Wednesday, October 4, 2017


Go Red day ends, but the campaign is just beginning

Yesterday, the University of Waterloo kicked off the annual United Way campaign by decorating our campus red. Faculty, staff, and students alike came together to show their support for this vital community service – and, as the pictures show, had some fun while they were at it. 

#UWUnitedWay

Although GO RED day has ended, the campaign itself is just beginning. Stay tuned for other fun activities as the University showcases what makes us such an amazing leader in our Regional community.

Not sure how to contribute? The easiest way is to pledge a gift to the United Way through their secure e-Pledge site. Units across campus will be supporting the campaign through amazing bake sales, team activities (such as relays and games), and even a pie-in-the-face contest! Connect with your area rep to learn what your unit is doing this month. Don’t have an area rep? It’s not too late to volunteer for the 2017 campaign.

Thank you for helping us to reach our goal of $270,000 – at a time when community is more important than ever. Through your generosity, we can work to reduce poverty, help children reach their potential, and create a better life for many people in need across our Region.

Highest student turnout for Career Fair in a decade

A booth at the Partners 4 Education Career Fair.

By Jacqueline Gergal

A record-breaking 3,140 students attended the annual Partnerships for Employment (P4E) Career Fair on Wednesday, September 27. Students from the University of Waterloo made up about half of all attendees, with 1,541 students attending – that’s an increase of 68 percent over last year.

Students networked with 247 employers from across Canada, the United States and around the world, including IBM Canada, BlackBerry, Bell, Toyota, RCMP, Manulife and many more. It’s the largest event of its kind in the country, providing local students with an invaluable opportunity.

“Career fair had a buzz and energy I’ve never experienced before,” said English and Business student, Farah Hassan. “All of the employers were approachable and actively wanting to speak with me. This was my first time attending Career Fair and I was surprised by all of the opportunities available.”

The P4E Career Fair is jointly organized by the University of Waterloo, Wilfrid Laurier University, the University of Guelph and Conestoga College. It features organizations from various sectors, including government, financial, healthcare, IT, manufacturing, telecommunications, food and hospitality, oil and gas and many more. Employers at Career Fair are mainly looking to hire students for full-time positions upon graduation.

P4E’s next big event is Job Fair, which takes place February 7, 2018. Job Fair is aimed at current students who are looking for temporary jobs – either co-op or summer employment.

Additional information about P4E’s Career Fair and Job Fair can be found on the P4E website.

Executive actions at OUF and beyond

Feridun Hamdullahpur at the University of Waterloo booth at the Ontario Universities' Fair.

It's Wednesday, October 4. Do you know where your President is?

Here's a non-exhaustive list of President and Vice-Chancellor Feridun Hamdullahpur's activities:

President Hamdullahpur visited the University of Waterloo's booth at the Ontario Universities' Fair, held from September 22 to 24 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. Feridun met many future students and their families at the event.

Feridun Hamdullahpur takes the stage at the Canadian Student Leadership Conference.On Thursday, September 28, Hamdullahpur also spoke to more than 1,200 high school-age student leaders at the Canadian Student Leadership Conference hosted by Sir John A. Macdonald Secondary School in north Waterloo.

He also had a full day at Reunion on Saturday, September 30 attending events on campus.

President Hamdullahpur has completed his run of 2017 first-year student lecture visits that started in September. He also delivered opening remarks at the Graduate Studies Mini Town Hall on Monday, October 2.

On Tuesday, October 3, Hamdullahpur attended a Loran Scholars Foundation reception at the Mike & Ophelia Lazaridis Quantum-Nano Centre, congratulating current scholarship winners and meeting with foundation staff.

So what's next for the President?

On Wednesday, October 4, President Hamdullahpur will be delivering remarks at the annual Teaching Excellence Celebration hosted by the Centre for Teaching Excellence at the University Club at 3:30 p.m.

On Wednesday, October 18, Feridun will help officially open the New Residence Building in the heart of UW Place. 

A full day of wellness activities for employees planned

A group of people do yoga with the Keeping Well at Work logo superimposed over it.

University of Waterloo employees have a full day of wellness activities to look forward to on October 17.

“Keeping Well at Work” is funded by the Staff Excellence Fund and organized by the UW Staff Association and the University’s Healthy Workplace Committee. 

The event will include a keynote talk on Resilience in the Workplace by Mary Ann Baynton, Program Director for Great West Life Centre for Mental Health in the Workplace, in the morning from 10:30 AM-12:00 PM  in the Humanities Theatre. There will also be breakout sessions throughout the day in Federation Hall on topics such as Sustainable Nutrition, Workplace Bullying Awareness, Managing Your Time and Energy, the Art of Relaxation, and the Science of Happiness. Afternoon programming will also include Groove and Chair Yoga, to help get us moving. A small tradeshow will showcase regional charitable associations and University partners including Great-West Life, Homewood Health, Occupational Health and more.

Registration is now open, and registration will be required for all elements of this event individually as space is limited. Registration closes on Tuesday, October 10.

For more information, please contact Jackie Serviss, President of the UW Staff Association, at jackie.serviss@uwaterloo.ca.

6,000 Daily Bulletins and other notes

A stack of printed out Daily Bulletins.This week the Daily Bulletin crossed the 6,000 issue mark. That's about 12 million words, give or take, for a publication that averages about 2,000 words an issue and has been produced between 246 and 248 times a year since being introduced in May 1993 by erstwhile editor Chris Redmond.

I've been fortunate enough to serve as editor for 1,435 of those 6,000 issues since taking the helm in November 2011. It starts to add up - to the right is pictured about five years' worth of Daily Bulletins, which were printed out and posted on the wall outside the old Marketing and Strategic Communications office in Needles Hall (a tradition that apparently continues even after the unit moved to East Campus 5 last June).

The Daily Bulletin's back issues are all available in the archive.

Thanks for reading!

The Optometry Rack Pack at the Run for the Cure event.The 2017 Optometry Rack Pack team completed the 'CIBC Run for the Cure' on Sunday, October 1 to support the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. "The Rack Pack was again honoured with the ‘Post-Secondary Team Challenge Award’ for the institution with the most funds raised to support the cause - the current total is $9,227!" writes Marie Amodeo, undergraduate studies co-ordinator at the School of Optometry & Vision Science. "That brings the team’s five year total to over $50,000! That ties in nicely with the School of Optometry and Vision Science’s 50th anniversary. The Run for the Cure was inspiring to all who attended – so be ready to tie up your laces for next year’s event. Donations are accept until the end of October. Thanks for supporting a great cause!"

Employers on campus next week hosting employer information sessions include Ceridian, A9, Ernst & Young, Richter LLP, Tata Consultancy Services, Tribalscale, Toast Inc. and Agriculture and AgriFood Canada. Visit the employer information sessions calendar for more details.

The final four Celebration 2017 designs on easels in the Hagey Hub.

Celebration 2017 designs on display

The Celebration 2017 Legacy Project’s jury has selected the top four teams moving forward to the final stage.  Their proposals to redesign the Arts Quad are currently being displayed at the Hagey Hub Atrium from Monday, October 2 until Friday, October 6. Drop by the showcase to provide your feedback to the teams.

The winning team will be announced at this year’s President’s Town Hall on November 14, 2017.

Link of the day

You are Number 6: 50 years of The Prisoner

When and where

Imaginus Poster Sale, Monday, October 2 to Thursday, October 5, 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Friday, October 6, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Student Life Centre Great Hall.

Noon Hour Concert: Duo Percussion, Wednesday, October 4, 12:30 p.m., Conrad Grebel Chapel.

Career Interest Assessment (Strong Interest Inventory), Wednesday, October 4, 2:30 p.m., TC  1112.

University Club Thanksgiving Buffet, Thursday, October 5 and Friday, October 6, 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., University Club.

WaterTalk: Storm surge forecasting using data assimilation, Thursday, October 5, 2:30 p.m. RCH 110.

NEW - Philosophy Department’s Science and Technology in Society Panel Discussion Series, “Ethics in Science, and Science in Ethics: How Can Science Help Us Understand Ethical Issues in Sports,” Thursday, October 5, 2:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., HH 150.

Retirement Celebration for Bonnie Oberle, Thursday, October 5, 3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., University Club. RSVP to Trevor Alkema.

Research Talks Series, "Cardiovascular Aging in Space" featuring Kinesiology Professor Richard Hughson, Friday, October 6, 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Please register. Seating is limited.

Thanksgiving holiday, Monday, October 9, most university operations closed.

Fall Break study days, Tuesday, October 10 and Wednesday, October 11.

NEW - Academic Career Conference, Wednesday, October 11, 8:30am, Science Teaching Complex- STC (bottom floor).

WatCACE Research Seminar, "Sustainable Partnerships and Employer Perspectives in Work-integrated Learning," Wednesday, October 11, 3:00 p.m., TC 2218. Please register.

New Faculty Meet & Greet at the Grad House, October 11, 3:30 p.m, upstairs at the Grad House.

Fall Makeup Days, Thursday, October 12 - classes will run on a Tuesday schedule; and Friday, October 13 - classes will run on a Wednesday schedule. 

LGBTQ+ Making Spaces workshop, Thursday, October 12, 12:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Please register - Seating is limited.

Distinguished Lecture Series, “Communication-avoiding algorithms for linear algebra and beyond,” James Demmel, Computer Science Division and Department of Mathematics, University of California, Berkeley, Thursday, October 12, 3:30 p.m., DC 1302.

The Department of Music presents Noon Hour Concerts: The Three Tenors(no, not those three tenors) Friday, October 13, 12:30 p.m., Conrad Grebel chapel.

NEW - Make Networking Count, Friday, October 13, 1:30 p.m., TC 1208.

PhD seminar, “Energy system control with deep neural networks,” Fiodar Kazhamiaka, PhD candidate, David R. Cheriton School of Computer Science, Friday, October 13, 1:00 p.m., DC 1331.

University Senate meeting, Monday, October 16, 3:30 p.m., NH 3407.

Keeping Well at Work Day, Tuesday, October 17. Please register by Tuesday, October 10.

Earning a Degree with ADHD: A unique event about succeeding at university and life with comedian Rick Green, Tuesday, October 17, 4:30 p.m., Theatre of the Arts, Modern Languages.

PhD seminar, “Energy system control with deep neural networks,” Fiodar Kazhamiaka, PhD candidate, David R. Cheriton School of Computer Science, Friday, October 13, 1:00 p.m., DC 1331.

Velocity Fund $25K and $5K applications open, Monday, October 16.

Problem Pitch Competition, Tuesday, October 17, 7:00 p.m., Location TBD.

Velocity Start: Follow the Money,  Wednesday, October 18, 7:30 p.m., Velocity Start, SCH 2nd Floor

Fall 2017 Convocation, Friday, October 20 and Saturday, October 21, Physical Activities Complex.

Interviews: preparing for questions, Tuesday, October 24, 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m., TC 1208.

Velocity Start: Building a Kick A** Team, Wednesday, October 24, 7:30 p.m., Velocity Start, SCH 2nd Floor

Department of Music presents Noon Hour Concerts: Songs For My Mother, Wednesday, October 25, 12:30 p.m., Conrad Grebel Chapel.

Velocity Start: Setup Your Business Like A Pro, “Wednesday, October 25, 7:30 p.m., Velocity Start, SCH 2nd Floor.

FAUW and the Waterloo Way – 60 Years of Collegial Governance: The Faculty Association’s 60th Anniversary Celebration, Thursday, October 26, 3:30 p.m., NH 3407. 

Retirement celebration for Manfred Grisebach, Thursday, October 26, 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., Federation Hall. RSVP to Michelle Mank - mank@uwaterloo.ca.

Research Talks Series, "Global Assessment of Payments for Watershed Services" featuring Economics Professor Roy Brouwer, Friday, October 27, 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m., DC 1302. Please register. Seating is limited.

Distinguished Lecture Series, “Data science: Is it real?” Jeff Ullman, Stanford University, Monday, October 30, 3:30 p.m., DC 1304.

Board of Governors meeting, Tuesday, October 31, 1:30 p.m., NH 3407.

Positions available

On this week's list from the human resources department, viewable on the UWaterloo Talent Acquisition System (iCIMS):

  • Job ID# 2017-1920 - Associate Director, Velocity - Velocity - Student Innovation, USG 12
  • Job ID# 2017-1912 - Business Development Coordinator - Coop Education & Career Action, USG 6
  • Job ID# 2017-1923 - Executive Assistant - Advancement-Development, USG 7
  • Job ID# 2017-1905 - Financial Coordinator - Electrical & Computer Engineering, USG 7
  • Job ID# - 2017-1910 - Financial Officer - VP University Relations, USG 10
  • Job ID# 2017-1911 - Manager, Marketing & Campus Engagement - Registrar-Undergrad Recruit, USG 11
  • Job ID# 2017-1919 - Manager, Student Information Systems - Information Systems and Techno, USG 14
  • Job ID# 2017-1913 - Mechanical Repairperson - Plant Operations-Mechanical, USG 4
  • Job ID# 2017-1902 - Senior Manager, Marketing and Communications - Institute for Quantum Computing, USG 11

Internal Secondment Opportunities:

  • Job ID# 2017-1922 - Academic Advisor, Programs Specialist - Science Undergrad Office, USG 8
  • Job ID# 2017-1927 - Client Support Specialist (Waterloo Content Management System) – Information Systems and Technology, USG 7.
  • Job ID# 2017-1918 - Marketing and Communications Coordinator - Food Services, USG 7