Canadian journalist and author Gwynne Dyer will speak at UPEI on Tuesday, October 19 as part of his cross-Canada university and college tour. The event will take place in the Learning Commons at the Atlantic Veterinary College starting at 7 pm.

Sponsored by the UPEI Faculty of Arts, Dyer's lecture will focus on his new book, out this fall, 'Crawling from the Wreckage' which traces the world's halting emergence from the dark tunnel of the past decade, a time marked by exaggerated fears of terrorism, futile, and unnecessary wars in the Middle East, neglect of climate change, and financial near-collapse.

Gwynne Dyer has worked as a freelance journalist, columnist, broadcaster and lecturer on international affairs for more than 20 years, but he was originally trained as a historian. Born in Newfoundland, he received degrees from Canadian, American, British Universities, finishing with a PhD in Military and Middle Eastern History from the University of London. In Canada, Dyer's column appears regularly in over 50 newspapers.

The portraits of UPEI's first four presidents were unveiled in chronological order of the presidents' service and leadership at a well-attended ceremony on Thursday, October 14 in the Robertson Library:

Dr. Ronald J. Baker, 1969-1978

Dr. Peter P.M. Meincke, 1978-1985

Dr. C. W. J. Eliot, 1985-1995

Dr. Elizabeth R. Epperly, 1995-1998

Painted by Saint John, New Brunswick artist Herzyl Kashetsky, the portraits were commissioned by the University Art Committee. Kashetsky is widely recognized for his portraits of leading citizens, cityscapes and landscapes, and images of historic events-his highly-acclaimed work is represented in private and public collections throughout Canada.

An original salute to each president, composed by retired music professor Bert Tersteeg, was performed after each unveiling. Tersteeg's highly-esteemed compositions have enriched official University occasions for more than three decades.

In light of the recent deaths of gay youth in the United States due to bullying, the UPEI Diversity Office, the UPEI Rainbow Alliance, the PEI Abegweit Rainbow Collective, and AIDS-PEI are hosting an open Candlelight Vigil on Wednesday, October 20 at 7:00 pm in front of Main Building (the UPEI Quad).

This event is part of the "Day of Purple", inspired by the recent suicide of Tyler Clementi and four other young males, and to remember those who have been directly or indirectly impacted by homophobia and bullying of all types. Everyone is welcome to attend-to remember those lives that have been lost, and to stand up against homophobia and bullying in our schools, workplaces, and Island communities. Candles will be provided.

For more information, call the UPEI Diversity Office at (902) 628-4332.

The University of Prince Edward Island was named number one today in two major categories in Re$earch Infosource's annual report on research activity at Canadian Universities. The report, which included a special look back on the past decade of research, named UPEI the top university in Research Income Growth from 1999 to 2009 and for Research Intensity Growth over the same period. Both awards are in the primarily undergraduate university category, but UPEI's increase for each measure is higher than those for any other university in the country.

'This is exciting news, and something that I think is apparent to anyone who spends time with us at UPEI,' says Dr. Katherine Schultz, UPEI's Vice President of Research and Development. 'The last ten years have seen tremendous growth in research activity. You can find students, staff, and faculty involved in research in every corner of campus. We're proud of this distinction, but more proud of what it reflects: focused excellence in research.'

In the decade beginning in 1999, research income grew from just under $3 million, to nearly $16 million-an increase of more than 430 per cent. Research Intensity, which measures growth in income, full-time faculty, and overall research intensity, was up more than 320 per cent over the same time period.

'This growth is not an accident,' says Wade MacLauchlan, President of UPEI. 'It is the result of focused effort and talent, and of many positive relationships. Moreover, it means that UPEI and its supportive community have a growing national and international reputation for research excellence and leadership. This is an exciting time to be involved in research or to be a student at UPEI and the Atlantic Veterinary College.'

Via Canada NewsWire

Duncan Shaw earns top spot as Atlantic Entrepreneur of the Year

Ernst & Young recognizes innovative Canadian entrepreneurial leaders

HALIFAX, October 20 /CNW Telbec/ - Duncan Shaw of Cogsdale has been named Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2010 for the Atlantic region.

"The entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well in Atlantic Canada, as our entrepreneurs continue to thrive and act as a driving force behind the economic recovery," said Joyce Hoeven, Director of Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year for the Atlantic region. "With the unique ability to address the forever changing landscape of the software industry, Duncan continues to prevail within the complex information and technology market."

Founded in 1997, Cogsdale maintains a reputation for client devotion and proactive solutions. From its humble beginnings in PEI, Cogsdale has become the foremost trusted software developer for local governments and utilities.

Duncan attributes Cogsdale's business strategy and inspiration for new software solutions to two-way communication with his customers. "Systems without Boundaries," an innovative concept that integrates business processes across various operations, has driven market success and distinguishes Cogsdale from competitors.

Extensive growth over the years has led to the expansion of the company's client list that now includes six of the largest cities in the US. By raising the bar, Duncan has been recognized by Microsoft, who named Cogsdale its Dynamics GP Partner of the Year and member of their "Inner Circle."

Duncan's ambition is not limited to accomplishing his business goals. He is an active member of the Advisory Board for the School of Business at the University of Prince Edward Island as well as vice president of the Green and White Booster Club for men's and women's basketball teams. Duncan is also a board member of Innovation PEI, a business development agency, and dedicates his time as a coach for the St. Margaret's Bay "Slam" program, a non-profit youth basketball league. By mentoring the next generation, Duncan aspires to shape the experiences and opportunities of future business and community leaders.

"Top entrepreneurs continuously challenge themselves to reach new heights and strive to influence change," said Hoeven. "Canada's spectacular group of Entrepreneur of the Year Award winners symbolize how diligence and sharp business sense transcend in challenging economic times and have the power to make a lasting impact on our communities. It is an honour for us to recognize these outstanding individuals."

Also honoured by Ernst & Young was head of BioVectra Inc., Dr. Regis Duffy, who received the Lifetime Achievement 2010 Atlantic Award in recognition of his contribution to the Atlantic business community and his outstanding entrepreneurial achievements. Since 1970, Regis has been making entrepreneurial strides and has established BioVectra Inc. as a leading bioscience manufacturing business, helping put PEI on the map of bioscience innovation.

Category winners of the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year 2010 Atlantic Awards:

Business-to-business products and services
Jean-Guy Bourgeois, Mathieu LeBlanc, Andrée Savoie, David Savoie, Regan Steeves
Acadian Construction (1991) Ltd. | Dieppe, New Brunswick
acadianconstruction.com

A family-owned, bilingual commercial construction general contracting and project management services company that operates throughout the Maritime provinces.

Business-to-consumer products and services
Steven Kay
The Orb Factory Limited | Halifax, Nova Scotia
orbfactory.com

Designs, manufactures, retails and distributes children's crafts and activities to international markets.

Information technology
Duncan Shaw
Cogsdale | Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island
cogsdale.com

Develops software solutions for local governments and utilities to address the complex and changing needs of their operations.

Manufacturing
Mike Timani
Fancy Pokket Corp. | Moncton, New Brunswick
fancypokket.com

A manufacturer of bakery products such as pita bread, bagels, tortillas, pizza crust, panini and flatbread.

Media and entertainment
Andrew Ayre
Other Ocean Interactive | St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
otherocean.com

Develops games and enterprise software for all platforms, and has development studios in Canada and the US.

Special recognition
Jocelyn Greene
Stella Burry Community Services | St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
stellaburry.ca

A leading social services agency providing support and programs for adults and youth who face personal and health-related challenges.

What's next?
As the Atlantic region's Entrepreneur Of The Year 2010, Duncan will compete with top entrepreneurs from the Pacific, Prairies, Ontario and Québec regions for the national honour of Canada's Entrepreneur Of The Year 2010, to be presented at a gala celebration November 17, 2010, in Toronto. In June 2011, Canada's Entrepreneur Of The Year 2010 will move to the world stage to compete with 50 country recipients for the title of Ernst & Young World Entrepreneur Of The Year®.

About the awards program
The Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards honour the spirit and contribution of entrepreneurs here and around the world. This year, the Canadian program is proudly celebrating 17 years of honouring Canada's outstanding entrepreneurs from all areas of business. For more information on the program, please visit ey.com/ca/eoy.

Nominees are reviewed by an independent judging panel, which is composed of several distinguished business leaders and previous award recipients. The 2010 Atlantic region judging panel consisted of Mark Dobbin, President and CEO, Killick Capital; Dr. Colin Dodds, President and Vice Chancellor, St. Mary's University; Gerry Pond, Partner and Chairman, Mariner Partners; Kent Scales, Partner, Advantage Communications; and Shelley Simpson-McKay, Executive Director, Centre for Women in Business, Mount Saint Vincent University

Entrepreneur Of The Year is sponsored nationally by Global TV, National Post, La Presse and RDI. Atlantic region program sponsor is Progress, and the table patrons are Marriott Halifax Harbourfront and McInnes Cooper.

The University of Prince Edward Island will host the best female student-soccer athletes in the country when the 2010 CIS Women's Soccer Championship takes place November 11-14 in Charlottetown.

Ron Annear, Athletics director at UPEI, says, 'We are thrilled to be welcoming the top soccer players in the country to our world-class facilities at UPEI for what will be a very competitive tournament. We appreciate the opportunity the CIS has given us to show the entire country UPEI's capacity to stage a top-notch event and, at the same time, exhibit our Maritime hospitality to our guests.'

Two teams from each Canadian Interuniversity Sport conference will compete in a single elimination four-day tournament, with the finals on Sunday, November 14, at 1:00 pm.

Weekend ticket passes are now on sale for $30 by contacting Lynn Boudreau, UPEI Panther Sport at (902) 566-0991 or lboudreau@upei.ca.

Other events during CIS Championship weekend include a recruitment showcase for invited high school players from around the region. The UPEI Women's Soccer coaching staff, including head coach Michael Redmond, will run a morning session on Saturday.

'Combining the recruitment showcase with this premiere soccer championship made perfect sense,' said Redmond. 'UPEI will have a chance to show off our state-of-the-art UPEI Alumni Canada Games Place and artificial turf field to potential recruits and the high school students will be inspired by some of the best soccer in the country.'

The coaching staff of the International University Sports Federation (FISU) 2011 Games soccer team will also hold an invitational/tryout identification camp. University players who want to be a part of the FISU selection process and are non-participating All-Canadians (1st or 2nd team), Conference All-Stars (1st or 2nd team), or have been notified by FISU Games coaching staff are encouraged to attend.

CIS Women's Soccer Championship Schedule

Wednesday, November 10

8:00 am-4:00 pm Practices
6:00 pm CIS Awards Banquet

Thursday, November 11

TBD FISU ID Camp Players' Informational Meeting
10:00 am Match A - Quarter-final
1:00 pm Match B - Quarter-final
4:00 pm Match C - Quarter-final
7:00 pm Opening Ceremonies
7:30 pm Match D - Quarter-final

Friday, November 12

8:00 am Coaches Association Meeting - TBD
TBD FISU ID Camp - Training Session
1:00 pm Match E - Consolation Semifinal
4:00 pm Match F - Consolation Semifinal
TBD FISU ID Camp - Training Session
7:00 pm Coaches Symposium

Saturday, November 13

8:00-11:00 am High School Recruiting Showcase
1:00 pm Match G - Championship Semifinal
TBD FISU ID Camp - Training Session, or Exhibition Match
4:00 pm Match H - Championship Semifinal
7:00 pm Match I - Consolation Final

Sunday, November 14

10:00 am Match J - Bronze Medal
1:00 pm Match K - Gold Medal

The University of Prince Edward Island has launched a private company to service and complement technology developed by the Robertson Library. DiscoveryGarden Inc. will provide service for Islandora-open-source software for the long-term management and archiving of digital information.

'Over the past two years the Islandora software has evolved into a leading open-source digital asset management system,' says Mark Leggott, University Librarian, and CEO of DiscoveryGarden Inc. 'We are pleased to be able to leverage this university-led innovation in the creation of a new spin-off company which will provide a wide range of services for the Islandora software ecosystem. We are also pleased to recognize the critical assistance of both ACOA and Innovation PEI in facilitating this promising IT start-up.'

Leggott says if DiscoveryGarden's first-quarter results are anything to go by, the future is very promising indeed. Their client list already includes major museums, libraries, universities, and archives all around the world, as well as an increasing number of private sector industries who are in need of transforming their raw data into useable information.

'I congratulate Mark Leggott and his team at DiscoveryGarden Inc.,' says Wade MacLauchlan, UPEI President. 'We are proud that this business has been nurtured by UPEI and that it emerges from our underlying commitment to professional service and innovation. In recent months, UPEI has licensed several new technologies to private companies, and today we celebrate the creation of a new company that will enable the world to benefit from an innovative technology and service.'

'It is pleasing to see an Island company arise in the Information and Communications Technology to address the needs of Islanders, starting at the UPEI Robertson Library, and branching out to help clients in other markets,' said Allan Campbell, minister of Innovation and Advanced Learning. 'I look forward to seeing you flourish in new markets and exporting your knowledge to generate wealth and to create jobs.'

Three Oaks Innovations Inc., UPEI's commercialization arm, helped negotiate and facilitate the launch of DiscoveryGarden Inc.

'We are excited to have been a part of initiating the process and coordinating the follow-through that led to this deal,' says Sophie Theriault, director of Technology Transfer and Commercialization Coordination at Three Oaks Innovations. 'DiscoveryGarden is the go-to company for institutions who care about the long-term archiving and management of their digital data. I think you are going to see some exciting things from this company.'

Find out more about Islandora and DiscoveryGarden Inc. at islandora.ca and discoverygarden.ca.

The PEI Food Security Network (with campus members Leo Cheverie and Jennifer Taylor) is hosting a "Kitchen Table Talk" on Tuesday, October 26 beginning at 4 pm in the Dalton Hall Dining Room in association with World Food Day. World Food Day is observed across Canada and is an initiative of the Peoples Food Policy Project. The PEI Food Security Network is a group committed to achieving food security for all Islanders, and enhancing the sustainability of our food system.

Everyone is welcome to attend and join in a lively discussion about food issues in PEI. Some "appetizing" questions for discussion could include...

1. Do you know where your food comes from and how it is grown?
2. What is your personal food policy? (What things do you try to do when you feed yourself and your family? What prevents you from living this?)
3. What has changed in the last 20 years that makes so many kids overweight? How is this related to the way our food system is organized?
4. Why is so little locally grown food in local grocery stores?
5. Why does my grocery bill keep going up while farmers keep going out of business?'
6. How can we make sure that the food our children get in school is healthy?
7. Why don't we have a national school food policy like most/all other G8 countries?
8. Why do we need a people's food policy?
   

Refreshments including fair trade items will be served.

Research on Tap returns Tuesday, November 2 at 7:00 pm in Mavor's Bar at the Confederation Centre of the Arts. Dr. Malcolm Murray, professor of Philosophy at UPEI, will lead the discussion, 'Atheism: It's not so bad, really."

Murray is the author of The Atheist's Primer, a book that strives to put a bit of civility back into the debate between theists and atheists.

'In the book, I lay out many of the arguments theists use to defend their belief, and then I break them apart,' says Murray. 'I try very hard not to be offensive; I really think theists would enjoy reading it. In fact, most of the people I asked to review early drafts of the book were theists.'

Research on Tap is a series of public discussions led by UPEI researchers. For more information, visit upei.ca/research.

The Institute of Island Studies (IIS) will be sending two interns, Ivan Skafar and Marianne Rehder, to the small island of Chiloé in southern Chile next week.

Although literally on the other end of the earth, Chiloé has a lot in common with PEI. For one, it is in the same time zone and is as far south of the equator as PEI is north. It has about twice the land area, but a similar population size, and the economy is dominated by aquaculture, fisheries, agriculture, and forestry. Tourism is seasonal but growing in importance. Like PEI, Chiloé has an active NGO sector and is richly endowed with artists, musicians and artisans and is famous for the beauty of its land and seascapes, and for its potatoes.

This is the fourth time in five years that IIS interns have gone south to work with the indigenous Williche people of Chiloé. Interns typically spend time learning about Mi'kmaq culture on PEI before they leave, and then tell their stories about Chiloé to a variety of community and academic audiences when they return. The internships represent a bridge between Mi'kmaq and Williche peoples, between NGOs on both islands, and between UPEI and the much smaller university of ARCIS Patagonia. The interns' efforts help to document, celebrate and exchange knowledge about these islands, their common concerns and their indigenous cultures.

In the past, interns have done research on the medicinal uses of sea plants, the role of social and cultural enterprise in Chiloé's economy, and the interactions of young people with marine resources. This year, the interns will work with the Williche Health Centre to develop educational tools and activities on health and environmental issues. Their target audience will be indigenous youth and their parents.

Marianne, the daughter of Island musician John Rehder, smiles widely when she explains, 'We are looking forward to the opportunity of working with the Mi'kmaq as well as the Williche aboriginal people in order to learn from them and to assist this unique exchange that has been created.' She and Ivan, who hails from Quebec, will be leaving on November 2 and returning in late March. They will then take up positions with the IIS for two months to complete the Canadian portion of their internship.