You can't spin a two-litre pop bottle in the modern world without hitting another piece of plastic. Plastics are cheap to produce, lightweight, and are strong and flexible enough to be used in millions of applications. However, most are made from finite oil resources, and at the end of their usefulness are either thrown into a landfill or burned, generating harmful emissions.

Dr. Andrew Dove, Associate Professor of Chemistry and RCUK at the University of Warwick in Coventry, UK, will give a public talk entitled "Biodegradable Plastics: A Sustainable Future or A Temporary Fix?' on Wednesday, March 31, in the Wanda Wyatt Lecture Theatre (Room 104) of UPEI's K. C. Irving Chemistry Building, at 7 p.m.

Poly(lactide) is the leading contender of the new so-called 'green plastics,' made of renewable organic material. As the cost of production of green plastics decreases, chemists such as Dr. Dove are trying to overcome some of their chemical drawbacks, including their tendency to be brittle, and their lack of usefulness in hot or cold environments.

Poet John J. Guiney Yallop will give a public reading from his work on Wednesday, March 31, at 7 p.m., in the UPEI Main Building Faculty Lounge. He will also give a public talk on Thursday, April 1, at 6:30 p.m., in Main Building, Room 220, about his path to poetic inquiry, and how he uses poetry in his learning, teaching, and research. An assistant professor at Acadia University, Yallop is author of Notes to My Prostate (2010) and On place and memory: A poetic journey (forthcoming). These free events are presented by the UPEI Centre of Education Research. For more information, please contact Christine Gordon Manley at (902) 566-6784 or cgmanley@upei.ca.

The Atlantic Veterinary College at the University of Prince Edward Island (UPEI) is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Mark Fast to the role of Novartis Research Chair in Fish Health.

As a faculty member with the Atlantic Veterinary College's Pathology and Microbiology department, Dr. Fast will focus on in-depth research and education in the area of fish health-a unique and quickly emerging field of study in veterinary medicine. Dr. Fast, who was previously an Assistant Professor in Aquatic Diseases and Immunology at Stony Brook University's renowned School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences in New York, joined the Atlantic Veterinary College in February 2010.

'We are very pleased to have Dr. Fast join our outstanding research, education and service team,' says Dr. Donald L. Reynolds, Dean of the Atlantic Veterinary College. 'Dr. Fast's expertise in aquatic diseases and immunology will contribute greatly to advancing the science of fish health and aquaculture on both a regional and global scale. His experience and specialized skills are a tremendous asset and complement to the Atlantic Veterinary College's existing strengths in aquatic species health.'

Dr. Fast's role as the Novartis Research Chair in Fish Health will build on the Atlantic Veterinary College's globally recognized aquatic species health expertise which include an OIE Reference Laboratory for ISA, the AVC Centre for Aquatic Health Sciences and the AVC Lobster Science Centre. The addition of the Novartis Research Chair in Fish Health enables the Atlantic Veterinary College to move closer to its goal of becoming the world's leading academic-based aquatics institution.

'The Atlantic Veterinary College is grateful to Novartis Animal Health for its support of this prestigious research chair,' says Dr. Reynolds. 'We look forward to continuing our long-standing partnership with Novartis to advance the basic science of fish diseases and health management in an effort to support our regional industries and improve fish health on a global scale.'

Dr. Fast holds a Bachelor of Science (Honours) degree from Dalhousie University, a Master of Science degree from the Atlantic Veterinary College at UPEI, a PhD from Dalhousie University, and was a post-doctoral researcher at the National Research Council Institute for Marine Biology's Fish Health Laboratory. Dr. Fast is the recipient of various awards and funding grants, has an active publication record, and has contributed to the training of future researchers as a graduate student supervisor.

'I am extremely excited and honoured to pursue this unique opportunity to work with Novartis and the Atlantic Veterinary College,' says Dr. Fast. 'This is an ideal nexus for research in the field of animal health. Specifically, with respect to global economical and ecological issues, we are at an important juncture in the way we use and manage our aquatic resources, be they fisheries or aquaculture related. I foresee our research being at the leading edge of providing the knowledge base necessary for informed decision making in a number of these areas.'

Returning to Eastern Canada is a large benefit, adds Dr. Fast. 'Our family is happy to be back amongst so many great people.'

Dr. Michael Cameron, BBCA, Chair of the Behaviour Analysis Department at Simmons College, Boston, will give a free public workshop called 'The Role of Recreational Activities in Promoting Quality of Life for Children with Disabilities' on Saturday, April 10, at UPEI.

The workshop will take place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Wanda Wyatt Lecture Theatre, KC Irving Chemistry Centre.

The purpose of the workshop is to: (1) teach family members and educators how to identify the recreational and leisure interests of children, adolescents, and young adults; (2) how to identify an individual's personal strengths for the purpose of building health promoting activities and to affect quality of life; (3) how to identify activities that reconcile with a family's unique interests and the interests of a family's local community; and (4) how to build recreational and leisure skills using a step-by-step format based on the elementary principles of applied behavior analysis.

The workshop is is open to the public and is geared towards families, educators, educational assistants, special needs assistants, autism consultants, early childhood and youth care workers, human services students, and all those in the field of disabilities.. It is presented by the Autism Society of PEI in partnership with the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, UPEI's Psychology Department and the Psychological Association of Prince Edward Island.

To register, please email Nathalie Walsh at Nathalie@autismsociety.pe.ca or call 1-902-566-4844.

The kids are all right. Well... maybe they're just big-boned. Or perhaps… OK, let's face it: the kids have an obesity problem. Let's talk about it at UPEI's next Research on Tap. The discussion starts at 7 p.m., April 6, in the bar at Mavor's in the Confederation Centre of the Arts.

'I think schools do have a role to play to help promote healthier eating,' argues Dr. Jennifer Taylor. 'But then again, so do parents. So do communities. So does government. So does the food industry.'

Taylor will discuss nutrition policies in Island schools, including ones that categorize food based on their nutritional value.

'There is controversy as to whether we should label a particular food as good or bad, and where the focus should be to reduce childhood obesity. I think we need to take a step back and look at the environments where our children eat, play and learn.'

Research on Tap is a series of public discussions with UPEI's researchers in a comfortable environment. Every month of the winter, we bring a UPEI researcher to a local pub-in this case, Mavor's-to discuss his or her area of expertise.

Research on Tap is presented by UPEI's Office of Research Development. For more information, call (902) 620-5117, or e-mail datkinson@upei.ca.

The UPEI Co-operative Education Student of the Year awards in Business, Computer Science, and Physics were presented recently at a special event in Don and Marion McDougall Hall at UPEI.

Employers, students, and faculty gathered to recognize the winners and celebrate their accomplishments. The guest speaker was John Rowe, Director and President of the Timeless Group of Companies in Charlottetown. His presentation focused on the importance of having a good team to create success.

Award recipients are selected based on job performance, academic performance, academic/school involvement, accountability, responsibility, and their contributions to their employers during their co-operative education work terms.

Emma McPhail of Charlottetown received the award for Business. In the spring of 2009, she completed a work term with the Neilson Company in the UK where she excelled in creating market share reports and developing commentary on monthly changes in market share. She also maintained database dictionaries and completed weekly deadlines in populating Excel and PowerPoint reports. She spent her third work term in the Comptroller's Office at UPEI where she gained valuable training on the Drupal content management system and then trained other users in the department.

Jeremy Noonan of Kinkora received the award for Computer Science. Jeremy worked at SwiftRadius for his first and second work terms, where he helped to build up significant experience and infrastructure within the Amazon Web services cloud, and functioned at the level of an intermediate developer in a language he had no experience with previously. In May, Jeremy will be working again with SwiftRadius, and the company looks forward to him joining its staff following graduation.

Annie Laderoute of Stratford won the award for Physics. A fifth-year honours student, she was nominated by her employer, Dr. Bill Whelan, from the UPEI Department of Physics. As a research assistant in the Biomedical Optics Lab, Laderoute initiated a proof of principal study looking at the utility of opto-acoustic imaging as a tool for bone characterization. She planned a series of experiments and actively took part in scientific discussions. She also worked with a research collaborator for a month at the Graduate School in Advanced Optical Technologies in Erlangen, Germany.

For further information, contact the UPEI Co-operative Education Office at (902) 628-4395.

Dalhousie University medical students will join musicians from the University of Prince Edward Island on Saturday, April 10 in a gala concert at the Dr. Steel Recital Hall beginning at 7:30 p.m. The concert will feature Dalhousie's Music-in-Medicine participants, UPEI's Brass Quintet, Chorus and Men's Vocal Ensemble, and other UPEI vocal and instrumental soloists.

Keith Baglole, a recent music graduate from UPEI who is now a Dalhousie medical student, will perform as a baritone soloist with the TestosterTONES, one of four performance groups in the Music-in-Medicine program.

The gala concert is preceded by a free seminar in UPEI's Main Building Faculty Lounge, at 3:30 p.m., where current medical students will meet with PEI students considering careers in the health professions. The seminar is open to students from a variety of educational backgrounds. More information is available from UPEI Student Services at (902) 566-0488.

Tickets for the gala concert are $15 general; $12 for students and seniors and are available from the UPEI Music Department or at the door. To reserve tickets, call (902) 566-0507.

UPEI's Institute of Island Studies and Environmental Studies Program and the Mi'kmaq Confederacy of PEI (MCPEI) are helping to establish a research network to support climate change adaptation in coastal communities of the Southern Gulf of St. Lawrence.

The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRCC) has granted $1 million over five years to a group of Maritime universities and watershed organizations for research and pilot projects. Involving nine community partner organizations, nine universities and more than 22 researchers in PEI, NB, NS, and Quebec, the alliance is led by Dr. Steve Plante of the University of Quebec at Rimouski (UQAR), and Chantal Gagnon, Executive Director of the Southern Gulf of St. Lawrence Coalition for Sustainability.

'Integrated coastal zone and watershed management poses great challenges to communities in the Southern Gulf region,' notes Dr. Omer Chouinard of the University of Moncton, 'especially in this time of climate change.' Both the rapid physical changes along the coast, such as accelerating erosion, and the shifts in watershed, municipal and First Nations governance in the coastal zone in recent years, indicate the need and the opportunity for concerted and collective action.

'Any approach to coastal and watershed management must be holistic because the supporting ecosystem is both sensitive to human activities and essential to our social and economic well-being,' says Dr. Irene Novaczek, Director of the Institute of Island Studies at UPEI.

'The Mi'kmaq Confederacy of Prince Edward Island is pleased to be associated with a project that is so important to the future of PEI's First Nations,' says Randy Angus, Director of MCPEI's Department of Integrated Resource Management. 'Resources, and access to resources, have been and continue to be of primary importance to First Nations. Our changing climate is impacting the land, fisheries, forestry and many other resources. Throughout more than 520 generations, the Mi'kmaq have successfully adapted to many social and environmental changes. We look forward to working with the wide range of professionals involved with this project to share our experiences and plans for the future.'

The research alliance brings academics and community partners together in a network where they can share diverse skills, knowledge and experience. This collaboration is deemed essential to integrated coastal zone management. Network members will identify community vulnerabilities and strengths, and develop strategies to improve resilience at the community level.

The short-term goal is to work with a small number of communities to develop and test various approaches and tools for integrated local governance. This will help to build community capacity to learn from and survive changing conditions. In the long term, the network will provide appropriate and flexible tools that can help the region in its struggle to manage resources and guide development while coping with increased coastal erosion, flooding, and storm events as climate change intensifies.

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For further information please contact:
Dr. Irene Novaczek, Institute of Island Studies, UPEI
(902) 566-0386

Dr. Steve Plante, UQAR
(418)723-1986 ext. 1456

Chantal Gagnon, Southern Gulf of St. Lawrence Coalition on Sustainability, Université de Moncton
(506) 858-4495

The Centre for Conflict Resolution Studies at the University of Prince Edward Island (UPEI) will hold its first-ever New Brunswick graduation ceremony for participants in its Certificate in Conflict Resolution Studies program, on April 13 in Moncton.

'We are pleased to be celebrating our New Brunswick graduates by holding our first graduation ceremony in their own province,' says Gilbert Ladéroute, Manager of Conflict Resolution Studies at UPEI. 'It is a very exciting time for the Centre as we expand our program offerings outside of PEI.'

The Centre for Conflict Resolution Studies at UPEI provides a skills-based, 210-hour certificate in conflict resolution studies, including mediation, negotiation, and facilitation. The program is based on the belief that conflict can be dealt with in safe, mutually acceptable, and healthy ways. More than 4,000 registrants have benefitted from the centre's interactive program. With 40 courses and growing, it is one of the most comprehensive professional development programs in conflict studies in Canada.

The following participants will receive their Certificate in Conflict Resolution Studies from UPEI on April 13: Peter Beardsworth - Riverview; Betty Ann Cormier - Dieppe; Heather Harris - Riverview; Claude Losier - Shediac; Jo-Anne Nadeau - Moncton; Deloras O'Neill - Moncton; Ghislain Poirier - Bathurst. The ceremony takes place at the Delta Beauséjour at 7:00pm.

Contact: Gilbert Ladéroute

Manager, Conflict Resolution Studies

(902) 566-0707

Website: www.upei.ca/lifelonglearning/conflict

The University of Prince Edward Island, The Gregg Centre for the Study of War and Society at UNB, HMCS Queen Charlotte and the Prince Edward Island Regiment are teaming up to host the first annual Atlantic Military Affairs Symposium in Charlottetown, April 16-17.

Local soldiers, sailors, and aircrew will form the core of this public military history and current affairs gathering to focus on the Island's role in the defence of Canada. It begins in the Duffy Lecture Theatre at UPEI at 7:30 pm on April 16 and continues at the PEI Regiment's Queen Charlotte Armoury all day Saturday, April 17.

The keynote address at UPEI on April 16 will be delivered by renowned Canadian naval historian, Professor Roger Sarty from Wilfrid Laurier University. In honour of Canada's Naval Centennial, his presentation is titled, 'By accident as much as by design: The surprising origins and rise of the Royal Canadian Navy, 1881-1945.'

On April 17, from 8:45 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.in the Queen Charlotte Armoury, local and national military historians will present on subjects ranging from the Island's 19^th Century militia and contribution in two world wars, to the role of today's PEI army and naval reservists around the world. The featured speakers will include The Gregg Centre's Lee Windsor and Brent Wilson, PEI historians Boyde Beck and David Campbell, and reservists from HMCS Queen Charlotte and the Prince Edward Island Regiment who have returned from service overseas.

Admission is free and all are welcome. Lunch will be provided and the PEI Regiment Museum will be open.

PROGRAM

Friday 16 April 2010

Saturday 17 April 2010

8:45-9:00am Welcome and Opening Remarks

Bruce Craig, Department of History, UPEI, Gregg Centre Fellow, Host

Lee Windsor, Symposium Co-organizer, Gregg Centre Deputy Director

0900 - 1030am Panel 1 - From Confederation to the Great War

"Forging the Link": Joint NB-PEI Military Training and Recruitment, 1867-1918."

Brent Wilson, Gregg Centre for the Study of War and Society

"Actions and Words: Andrew Macphail and the First World War"

David Campbell

Boyde Beck

'Islanders Across the Rhine: 'D' Company(PEI), North Nova Scotia Highlanders in the Battle for Beinen, Germany, March 1945.'

Lee Windsor, Gregg Centre for the Study of War and Society

12:15 - 1:00pm - Lunch

1:00 - 2:00pm Panel 3 - The Prince Edward Island Regiment in Afghanistan

2:30 - 3:30pm Panel 4 - Canada's Navy in it's 100^th Year: From the Arctic to Haiti to the Indian Ocean

Roger Sarty, a native of Halifax, Nova Scotia, was educated at Duke University and the University of Toronto. From 1981 until 1998 he was with the Driectorate of History at National Defence Headquarters. He contributed to the official history of the Royal Canadian Air Force, and was then team leader of the group that produced the new official history of the Royal Canadian Navy in the Second World War. From 1998 to 2003 Roger was at the CanadianWarMuseum. As deputy director of the museum and director of historical research and exhibition development, he led exhibit development and design for the museum's new building that opened in 2005. In 2004 Roger became a professor of history at WilfridLaurierUniversity. He has authored, co-authored or editted ten books.

Boyde Beck is a native of Alliston, Prince Edward Island. After completing his BA in history at the University of Prince Edward Island he completed Masters Degrees in History at QueensUniversity, where he studied with Dr. Don Schurman, and Museum Studies at the University of Toronto. He is a Curator with the Prince Edward IslandMuseum and also teaches at the University of Prince Edward Island.

David Campbell graduated with a B.A. in history from the University of Prince Edward Island and received an M.A. from the Department of Near and Middle Eastern Civilizations at the University of Toronto. He completed his doctoral studies at the University of Calgary, where he specialized in military/diplomatic history under the supervision of Dr. Tim Travers. His major area of study is the social and operational history of the Canadian Expeditionary Force during the First World War. He currently resides and teaches in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Lee Windsor studies Canadian Army history from the Second World War up to and including current missions abroad. He is a native New Brunswicker and served with two Atlantic region Canadian Forces units, the VIII Canadian Hussars and the West Nova Scotia Regiment. He is completing a manuscript on the Allied war effort in Italy in 1944. In 2007 he accompanied Canada's Task Force 1-07 for part of its time in Afghanistan and was then lead author of Kandahar Tour: Turning Point in Canada's Afghan Mission.

Brent Wilson, has worked at UNB's Centre for Conflict Studies and the Gregg Centre since 1989. He studies in the fields of contemporary international terrorism and the civil-military dimensions of peacekeeping operations. He has also conducted extensive research on the early history of the British Army's experience with counter-insurgency warfare, and the role of the New Brunswick militia in the early development of the Canadian Army. He is Co-Director of the New Brunswick Military Heritage Project and editor of vol. 10 in our book series, Hurricane Pilot: The Wartime Letters of W. O. Harry Gill, D.F.M., 1940-1943, as well as a co-author on the recently published Kandahar Tour: Turning Point in Canada's Afghan Mission