Tuesday, October 10, 2023


Campus Wellness offers High Risk Flu Vaccine Clinic

A message from Campus Wellness.

Seasonal influenza outbreaks occur in Canada from late Fall through the Winter months. Campus Wellness, Health Services is pleased to once again offer the flu vaccine through appointment only for UWaterloo students (and student’s families if registered with the Family Health Clinic), employees, alumni and retirees.

Those who are considered high-risk will be able to get their flu vaccine starting Tuesday, October 10. High Risk Eligibility is as follows:

  • All children 6-59 months of age;
  • All pregnant individuals;
  • Adults with chronic health conditions;
  • Individuals over the age of 65;
  • Individuals who are from a First Nation, Inuit or Métis community, and/or who self-identify as First Nation, Inuit or Métis, and their household members;
  • Members of racialized and other equity-deserving communities;
  • Health care workers; and
  • Household contacts of those who are at high risk. 

Appointments will be opened up to all other UWaterloo-affiliated clients starting the week of November 7. Please call 519-888-4096 to make an appointment.

Nominations now open for the Award of Excellence in Graduate Supervision

A message from Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs

Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs (GSPA), in collaboration with the Graduate Student Association (GSA-UW), established this award to recognize exemplary faculty members who have demonstrated excellence in graduatestudent supervision, through being a mentor, advisor, role model, humanist and a strategist who exemplifies a high level of energy and ingenuity.

Nominations are initiated by a current or former graduate student who is/was directly supervised by the faculty member. Recipients of this prestigious award receive $1,000.

Looking for inspiration? A list of previous graduate supervision winners can be found online.

The nomination deadline is November 10, 2023 (as the deadline falls on a weekend this year).

The 4Cs of supervision success for next generation talent

A Work Learn Institute banner featuring two smiling colleagues.

This is an excerpt of an article originally published on the Co-operative and Experiential Education website.

What can supervisors do to ensure a successful co-op term for students? Research from Waterloo’s Work-Learn Institute (WxL), points to a 4C model for successful supervision.

The 4C model was the central theme of Co-operative and Experiential Education’s (CEE) latest Future Ready Workforce Series virtual webinar on September 20. The model identifies actions related to creating, communicating, connecting and caring that supervisors can do to support their students and other emerging talent.

The event theme was Research-based tips for supervising emerging talent. Ashley Stegelmeier (MSc’17), director of product development at Ceragen, joined WxL leaders and researchers Anne Fannon, Dave Drewery and Simone Holligan. The group shared insights into managing co-op students from their research and real-world experiences.

Research WxL conducted with co-op students and their employers showed that by focusing on the 4C model, supervisors can help ensure success.

A circle diagram representing the 4 C model.

The 4C model is:

  • Create meaningful work
  • Communicate regularly and effectively
  • Connect students to the organization
  • Care about student experiences

Read the rest of the article on the Co-operative and Experiential Education website.

Renison appoints Jodey Porter as its tenth Chancellor

A message from Renison University College.

Renison University College and its Board of Governors is very pleased to announce that Jodey Porter has been appointed its 10th Chancellor. Porter’s four-year term, effective as of Friday, September 1, was enthusiastically and unanimously approved during a special meeting of Renison’s Board of Governors on Wednesday, August 30.

Porter has had a long and illustrious career as an Ontario public servant, serving as Assistant Deputy Minister of Health for the Province of Ontario; she has held three terms as Ontario Human Rights Commissioner; she was a staff member at the United Nations Human Rights Commission; she was the Executive Director of the Canadian Diabetes Association; and Director of Development for the Canadian National Institute for the Blind.

Porter also gives generously through her volunteer efforts. In addition to advancing the work of Doctors Without Borders, where she recently served as part of the organization’s hostage negotiation team, Porter was President and founder of the Low Vision Association of Ontario, Chairman of the Board Advocacy Resource Centre for the Handicapped, (ARCH), and executive member of the Canadian Centre for Philanthropy. She has served on over a dozen charitable organization boards and was recently recognized for her service to local, national, and international organizations by receiving the Rotary Club’s prestigious Paul Harris Award.

“It is hard to imagine finding an individual who more closely aligns with the Mission of Renison University College and our commitment to the ethos of One Sky Over All – the belief that a just world creates space for all: dignity, respect , justice and opportunity for all,” said Renison President Dr. Wendy L. Fletcher. “Jodey epitomizes Renison’s commitment to service, social justice, and cultural fluency. We are beyond delighted that she has agreed to serve as Chancellor.” These sentiments were shared by Board Chair Karen Spencer, who added: “as the titular head of Renison, it is fitting that the Chancellor serve as a strong advocate for the Vision, Mission, and Goals of the College. Jodey exemplifies the work that Renison’s faculty, staff and students have long committed to fulfilling; this is an excellent fit for Renison.”

"I have always been more interested in looking forward than looking back,” said Porter. “This opportunity to work in the field of education will allow me to look forward in a new and exciting way. There is so much potential and promise in the young hearts and young minds that contribute to the story of Renison; I am excited to start this new journey.” Porter also found out through the process that she has a strong familial connection to Renison, adding, “On a more personal note, I discovered only after accepting the appointment that almost fifty years ago to the day, my father, the late Bishop Morse Robinson, embarked on a similar journey with Renison as the College’s third Chancellor. This opportunity feels like a gift, and I am grateful to receive it.”

The official Installation ceremony will take place at Renison University College on November 29, 2023. More details to follow.

Last chance to apply to the Velocity Pitch Competition

Velocity Pitch Competition banner.

A message from Velocity.

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 $20K in grant funding.

Participants not only have the chance to win funding but also gain valuable feedback, pitching experience, and idea validation from a network of experienced entrepreneurs and Velocity Coaches.

You or your team could be one of the four winners to receive $5,000 in grant funding to advance your innovative idea.

The application deadline is Wednesday, October 11.

A collage of items offered at the Legal and Immigration Services Silent Auction.

A QR code leading to the LIS auction website."Check out the LIS silent auction today," says a note from Legal & Immigration Services (LIS). "It closes October 20 at 2:00 p.m. so get your bids in early! There are some amazing items up for grabs and 100 per cent of all funds raised goes directly to United Way. A huge thank you goes out to all of our generous sponsors." 

Take a sneak peak at some of the items. You can use the QR code for more information.

Are you planning to publish a systematic review? Or considering incorporating a scoping review in your thesis? The Systematic and Scoping Review Workshop series from the Library will provide you with foundational knowledge to help prepare and plan the methodologies used in these types of knowledge synthesis projects. This series of three in-person workshops, kicking off on Wednesday, October 18, will cover methods, systematic searching in PubMed and Systematic screening using Covidence and Zotero. Register for individual workshops or join us for all three.

Full details are available on the Library’s website

The Writing and Communication Centre (WCC) has announced that the Write Spot is closed during reading week, but drop-ins are still available at Dana Porter Library Tuesday to Thursday from 12 noon to 3:00 p.m.

Complete the Employee Equity Census

This year’s Employee Equity Census (previously known as the Equity Survey) has launched in Workday. Learn more about the Employee Equity Census on the Equity Data Strategy website. Watch this short video on how to access the Employee Equity Census in Workday.

Check the link that was sent to you in the UWaterloo’s Employee Equity Census email or click this link to complete the survey.

The Employee Equity Census will take only a few minutes to complete. Data collection for this year's annual report will close on October 31, 2023. 

Link of the day

20 years ago: Kill Bill: Volume 1

When and Where 

Warriors Game Day Tickets: Season Passes, Black and Gold Alumni Passes and Single Game Tickets now available for the 2023-24 varsity season. Purchase your tickets today!

The Student health Pharmacy (located in the lower level of SLC ) will be offering Covid Booster shots and Flu shots to all students and staff. Students can register at the pharmacy with their name and student number and will be called for their appointment. Shots offered on a first come, first served basis.

NEW - Reading Week, Saturday, October 7 to Sunday, October 15.

Chemistry Seminar: Ultraclean 2D Materials for Ferroelectricity, Superconductivity, and Topological Phenomena featuring Prof. Daniel Rhodes, Assistant Professor, Materials Science and Engineering Department, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Tuesday, October 10, 2:30 p.m., C2-361 (Reading Room).

Equitable Recruitment and Selection, Wednesday, October 11, 11:00 a.m. to 12 noon, online.

McCrae Naismith Basketball Classic, Thursday, October 12 to Saturday October 14, Carl Totzke Court, PAC. Free tickets for UW Students. Purchase tickets and tournament passes.

United Way Campaign presents Houseplants 103 Session, Thursday, October 12, 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., online. Register now.

Warriors Women’s Hockey Home Opener, Thursday, October 12, 7:00 p.m. vs Windsor, CIF Arena. Parent Day. Free tickets for UW Students. Purchase tickets.

Community Gardening as Climate Action (2nd event), Friday, October 13, 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., Columbia Greenhouses, North Campus.

The value of water: Perspectives from an environmental not-for-profit, presented by Melissa DeYoung, Director Policy & Programs at Pollution Probe. Wednesday, October 11, 12 noon.

Warriors Men’s Football vs. Carleton, Saturday October 14, 1:00 p.m., Warrior Field. Senior Day, Think Pink. Free tickets for UW students. Purchase tickets.

Centre for Teaching Excellence presents Instructional Innovations Week, Monday, October 16 to Thursday, October 19. Register on GoSignMeUp.

United Way Campaign Soup Day, Monday, October 16. Order online.

UW Staff Board Foundations Workshop, Monday, October 16, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Bystander Intervention Training for Staff and Faculty (In-Person), Tuesday, October 17, 12 noon to 1:30 p.m., STC 0050.

DAAD, Horizon Europe and Euraxes Research Funding Information Session, Tuesday, October 17, 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. University of Waterloo faculty members, post-doctoral fellows and graduate students are welcome to attend. Registration is required to receive a link for the event.

Indigenous Speakers Series presents Niigaan Sinclair, Tuesday, October 17, 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., Theatre of the Arts, Modern Languages.

Bystander Intervention Training for Staff and Faculty (virtual), Wednesday, October 18, 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 p.m., online.

Fall 2023 2SLGBTQIA+ faculty and staff social, Wednesday, October 18, 3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., LHI 1689. Register in advance.

QPR mental health training for faculty and staff, Thursday, October 19, 1:30 p.m., NH 2447. Register on Portal.

2023 Farvolden Lecture, featuring Dr. Masaki Hayashi, Department of Geoscience, University of Calgary, “The role of Canadian research in advancing groundwater hydrology: historical sketches from the past 75 years,” Thursday, October 19, 2:00 p.m., Theatre of the Arts, Modern Languages.

NEW - CrySP Speaker Series on Privacy featuring Dr. Marina Blanton, University at Buffalo, “A Bigger Picture of Secure Multi-Party Computation,” Thursday, October 19, 2:00 p.m., DC 1302 and Zoom.

NEW - Speak Like a Scholar, Thursday, October 19 to November 9.

NEW - Fall 2023 Convocation ceremonies, Friday, October 20 and Saturday, October 21, Physical Activities Complex.

NEW - Rock Your Thesis 2: Starting to write, Friday, October 20, 2023. Registration required.

NEW - The Faculty of Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering presents a Distinguished Speaker Seminar featuring Dr. Gregory Stephanopoulos, W.H Dow Professor, MIT, “Can biotechnology deliver cost-effective liquid fuels from renewable feedstocks?” Friday, October 20, 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., QNC 0101 and Microsoft Teams.

NEW - Addressing Climate Complexity with Two-Row Learning: Indigenous & Western Knowledges, Friday, October 20, 2:30 p.m. to 3:50 p.m., location TBA.

NEW - Home Routes Folk Concert - Mirja Klippel and Alex Jønsson, Friday, October 20, 7:00 p.m., Brubacher House, North Campus. 

When and Where to get support 

Check out the support listings for faculty, staff and students.