69´«Ã½

A research project at the 69´«Ã½ will help educators and parents across Canada to identify the most successful ways to include children with special needs within regular classrooms.

The Canadian Council of Learning has awarded $70,000 to Vianne Timmons, 69´«Ã½Vice-President of Academic Development, and Kim Critchley, 69´«Ã½Dean of Nursing, along with collaborators from across the country. Their proposal to identify the inclusive strategies that have the most positive impact on the health and well-being of children with disabilities was one of ten chosen from a total of 44 under the theme of Health and Learning.

"Research shows that including children with disabilities in the regular classroom positively impacts their academic achievement, social adjustment and interactions, and overall health," explains Dr. Timmons. "Studies have also shown that teachers are sometimes overwhelmed by the diversity in their classrooms and would like further knowledge and training on inclusive practices."

The funding award from the Canadian Council of Learning will allow the 69´«Ã½research team to carry out an analysis of Statistics Canada's Participation and Activity Limitation Survey (PALS). This analysis will increase their knowledge about the most successful applications of inclusive education in the country.

Dr. Critchley explains that once the research team has gathered information about the best inclusive practices that are in place in Canada, it hopes to move on to the second phase of the project to provide this important information to the parents, administrators, and educators who need it. This is what is known as "knowledge transfer."

"The key issue here is that known effective practices on inclusive education are frequently not in the hands of teachers, parents and other service providers," she points out.

"It is appropriate for this project to be led by 69´«Ã½because Prince Edward Island is considered a Canadian leader in this area," says Dr. Timmons who sits on a national task force looking at research in inclusive practices. "Many of the best practices in inclusive education are evident in our PEI school system." She adds that the quality of Canada's educational system can be judged by the quality of education provided for the most vulnerable children.

Jody Misener, a fourth-year nursing student at the 69´«Ã½ has been recognized nationally for her outstanding clinical performance. The Canadian Nursing Students' Association has awarded her the Sigma Theta Tau International Honour Society of Nursing Scholarship for Student Clinical Excellence. Nursing students from across Canada compete for this annual scholarship valued at $2000 US.

"I am honoured to have won this award which not only recognizes my excellence in clinical performance but also shows how tremendously important the faculty and clinical instructors are at the 69´«Ã½School of Nursing," says Misener.

She will accept her award at the 2007 Canadian Nursing Students' Association national conference in Toronto which takes place January 23 to 27. This year's theme is "Nursing: New heights, New frontiers."

This is the second time in recent years that a 69´«Ã½nursing student has carried off the national award for clinical excellence. In 2005 it was won by Melanie McCarthy.

Researchers from the 69´«Ã½ are playing key roles in three of the six projects that attracted investment from the Atlantic Innovation Fund this week. The Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), announced that up to $15 million will be awarded to projects that support the province's growing expertise in bioscience, marine bioproducts, and health research.

"In each of the first three rounds of AIF funding, and again in Round Four, 69´«Ã½colleagues have been lead proponents and essential partners in major funding initiatives," says President Wade MacLauchlan. "69´«Ã½has been disproportionately successful in the AIF, by comparison with any other university in Atlantic Canada. This reflects a special combination of research talent, a commitment to translate our expertise into benefits for the community, and support from administrative and research development colleagues."

UPEI's "Project: Discovery and Production of Marine Bioproducts" will receive up to$3 million from the AIF over a five- year period. It is led by the Department of Chemistry's Dr. Russell Kerr, a Canada Research Chair in the Faculty of Science and a world leader in the area of biosynthesis of marine natural products.

"This project will enhance our ability to sustainably advance a rich source of novel natural products with a wide range of biomedical applications," explains Dr. Katherine Schultz, 69´«Ã½Vice-President of Research Development. "It builds on the excellence of Dr. Kerr's work, and complements the expertise of other researchers who are exploring the bioactive compounds of our regional plants and crops."

An additional $2.9 million will be invested from the AIF in a collaborative project between the Centre for Aquatic Health Sciences at UPEI's Atlantic Veterinary College and Elanco Animal Health Canada. They will undertake research to develop a safe, effective and profitable therapeutic product to prevent and treat sea lice in salmonids, a family of fishes that includes trout and salmon. Disease outbreaks remain one of the main challenges to the continued sustainability, growth and prosperity of the aquaculture industry. Sea lice, in particular, represent a health threat to salmonid aquaculture. Dr. Larry Hammell will be a major contributor to this project.

The health of the aquaculture industry is also the focus of a project that takes advantage of the expertise of Dr. Franck Berthe, UPEI's Canada Research Chair in Aquatic Health Science: Molusc Health, and Dr. Jeff Davidson from the Atlantic Veterinary College's Department of Health Management. Since 1997, four aquatic invasive species of tunicate, a group of marine animals that spend most of their lives attached to docks, rocks or the undersides of boats, have been identified in Atlantic Canada. These species have a negative effect on shellfish resources, particularly the cultured mussel industry. 69´«Ã½researchers will work with the PEI Aquaculture Alliance Inc. (PEIAA) to provide the industry with sustainable and efficient methods of managing tunicate through diagnosis, prevention and treatment. This project will receive an investment of up to $2.8 million from the Atlantic Innovation Fund over a five-year period.

"Here in PEI, and across Atlantic Canada, we have the talent, expertise, ideas and drive to become a world-class centre for research and development," said Minister MacKay. "The innovation work underway in the region drives our economy, increases trade and investment, attracts new talent, and has the potential to help retain our youth."

The 69´«Ã½ has become an important generator of new knowledge in recent years through its significant growth in research initiatives and capacity. Last year alone, externally-funded research activity at 69´«Ã½jumped by $3 million to $12.7 million.

The winner of a new women's basketball scholarship introduced at 69´«Ã½this year is Sharise Richards, a first-year player from Toronto. The scholarship, valued at $2,500, was created by the Charlottetown law firm Carr, Stevenson and MacKay. One of the firm's partners, Barbara Stevenson, is an alumna of 69´«Ã½and a former basketball Panther.

Sharise Richards graduated from Downsview Secondary School where she played basketball, volleyball, and soccer. She was MVP for all three sports in school and Female Athlete of the Year.

A new research and service centre made possible by partnerships formed among governments and the private sector is now open for business on the 69´«Ã½ (UPEI) campus.

"Canada's New Government, through the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), is helping 69´«Ã½play a critical role in advancing health care," said the Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of ACOA. "The research on diseases performed at 69´«Ã½is important to human health and we are helping scientists truly make a difference".

The Atlantic Veterinary College's Atlantic Centre for BioProducts Valuation (ACBV) will be a key component for the growing research area of biomedical sciences. Studies and clinical testing carried out at the facility will be critical in determining if a new medication or treatment is effective and able to move on to further development stages.

Through its Atlantic Innovation Fund, ACOA will contribute up to $3 million for this project. The provincial government will be investing $1.5 million over two years through Prince Edward Island Business Development Inc. to support the establishment of the ACBV in PEI. 69´«Ã½has contributed over $2 million towards the project.

The research and development at the facility will focus on three key themes: neurodegeneration, as it relates to damage caused by a stroke; neuroinflammation, with a focus on Alzheimer's and Multiple Sclerosis; and metabolic disorders, with emphasis on blood cholesterol/triglycerides.

"The opening of this new facility represents the development of a sound technology required to significantly enhance the value of our continually growing bioscience cluster in this province," said Minister Currie. "This Centre provides researchers and companies

the opportunity to invest their dollars into our local economy rather than having to outsource for such services off-Island."

Development of the centre is led by the Atlantic Veterinary College at 69´«Ã½and will help support research within the university and with cluster partners such as the National Research Council Institute for Nutrisciences and Health (NRC-INH), which is also located on the 69´«Ã½campus. The ACBV is the only centre of its kind in Eastern Canada and north of Boston.

More than 200 researchers are now working in PEI's bioscience cluster and approximately 34 entities focusing on bioscience are registered with the Province of PEI.

"Through interaction with regional medical and agricultural schools, as well as public and private institutions, opportunities exist to collaborate on research in clinical trials designed to benefit both human and animal health," explained Dr. Tim Ogilvie, Dean of Veterinary Medicine, Atlantic Veterinary College at UPEI. "This centre is revolutionary in its level of collaboration and intersection of veterinary medicine and human health to provide advantages to society."

Advancing Canadian Entrepreneurship (ACE) is celebrating its 20th anniversary of teaching and igniting young Canadians to create brighter futures for themselves and their communities. As part of its anniversary celebration, the organization is releasing 20 stories about student teams and entrepreneurs involved with ACE who are making an impact on their communities while still attending university or college. The 69´«Ã½ team is one of them.

The SIFE Team at 69´«Ã½has rolled out an exciting new initiative called Project NAFTA, in partnership with other student teams in the US and Mexico. The goal is to learn about foreign trade within the North American Free Trade Agreement countries through simulation. The student groups in each country have selected a local entrepreneur from whom they purchase products that they then ship to the other student groups. This project is an original approach to learning about foreign trade and helping local entrepreneurs learn the fundamentals of exporting.

Kristi Kelly is the 69´«Ã½project leader. "We were interested in learning about international trade, so what better way to learn then by actually trying it?" she says. "It is a lot of hard work, and we had no idea how costly or complicated international trade could really be."

The project is just one of many that the 69´«Ã½team will be presenting as part of ACE competitions regionally and nationally this year. ACE is holding three Regional Expositions (Calgary: March 1 to 2; Halifax: March 8 to 9; and Ottawa: March 15 to 16) and one National Exposition (Toronto: May 7 to 9) where student teams and student entrepreneurs will showcase their projects and businesses and be judged by top Canadian executives. These four events are expected to attract more than 1500 students, faculty, alumni, top executives and leading entrepreneurs.

To read more 20th year stories, or for detailed information on all ACE Expositions taking place in 2007, please visit .

Membership of the Seniors College of Prince Edward Island has reached a record 440, a five-fold expansion over the past four years. In addition to the 339 members from Charlottetown, more than 100 members are now taking part in courses in Summerside.

The Seniors College of PEI is an independent, board-run organization affiliated to the 69´«Ã½. It provides inexpensive opportunities for people who are over 50 to keep on learning new skills and new ideas in a comfortable environment and in the company of interesting and interested fellow learners.

Art Linkletter, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the UCLA Center on Aging, commended the college recently when he wrote:

"As the human lifespan continues to grow and many more of us are living well into our 80s and 90s, it is increasingly important to provide resources that will help make seniors' lives healthy, happy and productive. In providing such opportunities, the Seniors College of Prince Edward Island has proven to be a rare gem and successful model for communities throughout North America."

Linketter is well known as host of two of the longest-running television shows in the US. In addition to his work with the UCLA Center of Aging, he has been a spokesman for the United Seniors Association. He received an honorary degree from 69´«Ã½in 2003.

For further information, contact Kinsey Smith, President, Seniors College, at 569 8882,

or Bruce Garrity, Seniors College Coordinator, at 894 2867

or Clive Keen, Director of Life-Long Learning, UPEI, 566 0440 (ckeen@upei.ca)

The 69´«Ã½ is holding its 6th Annual International Development Week, February 5 - 9, 2007. This year the theme is Middle Eastern Affairs. There are activities throughout the week that culminate with a luncheon on Friday, February 9 at the Rodd Royalty Inn from noon to 2 pm.

The week begins on Monday, February 5 with a panel including Frank Zakem, Nawal Abdallah, and Mona Yammine. The panelists will discuss the theme "Migration and Connections: PEI. and Lebanon." They will discuss PEI's connections with Lebanon in light of recent and historical events as well as the panelists' own personal experiences.

On Wednesday, February 7, the Iranian movie "Children of Heaven" will be shown followed by a discussion hosted by 69´«Ã½Iranian students. On Wednesday evening, PEI Make Poverty History group is hosting a community panel entitled "Inclusion and Equity for Women Globally" at the Murphy Community Centre at 7pm. WUSC-69´«Ã½is a member of the PEIMPH coalition. This panel includes Dr. Wimal Rankaduwa, Coordinator of the 69´«Ã½International Development Studies Program.

Finally, the International Development Scholarship Luncheon will be held on Friday, February 9. The guest speaker is Doreen Kays, noted Journalist / Writer, and she will be speaking on Middle Eastern Affairs. Doreen Kays became a well-known television correspondent in the Middle East and author of the book, "Frogs and Scorpions, Egypt, Sadat and the Media." Entertainment will be provided by 69´«Ã½international students.

Members of the public are invited to take part in all events being held this week and all are free with the exception of the Luncheon where tickets cost $30 each or $270 for a table of 10. You may also sponsor a 69´«Ã½international student to attend this event. Proceeds from the fundraising luncheon will benefit an International Student Scholarship at UPEI.

Please contact Beverly Gerg for tickets or more information about the events at 894-2842 or email her at bgerg@upei.ca or visit

After winning the Nationals last year for junior design in engineering, 69´«Ã½students Caleb Curtis, Gabriel Landry, Daniel Palmer and Hannah Sutherland will get the chance to do it again. They took first place in junior design at the Atlantic Engineering competition held this past weekend and will be heading off to Saskatoon for the Canadian Engineering Competition, March 8-11. The team was given a random engineering challenge and given a day to come up with a solution.

A 69´«Ã½team also placed second in the junior design category and will also be heading to Nationals. A third team in the consulting division tied for first place. This team of second- and third-year students tied with a team of fifth- year students from another university. Students were given a week to develop a consulting report on alternative energy uses for a

multi-use centre in Edmundston, New Brunswick.

This is the first time that three teams from 69´«Ã½will head to the national competition.

Professors from the 69´«Ã½ are applying their skills as educators and researchers to assist the Ampara District of Sri Lanka. They are working with Canadian and local organizations to improve living conditions for people in the area whose lives were devastated by the tsunami two years ago.

Dr. Vianne Timmons, Vice-President of Academic Development at UPEI, is overseeing three Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) funded projects in the Ampara District. The first is called The Development of a Holistic Child Intervention Program. She is working with Dr. Kim Critchley, 69´«Ã½Dean of Nursing, to develop a program for children who have been placed in a safe house. These children are former child soldiers or children who have experienced domestic violence.

"The safe house is a haven for children who experience violence and are removed from their homes by the courts. Children stay in the safe house for up to three months. There are three staff members at the present who provide care only," explains Dr. Timmons who, like Dr. Critchley, is a member of the 69´«Ã½Children's Health Applied Research Team (CHART). CHART will be working with South Eastern University, the Probation Department of the Government of Sri Lanka, and UNICEF to set up a demonstration site in the safe house which trains community workers to assess children's needs, develop programs, and evaluate their effectiveness.

The second project, Human Rights and Peace Education, involves Dr. Graham Pike, Dean of Education, and Dr. Wimal Rankaduwa, Coordinator of the 69´«Ã½International Development Studies Program. As its title suggests, the project aims to develop awareness and skills in children and youth on issues relating to human rights and peace. They will be working with South Eastern University, teacher training colleges, and local NGOs to prepare training workshops that focus on communication skills, team building, self-esteem building, decision-making and negotiation skills.

Dr. Rankaduwa, in cooperation with Professor Tim Carroll from the 69´«Ã½School of Business, will also play a key role in a third project to develop a practical business planning program to assist the small- and medium-sized business sector to overcome the considerable challenges that face the sector in a post-tsunami environment. He is working in association with the business faculty at South Eastern University.

After the tsunami of 2004 ravaged Sri Lanka, Dr. Rankaduwa helped to start a fundraising drive at 69´«Ã½to create the Island People's Medical Centre. Members of his extended family, who live in Sri Lanka, led this effort in which 12 centres treated people displaced by the tsunami in the southern area of the country.

69´«Ã½is working in Sri Lanka in conjunction with the Canadian Agro Sustainability Partnership Inc. (CASP), Canada's largest strategic alliance that mobilizes and co-ordinates Canadian interests and expertise in international sustainable agriculture.