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.
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.
We are now open until 6:00 pm on Thursdays and Fridays and open Saturdays from 10:00 - 3:00 until Christmas. Choose from UPEI and AVC branded clothing for the whole family as well as water bottles, pet items and more. Come see us for some great gift ideas or a gift card if you can't decide. Shop online any time at upei.ca/bookstore.
Our EFAP provider, Green Shield, is holding orientation webinars for all employees, faculty members, and their dependents who want to know more about how their UPEI EFAP benefits work.
2025 dates offered: August 7, September 4, October 2, November 6 and December 4.
To register:
- Click this ZOOM link to register
- Choose the best date (please note the time zone is listed in EST).
- Complete the Webinar Registration.
- You will receive an email confirmation that has the log-in and call-in details.
This comprehensive, confidential, and accessible program offers a wide range of services to support your mental health and overall well-being, including:
5 hours of individual counselling (Green Shield will closely monitor usage and will provide additional hours to those who need further support, to ensure that no one is denied access to the program because of insufficient sponsored hours in any policy year) and 5 hours of couples therapy
Additional program highlights include:
- Flexible therapy options via phone, video, or in-person, with 30, 60, or 90-minute sessions
- Personalized therapist matching that considers DEI preferences
- Unlimited 15-minute consultations to help members find their ideal therapist
- Innovative, value-added services in areas such as children’s mental health, nutrition, and overall well-being
- Unlimited financial and legal consultations
- Self-guided digital CBT, well-being coaching, and personalized care navigation
- Digital pharmacy and nutrition services
Create your account to explore services, including Mental Health Support: Get convenient, personalized mental health support from a qualified therapist best suited to you, or explore our self-guided online therapy program at your own pace.
We hope you’ll enjoy this integrated and convenient health experience.
ACCOUNT AS AN EMPLOYEE
Create your account to access GreenShield+ services today.
Your Organization code is: UPEI
Sign Up
To access your EAP on GreenShield+:
- Make a note of your Organization Code "UPEI"
- Go to app.greenshieldplus.ca/en/sign-up
- Select Through an Employer or Organization
- Select I have an Organization Code
- Follow the steps to register
ACCOUNT AS A DEPENDENT
Before You Begin: You should only choose through a family member if you are a dependent (e.g. partner, spouse, child) of a person with a plan member ID or organization code.
https://greenshieldplus.zendesk.com/hc/en-ca/articles/37342446679956-Create-your-account-as-a-dependent
For questions, contact Human Resources at employeeservices@upei.ca
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.
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.
Girls Get WISE (Women in Science and Engineering) Challenge Day on Saturday, December 6, will cover the topics of science, engineering, math, and technology for female-identifying and gender-diverse individuals in grades K-12 with age groupings of grades K-3, 4-6, 7-9, and 10-12.
The goal is to expose participants to hands-on science activities and careers so that they can make informed decisions about subject choices in future school years. They will participate in hands-on science, technology, and engineering activities in Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Engineering, Math, and Physics, led by female faculty and staff from UPEI and STEAM PEI. They will also meet mentors currently working in STEM fields.
The event is a collaboration between Girl Guides, STEAM PEI, and UPEI with financial support from the Fund for Gender Equity, Actua, and Engineers PEI.
Registration is open for grades 7-9 and 10-12.
There is no cost for this event, and lunch is provided.
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.
Our EFAP provider, Green Shield, is holding orientation webinars for all employees, faculty members, and their dependents who want to know more about how their UPEI EFAP benefits work.
2025 dates offered: August 7, September 4, October 2, November 6 and December 4.
To register:
- Click this ZOOM link to register
- Choose the best date (please note the time zone is listed in EST).
- Complete the Webinar Registration.
- You will receive an email confirmation that has the log-in and call-in details.
This comprehensive, confidential, and accessible program offers a wide range of services to support your mental health and overall well-being, including:
5 hours of individual counselling (Green Shield will closely monitor usage and will provide additional hours to those who need further support, to ensure that no one is denied access to the program because of insufficient sponsored hours in any policy year) and 5 hours of couples therapy
Additional program highlights include:
- Flexible therapy options via phone, video, or in-person, with 30, 60, or 90-minute sessions
- Personalized therapist matching that considers DEI preferences
- Unlimited 15-minute consultations to help members find their ideal therapist
- Innovative, value-added services in areas such as children’s mental health, nutrition, and overall well-being
- Unlimited financial and legal consultations
- Self-guided digital CBT, well-being coaching, and personalized care navigation
- Digital pharmacy and nutrition services
Create your account to explore services, including Mental Health Support: Get convenient, personalized mental health support from a qualified therapist best suited to you, or explore our self-guided online therapy program at your own pace.
We hope you’ll enjoy this integrated and convenient health experience.
ACCOUNT AS AN EMPLOYEE
Create your account to access GreenShield+ services today.
Your Organization code is: UPEI
Sign Up
To access your EAP on GreenShield+:
- Make a note of your Organization Code "UPEI"
- Go to app.greenshieldplus.ca/en/sign-up
- Select Through an Employer or Organization
- Select I have an Organization Code
- Follow the steps to register
ACCOUNT AS A DEPENDENT
Before You Begin: You should only choose through a family member if you are a dependent (e.g. partner, spouse, child) of a person with a plan member ID or organization code.
https://greenshieldplus.zendesk.com/hc/en-ca/articles/37342446679956-Create-your-account-as-a-dependent
For questions, contact Human Resources at employeeservices@upei.ca
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.
Today is Giving Tuesday. Make your gift count for UPEI students!
Every donation, big or small, directly supports scholarships, programs, and opportunities that empower the next generation of leaders. Help UPEI students thrive - make your gift count Today - Giving Tuesday.
You may choose to direct your gift to an area that resonates most with you, or you can make an unrestricted gift that will go toward the areas of greatest need, supporting students on their path to success.
A gift to UPEI Today - Giving Tuesday - is an investment in student success and wellbeing. Your generosity touches nearly every corner of campus life and ensures that students have access to the resources and opportunities they need to achieve their goals.
Let's come together, donate, and support UPEI students.
Visit UPEI Giving Tuesday and see how your donation can support today's students.
Your gift. Their future. Our UPEI.
Ways to participate:
Donate online
For employee payroll deductions, please contact Tammy Pigott, Gift Processor at tpigott@upei.ca
Call: 902-894-2888
In Person: 618 University Avenue, Charlottetown
Giving Tuesday is a global movement for giving and volunteering that takes place each year after Black Friday. To learn more about Giving Tuesday, visit givingtuesday.ca.
