June 21, 2019 – Thunder Bay, Ont.

The Lakehead University Finnish Chair Advisory Committee is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Kari Alenius as the ninth Chair in Finnish Studies.

Dr. Alenius will be in Thunder Bay for the 2019-20 fall and winter terms.

Since 2014, Dr. Alenius has served as the Head of the Department of History, Culture and Communications and as the Head of Transcultural Encounters Research Centre (TCERC) at the University of Oulu.

Dr. Alenius obtained his PhD in History from the University of Oulu and his doctoral dissertation was on the Estonian image of Finland and the Finns from the period of national awakening to the end of the Tsarist era (approx. 1850-1917). Since then, he has published numerous books and articles on the history of Estonia and other subjects.

His second monograph was on the ethnic relations in Estonia during the interwar period (1920s) and this was followed by a Finnish-language history of the Baltic States. His fourth monograph continued to study ethnic relations. This time the subject was the development of the legal status of national minorities in Germany (Weimar Republic).

He then went on to study political narratives and propaganda, focusing on the rhetoric of the Great Powers in the UN Security Council (1946-1956) in his fifth monograph. In other research projects, he has studied inter/transcultural relations, national identities, and war propaganda.

Dr. Alenius has taught a wide variety of courses at the University of Oulu. In recent years, his teaching has included Introduction to the History of Minorities; History of Propaganda, The Societal Development of Germany, 1918-1945; Finland and the Baltic Countries as an Area of Interest of the Great Powers, 1900-1945.

In addition to lectures, he has conducted graduate seminars at the M.A. and PhD levels, and he has supervised literature examinations on, for example, the History of Ethnic Relations, Historiography, Philosophy of History, and International and Cultural Interaction. 

During the 2019–2020 academic year at Lakehead University, he is conducting research on the birth of the Canadian image of Finland in the 19^th and early 20^th century.

Dr. Alenius will also be teaching the following courses on the Thunder Bay campus of Lakehead University:

Fall term

History/Northern Studies 2171 FA 

Finland and the Nordic Region in the 19th Century 

Mondays & Wednesdays 10 am - 11:30 am 

Winter term

History /Northern Studies 2172 WA 

Finland and the Nordic Region in the 20th Century 

Mondays & Wednesdays 8:30 am - 10 am 

Dr. Alenius will be making public presentations in Thunder Bay during his time at Lakehead University.

He is expected to arrive at the end of August, when he will begin occupying an office with the Department of History in the Ryan building.

For more information about the Lakehead University Chair visit www.lakeheadu.ca/programs/chairs/cfs

August 23, 2019 – Thunder Bay, Ont.

It’s not too late for you to apply to Lakehead University – applications will be accepted for most programs until the first week of September.

Lakehead is a comprehensive university offering a diverse range of programs across two campuses in Thunder Bay and Orillia. From science and arts to professional degree programs, there is a program for everyone at Lakehead.

The Thunderwolves Howl! Fall Orientation will welcome new students to Lakehead University’s Thunder Bay campus.  Orientation will run from Wednesday, Aug. 28 until Saturday, Aug. 31, and will focus on helping students successfully transition to Lakehead University.

“Students will definitely enjoy the Quest for the President’s Cup, which offers them a chance to explore campus, learn about the supports and services, get to know each other, and win prizes donated by local businesses,” said Richard Clark of the Student Success Centre.

“All of Lakehead’s Orientation events allow new students to be introduced and connected to the Lakehead and Thunder Bay communities, as well as familiarize themselves with resources that will help them transition to university life,” he added.

Events and activities will cater to students entering from high school, college/university transfer, as well as international, Aboriginal and mature students.

“These events will ensure students have a positive introduction to Lakehead and start the year prepared and excited for their new academic adventure,” said Shannon Maloney, Academic Support Zone Coordinator. “Our programming engages students in the University experience and helps them develop a sense of belonging at Lakehead.”

The Student Success Centre, Residence & Conference Services, and the Lakehead University Student Union are organizing the Thunderwolves Howl! Orientation.

For more information, please visit The Thunderwolves Howl! Fall Orientation page.  

For information about applying to Lakehead, see undergraduate programs here.

Schedule

Wednesday, Aug. 28

• 9:00 am - 1:00 pm  International Welcome Day
• 11:30 am - 1:00 pm  Campus & Community Fair
• 11:00 am - 5:00 pm  Registration/Check-In & Tours
• 6:00 pm  Live on the Waterfront Concert

Thursday, Aug. 29

• 9:00 am - 1:00 pm   Registration/Check-In – It’s Residence move-in day!
• 1:30 pm  Orientation Kick-Off Bonanza
• 2:30 pm - 5:00 pm  Quest for the President’s Cup
• 7:30 pm   Carnival
• 9:30 pm   Outdoor Movie

Friday, Aug. 30

• 9:45 am   Faculty & Program Sessions
• 11:30 am  President’s Procession and Welcoming Ceremony – The procession begins at 11:15 am outside the Chancellor Paterson Library and heads to the CJ Sanders Fieldhouse for the welcoming ceremony, which starts at 11:30 am.
• 12:15 pm  Varsity Madness
• 1:00 pm    Lunch by the Lake 
• 2:00 pm - 5:00 pm  Downtown Scavenger Hunt
• 7:00 pm   Monte Carlo Night

Saturday, Aug. 31

• 11:00 am - 5:00 pm  LUSU Day Activities
• 7:00 pm - LUSU Concert

Tuesday, Sept. 3

• First day of classes

Saturday, Sept. 7

• 12 to 5 pm    Maadaadizi Post-Secondary Student Orientation at Marina Park, to welcome Aboriginal students to Lakehead University and post-secondary school.

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Media: For more information or interviews, please contact Brandon Walker, Media, Communications and Marketing Associate, at (807) 343-8177 or mediarelations@lakeheadu.ca.

Lakehead University has approximately 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 2019 University Rankings place Lakehead University among Canada's Top 10 primarily undergraduate universities and in 2018 Research Infosource named Lakehead Research University of the Year in its category for the fourth consecutive year. Visit www.lakeheadu.ca.

Dr. Nancy Langston is Distinguished Professor of Environmental History at Michigan Technological University. She will serve as Fulbright Canada Research Chair in Interdisciplinary Sustainability Solutions at Lakehead University.

Her most recent book, Sustaining Lake Superior (Yale University Press, 2017), examines the environmental history of climate change, industrial development, and toxics in the Lake Superior basin. Since July 2013, Dr. Langston has been a professor at Michigan Technological University. During 2012-2013, she was the King Carl XVI Gustaf Professor of Environmental Science at Umeå University in Sweden. She served as professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison for 17 years.

She has written four books, 50 peer-reviewed journal articles, and popular journalism. Former President of the American Society for Environmental History, Dr. Langston has raised over $750,000 in competitive external funding, and she has won awards from the Marshall Foundation, the Mellon Foundation, the American Society for Environmental History, the American Philosophical Society, and the American Council for Learned Societies.

Dr. Langston's research at Lakehead University will examine the restoration of woodland caribou and common loons in the north. Although both species have been the focus of conservation and restoration efforts for decades, they remain at risk in northern landscapes. What can we learn from past efforts at recovery, and what new strategies need to be adopted to sustain populations of migratory species in the Anthropocene? Sustainable management of migratory species requires integrative, multidisciplinary research that examines the history of policy and restoration efforts.

Dr. Langston’s first seminar, free and open to the public, will launch the Natural Resources Management seminar series, Monday, Jan. 27 in AT 5036 (Thunder Bay) and OA 2005 (Orillia), called Mongolia's reindeer herders: Conservation in a Changing Climate (see poster below). 

Media Officer (Home Institution): Stefanie Sidortsova, Executive Director for Communications, Michigan Technological University, 906-487-1777, email: ssidorts@mtu.edu

Media Officer (Host Institution): Brandon Walker, Media, Communications and Marketing Associate, Lakehead University, 807-343-8177, email: bwalker3@lakeheadu.ca

From left, host Madison Sameshima interviews Dr. Kathryn Sinden, Regan Bolduc, and Sara Sayed.

November 27, 2019 – Thunder Bay, Ont.

Lakehead University’s Report to the Community luncheon, held on November 27 at the Valhalla Inn ballroom, introduced more than 300 guests to researchers and alumni who are doing exciting work that is making an impact within the university and beyond.

The first guest was Alex Bilyk, a PhD student who helped design the drone challenge in the Thunder Bay episode of The Amazing Race Canada that aired on CTV in August.

Bilyk described working with the crew from The Amazing Race Canada and the drone challenge that producers used on the Thunder Bay episode. He spent Mother’s Day weekend filming and kept it secret from his family and friends until the episode aired.

Next up was Dr. Kathryn Sinden, a Lakehead assistant professor of Kinesiology, firefighter Regan Bolduc, a Lakehead Honours Bachelor of Kinesiology graduate and co-chair of Thunder Bay Fire Rescue’s Critical Incident Response Team, and Sara Sayed, a Lakehead Master of Science graduate, who discussed their research into post-traumatic stress in Thunder Bay firefighters.

Using wearable technology, they demonstrated the insight that they can gain while firefighters do a lift using a manikin.

The final guest was Peter Cameron, an Education alumnus who is a Grade 5/6 teacher at St. Elizabeth’s School in Thunder Bay. Cameron co-founded Make a Difference – Professional Development, bringing together educators from around the world to share one idea that makes a difference in their classroom.

In 2019, he was chosen as a National Geographic Grosvenor Teacher Fellow – along with 44 other highly respected educators – in recognition of his commitment to geographic education.

When Cameron graduated from Lakehead’s Faculty of Education in 1994, he never dreamed he’d have the opportunity to travel aboard the National Geographic Quest ship in Alaska. During his talk, he also described how technology allowed him to connect with students in ways he never imagined.

Madison Sameshima, a student in Lakehead’s Master of Science in Management program, was the master of ceremonies for the annual luncheon.

Some milestones that were celebrated at the luncheon included being named ‘Research University of the Year’ in the undergraduate category for the fifth year in a row by Research Infosource and being included among Canada’s Top 10 primarily undergraduate universities by Maclean’s 2020 University Rankings.

“Today was an opportunity to meet some of the people who learn, teach, and advance research, scholarly and creative work at Lakehead—each empowering themselves and our learners to become the next generation of leaders,” said Dr. Moira McPherson, Lakehead’s President & Vice-Chancellor.

“This year’s Annual Report shows the exceptional impact our students, faculty, and alumni are having on the economy and society,” Dr. McPherson added.

Lakehead also celebrated the incredible financial impact it has on the province. Lakehead University adds approximately $1.4 billion per year to Ontario’s gross domestic product. The annual economic impact of Lakehead Thunder Bay on the province was $1.3 billion, while Lakehead Orillia contributed $122.7 million. Lakehead University is responsible for 6,277 full-time equivalent jobs.

“The Report to the Community is a chance to celebrate the year’s successes and connect with the communities within Northwestern Ontario and Simcoe County,” said Ross Murray, Q.C., Chair of Lakehead University’s Board of Governors.

Visit daredefydiscover.ca to view Lakehead University’s 2018-2019 Report to the Community.

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Media: For more information or interviews, please contact Brandon Walker, Media, Communications and Marketing Associate, at (807) 343-8177 or mediarelations@lakeheadu.ca.

Lakehead University has approximately 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 2019 University Rankings place Lakehead University among Canada's Top 10 primarily undergraduate universities and in 2018 Research Infosource named Lakehead Research University of the Year in its category for the fourth consecutive year. Visit www.lakeheadu.ca.

An Amazing Race Canada racer participates in a challenge.

August 21, 2019 – Thunder Bay, Ont.

As you may have heard, Canada’s most-watched summer series, the multiple Canadian Screen Award-winning The Amazing Race Canada, filmed an episode in Thunder Bay.

However, what you may not know – since it was a well-kept secret – is that Lakehead University’s Faculty of Natural Resources Management helped create one of the challenges.

“When we were approached by the producers of The Amazing Race Canada, we suggested a great challenge that we use with our students – and the producers agreed that it would work,” said Dr. Ulf Runesson, Lakehead University’s Dean of Natural Resources Management. 

“We don’t want to say too much, because we shouldn’t spoil it, but our challenge went quite well,” Dr. Runesson said.

Hosted by Olympic Gold Medallist Jon Montgomery, tune in to next week’s episode of The Amazing Race Canada to watch the remaining racers push themselves outside of their comfort zones in this non-stop, action-packed season that started airing on July 2.

The Thunder Bay episode of The Amazing Race Canada aired on Tuesday, Aug. 27 on CTV, CTV.ca, and the CTV app.

Watch the episode here.

For information about Lakehead University, visit lakeheadu.ca/future-students/programs or take a tour: lakeheadu.ca/future-students/campus-tours

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Media: For more information or interviews, please contact Brandon Walker, Media, Communications and Marketing Associate, at (807) 343-8177 or mediarelations@lakeheadu.ca.

Lakehead University has approximately 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 2019 University Rankings place Lakehead University among Canada's Top 10 primarily undergraduate universities and in 2018 Research Infosource named Lakehead Research University of the Year in its category for the fourth consecutive year. Visit www.lakeheadu.ca.

June 11, 2019 – Thunder Bay, Ont.

Lakehead University researchers are receiving $2.25 million from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada for 33 research projects.

This year’s total includes $1.56 million for 12 Discovery grants, which amounts to 72 per cent more funding than last year’s Discovery grants.

Some of these researchers will explore a new design that will make bridges more durable and examine the benefits of using various tree species to mitigate the impact of reduced water in boreal forests.

Dr. Muntasir Billah, Assistant Professor in Civil Engineering, is receiving $155,000 to spend five years developing a bridge system that can endure multiple hazards at the same time, such as an earthquake and a tsunami or an earthquake and a flood.

“Successful completion of this research will not only create guidelines for practitioners to design and analyze bridges against multiple hazards, but also develop innovative smart structural components that will enhance bridge safety,” Dr. Billah said.

This research will significantly improve Canada’s highway infrastructure resilience, which means Canadian communities will have economical, safe, and low-risk bridges when subjected to extreme            natural hazards.

Dr. Han Chen, Professor in Natural Resources Management, is receiving $275,000 to spend five years examining how various tree species can mitigate the negative impacts of reduced water availability in boreal forests. This research relies on a water-alteration experiment in natural boreal forests.

“The success of my research program is highly dependent on the effective training of highly qualified personnel,” Dr. Chen said. “Our findings will help develop strategies to cope with climate change in Canada’s boreal forests.”

“This NSERC funding allows our researchers to do important work that will have a profound impact in Northwestern Ontario, Simcoe County, and around the world,” said Dr. Andrew P. Dean, Lakehead’s Vice-President, Research and Innovation.                                 

Funding from NSERC also generates support from the federal Research Support Fund to offset the indirect costs of research incurred by universities.

In 2018/19, Lakehead University will receive nearly $2 million in assistance from the Research Support Fund to support the indirect costs of research, which includes costs for supporting the management of intellectual property, research and administration, ethics and regulatory compliance, research resources, and research facilities.

New NSERC Grants 2018-19 – Total: $2,252,613

Faculty Member Grants

Collaborative Research & Development Grant – Two to three-year grants

• Dr. Pedram Fatehi, Department of Chemical Engineering, Production of water soluble products from tall oil lignin - Ligno tall process, $150,000.  In addition, $150,000 received from CRIBE, $100,000 from Ontario Centres of Excellence, and $75,000 from Resolute Forest Products for this project.
• Dr. Peter Hollings, Department of Geology, Mineral chemistry as a vector to mineralisation in porphyry systems, $173,300, with an additional $92,508 from partner organization AMIRA International Limited.

Discovery Grants – Five-year grants (unless otherwise noted)

• Dr. Ehsan Behzadfar, Department of Chemical Engineering, Investigation of Rheology and Processing of Multilayer Polymer-Based Products, $140,000.
• Dr. Muntasir Billah, Department of Civil Engineering, Performance-Based Approach for Multihazard Resilient Design of Highway Bridges, $155,000.
• Dr. Han Chen, Faculty of Natural Resources Management, The role of tree species diversity in mitigating negative impacts of reduced water availability in boreal forests: Patterns and mechanisms, $275,000.
• Dr. Jian Deng, Department of Civil Engineering, Parametric Resonance and Stochastic Dynamic Stability of Structures: Theory, Experiments, and Applications, $130,000.
• Dr. Ebrahim Rezaei Geshnizgani, Department of Chemical Engineering,Investigating New Frontiers of Catalytic Ozonation for Air Pollution Control, $140,000.
• Dr. Jinqiang Hou, Department of Chemistry, Development of stereospecific radio-flourination methods, $120,000.
• Dr. Salama Ikki, Department of Electrical Engineering, Software-Radio Strategies for Heterogeneous Communication Networks, $28,000 (one-year grant).
• Dr. Deli Li, Department of Mathematical Sciences, Probability Asymptotic Theorems and Their Applications, $90,000.
• Dr. Cui Liang, Department of Civil Engineering,Multiscale/Multiphysics Testing and Modelling of Cemented Paste Backfill-Rock Interface Behaviour and Application to the Design of Cemented Paste Backfill Structures, $130,000.
• Dr. Baoqiang Liao, Department of Chemical Engineering,A Novel Membrane Biofilm Reactor for Microalgae Cultivation and Harvest and Wastewater Treatment, $140,000.
• Dr. Maria Grazia Viola, Department of Mathematical Sciences (Orillia), L^p operator algebras that look like C*algebras and q-deformed free group factors, $75,000.
• Dr. Qiang Wei, Department of Electrical Engineering, Innovative High Power Converters and Controls for Next Generation Offshore Wind Energy Systems, $140,000.

Discovery Launch Supplements – $12,500 for one year

• Dr. Ehsan Behzadfar, Department of Chemical Engineering, Investigation of Rheology and Processing of Multilayer Polymer-Based Products, $12,500.
• Dr. Muntasir Billah, Department of Civil Engineering, Performance-Based Approach for Multihazard Resilient Design of Highway Bridges, $12,500.
• Dr. Liang Cui, Department of Civil Engineering,Multiscale/Multiphysics Testing and Modelling of Cemented Paste Backfill-Rock Interface Behaviour and Application to the Design of Cemented Paste Backfill Structures, $12,500.
  
• Dr. Ebrahim Rezaei Geshnizgani, Department of Chemical Engineering,Investigating New Frontiers of Catalytic Ozonation for Air Pollution Control, $12,500.
• Dr. Jinqiang Hou, Department of Chemistry, Development of stereospecific radio-flourination methods, $12,500.
• Dr. Qiang Wei, Department of Electrical Engineering, Innovative High Power Converters and Controls for Next Generation Offshore Wind Energy Systems, $12,500.

Engage Grants –Six-month grants

• Dr. Michael Campbell, Department of Chemistry, Neutron activation analysis of precious metals using a medical cyclotron as the neutron source, $23,105 (in partnership with Goldcorp Canada Limited - Musselwhite Mine).
• Dr. Lew Christopher, Department of Biology, Valorization of Lignin as a Crop Seed Additive, $25,000 (in partnership with Retrievall Inc.).
• Dr. Siamak Elyasi, Department of Chemical Engineering, Investigation of Electrochemical Reaction in Advanced Oxidation Systems (AOS) Using Numerical Analysis, $25,000 (in partnership with BioLargo Water).
• Dr. Salama Ikki, Department of Electrical Engineering, Machine Learning based Cyber Threat Intelligence and Detection in the Smart Grid, $25,000 (in partnership with N-Dimension Solutions Inc.).
• Dr. Baoqiang Liao, Department of Chemical Engineering, Characterization of Membrane Fouling for Optimization of Membrane Filtration Processes for Improved Water Recovery, $25,000 (in partnership with AMEC Foster Wheeler Environment & Infrastructure).
• Dr. Kefu Liu, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Optimization of Trailer Boat Tail using Computational Fluid Dynamics simulations, $25,000 (in partnership with Transtex Composite).
• Dr. Azim Mallik, Department of Biology, GIS model for riparian forest management in Ontario emulating post-fire residual forest patterns, $23,400 (in partnership with Resolute Forest Products).
• Dr. Osama (Sam) Salem, Department of Civil Engineering, Structural Fire Performance of Steel Beams Protected with Innovative Hot Melt Intumescent Composite (HMIC) Material, $24,808 (with an additional $5,000 from 3M Canada Company, and $19,968.00 from OCE VIP I Program).
• Dr. Wilson Wang, Department of Mechanical Engineering, An Intelligent System for Fault Diagnostics in Mining Equipment, $25,000 (in partnership with GoldCorp Incorporation).

Graduate Student Funding

Canada Graduate Scholarships-Master’s Program - $17,500 for one year

• Davide Marchese, Physics, Organization of Supramolecular Structures on Boron Doped Si-(111)
  
  
• Mackenzie Simpson, Computer Science, Optimization of Emergency Department Scheduling
  
  
• Joseph Tassone, Computer Science, Machine Learning for Forest Fire Detection
• Victor Xiao, Biology, Study of B-cell activating factor (BAFF) and A proliferation-inducing ligand (APRIL) activation in Haemophillus influenzae

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Media: For more information or interviews, please contact Brandon Walker, Communications and Marketing Associate, at (807) 343-8177 or mediarelations@lakeheadu.ca.

Lakehead University has approximately 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 2019 University Rankings place Lakehead University among Canada's Top 10 primarily undergraduate universities and in 2018 Research Infosource named Lakehead Research University of the Year in its category for the fourth consecutive year. Visit www.lakeheadu.ca.

From left, Kathleen Lynch, President, Confederation College,  Dr. David Nanang, Director General, Canadian Forest Service-Great Lakes Forestry Centre, and Dr. Andrew Dean, Vice-President, Research and Innovation, at Lakehead University signed the agreement on Tuesday, Feb. 26.

February 26, 2019 – Thunder Bay, Ont.

On Tuesday, February 26, Natural Resources Canada’s Canadian Forest Service, Lakehead University and Confederation College signed a five-year Memorandum of Understanding with Forest Science Research and Education.

“One of the goals in Lakehead University’s strategic plan is to create local and global partnerships, and this MOU helps us do that as well as grow our research capacity,” said Dr. Andrew Dean, Vice-President, Research & Innovation, Lakehead University.

“We are especially pleased that this signing is occurring during our 14th annual Research and Innovation Week. This week highlights our research accomplishments, and this partnership with the Canadian Forest Service and Confederation College will offer unique opportunities for increased research in forest science,” he added.

The MOU is aimed at increasing opportunities for all organizations to share expertise and resources in forest science and related research, collaboration and education initiatives. It recognizes the potential for this relationship to assist each organization in strengthening forest science research, education, and commercial development in Canada.

"On behalf of the Canadian Forest Service, we are excited to further strengthen our relationship with Lakehead University and Confederation College through this memorandum of understanding. This MOU represents our mutual support for the advancement of forest science research and education within our respective organizations and throughout Canada,” said Dr. David Nanang, Director General, Canadian Forest Service-Great Lakes Forestry Centre. 

“Confederation College is deeply committed to providing access to programming that supports the needs of our region, and this partnership with Lakehead University and the Canadian Forest Service will help to advance that effort,” said Kathleen Lynch, President, Confederation College. “In particular, we are excited by the opportunities this MOU will create for students interested in the natural resources sector and the numerous applied research possibilities we will be able to collaboratively explore.”

The MOU provides a variety of opportunities and benefits for all organizations involved. There will be increased opportunities in forest science research and education that may exceed what the organizations could do separately.

There will also be increased sharing of intellectual and technical resources, including faculty and staff expertise and sophisticated research infrastructure and equipment and research sites.

Finally, the development of collaborative research projects, including more competitive grant proposals as well as the increased participation of CFS researchers as adjunct professors contributing to active mentoring of undergraduate and graduate students will support an increased collaboration of forest science research and education.

Together, Lakehead University, Confederation College and the Canadian Forest Service will continue to advance forestry research, collaboration and education throughout Canada.

Background:

The Canadian Forest Service (CFS) is a science-based policy organization within Natural Resources Canada, a Government of Canada department that helps shape the important contributions of the natural resources sector to the Canadian economy, society and environment. Their mission is to promote the sustainable development of Canada’s forests and competitiveness of the Canadian forest sector. The CFS has six research Centers located across Canada, with research scientists and professionals who conduct studies in areas such as forest ecology, impacts of global climate changes, insects and diseases, forest health, biotechnology, landscape analysis, hydrology and aquatic systems, fire behaviour and impacts, and forestry practices and inventory, which contribute to national CFS priorities.

Lakehead University is globally recognized for its research and education in the area of natural resources management and forestry-based studies. Lakehead’s program offerings are diverse; they focus on conserving and sustaining our forests for a full range of uses – from timber harvesting, bio-products, inventory and recreation to wildlife management to the conservation of biodiversity. The scope of their reach is not limited to Canadian Forestry practices. Lakehead also has a rich history of successful international collaborations with universities, NGO’s and government agencies which have focused on community-based forestry practices, land-use planning and advancing the forestry profession through the training of highly qualified personnel domestically and internationally.

Confederation College prepares students for careers in natural resource management including forest management, forest resource inventory, forest resources conservation and protection, environmental technology, silviculture and biomass energy. Confederation College is growing its capacity in applied research and is looking for collaborative opportunities to leverage recent investments in programming and infrastructure.

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For more information, please contact: 

Lakehead University Media Enquiries:

Brandon Walker, Communications and Marketing Associate

807-343-8372

bwalker3@lakeheadu.ca

Confederation College Media Enquiries:

Vince Ponka, Media & Communications Officer

Ph: (807) 475-6137, Cell: (807) 620-0043, E-mail: vponka@confederationcollege.ca

Natural Resources Canada’s Media Relations Unit:

Toll-Free in Canada: 1-855-862-1809
Telephone: 343-292-6100
TTY: 613-996-4397
Email: NRCan.media_relations-media_relations.RNCan@canada.ca 

Lakehead University has approximately 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 2019 University Rankings place Lakehead University among Canada's Top 10 primarily undergraduate universities and in 2018 Research Infosource named Lakehead Research University of the Year in its category for the fourth consecutive year. Visit www.lakeheadu.ca.

Confederation Collegehas been serving the citizens of northwestern Ontario since 1967 meeting the educational needs of students in a catchment area of some 550,000 square kilometres. Along with its main campus in Thunder Bay, Confederation College has eight regional sites located in Dryden, Fort Frances, Geraldton, Kenora, Marathon, Sioux Lookout, Red Lake and Wawa.  Confederation College delivers exceptional education and training to an average of 6,500 combined full and part-time students per year and currently has a total of 850 full and part-time employees. Confederation’s regional economic impact and contribution is valued at $643.4 million annually.

The Canadian Forest Service (CFS) is a science-based policy organization within Natural Resources Canada, a Government of Canada department that helps shape the important contributions of the natural resources sector to the Canadian economy, society and environment. Their mission is to promote the sustainable development of Canada’s forests and competitiveness of the Canadian forest sector. The CFS has six research Centers located across Canada, with research scientists and professionals who conduct studies in areas such as forest ecology, impacts of global climate changes, insects and diseases, forest health, biotechnology, landscape analysis, hydrology and aquatic systems, fire behaviour and impacts, and forestry practices and inventory, which contribute to national CFS priorities.

Pictured from left, Gwen O’Reilly, Colin Bruce, Marlene Pierre, and Tanya Talaga.

April 24, 2019 – Thunder Bay, Ont.

Lakehead University will recognize four exceptional people at this year’s convocation ceremonies at the Thunder Bay Community Auditorium on Friday, May 31 and Saturday, June 1.

Northwestern Ontario Women’s Centre coordinator Gwen O’Reilly, Indigenous rights advocate Marlene Pierre, and award-winning author and Toronto Star columnist Tanya Talaga will each receive an honorary degree for their remarkable achievements.

“This year’s honorary degree recipients are being acknowledged for their exceptional contributions and achievements that have had impacts on Northwestern Ontario and, indeed, across Ontario and Canada,” said Dr. Moira McPherson, Lakehead University’s President and Vice-Chancellor.

Lakehead will also honour the dedication of retired Chronicle-Journal publisher Colin Bruce by naming him a Fellow of the University.

“By serving on several local boards, including as chair of Lakehead’s Board of Governors, Colin has had a profound impact on Lakehead University and Northwestern Ontario,” said Ross Murray, Chair of Lakehead University’s Board of Governors. 

Approximately 1,800 students will graduate at the Thunder Bay convocation ceremonies on Friday, May 31 and Saturday, June 1, and around 400 students will graduate during the Orillia ceremony on Saturday, June 8.

If you are eligible to graduate and planning to attend convocation, please RSVP using MyInfo – under RSVP-Spring Convocation. 

If you want to help make convocation special for Lakehead graduates by volunteering, please email Enrolment Services by Friday, May 17 at convocation@lakeheadu.ca, indicating the date and length of time you are available.

Convocation award schedule

Friday, May 31 – 2 p.m.

Gwen O’Reilly

In 1977, at the age of 17, Gwen O’Reilly was accepted into the HBSc Forestry program at Lakehead University, one of about five women in a class of over 100. A graduate program in Forest Genetics and Ecology and a six-year stint as a Forestry Research Associate followed. Fieldwork confirmed her love of the Boreal Forest. Forestry confirmed her understanding of sexism and homophobia.

On campus, Gwen joined other feminists to start the first women’s centre at Lakehead, before the dawn of Women’s Studies or sexual harassment legislation. She launched her public education career doing workshops on homophobia. The events following the murder of 14 women students at L’Ecole Polytechnique in 1989 shaped her understanding of gendered violence and the cost of speaking truth to power.

This also led to her focus on the institutional response to violence against women and the impacts of systemic racism and sexism. Her work at the Northwestern Ontario Women’s Centre continues to emphasize access to justice for all women.

Gwen’s interest in ecology has fuelled her enthusiasm for farming and sustainable living. Since 1987, she has been growing her own food, saving seeds and working in the local food security movement. She has administered the Thunder Bay Good Food Box Program since 2005.

After 30 years at a community-based Women’s Centre, women have entrusted her with thousands of personal stories of injustice – but also of courage, perseverance, acceptance and love. Their fierce determination to live well continues to inspire Gwen’s work.

She will be granted an honorary Doctor of Laws during the convocation ceremony at 2 p.m. on Friday, May 31.

Colin Bruce

Colin Bruce arrived in Thunder Bay in 1994 to become publisher and general manager of the city’s daily newspapers. He merged the two into The Chronicle-Journal and changed the newspaper’s commitment to the community with a “never say no” response to requests from community groups and charities.

Since 1970, he worked his way through the editorial department ranks at several papers as a reporter, city editor and managing editor before becoming the publisher in Kirkland Lake, then Orillia and ultimately here in Thunder Bay.

He has given his time and energy to the United Way of Thunder Bay, the Thunder Bay Community Foundation, Rotary, the Chamber of Commerce, and Lakehead University’s Board of Governors, among others.

Colin spent more than 20 years serving with the United Way, as a member on the board and chair of a successful annual campaign. His service with the board culminated in receiving the Ross Judge Award for volunteerism.

He served on Lakehead University’s Board of Governors as a member, vice-chair and then as chair. It was under Colin’s leadership when the board led the strategic plan development for the first time. He also led the board to review its size and nature, resulting in a dramatically smaller, more focussed and agile board.

Colin is retired and lives on Lake Superior with his wife, Grace. They have two sons, Jonathan and David, who both live and work in Thunder Bay.

He will be named Fellow of the University during the convocation ceremony at 2 p.m. on Friday, May 31.

Saturday, June 1 – 9:30 a.m.

Marlene Pierre 

Marlene Pierre is an Ojibwe woman from Fort William First Nation who has been an advocate for change in the social, economic and justice conditions of the Anishinabek people across Canada for the past 50 years.

Her primary focus was to improve family life for urban Aboriginal Peoples, Aboriginal women and all children.

Her political career involved active participation in the patriation of the Canadian Constitutional for the inclusion of the Equality Clause and also changes to the Indian Act to end discrimination against women.  She has been recognized and awarded for her work by all levels of government, by Aboriginal women’s organizations, friendship centres, the City of Thunder Bay and Fort William First Nation.

In her quest for justice, Marlene has been relentless in her work since she was a young woman and pursued many projects from local to national and international in scope. Her outstanding work has long been recognized, including when she was appointed to the Order of Ontario – the province’s highest honour – and when she received the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal at ceremonies in Toronto, Ont.

She will be granted an honorary Doctor of Letters during the convocation ceremony at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, June 1.

Saturday, June 1 – 2 p.m.

Tanya Talaga

Tanya Talaga is the author of Seven Fallen Feathers, which was the winner of the RBC Taylor Prize, the Shaughnessy Cohen Prize for Political Writing, and the First Nation Communities Read Award: Young Adult/Adult; a finalist for the Hilary Weston Writers’ Trust Nonfiction Prize and the BC National Award for Nonfiction; CBC’s Nonfiction Book of the Year, a Globe and Mail Top 100 Book, and a national bestseller.

She was the 2017–2018 Atkinson Fellow in Public Policy, the 2018 CBC Massey Lecturer, and author of the national bestseller All Our Relations: Finding The Path Forward. For more than 20 years Tanya has been a journalist at the Toronto Star and is now a columnist at the newspaper. She has been nominated five times for the Michener Award in public service journalism.

Tanya is of Polish and Indigenous descent. Her great-grandmother, Liz Gauthier, was a residential school survivor. Her great-grandfather, Russell Bowen, was an Ojibwe trapper and labourer. Her grandmother is a member of Fort William First Nation. Her mother was raised in Raith and Graham, Ontario. She lives in Toronto with her two teenage children.

She will be granted an honorary Doctor of Letters during the convocation ceremony at 2 p.m. on Saturday, June 1.

Program Schedule

• Friday, May 31 at 2 p.m. – NOSM, Law, Engineering, Natural Resources Management
• Saturday, June 1 at 9:30 a.m. – Health and Behavioural Sciences, Business
• Saturday, June 1 at 2 p.m. – Education, Science and Environmental Sciences, Social Sciences and Humanities

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Media: For more information or interviews, please contact Brandon Walker, Marketing and Communications Associate, at mediarelations@lakeheadu.ca.

Lakehead University has approximately 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 2019 University Rankings place Lakehead University among Canada's Top 10 primarily undergraduate universities and in 2018 Research Infosourcenamed Lakehead Research University of the Year in its category for the fourth consecutive year. Visit www.lakeheadu.ca.

July 18, 2019 – Thunder Bay and Orillia, Ont.

Lakehead University researchers are receiving $384,374 from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) for several research projects that will have an impact in various areas of Ontario.

Some of these projects will establish a network of collaborative campus-based “living laboratories” to examine issues of importance to people and their environments in the Lake Superior watershed, and use Indigenous research methodologies to develop new understanding of children’s self-regulation and literacy development.

Dr. Charles Levkoe, Canada Research Chair in Sustainable Food Systems and Associate Professor in Health Sciences at Lakehead University, is leading a partnership that will receive $188,106 over the next three years.

These community-campus collaborations will explore how postsecondary institutions might play a stronger role in advancing sustainability goals (including health and social and environmental justice) in the Lake Superior Watershed by turning higher education institutions into hubs for interdisciplinary “living laboratories” that integrate teaching, research, place-based experiential learning, and community engagement.

The project brings together three universities to serve as hubs (Lakehead University, University of Minnesota Duluth, Algoma University) and numerous community organizations and First Nations as partners through the new Lake Superior Living Labs Network. More information is available at livinglabs.lakeheadu.ca.

These partners are all situated on the Lake Superior watershed and are already pursuing projects that tackle social and environmental problems. The Lakehead Superior Living Labs Network will lead to greater collaborations between these organizations, and more integrated, systemic and impactful solutions to shared questions around water, land, climate, energy, and community and individual wellbeing in the region.

Dr. Sonia Mastrangelo, Associate Professor in Education (Orillia) and co-investigator Dr. Meridith Lovell-Johnston are receiving $196,268 to spend three years using Indigenous research methodologies to develop new knowledge and understanding of self-regulation practices and literacy development, in partnership with the Kwayaciiwin Education Resource Centre (Monika Orzechowska) in Sioux Lookout and the Self Regulation Institute (Dr. Susan Hopkins). Self-regulation is a framework for understanding stress and managing tension in order to cope with the challenges of daily life.

Being able to self-regulate is crucial to healthy child development including mental health, learning, resilience, and caring relationships in families, schools and communities. When self-regulation is compromised, so is literacy development.

Literacy rates in the north are lower than provincial averages and there are a rising number of students dealing with mental health challenges that impact academic achievement. This project will investigate whether promoting self-regulation through culturally appropriate techniques such as storytelling will help to improve well-being, literacy outcomes and overall school success. The research study adopts a holistic approach, engaging teachers, children and community members.

“Thank you to the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council for funding these important projects,” said Dr. Andrew P. Dean, Lakehead’s Vice-President, Research and Innovation.

“They will provide new opportunities for collaboration and unique opportunities for student involvement and will also have a direct impact on wellbeing in Ontario.”

Funding from SSHRC also generates support from the federal Research Support Fund to offset the indirect costs of research incurred by universities.

In 2018/19, Lakehead University will receive nearly $2 million in assistance from the Research Support Fund to support the indirect costs of research, which includes costs for supporting the management of intellectual property, research and administration, ethics and regulatory compliance, research resources, and research facilities. 

Partnership Development Grants – three years

Charles Levkoe, Department of Health Sciences, Lake Superior Living Labs Network: Enhancing Capacity for Regenerative Social-Ecological Systems, $188,106

Co-investigator(s)

• Alison Aune, University of Minnesota Duluth
• Brian E. McLaren, Lakehead University
• Constance L. Russell, Lakehead University
• David A. Greenwood Lakehead University
• Elizabeth L. Edgar-Webkamigad, Algoma University
• Emily Onello, University of Minnesota
• Joseph Bauerkemper, University of Minnesota Duluth
• Joshua T. Barnett, University of Minnesota Duluth
• Kathryn Milun, University of Minnesota Duluth
• Kristen N. Lowitt, Brandon University
• Laura Wyper, Algoma University
• Lindsay P. Galway, Lakehead University
• Martha G.M. Dowsley, Lakehead University
• Michael D. Rennie, Lakehead University
• Nairne Cameron, Algoma University
• Randel D. Hanson, University of Minnesota Duluth
• Robert M. Stewart, Lakehead University
• Steve Sternberg, University of Minnesota Duluth
• Thomas H. Beery, University of Minnesota Duluth

  Collaborator(s)

• Lana Ray, Lakehead University
• Ledah P. McKellar, Lakehead University
• Mindy Granley, University of Minnesota Duluth
• PhebeAnn M. Wolframe, Lakehead University 

    Partner(s)

• Algoma University, Sault Ste. Marie, ON
• City of Thunder Bay, Thunder Bay, Ont.
• Duluth Folk School Duluth, MN
• EcoSuperior Thunder Bay, Ont.
• Food Bank Farm Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.
• Lakehead University Thunder Bay, Ont.
• Lake Superior College Duluth, MN
• Lake Superior Sustainable Farming Association Duluth, MN
• Roots to Harvest Thunder Bay, ON
• Sault Ste. Marie Innovation Centre Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.
• Thunder Bay and Area Food Strategy Thunder Bay, Ont.
• United Way Sault Ste Marie, Ont.
• University of Minnesota Duluth, Duluth, MN
• Zeitgeist Center for Arts & Community Duluth, MN

Sonia Mastrangelo, Faculty of Education, Supporting the Development of Young Children's Self-Regulation Capacities and Literacy Skills in Ontario's Northern Communities: Engaging Families and Educators, $196,268. 

Co-investigator(s)

• Meridith A. Lovell-Johnston, Lakehead University

Partner(s)

• Kwayaciiwin Education Resource Centre Sioux Lookout, ON (Monika Orzechowska) 
• Self Regulation Institute (Dr. Susan Hopkins)

         Collaborator(s)

• Cynthia C. Wesley-Esquimaux, Lakehead University
• Barbara Parker, Lakehead University
• Heather J. Hill, Georgian College of Applied Arts and Technology

– 30 –

Media: For more information or interviews, please contact Brandon Walker, Communications and Marketing Associate, at (807) 343-8177 or mediarelations@lakeheadu.ca.

Lakehead University has approximately 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 2019 University Rankings place Lakehead University among Canada's Top 10 primarily undergraduate universities and in 2018 Research Infosource named Lakehead Research University of the Year in its category for the fourth consecutive year. Visit www.lakeheadu.ca.

The Faculty of Education's September 2019 newsletter is now available online, including stories about alumni, faculty, projects, awards, and other news.

Click here to read the latest edition.