Tuesday, October 5, 2021

Presidential Installation set for November 8

Vivek Goel will be officially installed as the University of Waterloo's seventh President and Vice-Chancellor at a special virtual event on November 8, 2021.

His Excellency Dominic Barton, Canada's ambassador to China and the University of Waterloo's Chancellor, will conduct the installation ceremony. Dr. Goel will then deliver an installation address.

Vivek Goel is recognized in Canada and around the world as a leading public-health researcher, health-services evaluation expert, and champion for the use of research evidence in health policy making.

Goel has held a number of senior leadership roles at the University of Toronto including as Vice-President and Provost and most recently as Vice-President Research and Innovation.

He served as founding President and CEO of Public Health Ontario from 2008 until 2014 and also as a founding scientist at the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES), where he continues as an Adjunct Senior Scientist. Goel has served as Chief Academic Strategist with Coursera, a global platform that connects universities and learners with online courses.

He has extensive experience in governance and serves on the boards of the Vector Institute, Canada Health Labs (Vice-Chair) the Canadian Institute for Health Information (Vice-Chair) and the POST Promise.

Goel is a member of the COVID-19 Immunity Task Force, Chair of the Expert Advisory Group on the development of a Pan-Canadian Health Data Strategy, and Scientific Advisor for CanCOVID, the national research platform for COVID-19 research.

He is a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences and a Member of the Order of Canada. His term as president started July 1, 2021.

The installation ceremony will be held virtually on Monday, November, 8, 2021 at 4:00 p.m. Register now.

Let's get physical for mental health: how 30 minutes a day can change your life

By Ali Karmalla.

According to Statistics Canada, as of 2020, the average adult spends 39.9 hours working per week and for 47 per cent of Canadians, the workplace is the primary cause of stress. In an environment where we spend such a great deal of our time, it becomes especially important to prioritize our health. 

One of the most effective ways to combat mental health challenges is by cultivating a healthy physical condition. Mental and physical health go hand in hand. Dr. Mike Evans demonstrates that it only takes half an hour of exercise a day to reduce anxiety by 48 per cent and depression by 47 per cent. It’s also known to be the #1 treatment of fatigue. Taking at least 20 to 30 minutes to exercise will boost productivity levels to the point where you’re getting more back than what you invested, all while improving both your physical and mental health.  

The remarkable thing about physical activity is its versatility; it can essentially be done any time of the day, for as many sets as you like, and in a plethora of different ways— as long as you’re consistent. You benefit whether you start your day with exercise to set the tone and create a sense of productivity or take an exercise break during work to refresh your mind and alleviate stress and frustration. 

 If 30 minutes seems too daunting, break it up into 15-minute sessions or even three, 10-minute sessions to get yourself started. Challenge yourself in ways you’ll enjoy as you are more likely to stick with it. 

As proven through numerous studies, focusing on your physical health simultaneously promotes emotional and psychological wellness. It does not need to be a drastic change in your lifestyle: it’s as simple as asking yourself Dr. Evans’ question: “Can you limit your sitting and sleeping to just 23 ½ hours per day?”.  

Read the full article.  

In October, we are exploring Keeping Well at Work: how important it is, ways to increase wellness while at work, taking actions and building lasting habits. Try out the KW@W Daily Inspirations posted every workday here on the Daily Bulletin and Twitter @OHDuwaterloo and join the Keeping Well at Work Conference on October 13 and 19. 

Air travel isn't going anywhere, so Waterloo is making it sustainable

By Sam Toman. This article was originally published on the Waterloo Institute for Sustainable Aeronautics (WISA) blog. WISA officially launches at 1:00 p.m. today.

In the early 2000s, there was a growing awareness of carbon footprints amongst climate conscious folks. For instance, in 2004 BP unveiled its “carbon footprint calculator” to show how our daily life — going to work, buying food, and traveling — fuels climate change.  

It can be argued BP was shifting responsibility away from their industry and on to consumers. It worked though, flight shaming became a thing and guilt-ridden vows to limit one’s air travel echoed through a million dinner parties. In fairness, it was the only thing for a carbon-conscious consumer to do.  

The University of Waterloo’s newest research institute, The Waterloo Institute for Sustainable Aeronautics (WISA), believes the air transport sector can, and must, do more to bring the aviation and aerospace industries into the global climate movement. Flying, for all of its carbon consequences, is a fact of life in a global society, but there is an opportunity for the industry to change for the better and be more sustainable environmentally, but also socially and economically.  

“As we emerge from closed borders and lockdowns, aviation will play a critical role in reigniting the global economy by transporting goods, humanitarian aid, vaccines, and connecting us in person once-again,” says WISA Founder and Director Suzanne Kearns. “Now is the time to research, collect-evidence, and prepare a new generation of aviation professionals and innovate for a future in an industry in need of sustainable practices.” 

Born in Waterloo’s Faculty of Environment, WISA arrives as a hub of sustainable aviation and aerospace research, technology, and education across the campus. WISA fosters transdisciplinary studies and cross-sector partnerships, focused on building a more sustainable future.   

“To my knowledge there aren’t many industry-focused research centres working to make flying better for the planet,” says Jean Andrey, dean of Environment. “What makes WISA so special is that every faculty at Waterloo has expertise that can make the dream of sustainable flying a reality. WISA’s cross-campus researchers, engineers, planners, scientists, technology leaders and other professionals are all working together to lead innovations towards a sustainable future.”  

The Aviation industry is responsible for 2 per cent of global carbon emissions. “It’s significant,” admits Kearns. “But chances are your COVID-19 vaccine didn’t arrive by boat. There simply isn’t a substitute to some of the important roles aviation and aerospace play in making a more connected society.” 

By focusing on air transport sector innovations, and exciting discoveries in aeronautics WISA can inform evidence-based public policy. The key is getting industry and regulatory partners to collectively work towards evidence-based sustainable aviation and aerospace transformations for the sector in Canada and beyond.  

But what exactly is sustainable aviation? It’s a question Kearns gets asked a lot.  

“Well I think for most people electric planes and greener fuels come to mind. WISA certainly has researchers exploring those, but sustainable aeronautics is so much more,” says Kearns. 

Kearns knows the industry. She started flight training at 15, flew solo on her 16^th birthday, and had her airplane and helicopter licenses on her 17^th birthday (all the minimum age limits at the time). She was flying airplanes and helicopters before she could drive car. She has a duty to reform a profession she loves, but says, “it needs to focus on an aspirational vision for the future, and it will take strong partnerships and collaboration.” 

“For us there are three dimensions to sustainable aviation, the environmental aspect yes, but economic and social sustainability are also needed. This means everything from equity and diversity in the industry to more efficient logistics which save fuel and save money,” she says.  

WISA is already off to a great start. With support from the government, they recently brought a state-of-the-art Flight Simulator which will play an important role in researching pilot heath and psychology — with the added benefit of allowing students to get flight time without burning any fuel.    

“The industry needs a champion to work across-disciplines and deliver sustainable solutions addressing aviation’s environmental, social and economic potential,” says Jean Andrey, dean of the Faculty of Environment. “That’s why I find the work being done by the researchers at WISA so exciting. WISA is meeting our moment with ideas, action and industry impact it’s my hope the aviation industry will never be the same.” 

New alumni expert series explains how to disagree with others

A message from the Office of Advancement.

Alumni Know is a new video and podcast series from Waterloo’s Office of Advancement. Each episode invites an alumnus expert to share their knowledge and advice on one of today’s big topics. In our first episode, we’re tackling conflicts.

You've probably seen it in the headlines before: we are more polarized than ever. To navigate today’s super-charged disagreements, we turned to Liane Davey (MASc ’95, PhD ’99). Known as the "teamwork doctor," she's advised hundreds of teams on how to work together effectively. Her newest book, The Good Fight, is all about conflict.

Watch the video conversation or listen on Souncloud.

Your Keeping Well at Work Daily Inspiration continues and other notes

Today's Daily Inspiration

Does it feel embarrassing to ask for help?

Try not to let it. Connecting and sharing when you feel stuck, uncertain and unwell are powerful mental health boosters. You are not alone.

• Be brave: reach out to a colleague, manager or Campus Chaplain. The people around you want you to be well and successful
• Learn about all of the Campus Resources in place at UWaterloo to support a Healthy Workplace
• The Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP) is in place to support employees 24/7

Not sure how you're doing? Do a self-check.

See all Daily Inspirations on the Keeping Well at Work conference site. Questions and contest entries can be sent to ohd@uwaterloo.ca or tweet @OHDuwaterloo.

The Optometry Rack Pack has had another successful year, according to team captain Marie Amodeo. "The 2021 Optometry Rack Pack team again supported the Canadian Cancer Society CIBC Run for the Cure on Sunday to support breast cancer research," Amodeo writes. "We raised a total of $13,076 this year and we were the 2^nd highest fundraising group in K-W. Our 9-year total is $99,217." 

Donations are accept until the end of October. "Thanks to those who supported this great cause, which is so important to me, a breast cancer survivor," Amodeo writes.