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Laurentian Students Win Second Place at International Business Plan Competition in South Korea

Laurentian Students Win Second Place at International Business Plan Competition in South Korea

Our team is the first and only Canadian team to be invited to this competition.

A team of students from Laurentian University won second place during the finals of the 7th International Business Plan Competition at the SolBridge International School of Business in South Korea. Our team is the first and only Canadian team to be invited to this competition. The team is comprised of Daniel Boileau, Stephane Lauzon, Sarah Napoli and Maxime Leduc.
 
“I would like to congratulate our students,” said Prof. Michel Delorme, Dean of the Faculty of Management. “I hope that they learned a lot and enjoyed this experience. It is an experience of a lifetime that can help them finish their studies and have an impact as they start their careers.”
 
Prof. Delorme also thanks Professor Luc Lagrandeur for his mentorship and guidance in preparing the students for this competition. He also extends his gratitude to Associate Dean Bernie Schell for accompanying the students to South Korea and being their mentor during the competition.
 
“This is a great success to bring back to Laurentian University," says Prof. Delorme. "We are very proud of our students!”

Jennifer Abols appointed Executive Director of the Goodman School of Mines and President and CEO of MIRARCO

Jennifer Abols appointed Executive Director of the Goodman School of Mines and President and CEO of MIRARCO

Appointment effective November 4, 2019

SUDBURY, ON. Oct. 30, 2019 --  Laurentian University and its Mining Innovation Rehabilitation and Applied Research Corporation (MIRARCO) are pleased to announce the appointment of Jennifer Abols as the next Executive Director of the Goodman School of Mines and President and CEO of MIRARCO effective November 4th, 2019.

When Dr. Bruce Jago completed his term as Founding Executive Director of the Goodman School of Mines and Vic Pakalnis retired as the President of MIRARCO, this created an opportunity for one person to lead both organizations. This change will take advantage of synergies between the two entities, which will help position Laurentian University as Canada's Mining University.   

“As Laurentian builds its position as Canada’s Mining University and expands its reach internationally, it was looking for a passionate industry innovator, with global connections who can be a bridge between industry and the university. We have found a leader who can bring people from across campus together and help ensure we are preparing graduates to transition successfully to careers and be vibrant contributors to the innovation that will help move the mining sector forward,” says, Dr. Robert Haché, Laurentian University’s President and Vice-Chancellor. 

Jennifer Abols was the unanimous choice of the selection committee, comprised of representatives from Laurentian University, and the Boards of the Goodman School of Mines and MIRARCO.

Abols grew up in Sudbury, graduated from Laurentian University with a Bachelor of Engineering in Extractive Metallurgy, and obtained her MBA from Wilfrid Laurier University with a focus on marketing and international strategy.  Abols is a bilingual, professional engineer with over 20 years’ experience in the mining and minerals sector. Her wealth of experience across the mining cycle made her the perfect candidate to build Laurentian’s reputation as Canada’s Mining University.

She is the past chair of the Canadian Mineral Processors (2005), was the president of the Western Australia Mining Club (2009-2010) and received the Canadian Mineral Processors Mineral Processor of the Year award in 2015.  “I am very excited about the opportunity and eager to jump into this new position at Laurentian University,” Abols commented. “I look forward to working with the talented people at MIRARCO and the Goodman School of Mines to further position Laurentian as Canada’s Mining University.”

Jonathan Goodman, Executive Chairman, Dundee Corporation and Chair of the International Advisory Board to the Executive Director of the Goodman School of Mines, was a member of the selection committee. “My family invested in the University because we believe it is educating tomorrow’s mining executives by integrating the environmental, social, governance and finance into the fabric of a strong technical education.” 
Dominic Fragomeni, Vice-President of XPS Expert Process Solutions (a Glencore Company) and Chair of the MIRARCO Board of Directors, was a member of the selection committee. He is familiar with Ms. Abols’ strong business and marketing acumen and experience with industry.  He is confident that these strengths will be key to MIRARCO serving the mining innovation ecosystem including its researchers, other collaborative mining innovation organizations, government and the industry, both locally and abroad, while MIRARCO pursues is industry focused research programs.

New Collective Agreement Between Laurentian and CUPE

New Collective Agreement Between Laurentian and CUPE

Union represents approximately 300 Graduate Teaching Assistants

Oct. 30, 2019 -- The University is pleased to inform that a new two year Collective Agreement has been ratified between Laurentian University and the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) which represents approximately 300 Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs) at the University.
 
GTAs play a critical role within the university experience. They support our faculty members in their teaching, provide mentorship and training to our undergraduate students, and provide help in laboratory and tutorial settings. The GTA experience represents a unique Work-Integrated-Learning opportunity for our graduate students and we are appreciative of their diverse perspectives and important contributions." said Serge Demers, Interim Vice-President Academic & Provost.

Laurentian University reaffirms its dedication to environmental stewardship

Laurentian University reaffirms its dedication to environmental stewardship

Tree planted on campus to symbolize commitment to progress

In a city well aware of a tree’s power to transform, Laurentian University was proud to have Gitxsan scholar and activist, Dr. Cindy Blackstock, plant a tree on campus as part of the convocation ceremony on October 26th where she was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Laws. With a continued commitment to the environment, this gesture underpins Laurentian’s dedication to tree planting and soil restoration on its campus.

"To have Dr. Blackstock plant a tree on our campus, helping to reaffirm the importance we afford to taking action on climate change is a meaningful step” said Dr. Robert Haché, President and Vice-Chancellor of Laurentian University.

“The upcoming decade has been declared by the United Nations as the Decade of Environmental Restoration. Laurentian University's faculty and students, in conjunction with our community, industry and government as well as college and sister university partners, have for more than 40 years led the world with our "regreening and related environmental restoration research" to address local problems of air pollution and industrial land damage.” said Dr. John Gunn, Canada Research Chair in Stressed Aquatic Systems.

Laurentian will pull from this talent and passion to work on updating the existing Environmental Policy while exploring potential projects and initiatives such as a carbon offset and restoration forest on campus. This focus has been identified as a priority in Laurentian’s Strategic Plan. Specifically, one of the 25 outcomes is defined as "being a leader in influencing global audiences with research and expertise in environmental stewardship of water and land".

Laurentian salutes SGA for successful grand opening of Student Centre

Laurentian salutes SGA for successful grand opening of Student Centre

Student-led multimillion-dollar project in the works for five years

Oct. 28, 2019 -- Laurentian University would like to congratulate the Students’ General Association (SGA) on the successful grand opening of its new Student Centre. This new multi-million dollar project has been a student-led undertaking for over 5 years, following a successful student referendum. SGA students have been paying a fee and investing in this capital project since 2014.

Built with an eye towards sustainability, the Centre is divided into two main areas: the lobby and the lower level. The lobby is open to the public and houses a coffee shop, club rooms and even a dental hygienist. All students who contribute to the centre through a student centre fee will have access to the lower level which features a spacious atrium, games rooms, and several private study areas.

The Centre is accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week (except for special events). With their new space, the SGA is committed to enhancing the student experience and looks forward to serving its members. Student members of the Association des étudiantes et étudiants francophones (AEF) and the Graduate Students’ Association (GSA) benefit from gathering space in the Parker Building, which was enhanced through the University’s campus modernization initiative.

QUOTE
‘The SGA is excited to have a non-academic space on campus, and to see how much this space will contribute to the students' experience at Laurentian. I would also like to thank the university, past SGA executives, and all community members for contributing to the success of this project.’
Eric Chappell, President of the Students' General Association
 

Laurentian to present honorary doctorate to Dr. Cindy Blackstock

Laurentian to present honorary doctorate to Dr. Cindy Blackstock

October 24, 2019 – As part of its 2019 Fall Convocation ceremony, Laurentian University will recognize and celebrate the remarkable career and achievements of Cindy Blackstock, who will receive a Doctorate of Laws (honoris causa).

 

Dr. Cindy Blackstock

A member of the Gitxsan First Nation, Cindy is honoured to serve as the Executive Director of the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society and a professor at McGill University’s School of Social Work. She has over 30 years of experience working in child welfare and Indigenous children’s rights and has published more than 75 articles on topics relating to reconciliation, Indigenous theory, First Nations child welfare and human rights.

Cindy was honoured to work with First Nations colleagues on a successful human rights challenge to Canada’s inequitable provision of child and family services and failure to implement Jordan’s Principle. This hard-fought litigation has resulted in hundreds of thousands of services being provided to Inuit, Métis, and First Nations children, youth and families.

She recently served on the Pan American Health Commission on Health Equity and Inequity and fundamentally believes that culturally-based equity is fundamental to meaningful reconciliation. Cindy is frequently sighted in the company of the Caring Society’s reconciliation Am-bear-rister, Spirit Bear, engaging children in meaningful actions to implement the TRC Calls
to Action.

 

Psychology research turned into a children’s book

Psychology research turned into a children’s book

'Les émotions : Comment mieux les comprendre' officially launched in Sudbury

Dr. Annie Roy-Charland, of the University of Moncton, and Dr. Mélanie Perron, of Laurentian University, launched their book, 'Les émotions : comment mieux les comprendre,' surrounded by more than 100 students at École publique Jeanne-Sauvé.

The book, developed according to Pons, Harris and deRosnay’s model (2004), features nine stories that highlight the characteristics of the emotional experiences of young and old. The book strives to develop young Francophones’ (3-12 years) emotional understanding and is the result of several psychology research projects led by Drs. Roy-Charland and Perron on the impact that reading together with children has on these children’s understanding of emotions.

“Since 2007, we have researched children’s emotional development and strategies to improve their understanding of emotions,” said the researchers. “Our goal was to develop a simple and effective way for children to better understand certain active phenomena while presenting an abundant and inexpensive educational resource that can be used by everyone. Without the participation of many children, parents, schools and school boards in Greater Sudbury and Moncton, along with committed research assistants, this project would not have been realized.” The book was created as a result of significant collaborative efforts among various school boards, daycare centres, researchers and research assistants in Sudbury (Laurentian University) and Moncton (University of Moncton), who, despite the geographic distance, demonstrated the strength and diversity of the minority Canadian francophonie.


Recognized in 2016 as an academic innovation school, École publique Jeanne-Sauvé was involved in the project. “We’re thrilled that our vision to make our school a centre of choice for Laurentian researchers has led to such relevant and practical projects,” stated school principal, Lynn Tellier. “Regulating emotions begins with understanding them, which is a big challenge both in elementary and middle schools.”

With funding from Health Canada and the support of the Consortium national de formation en santé (CNFS) and Éditions Prise de Parole publishing house, what was originally a working document has become a wonderful vibrantly illustrated hardcover book. “The CNFS values not only developing knowledge on the health of minority francophones, but harnessing it as well,” explained CNFS research manager, Eric Chevaucherie. “It is a real joy for us to support Drs. Perron and Roy-Charland in making this book accessible to the francophone community.”

The book is available in several locations in the Ontario communities of Greater Sudbury and Timmins as well as in francophone bookstores and daycares in New Brunswick. A digital copy is available at cnfslaurentienne.ca

LU Business Students Head to South Korea for the International Business Plan Competition 2019

LU Business Students Head to South Korea for the International Business Plan Competition 2019

Group will be the first-ever Canadian team at the competition

October 16, 2019 -- Laurentian University is proud to announce that a team of students from the Business Administration program will be heading to Daejeon, South Korea, to participate in the International Business Plan Competition 2019 hosted by SolBridge International School of Business. The event runs from October 27th to November 2nd.

The Laurentian students are the first and only Canadian team at this event. They will be competing against nearly two dozen teams from all over the world. Students will be expected to develop in-depth analysis and recommendations based on a real-world scenario involving a leading Korean multinational company. The objective of the competition is to create networking opportunities and establish a platform to unleash creativity and innovative thinking. 

The team consists of fourth-year business students Maxime Leduc, Sarah Napoli, Stephane Lauzon and Daniel Boileau. Participating in this event is a great experiential learning opportunity for our students which meets outcome #6 of Laurentian University’s strategic plan. We wish them the best of luck.

For more information, please contact:
Luc Lagrandeur
Business competition coordinator
(705) 675-1151, x 2158
llagrandeur@laurentian.ca
 

Orange Shirt Day: A Symbol of Reconciliation and Hope at Laurentian University

Orange Shirt Day: A Symbol of Reconciliation and Hope at Laurentian University

A day to pay tribute to the lives lost in Residential Schools, the survivors. and the future generations

Laurentian University once again marks September 30th as Orange Shirt Day. All community members are encouraged to wear orange as a symbol of awareness to commemorate the loss of life brought about by Canada’s Indian Residential Schools. The day also celebrates resilience and resurgence, as we all pay tribute to the survivors and their descendants.

Why orange? It all started with Phyllis Webstad, a residential school survivor of the Secwepemc Nation. In 1973, when she was six, her grandmother bought her a beautiful orange shirt for the first day of school. When Phyllis arrived at school, everything was stripped away from her, including the shirt. More than 150,000 First Nation, Inuit and Métis children were forced to attend Residential Schools before the last one closed in 1996. It’s estimated that there are 80 000 survivors.. The effects of this cultural genocide continues to be felt today. Even children who never attended the schools have been affected through intergenerational trauma. Acknowledging these horrors is instrumental in the healing journeys of many.

Our orange shirts are designed by Atikameksheng Anishinawbek artist Emma Petahtegoose. It was important to us that the designer of the orange shirt had a connection to the place where our institution is situated. Also, given that this shirt is a symbol of reconciliation and hope, it was critical that the shirt be designed by a youth. We give thanks for Emma’s beautiful design, her beautiful work. A limited quantity of these shirts will be on sale at the Indigenous Sharing and Learning Centre. They are $20, and all proceeds go to Indigenous student bursaries and scholarships here at Laurentian.This will be our third Orange Shirt Day with Emma’s design.

Laurentian is the site of a key event in Canada’s attempts to reconcile with Indigenous nations. In 1986, the United Church of Canada apologized for its role in the Residential School system, the first church to do so. A cairn marks the spot where survivors and advocates from across our nation gathered in 1986 to mark the apology. It is also where Art Solomon fasted and challenged the church to “get real or get lost”, just down the hill from the Parker Building. Our institution continues to strive for reconciliation through our tricultural mandate, as well as in providing bursaries for Indigenous students. We also do it by marking this day to acknowledge our awareness of the history and legacy of Indian Residential Schools; it is our responsibility to move forward together. .

View a complete list of Orange Shirt Day events
 

Laurentian-Tied Research Network Wins Massive Environmental Research Grant

Laurentian-Tied Research Network Wins Massive Environmental Research Grant

Faculty of Arts and Geography Department Professor to play major role in research

Sept. 12, 2019 – After over two years of hard work, a team of climate researchers at Laurentian University are thrilled to announce that their network has been awarded a multi-million dollar grant from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC). Over the next five years, NSERC will provide more than $5 million to fund PermafrostNet, a partnership of 12 universities and more than 40 different organizations.

The thawing of permafrost is a serious issue with wide-ranging impacts. Though it is most keenly felt in remote northern and Indigenous communities, it affects over a third of the Canadian landmass. The resulting disruption to the landscape, as well as human lives and communities, is potentially catastrophic.

This new funding will help individuals, northern communities, governmental organizations, and industry predict and adapt to the coming changes. Laurentian University Associate Professor in the Faculty of Arts and Department of Geography, Pascale Roy-Leveillée will play a key role in this. In addition to her leadership role in the network, she will be involved in 13 projects across the Hudson Bay Lowlands and the Yukon.

PermafrostNet aims to bring Canada to the forefront in the battle against permafrost loss. It will also foster greater partnerships with First Nations, Métis and Inuit groups thanks to funds dedicated to engagement with Indigenous communities. Laurentian students will directly benefit from invaluable experience through field work in several areas, including in Ontario, Manitoba, the Yukon and the Northwest Territories. This project contributes directly to Laurentian’s longstanding commitment to better the lives of people in the north.

QUOTES:

"We're very proud to see Dr. Roy-Leveillée's hard work pay off, through this exciting NSERC funding opportunity. Laurentian University works tirelessly to better the lives of people in both northern and Indigenous communities. This grant will go a long way in helping us achieve that goal." Robert Haché, President and Vice Chancellor of Laurentian University

''I look forward to continue working with people who live and work in permafrost landscapes and are impacted by its degradation. Through this network, science and engineering expertise will combine with local knowledge to support these Canadian communities as they face the hazards resulting from continued permafrost thaw in the North.” Pascale Roy-Leveillée, Associate Professor in the Geography Department of Laurentian University

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