Friday, May 8, 2015

Waterloo names Board chair and vice-chair

The University of Waterloo has appointed an international business and legal expert as chair of its Board of Governors, and a community leader and IT executive as vice-chair.

Bill Watson becomes chair of the Board of Governors. A Waterloo alumnus, Watson graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (Hon.) in 1976 in economics and political science. He graduated from Osgoode Hall Law School in 1979 and was called to the bar in Ontario in 1981. He is a principal with the international law firm Baker & McKenzie LLP. His areas of practice specialties include administrative law; complex negotiations, both domestic and international; employment law; labour relations; international labour standards; and occupational health and safety.  Watson joined Waterloo's board in 2011.

He has been a member of the University of Waterloo Alumni Council since 2005, and served as its chair. He is a recipient of the University of Waterloo’s 50^th Anniversary Alumni Award. In 2010, the Association of Fundraising Professionals recognized Bill and Jeanne Elgie-Watson for individual philanthropy.

Watson succeeds the Honourable Kevin G. Lynch, whose term as chair ended April 30, 2015.

Catherine Booth becomes vice-chair of the Board of Governors. A Waterloo alumna, Booth graduated with a BASc in systems design engineering in 1988 and an MASc in management sciences in 1990. She served as the chief information officer of Plexxus, was senior vice-president of information technology for Loblaw Companies Limited, and vice-president of information technology for the retail division of Canadian Tire Corporation. She is a certified management consultant. Booth is currently a senior project executive with the University Health Network and operates her own technology consultancy.

Booth has been active in a wide range of external board and community service roles. She was on the board of the Timberland Group, a privately held manufacturer, and served on the Board of Trustees of the United Way of Greater Toronto. Booth was among Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100 in 2009, and one of Canada’s Top 40 under 40 in 2003. She received an Alumni Achievement Medal from the University of Waterloo in 2005. She joined the board in 2007.

Booth succeeds David McKay, president and chief executive officer of RBC, whose term ended April 30, 2015. She is the first woman to serve as vice-chair of the board.

“The University of Waterloo is fortunate to have two illustrious Waterloo alumni in these vital roles,” said Feridun Hamdullahpur. “Both bring a familiarity with the University, years of experience serving on the Board of Governors, and immensely valuable skill sets that will directly contribute to the University’s ongoing success as Canada's most innovative university.”

Both are two-year terms, which began May 1.

Concert explored music at the frontier of science

by Alumni Relations.

On Sunday, May 3^rd, the Institute for Quantum Computing, Alumni Relations and the KW Symphony brought a musical mashup to Ottawa. Quantum: Music at the Frontier of Science was performed at the National Arts Centre by the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony to Ottawa dignitaries, guests and over 300 Waterloo alumni. First performed at the opening of the Mike and Ophelia Lazaridis Quantum-Nano Centre in 2012, this symphony production merged art and science to share the wonders of the quantum world. The “Quantum Symphony” engaged the audience through a narrated history of quantum science through the lens of classical music.

Raymond Laflamme, Executive Director of IQC, and Edwin Outwater, Music Director KW Symphony joined alumni and guests for a post-performance reception and shared their insights into the creation of the production. Ottawa alumnus Paul Koch (MASc’64) closed the afternoon by delivering a special message to alumni.

Learn more about alumni events on the Alumni Relation’s homepage.

Keystone Picnic opportunity and other notes

Do you belong to a Waterloo club or service group? Have a unit or department on campus with something new or unique to showcase? If so, reserve a booth at the Keystone Picnic and share your news with 1,000+ Waterloo staff, faculty and retirees on Friday June 5.

"We’d love to have you join us!" says a note from the Office of Advancement. For details, contact Whitney Albright at walbright@uwaterloo.ca.

The latest entry in the Spring 2015 Arriscraft Lecture Series features 3XN's Torben Østergaard of Copenhagen on Wednesday, May 13 at 7:30 p.m. in the Lawrence Cummings Lecture Theatre at the School of Architecture.

Østergaard is a partner of 3XN, one of the leading architectural firms in Denmark. "Operating at the forefront of architectural practice in northern Europe, 3XN is known for the creation of innovative buildings operating at the nexus between design, program, technology and context," says a note from the School of Architecture. "The work at 3XN is highly collaborative and is dedicated to producing works that expand culture and shape the behaviour of its inhabitants in ways that encourage them to become more active and engaged with each other, as well as with architecture, the city and the surrounding environment."

3XN's work includes projects such as The National Aquarium/Blue Planet, winner of numerous awards such as the RIBA EU Award, the Frederiksberg Courthouse, recipient of the RIBA European Award of 2013, and the Swedbank building in Stockhom, awarded the EU Greenbuilding honour of 2014. 

The Centre for Teaching Excellence (CTE) has issued a call for participants in its Teaching Squares Program.

"For those of you teaching in the upcoming term(s) and looking for a manageable teaching development opportunity, consider participating in the campus wide Teaching Squares Program," says the note from CTE. "The aim of the Teaching Squares approach is to enhance teaching and learning through a structured process of classroom observation, reflection and discussion (leading to a plan for revitalization of one's own teaching)." The total time commitment for the term is approximately 6 hours.

All interested instructors are invited to send Monica Vesely an email at mvesely@uwaterloo.ca indicating the term you would like to participate and the course you will be teaching. If the campus-wide format does not fit your needs and you have a group of colleagues in your own department or discipline that are interested in participating as a discipline square, Monica would be happy to facilitate the experience for you.