The University of Windsor has been ranked among the top universities in the world for the first time in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2016-2017

UWindsor is one of only 26 Canadian universities that the London, England-based Times Higher Education says are “counted among the world’s best.” There are 96 universities in Canada.

In all, 980 universities—out of about 20,000 institutions worldwide—qualified for the Times Higher Education list. The University of Windsor ranked in the 601-800 category.

Times Higher Education rankings are the only global university performance table to judge world-class universities across all of their core missions—teaching research, knowledge transfer and international outlook.

“This recognition by the world’s most-watched international university ranking is one that speaks to the collective efforts of faculty, staff, and students, and to our great location in Windsor,” said president Alan Wildeman. “It is a first for the University of Windsor.”

Times Higher Education cited UWindsor’s diversity and said the University has a “history of accepting large numbers of international students, and provides avenues for students to get involved in research in their chosen field of study.”

In addition to UWindsor’s academic assets, Times Higher Education said students at the University have access to the “sights and sounds of the Canadian City of Windsor and the American City of Detroit,” both of which provide a huge amount of cultural and recreational opportunities.

Two multiple award winners in Lancer track and field are among the inductees in the 2016 class of the Alumni Sports Hall of Fame.

Coach Dennis Fairall, athlete Jacqueline (Malette) Biswas, basketball player James (J.K.) Kennedy and football player Greg Wood will be honoured at a ceremony Sunday, October 2.

Dennis Fairall (MHK 1993) is recognized as one of the greatest coaches in the history of Canadian university sport. He led Lancer cross country and track and field teams to 47 provincial and 25 national championships, honoured 65 times as coach of the year by Canadian Interuniversity Sport or Ontario University Athletics during his 30 years at UWindsor.

Jacqueline (Malette) Biswas (BMath 2007) earned all-Canadian honours in track and cross country five times, led the Lancers to three provincial team titles and won seven medals at the national championship meet in just a three-year Lancer career. The only Lancer in history awarded both the Banner Shield and DeMarco Award in the same year, she was twice honoured as a CIS Top 8 Academic All-Canadian.

James (J.K.) Kennedy (BA 1985) served three years as captain of the Lancer men’s basketball team and was named an all-star three times by the OUA. His teams twice finished first in the OUA West division and twice qualified for the national final eight tournament. He also won a silver medal at the 1980 Canada Summer Games as part of Team Ontario.

Greg Wood (BHK 1976, B.Ed 1977) made his mark as captain of the Lancer football team over three seasons. He played on the squad during its 1975 Yates Cup Ontario University Championship, leading the division in interceptions that year and leading the nation in kick-off returns in 1973. He received the DeMarco Award as top Lancer student-athlete in 1977.

Sport Achievement Awards, recognizing contributions to sport beyond the University of Windsor campus, will go to:

• Gene Dziadura (BA 1959) posthumously, who played baseball in Chicago Cubs farm system, scouted and signed pitcher Fergie Jenkins—the first Canadian in the Baseball Hall of Fame—to the Philadelphia Phillies, and enjoyed a 35-year career as a teacher, coach and sports official with the Chatham Collegiate Institute; and
• Leo Shapiro (BSc 1961, MSc 1962), a dedicated volunteer with the Greater Windsor Legion Track Club and the University of Windsor Track and Field Club, who taught high school math for over 30 years, and organized and officiated track meets for over 40 years

In addition, two national championship Lancers squads will receive Team Achievement Awards: the 1991 men’s and 1992 women’s track and field teams.

The event, which has already reached its attendance capacity, is part of Alumni Weekend celebrations; check out a full list of planned activities.

The University of Windsor’s main campus has a bold new look following the installation of seven giant building banners that feature the images of current students and the University’s PROMISE@uwindsor.ca outreach.

President Alan Wildeman announced PROMISE@uwindsor.ca in his recent update to the campus community. Dr. Wildeman said that after consulting students, faculty, staff, alumni and others, what emerged was a “desire to more visibly highlight students as we promote the university.”

Wildeman said the goal of PROMISE@uwindsor.ca is to leave no doubt in anyone’s mind that the University of Windsor is a place for students, and a place that believes in the power of knowledge to make a better world.

“Our belief is that we all have within us the promise to be someone better, the promise to show that we are more capable than we or others might believe, the promise to contribute to making the world we live in a better place,” said Wildeman.

The banners—ranging in size from 7 x 11 metres to 13 x 7 metres—have been mounted on Erie Hall, Toldo Health Education Centre, Biology Building, Essex Hall, CAW Student Centre, Ron W. Ianni Faculty of Law Building and Leddy Library.

Watch a video of their installation produced by Naomi Pelkey, digital communication technician in student recruitment:

The University’s PROMISE@uwindsor.ca logo is now available for the campus community to add to e-mail signatures.

The logo can be downloaded here. Director of Public Affairs and Communications John Coleman said hyperlinks can be also be added to the logo and customized by users. Individual faculties, for example, could attach a hyperlink to their websites. Departments or individuals could hyperlink to the University’s Admissions page.

“It’s another way for all us to reach out to prospective students and help tell the University’s story,” said Coleman.

A reception September 16 at the Ed Lumley Centre for Engineering Innovation honoured high-achieving researchers in the University of Windsor’s Turbulence and Energy Laboratory.

Several graduate students were recognized for their innovative research in addition to faculty and staff who assist with the operation of the Turbulence and Energy (T&E) Lab.

“Our lab’s innovation is driven through collaboration,” said David Ting, co-director and co-founder of the T&E Lab. “Through practical and curiosity-driven engineering challenges, our students have turned into knowledgeable and responsible leaders. This ceremony allows us to recognize those achievements.”

Top student researchers included Zhiwen Wang, who was named T&E Innovative Researcher of the Year in addition to Author of the Year for his analysis of a multi-level underwater compressed air energy storage system and floating offshore wind farms. Not only did he generate the most publications, Wang produced an advanced exergy analysis—a first for T&E researchers.

Kyle Bassett, the winner of the Ontario Centres of Excellence’s 2015 David McFadden Energy Entrepreneur Challenge and founder of RMRD Technologies Inc., a company that creates 3D printed micro wind turbines to assist developing countries, received the research ambassador award for bringing T&E research to the international stage.

Fama Fouladi was recognized for leading the lab in turbulent flow research while Mojtaba Ahmadi-Baloutaki was honoured for his substantial progress in wind energy research.

Ahmadreza Vasel-Be-Hagh, a “curiosity-driven fundamental scholar of the T&E Lab” received the theorist award for his innovative research on an underwater energy storage accumulator. Sara Alhasan, a 2015 recipient of an American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers Grant, was awarded for her excellence in stewardship.

The T&E Lab focuses on flow turbulence and energy dynamics in engineering systems such as wind turbines, underwater accumulators, burners, furnaces, engines and solar panels. The lab is also home to smart and secure commercial (greenhouse) and residential water technology research.

View photos from the event on the UWindsor Engineering Facebook page. For more information about the Turbulence and Energy Lab, visit www.cfewa.com.

Disciplines in the humanities provide a frame for her to understand the implications of her work in sciences, says Layale Bazzi. The second-year physics student took top honours in the “Why Humanities” competition for her impassioned defense of their importance.

“Day in and day out, I am differentiating, integrating, rearranging and solving equations that describe the physical world around us,” she wrote. “What I can’t tell you are the ethical implications. All I can provide are facts about nature, and not human nature.”

Her insight won Bazzi a semester’s free tuition, announced Monday, September 26, at a reception celebrating all entrants. Other finalists received tickets to the Windsor International Film Festival: Alexa diCecco, Abrial Cooke, Victoria Pedri and Andrew Deane. Creative writing major Marisa Bordonaro received an honourable mention for her poem, “Humanities: Hidden Bonds.”

Professor Erica Stevens Abbitt, director of the Humanities Research Group, said the innovative entries demonstrate that students believe the humanities represent core values shared across campus and between disciplines.

“I think it’s noteworthy that the winner is a gifted writer who is also a science major,” she said. “For over a year, HRG has hosted a range of public lectures exploring the contemporary relevance of the humanities. We’ve had scholars in many fields speak on the subject.”

Or, as Bazzi’s essay states, “The study of humanities provides a bridge between the infamous crazy scientist and the general public.” Read her winning entry here.

More information on the Humanities Research Group and upcoming events is available on its website.

Business student Ben deGroot won Thursday’s DailyNews quiz contest and its prize of four gold-seat tickets to the Lancer football game, Saturday on Alumni Field.

DeGroot’s entry was drawn from all those which correctly identified Lancers Daniel Metcalfe as the leading tackler, Tarrence Crawford as the leading rusher and Cassell Jones as the leading receiver in last week’s game against Ottawa.

This week, the Lancers will host the Toronto Varsity Blues, with kick-off set for 1 p.m. Gold seat tickets are $15; adult admission is $12; and youth and seniors get in for $10. UWindsor students are admitted free with valid ID.

The Campus Bookstore has filled its windows with seasonal displays, including autumnal gourds and ghouls.

Marketing co-ordinator Martin Deck says the store stocks many items suitable for costuming.

“We carry sweatshirts in almost every colour of the rainbow,” he says. “Our hope is that customers will come in and find something that puts them in the spirit!”

With the 16 spots for training in the Drupal content management system filling up less than an hour after its announcement, he had no choice but to offer a second session, says instructor Rob Aitkens.

“I guess there really is an appetite to learn the basics of how to maintain our UWindsor webpages,” says Aitkens, web architecture, development and design lead in Public Affairs and Communications.

He is offering a new session of Drupal 7 – Basic Training for 1:30 to 4 p.m. Wednesday, October 12. The class will focus on teaching site editors how to create pages and events, upload graphics and use menus and blocks. Registration is required through this online form.

Aitkens reminds those unable to attend that Drupal support resources, including the online training guide and FAQs, are available at www.uwindsor.ca/drupal.

A flurry of door prizes and other giveaways marked the 14th annual barbecue hosted by the Organization of Part-time University Students (OPUS) outside the CAW Student Centre on Thursday, September 22, but Victoria Hasegawa was the big winner, receiving a bursary worth up to $1,500 towards her tuition, courtesy of the University of Windsor Alumni Association.

There was a tremendous turnout, says executive director Maryan Amalow.

“Hundreds of students, staff and faculty members were fed during the two hours while supplies lasted,” she says. “Many campus celebrities attended,” including senior administrators and student leaders.

Besides the free food and fellowship, guests enjoyed music provided by CJAM campus-community radio.