This is a reminder that the UPEI Biosafety Program requires that all principal investigators confirm the security and complete inventory of all biohazardous materials being used or stored. This confirmation is due in November of each year.  

Inventory records must be kept up to date throughout the year. This is required not just by the UPEI Biosafety program but also by our federal regulator agencies, the CFIA and the PHAC. Any inventory discrepancies noted during an annual lab inspection may lead to an in-depth inventory audit by the Biosafety Committee. Please ensure your inventory is up to date throughout the year, including prior to completing the steps listed below.

To confirm your inventory is up to date, take the following steps:

1. Access your inventory at http://biosafety.vre3.upei.ca.  Remember to ignore the prominent "Access Denied" that appears on your screen. Just click on "Log in" at the top of the screen, in the grey bar.
2. Log in 
3. Click Edit 
4. Scroll down this page until you see the November 2025 box and enter the date.
5. Hit Save! Task completed. 

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Please contact Rhoda Speare (rspeare@upei.ca or ext. 5071) if you have any questions.

The Environmental Sciences/Human Biology Seminar Series invites the campus community to a presentation by Dr. Pierre-Yves Daoust (Department of Pathology and Microbiology, AVC) entitled "Navigating social norms and animal welfare". 

The seminar will be held in Duffy Science Centre, Room 204 on Friday, November 7 from 12:30-1:20 pm. 

Everyone is welcome.   

To kick off our community engagement process for the 2026–2027 operating budget, the senior executive team invites you to join us at this Thursday’s town hall to share your ideas and ask questions. Tim Walker, Vice-President, Administration and Finance, will outline the budget process to date and the timeline through to March 2026, when UPEI intends to seek Board approval for the budget.

President’s Town Hall: UPEI Budget Planning for the 2026–2027 Fiscal Year
Thursday, November 6, 2025 – 1:30 pm
Performing Arts Centre and Residence Amphitheatre, PAC 121S

If you are unable to participate in person, you are welcome to join us virtually at this Teams Town Hall link.

Join us for a relaxed and informative Teaching and Learning Centre (TLC) Lunch and Learn session focused on organizing and optimizing your Moodle Gradebook. This is a great opportunity to connect with colleagues, share ideas, and gain insights for streamlining grading, reducing errors, and offering transparent feedback that supports academic success.

Hosted by: TLC Instructional Designer Angie Petty

Bring your own lunch and join us for an engaging session 

RSVP: https://forms.office.com/r/qvnXZTRAcr

The UPEI Department of Philosophy has rented Tivoli Cinema, 155 Kent Street, Charlottetown, for a private showing of Edward Yang’s film, "Yi Yi (A One and a Two)," on Friday, November 7, at 1:00 pm. The showing is open to all students, staff, and faculty at UPEI. Please contact Dr. Max Schaefer at mschaefer@upei.ca for further details on how to claim a seat.

Please see the following reviews and trailers for more information about the movie: 

“When it’s over, you’ll wish it weren’t. You will also feel better about being alive. Do yourself a favour, don't miss this one!” - John Leonard

“The extraordinary, internationally embraced "Yi Yi," directed by the late Taiwanese master Edward Yang, follows a middle-class family in Taipei over the course of one year, beginning with a wedding and ending with a funeral. Whether chronicling middle-aged father NJ’s tentative flirtations with an old flame or precocious young son Yang-Yang’s attempts at capturing reality with his beloved camera, the filmmaker deftly imbues every gorgeous frame with a compassionate clarity. Warm, sprawling, and dazzling, this intimate epic is one of the undisputed masterworks of the twenty-first century”-The Criterion Collection

4K Restoration Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PxgrzNFwyqY

Original Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4SCs_jbdHwg

As part of our ongoing 50th Anniversary observances, the Robertson Library is pleased to celebrate the centrepiece of our University Archives and Special Collections, the Prince Edward Island Collection, with a guest lecture from The Reverend Edward Rix, one of the foremost independent collectors of Island books and ephemera. A proud Islander, with deep family roots in West Prince, Father Rix studied at the University of King’s College in Halifax, the University of Toronto’s Wycliffe College, and Dalhousie University in Halifax. It was during his university days that he began to turn his passion for books into a successful venture as an independent bookseller and collector, learning from some of Canada’s leading rare and antiquarian book dealers. Since 2001, he has served as Priest in Charge of the Parish of All Saints Episcopal Church in Wynnewood, a western suburb of Philadelphia, where he has continued to build a remarkable personal library, including some 2000 titles relating to Prince Edward Island, with exemplary collections of the works of Basil King and Milton Acorn as particular highlights.

Please join us at the Library on Thursday, November 6 at 7 pm to hear Father Rix share highlights from his PEI collecting adventures, and how the careers of many Island authors in the 1800s and 1900s underscored the observation of Island essayist Sir Andrew Macphail — another writer well-represented in Rix’s collection — that our Province’s chief export for many years was, “brains.” Special selections from his library and from our own PEI Collection will be displayed at the talk. All are welcome, and admission is free, but donations to the ongoing Love Our Library fundraising campaign will be gratefully received. Light refreshments will be served.

Title of the Thesis:  "Assessing Coastal Erosion Under Climate Change:  A Case Study of Prince Edward Island"

Coastal erosion, exacerbated by climate change, threatens global communities. Traditional vulnerability assessments often underestimate climate-induced dynamic oceanic processes. This research addresses this gap by developing a process-based framework to quantify the role of extreme waves, using Prince Edward Island's vulnerable coastline as a case study. Analysis of Hurricane Fiona (2022) demonstrated the capacity of single storms to cause catastrophic land loss far exceeding long-term averages. Furthermore, correlation with multi-decadal wave data confirmed that the frequency of extreme wave events instead of average wave heights is the primary erosion driver. Future climate projections under intensified scenarios reveal a non-linear relationship, where increased extreme storm disproportionately amplifies wave heights and the corresponding potential coastline retreat, while critically shortening recovery periods. This work advocates a paradigm shift toward dynamic, process-based vulnerability assessments to guide mitigation and enhance coastal resilience globally.

November 7 at 1:30 pm in AVC 286A

Everyone is welcome to attend.

Join UPEI President Wendy Rodgers for casual "coffee chats" at the Fox and Crow in the W.A. Murphy Student Centre on Thursday, November 6 from 8:00-9:00 am.

These coffee chats offer a relaxed setting where any member of the UPEI community can drop by, grab a drink, and chat with Wendy about anything on your mind. Whether you want to share ideas, ask questions or simply say hello, these chats are a great way to connect with the president in a comfortable and informal environment.

Since time immemorial, Indigenous Peoples have followed the 13 Moons or moon cycles to ground themselves in their teachings and ensure balance. Life on Earth is connected to and regulated by Grandmother Moon, through the tides and waters, which stabilizes our Earth's position and determines the cycle of women and the birth of new life. Grandmother Moon helps us with healing and is strongly connected to human life. Every phase of Grandmother Moon has a different focus, and this month, we focus on the strength and beauty of slowing down as Mother Earth begins to awaken from her rest. Leading us will be Doris Googoo and Thirly Levi, well-respected Knowledge and Language Keepers in Mi'kma'ki. We ask participants to bring a bottle of water for blessing and to refrain from recording the ceremony (photo or video). If you would like to wear a skirt but do not have one, you may borrow one during the ceremony. Sacred fire will be lit and ceremony beginning at 6 pm. As always all are welcome!

Academics Without Borders / Universitaires Sans Frontières has several exciting volunteer opportunities open. The first is for strengthening research capacity; the partner university--Soroti University in Uganda--is seeking a faculty member (working or retired) with an advanced degree in a health-related field, with specialized expertise in systematic reviews, scoping reviews, and evidence synthesis--with a deadline of December 1, 2025. See https://drive.google.com/file/d/1j79gXqjmpil9KKNozWa_IRpefgAgLumA/view for more details and contact information. 

The second is for strengthening teaching capacity and establishing a faculty development program for a newly established university in Nepal; the partner institution, University of Nepal in Kathmandu, is seeking a volunteer to collaborate with faculty of the newly established Centre for Teaching, Learning, and Research (CTLR) to design and implement a faculty development program.See https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fGf6kLErLyBoCoC0nYLlvAo31DymPEJO/view for more details and information. 

The third is the annual call for proposals from members of the AWB / USF network, in which you are invited to submit a proposal to AWB introducing a capacity-building project in an institution of higher education in low or middle-income countries; these are often a way to build on already existing relationships with partner institutions. The deadline for proposals is November 10, 2025. See https://drive.google.com/file/d/1BYSbuuwjFll5Kd0WKig6kHTWTvN-IUuS/view for more details and contact information. AWB / USF is a Canadian nonprofit organization. Its mission is to help low and middle-income countries improve their colleges and universities so that they can train their own experts and conduct research to assist in their countries’ development. UPEI joined the network in 2024. For questions, contact Corrie Young, Associate Executive Director, at cyoung@awb-wsf.org, or Ann Braithwaite, member of the Board, at abraithwaite@upei.ca 

The Catherine Callbeck Centre for Entrepreneurship invites you to join our Ideation Workshop. Learn creative techniques to generate, refine, and expand entrepreneurial ideas. Refreshments provided!

The session is open to public. Sign up here!

Our EFAP provider, Green Shield, is holding orientation webinars for all employees, faculty members, and their dependents who want to know more about how their UPEI EFAP benefits work. 

2025 dates offered: August 7, September 4, October 2, November 6 and December 4.

To register:

1. Click this ZOOM link to register
2. Choose the best date (please note the time zone is listed in EST).
3. Complete the Webinar Registration.
4. You will receive an email confirmation that has the log-in and call-in details.

This comprehensive, confidential, and accessible program offers a wide range of services to support your mental health and overall well-being, including:

5 hours of individual counselling (Green Shield will closely monitor usage and will provide additional hours to those who need further support, to ensure that no one is denied access to the program because of insufficient sponsored hours in any policy year) and 5 hours of couples therapy

Additional program highlights include:

• Flexible therapy options via phone, video, or in-person, with 30, 60, or 90-minute sessions
• Personalized therapist matching that considers DEI preferences
• Unlimited 15-minute consultations to help members find their ideal therapist
• Innovative, value-added services in areas such as children’s mental health, nutrition, and overall well-being
• Unlimited financial and legal consultations
• Self-guided digital CBT, well-being coaching, and personalized care navigation
• Digital pharmacy and nutrition services

Create your account to explore services, including Mental Health Support: Get convenient, personalized mental health support from a qualified therapist best suited to you, or explore our self-guided online therapy program at your own pace.

We hope you’ll enjoy this integrated and convenient health experience.

ACCOUNT AS AN EMPLOYEE

Create your account to access GreenShield+ services today.

https://greenshieldplus.zendesk.com/hc/en-ca/articles/37342416700692-Create-your-account-with-an-Organization-Code

Your Organization code is: UPEI

Sign Up

To access your EAP on GreenShield+:

1. Make a note of your Organization Code "UPEI"
2. Go to app.greenshieldplus.ca/en/sign-up or scan the QR code below
3. Select Through an Employer or Organization
4. Select I have an Organization Code
5. Follow the steps to register

ACCOUNT AS A DEPENDENT

Before You Begin: You should only choose through a family member if you are a dependent (e.g. partner, spouse, child) of a person with a plan member ID or organization code.

https://greenshieldplus.zendesk.com/hc/en-ca/articles/37342446679956-Create-your-account-as-a-dependent

For questions, contact Human Resources at employeeservices@upei.ca

To kick off our community engagement process for the 2026–2027 operating budget, the senior executive team invites you to join us at this Thursday’s town hall to share your ideas and ask questions. Tim Walker, Vice-President, Administration and Finance, will outline the budget process to date and the timeline through to March 2026, when UPEI intends to seek Board approval for the budget.

President’s Town Hall: UPEI Budget Planning for the 2026–2027 Fiscal Year
Thursday, November 6, 2025 – 1:30 pm
Performing Arts Centre and Residence Amphitheatre, PAC 121S

If you are unable to participate in person, you are welcome to join us virtually at this Teams Town Hall link.

UPEI is in the process of nominating a Canada Excellence Research Chair with a research focus on "One Health in Rural Environments". The search committee recently invited 2 candidates for interviews the week of October 27. Both candidates gave a research seminar on 'Research History and Vision for the CERC Project -One Health in Rural Environments at UPEI'

The CERC Search committee will accept feedback from the community to be submitted by November 5 to members of the search committee:

Dr. Beibei Jia, AVC

Dr. Trevor Clark, UPEI Fa

Dr. William Bourque, IKERAS

Dr. Don Desserud, Faculty of Arts

Dr. Travis Saunders, Faculty of Science

Or Rosemary McIver, AVC GSR Office

The UPEI Scholarships and Awards Office has extended the deadline to apply for the 2025 MacLauchlan Prizes for Effective Writing to November 10, 2025.

Applications for all categories—“Coursework,” “Faculty and Staff,” “UPEI Writing Centre,” and “Community,”—should be submitted electronically to scholarships@upei.ca by the deadline date. 

Criteria and application forms for the four prize categories can be found through the links below. Please note that there are a number of awards available in each category.

• MacLauchlan Prizes for Effective Writing (Coursework)
• MacLauchlan Prizes for Effective Writing (Faculty and Staff)
• MacLauchlan Prizes for Effective Writing (Webster Centre for Teaching and Learning)
• MacLauchlan Prizes for Effective Writing (Community)

The awards will be presented at a ceremony on December 5. For more information, please contact scholarships@upei.ca.

Title of the Thesis:  "Assessing Coastal Erosion Under Climate Change:  A Case Study of Prince Edward Island"

Coastal erosion, exacerbated by climate change, threatens global communities. Traditional vulnerability assessments often underestimate climate-induced dynamic oceanic processes. This research addresses this gap by developing a process-based framework to quantify the role of extreme waves, using Prince Edward Island's vulnerable coastline as a case study. Analysis of Hurricane Fiona (2022) demonstrated the capacity of single storms to cause catastrophic land loss far exceeding long-term averages. Furthermore, correlation with multi-decadal wave data confirmed that the frequency of extreme wave events instead of average wave heights is the primary erosion driver. Future climate projections under intensified scenarios reveal a non-linear relationship, where increased extreme storm disproportionately amplifies wave heights and the corresponding potential coastline retreat, while critically shortening recovery periods. This work advocates a paradigm shift toward dynamic, process-based vulnerability assessments to guide mitigation and enhance coastal resilience globally.

November 7 at 1:30 pm in AVC 286A

Everyone is welcome to attend.

Join UPEI President Wendy Rodgers for casual "coffee chats" at the Fox and Crow in the W.A. Murphy Student Centre on Thursday, November 6 from 8:00-9:00 am.

These coffee chats offer a relaxed setting where any member of the UPEI community can drop by, grab a drink, and chat with Wendy about anything on your mind. Whether you want to share ideas, ask questions or simply say hello, these chats are a great way to connect with the president in a comfortable and informal environment.

Since time immemorial, Indigenous Peoples have followed the 13 Moons or moon cycles to ground themselves in their teachings and ensure balance. Life on Earth is connected to and regulated by Grandmother Moon, through the tides and waters, which stabilizes our Earth's position and determines the cycle of women and the birth of new life. Grandmother Moon helps us with healing and is strongly connected to human life. Every phase of Grandmother Moon has a different focus, and this month, we focus on the strength and beauty of slowing down as Mother Earth begins to awaken from her rest. Leading us will be Doris Googoo and Thirly Levi, well-respected Knowledge and Language Keepers in Mi'kma'ki. We ask participants to bring a bottle of water for blessing and to refrain from recording the ceremony (photo or video). If you would like to wear a skirt but do not have one, you may borrow one during the ceremony. Sacred fire will be lit and ceremony beginning at 6 pm. As always all are welcome!

The Catherine Callbeck Centre for Entrepreneurship invites you to join our Ideation Workshop. Learn creative techniques to generate, refine, and expand entrepreneurial ideas. Refreshments provided!

The session is open to public. Sign up here!

The Island Lecture Series presents a talk by Kate MacQuarrie, “The Wild Side of PEI." The Island Lecture Series will be held on November 18, 2025, at 7 pm, in the Faculty Lounge, SDU Main Building Room 201, University of Prince Edward Island. 

Prince Edward Island is known as the 'million-acre farm' and 'Canada's food island', but there is so much more to this province than farming and fishing! In this illustrated presentation, Kate MacQuarrie will take you on a tour of some of PEI's best remaining natural landscapes. From iconic coastal sand dunes and red sandstone cliffs to wetlands, ancient peat bogs, and old growth forests, this presentation highlights the wild side of Canada's smallest province. No matter how well you know PEI, you’ll something new and interesting from this talk.

Kate MacQuarrie is an award-winning botanist, naturalist, and author with more than 30 years’ experience working with the plants, wildlife, and natural history of PEI. In addition to being PEI’s Director of Forests, Fish, and Wildlife, she runs PEI Untamed, a business dedicated to helping people learn, explore, and reconnect with the natural world around them. Kate has conducted research in PEI’s upland hardwood forests and coastal sand dunes, found plants not previously known to exist on PEI, published papers in national and international peer-reviewed journals, and has just published her first book, Wild Foods of Prince Edward Island, with Acorn Press. She is currently working on another book due out Fall 2026.

The lecture is free, and all are welcome. For more information, contact Bren Simmers at 902-566-0386 or ispstaff@upei.ca.