Thursday, December 22, 2022

Waterloo's Top Stories for 2022, Part Three: Fall Term

This past year brought new challenges but also new opportunities to celebrate. As we close out 2022, we can look back and feel proud of the contributions of our Waterloo community, from on-campus initiatives and events to world-leading education and research. 

From a return to in-person celebrations to health and technology breakthroughs, let's look back on some of the year’s highlights. This list of trending stories is just a small sample of the real-world impact our students, alumni, researchers and staff are making.

Fall term

Commitment Ceremony signals new beginning for Indigenous Peoples and the University of Waterloo

In September, President and Vice-Chancellor Vivek Goel made a historic commitment to reconciliation, Indigenization and decolonization at the University. The day’s events began with a Sunrise Ceremony followed by a special Cedar Circle with more than 400 people from the Waterloo community.

Waterloo launches new initiative to accelerate a sustainable future

A new University of Waterloo initiative that aims to shape the future of sustainability for the benefit of the environment, economy and society was announced this fall. The initiative aligns strongly with the Futures Framework under Waterloo at 100, a visioning exercise underway to address Waterloo’s aspirations by its 100th anniversary in 2057. 

Drone-powered device exposes vulnerabilities in WiFi security to see through walls

Professor Ali Abedi and a team of Waterloo researchers discovered a security loophole allowing attackers to use WiFi to see through walls. The device, nicknamed Wi-Peep, can fly near a building and then use the inhabitants’ WiFi network to identify and locate all WiFi-enabled devices inside in a matter of seconds.

The future of specialist care in Africa

One of Velocity’s newest startups, MedAtlas, is creating a digital solution to make fertility care in Africa more accessible. Founder Margaret Mutumba shared her journey from being a grad student to becoming an entrepreneur.

This is part three of a three-part series. Part One, Winter 2022, was published Tuesday, and Part Two, Spring 2022 was published yesterday.

Waterloo remembered James Downey

On Friday, November 25, the University of Waterloo held a Celebration of Life of President Emeritus James Downey. Former colleagues, University leaders, friends and students joined members of the Downey family in Engineering 7's event space to celebrate the life and legacy of the University of Waterloo's fourth president and vice-chancellor. The event was livestreamed on YouTube for the wider community:

The event was hosted by former Secretary of the University Lois Claxton and featured remarks from Vivek Goel, President and Vice-Chancellor, former Dean of the Faculty of Arts Bob Kerton, video messages from President Emeritus David Johnston and former Chair of Universities Canada Claire Morris, and members of the Downey family including daughter Sarah and granddaughter Elise.

Lois Claxton provided an overview of Downey's presidency to the attendees, an era marked by fiscal stormclouds and monetary shocks not just for Waterloo but for universities across the country. "The overarching reality was restraint," Claxton said. "Downey's efforts were to mobilize people and resources to make best advantage of fortune, which he did in major ways." Claxton recalled the university's major cost-saving measure, the 1996 Special Early Retirement Program, which resulted in more than 10 per cent of the University's faculty and staff accepting the offer of early retirement. "The plan was a blunt instrument, and the personnel losses were not evenly spread across campus but were fair and equitable for people," Claxton said. 

Claxton said that the University quickly regrouped under Downey's leadership with the successful Campaign Waterloo fundraising campaign, which "exceeded its target, infused funds into various initiatives, and provided strong evidence of widespread regard for UW." Additionally, President Downey successfully negotiated the return of 700 acres of North Campus property that the University had previously sold to Hewlett-Packard for a development project that hadn't panned out, which provided renewed impetus for the establishment of a research and technology park on the other side of Columbia Street.

“Working with Jim was fun, always fun,” Claxton said. “Jim once said that one of his roles was to make it easier for others to do their jobs...He knew how to mobilize people. He had a particular interest in the pastoral care side of the presidency – to know what is going on in the lives of people in the community and do what he can to help."

Former Dean of Arts Bob Kerton spoke of Downey’s wit and wisdom, calling him an “absolute master of phrase.” Kerton told a story about a run-in he had with Downey. "Early on in his presidency I met him in a hallway in Environmental Studies," Kerton said. "I said to him, 'you know in business schools they have a technique called ‘management by walking around.'" “Bob," he replied, "I’m looking for my office.”"

"His talent for engagement with people turned out to be very valuable," Kerton said. "He made time to visit people everywhere and listened to staff, students, athletes, and donors."

Kerton recalled the darkest day of Jim's service, in November 1995 when the Progressive Conservative government of Mike Harris issued what at the time was the largest budget cut ever made by a Canadian province. "Jim had been concerned about quality," Kerton said. "The quality of education and the quality of learning opportunities and the cut was precisely on the teaching and learning budget side. That bothered him. It could interfere with the University offering innovative learning. Aided by Jim Kalbfleisch, Jim Downey used exceptional sensitivity and experience with listening to everyone, to administer this painful cut. It was his finest hour."

"There was a lot of unpleasant hostility at other universities that we didn’t have here," Kerton said.

Appearing via video was Claire Morris, former CEO, Universities Canada (formerly the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada, or AUCC), who spoke of Downey's career at the University of New Brunswick. Morris highlighted Downey's effective relationship with Premiers Hatfield and McKenna and senior public servants and how they were instrumental in building strong links between universities and policymakers.

"Not only his leadership was good," Morris said. "His prowess on the dancefloor and tennis court was unmatched."

Also appearing via video was the Right Honourable David Johnston, former Governor General of Canada and President Emeritus of the University of Waterloo who served as Downey's successor beginning in 1999. "Jim was a remarkable human being and a remarkable humanist," Johnston said. "As a humanist, Jim was quite unique. He brought to Canada the very best of the Newfoundland understanding of what communication means in its authenticity."

"Jim was a master of the spoken word," Johnston continued. "He had great thoughts and wisdom and that irrepressible sense of humour. Jim could entertain and educate at the same time."

There was also live music performed by University of Waterloo students Frank Wang, Robert Choi and Shayan Saebnoori, who performed the traditional folk tune I's the B'y to pay tribute to President Downey's Newfoundland roots.

President Vivek Goel spoke next. "Downey was an extraordinary leader with a great sense of integrity and humour," Goel said. "Under his leadership Waterloo built its reputation as a leader in PSE sector. He led an important review of co-op that reinforced its integral role at Waterloo."

"As I think of the challenges we face today – climate crisis, changing political dynamics, armed conflict, I‘m reminded that President Downey faced challenged at his time here," President Goel continued. "I'm inspired by his approach during these difficult times, and I know there’s so much to learn about how he left it a better place. Following in his footsteps we’re imagining a bold future that addresses humanity’s most pressing challenges that will lead us into the future with the same foresight he exemplified."

Speaking on behalf of the Downey family were granddaughter Elise Downey and daughter Sarah Downey. "My grandfather was known for his charm and kindess and ability to put emotions to words beautifully," Elise said. He viewed individuals as the possibility of what they could be. This vision enabled him to lead Waterloo and UNB and his family with such grace because he knew there was something bigger and better ahead of him. Thanks for giving him a home, the longest home he’d ever known for 30 years."

"Thank you all for coming to celebrate my incredible dad," Sarah Downey said. "My family appreciates the many ways you’ve supported us these last months." Sarah spoke of the three lessons that she learned from her father: family, humility, and leaving a legacy.

"When he spoke to people he would look them in the eyes and make them feel like they were the most important in the room," Downey said. "Countless cards, calls, emails, and social media posts have come in recounting stories that highlight his humility. Even at the highlight of his career he'd say “I’m just an English teacher.”"

The winning ways of Warrior women

By Adam McGuire. This is an excerpt of an article originally published on the Athletics and Recreation website.

When the Waterloo Warriors women's basketball team beat the TMU Bold 68-65 back on November 11, it was a noteworthy victory for a number of reasons – it was head coach Jessica Roque's first win against her former team, a huge triumph over the defending national champs, and a statement to the rest of the OUA that the Warriors would be a formidable force in 2022-23. But it wasn't noteworthy for being the only Warriors victory of the night – in fact, it wasn't the only Warriors victory of the night in that building.

Just two floors above Coca-Cola court at TMU's Mattamy Athletic Centre, under the familiar and famous rafters of the former Maple Leaf Gardens, Waterloo forward Madison Pritchard ripped home an overtime winner to give the Warriors women's hockey team a 1-0 victory of their own over the Bold. Meanwhile, some 1300-plus km away, the Warriors women's volleyball team finished off a dominating four-set victory over the Lakehead Thunderwolves to stay undefeated in the young season.

As it turns out, that Friday evening in early November was a bellwether of things to come, in what was a dominating first half from the trio of Warriors women's teams. At the exam and holiday break, they own a combined record of 26-6, and have generated plenty of buzz around women's sports – both on-campus, and across the OUA landscape.

Fourth year guard Vanessa Hughes is second in OUA points per game (20.5 PPG) at the break.

"In all three programs, we have great leadership and coaching," said Roly Webster, Director of Athletics and Recreation. "They've worked hard to bring in top talent. All three rosters have evolved, and we have a great mix of veterans and young, talented student-athletes."

While all success at this level starts with coaching and recruiting talented athletes, there are plenty of ways to ascend to the top of the OUA. For the women's volleyball program, it's about repeating opportunities and sustaining success at the highest level: under the leadership of head coach Richard Eddy, the Warriors have had five straight playoff appearances and a provincial bronze medal in 2019. Now, the goal is to give themselves a chance each season to claim some hardware.

"When I first got here, it was about building the culture to have success, and attracting the right kinds of student-athletes that can succeed at Waterloo," said Eddy, whose team sits at 8-2 through the first half of the season. "We're not there yet, because we haven't won a banner. But now that we've had some success, it's a testament to the living identity of the program that we have  tried to create."

The story is somewhat similar for the women's hockey team: Shaun Reagan is one of the longest-tenured head coaches in the OUA, and his nationally ranked team has an 11-3-0 record at the break. The Warriors have had a winning record in six of their last seven seasons, but Reagan and his staff have transitioned their program into a faster, higher-octane version that mirrors the evolution of the women's game at the Canadian university level – the Warriors are the OUA's top offensive team, and they own a league-best +25 goal differential through 14 games.

"It kind of happens organically," said Reagan of his program's transformation. "At one time, we had to coach a more defensive, system-oriented game. But as we've recruited more offensively-skilled players, we've wanted to be more creative. We talk a lot about attacking off the rush, and we want to let our players run a little bit."

For Roque, her job is markedly different. After spending four years as the lead assistant for Carly Clarke at TMU (then Ryerson), she was hired by the Warriors in 2020 to continue to rebuild a struggling women's basketball program that hadn't reached the playoffs since 2008. As if the job wasn't daunting enough, the COVID-19 pandemic cancelled Roque's first season. But now, with her club at 7-1 and near the top of the OUA standings, she thinks the auspicious start might have been a blessing in disguise.

Read the rest of the article on the Athletics and Recreation website.

Prof honoured for contributions to engineering

This article was originally published on the Faculty of Engineering website.

A professor at Waterloo Engineering has been named a fellowship inductee by Canada’s longest-standing engineering society.

Dr. Alfred Yu is one of 22 new fellows selected by the Engineering Institute of Canada (EIC) for their “exceptional contributions to engineering.” His official fellowship induction will take place in April at the EIC’s annual gala.

Dr. Alfred Yu is a new fellow of the Engineering Institute of Canada

Yu, a professor of electrical and computer engineering, is a biomedical engineer with research expertise in ultrasound imaging innovation and therapeutic ultrasound discoveries.

He also serves as a research scientist at the Schlegel-UW Research Institute for the Aging, as an associate director for the Centre for Bioengineering and Biotechnology, and as a thematic lead for the Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology.

In 2021, Yu was recognized as one of Canada’s most promising researchers by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) when he was selected as one of six countrywide winners of the E.W.R. Steacie Memorial Fellowship.