Friday, January 15, 2016

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• Velocity Science expands
• Educating our community about Alzheimer's Disease
• We're off on a grand GRADventure
• UWSA calls for President-Elect nominations

Velocity Science expands

The University of Waterloo is expanding its internationally respected Velocity incubator with the opening of a new lab on campus.

Velocity Science is tripling the size of its on-campus lab to more than 2,600 square feet, which will house the program until it moves into a new 7,000-square- foot home in the Science Complex, the Faculty of Science’s upcoming state-of-the-art building. Velocity Science is a partnership between Velocity and the Faculty of Science that provides startups with the mentorship, lab space, and support needed to develop their science-based companies. 

“This expansion of Velocity Science is indicative of the tremendous success and growth it has experienced in the three years since its inception,” said Feridun Hamdullahpur. “The University of Waterloo is the academic engine of a remarkable innovation cluster and an anchor in Canada’s emerging innovation corridor that stretches from Waterloo to Toronto. Expanding programs like Velocity will help us unlock the talent at Waterloo to further enhance the innovation process and generate additional economic impact across Ontario.”

More than 20 startups have emerged from Velocity Science’s first lab, and many science companies have received international recognition for their talent and innovation. Harry Gandhi, co-founder of Medella Health won the prestigious $100,000 Thiel Fellowship, established by PayPal co-founder and venture capitalist Peter Thiel. In autumn 2015, Vitameter received investment from pharmaceutical company, Bayer, and travelled to Germany to participate in Bayer’s new Grants4Apps incubator. 

Educating our community about Alzheimer's Disease

This is the latest in a series of #UWCommunity stories that feature Waterloo in the community.

Across Canada, January is Alzheimer’s Awareness Month. This important nation-wide initiative seeks to educate the public about Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia, reduce stigma, and raise funds for research and programming to benefit the hundreds of thousands of Canadians who live with or are affected by dementia.

The University of Waterloo’s Murray Alzheimer Research and Education Program (MAREP) is a dedicated research organization located within our Faculty of Applied Health Sciences that aims to enhance the lives of people living with dementia by working in partnership with those affected by dementia to research and develop resources for people living with dementia, their families and other care partners. Committed to the development of supportive communities for people with Alzheimer’s disease and other related dementias, MAREP works towards improving the quality of life for those living with dementia, pioneering research projects, developing innovative approaches to dementia care, and reducing the stigma surrounding the condition.

On Thursday, January 28, MAREP will be hosting their fifth annual Alzheimer’s Awareness Month colloquium: I’ve Got the Music in Me at Federation Hall on our Waterloo campus from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. This year’s event will focus on the power of music for those living with memory loss and dementia, featuring a panel of individuals, including a person with lived experience, who will talk about how music has impacted their lives, followed by a keynote address by speaker, Bev Foster, Founder and Executive Director of Room 217 Foundation. There will also be a special musical performance by guest, Michel Allard, who will debut a new song written in partnership with members of Memory Boosters, a local social club for people with dementia and their family partners in care.

Join us in celebrating the amazing work being done to better the health and wellbeing of people living with dementia and the innovative approaches to care and support being researched and developed through the MAREP program every day.

We're off on a grand GRADventure

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The Graduate Studies Office (GSO) has launched a graduate professional skills program.

The program, dubbed GRADventure, is a central hub of professional development resources designed specifically for graduate students.

"The GRADventure program helps to advance the “Outstanding Academic Programming” theme of the University of Waterloo’s Strategic Plan, in which the university committed to having more graduate students engaging in professional and transferable skills training," said Associate Provost, Graduate Studies Jim Frank in a memo circulated this week to graduate studies stakeholders.

The GRADventure website contains a curated list of professional development resources, workshops, and special events exclusively for graduate students.

"The GRADventure program is designed to support and complement the exciting professional development initiatives that are already happening across campus at the Faculty and department/school level," writes Frank. "Thank you to all the hardworking members of the Graduate Professional Skills Working Group, which comprises representatives of several of our key campus partner units: Centre for Career Action, Centre for Teaching Excellence, Graduate Student Association, Library, Office of Research, Organizational and Human Development, Student Success Office, and the Writing Centre. Working over the fall term alongside Angela Rooke, the GSO’s new Manager, Professional Skills and Postdoctoral Affairs; they have developed the GRADventure program from the ground up."

The program will be formally launched at an event on Wednesday, January 27 from 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. in Needles Hall 3318. Speeches start at 1:30 p.m.

UWSA calls for President-Elect nominations

The University of Waterloo Staff Association (UWSA) will be holding elections from February 8 to 18 to name a successful President-Elect, who will be ratified at the special general meeting of February 25.

The UWSA has made a call for nominations, starting January 13 and running to January 27.

The role of UWSA President is a three-year commitment taking three forms: President-Elect, who serves from February 2016 to October 2016, President, a full-time role running from November 2016 to October 2017, and finally a term as Past President, from November 2017 to October 2018.

Staff members are invited to consider serving the University community by becoming a candidate for the position or nominating a staff member.

To become a candidate, complete and submit the Nomination Form 2016 (PDF) before 12:01 p.m. on January 27.

"Staff plays a vital role in the Waterloo community, and you can help to define and shape that role by serving on the UWSA’s Board of Directors," says a note on the UWSA's website. "Waterloo is one of Canada’s leading universities, and aspires to be an employer of choice. With your enthusiasm and commitment, the UWSA can advocate on behalf of staff, address issues and concerns, and improve our workplace."

There will be two information sessions scheduled to provide more details about the position, the first on January 21 and the second on January 25.

The special general meeting, where the results of the election will be announced, will take place on Thursday, February 25 at 9:00 a.m. in DC 1302.

Please contact the Chief Returning Officer Matthew Oliver for more information.

Read the full announcement on the staff association's website.