The University of Prince Edward Island has been awarded two new Tier 2 Canada Research Chairs, and a current Tier 2 Canada Research Chair has been renewed, all for five-year terms. 

Dear Members of the Campus Community,

I am pleased to update the campus community on the upcoming Fireside Chats with the Finalist Candidates for the UPEI Presidential Search.

UPEI and Health PEI have released the findings of the health system capacity report (the Spindle report).

The Spindle Strategy Group was engaged by UPEI and Health PEI to understand and catalogue the health care system’s capacity to successfully integrate medical learners; to identify any gaps in infrastructure, human resources, policies and programs, systems, and structures; and to devise an evidence-based roadmap including necessary investments and timelines to address those gaps.

Every year in February, we celebrate Black History Month. As we embrace the significance of Black History Month, we are reminded of the rich tapestry of contributions, resilience, triumphs, and the legacy of Black Canadians that have shaped our society.

The University of Prince Edward Island congratulates the 95 student-athletes who earned U SPORTS Academic All-Canadian status for the 2022–2023 season. This number represents 49.5 per cent of UPEI’s 192 varsity student-athletes.

UPEI student-athletes strive for excellence in sport, academics, and in the greater community. This level of academic achievement speaks volumes about their work ethic and to the quality of the coaches, faculty, staff, volunteers, and others who support them throughout the year.

Dr. Pat Murphy, an assistant professor in biology at the University of Prince Edward Island (UPEI), has received a 2023 Emerging Scholar Research Grant from the Canadian Cancer Society (CCS) for his research into the role of bioactive metabolites in breast cancer. The grant is valued at $600,000 over five years.

Murphy is exploring ways to unlock the bioactive properties of kynurenine pathway metabolites to design new therapeutic approaches to breast cancer, which still causes over 5,500 deaths in Canada despite modern medicines. 

The following message was also distributed by email on January 3, 2024, to faculty, staff, and students on behalf of the Office of the President. 

Dear UPEI campus and community members, 

I hope that you enjoyed the holidays and extend my sincere best wishes for a happy and healthy new year. 

Dr. Edward MacDonald, professor of history at UPEI, was among 78 Canadians named to the Order of Canada by Her Excellency the Right Honourable Mary Simon, Governor General of Canada, on December 28, 2023.

The citation from the Governor General’s office says that Dr. MacDonald was appointed to the Order of Canada for “his leadership as a historian and scholar of Prince Edward Island, and for his mentorship of tomorrow’s heritage conservationists.”

The University of Prince Edward Island held its 22nd Recognition of Founders ceremony on Friday, December 15, 2023, in The McCain Foundation Learning Commons, Atlantic Veterinary College, to acknowledge those who have contributed to the University in a significant way.

Recognized as 2023 Founders during the ceremony were the late Merritt Crockett, founding University Librarian; the late Leo Cheverie, library technician and community advocate; and Betty Jeffery, Librarian Emerita. 

UPEI honours its rich heritage and traditions by acknowledging members of the campus community who have contributed to its mission in an exceptional way by naming them “Founders,” an initiative established by President Emeritus Wade MacLauchlan in 2000.

This year, the University will honour three UPEI employees who worked at the Robertson Library. This is especially fitting as 2023 marks the 50th anniversary of the conception and construction of the library, which was officially opened in 1975.