July 10, 2026
(L to R) Richard Gibson, director of operations, ImPaKT; Marlene McGrath, chair of Western’s board of governors; Industry Minister Mélanie Joly; President Alan Shepard; Arielle Kayabaga, MP London West; and Penny Pexman, VP (Research) (Photo source: Steven Anderson/Western Communications)
Federal Industry Minister Mélanie Joly visited Western Research Parks, touring the future home of the Pathogen Research Centre, set to open in 2027. She also visited BioNext, Western’s medical innovation incubator supporting entrepreneurs on their journey from prototype to commercialization.
Valerie Oosterveld (Photo source: Hilary Gauld)
Law professor Valerie Oosterveld is part of a global effort to better understand technology-facilitated gender-based violence affecting women and girls displaced by conflict. The project received €3.1 million ($5 million CAD) in new funding through Horizon Europe.
Engineering professor Yang Zhao’s (centre) research on sustainable solid-state sodium batteries is one of 81 Western projects supported through new NSERC Discovery Grants (Photo source: Steven Anderson/Western Communications)
Western researchers have secured $19 million in Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Discovery Grants for 81 projects, supporting innovative work across science and engineering while training the next generation of researchers and advancing solutions in sustainability, health and technology.
AI starts with human creativity (Photo source: Kaitlyn Baker/Unsplash)
Comparative literature PhD candidate Lei Yu explores how writing prompts for generative AI are turning literary description into an everyday skill, reshaping the way people use language to communicate ideas, emotions and imagery.
The Impact Project
Explore how the Western community is collectively contributing to meaningful change in the world, today.
Ravi Menon (Photo source: Steven Anderson/Western Communications)
Ravi Menon: How technology and teamwork power medical breakthroughs.
Coming Up
July 14 (noon to 1 p.m.)
Lunch and learn: Transforming tension
Explore practical tips to process anger and frustration in healthy ways while strengthening communication and supporting personal well-being. Weldon Library, Community Room. Register now.
July 14 (noon to 1 p.m.)
Healthy eating on a budget
Learn how to shop smarter, reduce food waste and make nutritious swaps that maximize both health and value in this virtual webinar hosted by TELUS Health. Register online.
July 15 (noon to 1 p.m.)
Beyond nonbinary
Join keynote speaker Sydney Brouillard-Coyle for a conversation exploring nonbinary perspectives on identity, belonging and challenging traditional binaries. Weldon Library, Community Room. This event is part of Pride at Western celebrations.
July 16 (5 to 7 p.m.)
Business After Five
Join the London Chamber of Commerce and colleagues from across London for this networking event hosted at the Schmeichel Building for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Register today.
Working at Western
Wampum Learning Lodge (Photo source: Western Communications)
Fall courses open for registration
Build the skills to move forward this fall with flexible, online courses and certificates through Western Continuing Studies. Most courses qualify for advanced or reimbursed funding through Western’s Educational Assistance Plan.
Photo of the Week
Campus Safety and Emergency Services staff members (L to R) Najeem Javeed, Kaylee Woolhead and Lee Butler joined AVP (EDI) Opiyo Oloya under the Pride rainbow during Western’s annual Out on the Beach celebration, recognizing and supporting the university’s 2SLGBTQIA+ community and allies. (Photo source: Christopher Kindratsky/Western Communications)
Western in the News
On July 6 at Canadian Forces Base Halifax, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced TKMS has been selected as the preferred supplier to begin negotiations for delivering Canada’s next fleet of submarines to the Royal Canadian Navy (Photo source: Mark Carney/Facebook)
The Globe and Mail
Canada has chosen Germany's TKMS for its submarine fleet
Following the federal government's announcement that TKMS is the preferred bidder for Canada's future submarine program, Western's partnership with the company was highlighted as part of its growing network of Canadian academic, industry and Indigenous collaborators.
Agence France-Presse
Race to recover bodies ahead of Venezuela quake cleanup
Earth Sciences professor Katsu Goda explains the factors that may have contributed to the high number of missing persons following the Venezuelan earthquakes in this widely shared AFP article.
CBC Radio
Intimate AI: The risks and appeal of bonding with bots
FIMS and sociology professor Anabel Quan-Haase took questions in an hour-long segment on AI for the program Just Asking, which aired across Canada.
