Don Gayton, ecologist and award-winning nature and science writer, is writer-in-residence at UPEI during the week of February 3-8. He is being hosted by the English Department and Environmental Studies Program, with funding from The Canada Council for the Arts.

He will give a public reading from his recent writings on Thursday, February 6, at 7:30 pm in the Confederation Centre Public Library. A reception will follow the reading, which is co-hosted by the Library.

Gayton will also give two writing workshops open to the general public on Saturday, February 8, in the UPEI Faculty Lounge, Main Building:

NATURE WRITING: Where do we go from here? (10:00 am-12:00 pm)
Nature writing traces back to Thoreau, the classical Greek writers and even beyond, but now it stands at a historic crossroads. Contemplation and oneness with nature are hallmarks of the genre, a mindset now at odds with our deepening environmental crises. Does nature writing now become a literature of protest, or of despair? In this interactive workshop, we will explore future directions for nature writers.

ECOLOGY AS LITERATURE (1:00-3:00 pm)
Writers have often turned to science for ideas and metaphors. The young science of ecology has increasing relevance to literature. Ecology embraces ambiguity, multiple states of being, and reciprocity between humans and nature. The practice of ecological restoration incorporates spirituality with science. Gayton will open up some of the concepts and paradoxes of ecology as new material for writers of fiction, non-fiction, and poetry.

Workshop fees are $25 for one workshop or $35 for both, and $15 or $25 for students and PEI Writers' Guild members. For further information about his workshops and reading, and to register for workshops, contact the English Department: 566-0389 or tjohnston@upei.ca.

Stuart McLean, radio broadcaster, humourist, and author says 'Don Gayton has the eye of a scientist and the soul of a poet.' Gayton writes in his website, 'As a reader, fiction has always been my first love, followed closely by scientific journals. So as a writer, I like to threaten the fortified boundaries of non-fiction, shouting and waving my arms. More and more I gravitate to story as our primal form of communication.' He also writes 'Science is the undiscovered country of the literary imagination.'

Gayton is the recipient of the US National Outdoor Book Award, the Canadian Science Writers Award, and the Peace Corps Travel Book Award. His books include The Wheatgrass Mechanism, Interwoven Wild, Okanagan Odyssey, and Man Facing West. His articles have appeared in Canadian Geographic, Equinox, Journal of Ecosystems and Management, among others. He is currently working on a historical novel set in the Pacific Northwest, and lives in he Okanagan Valley, where he tends his Yippe Calle Vineyard.

For information:
Dr. Richard Lemm
Winter's Tales Author Reading Series
(902) 566-0389, rlemm@upei.ca

The UPEI Panther basketball and hockey teams are partnering to proudly support the UPEI women's basketball ‘Shoot for the Cure' fundraiser. The seventh annual event takes place on Saturday, February 8 as the women's basketball team hosts CIS number two-ranked Saint Mary's Huskies at 3:00 pm.

‘Shoot for the Cure' is a national fundraising initiative by the CIS women's basketball coaches association to raise money for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, and other related charities. The campaign has been overwhelmingly successful since it first launched in 2007, with over $600,000 raised. Last season, for the second year in a row, all CIS women's basketball teams participated in the fundraiser.

The entire Panther team is involved in the local fundraising effort, with a committee led by UPEI fourth-year women's basketball players Danielle MacDonald and Jenna Jones. The fundraising goal has been set at $3,000 to be achieved through activities such as Shoot for the Cure t-shirts, paper icons, and a bake sale, a 50/50 draw, and other Panther team initiatives.

'This Saturday means a lot to me, as well as to my team, because we have all been touched by cancer in some way or another,' said Jones. 'This weekend is our way of giving back and supporting the people that have been most affected.'

MacDonald has shown wonderful personal commitment in her support for breast cancer research, pledging to cut eight inches of her hair in support of her individual fundraising activity, 'Shave for the Brave.'

'Being a part of this weekend means so much to the team and to me. Donating my hair and the money raised makes me feel like I am giving a small part back for a great cause,' said MacDonald. After the men's basketball game, player Geoff Doane will join MacDonald and shave his head in support of the cause. For more information on MacDonald's goal, visit http://www.gofundme.com/6cr3zo.

Both UPEI hockey teams are supporting the cause through their 'Pink at the Rink' promotion. The hockey teams will wear special jerseys and host fundraising activities throughout the night. Women's captain Ferran Brown and men's assistant captain Matthew Maoine will lead hockey efforts.

''Pink at the Rink' means a great deal to the women's hockey team, currently a teammate's mother is battling breast cancer and we want to support her and others that have been affected,' said Brown. 'We want to help raise funds and awareness, and show that people do not have to go through this battle alone.'

The fundraiser hits close to home for Maoine who commented, 'The reason why I am so passionate with this fundraiser is because my grandmother is a breast cancer survivor and I know how much it can impact a family, and how important it is to support this worthy cause.'

UPEI encourages all Panther fans to come out and support the men's and women's basketball and hockey fundraising initiatives and watch some great sports action! Go Panthers Go!

Saturday, February 8 schedule:
3:00 pm (W) Basketball vs. SMU
3:30 pm (W) Hockey vs. SMU
5:00 pm (M) Basketball vs. SMU
7:00 pm (M) Hockey vs. STU

For information:
Ron Annear
UPEI Athletics and Recreation
(902) 566-0991
annear@upei.ca

UPEI Panther Suzanne Nicholson was awarded the prestigious 2013-14 Atlantic University Sport Student-Athlete Community Service Award at the 2014 Subway AUS swimming championshp banquet tonight in St. John's, NL.

The Atlantic University Sport student-athlete community service awards recognize achievement in athletics, academics and community involvement.

Nicholson, from Bedford, NS, is a fourth-year business student in her fifth year of eligibility who impressed an entire province and region when she set out to swim across the Northumberland Strait this past August to raise money for the UPEI swim team. Collecting donations from her community and Panthers supporters, Nicholson raised over $11,000, taking about five hours to "conquer the strait."

'Her unstoppable team spirit and support makes Suzanne Nicholson a worthy recipient of this award,' said UPEI swim coach Bill Calhoun. 'She has always been a huge supporter of not only the swim team but all other teams on campus.'

'Suzanne is a perfect example of the commitment and pride that Panther athletes are best known for,' said UPEI Director of Athletics and Recreation Bill Schurman. 'Taking on the challenge of swimming the Northumberland Strait to help her teammates and help grow Panther Swimming speaks volumes about her character.'

Peter Gregory of the Memorial University Sea-Hawks and from St. Philips, NL is the 2013-14 AUS male student-athlete community service award recipient.

Link to the AUS news release

Congratulations, Suzanne!

UPEI Athletics and Recreation announced the details today regarding tickets for the 2014 Atlantic University Sport men's hockey playoffs that begin during the week of February 17.

The UPEI Panthers are officially guaranteed a return to the playoffs, beginning with a quarter-final, 'best of three' series. The semi-finals and finals are both 'best of five' series.

UPEI men's hockey season ticket holders have the first option to retain their seats for the playoff games played at home, however, good seating will be available to anyone looking to purchase a playoff package.

Playoff Package Options

GREEN Package: Purchase your seat(s) for entire playoffs, which could result in a maximum of eight home games, at a cost of $100 (including taxes). Should any of the eight possible home games not be required, a credit for the balance ($12.50 per game) will be issued toward your season seat(s) for the 2014-15 season.

WHITE Package: Purchase your seat(s) round by round, based on the maximum games to be played.

1. Round 1 Quarter-finals (maximum of two possible home games)
Cost $30 (including taxes)
For any home playoff game not required, a credit ($15 per game) will be issued toward your season seat(s) for the 2014-15.

2. Round 2 Semi-finals (maximum of three possible home games)
Cost $45 (including taxes)
For any home playoff game not required, a credit ($15 per game) will be issued toward your season seat(s) for the 2014-15.
Season ticket holders who may not be interested in purchasing any of the playoff package options but wish to hold their season seat(s) for 2014-15 can do so with a $50 deposit.

Playoff packages can be purchased by emailing panthersport@upei.ca, by phoning 566-0432, or in person at the following times and locations:

Saturday, February 8, CARI LOBBY-5pm until after second period of STU game
Tuesday, February 11, CHI-WAN YOUNG SPORTS CENTRE LOBBY-10am-2pm
Wednesday, February 12, CHI-WAN YOUNG SPORTS CENTRE LOBBY-10am-2pm
Thursday, February 13, CHI-WAN YOUNG SPORTS CENTRE LOBBY-10am-2pm
Friday, February 14, CARI LOBBY-6 pm until after second period of SMU game
Saturday February 15, CARI LOBBY-6 pm until after second period of StFX game

Single playoff game ticket information will be released closer to the start of the quarter-final series.

Panther Action this Weekend

Friday, February 7
7:00 pm (W) Hockey vs STU

Saturday, February 8
3:00 pm (W) Basketball vs SMU
3:30 pm (W) Hockey vs SMU
5:00 pm (M) Basketball vs SMU
7:00 pm (M) Hockey vs STU

The University of Prince Edward Island is pleased to announce that the Senate and Board of Governors have recently endorsed "UPEI Strategic Plan 2013-18," a document that will guide the University's endeavours over the next five years.

UPEI's commitment to its students and to the University's long-term sustainability is clearly outlined in the plan which is the culmination of widespread consultation among campus community members during the Future Directions visioning process and Dare to Dream initiative.

View the UPEI Strategic Plan 2013-18

A new geovisualization tool created by researchers at the University of Prince Edward Island (UPEI) and Simon Fraser University (SFU) demonstrates the effects of erosion and sea-level rise on Prince Edward Island's coastline and the potential vulnerable areas in the future. The tool, Coastal Impact Visualization Environment, or CLIVE, is a collaborative research initiative connecting UPEI's Climate Research Lab with SFU's Spatial Interface Research Lab.

'CLIVE at first looks like some sort of video game that allows you to manipulate and interact with a three-dimensional map of Prince Edward Island, but it is not a game,' said Dr. Adam Fenech, director of UPEI's Climate Research Lab. 'CLIVE allows users to interactively explore the province's coastlines and simulate sea-level rise and storm surge scenarios. It is a powerful tool.'

CLIVE brings together data from a number of sources, including LiDAR-based high-resolution digital elevation data from the province. The Island also has an outstanding record of province-wide aerial photographs that that go back as far as 1968.

'CLIVE is great exemplar of a new generation of analytical geovisualization interfaces that make important scientific models engaging, interactive and navigable,' said Dr. Hedley, director of SFU's Spatial Interface Research Lab. 'CLIVE is one of the first public communication tools to enable citizens to interactively view historical evidence, current data, and predictive models of linked coastal impacts for an entire province. We hope that CLIVE will be informative for PEI's citizens and government, supporting constructive dialogue and planning to mitigate these threats.'

CLIVE demonstrates evidence of erosion that has already occurred and paints a troubling picture for the future of the Prince Edward Island coastline.

'Our study shows that Prince Edward Island lost 20 square kilometres of land to erosion between 1968 and 2010,' said Dr. Fenech. 'At the current rate of erosion, as many as a thousand homes are vulnerable to erosion over the next 90 years.'

Dr. Fenech will do a live demonstration of CLIVE at a lecture on February 11 at 7 pm in the Amphitheatre in the Duffy Science Centre. The presentation, 'Coastal Erosion and Sea Level Rise-Preparing for Prince Edward Island's Future,' will discuss how our buildings, roads, communities bridges will be affected by coastal erosion and sea-level rise.

For information:

Dave Atkinson, Research Communications, UPEI
(902) 620-5117, datkinson@upei.ca

Carol Thorbes, Information Officer, SFU
(778) 782-3035, cthorbes@sfu.ca

The University of Prince Edward Island, along with the PEI Department of Education and Early Childhood Development and the PEI Department of Health and Wellness, released today the results of the 2012-13 School Health Action Planning and Evaluation System (SHAPES-PEI) Provincial Student Health Profile. SHAPES-PEI gathers information from students in grades 5 through 12 about healthy eating, physical activity, mental fitness, and bullying. This is the third release of data since SHAPES-PEI began in 2008 and is the first time the team included bullying questions in its survey.

'After three rounds of data collection, we are better able to consider if there are notable trends in our data,' said Dr. Donna Murnaghan, principal investigator of SHAPES-PEI and adjunct professor of nursing at UPEI. 'For example, the 2012 data, consistent with that from 2008 and 2010, show that close to two-thirds of students in PEI schools report having high levels of mental fitness, while there are a third of students who continue to struggle with their mental fitness. This is very concerning as our 2012 data also shows that 26 per cent of students reported being bullied and 9% reported bullying others in the last 30 days. Bullying has a profound effect on both a student's mental fitness and the learning environment. Students who are bullied stay away from school; they are more likely to drop out, have difficulties concentrating, and often obtain lower levels of academic achievement.'

'The information collected through SHAPES reflects students' health and wellness at school as well as their experiences in the home and in the community,' said Sterling Carruthers, School Health Specialist for the PEI Department of Education and Early Childhood Development. 'It is important that we consider how a student's mental fitness level, their experiences with bullying and how they feel about themselves, has an impact on other health behaviours such as healthy eating and physical activity.'

Highlights from the 2012-13 SHAPES-PEI survey include:

70 per cent of students report high levels of mental fitness (up from 66 per cent in 2008)
26 per cent of students reported being bullied (verbal, cyber, or physical) in the 30 days prior to the survey
70 per cent of students are considered to be in a healthy weight category for their age, however 27 per cent are still considered overweight or obese (unchanged from 2010)
36 per cent of students reported eating fruit or vegetables more than six times the day before the survey (down from 42 per cent in 2008)
18 per cent of students reported eating high fat/sugary/salty snacks or drinks more than seven times the day before the survey (down from 30 per cent in 2008).
'There is a strong connection between healthy students and achievement,' said Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development Alan McIsaac. 'The information gathered through SHAPES allows our school communities to monitor health behaviours over time and engage in conversations with students, teachers, parents and community partners. Our priority is to ensure all students have access to the necessary programs and supports to succeed in school and in life.'

'The information from this report will help inform our department as we continue to develop programming and policies to help Islanders live healthier lives and a comprehensive wellness strategy for the province,' said Minister of Health and Wellness Doug Currie. 'We look forward to working with UPEI and the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development in the future to continue our efforts to improve the health of youth in PEI.'

'I cannot stress enough how important it is to have the cooperation and support of the provincial government in SHAPES-PEI,' said Dr. Murnaghan. 'PEI is unique among provinces to have such comprehensive, locally relevant data on the health of its students. This is data that researchers can use, but it can also give schools and policy-makers information with which to make sound decisions.'

SHAPES-PEI is implemented in collaboration with the national Youth Smoking Survey (YSS), funded by Health Canada, which collects data from Island students on tobacco, drug, and alcohol use. The provincial tobacco, drug, and alcohol use results, collected by the YSS in conjunction with the SHAPES-PEI survey, is expected to be officially released by Health Canada in June 2014.

Full copies of the 2012-13 SHAPES-PEI Provincial Student Health Profile are available by request, or by visiting www.upei.ca/cshr/SHAPES or www.gov.pe.ca/healthyschoolcommunities.

For information:

Dave Atkinson, Research Communications, UPEI
(902) 620-5117, datkinson@upei.ca

Katie MacDonald, Communications, PEI Department of Education and Early Childhood Development
(902) 314-3996, katiemacdonald@gov.pe.ca

April Winchester, Communications, PEI Department of Health and Wellness
(902) 368-5512, awinchester@gov.pe.ca

The UPEI Department of Athletics and Recreation is excited to confirm that Lewis Page is returning for his 15th year as head coach for UPEI Men's Soccer as the University gets set to host the 2014 CIS Men's Soccer Championship from November 6 to 9.

During the 2013-14 season, Page led both the men's and women's programs in a combined role as full-time head coach and director of operations while on a leave of absence from the provincial government. Page has now returned to his government position and has decided to focus solely on coaching the men's team in order to prepare the Panthers for an important season.

'2014 will be a huge year for UPEI soccer. Hosting the CIS national championship is an honour and also a challenge which we look forward to. We are pleased that Lewis has made the decision and commitment to focus 100 per cent of his efforts on coaching the men's program,' said UPEI Athletics and Recreation Director Bill Schurman.

Coach Page is also looking forward to the 2014 season, 'I am excited about next season. We have a strong core of returning senior players, and a great crop of young players who gained valuable experience last season. The team is poised for a great run at a national championship.'

With Page's commitment limited to coaching, UPEI is in the midst of seeking individuals to lead both the recruitment and business operational functions for the men's and women's programs, as well as to coach the women's team.

A meeting will be held in the near future for student-athletes wishing to tryout for the UPEI Men's Soccer team.

For information:
Ron Annear
UPEI Athletics and Recreation
(902) 566-0991
annear@upei.ca

The UPEI Panther Athletes of the Week for the week of February 3-9 are Keirstin Visser, Women's Hockey; and Zachary Laustsen, Swimming. UPEI Athletics and Recreation showcases these talented athletes in order to recognize their hard work and dedication to their respective sports throughout the season. UPEI Athletes of the Week are also nominated to Atlantic University Sport and Canadian Interuniversity Sport for possible recognition in the region and/or country.

Who: Keirstin Visser, Women's Hockey; and Zachary Laustsen, Swimming

What: UPEI Panther Athletes of the Week

When: Week of February 3-9

Why: Keirstin Visser, a fourth-year science student from Crapaud, PEI, is stalwart on the blue line for the UPEI Women's Hockey Panthers. During last week's three games, the team had only five goals against in regulation time, a tribute to Visser's strong defensive play. With the women's team now having secured a playoff position, Visser will be relied upon for her solid 'D' and leadership both on and off the ice.

Zachary Laustsen, a second-year arts student from Lower Sackville, NS, had strong swim performances at the 2014 AUS Swimming Championship hosted by Memorial University. Highlights included seventh place finishes in both the 200 IM and 100 Fly. Laustsen also won the consolation in the 200 fly, and reached the consolation final in 50 Fly.

Visser and Laustsen will be recognized at this week's UPEI Athletes of the Week Celebration on Thursday, February 13 at 12:45 pm in the W.A. Murphy Student Centre's McMillan Hall. All are welcome.

Zachary Laustsen, Swimming

Panther Action this week:

Friday, February 15
7:00 pm (W) Hockey @ Mount Allison
7:30 pm (M) Hockey vs. Saint Mary's

Saturday, February 16
6:00 pm (W) Basketball @ Memorial
7:00 pm (M) Hockey vs. Saint Francis Xavier
8:00 pm (M) Basketball @ Memorial

Sunday, February 17
11:00 am (W) Basketball @ Memorial
1:00 pm (M) Basketball @ Memorial

Go Panthers Go!

For information:
Ron Annear
UPEI Athletics and Recreation
(902) 566-0991, annear@upei.ca

The official launch of IslandNewspapers.ca, a fully searchable online archive of digitized Island historic newspapers and newspaper history, took place today at the Confederation Centre Art Gallery.

The project is a collaborative partnership consisting of the UPEI Robertson Library, The Guardian, the PEI Public Archives and Records Office, and UPEI's Hacker-in-Residence Peter Rukavina. The UPEI Library's ongoing islandarchives.ca digitization initiative, of which this project is a part, is made possible by the generous support of a number of individual and institutional donors, including the St. Dunstan's University Board of Governors and alumni, James Simpson Palmer, and the Prince of Wales College Alumni Association.

'The online tool currently contains The Guardian content from 1890-1957, and as the project gets underway, additional newspaper titles and content will be added each year,' said UPEI Librarian Mark Leggott. 'UPEI is very excited to officially launch this search tool which is just one example of projects we have been able to provide based partly on this history of giving."

The online tool is available, free of charge, through any computer with a web browser. The project partners expect that broad access to the site will be reflected by widespread use, and this has been a key consideration in selecting The Guardian as the first newspaper for inclusion in islandnewspapers.ca. Following the trend seen in most Canadian provinces, the PEI capital city's largest daily newspaper -The Guardian - has established itself over time as the provincial paper of record. A byproduct of The Guardian's efforts to be a newspaper with the broadest possible appeal is a uniquely wide-ranging and diverse record of Island life.

Now anyone with an interest in the Island's past-be they a professional scholar, a genealogist, a community historian, a student, or a simply curious browser-has free online access to this record, freed from the confines of decayed newsprint or faded microfilm.

'Christmas has come early for people interested in PEI history and culture. Thanks to this wonderful digitalization project, old newspapers have gotten a new lease on life, as they are now literally just a click away on a computer keyboard,' said Gary MacDougall, managing editor of The Guardian. 'This is a marvelous project and it's free and available to everyone from my six-year-old granddaughter in Hartsville to my wife's 95-year-old aunt in Belfast. The people at the Robertson Library, and all their supporters, deserve a huge debt of thanks from the public.'

Notwithstanding the importance of The Guardian, the project partners fully appreciate the rich diversity of PEI's newspaper culture, and look forward to adding titles to islandnewspapers.ca in future, as funding and resources allow. With this in mind, a key component of the islandnewpapers.ca site is the 'Donate' page, where users can learn more about how they can help grow the islandnewspapers.ca digitized collections in future.