ascend accelerator graduates (from left) joshua sanchez, aliss chavarri, lesly gunasekara, and bryan wong are pictured with ingenuity manager alyson mackay. 

april 9, 2024 – thunder bay and orillia, ont.

阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜 recently celebrated graduates from its fourth cohort of the ascend accelerator program, hosted by the ingenuity incubator space.

this year’s cohort saw four student-led thunder bay and orillia-based ventures navigate their way through the entrepreneurial journey. the businesses range from augmented reality (ar) and virtual reality (vr) software development to sustainability consulting services, and airbnb cleaning solutions.

along with funding from the john dobson foundation, 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 were provided with a platform to transform their ideas into tangible realities. participants received mentorship and weekly workshops and were held accountable to milestone goals created over the 10-week program, which ran from january to march.

ingenuity manager alyson mackay said it was exciting to help the 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 develop their businesses. “i continue to be amazed at the talent that we are seeing in our 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 . the level of commitment and passion i have seen from these participants is incredible and i look forward to continuing to work with them,” she said.

nestar is one of four new businesses supported through ascend. created by joshua sanchez and aliss chavarri, the thunder bay-based business specializes in providing rental solutions that enhance the renting experience for both landlords and tenants.

nestar’s user-friendly website provides automatic payment facilities, electronic lease signing, and a sophisticated matching system with integrated background checks to connect the right tenants with the right landlords. the business is committed to setting new standards in the rental industry and transforming the way people rent and manage properties in thunder bay.

“the ascend accelerator program has had a profound impact on our company, allowing us to navigate challenges and seize opportunities we never thought possible,” sanchez said.

“their spaces, webinars, and connections provided us with the resources and knowledge needed to develop, launch and grow our business. we are truly grateful for their dedication to our success and recognize the countless entrepreneurs who would greatly benefit from this program. thank you for believing in us and helping us turn our vision into reality.”

sidney howlett started sidney howlett consulting in orillia to help organizations navigate the complex landscape of climate action. her firm delivers a comprehensive suite of services including consultation on climate action and sustainability strategies, professional development workshops, public speaking engagements, and informed research support.

“from access to a lawyer to review my service contracts to guidance in developing my website, the mentorship, funding, and workshops have been instrumental in establishing my business,” howlett said. “i have already had my first successful climate action consultation with a school board and can't wait to see the impact my services have thanks to the support of the ascend accelerator program."

bryan wong’s venture, sprout circle, is pushing the boundaries of technology by developing cutting-edge interactive ar/vr solutions that revolutionize education, offering 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 and professionals alike an unparalleled opportunity to explore and comprehend complex concepts in an immersive 3d environment.

lesly gunasekara’s lavender and luxe cleaning services specializes in premium cleaning services exclusively for airbnb hosts. from swift turnovers to deep cleaning between guest stays, they ensure airbnb properties maintain the highest standards of cleanliness.

dr. andrew p. dean, lakehead’s vice-president, research and innovation, congratulated the five graduates of the program, wishing them luck with their businesses.

“the graduating entrepreneurs have demonstrated exceptional problem-solving skills by addressing market gaps with their unique products and services. their contributions are meeting consumer needs but also fostering regional economic growth,” dr. dean said.

“i would like to congratulate all the graduates. i wish you all the best as you take your businesses to the next level in your entrepreneurial journey.”

for more about ingenuity, visit www.hsbcwebinars.com/centre/ingenuity.

pictured from left are dr. jian deng, dr. pauline sameshima, dr. florin pendea, dr. andrew j. dean, dr. charles levkoe, and mannila sandhu. dr. deng and dr. levkoe received this year's research excellence award, and sandhu was the recipient of the research support award.

february 29, 2024 – thunder bay and orillia, ont.

阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜 recognized exceptional 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 , faculty researchers, and partners during the annual research and innovation awards of excellence on thursday, feb. 29 in thunder bay.

the event, hosted by dr. andrew p. dean, vice-president of research and innovation, celebrated lakehead’s significant contributions to research excellence, entrepreneurship, innovation, and community impact.

“each year we recognize the tremendous accomplishments of our student and faculty researchers,” he stated. “the impact of the work they do on- and off-campus can be felt locally and internationally and helps shape the reputation of 阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜 as an institution dedicated to research excellence."

“congratulations to all the winners on this well-deserved honour,” he added.

two distinguished lakehead professors were among this year’s honorees: dr. pauline sameshima and dr. andrew j. dean were recognized with the 2024 distinguished researcher award.

dr. sameshima, an editor, curator, curriculum theorist, artist, and professor in the faculty of education, was recognized for her commitment to mobilizing learning across diverse audiences and fostering innovative university-community learning collaborations. her contributions in the field have garnered previous recognition, including the 2022 ontario art education association's post-secondary teacher of the year award, a 2022 lakehead teaching innovation award, and lakehead's 2020 building research capacity award. she is also a member of the college of the royal society of canada.

“i’m humbled by this honour,” said dr. sameshima. “i see the award as a big happy high five – a thank you cheer that is a two-way celebration. i think about telling my parents about the award. whenever anyone thanked my dad, who passed away a year ago, he always said, “my pleasure!” to this award, i say “my pleasure!” because working at lakehead is a pleasure.”

“i don’t think about changing societies but, because of technology, we affect more than we know,” she said. “the dedicated love we put into our work, whether it’s research for a scientific cure or a poem, goes through to the end product and is gifted to the receiver in a new form, like medicine or learning or emotion. in that way, research or anything we do affects the other.”

for sameshima, this recognition is a tribute to the collaborative efforts of family, mentors, colleagues, her research teams, graduate 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 , and university staff.

“it is through research that better futures can be imagined. as we think, imagine, make, and share, we construct the society we hope for.” 

dr. dean joined 阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜 in 1999 after earning his phd in mathematics following his undergraduate education at 阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜 . he is currently a professor in the department of mathematical sciences.

his primary field of study is closely related to the elliott program for the classification of amenable c*-algebras. c*-algebras are mathematical objects that combine elements of algebra and analysis and are used in the study of operator theory, functional analysis, and quantum mechanics.

he has published numerous papers on this subject, and has supervised many 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 and post-docs, some of whom are now in academia.

“i want my 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 to develop skills that will allow them to thrive in whatever field they choose to work in, whether it is academic research or something else altogether,” he said, describing what he hopes to impart on 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 and society through teaching and research.

“receiving the distinguished researcher award is an honour,” dr. dean said. “i would like to thank my 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 , colleagues and coauthors, and the natural sciences and engineering research council (nserc) for many years of support.”

a full list of the awards and recipients follows:

distinguished researcher award
dr. andrew j. dean, department of mathematics
dr. pauline sameshima, faculty of education

research excellence awards

nserc category
dr. jian deng, department of civil engineering

sshrc category
dr. charles levkoe, department of health sciences

research support award
mannila sandhu, quantitative research assistant, epid @work institute

building research capacity award
dr. pedram fatehi, department of chemical engineering, and dr. stephen kinrade, department of chemistry, for their project, “nmr for advanced research.”

indigenous partnership research award
dr. jian deng, department of civil engineering, and marcus hardy, chief of red rock indian band, for their project, “nipigon river landslides: monitoring, mechanisms, and mitigation.”

community engaged research award
dr. sonia mastrangelo, faculty of education, dr. gerardo reyes, departments of sustainability sciences and biology, and katherine killam from camphill communities ontario

innovation award
dr. deborah scharf and dr. amanda maranzan from the department of psychology

three-minute thesis
first place: madeline fabiano, msc kinesiology (supervisor: e. pearson)
second place: karlee lefebvre, msc kinesiology (supervisor: n. ravanelli)

gradflix award
tristen brown, phd civil engineering (supervisor: a. elshaer)

graduate studies research excellence awards

natural sciences and engineering category
sana sharif, phd electrical and computer engineering (supervisor: w. ejaz)

social sciences and humanities category
casey oliver, phd clinical psychology (supervisor: d. mazmanian)

graduate student conference poster winners

winner engineering category
eduardo reis, phd software engineering (supervisor: t. akilan)

winner nserc category
nicholas bel, phd biotechnology (supervisor: n. khaper)

winner sshrc category
crystal hardy, phd health sciences (supervisor: r. schiff and c. mushquash)

winner cihr category
chiao-en joanne kao, phd clinical psychology (supervisor: d. scharf)

post-doctoral fellow excellence award
dr. yurii shepelytskyi (supervisor: m. albert)

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media: please contact jaclyn bucik, media, communications and marketing associate, at 705-330-4010 ext. 2014 or mediarelations@lakeheadu.ca.

阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜 is a fully comprehensive university with approximately 9,700 full-time equivalent 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 and over 2,000 faculty and staff at two campuses in orillia and thunder bay, ontario. lakehead has nine faculties, including business administration, education, engineering, graduate studies, health & behavioural sciences, law, natural resources management, science & environmental studies, and social sciences & humanities. 阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜 ’s achievements have been recognized nationally and internationally, including being ranked in the top half of times higher education's 2023 world universities rankings for the fourth consecutive year, and the number one university in the world with fewer than 9,000 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 in the’s 2023 impact rankings (which assesses institutions against the united nations’ 17 sustainable development goals). visit www.hsbcwebinars.com.

february 13, 2024 – thunder bay, ont.  

the spotlight will be on research, innovation and collaboration during 阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜 ’s 19^th annual research & innovation week, february 24 to march 1.

a venue for researchers to showcase their activity and expertise, research & innovation week highlights the profound impact lakehead faculty and graduate and undergraduate 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 have on our community and beyond through advancement of new perspectives and innovations.

“research & innovation week is designed to elevate awareness of the university’s world-class research activity and expertise, create opportunities for collaboration, and recognize exceptional achievements,” explained dr. andrew p. dean, vice-president, research and innovation. “through research and scholarly activity, we can improve every aspect of society.”

various events are happening throughout the week including guest speakers, interactive exhibits and displays, and research showcases.

on saturday, feb. 24, there will be a free public event at goods & co. market on red river road. drop by between 10 am and 4 pm to engage in hands-on research activities.

then, on monday, feb. 26 at 12 pm, biologist, science journalist, author and tv host dr. dan riskin will deliver a keynote address. in this hour-long talk, riskin will delve into how individuals can learn and thrive in the new world of artificial intelligence. registration is required.

on tuesday, feb. 27 at 11 am in the cases atrium, dr. scott hamilton will explore the complexities surrounding academic participation in the search for unmarked graves at indian residential schools (irs). over the past decade, dr. hamilton has been involved in irs investigations, first as a researcher with the truth and reconciliation commission, and more recently as a resource person. 

also that afternoon, guest curator mary ann beckwith will host a tour of lakehead’s new juried and featured art in the cases building from 4 to 5:30 pm.  select exhibitors will be on hand to discuss their works.

on wednesday, feb. 28 at 10 am in the faculty lounge, the university will be hosting a showcase of researchers who will present highlights of their most innovative and impactful research endeavours – from science and technology to social sciences and humanities.

speakers will include dr. abigale sprakes from the school of social work; dr. abdulsalam yassine from the department of software engineering; dr. noah phillips from the department of geology; dr. paul cormier from keewatinase – department of indigenous education in the faculty of education; and many more.

also on wednesday, dr. amanda diochon will dig into her work to improve land management outcomes for organic carbon stores and soil health, with a focus on northern soils - from 11:30 am to 1 pm in the university centre (uc 1017).

on thursday, feb. 29 at 2 pm, lakehead professor and director of epid@work dr. vicki kristman will explore the factors impacting employee health and disability and offer solutions to help improve the overall work environment. dr. kristman’s talk will be held in the cases atrium.

visit www.hsbcwebinars.com/ri to register for events and for more information.  

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media: please contact jaclyn bucik, media, communications and marketing associate, at 705-330-4010 ext. 2014 or mediarelations@lakeheadu.ca.

阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜 is a fully comprehensive university with approximately 9,700 full-time equivalent 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 and over 2,000 faculty and staff at two campuses in orillia and thunder bay, ontario. lakehead has nine faculties, including business administration, education, engineering, graduate studies, health & behavioural sciences, law, natural resources management, science & environmental studies, and social sciences & humanities. 阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜 ’s achievements have been recognized nationally and internationally, including being ranked in the top half of times higher education's 2023 world universities rankings for the fourth consecutive year, and the number one university in the world with fewer than 9,000 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 in the’s 2023 impact rankings (which assesses institutions against the united nations’ 17 sustainable development goals). visit www.hsbcwebinars.com.

ingenuity manager alyson mackay (centre) is pictured with ascend accelerator graduates (from right) christopher silver, louis johnson, allan alias, and asha nurse.

july 18, 2023 – thunder bay, ont.  

lakehead recently celebrated the graduates from its third cohort of the ascend accelerator boot-camp-style program, hosted by the ingenuity incubator space.

along with fednor funding, participants in the student-based business ventures received mentorship and weekly workshops. they were held accountable to milestone goals created over the 10-week program, which ran from may 8 to july 14.

this year the cohort included four participants who each explored a separate business venture. ingenuity manager alyson mackay said it was exciting to help the 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 develop their businesses.

“i can’t believe the third cohort is coming to an end – it's amazing how fast the 10 weeks went by,” mackay said.

“i’m incredibly proud of all the hard work the 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 have put into their business ideas and am looking forward to celebrating their success. their commitment and passion drove the energy in the ascend program and they’ve come a long way since the first week.”

dr. andrew p. dean, vice-president, research and innovation, congratulated the participants for reaching graduation.

"by providing financial support and access to mentors, ingenuity ascend offers a great platform for lakehead 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 to transform their ideas into reality and launch their unique business ventures,” he said.

“from using thermal sensors to detect falls to developing automated lockers for artists and entrepreneurs to sell their products, our graduating entrepreneurs have solved gaps in the market and are contributing to the growth of our regional economy.

“once again, i’d like to congratulate the graduates, and i wish you all the best as you ascend your businesses to the next level,” dr. dean said.

louis johnson’s project, liaison, implements a completely automated locker system that allows artists and entrepreneurs to seamlessly market and sell their crafts, products, or services in high foot-traffic venues.

vendors can simply load their lockers with merchandise and consumers can conveniently purchase them with the push of a button. this solution now gives vendors the opportunity to create more, invest more, and profit more.

“this year's ascend program hosted by ingenuity has been an unforgettable experience,” johnson said.

“as a physics graduate and a mechanical engineering student with no business background, i was doubtful of my capabilities to become an entrepreneur.

“however, over these past 10 weeks i wasn't just exposed to all of the essential aspects of starting a business but was taken through the step-by-step process of how to implement them.

“alongside the valuable information i've gained from this program, i was able to network with other like-minded entrepreneurs, which created an environment where everyone was able to feed off of each other’s ideas to create innovative solutions.

“turning your passion into a business is an extremely difficult process, but with guidance and support from ingenuity the self-doubt started to fade and the end goal became much more attainable,” johnson added.

christopher silver’s project, silver vantage software, uses computer vision and machine learning to create a thermal fall detection system for elderly people. a thermal sensor will monitor a room, sending an alert to a family member or personal support worker if a fall is detected.

allan alias is launching pixel point, a comprehensive social media management and real estate media solution provider that specializes in management and digital marketing. pixel point offers a range of services from content creation to paid ads management.

asha nurse created silver sands nail bar, a home-based and mobile nail salon in thunder bay that offers gel polish, gel extensions, and overlays. it specializes in the newest trends in the nail industry.

as a mobile salon, silver sands takes the hassle out of finding a nail technician by bringing their services directly to you. the mission of silver sands is to understand and meet the needs of its clients, especially young people.

for more about ingenuity, visit www.hsbcwebinars.com/centre/ingenuity. 

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 media: for more information or interviews, please contact brandon walker, media, communications and marketing associate, at mediarelations@lakeheadu.ca.

阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜  is a fully comprehensive university with approximately 9,700 full-time equivalent 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 and over 2,000 faculty and staff at two campuses in orillia and thunder bay, ontario. lakehead has nine faculties, including business administration, education, engineering, graduate studies, health & behavioural sciences, law, natural resources management, science & environmental studies, and social sciences & humanities. 阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜 ’s achievements have been recognized nationally and internationally, including being ranked in the top half of times higher education's 2023 world universities rankings for the fourth consecutive year, and the number one university in the world with fewer than 9,000 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 in the’s 2023 impact rankings (which assesses institutions against the united nations’ 17 sustainable development goals). visit www.hsbcwebinars.com.