Jessica Hawkins, Department of Biomedical Sciences will present a seminar called "Modulation of alpha-7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor function in organotypic hippocampal slice cultures" on Tuesday, April 15 at 3:30 pm in AVC Lecture Theatre C. Everyone is welcome.

As part of our ongoing tree pruning, maintenance and inspection program, we have detected Dutch Elm disease in two elm trees on campus, one of these elm trees are located in the Main Quad on the south side of Steel Building and the other is on the east side of Dalton Hall. Unfortunately, these trees have to be removed and properly disposed of immediately to help avoid the spread of this disease to other elm trees. This removal was scheduled to take place on Saturday, and Sunday, April 5-6. Unfortunately the Aborist was not able to complete the work on those dates, therefore the removal will take place on Saturday and Sunday, April 26-27. Each tree removed will be replaced in the spring of 2014 with Princeton Elm trees in their existing locations. Princeton Elms were developed by Princeton Nurseries in 1922 in Princeton NJ. That's about 10 years before DED was even noticed in other trees! It has proved it can withstand DED. Even if it gets DED it doesn't necessarily mean the tree will die from it. It has all of the same growth characteristics as American Elm. It is actually a variety of American Elm. While the contractors have been instructed that the work be executed with the least possible interference or disturbance to the campus community, a certain amount of disruption is inevitable. We thank you in advance for your patience and understanding. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Jackie MacPhail at 6034 or jmacphail@upei.ca

You're invited to submit stories, announcements, or departmental updates to UPEI's newsletter, the Campus Connector. The submission deadline for the next edition is Monday, March 31 by 5:00 pm. Submissions must follow these guidelines: -be emailed to Sheila Kerry at communications@upei.ca -sent in a Microsoft Word or plain text document -be no longer than 250 words -maximum one photo per story The editors reserve the right to edit content, will not consider incomplete submissions, and cannot guarantee that all submitted materials will be published. If you have any questions or comments, please contact communications@upei.ca. Not receiving the Campus Connector? To subscribe, please email communications@upei.ca to get your email address on the list!

Jessica Hawkins, Department of Biomedical Sciences will present a seminar called "Modulation of alpha-7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor function in organotypic hippocampal slice cultures" on Tuesday, April 15 at 3:30 pm in AVC Lecture Theatre C. Everyone is welcome.

After 25 years with the Department of Companion Animals at the Atlantic Veterinary College, Carole McCarville is retiring. We will be hosting an 'Open House' on April 23 in the AVC Learning Commons at 3:00 pm and you are all invited to drop by and wish Carole well as she moves onto a new chapter in her life. A guest book will be available for signing; if you are unable to drop by on the 23 and would like to sign the book, please stop by my office (349S) anytime next week. An 'official' notice will be posted soon. Laurel Fisher Department of Companion Animals

Please note that, due to scheduling conflicts, Mamdouh Elgharib's farewell reception has been postponed until a later date. A new notice will be sent out once a date has been confirmed.

Dr. Daniel Elad from Kimron Veterinary Institute in Israel is giving a seminar Thursday, April 17 in AVC-A, at 10:30 am entitled "Challenges Facing the Israeli Veterinary Services and Highlights of Some Animal Infectious Diseases in Israel." Dr. Elad is Head of the Division of Bacteriology and Mycological Laboratory at Kimron Veterinary Institute. All are welcome to attend.

After 25 years with the Department of Companion Animals at the Atlantic Veterinary College, Carole McCarville is retiring. We will be hosting an 'Open House' on April 23 in the AVC Learning Commons at 3:00 pm and you are all invited to drop by and wish Carole well as she moves onto a new chapter in her life. A guest book will be available for signing; if you are unable to drop by on the 23 and would like to sign the book, please stop by my office (349S) anytime next week. An 'official' notice will be posted soon. Laurel Fisher Department of Companion Animals

Please note that, due to scheduling conflicts, Mamdouh Elgharib's farewell reception has been postponed until a later date. A new notice will be sent out once a date has been confirmed.

Dr. Daniel Elad from Kimron Veterinary Institute in Israel is giving a seminar Thursday, April 17 in AVC-A, at 10:30 am entitled "Challenges Facing the Israeli Veterinary Services and Highlights of Some Animal Infectious Diseases in Israel." Dr. Elad is Head of the Division of Bacteriology and Mycological Laboratory at Kimron Veterinary Institute. All are welcome to attend.

Please join the International Relations Office (IRO) in saying farewell to Mamdouh Elgharib, as his years of service at UPEI come to an end. The IRO will be hosting a "drop-in" in his honour on Monday, April 14 from 10-11 am in Robertson Library, room 225. Light refreshments will be served. All are welcome to come, enjoy a snack, and wish Mamdouh well, in his next journey!

The UPEI Alumni Association is currently accepting nominations for its Distinguished Alumni Awards. The Distinguished Alumni Award is presented to graduate for their outstanding contribution to knowledge, the arts, the community, the university, or humanity. The Inspiring Young Alumni Award is presented to a graduate, under the age of 40, who has shown outstanding determination in achieving success at a young age. Deadline for submission is May 1, 2014 and nomination forms are available at remember.upei.ca/distinguished For more information please contact Anthony Gill at alumni@upei.ca or 902-566-0761

Faculty Recognition Night will be held Wednesday, May 7, beginning at 7:00 pm (Reception: 6:30 pm) at the Culinary Institute. This event honours the winners of the Hessian Award for Excellence in Teaching and the UPEI Merit Award for Scholarly Achievement. Tickets are $50.00 each (with a subsidized price of $25.00 for FA members and their guests), and can be pre-ordered at the Faculty Association Office, Main Bldg., Room 315, Ext. 0438. Faculty Recognition Night is co-sponsored by the UPEI Faculty Association and the Office of the President.

Please join the International Relations Office (IRO) in saying farewell to Mamdouh Elgharib, as his years of service at UPEI come to an end. The IRO will be hosting a "drop-in" in his honour on Monday, April 14 from 10-11 am in Robertson Library, room 225. Light refreshments will be served. All are welcome to come, enjoy a snack, and wish Mamdouh well, in his next journey!

The UPEI Alumni Association is currently accepting nominations for its Distinguished Alumni Awards. The Distinguished Alumni Award is presented to graduate for their outstanding contribution to knowledge, the arts, the community, the university, or humanity. The Inspiring Young Alumni Award is presented to a graduate, under the age of 40, who has shown outstanding determination in achieving success at a young age. Deadline for submission is May 1, 2014 and nomination forms are available at remember.upei.ca/distinguished For more information please contact Anthony Gill at alumni@upei.ca or 902-566-0761

Faculty Recognition Night will be held Wednesday, May 7, beginning at 7:00 pm (Reception: 6:30 pm) at the Culinary Institute. This event honours the winners of the Hessian Award for Excellence in Teaching and the UPEI Merit Award for Scholarly Achievement. Tickets are $50.00 each (with a subsidized price of $25.00 for FA members and their guests), and can be pre-ordered at the Faculty Association Office, Main Bldg., Room 315, Ext. 0438. Faculty Recognition Night is co-sponsored by the UPEI Faculty Association and the Office of the President.

Reminder: Students, faculty and staff are invited to participate in town hall meetings for an academic planning initiative lead by the Curriculum Planning Committee. The meetings will focus on the draft program evaluation instrument, guiding principles and proposed planning process. We need to hear your ideas on the best path for UPEI to achieve a well structured academic plan. The meeting schedule is as follows: April 7 from 2:00 pm to 3:30 pm April 8 from 11:00 am to 12:30 pm April 15 from 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm All meetings will be held in Don and Marion McDougall Hall, in the Alex H. MacKinnnon Auditorium (room 242). The meetings will focus on the draft program evaluation instrument, guiding principles, and proposed planning process developed by the CPC. We need to hear your ideas on the best path for UPEI to achieve a well structured academic plan. Please note that the list of consultations completed as indicated in the April 3 email was missing a consultation held with the Faculty Association. Members of the university community can also provide input to the CPC via email to vpa@upei.ca.

At the next Research on Tap, join us for a discussion about the bloody history of free blood in Canada. Dr. Sarah Glassford, assistant professor of History at UPEI, will lead a discussion entitled "Blood: It's in you to sell. Why Canadians give and get blood for free." The discussion begins at 7 pm on Tuesday, April 8 at the Pourhouse, above The Old Triangle Irish Alehouse in Charlottetown. In other countries, blood is treated as a commodity, where donors are paid, and blood has cash value. Dr. Glassford will present on the debate that led to our free system, and how Canada almost followed the American model. Sound interesting? Join us! Research on Tap is a series of public discussions with UPEI researchers. For more information, contact Dave Atkinson at (902)620-5117 or datkinson@upei.ca.

Shake off the snowflakes and splash into Spring at AVC’s first “Rubber Boot Revue”—a ceilidh like no other!—on Friday, April 11, at 7 pm. Emceed by well-known actor and comedian Wade Lynch, this new event will feature Island entertainers and some of AVC’s talented students. Fiddlers Sons will be on stage, with Eddy Quinn on lead vocals, John B. Webster on guitar, Garth Matthews on bass, and AVC’s very own Courtney Hogan (Class of 2015) on fiddle. And members of The VagalTones, AVC’s student band, will show off their musical talents. As well, dogs decked out in costumes will vie for the coveted title of “Top Dog” in the AVC Top Dog Fashion Show. There will be a silent auction, and refreshments for sale. Tickets are $10. Doors open at 7 pm for viewing of the silent auction items, with the entertainment to start at 7:30 p.m. The Rubber Boot Revue takes place at AVC in The McCain Foundation Learning Commons. All are welcome. Tickets are available at the door or can be reserved by calling (902) 566-0589.

Jeff Carson, PhD, will present "3D Photoacoustic Imaging" on Wednesday, April 9 at 10:00 am in the AVC's Lecture Theatre C. Dr. Carson is currently employed as an Imaging Scientist at the Lawson Research Institute in London, Ontario. His research group develops new methods for fast optical imaging with emphasis on 3D photoacoustic imaging, time-gated imaging, and techniques that utilize nanostructures as sensing elements. All are welcome to attend!