zotero is a free and convenient tool that can be used to help you manage information for your research, insert citations into your writing, and easily create bibliographies. this session will provide an overview of how zotero can support your work throughout the research process, with hands-on opportunities to practice using the tool.

after attending this workshop, you will have learned how to use zotero to:

• save time with the research process
• create better citations and bibliographies
• organise all the books / articles you find during the research process
• use advanced features in zotero

this session will be held online via zoom.

for anyone new to researching with primary sources (original documents or objects, including in digital formats). we’ll explore the nature of archival and primary source collections, share tips on locating sources online and in the physical world, and how to read and evaluate historical documents. this session is for anyone interested in doing historical research, regardless of your program.

by attending this workshop you will:

• understand the role of primary sources in research;
• be able to find documents that support your research;
• have practiced reading and discussing original documents.

come visit a furry friend for some much needed relaxation in the sas multi use access lounge. every thursday from 2 to 3 pm in the tunnels, sc 0004. all are welcome!

art with impact presents movies for mental health 2023-2024: connecting with ourselves and others through short films about mental health. climate change focus.

tuesday, january 23, 2024
6 to 8 pm
uc1017

please join the computer science department for the upcoming thesis defense:

presenter: liam dingle

thesis title: a comparison of explainable clinical decision making using white box and black box models

abstract: explainability is a crucial element of machine learning based decision making in high stake scenarios. the area of icu outcome prediction is one such area. there currently exists a performance tradeoff between low-complexity machine learning models capable of making predictions that are inherently interpretable (white box) to a human, and cutting-edge high complexity (black box) models that fit better to non-linear decision boundariesare not readily interpretable . this document aims to assess the reliability of the predictions made by black-box models by comparing the decisions made by white box models and their black box counterparts by contrasting explainable model feature coefficients/importances to feature importance values generated by a post-hoc shap values. the comparison between explainable models and non-explainable models show that both series of models prioritize clinically relevant variables when making outcome predictions. then in another study, we test the reliability of the generated explanations made by both shap and explainable model importances by assessing the performance impact of training models on different subsets of features generated. this is performed by ranking features based on each type of feature importance. to introduce further rigor, two other binary classification tasks are performed on two different clinical datasets . this analysis shows that there is a tangible performance impact between decisions that can be correctly made on important compared to unimportant data. overall, we can conclude that the implementation of black box models in high-stakes decision making can offer tangible benefits in performance while also providing reliable, transparent predictions if proper explainability mechanisms are in place.

committee members:
dr. yimin yang (supervisor, committee chair), dr. ruizhong wei (co-supervisor), dr. amin safaei, dr. thangarajah akilan (software engineering)

please contact grad.compsci@lakeheadu.ca for the zoom link. everyone is welcome.

the chemistry and materials science phd candidate, vira grynko will present her research, "the medical applications of hyperpolarized xe and non-proton magnetic resonance imaging".

the field of medical diagnostics continually demands advancements in imaging modalities to ensure precise diagnostics. magnetic resonance imaging (mri) has an indispensable role in diagnosing numerous diseases owing to its exceptional soft-tissue contrast and superior spatial resolution. nevertheless, there are limitations to mri, particularly in the fields of functional imaging and pulmonary imaging. this is where hyperpolarized 129xe mri becomes crucial, offering the ability to furnish vital insights into the lungs and brain functions and physiology, as well as enabling molecular imaging.

despite its potential, hyperpolarized 129xe mri lacks certain essential elements for further progress. in my research, i addressed three pivotal questions related to hyperpolarized mri. firstly, i investigated the impact of glucose on hyperpolarized xe dissolved in the blood. secondly, i explored the feasibility of conducting multi-slice brain imaging to achieve precise spatial signal localization. lastly, i successfully enhanced the efficiency of molecular imaging using hyperpolarized xe.

committee members: dr. mitchell albert (supervisor), dr. michael campbell, dr. robert mawhinney, dr. alla reznik and dr. boguslaw tomanek (external)

everyone is welcome.

for more information contact brenda magajna at phd.ses@lakeheadu.ca.

please join us for direct action for animals: perspectives from an activist with amy soranno.

friday, jan. 26, 2024
12 to 1:30 pm
via zoom (link to join will be shared ahead of the event with all who have registered)

brought to you by the environmental & natural resources committee and the student animal justice association.

amy soranno, a passionate canadian animal activist, has dedicated her life to shedding light on the hidden cruelties suffered by farmed animals. she spearheads impactful activism campaigns, conducts investigations to document animal cruelty, and organizes large-scale protest events. as a co-founder of ban fur farms bc, a grassroots organization, amy and her colleagues played pivotal roles in the successful permanent ban on mink fur farms in british columbia in 2021. in 2019, amy was one of the excelsior 4 activists who faced charges for exposing animal cruelty at excelsior hog farm in abbotsford. despite enduring criminal charges, convictions, and imprisonment, amy remains resolute in her commitment to animal rights. her unwavering dedication has taken her across the globe, including israel and europe, where she continues to shed light on the plight of farmed animals and inspire the international animal rights movement through empowering activist workshops and compelling speaking engagements.

email dwdylan@lakeheadu.ca for more information.

阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜 's innovation, partnerships and economic development office (iped) invites staff, faculty, 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 , entrepreneurs and community members in the thunder bay region and simcoe county to learn about the benefits of protecting your intellectual property. no ip knowledge level required.

how to develop and fund your ip
thursday, jan. 25, 2024
12 to 1 pm

• developing an ip strategy early
• coordinating ip with publications
• new government funding to pay for start-up company ip filings

lakehead r&i week special feature - ip issues in life sciences and high tech
wednesday, feb. 28, 2024
1 to 1:45 pm (life sciences and chemistry)
2 to 2:45 pm (high tech – software, data, ai, electronics)

• the key role of ip in life sciences and high tech
• myths and best practices
• ai and other emerging technologies

speakers

noel courage is a partner at bereskin & parr llp in intellectual property law. he is a us and canadian patent agent and a canadian lawyer. noel focuses his practice on ip agreements and protecting new inventions with patents. 

tony orsi is a partner at bereskin & parr lllp in intellectual property law and a us and canadian patent agent. his practice focuses on protecting high tech inventions, and he will address high tech issues in the february webinar. 

(moderator/host): ellen mackay, rttp, is the director of innovation development at lakehead, managing all technology transfer activities and the office of innovation, partnerships and economic development. 

webinar instructions will be provided prior to the date of the event. 

come visit a furry friend for some much needed relaxation in the sas multi use access lounge. every thursday from 2 to 3 pm in the tunnels, sc 0004. all are welcome!

"let's talk about maid" a professional development workshop and panel discussion for current and future health and social care providers.

join our special guest, lauren clark and discover how to effectively support patients/clients who are exploring maid. this discussion will cover:

• difficult conversations
• emotional support
• navigating the complexities
• empowering your clients/patients

panel discussion will feature some of our local maid providers and assessors and give listeners an opportunity to gain broader understanding of what is happening in our region.

this free event will also include a light breakfast and networking luncheon.