Monday, August 22, 2022

Renovation completed and new look for W Store

A message from Print + Retail Solutions.

Over the spring 2022 term, W Store has undergone a significant renovation in South Campus Hall to re-envision the space and bring their brand to life. This project was a huge undertaking, and this renovation needed to be completed by mid-August so that W Store was ready to facilitate the delivery of course materials and textbooks to both incoming and returning students for the fall 2022 term.

This renovation was necessary to position W Store for the changing retail landscape, respond to customer feedback and market trends, and deliver the best customer experience to the Waterloo community.

“It is important that W Store be able to create a welcoming, positive shopping experience for students, faculty, staff and alumni,” says Ryan Jacobs, director of Print + Retail Solutions. “We rebranded and upgraded our website four years ago; we updated our MC store location last year; and this reinvention of our flagship retail store is the next step in our master plan. We look forward to our ongoing evolution, as we strive to better meet the needs of the campus community.”

W Store is excited to announce that the renovation is now complete, and the new space is ready to showcase to the campus. This project was the direct result of a collaboration between Plant Operations, Print + Retail Solutions and PragerNuform to complete this project on time and within budget. W Store owes a special thanks to Carlos Medina Marroquin and Dwayne Sewers from Plant Operations who led this project, and to PragerNuform which was instrumental in bringing the new vision for W Store to life.

W Store will be holding several days of launch festivities the week of October 3 and encourages everyone to join us. Details will be announced closer to the time.

Print + Retail Solutions’ mission is to be the trusted source for services and products essential to the advancement of knowledge, student success and an enriched campus experience. For questions related to this renovation, please contact Ryan Jacobs, Director, Print + Retail Solutions (rjacobs@uwaterloo.ca).

Rethinking how youth learn about climate change

A message from the Games Institute and the Waterloo Climate Institute.

This summer’s fires, floods and heat waves have reinforced what we already know — the effects of climate change are happening now and the need for action is urgent. But what steps should be taken to mitigate and adapt are often not well understood. This is where the interactive game Illuminate can fill this knowledge gap.

Developed by the University of Waterloo’s Waterloo Climate Institute in partnership with the Games Institute and a multi-disciplinary team of students, staff and faculty from across campus, the game is aimed at helping students in grades 4 to 12 understand the science, the risks and, most importantly, the solutions to climate change.

The game presents players with interactive scenarios that require them to make thoughtful choices about dealing with climate change challenges across rural (agriculture), urban (cities, heat), and coastal areas (flooding, effects from storm surges). Players are tasked with investing in high-impact strategies within a given budget, and their choices determine one of four possible endings. In this way, the game helps teach youth about climate change solutions as well as the costs and benefits of certain approaches as they act as decision-makers.

“We aimed for this game to be at that interface between science and education,” said Simon Glauser, managing director of the Waterloo Climate Institute. “We wanted to translate science into a useful format for younger audiences and teach them that there is no perfect solution to the climate crisis, but that taking action now can have a positive impact on what our future looks like.”

Illuminate is public so that any parent, guardian or teacher can access it. It is also available on the Climate Educator’s Portal, an educational platform designed to empower elementary and high school teachers across Canada to educate their students about climate change. By targeting this earlier educational cohort before they get to university, Illuminate aims to help spread general awareness about the complexities of climate change and its solutions. In doing so, it meets students where they are and inspires conversation and constructive action in and outside of the classroom.

See for yourself. Test and develop your knowledge of climate change solutions — play the game.

For more information, read Illuminate: A Simulation Game to Instill Grounded Hope in Youth for Climate Action by Tina Chan and Adam Leung.

Remembering Distinguished Professor Emeritus Grant Russell

This article was originally published on the School of Accounting and Finance.

Grant Russell, retired Associate Professor and Associate Director of the School of Accounting and Finance passed away quietly surrounded by family late last week.

Russell joined the Department of Economics at the University in 1974 and became one of the catalysts in building the foundation of the School of Accounting and Finance. Russell’s legacy was his ability to leverage Waterloo’s entrepreneurial and innovative spirit in helping to define accounting education at Waterloo to be the international benchmark it is today.

From the very beginning of Russell’s 42-year tenure with the University and true to Waterloo’s entrepreneurial spirit, it was Russell who had introduced Jack Hanna to Robin Banks, the Dean of Arts in 1979. The conversation and planning that Hanna and Banks had led to path-breaking developments and innovation in accounting education. This was just the beginning of a long list of Russell’s contributions to the University and the School.

Russell was also a well-known and loved instructor, having been honoured with Waterloo’s Distinguished Teaching Award in 2000. He inspired and guided the development and enhancements of nearly every significant educational and student-focused initiative including the introduction of the AFM Admissions Assessment (AFMAA, now known as the SAFAA), the Fellowship program, Professional Futures Conference (now known as Co-op Ready) and the Financial Literacy Competition to name a few.

“Grant Russell has been one of the key builders of the School and many of our programs," says Steve Fortin, SAF Director. "His passion to create and deliver innovative programming to enrich our students’ academic journey has had an everlasting impact on our School, our graduates, and our students that remains today.”

“He was a jokester and always looking for little subtle ways to break tension or make you smile and feel at ease,” said Gwen, Russell’s daughter.

Russell will be missed but his legacy and the impact of his teaching and the initiatives he started will remain to continue to educate and build aspiring professionals in the fields of accounting and finance.

A celebration of life will be held in the coming weeks. As expressions of sympathy and in lieu of flowers donations to the Russell Family Scholarship.

The Russell Family Scholarship was established in 2007 with a vision of helping students achieve their goals and to attract new talented students to attend the School of Accounting and Finance. Grant’s vision has grown into an endowed fund of $210,000, the scholarship has gifted awards to 24 students since inception and is supported by more than 100 donors.  

Grant’s passionate vision was to inspire others to donate to continue to grow this scholarship in perpetuity or start their own to help more students every year. We thank the Russell Family and all of the donors who have supported this scholarship. 

Annual steam shutdown complete

A message from Plant Operations.

As many of you are aware this week, the campus experienced its annual steam shutdown. This year was the largest planned shutdown in recent history. The Utilities team with the help of multiple contractors tackled over fifty jobs in campus buildings and tunnels. These jobs ranged from replacing pipe worn by age and use, compliancy/regulatory inspections, and installing equipment.

The teams’ efforts will not be noticed by many on campus, but the safety of staff, students, and buildings, keeping up with government regulations and maintaining kilometers of piping is always a priority for the Plant Operations Utilities team.