AS part of the Molecular and Macromolecular Sciences Seminar Program, Anayet Kabir will be giving a presentation on "Diatoms Loaded Self-assembled Nanomaterial for Drug Delivery". 
A rapidly expanding field that utilizes nature-inspired materials to create novel and functional biomimetics is known as “Biotemplating”. The diatomaceous earth is an exceptional template for drug delivery applications, owing largely to its highly-ordered pores, large surface area, species specific architecture, and flexibility for surface modifications. Diatomaceous earth have been studied in a wide range of biomedical applications but their potential as the next frontier of drug delivery has yet to be fully exploited. Diatoms are porous silica-based materials obtained from single cell photosynthetic algae. We are evaluating the potential of diatomaceous earth (DE) microparticles for the duel delivery of drugs as cancer therapeutics. The study described the self-assembly of adamantine modified diatomaceous earth in β-cyclodextrin architecture to prepare thixotropic gels of varying mechanical properties. The gels produced exhibit excelled drug absorption capacity and colloidal stability under different pH. The co-encapsulation of drugs in diatomaceous earth containing thixotropic materials is studied and their in vitro anticancer activities are evaluated. 

This event is Wednesday, March 13 at 12:30 pm in KC Irving Chemistry Centre room 104.

How can we help learners learn more of what they are taught? Students must gather information, decide when to pay attention and what to pay attention to. Next, in order to make the information stick learners must be able to combine the new information with what they already know, making it personal and meaningful. And last but not least learners must be competent at retrieving that stored information from their heads in a way that shows you they now know what you’ve taught them. This workshop aims to help instructors help students with all of those things. The workshop takes place on Tuesday, March 19th, from 10:30 to 11:30 am in Room 265 of the Robertson Library. REGISTER

The University of Prince Edward Island is excited to partner with Madrid's Universidad Rey Juan Carlos (URJC) to deliver a joint one-year master's degree.

To learn more about this exciting program, please join us for an information session on Monday, March 18th, from 3:00-4:30 pm in the Dawson Lounge Room 520 in the SDU Main Building (building 5).

Expert and novice instructors alike find it challenging to write effective statements for assessment of learning. This workshop will provide you with some evidence for what is relevant and effective. It will provide you with a systematic approach for writing statements. And it will provide you with an alternative method to the standard learning outcome or objective. The workshop takes place on Tuesday, March 26th from 10:30 am to 11:30 am in Room 265 of the Robertson Library. REGISTER

The Healthy Campus Committee is providing a 45 minute class that offers meditation and gentle yoga stretches. The meditation segment of the class creates more calm, inner peace and balance that benefits both your emotional wellbeing and overall health. This is a class for all fitness levels. The class will be held on Mondays at 12;10 pm - 12:55 pm in Fitness Studio #2, March 18. Free but pre-registration required as we only have space for 12. Please contact Angela Marchbank, Fitness & Wellness Coordinator at amarchbank@upei.ca to reserve your spot.

The 2019 UPE/Holland College Canadian Cancer Society Relay for Life, scheduled to take place on March 15, 2019 at UPEI at 6pm. As in prior years, the campus is supporting this event and our team are collecting pledges and selling Luminaries, if you would like to purchase a Luminary in memory or recognition of a loved one who is (was) affected by cancer, please see the staff listed below to fill out the required form. 

Luminaries are candles that are placed in special bags that bear the names of cancer survivors and loved ones who have lost their battle with cancer. These luminaries will be displayed during the entire duration of the relay and will be the feature of a special ceremony honoring all the caregivers who support(ed) individuals with cancer. Luminaries sell for $5.00. Payment by cheque, cash or credit card.

We are fortunate to have the following staff assisting us in selling Luminaries. Here is a list of staff/buildings who will be collecting funds until 11:00 am on Friday, March 15, 2019. Please see them to purchase Luminaries.

Dalton Hall - Jenna Gaudet - Room 209
Dalton Hall - Sondra Gantner - Room 308
Robertson Library - Pauline MacPherson - Room 287

Selected first-year students are invited via their UPEI email to participate in the CUSC-CCREU 2019 Survey of First Year Students, along with students from more than 60 other Canadian institutions. Core areas covered by the survey include
• use of and satisfaction with various facilities and services
• experiences with faculty
• students’ academic profile
• financing education
• assessment of the overall university experience

First-year students are asked to check their UPEI email to see if they have received an invitation to participate in the survey. If so, they are asked to complete it as soon as possible. The survey will close in mid-April. Responses are confidential, and participation is voluntary. To learn more about the survey, visit http://cusc-ccreu.ca.

Sobia Ali-Faisal (Dept of Psychology) and Dawne Knockwood (Dept of Education) will be facilitating a workshop on building solidarity among Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour (BIPOC) communities on campus for our well-being. We will be applying liberation psychological theory to:

• explore ways in which colonization impacts our well-being
• determine ways in which to challenge colonial understandings of being to create safe spaces for ourselves
• build community among BIPOC peoples on campus
• When: March 15th, 1 - 3pm
• Where: Andrew Hall, Room 142
• For: Faculty, staff, and students

It is a free workshop and refreshments will be provided.

Please feel free to email Sobia (sali@upei.ca) or Dawne (daknockwood@upei.ca) if you have any questions.

Another week, another article posted to get us all thinking together about issues of equity and inclusion. "How to make your social justice events accessible to the disability community" addresses the often invisible ways in which assumptions about ability permeate our everyday activities and practices, and provides a long list of ideas to move us to reconsider some of those assumptions. Head on over to http://projects.upei.ca/arts-equity-and-inclusion/ and click on the 'discussions' button. And share with your colleagues too.