The Catherine Callbeck Centre for Entrepreneurship invites you to join our biweekly speaker series. We are pleased to have Coltin Handrahan, founder of Stay Golden Customs, joining us to talk about his 13-year journey in entrepreneurship, from starting a PEI-based company and what advantages and disadvantages that can hold, to how he has identified when and how to adapt in the market! The speaker series takes place on September 16 at 12:00 pm, at the Catherine Callbeck Centre for Entrepreneurship in 201 Robertson Library.
 

More about the speaker:

Coltin Handrahan is a 31-year-old entrepreneur from Charlottetown. His company, Stay Golden Custom helps busy leaders easily design and source custom merch that their teams, customers and community will be proud to wear. Since founding the company in his senior year of high school, it has developed into a B2B focused custom manufacturer working with clients across Canada. The company's head office and production facility is based in Hunter River, PEI.

Interested in attending the session? Sign up here!

Microsoft will discontinue support for Windows 10 on October 14, 2025. There have been concerns and rumours suggesting that computers operating on Windows 10 will cease to function after this date; however, this is not accurate.

After support ends, unless addressed by ITSS, Windows 10 devices will no longer receive bug fixes, security updates, or technical assistance from Microsoft. A plan is in place to address these changes.

What You Need to Know:

• No Immediate Action Required: Windows 10 will remain supported with monthly security updates through October 2025. Your device continues to be secure and maintained.

• Extended Security Updates (ESU): For devices that cannot be upgraded by the deadline, Microsoft Extended Security Updates have been secured and will be automatically deployed to the impacted systems.

What You Can Do:

Again, there is no action on your part at this time; however, if you have concerns, please reach out to ITSS at go.upei.ca/itrequest  

We appreciate your cooperation and understanding as we prepare for this change. 

Zotero is a citation management tool that helps researchers organize their sources, find research they've previously read, and create in-text citations and bibliographies. If you'd like to try it out, you can attend one of these upcoming Library workshops. All four workshops will cover the same content (including migrating from RefWorks to Zotero) and are open to students, staff, and faculty.

• Monday, September 15 at 10:00 am, online Teams link, register here 
• Monday, September 15 at 2:00 pm , online Teams link, register here 
• Friday, September 19 at 10:00 am, Robertson Library, Room 264 (the LINC), no registration required 
• Friday, September 19 at 2:00 pm, Robertson Library, Room 264 (the LINC), no registration required

For more information about Robertson Library's transition from RefWorks to Zotero, see our website. WIth questions about these workshops or Zotero, contact Katelyn Browne at krbrowne@upei.ca

The Catherine Callbeck Centre for Entrepreneurship invites you to join our Ideation and Brainstorm Workshop on September 12 from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm. Learn creative techniques to generate, refine, and expand entrepreneurial ideas. Refreshments provided!

Sign up here!

Hello Panthers!

The Office of Student Culture and Community Standards is launching a series called Get to Know UPEI to introduce you to various on-campus and off-campus resources you can access as UPEI students! We will be hosting an information session every Tuesday and an information desk every Thursday.

On Tuesday, September 16, 2025, we will be featuring our IT Systems and Services. Come join us and say hi to your IT Systems and Services office. ITSS can help you with any technical difficulties with your account, help reset your account and also have a help desk! They will have an information session in McMillan Hall, W.A. Murphy Student Centre from, from 12 to 1 pm.
Snacks will be provided.

For any information or queries, contact Inara Bhalesha, Student Engagement Officer, at binara@upei.ca.

Title of the Thesis “Shunting of Tryptophan Catabolites in Breast Cancer Metabolism to Prevent Cytotoxicity”

Abstract: A series of metabolic reactions in cells, called the kynurenine pathway, contain several potentially toxic molecules. Efforts to target the kynurenine pathway therapeutically have focused on the first enzyme, Indoleamine-2,3-dioxygenase (IDO1), while the regulation of potentially toxic downstream metabolites has been overlooked. In this thesis, patient survival analysis of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) public data reveals paradoxically better patient survival in IDO1-high breast cancers, suggesting metabolites in the lower portions of the pathway may reduce tumor burden. In vitro analysis suggests that kynurenine metabolite 3-hydroxyanthranilic acid (3HAA) is toxic to breast cancer cells. High-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS)-based metabolomics showed breast cancer cells may shunt tryptophan catabolites such as kynurenine into either (noncytotoxic) kynurenic or anthranilic acid to prevent 3HAA accumulation. Together, this suggests a potential new therapeutic strategy where tryptophan catabolite shunting may be prevented to elicit 3HAA-mediated toxicity in cancers. 

September 11, 2025, 9:00 am in AVC 278N

Everyone is welcome!

Join UPEI President Wendy Rodgers for casual "coffee chats" at Tim Horton's in the W.A. Murphy Student Centre on Friday, September 12 from 8:00-9:00 am.

These coffee chats offer a relaxed setting where any member of the UPEI 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.

Whether or not you attended events during UPEI's 2025 Welcome Week, your feedback helps us improve future programming for students, staff, and faculty across the UPEI campus. This year, various Welcome Week events were open to all Panthers, not only incoming new students.

This form will take less than 10 minutes to complete. Enter for a chance to win UPEI merch by providing your email address at the end of the survey! There will be two prize draws for staff, two for faculty, and 10 for students!

CLICK HERE for the survey.

If you have any questions, please contact studentculture@upei.ca. Thank you for your time! Go Panthers!

DEADLINE TO SUBMIT: Monday, September 15, 2025

The UPEI Writing Centre (Robertson Library 274) will open for one-on-one writing support in mid-September. This service is free and available to everyone in the campus community. Register now and get ready to make that first appointment! 

Please go to https://upei.mywconline.com/ for more information.

We look forward to working with you!

This is a must-attend session for all students!

Do you feel confident about your understanding of Academic Integrity and AI usage? All students should be familiar with the new UPEI Academic Integrity portal, and how to properly cite their use of AI, and avoid any claims of plagiarism. Librarian Katelyn Browne will be your host. She previously hosted this session in August, and it was very well attended and informative- See you there.

Topic: AI Portal and Academic Integrity Session

Time: September 10, 2025 11:30 am

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87003662688?pwd=0UVO26a59AqZHSLzMpC1dhqiQyZ5hD.1

Meeting ID: 870 0366 2688

Passcode: 200562

October 18, 2025 | Fredericton, New Brunswick | Hosted by the University of New Brunswick

https://www.unb.ca/fredericton/cetl/showcase.html

The theme is Reimagining Higher Education. As postsecondary institutions grapple with rapid social, environmental, and technological change, this year’s theme of Reimagining Higher Education calls on educators, scholars, and learners to rethink the purposes, practices, and possibilities of teaching and learning. The keynote speaker will be Toni Roberts from Mount Allison University. Toni Roberts is an award-winning, first-generation educator and recipient of both the D2L National Teaching Innovation Award and the prestigious 3M National Teaching Fellowship. The title of his keynote is Reimagining Higher Education in the Context of Generative AI: What Remains Human?  Read the keynote abstract and their full biography on the conference website.

Accommodation
Hotel information is now available on the conference website. Special conference rates have been secured at two hotels, available until September 24 and October 1 respectively. Participants are encouraged to book early to take advantage of these rates.

Schedule
The full conference schedule will be posted on the website in the next two weeks.

Join our AAU colleagues in Fredericton for a day of engaging conversations, sharing, and learning together.

A global Indigeneity learning opportunity in Aotearoa (New Zealand) is extended to all UPEI students! Students will experience authentic Maori land-based learning, interactive service-learning endeavors, presentations and discussions in beautiful Aotearoa. 

The program will run as a Maymester (May, 2026), with periodic classes and meetings focusing on fundraising and program preparation September 2025 - departure date. 

Three undergraduate credits will be earned as IKE 3090. Graduate credits can be negotiated with respective units. 

Some funding is available and bursaries/scholarships/stipends are able to be accessed as well. 

For more information, and link to TEAMS information sessions,  please connect with Assistant Professor, Erin Reid at erreid@upei.ca 

TEAMS info sessions:

Monday September 8 at 4:00 pm 

Tuesday September 9 at 12:00 noon

Thursday September 11 at 7:00 pm 

*A full roster is expected, so please connect with Erin Reid ASAP if you are interested.

Need help registering for courses or making a course plan? The Department of Counselling Services and Academic Support Services (Student Affairs) is offering drop-in academic advising for returning undergraduate students! 

Walk-ins will be held from 9:00-11:30 am and 1:00-3:30 pm in Student Affairs, Dalton Hall, 5th floor, on the following dates: 

• Monday, September 8 
• Tuesday, September 9 
• Wednesday, September 10 
• Thursday, September 11 
• Friday, September 12 

Advising will be offered on a first come, first served basis.

**These are short, drop-in sessions so please do as much planning as possible before you attend.

For questions, please contact us at: studentserv@upei.ca or 902-566-0488.

The search committee for the University Librarian announces upcoming public presentations by finalist candidates. Since the search process began, the committee has undertaken a comprehensive search and has selected three finalists for a series of stakeholder meetings on campus.

The presentations are scheduled on the following date/time:

Candidate 1:  - Svetlana Kochkina - Public presentation, Friday, September 5, 2025, 1:00 - 2:00 pm, AVC 201N

Candidate 2:  - Melissa Fraser-Arnott - Public presentation, Thursday, September 11, 2025, 11:00 am - 12:00 pm, AVC 201N

Candidate 3:  - Ignacio Albarracin - Public presentation, Friday, September 12, 2025, 1:00 - 2:00 pm, AVC 207N

Video links will be available after all the presentations for those unable to attend. Written feedback to be sent to vpar@upei.ca by Friday, September 19 for consideration by the committee.

Every day, our colleagues go above and beyond to make our university a vibrant, supportive, and inspiring place to work and learn. “Recognizing Remarkable Colleagues” is your space to give a shout-out to those who embody our mission and values—whether they’re championing a new initiative, supporting student success, lending a hand to a teammate, or bringing positivity to the workplace. You can also use this program to congratulate a colleague on a new role or wish them well in retirement.

Let’s celebrate the big and small wins that make our campus shine! Submit your note of recognition, and let’s cheer on our amazing colleagues together.

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 

Submit your form(s) by the last Friday of each month. Human Resources will collect the submissions and work with Communications to feature them in the Campus Connector. 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 Friday, September 26, 2025

Please contact Human Resources at hrengage@upei.ca should you have any questions. 

The UPEI Alumni Association invites students, staff, faculty, and alumni to join us as we celebrate and recognize the following 2025 Alumni Award recipients:

Distinguished Alumni

• Dr. Janice Keefe, BA 1984
• Dr. Lesley Steele, DVM 1997

Inspiring Young Alumni

• Dr. Derek Schipper, BSc 2006
• Katie Arsenault, BBA 2007
• Alexia Riche, BA 2020

Please RSVP using this form before September 17, 2025.

Visit the Alumni Awards and Recognition page to learn more or to submit a nomination for 2026. 

All faculty, students, and staff are invited to a cross-disciplinary workshop on ‘Decentralized Energy and Active Learning’ on September 24, 2:00-4:00 pm in Don and Marion McDougall Hall, Grant Thornton Lecture Theatre, Room 329.

What do renewable energy transitions and student-centered teaching strategies possibly have in common? 

An overarching goal of decentralizing authority, a deep commitment to transparency, building trust amongst participants, and an active role for supporting institutions – to name just a few possible parallels. 

In this workshop, leading experts from the fields of ‘decentralized energy systems’ and ‘active learning pedagogies’ will participate in a facilitated discussion about potential synergies between their fields. Audience participation will be encouraged throughout – and a Q&A session will be held with the thought leaders. 

Coffee, tea, and light snacks will be provided. 

Contact any member of the research team with questions: Dr. Nick Mercer (Environmental Studies/Island Studies) at nmmercer@upei.ca, or Jehaan Cooper (Student Research Assistant) at jcooper13697@upei.ca.

The deadline for Animal Care Protocol Submissions (new, renewal, or amendment) is Friday, October 3 for the October meeting. 

Please note that as of June 1, 2020 all animal user protocols must be submitted through UPEI Researcher Portal at https://upei.researchservicesoffice.com/Romeo.Researcher/

For new protocols select ‘applications’ and for renewal or amendment protocols select ‘events’.

To view any UPEI ACC SOPs and Codes of Practice, they can be accessed through myUPEI at https://portal.upei.ca/facultystaff/administrativeservices/AVCAnimalCare/Pages/default.aspx. 

Those protocols received after the deadline will be reviewed the following month. The Committee requires at least one month for processing applications.

Members of the campus community are invited to the launch of a new book, “The Lobster Trap: The Global Fight for a Seafood on the Brink,” by investigative reporter Greg Mercer on Tuesday, September 16, at 7:00 pm, Schurman Market Square, Don and Marion McDougall Hall.

The launch, which is hosted by the Bookmark, will be moderated by Teresa Wright. The event is free, and all are welcome.

In the book, Mercer examines how a multi-billion-dollar industry creates enormous wealth and endless heartache at a time when climate change, swings in the market, and greed are impacting fishermen’s livelihoods in new and dramatic ways. He explores the remarkable history of the lobster, the gold-rush mentality that surrounds it, and examines the looming crisis for the industry.

Mercer writes in-depth stories for “The Globe and Mail” about issues of international interest. He was previously the Globe’s Atlantic Canada reporter and has also reported for the BBC, “The Guardian,” and “The Toronto Star.” He has received multiple national newspaper awards and the Michener-Deacon Fellowship for Investigative Reporting.

The UPEI Multicultural Choir is gearing up for another great year of sharing songs from all different languages! 

Our first session for the year will be on Tuesday, September 9, from 4:30-5:30 pm in the Faculty Lounge in SDU Main Building. 

Our sessions are open to everyone, regardless of experience, so bring your friends and come see what it's all about!

We will get to know each other, try a couple of simple songs and share some joy and music! 

Open to all members of the campus community, including students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends! 

We can't wait to see you!