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Laurentian University professor and research chair among four Canadians selected for women in science expedition

Laurentian University professor and research chair among four Canadians selected for women in science expedition

Dr. Tammy Eger is one of 95 leading women in science worldwide who will journey with “Homeward Bound” to Antarctica in 2019.

Dr. Tammy Eger, Professor of Human Kinetics at Laurentian University and Research Chair at the Centre for Research in Occupational Safety and Health is among only four Canadians selected for the fourth “Homeward Bound” cohort (HB4). She and 95 women representing 28 countries will complete a 12-month intensive leadership program for women in Science, Technology, Engineering, Math, Medicine (STEMM). The leadership program will culminate in a 3-week journey to Antarctica in November 2019 to learn about climate change and polar science. 

“Homeward Bound” is a 10-year global initiative to equip 1,000 women in the STEMM fields with the skills to lead and to influence policy and decision-making in ways that will help to create a sustainable future for the planet.

According to the Unesco Institute for Statistics (UIS), less than 30% of the world’s researchers are women. “Even fewer women are in leadership positions in STEMM,” said Dr. Eger. “Initiatives such as this are critical to provide leadership training for women and to raise awareness about gender issues in these fields.” 

“I am absolutely thrilled to have been chosen for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” added Dr. Eger. “I look forward to meeting the members of my cohort, sharing our experiences and collectively working to increase global leadership opportunities for women in STEMM.” 

The 12-month program has four core development components: leadership development, strategic capability, visibility and science communication, and science collaboration. Delivered by an expert global faculty, “Homeward Bound” comprises lectures, personal and leadership development tools, coaching sessions, visibility training and the opportunity to develop meaningful collaborations in forums, in teams with a focus on areas of interest, and in small diverse cohorts. More information on Homeward Bound, including a full list of HB4 participants, visit the program website.

Laurentian University appoints Associate Vice-President, Learning and Teaching

Laurentian University appoints Associate Vice-President, Learning and Teaching

Laurentian University is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Shelley Watson

Laurentian University’s Board of Governors unanimously approved the appointment of Dr. Shelley Watson to the position of Associate Vice-President, Learning and Teaching effective July 1, 2018, for a five-year renewable term.

 

“Dr. Watson knows the Laurentian community and culture and has made significant contributions over the years to making the University a leading institution in teaching excellence,” said Laurentian University Interim Vice-President, Academic and Provost Dr. Serge Demers. “It gives me great pleasure to formally announce this appointment.”

 

Dr. Watson was appointed to Laurentian University in July 2007 as Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology and received tenure in 2011. She was the recipient of a Laurentian University Teaching Excellence Award in 2016, and the following year, she was promoted to the rank of Full Professor. Dr. Watson served as Acting Dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies in 2016, was coordinator of the Interdisciplinary Health Master’s program, and was a member of the Laurentian University Strategic Plan 2018-2023 Steering Committee. She received her PhD in Educational Psychology in 2008 from the University of Alberta and a M.Ed. in Teaching and Learning from Brock University. Dr. Watson is currently the chair of the Ontario Association on Developmental Disabilities (OADD) Research Special Interest Group (RSIG) and a board member at ICAN Sudbury-Manitoulin.

 

Dr. Watson lead several key initiatives as Acting Associate Vice-President, Learning and Teaching, this past year, notably the creation of the Learning Commons, the organization of the University’s 1st Teaching and Learning Day, and the establishment of the Teaching Fellows program.

 

“Teaching and learning define us at Laurentian University,” said Dr. Watson. “I am proud to continue playing a leadership role at Laurentian and in the Centre for Academic Excellence, in promoting and supporting high quality teaching, as well as ensuring students have the highest quality learning experiences.”

 

The appointment of Dr. Watson was recommended after an extensive search by a 12-member search committee composed of Board members, faculty, students and administrators.

Renewed appointment of Laurentian University Chancellor

Renewed appointment of Laurentian University Chancellor

TVO’s Steve Paikin to take on second term as Chancellor until 2021

Laurentian University Board of Governors unanimously approved the renewal of Mr. Steve Paikin’s appointment as the Chancellor for a second term of three years, beginning July 1, 2018.

Mr. Paikin was appointed as Laurentian University’s second Chancellor in July 2013 for a five-year term. During that time, he has acted as Speaker of the Laurentian Model Parliament at the House of Commons five times, and assisted the University in a number of other honorary functions. He has also presided over numerous convocation ceremonies, his interaction with graduates on stage having been widely praised.

“It is a great honour to be asked to take on a second term as the Chancellor of Laurentian University – an institution whose students, faculty, staff and alumni contribute immensely to making our world healthier, more sustainable, and inclusive,” said Mr. Paikin. “I am passionately committed to collaborating with our talented Board of Governors, Senate and many institutional partners and supporters to consolidate and shape these next years at Laurentian.”

Mr. Paikin is a journalist, author, documentary film producer and well-known Canadian television personality who has contributed to Laurentian University’s national reputation. He is the anchor and senior editor of TVO’s flagship current affairs program The Agenda with Steve Paikin, which often draws its expertise from Laurentian University.  

He has been conferred with honorary degrees from Laurentian University, Victoria University at the University of Toronto, McMaster University and York University, as well as honorary diplomas from Humber College, Centennial College and Mohawk College. In 2012, Mr. Paikin was presented with a Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal in recognition of his significant contributions to Canadian society. In December of 2013, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada for his contributions as a journalist who engages, informs and educates viewers on a broad range of public policy issues.  He was also invested into the Order of Ontario in 2014. To date, he has authored seven books.

“We are proud to have Mr. Paikin serve as Chancellor of Laurentian University, and we are thrilled that he has accepted this appointment for a second term,” said the Chair of the University’s Board of Governors, Jennifer Witty. “Mr. Paikin embodies the shared values identified in our Strategic Plan entitled Ensemble. Together. Maamwi. and we look forward to his continued leadership as an ambassador for Laurentian.”

Laurentian University celebrates teaching excellence

Laurentian University celebrates teaching excellence

Reception held to honour Teaching Excellence Award Recipients and Inaugural Teaching Fellows

Laurentian University is proud to honour Dr. Joy Gray-Munro, Dr. Andrée Beauchamp, and Dr. Michelle K. Brunette with 2017-2018 Teaching Excellence Awards.  In addition, two Teaching Fellows, Mr. Charles Daviau and Dr. Aaron Langille, were announced today at a ceremony held in the Indigenous Sharing and Learning Centre.

Teaching Excellence awards are presented annually to faculty members who have demonstrated an outstanding ability to impart knowledge and invoke enthusiasm from their students. One full-time and up to two part-time awards are awarded each year.

“At Laurentian University, teaching and learning define us,” said Serge Demers, Interim Vice-President, Academic and Provost of Laurentian University. “This award celebrates teaching that has lasting, positive effects on students and deepens their learning. It is a pleasure to give these remarkable educators the recognition they deserve.”

The Laurentian Teaching Fellowship Program is designed to engage faculty in leading change, practise the scholarship of teaching and learning and support faculty communities that provide mentorship and leadership in teaching and learning. In line with Strategic Plan Outcomes 13 and 14, one fellow was chosen with expertise in technology-enabled learning and a second with a focus on the integration of Indigenous content into the curriculum.

“Our teaching fellowship program is designed to elevate teaching and to positively impact student learning, engagement, retention, and success,” noted Shelley Watson, Acting Associate Vice-President, Learning and Teaching. “Our Strategic Plan speaks to enhanced support for professors through peer-mentoring and collaboration. Each of these award winners and teaching fellows exemplifies the attributes of excellent educators, and we are so fortunate to have these professors at Laurentian.”

 

Recipients of Laurentian’s 2017-2018 Teaching Excellence Awards include:

Joy Gray-Munro

Dr. Gray-Munro is a professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. She received the full-time award in recognition of her teaching style that is described as both engaging and rigorous.
 

Andrée Beauchamp

Dr. Beauchamp teaches both on campus and online in the Anthropology and Archaeology departments. She received one of this year’s part-time awards because of her ability to engage students through a variety of teaching approaches and innovative assignments.
 

Michelle K. Brunette

Dr. Brunette teaches in the Human Kinetics Department and received one of the part-time teaching awards in recognition of her strong connection with students and her emphasis on providing students with positive and constructive feedback.

 

Recipients of Laurentian’s 2018-2019 Teaching Fellows Awards include:

Charles Daviau

Mr. Daviau is a Master Lecturer in the Labour Studies and Economics departments. He was chosen as the inaugural teaching fellow with expertise in Indigenous approaches because he is an Indigenous community leader at Laurentian and considered a role model by students.
 

Aaron Langille

Dr. Langille is a Master Lecturer in the Department of Computer Science. Because of his integration of social media and novel uses for technologies, he was chosen as the technology-enabled learning teaching fellow.

Laurentian project to address greenhouse gas emissions gets $1.6M boost from NSERC and OCE

Laurentian project to address greenhouse gas emissions gets $1.6M boost from NSERC and OCE

Laurentian University will receive $1.6M from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and the government of Ontario through the TargetGHG program administered by Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE) in support of research aimed at tackling the problem of greenhouse gas emissions.

The Landscape Carbon Accumulation through Reductions in Emissions (L-CARE) project will examine how best to manage reclamation as part of a carbon sequestration strategy in relation to extensive hard-rock mining, looking at an assortment of treatment and management strategies across three main ecosystem types: upland, wetland, and aquatic.

“Laurentian has gained national recognition for its excellence in research and innovation particularity as a leader in transforming industrially-impacted environments,” said Dr. Rui Wang, Vice President, Research at Laurentian. “The investment we received today will help address critical issues to further improve carbon emissions reduction.”

Through the TargetGHG program, NSERC and OCE are partnering to support industry and academic collaborations that address Ontario carbon emissions reduction targets while creating economic benefits, and each will contribute $798K to this project.  The L-CARE project is also supported by research partners Vale Canada Limited, Glencore’s Sudbury Integrated Nickel Operations (Sudbury INO), and the City of Greater Sudbury, who are frequent collaborators on regional landscape reclamation efforts.

“Greater Sudbury’s Regreening Program has been and continues to be a global leader,” says Nathan Basiliko, Canadian Research Chair in Environmental Microbiology and co-lead of the L-CARE research project. “This research brings together industrial, community, and government stakeholders to transform an industrially-impacted landscape into biodiverse and well-functioning ecosystems. We are excited to look retrospectively at how these past and ongoing reclamation efforts have led to active carbon sequestration, and to test new protocols to maximize carbon storage while still meeting the other important ongoing goals of reclamation.”

Since the 1970s, after massive investments in reducing sulfur and metal emissions from the smelters began, more than 8,000 hectares of Greater Sudbury’s landscape have been treated with crushed limestone and over 10 million tree seedlings have been replanted. However, over 30,000 hectares remain unrestored. A team of Laurentian University researchers led by Nathan Basiliko and John Gunn, along with Nadia Mykytczuk, Peter Beckett, and Graeme Spiers, will soon be investigating how best to manage reclamation as part of a carbon sequestration strategy in relation to extensive hard rock mining.

“Environmental sustainability is one of our greatest challenges, both now and in the future,” says Glenn Thibeault, Member of Provincial Parliament for Sudbury and Ontario Minister of Energy. “Supporting the TargetGHG program delivered by OCE is a clear demonstration of Ontario’s commitment to cleantech research and innovation and we applaud today’s announcement.”

The team of researchers at Laurentian and its five partner institutions—McMaster University, Trent University, Queen’s University, Université de Sherbrooke, and Université du Québec à Montréal, and collaborators from Cambridge University, Cornell University, The Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, and the Canadian Forest Service—will examine an assortment of treatment and management strategies across three main ecosystem types. They will also perform trials on mine tailings management areas, working closely with the industry partners such as Vale and Glencore Sudbury INO.

“Taking steps to reduce the impacts of greenhouse gases and air pollution on our climate and environment is a key priority in Canada,” says Dr. Marc Fortin, Vice-President, Research Partnerships, NSERC. “NSERC is proud to partner with Ontario Centres of Excellence to connect Canada’s top researchers and companies to develop innovative clean technologies that will advance environmental sustainability in Canada and improve the health and quality of life of Canadians.”

Current rough estimates place the carbon storage potential of local smelter-impacted barren and semi-barren lands high enough to balance ten years of carbon emissions by the industry partners at current levels. Additionally, development of new protocols could be used in reclamation efforts in other, similarly impacted areas of mining and industrial disturbance around the world.  

 

ABOUT LAURENTIAN UNIVERSITY

Laurentian University, located on the traditional territory of the Atikameksheng Anishnawbek First Nation, is committed to strengthening the foundation of knowledge in higher education and research in order to offer an outstanding university experience in English and French with a comprehensive approach to Indigenous education. Together with its federated partners, Laurentian University prepares leaders who bring innovative and intelligent solutions to local and global issues.

Dr. Dan Andreae renews his commitment to lecture series

Dr. Dan Andreae renews his commitment to lecture series

Presidential lecture series receives funding boost of $125,000

January 30, 2017 - Dr. Dan Andreae, Honorary Patron of Brain Injury Canada, former chair of the Patron’s Council of the Alzheimer Society of Toronto and recipient of Laurentian University’s inaugural Impact Award, announced that he will donate an additional $125,000 to support the presidential lecture series at Laurentian. In addition to funding the lecture series, Dr. Andreae’s donation also supports student scholarships.

“I am inspired when I come to Laurentian and take part in this knowledge sharing opportunity, knowing that these presenters are being heard by future leaders of our society,” Dr. Andreae said.  “I am pleased that this is a free Lecture Series reaching out to the entire community”.

The Lecture series aptly named as the Dr. Dan Andreae Distinguished Presidential Lecture Series on Living in Healthy Communities brings speakers from a variety of disciplines to promote knowledge and awareness of the elements that comprise healthy communities. Previous speakers have included physician and author Dr. Gabor Maté, Dr. James Orbinski, the former international president of Doctors Without Borders and co-founder of Dignitas International, two Olympic athletes, Joannie Rochette and Alexandre Bilodeau, a witty, articulate and mesmerizing speaker, singer/songwriter Steven Page and last but not least, a psychiatrist and psychoanalyst, essayist and poet, Dr. Norman Doidge.

“Laurentian University has benefited greatly from the astounding friendship and support Dr. Andreae has displayed over the years. This lecture series fosters better understanding and knowledge of healthy communities from a variety of viewpoints and our students and community directly benefit.  Laurentian is proud of this relationship and grateful to Dr. Andreae for his contributions,” said Dr. Pierre Zundel, Laurentian’s Interim President and Vice-Chancellor.

Laurentian University launches its 2018-2023 strategic plan: Together. Ensemble. Maamwi.

Laurentian University launches its 2018-2023 strategic plan: Together. Ensemble. Maamwi.

Core values define map forward for Laurentian building on five areas of strength with 25 outcomes

January 17, 2017 - Laurentian University today launched its 2018-2023 strategic plan which focuses on the university’s five shared values that are; The North inspires us, Student success is our success, Teaching and Learning define us, Curiosity drives our Research, and Relationships are our priority.

“Laurentian’s 2018-2023 Strategic Plan encapsulates our university’s core values,” said Pierre Zundel, Interim President and Vice-Chancellor of Laurentian University.  “We have embraced our identity as well as our collective strengths to identify 25 desired outcomes. This strategic plan is a reflection of our students, faculty, and staff, their work, and the positive impact Laurentian will continue to make in the world. Together, we will shape the future.”

There are 5 main aspirations that are central to the plan:

  • Laurentian University will be a leader in the process of reconciliation through transformative postsecondary education and research.
  • Laurentian University will be a catalyst for vibrant Francophone cultures and communities across Ontario and beyond.
  • Laurentian University will create interdisciplinary knowledge to offer compelling solutions for society’s complex challenges.
  • Laurentian University’s expertise in mining and environmental stewardship will drive knowledge creation, economic prosperity, and ecological sustainability, locally, nationally, and internationally.
  • Laurentian University will provide innovative solutions to address particular health concerns and the general well-being of the North and its populations.

 

The strategic plan was developed through extensive consultation featuring input from over 1500    students, faculty, staff, alumni, community representatives, industry partners, and members of the Board of Governors. In total 50 sessions were held on campus, at elementary and secondary schools and in communities including; Ottawa, Sault Ste. Marie, Timmins, Coleman Township, M’Chigeeng, and Sudbury.

“We had incredible participation throughout the process and the quality of feedback from all of our networks was impressive,” said Dr. Linda Ambrose Special Advisor to the President who guided the process of the University’s new strategic plan. “The next five years will be very much about connectivity and Laurentian’s commitment to expanding opportunities for collaboration. This university has a wide reach, and our impact is felt near and far. What we achieve here resonates with people and helps build vibrant, knowledgeable, and healthy communities.”

The 2018-2023 Strategic Plan was unanimously recommended by a 24-member steering committee after a 10-month process and was subsequently received by the University’s Senate and approved by the Board of Governors in December 2017.

“Laurentian is a microcosm of Canada: we are northern, we are bilingual, we are committed to reconciliation. Our strengths serve as the foundation for what we want to accomplish,” said Dr. Zundel. “The outcomes we will achieve reflect our values, and the unique opportunities we have because of our location in Northeastern Ontario, our commitment to Indigenous education, our bilingual programs, and our expertise in mining, environment, and mino-bimaadiziwin and wellness.”

“Our best outcomes are collaborative ones and we are grateful to those who contributed their thoughts and ideas to shaping Laurentian’s future for the next five years.  We look forward to our faculty, staff, students and partners joining together to implement Laurentian’s 2018-2023 Strategic Plan,” said Jennifer Witty, Chair of the Board of Governors at Laurentian University.

A pdf version of the full plan can be downloaded at laurentian.ca/strategicplan.

 

About Laurentian University

Laurentian University, located on the traditional territory of the Atikameksheng Anishnawbek First Nation, is committed to strengthening the foundation of knowledge in higher education and research in order to offer an outstanding university experience in English and French with a comprehensive approach to Indigenous education. Together with its federated partners, Laurentian University prepares leaders who bring innovative and intelligent solutions to local and global issues.

CROSH researchers at Laurentian University receive three grants from the government of Ontario

CROSH researchers at Laurentian University receive three grants from the government of Ontario

January 16, 2017 - Laurentian University’s Centre for Research in Occupational Safety and Health (CROSH) will receive more than $300,000 in new research funding from the Ontario government. Ontario’s Minister of Energy and Sudbury MPP Glenn Thibeault made the announcement at the CROSH lab today in the presence of Laurentian University’s Interim President and Vice-Chancellor Pierre Zundel.

Ontario is awarding a total of $310K to support innovative research projects and top talent. The funding will assist CROSH researchers as they carry out three projects aimed at addressing mobile equipment hazards, advancing Indigenous occupational health and safety in Northern Ontario, and improving safety for people who work around heavy equipment.

 

The awards include:

  • 182K through the MOL Occupational Health and Safety Prevention Innovation Program to support the project: Development of Knowledge Transfer Kits to Address Mobile Equipment Hazards.
    Project lead: Dr. Tammy Eger
    Project Aims: To develop three Knowledge Transfer Kits to address the following hazards related to the operation of mobile equipment: 1) Line-of-sight and situational awareness, 2) Exposure to vibration, and 3) Fatigue and musculoskeletal disorders. The KTKs are designed to be used by occupational health and safety trainers in the workplace.
     
  • 68K through the MOL Research Opportunities Program: Research for the Workplace to support the project: Mino-nokiiwin: Advancing an Understanding of Indigenous Occupational Health and Safety in Northeastern Ontario
    Project leads: Dr. Nancy Lightfoot and Dr. Darrel Manitowabi
    Project Aims: In the Ojibwa language, mino-nokiiwin refers to a good working environment. This project will identify factors that compromise and contribute to mino-nokiiwin in Indigenous communities.
     
  • 59K through the MOL Research Opportunities Program: Evidence for Practice to support the project: Improving line of sight knowledge for pedestrians working around heavy equipment
    Project lead: Dr. Alison Godwin
    Project Aims: To develop and test a line-of-sight virtual reality intervention aimed at improving line-of-sight awareness and knowledge for workers who move around heavy equipment on a daily basis at work.

 

These research projects were evaluated through a rigorous peer review process involving academic and industry experts and were chosen based on their research excellence and societal benefits for Ontarians. They build on the innovative research already underway at CROSH and foster new discoveries to support best practice in the workplace.

Minister Thibeault agrees and says: “Addressing high hazards associated with the operation of mobile equipment was a priority identified in the 2015 Mining Health Safety and Prevention review.  Furthermore addressing indigenous workplace issues will begin a conversation about what is needed to improve occupational health and safety of Indigenous peoples in the workplace.”

CROSH Research Chair Tammy Eger and Director Sandra Dorman believe that these funds will help drive the development and implementation of the Centre’s research and innovation strategy. They also underscore the province’s commitment to the long term sustainability of the only Occupational Health and Safety Research Centre addressing the specific research needs of northern Ontario.

 

About Laurentian University

Laurentian University offers an outstanding university experience in English and French, with a comprehensive approach to Indigenous education.  Laurentian University, situated on the traditional territory of the Anishinabe peoples of Atikameksheng First Nation, prepares students as agents of change and empowers them to create innovative responses to local and global challenges. Laurentian’s students benefit from small class sizes and exceptional post-graduation employment rates.  With nine Canada Research Chairs and eighteen research centres, Laurentian is a recognized leader in its specialized areas of research strength, which include mining innovation and exploration, stressed watershed systems, particle astrophysics, rural and northern children’s health, and occupational health and safety. 

Laurentian University and the Laurentian University Faculty Association Ratify Three-Year Collective Agreement

Laurentian University and the Laurentian University Faculty Association Ratify Three-Year Collective Agreement

Laurentian’s Board of Governors unanimously ratified the agreement today.

October 10, 2017

The Laurentian University Faculty Association (LUFA) and Laurentian University have formally ratified a new collective agreement. On Friday, LUFA members voted 98% in favour of the 3-year extension to the collective agreement which expired on June 30.  Laurentian’s Board of Governors unanimously ratified the agreement today.

“This agreement is good news for our employees and the entire Laurentian community. I want to thank both the Laurentian University and the LUFA bargaining teams for their hard work and cooperation,” said Dr. Pierre Zundel, Laurentian University Interim President and Vice Chancellor. “This agreement will provide our faculty with the stability and supports to continue providing our students with a world-class education, and will provide organizational stability as we finalize the University’s 2018-2023 Strategic Plan.”

The 3-year contract extension will remain in effect until June 30, 2020. Under the terms of the agreement, LUFA members will receive a normative annual salary increase, and both sides agreed to begin discussions with regard to pension and workload equity.

“I want to thank both negotiation teams for their hard work in seeing this very tough round of negotiations through,” said Dr. Jim Ketchen, LUFA President. “We believe that both the Laurentian Board and the University Administration have heard the concerns of faculty and that in responding to those concerns, this agreement positions Laurentian University in a quite positive way to move forward in providing quality education and the production of very important research.”

Laurentian University and LUFA want to thank members of the bargaining teams led by Dr. Denis Hurtubise for LUFA and Geoff Tierney for Laurentian University, for their commitment and dedication to achieving a mutually beneficial agreement.

Classes will resume on Wednesday October 11th for students who do not have a scheduled reading week.  All other students will resume on October 16th.

LUFA represents 373 full-time and 304 part-time Faculty members at Laurentian University in Sudbury and Barrie.
 

About Laurentian University

Laurentian University offers an outstanding university experience in English and French, with a comprehensive approach to Indigenous education.  Laurentian University, situated on the traditional territory of the Anishinabe peoples of Atikameksheng First Nation, prepares students as agents of change and empowers them to create innovative responses to local and global challenges. Laurentian’s students benefit from small class sizes and exceptional post-graduation employment rates.  With nine Canada Research Chairs and nineteen research centres, Laurentian is a recognized leader in its specialized areas of research strength, which include mining innovation and exploration, stressed watershed systems, particle astrophysics, rural and northern children’s health, and occupational health and safety.

Grand finale for largest modernization project in university's history

Grand finale for largest modernization project in university's history

Laurentian’s $63M Campus Modernization project concludes with opening of new Welcome Centre and unveiling of The Next 50 Campaign donor recognition display

Laurentian University celebrated the conclusion of its $63M campus modernization project with the official opening of a new Welcome Centre. Located at the centre of campus, the new point of welcome and orientation gives students and visitors a clear point of arrival, and an opportunity to access campus information and services.

Transformations to the Sudbury campus include; a new Indigenous Sharing and Learning Centre, a new Executive Learning Centre, a University Club, renovations to 60 classrooms and laboratories, a massive revamp to its Alphonse Raymond building and the addition of a spectacular welcome centre and atrium that rises up through three floors. The new atrium provides informal study and social spaces at each floor level, and the stepped seating area rising from the main floor will also support special campus events.

“Since the project began in October 2014, we have seen 250,000 square feet of construction to classroom, research, study, and public space,” said Pierre Zundel, Laurentian University’s Interim President and Vice-Chancellor.  “This was Laurentian’s biggest renovation and expansion program since its establishment in the 1960’s and it is inspiring to see our students now experiencing the benefits from this massive undertaking.”

The new Welcome Centre also features a large display to recognize the more than 200 donors who contributed over $10,000 to the University’s Next 50 Campaign. This fundraising initiative, which was launched to mark Laurentian’s 50th anniversary in 2010, had over 10,000 donors and raised more than $65-million that contributed to several important projects including; a state-of-the-art water ecology research centre, the creation of more than 200 new scholarships and bursaries, establishment of the Goodman School of Mines and created Canada’s first research Chair in open-pit mining.

“The story of The Next 50 Campaign is one that is filled with inspiring examples of donor generosity, student success and remarkable community support,” said Tracy MacLeod, Chief Advancement Officer at Laurentian University and Director of The Next 50 Campaign. “Seeing the names of the individuals who invested in our students is a daily reminder of the transformative effect The Next 50 Campaign had on philanthropy in Northern Ontario.”

“This new Welcome Centre has quickly become the heart of our beautiful campus, making it the perfect location to celebrate the conclusion of our University’s ambitious modernization project,  said Jennifer Witty, Chair of the Laurentian Board of Governors. “So many of the outcomes in our 2012-2018 Strategic Plan were tied to this project and I am incredibly proud of the entire Laurentian community for their flexibility, patience and guidance during this process.  Working together, we have set the foundation to building an institution that will serve our region for generations to come.”

 

About Laurentian University

Laurentian University offers an outstanding university experience in English and French, with a comprehensive approach to Indigenous education.  Laurentian University, situated on the traditional territory of the Anishinabe peoples of Atikameksheng First Nation, prepares students as agents of change and empowers them to create innovative responses to local and global challenges. Laurentian’s students benefit from small class sizes and exceptional post-graduation employment rates.  With nine Canada Research Chairs and nineteen research centres, Laurentian is a recognized leader in its specialized areas of research strength, which include mining innovation and exploration, stressed watershed systems, particle astrophysics, rural and northern children’s health, and occupational health and safety. 

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