The University of Prince Edward Island held an official groundbreaking ceremony today for its new School of Sustainable Design Engineering. Construction begins this week for the leading-edge, 75,000 square-foot building.

The Honourable Robert Ghiz, Premier of Prince Edward Island; the Honourable Allen Roach, Minister of Innovation and Advanced Learning; Dr. Alaa Abd-El-Aziz, President and Vice-Chancellor, UPEI; Mr. Tom Cullen, Chair of the UPEI Board of Governors; Mr. Lucas MacArthur, President of the UPEI Student Union; UPEI faculty, staff, students; and industry stakeholders were in attendance.

'Today's groundbreaking ceremony was an opportunity to officially acknowledge the beginning of construction on this unique new building,' said President Abd-El-Aziz. 'This is truly an investment in the future of our students, our province, and the region through sustainable programming, global outreach, and knowledge-based and export-related economic benefits that the new building will provide.'

Initially focusing on bioresources, mechatronics, and sustainable energy and aligning with PEI's priority sectors, the School of Sustainable Design Engineering offers two programs including the two-year Engineering diploma and the new four-year Bachelor of Science in Sustainable Design Engineering degree.

'The provincial government is proud to contribute $16 million to UPEI's new School of Sustainable Design Engineering,' said Premier Robert Ghiz. 'UPEI provides students with a holistic approach to achieving a quality education that includes a solid foundation for lifelong
learning and the practical means for a fulfilling career.'

'The new School of Sustainable Design Engineering will help strengthen our university and provide us with a well-trained and knowledgeable engineering workforce, who are ready to start their careers,' said Minister Roach. 'This new specialized engineering degree program was
strategically chosen, due to increasing demand for both engineering graduates and increasing student interest, both regionally and internationally.'

The School will redefine the region through an industry-driven model based on 'real-world' collaboration, problem solving, and innovation, and this is reflected in the building's design. For example, the building's own heat exchange and ventilation systems will be accessible to the students as learning opportunities.

The main floor emulates a 'factory floor' or the clinic aspect of the program, designed for students who are eager to engage in hands-on and active learning. Here, students will be involved in assembly, prototype testing, and experimentation.

This first level is also where the Centre of Engineering Design and Industry Partnerships will be located, including four centres of excellence in food processing, sensory and sortation, sustainable energy, and robotics, and where students and faculty can work on pilot-scale, industrial R&D projects.

The program inspires innovative, targeted solutions through a team-focused, project-based approach versus the use of traditional classrooms. The second floor of the building will be where students, in design studios and ideation spaces, design sustainable processes, products, and systems that improve people's lives and better society.

The third level fosters client-centered facilitation and mentoring, integrating project management and the activities taking place on the other levels. Students will have access to smartboard meeting rooms in order to collaborate and connect with industry partners either in person or remotely.

The building will be completed by September 2016.

More about the new building:
• Building is a combination of two and three storeys
• Approximately half of the building footprint is two-storey in height with some warehouse-like space that will be used as focused labs or centres of excellence
• Building will consist of a steel structure and metal deck system with flat roofs, with envelope including a combination of a curtain wall, masonry, and metal siding.
• Building features design studios, smart boardrooms, seminar rooms, project ideation rooms, academic stairs, a green roof, and more.
• Architecture 49 designed the building; Brighton Construction is building the School.

UPEI congratulates business graduate Janell MacDonald who recently received the regional Gold Medal from the Chartered Accountants of Canada for the highest standing in Eastern Canada. MacDonald, a 2012 UPEI business administration graduate, earned Eastern Canada's highest mark on the Uniform Final Evaluation (UFE).

In addition, MacDonald received the Gerry Gillis Memorial Award from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of PEI for the highest standing in Prince Edward Island. MacDonald will also be placed on the Atlantic School of Chartered Accountancy's David Hope Honour Roll and the UFE Honour Roll for her accomplishment.

MacDonald is currently employed at BDO Canada LLP in Charlottetown as a junior staff accountant. 'The partners and staff at BDO are proud of Janell's well deserved accolades. Her dedication and hard work in receiving this significant achievement in the accounting profession has paid off, and we are thrilled to celebrate in her accomplishments,' said Jennifer Dunn, Tax Partner, BDO Canada LLP.

During her time at UPEI, MacDonald competed on the UPEI case team that placed first at the IIBD Case Competition in Hong Kong, and second place at the Royal Roads University International Undergraduate Case Competition in British Columbia. MacDonald placed first in the 2012 Estey Undergraduate Student Paper Competition hosted by the University of Waterloo's Centre for Accounting Ethics.

Other prizes MacDonald has received include: The Institute of Chartered Accountants of PEI Prize for Auditing; The Institute of Chartered Accountants of PEI Prize for Accounting; The Institute of Chartered Accounts of PEI - T. Earle Hickey Prize; and The Yousef Hashmi Award of Excellence in Business Administration.

'Hearing this news is wonderful and it fills us with great pride that Janell, and our other accounting graduates, have consistently performed so well throughout the CA program,' said UPEI's Dean of the School of Business Juergen Krause. 'On behalf of the School of Business and UPEI, I would like to congratulate Janell who has just added another great award to her string of extraordinary accomplishments. Janell is an exceptionally high achiever and has laid the foundation for a great professional career.'

Congratulations, Janell!

Third-year UPEI business co-op student Amber James is positive there's a better way to connect students and recent graduates with Islander employers. Enter Gradpeek.com, James' new business that aims to connect young talent with Island companies and reduce Island youth unemployment rates.

For her first co-operative education work term, James co-founded Gradpeek.com, an innovative venture that began in April, after seeing first-hand the challenges her fellow students were facing when it came to landing their first jobs in their fields of study.

'We wanted to create an interactive marketplace for students and employers to connect,' said James. 'LinkedIn is a similar tool, and is particularly great for individuals with plenty of experience, but can fall short when it comes to servicing upcoming talent.'

Beginning in May of 2015, post-secondary students will be able to create their own candidate profiles on Gradpeek.com, which consists of a short video or professional photo, and an infographic résumé. James and Gradpeek.com Founder Jonathan Cormier will be on campus today, December 9, and tomorrow, December 10, with their bright green Gradpeek mobile studio to shoot their first ten video profiles.

'I applaud the entrepreneurial spirit and creativity of Amber and the opportunity she created to mutually benefit our co-op students, as well as Island employers,' said Dean of the School of Business Juergen Krause. 'We are proud to welcome Amber and her new business as a tenant in the ‘Launch Pad,' our business incubator office for students in the School of Business, and I wish her lots of success.'

James, the passionate entrepreneur from Morell, PEI truly believes that Gradpeek will make a difference in the lives of hundreds of unemployed and underplayed millennials across Prince Edward Island.

Congratulations, Amber!

The call for nominations for appointment to the rank of Professor Emeritus is now open. Please note that only UPEI faculty are permitted to nominate faculty to professor emeritus. The deadline to submit nominations is Monday, February 2, 2015. Nominations should be forwarded to Dr. Bill Whelan, Chair of the Professor Emeritus Evaluation Committee, Department of Physics, UPEI, 550 University Ave., Charlottetown, PE C1A 4P3.

The Professor Emeritus Evaluation Committee will consider all nominees and forward its recommendations to Senate. Senate is the final approval body and will notify nominees of its decision. Inquiries may be directed to Dr. Whelan at wwhelan@upei.ca.

A research team at the University of Prince Edward Island is looking for Islanders to participate in an online health survey. The team is looking for men and women aged 40-65. The survey is confidential and takes approximately half an hour to complete.

The research team is measuring the relationship between self-reported concussion injuries and current states of general health, physical activity, and general cognition. Research looking at different levels of physical activity has demonstrated a link to the measure of cognitive decline in certain age groups. Understanding this decline and the relationship it has with general health and lifestyle will help us understand the protective and risk factors related to cognitive decline in older adults.

For more information about the study and to learn about how you can participate, visit the Health Risk Factor Study web page, or contact Heidi O'Brien at hobrien@upei.ca or (902) 393-5900. Participants must complete the survey by January 31, 2015.

For information:
Dave Atkinson, Research Communications Officer, UPEI
(902) 620-5117, datkinson@upei.ca

Mr. Henry Tam, proud UPEI alumnus (BBA '73), scholarship donor, and chair of UPEI's Alumni and Friends Toronto Chapter, will be on campus next week to deliver a presentation about his life altering experience as a student at UPEI.

In 1969, Mr. Tam travelled from Hong Kong to study at St. Dunstan's University and UPEI. While here, Mr. Tam adjusted to a new culture and language, and excelled as a student. He was the first graduate of UPEI's Bachelor of Business Administration program to win the prestigious Governor General's silver medal, and has gone on to a successful career as a respected accountant, financial advisor, and tax consultant. He is founder and senior partner of H. Tam and Partner LLP, Chartered Accountants, in Toronto.

Mr. Tam will deliver his presentation on Monday, December 15 in the Alex H. MacKinnon Auditorium, Room 242, Don and Marion McDougall Hall, at 4:00 pm.

The University of Prince Edward Island Men's Hockey Panthers are adding size and talent to its lineup for the second half of the season, with the addition of centre-man Mitchell Theoret.

Theoret played the first half of the season in the German Professional League with the EHC Bayreuth, scoring five goals and nine points in 12 games. Last year, Theoret had 17 goals and 51 points with the Barrie Colts of the OHL. In 2012-13, he had 25 goals and exploded in the post-season with 14 goals in 20 playoff games. He was a 7th round draft pick of the New York Islanders in 2011.

The Montreal native said he is keen to get rolling with the Panthers. 'The (UPEI) team finished the first half of the season strongly, and is well-positioned to make a run. I can't wait to get into the lineup, and hopefully make a contribution to our season's second-half success.'

Panthers Head Coach Forbes MacPherson said Theoret has been on the radar for well over a year. He originally committed to UPEI in the summer, but opted to give pro hockey in Germany a try in the fall.

'We kept in touch throughout the fall, and a few weeks ago we began to put the details together,' said MacPherson. 'Adding Mitch Theoret to the lineup is huge for our team and program. He can score and he has a very high hockey IQ. He competes hard every night and Island hockey fans are going to love him.'

At six-foot-two and 210 lbs., Theoret is strong on the puck in both ends of the rink. While he prides himself on playing a strong and physical two-way game, Theoret recognizes he will be counted on for offense.

'Coming into the second half of the season, I know our team has to focus on generating more offense. That is an area where I feel I can make a positive contribution,' said Theoret, who will be enrolled in UPEI's Business Administration program.

Chris Huggan, UPEI Director of Athletics and Recreation, said he is pleased to welcome Theoret to the University. 'I am excited for the addition of Mitchell Theoret to our Men's Hockey program, as well as to our campus. Like all of our student-athletes, I know he will work toward achieving success in school, on the ice, and in life,' said Huggan.

After 16 games in the first half, the Panthers stand at .500 with a 7-7-2 record. UPEI has been strong defensively with goalie Mavric Parks leading the AUS with a 2.07 GAA and .932 save percentage. On offense, the team has scored the second fewest goals in the conference with 41 goals.

The Panthers kick-off the second half of the season with an exhibition game at Credit Union Arena in Tignish vs. STU on January 3. The first home game of the second season is January 14 with UdeM visiting the MacLauchlan Arena.

Go Panthers Go!

For information:
Ron Annear
UPEI Athletics and Recreation
(902) 566-0991, annear@upei.ca

The University of Prince Edward Island announced it will host the first annual 'UPEI Panther ‘Ho Ho Give and Go' High School Basketball Showcase' this Friday, December 19, at the Chi-Wan Young Sports Centre, game time 5:30 pm.

The Panthers are teaming up with the PEISAA to showcase a matchup of two of the top teams in the men's high school basketball league this year. The Charlottetown Rural Raiders, two-time defending provincial champions and winners of last weekend's Three Oaks Christmas Classic will take on their crosstown rivals the Colonel Gray Colonels, two-time provincial runners-up and silver medal winners at last weekend's Irving Cup in Moncton, New Brunswick.

Both teams have a strong group of senior players. The Raiders seniors include sharp shooting guards Jack MacAuley and Mark Lloyd, a versatile playmaker and scorer Logan MacDonald, and two strong two-way posts players in Fola Oluyede, and Brayden White. Two third-year starters Max Ramsay and Jeremy Thompson lead Colonel Gray, with a strong supporting cast in rookie Alex Campbell, point guard Yousef Sefau, a gritty hard working Mark Smith, and big man Zach Visser.

This will be the first matchup for the teams this year. It will be an exciting showcase of high school basketball. The Raiders are co-coached by former AUS standout point guard Ryan Keliher and long-term Athletic Director and basketball coach Mike Lloyd, now in is 35th and possibly final year at the Rural. The Colonels' head coach is Tim Butler who was a highly spirited point guard for four years with the UPEI Panthers. Also on the bench are Greg Morrison and former Panther David Canvin.

In promoting the Christmas spirit, admission to the game will be a non-perishable food item donation, a toy for a child, or a donation of one's choice to be given to support families across the province.

'We're expecting an exciting game between two strong teams-both of whom want to win-but we hope that a big turnout will help some Island families in need during the holiday season-and that's a bigger win,' said Keliher.

Butler agreed. 'We as a team are very excited to be a part of UPEI's Christmas outreach event. It's a great way to promote high school basketball and support a great cause. Playing against Charlottetown Rural always creates an element of excitement for the players, coaches, and schools alike. This year they (Rural) have one of the top starting lineups in Atlantic Canada. Our boys are excited to see how we size up,' he said.

Chris Huggan, Director of UPEI Athletics and Recreation and former Colonel Gray Athletic Director said he is pleased to host the high school showcase at UPEI. 'We are excited about starting a Christmas tradition of promoting high school basketball through this annual ‘showcase game,' while giving back to the community,' said Huggan. 'Colonel Gray and Charlottetown Rural have great programs with a long standing healthy rivalry, and we expect it will be an exciting game and a fun night for all.'

UPEI Panther Basketball kicks-off the second half of its regular seasons at home on January 9-10, with double headers against the league leading men's and third overall women's Dalhousie Tigers, game times 6:00 and 8:00 pm.

For information:
Ron Annear, UPEI Athletics and Recreation
(902) 566-0991, annear@upei.ca

The University of Prince Edward Island congratulates its student-athletes who have earned Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) Academic All-Canadian status for the 2013-14 season. UPEI received 75 awards, which represents 44 per cent of UPEI's total student-athlete population of 172 athletes; this percentage is amongst the top in the nation!

Student-athletes who have an academic standing of 80 per cent or higher receive this national recognition. UPEI student-athletes continue to strive for excellence in sport, academics, and in the greater community, and this level of academic achievement speaks volumes to their work ethic and the quality of our coaches, faculty, staff, volunteers, and those who support our athletes throughout the year.

'It is great to see that so many of our student-athletes are also excelling academically,' said Chris Huggan, UPEI Director of Athletics and Recreation. 'As much as we all value and enjoy the competitions offered through Athletics, at the end of the day, all of the athletes are students first. I am very proud of their efforts and accomplishments.'

'We are so proud of our student-athletes for their academic and athletic successes demonstrated during this past sport season,' said UPEI President and Vice-Chancellor Alaa Abd-El-Aziz. 'To be recognized at a national level is wonderful, and on behalf of the University community, I extend our congratulations and best wishes for continued success.'

The following is a list of UPEI's 2013-14 CIS Academic All-Canadian recipients by sport:

Field Hockey: Lauren Chamberlain, Michelle Clow, Leanne Doiron, Katherine Koughan, Danielle LeClair, Stephanie MacKinnon, Eliza MacLauchlan, Emily Ross, Sydney Stavert, Laura Young
Men's Hockey: Colin Beck, Tyler Brown, Cole MacMillan (dual sport), Travis McIsaac, Harrison McIver, Nathan McQuaid, Ryan Taylor, Reggie Traccitto, Alex Wall, Mason Wilgosh
Men's Soccer: Eric DaSilva, Thomas Flynn, Daniel Hill, Brett Hogan, Cole MacMillan (dual sport), Jeff Moore, Kieran Moore, Zachary Tweel, Trevor White
Men's Basketball: Geoff Doane, Lorenzo Parker
Swimming: Zachary Laustsen, Emma MacKay, Rebekah Nitschmann, Joseph Sulaiman, Katie VanLeeuwen, Rosa Wagemakers, Leif Wilm
Men's Curling: Andrew Cameron
Women's Basketball: Katelynn Donahoe, Elysia Drost, Holly Jones (dual sport), Nakita Newman, Laura Power, Kiera Rigby
Women's Hockey: Courtney Arseneau, Jocelyn Dougan, Olivia Doughart, Cornelia Geib, Maggie Grimmer, Jessie-Anne Howard, Christina Kelly, Amy Mountenay, Lyndsay Oakes, Kiana Strand, Samantha Sweet, Rebecca Watson, Anja Weisser
Women's Rugby: Amy Andrews, Rebecca Chapman, Leah Corrigan, Morgan Gertridge, Erika Groman, Amy Hickey, Holly Jones (dual sport), Megan Thorpe
Women's Soccer: Heather Crane, Anna Lazurko, Jenna Jo McDonald, Olivia Murphy, Lauren Myers, Lindsay Noonan, Katie O'Brien, Melissa Richardson, Lynn Symington

Congratulations to our CIS Academic All-Canadians!

For information:
Ron Annear
UPEI Athletics and Recreation
(902) 566-0991, annear@upei.ca

Once again this year, UPEI hosted another successful New Year's Day Levee as UPEI President and Vice-Chancellor Alaa Abd-Al-Aziz greeted approximately 350-400 levee-goers. Faculty, staff, and students were on hand to join President Abd-El-Aziz in wishing warm greetings for the New Year. A group of international students in particular provided a helpful hand as they welcomed attendees and helped to collect and hang up coats.

A New Year's Day Levee article in The Guardian explained that UPEI is often considered as the day's "lunch stop" as a variety of sandwich platters, appetizers, and sweets are provided. A member of the Secret Levee Society even told The Guardian that UPEI has been "shortlisted" for best levee of 2015.

Pictured below is a group shot of some of the first levee-goers through the receiving line at UPEI. Mayor David Dunphy (at back) and members of Stratford Town Council (Gail MacDonald, Diane Griffin, Keith MacLean, and Deputy Mayor Randy Cooper) are pictured.

UPEI Levee 2015

Pictured below are international students, Lucy Nguyen (third-year arts from Vietnam) and Ahmed Danna (third-year arts, economics major from Nigeria) helped greet guests at the annual UPEI New Year's Levee.

Pictured below is President Alaa Abd-El-Aziz and his wife Valerie, with Dean of Education Ron MacDonald and his wife Erin.