Monday, March 8, 2021

Today is International Women's Day

Today is International Women's Day. This morning, the University of Waterloo held an International Women's Day Virtual Breakfast event featuring President Feridun Hamdullahpur, science journalist, author and broadcaster Angela Saini, and a panel dsicussion.

At the event, organizers are asking attendees to visit a Kudo page to leave messages for the women that have inspired them. Feel free to leave messages and kudos of your own.

Following a legacy of action this International Women's Day

This is the latest post on President Feridun Hamdullahpur's blog.

As I reflect on International Women’s Day, this year feels different. Not simply because of the fundamental shifts in our everyday lives due to the pandemic, but because our society has undergone a significant shift over the past year.

We can be proud that our University and society have been able to acknowledge and work towards long-term policy and societal changes in the name of equity. We can and should be proud of these accomplishments, but despite all the progress that we have made, systemic inequities and injustices persist in our institution and in our society.

So many of us are seeing, feeling and participating in the outpouring of activism, emotion and focus on justice of the past year and beyond. That combination was felt more than 100 years ago when women from around the world came together to march and protest in what would become International Women’s Day.

They demanded what was right, fair and just: equity. Equity in voice. Equity in opportunity. Equity in prosperity. Today we see that vision with renewed focus. Not just for women, but at the intersection of equity and gender, race, nationality, income and so much more.

As we celebrate and reflect on the contributions and accomplishments of women the world over, it is important to remember that this is just one day. Addressing inequities must be something we do every day. Let today be a catalyst for further change. It is a day of community, connection and reflection. But it is much more, too.

Equity is everyone’s responsibility

Today is a time to celebrate. To look forward. And, to recommit. This is not a once-a-year effort, nor something that is just a women’s issue. It is an everyday, every week, every month and every person issue. We cannot forget that.

I’ve seen what we have been capable of achieving in a short amount of time. We met the targets we set as part of the HeForShe campaign and as I’ve said in the past, that is only the beginning. I am encouraged by the determination and willingness to drive the change we need as a community and as a world-class institution.

Together we’ve built a launching pad for action and it is exciting to see what possibilities lie ahead of us with the continued work of the Equity Office, Indigenous Initiatives and now the President’s Anti-Racism Taskforce.

The intersection of equity

It’s so important for us to recognize that tackling gender inequity is not something that happens in isolation. People who identify as women face many challenges at the intersection of their gender, their race, their sexuality, their origins, their religion and so much more.

If we want to see the changes we are making for women to take hold and last for generations, we will need to drive forward change at the link between these intersections wherever they occur. That will produce impact at a scale that strives to rise up and empower everyone.

People who identify as women have been a driving force for so much good at Waterloo and in our society. We have a duty to take their legacy forward to expand and enable the growth and development of every member of our community.

Let that be the legacy of today. Let that be our call to action. Let that be the bedrock of innovation that pushes us forward as a university and as a welcoming and just society.

Advocating for diversity and inclusion in engineering

By Carol Truemner. This article was originally published on Waterloo News.

The 1989 targeted massacre of 14 women at École Polytechnique in Montreal was the deciding factor for Kim Jones (BASc '95, chemical engineering) choosing to study engineering rather than science for her undergraduate degree.

She wanted to prove women deserve a place in engineering because, in her words, “they are every bit as smart and capable as any man.”

During her time as a Waterloo student, part of which she served as VP External for the Engineering Society, Jones was a passionate advocate for diversity and inclusion in engineering.

In what she calls her "twisted educational path", Jones finished her Waterloo degree in 1995, went on to complete a master’s in biology at the University of Guelph and then a doctorate in biomedical engineering at the University of Toronto.

In 2003, she joined McMaster University as a chemical engineering professor and biomaterials researcher.

Besides teaching chemical engineering, Jones developed and offers an undergraduate course called Inclusion in the Engineering Workplace and serves as chair of McMaster’s Women in Engineering (WiE) committee.

Three years ago, she also became chair of the Ontario Network of Women in Engineering (ONWiE) program, succeeding Mary Wells, Waterloo’s dean of engineering.  

Formed in 2005, ONWiE is a network of 16 schools of engineering from across the province working collaboratively to support current and future women engineers and students.

Ensuring others are supported

Jones’ focus during her five-year term as chair is to inspire young women to consider engineering as a profession and increase the number of female applicants in engineering programs at Ontario universities.

“I feel compelled, like many other women and men in my profession, to build on the progress we have made since 1989, and to continue to shape engineering into a field characterized by balance and inclusivity,” she says. ”I really want to let people know the wide range of possibilities engineering has to change the world around them.”

Jones grew up with built-in role models – her father was an engineer and her mother completed an undergraduate degree in math and master’s degrees in computer science and business management – and wants to ensure other young women have the same type of support. 

She encourages Waterloo women graduates to become professional ONWiE ambassadors and virtual mentors.

“The ambassador program features different women engineers who provide details on the kind of work they’re doing and advice to aspiring young engineers,” she says. “We love to highlight the amazing work Waterloo alumnae have accomplished.”

Powerful pages filled with female perseverance

This article was originally published on the St. Paul's University College website.

By Sarah Ghandour.

This International Women’s Day, we caught up with GreenHouse alumnus Aaiman Aamir (ENBUS ’19), who has spent nearly three years working on her passion project to amplify the untold stories of women working in STEM to create relatable, inspiring role models for young girls across the country.  

Today, Aamir launches her first book titled Our Stories in STEM, a project filled with the stories of 40 diverse Canadian women working in STEM fields. Targeted at girls aged eight to 12, the book utilizes 40 illustrations by Canadian female artists. Aamir wanted to ensure a diverse group of women were highlighted in the project, so she focused on individuals with diversity in ethnicity, career pathways, educational backgrounds and even those who would not be considered as neurotypical. 

“If you can’t see something, you can’t be it,” says Aamir. “When you’re a kid, what you want to be is so dependent on what you see around you through books, cartoons, friends and family.  

“Storytelling is so important because it gives children the ability to see their potential in the lived experiences of people who look like them.”  

Aamir started this project when she was living at St. Paul’s for the last term of her studies in the Environment and Business Co-op program at Waterloo, participating in GreenHouse’s Social Innovators in Training program. She hoped the program would help her gain a better understanding of what she wanted to do after graduating.  

Throughout her co-op terms, she’s worked for various technology companies, supporting programs that focused on integrating women into technological fields, such as Girls Who Code, but she noticed most of these programs had little diversity in its participants. Almost exclusively, the young girls who attended were not from ethnically diverse backgrounds, came from middle to high-income families, and had the resources to access such opportunities. 

At GreenHouse, she dug deeper into the research surrounding this issue and felt determined to make a difference in solving a problem she deeply cared about. Upon several discussions with her mentors and peers, she determined her unique skillset as a storyteller, an illustrator and a woman of colour positioned her well to make a children’s book for maximum impact.  

Most of the literature on Women in STEM was dated, focusing on the pioneers in the field rather than everyday role models and had a significantly low representation of women of colour. This makes it difficult for young girls to see themselves and give them something to aspire to in the future. 

It was important for Aamir to highlight the stories of women who were not particularly well known in the community, and who represented the everyday woman working in STEM. These women also share very non-linear pathways to success, making mistakes along the way and overcoming challenges people experience every day but don’t talk about.    

To make the most impact, Aamir has decided to self-publish the book in effort to partner and give back as much as possible to the organizations that support girls in STEM. The Jean Augustine Centre for Young Women’s Empowerment is the first of these partnerships. It will receive all of the profits from book sales for the first few months of 2021, to support the development of resources for these young girls, with plans to partner with a different organization for the latter half of the year.   

“Being a part of GreenHouse has given me more confidence in myself and my ideas,” says Aamir. “I never pictured myself as an entrepreneur or a public speaker, but it’s allowed me to become the best version of myself.”  

While working a full-time job at Microsoft and pursuing a passion project on the side is not exactly something she ever imagined doing after graduation, the pairing has led her to build a strong passion for storytelling and advocacy. Aamir plans on continuing to expand her storytelling in a second book within the series with an environmental focus, which she hopes to start in 2022. 

Student tax clinic service goes virtual and other notes

"Tax season is here, and AFSA is back with its free Tax clinic for 2021," says a note from the Accounting and Finance Student Association (AFSA). "A group of trained volunteers will provide free tax return services for low-income individuals and families."

AFSA's annual Tax Clinic is a part of the Community Volunteer Income Tax Program with the Canada Revenue Agency. The student group has  over 200 volunteer tax filers who are willing to file tax returns for low-income families at no cost.

"The Tax Clinic will run virtually this year, and clients will be able to submit their documents through a Google Form for the volunteer team to process their tax return. Information on how to register, qualifications, required documents, etc. are available at uwafsa.ca/taxclinic.

Voting will begin this week to fill upcoming vacancies on the University's Senate. Eligible voters will choose representatives for the Faculty of Engineering and the Faculty of Science, as well as eight faculty-at-large representatives and two graduate student representatives.

Candidate campaign statements are posted at Nominations and Elections.

The voting period opens Thursday, March 11 by electronic ballot. Regular faculty and graduate students will receive an email containing the link to the electronic ballot. Any questions may be sent to Emily Schroeder.

The Healthy Workplace Committee has announces two upcoming Employee Wellness Sessions:

• Register for Employee Wellness Session: Sustainable Food Habits (offered by Nicole Pin, Dietitian)
  • Workshop date and time: Thursday, March 18 from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
  • Registration is open from March 8 through to March 15
• Register for Employee Wellness Session: Beyond Stigma – Increasing Our Understanding of Mental Health in the Workplace (offered by the Employee and Family Assistance Plan and Homewood Health)
  • Workshop date and time: Friday, March 26, 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.
  • Registration is open from March 8 through to March 23
  • If you can’t attend this session, it will take place again in April

This is a reminder that the Glow Centre for Sexual and Gender Diversity is celebrating its 50^th anniversary with a special virtual event tonight at 7:00 p.m.

Glow is the oldest continuously-running university-based LGBTQ+ group in Canada. Operated by the Waterloo Undergraduate Student Association (WUSA), the service was established in 1971 to create a space for members of the queer community to feel included and safe at the University of Waterloo. The Glow Centre is run entirely by dedicated student volunteers. 

For more details on the event and to register, check out Glow’s 50th Anniversary event on Ticketfi. Registration closes at noon.  

Here's the latest Nutrition Month Myth vs Fact supplied by Health Services Dietitian Sandra Ace:

Myth:  Healthy food costs too much.

Fact:  While the cost of some healthy foods is on the rise, with some savvy planning and shopping, you can still enjoy nutritious, delicious and economical home-cooked meals.

Foods costs will be an increasingly important issue for Canadians this year as Canada’s Food Price Reports 2021 predicts a 5% rise in prices, which could add as much as $695 to the annual grocery bill for a family of four. This jump is the highest increase ever projected by the Price Report. At the same time, many Canadians are experiencing more employment and food insecurity as a result of COVID-19. The pandemic is one of numerous factors impacting food costs according to the report; others include a weaker Canadian dollar and the growing impact of climate change.

Meat and vegetables are two commodities predicted to increase in cost most significantly, so here are some ways to save on these. Frozen vegetables are as nutritious as fresh because they are picked when they are perfectly ripe and flash frozen, which preserves their nutrients and taste. Frozen veggies are usually less expensive, especially in the winter and spring months, so stock up when they go on sale. Look for generic or store brands which usually cost much less. One of the best buys is frozen mirepoix, a convenient and versatile mix of diced carrots, celery and onion that can be used as a base for just about any soup, sauce or casserole. When buying fresh vegetables, shop for seasonal varieties, locally grown when possible. Here is a guide to local farmer’s markets in Waterloo Region, many of which operate year-round.

Choosing more plant-based proteins, such as beans, chick peas, lentils, tofu, nuts and seeds, will also help you to lower your grocery bill, and is good for your health as well as the health of the planet. Going meat-free just one day per week can save a family $40 per month or more. Trying a new vegetarian recipe such as Mujadarrah, a fragrant Middle Eastern lentil and rice dish topped with carmelized onions, is a tasty and cost-effective way to expand your cooking repertoire.

If you’re looking for more ways to save money on food, check out Canada’s Food Guide advice on heathy eating on a budget and Dietitians of Canada ten tips resource.