Three academic units. Three levels of health. One vision.
Health is not simply the absence of disease. As the World Health Organization outlined in its 1946 constitution, health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being. In the Faculty of Applied Health Sciences, we are inspired and energized by this belief that health encompasses more than one dimension. For us, understanding health and well-being is about viewing the complete picture, seeing it as we do the world around us: in three dimensions.
This belief informs our approach, catalyzes our collaborations and shapes our strategies for tackling some of today’s most pressing health problems. Not only do we have three academic units — the Department of Kinesiology, the Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies and the School of Public Health and Health Systems — with each providing a different framework for viewing health and well-being, but as a Faculty we are working to enhance quality of life on three distinct levels: for individuals, communities and populations. It is exactly this three-dimensional paradigm that equips us to address complex problems at their roots and work towards our vision of protecting and promoting health and well-being and preventing illness and injury across the life course.
Our distinctive approach is buoyed by our interdisciplinary faculty and a diversity of funding sources. Collaborating with industry partners, government agencies and not-for-profit organizations, our researchers are working from cell to society to develop interventions and turn knowledge into action. As a Faculty, we boast high rates of scholarly productivity and one of the highest levels of funding per researcher at the University of Waterloo. But metrics only paint half the picture. Much of our impact is found in the stories behind the numbers. This report synthesizes our emerging and established areas of strength and tells those stories.
As you read, you can reference small shadow icons connecting each research story to an individual, community or population health impact:
Complementing our robust research is the belief that to build a healthy future, we need to train the leaders of tomorrow. Our seven undergraduate and 11 graduate programs continue to attract the top students in the country and produce alumni that are equipped to find solutions for some of the biggest health and well-being challenges of our time. As a Faculty, we are committed to high-impact teaching, experiential learning and developing critical thinking skills for a rapidly changing world. At the graduate level, we are leading the way in academic programming, offering innovative online, blended and research-based programs. Our curriculum is informed by and responsive to society’s needs, leveraging the University of Waterloo’s institutional strengths in research, academics and co-operative education to integrate knowledge transfer and problem solving in both the classroom and workplace.
As we embark on our next 50 years of teaching and research, we look back with pride at our accomplishments, are galvanized by our current successes and work towards a future of improved health and well-being. We will continue to strengthen partnerships, advance innovation in health technology and increase our international impact in order to improve quality of life for individuals, communities and populations, both in Canada and around the world.
Sincerely,
James W.E. Rush
Dean, Faculty of Applied Health Sciences
