Lakehead University’s very first entry into the Great Northern Concrete Toboggan Race (GNCTR) was a resounding success, scooping the Best New Team Award and Most Inclusive Team Award at the national competition hosted by Concordia University in Montreal.

“Our first-ever GNCTR entry was a huge success, and we’re really proud of what we accomplished. It showed not just our technical skills, but also that we can compete at a national level with other universities across Canada,” said co-captain Elian Drummond. “This is just the beginning for Lakehead University—we’ve built a strong foundation, and we’re excited to see next year's team come back even stronger; improving their designs and making a lasting impact in the GNCTR community.”

The multidisciplinary student team, co-captained by Civil Engineering students Drummond and Faryal Faisal, debuted at 11th overall (out of 18 entries from universities and colleges across Canada) and were the only team in the competition not to receive any deduction points.

“We are immensely proud of the terrific performance of the Lakehead team in their inaugural entry into this competition. This is only the beginning of what will become a tradition with future teams building on the legacy of this pioneering group of students,” said Janusz Kozinski, Dean of Engineering at Lakehead University.

Established last year, the Lakehead GNCTR team made rapid progress in a short time to design and build the Lakehead toboggan and attract an impressive array of sponsors to support the project.

“Being an inaugural team came with its obstacles, but spearheading the initiative allowed us to curate a skill set we never would have had the opportunity to develop solely in the classroom,” said Faisal. “We got to experience first-hand what it means to be an engineer and how the profession is rooted in strong teams.”

The Great Northern Concrete Toboggan Race is the largest and longest running engineering competition in North America. Teams must design and construct a toboggan with a metal frame and a running surface made completely out of concrete and race it down a steep snow-covered hill. The sled must weigh less than 350 pounds, have a working braking system, and be fitted with a roll cage to protect its five passengers.

"Supervising our inaugural GNCTR team was a lesson in passion and resilience. Their seamless teamwork and impeccable organization transformed every challenge into a breakthrough,” stated faculty advisor Dr. Ahmed Elshaer. “This group showed me that true success lies in the thrill of surprise, not just in the prize. Their awards set a high bar for Lakehead's innovative future.”

The Cruikshank Gold Medal for Outstanding Service to the Ontario Historical Society was presented to Dr. Michel S. Beaulieu (right) by OHS Executive Director Daniel Dishaw (left) at the Thunder Bay Museum on February 7, 2025.

Thunder Bay, Ont. -- Dr. Michel S. Beaulieu, Associate Vice-Provost (Academic), has been awarded the Cruikshank Gold Medal by the Ontario Historical Society. This prestigious honour recognizes his outstanding contributions to preserving and sharing Ontario’s history through volunteerism, philanthropy, and scholarship. "His integrity, dedication, and tireless efforts to expand the reach and influence of the OHS have made lasting impacts on the vitality of this historic organization," stated the media release. 

You can read the full story on the Ontario Historical Society website at https://ontariohistoricalsociety.ca/michel-s-beaulieu-ohs-cruikshank-gold-medal/. 

The Research and Innovation Bulletin is distributed weekly every Tuesday by the Office of Research Services and includes information on research funding opportunities, events and workshops and updates from our funding partners.

Checkout the latest version of our bulletin, by clicking here.

County Warden Basil Clarke presents a $1.5 million cheque to Lakehead President Dr. Gillian Siddall as the first installment of a $15 million commitment was celebrated on the Orillia Campus. 

Orillia, Ont. — People in communities across Simcoe County will benefit from greater access to education for generations to come thanks to a transformative $15 million investment from the County of Simcoe.

Building on the County of Simcoe’s first $10 million contribution in 2009 which helped establish Lakehead University’s Orillia campus, this additional $15 million over 10 years—beginning with a $1.5 million installment today—will seed the expansion of Lakehead’s Orillia campus with a new building to allow expanded programs and more opportunities for students to succeed.

“Lakehead Orillia began with a charter class of 101 students and now we have a bustling campus with over 2,100 students pursuing their dreams,” said Dr. Gillian Siddall, President and Vice-Chancellor of Lakehead University. “This incredibly generous support from our dedicated partner, the County of Simcoe, will allow our campus to grow to an estimated 3,500 students. Together, we are transforming the communities of Simcoe County by opening access to education that sets people up for a lifetime of success while driving economic prosperity for the region.”

In 2024, Lakehead University’s impact on the City of Orillia’s local economy was $328 million and $4.54 billion on Ontario’s total GDP. Ranked Ontario’s number one primarily undergraduate university by Maclean’s Magazine, Lakehead has a track record of transforming communities by graduating highly skilled people ready for in-demand jobs. When it comes to the value of a Lakehead education, 88% of Lakehead grads are employed within six months of graduating, increasing to 97.4% within two years of degree completion. Over 90% of Lakehead graduates are employed in jobs directly related to their studies.

“Today’s $1.5 million investment kicks off our ambitious 10-year $15 million commitment to further expand post-secondary education at Lakehead University in Simcoe County,” said Basil Clarke, County of Simcoe Warden. “This investment ignites the region’s next generation of innovators, building up our communities and empowering local talent to dream big and thrive in the communities they love.”

While academic planning for the new building is in development, Lakehead’s approach is to work collaboratively with local industry, partners and stakeholders to identify in-demand fields requiring local talent to power economic growth in the region and ensure students are prepared to secure well-paying jobs after graduation.

The County’s $15 million contribution is the first of many needed to realize this campus expansion. The university is undertaking a feasibility study to determine the fundraising goals for the new building.

Lakehead’s case for expansion is rooted in deep relationships throughout the region and confirmed by data that tells an inspiring story about community transformation. Before Lakehead University was established in Simcoe County, post-secondary degree attainment rates were significantly lower than the provincial average. Since Lakehead arrived in 2006, there has been a 147% increase in university enrolment throughout the region – contributing to strengthening the economy, building up the local workforce and empowering people to be the architects of their lives.

An estimated 95% of Lakehead’s domestic student population faces barriers to attending university, such as financial need or being the first generation in a family to pursue post-secondary education. Despite these barriers, and because of the exceptional level of support that Lakehead students receive including work-integrated learning, Lakehead has the second-highest graduation rate among Ontario’s primarily undergraduate universities according to the Macleans’ Magazine 2025 annual university rankings.

“The County of Simcoe’s investment recognizes and validates the boundless social and economic value of university education,” added Dr. Siddall. “We are deeply grateful for this support and look forward to keeping the community updated as plans for our new building unfold and our fundraising efforts ramp up. We are so proud to be Simcoe County’s university.”

Quick Facts:

• Expected number of new programs enabled by the new building: 10 new undergraduate, graduate, and other academic program credentials by 2032
• New campus amenities and space usage plans for the new building include: teaching spaces, Indigenous learning and gathering centre, student programming space, and a new centralized student services hub
• Enrolment capacity once the new building opens: 3,500 students up from today’s 2,100
• Number of industry and not-for-profit partnerships around the world: 116
• Lakehead undergraduates who gain practical experience through experiential learning: 100%
• Lakehead STEM undergraduates who participate in work-integrated co-ops and internships: 95%
• Lakehead Orillia students who are from Simcoe County: 50%

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Lakehead Thunderwolves men's varsity hockey and men's varsity basketball teams will play at home this week in postseason matchups. 

Varsity men's hockey team will take on division rivals Western Mustangs in the first round of the OUA West Playoffs on Wednesday, Feb. 19 at 7:30 p.m. at the Tournament Center. Tickets are $20 each.

The men's basketball team will host one of the four OUA quarterfinals this Saturday, Feb. 22, with 7 p.m. tip-off at the Thunderdome. The Thunderwolves sit first overall in the central division. Children and seniors are $10, adults $15.

Tickets can be purchased online (see below) or at the Wolf Den front desk. Doors open at 6 p.m.

Men's hockey: https://square.link/u/9lbwYQyv

Men's basketball: https://luathletics.lakeheadu.ca/GuestPass/GetProducts

**If purchasing a ticket online please print off your ticket to reduce queues on gameday and the potential for technical difficulties**

Come on out and "pack the house" for this OUA showdown! Let's Go Wolves!

We’re excited to invite you to participate in a unique opportunity to showcase your research and creativity as part of Lakehead's Research & Innovation Week!

We’re looking for photos that capture your research in action—whether it’s fieldwork, lab work, creative outputs, or research projects. These photos will be featured during the awards ceremony and may also be used on the Research & Innovation Week website or in promotional materials.

Photos must fall under one of the following categories:

1. History of Research at Lakehead (ex. people conducting research etc, however, no posed team photos)
2. Research Through the Lens (ex. photos of research or research results)

Winners will be decided via online voting! Winners will have the option to select a Canadian retailer from this list: LU Bookstore, Indigo, Canadian Tire, and Shoppers Drug Mart.

Prizes for each category will be valued at:

• $150 for First Place
• $100 for Second Place
• $50 for Third Place

Don't miss this exciting chance—share your research in action and join the fun!

Eligibility: Open to Lakehead faculty, staff, and students from all campuses.

Submission Deadline: February 23, 2025

Ready to share your work? Submit your photos here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeJZ0LKrjPPSDefw13VEU9cC9eAk7CUtFYGwiPpFSueFE59gg/viewform?usp=dialog

Let’s celebrate the incredible research and innovation throughout the years at Lakehead University!

The School of Nursing is proud to congratulate Jessica O’Neill, Clinical and Lab Technologist, on her most recent achievement.

Jessica has successfully completed the Canadian Nurse Educators Institute (CNEI)/Canadian Association Schools of Nursing (CASN) certification as a Canadian Certified Clinical Instructor (CCCI). This designation involves completion of a six-week course of study and passing a national certification exam to demonstrate this level of expertise. With this new status, she now proudly displays CNEI/CASN Certified Clinical Instructor after her name.

As clinical education in nursing is foundational, this type of valuable training is essential for Jessica to fully support our clinical instructors in their roles and responsibilities with our BScN learners in a variety of practicum settings. Further, this training has enhanced Jessica’s knowledge and abilities to: identify and implement a variety of options for monitoring and evaluating students while in placement; support mentoring and coaching activities; assist to further develop positive learning environments; and, address new and emerging challenges. The School is very proud to have a nationally certified expert clinical instructor on our team! Well done, Jessica.

The Research and Innovation Bulletin is distributed weekly every Tuesday by the Office of Research Services and includes information on research funding opportunities, events and workshops and updates from our funding partners.

Checkout the latest version of our Bulletin, by clicking here.

The SHINE Program is a six-week exercise program tailored for women by women, developed in partnership with Lakehead Athletics. Participants will be encouraged to engage in exercise at the campus gym three times a week for 30 minutes, as informed by their private facility tour and exercise guide/handout.

Participants will be randomly assigned to either a control or intervention condition, with intervention participants being paired with a peer mentor (senior student with exercise expertise and trained in a two-hour workshop on motivational interviewing) who will join them in one weekly exercise session and virtual communication between sessions.

Participants will be asked to engage in data collection at weeks one, three, and six, for which they will be compensated $20 for each period completed. 

Purpose: Explore a six-week on-campus program for women newer to exercise

Eligibility:

• Identify as a woman
• Full-time undergraduate student at Lakehead
• Want to become more active

Check your eligibility! Scan the QR code or contact SHINEProgramLU@gmail.com.

We're seeking captivating stories, poems, essay, songs, and anything in between for our next issue. You're invited to share your creative work for our upcoming issue. Last day of submissions is February 1, 2025. 

Email submissions to luartery@lakeheadu.ca.