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Carleton’s Inclusion Week Explores Solutions to Pandemic and Social Justice Challenges

In the wake of a public health crisis, worldwide protests against systemic racism and in recognition of the priorities of Carleton’s new Strategic Integrated Plan (SIP), the Carleton University community will come together during the second annual Inclusion Week, which runs virtually from Oct. 19 to Oct. 23, 2020. The weeklong event series will raise awareness of the value of human rights work, celebrate the power of inclusion in our community, and explore practical ways to further integrate inclusion into the life and mission of the university. “Carleton is a diverse community that strives for inclusion, but we are part of the broader world and in no way immune from these issues and challenges,” Carleton President Benoit-Antoine Bacon and Provost…

Carleton to Host Second Annual Inclusion Week

Carleton University is hosting its second annual Inclusion Week, featuring a broad array of events from Oct. 19 to 23, 2020. Organized by Carleton’s Department of Equity and Inclusive Communities (EIC), Inclusion Week will raise visibility and awareness of the value of human rights and equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI). It will also prompt an exploration of practical ways to integrate those principles into Carleton’s organizational structures and culture, and promote prosperity in the community. Our new Strategic Integrated Plan, launched on Sept. 30, outlines a commitment to work together in ways that demonstrate our commitment to EDI.  Our forthcoming Institutional EDI Action Plan looks to set a national standard for best practices. All are welcome to join. Media are invited to attend…

Carleton University Announces Two Canada Research Chairs in Engineering and Neurobiology

Two Carleton University professors, Mohammad Reza Kholghy and Natalina Salmaso, have been announced as Tier 2 Canada Research Chairs (CRC). Kholghy will be the CRC in Particle Technology and Combustion Engineering and Salmaso will be renewed as the CRC in Behavioural Neurobiology. The two researchers will receive a combined $1.1 million in funding. “Carleton attracts outstanding academics due to our existing strengths in multidisciplinary research,” said Rafik Goubran, vice-president (Research and International). “They bolster our leadership position in engineering and neurobiology. Congratulations to our newest CRCs who are making significant strides in addressing real-world issues.” CRCs aim to achieve research excellence in engineering and the natural sciences, health sciences, humanities and social sciences. They improve Canada’s depth of knowledge and…

Carleton Faculty Members Receive Support for High-Risk, High-Reward Research from New Frontiers in Research Fund 

Five Carleton University researchers received a combined $1.25 million in support from the Exploration stream of the New Frontiers in Research Fund (NFRF) to support high-risk, high-reward research in the areas of intelligent robotics, digital integration in the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industries, air quality and climate change policy, evolutionary transitions in amphibians, and Parkinson's disease. “Carleton’s outstanding researchers and their important work have been recognized by the prestigious NFRF program. We applaud their incredible vision and are proud to support them,” said Rafik Goubran, vice-president (Research and International). “These projects have the potential to greatly impact the lives of Canadians and represent several multidisciplinary areas of research strength in which Carleton excels.” The Exploration stream supports research that is not easily funded…

Carleton Moves on Ambitious Plan to Support Action on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

Although more work remains to be done in the weeks and months ahead, Carleton University is a big step closer to an ambitious plan for institutional strategic action on equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI). Following a busy summer of online wellness and engagement sessions in response to racial injustice organized by the Department of Equity and Inclusive Communities (EIC), the Equity and Inclusive Communities Advisory Group has released its draft recommendations. The recommendations emerge from an institutional EDI survey and more than 40 targeted consultations with key partners and stakeholders. The ideas in the document will be the focus of a pair of upcoming virtual town halls — on Sept. 22 and Oct. 14 — in which anybody from the…

The Scientific and Social Impacts of COVID-19: Panel Discussion

The Faculty of Science at Carleton University will host a panel discussion on the scientific and social impacts of COVID-19 featuring Brent Moloughney, associate medical officer of health with Ottawa Public Health. When: September 14, 2020 from 1:30 until 3 p.m Registration: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_KlKUIlzqR9e4BdXGB0nCIQ. For more information about the event, visit: https://science.carleton.ca/cu_event/the-scientific-and-social-impacts-of-covid-19-panel-discussion/.  All are welcome to join this online panel discussion. Moloughney will be joined by Carleton's Erling Rud, professor in the Department of Health Science , Kim Hellemans, professor in the Department of Neuroscience , Hashmat Khan, professor in the Department of Economics, Tim Pychyl, professor in the Department of Psychology as they discuss the risks of the pandemic from biomedical, psychological and economic perspectives, with an emphasis on how…

Carleton’s Kim Hellemans Receives Award of Excellence

Carleton University Neuroscience Prof. Kim Hellemans has received an Award of Excellence from the Ontario Minister of Colleges and Universities in recognition of her dedication to the local community, students and the broader post-secondary education sector during the COVID-19 pandemic. Prof. Kim Hellemans Hellemans was nominated by students for her thoughtful and personal approach to teaching. “The quick pivot to online/remote learning back in March was incredibly stressful for everyone, including my students,” says Hellemans. “I was conscientious about touching base and regularly communicating with my students to ensure (that), not only were they doing okay with my class, but doing okay overall.” The Award of Excellence was created to help shine a spotlight on the work being done by…

Students as Partners Program Pairs Students and Instructors to Design Courses

Carleton’s Students as Partners Program (SaPP) gives students the opportunity to work with instructors to develop courses and create a student-centred learning environment. “We want to ensure that our curriculum and our course design speaks truth to power,” says David Hornsby, associate vice-president (Teaching and Learning). Associate Vice-President (Teaching and Learning) David J. Hornsby “Students gain skills from participating in course development, and faculty members gain an understanding of how learning environments can help students be successful.” The program launched in January 2020, with 20 courses in the first cohort. By summer, there were more than 100 courses being redesigned in all five of Carleton’s faculties, making it the largest program of its kind in Canada. “When we say that…

Carleton Mentoring High Schoolers Keen on Research

The incredible recovery of former U.S. congresswoman Gabby Giffords from a traumatic brain injury, sustained when she was shot in the head in 2011, has been inspiring to many—not least a Grade 12 student at Ottawa’s Lisgar Collegiate Institute. Wim Creutzberg became fascinated by the way Giffords regained the ability to speak when her brain’s neuroplasticity was engaged by music therapy. “The brain processes music like no other stimulus,” he says. “The more I looked into it, the more interested I got in how we process patterns and why that can make us feel good.” With help, he developed a methodology to investigate changes in dopamine activity in response to anticipated pattern alterations in music. In February, he was using…

Carleton University’s Melissa Chee Unveils New Knowledge on the Brain’s Zone of Uncertainty

Carleton University’s Melissa Chee, in partnership with Arshad Khan from the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), has published new research revealing that dopamine is produced by neurons in the zona incerta. This research recently appeared on the cover of the Journal of Comparative Neurology. Three of Chee’s students also worked on the project. Rebecca Butler and Kayla Schumacker were undergraduates at the time, and worked with Mikayla Payant, now a PhD student. They used a technique to identify enzymes that a cell would need to make dopamine, as well as dopamine itself. “It was a joy to be able to share this research with undergraduates. They are so much more capable than they are sometimes given credit for,”…