Friday, May 19, 2023

Developing an IT Services Portal for researchers: research computing project update

A message from Information Systems and Technology (IST).

One of Canada’s top research-intensive universities, Waterloo is committed to the continued support and advancement of its research environment. A foundational yet integral element of doing so is providing our research community with quick, convenient access to the information technology services available to support their work.  

The Research Computing project (an outcome of the IT Review) aims to implement initiatives and process improvements to coordinate, communicate, and make more accessible to researchers the campus-wide IT resources available that support research computing at the University. As part of this project, Information Systems & Technology (IST) will collaborate with campus partners to create an inventory of department and Faculty-based  IT services currently available to researchers and will develop a website or "portal" that will provide convenient access to these services.    

Where we are 

Over the last several months, the project team engaged members of various academic support and Faculty units to begin to develop an inventory of the IT services that currently exist for researchers. User experience testing and consultation sessions are planned throughout May and June 2023, the findings of which will help substantiate efforts completed to date and inform the development of the IT services portal.   

Get involved – Register for a user testing session

Faculty members across all ranks and disciplines, as well as post-doctoral  fellows,  are welcome to participate in one user experience testing session. To view available session dates and register, please complete the IT Services for Researchers user experience consultation registration form.  

How we got here 

The IT Review, conducted between April 2019 and May 2020, was launched to assess the University of Waterloo's overall IT capability. The result of this work was captured in the Campus Information Technology Review Final Report (PDF) and included a number of recommendations for building on and enhancing Waterloo's IT landscape. Visit the IT Review website to learn more about the Research Computing theme and recommendations for advancing learning and research at Waterloo. See also Waterloo’s 2020-2025 Strategic Plan for more on the University’s commitment to supporting and advancing research.  

Info session for Staff International Experience Fund and Staff Enhancement Experience Canada Grant

A message from Waterloo International.

The Staff International Experience Fund (SIEF) and Staff Enhancement Experience (SEE) Canada Grant are now open for applications.

The SEE Canada Grant provides an opportunity for staff members to further their professional development through idea-exchange and learning alongside counterparts at other Canadian universities, colleges, research institutions or industry-partner organizations. The grant is facilitated by Human Resources.

SIEF is an opportunity for staff members to take part in an international experience which will broaden their professional perspectives by enabling them to travel and engage in collaborative work with a host institution. SIEF is facilitated by Waterloo International.

Please join us for a virtual information session on Wednesday, May 24, from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.  to learn more about eligibility, assessment and the application process for both opportunities.

The next 40 years of an aging world

A message from the Faculty of Health.

Please join the Network for Aging Research for our fourth annual William F. Forbes lecture, titled ‘Opportunities, challenges and uncertainties in the next 40 years of an aging world.” Dr. John Hirdes from the School of Public Health Sciences will reflect on the history of gerontology at the University of Waterloo and discuss the opportunities, challenges and uncertainties of aging research in the coming decades. We then invite you to attend a reception where you can share your own stories, memories and hopes for the future of the field. Refreshments will be provided.

This special event will take place on June 7 from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., in room LHI 1621 (Sun Life Auditorium) or online. Please register by May 26.

What's open and closed on the long weekend

Monday, May 22 is Victoria Day, a statutory holiday that is celebrated on the last Monday before May 25.

The holiday honours Queen Victoria, who was born on May 24, 1819, and in 1901, the year of her death, the day was made a federal holiday. More colloquially, it serves as an unofficial kickoff to the summer season.

With the holiday closure there will be a number of changes to operational hours at the University:

• Print + Retail Solutions locations will be closed Monday, May 22. Check the Hours and Locations page for specific details.
• The Dana Porter Library and Davis Centre Library branches will be open from 12 noon to 6:00 p.m. on Monday, May 22. The Library's "Chat with us" service will be available from 12 noon to 4:00 p.m. and email will be monitored from 12 noon to 6:00 p.m. Check the Opening Hours page for more details;
• Most Food Services operations will be shuttered on Monday, May 22, with the exception of The Market at UWP, open 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Go to the Locations and Hours site for more details;
• The Student Life Centre and the Turnkey Desk will be open Monday, May 22;
• The Physical Activities Complex, the Columbia Ice Field Arena, and the Feridun Hamdullahpur Field House will be closed on Sunday, May 21 and Monday, May 22. Visit the Facility Hours website for specific details. 

As always, even on holidays, the Special Constable Service (ext. 22222, or 519-888-4911), and the central plant will monitor campus buildings (24-hour service and maintenance line, ext.33793) in case of problems or emergencies.

Enjoy the long weekend. The Daily Bulletin will return on Tuesday, May 22.

Rally for Iran on Saturday and other notes

A rally and march is being planned locally as part of the Global Day of Action to support Iran's freedom movement on Saturday, May 20. At 11:00 a.m. attendees will rally at the University's south entrance at University Avenue and then walk a route to Waterloo Square in UpTown Waterloo.

The rally, one of several coordinated events taking place on May 20, is being organized locally after the Association of Families of PS752 Victims put out a call for participation. The event at Waterloo Square is being billed as a a non-confrontational, educational presentation.

The eighth annual Mitacs Entrepreneur Awards ceremony took place at Federation Hall last night. The event showcases "some of Canada’s most innovative start-up companies — each founded by outstanding former Mitacs program participants that have gone on to become leading entrepreneurs and business owners in their respective fields." Receiving the Change Agent Entrepreneur on home turf was Jeremy Wang, who earned a Waterloo Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering PhD, and is co-founder and COO of Ribbit. Wang received the award for his "ground-breaking work to develop Canada’s first autonomous cargo airline — which is on track to start a commercial pilot project by the middle of next year. The company’s goal is to rewire the transportation network to be faster, more efficient and more accessible to remote communities that currently don’t have reliable air transportation for necessities such as food and medicine. Working in collaboration with Transport Canada since its inception in 2020, Ribbit completed its first gate-to-gate, hands-free flight in 2021 — a first for Canada."