December 6th, 2019 marks the 30th anniversary of the mass shooting of fourteen women (almost all of whom were engineering students) at École Polytechnique de Montréal (now Polytechnique Montreal).

This year, Engineering Deans Canada commemorates this tragic event by celebrating the outstanding work of female engineers across Canada who were touched by this event, but survived and forged a path forward for other women to follow. Engineering Deans Canada invited each of the Canadian engineering schools that offered an accredited engineering program in 1989 to put forward the story of an engineering alumna whose career exemplifies the changes that women have brought to the engineering profession and to Canadian society. These profiles can be seen at www.30yearslater.ca.

Our intention on focusing on these new stories is to move forward from what was lost in the form of young lives, and to put a spotlight on the strength and resilience of those whose lives were touched by the event, but spared to continue their life’s work, and to inspire the expanded inclusion of women in the profession by showcasing the stories of how they have changed the way we think and practice.

In terms of social media we will use the following hashtags
#30yearslater
#30Years30Engineers and
#December6

Colette Lepage was born and raised on the outskirts of Sudbury, Ontario in a hardworking, blue-collar family. 

She spent much of her youth gazing at the stars, reading astronomy and science fiction books and wondering endlessly about the mysteries of the universe.  She had a passion for science and technology so she completed her Chemical Engineering Technology diploma at Cambrian College in 1994. 

After working in her field for a few years, she decided to return to school to earn her Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering at Lakehead University in 1999.  Shortly after graduating, she was hired by a contracting company as an entry level engineer in the field of Contamination Control at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center near Washington DC. 

After a few years of acquiring experience in her field, she would eventually go on to manage the SSDIF (Spacecraft Systems Development and Integration Facility) Cleanroom, one of the largest cleanrooms in the world that housed the Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission space flight hardware and eventually, the James Webb Space Telescope (Hubble's successor) space flight hardware. 

Over the course of her two decade long career, Colette also provided her expertise at other notable facilities like the NASA Kennedy Space Center in Florida, NASA Glenn Research Center's Plum Brook Station in Ohio and Northrop Grumman Space Park in California to name a few.

For 20 years, Colette has enjoyed the privilege and honor of being a part of a world class team of scientists and engineers responsible for making new discoveries regarding the universe that continue to re-writing astronomy books.   

Presently, Colette continues to support space flight projects on a part-time basis through her own consulting firm which allows her the opportunity to pursue another lifelong passion of full-time travel.  Colette now enjoys the best of both worlds.  While visiting a National Park with very little light pollution, she can still gaze at the stars and wonder about the mysteries of the universe all while being part of a team of dedicated professionals working hard to unlock those mysteries.  

The library's new academic search tool, Omni, is officially launching on December 12. Omni will be replacing both the library’s classic catalogue and Search-it-All. Omni streamlines the process of requesting materials from 13 other University Libraries, changing the way that users can access and borrow resources. The library is also excited to announce a number of user-centered policy changes, such as unlimited renewals and extended loan periods.

For more information on Omni, check out the library’s social media profiles on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

Tuesday, November 19 is National Bereavement Day. The Centre for Education and Research on Aging & Health reminds you that grief has a great impact on us emotionally, physically, socially, cognitively and spiritually. Today, please think about your family members, friends and others close to you who are grieving or in bereavement, and consider the support they may need.

It’s important to know that support may be needed by those who are grieving before, during and after the course of a loved one’s journey. Recognizing their needs and supporting them in coping or healing from a loss is an essential element of care.

There are many grief and bereavement services available in northwestern Ontario. Please help those who would like or need support by sharing this information with them. Click here for a listing of community resources.

Resources are also available on the Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association website.

For more information on National Bereavement Day please visit http://www.chpca.net/news-and-events/bereavementday.aspx

Kam Yu from the Department of Economics has published a new textbook titled "Mathematical Economics: Prelude to the Neoclassical Model" with Springer Nature.

The book provides a one-semester introduction to mathematical economics for first-year graduate and senior undergraduate students. Intended to fill the gap between typical liberal arts curriculum and the rigorous mathematical modelling of graduate study in economics, this text provides a concise introduction to the mathematics needed for core microeconomics, macroeconomics, and econometrics courses. Details of the book can be found here.

Last year, we experienced one of the highest participation rates from Faculty and Staff to our annual Campus Giving Campaign.

In total, $40,357.04 was donated via payroll deduction to Lakehead University and other not-for-profit organizations. Not only did participation remain high, but payroll donations designated to Lakehead University increased by 58%.

As Lakehead University and the student community continues to grow, so too does the need to support the Lakehead Annual Fund. Payroll giving is the easiest way to send a powerful message to our students that we are passionate about providing them with access to scholarships and bursaries, as well as enhancing their Lakehead experience.

You can direct your payroll donation to the area of need that matches your passion and interest. When considering making a gift, we encourage you to make one that is right for you.

We encourage you to sign up for payroll deduction here.

It’s quick, easy, and more importantly, every gift makes an impact. Your first deduction will begin in January 2020.

***NEW THIS YEAR***
Employees who sign-up for payroll deduction will be entered into a draw for a chance to win one pair of tickets to see an upcoming Lakehead University Thunderwolves Hockey game - from our exclusive Alumni House Box at the Fort William Gardens!

Four  prizes are available to be won. Prize includes VIP seating in the Alumni House box, complimentary snacks, refreshments and an Alumni Swag Bag!

If you have any questions, please contact Anna Sampson at anna.sampson@lakeheadu.ca or via phone at ext. 8972

November 19, 2019 – Orillia, Ont.

Surrounded by Lakehead University students and alumni, County of Simcoe Warden George Cornell and members of County Council presented President & Vice-Chancellor Dr. Moira McPherson, Board of Governors Chair Ross Murray, and Lakehead Orillia Principal Dr. Dean Jobin-Bevans, with a $1 million gift.

The gift is part of the County of Simcoe’s annual pledge to improve access to post-secondary education across the region. Today’s announcement brings the County of Simcoe’s contributions to Lakehead to $9.5 million since 2009.

“Our investment in post-secondary educational institutions supports our economy, helps to expand our labour market and provides local access to world-class education for our residents, including the 654 Simcoe County students currently enrolled at Lakehead University,” said Warden George Cornell. “Our 10-year funding commitment of $10 million supports Lakehead’s innovative programming, and ensures that Simcoe County has well-educated, job-ready candidates to help grow our 16,000 area businesses.”

During the event, County Councillors heard first-hand from second-year social work student and Midland, Ont. resident, Amanda Rego-Lynch, the impact of having a university in the community.

“I’m the first generation in my family to go to university,” said Rego-Lynch, “and I believed for a long time that I would never be able to, so this is a huge milestone for me. I may have come in a bit late (as a mature student), but Lakehead University has changed my life. And, it’s had an impact on my kids. My 12-year-old son is now saying, ‘If mom can do it, so can I!’”

Lakehead Orillia Principal Dr. Dean Jobin-Bevans reflected on the fact that without the County of Simcoe’s support and investment, many students, like Rego-Lynch, would never have the opportunity to attend university.

“The County of Simcoe’s outstanding support of Lakehead University continues to have a nurturing, positive impact on everything you see around us, but especially on our students – many of our 1,400 students come from your communities,” he explained. “The most important outcome of your investment is the success of our students, our graduates and the citizens of tomorrow.”

A success that wouldn’t be possible without a university experience where students’ unique needs and potential are embraced and nurtured explained Dr. Moira McPherson.

“Our commitment to helping students overcome barriers to access and offering every student a transformative experience is reflected in our unique pathways to entry, student support programs, extensive opportunities for experiential learning and research, strong retention and graduation, and impressive employment outcomes,” said Dr. McPherson.

“When we’re asked how many of our students find work after graduation, we can proudly say that 96.7% of our students find work within their field of study within two years – consistently above the provincial average. We’re especially proud when the places they’ve chosen to live and work are right here in Orillia and Simcoe County.”

Following the cheque presentation, councillors and students had the opportunity to interact and speak about their university experience.

Since 2009, the County of Simcoe has contributed $9.5-million t0 Lakehead University, to ensure that students in Simcoe County have access to university education closer to home.

County of Simcoe is composed of sixteen member municipalities and provides crucial public services to County residents in addition to providing paramedic and social services to the separated cities of Barrie and Orillia. Visit our website at simcoe.ca

Lakehead University is a fully comprehensive university with approximately 8,500 students and over 2,000 faculty and staff at two campuses in Orillia and Thunder Bay, Ontario. Lakehead has 10 faculties, including Business Administration, Education, Engineering, Graduate Studies, Health & Behavioural Sciences, Law, Natural Resources Management, the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, Science & Environmental Studies, and Social Sciences & Humanities. Maclean’s 2020 University Rankings, once again, included 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.

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Media contacts: 

Collin Matanowitsch
Public Relations Manager
County of Simcoe, Service Simcoe Branch
705-726-9300 Ext. 1430
705-734-8386 (mobile)
Collin.Matanowitsch@simcoe.ca

Jaclyn Bucik
Media, Communications and Marketing Associate
Lakehead University
705-330-4008 ext. 2014
jbucik@lakeheadu.ca 

Two Lakehead University students were recently honoured with 2019 Mayor’s Community Safety Awards, presented by Mayor Bill Mauro.  

COMMUNITY HERO

TESSA DEBRUYNE

A Street Outreach Worker for the Shelter House SOS Program, Tessa has excellent credentials – she’s working on a Master of Social Work from Lakehead University - but more than that, she has the power of kindness to build trust and help empower vulnerably housed and homeless clients to find their voices and make changes. Part of a highly skilled and compassionate team, Tessa, in her role as driver, is on the road offering direct care to community members in need and helping move them out of harm’s way. With deep empathy and genuine belief in the power of people, Tessa feels privileged to work with vulnerable people, hear their incredible stories, know them personally, and care for them in ways that allow them to rely on her. As navigator and cheerleader, she works constantly to connect people to resources and services, and invests immeasurable emotional labour into ensuring the most vulnerable people in our community are safe and well.

Sponsor: Apex Investigation and Security

YOUNG LEADER AWARD

YAMAAN ALSUMADI

Since arriving in Thunder Bay four years ago, Yamaan Alsumadi has been planting seeds of hope. An anti-racism activist with strong ties to her cultural community at the Mosque, Yamaan has helped youth build resiliency skills, positive identity, and self-esteem to motivate change in their lives and the lives of others. When co-president of the Regional Multicultural Youth Council, she attended the 2019 Canada We Want Conference in Toronto and returned home to help create Thunder Bay We Want - an inclusive community committed to reconciliation, improved race relations, and safe schools and neighbourhoods. Yamaan chaired a youth-facilitated event that invited 200 secondary students to view Michelle Desrosier’s film Coming Together to Talk, share their perspective of racism in Thunder Bay, and present possible solutions. Yamaan has served on Thunder Bay’s Anti-Racism Incident Reporting Working Group, and championed in-school activities such as the Canadian Cancer Society’s Relay for Life. Today, Yamaan continues her advocacy to build welcoming environments for youth in our city while pursuing studies in nursing at Lakehead University.

Sponsor: Generator

For more information about the recipients, please visit this page.

Lakehead University International is excited to announce the Global Ambassador Program!

This is the ultimate opportunity for students to represent Lakehead University and express their proud voice and spirit of Lakehead to future students and alumni around the world.

While enriching the student experience on campus and in the community, Global Ambassadors will also have access to exclusive events and opportunities.

Global Ambassadors are considered the leaders of today and tomorrow. As a Global Ambassador, you would represent Lakehead's diverse campus and student body. Together with the team of Global Ambassadors you would enrich the student experience on campus and share your Lakehead pride with future students. You could also have the opportunity to advance and become a leader within the Global Ambassador Program. As a Global Ambassador, you would participate in activities like...

- Connecting with future students in your home country
- Being featured in photoshoots, testimonials, etc.
- Become a campus champion for events and activities
- Volunteering with community organizations

Represent Your University - Join the Global Ambassador Program!

Are you eager to share your Lakehead experience with your home country or be the face of Lakehead for future students? Global Ambassador Program applications for the 2019-2020 school year are now open! To apply, please visit lakeheadu.ca/international/current/gap

November 7, 2019 – Thunder Bay and Orillia, Ont.

For the fifth consecutive year, Research Infosource has named Lakehead Canada’s Research University of the Year in the undergraduate university category.

This is the first time that a university in Research Infosource’s undergraduate category has been ranked Research University of the Year five years in a row.

Dr. Moira McPherson, Lakehead’s President & Vice-Chancellor, said this announcement recognizes the value of the University's contributions to research.

“Lakehead University's high-calibre research is thanks to the dedication of our researchers and their partners, including communities, industry and government," Dr. McPherson said. "I would like to thank Lakehead’s many researchers and their partners for helping the University earn this unique honour.”

Lakehead’s placement at the top of the country’s undergraduate universities category is based on the university standing out on a balanced scorecard of research inputs and outputs, according to the annual ranking of Canada’s Top 50 Research Universities by Research Infosource, Canada’s source of research and development intelligence.

Dr. Andrew P. Dean, Lakehead University’s Vice-President, Research & Innovation, said earning Research University of the Year for the fifth year in a row was the result of the exceptional success and dedication of Lakehead’s researchers, and the hard work of Lakehead’s Office of Resear Services and Economic Development and Innovation.

“This year Research Infosource also noted that we are the leader in cross-sector aggregate publication count in our category from 2013 to 2017. This shows that we are engaging with multiple partners on research projects that are outside of our university,” Dr. Dean said.

“Our partnerships show that we are producing research that is relevant and has an impact locally, nationally and internationally. We are very proud of this designation but certainly know that we didn’t get to this level on our own,” he added.

Research Infosource’s calculation of its Research Universities of the Year involves examining several factors, including the total amount of sponsored research funding received by Lakehead University, research intensity per faculty (total research income per faculty member), research intensity per graduate student (total research income per graduate student), total number of publications, publication intensity, and publication impact.

“Lakehead University has demonstrated sustained, consistent research excellence in many dimensions,” said Ron Freedman, CEO of Research Infosource Inc.

“It's a testament to the quality of the research, the researchers and the research leaders," he added.

Click here to visit the Research Infosource website for more information. 

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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 is a fully comprehensive university with approximately 8,500 students and over 2,000 faculty and staff at two campuses in Orillia and Thunder Bay, Ontario. Lakehead has 10 faculties, including Business Administration, Education, Engineering, Graduate Studies, Health & Behavioural Sciences, Law, Natural Resources Management, the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, Science & Environmental Studies, and Social Sciences & Humanities. Maclean’s 2020 University Rankings, once again, included Lakehead University among Canada’s Top 10 primarily undergraduate universities, and in 2019, Research Infosource named Lakehead Research University of the Year in its category for the fifth consecutive year. Visit www.lakeheadu.ca.

November 5, 2019 – Orillia, ON

Future students, their family and friends, are invited to visit and experience Lakehead University first-hand at our Fall Open House on Saturday, November 9. See for yourself why Lakehead is among Canada's Top 10 undergraduate universities according to Maclean's 2020 University Rankings.

Drop by the Lakehead Orillia Campus between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. this Saturday to discover our wide range of programs, experiential learning opportunities, and what it’s like to be a Lakehead student. Register today at mylakehead.ca/openhouse.

Why come to Fall Open House? Here are the things that you’ll be able to do:

• Take a student-led tour of campus, including classrooms, labs and residence
• Meet future professors, staff and current students
• Participate in interactive presentations
• Learn about financial aid, scholarships and awards
• Discover the amenities Lakehead has to offer – on campus and within the community

Attend for your chance to win a Freshman Prize Pack valued at $2,000 containing everything a student needs to make their first-year epic!

Can’t make it to Fall Open House? Book a campus tour at a time that works for you at www.lakeheadu.ca/tours.

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Media: For more information or interviews, please contact Jaclyn Bucik, Media, Communications and Marketing Associate, at 705-330-4008 ext. 2014 or mediarelations@lakeheadu.ca.

Lakehead University is a fully comprehensive university with approximately 8,500 students and over 2,000 faculty and staff at two campuses in Orillia and Thunder Bay, Ontario. Lakehead has 10 faculties, including Business Administration, Education, Engineering, Graduate Studies, Health & Behavioural Sciences, Law, Natural Resources Management, the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, Science & Environmental Studies, and Social Sciences & Humanities. Maclean’s 2020 University Rankings, once again, included 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.