The University of Prince Edward Island announced today that retired business leader and senator, and former PEI premier, the Honourable Catherine Callbeck of Central Bedeque, has been unanimously elected as the ninth Chancellor of the University for a four-year term. An installation ceremony will be held this spring (date yet to be determined).

The University Chancellor is a volunteer, titular role that presides over convocations and confers degrees, diplomas, and certificates.

“It is my privilege to officially announce the Honourable Catherine Callbeck as the University’s Chancellor-elect,” said UPEI President and Vice-Chancellor Alaa Abd-El-Aziz. Abd-El-Aziz, along with UPEI Board of Governors Chair Pat Sinnott, co-chaired the Chancellor Electoral Committee.

“UPEI will benefit greatly from Dr. Callbeck’s vision, passion, and extensive leadership experience. I congratulate her on this new role as Chancellor and thank her sincerely for her dedication to post-secondary education and commitment to UPEI.”

The Honourable Catherine Callbeck has a long and active involvement in business, politics, and charitable and public service groups at all levels, and is a woman of many firsts and honours.

She received her early education in Central Bedeque and Summerside, later receiving degrees from Mount Allison University and Dalhousie University. After a period of teaching, Callbeck returned to PEI where she became involved with the family business—Callbeck's Limited and Callbeck's Furniture.

She was the second woman ever elected to the Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island and, from 1974-78, served as the first female Minister of Health and Social Services, Minister Responsible for the Disabled, and Minister Responsible for Non-Status Indians. In 1988, she was the first woman elected as the Member of Parliament for Malpeque, making her the second woman ever to be elected to the House of Commons from PEI. She returned to provincial politics in 1993 when she was elected Leader of the Liberal Party of PEI, and soon after, became the first woman in Canada to be elected as Premier. In 1997, she was called to the Senate of Canada and retired in July 2014.

Callbeck was named a member of the Order of Canada in 2015 and Order of PEI in 2017 and holds honorary doctor of laws degrees from both Mount Allison University and the University of Prince Edward Island (2015).

“I am deeply honoured and humbled by this opportunity to become more involved in the University community,” said Callbeck. “The University of Prince Edward Island has become a global institution of higher learning that makes the student experience a priority. I hope to be excellent ambassador for UPEI as it continues to develop programs that inspire students to contribute solutions, whether it be at home or around the world, to better society.”

Callbeck will replace the University’s eighth chancellor Dr. Don McDougall, who was installed in 2014 and whose extended term concludes this year. She is the second woman to hold the post: Doris H. Anderson was UPEI’s first female University Chancellor from 1992–96.

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.

UPEI’s Chancellors and their installation dates

• The Honourable Thane A. Campbell, CC, MA, LLD – May 14, 1970
• Gustave Gingras, CC, MD, FRSA, LLD, FRCP(c) – May 12, 1974
• David Macdonald Stewart, OC, CStJ, KLJ, FRSA, FHS(c), LLD, DBA – October 1, 1982
• The Honourable Gordon L. Bennett, OC, BSc, MSc, LLD, DCL – March 9, 1985
• Doris H. Anderson, CC, BA, LLD – October 24, 1992
• Norman Webster (chancellor emeritus), CM, BA, MA, DCL – November 2, 1996
• William (Bill) Andrew, DipEng, BEng – March 6, 2005
• Donald (Don) McDougall, BA, MBA, LLD – March 30, 2014

Dr. Alaa Abd-El-Aziz, UPEI’s president and vice-chancellor, joined with leaders across the Atlantic region today to welcome news of the Ocean Supercluster, announced this week by the federal minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Hon. Navdeep Bains.

The Ocean Supercluster is one of five Innovation Superclusters. The Ocean Supercluster is an industry-led initiative, focused on building upon Canada's world-class ocean-related business activity, research capacity, and proven technology expertise. Research from UPEI and the Atlantic Veterinary College is already making an impact on Canada’s ocean economy, and this new initiative will only strengthen that impact.

“There isn’t an aspect of the Ocean Supercluster proposal that UPEI cannot strengthen with our research expertise in fish health, climate adaptation, and sustainable design engineering,” said Dr. Abd-El-Aziz. “The student experience at UPEI has been enhanced in recent years through our close relationships with industry. We are ready to build on these relationships and make significant and lasting contributions to this important economic initiative for our region.”

The Ocean Supercluster will harness emerging technologies to strengthen Canada's ocean industries—industries like marine renewable energy, fisheries, aquaculture, oil and gas, defence, shipbuilding, and transportation. This supercluster will ensure Canada's future prosperity as a source of jobs and solutions to global challenges, such as how to meet the energy demands of the 21st century.

Over the next ten years, the Ocean Supercluster is expected to create more than 3,000 jobs across the Atlantic region and have an economic impact of more than $14 billion.

Globally recognized for its research and service work in aquatic animal health and epidemiology, UPEI’s Atlantic Veterinary College plays a leading role in aquatic food animal health in Canada and beyond. Housed at AVC is an interconnected network of aquatic research centres and programs, involving internationally renowned researchers who collaborate with industry, government, and academic partners around the world to protect the health and productivity of wild and farmed fisheries. Facilities include state-of-the-art aquatic research laboratories, a 12,000-square-foot aquatic animal facility, and an ISO-17025 accredited diagnostic service.

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.

Every week, UPEI Athletics and Recreation recognizes two student-athletes for their hard work and dedication to their respective sports. Congratulations to Jenna Mae Ellsworth and Milorad Sedlarevic, the UPEI Panther Subway Athletes of the Week for February 12–18.

Jenna Mae Ellsworth is a second-year guard on the UPEI Women’s Basketball team and a Bachelor of Science student from Charlottetown. The Panthers split a pair of games over the weekend with the University of New Brunswick, winning Friday 82–58, and losing Saturday 77–66. She scored 14 points the first night, shooting 34 per cent from the field and 40 per cent from the foul line. The next night she scored 21 points, and improved her shooting to 43 per cent and 62.5 per cent from the line. She grabbed seven rebounds over the weekend, made five assists, and grabbed eight steals. “Jenna Mae continues to be a great two-way play for our team,” said coach Greg Gould.

Milorad Sedlarevic is a fourth-year forward on UPEI’s Men’s Basketball team and a Bachelor of Business Administration student from Jesenice, Slovenia. The Panthers dropped a pair of games over the weekend to the University of New Brunswick. “Milorad was the team scoring leader this past weekend with a combined total of 42 points over the two games,” said coach Darrell Glenn. “Milorad is competing hard and putting up consistent numbers for us.”

Go Panthers Go!

The Honourable Kirsty Duncan, Canada’s minister of science and minister of sport and persons with disabilities, recently announced the appointment and renewal of several members of the governing council for the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC). Among the list is Dr. Don Desserud, professor of political science at the University of Prince Edward Island.

SSHRC is the federal research funding agency that promotes and supports post-secondary-based research and research training in the humanities and social sciences. The agency plays an important role in Canada’s research and scientific landscape and is committed to fostering greater equity, diversity and inclusion in the sciences. SSHRC invests over $350 million annually, supporting more than 8,000 graduate students and nearly 14,000 researchers.

“The appointment of Dr. Desserud to the SSHRC governing council is a singular honour for one of UPEI’s most widely recognized experts in political science. In addition, the appointment provides UPEI with an opportunity to help guide the development of research focus areas and funding priorities for one of the university’s most important sources of extramural research support.” said Dr. Robert Gilmour, vice-president academic and research at UPEI.

Prior to coming to UPEI in 2011 as dean of arts, Dr. Desserud was an associate dean of graduate studies at UNBSJ. He is a professor of political science and organizer of the Palmer Conference in Public Sector Leadership. He is also a public representative on the PEI Law Council.

Originally from Bathurst, New Brunswick, Dr. Desserud earned his BA and MA from Dalhousie University and a PhD in political science from the University of Western Ontario. He also has an MA in English and creative writing from UNB. His research interests include parliaments and legislative assemblies, particularly the area of parliamentary and political law. He frequently comments on political issues on local and national media. He has represented UPEI as a SSHRC Leader since 2011.

Dr. Desserud is named to the governing council for a two-year term.

Congratulations!

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.

Vagabond Productions newest show, Fresh Brewed: Tales from the Coffee Bar by Henry Meyerson, promises to add a bit of a caffeine jolt to your regular theatre experience. The show is made up of a series of seven short plays with just two things in common: they all take place in a coffee shop, and they are all hilarious.

Since it is important to vary up scenery from time to time, Vagabond is stepping out of its usual venue of UPEI’s Faculty Lounge and into Receiver Coffee Co., 128 Richmond Street in Charlottetown. The authentic setting will truly bring audiences into the world of the play. Each scene in Fresh Brewed is wildly different from the next, which means the only thing you can be sure about in this show is there will be laughs aplenty.

The play runs March 5 to 10. The doors open at 7 pm for a 7:30 pm start. Admission is pay-what-you-can. Seating is limited, with no presale tickets, so come early and enjoy a coffee before the show to guarantee yourself a seat. The play contains adult language and mature themes, so viewer discretion is advised. For more information, contact Vagabond Productions at gdoran@upei.ca or 902-566-6013.

Vagabond Productions, created in 2005 by Dr. Greg Doran, is the student theatre company for UPEI’s Theatre Studies program.

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 UPEI School of Mathematical and Computational Sciences is hosting a series of research presentations about artificial intelligence and machine learning. The presentations are open to the public and are presented with the support of the Office of the Vice-President Academic and Research.

Dr. Trung Ngo, an associate professor at UPEI, will present “Socially aware robot navigation with guarantee of human safety and comfort” on Monday, February 26 at 3:15 pm in the Cass Science Hall, room 101.

Dr. Kai Liu, an assistant professor at UPEI, will present “Predicting forage crop loss in the presence of systemic weather risk using remote sensing data: an insurance application” on Monday, March 12 at 3:15 pm in the Cass Science Hall, room 101.

On Monday, March 26 at 3:00 pm, Dr. Martin Mueller, professor and associate chair in computing science at the University of Alberta, will present “Computer Go: from the beginnings to AlphaGo Zero. Dr. Mueller is the grandfather of AlphaGo, in the sense that AlphaGo is created by Dr. David Silver (Lead Researcher on AlphaGo in DeepMind Inc.) and Dr. Mueller is his PhD supervisor.

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.

Dr. Don McKay has been called the Canadian poet laureate of ecological philosophy. A revered poet, esteemed naturalist, distinguished scholar and editor, celebrated teacher, and famously witty speaker, Dr. McKay will give the 2018 UPEI Don Mazer Arts & Science Lecture on Thursday, March 1 at 7:00 pm in room 246 of UPEI’s Don and Marion McDougall Hall. All are welcome.

Dr. McKay’s talk, “Dragon, or Tectonic Lithofacies Map of the Appalachian Orogen,” will be “an attempt to approach one of the most famous and important maps in geology from both sides of my brain, the scientific and aesthetic.”

The Appalachian orogenic belt is an ancient mountain range extending from Alabama to Newfoundland. Dr. McKay, who lives in St. John’s, will talk “poetically” about the tectonic theory of mountain building, and focus on Gros Morne in Newfoundland, with reference to New Brunswick and to PEI with its “detritus from worn-down mountains.”

Hank Williams will feature prominently in Dr. McKay’s talk: not the singer, but the legendary and colourful Newfoundland geologist. Williams advanced plate tectonics, as a unifying theory for continental drift and mountain belt evolution, inspired a new generation of geologists, and helped establish Memorial University as a leader in earth science research.

An expert mapmaker as well as visionary thinker, Williams produced the famous Appalachian Orogen map, a bestseller with 10,000 copies sold worldwide. The map also helped demonstrate relationships between our landforms and those across the Atlantic Ocean.

Dr. McKay will also give a poetry reading on Friday, March 2, at 7:30 pm in the Carriage House at Beaconsfield Historic House in Charlottetown. His reading is supported by the UPEI Department of English and Dean of Arts, with assistance from The Canada Council for the Arts.

The UPEI Don Mazer Arts & Science Lecture is sponsored by UPEI’s Faculty of Arts and Faculty of Science. The lecture series is named in honour of Dr. Don Mazer, an esteemed UPEI psychology professor, whose interests have bridged the arts and sciences. The public is invited and admission is free.

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 UPEI Women’s and Men’s Basketball teams will play their final games of the regular season this weekend at home. On Friday, February 23, the Panthers host St. Francis Xavier with the women tipping off at 6 pm and the men at 8 pm. Action gets underway again at 6 pm on Saturday, February 24 when the UPEI women’s team takes on the Dalhousie Tigers. The UPEI Men’s Basketball team plays Dal at 8 pm.

“The team is hoping to finish the season on a winning note when they host St. Francis Xavier and Dalhousie,” said UPEI Women’s Basketball head coach Greg Gould. “We always want to be playing well heading into the AUS playoffs. We are in a position to finish as high as third in conference standings, but would need a sweep to have any chance of that happening.”

The Panthers will hold a weekend-long drive at the Chi-Wan Young Sports Centre to collect donations for the UPEI Food Bank. A collection box will set up in the lower lobby beginning Thursday evening. And, in keeping with the food theme, Panther fans should look for the “Cooking for KidSport” booth in the upper lobby to buy raffle tickets in support of Kidsport PEI.

Easter Seals Ambassador Brayden White will do the ceremonial tip-off at the men’s game Friday night while during half-time, the final qualifiers will be determined for the Domino's Shoot to Win Contest which will take place on Saturday. People who have qualified throughout the season for the “final” will now have their opportunity to shoot baskets for a chance to win $10,000. 

On Saturday, before the games, the Panthers will celebrate their graduating seniors. The UPEI women’s team will salute Leah Robinson, Jane McLaughlan, and Kiera Rigby while the men’s squad will honour Stefan Vujisic and Samy Mohamed. Saturday is also AVC Day at the Chi-Wan Young Sports Centre. Dr. Greg Keefe, Dean of the Atlantic Veterinary College, will perform the ceremonial tip-off at the women’s game. Bell Tv1 will be broadcasting both of Saturday's games.

Go Panthers Go!

Every week, UPEI Athletics and Recreation recognizes two student-athletes for their hard work and dedication to their respective sports. Congratulations to Bailey Smith and Stefan Vujisic, the UPEI Panther Subway Athletes of the Week for February 19–26.

Bailey Smith is a second-year sprinter on UPEI’s Track and Field team and a nursing student from Mount Stewart, PEI. Smith won the 60 m race at the AUS Track and Field Championship, finishing in 7.63—a personal best. She was selected as the AUS Female Track Athlete of the Year. “Bailey proved once again that she is at her best when the competition is strongest and pressure is on,” said coach Colin MacAdam.

Stefan Vujisic is a fifth-year forward on the UPEI Men’s Basketball team and a Bachelor of Arts student from Kragujevac, Serbia. The Panthers lost a pair of games over the weekend to St. Francis Xavier University and Dalhousie University, but Vujisic shone with 24 points and six rebounds. “Stefan had a strong weekend for us, a great way to finish his UPEI Panther career,” said coach Darrell Glenn.

Go Panthers Go!

The University of Prince Edward Island will host the tenth-annual Atlantic Universities Undergraduate History and Classics Conference (AUUHCC) March 2–4. The AUUHCC provides an excellent opportunity for undergraduate students to gain experience in an academic conference setting—valuable skills for those heading to graduate school. The theme for this year’s conference is Shifting Paradigms: Revising the Past.

The conference is open to students from all universities in the Atlantic region. While the conference is focused primarily on history and classics, it is open to students of any discipline who are looking to gain experience presenting in an academic setting.

The AUUHCC is a student-led conference, which rotates to a different university across the Atlantic regional every year. This is the first time UPEI has hosted the conference since 2015.

“Participating in the AUUHCC last year was one of the best university experiences I've had to date,” said conference co-chair Ida Embleton. “It is such an awesome and accessible opportunity to learn, grow, and make valuable connections with people who share similar interests.”

The keynote speaker for the conference will be Dr. James Moran, associate professor of history at UPEI. Dr. Moran will discuss his newest book, which examines madness and civil law in New England and the United States.

All events are open to the public.

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.