The School of Sustainable Design Engineering at UPEI is launching its first ProGRES Summer Program to promote engineering research interest and involvement among young women in high school. Through the ProGRES Program, high-school students will have the opportunity to participate in cutting-edge research projects with world-class researchers in state-of-the-art facilities. The selected students will work directly with a female faculty researcher and mentor on an independent research project, and they will have opportunities to meet and work with female engineers and engineering students. Young women of PEI going into grades 11 and 12 are encouraged to apply for the ProGRES Summer Program. Please click here  for complete program information and application. Application deadline is 5:00 pm on June 7, 2017.

Tuesday, June 13, from 7:00 – 8:30 pm Room 286A/287 Atlantic Veterinary College University of Prince Edward Island Did you know that bats are the only mammals that fly, and eat about 500 mosquitoes in an evening meal? Learn more about these important animals with Jordi Segers, of the Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, at the Atlantic Veterinary College. Mr. Segers will provide an engaging presentation about the bats of PEI and the world. He will share information on why bats are critically important to us and the world's ecosystems, explain why bats are our true super heroes, and what you can do in your own backyard to help PEI bats. Admission is free and everyone is welcome. For information, contact (902) 566-0589 or visit upei.ca/avc

Join us Tuesday, June 6 at 2 pm in Schurman Market Square of UPEI’s Don and Marion McDougall Hall to celebrate the recipients of the 2017 Katherine Schultz Research Recognition Awards.  The Katherine Schultz Research Recognition Awards were created out of a gift received from Dr. Schultz, UPEI’s first Vice-President Research. Under her tenure from 2001 to 2012, UPEI enjoyed a seven-fold increase in research funding and intensity. The awards go to a UPEIFA member, staff member, or volunteer who has made an outstanding contribution to the research enterprise at UPEI. This year, two recipients have been selected. Leslie Cudmore, research grants coordinator, and Dr. Pedro Quijon, associate professor in the Department of Biology, will be recognized for their work to help promote the community of research and discovery at UPEI.  A small reception will follow.

Join for a presentation and dialogue with Pablo Aránguiz Mesías, a visiting research fellow of UPEI’s Young Lives Research Laboratory (YLRL). The presentation is us Thursday, June 8 at 10 am in room 246 of UPEI’s Don and Marion McDougall Hall. Aránguiz will be presenting about the the Wekimün Chilkatuwe School in Chiloé, Chile—a collaborative project of the YLRL and the General Council of Williche Chiefs of Chiloé. A traditional meal will be served after the presentation. “We are pleased and honoured to have Pablo with us as a Visiting Fellow,” said Dr. Kate Tilleczek, director of the YLRL. “He has been a central part of the team in our international and collaborative work to build and develop this unique intercultural school and curriculum with, for, and by the Williche youth and communities of southern Chile. Pablo’s visit will heighten our collaborations even further as we forge additional links with Indigenous communities on PEI and share together our respective lessons and questions about education and sustainable development in First Nations communities. The Wekimün School project has been a tremendous honour and learning experience. It is our hope that the YLRL and the Willche Council of Chiefs will witness many new roots taking hold from the foundations we have created together.” Wekimün School, funded by Global Affairs Canada, aims to improve the quality of life of the Indigenous Williche youth, their families, and territories through intercultural educational initiatives. Its educational model seeks to integrate traditional-Indigenous and western-scientific knowledge into curricula and project-based learning programs. Aránguiz, a professor at Wekimün School, holds a master’s degree in analysis and management of ecosystems from the University of Alicante in Spain. Aránguiz contributes to the development of a unique intercultural curriculum at Wekimün, teaches, and manages the school’s community-based education and sustainable development projects. “It has been a privilege to be a direct witness and participate in the dialogue between the systems of traditional Williche and modern scientific knowledge. Wekimün, the new knowledge, has been possible thanks to the humility of those who have made available their life experiences to face the global problems that affect to all of us today,” said Aránguiz. Professor Aránguiz will be visiting Prince Edward Island June 5-10. During his time, he will meet with and learn from scholars and members of the Indigenous communities on the Island. His presentation Thursday will give an overview of Wekimün School, including a multi-media display of photographs and video. There will be time for open questions and answers, and a dialogue about next steps in the collaboration. The Young Lives Research Laboratory conducts qualitative research in the area of reimagining schools for and with marginalized youth, youth and technology, and youth and mental health. For more information on the lab, visit katetilleczek.ca. 

The UPEI Faculty of Nursing invites nursing students, alumni, faculty, staff, and supporters to campus for a reception and gala dinner on Thursday, June 29, 2017 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of nursing education at UPEI. A reception will be held for students and alumni from 3:00–4:30 pm at the Health Sciences Building, home to the UPEI Faculty of Nursing. All are welcome! The gala dinner will take place from 6:00–9:00 pm at the W.A. Murphy Student Centre. The semi-formal evening will include an enjoyable culinary experience, acknowledgment of the successes of the UPEI Faculty of Nursing, and a silent auction for which proceeds will go towards funding a scholarship for nursing students. 

Island Studies welcomes Dr. Stan Brunn, Professor Emeritus from the University of Kentucky, to speak on “The Changing World Language Map: A Megaproject in Progress” in UPEI’s Main Building Faculty Lounge Tuesday, June 27, at 10:30 a.m. Dr. Brunn will be speaking about his latest book project on the world’s languages called The Changing World Language Map. One of the most well-respected cultural geographers in North America, Dr. Brunn is widely published, including serving as editor of the five-volume, 3200+ page The Changing World Religion Map (Springer, 2015). Dr. Brunn is Professor Emeritus in the Geography Department at University of Kentucky, where his teaching and research interests include political, social and urban geography, the geographies of information and communication, the geographies of religion and languages, time-space geographies and innovative cartographies. He has been a visiting professor at universities around the globe. As part of his presentation, he invites interested parties to contribute to the project and is willing to take questions on the current state of US politics. Admission is free and everyone is welcome to attend. For more information, contact Laurie at brinklow@upei.ca or 902-894-2881.

Gina'masuti Siawa'toq – Continue Your Education The Mawi'omi Aboriginal Student Centre invites all First Nations (status and non-status), Inuit, and Métis students in grades 10, 11 and 12, to UPEI. Enjoy a campus tour, sit in on a class, and go swimming at the CARI Pool or make a traditional craft! This is a free event! We have prizes, and lunch and snacks will be provided! For more information and to register, contact Jenna Burke.

We've all heard so much about refugees in the the news, but it can often seem like a distant problem that doesn't really affect us personally. This World Refugee Day, come talk about the practical side of supporting refugees.We are a couple of UPEI students who have helped sponsor 4 refugees in the past 3 years. We're basically hoping to have a down-to-earth discussion about our experience, your thoughts, and what else we can all do going forward. We will also watch an eye-opening Ted-Talk and have FREE PIZZA for everyone attending. All are welcome! We'll look forward to seeing you.P.S. In case you were wondering, WUSC stands for World University Service of Canada and they set up the Student Refugee Program that we've been involved in.

June 21 is National Aboriginal Day, a day for all Canadians to recognize and celebrate the unique heritage, diverse cultures and outstanding contributions of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples. UPEI will fly the Grand Council Flag of Mi'kmaq Nation to recognize that the University is located on the unceded territory of the Mi'kmaq people. In Charlottetown, the Native Council of PEI is hosting a celebration from 11:30 am - 3:00 pm with an opening ceremony at 11:30 am at Confederation Landing Park and free hotdogs and cake for lunch. At 1:00 pm, participants will enjoy friendly competition in the Indian Summer Games. Traditional crafters will be onsite throughout the event, showcasing their talents in crafting demonstrations. The Mi'kmaq Confederacy of PEI is also hosting a celebration at Lennox Island First Nation from 12 noon - 3 pm to help "Celebrate the Culture" with drummers, dancers, and crafters and a free BBQ and children's activities. All activities are free and open to the public. 

Join us Monday, June 26 at 4:30 pm for a presentation from Dr. Josh MacFadyen, a candidate for UPEI’s Canada Research Chair in Applied Communication, Leadership, and Culture (ACLC). The presentation will be held in room 237 of UPEI’s Kelley Memorial Building. Dr. Josh MacFadyen is an assistant professor of environmental humanities in the School of Historical, Philosophical, and Religious Studies and the School of Sustainability at Arizona State University. In 2014, he was a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Historical GIS Lab at the University of Saskatchewan, and from 2012-2014, he was NiCHE Project Coordinator and Course Instructor at the University of Western Ontario. His talk is titled: “Canadian Food and Energy Frontiers: Mapping the Past to Prepare Leaders for the Future.” Abstract: Working in the disciplinary ecotones between humanities, sciences, and social sciences, Dr. MacFadyen’s research on the environmental history of Canadian food and energy shows how the digital humanities are critical to understanding and communicating sustainability transitions. Using examples from the Maritimes, Eastern Great Lakes, and the Prairies, this talk applies tools like historical Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to help understand the origin of modern commodity frontiers, industrial agriculture, and energy transitions. By equipping Arts students with digital humanities, traditional land use mapping, and critical theories of science, we will better prepare leaders who inform the policies and engage the problems associated with food and energy in the Anthropocene. The Applied Communication, Leadership and Culture program at UPEI explicitly connects the communication skills and leadership training of a liberal arts education to successful post-graduation employment. The program is defined by its focus on the transferability of the written, oral and visual communication skills, the critical thinking, and the cultural awareness acquired during a liberal arts education to the world beyond academia. Technical skills, work- integrated learning (internships, cooperatives, workplace-generated projects), and career-related mentoring are key components of its design.