October 22, 2024

The Digital Research Alliance of Canada and the Government of Québec is providing McGill University with a combined $38.7M to support two advanced research computing infrastructure projects. The first project will upgrade the electrical capacity of the McGill/Calcul Québec University data centre at the École de technologie supérieure. The data centre is one of five pan-Canadian high-performance computing cluster sites and has long served as the host of the Béluga and Narval computer clusters. The second project consists of the installation of a new server cluster—called Rorqual—in order to replace Béluga. “By collaborating with McGill and the Government of Québec, and leveraging the expertise of our partners at Calcul Québec, we are better able to meet the growing demands of researchers through state-of-the-art [high performance computing],” commented The Alliance CEO George Ross.

Faculty members from Ontario’s 24 public colleges have voted 79% in favour of a strike mandate. OPSEU states that that last week’s vote saw a record turnout, with 76% of its members casting a ballot. Bay Today reports that the College Employer Council has asserted that OPSEU’s demands would increase college costs by almost $1B each year, a claim that CBC reports OPSEU spokesperson Sean Lougheed deemed unsubstantiated. Lougheed further indicated that while the bargaining team had agreed to participate in mediation with the employer, it would not consider interest arbitration.

Concordia University has signed a memorandum of understanding with the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) to host an innovation hub focused on the clean energy transition. The hub will support a variety of efforts in areas such as critical minerals, infrastructure, and energy storage. This hub will also foster collaborations between Concordia, the City of Shawinigan, and the National Center in Environmental Technology and Electrochemistry. “The establishment of our thematic campus in Shawinigan focused on energy transition is in line with the current narrative and showcases a city that has always been at the forefront of hydroelectricity and lithium battery production,” said Concordia Volt-Age CEO Karim Zaghib.

The University of King’s College has expanded its Mi’kmaw Journalism Initiative to include students in the one-year Bachelor of Journalism and Master of Journalism. The initiative covers up to three years of tuition and incidental fees for three Mi’kmaw students each year in order to remove financial barriers to journalism education. “The culture of an institution and conversations in the classroom only start to change when we have good representation, and we’re starting to see that here at King’s,” said UKing’s College Assistant Professor Trina Roache. “Our growing community of Mi’kmaw and other Indigenous students are engaging in cultural activities, gathering at our Mawio’mio’kuom (Indigenous Students Centre) and starting to envision what their experience at King’s can look like.”

Algonquin College has introduced a Bachelor of Child and Youth Care (Honours) program that will prepare students for a career in child and youth care. The four-year degree program’s curriculum covers topics such as applied research, entrepreneurship, nature-based programming, program evaluation, and social innovation. Students will gain hands-on experience through a work term and two field placements. Graduates will be prepared for work in front-line and supervisory roles in a variety of settings such as community health centres, hospitals, and schools. “Our approach allows students to learn and grow in a supportive, hands-on, dynamic learning environment that will prepare them to enter the human services workforce,” said Algonquin School of Wellness, Public Safety and Community Studies Dean Jane Trakalo. The program launches in 2025.

In a recent career advice column for Nature, a neuroscientist asks what to do when asked to write a letter of recommendation for someone that “you cannot, in all honesty, recommend to move on to the next stage of their research career.” Nature writer Bianca Nogrady collates advice from three scientists on how to handle this situation. Maria Augusta Aurruda (Brazilian Biosciences National Laboratory) and James Murphy (Walter and Eliza Hall Institute) recommended being honest with the candidates about not being able to write them a strong reference. In cases where writing a letter of recommendation is unavoidable, Murphy and Khatijah Yusoff (University of Putra Malaysia) discuss how they would balance a positive tone with honesty about the individual’s limitations and weaknesses.

Kenjgewin Teg and Legend Mining Contracting have signed an agreement that will build the Indigenous skilled trades workforce in Northern Ontario. As part of this agreement, the parties have highlighted training areas of interest that include underground supervisor training, service underground common core, and basic hard rock common core. “Kenjgewin Teg is excited to be part of mobilizing skilled trades careers for Anishinabek people living in urban and on-reserve communities and their First Nations who are looking to advance sustainable development in their traditional territories,” said Kenjgewin President Beverley Roy.

St Thomas University and New Brunswick Child & Youth Advocate have formed a partnership to establish the Frank McKenna Centre for Communications and Public Policy. The centre will advance policy and advocacy work on critical issues that are faced by New Brunswick’s children, seniors, and vulnerable adults. The centre will leverage STU’s academic expertise, outreach capabilities, and experiential learning opportunities; offer training and workshops; and provide resources and support to those involved in policy development and implementation.

Assiniboine College has received a $700K donation from the RBC Foundation to support the college’s Greenhouse in a Box research project expansion. The Russ Edwards School of Agriculture & Environment’s Greenhouse in a Box prototype is a free-standing, transportable greenhouse structure that can be adapted to almost any location or climate to extend the length of the growing season. It includes irrigation, water reservoirs, lighting, and a solar energy system. The donation will be used to acquire equipment, build spaces for faculty and students to expand their work, and increase the number of training opportunities for horticultural students.

St Lawrence College recently opened the Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Legacy Spaces at its Brockville and Cornwall campuses. The spaces are intended to promote truth, reflection, and discussion about Canada’s relationship with Indigenous peoples, residential schools, and truth and reconciliation. The spaces include displays of cultural items and information about residential schools from the area. They will serve as alternative learning spaces and a safe place for students, faculty, and staff to discuss reconciliation. SLC President Glenn Vollebregt noted that the spaces mark a “significant step forward in our commitment to Indigenous Ways of Knowing and Being.”