Monday, September 11, 2017

Conference examines innovation in the blue economy

Since its inception in 1957, the University of Waterloo has promoted excellence in water-related research and education. In 2009, the Water Institute was established to promote and demonstrate interdisciplinary water research and education, strengthen partnerships with leading water organizations, and communicate the impact of Waterloo’s research. During the second week of September, to kick off University of Waterloo’s Innovation week, the Water Institute will build on its foundation to promote water research by hosting Elsevier’s International Water Research Conference, “The Role of Water Technology Innovation in the Blue Economy.”

Welcoming water experts from 44 countries around the world and six continents – including China, Qatar, South Africa and Australia – the conference will focus on the role of water technology innovation in the blue economy. “This international water conference aims to highlight research that is beyond state-of-the-art and that aims to support the transition towards a blue economy,” said Roy Brouwer, executive director of the Water Institute and professor in the Department of Economics. “Focus in particular will be on the role that water science and technology innovation, along with enabling institutional-economic environments, can play in promoting behvioural change toward sustainable water management and use.”

This is Elsevier’s fourth water research conference and the first one to be organized in North America. In a competitive bid, the Water Institute presented its case to host the conference, focusing on the strong interdisciplinary water-related research roots at the University of Waterloo. The conference is co-chaired by Roy Brouwer and Mark van Loosdrecht, a professor in environmental biotechnology and wastewater engineering at Delft University of Technology. Both are also the editors of the Elsevier journals Water Resources and Economics (Roy) and Water Research (Mark).

Program features

The conference will feature keynote speakers from across the globe who are experts in their field of water research, including:

• Professor Tove Larsen from Eawag, Zurich, Switzerland
• Professor Ana Deletic from the University of New South Wales in Australia
• Professor Hiroaki Furumai from the University of Tokyo in Japan
• Professor Arjen Hoekstra, founder of the Water Footprint Foundation from Twente University in the Netherlands
• Professor Günter Blöschl from Vienna Technological University in Austria
• Dr. Cecilia Tortajada from the National University of Singapore
• Dr. Alex Money from Oxford University in the United Kingdom

In addition to plenary keynotes, 75 presentations have been scheduled in 15 separate sessions dedicated to specific themes such as future resilient cities, resource recovery in wastewater, climate smart agriculture, sustainable water financing, governance, and social acceptance of water technology innovation.

“We received more than 550 high-quality abstracts from all over the world, from which close to 200 were selected for oral and poster presentations,” said Brouwer. “In fact, the quality of the submissions was so exceptional that it made the selection a challenge for the 30 recognized international water scientists that were involved in the reviewing process.”

Water Institute participation

Several University of Waterloo Water Institute researchers will be participating in the conference. Peter Huck, professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Rob de Loë, professor in the School of Environment, Resources and Sustainability, and Roy Brouwer, professor in the Department of Economics, will chair sessions and present during the conference. Other Water Institute members who will present in various sessions include, Alain Nimubona, professor in the Department of Economics; Margaret Insley, associate professor and department chair in the Department of Economics; Andre Unger, associate professor in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences; and Mark Knight, associate professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.

During the first day of the conference, professor Quentin Grafton, UNESCO Chair in Water Economics and Transboundary Water Governance at Australia National University, will deliver the 2017 Water Institute RBC Distinguished lecture where the Water Institute will recognize the 2016-17 RBC Water Scholarship recipients.

For more information, including program details, please visit the official event page.

Stand up and be counted with #CountMeIn

Members of the University community are invited to participate the HeForShe #CountMeIn social media campaign, which kicks into high gear this week with an opportunity to sign up during the President and Senior Staff Luncheon on the DC quad today.

"The #CountMeIn social media campaign is all about showing people that you stand on the right side of history," says a statement on the University's HeForShe website. "So far, over 1.6 million individuals, including Heads of State, CEOs and global luminaries have made the HeForShe commitment. By making the HeForShe commitment and encouraging others to do the same via social media, we are creating a visible force for gender equality."

Participants are encouraged to take to social media using the #CountMeIn hashtag and making a statement on joining the HeForShe campaign, such as:

• #CountMeIn to end campus violence. Make the #HeForShe commitment at www.HeForShe.org/Commit
• #CountMeIn to be an active bystander. Make the #HeForShe commitment at www.HeForShe.org/Commit
• #CountMeIn for equality in education. Join the movement at www.HeForShe.org/Commit #HeForShe
• #CountMeIn for gender equality at work. Join the movement at www.HeForShe.org/Commit #HeForShe

"HeForShe is looking for the authentic voices of advocates who connect with these issues on a personal level and recognize that by lending their voice to HeForShe, they can affect change by inspiring others to join the movement."

There will be a booth at the President and Senior Staff Luncheon on the Davis Centre quad starting at noon today where you can sign up for HeForShe and get a picture of yourself holding a #CountMeIn placard.

Check out the #CountMeIn website for more information about how to use iconic calls to action to inspire their friends, connections and followers online to do the same. 

Welcome Week begins

New and returning students are being treated to a celebration of back to school season as Fall Welcome Week kicks off from September 11 to 15.

They say there's no such thing as a free lunch, but President Feridun Hamdullahpur begs to differ: today at noon on the Davis Centre quad, the President and members of the University's Executive Council will be serving up hot food for all comers at the President & Senior Staff Luncheon. 

These student volunteer-run events include Dear Future Me, where students can write their end-of-fall-2017 selves a postcard, Sex Toy Bingo, which takes place tonight at 7:00 p.m. in the Bombshelter Pub and features prizes from The Love Shop, Warrior Breakfast on Tuesday, September 12 in the SLC Great Hall, a Tuesday night bonfire at the Laurel Creek fire pit, the first Bomber Wednesday of the term, and the Feds Grocery Games on Thursday, September 14.

In addition, an arcade will be running in the Student Life Centre's Multipurpose Room including Dance Dance Revolution, Guitar Hero, racing sims, air hockey and more (I'm holding out for Galaga myself).

On Wednesday, September 13 and Thursday, September 14, a Carnival will take over the BMH Green with a Ferris Wheel, Scrambler, Berry-Go-Round, Gravitron, and more.

On Friday, September 15, a Wipe Out-style obstacle course will test student mettle on the BMH Green. 

Check the Federation of Students website for more information about Fall Welcome Week.

Human Rights, Equity and Inclusion Coordinator named

A message from Diana Parry, Associate Vice-President, Human Rights, Equity and Inclusion.

Please join me in welcoming Joanne Adair to our team as the Human Rights, Equity and Inclusion Coordinator. Joanne comes from the Faculty of Environment in the School of Environment, Enterprise and Development, as the Experiential Learning and Business Engagement Coordinator, where she has worked for the past five years. Her role included, in part, to identify and build learning opportunities for the Environment and Business students with businesses and organizations, with a strong focus on effective team work and group dynamics to ensure an inclusive, productive experience for all parties involved. She also worked on a range of projects, including running large-scale events, marketing and communications, and graduate recruitment.

Joanne has always had a strong commitment to create safe, equitable experiences for those she works with including colleagues and students. She undertook the course work to obtain OHD’s Inclusivity Certificate, and also created important workshops for International Students to understand the Canadian university experience and culture and how they can navigate through this transition. She has a special interest in gendered experiences around negotiation and personal branding (resumes), and the Body Positivity Movement.

Prior to working at the University, Joanne spent five years working in the environmental not-for-profit sector–including World Wildlife Fund Canada and Evergreen Canada–engaging community members and businesses around sustainability and environmental issues to ensure that diverse and under-represented communities had a voice for key issues. 

Joanne’s role covers a wide scope of responsibilities including setting up this new unit, integrating budgets, communications, branding etc.; she will also manage events, and lead key initiatives associated with equity and inclusion on campus.

Joanne was born and raised in Waterloo, and now lives in Kitchener with her partner Matthew, daughter, Florence and Son, Winston, their dog and cat (and the odd un-invited squirrel).

Joanne can be reached at jeadair@uwaterloo.ca 

Warriors make it 3-0 and other touchdowns

Waterloo's Football Warriors have won their first three games, moving to 3-0 with their 28-23 victory over the Toronto Varsity Blues at Black and Gold Day at Warrior Field on September 9. The Athletics website has the full story.

"Jennifer Simpson, a faculty member in the Department of Drama and Speech Communication will be leaving the University of Waterloo to join Memorial University as Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences," writes colleague Ceylan Turkeri. "Please join us to say goodbye and show our appreciation for all that Jennifer Simpson has done for the Department of Drama and Speech Communication and for the Faculty of Arts as a whole."

The celebration will take place in the ML Foyer and will begin at 3:00 p.m. and run until 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, September 13.

Smile Cookies are back! Do yourself - and the United Way and Keystone campaigns - a favour: buy a cookie. Food Services is proud to participate in Tim Hortons’ Smile Cookie Campaign for the second year in a row. From September 11 to 17, when you purchase a cookie at any Tim Hortons location on campus, you’ll be donating the full $1.00 cost to one of two worthy causes. The SLC location will be allocating funds to United Way Waterloo Region Communities. Tim Hortons in Modern Languages, Davis Centre, South Campus Hall and UWP will be donating their funds to University of Waterloo’s Keystone Campaign.

If there was ever a week to indulge, this is the one. James Skidmore, co-chair of UW United Way notes, “Thanks to the generosity of Food Services, your cookie goes further than just your waistline.”