Abstract:
The concept of food system resilience is increasingly central to addressing global concerns around food security and climate change. Food systems spanning production, processing, distribution, consumption, and disposal are embedded within complex socio-ecological networks. Resilience refers to the capacity of these systems to provide sufficient, appropriate, and accessible food over time, despite disruptions. Although this definition has been critiqued as overly broad, research on food system resilience is growing rapidly. Scholars have conceptualized food systems at varying scales local, national, regional, and global each involving different actors such as farmers, consumers, industry leaders, and policymakers. Climate change poses both gradual stresses (e.g., rising temperatures) and acute shocks (e.g., floods, droughts, wildfires), with significant implications for food production, particularly in vulnerable regions like Sub-Saharan Africa. Major staple crops such as wheat, maize, and rice face projected yield declines of up to 25% by the century’s end. Meanwhile, food demand is expected to rise by 51% by 2050. These pressures underscore the urgent need for effective climate risk mitigation strategies. This talk outlines practical strategies to enhance climate resilience in agriculture, addressing the gap in outcome-oriented research. 

Date: May 2, 2025

Time: 1:00 – 2:00 pm (Atlantic Time)

Speaker: Dr. Eric Li

Register here to attend this online session

As Graduation Week Celebrations draw closer, the Office of Student Culture and Community Standards invites UPEI faculty and staff to help support some of the Grad Week events through volunteering! Sign up here by clicking through the tabs and entering your name and email into a corresponding shift date and time. Volunteer task descriptions for each event can be found in each of the tabs. We're looking for volunteers for the following: 

• setting up and staffing the Campus Closet (April 28th to May 8th)
• decorating for Panther Pride - Now & Forever (May 2nd)
• decorating for Grad Gala Celebration (May 9th)

If you have any questions regarding the Campus Closet, contact Manager of Accessibility Services Sandra Griffin at sgriffin3@upei.ca. For all other events, contact Student Engagement Officer Inara Bhalesha binara@upei.ca. 

We would like to recognize and appreciate the support and dedication of the Graduation Week Committee members from departments across the campus in organizing, and planning the Grad Week programming. 

Everyone is invited to attend the 2nd Annual Craft & Vendor Fair hosted by UPEI Medical Brigades! Bring your friends and family for a weekend of shopping, supporting local artisans, and making a difference!

Dates:
Saturday, April 26 from 9:00 am-4:00 pm
Sunday, April 27 from 11:00 am-4:00 pm

Location: Winsloe Lions Club

Come out and support a great cause while shopping local! The fair will feature an amazing selection of handmade items, including art, jewelry, pottery, and much more!

Admission is by donation, with all proceeds supporting UPEI Medical Brigades. It’s the perfect opportunity to find unique treasures while giving back!

Bring a hygiene item for a chance to win a door prize. Hygiene items must be travel size and include sunscreen, shampoo, shower gel/bar soap, sanitary pads, adult and child toothpastes and toothbrushes. These will be given to people in Panama on the brigade in July.

For more information, visit the link to the UPEI Medical Brigades Facebook event page

MSc in Molecular and Macromolecular Sciences

Presenter: Krystof Wigmore

Title of the Thesis: “Development of Polymeric Inserts for the Stabilization of Enzymes”

Proteins are essential macromolecules with various functions, such as hemoglobin for oxygen transport and collagen for structural support. Enzymes, a type of functional protein, speed up chemical reactions and are important in biological, industrial, and in research settings. To function properly, enzymes must maintain their folded, tertiary structure. If unfolded, often due to external factors like heat, enzymes may aggregate and become inactive. This is a major concern in the processes involved in food industries and for pharmaceutical production, where temperature fluctuations are common. To address this, materials that inhibit enzyme aggregation are needed. Herein, vitamin B5 analogous methacrylamide (B5AMA) was used to synthesize polymeric constructs: nanogels (P(B5AMA)-NG), hydrogels (P(B5AMA)-HG), coated vials (P(B5AMA)-Vials), and silica nanoparticles (P(B5AMA-NG)-SiO2). These constructs were characterized and tested for their ability to protect lysozyme, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and esterase from heat-induced aggregation of proteins. Our results demonstrate that B5AMA like materials can serve as external chaperones and prevent the aggregation of enzymes at elevated temperatures.

April 30, 2025, 2:00 pm in Don and Marion McDougall Hall, Room 328

Everyone is welcome

MSc in Molecular and Macromolecular Sciences 

Presenter:  Daniel Kimani

Title of the Thesis: “A New Method to Manipulate DNA Topology Using Poly(B5AMA) Biomaterials”

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) topology plays a critical role in regulating vital biological processes such as replication, transcription, and recombination. Plasmid deoxyribonucleic acid (pDNA) can exist in various structural configurations such as supercoiled DNA, open circular DNA, and linear DNA, each exhibiting unique functional properties, rendering them indispensable in various applications. Supercoiled DNA, the prevalent form harvested from Escherichia coli bacteria, serves as the primary research material. However, different DNA topologies offer advantages for specific therapeutic interventions, such as targeted gene delivery or expression regulation. Open circular DNA presents enhanced accessibility for gene expression studies, while linear DNA facilitates precise gene editing and integration. Natural enzymes such are topoisomerases and restriction endonucleases are used to convert the topology from supercoil to open circular (nicked) or linear DNA. Enzymatic DNA topology manipulation poses limitations due to their specificity, instability and storage challenges associated with these enzymes. While natural enzymes have traditionally been employed to conduct this transformation, the use of synthetic biomaterials as alternative tools for DNA topology conversion remains largely unexplored. Recent studies have highlighted the potential of ozone treatment and alcohol precipitation, such as isopropanol, in converting supercoiled DNA to open circular or linear forms. However, these methods are complex procedures and exhibit lower efficiencies.

This study demonstrates a more efficient method by employing poly vitamin B5 analogous methacrylamide (poly(B5AMA)n) materials such as hydrogels and nanogel to convert supercoiled plasmid DNA to other DNA topologies as a function of temperature. Hydrogels and nanogels were synthesized through free radical polymerization and different molecular weights and chirality of (poly(B5AMA)n) were synthesized through reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization and were all evaluated for their effect on DNA topology. The findings were consistent with previously reported methods involving enzymatic or chemical treatments but demonstrate a novel, enzyme-free approach using biocompatible materials. This novel method holds promise to streamline plasmid DNA topology conversion process, offering potential advancements in therapeutic applications and research endeavours. This study also provides new insights into the application of synthetic biomaterials for DNA topology manipulation and opens avenues for their use in gene therapy.

April 29, 2025, 9:00 am in AVC 286A

Everyone is Welcome

With the recent measles outbreaks in Canada and the United States, Islanders are wondering if they need to be vaccinated. Anyone without immunity to measles is at risk when traveling by air or to areas with active cases, including parts of Canada. Current outbreaks are driven by unvaccinated and under-vaccinated groups. Two doses of the safe, effective, and free measles vaccine provide 99% protection.

Immunization Recommendations

Born before 1970? You’re considered immune due to natural exposure and high herd immunity. Individuals born before 1970 may receive one lifetime dose of MMR (Measles-Mumps-Rubella) vaccine especially if travelling.

Born after 1970? You should have 2 doses of the MMR vaccine if you have no evidence of having had the disease(s) or documentation of 2 doses of measles vaccine. 

Student entering post-secondary education or healthcare workers or military personnel? You should have 2 doses of the MMR vaccine if you have no evidence of having had the disease(s) or documentation of 2 doses of measles vaccine. 

In PEI, the MMRV vaccine (Measles-Mumps-Rubella-Varicella) is part of childhood immunization: 

• 1st dose at 12 months 
• Booster at 18 months 

How to Get Vaccinated 

Older children and adults who haven’t been vaccinated should complete their two-dose MMR series. 

If you have a PEI Health Card, book an appointment to get vaccinated. 

If you don’t have a PEI Health Card, you can get your measles vaccine at a Public Health Nursing 

Book an appointment with a registered nurse at the UPEI Health & Wellness Centre to discuss measles and other vaccines. 

Learn More: 

• Measles, Mumps & Rubella Vaccine Info: Click here 
• Check if You’re Due for a Vaccine: Click here 
• MMR Vaccine Explained (Video): Watch here

If you would like to virtually attend the opening panel discussion and some of the presentations of the Teaching Community Conference, the morning sessions in Health Sciences Building, Room 104, will be available online. The full schedule for the Teaching Community Conference is available on the TCC website. Please register here for a Teams link. 

If you have any difficulty connecting, please email TLC@upei.ca for tech support. 

In order to accommodate UPEI computer classroom and lab software adds, drops, or modifications for the 2025 fall semester, we have set a firm deadline of June 1, 2025.

It is critical that you email requests to smahar@upei.ca by the date above indicating the following.

• New Software Requirements (Licensed or Freeware).  Provide both Software name and Vendor
• Version Upgrades to existing software. Are multiple versions required? If yes, please provide specifics
• Software that can be decommissioned

NOTE:

• Software must be Windows 11 compatible
• Software must be licensed as network installation. Single workstation installations cannot be accommodated

Please begin to obtain and prepare any installation media (CD’s, DVD’s, thumb drives etc.) and related licensing information such as serial numbers. I will contact you after reviewing your email requests to coordinate a time to drop off media if file size permits, upload the installation file(s), zip them, if necessary, to Google drive and share for download.

Please do not drop off any media to the ITSS Help Desk.

The June 1, 2025 deadline is necessary to allow sufficient time to plan and implement the installation of new and upgraded software. This ensures our students will have the software resources they need. Any requests received after the deadline will be applied in the next round of software updates.

Click on the link below for a list of the currently installed software and their versions installed in the student labs and classrooms on campus.

UPEI LAB AND CLASSROOM SOFTWARE

University of Prince Edward Island is hosting Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE) 2025 Atlantic Regional Meeting in Charlottetown June 26 to 27. This event will focus on the future of international education through a series of sessions, roundtables and networking activities.

CBIE’s Atlantic Regional Meeting is an annual gathering of international education practitioners. It is an opportunity to share knowledge and resources and keep abreast of immigration and other changes in the sector. It also serves as an annual networking event for international education practitioners and is a precursor to the national conference held each November.

Registration is now open for the CBIE Atlantic Regional Meeting.

Join UPEI President Wendy Rodgers for casual "coffee chats" at the Wanda Wyatt Dining Hall on Wednesday, April 30 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.

The ninth meeting of the UPEI Senate will take place on Friday, May 2, 2025, from 3:00 to 5:00 pm in Room 102 at Alumni Hall (618 University Avenue). To view the 2024-2025 calendar of Senate meetings or documents for the upcoming meeting, click here.

All meetings are open to members of the University community, although certain in-camera items (e.g., granting of degrees) may require the Senate to go into a closed session. Only members of Senate are permitted to address the Senate unless otherwise recognized by the chair. 

For logistical purposes, members of the UPEI community who wish to attend the open session of a UPEI Senate meeting are asked to contact senate@upei.ca one week prior to the meeting. While Senate is an in-person meeting, members of the University community may request a virtual connection when they are unable to attend in person. 

As Graduation Week Celebrations draw closer, the Office of Student Culture and Community Standards invites UPEI faculty and staff to help support some of the Grad Week events through volunteering! Sign up here by clicking through the tabs and entering your name and email into a corresponding shift date and time. Volunteer task descriptions for each event can be found in each of the tabs. We're looking for volunteers for the following: 

• setting up and staffing the Campus Closet (April 28th to May 8th)
• decorating for Panther Pride - Now & Forever (May 2nd)
• decorating for Grad Gala Celebration (May 9th)

If you have any questions regarding the Campus Closet, contact Manager of Accessibility Services Sandra Griffin at sgriffin3@upei.ca. For all other events, contact Student Engagement Officer Inara Bhalesha binara@upei.ca. 

We would like to recognize and appreciate the support and dedication of the Graduation Week Committee members from departments across the campus in organizing, and planning the Grad Week programming. 

Everyone is invited to attend the 2nd Annual Craft & Vendor Fair hosted by UPEI Medical Brigades! Bring your friends and family for a weekend of shopping, supporting local artisans, and making a difference!

Dates:
Saturday, April 26 from 9:00 am-4:00 pm
Sunday, April 27 from 11:00 am-4:00 pm

Location: Winsloe Lions Club

Come out and support a great cause while shopping local! The fair will feature an amazing selection of handmade items, including art, jewelry, pottery, and much more!

Admission is by donation, with all proceeds supporting UPEI Medical Brigades. It’s the perfect opportunity to find unique treasures while giving back!

Bring a hygiene item for a chance to win a door prize. Hygiene items must be travel size and include sunscreen, shampoo, shower gel/bar soap, sanitary pads, adult and child toothpastes and toothbrushes. These will be given to people in Panama on the brigade in July.

For more information, visit the link to the UPEI Medical Brigades Facebook event page

MSc in Molecular and Macromolecular Sciences 

Presenter:  Daniel Kimani

Title of the Thesis: “A New Method to Manipulate DNA Topology Using Poly(B5AMA) Biomaterials”

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) topology plays a critical role in regulating vital biological processes such as replication, transcription, and recombination. Plasmid deoxyribonucleic acid (pDNA) can exist in various structural configurations such as supercoiled DNA, open circular DNA, and linear DNA, each exhibiting unique functional properties, rendering them indispensable in various applications. Supercoiled DNA, the prevalent form harvested from Escherichia coli bacteria, serves as the primary research material. However, different DNA topologies offer advantages for specific therapeutic interventions, such as targeted gene delivery or expression regulation. Open circular DNA presents enhanced accessibility for gene expression studies, while linear DNA facilitates precise gene editing and integration. Natural enzymes such are topoisomerases and restriction endonucleases are used to convert the topology from supercoil to open circular (nicked) or linear DNA. Enzymatic DNA topology manipulation poses limitations due to their specificity, instability and storage challenges associated with these enzymes. While natural enzymes have traditionally been employed to conduct this transformation, the use of synthetic biomaterials as alternative tools for DNA topology conversion remains largely unexplored. Recent studies have highlighted the potential of ozone treatment and alcohol precipitation, such as isopropanol, in converting supercoiled DNA to open circular or linear forms. However, these methods are complex procedures and exhibit lower efficiencies.

This study demonstrates a more efficient method by employing poly vitamin B5 analogous methacrylamide (poly(B5AMA)n) materials such as hydrogels and nanogel to convert supercoiled plasmid DNA to other DNA topologies as a function of temperature. Hydrogels and nanogels were synthesized through free radical polymerization and different molecular weights and chirality of (poly(B5AMA)n) were synthesized through reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization and were all evaluated for their effect on DNA topology. The findings were consistent with previously reported methods involving enzymatic or chemical treatments but demonstrate a novel, enzyme-free approach using biocompatible materials. This novel method holds promise to streamline plasmid DNA topology conversion process, offering potential advancements in therapeutic applications and research endeavours. This study also provides new insights into the application of synthetic biomaterials for DNA topology manipulation and opens avenues for their use in gene therapy.

April 29, 2025, 9:00 am in AVC 286A

Everyone is Welcome

The UPEI Faculty of Graduate Studies will be hosting the annual UPEI 3MT (3 Minute Thesis) competition on Wednesday, May 7, 2025, from 5:00-7:00 pm in the Fox & Crow, W.A. Murphy Student Centre.

What Is 3 Minute Thesis?
The Three Minute Thesis (3MT™) challenges thesis-based master's and doctoral students to explain their research project to a non-specialist audience in just three minutes.
This year's competition features 19 competitors from a wide range of disciplines including: Education, Island Studies, Science, Sustainable Design Engineering & Veterinary Medicine!

Join us to support UPEI graduate students, and to learn more about the fascinating and impactful research UPEI graduate students are completing in this fast-paced, accessible format. The top 3 competitors win cash prizes, with the 1st place winner of UPEI's 3MT Competition progressing on to represent UPEI at the regional competition.

Light refreshments provided.
Door prize draws.
UPEI students, UPEI faculty & staff, and community members welcome!

In accordance with the UPEI Action Plan: Building A Culture of Trust, Safety and Inclusion, the University has committed to developing a new Harassment and Discrimination Policy and Sexual Violence Policy (to replace the current Fair Treatment Policy and Sexual Violence Policy). The Fair Treatment Policy Redevelopment Committee has been meeting since December 2024, and has been collecting feedback for the new Harassment and Discrimination policy through in-person and online consultations.

UPEI students, staff, and faculty are invited to provide feedback on the draft UPEI Harassment and Discrimination Policy through an online form found at this link: https://forms.office.com/r/C6xaZJrwte 

Feedback will be accepted until 11:59 pm, Monday, April 28, 2025.

If members of the campus community require accommodation with completing the online form, they may contact UPEI Human Resources at hr@upei.ca. 

If you would like to virtually attend the opening panel discussion and some of the presentations of the Teaching Community Conference, the morning sessions in Health Sciences Building, Room 104, will be available online. The full schedule for the Teaching Community Conference is available on the TCC website. Please register here for a Teams link. 

If you have any difficulty connecting, please email TLC@upei.ca for tech support. 

As part of the Grad Week celebrations, the Grad Week Committee will be organizing a CAMPUS CLOSET. The Campus Closet aims to allow students the opportunity to shop for free clothing, accessories, and footwear to add to their wardrobe and get work-ready!

The committee is now accepting donations for the Campus Closet. Please feel free to donate gently used clothing, accessories, and footwear for all genders. We will also accept children's clothing for our students with young children. Remember, jobs may be indoors, outdoors, in offices, and in all sectors. 

Donations can be dropped off at Dalton Hall, Room 209, or fifth floor reception, from now until April 30, or you can contact Sandra Griffin, Manager of Accessibility Services at sgriffin3@upei.ca, to arrange for items to be picked up!

Please contact Sandra Griffin at sgriffin3@upei.ca if you need any additional information. 

It is with a mix of gratitude and bittersweet emotion that we announce the retirement of Dana Sanderson, CIO, and Blair Vessey, Associate CIO, from IT Systems and Services.

Both Dana and Blair have been essential pillars of our team, and their outstanding contributions have made a lasting impact on our department and the organization as a whole. Dana and Blair's expertise, leadership, and camaraderie will be deeply missed, but we are excited for them as they embark on this well-deserved new chapter. We wish them all the best in their retirement and hope they find joy, relaxation, and the opportunity to pursue personal passions in the years ahead.

Please join us in celebrating Dana and Blair’s remarkable careers at a special gathering in the AVC Learning Commons on Friday, April 25, at 2:30 pm. 

Ms. Yasmin Koop-Monteiro is a candidate for the Sociology position at UPEI and a PhD candidate (ABD) in Sociology at the University of British Columbia. Her research focuses on social movements, climate change, environmental sociology, social network analysis, discourse analysis, and animal studies.

She has published in Energy Research & Social Science, Canadian Journal of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Environmental Sociology, among others.

The title of Ms. Koop-Monteiro’s talk is: "The Influence of Human & Nonhuman Network Ties on High-Risk/Cost Animal Advocacy."

Friday, April 25, 2025, at 11:00 am, in SDU Main Building, Room 211.