UPEI's Advancing Interdisciplinary Research in Singing (AIRS) is partnering with Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada on a seven-year Major Collaborative Research Initiative. AIRS is conducting a research study on how singing abilities develop and change over lifetimes and is seeking assistance from the community.

This particular study is looking for approximately 150 participants, over the age of five, with no singing experience necessary. All are welcome to participate. Participants of this study will come away with a new perspective on singing and will contribute to a growing body of cutting-edge research-the advancement of knowledge in the area of human development and singing.

Participants will take part in a short singing interview called the 'AIRS Test Battery of Singing Skills.' To learn more about this area of research, it is crucial to study examples of people singing, and it is important that people of all ages and varying levels of singing experience and musical background be studied. The study will take approximately 30 minutes and participants will be entered into a draw for great prizes upon completion of the interview. This is a great opportunity for music lovers to support UPEI research!

To participate in the study, contact the AIRS team at (902) 566-6023 or airstest@upei.ca. For more information on the study, visit http://www.airsplace.ca/airstest.

For more information about AIRS contact Dr. Annabel Cohen (AIRS Project Director) at (902) 628-4325, or airscohen@upei.ca.

The UPEI women's soccer team will add some familiar faces to the bench this season. With only Mike Redmond returning as head coach, the Panthers will add assistant coaches Graeme MacDonald and John O'Brien, as well as former Panthers Gini Lisi and Sara Stewart.

Both MacDonald and O'Brien will bring a wealth of experience to the team and are looking forward to the upcoming season. MacDonald brings over 10 years of extensive coaching experience gained through his soccer career in Scotland, where he coached two professional soccer clubs-the St Mirren Football Club of the Scottish Premier League, and the Greenock Morton Football Club of the Scottish Football League First Division. MacDonald has also worked for the Scottish Football Association.

O'Brien was first introduced to soccer back in Ireland and he continued playing the sport following his immigration to Canada at the age of 13. The highlight of his playing career came as a member of the University of New Brunswick's soccer team where he won two AUS championships in 1980 and 1982, as well as a CIS national championship in 1980. He continues to play and has been coaching various levels including club, school, provincial all-star, and Canada Games for the past 16 years. O'Brien has worked with Redmond in the past on a number of provincial all-star teams and with the 2009 Canada Games women's squad.

'I'm excited to be joining a UPEI team that is a perennial contender in the AUS, and one that is regularly considered to be among the best in the country,' said O'Brien. 'I hope to bring some of my experience as a coach and a former AUS player to the team, and be able to contribute along with the rest of the coaching staff to another successful season.'

Former players Lisi and Stewart have both been solid players in UPEI women's soccer history. Lisi is known as one of the most physical players to have ever worn the green and white jersey, and UPEI captain Stewart, a former UPEI Athlete of the Year, and CIS All-Canadian, is known as a solid defender who improved season after season. They will bring their Panther pride to the field every day and push players to reach the AUS and CIS championships.

'I'm ecstatic to be a part of the UPEI women's soccer coaching staff this year. I knew I wasn't ready to let the team go, so when Mike asked me to coach I said ‘of course,'' said Stewart. 'I'm so excited for the upcoming season, and although it's going to be a very different squad this year, having lost four or five key players, there's a lot of great players returning, so I hope that they have worked extra hard this summer to step up and fill those empty spots. Hopefully this will be the year UPEI takes home its second AUS championship.'

The Panthers will begin the season by hosting the Mulligan Cup August 30-September 2, with the regular season kicking off on September 8, as UPEI hosts Mount Allison at 2:00 pm.

The University of Prince Edward Island would like to welcome all participants and parents to the 2012 Legion Canadian Youth Track and Field Championships August 15-21 hosted on UPEI's campus.

The annual event welcomes approximately 800 of the best young athletes from across the country who will compete in the track and field meet organized by a group of 100 experienced volunteers. The national championships are divided into two sections-one section consisting of the two-day meet, and the second of the two days devoted to training clinics for the athletes. The rest of the time is spent on presentations, tours, and travel.

The championships are sanctioned by Athletics Canada and are the official Canadian championships for the midget and youth track and field categories. Athletics Canada conducts the training clinics and uses some of Canada's top coaches to instruct and inspire the young athletes.

Best of luck to all participants, enjoy yourselves, and welcome to Prince Edward Island!

For more information on the championships, visit http://www.legion.ca/Sports/2012_Main_e.cfm

The University of Prince Edward Island was recently awarded two national silver awards from the Canadian Council for the Advancement of Education (CCAE): 'Best Print Ad or Poster' and 'Best Photograph.'

The CCAE Prix d'Excellence awards program recognizes outstanding achievements in alumni affairs, public affairs, communications, marketing, development, advancement services, stewardship, student recruitment, and overall institutional advancement.

'It's an honour to be nationally recognized by the CCAE for the creativity of our talented team at UPEI,' said Glenda Clements, Director of Integrated Communications. 'The creative thinking and production excellence recognized by these awards demonstrates that our promotional materials reflect the quality of UPEI's programs and the UPEI student experience that we are so privileged to support.'

The silver award-winning poster, designed by members of Integrated Communications and Research Services, was developed to promote 'The Debt of the Western Civilization to the United States of America' discussion which was part of the 'Research on Tap' series. The poster conveyed a stimulating message promoting the event's provocative speaker, Dr. Richard Kurial, a UPEI professor of history, challenging participants to engage in dialogue on the topic. Judges appreciated the design rationale, one saying the poster 'did a terrific job of conveying the event's theme and engaging the viewer.'

'Knee Deep in Frogs' was the title of the winning photo, also at the silver level. Taken by UPEI photography for the cover story of a nine-page tabloid-style publication, the photo featured researcher, Ashleigh Allen, a recipient of an Undergraduate Student Research Award, peering through an aquarium that contained her research subjects-a rare Nigerian frog species. The publication was distributed in Prince Edward Island to update the Island community on recent significant successes among UPEI students, staff and faculty, researchers and alumni. Because of careful preparation prior to shooting, the photo required very little post-production editing and the image retained great realism. The judges commented that the photo had a nice attention to detail and that 'it was much stronger than an average research shot.'

UPEI has previously been recognized by CCAE, winning Prix d'Excellence gold awards in 2010 for 'Best Student Recruitment Viewbook' (for its 2009-10 edition), and for 'Best Community Outreach Program' for the Dr. Tim Ogilvie AVC Vet Camp. Last year, UPEI was awarded three silver CCAE awards for 'Best New Idea: Creativity on a Shoestring' for its 'Win with UPEI' contest; 'Best Annual Fund Initiative' for the UPEI Annual Fund Campaign; and 'Best Community Outreach' for the Atlantic Veterinary College's Community Workshop Series.

More about the CCAE:

Public-and-private sector leaders from across the country will gather at UPEI this week for a discussion about policy and practice with regards to immigration in Canada. The third annual Palmer Conference on Public Sector Leadership meets August 15 and 16.

The Palmer Conference is named in honour of public-policy advocate James S. Palmer, a prominent Calgary-based lawyer of the firm Burnet, Duckworth, and Palmer, and native Prince Edward Islander. The Palmer Conference gathers the finest minds in the country to discuss issues of high priority to the public sector and to Canada. This year's theme is 'Canada as a Leader in Immigration Policy and Practice.'

The conference's keynote speaker, Naheed Nenshi, mayor of Calgary, will address the conference on Wednesday evening. His talk, designed to engage conference participants and inspire the two-day dialogue, is entitled 'The Promise of Diversity in Canada' and will reflect his experience as both a child of immigrants and the mayor of an increasingly diverse city. He will discuss the value of smart immigration that considers the people our cities need, the programs that will help, and the policy that will reflect the best interest of all Canadians.

The conference continues on Thursday with three high-level panel discussions on different issues of immigration policy. Jane Taber, political journalist with The Globe and Mail, will moderate a discussion entitled 'Lessons Learned from Provincial/Regional/Municipal Programs.' Natasha Fatah, journalist with CBC and former host of the program, Promised Land, will moderate a discussion on 'Integration and Settlement, Economic and Social.' Monique Collette, former president of ACOA and senior advisor of the Privy Council Office, will moderate a discussion on 'Challenges and Rewards for Public Servants Working in Immigration.'

Conference Chair Wade MacLauchlan, former president of the University of Prince Edward Island, said the Palmer Conference is leading the discourse on issues of public sector leadership in Canada. 'The Palmer Conference is the home of big ideas, but it's also a forum for turning those ideas into big action,' said MacLauchlan. 'At the inaugural conference in 2010, we discussed public servants and their relationship with both politicians and the media; in 2011, the Palmer Conference theme was a Canadian energy strategy. This year, you see some of the brightest minds in the country coming together to discuss Canada's leadership in immigration policy and practice.'

The conference agenda is designed to encourage engaged dialogue and to reflect a diversity of opinion. For more information, visit palmerconference.ca.

About the Palmer Conference

The UPEI Sports Hall of Fame committee is pleased to announce that it will induct UPEI basketball star Jennifer Moore (née Johnston), and UPEI's football defensive star Hubert 'Socky' MacDonald on Thursday, October 11, during the UPEI Sport Legacy Dinner.

Johnston played basketball at UPEI for five years and is one of only three female basketball Panthers to be named an AUS MVP, others include Paula Edwards and Janet Nichols. Johnston was a three-time AUS all-star, and in 1998-99, was named a second-team CIS All-Canadian. She played a key role in the Panthers winning the AUS championship in 1997-98.

MacDonald was a football standout, playing five years for the Panthers and winning awards for each of those years. In 1975-76, he was named Rookie of the Year, followed by being named all-conference defensive back for the next three consecutive years. In 1979-80, he finished his football career at UPEI and was recognized as the University's Male Athlete of the Year.

The 2012 UPEI Sports Hall of Fame induction will form part of the annual Sports Legacy Dinner where Academic All-Canadians from the last varsity season and named award winners are also celebrated. The dinner takes place on Thursday, October 11, in the W.A. Murphy Student Centre's McMillan Hall. Tickets for this year's celebration are available for purchase by the general public for $75 each by contacting UPEI Athletics and Recreation at (902) 566-0432. A tax receipt will be issued for the non-meal portion, and all proceeds from the event will go towards the Panther Endowment Fund.

The UPEI Sports Hall of Fame was founded in 2001 to recognize individuals who have made significant contributions to the athletic programs at the University of Prince Edward Island, St. Dunstan's University, or Prince of Wales College. Each year, individual athletes, teams, and builders are inducted to honour their contributions towards the University's athletic success or community leadership. Those who have been inducted to date are:

Curtis Robinson, Glen Miller, Tracy McGee, Dick Tingley, Dr. William 'Bill' Stanish, Janet Rogers, UPEI Men's Basketball 1985-1986, Dr. Frank Garrity, Dr. Kathie McNally, Richard Little, 1983 UPEI Men's Soccer Panthers, Brian Chandler, Dave Shellington, Libby O'Brien (Baldwin), Mike Lyriotokis, 1952 SDU Rugby Team, Debbie White-Lamont, Ed Hilton, Gil Collins, Wilfred MacDonald, 1943-46 Prince of Wales College Hockey Line, 1964-65 SDU Hockey Team, Dave 'Hermie' MacNeill, Glenn Smiley, Tracy MacEachern, 1988-89 Women's Basketball Team, A.J. MacAdam, Alan Spink, Dr. Vincent Grant, Jim Foley, Mike Kelly, 1946-47 Hockey Team (Maritime Champions), Jack Reardon, Mac Beck, Paula Edwards (Kovinksy), and Peter Gordon.

Anyone with an interest in UPEI, SDU, or PWC athletics is invited to submit nominations. To do so, please contact UPEI Athletics & Recreation's website at gopanthersgo.ca.

The UPEI men's basketball team is excited to announce that six-foot-six forward Sammy Opel has committed to the Panthers for the upcoming season. Opel joins the team from Nairobi, Kenya, where he was captain of his high school basketball team that won both the Kenyan Secondary Schools Championship and the East African Title.

Head Coach Tim Kendrick is very pleased with the new addition. 'We are thrilled to add a player of Sammy's potential to our roster. We have been in contact with him for several months, and think that he will be a great fit for our program,' said Kendrick. 'He appears to be a very good young man, and we are certainly looking forward to his arrival on campus.'

Opel is anxious to get to Prince Edward Island and to the University. 'I want to bring all of my hard work and talent to UPEI. I am thrilled and grateful to the University, and to Coach Kendrick, for giving me the honour of playing for the Panthers,' he said. 'I will give my best to my studies and to my team.'

The Panthers begin the exhibition season by hosting the Mickey Place Basketball Tournament, October 12-14, with teams from across Canada competing in the event. Season passes are now on sale which include admission to the tournament, contact (902) 566-0432 or pantherpass@upei.ca.

The Advancing Interdisciplinary Research in Singing (AIRS) project will hold its fourth annual meeting and international conference from August 22 to 24 at the University of Prince Edward Island. More than 50 participants and researchers representing institutions from more than a dozen countries will be at the University for a packed, three-day schedule dedicated to the sharing of ideas, research findings, and music.

'Our schedule is so overflowing with regards to our three main research themes that even our mealtimes are filled with presentations and singing,' said Dr. Annabel Cohen, Director of the AIRS project. 'Three years into this project, outstanding researchers from many disciplines are working together to advance our understanding of what, at a first glance, is a seemingly simple subject matter: singing.'

The public is invited to participate in the official opening of the conference, from 4:30-5:30 pm on Wednesday, August 22 in McDougall Hall 246. The opening will include an overview of the research project and regional partnerships (for example, Culture PEI, Music PEI, Veterans Affairs Canada, Alzheimer's Society) plus vocal performances of several songs, including a presentation by the Young at Heart Musical Theatre group.

The public is also invited Wednesday from 7:30-9:00 pm for the 'Celebration of Singing' concert in the Steele Recital Hall, organized by Sung-Ha Shin-Bouey, Associate Professor of Music, featuring performances by many talented AIRS researchers, as well as some well-known PEI musicians.

The second day of the conference will allow participants to explore the three main themes of AIRS through 15-minute presentations from individual researchers and research teams. The first theme is singing and development.

'There are thousands of research papers dedicated to how humans develop the ability to speak,' said Dr. Cohen, 'but there are only a few dozen with regards to how we learn to sing. And yet, it's something we can all do, in every culture on the planet. AIRS is working to broaden that area of research and to ultimately share knowledge that can benefit society and the welfare of individuals.'

To aid in this goal, Dr. Cohen's research team has developed the AIRS Test Battery-an automated, online test, created with the assistance of post-doctoral fellow Dr. Bing-Yi Pan, to gather data about singing that can be used by researchers around the world.

The second research theme of AIRS is singing and education. Presentations on this topic include research by June Countryman, Assistant Professor of Music, and Dr. Martha Gabriel, Associate Professor of Education, about how children use informal chants and songs on the school playground to learn musical literacies.

Presentations on AIRS's third theme, singing and well-being, will focus on singing's role toward a cross-cultural understanding. One of the projects within this theme is the 'AIRS Quadcultural Songbook,' created with the assistance of UPEI student Kelly Gillis, which compiles music from Brazil, Canada, China, and Kenya. The project examines the benefits of incorporating these materials into Grade V classes in those four countries as studied over the last year.

'We have research from Portugal which shows that children who learn the traditional songs of one of the smaller marginalized cultural groups of that country, gain a better attitude toward that group,' said Dr. Cohen.

AIRS is a major collaborative research initiative funded by SSHRC to explore development, education, and well-being with regards to singing.

Two new assistant coaches for UPEI men's hockey know all too well what it means to be a Panther. Former players Josh Patterson and Devan Praught will join head coach Forbes MacPherson and assistant coach Kenny MacDougall for the 2012-13 season.

MacPherson believes both additions will connect immediately with the team, injecting their youth and enthusiasm. 'Both Josh and Devan are in the early stages of their coaching careers but offer some valuable assets contributing to our coaching staff and program,' he said. 'Josh was a former captain and has tremendous passion for UPEI, while Devan has been very active in coaching youth on the Island.'

Patterson played four seasons for the Panthers notching 31 goals and 41 assists during his UPEI career. After graduating, he then went on to play one season with the Central Hockey League's Oklahoma City Blazers in 2008-09.

'I have watched the program and team grow over the past few years under Coach Macpherson's direction,' said Patterson. 'It is an exciting opportunity for me to be a part of a coaching staff at this level of hockey and I can't wait to get started.'

Praught finished off his Canadian Interuniversity Sport hockey eligibility at UPEI this past year with eight goals and 14 assists. He is currently heading into his final year of the education program and played hockey previously for four seasons with the St. Thomas Tommies.

'I'm really excited about staying on board with the Panthers,' said Praught. 'I look forward to working with the coaching staff as we strive to build on the successes that the UPEI hockey program has experienced over the past few years.'

The UPEI men's hockey team begins their regular season on Friday, October 12, when they host rival Université de Moncton at 7:00 pm. Seasons seats are now on sale by visiting gopanthersgo.ca.

Devan Praught finished off his CIS eligibility at UPEI and will become a new assistant coach for the 2012–13 season.

UPEI women's hockey head coach Bruce Donaldson is pleased to announce that Lance Jones will join him behind the bench as assistant coach.

'Lance has had a strong history working with young female hockey players on PEI,' said Donaldson. 'He will bring experience and a strong work ethic to the program, which will help the team successfully defend our AUS championship title.'

Jones has coached minor hockey for over 20 years, including North River Midget AAA for six years and Pownal Midget AAA for two years. He has also coached the Holland College women's hockey team and, most recently, the Mid-Isle Midget AA girls' hockey team.

Jones, who works as a supervisor in the City of Charlottetown Public Works department, is eager to get started with the team. 'I'm excited for the opportunity and challenge to coach at this level,' he said. 'I'm looking forward to coaching with Bruce, Chris, and Zoe, and hope to help build on the success realized by the Panther program last year.'

The Panthers will look to repeat last year's fairytale season that saw them go into the playoffs 13-10-1, and where they clinched the AUS championship beating league favourites St. FX X-Women in the semifinal. On Friday, October 19 at 7:00 pm, they will faceoff against St. FX in their home opener at MacLauchlan Arena. In a pre-game ceremony, the women will raise their AUS banner. Season passes are now on sale and can be purchased at gopanthersgo.ca.