UPEI Mental Health Week 2019 is a five-day event jam-packed with a variety of events and sessions for all members of our UPEI community. Connect with friends and colleagues—relationships matter! Here’s a snapshot of the great activities taking place Tuesday, January 29:

• Info Booth & Build a Quilt, Monday–Friday: W. A. Murphy Student Centre (MSC) Concourse, 10:00 am–3:00 pm
• Info Booth & Counselling FAQs, Monday–Friday: 10:00 am–3:00pm, Robertson Library Breezeway, Dalton Hall Foyer and AVC Foyer
• Zen Zone, Monday–Friday: 10:00 am–3:00 pm, W. A. Murphy Student Centre Day Lounge
• Happiness - A Journey or A Destination? Presented by Morneau Shepell, 12:00–1:00 pm, Robertson Library 208
• Karma Yoga, 12:10–12:55 pm, Chaplaincy Centre
• Social Media’s Influence on Our Mental Health—Presented by CMHA-PEI, 2:30–3:30 pm, Fox & Crow

View the full UPEI Mental Health Week 2019 schedule for detailed event descriptions.

2019 Sir James Dunn Animal Welfare Graduate Scholarship 
Deadline: noon, Friday, Feb. 22, 2019

The SJDAWC is calling for applications from potential graduate students for the 2019 Sir James Dunn Animal Welfare Graduate Scholarship. The Scholarship will support the training of researchers at the masters or doctoral level to pursue animal welfare research at the University of Prince Edward Island. Both applied or more fundamental approaches to research pertaining to animal welfare are welcome. Applications for 2019 will be accepted until 12pm (noon) (AST) Friday February 22, 2019, with decisions to be announced in April. Students may take up their award at any time of the year but must do so within 12 months of the date of the letter of offer.
Application info: http://awc.upei.ca/2019-sir-james-dunn-animal-welfare-graduate-scholarship/

Please note: All potential graduate students must identify a graduate faculty member willing to supervise the student should the application be successful. This must be included with the application.

UPEI students, staff, and faculty are you up for a challenge? Test your mental abilities alongside your fellow UPEI colleagues in a problem-solving fun experience – and, you won't be marked on it!

Robertson Library is presenting an escape room in the Library’s LINC, Room 265, this semester – Museum Marauders.

You and your fellow UPEI colleagues are locked in a room! Find clues, solve puzzles, find keys, and open locks to save the missing manuscript. You have 30 minutes. Can you find the manuscript in time?

The Escape Room is limited to UPEI students, staff, and faculty and up to six participants per time. Free admission!

Come and see if you have what it takes to escape! Don’t miss out!

Wednesday, January 30 @ 5 pm & 6:30 pm
Monday, February 11 @ 5 pm & 6:30 pm
Wednesday, March 13 @ 5 pm & 6:30 pm

Sign up at https://library.upei.ca/

Colleen MacQuarrie and Sobia Ali-Faisal from the Department of Psychology will be facilitating a workshop on white privilege in the academy. They will be applying liberation psychological theory to:
- examine white privilege and white supremacy in the academy
- provide space for attendees to explore and navigate their emotions and thoughts around their own privilege, and 
- provide time to practice strategies to challenge their white privilege.

We are holding this workshop to support UPEI's efforts at honouring the TRC recommendations and creating a safe environment for everyone. (Side note: We will also be holding a workshop for Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour (BIPOC) communities on campus on March 4th. Please keep an eye out for a notice regarding that very soon.)

When: February 4th, 1 - 3pm
Where: Andrew Hall, Room 142
For: Faculty, staff, and students

It is a free workshop and refreshments will be provided.

Please feel free to email Sobia (sali@upei.ca) or Colleen (cmaquarrie@upei.ca) if you have any questions. 

We would like to thank the Department of Psychology, Office of the Dean of Arts, and Office of Vice-President Academic and Research for their support of the workshop.

BlackBoard Collaborate is web conferencing software that allows instructors to do many things to engage with their students. Use BlackBoard Collaborate to record your teaching for days when your face-to-face class has been cancelled. Share your PowerPoint or use the interactive whiteboard, BlackBoard Collaborate allows you to set up a complete virtual classroom. It’s simple, easy and reliable. Offered by the E-Learning Office, you can take this workshop on one of two different dates. February 4th or March 12th from 10:30 to 11:30 am in Room 265, Robertson Library. REGISTER

Bring your lunch and join us for "Happiness - A Journey or A Destination", Presented by Shepell Total Health Solutions

Description: An employee that is engaged and flourishing in the workplace is one that is engaged and flourishing in their personal life. Using reflections and observations on behaviour, this seminar will present ten tips for building the foundation for happiness. Participants will gain an understanding of the concept of happiness and discover attitudes that are more favourable to promoting a sense of happiness. They will also explore how negative aspects in life can contribute to their happiness. Light refreshments provided by UPEI's Department of Human Resources.

This event is today at noon in room 208 of the Robertson Library. 

The Faculty Development Office is offering two afternoon workshops and consultations for anyone interested in creating or updating a teaching dossier for promotion, tenure, or teaching awards. You may attend either or both, but please register with Gerald at fdo@upei.ca by January 31st at the latest. The workshops will be facilitated by Dr. Shannon Murray, and participants will have the opportunity for individual consultations in the weeks after the workshops. The two sessions are

Introducing the Teaching Dossier (1:30-3:00, Feb. 8 – MCDH 328)
After a brief introduction to the history and purpose of a teaching dossier, a panel of colleagues experienced in working with teaching dossiers will share their advice about what to do and what to avoid. The rest of the session will look at the requirements and the options for documenting your teaching practice.

Starting a Statement of Teaching Philosophy (1:30-3:00, Feb. 22 – RL 235)
A statement of teaching philosophy is an essential opening for most teaching dossiers, and it signals the central beliefs and practices that the rest of the dossier will demonstrate. This workshop will take participants through a variety of strategies for crafting an effective statement, looking at examples from across disciplines. Participants will leave with a sound basic structure for their STPs.

If your department hires students, register for the 2019 UPEI Career & Summer Job Fair! The fair invites both on and off-campus employers to set up booths at the fair to advertise current and upcoming employment positions for students and recent graduates. 

The fair will take place on Wednesday, March 13th from 10:00am - 3:00pm in the W. A. Murphy Student Centre. 

Registration will be open from January 28th 9:00am until February 27th 4:00pm. UPEI departments can register online here: https://goo.gl/forms/ud5xKKrxJCkmwZqw1.

Any questions please email careerfair@upei.ca.

The School of Mathematical and Computational Sciences welcomes the campus community to a public research presentation by Darryl Hill, candidate for tenure track position in Computer Science, on Wednesday, January 30th at 3:00 pm in Health Science Building, Room 106

Presentation Title: Improved Spanning and Routing Ratios of Geometric Graphs

Abstract: Geometric graphs are commonly used representations of real world networks such as roads, terrains, or cell towers. Thus path planning and autonomous navigation of these graphs are crucial problems in computer science. Spanning and routing ratios provide us two key measures of a graph's suitability for navigation. We examine some popular geometric graphs and provide improved analysis of their spanning and routing ratios, as well as efficient algorithms for navigating them. In addition we detail our ongoing and future research in this field.

All are welcome to attend.

UPEI Mental Health Week 2019 is a five-day event jam-packed with a variety of events and sessions for all members of our UPEI community. Connect with friends and colleagues—relationships matter! Here’s a snapshot of the great activities taking place Monday, January 28:

• Info Booth & Build a Quilt, Monday–Friday: W. A. Murphy Student Centre (MSC) Concourse 10:00 am–3:00 pm
• Info Booth & Counselling FAQs,Monday–Friday: 10:00 am–3:00pm, Robertson Library Breezeway, Dalton Hall Foyer and AVC Foyer
• Zen Zone, Monday–Friday: 10:00 am–3:00 pm, W. A. Murphy Student Centre Day Lounge
• MHW Kick-Off! “Open Up Wide. No, Wider. Cultivating Happiness Through Vulnerability” presented by Jeremie Saunders of the SickBoy Podcast, 12:00–1:00 pm, McMillan Hall
• Dear Inspiring Self: How to Write a Self-Reflective Narrative, 2:00–3:00 pm, Dalton Hall 401
• Yoga Stretch/Guided Meditation with Pam Harris, 4:30–5:15 pm, Andrew Hall 142
• How to Help a Friend, 6:00–7:00 pm, Dalton Hall, Campus Life Lounge, 5th Floor

View the full UPEI Mental Health Week 2019 schedule for detailed event descriptions. 

As part of this year's Mental Health Week, the second Out of the Blue Gala is taking place on January 31st in the Wanda Wyatt Dining Hall with doors opening 6:30pm followed by dinner and the guest speaker at 7:00pm. A gala night aimed to tackle the negative and harmful stigma surrounding mental health, students and other attendees will get to hear UPEI's very own Leigh Reid share his story, enjoy a delicious plated meal prepared by Chartwells Head Chef Alan Paul and his team, and engage with community mental health advocates. 

Tickets for this event are available at the Residence Office and the Wanda Wyatt Dining Hall, or through Residence Life Coordinator, Sarah Donald (sdonald@upei.ca)

Starting in Fall 2019, UPEI’s Island Studies department will be offering three versions of the Master of Arts in Island Studies program. In addition to the thesis degree option, we will be offering two specializations in the new course and work-study-based version of the program; one in Island Tourism, and another in Sustainable Island Communities. 
Scholarships and bursaries are available. To learn more about these innovative degrees, join us on Tuesday, January 29th, from 3:00 to 4:00pm or from 6:00 to 7:00pm, in Rm. 237 of the Don and Marion McDougall Hall. For more information, contact Jim Randall, the Program Coordinator, at mais@upei.ca or 902-620-5013.

Bring your lunch and join us for "Happiness - A Journey or A Destination", Presented by Shepell Total Health Solutions

Description: An employee that is engaged and flourishing in the workplace is one that is engaged and flourishing in their personal life. Using reflections and observations on behaviour, this seminar will present ten tips for building the foundation for happiness. Participants will gain an understanding of the concept of happiness and discover attitudes that are more favourable to promoting a sense of happiness. They will also explore how negative aspects in life can contribute to their happiness. Light refreshments provided by UPEI's Department of Human Resources.

This events is Tuesday, January 29 at noon in room 208 of the Robertson Library. All are welcome. 

Energy History of PEI
The Environmental Studies Book Club Discussion Series

This winter we will be reading and discussing "Time and a Place: An Environmental History of Prince Edward Island" (2016). Our discussions will probe into past and present environmental changes on PEI, and how and why the Islanders are particularly sensitive to environmental issues and enmeshed in their landscape in a way that is unique among Canadians.

During our second discussion, we will talk about energy transitions in PEI history and will focus on the chapter by Kathleen Stuart: “Two centuries of energy on Prince Edward Island.” Those interested in more information about the province’s energy policies in the 1973-1990 period can also read the book by Alan MacEachern "The Institute of Man and Resources: An Environmental Fable" (2003).

We are thrilled that the authors and editors of these books, Ms. Kathleen Stuart, Dr. Alan MacEachern, and Dr. Josh MacFadyen, will join our discussion. 

Date and time: February 15, 2019 at 4pm
Place: The Fox & Crow, W.A. Murphy Student Centre, UPEI campus.

All are welcome!

"Time and a Place: An Environmental History of Prince Edward Island" and "The Institute of Man and Resources: An Environmental Fable" are available at the UPEI library. The former is available as an e-book at https://library.upei.ca/ and the first chapter of the latter book is available on library reserves as a digital file. 

If have any questions/suggestions, please feel free to contact Dr. Nino Antadze at nantadze@upei.ca

The Atlantic Council for International Cooperation invites you to participate in Together Towards Equality on Wednesday, 6 February 2019 (9:00 am – 4:00 pm). As part of International Development Week, the ACIC celebrates achievements of Canadians in furthering the Sustainable Development Goals, both locally and globally.

Highlights include Prayer by Elder Dr. Judy Clark, Welcome address by Jennifer Sloot, Executive  Director, ACIC-CACI, and opening remarks byHer Honour Antoinette Perry, LG of PEI.    

Speakers are Dr. Jennifer Taylor, Dr. Ali Ahmadi, Dr. Josh MacFadyen,Ted Grant, Jane Ledwell, Jillian Kilfoil, Ouma Cuniah, Erin Mahar, Dr. Olive Bryanton, and Cassidy McKellop. They will talk about complex issues that require holistic approaches informed by diverse voices working together across sectors, disciplines, and borders.

Where: Atlantic Veterinary College Atrium (AVC 285N), UPEI

Who: Everyone is welcome. RSVP selvi@acic-caci.org by Friday, 1 February.

Free event! Lunch and snacks will be served.

If your department hires students, register for the 2019 UPEI Career & Summer Job Fair! The fair invites both on and off-campus employers to set up booths at the fair to advertise current and upcoming employment positions for students and recent graduates. 

The fair will take place on Wednesday, March 13th from 10:00am - 3:00pm in the W. A. Murphy Student Centre. 

Registration will be open from January 28th 9:00am until February 27th 4:00pm. UPEI departments can register online here: https://goo.gl/forms/ud5xKKrxJCkmwZqw1

Any questions please email careerfair@upei.ca.

The School of Mathematical and Computational Sciences welcomes the campus community to a public research presentation by Dr. Saeed Mehrabi, candidate for tenure track position in Computer Science, on Monday, January 28th at 12:45 pm at Robertson Library, Room 208. 

Presentation Title: Recent Topics in Computational Geometry: Theory and Practice.

Abstract: Computational geometry aims to design and analyze algorithms and data structures for geometric problems. Such problems appear in many applied fields such as robotics, wireless networks, data visualization, and databases. In this talk, I will first present my recent research on developing efficient geometric algorithms for map labeling, an important problem in data visualization. Then, I will give a summary of several geometric optimization problems inspired by practice, along with my contributions in developing algorithms for these problems. I will conclude my talk with a discussion on my future research plan.

All are welcome to attend.

Do you want to discuss what equity and inclusion can mean in our everyday behaviours and interactions? Want to think with others about meanings and applications of these huge concepts? Join the Faculty of Arts Equity and Inclusion group online discussion series! Every Monday morning, starting January 28 until the end of the semester, a new short article will be posted on the website at http://projects.upei.ca/arts-equity-and-inclusion/. Read, comment, reply, start the conversation with others thinking about these topics! And stay tuned for in-person discussions coming later this semester too! For more information, contact Ann Braithwaite at abraithwaite@upei.ca.