Tuesday, July 23, 2024

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• University of Waterloo selected as site for new regional hospital
• Experiential learning, Italian-style
• Tuesday's notes

University of Waterloo selected as site for new regional hospital

By Jordan Flemming. This is an excerpt of an article originally published on Waterloo News.

In a landmark development for health-care innovation and regional transformation, the University of Waterloo has been selected as the site of Grand River Hospital and St. Mary’s General Hospital’s new joint hospital, serving Waterloo-Wellington and beyond.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health Sylvia Jones, Minister of Red Tape Reduction Mike Harris and Minister of Colleges and Universities Jill Dunlop attended the announcement event on July 22. This new facility is part of the Hospital’s redevelopment and merger project Building the Future of Care, Together, which aims to better serve the region’s health-care needs. The event featured leaders from Grand River Hospital, St. Mary’s General Hospital and the University. Local politicians and community leaders were also in attendance.

“I'm so thrilled to be here with all of you to announce that this campus has been selected as the future site of the new Waterloo Region hospital,” Premier Ford said. “When complete, the state-of-the-art facility will be a huge part of the future of health care in this region.”

“I'm always bragging about just the incredible work you do at the University of Waterloo, second to none. I'll put our students and our profs against anyone in the world when it comes to competing in technology,” Ford continued.

Building the Future of Care, Together launched in 2022 with a $5 million grant from the Ontario Ministry of Health. Recognizing the critical need to enhance health-care services, the selection of the site on University of Waterloo’s north campus is a strategic move. This centrally located site aligns with the region’s forecasted urban and rural growth areas, making it an ideal location for this innovative health-care project.

“Now we are here to celebrate the new site of the future University of Waterloo hospital campus that will continue to expand access to key services and add more beds addressing the needs of your growing community, to ensure families across the region can connect to the care they need from now and for decades to come,” Minister Sylvia Jones said.

Sylvia Jones, Ontario's Deputy Premier and Minister of Health speaks at the announcement event.

The new Hospital will occupy approximately 60 acres in the David Johnston Research + Technology Park on the University's North Campus, fostering a closer relationship between the University and community health-care providers. Waterloo’s researchers already maintain strong relationships with hospitals across Ontario, and this new development will only strengthen these connections.

“Today’s announcement means more than a new state-of-the-art hospital in our region; it will mean a deepening of an already strong collaboration between our institution and health institutions in our community," said Vivek Goel. "It's yet another example of empowering students, faculty and community to contribute to a healthier region through community-focused, cutting-edge research and experiential learning opportunities.” 

Waterloo is home to 16 research chairs specializing in health and medical technologies and several health and medical-focused schools. The University is dedicated to providing a world-class education for its students. This collaboration promises to bring innovative health-care solutions and reimagine the future of human health through Waterloo’s tremendous strengths in research, technology, innovation and deep community connectedness.

The merger of Grand River Hospital and St. Mary’s General Hospital into a single organization is slated to be complete by Spring 2025. Redevelopment projects on existing Hospital infrastructure are underway, as is planning and design for the new Hospital. By bringing together the region’s reputation for entrepreneurial thinking, technology, innovation and experiential education, the new hospital aims to become a world-class hub for health care.

Read the full story on Waterloo News

Experiential learning, Italian-style

By Ria Menon. This article was originally published on the Faculty of Science's news site.
   
Using St. Thomas University in Rome as our home base, a group of Science students embarked on an educational and exhilarating journey across Italy, while gaining a field course credit. Our travels took us to stunning beaches, the historic streets of Rome, the enchanting canals of Venice, and the ruins of ancient Pompeii.   

Exploring Ancient Rome   

Our adventure began in Rome, where we spent our days walking along the Tiber River and exploring Vatican City. One of the fascinating aspects of Rome is its history of flooding. We saw old pillars depicting flood lines throughout the city that show how different regions marked major flooding events. Dean Chris Houser provided short lectures at various tourist destinations, enriching our understanding of Rome’s past.   
   
We also rode bikes around the city to learn about Rome's ancient aqueduct system. Built in 312 BCE, these aqueducts bring fresh drinking water from the mountains into continuously flowing fountains across the city.  
  
We visited the Tiber River Delta to learn about how it’s changed since the time of the Romans. The Tiber River Delta is now 3 km displaced from its original location because of the constant pulse of sediment from the Tiber. It was incredible to walk through what used to be the main docking area for all incoming ships but has now been eroded.  
  
The last of our Rome adventures included visiting the Colosseum, where we learned about its foundation and structural history. The Colosseum is one of the New Seven Wonders of the world and we learned about its rich history filled with gladiators, wild animals, and blood-sport entertainment for the city.  

Learning on the beaches   

Our coastal studies took us to multiple beaches, each with its own characteristics. We visited the Northwest Coast, the Northeast Coast, the Southwest Coast, the Amalfi Coast and the Isle of Capri for our hands-on learning experiences. Dean Houser did lessons on different types of waves, how beaches are formed, how they change under increasing anthropogenic impacts, and how civilization adapts to the dynamic nature of beaches and coasts. We also learned about various tactics to prevent coastal erosion. These hands-on experiences were invaluable in understanding coastal processes and management.   

The city of canals    

In Venice, we toured the islands while learning about the city's unique history. We learned about how Venice was formed and why it is gradually sinking. By analyzing historical paintings and comparing them to current water levels, we could see firsthand the progression of Venice’s submersion. We estimated the sinking level of Venice and compared it to published literature and found our results to be very similar to what was estimated and documented.  

Exploring ancient ruins and modern farms   

Our journey continued with a visit to Pasteum which is an ancient Greek temple and town. Pasteum contained three massive temples dedicated to the Greek gods, Hera, Athena, and Poseidon. We even spoke with researchers excavating the ancient ruins! 

Another ancient ruin we visited was Pompeii. In Pompeii, we roamed the ruins frozen in time by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. After the eruption, Pompeii was covered in 4 to 6 metres of volcanic ash from which the city has been excavated. We walked through historic streets and homes preserved for tourists to explore.  

Lastly, we visited a buffalo mozzarella farm where we were taken through the process of making mozzarella from milk to cheese. We experienced the traditional craftsmanship of one of the most beloved Italian cheeses while learning about Italy’s culture! 

The Amalfi Coast and Capri   

We visited the beautifully scenic Amalfi Coast where we hopped on a ferry to get to the Isle of Capri. A boat tour took us around the island where we saw natural caves and major rockslide residues. We even got a chance to swim in the Mediterranean Sea!    

A memorable experience   

Our final assignment at the end of our trip was to produce video podcasts on each of these five topics: changing coastlines, why Venice is sinking, the evolution of the Tiber River Delta, how the coast of Italy is protected, and a personal reflection on our experience abroad.

For me, this trip was more than just a tour of Italy - it was an immersive learning experience. From the historical landmarks of Rome to the sinking city of Venice and the ancient ruins of Pompeii, we gained a deeper understanding of the natural and human processes that have shaped these iconic locations. The knowledge and memories we acquired will stay with us forever, reminding us of the rich tapestry of history, culture, and science that Italy offers. 

Tuesday's notes

The Centre for Teaching Excellence is running Student Led Individually Created Course (SLICC) Instructor Workshop: Introduction to the SLICC Framework (CTE7030) today from 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. in MC 2036. The Student Led Individually Created Course (SLICC) reflective experiential learning framework is "a framework that is inherently flexible, and promotes student ownership and autonomy through co-creation of their learning experience," according to a note from the CTE. "Through this workshop, we will introduce the SLICC framework, including key components and the respective roles that students and instructors play. We will explore how SLICCs have been successfully integrated into disciplines across campus, while providing attendees with the tools to consider integration of SLICCs into their own courses and programs. Join us for an exciting session to learn if and how SLICCs might be a great fit for you!"

Members of the University community are invited to the Biomedical Engineering and Technology Research Day Keynote Address with Kathryn Grandfield on Wednesday, July 24 from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. in DC 1302.

Dr. Grandfield is an Associate Professor in the Department of Materials Science & Engineering and the Associate Dean Graduate Studies for the Faculty of Engineering at McMaster University, and her talk, entitled "Advanced microscopies for the development and characterization of biomaterials and biomineralized tissues" will focus onthe use of advanced microscopes to identify how materials can be effectively used in medical implants based on how bones are built. Grandfield will discuss several cutting-edge methods that allow us to see these processes in three dimensions and in real-time, and how by using these techniques together, we can better understand the structures and chemical properties of both natural and artificial materials. 

Register for the event on the event website.