Last year at this time, my family and I were at a crossroad, considering whether or not to uproot ourselves and relocate from the West back to Eastern Canada. The challenges and rewards associated with transitioning to new communities has helped me appreciate the risks that students and faculty experience when they relocate.
This Christmas, I am able to spend time with my siblings and their families, something I have not done for nearly three decades. My return to Ontario, however, is bittersweet because my children have lost both sets of grandparents. As the matriarch, I now look forward to reinforcing family traditions, and establishing new ones as our young adults expand their circles of support and friendships. This year, we are also blending cultures by hosting an international student. While we cannot replace her family, we can share similar values that transcend cultures.
As I reflect back on the year, I deeply appreciate the opportunity to get to know so many of you in AHS. I wish for each of you a joyful holiday season that allows you to recharge and connect with relationships and activities that bring you meaning and happiness.
Best,
Lili
Liu
AHS this month I Events I Tips and reminders
AHS THIS MONTH
AHS Strategic Planning update
Many
thanks
to
everyone
who
joined
the
collaborative
forum
on
strategic
planning
last
week,
and
to
those
who
filled
out
the
survey
beforehand.
You
provided
stories,
insight
and
useful
feedback
about
the
proposed
mission,
vision,
values
and
priorities,
which
the
Strategic
Planning
Advisory
Committee
will
now
use
to
develop
and
finalize
the
plan.
The
coming
months
will
provide
a
few
more
opportunities
to
engage
with
the
Faculty's
strategic
plan
for
2020-25,
which
we
hope
to
release
and
begin
to
implement
by
summer.
We'll
be
sharing
those
opportunities
here
and
by
email.
We
also
owe
many
thanks
to
Alannah
Robinson
and
John
Fedy
from
Organizatonal
and
Human
Development
for
doing
such
a
great
job
facilitating
the
event.
Apply for a Takeover Tuesday
Students
love
to
see
their
professors
and
frontline
staff
on
Instagram.
If
you
are
adventurous
and
would
like
to
connect
with
students
on
this
platform,
consider
doing
a
Takeover
Tuesday,
in
which
you
can
share
how
you
are
applying
your
knowledge
to
protect
and
promote
health
and
well-being
on
Instagram Stories.
The
Takeover
Tuesday
application
takes
only
a
few
minutes
to
complete.
GRADtalks features public health student
Congratulations
to
Amanda
Raffoul,
PhD
candidate
in
the
School
of
Public
Health
and
Health
Systems,
for
being
one
of
two
doctoral
students
chosen
to
present
at
GRADtalks:
The
future
of
healing,
last
month.
She
spoke
about
the
unintended
consequences
of
public
health
approaches
to
weight.
Work in women's health
Do you know of alumni or students who are doing incredible work in women’s health? Please send their information to Advancement Coordinator Clare Stevens, who is collecting ideas for a possible alumni panel.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Holiday closure: December 24 - January 1
As
of
December
23
at
4:30
p.m.,
UW
Police
Services
will
begin
locking
the
outside
doors
to
all
our
buildings
(BMH,
LHS,
LHN,
AHS,
and
TJB),
and
will
re-open
them
Thursday,
January
2
at
7
a.m.
The
heat
will
be
turned
down
during
this
period.
If
you
are
working
in
a
lab
during
shutdown,
you
must
have
arranged
supervisor
and
departmental
chair
or
director
approval,
have
keys
issued
before
the
closure,
and
your
name
must
be
on
an
authorized
persons
list
that
Julie
Cassaubon
will
provide
to
Police
Services.
Note
that
Starbucks
and
Frsh
will
not
open
until
the
first
day
of
classes,
Monday,
January
6,
at
8
a.m.
and
11
a.m.
respectively.
Nanotechnology award recipient presentations: January 7
The Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology (WIN) and AHS are presenting an event to announce the second round of the WIN Interdisciplinary Research Funding Program. Winners from the previous round – Michaela Devries-Aboud and Robin Duncan (both Kinesiology) – will present their project results that were supported by this award. January 7, 2:30 p.m., AHS 1686.
NSERC research photo contest: January 13
Researchers from any field of study can win up to $2,000 by submitting a captivating research photo for the Science Exposed contest. Please see the Office of Research page for details. Deadline is January 13.
GRADflix final showcase: January 15
Are
you
a
graduate
student
interested
in
your
peers'
research
as it
is
presented
in
short,
catchy
videos?
Register
to
attend
the
GRADflix
final
showcase,
where
you
can
vote
for
the
People's
Choice
award.
UWaterloo Teaching and Learning Conference deadline: January 22
The theme of the 2020 UWaterloo Teaching and Learning Conference is “Learning Through Assessment.” Please submit proposals for presentations, panel discussions, workshops, poster presentations and assessment showcase items by January 22. The conference takes place April 29.
Health Innovation Series: January 29
The
second Health
Innovation panel
will
take
place
in
Vancouver
on
January
29.
Dean
Lili
Liu
will
moderate
the
panel
and
meet
with
alumni
while
in
town.
If
you
know
any
AHS
alumni
in
the
Vancouver
area,
please
share
with
Sherri
Sutherland,
Director
of
Advancement.
TIPS AND REMINDERS
Fire warden training
Are
you
a
fire
warden?
Please
check
that
you
have
taken
the
fire
warden
online
training
so
that
we
can
increase
the
safety
of
employees
during
a
fire
or
emergency
situation.
Have you downloaded the WatSAFE app?
WatSAFE
is
a
free
safety
and
emergency
notification
app
that
provides
immediate
access
to
personal
safety
and
campus
emergency
resources.
Download
the
WatSAFE
app
to
your
device
to
stay
informed
and
get
safety
resources.
Green Tip: HEPA all the way
If you have a new vacuum on your wishlist this season, look for one that has a HEPA filter. These filters capture particles more efficiently and remove more allergens and contaminants from the air than the alternatives, keeping you healthier, and the environment greener.
Do you have a news item to share? Please email it to Eugenia Xenos Anderson.