PhD candidate Yunhong Lyu won the Probability Section Student Research Presentation Award at the 2023 Statistical Society of Canada annual meeting, held in Ottawa from May 28 to 31. The award is given to the student who made the best presentation with substantial novelties in probability and stochastic processes.

“This award is evaluated by presentation and theory of your work, so winning validates my work on this topic,” says Lyu.

The mathematics and statistics graduate student presented her findings on probabilistic aspects of improving a mathematical model that is used to model some interest rate movements.

“The classical Cox-Ingersoll-Ross (CIR) model is not suitable for fitting the financial data with long-term periodic behaviour, such as historical corn price, or spot gold price. Indeed, this classical model is set up for data with a constant long-term trend,” Lyu says.

“Our new model generalizes the classical CIR model, fits the data better, and gives good prediction for future values. Our model can be used in several areas where the classical CIR has been applied, as in finance and economics.”

Lyu’s supervisor, math and stats professor Sévérien Nkurunziza, says he is “very proud” of his student.

“I would like to highlight the fact that, this is the second time within the last three years a student from the University of Windsor mathematics and statistics department wins such a distinguished award for a PhD candidate,” says Dr. Nkurunziza.

Nkurunziza adds that a couple of years ago, such awards seemed to be reserved to big Canadian universities.

“The fact that, every two out of three years, we have a winner, gives a strong indication of a very high performance of our mathematics and statistics department. Once again, I would like to congratulate Yunhong Lyu for this great job.”

The award carries with it a cash prize of $750.

Don’t be alarmed should you happen to notice some young aspiring witches and wizards on campus this week. The Faculty of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences is running a Harry Potter themed summer camp for children aged 7 to 12.

The magical adventure, organized in partnership with Lancer Summer Camps, promises an experience filled with creativity, friendship, and the joy of exploring magic, wonder, and imagination through a range of disciplines. Whether they’re budding actors, talented painters, passionate writers, or creative dreamers, there’s something extraordinary waiting for campers at FAHSS Academy.

Students will strengthen their Hogwarts application through such activities and workshops as:

• Drama — Go behind the scenes and create a magic wand in the prop shop, design a button for your wizard cape in the costume shop, and enjoy drama games on a real theatre stage.
   
• Visual arts — Create wizard-inspired masterpieces using varied media, painting, drawing, and colouring.
   
• Creative writing — Explore the realm of magical storytelling and embark on your own literary adventures. Write and create a potion that you will take home to the muggle world with you.
   
• Music — Let the rhythm and melodies of the wizarding world guide your footsteps. You will become the conductor and your wand will tap along to the music.
   
• Film — See how Harry Potter was created through images on a green screen, be inspired in a real studio space filled with cameras, lights, and action.
   
• Quidditch — Experience the thrill of the most beloved sport in the wizarding world.
   

The faculty’s recruitment and outreach co-ordinator, Sheri Lowrie, says she is excited to welcome young Potter enthusiasts.

“Through a fusion of arts and the magic of the wizarding world, this camp will ignite the spark of inspiration within every camper, leaving them with lifelong memories and a renewed passion for the arts,” she says. “Let the journey begin, and the magic of creativity guide us all.”

This week is the first of two offerings this summer. There is still space in the second, which runs Aug. 21 to 25. Register through the Lancer Camps website.

A new document released by the Office of the Vice-President, People, Equity, and Inclusion highlights the key role leaders and managers play in fostering employee engagement.

“Academic and administrative leaders and managers across the University shape organizational culture, create the conditions in the work environment for faculty and staff to feel inspired, motivated, safe, and proud, and foster a sense of belonging,” says Clinton Beckford, vice-president, people, equity, and inclusion. “A lot of great work is being done across the University to turn the Employee Engagement Survey results into action.”

According to the Conference Board of Canada, employee engagement positively impacts their physical and psychological wellbeing, increases productivity and performance, improves customer service, increases levels of innovation, and decreases turnover and absenteeism.

Marcela Ciampa, director of organizational and leadership development, says the document, “Fostering Employee Engagement,” outlines evidence-based practices clustered into six factors:

• impact and connection with senior leadership
• connection with managers and supervisors
• meaningful and challenging work
• growth and learning
• recognition and appreciation
• positive and supportive work culture

She encourages campus leaders and managers to use its ideas to reflect on practices they may wish to bring to their units in order to boost employee engagement in their teams. This document, which includes a self-reflection worksheet, can be found on the Employee Engagement Survey website.

The survey website also provides a snapshot of efforts by faculties and departments to turn the survey results into action.

A free public reception Thursday will celebrate the grand opening of “Nikola Tesla: An Exhibit” at the Serbian Heritage Museum.

Science student Athena Cox is working at the museum, located in the Serbian Centre at 6770 Tecumseh Rd. East.

“The exhibit is timed to honour the 80th anniversary of the death of Tesla, an inventor and futurist,” Cox says. “We’ll have two styles of Nikola Tesla tote bags available for purchase, with proceeds helping to fund the museum.”

The event will run 6 to 8 p.m. July 6.