His Excellency, Mr. Stefan Pehringer, the Austrian Ambassador to Canada, made a return visit to the University of Prince Edward Island on June 17, meeting with representatives from the faculties of Sustainable Design Engineering and Veterinary Medicine. Ambassador Pehringer's first visit to UPEI was in September 2018 when he toured the Atlantic Veterinary College and the Faculty of Sustainable Design Engineering (SDE) building.

Accompanied by Honorary Consul Peter Wunsch, Ambassador Pehringer discussed possible areas of collaboration with Dr. Greg Keefe, Dean of Veterinary Medicine; Dr. Nicholas Krouglicof, Dean of Sustainable Design Engineering; and Allan Dale, Director of Industry Partnerships for SDE.

Appointed Ambassador to Canada in 2017, Mr. Pehringer previously held diplomatic posts in Latvia, Denmark, Germany, and Luxembourg and worked as the head of the Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Eastern Asia and UNESCO units. 

A book by UPEI’s Dr. Joshua MacFadyen was short-listed by the Canadian Historical Association for its annual Best Scholarly Book in Canadian History Price (formerly the Sir John A. MacDonald Prize). Dr. MacFadyen is UPEI’s Canada Research Chair in Geospatial Humanities and an associate professor in the Applied Communication, Leadership, and Culture program.

Flax Americana: A History of the Fibre and Oil that Covered a Continent examines the story of flax, a plant that went in a few decades from a specialty fibre crop in the Great Lakes region to an oilseed empire that spanned continents and helped create urban industrial capitalism. Flax Americana is published by McGill Queen’s University Press as part of the Rural, Wildland, and Resource Studies Series.

The finalists for the Best Scholarly Book in Canadian History Prize were celebrated at the recent Congress for the Humanities and Social Sciences held in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Congratulations, Dr. MacFadyen!

The University of Prince Edward Island prides itself on people, excellence, and impact and is committed to assisting students reach their full potential in both the classroom and community. With roots stemming from two founding institutions—Prince of Wales College and Saint Dunstan’s University—UPEI has a reputation for academic excellence, research innovation, and creating positive impacts locally, nationally, and internationally. UPEI is the only degree granting institution in the province and is proud to be a key contributor to the growth and prosperity of Prince Edward Island.

A fully articulated 20-foot minke whale skeleton is now suspended from the ceiling in AVC’s McCain Foundation Learning Commons, much to the delight of Dr. Pierre-Yves Daoust, wildlife pathologist and professor emeritus of pathology.

The story of the skeleton goes back to 2010 when a dead minke whale was found washed up on the shore near Goose River in eastern PEI. Daoust and a team from the College’s wildlife group conducted a necropsy on the animal, after which the bones were brought to AVC with the idea that they would be saved for assembly in the future.

In 2018–2019, AVC undertook a successful campaign to raise funds to complete the preparation and assembly of the skeleton. Last fall, the bones were sent to Claude Bourque, an artist in Îles-de-la-Madeleine who has experience in preparing whale skeletons for display. Over the winter, he carefully degreased, cleaned, and assembled them for display. Earlier this week, he, assisted by fellow artist Yoanis Menge, hung the skeleton in the large, open atrium of the College’s learning commons.

The installation will be complemented by artwork with an Indigenous theme, paying tribute to the deep cultural and spiritual connection between Canada’s Indigenous people and the animals that live in the marine environment. Interpretative panels will also be installed to tell the story behind the skeleton and to provide information about minke whales.

Daoust and AVC Dean Greg Keefe believe that the skeleton speaks to the College’s focus on and work in aquatic animal species and the marine environment, and it will be an excellent educational tool.

Dr. Katherine Gottschall-Pass has been recognized as a Fellow of Dietitians of Canada (DC). Dr. Gotschall-Pass is a professor in the Department of Applied Human Sciences and the current interim vice-president academic and research at the University of Prince Edward Island.

Dr. Gottshcall-Pass obtained her doctorate in human nutrition from the University of Saskatchewan. She is a dietitian who previously worked in research and development for the food industry and taught at Saint Francis Xavier University prior to her tenure at UPEI. She teaches in the areas of food science, introductory nutrition, and human metabolism. Her research interests focus on food components and nutritional factors involved in the prevention of chronic disease and the mechanisms of their action. She is an active member of DC and a long-serving surveyor for accreditation of academic programs and internships. In her nomination documents, Dr. Gottschall-Pass was described as “selfless” in her attitude towards helping others and has always kept an open door policy to her colleagues and students.

Dietitians of Canada (DC) is a professional association with strong roots connecting more than 5000 unique and diverse members across all areas of food, nutrition, and health. DC represents dietitians, fostering growth and passion in the profession through advocacy, engagement, and professional development. After more than 80 years, DC remains an innovative organization with strong member leadership and common purpose: to advance the health of Canadians through food and nutrition.

Congratulations, Dr. Gottschall-Pass!

The University of Prince Edward Island prides itself on people, excellence, and impact and is committed to assisting students reach their full potential in both the classroom and community. With roots stemming from two founding institutions—Prince of Wales College and Saint Dunstan’s University—UPEI has a reputation for academic excellence, research innovation, and creating positive impacts locally, nationally, and internationally. UPEI is the only degree granting institution in the province and is proud to be a key contributor to the growth and prosperity of Prince Edward Island.