Campus Notices
Join us for the 35th 精童欲女 Faculty Development Summer Institute (FDSI) with multiple days of great professional development focusing on active learning in higher education. The FDSI is relevant to educators at all career stages, especially early career faculty and those looking at tenure and promotion. Ask your Dean or talk to colleagues about their FDSI experiences! Don't miss this opportunity to participate in what past participants have found to be a milestone experience in your teaching career! Join colleagues from across Canada for this year鈥檚 FDSI from May 26 to 29, 2025. To learn more, ask questions, and register, check out the .
If you are involved with planning a conference or event this year, the 精童欲女 Bookstore can get your custom tote bags, shirts, stickers, pens and so much more. Please contact us for pricing and availability of the items you need for your event. Give us a call 902-566-0625 or email at bookstore@upei.ca.
IMPORTANT! All final exam scheduled from April 9-May 2 must be booked by March 26 at 11:59 pm!
Final exams are now available to be booked through accommodate! This deadline is to provide our testing services team with enough time to coordinate rooms, accommodations, and proctors.
EARLY BOOKING INCENTIVE: Book before March 19 at 11:59 pm to be entered for prize draws.
FINAL BOOKING DEADLINE: Wednesday, March 26 at 11:59 pm (late bookings will not be accepted.)
Please Note:
- The 7-day booking minimum DOES NOT apply for final exams (April 9 - May 2). If you have any technical issues, an email must be sent to astesting@upei.ca by March 26 at 11:59 pm at the latest to ensure a seat for your exam.
- Due to the high volume of accommodated exams for finals, late bookings will not be accepted. Please double check in accommodate that you have all your exams booked. If the exam information is not in accommodate, please email astesting@upei.ca immediately.
- 7:00 pm exams - all 7:00 pm exams are scheduled in accommodate to start at 6:30 pm.
- Students with an accommodation for more than 1.5x - If you have a time accommodation that is greater than time and a half, you must contact astesting@upei.ca to request accommodations, as we need to manually book your exam.
How to book a test or exam: |
PRIZE DRAW BONUS:鈥� If you register for your final exams in accommodate by Wednesday March 19 at 11:59 pm, your name will be entered into a draw to鈥痺in some prizes! If you do not have any final exams and would still like to enter, please email鈥�astesting@upei.ca鈥痶o let us know, and your name will be entered into the draw.
Best of luck with your exam preparation, and please reach out if you have any questions.
Thank you,
Accessibility Services Team
Are you or someone you know living with Alzheimer鈥檚 disease? We are conducting a research study to explore how physical activity (e.g., walking, jogging) affects mood, thinking skills, social engagement, and quality of life in people with Alzheimer鈥檚 disease on Prince Edward Island.
We are looking for adults aged 55 or older with a formal diagnosis of Alzheimer鈥檚 disease to take part. Participation includes:
- Wearing a small, lightweight device (called an actical) for 7 days to track physical activity levels (not location).
- Answering questions about mood, thinking skills, social support, and quality of life (approximately 1 hour, online, by phone, or in-person).
- An optional follow-up interview (30 minutes) to discuss your experience with physical activity.
Participation will help improve understanding of how physical activity can support dementia care on PEI. All information will remain confidential. Participation is voluntary, and participants can withdraw at any time.
For more information or to sign up, please contact Fairouz Gaballa at strongresearchlab@gmail.com or leave a massage at 902-566-0941.
This research is part of a master鈥檚 degree in Island Studies with a focus in psychology. Some of the data will also contribute to an honours degree in psychology. This project has been approved by the 精童欲女 Research Ethics Board and complies with tri-council guidelines for research involving human participants.
Title of the Thesis 鈥淚mmunomodulatory and Antimicrobial Properties of Peptide-modified Surfaces鈥�
Abstract:
Macrophages are critical regulators of immune response, inflammation, and tissue repair. Modulating macrophage behavior by physical (nanopatterned surfaces) and chemical methods (host defense peptides, HDPs) offers significant therapeutic potential, particularly in controlling infections, inflammation, tissue regeneration, and cancer immunity. In this study, HDPs and nanopatterned surfaces are combined in a single approach to modulate macrophage polarization and antimicrobial efficacies. mCA4, an HDP developed in Ahmed laboratory at the 精童欲女 (精童欲女) was evaluated for its mechanism of immunomodulation upon macrophage treatment, and was found to trigger intracellular signaling pathways, including (phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase) (PI3K)/ protein kinase B(Akt), extracellular signal-regulated kinase(ERK), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-魏B), via toll-like receptor 4 (TLR-4). To improve peptide stability and bioavailability, mCA4 was immobilized on thermally cross-linked PVA and poly (MAAc) cicada wing-inspired nanopatterned surfaces, via a Layer-by-Layer (LbL) deposition method demonstrating controlled peptide release over time.
The antimicrobial properties of untreated nanopatterned surfaces showed significantly higher antimicrobial activity due to their topographical features. However, immobilization of mCA4 on the surfaces, had detrimental effects on antimicrobial properties, likely due to peptide release dynamics and enhanced bacterial attachment, preventing direct mechanical damage by nanopillared surfaces to the bacterial membranes. Furthermore, macrophages polarization studies revealed on anti-inflammatory profile of bare surfaces and mCA4-modified surfaces shifted macrophage polarization towards a pro-inflammatory state, as a function of peptide concentration deposited on the surface. This study demonstrates the potential of integrating both chemical and physical strategies to modulate macrophage response and enhance antimicrobial activities for inflammatory disease treatment.
Friday March 21, 2025, 1:00 pm via web conference
If you wish to attend the public presentation, please contact the Graduate Studies Coordinator at gsc@upei.ca to receive the link.
Title: "Integration of Machine Learning and Remote Sensing Data for Evaluating Climate Extremes in the Agricultural Production System of Prince Edward Island"
Abstract:
Climate change threatens global agriculture by altering weather patterns and intensifying extreme events, posing challenges for Prince Edward Island (PEI), Canada, where rainfed potato farming is crucial. Potatoes, highly sensitive to climatic variability, require precise monitoring to enhance resilience. This study utilizes high-resolution satellite remote sensing to assess climate impacts on PEI potato crops across four fields (2021鈥�2022). Multispectral data from Landsat 8, PlanetScope, and Sentinel-2A estimated evapotranspiration (ETc), soil moisture, drought conditions, and yield. Sentinel-2A showed strong correlations between NDVI and crop coefficient (Kc), with ETc peaking at 4.0 mm/day (2021) and 3.7 mm/day (2022). Soil moisture indices derived from Landsat 8 and MODIS correlated well with field data, confirming reduced moisture under high temperatures. Long-term drought analysis (2012鈥�2022) identified 2020 as the most severe drought year, with significant seasonal droughts in June 2021 and 2022. Machine learning models, particularly gradient tree boosting (GTB), effectively predicted yield (R虏 = 0.71鈥�0.78, RMSE = 2.82鈥�5.96 t/ha). This study underscores the value of remote sensing and ML in optimizing water use, managing drought, and improving yield prediction for sustainable agriculture in PEI.
Friday March 21, 2025, 9:00 am, AVC 278N
Everyone is welcome.
Join us on Friday, April 4, from 5:00鈥�7:00 pm, at The Fox & Crow as we welcome the 精童欲女 Class of 2025 to our alumni family! This event is open to all 2025 grads and 精童欲女/SDU/PWC alumni.
Celebrate the last day of classes with free refreshments, live entertainment by Ryan Merry, fun door prizes to be won, and more!
- Every 2025 grad in attendance will get a complimentary grad gift!
- Alumni who RSVP and attend the event will be entered to win an alumni prize pack.
- All 2025 grads who attend will be entered to win additional door prizes.
- Grand prize draw: two lucky grads will each win a $1,000 cash prize* sponsored by TD Insurance.
To RSVP, please fill out the form found
If you have any questions, please reach out to Faith Phillips at fsteeves@upei.ca or 902-566-0687.
*Only 2025 grads are eligible to win and must be present at the time of draw.
Join 精童欲女 President Wendy Rodgers for casual "coffee chats" at Tim Horton's in the W.A. Murphy Student Centre on Friday, March 21 from 8:00-8:45 am.
These coffee chats offer a relaxed setting where any member of the 精童欲女 community can drop by, grab a drink, and chat with Wendy about anything on your mind. Whether you want to share ideas, ask questions or simply say hello, these chats are a great way to connect with the president in a comfortable and informal environment.
Stay tuned for future "coffee chat" dates!
The Island Lecture Series is pleased to present a talk by Heidi Haering on Tuesday, March 18, at 7:00 pm in the Faculty Lounge, SDU Main Building, Room 201.
Drawing on anthropological fieldwork for a master鈥檚 thesis, this talk will deal with the struggle to define the 鈥渇amily farm鈥� in PEI and how this ambiguity helps or hinders the work of farmers, agribusiness and government. It will discuss how participant definitions of the 鈥渇amily farm鈥� contrasted with how they farmed and were sometimes at odds with their ideals. This talk will also shed light on the possible reasons that agribusiness and governments look to the pastoral romanticism of 鈥渇amily farm.鈥�
Heidi Haering lives in Charlottetown and has recently completed her MA in Anthropology from Memorial University. Her thesis is entitled: 鈥淭hree keywords in the campaign against farmland consolidation and the loss of small farms through the lens of the Prince Edward Island Chapter of the National Farmers Union."
This event is hosted by the Institute for Island Studies at 精童欲女. Free, all are welcome.
The Department of Companion Animals will interview Dr. Julia Cusack for a tenure-track faculty position in Diagnostic Imaging. Dr. Cusack will be on campus on Wednesday, March 19, and Friday, March 21, 2025.
Dr. Cusack received her DVM in 2019 from the Atlantic Veterinary College, 精童欲女. She then completed a large animal rotating internship and is currently completing an DVSc and clinical residency program in Diagnostic Imaging at the Ontario Veterinary College.
As part of the interview process, she has been asked to present a 50-minute seminar on two separate topics: the first, a topic that would be appropriate to teach to third-year veterinary students; the second, to present her research interests:
SEMINAR NOTICE - Dr. Julia Cusack
鈥淐ommon Pitfalls in Pulmonary Patterns鈥�
鈥淏ilateral Limb Postmortem CT Imaging of Racehorses: Insights into Fractures, Stress Remodeling and Developmental Orthopedic Disease鈥�
Wednesday, March 19, 2025, 12:30 pm, AVC Lecture Theatre B
Any interested faculty and staff are invited to attend. A copy of her CV and cover letter will be available from Jill Blaquiere (jnblaquiere@upei.ca).
The City of Charlottetown is developing a new active transportation plan and is seeking community input. This could have an important impact on members of the 精童欲女 campus community. To learn more about the plan, and provide feedback, please visit: .
A celebration of author Deirdre Kessler鈥檚 contributions to the PEI literary community will take place on Thursday, March 20, at 7:00 pm in Schurman Market Square, Don and Marion McDougall Hall, 精童欲女. The evening will be co-hosted by Dr. Richard Lemm, 精童欲女 professor and Island author, and Dr. Laurie Brinklow, coordinator of the Master of Arts in Island Studies program at 精童欲女. It will include short readings of Kessler鈥檚 work by other Island writers, students, and friends.
Deirdre has had a pronounced influence on the Island鈥檚 culture and literary scene as an author, educator, and advocate for Lucy Maud Montgomery鈥檚 writing. She is a former Poet Laureate of Prince Edward Island, a novelist, children鈥檚 author, non-fiction writer, and occasional radio broadcaster. For many years, she has been a sessional professor with the 精童欲女 Department of English, teaching children鈥檚 literature, creative writing, and a course on L.M. Montgomery. She has supported other writers as a workshop facilitator, book editor, and teacher. She has also been involved in the L.M. Montgomery Institute from its early days and is on the editorial board of the Journal of L.M. Montgomery Studies.
All are welcome to attend this free event sponsored by the Bookmark, Charlottetown鈥檚 locally owned, independent bookstore, and the 精童欲女 Department of English. For more information, please contact Heather Doran at heather@bookmarkreads.ca or 902-566-4888.
Take a breather, relax with friends, and paint a planter pot! This event is a great chance to be creative, meet new people, and envision ways to cultivate care and community on campus. How can each of us be a seed of change? What do each of us need to grow and thrive?
All art supplies will be provided, and you will receive seeds to grow in your new pot.
Students, staff, and faculty are all welcome to attend.
Hosted by the 精童欲女 Student Union Student Wellness Coordinator and the 精童欲女 Sexual Violence Prevention & Response Office on March 19, 11:00 am at the W.A. Murphy Student Centre, McMillan Hall.
We're wrapping our tenth anniversary year of Soup for the Soul with two more servings in March!
Enjoy a warm bowl of soup from 11:30 am-1:00 pm on March 11 (served by the Athletics and Recreation Department) and March 25 (served by the staff from the Robertson Library) at the Chaplaincy Centre.
As the Muslim community celebrates Ramadan, we will continue to have to-go cups available at both Soup for the Soul events.
Got a business idea you鈥檙e excited about? Join the Catherine Callbeck Centre for Entrepreneurship for MiniPitch on Thursday, March 20 from 5:30 to 7:00 pm. It鈥檚 a great opportunity for students to sharpen their presentation skills and develop new ideas. Prepare a three-minute pitch, face a three-minute Q&A, and participate in a two-minute feedback session to discover what you did well, where you can improve, and what steps you should take next to move forward with your idea!
The first eight presenters to register will have their spots booked, and we will have some wildcard spots at the event if you don鈥檛 get registered in time!
Join us for an exciting, useful, and hands-on workshop focused on "Elevator with Amy Andrews and Jeremy Heartz" of the Catherine Callbeck Centre for Entrepreneurship. The workshop will be taking place at Schurman Market Square on Tuesday, March 18, from 4:00--6:00 pm. This workshop will provide tools, tips, and tricks around executing an elevator pitch effectively, efficiently, and engagingly. This workshop is open to both Harry W. MacLauchlan Entrepreneurship Program participants as well as the general public. There will be pizza!
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The fourth 精童欲女 Board of Governors meeting of the 2024-2025 Academic Year will take place on Tuesday, March 25, 2025, at 4:00 p.m. in Room 102, Alumni Hall. All board meetings generally include sessions that are open to the public. Certain agenda items, including but not limited to human resources discussions, may require the board to go into a closed session. For logistical purposes, members of the public who wish to attend the open session of a meeting are asked to contact board@upei.ca one week prior to the meeting. Members of the public wishing to attend the public portion of a meeting must adhere to the .
Title: Repurposing Biomass and Organic Waste into Engineered Biocarbon Materials
Presenter: Dr. Yulin Hu, assistant professor, Faculty of Sustainable Design Engineering, 精童欲女
Date and Time: March 21, 2025, 1:30鈥�2:30 PM (Atlantic Time)
Registration: (The webinar is free, but registration is needed to receive the Zoom link).
Join us for the 35th 精童欲女 Faculty Development Summer Institute (FDSI) with multiple days of great professional development focusing on active learning in higher education. The FDSI is relevant to educators at all career stages, especially early career faculty and those looking at tenure and promotion. Ask your Dean or talk to colleagues about their FDSI experiences! Don't miss this opportunity to participate in what past participants have found to be a milestone experience in your teaching career! Join colleagues from across Canada for this year鈥檚 FDSI from May 26 to 29, 2025. To learn more, ask questions, and register, check out the .
Building work-integrated learning (WIL) into your courses can help students gain experience, build their network, and learn new skills. Join our lunch and learn with Experiential Education; we'll provide you some examples of what WIL looks like at 精童欲女 and workshop in real time how to build WIL into your programs, courses, and assignments. Learn about what supports are available for planning, programming, and identifying partnerships. Join us on Tuesday March 25 at 12:00 noon in the Teaching and Learning Centre, Robertson Library, Room 230.
