Tuesday, November 14, 2023

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• Waterloo commences search for Canada's first Pilot in Residence
• COVID-19 vaccine now available at Campus Wellness
• How to create a sustainability-focused recruitment strategy to attract emerging talent
• Safety Office celebrates the career of Greg Friday
• Math grad information session and other notes

Waterloo commences search for Canada's first Pilot in Residence

This article was originally published on the Faculty of Science website.

Dr. Chris Houser, Dean of the Faculty of Science, and Dr. Suzanne Kearns, Founding Director of the Waterloo Institute for Sustainable Aeronautics, have announced a new Pilot in Residence position at the University of Waterloo – the first role of its kind in Canada. 

Housed in the Faculty of Science, this prestigious new position will enrich Waterloo’s highly accomplished aviation program. The role will present a unique opportunity for an industry leader to guide the next generation of aviators by teaching  courses that align with their expertise, such as aviation human factors, safety, economics, operations, and meteorology. The successful candidate will engage with more than 300 undergraduate student pilots each year, playing a critical role in the largest university aviation program in Canada.   

“The Pilot in Residence will give our students unique industry insights that will prepare them for rewarding careers in the aviation sector,” says Dr. Houser. “Waterloo is renowned for its strong ties to industry, which date back to the University’s founding in 1957. This position will further enrich our students’ real-world learning experiences and equip them to lead the sector’s long-term growth.” 

The Pilot in Residence will also support research at the Waterloo Institute for Sustainable Aeronautics (WISA), which collaborates with members of all six University faculties to address industry challenges related to the three pillars of sustainability: environmental, social, and economic. 

“The aviation sector is facing a number of sustainability challenges, including a severe shortage of pilots,” says Dr. Kearns, who is also an aviation professor at Waterloo. “With Canada’s largest university aviation program and a rapidly growing research institute devoted to innovations in sustainability, Waterloo is well positioned to collaborate with industry on the solutions the sector needs to thrive. The Pilot in Residence will enable us to accelerate those solutions and make a transformational impact on the future of flight.” 

The first-of-its-kind Pilot in Residence is expected to hold their position for a two-year term, enabling the Faculty of Science to welcome a range of industry professionals with different areas of expertise in the years ahead. For more information about the role and details about how to apply, visit the Pilot-in-Residence job posting.

COVID-19 vaccine now available at Campus Wellness

A message from Campus Wellness, Health Services.

A new COVID-19 vaccine has been approved by Health Canada and is now available for use. COVID-19 vaccination reduces the risk of severe illness, death and post COVID-19 condition (long COVID). This vaccine targets the Omicron XBB.1.5 subvariant only and will be given as one dose even if you haven’t had a COVID vaccine before.

Canada continues to recommend that you get an updated COVID-19 vaccine dose if it’s been at least 6 months:

• Since your last COVID-19 dose or
• Since you last had COVID-19 (whichever happened later)

This vaccine is now available at pharmacies, Family Doctor’s offices and through the Ontario COVID Vaccine Portal at How to book a COVID-19 vaccine appointment. Campus Wellness, Health Services is once again providing both Moderna and Pfizer vaccines by appointment starting the week of November 13 for University of Waterloo students, (and family members of those registered with the Family Health Clinic over the age of 17), faculty and staff.

Please call 519-888-4096 to make an appointment.

Rapid Antigen tests are now conveniently available at the Turnkey Desk in the Student Life Centre for the current UW Community. Campus Housing also offers these tests for students living in residence - simply inquire at the Residence Front Desk.

Please note: these tests are designed for symptomatic individuals and are not meant for general screening. It's crucial to be aware that rapid antigen tests may sometimes yield false negatives. If you're experiencing symptoms and receive a negative result, complete the Ontario self-assessment at Self-assessment and adhere to the provided guidance.

Ensure safety for yourself and others by maintaining frequent hand hygiene, wearing masks if unwell, and staying home when necessary.

How to create a sustainability-focused recruitment strategy to attract emerging talent

A message from Co-operative and Experiential Education (CEE).

Want to attract emerging talent to help drive sustainability goals and initiatives in your organization? Waterloo’s Co-operative and Experiential Education (CEE) unit has tips and insights on how Generation Z can support sustainability in your department.  

Emerging talent, like students, want work that supports a greener and more equitable future.  Advancing sustainability goals through the strategic framework of environmental, social and governance (ESG) are an important reflection of Gen Z’s lived experience. 

Visit CEE’s ‘how to create a sustainability-focused recruitment strategy to attract emerging talent’ webpage to learn more and download their top 8 tips for creating a sustainability-focused recruitment strategy PDF. 

Safety Office celebrates the career of Greg Friday

A message from the Safety Office.

On October 31, Greg Friday officially retired from the Safety Office and the University of Waterloo. Greg’s history at the University is long, and his contributions are many. 

Greg originally began at UWaterloo as a permanent employee in the Earth Sciences department in the Faculty of Science in 1986. He then transitioned into the role of Safety Officer, in a shared role reporting to the Department of Chemistry and the Safety Office, operating the Environmental Safety Facility in 2004. In this role, Greg managed the ESF and its primary function of disposing of the University’s hazardous waste created through research and teaching activities. This meant collecting and coordinating various types of chemical, biological and radiological waste from laboratories across campus and readying it for disposal. 

In its early days, the ESF function was relatively new, and Greg’s commitment to providing great service ensured that the facility and role were constantly evaluated and adjusted to meet the needs of campus. Greg’s critical thinking and patience helped to build the ESF from a somewhat ad-hoc function to an established professional service. To meet compliance with environmental regulations, Gregeducated and advised on hazardous waste regulations and best practices for researchers through the years. The steady turnover of grad students and other ESF clients put Greg in a constant role of instructor – patiently teaching how to handle high risk materials safely. 

In 2009, Greg’s role changed to solely report into the Safety Office, with expanded responsibilities under our radiation and lab safety programs. As the University’s Radiation Safety Officer until 2021, Greg managed compliance with regulations and reporting to government bodies on radiological materials and x-ray equipment.  

Around the Safety Office and from his days in the Chemistry department, Greg is known by all as a valued, utterly reliable and positive contributor who is always willing to lend a hand, volunteer for a good cause and join in on group events. He is looking forward to continuing in his passion for running and swimming, and increasing his volunteer time in the community. In total, his career at UW spanned 37+ years, with over 19 of those spent with the Safety Office. As he enjoys retirement, he will be greatly missed by Safety Office staff and the folks he interacted with in the ESF and across campus over the years. We are grateful to have worked with him.  

Math grad information session and other notes

The Faculty of Mathematics is hosting an information session for undergraduate students looking for information about graduate studies today from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. in the M3 Atrium. Attendees will have the chance to speak with department representatives and ask questions about programs in:

• Applied Mathematics;
• Combinatorics & Optimization;
• Computational Mathematics;
• Computer Science;
• Data Science;
• Pure Mathematics; and
• Statistics & Actuarial Science.

Learn more about tonight's info session.

Join the Conrad School of Entrepreneurship and Business for event entitled Women’s Entrepreneurship Day: Women Entrepreneurs Improving Women’s Health, on Friday, November 17, from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. in the Conrad School Hub in Engineering 7.

This early-morning panel discussion and networking event includes "incredible women entrepreneurs working to improve health care for women," according to a note from organizers. "Hear what they’re doing, learn about some of the challenges they face and what they see in store for the future." Register today.