UWindsor’s Catherine Febria is one of the newest additions in the federal government’s quest to make Canada a global leader in research and development.

Dr. Febria, a professor at UWindsor’s Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research, has been awarded a Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Freshwater Restoration Ecology. The designation, which comes with $600,000 in federal funding spread over five years, provides emerging researchers with support to kick-start their careers.

“The Laurentian Great Lakes ecosystem is a vitally-important resource for Canada, US and the world,” Febria said. “My CRC research program adds a complementary approach to the excellent, globally-recognized work at GLIER by adding focus on watersheds as socio-ecological systems.”

The Canada Research Chairs Program invests about $295 million a year in what the federal government calls “some of the world’s most accomplished and promising minds.” There are 1,836 Canada Research Chairs, nominated by their universities across the country.

Febria said she will use her funding to relaunch the organics and nutrient analysis lab at GLIER, allowing it to be a resource for industry, government, and conservation agencies.

“We are building the facility’s capacity to accommodate water quality analysis and biomonitoring across the region, which adds to GLIER’s leadership in water quality and ecosystem health monitoring.”

Febria has launched the Healthy Headwaters lab at GLIER. Headwaters are the streams, drains and wetlands that feed larger bodies of water. They are integral to an ecosystem’s health because the degradation of rivers and lakes can usually be traced to problems upstream. 

Febria said she will take the knowledge she had gained researching other waterways around the world and apply it to the Great Lakes, starting locally, on farms across Essex County and in the biodiversity hotspot that is Bkejwanong (Walpole Island) First Nation Territory.

Febria said the funding will also allow her to train students and other early-career researchers, and partner with indigenous peoples to ensure research is carried out in full partnership and acknowledgment.

Febria joined the University of Windsor faculty in January. Her previous post was at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand where she headed a waterway restoration project that brought together farmers, local governments, Māori partners, schools and members of the public to rehabilitate freshwater ecosystems on farms across Canterbury.

“I am thrilled to be back in Canada, and to be joining esteemed colleagues and the vibrant research community here at GLIER and the Department of Integrative Biology,” Febria said.

She has also conducted research on the Speed River watershed near Guelph, and streams and river systems in the Chesapeake Bay United States and in the Canadian Arctic.

She is a member of the United Nation’s Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services science-policy platform.

Febria holds a doctorate in ecology and evolutionary biology and collaborative certificate in environmental studies from the University of Toronto, a master’s degree in geography from Simon Fraser University in British Columbia and a bachelor of science in environmental science from the University of Toronto.

Febria said she will take the knowledge she had gained researching other waterways around the world and apply it to the Great Lakes, starting in Windsor, farms across Essex County and in the biodiversity hotspot that is Bkejwanong (Walpole Island) First Nation territory.

“Dr. Febria’s research provides a critical bridge between our knowledge about the Laurentian Great Lakes and the rivers and streams that discharge into them, as well as the land over which they flow,” said K.W. Michael Siu, UWindsor’s vice-president, research and innovation.

“We look forward to having her as a member of the GLIER team that safeguards the health of the Great Lakes.”

—Sarah Sacheli

With at least three Lancer student-athletes attending law school this year, the timing has never been better for Windsor Law professor Shanthi Senthe to make an impact in the area of sports law.

Now in its second year, the stand-alone course addresses regulatory and legal challenges in professional and intercollegiate sports, placing an emphasis on commercial issues.

“The professional sports industry is valued at more than $73 billion,” says Senthe. “This class uses innovative pedagogical tools and collaborative networks to enhance the learning experience.”

In an effort to share her passion with like-minded law students, Senthe has designed a lecture series as a component of the course curriculum.

“The goal is to create a dynamic learning space for students by hosting guest speakers throughout the year, such as high-profile athletes, lawyers, legal academics, agents, physicians, and journalists from Canada and the United States,” she says.

The Sports Law Lecture Series will open Wednesday, Sept. 25, with a presentation by Detroit Tigers representatives Alan Avila, associate counsel, and Sam Menzin, director of baseball operations, at the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law.

For a few Windsor Law students, the course is something they can undoubtedly relate to.

First-year student Chris Osei-Kusi joined the Lancer football team on the field this month, while first-year Laura DeMarco and second-year Jamie Oleksiew, both of the Dual JD program, gear up to play for the Lancers women’s golf team this season.

—Rachelle Prince

The Leddy Library invites students to start the school year off with a tour to find out how its resources and services can help them power through the semester.

Library staff and librarians will conduct 20-minute tours of the building and its facilities, leaving from the lobby at 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, Sept. 17 to 19. The tours are free with no need for advance registration.

Students who attend may enter a draw to win a $50 gift card to the Campus Bookstore.

To request a specialized group tour, contact Angela Sullivan at 519-253-3000, ext. 3180.

—Marcie Demmans

Robert Gordon, the University of Windsor’s seventh president, will make his first address to the campus community during a lunch-hour event today — Monday, Sept. 16 — in Alumni Auditorium, CAW Student Centre.

Dr. Gordon’s appointment was effective September 1 and follows his term as provost at Wilfrid Laurier University. He is a leading authority on environmental issues and agriculture engineering in Canada and previously served as Laurier’s vice-president, research.

Before his time at Laurier, Gordon was dean of the Ontario Agricultural College at the University of Guelph, where he led the largest agriculture and food faculty in Canada. He has also served in various academic and administrative capacities, including as dean of research at the Nova Scotia Agricultural College — now the Faculty of Agriculture at Dalhousie University. He held a Canada Research Chair in Environmental Resource Management while at the Nova Scotia Agricultural College.

His address at noon is open to faculty, staff, students, and alumni. Human Resources asks supervisors to provide employees with an opportunity to attend, where possible.

John Cappucci has taken up a one-year appointment as interim principal of Assumption University, the Roman Catholic university federated with the University of Windsor, effective Sept. 9.

Dr. Cappucci holds a doctorate in political science at Carleton University, a master’s degree from Queen’s University, and a B.A. from the University of Windsor in English and political science (2006). His research interests include religion and politics, world religions, diasporas, and multicultural theory.

He has been the Stephen A. Jarislowsky Chair in Religion and Conflict since May 2017, and received the Young Professional of the Year Award from the Canadian Italian Business Professional Association of Windsor in 2018.

He will teach the general interest course “Three Religions, One Ethic,” exploring issues in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, this fall through Assumption University’s Learn for Life series.