Dr. Andrew Cumming of McGill University's physics department will give a public presentation called In Search of New Worlds: The Discovery and Characterization of Exoplanets on Friday, March 26, from 3 to 5 p.m., at UPEI.

Cumming's talk will take place in the Alex H. MacKinnon Auditorium (Room 242) in Don and Marion McDougall Hall.

The last decade has seen a revolution in our understanding of planetary systems, with the birth of the new field of exoplanets, says Cumming. Almost 400 planets orbiting other stars have been discovered, with masses from a few times that of Earth to ten times the mass of Jupiter, and orbital periods of only a few days to more than ten years. These discoveries are answering the question of whether solar systems such as our own are common in the galaxy, and the diverse properties of the known exoplanets are challenging our ideas of the physics of planet formation and evolution.

During his lecture, he will describe the techniques by which these planets are being discovered and characterized, summarize the latest discoveries and what is being learned from them, and look forward to the exciting new discoveries to expect in the coming decade and beyond.

Cumming is an Associate Professor in the Department of Physics at McGill University, working in theoretical astrophysics. He received his PhD from the University of California, Berkeley, in December 2000, where he worked with Lars Bildsten. He then spent a year as a post doc at the Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics (KITP) in Santa Barbara before moving to the University of California, Santa Cruz, as a Hubble Fellow. He joined the McGill Department of Physics in September 2004. He has been a Scholar of the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR) Cosmology and Gravity program since 2004, and was awarded an Alfred P. Sloan Research Fellowship.

For more information, contact the UPEI Department of Physics at (902) 566-0491.

Chad Heron, a fourth-year UPEI School of Business student, overcame stiff competition to win a $5,000 first prize and the opportunity to compete for the national Nicol Award in Ottawa on March 30, 2010.

Mr. Heron's winning concept, The Shelf.ca, triumphed over four other entrants who made the UPEI shortlist for the prestigious entrepreneurial competition.

The Shelf.ca helps students connect, share and collaborate. The initial product is an online textbook exchange that offers features for both buyers and sellers, eliminating the need for 'Books for Sale' flyers that are a universal feature of any university bulletin board. With the rising cost of textbooks, the demand for used books is growing. With limited options to buy and sell books, The Shelf.ca is a great opportunity for student engagement and monetization. The Shelf.ca is expandable to provide social networking integration designed to offer an efficient marketplace for students. A beta version of the site was launched to UPEI students over the winter semester.

The Nicol Entrepreneurial local competition held recently at UPEI was judged by Reagh Ellis, President of the Entrepreneur's Forum and owner of Mark's Work Wearhouse, and Sean Casey, QC, Regional Managing Partner of Stewart McKelvey, President of the Greater Charlottetown Area Chamber of Commerce and a former Chairman of First Angel Investor Network. The judges were overwhelmed by both the ideas and the professionalism of the competitors. In awarding the $5,000 first prize to Mr. Heron and his partner Mr. Seaman, the judges were impressed with the concept and the development of the product. Second prize of $2,000 was awarded to Mr. Tyson Gimblett, with the third place of $1,000 being taken by Mr. Danny Murray.

The Nicol Entrepreneurial Award, launched in 1997, is unique for its emphasis on the value of the entrepreneurial spirit and the key role it plays in the success of a business. The Nicol Entrepreneurial Award attracts the brightest students from multiple disciplines to encourage the development of the next generation of entrepreneurs who will drive the Canadian economy. No other business award offers as true-to-life an experience or is as inclusive as the Nicol Entrepreneurial Award, which welcomes entries from any undergraduate student with a solid business idea, from any program.

Teams from 14 of Canada's top universities compete locally for cash prizes and the opportunity to be chosen by the national selection judges to be one of six finalists to go head-to-head at the National Award Gala for the National Nicol Award.

The Award will be presented during the sixth annual Nicol Entrepreneurial Award Gala on March 30, 2010, at the Fairmont Chateau Laurier hotel in Ottawa. Richard L'Abbé, co-founder and former CEO of Med-Eng Systems Inc., will be the keynote speaker at this year's event.

For further information about the UPEI competition, please contact:
Prof. Alan Duncan
Tel: 902-367-9929
Email: awduncan@upei.ca

For more information, please contact:

Alison Canavan
Tel: 613-290-4456
Email: alisonc@aceeventmanagement.ca

(Media release from Nicol Entreprenueurial Award)

Jared Gomes, a UPEI business student, was named the Canadian Interuniversity Sport Rookie of the Year for men's hockey Wednesday night in Thunder Bay at the All-Canadian Banquet, kicking off the University Cup. Gomes, a native of Brampton, Ontario became the first UPEI winner of the Clare Drake Award since its inception in 1985-86.

Gomes was named the 2009-10 recipient of the A.J. MacAdam Memorial Trophy as the Rookie of the Year in the Atlantic University Sport conference on March 16th, putting him in the running for the national honour.

The 6-foot-1, 190-pound forward had an impressive freshman season for the UPEI Panthers finishing ninth in AUS scoring with 33 points (17-16-33) in 28 games, second in the conference with four game-winning goals, and sixth with seven power-play markers. The 21-year-old freshman, who led his team in goals, power-play goals and game winners, guided the Panthers to a 15-11-2 record good for fourth place in the Atlantic.

Gomes played with the Mississauga St. Michael's Majors and Sarnia Sting of the OHL prior to coming to UPEI. Kinkora native Dave Cameron is General Manager and Head Coach of the Majors and played a part, along with former UPEI Coach Dylan Taylor, in Gomes' decision to play for UPEI.

Gomes said, 'I talked with my family and bunch of people and decided UPEI would be a good choice for academics and hockey. And on the ice, we have great coaching and a great group of guys.' He adds, 'When I heard the news about the award, I was super-excited.'

Current UPEI Head Coach, Forbes MacPherson says, "To say that Jared Gomes has adjusted well, in transition from OHL to CIS, would be a dramatic understatement. In just his first year of CIS competition, Jared, tied for second on our team in scoring.'

Jared displays a tremendous level of work ethic, character, and discipline. Evidence of this, exists beyond the ice. Academically, in his initial semester at university, he achieved an 87.2 average while taking a full work load of five courses. MacPherson adds, 'Without a doubt, Jared has had a tremendous impact on the campus of UPEI.'

"Jared Gomes is an outstanding young man who epitomizes the highest standard of CIS Student-Athlete Excellence,' says Ron Annear, UPEI Athletic Director. 'A highly skilled player whose effort both on the ice and in the class room has garnered impressive results, and contributed greatly to one of UPEI's best seasons in several years."

Other CIS major award winners announced were third-year University of New Brunswick forward Hunter Tremblay, who was named CIS player of the year; Marc-André Dorion of St-Hubert, Que., who was named defenceman of the year; Manitoba's Steve Christie of Winnipeg, selected as the country's best goaltender; UQTR right winger Francis Guérette-Charland of Victoriaville, Que., who claimed the R.W. Pugh award as the nation's most sportsmanlike player; UNB's Gardiner MacDougall of Bedeque, P.E.I., who captured the Father George Kehoe memorial award as coach of the year; and Alberta forward Tyler Metcalfe of Headingley, Man., who received the Dr. Randy Gregg award recognizing his excellence in hockey, academics and community involvement.

For more information about the CIS hockey awards, visit the CIS website.

You can't spin a two-litre pop bottle in the modern world without hitting another piece of plastic. Plastics are cheap to produce, lightweight, and are strong and flexible enough to be used in millions of applications. However, most are made from finite oil resources, and at the end of their usefulness are either thrown into a landfill or burned, generating harmful emissions.

Dr. Andrew Dove, Associate Professor of Chemistry and RCUK at the University of Warwick in Coventry, UK, will give a public talk entitled "Biodegradable Plastics: A Sustainable Future or A Temporary Fix?' on Wednesday, March 31, in the Wanda Wyatt Lecture Theatre (Room 104) of UPEI's K. C. Irving Chemistry Building, at 7 p.m.

Poly(lactide) is the leading contender of the new so-called 'green plastics,' made of renewable organic material. As the cost of production of green plastics decreases, chemists such as Dr. Dove are trying to overcome some of their chemical drawbacks, including their tendency to be brittle, and their lack of usefulness in hot or cold environments.

Poet John J. Guiney Yallop will give a public reading from his work on Wednesday, March 31, at 7 p.m., in the UPEI Main Building Faculty Lounge. He will also give a public talk on Thursday, April 1, at 6:30 p.m., in Main Building, Room 220, about his path to poetic inquiry, and how he uses poetry in his learning, teaching, and research. An assistant professor at Acadia University, Yallop is author of Notes to My Prostate (2010) and On place and memory: A poetic journey (forthcoming). These free events are presented by the UPEI Centre of Education Research. For more information, please contact Christine Gordon Manley at (902) 566-6784 or cgmanley@upei.ca.

The Atlantic Veterinary College at the University of Prince Edward Island (UPEI) is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Mark Fast to the role of Novartis Research Chair in Fish Health.

As a faculty member with the Atlantic Veterinary College's Pathology and Microbiology department, Dr. Fast will focus on in-depth research and education in the area of fish health-a unique and quickly emerging field of study in veterinary medicine. Dr. Fast, who was previously an Assistant Professor in Aquatic Diseases and Immunology at Stony Brook University's renowned School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences in New York, joined the Atlantic Veterinary College in February 2010.

'We are very pleased to have Dr. Fast join our outstanding research, education and service team,' says Dr. Donald L. Reynolds, Dean of the Atlantic Veterinary College. 'Dr. Fast's expertise in aquatic diseases and immunology will contribute greatly to advancing the science of fish health and aquaculture on both a regional and global scale. His experience and specialized skills are a tremendous asset and complement to the Atlantic Veterinary College's existing strengths in aquatic species health.'

Dr. Fast's role as the Novartis Research Chair in Fish Health will build on the Atlantic Veterinary College's globally recognized aquatic species health expertise which include an OIE Reference Laboratory for ISA, the AVC Centre for Aquatic Health Sciences and the AVC Lobster Science Centre. The addition of the Novartis Research Chair in Fish Health enables the Atlantic Veterinary College to move closer to its goal of becoming the world's leading academic-based aquatics institution.

'The Atlantic Veterinary College is grateful to Novartis Animal Health for its support of this prestigious research chair,' says Dr. Reynolds. 'We look forward to continuing our long-standing partnership with Novartis to advance the basic science of fish diseases and health management in an effort to support our regional industries and improve fish health on a global scale.'

Dr. Fast holds a Bachelor of Science (Honours) degree from Dalhousie University, a Master of Science degree from the Atlantic Veterinary College at UPEI, a PhD from Dalhousie University, and was a post-doctoral researcher at the National Research Council Institute for Marine Biology's Fish Health Laboratory. Dr. Fast is the recipient of various awards and funding grants, has an active publication record, and has contributed to the training of future researchers as a graduate student supervisor.

'I am extremely excited and honoured to pursue this unique opportunity to work with Novartis and the Atlantic Veterinary College,' says Dr. Fast. 'This is an ideal nexus for research in the field of animal health. Specifically, with respect to global economical and ecological issues, we are at an important juncture in the way we use and manage our aquatic resources, be they fisheries or aquaculture related. I foresee our research being at the leading edge of providing the knowledge base necessary for informed decision making in a number of these areas.'

Returning to Eastern Canada is a large benefit, adds Dr. Fast. 'Our family is happy to be back amongst so many great people.'

Dr. Michael Cameron, BBCA, Chair of the Behaviour Analysis Department at Simmons College, Boston, will give a free public workshop called 'The Role of Recreational Activities in Promoting Quality of Life for Children with Disabilities' on Saturday, April 10, at UPEI.

The workshop will take place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Wanda Wyatt Lecture Theatre, KC Irving Chemistry Centre.

The purpose of the workshop is to: (1) teach family members and educators how to identify the recreational and leisure interests of children, adolescents, and young adults; (2) how to identify an individual's personal strengths for the purpose of building health promoting activities and to affect quality of life; (3) how to identify activities that reconcile with a family's unique interests and the interests of a family's local community; and (4) how to build recreational and leisure skills using a step-by-step format based on the elementary principles of applied behavior analysis.

The workshop is is open to the public and is geared towards families, educators, educational assistants, special needs assistants, autism consultants, early childhood and youth care workers, human services students, and all those in the field of disabilities.. It is presented by the Autism Society of PEI in partnership with the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, UPEI's Psychology Department and the Psychological Association of Prince Edward Island.

To register, please email Nathalie Walsh at Nathalie@autismsociety.pe.ca or call 1-902-566-4844.

The kids are all right. Well... maybe they're just big-boned. Or perhaps… OK, let's face it: the kids have an obesity problem. Let's talk about it at UPEI's next Research on Tap. The discussion starts at 7 p.m., April 6, in the bar at Mavor's in the Confederation Centre of the Arts.

'I think schools do have a role to play to help promote healthier eating,' argues Dr. Jennifer Taylor. 'But then again, so do parents. So do communities. So does government. So does the food industry.'

Taylor will discuss nutrition policies in Island schools, including ones that categorize food based on their nutritional value.

'There is controversy as to whether we should label a particular food as good or bad, and where the focus should be to reduce childhood obesity. I think we need to take a step back and look at the environments where our children eat, play and learn.'

Research on Tap is a series of public discussions with UPEI's researchers in a comfortable environment. Every month of the winter, we bring a UPEI researcher to a local pub-in this case, Mavor's-to discuss his or her area of expertise.

Research on Tap is presented by UPEI's Office of Research Development. For more information, call (902) 620-5117, or e-mail datkinson@upei.ca.

The UPEI Co-operative Education Student of the Year awards in Business, Computer Science, and Physics were presented recently at a special event in Don and Marion McDougall Hall at UPEI.

Employers, students, and faculty gathered to recognize the winners and celebrate their accomplishments. The guest speaker was John Rowe, Director and President of the Timeless Group of Companies in Charlottetown. His presentation focused on the importance of having a good team to create success.

Award recipients are selected based on job performance, academic performance, academic/school involvement, accountability, responsibility, and their contributions to their employers during their co-operative education work terms.

Emma McPhail of Charlottetown received the award for Business. In the spring of 2009, she completed a work term with the Neilson Company in the UK where she excelled in creating market share reports and developing commentary on monthly changes in market share. She also maintained database dictionaries and completed weekly deadlines in populating Excel and PowerPoint reports. She spent her third work term in the Comptroller's Office at UPEI where she gained valuable training on the Drupal content management system and then trained other users in the department.

Jeremy Noonan of Kinkora received the award for Computer Science. Jeremy worked at SwiftRadius for his first and second work terms, where he helped to build up significant experience and infrastructure within the Amazon Web services cloud, and functioned at the level of an intermediate developer in a language he had no experience with previously. In May, Jeremy will be working again with SwiftRadius, and the company looks forward to him joining its staff following graduation.

Annie Laderoute of Stratford won the award for Physics. A fifth-year honours student, she was nominated by her employer, Dr. Bill Whelan, from the UPEI Department of Physics. As a research assistant in the Biomedical Optics Lab, Laderoute initiated a proof of principal study looking at the utility of opto-acoustic imaging as a tool for bone characterization. She planned a series of experiments and actively took part in scientific discussions. She also worked with a research collaborator for a month at the Graduate School in Advanced Optical Technologies in Erlangen, Germany.

For further information, contact the UPEI Co-operative Education Office at (902) 628-4395.

Dalhousie University medical students will join musicians from the University of Prince Edward Island on Saturday, April 10 in a gala concert at the Dr. Steel Recital Hall beginning at 7:30 p.m. The concert will feature Dalhousie's Music-in-Medicine participants, UPEI's Brass Quintet, Chorus and Men's Vocal Ensemble, and other UPEI vocal and instrumental soloists.

Keith Baglole, a recent music graduate from UPEI who is now a Dalhousie medical student, will perform as a baritone soloist with the TestosterTONES, one of four performance groups in the Music-in-Medicine program.

The gala concert is preceded by a free seminar in UPEI's Main Building Faculty Lounge, at 3:30 p.m., where current medical students will meet with PEI students considering careers in the health professions. The seminar is open to students from a variety of educational backgrounds. More information is available from UPEI Student Services at (902) 566-0488.

Tickets for the gala concert are $15 general; $12 for students and seniors and are available from the UPEI Music Department or at the door. To reserve tickets, call (902) 566-0507.