Have you ever been impacted by extreme weather or natural disasters on PEI? Do you own a smartphone and often use apps? 

We are looking for people who use smartphone applications and who have also experienced extreme weather or natural disasters on PEI to evaluate a mobile application. This mobile app is intended to help people on PEI prepare for and respond to these types of weather events. This prototype was developed through interviews with Island residents to help us understand what citizens need during storms, flash floods, and other types of environmental disasters as they become more common and more severe. The design now needs to be tested by Island residents. Your evaluation will help us locate problems within the design that need fixing. 

We are looking for people who are fluent in English,18 years of age or older, live or have lived on PEI, have experienced an extreme weather or natural disaster event while on PEI, and have experience with smartphone app usage. Participants for this study must also have a reliable internet connection and a relatively quiet space where they are not likely to be interrupted as the evaluation would be conducted online. Participants also need a laptop or PC for proper use of the prototype. 

Evaluations will take approximately thirty (30) minutes to complete, and participants will be compensated with a UPEI keychain worth approximately $7.00 for their time. 

 If you would like to help improve the preparedness and response of Islanders to natural disasters by improving the design of an app intended to do so, please contact Choyce Chappell (cachappell@upei.ca) or Christopher Power (cdspower@upei.ca) to set up an appointment between 15 May 2022 and 30 June 2022. 

This study has been approved by the UPEI Research Ethics Board.

Wendy Mendez, plaintiff and witness in the emblematic Military Diary case (Caso Diario Militar), will join the Maritimes-Breaking the Silence Network (BTS) for a tour of the Maritimes provinces during the spring of 2022. This will be the first speaking tour that BTS has held since the beginning of the pandemic, and we are so excited to welcome you!

Come learn about the state of transitional justice and what is at stake for families seeking truth and justice decades after the crimes were committed and the peace accords were signed. We will also explore the connections and implications this has for us here in Canada.

Who is Wendy Mendez?
Wendy is the daughter of Luz Haydee Mendez Calderon who was forcibly disappeared by the Guatemalan Army on March 8, 1984. Wendy is a human rights activist, popular educator, co-founder of HIJOS Guatemala, petitioner before the Inter-American Human Rights Court in the Military Diary case (Gudiel Alvarez vs. Guatemala), and plaintiff in the Military Diary case in the national courts of Guatemala.

What is the Military Diary Case?
The Military Diary is a document that was stored in the Guatemalan Military Archives that details the forced disappearance, torture, and murder of 183 people, including details such as the date and location of their kidnapping by state security forces. The diary contains photos and government intelligence on individuals, including children, who were considered "internal enemies" of the state during the Guatemalan Internal Armed Conflict (IAC). Many of the 183 individuals in this document remain missing to this day.

This case is emblematic of the human rights abuses and mechanisms used by the state in Guatemala during the IAC against civilians. The families bringing the face forward are seeking justice from 13 high-level military and police figures.

For more information, read daily reports from the court room (https://breakingthesilenceblog.com/military-diary-case.../), or an impactful article from Wendy and the CBC (https://newsinteractives.cbc.ca/.../guatemala-civil-war...).

The UPEI community is invited to participate in a food drive on May 28--World Hunger Day--at 418 Queen Street, organized by a group of Charlottetown residents for the PEI community fridge. The food drive will run from 11:00 am to 6:00 pm. Donated foods will be used to keep the community fridge stocked. Acceptable donations include canned goods, dry non-perishable food items, baby products, personal hygiene items, and masks. Homemade food, open or expired goods, or toys/clothes cannot be accepted. Participants are asked to wear a mask.

The community fridge is located at 46 Valley Street and is always open for donations.

Are you trying to find some dedicated time to finish a writing project that needs focused attention? Time to Write retreats offer concentrated time to support your writing efforts and can be instrumental in the initiation or completion of scholarly work such as an article, book or book chapter, grant proposal, curriculum or OER development, conference presentations, or other scholarly creative projects.  

Time to work on writing projects away from home and campus for a few days can be incredibly productive. Participation in a writing retreat with colleagues at various stages of their career not only provides quiet, focused writing time away from teaching, research, and administrative responsibilities, but it also offers mentorship and networking opportunities with colleagues from a range of disciplines. The retreat provides an opportunity to develop a supportive writing group with colleagues from across campus and join group discussions on writing and publishing. 

A Time to Write retreat will be offered from Monday, June 13, to Thursday, June 16, 2022, at the North Rustico Cottages.   

Participants must have a project at a stage where sustained writing time makes sense with research and/or data collection and analysis completed to the point that they are ready to write. Participants must be prepared to commit to the full program a total of three days focused on writing and contribute $300. The retreat is open to faculty and librarians in any academic unit at UPEI. Interested participants should email an expression of interest consisting of a summary of the project they plan to work on and their writing goals for the retreat to TLC@upei.ca by 9:00 am Monday, May 30, 2022. Six participants will be accepted for this Time to Write summer retreat.  
 

Appeal submissions for the 2021-2022 George Coles Bursary will be accepted until May 31, 2022. Information about this bursary and a list of the eligibility criteria can be found here.

If eligible students have not seen funding applied to their account, then the recommendation is to complete a George Coles Bursary Appeal Form by the May 31st deadline. Appeal forms can be submitted to the Scholarships and Awards Office located in Dalton Hall room 202.

Any questions relating to this message or the George Coles Bursary can be directed to scholarships@upei.ca.

UPEI Procurement Services is currently taking bids on a used 2007 V1765 Carolina skiff with 60HP Mercury motor and 2007 Karavan boat trailer.

Bids are being accepted in the University's e-tendering portal, Bonfire, until May 27, 2022, at 2:00 pm. This portal requires you to register by creating a username and password as your UPEI credentials are not connected to this system. When registering for the Bonfire portal, please put your name in the Vendor Name and Contact Name fields. You can access the information on this opportunity at the following link: 

https://upei.bonfirehub.ca/projects/53431/details

On June 1, 2022, revised Animal Use Protocol forms for research studies (application, renewal, and amendments) will be released. Changes were made to reflect updated Canadian Council on Animal Care guidance in addition to improving clarity and function.

A second information session will be held to review the changes and answer questions.

Wednesday, May 30, 9-10 am

To join the video meeting, click this link: https://meet.google.com/iva-vdks-eac

Otherwise, to join by phone, dial +1 219-706-2434 and enter this PIN: 536 143 780#.

Register now for a live orientation webinar.

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

2022 dates offered: January 27, February 17, March 24, April 14, May 26, June 23, July 14, August 25, September 22, October 13, and November 17.

To register:

1. Click this link to view the brochure.
2. Choose the best date (please note the time zone is listed in EST).
3. Click the date to open the registration window.
4. You will receive an email confirmation that has the log-in and call-in details.

EFAP offers a short-term, solution-focused approach to professional counselling to assist you in resolving your concerns and issues. EFAP provides counselling that best suits your needs and busy schedules, whether it is in person, by telephone, or online [e-counselling], as well as immediate help with crises. 

In addition to professional counselling, employees and their eligible family members can access a wide range of programs that provide telephonic consultation with qualified advisors who can help answer questions and clarify concerns that affect us all. Services include legal, financial, family, and nutritional.

For EFAP counselling, work-life programs, and information services 24 hours a day/7 days a week/365 days a year, call (English) 1-844-880-9142. Or visit: www.workhealthlife.com

More information on the UPEI EFAP benefit can be found on MyUPEI STAFF or FACULTY.

Hi Everyone,

The Faculty of Graduate Studies wishes to announce that we will hold our Undergraduate Research Days and Graduate Studies Research Days in person this year on October 11 and 12 (undergraduate) and October 13 and 14 (graduate). An invitation to present will be sent in late August.

Please save those dates!

Study & Stay PEI has partnered with the Office of Immigration, Holland College, and Collège de l'Île to host a special event for all PEI international students across the Island who have graduated or will graduate in 2021 and 2022. The event will take place on Thursday, June 2, at the UPEI W.A. Murphy Student Centre McMillan Hall 110.

Please register early to reserve your spot: https://lnkd.in/gTPRDCTJ.

We will celebrate and connect you with the supports and services that will help you successfully establish your future in PEI. Admission is free. We also have many prizes for you.

If you have any questions, please contact us at studyandstaypei@upei.ca!

Are you trying to find some dedicated time to finish a writing project that needs focused attention? Time to Write retreats offer concentrated time to support your writing efforts and can be instrumental in the initiation or completion of scholarly work such as an article, book or book chapter, grant proposal, curriculum or OER development, conference presentations, or other scholarly creative projects.  

Time to work on writing projects away from home and campus for a few days can be incredibly productive. Participation in a writing retreat with colleagues at various stages of their career not only provides quiet, focused writing time away from teaching, research, and administrative responsibilities, but it also offers mentorship and networking opportunities with colleagues from a range of disciplines. The retreat provides an opportunity to develop a supportive writing group with colleagues from across campus and join group discussions on writing and publishing. 

A Time to Write retreat will be offered from Monday, June 13, to Thursday, June 16, 2022, at the North Rustico Cottages.   

Participants must have a project at a stage where sustained writing time makes sense with research and/or data collection and analysis completed to the point that they are ready to write. Participants must be prepared to commit to the full program a total of three days focused on writing and contribute $300. The retreat is open to faculty and librarians in any academic unit at UPEI. Interested participants should email an expression of interest consisting of a summary of the project they plan to work on and their writing goals for the retreat to TLC@upei.ca by 9:00 am Monday, May 30, 2022. Six participants will be accepted for this Time to Write summer retreat.  
 

If you currently use Collaborate for teaching, you may not be aware that there have been a significant number of improvements and additions. Join the E-Learning Office for a tour of these new features and see just how hard Blackboard has been working to upgrade their web conferencing and video recording application. This free webinar will be offered on three different occasions: June 1, 9:00 to 10:00 am; July 19, 2:00 to 3:00 pm; or August 18, 10:00 to 11:00 am. REGISTER

Student Affairs will be closed Wednesday, May 25, for a staff development event. If you have an on-campus emergency, contact Security Services at 902-566-0384. 

5, 12, 19, 26 May, 12:00-16:00 hrs Atlantic

This is a beginner level series that is hands-on, covering the fundamentals of Python including data types, conditional statements, loops and functions, as well as program design, version control, data management, and task automation. Participants will be encouraged to help one another and to apply what they have learned to their own research problems. The goal is to teach the practical knowledge needed to start programming, debugging and using Python in everyday tasks.

DETAILS & REGISTER: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/acenet-introductory-programming-unix-shell-git-and-python-tickets-310552018447

Register now for a live orientation webinar.

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

2022 dates offered: January 27, February 17, March 24, April 14, May 26, June 23, July 14, August 25, September 22, October 13, and November 17.

To register:

1. Click this link to view the brochure.
2. Choose the best date (please note the time zone is listed in EST).
3. Click the date to open the registration window.
4. You will receive an email confirmation that has the log-in and call-in details.

EFAP offers a short-term, solution-focused approach to professional counselling to assist you in resolving your concerns and issues. EFAP provides counselling that best suits your needs and busy schedules, whether it is in person, by telephone, or online [e-counselling], as well as immediate help with crises. 

In addition to professional counselling, employees and their eligible family members can access a wide range of programs that provide telephonic consultation with qualified advisors who can help answer questions and clarify concerns that affect us all. Services include legal, financial, family, and nutritional.

For EFAP counselling, work-life programs, and information services 24 hours a day/7 days a week/365 days a year, call (English) 1-844-880-9142. Or visit: www.workhealthlife.com

More information on the UPEI EFAP benefit can be found on MyUPEI STAFF or FACULTY.

Ever wonder if you spend too much time on your phone? You can check your screen time and see if you need to cut back.

Android phones:

• Settings
• Digital Wellbeing & Parental Controls
• Show your data

iPhones:

• Settings
• Screen Time
• See All Activity

Happy Tuesday!

The Healthy Campus Committee will hold a Virgin Pulse GO program and the Destination GO Challenge registration and information session on Wednesday, May 25. Two options: 11:00-11:30 am or 11:30 am-noon at the HSB #104. The program is for UPEI faculty/staff only. Who should attend? Please join us if one of the following applies to you:

1. You are already registered and have questions.

2. You are partially registered.

3. You are not registered but wish to sign up.

4. You want more information.

May is Asian Heritage Month in Canada.

Celebrate the 20th anniversary of the official declaration of May as Asian Heritage Month!

Asian Heritage Month in Canada is a time to reflect on and recognize the many achievements and contributions that Canadians of Asian heritage have made and continue to make Canada the culturally diverse, compassionate, and prosperous nation it is today.

Asian Heritage Month has been celebrated since the 1990s. In December 2001, the Senate of Canada adopted a motion proposed by Senator Vivienne Poy to officially designate May as Asian Heritage Month in Canada. In May 2002, the Government of Canada signed an official declaration to announce May as Asian Heritage Month.

The theme for Asian Heritage Month 2022 is “Continuing a legacy of greatness.” This month is a reminder for all Canadians to come together to combat anti-Asian racism and discrimination in all its forms. https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/campaigns/asian-heritage-month.html

Looking for some novels for your summer reading list?  Check out our display featuring Canadian authors of Asian heritage. Discover your next favourite author!

Visit the Canadian Heritage website for educational resources, including a list of significant events in the history of Canadians of Asian heritage and noteworthy Canadians of Asian heritage.

The Faculty of Education invites members of the campus community – students, faculty, and staff – to attend a public presentation by Dr. Rebecca Stroud Stasel, candidate for a tenure-track position in Education Leadership. The presentation takes place from 11:30 am to 12:30 pm on May 24 in HSB 106. For further information, contact Karen-Anne O’Halloran.

The University of Prince Edward Island will hold a series of town hall meetings across PEI to get public input about the development of a joint medical degree with Memorial University. All are welcome to attend any of the meetings.

The schedule is as follows:

Tuesday, May 24, 4:00–5:30 pm, Mill River Resort, 180 Mill River Resort Rd, Route 136, Woodstock, PEI

Tuesday, May 24, 7:00–8:30 pm, The Loyalist Country Inn, 195 Heather Moyse Dr, Summerside, PE

Wednesday, May 25, 4:00–5:30 pm, North Rustico Lions Hall, 17 Timber Lane, North Rustico, PE

Wednesday, May 25, 7:00–8:30 pm, St. Peter’s Cathedral Hall, 7 All Souls’ Lane, Charlottetown, PE

Thursday, May 26, 4:00–5:30 pm, Canadian Centre for Climate Change and Adaptation, 5522 Route 2, St. Peter’s Bay, PE

Thursday, May 26, 7:00–8:30 pm, Dedication Hall, King’s Playhouse, 65 Grafton St, Georgetown, PE

Those who are not able to attend a meeting are invited to share their thoughts about the new program by emailing medicine@upei.ca

For information about the new Faculty of Medicine at UPEI, visit www.upei.ca/medicine