The following was released by SYNAPSE.

Synapse is excited to be playing a role in UPEI's 50th-anniversary celebrations with the launch of two new awards recognizing outstanding innovators with a connection to the university.

George Casey Jr., a retired four-star general and former chief of staff for the U.S. Army, recently presented to students in UPEI’s MBA in Global Leadership program. General Casey discussed leadership in an era of volatility, complexity, and uncertainty, and pointed to his experience as commanding general of the world’s largest and most complex organization, the 1.6 million-member U.S. Army.

Bruce Donaldson, head coach of UPEI Women’s Hockey, announced today that Mireille Martin has committed to the Panthers for the 2019–2020 season. Martin is a forward from Moncton, New Brunswick.

“Mireille brings a sense of maturity to her game,” said Donaldson. “She sees the ice exceptionally well and is a great passer. When you watch Mireille on the ice, you can tell that she loves to play the game. She is always watching the play and getting herself in open spots to create opportunities.”

U SPORTS, the national body governing university sport in Canada, has awarded the hosting of the 2021 U SPORTS Men’s Hockey Championship to the University of Prince Edward Island. UPEI has a proven track record in hosting national championships, including men’s soccer in 2005 and 2014, women’s soccer in 2010, and women’s hockey in 2019 and 2020. 

Dr. Ali Ahmadi and Dr. Russell Kerr aren’t the most obvious in research colleagues. Dr. Ahmadi is an assistant professor in UPEI’s Faculty of Sustainable Design Engineering with a specialty in micro-fabrication. Dr. Kerr is a professor in the Departments of Chemistry and Biomedical Science with a long history of discovering and producing novel bioactive compounds from marine sources. When the two met in 2017 at a BioAllliance event, they knew right away they could work together.

Nathan Chow has committed to wear the green and white this season as a member of the UPEI Men’s Soccer team. Chow is a 17-year-old striker, winger, and attacking midfielder from Campbell River, British Columbia.

“Nathan is a creative attacking player who will create chances for others and score goals himself. We are excited to have him join the Panther family,” said Lewis Page, head coach of UPEI Men’s Soccer.

Thabo Makgoba, the Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town, South Africa, recently presented to students in UPEI’s new MBA in Global Leadership program. The archbishop participated in a question-and-answer style presentation with Dr. Jurgen Krause, dean of UPEI’s Faculty of Business. The two discussed moral leadership, morality in business, and the importance of finding common ground when negotiating with people of other cultures and beliefs.