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Laurentian University celebrates over $237,000 in Federal SSHRC grants

Funding will support research in social sciences and humanities.

(October 13, 2022) - Laurentian University researchers have received funding in amounts of over $237,000 from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC). Grants received support researchers in their endeavours to produce new knowledge.

Dr. Lea Tufford, Associate Professor in the School of Social Work, received a 5-year Insight Grant to support her study, “Supporting Social Work Field Education: Developing a Model of Holistic Competition.” Insight grants support research excellence in the social sciences and humanities. Research must demonstrate originality, and be deemed a significant contribution to knowledge.

Dr. Tammy Gaber, Associate Professor and Director of the McEwen School of Architecture and Dr. Frantz Siméon, Assistant Professor in the School of Social Work have each been awarded 2-year Insight Development Grants. Dr. Gaber’s study, “Losing Faith: Continuity and Community of Aaltos Sacred Spaces” and Dr. Frantz Siméon’s study, “Apports du réseau de proximité dans le soutien à domicile des francophones en contexte minoritaire, les leçons de l'expérience du Club amical de Sudbury en temps de pandémie,” will benefit from the funding. Insight Development Grants foster research in its early stages, enabling development of new research questions, as well as experimentation with new methods, theoretical approaches and/or ideas.

Dr. Simon Laflamme, Full Professor in the School of Liberal Arts, has earned a 1-year Aid to Scholarly Journals Grant to support the journal, “Nouvelles perspectives en sciences sociales.” Aid to Scholarly Journal grants support Canadian scholarly dissemination by offering a contribution to enable journals to explore innovative activities as well as to help them to defray the costs associated with publishing scholarly articles, digital publishing and journal distribution on Canadian not-for-profit platforms.

“Insight, Insight Development and Aid to Scholarly Journals grants are critically important for researchers and the training of students that often work side by side with faculty to advance scholarship and knowledge dissemination. These investments from the Federal government ensure that researchers are able to contribute to the advancement of knowledge in fields of social sciences and humanities,” said Dr. Tammy Eger, Laurentian University's Vice-President, Research. “Congratulations to all recipients whose tireless research efforts help address important questions that impact lived experiences at local, national and international levels.”

These 2022-2023 SSHRC grant recipients from Laurentian University follow the success of 2021-2022 SSHRC grant recipients.

Earlier this year, Laurentian University also announced the participation of faculty and students in a collaborative five-year SSHRC Partnership Grant for a project of unprecedented scale in the design disciplines, “Quality in Canada’s Build Environment: Roadmaps to Equity, Social Value and Sustainability,” funded in the amount of 8.6M.

Laurentian’s Maamwizing Indigenous Research Institute also received over $430,000 in funding from SSHRC’s Race, Gender and Diversity Initiative to support three years of Indigenous community-driven research.

Residence Life baseball tournament returns

Over 175 students took to the ball fields in annual event.

(October 7, 2022) - On Sunday, October 2nd, 2022, Laurentian University students participated in the annual Residence Life baseball tournament. This event finds students living in residence teamed with their floormates in healthy competition, fostering community and wellness amongst students.

This year’s tournament, held at the Terry Fox Sports Complex, was well attended by over 175 students. While teams put great effort into all games, “West Lower”, a combination of floors 2, 3, and 4 of West Residence was victorious in taking home the win.

Kiera Lawn, 4th year Sport Psychology student, and the Residence Life team’s Events Lead described with enthusiasm, the success of the tournament: “Watching students who live on each floor in Laurentian residences come together as their own little community and cheer each other on makes this whole event worth it. You can actually feel the truly electric energy from those participating. Even those not playing ball brought a ton of support for their floormates. Being involved in this tournament has been truly rewarding.”

Lawn explains that the organization of this tournament is a team effort. Other key leaders included Residence Life Sunday Sports Committee Leads, Miguel Da Costa Aguiar, 3rd year Sport Psychology student, and Sean Baker, 4th year Sports Administration student.

This tournament marks a “Sunday Sports” event where floormates in residence participate and compete against one another, engaging in physical activity on a weekly basis. At the end of each academic year, one residence floor is awarded the title of Top Sunday sports floor at the annual Residence Life formal that typically occurs in March.

“New this year, we’ve been organizing Sunday Sports with a weekly theme, such as PJ Day or Dress as your Resident Assistant Day. It’s been a lot of fun creating a competitive yet fun atmosphere that generates lots of excitement amongst students. Creating these memories that foster school spirit makes it all worth it,” said Aguiar.

Added Baker: “The past few years have not been easy to plan events for students in residence, however, we hope to continue building up the Residence Life community to what it was prior to the pandemic. Through the participation of Sunday Sports and other residence activities, students form relationships with those they may not regularly interact with and this is encouraging.”

Congratulations to West Lower and all those who contribute to student and Residence Life!

Planning is already underway for another popular Residence Life event, LU’s Got Talent, a talent show at which students showcase their skills in front of a live audience. This event is anticipated to occur in November. Stay tuned!

Court Approves Laurentian’s Plan of Arrangement

Approval paves way for University to exit CCAA process

(October 5, 2022) - Laurentian University’s exit from the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act (CCAA) process is now within reach as Ontario’s Superior Court of Justice has approved the university’s Plan of Arrangement.

With this most recent approval, Laurentian is now weeks away from being able to successfully emerge from the CCAA process. This significant milestone should give confidence to those applying to Laurentian that they will be able to start and finish their degrees here.

Approval of the Plan by the Court allows the University to proceed to Plan Implementation, once the conditions to Plan Implementation have been satisfied. When the Plan is implemented later this fall, Laurentian will have successfully emerged from its CCAA restructuring as a financially sustainable university with a solid path for future success. The Plan of Arrangement was previously approved by the University’s creditors on September 14, 2022.

The University will soon welcome hundreds of prospective students and their families to its Fall Open House on October 22. During the event, students are led on guided tours of the campus, meet faculty members and even sit in on sample lectures in multiple disciplines. Registration for the event is now open.

Natural Resource Engineering PhD candidate selected for prestigious national award

Maryam Pourmahdavi celebrates Gordon M. Ritcey award for achievement in hydrometallurgy.

(October 5, 2022) - Maryam Pourmahdavi, PhD candidate of Natural Resource Engineering in Engineering Science at Laurentian University is the recipient of the prestigious Gordon M. Ritcey PhD award. This nation-wide achievement in the hydrometallurgy section of Mettalurgy and Materials Society of the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (MetSoc) is an incredible accomplishment for Pourmahdavi, who is also a 2019 Ontario Trillium scholar and 2020 Parya Trillium scholar. This is the first time that a Laurentian student has been the recipient of this award.

Pourmahdavi is originally from Lahijan, Iran. Her B.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering was obtained at Guilan University, and her M.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering at the Iran University of Science and Technology. When it came to the pursuit of her PhD, Pourmahdavi expressed interest in studying at a Canadian university. When she discovered Laurentian’s location in the unique mining landscape of Greater Sudbury, she recalled thinking, “this could be a great place for me, and the fact that I could further my career here was another reason why I chose Laurentian.”

For Pourmahdavi, who remains humble despite her many achievements, her experience as a Laurentian student has been “very rewarding.” Working under the direction of her faculty supervisor, Full Professor, Dr. Dean Millar, her dissertation is titled “Design and verification of CO2 capture and sequestration systems utilizing the pressure swing absorption process in a hydraulic air compressor (HAC).” In other words, Pourmahdavi’s research hinges on finding solutions for reducing carbon dioxide emissions produced by the mining industry.

Other members of Pourmahdavi’s faculty committee include Dr. Ramesh Subramanian, Assistant Professor and Director of the Bharti School of Engineering, Dr. Meysar Zeinali, Associate Professor of the Bharti School of Engineering, Dr. Alex Hutchison, MIRARCO Rock Mechanics Lab and Field Work Manager, and Dr. François Caron, Professor Emeritus, School of the Environment. “All the members of my committee are so welcoming. So helpful.”

Not only is Pourmahdavi interested in implementing change to support the environment, she is equally passionate about teaching. “All of the women in my family are teachers. I wanted to be a post-secondary lecturer. That is originally why I decided to do a PhD. My family, especially my mother, believed that if you want to make a change, you have to educate the next generation. I want to have an impact on the next generation, help them to have a better life, have a better career. This has really inspired me.”

Because Pourmahdavi has a Graduate Teaching Assistantship (GTA) that finds her supporting faculty with their teaching responsibilities, she is pleased to have already had opportunities to positively impact other students. What’s more, in collaboration with MIRARCO, she is a co-instructor of undergraduate students studying Operation Research at the University of Jiangxi University of Science and Technology in Ganzhou, China. “I’ve really enjoyed these teaching opportunities.”

In addition to teaching, Pourmahdavi is also keen to advocate for fellow graduate students, which is why she got involved as her program representative within Laurentian’s Graduate Students’ Association. Last year, she was the GSA’s representative on the University's Senate, as well as the graduate student representative on the University’s Presidential Advisory Committee for the Status of Gender Equity. “Grad students need someone to be there for them and be involved in the advocacy of their rights.”

Maryam Pourmahdavi is sure to inspire others. The Laurentian community is fortunate to benefit from her contributions and we will all be eager to hear of her successes after graduation.

Postscript on behalf of Maryam Pourmahdavi, PhD candidate:
"While I am very proud of my accomplishments and will continue to persevere in my academic pursuits, my heart goes out to my family, friends, and all those affected by the violence and tragedies ongoing in my home country. When I was a student in Iran, I did not have the opportunity to be a part of my university community. Although Iranian women form the majority of university students in Iran, they continue to face disproportionate inequalities and do not have many basic rights. However, they are so brave as they are active in public life. I hope to see a better future for Iran with equal opportunities for the growth and development of all Iranian girls and women."

Adversity into Opportunity - how Konan Blaise Koko overcame polio to change his fortunes.

International student, rights advocate, and world-class athlete, Koko’s story is inspirational.

(September 23, 2022) - Tenacity, resilience and courage.

These are words that come to mind when people describe Konan Blaise Koko, a third year Biochemistry student at Laurentian University. A proud francophone from the Ivory Coast in West Africa, Koko is a Fulbright scholar alumnus. He held this prestigious scholarship when undertaking his Master’s of Science in Nutrition at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

“I love learning,” said Koko, who immigrated to Canada in 2018 with his wife and three daughters. For Koko, the decision to continue his studies in Greater Sudbury, made sense. “I am happy to be here and I feel supported in this community…. I chose Laurentian because of my future professional goals. I would like to work in the medical field, and I’m happy to study at a University that offers bilingual programs…. Keeping my career in mind, I felt that Biochemistry would be a program to help me get to where I want to be.”

Considering that Koko already holds a Master’s degree, his first Bachelor of Science in Chemistry was obtained at the University of Felix Houphouet Boigny of Cocody in the Ivory Coast.

While the achievement of one, let alone three degrees, is an impressive feat for any student, Koko’s lived experiences have been filled with challenges.

At the age of three, Koko fell ill with polio. As a result, his physical mobility was significantly affected. Though he explained that having a wheelchair was essential to his mobility, he also described: “It was very very challenging to get a wheelchair back in my country. It was also difficult to get braces and it was not comfortable wearing braces either. I could not walk long distances. The best way to have freedom in my mobility was to get a wheelchair.” For Koko, this did not become a reality until he reached post-secondary.

“I realized that I needed to advocate for the rights of people with disabilities,” said Koko. “It is important to help others because without the support of others, including not-for-profits, I don’t think I would have been able to achieve what I have achieved. This is why I try to do my best to be useful in my community and help inspire others.”

As a Master’s student, Koko has led fundraising initiatives to support the purchase and distribution of 120 wheelchairs for other polio survivors near his home community in Africa. “Next summer, I will visit my country and do a follow up on that project to see how the wheelchairs have been useful for recipients.” He is eager to continue this work that helps others, and attributed much of his caring disposition to his mother who he described as his primary motivator.

While academics and advocacy are important to Koko, so is athleticism. Koko enjoys para-basketball and is also an experienced para-lifter. In fact, at the height of his para-lifting career, he ranked 8th worldwide in his class and nearly qualified for the Paralympic games.

Now at Laurentian, Koko has taken on a new sport; para-rowing. Dr. Thomas Merritt, Full Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry and head coach for the ParaSports program, part of the Sudbury Rowing Club based out of the Northern Water Sports Centre, spoke fondly of Koko’s talent: “Koko is a fantastic addition to the Sudbury Rowing Club accessible sport program. He has an impressive background in accessible sport, including experience with international competition, but he had never rowed before. He's been with the program for a few months now and we are all having a blast. Helping any athlete explore a new sport is one of the best parts of coaching. Working with an athlete with Koko's enthusiasm and joy for living is a treat. He has been an international calibre powerlifter. His power in the boat is amazing - and his laugh as he works through the motions of a completely new sport is infectious. Everyone's practice is better just for having Koko out rowing with us.”

“It [para-rowing] is just amazing,” said Koko. “My main concern is understanding the technique of rowing but I am happy with the way Dr. Merritt is working with me, focusing on technique. I am feeling confident [in this sport] with the help of Dr. Merritt.”

When it comes to his overall experience as a Laurentian student, Koko had much to say about the University’s sense of community. “For me, Laurentian is the best university because people have been so willing to help me reach my goals. I work very hard for good grades [and] the Biochemistry department has been supportive…. Faculty are available for students. That is rare in education in this world, [but] at Laurentian, lab technicians, professors, students, staff, they all look out for your success. I am a French student but I take courses in English because I love improving my bilingualism. In labs, sometimes the professor or technician helps me better understand by speaking to me in French…. And that is amazing.”

Koko’s student and athletic journey is one to celebrate. He anticipates that he will soon be competing in para-rowing, and couldn’t be more excited about it.

Read more about the ParaSports program at the Northern Water Sports Centre in Sudbury in this article published by Sudbury.com.

Raising awareness on the importance of consent

Consent video launch part of ongoing commitment to student safety.

(September 20, 2022) - As part of our ongoing commitment to student safety, Laurentian University is proud to partner with Cambrian College, Collège Boréal, the Greater Sudbury Police Service and Sudbury & Area Victim Services to raise awareness on the importance of consent.

Any form of sexual activity without consent is sexual assault. Consent is legally required and necessary. We are proud to launch our collaboration video that discusses the importance of obtaining consent, the law around consent, and some support options available to individuals affected by sexual violence.

Members of the media are invited to attend the launch of the video that was made possible by the Government of Ontario through the Proceeds of Crime Front-line Policing Grant. The video launch will take place at 11:30 a.m. on September 22, 2022 in the Laurentian University Student Centre.

Sexual assault is extremely underreported and we are working hard to change that by committing to innovative and collaborative efforts focused on awareness and education.

Laurentian University community members who have been affected by sexual violence can seek confidential assistance from the Equity, Diversity and Humans Rights Office for options, supports and resources.

If you have experienced a sexual assault, you also have various options for reporting the incident(s) to Police* if and when you are ready to do so. In the case of an emergency, if you are in danger or need medical assistance, if the incident just took place, or the person responsible is nearby, please call 9-1-1 immediately. If you are reporting a sexual assault after the fact and you do not believe that you require immediate assistance, you can call Police at 705-675-9171 or you can report it online through the online reporting option on the GSPS website (www.gsps.ca). Under the “Reporting” heading you will find a page dedicated to sexual assault reporting with additional information including a “Sexual Assault Survivors Guide”.

We recognize that this is a very difficult time for Survivors and we want to provide you with the assistance, resources and support that you require.

*It is always an individual's choice whether or not to report the incident to the Police.

Groundbreaking new Indigenous Course Offering at Laurentian

Following the University’s Tricultural mandate, Laurentian University is proud to introduce a groundbreaking new Indigenous curriculum with the first course launching this fall. The new courses offer Anishnaabe earth-based courses that correspond with the four directions and center hub teaching model. The courses offered will focus on oral, participatory, and immersive language learning.

The first course offered will be the Anishnaabemowin Land-Based Immersion: Bngishmok: The Western Direction course taking place from September 17 – 24, 2022. The course will provide students with an opportunity to participate in an 8-day camp environment where they will learn to speak Anishnaabemowin through listening to, and participating in, Anishnaabe teachings and stories. It will be open to both Indigenous and non-Indigenous learners.

The development and launch of this innovative curriculum closely follows the recommendations developed by the Laurentian Truth and Reconciliation Task Force summary report. This was developed to respond to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada Report which issued the 94 Calls to Action for Canadians from all walks of life. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission calls on institutions of higher learning to provide programs and curriculum that integrate Indigenous knowledge for Indigenous and non-Indigenous learners. Laurentian is committed to collaborating with Indigenous Elders and Knowledge Keepers, and local community partners to develop the Indigenous courses and content.

This unique immersive 8-day course will offer a deep learning experience that has the potential to open students to new ways of knowing and being. Participants can expect to have a greater and deeper understanding of their relationship to the earth and to each other, as expressed within Anishnaabe four directional teachings and embedded within Anishnaabemowin language.

To learn more about this course and register, please contact Kevin Fitzmaurice at kfitzmaurice@laurentian.ca.

Grateful that Laurentian has a chance at renewal

by Jeff Bangs, Chair of Board of Governors – Laurentian University

I cannot recall ever going through the full range of emotions the way I did waiting for the results of this vote, the judgment of creditors on Laurentian’s plan to recover, rebuild and chart a better future.

Usually, the outcome of a vote clearly indicates if you are on the winning or losing side. Not this time around.

So much was lost by so many in the lead up to this pivotal moment. We must never forget that.

Make no mistake though, we have given ourselves the chance to redefine LU and together write a new and brighter chapter featuring transparency, collegiality and accountability.

As we enter the fall recruitment season to attract students for the 2023 school year , it is important that our staff and faculty who play such a huge role in promoting Laurentian are able, for the first time in many years, to lean into the task without the burden of a pandemic and an insolvency process weighing them down. We can once again say with confidence that if a student enrolls at Laurentian, they will be able to complete their studies here.
Of course, the transformative changes the university needs will not all happen overnight. As stated in the Plan of Arrangement, we are looking at a multi-year effort toward a sustainable and financially viable future. The first step was taking back control with the support of creditors.

It is now in our hands to continue the healing process and undertake the rebuilding phase. As Chair of the Board of Governors, I am committed to doing so by creating a bigger tent, one that is more inclusive and more transparent about the steps we intend to take – with greater input from union partners, staff, students, retirees and employers – to put this institution back on the path to success in a way its never seen before.

Over the past nine months the university has experienced a complete turnover in Board membership, signaled changes in the highest management ranks and started forming new relationships based on mutual trust and respect. Reports that have been done on operations and governance, and even the advice and observations of the Auditor General, will be important points of reflection to ensure that the mistakes of the past are never repeated. We owe it to the Greater Sudbury community; present and future students; the faculty of today and tomorrow; and our staff team who keep our campus running at all levels to press forward with the goal of making Laurentian University’s comeback story a case study in resilience, determination, and belief in the value of postsecondary education.

Gratitude is in order for those who endorsed our Plan of Arrangement as is respect for the views of those who did not. A new and different kind of hard work begins today to ensure the rare chance we’ve been given is not wasted, that trust is earned, and stronger relationships guide us to a brighter future.

Miigwetch. Merci. Thank you.

Laurentian University Creditors Vote to Approve Plan of Arrangement

Major achievement puts university on track for successful emergence from CCAA proceedings

Sudbury ON, September 14, 2022  –  Laurentian University today announced that its creditors have voted to approve the Plan of Arrangement filed with the Superior Court of Justice in July, clearing the way for the university to proceed to seek court approval of the Plan and, following implementation of the Plan, emergence from the CCAA proceedings. The Plan represents the culmination of more than 18 months of collaboration by Laurentian and its creditors, union leaders and key stakeholders. The vote is a significant milestone for the university as it seeks to emerge from CCAA as a successful and sustainable institution for the long-term.

“We are pleased by the confidence shown by Laurentian’s creditors and all our stakeholders as a result of this vote,” said Jeff Bangs, Chair of Laurentian University’s Board of Governors. “It’s exciting to see the community unite toward the common goal of ensuring that Laurentian University will operate for years to come as a critical part of the fabric and economy of Northern Ontario. This vote puts us one step closer to that reality.”

Now that the Plan has been approved by creditors, a court Order will be sought by Laurentian on October 5, 2022, which allows the Plan to be implemented following satisfaction of certain conditions. Once the Plan is implemented, Laurentian will have successfully emerged from its CCAA restructuring as a financially sustainable university with a solid path for future success. Implementation of the Plan is expected to occur later this fall.

“We are grateful for the ongoing support of the Government of Ontario, and for the active participation of all of our partners throughout this difficult process,” added Bangs. “While there is still work to be done, this milestone sends a strong message to current and future students, to our dedicated staff and faculty, to anyone within the Laurentian community, and to people throughout the North. We’re confident we will soon emerge from the restructuring stronger than before and with a sense of renewed optimism.”

Work Study program prepares students for career success

Students develop workplace skills.

(September 6, 2022) - Laurentian University’s Work Study program, organized by the CareerHub within the Student Success Centre offers students a variety of part-time employment opportunities across campus. The program fosters a wide range of skills relevant to the workplace.

Speaking about the impact of Work Study, Student Employment Advisor, Andrew Dale explains: “This program is here to service students and support the development of work experience in productive and meaningful ways.” While Work Study students contribute to the values and mission of the University, the program was developed keeping in mind first and foremost, the student experience.

Supervisors also play an important role in the success of Work Study because “great supervisors help students reflect on their experiences throughout the work term, and help them find fulfillment in these experiences,” said Dale.

Program eligibility is based on financial need, course enrolment, domestic student status, and the submission of a Work Study application.

Fourth-year Concurrent Education and English student, Mia Tucker, said that working as the Communications Intern this spring and summer, has been rewarding: “I have learned so many new skills and workplace values that will be beneficial in my career once I graduate. I am glad I am able to work for my university and, in turn, help this amazing community at Laurentian continue to grow. Being a part of something bigger is a really nice feeling to have in your workplace.”

When it comes to 2022-2023 fall and winter semesters, Work Study applications are well underway. There are over 100 student positions available, all designed with the idea that students have a range of talents and interests. Positions are offered in a variety of departments such as Liaison Services, Accessibility Services, Counseling and Wellness, Student Success, Campus Recreation and more. Research positions are also available across Laurentian faculties.

To Ana Tremblay, fourth-year History student, Peer Advisor, and part-time employee who supports the Work Study program: “My employment through Work Study has given me the opportunity to explore my professional interests while also prioritizing my studies. I've also been able to better understand and advocate for student needs because of the work I support in my position.” Tremblay also serves as the Student General Associations’ Vice President of Education and President of Pride Laurentian.

Other services offered by the CareerHub include job postings, internship opportunities, careers fairs, employment counselling, job search support, resume, cover letter and interview advising, and employment and career workshops.

To learn more about the Work Study program, email: workstudy@laurentian.ca.

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