Projects win support from Strategic Priority Fund

Training modules for use at Community Legal Aid and Legal Assistance of Windsor will serve as a model for additional electronic tools to enhance student-centred, experiential learning in the law school curriculum.

A team from Windsor Law—Gemma Smyth, Reem Bahdi, Marion Overholt and David Tanovich—won support for developing these modules from the 2013/14 Strategic Priority Fund, provost Leo Groarke announced Wednesday.

The project, “Improving Student Learning and Client Service through Clinical Skills Training,” will receive $90,000, the largest single award in this round of funding. Earlier this year, Dr. Groarke announced the commitment of approximately $1.1 million to create new faculty positions in support of academic renewal.

Other projects approved for funding include:

Creation of an Advanced Laboratory for Education, Research, and Training in Medical Physics
Chitra Rangan and Stephen Rehse, Department of Physics: $40,000

The Advanced Laboratory in Medical Physics will train students on equipment and procedures related to nuclear decay measurements, the generation of medical radioisotopes, nuclear spectroscopy, cancer radiotherapy treatment planning, computed tomography (CT) imaging, and other advanced imaging techniques. Combined with existing in-kind donations received from external organizations, this investment will further enhance the growing medical physics undergraduate stream and enables collaboration with other research and teaching units on campus.

Development of Six Undergraduate Hybrid Courses
Carol Davison, Department of English Language, Literature and Creative Writing: $20,642

The English Department will develop undergraduate hybrid courses over three years (2013-16) using a blended delivery format, which combines in-class and on-line learning using various web-based communication technologies. These courses will provide undergraduate students—both majors and non-majors, local and international—with more flexible degree completion pathways.

BioART: Contemporary Art and the Life Sciences Exhibition at the Ontario Science Centre
Jennifer Willet, School for Arts and Creative Innovation: $13,000

Students from the School for Arts and Creative Innovation will mount an exhibition of their bioart projects at the Ontario Science Centre in Toronto, at the centre’s invitation. It is an exceptional opportunity for students to exhibit their work in a professional context, but also to promote INCUBATOR Lab, SACI, and the University of Windsor to the 400,000 visitors to the centre over the duration of the exhibition.

Upgrading CMF and DJ Technology for the Digital Age
Martha Lee and Blake Roberts, Interfaculty Programs; Valerie Scatamburlo-D’annibale, Communications, Media and Film: $40,000     

This initiative funds the purchase of studio equipment for high-definition live broadcast, video-editing software, and editing stations for post-production work, to be used in the University`s Digital Journalism and Communication, Media and Film programs.

Promoting Undergraduate Research: A Catalyst for Enhanced Student Experience, Reputation, and Recruitment
Alan Wright and Erika Kustra, Centre for Teaching and Learning; Heather Pratt, Office of Research Services: $20,000

This initiative will support instructors seeking to enhance student learning through undergraduate research opportunities across the curriculum.

Teaching Leadership Chairs: A Cost-efficient Approach to Enhancing the Quality of the Student Learning Experience at the University of Windsor
Alan Wright and Erika Kustra, Centre for Teaching and Learning; Donna Marie Eansor, Faculty of Law; Tina Pugliese School of Dramatic Art; Vincent Georgie, Odette School of Business; Geri Salinitri, Faculty of Education; Lionel Walsh, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences; Judy Bornais, Faculty of Nursing; Kathryn Lafreniere, Department of Psychology: $60,000

This initiative will establish four Teaching Leadership Chairs at the University of Windsor: full-time faculty members who will lead and promote educational initiatives, work in advisory capacities across campus and with their faculty colleagues, pursue external funding for educational initiatives, and in general foster faculty-led improvements to teaching and learning at the University.

Library and Academic Literacy Enhancement Program for International Students
Guoying Liu and Karen Pillon, Leddy Library; Zuochen Zhang and Shi Jing Xu, Faculty of Education; Clayton Smith, Vice-Provost, Students and International: $34,732

This project aims to enhance the library and academic literacy skills of international students at University of Windsor. The long-term objective of this program is to enable students to critically take on and respond to the world around them, and become not only consumers of information but ultimately, responsible creators of it.

Adapted Physical Exercise for Special Populations: A Community Partnership
Sean Horton, Chad Sutherland, and Nadia Azar, Faculty of Human Kinetics: $25,100

This initiative will see a part-time University-Community Partnership Coordinator expand and solidify the community partnership base in Human Kinetics and secure corporate sponsorship to ensure program continuity and sustainability. It is focused on an existing partnership with Community Living Essex County which provides adapted physical exercise and motor skill development programs for their supported members.

Campus-wide License for AutoCAD
Mehrdad Saif, Faculty of Engineering: $35,000

The Faculty of Engineering will purchase a 2,000-user perpetual license for AutoCAD, which will be used in a newly developed course in Faculty of Engineering, and also be available to users across the University. This investment will support numerous interdisciplinary and interfaculty initiatives with design-related priorities, and will also enable the Faculty of Engineering to integrate team-based design and build activities into its first-year programming, a practice strongly associated with improved student perseverance and satisfaction in engineering.

Technology Transfer/Research Commercialization Associate
Heather Pratt, Office of Research Services: $60,000

This one-year funding of a Technology Transfer/Research Commercialization Associate in the Office of Research Services will enhance the technology transfer and research commercialization efforts established over the past three years at the University of Windsor. These efforts augment research programs and collaboration with our community, enhancing the economic benefit of our local industry stakeholders.

Fostering Employee Engagement through Recognition and Development Activities
Rita La Civita and Marcela Ciampa, Department of Human Resources: $46,000

This initiative aims to enhance employee engagement through the implementation of campus-wide recognition activities and professional development activities which will help mangers and team leaders to create more motivating, challenging and supportive work environments.

The Revitalization of Campus Grounds
John Regier, Facility Services: $50,000

This initiative will extend the redevelopment of the landscaping in the campus core, celebrating the University’s history while upgrading the services for the future. These upgraded spaces enrich the student experience, contribute to environmental sustainability, and enhance the impression the campus makes on the community and prospective students.