Thursday, January 4, 2024

Office of Research to host inclusive research resources webinar

A message from the Office of the Vice-President, Research and International.

The date of the Inclusive Research Team's January webinar is approaching. Are you planning to attend?

Overview and Introduction: Inclusive Research Resources (Introductory Session) - January 23, 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

The Inclusive Research Team is dedicated to intentionally supporting faculty to build equitable and inclusive research practices for rigorous research. This presentation is focused on providing you with an introduction to the resources and supports provided by the Inclusive Research Team within the Office of the Vice President Research and International, including how to navigate the Inclusive Research Resource Hub and how we support embedding EDI in grant applications.

Please register to receive the Zoom link to participate.

About the Inclusive Research Resource Hub

The Hub is a resource library of important documents focused on EDI to support the UWaterloo community as they integrate EDI into their research designs and teams. The Hub was created as part of the Inclusive Research Team’s commitment to ongoing development and capacity building to support equitable and inclusive research practices.

Upcoming webinars

• Inclusive Tools: Identifying Barriers (February 27, 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m)
• The Foundation: Building Inclusive Research Teams (April 18, 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.)
• What is GBA+ Anyway?: An Introduction (May 16, 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.)

Resources

• Inclusive Resource Hub;
• Our website.

For more information or questions, please reach out to research.equity@uwaterloo.ca or  Indigenous.Research@uwaterloo.ca.

Dr. John English named to Order of Ontario

Distinguished Professor Emeritus John English has been named to the Order of Ontario. Dr. English was among 25 appointees named to the Order by the Honourable Edith Dumont, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario and Chancellor of the Order of Ontario on January 1, 2024.

As a historian, author, and administrator, Dr. English "brings history to life, shaping our understanding of our past and place in the world today," says his award citation. "Among his many works are best-selling biographies of Lester Pearson and Pierre Trudeau. He brought his expertise to organizations such as the Canadian International Council and the Dictionary of Canadian Biography/Dictionionnaire biographique du Canada."

In 1993, English, then a faculty member in Waterloo’s history department, became one of the first University of Waterloo alumni elected to federal office, representing the riding of Kitchener, which was later dissolved into the ridings of Kitchener Centre and Waterloo-Wellington. English served as an MP until 1997. In 2001, Dr. English became the first executive director of the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI). He retired from the University in November 2009 and was named Distinguished Professor Emeritus in 2010.

Among other honours, English is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and was a Senior Killam Fellow. English was named a Member of the Order of Canada in 2000 and promoted to Officer in 2016. He is a Director Emeritus of the Bill Graham Institute at Trinity College in Toronto. He has written several books, including biographies of Lester Pearson and Pierre Trudeau, and other works on Canada in the 20^th century.

The Order of Ontario is the province's highest honour and "recognizes outstanding people who have made exceptional contributions to help build a stronger province, nation and world." 

“As Chancellor of the Order of Ontario, it is my privilege to congratulate the Order’s appointees for 2023. These Ontarians have demonstrated the highest levels of merit, excellence and dedication in their respective disciplines, and they have made significant impacts here at home and around the world," said Lieutenant Governor Edith Dumont. “Our province gratefully acknowledges their remarkable contributions, which inspire us all to be leaders and change-makers.”

Appointments to the Order are made on the recommendation of an independent advisory council based on the merit of accomplishments of nominees put forward by members of the public.

Celebrating January's retirees

A number of Waterloo staff and faculty are starting off the new year right by retiring, according to information provided by Human Resources. 2024’s first cohort of retirees include:

• Dr. Douglas Kirton, who joined the University in January 2001, retired as faculty member in Fine Arts;
• Dr. Michael Fich, who began working at Waterloo in September 1986, retired as faculty member in Physics and Astronomy;
• Maureen Stafford, who started at the University in July 1994, retired as Graduate Coordinator and Advisor in Economics;
• Dr. Catherine Gebotys, who began working at Waterloo in September 1991, retired as faculty member in Electrical and Computer Engineering;
• Barbara Heppler, who started at the University in June 1979, retired as Information Systems Specialist in Campus Housing;
• Celeste Home, who began working at Waterloo in May 2013, retired as International Student Advisor in Co-operative and Experiential Education’s International Employment Relations unit;
• Dr. Chettypalayam Selvakumar, whose academic career at Waterloo began in March 1985, retired as faculty member in Electrical and Computer Engineering;
• Steve Bradley, who joined the University in November 2008, retired as Information Systems Specialist on IST’s Learning Environment team;
• Katherine Szigeti, who began working at Waterloo in December 2008, retired as Liaison Librarian in the Library;
• Dr. Guy Poirer, who joined the University in September 2003, retired as faculty member in French Studies;
• Dick Duplessie, who started at Waterloo in October 2013, retired as Faculty Financial Analyst in the Dean of Science office;
• Dr. Christine Dupont, who joined the University in July 2007, retired as faculty member in Biology;
• Dr. Feridun Hamdullahpur, who began working at Waterloo in September 2009 and served as the University’s president from 2010 to 2021, retired from Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering as a faculty member;
• Dr. Kenneth Salem, who joined the University in September 1993, retired as faculty member in the Cheriton School of Computer Science;
• Dr. Glenn Stillar, who started at Waterloo in September 1993, retired as faculty member in Communication Arts;
• Dr. Gordon Savage, who began working at Waterloo in September 1976, retired as faculty member in Systems Design Engineering;
• Dr. Gregory Berberich, who joined the University in July 2018, retired as faculty member in the School of Accounting and Finance;
• Dr. Sherry Schiff, whose academic career at Waterloo began in January 1987, retired as faculty member in Earth and Environmental Sciences;
• Stephen Cook, who joined the University in January 1991, retired as Director, Procurement & Contracts in Finance;
• Dr. Weizhen Dong, who started at Waterloo in January 2005, retired as faculty member in Sociology and Legal Studies; and
• Dr. Gordon Cormack, who joined the University in August 1983, retired as faculty member in the Cheriton School of Computer Science.

Congratulations all and enjoy your well-deserved retirement!