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Waterloo partners with innovation superclusters
The University of Waterloo will be a key partner with leading Canadian companies and sectors chosen to help grow our country’s global competitiveness through significant investments in the areas of artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced manufacturing.
As part of the Government of Canada’s $950 million Innovation Supercluster Initiative, Waterloo will take a leading research role in two of the five winning bids announced today. The effort will see researchers and innovators from Waterloo become key contributors in industry-led consortia.
“The University of Waterloo is very proud to be participating in two of the five initiatives selected by government to help advance our nation’s economy,” said President Feridun Hamdullahpur. “With the discoveries already made to date in Waterloo, we can only imagine what can be accomplished when our knowledge and expertise in the fields of artificial intelligence and advanced manufacturing join with the power of some of Canada’s most important industrial players.”
The successful supercluster proposals, selected from more than 50 applications in a Canada-wide competition, were chosen by Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada for their potential to energize the economy, act as engines of growth and create well-paying jobs.
The proposals with University of Waterloo involvement are:
- SCALE.AI – defining a new, AI-powered global supply chain platform to make a profound impact in the retail, manufacturing and infrastructure sectors.
- NGM Canada – driving collaboration between the technology and manufacturing sectors using the Internet of Things, big data, sensors and intelligent machines.
“The ambitions of both Superclusters dovetail perfectly to address the urgent need to digitize across different business operations and interoperability and real time feedback will enable companies to react more quickly,” said Dean of Engineering Pearl Sullivan. “Future manufacturing and supply chains will require integration of new technologies from artificial intelligence, robotics and autonomous systems, to big data analytics, mobile connectivity and the Internet of Things.
“We are well known as a dynamic hub for research, talent and team development, industry collaborations and start-up activity in all of these areas and are excited to shape Canada’s connected economy.”
The superclusters program, which includes matching funding from industry participants, is designed to bring together large and small regional partners, including academics from post-secondary institutions and research institutes, to spark innovation and economic growth.
The news has received media coverage, including this piece by the CBC.
FAUW president talks work-life balance for Reading Week
by Bryan Tolson. This article originally appeared on the Faculty Association of the University of Waterloo (FAUW) blog.
Happy 2018 everyone. One of my resolutions this year is to try to find better work-life balance. As an academic, I also believe I should try to improve my work-work balance, ensuring I’m giving the appropriate time to my teaching, research, and service activities. Like most resolutions, turning those intentions into actions is easier said than done.
As FAUW President, I want to see all UW faculty find the appropriate work-life and work-work balance. What that is for each of you is individual and different. I imagine that, to most of us, ideal solutions would include a 36-hr day or cloning ourselves. But there are realistic actions we can take and I want to encourage all of you to do three things in the hopes of improving your work-life and/or work-work balance in 2018:
- Make sure the week of February 19–23 is in your calendar as ‘Reading Week’ or ‘Winter Term Study Days’ or ‘Spring Break’. Additionally, to ensure marital bliss, I also strongly suggest those of with families block off February 19 as something called ‘Family Day’.
- Plan to do what you want to do on Reading Week! Say no to other things in order to make this happen.
- Think twice about scheduling any type of committee/service meetings during Reading Week and maybe even cancel them.
I am following my own advice. My Outlook calendar is updated, and I am planning to do what I really want that week: work-life balance with a family holiday and then some work-work balance by working on a manuscript in desperate need of finishing. I have cancelled all FAUW meetings that week to ensure my fellow FAUW Board members can focus on what they want, too.
If you haven’t already decided, start thinking about what you want to do this Reading Week. Some ideas:
- Take some real time off and go on a holiday
- Read that book you’ve been wanting to read
- Write that code you promised you would finish
- Get your next manuscript submitted
- Work on that next grant application
- Review and comment on your student’s thesis that has been on your desk too long
- Develop that new course assignment you have told yourself you would develop the last two times you taught the course
- Experience a Netflix binge
What do you want to do?
Have a productive, balanced and healthy 2018.
Bryan
Bryan Tolson, FAUW President
What's open and closed this long weekend
Monday is Family Day, a statutory holiday in Ontario, and most University operations will be closed.
In typical holiday fashion, a number of university operations and facilities will be closed, including Retail Services, the Physical Activities Complex and Columbia Icefield, (open 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, February 17 but closed Sunday, February 18 and Monday, February 19), and Food Services, unless otherwise noted on their schedule of hours.
The Dana Porter and Davis Centre libraries will be open from 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Monday. Browser’s Café in the Dana Porter Library will be closed Saturday, February 17 through Monday, February 19.
Even on holidays, the University Police (519-888-4911) will be at work, the Student Life Centre's Turnkey Desk (519–888-4434) will be open, and the central plant will monitor campus buildings (maintenance emergencies, ext. 33793).
Monday, February 19 marks the beginning of Reading Week, otherwise known as the Winter term study days, during which there will be no lectures or classes on campus. The University’s offices and services will be open, more or less as usual, Tuesday through Friday, which are regular working days for most University employees.
Some Food Services outlets will have modified hours of operation during Reading Week. However, Bon Appétit, the CEIT Café, East End Café in EC5, Eye Opener Café in Optometry, FRSH in BMH, H3 Café, Liquid Assets in Hagey Hall, ML's Coffee Shop in Modern Languages, South Side Marketplace, Starbucks in AHS/BMH, the Tim Hortons in Modern Languages, the Tim Hortons in UWP, the Tim Hortons in the Student Life Centre, and Williams Fresh Café will all be shuttered for the duration of reading week.
This is as good a time as any to note that the venerable Pastry Plus in Needles Hall has been permanently closed.
Retail Services operations will be open from Tuesday to Friday, with the exception of 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Friday, February 23, and have marked February 20 to 23 as Staff and Faculty Appreciation Week.
"Spend $40 and receive $10 off your next purchase or spend $100 and receive $30 off your next purchase!" says a note from Retail Services. "Plus enjoy free hot chocolate and enter to win 1 of 5 Retail Services prize packs." The special offer is valid at the Book Store, Waterloo Store, Write Stuff, Media.Doc STC and Campus Tech. Some conditions apply, see in-store for details.