Kristina Kupferschmidt, who has recently joined the UPEI School of Mathematics and Computational Sciences, will give a talk entitled "Using Machine Learning to Forecast Changes in Canada’s Food Prices: Canada’s Food Price Report 2025" on Friday, November 29, at noon as part of the Atlantic Canada Data Science Tour. Anyone interested in meeting our new faculty member or in learning more about applications of machine learning and artificial intelligence is invited to join remotely or in person in AVC 286A.   

More information can be found here: https://canssi.ca/events/atlantic-tour-using-machine-learning/

The Department of Psychology is pleased to present three candidates for two tenure-track assistant professor positions. 

Please join us for the following presentations:

• On Thursday, December 5, at 11:30 am, Dr. Margaret Manges will present her research talk titled “A Minority Stress Approach for Advancing Clinical Interventions: Addressing Suicide Risk in LGBTQ+ People and Individuals with Psychosis.” The presentation will take place in SDU Main Building, Room 211. 
•  On Monday, December 9, at 12:00 pm, Dr. Brent Macdonald will present his research talk titled “Mental toughness and executive functioning development in adults with ADHD: A collaborative proposal for the PEI community." The presentation will take place in Memorial Hall, Room 308. 
• On Thursday, December 12, at 10:15 am, Dr. Elena Kosterina will present her research talk titled “Understanding Community Psychology Topics Through Qualitative Interdisciplinary Research.”  The presentation will take place in SDU Main Building, Room 420. 

16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence is an international campaign that runs from November 25 (International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women) to December 10 (Human Rights Day). In Canada, December 6 is the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women, honoring the 14 women murdered in the 1989 Polytechnique Montréal mass shooting.

During the 16 Days of Activism, there will be a “red and green flag” activity displayed around campus with red flags including examples of unhealthy relationship habits and green flags displaying examples of healthy relationship habits. This activity was created by fourth-year nursing students with the purpose of encouraging individuals to view them and reflect on their personal relationships, how you are treated, and how you treat others.

Want to get involved in this campaign? You can do so by wearing a purple ribbon on December 6 to honour the lives lost during the Polytechnique Montréal shooting.

Research Ethics Board (REB) applications involving "more than minimal risk" must be reviewed by the full UPEI REB. The next deadline for submitting these protocols is Friday, November 29, 2024, for review at the December meeting.

Other ethics protocol submissions, including new applications that do not involve more than minimal risk, renewals, and amendments, may be submitted at any time. They will be sent for delegated review as soon as all necessary materials are received.

All research compliance applications, including for the REB, must be submitted through the UPEI Researcher Portal (https://upei.researchservicesoffice.com/Romeo.Researcher/). Instructions for using the site are available at https://www.upei.ca/research-services/forms.

Please contact the Compliance Coordinator at researchcompliance@upei.ca for more information about the Researcher Portal, or the REB application, review, and approval process.

The next deadline for submitting biosafety applications, including new applications, renewals, and/or amendments, is Friday, November 29, 2024. These applications will be reviewed at the December 19 meeting.

All research compliance applications, including biosafety application forms, must be submitted through the UPEI researcher portal. Information about the researcher portal, including instructions for using the site, is available at https://www.upei.ca/research-services/forms.

Please contact the Research Compliance Coordinator at researchcompliance@upei.ca if you have any questions about accessing or using the researcher portal, or about the biosafety application, review, and approval process.

Nicholas Busch and Megaria Halim will perform on the SDU Stage in the Dr. Steel Recital Hall on November 29, 2024, at 7:30 pm.

Visions de l'amen is a suite of seven pieces for two pianos by Olivier Messiaen. Come and experience the richness of harmony, colour, and intensity in this performance!

“By joining the life of the creatures who say "amen" by the fact that they exist, I have tried to express the varied riches of the Amen in seven musical visions.” - O. Messiaen

Nicholas Busch is a pianist, organist, composer, and instructor based in Ottawa. He holds a Masters degree specializing in Collaborative Piano at Western University, studying with Dr. John Hess and Professor Mariana Chibotar-Rutkevich.

Megaria Halim is a pianist and teacher currently based in London, Ontario. She graduated with her DMA under Dr. Angela Park and MMus in Literature and Performance from Western University under Dr. John Hess.

Admission is free. Accessible parking is available, and the theatre has an accessible entrance via elevator.

The excitement for this Saturday's Gold Rush draw is growing as big as the pot! With no winners in the last SEVEN draws, the total pot has grown to more than $28,000, with half going to the winner of the draw.

Gold Rush is a virtual fundraising initiative that raises funds for UPEI’s athletic and recreation programs. You can now select a specific team, club, or program to direct your proceeds from each of your tickets. 

Play today and every week for a chance to win! Download the UPEI Panther Recreation app from the App Store or on Google Play, or play from your computer. The weekly draw is held at 8:00 pm every Saturday.

Join the Institute of Island Studies in person or online on December 3, 1-2 pm, for “Yarns and Yarns,” an hour of knitting and storytelling on northern islands, when we will discuss and demonstrate island knitting traditions that focus on mittens. Local knitter Cheryl Wartman will talk about the tradition of making fishing mittens felted in salt water, as told to her by her grandmother Yoston from Launching Place, PEI. Kim Doherty Smith from Fleece and Harmony, a locally sourced wool mill in Belfast, PEI, will answer questions about how they mini mill their yarn from PEI sheep. Lynda Harling Stalker, from a long line of Prince Edward Islanders, will join us online from Antigonish, Nova Scotia, to discuss handknit mitts and islandness.

Knitters: bring your knitting and share your current projects and mitten stories! We’ll be gathering at The Gallery Coffee House and Bistro, 82 Great George Street, Charlottetown, PEI, or you can join us online. Please click here to register: it’s free and everyone is welcome.

This is the fourth “Yarns and Yarns” event organized by the Northern and Arctic Island Studies Research (NAISR) Thematic Network of the University of the Arctic. Previous in-person and online events were hosted by knitting groups in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador; Uist, Scotland; and Iceland, with over 100 knitters from all over the North Atlantic Zooming in. The Charlottetown event is hosted by the Institute of Island Studies at UPEI in collaboration with the Institute for Northern Studies at the University of the Highlands and Islands, Shetland, Scotland, and other members of the NAISR.

The MacLauchlan Panther Pitch is returning this winter semester! To celebrate the return of this storied competition, the Catherine Callbeck Centre for Entrepreneurship is kicking off the program with an official launch event on Thursday, November 28, from 5:00-7:00 pm, in Schurman Market Square, Don and Marion McDougall Hall. 

Join us in celebrating the return of Panther Pitch, get the earliest scoop about what’s in store for this round of the competition, listen to past winners and their experiences in the program, and network with like-minded students about entering the competition! Light refreshments will be provided.

 As we navigate changes in the age of generative AI, aligning our assessment strategies with the distinctly human skills and AI literacies we aim to foster is important. In this workshop, instructors will work collaboratively in small groups to revise and develop assessments that reflect their course learning outcomes. Join us to explore innovative approaches to assessment that not only acknowledge the presence of AI tools but may also leverage them to support student learning. Please bring an assessment you’d like to revise and a digital device of your preference to work with to the TLC, Robertson Library Annex, Room 230, on December 12 at 10:00 am. Kindly RSVP here. 

The Faculty of Sustainable Design Engineering is interviewing two candidates for a tenure-track position. Each candidate is invited to give a public research presentation, which everyone is welcome to attend.

On Monday, November 25, 2024, at 9:00 am, Dr. Bingxian Mu, Lead Technical Specialist of the Smart Products Department at Zhejiang Yate Electric Co., Ltd.,  will give a presentation titled "Advances in Optimal Control and Planning for Autonomous Vehicles" in FSDE 205.

On Wednesday, November 27, 2024, at 9:00 am, Dr. Mohammed Abouheaf, Associate Professor of Intelligent Systems and a co-founder of the Robotics Engineering program at Bowling Green State University, will give a presentation titled "Emerging Machine Learning Technologies for Intelligent Systems" in FSDE 205.

This 45-minute session has been created in collaboration between the TLC, EDIHR, and Accessibility Services. It will take place on November 28, starting at noon, in the Teaching and Learning Centre, Robertson Library Annex 230.

Make an impact on student learning by rethinking your slides. We will touch on simple suggestions that can build a connection with your students and enhance learning. If you haven’t reviewed your slides recently or if you feel like you need some support in this process, this is a great space to ask questions and be among others who feel the same way. We will look at some basic principles, and then you will spend time redesigning one of your own slide decks. 

What to bring: A set of slides and a device to work on 

Schedule:   

• 15-minute presentation by Jaclyn Borden, Jasmine Pauze, and Kristy McKinney 

• 25 minutes to work individually or in groups on your own slides; the hosts are present for questions  

• 5 minutes to reflect and ask more questions 

Contact Kristy at kmckinney@upei.ca if you are planning to attend. 

This is a reminder that the UPEI Biosafety Program requires that all principal investigators confirm the security and complete inventory of all biohazardous materials being used or stored. This confirmation is due in November of each year.  

Inventory records must be kept up to date throughout the year. Any inventory discrepancies noted during an annual lab inspection may lead to an in-depth inventory audit by the Biosafety Committee. Please ensure your inventory is up to date throughout the year, including prior to completing the steps listed below.

To confirm your inventory is up to date, take the following steps:

1. Access your inventory at http://biosafety.vre3.upei.ca.  Remember to ignore the prominent "Access Denied" that appears on your screen. Just click on "Log in" at the top of the screen, in the grey bar.
2. Log in 
3. Click Edit 
4. Scroll down this page until you see the November 2024 box and enter the date.
5. Hit Save! Task completed. 

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Please contact Rhoda Speare (rspeare@upei.ca or ext. 5071) if you have any questions.

As part of the UPEI Hearing Conservation Program, audiometric testing will take place on November 27 and December 3, 2024. These tests take approximately ten minutes to complete. 

It is important to have your hearing tested annually, especially in workplaces with high noise levels. All UPEI employees are welcome to participate.

Please pre-register for audiometric testing by contacting Jacky Buell at HSE@upei.ca or 902-566-0901 by November 26, 2024.

This year, Giving Tuesday at UPEI is all about showing our love for the Robertson Library! 

The Robertson Library has been at the heart of our campus for nearly 50 years, supporting student success. Founded with a vision for change, the library has continued to evolve with the times, providing outstanding resources, innovative digital spaces, and welcoming environments for all students, faculty, staff, and community users.

On Giving Tuesday, your support will help us elevate the Roberston Library to new heights, empowering every student to reach their full potential! Our library is more essential than ever, and we have a shared vision for its future to better serve our users. UPEI’s growth demands a world-class library, and to bring this idea to life, we have embarked on a fundraising campaign with the goal of raising $15 million to support the revitalization of the library and continue to serve generations of students to come.

Every donation designated for the "Robertson Library Revitalization Campaign" made on or before Giving Tuesday will be MATCHED by an extremely generous anonymous donor--up to a total of $20,000!  

Get ready to make your mark on Giving Tuesday and be part of something truly extraordinary! Let's come together, donate, and support the Robertson Library Revitalization Campaign!   

Donate on Giving Tuesday! Together we can create a vibrant future for the Robertson Library! 

Visit the Love our Library website and support the revitalization project or call 902-894-2888.

Giving Tuesday is a global movement for giving and volunteering that takes place each year after Black Friday. As the “opening day of the giving season,” it is a time when charities, companies, and individuals join together and rally for favourite causes. To learn more about Giving Tuesday, visit givingtuesday.ca. 

The UPEI Alumni Association invites you to join us for the second annual Family Fun Day at Mill River Resort, on Saturday, January 25, 2025! 

FAMILY FUN
Our friends at Mill River Resort are offering UPEI Alumni a 20% discount on individual and family outdoor activity day passes and equipment rentals. You can get a family pass for just $44 and enjoy all the outdoor activities at Mill River! Your pass includes tubes, snowshoes, and cross-country ski rentals. Guests must bring their own skates. Discounted passes can be purchased from the Pro Shop beginning at 9:00 am or when you arrive at the resort.

For more information on winter activities at the resort please visit: https://millriver.ca/activities/winter/ 

GATHER TOGETHER
Join us for an end-of-day campfire with complimentary s'mores, hot chocolate, and a gift, beginning at 3:00 pm.
To help us order the correct amount of hot chocolate and s'mores, please RSVP using this form.

MAKE IT A WEEKEND GETAWAY
Want to make a weekend of it? Mill River is offering standard rooms (two queen beds) for just $189+ tax. This is $60 off regular rates, available for the nights of January 24/25 only. To take advantage of this special rate, please call Mill River Resort directly at 1-844-375-3555 and mention that you are part of the UPEI alumni group. This rate is based on room availability. Please book your room by Wednesday, December 11, 2024.

Questions? Get in touch with Stephen sloo@upei.ca or 902-388-6578

Current and new members of the UPEI Community of Practice: Excellence in Graduate Supervision are invited to the next CoP meeting on November 27, at 4:00 pm, in the Teaching and Learning Centre, Roberston Library 230. Join Dr. Raquel Hoersting for a conversation about the practical applications of the supervision discrimination model to various practices within graduate supervision. Following a brief overview of the model applied to their own clinical supervision, Dr. Hoersting will engage CoP members in discussing ways the model can be applied to their own graduate supervision.

To request a calendar invitation, or for more information about the Community of Practice, please contact Kendra Mellish, FGS Graduate Programs Officer, at kmellish@upei.ca

Depending upon the work requirements of University Departments, the holiday schedule will be in effect from December 24, 2024, through January 1, 2025, inclusive. Office and regular business hours will resume on Thursday, January 2, 2025.

PAY DATE DEADLINES:

For the December 6 pay: The deadline for submitting timesheets and overtime pay is November 25 at 10 am. The deadline to submit PTFs, pay changes, etc. (November 15) has passed.

For the December 20 pay: The deadline for submitting timesheets and overtime pay is December 9 at 10 am. The deadline to submit PTFs, pay changes, etc. (November 21) has passed.

For the January 3, 2025, pay: The deadline to submit PTFs, pay changes, etc. is December 5 by noon. The deadline to submit timesheets and overtime is December 16 at 10 am.

For the January 17, 2025, pay: The deadline to submit PTFs, pay changes, etc. is December 17 by noon. The deadline to submit timesheets and overtime is January 6 at 10 am.

GIFT DAYS:

The following days will be given to permanent and term staff as paid time off: December 24, 27, 30, and 31, 2024 (4 gift days). For those employees who must work on any of these days, time off will be given at a later date. 

Please note: Students and casual employees are not eligible for the “gift” days of December 24, 27, 30, and 31. 

SCHEDULE FOR SPECIFIC DEPARTMENTS:

The holiday schedule for specific departments is as follows:

Security Services will continue over this period, 24 hours a day. 

Shipping/Receiving and Mail Services will resume regular hours on January 2, 2025.

Development and Alumni Engagement will be open December 30 and 31, 2024 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Veterinary Teaching Hospital will be available for emergency service only throughout the holiday period; it will resume regular hours on January 2, 2025.

Chi‐Wan Young Sports Centre will be open on December 15, 9 am to 8 pm; December 16 to 20, 6 am to 8 pm; December 21 and 22, 9 am to 8 pm; December 23, 8 am to 8 pm; December 26, 9 am to 5 pm; December 27, 8 am to 8 pm; December 28 and 29, 9 am to 8 pm; December 30, 8 am to 8 pm; January 2 and 3, 6 am to 8 pm; and January 4 and 5, 9 am to 8 pm. It will be closed on December 24, 25, and 31, and January 1. Regular operating hours will resume on January 6, 2025. Hours are also posted at https://www.upei.ca/ar/athletic-facilities/chi-wan-young-sports-centre/hours

Diagnostic Services will be closed on December 25, 26, and 29, and January 1. It will be open on December 24, 28, and 31 from 8 am to 12 pm, and on December 27 and 30 from 8 am to 4:30 pm. Regular operating hours will resume on January 2, 2025.

SUPPORT STAFF DURING THE HOLIDAY:

Departmental authorities who require support staff over the holiday period should make their requirements known to the Human Resources Department no later than two weeks prior to the holiday. 

From November 25 until December 10, Canada observes 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence. This international campaign raises awareness of gender-based violence and calls us to take action to make our communities safer for everyone. 

This year, the UPEI Student Union's Mental Health team and the UPEI Sexual Violence Prevention & Response Office (SVPRO) invite everyone to join us in McMillan Hall, W.A. Murphy Student Centre, on November 27, from 12:00 to 3:00 pm, as we make a community “quilt” for gender-based violence prevention.

Each participant may create a canvas square for the quilt with a message about gender-based violence prevention:

• Paint an image 
• Create a poem 
• Write a message of support to survivors

Art supplies, snacks, and some goodies will be provided!

Attention UPEI staff and faculty members! 

The UPEI M365 Project is looking to verify UPEI’s staff and faculty telephone information to ensure that our system catalogue is accurate and up to date.

By participating in this activity, you are helping support the planning and implementation of our new telephone systems once we are ready to deploy them on campus. 

We encourage all staff and faculty members to take part in this survey even if you have recently updated your telephone data. We appreciate your individual confirmation to ensure that our records are accurate.

The first group who will be engaged are those who have a single assigned telephone number or share a telephone (number) with other team members. For those who meet these criteria, you will receive an email the week of November 25 from M365Project@upei.ca with further information and a link to the survey.

Mobile phones and associated numbers are excluded from this activity.

This survey will take 1-2 minutes to complete.

Thank you for your time and support. 

M365 Project Team