Tuesday, September 26, 2023

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• Journalists come to Waterloo for a meeting of the MINDS
• Engineering prof honoured for notable scientific achievements
• I'll take too many emails for $400, please
• Applications open for Velocity Pitch Competition
• Sustainability Action Fund open for applications until October 13

Journalists come to Waterloo for a meeting of the MINDS

By Ryon Jones.

On October 4, 2023, the University of Waterloo will host executive-level representatives of 23 global news agencies such as L'Agence France-Presse, Associated Press, Reuters and The Canadian Press.

The global network of leading news agency leaders who are members of the Media Innovation Network (MINDS) are visiting Waterloo to learn about how AI may disrupt their industry and how they can use tools like ChatGPT to their advantage.

MINDS is a non-profit organization in which news agencies work together on new concepts for the media industry. Twice a year, MINDS organizes conferences for its members. Participants are senior managers from all relevant areas of the news agency business – board, editorial, strategy, technology, products, and sales. MINDS conferences provide a great opportunity for networking with news agencies’ decision-makers. They are aimed for an exchange of thoughts and experiences, for getting impulses for new business, as well as the chance to explore collaboration in many ways.  

The 35^th MINDS conference, which the Canadian Press is hosting, is totally dedicated to artificial intelligence-related topics.

The afternoon’s activities will include a presentation by professors Joel Blit and Jimmy Lin on the meteoric rise of large language models (LLMs), such as ChatGPT, and how business executives can unlock its transformative potential. 

Andrea Baillie, editor-in-chief at The Canadian Press, will also moderate a panel discussion. The panel will comprise Dr. Lennart Nacke, professor and associate director, Stratford School of Interaction Design and Business, Dr. Marcel O’Gorman, professor and university research chair and founding director of the CML, Dr. Sirisha Rambhatla, professor in the Management Science and Engineering Department where she leads the CML and Dr. Will Zhao, professor of organization and human behaviour at Waterloo’s Stratford School. 

The afternoon’s activities will conclude with an AI in action at Waterloo display featuring Waterloo’s startup incubator, Velocity, RoboHub - the home of robotics at Waterloo, and the Critical Media Lab (CML) – a cross-disciplinary, research-creation initiative which fosters the development of new media projects that explore the impact of technology on society and the human condition.

Engineering prof honoured for notable scientific achievements

This article was originally featured on the Engineering news site.

A civil and environmental engineering professor joins an elite group of scientists worldwide as the recipient of a prestigious award recognizing her significant contributions to international water research.

Dr. Nandita Basu, a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Global Water Sustainability and Ecohydrology, has been awarded the American Geophysical Union (AGU)’s Joanne Simpson Medal for Mid-Career Scientists. The annual award honours individuals working in Earth and space sciences who have made notable scientific achievements while displaying exemplary character.

In addition, Basu was awarded the opportunity to deliver the AGU’s Paul A. Witherspoon Lecture, presented annually to mid-career AGU members who have made significant contributions to hydrological science. 

An internationally renowned environmental engineer, Basu uses data science, process modelling and remote sensing to explore how climate, land use, and management impact surface and groundwater quality across landscapes and from watershed to the regional and global scales.

She has served on many advisory and technical committees throughout her career, including the International Joint Commission’s Science Advisory Board – Science Priority Committee. In 2019, Basu was elected a Member of the Royal Society College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists.

I'll take too many emails for $400, please

A message from the UWaterloo Life team.

Answer: This survey is conducted every two years, most recently in March 2023. 

Buzzer: What is the 2023 Student Communications Survey!? 

Answer: This social media platform that used to lead the pack, has fallen from its graces. 

Buzzer: What is Facebook!? 

When it comes to communicating with students, are you curious about what social media platforms we should be using? Have you ever considered how many emails are too many to send? Do you wonder if your emails are being read? 

We surveyed a representative sample of our student community in March 2023 to ask about student preferences when it comes to communications from the University. The results are in, and the final report is now available. 

We have gathered insights spanning three significant periods of time - pre-pandemic, pandemic and post-pandemic.  There has been significant change on our campus and across the world, and our students’ survey responses show interesting patterns when looking at 2019, 2021 and 2023. Learn about the changes and trends we have seen over the last few years and how you can implement some key takeaways into your communication strategies. 

For more information about the survey and its results, contact Claire Taylor claire.taylor@uwaterloo.ca or Melissa Cameron m3cameron@uwaterloo.ca from the UWaterloo Life team.  

Applications open for Velocity Pitch Competition

A message from Velocity.

Velocity is excited to announce that applications for the Velocity Pitch Competition are now open!

Held each term, the Velocity pitch competition offers the opportunity for University of Waterloo student-led teams with innovative solutions and high potential business ideas to showcase their hard work and compete for their share of $20,000 in grant funding. Participants receive valuable feedback, pitching experience, and idea validation from a network of experienced entrepreneurs and Velocity Coaches.

The application deadline is October 11.

Sustainability Action Fund open for applications until October 13

A message from the Sustainability Office.

Have a project idea to advance sustainability on campus? The Sustainability Action Fund is now accepting applications for projects that will work towards the University’s Environmental Sustainability Strategy. Projects can include infrastructure improvements, campaigns, or activities to increase awareness of sustainability issues on campus, and programming to support sustainable behaviours.

Applicants can request between $2,000 and $30,000 in funding this term, and can be led by staff, students, or faculty members. Some examples of past projects that have successfully received funding include: 

• Reusable containers marketing;
• Sustainability literacy conference;
• Standardized waste receptacles;
• Arts/Environment gardens signage; and
• Electric landscaping equipment pilot.

Applications will now be accepted on an ongoing basis and will be reviewed as part of two intake rounds. The deadline for fall 2023 intake is Friday, October 13 at 5:00 p.m. Full details and instructions are available on the Sustainability Action Fund webpage.