The end is near. It seems the end is ALWAYS near. And the end is always being brought about by hadron-crazy particle physicists, or predicted by ancient Mayans, or the result of betrayal by our trusted friend, the Sun, erupting in a temper tantrum of a solar superstorm.

Will time itself end later this year? What's science and what's science fiction? And what is, sometimes both at the same time? How do astronomers think the universe might end? The closing chapters in the Big Bang Theory used to be either an infinitely long slide towards absolute zero or a "Big Crunch". Why are some cosmologists now talking about "The Big Rip"?

On Saturday, May 19, Professor Jaymie Matthews, an astrophysicist with the Department of Physics and Astronomy at UBC will answer some of these questions at a free, public lecture presented by the Canada-Wide Science Fair 2012 and the departments of Physics and Engineering at the University of Prince Edward Island. The lecture will take place in the Alex H. MacKinnon Lecture Theatre (242) at Don and Marion McDougall Hall from 7:30 to 8:30 pm, followed by a question and answer period.

If the world ends before then, the talk is cancelled. No refunds. (No charge for admission, either.)

About Dr. Jaymie Matthews

Jaymie Matthews is an astro-paparazzo who unveils the hidden lifestyles of stars by eavesdropping on 'the music of the spheres.' Dr. Matthews is the Mission Scientist leading the Canadian Space Agency's MOST (Microvariability & Oscillations of Stars) project, and a Professor of Astrophysics in the Department of Physics & Astronomy at the University of British Columbia. He and his team are trying to revise the biography of our Sun-past and future-by studying its neighbours in our Galactic city, the Milky Way.

Dr. Matthews is a world-leading expert in the fields of stellar seismology, exoplanetary science, and astronomical time series analysis. He was born in Chatham, Ontario, and obtained his BSc degree at the University of Toronto, and his MSc and PhD degrees at the University of Western Ontario.

In 2006, Dr. Matthews was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada, and in 2012, he received a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal.

The search committee for the Vice-President Research is pleased to announce that the two candidates for the position will deliver public presentations to campus during the week of May 21. Both presentations will be held in the Alex H. MacKinnon Auditorium, Room 242, Don and Marion MccDougall Hall.

Dr. Robert F. Gilmour, Jr. will present on Tuesday, May 22, 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm

and

Dr. David C. Malloy will present on Wednesday, May 23, 11:00 am to 12:30 pm

The campus community is invited and encouraged to participate; for more information and to view the candidate CVs, please click here.

Over the past four months, UPEI has engaged its campus and community in a consultation exercise to help develop the University's vision. The exercise, known as the UPEI Reflections and Future Directions initiative, has focused on determining the University's core strengths and how these can be used to shape the future of UPEI, its people, and communities.

'The level of engagement and consultation within this initiative has been tremendous,' says Dr. Alaa Abd-El-Aziz, President of UPEI and Chair of the UPEI Reflections and Future Directions Steering Committee. 'More than 200 people from our campus and communities have been involved in helping UPEI rediscover its strengths and determine the vision of our university. This is a huge success that we are eager to build upon.'

The result of UPEI's consultative discussions is the UPEI Vision Document which outlines UPEI's vision of being 'a leader in delivering outstanding experiential learning opportunities that encourage students to develop to their full potential in both the classroom and community' and 'the development of tomorrow's leaders who will emerge from their studies ready to excel and contribute to the betterment of our local and global communities.'

Although the document is forward looking and focused, the UPEI Vision Document is not a strategic plan or business plan, explains Dr. Abd-El-Aziz. 'The document is a compass that will help guide UPEI's institutional direction, decision making, and broader planning in the months and years ahead. The strategic plans we put in place and the direction we chose to pursue will need to uphold the vision outlined in the UPEI Vision Document.'

Dr. Abd-El-Aziz has asked Dr. Tim Ogilvie, Vice-Chair of UPEI's Reflections and Future Directions Steering Committee, to lead the next phase of the initiative which includes the development of a Strategy Incubation Team. The development of strategic action plans to build upon the document will begin in the coming weeks and continue into the fall.

'The input we've received throughout our consultative process is invaluable,' says Dr. Abd-El-Aziz.' We are ready to take on the challenge of planning to support our vision, build our relevancy, and ensure the growth of higher education in PEI.'

The UPEI Vision Document received endorsement by both the UPEI Senate and Board of Governors in early May. Click here to view the full document.

The UPEI Men's Basketball team is excited to announce that six-foot-four guard Joe Kendrick, will be joining the program in the fall. Kendrick was Rookie of the Year and a Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) National champion with the Brock Badgers in 2008. This past season, he was named MVP and was an All-Conference selection with the Atlantic Colleges Athletic Association (ACAA), while playing with the Crandall University Chargers. Kendrick finished 5th on the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) league scoreboard.

Tim Kendrick, head coach of the UPEI men's basketball team is no stranger to this new recruit, 'We are pleased to have Joe join us. As his father, I'm proud of his accomplishments, and know he will be a great addition to the Panthers,' said Kendrick. 'He has won championships at the high school and CIS levels, and will bring a wealth of 'big game' experience and leadership to the team.'

Joe Kendrick is thrilled to play for the Panthers, 'I'm looking forward to studying at the University and playing basketball for my father, as a UPEI Panther,' he said. 'It's exciting to be at a school with a basketball program that holds high expectations for its players. I'll do whatever it takes to help the team achieve great success, both on and off the court.'

For more information on UPEI men's basketball, click here.

The University of Prince Edward Island Board of Governors recently accepted the recommendation of the search committee for the Dean of Education and approved the decanal appointment of Dr. Miles Turnbull for a five-year term effective July 1, 2012 until June 30, 2017. Dr. Turnbull has been interim Dean since 2011.

'I am especially pleased to erase the ‘interim' label from Dr. Turnbull's title as UPEI's Dean of Education,' said Vice-President Academic Jim Randall. 'Miles has already proven to be a strong leader and I look forward to working with him to further the goals of the faculty and of UPEI.'

Since 2002, Dr. Turnbull has worked in and provided leadership to UPEI's pre-service and graduate programs. He was Coordinator of the Bachelor of Education-français langue seconde from 2002-2010. As Coordinator of Graduate Studies from 2008-2011 he led in establishing the PhD in Educational Studies, and a special cohort of the MEd program for community college educators. His research interests include French as a second language (core and immersion), code switching, teacher development, teacher beliefs, and project-based and experiential learning.

'I'm proud to be Dean of Education at UPEI,' said Turnbull. 'Our faculty is an innovative, passionate, creative group of educators and educational researchers, and I join, along with them, in welcoming students to the many unique programs we offer.'

Dr. Turnbull is a past-president of the Canadian Association of Second Language Teachers (CASLT) and before joining the faculty at UPEI, was an Assistant Professor in the Modern Language Centre at OISE-University of Toronto, and worked in core and immersion French programs in three Canadian provinces. He has his BA (French) from UPEI, MA (Études françaises in teaching French as a second language) from McMaster University, and PhD in Second Language Education from the University of Toronto.

The UPEI Women's Basketball team is excited to announce the addition of Darcy Zinck to the roster for next season. Zinck, a 5'9' guard from Halifax, NS, is joining the Panthers after spending two seasons at Lakehead University, where she was named to the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) West All-Rookie Team before tearing her ACL in pre-season play this past year.

'UPEI was within my top choices coming out of high school, not only based on its strong academics, but the fact that the team was young and developing,' said Zinck. 'I'm excited that the Panthers found a place for me on their team. This season will be my first in a year, and I can't wait to play with this amazing group, while fulfilling my academic goals.'

According to Head Coach Carly Clarke, Zinck has great experience playing with winning programs. 'Darcy has had the opportunity to be a part of very successful programs, and has experience and leadership qualities that should help take us to the next level,' said Clarke. 'She has a tremendous work ethic, and understands what it will take for us to achieve our goals.'

Prior to playing with Lakehead in Ontario, Zinck was a member of the Citadel Phoenix, the 2010 Nova Scotia Provincial Champions, and was a starter on the Nova Scotia Canada Games team that competed in Prince Edward Island in 2009.

For more information on UPEI women's basketball, visit http://www.upei.ca/athletics/womens-basketball/

Two business graduates, Janell MacDonald and Kristina MacLean, placed first and second, respectively in the 2012 Estey Undergraduate Student Paper Competition, hosted by the University of Waterloo's Centre for Accounting Ethics.

After three blind reviews, the national competition rated MacDonald's paper, 'Microfinance in the Modern World,' as the best in the nation. Her paper focused on ethical issues surrounding microfinance, specifically in developing nations. The major issues were related to transparency (fees for the individual), excessive interest rates, and group lending practices. MacDonald was awarded a $500 cash prize and the opportunity to present her paper to accounting faculty from across the country at the Canadian Academic Accounting Association (CAAA) annual meeting.

MacLean's paper, 'Women in Accounting: Ethical Issues Surrounding the Advancement of Female Accountants,' was selected second in the nation and received Honourable Mention. As a female pursuing a career in accounting, MacLean wanted to explore why there are so few female partners in the profession. Her paper discussed various ethical issues that may inhibit female accountants from advancing to the top of the profession. She also analyzed other potential factors that could contribute to the phenomenon.

'It was such an honour to place 2nd in this national competition,' said MacLean. 'Janell and I had an extraordinary year-placing 1st and 2nd at the Estey Undergraduate Essay Competition is really the 'icing on the cake' to an incredible year at UPEI.'

MacLean was asked to present her paper at the 2012 CAAA Annual Conference on June 3, as MacDonald is in Kenya volunteering this summer.

The students originally wrote their winning papers for Amy MacFarlane, Assistant Professor in UPEI's School of Business' fourth-year class. MacFarlane was thrilled to learn of their national success. 'Both Janell and Kristina are incredibly special and talented students, and I am very proud of their accomplishments (on top of all their other accolades!),' she said. 'They diligently worked on editing and finalizing their papers while out in British Columbia at their case competition... just to give you an idea of their commitment and incredible work ethic.'

MacDonald and MacLean competed together on the UPEI case team that placed 1st at the IIBD Case Competition in Hong Kong and 2nd at the Royal Roads University International Undergraduate Case Competition in British Columbia.

Thursday, May 31, is the final day of my service as Chair of the University of Prince Edward Island's Board of Governors, and I wish to share a few thoughts with the whole University community before taking my leave.

I first want to compliment everyone associated with the institution for the great good work being done here each day. The work of this University is a major determinant to the advancement and prosperity of our province. Even more important is the understanding and wisdom being inculcated to the coming generation, equipping them to build a good and generous society.

I am confident that our energetic new President will be bringing to life ideas and suggestions expressed in the recent Reflections and Future Directions consultation.

There will be challenges ahead, and I caution everyone to understand that the present fiscal and demographic limitations are not temporary and must be accepted as our new reality.

The University is fortunate indeed that Tom Cullen has agreed to become Board Chair, for he has a lifelong association with the place, and a sensitive understanding of its role within the social and economic life of our province.

A few weeks ago, I savoured the spectacle of Convocation when the University puts forward its best. I found myself ruminating on the title of Dr. Michael Bliss' most recent book Writing History-for it is your challenge and privilege to write tomorrow's history today.

I deeply appreciate the many kindnesses and considerations extended to me, and I wish you all well.

In peace,

Frederick E. Hyndman, CM

The UPEI Men's Basketball team is pleased to announce that 6'2' guard, Will Caesar, from Markham, Ontario, has committed to attend UPEI in September. After graduating from Milliken Mills High School in 2007, where he averaged 26 points per game, he then headed to New Creations Prep Academy in Richmond, Indiana, coached by Tony Cole. In 2009-10, he attended Rend Lake Junior College in Illinois, and then Manitoba's Brandon University in 2010-11.

'We are expecting Caesar to play a major role for us right away,' said Coach Kendrick. 'He is the type of player that we think will get better and better in our system, and I am looking forward to having him with us for the next four years.'

'UPEI seems and feels like the perfect fit for me,' said Caesar. 'It's an up-tempo system, which is my style. The coaching staff is excellent as well, Coach Kendrick received AUS Coach of the Year and Coach Harvard and I have a great relationship already, which is something I couldn't overlook when choosing to join the Panthers.'

Caesar's goals at UPEI are to receive his Arts degree, be the best teammate both on and off the court, and help turn UPEI into a powerhouse at the CIS level. He also hopes to become an All-Canadian throughout his basketball career with the Panthers.

Caesar has recently recovered from a torn ACL and is now eager to get back into the game. 'Now that I'm healthy and ready to roll, I was considering other schools all over Canada, and even in the States. But as I said, with UPEI's program on the rise and the coaching staff, I wanted to be a part of it,' said Caesar. 'I'm excited to get on campus and to compete for the AUS title right away, and then of course, a spot at the CIS nationals!'

The Robertson Library development team at UPEI is pleased to announce the successful launch of its Telling Island Stories (TIS) application. The application is now available worldwide in Apple's App Store.

The TIS project is a collaborative community digitization and economic development project led by the Robertson Library. Student developers-Dylan Sawyer, Peter Workman, and Nick MacAulay-were involved in the project and successfully completed the proof of concept last summer. Team members include Nelson Hart, Kris Bulman, and Courtney Matthews who all expended considerable hours and effort to make the proof of concept into an attractive and useable discovery tool.

'We've created something that is uniquely PEI, that highlights the creative energy of the Library, and most importantly, provides a new way to access our rich digital collections,' said Matthews, Community Liaison Librarian and team lead.

TIS was made possible by a Rural Broadband grant awarded to the Robertson Library, in partnership with Discovery Garden Inc., the Islandora services company. TIS exemplifies the innovative, collaborative, and entrepreneurial possibilities that exist at UPEI. Islanders and visitors alike can discover historic materials, participate in their enhancement and preservation, while helping to increase cultural tourism.

TIS will draw on the existing archive of books, reports, letters, diaries, and other print material produced by and about Prince Edward Island and currently accessible on the islandarchives.ca portal. Much of the material will come from the collections of the Robertson Library, Public Library Service branches, and Public Archives and Records Office of PEI.

For more information about TIS, please contact, Courtney Matthews at (902) 620-5183; or cmatthews@upei.ca. To download the app, click here.