Science Matters Winter 2022
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In 2016 we started following our Destination Science plan to increase the number and diversity of high impact learning experiences for students, enhance support for research and build new and sustainable community and industry partnerships. The result has been record-high undergraduate and graduate enrolments that have allowed us to invest further in the student experience and faculty research. The latter has nearly doubled in the last five years and as you can see from this and past newsletters, our faculty, staff, and students are increasingly recognized as local, national, and international leaders in Health and Biomedical Sciences, Ecology and Environment, Materials Chemistry and Physics, and Advanced Computing, Mathematics and Economics.
To sustain and continue this success in recruitment, research, and reputation, we have started working on a new Strategic Plan for the Faculty of Science that will guide us for the next five years. We hope that you will join us in developing and implementing our new strategic plan. Please watch out for an email from me with a link to a survey about what your thoughts on where and how we can invest in the Student Experience, Research, Teaching and Learning and Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Decolonization. I look forward to your input and support for our continued success.
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New Initiatives in Science |
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One-year Master of Science program to bridge gap between lab and clinic |
In the emerging field of health science there exists a gap between advances in laboratory medical research and health care in clinical practice – the Faculty of Science wants to bridge that gap.
UWindsor is bringing together a network of health professionals to create its new Master of Science in Translational Health Science (MSTHS) program in the Department of Biomedical Science.
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Dora Cavallo-Medved is the acting associate dean of science for faculty and student engagement.
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New position responsible for science student experience |
The student experience is a top priority for the Faculty of Science, which is why it has created a new associate dean position for faculty and student engagement.
The position will be responsible for developing, co-ordinating, and promoting student and faculty participation in high-impact learning experiences that support student recruitment and retention and strengthen student-faculty partnerships.
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System logs student experience on high-tech equipment |
Faculty of Science students have the unique opportunity to use high-tech research equipment on UWindsor’s campus. With a new Research Instrumentation Management System called Badger, they can now obtain proof of training and hours logged on these specialized instruments.
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Postdoctoral research associate John Hayward logged on to use this Nuclear Magnetic Resonance machine. |
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A $500,000 gift will provide up to $20,000 per year to cover tuition, residence, and meal plan fees for First Nations, Métis, and Inuit students.
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Donor funds scholarship to benefit Indigenous students |
An anonymous donor has stepped forward to establish a scholarship that will provide First Nations, Métis, and Inuit (FNMI) students with a full-ride scholarship in the fields of science, technology, engineering, or math.
The $500,000 gift will provide up to $20,000 per year to cover tuition, residence, and a meal plan, if required, to eligible students.
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Faculty attracting attention |
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Physics professor recognized for educational leadership |
Physics professor Chitra Rangan’s sustained commitment to students has had an impact across the University of Windsor, the Windsor community, and other institutions.
Now that commitment has earned her the Educational Leadership Award, the Office of the Provost and the Centre for Teaching and Learning have announced.
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Physics professor Chitra Rangan is this year’s winner of the Educational Leadership Award. |
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NanoOntario has recognized chemistry professor Tricia Carmichael for her research into electronic textiles and wearable motion sensors. |
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Chemist wins notice for nanoscience research |
Tricia Carmichael’s research into electronic textiles and wearable motion sensors has won her the Award for Outstanding Mid-Career Achievements from NanoOntario’s 2021 Awards in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology.
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Gold medals honour academic excellence for science doctoral grads |
Doctoral grad Sarah Larocque, seen here posing with a young salmon research subject, is one of two winners of the Governor General’s Gold Medal. |
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Doctoral grad Yunyun Wu is one of two winners of the Governor General’s Gold Medal.
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Two science alumnae are UWindsor’s Governor General’s Gold Medallists for academic excellence at the graduate level and will be recognized during Fall Convocation ceremonies Friday, Nov. 5: Yunyun Wu (PhD 2020) in chemistry and Sarah Larocque (PhD 2021) in environmental science.
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COVID-19 research & events |
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Ken Drouillard tests a two-ply cotton mask made of T-shirt material using a TSI Portacount Fit Tester and TSI Particle Generator in this photo by Rebecca Rudman. |
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Researcher's "mask hacks" suggest alternatives to scarce N95s |
Wearing a two-ply cotton mask fastened tightly with ties over a basic medical mask offers similar protection to wearing an N95 filtering respirator, research by a UWindsor scientist has found.
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Research shows effectiveness of homemade masks |
A research project led by Ken Drouillard of the Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research has concluded that certain simple two-ply cotton masks can be as effective as some surgical medical masks — or more so.
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Properly made cotton masks, like these made by the Windsor Essex Sewing Force, can be as effective as surgical medical masks. |
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Student-led online event to address vaccine hesitancy among Windsor-Essex young people |
Windsor-Essex residents ages 18 to 24 years old remain the category with the lowest COVID-19 vaccination rates in the region — but a student-led initiative is trying to change that.
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Wastewater COVID testing rising to the occasion |
As some places limit PCR testing for COVID-19 and redeploy contact tracing staff to vaccination efforts, experts have stressed that daily case counts no longer paint the full picture of viral levels within communities.
Researchers at the Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research (GLIER) believe wastewater testing continues to give the most accurate metric to determine where viral activity is propagating.
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Computer science students representing Windsor on world stage |
Six UWindsor students have become global IBM Z Ambassadors. The leadership program is designed for personal and professional development and is offered to computer science students by IBM and Your Big Year.
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Vishakha Gautam is one of six UWindsor students named IBM Z Ambassadors for 2021-22. |
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Emma Blanchette, a grad student in physics, won the Best Student Paper Award at the IEEE International Conference on Plasma Science. |
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UWindsor physics research hailed as Best Student Paper at international conference |
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Science student signs on to climate challenge |
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Environmental studies major Maddie Peters represented Canada at the United Nations Climate Change Conference of Youth. |
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Grace Johnson will exercise her own curiosity and perseverance as the 2021 recipient of the Baylis Physics Research Internship. |
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Astrophysics and spectroscopy on agenda for research intern |
The recipient of the 2021 Baylis Physics Research Internship plans to investigate the use of laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy on the Mars rovers Curiosity and Perseverance.
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Researchers extoll virtues of aquatic telemetry |
Using sound to track the movement of fish is a technique that should be used to better monitor ecosystems and set conservation policies globally, contends a UWindsor ecologist.
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Aquatic telemetry should be widely used to manage fisheries, set climate policy, protect species, and drive other management objectives around the world, a group of experts say in a recently published article. Photo courtesy of Jordan Matley
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Biochemistry professor Kenneth Ng is studying a naturally occurring enzyme in poppy plants in the hope of developing new medical compounds. |
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Opiate research could lead to better pain managment |
A UWindsor biochemistry professor is on a quest to discover new medicinal compounds by studying an enzyme occurring naturally in the poppy plant.
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Breast cancer research focused on proteins in natural killer cells |
UWindsor’s Munir Rahim is launching ground-breaking research that could lead to new treatments for breast cancer.
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Biochemistry assistant professor Munir Rahim has been awarded a $120,000 grant from the Cancer Research Society to study how breast cancer interacts with receptors on the surface of immune cells. |
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Matthew Yates plans to use environmental DNA to get a clearer picture of which fish live in the Great Lakes and what they eat. |
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Researcher using DNA to unlock the mystery of what is living in the Great Lakes |
The Great Lakes are teeming with DNA and this genetic information could help with fish management and sustainability.
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Project to probe problems related to aerodynamics |
A research partnership with deep connections to the University of Windsor aims to improve the aerodynamic performance of road vehicles.
Math and statistics assistant professor Mohamed Belalia is teaming up with a nascent company founded by UWindsor professor emeritus Ron Barron on a two-year project that will first generate vast amounts of data related to the flow of air over a generic vehicle, then use artificial intelligence to analyze that data to come up with the best solutions for problems related to aerodynamics.
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Math and statistics assistant professor Mohamed Belalia is teaming up with professor emeritus Ron Barron on a project that aims to improve the aerodynamics of road vehicles.
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Engineering professor Jalal Ahamed holds a sensor on his fingertip with a magnified image in the background of a high-density sensor array similar to what will be imbedded in insoles to measure gait.
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Walk this way: UWindsor researchers developing prototype of diagnostic insole |
Insoles embedded with tiny sensors may soon diagnose problems with the way you walk.
A team of UWindsor researchers is taking the first steps toward bringing this invention to market. Armed with provisional patents and a difficult-to-obtain, research and development grant from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), members hope to have a prototype ready for commercialization by this time next year.
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Prostate cancer research gets two-year funding boost |
Oncologists may soon have a new tool to outsmart prostate cancer thanks to research by UWindsor biochemistry assistant professor John Trant.
Dr. Trant is developing imaging agents to help oncologists distinguish between different types of prostate cancer. The agents would offer better, quicker, and cheaper diagnoses than current imaging techniques.
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John Trant has been awarded a $120,000 grant through the Cancer Research Society to devise a new way to diagnose prostate cancer. |
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Citizen scientists and UWindsor to monitor coastal changes at five national parks |
When you take a photo of yourself, that’s a selfie. When you take a photo of the coast, that’s a coastie!
Parks Canada is launching the Coastie Initiative, a new citizen science program in five Parks Canada administered locations. Pictures taken by visitors in these places will help monitor coastal change over time.
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A new citizen science program invites visitors to take photos in national parks to help monitor coastal change.
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Other impressive highlights across science |
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2021 Alumni Award winners from science |
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Dr. Phil De Luna (BSc 2013) won the 2021 Alumni Odyssey Award
This award recognizes alumni in the early years of their career, having distinguished themselves through successes in their career endeavours, notable achievements in their local community or the University of Windsor.
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Dwania McLarty-Peele (BSc 2011) won the 2021 Alumni Ambassador Award
This award recognizes alumni in mid-career who have made significant achievements in their professional life, community, and volunteer work.
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Faculty Spotlight Video II |
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Our YouTube channel brings to life the stories from #WindsorScience - from student student opportunities to innovative research.
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The Faculty of Science has helped students achieve their promise since the founding of the University in 1963. Our campaign will help us attract and empower the finest faculty, staff, and, students through new capital projects, multidisciplinary research and the student experience.
Investments in our strategic funding priorities will help us achieve our goals to advance the Faculty of Science to a new unprecedented level.
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UWindsor Launches Strategic Planning Survey |
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The University of Windsor is embarking on its next strategic plan and is calling on the campus and external communities in the Windsor-Essex region and beyond to help inform that process.
Aspire: Together for Tomorrow will be the most important five-year navigational tool guiding the institution’s decision making by informing its common vision, values, priorities and goals.
The Strategic Planning Survey is one step in the comprehensive strategic planning process. Responses will help inform where we want to go as a university and how we can best get there. Participation in the survey is voluntary and anonymous. To complete the survey and be eligible for prizes, respondents must be eighteen (18) years of age or older.
For the survey link and more information about the strategic plan, visit: engageuwindsor.ca
The planning process will inform short- and long-term goals, establish benchmarks to measure progress, establish public accountability reporting and determine how resources and energies are directed.
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Faculty of Science
University of Windsor
401 Sunset Ave.
Windsor, ON N9B 3P4
519-253-3000 Extension: 3009
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