December 7, 2021 – Thunder Bay and Orillia, Ont.

Lakehead University officials were blown away by the more than $216,000 donated to student financial aid on Giving Tuesday, thanks to donations from alumni, friends of the university, faculty, staff, and other donors.

Lakehead’s goal was $52,500, which was the reason Dr. Moira McPherson, President and Vice-Chancellor, was impressed by the exceptional amount they raised.

“We were absolutely blown away by the generosity of our alumni, staff, faculty, and friends,” Dr. McPherson said.

She attributed this success to the University’s use of email and social media, as well as a university-wide approach to this special day of giving.

“Never in our wildest dreams did we think we would exceed our goal by 400 per cent.  The impact of this generosity on our students will be tremendous.”

Several major donors jumped at the chance to increase their existing awards, or establish new ones, due to a matching-gift incentive. In the weeks leading up to the event, alumni and friends were encouraged to participate on social media.

“Lakehead’s internal community responded very positively, as did the Alumni Board and the Board of Governors. In fact, the participation rate for both boards was at an all-time high in 2021,” Dr. McPherson added.

The majority of Lakehead’s donors were from Canada, primarily Ontario.  But Lakehead also received several international gifts, from as far away as Finland and China.  

Lakehead once again held a competition between alumni from different decades, with 80s graduates outpacing all other decades.

Due to the tremendous turnout from Lakehead donors, eight new awards were created at the University, and contributions were made to dozens of endowed funds.

“Thank you to all of our donors for supporting Lakehead students,” Dr. McPherson said.

This brings the total to more than $540,000 that Lakehead has received on Giving Tuesday since the University first started participating in 2016.

 To watch a thank you video, press play here.

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Media: For more information or interviews, please contact Brandon Walker, Media, Communications and Marketing Associate, at (807) 343-8110 ext. 8372 or mediarelations@lakeheadu.ca.

Lakehead University is a fully comprehensive university with approximately 9,700 full-time equivalent 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. Lakehead University’s achievements have been recognized nationally and internationally, including being ranked, once again, among Canada’s Top 10 primarily undergraduate universities in Maclean’s 2021 University Rankings; as well as included in the top half of Times Higher Education's 2022 World Universities Rankings for the third consecutive year, and in the top 100 of 1,115 universities from around the world in THE's 2021 Impact Rankings (which assesses institutions against the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals). Visit www.lakeheadu.ca.

December 8, 2021 – Thunder Bay and Orillia, Ont. 

Lakehead University professors are able to perform important research thanks to the more than $2.1 million in NSERC grants and approximately $1.15 million in funding from partner organizations.

Dr. Pete Hollings, NOHFC Industrial Research Chair in Mineral Exploration and Geology professor, is receiving five Alliance grants worth $1.03 million and an additional $655,000 from his partner organizations, including Clean Air Metals Inc., Impala Canada, Enersoft and Generation Mining, and Wesdome Gold Mines Ltd.

For one of those projects, Dr. Hollings is receiving $180,000 from NSERC and $90,000 from Wesdome Gold Mines to focus on the Eagle River Complex in the Mishibishu greenstone belt – located 50 km west of Wawa.

Dr. Hollings will work with two graduate students over the next three years.

“This research will combine traditional and state-of-the-art analytical techniques to characterize the mineralization and alteration system associated with the Eagle River Complex gold deposits and the Mishibishu greenstone belt that hosts them,” Dr. Hollings said.

He and his team will determine information about the rock formation including its age and geochemical makeup, which they will use to characterize the footprint of the alteration and develop models that Wesdome can apply on the property and in their ongoing regional exploration.

Dr. Amanda Diochon, Associate Professor in Geology, is receiving an Alliance grant of $172,506 and $107,816 from her partner, Grain Farmers of Ontario to evaluate the effect of land conversion practices on soil health and the yields of barley and oats.

Climate change is creating opportunities for agricultural expansion in Northern Ontario, which will demand the conversion of forest and scrub-brush to productive fields, Dr. Diochon said.

“We will examine the longer-term effects of land conversion on soil health and soil organic matter to identify the best indicators for monitoring change in soil health here in Northern Ontario,” she said.

Dr. Diochon and her team will also establish a field trial to examine the effects of woody residue incorporation, rate of fertilizer application, and rotation strategy on yields of oats and barley.

Dr. Ashley Thomson, Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Natural Resources Management, is receiving an Alliance grant of nearly $80,000 and $40,000 from partners Resolute Forest Products and the Superior-woods Tree Improvement Association.

She and her team will develop and validate genomic-assisted breeding models for increased productivity and wood quality for black spruce, one of the most abundant and widely planted tree species in Canada’s boreal forest.

“We are aiming to improve the growth and quality of black spruce in Northwestern Ontario,” Dr. Thomson said.

Traditional tree improvement programs for black spruce in Ontario have produced modest gains in growth, but take a long time to achieve, she said.

“With this research, we will test the application of a relatively new approach to improved breeding called genomic selection, to increase the growth per unit time that can be achieved for Ontario’s black spruce breeding programs.”

This will be the first study that evaluates the accuracy of genomic selection applied to an operational breeding program of black spruce in Ontario.

“Congratulations to each researcher and a special thanks to NSERC and all funding partners for these awards,” said Dr. Andrew P. Dean, Lakehead University’s Vice-President, Research and Innovation.

“The NSERC Alliance program ensures that applied research is well supported. The outcomes from these projects will have direct impact on economies in Northern Ontario and Simcoe County.”

The Research Support Fund is a federal funding program for post-secondary institutions in Canada to support some of the costs associated with managing research funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, and Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council. 

In 2020/21, Lakehead University received 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 Partnership Funding 2020-2021

$2,117,240 in funding from NSERC, plus $1,153,566 cash from partner organizations

Alliance Grants (one-to-five-year grants)

Dr. Amir Ameli, Electrical Engineering (Barrie), “Establishing a Cyber-Security Cluster in the City of Orillia: Analyzing Feasibility and Risks”, $25,000 (in partnership with City of Orillia, which is providing $25,000 in cash).

• Collaborator: Dr. Mohsen Ghafouri, Concordia University

Dr. Ehsan Rezazadeh Azar, Civil Engineering, “Computer Vision-based Condition Assessment of the Public Transit Infrastructure Assets”, $30,000 (in partnership with Consat Canada Inc., and City of Thunder Bay who are both providing $7,500 cash each).

Dr. Muntasir Billah, Civil Engineering, “Healthbox-A Modular Solution for Expanding Hospital's Capacities During the COVID-19 Pandemic”, $49,980 (in partnership with Coastal Steel Construction Limited and Rai Consulting Services Inc.).

• Co-applicant: Dr. Ahmed Elshaer, Department of Civil Engineering

Dr. Muntasir Billah, Civil Engineering, “Keeping Infrastructure Safe During the COVID-19 Pandemic using Artificial Intelligence”, $49,880 (in partnership with TBT Engineering Limited).

Dr. Salimur Choudhury, Computer Science, “A Dynamic Scheduler for Health Care Resources in the Emergency Department of TBRHSC on exploiting Machine Learning during Diverse Situations of COVID-19 Pandemic”, $49,724 (in partnership with the TBRHSC).

• Collaborator: Dr. David Savage, Northern Ontario School of Medicine.

Dr. Gautam Das, Physics, “Photonic Device for the Detection of COVID-19 virus as a Point of Care Diagnostic Tool”, $50,000 (in partnership with Wilson Analytical).

Dr. Amanda Diochon, Geology, “Optimizing the Ratio of Paper Mill Biosolids and Wood Ash for a Soil Amendment to Maximize Yield and Soil Quality”, $20,250 (in partnership with Resolute Forest Products which is providing $20,250 in cash).

Dr. Amanda Diochon, Geology, “Which Approach Makes the Most Cents? Evaluating the Effect of Land Conversion Practices on Soil Health and Yields of Barley and Oats”, $172,506 (in partnership with Grain Farmers of Ontario which is providing $107,816 in cash to the project).

Collaborators

• Dr. Dave Morris, OMNRF
• Emily Potter, NOFIA

Dr. Peter Hollings, Geology, “Petrogenesis and Geochemistry of Mineralized Midcontinent Rift intrusions”, $300,000 (in partnership with Clean Air Metals Inc., which is providing $150,000 in cash).

Collaborators

• Dawn Evans-Lamswood, Clean Air Metals Inc.
• Al MacTavish, Clean Air Metals Inc.
• Justin Johnson, Clean Air Metals Inc.
• Abraham Drost, Clean Air Metals Inc.
• Dr. Derek Harold Wilton, Memorial University

Dr. Peter Hollings, Geology, “Petrogenesis of Archean and Mesoproterozoic Ni-Cu-PGE mineralization in NW Ontario”, $375,000 (in partnership with Impala Canada which is providing $375,000 in cash).

 Collaborators

• Lionnel Djon, Impala Canada Ltd.,
• Dave Benson, Impala Canada Ltd.,
• Dr. Jim Miller, Consultant

Dr. Peter Hollings, Geology, “Copper-platinum Group Element Mineralization of the Midcontinent Rift-related Marathon Deposit, Ontario”, $80,000 (in partnership with  Enersoft and Generation Mining, which are providing a combined total of $40,000 in cash).

 Collaborators

• John McBride, Generation Mining,          
• David Henderson, Enersoft Inc.
• Dr. John Manchuk, Enersoft Inc.
• Dr. Dave Good, Western University

Dr. Peter Hollings, Geology, “Alteration Footprint of the Eagle River Au Mine, Northwestern Ontario”, $180,000 (in partnership with Wesdome Gold Mines Ltd., which is providing $ 90,000 in cash).

 Collaborators

• Michael Michaud, Wesdome Gold Mines Ltd
• Nathan Forslund,  Wesdome Gold Mines Ltd
• Hayley Halsall-Whitney, Wesdome Gold Mines Ltd

Dr. Peter Hollings, Geology, “Geochemistry of the Lundmark-Akow Lake Au and VMS

mineralization, Northwestern Ontario”, $100,000 (in partnership with Romios Gold Resources Inc., which is providing $50,000 in cash).

 Collaborators

• Tom Drivas, Romios Gold Resources Inc.
• John Biczok, Romios Gold Resources Inc.
• Nicholas Guest, Romios Gold Resources Inc.

Dr. Salama Ikki, Electrical Engineering, “COVID-19: Early Identification and Monitoring of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Disease Community Spread”, $50,000 (in partnership with Onica).

 Co-applicant: Dr. Emad Mohammed, Lakehead University

Collaborator: Dr. Khobaib Zaamout, Onica

Dr. Baoqiang Liao, Chemical Engineering, “Fundamental Studies and Optimization of High-Rate Aerobic Membrane Bioreactors Under Short SRTs and High Ammonia Concentration”, $50,000 (in partnership with SUEZ Water Technologies & Solutions, which is providing $50,000 in cash).

 Co-applicant: Dr. Zoe Li, McMaster University

Collaborator: Youngseck  Hong, SUEZ  Water Technologies & Solutions

Dr. Alla Reznik, Physics, “Advanced detector technology for Digital Breast Tomosynthesis”, $100,000 (in partnership with Teledyne DALSA, which is providing $50,000 in cash towards the project).

Dr. Ashley Thomson, Natural Resources Management, “Development and Validation of Genomic-assisted Breeding Models for Increased Productivity and Wood Quality of Black Spruce in Ontario, Canada”, $79,900 (in partnership with Resolute Forest Products and  Superior-woods Tree Improvement Association, which are contributing a combined total of $40,000 in cash).

Co-applicant

• Dr. Mathew Leitch, Natural Resources Management.
  
  Collaborator: Dr. Pengxin Lu, Ontario Forest Research Institute, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (OMNR)

Dr. Abdulsalam Yassine, Software Engineering, “A Cloud-based System for the Integration of Ultraviolet Light Devices to Prevent the Spread of COVID-19”, $50,000 (in partnership with ASM Innovations and Qponics Biotechnology Inc.).

Dr. Wilson Wang, Mechanical Engineering, “Development of a New Helicopter Aerial Refuelling System”,         $180,000 (in partnership with Wilderness North Group of Companies, which is providing $90,000 in cash).

Collaborator

• Dave Gaudino, Wilderness North Group of Companies

 Idea to Innovation Grant (one-year grant)

Dr. Alla Reznik, Physics, “Lead Oxide (PbO) photoconductor Technology for Low-dose x-ray Medical Imaging Detectors-Phase I (Reduction-to-Practice Stage)”, $125,000.

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Media: For more information or interviews, please contact Brandon Walker, Media, Communications and Marketing Associate, at (807) 343-8110 ext. 8372 or mediarelations@lakeheadu.ca.

Lakehead University is a fully comprehensive university with approximately 9,700 full-time equivalent 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. Lakehead University’s achievements have been recognized nationally and internationally, including being ranked, once again, among Canada’s Top 10 primarily undergraduate universities in Maclean’s 2021 University Rankings; as well as included in the top half of Times Higher Education's 2022 World Universities Rankings for the third consecutive year, and in the top 100 of 1,115 universities from around the world in THE's 2021 Impact Rankings (which assesses institutions against the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals). Visit www.lakeheadu.ca.

Lakehead University has been awarded $224,150 by the Ontario Ministry of Colleges and Universities as part of the Ontario Micro-credentials Challenge Fund to develop  micro-credentials focused on strengthening Ontario’s tourism industry.

Announced in April 2021, the Ontario Micro-credentials Challenge Fund is intended to accelerate the development of micro-credentials and expand program offerings. Ontario postsecondary institutions, working with local industry and employers were encouraged to submit a proposal to apply for funding to develop new or expand existing micro-credentials.

The Ontario Professional Tourism Industry Specialist/Northern Ontario Professional Tourism Industry Specialist micro-credential will consist of six modules that address the essential elements of the tourism industry.

Upon completion, learners will receive an Ontario Professional Tourism Industry Specialist (OPTIS) micro-credential. Those that complete a seventh module focused on the geographic region of Northern Ontario will also obtain a Northern Ontario Professional Tourism Specialist (NOPTIS) micro-credential.

These specialist micro-credentials will be available in both English and French. The English will be delivered by Lakehead University and the French version by Collège Boréal. Additional partners in the development of these micro-credentials include Destination Northern Ontario, Tourism Industry Association of Ontario, Indigenous Tourism Ontario, La Société économique de l’Ontario, and Nature and Outdoor Tourism Ontario.

“The province’s tourism sector has become a driving force of economic activity across the province with pre-pandemic tourism receipts reaching $36.1 billion, supporting more than 401,000 jobs,” said project lead Dr. Rhonda Koster, Lakehead’s Deputy Provost and Vice-Provost (Teaching & Learning).

“In many situations, people hold responsibility for tourism within their community as part of their portfolio, but have little opportunity for formal training, therefore limiting the contribution tourism can make to the economy,” she said.

“The pandemic has made the need for professionally trained people critical as tourism was hit first, the hardest and will take the longest to recover,” echoed David MacLachlan, the Executive Director for Destination Northern Ontario.

“I am so pleased that in collaboration with Lakehead University and Collège Boréal we will be able to bring the Ontario Professional Tourism Industry Specialist micro-credential program to those who work in or support Ontario’s tourism sector. Featuring a Northern Ontario component, this will help position our sector for post-pandemic growth and recovery,” he said.

“Both Lakehead’s Strategic and Academic Plans include commitments to develop innovative programming that meets emerging labour market needs,” said Dr. David Barnett, Provost and Vice-President (Academic).

“Given its complexity, the tourism industry’s recovery will depend on well trained professionals, and this micro-credential will assist these individuals in better supporting tourism’s recovery, move into new positions that are focused on tourism development, and will assist tourism operators to be better prepared to improve and expand their business.”

The Ontario Professional Tourism Industry Specialist (OPTIS)/Northern Ontario Professional Tourism Industry Specialist (NOPTIS) will be available in the fall of 2022.  

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Media: For more information or interviews, please contact Brandon Walker, Media, Communications and Marketing Associate, at (807) 343-8110 ext. 8372 or mediarelations@lakeheadu.ca.

Lakehead University is a fully comprehensive university with approximately 9,700 full-time equivalent 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. Lakehead University’s achievements have been recognized nationally and internationally, including being ranked, once again, among Canada’s Top 10 primarily undergraduate universities in Maclean’s 2021 University Rankings; as well as included in the top half of Times Higher Education's 2022 World Universities Rankings for the third consecutive year, and in the top 100 of 1,115 universities from around the world in THE's 2021 Impact Rankings (which assesses institutions against the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals). Visit www.lakeheadu.ca.

The Office of Community Engagement and Lifelong Learning's much anticipated 12 Days (or is it ways?) of Learning is back!

And, this year we've packed even more unique, exclusive experiences into our offerings.

From learning to grill the perfect steak, to joining a climate change book club, we've partnered with individuals and businesses in our communities to curate a unique series of gifts for everyone on your list – friend, family member, teacher, colleague, or even yourself.

Plus, each experience comes with a printable gift certificate and additional items that can be picked up or mailed to you. 

Shop the 12 Days of Learning at www.lakeheadu.ca/12daysoflearning.

The Royal Canadian Geographic Society awarded Lakehead lecturer Randy Wilkie with the Alex Trebek Medal, which acknowledges the late Trebek’s support for the Royal Canadian Geographic Society, particularly its educational programs for Canadian youth.

Wilkie is a lecturer in the Faculty of Education in Thunder Bay.

Presented annually, this prestigious medal recognizes an educator who has made significant contributions to geographic literacy in Canada.

In a variety of roles and settings, dedicated individuals create and support programs, initiatives and events that improve and enhance geographic literacy among young Canadians.

The RCGS recognizes the award recipient for their hard work, courtesy of the Phyllis Arnold Endowment Fund to an individual, in both the private and public sectors, and for contributing to the advancement of geographic education throughout Canada.

Having taught geography at the high school level, Wilkie brings a wide range of teaching skills to teacher candidates. He now “teaches teachers how to teach geography.”

As a regional councillor for the Ontario Association for Geographic and Environmental Education (OAGEE), Northwestern Ontario, he has helped develop the Ontario geography curriculum and geographic literacy programs for the Ministry of Education, conduct workshops, and create geographic teaching posters to advance geography in the province.

Wilkie became a Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographic Society in 2018.

In addition, he has received numerous awards for his exemplary classroom efforts at the local, provincial, and international levels.

Recently, he has written articles for OAGEE and the Geography Teachers Association of Victoria (Australia). He has presented on classroom teaching strategies throughout Ontario, to the National Council for Geographic Education in Washington, D.C. and online through virtual presentations.

Evelyn Davenport

Lakehead University music students finished in first and second place in the 2022 Crescendo International Music Competition.

Evelyn Davenport won first in the piano category and Jessica Hayes won second in the voice category. Both students have been invited to perform at Carnegie Hall in New York City this winter.

Congratulations to Evelyn and Jessica and their teachers, Evgeny Chugunov, piano, and Kim Erickson, voice, for this important achievement!

Jessica Hayes

December 20, 2021 – Thunder Bay and Orillia, Ont.

Lakehead University research teams are receiving more than $818,000 in Partnership Engage Grants from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada for their important studies.

Dr. Charles Levkoe, Associate Professor in Health Sciences at Lakehead University and Canada Research Chair in Equitable and Sustainable Food Systems, is receiving $25,000 to design and create a Thunder Bay and Area Food Systems Report Card by partnering with the Thunder Bay and Area Food Strategy (TBAFS) – in collaboration with several community partners including EcoSuperior, the Thunder Bay District Health Unit, and the Northwestern Ontario Women’s Centre.

In 2015, the TBAFS created a Community Food Security Report Card to develop a snapshot of the region's food system. The resulting data has been used as a reference point for the City of Thunder Bay, researchers, practitioners, surrounding municipalities, and First Nations in their struggles to build a more equitable and sustainable food system in the region.

The initial report card also raised many additional questions and garnered suggestions for ways it could be improved – to make it more useful and impactful.

“Together we will establish a set of indicators to document the status of the region's food system, compare the results with the 2015 data, and gather anecdotes from successful initiatives currently working across food systems,” Dr. Levkoe said.

Dr. Rebecca Schiff, Chair and Professor in the Department of Health Sciences, is a co-investigator on the project with Dr. Levkoe. She is also the primary investigator on a project receiving more than $24,000 to implement a voluntary local review of the United Nations’ 17 sustainable development goals in Thunder Bay.

This project emerged out of discussions between her academic partners from Lakehead and EarthCare Thunder Bay, created by the City of Thunder Bay to identify a need for consistent, systematic, and comprehensive evaluation of the city's progress towards achieving sustainability.

“In particular, the team identified the potential to track progress on sustainability through the use of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and their associated targets and indicators,” Dr. Schiff said.

Partners include EarthCare Thunder Bay, the Poverty Reduction Strategy, the Thunder Bay Crime Prevention Strategy, the Climate Adaptation Strategy, the Food Strategy, and United Way Thunder Bay.

Dr. Ravi Gokani, Assistant Professor in the School of Social Work, and his research team will help the Thunder Bay District Social Services Administration Board (TBDSSAB) gain more institutional knowledge and capacity regarding the migration of homeless people to the area from other provinces.

The TBDSSAB is the largest provider and funder of social services in Thunder Bay and Northern Ontario and it also has one of the largest catchment areas in Ontario. The organization has learned from previous institutional research and planning that roughly 62 per cent of Thunder Bay's homeless population have come to Thunder Bay from other provinces.

“The migration of people into Thunder Bay has resulted in an increase in the homeless population and thus an increase in the need for programs and funding,” Dr. Gokani said.

“The goal for the TBDSSAB is to have a knowledge or evidence base from which it can make and modify existing policies and programs, as well as lobby provincial government for changes to existing provincial policies and funding decisions,” he added.

Along with the TBDSSAB, Dr. Gokani will work with co-investigators Dr. Travis Hay from Mount Royal University, Dr. Vijay Mago from Lakehead’s Department of Computer Science, and Dr. Schiff from Lakehead’s Department of Health Sciences.        

The research team will attempt to answer five questions: Why have individuals left their home or previous community? Why have they come to Thunder Bay? Why have they chosen to remain in Thunder Bay? What factors predict if they leave or stay in Thunder Bay? And if an individual does stay, how long are they likely to remain in the city?

These questions will be answered using mixed methods, including qualitative interviews and quantitative surveys, and the latter of which will be analyzed using simulation models, Dr. Gokani said.

Dr. Gary Pluim, Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Education at Lakehead Orillia, and his team have received a SSHRC Partnership Development Grant worth $155,000 to study the processes of sharing curriculum among countries of the Commonwealth.

This collaboration is between students and faculty at Lakehead, the Commonwealth of Learning, and numerous universities, colleges and institutes across the Global South.

The shared curriculum is geared for the training of youth workers in the context of their countries.

Throughout the Global South, youth comprise the largest proportion of country populations and are the fastest-growing demographic. Global issues – such as the climate crisis, health and wellness, educational success, and chronic underemployment – are inherently youth issues, meaning they make up the curricular focus for these programs.

The target of this project is small countries in the Global South, which often do not have fully established professional sectors of youth workers to fully address contemporary youth issues.

The Commonwealth has a special interest in the development of small states as 30 of its member nations are classified as small, with a population of one to two million people or less.

“Similarities between these small countries – in many cases small island developing states – may make it conducive to share these curriculums,” Dr. Pluim said.

“The development of a credentialed youth work program that trains young workers to support youth has been shown to facilitate the professionalization of this field.”

The Commonwealth of Learning is an intergovernmental organization that prioritizes distance learning and technologies to expand access to education and training across the Commonwealth. The total project funding is $301,000 including inputs from all partners. This funding will support a three-year project, culminating with a youth work education summit at Lakehead Orillia in 2024.

All of these research projects are closely associated with Lakehead’s 2019 to 2024 Sustainability Plan.

“Congratulations to each of the researchers and thanks to SSHRC for continued funding and support of these important projects,” said Dr. Andrew P. Dean, Lakehead’s Vice-President, Research and Innovation.

“Each of these projects include applied research with very well-defined knowledge transfer goals. We value the partnerships with not-for-profit organizations and support services and know that the research results obtained through these grants will have tangible outcomes for our communities.” 

The Research Support Fund is a federal funding program for post-secondary institutions in Canada to support some of the costs associated with managing research funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, and Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.

In 2020/21, Lakehead University received 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 SSHRC Partnership/Connection Stream Grants for 2020-2021

Total funding:  $818,937

Partnership Development Grant (three-year grants)

Dr. Gary Pluim, Faculty of Education (Orillia), “Youth Work Programme and Course Development (Workshop & Curriculum Writing)”, $155,252.

• Team

o   Dr. Kirk Perris (Co-Investigator), Karte Education Consultants

• Partners

o   Commonwealth Centre for Connected Learning

o   Commonwealth of Learning

o   Lakehead University

o   The Southern African Development Community

Dr. Alana Saulnier, Interdisciplinary Studies (Orillia), “COVID-19 and Policing in Ontario: Preparing for Future Pandemics”, $132,190.

• Team

o   Dr. Vicki Kristman (Co-Investigator), Department of Health Sciences,

o   Dr. Daniel Krupp (Co-Investigator), Interdisciplinary Studies, Orillia

o   Jason K. Bagg (Collaborator) Durham Regional Police Service

o   Dr. Victoria A. Sytsma (Collaborator), Queen's University

• Partners:  Barrie Police Service; Belleville Police Service; Brockville Police Service; Chatham-Kent Police Service; City of Kawartha Lakes Police Service; Cobourg Police Service; Cornwall Police Service; Halton Regional Police Service; Lakehead University; Niagara Regional Police Service Headquarters; North Bay Police Service; Ottawa Police Services; Owen Sound Police Service; Peterborough Police Service; Port Hope Police Service; South Simcoe Police; Strathroy-Caradoc Police Service; Thunder Bay Police Service; West Grey Police Service; York Regional Police                                                                                                                               

Partnership Engagement Grants (one-year grants)

Dr. Olakunle Akingbola, Faculty of Business (Orillia), “COVID-19 and Remote Work in Nonprofit Organizations: The Intersection of Employee Well-being and Community Outcomes”, $24,786 (COVID-19 Special Initiative)

• Partner - Caribbean African Canadian Social Services Inc.

Dr. Max Haiven, Department of English, “Thunder Bay Public Library Rematriation Project: Student-led Reports”, $22,950.

• Team

o   Dr. Adar Charlton (Co-Investigator), University of Manitoba

o   Samantha Martin-Bird  (Collaborator), Thunder Bay Public Library

o   Robyn Medicine, (Collaborator), Thunder Bay Public Library

• Partner - Thunder Bay Public Library

Dr. Kathryn Halverson, School of Nursing, “Transition to Professional Practice Program”, $23,482.       

• Team

o   Dr. Michelle Lalonde, (Co-Investigator), University of Ottawa

o   Dr. Deborah Tregunno (Co-Investigator), Queen’s University

o   Dr. Judy Duchscher (Collaborator), Thompson Rivers University

Dr. Katherine Kortes-Miller, School of Social Work, “COVID-19 Not Just A Visitor; Family caregiving in Long-term Care During Lockdown”, $24,512 (COVID-19 Special Initiative)

• Team

o   Dr. Arne Stinchcombe  (Co-Investigator), Brock University

o   Dr. Kimberley Wilson (Co-Investigator), University of Guelph

Partner - CanAge  

Dr. Charles Levkoe, Department of Health Sciences, “Thunder Bay and Area Food Systems Report Card”, $25,000.

• Team

o   Dr. Rebecca Schiff (Co-Investigator), Department of Health Sciences

o   Sue Hamel (Collaborator), EcoSuperior Environmental Programs

o   Ivan Ho  (Collaborator),     Thunder Bay District Health Unit

o   Gwen O'Reilly (Collaborator), Northwestern Ontario Women's Centre

o   Partner:  Thunder Bay & Area Food Strategy

Dr. SoniaMastrangelo, Faculty of Education (Orillia), “An Exploration of Well-being in Adults with Developmental Disabilities Residing at Camphill Community Ontario”, $24,925.     

• Team

o   Dr. Gerado Reyes (Collaborator), Sustainability Sciences, Orillia

• Partner - Camphill Communities Ontario                                                       

Dr. Helle Moeller, Department of Health Sciences, “Adapting the Maternal Mental Health HOPE app for North Western Ontario”, $24,185.

• Team

o   Dr. Jennifer Chisholm (Co-Investigator), Department of Women’s Studies

o   Dr. Pauline Sameshima (Co-Investigator), Faculty of Education

o   Dr. Dawn Kingston (Co-Investigator), University of Calgary

o   Abigale Kent (Collaborator), Lakehead University

• Partner – Thunder Bay District Health Unit

Dr. Ravi Gokani, School of Social Work, “Why Are So Many of Thunder Bay's Homeless from Other Provinces? An Interdisciplinary, Mixed- Methods Study to Understand the Present and Predict the Future Using Simulation Models”, $22,234.

• Team

o   Dr. Vijay Mago (Co-Investigator), Department of Computer Science

o   Dr. Rebecca Schiff (Co-Investigator), Department of Health Sciences

o   Dr. Travis Hay (Co-Investigator), Mount Royal University

• Partner: The District of Thunder Bay Social Services Administration Board

Dr. Gerardo Reyes, Sustainability Sciences (Orillia), “Fostering the Socio-ecological Resilience of CCO's Maple Syrup Operation in the Face of Climate Change”, $23,642.

• Team

o   Dr. Sonia Mastrangelo (Co-Investigator), Faculty of Education, Orillia

• Partner -  Camphill Communities Ontario                                                                  

Dr. Alana Saulnier, Interdisciplinary Studies (Orillia), “Evaluation of the Guelph Police Service's Body Worn Camera Pilot Project”, $25,000.

• Partner - Guelph Police Service

Dr. Rebecca Schiff, Department of Health Sciences, “Implementing a Voluntary Local Review for the Sustainable Development Goals in Thunder Bay”, $24,546.

• Team

o   Dr. Lindsay Galway (Co-Investigator), Department of Health Sciences

o   Dr. Charles Levkoe (Co-Investigator), Department of Health Sciences

o   Dr. Helle Moeller (Co-Investigator), Department of Health Sciences

o   Lee-Ann Chevrette (Collaborator), City of Thunder Bay

o   Bonnie Krysowaty (Collaborator), Lakehead Social Planning Council

o   Partner Organization:  City of Thunder Bay                                                

Dr. Rebecca Schiff, Department of Health Sciences, “COVID – 19 and Pandemic Planning in the Context of Rural and Remote Homelessness”, $24,740 (COVID-19 Special Initiative)

• Team

o   Dr. Kristy Buccieri (Co-Investigator), Trent University

o   Dr. Julia Christensen (Co-Investigator), Memorial University of Newfoundland

o   Dr. Carol Kauppi (Co-Investigator), Laurentian University

o   Dr. Jeannette Waegemakers Schiff  (Co-Investigator), University of Calgary          

• Partner - National Alliance to End Rural and Remote Homelessness                                                        

Dr. Karl Skogstad, Department of Economics, “COVID-19: The Economic Impact of COVID-19 on the Economy of Ontario's Northern Regions”, $24,305 (COVID-19 Special Initiative)

• Team

o   Dr. Robert Petrunia (Co-Investigator), Department of Economics

o   Dr. James Townsend (Co-Investigator),  University of Winnipeg

• Partner - Northern Policy Institute                                                                   

Dr. Batia Stolar, Department of English,        “Hearing Voices: the Great Grain Era of the Lakehead”, $24,937.

• Partner - Friends of Grain Elevators

Dr. Natalya Timoshkina, School of Social Work (Orillia), “COVID-19: The Impact of the COVID-19 Crisis on Service Provision to Trafficked Persons: Perspectives from Ontario's Victim Services”, $25,000 (COVID-19 Special Initiative)

• Partner - North Simcoe Victim Services

Dr. Jo-Ann Vis, School of Social Work, “TAKE'N5: A Collegial Peer Support Model to Mitigate Psychological Stress Injury in the Workplace”, $24,205.

• Partner - NorWest Community Health Centres

Connection Grants (One-year grants)

Dr. Idevania Costa, School of Nursing, “Our Voices, Our Stories: A National Exchange on Humanizing Trauma-informed Wound Care, Healing and Recovery”, $49,110.

• Team
• Dr. Catherine Phillips (Co-Investigator), School of Social Work
• Dr. Michelle-Marie Spadoni, (Co-Investigator), School of Nursing
• Dr. Pilar Camargo Plazas (Co-Investigator), Queen’s University

o   Mariam Botros (Collaborator), Canadian Association of Wound Care

Dr. Anna Guttman, Department of English, “Ruptured Commons”, $24,947.

• Team
• Dr. Veronica Austen (Co-Investigator), St. Jerome's University
• Dr. Laura Moss (Co-Investigator), University of British Columbia
• Dr. Neil ten Kortenaar (Co-Investigator), University of Toronto
• Dr. John Ball, (Collaborator) University of New Brunswick
• Dr. Henghameh Saroukhani (Collaborator), Saint Mary's University

Dr. Lana Ray, Department of Indigenous Learning, “Working Toward Self-Determination Together: Indigenous Research and Data Governance in Canada, Ecuador, and Mexico”, $44,750.

• Team
• Dr. Kristin Burnett (Co-Investigator), Department of Indigenous Learning
• Dr. Cristian Naranjo (Co-Investigator), Universidad Nacional de Chimborazo       

Dr. Linda Rodenburg, Department of English (Orillia), “Truth and Reconciliation in Our Community: Enabling Indigenous-led Dialogue”, $24,239.

• Team
• Dr. Cynthia Wesley-Esquimaux (Co-Investigator), Chair on Truth & Reconciliation Lakehead University
• Dr. Kaitlyn Watson (Collaborator), Lakehead University                                                                                                                                

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Media: For more information or interviews, please contact Brandon Walker, Media, Communications and Marketing Associate, at (807) 343-8110 ext. 8372 or mediarelations@lakeheadu.ca.

Lakehead University is a fully comprehensive university with approximately 9,700 full-time equivalent 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. Lakehead University’s achievements have been recognized nationally and internationally, including being ranked, once again, among Canada’s Top 10 primarily undergraduate universities in Maclean’s 2021 University Rankings; as well as included in the top half of Times Higher Education's 2022 World Universities Rankings for the third consecutive year, and in the top 100 of 1,115 universities from around the world in THE's 2021 Impact Rankings (which assesses institutions against the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals). Visit www.lakeheadu.ca.

Ma-Nee Chacaby, a Two-Spirit Ojibwa-Cree elder and storyteller,  received the Community Hero Award on Monday, Dec. 6 at the City of Thunder Bay's annual Mayor's Community Safety Awards.

Ma-Nee generously shares her knowledge and skills with the Thunder Bay community, including with the Lakehead University Elders Council.

Her visibility as an out and proud Two-Spirit person — in the film Fire Song, in text with her own story A Two- Spirit Journey: The Autobiography of a Lesbian Ojibwa-Cree Elder, and through digital story-telling — helps increase public awareness for 2SLGBTIQ+ experiences, and broadens the conversation around crucial Indigenous history like the impacts of residential and day schools.

For decades, Ma-Nee’s community work and volunteering has been extensive.

She spends time counselling youth who find themselves at risk of poor outcomes, individuals struggling with addictions and homelessness, and people living with HIV.

Ma-Nee encourages and supports language revitalization, ensures that cultural teachings survive to reach future generations, and improves a sense of community belonging and safety through her mentorship of youth. In addition to serving on many committees, including the City of Thunder Bay Elders Advisory Council, Ma-Nee mentors a number of grassroots groups and supports their vital community safety and well-being efforts.

Watch a video about Ma-Nee and other recipients here.

October 29, 2021 – Orillia and Thunder Bay, Ont.

Lakehead University is hosting virtual Treaties Recognition Week events daily from Monday, Nov. 1 to Friday, Nov. 5, as well as an in-person display provided by Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN).

“We look forward to celebrating Treaties Recognition Week with students, faculty, and staff at Lakehead University, and with people throughout Thunder Bay and Simcoe County,” said Denise Baxter, Vice-Provost, Indigenous Initiatives.

In 2016, Ontario passed legislation declaring the first week of November as Treaties Recognition Week. This annual event honours the importance of treaties and helps students and residents of Ontario learn more about treaty rights and relationships.

Lakehead will kickoff the week on Monday, Nov. 1 at 12:30 pm with an opening ceremony featuring remarks from Chief Ted Williams from Chippewas of Rama First Nation, Chief Peter Collins from Fort William First Nation, and Dr. David Barnett, Lakehead’s Provost and Vice-President (Academic).

Elder Gene Nowegejick will begin the ceremony with a prayer. Dr. Gina Starblanket, Associate Professor in Indigenous Governance at the University of Victoria, will provide a talk called Seeding Our Futures.

She is the principal investigator of the Prairie Indigenous Relationality Network. Her research discusses questions of treaty implementation, prairie Indigenous life, gender and Indigenous feminism.

NAN’s Community Building Exhibit includes 16 panels that have information on treaties and the history of Residential Schools. This display is set up outside Lakehead University – in between the Chancellor Paterson Library and the Agora Circle.

Nishnawbe Aski Nation launched this community building campaign and large-scale interactive display at the Wake the Giant Festival earlier this summer. Developed by the NAN Education Department, the project was funded by the Ontario Ministry of Education as part of recommendations identified through the Seven Youth Inquest in 2016, to address racism experienced by students attending school in Thunder Bay.

It covers Treaty relationships and aims to dispel myths in a way that participants can engage at their own pace. This display also highlights many of the realities faced by First Nations Peoples. The panels will be on display at future community events.

Lakehead welcomes everyone to the NAN exhibit, but please be aware that, while the University has implemented preventative measures to reduce the spread of illness in general and of COVID-19 in particular, which is a highly contagious and dangerous disease, the University cannot guarantee that participants will not become infected with COVID-19 and/or other diseases. 

By joining the  event, each participant agrees that they do so at their own risk and that they accept the risk of infection with COVID-19 and other illnesses, and that they release and agree to hold harmless Lakehead University from any and all liability for any illness or harm to anyone consequent upon the participant becoming infected with COVID-19 and/or any other disease as a result of involvement in the display.

Visitors to campus must be fully vaccinated and be able to provide proof of vaccination using Lakehead’s Mobile Safety app. Anyone entering a building on campus must also do the COVID-19 screening located on the Mobile Safety app.

The full schedule is below:

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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 9,700 full-time equivalent 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. Lakehead University’s achievements have been recognized nationally and internationally, including being ranked, once again, among Canada’s Top 10 primarily undergraduate universities in Maclean’s 2022 University Rankings; as well as included in the top half of Times Higher Education's 2022 World Universities Rankings for the third consecutive year, and in the top 100 of 1,115 universities from around the world in THE's 2021 Impact Rankings (which assesses institutions against the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals). Visit www.lakeheadu.ca.