Friday, June 5, 2015

New Resource Allocation Model website launched

"I am pleased to report that the New Resource Allocation Model (NRAM) website has been launched," wrote Vice-President, Academic & Provost Ian Orchard in a memo circulated this morning.

"The University of Waterloo is committed to developing a NRAM that will better inform strategic decisions at all levels across the institution. Similar models have been developed at several Canadian universities.

"The NRAM Steering Committee (SC) has been meeting regularly since March 2013 to explore various concepts and principles towards developing a working version of this NRAM.

"The new model will provide a longer-range multi-year budgeting and planning platform that will allow alignment to our institutional strategic plan, our strategic enrolment management process and the strategic mandate agreement. The new budgeting process will be more transparent, collaborative and efficient.

"I invite the university community to visit the site at https://uwaterloo.ca/nram to obtain more information. We welcome all feedback. Please send your comments or questions to nramfeedback@uwaterloo.ca."

Academic integrity council meets on campus today

The University of Waterloo will be hosting the bi-annual meeting of the Academic Integrity Council of Ontario (AICO) today. The all-day event will see representatives from 13 universities including Western, Queen's, the University of Toronto and McMaster, and four colleges included Humber, Lambton, Sheridan and Conestoga College meet to share best practices on academic integrity and discuss two key subjects:

• Academic integrity in the digital age; and
• Academic integrity and examinations.

The AICO will also elect its executive committee for 2015-2016.

The AICO is affiliated with the Council of Ontario Universities (COU) and "provides a forum for academic-integrity practitioners to share information, and to facilitate the establishment and promotion of academic-integrity best practices in Ontario universities."

A sizeable Waterloo contingent will be at the meeting, with Associate Vice-President, Academic Mario Coniglio, Registrar Ray Darling, and Associate Provost, Resources Beth Jewkes in attendance. Coniglio will be delivering opening remarks.

The meeting will take place at Fed Hall from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Innovative brain probe brings research down to the wire

Researchers are developing a tiny wire that will speed up the discovery of new drugs and could one day unlock the mysteries of illnesses such as Alzheimer’s or Lou Gehrig’s disease.

Chemistry Professor Janusz Pawliszyn, along with researchers from Concordia University and the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health are teaming up to develop a new brain probe that can be used on live subjects.

The new probe is expected to reduce the time, costs and risks related to drug development, as well as help neuroscientists better understand what causes degenerative brain diseases and how to treat them.

At 0.1 mm wide, the probe wire is less than the width of a human hair and can be inserted directly into a brain at multiple depths. Scientists can then analyze the probe’s coating on-site using commonly available analytical tools to obtain a full chemical profile of the brain, including neurotransmitters, lipid concentrations, drug levels and their metabolites.

“Chemistry is extremely important when it comes to the brain,” said Pawliszyn, a Canada Research Chair in New Analytical Methods and Technologies and a member of Waterloo’s Faculty of Science. “While MRIs can track physical changes in the brain and tissues, it can’t track the chemistry largely responsible for brain functioning and behaviour. If we can build a solid chemical profile of the brain it will allow us to better understand which drugs are working the way we expect and which aren’t when attempting to find treatments for ALS or Alzheimer’s.”

The method is based on solid-phase microextraction (SPME), a technique originally developed by Professor Pawliszyn in the 1990s that uses a solid coating on a sampling probe to selectively extract specific chemical substances.

Professor Pawliszyn is a 2001 Thomson Reuters Highly Cited Researcher for his work on SPME. He has successfully developed other health-related SPME sampling methods in recent years, including a method to detect melanoma and other skin disorders from volatile compounds emitted from the skin surface and improved methods to detect athletic doping drugs inblood, urine and saliva.

One of the major challenges currently faced by the pharmaceutical industry is the development of methods that can decrease the number of animals used in the drug discovery process. Comprehensive investigations of new drugs require extensive multiple determinations, and consequently, a large number of animals used in the testing process. The new technique will result in fewer laboratory animals used in the drug discovery process because no tissue or fluids are withdrawn. Researchers believe this may eventually lead to the development of a technique safe enough for use on live human patients.

The three largest brain research funding agencies in Ontario, CQDM, Brain Canada and the Ontario Brain Institute (OBI), announced they are contributing nearly $1 million over three years to the project as part of their $8.5 million Focus on Brain strategic initiative to address unmet needs in neuroscience.

Library to celebrate archives next week

A message from the Library.

Come join Special Collections & Archives on Tuesday, June 9 as we celebrate International Archives Day! Visit us on the first floor of the Dana Porter Library between 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Closed noon - 1 p.m.)

International Archives Day is celebrated around the world to help dispel the perception that archives are dark and dusty places that are difficult to access and are only of interest to historians.

This day allows the community to show their support for archives and it is a great way to learn more about us, the archival profession, and the many fascinating and diverse holdings in our care.

We will be showcasing materials from a variety of our collections including:

• Dare Foods Limited fonds: Dare Foods Limited is a family-owned business that has been operating in Kitchener since 1889. The fonds includes early cookie packaging, historical records of the company, photographs, and declassified recipes.
• The Clement Bowlby Family fonds: Members of the Clement Bowlby family were active members of the Kitchener Waterloo community since the 1850s being involved in medicine, law, and finance.
• The B.P. Nichol Library of Science Fiction contains more than 500 science fiction titles, primarily scarce early paperbacks, many of which feature striking examples of cover art. 

We look forward to seeing you!

Keystone Picnic today and other notes

The Keystone Picnic takes place today on the Davis Centre Quad in the Student Life Centre's Great Hall from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Lunch will be served at 11:45 on a first-come, first-served basis. Don’t forget to bring your food ticket (e-mailed to you this week), which also serves as your ballot for some exciting door prizes. For evening staff, a second event will be held from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. in the Student Life Centre.

This year’s picnic features live entertainment, burgers, cotton candy, popcorn, and the ever-popular dunk tank. You'll have the chance to douse Chris Bertoia, Waterloo Football head coach, Gordon Cooledge, executive chef with UW Food Services, and Erica Voisin, manager, liaison with the Registrar’s Office. Share your experience on social media using the hashtag #keystone15.

The location has been changed due to the weather forecast, which calls for a risk of thunderstorms early this afternoon.

Human Resources is reporting the following staff retirees as of June 1:

• Andrew Nowinski, who started working at the University in July 1987, retires as Technician in the School of Optometry and Vision Science;
• Susan Seabrook, who began working at Waterloo in June 1987, retires as Library Clerk/Secretary in the Library;
• Meg Edelman, who started in June 1999, retires as Admissions/Records Assistant in the Registrar's Office; 
• Barbara Elve, whose seniority date is January 2000, retires as Communications Officer in the department formerly known as Communications and Public Affairs (now Marketing and Strategic Communication);
• Nello Angerilli, who started at the University in February 2013, retires as Associate Vice-President, International at Waterloo International;
• Paul Burton, who began working at Waterloo in December 1994, retires as Building Serviceperson II in Plant Operations; and
• Janet Wason, who started in January 1989, retires as Library Associate/Coord Service for Persons with Disabilities in the Library.

Members of the public are invited to attend the fourth annual High School Electric Vehicle Challenge taking place on Saturday. The winning car will be on display at the 2016 Toronto International Auto Show.

High school students from Cambridge, Durham, Guelph, Lindsay and Waterloo will compete in endurance races of 60 and 75 minutes on a temporary street course set up on the campus.

Participating schools include Bluevale Collegiate Institute, Resurrection Catholic Secondary School, Pickering High School, Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic High School, I.E. Weldon Secondary School and St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School.

Attendees can watch the races, visit with the teams in the pits and find out more about Waterloo’s student teams and electric vehicle research. Admission is free, and the event runs from 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. in Parking Lot Q on our East Campus. Opening ceremonies start at 10:50 a.m.

The Faculty of Engineering is the host of the event, and sponsors include Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada, Navitas, Interstate Batteries, CRS, and the Trillium Auto Dealers Association, which will display the winning vehicle at the auto show.