The School of Creative Arts (SoCA) has collaborated with Art Windsor-Essex (AWE) to create reproductions of the façade panels from artist Sara Graham’s public art commission, On the Other Side of Tomorrow for the Gordie Howe International Bridge's Canadian Port of Entry in Windsor.

The reproductions will be featured on the title wall of Graham’s upcoming exhibition at AWE: Sara Graham: Cut-outs, Offcuts, and Cast-offs curated by alumna Nadja Pelkey (BFA 2008), a sessional instructor in the school.

In this exhibition, Graham proposes alternative ways of looking at the city and its parts, examining relationships between the built environment, the landscape it occupies, and repeating forms in cityscapes.

“The new bridge is the largest infrastructure project currently underway in Canada. For generations, Sara’s work will be there, and I’m so pleased to have been able to work with her on an exhibition that not only gives people a greater understanding of her practice, but also a sense of her project at the bridge site,” Pelkey says.

Mirroring the industrial processes used in the construction of the commissioned work, artist and SoCA MakeLab technician Lucy Howe worked with AWE and Graham to recreate the commissioned panels in high density foam using a computerized CNC router.

“It’s been really fun,” says Howe. “I’ve loved working with Sara’s imagery; the panels are beautifully designed; and it’s really exciting to take a common construction material and transform it into something so aesthetically stunning.”

Pelkey calls working with Howe to reproduce the panels an incredible experience.

“We are all better when we work collaboratively,” Pelkey says.

“This exhibition and project really highlight how art reaches into everything: architecture, engineering, planning, and more. From an education standpoint, I would love to hear from students, faculty, and the general public what their thoughts are about the show and how they can connect it to what they are studying, practising, and seeing in the world.”

AWE at Night will feature a tour with Graham and Pelkey in the exhibition space on Thursday, March 16, at 6:15 p.m. Sara Graham: Cut-outs, Offcuts, and Cast-offs remains on display through May 28 at the gallery, 401 Riverside Dr. W. Art Windsor-Essex offers free memberships to anyone under 25.

The Incubator Art Lab is hosting a series of bioart workshops at its studio, 144 University Ave. W.

Participants will explore topics on microbiota, bioplastics, and artificial intelligence.

The May 13 workshop “AI & Bioart Made Easy” still has space available. Make living bioart sculptures and learn how to create text-to-image AI.

Learn more and register on the Incubator Art Lab website.

Ontario University Athletics conferred all-star status on Lancers in women’s hockey and volleyball this week.

Fourth-year netminder Kristen Swiatoschik is the OUA Goaltender of the Year as well as a first-team all-star. Her 1.90 goals-against average and .939 save percentage led her team to tie its record for most wins in a season.

Forward Keana McKibbin is the OUA Rookie of the Year and named to the all-rookie squad; her 18 points was tops among first-year players across the league.

Forward Maggie Peterson is a first-team all-star after scoring at nearly a point-a-game clip: 10 goals and 17 assists in 29 games.

Read about all these hockey stars in the OUA awards announcement.

The league also recognized first-year volleyball player Aliah Admans, naming her a second-team all-star and to its all-rookie team after a debut season that saw her notch 244.5 points, 194 kills, and 177 digs.

Two members of the Windsor men’s hockey team received all-star berths from the OUA West on Thursday — Nathan Torchia was named Goaltender of the Year and a first-team all-star and forward Anthony Stefano was named to the second all-star team.

Torchia’s .936 save percentage was tops in the league; Stefano’s four assists in the first-round series against Lakehead brought his season points total to 35.

Watch them and their Lancer teammates vie for the Queen’s Cup Saturday at the Capri Pizzeria Recreation Complex; tickets are available from the box office at the south entrance to the Toldo Lancer Centre from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. today.

The Office of Open Learning has issued a call for proposals for the 2023 round of its Digital, Open, and Online Learning Grants. The funding supports projects from UWindsor faculty, staff, and graduate students that contribute to understanding of hybrid, online, open, and digital curricular innovations.

The themes for the 2023 grants include, but are not limited to:

• Supporting the priorities of the Aspire strategic plan
• Supporting and exploring flexible, hybrid teaching and learning
• Exploring the potential impacts of artificial intelligence (AI) in education
• Indigenization and decolonization of digital learning
• Equitable and ethical assessment practices
• Microcredentials

“We’re watching our students emerge from the largest disruption in higher education’s history caused by the COVID pandemic, and run directly into the disruption of generative artificial intelligence,” says director Nick Baker. “We want to give campus the support to explore ways we can best help our students build the critical digital literacies they need so they can thrive in their increasingly complex and uncertain world.”

The funding provides the opportunity to explore a wide range of projects addressing critical questions about online, hybrid and open learning environments, and supports development or adaptation of courses and programs (credit, non-credit, microcredentials, community-focused), and digital learning resources — all with support from the open learning team.

Expressions of interest are invited for individual proposals up to $4,000, or program, department, inter-program and departmental, or community partnership proposals up to $8,500. The call closes April 3. A unique element of these grants is that they offer an opportunity to explore pedagogical questions in a supportive environment; everyone is encouraged to submit a proposal, even if their idea is not yet fully formed.

“We really want to make this opportunity inclusive and open to the whole campus teaching and learning community, so a member of the open learning team will work with everyone who submits an idea to help refine it,” says Baker. “In the beginning, most people don’t have an idea of what might be an achievable project scope, or how best to use the budget to achieve their goals and we can help with that.”

He particularly encourages applications for projects that support Indigenization or decolonization of the curriculum, that address issues of reconciliation, diversity, equity, internationalization, or that are targeted to support and improve outcomes — including access to education — for underserved or diverse groups.

For more information on themes, expectations, and submission details, or to discuss the beginnings of your project ideas with an open learning team member, visit the funding call on our website, contact openlearning@uwindsor.ca or drop in to the second floor of the Centre for Engineering Innovation at 700 California Ave.

Additions to the Office of Institutional Analysis have positioned it to better provide the University’s leadership with research to guide evidence-based decision-making and strategic planning, says executive director Rosemary Zanutto.

“We have a couple of new hires, made some organizational changes, and relocated to the first floor of Lambton Tower,” she says. “Filling out our staff complement will enable us to facilitate the interpretation and insightful use of institutional data.”

John Dube has promoted from his position as accountability analyst to become the first manager of data and analysis.

“John brings with him vast knowledge and experience from his former roles as manager in Student Awards and Financial Aid and several years experience with the Council of Ontario Universities,” says Zanutto.

Jade Li earned a BSc from the University of Windsor in computer information systems which she uses in her job as institutional analyst – modelling.

Data analyst specialist Brandon Besant came to the University from the City of Windsor, where he automated reporting, performed data modelling, and configured and maintained human resources systems.

With winter storms cutting into donor attendance across the country, Canadian Blood Services is looking to new people to step up and help increase the supply of life-saving products needed every day.

UWindsor students, faculty, and staff will have two opportunities this month to give right on campus, with blood donor clinics scheduled for March 14 and 22 in the CAW Student Centre. Slots are available from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

New and returning donors can book appointments at blood.ca, through the GiveBlood app, or by phoning 1-888-2-DONATE (1888-236-6283). Ask a friend or colleague to book an appointment to donate at the same time as you.