University of Prince Edward Island Director of Athletics and Recreation Chris Huggan announced today that British Columbia native John LaBoyne will be the new head coach for the varsity UPEI Women’s Rugby team. The position became available earlier this year when Coach Shannon Atkins advised UPEI that she is moving, ironically, to British Columbia to pursue a new career opportunity.

Huggan said, “I am excited to welcome John to our UPEI Panther coaching staff. John has an extensive background in coaching women's rugby and in developing successful athletes, teams, and programs. His passion, positive outlook, and high level of preparation will be a great addition to our program as well as to the PEI rugby community.”

Long-time coach LaBoyne has worked extensively in women’s rugby with U17, U19, senior club, and university sides. LaBoyne has extensive technical game skills and experiences, and is noted for bringing out the best in individuals and teams by fostering theory into practice and practice to successful game play through effective communications.

In recent years LaBoyne has been a consultant with the UBC Okanagan women’s 7s and 15s teams. He also coached the United RFC senior women to a British Columbia First Division Championship in 2015, was head coach at Cornell University with the Cornell Women’s RFC, and was head coach of the Thompson Okanagan U17 girls team at the BC Summer Games.

The NCCP Level 2 coach has extensive coaching training, including studying with dynamic and progressive national and international elite coaches. LaBoyne is also a certified Level 1 referee and an IRB (World Rugby) Level 1 Sevens coach. Other rugby involvements include serving as a BC Rugby Union Youth Development Officer and as a tour organizer for many overseas incoming and outgoing rugby teams.
LaBoyne comments, “I am very pleased to be selected head coach of the UPEI woman’s varsity rugby team and joining the Panther family.”

Prospective student-athletes can contact LaBoyne at wrugby@upei.ca

About UPEI Athletics and Recreation

• Nine varsity sports and six club team programs
• Proud member of the AUS and CIS
• Athletic facilities include: Chi-Wan Young Sports Centre, UPEI Alumni Canada Games Place
• Home of Panther Sports Medicine
• Other facilities available to students and the community at large include: fitness centre, squash and racquetball courts, competition and leisure pool with hot tub, and two ice arenas

University of Prince Edward Island Women’s Soccer Coach Graeme McDonald is pleased to announce that Sydney River, Nova Scotia native Andrea Mahoney has committed to the Panthers for 2016–17.

Mahoney played high school soccer for the Riverview Reds, the 2015 provincial champions. She has been part of the Nova Scotia provincial program from 2014–16 and currently plays with Cape Breton FC.

Mahoney says, “I’m excited to attend UPEI to further my education and play soccer in the AUS. I look forward to the university atmosphere, community involvement, and small class sizes. It will be the best place for me to grow academically and athletically. I look forward to playing a tactical and high-pace game in the coming years. I can't wait to wear the green and white as a proud Panther.”

Riverview High School head coach Maureen Ferguson adds, “Andrea is a player that has proven herself to be very determined and focused. She has always been committed to the sport of soccer and the success of her team. Her positive attitude and strong work ethic both on- and off-the-field have earned her the respect of many players and coaches in the soccer community.”

“Andrea is a dynamic, central midfielder who is confident on the ball and reads the game very well,” comments Coach McDonald. “She is a talented player and I’m delighted she is coming to our program.”
Mahoney will be entering the Faculty of Arts at UPEI.

About UPEI Athletics and Recreation

• Nine varsity sports and six club team programs
• Proud member of the AUS and CIS
• Athletic facilities include: Chi-Wan Young Sports Centre, UPEI Alumni Canada Games Place
• Home of Panther Sports Medicine
• Other facilities available to students and the community at large include: fitness centre, squash and racquetball courts, competition and leisure pool with hot tub, and two ice arenas

Two distinguished faculty members from UPEI’s Department of History were honoured with national awards at the recent Congress of the Social Sciences and Humanities conference in Calgary. Dr. Lisa Chilton, an associate professor at UPEI, and a leading authority on migration within the British Empire, with a particular focus on women emigrants, received the Canadian Committee on Migration, Ethnicity, and Transnationalism Article Prize from the Canadian Historical Association (CHA). Dr. Edward MacDonald, noted Island historian, associate professor, and chair of history at UPEI, was honoured with the 2016 G. E. Clerk Award from the Canadian Catholic Historical Association (CCHA).

Dr. Chilton’s award recognized her article, “Sex Scandals and Papist Plots: The Mid-Nineteenth-Century World of an Irish Nurse in Quebec,” published in the Journal of Women’s History 27(3), September 2015. The award citation from the Canadian Historical Association reads:

“Taking the perspective that gossip and public scandal open a window into ‘social politics’ of mid-nineteenth century Quebec, Chilton deftly traces the religious, class, national, and gendered tensions of empire through the life and career of nurse Jane Hamilton, an Irish immigrant to Canada in 1849 whose brief career at the Quebec Marine and Emigrant Hospital was marred by ‘petty rivalries’. Chilton reveals the multiple influences of transnational forces within a specific workplace, providing a nuanced account of the connection between international contexts and individual lives. The grounding of this analysis in rich archival sources gives the article vivid and compelling detail that make it ideal for teaching the history of migration, ethnicity, and transnationalism.”

Dr. Chilton’s is the author of “Agents of Empire: British Female Migration to Canada and Australia, 1860s—1930,” published by University of Toronto Press in 2007.

The G. E. Clerk Award from the Canadian Catholic Historical Association is given biennially to recognize “the broad commitment and contributions of the nominee to the field of Canadian Catholic history (scholarly/educational/archival) and to the administration and mission of the CCHA/SCHEC.” UPEI’s Dr. Ed MacDonald certainly fits that bill. He has published and presented on the history of Catholicism and Catholic education on Prince Edward Island, and was cited for his scholarship, but particularly for his service to the CCHA executive. Since 2006, he successively has filled the positions of secretary, vice-president, president, and president-general on the CCHA board. In 2015 he began a term as associate editor of the CCHA’s academic journal, Historical Studies.

“The Faculty of Arts proudly congratulates Dr. Lisa Chilton and Dr. Ed MacDonald on their recent awards at the Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences in Calgary,” said Nebojsa Kujundzic, Dean of the Faculty of Arts at UPEI. “These awards are a testimony to the highest level of scholarly achievement at the University of Prince Edward Island.”

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.

Sixteen distinguished individuals, including UPEI’s very own chancellor, Dr. Don McDougall, received honorary degrees when Western University hosted its Convocation this spring.

Chancellor McDougall received a Doctor of Laws, honoris causa (LL.D.) at the June 14, 2016 ceremony.  (Western University has 16 convocation ceremonies.)

UPEI President and Vice-Chancellor Alaa Abd-El-Aziz said, “On behalf of the entire University community, I congratulate Chancellor McDougall on this honour from Western University. The Chancellor is a wonderful champion for big and bold ideas, and we are very thankful for his continued insight and leadership at UPEI.”

McDougall is a well-known UPEI alumnus, donor, and honorary degree recipient (1978) who spent his formative years in Bloomfield, PEI before attending both St. Dunstan's High School and University. In addition to his long history with UPEI and its founding institutions, Chancellor McDougall is an alumnus of The Ivey Business School and has served as Chair of the Board at King’s College and Chair of the Board of Governors at Western University.

Currently Chair and CEO of Rambri Management Inc. and eJust Systems Inc., Chancellor McDougall has enjoyed a long and illustrious business career. As President of Labatt Brewing Company in the 1970s, he is credited with providing the leadership that landed the Toronto Blue Jays in Toronto and the Grand Prix du Canada in Montreal, and elevating Labatt to the status of number-one brewer in Canada. He is an inductee of the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame for his tireless efforts in bringing a major league baseball franchise to Toronto.

Other honorary degree recipients included: Dr. Harold Merskey, Yue-man Yeung, Jon Love, Janice Gross Stein, Kevin Lynch, Mary Thompson, Stephanie A. Atkinson, Stephen Burley, R. Kerry Rowe, Louise Bessette, Nazanin Afshin-Jam MacKay, Carol Stephenson, David Howman, Cindy Blackstock, and Gerald Fridman.

Congratulations, Chancellor McDougall!

The Climate Research Lab at UPEI has begun its summer field season by flying its fleet of drones over Prince Edward Island. The drones are taking high-resolution images of the land to study how climate change is impacting PEI’s coasts.

The Climate Lab has three drones presently, with plans to purchase a fourth. A fixed wing drone that the Lab calls MAGGIE (Model Airplane Gathering Geographical Information on the Environment) has a one-and-a-half meter wide wingspan and carries sophisticated instruments such as LiDAR: a safe laser that sees through vegetation to measure the bare earth. The two others are quad-copter drones that can provide stable images during PEI’s high wind events.

“We’ll be surveying the coasts from the air across Prince Edward Island in order to study the effects of coastal erosion on our shores,” said Dr. Adam Fenech, director of the Climate Research Lab. “Our Climate Lab’s graduate students will be flying their model airplanes and helicopters all summer long. They will be capturing valuable information that will be used to make decisions on how to best adapt to climate change.”

Support for the work of the Climate Research Lab comes from several groups. The province of Prince Edward Island supports several graduate students working in the lab. It also provides funding and expertise for the aerial surveys with MAGGIE.

“Our inventory of coastal erosion is an excellent example of how the provincial government and the university are coming together to address climate change,” said Robert Mitchell, PEI Minister of Communities, Land and Environment. “Expertise in climate change science at the university is assisting the province in assessing areas of high vulnerability and the best ways to respond to these risks.”

In addition to the aerial survey work, the UPEI Climate Lab is being assisted by the province to conduct:

• Erosion assessments of more than 100 sensitive coastal sites across the province;
• Assessment of blade erosion on wind turbines exposed to the PEI elements at North Cape;
• A comparison of various shoreline armouring techniques to guard against coastal erosion on properties; and
• An erosion study of the iconic sand dunes in Prince Edward Island National Park.

Funding for the drone aerial surveys also comes from the Marine Environmental Observation Prediction and Response (MEOPAR) network which supports new technology for monitoring and visualizing the impacts of sea-level rise, erosion, and storm surges in costal environments. It supports five graduate students at UPEI.

The Climate Research Lab could be gathering data at a site near you! For more information, contact the lab at climate@upei.ca or 902-620-5221.

The L.M. Montgomery Institute (LMMI) at UPEI has launched an exciting tool for scholars researching the life and legacy of Lucy Maud Montgomery. The collection of Montgomery-related materials at UPEI has grown steadily over the past 10-15 years, thanks to the generosity of many donors, including Dr. Donna Jane Campbell, the Heirs of LM Montgomery, and the Friends of the LMMI. Major components of that collection will become accessible to all at KindredSpaces.

KindredSpaces was launched at the LMMI Biennial International Conference at UPEI. The first research material to be featured is the Ryrie-Campbell Collection, donated to the LMMI and UPEI’s Robertson Library by Dr. Donna Jane Campbell.

“The launch of KindredSpaces marks a significant resource for Montgomery students, scholars and enthusiasts across the world, building an online repository of Montgomery materials and artefacts,” said Dr. Philip Smith, chair of the L.M. Montgomery Institute committee. “Digitization of the Ryrie-Campbell collection of periodicals, featuring Montgomery poems and short stories, and an online catalogue—complemented by cover art—of Ryrie-Campbell's large selection of rare and interesting books by and about Montgomery, is an exceptional beginning for KindredSpaces. We very much appreciate Dr. Donna Campbell's generosity in sharing her collection and enabling this project.”

The Ryrie-Campbell Collection has three main components:

1. Periodicals—more than 400 short stories, poems, and articles published by L.M. Montgomery in a wide range of North American, British, and Australian periodicals in the late 1800s and early 1900s
2. Books—rare early and international editions of Montgomery’s books and reference works in which she is discussed
3. Special Items—artefacts and printed memorabilia documenting various aspects of Montgomery’s life and career (Coming to KindredSpaces Fall-Winter 2016)

“All the Ryrie-Campbel Collection items were inventoried with reference numbers, but it was difficult for prospective researchers to access and search without a finding guide,” said Dr. Donna Jane Campbell, LMMI research associate and benefactor. “So in 2013, I discussed with Simon Lloyd [special collections librarian at UPEI’s Robertson Library] the possibility of creating a catalogue of items with an on-line discovery tool. Simon dubbed this project KindredSpaces and set to work with the establishment of a professional librarian position, filled by Lindsey MacCallum, who catalogued the entire collection of books with bibliographic records and then turned her attention to the periodicals and to the development of a website to host the collection with the digitization of selected materials. The overall goal of KindredSpaces is to improve the visibility and usability of the Ryrie-Campbell Collection and thus offer increased opportunity for the study of L.M. Montgomery. Also, it is important to note that KindredSpaces is an ongoing project with plans for future additions of significant Montgomery materials.”

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.

The University of Prince Edward Island named two of its distinguished faculty members as the recipients of the Jeanne and J.-Louis Lévesque Research Professorships in Nutrisciences and Health. Dr. Andrew Tasker, professor of neuropharmacology at UPEI’s Atlantic Veterinary College, and Dr. Travis Saunders, assistant professor of Applied Human Sciences, will each be supported over the next three years with an annual grant of $10,000 and up to $25,000 annually to permit replacement for teaching or other duties.

“UPEI is grateful for the generous and long-standing support of the Fondation J.-Louis Lévesque, which makes possible the recognition of some of the university's most creative and productive scientists,” said Dr. Robert Gilmour, Vice-President Academic and Research at UPEI. “We are particularly pleased that we are able to support the research programs of both an established investigator, in Dr. Tasker, and an emerging investigator, in Dr. Saunders, both of whom promise to make immediate and lasting contributions to nutrisciences and health.”

As a Jeanne and J.-Louis Lévesque research professor, Dr. Andrew Tasker will continue his explorations of normal and abnormal brain function. In this role, he will examine major depression and investigate why anti-depressant medications often take weeks to become effective, and in up to 50% of cases, never become effective. Tasker will determine if ginsenosides, the active ingredients in ginseng, have the potential to improve the effectiveness of current anti-depressants.

“I am extremely grateful for the generosity of the Lévesque family,” said Dr. Tasker. “The funding they are providing will allow me to better investigate both the neurobiological basis of depression and to evaluate a new and potentially important approach to improving the effectiveness of antidepressant therapy”.

Dr. Travis Saunders’ research as a Jeanne and J.-Louis Lévesque research professor will examine the relationship between sedentary behaviour and obesity, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. Recent research shows screen-based sedentary behaviour especially is associated with these negative effects. Surprisingly, these effects are not due to lack of energy expended, but due to increased food intake that results from screen-based behaviours.

“We know that screen time is linked to excess food intake, but we don't understand what is responsible for that relationship. I am thrilled and honoured to receive the Lévesque Professorship, which will allow my students and me to investigate the links between sedentary behaviours and chronic disease,” said Dr. Saunders.

The professorships are supported by the Fondation J.-Louis Lévesque: a generous supporter of health research at universities and institutes across the country. J.-Louis Lévesque graduated from Saint Dunstan’s University in 1934 and was awarded an honorary doctor of laws in 1964. Suzanne Lévesque, daughter of J.-Louis and president and CEO of his namesake foundation, was awarded an honorary doctor of laws from UPEI in 2006.

“We’re very lucky at UPEI to have such a long and prosperous relationship with the Lévesque family, stretching back further than even the name UPEI,” said Dr. Alaa Abd-El-Aziz, President and Vice-Chancellor of UPEI. “So I feel it’s safe to say ours is a special relationship with the Fondation J.-Louis Léveque, and that their support has helped immensely in growing UPEI’s capacity in the area of health research.”

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.

Denise Happ, a master’s student at UPEI’s Atlantic Veterinary College, has been awarded a prestigious and highly competitive fellowship from Denmark’s Aarhus University (AU). The Mobility Fellowship from AU Graduate School of Health provides three years of support to complete a PhD jointly between AU and UPEI. Happ will work under the co-supervision of AU’s Dr. Gregers Wegener and Dr. Andrew Tasker, a professor of neuropharmacology at UPEI.

Happ’s graduate research project is entitled, “Interactions between Nicotinergic and Serotonergic Systems in Major Depression and Anxiety: implications for antidepressant non-responders.” She will use powerful technology to better understand why certain anti-depressant drugs take several weeks to become effective, and in many cases, aren’t effective at all.

“I am very honoured to have been awarded this fellowship from Aarhus University,” said Denise Happ. “This is an exciting opportunity to further my studies and the collaborative nature of the project allows me to draw on the expertise from researchers at both UPEI and AU. I hope my research will be able to elucidate some of the mechanisms underlying depression.”

Depression is a common mental health problem affecting the lives of many individuals with severe consequences for society. Although numerous antidepressants are on the market, they typically require weeks of therapy to become effective, and about 30-50 per cent of patients fail to show a substantial clinical response to conventional antidepressant therapy. 

While the exact mechanisms causing depression are still poorly understood, the body’s inability to regulate a chemical called serotonin plays a major role. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) increase extracellular serotonin concentrations, but although SSRIs have an immediate effect on serotonin levels, the therapeutic response can take several weeks and some patients never do respond to these drugs.  This suggests that other systems are also involved in the action of SSRIs.

Happ’s project will use specialized animal models of depression, combined with powerful technologies for live imaging of brain function and molecular analysis of chemical interactions in the brain, to try to better understand the biological basis of depression and the actions of SSRIs.

“Denise is an exceptional student, and I am delighted that AU has given her this opportunity to advance her career in both Denmark and PEI,” said Dr. Andrew Tasker. “I have every confidence that her work will contribute significantly to our understanding and treatment of this devastating disorder.”

“Congratulations to Ms. Happ and Dr. Tasker for securing this major award, which recognizes Ms. Happ's outstanding work as a Master's student and her promise as a researcher, as well as Dr. Tasker's long and productive history in identifying the underlying biochemical mechanisms for neurological diseases and their treatment. The collaboration between UPEI and Aarhus University promises to provide important insights into depression and anxiety that might not emerge from either institution alone,” said Dr. Robert Gilmour, vice-president academic and research at UPEI.

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.

University of Prince Edward Island Women’s Basketball Head Coach Greg Gould is pleased to announce Lauren Shallow has committed to the Panthers for the upcoming 2016-17 season.

Shallow, a 5’10’’ honours student, attended Waterford Valley High School in St. Johns’ NFLD where she helped the Warriors to a 30-1 record, including the AAAA provincial championship. Shallow led her team in scoring with 31 points in the championship game and was named tournament MVP.

 “I am excited to be joining the UPEI Panthers, to my continued growth as a player and to making whatever contribution possible to our team,” said Shallow. “I look forward to playing CIS basketball while receiving a quality education from a university with a great academic reputation.”

“Lauren is a multi-skilled player who should fit seamlessly into our system,” said Gould. “She has the ability to score and defend multiple positions. Lauren has been a part of a basketball program with a winning tradition, and I look forward to working with her.”

Shallow has been accepted into the UPEI Faculty of Arts program.

About UPEI Athletics and Recreation

• Nine varsity sports and six club team programs
• Proud member of the AUS and CIS
• Athletic facilities include: Chi-Wan Young Sports Centre, UPEI Alumni Canada Games Place
• Home of Panther Sports Medicine
• Other facilities available to students and the community at large include: fitness centre, squash and racquetball courts, competition and leisure pool with hot tub, and two ice arenas