69传媒

The Atlantic Veterinary College at 69传媒will celebrate the achievements of its graduate students and researchers at its 24th annual Graduate Studies and Research Days (GS&R Days) event on Thursday, May 12, and Friday, May 13, in Lecture Theatre A.

During the two-day celebration, 20 graduate students and six post-doctoral fellows at AVC will present their research findings. New students will present their research plans. Their presentations cover research topics ranging from terrestrial and aquatic animal health to environmental health and biomedical sciences.

GS&R Days will open on Thursday at 9 a.m., with welcoming remarks from 69传媒President and Vice-Chancellor Alaa Abd-El-Aziz, Minister of Workforce and Advanced Learning Richard Brown, and AVC Dean Greg Keefe.

Immediately following the opening remarks will be the annual R.G. Thomson Lecture, an endowed lecture honouring AVC鈥檚 founding dean, Dr. Reginald Thomson. This year鈥檚 R.G. Thomson lecturer, Dr. Dorothee Bienzle will present 鈥淩esearcher, clinician and teacher: How best to move the veterinary profession forward.鈥� Dr. Bienzle is an internationally recognized professor of pathobiology, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph.

Dr. Bienzle will speak about the current state of academic veterinary medicine, and contributions she has made as a veterinary pathologist to research, teaching, clinical practice and the professional organization. Dr. Bienzle is a veterinary researcher funded by NSERC and numerous other sources for over 15 years and a Canada Research Chair holder for 10 years, and has been the principal advisor for 20 graduate theses. Her research pertains to immunity in cats and inflammatory lung disease in horses. She also teaches in multiple veterinary and graduate courses and chairs the redesign of the certification examination of the American College of Veterinary Pathologists.

On Friday, May 13, at 9 a.m., Dr. J Trenton McClure, professor of large animal medicine at AVC, will be presented with the 2016 Zoetis Research Excellence Award. He will give a presentation called 鈥淪o many interests, too little time: A veterinary clinician鈥檚 experience in research.鈥�

鈥淭his is our showcase event where we get to appreciate the great research and clinical pursuits of our graduate students and early career scientists,鈥� says Dr. Larry Hammell, associate dean, Graduate Studies and Research at AVC. 鈥淲e are proud of their contributions and eager to hear about the experiences of Dr. Bienzle and Dr. McClure, two researchers recognized for being at the top of their professions.鈥�

AVC鈥檚 GS&R Days will conclude on Friday with an awards presentation in The McCain Foundation Learning Commons, starting at 12:45 p.m. Click to view the AVC GS&R program.

All are invited to attend this celebration of AVC鈥檚 graduate studies and research program.

69传媒 Women鈥檚 hockey coach Bruce Donaldson is pleased to announce that Halifax, NS native Jenna Pellerin has committed to the Panthers for 2016鈥�17. Pellerin, an honours student, currently attends Halifax West High School.

A member of Team NS for 5 years, the 17-year-old forward played this season with the Metro Boston Pizza in the Nova Scotia Midget AAA league. In 24 regular season games, Pellerin finished sixth in the scoring race, recording 8 goals and 10 assists for 18 points. 

Metro Boston Pizza won the Midget Atlantic AAA Championship which were hosted in Charlottetown. Pellerin was tournament top scorer and was selected MVP. The Metro Boston Pizza team moved on to represent Atlantic Canada at the Esso Nationals in Weyburn, Saskatchewan. The team finished with a one win, two loss, and one overtime loss record during which Pellerin scored 2 goals.

Coach Donaldson said, 鈥淲e see Jenna as a player who works very hard at both ends of the building, clearly she can have offensive success and has been a strong leader for her program on the ice. Jenna continues to get stronger and stronger as a player and we look forward to adding some offensive depth into our line up.鈥�

Pellerin will be entering the Faculty of Science at UPEI.

About 69传媒Athletics and Recreation
鈥� Nine varsity sports and six club team programs
鈥� Proud member of the AUS and CIS
鈥� Athletic facilities include: Chi-Wan Young Sports Centre, 69传媒Alumni Canada Games Place
鈥� Home of Panther Sports Medicine
鈥� Other facilities available to students and the community at large include: fitness centre, squash and racquetball courts, competition and leisure pool with hot tub, and two ice arenas
 

UPEI's Faculty of Education is proud to be hosting PEI's inaugural Digital Pedagogy Lab institute (#DigPed) from July 13-15, 2016. The #DigPed model brings educators together to engage hands-on with key digital tools, concepts, and leaders to build sustainable and innovative educational practices. The three-day event aims to foster collaborative learning community across all levels of PEI education, building critical capacity in technology integration and digital literacies across our system.

Teachers, faculty, learning designers, librarians, and educational decision-makers from PEI and beyond will all contribute to #DigPed. Participants choose between one of two tracks鈥擭etworks and Digital Literacies鈥攁nd work collaboratively in small workshop-style classes to apply ideas to their own professional contexts.

The keynote for #DigPed PEI will be delivered by celebrated education technology writer and critic Audrey Watters, at 3 pm July 13 in UPEI's Alex H. MacKinnon Auditorium, Don and Marion McDougall Hall. Watters鈥� essays have appeared in venues including  and , and her thought-provoking talks have been published in a number of collections. Watters' #DigPed keynote is free and open to anyone interested in PEI education.

鈥�#DigPed is a powerful way to break down silos and build PEI's digital leadership capacity,鈥� said event coordinator Dr. Bonnie Stewart. 鈥淭he event will involve educators from K-12, from higher ed, and even from the US and UK, scaffolding ongoing conversations around this critical area of change and growth.鈥�

鈥淥ur province is in a unique and exciting position to affect positive educational change,鈥� said Dr. Ron MacDonald, dean of education at UPEI. 鈥淥ptimism abounds within and across educational stakeholders groups, which is resulting in many fruitful collaborations. The #Digped Lab is proving to be an excellent example of one such multi-sectoral collaboration.鈥�

See details at the . To register, . Join in the social media conversation at the hashtag #DigPed.

Save the date and join us for this community- and capacity-building event at UPEI!

Businesses and organizations on PEI in need of research expertise can be challenged to find the help they need. Synapse Applied Research and Industry Services (operating as Synapse) was established to help companies identify knowledge gaps, and then connect those businesses with the relevant 69传媒 (UPEI) expertise best aligned to those needs.

Sean Casey, Member of Parliament (Charlottetown), on behalf of the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), the Honourable Heath MacDonald, PEI Minister of Economic Development and Tourism, and Dr. Alaa Abd-El-Aziz, President and Vice-Chancellor of UPEI, today announced funding to support the work carried out by Synapse.

鈥淭he Government of Canada through ACOA, is making strategic investments in science, technology and innovation. I am pleased to announce our support for this project; Synapse is playing a key role in bringing industry and science together to benefit the PEI economy," said Casey.

Minister MacDonald said, 鈥淯PEI鈥檚 innovative researchers are developing leading-edge technology solutions and Synapse is working to evaluate, transfer, and commercialize these technologies for industry. The province 鈥� through Innovation PEI 鈥� is happy to support Synapse鈥檚 efforts to link research with business, which will open up possibilities in new and emerging areas of our economy.鈥�

The Government of Canada, through ACOA鈥檚 Business Development Program will contribute $475,000 to this project over three years. The Government of Prince Edward Island will contribute up to $100,000 in 2016-17 towards operating costs, and 69传媒will provide $398,030 to the project.

鈥�69传媒is grateful to our federal and provincial government partners for recognizing the role that Synapse plays in transforming our researchers' innovative ideas into commercial products, business opportunities, and public knowledge," acknowledged President Abd-El-Aziz. "As a research hub, 69传媒looks forward to continuing to advance science, technology, and the economy for our province.鈥�

Dr. Kim Johnstone, Acting Director, Synapse added, "This funding allows us to continue what we do best: connecting businesses and 69传媒faculty to realize advantages, innovations and economic development. The expertise, technologies and research range from chemistry, information technology and physics to environmental science, human health and aquaculture. And everything in between."

Synapse鈥檚 mandate is to manage the transfer of knowledge between researchers and businesses. Companies may seek expertise and information from 69传媒researchers in varied fields of study. Plus, researchers can also reach out to companies to transform innovative ideas into commercial products or business opportunities. As a not-for-profit company, Synapse鈥檚 role is to act as a portal that links private-sector and academic entities.

The 69传媒鈥檚 Board of Governors approved a . The budget, which is $111 million, includes a tuition increase of three per cent, keeping it among the lowest in the Maritimes, and sustains core programs and services as well as UPEI鈥檚 workforce.

鈥�69传媒is very proud of the continuing success of our students, faculty, and researchers,鈥� said President Alaa Abd-El-Aziz. 鈥淎s a key economic driver for the Province of Prince Edward Island, we are making a positive impact on the Island, Atlantic Canada and around the world. Together, we are building outstanding experiential learning opportunities and encouraging students to develop to their full potential in both the classroom and the community.鈥�

UPEI鈥檚 budget plan is based on revenue generated by two principal sources鈥攖he annual provincial operating grant and student tuition. As was announced during the spring sitting of the provincial legislature last month, the provincial government increased UPEI鈥檚 operating grant by one per cent for 2016-17. Revenues are used to cover core operating costs including wages, utilities, equipment replacement and supply cost increases.

鈥淲e thank our government for its commitment and support to post-secondary students through such measures as increasing weekly student loan amounts, indexing for inflation, and extending the grace periods before repayment of student loans,鈥� said President Abd-El-Aziz. 鈥淭hese initiatives support our shared priority鈥攅nabling our post-secondary students to advance their education to succeed in a globally interconnected labour market.鈥�

The undergraduate tuition increase of three per cent represents $17 per course or $170 per year for a student taking a full course load. Tuition for international students will also increase by three per cent, or $20 per course.

During the budget process, the university worked to minimize the impact on UPEI鈥檚 most valuable resource鈥攐ur people鈥攂y continuing to reduce non-salary expenditures as much as possible. While the proportion of the operating budget allocated to salaries and benefits remains high at 71 per cent, 69传媒was able to sustain its workforce through vacancy management and attrition.

Other cost drivers include anticipated flat domestic enrolment numbers, normal inflationary effects, salary increments, pension commitments and benefit costs. Significant expenditures falling under the Administration and Finance portfolio include Project Beacon ($800,000) and additional costs for utilities and services for the new School of Sustainable Design Engineering building ($430,000).

President Abd-El-Aziz added, 鈥淲e recognize that the cost of post-secondary education is rising for our students. However, an increase in tuition fees is necessary to help counteract our significant budget pressures. Even with a three per cent increase, our tuition remains one of the lowest undergraduate rates in the region.鈥�

69传媒Student Union President Nathan Hood said, 鈥淲hile we cannot endorse a tuition increase of three per cent, we understand the financial challenges that the University faces as do other post-secondary institutions across the country. We appreciate being included in discussions about the budget and are pleased that it does not include cuts to core student programs and services. However, the 69传媒Student Union continues to take the position that annual increases to tuition should be indexed to the Consumer Price Index.鈥�

The operating budget does not include research funds, which are budgeted separately on a project-by-project basis, but it does include the budget of departments that provide support to research. Capital projects, such as the construction of the new School of Sustainable Design Engineering, are also budgeted on a project-by-project basis and reported within the capital assets fund.

The 69传媒 prides itself on people, excellence, and impact and is committed to assisting students to reach their full potential in both the classroom and community. With roots stemming from two founding institutions鈥擯rince of Wales College and St. Dunstan鈥檚 University鈥�69传媒has a reputation for academic excellence, research innovation, and creating positive impacts locally, nationally, and internationally. 69传媒is the only degree granting institution in the province and is proud to be a key contributor to the growth and prosperity of Prince Edward Island.

Prometheus Reconsiders Fire, a new book of poetry by Dr. Brent MacLaine, will be launched at a public event on Wednesday, May 25, at 7:30 p.m., in the North River Fire Hall鈥檚 Ember Room.

A native of PEI, MacLaine is professor emeritus and a 3M Teaching Fellow in the Department of English at UPEI. In addition to numerous academic articles on modern literature, he has published four volumes of poetry. His awards for poetry include a League of Canadian Poets prize, the Prince Edward Island Book Award, and the Atlantic Poetry Prize.

In Prometheus Reconsiders Fire, MacLaine undertakes an exploration of fire. The title poem establishes Prometheus as the poet鈥檚 persona, a voice that is dedicated to the reconsideration of fire in both its benevolent and malevolent aspects. Formal and elegant, Prometheus plots a trajectory between the classical and the local, a bearing that will be familiar to readers of MacLaine鈥檚 earlier work, Athena Becomes a Swallow.

Wide-ranging in its geography, the new book is wrapped 鈥檙ound by 鈥淭he Fire Hall Suite,鈥� which begins and ends the book. The poems in the collection respond to the 鈥渄rive-by wisdom鈥� created by the anonymous 鈥淪ign Person鈥� who speaks to the local community by way of the fire hall鈥檚 roadside sign. Framed by the 鈥淪uite,鈥� the poems of Prometheus move between city and country. A naturalist in the city, MacLaine brings to the urban environment the acutely observing eye that has always characterized his Island nature poems. The book is published by Nimbus Publishing.

Everyone is invited to attend the launch of Dr. MacLaine鈥檚 newest book. The Ember Room is upstairs in the North River Fire Hall, Trans Canada Highway, North River, PEI.

Congratulations, Dr. MacLaine!
 

National Police Week began in Canada in 1970 as a way to connect with communities and increase awareness about the services that police provide. This year, National Police Week runs from May 16-21, and is an opportunity to highlight the important role that police play in the safety and security of all people across Canada.

The 69传媒鈥檚 Security Services team is recognized under the PEI Police Act as an official police agency. Among the team of 19 men and women, there are seven full-time police officers.

鈥淭housands of people work, study, visit and live on our campus. The 69传媒Security Services team is dedicated to ensuring the safety of everyone on campus and for this we thank them,鈥� said President Alaa Abd-El-Aziz. 鈥淣ational Police Week is an opportunity to show our gratitude to our 69传媒campus police for their exceptional work, and I encourage the campus community to do just that.鈥�

鈥淪afety is our number one priority,鈥� said Marc Pharand, manager of Security Services. 鈥淲hen a community effort is made, it benefits all individuals on our campus. We are lucky that individuals at 69传媒are cooperative and care about safety.鈥�

Thanks to 69传媒Security Services, 69传媒continues to work towards maintaining a safe environment for all individuals across the 69传媒campus.

Kurt Laird of Laird Tree Care donated and planted an oak sapling on 69传媒campus to celebrate National Arbour Day, May 20.

鈥淭he reason I chose 69传媒as a place to have an Arbour Day planting is that the campus has proven itself as an arboretum of sorts,鈥� said Kurt Laird of Laird Tree Care. 鈥淭he university is a great example of how to care and manage large trees as well as adding new, viable, and interesting trees to the inventory. In the past elms were the backbone to the university treescape, but red oak has taken over that role. Adding another young oak will help ensure sustainability of the oak population.鈥�

鈥淲e value our trees on campus, and we appreciate the work Laird Tree Service has done for us over the years, including ongoing tree maintenance and a tree-planting plan to ensure our treescape is healthy and sustainable,鈥� said Greg Clayton, director of Facilities Management at UPEI. 鈥淲e are especially thankful for his donation of a tree on National Arbour Day.鈥�

The tree donated by Laird Tree Care will live and grow between Kelley Memorial Building and Cass Science Hall. It replaces a tree that had to be removed in the last few years.

The twelfth annual PEI Nursing Research to Practice Conference is being held May 27 in Don and Marion McDougall Hall at the 69传媒. The conference brings together practicing nurses, academic researchers, and students to hear and share the latest research from their respective fields of practice.

This year鈥檚 conference will be filled with powerful research and compelling practice initiatives, which focus on the mental, physical, and emotional health of healthcare professionals and how this affects the way in which we care for our patients, clients, and residents. This is sure to be a day of captivating presentations, engaging discussions, and strong networking with others in the healthcare field. A variety of concurrent sessions by local and regional presenters is scheduled between the key note addresses.

鈥淗ealth PEI is pleased to partner with 69传媒every year in this important conference for our health care professionals,鈥� said Brenda Worth, Chief Nursing Officer and Executive Director of Laboratory Services for Health PEI. 鈥淏ringing together nursing researchers and clinical practitioners for a day of shared learning can only improve health care services for Islanders.鈥�

Interim Dean of 69传媒School of Nursing Dr. Jo-Ann MacDonald describes the conference, 鈥渁s a prime opportunity for our two organizations to focus on enhancing our work life and our profession in a research to practice forum.鈥� 

Conference Keynotes:

Dr. Wendy Austin is a Registered Nurse and Professor Emerita at the University of Alberta. Her research includes a national study of compassion fatigue, now published as Lying Down in the Ever Falling Snow: Canadian Health Professionals鈥� Experience of Compassion Fatigue. Arts-informed dissemination of research is a current interest; Wendy and her colleagues鈥� narrative study of the moral distress of paediatric intensive care teams has been dramatized as a film, Just Keep Breathing.

Gord McNeilly is a motivational speaker and exercise instructor; he is also a former professional basketball player, military fitness instructor, and policy and health promotions officer at DVA. His presentation focuses on motivation, change, and commitment in relation to groups and management.

Speakers and organizers will be available for a photo opportunity at 8:15 am, outside of the Alex H. MacKinnon Auditorium, room 242, Don and Marion McDougall Hall.

The 2016 PEI Nursing Research To Practice Conference is co-organized by UPEI鈥檚 School of Nursing and Health PEI. 

69传媒 Women鈥檚 Soccer Coach Graeme McDonald is pleased to announce that Rogersville, New Brunswick native Tyffanie Bordage has committed to the Panthers for the 2016鈥�17 season.

Coach McDonald says, 鈥淭yffanie lives and breathes soccer and is very passionate about the game. She has excellent technique, explosive speed, and can score goals. She is an exciting player who works very hard and everyone will feed off her energy and enthusiasm. I am delighted to have her join the squad.鈥�

Bordage, an honour roll student, is currently attending 脡cole secondaire Assomption (ESA) where she has received recognitions such as Athlete (2011-2015), Student (2011-2012), and 2013 Leader of the Year awards. Bordage was also a member of Student Council (2012-2016) and was School President in 2016. Bordage鈥檚 soccer experience includes playing at the AAA level (2 years in Moncton and 4 in Miramichi) and playing for Team NB (past 5 years), the Moncton High Performance Academy (2013), and Team Atlantic (2014).

鈥淭yffanie had a big impact on our high school soccer team as a great leader and captain. Over the last few years, she has become a complete soccer player both offensively and defensively. On the field, she鈥檚 gritty, skillful, and is great at finding space to create and explode through the offensive third鈥攁nd makes teams pay,鈥� says ESA Jaguars coach Philippe McCaie.

鈥淪he has scored many clutch goals while helping us bring home the regional and provincial soccer titles for our school even though we are one of the smallest schools in our division. Her hard work and devotion to the team has rubbed off on her teammates making everyone better,鈥� McCaie adds. 鈥淥ff the field, she had a positive impact as president of the student council and being involved in other school committees. She鈥檚 a great athlete and I really enjoyed having her on my team. 69传媒did a wise choice by recruiting her!鈥�

Bordage says, 鈥淪occer is my passion, I've dedicated so many mornings, nights, weekends and holidays, that it has become more than just a sport to me. I am so grateful to be part of the 69传媒squad and to continue my journey to reach new goals with the team and for myself.鈥�

Bordage will be entering the Bachelor of Business Administration program.         

About 69传媒Athletics and Recreation

• Nine varsity sports and six club team programs
• Proud member of the AUS and CIS
• Athletic facilities include: Chi-Wan Young Sports Centre, 69传媒Alumni Canada Games Place
• Home of Panther Sports Medicine
• Other facilities available to students and the community at large include: fitness centre, squash and racquetball courts, competition and leisure pool with hot tub, and two ice arenas