Tuesday, November 5, 2019

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• Explore extreme weather risks and climate resilience at Research Talks
• CORE Researchers Become new Fellows of the American Academy of Optometry
• Soup's On - it's Souper Tuesday
• Concept $5K Semi-Finals and other notes

Explore extreme weather risks and climate resilience at Research Talks

As the planet warms, extreme weather is significantly impacting communities across the globe and driving the need for robust planning.

Find out how Waterloo researchers and experts in finance and insurance are helping communities build climate resilience at the next Research Talks on Thursday, November 21, from 11:45 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Please register to attend as seating is limited.

The panel presentation will feature:

• Kathryn Bakos (Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation): Climate focused investment strategies that minimize risk
• Rebecca Saari (Civil and Environmental Engineering): The burden of climate driven air pollution on public health systems
• Peter Johnson (Scotiabank): A shift in global finance: Sustainable practices and products
• Claudia Verno (Insurance Bureau of Canada): Climate-smart policies that improve community resilience

Research Talks is a regular series hosted by the Office of Research and supported by the Research Support Fund to provide Waterloo staff, faculty, and students with an opportunity to learn about world-class research at Waterloo. Refreshments will be provided.

CORE Researchers Become new Fellows of the American Academy of Optometry

By Lauren Ward.

On a beautiful Thursday afternoon in sunny Florida, three members of Centre for Ocular Research and Education (CORE) research team were inducted as Fellows of the American Academy of Optometry (FAAO). Alison Ng, Chau-Minh Phan, and Hendrik Walther were honoured at the 3^rd World Congress of Optometry held in Orlando, FL, from October 23-27, 2019.

Prior to joining CORE, Alison Ng, a graduate from the School of Optometry and Vision Sciences at Cardiff University, UK, qualified as an optometrist in 2007. Following this, she worked in private practices for three years until returning to Cardiff University to obtain her PhD. Her thesis examined the effects of eye cosmetics on the ocular surface and tear film. She was also a part-time clinical teacher at Cardiff and was an invited faculty member at the Vision Care Institute of Johnson & Johnson Medical, UK. Her interested research focus is on the interaction of the anterior eye and ocular surface in response to the environment and external stimuli, including contact lenses and cosmetic products.

Chau-Minh Phan is a proud University of Waterloo Post Doctoral Fellow. Having completed his degree in Biomedical Science and then his MA in Biochemistry here at uWaterloo, his primary focus was on developing inhibitors for steroid sulfatase, one of the key enzymes in breast cancer. Under the supervision of CORE’s own director, Dr. Lyndon Jones, Chau-Minh developed ocular drug delivery materials (contact lenses and nanoparticles) for antifungals.

Starting his career as an optician in Germany, Hendrik Walther would go onto receive his BSc and MSc degrees in Optometry from the University of Applied Sciences in Jena. He then joined the University of Waterloo to complete his Doctorate, investigating ways to quantify lipid deposition onto various contact lens materials. Along with Chau-Minh and optometry student Han Qiao, Hendrik, under his company OcuBlink, created an artificial eyeball with the intention to be used by optometry students to practice the intricate task of removing foreign materials, such as metal, from the surface of an eye.

To obtain a fellowship from the Academy and maintain it, individuals are evaluated against high standards of professional competence. These standards include those who have accredited themselves and optometry by their contributions to optometry or vision science. Having the status of FAAO indicates that the optometrist, scientist, or other qualified person have met the rigorous qualifications for fellowship.

Soup's On - it's Souper Tuesday

A message from the University of Waterloo United Way Campaign.

Join us in the STC atrium today from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. today for Souper Tuesday. Grab a healthy lunch and support your community by purchasing a bowl of soup (for $5) served by campus celebrity chefs. Whether you are participating in the Thrive Walk for Mental Health first, or just coming by for a tasty lunch with coworkers, we thank you for your support.

Proceeds from the lunch will go to United Way Waterloo Region Communities, which supports organizations in our community working to support vulnerable children and youth, fight poverty, and empower neighbourhoods. Some of these organizations focus on mental health – like KW Counselling. Visit their website to learn more about United Way’s partner agencies.

If you are interested in giving directly to United Way now or in the future, please visit our website for directions.

Concept $5K Semi-Finals and other notes

Waterloo students will pitch their early stage startup ideas at the Concept $5K Semi-Finals (previously known as the Velocity Fund $5K) today and tomorrow from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. The top ten teams across both nights will be chosen by local startup community members. Winning teams will be invited to pitch at the Concept $5K Finals on November 20 for a chance to win one of four $5,000 grant prizes.

Since 2011, the Concept $5K Grant has been supporting undergraduate and graduate students at Waterloo. Each term, $20,000 in grants are awarded to students who pitch creative tech ideas.

If you're not pitching, you can register to join the audience, see the pitches live and listen to feedback from judges. The event takes place in STC 0020. Attendees will get free pizza and have the chance to win a JBL Bluetooth speaker.

The Women in Mathematics (WiM) Lean in Circle is happening today beginning at 5:30 p.m. The event is an opportunity to share experiences and get advice from other women on how to navigate the workplace.

The event website describes a Lean-In Circle as “a place where women can be unapologetically ambitious. Where we can give voice to our dreams and find the encouragement to start chasing them. They’re a place for sharing ideas, gaining skills, seeking advice, and showing solidarity. Most of all, they’re a place where we help each other become our very best selves. Whatever your goal—whether you’re working toward a promotion or building your confidence, reentering the workforce or starting a business—your Circle will help you get there.”

Come join the conversation! The event takes place in MC 5501 and registration is free. Pizza and refreshments will be provided.