Thursday, November 24, 2016

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• Waterloo signs PhD agreement with the Chinese Academy of Sciences
• Water Institute catalyzes research from across disciplines
• St. Paul's holds installation ceremony for new principal
• Gifts for Tickets program; other notes

Waterloo signs PhD agreement with the Chinese Academy of Sciences

This is an excerpt of an article originally published on the Faculty of Mathematics website.

The University of Waterloo and the University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS) have established a co-supervision (cotutelle) PhD program, through which students can pursue their studies and receive their degrees from both of these leading institutions.

"The beauty of this arrangement is that students benefit from the best of both institutions and can participate fully in international collaborations," notes Stephen Watt, Dean of the University of Waterloo Faculty of Mathematics.

The new agreement was established in the interest of developing university-wide co-operation between Chinese and Canadian researchers and students through the mobility of doctoral candidates.

Read the rest of the article on the Mathematics website.

Water Institute catalyzes research from across disciplines

This article was originally published on the Water Institute's website.

Inspiring interdisciplinary water research across disciplines, the University of Waterloo’s Water Institute has awarded a combined total of $75,000 to five research teams as a result of its fall term seed grants competition.

The chosen teams will tackle a range of topics that are key to the evolving discourse around water issues,” says Roy Brouwer, executive director of the institute. “They are good examples of seed grant partnerships — linking both Waterloo researchers across faculties, as well as building relationships with national and international research institutions and governmental organizations.

2016/17 grant recipients for Fall 2016 include:

• Linking stream network process models to robust adaptive data management systems for the development of decision support tools that model cumulative effects in watersheds, featuring researchers from Civil and Environmental Engineering, and Environment, Resources and Sustainability;
• Nutrient cycling and contaminant transport in groundwater of Southern Ontario (Canada) and Quintana Roo (Mexico): Similarities, differences, collaboration and solutions, featuring researchers from Earth and Environmental Sciences, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Biology, and Water Services Unit –CICY, Mexico;
• Interdisciplinary assessment of whether intervention is warranted in the management of aquatic invasive species, featuring researchers from Biology, Environment, Resources and Sustainability, and the U.S. Geological Survey;
• Governance, institutions and water metabolism: Developing an operational framework for the Caribbean featuring researchers from Environment, Enterprise and Development, Environment, Resources and Sustainability, Geography and Environmental Management, and Economics;
• What do current water quality monitoring programs really tell us, and how can we improve them? Assessing water quality monitoring programs with the aim of improving Ontario’s provincial Water Quality Monitoring Network, featuring Earth and Environmental Sciences, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Environment, Resources and Sustainability, the Ontario Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, and the University of Windsor.

The Water Institute Seed Grants Program awards $150,000 annually, with competitions generally held during fall and winter terms. The goal is to catalyze interdisciplinary collaboration; facilitate interaction with national and international water scholars, thought leaders and professionals to encourage new areas of research; and develop new research proposals. Project teams must be led by a Water Institute member and demonstrate an interdisciplinary approach, involving a minimum of three departments or two faculties per project team.

View the summary of proposals to see project descriptions and individuals awarded.

St. Paul's holds installation ceremony for new principal

St. Paul’s University College officially installed Dr. Richard Myers as its seventh principal this past Sunday with a short ceremony and reception that included speakers from the University of Waterloo, Huron University College, and the other Affiliated and Federated Institutions of Waterloo. Former principals, students, friends, faculty, staff, and Board members were also in attendance to recognize and celebrate the occasion. The Blue Sky Singers, a local Indigenous women's group, drummed Dr. Myers in and sang an honour song.

Waterloo and St. Paul’s alumnus Bill Watson, chair of the University of Waterloo's Board of Governors, said that St. Paul’s has played an important part in the distinguished path of the University, and that Dr. Myers “will play a key role in the dynamic future of this institution.” Katherine Bergman, president of St. Jerome’s University, congratulated Rick and said, “We are happy that you have chosen to join our community.” Barry Craig, principal of Huron University College at the University of Western Ontario, added that it was a great honour to be at the event, and described Dr. Myers as “always student-centred.”

In his address, Dr. Myers said, “St. Paul’s is enormously privileged to be affiliated with one of the most dynamic and innovative universities in the world. As one of its university colleges, we have the opportunity to provide an exceptional experience to some pretty exceptional students.”

Gifts for Tickets program; other notes

Parking violators have a chance to avoid getting a lump of coal in their stocking this season as Parking Services launches its annual Gifts for Tickets campaign, which runs from December 1 to 16.

The program, now in its second year, resulted in $2,000 in donations of food, toys and supplies for the SPCA in 2015.

"We would like to challenge staff, students and faculty that have those $25 tickets that they aren't thrilled about paying, but would feel better about donating, to come in and clear off their accounts," says a statement from Parking Services.

Outstanding tickets of $25 will be waived with the donation of an unwrapped item worth $10 (a receipt will be necessary to prove the item's value) for the Tree of Angels, UW Food Bank, and the Humane Society.

If you don't have a parking ticket but would still like to donate, you can drop an item off at Parking Services.

Human Resources has reported the following recent retiree deaths:

• Edward Zilney died on October 24. Ed began working at Waterloo in November 1983. He held the position of Serviceperson in Plant Operations and retired in April 1997. He was predeceased by his wife, Mary;
• Victor Iacobellis died on November 9. Victor started at Waterloo in March 1989. He worked in Food Services as a Cook prior to retiring in July 2014. He is survived by his spouse, Mary Lynn.

The 23^rd annual UWSA Craft Sale runs from 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. today and from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Friday, November 25 in the Davis Centre fishbowl. Ten percent of the vendor proceeds and 100 percent of silent auction proceeds will be divided between the University's Senate Scholarship and the UWSA Award.