Dear faculty, staff and graduate students,
We finished November with Giving Tuesday, which is a global day of giving. This year, our efforts aimed to advance our vision for a healthier world through meaningful education, one of our strategic goals.
Five past and present chairs of Kinesiology and Health Sciences (Arend Bonen, Stu McGill, Jim Rush, Bill McIlroy and Russ Tupling), joined forces to be "challenge champions" for the Margaret Burnett Fund. This new fund honours Marg Burnett and will be directed at supporting graduate students in the department. As well, alumni Krista McKerracher and Eric Celentano were challenge champions for the Faculty of Health Student Experiential Learning Fund, which prioritizes positions for students in not-for-profit and social impact organizations.
The generous act of giving by our challenge champions, as well as the donors who stepped up to the challenges, is one aspect of advancement. This month, the Chairs, Director, Director of Advancement and I participated in a brainstorming session with the University's VP Advancement, Nenone Donaldson. Together, we began to envision an overarching plan for moving the Faculty of Health forward. This requires a comprehensive approach that would include fundraising, communications and marketing. Our success relies on engaging and nurturing relationships with stakeholders that include alumni, students, staff, faculty and the community at large. Each one of us has a role to play in inviting people in to see the incredible work in our Faculty.
We will continue to develop this plan with the associate deans and members of our Faculty community and align it with our strategic plan and Waterloo at 100. I am excited to see what we can do together when Recreation and Leisure Studies, Kinesiology and Health Sciences, and Public Health Sciences unite on a theme that will advance the Faculty of Health at the University of Waterloo.
Best,
Lili Liu
News I Events I Tips and reminders
NEWS
Indigenous Student Space opens
A new space for Waterloo's Indigenous students opened this month in LHI 3701. At the opening, Indigenous Knowledge Keeper Myeengun Henry introduced it as an accessible area "where you can come to relax and feel safer if you feel overwhelmed." Indigenous undergraduate and graduate students can pick up the key from the Dean's Office front desk. At this time, the space is open during regular office hours.
Hallman Undergraduate Research funding available
Faculty members are invited to check out the Hallman Undergraduate Research Fellowship award, which offers up to a maximum of $10,000 in funding for projects that both focus on health promotion and education and offer experiences to steward students toward graduate studies. For the spring 2023 term, $50,000 in total will be available. The funding application form is now open and will run until January 13. If you have questions, please contact sam.sawant@uwaterloo.ca.
Three SPHS researchers among most-cited in the world
Sharon Kirkpatrick, David Hammond and
Geoffrey Fong (cross-appointed), made the Clarivate Highly Cited Researchers list again this year, along with 11 others from the University of Waterloo. Clarivate, a global analytics firm, uses both quantitative and qualitative analysis to identify individuals who have demonstrated significant and broad influence in their chosen fields of research. A total of 6,938 researchers from around the world were recognized this year.
Funding spotlight: Nikolas Knowles
A research project by Nikolas Knowles has received one of only 10 Arthritis Society Canada Ignite Research Grants. These grants represent a $1-million investment into developing and testing high-potential, but high-risk, ideas that challenge our understanding of arthritis. Knowles is studying a new imaging technology that can detect changes in multiple tissues, not just cartilage, to assess shoulder osteoarthritis. If successful, this could change how medical imaging is used to quickly and cost-effectively diagnose early osteoarthritis and assess treatment options.
Funding spotlight: Craig Janes
Craig Janes (Public Health Sciences
) and co-applicant Susan Babirye (Makere University) received $1 million from the International Development Research Centre's Women RISE initiative for a project called "Impact of COVID-19 on Livelihoods and HIV Risk and Vulnerability Among Women Living in Urban Informal Settlements in Uganda." One other Waterloo researcher received funding: former dean of Health Susan Elliott (now in Environment).
GRADflix deadline extended to December 1
Graduate students still have time to register to participate in this year’s GRADflix competition. Submit a video, moving slide show or animation of no longer than 60 seconds that describes your research. Registration to participate is December 1 and submissions are due January 10.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Shaw-Mannell Lecture: December 2
The 2022 Shaw-Man
nell Leisure Research Award lecture, titled "Listening to our elders about leisure," will be delivered by Karen Fox, professor emerita at the University of Alberta. The event is hybrid and takes place December 2 from 2:30 to 4 p.m. in LHS 1621 (Sun Life Auditorium), with a reception to follow in the fireplace lounge. Please register in advance for the Shaw-Mannell Lecture.
Grad Studies info sessions: December 5-8
These Grad Studies info sessions are open to prospective grad students both inside and outside the University. At these sessions, students will learn about our graduate programs and have a chance to ask our expert panel any questions they might have about our programs or the admissions process. Please share with your undergraduate students.
Faculty of Health Holiday Festival: December 7
All Faculty of Health students, staff and faculty are invited to drop by the EXP foyer for light holiday refreshments or head up to the second floor of the Expansion for a photo booth with holiday props on December 7 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. If you’re lucky, AHSSIE the kangaroo might even hop in your photo!
How to find a supervisor info session: December 8
Please let your students know
that a session on How to find a supervisor is being offered for anyone thinking of doing a research-based master's or PhD degree. In this session, students will get seven tips on how to find a supervisor and have a chance to talk with faculty members and current grads.
Dialogue with Leaders event: December 8
The next Dialogue with Leaders event, hosted by the Office of Research, is titled Research Funding in the Social Sciences and Humanities: Past, Present and Future, and features Ted Hewitt, president of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC). It takes place on December 8 frthat om 12 – 1 p.m. in the Theatre of the Arts, Modern Languages (ML) building. This presentation will be livestreamed for anyone who would prefer to take part virtually. Registration is required for the Ted Hewitt event for both in person and virtual attendance.
TIPS AND REMINDERS
Teaching and Learning conference proposals coming up
The 14th annual University of Waterloo Teaching and Learning (UWTL) Conference will take place in person on May 4, with the theme, "Teaching and Learning with Kindness and Care.” New this year is a series of pre-conference online workshops to be held on May 3. The deadline for proposals for both the pre-conference workshops and the UWTL is January 25. Please visit the Teaching and Learning Conference website to learn more.
Educational Technology Hub website now available
The Educational Technology (EdTech) Hub is a new website that pulls together information on Waterloo’s centrally supported EdTech tools – digital technology tools used to deliver and facilitate learning or learning activities, or to aid in the creation and dissemination of content. While the site is not exhaustive, it is a repository of centrally supported tools, and it will continue to grow.