thunder bay, ont. — cbc broadcaster and cultural commentator elamin abdelmahmoud will headline a black history month lecture at 阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜 as part of the institution’s 60th anniversary president’s public lecture series.

the event will feature a fireside chat between abdelmahmoud, host of cbc’s daily arts, entertainment and pop culture program commotion, and 阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜 chancellor dr. rita shelton deverell.

the conversation is grounded in the theme "black identity in canada and what it means for young people in an ever-radicalized world" and will examine how culture, media and storytelling shape identity and influence how young people see themselves and their futures.

abdelmahmoud will reflect on his experience as a newcomer to canada, having immigrated from sudan at age 12, as well as his work in media and cultural commentary. the discussion will also address representation and the role of black voices in canadian public life.

dr. shelton deverell is an award-winning scholar, broadcaster, television producer, journalist and theatre artist. she is among the first black women in canada to be a television host and network executive, the first woman to lead a journalism program at a canadian university, and a co-founder of vision tv.

the event is co-presented with and sponsored by the 阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜 student union (lusu).

the president’s public lecture series was launched in honour of 阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜 ’s 60th anniversary and features a series of free public talks held on the university’s thunder bay and orillia campuses. events alternate between campuses and are also available by live stream and on-demand.

event details

date: thursday, february 12, 2026
time: 3 - 5 p.m.
location: the outpost, lakehead thunder bay, 955 oliver rd + livestream
registration: lakeheadu.ca/presidentslectureseries

for more information, visit www.hsbcwebinars.com/presidentslectureseries.

where would we be without teachers?

most of us have been taught by at least one educator who inspired us with their knowledge, changed the way we saw the world, and helped us believe in ourselves—even when we didn't.

that's why, every year, lakehead honours outstanding faculty and staff members whose commitment to teaching helps their 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 excel.

read on to meet lakehead's most recent award recipients and discover why these educators deserve a round of applause.

distinguished instructor award recipient

dr. sam salem
civil engineering

"teaching with purpose—inspiring minds and shaping futures—is my foundational principle. even if my day has been tough and i'm feeling exhausted, once i'm in the classroom and see the excitement in 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 ' eyes, my tiredness disappears."

favourite class to teach:
any class that is practical and interactive, emphasizing real-life applications over theory alone. i often use visuals, real engineering examples, and open discussion to simplify complex concepts and engage 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 . by encouraging questions, ethical awareness of public safety, and hands-on learning, i help 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 connect classroom knowledge to real-world structural engineering with a strong sense of responsibility.

proudest teaching accomplishment:
"even though it's wonderful when my 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 get good grades, what makes me most proud of them is when they try hard and ask questions. it shows me that they want to learn. for me, teaching is a work of the heart. you have to love what you teach in order to inspire 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 ."

contribution to teaching award recipients

dr. davut akca
interdisciplinary studies (criminology)

"i love teaching because it allows me to share my knowledge, research, and professional experience with new generations while learning alongside them. it is deeply rewarding to witness 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 grow, gain confidence, and find their career paths. teaching also keeps me intellectually engaged and up to date in my research field.

favourite class to teach:
one of my favourite classes is the highly hands-on investigative interviewing course. 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 apply evidence-based interviewing techniques, conducting mock interviews in a separate classroom while their peers observe and later provide structured feedback. it allows 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 to experience professional-level skill development.

proudest teaching accomplishment:
consistent student feedback highlighting the practical and engaging nature of my courses. one student wrote: "dr. akca is a great prof and clearly explains the course materials." comments like this affirm my belief that—in an era of easy access to information—creating meaningful opportunities to apply knowledge is what truly supports student learning and professional growth.

dr. ahmed elshaer
civil engineering

"i enjoy helping 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 see the real world through engineering. the classroom becomes a place where curiosity grows, ideas turn into projects, and 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 start thinking like problem solvers. teaching allows me to guide them through challenges and share the excitement of learning."

favourite class to teach:
either wind engineering, engineering optimization, or artificial intelligence. wind engineering is inspiring because 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 learn how wind interacts with real structures and how engineering decisions shape resilience and safety. engineering optimization and artificial intelligence empower 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 to solve complex problems using modern tools and data-driven thinking.

proudest teaching accomplishment:
世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 often mention that the clarity and energy in the classroom helped them succeed in courses they once worried about. i've had 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 explain that my teaching helped them choose engineering as a career path with confidence. it means a lot to know that one of my courses changed how they see themselves and what they believe they can achieve.

dr. kathryn walton
english

"i love being able to create courses that not only teach 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 fundamental skills and ideas, but also inspire them to think deeply and intricately about english literature, its history, and its continued relevance today. most of all, i love being able to interact with 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 on a day-to-day basis in the classroom."

favourite class to teach:
i love teaching children's literature because 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 come into class with very set ideas about what it is (purely simplistic and fun). i tear down that assumption with an intense critical, historical overview of children's literature from the middle ages to today. it's very rewarding to get 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 to think more deeply about these seemingly simplistic works and how much attitudes towards children have shifted.

proudest teaching accomplishment:
i am proud of any and all student engagement, but i am most proud when 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 are inspired to pursue graduate studies because of my teaching and materials.

brian weishar
education

"my courses involve a lot of social interaction. i think it's important to build a community within the classroom. so one of the things i love about teaching is seeing the connections and discoveries that come out of that social interaction. it's a real gift to be a part of that."

favourite class to teach:
"each course offers something special. in the classroom management, evaluation and planning course, we spend a good portion of the time thinking about and practicing how to design learning. this feeds into the teacher-candidate placement. i get to 'follow' some of the 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 out into their placements, as a faculty advisor, and see them transfer what they've learned into action."

proudest teaching accomplishment:
when teacher candidates come back from placement, after they've been in my course, and share the things they applied when they were out in the field. i love seeing the impact that they're making on their own as learners.

other contribution to teaching award recipients:

kaitlin adduono, nursing
professor tenille brown, law

teaching innovation award recipients

mohit dudeja
education

"i love teaching because it enables me to transform learning into a creative, political, and collective experience. it allows me to design learning environments that question dominant narratives, centre underrepresented voices, and invite 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 to interrogate how power operates in our own lives and communities."

favourite class to teach:
my favourites are activism courses, such as gender & climate activism and sexual activism & politics, that take unconventional and justice-oriented pedagogical approaches that position 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 as political actors rather than observers. activism is a survival practice for me. i have been a fighter from an early age, and the battles i have lived through shape how i teach."

proudest teaching accomplishment:
at the end of our 2025 activism in education play, the room echoed with claps and many were in tears. it wasn't the kind of emotion that comes from performance alone, but from recognition. 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 had seen their lives, struggles, and unspoken truths reflected back to them.

dr. taryn klarner
kinesiology

"what i love most about teaching is the relationships. i care deeply about my 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 as people first, and i always try to position myself on their side. together we face the course material and assignments. when 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 feel seen, safe, and supported, they're more willing to get involved and engage with everything."

favourite class to teach:
any class where i can use hands-on, experiential learning. i've found that learning really comes alive when 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 can touch, experiment, move, and engage. hands-on activities—like our knit innovation—help break down barriers, build confidence, and make the content feel meaningful.

proudest teaching accomplishment:
when 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 tell me that they feel genuinely supported and cared for in my classroom. hearing that reminds me why this work matters so deeply because when 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 feel supported, they're not just getting through school, they're learning to believe in themselves and their potential. this is our highest calling as teachers.

professor larissa speak
law

"i hope that my teaching practices help build the capacity for settler 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 to better understand indigenous perspectives and laws. i also really value the relationships i've built with indigenous 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 —their contributions shape my teaching practices."

favourite class to teach:
indigenous perspectives because it has a land-based learning component—the gaa-maada'ooniding law camp. this class gets all of us out on the land and engaging with local knowledge holders about treaty history, respect, medicine teachings, and language. i'm very grateful for our partnership with the school of indigenous learning (soil), which makes this class possible.

proudest teaching accomplishment:
after my first year teaching, an indigenous law student gifted me an eagle feather to recognize my contributions to teaching at the law school. as a new instructor, this was a very encouraging and generous gift, grounded in anishinaabe practices. i continue to care for this feather and to bring anishinaabe practices and knowledges into my teaching.

other teaching innovation award recipients:

kristen mcconnell, school of nursing

teaching support award recipient:

adam humeniuk, teaching commons

congratulations to all the 2025 recipients of lakehead's highest teaching honours!

this exceptional alumni award winner helps children blossom

"世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 have taught me more lessons about myself than i ever could have expected," says educator and lakehead alum heidi warren, above.

one moment in particular stands out for her. she was trying to lead an elementary school class outside, but as she was hurrying the children along, a young student tried to get heidi to stop.

"i was feeling overwhelmed and rushed, and i said, 'come on, let's go,' and he started to cry. he wanted to show me this incredible picture of a rainbow and hearts that he'd drawn for me on the chalkboard.

i realized that i needed to take a breath, connect with that student, and look at his picture. it only took a moment, but it made a huge difference."

"to keep planting seeds for meaningful change in education," is heidi's mission. "i want to continue creating spaces where hearts and minds can grow (including my own)." above is the chalk drawing created for her by her young student.

taking the time to build connections shapes heidi's approach to learning.

she's currently on a secondment as a whole child coach with the first nation school board in yukon. her regular job is as the principal of the white river first nation's nelnah bessie john school in beaver creek, yukon.

"i want to support kids so that they thrive because when i was a student, sometimes i got support and sometimes i didn't," she says.

embracing community in the arctic

heidi spent much of her childhood in the northwest territories, including fort mcpherson and inuvik.

"there's no separation between indigenous and non-indigenous people in the north; we all lived in community together," she says.

"my parents taught me that we were visitors and that we should take our lead from elders and indigenous people. this gave me a much stronger relationship to the land and to the community."

heidi received her bachelor of arts and science and bachelor of education in 2010. she's happy to be teaching in yukon, where she spent part of her childhood. above, she stands beside her mother who's holding her little sister.

both of heidi's parents were educators. "as a young child, i loved being in the classroom with them, surrounded by books and chalkboards."

these early experiences made her want to be a teacher, but heidi first tried out several different careers before embarking on an education degree as a mature student.

"i started at a large university close to toronto—by that time, my family had moved to southern ontario—but i found it hard to be in such an impersonal environment."

stepping into a new world

things changed when her mother told her that a university would be opening in orillia.

this news prompted heidi to enrol in lakehead orillia's bachelor of arts and science program (specializing in biology and anthropology) and concurrent bachelor of education program.

she began her studies in 2006, becoming a member of lakehead orillia's charter class.

"it was perfect. the professors had high expectations, but they offered great support, and the classes were small.

heidi (4th from the left) received an exceptional alumni award at an october 25, 2025, ceremony at lakehead orillia. "it was lovely to be back again. the ceremony was heartfelt and true to the orillia way."

i remember every single one of my instructors. anthropology professor dr. tim kaiser's belief in me and his passion for his subject were inspirational. biology professor dr. nanda kanavilil was incredible, too. he always wanted us to strive for the deepest understanding of genetics and biology."

nurturing children's self-worth and curiosity

in her role as a whole child coach, heidi works with first nation school board education assistants and teachers committed to using a holistic lens with their learners.

through her coaching, she enables educators to support 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 academically, culturally, and cognitively to create the sense of safety that's necessary for a supportive learning environment. "historically, school hasn't been a safe space for indigenous children," she explains.

first nation school board 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 at a fall camp that helps them stay connected to their culture and language through activities including setting fish nets, moose hunting, duck hunting, camp meal prep, and storytelling.

this fall, heidi returned to the orillia campus to receive an exceptional alumni award for her transformative work as an educator. "i was very honoured and surprised," she says.

"i want to fan the flame of kids' passions and interests," she adds. "helping children discover who they are gives me my sense of purpose."

professors and current and former lakehead 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 attend the launch of a new graduate degree program in social justice studies now offered at the orillia campus. 

orillia, ont. - 阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜 is expanding graduate degree program offerings in central ontario with the launch of the master of social justice studies program, now offered at the orillia campus.

designed for established career professionals wanting to expand their competencies or a student who’s just graduating from university, the master of social justice studies degree prepares 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 to work, research, and advocate for a more just and inclusive world.

“in this program we explore and tackle inequalities and oppressive structures of power to understand why they persist and what is required to bring about social change,” explained dr. glenda bonafacio, dean of lakehead’s faculty of social sciences and humanities. “we look at our relationships with each other, with the institutions and resources that structure our lives, as well as our relationship with the environment.”

learning from faculty and researchers in fields like indigenous learning, media, film and communications, political science, and criminology, 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 will engage with issues such as race, gender, poverty, and the environment.

through coursework, practicum, and research or creative project-based learning, 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 have the opportunity to tailor their education to fit their interests and apply their knowledge to build better social, economic, and democratic policy and practice.

“since we launched the degree program in 2016 in northwestern ontario, our graduates have gone on to medical school and law school, others hold influential leadership, policy and advocacy roles with local non-profits, government, and community development organizations,” said program advisor dr. kevin brooks.

the two-year program is designed to be flexible and accessible–courses are delivered in-person and online, allowing 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 to balance academic study with professional and personal responsibilities.

applications are now open for september 2026.

for more information, visit //www.hsbcwebinars.com/programs/departments/social-justice.

check out our first newsletter of 2026! it is full of exciting learning opportunities, events and more! check it out here: https://conta.cc/3kfae9z

check out our first newsletter of 2026! it is full of exciting learning opportunities, events and more! check it out here: https://conta.cc/3kfae9z

after a very successful 2025 season for many of the 阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜 wrestlers, including the crowning of two national champions, we now have the opportunity to host the 2026 usports wcl wrestling championships and show canada what makes thunder say such an amazing place.

the 2026 usports wcl wresting championships will take place from february 26 to march 1, 2026 at the 阿根廷vs墨西哥竞猜 fieldhouse and hangar!

it has been 14 years since thunder bay hosted this prestigious event, but the time has come for us to demonstrate how well we can put on a national quality sporting championship. thunder bay has a long proud history in the wrestling word. and we are ready for the return of the national championships to the thunderdome. but to make this happen, we need the community's support.

we're looking for volunteers to support as: scoreboard operators, camera operators (tablets used for video playback), ticket sales, mat maintenance, athlete escorts, security, food services, etc.

join the volunteer team

what volunteers will get

you will be able to assist with a national level sporting competition and help to put on an amazing event for thunder bay and for everyone watching across canada.

demonstrate your community spirit and support for thunder bay, and in turn gain recognition for doing so.

we hope that you will be a part of this university championship event and will help your community showcase to canada just how amazing thunder bay is.

apply to be a volunteer today

this lakehead leader award winner is someone to look up to

on the road to success, some people sprint up the corporate ladder, while others extend that ladder behind them, lifting those who need help.

brandon rehfuhs, a master of science in management student, offers a firm grip for those coming up behind him because he believes his purpose is to share his knowledge and experience.

the impact he's had on and off campus hasn't gone unnoticed.

brandon received a 2025 lakehead leader award in the luminary category. the university's student success centre recognized him with this honour for his success in spearheading projects that address community needs through entrepreneurship.

brandon (centre), accepts a 2024-25 lakehead leader award, as well as certificates of recognition and achievement, from student success centre director paula jean broderick (left) and vice-provost & registrar andrea tarsitano (right).

a deep love for the north

born and raised in thunder bay, brandon credits his father axel—who graduated from lakehead in 1993 with a bachelor of administration—with being his most inspiring mentor.

"he started his own water and plumbing business, and taught me about that as well as how to manage people effectively," explains brandon, who earned his honours bachelor of commerce in accounting in 2024.

with that foundation to build on, he took advantage of lakehead's many experiential learning opportunities, like the enactus entrepreneurship club.

"i joined enactus in my first year and later became president. they do amazing work helping people in the north."

brandon loves welcoming new 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 to lakehead during orientation, as well as providing academic support through small and large group peer mentorship sessions.

building a better world

brandon's passion for social impact began early.

in 2017, when he was in grade nine, the city of thunder bay's recreation and culture division gave him a young entrepreneurs award to recognize his contributions to the community.

calendars he designed raised $870 for charity.

he credits his time with the rotary youth leadership academy, rotary adventure in citizenship program, and the thunder bay police youth corps with instilling civic pride. he has participated in many local events including the terry fox run, empty bowls caring hearts, and road cleanup.

"since then, i've wanted to help people learn more about leadership, public speaking, and soft skills. that's why i deliver workshops through the student success centre," he says.

"i'm also grateful to ingenuity—lakehead's first business incubator—for giving enactus space for hosting workshops and to ingenuity manager alyson mackay for offering us lots of pointers and assistance."

through enactus, brandon (centre) and his fellow team members morgan gordon (left) and aidan woodhouse (right), competed at the 2024 enactus canada national exposition.

brandon has designed and run interactive programs for indigenous youth groups and university 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 dedicated to developing critical thinking skills, professional development, and leadership training, as well as a workshop series to help young people develop practical workplace skills.

"i'm mostly just trying to help people be the best person they can be, and i want to help shape the new generation by sharing the knowledge i've gained," he says.

welcoming high school 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 to lakehead

in 2022, brandon started working as a program assistant with shad canada as another way of giving back.

shad is an immersive mentorship and entrepreneurship program for high school 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 that takes place on university campuses. it's focused on young people who want to make a difference in the fields of science, technology, engineering, the arts, and mathematics.

shad canada is an international nonprofit organization that inspires 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 to improve the world through entrepreneurial action. as shad lakehead's program coordinator, brandon helped plan and execute a month-long program for high-achieving high school 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 that sparked innovation, creativity, and teamwork.

"i love being able to teach the amazing 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 going into grade 11 and 12 who come to the program for the month of july," says brandon, who recently became the program coordinator for shad lakehead.

for 'pitch day!', he matched entrepreneurial 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 with business mentors who could help them develop their ideas and pitch them to a panel of judges.

"i've gotten messages from past 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 who are now in university about how the shad program affected them and helped them grow," he says.

forging a future for all

in 2023, brandon won the founder's bursary presented by the john dobson foundation for his superior leadership with enactus. he also received the enactus canada gold community service leadership award.

lakehead's enactus team was a runner-up in the td entrepreneurship challenge for their project involving soft skills, entrepreneurship, and mental health.

"being recognized shows me that other people are seeing the impact we're having, and i'm hoping it inspires them to do this type of work as well," he says.

brandon wants young people to dream big. he's even started his own business, garant enterprises, to teach them soft skills and entrepreneurship.

"they're our new generation of leaders and entrepreneurs, so helping them become their best selves is so fulfilling."

ensuring equitable maternity care for all northern ontarians

overview:

• many northern ontario communities have limited access to maternity and newborn care
• training more midwives can help solve the region's healthcare challenges
• dr. kirsty bourret and dr. helle møller's research team offers timely maternity care solutions

bringing a child into the world should always be a joyful experience, but for many northern ontario families, pregnancy also brings stress and anxiety.

women across the region report difficulties in finding adequate perinatal and pregnancy care.

"if a woman living outside of a major centre needs her baby delivered, she often has to travel an average of four or five hours," says health sciences professor dr. kirsty bourret.

dr. kirsty bourret (left) is a francophone settler, midwife and researcher committed to advancing primary care, reproductive justice, anti-racism, and culturally safe care. she bridges clinical practice, policy, and implementation research to strengthen health systems that reflect the communities they serve.

rural, indigenous, and francophone communities face the greatest challenges.

"over the last five years, birth services in northern ontario hospitals have been shutting down," says health sciences professor dr. helle møller. "many of the remaining doctors don't have experience assisting with births, so they aren't offering maternity care."

"it was emotionally difficult to be separated from my two-year-old child for so long."
- northern ontario woman who had to leave her community to give birth

dr. helle møller (right) studies the determinants of health, social justice, and equity in health, healthcare, and health education. in particular, she focuses on perinatal people, people on the female continuum, and indigenous people in northern, rural, and remote regions.

for dr. bourret and dr. møller, the way to solve this concerning state-of-affairs is obvious. train more midwives so that they can step into the gap.

currently, midwives support approximately 40 per cent of all births in thunder bay, however, there aren't enough of them to meet demand in the region.

"hundreds of northern ontarians who want midwifery services are turned away because of a shortage of midwives," dr. bourret says.

what exactly does a midwife do?

midwives are frontline healthcare providers whose services, which are free of charge, are comparable to those offered by doctors and nurse practitioners.

prenatal, birth, and postpartum care is the focus of most midwives; however, they can also tend to every aspect of women's health and reproductive needs—from their teen years to menopause and beyond.

this care includes routine health screenings, contraception, early pregnancy loss and pregnancy care, care of mothers, and care of babies for the first two years of their lives.

they also allow women to choose where they will deliver their babies—at home, in a hospital, or at a birth centre.

during home births, midwives bring clinical equipment including blood pressure cuffs, ivs, portable ultrasounds, and instruments for suturing, as well as medications to stabilize newborns and mothers. some midwives travel up to 400 km to treat patients in rural northern communities. photo credit: association of ontario midwives

"there are a lot of misconceptions about midwives, including that they're untrained and unregulated," dr. møller says.

"we want the public to know that midwives must complete a four-year university degree and that they are a regulated health profession governed by the college of midwives of ontario. they collaborate closely with specialists and are recognized by the province of ontario as essential to interprofessional primary care teams."

dr. bourret is a midwife herself. "i came to midwifery in 2000 because i believe that everyone deserves equitable, safe, and respectful care."

"midwives have a unique philosophy of care and a huge positive effect on their clients' mental health," agrees dr. møller.

they provide continuity of care, informed choice, are on call 24 hours a day for urgent concerns, and travel to clients' homes for postpartum care.

standing up for women and children

midwives help patients navigate a complex healthcare system by acting as advocates and by offering counselling and referrals. currently, there are only about 1,000 midwives to serve ontario's population of over 16 million. photo credit: unsplash/brian wangenheim

dr. møller and dr. bourret are part of northern midwifery care—an interdisciplinary research group committed to ensuring that every woman in northern ontario receives culturally safe, equitable midwifery care.

the group is leading a large qualitative and quantitative midwifery research study called "mapping midwifery care in northern ontario, an intersectional mixed methods study."

"until now, there was no research showing where midwives are working in northern ontario and how the midwife shortage is affecting access to primary healthcare," says dr. bourret, who is the study's lead investigator.

dr. møller is a co-investigator along with laurentian university midwifery professor emeritus dr. susan james and dr. patrick timony with the centre for rural and northern health research. their diverse research team also includes graduate 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 and northern ontario client partner researchers with lived experiences, including midwives and doulas.

midwives make all the difference

over 51 midwives, plus clients from every district in northern ontario, were interviewed for the research study. "i come from denmark where midwives provide 85 per cent of care to pregnant and birthing people," dr. møller says. photo credit: association of ontario midwives

preliminary results of the study have found that midwives provide timely and continuous primary care across rural, remote, and urban communities in the north and that they are one of the backbones of a good healthcare system.

they divert admissions to hospitals—including costly emergency department visits for women and newborns—and free up hospital resources for other patients.

that's why dr. bourret and dr. møller are organizing the northern ontario midwifery symposium this winter, to explore challenges, innovations, and collaborative solutions that will support sustainable midwifery care in northern ontario.

"midwives are change agents,"dr. møller says.

make your voice heard by clicking here to register for the northern ontario midwifery symposium on february 5, 2026.

dr. bourret and dr. møller's research is funded by the association of ontario midwives. you can learn more about the northern midwifery care research group on facebook and instagram. you can also email them at northernmidwiferycare@gmail.com.

our region’s forests are in good hands with this rising star

an unlikely forester

dr. temitope ojo had big dreams when he was growing up, but working in the natural resources industry wasn't one of them.

"as a kid in nigeria, we didn't have constant electricity," temitope says. "so i set my mind on becoming an electrical engineer because i wanted to be part of the solution."

for temitope's phd thesis, he did a comparative analysis of two communities that relied upon one primary industry for their survival—atikokan, ontario, and oloibira, nigeria.

after he finished high school, he applied to the federal university of agriculture abeokuta (funaab), nigeria.

then temitope hit a snag.

it would be a full year before his electrical electronics engineering spot would become available, and he didn't want to wait around. when the university told him they had a spot open in their forestry program, temitope took it.

his friends weren't sure about this unexpected choice. "they laughed when i told them and said, 'you're going to be a forester?'"

"but i fell in love with forestry," he says.

helping restore a ravaged landscape

when he finished his undergraduate degree, graduating with distinction, temitope put his newfound knowledge to practical use.

in nigeria, all university graduates are required by law to complete a year of national service with the national youth service corps (nysc) to promote national unity and community development. temitope was eager to use this service year to support reforestation efforts.

"nigeria is in an environmental crisis caused by deforestation," he explains. "with fewer trees to anchor the soil and break the wind, communities are facing landslides and strong winds that rip roofs off homes."

he planted over 10,000 trees during his year of service—both fast-growing gmelina and sturdy teak trees.

his herculean efforts earned him a national youth service corps state coordinator's award from the federal government.

temitope was admitted to phd programs in multiple countries, but lakehead stood above the others. "i wanted professors with track records of mentoring their 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 and who specialized in my interests," he says. "i also wanted small classrooms and to be close to nature."

but temitope wasn't finished with academia. he returned to school to complete a master of forest economics and management at funaab, graduating at the top of his class.

"then i decided to continue my passion for forestry, and began looking at phd programs in the united kingdom, sweden, finland, hong kong, and canada. i picked canada because it has the best forestry programs in the world."

a friend you can lean on

temitope's research led him to choose lakehead. so, in 2019, he made the life-changing journey from nigeria to northwestern ontario.

"when you come to lakehead, you don't only come to study," temitope says. "lakehead has the resources to help you fit into the community and to inspire you to give back to the community.

my phd supervisor, dr. michel s. beaulieu, instilled this ethos in me. i wanted to replicate that goodness."

soon, temitope was helping other 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 transition to life in a new country.

he started a shuttle system, giving new international 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 rides from the airport to their residences and buying groceries for them with his own money. he also introduced them to services available at lakehead and in thunder bay.

"i became friends with many of the 世界杯2022赛程表淘汰赛 i met."

temitope was recognized by the university’s student success centre with lakehead leader awards for diversity and inclusion (2020) and community engagement (2023). 

temitope contributed in many other ways. he was the president of lakehead's branch of the canadian union of public employees and a member of the graduate student association's executive.

he volunteered with the environmental non-profit ecosuperior, served as a citizen representative and vice-chair of the city of thunder bay's anti-racism & equity advisory committee, and joined the thunder bay historical museum society board, where he now serves as vice-president.

a new champion for northwestern ontario forestry

a few weeks before receiving his phd in forest sciences in 2024, temitope landed a position as the regional supervisor of the ministry of natural resources' northwest region.

in this role, he leads the regional information and analysis unit, where he oversees natural resource assessment and geospatial analysis. he also develops complex geographic information system (gis) products that support ecological sustainability and natural resource planning across northwestern ontario.

temitope served as the vice-chair of the canadian institute of forestry (northwestern ontario) and was featured in an article in the september 2023 issue of the professional forester. right, temitope stands beside dr. michel s. beaulieu after receiving a 2025 city of thunder bay exceptional achievement – good citizen award.

"it's all thanks to the mentorship of dr. beaulieu," temitope says. "when i was close to graduating, he reviewed my resume and gave me tips and pointers, which got me an interview with the ministry of natural resources.

i'm so grateful to him and to lakehead for helping me find my dream job."