While the Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research naturally focuses on environmental science, it’s important that it also contributes to the local community, says Alice Grgicak-Mannion.

That’s why her geospatial lab was proud to become involved in a project outside its daily research purview to help the United Way map indicators of poverty in Windsor–Essex for its report, Taking Back our Neighbourhoods.

“We are very proud of the work,” says Grgicak-Mannion, who heads the lab. “The United Way was looking for visual representation of poverty-based indicator data, such as income, immigrant status, single-parent homes, etc., and maps were a great way to do that.”

She and research associate Courtney Spencer produced 68 detailed maps using data from the 2001, 2006 and 2011 censuses, combining socio-economic indicators to identify levels of poverty risk in geographic divisions across the Windsor-Essex region.

“This approach first helps to highlight where areas of  poverty risk can or may occur, from there the United Way along with its partners can further drill down and identify individual neighbourhoods in need,” Grgicak-Mannion says. “This helps prioritize specific programs within these neighbourhoods.”

The report notes that poverty has become more concentrated in certain neighbourhoods, and calls for targeting resources to address entrenched and structural issues.

Grgicak-Mannion says her group is currently producing supplementary maps that will provide more detail for specific wards. She also plans to follow up once data is available from this year’s census.

“Who knows, maybe the 2016 census will show shifts in the risk levels as well as changes in the geography of these zones,” she says.

 See the whole report on the United Way website.

Hoda ElMaraghy, University of Windsor professor of industrial and manufacturing systems engineering, is one of 43 new fellows inducted into the Canadian Academy of Engineering this week.

The ceremony took place Monday in Winnipeg, in conjunction with the academy’s 2016 annual general meeting.

“I look forward to contributing to the important work of the academy, particularly in new and exciting areas of advanced manufacturing and productivity multipliers to enhance industrial competitiveness and impact public policy for the welfare of Canadians,” said Dr. ElMaraghy.

The awards committee cited her pioneering research in flexible manufacturing, calling it “a game changer enabling companies to be adaptive and agile.”

ElMaraghy founded and is currently director of the Intelligent Manufacturing Systems Centre at UWindsor. Her work has helped manufacturers around the world adapt their products to respond to market changes. Her current research on reconfigurable systems can help companies avoid the high costs associated with plant shutdowns and reprogramming.

The academy’s president, Douglas Ruth, said the new inductees share demonstrated desire and ability to go beyond the normal practice of engineering.

“We look forward with boundless anticipation as to how these new fellows will build upon these good works and explore new and exciting areas of engineering and its impact on public policy,” he said.

Read the full story on the Windsor Engineering website.

The portion of the former Patricia Road that passes Dillon Hall will bear the name of one of the University of Windsor’s most acclaimed scholars, Alistair MacLeod, president Alan Wildeman announced Wednesday.

Professor MacLeod, who died in April 2014, taught English and creative writing at the University of Windsor for more than three decades. His literary career included the 1999 novel No Great Mischief—winner of the 2001 IMPAC Dublin Literary Award, the Trillium Book Award and the Lannan Literary Award—as well as the short story collections The Lost Salt Gift of Blood (1976), As Birds Bring Forth the Sun and Other Stories (1986), and Island (2000).

In 2000, MacLeod was elected a fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and in 2007 he was appointed an officer of the Order of Canada in recognition of his commitment to Canadian literature.

“Stretching from the Stephen and Vicki Adams Welcome Centre to the Leddy Library, Alistair MacLeod Walk will be a tribute to one of our University’s most acclaimed scholars,” Dr. Wildeman said. “It will also be a permanent reminder of the importance of literature and the humanities to a University, and of the power of creativity and the written word to guide us on our own personal journeys.”

Earlier this year, the University sought suggestions to rename two former streets now closed to vehicular traffic and forming important walkways through the campus. It announced last week that the pedestrian section of Sunset Avenue will be called Turtle Island Walk.

Official ceremonies in the fall will unveil signage identifying the walkways.

“Both events will be important opportunities to reflect on some of the extraordinary history, people, and endeavours that make the University of Windsor a unique and special place,” said Wildeman.

University of Windsor offices will close Friday, July 1, in observance of the Canada Day statutory holiday.

There will be no classes Friday; the Leddy Library and CAW Student Centre will also close. On July 2 and 3, the library will operate from 1 to 8 p.m. and the student centre from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.

The International Student Centre will celebrate Canada Day early, serving cake and ice cream Thursday to guests.

The event introduces students from other lands to the country’s national holiday. It is open to the campus community and will run from 2 to 3 p.m. June 30 in the centre, on the second floor of Laurier Hall.

Free workshops offered by the Student Success Centre are geared towards helping students develop the skills that they need to achieve academic success. The summer provides opportunities to prepare for the upcoming school year.

The Skills to Enhance Personal Success (STEPS) program offers workshops to give students practical methods for improving their learning and study skills. Topics include:

• Effective Reading Strategies;
• Strategic Note Taking;
• Multiple Choice Tests and Exams;
• Effective Memory Strategies;
• Study Smarter, Not Harder;
• Taming the Chaos (Time Management);
• Exam Preparation;
• Exam Strategies; and
• Test Anxiety.

Over the summer, the centre will offer its services free of charge in the form one-on-one appointments. Students can schedule personal appointments at steps@uwindsor.ca.

During the Fall 2016 semester, the centre will hold group workshops in room 267, Dillon Hall. They are free and require no advance sign-up; find the workshop schedule at www.uwindsor.ca/steps.

For additional online support touching on many aspects of navigating university life, students can check out Campus Lifeline at www.uwindsor.ca/lifeline. This platform provides resources on of academic, personal, and practical topics, including improving presentation skills, dealing with a romantic breakup, coping with stress, getting involved on campus, and searching for a summer job.

The Student Success Centre maintains an active presence on social media:

• Facebook for daily STEPS workshop reminders as well as additional tips and tricks for success in university.
• Pinterest for important information to help students improve their study habits.
• YouTube for a range of Campus Lifeline workshops on such topics as decoding professors, mental health, and more.
• 8tracks for a collection of music playlists for students to enjoy while studying.

For more information, contact the centre at steps@uwindsor.ca.