Monday, July 22, 2019

Waterloo International announces Staff International Experience Fund award winners

Waterloo International is pleased to announce this year’s Staff International Experience Fund (SIEF) award recipients. The SIEF provides opportunities for staff members to travel to global peer institutions in order to exchange ideas and advance learnings with like-minded colleagues. It also serves as a chance to deepen Waterloo’s global relationships and forge new connections with innovative counterparts around the world.

This year’s award recipients are:

Sarah Howard, Graduate Student Experience Specialist (GSPA)

Sarah Howard will travel to Northern Europe to gain insight into graduate student wellbeing and support mechanisms that are currently in place at various universities, while sharing the knowledge and experience she’s cultivated in her role at Waterloo.

Chantal Vallis, Communications Officer, Internationalization (SSO)

Chantal Vallis will travel to East Asia where she plans to broaden her understanding of communications strategies at some of the world’s most internationalized universities in order to enhance international programming and services at Waterloo. She also aims to gain a deeper cultural understanding of the international student population she serves at Waterloo.

Congratulations to Sarah and Chantal.

Waterloo professor wins "Elsie" aerospace award

The Northern Lights Aero Foundation has announced the 2019 winners of its annual “Elsie” award, which honours Canadian women who have made outstanding contributions to aviation and aerospace. Among those awarded was Waterloo Associate Professor Suzanne Kearns, who received the Education Award.

Named after Canadian aviation pioneer and human rights advocate Elsie Gregory MacGill, the award is now in its eleventh year and recognizes eight women across seven categories: business, education, engineering, flight operations, government, pioneer and rising star. A gala dinner for the award winners will be held in September.

Professor Kearns became a pilot at the age of 17 and subsequently earned her commercial multi-instrument pilot license (fixed-and rotary-wing), a diploma in helicopter flight training, a Bachelor of Science in Aeronautical Science, a Master of Science in Human Factors and Systems Engineering and a PhD in Education. Her research at Waterloo focuses on aviation human factors and pilot training. She explores human limitations and how they contribute to aviation and incidents.

“Our goal is to bring more recognition to women doing incredible work in aviation and aerospace in Canada,” said Joy Parker Blackwood, president of the Northern Lights Aero Foundation in a press release announcing the award recipients. “This year’s winners are all role models for the next generation of women in these industries.”

Social Impact Showcase tomorrow

St. Paul's GreenHouse will be hosting the the Social Impact Showcase on Tuesday, July 23, an event that will celebrate the diversity of the GreenHouse innovators and their journeys in social innovation and entrepreneurship. St. Paul's GreenHouse will be announcing grants for some early-stage, high-potential ideas, and the Social Impact Fund winners will be sharing their stories.

The Social Impact Showcase promises to be an engaging event and an excellent opportunity to connect with GreenHouse social ventures and network with other members of the social innovation community.

There's still time to register. The event takes place from 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. in the St. Paul's GreenHouse space, room STP 164.