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Ming Li receives 2024 IEEE Computer Society W. Wallace McDowell Award
This is an excerpt of an article originally published on Waterloo News.
University Professor Ming Li is the 2024 recipient of the IEEE Computer Society W. Wallace McDowell Award, a prestigious honour conferred for his pioneering and enduring contributions to modern information theory and bioinformatics.
Named after W. Wallace McDowell, director of engineering at IBM during the development of the landmark IBM 701 computer, the award has been conferred annually since 1966 by the IEEE Computer Society for outstanding theoretical, design, educational, practical, or other innovative contributions.
“Congratulations to Ming on receiving the 2024 Wallace McDowell Award,” said Raouf Boutaba, Professor and Director of the Cheriton School of Computer Science. “This recognition is richly deserved. Ming has not only been a pioneer in Kolmogorov complexity and in doing so has laid the foundation for a modern information theory, but he is also an innovator in computational biology by applying machine learning to develop personalized immunotherapies to treat cancer and infectious diseases.”
About University Professor Ming Li
University Professor Li completed his PhD at Cornell University in 1985, followed by a postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard. In 1989 he joined the University of Waterloo as an Associate Professor in what was then the Department of Computer Science, and was promoted to Full Professor in 1994. He was named the Canada Research Chair in Bioinformatics, a prestigious position he has held continuously since 2002. In 2009 he was named a University Professor, a title conferred to University of Waterloo faculty to recognize exceptional scholarly achievement and international pre-eminence.
Read the full article on the School of Computer Science website.
Faculty of Mathematics launches Equity and Inclusive Communities Principles
A message from the Faculty of Mathematics.
“It is always a difficult balance to strike,” said Mark Giesbrecht, dean of the Faculty of Mathematics, “between reflecting what we believe, and defining actional things we can go forward with and actually apply in our everyday life.”
Giesbrecht was welcoming participants to the January 31 launch of the Equity and Inclusive Communities Principles, a new set of eleven principles developed over the last two years for the Faculty of Mathematics by a committee of eighteen faculty, staff, and students, including members from the Office of Indigenous Relations and the Centre for Teaching Excellence’s Indigenous Knowledges and Anti-Racist Pedagogies Unit. This work was also supported by Waterloo’s Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Anti-Racism office.
The principles were particularly designed to be accessible to people regardless of where they were on their journey, explains Jeremy Steffler, the Faculty of Mathematics’ Equity Officer and leader of the project.
“One of the great understandings gained through this process was an appreciation of the sense of connection and the degree of reciprocity the Faculty of Mathematics has with many communities,” Steffler says. “While the Principles are intended to guide our efforts toward greater equity and inclusion, the Faculty is part of a university and other external communities, and many diverse communities exist within the Faculty. Choosing to acknowledge ‘communities’ right in the name helps frame our intentions to be thinking in a more holistic way.”
Read the full article on the Faculty of Mathematics website.
Test of the University's emergency communications system
What is happening? We will be testing the University’s campus-wide emergency communication system.
When is this happening? Wednesday, February 7 at 1:30 p.m.
What is the impact? Emergency communication channels being tested include:
- Tweets to @UWaterloo and @WatSAFEapp
- WatSAFE mobile app
- The ‘WatSAFE Desktop Notification’ on-screen pop-up for desktops and laptops
- Portal alerts and push notifications
Messaging: The message displayed will read “TEST of the UW Emergency Notification System. During an actual emergency or threat you would receive instructions. No action is required.” More information regarding the emergency would be available at alert.uwaterloo.ca.
Approximately 15 minutes after the test activation message is sent, a deactivation message will display, “The test of the UW Emergency Notification System is complete.”
In the event of a real emergency during this test, please contact Police Services at 519-888-4911, or ext. 22222.
Be sure to install the WatSAFE app on your device and WatSAFE Desktop Notification tool on your desktop/laptop to receive this test message, and more importantly, to stay informed of campus emergency situations. Visit the WatSAFE website for more details.
Questions or concerns? Please contact the IST Service Desk via the IST Help Portal.
Summary of the January 29, 2024 Meeting of Senate
A message from the Secretariat.
The University of Waterloo Senate is comprised of faculty, undergraduate and graduate students, alumni, governors, and administrative staff who are both elected and ex-officio members. This governing body of the institution is the highest authority on academic matters and meets regularly to discuss topics such as academic programs, educational policies, appointments, and other academic priorities.
At the January 29, 2024 meeting, the following items were approved:
- Major program modifications:
- New specialization plans in quantum engineering, nanotechnology engineering, and planning
- Inactivation of the Global Experience Certificate
- Revisions to the Institutional Quality Assurance Process (IQAP)
- Dissolution of the Survey Research Centre
- Revisions to Policy 76 – Faculty Appointments and to Policy 77 – Tenure and Promotion of Faculty Members, with a recommendation to the Board of Governors to give final approval to said revisions
- Approval of several individuals as candidates to receive the honorary titles Distinguished Professor Emeritus/a, as well as Honorary Member of the University
- Revisions to academic regulations:
- Academic accommodations regarding self-declaration of short-term illness
- Invalid credit combinations in certain diploma programs
- Co-op plan requirements and repeat course rule, both within the Faculty of Environment
Additionally, Senate received updates for information:
- 2023 annual report of the Office of Vice-President, Research and International
- Faculty update presentation – Environment
- Undergraduate and graduate admissions data, with projections for Fall 2024
- Report from the University Committee on Student Appeals re: data on academic offences in the September 2022-August 2023 period
For more information
Visit the Senate website to find the meeting agenda and related materials for all recent Senate meetings, as well as dates for upcoming meetings. The Secretariat will make Zoom links available to those wishing to attend meetings virtually.
If you have any questions, please contact the Secretariat at senate@uwaterloo.ca.
Mirrorless Monday today and other notes
The 5th annual "Mirrorless Monday" campaign is happening in washrooms across the University campus today. Mirrorless Monday is a movement to encourage body acceptance through various messages on mirrors and a campaign that seeks to remind everyone that their self-worth is not tied to a reflection in a mirror.
During the one-day campaign, select washroom mirrors across campus will be partly covered with supportive messages and resources including Campus Wellness, Counselling Services, MATES, Good2Talk, and NEDIC. The messages will be placed on the mirrors at the beginning of the day and removed by 10:00 a.m. the following day. The Mirrorless Monday messages will be shared on the @uwaterloolife Instagram account.
It's election season for the Waterloo Undergraduate Student Association (WUSA), as candidates vie for Board of Director and executive positions. Candidate Booth Days will be taking place today in the SLC Marketplace and will run on February 7 and 8 in the SLC Marketplace from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. The election will be held from February 12 to 14.