Public seminar about cardiometabolic syndrome at UPEI on September 11
Khan will give the seminar as part of a three-day visit to the University of Prince Edward Island from September 10 to 13.
People with cardiometabolic syndrome are at increased risk of coronary heart disease, peripheral arterial disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes, says Khan. Cardiometabolic syndrome is a constellation of risk factors associated with obesity, dyslipidemia, glucose intolerance and hypertension. The incidence of this syndrome is increasing worldwide and is thought to involve 30 per cent of adults in the United States and Canada.
The primary mechanism for the cardiometabolic syndrome appears to be insulin resistance, a disorder in which the body uses insulin in an inefficient manner. In addition to risk factor modification, drug therapy may be indicated. This presentation will discuss current topics that are relevant in managing and treating patients with cardiometabolic syndrome.
Khan is the director of the Coronary Care Unit at Grady Memorial Hospital, and has been on the faculty in the Department of Medicine/Cardiology at Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, since 1997. He is also director of the Cardiovascular Research Laboratory at Grady Memorial Hospital; his research focuses on preventive cardiology and therapeutics in cardiovascular disease. He has published over 40 peer-reviewed papers and book chapters, and has served as reviewer for several prestigious journals including Circulation, Journal of Clinical Investigation, Atherosclerosis, and JACC (Journal of the American College of Cardiology). He is an abstract reviewer for the scientific sessions of the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association.
Refreshments will follow the lecture, which is sponsored by the Atlantic Veterinary College and PEI Health Research Institute at the University of Prince Edward Island. For information, please contact the PEI Health Research Institute at (902) 566-2812.
UPEI's Tourism Research Centre releases study on wind energy
“The inspiration for this research came forth after dialogue with Tourism PEI on how wind farms could be both an opportunity and a threat to PEI tourism,” stated Dr. Sean Hennessey, Faculty Director of the TRC. “Do our visitors consider wind turbines to be an eyesore that ruin our landscape, or do they welcome the sight of these green energy producers? Is it possible that wind farms can be a tourist attraction?” After the initial discussion, the TRC designed a survey for both visitors and Island residents.
Attitudes towards wind farms on PEI are quite consistent among visitors and Islanders. Consider that at least 82 per cent of visitors and 75 per cent of residents either agreed or strongly agreed that “There should be more wind farms on PEI,” “The PEI provincial government should encourage the development of wind farms by providing permits to developers,” “Wind farms put PEI on the forefront of the green energy movement”, and “The PEI provincial government should financially support the development of wind farms.”
In addition, while only 44 per cent of both residents and visitors either agreed or strongly agreed that a wind farm adds to the attractiveness of the area in which it is based, about 81 per cent of both residents and visitors either disagreed or strongly disagreed that wind farms are a poor use of PEI’s land base. Finally, 71 per cent of Island respondents either agreed or strongly agreed that wind farms are an attraction for visitors to PEI.
Overall, the results show support from both groups for the production of wind energy on PEI. Islanders wanted to see, on average, 68.5 per cent of their energy generated via wind turbines. Visitors were slightly more supportive at 72 per cent. In addition, many respondents are willing to make an indirect financial investment in renewable energy sources by paying more for electricity generated in this manner. When asked what words came to mind when thinking about wind turbines as a means to generate electricity, many respondents used positive words such as “clean,” “renewable,” “unlimited,” “safe” and “environmentally friendly.”
The survey also asked respondents if they thought the phrase “Canada’s Green Province”, as seen on the newest licence plates on PEI, is accurate. There was some disagreement, with over 83 per cent of visitors feeling that this statement was either accurate or very accurate, while only 30 per cent of Islanders felt the same way. In addition, 37 per cent of residents felt this statement is not accurate or not at all accurate.
In conclusion, there appears to be strong support for further development of wind energy production on PEI. Based on this research, it appears that wind farms “fit” with “The Gentle Island” brand for visitors, and support the attempt to label PEI as a “Green Province,” at least among visitors. However, there are local concerns regarding noise, health effects, land use and changes to bird migration which should be addressed.
The full report can be found on the TRC’s website at www.trc.upei.ca. More information about the report can be obtained from the Tourism Research Centre, School of Business, University of PEI, at (902) 566-6096 or trc@upei.ca.
P.E.I. photography book launched on September 18
A photography book created by University of Prince Edward Island researchers and international photojournalist Carlos Reyes-Manzo will be launched on Thursday, September 18, from 4 to 6 p.m., at the Confederation Centre Art Gallery.
Voice of the Community, which explores the strengths and challenges facing rural P.E.I. communities, came out of a three-year UPEI research project led by Dr. Vianne Timmons, former vice-president academic development at UPEI and now president of the University of Regina. The researchers worked with six Island communities to explore the issues and struggles faced by rural families regarding their children’s health.
This unique photography-research book highlights the voiced concerns and insights of rural communities in today’s ever-changing world. Reyes-Manzo captured the research themes through evocative images that are a powerful testament to the strengths and challenges facing rural PEI communities.
The voices of rural PEI parents, children, caregivers and service providers reveal community concerns that are shared across Canada. While the people in the communities recognize the challenges, they also identify and highlight their strengths. A strong will to survive and a desire to improve the quality of life for their children are evident in the voices.
“This book is not only stunning, but a social documentary that attempts to capture the emotion and passion that exists in rural PEI communities,” says Timmons. “Creating this book has provided us with an opportunity to share our findings with the public. We encourage readers to share with others their interpretation of the research themes, photographs and quotations.”
This research project was funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. For more information, contact Shelley Gordon at (902) 566-6009 or smgordon@upei.ca.
UPEI launches international women’s speaker series and photo exhibition on September 15
As part of its ongoing work to increase public awareness of international development issues such as gender equality, poverty and child mortality, the University of Prince Edward Island has organized an international women’s speaker series and a related photography exhibition, Resilience and Dreams: Women as Global Citizens, to be launched on September 15 at 3 p.m.
Social documentary photographer Carlos Reyes-Manzo, the artist behind the photographs, opens the lecture series and the photography exhibition with a speech in the W.A. Murphy Student Centre’s McMillan Hall starting at 3 p.m. The exhibition is on display at UPEI in the Student Centre’s concourse until October 10. This project is funded by the Canadian International Development Agency of Canada.
Over his 40-year career, Reyes-Manzo has traveled through Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, documenting people who are marginalized from society and who suffer human rights abuses. His exhibition will showcase the realities that women in developing countries face on a daily basis, their successes and their challenges. Each of the 35 images will have an accompanying story about the background and situation surrounding the photograph.
Reyes-Manzo’s exhibition will be set up in three other venues during the fall and early winter, with a different public presentation at each location. From October 14 to November 7, it will be in the Holland College cafeteria; Dr. Ann Marie Dalton, a professor of religious studies at Saint Mary’s University, will give a public talk on October 16 from 2 to 3 p.m. in the college’s lecture theatre.
From November 15 to 19, the exhibition will be at The Guild, with Corrie Melanson of OXFAM Canada speaking on November 15 from 7 to 8 p.m., and from January 6 to 26, it will be on display at the Eptek Art and Culture Centre in Summerside.
In a related event, Reyes-Manzo will launch a photography book called Voice of the Community at the Confederation Centre Art Gallery on September 18 at 4 p.m. The book, which explores the strengths and challenges facing rural P.E.I. communities, came out of a three-year UPEI research project led by Dr. Vianne Timmons, former vice-president academic development at UPEI and now president of the University of Regina.
The speaker series continues at UPEI in 2009, with a presentation by Frances Moore Lappe, founder of the Small Planet Institute Speaker, on January 7 from 7 to 9 p.m. A student symposium featuring Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, Chair of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, will be held on February 5 from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. And Maude Barlow, national Chair of the Council of Canadians, will speak on March 5 at 2:30 p.m. The talks by Lappe and Barlowe will take place in the Don and Marion McDougall Hall, and the student symposium in the Student Centre.
The exhibitions and presentations are free, and everyone is welcome. For more details go to upei.ca/internationalization or contact Emily Gorman at exhibition@upei.ca or (902) 566-0576.
Senator from Ireland gives public lecture at UPEI September 11
The public is invited to attend a lecture entitled 'The Good Friday Agreement: Ten Years After' by Senator Pearse Doherty of Ireland on Thursday, September 11, at 4 p.m. in the Main Building Faculty Lounge at the University of Prince Edward Island.
Senator Doherty is visiting Prince Edward Island from September 11-12. Doherty is a prominent member of Sinn Féin and one of its exciting new leaders. He is a county councillor from Donegal and was elected Sinn Féin's first Senator in 2007. During his visit to UPEI on Thursday, he will also host a question and answer period for students in the political studies lounge in the Main Building from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.
AVC Celebrates 20th Annual Open House on September 27
Where can you pet a goat, dress in surgery scrubs, see some really big turtles and have your favourite teddy bear checked out by a vet student? Join animal lovers and the curious at the Atlantic Veterinary College's 20th annual Open House to be held from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm on Saturday, September 27th.
The event is free to the public and features a behind-the-scenes glimpse of life in a veterinary medical school, including demonstrations, a petting zoo, junior surgery (learn how to cap and gown) and the ever-popular Teddy Bear Clinic. Kids: bring your favourite teddy bear or stuffed toy and have them checked out by one of our veterinary students!
Third-year vet student and Open House coordinator Mattie McMaster says, 'It is a wonderful opportunity for the public to visit the College and see first-hand how students, staff and faculty keep our pets, farm animals and wildlife healthy.'
AVC's annual Open House is one of the largest, most successful Open Houses in Atlantic Canada and is part of Homecoming Weekend activities at the University of Prince Edward Island. Everyone is welcome!
UPEI’s School of Business and Centre for Life-Long Learning celebrate move into new building on September 19
The official opening ceremony includes a speech by the Honourable Robert J.W. Ghiz, Premier of Prince Edward Island, and a ribbon-cutting.
Other activities will include tours of the 50,000 square-foot building, which is featured on the cover of the August issue of Canadian Architect, and an all-day showcase of programs at the School of Business and the Centre of Life-Long Learning.
The facility houses high-end classrooms and research facilities equipped with modern technologies, a large lecture theatre and the Schurman Market Square, which serves as a venue as a comfortable meeting place for students and faculty, and for gala events.
The first students to use the new facility began their classes on Wednesday, September 3.
The School of Business offers a variety of degree and professional programs aimed at university students and also at business professionals who want to continue their formal education, including a Master of Business Administration that accepted its first class of students this fall.
The Centre for Life-Long Learning focuses on adult education activities, including professional development certificate programs and short courses, short courses for small businesses, specialization in conflict resolution training, summer institutes and language programs, online continuing education courses, and customized training for businesses.
For more information, please contact Tammie Rose at the School of Business at (902) 566-0564.
Public presentation on Institute of Population and Public Health at UPEI September 17
Edwards will speak during a luncheon at the AVC Faculty Lounge, beginning at 12:30 p.m. Her lecture will be of interest primarily to health researchers in the area of population and public health.
The CIHR, or Canadian Institutes of Health Research, is Canada's major federal funding agency for health research, and is comprised of a number of institutes, one of which is the IPPH. The IPPH supports research into the complex interactions (biological, social, cultural, environmental) which determine the health of individuals, communities, and global populations; and into the application of that knowledge to improve the health of both populations and individuals.
In association with Edwards' visit, the seminar will also feature presentations by students Megan MacLellan, Family and Nutritional Sciences, and Angela Bryan, Nursing, both of whom received 2008 CIHR Health Professional Summer Research Awards.
There is no charge for this event, and refreshments will be provided. People are encouraged to contact the PEI Health Research Institute to register for this event. For more information and to register, please contact Susan Hornby, PEI Health Research Institute, at (902) 894-2812 or peihri@upei.ca.
Fantasy writer Guy Gavriel Kay gives reading September 25
When Kay was still a student at the University of Manitoba, he was asked by Christopher Tolkien, son of J.R.R. Tolkien, to help edit his father’s unpublished work. Kay co-edited The Silmarillion. After law school at the University of Toronto, Kay became principal writer and associate producer of the highly successful CBC Radio series, The Scales of Justice, while pursuing his long-time interest in fiction writing and the fantasy genre.
Kay’s debut novel was The Summer Tree, the first volume of The Fionavar Tapestry, a trilogy drawing on the Arthurian legends and other mythologies, and which has become one of the most celebrated and enduring works of fantasy in the English language.
His novels rely both on exceptional imagination and superb historical and mythological research, and often include recognizable settings: Tigana’s resembles a medieval Italian city-state, this one oppressed by sorcerers. The Lions of Al-Rassan takes place in a country reminiscent of Spain near the end of Moorish-Islamic rule, and its main characters are devotees of religions comparable to Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. The Last Light of the Sun draws on Viking history, while The Sarantine Mosaic reflects the Byzantine Empire and Constantinople.
Kay’s latest novel is Ysabel, set in modern Provence, with a teenage boy who encounters characters from the distant past. Kay has also published a poetry book, Beyond This Dark House.
For further information, contact the Department of English at 566-0389.
UPEI celebrates second annual Homecoming Weekend September 25 to 28
“We were very pleased with the outcome of the inaugural Homecoming held last year, and this year we are aiming for even greater success,” says Kevin Murphy (BBA ’79), honorary chair of Homecoming Weekend. “Homecoming offers a wonderful opportunity to build on the sense of community UPEI alumni, faculty and staff, and retirees have, and ensures a continuing connection with the broader PEI community. It’s a weekend that truly offers something for everyone, and we encourage the community to participate.”
Kicking off Thursday’s festivities are the Distinguished Alumni Luncheon, the Alumni Association’s Annual General Meeting and the UPEI Sport Hall of Fame dinner. Inducted into the UPEI Sports Hall of Fame will be Dr. William “Bill” Stanish (PWC 1961–63), Richard “Dick” Tingley (SDU 1960–64), and the 1985–86 UPEI men’s AUAA Championship basketball team. Janet Rogers, long-time physiotherapist for Panther sports teams, will be recognized as a UPEI Builder.
Friday’s events include a “Buy PEI” kick-off barbecue, with all proceeds going to the Athletics Department’s Passion for Life Award in memory of former Panther athlete René Ayangma. Dedication of three new plazas in the newly refurbished Main Quadrangle will honour the first three presidents of UPEI: Dr. Ronald J. Baker, Dr. P.M. Meincke and the late Dr. C.W.J. Eliot. This is followed by the ninth annual Founders’ Day ceremony on the front steps of Main Building. Campus comes alive with sports action later that evening with a turf-side hospitality tent for the soccer double-header against Memorial on the new turf field, and men's hockey Panthers vs. Moncton at the MacLauchlan Arena.
Starting at 8 p.m. that evening is a Recent Graduates Reunion for classes ’98 to ’07, and a Student Union Alumni Reunion, both to be held at The Wave with entertainment from one of Halifax’s top cover bands, Merimac.
Saturday features a 5K Fun Run and Children's Tot Trot, Parkdale-Sherwood Lions Club pancake breakfast, Residence Dodge Ball, and Open House at the Atlantic Veterinary College. The AVC Open House is free of charge, and is one of the largest, most successful open houses in Atlantic Canada with over 2,200 people coming through the doors last year. Come and see what the students and staff of the AVC are doing to keep our pets, livestock and wildlife healthy and well. With a Teddy Bear Clinic and petting zoo, the event is fun for the whole family!
Panther action continues in the afternoon with the women's Rugby Panthers taking on St. Mary's at 2 p.m. and a soccer double-header vs. Acadia getting under way at 5 p.m.
The weekend concludes with a Mass at 6 p.m. on Sunday, followed by a music reception at the UPEI Chaplaincy Centre.
An all-inclusive weekend pass is only $20, available by contacting the Homecoming Co-ordinator at dmmacdonald@upei.ca or (902) 566-0761. A full schedule can be found at upei.ca/homecoming.
