Wednesday, May 13, 2020

Senior Director updates campus on Indigenous initiatives

A message from Jean Becker, Senior Director, Indigenous Initiatives.

Today marks exactly four months that I have been a part of the University of Waterloo community as the Senior Director, Indigenous Initiatives. I want to take this opportunity to thank the campus community for the warm welcome I have received and continue to receive. Over the past four months I have travelled across our campuses, faculties, departments, affiliated and federated institutes, units, and various other organizations, and have learned so much about the leadership, research, and partnerships taking place to advance Indigenous knowledge and work. Over these months, I have seen demonstrated action that supports and encourages allyship, opening hearts and minds to the creative ways we can work together to achieve the goals of the Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action, and to create a long-term vision for the University that is grounded in decolonization.

I am energized by the University of Waterloo’s public commitment to reconciliation, with today’s territorial acknowledgement, now a fixture on our institution’s homepage. This is worth celebrating. It is also a time for each of us, in our areas across the University, to reiterate and strengthen our own commitments to decolonization. While the University of Waterloo—and each one of us—has a lot of hard work ahead of us, the last four months have taught me that there is more good Indigenous work being done at Waterloo than most people inside and outside the organization realize. I believe the Indigenous Initiatives Office gives us the opportunity for a central hub where this good work can be amplified, supported and shared widely.

Indigenous Initiatives has a renewed website, where supports and resources will continue to be added, but I need your help to advance this work. I would like to hear from you; hear and see more of the Indigenous and ally work being done on our campus; be a resource to build and strengthen strategies to recruit more Indigenous faculty, researchers, staff, and future students; support embedding Indigenous ways of knowing into curriculum; and, collaborate and support the mobilization of existing or future strategic Indigenous plans and projects.

Please join me at the Ask Us Anything: Indigenous Initiatives, taking place July 10 from 1:00 p.m. to 1:45 p.m. You have an opportunity to share questions with me when you register, or you can pose your question during the session. I look forward to connecting with you all then.

You can also connect through the Indigenous Initiatives group chat we have established in LEARN (self-register under Indigenous Initiatives), visit our website, or contact me by email at j2becker@uwaterloo.ca.

I have met many of you already, and I look forward to continuing our conversations. For those I have not yet met, I look forward to meeting you – virtually, for now, and in person in the future.

Special Canada issue of Waterloo Magazine now online

The spring issue of the Waterloo Magazine is now live.

In this special Coming home for Canada issue, there are stories about alumni who have found a way — through culture and community, athletics or in the workplace — to create a sense of home and belonging in Canada both before and during the current COVID-19 crisis.

We are deeply honoured to share the story of Jesse Thistle (MA ’17), a Métis man born in Saskatchewan, who experienced homelessness before becoming a distinguished scholar and bestselling author. We also get a unique view into Canadian citizenship through the eyes of Albert Wong (BSc ’80), a judge who has sworn in more than 100,000 new Canadians. Gold medalist Heather Moyse (BSC ’00) shares advice for Olympic athletes on hold, and Tabatha Bull (BASc ’00), CEO of the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business tells us how COVID-19 is impacting the Indigeneous economy.

There are stories about alumni like the Jordan (BES ’13), Nolan Vanderheyden (BASc ’16) and Sarah Vanderheyden (BES ’13) who are using their distillery, sustainable farm and restaurant to support the community with food and sanitizer during the pandemic.

We also know how important sport has been to our national identity and sense of community, so we are sharing a very special story about the enduring legacy of Mike Moser, the 6’6” forward from the 1974-75 Warrior basketball team who died suddenly 45 years ago, just before the Warriors won their first national title.

International student online discussion series highlights services

By Edita Gatchene and Chantal Vallis.

With the arrival of COVID-19, the International Student Experience team at the Student Success Office, along with Waterloo Residences, is bringing campus partners together to highlight resources available to international students. In an effort to help more students at once, we’ve created International Student Online Discussions. Each discussion is a chance for international students to connect to campus, learn about the supports offered during COVID-19 and ask questions to the expert panelists.

At the first discussion, called Supporting you during COVID-19, 55 students participated and the recording received 500+ views since being posted. The next discussions are approaching quickly and will focus on:

• May 14: Online learning, health and money matters
• May 28: Filing your taxes in Canada

As the response to COVID-19 continues to evolve, the ISE team has adapted to provide support to students, and we’re committed to continually doing so. For more information about how we support international students please email us at ise@uwaterloo.ca.

If you know an international student who may benefit from receiving this information, please invite them to check out the webpage and attend the discussions.

Judy Sherwood retiring after more than 20 years at Waterloo

A message from the Centre for Extended Learning (CEL).

CEL is sharing with campus news of the upcoming retirement of one of our long-standing colleagues, Judy Sherwood. Judy graduated with a BSc from University of Guelph in 1978 and worked for 13 years as a lab technician in various research labs, before returning to school to study biomedical illustration. In 1996, after graduating from University of Toronto with an MSc, she was invited by Colin Campbell of IST (and funded by the TRACE Office) to create 8 short animated presentations for kinesiology, chemistry, biology, and engineering.

In April of 1999, Judy was hired by Les Richards, head of the recently formed Web Development Group at Distance Education, to develop computerized versions of Coronary Heart Disease with Mike Sharratt, Sport and Work Injuries with Pat Bishop, and Genetics with Jane Holbrook. After becoming permanent in August 2000, Judy developed another 42 online courses for DE/CEL in a wide range of subjects.

Over the last 20 years, Judy adapted to changes in the development process. Judy elaborates: “Originally our aim was to produce an experience as close to the live lecture as possible, so all content was presented in narrated slideshow format. But with the advances in technology, the advent of new course management systems, accessibility laws, copyright laws, and third-party content, we gradually became more discriminating about what media we chose. Today, the webpage is often a more practical solution, and the narrated video is reserved for special cases.”

Judy was always on the lookout for those special cases where animation could be used to explain visually complicated subjects, and several courses have benefitted from her expertise.

Judy’s message to everyone: “Thanks to all the staff, that have been unfailingly polite whenever I asked for help; and to the instructors whose knowledge, interest, or ability to teach their subject, was an inspiration to me.”

Please join us in congratulating and wishing Judy the best in her future endeavours!

Judy’s last day with CEL will be May 20.

Virtual Velocity competition deadline; other notes

Velocity Fund Pitch Competition (VFPC) applications close this Friday (May 15). "VFPC has been retooled as a virtual competition to support University of Waterloo founders during this challenging economic environment," says a note from Velocity. "Each of the 4 winning startups can earn a minimum of $50K in investment. Additionally, with the arrival of Velocity Health Tech Fund, a health tech startup can earn up to $100K in pre-seed investment."

"If you have already submitted your application, thank you and good luck! If you are working on it or thinking about submitting an application, remember that your application must be in by 11:59 a.m. on Friday, May 15." You can access the full application directly.

The Problem Lab is inviting members of the University community to pitch an important industry problem to compete for a share of up to $30,000 in R&D funding. The competition invites teams of up to four students to choose an important industry problem and thoroughly research its history, scope, and impact. Students pitch their findings to a panel of judges. Applications are open from May 11 to June 7. Visit the Problem Lab website for more information.

Once upon a time there were some Good Buddies of the University

"Behold Piper Jack," writes University Secretary Karen Jack. "She variously keeps both Michael Jack of Print + Retail Solutions and Karen Jack of the Secretariat in line. Mostly, she just wants us to leave her house until the evenings, per the past, when copious love, ear scratches, and treats are to be provided. "This is Piper on her work-from-home tuffet," adds Michael Jack of Print + Retail Solutions. "While she’s enjoyed having us at home with her recently, she’s ready to have the house to herself again!"

"This is Benelli (aka Beanz), good girl of Mario Coniglio (Professor, Earth and Environmental Sciences) and Shelley Huisken (Counselling Services)," writes Shelley Huisken. "She is always hoping for a chance to catch a Frisbee or go for walk outside. She brings a lot of joy into our working from home days." 

"These are our 3 cats, Mocca (brown Bengal), Mimi (snow Bengal), and Maui (Keetso, curled ears)," writes Sandra López-Rocha, intercultural learning specialist in the Student Success Office. "They have been very happy to have us around and they make sure mommy is paying attention to her work and double checks everything: if a word reads something unpronounceable it was their contribution. These three babies have really helped us keep our mental health in balance, they make us laugh, go “Aww,” and make sure we get off our chairs during working hours to check what they knocked down during their obstacle course runs. They reward us by being the best company."

"Named for the famous philosopher, Eve Sedgwick, Sedgwick tries to social distance by hiding under his favourite blankent while his daddy tries to work," writes Corey Johnson, professor in Recreation and Leisure Studies. "Why are we up so early? It is only noon."