A virtual information session regarding NSERC Alliance Grants will be held on Thursday, March 14, from 11:30 am-12:45 pm. The session will provide an overview of the Alliance Advantage and Alliance Society programs and will provide details on how to apply. The session will be presented by Shirine Jeradi, Manager, NSERC – Research Partnerships, and based in Atlantic Canada.

This session is open to anyone interested in learning more about NSERC Alliance Grants. RSVP via this Google form to obtain the zoom link.

The session will be followed by an opportunity for researchers to have short (10-15 minutes) one-on-one consultations with Shirine. If you are interested in a consultation, please note this on the Google form and indicate your availability. A private Zoom link will be sent to you for your consultation meeting.

Alliance grants encourage university researchers to collaborate with partner organizations, which can be from the private, public, or not-for-profit sectors. These grants support research projects led by strong complementary collaborative teams that will generate new knowledge and accelerate the application of research results to create benefits for Canada.

Alliance Advantage grants (formerly Alliance cost-sharing option 1) are for partner-driven projects. They fund projects focused on the partners’ goals, with at least one partner sharing in the costs of research.

Alliance Society grants (formerly Alliance cost-sharing option 2) fund projects with societal impact as the main driver.

Our next Coffee Break Conversation will be Monday, February 26, at 10:30 am, with Scott Cassidy and John McIntyre, co-chairs of UPEI’s GenAI Taskforce. Bring your favourite morning beverage, and join us in the TLC, Robertson Library Annex, Room 230. If you want to join us online, here's a zoom link .

UPEI annually acknowledges individuals for their outstanding contributions to the success of the University. The awards are valued at $1,000 each and given in recognition of excellence of faculty, librarians, clinical veterinary professionals, clinical nursing instructors, sessional instructors, and staff.

The awards will be presented during a Celebration of Colleagues to be held on Thursday, May 23, 2024, from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm in the UPEI Performing Arts Centre, PAC #121S. 

Nominations are open and must be submitted to universityawards@upei.ca by the last Friday in February each year. This year, nominations close on Friday, February 23.. 

For further details on the awards and the nomination process, please visit University Awards of Excellence.

The search committee for the Dean of Sustainable Design Engineering announces an upcoming presentation by a finalist candidate. Dr. Suzanna Kresta will give a public presentation on Monday, February 26, 2:00–3:00 pm, AVC 207N.

Dr. Kresta is a professor of chemical engineering and recently completed a term as dean of the College of Engineering (2018–2023) at the University of Saskatchewan. She received a BScEng (University of New Brunswick), MSc (Leeds University), and PhD (McMaster University) in 1992, all in chemical engineering. As dean at USask, she led the development and implementation of the College’s strategic plan, new co-operative education program, complete re-design of the first-year program, and three major building plan projects, among others. She has received several teaching and research awards, including the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Medal for contributions to education in the province of Saskatchewan. Dr. Kresta is a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering American Institute of Chemical Engineers Canada.

Since the search for the Dean of Sustainable Design Engineering began in June 2023, the committee has conducted a comprehensive search and selected an additional finalist for a series of stakeholder meetings on campus.

The Government of Prince Edward Island invites students aged 14 to 24 to undertake anti-racism work on PEI. Students can apply for funding ranging from $100 to $1,500 for projects that must align with one or more of the following goals: strengthening organizational capacity with activities focused on anti-racism; public outreach, engagement, and advocacy; and strengthening BIPOC communities. Project proposals will be accepted until February 26, 2024. For more information, visit princeedwardisland.ca/antiracismmicrogrants 

SkillsPEI is a division of the PEI Department of Workforce, Advanced Learning and Population. It manages the design and delivery of employment and skills development programming funded by the Canada-Prince Edward Island Labour Market Development Agreement and Canada-PEI Workforce Development Agreement. 

Through SkillsPEI, the Post-Secondary Student Program supports full-time post-secondary students working a minimum of 12 to a maximum of 18 weeks during the summer. The exact number of weeks designated per placement will be based on factors such as but not limited to position, wage, and the likelihood of opportunity for experiential learning. Students must be entering or returning to full-time post-secondary studies in the fall.  

Wage subsidy offered:

• Employer can set the wage rate but must provide a minimum of $14.50/hour and will be funded up to $15.80/hour. 
• Employers will be reimbursed 100% of the approved hourly wage plus 4% vacation pay to a maximum of 40 hours per week, for the total weeks approved.
• Note: the subsidy does not include 8% benefits, so additional funding must be sourced elsewhere.

To centralize the administration of this program for UPEI researchers, Research Services is accepting/submitting research-related applications. To apply for the program, please provide the following details to Research Services (researchservices@upei.ca) by the closing date of March 31, 2024:

• Project or activity description
• Position title 
• Job activities/duties 
• Objectives to be achieved
• Education and skills required
• Duration including start and end date and total weeks
• Rate of pay (hourly)
• Mentorship plan
• Supervisor name and contact details 

For additional information about the program, please click here. UPEI researchers may contact Maria Steele, Manager of Research Services, for more details (mlsteele@upei.ca).

The University of Prince Edward Island received the sad news on Friday that Dr. Greg Irvine, a long time and dedicated member of the University community, passed away after a short and courageous battle with cancer.

Dr. Irvine retired from UPEI in 2019 after a 29-year tenure with the Department of Music as a professor of brass. He was a long-time member of the University Senate, including serving as vice-chair, twice directed the Concert Band/Wind Symphony, and served as chair of the music department for several years—all while remaining active as a tuba soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral player.

The UPEI flags have been lowered to half mast in Dr. Irvine’s memory.

Accessibility Services (first floor Dalton Hall) will close from noon until 2:00 pm on Thursday, February 22, for a staff meeting.

To submit an inquiry, please email accessibility@upei.ca or astesting@upei.ca (testing inquiries only).

Messages received during the closure will be answered as soon as possible.

Thank you!

Presenter: Saad Javed Cheema

Title: "Crop Water Requirements in the Face of Climate Change”

Date/Time: Thursday, February 22, 2024, 9:00 am, via Web Conference

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

Everyone is welcome.

The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) Global Women’s (and Allies) breakfast (GWB) will be held at the Fox & Crow, W.A. Murphy Student Centre, on February 27, 2024, from 7:30–9:30 am. Click here to register by February 22 at 4 pm. Breakfast is included for registered attendees.

Held in conjunction with the UN Day of Women and Girls in Science, the goal of the breakfast series is to establish an active network of people of all genders to overcome the barriers to gender equality in science. The theme of this year’s event is “Catalyzing Diversity in Science.”

Speakers will include Dr. Nola Etkin, dean of science; Dr. Marya Ahmed, associate professor of chemistry and engineering; and Leah Gauthier, a graduate student in the Department of Chemistry. They will speak about their experiences as female leaders in science as well as their research, mentorship, and equity, diversity, and inclusion. Also planned is a “tie-dye your lab coat” activity. Participants can bring clean lab coats and turn them into colourful garments.

A virtual information session regarding NSERC Alliance Grants will be held on Thursday, March 14, from 11:30 am-12:45 pm. The session will provide an overview of the Alliance Advantage and Alliance Society programs and will provide details on how to apply. The session will be presented by Shirine Jeradi, Manager, NSERC – Research Partnerships, and based in Atlantic Canada.

This session is open to anyone interested in learning more about NSERC Alliance Grants. RSVP via this Google form to obtain the zoom link.

The session will be followed by an opportunity for researchers to have short (10-15 minutes) one-on-one consultations with Shirine. If you are interested in a consultation, please note this on the Google form and indicate your availability. A private Zoom link will be sent to you for your consultation meeting.

Alliance grants encourage university researchers to collaborate with partner organizations, which can be from the private, public, or not-for-profit sectors. These grants support research projects led by strong complementary collaborative teams that will generate new knowledge and accelerate the application of research results to create benefits for Canada.

Alliance Advantage grants (formerly Alliance cost-sharing option 1) are for partner-driven projects. They fund projects focused on the partners’ goals, with at least one partner sharing in the costs of research.

Alliance Society grants (formerly Alliance cost-sharing option 2) fund projects with societal impact as the main driver.

IT Systems and Services, in collaboration with the Robertson Library, now offers extended hours of technical support to cover evening classes. Extended support hours will run from 4:30 to 8 pm Monday through Thursday and 4 pm to 8 pm on Fridays.  

This service will be delivered by the Robertson Library Service Desk  (reference@upei.ca, 902-566-0583). 

Support areas include password resets, account locks, Wi Fi, and basic computer/podium troubleshooting. 

Our next Coffee Break Conversation will be Monday, February 26, at 10:30 am, with Scott Cassidy and John McIntyre, co-chairs of UPEI’s GenAI Taskforce. Bring your favourite morning beverage, and join us in the TLC, Robertson Library Annex, Room 230. If you want to join us online, here's a zoom link .

Interested in learning programming with Python? ACENET has added an additional session to its winter semester training offerings.

Introduction to Python

Join ACENET and Ocean Tracking Network in our Introduction to Python workshop series. Over three weeks, we will explore data analysis and visualization with Python, based on the Software Carpentry Lessons. Each week will build off the last; if you miss a week, check out the previous link to follow along!

No previous coding experience is necessary. These sessions will be held online and are free to attend.

This workshop will take place on:

• Wednesday, February 21, 1:00--4:00 pm
• Wednesday, February 28, 1:00--4:00 pm
• Wednesday, March 6, 1:00--4:00 pm

DETAILS & REGISTRATION

If you have questions about upcoming training or ACENET services at UPEI, contact Kaitlin Newson.

UPEI annually acknowledges individuals for their outstanding contributions to the success of the University. The awards are valued at $1,000 each and given in recognition of excellence of faculty, librarians, clinical veterinary professionals, clinical nursing instructors, sessional instructors, and staff.

The awards will be presented during a Celebration of Colleagues to be held on Thursday, May 23, 2024, from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm in the UPEI Performing Arts Centre, PAC #121S. 

Nominations are open and must be submitted to universityawards@upei.ca by the last Friday in February each year. This year, nominations close on Friday, February 23.. 

For further details on the awards and the nomination process, please visit University Awards of Excellence.

The UPEI Office of Commercialization, Industry and Innovation (OCII) is pleased to invite you to attend UPEI’s Research Breakfast on Thursday, February 29.

Dr. Jay Penney, associate professor of biomedical sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, will present “Microglia: The brain's immune cells that impact neurodegeneration.”

Dr. Aitazaz Farooque, Industry Research Chair in Precision Agriculture and associate dean, UPEI School of Climate Change and Adaptation, will present “Development of Climate Smart Agriculture Technologies to Ensure Food Security and Sustainability.”

 Please join us as a part of PEI’s leadership community in this forum to exchange ideas and insights.This is a valuable opportunity for you to hear about the ongoing interdisciplinary research at UPEI in health and climate.

When: Thursday, February 29, from 7:30--9:00 am (breakfast will be provided)

Where: McMillan Hall, W.A. Murphy Student Centre, University Avenue, Charlottetown, PE, Canada

 Register here:  https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/upei-research-breakfast-tickets-808175443507?aff=oddtdtcreator

The search committee for the Dean of Sustainable Design Engineering announces an upcoming presentation by a finalist candidate. Dr. Suzanna Kresta will give a public presentation on Monday, February 26, 2:00–3:00 pm, AVC 207N.

Dr. Kresta is a professor of chemical engineering and recently completed a term as dean of the College of Engineering (2018–2023) at the University of Saskatchewan. She received a BScEng (University of New Brunswick), MSc (Leeds University), and PhD (McMaster University) in 1992, all in chemical engineering. As dean at USask, she led the development and implementation of the College’s strategic plan, new co-operative education program, complete re-design of the first-year program, and three major building plan projects, among others. She has received several teaching and research awards, including the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Medal for contributions to education in the province of Saskatchewan. Dr. Kresta is a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering American Institute of Chemical Engineers Canada.

Since the search for the Dean of Sustainable Design Engineering began in June 2023, the committee has conducted a comprehensive search and selected an additional finalist for a series of stakeholder meetings on campus.

The Government of Prince Edward Island invites students aged 14 to 24 to undertake anti-racism work on PEI. Students can apply for funding ranging from $100 to $1,500 for projects that must align with one or more of the following goals: strengthening organizational capacity with activities focused on anti-racism; public outreach, engagement, and advocacy; and strengthening BIPOC communities. Project proposals will be accepted until February 26, 2024. For more information, visit princeedwardisland.ca/antiracismmicrogrants 

SkillsPEI is a division of the PEI Department of Workforce, Advanced Learning and Population. It manages the design and delivery of employment and skills development programming funded by the Canada-Prince Edward Island Labour Market Development Agreement and Canada-PEI Workforce Development Agreement. 

Through SkillsPEI, the Post-Secondary Student Program supports full-time post-secondary students working a minimum of 12 to a maximum of 18 weeks during the summer. The exact number of weeks designated per placement will be based on factors such as but not limited to position, wage, and the likelihood of opportunity for experiential learning. Students must be entering or returning to full-time post-secondary studies in the fall.  

Wage subsidy offered:

• Employer can set the wage rate but must provide a minimum of $14.50/hour and will be funded up to $15.80/hour. 
• Employers will be reimbursed 100% of the approved hourly wage plus 4% vacation pay to a maximum of 40 hours per week, for the total weeks approved.
• Note: the subsidy does not include 8% benefits, so additional funding must be sourced elsewhere.

To centralize the administration of this program for UPEI researchers, Research Services is accepting/submitting research-related applications. To apply for the program, please provide the following details to Research Services (researchservices@upei.ca) by the closing date of March 31, 2024:

• Project or activity description
• Position title 
• Job activities/duties 
• Objectives to be achieved
• Education and skills required
• Duration including start and end date and total weeks
• Rate of pay (hourly)
• Mentorship plan
• Supervisor name and contact details 

For additional information about the program, please click here. UPEI researchers may contact Maria Steele, Manager of Research Services, for more details (mlsteele@upei.ca).

The Robertson Library invites the campus community to the final candidate's presentation for the permanent-track position of One Health & Scholarly Communications Librarian. 

Candidate: Dan Phillips, MI, MREM

Title: What can the Library do to support scholarly communications at a university like UPEI?

When: Monday, March 4, 2024, 2:45 PM

Where: AVC 278N

Dan Phillips earned his ALA-accredited Master of Information and Master of Resource and Environmental Management from Dalhousie University. He is currently a Clinical Librarian with the Saskatchewan Health Authority.