Members of the media are invited to attend a reception for the 40 Northern Lights -- forty men and women who have contributed to the growth and development of Lakehead University over its forty-year history.

What: Reception/Media Conference for 40 Northern Lights

Where: Lakehead U, Faculty Lounge

When: Wednesday, November 23 at 4 p.m.

Please Note: If members of the media are unable to attend, but would like to interview some of our 40 Northern Lights, please call Marla Tomlinson at 343-8177. The complete list of Northern Lights will be made available on Wednesday.

(Thunder Bay - November 17, 2005) Lakehead University's graduate programs keep growing, and to keep up with the expanding programs and students, Lakehead U has officially opened a new faculty: The Faculty of Graduate Studies.

Prior to the establishment of the Faculty of Graduate Studies which was passed at Senate on October 28, Graduate programs at Lakehead U were managed through the Office of Graduate Studies. As Lakehead continues to develop more Masters and Doctoral-level programs, the need for a Faculty of Graduate Studies became more urgent to unify the procedures governing the administration of Graduate programs across faculties and disciplines.

"Our goal in changing from an 'office' to an official Faculty was to effect a cultural change, to increase the credibility of graduate studies at Lakehead U, and to enhance the reputation of our teachers and researchers," says Dr. Gary Boire, Dean, Graduate and International Studies. "In one sense, we wanted to move to a more sophisticated structure to reflect the growth in Graduate programs. The Faculty would also coordinate efforts to promote graduate studies, facilitate interdisciplinary graduate programs, and foster a sense of community among graduate faculty and students."

Lakehead U has 26 Masters programs and three Doctoral programs. These programs are listed on the following page.

"The Faculty of Graduate Studies is made up of strong individual units which are autonomous, yet interconnected; independent, yet cross-supportive," Dr. Boire adds. "This new Faculty will have clearly established criteria for membership; clearly written and consistent regulations for both Master's and Doctoral programs; and a clearly articulated strategic plan. The Faculty increases our programs' credibility with the Ontario Council of Graduate Studies, which ensures quality Graduate education and research across Ontario, and with potential students. This is a positive step for Lakehead U."

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Media Contact: Marla Tomlinson, Office of Communications, 807-343-8177 or 807-472-9113.

(Thunder Bay - November 16 2005) Lakehead University Residence students are once again taking part in the Christmas parade this Saturday. Their float, "Island of Misfit Toys," is being constructed tonight by the students, and will be ready to go on Saturday.

The Lakehead University Residences student's float has become a huge part of the Christmas parade tradition. For over 10 years the students have not only had a float in the parade, but have walked the route collecting non-perishable food for the community of Thunder Bay. This year, the food collected will be going to the Shelter House.

"Our Residence students believe strongly in giving back to the community, and the parade is just one example of their fundraising efforts," says David Hare, Manager of Residence and Conference Services at Lakehead University. "Every year the float is fantastic and the amount of food they collect is amazing. I'm very proud of the effort that our students put into the parade, as well as the results they generate."

(Thunder Bay - November 16, 2005) A solution-oriented symposium discussing media coverage of Aboriginal issues by Native and non-native media will be taking place at Lakehead University on November 22.

The Aboriginal Beat III Conference is a joint effort involving Lakehead University's Office of Aboriginal Initiatives, Negahneewin College on the Confederation College campus, and the communications unit of the Union of Ontario Indians. It runs from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the Bora Laskin Building.

One of the many topics covered will be the media's role in informing Canadians about the emergency evacuation of Kashechewan First Nation at the conference. The conference will start with a panel of journalists and First Nation leaders discussing the impact of media coverage on Aboriginal peoples and issues. There will also be sessions on best practices in public education and workshops designed for journalists and First Nations leaders.

"It is important that there is an understanding between the media and First Nation leaders and community members, and this conference is a step towards building that understanding," says Dr. Lauri Gilchrist, Associate Vice Provost (Aboriginal Initiatives), Lakehead University. "This is an excellent chance for collaboration in the process of awareness of First Nation issues, challenges, and opportunities between Native and non-Native members of the media and public."

Members of the general public, the media, and communications professionals are invited to attend. For registration information, please call the Lakehead U Office of Aboriginal Initiatives at 807-766-7219, or Confederation College's Negahneewin College of Indigenous Studies at 807-475-6658.

Registration for the public is $75, which includes the day-long event and lunch. As student participation is encouraged, students are able to attend the conference for free.

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Media Contact: Marla Tomlinson, Office of Communications, 807-343-8177 or 807-472-9113.

(Thunder Bay - November 15, 2005) Lakehead University officials announced today that the University's $100 million debenture issue, which it launched on November 2, has met with resounding success.

University President Dr. Fred Gilbert confirmed that the debentures were snapped up within minutes, saying that, in fact, the issue was "oversubscribed," meaning that there were more institutional and other accredited investors who had expressed interest in purchasing the debentures than there were debentures available.

Michael Pawlowski, Vice President (Administration and Finance), said: "We are obviously very pleased with the outcome of this undertaking, and credit the efforts of RBC Capital Markets for its swift and conclusive success. This will give Lakehead much-needed flexibility to proceed with a number of initiatives to further secure our future."

The net proceeds from the $100 million principal amount of senior unsecured debentures will be used to refinance existing debt, for general corporate purposes, and to establish an internally restricted endowment fund.

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(Thunder Bay - November 15, 2005) A Lakehead University Faculty of Education professor has won a Canadian Society for Education through Art (CSEA) award for excellence in art teaching and research.

Dr. Fiona Blaikie was presented with the CSEA Affiliate Award (Visual Arts) for Ontario at CSEA's annual conference in October. CSEA is a national group that aims to promote excellence in art education. Dr. Blaikie's nomination was evaluated on the following criteria: proven excellence in teaching and/or research; proven leadership in art education; significant contributions to art education; and upholding the mandate of the CSEA.

"The word 'through' in the name of our organization, the Canadian Society for Education through Art, is based on Herbert Read's idea of the importance of the arts in our lives as a conduit for all learning, as well as the powerful role of the arts in the transformation of human consciousness," says Dr. Blaikie. "I am honoured and humbled to have been selected to receive the CSEA award for Ontario."

"Fiona is both an amazing artist and outstanding educator, so it comes as no surprise that she was selected as the best recipient in Ontario for this award," says Dr. Julia O'Sullivan, Dean, Faculty of Education, Lakehead University. "Her students and her peers feel that she embodies the qualities of art education excellence, and it is reflected in this win."

While up to one educator from each province is eligible to receive this award, Dr. Blaikie was one of only three to receive the 2005 award. The other two winners were Dr. Bill Zuk from the University of Victoria for the BC Affiliate Award and Raffaella Montenmurro from Edmonton for the Alberta Affiliate Award.

The Canadian Society for Education through Art, a voluntary association founded in Quebec City in 1955, is the only Canadian national organization that brings together art educators, gallery educators, and others with similar interests and concerns. Membership represents all levels of education: elementary, secondary, college/university, ministries of education, art galleries/museums, and community education. For more information, visit www.csea.ca

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Media Contact: Marla Tomlinson, Office of Communications, 807-343-8177 or 807-472-9113.

(Thunder Bay - November 10, 2005) Lakehead University is pleased to announce two new Canada Research Chairs - one in Aboriginal education and the other in analytical chemistry.

Dr. Judy Iseke-Barnes is Lakehead University's Canada Research Chair of Indigenous Education.

Dr. Aicheng Chen is Lakehead University's Canada Research Chair in Material and Environmental Chemistry.

"The Canada Research Chairs program is designed to position Canada as one of the world's top five countries for research and development, and our researchers will address this strategy," says Dr. Fred Gilbert, President, Lakehead University. "Dr. Iseke-Barnes and Dr. Chen represent the latest additions to our fine team of Canada Research Chairs. They are leading researchers in their fields and will further build the growing research activities of Lakehead University."

In June, 2001, the University announced that Dr. Ellie Prepas had been named a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Sustainable Water Management and the Boreal Forest. In December 2001, Dr. Lionel Catalan was announced as Chair in Industrial Waste Management and Site Remediation, and Dr. Heidi Schraft was announced as Chair in Molecular Food Microbiology. In April 2002, Dr. Gary Genosko was named Chair in Technoculture Studies, and in 2003, Dr. Michel Bédard became Canada Research Chair in Health and Aging.

"Lakehead University aims to be in the top 25 research universities in Canada in the next five to ten years, and our new Canada Research Chairs will help us get there," says Dr. Rui Wang, Vice President (Research), Lakehead University. "Our researchers are working on leading-edge topics, and Dr. Iseke-Barnes and Dr. Chen work in unique areas which need and deserve investigation. I am excited to see the developments our Research Chairs will make."

The Canada Research Chair Tier 2 award is valued at $100,000 each year for five years, with the possibility of renewal. In addition, each Chair will receive research infrastructure grants from the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI), the Ontario Research Fund (ORF), and other partners.

The research of Dr. Judy Iseke-Barnes seeks understanding of complex responsibilities of Indigenous knowledge, the way education is undertaken through storytelling, and the way research is organized by scholars, Elders, and communities. This research will respond to the need for educational resources and Indigenous interpretations of culture, history, pedagogy, and curriculum as well as produce a research hub for Indigenous educational research. It will promote a better understanding of Indigenous research and the ways it can be organized by scholars, Elders, and communities.

Dr. Aicheng Chen's research focuses on the development of new electrochemical technologies for environmental analysis, pollutant treatment, metal electrolytic production, and biomass conversion. The Canadian economy relies heavily on the mining and pulp and paper industries and electrochemical technology is widely used in the electrolytic production of metal, chemical pulping process, and pollution control. Dr. Chen's research addresses the integrated management of energy and the environment, encompassing some of the major issues in green chemistry that are critical to the mining and pulp and paper industries and to the sustainable development of natural resources in Canada. This research will have significant benefit for Canadian mining and pulp & paper industries, improving their production processes and reducing their environmental impacts.

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Media Contact: Marla Tomlinson, Office of Communications, 807-343-8177 or 807-472-9113.

(Thunder Bay, Nov. 9, 2005) Three Lakehead University Electrical Engineering undergraduate students have been awarded for innovation by TELUS and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).

Andrew Roberts, Alex Nequest, and Marc Kennedy won first place in the IEEE-TELUS Innovation Award at the national competition in Vancouver this past September. Their project was entitled "Stabilization of an Inverted Pendulum on a Mobile Robot."

The purpose of the IEEE Canada TELUS Innovation Award is to offer IEEE student members the opportunity to engage in a significant ICT (Information and Communication Technology) project and enter this project into the competition to have an opportunity to report, both, verbally and in writing on this project before a panel of industrial, academic and media experts. The project would have a strong design and/or research component with the emphasis on design that embodies the spirit of innovation and has strong application in industry in the foreseeable future.

Eight teams were selected as finalists in this year's competition. The teams had to compete live at the national event. The Lakehead University team received the first-place prize of a $10,000 cash honorarium.

"I am very pleased with the effort, determination, and innovation Andrew, Alex, and Marc displayed during this competition," said Dr. Abdelhamid Tayebi, a faculty member in the Department of Electrical Engineering and the students' supervisor. "This award exemplifies the high-caliber of our students here at Lakehead University."

Members of the Media can reach Dr. Tayebi directly by calling 343-8597. Photos of the students are available upon request.

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Media Contact: Marla Tomlinson, Office of Communications, 807-343-8177 or 807-472-9113.

(Thunder Bay - November 07, 2005) Lakehead University has again bested all Canadian universities for Value Added and goes up one place in this year's Maclean's annual university ranking issue.

Last year, Lakehead ranked 17 out of 21 primarily undergraduate universities - universities which are largely focused on undergraduate education, with relatively few graduate programs. This year, Lakehead has placed 16th. In addition, this is the fourth time Lakehead has been number 1 in Value Added, and the eighth year it has been in the top three. Value Added measures the entering average of students in relation to the proportion of students who graduate, the number of students receiving national awards, and the University's retention rate - the percentage of first-year students who return in second year.

"The overall value of the educational experience our students gain at Lakehead University is outstanding," says Dr. Fred Gilbert, President, Lakehead University. "While we do not rank as high as I believe we should, the number one position in the Value Added analysis is a testament to the superior quality of instruction, research, and support for all aspects of student life that Lakehead consistently offers."

Lakehead's Value Added standing confirms what students already know about the University. Surveys of undergraduate students at Lakehead show that 9 out of 10 are satisfied or very satisfied with the quality of their education, and they indicate a higher than average level of satisfaction with the smaller class sizes, library facilities, study space, access to high-technology products and services, and personal counselling services.

Lakehead measures its own performance by the quality of its graduates and the excellent education they receive while they are students here. Dr. Gilbert adds, "The fact that Lakehead is above the Ontario university average with 97% of our graduates employed two years after leaving the University, is a strong indication that Lakehead attracts good students and positions them well in the competitive job market. Employers understand the quality of education we provide our students."

"It is absolutely amazing - but not surprising - that Lakehead continues to best all other universities in the Value Added category. This illustrates the quality of the educational experience at Lakehead," says Dr. Laurie Hayes, Lakehead University's Vice-President (Academic) and Provost. "Students enjoy their time at Lakehead U, and they take a more active part in their education."

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Media Contact: Marla Tomlinson, Office of Communications, 807-343-8177 or 807-472-9113.

(Thunder Bay - November 4, 2005) Lakehead University's Vice-President (Research), Dr. Rui Wang, has announced the University's new Tri-Council representatives.

The Tri-Council comprises: Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC); Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC); and Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). Dr. Chris Southcott, with the Department of Sociology, will represent SSHRC; Dr. Peter Hollings, with the Department of Geology, will represent NSERC; and Dr. Michel Bédard, with the Master of Public Health Program, will represent CIHR.

"Our Tri-council representatives will have important roles in Lakehead University's research agenda," says Dr. Wang. "They will keep themselves informed about new initiatives taking place at NSERC, SSHRC, and CIHR, and organize Lakehead's corresponding activities. They will also convey the comments and concerns from Lakehead University researchers to these important federal research funding agencies.

"Locally, these representatives will help improve communications between our researchers and University administration," Dr. Wang adds. "These representatives are active researchers with first-hand research granting experience and are recognized for having a broad understanding of research issues across the disciplines supported by the Tri-councils."

Lakehead University's Tri-council representatives represent the broader University research community and play a key role in providing input into new policy and program developments taking place within Canada's three major granting councils.

Dr. Michel Bédard, Public Health Program, 343-8630 or Michel.Bedard@lakeheadu.ca

Dr. Peter Hollings, Department of Geology, 343-8329 or Peter.Hollings@lakeheadu.ca

Dr. Chris Southcott, Department of Sociology, 343-8349 or Chris.Southcott@lakeheadu.ca

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Media Contact: Marla Tomlinson, Office of Communications, 807-343-8177 or 807-472-9113.

Dr. Bédard is a Canada Research Chair in Aging and Health, the Director of the Public Health Program, and the Director of the Centre for Education and Research on Aging and Health (CERAH). Dr. Bédard holds a Bachelor's Degree (BA) from Concordia University in Montréal, a Master's Degree (MSc) from McMaster University in Hamilton, and a Doctorate (PhD) in Health Studies and Gerontology from the University of Waterloo.

Dr. Bédard's main research focus is on aging, with a particular interest regarding automobile driving, caregiver burden, medication management, and nutrition. His work on driving was the basis of a Premier's Research Excellence Award (PREA) he received in 2002, and the R K Dewar Medical Research Award he received in 2003. His work on family caregiving resulted in a research award from the International Psychogeriatrics Association in 1997. Dr. Bédard's research has also been supported by CIHR and he held an appointment as a CIHR Scientific Officer (2002-2004).

He has authored or co-authored more than 75 peer-reviewed articles

Dr. Hollings completed his PhD at the University of Saskatchewan in 1998 where he investigated the geochemistry of the 2.7-3.0 Ga Uchi Subprovince from Red Lake to Pickle Lake. This research was part of a CAMIRO sponsored project investigating the application of trace element geochemistry of mafic volcanic rocks to the identification of terrenes that may be prospective for VMS deposits.

After a one-year postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Saskatchewan where he worked on the characterisation of waste rock associated with uranium mines, Dr. Hollings moved to the Centre for Ore Deposit Research (CODES) at the University of Tasmania, Australia, in 1999 for a two-year NSERC-funded postdoctoral fellowship. At CODES Dr. Hollings participated in a multi-disciplinary research project investigating the genesis of giant copper-porphyry deposits in Chile.

As an Associate Professor at Lakehead University since 2001, Dr. Hollings is continuing his research into the relationship between igneous petrogenesis and mineralisation in Northwestern Ontario. Dr. Hollings' research program is currently funded by NSERC and private industry.

Chris Southcott is a Professor of Sociology at Lakehead University with over 18 years experience doing social and economic research in Northern Ontario. Raised in Northwestern Ontario, he received his Master's and Doctorate from the École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales in Paris, France. He has led research projects relating to Northern resource-dependent regions on an international, national, and provincial level.

In addition to his position at Lakehead University, he is currently Chair of the Research Outreach Program Team of the University of the Arctic where he is coordinating several international research projects dealing with communities in the circumpolar north. He has received several SSHRC grants over the past 7 years. His latest was awarded in 2005 and deals with the impact of new communications technologies on Francophones in Northwestern Ontario.