Friday, September 22, 2023

European research information session coming up in October

A message from the Office of Research.

Registration is open for a virtual information session on funding research in Europe.

University of Waterloo faculty members, postdoctoral fellows and graduate research students across the disciplinary spectrum are invited to attend the virtual information session - DAAD, Horizon Europe and Euraxes Research Funding Information Session - on Tuesday, October 17, 2023, from 2 to 3:30 p.m. to learn about the European research landscape and funding programs to support research activities in Europe.

The first hour of this session will be given over to three presentations with the remaining time available for questions and consultation. This event will be offered online via WebEx and will be recorded and available to those unable to attend in real time.

Speakers include:

• John Paul Kleiner, Senior Manager, University Relations, DAAD Information Point Toronto, DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service);
• Luigi Scarpa de Masellis, Advisor, Trade and Economic Section, Delegation of the European Union to Canada; and
• Jackson Howard, Regional Coordinator, Euraxess North America or Derya Büyüktanir Karacan, Program Manager, EURAXESS North America.

Please register to receive a link for the online event.

University Club set to reopen on September 27

You can’t keep a good club down. In an announcement that will no doubt whet the appetites of food enthusiasts inside and outside the University, Food Services is reporting that the UC, also known as the University Club, will resume regular operations on Wednesday, September 27.

 The UC will resume providing a full-service dining experience for lunch Monday through Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Patrons can expect a culinary experience that Executive Chef Javier Alarco says is “nothing short of phenomenal.” The UC is conveniently located in the heart of the University of Waterloo’s main campus, within easy walking distance from the Student Life Centre. Parking is also available in lot M via pay and display.

“The UC has been a cornerstone of our community for many years, providing a space for full-service dining on campus,” writes Chris Read, Associate Provost, Students, whose portfolio includes Food Services.

The University Club closed early in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and remained closed due to necessary infrastructure upgrades around the building that included a rebuilding of its driveway and parking lot. Originally known as the Faculty Club, the nearly 10,000 square-foot building was designed by Mathers & Haldenby and built by Ball Bros. Construction in 1970. At the time and for decades after, it was “members only,” its dining rooms and event space available to University faculty members and staff and their guests. In 2015, the University Club opened itself up to the general public and discontinued the membership system. Over the years, the University Club has hosted too many retirement parties, awards ceremonies, and luncheon buffets to mention in just one article.

“We are looking forward to showcasing the international flavours that our UC Chef Richard Cramm has created in this brand-new menu,” says Executive Chef Javier Alarco. “The UC will offer menu items that you will not find in any other UW Food Services dining facility. The offerings will encompass our sustainable goal of factoring in a wide variety of proteins and utilizing local sourcing from EPAC produce (Elmira Produce Auction Co-operative).”

The UC’s new dining team, led by The UC Supervisor, Gary Molson, is ready to welcome back guests to the restaurant. The team has been busily putting finishing touches in at the UC, with some new art pieces and fall décor.

“Whether you are planning a special event or simply seeking a memorable dining experience, The UC should be at the top of your list,” says a statement from Food Services. “Contact us today to find out more reasons why The UC should be your venue of choice!”

For reservations, please email theuc@uwaterloo.ca. Please note that guests dining at the UC from September 27 to October 6 require reservations. Debit, credit, WatCard and department cards are all accepted.

Continuing her studies disrupted by war

A message from the Office of Advancement. This is an excerpt of an article originally published in the Report on Giving.

Waking to the terrifying sound of bombing close to her home in Kyiv on February 24, 2022, Oleksandra Nahorna knew her life would never be the same. 

“It was absolutely horrible,” she said. “I experienced a whole range of emotions that morning.” 

Within a month, the master’s student in business and financial economics at the Kyiv School of Economics fled for Poland along with her mother, dog and little else. 

Not knowing whether she’d be able to continue her program in Kyiv, Oleksandra was grateful to learn about the University of Waterloo’s Summer Program for Students from Ukraine, supported by the Global Emergency Student Relief Fund. 

The fund ensures students from around the world whose education has been disrupted by conflict, war, changing political environments or natural disasters are able to continue their studies at Waterloo. Financial gifts help cover expenses such as tuition, academic activities including English as a Second Language courses and more. 

Supported by the fund, Oleksandra came on her own from Poland to Waterloo in May 2022 and spent four months working on an artificial intelligence internship with Vijay Ganesh, co-director of Waterloo’s AI Institute. 

Read the rest of the article in the Report on Giving

ADE Committee Speaker Series continues with 8 fall events

A message from the Games Institute.

Drs. Gerald Voorhees and Daniel Harley, in association with the Anti-Racism, Decolonization, and Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (ADE) Committee at the Games Institute, are continuing their SSHRC- funded ADE for Game Communities: Workshop and Speaker Series with an additional 8 events this term.

The Speaker Series is creating opportunities for meaningful equitable change in games academia and industry that requires active and inclusive community-building. As a part of this mission, the ADE Committee created the speaker and workshop series to centre the voices of individuals from marginalized groups. This includes, but is not limited to, persons who are Black and/or Indigenous or otherwise racialized, women-identified, LGBTQ2S+, disabled and/or neurodivergent, and people from other under-represented communities. The following events are lectures, panels and workshops hosted by a variety of researchers across the globe, discussing themes related to decolonization, equity, accessibility and diversity in games and game communities.

Learn more about the Speaker Series and the upcoming events

Networking opportunity for postdocs

This article is published in support of National Postdoc Appreciation Week.

Are you a postdoc? If so, consider joining our new postdoc LinkedIn group.

This is a great spot to connect with other postdocs from across the university and to share your tips and experiences with research, Waterloo life, and beyond.

Temporary Tim Hortons closure and other notes

The Tim Hortons in the Student Life Centre closed on Wednesday, September 20 and will remain temporarily closed due to a food safety concern.

“As soon as we learned of this issue, we closed Tim Hortons SLC and our pest control team was deployed to conduct a thorough inspection of the premises,” says a statement from Food Services. “The restaurant will remain closed until there is no further activity. Before we re-open, we will do a deep sanitization and the Region of Waterloo will inspect the location.”

UWaterloo Food Services and Tim Hortons LTD are working with licensed pet control team to resolve the issue. Tim Hortons SLC remains closed until further notice.

In the meantime, other Tim Hortons locations on campus, including the Davis Centre, Modern Languages, East Campus 5, and South Campus Hall, are open for those who need their coffee and donut fix. Visit the UW Food Services Locations and Hours page for more information on operating hours.

(and now, for no reason at all, I am going to watch Don Bluth's 1982 animated classic The Secret of NIMH.)

This is a reminder that the 20^th Annual Pow Wow will take place on Saturday, September 23, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the CIF. There will be vendors, drumming, dancing, and more.

Here's today's Consent Awareness Week tip of the day:

Taking pictures and videos with our phones and posting them online has become a common activity. However, not everyone wants their picture or video taken and not everyone wants these posted online.

Tip: Ask before you take someone’s (children included) picture or video. Ask before you post someone’s (children included) picture or video online. Respect their answer. If someone asks you to take their picture down, take it down as soon as possible without asking why.