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Laurentian begins welcoming back researchers to campus

Laurentian begins welcoming back researchers to campus

Select research facilities will re-open through pilot project

(June 8, 2020) It’s a message that many researchers at Laurentian University have been eagerly anticipating. The University recently announced that it is planning a pilot project which will see the opening of some on-campus labs to support researchers and graduate students. The labs identified for the pilot project include the Vale Living With Lakes Centre, the Harquail School of Earth Sciences, and the Perdue Central Analytical Facility. This pilot project will enable 120-130 graduate students and postdoctoral fellows to resume their academic pursuits.

This plan will be accompanied by detailed health and safety protocols to ensure the well-being of all involved. For example, new signage will enforce physical distancing, one-way pedestrian traffic flow, and the University will be limiting the number of people in any given area of campus. Additionally, hand sanitizer is being distributed to departments as they return that has been produced by Dr. Eric Gauthier at Laurentian University.

The pilot project will begin immediately, and the University is developing a process for researchers who are not part of the pilot project to be able to request access to campus and/or resume field work.

QUOTES:
“Research activities are at the core of our university and we are now certain that some of these activities can resume safely. We are pleased to begin implementing step one of our plan to reopen campus.” Dr. Robert Haché, President and Vice-Chancellor of Laurentian University

“Faculty and graduate students have been continuing their research, and scholarship remotely where possible; however, many use specialized equipment, databases and archives only available on campus. We are thrilled that today’s announcement will enable a significant number of students to resume research on campus and in the field and our team will continue to work closely with the Dean of Graduate Studies during this process.” Dr. Tammy Eger, PhD, Interim
Vice-President, Research of Laurentian University

Laurentian University announces plans for fall

Laurentian University announces plans for fall

University to offer majority of classes remotely, with some face-to-face instruction this fall

May 28, 2020 - Continuing the leadership Laurentian University has shown throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the University has determined that it will deliver a majority of its courses through remote teaching, and at the same time, deliver as many courses as safely possible with face-to-face teaching starting in September.


This announcement is made possible by a memorandum of understanding between the University and the Laurentian University Faculty Association (LUFA), signed on May 27th. The agreement details the specific modalities and working conditions for professors. With this agreement now signed, the University will convene a special meeting of the Laurentian University Senate on Monday, June 1st to approve the plan for the Fall Semester and full year courses starting in
September 2020.

Academic programs and their courses will be evaluated by the respective Dean following consultation with the Units. Considerations such as the number of students, the available classroom and laboratory facilities, as well as the course requirements will be used in determining if the course will be offered face-to-face or remotely. The list of courses to be offered on site will be determined by the end of June. Deans and Units will identify plans to ensure personal protective equipment, physical distancing, and other public health protocols will be followed, for faculty, staff and students.


Other courses will be delivered remotely, leveraging technology and online learning management software. Students, whether in Sudbury or anywhere in the world, will have the option to attend through remote delivery, or select from a wide range of online courses that have been developed over the years if they prefer an asynchronous delivery.

QUOTES:
“The safety of our community is most important to us. Through this, we have determined that we can safely offer some courses in-person. We aim to deliver a highly personalized, exceptional classroom experience, and we believe that we can safely deliver this for certain courses. We look forward to September and having some students return to our classrooms on our campus. It will surely feel different, however, we are committed to finding the best way possible
to deliver teaching and maximize learning - our students deserve nothing less.” Dr. Robert Haché, President and Vice-Chancellor of Laurentian University.


“We would like to thank our labour partners, LUFA, for their dedication to our students and in collaborating with us to sign this memorandum of understanding. This is the first step in our plan to be able to resume teaching on campus and we look forward to implementing further steps of the plan as we look forward to the Winter term.” - Dr. Serge Demers, Interim Vice President, Academic and Provost

Global design competition puts Sudbury in the spotlight

Global design competition puts Sudbury in the spotlight

The McEwen School of Architecture gives back to the City through an urban design ideas competition, with the goal of providing new perspectives for the City, following the end of COVID-19

(May 27, 2020) Laurentian University’s McEwen School of Architecture (MSoA) is excited to announce that the Sudbury 2050 Urban Design Ideas Competition is in full swing. You can check it out at sudbury2050.ca.

The Sudbury 2050 Urban Design Ideas Competition offers a unique opportunity for urban thinkers from around the world to present their visions for our city’s future. It’s a chance to reimagine the entire urban core of a city.

There has never been a design competition like this in Canada.

The competition is open to anyone interested in the future of our city. That includes not just architects, students, urban planners, engineers, environmental designers, but all visionaries and urban thinkers of any age or background.

Regardless of when the Covid recovery happens, there is no question but that our world will be dramatically different than it is today - moving from 2020 towards 2050.

We all recognize that resuming urban planning with a “business as usual” approach is not an option. All cities will be reassessing their approach to future planning, particularly with regard to major projects.

The ideas put forward in this competition will prove invaluable in helping local leaders find solutions, as they develop the city’s plans for the future, including ways to recover from the social, economic and healthcare impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This competition will create a forum for the presentation of new and aspirational ideas from innovative, urban thinkers, from around the world. 

Submissions for this competition will be judged on the quality of the following core elements: 

  • new perspectives for our community that are innovative and aspirational
  • solutions that offer direction for short, medium and long-term actions
  • strategies for engaging the community in the design process
  • principles that will guide future urban planning

Submissions close August 28, 2020. Please click here to learn more about the competition

There are three prize categories – Open, Student, and People’s Choice. The community will have the opportunity to view the submissions and vote for a People’s Choice winner. The winners will be announced in the fall, with prizes totalling over $60,000.

The jury will be announced shortly and will be posted to the competition website. Check out sudbury2050.ca for all the details, including submission guidelines.

ABOUT MSoA
The McEwen School of Architecture (MSoA), one of Laurentian University's professional schools, is located in Sudbury, Ontario. MSoA offers a four-year pre-professional Bachelor of Architectural Studies (BAS), as well as a two-year Master of Architecture degree. 
Situated in the Canadian north, the School features an integrated co-operative program where students obtain practical experience through work-term placements with related architectural and design employers.

Francophone, First Nations, Métis, and Inuit perspectives are central to the unique tri-cultural mandate of the program. Through Elders in residence, Indigenous faculty members, French design studio instruction, and local community-design and design-build exercises each year, students are exposed to an array of methods, knowledge, and experience that is uniquely ‘Northern’.
 

LU Researcher Adds Revelatory Contribution to Climate Change Research in Leading Journal “Science”

LU Researcher Adds Revelatory Contribution to Climate Change Research in Leading Journal “Science”

Dr. Michelle Kalamandeen helps shed light on climate change fight in tropical forests

(MAY 21, 2020) Laurentian University is proud to announce the publication of an article in the preeminent journal Science co-authored by postdoctoral researcher Dr. Michelle Kalamandeen.  Entitled ‘Long-term thermal sensitivity of Earth’s tropical forests’, the article discusses the role this type of ecosystem can play in the fight against climate change.

Though quite a distance from the tropics, similar techniques used for this paper will be applied to assess how recovering carbon stocks in Sudbury will behave under different climatic scenarios using hyperspectral and Landsat satellite imagery. 

Carbon capture is one of the tools in the fight against global warming and climate change. An increase of carbon in the environment leads to the heating of the planet, which can yield devastating consequences. 

The paper underlines the remarkable carbon capture abilities of tropical forests, abilities which are under threat. Measuring over half a million trees in over 800 forests across the tropics, the team found that these forests are resistant to temperature changes but only up to a temperature of 32 degree Celsius. Any further increase could lead to these forests releasing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. The full article in Science, a research digest from the American Association for the Advancement of Science, can be found here: https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aaw7578

Dr. Kalamandeen’s work in Sudbury is possible thanks to a $1.6 million grant from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and Ontario Centre of Excellence (OCE). Known as the Landscape Carbon Accumulation Research (L-CARE) project, Dr. Kalamandeen continues this research along with her supervisor, Dr. John Gunn as well as Dr. Nathan Basiliko out of the Vale Living with Lakes Centre with data collection over several months. We are proud of their collective efforts, and wish Dr. Kalamandeen a fruitful extended visit to Cambridge University.

QUOTES:
“In this paper in Science, one of the most influential scientific journals in the world, Dr. Kalamandeen was a major contributor to this global study of the significance of disturbance of tropical forests, the " lungs of the planet". We were privileged to have her join our Laurentian University team as a post-doctoral researcher in 2019, working in partnership with Cambridge University in the UK to assess the importance of carbon capture in the regreening of the Sudbury landscapes, using the same satellite images tools that she has perfected in this paper.” Dr. John Gunn, Canada Research Chair in Stressed Aquatic Systems, and Director of the Vale Living With Lakes Centre, Laurentian University

"Researchers at Laurentian's Vale Living with Lakes Centre are internationally recognized for their contributions to climate change science and this paper further increases their impact and will inform future actions of the global community" Dr. Tammy Eger, PhD, Interim Vice-President, Research

“Tropical forests seem surprisingly resilient to temperature changes, but they can be pushed outside of this safe zone. Even a 2oC rise above pre-industrial levels pushes about three-quarters of tropical forests within this heat threshold. Intact forests cope much better with temperature increases than fragmented or degraded forests. The current pandemic has provided us with compelling proof of how closely our fate is linked with the health of our forests –from the food we eat to where they’re sourced and how healthy those systems are, to our own individual health. We have a unique opportunity here to transform and reset our global climate system. By ensuring these forests remain intact and act as carbon stores, we’re ensuring that both nature and people benefit.” Dr. Michelle Kalamandeen, Vale Living With Lakes Centre, Laurentian University
 

Laurentian University Facing COVID-19-Related Challenges

Laurentian University Facing COVID-19-Related Challenges

Sudbury, Ontario, April 29, 2020 — Laurentian University today announced that it is facing significant financial challenges arising from COVID-19. While the full impacts of the pandemic on the university sector remain to be seen and understood, COVID-19 and other pre-existing financial pressures require the University to amend and accelerate its sustainability plan to address a shortfall of approximately $15 million in fiscal year 2020-21.

 

“In the last few years, we have come together as a community, harnessing the ingenuity of our workforce to find sustainable solutions. We will continue to prove that by working together-ensemble-maamwi, we can find and implement creative solutions to the COVID-19 challenge,” said Dr. Robert Haché, Laurentian University President and Vice-Chancellor.

 

“The pandemic has created an additional and urgent financial crisis for Laurentian,” said Lorella Hayes, Vice President, Administration. “Our University has faced financial challenges over the past few years. We were, however, implementing our sustainability plan and seeing significant positive results.”

 

The University’s financial picture has been a topic of much discussion by the Laurentian Board of Governors and community as it has worked to ensure a sustainable future during challenging times. Prior to COVID-19, Laurentian University was tracking for a small deficit of less than $1 million for the current fiscal year, which ends on April 30, 2020. The pandemic could bring the University to a deficit of approximately $6 million for the current fiscal year.

 

In addition, pre-COVID-19, the University was already addressing a $9 million shortfall in its upcoming fiscal year 2020-2021, resulting mainly from the permanent reduction and frozen domestic tuition fees and reductions in provincial funding levels.  Laurentian was executing on a balanced approach of continued cost reductions and enrolment growth. The University is now amending its financial forecast, and planning for additional cost reductions to ensure the 2020-21 budget can be balanced.

 

“If we don't take action, the combination of a potential enrolment drop, our pre-existing financial challenges and new impacts of COVID-19, could be the tipping point that threatens the financial viability of the University," says Dr. Robert Haché.

 

Laurentian will be doing everything possible to ensure it doesn’t come to that. The University is actively exploring opportunities to mitigate the financial risk and to support new and existing students. The University is holding a town hall to share information on the financial challenges with its community members and call on them to share bold new ideas. It has also taken a number of immediate actions, including:

  • Suspension of new employment hiring;
  • Deferral or elimination of numerous vacant positions;
  • Reduction in casual, part time and limited term contracts;
  • Suspension of all non-essential operating expenses.

 

“These difficult decisions were not made on the basis of performance, but rather, on the basis of our financial challenges,” affirms Lorella Hayes. “We thank our colleagues and workforce for their immense contributions to the University. All these employees performed important and valuable work — we hope to be able to offer them work again in the future.”

 

Laurentian will accelerate the implementation of its existing sustainability plan. The University also has a number of additional measures and sustainability initiatives under consideration. 

 

“Laurentian has the highest post university graduation employment rates in the province,” indicates Dr. Robert Haché. “We want our students and potential students to know that their academic success and student experience will be fully maintained as we readjust our business processes. As we have shown in responding to COVID-19, we will continue to put students first in everything we do.”

 

“We are pursuing goals and objectives, which maintain Laurentian on a course to achieve its full potential as one of Canada’s outstanding comprehensive, research engaged universities,” continues Dr. Haché. “We will accomplish these goals and objectives as a proudly bilingual and tricultural institution, with strong programs in English and French, and a leader in enabling the success of our Indigenous students.”

 

Inspired by the example of the University’s researchers, faculty and staff, whose joint efforts to fight COVID-19 demonstrate the power of collaborative solutions during challenging times, Laurentian University is consulting widely with its community and labour partners, seeking their new and bold ideas to address the deficit and academic excellence.

 

Laurentian University has been a leader among universities in responding to the COVID-19 outbreak. The first university in Canada to recognize the severity of the outbreak and suspend in-person activities, Laurentian was also the first to transition fully from in-person to remote learning. The vast majority of its students are on track to complete the term on time, and the University is committed to continuing its program offerings in the Spring and Fall terms.

 

“Our goal continues to provide our students with an exceptional university experience and to maintain Laurentian as the leading Northern Ontario university,” concludes Dr. Robert Haché. “We remain committed to providing an education that prepares our students for the workforce and to contribute to the Greater Sudbury and the greater North’s economic competitiveness.”

 

About Laurentian University

Laurentian University is located within the territory of the Robinson-Huron Treaty of 1850, and recognizes its placement on the traditional lands of the Atikameksheng Anishnawbek, as well as its proximity to Wahnapitae First Nation. Laurentian is committed to strengthening the foundation of knowledge in higher education and research 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.
 

LU Scientist Provides Critical Recommendations for the Search for Life on Mars

LU Scientist Provides Critical Recommendations for the Search for Life on Mars

Prof. Alessandro Ielpi and colleagues aim to help NASA maximize the efficiency of upcoming Mars rover mission

(April 23, 2020) Dr. Alessandro Ielpi, Assistant Professor of Sedimentology at the Harquail School of Earth Sciences of Laurentian University, has published a paper that could have far-reaching consequences in the search for life outside of Earth. Alongside Stanford University’s Mathieu Lapôtre, Prof. Ielpi has co-authored a paper that puts a promising landing site on Mars in the spotlight.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has selected an ancient river delta in Mars’ Jezero crater as the site where its new Perseverance land rover will touch down. Experts believe that the area, once the site of an active waterway system, is a prime candidate for finding evidence of life on the red planet.

Professors Lapôtre and Ielpi’s paper, published this week in the new journal AGU Advances by the American Geophysical Union, contains a detailed breakdown of the Jezero delta’s landscape. It also provides key recommendations for sampling strategies once the rover will be landed and operational. Crucially, the paper predicts that sediments in ancient rivers would have been buried quickly, favoring the long-term preservation of possible organic matter.

As with all scientific research, the findings of this mission are as impossible to predict while the benefits are potentially limitless. They could provide the key to unlocking the mysteries of how life evolved on Earth and beyond. We hope Profs. Lapôtre and Ielpi’s paper proves instrumental to the space agency’s work.

QUOTE
 "Studies like ours reinforce the importance of core scientific research aimed, for example, at searching for signs of extraterrestrial life and investigating the habitability of other planets, even during adverse times such as the ones we find ourselves in. It also demonstrates how scientists can look at Mars-like landscapes on Earth to better understand the early history of our neighbouring red planet.” Professor Alessandro Ielpi, Assistant Professor of Sedimentology at the Harquail School of Earth Sciences, Laurentian University

Image courtesy of NASA / JPL / UA / Seán Doran, used under Creative Commons license

LU donates thousands of high-quality masks to Sudbury’s frontline healthcare workers

LU donates thousands of high-quality masks to Sudbury’s frontline healthcare workers

Gift to HSN made possible by ongoing partnership with Jianxi University of Science and Technology

Laurentian University continues its commitment to helping critical workers stay safe during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. This week, the institution has donated 8,000 masks to our colleagues at Health Sciences North.

The masks, more properly known as surgical or face masks, help minimize the risk of exposure to harmful airborne matter by filtering out 95 percent of potentially dangerous particulate matter. This particular type of mask is recommended by Health Canada for any healthcare worker in close contact with patients who may carry illnesses transmitted by airborne droplets.

This donation would not be possible without the timely aid of our institutional partners at Jiangxi University of Science and Technology (JXUST). We thank their efforts and look forward to continued positive cooperation in the future.

QUOTE
“The donation of these masks speaks to the engagement of our partners in ensuring the success of our joint program. The collaboration between Jiangxi University of Science and Technology and Laurentian University is an exemplary model for all international partners in academia. The partnership is built on mutual respect and a shared goal of improving each other's communities. This partnership would not be where it is today without the help of Mr. Dongyu Tom Lin from SLARK, who jointly supported the donation of masks with our colleagues at JXUST. Thank you, President Yang Bin and Mr. Tom Lin. Together we are stronger.” Justin Lemieux, Director of Student Recruitment at Laurentian University

LU Uses Cutting Edge Technology in the Fight Against COVID-19

LU Uses Cutting Edge Technology in the Fight Against COVID-19

Laurentian, partner institutions use 3D printers to create crucial protective equipment

The Laurentian University community continues to step up and do its part in the effort to fight the spread of coronavirus. Our latest project is geared towards helping healthcare workers on the frontlines against the pandemic. 

Through the use of 3D printers in the Maker Space of the Cliff Fielding Research, Innovation and Engineering Building, we have been able to create headbands for face shields. These headbands, an open-source design created by Swedish firm 3D Verkstan, are simple, versatile, and easy to produce. Materials like clear plastic are affixed to the headbands, which healthcare workers then wear as face shields in order to protect them from hazardous materials, including the virus.

This project started with a simple desire to help. Gisele Roberts, Laurentian’s Manager of Innovation and Commercialization, recently put in a call to Health Sciences North to see what aid Laurentian could provide. Giving a full accounting of all the tools we have at our disposal, it was decided that we would start manufacturing headbands. 

In addition to Laurentian’s dedicated team of researchers and innovators, we are cooperating with colleagues at partner institutions to bring this project to life. The Northern Ontario School of Medicine recommended the design, while Cambrian College, Collège Boreal, Science North, Lively District and Lo-Ellen Park Secondary Schools, and industry partners Ionic Mechatronics have been drafted in to produce material. The first 300 headbands have already been delivered to HSN; hundreds more are on the way.

Laurentian launches first free online textbook

Laurentian launches first free online textbook

Susan Manitowabi’s book on Indigenous history and contributions to the Greater Sudbury area now available for Open Education Resource Week

(N'SWAKAMOK/SUDBURY, March 4, 2020) Laurentian University is proud to announce the launch of a unique electronic textbook, the first of its kind distributed by the institution. It is entitled “Historical and Contemporary Realities: Movement Towards Reconciliation -- The Traditional and Cultural Significance of the Lands Encompassing the District of Greater Sudbury and Area.” 

The book is written by Jidmoonh-kwe, Professor Susan Manitowabi, an Ansihinaabekwe from Wigwaskinaga and a member of the mkwa dodem (bear clan). Developed with the support of the School of Indigenous Relations, it details the Indigenous historical significance of the lands surrounding Greater Sudbury, as well as the contributions of Indigenous peoples and organizations within the territory. It provides a basis for understanding cultural teachings, healing practices, and ways of knowing and being as a means of opening up the conversation around reconciliation.

Crucially, this e-Textbook provides guidelines on how others can produce a similar resource for their specific area, meaning the approach will hopefully be adapted elsewhere.

Though the content of this e-textbook was designed for use in two Laurentian classes, the material is provided as an open e-Textbook with direct access for educators and students. The easy-to-use web-based resource is downloadable in PDF, ePub, and other standard file formats. Users can mix and match the content from each module according to their own curriculum. The content for this e-Textbook is licenced under the Creative Commons Attribution license and is available through the eCampusOntario Open Textbook.

Professor Manitowabi had a strong circle of cooperative colleagues around her in authoring this book. She worked closely with members of the Teaching and Innovation unit in the Centre for Academic Excellence, students, and fellow faculty members. eCampus Ontario also contributed funding.

QUOTES
Producing an open education resource was an exciting project to be working on. It was difficult to fathom what the final product would look like. It was like working on a jigsaw puzzle. Everyone had a piece that they were working on. I just had to trust that all the pieces would fit together. There was no pattern from which to follow, it was like a work of art, we wouldn't know what the final product would look like until the end. Even though we saw glimpses of the final product, it was not until it was put together that we could sit back and admire the work that we produced. Many thanks to all the contributors who helped to make this a reality. We had a very short time frame in which to put this book together. I am thankful for all the help that I had in producing this book. Without this team, there would be no book. -- Dr. Susan Manitowabi, Assistant Professor at the School of Indigenous Relations of Laurentian University

Laurentian, Waubetek lay groundwork for future cooperation

Laurentian, Waubetek lay groundwork for future cooperation

University signs letter of interest with Indigenous business development company

(TORONTO, March 3, 2020) Laurentian University is pleased to announce the signing of a letter of interest with Waubetek Business Development Corporation today at the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) convention in Toronto. This letter paves the way for cooperation between the institutions under the banner of Waubetek’s Centre of Excellence for Indigenous Mineral Development. 

Waubetek general manager Dawn Madahbee Leach signed the document alongside Robert Haché, President and Vice-Chancellor of Laurentian University, following a panel discussion at PDAC on joint mineral exploration ventures. Waubetek, Anishinaabemowin for ‘the future’, is aiming to create genuine partnerships between mining companies and Indigenous communities in several different ways, including the creation of comprehensive impact and benefit agreements. This letter of interest brings these future projects one step closer to reality. The Centre of Excellence for Indigenous Mineral Development will now have direct lines of communication with some of Laurentian University’s mining-focused departments, particularly MIRARCO, the Goodman School of Mines, and the Harquail School of Earth Sciences.

QUOTES
“I am very pleased to support the signing of this Letter of Interest with Waubetek Business Development Corporation for the Centre of Excellence for Indigenous Mineral Development. This is a great fit for the Goodman School of Mines and MIRARCO. I look forward to being involved in ongoing research and education collaboration between Laurentian and Waubetek to support Indigenous minerals development. -- Jennifer Abols, Executive Director of the Goodman School of Mines and President and CEO of MIRARCO.

“The Waubetek Business Development Corporation is pleased to be working alongside Laurentian University to support the building of Indigenous capacity and knowledge in the mineral development industry. The Centre of Excellence for Indigenous Minerals Development will benefit from this key relationship with academia to provide this much-needed clearinghouse of information, research, case studies, leading practices, tools, templates and training primarily for Indigenous Peoples, but also to assist the mining industry and governments. Waubetek understands that building relationships is important to building understanding.” -- Dawn Madahbee Leach, General Manager of Waubetek Business Development Corporation

ABOUT WAUBETEK BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
Waubetek Business Development Corporation’s mission is to improve the economies of the First Nation communities and North Eastern Ontario through the proactive, professional and meaningful provision of business and economic services.
 

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