Monday, March 21, 2016


Employment Equity re-survey update

A bar graph showing 60 per cent participation.

This is a reminder that the University is re-surveying all existing employees, in order to maintain compliance with the federal Employment Equity Act and the Federal Contractors Program. More information can be found on the Human Resources website.

All full-time regular Faculty, Staff and CUPE members are reminded to please complete the survey by logging into myHRinfo and their logins will be directed to the questionnaire until it is either completed or acknowledged. All other employees can complete the survey by logging into myHRinfo and navigating to Self Service > Employment Equity Survey > Submit Survey.

Please note that if you had completed the survey before January 1 2016, your previous responses are displayed and you are provided the opportunity to update them. Acknowledging the previous responses as being accurate or updating them is required for a successful completion of the survey.

The current participation rate by the campus community is at 60 per cent.

Waterloo alumnus named to Canada's Senate

Waterloo alumnus Peter Harder, a longtime senior federal bureaucrat, was among Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's first seven appointees to the Parliament of Canada's upper house.

Harder, who was the head of the Trudeau government’s transition team, will serve as the government’s representative in the Senate. Harder is a 29-year veteran of the federal civil service.

Harder received his Bachelor of Arts from Conrad Grebel College (now Conrad Grebel University College) in 1975. He was granted an honorary Doctor of Laws by the University of Waterloo in 2005.

Harder is one of three senators appointed to represent Ontario.

The announcement was made Friday.

Stand Up to Stigma shines spotlight on mental health

Stand Up To Stigma event poster.Stand Up to Stigma will be hosting its annual Spotlight event on Tuesday, May 22.

Stand Up to Stigma a student-led mental health initiative, that aims to reduce stigma surrounding mental health by increasing awareness and discussion in the University of Waterloo community. 

The event will take place in the SLC Great Hall from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

They will be showcasing student artwork inspired by the importance and impact of mental health. Expect captivating pieces, poems, and a cappella performances. 

Find more information at Stand Up To Stigma's Facebook page or Spotlight's event page. Come out and join the conversation about mental health.

Professor shares Arctic insights in Russia and Rome

Dr. Whitney Lackenbauer, a Professor of History and co-director of the Centre on Foreign Policy and Federalism at St. Jerome’s University, is visiting Russia and Italy at the invitation of the Canadian embassies in Moscow and Rome to present on Canada’s Arctic policies and their international implications. This speaking tour will take him to Saint Petersburg Economic University, Northern (Arctic) Federal University in Arkhangelsk, the State Academic University for Humanitarian Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences in Moscow, and the Moscow State Institute of International Relations. The Canadian Ambassador in Moscow is also hosting a lunch with ambassadors from the embassies to Russia from Arctic Council states so that they can discuss Arctic issues with Professor Lackenbauer. After Russia, he will travel to Rome to give a presentation to the new Master’s program in Sustainable Development, Geopolitics of Natural Resources and Polar Studies, run by the Societa Italiana per L’Organizzazione Internazionale, United Nations Association-Italy.

“Professor Lackenbauer is one of Canada’s leading experts on Canada’s Northern strategy and circumpolar relations,” says SJU History Department chair and historian of Canadian foreign relations Ryan Touhey. “The invitation for Dr. Lackenbauer to conduct this tour and share his research on Arctic affairs dovetails with Minister of Global Affairs Stephane Dion’s announcement last fall that Canada is open to exploring opportunities to improve our bilateral relations with Russia on Arctic issues following the past few years of bilateral tension. It is an honour for Dr. Lackenbauer to play such a prestigious academic outreach role for Canada, and to showcase the innovative policy research that he conducts at St. Jerome’s University and the University of Waterloo.”  

Monday's notes

Author and artist Rupi Kaur.Waterloo alumna Rupi Kaur will be on campus for a poetry session on Thursday, March 24 at 4:30 p.m. in Velocity Start in South Campus Hall.

"This unique event combines art, feminism, and entrepreneurship and is generously sponsored by Women's Studies (Faculty of Arts), and co-presented by The Book Store and Velocity Start," says the note from Retail Services. "Join us in welcoming one of our own alumna, Rupi Kaur, back to UW talk for a poetry reading from her bestselling book Milk and Honey. She'll also speak about her experiences, struggles and lessons learned from being a self-promoting and self-publishing author. Don't miss the chance to hear from an inspiring speaker and poet and get your copy signed by Kaur herself." 

Register on the Velocity website to reserve a seat.

Retail Services is inviting members of the campus community to the South Campus Hall concourse today through Wednesday for the Waterloo Store End of Term Clearance sale.

Merchandise will include t-shirtssweatpantscrewnecks, hats, water bottles, mugs and much more. At the event, Retail Services will also be introducing brand new apparel for the Waterloo Store.

The sale runs from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily.

Here's today's Nutrition Month "Myth vs. Fact" supplied by Health Services Nutritionist Sandra Ace:

Myth: Eating every two or 3 hours will speed up your metabolism.

Fact: While it might sound good in theory, there isn't much proof to back up this claim. Several small, short-term randomized controlled trials in both normal weight and overweight adults did not find that eating frequency affected resting metabolic rate (the number of calories your body burns at rest). Other observational studies that looked at whether frequency of meals or snacks affected weight gain or loss also found there was no clear relationship. In fact, most of the research I reviewed concluded the same thing: more research is needed to clarify if there is a consistent and meaningful relationship between different meal frequencies and a person’s energy needs or weight.

In spite of this, there may be a valid reason to eat smaller, more frequent meals. Research at least in part supports the theory that increased meal frequency prevents a drop in blood glucose that stimulates hunger and may make it easier to feel full on less food. The bottom line, however, is that there is no ideal or “one size fits all” pattern; the best eating schedule is one that suits your personal needs and supports a stable energy level and good health. Some people prefer a “grazing” style and find that eating a small meal or a snack every two or three hours keeps energy levels up and hunger at bay. For others, eating “three square meals” a day is more satisfying and results in less frequent hunger. Regardless of frequency, learn to observe your hunger signals and stop eating when you’re full.

Link of the day

World Down Syndrome Day

When and where

World Water Day Celebration, Tuesday, March 22, 10:30 a.m., EIT Atrium.

World Water Day Keynote Lecture by Linda Gowman, Trojan Technologies, “Reflections on water and jobs,” Tuesday, March 22, 11:30 a.m., EIT 1015.

World Water Day 2016 graduate student poster exhibition, Tuesday, March 22, 1:00 p.m., EIT Atrium.

World Water Day 2016 Panel Presentation on Water and Jobs, Tuesday, March 22, 4:00 p.m., EIT 1015.

theGROOVE, Tuesday, March 22, 5:00 p.m., CPH-3067. Contact Cindy Howe for more information.

TheGROOVE, Wednesday, March 23, 12:10 p.m., CPH-3607. Contact Cindy Howe for more information.

Noon Hour Concert: Immortal Beloved featuring Colin Ainsworth, tenor and William Aide, piano. Wednesday, March 23, 12:30 p.m., Conrad Grebel chapel.

Communicating Blackness, Performing Race: Racializing the Visual in Contemporary Gaming Culture, Wednesday, March 23, 3:30 p.m., AL 113.

Electrical and Computer Engineering Capstone Design Symposium, Thursday, March 24, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., DC Atrium.

Water Institute Seminar featuring Peter Mollinga, School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London, “On Publishing in Water Alternatives,” Thursday, March 24, 11:00 a.m., EV2-2002.

Water Institute Seminar featuring Peter Mollinga, School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London, “Downstream of the dam: Farmers, pipelines and capitalist development in the Sardar Sarovar project,” Thursday, March 24, 2:30 p.m., EV2-2002.

Poetry Session with Rupi Kaur, Thursday, March 24, 4:30 p.m., Velocity Start, South Campus Hall.

Good Friday holiday, Friday, March 25, most University services and buildings closed.

Water Institute Seminar featuring Bejoy Thoma, Ashoka Trust for Reseach in Ecology and Environment, India, “Resilience, vulnerability and environmental change: Insights from the rapidly urbanizing Arkavathy sub-basin,” Monday, March 28, 10:00 a.m., EV3-4408.

Digital Arts Communications presents IGNITE 329, Monday, March 28, 4:00 p.m., Theatre of the Arts.

theGROOVE, Tuesday, March 29, 5:00 p.m., CPH-3067. Contact Cindy Howe for more information.

TheGROOVE, Wednesday, March 30, 12:10 p.m., CPH-3607. Contact Cindy Howe for more information.

HeForShe Advocate Event featuring Jennifer Berdahl, PhD, Montalbano Professor of Leadership Studies at the University of British Columbia Sauder School of Business, “From fixing the women to liberating the men: Gender in Organizations,” Wednesday, March 30, 4:00 p.m., STJ 3014.

WaterTalk Lecture by Prabhakar Clement, Auburn University, “Worthiness of complex groundwater models for decision making-when should we say enough is enough?“ Thursday, March 31, 2:30 p.m., DC 1304.

Sexuality, Marriage, and Family Studies Research Symposium featuring  Keynote Dr. Susan Dion, concurrent sessions of presenters; “Cultural Pluralities: Situating the Studies of Sexualities, Relationships, and Families”, Friday, April 1, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., St. Jerome’s 1036, Siegfried Hall.

Research Talks event featuring Canada Research Chair Jennifer Clapp"Trade: opportunity or threat for global food security?" Friday, April 1, 12:00 p.m., DC 1302. Please register – seating is limited.

Water Institute Seminar featuring Prabhakar Clement, Auburn University, “Authorship and author rank: Misuses, misunderstanding and a meaningful solution,” Friday, April 1, 12:30 p.m., RCH 211.

CrySP Speaker Series featuring Seda Gürses, Princeton University, “PET Sematary: Privacy's return from the dead and the rise of Privacy Engineering,” Friday, April 1, 2:30 p.m., DC 1304.

University of Waterloo Department of Music presents the University of Waterloo Balinese Gamelan Ensemble, Friday, April 1, 7:30 p.m. 

University of Waterloo Department of Music presents “Reaching Out: University Choir,” Saturday, April 2, 7:30 p.m., First United Church, 16 William St. W. Waterloo.

University of Waterloo Department of Music presents UW Jazz Ensemble, Sunday, April 3, 2:00 p.m. Conrad Grebel Great Hall.

University of Waterloo Department of Music presents Chiaroscuro: Chamber Choir, Sunday, April 3, 7:30 p.m., St. John the Evangelist Church, Kitchener.

University of Waterloo Department of Music presents Instrumental Chamber Ensembles, Monday, April 4, 7:30 p.m., Conrad Grebel Chapel.

FAUW Workshop for Tenured Faculty, “Faculty Applying for Promotion to Full Professor Workshop,” Tuesday, April 5, 10:00 a.m., DC 1304.

FAUW workshop for tenure-track faculty, “Faculty Recently Hired to their First Probationary Term Workshop,” Tuesday, April 5, 12:00 p.m., DC 1304.

theGROOVE, Tuesday, April 5, 5:00 p.m., CPH-3067. Contact Cindy Howe for more information.

FAUW workshop for tenure-track faculty, “Faculty Applying for Probationary Contract Renewal Workshop,” Wednesday, April 6, 10:00 a.m., DC 1304.

Gender and Equity Scholarship Series featuring Dr. Andrea Collins, School of Environment, Resources, and Sustainability, “Gender, Land, and Global Governance: Governing Global Land Deals?” Wednesday, April 6, 11:30 a.m., MC 5501.

FAUW workshop for tenure-track faculty, “Faculty Applying for Tenure Workshop,” Wednesday, April 6, 2:30 p.m., DC 1304.

Ed Jernigan Thank You Event, Wednesday, April 6, 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., University Club. Register now.