Lakehead University is hosting the 2022 CCSBE Conference this week

poster 

 

October 24, 2022 – Thunder Bay and Orillia, Ont.

Lakehead University is looking forward to welcoming over 200 participants attending the 2022 Canadian Council for Small Business and Entrepreneurship (CCSBE) Conference virtually from Friday, Oct. 28 to Sunday, Oct. 30.

The Canadian Council for Small Business and Entrepreneurship (CCSBE) is part of a global network of leaders dedicated to the advancement and development of small business and entrepreneurship. CCSBE’s annual conference serves as an internationally recognized convening platform for thought leaders in entrepreneurship research, education, and practice.

The aim of the CCSBE conference is to provide an engaging and collaborative marketplace for the exchange of ideas, research, insights, and best practices among academics, practitioners and policy influencers for the benefit of small business and entrepreneurship.

The three-day virtual event features a variety of speakers from across the globe to discuss the theme, “Entrepreneurship, SMEs, and Sustainable Development,” focusing on the role of entrepreneurship and innovation in pursuing opportunities with and support of culturally appropriate and environmentally sustainable social and economic objectives.

The program includes an impressive line-up of keynote speakers, with local community leaders Rosalind Lockyer (PARO), Wendy Timpano (Orillia Area CDC), and Jason Thompson (Superior Strategies, Thunder Bay) to name a few.

Each speaker will describe their vision of the trends in entrepreneurship related to community, outlining what universities can do to address those trends.

Among various other sessions, eight panels from the local Lakehead communities will rally to discuss topics in entrepreneurship ecosystem, Indigenous entrepreneurship, and collaborative and community-engaged actions in achieving sustainability.

Dr. Yuanyuan Wu, Associate Professor in the Faculty of Business Administration in Orillia, led the hosting team who worked with CCSBE to develop a successful conference program.

“Our goal was to mobilize knowledge and generate positive impacts within academic and industry communities,” said Dr. Wu.

More than 10 Lakehead undergraduate and graduate students are involved in volunteering during the conference.

The Faculty of Business Administration, in partnership with Lakehead University's Office of Research Services and Office of Innovation, Partnerships, and Economic Development, is committed to enhancing entrepreneurship scholarship and student experience in support of the development of learners, communities, and knowledge by integrating diverse perspectives, leveraging innovative approaches, connecting with key partners, and conducting impactful research.

“We are very pleased to have the opportunity to host this year's CCSBE Conference,” said Dr. David Richards, Dean, Faculty of Business Administration.

“This is a wonderful opportunity to build connections between researchers, teachers, entrepreneurs, and organizations that support entrepreneurship. This year's theme is also a reflection of our commitment to supporting sustainable economic development.”

For more information and sponsorship opportunities, please contact Dr. Yuanyuan Wu, at ywu22@lakeheadu.ca.

 

 

 

– 30 –

 

 

 

 

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 nine faculties, including Business Administration, Education, Engineering, Graduate Studies, Health & Behavioural Sciences, Law, Natural Resources Management, 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 the number one university in the world with fewer than 10,000 students in THE’s 2022 Impact Rankings (which assesses institutions against the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals). Visit www.lakeheadu.ca.

Teaching Award recipients for 2020 and 2021

The following individuals were not properly recognized in Campus Connection due to the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Each individual was recognized at Senate and celebrated during Teaching and Learning week. Please join us in congratulating the Teaching Award recipients for 2020 and 2021.

2020:

1. 2020 Teaching Support Award - Dr. Victoria Te Brugge of the Department of Sustainability Sciences

2. 2020 Distinguished Instructor Award - Dr. Alice den Otter of the Departments of English and Interdisciplinary Studies

3. Teaching Innovation Award x 3

  • Dr. Barbara Parker - Sociology
  • Dr. Lana Ray/Ivory Tuesday - Indigenous Learning
  • Dr. Julie Rosenthal - Outdoor Recreation, Parks & Tourism

4. 2020 Contribution to Teaching Award  x 5

  •  Dr. Liang Cui - Department of Civil Engineering
  •  Daniel Dylan - Faculty of Law
  •  Dr. Ryan McVeigh -  Departments of Sociology and Interdisciplinary Studies
  •  Dr. Julie Rosenthal - School of Outdoor Recreation, Parks and Tourism
  •  Dr. Will Zhao - Faculty of Business Administration

2021:

1. 2021 Teaching Support Award - Lucas Johnson, Faculty of Education

2. 2021 Distinguished Instructor Award - Dr. Gerald Walton, Faculty of Education


3. 2021 Teaching Innovation Award x 3

  • Dr. Scott Pound, Department of English
  • Dr. Kathryn Walton, Department of English
  • Dr. Will Zhao, Faculty of Business Administration

4. 2021 Contribution to Teaching Award x 6

  • Dr. Muntasir Billah, Department of Civil Engineering
  • Dr. Ahmed Elshaer, Department of Civil Engineering
  • Dr. Angela Hovey, School of Social Work
  • Alexandra Hudyma, Mathematical Sciences
  • Dr. Camillo Lento, Faculty of Business Administration
  • Dr. Kathryn Walton, Department of English

Lakehead University professor emeritus inducted into Royal Canadian Academy of Arts

Photo of Prof. Mark Nisenholt

During his acceptance speech over Zoom, Prof. Mark Nisenholt spoke about
his life in the arts.

December 21, 2022 – Thunder Bay, Ont.

Prof. Mark Nisenholt was recently inducted into the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts.

On Saturday, Nov. 26, the popular Thunder Bay artist and professor emeritus from Lakehead University attended an RCAA ceremony through Zoom that celebrated his work in computer illustration.

“I feel very honoured to be recognized by the RCAA and very grateful as well,” Prof. Nisenholt said.

If you’ve walked around Thunder Bay’s marina, you’ve no doubt seen his work.

He created Paleogirls, the Swimmers, and Ulysses – amazing public art installations along Pier 2 depicting giant figures that explore our relationship to water and nature.

In addition to creating his own art, as a Lakehead University professor from 1979 until 2015 he taught roughly 600 students and provided advice to several hundreds more as the chair of the visual arts department.

“I am very excited and proud to learn of the successes of my students,” he said.

“That is what teaching is all about. But I am also proud of my students who continue at their artwork whether or not they achieve worldly success, because the inner satisfaction in making art is the true reward.”

As the first full-time professor of visual arts at Lakehead University, Prof. Nisenholt described his life in the arts with three words - imagining, creating, and sharing.

Being an artist has allowed him the freedom to use his imagination in the most refined way that he knows.

“My work is always a kind of improvised reaction to what is happening to me or to the world around me,” he said.

“I use any tools that will help me advance or cultivate my creative impulse. The digital tools – computers, cameras, and graphic software – let me create pictures that I could not accomplish otherwise.

“Generally my imagery is based on something real, like a photo, but it often strays quite far from its origins.”

Prof. Nisenholt is usually most proud of his latest work, but he is also very proud of his public art – such as his work at the marina and the various artworks on display at Lakehead University – because he knows many people will experience it.

He also feels as if the work is never fully completed.

“As an artist I am always mentally trying to improve on them,” he said.

His most recent work is a series of pictures featuring crows, ravens and human/raven hybrid creatures. You can see it here and here.

Prof. Nisenholt taught at Mount Allison University as a sabbatical replacement in 1978 and 1985.

“For an artist, there is no better position to be in than to be able to work in a university setting accompanied by sympathetic and creative colleagues – to engage on a daily basis with the creative minds of students and to be allowed to pursue your own creative work as well,” he said.

“My great thanks to Lakehead and Mount Allison for the privilege.”

 

 

– 30 –

 

 

 

 

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 nine faculties, including Business Administration, Education, Engineering, Graduate Studies, Health & Behavioural Sciences, Law, Natural Resources Management, Science & Environmental Studies, and Social Sciences & Humanities. Lakehead University’s achievements have been recognized nationally and internationally, including being ranked in the top half of Times Higher Education's 2023 World Universities Rankings for the fourth consecutive year, and the number one university in the world with fewer than 10,000 students in THE’s 2022 Impact Rankings (which assesses institutions against the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals). Visit www.lakeheadu.ca.

 

Funding for Lakehead University graduate students leads to important research

Image of a Rubik's Cube

Shakira Mohammed, a PhD student in Psychology, is receiving a $105,000 Canada Graduate Scholarship
from SSHRC to study how perfectionism is associated with depression and other symptoms in university students
over three years.

December 19, 2022 – Thunder Bay, Ont.

Lakehead University graduate students are receiving more than $410,000 in grants from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

Shakira Mohammed, a PhD student in Psychology, is receiving a $105,000 Canada Graduate Scholarship from SSHRC to study how perfectionism is associated with depression and other symptoms in university students over three years.

Photo of Shakira Mohammed

Her research will address limitations in the literature by advancing knowledge in post-secondary research using methods such as a daily online survey over seven days. The results may inform post-secondary education programming aimed at enriching student experiences.

“University life can be a volatile and stressful time,” Mohammed said.

“I am passionate to understand contributing factors that increase the risk for negative outcomes that can occur during this stage of life. This research may help to support university students who may be struggling with adjustment difficulties.”

She believes an emphasis on supports that address the risk factors for students who experience maladjustment when entering university may improve academic success outcomes for students and student retention across Canadian post-secondary education settings.

Christine Green, a master’s student in History, is receiving a $17,500 Canada Graduate Scholarship from SSHRC to explore community museums in Northwestern Ontario for one year.

Photo of Christine Green

Green will analyze Indigenous representation in their activities over the past six years, investigating the status of these museums and the obstacles smaller museums face in working towards compliance of the United Nations’ Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

Museums play an essential role in the creation of national identity, and critical assessments of museums in Canada have pointed to museums strengthening class distinctions and glorifying colonial subjugation of Indigenous peoples.

As part of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action, the Canadian Museum Association was tasked with collaborating with Indigenous peoples to undertake a national review of museum policies and best practices to determine the level of compliance with the UN’s Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and to make recommendations.

“It is my hope that this project provides a starting point for further examination of museum practices in Ontario and Canada in relation to Indigenous representation at the community level,” Green said.

“The pursuit of this project will provide me with the opportunity to begin answering these questions,” she said.

“It will also provide me with the skills to research and produce a lasting volume that will contribute to the ongoing work within many institutions in the region that responds to Call to Action #67, which calls for federal funding for a national review of museum policies and best practices.”

Dr. Chander Shahi, Dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies, congratulated all of the award recipients.

“I am so thrilled to hear about the incredible success of our graduate students receiving the Tri-Council awards,” Dr. Shahi said.

“I am extremely proud of our graduate students, who inspire by having such ambitious goals, and then putting in the hard work to achieve them.

“This amazing accomplishment is just one step in their journey, and their ability to relentlessly search for solutions to problems and find innovative ways to improve the world is the key to their success and many more to come.”

 

Graduate Student Awards 2022 - $412,500

Canada Graduate Scholarships – Master’s program:  $17,500 – One-Year Grants

Canadian Institutes of Health Research

  • Lydia Hicks, Department of Psychology, “The Impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences and Suicide Related Behaviours on Substance Use in Indigenous Populations”.
  • Micaela Sheinin, Department of Psychology, “Investigating Cannabis Use Among Canadian Women Experiencing Menstrual Cycle Distress”.

 Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council

  • Bianca Boboc, Department of Psychology, “The Role of Hormones and Negative Emotions in Facial Emotion Processing”.
  • Tristen Brown, Department of Civil Engineering, “Wind-induced Pounding of Tall Structures in Proximity”.
  • Conor McGovern, Department of Chemistry, “Solid Phase Radiofluorination of Amines”.

Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council

  • Jaidyn Charlton, Department of Psychology, “A Daily Diary Approach to Examining the Coping Methods of the Dark Tetrad in Response to Everyday Stressors”.
  • Christine Green, Department of History, “Exploring Cultural Representation in Public History: Indigenous Representation in Northwestern Ontario Community Museums”.
  • Chelsea Noel, Department of Psychology, “Are Youth Differentially Impacted by Cannabis Advertising? An Ecological Momentary Assessment of Demographic and Psychosis Risk Factors in a Canadian Post-legalization Context”.
  • Mila Popovic, Department of Psychology, “Is the Stigma of Mental Illness Separable from the Stigma of Self-Harm?”
  • Haileigh Riddell, Department of History, “Eugenics in Canada: New Insight Through A Comparison of Two Eugenic Bodies”.
  • Stephanie Skelton, Department of Archeology, “Assessing Proteomic and Stable Isotopic Analyses of Archaeological Ceramics”.
  • Brooklyn Wilson, Department of Social Work, “Queerness as a Gift from God: The United Church of Canada’s Religious Leaders' Opposition to Conversion Therapy”.
  • Jillian Zitars, Department of Psychology, “Matching Mobile Crisis Models to Communities: Examples from Northern Ontario”.

The Canada Graduate Scholarships - Doctoral Program (SSHRC CGS-D) – $105,000 – Three-Year Grant

Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council

  • Shakira Mohammed, Department of Psychology, “Perfectionism From the Inside and Outside: Clarifying the Role of Intra- and Interpersonal Processes in Predicting Maladjustment Using Multi-Source Longitudinal Methods”.

SSHRC Doctoral Fellowships Program – $80,000 – Four-Year Grant

  • Karin Onno, Department of Psychology, “Motivations to Forgive: Examining Pathways of Change”.        

 

 

 

– 30 –

 

 

 

 

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 nine faculties, including Business Administration, Education, Engineering, Graduate Studies, Health & Behavioural Sciences, Law, Natural Resources Management, Science & Environmental Studies, and Social Sciences & Humanities. Lakehead University’s achievements have been recognized nationally and internationally, including being ranked in the top half of Times Higher Education's 2023 World Universities Rankings for the fourth consecutive year, and the number one university in the world with fewer than 10,000 students in THE’s 2022 Impact Rankings (which assesses institutions against the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals). Visit www.lakeheadu.ca.

Dr. Christopher Mushquash Part of Team Nationally Recognized for Contributions to Clinical Psychology

Photo of Dr. Christopher Mushquash
 

Dr. Christopher Mushquash is a Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Mental Health and Addiction, Professor at Lakehead University and NOSM University, Vice-President of Research at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC) andChief Scientist at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Research Institute (TBRHRI).

 

Thunder Bay, Ont. – December 15, 2022

A local clinical psychologist is part of the team led by Dr. Martin Drapeau (Lead Researcher, McGill University) and Dr. Maxine Holmqvist (Lead Clinician, University of Manitoba) that has been nationally recognized for their outstanding contributions to the practice and profession of clinical psychology by the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA).

Dr. Christopher Mushquash is a Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Mental Health and Addiction, Professor at Lakehead University and NOSM University, Vice-President of Research at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC) and Chief Scientist at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Research Institute (TBRHRI).

He was part of the team awarded the 2022 CPA Clinical Section Award for Clinical Excellence for their work developing the Best Practices in Psychology Portal.

The Best Practices in Psychology Portal is an online hub for psychologists and trainees in psychology across Canada. The portal connects research and practice by providing the latest evidence-based resources, information, and tools.

The portal contains videos that allow psychologists and trainees to learn from other clinicians, researchers, and students, and the ability to download tools and measures that can be implemented in clinical practice. Dr. Mushquash contributed to the development of a video resource discussing considerations for when applying evidence-based psychological practice with Indigenous people.

“It was an honour to be a part of the development of the Best Practices in Psychology Portal, and for the work to be awarded by the CPA,” said Dr. Mushquash. “This online resource for psychologists and trainees allows them to view examples and considerations for incorporating the most up-to-date, evidence-based practice and clinical tools into clinical work, so that they in turn can provide the best possible care to their patients.”

“Dr. Mushquash is a true champion for culturally and contextually appropriate mental health and addiction services for First Nations peoples, and for individuals living in rural and northern communities,” said Dr. Rhonda Crocker Ellacott, President and CEO of TBRHSC and CEO of TBRHRI. “Congratulations to him and the team for all their incredible work.”

“Congratulations to Dr. Mushquash and his team for being recognized as this year’s winner of the CPA Clinical Section Award for Clinical Excellence,” said Dr. Andrew P. Dean, Lakehead University’s Vice-President, Research and Innovation.

“The development of the portal for clinical psychologists is unique and very forward thinking. Providing tools and resources through this method will allow for appropriate and current resources for practicing psychologists. The team and Dr. Mushquash truly are worthy recipients for this important award,” added Dr. Dean.

You can find out more about Dr. Mushquash’s work at https://www.christophermushquash.com/. To learn more about the Best Practices in Psychology portal, visit https://www.mcgill.ca/psy/.

The CPA is a national association for the science, practice and education of psychology in Canada. This not-for profit organization is Canada’s largest professional association for psychology and has more than 7,000 members and affiliates. Each year, the CPA honours clinical psychologists who advance the understanding and amelioration of suffering and the promotion of psychological wellness with the Clinical Section Award for Clinical Excellence.

-30-

Media Contacts:

Marcello Bernardo
Manager, Communications and Engagement
Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre
marcello.bernardo@tbh.net
Tel: (807) 684-6011

 

Brandon Walker
Media, Communications and Marketing Associate
Lakehead University
mediarelations@lakeheadu.ca
Tel: (807) 343-8110 ext. 8372

Lakehead University’s 2022 Report to the Community celebrates Champions of Change

Photo of Brian Adams

Brian Adams earned a Chemical Engineering Technology Diploma, an Honours Bachelor of Science in Chemistry, and a Master of Science in Chemistry – all from Lakehead University. His electrochemistry training at Lakehead started him on his path to creating a better battery.

December 14, 2022 – Thunder Bay and Orillia, Ont.  

Lakehead University launched its online 2022 Report to the Community “Champions of Change” website today, featuring stories that celebrate inspirational achievements by students, alumni, researchers, and donors.

“Our 2022 Report to the Community honours champions of change – those individuals who have helped Lakehead become the highest-ranked university in the world with under 10,000 students in the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings,” said Dr. Moira McPherson, Lakehead University’s President and Vice-Chancellor.

The Impact Rankings measure the societal impact of universities by evaluating an institution’s success in delivering the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.

In 2022, Lakehead is ranked as one of the top universities in the world contributing to poverty reduction, elimination of hunger, reduced inequalities, good health and well-being, and to peace, justice, and strong institutions.

Lakehead is 64th out of 1,406 universities from around the world, based on the University’s performance in meeting the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

“We invite our students, alumni, employees, and friends around the world to experience our online annual report and to join us in celebrating what we have achieved together,” Dr. McPherson added.

Lakehead’s annual report can be found at lakeheadu.ca/championsofchange.

It features the University’s various impacts on the regions around its Orillia and Thunder Bay campuses, and highlights the achievements of students, faculty, alumni, and donors from around the world.

The report celebrates several milestones, including being in the top half of the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings, and the University’s annual financial impact of $3.6 billion on Ontario’s gross domestic product.

The annual economic impact of Lakehead’s Thunder Bay campus on the province was approximately $1.7 billion, while its Orillia campus contributed $245.7 million.

Lakehead’s annual economic impact on Northwestern Ontario was $2.1 billion.

Some of the Champions of Change include researchers Dr. Thamara Laredo and Tristen Brown; students Wade Treslove and Aria Kamal; alumni Sandy Falcon and Brian Adams; and donors Bell Canada and the Invasive Species Centre.

Dr. Laredo is an Assistant Professor in Chemistry at Lakehead Orillia who is part of a research team developing sustainable, plant-based versions of foods like meat and cheese, with help from researchers at the University of Guelph. She is also involved in research to find ways to clean water and soil polluted by the oil extraction process.

Brown is a PhD researcher who is part of a strategic research project to improve housing in Northern Indigenous communities across Canada. He is applying his expertise in civil engineering to address both the poor quality of housing and the housing shortage that these communities often face.

Treslove received a Canada-Africa Innovation Fellowship from Engineers Without Borders to create solutions to plastic pollution in Ghana. He recently completed an electrical engineering degree at Lakehead-Georgian in Barrie.

Kamal recently graduated from the Bora Laskin Faculty of Law. In April 2022, she received the Royal Society of Canada’s inaugural Justice Rosalie Silberman Abella Prize for advancing equality in her community.

Falcon has three degrees from Lakehead including a Master of Arts in Social Justice that she received in 2022. She has taken the lead in important humanitarian work in her community, such as assisting temporary foreign workers in Canada and helping women find jobs and economic security.

Adams earned a Chemical Engineering Technology Diploma, an Honours Bachelor of Science in Chemistry, and a Master of Science in Chemistry – all from Lakehead University.

His electrochemistry training at Lakehead University started him on his path to creating a better battery. With a friend, he founded Salient Energy to create a zinc-ion battery that can be recharged thousands of times.

Bell Let’s Talk announced $1 million in grants to 16 Canadian post-secondary schools, including $100,000 to Lakehead University to assist with Lakehead’s initiative to support students’ mental health.

Bell did this by building individual capacity to sustain well-being and increase the availability and scope of resources accessible to students. The initiative includes a mental health screening program, increased training for staff to recognize signs of distress, and more.

The Invasive Species Centre donated to Lakehead Orillia’s Community Engagement and Lifelong Learning programming, specifically the Ontario Youth Naturalist Program. The Centre focuses on protecting Canada’s land and water from invasive species through community science. It is a hub for collaboration and knowledge sharing.

The Report to the Community website highlights how Lakehead is leading innovation and partnerships to create a more resilient, healthy, sustainable, and equitable world.

Visit lakeheadu.ca/championsofchange to view Lakehead University’s 2021-2022 Report to the Community.

 

 

 

– 30 –

 

 

 

 

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 nine faculties, including Business Administration, Education, Engineering, Graduate Studies, Health & Behavioural Sciences, Law, Natural Resources Management, Science & Environmental Studies, and Social Sciences & Humanities. Lakehead University’s achievements have been recognized nationally and internationally, including being ranked in the top half of Times Higher Education's 2023 World Universities Rankings for the fourth consecutive year, and the number one university in the world with fewer than 10,000 students in THE’s 2022 Impact Rankings (which assesses institutions against the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals). Visit www.lakeheadu.ca.

New Tourism Micro-Credential now available at Lakehead University

December 12, 2022 – Thunder Bay and Orillia, Ont.  

Lakehead University is now offering a brand new micro-credential with intake starting on January 9.

The Ontario Professional Tourism Industry Specialist (OPTIS)/Northern Ontario Professional Tourism Industry Specialist (NOPTIS) is designed for tourism industry professionals who work for any organization with a mandate to support operators to foster growth in the tourism industry.

This includes provincial and federal tourism advisors, municipal staff, economic development officers, destination marketing and sector organization staff, and tourism operators and individuals in management roles within the tourism sector.

Individuals taking this course will be better at supporting tourism, or in some cases, moving into new positions focused on tourism development. With a particular focus on skill enhancement and local COVID-19 response, completing this course will better prepare tourism operators to improve and expand their business.

The Ontario Professional Tourism Industry Specialist (OPTIS) and the Northern Ontario Professional Tourism Industry Specialist (NOPTIS) micro-credentials are available online, province wide.

This comprehensive online learning opportunity provides a credential that will lead to a more knowledgeable and skilled professional tourism workforce that is enabled to advance, support and grow the tourism sector.

The micro-credential consists of six modules that address the essential elements of the tourism industry.

They are titled: What is tourism?; Product Development; Marketing; Critical Tourism Products and Markets; Either a) Business Planning and Managing a Small Business (for Tourism Business owners) OR b) Supporting Tourism in your Community (for individuals working with a mandate to support operators); Risk, Liability & Safety.

A seventh module focused on the geographic region of Northern Ontario will provide an option to obtain a Northern Ontario Professional Tourism Specialist (NOPTIS) micro-credential.

Each module is eight hours in length and completed over a two-week period. This course is facilitated by an industry-professional who will guide you through the course and assist you with your capstone project, an independent project that will become a useful tool after you complete the course.

OPTIS/NOPTIS will be available for learners in French at Collège Boréal in 2023.This course was created in partnership with Destination Northern Ontario, Ontario Ministry of Colleges and Universities, and with support from Collège Boréal, Tourism Industry Association of Ontario, Nature and Outdoors Tourism Ontario, Indigenous Tourism Ontario, and Société Économique de l’Ontario. 

The course starts January 9, 2023.

The following links are for course information

(https://communityzone.lakeheadu.ca/optis-noptis) and to register

 (https://erpss.lakeheadu.ca:8173/Student/Noptis).

 

 

 

 

– 30 –

 

 

 

 

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 nine faculties, including Business Administration, Education, Engineering, Graduate Studies, Health & Behavioural Sciences, Law, Natural Resources Management, Science & Environmental Studies, and Social Sciences & Humanities. Lakehead University’s achievements have been recognized nationally and internationally, including being ranked in the top half of Times Higher Education's 2023 World Universities Rankings for the fourth consecutive year, and the number one university in the world with fewer than 10,000 students in THE’s 2022 Impact Rankings (which assesses institutions against the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals). Visit www.lakeheadu.ca.

Lakehead Electrical Engineering professor receives international recognition

Photo of Professor Tayebi 

December 5, 2022 – Thunder Bay, Ont.

Professor Abdelhamid Tayebi, from Lakehead University’s Department of Electrical Engineering, has been named an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Fellow. 

IEEE Fellow is a distinction reserved for select IEEE members whose extraordinary accomplishments in any of the IEEE fields of interest are deemed fitting of this prestigious recognition. 

The IEEE is recognizing Dr. Tayebi for his contributions to the control of unmanned aerial vehicles and learning-based control for robot manipulators.

“I am honored to receive this prestigious distinction from IEEE as a recognition by my peers for my career achievements in the fields of autonomous aerial vehicles and robotics. I am proud to count myself among the IEEE fellows,” Dr. Tayebi said.

“Certainly, this wouldn’t have been possible without my collaborators and students with whom I have been blessed to work over the years,” he added.

Dr. Tayebi received his MSc in Robotics from Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris, and his PhD in Robotics and Automatic Control from Université de Picardie Jules Verne. He joined the Department of Electrical Engineering at Lakehead University in 1999 where he is a professor and the founder of the Robotics and Automatic Control Laboratory.

“Everyone at Lakehead Engineering is very proud of Dr. Tayebi’s achievement,” said Dr. Janusz Kozinski, Lakehead’s Dean of Engineering.

“He is a truly outstanding researcher who thoroughly deserves this accolade, which acknowledges his work over many years at the forefront of his field.

“We are continuing to expand and strengthen our research enterprise, and this recognition is another example of the exceptional quality and talent of the team at Lakehead Engineering,” Dr. Kozinski said.

 

 

 

– 30 –

 

 

 

 

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 nine faculties, including Business Administration, Education, Engineering, Graduate Studies, Health & Behavioural Sciences, Law, Natural Resources Management, Science & Environmental Studies, and Social Sciences & Humanities. Lakehead University’s achievements have been recognized nationally and internationally, including being ranked in the top half of Times Higher Education's 2023 World Universities Rankings for the fourth consecutive year, and the number one university in the world with fewer than 10,000 students in THE’s 2022 Impact Rankings (which assesses institutions against the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals). Visit www.lakeheadu.ca.

Lakehead University received more than $260k for student financial aid and other projects

poster 

 

 

 

 

 
December 2, 2022 – Thunder Bay and Orillia, Ont. 

Lakehead University officials were once again celebrating the amount of support that students received for financial aid on Giving Tuesday.

This year the university received an incredible $260,840, topping last year’s total of $216,000 by more than $44,000. This was thanks to donations from alumni, friends of the university, faculty, staff, and other donors.

Lakehead’s goal was $108,000. Donations poured in from not only Canada and the United States, but also China, Singapore, Mexico, Finland, and other countries.

Lakehead University had the highest number of participating alumni, staff, faculty, Board of Governor members, and members of the Alumni Association since the university began participating in Giving Tuesday in 2016.

“Thank you to everyone who helped Lakehead’s students by participating in Giving Tuesday,” said Mike den Haan, Vice-President, External Relations at Lakehead University.

“Your contributions will support scholarships, bursaries and awards that will allow students in need to focus on their education and not worry as much about their finances.”

A popular incentive returned this year, with the Alumni Association of Lakehead University matching all new gifts for scholarships, bursaries and awards 1:1, up to $52,000.

“We know that alumni living and working around the world contribute to Giving Tuesday at Lakehead University, but the kindness from our donors continues to amaze me,” said Mark Tilbury, Alumni and Annual Giving Director at Lakehead University.

“All I can say is thank you. Your donation will help students attend Lakehead University to pursue their dreams of academic success.”

This year’s contributions bring the total to more than $800,000 since Lakehead began participating in Giving Tuesday six years ago.

 

 

 

– 30 –

 

 

 

 

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 nine faculties, including Business Administration, Education, Engineering, Graduate Studies, Health & Behavioural Sciences, Law, Natural Resources Management, Science & Environmental Studies, and Social Sciences & Humanities. Lakehead University’s achievements have been recognized nationally and internationally, including being ranked in the top half of Times Higher Education's 2023 World Universities Rankings for the fourth consecutive year, and the number one university in the world with fewer than 10,000 students in THE’s 2022 Impact Rankings (which assesses institutions against the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals). Visit www.lakeheadu.ca.

Collaborative event discussed what is being done to make Thunder Bay a better place to live

Photo of Dr. Charles Levkoe

Dr. Levkoe is part of the working group for the Voluntary Local Review Report. He is the Associate
Professor in Health Sciences at Lakehead University and Canada Research Chair in Equitable and
Sustainable Food Systems.

November 30, 2022 – Thunder Bay, Ont. 

Lakehead University organized a collaborative event today to discuss positive initiatives on social issues affecting Thunder Bay, in partnership with Diversity Thunder Bay, the City of Thunder Bay’s Anti-Racism and Equity Advisory Committee, Confederation College, and several other community organizations.

Community Voices and Dialogues for Social Justice included two panel discussions. One was a community presentation of the First Voluntary Local Review Report 2022 – a systemic and comprehensive evaluation of Thunder Bay’s progress toward achieving the United Nation’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals.

The other panel had representatives from local community organizations discussing what is happening in Thunder Bay that gives them hope for positive changes going forward.

“Engaging with the people doing work on the ground and incorporating a social and environmental justice lens is an essential part of good research,” said Dr. Charles Levkoe, Associate Professor in Health Sciences at Lakehead University and Canada Research Chair in Equitable and Sustainable Food Systems.

Albert Brulé, Chief Executive Officer of the United Way of Thunder Bay, said the United Way will use data gathered through the First Voluntary Local Review Report to support evidence-based, locally-relevant solutions to improve the quality of life at the community level.

“We look forward to sharing results and raising awareness by way of a new community engagement platform we are launching with our community partners called Empower the North,” he said.

“Through Empower the North, we aim to inspire civic engagement, to provide focus for public debate, and to help a range of players to take action and direct resources where they will have the greatest impact,” Brulé said.

More information about Empower the North is available at empowerthenorth.ca.

The City of Thunder Bay’s Anti-Racism & Equity Committee, Diversity Thunder Bay, and the Chronicle-Journal have been running the monthly One City, Many Voices column since 2012, featuring community members’ experiences on equity, diversity/multiculturalism, and inclusion.

The networking event celebrated the column’s 10th anniversary and acknowledged the authors and their contributions.

“This monthly column and the discussions that we had today are a way of bringing people together to explore the many views of those who live in this area.”

Dr. Roopa Rakshit, One City Many Voices Coordinator, said the newspaper column is a platform where diversity is considered a valued sentiment and not an abstract identity.

“Celebrating the column's 10th anniversary is a testament to the commitment this community has made to foster progressive ideas on race relations and social justice issues. Today's event brought a lot of partners together for collective actions and deliberations,” she added.

“On behalf of Diversity Thunder Bay (DTB), on the 10th anniversary of the One City Many Voices column, I would like to congratulate the contributors to the column for they have helped us in our work and struggle to make Thunder Bay a safe, inclusive, and equitable community free of all forms of racism and discrimination,” said Walid Chahal, Co-Chair of Diversity Thunder Bay.

“As a co-founder of the column, DTB’s aim was to encourage the writers of the column to not only expose the reality of racism, racialization and other forms of discrimination, but also reflect their diverse experiences, social backgrounds, and perspectives to help us foster better understanding and create harmonious relations between groups.”

To read the One City Many Voices columns, follow this link.

 

Photo of authors

Authors who wrote stories for the One City Many Voices column were honoured for the 10th anniversary
of the Chronicle-Journal column.

 

– 30 –

 

 

 

 

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 nine faculties, including Business Administration, Education, Engineering, Graduate Studies, Health & Behavioural Sciences, Law, Natural Resources Management, Science & Environmental Studies, and Social Sciences & Humanities. Lakehead University’s achievements have been recognized nationally and internationally, including being ranked in the top half of Times Higher Education's 2023 World Universities Rankings for the fourth consecutive year, and the number one university in the world with fewer than 10,000 students in THE’s 2022 Impact Rankings (which assesses institutions against the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals). Visit www.lakeheadu.ca.

Pages