Campus Notices
MSc in Environmental Sciences Thesis Defence by Muhammad Jahandad Khan
Title of the thesis:
“Design, Development, and Environmental Analysis of Template-Assisted Nano-Fertilizer on Potato Application”
Potatoes (Solanum tuberosum L.) are a critical food crop globally, particularly in regions like Atlantic Canada, where they play a key role in local agriculture and the national economy. However, the intensive cultivation of potatoes raises concerns regarding soil degradation, nutrient leaching, and inefficiencies in conventional fertilization practices. Traditional fertilizers often lead to nutrient loss due to leaching, runoff, and volatilization, causing negative environmental impacts such as water contamination and greenhouse gas emissions. In response, this study investigates the use of slow-release nano fertilizers, specifically hydroxyapatite-based (HA) hybrid formulations, to enhance nutrient-use efficiency and reduce environmental impacts in potato farming. The research includes two interconnected experiments. The first experiment evaluates the leaching behavior of slow-release nano fertilizers composed of HA and nano urea (NU) in sandy loam soil. The goal is to understand how different HAP-to-NU ratios (2:1, 4:1, and 8:1) influence nutrient retention and reduce leaching, with a focus on nitrogen, phosphorus, and calcium. The results demonstrate that higher HA ratios and longer calcination times lead to reduced nutrient leaching, offering a more controlled release of nutrients and better nutrient retention in soil. The second experiment investigates the effects of these slow-release nano fertilizers on potato growth, yield, and N₂O emissions in a greenhouse setting. Five fertilizer treatments, including a control, conventional fertilizer, and three ratios of HA to NU (1:1, 1:4, 1:8), were applied to assess their impact on plant growth parameters and environmental effects. The results show significant improvements in plant height, tuber weight, and N₂O emissions, with the 1:4 ratio proving to be the most effective in promoting growth while minimizing emissions. Overall, this research suggests that HA-based slow-release nano fertilizers have the potential to enhance nutrient-use efficiency and reduce fertilizer-related environmental impacts in potato cultivation, providing a sustainable alternative to conventional fertilization methods.
Date/Time/Location: December 9, 2025, 9:00 am via web conferencing
If you wish to attend the public presentation, please contact the Graduate Studies Coordinator at gsc@upei.ca to receive the link.
MSc in Mathematical and Computational Sciences Thesis Defence--Aadesh Nunkoo
Title of the thesis:
“Optimal Two-Phase Sampling Within Coarsened Strata: A General Framework”
Two-phase designs are cost-effective sampling strategies in epidemiological research when complete data collection is infeasible. While optimal designs are well-studied for naturally discrete phase-I data, deriving optimal phase-II sampling probabilities for strata formed by coarsening mechanisms lacks systematic treatment. This thesis develops a general framework for deriving optimal phase-II sampling probabilities within coarsened strata under inverse probability weighting, extending existing optimal design theory to accommodate any coarsening mechanism. A key result is that deterministic coarsening avoids additional modeling assumptions beyond those required in discrete settings. We implement practical two-stage adaptive schemes that estimate required components without a pilot study. Simulation studies with 6- and 12-strata designs show that the optimal and adaptive designs outperform traditional proportional and balanced sampling. These designs also possess minimax properties across IPW, CML, and CEML and remain robust under model misspecification. An application to NHANES survey data demonstrates strong efficiency gains achieved by our proposed designs. This work provides implementable, efficient strategies for two-phase studies under coarsened phase-I data.
Date/Time/Location: December 8, 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.
EVERYONE IS WELCOME.
The annual call for applications for the Canada Summer Jobs (CSJ) program is open.
Canada Summer Jobs (CSJ) is a program under the Youth Employment and Skills Strategy that aims to provide flexible and holistic services to help all young Canadians develop the skills and gain paid work experience to successfully transition into the labour market.
Applicants are able to seek funding to hire youth (people aged 15-30 years) between April 20, 2026, and August 29, 2026. Work placements must be full-time (30-40 hours per week) quality jobs with a minimum duration of six weeks and a maximum of 16 weeks.
Approved employers will be eligible to receive a wage subsidy reimbursement of up to 50 per cent of the provincial or territorial minimum hourly wage of $16.50/hour.
For additional information and application information for this program, please click here.
To apply for this program, you will need to contact Human Resources:
Gabe Blunte at staffing@upei.ca or (902) 620-5431
The closing date for applications is December 10, 2025.
The University of Prince Edward Island takes the safety and security of its students, faculty, staff, and the entire campus community very seriously.
The decision to "close*" UPEI due to weather is not made lightly. However, in weather situations where the potential risk to UPEI’s students and employees as well as property, is high, the University may close, meaning that classes and exams are cancelled, and services are reduced.
To receive push notifications or texts to your device, download the UPEI SAFE app!
Read here for more information about how we communicate about storm/weather-related closures and things you should keep in mind about parking on campus when UPEI is closed.
Believe in the potential of your idea? As an aspiring entrepreneur, you might wonder if your concept holds promise in the entrepreneurial landscape. Enter Collide Validate – where you’ll gain the skills necessary to test your idea directly with your customers, shaping the destiny of your entrepreneurial vision.
This 7-week program includes:
- One pre-training session – Understand program expectations and master customer interview techniques.
- Six core sessions – Explore the nine key building blocks of the Business Model Canvas through expert-led workshops.
- 1-on-1 personalized coaching – Get tailored guidance to refine your approach.
Collide Validate helps you navigate through the nine critical building blocks of the business model canvas. With a keen emphasis on Customer Segments and Value Propositions (desirability), you will emerge equipped to discern whether to pause, pivot, or propel your venture forward, decoding if company creation stands as your next entrepreneurial evolution.
Apply by December 10!
The UPEI Writing Centre (Robertson Library 274) is now closed for the exam period and the holiday season. We will re-open in January after classes have started; no appointments (in-person or online) will be available until then. The date will be announced on the Writing Centre door, on our Instagram page (upeiwritingcentre), and on Campus Notices. There will also be an announcement on our booking system: https://upei.mywconline.com/
The Master of Arts in Island Studies program invites you to attend the thesis defence for Bailey Clark's research entitled “If we had not that gentleman’s authority”: Domestic politicians, foreign promoters, and the narrow-gauge railway on Prince Edward Island, 1871." Supervisors are Drs. Josh MacFadyen and Ed MacDonald. Everyone is welcome!
Tuesday, December 9, 2025, 2-4 pm
Memorial Hall, Room 104
The deadline for the employee and spouse/dependent tuition waiver forms for the Winter 2026 semester is January 9, 2026. We encourage you to have your tuition waivers submitted as soon as possible to assist in timely processing. Tuition waiver forms must be submitted electronically.
The online tuition waiver fillable forms can be found on the HR Portal of the myUPEI site, under Training and Development.
Please note that the employee or spouse/dependent must be registered in the course prior to applying for the tuition waiver.
If you have any questions, please contact Human Resources at (902) 566-0514 or hrgeneral@upei.ca.
UPEI Choral Concert - December 5, 7:30 pm, SDU Stage, Steel Recital Hall
This choral spectacular will include heartwarming choral works, selections from Handel’s Messiah, and other seasonal gems, performed by the UPEI Concert Choir, UPEI Chamber Singers, soloists from the voice studios, alumni, and Le Ragazze Vocal Ensemble.
Tickets are available in advance at upei.universitytickets.com or by cash at the door.
The Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts, invites all to attend Tessa O'Donnell’s public dissertation defense presentation of her PsyD research titled:
"Exploring Factors Related to Maladaptation After Exiting USport"
Date and Time: December 8 at 10:00 am
Location: Memorial Hall, Room 104
We are excited to invite UPEI alumni and friends back to Mill River Resort for the third annual outdoor winter family fun day on Saturday, January 24, 2026.
Our friends at Mill River Resort are offering UPEI Alumni a 20% discount on individual and family outdoor activity day passes and equipment rentals. Your pass enables you to enjoy all the outdoor activities at Mill River and includes tube, snowshoe, and cross-country ski rentals. Guests must bring their own skates. Discounted passes can be purchased from the Pro Shop beginning at 9:00 am or when you arrive at the resort.
Join us for an end-of-day campfire with complimentary s'mores, hot chocolate and an alumni gift beginning at 3:00 pm.
If you would like to make it a weekend getaway, Mill River is offering standard rooms (two queen beds) for just $195+ tax. This is $74 off regular rates, available for the nights of January 23 and 24 only. To take advantage of this special rate, please call Mill River Resort directly at 1-844-375-3555 and mention that you are part of the UPEI alumni group. This rate is based on room availability. Please book your room by Sunday, December 14, 2025.
Please use this form to let us know that you're coming - so we can order an appropriate amount of hot chocolate and s'mores and to keep you informed if anything changes.
MSc in Environmental Sciences Thesis Defence by Muhammad Jahandad Khan
Title of the thesis:
“Design, Development, and Environmental Analysis of Template-Assisted Nano-Fertilizer on Potato Application”
Potatoes (Solanum tuberosum L.) are a critical food crop globally, particularly in regions like Atlantic Canada, where they play a key role in local agriculture and the national economy. However, the intensive cultivation of potatoes raises concerns regarding soil degradation, nutrient leaching, and inefficiencies in conventional fertilization practices. Traditional fertilizers often lead to nutrient loss due to leaching, runoff, and volatilization, causing negative environmental impacts such as water contamination and greenhouse gas emissions. In response, this study investigates the use of slow-release nano fertilizers, specifically hydroxyapatite-based (HA) hybrid formulations, to enhance nutrient-use efficiency and reduce environmental impacts in potato farming. The research includes two interconnected experiments. The first experiment evaluates the leaching behavior of slow-release nano fertilizers composed of HA and nano urea (NU) in sandy loam soil. The goal is to understand how different HAP-to-NU ratios (2:1, 4:1, and 8:1) influence nutrient retention and reduce leaching, with a focus on nitrogen, phosphorus, and calcium. The results demonstrate that higher HA ratios and longer calcination times lead to reduced nutrient leaching, offering a more controlled release of nutrients and better nutrient retention in soil. The second experiment investigates the effects of these slow-release nano fertilizers on potato growth, yield, and N₂O emissions in a greenhouse setting. Five fertilizer treatments, including a control, conventional fertilizer, and three ratios of HA to NU (1:1, 1:4, 1:8), were applied to assess their impact on plant growth parameters and environmental effects. The results show significant improvements in plant height, tuber weight, and N₂O emissions, with the 1:4 ratio proving to be the most effective in promoting growth while minimizing emissions. Overall, this research suggests that HA-based slow-release nano fertilizers have the potential to enhance nutrient-use efficiency and reduce fertilizer-related environmental impacts in potato cultivation, providing a sustainable alternative to conventional fertilization methods.
Date/Time/Location: December 9, 2025, 9:00 am via web conferencing
If you wish to attend the public presentation, please contact the Graduate Studies Coordinator at gsc@upei.ca to receive the link.
MSc in Mathematical and Computational Sciences Thesis Defence--Aadesh Nunkoo
Title of the thesis:
“Optimal Two-Phase Sampling Within Coarsened Strata: A General Framework”
Two-phase designs are cost-effective sampling strategies in epidemiological research when complete data collection is infeasible. While optimal designs are well-studied for naturally discrete phase-I data, deriving optimal phase-II sampling probabilities for strata formed by coarsening mechanisms lacks systematic treatment. This thesis develops a general framework for deriving optimal phase-II sampling probabilities within coarsened strata under inverse probability weighting, extending existing optimal design theory to accommodate any coarsening mechanism. A key result is that deterministic coarsening avoids additional modeling assumptions beyond those required in discrete settings. We implement practical two-stage adaptive schemes that estimate required components without a pilot study. Simulation studies with 6- and 12-strata designs show that the optimal and adaptive designs outperform traditional proportional and balanced sampling. These designs also possess minimax properties across IPW, CML, and CEML and remain robust under model misspecification. An application to NHANES survey data demonstrates strong efficiency gains achieved by our proposed designs. This work provides implementable, efficient strategies for two-phase studies under coarsened phase-I data.
Date/Time/Location: December 8, 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.
EVERYONE IS WELCOME.
Dr. Wendy Rodgers, President and Vice-Chancellor invites you to attend the 2025 President's Holiday Social for faculty and staff.
Date: Wednesday, December 17
Time: 3:00 pm to 4:30 pm
Location: Lower Lobby and Concourse, Performing Arts Centre and Residence
Celebrate with your colleagues and enjoy complimentary appetizers and refreshments while listening to festive songs of the season.
DONATIONS TO THE UPEI CAMPUS FOOD BANK WILL BE MATCHED! You are encouraged to bring food and monetary donations for the UPEI Campus Food Bank—the Office of the President will match the value of your support up to $10,000! Tuna, black beans, pasta, pasta sauce, and $25 gift cards are popular items.
Looking forward to seeing you all at this special time of year!
December 6 is the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women, which marks the day in 1989 when 14 young women at École Polytechnique in Montreal (12 of whom were engineering students) were murdered in a violent act of misogyny that shook our country.
A candlelight vigil is being hosted in the Faculty of Sustainable Design Engineering building on Friday, December 5, at 10:00 am, at the Academic Staircase, to honour those who lost their lives in this tragedy. A commemorative display will also be set up near the entrance all day for those who wish to write messages of reflection and hope. Light refreshments and snacks will be provided following the ceremony. All are welcome.
As 2025 comes to a close, let’s take a moment to celebrate the people who make our workplace shine. Here’s to ending the year with gratitude and the joy that comes from seeing the good in those around us
How to submit:
Complete this short form: https://forms.office.com/r/766cg9JsT6
You’ll be asked to share:
- Who are you recognizing? (Name and department/faculty)
- Why are you recognizing them? (Briefly describe what they did or the impact they made)
- Your name
Please note, we now have a dedicated page for this program on the Human Resources SharePoint: Recognizing Remarkable Colleagues.
Not a current subscriber to Campus Connector? Click here for information on how to subscribe.
The deadline for our next issue is Tuesday, December 23, 2025. Please contact Human Resources at hrengage@upei.ca should you have any questions.
Believe in the potential of your idea? As an aspiring entrepreneur, you might wonder if your concept holds promise in the entrepreneurial landscape. Enter Collide Validate – where you’ll gain the skills necessary to test your idea directly with your customers, shaping the destiny of your entrepreneurial vision.
This 7-week program includes:
- One pre-training session – Understand program expectations and master customer interview techniques.
- Six core sessions – Explore the nine key building blocks of the Business Model Canvas through expert-led workshops.
- 1-on-1 personalized coaching – Get tailored guidance to refine your approach.
Collide Validate helps you navigate through the nine critical building blocks of the business model canvas. With a keen emphasis on Customer Segments and Value Propositions (desirability), you will emerge equipped to discern whether to pause, pivot, or propel your venture forward, decoding if company creation stands as your next entrepreneurial evolution.
Apply by December 10!
Faculty and Staff Festivus Dinner
Celebrate the season with Dana Hospitality at the Faculty and Staff Festivus Dinner in Wanda Wyatt Dining Hall on Friday, December 19, 2025.
Seating options:
- 11:30 am
- 12:45 pm
Menu highlights:
- Turkey carvery
- Honey ham carvery
- Field Roast Tofurkey
- Whipped PEI potatoes
- Savory stuffing
- Meatballs with gravy
- Lazy man cabbage rolls
- Gravy with dumplings
- House made cranberry
- Pumpkin seed slaw
- Garden salad
- Uncle Terry’s rigatoni
- Seasonal punch
- Sweets table
Cost: $18.75 per person plus HST
Reservations are required.
RSVP by emailing kevin.nagy@dexterra.com with your name, number of attendees, and preferred seating time (11:30 am or 12:45 pm).
We look forward to welcoming you and celebrating the season together as a campus community!
This panel event on allyship will explore what meaningful, sustained support can look like within the UPEI community. Featuring Dr. Wendy Rodgers, Dr. Jane Ngobia, and Sister Sue Kidd, alongside student organizers Grace McQuaid, Brennan McDuffee, and Chloe Dobrinsky, the discussion will consider how to move beyond symbolic gestures toward practices that genuinely and consistently support equity-deserving communities. Panellists will reflect on how allyship can shift across different contexts, how leaders can balance power and responsibility without reinforcing harmful dynamics, and how their own personal commitments to equity can translate into institutional change. This event is part of the DSJS In Practice Directed Study and is open to all members of the campus community interested in deepening their understanding of allyship.
Coffee and tea provided.
UPEI Choral Concert - December 5, 7:30 pm, SDU Stage, Steel Recital Hall
This choral spectacular will include heartwarming choral works, selections from Handel’s Messiah, and other seasonal gems, performed by the UPEI Concert Choir, UPEI Chamber Singers, soloists from the voice studios, alumni, and Le Ragazze Vocal Ensemble.
Tickets are available in advance at upei.universitytickets.com or by cash at the door.
