Dean's update - August 2018

Paul Stolee

Happy New Year!

A new academic year has always seemed to me to be more of a “new beginnings” time of year than the first of January, bringing with it a greater sense of excitement and anticipation (and nervousness).A new academic year also brings many new undergraduate and graduate students into our Faculty. Our Faculty’s orientation events will go a long way to making these students feel welcome, and all of us can support and reinforce those efforts throughout the year.

You have likely seen further notices about UݮƵ’s strategic planning process, and about many opportunities for consultation.I would like to draw your attention to a consultation event specifically for those in AHS, to be held on October 10, from 1:30-3:30 p.m. (location TBA). I would encourage all of you to mark that date in your calendars, and take advantage of that opportunity to help chart the course for the future of our University and our Faculty.

Paul

Paul Stolee, PhD
Professor and Interim Dean
Faculty of Applied Health Sciences

Highlights I Events I Nominations and more


Somehighlights from this month

Gender Equity Research Grant winners named

Several AHS faculty members received 2018 Gender Equity Research Grants from the Equity Office. Congratulations to:

  • Karla Boluk ڴǰBack to work: Exploring the experiences of pre-tenured women negotiating the transition to and from maternity leave;
  • Corey Johnson ڴǰCreating and improving Trans affirming health resources in the ݮƵ Region;
  • John Mielke ڴǰHow might gender, work strain, and perceived social support interact to affect the way that stress 'gets under the skin' of professors at the University of ݮƵ.

The grants of up to $10,000 support research that addresses gender equity, especially as itadvances ݮƵ’s threeor demonstratesrelevance to the University.

Two AHS projects receive LITE Seed Grants

AHS faculty and grad students received two of the fiveLearning Innovation and Teaching Enhancement (LITE)Seed Grants this term: Corey Johnson and Luc Cousineau ڴǰCreating immersive assignments for deeper learning around diversity, multiculturalism, and social justice in leisure,Ի Elena Nieterman and Christine Sheppard for Life stories of older adults: Learning aging through research and reflection.Funded by the Office of the Associate Vice-President, Academic, and the Centre for Teaching Excellence, the grants of up to $5,000have been awarded since 2012 to instructors and staff investigating innovative approaches to enhancing teaching and fostering deep student learning at ݮƵ. In addition to Seed Grants, the LITE program offers Full Grants of up to $30,000 for large-scale investigations. The next deadline is October 1.

Innovation Showcase features AHS faculty

The Canadian Frailty Network, funded by the Networks of Centres of Excellence program, recognized faculty members and Schlegel Research ChairsHeather Keller and George Heckman as being amongCanada's top 30 innovators in a competition titled Frailty Matters. Keller and Heckman willpresenttheir projects:Integrated Nutrition Pathway for Acute CareԻ Enhancing Knowledge for Interprofessional Care in Heart Failure,respectively,at the on September 20.

MAREP moves to the Research Institute for Aging

This fall,the Murray Alzheimer Research and Education Program (MAREP) will move its home base from AHS to the Schlegel-UW Research Institute for Aging (RIA). The move will allow for more interdisciplinary research and support for MAREP’s key projects, including the successful LIVING the Dementia Journeyprogram. MAREP has been improving dementia care practices in Canada and around the world through research and education since 1993. The Faculty would like to acknowledge Lisa Loiselle for her leadership and dedication to MAREP. She is helping ensure a smooth transition over the coming weeks, and we wish her all the best in her future pursuits. For more information, please see the MAREP news announcement.

Recruitment season kicks off withOUF

AHS booth at OUFA big thank you to all the faculty, staff and students who have signed on to volunteer at the . This three-day event marksthe unofficial start of the year's undergraduate recruitment efforts, with all 21 Ontario universities presenting their programs at Toronto's Metro Convention Centre on September 28-30.If you have friends in the GTA withGrade 12 students, suggest theyvisit the ݮƵ booth as they consider their options.

How to support students in distress

Exclamation mark graphicAs a new group of students joins our community, this is a goodtimeto check out a resource provided by Campus Wellness. Supporting Our Studentsis a guide with tips on how to recognize, respond to, and refer students in distress, as well as contact information for referral agencies both on and off campus. The guide is available asonline PDFs, or you can request a print copy.

2020-2025 Strategic Plan development

The University is developing a new strategic plan that will define ݮƵ’s priorities, goals, and objectives for 2020-2025. In September, the Consultation Phase will begin in earnest; this phasewill confirm a vision and values statementԻ gather input and feedback on what we need to achieve by 2025, including what success looks like. A Faculty-specific consultation is tentatively scheduled for Thursday, October 10Ի all members of the AHS community will be invitedto attend. In the meantime, please reviewthe issue papers and other evidenceԻ sign up for any of theissue papers'consultation sessions.


Upcoming events

Orientation week: September 2-8

JUR-AHS-SIC orientation logoFirst-year students move inon September 2Ի 3, followed by Orientation programming until Saturday, September 8. AHS is expecting approximately 600 of our first-years to attend Orientation programming. If you see them on campus, feel free to stop and say hi! Any interested staff or facultymember can view the Orientation schedule onOpen Portal; use the "First Year" menu to choose AHS for Faculty-specificactivities.Or, if you have any questions, please contactBecca Lintaman.

AHS HeForShe meeting: September 7

If you have ideas for new HeForShe initiatives, please bring them along to the next meeting at noon, September 7, in AHS 2677, or join one of the current working groups. Allfaculty, staff and students, and newcomers are welcome. If you have any questions, contact Corey Johnson.

Reunion 2018: September 22

Reunion logoIt's almost here!Visit the to reserve a spot in the Fun Run (the longest-running Reunion tradition), the VIP tent at the Warriors football game and more!

Hallman Lecture on Love and Sex: September 27

Justin GarciaProfessor Justin Garcia of Indiana University examines romantic and sexual attitudes and behaviours of single adults in the digital age in this Hallman talk titled Love and Sex in the Digital Age. A reception will follow. Please register in advance for the lecture.

Write for The Conversation: September 27

The Conversation logoThere is still time to register for a session on how to write for , aplatform for academics to write thought-provoking, informative pieces in their area of expertise that isshared with Canadian Press news outlets across the country. Editor Scott White will be on campus September 27 from 1-3 p.m. to speak withcurrent researchers and academics. Please register for a spot withʲٳ, university media relationsmanager.


Nominations, awards and more

HeForShe writing contest opens

The third annual HeForShe writing contest is soliciting stories, real and imagined, about building a better and more equitable world, from all members of the community. A $500 prize will be awarded for the top submission in each category: poetry, creative non-fiction, and fiction. The contest will close on October 1. Selected submissions will also be included in a special UݮƵ anthology on gender equity that will be published on March 8 (International Women’s Day). For more information, please visit the HeForShe website.

New subscribers to Dean's Update

Department administrators are asked to let Eugenia Xenos Anderson know of any new faculty, staff, or graduate students who would be interested in receiving this monthly update. Likewise, if there are faculty, staff and grad students who have moved on, please let her knowԻ she will remove them from the mailing list. Thank you!