Friday, January 7, 2022

Virtual Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Anti-racism workshop offerings for winter

A message from the Office of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Anti-racism (EDI-R).

The Office of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Anti-racism (EDI-R) is excited to launch our Winter 2022 workshop calendar. We invite you to view these terms offerings with the addition of three new learning and capacity building opportunities and ask that you register early for any of our workshops.

This term, our workshop opportunities include:

• Introduction to Equity
• 2SLGBTQ+ Fundamentals
• Unlearning the Binary: Fostering a Truly Trans-Inclusive Campus
• NEW: Disrupting & Decentering Whiteness - An intermediate level workshop open to all students, faculty and staff. This workshop explores how we can disrupt the centering of whiteness in higher education and unpack white supremacy cultures material effects and its harm on racialized students, faculty and staff. Offered on January 25 and March 24.
• NEW: Pathways for Addressing (with care) Disclosures of Racism - This introductory workshop will help students, faculty and staff develop a sense of accountability and understanding of the pervasive nature of racism within the Institution. This workshop will be open for students only on February 17 and for faculty and staff only on March 10. 
• NEW: Identifying & Uprooting Internalized Racism - Who is Canadian? Why are racialized individuals constantly othered and made to feel we don’t belong? This closed workshop is for University of Waterloo community members who are Indigenous, Black, racialized, who are grieving the racism in the world while investigating our own internalized racism. A closed workshop for students only will be offered on February 8. The closed workshop for faculty and staff will be offered on March 15.

If you have any questions about our offerings, or the registration process, please contact hrei.trainings@uwaterloo.ca.

Indigenous communities face a higher risk of socioeconomic vulnerability due to flooding

Fort McPherson, Northwest Territories, Canada - Getty Images.

Indigenous communities are at higher risk of hardship from climate-change-caused flooding because of pre-existing socioeconomic vulnerability, a new study shows.

The study’s findings also reveal that factors influencing socioeconomic vulnerability in Indigenous communities include the legacy of colonization, attributes of race and ethnicity, income, built environment, elderly populations, education, occupation, family structure, and access to resources.

The study, led by University of Waterloo researcher Liton Chakraborty, found that measuring socioeconomic vulnerability to flooding provides valuable information to support Indigenous flood risk management planning, especially under accelerating climate change.

“This is a first attempt in Canada to assess place-based social vulnerability and flood exposure for Indigenous populations at a national level,” Chakraborty said. “The study contributes to knowledge about socioeconomic factors that contribute to flood risk among First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples living on-reserve.”

The report captured the percentage of the population and number of residential properties in a 100-year flood zone. The results revealed “hotspots” where flood risk spatially coincided with socioeconomic disadvantage. 

Chakraborty also noted that there are considerable data gaps limiting flood risk assessment in Canada and that the federal government should prioritize resources for identifying flood exposure in Indigenous communities. “Part of the considerations should be the dynamic range of geography, topography, and available data inputs from local scale determinations of flood risk,” he said.

The study, Leveraging Hazard, Exposure, and Social Vulnerability Data to Assess Flood Risk to Indigenous Communities in Canada, authored by Waterloo researchers Chakraborty, Jason Thistlethwaite, Andrea Minano, Daniel Henstra and Daniel Scott, was recently published in the International Journal of Disaster Risk Science. 

University updates protective equipment guidelines

"To increase the protective factor of face coverings against the highly transmissible omicron variant, we are reminding all employees and students to wear a mask that meets the Public Health Agency of Canada’s (PHAC) recommendations in general, non-health care areas," wrote Kate Windsor, Director of the Safety Office in a memo circulated to employees earlier this week. "Supervisors should ensure that employees are provided with appropriate face coverings in respect of their work environment."

Windsor reminds campus that non-medical masks can help prevent the spread of COVID-19 similar to medical masks if they: 

• fit well
• have multiple layers, including at least 2 layers of breathable tightly woven fabric, such as cotton and an effective middle filter layer

"Medical masks that are certified ASTM Level II provide good protection when worn properly," Windsor writes. "Medical masks are typically single use and disposable, but may be reused until visibly dirty, damp or damaged."

Masks are worn properly only if they cover the mouth, nose and chin and fit snugly. As per PHAC’s advice, ways to improve fit include: 

• adjusting bands or ear loops and the flexible nosepiece
• tying knots in the ear loops and tucking the sides of the mask so that it lies flat
• layering a well-fitting non-medical cloth mask over a disposable mask
• keeping facial hair shaved or short, if possible

Two appropriate options for face coverings are available centrally at no cost to units for employees performing essential in-person work (including teaching), via Central Stores catalogue.

• Reusable, washable 3-layer cotton and polyester cloth face mask with filter pocket and adjustable ear loops. Order with 5-layer disposable filters; and
• Disposable medical grade ASTM Level II masks.

"Please order only what is needed for essential in-person activities – limits may apply," Windsor writes. Employees should bear in mind that supplies must be ordered by their manager/supervisor through Central Stores.

"As a reminder, where an employee is providing services to a person in any circumstance who is not wearing a mask or face covering and is not separated by plexiglass or some other impermeable barrier, the employee is required to wear appropriate PPE i.e., a medical grade mask as well as eye protection."  

• Eye protection can include appropriate safety glasses/goggles or a face shield (available via Central Stores) and must: 
  • Fit properly and not interfere with the proper fit of a mask;
  • Provide a barrier to splashes from the side; and
  • Not create an additional hazard in relation to the type of work being performed.

"Please refer to the COVID-19 Health & Safety Guide for protective equipment requirements," Windsor's memo concludes. "Supervisors should update safety plans as necessary."

Water Institute, BlackBerry announce partnership to address global water-related challenges

The Water Institute and BlackBerry have launched a first-of-its-kind innovation research challenge for professors and students.

The Water Innovation Challenge invites new applications of BlackBerry technologies to address water-related challenges, including the cybersecurity of water systems, water emergencies, and Internet of Things (IoT) water management solutions.  

In support of a mutual commitment to help ensure the availability and sustainable management of water, the Water Innovation Challenge will catalyze new research and technological innovation that advances the sustainability and water related United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Water resilience is critical for economic development, climate change, and healthy ecosystems.

To learn more about the Water Innovation Challenge, visit the Water Institute website.

Map the System 2022 kicks off with information session

Map the System 2022 is underway at the University of Waterloo, according to a note from the Centre for Peace Advancement at Conrad Grebel University College.

Students have until January 31, 2022 to register for this research competition for their chance to win up to $2,000 in cash prizes and compete at the virtual Canadian Final and Global Final at Oxford.

"Map the System asks you to select a social or environmental issue and to explore, probe, and research all the connecting elements and factors around it," the announcement says. "To help you learn more about the competition and systems mapping, the Kindred Credit Union Centre for Peace Advancement is hosting a Map the System Information Session on January 18, 2022 from 12:00 noon to 1:00 p.m. on Zoom. Registration is required."

Questions about the competition can be directed to UWaterloo Map the System Campus Lead, Leah Feor.

Other key competition dates in January include:

• January 25, 2022 – Map the System 2022 Launch Event featuring Nobel laureate Prof. Muhammad Yunus; and
• January 31, 2022 – Registration deadline.

Friday's notes

First off, a very Merry Christmas to those members of the University community who are celebrating Orthodox Christmas on January 7. The Eastern Orthodox Church and other bodies using the old Julian Calendar rather than the Gregorian Calendar celebrate the December 25 Christmas holiday on January 7. There's obviously a lot of history behind the reasons why the calendar dates differ, more than we could fit into a proper Daily Bulletin article, but you can find out more about the competing calendars online.

Additionally, Sikhs in our community and around the world will celebrate Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti on Sunday, January 9. This celebration honours the birth of Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Sikh Guru who played a pivotal role in the development of Sikhism's faith and traditions.

The Warriors Athletics and Rec Virtual Open House will be held on Tuesday, January 11 from 3:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. "Learn how you can get active online with Warrior Rec as we begin the winter 2022 term," says a note from Athletics and Recreation. Sign up here. 

By registering you enter yourself into a draw to win $50 from Jimmy's Feed Co.