Pamela Nadin-McIntyre (BASc 1986) was introduced to the importance of innovation and its role in business at a young age. The daughter of a Windsor tool and die business owner, she remembers watching her dad brainstorm and execute countless ideas to drive business and stay competitive.

Decades later and three provinces away, she is the innovation lead — in addition to safety, technical safety, and risk management — for Canada’s largest independent crude oil and natural gas producer, Canadian Natural Resources Limited. For someone who is passionate about the environment, it’s more than just a job.

“We see there is still a need for fossil fuels for quite some time, which is why it’s so important to continuously improve and ensure the smallest environmental footprint,” says Nadin-McIntyre. “Canada has world-leading standards for responsible development of our resources, including safety, asset integrity, and environmental protection.”

She is particularly proud of her company’s field pilot project on an alternative bitumen extraction method. Unlike previous methods, the In-Pit Extraction Process involves a relocatable, modular extraction plant that processes ore and separates bitumen in the mine pit rather than at facilities further away on the site, eliminating the need for material transportation by truck, pipeline length, tailings ponds, and the energy needed to pump material.

Nadin-McIntyre says she enjoyed her time at the University of Windsor.

“I loved the one-on-one interactions with my professors,” she says. “I felt very much a part of a community and it really helped me with grounding and learning.”

Although she now lives in Calgary, she maintains close ties with Windsor Engineering and has established scholarships in honour of her parents — the Eric and Mary Elizabeth Nadin Memorial Bursaries are distributed annually to students in engineering and education.

Read the full article in the 2019 issue of Windsor Engineering (WE).

The Office of Open Learning invites colleagues from across the open, online, and technology-enhanced teaching continuum to join the conversation for their last Community of Practice session of the year on Friday, Dec. 13, where a call for proposals for new grants to support this work will be announced.

“This time of year prompts us to ask questions about how we can solve some of the challenges we have experienced over the year, and what we might want to work on for next year,” says Nick Baker, director of the office of open learning. “To support this work, the Office of Open Learning is offering funding to help faculty and staff explore open, online, and technology-enhanced learning and teaching.”

Early innovators and adopters of technologies are willing to take risks designing learning environments on their own, but many more are open to trying new ideas if they have a little encouragement and support from their colleagues, or can see examples of what others have done.

In addition to announcing the funding call, the Community of Practice meeting is a chance to share practices of some innovative faculty who are infusing digital technology into their teaching and learning practices.

“It’s been another busy year in online and open learning, and we wanted to take the time to come together as a community of educators to celebrate the year and share some of the tips and tricks we have learned in teaching online and with technology,” says learning specialist Nobuko Fujita.

Colleagues are invited to join the Open Learning team and collaborators over coffee and snacks in celebrating the year and sharing some tricks of the trade:

• engaging students in online classes,
• managing assessment at a distance,
• creating a custom banner to spruce up your Blackboard course site,
• recording a quick video to provide student feedback, adopting an open textbook,
• embedding interactive content in course sites, and more.

Registration is now open at https://ctl2.uwindsor.ca/openlearning/workshops/9/#wkshp-119.

Retirees remain important members of UWindsor community, and an association representing them has expanded its membership criteria to include retired non-union managers and administrators.

The Windsor University Retirees’ Association advocates for members on issues affecting them in retirement, and provides a social outlet to maintain contact with colleagues. It held its 15th annual holiday luncheon Wednesday in the Freed-Orman Commons.

“We all put in long years serving this institution. It is unthinkable that this link should be severed upon retirement,” says president Roger Lauzon. “Our association can help provide fellowship and the continuation of links that would otherwise slip away.”

Membership allows retention of certain privileges, including borrowing from University libraries and access to email services, as well as invitations to the group’s social activities. It had previously been restricted to retired faculty, librarians, and senior academic administrators.

The rule change will provide a welcome to other non-union managers, Lauzon says.

“We work side-by-side for decades and grow to know and appreciate each other,” he says. “Our members have decided to extend those bonds past our working careers.”

Find a list of member benefits on the association website.

With the Dec. 10 Human Rights Day having just passed, the Office of Human Rights, Equity, and Accessibility will present several awards at its annual OHREA Awards and Open House reception Friday, Dec. 13.

The awardees will be celebrated for advancing human rights and social justice, mental health, employment equity, and accessibility at the University of Windsor.

Awards will be presented in the following categories:

• Accessibility Award;
• Employment Equity Award;
• Human Rights and Social Justice Award;
• Mental Health Champion Award;
• The OHREA Award

The open house will run noon to 1:30 p.m. in Vanier Hall’s Katzman Lounge, with the awards presentation from 12:15 to 12:45 p.m. The event promises warm beverages, light lunch and snack foods, and live music.

Organizers invite the campus community to bring non-perishable food items for donation to the student food bank. For more information, visit webpages for the OHREA awards and open house, email ohrea@uwindsor.ca, or phone 519-253-3000, ext. 3400.

The Organization of Part-time University Students will continue collecting donations to the Student Food Bank through Tuesday, Dec. 17.

“OPUS is very pleased to be a part of such a noble and needed cause,” says executive director Maryan Amalow. “We appreciate the generosity of donors and encourage everyone to get involved and make a difference this holiday season.”

Students, faculty, and staff may drop off non-perishable food items in the OPUS office, located in room 172, CAW Student Centre.