MOU creates research opportunities for Lakehead University, FAPEMIG

July 13, 2016 – Thunder Bay, ON

Lakehead University has signed a memorandum of understanding with a research foundation in Brazil to allow an exchange of researchers, and create new joint research projects and training programs.

The MOU between Lakehead and Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais (FAPEMIG) is for five years and represents an important step to establish a productive partnership with research institutions in Brazil.

“We believe this MOU will have many benefits for Lakehead University,” said Dr. Andrew P. Dean, Lakehead’s Vice-President, Research and Innovation. “As a comprehensive and research-intensive University, we are always looking to expand our global reach.”

Gabriela Soares Dilly, FAPEMIG’s International Scientific Advisory Manager, is also excited about this agreement.

“Starting a new partnership with an important Canadian Institution such as Lakehead University is a great way to deepen the international ties between research institutions from Minas Gerais State and Canada,” Dilly said.

“This partnership will help build new bilateral collaborations for researchers from Minas Gerais and Canada, allowing us to discuss experiences and make advances on common areas of interest.

“The next step is to elaborate joint activities – such as mobility, research and innovation projects – aimed at strengthening our existing scientific activities and fostering the establishment of new projects,” she said.

Dr. Frederico Oliveira is an assistant professor of Anthropology at Lakehead who understands the benefits of partnering with FAPEMIG. 

“Minas Gerais is the state where I started my academic journey in Brazil. Similar to Ontario, it is a large state with diversified scenarios for economic, technological and academic opportunities that will benefit Lakehead University's researchers,” he said.

The mission of Brazil’s Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais — translated as theFoundation for Research of the State of Minas Gerais — is to support and promote scientific projects, technology and innovation, and institutions or individual researchers that are considered relevant to the scientific, technological, economic, and social state of Minas Gerais. 

 

 

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Media: For more information or to arrange interviews, please contact Brandon Walker, Media Relations Officer, at (807) 343-8372, or mediarelations@lakeheadu.ca.

 

 

 

Lakehead University has about 9,700 full-time equivalent students and 2,000 faculty and staff in 10 faculties at two campuses in Orillia and Thunder Bay, Ontario. Lakehead is a fully comprehensive university: home to Ontario’s newest Faculty of Law in 44 years, the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, and faculties of Engineering, Business Administration, Health & Behavioural Sciences, Social Sciences & Humanities, Science & Environmental Studies, Natural Resources Management, Education, and Graduate Studies.

Maclean’s 2016 University Rankings place Lakehead University second in Ontario and among Canada’s Top 10 undergraduate universities, and first among Ontario’s undergraduate universities for Total Research Dollars, Social Sciences & Humanities Grants, and Library Expenses. In 2015, Re$earch Infosource ranked Lakehead first among Canada’s undergraduate universities.

Visit www.lakeheadu.ca.

An exceptional month begins for SHAD participants at Lakehead University

Photo of SHAD students.

This year’s group of SHAD students comes to Lakehead University from Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, Alberta, and British Columbia.

July 4, 2016 – Thunder Bay, ON                                               

Debbie Dada considers herself a world changer.

The Grade 11 student from Weston Collegiate Institute in Toronto is one of 65 of the top high school students from across Canada who are participating in SHAD at Lakehead University.

One example of change she’d like to make would help reduce the high infant mortality rate in developing countries like Mali and Afghanistan. Dada has already done research on global health and she is trying to find creative ways to approach the issue.

“I hope to combat this with innovative research in the field of medicine,” she said.

These students, who competed for coveted positions at SHAD, arrived on campus July 3 and will live in residence until July 29, attending lectures and participating in workshops put on by Lakehead faculty.

Another one of Dada’s passions involves helping young people. She and a colleague are in the process of creating a grassroots organization called Find Your Path, which aims to close the gaps in student achievement by creating programs and opportunities to support marginalized youth.

Find Your Path was also the name of an event Dada organized in March that inspired young people to aim high academically and professionally by helping them understand that they have potential. It educated youth about the opportunities available to them.

This is Dada’s first time in Thunder Bay. She’s confident she will gain a lot from SHAD.

“I hope to learn more about science, technology, engineering, and math fields, beyond what I've been exposed to through school and my own research,” she said.

“SHAD is a very unique program because it gathers together many high achieving young people and allows us to grow and learn from one another, which will undoubtedly help us be successful in our individual future goals.”

The program specializes in STEAM subjects (science, technology, engineering, art and math) and is for students currently completing grade 10, 11 or 12, Quebec secondaire IV, V or CEGEP I, or the international equivalent.

“SHAD is an exceptional experience for students,” said Dr. Sultan Siddiqui, Mechanical Engineering Professor and Director of SHAD Lakehead. “This program encourages them to work together and think outside the box to solve problems.”

This year’s group is coming from Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, Alberta, and British Columbia.

“It is an honour to be heading up an organization that is doing such important work for Canada at SHAD Lakehead and our 11 other host campuses,” said Tim Jackson, SHAD’s recently-appointed President and Chief Executive Officer.

“By exposing high achieving high school students to great ideas from leading faculty and some of the world’s biggest challenges, the students are inspired by the SHAD network to start making an impact now,” Jackson added.

SHAD has a formidable track record as an incubator fostering leaders in many different areas.  It has 15,000 alumni among its powerful network including 30 Rhodes Scholars.

In one of the unique elements at SHAD, each year, youth are challenged to innovate on a specific theme, built around a current economic and social problem.

SHAD youth, working in small teams, collaborate to design and engineer a new solution that addresses the problem. As part of this challenge, teams conduct market research, write business and marketing plans, and design and build working prototypes. For more information, please visit www.shad.ca.

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Media: For more information or to arrange interviews, please contact Brandon Walker, Media Relations Officer, at (807) 343-8372, or mediarelations@lakeheadu.ca.

Or Teddy Katz, Vice President, Media Relations, SHAD at (647) 505-8095 or teddy@shad.ca.

 

Lakehead University has about 9,700 full-time equivalent students and 2,000 faculty and staff in 10 faculties at two campuses in Orillia and Thunder Bay, Ontario. Lakehead is a fully comprehensive university: home to Ontario’s newest Faculty of Law in 44 years, the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, and faculties of Engineering, Business Administration, Health & Behavioural Sciences, Social Sciences & Humanities, Science & Environmental Studies, Natural Resources Management, Education, and Graduate Studies.

Maclean’s 2016 University Rankings place Lakehead University second in Ontario and among Canada’s Top 10 undergraduate universities, and first among Ontario’s undergraduate universities for Total Research Dollars, Social Sciences & Humanities Grants, and Library Expenses. In 2015, Re$earch Infosource ranked Lakehead first among Canada’s undergraduate universities.

Visit www.lakeheadu.ca.

Lakehead signs Agreement with Mexican National Council of Science and Technology (CONACyT)

 Photo of signing

 

CONACyT Director Dr. Enrique Cabrero Mendoza, left, and Lakehead University President & Vice-Chancellor Dr. Brian Stevenson sign the agreement in Ottawa on June 28, 2016.

June 30, 2016 – Thunder Bay, ON

As Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto met in Ottawa, June 28, Lakehead University President & Vice-Chancellor Dr. Brian Stevenson and the National Council of Science and Technology of the United Mexican States (CONACyT) Director Dr. Enrique Cabrero Mendoza signed two significant agreements to promote scientific and technological cooperation, to fund Mexican graduate students to come to Lakehead University for masters and doctoral programs, and to establish an English language program for Mexican Indigenous women.

“These agreements are the culmination of several years of work with Mexican education institutions and government agencies,” said Dr. Stevenson. “I am particularly proud to sign an agreement with such a prestigious government agency.”

“These agreements will further enhance the research, teaching, and learning opportunities and experiences we offer our institutions’ respective students and faculty, while promoting Indigenous student mobility between our countries,” added Dr. Stevenson.

CONACyT’s purpose is to promote and strengthen the scientific development and technological modernization of Mexico. It achieves this by providing scholarships to graduate-level Mexican students, as well as managing the country’s Sistema Nacional de Investigadores (translated, “National System of Researchers”).

Dr. Cabrero mentioned that the two agreements addressed issues of great relevance for Mexico’s policy in science and innovation. “Because of the energy reform the Mexican Congress passed recently, we urgently need qualified human resources to respond to the new situation we are facing in renewable and non renewable energies,” he said. “On the other hand, opening up opportunities of graduate education abroad for Mexican Indigenous women is one of CONACYT’s priorities.”

The agreements’ objective is to establish cooperation activities in different areas of interest, such as a program for Mexican Indigenous Women.

To achieve this objective, the following potential cooperation agreements are outlined in order to help promote collaboration between Lakehead University and CONACyT:

a)     English Language Training for Indigenous women;

b)     Biotechnology and Agricultural Sciences;

c)      Biology and chemistry;

d)     Medicine and health;

e)     Energy;

f)       Environment;

g)     Earth Sciences;

h)    Industrial manufacturing technologies;

i)       Materials;

j)       Nanotechnology;

k)     Information technology and telecommunications; and

l)       Applied mathematics and modeling.

 

During the 2015-2016 academic year, Lakehead University hosted approximately 40 Mexican students in various programs. Many of these students arrived through partnerships with various Mexican Indigenous universities.

To learn more about CONACyT, visit:

https://translate.google.ca/translate?hl=en&sl=es&u=http://www.conacyt.mx/&prev=search.

 

For Canadian Prime Minister’s Office’s media release that mentions the agreements between Lakehead University and CONACyT, visit:

http://pm.gc.ca/eng/news/2016/06/28/canada-mexico-education-cooperation.

 

 

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Media: For more information or to arrange interviews, please contact Brandon Walker, Media Relations Officer, at (807) 343-8372, or mediarelations@lakeheadu.ca.

 

 

Lakehead University has about 9,700 full-time equivalent students and 2,000 faculty and staff in 10 faculties at two campuses in Orillia and Thunder Bay, Ontario. Lakehead is a fully comprehensive university: home to Ontario’s newest Faculty of Law in 44 years, the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, and faculties of Engineering, Business Administration, Health & Behavioural Sciences, Social Sciences & Humanities, Science & Environmental Studies, Natural Resources Management, Education, and Graduate Studies.

 

Maclean’s 2016 University Rankings place Lakehead University second in Ontario and among Canada’s Top 10 undergraduate universities, and first among Ontario’s undergraduate universities for Total Research Dollars, Social Sciences & Humanities Grants, and Library Expenses. In 2015, Re$earch Infosource ranked Lakehead first among Canada’s undergraduate universities.

 

Visit www.lakeheadu.ca.

Lakehead Faculty awarded $1.4 million in new Research Grants

June 30, 2016 – Thunder Bay, ON

Fourteen Lakehead University researchers and three graduate students are receiving new Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) grants and scholarships worth more than $1.4 million.

Lakehead secured NSERC funding for research in Chemistry, Engineering, Math, Computer Science, Geology and Biology.

The following NSERC grants are allowing Lakehead researchers to examine better ways to treat and purify water, to understand fish responses to environmental stresses, to study carbon stores in forest soils, and to develop better technologies to monitor industrial motors for faults.

Dr. Aicheng Chen, a Professor in Chemistry and Canada Research Chair in Materials and Environmental Chemistry, is receiving $150,000 through a Research Tools and Instruments grant for an advanced synchronized scanning photoelectrochemical microscopy (SPECM) system. The system is to support his research on the production and storage of hydrogen as well as the development of clean technologies to treat wastewater and purify water.

Dr. Chen is working with the City of Thunder Bay’s Environmental Division to develop advanced approaches for treating wastewater and is collaborating with Zenyatta, a company based in Thunder Bay, to develop novel carbon nanomaterials for green chemistry applications.

“Electrochemical technologies can be used to develop a wide variety of green chemistry applications,” said Dr. Chen. “These include the use of hydrogen as a clean and sustainable replacement for fossil fuels in energy production and advanced approaches for water purification.”

Dr. Michael Rennie, Assistant Professor in Biology and Canada Research Chair in Freshwater Ecology and Fisheries, received $120,000 through a Discovery Grant to continue his research on the response of fish to environmental stressors.

Studies are taking place in Lake Superior, Lake Winnipeg, Lake Simcoe, Black Bay and in lakes in the Experimental Lakes Area between Dryden and Kenora.

His research will focus on how the response of fish to stress can affect both fish populations and ecosystems.

“Understanding the impact of environmental stressors on ecosystems and how fish respond to those stressors will help policy makers and resource managers better protect our freshwater resources,” said Dr. Rennie.

Dr. Wilson Wang, a Professor in Mechanical Engineering, is receiving $290,000 (through both an NSERC Discovery Grant and a prestigious discovery Accelerator Supplement) to develop new technologies for online monitoring of industrial motors for early fault diagnostics.  

“Improving the performance, efficiency and maintenance of industrial motors will help Canadian companies improve production rates and reduce costs, enhancing their global competitiveness,” Dr. Wang said.

Dr. Amanda Diochon, Assistant Professor in Geology, received $105,000 through a Discovery Grant to study how carbon that is stored in forest soils is altered by wildfires and harvesting. She is studying the boreal forest north of Thunder Bay.

According to Dr. Diochon, very few studies have been done comparing the effects of these common disturbances on the carbon cycle in the soil. “Improving our understanding of these effects will help guide future forest management practices and policies around climate change,” she said.

“A lot of exceptional research is being done at Lakehead University, as evidenced by the number of projects which won NSERC grants this year,” said Dr. Andrew P. Dean, Lakehead University’s Vice-President, Research and Innovation.

“We congratulate all of our award recipients and thank NSERC for recognizing the high-calibre research being conducted at Lakehead. The University is also appreciative of the associated Research Support Funding from the Federal Government which helps with indirect costs to support these grants,” Dr. Dean said.

I’m proud of our government’s efforts to bring science back to the forefront,” said Patty Hajdu, Minister of Status of Women and Member of Parliament for Thunder Bay-Superior North.

“We know the importance of science and research in formulating informed and evidence-based policies, programs and legislation, which is why we are making significant investments in science across the country. This investment will allow Lakehead University to continue to conduct innovative and high quality research that will benefit Northern Ontario now and in the future.”

 

2015/16 NSERC Grants Awarded to Lakehead Faculty & Students:

Total value of awards:  $1,466,200

Faculty Member Grants

Research Tools and Instruments (RTI) Grant (one-year grant)

  • Dr. Aicheng Chen, Department of Chemistry, $150,000, Advanced Synchronized Scanning Photoelectrochemical Microscopy.

Collaborative Research & Development Grant (two - three year grants)

  • Dr. Wilson Wang, Department of Mechanical Engineering, $120,000, A Smart Monitor for Pump System Fault Diagnostics (with partner Bare Point Water Treatment Plant, Thunder Bay, ON).

Discovery Development Grants (two-year grants worth $20,000)

  • Dr. Ehsan Atoofian, Department of Electrical Engineering, High Performance, Power-Aware and Reliable Many-Core Accelerators.
  • Dr. Andrew Dean, Department of Mathematical Sciences, Classification of Real C*-algebras and Related Structures.
  • Dr.  Jian Deng, Department of Civil Engineering, Stochastic Dynamic Stability of Fractional Viscoelastic Nonlinear Structures.

Discovery Grants - Individual Operating Grant (five-year grants)

  • Dr. Amanda Diochon, Department of Geology, $105,000, The Effect of Disturbance on the Biogeochemical Cycling of Carbon in Northern Forest Soils.
  • Dr. Lew Christopher, Director, Biorefining Research Institute, Departments of Biology and Chemistry, $135,000, Valorization of Negative-Cost Industrial Waste at the Forest Biorefinery.
  • Dr. Kefu Liu, Department of Mechanical Engineering, $145,000, Enhanced Vibration Suppression and Energy Harvesting by Exploiting Features of Nonlinear Systems.
  • Dr. Michael Rennie, Canada Research Chair in Freshwater Ecology and Fisheries, Department of Biology, $120,000, Feedback Mechanisms Between Ecosystem Change, Fish Behaviour and Metabolism.
  • Dr. Wilson Wang, Department of Mechanical Engineering, $170,000, Online Condition Monitoring of Electric Machines.
    • Dr. Wang was also awarded a $120,000 NSERC Discovery Grant Accelerator Supplement.
  • Dr. Wei Ruizhong, Department of Computer Science, $90,000, Combinatorial Methods in Networks and Communications.

Engage Grants (six month awards worth $25,000)

  • Dr. Richard Khoury, Department of Software Engineering, Chat Assistant for Criminal Group Infiltration (in partnership with Thales Research and Technology Canada).
  • Dr.  Jiang Zi-Hua, Department of Chemistry, Synthetic Lipo-MDP Analogs as Mucosal Adjuvants for Animal Vaccines (in partnership with Lilly Creek Vaccines Inc.).
  • Dr. Amir Azimi, Department of Civil Engineering, Sediment Transport and Surface Water Quality Modeling of River-Lake Systems in Northwestern Ontario (in partnership with DST Consulting Engineers).
  • Dr. Lew Christopher, Biorefining Research Institute, and Departments of Biology and Chemistry, Valorization of Crude Tall Oil Derived at Softwood Kraft Mills (in partnership with Resolute Forest Products).
  • Dr. Salama Ikki, Department of Electrical Engineering, LTE-advanced Machine Type Communication for Internet of Things (in partnership with WiMatek Systems).
  • Dr. Laura Curiel, Department of Electrical Engineering, Positron Emission Tomography Guided Focused Ultrasound Platform for Experimental Molecule Delivery, $24,200 (in partnership with FUS Instruments).
  • Dr. Pedram Fatehi, Department of Chemical Engineering, Production of Cationic Flocculants using EcoSynthetix’s Engineered Biopolymers (in partnership with EcoSynthetix Inc.).

 

Graduate Student Awards

Master's Students - Joseph-Armand Bombardier Canada Graduate Scholarships (one-year awards worth $17,500)

  • Andrew Chapelsky, Biology, Patterns of Species and Genetic Diversity in a Fragmented Landscape.
  • Peter Villa, Biology, Isolation and Characterization of Cell Lines from Cervical Lesions for Construction of Host-specific Three-dimensional Organotypic Raft Cultures.

PhD Students - NSERC Postgraduate Scholarship (PGS) Program (two-year award worth $42,000)

  • Shuai Chen, PhD Chemistry and Material Science, Design of Nanostructured Semiconductors and Metal Oxide Cocatalysts for Water Splitting.

 

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 Media: For more information or to arrange interviews, please contact Kelly Arnold, Media Relations and Marketing Assistant, at (807) 343-8177, or mediarelations@lakeheadu.ca.

 

Lakehead University has about 9,700 full-time equivalent students and 2,000 faculty and staff in 10 faculties at two campuses in Orillia and Thunder Bay, Ontario. Lakehead is a fully comprehensive university: home to Ontario’s newest Faculty of Law in 44 years, the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, and faculties of Engineering, Business Administration, Health & Behavioural Sciences, Social Sciences & Humanities, Science & Environmental Studies, Natural Resources Management, Education, and Graduate Studies.

Maclean’s 2016 University Rankings place Lakehead University second in Ontario and among Canada’s Top 10 undergraduate universities and first among Ontario’s undergraduate universities for Total Research Dollars, Social Sciences & Humanities Grants, and Library Expenses. In 2015, RE$EARCH Infosource ranked Lakehead first among Canada’s undergraduate universities.

Visit www.lakeheadu.ca.

POSTMEDIA gift names law scholarship and seminar room after Doug Fisher

Photo of Doug Fisher's sons receiving a gift.

Doug Fisher's sons, Tobias Fisher, far left; Matthew Fisher, third from left; John Fisher, middle; and Mark Fisher, third from right; received a gift from Gordon Fisher, President of The National Post, second from right;  Lakehead University's Chancellor, Dr. Derek Burney, second from left, and President and Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Brian Stevenson, far right.

 

June 24, 2016 – Thunder Bay, ON

Thanks to a generous gift from POSTMEDIA, Lakehead University is naming a new law scholarship and a seminar room after the late Douglas M. Fisher, a librarian and history teacher at the Port Arthur Collegiate Institute in the 1950s.

Fisher became the Member of Parliament for Port Arthur from 1957 until 1965, first with the Co-operative Commonwealth Party, which became known as the NDP in 1961. For 45 years, he worked as a political columnist for The Toronto Telegram and then The Toronto Sun until he retired in 2006.

Lakehead University Chancellor Dr. Derek Burney helped announce the scholarship and the naming of the room.

“Doug Fisher pulled off one of the greatest upsets in Canadian history by beating CD Howe in the 1957 election,” Dr. Burney said.

“He truly was a renaissance man who meant a lot to the people of Port Arthur as a teacher, a politician, and a columnist. Doug became known as ‘the Dean of the Parliamentary Press Gallery’ after spending years covering politics. Even after he retired from The Toronto Sun, politicians still called him for advice,” Dr. Burney said.

The large seminar room on the mezzanine of the Bora Laskin Faculty of Law Library was named after Fisher, along with a new law scholarship that will be awarded annually to a second-year law student who is in the top 10 per cent of their first-year class.

“Naming the scholarship and seminar room after Doug is a way of recognizing the accomplishments of a brilliant and exceptional individual from our region who loved Northwestern Ontario,” said Dr. Brian Stevenson, Lakehead University’s President and Vice-Chancellor. “Today, we appropriately honour the storied achievements of Mr. Fisher by giving his name to a part of this Thunder Bay heritage building.”

Gordon Fisher, president of National Post, said POSTMEDIA was delighted to have the opportunity to support a lasting tribute to a great Canadian statesman and journalist, “a storied figure in the history of our company.”

Facts about Douglas M. Fisher

  • Fisher passed away in 2009, one day before his 90th birthday.
  • He was born in 1919 in Sioux Lookout, which is where he was raised.
  • Fisher was a soldier in the Second World War with the 12th Manitoba Dragoons
  • He taught history at PACI in the 1950s.
  • Fisher became the Member of Parliament – Port Arthur in 1957 after winning against CD Howe. Howe was considered a giant in the political realm, which made Fisher’s victory even more impressive.
  • In 1961, Fisher began writing about politics for The Toronto Telegram.
  • By 1965, he left politics to work full-time as a political columnist for the Telegram, and when it closed Fisher began writing for The Toronto Sun.
  • He served as chair of Hockey Canada’s Board of Directors from 1974 to 1977, helping create the Canada Cup international tournament and organize the 1972 Summit Series between Canada and the Soviet Union.
  • Fisher also spent 25 years hosting a weekly political television show on CJOH in Ottawa.

 

 

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Media: For more information or to arrange interviews, please contact Brandon Walker, Media Relations Officer, at (807) 343-8372, or mediarelations@lakeheadu.ca.

 

 

 

Lakehead University has about 9,700 full-time equivalent students and 2,000 faculty and staff in 10 faculties at two campuses in Orillia and Thunder Bay, Ontario. Lakehead is a fully comprehensive university: home to Ontario’s newest Faculty of Law in 44 years, the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, and faculties of Engineering, Business Administration, Health & Behavioural Sciences, Social Sciences & Humanities, Science & Environmental Studies, Natural Resources Management, Education, and Graduate Studies.

Maclean’s 2016 University Rankings place Lakehead University second in Ontario and among Canada’s Top 10 undergraduate universities, and first among Ontario’s undergraduate universities for Total Research Dollars, Social Sciences & Humanities Grants, and Library Expenses. In 2015, Re$earch Infosource ranked Lakehead first among Canada’s undergraduate universities.

Visit www.lakeheadu.ca.

PACI Alumni and the public invited to special event honouring Douglas M. Fisher

June 16, 2016 – Thunder Bay, ON

Calling all PACI alumni.

Dr. Derek H. Burney, Chancellor, and Dr. Brian J.R. Stevenson, President and Vice-Chancellor, cordially invite you to a special announcement to honour the late Douglas M. Fisher.

Join Lakehead University, PACI Alumni, former PACI faculty, staff, and friends as we celebrate a soldier, a beloved teacher, librarian, Member of Parliament - Port Arthur, political columnist, and a passionate Northwestern Ontarian.

Date: Friday, June 24
Time: 10 am to noon
Location: PACI – 401 Red River Rd.

RSVP before Wednesday, June 22 by visiting lakeheadu.ca/dougfisher or calling (807) 343-8747. Tours of the Faculty of Law will be available.

 

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Media: For more information or to arrange interviews, please contact Brandon Walker, Media Relations Officer, at (807) 343-8372, or mediarelations@lakeheadu.ca.

 

Lakehead University has about 9,700 full-time equivalent students and 2,000 faculty and staff in 10 faculties at two campuses in Orillia and Thunder Bay, Ontario. Lakehead is a fully comprehensive university: home to Ontario’s newest Faculty of Law in 44 years, the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, and faculties of Engineering, Business Administration, Health & Behavioural Sciences, Social Sciences & Humanities, Science & Environmental Studies, Natural Resources Management, Education, and Graduate Studies.

Maclean’s 2016 University Rankings place Lakehead University second in Ontario and among Canada’s Top 10 undergraduate universities, and first among Ontario’s undergraduate universities for Total Research Dollars, Social Sciences & Humanities Grants, and Library Expenses. In 2015, Re$earch Infosource ranked Lakehead first among Canada’s undergraduate universities.

Visit www.lakeheadu.ca.


Lakehead University and Philips Provide International Learning Opportunity to Next Generation of Scientists

Photo of Israel MOU Signing.

Dr. Andrew Dean, Lakehead University's Vice-President, Research and Innovation, left, and Dr. Ira Blevis, middle, Principal Scientist, Philips Healthcare Haifa, signed the memorandum of understanding. The collaboration was created under the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada CREATE Medical Imaging Detector Technologies program run by Dr. Alla Reznik, on the right.

 

Collaboration will provide Ontario PhD students with Internship at Philips Healthcare R&D Center in Israel

June 10, 2016 – Thunder Bay, ON and Markham, ON

Lakehead University and Philips signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to create an internship program where graduate students can work in medical imaging at Philips Healthcare R&D Centre in Israel.

The collaboration was created under the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada CREATE Medical Imaging Detector Technologies program run by Dr. Alla Reznik, Canada Research Chair in Physics of Molecular Imaging, Associate Professor at Lakehead University, and Senior Scientist with the Thunder Bay Regional Research Institute.

“This agreement will provide four- to eight-month internships for PhD students who are involved in joint research projects,” said Dr. Andrew Dean, Lakehead University’s Vice-President, Research and Innovation. “These hands-on internships will benefit our students immensely by letting them experience what this technology can do and how it works,” Dr. Dean added. 

The Internship program has two primary objectives:

  • To prepare “employer ready” trainees equipped with both technical and professional skills, as well as skills required by the Medical Detector industry through working with industrial partners.
  • To create the next generation of scientists and medical imaging researchers equipped with exceptional technical skills and an understanding of the path from an unmet patient need, to the development of a commercial product.

“As a leading global health technology company, we bring together the brightest talent and advanced healthcare research and tools to fulfil our commitment of delivering solutions that make a difference in people’s lives,” said Iain Burns, President and CEO, Philips Canada. “Philips understands that in order to make a difference in our communities, we need to support organizations such as Lakehead University with developing Canada’s next generation of innovators.  These programs not only provide a rewarding internship experience at our state of the art facility in Israel, they also ensure that participants have the skills needed to tackle some of society’s most challenging healthcare issues.”

Recognizing that innovation in healthcare does not occur in silos, the Thunder Bay Regional Research Institute has embraced the value of partnership. “By working with partners such as Philips and Lakehead University, as well as our community and government, we have been able to build a dynamic scientific ecosystem that brings together diverse knowledge and resources,” said Jean Bartkowiak, President & CEO, Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre and CEO of the Research Institute. "By coupling a patient-focused approach with a decisive market orientation, with the support of a network of partners, we have been successful in discovering unique solutions that are relevant to care providers and accessible to patients that need them most. Internships such as this, allow us to retain our youth and train them to be the next generation of scientists,” Bartkowiak added.

The MOU was signed while Lakehead representatives were in Israel during Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne’s tour of the Middle East.

“I'm pleased that this agreement will create opportunities for Lakehead University graduate students in the Medical Imaging Detector Technologies program to gain hands-on experience working at Philips Healthcare in Haifa, Israel, through newly created internships,” said Premier Wynne.

“International partnerships like this one and others signed during my first mission to the Middle East provide students with an opportunity to apply what they learned in the classroom to real-life experience in research laboratories, enriching the academic, social and cultural life of colleges and universities,” Premier Wynne added.

Graduate students funded under the NSERC CREATE are encouraged to discuss potential internships with their supervisors and to apply to the PC with their CVs. For full details on the Internship program and how to apply, please visit createdetectors.ca.

 

 

                                                                                     – 30 –

For further information, please contact:

Brandon Walker,

Media Relations Officer, Lakehead University,

(807) 343-8372,

mediarelations@lakeheadu.ca

 

 

Marcello Bernardo,

Communications Officer, Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre at

(807) 684-6765 or bernarma@tbh.net

 

Santina Giuliano,

Communications Manager, Philips Canada,

905-201-4196,

Santina.giuliano@philips.com    

 

 

 

About Royal Philips

Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA) is a leading health technology company focused on improving people’s health and enabling better outcomes across the health continuum from healthy living and prevention, to diagnosis, treatment and home care. Philips leverages advanced technology and deep clinical and consumer insights to deliver integrated solutions. The company is a leader in diagnostic imaging, image-guided therapy, patient monitoring and health informatics, as well as in consumer health and home care. Headquartered in the Netherlands, Philips’ health technology portfolio generated 2015 sales of EUR 16.8 billion and employs approximately 69,000 employees with sales and services in more than 100 countries. News about Philips can be found at www.philips.com/newscenter.

 

About Lakehead University

Lakehead University has about 9,700 full-time equivalent students and 2,000 faculty and staff in 10 faculties at two campuses in Orillia and Thunder Bay, Ontario. Lakehead is a fully comprehensive university: home to Ontario’s newest Faculty of Law in 44 years, the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, and faculties of Engineering, Business Administration, Health & Behavioural Sciences, Social Sciences & Humanities, Science & Environmental Studies, Natural Resources Management, Education, and Graduate Studies.  Maclean’s 2016 University Rankings place Lakehead University second in Ontario and among Canada’s Top 10 undergraduate universities, and first among Ontario’s undergraduate universities for Total Research Dollars, Social Sciences & Humanities Grants, and Library Expenses. In 2015, Re$earch Infosource ranked Lakehead first among Canada’s undergraduate universities. Visit www.lakeheadu.ca.


About Thunder Bay Regional Research Institute

Thunder Bay Regional Research Institute – an independent, not-for-profit corporation – is the research arm of the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre. Our scientists work closely with clinicians, medical professionals, and academic and industry partners to improve healthcare through excellence in patient-centred research focused on three molecular imaging-based platforms. Research is advanced through discovery and development of new technologies and processes that are brought to patients through clinical trials. With successful trial validation, discoveries proceed to commercialization for the benefit of patients everywhere. For more information, visit www.tbrri.com.

Dr. Derek Burney to Step Down as Lakehead University Chancellor

Photo of Chancellor Derek Burney.

June 8, 2016 – Thunder Bay, ON

After more than three exceptional years as Lakehead University’s chancellor, Dr. Derek Burney has announced that he will step down from the role in early 2017.

“It has been a true honour to serve as Lakehead University’s chancellor,” Dr. Burney said.

Since his appointment as Lakehead’s eighth chancellor in January 2013, Dr. Burney has used his influence and experience as a diplomat, entrepreneur, and strategist to further Lakehead’s academic, political, and philanthropic endeavours.

“Chancellor Burney is an invaluable ambassador, friend, and asset to Lakehead University and our community,” said Dr. Brian Stevenson, Lakehead’s President and Vice-Chancellor.

“In addition to offering words of wisdom to our graduates at convocation, Chancellor Burney has facilitated opportunities that will nurture the success of our students, and Lakehead University as a whole, for years to come.”

“His wisdom, advice, and heart have supported Lakehead in many ways — from his philanthropic endeavours to his counsel regarding our Board’s strategic directions,” said Murray Walberg, Chair of the Board of Governors at Lakehead University. “Chancellor Burney has been, and will continue to be, this University’s champion.”

Dr. Burney announced his intention to hang up the chancellor’s regalia to guests at his annual dinners in Thunder Bay and Orillia.

“One of the highlights of being chancellor is greeting students as they walk across the stage to claim their hard-earned degrees, right before they begin a whole new chapter in their lives,” explained Dr. Burney, an Officer of the Order of Canada who was conferred an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Lakehead University in 1990.

“I am immensely privileged to have served as chancellor,” he said, adding that he’s not completely parting ways with Lakehead University.

While Dr. Burney will retire from the more ceremonial responsibilities of chancellor, he will continue to serve and campaign for Lakehead as one of the University’s greatest ambassadors.

The selection process for Lakehead University’s next chancellor will begin in Fall 2016. In accordance with the Lakehead University Act, the search process will begin with the creation of an electoral board consisting of the University’s President, twelve members appointed by the University’s Board of Governors, and twelve members appointed by the University’s Senate.

 

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Derek Hudson Burney

Born in Fort William, Thunder Bay, Ontario, Dr. Burney continues to enjoy a noteworthy career in public service and the private sector. He married his Port Arthur sweetheart, Joan Peden, and together they have raised four boys.

He is currently Senior Strategic Advisor to Norton Rose Canada LLP. He is Chairman of GardaWorld’s International Advisory Board, a Director of TransCanada Pipelines Limited, a Governor of the Ottawa Hospital Board of Governors and a member of the Advisory Board of Paradigm Capital Inc.

Dr. Burney was President and Chief Executive Officer of CAE Inc. from October 1999 until August 2004. Prior to joining CAE, Dr. Burney was Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Bell Canada International Inc. (1993-1999). Dr. Burney’s assignment as Canada’s Ambassador to the United States culminated a distinguished thirty-year career in the Canadian Foreign Service, during which he completed a variety of assignments at home and abroad, including a period as a Deputy Minister of External Affairs.


From March 1987 to January 1989, Dr. Burney served as Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister. He was directly involved in the negotiation of the Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement. He was the Prime Minister's personal representative (Sherpa) in the preparations for the Houston (1990), London (1991) and Munich (1992) G-7 Economic Summits.

 

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Media: For more information or to arrange interviews, please contact Brandon Walker, Media Relations Officer, at (807) 343-8372, or mediarelations@lakeheadu.ca.

 

 

 

Lakehead University has about 9,700 full-time equivalent students and 2,000 faculty and staff in 10 faculties at two campuses in Orillia and Thunder Bay, Ontario. Lakehead is a fully comprehensive university: home to Ontario’s newest Faculty of Law in 44 years, the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, and faculties of Engineering, Business Administration, Health & Behavioural Sciences, Social Sciences & Humanities, Science & Environmental Studies, Natural Resources Management, Education, and Graduate Studies.

Maclean’s 2016 University Rankings place Lakehead University second in Ontario and among Canada’s Top 10 undergraduate universities, and first among Ontario’s undergraduate universities for Total Research Dollars, Social Sciences & Humanities Grants, and Library Expenses. In 2015, Re$earch Infosource ranked Lakehead first among Canada’s undergraduate universities.

Visit www.lakeheadu.ca.

Lakehead’s Biorefining Research Institute creates an important advisory committee

May 11, 2016 – Thunder Bay, ON

A new advisory committee will provide direction to Lakehead University’s Biorefining Research Institute that will benefit Northwestern Ontario’s forestry sector.

The advisory committee is comprised of individuals from academia, government and industry.

“This committee is very important to the BRI because it will provide feedback and direction that we need to achieve our goals and objectives,” said Dr. Lew Christopher, Director of the BRI.

“One of the committee’s goals is to help establish partnerships with industry, government and academic institutions that will assist the BRI with its research,” he said.

The BRI is advancing research in two priority areas in Lakehead’s Academic/Research Plan – the Environment and Natural Resources, and Advanced Systems and Technologies.

Its primary goal is to replace fossil-fuel-based products with sustainable and renewable bio-based products that will result in a reduced carbon footprint and reduced greenhouse gas emissions.

“The BRI is the region’s primary producer of research, knowledge, technologies and highly trained graduates in biorefining,” said Dr. Andrew Dean, Lakehead’s Vice-President, Research and Innovation.

“Tapping into the region through this advisory committee will pay dividends to Northwestern Ontario and Lakehead University.”

The committee will review annual research progress and provide feedback, recommendations and advice on future funding opportunities and direction for the BRI.

It will also assist in establishing a network system by promoting the BRI in Ontario and beyond, both nationally and internationally, through all relevant media and other communications sources.

Lakehead’s BRI Advisory Committee will soon appoint its first chair.

The committee is comprised of the following members:

  • Regis Benech - GreenField Specialty Alcohols (Head, R&D)
  • Tom Browne – FPInnovations (Manager, Biorefinery/Energy)
  • Martin Fairbanks - Resolute FP (Technical Advisor)
  • Byron LeClair - Energy Projects, Pic River Nation (Director)
  • Jamie Lim - Ontario Forest Industries Association (CEO); OCC (Board Member)
  • David Lindsay – Council of Ontario Universities (President and CEO)
  • Bruno Marcoccia – Domtar (Director R&D)
  • Murray McLaughlin - Bioindustrial Innovation Canada (Executive Director)
  • Yvon Pelletier - Fortress Paper Ltd (CEO)
  • Jack Saddler – UBC (Professor & Director, IEA)
  • Theo van de Ven - McGill University (Professor & Director, FIBRE)
  • Scott Wiebe - CRIBE (CEO)

 

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Media: For more information or to arrange interviews, please contact Brandon Walker, Media Relations Officer, at (807) 343-8372, or mediarelations@lakeheadu.ca.

 

Lakehead University has about 9,700 full-time equivalent students and 2,000 faculty and staff in 10 faculties at two campuses in Orillia and Thunder Bay, Ontario. Lakehead is a fully comprehensive university: home to Ontario’s newest Faculty of Law in 44 years, the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, and faculties of Engineering, Business Administration, Health & Behavioural Sciences, Social Sciences & Humanities, Science & Environmental Studies, Natural Resources Management, Education, and Graduate Studies.

Maclean’s 2016 University Rankings place Lakehead University second in Ontario and among Canada’s Top 10 undergraduate universities, and first among Ontario’s undergraduate universities for Total Research Dollars, Social Sciences & Humanities Grants, and Library Expenses. In 2015, Re$earch Infosource ranked Lakehead first among Canada’s undergraduate universities.

Visit www.lakeheadu.ca.

Connecting Lakehead University with Students from Around the World

Photo of ELP students from Gyeongsang National University.

English Language Program Connecting Lakehead University with Students from Around the World

Wednesday, April 20, 2016 – Thunder Bay, ON

Recently, Ju Hee Hwang had to do a presentation in English in front of her classmates.

Just weeks earlier, the English literature major from Korea would have been terrified, but not this day.

“Lakehead’s Academic English Program helped me improve my English,” she said. “I felt very proud of myself after the presentation.”

Ju Hee is one of a group of 20 Korean students from Gyeongsang National University (GNU) in Jinju, Korea taking Academic English class at Lakehead University. The group arrived in March and will be studying here until late June.

“I have already gained a lot of confidence in my English skills,” adds Hyo Min Lee, a French language literature major at GNU. “Even though I can’t speak English fluently, I am not shy anymore to start a conversation with people I meet.”

To maximize their learning experience and connection to the community, the students also participate in local multicultural, historical, outdoor, and art activities during their stay.

Lakehead’s English Language Program recently earned accreditation from Languages Canada, which opened up opportunities to attract students from around the world and to partner with world-class educational institutions. 

Since that accreditation, Lakehead University and GNU have been discussing a variety of partnership collaborations, including a Visiting International Student Program (VIP) and Student Exchange Program.

“It’s fantastic to see these groups of students coming from more and more diverse regions,” said Leigh-Ellen Keating, Director, Lakehead International.  

“Our aim is to have students from as many cultures as possible in our programs. It broadens their experience as well as that of students already here at Lakehead.”

This September, 17 students from Ryukoku University in Kyoto, Japan will be attending Lakehead for the fall semester.

Lakehead University was pleased to welcome Dr. Koske Shimizu, Professor of International Relations with Ryukoku University’s Department of Global Studies. 

Dr. Shimizu was here to visit the campus in advance of his students who will be taking part in Lakehead’s VIP this September.  They will study in the English Language Program and take an academic class related to international relations and global studies.

While here, Dr. Shimizu graciously participated in the Public Lecture series hosted by Lakehead’s Political Studies.  To a packed room, he spoke about Nishida Kitaro, a prominent Japanese philosopher. Dr. Simizu criticized Nishida’s politics by employing his philosophy in a presentation titled ‘The Kyoto School and the Westphalian Language:  a tragic story of being and language in non-Western international relations’.

Reflecting on his visit, Dr. Shimizu commented, “Lakehead University is definitely the best place to send our students. My experience in Thunder Bay left me absolutely speechless.”

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Media: For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact Kelly Arnold, Media Relations and Marketing Assistant, at (807) 343-8177.

Lakehead University has about 9,700 full-time equivalent students and 2,000 faculty and staff in 10 faculties at two campuses in Orillia and Thunder Bay, Ontario. Lakehead is a fully comprehensive university: home to Ontario’s newest Faculty of Law in 44 years, the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, and faculties of Engineering, Business Administration, Health & Behavioural Sciences, Social Sciences & Humanities, Science & Environmental Studies, Natural Resources Management, Education, and Graduate Studies.

Maclean’s 2016 University Rankings place Lakehead University second in Ontario and among Canada’s Top 10 undergraduate universities, and first among Ontario’s undergraduate universities for Total Research Dollars, Social Sciences & Humanities Grants, and Library Expenses. In 2015, Re$earch Infosource ranked Lakehead first among Canada’s undergraduate universities.

Visit www.lakeheadu.ca.

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