Join us for an insightful and engaging panel discussion on March 31, 11:30 am in McMillan Hall, W.A. Murphy Student Centre, featuring two distinguished physicians: Dr. Preston Smith, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, and Dr. Peter MacPherson. They will share their expertise, experiences, and perspectives on the medical field.

This event is open to all community members and students interested in healthcare and medicine. It’s a great opportunity to learn, ask questions, and connect with professionals and peers alike.

Dr. Preston Smith has dedicated his career to advancing medical education. With 25 years as a family physician in Moncton and serving as VP of Medicine in New Brunswick, he gained significant expertise in health system reform. As Senior Associate Dean of Education at Dalhousie University, he played a key role in launching the Dalhousie medical education program in Saint John and starting new family medicine residency programs in PEI, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia. Most recently, as Dean of the College of Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan, he led a major restructuring of the college. Dr. Smith is eager to contribute to the development of a unique medical education program in Prince Edward Island in partnership with Memorial University. His passion for the evolution of medical education and research drives his interest in corporate governance. He has served on the boards of AFMC, VIDO, and the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame.

Dr. Peter MacPherson is Memorial University's Associate Dean for the PEI regional campus. He obtained his medical degree at the University of Alberta. He completed his pediatrics residency and a Master of Education degree at Memorial University. After residency, he worked as a clinician educator at Queen’s University and held several educational leadership roles related to undergraduate medical education there. He is also a consultant general pediatrician at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Charlottetown. 

The President's Town Hall originally scheduled for Thursday, March 26 has been postponed. Once a date is determined for the next Town Hall later this spring, a campus-wide email will be issued. We apologize for any inconvenience.

Join us for a symposium on the topic of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the environment. The symposium is organized by Environmental Studies students on March 25 from 6:00-8:00 pm in the Alex MacKinnon Auditorium (Room 242), Don and Marion McDougall Hall . All are welcome.

Three informative speakers will provide distinct views on the interactions between AI and the environment. The event is designed to encourage balanced, thoughtful dialogue that examines both the potential benefits of AI and its environmental impacts, rather than presenting the technology as entirely positive or negative. Following the presentations, there will be a question-and-answer period open to the audience.

Dr. Dania Tamayo-Vera is an assistant professor in Mathematical and Computational Sciences at UPEI. She will discuss how AI can help address complex environmental challenges and support sustainable development. Particularly, the use of machine learning to improve crop modelling and optimize agricultural strategies in the context of climate change.

Dr. Pamela Courtenay-Hall is an associate professor in Philosophy at UPEI. She will examine the social and ethical dimensions of AI development. Considering environmental justice and how funding directed toward AI technologies can result in unevenly distributed benefits and environmental costs.

Dr. Tushar Sharma is an assistant professor in Computer Science at Dalhousie. He will discuss the environmental costs of AI, such as water and energy consumption. He will then discuss how AI technology can be made more efficient, drawing on his research in sustainable AI and software engineering.

Members of the campus community and the general public are invited to attend a free public forum on music education on Saturday, March 28, from 1:00 to 4:15 pm, at the UPEI Performing Arts Centre.

The forum is being held to present the findings of Access to Music Education (AMusE), a multidisciplinary research project led by Dr. Annabel Cohen, professor of psychology at UPEI, with co-lead Dr. Linyuan Guo-Brennan, professor of education. There will be presentations from parents; teachers; UPEI faculty members and current or former students from Education, Business, Economics, Psychology, Music, and Mathematics; and other stakeholder representatives. Audience members will have the opportunity to provide feedback. There will also be musical performances.

The goal of the AMusE project, which began in 2021, was to determine whether the Canadian school system meets the need for musical education, to identify possible inequities and barriers, and to consider ways to reduce them. The investigators also sought to understand the musical experience of educational stakeholders.

Attendance at the event is free, but people are asked to register. To register and for further information, please go to https://musicog.discoveryspace.ca/amuse. 

Stop by the UPEI Bookstore Tuesday to Thursday--this week only--from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm, and spin our prize wheel for your chance to win discount coupons, free items, and prize giveaways. Make sure you follow us on Facebook and Instagram for all the latest contests and promotions. 

Award-winning Canadian poet Lorna Crozier will give a public performance of her poetry on Thursday, March 26, at 7:00 pm, in Schurman Market Square, Don and Marion McDougall Hall, UPEI. NOTE: This event has been rescheduled from March 19.

An Officer of the Order of Canada and Professor Emeritus of Creative Writing at the University of Victoria, Crozier is cherished for her poems about the natural environment, women’s lives, human relationships, and the interplay among nature, human history and myth, and spiritual elements infusing existence and experience. Her poetry is also celebrated for her delightfully subversive wit, for example, “The Sex Life of Vegetables,” and her deep commitment to social justice.

Crozier’s reading is sponsored by the UPEI Faculty of Arts and Department of English. Admission is free.

MSc in Environmental Sciences thesis defence by Jiayue (Lucy) Li

March 27, 2026, 1:00 pm, via web conference

Title: "Mental Health Impacts of Coastal Erosion Following Hurricane Fiona in Prince Edward Island"

Climate change has intensified coastal erosion and extreme weather, increasing psychosocial vulnerability in coastal communities. Hurricane Fiona (2022) caused significant damage and disruption in Prince Edward Island (PEI), yet its mental health impacts related to coastal erosion remain underexplored. This study examines the psychosocial effects of coastal erosion following Fiona across demographic groups. A mixed-methods approach was used, including a cross-sectional survey (n = 105) and semi-structured interviews (n = 9). Quantitative analyses (Chi-square and Fisher’s exact tests) assessed associations between demographic factors and mental health outcomes, while qualitative data provided contextual insights. Psychological distress was widespread, including among those without direct physical impacts. Differences emerged across age, income, and gender, indicating varied vulnerability patterns. Key stressors included prolonged outages, infrastructure disruption, anticipated land loss, and institutional response gaps, while community cohesion acted as a protective factor. Findings highlight that mental health impacts extend beyond direct exposure and are shaped by perceived risk and environmental uncertainty. Adaptation strategies should integrate both physical and psychosocial dimensions to strengthen community resilience.

If you wish to attend the public presentation, please contact the Graduate Studies Coordinator at gsc@upei.ca to receive the link.

Curious about how to access administrative health data for your research? Join us for a Lunch & Learn hosted by the Secure Island Data Repository (SIDR). This session will provide an overview of the types of data available through SIDR, the process for requesting access for research projects, and how researchers can access data for multi-regional studies through Health Data Research Network Canada (HDRN Canada). While faculty, students, and research staff are likely to find this session especially relevant, anyone interested in learning more about these data resources and how they can support research and policy work is welcome to attend. Come learn how this exciting new platform can support your work and ask questions about getting started.

When: March 30, 2026. 12:00 noon. Pizza will be served at noon!

Where: AVC, Room 286A

Please register with this link: SIDR Lunch & Learn Registration – Fill out form

With the semester coming to a close, this session is particularly valuable to both students still searching for their summer employment as well as those graduating and looking for that perfect next-step! Sign up today. The session will take place on March 26 at 12:00 pm, in Schurman Market Square, Don and Marion McDougall Hall.

Permjot Valia (he/him) is co-founder at Nava Develop Inc., a business development firm serving innovation focused corporates, startup organizations and academic institutions. A globally recognized mentor, facilitator and business coach, he has led strategic planning successes for organizations throughout Canada’s innovation ecosystem. He founded MentorCamp and was Lead Mentor of Cape Breton’s Navigate Startup House. He served as a Mentor-in-Residence at the University of Arkansas Sam Walton School of Business and has helped multiple researchers commercialise their research. This work continues through the 3 day Lab2Market program he delivers across Canada to researchers.

He is an expert pitch coach with companies he has coached winning over $10m in prize money.

Permjot serves on Boards of several startups, works with Dal Innovates, and lectures globally on business modelling, strategy and leadership. He is passionate about contributing to Canada’s economic development and cultural success. 

Permjot holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from University of Leeds and an MBA from Open University (UK). He is an MIT-trained mentor program manager. 

Every day, members of our community go above and beyond in ways that make our workplace stronger, kinder, and more connected. The Recognizing Remarkable Colleagues program is one way we celebrate those moments—and we invite you to be part of it.

Have you noticed a colleague who:

• Took time to support you or your team
• Went the extra mile to make someone’s day better
• Demonstrated our shared values through their actions

We want to hear about it.

What’s new?
As part of our continued efforts to grow and improve this program, we’ve introduced a new submission form. The colleague being recognized will automatically receive an email notification letting them know they’ve been recognized —and to watch for the next issue. A big thanks to Moshiur in ITSS for helping us set up this new work flow!

For more details on the program—including links to past issues and information about the new submission form—please click here. The deadline for our next issue is Friday, March 27, 2026.

Let’s keep the gratitude and recognition going by taking a moment to celebrate the remarkable people we work with every day.

Thank you for helping to build a culture of appreciation and connection.

The Office of Continuing Education and Professional Development (OCEPD) at UPEI is pleased to announce our Spring and Summer 2026 Certificate programming. Whether you are strengthening leadership capacity, improving workplace culture, enhancing technical skills, or sharpening communication strategy, we have a program designed for measurable impact.

Explore full program details at: https://www.upei.ca/professional-development

The following programs are available with start dates this spring:

• Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety
• Certificate in Introductory Data Analytics – Bridging Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis
• Certificate in Workplace Mental Health and Well-Being
• Certificate in Conflict Resolution
• Certificate in Professional Communications
• Certificate in Marketing and Branding
• Certificate in Motivational Interviewing
• Microcredential in Applied Artificial Intelligence for the Workplace

UPEI Staff are eligible for all of these programs for a rate of $995. Please contact pdp@upei.ca for more details.

For program selection guidance or group registrations, contact us at rdbyrne@upei.ca.

We look forward to supporting your professional growth this Spring and Summer 2026!

The Catherine Callbeck Centre for Entrepreneurship is hosting an in-person workshop on pitching fundamentals on Friday, March 27, from 12:00-3:00 pm with world-renowned pitch coach Permjot Valia! Participants will learn tools, tips, and tricks around executing a business pitch effectively, efficiently, and engagingly! This event is part of the Harry W. MacLauchlan Entrepreneurship Program, but anyone from the public is welcome to attend!

The session will take place in the Schurman Market Square (MCDH 248), Don and Marion McDougall Hall. Sign up today!

More about the Facilitator, Permjot Valia:Permjot Valia (he/him) is co-founder at Nava Develop Inc., a business development firm serving innovation focused corporates, startup organizations and academic institutions. A globally recognized mentor, facilitator and business coach, he has led strategic planning successes for organizations throughout Canada’s innovation ecosystem. He founded MentorCamp and was Lead Mentor of Cape Breton’s Navigate Startup House. He served as a Mentor-in-Residence at the University of Arkansas Sam Walton School of Business and has helped multiple researchers commercialise their research. This work continues through the 3 day Lab2Market program he delivers across Canada to researchers.

He is an expert pitch coach with companies he has coached winning over $10m in prize money.

Permjot serves on Boards of several startups, works with Dal Innovates, and lectures globally on business modelling, strategy and leadership. He is passionate about contributing to Canada’s economic development and cultural success. 

Permjot holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from University of Leeds and an MBA from Open University (UK). He is an MIT-trained mentor program manager.

Join the Catherine Callbeck Centre for Entrepreneurship for an engaging session on risk mitigation delivered by Permjot Valia! This in-person workshop will provide insight on what types of risk exist, how startups and organizations can categorize and prioritize risks, how risks can be perceived as opportunities, and what tools can be used to demonstrate risk to external stakeholders. This event is part of the Harry W. MacLauchlan Entrepreneurship Program, but anyone from the public is welcome to attend!

The workshop is taking place in 128A-B Faculty of Sustainable Design Engineering on Thursday, March 26 from 5:00-7:00 pm. Sign up today!

More about the Facilitator:  Permjot Valia:Permjot Valia (he/him) is co-founder at Nava Develop Inc., a business development firm serving innovation focused corporates, startup organizations and academic institutions. A globally recognized mentor, facilitator and business coach, he has led strategic planning successes for organizations throughout Canada’s innovation ecosystem. He founded MentorCamp and was Lead Mentor of Cape Breton’s Navigate Startup House. He served as a Mentor-in-Residence at the University of Arkansas Sam Walton School of Business and has helped multiple researchers commercialize their research. This work continues through the 3 day Lab2Market program he delivers across Canada to researchers.

He is an expert pitch coach with companies he has coached winning over $10m in prize money.

Permjot serves on Boards of several startups, works with Dal Innovates, and lectures globally on business modelling, strategy and leadership. He is passionate about contributing to Canada’s economic development and cultural success. 

Permjot holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from University of Leeds and an MBA from Open University (UK). He is an MIT-trained mentor program manager.

The third UPEI Board of Governors meeting of the 2025-2026 academic year will take place on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, 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 UPEI Board of Governors' Meeting Observer Guidelines.

The seventh meeting of the UPEI Senate will take place on Friday, March 27, 2026, from 3:00 to 5:00 pm in Room 102 at Alumni Hall (618 University Avenue). To view the 2025-2026 calendar of Senate meetings or documents for the upcoming meeting, click here. (Posted one week before the meeting)

All meetings are open to members of the University community, although certain in-camera items (e.g., granting of degrees) may require the Senate to go into a closed session. Only members of Senate are permitted to address the Senate unless otherwise recognized by the chair. 

For logistical purposes, members of the UPEI community who wish to attend the open session of a UPEI Senate meeting are asked to contact senate@upei.ca one week prior to the meeting. While Senate is an in-person meeting, members of the University community may request a virtual connection when they are unable to attend in person. 

The President's Town Hall originally scheduled for Thursday, March 26 has been postponed. Once a date is determined for the next Town Hall later this spring, a campus-wide email will be issued. We apologize for any inconvenience.

Join us for a symposium on the topic of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the environment. The symposium is organized by Environmental Studies students on March 25 from 6:00-8:00 pm in the Alex MacKinnon Auditorium (Room 242), Don and Marion McDougall Hall . All are welcome.

Three informative speakers will provide distinct views on the interactions between AI and the environment. The event is designed to encourage balanced, thoughtful dialogue that examines both the potential benefits of AI and its environmental impacts, rather than presenting the technology as entirely positive or negative. Following the presentations, there will be a question-and-answer period open to the audience.

Dr. Dania Tamayo-Vera is an assistant professor in Mathematical and Computational Sciences at UPEI. She will discuss how AI can help address complex environmental challenges and support sustainable development. Particularly, the use of machine learning to improve crop modelling and optimize agricultural strategies in the context of climate change.

Dr. Pamela Courtenay-Hall is an associate professor in Philosophy at UPEI. She will examine the social and ethical dimensions of AI development. Considering environmental justice and how funding directed toward AI technologies can result in unevenly distributed benefits and environmental costs.

Dr. Tushar Sharma is an assistant professor in Computer Science at Dalhousie. He will discuss the environmental costs of AI, such as water and energy consumption. He will then discuss how AI technology can be made more efficient, drawing on his research in sustainable AI and software engineering.

Stop by the UPEI Bookstore Tuesday to Thursday--this week only--from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm, and spin our prize wheel for your chance to win discount coupons, free items, and prize giveaways. Make sure you follow us on Facebook and Instagram for all the latest contests and promotions. 

Award-winning Canadian poet Lorna Crozier will give a public performance of her poetry on Thursday, March 26, at 7:00 pm, in Schurman Market Square, Don and Marion McDougall Hall, UPEI. NOTE: This event has been rescheduled from March 19.

An Officer of the Order of Canada and Professor Emeritus of Creative Writing at the University of Victoria, Crozier is cherished for her poems about the natural environment, women’s lives, human relationships, and the interplay among nature, human history and myth, and spiritual elements infusing existence and experience. Her poetry is also celebrated for her delightfully subversive wit, for example, “The Sex Life of Vegetables,” and her deep commitment to social justice.

Crozier’s reading is sponsored by the UPEI Faculty of Arts and Department of English. Admission is free.

MSc in Environmental Sciences thesis defence by Jiayue (Lucy) Li

March 27, 2026, 1:00 pm, via web conference

Title: "Mental Health Impacts of Coastal Erosion Following Hurricane Fiona in Prince Edward Island"

Climate change has intensified coastal erosion and extreme weather, increasing psychosocial vulnerability in coastal communities. Hurricane Fiona (2022) caused significant damage and disruption in Prince Edward Island (PEI), yet its mental health impacts related to coastal erosion remain underexplored. This study examines the psychosocial effects of coastal erosion following Fiona across demographic groups. A mixed-methods approach was used, including a cross-sectional survey (n = 105) and semi-structured interviews (n = 9). Quantitative analyses (Chi-square and Fisher’s exact tests) assessed associations between demographic factors and mental health outcomes, while qualitative data provided contextual insights. Psychological distress was widespread, including among those without direct physical impacts. Differences emerged across age, income, and gender, indicating varied vulnerability patterns. Key stressors included prolonged outages, infrastructure disruption, anticipated land loss, and institutional response gaps, while community cohesion acted as a protective factor. Findings highlight that mental health impacts extend beyond direct exposure and are shaped by perceived risk and environmental uncertainty. Adaptation strategies should integrate both physical and psychosocial dimensions to strengthen community resilience.

If you wish to attend the public presentation, please contact the Graduate Studies Coordinator at gsc@upei.ca to receive the link.