The University of Windsor’s Board of Governors announced Friday the appointment of Robert Gordon as seventh President and Vice-Chancellor, following a rigorous search led by a committee that included Senate and Board of Governors representation. Dr. Gordon’s appointment is effective September 1, and follows the retirement of President Alan Wildeman June 30, 2018. Douglas Kneale has served as Interim President during the past year.

Gordon, currently Provost and Vice-President Academic at Wilfrid Laurier University, had previously served as the university’s Vice-President, Research. He is a renowned authority on environmental issues and agricultural engineering in Canada, having held a Canada Research Chair in the area of environmental resource management. Gordon has a proven background as a research champion, and will bring strengths in promoting research excellence, while integrating teaching and community engagement to the University of Windsor.

“Dr. Gordon is an exceptional leader who will make an outstanding President for the University of Windsor. He is a respected scholar, experienced strategic administrator, and accomplished innovator,” said Board of Governors chair William Willis.

“His vision and energy, and his effective and strong collaborative leadership skills make him the ideal President to lead the University, build on its recent successes, and deliver continuing high-quality student, faculty, and staff experiences.”

Gordon earned bachelor and master’s degrees in engineering from McGill University, and a PhD in Land Resource Science from the University of Guelph. He served in various academic and administrative capacities, including as dean of research at the Nova Scotia Agricultural College — now the Faculty of Agriculture at Dalhousie University, and headed the environmental management section of the Nova Scotia Department of Agriculture, where he administered the Nova Scotia Environmental Farm Plan Program on behalf of the Nova Scotia Federation of Agriculture; the Nova Scotia Department of Agriculture; and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. He also served as an extension specialist through the Nova Scotia Department of Agriculture.

“I’m thrilled to be part of the University of Windsor family and look forward to working with our exceptional students, faculty, staff, alumni, and partners in building on the commitment to excellence that exists throughout our incredible institution,” said Gordon.

Before joining Laurier, Gordon was dean of the Ontario Agricultural College at the University of Guelph, where he led the largest agriculture and food faculty in Canada. Under his leadership, the college ranked internationally among the top 10 institutions in agriculture and food research impact.

During his tenure at Laurier, the university was first among Canadian universities in research efficiency, and second in relative research funding growth.

Throughout his leadership roles, Gordon has also maintained a strong research profile. He has published more than 160 refereed journal articles, and has supervised more than 50 graduate students, and eight post-doctoral fellows over his career.

Gordon is planning to meet with the University of Windsor campus community in the near future.

A United Way program to help vulnerable high school students perform academically is making an impact, according to an independent evaluation report by a UWindsor business professor.

The results of a study by Rajeeva Sinha were released Friday during a celebration of the first cohort graduating from the On Track to Success program, which provides mentoring and other supports to more than 120 students in Leamington and Windsor’s west end.

“The On Track to Success program equips the students with assets they need to take charge of their own futures,” Dr. Sinha said. “We see statistically significant differences in academic performance measures as well as developmental assets that are indicators of long-term student success.”

His report highlighted improved grades, fewer absences, and the development of soft skills such as commitment to learning and ability to work independently as benefits of the program. Ninety per cent of those graduating are enrolled in post-secondary education.

United Way CEO Lorraine Goddard welcomed the evaluation.

“The results of this report confirm what we know to be true,” she said. “We can level the playing field for economically disadvantaged students and give them opportunities to succeed, live up to their true potential, and be ready for 21st century jobs.”

The University of Windsor is looking forward to the arrival of its first cohort of graduates from the On  Track to Success program, and is rolling out more than a red carpet, says acting provost Jeff Berryman — it will offer bursaries worth $4,000 over four years of study to each of the 10 students it expects this fall.

Justin Singkhaew, who will graduate from Leamington District Secondary School later this month, plans to begin studies in the drama in education and community program in September.

He says the bursaries will make university more attainable.

“It will really help relieve the financial burden,” Singkhaew said. “I’ve always been wondering how I’m going to pay for my post-secondary education.”

Berryman said the money is just part of the welcome the On Track to Success students can expect.

“A team from across campus has been working with United Way since the fall, developing transitional programming for students as they prepare for post-secondary education, and planning programming to support them when they arrive,” he said.

Learn more about the On Track to Success program on the United Way website.

Twenty-eight UWindsor researchers have been awarded nearly $4.4 million in federal funding to advance discoveries in science and engineering.

The research involves such diverse topics as auditory processing in the human brain, algal blooms in the Great Lakes, self-driving vehicles, adaptations in salmon, the treatment of industrial wastewater, and the effect of orbital debris on robotic satellites, among others.

Six of the successful grant applications were submitted by early career researchers, all in the first three years of their first academic appointments. In addition to grants ranging from $24,000 to $30,000 yearly, they each received a one-time $12,500 “launch supplement” to give their research an initial jump start.

One researcher — Christina Semeniuk of the Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research — received a total of $60,000 for her research on the ability of species to cope with environmental change. Dr. Semeniuk’s award included a $20,000 supplemental grant for advancing science in Canada’s north.

Almost all the grants are renewable for each of the next five years.

“The Discovery Grants provide the fundamental support to researchers,” said K.W. Michael Siu, UWindsor’s vice-president, research and innovation. “I am delighted by the successes of our colleagues and would like to congratulate them, as well as to thank the federal government and NSERC in supporting discovery sciences generously.”

The awards are part of $588 million in funding under the Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada’s Discovery Grants program announced last week by federal Science and Sport Minister Kirsty Duncan. More than 4,850 researchers across the country received funding under the program.

“The funding announced today demonstrates our strong and enduring commitment to science and researchers,” Duncan said. “Since taking office, our government has worked hard to bring science and research back to their rightful place and this historic investment in the discoveries of tomorrow is just one example of how we are achieving this goal.”

Digvir Jayas, interim president of NSERC, said the funding provides a firm foundation for exceptional researchers at every stage in their careers: “These students, postdoctoral fellows, and professors make up the backbone of Canada’s science and engineering research enterprise.”

─ Sarah Sacheli

Enxhi Kotrri won the Cas C. Lindsey Prize at the recent Canadian Society of Zoologists annual conference. The Lindsey Prize is awarded by the society for the top presentation in behaviour, ecology, or evolution at its annual meeting. While only a third-year undergraduate in biological sciences, Kotrri impressed judges and bested MSc and PhD students from across Canada.

Her presentation, entitled “Auditory evoked potentials to quantify hearing abilities of Black Bullhead (Ameiurus melas),” reflected original research conducted for her honours thesis project in the lab of her advisor, Dennis Higgs. This work used physiology techniques to assess the response of the bullhead brain to sounds and study the effects of captivity on this response.

Dr. Higgs called Kotrri’s work very impressive for an undergraduate because the physiological techniques are difficult for even a graduate student to learn.

“The fact that Enxhi learned them as a third-year is a clear testament to her research excellence,” he said. “The judges of the Lindsey Prize were stunned to learn she was still an undergraduate but commented on how easy their decision was due to the clarity of her presentation, the quality of her science and the strength of her presentation. They stressed how rare it was for an undergraduate to win this prize as it usually goes to senior graduate students or even those with a recent PhD.”

Kotrri said it was an honour to present to the conference, where she also had the opportunity to meet other scientists and see their exciting research.

“I was ecstatic when I discovered I had been awarded the Lindsey Prize for my presentation, which I know would not have been possible without the continuous support and guidance of my supervisor Dr. Dennis Higgs throughout the year,” she said. “Working on this research project has been an incredibly rewarding experience that has not only allowed me to grow as a research student, but has also instilled in me an immense passion for science research.”

More than 300 people attended the society’s meeting, hosted by Windsor for the first time.

“Enxhi helped show hundreds of people how great the experience in biological sciences at the University of Windsor can be!” said Higgs.

Sixty graduating students who have demonstrated leadership, engagement, application, and discovery during their undergrad careers in the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences were recognized Friday morning during the inaugural LEAD Medallion Scholars presentation.

“The idea behind the LEAD scholars program is to incentivise and reward students’ activities inside and outside the classroom,” says dean Marcello Guarini.

• LEAD stands for:
• “Leadership” through peer mentoring and campus involvement;
• “Engagement” through service learning, study abroad, or other outreach activities;
• “Application” through internship, practicum, or other hands-on activities related to a field of study; and
• “Discovery” through undergraduate research or creative pursuits.

Students received either a bronze, silver, or gold medal based on how many of the LEAD categories they completed.

Gold medallion recipient Mark McWhinney, a dual major in history and political science, says the recognition will motivate students to participate: “It looks good on your resumé or transcript.”

Francesk Perpalaj, a political science student, received a bronze medallion.

“The options under the four LEAD categories provide students with a well-rounded volunteer experience where you can explore your strengths,” he says.

Both McWhinney and Perpalaj will graduate with distinction during Convocation ceremonies this week, and are headed to graduate school in the fall.

The presentation to LEAD Scholars was part of the Dean’s Breakfast held May 24 at the Jackman School of Dramatic Art.

—Susan McKee

How can communities mitigate the impacts of large-scale infrastructure while also using the opportunity to grow? The community benefits movement is changing the game for how neighbourhoods interact with development projects, says Sarah Morris of the Windsor-Essex Community Benefits Coalition.

She will present stories from communities around North America, discuss the organizing strategies behind them, and describe how Windsor-Essex is on the forefront of the movement in Canada in a lunch and learn session for UWindsor faculty, staff, and students Friday, June 7.

The event will run 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the EPICentre workshop room on the second floor of the Joyce Entrepreneurship Centre. Admission is free but space is limited; to hold a spot, RSVP by May 31 at ctl2.uwindsor.ca/oris/workshops/20/#wkshp-98.

Mitch Fields, dean of the Odette School of Business, will join a panel to discuss opportunities in trade and investment between Windsor-Essex and the south Asian country of Bangladesh, on campus June 12.

The event, sponsored by the Windsor-Essex Regional Chamber of Commerce and the High Commission of Bangladesh as well as the business school, will feature:

• Shakil Mahmud and Miah Md Mainul Kabir, counsellors with the Bangladesh High Commission in Ottawa;
• Rakesh Naidu, CEO of the Windsor-Essex Regional Chamber of Commerce; and
• Saiful Bhuiyan, president of the Bangladesh-Canada Association of Windsor-Essex.

“This informative event will focus on opportunities to enhance trade and investment relations between Windsor-Essex and Bangladesh,” said Naidu.

It is set for 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. June 12 in room 123, Odette Building. Admission is free, but requires advance registration at www.windsorchamber.org.

The Faculty of Nursing, in partnership with Continuing Education, is hosting an institute discussing clinical health research, June 17 to 21. Each day addresses a different theme with experts sharing current information on relevant topics for clinical practice.

“This is a unique event.” explains nursing professor Jody Ralph. “We’ve gathered a diverse group of speakers who will be sharing recent findings and current trends on a range of issues.”

In addition to research methods, the topics include prescribing exercise as treatment, opioid strategy, transgender affirmative health care, indigenous participants in research, and developing a centre of excellence in mental health and addictions.

“Drawing professionals from University of Michigan, Windsor Regional Hospital, Hotel Dieu Grace Health Care, and our own UWindsor faculties — among other industry leaders — we anticipate a very productive few days” says Dr. Ralph.

Faculty, staff, and the general public are invited to attend and can choose single or multiple day enrolment to suit their areas of interest.

The event is also open to UWindsor graduate students as a full course credit. Participants will receive a certificate of completion from Continuing Education.

Meagan Haugh, marketing co-ordinator with continuing education, notes this is the sixth time the institute has been offered.

“It is a great format for bringing students, faculty, industry leaders, and the community together to learn about these relevant issues,” she says.

Further information, including a full list of speakers, their topics, and registration instructions, can be found on the Continuing Education website.

A lot has changed in 25 years, says Dave Montgomery, but one thing hasn’t — the University of Windsor is still the best place he ever worked. A custodian helping to clean the Centre for Engineering Innovation, he was one of 16 UWindsor employees honoured at a luncheon Wednesday for reaching the milestone of a quarter-century of service to the University.

While he credited his staff colleagues as friendly and helpful, Montgomery noted that his job involves a lot more modern equipment now.

“When I started, it was all mop, mop, mop,” he said. “Now we have all the machines to do things right.”

Alumni officer Katherine Simon also commented on the changes technology has made since she joined the staff in the School of Dramatic Art in 1993.

“When I began here, computers were just starting to become common,” she said. “Now everything is on computers to keep up with the fast pace of work.”

Rita LaCivita, vice-president, human resources, congratulated the honorees for 25 years of dedicated service and thanked them for making the University of Windsor the best place to learn, grow, and work.

In an address welcoming the honorees and their guests, interim president Douglas Kneale issued a “huge thank you” for their contributions to the campus and community.

“I’ve been here only five years, so with a quarter-century, each of you has five times more service to the University than I do,” he said.

Find a full list of those faculty and staff recognized for reaching the 25 years of service milestone in 2018 on the Human Resources website.