August 30, 2023

The Government of Canada has announced an investment of $960M to bolster the country’s research ecosystem. Administered through the tri-agency in the form of funding, scholarship, and grant programs, this investment will support over 4,700 researchers and research projects across Canada. The projects cover a range of fields and include initiatives on mitigating the negative impacts of e-waste, advancing stroke recovery, exploring the possibilities of responsible AI, and inspiring youth in STEM. “Congratulations to these talented recipients from all across the country who are doing the groundbreaking work that will contribute not only to Canada’s health and well-being, but also to the world’s,” said Federal Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry François-Philippe Champagne.

The University of British Columbia Okanagan has received a $262M building permit from the City of Kelowna for its downtown campus. Though preparations have already started at the Doyle Avenue site, this building permit will allow for construction to commence on the campus. The permit is reportedly the highest value permit ever awarded by the city and the tower will be Kelowna’s tallest building at 43 storeys once it is completed. The building is expected to include an underground parkade, street-level amenities, UBCO’s School of Nursing and Social Work, and 500 residential units.

Educators from Niagara College and Brock University have co-developed an immersive virtual reality (VR) tool to help students learn about the lived experiences of people with disabilities. Starting this fall, VR simulations will be included in an interdisciplinary course at Niagara on Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Decolonization and at Brock in the Accessibility Consultant Micro-Credential. “As [Niagara] employees with disabilities, it was important to us that the simulations be centered on authentic lived experiences of the disability community,” said Niagara Adaptive Technology Specialist Jim McEwen. “Using the power of immersive VR, for a moment, you are able to get a firsthand glimpse of how ableism, microaggressions, and systemic obstacles can affect people with disabilities.”

Given the climate crisis and ongoing inequality, business schools should provide formal instruction on sustainable investing, argue Lorin Busaan (University of Victoria) and Basma Majerbi (UVic) in an op-ed. The authors assert that sustainable investing requires serious attention in Canada’s business school finance programs and that skills in this area are best developed through hands-on practice. Busaan and Majerbi underline that Student-Managed Investment Funds (SMIFs) present an ideal opportunity to provide students with this type of experiential learning, but that few Canadian SMIFs currently integrate environmental, social, and governance (ESG) considerations. They conclude that training students on the importance of ESG through the hands-on management of SMIFs could aid in more effectively training future financial professionals.

The University of Saskatchewan recently unveiled its Period Equity Project, an initiative which enhances access to menstrual supplies on campus. Starting this fall, free menstrual hygiene supplies will be available in more than 70 women’s, men’s, and gender-neutral washrooms throughout USask’s campus. The university states that this project was developed using an evidence-informed approach and through consultations with university students and student groups. “Every person who needs menstrual products should have access to those products,” said USask Provost Dr Airini. “The USask Period Equity Project is about helping make that happen.”

Lakehead University’s Honours Bachelor of Commerce, Finance Major program has been recognized by the CFA Institute and welcomed into its University Affiliation Program. This recognition demonstrates to students and employers that Lakehead’s program effectively prepares students to sit for CFA examinations. Furthermore, through participation in this program, Lakehead is eligible to receive a number of CFA Program Student Scholarships each year. “This affiliation will further enable Lakehead’s Faculty of Business Administration to support the future career goals of our students,” said Lakehead Associate Professor Dr Wing Him Yeung. “This puts students on track to obtain the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA®) charter, which has become the most respected and recognized investment credential in the world.”

Selkirk College and Vancouver Island University have appealed to community members to help alleviate the student housing shortage. Selkirk has asked the community to consider renting out available rooms, basement suites, or other spaces suitable for accommodation in order to provide students with a safe place to stay while they complete their studies. VIU has launched a lawn sign campaign, encouraging homeowners to rent spare rooms to students. VIU off-campus housing coordinator Michael Witcomb said that renting out rooms not only gives landlords the opportunity to gain extra income, but also to connect with students, build relationships, and learn about different cultures and cooking.

Georgian College has gained “Bee Campus” designation from Bee City Canada for its work supporting pollinators. The designation is based on a number of criteria, including efforts towards creating, maintaining, and improving habitats for pollinators. Georgian introduced two beehives to its roof this year, and last year built a Bee Lodge to provide homes for native pollinators. Supporting the pollinators also helps make the campus a learning laboratory. “We’re trying to connect culinary and hospitality with where it all comes from,” said Georgian Dean of Hospitality, Tourism and Recreation Bryan Hunt. “Restaurants can’t exist without the agriculture industry, and neither can hotels. And so really it’s a matter of demonstrating that entire cycle of consumption back to reuse.”

Science moves forward when scientists are given the space to push boundaries, ask questions, and even fail, write Thomas Merritt (Laurentian University) and Teresa Rzezniczak (Laurentian). Sharing the results of a recent study on how chromosomes physically interact, Merritt and Rzezniczak reflect that their research could not have come about without encouragement from their mentors to pay attention to unexpected outcomes, including failed experiments, and to use these failures as a launching point for further questioning. The writers stipulate that funding agencies favour projects that explicitly avoid or prevent failure and conclude that in order to be truly meaningful and dynamic, “science needs a culture that promotes risk and exploring the unexpected.”

Fleming College will launch a Hairstyling Program in January 2024. The program will provide students with hands-on learning opportunities in a compressed, three-semester format. The program includes practical training in hair cutting, styling, and colouring techniques, as well as courses that cover a variety of areas, such as haircare basics, hairstyling theory, and how to run a salon. Students will gain experience working at the newly designed, on-site Academy Salon, which uses environmentally sustainable products and high-quality equipment.