27 | durhamregion.com This Week | Thursday, August 18, 2022 | Building Connections in Firearms Safety HUNTING IS A SAFE ACTIVITY.HUNTING IS A SAFE ACTIVITY. Let's keep it that way.Let's keep it that way. DID YOU KNOW?DID YOU KNOW? Hunting in Ontario now has fewer incidents during an entire decade than what occurred annually prior to mandatory hunter education and other rule changes. DON'T BE A STATISTIC.DON'T BE A STATISTIC. All firearm-related injuries are preventable. Treat every firearm as if it were loaded, and PROVE it safe. TogetherTogetherininSafetySafetyandtheOntarioOntarioFederationFederationofofAnglersAnglersandandHuntersHunters are working togetherfor a safe hunting season, visit togetherinsafety.catogetherinsafety.ca to learn the facts about firearms safety and how to prevent unintentional discharge! Together in Safety is a public safety resource program created by the Firearms Safety Education Service of Ontario and the Chief Firearms Office of Ontario. Working with our partners, we are promoting awareness and education in firearms safety and harm prevention to all Canadians. The stressful environment of a Ukrainian bomb shelter inspired an Oshawa university's Ukrainian intern to program an application to alleviate stress and anxiety and support people with PTSD. Before coming to Canada, Iryna Parkhomchuk, a Ukrainian summer student, was protecting herself in a bomb shelter. Her experience motivated her to use artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics to help people cope with mental health problems. "I had my phone ... to distract myself from the reality. It made me realize AI and robotics could (help) cope with mental health issues," Parkhomchuk said in a release. Afterwards, the Ontario Tech University intern chose to create a first-of- its-kind social robot, Zenbo, to function as a mental health aid. Zenbo is based on five different coping strategies proven to help alleviate stress and anxiety: meditation, breathing, singing, art therapy and music. The main features of Zenbo include soothing visuals of green space, natural fractals, and seascapes; slow, simple melodies that hold a steady beat without too many surprises; meditations; and step-by-step breathing exercises. It also provides tailored singalongs and instructions for creating mandala art as well as peaceful collages, both of which are shown to make people feel safe and at ease. Patrick Hung, a professor at the Faculty of Business and Information Technology, is guiding Parkhomchuk at the university's official research entity, Digital Life Institute. "By narrowing her focus to the current situation in Ukraine and using her personal experience as a guide, Iryna is making a very specific and unique contribution that I don't think could be duplicated by anyone else," said Hung. The Ontario Tech University has participated in the Mitacs Globalink Research Internship program to attract top researchers from across the world. Mitacs CEO John Hepburn said the program is a part of their broader efforts to help those affected by the war. "The Mitacs Globalink Research Internship creates attractive opportunities for international students who often decide to further their education (in Canada). Research like Iryna's will ultimately help people (here), in Ukraine, and beyond," Hepburn said. UKRAINIAN STUDENT DESIGNED APP TO HELP PEOPLE WITH PTSD Ukrainian Ontario Tech University summer student Iryna Parkhomchuck, is using robots to help alleviate stress and anxiety among fellow citizens in Canada and abroad. Jason Liebregts/Metroland OJASVINI PARASHAR oparashar@metroland.com COMMUNITY MITACS HAS MATCHED OVER 8,000 SENIOR UNDERGRADUATES WITH CANADIAN FACULTY THROUGH ITS INTERNSHIP PROGRAM SINCE 2009