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Today is the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women
December 6, 2019 marks 30 years since 14 young women were murdered in a gender-based act of violence at l'École Polytechnique de Montréal. In the wake of those shootings, December 6 has been declared a National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women.
To remember and honour those who died, the University of Waterloo is hosting a special ceremony of remembrance today at 10:30 a.m. in Engineering 7’s Second Floor Atrium. You can still register for this event, though registration is not mandatory to attend.
Speaking at the event will be:
- President Feridun Hamdullahpur;
- Diana Parry, professor and associate vice-president, human rights, equity and inclusion;
- Catherine Fife, member of provincial parliament, Waterloo;
- Dean of Engineering Pearl Sullivan;
There will be a candlelight vigil where candles are lit and student participants will share information about each of the women who lost their lives. There will also be a moment of silence.
In addition to the annual ceremony on campus, the University of Waterloo is participating alongside thirteen other universities in a nationwide memorial of the 30th anniversary. Each university will shine a beam of light into the sky to honour and remember the 14 young women. The light will be stationed outside of Engineering 5 and will be lit beginning at 5:00 p.m. As you pass by the light, you are encouraged to pay tribute with a moment of silence.
Visit Waterloo Stories for a feature article on the National Day of Remembrance.
Symposium will explore benefits of working together
The Centre for Security Governance is hosting the fourth Waterloo Symposium on Technology & Society on December 10, 2019. Douglas Rushkoff will give the keynote lecture titled “Team Human: It’s Time to Remake Society Together as the Team We Are.” Named one of the “world’s ten most influential intellectuals” by MIT, Rushkoff is an author and documentarian who studies human autonomy in a digital age. In this new talk, Rushkoff argues that we are essentially social creatures, and that we achieve our greatest aspirations when we work together — not as individuals.
Yet today society is threatened by a vast antihuman infrastructure that undermines our ability to connect. Money, once a means of exchange, is now a means of exploitation; education, conceived as a way to elevate the working class, has become another assembly line; and the Internet has only further divided us into increasingly atomized and radicalized groups. Rushkoff will show that when we work together, we realize greater happiness, productivity, and peace. If we can understand this fundamental truth and reassert our humanity — together — we can make the world a better place to be human.
Following the keynote, there will be a panel discussion featuring Douglas Rushkoff, Sara Bannerman, and Marcel O’Gorman with moderation from Nahlah Ayed, award winning journalist and host of the CBC Radio show IDEAS. The symposium will be recorded for a future episode of IDEAS.
There will be a reception after the event, which includes complimentary beer, wine, soft drinks and food.
The Waterloo Symposium on Technology & Society seeks to promote public discourse in Canada and beyond on the societal challenges and opportunities created by innovations in four primary areas: artificial intelligence, robotics, big data and social media.
For more information, visit the CSG website, or reserve a ticket here.
Accelerator Centre ranks in world top five
Accelerator Centre CEO Dr. Paul Salvini (left) accepts World Top Five award from Holger Meyer, director of research at UBI Global.
On November 6, UBI Global released the top lists of business incubators and accelerators at the World incubation Summit 2019 in Doha, Qatar.
The Accelerator Centre (AC), was recognized as a World Top Five private business accelerator among 1580 accelerators and incubators located in more than 70 countries. The Accelerator Centre was Canada's only accelerator to place in the category.
The Accelerator Centre has been supporting startups across Waterloo Region for over a decade and Accelerator Program graduates boast a 93 per cent survival rate, compared to the 51 per cent national average.
The ranking is based on demonstrated exceptional achievement in value for client startups, value for the local ecosystem, overall attractiveness as a program as a whole, and nurturing entrepreneurship and innovation.
“Following a rigorous data-driven approach, we assessed and benchmarked accelerator programs across the world,” says Holger Meyer, director of research at UBI Global in a press release. “Our World Benchmark Study 2019-2020 is in tune with the multiple facets of the international incubation ecosystem and illustrates key challenges and opportunities faced by the participating programs.”
Accelerator Centre CEO, Dr. Paul Salvini, attended the World Incubation Summit and spoke at the How to Build Successful Innovation Ecosystems – Best Practices from North America workshop to share the challenges and opportunities encountered by accelerators and incubators in North America.
A full list of rankings can be found on UBI Global’s website.
Friday's notes
The Make-A-Difference Market, a Conrad Grebel Student Council Peace Society Christmas shopping fundraiser, is happening on Saturday December 7 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Conrad Grebel University College. The market includes fair trade and local vendors, a food and bake sale, a silent auction, and live music. Profits earned by Peace Society will be donated to SheCycle; a student initiative developing reusable menstrual, antimicrobial pads for women in developing countries.
The Conrad School of Entrepreneurship and Business would like to invite all Waterloo advisors to an information session on Thursday, December 12. The session will support advisors in guiding students in pursuing entrepreneurial goals with undergraduate academic offerings. Hear from Associate Director of Undergraduate Programs, Marc Hurwitz to get insight on the Minor in Entrepreneurship (non-engineering undergraduates) or Entrepreneurship Option (engineering undergraduates) curriculum requirements, new BET courses, milestones, and student experiences. Refreshments will be available.
Waterloo International has announced that there is an opportunity to participate in an Erasmus+ Teaching/Training Mobility experience at the University of Graz in Austria. The opportunity involves two separate five-day funded experiences for staff or faculty members to be taken before August 2020. Please contact international.relations@uwaterloo.ca by December 16, 2019 for more information.