Wednesday, October 16, 2024

All's fair at the OUF

A message from Marketing and Undergraduate Recruitment (MUR).

The annual Ontario Universities’ Fair took place at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre on October 5 and 6 and, in keeping with tradition, continued to attract a huge audience, with 70,654 attending over the two-day undergraduate student recruitment event.

Waterloo faculty, staff, and students enthusiastically welcomed visitors to our booth, answering questions, emphasizing our co-op program, sharing about the Waterloo student experience, and connecting prospective students to our online communications so they can continue to learn more. This year, we distributed about 62 per cent more viewbooks to visitors and added about 17 per cent more parent and student leads to our mailing list as compared to last year.

Waterloo’s participation in the OUF is led and co-ordinated by Marketing and Undergraduate Recruitment, and we were joined by President Vivek Goel on Sunday afternoon.

Graham Data Centre receives renewed funding

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

A joint investment from the Digital Research Alliance of Canada (the Alliance) and the Ontario Ministry of Colleges and Universities (MCU) to renew high performance computing and cloud storage at the Graham Data Centre will provide researchers across Canada with robust compute capacity and secure storage to advance ground-breaking research.

The funding was announced during an event held at the University of Waterloo and attended by Bryan May, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Small Business and the Honourable Nolan Quinn, Ontario’s Minister of Colleges and Universities.

From left to right: Bryan May, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Small Business, the Honourable Nolan Quinn, Ontario’s Minister of Colleges and Universities, and George Ross, chief executive officer of the Digital Research Alliance of Canada, attending the funding announcement at the University of Waterloo.

 “Since 2017, the computing power of the University of Waterloo’s Graham Data Centre has been harnessed by thousands of researchers from multiple research institutions to drive innovation in areas from climate change to drug discovery to AI,” said Dr. Charmaine Dean, vice-president, Research andInternational. “Being at the forefront of research and innovation demands powerful computing capacity to support the rapid technological advancements made by our students, faculty and entrepreneurs. That’s why today’s announcement of funding for digital research infrastructure is vitally important.  Thank you to our partners at the Digital Research Alliance of Canada and the Ontario Ministry of Colleges and Universities for recognizing the importance of this shared resource.”  

The Graham Data Centre is part of a national network of large-scale computing resources that are critical for advanced research computing (ARC). The latest investment  will enable faster processing speeds, greater storage capacity and improved reliability to better address the needs of researchersacross Canada.

Read the full story on Waterloo News

Library launches Support for Open Access Search Tool to save researchers time

A message from the Library.

As we gear up for Open Access Week on October 21 to 25, the Library is spotlighting our new "Support for Open Access Search Tool," which saves Waterloo researchers time in screening whether a journal is covered under a library open access agreement.

Learn more by checking out the OA Search Tool

Every mile mattered at Ride for Refuge

By Rebecca Wagner.

As hundreds of people set off around Ring Road and the David Johnston Research + Technology Park on Saturday, October 5, for the annual Ride for Refuge bike ride and walk, they were joined by thousands of participants across the country who took part in similar initiatives to raise funds to support refugees as they build new lives across Canada. 

King Warrior and Toasty were on hand to greet dozens of recently arrived refugees, local representatives from all levels of government, United College staff, students and dons, Reception House staff and volunteers, and Waterloo Region community members, who all came together to showcase the vibrant city and campus.  

For the second year in a row, United College hosted Reception House’s signature annual fundraising event, Ride for Refuge, which raises funds to support the resettlement of refugees in Waterloo Region, reprising a partnership that sees both organizations come together for the greater good of the community they serve. 

Proceeds from this year’s event will support Reception House’s Refugee Health Fund; supporting refugees with health care needs that are not covered by the province.     

When asked “what do you love about Waterloo,” attendee’s responses captured the small, tight-knit community the University and the Region of Waterloo are creating; “it feels like a small community,” “I love the nice people of Waterloo,” “growth and diversity,” “the geese,” “King Warrior!”  United College is happy to play a role in building a welcoming environment for our newest community members.    

What do YOU love about Waterloo?

Connect with the bros at speed-friending event and other notes

The Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Office and Campus Wellness are hosting a men's event for students on Wednesday, October 24. "Join us for an unforgettable evening of connection and camaraderie at our Pop Culture Speed Friend Event, Bro-Connect!" says a note from SVPRO. "Whether you’re a die-hard movie buff or a music aficionado, this is your chance to meet like-minded individuals who share your passion."

"Get ready for rapid-fire conversations centered around your favourite films, iconic soundtracks, and legendary artists. Each round will have fun, themed prompts to spark engaging discussions and help you find your new besties. From classic rock to blockbuster hits, there's something for everyone! Come as you are and be prepared to make connections that might just lead to your next movie night or concert buddy. Refreshments will be provided, so sign up and let’s make some memories! This event is open to all students who identify as men."

Register now (if you're man enough).

The Value of Water in Canada webinar series continues today with Fixing Water, which features Derek Davy, CEO, Econse Water Technologies Inc. The webinar kicks off at 12 noon today. Register now.

This webinar series highlights state-of-the-art water valuation practices in Canada.

Also today, the Centre for Career Development is hosting its annual Academic Career Conference, which will take place over two days this week, with in-person events today and online events tomorrow. The theme for this year's conference is "Inclusion in academic contexts: showing up as you in academia." Attendees will join workshops, lightning talks, and discussion panels aimed at helping graduate students and postdocs prepare for a career in academia. "Join us to discuss how gender, cultural, religious and disability identities are integrated (or not) in the academic environment to foster a more inclusive space where everyone can  show up as themselves," says the conference blurb.