Wednesday, September 11, 2024

Black and Gold Week to feature special events on and off campus

The spirit of community is alive and well at Waterloo this fall, and students, faculty and staff are invited to come together for Black and Gold Week.

“Waterloo is comprised of passionate and dynamic individuals who care about each other and the world outside our campuses,” wrote Eleanor McMahon, Vice-President, University Relations in a memo to employees earlier this week. “Every day, we show up to support, encourage, and celebrate our community and in recognition, we are introducing Black and Gold Week.” 

Black and Gold Week runs from September 16 to 21 and features several free events that highlight Waterloo’s connection to the community, our commitment to philanthropy, and our Warrior spirit on the football field.

Monday, September 16 - The latest in the University of Waterloo’s Conversations on Trust in Science and Technology lecture series explores the impact of misinformation about climate change and its impact for climate action. Register for this free, in-person or online event.

Tuesday, September 17 - As we prepare to kick off our annual United Way campaign in support of United Way Waterloo Region Communities, join with your friends and colleagues across campus for a free barbeque, live music, and games. Food will be available while quantities last. Sign up on Ticketfi. 

Thursday, September 19 - Wear your black and gold, and bring your umbrella and community spirit to the United Way March of 1,000 Umbrellas. Walk with UWaterloo colleagues and community partners from Waterloo City Hall to Kitchener City Hall in support of the United Way campaign launch. The event is free to attend; please register.

Saturday, September 21 - Warriors unite at the 2024 Homecoming! Join for activities including free yoga, and our Homecoming game featuring the Warriors against Laurier.

Saturday, September 21 - Hosted by the City of Waterloo, Lumen is an immersive festival celebrating light, art and technology. The University is proud to support this free, annual community event – come visit the UWaterloo activations in Uptown Waterloo! 

“Thank you for the energy, enthusiasm, and engagement you bring to our University,” McMahon’s memo concludes. “I hope you will enjoy Black and Gold Week events with your colleagues and friends, and I look forward to seeing you during what promises to be a fun and inspiring week!”

For more information about these and other fall events visit the Black and Gold Week website.

2024 Tech Horizons Executive Forum set for November 26

By Emma Pavlovich. This article was originally published on Waterloo News.

As technology increasingly transforms business strategy, it is crucial for senior leaders to stay ahead of the curve.

The University of Waterloo’s Tech Horizons Executive Forum, brought to you by WatSPEED and hosted by CIBC, returns this year to equip executives with the insights and tools needed to thrive in a world increasingly driven by technology. This year’s event will take place on November 26 at CIBC Square in Toronto.

Tailored for senior leaders seeking a comprehensive view of the current and future trends impacting Canada’s technology and business landscape, the Forum offers a rich blend of keynote speeches, panel discussions and interactive sessions. Designed to provide leaders with actionable insights into the latest emerging technologies and their real-world applications, attendees will gain the knowledge needed to drive innovation and lead through ongoing disruption.

“As the pace of technological change accelerates, it’s critical for senior leaders to not only understand the innovations shaping our future but also to leverage these advancements to drive sustainable growth and navigate uncertainty,” says Sanjeev Gill, associate vice-president, Innovation and executive director of WatSPEED. “The Tech Horizons Executive Forum provides a unique opportunity to hear directly from top industry and academic minds, equipping leaders with the knowledge and strategies they need to stay ahead in a rapidly evolving landscape.”

Building on the success of last year’s sold-out event, this year’s lineup is set to feature a roster of world-class industry experts. Attendees will join more than 250 peers to hear directly from Victor Dodig, president and CEO, CIBC, Mellody Hobson, president and co-CEO, Ariel Investments, Bruce Flatt, CEO of Brookfield Asset Management and many more.

Leading researchers from the University of Waterloo will also join the Forum to share groundbreaking research and insights on the most pressing issues executives face today. Topics will cover the responsible use of artificial intelligence (AI), the adoption and applications of AI, sustainability and strategies for navigating geopolitical and economic uncertainty.

To learn more and secure your spot at the Tech Horizons Executive Forum, visit the event website.

Celebrate Mennonite Heritage Week 2024 with Conrad Grebel

A message from Conrad Grebel University College.

The second week of September is Mennonite Heritage Week. At Conrad Grebel University College, this week is an occasion to share about Mennonite history and culture. Offering several ways to engage with Mennonite history during Mennonite Heritage Week 2024, Grebel is hosting a book launch and has two Mennonite-themed exhibits on display.

In his new book, Radicals and Reformers: A Survey of Global Anabaptist History, historian and Grebel professor Troy Osborne reflects on the ways that Anabaptists have defined their identity and lived out their faith in new environments and in response to a variety of different contexts. Hosted by the Institute of Anabaptist and Mennonite Studies, the book launch will take place on September 12 at 4:00 p.m. in room 2202 at Grebel. A pop-up exhibit in the Grebel Gallery invites viewers to reflect on the messaging and design work that goes into inspiring peace action, in "Signs of Peace: A Retrospective of Peace Posters." And a self-guided exhibit called “What They Carried,” located in the Mennonite Archives of Ontario Gallery at Grebel, displays artifacts carried by Mennonite immigrants from the Soviet Union from 1923-1930. 

Other ways to get a taste of Mennonite heritage include taking a tour of Brubacher House museum on the University of Waterloo’s north campus, visiting the Milton Good Library to view works of art on display by Mennonite artists or on Mennonite themes, or checking out the series of recorded lectures from the Bechtel Lectures in Anabaptist-Mennonite Studies.

Read more about Mennonite Heritage Week 2024.   

Playing to win for Waterloo

A message from the Office of Advancement.

As Waterloo looks forward to hosting the 2025 U SPORTS Women’s Hockey Championship in March, Warriors team captain Leah Herrfort (BA ’24, Economics) describes how a donor made a difference in her hockey career.

Read Leah’s story in the 2023-24 Report on Giving.

Water Institute webinar series continues today and other notes

The Water Institute's Value of Waterloo webinar series continues today with Monitoring water resources in Canada: The value of water data and national hydrometric program. The lecture is presented by Wayne Jenkinson, Executive Director, National Hydrological Service, Meteorological Service of Canada, ECCC. 

The webinar series targets anyone from academia to non-government agencies and practitioners who are interested in better understanding the value of water in Canada from a broad social science perspective, and how this value is captured, acknowledged and integrated in Canadian water policy and decision-making. The webinar takes place at 12 noon.

Today is the Velocity - Up Start Application Deadline for those of you keeping track. Up to $15,000 of grant funding is available to help you commercialize your research, project, or idea. Up Start is a Velocity/WatCo funding program designed to support Waterloo researchers, founders and recent alumni exploring technology commercialization.

The Faculty of Science is hosting Infodemic! Is Misinformation Killing Us? featuring professor and author Tim Caulfield takes place Thursday, September 12 from 5:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. in Federation Hall. "The spread of misinformation seems to intensify with each passing week," says the lecture's abstract. "Indeed, it is a defining characteristic of our time! And research tells us that misinformation is doing tangible harm — to public health, mental health, public discourse, personal relationships, and public trust. How did we get here, why do people believe, and what can we do about it?" This event is free for Waterloo students, and a select number of general admission tickets are still available. Fed Hall's doors open at 5:30 p.m.

Also tomorrow, the Lectures in Catholic Experience presents Michael W. Higgins from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at St. Jerome's University. "On the eve of the second session of the Synod on Synodality, the most important church event in Catholic life since the end of the Second Vatican Council in 1965, Michael W. Higgins, Vatican analyst, biographer and scholar, will identify the reasons why this Synod matters, why its ecumenical constitution is so innovative, and why we are on the cusp of a radical re-shaping of how we do things as a church," the LCE abstract says. Dr. Higgins is President and Vice-Chancellor Emeritus of St. Jerome's University, serving in the role from 1999 to 2006.

Employers hosting Employer Information Sessions this week and next week include Wawanesa, Deloitte, Christie Digital, EY, OTPP, Manulife, CIBC, AimCo, BDO, Census, Bloomberg, Scotiabank, Capital One, Citadel, Sun Life, Genesys, and Fairfax. Make sure to register through WaterlooWorks and check the calendar for any updates.