Hugh MacIsaacHugh MacIsaac has been named Canada Research Chair in Aquatic Invasive Species.

Canada Research Chair hoping to retain research institute’s reputation as seat of knowledge

What is an invasive species? A University of Windsor researcher will use $1.4 million in federal funding to explore that question.

Hugh MacIsaac, a biology professor working in the Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research, has been named Canada Research Chair in Aquatic Invasive Species. The award carries with it an annual stipend of $200,000 for seven years, which he will use to employ post-doctoral fellows and graduate students to take a new approach to determining the nature of invaders.

Foreign species can move into ecosystems with little upset, but some species are aggressive, harmful and disruptive, Dr. MacIsaac said. To figure out which foreign species may become problematic, researchers generally look at the life history characteristics or physiology of the invader, or they look at what made the ecosystem vulnerable to an invasion.

MacIsaac’s lab will be digging deeper, all the way to the molecular level of the alien species. He will compare and contrast the genetic makeup of local native lady-bird beetles and invasive Asian lady-bird beetles. The invasive beetle causes problems for vineyards and it bites people.

In the lab, MacIsaac and postdoctoral fellow Steve Crookes, determined feeding rates of the two types of ladybugs. It turned out the Asian species eats far more prey than the native insect. Later they’ll take those same insects from the feeding studies and assess the regulation of hundreds of their genes. This includes everything from locomotion to digestion, all in an effort to explain why the invasive beetle is out-performing its native counterpart.

Although MacIsaac and his team mainly study aquatic species, the group decided to use the lady-bird beetles as a first case study because they are important and easy to rear. They will follow-up with studies of invasive and non-invasive fishes as well as invertebrates, which are animals that have no backbone or spine.

“Working with GLIER colleague Daniel Heath, my lab is continuing its work on molecular methods for early detection of aquatic invasive species in ports,” MacIsaac said. “There are still problems to work out with this approach, but we think this molecular technology provides up to four orders of magnitude greater sensitivity to finding rare species in any aquatic ecosystem,” said MacIsaac.

This line of study led MacIsaac to a project stationed far from home. He is going to help determine what species are currently found in major Chinese shipping ports, with the aim of knowing which potential invaders could hitch a ride.

“We simply want to characterize what kinds of species are present in Chinese ports because ships take up water in Chinese ports and move it elsewhere in the world,” MacIsaac said. Chinese ports presently constitute 13 of the 20 largest ports in the world, so what is present in these systems can quickly end up elsewhere.

 He said the appointment of Canada Research Chair is a welcome boost for his work.

“The nice thing is the chair provides funding that allows us to do what I think is cutting edge research,” he said. “Hopefully it will allow the University to continue leading edge research and maintain its reputation for doing outstanding work.”

prof overseeing student researchHave an interesting research question? You could win $50.

Competition to identify intriguing research questions

Do you wonder whether science will ever produce 3D-printed replacements for human organs? Are you curious as to why cats rule the internet? Indulge your curiosity!

The Leddy Library Research Question Competition invites you to submit your insightful, innovative, inspiring, or even humorous question for a chance to win $50!

The 30 best questions received by November 7 will receive prominent display on campus and be eligible for prizes in three categories: the question receiving the most votes, one randomly selected question, and one randomly selected voter.

To submit your question, just visit the UWill Discover page in Scholarship at UWindsor. Click on “submit a research question” in the right-hand menu, create an account, and submit up to three questions.

Voting will take place from November 17 to 28, so stay tuned!

Artist’s rendering depicts the Welcome CentreArtist’s rendering depicts the Welcome Centre, slated for completion by summer 2015.

Builders commit to making Welcome Centre green

While the University of Windsor will not pursue Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification for the Welcome Centre now under construction on the northeast corner of Patricia and Wyandotte, the building will feature enough environmental measures that certification is possible.

The environmentally sustainable plans include:

  • a thorough erosion and sedimentation control plan,
  • water efficient plumbing fixtures, and
  • windows and multiple entrances connecting the interior to the outdoors to promote association with the environment.

Several other measures are still in the approval process.

Construction for the Welcome Centre began in March, and contractors plan to complete the building by the summer of 2015. The University announced in February that an 18,000 square-foot Welcome Centre would be built on the main campus.

Amico Design Build and Hariri Pontarini Architects/Architecttura Inc. took the principles of LEED’s green building rating system into consideration in their designs.

According to the LEED website, making changes in the sustainability of buildings will positively alter the future of the natural environment. With 35 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions coming from buildings, construction and demolition projects contributing to 35 percent of all landfill waste, and the consumption of 80 percent of all water taking place in buildings, creating green initiatives for developing buildings could be a major step in the right direction.

—by Lucy Hopkins

Nigel Hussey and research teamResearch associate Nigel Hussey (fourth from left) and his team ventures out into the Red Sea.

Commentary a cri de coeur for conservation

Ecological conservation shouldn’t be derailed by economic sanctions dictated by politics, says a UWindsor researcher whose commentary on the subject has been published by the journal Nature.

Nigel Hussey wants you to think of pristine marine and terrestrial wildlife resources when you think of Sudan. But first, Sudan needs greater access to conservation funding and that’s proving to be a struggle because of economic sanctions imposed on the country.

Dr. Hussey, a research associate in the Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research, has been studying sharks and rays in the northeastern African nation since 2007.

“It’s very complicated to get funding for conservation research in politically unstable countries,” he said. “Basically you can rule out most global funding initiatives.”

This complicated funding situation means few people know about the Red Sea’s flourishing coral reefs off the Sudanese coast.

“We call it the ‘hidden jewel’ because basically nobody is even aware of these absolutely unbelievable wildlife resources sat off the Sudan coastline,” said Hussey. “Instead when most people think of Sudan their first thoughts are of war, human rights atrocities and terrorism.”

This frustration inspired Hussey to write his commentary.

“Getting this point published in Nature hopefully raises awareness of the potential of these incredible natural resources that we’ve got on our planet and the need to decouple political agendas from conservation priorities,” he said. “And if we can do that then we’ve got a much greater chance of achieving our global conservation and biodiversity goals.”

Hussey—in conjunction with the Cousteau Society and the Sudanese Development Initiative—and project partners the Wildlife Administration, the Red Sea State Government and the Red Sea University, were recently awarded a Darwin Initiative grant from the UK government to continue marine conservation in Sudan linked with poverty alleviation.

Community event to focus on feminist activism

“The Work of Feminist Activism” is the theme of the 2014 community event for the Distinguished Visitors in Women’s Studies, Wednesday, October 29, at the WFCU Centre.

This year’s series explores the multiple meanings of women and work: whether paid, underpaid or unpaid; in the home or in the marketplace; safe or unsafe.

Presided over by Asha Tomlinson, host of CBC News Windsor, the event will feature two speakers:

  • Shari Graydon, award-winning author, educator and advocate, who leads Informed Opinions, an organization that works to build women’s leadership and bridge the gender gap in public discussion; and
  • Julie S. Lalonde, social justice advocate working in the areas of sexual violence prevention, reproductive justice and feminist gerontology, who developed the provincial campaign Draw-the-line.ca to engage bystanders in ending sexual violence.

Wednesday’s event begins at 5:30 p.m. For ticket information, visit the women’s studies website.

Note: Rose City Ford has sponsored a free service to shuttle students from Vanier Circle to the event; find details on the event website.

Cultural Entrepreneurship Workshop logoThe Cultural Entrepreneurship Workshop is designed to prepare students and young professionals for lifelong careers in the arts.

Two-day workshop to prepare creative professionals for productive careers

Students and young professionals building careers in the arts are the target of a two-day workshop presented by the School of Creative Arts, the Entrepreneurship Practice and Innovation Centre, and Windsor Endowment for the Arts on November 14 and 15.

The Cultural Entrepreneurship Workshop is designed to prepare participants for the transition from university to lifelong careers. It will provide interactive and informative sessions dealing with finance, administration, marketing, branding, social media, grant writing and intellectual property. Guest speakers include local and international experts from music, visual arts, business, law and entrepreneurship.

The workshop is free and includes lunch both days, but space is limited. Find more information, including an online registration form, at www.uwindsor.ca/epicentre/cultural-entrepreneurship-workshop-0.

Boo at the U graphicGames and ghoulish fun await at Boo at the U, Wednesday in Vanier Hall.

Residence students plan kid-friendly pre-Hallowe’en activities

Children can give their Hallowe’en costumes a dress rehearsal on campus Wednesday, October 29, as residence students host Boo at the U. University employees are invited to bring their children to Winclare A, Vanier Hall, from 6 to 8 p.m.

Residence Life Staff, members of the Windsor Inter Residence Council, and volunteers representing each residence hall will give little trick-or-treaters their own treat bag. Guests then make the rounds to each station for activities and candy in a spooky but safe environment.

All children must be accompanied by a parent. Admission to the event is free, but attendees are invited to bring a non-perishable food item to donate to the student food bank in Iona College.

students stand around bikeMembers of the University of Windsor Cyclists Association surround Jay Shah, winner of its bike draw.

Student excited to win sweet new ride

Jay Shah’s new bike is a lot cooler than his old one.

The master of engineering student won a black Zycle Pursuit, designed for bike messengers, in a draw sponsored by the University of Windsor Cyclists Association.

“My previous bike was a Ross Ridge-runner which was purple-pink in colour that I bought on Kijiji,” Shah said Monday, as he took possession of his prize. “I am very excited to have this upgrade.”

The club held the contest in September to promote its Bike Month activities. It received funding for the contest from the lancer Green Fund, and bought the bike at a discount from Ambassador Bicycles.

“This bike is easy maintenance and should provide good, reliable transportation,” said owner Rob Parent.

The association accepted the inaugural community partner award from Bike Friendly Windsor Essex on behalf of the University. It is promoting a Hallowe’en themed social, “Eat, Drink and Be Scary,” Friday at the Walkerville Tavern.

Next up for the association is a slow bike race on November 5. Find details on its website, uwindsor.ca/cyclists.