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Khadija SheikhKhadija Sheikh credits the medical physics program with launching her career as a proton physicist.

Physics program leads grad to career treating cancer

As one of the first to graduate from the UWindsor medical physics program, Khadija Sheikh (BSc 2012) is quick to sing the praises of the niche program.

“I truly owe my success to Windsor; it was Because of Science at UWindsor,” says Dr. Sheikh. “It was one of the best four years of my life.”

And success has followed her. After graduating from the University of Windsor, she earned a doctorate in medical biophysics from the University of Western Ontario. From there she completed a residency in radiation oncology physics at Johns Hopkins University.

After residency, Sheikh took a proton medical physicist position, and more recently became assistant professor in the Department of Radiation Oncology and Molecular Radiation Sciences at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. She is also associate program director of the Medical Physics Residency at Johns Hopkins University.

“In the residency program, I matched with Johns Hopkins and fell in love with proton therapy. Now I work as a proton physicist,” she says.

Conventional radiotherapy, Sheikh explains, uses X-rays to treat cancer, but with proton therapy tumours are treated using a charged particle.

“What is nice about charged particles is that they stop. So when irradiating tumours, you do not get dose spread out past the tumour, irradiating the normal tissue,” says Sheikh.

“I think that is fascinating and a huge advantage to treating pediatric cancers where you don’t want to radiate normal tissue in young children. That is what made me fall in love with this type of treatment.”

In addition to working as a proton physicist, she says it is exciting to also be part of the faculty.

“I love research, teaching, and talking with the younger generation, and it is nice to see everyone so enthusiastic about these techniques being able to share that enthusiasm as well,” she says.

“By teaching I’m learning myself because there are always new techniques coming out and I have to keep on top of that and be able to communicate with the students and colleagues.”

She says this love of medical physics started when recruiters from the University of Windsor came her to high school classroom.

“They explained this whole new field of medicine where you could merge physics and modelling with mathematics to help treat cancer. I always thought I wanted to go to medical school, and I was pleasantly surprised that you could pursue a career in medicine via physics. I thought that was exciting.”

During her undergrad studies, Sheikh pursued research opportunities in the labs of physics professors Steven Rehse and Chitra Rangan.

“The faculty took a huge role in our mentoring in third and fourth year, and Dr. Rehse and Dr. Rangan were phenomenal in teaching and research opportunities,” she says.

“I was also in the co-op program and did a semester at (the subatomic physics research laboratory) TRIUMF at UBC where I got to work at a particle accelerator and that’s really where I first learned about proton therapy.”

Beyond academics, Sheikh excelled in other ways: running varsity track and participating in the physics club and Let’s Talk Science.

man at lecternApplied Leadership participant presenting group capstone project.

Continuing Education offering certificates, courses, and workshops

Continuing Education is offering a variety of upcoming learning opportunities. University of Windsor staff, students, alumni, and Hire UWindsor partners are eligible for discounts on most offerings.

Explore upcoming opportunities:

Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Certification
Become a Certified Lean Six Sigma Green Belt and an indispensable champion for continuous improvement. This interactive course starts April 3 online. Registration closes April 1.

Human Resources Management Essentials
This six-hour class will highlight the guidelines for effective recruitment, selection, performance management, and training. Participants will have the opportunity to examine the impact of employment legislation and organizational strategy on human resources management practices. This course is divided into two sessions of three hours each taking place online April 6 and 13. This course is part of the miniMBA certificate but can be taken as a standalone course.

Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging in the Workplace
This course offers a roadmap and tools for organizations to co-create equitable and inclusive workplace practices emphasizing the value of diversity and inclusion. This course is divided into two sessions of three hours each taking place online April 8 and 10. An in-person session is offered on June 12.

Applied Leadership Program
Make professional connections and gain practical leadership experience through expert coaching and leadership challenges presented by industry project partner Stellantis. Starts April 18 in-person.

 

Stats Prep: Intro to Basic Quantitative Methods
This prep class covers core concepts of basic quantitative methods, and helps students understand key mathematical concepts, complete practice questions, and build their confidence. This course should be taken one or two semesters before enrolling in SOSC 2500 Basic Quantitative Methods credit class. Starts April 23 online.

Indigenous People of Southwestern Ontario
An introductory course on the social, cultural, and historical resurgence of Indigenous knowledge and practices with a particular focus on the Anishinabe of southwestern Ontario. The one-day class will give learners a better sense of Indigenous traditions to prepare the workplace to design and deliver culturally appropriate program of these clients. Two sessions are available: April 25 or June 5, in-person.

Project Management Courses

Accelerated Project Management Certificate
Project Management Essentials starts Apr. 24 online.

PMP® Exam Prep
The course is an intense review of the PMP exam material. Starts May 3 online.

Certificate in Cybersecurity
Mapped to CompTIA Security+ curriculum, this course explores the fundamental topics of threats, attacks, and vulnerabilities, the architecture and design of a system, effective implementation of security solutions, incident response and governance, and risk and compliance. Starts April 29 online.

Arrhythmia and 12 Lead Interpretation Workshop
This workshop is designed for those who have experience in basic Lead II ECG interpretation and wish to learn how to analyze and interpret 12 lead ECGs. This workshop is divided into two sessions of four hours each taking place May 7 and 9 online.

The Fundamentals of Race and Anti-Black Racism
Through case studies and the sharing of experiences, participants explore their own relationships to power, privilege, and oppression to enhance their awareness within their personal and professional interactions. Limited spots are available for active full-time and part-time employees to receive $100 off towards the course. Starts Oct. 2 online.

To view the most up-to-date Continuing Education courses, programs, and workshops, visit continue.uwindsor.ca. To inquire about corporate offerings and discounts, email continue@uwindsor.ca.

Julia Deans and UWindsor chancellor Mary Jo HaddadWatch a conversation between Habitat for Humanity Canada CEO Julia Deans and UWindsor chancellor Mary Jo Haddad.

Video presents conversation on housing

Home ownership has always been a bedrock of Canadian society, says Julia Deans: “It’s the place where you can be secure and stable — no landlord is going to renovict you, you’re going to be able to save money and build equity.”

But, she continues, that bedrock is crumbling as home ownership is put out of reach for many.

Deans, president and CEO of Habitat for Humanity Canada, discussed the problem and approaches to addressing it with UWindsor chancellor Mary Jo Haddad in a conversation March 21 entitled “Building Community.”

The event was part of the Chancellor’s Leadership Series highlighting observations on innovation, entrepreneurship, sustainability, and diversity from leaders across Canada, with the goal of helping young Canadians reach their full potential.

Habitat for Humanity Canada, which Deans has led since 2020, focuses on smoothing the path to homeownership for people living with low income. She practised law in Toronto and Hong Kong and built a business in Singapore before becoming CEO of CivicAction, Futurpreneur Canada, and the Canada Children’s Literacy Foundation.

A video recording of the March 21 dialogue is available for watching on the UWindsor YouTube channel.

Community partners honoured for contributions in co-operative education

Stellantis-ARDC and Mike Van Nie from Valiant TMS have been honoured by the University of Windsor’s Co-operative Education and Workplace Partnerships office as the 2023 recipients the Co-op/Internship Employer of the Year and the Co-op/Internship Champion of the Year awards.

“These achievements are emblematic of the profound impact that dedicated employers and individuals can have on the co-op program,” says Kristen Morris, director of co-operative education and workplace partnerships. “Their contributions extend beyond the immediate benefit to students; they are helping shape the future workforce, preparing students not just for the jobs of tomorrow but also for the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.”

The awards were announced during the month-long celebration of National Co-op and Work Integrated Learning Month, highlighting the significant impact of co-op and work-integrating learning programs across Canada.

Co-op/Internship Employer of the Year – Stellantis-ARDC

Stellantis-ARDC has been a long-standing partner of the co-operative education program at the University of Windsor, showcasing an unwavering dedication to providing students with enriching and exceptional work term experiences. ARDC has opened doors for countless students, enabling them to gain invaluable hands-on experience in their fields of study.

Co-op/Internship Champion of the Year – Mike Van Nie, Senior Manager, Human Resources, Valiant TMS

Mike Van Nie was selected as the Co-op/Internship Champion of the Year for his exceptional contributions, dedication, and collaborative spirit, which has not only enhanced the work term experiences of our students but has also contributed significantly to the growth of the co-operative education program.

packages of varied candiesMandy Turkalj won this selection of sweets by demonstrating knowledge of song titles that rhyme with candy.

Contest winner earns sugary prize

Mandy Turkalj may have had a head start in figuring out the answers in Wednesday’s DailyNews trivia contest. Asked to identify songs whose titles rhyme with “candy,” she was rhyming her own name.

In the end, Turkalj’s entry was drawn from all those which correctly identified “Brandy” as a 1972 hit for Looking Glass, “Randy” as a song from Dolly Parton’s album Jolene, “Mandy” as Barry Manilow’s first gold single, “Sandy” as a John Travolta ballad from Grease, and “Handy” as Weird Al Yankovic’s parody of Iggy Azalea.

Turkalj, assistant to the associate dean of education for graduate studies and research, will receive a prize of chocolate macaroons, marshmallow strawberries, fruit mix hard candies, and sweet and sour gummies, ju jubes, and watermelon slices.

students in clusters outside student centreThe CAW Student Centre will close March 29 in observance of the Good Friday holiday.

Holiday weekend to curtail campus services

Several campus amenities will reduce operations over the holiday weekend.

The CAW Student Centre will be closed on Friday, March 29, for Good Friday. It will resume regular operations Saturday and will open as usual Sunday and Monday — from April 8 to 21, it will open 24 hours a day to facilitate exam study.

The only Food Services outlet open Friday and Sunday is the Corner in Alumni Hall, which will serve patrons from noon to 6 p.m. On Saturday, the student centre Marketplace will open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Toldo Lancer Centre will close Friday and Sunday and open Saturday, March 30, from 9 a.m. to 11:30 p.m., and Monday, April 1, from 7 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.

The Leddy Library will close early on Friday, opening from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and maintain regular hours of operation otherwise.

The Don and Gail Rodzik Law Library will close Friday. See its operating schedule.