Monday, November 21, 2016

Did you get it? Pharmacy faculty research the flu shot

As flu season continues the question is - did you get it?  Dr. Nancy Waite and Dr. Sherilyn Houle hope the answer is “yes, I got the flu vaccine!”  Here’s why:

It’s vital that patients, especially the elderly, young, or those with chronic diseases, get the flu shot to stay healthy and prevent long-term illness. By taking preventive measures, the whole healthcare system benefits.

“Getting your flu shot usually means staying healthier throughout the winter,” explains Waite. “This results in fewer sick days or time off work and keeps hospital and physician wait times down so that more Ontarians can receive health services.”

Ontario pharmacists have been able to give the influenza vaccine to patients since 2012. Dr. Waite, Dr. Houle and their team of researchers with the Ontario Pharmacist Research Collaboration have been investigating the impact of this service ever since. In the 2014/2015 flu season, pharmacists administered nearly 1 million flu immunizations in Ontario.

“Patients who are healthier, wealthier, and busier tend to get their flu-shot from a pharmacist.” Dr. Waite elaborates: “These are patients who are on the go, such as active professionals on their way home from work. The convenience of popping into the pharmacy for your flu shot fits with their life schedule, not someone else’s schedule.”

Consider getting your flu shot at a pharmacy today.

On-campus housing available at St. Paul's

Graduate students, visiting scholars, or faculty new to Waterloo who need a place to live for the winter term are encouraged to apply to live in the Graduate Apartments Building at St. Paul’s. The on-campus accommodations are apartment or suite-style, and come in various configurations. Families are welcome.

The Grad Apartments offer laundry facilities, recreation spaces, and a small fitness facility – and of course, they’re minutes away from classes, offices, and labs. Short-term leases are available, so it’s very convenient for those who will only be at UWaterloo for a term or two.

Check out the Graduate Apartments page for housing styles and details, or contact Lisa Thompson at l5thompson@uwaterloo.ca.

Library unveils new archive of digitized texts

This map of Waterloo Township schools is from Families and communities of Waterloo Township in 1861.

A message from Special Collections and Archives

Students, researchers, and regional history enthusiasts will be happy to learn that 61 titles by historians Elizabeth Bloomfield and Gerald T. Bloomfield have been digitized and made available via the Internet Archive.

Comprising indexes, bibliographies, biographical overviews, and historical maps, the titles are exhaustive and invaluable resources for anyone interested in the early economic and social development of both the Region of Waterloo and Ontario as a whole.

Drawing on holdings from the University of Waterloo Library Special Collections & Archives, the project was made possible by a generous donation from the Bloomfields. Their foreward-thinking approach to access has ensured that these important historical resources will be available for years to come. Thanks is also due to Andrea Mills and Gabe Juszel at the Internet Archive for their assistance with this effort.

Uploading, offloading, and other bits in the data stream

The University of Waterloo’s Faculty of Arts will host a free public lecture and panel discussion, entitled Digital Dependencies: How we upload and offload ourselves tonight at the Kitchener Public Library’s Central Branch. The lecture explores the impacts and implications of social media, fitness apps and smartphone reliance on our everyday lives. Three experts along with Douglas Peers, Dean of Arts at Waterloo, will share insights and research on the perks and pitfalls of uploading and offloading ourselves.

There will be a moderated Q&A session with the speakers following their formal remarks. The event takes place tonight at 7:00 p.m. at the main branch of the Kitchener Public Library. Register now.

The University's Senate meets today at 3:30 p.m. in NH3407. Among the agenda items:

• A motion to approve the option for undergraduate students to provide the gender-neutral designation of “Baccalaureate” on the bachelor’s degree diploma and for graduate students to provide the gender-neutral designation of “Magisteriate” on the master’s degree diploma, effective January 2017;
• A motion to approve the 2017-2018 academic calendar dates;
• New academic plans in the School of Public Health and Health Systems and changes to academic plans in the School of Environment, Resources and Sustainability and Computational Mathematics;
• Changes to doctoral thesis regulations in the Graduate Studies Office;
• the inactivation of the Tourism Option in the master's program in Geography and Environmental Management; and
• a motion to consider changes to the composition of the Dean of Engineering Nominating Committee.

The University of Waterloo is hosting the second annual 2-day women’s ideathon called “Waterloo Women: Ideas, Makers, and Innovators” on January 28 and 29, 2017.

Waterloo WIMIn is focused on inspiring University of Waterloo students, alumni, and faculty from multiple disciplines to collaborate in developing world-changing ideas that could lead to potential products, businesses, and a shift in mindset on pressing social issues. Building off the success of WWIMIn 2016, this year’s event will leave a direct and sustainable impact in supporting and connecting women to become trailblazers in cutting edge environments.

Registration is now open. The ideathon is open to women only.

Waterloo is also hosting the Excellence and Quality of Academic Life in STEM (EQUALS) conference this May 11-12, 2017.

EQUALS is a venue for graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and young scholars considering an academic career in a Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) field.  The purpose of this conference is to explore the spectrum of pathways of academic success in STEM with an explicit focus on gender equity and its intersections with other identity markers.

Participation is open to all genders and non-binary individuals, however, sessions will primarily focus on issues related to the under-representation of women-identifying aspiring scholars in the STEM fields, the associated challenges in academia, and identification of potential practical solutions and career advice for women. Everyone interested in these issues is welcome to attend. This will be a safe space for open discussion of identity-based challenges faced by those interested pursuing a career in academia in STEM fields.

Registration is now open. The conference is open to graduate students only.