UPEI Magazine Fall 2013

UPEI magazine Fall 2013

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Unparalleled Expertise Dr. Ian Gardner, Canada Excellence Research Chair in Aquatic Epidemiology, leads a team of researchers focused on ensuring healthy sources of food for a hungry planet.

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UPEI’s Climate Research Lab Creating a centre for climate research capacity at UPEI

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Student as Scholar Teaching students through exploration and discovery

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Crowd-sourced Data Using the Internet to gather data from the public

people

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excellence

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impact

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contents

In this issue ...

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message from the president “Your continued commitment will define our success.”

CONGRATULATIONS, CLASS OF 2013 UPEI celebrates its largest convocation ever, as over 960 students graduate.

Good news Awards, accomplishments, initiatives—the University community engages, contributes, and excels.

Unparalleled Expertise Dr. Ian Gardner, Canada Excellence Research Chair in Aquatic Epidemiology, leads an exceptional research team.

UPEI’s Climate Research Lab Dr. Adam Fenech builds capacity for research excellence in climate change and adaptation.

Student as Scholar Faculty members provide experiential and active learning opportunities for students.

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Crowd-sourced Data The public assists UPEI researchers investigating PEI’s iconic flower and our urban foxes.

Development and Alumni Engagement The University recognizes the accomplishments of alumni and the support of donors.

celebration of Founders UPEI congratulates its 2013 Founders, and the recipients of the Honourable Eugene F. Whalen Green Hat Award.

mACLAUCHLAN PLAZA DEDICATION President Emeritus H. Wade MacLauchlan, CM is honoured during plaza-naming ceremony.

People . Excellence . Impact Efforts, achievements, and results—UPEI makes a difference at home and abroad.

Athletics and Recreation Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) names 73 CIS Academic All-Canadian student athletes at UPEI!

UPEI Magazine is published by the University of Prince Edward Island and is coordinated and produced by Integrated Communications.

Contributors:

Photos:

Dave Atkinson, Rebecca Gass, Cathy Gillan, Sheila Kerry, Anna MacDonald, Nicole Phillips Shelley Ebbett, Hailey Lambe, Keegan Marr, Brent Mitton, Mike Needham, John Sylvester Photography

All correspondence: Integrated Communications, University of Prince Edward Island 550 University Avenue, Charlottetown, PE, Canada C1A 4P3 Tel: (902) 566-0947 Fax: (902) 566-0917 Email: magazine@upei.ca Address changes: (902) 628-4354 or rbarbour@upei.ca If undeliverable in Canada, please return to address above.

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2012 (and previous years) Nexus yearbooks are available from the UPEI Student Union. Contact 566-0530 to arrange for pick-up or delivery.

Yearbooks are free to all graduates.

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message from the president

With the 2013–14 academic year well underway, UPEI President and Vice-Chancellor Alaa Abd-El-Aziz reflects on the need to maintain momentum for UPEI’s vision. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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hen I arrived at UPEI, I was told that this University “punches above its weight.” The people I met and what I learned impressed me and backed up this claim. I was excited by the expressed and urgent need to chart a course for UPEI’s future. This opportunity—to help lead UPEI toward a strong, sustainable future—is what drew me to this University. It is a goal to which I remain wholeheartedly committed.

To achieve this, we must challenge ourselves to examine how UPEI can distinguish itself within post-secondary education and take the right steps to turn ideas into action. We need to continuously explore what and how we teach so our students reach their full potential in the classroom and community. We also need to better identify how we can leverage our intimate learning environment, as it is a considerable asset.

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These challenges are not new. Due to strong enrolment increases in Canadian post-secondary education during the ’80s and ’90s, as well as the need for repair and modernization of Canada’s higher learning institutions, college and university expenditures have more than doubled in our country in the past two decades. Combine funding shortfalls with, in our case, a shrinking population of universityaged students in the Maritime region (a predicted decrease of 34,900 18- to 24-year-olds by 2025) and increased competition, and the scenario becomes increasingly difficult. UPEI continues to attract both graduate and international students at rates well above the regional average. However, tactics to grow our undergraduate university enrolment—such as more targeted recruitment approaches and the development of unique programming, including a proposed engineering degree—are being put in motion to keep our numbers strong.

I believe UPEI can continuously surprise people with the calibre of its people and programs. My vision for our University is rooted in exploring possibilities and pursuing potential—at both the individual and institutional levels. Within UPEI we are aware of the strong programs and experiences we can provide, and the contributions we can make. But quite simply, not enough people outside of UPEI know what we have to offer.

UPEI’s focus, as outlined in our strategic vision, provides a roadmap to strengthening our University so that it thrives over the long term. This roadmap is intended to keep us studentfocused, to support the development of processes—such as strategic enrolment management—that are needed to enable us to succeed, and to challenge us to make the best choices in the context of our larger environment.

The large, mounting pressures related to sustainability, which we and many of Canada’s universities are facing, are critical. But they cannot distract us from pursuing our vision. We cannot “hold off” on strategic decisions and investments until the storm passes.

We must maintain our momentum as achieving our vision is key to mitigating many of our external challenges.

This focus also anchors us in the awareness that we cannot make decisions in isolation. We need to leverage our strengths to sustain UPEI for the long term rather than sacrifice areas of potential for short-term gains. There is no silver bullet to a challenge this complicated. It may sound easy when people simplify it by suggesting that we “do this” or “do

that,” but universities are complex and dynamic organizations. The issues UPEI and other universities confront are tough ones. We are in a time of change in which budgets are difficult, student needs and expectations are diverse, and costly technology is tied to everything. We cannot afford to be complacent or continue to do things as they have always been done. This is not an option. We must work to meet challenges and make responsible decisions that best contribute to our students, employees, and communities into the future.

Since joining UPEI, I am most proud of the efforts made to discuss these difficult topics in an open and collegial manner on campus. There is no doubt that the conversations can be hard and frustrating at times. But I am proud of the effort that many continue to make to discuss these challenges and work towards solutions when, frankly, it would be easier in the short term to not deal with them or leave them as “status quo.” This would not be a responsible or accountable option.

In the weeks and months ahead, I am eager to work together to advance our University’s strategic planning efforts to date and to continuously identify opportunities to build upon our strengths. We must also identify sources of new revenue, endeavour to promote UPEI from within, and work closely with our government partners to shape the future of higher learning.

I offer sincere thanks to our faculty, staff, and students, as well as the many other stakeholders who have contributed their support, time, and expertise to help move UPEI toward a strong, sustainable future. Your continued commitment will define our success.

m e s s a g e f rCoomn vtohce a pt ri oe n s i d2 e0 n1 3t

2013 Class of e lass of h t o t of th e C s r e We lco m e b m 60 m e 013, e o ve r 9 ay 11, 2 m M o n lc O e . w y to fa m il ni p leas e d s o cia tio n 0 0 0 a lum s , 0 A 2 We a re i n n m a I Alu m o re th and our UPE o rk of w t e n o n n ec te d 2013 to c t n y a a t t r s o p y ou to ive e d a n im e in vite e a p os it W k a . y ou jo in s m ie l r il t coun a tio n w e r fifty p a rticip e iv t c fro m o v a y. ur Un ive rs it UPEI. Yo r h u it o y w o d in vo lve e and t ur fu tur o y o t e c diffe re n A '93 vis o n , B a D tio n .

H e Bruc i Ass o cia n m lu A t, UPEI Pres ide n

UPEI Congratulates Record Number of Graduates at 2013 Convocation Over 960 graduates and their proud families and friends gathered to celebrate in the Chi-Wan Young Sports Centre at two ceremonies held on May 11, 2013. Both events were led by Chancellor William E. (Bill) Andrew and featured remarks by President and Vice-Chancellor Alaa Abd-El-Aziz.

The Governor General’s Medal (graduate) was awarded to Doctor of Philosophy degree recipient Fernanda Dórea of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and the Governor General’s Medal (undergraduate) went to Bachelor of Science–Honours degree recipient John Paul Larkin.

UPEI is proud to recognize all degree, diploma, and certificate recipients!

During the Convocation proceedings, honorary degrees were conferred upon environmental expert and volunteer Diane Griffin, science educator and entrepreneur Regis Duffy, humanitarian and community activist Marie Burge, and business leader and volunteer Fred Hyndman.

To view additional photos from Convocation 2013, visit upei.ca/convocationphotos/2013

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good news . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Good News

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Executive MBA Summer Speaker Series Eliza MacLauchlan, seated, second from left

UPEI Student Spends Six Weeks Volunteering in Guatemala Eliza MacLauchlan, an arts student and varsity field hockey player at UPEI, spent six weeks this past summer volunteering in Guatemala. MacLauchlan is the fifth student from UPEI to be selected to represent Canada in the last four years for the 66th International Seminar, supported by the World University Service of Canada (WUSC), and managed by the Uniterra program.

From July 8–August 19, MacLauchlan joined five other Canadian students and 12 Guatemalan students for the seminar with the theme of “The impact of volunteerism on sustainable development in Guatemala.” MacLauchlan worked with three different communities to observe how Guatemalans, specifically women, are making an economic impact in their communities.

Jo-Anne Doyle Knysh, an alumna of the University of Prince Edward Island (BBA’80), was the guest speaker at a gathering of past and present Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA) students held at UPEI’s Don and Marion McDougall Hall on July 29, 2013.

Knysh was raised in Sherwood, PEI, and following graduation, she worked in Toronto for eight years as an employee of Clarkson Gordon (now Ernst and Young). Since 1989 Knysh has pursued her career with multinational corporation Apple Inc. in the San Francisco Bay area. She is currently responsible for the sales incentive compensation strategy at Apple. During her presentation, Knysh shared the story of her journey from Sherwood to Silicon Valley, and discussed the experience of working at Apple under the creative vision of Steve Jobs and now with CEO Tim Cook.

Because of MacLauchlan’s continued commitment to community service and athletic endeavours, she was recently recognized as the 2013–14 Atlantic University Sport’s “Most Outstanding Player” in field hockey for her achievements on the pitch, in the classroom, and in the community.

UPEI’s EMBA program is now in its sixth year with 78 students currently working towards their credentials. Graduates of the program are employed in management and leadership capacities in both the public and private sectors. To learn more about UPEI’s EMBA program, visit upei.ca/mba, email mba@upei.ca, or contact Grace McCourt at (902) 566-6474.

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MacLauchlan credits Dr. Doreley Coll, associate professor in UPEI’s Department of Modern Languages, for introducing her to the culture of Central and South America, and piquing her interest in this specific volunteer experience.

Jo-Anne Doyle Knysh, Apple Inc.

Bachelor of Wildlife Conservation UPEI recently graduated its first cohort in the Bachelor of Wildlife Conservation program. The articulated program builds upon the applied skills provided by accredited North American Wildlife Technology Association (NAWTA) colleges, delivering foundational courses and senior analytical environmental science courses in areas such as chemistry, conservation, and biodiversity. Here, the first graduates of the program, Madeline Hill, Breanna Gardner, Michelle Dixon, and Jennifer Noble, pose for a photograph with program co-coordinator, Dr. Donna Giberson.

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Photo courtesy of Dr. Donna Giberson

good news

AVC Celebrates 25th Annual Open House Emily Colwell, AVC Class of 2015, gives this “puppy” a clean bill of health, to the delight of his young owner, during the teddy bear clinic at the Atlantic Veterinary College’s 25th annual Open House. Approximately 3,000 people—from babes in arms to seniors—toured the College during the popular event on September 28. AVC’s Open House has become a traditional annual activity for many people from PEI and beyond.

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A Tale of Two Medals In 2004 Dr. Javier Sanchez, now a faculty member at the Atlantic Veterinary College, accepted his PhD degree and the Governor General’s gold medal for graduate studies at UPEI’s Convocation ceremony. Ten years later, his first graduate student, Dr. Fernada Dórea, of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, received her PhD degree and the Governor General’s gold medal for graduate studies at the University’s 2013 Convocation.

Dórea completed her PhD under the supervision of Sanchez, associate professor of epidemiology, and Dr. Crawford Revie, Canada Research Chair in EpiInformatics. Her project investigated how modern informatics tools can be applied to generate valuable information that aids the control of diseases in animal populations.

Dórea has been invited by the National Veterinary Institute in Sweden to work at the Swedish Zoonosis Centre, where she is developing a similar system for early disease detection.

Dr. Fernada DÓrea and Dr. Javier Sanchez pose with the gold!

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UPEI External Community Advisory Group In October 2013, the University was pleased to welcome members of the recently established External Community Advisory Group to campus. The group, co-chaired by President Alaa Abd-El-Aziz and Board Chair Emeritus Regis Duffy, will meet three times a year to discuss issues and ideas, and will act in an advisory capacity to the President on areas of importance from a community perspective.

During the inaugural meeting, student Anastasia Smallwood spoke about her role as president of the UPEI Student

Union and provided some background on the organization’s responsibilities and activities. Following her presentation, the group engaged in discussion and provided varied and valuable insight related to the ongoing success of the University.

Members of the group are Jeanette Arsenault, Rory Francis, Diane Griffin, Cory Gray, Ray Keenan, Susan MacLeod, Shawn McCarvill, Ryan Murphy, Nora Scales, Zubair Siddiqi, Michael Smith, and Brian Thompson.

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good news

Welcome Day and O-Week 2013 On Friday, August 30, and Saturday, August 31, the University of Prince Edward Island welcomed hundreds of new students and their families during UPEI’s “Welcome Day” events. The events provided an opportunity for all first-year students to meet their peers, UPEI staff and faculty, members of the UPEI Student Union, and student volunteers, and get answers to their questions about the University. This year, parents were invited to participate in special sessions that offered information on university life as well as tips on how to support their students as they transitioned to studying at UPEI.

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A special welcome to our international students was held on Friday as they were introduced to fellow students, the campus, and the community.

On Saturday, hundreds of students “one-stop-shopped” all things UPEI as they toured the University, picked up their ID cards and meal plans, registered for courses, and kicked off a busy O-Week. Organized by the UPEI Student Union, O-Week is full of fun, excitement, and energy, and is designed to offer safe and enjoyable activities and opportunities for first-year UPEI students to meet new friends and classmates.

UPE SUPPIODonor R t h a n TED k you

good news

On August 18, 2013, UPEI fifth-year student and swim team member Suzanne Nicholson swam the Northumberland Strait to raise funds for her team. Nicholson set a fundraising goal of $10,000 and raised close to $11,000 through her initiative.

Suzanne Nicholson

A UPEI swimming record-holder, Nicholson is a dedicated and motivated athlete, and the first to cheer on her teammates and other UPEI varsity sport athletes.

“Suzanne is a perfect example of the commitment and pride Panther athletes are best known for,” says Bill Schurman, director of UPEI Athletics and Recreation. “Taking on this challenge to help her teammates and grow the program speaks volumes about her character and leadership.”

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Suzanne Conquers the Strait Academic Achievement In recognition of student academic merit, over 500 students from the Faculties of Arts, Education, Science, and Veterinary Medicine, and the Schools of Nursing and Business have been named to the University’s Deans’ List for the 2012–13 academic year. The University congratulates all students who have been recognized for this academic accomplishment and wishes them continued success in their studies!

On October 3, 2013, UPEI’s School of Business celebrated the academic achievements of over 100 students at a ceremony held at Government House. Pictured above, left to right: Dr. Juergen Krause, interim dean of business; student award recipients Ryan Cassidy, Connor Lea, and Ryan McCarvill; and His Honour, the Honourable H. Frank Lewis, Lieutenant Governor of Prince Edward Island.

Dr. Kate Tilleczek Receives Prestigious Whitworth Award Dr. Kate Tilleczek, UPEI’s Canada Research Chair in Child/Youth Cultures and Transitions, was recently honoured by the Canadian Education Association (CEA) at a ceremony held during the CEA national conference in Calgary. Tilleczek received the Whitworth Award, a prestigious recognition that is presented every three years to an individual who has made a sustained and substantial contribution to education research over time.

The CEA recognized Tilleczek’s work in articulating the impacts of modern society on marginalized students in the context of transitions through school, mental health, and technology.

“This award confirms what we at UPEI already know,” says VicePresident Research and Graduate Studies Robert Gilmour, “that Kate Tilleczek is an outstanding, dedicated researcher. Her work with marginalized children and their challenges as they move through school addresses an area that affects students and families across the world. I congratulate her on this award, on behalf of all of UPEI.”

Dr. Kate Tilleczek, centre, with CEA President and CEO Ron Canuel and CEA Vice-Chair and Awards Committee Chair Dr. Michele Jacobsen. Photo courtesy of CEA

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UPEI Well Represented at the 2013 PEI Literary Awards Several writers with connections to UPEI were honoured at the 2013 PEI Literary Awards gala. Here, Damon Ansems, an honours English student, celebrates his 2013 Reshard Gool Creative Writing Award with UPEI’s Dr. Richard Lemm. The UPEI ties were most apparent in the Maritime Electric Short Story category. First prize went to Dr. Sarah Glassford, assistant professor of history; second prize went to Dr. Robin Southerland, co-ordinator of the UPEI Writing Centre; third place went to Alan Harrington who teaches in the Department of English. Dr. Don Desserud, professor of political studies, received an honourable mention.

Damon Ansems and Dr. Richard Lemm.

Photo courtesy of Lorne Miller of pixbylorne

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T h e CERC T e a m

Dr. Sophie St-Hilaire (standing) addresses some members of Gardner’s research team: (left to right) Dr. Beibei Jia, Dr. Xiaoli Huang, Dr. Crawford Revie, Dr. Krishna Thakur, Dr. Kehar Singh, Dr. Annette Boerlage, Dr. Ian Gardner, Dr. Jeff Davidson, Dr. Maya Groner, Dr. Derek Price, Dr. Sithar Dorjee.

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I think of it as the CERC team.

Every single member of this group is an outstanding researcher. Working together, we are greater than the sum of our parts.

The Cerc Team

Unparalleled Expertise Dr. Ian Gardner, Canada Excellence Research Chair in Aquatic Epidemiology, leads a team of researchers ensuring healthy animal populations and healthy long-term sources of food.

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r. Ian Gardner emerges from his office. It’s coming up to ten o’clock Monday morning, and he’s already zipped through a couple of quick meetings and replied to a stack of correspondence. One of the most important items on his calendar begins in a few minutes in a room just down the hall.

Gardner. “On any given day, the researchers could be scattered around the world working on projects. We have researchers working in China, Chile, Europe, Vietnam, British Columbia—­really, all over the world. But, when members of the team come home, they make sure to come to Monday coffee. This is where we share ideas, expertise, and experiences.”

Gardner is the Canada Excellence Research Chair (CERC) in Aquatic Epidemiology at UPEI’s Atlantic Veterinary College (AVC). The CERC program was introduced in 2008 by the Government of Canada as one of the world’s most generous and prestigious research funding programs, designed to attract the highest calibre of researchers and scholars working today. The program helps to position Canada as a global centre of excellence in research and higher learning.

Gardner may hold the CERC in Aquatic Epidemiology, but he says this chair isn’t about the work of one person.

“I think of it as the CERC team. We’re a diverse group of researchers brought together for the express purpose of ensuring healthy animal populations, so that we have both economically and environmentally sustainable sources of food for a growing and hungry planet.”

Gardner stops at a tiny kitchenette in the north tower of the AVC to pour himself a cup of coffee before heading into a small boardroom. Half a dozen people sit around the table, chatting happily about the weekend past and the projects that lay ahead. Gardner grabs a slice of banana bread from a plate on the table and joins in the conversation.

The room fills up as the clock ticks closer to 10:30. Smaller conversations have broken out around the table. A discussion about a recent outbreak of disease in Nova Scotia salmon morphs into a chat about how to best inform potential university donors about the importance of this research.

This is the weekly Monday morning coffee meeting for the members of Gardner’s research team. The group includes eight funded research chairs, faculty researchers, post-doctoral fellows, and graduate students. The expertise in this room for veterinary epidemiology—the study of population health within animals—is unparalleled in the world.

“That’s why it’s not a stretch when I say this weekly meeting is just about the most important event of my week,” explains

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t 10:30, the meeting shifts in tone to become more formal. Gardner introduces Dr. Sophie St-Hilaire, the Canada Research Chair in Integrated Health Research for Sustainable Aquaculture. Every week, a different member of the team gives a brief presentation to the group. This week, St-Hilaire is giving an update on her work on salmon farms in Chile.

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T h e CERC T e a m

Dr. Ian Gardner

“We’re looking at a couple of problems faced by salmon farmers in Chile, indeed by anyone involved in salmon aquaculture around the world,” explains St-Hilaire. “One is sea lice, which is a parasitic creature which infects both wild and farmed salmon, but tends to thrive in an aquaculture environment. The second is salmon rickettsial syndrome, or SRS, which is an infectious disease in salmon.”

St-Hilaire’s research involves tracking disease transmission between separate fish farms within a salt-water environment.

She projects a map onto the screen in the boardroom, displaying the locations of salmon farms within a bay in Chile.

“Salmon are raised on these farms in giant net pens,” says St-Hilaire. “And because these pens are in the water, disease and parasites can spread from one farm to the next with the natural movement of the tides, through shared boats and equipment, and even through wild fish.”

St-Hilaire’s team is mapping the zones of influence around each farm and examining the time it takes for an infection to re-establish itself after different treatments.

“We want to know whether re-infection is due to re-exposure from other farms in the area, or because the infectious agent is developing a tolerance to our treatments. Sea lice especially are quite adept at adapting to treatments and building up immunity.”

The research may be located in Chile, but the application for the findings is global. St-Hilaire says this research relates just as much to places such as Norway and New Brunswick’s Bay of Fundy as it does to Chile.

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housands of kilometres north along the coast of the Pacific Ocean, salmon farmers in British Columbia are experiencing problems, similar to those of their colleagues in Chile.

In the Broughton Archipelago, opposite the northeast corner of Vancouver Island, a unique research group is making waves. The Broughton Archipelago Monitoring Program (BAMP) brings together researchers from government, industry, universities, and environmental non-governmental organizations to create a long-term monitoring program for sea lice infestations in salmon. It does so under the leadership of Dr. Crawford Revie, Canada Research Chair in Population Health: Epi-informatics.

“Salmon aquaculture is a bit of a touchy subject in British Columbia,” says Revie. “Some wild salmon stocks on the BC coast have been in decline for decades. The salmon farms in the Pacific grow a species non-native to the area, Atlantic salmon, which has its own set of diseases and parasites.

Some blame the presence of these farms for the decline of wild Pacific salmon.”

In this politically charged environment, BAMP turns groups who have traditionally opposed each other into allies. Revie says they came together over a shared goal.

“No one here likes the fact that Pacific salmon are in decline,” he says. “Historically, when these groups would talk or argue, they would each back up their own claims by using their own data. BAMP started so that we could all start sharing data, and frankly, so we could all start speaking the same language. When you pool these resources, we can build a rich field of data for the past, and we can work together in the future to collect good, consistent data.”

In the three years since the birth of BAMP, the group has started to push new and original research into the public realm.

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Dr. Crawford Revie

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The Cerc Team

Dr. Jeff Davidson

“Similar to St-Hilaire’s research in Chile, we’re looking at disease and parasite transmission between farms,” explains Revie. “With scientists from DFO, we’ve been able to use computer modelling to release what we call virtual particles into the ocean at different points, and track where the ocean currents take those particles over time. It’s extremely useful to show how these particles move, and it’s creating a matrix of connectivity that can help us track or even prevent outbreaks from spreading in the future.”

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embers of the CERC team can be found working all over the world, but there is important research being done right here with the aquaculture industry on Prince Edward Island.

“More than 70 per cent of the mussels eaten in North America come from Prince Edward Island,” says Gardner. “We’re helping to ensure the safety of this food for consumers through an exciting project being carried out by Dr. Javier Sanchez and Dr. Jeff Davidson.”

Sanchez is an associate professor of epidemiology and a specialist in risk analysis, and Davidson is a professor of aquatic and ecosystem health. Together, they’re creating what’s called a network analysis of the mussel and oyster industries on PEI. “When an outbreak that may affect human safety or shellfish health occurs, the initial investigation identifies the source of the problem, and a map is created that tracks the chain of movement of the affected animals,” says Davidson. “After the fact, that’s a really difficult thing to do. Food is moved from producer to processor to wholesaler to market, but it can take a complex journey to do so. If we can map this movement before—heaven forbid—we have an incident, we’re already several steps ahead of the game.”

Using Davidson’s long-standing contacts and relationships with shellfish farmers on the Island and Sanchez’s expertise in risk analysis, the team is mapping the pathway from the farm to the table.

“We use a combination of anonymous questionnaires and geographic information service (GIS) technology,” says Davidson. “We could not do this without the cooperation and

Dr. Sophie St-Hilaire

goodwill of the PEI Aquaculture Alliance and the PEI Shellfish Association. Their commitment to the project is crucial.”

Davidson says if there were to be a food safety concern, a disease outbreak, or an introduction of an invasive species, they can now make better plans to mitigate the problem, or even close the pathways altogether.

“This network analysis project is a great example of how we use the different skills of our team,” explains Gardner. “We have a great pool to draw from. Jeff has been working with shellfish farmers on the Island for years. We add that to Javier’s expertise in risk analysis and mapping, and the end product is beneficial to both the industry and to the consumers of shellfish in North America.”

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ardner’s team continues to grow and gather new expertise. Dr. Kehar Singh, a resource and agricultural economist, brings to the team a new skill set which allows it to examine projects in the context of both environmental and economic sustainability.

“Besides our more informal weekly gatherings, the team comes together at least once a year,” says Gardner. “We look at where we’re going, and what we can do as a team that we can’t do as individual researchers. We also take direction from our strategic advisory board, and map out how we can best use our resources to maximize our research and service into ensuring healthy animal populations and healthy, longterm sources of food.”

Looking to the future, Gardner says he’d like to improve distance learning opportunities for academics, government agencies, and professionals in the aquaculture industry. He points to a growing need for training, as aquaculture becomes an even more important source of protein for a growing global population.

“As leader of this team, I try hard not to micromanage. Every single member of this group is an outstanding researcher. I want to promote good ideas and innovation. I want to enable their success. But I also want to ensure we’re working toward the same goal, and that we’re doing so by combining our skills and collaborating on projects. Working together, we are greater than the sum of our parts.”

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Cl i m a t e r e s e a r c h L a b

UPEI’s Climate Research Lab

Building capacity for research excellence in climate change and adaptation “You’ve got to see this,” says Dr. Adam Fenech. “This is really cool.”

F

enech is director of UPEI’s Climate Research Lab. He leads the way into an office where two young men, Alex Chen and Andrew Doiron, sit writing complex code into their computers.

“Alex, can you call up the video game?” asks Fenech.

Chen opens a program that displays a map of Prince Edward Island. He picks up a video game controller from his desk and uses it to manipulate the view of the map.

“It’s completely interactive,” explains Chen, using the controller to virtually fly over the Island. “We can zoom in, fly around, and control factors such as sea level as we go.”

The team calls it a video game, but it is serious stuff.

This tool is called the Non-linear Geo-Movie of Sea Level Rise for Prince Edward Island. It’s part of the geo-visual analytics aspects of UPEI’s Climate Research Lab. “We’ve taken data from a number of sources,” says Fenech. “The map is three-dimensional, thanks to LiDar-based high-resolution digital elevation data from the province. The Island also has an outstanding record of aerial photographs that cover the entire province. We can overlay that data to show what the Island looked like as far back as 1968. We’ve also great data from the Regional Adaptation Collaborative for Atlantic Canada, which was created by Natural Resources Canada.”

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The result is both exciting and disturbing: a threedimensional map of Prince Edward Island that can be navigated by air like a video game to show the Island’s dramatic vulnerability to coastal erosion. Chen and Doiron have added the ability to raise and lower the sea level, to visualize the effects of climate change.

“It’s a powerful tool,” says Fenech, “to be able to visualize these potential changes. We’re lucky, as a small province, to have such a deep pool of data to work from. We’ve moved to a place where our climate research can help us make plans to adapt for the future.”

The project is created with financial support from the Partnership For Canada-Caribbean Community Climate Change Adaptation, or ParCA.

F

enech set up the Climate Research Lab at UPEI in 2012, after a distinguished career at Environment Canada. As a member of the United Nation’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), he was a co-recipient of the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize.

Fenech has used his expertise and invaluable contacts around the world to create a centre for research excellence in climate at UPEI.

“We’ve recently created another valuable tool that we want to share with other researchers,” he says. “Next year, the IPCC will be releasing the results of years of research in its Fifth Assessment Report. We’ve taken the raw data it’s using for this report, and we’ve translated, analyzed, verified, and converted it into a usable dataset for researchers.”

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Cl i m a t e r e s e a r c h L a b Alex Chen and Andrew Doiron at work in the Climate Research Lab

The result is a useful tool for any researcher who requires climate data, past or future, for any region of the world. It uses the data from 40 global climate models, and can be provided in monthly, seasonal, or annual reports over the next century.

expected to establish an expert panel on climate adaptation, to enhance capacity of adaptation practitioners, to provide policy analysis and integration, and to provide coordination, integration, and financial management for the project.

“This is the world’s most advanced science in climate research,” says Fenech. “We put the call out this summer for collaborators who might need this type of data, and the response has been really great.”

“The decision makers in our region need relevant tools, knowledge, networks, and policies when it comes to climate change adaptation, ” says Fenech. “This is another exciting step for UPEI toward ensuring we’re prepared in Atlantic Canada for the changes ahead.

U

PEI’s Climate Research Lab will build further capacity as it takes on a new role as host of the Regional Adaptation Collaborative (RACII) for Atlantic Canada, called the Atlantic Climate Adaptation Solutions Association (ACASA). As host, UPEI will lead regional activities targeting issues such as coastal erosion, coastal and inland flooding, infrastructure design, water management, and community assessment.

With funding from the four Atlantic provinces and Natural Resources Canada, phase two of ACASA is

“We’re becoming the hub of climate research science in Atlantic Canada. We have projects and collaborations with so many groups, including the Mi’kmaq people.

We’re creating a network of climate observation stations around the province, and it’s already gathering excellent data. We are also meeting people from the community who are passionate about climate and weather; they are an invaluable resource. It’s a really exciting time for us.”

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STu d e n t a s S c h o l a r . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Student as Scholar

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Experiential and active learning opportunities for students Dr. Jason Pearson is clearly excited. “I think this has potential to be a legacy project. We want to inspire creative thinkers. This may sound cliché, but if we can teach students to learn through exploration and discovery, we empower them to change the world.”

Dr. Jason Pearson

Pearson is an associate professor of chemistry, and one of the leaders of UPEI’s Studentas-Scholar (SaS) group. Inspired by the roadmap laid out in UPEI’s strategic vision, the SaS group is exploring exciting new ways to expand undergraduate student research opportunities across students’ entire education.

“We know this is already happening in pockets around the University,” says Pearson.

“We’d like to make this type of learning a more formal hallmark of UPEI. We have an opportunity to engage students through research and exploration rather than by sitting them in a lecture theatre.” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

The Curiosity Project Dr. Stacey MacKinnon “The eyes of my three-year-old daughter sparkle when she learns something new,” says Dr. Stacey MacKinnon, associate professor of psychology at UPEI. “I think somewhere along the way, we train that sparkle out of kids, because a lot of my students wonder why I bother teaching them anything that won’t be on the final exam.”

MacKinnon wanted to redesign her Social Psychology 242 class in a way that restored that natural curiosity in students. The result is The Curiosity Project.

“I could give lectures on social psychology until the cows come home, but I don’t think that’s really going to engage students and make them feel like they own what they’ve learned,” explains MacKinnon.

“With The Curiosity Project, I ask students to select one area of social psychology. Through the semester, through their own research, they become experts in these areas.”

Students write a series of ten learning logs about their project.

They begin by writing about why they chose the topic and what they already know about it.

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“They build their knowledge as the semester progresses,” says MacKinnon. “The learning logs don’t have a word count attached to them, but the students are so excited by what they’re learning, they often write many essays worth of text. They’re so excited about learning that it doesn’t seem like work.”

Sarah MacLeod was a paid teacher’s assistant (TA) in the pilot year of The Curiosity Project but came back as a volunteer TA in the second offering of this innovative class.

“Many students are quite nervous, and frankly scared, when they first learn about The Curiosity Project,” says MacLeod. “They remain a bit apprehensive for the first few weeks but slowly begin to find a groove. Some students begin with a narrow view or opinion about their topic. It’s extremely fascinating to watch these opinions change or at least broaden as the semester goes on.”

MacLeod returned as a volunteer TA because she believes learning can be enjoyable. She also appreciates the fact that students are giving each other useful and constructive feedback through online forums and weekly discussions.

“Many students have said that they have learned and retained more with The Curiosity Project than most other courses that they have taken at a university level,” says MacLeod.

“Even though the course load is quite large, many also enjoyed the process and were happy to do the work.”

Student as Scholar

Research as Learning Dr. Nola Etkin

Christian Agatemor, PhD student, with Dr. Nola Etkin.

Inset photo: Meagan Oakley

It’s a new kind of class for UPEI. Chemistry 483 has no lectures. No classroom. Just a laboratory, a series of problems to solve, and an opportunity for students to put their skills to the test.

come back to UPEI to pursue her honours degree, which she received at Convocation 2013.

“When you work in a lab, things don’t always turn out the way you expect,” explains Dr. Nola Etkin, chair and associate professor of chemistry at UPEI. “But that has real learning value. I wanted to design a course where students were learning through their own research.”

Chemistry 483 was created four years ago when the department realized it was losing contact with many chemistry majors who had completed all of the required chemistry courses before their fourth year.

“We realized that we didn’t offer a lab in fourth year,” says Etkin. “Students were losing some of the lab skills, and they were pursuing other interests. We designed Chemistry 483 as a course that would sharpen their skills and keep them engaged in the program. It’s worked out well.”

In the course, students are presented with a series of problems to choose from, each in a different field of chemistry.

“And contrary to what they’ve experienced in previous courses, we don’t give them detailed instructions on how to carry out the experiment,” says Etkin. “The students need to dig into the research literature themselves to see how others have done it, select their own method, and carry out the experiment.”

Meagan Oakley is one of Chemistry 483’s success stories.

She entered the class as a fourth-year chemistry major and enjoyed the lab experience so much that she decided to

“The class certainly got my foot in the door into the world of research,” says Oakley. “This is the aspect of learning that I enjoyed most. Trying to fit the pieces together and to make sense of the reaction intrigued me. Pooling resources such as textbooks, online journals, and opinions of other students to reach a conclusion was always rewarding. This is what made me finally realize that I want to do research in the future—doing my honours would be the best way to get the most experience.”

Students in Chemistry 483 also participate in mock job interviews, and are required to take part in a community service learning project.

“Many of the students work with a school or daycare to give chemistry demonstrations to science classes,” says Etkin.

“Students consistently say this is their favourite part of the class—even those who aren’t pursuing a teaching career.”

The course helps sharpen students’ lab skills; it also helps them understand the different options available to them in the future. This was certainly the case for Oakley.

“The course is a great introduction to research if you are unsure about what you would like to do once you have your degree. It really helped me decide that I want to go to graduate school and pursue research, and it helped others decide that they are more inclined to follow a lab manual to produce results. I would definitely suggest that this course be taken by anyone who is still deciding on their future.”

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new researchers on campus

new researchers on campus

Crowd-sourced Data

Researchers at the University of Prince Edward Island find their raw data in many places—from handwritten diaries in libraries to their own observations through a microscope. Two researchers in the Department of Biology have used the Internet to gather data from the observations of the public. It’s the next generation of data collection called crowd-sourcing, and it is all made possible by the technical expertise of UPEI's Robertson Library.

Investigating PEI’s Iconic Flower They are as connected to the Prince Edward Island identity as red pigtails and sandy beaches—lupine flowers burst into colourful blossoms just as the Island summer hits its peak. Dr. Karen Samis, a plant geneticist and assistant professor of biology, is looking for input from the public to help answer questions about this iconic flower.

“We’re accustomed to seeing big patches of lupines along the roads of Prince Edward Island in June and July,” says Samis. “One question we’re examining is, ‘why are the purple flowers more prominent than the pink or white?’”

Samis’ past research examined the lupine plants of different colours, including their ratios within populations and the number of seeds produced by stems of each flower colour.

“One would think that since purple-flowered plants are the most common, they might produce the most seeds,” explains Samis. “We found quite the opposite. Pink, by far, creates more seeds per stem. That raises a number of new questions we’re now investigating.”

Samis says this could suggest an ebb and flow of flower-colour distribution among lupine patches over time.

“Perhaps, in a number of years, pink will become more prominent than purple. Purple may respond by creating more seeds, and then purple will become more prominent.

“We’re hoping that people have, over a number of years, taken photos of a particular lupine patch several times,” says Samis. “We’d like to compare these and see if there has been a change over time from one colour to the next, or if what we saw last year is always true—that purple is always more common than pink and white.”

The public can submit their photos to upei.ca/lupines, and answer a few simple questions about the patches of lupines in their photos and where they are located on the Island.

“I’m hoping people see the fun in this and look back through their family photos,” says Samis. “Perhaps there is a patch of lupines near their house or cottage that they like to take a photo of every year. Maybe there’s a patch in the background of a family portrait that’s been taken several times over the years in the same location. We’d like to see these photos.”

The Lupine Research Project is funded in part by a UPEI internal research grant.

Dr. Karen Samis

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flowers and foxes

The PEI Urban Fox Project

Dr. Marina Silva-Opps

“Tracking animal movements and distribution, especially for a large animal such as the red fox, is timeconsuming and expensive research,” says Dr. Marina Silva-Opps, a terrestrial ecologist and associate professor of biology at UPEI. “It requires trapping, affixing a radio collar, and a lot of human resource time. We learned that researchers in Europe were crowd-sourcing data from the public, and it was a great source of information.”

In the fall of 2012, Silva-Opps’ research team launched a website where the public could report their sightings of red foxes on Prince Edward Island. The data automatically updated an interactive map with information about the location, date, and time of the sightings, and the age and behaviour of the foxes.

“The more details about the sighting, the more valuable the contribution,” says Silva-Opps. “I’m extremely grateful for the participation in this project of the PEI government’s Forest, Fish, and Wildlife division; Dr. Sheldon Opps from the Animal Movement and Resource Selection group; and my Environmental Sciences graduate students William Robbins and Hailey Lambe.”

or DonTED I E UP PPOR u SU k yo n a th

The fox-sightings map gave Silva-Opps’ team information regarding the distribution and relative abundance of foxes in Charlottetown, and helped them identify areas to research in phase two.

“We’ve identified several den sites and set up trail cameras to track their behaviour. This summer, with the help of graduate student Hailey Lambe, we were able to trap a live fox and attach a GPS collar to it to monitor its movement within the urban environment.”

Silva-Opps’ team has also collected samples, including feces from den sites, in order to learn more about the diet of, and parasites carried by, PEI’s urban foxes.

In the spring of 2013, the upei.ca/redfox site re-launched to give users the ability to donate to the project. Donations of more than $10 are eligible for a tax receipt from UPEI. The donations help the team pay for equipment and hire students to help with field and lab work.

To follow the progress of the project, and to see photographs collected by our team and the public, “like” the project at facebook.com/upeiurbanfoxproject Visit upei.ca/redfox for more information.

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development and a lu m n i e n g a g e m e n t

Introducing...

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Development and Alumni Engagement

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Formerly known as the Department of Advancement, UPEI’s Department of Development and Alumni Engagement (upei.ca/friends) is dedicated to honouring and assisting our alumni and friends, and to advancing the tradition of excellence at UPEI. It is a privilege to be a member of the UPEI family. Together, we will create new and exciting opportunities for our students and our University.

Meet the team! Left to right: Anthony Gill (manager of alumni engagement), Deborah Annear (administrative assistant), Sharon Clark (prospect and research coordinator), Rosemary O’Malley-Keyes (manager of donor relations), Myrtle Jenkins-Smith (interim director), Rose Barbour (annual fund and database coordinator), Kim Roach (gift processing coordinator), Sarah MacInnis (alumni engagement coordinator)

The Development and Alumni Engagement team works with, and on behalf of, alumni and friends who have a passion for UPEI. We hold events, organize chapters, offer services and benefits, and develop and steward areas of support that speak to the philanthropic priorities of alumni and friends as well as the strategic goals of the University.

alumni@upei.ca (902) 566-0761 Subscribe to the Panther Connections e-newsletter at remember.upei.ca

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We are proud of this University. It has grown to provide extraordinary facilities that house talented faculty and staff who offer progressive academic and support programs for our students. We are proud of the thousands of graduates who have passed through our halls and assumed positions of leadership and service around the world. Wherever you now live, across the fields or over the sea, you are our ambassadors—the heart of this institution. The Department of Development and Alumni Engagement works diligently to honour each of you and your connection to the University of Prince Edward Island. It is our mission, with your active involvement, to celebrate the past, support the present, and guarantee the future of this great University.

The Department of Development and Alumni Engagement is located in the Steel Building. If you have the opportunity, please visit us. We would be delighted to see you.

Class of ’63 50-Year Summer Reunion

development and a lu m n i e n g a g e m e n t

PWC All-Years Luncheon

2013 Summer Reunion Weekend SDU Class of ’62 (some ’61 grads attending)

UPEI Home Economics Class of ’73

Friends and classmates of Prince of Wales College, Saint Dunstan’s University, and the University of Prince Edward Island gathered at UPEI in late July to participate in Summer Reunion Weekend. Events included the always-popular (and this year incredibly wet!) Panther Golf Classic alumni tournament, presented by Stewart McKelvey; the Distinguished Alumni Awards; the second annual All-Years Mixer; the 29th annual SDU Alumni Mass; and the 20th Annual PWC All-Years Luncheon.

Congratulations to the SDU Class of ’63 (pictured above) who celebrated a very special 50year reunion. For information about future reunion planning, please contact Sarah MacInnis, alumni engagement coordinator, at (902) 566-0687 or alumni@upei.ca

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Distinguished Alumni and Inspiring Young Alumni Awards The UPEI Alumni Association was pleased to present its annual Distinguished Alumni and Inspiring Young Alumni Awards to two very deserving individuals on Friday, July 26, as part of the 2013 Summer Reunion Weekend.

The Honourable J. Armand DesRoches (SDU’63) received the Distinguished Alumni Award commemorating a graduate for his or her outstanding contributions to knowledge, the arts, the community, and the University or humanity. J. Paul S. Young (BSc’02, BScR’07, MBA’12) received the Inspiring Young Alumni Award, which honours a graduate under the age of 40 who has shown outstanding determination in achieving success at a young age.

In 2002 Young obtained his Bachelor of Science from UPEI. He received his Bachelor of Applied Science in Radiography in 2007 and graduated with his Master of Business Administration in 2012. He received an advanced diploma in MRI and spectroscopy from Winnipeg’s Red River College and The National Institute for Biodiagnostics in 2005. In 2008 Young joined the diagnostic imaging services department of the Prince County Hospital. He was recently appointed to a role with Health PEI, and is now manager of the primary care network for West Prince.

Congratulations to our 2013 award recipients!

DesRoches received his LLB degree from Dalhousie University and practiced law before engaging in an outstanding 22-year career as a Canadian Forces legal officer. He retired from the Canadian Forces in 1991 with the rank of navy captain and was appointed to the trial division of the Supreme Court of PEI. He retired from the Bench in 2004 and in 2005 joined Stewart McKelvey as counsel. In 2007 he was named a member of the Pensions Appeal Board. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

To view the full article, visit: upei.ca/distinguishedalumni To submit nominations for the 2014 Distinguished Alumni and Inspiring Young Alumni Awards, please contact alumni@upei.ca

Paul Young and Hon. J. Armand DesRoches

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development and a lu m n i e n g a g e m e n t

Show Up. Get Involved.

How a UPEI alumna reached the top of her game.

From her office at Cenovus Energy in Calgary, Alberta, Kim (Sullivan) Watson thinks back to her years at the University of Prince Edward Island. Watson grew up in Earnscliffe, PEI, and went right from Charlottetown Rural High School to UPEI, where she took the three-year engineering diploma.

“The most important thing I learned had nothing to do with my technical training,” says Watson. “I was fortunate to make it through my first year without attending a lot of classes. I did my assignments, wrote my tests, and thought that as long as I passed, that would be enough. At the end of my first year, the head of Engineering, Mr. Don Gillis, took me aside and said, ‘Look, maybe engineering isn’t for you.’ He took me completely by surprise. I see now he was challenging me. I came back the next year and gave it everything I had. It’s that lesson that’s stayed with me all through my career. It isn’t enough to be technically proficient.

You need to show up. You need to be present. You need to be part of the team. That’s what I learned at UPEI.” As operations engineering manager for Cenovus’ project at Christina Lake in the Alberta Oilsands, Watson has hired more than her fair share of engineering grads. The qualities she looks for in a potential employee are consistent.

“I always want to see how engaged the person is in their community and at their school,” she says. “I assume all graduates have the

technical skills to do the work.

I need to know you can go the extra mile. I need to know that you can communicate with your peers, work with others, and become a potential mentor. In this field, you never work alone. You need to be a team player.”

Kim Watson

Watson returns home to Prince Edward Island at least once a year. Her relationship with UPEI remains strong. “My two older girls participate every summer in the Panther camps, and they just love them,” she explains. “Last year, they took dance and design, centre stage, and basketball camps.

Next year, my youngest is finally old enough to attend and can’t wait to join her older sisters.”

Watson enjoys attending the UPEI alumni events held every fall in Calgary. She’s excited about the future of engineering at UPEI. “I think if the University proceeds to build a degree program in engineering, it needs to find a niche and become the go-to spot in Canada for that niche. I highly recommend the inclusion of a coop program. Leaving the classroom to get your hands dirty and boots on the ground in the real world is an invaluable experience for future engineers.”

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are ? e r w e Wh ey no th

Dr. Mitchell Drake (BSc’08-Hon) graduated with a medical degree from Dalhousie University in May 2013. Upon graduation, Drake was awarded the Dr. SGB Fullerton Scholarship presented to the student who, on completion of the fourth year, has shown the greatest promise and potential for family medicine. He is also being honoured with a student leadership award by the College of Family Physicians of Canada and has recently started his family medicine residency in Calgary, Alberta, sponsored by the Royal Canadian Navy.

Dr. Mitchell Drake 20

2013 has been an exciting year for singing, song-writing sisters, Amy Beck (BA’08, BEd’10), and Rachel Beck Colwill (BSc’05, BEd’08), whose hometown is Montague, PEI. In February they were named national finalists in CBC Music’s Searchlight Competition; in June they sang harmony for Serena Ryder during her performance at PEI’s Big Red Music Festival; and on October 1, they released their long-awaited debut EP. When not pursuing their musical interests, Amy teaches at Montague Regional High School, and Rachel teaches at Bluefield High School in Hampshire, PEI.

Dr. Robert Kelley (BSc’88) began his medical career in Summerside in 1996. He now practices in Charlottetown, serving as house physician at the Prince Edward Nursing Home, and as a staff physician at the Provincial Correctional Centre, the Provincial Addiction Treatment Facility, and the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. Kelley has served with the PEI Family Medicine Residency Program since 2010, and has been a faculty member at Dalhousie University since 2011. Kelley was recently named Canada’s Family Physician of the Year in Prince Edward Island.

Amy and Rachel Beck

Dr. Robert Kelley

r Dono UPEIPORTED SUP k you than

development and a lu m n i e n g a g e m e n t

Rory Beck Outstanding Academic and Athletic Leadership Award During UPEI’s 2013 afternoon Convocation ceremony, UPEI women’s hockey player Jaime Lynn Donaldson was named the first recipient of the Rory Beck Outstanding Academic and Athletic Leadership Award.

Friends and family created this award to honour the late Rory Beck for his passion for sports and his belief that education and community service are critical components of a meaningful life. The award is granted to the graduating student who has displayed the most outstanding dedication to athletics, academics, leadership, and campus spirit

Jaime Lynn Donaldson with Gaylene Beck (second left) and sons Dylan (left) and Jacob (right). Missing from photo is son, Luke Beck.

throughout his or her post-secondary undergraduate studies at the University of Prince Edward Island.

Donaldson demonstrated excellence in both academics and athletics. A great leader on and off the ice, Donaldson was a former captain of the women’s hockey team, a member of the 2012 AUS Championship women’s hockey team, recipient of a CIS Academic All-Canadian Award, and was involved in numerous charitable events and fundraisers, including the RBC “Newcomers Play Hockey” program and the UPEI Paderno Challenge Cup. Donaldson exemplifies the qualities defined by this award.

Congratulations, Jaime Lynn, and a sincere thank you to all donors who made this award possible.

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UP SU EI Do P t h PORT nor an k y ED ou

Giving Back to UPEI Originally from Hong Kong, Henry Tam (BBA’73) is a proud alumnus of the University of Prince Edward Island, and a highly respected accountant, financial advisor, and tax consultant. He is founder and senior partner of H. Tam and Partner LLP, Chartered Accountants, in Toronto.

Tam was the first graduate of UPEI’s Bachelor of Business Administration program to win the prestigious Governor General’s silver medal at Convocation.

Tam speaks highly of the quality of education he received at UPEI. In gratitude for a university experience that “changed his

Henry Tam at UPEI’s School of Business in Don and Marion McDougall Hall during a recent visit to campus

life,” Tam generously established two scholarships for UPEI students, thereby offering others the opportunity to have a similar experience. He has also provided generous support for the purchase of much-needed technology for business students.

UPEI thanks Henry Tam for his generosity.

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A UPEI Legacy Family Few parents can say that every one of their children attended university, but all nine sons and daughters of Genevieve and Leonard Keefe of Kinkora, PEI, are graduates of UPEI. Thirteen grandchildren have also studied at the University.

Two years ago, the Keefe family was devastated by the untimely passing of their daughter and sister Colleen. To honour Colleen’s memory and the significant contribution she made during her career in human resource management, her brothers, sisters, and her husband Leonard Malone (BBA’72) chose to contribute to their alma mater by estabr lishing a scholarship in Colleen’s name. Their onoED D I generous $120,000 gift establishes an endowed UPEPPORT u scholarship and supports the University and its SU yo k n students into the future. ha

t

On behalf of our students, the University extends a big thank you to the Keefe family—proud alumni, great community leaders, and tremendous supporters of UPEI.

Left to right: Janice (BA’84), Greg (MSc’95), Marion (Clorey) (MEd’05), Brian (BBA’74), Terry (BBA’78), Ron (BBA’79), Colleen (Malone) (BBA’71), Blair (BBA’83), and Leonard (BBA’71). Seated is their mother, Genevieve.

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development and a lu m n i e n g a g e m e n t

CFUW Graduate Scholarships The Canadian Federation of University Women (CFUW) Charlottetown—a national, non-profit organization of nearly 10,000 female university graduates across Canada—has established scholarships for UPEI students who will be pursuing graduate degrees.

CFUW Charlottetown has committed over $300,000 for students who wish to pursue their education in graduate programs. Beginning in January 2014, CFUW Charlottetown scholarships will

be awarded to master’s and/or doctoral students who are enrolled in or are applying to a graduate program on a full-time basis at UPEI or other accredited Canadian universities.

UPEI is grateful to CFUW Charlottetown for the organization’s generous contributions and collaboration. These scholarships will have a direct impact on the lives of the graduate students who receive them, and will help to encourage students to undertake studies at the graduate level.

UP SUPEI Dono P r t h a ORTED nk y ou

Left to right: Gabriela Arias de Sanchez, CFUW scholarship recipient; President Maryanne Palmer, CFUW Charlottetown; and President Alaa Abd-El-Aziz

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We Support UPEI’s Annual Fund— Please Join Us in Giving Today Last month, Chelsea and I bought our first home, and the experience was both thrilling and terrifying. Having had some time to reflect after this huge life-step, we couldn’t help but realize how influential UPEI has been for us. While attending UPEI, Chelsea and I decided to spend our lives together; it was where we met our closest friends, and where we learned Plea the professional and life lessons that led to our rewarding careers. UPEI has played an upei se visit .c important role in shaping who we’ve become. We are proud to be UPEI alumni, and to m a/suppo rt ak e a UPEI pleased to give back to the University through the UPEI Annual Fund. We hope that you ’s An gift to nu will join us in supporting our wonderful University.

Camp al Fund aign .

Ethan Fenton (BA’12-Hons) Chelsea Fenton (BScN’13) Marketing Manager, Marcato Digital Solutions RN, Cape Breton Regional Hospital . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Celebrating our Donors at UPEI’s First Annual Donor Picnic UPEI’s first annual Donor Picnic was held on September 25, 2013, in The McCain Foundation Learning Commons at the Atlantic Veterinary College. Over 200 donors, friends, and members of the UPEI community had an opportunity to

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meet and talk while enjoying boxed picnic lunches. President Alaa Abd-El-Aziz welcomed donors and expressed the University’s deep appreciation for their dedication to UPEI.

Scholarship recipients Tessa Roche and Raul Ponce talked about their personal journeys and took this opportunity to thank donors for their generosity on behalf of all UPEI students.

development and a lu m n i e n g a g e m e n t

Your generosity allows UPEI to offer hundreds of named scholarships and awards.

The following are donor-funded awards and scholarships established since May 2012.

Please note that this listing may not include all recently established scholarships and awards.

Anonymous Amber’s Wings Memorial Scholarship The Brendan Curley Memorial Award The Moonlight Scholarship The Shirley Beck Award The Colleen Keefe Malone Memorial Scholarship The Dr. Barbara R. Campbell Inspiration Award The Metro Credit Union Scholarship The DeLory Scholarship in Engineering The Dr. Katherine Schultz Research Recognition Awards The Ruth Isabelle (Bull) Elliott Nursing Scholarship The Cox & Palmer Award The Cletus Murphy Memorial Scholarship in Education The Profit Family Athletic Award The Isobel Lillian Bell Music Travel Fund The Irene D. Wyand Memorial Bursaries The Peter J. Tremblay Athletic Award The Matilda “Tildy” MacMillan Good Mentorship The Harry and Anne Love Scholarship The Marylou Hughes Scholarship The Zoetis Award in Aquaculture

The Frank and Mary Elizabeth Bostwick Nursing Award The Wayne Cutcliffe Computer Science Co-operative Education Award The Dr. Ian R. Dohoo Award at AVC The Andrews of PEI Nursing Award The Canadian Federation of University Women Charlottetown

Graduate Scholarships The MacLauchlan McIntosh International Post-Graduate Fellowship The Rory Beck Outstanding Academic and Athletic Leadership Award The Trenna and Rick Adams Nursing Award The Carole Campanaro Memorial Nursing Award The UPEI Business Society Award The Dr. Greg Fleming Memorial Award The Henry S. Tam Scholarships The Alaa and Valerie Abd-El-Aziz Scholarships The Daryl Guignion and Ian MacQuarrie Graduate Scholarship

in Science The Bert and Evert Loo Memorial Award The Frank J. Costello Scholarship The Heather L. Howatt Memorial Award The John and Carol MacLeod Externship Award

You’re on the Right Page … if you want to change lives through your charitable giving.

Supporting UPEI students is an investment in our future. Your gift to support education can help students reach their goals. As future professionals and leaders, UPEI graduates will have an impact on our communities, region, country, and world through their achievements.

UPEI honours your contributions, and thanks you for the difference you are making to students everyday.

Please contact Kim Roach at 894-2888 or karoach@upei.ca, or visit our secure site, upei.ca/support, to make a gift that can change a life. A tax receipt will be issued for 100 per cent of your donation. All gifts received by December 31 will benefit your 2013 tax return.

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celebration of founders

Verner Smitheram, Theresa MacAulay (wife of Bob MacAulay), Nelson Robertson (husband of Janice Robertson), and Mike Read

Carol and John MacLeod

UPEI Proudly Recognizes the Achievements of 2013 Founders The University’s 14th annual Recognition of Founders was held on September 25, 2013. The yearly ceremony was established in 2000 as a formal opportunity to honour those who have contributed to the University in an exceptional way; to encourage a sense of history and tradition in UPEI students; and to provide an occasion, early in the academic year, to welcome the greater community to the University campus. The recent ceremony recognized Mike Read, Verner Smitheram, Janice Robertson (posthumously), and Bob MacAulay (posthumously) as 2013 Founders.

John and Carol MacLeod were presented with The Honourable Eugene F. Whelan Green Hat Award, which honours individuals who have made a significant contribution to the Atlantic Veterinary College.

About the 2013 Founders

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ike Read, originally from Dorval, Quebec, attended UPEI in the 1970s, graduating with bachelor degrees in arts and education. During his career at UPEI (1981–2006), he was manager of residence and conference services, a highly regarded recruitment officer, and associate registrar. Read was dedicated to students and well known for his contribution to the development of student services in the Atlantic region.

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erner Smitheram, a native of Timmons, Ontario, studied at St. Michael’s College, graduating in 1962 with a Bachelor of Arts degree, and in 1968 received his Masters in Philosophy from the University of Toronto. Smitheram taught at St. Dunstan’s University and then at UPEI until his retirement in 1998. He served four terms as chair of the Department of Philosophy and two terms as dean of the Faculty of Arts, and was named professor emeritus in 2001.

Smitheram was instrumental in the creation of the Faculty Development Summer Institute and is founding director of the Centre for Conflict Resolution Studies.

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anice Robertson (1964–2013) began her career at UPEI in 1990 and in 2008 became program and facility coordinator for the Department of Athletics and Recreation. A tireless and devoted employee, she coordinated Panther Camps for over 20 years, providing youth and their families with positive involvement with the University, and her “UPEI student family” with valuable employment experience. One of her original camp offerings was recently renamed Mamma J’s Jelly Bean Gym, to honour her memory.

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ob MacAulay (1950–2013) joined the University in 1971 as a service worker in the UPEI Physical Plant. Rising through the ranks, he became general foreman of maintenance in 1982. For over 40 years, MacAulay was dedicated to the University and to the well-being and morale of his staff. His efforts played an important role in the evolution of the beautiful UPEI campus.

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ohn and Carol MacLeod have supported the Atlantic Veterinary College since its inception.

After graduating from Prince of Wales College in 1964, John received a Master of Science in agriculture from McGill and a PhD in soil science from Cornell. Carol earned her undergraduate and Master of Science degrees from McGill University, and her BEd from UPEI in 1981. John has collaborated on research projects with AVC faculty, and Carol currently serves on AVC’s Advisory Council. In addition to providing exceptional learning opportunities for veterinary students on their farm, they support students financially through a graduate student award at AVC, and a recently created DVM scholarship.

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Mace bearer Anastasia Smallwood, president of the UPEI Student Union

celebration of founders

MacLauchlan Plaza Dedication

President Emeritus H. Wade MacLauchlan, CM and President and Vice-Chancellor Alaa Abd-El-Aziz

The University of Prince Edward Island recently honoured its fifth president, H. Wade MacLauchlan, CM, president emeritus, by dedicating MacLauchlan Plaza—located on the west side of UPEI’s Health Sciences Building—in his name. As president and vice-chancellor of UPEI from 1999–2011, MacLauchlan led the University during a period of unprecedented growth and success.

The dedication ceremony, which took place on September 25, 2013, in conjunction with the Recognition of Founders event, featured the “MacLauchlan Salute,” composed by retired UPEI music professor, Bert Tersteeg, and words of appreciation by UPEI Board of Governors Chair Tom Cullen and President and Vice-Chancellor Alaa Abd-El-Aziz. MacLauchlan also addressed the assembly. A plaque, mounted on granite and located adjacent to the entrance to the Health Sciences Building, was unveiled by MacLauchlan, assisted by Abd-El-Aziz.

UPEI’s five plazas honour former presidents and create outdoor areas conducive to the enjoyment of the University’s beautiful grounds. Three plazas were unveiled in 2008 honouring UPEI’s first three presidents, Drs. Ronald J. Baker, Peter PM Meincke, and CWJ Eliot. A plaza dedicated to Dr. Elizabeth (Betsy) Epperly, UPEI’s fourth president, was unveiled in 2012.

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History On Display—UPEI’s Coat of Arms You have probably seen the UPEI flag flying proudly over the University campus. But have you ever taken a closer look at the elements that make up the design?

UPEI’s coat of arms incorporates imagery reflective of our founding institutions—St. Dunstan’s University and Prince of Wales College—and is an officially granted and historically relevant representation of our institution.

A component of the coat of arms—the shield (pictured below on our flag)—displays the rust, green, and gold colours of the University. Placed on the shield is a book emphasizing the University’s role as an institution of higher learning; blacksmith’s tongs emblematic of St. Dunstan’s University (St. Dunstan, the patron of Charlottetown, is also the patron of blacksmiths); and, representing Prince of Wales College, a coronet with three feathers, the badge of the heir apparent who is generally also given the title Prince of Wales. Its use here on the shield is by special written permission of HRH The Prince of Wales.

A detailed description of UPEI’s armorial bearings is available at upei.ca/about-upei/history/coat-of-arms

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Fabulous Fabrication Opportunities at Engineering’s FabLab The UPEI Department of Engineering has moved to a new location in Dalton Hall that features a custom “ideation” space where students and faculty can develop innovative design concepts, a group space where student teams can work together to further their designs, a prototype-development laboratory to enable the fabrication of physical models, and a FabLab to create unique devices.

Michael Dillon, ACOA; Jonathan Horrocks, student; Don MacEwen, professor of engineering; Vuk Stajic, student; Dr. Debbie MacLellan, interim dean of science

The FabLab includes 3D printers, a laser cutter-etcher, and a milling machine, and allows for greater interdisciplinary collaboration. The new facility was made possible by the Canada Foundation for Innovation and the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

UPEI Alumna—Crime Scene Investigator earning a perfect 4.0 GPA score. During her program, she had the opportunity to work at the New Haven Police Department, Identification Division for an extended internship.

“During my internship, I worked in the field and discovered it was exactly what I wanted to do upon graduation,” says Kerry. “Nothing is more rewarding than helping families find closure during tragic times by investigating and finding answers for them.”

UPEI alumna Rachel Kerry completed her Bachelor of Science degree at the University of Prince Edward Island in 2008 with a major in biology and a minor in chemistry. She enjoyed her courses in anatomy, physiology, and anthropology, and that interest led to her career of choice.

In 2011 Kerry completed her master’s program and obtained employment as an evidence technician with the Stockton Police Department in Stockton, California. There she examines crime scenes; records, analyzes, and preserves evidence; photographs crime scenes; dusts scenes for latent fingerprints; performs evidence tests on suspects; prepares sketches; provides court testimonials; and, most importantly, works diligently to solve cases for grieving families.

Kerry went on to study at the University of New Haven in Connecticut, USA, where she enrolled in a Master of Forensic Science program with a concentration in advanced investigation. She excelled in both classroom and laboratory,

Kerry recently appeared on an episode of the 2013 season of COPS, one of the first—and only unscripted—reality TV shows that follow the activities of police officers and their teams by embedding cameras within police units.

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Update: UPEI’s Strategic Planning Process Continues The development of UPEI’s draft strategic plan has been a highly consultative and dynamic process. Since January 2012, several hundred members of campus, as well as community stakeholders, have provided input into the strategy’s development.

Building on the UPEI Vision Document (which was endorsed by the UPEI Senate and UPEI Board of Governors in May 2012) and a successful Dare to Dream campaign, the strategic planning process continues with the objective of adopting a clear and sustainable strategy that will guide

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UPEI’s future in a way that enables our University to achieve its vision of delivering strong academic programs and outstanding student experiences that encourage our students to reach their full potential in the classroom and community.

Most recently, the campus community had the opportunity to provide feedback on the draft strategic plan over a sixweek period. This feedback was further strengthened by a collaborative working group made up of members of the UPEI Senate. The draft plan is now before the UPEI Board of Governors for consideration and input.

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Special Convocation Celebration in Iqaluit UPEI programs offered in Nunavut are making a difference for Inuit educators who otherwise could not access graduate studies.

On June 1, twelve education leaders from Nunavut and one from Nunavik graduated with a Master of Education Leadership degree from the University of Prince Edward Island at a special Convocation celebration in Iqaluit. This marked the second graduation for the innovative program; in 2009 the first Nunavut MEd cohort graduated 21 students.

This year’s graduates are Vera Arnatsiaq, Mary Etuangat, Lizzie Aumaik Iblauk, Saimanaaq (Pat) Netser, Rhoda Cunningham, Louise Flaherty, Susan Tigullaraq, Bertha Iglookyouak, Eva Qirniq Noah, Becky Tootoo, Adriana Kusugak, Maggie Putulik, and Mary-Joanne Kauki.

Respected elders, Donald Uluadluak and Rhoda Karetak, were presented with honorary degrees by President Alaa AbdEl-Aziz. Uluadluak has helped deepen the graduates’ understanding of Inuit traditional knowledge—also known as Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit. Karetak, a cultural advocate and educator, has an intense passion for teaching and passing on her knowledge to others.

The MEd program, co-taught by alumnae and instructors with experience in Nunavut, was delivered in Nunavut with the exception of two summer courses at UPEI, giving participants an opportunity to experience the University’s campus and Prince Edward Island.

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Back: Julie Bodkin (DVM’13) and Jennifer Hurford (DVM’13) Front: Dr. Erin Trageser and Dr. Etienne Côté with Mim, one of three dogs treated at AVC for subaortic stenosis

Healthy Hearts, Healthy Dogs Three dogs born with severe subaortic stenosis are living healthier lives due to a novel procedure called cutting balloon valvuloplasty, performed by Dr. Etienne Côté, veterinary cardiologist at AVC, and cardiology resident Dr. Erin Trageser.

Cutting balloon valvuloplasty was developed in 2009 by Dr. Amara Estrada and Dr. Mandi Kleman, veterinary cardiologists at the University of Florida’s College of Veterinary Medicine. Since then, only several dozen dogs around the world have been treated, three of which were at AVC since August 2012.

“I am very pleased with the results of the procedure in all three cases,” says Côté.

“The dogs gained significant improvement in their health.”

A dog diagnosed with subaortic stenosis is born with a defect that causes a narrowing within the heart. The condition is usually detected as a heart murmur in puppies between two and eight months old during a routine veterinary examination. In many cases, an affected puppy does not show any external symptoms until its heart begins to fail. At this point, the puppy may not be as active as its littermates, and it may even have fainting spells. In moderate or severe cases, symptoms of heart failure can occur in just a few months.

“Cutting balloon valvuloplasty reduces severe subaortic stenosis to moderate or mild which can be managed with medication. It’s a lifesaving procedure.”

Côté stressed that it is important to screen puppies for subaortic stenosis to ensure that they are assessed and treated appropriately, and that affected dogs are not bred because the condition is genetically transmitted to their offspring.

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Mental Health Week UPEI hosted its first Mental Health Week from March 11–15, 2013. An initiative led by the Department of Student Affairs and supported by the Canadian Mental Health Association (PEI division), the week showcased a series of events including mental health workshops, a mental health fair, a movie screening, and a wrap-up celebration—all presented in a caring and supportive environment, and designed to educate participants and challenge the stigmas surrounding mental health. Understanding that our classmates and colleagues may be experiencing stress, anxiety, or sadness helps us to realize that we are not alone when facing such issues.

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The week also included the installation of an acrylic-on-canvas mural created by eight young people who have experienced psychosis. The mural portrays their experiences through paintings, posters, and words. UPEI staff, faculty, and students were able to share their responses to feelings the mural evoked by writing their comments on a graffiti table displayed next to it.

The mural installation was funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. Co-investigators Dr. Kate Tilleczek, Canada Research Chair in Child/Youth Cultures and Transitions in the UPEI Faculty of Education, and an adjunct research scientist at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, and Dr. Katherine Boydell, senior scientist in Child Health Evaluative Sciences at the Hospital for Sick Children, have shown the installation to over 5,000 young people in high schools across Canada.

UPEI’s Mental Health Week initiative received national coverage through Maclean’s On Campus, and the conversation was brought to social media through the #upeimentalhealth Twitter handle.

This October, the Department of Student Affairs took to the hallways at UPEI to showcase the services it offers and to ask UPEI students what issues they wish to see addressed at the 2014 Mental Health Week, which will take place from March 10-14. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

First Students Graduate from Master of Nursing NP Program UPEI’s first three students in the nurse practitioner (NP) stream of the two-year Master of Nursing (MN) program— Laurie Brehaut, Marion MacDonald, and Kelsey MacPhee— have completed the program and are currently employed as graduate nurse practitioners in various PEI communities.

The graduates wrote their national Canadian nurse practitioner exam in October and will officially graduate from UPEI in the spring of 2014.

The University’s MN program is designed for nursing students who have completed a bachelor’s degree from an approved or accredited university, and who have a minimum of two years of nursing practice. Once students complete the program and receive an endorsement to practice as an NP in the province, they can work in a variety of settings, including community, acute, and long-term care.

Terri Kean, nurse practitioner and assistant professor in UPEI’s School of Nursing, believes the willingness of UPEI to undertake the development of such a program speaks to the University’s commitment to educating skilled health-care providers as a partial solution to healthcare challenges.

“The nurse practitioner students are welcomed as pioneers and ambassadors of a role that has proven itself time after time in all areas of nursing. This is history in the making,” said Kean.

Marion MacDonald, Laurie Brehaut, and Kelsey MacPhee

Admission to UPEI’s NP stream occurs every second year. For more information about the UPEI MN program: nursing.upei.ca/graduate-programs-upei-school-nursing

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Mary Mullen, EAP Instructor

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English Academic Preparation (EAP) Program Supporting success for international students Things were different in 1958 when the first four international students to attend Saint Dunstan’s University arrived on what is now the UPEI campus, having spent three weeks crossing the Pacific by ship and North America by train.

That’s why alumnus Ambrose Kwok-Yau Lee (BSc’62) established an award at UPEI in recognition of students whose first language is not English. He understands the challenge.

Back then, support for international students was provided by the Sisters of Saint Martha, who looked after everyone on campus. One student fondly remembers a birthday cake with his name painstakingly written in Chinese characters by a Sister who knew how lonesome he was. To this day, the thoughtfulness of that gesture touches his heart. With international student registrations approaching 600 annually, and with more than half of these students participating in English Academic Preparation (EAP) programs, group birthday cakes have become more the norm. But the tradition of academic, social, and emotional support continues through the EAP program, the International Relations Office, Webster Academic Services, and Student Affairs.

Beginning in 2002 with 10 students, the non-credit EAP program now serves over 300 students each year, and is recognized as a leader in innovative programming for speakers of English as an additional language. The EAP program allows students to be admitted to UPEI conditionally. Upon arrival, they take a comprehensive English proficiency test. Results determine the best combination of English language and credit course offerings the students should pursue to successfully advance their educations. In addition to offering courses in all four semesters, EAP offers customized programs for teachers of English abroad, and summer language camps to meet the growing demand from middle and high school students seeking study-abroad opportunities.

Whatever the program, EAP recognizes ability, and is based on the premise that students do best when class content is

His Honour, the Honourable H. Frank Lewis, Lieutenant Governor of Prince Edward Island, presents the 2012 Governor General’s undergraduate medal to Shi Run Min, who began his studies at UPEI in EAP, and is now pursuing graduate studies at the University of Florida.

relevant and suitably challenging. Experience shows that allowing degree-bound students to tackle one credit course as soon as possible—usually mathematics or a low-writingintensive foundation course—is highly motivating. International students traditionally tend to major in business, engineering, or computer science, although the number of students pursuing an economics major has tripled over the last ten years.

Dr. James Sentance, chair of the Department of Economics, says, “We have adjusted our teaching and student guidance in response to increasing numbers of international students, including EAP students. We provide additional structure by offering notes on Moodle in many cases, delivering more international examples in class, and presenting detailed instructions about study and exam expectations. We have added more place-neutral courses of a mathematical nature, as well as special topic courses in areas such as globalization. We allow our students to complete their programs in a timely fashion by permitting them to take some courses concurrently with prerequisites, and by scheduling key courses several times throughout the year. I believe our growing student numbers, as well as our good retention and graduation rates, speak to the success of these and other efforts.”

Several faculties at UPEI work with EAP to offer foundation courses that assist international students. Canadian Business Culture and Writing Skills for English Language Learners are popular and successful courses, as are noncredit discipline-specific courses, such as Fundamentals of Economics and Biology Basics. Short-term, front-end-loaded assistance by student mentors and volunteers provides valuable support. The UPEI Buddy Program, co-sponsored with the UPEI Student Union, matches experienced students with newcomers to help them navigate the challenges of learning about a new culture and community. The UPEI Writing Centre provides writing support and workshops appreciated by all faculty, staff, and students, and especially by their fastestgrowing clientele, EAP “graduates.”

In the first or second semester the challenge of pursing a degree in a second or third language can seem very daunting to both students and professors. But, upon realizing that EAP students consistently graduate within 3–4 percentage points of non-EAP students, Convocation truly becomes a celebration of resilience and diligence—an inspiring achievement confirming UPEI’s commitment to excellence in teaching and learning.

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First Graduates! Success for UPEI’s School for the Indigenous Youth and Communities of Southern Chile In a small room on the top floor of UPEI’s Dalton Hall, four colleagues watch a special moment unfold half a world away. On a large screen mounted on the wall, a live video stream shows the graduation ceremony of the first-ever class at Wekimun, a school for the indigenous youth and communities in Chiloe, Chile, created by a project funded by the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development (formerly CIDA) and the University of Prince Edward Island.

“The first graduation was a most delightful ceremony in which the results of the collaborations and hard work of the international team were expressed in the faces of these students,” says Dr. Kate Tilleczek, Canada Research Chair in Child/Youth Cultures and Transitions and team leader for the project in Chile. “These people and their educational visions are inspiring. I feel privileged to work on such an excellent team who are dedicated to doing something very different to meet the educational needs and dreams of these youth and communities.”

This five-year project aims to assess the educational requirements of the local indigenous people spread out over many islands in southern Chile. At the same time, the project is building a school and developing a customized and innovative curriculum to meet the needs of the people. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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Graduates of the first course taught at the Wekimun School

“The graduates participated in an experimental course in Williche language, a dialect of Mapundungün,” explains Angela Sammon, manager for the project on the ground in Chiloe. “This course evolved as a result of what we had heard in the communities about the strong desire to learn Mapundungün, and how it has been lost from the communities and is not often heard in speech.”

The twelve students who graduated from the initial offering came from a few of the project’s target communities: Incopulli, the island of Cailin, and the territory of Piedra Blanca. Some were participants in the original needs-assessment workshops.

Others heard about the course from family members or friends in the community.

Dr. Doreley Coll, associate professor of Spanish and Latin American Studies at UPEI, leads the project on aspects of translation and the development of unique language curriculum. “The course was designed for future teachers and cultural facilitators of Mapudugün,” she says. “There are many dialects of Mapudugün spoken in southern Chile, and few speakers of the language—most of whom are elders who live in remote zones. Our Chilean partners feel the central government could implement this methodology in the national territory if indeed it proves to be the best way to deliver the language of the original people of Chile.”

The project also benefits from the talents and expertise of other fluent Spanish-speaking faculty at UPEI. Dr. Ron Srigley leads the governance and globalization aspects of the curriculum for the project. He works closely with Dr. Luis Bate, who is leading the development of the infrastructure and curriculum relating to animal care and wellness, and Debbie MacDonald, the project coordinator at UPEI. In weekly contact with Manuel Muñoz and Anna Maria Olivera, the co-directors of the Wekimun School, the international team is working to forge a warm, collegial, and collaborative relationship that bodes well for the success of the school and the project. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

athletics and recreation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Athletics and Recreation

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UPEI and its founding institutions, Saint Dunstan’s University and Prince of Wales College, have a long and proud tradition of academic and athletic excellence. The Department of Athletics and Recreation as well as Panther Sport are pleased to advance this sport legacy through the dedicated efforts of our student athletes, experienced coaching staff, medical and academic support groups, and the many partners and supporters who help to create and maintain a program that strives to provide the best student experience possible.

You will be proud to learn that this year, 73 of our 185 student athletes have been designated as CIS Academic AllCanadians—maintaining an average of 80 per cent in their academic studies—positioning UPEI as one of the leaders in scholastic achievement within our AUS conference.

Our varsity teams compete hard, are encouraged to reach their physical potential, and are expected to give back to their community at large. We are proud Panthers! We are pleased that our UPEI alumni—Panthers for Life!—continue to support us in our endeavours. An exciting new varsity season is underway, and we look forward to seeing you at our many sporting events on campus. Check out game times at gopanthersgo.ca/schedule Athletics and Recreation is committed to sustaining our world-class facilities that foster championship performances.

We are dedicated to attracting and retaining outstanding coaches and leaders, and providing them with the resources they need to be successful. We are committed to offering an environment that secures UPEI’s place as a top-of-mind choice for student athletes.

If you have any questions or thoughts regarding Panther Sports or Athletics and Recreation at UPEI, please contact us. With your active engagement, we anticipate a bright future for UPEI student-athletes and the entire UPEI community.

Support your Panther teams!

Visit gopanthersgo.ca to view the schedule of upcoming games.

To contact Athletics and Recreation, call (902) 566-0715 or email panthers@upei.ca facebook.com/upeiathletics

@UPEIPanthers

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athletics and recreation

Cornerstone for Women’s Hockey, Bruce Donaldson Returning for his eighth year as head coach of the women’s hockey Panthers, Bruce Donaldson is looking for another Atlantic University Sport (AUS) championship title. With his skills now honed at recruiting, fundraising, and developing women leaders in sport, this might be just the season he finds one.

Coach Donaldson has been a cornerstone for women’s hockey in PEI. In addition to the Panther program, Donaldson was the head coach of the PEI 2007 Winter Games Hockey Program, and the PEI U18 Program of Excellence, and co-coach of the 2006-07 PEI Female Senior Women’s Hockey Program.

Though he holds a leadership position with TD Canada Trust as manager of the Charlottetown branch, Donaldson spends countless hours building the program. He leads by example, instilling in his players the importance of giving back to the community. In addition to encouraging the women’s hockey team to conduct hockey clinics for young girls and newcomers to Canada, he also runs the annual Paderno Cup Hockey Tournament that raises money for cancer research. The tournament attracts teams from all over the Maritimes.

In 2012 Donaldson’s efforts paid off as the UPEI women’s hockey team won their first-ever AUS championship and went on to compete at the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) championship. Donaldson was named the AUS 2012 Women’s Hockey Coach of the Year—the first UPEI women’s hockey coach to receive the honour. He won Sport PEI’s Coach of the Year for 2012, and the women’s hockey Panthers were named Sport PEI Team of the Year.

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Jordon Knox DJ Smith

Jordan Knox, former UPEI hockey star, received the 2012–13 Canadian Interuniversity Sport Dr. Randy Gregg Award for his excellence in hockey, academics, and community service. The Skinners Pond native also received an Academic All-Canadian mention in each of the four seasons he played in the Atlantic conference. Knox is currently living in Hungary where he plays hockey for the Miskolci Polar Bears.

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UPEI men’s basketball guard Deontay (DJ) Smith was named the CIS and AUS Rookie of the Year for the 2012–13 season. He was also named an AUS first team all-star. Smith is the first UPEI recipient and the second player from the AUS conference to receive the Dr. Peter Mullins Trophy which recognizes the top rookie of the year in Canadian basketball action.

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Marley MacInnis—CIS Academic All-Canadian Marley MacInnis has played women’s rugby for seven years—four years with her high school team, the Souris Spartans, and three years with UPEI. She’s loved every minute of it and is quick to credit UPEI coaching staff with building the UPEI rugby “family.” She says, “During my time at UPEI, I’ve been privileged to be coached by people like Shannon Atkins, Dawn Sullivan, Madelon Cheverie, and Ashley MacDonald.

They have a lot of technical knowledge and passion for the sport, and that is so inspiring. They also make sure that we are paying attention to our academic efforts.” MacInnis is one of 73 Canadian Interuniversity Sport Academic All-Canadian athletes at UPEI, the University’s highest number ever. “It’s a big accomplishment to focus on sport while doing well in your studies. It teaches you discipline and time management,” says MacInnis. “And rugby has a short season. I really admire the student athletes whose seasons are much longer.” MacInnis is taking courses at UPEI with the goal of pursuing a career as a speech pathologist.

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Due to provincial legislation, our auto insurance program is not offered in British Columbia, Manitoba or Saskatchewan. *No purchase is required. There is one (1) prize to be won. The winner may choose between an amount of $60,000 CAD to build a dream kitchen of his/her choosing or $60,000 CAD cash. The winner will be responsible for choosing a supplier and for coordinating all of the required work. The contest is organized by Security National Insurance Company and Primmum Insurance Company and is open to members, employees and other eligible persons who reside in Canada and belong to an employer, professional or alumni group which has entered into an agreement with the organizers and is entitled to receive group rates from the organizers. The contest ends on October 31, 2014. The draw will be held on November 21, 2014. A skill-testing question is required. Odds of winning depend on the number of eligible entries received. The complete contest rules are available at melochemonnex.com/contest. ®/ The TD logo and other trade-marks are the property of The Toronto-Dominion Bank or a wholly-owned subsidiary, in Canada and/or other countries.

52_MM9178-13_MMI.EN•upei (6.375x9.375).indd 1 Projet : Annonce MMI 2013 Client : TD Assurance

13-11-04 12:40 PM Province : Prince Edward Island Publication : UPEI Magazinee Format : 6.375x9.375

Épreuve # : 1 Date de tombée : 01/11/2013

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The University of Prince Edward Island congratulates 73 student-athletes who earned Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) Academic All-Canadian status for the 2012–13 season. This record-high number represents almost 40 per cent of UPEI’s total student-athlete population of 185 athletes, and is one of the top percentages in Canada. In order to receive this national recognition, student-athletes achieved an academic standing of 80 per cent or higher.

UPEI’s 2012–13 CIS Academic All-Canadians FIELD HOCKEY:

Michelle Clow, Cornwall; Leanne Doiron, Rustico; Emily Jackson, Montague; Katherine Koughan, Stratford; Danielle LeClair, Springvale; Marina MacAulay, Charlottetown; Jenna Matheson, Stratford; Lauren Matheson, Stratford; Emily Ross, Clyde River; Jaclyn Sanderson, Cornwall; Kristy Wu, Calgary, AB

MEN’S HOCKEY: Colin Beck, Charlottetown; Tyler Brown, Detroit, Michigan; Nicholas Creelman, Summerside (not pictured); Dana Fraser, Tatamagouche, NS; Cole MacMillan, Stanhope (pictured with men's soccer); Travis McIsaac, Uigg; Harrison McIver, Kinkora; Nathan McQuaid, Tracadie Cross; Ryan Taylor, Charlottetown; Alex Wall, Mount Pearl, NL MEN’S SOCCER: Logan Dawson, Hampton; Tyler Dykerman,

Hunter River; Daniel Hill, Charlottetown; Adam Lowther, Cavendish; Cole MacMillan, Stanhope; Jared Murphy, Charlottetown; Trevor White, Victoria, BC

SWIMMING: Sydney Abells, Lethbridge, AB; Jennifer Acheson,

St. Stephen, NB; Genevieve Cormier, Stratford; Patrick Gauthier, South Tetagouche, NB; Zachary Laustsen, Lower Sackville, NS; Emma MacKay, Charlottetown; Rebecca McOnie, Armstrong, BC (not pictured); Rebecca Milton, Charlottetown; Marianne Parent, Saint-Hubert, QC; Eeve Stever, Bathurst, NB

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL: Katelynn Donahoe, Riverview, NB; Holly Jones, Riverview, NB; Julia McKenna, Charlottetown; Nakita Newman, New Sarepta, AB; Marie-Christine Parent, Lennoxville, QC WOMEN’S HOCKEY: Kristy Dobson, Bathurst, NB; Jaime Lynn

Donaldson, Charlottetown; Olivia Doughart, Summerside; Maggie Grimmer, Charlottetown; Jessie-Anne Howard, Kingston, ON; Christina Kelly, Miramichi, NB; Kiana Strand, Invermere, BC; Samantha Sweet, O’Leary; Bailey Toupin, Calgary, AB

WOMEN’S RUGBY:

Hanna Austin, Charlottetown; Amy Lou Caulier, Alberton; Rebecca Chapman, Souris; Isabelle D’Amour, Stratford; Marley MacInnis, Souris; Shannon Moore, Cornwall; Alanna Stewart, Charlottetown; Jaleesa Villard, Kinkora

congratulations to our upei cis academic all-canadians . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Stay up-to-date with our UPEI Panthers at gopanthersgo.ca

WOMEN’S SOCCER: Elizabeth Babcock, Burnaby, BC; Kayla Balderston, Cornwall; Lauren Chamberlain, Fall River, NS; Ashley Johnston, Charlottetown; Julie Lannan, Cornwall; Anna Lazurko, Carp, ON; Olivia Murphy, Winsloe; Lindsay Noonan, Charlottetown; Melissa Richardson, Kingston; Nicole Roberts, Brackley Beach; Hannah Roche, Pownal; Allyson Seviour, Stratford; Lynn Symington, Sussex, NB