Editor:
Brandon Sweet
University Communications
bulletin@uwaterloo.ca
Sandra Banks, Vice-President, University Relations, announces departure
A message from Vivek Goel, President and Vice-Chancellor.
I want to share with regret, that Sandra Banks has let me know she will be leaving the University of Waterloo as of July 31, 2023.
Over the last eight years, Sandra has worked across the university and beyond with a focus on building reputation, relationships and economic development opportunities.
I am very grateful for the important contributions Sandra has made and will continue to make at Waterloo. Successfully adapting to our academic governance and culture, Sandra brought with her experience from across industry, not-for-profit and the public sectors.
Sandra will remain committed over the next several months completing the 2023/24 plan for University Relations, preparing for the launch of the Innovation Arena, supporting a smooth transition as well as leading several other key initiatives.
While we have lots yet to accomplish together, I want to thank Sandra for her eight years of dedication to the University of Waterloo. Sandra and her family relocated to Waterloo in 2015 and have enjoyed the people and life in this community. We look forward to learning about her next career pursuits.
Waterloo at 100: Draft vision paper
Over the past year, thousands in the University of Waterloo community participated in consultations and provided invaluable feedback to develop and discuss ideas for our institution’s future.
We are proud to share a draft vision paper that brings together those ideas -- a vision for Waterloo at 100.
This vision is a result of our collective effort. Drawing on the unconventional spirit of the University’s founding, our community put forward a desire to reinvent the culture of our institution as we build a better future.
What came through in these conversations was the genuine pride in our work and care for our institution evident across our university and wider community. Throughout the discussions, participants paid tribute to our past, honestly assessed what we could improve today, and looked ahead with clear-eyes and optimism.
We welcome additional thoughts on this draft before the paper is finalized for presentation to the Senate and Board. Please submit your comments by March 7, 2023.
Thank you again for your participation and invaluable feedback. We look forward to discussing this draft vision paper at the upcoming Senate and Board meetings in the coming weeks, and to sharing the vision paper this spring.
Professor inducted into the Swedish Royal Academy of Agriculture and Forestry
The new international fellows inducted into the Swedish Royal Academy of Agriculture and Forestry. From left to right: Dag Fjeld, Sally Shortall, Pamela Ronald, Jennifer Clapp, Beatrix Alsanius, and Marius Masiulis. Not pictured here is Maria Brickhaus. Photo courtesy of the Swedish Royal Academy of Agriculture and Forestry.
This article originally appeared on the Faculty of Environment's news site.
Engaged in research projects around themes of food, agriculture, and the environment, Dr. Jennifer Clapp, Canada Research Chair and professor in the School of Environment, Resources and Sustainability, was inducted into the Swedish Royal Academy of Agriculture and Forestry as a new international fellow on January 28, 2023. As an international fellow, Clapp will have the opportunity to participate in events of the Academy and engage in collaborative research projects with other fellows that advance the goal of more equitable and sustainable food systems that promote food security for all.
While in Sweden for the ceremony, Clapp was featured in a seminar on the Challenge of Making Science and Knowledge-based Recommendations for a Global Food System, drawing on her expertise on global food security politics and governance and insights from her current role as Vice Chair of the High Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition.
The Royal Swedish Academy of Agriculture and Forestry was founded in 1811 and is a free and independent organization that works with issues of agriculture, horticulture, food, forest and forest products, fishing and aquaculture, the environment and natural resources.
Read more about Dr. Clapp’s work.
Registration now open for the Teaching and Learning Conference
Registration is now open for the 14th annual University of Waterloo Teaching and Learning Conference taking place on May 4, 2023, with a day of online pre-conference workshops taking place on May 3, 2023. Last year saw over 500 faculty members, staff, and students gather to learn from and with one another around the theme of fostering partnerships in pedagogy.
Our 2023 conference theme is Teaching and Learning with Kindness and Care. We are excited to welcome Barbara Moktthewenkwe Wall, Professor in the Indigenous Environmental Studies and Sciences Program, and Director, PhD Studies, in the Chanie Wenjack School for Indigenous Studies, at Trent University, as our keynote speaker, as well as Sanjeev Bedi (Professor and Director, IDEAs Clinic) and Tamara Maciel (Program Director in the School of Anatomy), who will each recreate a successful instructional approach in our Igniting Our Practice plenary session, which showcases some of the excellent teaching being done on our campus.
The registration deadline is Wednesday, April 19, 2023.
Celebrating George Yu
This article was originally featured on Waterloo News and WEAL 2022.
It takes a great artist to create a great violin. The result is even more inspiring if that artist is an intrepid scientist and first-rate engineer. George Yu (BASc ’86, systems design engineering) is all of these things and more.
Yu is a renowned luthier — a maker of violins — who is based in Louisville, Kentucky, and models many of his handcrafted instruments on rare, centuries-old Italian violins. Prized by great musicians, his masterpieces delight audiences who hear professionals play them in the New York Philharmonic, the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, the Lyra Baroque Orchestra and other ensembles.
Students at some of the best music conservatories hone their skills with a Yu violin. And the accolades from the musical world have been stunning. One of his violins won a rare, double-distinction award at the 2014 Violin Society of America Competition, which had no fewer than 246 violin entries.
To be sure, the trajectory of Yu’s life is not entirely surprising. As a child, he learned a love of science growing up in the chemistry labs of his graduate-student parents. At the same time, he inherited their passion for music and learned to play violin. When he began studying in Waterloo’s demanding systems design engineering program, he turned to playing chamber music “to put a balance in my life.”
His degree led to a nine-year stint as a software engineer. But his career path veered sharply in a different direction when he was accepted into the Violin Making School of America in Salt Lake City. Graduating from the program in 1999, he apprenticed a further two years in Boston before setting up his workshop in Toronto and then, in 2018, in Louisville.
For Yu, the three months of painstaking labour required to make a single violin is “a confluence of science, music and craft.” CT scans of vintage violins reveal the precise information he needs to make his own personal versions of these priceless instruments. Before working with a specific piece of wood, he takes measurements for its stiffness and density. Science also determines his choice of drying oils in varnish.
"I come up with what I call a platonic ideal of a model of a violin," he says, sounding distinctly philosophical. "I want my own idiosyncrasies to flow from there."
Engineer, craftsman, musician, artist: in what, far more than a job, is a life’s calling, Yu embodies them all.
Link of the day
From Bagatelle to Bally Hoo and beyond: a history of pinball
When and Where to get support
Students can visit the Student Success Office online for supports including academic development, international student resources, immigration consulting, leadership development, exchange and study abroad, and opportunities to get involved.
Instructors looking for targeted support for developing online components for blended learning courses, transitioning remote to fully online courses, revising current online courses, and more please visit Agile Development | Centre for Extended Learning | University of Waterloo (uwaterloo.ca).
Faculty, staff, post-doc and graduate student instructors can find upcoming teaching and learning workshops, self-directed modules and recordings of previous events on Centre for Teaching Excellence Workshops and Events page.
Instructors can access the EdTech Hub to find support on Waterloo’s centrally supported EdTech tools. The Hub is supported by members of IST’s Instructional Technologies and Media Services, Centre for Teaching Excellence, Centre for Extended Learning and subject matter experts from other campus areas.
Supports are available for employees returning to campus. Visit IST’s Hybrid Work and Technology guidelines and workplace protocols to assist with the transition.
Students with permanent, temporary and suspected disabilities and disabling conditions (medical conditions, injuries, or trauma from discrimination, violence, or oppression) can register with AccessAbility Services for academic accommodations (classroom accommodations, testing accommodations, milestone accommodations).
Instructors can visit AccessAbility Services' Faculty and Staff web page for information about the Instructor/Faculty role in the accommodation process. Instructors/Faculty members are legally required to accommodate students with disabilities. AccessAbility Services (AAS) is here to help you understand your obligations, and to offer services and resources to help you facilitate accommodations.
Did you know that the Writing and Communication Centre offers many in-person and virtual services to support you with any writing or communication project? This term we've added The Write Spot: a new student space in South Campus hall, complete with bookable workspaces, drop-ins with our peer tutors, and free coffee and tea. We also have one-to-one appointments with our writing and communication advisors and peer tutors, email tutoring for grads and undergrads, drop-ins at Dana Porter Library, online workshops, writing groups, English conversation practice, and even custom in-class workshops. For any communication project, the Writing and Communication Centre is here to support you.
Research Ethics: Find yourself with an ethical question, unsure if your work requires an ethics review, or need advice about putting together a research ethics application? Reach out to one of our friendly staff by booking a consultation or email us with your questions.
Co-op students can get help finding a job and find supports to successfully work remotely, develop new skills, access wellness and career information, and contact a co-op or career advisor.
The Centre for Career Action (CCA) has services and programs to support undergrads, grad students, postdocs, alumni, and employees in figuring out what they value, what they’re good at, and how to access meaningful work, co-op, volunteer, or graduate/professional school opportunities. Questions about CCA's services? Live chat, call 519-888-4047, or stop by our front desk in the Tatham Centre 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday.
Drop-in to in-person Warrior Study Halls on Thursdays from 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. in DC and DP. Join a Peer Success Coach to set goals and work independently or in groups each week.
Renison's English Language Institute continues to offer virtual events and workshops to help students practice their English language skills.
If you feel overwhelmed or anxious and need to talk to somebody, please contact the University’s Campus Wellness services, either Health Services or Counselling Services. You can also contact the University's Centre for Mental Health Research and Treatment. Good2Talk is a post-secondary student helpline available to all students.
The Library is here to help, both in person and online. Our spaces are open for access to book stacks, study spaces, computers/printers, and the IST Help Desk. For in-depth support, meet one-to-one with Librarians, Special Collections & Archives and Geospatial Centre staff. Visit the Library’s home page to access our online resources for anywhere, anytime learning and research.
The Faculty Association of the University of Waterloo (FAUW) continues to advocate for its members. Check out the FAUW blog for more information.
The University of Waterloo Staff Association (UWSA) continues to advocate for its members. Check out the UWSA blog for more information.
The Office of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Anti-Racism (EDI-R) works with students, faculty and staff across campus to advance equity and Anti-racism through evidence-based policies, practices and programs. If you have a concern related to Anti-racism and/or equity, please complete our intake form.
The Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Office (SVPRO) supports all members of the University of Waterloo campus community who have experienced, or been impacted, by sexual violence. This includes all students, staff, faculty and visitors on the main campus, the satellite campuses, and at the affiliated and federated Waterloo Institutes and Colleges. For support, email: svpro@uwaterloo.ca or visit the SVPRO website.
The Office of Indigenous Relations is a central hub that provides guidance, support, and resources to all Indigenous and non-Indigenous campus community members and oversees the University's Indigenization strategy.
The Waterloo Indigenous Student Centre, based at United College, provides support and resources for Indigenous students, and educational outreach programs for the broader community, including lectures, and events.
WUSA supports for students:
Peer support - MATES, Glow Centre, RAISE, Women’s Centre - Click on one of the links to book an appointment either in person or online for the term.
Food Support Service food hampers are currently available from the Turnkey Desk 24/7 in the Student Life Centre. Drop-off locations are also open again in SLC, DC, DP, SCH, and all residences.
Co-op Connection all available online.
Centre for Academic Policy Support - CAPS is here to assist Waterloo undergraduates throughout their experience in navigating academic policy in the instances of filing petitions, grievances and appeals. Please contact them at caps@wusa.ca.
WUSA Student Legal Protection Program - Seeking legal counsel can be intimidating, especially if it’s your first time facing a legal issue. The legal assistance helpline provides quick access to legal advice in any area of law, including criminal. Just call 1-833-202-4571.
Empower Me is a confidential mental health and wellness service that connects students with qualified counsellors 24/7. They can be reached at 1-833-628-5589.
GSA-UW supports for graduate students:
The Graduate Student Association (GSA-UW) supports students’ academic and social experience and promotes their well-being.
Advising and Support - The GSA advises graduate students experiencing challenges and can help with navigating university policies & filing a grievance, appeal, or petition.
Mental Health covered by the Health Plan - The GSA Health Plan now has an 80 per cent coverage rate (up to $800/year) for Mental Health Practitioners. Your plan includes coverage for psychologists, registered social workers, psychotherapists, and clinical counselors.
Dental Care - The GSA Dental Plan covers 60 to 70 per cent of your dental costs and by visiting dental professionals who are members of the Studentcare Networks, you can receive an additional 20 to 30 per cent coverage.
Student Legal Protection Program - Your GSA fees give you access to unlimited legal advice, accessible via a toll-free helpline: +1-833-202-4571. This advice covers topics including housing disputes, employment disputes, and disputes with an academic institution.
The Graduate House: Open Monday to Tuesday 11:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and Wednesday to Friday 11:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. We’re open to all students, faculty, staff, and community members. The Graduate House is a community space run by the GSA-UW. We’re adding new items to the menu. Graduate students who paid their fees can get discounts and free coffee.
When and Where
Fitness and Personal Training - Registrations opened January 5 this winter with Personal Training and Small Group Training as well as a Free Warrior Workout Program.
Student Health Pharmacy in the basement of the Student Life Centre is now offering COVID booster shots (Pfizer and Moderna) and flu shots. Call 519-746-4500 or extension 33784 for an appointment. Walk-ins always welcome.
Master of Taxation, Virtual Information Session, full-time program, Tuesday, February 28, 4:00 p.m. To register visit www.uwaterloo.ca/mtax.
Master of Taxation, Virtual Information Session, part-time program, Tuesday, February 28, 5:00 p.m. To register visit www.uwaterloo.ca/mtax.
NEW - Quantum Spin Liquids and Criticality in Multipolar Materials, Wednesday, March 1, 11:00 a.m., QNC 1201.
Noon Hour Concert: Poland Parables, Wednesday, March 1, 12:30 p.m., Conrad Grebel University College Chapel, free admission.
Introduction to Equity – Debrief Session, Wednesday, March 1, 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m., online.
The Long Arm of Theoretical Computer Science: A Case Study in Blockchains/Web3, Distinguished Lecture Series featuring Tim Roughgarden, Computer Science Department, Columbia University, Wednesday, March 1 at 3:00 p.m. in DC 1302.
Barriers to Equity: Women, Political Representation and Family, Wednesday, March 1, 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., Federation Hall
Core Research Facilities Town Hall, Thursday, March 2, 11:30 a.m. to 2:15 p.m., Enterprise Theatre, East Campus 5.
WaterTalk: Recognizing the spiritedness and agency of water: Personhood and other legal approaches, presented by Aimée Craft, Thursday, March 2, 11:30 a.m., DC 1302, lunch reception to follow in DC 1301.
NEW - I was Wearing Golden Clamshell Earrings, Laura Magnusson in discussion with Meaghan Ross, Thursday, March 2, 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., East Campus Hall 1239.
DaCapo Chamber Choir, conducted by Leonard Enns, Professor Emeritus at Conrad Grebel University College, presents Winding Toward Peace, Saturday, March 4, 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, March 5, 3:00 p.m, Trillium Lutheran, Waterloo. With guest classical guitarist Mariette Stephenson. Limited tickets available. Pay-what-you-can pricing.
NEW - Pathways for addressing (with care) Disclosures of Racism, Wednesday, March 8, 9:00 a.m. to 12 noon, online.
NEW - CBB 2023 Conference, “Waterloo for Health, Technology and Society,” Wednesday, March 8 and Thursday, March 9, 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., SLC 2144.
Pivot-RP virtual training workshop for Faculty and graduate students, Thursday, March 9 from from 1:30 – 2:30 p.m., via MS Teams.