Wednesday, July 2, 2025

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• Senior administrators begin administrating
• Reshaping bone repair with 3D printing
• EDI-R office releases Trans and Non-Binary Equity strategy
• Table Talk on brave conversations coming up and other notes

Senior administrators begin administrating

July 1, 2025 marked the beginning of a number of senior administrators' terms of office.

Dr. Thomas Duever began his term as interim vice-president, academic and provost effective July 1.  He will serve in this role until June 30, 2027.

A Waterloo alumnus, Dr. Duever spent 24 years at the University, 15 of them in leadership roles including associate chair of graduate studies, associate chair of undergraduate studies, and as chair of the chemical engineering department for nine years. His work as a professor earned him a Faculty of Engineering teaching excellence award. For the last decade, he has served as dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Architectural Science at Toronto Metropolitan University. His appointment as interim provost was announced in February. 

Duever succeeds Jim Rush, whose term as vice-president, academic and provost ended June 30, 2025.

Dr. Jochen Koenemann's term as Dean of the Faculty of Mathematics began on July 1 and runs for five years. An alumnus of the University of Saarbrücken and Carnegie Mellon University, Professor Koenemann joined the Department of Combinatorics and Optimization at the University of Waterloo in 2003 and was promoted to full Professor in 2013. He has an extensive record of publications, grants, and awards and has demonstrated significant impact in addressing real-world computational challenges in optimization.

Dr. Koenemann succeeds Dr. Mark Giesbrecht, whose term as Dean ended on June 30, 2025.

Dr. Mary Wells began her second term as Dean of the Faculty of Engineering on July 1. First joining Waterloo in 2007, Dr. Wells served as the Dean of the University of Guelph’s College of Engineering and Physical Sciences in November 2017, and returned to the University of Waterloo to serve as Dean of Engineering in July 2020.  

Her reappointment is for a three-year term.

Dr. David DeVidi, currently serving as Associate Vice-President, Academic will be continuing in the role on a one-year extension. He will also continue in the role of Chair of the Academic Innovation Working Group (AIWG).

Dr. Ian VanderBurgh has transitioned from Special Advisor to the Provost on Strategic Enrolment Management (SEM) to Associate Vice-President, SEM for a five-year term. As AVP, Dr. VanderBurgh will report directly to the Provost and will implement a consultative SEM framework that he developed after being appointed Special Advisor to the Provost last fall.

Dr. Justin Wan was appointed to the role of Interim Associate Vice-President, Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs (GSPA) for one year beginning July 1. Dr. Wan, who has held various administrative roles with the Faculty of Math, was serving a one-year term as Interim Co-Associate Vice-President, GSPA with Professor Clarence Woudsma. Dr. Woudsma has concluded his term as interim AVP. 

Dr. Ben Thompson began his term as Director of the School of Optometry & Vision Science on July 1, 2025, succeeding Dr. Stanley Woo. Dr. Thompson has been a professor at the School since 2014 and is also CEO and scientific director at the Centre for Eye and Vision Research (CEVR).

Congratulations all!

Did I miss a significant senior appointment? Let me know at bulletin@uwaterloo.ca. 

EDI-R office releases Trans and Non-Binary Equity strategy

A message from the Office of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Anti-Racism.

What kind of campus do we want to be?

It’s a powerful question—and one we each have a part in answering. Do we want to be a community where every person, regardless of their gender identity or gender expression, feels safe, valued, affirmed, and fully included? A place where no one is made to feel like they’re too much, or not enough, just for being who they are?

That vision is at the heart of the Trans and Non-Binary Equity Strategy—a strategy released by our Office that reflects a shared, campus-wide commitment to equity, belonging, and transformation. This isn’t just a strategy. It’s a call to action, a blueprint for a better Waterloo—one built together.

This work began in direct response to the attack on our campus in June 2023, which targeted gender identity and deeply impacted our 2SLGBTQIA+ communities. That act of hate and harm demanded not only reflection, but action. It made clear that safety, belonging, and inclusion cannot be assumed—they must be actively built. In the aftermath, our community came together to ask: What now? This Strategy is our way forward.

It was informed and co-created by members of our 2SLGBTQIA+ communities—students, staff, and faculty who showed deep courage in sharing their experiences and speaking up in the hope of sustainable change. They didn’t just point to problems—they helped imagine solutions. They spoke up not only for themselves, but for those who couldn’t, or didn’t feel safe enough to. That is leadership. That is community in action.

And there were those who chose not to participate—whether out of fear, fatigue, or protest—and their absence was not overlooked. Silence, too, is a message. The Strategy listens to that silence and understands it as part of the story. It reminds us how much work remains, and why this work matters.

 The development of this strategy was also shaped by the input and ongoing support of campus groups like QTA and GLOW. For years, they have advocated, supported, defended, and shown up for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community with love, grit, and determination. Their efforts laid the foundation for this moment—and for the path ahead.

This initiative was led by Washington Silk, MSW, RSW, Dr. Alex Pershai, and Danielle Boland, who guided campus-wide consultations with thoughtfulness and integrity.

This Strategy invites all of us to reflect, to listen, and turn intention into action—not just in policy, but in the everyday choices we make- how we teach, how we lead, how we speak and how we care for each other.

Review the full strategy here.

Reshaping bone repair with 3D printing

This is the latest article from the 2025 issue of Waterloo Magazine.

A team of Waterloo researchers, led by Dr. Thomas Willett, are developing a 3D-printable material that mimics human bone to improve surgical outcomes.

The nanocomposite material combines triglycerides and hydroxyapatite particles, offering mechanical reinforcement while promoting bone cell interaction.

This innovation aims to simplify bone grafting, allowing for customized, precise bone replacements and promises significant advancements in skeletal repair and reconstructive surgery.

Read more about this breakthrough research with potential applications for humans and pets.

Table Talk on brave conversations coming up and other notes

"Why do we avoid difficult conversations?" asks the EDI-R Office. "Many people at work avoid conversations about race, identity, harm, and systemic inequity—not because they don’t care, but because they’re afraid of saying the wrong thing, causing discomfort, or facing backlash. Yet real progress can’t happen if we can’t talk honestly. Join the Office of EDI-R for our latest Table Talk Session designed to help individuals and teams move beyond silence and into meaningful dialogue."

Brave Space Conversations takes place on July 23 from 12 noon to 1:30 p.m. online. The event is open to staff and faculty. Register now.
 

No need to venture out to St. Jacob's Market - the Community Well-being Fruits and Veg Market, organized by the Faculty of Engineering's wellness program, gives you the chance to grab local fruit and vegetables right here on campus. The market will be located on the first floor of Engineering 7 near the RoboHub on July 16 and July 30 while supplies last.

Information Systems & Technology (IST) has published the latest post in the Atlassian Blog Series entitled  Coming Soon: A New Look and Navigation Experience in Atlassian Products.