Editor:
Brandon Sweet
University Communications
bulletin@uwaterloo.ca
Antagonism and Intimidation in Academia series returns
On September 22, the University of Waterloo will host the “Exploring the Tensions between Censorship and Free Speech” panel discussion as part of the Antagonism and Intimidation in Academia Speaker Series. This panel focuses on issues relating to free speech, hate speech laws, and freedom of expression in and beyond university environments. It brings significant attention to the wealth and poverty of free speech, to university conduct under the rubric of expanding freedom of expression, and to matters concerning the banning of symbols, emblems, flags, uniforms, and insignia under hate speech laws.
Panelists include:
- Dr. Honor Brabazon, Associate Professor of Legal Studies at St. Jerome’s University in the University of Waterloo
- Dr. Allyson Lunny is an Associate Professor of Law & Society at the Department of Social Science, York University
- Alexie Tcheuyap is a Professor of French and Dean of the Faculty of Arts at the University of Waterloo
- Dr. Shana MacDonald (Moderator) is O’Donovan Chair in Communication Across the Curriculum and Associate Professor in Communication Arts at the University of Waterloo
This in-person event will take place on Monday, September 22 from 3:00 – 4:25 p.m. with a reception to follow in the MBET Classroom – E7 2324/2328. Space is limited, register today.
AgeTech Innovation Challenge kick-off set for September 15
Are you a Waterloo student who's ready to shape the future of aging and community care? If so, join the AgeTech Innovation Challenge and compete for $2,500 in prizes!
The AgeTech Innovation Challenge is presented by the Centre for Aging + Brain Health Innovation (CABHI), the Network for Aging Research (NAR), and Velocity.
The kick-off event takes place on Monday, September 15 from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. in the SCH Cafeteria. Free food and refreshments will be available to all participating students.
"Form your team, explore real-world problem spaces, and get everything you need to start innovating," says a note from Velocity. "Teams form at the event — just bring your ideas and energy!"
Sign up now — spots are limited!
The AgeTech Innovation Challenge runs from September 15 to 26.
Gamifying AI
This article was originally published on the Cheriton School of Computer Science website.
Around 30 per cent of Canadians rely on AI for personal and work use, from proofreading work emails to planning trips — but do we truly understand how AI works?
In today’s world, AI may dictate our everyday outcomes and choices more often than man-made decisions. Even the most essential sectors are adopting AI. Self-driving cars, a game-changer in transportation, use AI to sense its surroundings and control its movements. Some clinics are employing object detection and recognition models, a form of AI, to detect cancerous tumours from X-ray scans — and do it at a much faster and more accurate rate than human doctors.
Yet, most of the public is unaware of how AI makes decisions, leading to possible misuse or mistrust. One promising solution is Explainable AI (XAI) visualization, which illustrates the inner workings and performance of AI models through visualizations. Unfortunately, XAI visualizations are geared towards experienced AI users, such as machine learning engineers or model developers.
What if we could explain AI through video games? That is the vision of Yuzhe You (MMath '23), a second-year PhD student at the University of Waterloo’s David R. Cheriton School of Computer Science. Inspired by research on the positive learning outcomes of gamification, Yuzhe is leveraging interactive visualizations to make XAI more meaningful and accessible to non-technical users.
“When people hear the word ‘visualization,’ they tend to imagine simple, static bar charts or scatter plots. In reality, visualization can incorporate design elements, such as interaction and animation, to transform tedious information into something more engaging and easier to understand,” explains Yuzhe.
“Sometimes, I see XAI tools that are claimed to be designed for non-experts, yet they are extremely overwhelming, even for someone like me,” says Yuzhe. “People deserve to have full transparency on how AI models work. Why do they make certain mistakes or decisions? What is the technology behind these models? I want to help everyday people make informed decisions when they interact with AI systems.”
To support her transformative plan, Yuzhe was awarded with $145,000 in various scholarships, including the NSERC Canada Graduate Scholarship, the Ontario Graduate Scholarship and the University of Waterloo President’s Graduate Scholarship. With this incredible funding, she will conduct user studies to investigate people’s experiences with XAI visualization, including their understanding, attention, and cognitive load. Through these insights, she can develop prototypes that incorporate gaming concepts.
For example, Yuzhe designed a data interface, where a user could ask a non-playable character (NPC) about the data: “What does this datapoint represent?” or “What does the projection view panel mean?” If the user notices any issues in the dataset, like misclassified images, they can probe the chatbot, stripping away any misunderstandings.
Yuzhe infused humour and playfulness into the interface. She designed eight different NPCs, each with their own unique personality, from a wisecracking sidekick to a grumpy teenager who sounds like Squidward.
A demo of Yuzhe’s prototype that uses NPCs to guide users throughout their data analysis. The NPCs embody common video game archetypes, such as a humorous sidekick to a moody teenager.
Recently, Yuzhe and her supervisor, Professor Jian Zhao, conducted a comparative study, where ten non-technical users explored the interface with and without the chatbot. The participants were given only 40 minutes to complete 12 data encoding and interpretation tasks. To demonstrate their understanding of data analysis, they had to complete a pre-quiz and post-quiz relating to the system’s interface, XAI concepts, and visualization interpretation.
Notably, the group with the chatbot performed the best on the post-quiz, boasting a higher task completion and accuracy rate. They found the gamified approach interactive and relatable. In particular, the NPCs created a support network where they could ask AI-related questions without any judgment. Ultimately, this innovative prototype could lower barriers for novice users.
However, some users felt the NPCs’ constant chattering disrupted their workflow. So, Yuzhe wants to explore “personalized gamification,” where the interface is tailored to the user’s level of expertise.
“If the NPCs sense that the user has a low level of visualization literacy, then they could modify the data points and dialogue to make the visualizations more meaningful.”
Like other Cheriton researchers, Yuzhe shows that we can solve the world’s most pressing problems with strokes of creativity. As a teenager, Yuzhe dreamt of being an artist and even attended Rhode Island School of Design’s pre-college program. During her senior year of high school, she took a programming class and realized that she could “use computer science to bring my art to life.”
“When I was younger, I had this misconception that art and computer science are different sides of the spectrum. But when I developed my first-ever app, I was both the programmer and the artist,” says Yuzhe on why she pursued computer science for her undergraduate. “I realized that programming can be used to invent different kinds of applications that serve a purpose. But when you combine it with art, you can create something more powerful.”
Her PhD research comes full circle with her programming journey.
“As a programmer who came from an art background, I understand how nerve-racking it is to pick up something that’s totally out of your domain. That’s why I’m so interested in gamification to explain AI techniques and processes to people with less technical background. If I had these tools when I first started, then it would have been a more comfortable and easier learning experience.”
Friday's facts and figures
The deadline for Warrior Rec Intramurals and Warrior Rec Instructional Programs registration is coming up on Monday, September 15. There are over 15 intramural leagues to choose from, and instructional programs include dance, martial arts, skating, skipping, and climbing.
Hack the North, Canada's largest student hackathon, is getting its phreak on this weekend from September 12 to 14, just in time to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the 1995 movie Hackers.
A UWSA Election information session takes place today from 12 noon to 1:00 p.m. online.
Beginning next week, the Waterloo Undergraduate Student Association (WUSA) is hosting satellite campus luncheons for undergraduate students. The dates are as follows:
- Kitchener Health Sciences campus: Monday, September 15, 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
- Stratford Institute for Interaction Design and Business: Wednesday, September 24, 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
- Cambridge School of Architecture: Thursday, September 25, 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Information Systems & Technology (IST) has published the latest in the Atlassian blog series entitled Best Practices for Embedding Videos in Confluence.
Flags on campus will be lowered on Sunday, September 14 to mark Firefighters' National Memorial Day, which is held annually on the second Sunday in September to honour firefighters who have fallen in the line of duty.
Link of the day
International Day for South-South Co-operation
When and where
The Campus Wellness Student Medical Clinic offers healthcare visits with Physicians and Nurse Practitioners to current undergraduate and graduate students. Services include: vaccinations, immunity testing, naturopathic services and more. Counselling Services offers appointments with counsellors in person as well as via phone and video. Students can book appointments for these services by calling Campus Wellness at 519-888-4096.
The privately-run Student Health Pharmacy (located in the lower level of the Student Life Centre) is now offering new COVID booster shots and flu shots. Covid booster shots are available by appointment only – please call ext. 33784 or 519-746-4500. The Student Health Pharmacy’s summer hours are Monday to Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Naloxone kits are still available – pick them up in the pharmacy at no charge.
The Waterloo Eye Institute optometry clinics in Waterloo and downtown Kitchener offer comprehensive eye exams and eyewear, including glasses and contact lenses, with the Waterloo location offering various specialized services including urgent eye care. Discounts apply for University of Waterloo students and employees. The Waterloo Clinic is at a nearby interim location, 419C Phillip St, during construction at the School of Optometry and Vision Science. The Kitchener Clinic remains at the Health Sciences Campus, 10B Victoria St. S. Book online or by phone at 519-888-4062.
Warrior Rec Club registration, Wednesday, September 3 to Monday, September 15.
WUSA Welcome Week, Monday, September 8 to Wednesday, September 17.
UWSA Election Information Session, Friday, September 12, 12 noon to 1:00 p.m., online.
Warrior Rec Intramurals registration deadline, Monday, September 15, 11:00 a.m. New and improved registration system this term, over 15 leagues to choose from. Find out more and sign up today!
Warrior Rec Instructional Programs registration deadline, Monday, September 15, 12 noon. Dance, Martial Arts, Skating, Skipping and Climbing lessons available. Find out more and register today.
Manulife presents CareNext Collective: The potential of robotics in health care, Monday, September 15, 12 noon to 1:00 p.m., online. Register now.
UWSA Election Information Session, Monday, September 15, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m., online.
Accessibility Ally Network virtual presentation on Embedding accessibility into staff programming during uncertain times, Tuesday, September 16 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., online.
Campus Life Fair, Wednesday, September 17, 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., SLC Great Hall.
Community Well-being Fruits and Veg Market, Wednesday, September 17, 12 noon to 4:00 p.m. (while supplies last), Engineering 7 first floor (by the Robohub) and Health Expansion Building first floor foyer.
Noon Hour Concert: Cuore Piano Trio, Tensions & Transparencies, Wednesday, September 17, 12 noon, Conrad Grebel University College Chapel. Free admission.
TRANSFORM symposium featuring Diana Fox Carney, “Pathways to a Sustainable World,” Wednesday, September 17, 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., CIGI Auditorium, Balsillie School of International Affairs. Fireside chat and reception to follow, 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Waterloo Forum debate, “Will AI undermine Canadian democratic institutions?” Wednesday, September 17, 6:30 p.m., Engineering 7 2nd floor event space. Register today.
Buckthorn Pull with the Sustainability Office, Thursday, September 18, 12 noon to 2:00 p.m., Healing Forest.
Homecoming 2025, Saturday, September 20.
2025 Faculty of Health Fun Run, Saturday, September 20, 10:00 a.m., Ring Road outside Burt Matthews Hall.
Warriors Football Homecoming vs. Queen's, Saturday, September 20, 1:00 p.m., Warrior Field. Free yoga session, outdoor spin class, pregame Parking Lot Party for all fans in Lot W, Alumni Day, W Store Pop Up Shop and Pass, Punt, Kick Student Contest for $5,000. Find out more and Purchase tickets.
Unlock the Poseidon Water Quality Portal: Transforming Water Quality Data into Decisions, Monday, September 22, 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., online via Zoom. Register now.
NEW - Exploring the tensions between censorship and hate speech, Monday, September 22, 3:00 p.m. to 4:25 p.m. with a reception to follow in MBET Classroom, E7-2324.
NEW - University Senate meeting, Monday, September 22, 3:30 p.m. NH 3407 and online.
NEW - Buckthorn Pull with the Sustainability Office, Tuesday, September 23, 12 noon to 2:00 p.m., Healing Forest.
Upcoming service interruptions
Stay up to date on service interruptions, campus construction, and other operational changes on the Plant Operations website. Upcoming service interruptions include:
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Environment 1, 2 and 3, Modern Languages, Dana Porter Library, Needles Hall fire alarm testing, Friday, September 12, 6:30 a.m. to 8:15 a.m.
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East Campus 4, East Campus 5 fire alarm testing, Friday, September 12, 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
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Ron Eydt Village equipment shutdown, Friday, September 12, 10:00 p.m. to midnight, air compressor, air handling unit and chilled water plant will be shut down.
- Carl Pollock Hall and Douglas Wright Engineering electrical shutdown, Sunday, September 14, 7:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., normal power including elevators will be off, emergency power operational.
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Centre for Environment & Information Technology (CEIT), Earth Science & Chemistry, Physics, Chemistry 2 fire alarm testing, Monday, September 15, 6:30 a.m. to 8:15 a.m.
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Village 1 fire alarm testing, Monday, September 15, 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
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Toby Jenkins Building crane operation, Tuesday, September 16, 7:00 a.m. to 12 noon, equipment will be craned up and down from the rooftop for HVAC repairs, parking lot back alleyway will not be accessible during this time.
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Carl Pollock Hall, Douglas Wright Engineering, South Campus Hall, Rod Coutts Hall, Grad House fire alarm testing, Wednesday, September 17, 6:30 a.m. to 8:15 a.m.
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General Services Complex, Commissary, Central Plant fire alarm testing, Wednesday, September 17, 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
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South Campus Hall electrical shutdown, Friday, September 19, 2:00 a.m. to 7:00 a.m., all normal power affected by metering installation, emergency power will not be affected.
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School of Architecture fire alarm testing, Friday, September 19, 6:30 a.m. to 8:15 a.m.
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Digital Media Stratford fire alarm testing, Friday, September 19, 12 noon to 3:00 p.m.
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Engineering 2 electrical shutdown, Saturday, September 20, 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., all 600V power will go down in E2, AHUs in E2 will also be affected, emergency power will not be affected.
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Engineering 3 electrical shutdown, Saturday, September 20, 7:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., all normal power affected by metering installation, emergency power will not be affected.
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Earth Science Chemistry electrical shutdown, Sunday, September 21, 7:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., all normal power affected by metering installation, emergency power will not be affected.
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Burt Matthews Hall original building electrical shutdown, Friday, September 26, 2:00 a.m. to 7:00 a.m., all normal power affected by metering installation, emergency power will not be affected.