Tuesday, October 18, 2022

President reflects on Waterloo's upcoming 125th convocation

By Vivek Goel, President and Vice-Chancellor. This article was originally published on Waterloo News.

This fall, we welcome our graduands back to campus for the University of Waterloo’s 125^th convocation. It is my honour, as president and vice-chancellor, to participate in these ceremonies. 

Convocation recognizes years of hard-work and commitment that launch graduands towards exciting ventures and careers. These graduands join an illustrious community of more than 200-thousand global thinkers who are making a lasting impact on the world around us. That impact reflects the original vision of the institution’s founders who sought to create a university that would help tackle some of the world’s most daunting challenges.  

Over the course of their studies, these graduands have demonstrated a resiliency that will serve them well in the next stages of their lives. They have persevered through a pandemic, and kept their focus when it could have easily been lost. The lessons they learned during their time at Waterloo whether in the lecture hall, lab or elsewhere will play an integral role in their on-going success.  

Our institution’s rich history and the success of our alumni is rooted in community. This year’s graduating class has left an indelible mark on our institution, and I am confident they will maintain a strong connection to Waterloo as a result. 

The University’s motto “Concordia cum veritate” means “in harmony with truth.” As our 2022 graduands begin the next chapter of their journey, I encourage them to think unconventionally. We live in a world mired in geo-political, environmental and health challenges. Regardless of one’s discipline, we all hold a unique opportunity to make a lasting difference in our community and in the world. I encourage our graduates to take what they’ve learned at Waterloo and shape our world’s future for the better.  

Of special note for those who graduated prior to fall 2022 (during the pandemic) and missed an opportunity to participate in an in-person convocation, we are excited to offer you an opportunity to attend a future convocation and participate in the ceremony by walking across the stage. Learn more about how to register at our convocation website.  

On behalf of the University of Waterloo, I wish the classes of 2022 all the best in the journey ahead.

Learn about student mental health work from campus and community researchers

A message from UWaterloolife.

Join us tomorrow at UWaterloo’s third Student Mental Health Research Conference through MS Teams on Wednesday, October 19 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Topics broadly pertaining to student mental health will be explored with an emphasis on the following key themes:  

• Promotion of mental health-care strategies; 
• Impact of trauma;  
• Equity and mental wellness e.g., effects of inequities on the mental health of equity-deserving groups such as Indigenous, Black and other People of Color, LGBTQAI2S+; 
• Harm reduction approaches to substance use; and  
• Impact of COVID-19 and mental health.  

We are excited to feature presentations by graduate students, postdocs, alumni and community members, and hope you will be able to join us. There is no cost to attend. Keep an eye on the event page as we add more details to our agenda. Please register here to receive the link to join.

If you are unable to attend, recordings will be made available online afterwards on the Thrive website.  

Electric plane lands in Waterloo

A message from the Waterloo Institute for Sustainable Aeronautics (WISA).

The Sustainable Aeronautics Summit at Waterloo Region International Airport heralded the call by leaders in industry, government, and academia to create innovative sustainable aeronautics futures on Wednesday, 5 October 2022.

Two days later, the University of Waterloo demonstrated its commitment toward the sustainable aviation goal with the arrival of the first Pipistrel Velis Electro in Canada.

Dr. Paul Parker stands next to the Velis Electro e-plane's main fuselage.

The Velis Electro is the first, and currently only, type certified electric plane in the world with European Union (EASA) certification granted in 2020 and UK certification in 2022. Next, we want to see how it will perform under Canadian conditions. Principal Investigator, Paul Parker, and co-investigators, Suzanne Kearns and Mehrdad Pirnia, share the desire of industry partner, Bob Connors from Waterloo Wellington Flight Centre, to bring a new generation of innovative technologies to aviation and successfully applied for Canadian Foundation for Innovation funding to acquire the Velis Electro for testing. The Region of Waterloo contributed toward the charger as they support lower carbon emissions from airport activities.

Working in cooperation with Transport Canada and Pipistrel, the team hopes to provide test results to gain Canadian certification for the eplane so that commercial electric aviation will become a reality in Canada. Following a successful research program and certification, industry could adopt small eplanes widely across the country. Waterloo Aviation students could be among the first to benefit, both from lower emissions during their programs and the advanced skills essential for sustainable aviation futures.

The action on Friday began with Lance, an experienced handler of Solar Ships, and Darren, his truck driver, arriving at the airport with two forklifts in preparation to unload the container. The customs seal on the container was cut and the door opened to reveal all four pieces that we expected: charger, tailplane, wings, and fuselage. The straps were quickly removed and the charger easily unloaded.

The tailplane was very light and handed over to the steady hands of Bob Connors, WWFC general manager, for safe transfer to the hangar. The Velis was rolled to its new home in the hangar.

Next were the wings. Despite their size, they are amazingly light with their carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) sandwich shell construction. The strength and durability that can be achieved with such light structures is an essential manufacturing miracle for sustainable aviation.

Finally, the fuselage. It was well secured with straps and a small metal frame to hold each of the main wheels in place. Instead of picking the whole container up and off the truck, a large pallet was used so that we could roll the fuselage on and then gently lower it to the ground. 35 minutes after opening the cargo container, the Velis was rolled to its new home in the hangar.

A team of over 100 people have contributed to the project and process of bringing the Pipistrel Velis Electro to Waterloo. Thanks to all of them, it is safely stored at YKF, ready to start the next chapter of sustainable aviation in Canada.

WUSA hosts municipal candidate open house

A message from the Waterloo Undergraduate Student Association (WUSA).

Are you ready to vote in the Municipal Election this October? Join us on Tuesday, October 18 from 4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. in the SLC Multi-Purpose room (MPR) to meet and engage with Waterloo Mayoral and Ward 6 and 7 Councillor candidates running in the upcoming municipal election. 

This event is open to all undergraduates, graduates, faculty, and staff. Register at https://wusa.ca/event/wusa-candidate-social/ to attend the event. Refreshments will be served. We hope to see you there.

Hagey Lecture tomorrow and other notes

Antoni Cimolino, Artistic Director of the Stratford Festival will deliver the 2022 Hagey Lecture tomorrow at 8:00 p.m. in the Theatre of the Arts. There's still time to register.

In his talk, entitled "Holding the Mirror up to Nature", Cimolino will speak about the purpose—and necessity—of theatre.

The Hagey Lectures are co-hosted by the Faculty Association and the University.

While we're on the subject of lectures, St. Jerome's University's Lectures in Catholic Experience kicks off its 2022-2023 series with a lecture by Dr. Tia Noelle Pratt entitled "Doing THE WORK: Anti-Racism and the Catholic Church," on Wednesday, October 19 at 7:30 p.m. Admission is free, but please register as seating is limited.

During her lecture, Dr. Pratt will discuss her research regarding systemic racism in the Catholic Church and its impact on African-American Catholics. She will also discuss ways to engage the Church in anti-racism efforts.

Dr. Pratt is Assistant Vice President for Mission Engagement and Strategic Initiatives, Courtesy Assistant Professor of Sociology, and Editor of the Journal of Catholic Social Thought at Villanova University in Pennsylvania.

Here's today's Keeping Well at Work Daily Inspiration:

Hydration is critical to good health  

And dehydration can contribute to fatigue, headaches and dizziness. While individual fluid needs vary, most adults need about 2-3L of fluid a day. Keep water close to you all day – sip frequently or set reminders to help maximize hydration. Many free apps or downloadable water trackers exist through an easy Google search. Try jazzing up plain water with a slice of lemon, some fresh berries or cucumber and mint.