Friday, July 21, 2017


Registration for new EDGE certificate program is live

A message from the Waterloo Professional Development Program (WatPD)

Undergraduate (non-co-op) students interested in completing EDGE—the University of Waterloo’s new experiential education certificate—can now register for the program.

EDGE helps students develop their professional skills, explore their career options and learn how to market themselves to employers. To complete the EDGE certificate, students must earn six credits. These credits include a skills identification and articulation workshop, a career development course, three work or community experiences and a capstone workshop that helps students develop a post-graduation plan of action. Students who complete EDGE will better understand how their experiences both inside and outside of the classroom are preparing them for success in the workplace.

The Centre for Career Action (CCA) is driving content development for the program with its expertise in career development theory, and CCA career advisors will facilitate the workshop components of the certificate starting this fall.

“We’re really excited about registration going live this week,” says EDGE manager Jessica Lang. “I’d like to thank our colleagues from across campus for their help and support in bringing EDGE to life. It certainly has taken a village to get here. We celebrate this moment with our valued partners and look forward to supporting students in their EDGE journey alongside you.”

EDGE doesn’t officially launch until September, but students who register now will be ready to start earning EDGE credit and completing experiences in the fall. To learn more about EDGE, visit our website or send us an email at edge@uwaterloo.ca.  

I scream, you scream, UWSA screams for ice cream

Waterloo staff members enjoying ice cream cones.

This article was originally posted on the Innovation 60 website.

On June 28th, 2017, everyone was smiling as the University of Waterloo Staff Association (UWSA). In celebration of the University of Waterloo’s 60th anniversary and Canada’s 150th birthday, the UWSA brought the Heavenly Dreams Ice Cream Truck to campus, where it travelled around giving out smiles.

The ice cream truck made pit stops around main campus and along Ring Road where UWSA surprised faculty, staff and students when they arrived at the ice cream truck with tickets for a free ice cream cone. In a span of six and a half hours, 2,100 ice cream cones were handed out.

With blue skies overhead, the first stop was RAC2, where staff were gathered in anticipation of a cold treat coming their way. Onto the X Lot, where the UWSA and the ice cream truck was greeted by a long line of staff walking from the Optometry building, as well as a few friends from TechTown and the other buildings within eyesight.  Outside the Dana Porter Library curious students come up and ask what was happening, some of them with wallets in hand, only to be surprised when UWSA handed them a ticket for free ice cream. After many stops along the way, ice cream journey finished at EC3, where staff from all five East Campus buildings met in the parking lot and camaraderie and friendship was very evident.

Staff members line up outside the Davis Centre.

Staff at the remote campuses including Architecture, Pharmacy and Stratford, didn’t miss out on the treats as ice cream was hand delivered to each location by volunteers.

The ice cream treats sure made June 28th one of the happiest workdays of the year!

Waterloo staff dig in on Day of Caring

Waterloo staff learn about the rare Charitable Research Reserve.

by Cayleigh Lemieux.

On Friday, June 9, a team of volunteers from the University of Waterloo spent the morning gardening at the rare Charitable Research Reserve site for the Day of Caring with the United Way Waterloo Region Communities. Sporting smiles, UWaterloo t-shirts along with gardening tools, our group marked another successful Day of Caring, continuing an eight-year tradition of giving back to the community.

rare Charitable Research Reserve is a community-based organization founded in 2001 with over 900 acres of land within Waterloo Region. The organization works hard to preserve, protect and restore the environment within Waterloo Region by encouraging the community to get involved and gain an understanding of the Region’s natural resources, history, and the impact the environment has on the community’s wellbeing. Conducting research and offering seminars, interpretive activities, conferences, and public forums are just a few of the ways that rare engages and informs the public within Waterloo Region.

As the winner of the 2013 Day of Caring Award, the UWaterloo United Way Campaign understands the importance of supporting local agencies and organizations, and learning more about their efforts to better the community.

If you are interested in supporting and contributing to the UWaterloo United Way Campaign this year, information can be found on our website.

On behalf of the UWaterloo United Way Campaign, we would like to thank our volunteers for their support at the 2017 Day of Caring.

Don’t forget to mark your calendars for UWaterloo’s United Way Campaign launch on October 4, 2017!

Instrumental and a cappella concerts this weekend

A violinist, pianist, and cellist perform.

Four different chamber trios will be performing a wide selection of classical music pieces at a Department of Music Instrumental Chamber Ensemble concert on Sunday, July 23 at 7:30 p.m. at the Conrad Grebel Chapel. "The musicians are gifted students, so this is a delightful way to spend a Sunday evening," says a statement about the event. Admission is free with a reception to follow.

An a cappella performance.The UW A Cappella Club end of term concerts take place tonight and tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. in the Theatre of the Arts. The concerts feature ACE, the AcaBellas, the Musical InterDudes, the Unaccompanied Minors, and the Water Boys, as well as several guest groups. Doors open at 7:00 p.m.

Link of the day

Haile Selassie I at 125

When and where

PhD seminarDeep active learning for dialogue generation,” Nabiha Asghar, David R. Cheriton School of Computer Science, Friday, July 21, 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., DC 2306C.

Waterloop Pod Launch event, Friday, July 21, 3:00 p.m., Federation Hall.

UW A Cappella Club end of term concerts, Friday, July 21 and Saturday, July 22, 7:30 p.m., Theatre of the Arts.

Conrad Grebel Concert, Instrumental Chamber Ensembles, Sunday, July 23, 7:30 p.m., Conrad Grebel Chapel.

The University Club presents Lobsterlicious, Monday, July 24 to Friday, July 28, 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., University Club.

Conversation Café, Monday, July 24, 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., SCH 219.

Lectures end, Tuesday, July 25.

PhD seminar, “Constraint bubbles: Adding efficient zero-density bubbles to incompressible free surface flow,” Ryan Goldade, Tuesday, July 25, 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m., DC 2310.

NEW - Recreation and Leisure Studies 50th anniversary movie night, Tuesday, July 25, 9:00 p.m., Village 1 green.

Pre-examination study days, Wednesday, July 26 and Thursday, July 27.

Women in Physics Canada Conference, Wednesday, July 26 to Friday, July 28, QNC 0101.

Getting Published for Grad Students, Wednesday, July 26, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Exploring Your Personality Type: (Myers-Briggs Type Indicator), Wednesday, July 26, 12:00 p.m., TC 1113.

Waterloo Women’s Wednesdays: Lunchtime Yoga, Wednesday, July 26, 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m., NH3308. Beginners encouraged!

CrySP Speaker Series on Privacy, “Making security sustainable,” Ross Anderson, University of Cambridge, Wednesday, July 26, 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., DC 1304.

NEW - Bridges 2017 Conference, Thursday, July 27 to Monday, July 31.

NEW - Bridges Conference and UWAG present PASSAGE + OBSTACLE, Thursday, July 27 to Sunday, July 30, East Campus Hall.

Social Impact Showcase, Thursday, July 27, 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., St. Paul's Alumni Hall. All welcome! Register here.

Examination period begins, Friday, July 28.

UWRC presents Mental Health in Childhood and Parenting, Friday, July 28, 12:00 p.m., STC 0040.

NEW - Bridges 2017 Formal Music Night, Saturday, July 29, 8:00 p.m., Humanities Theatre.

NEW - Bridges 2017 Family Day and Math-Art Expo, Sunday, July 30, 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., Davis Centre.

Conrad Grebel Peace Camp, Monday, July 31 to Friday, August 4.

Conversation Café, Monday, July 31, 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., SCH 219.

NEW - More Feet on the Ground Mental Health training, Wednesday, August 2, 9:00 a.m., Counselling Services.

WISE Public Lecture Series featuring Mahdi Shahbakhti, Associate Professor, Mechanical Engineering – Engineering Mechanics, Michigan Tech, "Physics-based Control of Energy Systems Ranging from Smart Buildings and Power Grid to Smart Hybrid Electric Vehicles," Wednesday, August 2 10:30 a.m., CPH 3681.

UWRC presents Advance Care Planning, Wednesday, August 2, 12:00 p.m., MC 5501.

Employee-Explore your personality type: Myers Briggs Type Indicator, Wednesday, August 2, TC 1113. - Please note, you must sign up for the session on July 26 as this is a follow up session to that one.

Biomedical Discussion Group featuring Professor Patricia Trbovich, Academic Research Lead, UHN and Assistant Professor, U of T at University Health Network and University of Toronto, "Application of Human Factors to Quality Improvement and Patient Safety," Wednesday, August 9, 2:30 p.m., STC 1019. Register online.

NEW- Quantum Cryptography School for Young Students, Friday, August 11 to Friday, August 18.

UWRC Book Club presents The Baker’s Daughter by Sarah McCoy, Wednesday, August 16, 12:00 p.m., LIB 407.

NEW - 10th Annual St. Paul's Golf Tournament, Friday, August 25, 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Glen Eagle Golf Club.

PhD oral defences

Electrical & Computer Engineering. Thamer Almoneef, "Electromagnetic Energy Transduction Using Metamaterials and Antennas." Supervisor, Omar Ramahi. On deposit in the Engineering graduate office, DWE 3520C. Oral defence Wednesday, July 26, 1:30 p.m., MC 2009.

Physics & Astronomy. Ali Ramadhan, "Molecular movies and geometry reconstruction using Coulomb Explosion Imaging." Supervisor, Joseph Sanderson. On deposit in the Science graduate office, PHY 2013. Oral defence Wednesday, July 26, 2:00 p.m., PHY 308.

Electrical & Computer Engineering. Mahdi Khanali, "Effects of Distorted Voltages on the Performance of Renewable Energy Power Transformers." Supervisor, Sheshakamal Jayaram. On deposit in the Engineering graduate office, DWE 3520C. Oral defence Thursday, July 27, 9:00 a.m., EIT 3142.

Chemical Engineering. Navid Bizmark, "Ethyl Cellulose Nanoparticles in Multiphase Systems: Foams, Emulsions, and Porous Media." Supervisor, Marios Ioannidis. On deposit in the Engineering graduate office, DWE 3520C. Oral defence Thursday, July 27, 9:30 a.m., E6 2022.