UWindsor’s Debbie Sheppard-Lemoine is working to improve the well-being of Canadian girls and women by helping to develop new training opportunities for the next generation of health researchers.

The dean of the Faculty of Nursing, Dr. Sheppard-Lemoine is part of a nationwide team developing the AVA training platform, short for Alliance against Violence and Adversity. Led by University of Calgary nursing professor Nicole Letourneau, AVA is one of 13 interdisciplinary training programs being developed to increase Canada’s ability to conduct research on specific health challenges.

“We know that adverse childhood experiences such as family violence have lasting impacts on the health and well-being of girls and women,” said Sheppard-Lemoine. “Our team believes that there are gaps in research training that have contributed to the persistence of this problem.”

Federal ministers Jean-Yves Duclos and Carolyn Bennet recently announced the projects that will be funded through an investment of $31.1 million over six years for a new Health Research Training Platform. The pilot project will equip trainees and early-career researchers with the skills, experience, and mentorship they need to advance scientific knowledge on health care issues such as dementia, kidney disease, diabetes and obesity, seniors’ health, and the mental health of LGBTQ/2S populations. It’s designed to improve Canada’s research into drug safety, the use of artificial intelligence in public health, and more.

The AVA training platform will get nearly $2.4 million from the Canadian Institutes for Health Research, a federal funding agency. The project is also supported by the Public Health Agency of Canada, the B.C. Women’s Health Foundation, Egale Canada, and Mitacs.

AVA’s proponents pointed out that Canada ranks poorly among developed nations when it comes to children’s health and wellness, according to a 2020 report by UNICEF. The research team believes adverse childhood experiences such as family violence are likely behind this crisis.

Family violence disproportionately affects girls and women, and has generational repercussions as those women go on to have children of their own.

“This training platform will influence girls’ and women’s health,” said Sheppard-Lemoine. “As a Canadian society, this support will build new ways of understanding for the generations of women and girls to come.”

—Sarah Sacheli

Faculty and staff members welcomed more than 480 Master of Engineering (MEng) students at the summer orientation day on Saturday, May 7.

The day was notable in that it was the first in-person orientation event hosted in the Faculty of Engineering in over two years due to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.

“We are excited that our delivery of our MEng program has returned to face-to-face,” says Majid Ahmadi, associate dean of research and graduate studies. “Students are very much in favour of this type of teaching and in our orientation day, they have demonstrated this enthusiasm with their strong presence.”

Along with Dr. Ahmadi, the welcome group included:

• civil and environmental engineering department head Paul Henshaw;
• Behnam Shahrrava, electrical and computer engineering department head;
• Roozbeh Razavi-Far, electrical and computer engineering lecturer and academic adviser;
• Donald Bourne, technical communications lecturer;
• Giselle St. Louis, clinical therapist;
• Laura Ducharme, international student adviser;
• Anisha Bandaram, MEng society president;
• Dheeraj Sharma and Khushboo Garg, members of MEng Student Support Alliance; and
• Dorothy Gabriel, secretary to the associate dean of research and graduate studies.

The group discussed topics essential for the academic success and personal well-being of students as they progress through the MEng program: academic policies, course requirements, faculty advising, immigration guidance, student rights, peer support, mentorship, and clubs and social events.

The Master of Engineering summer program runs from May 9 to Aug. 31.

—Gam Macasaet

Two years of pandemic response have brought light to the importance of wellness, which includes physical and emotional health, says Phebe Lam.

“Certainly, this time has helped everyone understand how important mental health is,” Dr. Lam says. “We all need wellness, and it’s okay to ask for support.”

Acting associate vice-president, student experience, she is taking the opportunity afforded by Asian Heritage Month to reach out to students who may be reluctant to ask for help.

“I am Chinese Canadian and I know that in my culture, as well as other cultures, there can be a stigma attached to seeking support for mental health,” says Lam. “We have to let students know that no matter where you’re from, there are specific resources to support you.”

The Student Counselling Centre offers several wellness services geared to those of Asian backgrounds:

• The My Student Support Program (MySSP) provides confidential counselling from licensed counsellors conversant in more than 35 languages and cultures.
• The Asian Mental Health Collective provides a directory of Asian Canadian therapists as well as psychoeducation specific to Asian mental health.
• Find a list of mental health resources on the wellness website.

The University is home to international students as well as Asian-Canadians, with large populations from China, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Iran, United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia — and representation from almost 100 other countries.

The International Student Centre is their home away from home, providing a range of services, from academic support to guidance on housing, applications for the International Student Identity Card, and health-related support from nursing students. Find a list of resources on the centre’s website.

Well-being includes both physical and emotional health, which is individual, says Lam: “My best self, what it looks like and feels like, is individual.”

The campus-wide shutdown of hot water and steam services scheduled for noon Friday, May 13, will limit Food Service operations.

• The Starbucks location in the student centre will open from 8:30 a.m. to noon.
• The Tim Hortons outlet in the Centre for Engineering Innovation will open from 8:30 a.m. to noon.
• The Marketplace food court in the student centre will close for the day.

Normal operations will resume Monday, May 16.