Tuesday, December 17, 2019

Waterloo delegation visits Chinese universities

Members of the University of Waterloo delegation with representatives from Tsinghua University outside the President's office.

President Feridun Hamdullahpur recently led a delegation of University of Waterloo representatives that visited post-secondary institutions in China.

In late November, President Feridun Hamdullahpur led a delegation to visit Tsinghua University. The University of Waterloo and Tsinghua University have had partnership agreements going back to 2002, with an official Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed in 2005. For 17 years, the two institutions have partnered on student exchange and joint academic and research collaborations in computer science, quantum technology, and environmental technology.

During the visit, Tsinghua President Qiu Yong and Vice-President Research Xue Qikun met with President Hamdullahpur and had in-depth discussion on strengthening various collaborations between the two universities. Vice-President Xue had visited the University of Waterloo in October 2018 and July 2019. The co-operation agreement between the two universities were also renewed during President Hamdullahpur's visit.

Members of the University of Waterloo delegation with representatives from Shanghai Tech.

The Waterloo delegation also visited Shanghai Tech, a university founded in 2013 as a research and interdisciplinary hub. Shanghai Tech has extensive collaborations with the University of California, Berkeley, the University of Chicago, MIT, Yale University, Harvard University, and the University of Padova. To break down barriers between research and industry, Shanghai Tech collaborates closely with domestic and international high-tech companies in joint research and development and student training.

President Hamdullahpur led the delegation and met with President Jiang Mianheng and several of the institution's deans. The delegation visited the School of Life Science and Technology and toured laboratories and the EM Center, the School of Physical Science and Technology, the topological lab, the MARS lab, the SHINE project, and the art exhibitions at the School of Creativity and Art.

Accompanying President Hamdullahpur on the trip were Stephen Watt, dean of the Faculty of Mathematics, Ian Rowlands, associate vice-president, international; Troy Glover, professor and chair, Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies, Zhongchao Tan, associate dean international, Faculty of Engineering; and Suping Zhao, international relations manager and special advisor-China. 

Safety Office updates safe holiday lab shutdown procedures

The Safety Office has circulated its annual memo regarding safe holiday laboratory shutdown procedures. 

"Please note for the holiday shutdown that due to winter weather conditions, utilities (especially electricity) may be affected," says the memo from Director of Safety Kate Windsor. "It is a general rule that all laboratory processes be designed to safely survive a service failure. During the holiday shutdown this is particularly important and the following precautions are recommended."

Laboratory operations shouled by suspended by Monday, December 23 at 4:00 p.m., and may resume Thursday, January 2, 2020. The Safety Office recommends the suspension of all processes that may be vulnerable in the case of failing utilities.

Laboratory operators are also instructed to remove any hazardous waste from their labs before the holiday break. The last day for hazardous waste pickup and drop-off at the Environmental Safety Facility is Thursday, December 19. For more information, call extension 35755.

Hazardous materials should otherwise be stored properly in containment areas, and care should be taken to ensure that containers are closed or sealed.

Compressed gases and gas supply lines to equipment should be shut off.

"Turn off and unplug, where possible, electrical equipment such as hot plates, computers and, if not containing hazardous materials, fume hoods and environmental chambers," says the memo. "This prevents damage to equipment due to power surges while reducing energy waste."

Ensure lab contact information is updated with names, phone numbers and addresses in a location accessible to emergency response personnel (e.g. inside of door), and provide emergency contact information to UW Police via email (uwpolice@uwaterloo.ca). If applicable, include documentation on contents of sensitive freezers and refrigerators in the lab.

Anyone working in a lab during the holiday shutdown must have supervisor and departmental approval and adhere to the Working Alone Guidelines posted on the Safety Office website. Building access keys and named authorized persons must be arranged to be left with UW Police to be signed out only to those people that have specifically been authorized.

If you have any questions about preparing your lab for shutdown contact the Safety Office at extension 35755.

If you should have a lab incident:

• Report failures of equipment or physical plant to Plant Operations at x33793.
• If lab or building has been without power, allow the lab exhaust systems to operate for at least 2 hours before entry to lab or building.
• Contact the Safety Office or the Spill Team through UW Police at 519-888-4911 or x22222 if you have concerns relating to hazardous materials spills.

Caring Quilts project seeks support during holiday season

An initiative that brings comfort to campus one quilt at a time is looking for your support during the holidays. The Caring Quilts Project supplies traditional, handmade Mennonite quilts to Counselling Services, who distributes them to struggling students to remind them that they are not alone. The quilt has special significance as a symbol of warmth and protection, and a "UW Cares" label sewn into each quilt offers a comforting message to its recipient, who can keep the quilt as a memento from the Waterloo family.

Waterloo professors Greta Kroeker and Sally Gunz are leading fundraising efforts to expand the Caring Quilts campaign. The project seeks to raise $3,000 this year. Faculty, staff, alumni, and even parents of students are encouraged to get involved so that the project can purchase 10 to 15 quilts to distribute throughout the year.

To ensure that these beautiful quilts can be offered to even more students, charitable gifts in support of the project are very much appreciated. If you have spare fabric suitable for quilting, please contact Professor Greta Kroeker at gkroeker@uwaterloo.ca or Professor Sally Gunz at sgunz@uwaterloo.ca.

Top photograph by Ramona Leitao/Imprint.