cards.

'Every time you pay for something with a credit card, the vendor is charged a fee,' says Allan Hughes, Manager of Accounting. 'It varies by credit card company, but the fee averages close to two per cent of the total transaction. So if just one student uses a credit card to pay tuition, education fees, and residence fees, it costs the University $200. It doesn't take long to add up.'

UPEI is not permitted by the credit card companies to pass these costs on to students, nor does it want to because they have no connection to academic quality. Instead, a variety of no- and low-cost payment options are available including online banking, telephone banking, payment by mail with cheque, money order or bank draft, payment in person by debit, cash, cheque and payment via Canada Student Loans.

For more information, go to www.upei.ca/accounting/upei-fees.

Dr. Juergen Krause, Associate Professor at UPEI's School of Business and Director for the Centre for Health and Biotech Management Research (CHBMR), has been selected to organize and promote the Innovation PEI Premier's Speaker Series.

The series, aimed at enhancing knowledge in bioscience and forging international relationships for Island companies, will feature presentations in the upcoming weeks by three experts with experience in the areas of intellectual property, licensing technology, and research and development.

CHBMR and Three Oaks Innovation Inc. has announced that it will bring Dr. Peter Smith of Millennium Pharmaceuticals to UPEI on June 18. On July 8, two more speakers will present - Dan Darnley, Vice President and Chief Intellectual Property Officer for Millennium Pharmaceuticals, and Dr. Jonathan O'Brien, Partner at the business law firm Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn (HMSC) LLP, Michigan.

'I am pleased to assist Dr. Krause in his efforts to move the Province's Innovation agenda forward,' said Hon. Allan Campbell, Minister of Innovation and Advanced Learning. 'The Premier's Speaker Series is a perfect example of how the Provincial government and our educational institutions can work together to assist the bioscience cluster.'

Minister Campbell adds, 'I hope to see a strong turnout by local companies so they can take advantage of the knowledge and skills of these individuals.'

For more information or to register, please visit the Centre for Health and Biotech Management Research website, www.chbmr.ca.

The UPEI Department of Athletics has partnered with nine NGOs and not-for-profit groups and the Department of Community Services, Seniors and Labour on a six-week pilot project that creates inclusion opportunities for people who, due to financial or societal reasons, are not always able to access wellness facilities and programs.

The collaborative initiative that began in March, opens up UPEI facilities such as UPEI Alumni Canada Games Place, CARI Complex - MacLauchlan Arena, and Chi-Wan Young Sports Centre to members of groups ranging from Tremploy Inc. and PEI Association for Newcomers to Canada (PEI ANC), to Special Olympics PEI.

After the pilot project's evaluation, the steering committee plans to continue to develop opportunities that address key health issues such as obesity, with the objective that UPEI will be the catalyst in developing healthy, motivated clients.

UPEI President Wade MacLauchlan believes the pilot will enhance relationships with community groups and with the greater Island community. He says, 'UPEI has a strong tradition of working with partners in our home province, and we are proud of the Department of Athletics and their work in bringing this project to life for so many Islanders.'

UPEI Athletics' Outdoor Facility Coordinator and project lead, Michael Redmond says, 'We have over 225 clients participating in the pilot, each with a specialized program that allows clients to access various campus facilities.' He adds, 'The eventual goal is to have relationships with many more of the identified groups, and develop customized programs for, and relationships with, each of them.'

Hon. Janice Sherry, Minister of Community Services, Seniors and Labour, adds, 'The partnership between UPEI, NGOs and community stakeholders and our Department is a terrific example of what can be achieved when everyone comes together to improve services for persons living with disabilities in Prince Edward Island.'

Coaches and athletes from UPEI are directly involved in programming aspects: fitness classes, swimming, fitness assessments, soccer, soccer baseball, and volleyball. In the case of the PEI Association for Newcomers to Canada, members were able to access the CARI Aquatics Centre for Aquafit, UPEI Fitness Centre for weight training, and the Chi-Wan Young Sports Centre for soccer.

'This pilot definitely introduced the facilities to newcomer families who would not have known about them and it certainly made the pool and the soccer program accessible to clients who could not afford it otherwise,' said Nancy Clement, Settlement Worker with PEI ANC. 'I feel this new-found relationship with UPEI is very important to continue.'

To celebrate the six-week mark and the success of the pilot, UPEI Athletics is hosting a 'Community Day' and barbecue for all of the project steering committee members on June 10 from 6-8 pm at UPEI Alumni Canada Games Place.

Members include representatives from Alzheimer Society of PEI, PEI Council of People with Disabilities, Special Olympics PEI, Queens County Residential Services Inc., Canadian Mental Health Association, Tremploy Inc., Association for Community Living, PEI Association for Newcomers to Canada, Canadian Paraplegic Association as well as the Province of PEI and NGOs such as CARI, Holland College, Murphy's Pharmacy and Andrews Sports Science Research and Training Centre.

UPEI Athletics Director Ron Annear is pleased to announce that Shannon Atkins has been named head coach for the UPEI Panthers women's rugby team.

'We are pleased to have Shannon on board for the fall,' commented Annear. 'As a former UPEI women's rugby student-athlete, an assistant coach with former head coach Mary Jane Webster, and her success coaching at the high school level, Shannon is motivated to rebuild the Panthers to compete for an AUS Championship.'

He added, 'With her connections to, and the high participation rate in, women's high school rugby here on PEI, Shannon will have a leg up on identifying and recruiting student-athletes who are capable of moving up to the AUS/CIS level.'

Atkins has been involved with UPEI Rugby for over sixteen years as a player and assistant coach. During her rugby career at UPEI, she was twice-named CIS All Canadian and was the AUS MVP in 2001. A graduate of UPEI with Bachelors of Arts and Education, Atkins was also an Academic All Canadian two times.

"I am looking forward to working not only with the veterans of the team in the fall, but also with the new crop of girls that are coming up. I believe that this team has the ability to achieve some of the great success that the UPEI Women's program has had in past, and I am excited about helping these girls reach for that,' commented Coach Atkins.

Atkins has coached at the high school level for thirteen years at both Charlottetown Rural and Souris High Schools and has also worked with numerous provincial teams at different age levels.

Atkins will be in Shawnigan Lake, north of Victoria, BC, June 11-13, to take part in a learning facilitators' program that will allow her to teach and lead level two coaching courses. Only five women from across the country have been invited by Rugby Canada to attend the weekend event.

Atkins said, "I am excited about this excellent professional development opportunity. It is an honour to be chosen, and, hopefully, it will benefit the rugby community on PEI as whole in the future."

As part of the program, the invited coaches will attend the 'Can Am Match' featuring Islanders Ashley MacDonald and Heather Moyse.

The Pan-Canadian Team for Research in the Early Years met recently in Charlottetown, hosted by members from the University of Prince Edward Island.

The team is a group of researchers from the University of British Columbia, Simon Fraser University, University of Western Ontario, Trent University, the University of New Brunswick, and UPEI whose projects and thinking are coalescing around major changes in the field of early learning.

Dr. Martha Gabriel, UPEI Associate Professor of Education, and convenor of the team meeting, said, 'I was thrilled along with my UPEI colleagues, to host our fellow team members here in Charlottetown. It is a critical time for PEI's education system, and our team discussions were very relevant to the Island's current landscape, with the move of kindergarten into the public school system this fall.'

The team approach allows members to enter into discussions with other researchers and stakeholders, to ask new research questions, and to form collaborations. Ensuring that the new knowledge gained through research is translated into usable information for stakeholders in the field is a priority of this group.

During the meeting June 2-4 at the Rodd Charlottetown Hotel, members were addressed by keynote speaker, Dr. Marianne McTavish, from UBC who spoke on 'The landscape of early learning across Canada: Priorities for addressing transitions and challenges.'

PEI Department of Education and Early Childhood Development representatives, early childhood educators, and other stakeholders participated in a symposium during the meeting. Their purpose was to gather suggestions about possible research initiatives in the early years. As well, Kathleen Flanagan, early childhood education consultant and author of 'The Early Years Report - Early Learning in PEI: An Investment in the Island's Future', joined the team to discuss her recently released publication.

The next team meeting will be a teleconference at the end of June. For more information, contact Dr. Martha Gabriel at mgabriel@upei.ca.

Young scholars from institutions around the globe will converge in Charlottetown June 23 - 27 at the 2010 International L.M. Montgomery Conference, 'L.M. Montgomery and the Matter of Nature', to share their research on the province's best-known writer.

For Alicia McDonald, an Islander, UPEI alumna and graduate student at the University of Western Ontario, Montgomery's works have hit close to home. 'Having grown up on Prince Edward Island, I found myself drawn to Anne and subsequently, L.M. Montgomery because they were talking about places I knew, and represented kindred spirits who understood what it was like to grow up in a rural area where everyone knows you. As I've gotten older and have traveled further away from PEI, I've found Montgomery's vivid descriptions of our Island and rural culture to be a stunning reminder of home that I can easily carry with me.' McDonald's presentation, 'Literary Tourism - Anne of Green Gables and Twilight as Tourist Attractions', takes place Saturday, June 26.

Emily Woster, a PhD student at Illinois State University, will be attending the L.M.M. Conference for the third time, along with her mother, Christy Woster. 'My love of all things L.M.M. began when my mother named me ‘Emily' and my sister ‘Anne' five years later,' says Woster of her interest in Montgomery. L.M.M. has provided her both professional and personal opportunities and lots of 'scope for imagination.' The pair will be giving their presentation, entitled 'A Book by Its Cover: Collecting the Artistic Interpretations of L.M. Montgomery's Works' together on Sunday, June 27.

Jean Mitchell, an associate professor of anthropology at UPEI and co-chair of the 2010 L.M.M. International Conference, sees these presentations as evidence of the continuing interest in Montgomery's works. 'The students' topics are very far-ranging and eclectic, suggesting Montgomery's multiple and meaningful influences on a new generation.'

Other student presentations include: Vappu Kannas, of the University of Helsinki, 'Familiar landscape in L. M. Montgomery's Emily series: Nature as the integrating factor in the Finnish translations'; Christiana Salah, of the University of Connecticut, 'Bonds of Sea and Shore: Locating the Gothic in Montgomery's Prehensile Landscape'; Erin Whitmore, of the University of New Brunswick, 'The ‘Old-Time Kitchen': Domesticity, Nature and Avonlea's Transforming Rural Economy'; and Kathryne Dycus, of the University of Glasgow, 'Footprints on the Landscapes of Artistic Creation: 'Wanderlust' in the Emily Books'.

All are welcome to register, and day and session passes are available for those unable to attend the full conference. For information and to register, visit www.lmmontgomery.ca/events/conference2010, email katmacdonal2@upei.ca, or call 902-628-4346.

The UPEI School of Business and the PEI BioAlliance invite you to a free, public session on 'Corporate Governance', presented by Professor Stephen Letza, PhD, Director of the European Centre for Corporate Governance.

Dr. Letza, a leading advisor to large, medium, and small profit and non-profit corporations as well as a wide range of UK crown corporations and departments, will share some of his insights into the boardrooms of the world. He has over 200 published articles and is often sought to provide media commentary on breaking events in corporate governance.

Anyone who has an interest in more effective leadership or board efficiency would benefit from this unique opportunity to meet and ask questions of this international guest.

Thursday, June 17, 2010

McDougall Hall, Room 329

3:00 - 4:30 p.m.

To register, please contact Pamela Harris at pjharris@upei.ca or at 902-566-0564.

The Centre for Health and Biotech Management Research (CHBMR) and Three Oaks Innovation Inc. will present Dr. Peter Smith of Millennium Pharmaceuticals on June 18, as the first instalment of the Innovation PEI Premier's Speaker Series.

As Senior Vice President, Drug Safety & Disposition and Comparative Medicine for Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Dr. Smith will provide insight into modern development approaches and strategies that efficiently promote drug candidates and biologics through the development process, which includes an overview of the research and corporate requirements to fulfill current registration requests of health authorities, both from a safety and non-clinical aspect.

Dr. Smith holds a Ph.D. in Pharmacology and Toxicology from the University of Arizona, and trained as a post-doctoral fellow in biochemical toxicology at SmithKline and French labs. Dr. Smith has served on several editorial boards including Toxicology Sciences, Journal of Pharmacological and Toxicological Methods, and Preclinica, and he has also served as an ad hoc reviewer for Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology and In Vitro Toxicology. Dr. Smith was featured in the July/August 2009 issue ofPharmaVOICE as one of the magazine's Top 100. The PharmaVOICE Top 100 is an annual feature ranking the 100 most inspiring individuals in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries.

Friday, June 18, 2010

Presentation, 10:00 - 11:30 a.m.
K.C. Irving Chemistry Centre, Room 104

Networking luncheon, 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Schurman Market Square, McDougall Hall

To register, click here.

About the Innovation PEI Premier's Speaker Series at UPEI

Dr. Juergen Krause, Associate Professor at UPEI's School of Business and Director for the Centre for Health and Biotech Management Research (CHBMR), has been selected to organize and promote the Innovation PEI Premier's Speaker Series.

The series, aimed at enhancing knowledge in bioscience and forging international relationships for Island companies, will feature presentations in the upcoming weeks by three experts with experience in the areas of intellectual property, licensing technology, and research and development. For more information, visit www.chbmr.ca.