Tuesday, February 11, 2025

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• Waterloo receives $1 million USD pledge from Interop Labs

• A word about storm closings

• It's Kafkaesque, yo! Registration open for 2025 Grimm Lecture
• Fine Arts "Alt-Verse" project on display at THEMUSEUM

• CIGI's Digital Policy Hub issues call for applications and other notes

Waterloo receives $1 million USD pledge from Interop Labs

This article was originally published on Waterloo News.

Interop Labs, the initial developer of the Axelar Web3 interoperability network, announced today a $1 million USD donation to grow the Computer Research Endowment at the University of Waterloo. This generous contribution will support the creation of an AI and blockchain research laboratory at the David R. Cheriton School of Computer Science, the largest and top-ranked academic computer science research centre in Canada. The laboratory will be named the GENESIS Lab, standing for Generative AI for Secure, Interconnected Systems.

The donation aims to foster collaboration between academia and industry at the emerging intersection of AI and blockchain while attracting top research talent to the university through PhD fellowships, industry seminars, and postgraduate scholarships.

Advancing research in open distributed systems

The endowment will support an open-source research lab, known as the GENESIS Lab, focused on scalable, secure, multi-tenant, heterogeneous distributed systems with applications in AI and blockchain technology. The GENESIS Lab will offer 12 PhD fellowships to exceptional students and six undergraduate fellowships administered via Waterloo Blockchain, a student-run organization. The introduction of this cutting-edge facility aligns with initiatives like AI agent developer Eliza Labs' (ai16z) partnership with Stanford University, where researchers are studying how autonomous AI agents can transform digital currency systems.

"I believe we're at the beginnings of what will be known as a complete rewrite of modern computer systems. Superior capabilities powered by AI, coupled with global distribution and payments rails offered by blockchain systems, demand new attention to how systems are built and used,” said Sergey Gorbunov, CEO of Interop Labs, co-founder of Axelar protocol and associate professor at Waterloo. “Waterloo is uniquely positioned to address these challenges, given its amazing talent, open innovation principles and track record."

A history of innovation at University of Waterloo

The University of Waterloo has a well-established history of producing advances in computer technology. It is home to the Institute for Quantum Computing, the Waterloo Data and Artificial Intelligence Institute and the Cybersecurity and Privacy Institute. The university's open-IP policy removes friction from company formation, turning researchers into entrepreneurs – part of why Waterloo is a leader in graduating unicorn founders. Notable former students in the blockchain industry include Vitalik Buterin, co-creator of the Ethereum blockchain, and Liam Horne, former CEO of Optimism Labs.

"We are grateful to Interop Labs for their generous gift that will help us push the boundaries of AI and blockchain innovation,” said Vivek Goel, president and vice-chancellor at Waterloo. “Enabling inter-disciplinary and industry co-operation, this partnership exemplifies Waterloo’s commitment to collaborating with industry leaders as we continue to attract top research talent and innovate solutions for a better future for humanity and our planet.”

The Cheriton School of Computer Science is making significant strides in the realm of blockchain and artificial intelligence through strategic partnerships with industry leaders. The school’s director, Dr. Raouf Boutaba, believes this latest collaboration with Interop Labs is set to amplify the global influence of the school's cutting-edge research.

"Collaborations with industry leaders like Interop Labs, whose groundbreaking work on the Axelar network is shaping the blockchain sector, is the key to accelerating the global impact of the transformative research happening in the Cheriton School of Computer Science,” Boutaba said. "This partnership leverages the expertise of both organizations to drive innovation at the intersection of blockchain and AI—an area poised to redefine the future of society.”

A word about storm closings

With Waterloo under a special weather statement, now is the perfect opportunity to review the University’s Weather Closing Guidelines. 

According to the guidelines, the University and the affiliated and federated institutions of Waterloo will close "because of severe weather when normal operation would pose a significant danger to students and employees, or would prevent large numbers of them from coming to campus or returning safely to their homes.")

The decision to close or remain open in severe weather is usually made by the Vice-President, Academic and Provost in consultation with the Director of the Special Constable Service, the Associate Vice-President, Communications, and the Executive Director of Plant Operations. The provost and the team of advisors connect to consider the conditions whenever severe weather is in the forecast and the team also seeks a wealth of information to inform the difficult decision of whether it is safe to keep campuses open.

The advisory team evaluates:

• multiple sources of weather information and radar, as well as actual outside conditions, and the forecasted conditions throughout the day;
• community impacts, such as what other local institutions including the school board and the City of Waterloo are doing;
• the condition of campus, including pathways, roadways, and buildings - and how long it will take to make movement on campus safe; 
• the status of local and regional roads, with input from the local city governments;
• whether local and regional public transportation is running including GRT, ION, and GO; and
• the conditions at Waterloo's satellite campuses.

The guidelines define the condition of "closed" to mean that "classes are not held; meetings and other scheduled events are cancelled; scheduled examinations are cancelled, to be rescheduled; deadlines for assignments and other submissions are postponed until the same hour on the next business day on which UW is not "closed"; staff, other than those providing "essential services," are not expected to be at work, but are paid for a normal day."

Unless messaging indicates otherwise, the University’s default status is “open.”

Notice of the University's status will be posted on days where severe weather is forecast, normally at 6:00 a.m., to allow faculty, staff and students time to decide their course of action that day. As the guidelines indicate, "those who judge that it may be unsafe to come to campus should discuss alternate work and study arrangements with their instructor or supervisor."

In the event of severe weather that warrants a closure, all members of the University community should check the Regroup Mobile app to learn whether or not the University has closed. Information will be posted on the University’s homepage, social media, and the Campus Status page, which features real-time status updates for each of Waterloo's campuses, links to the Eric D. Soulis Memorial Weather Station on the north campus, Environment Canada weather notices for the region and safety tips that will be updated in the event of severe weather.

The old standbys of checking local radio stations and visiting local media websites still apply as well. If you can hold out until 9:00 a.m., the Daily Bulletin will also make a note of whether or not campus is open or closed.

It's Kafkaesque, yo! Registration open for 2025 Grimm Lecture

A message from the Waterloo Centre for German Studies.

The Waterloo Centre for German Studies is excited to announce that registration is now open for the 2025 Grimm Lecture featuring Karolina Watroba!

Dr. Watroba's lecture, "Kafka Around the World," explores how Franz Kafka, a relatively unknown writer at the time of his death in 1924 at the age of forty, would become one of the most iconic voices - and faces - of modern literature. What is it about the life and literature of this unassuming Jewish man from Prague that has resonated with readers across cultures and generations?

The event takes place Thursday, February 27, 7:00 p.m., in the Balsillie School of International Affairs' CIGI Auditorium and online. A reception will follow.

Please note this is a hybrid event - you can attend in-person or online. By registering and choosing an online or in-person ticket, you help us calculate our catering numbers and give us a way of providing you with a secure link to the online transmission.

Grimm Lecture 2025 registration

 Fine Arts "Alt-Verse" project on display at THEMUSEUM

Artwork by Sarah Guenther,  entitled  This is the Future! We Have You Surrounded!  Photo by Cree Amber Tylee. 

This article was originally published on the Fine Arts website.

The ‘Alt-Verse’ project by FINE 247 students from the fall 2024 term will be displayed at THEMUSEUM's new immersive gallery, EYEPOOL.

The interactive art installations by students Amna Sahi, Alex Chau, Brenda Duany Ruenes, Emilia Castillo, Judas Wolfe, Matilda Pawlega, Sarah Guenther, Sarah Soohyun Cheon, Shirley Huang, Simone Behl, and Zo Wakerfield can be seen from February 12 to 23 with a reception on Wednesday, February 19, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Fine Arts professor, Xuan Ye, has created a unique opportunity for their FINE 247 students. In FINE 247, students learn to become future creative technologists by creating interactive artworks using the TouchDesigner visual programming language. They explore human-computer interactions by integrating sound, moving images and real-time data feeds—utilizing ML-based (machine learning) motion capture and projection mapping.

A unique collaboration with THEMUSEUM sees Fine Arts students installing their final project in the museum’s first permanent immersive gallery experience called EYEPOOL, which opened in spring 2023 to host digital, projection-based content on various themes. State-of-the-art projectors by Kitchener-based Christie Digital create an immersive experience that flows over the walls and floor of the 800-square-foot gallery and combines visuals, sound and technology. THEMUSEUM works with local artists and post-secondary programs locally and across Ontario to feature work in their spaces.

FINE students in the Fall 2024 cohort are exploring the theme ‘Alt-Verse’ by investigating alternate worlds, realities, and digital ecosystems that illuminate the possibilities and limitations of perception, technology, and identity. They conceptualize, design, and program speculative environments that exist alongside—or in contrast to—our known worlds. The interactive art installations use EYEPOOL's technological infrastructure to enhance immersion, playing with physical space as a gateway to alternative dimensions.

In December, the ‘Alt-Verse’ project was critiqued at EYEPOOL, with its senior director of curation and technology manager in attendance. Selected student works from that session now culminate in an exhibition from February 12 through 23, 2025.

CIGI's Digital Policy Hub issues call for applications and other notes

The Digital Policy Hub at the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI) has opened applications for the 2025-2026 Academic Year Cohort.

Applications close Monday, March 3.

Visiting artist Margruite Krahn is hosting a traditional print making workshop at historic Brubacher House on Saturday, February 22 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. "Choose between making canvas or pre-primed paper placemats, wall hangings, or floor mats and register before February 14," says a note from the Brubacher House. "This event will conclude the Resurfacing: Mennonite Floor Patterns exhibit at the Grebel Gallery, which is open 8:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Monday to Friday and 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Saturdays.