Campus Notices
Everyone is invited to attend the 2nd Annual Craft & Vendor Fair hosted by 乐发IV Medical Brigades! Bring your friends and family for a weekend of shopping, supporting local artisans, and making a difference!
Dates:
Saturday, April 26 from 9:00 am-4:00 pm
Sunday, April 27 from 11:00 am-4:00 pm
Location: Winsloe Lions Club
Come out and support a great cause while shopping local! The fair will feature an amazing selection of handmade items, including art, jewelry, pottery, and much more!
Admission is by donation, with all proceeds supporting 乐发IV Medical Brigades. It鈥檚 the perfect opportunity to find unique treasures while giving back!
Bring a hygiene item for a chance to win a door prize. Hygiene items must be travel size and include sunscreen, shampoo, shower gel/bar soap, sanitary pads, adult and child toothpastes and toothbrushes. These will be given to people in Panama on the brigade in July.
For more information, visit the link to the 乐发IV Medical Brigades
MSc in Molecular and Macromolecular Sciences
Presenter: Daniel Kimani
Title of the Thesis: 鈥淎 New Method to Manipulate DNA Topology Using Poly(B5AMA) Biomaterials鈥�
Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) topology plays a critical role in regulating vital biological processes such as replication, transcription, and recombination. Plasmid deoxyribonucleic acid (pDNA) can exist in various structural configurations such as supercoiled DNA, open circular DNA, and linear DNA, each exhibiting unique functional properties, rendering them indispensable in various applications. Supercoiled DNA, the prevalent form harvested from Escherichia coli bacteria, serves as the primary research material. However, different DNA topologies offer advantages for specific therapeutic interventions, such as targeted gene delivery or expression regulation. Open circular DNA presents enhanced accessibility for gene expression studies, while linear DNA facilitates precise gene editing and integration. Natural enzymes such are topoisomerases and restriction endonucleases are used to convert the topology from supercoil to open circular (nicked) or linear DNA. Enzymatic DNA topology manipulation poses limitations due to their specificity, instability and storage challenges associated with these enzymes. While natural enzymes have traditionally been employed to conduct this transformation, the use of synthetic biomaterials as alternative tools for DNA topology conversion remains largely unexplored. Recent studies have highlighted the potential of ozone treatment and alcohol precipitation, such as isopropanol, in converting supercoiled DNA to open circular or linear forms. However, these methods are complex procedures and exhibit lower efficiencies.
This study demonstrates a more efficient method by employing poly vitamin B5 analogous methacrylamide (poly(B5AMA)n) materials such as hydrogels and nanogel to convert supercoiled plasmid DNA to other DNA topologies as a function of temperature. Hydrogels and nanogels were synthesized through free radical polymerization and different molecular weights and chirality of (poly(B5AMA)n) were synthesized through reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization and were all evaluated for their effect on DNA topology. The findings were consistent with previously reported methods involving enzymatic or chemical treatments but demonstrate a novel, enzyme-free approach using biocompatible materials. This novel method holds promise to streamline plasmid DNA topology conversion process, offering potential advancements in therapeutic applications and research endeavours. This study also provides new insights into the application of synthetic biomaterials for DNA topology manipulation and opens avenues for their use in gene therapy.
April 29, 2025, 9:00 am in AVC 286A
Everyone is Welcome
The 乐发IV Faculty of Graduate Studies will be hosting the annual 乐发IV 3MT (3 Minute Thesis) competition on Wednesday, May 7, 2025, from 5:00-7:00 pm in the Fox & Crow, W.A. Murphy Student Centre.
What Is 3 Minute Thesis?
The Three Minute Thesis (3MT鈩�) challenges thesis-based master's and doctoral students to explain their research project to a non-specialist audience in just three minutes.
This year's competition features 19 competitors from a wide range of disciplines including: Education, Island Studies, Science, Sustainable Design Engineering & Veterinary Medicine!
Join us to support 乐发IV graduate students, and to learn more about the fascinating and impactful research 乐发IV graduate students are completing in this fast-paced, accessible format. The top 3 competitors win cash prizes, with the 1st place winner of 乐发IV's 3MT Competition progressing on to represent 乐发IV at the regional competition.
Light refreshments provided.
Door prize draws.
乐发IV students, 乐发IV faculty & staff, and community members welcome!
In accordance with the 乐发IV Action Plan: Building A Culture of Trust, Safety and Inclusion, the University has committed to developing a new Harassment and Discrimination Policy and Sexual Violence Policy (to replace the current Fair Treatment Policy and Sexual Violence Policy). The Fair Treatment Policy Redevelopment Committee has been meeting since December 2024, and has been collecting feedback for the new Harassment and Discrimination policy through in-person and online consultations.
乐发IV students, staff, and faculty are invited to provide feedback on the through an online form found at this link:
Feedback will be accepted until 11:59 pm, Monday, April 28, 2025.
If members of the campus community require accommodation with completing the online form, they may contact 乐发IV Human Resources at hr@upei.ca.
If you would like to virtually attend the opening panel discussion and some of the presentations of the Teaching Community Conference, the morning sessions in Health Sciences Building, Room 104, will be available online. The full schedule for the is available on the TCC website. Please for a Teams link.
If you have any difficulty connecting, please email TLC@upei.ca for tech support.
As part of the Grad Week celebrations, the Grad Week Committee will be organizing a CAMPUS CLOSET. The Campus Closet aims to allow students the opportunity to shop for free clothing, accessories, and footwear to add to their wardrobe and get work-ready!
The committee is now accepting donations for the Campus Closet. Please feel free to donate gently used clothing, accessories, and footwear for all genders. We will also accept children's clothing for our students with young children. Remember, jobs may be indoors, outdoors, in offices, and in all sectors.
Donations can be dropped off at Dalton Hall, Room 209, or fifth floor reception, from now until April 30, or you can contact Sandra Griffin, Manager of Accessibility Services at sgriffin3@upei.ca, to arrange for items to be picked up!
Please contact Sandra Griffin at sgriffin3@upei.ca if you need any additional information.
It is with a mix of gratitude and bittersweet emotion that we announce the retirement of Dana Sanderson, CIO, and Blair Vessey, Associate CIO, from IT Systems and Services.
Both Dana and Blair have been essential pillars of our team, and their outstanding contributions have made a lasting impact on our department and the organization as a whole. Dana and Blair's expertise, leadership, and camaraderie will be deeply missed, but we are excited for them as they embark on this well-deserved new chapter. We wish them all the best in their retirement and hope they find joy, relaxation, and the opportunity to pursue personal passions in the years ahead.
Please join us in celebrating Dana and Blair鈥檚 remarkable careers at a special gathering in the AVC Learning Commons on Friday, April 25, at 2:30 pm.
Ms. Yasmin Koop-Monteiro is a candidate for the Sociology position at 乐发IV and a PhD candidate (ABD) in Sociology at the University of British Columbia. Her research focuses on social movements, climate change, environmental sociology, social network analysis, discourse analysis, and animal studies.
She has published in Energy Research & Social Science, Canadian Journal of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Environmental Sociology, among others.
The title of Ms. Koop-Monteiro鈥檚 talk is: "The Influence of Human & Nonhuman Network Ties on High-Risk/Cost Animal Advocacy."
Friday, April 25, 2025, at 11:00 am, in SDU Main Building, Room 211.
Linux is the terminal interface used to enable you to use the ACENET and the Digital Research Alliance of Canada (the Alliance) HPC clusters from your desktop. It's the tool you need to get your data on the clusters, run your programs, and get your data back. In this session, learn how to get started with Linux, how to create and navigate directories for your data, load files, manage your storage, run programs on the computing clusters, and set file permissions. This workshop is designed for those with no prior experience in working with a terminal interface.
This virtual workshop will be held on May 7, from 10:00 to 11:30 am. To register, go to
What is High Performance Computing (HPC) and what can it do for me? How can ACENET help? Used by researchers across many disciplines to tackle analyses too large or complex for a desktop, or to achieve improved efficiency over a desktop, this session takes participants through the preliminary stages of learning about high performance computing (HPC) and computing clusters, and how to get started with this type of computing. It then reviews software packages available for applications, data analysis, software development and compiling code. Finally, participants will be introduced to the concept of parallel computing to achieve much faster results in analysis. This session is designed for those with no prior experience in HPC, and are looking for an introduction and overview.
This virtual workshop will be held on May 6, from 10:00 to 11:30 am. To register, go to
The 乐发IV Bookstore will be closed on Tuesday April 29 and Wednesday April 30 for our annual inventory count. To keep up with our hot new items and latest promotions follow us on Facebook and Instagram!
Donations to the 乐发IV and AVC Annual Fund Campaigns help enhance student experiences inside and outside the classroom.
In recent years, contributions have been used for important investments in cutting edge technology, for the purchase of laboratory supplies, to refurbish study spaces, and to provide funding for experiential learning opportunities.
The postal strike last fall delayed both campaigns and as the end of fiscal year approaches, both remain slightly lower than previous years. Big thanks go out to all the faculty, staff and retirees who have already donated, your contributions represent a significant portion of funds raised to date. If you haven鈥檛 contributed yet, there is still time to help us reach our 2024-25 campaign goals.
Employees of 乐发IV can support the Annual Fund by giving through payroll deduction. To learn more, please visit: /friends/employee-giving.
It's not too late to hire a 乐发IV co-op student this summer. Motivated students from Computer Science, Analytics, Business, and Environmental Studies are looking for work experiences related to their program of study.
Contact Karen Turner, Job Development Coordinator for 乐发IV Co-operative Education, at co-op@upei.ca
Follow the program on to see student spotlights and other program updates.
If you would like to virtually attend the opening panel discussion and some of the presentations of the Teaching Community Conference, the morning sessions in Health Sciences Building, Room 104, will be available online. The full schedule for the is available on the TCC website. Please for a Teams link.
If you have any difficulty connecting, please email TLC@upei.ca for tech support.
As part of the Grad Week celebrations, the Grad Week Committee will be organizing a CAMPUS CLOSET. The Campus Closet aims to allow students the opportunity to shop for free clothing, accessories, and footwear to add to their wardrobe and get work-ready!
The committee is now accepting donations for the Campus Closet. Please feel free to donate gently used clothing, accessories, and footwear for all genders. We will also accept children's clothing for our students with young children. Remember, jobs may be indoors, outdoors, in offices, and in all sectors.
Donations can be dropped off at Dalton Hall, Room 209, or fifth floor reception, from now until April 30, or you can contact Sandra Griffin, Manager of Accessibility Services at sgriffin3@upei.ca, to arrange for items to be picked up!
Please contact Sandra Griffin at sgriffin3@upei.ca if you need any additional information.
Kevin Ryan, a clinical nursing instructor and graduate student in the 乐发IV Faculty of Nursing, will present 鈥淣ursing Stories and Songs鈥� in the Dr. Steel Recital Hall, Steel Building, 乐发IV, on Wednesday, April 23, 2025, at 4:00 pm and 8:00 pm.
A tribute to the nursing profession, the show includes personal stories and original songs written and performed by Ryan. It includes themes familiar to nurses such as death, suicidal ideation, horizontal violence, and judgment, as well as reflections on the causes of compassion fatigue and burnout in nurses.
The show is intended for nurses, but anyone is welcome to attend. There is no charge for tickets. Seats will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Nurses in attendance will be offered an opportunity to participate in a research study as part of Ryan鈥檚 thesis for his Master of Nursing program. This involves completing an anonymous online questionnaire following the event. Participation is voluntary, and audience members do not have to be part of the study to attend the show.
In the case of inclement weather, the two performances will be rescheduled to Thursday, April 24, at 4:00 pm and 8:00 pm.
To learn more about Ryan, visit his .
Convocation exercises are being held from May 13 to 16, at 10:00 am each day at the Chi-Wan Young Sports Centre. Each ceremony is preceded by a procession of graduates across campus.鈥�
- May 13鈥擣aculty of Veterinary Medicine and Faculty of Nursing
- May 14鈥擬cDougall Faculty of Business and Faculty of Sustainable Design Engineering
- May 15鈥擣aculty of Arts, Faculty of Education, and Faculty of Graduate Studies
- May 16鈥擣aculty of Science
Faculty members who have regalia and wish to participate in the Academic Procession are asked to line up with the graduates in the Faculty of Sustainable Design Engineering building concourse 45 minutes before each ceremony.鈥�
For those faculty members who would like to order regalia online through 乐发IV鈥檚 official gown supplier, GradCo, they are encouraged to do so ASAP at
The deadline for ordering is Wednesday, April 23, at 11:59 pm.鈥�
Any faculty members who wish to purchase their regalia may contact GradCo at鈥�info@gradco.ca鈥�for information.鈥赌�
In order to accommodate 乐发IV computer classroom and lab software adds, drops, or modifications for the 2025 fall semester, we have set a firm deadline of June 1, 2025.
It is critical that you email requests to smahar@upei.ca by the date above indicating the following.
- New Software Requirements (Licensed or Freeware). Provide both Software name and Vendor
- Version Upgrades to existing software. Are multiple versions required? If yes, please provide specifics
- Software that can be decommissioned
NOTE:
- Software must be Windows 11 compatible
- Software must be licensed as network installation. Single workstation installations cannot be accommodated
Please begin to obtain and prepare any installation media (CD鈥檚, DVD鈥檚, thumb drives etc.) and related licensing information such as serial numbers. I will contact you after reviewing your email requests to coordinate a time to drop off media if file size permits, upload the installation file(s), zip them, if necessary, to Google drive and share for download.
Please do not drop off any media to the ITSS Help Desk.
The June 1, 2025 deadline is necessary to allow sufficient time to plan and implement the installation of new and upgraded software. This ensures our students will have the software resources they need. Any requests received after the deadline will be applied in the next round of software updates.
Click on the link below for a list of the currently installed software and their versions installed in the student labs and classrooms on campus.
CALLING 乐发IV EDUCATORS
The Department of Diversity and Social Justice Studies, the Dean of Arts, and the Teaching and Learning Centre invite you to a half-day workshop on Friday, April 25 from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm (location TBA): Strengthening Interdisciplinary Culture Through Faculty Collaboration
The workshop invites 乐发IV instructors from across the university to help pilot a new model for enhancing interdisciplinary culture through collaborative curriculum design. The session is divided into two parts:
9:00鈥�10:30 am | From DIRT to LUST: Lessons from a Decade of Interdisciplinary Innovation
Dr. Ren茅e Valiquette (乐发IV) and Dr. Sal Renshaw (Nipissing University) will share insights gleaned from a decade of delivering interdisciplinary concept courses. Their presentation will introduce a suite of strategies for crafting transformative interdisciplinary curricula.
11:00 am鈥�1:00 pm | Experiment in Co-Design
In the second segment, Ren茅e and Sal will invite participants to help pilot an innovative model鈥攁dapted from their interdisciplinary undergraduate work鈥攐f collaborative curriculum design aimed at cultivating a deeper interdisciplinary culture among faculty.
Everyone interested in building interdisciplinary cultures on campus in welcome to join!
For more information and to register, please contact Ren茅e Valiquette (DSJS) at rvaliquette@upei.ca.
乐发IV is hosting Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE) 2025 Atlantic Regional Meeting in Charlottetown June 26 to 27. This event will focus on the future of international education through a series of sessions, roundtables and networking activities.
CBIE鈥檚 Atlantic Regional Meeting is an annual gathering of international education practitioners. It is an opportunity to share knowledge and resources and keep abreast of immigration and other changes in the sector. It also serves as an annual networking event for international education practitioners and is a precursor to the national conference held each November.
Registration is now open for the .
