Engineering and history students work with Island farming community

First-year engineering students are teaming up with third- and fourth-year history students for the first time on a collaborative project to develop solutions for small mixed farms on PEI. Last month, the students were treated to a lesson in farming where they met with farmers and individuals from the Island farming community to chat about the reality of local farming problems.

UPEI's 'Engineering Design 2: Analysis' course is the first chance engineering students get to work on real social problems. Students work in teams of four to come up with an understanding of a broad problem, then imagine a solution, do detailed design work, and finish off by producing a prototype of something to test and demonstrate.

The engineering students are then matched up with history students who act as consultants to guide the engineering students with lessons on the history of PEI through the lens of farming. The history students provide needful context and potential lessons from the Island's past.

'This project and the linkage between Professor MacDonald's history class with my engineering design class lets the students see a real-life application of understanding our past in order to invent the future for PEI industries,' said Dr. Andrew Trivett, associate professor and chair of UPEI's Department of Engineering.

'I'm particularly concerned that our history students experience their research being applied to real-life simulations,' said Dr. Ed MacDonald, associate professor of history. 'It helps them understand how their skills can be used outside of the classroom and in the future. Working with the engineering students is excellent exposure to the process that Andy describes.'

Students were interested to find out what real farming issues looked like and were eager to chat with individuals from the farming community to ensure they better understood the industry. The students learned that resource scarcity, population growth, and climate change were among some of the core problems. Project topics include-buildings, machinery, and energy sources-each of which have an unfolding history on PEI.

Farming industry guests included Gary Hughes, Hughes Hill Family Farms; Diane and Marty Taylor, Island Taylored Meats; Phil Ferraro, Institute for Bioregional Studies Ltd.; Sally Bernard, Barnyard Organics; and Kevin MacNeill, MacNeill Farms and Tourist Home.

Gwynne Dyer to speak at UPEI

Canadian journalist and author Gwynne Dyer will speak at UPEI on Monday, February 25 as part of his cross-Canada university and college tour. The event will take place in the Duffy Science Centre room 135 at 7:00 pm.

Sponsored by the UPEI Faculty of Arts, Dyer's lecture entitled 'The Triumph of Non-Violence' is about the revolutions of the Arab spring and what they mean for the region and the world, but it also sets them in a broader context. Non-violent revolution is both more common and more successful in the modern world than the old and bloody version, but few people really understand it. This is an attempt to explain how and why it works.

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 an historian. Born in Newfoundland, he received degrees from Canadian, American, and British universities, finishing with a PhD in Military and Middle Eastern History from the University of London. He served in three navies and held academic appointments at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and Oxford University before launching his twice-weekly column on international affairs, which is published by over 175 papers in some 45 countries.

In the spring of 2012, Gwynne Dyer was made an officer of the Order of Canada. The event is free and all are welcome to attend.

Big weekend at home for the UPEI Panthers

It's a big weekend at home for the UPEI Panthers basketball and hockey teams. Basketball starts off the weekend on Friday, February 15, with games against St. FX at 6:00 pm (W) and 8:00 pm (M). The men's hockey team will take to the ice at 7:30 pm as they host St. FX in game two of their quarterfinal match at 7:30 pm.

From 6-7 pm, all UPEI Panther supporters can mingle in the Molson Saloon, located in the third section of the Chi-Wan Young Sports Centre gymnasium, where a cash bar will be set-up and the first 100 men's hockey ticket holders to show their tickets will receive a free cowboy hat in support of the men's hockey 'cowboys.'

UPEI will take on St. FX again on Saturday night for their last home games with the women's basketball game at 4:00 pm and the men's basketball game at 6:00 pm. The women's hockey team will host SMU at 7:00 pm.

On Sunday, February 17, the women's hockey team will play their last home game against St. FX at 6:00 pm in the MacLauchlan Arena.

Best of luck to all UPEI Panthers-for more information visit gopanthersgo.ca.

For information:
Ronnie Annear
UPEI Athletics & Recreation
(902) 566-0991

UPEI joins global campaign to stop violence against women and girls

On Thursday, February 14, UPEI joined activists around the world for ONE BILLION RISING, the largest day of action in the history of V-Day, the global activist movement to end violence against women and girls. Over 200 people took part in the campus event.

ONE BILLION RISING began as a call to action based on the staggering statistic that 1 in 3 women around the world will be beaten or raped during their lifetime. With the world population at 7 billion, this adds up to more than 1 billion women and girls. Today marked V-Day's 15th anniversary where activists, writers, thinkers, celebrities, and women and men around the world joined together to express their concern, demand change, dance, and rise in defiance of the injustices women suffer, demanding an end at last to violence against women.

The local initiative was spearheaded by UPEI staff member Leo Cheverie and UPEI faculty member Jennifer Taylor, and supported by the UPEI Student Union; UPEI staff, faculty, and student volunteers; and Zumba instructor Anna Lacroix who led and encouraged dancing.

For more information, visit onebillionrising.org

Prince Edward Island Legislative Documents Online

The following was distributed by the Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island:

Prince Edward Island Legislative Documents Online (PEILDO) presents the Journals of the Legislative Assembly (1894-present), the official record of the business of the Legislative Assembly. Free and open to all Islanders, this exciting new site provides access to a rich collection of material covering almost 120 years of our political, social and economic development. PEILDO is the result of a partnership between the Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island, the Public Archives and Records Office, Prince Edward Island Public Library Service, and Robertson Library, University of Prince Edward Island.
Prince Edward Island Legislative Documents Online consists of over 76,000 pages of keyword-searchable scanned journals (1894-2011), including data-rich appendices (1894-1966) containing detailed reports from departments such as health, education, agriculture and public works. Digitized audio recordings of Legislative Assembly proceedings for the years 1968-1973 are also available for streaming. To provide additional context, biographies (1873-1993) and over 170 photographs of MLAs have been included in peildo.ca.
As Hon. Carolyn Bertram, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, observes, 'This website is an inclusive resource that brings past members' contributions to everyone's fingertips. It's a fantastic heritage and educational tool for every Islander and Canadian.' The public and MLAs alike can chart the history of their district from the 1890s through to today. Community growth, changes in primary industries, and the expanding importance of local representation, as well as much more, can be discovered through the PEILDO. We predict that anyone visiting this site will soon come to see it as an invaluable and entertaining online resource, free to all. The site, www.peildo.ca, was launched February 14, 2013.
'Researchers, government staff and everyday Islanders have always looked to the Journals of the Legislative Assembly for information on the workings of the Legislature and that method of search takes a great deal of time,' said Minister of Tourism and Culture Robert Henderson. "With a keyword searchable version available online, what once took hours can be done in minutes. Researchers will find this a treasure trove of names, dates and facts. We were delighted to be able to contribute materials from our collection to the project and make them available to a much wider audience.'
Since 2006, the UPEI Robertson Library has committed to an 'open' philosophy in developing home-grown, in-house digital collections and services, working with other PEI culture and heritage institutions through its islandarchives.ca program. The PEI Legislative Documents Online initiative is an excellent demonstration of the partnership potential of islandarchives.ca, since it is based on close cooperation between several Island information repositories. The equipment and expertise of the UPEI Library's digitization lab were shared with staff from the Legislature's Hansard office, who performed the digital scanning of print volumes sourced from partner institutions. This work, and the design of the digital repository for making the scanned content available online, was overseen collaboratively by these four partners, along with the Legislative Library. The system also uses the Islandora system, developed at the UPEI Library and used all over the world to preserve digital content. The UPEI Library is delighted at this successful marriage of Island-based technology, expertise and content, which powerfully demonstrates the value, and the potential, of locally-driven, open source-based digital solutions. 'The Robertson Library is pleased to be a partner in the new PEI Legislative Documents Online project, a resource that will benefit all Islanders regardless of where they live,' says University Librarian Mark Leggott. 'It also sets a standard, not just for the innovative use of technology developed on PEI, but also for the development of strong cross-sectoral partnerships."
The launch of PEILDO took place at 3:00 p.m. on 14 February 2013 at Province House theatre.

Ticket information for AUS Men's Hockey Semi-finals

The UPEI Athletics and Recreation department has released the following ticket information for games 3 and 4 (if necessary) of the AUS Men's Hockey Semi-finals, UPEI versus UNB, being played at MacLauchlan Arena on Monday, February 25th and Tuesday, February 26th, respectively. Both games begin at 7:00 pm.

The first two games of the best 3-of-5 series are being played at the Aitken Centre in Fredericton where the number one seeded UNB Varsity Reds will host the fifth-seeded Panthers.

Season Seat Ticket Holders
2012/2013 UPEI Men's Hockey season ticket holders can purchase tickets for their season seats being held for Games 3 and 4* at the CARI Box Office during following times:

Friday, February 22, 12:00 noon - 5:00 pm
Saturday, February 23, 12:00 noon - 5:00 pm

General Tickets
General tickets go on sale for Games 3 and 4* at the CARI Box Office during the following times:

Sunday, February 24, 12:00 noon - 5:00 pm
Monday, February 25, 12:00 noon - 5:00 pm

All tickets are $15 each.

* For those purchasing tickets for both games, should a Game 4 not be required, the ticket can either be reimbursed or its value credited towards 2013/2014 season seat tickets.

UPEI's Executive MBA Program hosts Information Session

UPEI's Executive MBA program offers a high-quality learning experience for working business professionals. The program is designed for those working in, or aspiring to work, in a management or leadership position. Classes are offered bi-weekly on Fridays and Saturdays with the option to complete the program in 20 months. Central to the program design is an evidence-based management approach which helps students develop the skills and knowledge to make better-informed and well-supported decisions both in the program and in applied situations in their workplaces.

To learn more about the program and to meet with staff, faculty and students from the School of Business, we invite you to attend the following information sessions:

Tuesday, March 5th
Provinces Lounge, Rodd Charlottetown Hotel, Charlottetown
Anytime between 4 and 6 pm

Please call (902) 566-6474 or email mba@upei.ca to reserve a seat. For more information on UPEI's EMBA Program, click here.

UPEI expresses condolences to family of Honourable Eugene Whelan

The University of Prince Edward Island is saddened to learn of the recent death of the Honourable Eugene Whelan, PC, OC, LLD, PAg. As Minister of Agriculture for Canada (1972-1979 and 1980-1984), Mr. Whelan was instrumental in the establishment of the Atlantic Veterinary College at the University in 1983.

'On behalf of the University community, I extend my deep condolences to Mr. Whelan's family,' says Dr. Alaa Abd-El-Aziz, UPEI President and Vice-Chancellor. 'We are grateful to Mr. Whelan for his leadership and support in bringing the Atlantic Veterinary College to the University of Prince Edward Island.'

Dr. Don Reynolds, Dean of the Atlantic Veterinary College, joined President Abd-El-Aziz in extending his sympathy to the Whelan family.

'Through Mr. Whelan's leadership, dedication and support, veterinary medical education in Atlantic Canada became a reality, and for this we are grateful,' says Dr. Reynolds.

In 2000, the Atlantic Veterinary College established the Honourable Eugene F. Whelan Green Hat Award in honour of Mr. Whelan's contributions to the creation of the College. This award is given annually to a person who has played a direct role in the growth of the College and who has supported its vision, reputation and continued success. The Green Hat Award is the greatest honour bestowed by AVC.

Dave Snowie the guest of honour at UPEI Men’s Soccer fundraising dinner and roast

Well-known PEI soccer player and all-round athlete David Snowie will be the subject of some good-natured ‘ribbing' at the third annual UPEI Men's Soccer Dinner and Roast, announced UPEI Director of Athletics and Recreation Bill Schurman. The event will take place on Friday, March 1 at the Rodd Charlottetown Hotel.

Hosted by the UPEI Friends of Men's Soccer-a group representing alumni, members of the soccer community, and PEI soccer supporters-the dinner is a key fundraiser for the team and supports current and future Panthers through athletic awards.

Originally from Summerside, David Snowie played junior hockey with the Summerside Crystals, alongside Schurman, and was named MVP of the Maritime Junior Hockey League in 1972-73.

'Dave has always been a huge supporter of sport whether it be as a player, coach, or builder. UPEI and the UPEI Friends of Men's Soccer are thrilled to have him as our featured ‘roastee'. We have an excellent lineup of ‘roasters' from his storied sport history that will no doubt entertain the crowd,' said Schurman.

While David Snowie did start out his university soccer career at UPEI in 1972, under the tutelage of coach Vince Mulligan, he is best known for his success as a dual soccer and hockey varsity team member at Mount Allison University. It was just after good friend Grafton Cole lured him to New Brunswick that the UPEI soccer team joined the then-AUAA conference, but by then Snowie had committed to Mt. A.

Snowie recalls, 'I was pulling out of the driveway, car all packed when Vince called me at home to let me know UPEI was going to play in the league after all. Mom called out the door that Vince was on the phone, but even with the news, I had already made my decision and needed to stick with my commitment.'

At Mount Allison, Snowie earned rookie of the year and athlete of the year honours in soccer and, for two years, wore the 'C' as captain of the team. A senior athlete of the year at Mt. A, he also played varsity hockey for Jack Drover and to this day they remain close friends.

Snowie has been instrumental in organizing many teams with Soccer PEI, including the Red Oak Boys U14 team with Tom Hayward and has coached minor soccer in both Sherwood and Winsloe. He is also one of the assistant coaches with UPEI Men's Soccer and recently retired from a long career with Parks Canada.

The event, emceed by Lorne Acorn, includes a reception beginning at 6:00 pm, dinner at 6:45 pm, and a silent auction throughout the evening. Tickets are $100 each and can be purchased at the Soccer Stop, PEI Soccer Association, or by contacting the UPEI Athletics and Recreation department at (902) 566-0432.

UPEI's Master of Arts in Island Studies program holds information session

The University of Prince Edward Island is offering two great opportunities to learn about and apply to the innovative Master of Arts in Island Studies (MAIS) graduate program. All are welcome to attend the following information sessions:

Tuesday, February 26, 6:30 - 8:30 pm
Jack Blanchard Family Centre, Room 205 (next to Holy Redeemer Parish)
7 Pond Street, Charlottetown

Thursday, February 28, 6:30 - 8:30pm
Holland College Waterfront Campus, Sunroom/Student Lounge (Main Door)
98 Water Street, Summerside

MAIS is a unique, interdisciplinary, and policy-driven graduate program that critiques islands on their own terms. The program welcomes students from around the world from diverse disciplinary backgrounds and diverse degrees, or with professional workplace experience in the public, private, or resource sectors.

For more information, call (902) 620-5013, email mais@upei.ca or click here.

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