Trent University Ranked in Top Ten Undergraduate Research Universities

Trent University has been ranked third in Ontario and sixth in Canada for undergraduate research according to the annual rankings by Research Infosource Inc. announced Wednesday.

Faculty and student researchers at Trent University examine the impact of global warming on tree swallows in the Trent Nature Areas and Lakefield Lagoons, Peterborough courtesy of Trent University.

This year’s rankings also place the University in the undergraduate Winner’s Circle in two categories – first in Ontario (second in Canada) for not-for-profit research income growth percentage and second in Canada for corporate research income growth percentage.

“Our faculty, graduate and undergraduate students work closely with diverse partners to conduct significant leading-edge research,” says Dr. Cathy Bruce, Trent acting vice president of research and innovation. “The 2021 Research Infosource rankings clearly reflect the growth and leadership of community-based and partnered research at Trent, with top-two honours in the corporate and not-for-profit research categories. Being number two in research income growth in our class is a testament to the dedication of Trent researchers and the engagement of our broader research community.”

Trent was ranked second among undergraduate institutions for the growth percentage of corporate and not-for-profit research income, increasing research income in these categories by nearly 300% and more than 3,000%, respectively, over the last 20 years.

Maclean’s has ranked Trent as the top undergraduate institution in Ontario for the past 11 years.

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Trent University and Fleming College Partner in Conservation Biology Transfer Pathway Program

Graduates of Fleming College’s Conservation Biology program can now transfer into Trent University’s conservation biology or biology programs in a new agreement between the two institutions announced Monday.

Trent University has been ranked number one in Canada for sustainability education and research by the 2021 UI GreenMetric World University Rankings. Photo courtesy of Trent University.

“Trent’s Conservation Biology program is among the first of its kind in North America. Students benefit from the mentorship of faculty experts,” said Dr. Erica Nol, Trent biology professor. “The new Conservation Biology transfer pathway between Trent and Fleming allows us to together build on the rich higher education opportunities available in the Peterborough region.”

With 11 on-campus nature areas, state-of-the-art laboratories and one of Canada’s top 20 Biology programs, the opportunities to explore innovative solutions to counteract the growing loss of wildlife and habitat are virtually endless at Trent. Students also benefit from the department’s unique on-campus partnership and connection with the Ministry of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry, enhancing interactions in teaching and research, as well as hands-on working experience through various field courses and placements with groups like provincial and federal ministries, local conservation authorities Nature Conservancy Canada, Toronto Zoo, and Parks Canada.

“Fleming’s Conservation Biology diploma is the only program of its kind in Ontario as it focuses on conservation efforts using the latest research and technology, including genetics and environmental DNA,” said Maureen Adamson, Fleming president. “Transitioning from our unique diploma program to the bachelor’s degree at Trent will provide students access to the latest tools and practical knowledge and give students a competitive edge when entering the job market.”

Through this agreement, graduates of Fleming College’s Conservation Biology diploma program can obtain either their B.Sc. (Honours) in Conservation Biology or B.Sc. (Honours) in Biology with an optional Specialization in Conservation Biology through Trent – graduating with both their diploma and degree in as little as five years.

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Local Retired Teacher With Cancer Ready To Take the Next Step

After being diagnosed with medullary thyroid cancer and 30 years of teaching, local teacher Andrew Astrom is going from the classroom to the real estate world.

Astrom has played high school football with NHL’s Vegas Golden Knights insider and Peterborough native Gary Lawless. Photo courtesy of Andrew Astrom.

Astrom discovered his cancer on May 4 and had surgery on Aug. 5 where his thyroid and several lymph nodes were removed. He has lost most of his voice, has side neck pain and suffers nerve pain when he eats.

He retired from Holy Cross Secondary school in late December after the fall semester of last year following a 20-year tenure. He made his decision due to his cancer and influence from his recently retired colleague Andre Metivier.

Astrom retired from Holy Cross taking with him a lock, pictures of his sons and a Rubik’s cube. Photo courtesy of Andrew Astrom.

He spent his first five years teaching in Lindsay then worked at Immaculate Conception School in Peterborough for another five. The rest of his tenure was spent at Holy Cross teaching a variety of subjects but with a focus on social sciences.

"There were some tough days in education but most of it has been great,” reflected Astrom. “The kids you meet, the colleagues you have, just the added experiences of sports and all of those things. It's been an amazing run.

Astrom with his wife Tammie have three sons together with two of them as collegiate quarterbacks. Photo courtesy of Andrew Astrom.

Astrom is following in his wife’s footsteps as a real estate agent with Bowes & Cocks. He is close to having full certification as the next step of his life. He says he refuses to let his cancer hold him down from being a functional member of society.

“I've just said it's time to get going here,” remarked Astrom. “I'm not a good victim, I'm not a good patient so I had to find a way for me to get back to being useful.”

Astrom is scheduled for a follow-up surgery at St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto later this year.

Some of his hobbies include woodworking and playing guitar. He has been the offensive coordinator for the Holy Cross football team during the school’s second season in 2003.

After 30 years of teaching, Astrom says he will miss all the students he has met over the years.

“I will always love being in front of kids,” he said. “There’s a lot of kids that have connected with my style and my personality and a lot who didn’t. I don’t take it personally but I will miss all the kids.”

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Peterborough Public Health Provides Guidance to Reduce COVID-19 Spread Schools to Families

Dr. Thomas Piggott, Peterborough Public Health’s (PPH) medical officer of health has outlined the steps he strongly recommends local school families take to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in schools in a letter released Thursday.

Dr. Thomas Piggott (pictured) became Peterborough Public Health’s medical officer of health on Dec. 1. Photo courtesy of Peterborough Public Health.

“This is a difficult time to be a parent and/or caregiver, and the return to in-person learning is a tough decision to make,” said Dr. Piggott. “I want to assure families that PPH, in partnership with district school boards, is working diligently to ensure protective measures are in place for the prevention of COVID-19 transmission in schools.”

The full letter can be read here.

In his letter, Dr. Piggott described the recommendations that were developed for Peterborough County and City schools in consultation with the Provincial Government’s Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health. They focused on the following key areas: 

• Close monitoring of school absenteeism rates, and the results of rapid-antigen tests including those submitted to PPH through this online survey (https://chkmkt.com/RAT21). If indicators demonstrate the spread of COVID-19 exceeds set thresholds, unvaccinated students will be recommended for dismissal for five days to self-isolate. 

• Submitting rapid-antigen test results (positive or negative) to PPH’s confidential online survey at https://chkmkt.com/RAT21

• Getting vaccinated with at least two doses of COVID-19 vaccine for students aged 5 - 17 years. Second doses are available 56 days (eight weeks) after the first dose. Appointments are available through the provincial booking system https://covid-19.ontario.ca/book-vaccine/ or by calling for assistance at 1- 833-943-3900.

At all local schools, wearing masks, maintaining physical distancing, completing the daily screening tool and not attending school if students or a household member is symptomatic are key public health measures.

Dr. Piggott also encourages parents and caregivers to watch the webinar entitled “ABCs of Back to In-person Learning” he gave last Thursday answering their frequently asked questions about the reopening of schools to in-person learning.

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Peterborough Petes Launch Virtual School Visits

The Peterborough Petes have launched their Virtual School Visit program where educators can host Petes players to their class announced Monday.

Photo courtesy of the Peterborough Petes.

The sessions contain 45-minute visits that include a question and answer period with players addressing topics like the importance of mental and physical health and a physical activity.

With the challenging year for the education system, the Petes want to continue to connect with students who have demonstrated resilience throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and educators who have gone over and above for their community according to the release.

“School visits were a marquee part of the Petes community outreach programming and we want to continue to host them,” said Morgan Blaind, Petes coordinator, administration and community engagement. “Our players look forward to connecting with students and educators.”

School visits will be hosted entirely online and educators will need to have access to video conferencing technology such as: Zoom, Google Meets or Microsoft Teams.

Petes players can either join an in-person class using SMART Board or other conferencing technology or can join a fully virtual class using the video call platform already in place. You can register by clicking here.

Educators and schools should contact Morgan Blaind at (705) 743-3681 ext. 221 or mblaind@gopetesgo.com with any questions regarding the virtual school visits. Due to high demand, a visit cannot be guaranteed for every class.

The Petes are asking fans to submit photos and videos cheering on our players following the latest restrictions that prevent fans from attending home games. To learn how to cheer them on, click here.

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Almost Four Million Rapid Antigen Test Delivered to School Boards for Return to In-Person Learning

The Ontario Government will launch school-based vaccine clinics for youth and staff, along with a significant deployment of 3.9 million rapid antigen tests being shipped to school boards announced on Wednesday.

School boards are being requested to collect information on COVID-19 booster dose coverage for individuals subject to school board immunization disclosure policies, as directed by the Chief Medical Officer of Health. Screenshot.

These new measures build on the province providing millions of high-quality masks for staff and students and thousands more HEPA filtration units according to the Ontario Government.

“We are meeting the unique challenges presented by the Omicron variant head-on as we do everything we can to support in-person learning,” said Stephen Lecce, minister of education. “Our government is taking nothing for granted, which is why we are launching school-based vaccination clinics, distributing millions of rapid antigen tests and have deployed non-fit-tested N95 masks to staff and three-ply masks to students.”

Vaccination is the province’s best defence against the highly transmissible Omicron variant as stated by the provincial government. Current vaccination rates among children aged 12 to 17 years old are encouraging with more than 82 per cent having received two doses.

Of children aged five to 11 years old, nearly 50 per cent have received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine but more can be done to encourage and support vaccination, which is why Ontario will launch school-based vaccine clinics when students return to in-person learning.

To further encourage voluntary vaccination for children aged 5 to 11, the government has asked school boards to work with local Public Health Units (PHUs) to add school-day vaccination clinics for students (i.e. during instructional hours).

School boards are also expected to work with local PHUs and share documents and other information with families, such as resources available at https://covid-19.ontario.ca/covid-19-vaccines-children-and-youth.

In the coming days, parents will receive a form offering the opportunity to safely and conveniently provide public health units the authority to vaccinate their children at a school-based vaccine clinic.

To help stabilize workforce and student participation, beginning the week of Jan. 17, the Ontario Government will also provide rapid antigen tests for students and staff in public elementary and secondary schools, along with children and staff in child care settings.

Over 3.9 million rapid antigen tests are being shipped to school boards this week, with additional tests to be delivered next week. The use of the tests is for symptomatic individuals, who will be required to take two rapid tests 24 hours apart and upon negative results can return to class.

Additional measures in place to prepare for the return to in-person learning include the following:

• High-Quality Masks: Providing access to more than 10 million non-fit-tested N95 masks to all education and child care staff – the only province to do so – with more than four million three-ply cloth masks for students recently shipped for use in schools.

• Improved Ventilation: Deploying an additional 3,000 standalone HEPA filter units to learning environments, building on the ventilation improvement measures already in place at every school across Ontario including the more than 70,000 HEPA filter units and other ventilation devices that have been provided and mechanical ventilation upgrades.

• Stricter Screening: Updated and stricter screening requirements for students and staff including daily onsite confirmation of screening.

• Historic Funding: School board access to $1.6 billion in resources to protect against COVID-19, including supports for mental health, technology, over 2,350 additional staff and ventilation.

• Access to Additional Educators: Access to retired educators for a longer period of time following a recent agreement with the Ontario Teachers’ Federation, and access to first-year teacher candidates who are deemed eligible.

• Enhanced Cohorting and Cleaning: New time-limited cohorting protocols to limit direct and indirect contacts by pausing high-contact extracurricular sports, stricter lunch cohort requirements, and elevated cleaning requirements at all schools.

To further support staffing stability and reduce disruption for students, families, and education and child care staff, the government is further expanding access to vaccines by:

• Supporting a mass vaccination clinic at the International Centre with dedicated times for education and child care staff

• Opening 10 vaccination clinics across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area that offer dedicated time slots for education and child care staff

• Encouraging public health units to support accelerated access to boosters.

More than five million Ontarians have already received a booster shot and the above vaccination options are in addition to those also being offered locally by public health units across the province.

With these measures in place — including new testing options and expanded access to vaccination — and continuous improvement to ventilation, the Ontario government is supporting access to in-person learning with greater stability for students and families. Remote learning will remain an option for those families wishing to access it.

“In-person learning is critical to the mental health and well-being of our children and youth,” said Dr. Moore. “In light of the unique challenges posed by the Omicron variant, my team and I will continue to work with the education sector to review all of our guidelines and all environmental, health, cleaning, and ventilation standards to ensure our schools remain as safe as possible for all.”

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Fleming College Makes Winter Semester Changes Amid COVID-19 Concerns

Fleming College has delayed the start of their winter semester by a week and the first two weeks will be online announced by the college on Thursday.

Photo Courtesy of Fleming College.

The decision was made due to the surging cases of COVID-19’s Omicron variant. Winter semester classes start on Jan. 17 with the weeks of Jan. 17 and Jan. 24 will be delivered fully online. With a later start to the semester, it will end on April 29; a week later than the original date.

“It is our intention to return to campus on Monday, January 31 for hands-on and specialized courses with some continuation of online delivery where appropriate,” said Maureen Adamson, Fleming president.

There will be exceptions for a small number of specialized labs that may run during the week of Jan. 17. Students affected will be notified through their program area.

New students will be permitted to move into residence beginning Jan. 6 and 7 and anyone currently living on campus can return on Jan. 9. The college recommends that students consider staying at home until their onsite academic program begins.

With the federal government’s insistence, the college encourages students not to travel internationally during the holiday season to avoid the risk of infection or other complications.

Fleming encourages students and faculty to get a booster shot as soon as possible for the health and safety of everyone as they become available on Monday.

“It’s particularly frustrating during this time of year when we would like to be celebrating with large groups of friends and family,” said Adamson. “Unfortunately, those large gatherings will have to wait, but we hope that everyone can find some joy and safe togetherness during the break. Happy holidays and stay safe.”

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Trent University Ranked First In Canada For Sustainability Education and Research

Trent University has been ranked number one in Canada for sustainability education and research by the 2021 UI GreenMetric World University Rankings announced on Thursday.

Photo Courtesy of Trent University.

Trent is also recognized as one of Canada’s top three environmental universities.

“Trent prides itself on its commitment to positive outcomes for the natural environment, and is committed to the GreenMetric rankings because they are a way to judge what is working,” said Dr. Leo Groarke, Trent president and vice-chancellor. “Our bump up into the top spot in Canada for sustainability education and research can be attributed to a variety of academic developments this past year, which include new degree programs and specializations.” 

The GreenMetric ranking is the first university ranking in the world that measures participating universities’ commitment in developing environmentally-friendly infrastructure.

The ranking is based on performance across six categories: education and research, setting and infrastructure, energy and climate change, waste, water, and transportation. Trent is among 956 universities from around the world that participated in this year’s global ranking.

For the second consecutive year, Trent has ranked as the third-most sustainable university in Canada and remains in the top 15 per cent of sustainable universities worldwide across all six categories.

This year’s rankings also position the University as #1 in Canada in the education and research category (up from #2 last year) and #2 in Canada in both the waste and setting and infrastructure categories.

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New Exhibition 'Past Presents' Opens At Peterborough Museum And Archives

This winter the Peterborough Museum & Archives will present its newest exhibition: Past Presents. This exhibit will share the stories of various gifts that were given and received from those in our community.

“I’m hoping this exhibit brings back some nostalgic feelings for visitors,” said Kim Reid, Curator at the museum. “Past Presents is an exhibit that’s been curated in-house, using artifacts from our permanent collection that were donated by people who once lived in Peterborough. We want visitors who see these gifts on display to have moments to enjoy their own fond memories of some of their own past presents. This exhibition will surely put you in the gift-giving spirit this holiday season. As the old adage goes, it’s better to give than to receive.”

The exhibition features a variety of artifacts – each of which have their own unique story about the context in which they were given as a gift.

Objects range in age, dating from as early as the 1880s through the 1960s.

Included in the displays are a collection of dolls, quilts, small appliances, and children’s toys among other items. One of the strangest gifts is a lead plaque that was given to paperboys by the Winnipeg Free Press in 1913 at Christmas as a thank you.

Past Presents is the final temporary exhibition presented at the Peterborough Museum & Archives in 2021. The exhibition will open on Saturday and be on display until March 20, 2022. Admission is by donation.

At time of release, current COVID-related rules for visiting include self-screening for symptoms prior to entering the museum, wearing a mask while on-site, and maintaining physical distancing from others.

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