Tuesday, July 12, 2022

When co-op comes full circle

By Megan Vander Woude. This article was originally published in the Spring 2022 issue of Waterloo magazine.

From Waterloo to Tokyo

Jeff Wentworth (BASc ’06) recalls virtually every co-op term helping him not only advance his technical skills, but also improve his communication skills and ability to collaborate in an office environment. But there was one work term that took his development to a whole new level.

In the middle of his degree, Wentworth packed his bags and moved to Japan for a year – an experience that took him out of his comfort zone. At the time, there was no Google Translate or Google Maps and, for Wentworth, it was both wonderful and lonely.

Immersed in an unfamiliar culture, job and place, Wentworth uncovered new skills and independence that he would use in his future life and career. He enjoyed the experience so much that he moved back to Japan shortly after graduating. He thought he’d stay for a couple years.

Fifteen years later, he’s still in Tokyo, where he founded Curvegrid with William Metcalfe (BMath ’04), whom he met during that international co-op term. Wentworth and Metcalfe now find themselves on the other side of the co-op process, hiring students who have an interest in international travel and cultures. They try to make the experience as smooth and rewarding as possible, reimbursing students for plane tickets and helping them secure visas and other necessities. They even offer two weeks of vacation, so students can make the most of their time in a new country.

“This is our way of paying it forward,” Wentworth says. “We hope they have a similar cultural experience to the one we enjoyed as students.”

Valued members of the team and community

In her final work term, Jessica Bondy (BA ’08, MA ’13) felt like she was more than a co-op student at the Royal Ottawa Hospital: “I was very much a member of the team, and my experience was valued. It was an incredible opportunity to test out my professional skills, understand the complexity of working in healthcare, and ask myself some important questions, like, ‘Why do I want to get into this work?’ and ‘What are my passions?’”

Today, Bondy is still focused on serving others through her work. As the Housing Services Director at Waterloo Region’s House of Friendship, she draws on the skills and dedication she developed in her work terms. As a co-op employer, and previous co-op student, she knows the tremendous value students can bring to a non-profit organization.

“We believe in a place where everyone can belong and thrive, and that includes our staff,” she explains. “Co-op students are important members of our team. The new ideas that students bring, the fresh perspective – tech-savvy approaches, ability to use data – it’s incredible to see the things they can help us with.”

Through multiple roles and projects, Bondy has seen students leave an important mark in House of Friendship programming and the community they serve. She’s quick to mention the growth she sees in the students as well: “Students who work with us get exposure to some very challenging ways of life and complicated social issues like homelessness, addiction, mental health challenges and poverty. When folks work for House of Friendship, they also learn what it means to be a member of a community. It’s a true joy to see someone’s thoughts shift and to see them develop an interest in non-profit work. It gives me more energy to do the difficult things in my job.”

Finding the right fit

Before his first co-op term, Vikram Hardatt thought he wanted a career in geographic information systems (GIS). Hardatt took elective courses on the topic and for his first work term, he found a job where he could focus on GIS.

“I thought I wanted to do this for the rest of my life,” he explains. “But after working and studying GIS for a year, I realized maybe this isn’t actually what I want to do.”

For subsequent co-op terms, he shifted his focus and found a new passion. While at the City of Hamilton, he worked on the team that was planning and implementing the City’s new bike share program. He enjoyed this work so much that he returned to the City of Hamilton for a later co-op term, and eventually a full-time job with a local consulting firm, IBI Group. Today, he’s a passionate consultant focusing on bringing micro-mobility systems, including bike-sharing and e-scooter programs to communities across Ontario. He’s also a regular user of the Hamilton bike share program that he helped implement.

Without co-op, Hardatt knows he might have spent his degree preparing for a career that wasn’t the right fit. When he works with co-op students today, this experience is always top of mind: “While I’m super passionate about micro-mobility, I realize that this might not be what our co-op students are feeling. I encourage them to give this field of work an honest try, ask questions as they come up, and talk openly about their thoughts. That way, I can work with their interests and tailor their tasks to their individual goals.”

Hardatt hopes his open approach helps them do their best work at IBI Group, but also in the future. It’s part of the process to build a fulfilling career. 

Professor Anita Layton named Canadian Mathematical Society Fellow

Waterloo Mathematics Professor Anita Layton is among the six newest members of the Canadian Mathematical Society Fellows.

The Canadian Mathematical Society announced the 2022 Class of Fellows on July 4. The Fellowship recognises CMS members who have made excellent contributions to mathematical research, teaching, or exposition; as well as having distinguished themselves in service to Canada’s mathematical community.

Induction to the 2022 Class of Fellows was based upon nominations, reception of the David Borwein Distinguished Career Award or the Graham Wright Award for Distinguished Service, or reception of any other CMS prize or award for outstanding contributions for research, education, exposition and service to the Society and having served the CMS as a Vice-President, a standing committee chair or Editor-in-Chief of the CMS’ Canadian Mathematical Bulletin or Canadian Journal of Mathematics.

Layton is a professor of applied mathematics and Canada 150 Research Chair of Mathematical Medicine and Biology. She was recently appointed Associate Dean, Research and International in the Faculty of Mathematics. 

Other members of the 2022 Class of Fellows include:

• Termeh Kousha (CMS/Ottawa);
• Matilde Lalín (Montréal);
• Bojan Mohar (Simon Fraser);
• David Oakden (Retired); and
• Noriko Yui (Queen’s).

Founded in 1945, the CMS is the main national organization whose goal is to promote and advance the discovery, learning and application of mathematics. The Society’s activities cover the whole spectrum of mathematics including scientific meetings, publications, grants, math camps and national and international mathematics competitions, as well as awards and prizes that recognize outstanding achievements.

The 2022 Class of Fellows will be recognized at the CMS Winter Meeting in December 2022.

New research says people who control their desires can face social isolation

Desire is part of human nature, and being vulnerable to desire is part of what differentiates humans from machines. However, a new international study has found that individuals who are better able to resist their desires are perceived as more robotic and dehumanized.

“Imagine a colleague with iron self-control—a person who has their entire day planned down to five-minute increments to eat and even to run to the bathroom. This person never sleeps in, never stops to chat with co-workers, and never misses a scheduled gym session,” said Abigail Scholer, an associate professor of psychology at the University of Waterloo who co-authored the report. “Sure, they’re probably productive, but how do they fare socially?”

That’s the question asked by an international team of academics, including Scholer Waterloo alumni Franki Kung from Psychological Sciences at Purdue University and Justin P. Brienza from The University of Queensland Business School. Samantha P. Lapka of Purdue also contributed to the six studies involving 2,007 people.  

“Whereas past research shows that people high in self-control enjoy a broad range of benefits, we’re beginning to see that such people also experience some social trade-offs,” Kung said. “They are more likely to be seen as robotic and less-than-human. Humans have flaws, are vulnerable to passions, and we tend to gravitate to people like that — even if they’re not as reliable as those with a high degree of self-control.”

This dehumanization has potential social consequences. The report notes that a person seen as less human is more likely to be socially rejected.

“What we’re finding is that even if self-restraint, and competence are seen as virtues leading to success, they do not necessarily translate into social success, as that person may be perceived as lacking some fundamental human qualities,” Scholer said.

Public talk will cut through all the quantum BS

On Friday, July 15, the Institute for Quantum Computing (IQC) will be hosting Chris Ferrie from the University of Technology Sydney and the Centre for Quantum Software and Information for what promises to be a frank discussion about quantum physics.

"Although most of us don't actually understand quantum physics, we know that it's mystical and awesome, and if we understood it we'd probably be rich and beautiful and happy, right?" says the talk's abstract. "After all, there are plenty of people out there trying to sell you quantum crystals to align your quantum energy with your quantum destiny. Can they all be wrong? Yes, yes they can. In this talk, we're going to sniff out the bullshit and break down why it stinks while dispelling the mystery of the quantum."

Chris Ferrie is an Associate Professor at the University of Technology Sydney and the Centre for Quantum Software and Information, where he leads a multidisciplinary team of researchers in the areas of quantum learning and control. He obtained his PhD in Applied Mathematics from the Institute for Quantum Computing and University of Waterloo (Canada) in 2012. Chris’s passion for communicating science has led from teaching to writing children’s books, such as Quantum Physics for Babies, as well as a whole collection of other titles that make science accessible even for the youngest children. He latest book is decidedly not for children and is entitled Quantum Bullsh*t: How To Ruin Your Life With Advice From Quantum Physics.

Join the lecture on YouTube or in-person at QNC 0101. The event takes place at 1:30 p.m.

New Chair for Electrical and Computer Engineering started in May

Professor Kankar Bhattacharya was selected as the new Chair of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Waterloo and began his term on May 1, 2022.

Professor Bhattacharya took over from interim Chair Manoj Sachdev.

Previously the associate chair for graduate studies in electrical and computer engineering, Bhattacharya’s research interests include power systems, electricity markets, energy storage systems, microgrids, mathematical modelling and systems analysis.

The appointment was announced by Dean Mary Wells, who thanked Sachdev for his “outstanding leadership, dedication and hard work’’ as interim chair and said he will work closely with Bhattacharya during the winter semester to ensure a smooth transition.

The announcement was originally published on the Faculty of Engineering website.