From black sand beaches to smelly bubbling mud pits, 12 students from the Faculty of Science were able to experience all the natural wonders of Iceland. Led by professor Ali Polat and geochemistry technician Melissa Price from the School of the Environment, and accompanied by chemistry professor Phil Dutton and Lisa Sylvestre, the group spent 10 days in the country.

Some of the highlights of their experience included the Kirkjufell waterfall — a filming location for the television series Game of Thrones, seeing a volcano cinder cone, horseback riding in the Westfjords region, and experiencing hot springs and geysers.

Simona Brezeanu, a first-year biomedical student, found the trip to be incredibly eye-opening: “This trip truly impacted me and expanded my interest in science to a field completely different from my undergraduate program.”

During their time in Iceland the students completed field work projects that involved learning about differential weathering and rock formation timing using angular unconformities, mapping out riverbeds and a section of a geothermal beach, and learning about early settlers in Iceland at the Museum of Jon Sigurdsson in Hrafnseyri.

Third-year biological sciences major Mohamed Elbreki recommends the trip to future students.

“This program offers a unique opportunity to immerse oneself in different cultures and gain a global perspective that is invaluable in today’s interconnected world,” he says. “The experience also helps develop essential skills such as adaptability, resilience, and effective communication.”

Students received scholarships from the University of Windsor’s Go Global STEPs program to participate in this opportunity. Go Global STEPs is a Global Skills Opportunity project that is funded by Employment and Social Development Canada and administered jointly by Universities Canada and Colleges and Institutes Canada.

The Canadian Historical Association has awarded history professor Miriam Wright the Clio Prize for best book in Ontario history for Sporting Justice: the Chatham Coloured All-Stars and Black Baseball in Southwestern Ontario, 1915-1958, published by Wilfrid Laurier University Press in 2023. The awards were presented on June 18.

When local sports were largely racially segregated, the Chatham Coloured All-Stars, a Black baseball team from 1930s Chatham, were the first Black team to win a provincial championship in the primarily white Ontario Baseball Amateur Association. 

Dr. Wright began working on the history of this team in 2015, after meeting Pat Harding, daughter-in-law of one of the Chatham Coloured All-Stars players. Harding wondered if the University could help create a website to share the story. The website, “Breaking the Colour Barrier: Wilfred ‘Boomer’ Harding and the Chatham Coloured All-Stars,” launched in 2017, involved Wright, Heidi Jacobs and Dave Johnston of Leddy Library, the Harding family, the Chatham Sports Hall of Fame, and the Chatham-Kent Black Historical Society and Black Mecca Museum.

While the website focused on the All-Stars’ 1934 championship season, Sporting Justice is a broader, intergenerational study of Black baseball in southwestern Ontario both before and after the All-Stars played. Situating the teams in the racist and classist context of early 20th-century Canada, the book also reflects on the relationship between sport and the wider movement for social justice happening in Black communities of the period.

Oral history is a central feature of the book. Wright drew on earlier oral history and newspaper interviews given by former All-Stars players, as well as others conducted with family members of the team for the 2017 website.

As Wright noted, “How the players and their families remembered the story, how they gave it meaning, and why they wanted to share it is very important.”

The Canadian Historical Association awards Clio Prizes for the best books in regional history, presenting separate prizes for the Atlantic region, Quebec, Ontario, the Prairies, B.C., and the north.

Fitness changed her life, says Giovanna Abraham.

Operations co-ordinator in the Office of the Associate Vice-President, Operations, she is also an instructor for fitness classes offered through Lancer Recreation.

“I spent many years unhappy, suffered with depression and anxiety, and decided that I had to do something about it, so I began eating healthy foods and exercising,” Abraham says. “I loved the way that exercising influenced other areas of my life — better focus at work, better moods, and increased energy.”

Her classes combining Pilates and yoga are offered at noon Tuesdays in the Oak Room, Vanier Hall.

Summer is the perfect time for staff and faculty to explore the Toldo Lancer Centre, says fitness co-ordinator Mike McMahon.

“With the Forge newly redesigned and a state-of-the-art fitness centre, access becomes a steal at less than a dollar a day,” he says. “Come down to enjoy a dip in the pool, a walk on our track, or one of our group exercise programs throughout the week that will appeal to all fitness levels.”

A full-facility membership includes access to all fitness spaces and Lancer Fit classes held in the Lancer Centre. Classes on the main campus require separate registration.

Tina Lepine, hazardous waste technician in the Chemical Control Centre, says regular workouts have been great for her mental health. She has been attending group fitness classes for years.

“I love that someone is there to guide me and push me to try harder,” says Lepine. “The social aspect is also great: I can meet like-minded people and have a good time, and am more likely to come when I have friends going to the class.”

Summer classes in the Toldo Lancer Centre begin July 2; those on main campus start July 9. Find the full schedule at goLancers.ca.

A Memorandum of Understanding between the University of Windsor and Al Qasimia University in the United Arab Emirates encourages attendance at each other’s events, sharing academic publications, collaborating on thesis supervision, exchanges of faculty and students, and providing mutual advice and information.

UWindsor president Robert Gordon and Al Qasimia chancellor Awad Husain Al Khalaf signed the document Thursday, June 20, during a visit to Windsor by Dr. Al Khalaf.

Al Qasimia University is located in Sharjah, the UAE’s third most populous city.

The agreement aligns with the UWindsor commitment to global engagement, said Chris Busch, associate vice-president, enrolment management.

“The infusion of global perspectives is intrinsically woven into our core academic excellence and community impact values,” he said.

The fourth annual Lancer Women’s Basketball Alumni and Family Golf Tournament is set for Saturday, Sept. 28, at Ambassador Golf Club.

The event will open with a shotgun start at 9 a.m. and follow a scramble format.

Registration is $175 per player, $700 for a foursome, and proceeds benefit the Lancer varsity women’s basketball team. The fee includes green fee, cart, player’s package, food and drinks.

To register, sponsor, or donate, visit the tournament website.