Join us for a symposium on the topic of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the environment. The symposium is organized by Environmental Studies students on March 25 from 6:00-8:00 pm in the Alex MacKinnon Auditorium (Room 242), Don and Marion McDougall Hall . All are welcome.

Three informative speakers will provide distinct views on the interactions between AI and the environment. The event is designed to encourage balanced, thoughtful dialogue that examines both the potential benefits of AI and its environmental impacts, rather than presenting the technology as entirely positive or negative. Following the presentations, there will be a question-and-answer period open to the audience.

Dr. Dania Tamayo-Vera is an assistant professor in Mathematical and Computational Sciences at UPEI. She will discuss how AI can help address complex environmental challenges and support sustainable development. Particularly, the use of machine learning to improve crop modelling and optimize agricultural strategies in the context of climate change.

Dr. Pamela Courtenay-Hall is an associate professor in Philosophy at UPEI. She will examine the social and ethical dimensions of AI development. Considering environmental justice and how funding directed toward AI technologies can result in unevenly distributed benefits and environmental costs.

Dr. Tushar Sharma is an assistant professor in Computer Science at Dalhousie. He will discuss the environmental costs of AI, such as water and energy consumption. He will then discuss how AI technology can be made more efficient, drawing on his research in sustainable AI and software engineering.

Stop by the UPEI Bookstore Tuesday to Thursday--this week only--from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm, and spin our prize wheel for your chance to win discount coupons, free items, and prize giveaways. Make sure you follow us on Facebook and Instagram for all the latest contests and promotions. 

Award-winning Canadian poet Lorna Crozier will give a public performance of her poetry on Thursday, March 26, at 7:00 pm, in Schurman Market Square, Don and Marion McDougall Hall, UPEI. NOTE: This event has been rescheduled from March 19.

An Officer of the Order of Canada and Professor Emeritus of Creative Writing at the University of Victoria, Crozier is cherished for her poems about the natural environment, women’s lives, human relationships, and the interplay among nature, human history and myth, and spiritual elements infusing existence and experience. Her poetry is also celebrated for her delightfully subversive wit, for example, “The Sex Life of Vegetables,” and her deep commitment to social justice.

Crozier’s reading is sponsored by the UPEI Faculty of Arts and Department of English. Admission is free.

MSc in Environmental Sciences thesis defence by Jiayue (Lucy) Li

March 27, 2026, 1:00 pm, via web conference

Title: "Mental Health Impacts of Coastal Erosion Following Hurricane Fiona in Prince Edward Island"

Climate change has intensified coastal erosion and extreme weather, increasing psychosocial vulnerability in coastal communities. Hurricane Fiona (2022) caused significant damage and disruption in Prince Edward Island (PEI), yet its mental health impacts related to coastal erosion remain underexplored. This study examines the psychosocial effects of coastal erosion following Fiona across demographic groups. A mixed-methods approach was used, including a cross-sectional survey (n = 105) and semi-structured interviews (n = 9). Quantitative analyses (Chi-square and Fisher’s exact tests) assessed associations between demographic factors and mental health outcomes, while qualitative data provided contextual insights. Psychological distress was widespread, including among those without direct physical impacts. Differences emerged across age, income, and gender, indicating varied vulnerability patterns. Key stressors included prolonged outages, infrastructure disruption, anticipated land loss, and institutional response gaps, while community cohesion acted as a protective factor. Findings highlight that mental health impacts extend beyond direct exposure and are shaped by perceived risk and environmental uncertainty. Adaptation strategies should integrate both physical and psychosocial dimensions to strengthen community resilience.

If you wish to attend the public presentation, please contact the Graduate Studies Coordinator at gsc@upei.ca to receive the link.

Researchers at UPEI are looking to understand how students, faculty, staff, and community members get to and from the UPEI campus. This will help identify ways to make it easier to get to and from UPEI with or without a vehicle. The anonymous survey will take five to ten minutes to complete, and participants who complete the survey will be eligible for a draw for one of five $50 VISA gift cards.  For more information or to complete the survey, please go to https://forms.office.com/r/Ck97PRtw4N.  For questions, you can also email the lead investigator, Dr. Travis Saunders, at trsaunders@upei.ca. This project has been reviewed by the UPEI Research Ethics Board.

If you’re planning to hire a student this summer, we can help. Co-op students from several programs are seeking opportunities. Students are enrolled in business, computer science, analytics, chemistry, physics, environmental studies, and financial math programs. 

Contact Karen Turner, Co-op job development coordinator at klturner@upei.ca or 902-566-0794 for more details about how to get started. Visit the UPEI Co-op Program website, or submit this form to post a co-op job. You can also follow the Co-op Program on LinkedIn. 

With the semester coming to a close, this session is particularly valuable to both students still searching for their summer employment as well as those graduating and looking for that perfect next-step! Sign up today. The session will take place on March 26 at 12:00 pm, in Schurman Market Square, Don and Marion McDougall Hall.

Permjot Valia (he/him) is co-founder at Nava Develop Inc., a business development firm serving innovation focused corporates, startup organizations and academic institutions. A globally recognized mentor, facilitator and business coach, he has led strategic planning successes for organizations throughout Canada’s innovation ecosystem. He founded MentorCamp and was Lead Mentor of Cape Breton’s Navigate Startup House. He served as a Mentor-in-Residence at the University of Arkansas Sam Walton School of Business and has helped multiple researchers commercialise their research. This work continues through the 3 day Lab2Market program he delivers across Canada to researchers.

He is an expert pitch coach with companies he has coached winning over $10m in prize money.

Permjot serves on Boards of several startups, works with Dal Innovates, and lectures globally on business modelling, strategy and leadership. He is passionate about contributing to Canada’s economic development and cultural success. 

Permjot holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from University of Leeds and an MBA from Open University (UK). He is an MIT-trained mentor program manager. 

New poetry collection speaks to and from the Island

In her third poetry collection, Judy Gaudet “brings us heart-deep and eye-level with Prince Edward Island’s fields, woods, and shores,” says Deirdre Kessler, former PEI Poet Laureate. Published by Island Studies Press, the book will be launched on March 24, at 7 pm, in the Faculty Lounge, Main Building Room 201, University of Prince Edward Island.

Another Landscape addresses the ordinary wonders of a life shared with her partner and their dog, where “Nothing is needed. Everything is here between us.” Though the poems grow out of this one life on the Island, Gaudet takes the long view of time. She sees at once the molecules of the red sandstone cliffs and her own, that have held together for greatly different timespans. The poems gather small but notable moments of Island life and insist we look closer, for “this is life, as long as we have it.”

Readers will recognize the “fishing boats and their bright primaries” and “that open spot where the water is moving fast enough to not freeze up.” Gaudet’s poems, writes Richard Lemm, professor emeritus in English, speak to the human capacity to be renewed and deeply transfigured by observant intimacy with nature. And they return again and again to gratitude: “What luck to spend a lifetime / seeing what things are” and to her uplifting faith that there is “good luck and gold / flying up everywhere.”

Judy Gaudet is a Prince Edward Island poet and painter whose books include Conversation with Crows (Oberon, 2014) and Her Teeth Are Stones (Acorn, 2005). She is the editor of 150+: Canada’s History in Poetry (Acorn, 2018). 

The event is free, and all are welcome. Thanks to Bookmark, books will be available for purchase. For more information, contact Bren Simmers at Island Studies Press, 902-566-0386 or ispstaff@upei.ca.

The Catherine Callbeck Centre for Entrepreneurship is hosting an in-person workshop on pitching fundamentals on Friday, March 27, from 12:00-3:00 pm with world-renowned pitch coach Permjot Valia! Participants will learn tools, tips, and tricks around executing a business pitch effectively, efficiently, and engagingly! This event is part of the Harry W. MacLauchlan Entrepreneurship Program, but anyone from the public is welcome to attend!

The session will take place in the Schurman Market Square (MCDH 248), Don and Marion McDougall Hall. Sign up today!

More about the Facilitator, Permjot Valia:Permjot Valia (he/him) is co-founder at Nava Develop Inc., a business development firm serving innovation focused corporates, startup organizations and academic institutions. A globally recognized mentor, facilitator and business coach, he has led strategic planning successes for organizations throughout Canada’s innovation ecosystem. He founded MentorCamp and was Lead Mentor of Cape Breton’s Navigate Startup House. He served as a Mentor-in-Residence at the University of Arkansas Sam Walton School of Business and has helped multiple researchers commercialise their research. This work continues through the 3 day Lab2Market program he delivers across Canada to researchers.

He is an expert pitch coach with companies he has coached winning over $10m in prize money.

Permjot serves on Boards of several startups, works with Dal Innovates, and lectures globally on business modelling, strategy and leadership. He is passionate about contributing to Canada’s economic development and cultural success. 

Permjot holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from University of Leeds and an MBA from Open University (UK). He is an MIT-trained mentor program manager.

Join the Catherine Callbeck Centre for Entrepreneurship for an engaging session on risk mitigation delivered by Permjot Valia! This in-person workshop will provide insight on what types of risk exist, how startups and organizations can categorize and prioritize risks, how risks can be perceived as opportunities, and what tools can be used to demonstrate risk to external stakeholders. This event is part of the Harry W. MacLauchlan Entrepreneurship Program, but anyone from the public is welcome to attend!

The workshop is taking place in 128A-B Faculty of Sustainable Design Engineering on Thursday, March 26 from 5:00-7:00 pm. Sign up today!

More about the Facilitator:  Permjot Valia:Permjot Valia (he/him) is co-founder at Nava Develop Inc., a business development firm serving innovation focused corporates, startup organizations and academic institutions. A globally recognized mentor, facilitator and business coach, he has led strategic planning successes for organizations throughout Canada’s innovation ecosystem. He founded MentorCamp and was Lead Mentor of Cape Breton’s Navigate Startup House. He served as a Mentor-in-Residence at the University of Arkansas Sam Walton School of Business and has helped multiple researchers commercialize their research. This work continues through the 3 day Lab2Market program he delivers across Canada to researchers.

He is an expert pitch coach with companies he has coached winning over $10m in prize money.

Permjot serves on Boards of several startups, works with Dal Innovates, and lectures globally on business modelling, strategy and leadership. He is passionate about contributing to Canada’s economic development and cultural success. 

Permjot holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from University of Leeds and an MBA from Open University (UK). He is an MIT-trained mentor program manager.

Members of the campus community and the general public are invited to attend a free public forum on music education on Saturday, March 28, from 1:00 to 4:15 pm, at the UPEI Performing Arts Centre.

The forum is being held to present the findings of Access to Music Education (AMusE), a multidisciplinary research project led by Dr. Annabel Cohen, professor of psychology at UPEI, with co-lead Dr. Linyuan Guo-Brennan, professor of education. There will be presentations from parents; teachers; UPEI faculty members and current or former students from Education, Business, Economics, Psychology, Music, and Mathematics; and other stakeholder representatives. Audience members will have the opportunity to provide feedback. There will also be musical performances.

The goal of the AMusE project, which began in 2021, was to determine whether the Canadian school system meets the need for musical education, to identify possible inequities and barriers, and to consider ways to reduce them. The investigators also sought to understand the musical experience of educational stakeholders.

Attendance at the event is free, but people are asked to register. To register and for further information, please go to https://musicog.discoveryspace.ca/amuse. 

Award-winning Canadian poet Lorna Crozier will give a public performance of her poetry on Thursday, March 26, at 7:00 pm, in Schurman Market Square, Don and Marion McDougall Hall, UPEI. NOTE: This event has been rescheduled from March 19.

An Officer of the Order of Canada and Professor Emeritus of Creative Writing at the University of Victoria, Crozier is cherished for her poems about the natural environment, women’s lives, human relationships, and the interplay among nature, human history and myth, and spiritual elements infusing existence and experience. Her poetry is also celebrated for her delightfully subversive wit, for example, “The Sex Life of Vegetables,” and her deep commitment to social justice.

Crozier’s reading is sponsored by the UPEI Faculty of Arts and Department of English. Admission is free.

The Sir James Dunn Animal Welfare Centre (SJDAWC) at the Atlantic Veterinary College (AVC) invites you to its three-part webinar series exploring preparing to be an expert witness for animal welfare cases. This series will explore the critical role veterinarians play in animal welfare cases--from investigation through legal proceedings.

The webinars feature Dr. Shane Bateman, Dr. Kathleen MacMillan, and Janine Kidd, and will take place on March 31, and April 7 and 14, all beginning at 3:30 p.m. ADT. Veterinarians and veterinary technicians are eligible for continuing education credit. The webinar cost is $50 per webinar, or $120 for all three.  There will be no charge for students or participants not seeking credit.

IMPORTANT TO NOTE: Participating veterinarians and veterinary technicians are eligible to earn one hour of RACE-accredited continuing education per webinar. Participants are required to attend the live webinar to earn this credit. RACE-program number: 20-1355999. 

REGISTER HERE!

We are pleased and excited to invite all to attend Alyssa MacDonald's PsyD dissertation defence presentation. Please join us in supporting Alyssa on this momentous occasion!

Date and time: March 30, 2026, at 3 pm
Location: Memorial Hall 104

Curious about how to access administrative health data for your research? Join us for a Lunch & Learn hosted by the Secure Island Data Repository (SIDR). This session will provide an overview of the types of data available through SIDR, the process for requesting access for research projects, and how researchers can access data for multi-regional studies through Health Data Research Network Canada (HDRN Canada). While faculty, students, and research staff are likely to find this session especially relevant, anyone interested in learning more about these data resources and how they can support research and policy work is welcome to attend. Come learn how this exciting new platform can support your work and ask questions about getting started.

When: March 30, 2026. 12:00 noon. Pizza will be served at noon!

Where: AVC, Room 286A

Please register with this link: SIDR Lunch & Learn Registration – Fill out form

The Chief Justice Thane A. Campbell Lectureship in Law will feature a presentation titled “Human-Centered Knowledge Work in the Age of AI” on Monday, March 30 at 4:30 pm at the Charlottetown Library Learning Centre in the Rotary Auditorium. The lecture will be delivered by Al Hounsell, Senior Director of AI, Innovation, and Knowledge at Gowling WLG. With more than a decade of experience in legal innovation, Hounsell leads the firm’s AI strategy and innovation initiatives, focusing on reimagining how legal services are designed and delivered through advanced technology. He combines his background in law, entrepreneurship, and software development to build AI-driven processes, streamline legal operations, and enhance client outcomes. His work spans automation, legal design, workflow transformation, and applied AI across the enterprise. Admission to the lecture is free, and more information is available by contacting artsadmin@upei.ca.

Presented by the Faculty of Arts and the Law Foundation of PEI

With the semester coming to a close, this session is particularly valuable to both students still searching for their summer employment as well as those graduating and looking for that perfect next-step! Sign up today. The session will take place on March 26 at 12:00 pm, in Schurman Market Square, Don and Marion McDougall Hall.

Permjot Valia (he/him) is co-founder at Nava Develop Inc., a business development firm serving innovation focused corporates, startup organizations and academic institutions. A globally recognized mentor, facilitator and business coach, he has led strategic planning successes for organizations throughout Canada’s innovation ecosystem. He founded MentorCamp and was Lead Mentor of Cape Breton’s Navigate Startup House. He served as a Mentor-in-Residence at the University of Arkansas Sam Walton School of Business and has helped multiple researchers commercialise their research. This work continues through the 3 day Lab2Market program he delivers across Canada to researchers.

He is an expert pitch coach with companies he has coached winning over $10m in prize money.

Permjot serves on Boards of several startups, works with Dal Innovates, and lectures globally on business modelling, strategy and leadership. He is passionate about contributing to Canada’s economic development and cultural success. 

Permjot holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from University of Leeds and an MBA from Open University (UK). He is an MIT-trained mentor program manager. 

Get a chance to win $200! Join The Shared Space brought to you by the UPEI Student Union

The Shared Space is a four-part series designed to support international students through connection, information, and opportunity. Each session is 30 minutes long, drop-in, and begins at 4:00 PM, with food provided for participants. All sessions will be located at McMillan Hall, W.A. Murphy Student Centre!

Students who attend the series will receive a certificate of completion and will also have the chance to win $200 in cash prizes.

Session Schedule

Session 1: Mental Health for International Students
March 18, 2026 | 4:00 PM
Moving to a new country can feel overwhelming. This session will explore mental health challenges unique to international students while sharing practical strategies and campus resources to support your wellbeing.

Session 2: Integrating Into a New Culture
March 25, 2026 | 4:00 PM
Delivered by our Vice President of People and Culture, this session focuses on navigating cultural differences, building meaningful connections, and developing confidence while adapting to a new environment.

Session 3: International Student Rights and Obligations
March 31, 2026 | 4:00 PM
Learn about your rights and responsibilities as an international student. This session will break down key information to help you better understand your protections and make informed decisions during your studies.

Final Session: Networking & Closing Event
April 8, 2026 | 4:00 PM
Our closing event brings students and professionals together to connect, share experiences, and build meaningful networks that can support your future opportunities.

The Shared Space is an exclusive community built on participation, representation, and support. Through this series, international students will gain access to valuable resources and connect with professionals who have lived experiences and understand the realities of studying abroad.

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to vpacademic@upeisu.ca or president@upeisu.ca

There will be a basic biosafety training session on Wednesday, March 25, at 10:00 am. Topics will include basic biosafety principles and how they are applied at the University of Prince Edward Island, as well as biosecurity training. This session is open to everyone, including graduate students. Prerequisite training material must be completed prior to attending the session.

To attend, you must pre-register by contacting Jacky Buell by noon, Monday March 23, 2026, via email hse@upei.ca or phone 902-566-0901. 

Please provide:

• Your name
• Your supervisor’s name (if applicable)
• Department
• Email address
• Phone number
• Whether you're an employee or graduate student  

NOTE: An online biosafety training refresher course is available for those who completed basic biosafety training previously. Training must be renewed every three years. Please contact us for information on how to register for this training!

Get excited for the changing of seasons with the Swing into Spring 5k hosted by the AVC Class of 2029 as a fundraiser event for our white coat ceremony and the PEI Humane Society! 

When: March 28, 10 am start

Where: Confederation Trail

Registration is ONLY $10 and is now open on our website for runners (and volunteers)! Everyone within the community is encouraged to participate; bring the fam, friends, pets, etc.!

We can't wait to see you at the start line! https://swingintospring5km.rsvpify.com