Friday, November 29, 2024

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• Fine Arts celebrates 30 years since its first cohort of graduates
• Conference on Vision and Intelligence Systems set to take place next week
• Engineering celebrates winners of research photo contest
• Winterfest Handmade Market set for Tuesday and Wednesday
• New Biomedical Engineering Graduate program launches
• December kicks off with concerts and other notes

Fine Arts celebrates 30 years since its first cohort of graduates

A message from the Office of the President.

The University of Waterloo’s Fine Arts Class of 2025 represents the 30^th anniversary of the program’s first graduating group of MFA students. The works from members of the current class of five artists are featured this month in the President’s display case. These MFA students will be defending their thesis work in 2025 in the University of Waterloo Art Gallery (UWAG).  

The MFA students include Breanne Jeethan, Jordan MacDonald, Azadeh Prazimian, Paige Smith and Cree Tylee.

Breanne Jeethan is a multidisciplinary artist and designer originally from Toronto. She has a passion for photography, textiles, and handmade practices. Major themes in her work include, women, the body, individuality, race, cultural practices, and religion. The connection between the work and the audience has allowed her to share personal stories in a visual matter. With interests in healthcare, Breanne's current MFA focus involves internal scans of the body in relation to mistreatment among the population.     

Jordan MacDonald is a versatile multi-disciplinary artist, originally based on the unceded traditional territory of the Syilx (Okanagan Valley, British Columbia). Her art practice explores the intricate connection between nature and the human experience. Rooted in her sensory perception of the world, her creative expression takes shape through various mediums, such as painting, sculpture, and mixed media, resulting in a unique fusion of emotions and reflections.  

 Azadeh Pirazimian is an Iranian-Canadian multidisciplinary artist whose work explore themes of belonging, betweenness, places and resiliency in diaspora through diverse media, Azadeh's artistic practice merges various disciplines, including drawing, mark-making, photography, video, performance, and sculpture. Her current ceramic sound makers aim to disrupt the space by producing sounds through the audience touch sensory while holding the objects and shaking them.

Paige Smith is a visual artist and experimental filmmaker whose work investigates perceptions of body and place.  She works across a variety of mediums — including moving-image, performance, print material, and installation — emphasizing reflexivity and materiality. Examining uncatalogued histories within archives,  Smith collapses the distinction between fiction/reality to reveal how systems of power inform our understanding of ourselves and each other.  

Cree Tylee is a multimedia artist whose work is a convergence of materials and recollection through photographic and sculptural investigations. Tylee explores how interactions with organic ‘altars’ allude to emotional environments that explore memory, loss and longing. Tylee navigates the concepts of time, labour and weight through considerations of personal histories and allegory.  

Every month, the Office of the President’s display case features University of Waterloo innovation and academic excellence through exhibits that showcase ground-breaking research and inventions produced by students, faculty, and researchers. The exhibits are a great opportunity for partners, donors, international delegations to get a sense of what’s happening on campus when they visit the President in his office.   

Learn more about Waterloo’s MFA program.  

Conference on Vision and Intelligence Systems set to take place next week

The 10^th Annual Conference On Vision and Intelligence Systems will take place on Monday, December 2 and Tuesday, December 3.

"This milestone event aims to bring together our vibrant academic community and industry professionals to share insights and foster collaborations in artificial intelligence, computer vision, sensing, and imaging technologies," say conference organizers.

Highlights of CVIS 2024 include:

• Keynote speeches by distinguished leaders in the field;

• Networking opportunities with professionals from academia and industry;

• Poster presentations showcasing innovative projects and ideas; and

• Oral presentations showing the latest advancements in the field.

CVIS 2024 is free to attend and will take place in Davis Centre 1301 and 1302. To secure your spot, please register. For detailed information on the conference agenda, speakers, and venue details, visit the CVIS 2024 website.

Engineering celebrates winners of research photo contest

A message from the Faculty of Engineering.

The Faculty of Engineering is excited to announce the winners of the 2024 Art of Engineering and Architecture research photo contest. Now in its second year, this contest celebrates the intersection of art and research across the University of Waterloo’s Faculty of Engineering by providing faculty, students and staff to showcase their research, scholarly, and artistic work in a creative and visually compelling way.

Congratulations to our 2024 winners! Selected by a Faculty-wide vote, these entries stood out for their exceptional blend of artistic creativity and research innovation. 

• 1^st place: Shakiba Samsami (chemical engineering graduate student) – Chaotic but not disordered
• 2^nd place: Milad Kamkar (chemical engineering assistant professor) – Ultralight weight 3D printed aerogel
• 3^rd place: Cassandra Lesage Fongue (architecture graduate student) – Guano on silver

To read full descriptions of the winning photos, visit the contest selection webpage.

Throughout the year, these images will be featured in our communications and beyond to showcase the ground-breaking research happening within our Faculty.

Winterfest Handmade Market set for Tuesday and Wednesday

The Staff Association’s Winterfest Handmade Market (formerly known as the craft sale) takes place Tuesday, December 3 and Wednesday, December 4 in the Student Life Centre’s Multipurpose Room. All UWaterloo community members are welcome to drop by the Multipurpose Room between 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. to shop items handmade by staff, students, and alumni. At least 10 per cent of proceeds from each vendor go to fund UWSA student awards and staff grants—and each purchase gets you one entry into a raffle draw for a $200 Visa gift card and assorted items generously donated by vendors!

New Biomedical Engineering Graduate program launches

This article was originally published on the Faculty of Engineering website.

The University of Waterloo’s Faculty of Engineering is thrilled to announce the launch of its Biomedical Engineering (BME) Graduate program. This new academic program is designed for students with a STEM background looking to advance or build their careers in the innovative worlds of biomedical engineering research and development.  

Working at the intersection of life sciences, medicine and engineering, BME graduate students will tackle health-care challenges with interdisciplinary expertise for real-world impact. Applications are now open for the Fall 2025 intake and will close on February 1, 2025. 

“After decades of conducting impactful biomedical engineering-related research and ten years of a highly in-demand and successful undergraduate program in biomedical engineering, we are thrilled to launch our long-awaited biomedical engineering graduate program,” said Dr. Thomas Willett, a professor in the Department of Systems Design Engineering and director of the new biomedical engineering graduate program. 

“Students can look forward to expert training and boundary-breaking research opportunities with leading faculty members from across campus to develop future-focused health care solutions.” 

The program offers prospective students two distinct pathways, both supported by world-class facilities and faculty members renowned for their contributions to the field. 

The Master of Applied Science (MASc) is ideal for recent graduates and professionals seeking to enhance their biomedical knowledge and research skills. 

The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) is designed for those aiming to pursue careers in academia, government or industry through deep, research-intensive studies. 

Waterloo’s BME graduate students will advance health care with important innovations in medical technologies and devices, and breakthrough discoveries and developments in biomedical engineering research. As part of the vibrant Waterloo Engineering community, they will have the support they need to do important work that changes the future for the better.   

The program is a partnership between the Departments of Systems Design Engineering, Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering and Electrical and Computer Engineering.  

Go to Biomedical Engineering Graduate Studies to learn more about this exciting opportunity and how to apply.

December kicks off with concerts and other notes

The Jazz Ensemble presents the Spirit of St. Frederick on Sunday, December 1 at 2:00 p.m. in Conrad Grebel University College's Great Hall.

"A jazz concert encompassing compositions influenced by the traditions and talents of America, Canada, Cuba, with a Christmas twist thrown in just for fun!" says a note from the music department. "Composers featured this term include Neil Hefti, Lennie Niehaus, Gordon Goodwin, Nick Lane and Chris Sharp. The Jazz Ensemble is directed by Michael Wood." Admission is free.

Not to be outdone, five different isntrumental chamber ensembles will give the Fall 2024 Instrumental Chamber Ensembles Concert on Sunday, December 1 at 7:30 p.m. sharp (please excuse the pun) in the Conrad Grebel chapel. "This concert is a highlight of every term," says the music department. "Please join us for some beautiful classical music, performed by five different student groups playing a diverse range of instruments.  Composers featured this term include Bach, Beethoven, and Brahms. Chamber Ensembles are directed by Ben Bolt-Martin." Admission for this concert is also free.

Information Systems & Technology (IST) has published the latest in the Atlassian blog series entitled "Folders Are Now Available in Confluence!"